When I finally found her room, and saw her awake and talking to her mother, I let out a long breath of relief. I hadn’t realised I’d been holding it in.

She turned to look at me, and gave me a smile. “Hey, baby.”

I sat on the edge of her bed and took hold of her hand. “Fuck, you had me worried.” I was pretty sure the minute I’d heard the words ‘molotov cocktail’, my heart had stopped beating.

“I was just lucky one of my customers turned up in time to drag me out of the café before I got burnt.”

Guilt that she’d been affected by Storm business washed through me. Raking my fingers through my hair, I said, “I’m so sorry this happened to you.” I turned to Cheryl. “And to your café, too.”

Cheryl nodded. “It’s not your fault, Scott.”

Anger punched through me - at this, and at everything threatening Storm. My gut twisted with that anger and for a moment, I felt like nothing we were doing was working. One step forward and two fucking steps back was what it felt like.

Harlow squeezed my hand and centred me again. I breathed through it and focused my attention back on her.

“Rogue tried to attack me, Scott,” she said quietly, almost as if she was afraid of my reaction. “He is not a good man.”

“Why didn’t you tell me about your problems with him?”

“I didn’t want to burden you with it so I spoke to Blade about it. He’s investigating Rogue for us.”

“Yeah, he told me today. You don’t need to worry about Rogue anymore, sweetheart, okay?” God, it killed me that she’d had to even worry about him in the first place. All I wanted was for Harlow to be safe, and I’d fucking put danger right in her path.

Her eyes widened. “Did he die in that fire? I thought he got out, too.”

I placed my finger to her lips. “All you need to know is that he won’t ever get in your way again. I want you to promise me something, though.”

“What?”

“Promise me you’ll always come to me with this kind of stuff in the future. I need to know any concern you ever have. I need to know that you’re safe at all times.”

“I promise.”

I bent and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Thank fuck.”

She bit her lip as I straightened, and I knew she had something to tell me – Harlow only bit her lip that way when she was keeping something from me.

“What?” I asked.

Her mouth curled up in a smile and her hand rested on my forearm. “I’m pregnant,” she whispered, and for the second time today, my heart skipped a beat.

And then it sped up.

“The baby’s okay after the fire?” Jesus, I’d torture Rogue before killing him if the baby had been harmed. Fuck it, maybe I’d torture him anyway.

“Yes, thank God. The doctor just wants to keep me in overnight to make sure.”

Cassie interrupted us at that moment. “Oh my God, Harlow! Are you okay?” She came flying through the door, almost knocking me over in her haste to get to Harlow.

I stood and gave them some space. Cassie was good for Harlow, and although Harlow had pushed Cassie away a little over the past few months, her friend had always been there for her. I never begrudged them time together.

My phone sounded with a text.

Griff: Ward 5A Bed 6

I shoved my phone back in my pocket and cut in on Harlow’s conversation with Cassie. “I’m going to let you girls have some time while I take care of something. I’ll be back soon.”

Harlow frowned. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, baby, I’ll be less than half an hour and then I’m here all night.”

No fucking way am I not staying all night.

She gave me a smile. “Can you please get me a drink while you’re gone?”

“Coffee? Tea?”

“Surprise me.”

I brushed a kiss across her lips and lingered there for a moment. “I love you,” I murmured.

“Love you, too,” she whispered. Her words meant more to me than anything in that moment.

She still loves me regardless of the fact my club almost got her killed.

As I walked towards the elevator, I allowed the anger I’d kept in check to pump through me and clenched my fists as I imagined what I was about to do.

I had two reasons for breathing in life and when someone messed with either of those, I’d spend my days making sure they never had the chance to do it again.

I stood in the doorway and watched as Rogue slept. Hospital life carried on around us, but my mind filtered the activity out as I focused all my attention on the man who’d messed with my woman and my club.

My boot sounded on the floor as I took a step towards him, and his eyes blinked open at the noise.

Lines creased his forehead as he frowned. “Scott?” he asked, his voice thick with confusion.

“Yeah, motherfucker, I’m alive even though you worked to make sure I wasn’t. Griff’s still breathing, too, but you’ll see that for yourself any minute now.” I had no proof he was behind Griff and I getting shot at earlier, but the look that crossed his face was all the evidence I needed.

When he didn’t say anything, I asked, “Why?”

“Why, what?”

My anger flared at his continued charade. “Why the fuck did you turn on us?”

He stared at me for a few moments, hedging his bets by the look of it, before finally spitting out, “Marcus was right about you when he said you had a God complex. You shouldn’t have killed him. You shouldn’t be the fucking president of Storm!”

“I didn’t fuckin’ kill him.”

“That’s a lie.”

Griff’s voice sounded behind me as he clicked the door shut. “No, it’s not. Scott did not kill Marcus.”

Rogue’s gaze flicked to Griff. “You should both be dead for what you’ve done to the club.”

“What the fuck have we done that’s so bad? If anything, we’ve made it better,” I threw back.

“Marcus had a plan for the club, a plan that involved drugs and a whole lot of cash, and you two fucked with that plan. You fucked with my chance at a happy future.”

Clarity hit me. “So this all comes down to money.”

“Money and fucking happiness.”

I lowered my face closer to his. “There’s something to be said for clean cash, Rogue…cash that doesn’t hurt people. Marcus never gave a shit about whether his actions hurt other people, but Griff and I do. Storm will never fuckin’ deal in drugs again.”

Griff cut in. “So, you figured you’d feed Julio information about the club and let him take us down?”

Hatred burned in Rogue’s eyes. “I gave him what he needed to get to you two. He was supposed to take both of you out, as well as the other club members I’d identified as being opposed to drugs. I wouldn’t think for one second that just because you’re still breathing, you’re safe. Julio intends to control this state. Anyone who gets in his way will be taken care of.” He paused for a moment before adding, “And that bitch of yours sure did feel good warming my bed while you were away.” Another lie. They just seemed to fall from his mouth.

I clenched my jaw as I punched his face.

Motherfucker.

“I’m really fuckin’ happy that fire didn’t kill you, and that one of Harlow’s customers pulled you from it,” I snarled.

He spat blood from his mouth. “Fuck you.”

I punched him again. As the satisfaction coursed through me, I yelled, “No, fuck you!”

“We need to hurry this along, brother,” Griff warned.

I nodded. “Yeah.”

I yanked one of the pillows out from under Rogue’s head, enjoying the fear I saw in his eyes. His arms lashed out at me, trying to halt my progress, but nothing would stop me from this. When I finally had the pillow over his face, I pressed down hard while Griff restrained his arms. His body fought death and his grunts composed the soundtrack to his demise, but all I heard was the sweet, sweet music of triumph.

Finally, something is going our way.

As I eyed the drinks available in the hospital café, Griff said, “Blood is about to be shed, isn’t it?”