"Hey,what do you think about a ride, just me and you? Just a short one around here? I gotta get out of here for a little bit Cole" I said as I sat on a workbench in the shop watching him as he tinkered with an old bike.

He tossed down his wrench and wiped his greasy hands on a red shop rag and stood between my legs.

"We can do that, let's make it a sunset ride? Listen, I gotta do something tonight that is...dangerous but important" he stopped for a minute to read my face, which I have worked on not showing emotions lately, so I keep a stoic look, although on the inside I'm worried. It's only been a few days since he's been shot.

"It is unfortunately the only way out of this. If something happens...and I don't make it back...I want you to go to the cabin. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

I nod by head and swallow hard

"You promised me you'd never leave me Cole"

"Don't plan to baby but I always have backup plans. Shit is going to get deep tonight and I'm trying to let you in on club life more like you asked me to. I'm not going to lie, I don't usually worry about these kind of runs but now that I have you, it's definitely making me think"

"Let me see your wound" I demanded

He rolls his eyes but doesn't argue and lifts his shirt. He holds a cute smirk as my eyes rake over his abs of steel before they settle on the gauze bandage.

I pulled back the tape on the corner of the 4x4 piece of gauze that was on his left side, between his hip bone and rib cage, where the soft flesh was ripped open when the bullet cut through it.

A purple, black and yellowish-green bruise surrounded the swollen and jaggedly ripped skin.

"It's looking better, it's not red or infected. Are you sure you'll be okay to go on a run like this?" My eyes met his with concern as I gently pressed the tape back to his warm skin.

His eyes softened and he smiled as he reassured me he was okay

"I'm fine Hailey, really, it's just sore. It feels like I got punched, not shot" he explained

He looked up and out the windows of the workshop "what do you say I clean up here and you go get everyone outside? We can grill up some burgers and play some darts and cornhole? Then when everyone is busy, we can slip away and get a few minutes of peace and quiet" He raised his eyebrows up and down suggestively at me before giving me a soft kiss.

Before he could pull away I wrapped my legs around him, locking my ankles, pulling him into me, turning our kiss into a heated make out session in the garage like two teenagers hiding from their parents.

And just like the cock blockers they are Lana and Ghost busted in on our fun.

"You two are like rabbits man. I need to talk to you at the table" Ghost said to Cole

"Alright" Cole answered Ghost" why don't you and Lana go get everything that we talked about together and I'll be right there babe" he asked me before giving me a quick kiss and made his way up the steps.

He wasn't 100% yet and it didn't set well with me knowing he was going on a run later.

Lana and I gathered everyone who want to play yard darts and corn hole and got set up. Some of the guys jumped on the grill, grilling up burgers and hotdogs for this impromptu grill out.

After a few minutes Cole and Ghost joined the group from their meeting of two and Cole and I decided to play a game of corn hole against each other.

I have always been fiercely competitive and right now, my eyes were laser locked on Coles red bean bag that was literally hanging in the hole but hadn't fallen through, trying to figure out how to get mine it without making his fall.

He tried to do me dirty and started kissing the back of my neck as he stood behind me, I wasn't falling for it, not when a win was riding on the line.

"Nice try buddy" I shrugged him off of me

"Do you want to make this next shot interesting?" He asked tauntingly but I kept my eyes focused on where I was aiming my blue bean bag. Once I had that sorted I turned to him

"Interesting how?" I asked playing along

"If you win, you get, lets call it a wild card, you can cash in for anything, anytime you want" he nibbled on my ear

"If you win? Not that you will, but state your terms sir" I reached my hand back behind me and grabbed his neck, pulling his mouth to mine, giving him a deep kiss.

"I get one too, I can use it anytime for anything"

I laughed "hmm...that does make it interesting"

I pulled away and turned around looking deep in his eyes

"I'm winning this game"

He threw his head back and laughed a belly laugh "take your best shot baby"

I glared at him playfully and turned around, putting all my focus into the shot.

I focused on the left of the circle and brought my arm back and shot my shot, it hit right where I sent it, hitting the left side of the circle and teetering on the curve of the circle before it fell in, leaving Coles bag on the board.

I jumped up in the air

"woooo! I told you that prize was mine!" I gloated

Cole shook his head at me and with one arm wrapped around me, he started dragging me towards the shop.

"Let's get out of here for a little bit, we're leaving at dark once we're back"

I licked my lips and rubbed my lips together "can I use my prize for you to stay home?"

He stopped and held me "no baby, this has to happen or I'm going to be fighting everyday. Don't think about that right now, let's ride"

———————

After about an hour of riding around and trading kiss for kiss with each other on the back of his bike, we headed back home where everyone was preparing for the run.

People buzzed all over the place going in and out of the shop, which Cole wouldn't let me go in right now, so I sat with Bennie and Lana around the pit smoking a blunt.

They guys all poured out of the shop and headed for their bikes, situating their gear before saying their goodbyes to their girls.

Cole came over to me and pulled me up off the chair and started walking off away from everyone.

"We're heading out, don't wait up for me, I'll check in if I can but don't freak on me and run if I don't, Okay? I need a clear head baby"

I looked up into the face that I fell for so quickly "wild horses baby, remember? Please just come home" I pleaded as I held him close to me "I love you" I whispered into his ear and held him tighter and closer.

"I love you" he kissed me gently and slow putting all his love in his kiss.

Then he walked away and my stomach had a pit for hours after, just waiting for anything for anyone but no one had contacted anyone.

Lana and I binged some tv until we both decided to turn in about 1am.

I tried to sleep but the anxiety was eating my stomach from the inside. I got up out of bed, it was cold so I had on sweats and a tee shirt on, I grabbed a blunt and went outside to smoke, hoping it would help me sleep.

I had been sitting outside in the pitch dark, alone, for about ten minutes when I heard a rumble in the distance. Peeking right up, I sat still and listened.

They were coming down the dirt back road "thank God" I said out loud but the pit in my stomach wasn't going to go away until Cole was standing in front of me.

Nothing could have prepared me for what I saw when Cole and the club rolled up the private drive, stopping in front of the shop.

Something bad happened

Coles face was pasty white and blood was smeared on his face. I looked down his body and put my hand up to my mouth in shock as Cole got off his bike covered in blood.

C.O.V.E.R.E.D

No one was talking as I looked back and forth between all the guys accessing the damage.

Several of them had blood on them but not one of them as much as Cole.

He was in shock. I couldn't believe he was able to ride alone in that state.

All of my nursing instincts kicked in, not to mention protective girlfriend mode.

I didn't rush him, I stayed calm, I just walked up to him and held him, his grip was so tight on me it was a vice grip. I let him hold me in silence for a minute.

Sliding my hand down his arm into his hand, I interlaced our fingers and lead him towards the house.

I stopped at the grass right before the porch steps "we need to take your clothes off out here Cole" I didn't think someone's blood in our house was good.

I pushed his cut off his shoulders and let it fall to the ground. Grabbing his tee shirt I lifted it up over his abs. He took it from me and pulled it off as I worked on his jeans and boxers. Once he was naked I took him inside to our bathroom, the blood seeped through the material of his clothes and his body was bloody.

"You'll be okay baby, let's get you into the shower" I told him as we stood in the quiet. I got undressed while the water was heating up and once steam started to billow inside the glass walls I pulled him inside with me.

"Come in here with me" I said softly

Once we were under the hot water I grabbed my loofa and shower gel and started cleaning him everywhere. The water ran red until it faded to pink before running clear and clean.

I washed his hair like he had for me

"Tip back" I whispered still trying to keep quiet and calm to calm him down and bring his body out of shock.

I wrapped my arms around him and held him under the hot water as it tried to wash the sin away.

"I love you, thank you" He mumbled against the skin of my neck.

"You're welcome, I love you too...do you...do you want to talk about it?" I asked hoping he would figuring he wouldn't

"Not tonight, I just want to go to bed, lay with you and not think about tonight any more right now" he shook his head as he spoke

"Okay, Are you ok to get out or do you want to stay in a little longer?"

"No, let's get out"

Once we were dried and dressed in comfy clothes, I grabbed a blunt and crawled in the covers with Cole. Just the small lamp on my bedside table was lit, giving the room a soft amber glow.

He lay on his back and I was snuggled on his chest as we took turns smoking in silence. After he hit it one last time, he held to my lips, I took one last hit and he put it out and pulled me up closer to him and kissed me.

"Goodnight" he said completely exhausted and Completely closed off.

What the Hell had happened to him tonight?