Page 29 of Thunder

I look at Dad for a beat, Tilly’s encouragement echoing, and, taking a deep breath, I climb into his SUV, hoping I’m not making a mistake as my mind goes back to that hospital where Bradley is…

Chapter 9

Thunder – Two Days Later

I tap the side of the bed as I keep my eyes on the door, ignoring my sister pacing the room like I’m about to go into some extensive surgery. When, in reality, I should be out in an hour, but Brittany is panicking.

I hear her huff for the tenth time within a minute and I sigh.

“Little sister, you need to tell your hormones to calm down because your pacing is giving me a headache,” I mutter, not looking away from the door, my frustration building higher and fucking higher.

Two days, two whole fucking days, and I haven’t seen Scottie at all, and I’m pissed.

I knew I couldn’t do two days without seeing her, I fucking knew it.

“Don’t make me hit you!” Brittany growls, and my lips twitch, but I still don’t look her way.

I’ve felt, I don’t know, itchy, I guess, since Scottie walked out of the exam room and my sister grilled me on who she was. Now my frustration- the one I’d get from pain has fucking doubled because I haven’t seen her, haven’t heard her voice or laugh, and I’m a ticking time bomb.

“Are you going to tell me about this doctor yet who doesn’t actually look old enough to be a doctor?” Brit asks as she takes a seat beside my bed, and I side-eye her before looking back at the door.

For two days, she’s tried grilling me, and for two days I had dodged my family. Especially after walking into the common room to find Kathleen glaring at the room full of bikers. She lost it after one of the clubwhores asked her if she knew when my surgery was and if I’d need attending to.

Fucking patch chasers…

Dad looked apologetic, Kathleen was raging because no one told her I was having surgery. I was fucking pissed- still am, to be honest, which is why I’ve spent most of my time at the Rebel’s tattoo parlor doing a design for Scottie and ensuring my sister had no idea that I was there to stop the fucking constant grilling.

I slowly lick my bottom lip. I told Dad not to bring Kathleen, but he didn’t listen to me. Even now, I’ve told him to head home because of her bitching, and he’s still here, she is still fucking here, and why? I don’t know, because growing up, I was never her priority despite what others may think.

She tried to show herself as a loving mother, yet when it was just the two of us, I was a pest on her fucking shoe because she knew I wanted to be a brother.

“Bradley, please,” Brit whispers when I don’t answer her, “You looked at her like Asher looks at me, and I heard Asher and the Untamed Doc talking. Asher doesn’t think you’ll come home, and even though I am very much aware it’s selfish, I want you to come home. I need you to come home.”

I finally look at her, angry at her words and notice tears in her eyes, but I don’t soften.

She knows what it feels like to have someone try and convince the person she loves to leave her, fuck, she lost her memories because of that shit.

“You’re right, it is selfish, Brit,” I state, not sugarcoating it, “And honestly, right now, I haven’t decided what I’m going to do, but what I will tell you is she’s mine, whether she knows it or not.”

I can’t tell her about my probable kidnapping, I can’t get her involved.

“Please don’t stay, Bradley,” she chokes as a few tears fall, and she quickly wipes them away as the door to my room opens, and I quickly look, hoping for it to be Scottie. I scowl when Dad and Kathleen walk in.

The woman holds guilt, I get it, she blames herself and the club as to why her first husband was killed. She was having an affair with Dad, but it doesn’t mean she needs to treat the club like shit, fuck, Dad pulled back from the club for her. Brittany marrying Doc was probably her worst fear coming to life but she needs to adapt, preferably away from me.

“I thought I told you to go home?” I snap, and Dad raises a brow.

“You’re about to have surgery, I’m not going anywhere,” he says in a tone that is serious, and I lock my jaw as Kathleen looks around the room and demands, “Where is everyone? The doctors? The nurses? Your surgery is scheduled for ten, and it's five til!”

“Mama, sometimes hospitals run a little behind,” Brit sighs, but Kathleen scoffs.

“I don’t care, we just donated half a million dollars to this hospital, and if they aren’t here in the next two minutes then I’m cancelling that check!”

“Wait, you did what?” I hear Dad snap, and Kathleen huffs, “They are late, Bobby, this isn’t acceptable!” before giving him a don’t question me look about the cheque.

I roll my eyes and drop my head back with a huff, and Dad says, “They’ll be here soon, Kathleen, just be patient, yeah.”

“I’ve been patient for two days, and honestly, I don’t even know why we couldn’t wait until today to come down, especially if they were going to take this long.”