What Goes Around (Bulldogs MC #3)

4: Riding Is His Life

^^ Banjo ^^

As soon as we enter the hospital, a nurse pulls me to the side. I think she's trying to talk to me, but I can't tear my eyes away from Banjo until he's wheeled into a side room out of my view. I shake my head and look at the nurse whose hand is resting on my shoulders.

"Are you injured?" She asks, and I look at her in confusion. She nods towards my body and I look down. I look like something out of a horror film. My arms are covered in blood up to my elbows, and there are red streaks across my belly and thighs. I try to remember how I got so covered in it, but everything is a blur. I realise the nurse is waiting for my answer and shake my head.

"It's not mine. It's all his," I say, fighting the sobs that try to break through.

The nurse gives me what I assume is meant to be a reassuring smile, but it just screams pity. "Come on," she says, leading me to a room filled with lockers. She opens one and hands me some blue scrubs. "These are mine. They should fit you okay. I'll show you where you can get cleaned up."

By the time the others arrive, I'm sitting in a chair in the waiting room, wearing the clean scrubs and holding a cup of coffee the nurse had gotten for me. My skin is stinging where I scrubbed it for what seemed like hours. No matter how hard I scrubbed, all I could see was Banjo's blood. I look up when a hand rests on my knee and see Smiler crouching in front of me.

"Oh thank god!" I say, putting my coffee down and wrapping my arms around his neck. "Where's Robin?" I ask, panicked suddenly.

"I'm here," I hear her say, and look up to see her sandwiched between Pest and Jay. I smile at her, relieved and she returns it.

"How is he?" Jay asks.

"I don't know. I'm still waiting. That's good though, right? No news is good news?" I'm answered with various murmurs of confirmation and take a deep breath. Robin sits next to me and I notice the sideways glances she keeps giving me. When I look at her face I realise she's fighting a smile. "What?" I ask her.

She clears her throat and her eyes dart to Pest before looking back at me. "You threatened to shoot the sheriff?" As soon as she finishes speaking, a giggle escapes her.

I look at Pest with a glare and he takes a step back. "She was freaked out and I was trying to distract her!"

I can't help it. Between his terrified face, and Robin's giggles that she's trying to smother with her sleeve, I have to laugh. It feels so good to have the tension broken, even if only for a minute. Our moment is broken when a doctor finally walks out of the room they took Banjo into. I jump up and everyone around me falls silent.

"I'm looking for the family of Benjamin Michaels?" He says.

"That's us," I say, motioning to the others as well.

The doctor clears his throat. "I can only give information to his immediate family," He looks at us all disapprovingly and I feel my temper rise.

"We are his immediate family. We're all he's got!" I'm yelling now and I turn when I hear my name being called. I spot the sheriff and grab him by his arm, pulling him to stand in front of the doctor. "Thank god. Sheriff, will you please tell this imbecile that we are Banjo's family?"

The sheriff rolls his eyes at me and looks back to the doctor. "I wouldn't argue with her, Jerry. This lot are the only family he's got. And unless you want this place to end up with a brawl, I suggest you treat her like she's his sister."

I ruffle the sheriff's hair and grin when he slaps my hand away. "Thanks, Bobby."

"Ms Hart, I keep telling you it's Robert or Sheriff. I'll be back to talk to you soon."