Page 69 of Ink

My tears fall faster when I watch Doc try to stop the bleeding before we hear someone shout,

"FUCK, HE'S LOST HIS PULSE."

I wail as Doc starts CPR while I try to get to him, but both Leah and Gunner hold me tighter while someone else shouts, "SHANES OK, HE'S RESPONSIVE, SHE DIDN'T CUT HIM DEEP ENOUGH; HE WAS TRYING TO CRAWL TO THE CLUBHOUSE."

I look to see two brothers, Butch and Tank, carrying Shane before I look back at Jackson when the back door slams open, and you can hear Dagger's voice say, "WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED?"

Axel is the one to answer him: "Leslie came in after Sophie with a knife, and Ink jumped in front of her."

"FUCK!"

Dagger shouts before his hard eyes come to me, instantly softening before he walks over. Leah moves reluctantly when Gunner grabs her arm, hugging her to him. At the same time, Dagger grips my arm, helping me stand on my too-weak legs before hugging me into his chest, where I fall apart, making him hold me tighter before another pair of arms tighten around me from my back. I instantly know it is Mel from her perfume.

My sobs come harder when Doc shouts again.

"WE'RE FUCKING LOSING HIM."

Dagger holds me tighter while Stormy screams and shouts to save his son.

It feels like hours when it could only be minutes when he finally shouts again, making my heart skip a beat.

"WE'VE GOT A PULSE; WE NEED TO MOVE HIM NOW; GO, GO, GO."

The men all rush and several carry Jackson down the hallway. I go to follow, but Dagger holds me back before rasping, "Let Doc do his thing, darling; he won't let my brother die; he won't let you lose another person."

My sobs come out again when Stormy storms over to us, taking me into his arms. I hear several women crying in the background while the men curse, trying to patch up Shane as others remove the dead body, but all I can focus on is the hallway, and whether or not I'm about to lose my person. Never have I needed my Momma more, but she's not here; she left me too, and without Jackson, I wouldn't have a reason to live either.

I don't know how long we stood here before Clitter grabbed my hand, dragging me over to the table while another woman with bright ginger hair glared at me from across the table Clitter sat me at, but we both ignored her. Some sweet butts are quite mean, and she's apparently one of them. Clitter and Amy, who used to be a sweet butt, says she hides her true self from the brothers, she's the main ring leader for trying to trap the brothers, but they don't believe the other sweet butts who come forward apparently - the woman has been here a while and earned their respect. Clitter said she had her eyes set on Flame but used Axel the Pres as a scapegoat so no one would notice her infatuation with him. I've seen, and so has Leah, who is standing near the bar, keeping her distance, and Annalise, who is currently in the kitchen cooking up a storm; we're keeping an eye on her.

Clitter sits beside me while the men talk near the bar, and I place my head on her shoulder as more tears fall. She moves her mouth to my ear beforewhispering, "I know you want to run; I know you want to die, but you're not going to; you're going to stay strong because you won't lose him; I promise you, you won't," making my tears fall faster.

She saw right through my pain.

I close my eyes before squeezing them tight as Jackson's gray eyes play like a movie when the knife goes into him, and I have to open them again. I know people are watching me; I know they're worried about what I'll do and how this will set me back, but all I can think about is Jackson; I need him.

I close my eyes again, and finally, I nod off on Clitter's shoulder because of exhaustion.

I don't know how long I slept, but I woke up to a whisper, "Are you sure we shouldn't call Dr Shall?"

It's Leah, and she sounds scared.

"No, not yet, at least." She's talking to Annalise: "I've made her a cup of tea; make sure she drinks it when she wakes; she needs to stay hydrated; otherwise, she'll end up collapsing again; I'm going to finish off the muffins; I can't stand this staying still crap; oh, and I need to call Star so she's up to date with Ink."

I fall back to sleep when a hand lands on my shoulder, and I open my eyes slowly to see Doc standing before me.

My tears automatically well up in my eyes as Clitter kisses my head and squeezes my shoulder,

"Ink would never leave you, sweet girl. He's going to be okay."

I let out a sob of relief as he took me into his arms, holding me tight before guiding me down the corridor with Dagger, Stormy, and Axel at our heels. He goes to the white door at the end before opening it, which shows a sterile room, like a hospital wing. There are several beds, and my man is asleep in one. He's pale and hooked up to some machines. My sobs come out again before I walk over to him, climbing onto the bed on the left side and gently lying next to him, my head going into the crook of his neck. This is my favorite place to be, and I sob for the worry and pain of what's just happened while his family sits on the chairs available, letting me have my time.

Once I've finally calmed down, I open my eyes and furrow my brows when I see the patch he had free of ink on his neck is, well, inked.

I lean back a little while the men snicker, but I ignore them as I gasp, seeing my name tattooed on his neck.

When on earth did he get that, and how in the hell did I not notice the fucking thing?

I'm in fucking shock.