Free Filthy Bastard (Grim Bastards MC) by Emily Minton, Shelley Springfield Page A

around me.
    “Oh, fuck. I’ll have him here in five,” Brew tells Boz, just before he pulls me out of the kitchen and back down the hall.
    As soon as we step into my room, he has his phone out. A second later, he is barking orders to someone that I can only assume is the doctor Boz was asking for. “You got five minutes to get your ass here, or you’ll answer to me.”
    When his phone is back in his pocket, he turns his eyes to me. “I need you to stay in here for me. I know you’re scared, Red, but I need you to do this for me.”
    “Can you at least tell me what happened?” I ask, laying my hand on his arms. “Who hurt Trix and Grim?”
    He closes his eyes for a second before finally answering my question. “Crank came back, but it’s over now, so there’s nothing for you to worry about.”
    I can tell he’s lying, or at least only giving me half the truth, but I don’t push him. Instead, I go to my toes and lay a kiss on his mouth. It’s gentle, just a slight brush of my lips against his. Still, it’s all I have to give him right now.
    “Please, be careful,” I tell him before pulling away. “I couldn’t handle it if something happened to you, too.”
    He stares at me a second, not bothering to reply, before backing out of my room. He gives me one of his signature chin lifts and orders, “Lock the fucking door.”
    A second later, he’s gone, and I lock the door as ordered. Then, I place my back to the door and slide down to the floor. As soon as my ass hits the cold concrete, I let the tears fall.
    I can’t believe this shit. What else is going to fucking happen while we’re stuck here? It seems that if it’s not one thing, it’s another. Don’t get me wrong; it hasn’t been all bad. There are times when I have really enjoyed myself. Now, though, it’s starting to seem like the bad is outweighing the good.
    I thought for sure that Crank was never coming back, and I hope like hell they killed his ass this time. Never thought I’d say that about another human being, not even Blake. But, Trix has had enough to deal with from that man. She sure doesn’t need any more.
    I hate that I am stuck in this room when Trix is hurt. There’s nothing I could do besides comfort her, anyway. Sometimes, though, that’s enough. I know she has Boz with her, so she’ll be fine. He’ll do his best to help her through this, and she will do the same for him.
    The urge to run out and check on everyone hits me, but I hold back. Brew will be back for me, so I just have to wait. He hasn’t lied to me yet, and I don’t think today is the day he’ll start. Thinking about him has me thinking about what’s going on in my heart. I do care about him, a lot more than I should. A hell of a lot more than I have time for right now. My mind should be focused on getting home and taking care of my sister, not the man I could see myself spending the rest of my life with.
    I sit here crying for a few more minutes, before I get up and go into the bathroom to wash my face. Maybe the cold water will stop the tears from flowing. Just as I put the cool washcloth against my face, I hear the door opening. I’m too scared to walk out of the bathroom to see who it is. It seems like it’s been forever since Brew left, and it could be anyone coming in.
    I throw the washcloth in the sink and am about to peek out the bathroom door, when Brew comes running around the corner. He looks into my eyes a second before wrapping me in his arms. He is holding me so tight that it’s hard for me to breathe.
    “Brew, not so tight,” I mumble, surprised he can actually understand the words barely making their way out of my mouth.
    His arms loosen just a little bit before he says, “I’m sorry, Red. When I came in and didn’t see you, it scared the hell out of me.”
    “It’s okay, I just couldn’t breathe,” I say, giving him a little laugh.
    He places a kiss on my head and says, “Well, I wouldn’t want that. It’s my goal in life to