It felt like he'd swallowed a stone. Or maybe even a whole mountain.
Was Raine dead? He couldn't be, right?
Esai felt nauseous and it felt like his brain registered all impulses way too slowly. He almost missed the signal from his father, who gestured for them to get off the road at a petrol station.
Things were still shitty between Raine and him. He'd hoped Raine's anger would subside over time—especially after teaching Sasha's father a lesson together. His friend could impossibly be gone now. Esai joined the others, who'd come to a halt at a parking for trucks. It was only when he took his hands off the handle bars that he noticed how cramped his fingers were. He squeezed his hands as he turned his attention to his father.
"We're going back to Oakland," his father said. "As it seems, word has reached the Sons that Raine died."
"You mean... he didn't?" Esai was startled by the tremor in his voice. He didn't like the fact that he sounded so weak now, but the thought of Raine being dead was awful.
"Of course not." His father looked at him condescendingly, as if only a moron could think such a thing. "Or did you get a phone call?"
Esai pulled his phone out of his pocket, though he did it mainly to escape his father's mocking stare. No, he had no messages. Something his father was very aware of, for if something would have happened, they would have called him first. "No," he muttered.
"We let the Sons think that Raine is indeed dead. For now, he can't leave the hospital anyway. However, if we fill half of the hospital, there will be talking, especially in a town like Charming. Besides, the Scotsman will probably go there to have his leg stitched up too."
"So we leave him there?" Esai asked in disbelief. "No way. I'm staying."
It might not be in his nature to be social, but he still needed to make things up with Raine. He would not abandon him now—or leave him to the protection of that pathetic Son.
"Phantom keeps an eye out."
Esai huffed. Not exactly the most reliable person around. "I'll stay with him," he insisted. His jaw tightened as he caught his father's stern look. "Dude, he's my best friend."
At last, the look in Marcus' eyes softened. Apparently, he was finally saying something he appreciated. "Alright. But take off your kutte and make sure you don't stand out." Another frown appeared between his brows. "And behave yourself towards your former prospect. If I hear that you behaved inappropriately, you will regret it."
Esai rolled his eyes. Fucking Phantom.
Still, he agreed with a brief nod.
"And should the Sons find out he's still alive, you need to fill me in immediately. I may have made them doubt our involvement in the raid, but Raine can still press charges of attempted manslaughter. I wouldn't be surprised if they would prefer him to slip quietly into the grave."
Yeah, such bastards they are.
Well, before it came to that, Esai would make sure they were the ones quietly sliding into a grave...
Esai started his engine again, then headed for the hospital on his own. It probably wouldn't take long before the Sons delivered their injured brother there too, so he'd better warn Sammy that they thought her brother to be dead.
Phantom sat alone outside, staring into the distance. He didn't look up when Esai rode past him and parked his bike. Such a great lookout. He was too stupid to carry out such a simple task. Esai wrinkled his nose, considered snapping at him but then walked inside. As soon as he was in the hall, he realized he had to take off his kutte so no one would realize that there was a Mayan walking around. And I guess I have to move my bike too. He strode back and threw his keys at the prospect.
The jerk didn't even notice and looked up dazed as the keys hit his jaw. "Wake up, idiot. The Sons think Raine is dead. Get my bike out of sight, bring the keys back to me, and fuck off."He turned around and re-entered the building. It was now past six, there were a few more people in the waiting room. The irritation Phantom had evoked in him by purely existing, wore off when he saw Sammy's jaded face. He ignored the purple-haired chick next to her and knelt down in front of her. "Hey. You okay?"
She swallowed, her eyes puffy. "He's in a coma, E." Two seconds later, tears flooded her face. "He might never wake up."
"He will." He hugged her awkwardly. "Go home, try to get some sleep. As soon as there's any news, I'll call you."
"You can come with me too," Skye said. "Then you'll be with him in a few minutes."
"The outside world thinks he's dead," Esai said. He released the young woman.
"All the better," Skye replied. "If any Son gets wind of the fact that she's staying with me, it will look like she is organizing the funeral with Juice."
The funeral.
Only now, it really dawned on him what had been said. That Raine was in a coma. That he might never wake up. That one day, someone would have to decide to pull the plug. Then Juice and Sammy would really be together arranging a funeral.
Esai had no idea how to deal with that oppressive feeling in his chest that seemed to block all oxygen. "Have you guys seen him yet?"
"Just a moment," Sammy sniffed. "Juice stayed with him. I thought... We thought... it was so horrible to see him lying there. I couldn't stay in the room..."
"Then go to Skye's house," he said, squeezing her knee. "You've been here for hours. You can't do anything for him."
"He's right," Skye said, slinging an arm over her shoulders. "Your father has already left with Sasha. Let's try to get some rest too."
With teary eyes, Sammy looked at him.
"I'll keep you posted," Esai promised. He pressed a quick kiss to her cheek. "Which room was he taken to?"
"139. But I doubt you'll be allowed in."
Esai snorted, "As if they can stop me."
"I understand you want to see him," Skye said. "But Juice is there too. And considering what you did to Raine..."
Esai rolled his eyes. "He needs to get over it." He laughed scornfully. "Although he's a pro at overdramatizing things."
He ignored her objections and walked away. That could be just what he needed; to take his frustration out on that pussy. Let's see how fast I can get that fag out of the room. His previous plan may have failed, but he was still convinced that his friendship with Raine meant more than the bond with his fuck toy. A few nasty comments and that whiner would surely flee.
. . .
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