Bishop returned with the blanket, and I wrapped it around Alex as well as I could before I reached down to grab her up in my arms. As I cradled her to my chest, my gaze swept over to Rev and Bishop. “Will you two get some of her stuff together? Take care of the dog and all this mess. I’m going to get her back to the compound.”

Bishop nodded while Rev jerked his chin over to where Alex’s attacker remained unconscious. “What about him?”

My lip curled in disgust. “Case and Mac can get him back to the compound, but no one touches him except me.”

“Okay,” Rev replied. As I started to the door, I felt Rev’s hand on my back. “Take good care of her, D.”

Glancing over my shoulder, I took in his agonized expression. Part of it was worry for Alexandra, for me, and for the club. But another part held his own private anguish at the way Alex had called for me, reached for me, as if I were her only way to breathe again. The last strands of her sanity. I knew that had to fucking hurt. But the man was better than I was, always had been. “You have my word.”

Once I got outside, I found Crazy Ace and an out-of-town member, Sidewinder, waiting by the bikes. “I need one of you guys on escort back to the compound.”

“You got it,” Sidewinder said. He slid across the seat of his bike as I started down the street to the car. I found an out-of-town prospect standing beside the car, watching over it. He hustled to open up the door for me. When I tried to deposit Alex over in the bucket seat, she gripped my shoulders and molded herself tighter against me.

“Babe, I gotta drive.”

Her breath came in frightened pants against my neck. “Don’t let me go, Deacon. I’ll fall apart if you don’t hold me together.”

Crazy Ace came to my side. He took the keys from my hand and then opened the back door. “I got it, Sarge.”

“Thanks, man.”

As best I could with Alex in my arms, I dipped down onto the seat. Once we were inside, Crazy Ace closed the door and then slid behind the steering wheel. As we started down the road, Alex’s silent tears began to fall on my bare chest. Easing her back, I stared into her eyes. “Talk to me, babe.”

She drew in a ragged breath. “I’m sorry I can’t stop crying. I hurt so bad,” she moaned.

I knew she had to be in extreme pain from the welts on her body, coupled with the strain of being tied up. I didn’t know what else that fucker had done to her. I didn’t want to think what else he could have done that made her hurt. “I promise the minute we get back to the compound, we’ll get you some drugs.” I brushed the sweatand tear-soaked strands of hair out of her face. “Until then, you fucking cry all you want.”

My words caused her lips to tremble, and the waterworks started again. I spoke in low tones to her, reminding her of little things about her time with Willow. It seemed to soothe her a little, and her tears had almost stopped by the time we turned onto the familiar road to home.

When we got back to the compound, Crazy Ace could barely pull into the parking lot for all the people milling around. I’m sure word had spread, and now everyone was on edge. Once he put the car in park, I threw open the door, not caring if it hit anyone who was standing by. When I pulled myself to my feet, Alex cried out at being manhandled to ensure she stayed in my arms. I shoved my way through the crowd, ignoring the questions peppered at me.

“All right. Get the fuck out of the way. What the hell is wrong with you guys? Give the poor girl some air!” Kim’s voice bellowed behind me. I turned around and gave her a grateful smile. She nodded and then started walking away from the car. Like the iron bitch only she could be, she led the way inside the clubhouse, knocking people aside or smacking them back if they got too close.

Once we were inside, I hustled Alex back to my room. Thankfully, someone had had the presence of mind to call Breakneck Bob, also known as Dr. Robert Edgeway. He stood outside my room with his medicine case in hand. Breakneck had been an original charter member of the Raiders. At first everyone thought he was just some preppy upstart trying to show he had a pair by riding a motorcycle. But even though he was in medical school and came from one of the finest families in town, Breakneck was the real deal when it came to a biker. He’d patched out several years back, when the hospital threatened his license for being a member of the Raiders. Now he stayed close with the club by being our unofficial club doctor.

“Hey, man. Glad you could make it,” I said as I swept past him into my room.

“I’m sorry that I had to be called out for something like this,” he replied. He ducked in behind me, setting his bag on the nightstand.

Gently, I laid Alexandra down on the bed. When she saw Breakneck, she clawed at me not to let her go. “Easy, now. He’s one of us, but more important, he’s a doctor. He needs to check on your injuries.”

“Stay with me,” she whispered, clutching my hand.

I nodded. “I will.”

Breakneck gave Alex a gentle smile. “My name is Dr. Edgeway, but you can call me Bob. I’m going to take good care of you.”

His words did little to ease Alexandra. Before he began to examine her, he dug in his bag and produced a bottle and a syringe. “I’m going to give you just a little something for the pain. It will also calm you down.”

She gave a slight jerk of her head while her eyes remained firmly locked on mine. After the shot, Alex became a little calmer. He went through a bunch of procedures, from shining a light in her eyes to listening to her heartbeat. He examined the cuts and scrapes on her face and chest, proclaiming they would need to be cleaned and disinfected.

When his fingers came to her bare abdomen, Alex jumped out of her skin. “I’m just palpitating your organs to make sure there’s no internal bleeding.”

Gritting her teeth, she gripped my hand tighter and tighter. “Looks like you’re okay in that area, but I’m afraid you’ve got a bruised shoulder. I can’t tell for sure without an X-ray machine.”

“Okay,” I replied.

“Alex, I have to ask you this to see if I need to further my exam. Were you sexually assaulted tonight?”

Tears pooled in Alex’s dark eyes, but she shook her head firmly back and forth. I couldn’t help the sigh of relief that escaped my lips. I knew she had been through hell, being beaten and strung up like she had, but I didn’t think I could bear for her to have been raped because of me.

“I’ll come by and see how you’re doing in the morning. For tonight, I would advise you get cleaned up and then try to get some rest. I’ll wait outside until you’re ready to sleep, and then I can give you something.”