Saige

by Shannon McFadden

  “Well isn’t this all nice and cozy? Are you kidding me? I don’t believe it, Cotton! You’re supposed to be mine! I know for a fact that those aren’t your babies, I know she was screwing Pyro and Bacon! She’s just trying to pass them off as yours, just to keep you away from me! I won’t let you do this, Saige! You’re nothing but a bitch! You’ll do anything to cut me out of his life, but no more! I’m taking what is mine!” She pulls a gun and aims it at me. She has it aimed at my head, her hands are shaking like crazy, as she fires at me. I move just in time for it to hit me in the shoulder.

  Bacon runs in and calls out her name. “Dayna!” As soon as she hears him, she turns and fires at him. Bacon fires at her. She misses him, her shot hitting the wall, he gets her in the chest. The police are coming in at the same time, people are screaming and running trying to get out of harm’s way. Bacon shows them his badge and hands his gun over. Lt. Grady comes over to us. I’m sitting on the ground, Cotton holding me to him, with a napkin pressed hard to my shoulder, trying to stop the bleeding. Dad and Leilani are huddled around me too, with Tonya behind Cotton, getting another napkin for him. I’m watching all the chaos going on around us. Police officers are everywhere, trying to get people to clear out, taking statements and pictures of everything, gathering evidence. EMS is finally allowed to come in, and they check Dayna’s pulse, but we all know she is gone.

  Wolfe is one of the EMTs tonight and he rushes over to me. Taking the napkins from my shoulder, he looks at it. “Damn, Saige, we are going to have to get you to the hospital. The bullet is lodged in your shoulder somewhere. They’ll have to surgically remove it. Come on, sweetie. Let’s get you in the ambulance.” I start to stand up with help from Cotton, but I get dizzy and the last thing I remember is Cotton and Wolfe yelling my name as I go down.

  I wake up and realize I’m in the hospital recovery room. I’m groggy and hurting like hell. I can’t move my left arm at all. “Oh good, you’re awake. I’m Britt, and I’ll be your nurse until you get up to your room. How are you feeling?”

  “I’m hurting like hell. I can’t move my arm.”

  She smiles at me. “What would you rate your pain on a scale of one to ten, ten being the worst?”

  “A twenty,” I say, wanting to knock that grin off her face.

  Her smile seems to get bigger, “I’m going to give you something for the pain. I promise it won’t hurt the babies. It’ll probably make you sleepy. Go ahead and rest. Dr. Atlas will be up to check on you later. We’re just waiting on them to get your room ready upstairs. Your family is waiting for you up there. Okay here take this. This is a hydrocodone five.”

  I look up at her, even in my groggy state of mind I ask, “Isn’t that an opioid? Aren’t they bad for babies?” She smiles down at me, nobody should be that cheery in a recovery room, I think.

  Lil Miss Britt who is happy as a buzzing bee says to me, “Short term use is okay, and you’ll probably be on them for a week at most. It’s safe. Dr. Atlas wouldn’t give them to you if they weren’t.” I nod and take the pill. I lay back against the pillows as she takes my blood pressure and temperature. “I’ll be back in a few minutes to check on you.”

  I close my eyes and the next time I open them, Cotton is sitting beside me, my hand in his, his head laying on the bed beside me. I move my hand a little, and he wakes up. “Hey, Butterfly. You scared the hell out of me. Are you okay? Do you need anything?”

  My throat feels like it has a desert in it. “Water,” I croak out. He gets the cup on the table by him and tips the straw towards me. I take a couple of sips, then lean back. “Did they get the bullet out?”

  “Yeah, baby. It went in and ricocheted off the bone and hit your carotid artery. That’s why there was so much blood and you passed out. The doctor got the bullet out, stitched your artery, then stitched up your arm. You have to keep it in a sling for a while. They are going to keep you for a couple of days to watch for infection. The babies are fine. They did a sonogram just to make sure.” A tear slips from the corner of my eye, and he kisses it away. “You feel up to a little company? They won’t stay long, they just want to see you before they head back to the clubhouse. Leilani wants to know what clothes you want her to bring back tomorrow.” I nod and he goes to the door to let them in.

  Dad rushes to me, stating, “My beautiful baby girl. You gave us such a scare. How are you feeling? Do you need anything?”

  “I’m okay, Daddy. Just hurting.” He leans down and kisses my forehead. “Leilani is going to get you some clothes to bring with us tomorrow. Anything in particular you want?”

  “I have several different maternity summer dresses. If you could just bring me one of those. My underthings are in the drawer. I can’t think of anything else, except my deodorant and toothbrush and toothpaste.”

  She is typing everything into her phone, so she doesn’t forget. She leans down and kisses my forehead, saying, “Okay, baby girl. We’ll get it. I’ll let the others know that you’re okay and we’ll head home. Bacon is refusing to leave. He’ll be outside your door if y’all need anything. We love you.”

  “I love you both.” After they leave, I look at Cotton. “Finn, I’m getting hungry. Will they let me eat?”

  “I’ll find out, baby.” He pushes the button on my bed and lets the nurse know that I am awake. She comes bustling in the room a few minutes later, and I instantly think of my Grandma Farrell.

  “Hi, there sweetheart. I’m Ila. I’ll be your nurse this evening. How’re you feeling?”

  “I’m hurting a little, about a five right now. And I’m getting hungry, is it okay if I eat? I want to get some cheese bread with ranch,” I say rubbing my stomach.

  She smiles as she bustles about, “I believe you can eat, there isn’t anything in your chart stating that you can’t. Just be warned where you were under anesthesia, you may get an upset stomach. Would you like a menu for the cafeteria or a list of places that deliver? After you eat, I can give you something for the pain if you need it.”

  I smile at her. “I already know what I want and that they deliver. I’m not worried about the sickness, these two have kept me sick. Whoever calls it morning sickness, must not realize that it happens all day long.”

  She laughs. “Okay, sweetheart. I’m going to take your vitals, then I’ll let you do your thing.”

  “Thank you, Ila.” After she leaves the room, I look at Cotton, and he is already on the phone ordering my pizza, his pizza, cheese bread, salads and extra ranch. I get his attention and tell him to get Bacon something too. He smiles at me and orders one for him. I’m sitting the bed up to where I am comfortable when I hear him say ten extra pizzas for the nursing staff. I smile at him. He is the sweetest guy when he wants to be. After he hangs up, we talk about the house and how much longer it’ll be before it’s ready. He talks about anything and everything, except what happened earlier. I run my hand through his long white blonde hair.

  There’s a knock at the door and Bacon pokes his head in. “Sorry, Saige. But Lt. Grady’s here, and he needs to get your statement. Is it okay to let him in?”

  “Yeah. Oh Cotton ordered us all some food. It should be here soon.” He grins at me and lets Lt. Grady in the room.

  “Saige, I’m so sorry to have to do this now, but I need to get your statement about what happened earlier.” I tell him everything that happened, and he writes it all down. “Well, your statement matches everyone else’s. But why would she try to do this to you? You two have a history?” I explain everything with Cotton’s help about Dayna’s obsession with him, the fight we had, her being banned from the clubhouse, and about the shooting and explosion.

  “Y’all have that shooting and explosion on record. Bacon out there was injured in it, protecting me. She had a guy with her then. What was his name, Cotton?”

  “Matt Rivers. He was with her tonight too, he and Bacon fought, and Bacon got him cuffed to a bar. That’s what took him so long to get in the room. But he got there in time to save you.”

&n
bsp; Lt. Grady looks down at the papers he has. “Okay then. If you’ll read over this and sign it, I’ll get out of your hair.” I take the paper and read it, then sign at the bottom. “Thank you for your time. I hope you heal up fast. Good night.” He leaves just as the food gets here. Thank goodness, I am starving. It feels like it has been days since I ate something instead of nine hours.

  I push myself up with my good arm, and Cotton sets my boxes on the table and slides it over me. He hands me a huge cup of sweet tea, too. We turn the tv on and find a program that we both like. A few nurses come to the door to thank us, and a lady comes in with a cart full of flowers, stuffed animals, and balloons. “All of these are for you, hun. I’ll just leave the cart in here, and this handsome fella with you can read the cards to you. How is that?”

  “Thank you so much. Would you like some pizza?”

  She smiles. “No thank you, hun. I just ate. Have a good night.”

  “You too. Oh my gosh, Finn, what in the world is all that?” He laughs and grabs cards and reads them and puts them back with the item they came with. Flowers from Finn, Bacon, Tonya, and half the clubhouse. Bears from Loki, Beth and Bethany, and there is a card on a bear dressed in sexy lingerie, it’s from Michael. It says, ‘Sorry that you were hurt, but I know it won’t deter your beauty. See you soon. Michael’

  “How the hell does he know that you are in the hospital? Bacon, come in here!”

  Bacon comes running into the room. “What’s going on, Cotton?”

  “Bacon, we need you to call Stone and Tech. Tell them to get up here asap. Also keep your eyes open. Saige just got a bear from that Michael Simms. We need to find out how he knows where she is and what happened.”

  I am sitting in the bed just listening to what all is being said, getting sicker by the second. I get up and make it to the bathroom just in time. I get myself cleaned up, and I’m walking back to the bed, when Bacon asks, “Saige, why are you out of bed?”

  “I got sick. I ran to the bathroom. It’s okay.” Cotton comes over and helps me back into bed.

  “I’m sorry, Butterfly. I should have noticed and helped you.” He kisses my cheek.

  “It’s okay. You and Bacon are doing what you need to be doing. Please, once you show Dad and Tech, get that thing out of here and toss it in the trash where it belongs.”

  Cotton holds me close to him. “I will, baby. You rest some or as much as you can, because you know when your dad gets here, he’ll be a little loud,” he says laughing. We both rub our hands over my stomach, and he kisses me.

  Thirty-Four

  Cotton

  Stone, Tech, Tires, and Loki all come barging in the room, and I hear Saige giggle. They all stop and look at her. “I knew you two would come with them. I had a bet with Bacon. He now owes me. He has to help me cook at the bakery since I can’t use my left hand.” They all bust out laughing, breaking the tension, just as my girl wanted.

  Stone goes over and kisses her forehead. “We’ll find this guy, baby girl. We all refuse to let anything happen to you.”

  “I know, Daddy.” Loki sits beside Saige, and Tires stands by me.

  “Okay, Tech, set up at that little table over there, and let’s figure out how this guy knew Saige was here. Stone, this is the bear and card that he sent her.” Stone’s face goes red as he looks at the bear and card, Tires reading over his shoulder.

  Stone goes off, “What the hell? This guy is one sick bastard! I want to know everything about him. Also, Tech, see if you can find out anything about that bodyguard, Brennon, he might be able to help. He had to have some type of feelings for Bexley if he helped her leave.” Saige, Loki, and I all see Tires tense up at that.

  “Make sure we can trust the asshole before you bring him in,” Tires growls.

  Stone looks at him and smiles. “I think you need to talk to the girl, son. Before any competition shows up. We all see how you look at her, and how she looks at you.”

  Tires shuffles his foot a little before answering. “Yeah, I will.”

  I smirk at him. “Good, now we need to know what to do about keeping them both safe. I have to go to the garage with Tires tomorrow to finish a custom bike. I know Bacon isn’t leaving her. I just think we need someone else here too.”

  “I’m staying. I’m not leaving here until she does,” Loki says. I give him a chin lift. I knew he would be staying. He had a bag with him and a bag for Saige.

  “Now we also need to amp up the bodies around Bexley. She’ll be at the bakery most of the day tomorrow. Maybe we should have Hawke and Wolfe there and maybe Skip and Gunner. I think that would work until Tires can get back to the clubhouse the same time as her. Also, Stone, I went ahead and called the Nomads in. We are going to need their help. I’ve a feeling this is going to get a lot worse before it gets better.”

  Stone looks at me, while rubbing his hand through his short hair. “Good, thank you. I’m glad that you called them. We may end up calling the Black Forest crew up too. Matter of a fact I’m going to put the call in to Barq. I want them on standby. I’m with you, Cotton. We’re going to end up going to war before this is over. Oh, not to change the subject, but Ryker said the house should be done by the weekend. They’re putting down the floors and doing the painting now. Then he is going to start our house out there. Loki is building one too. We’ll all be close, but still have privacy.”

  “That’s great. Have you found anything, Tech?” We all look at him expectantly.

  He grins at me, “Yeah, I found out that Brennon Lewis is ex-military and has left the employment of Michael Simms. Last credit card use shows him to be here in town. I honestly think he is leaving crumbs for us to find him.”

  I had started pacing while he was talking, but now I have stopped right in front of him, “Wait a minute, you said Brennon Lewis? We served with a Brennon Lewis, he was a helluva guy. He was ranked up there with us and left when we did. Tires, you had his number saved. Give it to us and let me try calling him. We can meet him on mutual ground and see what he knows.” Tires looks through his phone and pulls up Brennon’s old number. I notice Loki looking at the bear, and then he puts his fingers to his lips. I look closer at the bear and see the camera. Tech kills it easily. He then points to Saige’s phone. I hand it to him, and he pulls up a program. Son of a bitch! Her camera was hacked which is how he found her.

  Tech kills it too. “Okay, guys, I already checked everyone else’s phone in this room. They’re clean. He has hacked Saige’s and Bexley’s phones. He knew where they were at all times, and he knows everything that was said in this room up until a few seconds ago. I’m so sorry, I should’ve checked for all of this sooner,” Tech says.

  “No man, we all should’ve thought about it, and Bacon and I both looked at that bear. We never saw anything. How did you see it, Loki?” I ask.

  He looks at me, “I saw the eye move, like the camera was scanning the room. I figured it had to be a camera, and if it could see us, it could probably hear us.” Loki is sitting by Saige and she is looking paler by the second.

  “Tires, you have got to get ahold of Bexley. Tell her not to go anywhere unless you are with her. This could very well be a ploy to get you all here, and away from her,” she says.

  Tires is on the phone in no time talking to Bexley, explaining what happened. I can hear her crying and Stella talking to her in the background. “I’ll be back soon. Just stay with Stella or in my room. Don’t let anyone in, okay? Saige sends her love.”

  He hangs up and Tech is dialing Brennon’s number.

  “Hello?”

  “Lewis, is that you?”

  “Cotton? Damn man, about time you all found me and called. Where are you? I’ve some information you are going to need asap.” I look at the men in the room with us, and they all nod.

  “Hospital, room three twelve. Get here.”

  Brennon laughs, “Be there in ten.” We hang up and we wait.

  Bacon walks in the room ten minutes later and has Brennon with him. The same red he
aded man I remember from the Marines. He was ruthless when he had to be, and the three of us got along great. He walks up to me and shakes my hand, turning it into a man hug. He does the same with Tires. We introduce him to everyone, and when he sees Saige, he smiles really big. “Wow! Way prettier than you ever made her out to be.” I punch his shoulder. “Okay, look. I know I should’ve gotten to you sooner. It’s been rough making sure that I had no tail, and that I wasn’t caught. Michael did bid on and win Bexley and Saige. I had walked in one night and saw what he was doing. I confronted him about it, and he went off. Saying that if I hadn’t helped her to leave, then Saige would be safe. But because of Bex, he was going to make sure that she suffered doubly, by hurting Saige in front of her. He tried to have me killed, but I got away. He is still up in Madison County right now, but he is having hackers and bounty hunters keep eyes on them at all times. I just want to make sure my cousin lives and Saige too. I refuse to let him hurt Bexley ever again.”

  Tires looks up at Brennon, and asks, “Bexley is your cousin?”

  Brennon nods. You can see some of the tension leave Tires. “She doesn’t know it, though. Her uncle is my dad. He never stuck around when he found out Mom was pregnant. She was his mistress, and he kept telling her he was going to leave his wife for her. It never happened.”

  Stone is now pacing, “Okay, Brennon, why don’t you come back to the clubhouse, you can stay with us there if you like. You can talk to Bex.”

  “Yeah, I appreciate it.”

  Before they head out of the room, Saige says, “If he’s been listening in, then he knows the schedule for the bakery, and he knows how many men you plan on having with both of us. You may want to up them both.” Stone and I both look at her, she’s right.

  Stone nods, “Good thinking, baby girl. I’ll be back tomorrow. Loki, you good?” He nods, and after Stone and Tires both kiss Saige on the forehead, they leave, Tech and Brennon calling out goodbye and taking the bear with them. Bacon checks on everything and goes back to guarding the door. I walk around the room trying to relieve some of the tension in my shoulders and neck. We have got to catch this guy soon.