To Awaken a Monster

by Sam Crescent

  Sipping at her milkshake, she tried not to be pissed. It wasn’t his fault women liked him.

  Preacher was a good-looking older man, and it embarrassed her she noticed just how much he was. She’d never considered him a sexy guy before, but as the weeks and months had moved on and she spent more time with him, there was no denying her attraction. If he was anything like her horny wet dream Preacher, she was doomed.

  After lunch, Preacher walked her from one maternity shop to another until she had a whole new wardrobe. Even as she argued with him about having more than she needed and the fact she wouldn’t be needing them again so soon, he still refused to leave without the clothes. This took hours, a lot longer than she ever hoped to shop.

  It was late by the time she finished, and they had a quick supper before heading toward his truck.

  Preacher put their purchases in the back of the car as she looked into the bag she’d got for the baby. Inside were a pair of the cutest booties.

  “Look,” she said. “Don’t you think they’re so cute?” She walked them across the car seat between them.

  He chuckled. “Yes, they’re cute.”

  “Don’t worry, I won’t spill the beans that you like babies’ booties. So small and so cute.” She put the boots back into the bag, sliding the seatbelt over her swollen stomach. “Wow, it is so dark.”

  “Yeah. The roads are going to be a nightmare.”

  He pulled out of the busy mall and was back on the road. It was dark, and the rain came down really fast.

  “I’m going to take a longer route, but it’s off the beaten track. I’m hoping to avoid the traffic.”

  “Sounds good.”

  She wriggled in her chair. The jacket had made the seatbelt a little too tight. She tried adjusting the belt.

  “I’ve got to take my jacket off.”

  “Okay, be careful.”

  She unhooked the belt and was sliding the jacket off when the car was jerked to the side.

  She cried out, slamming against the front of the car.

  “Shit, fuck!”

  “What’s happening?”

  “Get your seatbelt on. Someone’s tailing us.” He growled each word out as he pushed his foot hard on the accelerator. “Call Bear. I need backup.”

  In the first jolt her phone was thrown to the floor. The second, she hit her head, and she couldn’t find her phone and there was no way she could reach it if she had her seatbelt on.

  “Preacher, what do I do?”

  He didn’t get to answer. They were hit hard, the car hitting a dirt patch and before either of them knew it, the car flipped over, and down the dirt embankment where the bushes and trees swallowed them up.

  Their car kept on moving, and as it came to a step, Robin screamed as she was thrown through the windshield.

  Pain rushed over her unlike anything she’d ever experienced.

  They had been pushed off the road on purpose, but she didn’t have time to think about someone purposefully trying to kill them.

  Pain in her abdomen was so acute, she saw black.

  ****

  Dazed from the impact, Preacher came to, trying to clear his senses. His vision blurred, but he heard the whimper.

  “Robin!” She wasn’t in the car with him. The windshield was completely smashed, but he saw something moving outside.

  He opened his seatbelt.

  A tree had stopped their descent further down the hill.

  Another scream captured his attention, and he rushed toward the sound. It was dark, but he knew they’d been forced off the road, and he had to get to her to be quiet. He waited for a whimper and then he was there.

  She was rolled over, holding her stomach.

  “Robin, I’m here,” he said.

  “It hurts. Something’s not right.” She tilted her head to the sky, breathing in deeply like he’d seen her do, copying the birthing videos.

  Rain poured all around them, and he looked around only to stop when he heard voices.

  “Did you see them?” someone said.

  “There’s no way they survived that.”

  He moved behind Robin, covering her mouth, and taking hold of her hand. “You are not allowed to make a fucking sound. I know it hurts, but they are still out there and they are going to hurt us if we let them. You can’t let them find us.”

  She nodded her head, but tears fell from her eyes, dropping down his hands.

  He didn’t let her go, but it broke his heart to see her like this. He held her still, keeping her cries locked in her mouth as he held her tightly, not letting her give into the pain he could only just imagine she was going through.

  “No, they didn’t survive this. I can’t see for shit. We’ll come back in the morning. It’s done. Let O’Klaren know it has been taken care of.”

  Rage filled every single part of Preacher.

  O’Klaren had ordered this, which had to mean he was getting desperate or he was just plain fucking stupid. None of this made any sense. O’Klaren was out of control.

  He expected a hit on him but not with Robin in the car. How fucking dare he put her in danger? He figured O’Klaren would be on his best behavior, especially with learning how messed-up the asshole was and this being a small town. No matter what O’Klaren thought about taking the big chief desk, he had to keep it clean. Mistakes were much easier to spot in a small town. Now, O’Klaren had taken this to the next fucking level, and Preacher was pissed he’d underestimated his enemy.

  He listened for the unmistakable sound of a car engine, and then he let her go.

  Robin’s scream filled the air, echoing around him, breaking his heart.

  “I’m … I … I think I’m losing the baby, Preacher,” she said.

  He knew she was. She’d hit the front of the car. The impact alone was going to hurt her and the baby, but he’d also seen the glass protruding from her stomach.

  The baby was lost to the both of them, but her body, it was trying to expel their baby.

  She sobbed and cried. “No, no, I don’t want this, Preacher. Please, help me.”

  “I don’t have my phone, baby. I need to go and get my phone.” He went to move, but she grabbed his hand.

  “Please, don’t leave me. Please.” She sobbed out each word. “I don’t … I can’t do this. I don’t want to do this.” She screamed, and he heard the pain in her voice.

  He had to get help.

  They were surrounded by rain and dirt. This wasn’t going to go away. They were in danger. The tree branch could snap and the car would take them out without too much trouble. They were in such a fucking state. He looked around him, hoping to find something to help him deal with what the fuck was going on, but there was nothing.

  He was fucked.

  Royally fucked.

  “I don’t want to lose her, Preacher. Please tell me I won’t.”

  “I’m right here,” he said.

  She sobbed. “No, please, tell me.”

  He kissed the top of her head. They were both filthy.

  She started to shake, and through each pain, he held her, keeping her close.

  He tried to soothe her, but knew there was no way to soothe a woman who was losing a child.

  O’Klaren, you better get the fuck out of town. When I get my hands on you, I will slaughter you.

  The minutes ticked by and she released another whimper, and he knew it wouldn’t be long now.

  “I’ve got you.”

  “I … this wasn’t supposed to happen. We were meant to go home.”

  “I know.”

  “Bishop would have more homework for me.”

  “I know.”

  “I … I don’t want to do this, Preacher. She’s our little girl. We only had a couple of months.”

  “I know.”

  She sniffled.

  The pain had lessened, but he also knew this wasn’t a good thing.

  The cold would be getting to her, as well as the blood loss.

  “I’m so sorry, Robin,
but you need to go to sleep.”

  He covered her nose and mouth, cutting off her air supply. She struggled with him, but he didn’t intend to kill her, just knock her out long enough to call for backup.

  When she slumped against him, he got to his feet and picked her up. She was a dead weight and made it even harder to carry her.

  He managed to do it. The strength came to him, and he got to the car.

  Reaching for his cell phone, he pulled up Bear’s number, and made the call he never wanted to have to make.

  ****

  Bishop watched as Bear hung up the phone. The man had gone pale.

  “What is it?” Bishop asked.

  “That was Preacher. O’Klaren paid for people to run him off the road. He … Robin was thrown from the car. She lost the baby and is bleeding out. He doesn’t know how much longer she’s got, but he needs us to come and pick them up.”

  Bear looked at his cell phone, then up at Bishop.

  “Get the boys together, we ride,” he said. “You stay here, and keep an eye on O’Klaren.”

  “Wait, what? You want me to just sit around and wait while you go and help Robin? You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. That’s not going to happen.” He wasn’t going to stand by while Robin was hurting.

  She lost the baby.

  This is what you want.

  No, it’s not.

  He wouldn’t think about what this all meant for him right now. He had to get his shit together one way or another.

  Bear grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.

  “Now listen to me, you little punk. I get that you’re worried about her. Believe me, I understand it more than you realize, but you’re not going to win her over if she’s dead. Let me go and get my girl, and do as you’re told, now!”

  He wanted to argue even more. The thought of Robin being out there in the cold, freezing, terrified—he didn’t want her to be hurt, ever.

  “I’ll stay behind.”

  “I wasn’t asking you.” Bear left the clubhouse while Bishop stood there, not knowing what the fuck to do.

  Go and keep an eye on O’Klaren.

  You’re no good to her if you don’t follow orders.

  “God, Robin, I know I didn’t want you to have the baby, and I prayed you lost it, but I never wanted to lose you too.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  His men had brought him a change of clothes. Preacher stared through the window into Robin’s private room.

  To anyone passing by who dared to look in, she’d be sleeping, or at least, appear sleeping.

  He knew better.

  Randall had met them at the hospital.

  Robin had been covered in blood between her thighs and out cold. She’d lost the baby, and they had to operate to remove the piece of glass in her abdomen. The glass hadn’t hit any vital organs, but Randall had told him the baby was lost. She’d also coded twice on the table before they were able to make her stable.

  She wasn’t in a coma right now, just asleep.

  He stared at her.

  Bear was in the room with her, and so was Rebecca.

  He couldn’t get the sounds of Robin’s screams out of his head. They’d been so heartbreaking.

  Putting a hand to the glass, he wanted to touch her, but so far, he hadn’t gone into the room.

  Bear got up, nodded at him, and walked out of the room.

  “You think it’s wise to keep Rebecca in the room?” he asked when Bear was in earshot.

  “She needs her mother right now.”

  “Right, because Rebecca’s been such a perfect role model.”

  “I know you’re hurting.”

  “You weren’t there, Bear. Do not even think to try and understand how I’m feeling right now.”

  “You lost a kid.”

  “It’s not just about the kid, Bear. You weren’t there to hear her scream. To hear her beg for me to not let the baby go. She begged and pleaded for the baby to be okay. I had to listen to her sobs and know I couldn’t do a thing about it. Don’t even think for a second this is about the kid.”

  He turned away from his friend to look into the room.

  “I’ve got Bishop watching O’Klaren.”

  “I’m going to kill him.” Until he saw Robin open her eyes, and he knew without a single doubt she was okay, he wouldn’t move.

  “Now, I hate to be the voice of reason, but it seems I’ve got to. You can’t just kill him. O’Klaren’s still a cop. You kill him, it’s going to look suspicious.”

  “You think I don’t have a plan in place? I do, believe me. I’m going to make sure that son of bitch pays for what he’s done.”

  Silence met his promise.

  It wasn’t just a promise.

  This was a fucking vow to end that bastard for hurting her.

  He’d never in all of his life been so helpless. He’d always been able to help Robin, even if it was the little things like buying new clothes, or being there when she needed it.

  “Maybe you should go in. Sit with her. It might calm you down.”

  “Nothing is going to calm me down, not until I watch the life drain from him.”

  “For now, be there for Robin,” Bear said. “She’s way more important right now than you going on a killing spree. O’Klaren didn’t crash your car.”

  “No, he gave the order, and don’t worry, I’m going to find the men responsible. I won’t make any mistakes. Unlike O’Klaren, I won’t just kill. I’ll make sure I’ve got everything in place to take him out.”

  “Until then, she needs you. Be with her. Not anyone else. She is the only thing that matters right now. Be with her.”

  She looked so fragile and helpless. Seeing her like this, lying in a hospital bed, he didn’t like it.

  Running fingers through his clean hair, he didn’t want to just stare at her: he wanted to hold her. The hospital had allowed him to shower, but he imagined that was only because he refused to leave the building.

  “Go.”

  He stared at Robin.

  His gut twisted.

  There were bruises appearing on her face, and he knew there were several across her abdomen from connecting with the car.

  Don’t be a coward.

  She didn’t need a man who ran away right now.

  Robin needed someone strong.

  When he opened the door of her room, Rebecca looked up.

  “I’ll go and get some refreshments,” Rebecca said. “There’s been no change.”

  He nodded. He didn’t want to make small talk with the woman. He wanted her gone. She didn’t argue with him as she slid right on past him, leaving the room. The door closed behind her, and all he heard was the deathly silence.

  He walked closer, and instead of taking the seat Rebecca had sat in, he perched on the edge of her bed.

  “Hey, beautiful,” he said.

  No notice, not even a flicker.

  Her hands were by her sides, and he took one within his.

  “I’ve got you. I won’t let you go. I’m going to make sure no one can get to you in here.” The promise, even to him, felt empty, flat.

  He shouldn’t be making promises he couldn’t keep.

  “I, erm, I promise to you, Robin, I’m going to get the guys who did this. I’m going to make them pay.” He lifted his hand, about to touch her stomach, but didn’t.

  There was nothing in there.

  “When this is all over, and you’re well again, you don’t have to leave my house. You can stay with us for as long as you want. I like the company. I also like cooking for you. I don’t mind your lame-ass comedy romances either. It’s refreshing. Damn it, Robin, I don’t want you to go.” He ran his thumb back and forth across her hand. “I know you belong to … Bishop … but I like having you around, and believe me, it’s not easy for me to say.”

  His throat felt thick. There was no way he was going to allow the tears to consume him, or to get any chance of falling.

  He was strong.

  He wouldn�
�t let them fall.

  “I’m so freaking sorry I failed you. I wanted this baby with you, and how you handled everything, you were so strong. Randall told me you’d have kids again. Nothing was damaged. I know Bishop will be with you and give you all the kids you want.” He wasn’t going to think about the jealousy spiraling inside him.

  It didn’t have a single place.

  “You’ll make a good mother one day, but then, you’ve got a great model of how not to be one.”

  Stop rambling.

  Just … be there.

  ****

  “No change?” Rebecca asked.

  Bear looked up from where he watched his friend to his wife. Rebecca seemed to be upset by what had happened to Robin, and it was one of only a handful of times she’d shown any motherly concern.

  “No, she’s still fast asleep. The doctor did say he’d knocked her out cold.” He looked at the time and cursed. “I’m going to go and get Bishop.”

  “Why don’t I get him?” she asked. “I can’t stand to be here, looking at her like this and knowing all the bad things I’ve done. Losing a child, that is … it’s too much, and you need to be here to protect him and her. I can go and grab Bishop, get you a change of clothes. Something for Robin as well.”

  “If that’s what you want to do.”

  “It is.” She handed him a cup of coffee. “I need to do something to help. I feel so helpless.”

  “Okay. I’ll be waiting. Let me know if you run into any trouble. Stick to the main roads. We don’t know if this was just a target hit or if he’s planning on taking out other members.”

  “I’ll be careful.”

  Rebecca turned to leave, but stopped, coming toward him to kiss his cheek. “Thank you.”

  He didn’t know why she was thanking him. He took a sip of the horrible coffee, but he didn’t get rid of it.

  Turning his attention to the room, he watched Preacher.

  The guy had lost a kid tonight, and he honestly didn’t know how the big man was holding up. The man was an enigma when it came to emotions. Sure, he’d seen him when he was angry, drunk, and happy, but this was all new to him.

  When Flora had turned to their enemies, Preacher had killed her without any show of betrayal or rage. He’d simply killed her, and it had been handled, quickly, easily, without any fuss.