by Karen Renee
He focused on finding her pulse. As he concentrated, he absently noticed the shiny reddish-orange bag nearly two feet away and he remembered the way Janie told him she needed her ‘Toes’ food group to get through the rest of the night.
When he felt her weak pulse, he knew he needed her, not only to get through the rest of his night, but definitely the rest of his life.
Janie
My dreams were always vivid, but the one I was waking from was a top-of-the-charts doozie. Mainly, this was because it felt so damn real.
In my dream, I was walking out of the Wawa, grinning at Beast like the crazy-in-love woman I was, and my mind was filled with ways I could goad him about Funyuns, when I heard a loud crack. My body jolted violently, I felt the sharpest burning pain in my shoulder, and my body was propelled forward. My dream picked up speed; visions of Beast’s facial expression shifting from warning concern to anger to sheer fear as he moved toward me. Even though I was dreaming, I felt a light-headed wooziness, and I saw the Icee spilling onto the concrete in front of me.
“Shouldn’t she be up by now?” I heard Beast ask someone.
I tried opening my eyes, but stopped when a female voice said, “It varies, but she should be awake soon. Keep talking to her. It looks like she can hear you.”
My eyes opened, and I saw the mottled pattern of white and black ceiling tiles. Warmth hit my hand and I tipped my chin down to see Beast holding my hand. I looked to his face and took in a deep breath when I saw the ravaged look there.
Doing my best to smile at him, I said in a croaky voice, “Large Funyuns only. I told you.”
He squeezed my hand and he might have smiled, but then he dropped his head onto his hand in mine.
The nurse who was speaking to Beast as I woke up came to the other side of the bed. “How are you feeling Ms. Ramos-Palmer?”
A small jolt went through me at her using my hyphenated name. “Uh. Okay-ish. A little groggy. What happened? And it’s Janie or just Ms. Ramos, please.”
She looked at me funny. “You were shot, ma’am. You don’t remember?”
I looked down at the hospital gown I was wearing and saw white bandages peeking out of the v-neck. With a small grunt, I said, “Well, I guess that dream seemed so real because it was real.”
Beast’s head snapped up. “Uh, yeah, babe. It was real all right, and you’ve had me worried fuckin’ sick.”
“Sir,” the nurse chided, but there was no venom in her voice.
“Well, this was not how our Saturday night was supposed to go,” I said.
The nurse chuckled. “I’m sure it wasn’t, but now it’s Sunday morning.”
I jerked my head her way, and she put a hand on my arm. “No sudden movements, Janie. You got out of surgery for the bullet, but you don’t want to tear anything.”
“Surgery?” I asked.
She nodded.
“Longest fuckin’ three hours of my life,” Beast muttered.
Slowly I turned my head to him and smiled at him. The smile died and Beast’s eyes went hard at the voice from the doorway.
“Get him the hell out of here. She’s my wife, and he should not be near her,” Trent said as he stalked into the room.
Beast kept hold of my hand, but he stood up to face Trent.
The nurse turned to Trent, but before anyone could say anything, a tall, burly man knocked on the door. “I’m Detective Cabot, and both of you men need to leave. I need to ask Jane some questions. When I’m done, I’ll need to talk to each of you alone.”
Trent held the man’s gaze, and then turned a narrowed gaze at Beast. “This is your fault.”
Beast shook his head, but he squeezed my hand and looked down at me. “It’s gonna be okay, baby.”
I grinned at him. “It should also be quick, because I don’t remember anything.”
He brought my right hand to his lips and brushed his lips across it. “I’ll be back, Azalea.”
Without a backward glance, he dropped my hand and passed by the detective at the doorway. Trent glowered at me, and followed him.
Detective Cabot grabbed the chair Beast had vacated and angled it so he could face me. Once he settled in the seat, he pulled out a small notebook. “I know you think this won’t take long, and hopefully you’re right, but how about you tell me what happened last night?”
Realizing my dream must have been the moments leading up to the shooting, I recounted the trip inside Wawa, and walking out to Beast leaning against the rental car.
He tapped the pen against the paper. “I pulled the assault report you filed. Have you had any further contact from Mr. Palmer’s blackmailer?”
I closed my eyes, but shook my head to answer. When I opened my eyes, he was watching me. “Do you know Alphonse Harris?”
My brows crinkled, but in the back of my mind I knew that name was familiar. Then my conversation with Beast Friday night came back to me.
“Yeah, um, actually, no, but Beast has a friend and that’s his brother–”
“You’ve never met him?”
I shook my head. “No, but Trent’s campaign manager paid him a visit. I’m guessing, Thursday. His brother called Beast to tell him Alphonse was missing and Paul had left his business card behind.”
My head tilted, and I asked, “Why are you asking about Alphonse?”
“The Clay County Sheriff’s office arrested him at the scene. He had the gun used to shoot you.”
My eyes bulged. “But why shoot me?”
His lips pressed into a thin line for a second. “Since the bullet lodged inside your shoulder, we can’t be sure, but it’s likely he was aiming for Mr. Huntley and you had extremely bad timing.”
I looked at the wall behind Detective Cabot as I contemplated that. Catching his eyes again, I said, “Or really good timing.”
“For Mr. Huntley, most definitely.”
IT WAS HARD FOR ME to know how long Beast was gone. I was the only occupant of my room, but the clock was positioned such that I couldn’t see it because of the curtain separator. In addition, after the detective left, the room was a whirlwind of activity. The doctor came to talk to me about being certain to take my antibiotics, and explaining I would need to go to physical therapy once my wound was healed up.
My dad came in while the doctor was there, and he looked everyone of his sixty-two years. Andrea strolled in as the doctor was leaving, and I sent a silent word of thanks to God for her showing up. By the set of Dad’s jaw, I knew he was unhappy, but I couldn’t imagine it was with me. It wasn’t like I went out of my way to put myself in the path of a bullet intended for Beast. Which was not to say I wouldn’t do that, because I would; it was just as Detective Cabot had said, I had impeccably bad timing.
Dad was perched forward in the chair with his elbows to his knees, and Andrea put her right thigh on my bed so she was sitting next to me.
“I’ve had to talk to your mother four times in the past twelve hours. Most of them to tell her not to drive up here in the dead of night.”
“That’s good. Her not driving at night, I mean,” I murmured.
Dad smiled at me with derision. “Yes, except that infuriating woman. She hopped in her car the moment you came out of surgery. Pulled into my drive at six this morning.”
Andrea turned to my Dad. “Six? It’s just after nine now. Why didn’t she come straight here?”
Dad’s lips quirked. “Not sure if I knew she’d do it or not, but I did not tell her which hospital Janie’s at. Since she’s been up nearly twenty-four hours, I insisted she sleep. Especially since when you woke from surgery around one in the morning, you were so out of it there was little point. You had come through, you are recuperating. I don’t have to tell you, Punky, your mother is a drama queen on eight hours of sleep, but when she has less...” He shook his head and I raised big eyes to him in agreement.
My mind caught on what he said. “I didn’t wake after surgery.”
Dad grinned. “Oh, but you did. On and on you went with Beast
, about telling him so, and Wawa needing to get their act together and selling snack sizes of Funyuns.” He paused to give me a tender, but intensely thoughtful look. “Have to admit, I didn’t believe you yesterday when you said he loved you and you him. He had to be dragged from your side.”
My brows furrowed again, and it was good mom wasn’t there because she’d tell me I was giving myself wrinkles. “I don’t remember any of that,” I whispered.
Andrea grabbed my hand. “I know, and it’s a crying shame because it was beautiful.”
I turned my eyes to her. “You were there?”
Her closed lip smile told me she was regretful. “They wouldn’t let me in initially because I’m not next of kin, but when Liar had to be called on to pull him off of you, I snuck in with him.”
My return smile held understanding in it, but it died when Trent stopped in the doorway. It wasn’t until my body went stiff that my father turned to see Trent.
He stood and turned to him. “My daughter’s been through quite enough, Palmer. She does not need you to add to it.”
Trent eyed my father and Andrea for a moment. “I suppose you both are aware of this, so I’ll just do this with you in the room.”
Dad stepped forward. “Oh no, you don’t–”
“Why file a police report, Jane?”
“She was shot! How could there not be a police report on that,” Andrea cried out, and I realized I hadn’t told her about the assault report.
Trent shot a surprised look at me. “Did you not tell them what you did?”
“‘What she did?’” my father asked incredulously.
“Why, Jane? Do you want this divorce being dragged through the media?”
My head tilted. “Speak to me through my lawyers, but I’ll tell you this. You aren’t exactly fighting fair in this divorce. I simply want out. Things have already been delayed because of the first judge selected to hear this case. The real question is why, Trent? Why do you want to drag this out?”
His expression went cold before he forced it to a pleading look. “Janie, we can work this out.”
The clack of dress shoes entering the room could be heard, and then my mother asked, “You can work this out? Does Terri Knapton agree with that? What about your secretary?”
She moved into the room, her fury-filled eyes aimed at Trent. “Seriously? You think you can work that out? You’re out of your gourd, you genuinely think that.”
“Carol, I told you to sleep. You do not need to be here right now.”
My mother shot dad the most infuriated glare I had ever seen. “She is my daughter, Joseph! I cannot possibly rest until I see her. For you to think you can boss me around like we’re still married is nearly as crazy as this guy,” she jerked her head toward Trent, “thinking he can work anything out with Janie.”
The squeak of a tennis shoe on the polished linoleum floor heralded the arrival of yet another person to my room.
A stout black nurse stood firm in the mouth of the small hallway leading into the room. “Okay, I do not know exactly what’s going on in here, but I do know there are entirely too many people in this room and you’re all being so loud the other patients can hear you.”
I pressed my lips together in an apologetic look. “I’m sorry.”
Before anyone could say word one, I looked to Trent, “Go. You have things to say to me, tell your lawyer.”
His eyes narrowed, but the nurse said, “You’ve been asked to leave. Do I need to call security?”
His glare shifted to her, but she was impervious, God bless her.
I didn’t watch Trent leave because I was holding my mother’s gaze. Her eyes were watery, so I hurried with what I had to say to her. “Mom, I’m fine. I love it that you raced up here for me. But, Dad’s right. You need to sleep. For that matter, I need to sleep.”
Somehow, she controlled her emotion and blinked without shedding any tears. “You’re right, Honey-bunch. I just had to see you with my own eyes. Can I at least get a hug before I go?”
I opened my mouth to answer, but the air in the room shifted as Beast entered the room.
He ran a hand through his unruly blond hair. “I knew I shoulda forced that detective to question me first. I saw that ass leaving here. What did he do to you, Janie-babe?”
My mom turned to Beast and I watched her jaw drop. He was jaw-droppingly handsome, but she should’ve shown more control. I started to giggle, but the movement in my chest gave me a wave of pain and it came up short.
“Nothing,” I breathed, trying to get a handle on the pain.
With a deftness I had never seen from him, he pulled Andrea from my bed, turned her toward my father, and Beast was sitting next to me. “Are you okay, Azalea?”
I smiled. “Yes. I just, laughing isn’t a good thing for me right now. And, I shouldn’t tell you this because I’m afraid you’re nothing like me and it will go to your head, but watching mom take in your handsomeness was pretty darn funny.”
Andrea giggled. “You got that right.”
“Jane Neiland Ramos, I cannot believe you just said that. And Andrea Suzanne, she is not the least bit right.”
Beast craned his neck to my mother. “Nice to meet you, Ms. Neiland.”
Mom’s eyes looked dazed, but it cleared as a huge smile lit her face. “It’s great to meet you, David.”
“I hate to break up this reunion-slash-introduction, but my patient mentioned getting some sleep. So, I need all of you to clear out of here so she can do that.”
My mom shuffled forward on my left side where the bandages were, and leaned down to kiss my cheeks. “I’ll be back, Punky.”
“Okay, Mom.”
Andrea, who was standing next to my father, grinned. “I’ll be back too, but probably ‘round dinner time.”
My dad winked at me. “Sleep well, Punky.”
He turned, but caught my mom up short by her elbow and I was stunned as I watched him slide his arm around her waist and walk out with her.
“All right, David, that leaves you. Let’s get movin’,” the nurse decreed.
Beast craned his neck to her. “I’ll leave in ten minutes. Get that you got a job to do, and her mother was causing one unholy ruckus, seeing as I could hear it comin’ down the hall, but you nurses have kept me away from her more than enough.”
The only sign of the nurse’s impervious nature slipping was her eyebrow arching at Beast’s words.
“Fine. But your time starts now.”
CHAPTER 25
Beast
BEAST DIDN’T KNOW IF he wanted to laugh or shout at the nurse. What he did know was that he did not want to leave Janie’s side, but he absolutely had to leave her side. With Grind out there meaning harm to Riot, and this Shapiro bastard causing problems, Beast could not rest until he knew the danger to Janie and himself was neutralized.
He cupped Janie’s cheek. “Baby, I gotta get to the clubhouse. Cannot tell you how much I want to climb into this bed and hold you while you sleep, but I’m not gonna rest until the threats to me and you are dealt with.”
She held his gaze like she could stare at his eyes all day. “Okay.”
He turned his head to give her a skeptical look. “Okay? You’re okay with this?”
“Yes. You’ve gotta do what you’ve gotta do. But before you go, why ‘Azalea?’”
He shot her a regretful smile. “I will answer that, but right now there ain’t enough time. Part of it is your gorgeous hair, but that’s seriously only a very small part of it. I’ll tell you, hopefully tonight.”
She nodded. “Okay.”
“Good. Now, if laughter makes you hurt, is me kissing you like I want to going to hurt you?”
Her eyes heated. “It doesn’t matter, I’d hate your guts if you didn’t.”
He realized the antibiotics and or the pain medicine must be making her loopy. With his other hand, he cupped her other cheek and he kissed her long and gentle. There were tongues, but he was not going to make her wince with pain
like she did when she nearly giggled earlier.
He pulled his mouth from hers but his face stayed close to hers. “I love you, Janie.”
“I love you, too.”
His chest tightened as he stood, but his gut told him he had to see this through.
BEAST SAUNTERED INTO the room for church with seconds to spare. The chairs were all taken, but he had too much pent-up energy to bother sitting. He leaned his bulk against the wall next to Roman, of all people.
“What the fuck you doin’ here?” he muttered.
“Heard about Alphonse Harris goin’ missing. Thought I’d haul ass out here,” his Biloxi brother muttered back.
He shot him a glare as Cal called the meeting to order.
Volt lifted his chin in thanks to Cal. “All right. Think most of you know this, but to recap, Hock has been back to business since last week and the ATF is appeased. Bernstein and Logan, along with the P.R. end of their marketing firm, waded into the issues with the health department, and now the health inspector’s taking some heat from the media, seeing as it would appear The Flat Iron is not the first restaurant to be targeted, with the infractions being planted.”
Beast had not heard about the attorneys making such strides.
Volt continued. “Turk tells me The Flat Iron is set to reopen tomorrow.”
“Yes, sir,” Turk confirmed.
“Beast, how about you tell everyone about what went down last night.”
His lips thinned, but he lifted his chin at his President. “Yeah, last night, Janie and I were gassing up her car before goin’ to get my bike. She insisted on runnin’ inside for snacks, I pulled the car around the side of the building and was leaning against the outside of the car waitin’ on her. No sooner had she rounded the corner than I heard a crack of gunfire and Janie jolted to a stop.”
A few groans and heavy sighs could be heard around the room.
“You seem to have that well rehearsed, brother,” Major grumbled from the table.
