Valiant: Joker's Wrath MC

by Bella Jewel

The man studies me, then takes a long drag of his cigarette before shrugging and dropping it, putting it out. “Don’t you be worryin’, we’ll make sure that dick doesn’t get in here.”

  I smile gratefully, still dying inside, and say, “Yeah, I’m a little afraid.”

  His face softens. I bet he’s a father. I bet he has children. I can see it in his eyes. Kindness. Warmth. And I’m about to escape and put myself in danger, which no doubt he’ll get into serious trouble over, not to mention if something happens to me because they don’t make it in time ...

  I feel sick.

  “Don’t you stress, darlin’. You’re safe here.”

  “Thank you,” I say. “I’m going to go back inside, but Maddox said the meeting is in the shed.”

  He nods, and I turn, acting as if I’m walking back towards the house. The man doesn’t pay much attention to me as he strides towards the sheds. I turn as soon as he’s a good few meters away and rush towards the gate. I glance back as I curl my finger around the chain, latching the gate closed. The man has reached the shed and is opening the door. I have seconds.

  I pull the chain off as quietly as I can and slip out of the gate.

  Then I run.

  I run towards the road as quickly as my feet will carry me. I dart to the left as soon as I reach it, and I see a car pulled over on the side of the road. I stop running, my feet practically gluing themselves to the ground. He’s in that car. I know he is. The second I get in, I know I may never get back out.

  The door opens, and a familiar shade of reddish-brown hair appears before the man I once adored steps out. Shock takes me for a second, because ... Oh, my god. Gone is the well-muscled, handsome man I knew. In his place is a skinny, gaunt looking man with dull hair and sunken eyes. York is so far gone, I’d barely recognize him on a street.

  He pulls his jacket back to reveal a gun.

  My heart starts pounding so hard I can’t think.

  “Get in the car,” he hisses.

  My feet move, like heavy weights, one by one, towards the monster who ruined my life. The second I’m close enough, his hand lashes out and curls around my arm, and he hauls me closer and pins me with eyes that are so cold, and so dead, it sends chills right to my bones. “Good to see you again, Maddie.”

  God.

  Help me.

  Please.

  CHAPTER 27

  NOW – BAYLEE

  I stare down at Rae, and my heart breaks open. It breaks wide open. Her face is battered, her arms lined with faint bruises, and her fingers are swelling from what I can only assume is an attempt to fight back. My nostrils burn and tears well up under my eyes. I shouldn’t have let this happen.

  Dammit.

  I can’t do this right now. I can’t go over what I shouldn’t have let happen. I’m here, and I need to do whatever I can to protect Rae. I didn’t do that the first time, I’m sure as hell not going to go down easily this time. Even if it means I get hurt. There is a young, innocent baby growing inside her. At the very least, I have to fight for that.

  Even if it kills me.

  “Rae,” I say, kneeling down in the small, fully locked up room York dumped us both in after we arrived.

  I don’t know where he went.

  I don’t want to know where he went.

  Right now, I just need to focus on the here and now. I have to get us through this. I have to keep my wits about me. I spent too long falling to my knees instead of standing up for myself. I can’t do that again. So help me God, I’ll get us out of here, because I have something worth fighting for now.

  Jack.

  God. Jack.

  I don’t even want to think about what he must be going through right now. It breaks my heart to think he’ll be so freaked out.

  “Rae,” I whisper again, shaking her.

  She came in and went to sleep just after York dumped us in here, or maybe she passed out. I’m not sure. All I know is that she’s in a bad way. She barely looked at me, barely spoke to me, she just curled onto an old, worn mattress on the ground with her back to me.

  “Don’t touch me,” she grumbles.

  “I know you’re angry at me,” I say carefully. “But I need you to work with me or I’m not going to be able to get us out of here.”

  “You’re not going to be able to get us out of here anyway,” she grunts, opening her eyes and glaring at me. “You were useless the first time, and you’re useless now. So, leave me alone.”

  I take a deep breath.

  She’s not going to listen to me, and there’s no point in upsetting her. I’ll do this on my own if I have to. I’ll just make sure she comes with me when I leave.

  The door swings open suddenly, and York steps in. I step away from the mattress near Rae and meet the eyes of the man I was once so afraid of. He looks almost pathetic now, standing in front of me, so underweight it’s alarming. The fear I once felt almost seems like it was reserved for someone else. This man isn’t even half of the man York was before.

  “Plotting against me won’t get you out of here, Maddie,” he says in a low voice.

  I don’t say anything.

  Anything I say will only make him angry.

  “Silence won’t work, either.”

  Fine then.

  “What do you want from me, York?”

  He grins, and it sends shivers straight down my spine. “I just want what’s mine.”

  What’s his?

  “I’m not yours.”

  His eyes flare. “You’re mine. You’ve always been mine. Running away does not change that. You’ll pay for what you’ve put me through.”

  I swallow, but keep it together. “I ran away because you’re abusive and nearly killed me.”

  “Because you were seeing other men,” he hisses.

  He’s delusional. Arguing with him will get me nowhere. There isn’t a single thing I can say or do that will make him change his thought process. So, I fall silent again.

  “Look what you’ve done to my sister,” he says, glancing at Rae and then scowling. “Turned her into a mouthy brat. You’ll pay for that, too.”

  I bite my tongue, because it’s his fault she is the way she is, but again, nothing I say will make any difference to what he’s thinking right now.

  “I taught her to shut her fucking mouth damn quickly when she got here.”

  His eyes hold Rae’s, and I see her shrink into herself. I hate that. I hate that one person can have such an effect on another.

  “Then turning to those bikers,” York growls, focusing back on me. “Trying to get me removed. That’s going to fucking hurt for you, Maddie.”

  My insides are screaming at me to fight, to run, to do something, but I don’t. I stand perfectly still, keeping my lips sealed shut.

  “Answer me,” York barks, hand lashing out and slapping me across the face.

  My head whips to the side and I gasp, but I don’t scream. Pain explodes in my cheek and my vision blurs. It’s as if I’ve been dragged back in time.

  “Go to hell,” I growl, looking back at York.

  Another slap, this one sends me flying to the ground. I stumble a couple of times before skittering across the floor and slamming against the wall. Pain erupts in my back like a fire, but, again, I don’t scream. I don’t move. My knees shake, but I stay where I am.

  “You’ll learn to keep your mouth shut again. I’m organizing us passports and a flight out of this damned country. You won’t escape me again. Either of you!” he roars, before stepping out of the room and slamming the door.

  For a moment, I can’t do anything but pant to get myself past the pain. York is going to try and take us out of the country. I reach up and rub my face carefully, holding back the fear that really wants to take over. I’m okay. I’m. Okay. I’ll find a way out of this.

  I will.

  Won’t I?

  “Baylee.”

  My eyes flick towards Rae, and her eyes are wide, her mouth slightly agape.

  “What?” I whis
per, trying to ignore the pounding in my head and the spreading pain in my back.

  “My water just broke.”

  Oh.

  Sweet.

  Jesus.

  ~*~*~*~

  “It’s okay,” I say, rubbing Rae’s back as she leans forward, panting in agony. “It’s going to be okay.”

  “It hurts,” she wails. “It hurts.”

  “I know, I know it does, but you need to keep calm for me. I’ll get us out of here. I will.”

  “I don’t want him to hurt my baby,” she cries, her eyes meeting mine.

  For the first time, I see real fear and concern in them. She’s worried York will hurt her child, a child she’s not given one single moment of care about in the entire time she’s had it growing inside her. But regardless of that, I can’t allow anyone to hurt her baby, or her.

  “I won’t let that happen,” I say softly. “I promise you.”

  “I’m afraid.”

  Seeing her so broken, so vulnerable ... It breaks my heart.

  And terrifies me.

  “I know you are. I know. I’ll figure—”

  “Tell her to stop her fucking screaming!”

  York bursts through the door, clearly having just woken and coming down from whatever high he just gave himself. I know. I’ve seen it all before. I used to blame the drugs for his behavior, but I have to wonder if it was always there, always lying beneath the surface, waiting for something to bring it out. I mean, surely a substance can’t make a person become so ... violent.

  “She needs a hospital, York. She’s going to have this baby.”

  “She’s going to no fucking hospital,” he bellows. “Tell her to stop that fuckin’ screaming or I’ll cut the damned thing out myself.”

  My chest seizes and the urge to hold Rae and her baby close, just to protect them, is overwhelming.

  “She’s in pain,” I try again. “She needs a doctor.”

  “Well,” he says, pinning me with that icy glare. “She ain’t getting one. If she keeps making those noises, I’ll make her fuckin’ stop. I’m trying to organize something, and I can’t fuckin’ think!”

  Distraction.

  If he’s distracted it might keep him away from Rae for a little longer. I have to figure something out. She needs a doctor. She can’t have this baby here.

  “I’ll keep her quiet,” I say, holding his eyes.

  He blinks, confused. And then his gaze narrows. “What are you planning?”

  Paranoid.

  “I just said I’d keep her quiet, York,” I say, adding a bit more sass back to my voice. “I still think she needs a doctor!”

  “No. She doesn’t. She needs to have that baby, and I need to dispose of it. This works better for my plan. It’s not easy getting a pregnant woman out of the country. If there is no baby ...”

  I want to vomit.

  “No,” Rae cries. “York. Please. That’s my baby.”

  “Shut up,” he barks at her. “You will shut up or I’ll kill the damned thing in front of you.”

  I squeeze Rae’s hand, praying she’ll keep her mouth closed. I have to get us out of here, one way or another.

  An idea pops into my head.

  “If she’s going to have this baby here,” I say, trying to sound as calm as possible, when inside I’m freaking the hell out. “Then you need to give me what I need to ensure that happens. I can keep her quiet, but I can’t deliver a baby on the floor, York.”

  He narrows his eyes, then waves a hand. “Whatever, just keep her fucking quiet.”

  “I’ll need some towels, a kettle that I can boil to have hot water, and some scissors.”

  He laughs. “You think I’d give you a pair of scissors? Nice try, bitch.”

  “Then just get me the towels and the hot water,” I snap.

  “Watch it,” he growls.

  I hold his glare.

  He turns and storms from the room, shutting and locking it, but sure enough, he brings me back some towels and a kettle, with four big bottles of water to fill it. The stupid, stupid idiot.

  “If you think I’m stupid, think again. I won’t give you a weapon. Make do with what you have in here. When that baby is out, I’ll sort it. Keep her quiet, or you’ll pay for it.”

  Then he slams the door and locks it, again.

  “We’re not going to get out,” Rae sobs, clutching her stomach. “And he’s going to hurt my baby.”

  “No,” I say softly, sliding the kettle close. “Because he just gave me a weapon.”

  Rae’s eyes move to the kettle, and then flicker back to me with a tiny piece of hope left in them.

  “I need you to keep as quiet as possible, Rae. I know that’ll be hard, you’re about to experience some tremendous pain. But if you want your baby to survive, I’ll need you to do this for me.”

  She nods as another contraction takes over her small form.

  I clutch her hand and give her a towel to scream into.

  Then I send out a prayer.

  Please let us get out of here safely.

  CHAPTER 28

  NOW – BAYLEE

  “Rae, push,” I say, my voice tired and strained.

  The young girl lying before me, pale as a ghost from hours and hours in labor, exhausted and worn down, whimpers. She’s gone past screaming into a towel or a pillow. All she has left now is to make a pained noise here and there. She’s sinking, faster than normal, and I’m terrified. My back is burning, my head pounds, and my hands ache from her squeezing so tightly. But finally, I can see the mop of dark hair that is her baby.

  I’ve never done this.

  I’m so damned afraid.

  I need to get help for this baby as soon as he or she is born, as well as for Rae, and the only way I can do that is to get out of here. So as soon as this little one enters the world, I’ll do what I have to do. I have a plan. It’s not a great one, but it’s the only one I have. Burning hot water to the face will stop York and allow Rae and me to get out.

  I’ll lock him in here.

  We’ll call an ambulance.

  It seems like the only option I have right now.

  “I can’t,” Rae whispers, her head lolling back on the pillow. “I’m too tired.”

  “Rae, I need you to push for me. Your baby is nearly out. Then this will all be over.”

  There has been a lot of blood appearing in the last couple of minutes, and I’m terrified it’s not normal. I’ve never seen anyone give birth, but I don’t think it should be so heavy. I have to focus. The sooner I do this, the quicker I can get out of here. York has yet to come back in. If he had, I would have carried out my plan earlier but Rae’s labor is progressing too quickly with no time to spare.

  She’s my focus right now.

  “Come on, Rae,” I keep urging, a warm towel at the ready.

  Another contraction takes her, and with a pained cry, she pushes, and pushes, and pushes. When the baby’s head appears, I take it into my hands, trying to hold back my panic. Keep it together, Baylee. Keep it together. With one more final push, the tiny human slides out and into my hands. A piercing cry fills the room. It’s a little boy. I recall the basics from a friend telling me about birth to know that the airways need to be cleared, but the cord should stay intact if you’re not at home and there is no help.

  With a tear breaking free, against all my power, I slip my finger into the screaming baby’s mouth and scoop out anything that might block his airways. Then I wrap him in the towel, leaving his cord intact. I try not to focus too heavily on what it’s attached to and instead wrap that in a towel, too. It’s only then I realize Rae hasn’t said anything. It’s only been a couple of seconds, in the big scheme of things, but she didn’t even ask if the baby was a boy or a girl.

  “Rae?” I say, glancing over at her.

  There is a lot of blood coming from her, and panic seizes my chest when I realize her eyes seem to be rolling back. I place the tiny baby in a bundle of towels and crawl over to her, placing my ha
nds on her cheeks. “Rae!” I cry. “Rae!”

  Her eyes flutter and roll a little. “D-d-d-don’t feel so good.”

  I glance down. There is too much blood. It’s not normal. I know it as surely as I breathe. I take a few towels and press them between her legs. I know what’s happening. I’ve read these stories. She’s hemorrhaging. She needs a hospital. Now.

  “York!” I scream.

  Nothing.

  “York!”

  It takes me five solid minutes of screaming for the door to fly open.

  “What the fuck are you yellin’ at me for?”

  “She’s bleeding. Heavily. You need to call an ambulance ...”

  York’s eyes flick down to Rae, and he says nothing.

  “She’ll die, York!”

  His eyes flick to the baby. Something twists in his face.

  “York,” I cry out again, my voice cracking. “Please. She’ll die.”

  He looks back at Rae.

  “She’s your sister. Your baby sister,” I plead. “She’s done so much for you. You’ve always helped her. She looks up to you. Leave me here, if you have to. I’ll do whatever you want. Just please, I beg you, take her to a hospital.”

  He hesitates. But there is something there in his face, something, maybe a familiar old feeling from when he used to protect Rae in foster homes.

  “I’ll take her,” he growls. “But I won’t take the baby.”

  “York ...”

  “I said no!” he hisses. “That baby is a fucking burden. I’ll take her, I’ll drop her at the door and then I’ll be back to sort that ... thing ... out. After that, we’re leaving.”

  “Please. He’s just a baby. Take him with her. Drop him too.”

  “I said fucking no,” he snarls. “It’s too risky. I take her, or she stays here and dies, what’s it going to be?”

  He’s delusional. Why he won’t take the baby, too, I don’t know. Why the hell won’t he just take them both? I don’t have time to argue, I know that. If he doesn’t take Rae soon, she’ll die. I swore I’d protect her and I will. No matter the cost.

  “Take her.”

  York steps in and walks towards Rae, leaning down and scooping her into his arms. There is so much blood. So. Much. I hold in my tears as he carries her limp body out of the room. Just as he reaches the door, she croaks out, “Take care of my baby, Maddie. I’m so sorry.”