by KJ Dahlen
Talon sighed and headed toward his room. This was all still a clusterfuck from hell. They still owed Dmitri 3 mil and they had no new payment for next week. He’d been incarcerated for almost a month to take care of his father’s honor. Then he would always have an unfinished vengeance for Hammer. The man had been as two faced as they came. And he was the one who practically raised him. Always there when he was a kid and a teen. How could Hammer live with himself? Knowing he betrayed my dad? How could he have done that then look me in the eyes every fucking day?
Talon got a grip on his thoughts. He couldn’t ever resolve that but he had avenged his dad’s death. That was all he would ever get and it had to be enough.
His thoughts turned to Fiona as he neared his door. She looked like she’d wanted to run when he’d announced claiming her and Brett to the club. He knew her well enough. She was still scared he would break her heart again. How would he convince her that he wouldn’t ever do that?
He paused at the door to see Condor standing guard. “Hey, man. Thanks for keeping an eye out.”
“No problem Boss. Been quite out here for the hour.”
Talon nodded. “Good. Go get one of the men would ya... If it has to be a Prospect then get two of them. To guard the door. We all gotta attend Church.”
Condor nodded and headed down the hallway.
Talon grabbed the doorknob and eased the door open. The room was darkened as only the bathroom light shone in. He walked silently over to his bed.
There, lay Fiona with Brett in her arms. Both of them were sound asleep.
Talon simply stood for the longest time and stared down at them.
This is my family. These two are the most important things in the world now, besides the club.
He wondered how to keep them both right here. Yes, he could make Fiona stay and not let her off the compound at all. Have her shadowed every minute of the day. But he didn’t want that. He wanted her to stay because it was what she wanted.
He now realized one thing in all of this...he was finally going to have to fess up. He let out a heavy sigh. Just admit that he’d set that night up to make it look like he was fucking some biker bunny. And then he would have to admit why he’d done it. He still didn’t really know the answer to that one. Not one he would admit to. What had he said to Brett? Men just didn’t talk about stuff till they were ready. Well, fuck, it’d taken him 5 years to be ready. He’d better take care of it soon too. He saw that look in her eyes. She had been trying to figure out a way to run. Would Fiona believe him?
He knew now, that he and Fiona would have to face what had happened 5 years ago. Come to terms with how he’d fucked it all up... because he’d been scared to death by the feelings he had for her. When he’d heard that one of the brothers had lost his old lady and he panicked.
Talon paused and looked over at the door. In fact, it had been Condor, now that he thought about it. And that man seemed to have no soul afterward. He’d lost all the warmth he had before. It had gutted him and now, he was their trained killer. Look at how he’d gone off to take out that Jack character that Johnny had wanted killed in exchange for what Talon had needed ... a chance to get to his dad’s killer.
At the time, everyone well knew that Condor had loved that woman, he’d even given her his matching cut, and they even got married. He was a happy man until she got picked off the back of his bike by a bullet to her brain...while she was pregnant. He’d lost his wife and his baby in one fucking split second.
When Talon had heard news of this—his whole romantic vision and haze of falling in love with Fiona— came crashing down in little fucking hard shards of glass around him. Waking him up to the fact that he didn’t want that to be Fiona someday—killed when the bullet was meant for him.
He heaved out another sigh. But she was part of it now. She’d given birth to his son and that had sealed it, no matter what Talon or Fiona had thought or planned all along. She belonged with Talon and so did Brett. There was no choice anymore, no questions of should she stay in this MC life with him.
It was as it was now. She would be by his side till he took his last fucking breath.
He stared down at his little family. Sleeping a peaceful, happy slumber. That was his job now. Keeping them both happy like this and keeping them safe.
Talon’s brain was teaming with all of this and with his enemies who would take Fiona and Brett from him in a fast fucking second when and if they got the chance. He focused on Church and what decision they would have to make as he went to change his clothes.
It was almost time to see what Bytes had found. Church was gonna be interesting today and most likely chaotic.
Well, what the fuck else was new?
Chapter Six
ROGUE
When he got her to his room, he did something he’d never done in all these years living here as a Prince of Hell. He laid a woman down onto his bed. In his room—in his domain. He hadn’t ever been like the other brothers. He never brought a chick here. He took them outside the club. To a motel or to their place.
Laying her gently down on his bedding, he then rose up and let out a huge breath.
“Move out of my way, kid,” Doc fussed as he stepped closer to the bedside.
Rogue stepped to the side. He’d met doc many times and knew of his gruff nature. The man had literally saved many brother’s lives, including his own when he himself took two bullets in a raid.
Doc set his bag on the bedside table then pulled out a small slim metal like pen. He opened her eyelid and checked her eye with the pen light, then he checked the other one. “Ok, that’s a good sign. No pupil dilation. She still might have a concussion though. Then he grabbed her wrist, set two fingers on her vein and peered down at the watch he wore backwards on his wrist.
Rogue stood back and waited. After avoiding looking at her all the way to the cells and all the way back up to his room, now he couldn’t take his eyes off of her. He noted the purpling mark on her forehead. Then he looked down along that pencil skirt she wore to her bleeding knees. He winced. Shaking himself, he wondered why he felt a little sick to his stomach. He had seen blood, he had in fact, made blood gush from the wounds he’d inflicted on many men.
This, though, was different. He’d never in his life, ever hurt a woman. Not like that with violence. Maybe he got a little rough when having sex, but they all seemed to eat that up. No, these injuries affected him more than he cared to admit. These were not the wounds of war, nor were they inflicted in a battle or a fight.
These were the result of his carelessness. She had been his responsibility from the moment he laid eyes on her through that house window. Yes, she had been his prisoner, but he was in charge of her welfare while she was.
He stared at her creamy skin. Her face was at least 3 shades paler than before. He felt like shit about this. But what the hell could he do now? He sighed.
“Her pulse is steady.” The doc grabbed his bag and took out a syringe and a small bottle. He popped the cap off of both and inserted the syringe into the small bottle then drew out the liquid. He sat that down and got out a white bottle. Rubbing alcohol. Wetting a cotton ball, he swiped her inner elbow and then injected the contents of the syringe. “There. That will prevent the onset of infection. I hope.”
“You hope?” Rogue asked.
The doc nodded as he carefully cleaned the wounds on her knees with another cotton balled dipped in alcohol.
In the meantime, Sevannah hadn’t stirred at all. Not a twinge, not an eyelash moving. Nothing.
Doc tossed the remnants from these ministrations into the small trashcan by Rogue’s bed. Grunting, he dug around in his bag and pulled out paper covered gauze pads. Tearing them open, he laid them on the bed. Next, he fished in the bag again and grumbled under his breath, “Where the hell is it?”
Rogue stood back watching all this and he finally felt calmer, though what the doc had said didn’t sit well with him. What if she did get an infection? Then got sicker? Fuck! They coul
dn’t move her to a hospital. How would they explain her injuries? Then if she woke up while there, she would shout to the heavens that they had kidnapped her and intended to kill her. Fuck that nonsense. They would just have to go and make some doctor come here or pay one to. Maybe Eagle knew of some he trusted.
Doc finally pulled out a little tube of triple antibiotic cream and gently applied that to each knee with a clean cotton ball. Finally, he taped the over gauze over each wound. Sitting back, he let out a long breath.
“So, doc. What do I do with her? I mean for her?’ Rogue corrected himself.
Doc peered up at him, but didn’t answer him. He grabbed his bag up as he stood. “I don’t have the equipment to see if she actually broke her knee caps.” He stared down at her knees. “They haven’t swollen up too much and that is a good sign that she hasn’t broken anything.” He stepped closer to Rogue. He had to stare up at him due to the fact Rogue was six foot 5 to his 5 foot 8 or so. “You’d better not hurt this girl. You hear me?”
Rogue raised a brow at him. “How many times do I gotta say it, old man? I never hurt women. I never hurt her!”
The doc looked him in the eye. “Yeah, maybe that’s true. But are ya gonna let Eagle or one of his big men hurt her? You seem decent Rogue. I always thought that over the years I been coming here. You need to look out for her.”
Rogue frowned. “Why do you care so much? She aint nothin’ to you.”
The doc squared his shoulders. “I was there when Eagle was throwing those accusations at her. She really did not know what the hell he was talking about. Take it from me...an old man who has seen a lot of human beings in my medical career. People, who’ve been shot, stabbed, gutted, beaten up, or nearly murdered really. Why I’ve had no less than twenty people die in my arms. And I’ve attended the innocents too.” He turned his gaze to Sevannah lying still and pale on the bed. “I saw her face, her eyes when Eagle was talkin.’ No one is that good of an actress. Especially when they are in pain or hurting. Cause that is when lies come out or false tales get unspun. She isn’t like all of you. This girl has led an innocent life.”
Rogue sighed at this long winded wise man speech. Wondering what the hell the man wanted him to do about it. He couldn’t change the facts, nor the fact that she was there with Brett and that she wasn’t who or what she claimed to be.
The doc stepped around Rogue. “I’ll be back in the morning.” He stopped and looked into his bag again. “Oh and here. This will be for her pain.”
Rogue stared at the pill bottle. “I don’t like drugs being in my room.”
Doc rolled his eyes. “It ain’t crack boy! She will need them, cause when she wakes up, she is gonna have a headache straight from hell.” He looked into Rogue’s eyes. “Nah, that would be you, wouldn’t it? Her headache from hell?” He snickered at his own joke. His near smile then instantly faded from his old face “Poor girl. No, what I mean is between the pain of her hitting that bar with her forehead and her knees?” He shook his head and pressed the bottle into Rogue’s hand. “Believe me. You are gonna thank me later as the weeping and crying is gonna drive you up a dammed wall.” With a huff, he went out the door.
Rogue stared at the closed door, then swung his gaze over at her... on his bed. “What fuck did I get myself into?”
He walked over and set the pills on the bedside table. He never even got to ask how long she might sleep. Wait... wasn’t it bad to let someone who had hit their head sleep like this? Then again, Doc had checked her eyes and thought she would be all right.
As he stared down at her, he realized she was still wearing her heels. He moved to the end of the bed and gently undid the buckle and pulled her shoe off. He stared. Her foot was so small. Her toenails painted pink. He rubbed her insole and realized she had the softest skin he’d ever touched. He halted. What the fuck was he doing? Falling in love with her dammed feet? He swiftly took off her other shoe. Then his eyes wandered up along her legs. Yes, she had long ass legs. The kind the guys would say went on forever.
Again, he blinked. Well, shit. He dropped her shoes onto his chair and turned his back completely on the still woman who occupied his bed. I can’t do this. What the fuck had I been thinking, grabbing her up and bringing her here? That’s just it, I hadn’t been thinking. I just felt so dammed bad about her getting hurt not once but two damn fucking times! It was like the cell room itself was a great danger to her.
Well, it would he guessed. She wasn’t like Beth or Cat who’d been in there for a day already. Those two were some tough bitches. Made from being fucked by bikers, hugging leather and putting up with all that drunken grabbing at their lady parts.
Not... he turned around to look at Sevannah again...like her. Just look at her outfit. Business clothes, pencil skirt just above her knees. Heels that probably cost a few hundred dollars. And the silk blouse... His eyes paused on the blouse that had blood on it now.
He stilled as his gut clenched. The silk white blouse she wore seemed to sum it all out. Pure white while stained with red blood. Like she was stained by this whole thing. He did believe her. He had believed her before. She was there without any knowledge of what Devin was playing at. Used by him. Just like he’d used Beth and Cat and from what he knew, he’d used Fiona as well.
So what could he do? Somehow, prove her innocence to both his Prez and his VP? And for what purpose? He stepped closer to the bed and smoothed his fingers along her cheek then down over the arm of her silk blouse. Almost the same sensation...Silk, soft as silk.
Innocent. Doc had said. Matching his gut instinct.
Fuck! This was a mess. And why had he made it his problem?
A loud knock sounded on his door. He stared down at Sevannah. She still did not move.
Walking over, he opened the door.
“Hey Rogue,” Falcon greeted. “We got Church in...” He looked down at his watch. “About a half hour, brother.”
Rogue nodded, then glanced back over his shoulder at the woman on his bed.
Falcon followed his gaze. Then he shot his shocked gaze back to Rogue as his eyes rounded. “Man! You got a lady in your room?” He nearly gasped the words out.
Rogue shrugged.
“This is a first!” Falcon shook his head as he smiled.
“It ain’t shit,” Rogue snapped. “I grabbed her when I found Brett. Then when I got her down to the cells...” His voice faded away. “Well, it became a clusterfuck and she got hurt.”
Falcon backed up and looked even more stunned.
“Now look man. I did NOT hurt her,” Rogue growled.
Falcon let out a breath. “Yeah man. I know you wouldn’t do that. So what—?”
Rogue stepped through and shut the door softly behind him. “Look, I am gonna go change, cuz it has been a helluva 24 hours. Then I will be at Church, alright?”
Falcon nodded. “Sure.” He turned and walked down the hall.
Rogue stepped back into the room and glanced at the bed.
Still out cold.
Going to his dresser, he got his jeans and a clean t shirt out. He went into the bathroom to dress. When he came out, he sat in a chair and pulled clean socks on then his boots.
He stood and glanced at the bed again.
Sevanah was staring at him.
Walking over, he stood above her. “It’s about time,” he said.
She looked like she was trying hard to keep her eyes open. Opening her mouth to speak, nothing came out. A lone tear rolled down her pale cheek.
Rogue sucked in a breath at the way she looked and the single tear seemed to tear at his insides. It was pitiful. The fear was there in those green depths and her confusion was there too.
With a sigh, her eyes then closed again.
He stood and waited. Stepping closer, he looked down at her.
She was out again.
This worried him. He grabbed his cell and tapped the screen. “Doc?”
“Yeah?” came the gruff reply.
“Is she supposed to be sl
eeping so damn much?”
“It’s only been what? An hour since I was there.”
“I don’t care how long it’s fucking been! She opened her eyes but couldn’t speak and she couldn’t keep her eyes open either. If someone hits their head, aren’t you supposed to keep them awake?”
“Her pupils looked good and I examined her forehead. It didn’t look like any fracture. She has been through a traumatic ordeal. Haven’t you taken a god dammed good look at that girl?”
Rogue rolled his eyes. Of course, he had, she was all he could seem to look at.
“If you did take a look at her, then you can see how classy she is and I am sure she’s never been involved with the criminal element before. Let alone tied up, taken and guns waved in her face. Then that basement that you fucks have there? I can only imagine what that looked like to her. Like some torture room. Whatever you thugs think she has done, it ain’t true and you have traumatized an innocent woman. I will be there in the morning. You need to let her rest.” He hung up.
Rogue pulled the phone away from his ear. Disgusted, he swiped the screen closed. Again, his eyes roamed over to the bed.
Asleep.
He headed to the door and stepped into the hall. Should he leave her unguarded? Fuck, no. He marched down the hall looking for a Prospect. When you want one, you can’t fucking find one. He came into the main room. Looking around, he wondered which of them he could trust. He spotted one he thought had been on a job with him just last week. “Hey, Prospect!” he called out. They didn’t have names until they were patched, so that was all you could call them really.
“Yes, Rogue?” The guy rushed over, looking eager to do any job.
“I want you to head to my door and stay there until I return. You got it?”
The man nodded.
“You know where my room is right?”
“Yes, sir. I do. Ten hall, right?”
Rogue nodded. Then he stepped close. “Don’t let anyone in or let her out. You hear? Call me if anyone tries to get in there.”
