Hell's Flower

by SL Schiefer

  I nod my head and hurry into my bedroom, grabbing my sandals and cell phone before jogging downstairs. Halfway down, I stop briefly as more cramps make their appearance. Please don’t take my baby.

  Chapter Forty – Mace

  I BROKE MY PROMISE. That’s my first thought when I wake up. Even though I’m not dead, I could be. She’s not going to be happy with me at all.

  We rolled up to the bar Jake owns, out in the middle of nowhere, and no one was there but them. The Columbus club piled into their SUVs, some of the Madison club were in an SUV and some were on bikes, and my crew were all on their bikes.

  Looking back, maybe going on bikes wasn’t that smart. Maybe we all should have been in SUVs.

  We surrounded the bar when we got there, everyone waiting on my mark to start shooting. I held my hand up for the guys nearest me to be able to see; the others around the back would start shooting when they heard our shots.

  When I dropped my hand, everyone let loose, unleashing rounds and rounds of bullets into and through the building. The gun I chose to use tonight is an AR-15 with an extended mag with extra magazines in the back of my pants.

  In the dark of night, you could see the muzzle flash from each gun. It looked like a continuous set of sparklers lighting up around us. We couldn’t hear a single thing above the noise of all the guns, so there was no satisfaction of hearing anyone from the inside dying. There was also no guarantee they were dead.

  Not until we ran out of ammo and everyone was scattering to get on their bikes and in their vehicles, did we finally have our answer.

  The guys who survived the gunfire came running out of the bar with their pieces pointed right at us. What happened next was a huge blur. I remember making it to my bike and starting her up. I don’t remember much of anything after that.

  We were all out of ammo, but I still had the pistol I tucked into an ankle holster. The ‘just in case’ gun. Hoping I didn’t need it, I wasn’t stupid enough to leave the clubhouse without it. Not with what we were riding out to do.

  I remember seeing Jake running toward me with a murderous expression on his face. When he got within a decent shooting range, he pulled his gun up and started firing. I grabbed for my gun out of its holster. Let me tell you, if you’re ever in a bad situation, you don’t ever want to carry a gun in an ankle holster. It takes longer than necessary to get it out.

  When my gun was free, I brought my arm up and without aiming, I started shooting at Jake. I’ve always been told that time slows down when you’re faced with a gun pointed in your direction and bullets coming at you.

  It’s true. I started to go forward on the bike, not accelerating too fast because I wanted to continue to shoot at him but still be able to get away quickly if shit got out of hand.

  While I continued to release a couple bullets at a time in Jake’s direction, everyone else started driving off. Everyone but one of the SUVs. At that point, I said fuck it and got off of my bike. Leaving it running, I walked toward him and brought my gun up again.

  Estimating I only had a couple bullets left, I tried to wait until I was within ten feet of him to shoot again. This is where things get hazy.

  Excruciating pain ripped through my chest. Knowing I was shot, but running on the adrenaline, I aimed the best I could and shot Jake once in the chest and once more in his head.

  I collapsed and must have blacked out. Then I woke up here. Fun shit. I just pray someone called the cleanup crew. We have to make sure they went in and got all the bodies and cleaned the entire place, making it look like no one was ever there. That way, if cops come in, no one can connect it to us.

  I’m back at the clubhouse, in my room, on my bed.

  I move to try to sit up so I can get off the bed and get to the main room to get some answers. I don’t make it too far before I run into Creep.

  He gives me a glare when he sees me struggling to stay upright while walking down the hall. “Couldn’t you have just called me or yelled? Someone would have come up here to help.”

  Taking a deep breath, I rest against the wall. I was shot in the shoulder, but my entire body feels like I’m being weighed down by a ton of bricks.

  “I probably could have, but I needed to get up.” Despite trying to put strength in my voice, it doesn’t come out like that.

  “Well, let’s get a shirt on you and change your pants. We have somewhere to go.”

  “Where? And I need filled in on everything that happened after I blacked out.” My breathing is turning ragged from all the energy I’m using to stay upright. He grabs onto my arm and lets me lean on him as we head back into my room.

  “Are you taking me to my house? Raven is going to be pissed at me. And why the hell are you not saying anything?”

  “Could you sound any more like a chick right now?” He chuckles and I narrow my eyes at him. “We’re going to see Raven, but she isn’t at your house. I think it’s best we wait until I get you in the car until I tell you what happened after you blacked out.”

  “I would prefer if you would just spit it the fuck out,” I growl.

  He doesn’t say anything as he searches through my dresser and pulls a pair of jeans and a new shirt out for me. He takes my boots off for me but lets me change my pants myself. I have to keep some dignity here, but I allow him to help me into my shirt.

  “Alright, big guy. Let’s go to the car.” Grabbing my arm again, he helps me up and we go in the direction of whatever vehicle is out there at the moment.

  Finally on the road, I turn to stare at him, waiting for him to explain everything.

  “Alright, alright. Jesus, you’re impatient. After you blacked out and fell off your bike,” he gives me a look, “we called back one of the clubs and threw you in their SUV. We called Doc in and had him fix you up here. Obviously. Then cleanup went in and did their thing. There will be no way to trace anything back to us.”

  “Okay. Great. Now… where is Raven?”

  The look he gives me sends chills through my body. It’s a look of pity. “Where. The. Fuck. Is. My. Angel!?”

  “She’s in the hospital.”

  ***

  “Oh my god! Are you okay? What’s wrong with me? Of course you’re not okay! You were fucking shot!” she speaks in a single breath.

  “Jazz. I’m fine, calm down.” Right now, I just want to see my woman.

  My Angel is lying in the bed, not saying a word. She’s just staring at me with a lost look on her face and an IV hanging from her arm. Not a look I care to ever see on her face again. I carefully slide onto the bed next to her, making her scoot over to where she’s practically lying on top of me.

  Once I wrap my arms around her and pull her head to the crook of my neck, she starts to let out quiet sobs. Holding her closer, I growl in the direction of the door, “Get the fuck out, you two, and close the god damned door.”

  “Angel, what’s wrong?” I ask before I hear the door click shut softly.

  She pulls her head back and looks up, so she’s looking into my eyes, and whispers so softly I have to strain to hear her. “I have to tell you something. And I don’t know if this something is going to be good news or bad news for you. I’m still not one hundred percent on how I feel about it yet.”

  Growing more confused by the minute, I tell her, “If you could just start with why you’re in the hospital, that would be great.” I try to keep my tone light, but I’m worrying so much right now about her that it’s hard.

  “I woke up around midnight to use the bathroom and was bleeding. I had taken a test yesterday morning and it told me I was pregnant, so I woke Jazz up, and she made me come here. Everything is fine, though. I just need to rest. They think it was just stress. And I was severely dehydrated, so I’m hooked up to the IV for a bit to get fluids in me again. Because of how heavy the bleeding was, they want me on bed rest for the next few days as a precaution.”

  Pregnant. She’s fucking pregnant. If I could get out of this bed and pace around her tiny room, I would. “You’
re pregnant?” My voice is barely above a whisper now.

  She only nods her head in response. God, this just makes me feel like I need out of the club more now. “You better hope it’s not a little girl, or we’re moving to the country. Miles away from any boys, and she’ll be homeschooled.”

  Tears pool in her eyes. I bring one hand up and wipe away the lone tear that escaped. “You’re okay with this?”

  “Angel, how could you think I wouldn’t be okay with this? I love you. I told you I wanted you in my life forever. Why would you think I wouldn’t be okay with this?”

  She sighs. “Because we didn’t talk about kids. I didn’t know if I wanted them, let alone you. And with the club, how the hell do we raise a kid in the club?”

  “Do you want to know what it’s like to have an endless amount of babysitters ready to go? Someone who would drop everything to help us if we need it? That’s what club life is. If we need anything, that club will have our backs. That’s what we live for. We protect our own.”

  “But will you leave the club?” That’s the million dollar question right now.

  “I can’t say yes or no. I want to tell you yes, but it’s the only life I know. I don’t know I could give it up completely, but I can tell you I will back off. Let Creep step up and take more responsibilities away from me. That way I can spend more time with you. There will be times I will have to go to the club, though.”

  “I get that, and I really appreciate you taking a step back from something you care so much about.” Before I can say anything, though, she gives me a strange look. “Are you going to tell me what happened?”

  “I can’t tell you everything, but I can tell you Jake is dead. He will no longer be a problem.” Her eyes meet mine again and I see the instant relief in them. “I’m sorry I broke my promise about coming home to you last night.”

  “It’s okay. You’re here now, that’s all that matters.”

  “I love you, Angel.”

  Chapter Forty-One – Raven

  I CAN’T HELP but lie in bed, thinking about everything that transpired at the hospital. I was terrified to tell Gunner. I hadn’t even considered my dad or Luke’s reaction, but now I know; it should have been the other way around. Dad wasn’t thrilled when Jazz called to tell him I may need him. When he arrived with Luke and noticed Gunner wasn’t by my side, they were filled with attitudes and anger. Jazz and Bug filled them in on where he was, and they pulled their attitudes in a little bit, but it didn’t help relent the ‘are you keeping it’ and ‘are you going to get married now’ questions. Since when does a woman have to get married just because she’s pregnant? Thankfully, by the time they left, they were both beaming from ear to ear about being grandpas. When I told Luke he’ll be an honorary grandfather, I thought his smile was going to split his face, it was so wide.

  “Good morning,” Gunner greets me in a husky, sleepy voice.

  “Morning,” I smile as I roll onto my side to face him.

  Instantly, his hand seeks out my nonexistent tummy so he can trace circles over my skin.

  “I can’t wait for your belly to be big,” he smirks.

  “Umm… you do realize it’s not just my belly that will probably get big, right?”

  “Yeah, I know. Your tits are going to be huge!” he laughs.

  Smacking him in the chest, I say, “And my hips, and arms, and probably my face, feet, and everything else.”

  “More to love. You’re not really worried about that, right?” His tone grows firmer with each word in his question.

  “No,” I shake my head. “Well, maybe a little, but I know you’re insatiable, which means multiple, enjoyable workouts for me.”

  “Got that right.” He reaches around my body and slaps my ass at an awkward angle. With his fresh incision all stitched up, and refusing to take much of his pain meds, he’s a bit slow moving.

  “So what are we going to do, Gunner?” I know what he told me at the hospital, but does he still feel that way? Was he just saying that to not make things awkward? Are we going to live here? Are we going to get married?

  “Well, I think it’s time for you to let go of your apartment, and the guys can finish moving the rest of your stuff here. Then we can get the nursery ready for our lil’ guy.” His brows wiggle up and down, causing me to laugh at him.

  “Who says we were having a little boy? I think it’s a girl,” I tease.

  “Hell no! I don’t know the first thing about girls besides how to fuck them! And no one will be doing any of that with our daughter until I’m in a grave,” he growls.

  “Oh, God,” I grumble. “It starts already.”

  “Damn straight. Besides, if we have a boy first, he can help me protect her when I can’t be there.”

  “You do realize you don’t really get to choose the sex of the baby, right? And if we have a daughter, you will allow her to breathe! No over-protective bullshit.”

  “I make no promises, woman. Now, come over here and kiss me.”

  I happily oblige. Gently pressing my lips to his, I’m careful not to get him riled up or he’ll never follow doctor’s orders. As he tries to entice me with the tip of his tongue, I pull away, grinning and shaking my head. His brows furrow, and his mouth forms a tight line.

  “That’s not fair,” he whines. “Please, Angel.”

  “No, but I’ll make you a deal.”

  “What’s that?”

  “When this one week of torture is up, I’ll let you take me on Kate.”

  “How about we do it now?”

  “No,” I say against his mouth, pressing my lips to his. I quickly pull away and slip out of bed before he can hold me to him.

  “Where are you going? Bed rest, remember?” he reminds me firmly.

  “Yes, Gunner, I know. But I have to get some water. I’m thirsty. Besides, it’s only a few days. You’re the one who demanded it be a week.”

  “Hurry up. I’m bored already,” he pouts, clearly bypassing how overprotective he’s being.

  I laugh as I fill the glass from the faucet and saunter back to bed. I feel like I can finally breathe again. Now that I know Jake won’t be a problem anymore, I feel like the world has been lifted from our shoulders. I still have my reservations with the club, but I’m not as scared about it as I was. Somehow, I know it’ll all be okay. Right?

  “So, since I’m crippled and you have doctor’s orders, I can only think of one thing we can do for the rest of the day.”

  “Oh?” This should be good. “And what would that be?”

  “Let’s go shopping.”

  “Wait,” I hold a palm up in the air as I take a seat back on the bed. “Since when do you like to shop? And doesn’t that require us to leave our bed?”

  “They made these awesome devices, Angel, where we can shop from our phones,” he mocks.

  “Ha ha. So what are we shopping for?”

  “Baby stuff. You know, shit that babies need.” He says it like it’s so obvious. I was thinking he wanted to scroll online at motorcycles or some shit.

  “You want to shop for baby stuff?” I’ve never known him to ever want to go shopping. Shit, when I made him go into the pharmacy with me, he whined like a two-year-old every ten seconds about wanting to leave.

  “For our baby, hell yes, I do,” he grins.

  “Okay.” I grab my phone off of the bedside table and lie back down, snuggling into his side. “Do you think this is a good idea, Gunner?” Suddenly, I’m not so sure. I mean, I’m still lightly bleeding.

  “Why wouldn’t it be?”

  “Because I’m not that far along. I’m only five weeks. There’s so much that can go wrong.”

  “Hey,” he says as he turns his face so it’s only a breath from mine. His eyes bore into mine and I can see the reassurance I need from him. “It won’t. It’s all going to be okay, Raven. But if it makes you feel better, we could just browse and save the things we like.”

  “Like a registry?”

  “Sure. Whatever the fuck
that is.”

  “You’re such a man.”

  ***

  We spend hours scrolling through websites, picking out the perfect crib, dresser, and changing table. Deciding to plan a nursery for a boy and for a girl, we want to be prepared either way. In all honesty, it’s just too much fun looking at all the cute stuff.

  He decides to call it quits for the day when my stomach starts to growl.

  “What are you hungry for?”

  “It doesn’t matter. Food.”

  “No, I thought you’d like to eat grass,” he jokes. “What sounds good?”

  “Hmm…pizza.”

  “Will that make you sick?” His face is full of concern as he questions my choice.

  “Yeah,” I nod. “It probably will. But then again, everything does, so it might as well taste delicious going down.”

  “Touché.”

  We decide to watch TV as we wait for the pizza to arrive. Well, he watches TV. I curl into him, careful of his wounds, but enjoy the peacefulness of just being with him. I can’t believe I almost lost him. That fact doesn’t escape me, and as sick as it sounds, I don’t ever want it to. I don’t want to end up taking him or our time for granted ever again. I know it won’t always be easy. I know he’s still going to remain President of the club, but if today is any sign of how things will be in the future for us, I think we’re going to be okay.

  Chapter Forty-Two – Mace

  I’M STANDING OUT in the clearing where we just buried an empty casket for my pops. With or without a body, this is our final resting place for him. My mom is standing around here somewhere, crying. That just makes me want to roll my eyes. Everyone is kind of staying away from me today. It’s been a couple weeks since everything happened. It took a while for any of us to want to have to do this.

  It never fails on a day when it should be gray skies and cloudy, it’s nothing but blue skies and sunshine. I shove my hands in my pockets and turn away from the sunset to look at everyone else.