by C. M. Marin
His conviction has me fighting off the urge to weep again.
Blowing out a steady breath to calm my unstable nerves, I murmur, “I didn’t have a choice.”
Ben’s own weary sigh has a frustrated edge to it.
“Problem is, there’s a thing you don’t see the way we all see it because you haven’t been part of this world for as long as we have. Whatever trouble one of us gets in means we’re all in trouble. It’s not Nate’s trouble, Liam’s trouble or mine. It’s ours. That’s the way a family is supposed to work. Whatever the problem is, we solve it together, simple as that. The most important thing in this life we chose is to let no one separate us. If someone goes for one of us, we stick together. And you, love, are one of us. Just remember that we’re stronger together. That’s how we fight them. Together.”
At this rate, I’ll be out of tears in no time. They stream down, but for one more reason now.
I’m one of them. They think of me as one of them, and it’s so heartwarming to hear it.
“I was so terrified to see him get hurt because of me. To see you all get hurt. Colin said he’d kill everyone if I didn’t leave the club.”
“Cam…” he starts. “What CJ does, what the Spiders do, isn’t because of you. Those men hurt people and manipulate their emotions to get what they want. There’s no compassion in them. No guilt, nothing. Hell, they’re barely humans if you ask me. They want something, nothing will stop them until they get it. They would have hurt Nate anyway. I know you wanted to keep us all safe, but there’s something that’s more painful for us than a bullet. It’s losing one of us. In any way. And like I said, you’re one of us. Your place is here, with Nate. So, from now on, do us a favor and let us take care of the big boy’s shit.”
An amused glee twinkles in his blue eyes, lightening the serious expression I rarely saw his face wear. I try my best to crack a smile, but what I manage to give him is more of a pathetic grimace.
“Was it him? Did Colin shoot him?”
“It was a sniper, so we don’t know. Even if it was him, this isn’t on you, alright?”
I’m still not so sure about that, but I nod at his firm voice.
“Where did it happen?”
“Dona’s. Nate was with Jayce, Cody and Lilly. One of Rod’s new recruits was holding a knife to Lilly’s throat when she left the diner to join the guys outside. She escaped him by breaking his wrist. But that fucker was just a distraction. Nate was shot shortly after that. Just before the Spider.”
“You killed him in the street?” I ask, surprised.
“The sniper did,” he corrects.
“What? They killed one of their own?”
“Well, not exactly. We don’t know what Rod tells them when he patches them in, but we think that he recruits them only to use them. Just like this moron. They took him out so we wouldn’t bring him back with us to try to learn something. Not that he must have known much anyway. But at least I could have fucking seen his blood spill. Would have calmed me some,” he seethes.
“I need him dead, Ben,” I say what I never thought I’d say about Colin―or anyone else. “I need Colin gone. I don’t want to live this way. Afraid all the time.”
The smile that curls up one side of his mouth is dark. “Every single one of them is waiting on death row. They just don’t know it yet.”
That kind of promise shouldn’t feed my heart with such a powerful relief, but it does. Monsters like them shouldn’t be allowed to freely walk around among people who have no clue how deviant they are. They shouldn’t be alive and untouchable.
“Now, love, I’m afraid we also have a brooding big brother to deal with. But don’t worry,” he adds as though reassuring me. “If you’re overwhelmed, I’ll give you Alex’s number. She can tip you off on how to have Jayce eating out of your hand in no time. Always worked with Liam, should work just fine with J.”
“Keep your advice to yourself, dickhead.”
Coming from behind us, the deep, bored voice barging into our conversation has us turning around to see Jayce leaning casually against the wall.
“Just helping out,” Ben defends himself, feigning innocence with a forced piercing voice.
Jayce’s eyes are on me as he strolls toward us.
“Go find yourself people to help out of this room. It’s a hospital, should be plenty of those to find. I need to talk to Camryn.”
“Sure, VP,” he muses.
He shoots me a wink and quits his chair, shuffling away as Jayce takes his deserted spot beside me.
I’m not embarrassed or anything by his presence, but it’s still weird to call him my brother even if it’s only in my own head.
“When was the last time you slept?”
That’s not what I expected him to say.
“I… Last night, but I didn’t sleep much since I left,” I answer honestly.
The dark bags under my eyes must have tipped him off anyway.
“I’ll give you a ride to the club so you can rest.”
“I’m not leaving him,” I affirm, shaking my head adamantly.
“He wouldn’t want you to exhaust yourself.”
Considering he most likely hates me, I doubt he’d care, actually. But I’m too tired to try to make Jayce see that.
“I’m not leaving him,” I repeat. “I’ll sleep here for a bit, but I’m not leaving him.”
A light snicker leaves him. “Why do I start to believe Ben is right thinking I’ll end up just like Liam?”
I only have in me a small laughing sound to offer him, and even that turns into a sob when I speak. “I’m terrified. He has to wake up.”
“He will,” he states, but his confidence doesn’t keep uncertainty and worry away from his voice, and I feel selfish for only now realizing how scared he must be, too. “That’s the only thought you’re allowed to have. He’ll wake up. The doctors are optimistic, so we can be too.”
“God, I didn’t even ask what they said,” I realize suddenly.
“They worked on him for a few hours, stopped the bleeding, fixed everything that needed to be fixed. They said it was a delicate surgery, but there was no cardiac arrest, which is damn good according to them. He’s strong, Cam. He’ll get through that.”
I want to believe that so badly, but tangled knots of fright are still busy torturing my stomach.
“Did that fucker touch you? At your house? Did CJ touch you?”
The question doesn’t surprise me since I knew Melvin would tell him.
“No,” I say, purposefully omitting the part where he dug his fingers into my shoulder blade. When his doubtful eyes assess me for a little too long, I add, “He came in and left not even a couple of minutes later. He scared me, that’s all.”
“Alright,” he retorts, but conviction doesn’t pour from the single word. “You sure you don’t want me to―”
“I’m staying,” I stop him.
“Alright,” he gives in again.
With a kiss on my hair, he shows me his brotherly affection for the first time. It’s not enough to tame the fear, but it’s comforting to have someone to lean on. I rest my head against his strong shoulder, but I’m not sure that’s a good idea because after a while, my lack of sleep catches up with me and it becomes challenging to keep my eyes open. As we don’t speak, the only sound left inside the room comes from the machine, and I focus on the steady beeps until I can’t focus on anything at all.
Chapter 30
Camryn
A gasp is harshly forced out of me when Jayce’s arm stops abruptly my progression through the hallway by smashing into my stomach, even shoving me back a little.
“Stay put, love,” Ben cautions quietly but firmly as he steadies my swaying body, his hands briefly clamping on my shoulders.
I’m first disturbed by the sudden change in their behavior, but only until I look ahead to see that we have company.
My blood runs as cold as Colin’s eyes are. They’re narrowed to angry slits, and although they’re not
directed at me but locked on Jayce, my instincts compel my feet to take a step back. I’m not moving much, though, my motions once again blocked, but this time by Ben’s body. I had apparently already forgotten that he was right behind me.
“We got you. They’re not getting to you,” he assures me softly.
They.
Scattered behind Colin, at least two handfuls of Spiders stare menacingly at any Chaser standing in their line of sight. But who gets my attention and doesn’t lose it is the older man with dark, untidy hair standing beside Colin. The president right beside his vice president.
So, that’s the famous Rod.
Because of the DNA test, I finally have the proof that this man right here isn’t my father, but it doesn’t keep me from spontaneously scanning his features in an absurd attempt to reassure myself. The shape of his face is rounder than mine; his nose is longer than mine; his hair has a raven shade; and the brown of his eyes looks really dark. That might only be the result of the anger gushing from them but still, our eyes don’t look anything alike. And it’s more than anger his stare is spewing. It’s hatred. His eyes are shouting hatred, and it’s me they’re shouting it at.
Is it the way a cold-hearted criminal known for killing on impulse usually looks at the girl who is supposed to be his daughter? I honestly don’t know, but it could be. Or maybe the way he’s looking at me has nothing to do with me. Maybe this hatred continually emanates from him.
“Nothing for you here,” Jayce informs them in a calm yet terrifyingly eerie tone.
But the underlying threat is apparently terrifying for me only, because Rod’s gaze hardens on Jayce like it wasn’t already sending murderous vibes clogging every corner of the hallway.
“You think you can keep what’s mine prisoner and I’m gonna do nothing? Think again, Vale.”
Chills prickle at my skin. His throaty voice is kept at a moderate volume, but his own threat is heightened by a harshness that seems natural.
I’m deeply happy this man isn’t my genitor.
“There are two reasons she didn’t leave our club until your puppy scared her away. First, because you won’t bother asking before making her an actual prisoner in your scam of a club, and second, because she’s not yours. You forced her out of town once, and it’s not going to happen again. Now, if none of your boys has had the excellent idea of coming here to die, I suggest you get the fuck out. Like I said, she’s not yours. She’s Nate’s.”
“She isn’t that fucker’s!”
My rigid muscles are the only reason I succeed in resisting the urge to jump out of my skin at the virulence of Colin’s bark.
“You’re next, Vale! Believe that! I’ll put an entire magazine in your body first chance I get! Right after I finished off your president! She’s ours!” he keeps talking about me like I’m not perfectly capable of voicing my own opinion on a matter concerning me exclusively.
Needing to hold on to something but having nothing at hand, my fists clench around the hem of my shirt. My nails dig into the skin of my palms, but it’s either that or let the fear bring me down.
I have complete trust in every Chaser surrounding me, and I believe Ben when he says they won’t let anyone get near me, but I wish Nate were by my side. Beside him, I feel safer than I’ve ever felt. It’s like despite the danger always lurking in this life that’s his, nothing can harm me when I’m in his arms.
Stupidly, I wonder why security hasn’t already shown up, but I understand quickly that they just won’t. If cops stay clear of club business unless the said business has been exposed, it’s unlikely some unarmed security guard will barge in like a savior to stand up to two dozen beasts of bikers visibly and audibly on edge. Not to mention armed.
When Colin takes an unhesitating step toward Jayce, who responds in the same prompt way, something shifts in me.
“Cam, what…”
Ben’s hand gets to graze my arm but since he didn’t expect me to sneak away, he doesn’t get to stop me.
Only three rushed steps bring me right next to Jayce. Colin is way too close to him. I wish I could affirm he wouldn’t pull his gun out in the middle of a hospital hallway, but I really can’t. This man is a stranger. I don’t know anything about him.
I’m aware of how useless I’d be if Colin tried something, but some sort of protectiveness arose in me seeing this guy who is my brother in a possible danger. Despite just having found out that he’s my family, it oddly feels like I’ve known him my whole life.
“Cam, fucking God, move back,” Jayce growls while his arm comes up blindly to shove me back.
This time prepared, I push forward, my hands grasping his forearm. But even using every ounce of strength I find in me, I’m too weak to get in front of him. He’s way too strong.
“What, you fuck the VP now, too? The whole club, maybe?” Colin spits out his disgust as he looks straight at me, not doing a good job of concealing his rage either.
“Shut your mouth before I do it myself,” Jayce threatens in a chilly tone.
The muscles of his forearm twitch under my palms. I’m not going to lose sight of Colin to verify, but Jayce’s fist must have launched into a string of clenching and unclenching motions.
Colin has no idea about me being Jayce’s sister, so he doesn’t recognize my worry as a sign of brotherly affection.
The guys all agreed on the fact that I would be even more in danger if Rod found out about who my father really is. They’re adamant―so is Lilly―that Rod’s resentment would be just as strong and his revenge just as brutal as it would have been twenty-five years ago if he came to know the truth.
“You think we’re alone?” my ex-fiancé adds, taunting Jayce as a dark, jeering smile barely stretches his lips. “You think no one is going to help us while you snatch what’s ours?”
“What we think is that no one trusts your asses enough to believe you without checking your bullshit out,” Ben is the one answering, letting me know he has moved closer to me and Jayce. “You think they’re just going to come at us like it’s not fucking conceivable that your club is run by a disloyal liar? Think again, North,” he parrots Rod, not even glancing toward him even though he openly referred to him. “Some clubs might come, alright. But only to see Nate’s old lady safe and sound and allowed to come and go as she pleases.”
Colin’s face and neck redden with a fury hardly contained.
Nostrils flaring, he’s on the brink of losing it when Rod commands, a glance tossed over his shoulder at his men and his fingers snapping in the air, “We leave.”
Everyone obeys as though God just spoke, except for Colin.
But as I watch them all strolling away and out the large double door at the end of the hallway, my stomach twists with an abrupt anguish. I look around me, trying to count the Chasers gathered here, but I can’t get my head to focus enough to do something that basic. Liam and Blane aren’t here, so they must have stayed back near Nate’s room. Surely more than a handful of guys is watching over him.
“Your man’s covered, love,” Ben whispers soothingly when my eyes find him, understanding why my gaze just went wild. “You need to follow me back to him now. The guys will deal with this.”
Torn, my feet don’t find it in them to make the move. I can’t leave Jayce behind. Colin might kill him. He and Rod are now outnumbered but still, they could kill him before someone gets to stop them.
I’m still stuck in some sort of indecisive limbo when Rod speaks, addressing me. “You’re being played, girl. But I’m gonna rectify that, trust me.”
Again, his tone is harsher than one that he should use talking to someone he claims is his daughter. This man just isn’t capable of showing any kind of softness, I guess.
Before I can make the mistake of telling him I’m not his girl, he backs away. His guarded attention lingers on the men facing him until he blindly pushes the door with his back. Then he disappears, unlike Colin, who doesn’t seem ready to quit staring at Jayce with murder promised in his eyes
.
“Ben, take her to the room, I’ll be right there,” Jayce demands, and both his and my attention stray from Colin when Jayce gently makes me turn around, not so subtly informing me his decision is not up for debate.
The silence within the walls when Jayce’s voice dies is so full that the spine-chilling clicking sound even I recognize seems to echo more loudly than it actually does. While I freeze on the spot, I seem to be the only one. Jayce’s hand wraps around my arm, and my stiff body is jostled a little as he manages to make me budge. I’m now hidden from Colin’s sight, but I don’t need to see him to picture his furious stance and his finger threatening to press the trigger of his gun now most likely directed at Jayce.
God, what I’m doing in this world, I don’t even know. I’m not cut out for this life.
As swiftly as I’ve been shielded, every Chaser has pulled a gun out. No words are being said, and the silence heightens the macabre spirit that has stolen the smallest drop of air in the hallway.
Time seems to pause forever even though no more than five seconds pass until steps are thundering on the floor and fading away. When I hear the double door swing violently, I know Colin left.
Jayce moves to face me, searching for my gaze as he doesn’t let go of my arm. “He’s gone,” he confirms. “You good?”
The polite answer would be yes, but I don’t find it in me to pretend. I haven’t been good for a week. I’ve spent the past four days watching out for the slightest movement of Nate’s eyelids and the more imperceptible twitch of his fingers. I’m not good, and I won’t be until he wakes up.
“I want to go back to Nate,” my quavering voice only says.
“Okay, but just for a while. I’ll drive you to the club then.”
“I’m not leaving him, no. No, please don’t make me leave him,” I plead, but his command was firm enough for me to know he won’t give in this time.
“You’re going back to the club, Camryn. You’ll be safer there.”
