by Ryan Michele
“Thanks, Doc,” I said, holding out my hand. He sucked it up, reaching out, shaking it back. After he left, I was surrounded by brothers and sisters with hugs and pats on the back. Even though I was relieved, I wouldn’t be all right till I saw her and talked to her, knowing that she was here and okay.
The waiting took forever. Minutes kept ticking away. With not being able to see Princess and not hearing back from Buzz, I was wearing a damn hole in the hospital’s linoleum floor. My mind kept focusing on my boy, wondering where the fuck Mel could have taken him. She doesn’t love him. She doesn’t want him. When he was first born, she tried several times to give him to me, but my ass didn’t want the full responsibility. Now I’m kicking myself hard. Why the fuck does she want him now?
Diamond stood in my pacing path his boots being the first thing I saw. As I looked up, his eyes were masked. “Buzz got a lead on the car. It’s about three hours out.”
“Fuck,” I shook my head lacing my fingers through my hair. Do I stay here with my girl or go find my boy?
I didn’t have time to make that decision when the same gray-haired nurse that helped us out earlier came into the room. “Family of Harlow Gavelson?” I took off to the door with Ma right behind me.
“Yeah.”
“You can go in and see her now. She’s still a bit out of it, but she’s slowly coming to. Only one at a time for now.”
Turning to Diamond, I pleaded, “Please go. Text me the address, and I’ll be there soon.”
Ma patted me on the shoulder as I left rushing to Princess’s room. The walls were sterile white. She had machines on both sides of her body beeping and making other strange noises. My girl laid on her back with tubes and wires coming out of every part of her body. She didn’t move. She laid there… lifeless.
My stomach dropped to my knees at the thought of losing her. Grabbing a chair, I pulled it alongside the bed, grabbing her hand, holding it for dear life. It was warm which was a comforting feeling. I wasn’t sure how long I stayed like that. Time evaded me. When Princess started making noises, I looked at her face. Deep lines crossed her forehead as her head began to move slowly side to side.
“Baby. It’s okay. You’re gonna be okay.” I whispered gently into her ear.
Princess’s eyes began to flutter open as she blinked repeatedly trying to adjust to the bright hospital lights. She stared at the ceiling as I talked calmly to her. “Princess. You’re okay. I’m here.”
“No… don’t touch me…” she groaned as her eyes rolled in the back of her head, and her lids shut, scaring the shit out of me. I instantly yelled for the nurse and jumped her as she walked in the room. “Her eyes rolled back. And she’s not moving.” I was unable to hide the panic laced in my voice.
“It’s okay. She’s just coming out of the meds. Give her some time.”
I didn’t have time. I had to get to my boy. I texted Diamond, saying that I’d need to stay a bit longer, that as soon as I could, I’d be on my way. He instantly texted back saying my brothers would find my boy. A small sliver of relief came over me, knowing they were the ones out looking for Coop.
Waiting… waiting… waiting. That damn chair was uncomfortable as shit. Over the course of two hours, Ma, Pops and the ol’ ladies all came in one at a time. It was a revolving damn door, but it kept the time moving. Ma tried to get me to leave and take a break, but there was no way in hell that was happening. The fucking cops had so many questions that, even if I could answer, I wouldn’t. I felt closer and closer to falling off the edge with each passing minute. The cops got to Ma in the waiting room, but Pops was there to handle it.
Casey came briefly and held Princess’s hand as she sobbed, saying she was sorry. When I asked her for what, she said that she shouldn’t have listened to Princess. Apparently, my girl told her best friend to stay put instead of coming with her. It was the right thing to do, even if Casey didn’t see it now.
Staring at the TV, I couldn’t even tell you what the hell was on. It was just there for the noise. I couldn’t stand the sound of these fucking machines beeping on and on. Each one told me that Princess hadn’t woken up yet. Docs kept saying she would, but as more time passed my anxiety kept increasing rapidly.
Suddenly the moans from the bed were a bit louder than before, I moved over to Princess’s body. Her eyes were a wrinkled mess, and her arms start moving a little. I began saying the same soothing words as before, “Princess. It’s okay. You’re all right.”
Her eyes fluttered open as she continued blinking. When her eyes settled on me, she just stared, not saying a word. After about fifteen minutes of my reassuring words, Princess’s eyes changed, as if something in them clicked and she’d actually woken up.
“Cooper,” she croaked out, her voice sounding nothing like her own. At that moment, she gained strength, and she started pulling at her arms. When she saw the wires, she tugged at them and pulled some of them out. The machines going crazy with noises.
“Princess. Stop!” I said forcefully, but she didn’t listen. She kept tugging as I reached over, grabbing her hands, pinning them down to the bed. “Stop!”
“I can’t. I… I have to find Cooper… she’s got him.” The pain in Princess’s eyes was breaking my heart. I knew she loved him as much as I did. I just wasn’t ready for her reaction when she woke up.
“Baby. I know. We’re on it. We’ll find him.” I said still gripping her hands to the bed.
“I’m so sorry, Baby. I’m so sorry.” Her words came out in choked sobs as I released her hands, rubbing her matted hair away from her face. She rolled over to her side pulling her knees to her chest as if she were trying to hide.
“It’s okay. We’ll find him.” I tried to reassure her.
“I couldn’t stop her… I couldn’t do anything. I laythere and watched her take him. I watched her take him!” She screamed the last part, her face covered in tears.
“You were protecting our boy. It’s not your fault. We will find him.”
“Has she called?”
“No, Baby. But we will find him.”
“Cruz. You need to go find him. Now!” Her voice became more and more determined by each word she said.
“I will. I will.” The nurses began rushing in because of all the bells and whistles going off.
“Ms. Gavelson. You need to relax.” The nurse said as she began sticking all the wires back onto Princess’s body.
“I can’t!” she barked at the nurse, who pulled out a very large syringe.
“What the hell are you doing?” I asked, about ready to throw this bitch on the ground if she thought about sticking it in Princess.
“Sir, it’s a sedative. She just got out of surgery and needs to heal. She can’t be agitated or upset. It will just let her go to sleep for a while.”
“Cruz… no don’t let them give it to me. I gotta go find our boy!” Princess pleaded, but I nodded to the nurse. As much as it killed me, it would be the best thing for her to rest.
Nothing… fucking nothing. Before I was able to hop on my Harley and meet up with the guys, Diamond called. He said there was no car. It had taken off about an hour before they got there. They were now on the road going the direction the hotel manager said it went, but nothing was coming up. At least we had the car and license plate number.
Every chapter was now looking for this car and my boy. Diamond called every president demanding help, and they all began the search. I kept holding out hope. I should be out looking for my boy, but he’s more than four hours away, and by the time I got there… it would be another four hours. I’d always be lagging behind. It was best to let those who were closer ride.
One piece of information from the hotel clerk was interesting though. He said that Mel was traveling with another woman. I thought back to the people in Mel’s life. Calling Buzz, I had him run traces on every one of the bitch’s friends that I could think. I needed to find out which one was helping her ass.
“You haven’t found him yet,” Princess gr
oaned as she turned towards me. It’s been two days and nothing. Not a single person has seen the car or them. My guess was they had somewhere to go and hid the car. Maybe the bitch was smarter than I gave her credit for or the woman that was with her was the smart one.
Princess had a pretty severe concussion, so they wanted to keep her at the hospital for those two days. They were talking about releasing her. Too bad her fucking mind was not right. She blamed herself repeatedly for Coop being taken. She didn’t seem to understand that when you get shot and hit in the head repeatedly, it kinda puts you out of commission. But better than anyone, I felt her pain and guilt.
“We will.”
“You keep fucking saying that, but he’s nowhere! How does he just drop off the planet?” She clenched her fists. Anger was raging through her like a momma lion about to attack her prey. And damn if I didn’t find that sexy as shit, wish the timing was better, though.
“We’re working on it.” She glared at me. I knew she was sick as shit of hearing those words, but it was all I could give her; I didn’t have anything to share.
“Working on it. How?”
“We will find him.”
“Dammit! I just want to know how you’re finding my boy. I don’t want to know club business. I just want my son found!” She swung her legs over the bed, standing up. She moved into the bathroom slamming the door behind her.
Fuck. I couldn’t tell her everything we found. Her state of mind was making it hard for her to trust me. I knew deep down she did. Once she got off all these fucking meds she would come back to her damn senses. I just had to wait it out.
Diamond came in the room as I sat there trying to figure out what I was gonna do. “You all right, son?”
“Not really.” I said shaking my head.
“We’ll find him. Got every brother in the country looking for him. It’s only a matter of time.” I wasn’t giving up hope, but the more time that passed, the worse things looked.
Princess stormed out of the bathroom. “You here to tell me how you’re not finding my boy, too?” she accused him.
“Princess,” Diamond warned.
“What? Seems everyone can go find him but me. Then, the ones I trust to find him won’t tell me shit!” she barked.
Diamond’s eyes grew furious, and I knew that he was going to blow. “Princess. Enough! You hear me? Enough!” he growled. Princess’s eyes widened and lowered as she fell hard on her knees to the floor, the machine at her side falling within a crash.
She was sobbing uncontrollably as I rushed over to her. My strong woman was breaking before my eyes, and at this point, I didn’t know how to fix it. Sitting on the floor, I pulled her onto my lap wrapping my arms around her, held her tight. “I’m so sorry.” She cried in my shirt.
When the nurses came in and took sight of the scene, they quickly picked up the machine that fell, but said that Princess didn’t need it anymore and took it away.
“Come on, Baby. Let me put you in bed.” She nodded her head as I scooped her up in my arms, laying her on the bed. I crawled up with her holding her tight until she fell into a deep sleep.
14
Harlow
My insides were numb; my heart only beating to pump blood throughout my body. It had no other function. The bullet wound and head have healed, but that wasn’t what hurt. My boy had been missing for two weeks. Two weeks and nothing. Not a word from Mel, and not a trace of the fucking car.
I laid in bed curled up in a ball. It’s where I’ve been since I got out of the hospital. I didn’t look at anyone or talk. The only time I did was to ask Cruz about our boy. I totally closed him out. His comfort no longer working. At this point, he could be fucking every whore in this place, and I wouldn’t give two shits. My heart was hollow. Empty.
My shoulder hurt like a bitch. Doc came in the other day and said I needed to keep moving it around, or it would lock, but I didn’t listen. The throbbing actually helped me feel something. The pain was just a reminder that I should have saved Cooper, that it was all my fault.
When I first started this mothering gig, I never expected the pain to cut so deep. I never thought that something could hurt this much. I was dead inside, and I might as well have been in reality. I didn’t want anything to do with food, and I only took a shower when Cruz forced me. I didn’t want anything to do with anything, except my boy.
When my cell rang, I groaned reaching for it on the night stand. I’ve only answered when it says Cruz or Pops. When a number popped up with a different area code, I tossed it to the side of the bed burrowing my head in the pillows. The phone rang again, and seeing the same number, I reluctantly picked up.
“Yeah,” I said not wanting to talk to whoever was on the other end of the line.
“Well, well, well. She lives.” The voice on the other end was one I didn’t think I’d ever hear again.
“Mel?”
“Ding… ding… we have a winner.” Her sarcasm was not lost to me.
Sitting up quickly, “Where’s Cooper?” Fury mixed with panic flushed my body intently.
“Listen to you, pretending to be all protective of my son.” Anger won as it boiled uncontrollably. I tried to hold my shit together. She wanted something, and I needed to find out what it was.
“Is he hurt?” I asked not beating around the bush.
“I’d never hurt my boy,” she clipped, but I knew that was a lie since I saw her grab him right before my eyes. My stomach dropped; she’d better not have laid a fucking hand on him.
“Can I talk to him?” I heard the pleading in my voice even though I wasn’t trying to show it, but damn if I didn’t want to hear the little guy’s voice.
“I tell you what. Give me what I want, and I’ll give the little shit to you.” I’m gonna rip this fucking bitch to pieces one limb at a fucking time. Once my hands got on her, she was fucking dead.
“I want a hundred thousand cash, small bills. You get on that little bike of yours and head north on I-95. In two hours, I’ll call you back. Don’t bring the guys, or I’ll kill Cooper.” Mel recited her demands as if she practiced them over and over again, but I didn’t give a shit.
“Don’t you fucking hurt him,” I growled.
“Oh, there you go again. Look I just want the cash, then you can have him back. Done. Talk to you in two hours.” Mel hung up the phone sharply.
Throwing on my jeans, t-shirt, boots, and rag, I ran out into the clubhouse to find Cruz. I knew by the loud music there was a party going on, but fuck if I cared. Seeing the blonde whore trying to straddle Cruz’s legs while he was talking to the guys, set me off. I knew I said I wouldn’t give two shits who he fucked, but I lied. Grabbing the bitch by her stringy hair, I yanked her further away from my man. “Get the fuck away.” Cruz stared at my rags.
“Back to the living.” As the anger flooded through me, I needed to release it. Grabbing the blonde bitch on the floor, I gave her a few punches to the face. Making me feel a little better, but not much. “I take that as a yes.”
“Mel called,” I barked at him as everyone in the clubhouse froze.
“Out! Everyone who’s not patched in, get out, fucking now!” Cruz growled as he stood up barreling towards me. The brothers proceeded to get everyone out of the clubhouse and locked it up tight. “What’d she say?”
“I’ve got two hours to get a 100k. Need to start riding north on I-95, and she’s gonna call me for the drop off. Said no brothers.”
“Fuck her if she thinks I’m staying away.”
“I know Cruz, but she said she’d kill him.” The color drained from his face at my words. “We need to play this smart.” I needed the brother’s help, and there was no way that I’d go coldcocked doing this shit on my own. Too much was at stake.
“That fucking bitch. I will end her.”
“Not if I get to her first. Can we get that much cash in small bills?” I questioned him.
“Got it. Diamond?” He looked over at Diamond, who nodded snapping his finger at Bec
s, who ran off.
“I know you don’t want me in this, but I have to be. I’m the one she wants to come. If you guys go, it has to be inconspicuous.” Ol’ lady or not, I was the one she wanted.
“I know Baby. Let’s go get our boy.” Cruz pulled me tight to his chest as I breathed for the first time in weeks.
“If you fucked someone while I was down and out, and I find out, I’ll cut your dick off,” I whispered.
“I knew you would, and I didn’t.” I nodded my head, trusting him. It was time to find our boy.
Two hours later, I was on Sting with a backpack of cash strapped to me, riding. The night air was cool, so I wore my full out lid to block the wind from my face and all my leathers. I rode the speed limit making sure not to fuck up along the route. With my gun in my back holster and two in my boot holsters, I didn’t want to get pulled over and waste time.
If this bitch thought for one second that she was getting away with this, she was sadly mistaken.
The guys were following behind in a couple of cages. A few had their rides parked inside the bigger one, but we wanted to be as quiet as possible. Having several pipes humming would be a dead giveaway.
I could see the cages a few cars back. They were doing good at keeping their distance, not that I thought Mel had the power to have me tailed the entire way. About an hour into the trip, I pulled over checking my phone and sure enough there was a missed call with no voicemail. Calling it back quickly, “Mel.”
“I figured you’d be calling soon. You got any guys with ya?”
Keeping my voice as void as I could, “No.”
