by Erin Osborne
I come to a stop right next the package and see that it’s a box that flowers come in. Steel is right behind me as I pick it up and walk in to the house. As we walk into the kitchen, I start to take the ribbon off the box so that I can lay it on the counter and open it up carefully. Steel stands right next to me and I’m thankful that he’s here with me. The flowers in the box start to come in view and I see that it’s six long-stem roses that are dead. There’s a note in the box that I pick up slowly to make sure that there’s nothing else inside.
Pulling the card out of the envelope, I see a typed note. Steel stands behind me so that he can read it too.
Renee,
I’ve been watching you for a long time. Not only did you take your son and run, but you’ve aligned yourself with biker scum to be a slut now. That will be taken care of soon enough. I’m coming for you and your son!
What the fuck? Who the hell has been watching her and decided that now’s a good time to threaten her and Dylan? This isn’t good, and we need to try to get ahead of this before it gets taken too far. And, I need to try to figure out how to tell Renee so that she doesn’t freak out and lose her shit. This can’t be kept from her when it’s not only her but her son that’s being threatened.
“What are you gonna do?” Steel asks, walking around me and taking a seat at the table.
“I’m gonna tell her about it. I don’t know how that’s goin’ to go just yet, but I know that keepin’ this from her isn’t goin’ to work,” I answer him, taking a seat across from him at the table. “She’s such a good person and I know that this is goin’ to destroy her. I mean, she’s goin’ to Benton Falls to make sure that a young woman and her son are goin’ to be protected and taken care of. And Dylan is so trustin’ and I don’t want to see either one of them hurt.”
“I know where you’re comin’ from. We’ll all be there for you guys. Just make sure you keep us in the loop,” he responds, standing up so that we can make our way to the house.
It’s been a long day and I’m ready to climb in bed. Unfortunately, I need to fill not only Renee in on what was at the house earlier, but the rest of my brothers. Renee called me a little while ago to let me know that she was back after making sure that Samantha was settled in Slim’s house. I told her that we had to talk when I got back to the clubhouse and she tried to get it out of me, but I wouldn’t budge.
“Doc, where you at?” I ask, walking toward the game room where Gage told me she was.
“I’m here,” she answers, jumping up from the couch and running toward me. “Are you okay? What’s going on?”
“I’m good. Exhausted, but good. Let’s go out in the common room to talk,” I tell her, grabbing her hand so that we can make our way to my family. “Where’s Dylan?”
“He’s in with Darcy. She wasn’t feeling good so he’s helping her,” she answers, leaning into my side as we enter the common room.
We take a seat at the table with Gage, Steel, Crash, and Trojan. I pull Renee down on my lap because I’m going to need to protect her when she learns of the threat. Mike brings us over a few beers and I watch as she takes a large gulp. She’s nervous about what I’m going to say. I can feel the tension radiating from her body, see the way her body is sitting in my lap. Instead of relaxing into me the way she normally would, Renee is sitting ramrod straight and her body is vibrating, and I know I’m just prolonging the feeling that she has right now because I’m watching her and not opening my mouth.
“So, before Steel and I went to the house for the domestic violence program, we stopped by Renee’s house. I left my extra tape measure there along with the other notebook I started for the houses. Anyway, there was a package on the porch when we got there. I took it inside and opened the box. There were six, dead long-stemmed roses in the box along with a note,” I tell them, pulling the note from my back pocket to hand them.
Renee is the first one that reads the note and I watch helplessly as her face pales and her body begins to tremble even more. Suddenly she jumps up from my lap and rushes toward the bathroom in the hallway. Fuck! This is part of the reason I didn’t want to tell her, no matter how much I know she needs and deserves to know about the threat.
Getting up from the table, I tell my brothers that we’ll talk about this in church because I need to help Renee out. She needs to know that I have her back no matter what and I’ll make sure nothing hurts Dylan or her. Right now, she’s more important than trying to beat our heads against the wall with ideas and theories about who’s behind this and what their end game is.
Opening the door, I walk into the bathroom and see her hunched over the toilet dry-heaving. As she looks up at me, there’s tears in her eyes and I see the fear and anger registering on her angelic face. My heart breaks as I watch her physical reaction to someone threatening them. I will do whatever it takes to stop this from happening. Even if it means that I block her from knowing any other packages that come.
“Doc, I got you. Please, baby, let me handle this for you. I swear to you that I won’t let anythin’ happen,” I plead with her, knowing that she needs to calm down in case Dylan wakes up.
“How can you know that? We don’t know who’s after my son and me. Or what the hell they want,” she says, the frantic feeling running through her body coming out in her voice.
“I know that because I will do whatever it takes to make sure that you are protected. We’ll put a prospect on you when you have to leave the clubhouse. And, I think for now that we should have one of the club girls watch Dylan here. He’ll be behind the fence and no one will be able to get to him,” I assure her, knowing that the three little words I really want to say are about to slip out.
“That’s fine. But what about when a prospect is needed here and can’t guard me? What about when one of the guys grab the girl that’s watching Dylan to go back to his room? How am I supposed to know that he’s really going to be looked after? Because I couldn’t give a shit about something happening to me. If this person gets me, then you need to protect Dylan. Don’t let his dad try to take him,” she says, grabbing my hands after washing hers and letting me see the fear in her eyes about her son being given to his dad.
“Renee, listen to me. I’m not gonna let someone get you. You don’t have to worry about anyone takin’ you away from your son. I love you and I’m goin’ to make sure that nothin’ happens. You have to believe in me,” I say, picking her up in my arms and carrying her down to our room in the clubhouse.
She doesn’t say anything for a few minutes. There’s a stunned look on her face and I know that she’s processing the words that I just told her. I mean them with everything in me. Finally, she looks at me, wraps her arms tighter around my neck and cuddles in close.
“I-I love you too, Shadow,” she says, hiding her face from me.
I know that it’s going to be hard for her to say the words, but she proves that she means them with the look in her eyes as she looks at me. She proves it when she does the little things for me, like making sure I have what I need for training, keeping my bags ready for fights and if I have to go on club business. And, when she trusts me enough to open up and show her vulnerable side.
“I didn’t say that, so you’d say it back, Doc,” I tell her, needing her to know that I don’t want her to just say the words if she’s not ready.
“I know you didn’t. James, I’m done fighting what I feel about you. It’s time to quit hiding behind my past and let go of it. I can’t change it, but I can let you know how I feel about you,” she says, snuggling even closer to me. “Will you just hold me?”
“Anythin’ you want,” I tell her, laying her down on the bed before stripping down and crawling in next to her.
I lay in bed, wrapped around Renee as I softly run my fingers through her hair. Once she’s fallen asleep, I let myself think about what I’m going to need to do in order to make sure nothing else touches her or Dylan. It seems like forever before I drift off to sleep next to my girl.
Chapter S
even
Renee
IT’S BEEN A FEW WEEKS SINCE THE FIRST threat was left on my porch. I’m honestly not sure if there’s been anymore or not because Shadow hasn’t said a word about it. We talked the day after it happened, and I told him that I completely agree with not knowing what’s going on unless he feels it’s something that I really need to know. For the time being, we’re staying at the clubhouse and Mike is with me anytime I have to go to work or therapy.
Today, I’m at work and it’s been non-stop since I walked through the doors. We’ve had everything from the common cold as the weather starts to get colder to broken bones, heart issues, and car accidents. I love the days when we’re busy, even if it means seeing so many people in pain. That’s the one part of my job that I can’t stand. I’d rather be back up on the maternity floor where, for the most part, happiness is the main feeling. But I’ll take what I can get and make sure that I’m there to help as many people as possible.
“Renee, you feeling okay?” Liz asks, sitting down next to me as I take a breather in the lounge.
“Not really. I’ve been feeling off for the last few days. I don’t know what’s wrong,” I tell her, putting my head down on the table in front of me.
“What’s going on?” she asks, rubbing my back as she sits down next to me.
“I’ve been so tired and nauseous. It’s been at least a week,” I answer, not lifting my head.
“Any fever or anything else?” she asks, continuing to rub my back.
“No. At first I thought I was just getting back into things too fast, but I know in my gut that’s not it. And, with the stress of everything going on, I haven’t had my period, so there’s that too,” I explain as I finally lift my head.
“Are you sure you’re not pregnant?” Liz asks, standing up to walk over to the fridge and grabbing the ginger ale that I have in there.
“No. I mean, this isn’t what I felt like when I was pregnant with Dylan,” I tell her, thinking back over everything that’s gone on lately. Shadow and I aren’t exactly using protection, but with our schedules it’s been hectic.
“Let’s go,” she says, grabbing my drink and walking out of the room. “We’re going to the lab now so that you don’t have to worry about this all day. You’ll know one way or another and can make the right decision about what to do. Besides, you’re a nurse and will realize that not every pregnancy is the same.”
I follow Liz through the halls in a daze. Is it really possible that I’m pregnant? I mean the last few months it’s been hit or miss if I even see Shadow. He’s up before me to go to work and then comes in just before I fall asleep. He’s exhausted and hasn’t taken a day off in weeks. If he’s not working on a project, he’s at the domestic violence houses or training. And he’s got a secret project going on that no one will tell me about. Shit! What am I gonna do? I couldn’t handle it if he acted the same way that Dylan’s dad did. Not after everything we’ve been through.
She leaves me at the desk in the lab so that I can tell them what I need. As soon as I tell Clara that there’s a possibility that I’m pregnant, she gets the cup and sends me in to do my thing. One of the techs is already waiting for me when I step out and takes the cup from me. After telling me to wait for a few minutes in the waiting room, she goes in the back to do the test. I’ll have blood work done when I go to the doctor. At least with a urine test, I’ll know for sure and can make an appointment if I have to.
“Renee?” the tech calls, coming up to the desk before telling me to follow her in the back. “You are pregnant. Here’s the paperwork so you can take it to the doctor with you. Congratulations!”
“Thank you,” I manage to say as I’m engulfed by a feeling of shock and excitement.
Walking back to the emergency room, I’m in a fog. Thankfully Mike is following me as I almost run over a man standing in the middle of the hall, looking down at his phone. I don’t bother looking up as I pass him by with Mike directing me. Instead I’m looking down at the paperwork in my hand that just changed our lives. I don’t even pay attention as Mike continues to lead me back to work as I feel the guy’s eyes on me.
The rest of the day passes by in a blur. I’m doing my work but I’m trying to decide how and when I’m going to tell Shadow the news. I honestly hope that he’ll be happy about it, but I’m not sure. We haven’t talked about kids. But I know how he is with Dylan and I know that he’s going to make an excellent dad.
“You ready to head home?” Mike asks as I make my way out of the locker room.
“You have no idea. Is Shadow at the clubhouse or is he already on his way to the fights?” I ask, wanting to know if I’m going to see him before he leaves or not.
“I think he’s already gone. He wanted to talk to Colin before the fights start. They wanted to up security with you guys goin’ tonight,” he responds, looking down at his phone as we walk to the exit. “I’ll follow you. Are we stoppin’ anywhere today?”
“Nope. I need to get back and spend some time with Dylan before I get ready to go,” I answer, pulling out my car keys as we walk toward my car and his bike.
“Hang on a second,” Mike suddenly says, holding me back with his arm as I see a paper folded up on my windshield.
He walks over to my car, continuously looking around to make sure that no one is going to come at us. After picking the note up off of my SUV, he holds his hands out for my keys so he can open the door. Once he’s cleared the vehicle and deemed it safe for me to enter, I watch as he opens the note. Mike carefully blanks his face as he reads the contents, folds it up, and puts it in his pocket. I watch as he pulls his phone out and makes a call after he motions for me to hold on. I’m guessing that he’s either calling Shadow or Gage to let them know what’s going on.
I’ve been so excited since finding out that I’m pregnant. Now, my mood is deflating knowing that no matter where I go, I’m not safe. Whoever is after me knows everything including where I work and when I’m going to be there. Maybe I should tell Shadow that I need to know more about what’s going on. I’m not sure if that’s the right move, so I’ll have to think about it some more before I make my final decision on the matter.
“Head directly to the clubhouse. I’ll be on your ass the entire way,” Mike says after motioning for me to roll my window down. “Gage is sendin’ some guys to meet us but wants us to leave now.”
I nod my acceptance of his news and start my SUV so that we can get the hell out of here. My heart is racing, and I can’t help looking around to make sure that I don’t see anyone waiting in the surrounding cars. Once we make it on the road, I can’t help but keep my gaze going back to the rearview mirror. Not only am I making sure that Mike is still behind me, I’m looking to see if it looks like anyone is following us.
Before too long, I hear the rumble of multiple bikes getting closer to us. My nerves ratchet up even higher with the thought that it’s not Gage and the guys. Looking in the mirror, I see the familiar bikes fall into formation behind me with a few more bikes roaring by to get in front of me. They want to surround me but can’t with the size of the road we’re on and the amount of the traffic right now. I’ll take what I can get today and hope that we make it back without any incidents.
Shadow
I left early to go over to the gym. Colin is bringing in extra guys for security tonight with the girls coming to the fight. My goal is to make sure that a few of them surround the girls while the rest make sure that nothing out of the ordinary happens while we’re there. Colin agreed to let me talk to them and make sure they know what’s expected of them and what’s going to happen if they drop the fucking ball tonight.
Especially after Mike’s phone call a little while ago. I was almost at the gym when my phone went off. He explained about the note left on the SUV and what it said. Basically, the note stated that the person is watching Renee and even though they can’t keep eyes on Dylan like they were, they can on her. It also said that she’s not safe no matter where she is or who’s
with her. Mike told me that he checked the SUV out before she got in and that he didn’t let her see the note at all. He’s definitely one that’s taking his job seriously.
I’m worried about her and when she’s on the road. But I know she’s at the clubhouse and won’t be alone when she’s travelling here. My brothers will protect her with their lives. The same goes for the girls. When Harley gets pissed, a side she’s just now letting show on a regular basis, I wouldn’t want to cross her either. Anyway, even though I know she won’t be alone, I still worry because I’m not there. I know my skills and what I’d do to protect her. It’s bad enough that a few guys are staying back at the clubhouse with the club girls to protect Dylan. I can’t think about all of that right now though.
Walking in the gym, I notice that there’s no one in here other than Colin and the guys he hired for security. I head in their direction so that I can give them my instructions. Immediately, I see one guy that’s going to have to go. He was here when I fought the last time with Kim’s dad. There’s no way in hell that he’s going to be allowed anywhere near these fights tonight. Not for security purposes anyway.
“What’s your name?” I ask as I step in front of the guys next to Colin.
“It’s Brett,” he answers, a smirk covering his face that tells me it’s not even his real name.
“Okay, Brett, well we don’t need you tonight. You can leave,” I say, ignoring the look of rage and disbelief covering his face at my dismissal.
“What the fuck are you talking about? I was hired for security and that’s what I’m gonna do,” he says, spraying the guy in front of him with the spittle flying from his mouth.
“Yeah, you can do that for your boss. I assume Mr. Andrews will be here tonight as well,” I answer, looking directly at him so that he knows I remember seeing him before.
The guy doesn’t say a word as he turns on his heels and leaves the area. Just as he reaches the door, he turns around and I can see revenge shining in his eyes. I’m not scared of him. And if he thinks of going after Renee, he’ll learn the hard way that I’m not fucking around. I’ll leave in the middle of a fight if I catch one look of someone going after my girl.
