by Nina Levine
I stood and gave them some space. Cassie was good for Harlow, and although Harlow had pushed Cassie away a little over the past few months, her friend had always been there for her. I never begrudged them time together.
My phone sounded with a text.
Griff: Ward 5A Bed 6
I shoved my phone back in my pocket and cut in on Harlow’s conversation with Cassie. “I’m going to let you girls have some time while I take care of something. I’ll be back soon.”
Harlow frowned. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, baby, I’ll be less than half an hour and then I’m here all night.”
No fucking way am I not staying all night.
She gave me a smile. “Can you please get me a drink while you’re gone?”
“Coffee? Tea?”
“Surprise me.”
I brushed a kiss across her lips and lingered there for a moment. “I love you,” I murmured.
“Love you, too,” she whispered. Her words meant more to me than anything in that moment.
She still loves me regardless of the fact my club almost got her killed.
As I walked towards the elevator, I allowed the anger I’d kept in check to pump through me and clenched my fists as I imagined what I was about to do.
I had two reasons for breathing in life and when someone messed with either of those, I’d spend my days making sure they never had the chance to do it again.
* * *
I stood in the doorway and watched as Rogue slept. Hospital life carried on around us, but my mind filtered the activity out as I focused all my attention on the man who’d messed with my woman and my club.
My boot sounded on the floor as I took a step towards him, and his eyes blinked open at the noise.
Lines creased his forehead as he frowned. “Scott?” he asked, his voice thick with confusion.
“Yeah, motherfucker, I’m alive even though you worked to make sure I wasn’t. Griff’s still breathing, too, but you’ll see that for yourself any minute now.” I had no proof he was behind Griff and I getting shot at earlier, but the look that crossed his face was all the evidence I needed.
When he didn’t say anything, I asked, “Why?”
“Why, what?”
My anger flared at his continued charade. “Why the fuck did you turn on us?”
He stared at me for a few moments, hedging his bets by the look of it, before finally spitting out, “Marcus was right about you when he said you had a God complex. You shouldn’t have killed him. You shouldn’t be the fucking president of Storm!”
“I didn’t fuckin’ kill him.”
“That’s a lie.”
Griff’s voice sounded behind me as he clicked the door shut. “No, it’s not. Scott did not kill Marcus.”
Rogue’s gaze flicked to Griff. “You should both be dead for what you’ve done to the club.”
“What the fuck have we done that’s so bad? If anything, we’ve made it better,” I threw back.
“Marcus had a plan for the club, a plan that involved drugs and a whole lot of cash, and you two fucked with that plan. You fucked with my chance at a happy future.”
Clarity hit me. “So this all comes down to money.”
“Money and fucking happiness.”
I lowered my face closer to his. “There’s something to be said for clean cash, Rogue…cash that doesn’t hurt people. Marcus never gave a shit about whether his actions hurt other people, but Griff and I do. Storm will never fuckin’ deal in drugs again.”
Griff cut in. “So, you figured you’d feed Julio information about the club and let him take us down?”
Hatred burned in Rogue’s eyes. “I gave him what he needed to get to you two. He was supposed to take both of you out, as well as the other club members I’d identified as being opposed to drugs. I wouldn’t think for one second that just because you’re still breathing, you’re safe. Julio intends to control this state. Anyone who gets in his way will be taken care of.” He paused for a moment before adding, “And that bitch of yours sure did feel good warming my bed while you were away.” Another lie. They just seemed to fall from his mouth.
I clenched my jaw as I punched his face.
Motherfucker.
“I’m really fuckin’ happy that fire didn’t kill you, and that one of Harlow’s customers pulled you from it,” I snarled.
He spat blood from his mouth. “Fuck you.”
I punched him again. As the satisfaction coursed through me, I yelled, “No, fuck you!”
“We need to hurry this along, brother,” Griff warned.
I nodded. “Yeah.”
I yanked one of the pillows out from under Rogue’s head, enjoying the fear I saw in his eyes. His arms lashed out at me, trying to halt my progress, but nothing would stop me from this. When I finally had the pillow over his face, I pressed down hard while Griff restrained his arms. His body fought death and his grunts composed the soundtrack to his demise, but all I heard was the sweet, sweet music of triumph.
Finally, something is going our way.
* * *
As I eyed the drinks available in the hospital café, Griff said, “Blood is about to be shed, isn’t it?”
I grabbed a can of coke, a bottle of orange juice, a carton of strawberry milk and a green smoothie before answering him. Meeting his gaze, I said, “A lot of fuckin’ blood.”
“You thirsty, brother?” he said as he jerked his chin at the drinks in my arms.
“Not me. Harlow. She didn’t tell me what she wanted so I’ll just get her everything she loves.”
A smile twitched at his lips. “When are you gonna marry that woman?”
“As soon as I can fuckin’ perfect the proposal.”
He laughed. “Four words, brother, that’s all it takes. I’m sure you can manage that.”
I paid for the drinks and as we walked towards the elevator, Griff’s phone rang. He took the call and I watched as a frown replaced the smile on his face.
When he ended the call, he said, “That was J. Nash and Velvet were just run off the road. They’re not hurt - thank fuck they were in her car and not on his bike - but Nash is fired up and ready to take on Julio. J’s trying to talk him down and get him to wait for us. And Scarlett turned up at the clubhouse, minus her brother. Apparently she got word from him, though, and he’s left town and is okay.”
I thought about that for a minute and then balanced Harlow’s drinks in my arms so I could pull out my phone. I dialled a number and when he answered, I said, “We’re gonna need your help, King.”
“I’m one step ahead of you, brother. We’ll be there tomorrow.”
I didn’t even ask him how he knew we needed him. King had his sources and if he wanted to share that information with me, he would in his own time. I simply said, “Thank you.”
“King’s on his way?” Griff asked when I’d finished my call.
“Yeah. Someone, somewhere, knows something, and I’m hoping we’re about to get to the fuckin’ bottom of this shit.”
“You and me both. It’s time Storm had some good shit happen. The last couple of years have been hell.”
When the elevator hit Harlow’s level, we stepped out and almost ran into Blade who was on his phone, pacing in front of the lifts. He spun around and ended his call as he met my gaze.
“Julio’s gone to ground,” he stated.
“How? We’ve got Gunnar watching him,” Griff said.
“Someone drugged Gunnar. I just sent one of my guys around to check in with him and he was just coming to. Julio’s cleared everything out of his place and I can’t find anyone who knows where he is.”
“Jesus! Can this day get any worse?” My temper exploded.
“Also, your mother needs to see you.”
“Why the fuck is my mother contacting you about needing to see me?”
His brows lifted. “Apparently you don’t answer her calls.”
Fuck.
I had been ignoring her today.
He continued, “She says it can’t wait.”
So much for spending the whole night with Harlow.
15
Scott
“Is Harlow okay?”
Irritation at being dragged away from her, and a need to get back to her as soon as possible, caused me to snap at my mother when she didn’t deserve it. “She’s fine. What was so important that I had to come right now?” Harlow had understood, but I didn’t feel the same way.
Mum squared her shoulders and placed her hands on her hips. “Don’t take that shitty tone of voice with me, Scott. I would not have asked you to come if it wasn’t important.”
I forced out a breath and tried to calm down. “Sorry. Today’s been hard, but you didn’t deserve that.” I paused as the emotions running through me came to the surface. My voice softened as I added, “Harlow is pregnant again.”
Her eyes widened and a smile spread across her face. “That’s the best news I’ve heard for a long time!”
Nodding, I said, “Yeah…I’m concerned, though.”
“Why?”
I sat on her couch and rested my elbows on my knees. My muscles had knotted in my shoulders and back, and I dropped my head forward to stretch my neck. Looking back up at her, I laid out my fears. “Harlow told me she didn’t want to try for a baby again just yet. I’m worried this is too soon for her when she’s still trying to work through her grief. She’s come so far and I don’t want her to ever go back to where she was.”
Mum sat next to me and placed her hand on my shoulder. “Scott, sometimes what we think will be the worst thing for us, turns out to be exactly what we need. I’ve been keeping an eye on Harlow and I think things have changed for her. I think she’s stronger now and has the mental tools to cope with whatever happens. Amongst other things she’s been doing that helped, you going away was good for her.”
“Why?”
“It forced her to take some responsibility on again, and it also gave her something besides herself to think about. She was busy looking after Lisa and Michelle, as well as the café with her mum, and trying to help Wilder out.”
I thought I’d noticed a change in Harlow, but I figured I’d been seeing something that perhaps wasn’t there. What I wanted to see. But maybe Mum was right.
Pressing my back against the couch, I said, “I hope you’re right. And I hope to fuck we don’t lose this baby.” I drummed my fingers on my leg and did my best to ignore the tightness in my chest. We can’t lose this one.
“If you lose another child, you’ll face that together. You’re an amazing man and I’m so proud of the way you’ve stood by Harlow. Even though your father set the worst example of how to be a man and a husband, you’ve figured out how to do it right, and Harlow is very lucky to have you.” Her eyes misted over as she took a breath. When she spoke again, her voice cracked as she felt her way through her words. “I’m so sorry for allowing your father to remain a part of our family while you were growing up. I wish I’d done better and given you and Madison the kind of father you both deserved. But I can’t go back; all I can do is be there for you now, whenever and however you need me.”
I took all her words in, hearing her for what felt like the first time in a long time. I’d shut her out over the last year, but it was time to let her back in. Mum had suffered at the hands of my father for so long; she didn’t need to keep hurting.
It’s time to put our family back together.
Reaching for her hand, I murmured, “When you know better, you do better, right?”
Tears slid down her face as she nodded. “Yes,” she whispered.
We sat in silence for a while, lost in our own thoughts. A man who only cared about himself had screwed up our family from the beginning. I would build us back up and give us the opportunity to be the strong family we always should have been.
Mum eventually wiped her tears and squeezed my hand. Smiling, she said softly, “I’ve got someone who wants to see you.”
I frowned as she stood and left the room. When she returned a minute later with a red-headed man, I stood and jerked my chin at him. “Blue.” Uncle Dan. The key to understanding so damn much that we’d struggled with for so long.
He nodded. “Scott.”
“You’re finally coming home? Or, just visiting?”
Blue smiled at Mum before turning back to me. “I’m moving back to Brisbane. Finally.”
I watched their interaction closely, and anger at my father roared through me again. He’d done this – he’d broken a brother and sister apart, all for his own gain. Not that I knew the full story, but I knew enough to know that.
Regret, nostalgia and hope circled the three of us as the significance of this day was acknowledged. “What happened all those years ago, Blue? How the hell did my father force you to agree to leave town?”
His chest rose and fell hard before he exhaled a long breath. Nodding at the couch, he suggested, “Take a seat, son, this is a long story.”
Son.
I had good memories of Blue. He’d always been a strong male presence in my life. Dad hadn’t wanted us to spend a lot of time with him, but Mum had snuck visits in when she could. Looking back now, I realised it was thanks to Blue that I’d learnt how to treat a woman right. He’d had a long-time girlfriend who he’d cherished, and I’d watched them for years, taking in the way he showed his love for her.
“Your father and I always had a hard relationship. I chose not to join Storm even though our family had a long history of membership with my father and his father before him. Dad supported my decision not to join, but Marcus belittled me for it. I had little respect for Marcus, but Sharon wanted him in her life, so I stood by her choice and watched out for her. Then I met Miranda and I knew she’d be the woman I would spend the rest of my life with. We never married, but we didn’t need that. What we did need, though, was for Marcus to leave her alone…” He stopped talking and swallowed hard as his hands clenched.
My gut churned. I sensed he was about to tell me something ugly about my father. As if there weren’t enough ugly truths about him already.
I was right.
Blue’s eyes met mine and the pain I saw there hit me in the chest. When I flicked my gaze to Mum, I took in her ashen face. This wasn’t going to be easy to hear, but it had to be said. I wasn’t sure how I knew, but the understanding sat deep in my soul that we needed this out on the table in order for us all to move forward.
Blue cleared his throat. “I’ve already told your mother, so she already knows this.” He paused and I nodded. Tell me. “Marcus wanted a relationship with Miranda, but she said no. She never told me because she didn’t want to hurt your mother or me with the revelation. He tried to sleep with her a few times and she continued to say no, but one night when I was out of town, he forced himself on her. He raped her and then threatened her so she wouldn’t ever tell anyone.”
My mouth turned dry and nausea rolled through my stomach.
My father had more evil inside him than I’d ever realised.
Mum wept beside me while I balled my fists. The need to lash out was strong. I wanted to punch my anger at my father out of my body, but I controlled that need, and waited to hear what else Blue had to say.
“I never knew all this until very recently when I went through her journals. I kept them all these years after her death, but never worked up the courage to read them until now.”
“She died of a drug overdose, right?” I said.
“Yes. After she was raped, she turned to drugs to deal with the pain. I could never understand what led her to the drugs, but it all makes sense now.”
“How does this all fit in with you leaving town?”
“I never knew why she did drugs, but I always knew she was getting them off Storm. Off your father. After she overdosed, I went to the police to try and help them bring Marcus down. I worked with them for a while, and in the course of that, I stumbled across the fact your father killed a cop who had blackmailed him into snitchin
g on Sydney Storm. Apparently, the cop discovered Marcus had killed a biker from another club and used that information to force him to give them details on drug deals Sydney was involved in. The VP of Sydney and two other members ended up doing time after Marcus gave the cop details of their activities. When the VP went to jail, Marcus panicked and killed the cop so Sydney would never know it was him. After I discovered this, I blackmailed him myself – told him to get Storm out of drugs altogether, or I would tell Sydney what he’d done. I didn’t want you kids to deal in drugs, and neither did your grandfather. This was my one opportunity to put an end to that era of Storm.”
And all the pieces fall together.
“So you had to leave town or Marcus would have killed you,” I said as I pieced it all together.
He nodded. “Yes, and I had to keep moving around over the years because Marcus had his feelers everywhere. That Adelaide President was in his pocket and came close to finding me a few times.”
I scowled. “I don’t trust that asshole.”
Before Blue could say anything further, a knock at Mum’s back door cut through our conversation.
“You expecting someone?” I asked as I stood.
They shook their heads, so I left them to go and see who it was. I pulled my gun out, ready for any possibility.
The tall cop who’d stood at my front door the other day, now stood in front of me at Mum’s door. “What the fuck do you want at this time of night?” I demanded as I shoved my gun away.
“Blue here?” he enquired.
“What the fuck?” I was completely confused now.
Blue joined us. “Let him in, Scott. Carter’s working with me on this.”
Carter?
Working together.
What the fuck?
I spun around to face Blue. “What the hell is going on?”
Carter pushed past me, shutting the door as he went. “I’ll tell you what the fuck I’ve got going on,” he muttered, meeting my gaze. “I’ve just come from the hospital where I have a dead informant lying in one their beds. You know anything about that?”
