by London Casey
“No shit,” Cash said.
“You were going to get killed,” I said to the prospect. “She was going to kill you. Or someone else was.”
“What do we do now?” Jasper asked. “Go to that coffeehouse?”
“She’s not there,” a voice added to the conversation.
I looked back and Jade was standing there, holding her phone out.
“Where is she?” I asked.
“The hospital. Someone text me from her phone.”
I read the messages before I tossed the phone to Prez.
“Shit,” he growled.
“We need to call Chief Danielson,” I said. “And get to the hospital to find out everything this woman knows. We’re her only chance of getting her out of that hospital alive.”
Everything sped up. Prez started shouting order across the lot. I told Mikey to get on his fucking ride, that he was coming with us. Dale was left to man the gate. Rushing to my motorcycle, I gave Jade my helmet to wear.
Prez and Jasper led the charge. I was behind them. Behind us rode Cash and Austin.
The rest of the guys were left at the lot to guard the clubhouse.
The plan was to keep our eyes open and make sure nothing else happened.
But that was damn impossible.
Not with Jade and her arms wrapped around me. Not with what was waiting for us…
Chief met us in the hallway, hand out, and stopped us dead in our tracks.
“We need to see her,” I said.
“Not yet,” he said. “She’s in bad shape.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“She was beaten up,” Chief said. “Hands, fists, baseball bats.”
“Christ,” Prez said.
I turned and grabbed Jade, hugging her. That could have been Jade if I hadn’t helped her.
“So, are you going to tell me who did this?” Chief asked.
“No,” Jasper said. “This is club stuff.”
“Club stuff?” Chief asked. “After what we went through with all these break ins? And now this?”
Prez clamped a hand to Chief’s shoulder. “You don’t want to know about this one. Trust me. This will open doors for you, your career, this town, that nobody wants open. And when those doors are open, they don’t shut.”
“Just let us talk to her,” I said. “We can keep her safe.”
“Like you did before?” Chief asked.
“We were looking out for her,” Jasper said. “We got information about her. That’s why we called you and that’s why we’re here.”
“So then why did you call me?”
“So you can see what this is,” Prez said. “And to keep everyone else out. This has to be us, got that?”
Chief stepped to the side as he rattled off the room number.
We charged through the hospital to find Jessica’s room.
We found the room where she was still being tended to.
A nurse met us at the door. “You can’t—”
“We can,” I said and grabbed the door.
“She’s family,” Jade said. “She was attacked.”
Trev grabbed the door and looked at us. “You go in there first. With Jade. I don’t want to scare her. If she closes up …”
“Thanks, Prez,” I said.
It was just myself and Jade.
There were two more nurses still getting Jessica in order.
The sight was terrifying, even for an outlaw like me.
She had a white bandage around her head with a patch of blood showing through. She looked like she came out on the wrong side of a fight. Swollen eyes, purple bruises, corners of her mouth cracked with fresh blood. She was propped up in the hospital bed, her blue eyes staring off into space.
“What’s the diagnosis?” I asked the nurse.
“Nothing broken,” she said. “She has a sprained wrist. Said she tried to block her attacker. Bruises, cuts, nothing that appears too serious. We’re monitoring her for internal issues. Liver, kidneys, that kind of thing. We’re also monitoring concussion symptoms. Either she was hit in the head or fell and hit her head. Either way … ” the nurse trailed off.
“Can we have a few minutes alone?” Jade asked.
“Sure,” the nurse said.
She got the other nurse and together left the room.
That’s when Jessica turned her head and looked at Jade. “Who’s that?”
“I’m Max,” I said. “I tried to save your ass and I’m sorry I failed. I won’t let it happen again. But this time you’re going to listen to us.”
Jessica blinked, tears in her eyes.
Jade approached with caution. She wiped Jessica’s eyes. “What happened?”
“You know what happened,” Jessica said. “You warned me.”
“Who did it?” I asked.
“Ruley,” Jessica whispered.
I looked at Jade.
“Johnny’s thug,” she said.
“Don was there too,” Jessica said. “When Ruley took me down, he picked me up and held me so Don could …”
“He hit you too?” Jade asked.
“No,” Jessica said. “He touched me. Up my shirt. He wanted more …” Jessica whimpered.
“Take your time,” I said and reached for the bed. “Listen to me, okay? I have guys outside this room. Guys that will protect you, no matter what. Including the guy you tried to kill.”
“No,” Jessica said. “I wasn’t—I couldn’t—”
“You were planning it,” I said. “So, at the very least, do me the favor and give me everything you know. I’m going to bring my guys in. You’re safe here, Jessica. But you have to tell the truth. No fucking around.”
I walked away.
I heard Jade talking to her.
“You can trust these guys, Jessica. I’m so sorry this happened to you. I fucking hate Johnny so much.”
I opened the door and nodded.
The guys all came in.
We stood around Jessica’s hospital bed. When she looked at Mikey, the parts of her face that weren’t bruised turned red. Maybe there was more to them than met the eye.
“We’re here to help,” I said. “But we need names and everything you were told.”
Jessica nodded. “Johnny wanted me to put him in the trunk. I was reaching for your gun to do that. They were going to then take my car and kill you, Mikey. Johnny said if I did that he would forgive the rest of my debt. Then I could go anywhere I wanted and start over. I panicked though. I never did that stuff before. Johnny always had me flirt with men, you know? Kiss. Sex. Whatever. But it never led to murder. Or if it did, I didn’t know about it.”
“Keep going,” Prez said.
Jade grabbed Jessica’s hand. “It’s okay.”
“Who has your phone?” I asked.
“Don.”
“He sent Jade text messages. After what they did to you. Why?”
“New plan, I guess,” Jessica said. “When Mikey took off, Don and Ruley showed up. Ready to strike. They had blood in their eyes for me. I tried to say something but Ruley punched me. He knocked me right down. Don grabbed Ruley to hold him back and I thought he was going to save me. But that’s not Don’s style, is it, Jade?”
“No,” Jade said, voice soft.
“He had Ruley get the baseball bat.”
“Christ,” Cash said. He walked to the side of the bed and touched Jessica’s leg. “Fuck, sweet thing, I am sorry.”
“Cash, easy,” Jasper said.
“Even with a concussion she knows better than to touch you,” I said with a wink to Jessica.
She grinned. Her eyes went to Mikey again.
“If I knew,” Mikey said.
“Prospect, shut up,” Prez said. “What happened after that, Jessica?”
“They made their point clear. I had fucked up. They were under orders from Johnny to ensure I would never do that again. I’m pretty sure they were going to kill me. Johnny called during the attack. Ruley held my head straight and Don jamm
ed the phone to my ear. He said I was a disgusting whore and I deserved to eat dirt instead of cock. By then I was dizzy and everything was dark. They threw me to the ground and I closed my eyes. They thought I was out cold, but I was sort of there. I heard Don talking to Johnny. I think they were talking about you, Jade.”
“That point was made clear in text message,” I said. “So you heard nothing else about us? The club? Motorcycles?”
“What about Mr. Y?” Jade asked.
Jessica shook her head. “They just attacked me and left me for dead.”
“Why’d they leave you alive?” Prez asked.
“Not sure,” Jessica said. “Maybe they thought I was dead.”
“Pros don’t do that,” Jasper said.
“But she’s alive,” I said. “That’s what counts right now. Johnny isn’t done with us yet, Prez. This proves it. This goes deep and we need to figure it out.”
“Not here though,” Prez said.
“Don’t leave me alone,” Jessica said. “They’ll come for me again. I know it. If they threatened you, Jade, then he’s cleaning house. He’s done it before.”
“Done what?” Cash asked.
“Start over. Attack hard. I’ve seen it a few times.”
“How long have you been with this guy?” I asked.
“Years.”
“Christ,” I said. “Here’s what we do. Mikey, you stand post here. Guard that door with your life. Shoot first, ask later. Protect. Anything looks off, you call.” I looked at Trev. “You okay with that, Prez?”
“Fine,” Prez said.
Jasper’s phone beeped. He left the hospital room to take the call.
I looked at Jessica. Talk about terror on someone’s face. She was a pretty woman, too. Blonde hair, blue eyes, a natural beauty that even found a way to show through the cuts and bruises on her face. How did these angels fall so far, so fast, and get so lost? It amazed me. I’d seen a lot of empty eyes and hearts come through the clubhouse but women like Jade and Jessica were different.
I touched Jade’s lower back. “Come on, sweetheart. We have to go.”
Mikey approached the bed. “I’ll take care of things here.”
Jessica turned her head away from him. She wouldn’t even look at him.
That was their problem and mess to figure out. I had something bigger to deal with.
We left the room and were met with Jasper standing there. His eyes were wide and a snarl on his face.
“What now?” Prez asked.
Jasper looked at me. “That was Cade on the phone. The tracker on your motorcycle went off. We know where it’s been moved.”
23
(jade)
The guys started to strategize about what they were going to do. I broke away from Max and snuck back into the hospital room. Mikey stood at the side of the bed, arms crossed, staring down at Jessica. He looked really pissed off. Maybe even hurt.
I couldn’t blame him.
I suddenly thought about everyone that I had hurt in my life. All those faces I never saw and people’s lives I possibly ruined for the benefit of Johnny. A man who did stuff like this to a woman who didn’t comply with his demands.
“Can I have a minute?” I asked Mikey.
“I’m not leaving this room,” he said. He reached into his pocket and took out a pair of earbuds. “But I can go deaf for a minute.”
“Thank you,” I said.
Mikey sat in a chair in the corner of the room. His eyes still hadn’t moved from Jessica.
I looked at Jessica, who was still scared. She had every right to be.
I reached down and moved a few strands of hair out of her face. I bent over and kissed her cheek.
“I’m so sorry,” I whispered.
“Why are you sorry? You didn’t do this. You tried to save me from this.”
“I could have done more. I should have gotten your phone number so I could have called you.”
“No,” Jessica said. “That’s not how this works. I’m the one in a hospital bed. I’m the one who gets the pity. Not you.”
“Right,” I said with a half-smile. “Right.”
“Jade, I’ve never seen anything like that before. If Johnny ordered that, he’s losing his mind.”
I slowly nodded. “Maybe he’s in too deep himself. He was talking to someone named Mr. Y. He’s the one calling the shots with the motorcycle club.”
“Johnny usually likes to steal cash,” Jessica said. “But to do this kind of stuff? This is mob stuff. Scary mob stuff.”
“I know, I know. But this club can make it stop.”
“Do you really believe that?”
“I don’t have much of a choice.”
“You could just go back to him,” Jessica said. “You could use me as the example. Say that when you saw me, you realized how serious things could get. You could save yourself.”
“By basically going back into prison?”
“You’re safe there,” Jessica said. “Think about it.”
I grabbed Jessica’s hand. “You think about it. What’s going to happen when you get out of here.”
“I can’t think that far ahead.”
“You have the protection of Mikey and that means the protection of Back Down Devil. Think hard, Jessica. Don’t make the same mistake twice. I know I won’t.”
“Thank you for trying to help me,” Jessica said.
I squeezed her hand and let her go.
There was nothing else I could do for her.
Back in the hallway, things were getting loud.
Trev and Jasper were standing together, Jasper on a cell phone.
Max, Austin, and Cash were huddled up, Max taking the lead with the conversation. I looked around and watched the people in the hallway as saw these wild outlaws and either looked down or walked away.
Max saw me and put a hand to both Austin and Cash’s shoulder. He pushed away and came to me. His hands wrapped around my body and he pulled me in for a hug.
“Sweetheart, sorry about your friend,” he whispered. “I wish there was more we could have done.”
“She’s not my friend,” I said back. “She didn’t listen. But we have to talk about something, Max.”
“Anything,” he said.
“What just happened—”
“Max,” Trev’s voice growled. “We’re headed out. Clubhouse. Then we make our next move.”
“Raincheck,” Max said. “Let’s get back to the clubhouse and let me get this sorted out. We know where my ride is. We’re going to face this head on, sweetheart.”
I grabbed for Max’s arms. I was already shaking on the inside. Going up against Johnny was a big risk. Maybe a dumb risk even. But I knew better than to say that to Max.
Plus, he read it on my face and in my eyes.
He touched my chin. “I’m going to be okay. So are you.” He pinched my chin between his thumb and forefinger. He pulled at me and dropped his mouth down to mine to steal a kiss.
Here’s the thing:
Max didn’t need to steal a kiss from me ever again. I was willing to give them up for the rest of my life.
All the guys were in the meeting room. The clubhouse was oddly quiet. It was calm, the only movement being the dust which floated in the air near the pool table. I sat on a barstool, drinking the soda that a prospect poured for me before he went back to wiping down the bar.
There were no more lines to cross it seemed. Things had fallen into place, a mix of choice and circumstance. There was no getting around what would happen next and that was simply fate.
The door exploded open and all the outlaws came pouring out. Their faces were serious, ready to attack. Half went to the bar. A few went for the door. A couple went to a pool table. Trev and Jasper stood in the doorway to the meeting room, looking around.
Max eyed me and leaned in, putting his lips to my ear.
“Let’s talk, sweetheart,” he whispered to me.
His hand slipped into mine and we exited the bar and went to
the room Max had been staying in. He shut the door and leaned against it.
“What were you saying at the hospital?” he asked.
I took out my phone and threw it to the dresser. “Those texts. They’re going to come for me.”
“They won’t get to you,” Max said.
“I can’t ever go back to that life,” I said. “The debt I owe. Johnny’s control. My father—”
“You’re free now.”
“Why don’t I feel free?”
“Because it’s new to you,” Max said. “Look, sweetheart, this is how things play out. You made your choice running with me and the club. You knew something like this was going to happen. You were going to have to make that final choice eventually.”
“Now it’s been made for me,” I said.
“You made it the second you let me into your apartment. You were asking for help and I was there to help you. This club is going take care of the problem.”
“And then what? I hide in this clubhouse? I go back to my apartment and wait for someone under Johnny’s command to come and finish me off?”
“That’s not going to happen.”
“You don’t know that. You can’t promise that. You can’t do shit about it.”
“I’ll slit his fucking throat,” Max growled. “And I’ll let you watch me do it.”
“Then the rest of his family—”
“So that’s how you want to live? In a world of uncertainty?”
“That’s how I’ve been living,” I shouted. “Never knowing what’s going to happen next. Because of something I didn’t do. He hurt himself, Max. And he only came to me when he was dying. And I wanted to save him!”
My throat squeezed shut for a second. I touched my chest. The emotion rose up inside me. I was dumping everything about my father to Max.
He stepped toward me. “Keep going, sweetheart. Let that shit out.”
