by L. Wilder
After checking all of her stats, they carefully lifted her up onto the gurney. They were about to take her down to the ambulance when I asked, “Is she going to be okay?”
“It’s hard to say. She’s suffered a blunt force trauma to the head. We won’t know how serious it is until we get her over to the hospital.” He continued to talk as he pushed her towards the elevator. “The doctors will probably do a CT Scan and maybe an MRI. That will tell them how severe the injury really is.”
“I’m riding with her,” I told him.
“Are you a relative?” he asked.
“Yes,” I lied, but there was no way that I was going to leave her side.
“Okay, we’ve got room.” The ambulance was waiting for us at the front door, and once they had her loaded up in the back, I crawled in behind them. When the doors slammed shut and the sirens roared above me, I had never been so terrified in my life. Looking at Henley so hurt and helpless, I felt lost. I felt powerless. I had no control as I watched the medics continue to work on her. Nothing before had ever frightened me like this. My heart ached when I thought about losing her. I loved her. I couldn’t imagine my life without her. Her smile, the sound of her voice, the way she felt when I held her in my arms. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t lose her.
When things finally settled down in the back of the ambulance, I asked again, “Is she going to be okay? You’ve got to give me something.”
“Her vitals are improving, but I still don’t know about her head injury. It could be a simple concussion, or something much more involved. We really won’t know anything until we get the results from that CT scan,” he explained.
While they carried Henley upstairs for testing, a nurse escorted me to the main waiting room. My brothers were already there waiting with Cassidy when I walked in. She came running towards me with tears streaming down her face. When she reached me, she wrapped her arms around my neck, hugging me tightly.
“I’m so sorry, Maverick. It wasn’t supposed to happen like this. Henley promised that we’d have time to get away!” she cried hysterically.
“What the hell were you thinking, Cass? Henley’s back there fighting for her life,” I snapped.
“She was just so determined. She thought if she used herself as bait, you’d be able to catch the men that killed Skidrow,” she explained as she wiped the tears from her face. Her story sounded too fucking familiar.
“Where did she get the idea? Had she been talking to anyone?” I asked.
“I’m not sure. Big Mike, maybe? But you know Henley. She’s always coming up with these crazy ideas, but I thought this one might really work. She was just trying to help.”
Fuck. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Henley would’ve never gotten into this mess, if Mike had kept his goddamn mouth shut. Clenching my fists at my side, I glared at him, trying to fight the urge to kick his ass right here in the middle of the fucking waiting room. The blood drained from his face when he noticed me glaring at him. He took a step towards me, but I raised my hand, signaling him to stop. I had every intention of having it out with him, but this was not the place. He’d just have to wait.
I spent the next three hours feeling like I was coming apart at the seams while I waited to hear something from Henley’s doctor. The walls were closing in on me. I paced back and forth, and my heart stopped beating every time a doctor or nurse walked by the doorway. It was obvious that I was on edge, so my brothers steered clear, giving me time to pull my shit together. I hated the waiting, not knowing what was going on with her. My imagination kept jumping to the worst-case scenarios, and they were driving me insane.
I was about to lose the last of my patience, when a nurse called out, “I need to speak with someone from Miss Henley Gray’s family.”
Cassidy and I anxiously looked at each other before we walked towards the door. Time stood still as I waited for the nurse start talking.
“I just wanted to give you an update on Henley,” the nurse started. “They just got the results back from the CT scan, and Henley does have a concussion and a laceration on the back of her head. They’ve moved her to a room at the end of the hall.”
“How’s she doing? Is she awake?” Cassidy asked with tears streaming down her cheeks.
“She’s a little groggy, and she’s going to have one hell of a headache. But she’ll be just fine.”
“When can we see her?” I asked. I was relieved to know that she was okay, but I needed to see it for myself. I had to know that she really was okay.
“She’s been asking for someone named Maverick? I take it that’s you,” she said with a warming smile.
“Yes ma’am. I’m Maverick,” I told her.
“Why don’t you come with me? I still need to sort out her medication, but you can sit with her while I get it worked out,” she said as she started up the hall.
I started to follow her when Cassidy grabbed my arm and said, “Tell her that I’m sorry,” she wailed unable to control her tears.
I put my arms around her, pulling her close to me and said, “I’ll come back to get you as soon as I can. Just hold tight until then.” She nodded, and I gave her another tight squeeze before I let her go. She stood at the doorway, watching until I walked into Henley’s room.
I was so anxious to see her that I didn’t think before I rushed into her room. I didn’t take the time to prepare for seeing her lying in that hospital bed. She was so fucking pale, making the bruises along her face seem even darker. There was a small bandage around her head, but even at her worst, she was beautiful. I couldn’t stop staring at her. She was alive and lying just a few steps from me. My prayers had been answered. Her lips curved into a small smile when she noticed me standing at the end of her bed.
“Hey,” she whispered.
“How are you feeling,” I asked.
“I’ve been better,” she confessed.
I nodded, crossed my arms, and continued to look at her as I thought about what I was going to do next. I wanted to hold her, to tell her that everything was going to be okay, but I couldn’t. Not yet. She wouldn’t be in this hospital bed if she’d just used her damn head.
“Aren’t you going to say something? Yell… scream… fuss at me? Something?” she asked.
“Do you want me to tell you how a part of me died when I saw you lying on that floor, or how hard it was to sit out there for the past three fucking hours not knowing if you were going to live or die?” I asked.
“Maverick… I’m sorry. I know I screwed it all up,” she explained.
“I thought I made it clear… I told you that I would tan your ass if you even thought about getting involved in club business. Do you remember that, Henley? I hope you do, because I am going to enjoy spanking that pretty little ass of yours when you get out of this hospital.”
“What is it with you and my ass?” she asked with a giggle. “You need to stop teasing me. I’m injured.”
“What can I say? I like your ass. Enough said. You’ll get better, and I’ll be waiting,” I smirked. It was impossible for me to be angry with her right now. I had her back, and I wasn’t about to waste one minute on bullshit that just didn’t matter. She was out of danger, and she was going to be okay. Besides, I knew she’d learned her lesson. After tonight, there’s no way she’d ever do something like this again.
Chapter 26
Henley
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“OH MY GOD… Cassidy! Is she okay?” I asked frantically. My mind had been in such a fog, I’d forgotten that I hadn’t seen her since that man grabbed me and dragged me up the fire escape.
“She’s a little shaken up, but she’s fine,” Maverick explained.
“Thank god. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if anything had happened to her because of my hair brained idea.”
“I’m pretty sure she won’t be so quick to go along with you next time,” he said smiling. I was relieved that he wasn’t furious with me. This little exploit of mine put everyone in danger, and I wouldn’
t blame him for hating me right now. I couldn’t help but wonder if I’d done it all for nothing.
“Can I ask you something?” I asked apprehensively.
“You can ask, but that doesn’t mean I’ll answer,” Maverick snickered.
“Did you get them? Did you get the guy that killed Skidrow? He was there,” I started. Just thinking about that man brought chills down my spine.
“You mean you recognized one of them?”
“Yes. He was there that night… I remembered his voice,” I told him unable to stop my own from trembling.
“Are you sure it was him?” he asked.
“There’s no doubt in my mind. I’ll never be able to forget that man,” I admitted. When I closed my eyes I could still see that large snake tattoo taunting me. “Please tell me… did you get him?” I asked again.
He walked over to me and reached for my hand, kissing the tips of my knuckles. “Yeah, baby. We got him.”
“Did he tell you who he was? Why they killed Skidrow?” I prodded.
“Don’t worry about all that, Henley. We’ll get what we need out of him. You just concentrate on getting yourself out of this hospital,” he said as he sat down on the edge of the bed.
“Thank you. Thank you for coming tonight… for saving my life,” I whispered, unable to fight back my tears.
“Henley, you’re mine. I know I haven’t been clear about that. I’ve been too bull headed to admit it out loud, but I’ve known it since the night you were trying to leave the club wearing nothing but that damn t-shirt. I couldn’t stand the thought of you walking out that door. No one has been able to get to me the way you do – no one. I love you, Henley,” he said as he leaned over me, kissing me softly on my lips. In that moment, I knew I loved Maverick with every fiber of my being. He wasn’t a man that gave away his love freely, and I was overwhelmed by the thought that he had given it to me.
“I love you, too, Logan. Now and forever,” I told him. I leaned in to kiss him, and the moment his mouth met mine, I was lost. He was everything I’d ever wanted and more, and now he was mine.
We were still kissing when Cassidy eased into the room and said, “Sorry, I couldn’t hold out any longer. I just needed to see for myself that you were okay.” She was a mess. Her eyes were swollen from crying and mascara was running down her cheeks.
“It’s okay, Cass. Really, I’m fine,” I said trying to reassure her.
“Well, you look like shit,” she said with a soft laugh.
“You look a hot mess yourself,” I told her as I reached out my arms and gave her a hug. She started to cry again, so I held her close to my chest until she pulled herself together.
“I don’t know why I let you talk me into doing these crazy things with you. You could have gotten yourself killed tonight. I was so scared, Lee Bug. I thought I had lost you,” she whimpered.
“You know, I blame you for all of this,” I told her smiling. “You’re supposed to be the smart one. You should’ve talked me out of it.”
“Don’t you start that shit with me! You know I didn’t think we should do it,” she said, her face turning red with frustration.
“They got him,” I whispered.
“You mean it actually worked?”
I looked over to Maverick while I said, “It was stupid of us to get involved like that, and we will never do anything like that again, but yeah. It worked.” I couldn’t stop my mouth from curling into a huge grin.
“I’m still going to kick your ass for scaring me like that,” Cassidy snickered.
“I can’t say that I blame you.”
“We need to let her get some rest,” Maverick interrupted.
“I can stay with her tonight… help keep an eye on things,” she offered.
“I’m staying. Go home and get some sleep. I’ll call you in the morning to let you know how she’s doing.”
Cassidy hugged me once more and said, “I’ll come check on you tomorrow. I love you, Sis.”
“I love you, too.” Cassidy was an amazing sister. She never failed to be there when I needed her, and I knew I was lucky to have her.
“I’m going to head out. Try to behave.”
Chapter 27
Maverick
‡
AFTER I GOT Henley settled in our room, I set out to find Stitch. No one had seen him since last night when Guardrail brought in the motherfucker that killed Skidrow. He’d been working on him in the warehouse for the past twenty-four hours, which let me know that Stitch was taking his time working this guy over. There was no telling what hell he’d put that man through, but I knew when it was all said and done, he’d have all the information we needed to get these guys once and for all.
“Have you been by to check on Stitch?” I asked Cotton. He was busy working in his office, and seemed surprised to see me.
“I thought you were still at the hospital. How’s Henley?” he asked.
“She’s doing better. They released her this morning, and now she’s resting in my room,” I explained. Until this morning, I hadn’t really missed not having a place of my own, but now I was thinking it was time to start looking for a house. I wanted Henley to have a home that she could be proud of, one that was close to her school, so she could finish up her classes and graduate.
“Good. I’m glad she’s doing better. I hate to admit it, but the girl saved our asses last night. We have our first real lead because of her.”
“Should’ve never happened.”
“True, but it did. That’s on you, Maverick. You’re the Sergeant of Arms for a reason. I expect you to keep this club safe. Make sure it doesn’t happen again. You know I like Henley. I think she’s a good woman and she’s been good for you. But if she pulls a stunt like this again, there will be consequences,” he warned.
“I’ll see that she doesn’t.”
“I hope so. Now, let’s go check on our boy. I want to see what he’s been able to get out of our guest.”
I followed Cotton to the back of the warehouse where Stitch had created his playroom. The overwhelming stench of death hit me as soon as we walked through the door, making my stomach churn from the smell. Stitch was sitting on an old, wooden stool in the corner of the room smoking a cigarette, and he didn’t seem to notice that we had walked in.
“Stitch?” I called out to him. When he didn’t answer, I walked over to him, placing my hand on his shoulder and said, “How you making it, brother?”
“Making progress…” he mumbled. I didn’t miss the glazed look in his eyes or his blood soaked shirt. He was exhausted, but wouldn’t give up until he was certain that he had everything he could get out of him.
“What kind of progress?” Cotton asked.
“His name is Victor,” he said, pointing to what was left of the man they brought in last night. When I caught sight of his mangled body, my gut tightened in rage thinking of what he’d just done to Henley. His wrists were bound in thick chains, and he was hanging from a rafter in the ceiling with blood dripping down around his feet. It looked like both his shoulders were dislocated as his head was hung low, his chin resting on his chest. He didn’t look like he was still conscious, but even if he was, I wouldn’t be able to tell from all the swelling on his face. Both of his eyes were completely swollen shut, and his face was covered in blood and bruises.
Stitched tossed his cigarette to the floor and lit another one as he said, “He’s a member of the King Pythons’ Syndicate. Their club is based out of Anchorage, Alaska, and they have over thirty-five members in their charter. They’ve developed a new kind of Meth. It’s stronger… more addictive, and just like you thought, they’re looking to expand their distribution,” he confirmed. “They set their sights on Clallam County because of our port access.”
“Did he say why they killed Skid?” I asked.
“He wouldn’t give them information on the club, so they shot him,” he growled.
“You think he’s got anything left in him?” I asked as I looked over to Victor, and I
couldn’t tell if he was even breathing.
“I’ll get another couple of hours out of him,” Stitch told me with a sinister smile.
“We’ll leave you to it,” Cotton said as he started for the door. “Just let me know when you’re done, and I’ll get the boys to come help you take out the trash.”
We were just about to walk out the door, when I took a bucket of cold water and emptied it over Victor’s head. He groaned as he pulled against the chains, trying to free himself. I reached over to Stitch’s torture table and grabbed the ammonia. “Wake up, sunshine. I’m not done with you yet.”
“Please… I’ve told your man everything I know,” Victor pleaded.
“We’ll see about that.” I replied, as I grabbed hold of his head and held it up, ensuring whatever faculties he had left, got what I had to say.
“You know this is your end Victor, right?” I screamed so close, speckles of my spit splattered across his face. “But what you don’t know is how it’s going to end. I want you to think of your brothers, your family… every person you have ever loved while you answer Stitch’s questions, Victor. I want you to think about their end. Because right now, their lives are in your hands. Think about the children you left with no father while you’re cooperating with Stitch. Consider this your last chance for redemption, Victor.”
When I finally released him, his head plunged down to his chest. He was defeated, knowing what I said was true, and it was only a matter of time before he told us everything he knew. As I turned to leave, Stitch pulled his stool over next to him. He started talking to him so low that I couldn’t understand what he was saying. The door slammed behind us as we headed back to the clubhouse. We walked in silence as we listened to Victor’s tortuous screams.
When we reached the clubhouse, Cotton turned to me and said, “I’m calling the guys in for church. We need to get Big Mike working on this.”
“I’ll go get him. There’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to him about,” I told him as I opened the door to the clubhouse and headed towards Mike’s room.
