“Do not fucking finish that sentence,” Casey growls angrily. “You damn well know I value your input and have followed your thoughts before. We’re all on edge here and we all need to take a deep breath and look at it from all angles. And we will. Like Thorn said, we have church in half an hour. The things you just mentioned are also in his head and he’s throwing things around as we speak. I swear I will also mention all of this while we talk things through in half an hour but don’t ever fucking think your voice isn’t heard because I damn well live for your voice. And while we’re in this discussion I would also love for you to put your nose in my business once I start my own company. That’s how fucking much I value your input, okay?”
“Well, okay!” I snap back, but inside I’m smiling.
He wants my help in the future, and to be honest? I like the thought of changing careers or adding to it. I’ve always loved my job but I’ve always wanted more. Not just writing a report after my findings but diving into the why and how. And when Casey started talking about how he wanted to start his own company with solving cold cases it starts to itch even more to change things up.
I stalk around the bed until I’m in front of Casey and stand on my tiptoes to give him a kiss on the lips. “Thank you,” I tell him.
Stunned, he asks, “Why?”
“For everything,” I simply tell him. “And for what’s to come. Maybe I’ll quit my job or work part-time instead to come work for you. I’m good at writing reports and I could also handle the phone.”
“What?” he sputters. “You can’t quit your job and do something completely different.”
“Judgy much, Mister Kettle? Because I remember not too long ago you turned your badge in for a leather cut,” I state and glare at the annoying man. “Besides, I did mention working part-time.”
Crap. Why can he yank my emotions like no other? Oh, I know; because I’ve fallen hard for this man and love does crazy things when your heart is involved.
“You got a point, I just don’t want you to have any regrets. You’ve worked too hard to get to where you are,” he sighs.
“You also have a point, don’t get me wrong.” I give him an understanding smile. “But I’ve always felt there was something missing, you know?”
“Me,” the man states and it makes me roll my eyes but on the inside my heart is skipping because he’s right; he was the one thing my life was missing.
Now I do let him cup my face and it makes me feel extremely special when he keeps our gazes locked. As if he needs to brand every inch of my face into his mind.
His voice is raw when he says, “Life truly started when I met you, then I was finally able to dream and chase them into reality.”
“Life is mediocre unless you dream,” I tell him breathlessly.
“You’re my dream turned reality,” he whispers right before his mouth covers mine in a hard kiss.
I could let myself drown in this man. The way he takes me in his arms, wraps me with comfort and consumes me with lust and love in an equal dose. Yet, he slows down our kiss and steps back.
“I need to get ready, are you going to keep Tenley and Hedwig company?” he questions.
I’m still in a daze when I simply nod, but I snap out of it when I think what Casey will be doing.
“Make sure someone checks Kate’s reaction,” I mutter and start to get dressed while I let my thoughts flow. “Claudia always had a secret crush on Thorn, it wouldn’t surprise me if it got her killed.”
“What did you just say?” Casey steps closer and narrows his eyes. “Why didn’t you mention this sooner?”
I stare at him for a few breaths because, “I thought Thorn knew. She never acted on it but to me it was obvious.”
Casey sighs and rubs a hand over his face. “What might have been obvious for you might not have been for Thorn. He’s a dude, he might have needed action or words.”
“Well, dang,” I mutter. “Maybe he would have believed me if I told him before all of this happened, but now? Everything is a touchy subject. And it’s not that I blame him, a lot happened and it all practically lands on his shoulders...I just...I want my brother back.”
Casey cups the side of my face and lets his thumb slide over my cheek. “This will all be over soon. It’s escalating quickly and Gael doesn’t have anyone else to fall back on. His plan failed before it started but it’s caused a ripple effect we all are dealing with. Thorn not only has to deal with this but also has to push forward to get his MC up and running again. Today they’re voting for a new VP and since your brother is now the Prez, it’s also a lot of pressure to fill the shoes that were once your father’s.”
“I can’t help him.” I now realize. “I’ve been a part of Thorns ‘n’ Bones for so long but I now realize I can’t do anything, it’s all him.”
“It is,” Casey simply states. “The whole MC and the club business that goes with it is all him. But the support, the family outside of the MC, that’s you, darlin’. And since he’s stepped up and showed us the change Thorns ‘n’ Bones MC went through Calix has told him we also have his back. It might seem a lot in this moment but your brother has shown he’s got the backbone for this shit. He too was born into this and will lead his brothers to a better future.”
I take a few deep breaths and give Casey a soft smile. “Thank you,” I breathe with all my heart. “Even if I thought you were an overbearing asshole the second time we met, I have grown very fond of you.”
Casey snorts. “Just very fond, huh? Well, shit. I think I need to up my game here to get a high score from my Old Lady since I won’t settle for anything less than over the top, hot burning love.”
“Give me a few orgasms and I might be dazed enough to admit to the fact I have indeed fallen for your pretty face,” I reply through easy banter and yet this moment is as serious as it gets.
“I wish we had more time. Later,” he growls and kisses me with such ferociousness I need to grab his shoulders to steady myself.
Both panting hard, Casey places his forehead against mine and softly rubs our noses together.
“I adore you,” he murmurs softly.
“Right back at ya,” I croak, overcome with emotions.
Even if we’ve been through a lot these last few weeks and our connection is solid, this moment right here is where the both of us acknowledge our feelings have settled and from here on out there’s most definitely no going back. Nor would I want to.
Casey clears his throat. “I need to go.”
“Yeah,” I sigh. “So, you mentioned...the reason I won’t be getting orgasms any time soon.”
“For fuck’s sake,” Casey chuckles and shakes his head while he grabs his cut and throws it on. But his face turns serious all too soon. “Do you have a gun? They came into this clubhouse to kill Ryke and Dixey, we took precautions not to let it happen again, but I need to know you have a gun on you at all times. Even if a brother will be in the same room with you as well because no one will be left alone until Gael is caught and dead.”
“I have a gun, it’s in my purse,” I tell him and stalk over to get my purse.
Casey groans. “In your purse, what good will that do. On. You. You put it on you where you can grab it with your next breath and not tell the fucker, who’s ready to kill you, to hold on because you have to go through the shit in your purse to find the damn....what the fuck is that?”
“My gun.” I shrug, not at all ashamed I have a Wonder Woman Glock. I’m all about the pretty visual, and it’s small and fits right into my hand.
“Does it even work?” the overbearing man asks, clearly annoyed by my choice of weapon.
I roll my eyes. “Duh, it’s a Wonder Woman, of course it works.”
All he does is shake his head and waits for me to place the holster on my belt. I’m wearing jeans shorts along with sneakers and a yellow stripped tank. I have no plans for today since they decided I can’t go to work until Gael is dead.
Another day with Tenley and Hedwig and this i
s me not complaining because spending time with these two women is a treat. Though Hedwig is getting grumpy. She’s tired of the huge belly and not being able to do anything other than rest. She’s ready to be done with it, and it could happen any day now. I follow Casey out the door as I head for the main room and Casey stalks off to church.
Chapter Thirteen
***Wendy***
“Do you remember when I had those false contractions?” Hedwig muses while she’s dissecting her sandwich.
I watch Hunter put on his large black beanie and with the hoodie, along with his cut over it, he’s looking more dressed for wintertime instead of the warm and sunny day it is. I shake my head at the man’s weird wardrobe.
“I’m going out to get some more stuff for the new security cams I’m installing,” Hunter says to Feargal who got the assignment to keep an eye on us, even if we’re in the main room of the clubhouse.
“Bike or cage?” Feargal questions.
“Cage,” Hunter grumbles. “I need the space for the equipment I’m buying.”
“Later.” Feargal nods as Hunter stalks off and out the door.
Focusing back on Hedwig, I see her rub her stomach and remember she said something about the false contractions she was having a few weeks ago.
“What was that, Hedwig?” I ask while I watch her face pinch with pain. What the hell? “You’re having contractions? Now?”
Tenley’s head whips up, the book she’s holding in her hand long forgotten. “What?” she squeaks.
“I might,” Hedwig grunts and it seems like she’s holding her breath.
“Breathe, woman!” I snap and stand up, my gaze connecting with Feargal whose eyes are about to fall out. “Feargal, get Ransom here, now.”
“Right, right,” he muses, stands up, and suddenly his eyes are focused on the window. He curses loud and rushes to the door.
I turn to look over my shoulder and see through the window how Hunter is slumped over his steering wheel. What the hell?
“Casey! Ransom!” I bellow as loud as I can, hoping they can hear me through the thick door and walls of church.
But I can’t focus on them because Hedwig stands and water is dripping down her legs.
“Holy shit,” Tenley gasps, “her water broke. She’s gonna pop out the baby. We need to do something.”
“Well, we need to not panic, that’s for sure.” I glare at Tenley and she seems to jump into action.
“I have to go grab her bag, right?” she asks but doesn’t even wait for my answer and rushes off down the hall to get Hedwig’s bag she packed for her and for the baby.
One breath I’m staring at Hedwig, the next I’m looking at the back of a leather cut with the AF MC patch stitched on it.
“Are you okay, what’s going on?” Ransom’s voice is filled with worry.
Hedwig is puffing away another contraction so I tell him. “Her water broke, she’s having contractions, and we’re going to the hospital.”
Ransom’s head whips back and he looks at me with horror. “Fuck.”
“No, you did that part nine months ago, now it’s time to reap what you’ve sowed,” I tell the silly man and roll my eyes.
“You guys take the car. Tenley will drive, when she gets here with the bag, while I’m gonna follow behind you guys in my car,” Casey says but gets interrupted when the door of the clubhouse swings open.
Feargal is carrying Hunter into the clubhouse. Or more like half dragging him since he’s got Hunter’s arm hooked around his neck to keep Hunter somewhat upright. Hunter’s face is covered with blood and his beanie is pulled down. He seems unconscious though his feet move and his other arm is going around his back.
Time slows down when I see Hunter ripping the beanie off over his face to clean off some blood or at least it seems that way. He throws the beanie to the floor and is palming a gun the next instant. Oh, God! He shoots Feargal in the chest who crashes to the floor, freeing up his other arm to palm another gun. Hunter starts to...Fuck. It’s Geal pretending to be an injured Hunter, and he’s now shooting up the clubhouse.
I palm my gun and only get one single shot fired before I’m being pulled down by Casey who’s cursing and my eyes meet with a panicked Hedwig. She’s in pain; it’s written all over her face. My first thought is the baby but when my eyes scan her body, I see blood staining her dress. It seems to be coming from her thigh. I reach out and she takes my hand in hers while Ransom is hovering over her.
“I’m going to get out of my tank top and try to stop the bleeding, okay?” I tell her and regretfully let go of her hand and the gun I was still holding.
But she starts to scream and grab my upper arm. I have no other choice but to use my hand without the protection of a glove and instead of my tank, I use her own dress to put pressure on her wound. There’s nothing I can do right now with the bullets flying everywhere. I have to stop the bleeding as much as possible. Casey grunts above me.
Calix’s voice booms through the room, “Die, fucker.”
As if thunder crackles, making the room fill with such loud noise, I have to close my eyes, then...nothing. Hedwig whimpers and my eyes fly open to connect with hers. I wish I could sooth the pain but I only have two hands and I need both to put pressure on her wound. Dammit, she’s shot and going into labor, how fucked up is that?
“Motherfucker,” Thorn bellows and I manage to raise my head some to see him stalk through the clubhouse in the direction of where Gael was standing.
The heavy weight on my body is preventing me from standing and when I glance back, my heart stops. Casey is slumped over me and he’s not moving. I can’t do anything because it would mean I have to remove my hands from Hedwig’s wound and she could bleed out. While she’s having contractions, shit, this is so screwed up.
“Ransom, help! Calix! Thorn!” I start to bellow all the names of every biker I know in here, anything to get help.
It’s Ransom who turns and tucks away his gun. My chest squeezes with the same pain ripping through his eyes when he glances at both Hedwig and Casey.
“Call an ambulance, Ransom. She needs to get to the hospital. Now!” I scream. “Tenley,” I sigh in relief when I see her head coming from behind Ransom. “Check Casey, he’s not moving.”
“Ambulances are coming,” Ransom grunts and is kneeling next to Hedwig but his gaze is set on Casey.
“Ransom,” I snap, while Calix is at Tenley’s side as they are turning Casey to lift him off me. “Focus on Hedwig right now, let your Prez take care of Casey. Hedwig, Ransom,” I press, “and your baby.”
His face is torn from pain and indecision but he seems to shake it off and is cupping Hedwig’s face, giving her gentle words in an effort to calm her down. The way she’s losing blood from the wound in her leg and being in labor? The ambulance needs to get her as soon as possible for her to survive this.
I want to look behind me to check on Casey so damn bad, but I’m afraid to. What if he’s dead? What if I shift my hands and lose pressure on the wound so Hedwig bleeds out? Dammit, I need to keep myself together. Sirens, I’m hearing them in the distance and they’re getting closer. Help is on the way.
I take a deep breath and close my eyes. Prioritize. Like I just told Ransom, I need to trust other people. My eyes flash open when I hear Thorn start to curse and rush toward Calix and Tenley...Casey. I can’t look. I’ll fall apart. I can’t look. I can’t...
EMTs are rushing into the clubhouse. Two crouch down next to me while others rush past me to help Casey.
“Gunshot wound to her upper thigh. She’s in labor. Her water broke and contractions started,” I blurt out but it seems they are already starting to help Hedwig and only nod at my rush of words.
“Ma’am, I’m going to take over. I need for you to remove your hands,” he tells me but I can’t seem to process. Tugging at my arms makes me nod warily and for the first time I’m able to turn around to focus on Casey, and the second I do, my whole world stops.
My heart plummets whe
n I see Calix perform CPR while the EMTs are now slowly taking over. My ass hits the floor as I watch them connect wires and give him oxygen. There’s beeping...his heart is beating, right? Blood. So much blood. I look down at my hands and there’s more blood. I can’t...I can’t breathe...I...I can’t...
“Look me in the eye, Curls.” Thorn’s angry face appears in front of me. “I need for you to be fucking strong now, sis. He’s gonna need for you to be his strength, you hear?”
Thorn hoists me up by my arms and he guides me out of the clubhouse to see how they load both Casey and Hedwig into the waiting ambulances.
“We’ll follow,” Thorn grunts and pushes me toward his bike.
It’s when he starts to fuss with his helmet on my head that I snap into the now. “Stop it. I can damn well handle it myself,” I growl.
“Good,” Thorn bites back and straddles his bike.
The ride to the hospital is a blur and the only thing that keeps me upright is the fact I have my arms wrapped around my brother, and it gives me the strength I need right now.
Thorn pats my knee, indicating I need to get off and the both of us rush inside to get an update on both Hedwig and Casey. We don’t get any information, though. All they mention is how someone will be with us shortly to update us. We’re guided into a waiting room and it does nothing to calm my nerves because Ransom is sitting there holding his head.
His head whips up and his gaze connects with mine but it returns to the floor when he sees it’s just me and Thorn. I don’t have to ask him about Hedwig. With him sitting here, and not with her, I’m sure there isn’t any information about her status.
Instead of sitting down, both Thorn and I are pacing through the room until the door opens. I expect a doctor or a nurse but Calix stalks inside along with a few other brothers, all with grim expressions. Tenley enters the room and she rushes forward and hugs me tight.
“Any news on Casey or Hedwig?” She asks.
I shake my head. “Nothing.”
“Feagal is hanging on, they don’t know if he’s going to pull through,” Tenley says. “They found Hunter’s body underneath his truck. There was another dead guy underneath it too, the one who was working with Gael. We assume he was killed when they attacked Hunter. We have three of our own brothers with gunshot wounds but they are not life threatening.”
AF MC Ohio (Book Two) Page 10
