by Wilder, L
Chapter 20
Ana
I hate this. Watching Dillon leave with Renegade and Goliath was almost unbearable. I wanted to go with them, try to do something to help, but Dillon wouldn’t hear of it. He wanted me to stay here where he knows no one can get to me. I know he’s right, but I’m miserable. How am I supposed to just sit here and wait, not knowing what is really happening?
I get back in the bed, and I can’t fight back my tears. I’m scared out of my mind. I know I need to try and go back to sleep, but my mind is reeling. I can’t get the pictures of Steven out of my head. He looked so vulnerable lying there, totally unaware of what they were doing to him. My imagination is running wild, wondering what exactly they could be doing to him. In my gut, I know what that text means, I’ll never see Steven again. I just can’t bear it, and I know it’s all my fault. I should’ve tried harder. I knew things were off. If I had figured this all out on my own, none of this would have happened. I toss and turn, trying to block it from my thoughts, but it’s useless. Not knowing what’s going on is the hardest part. I just need to know if Dillon’s okay.
There’s a light tap on the door before Tessa walks into the room. She walks over and sits on the edge of the bed. “How are you making it?” she asks as she tightens the belt on her bathrobe.
“I’m freaking out,” I tell her as I sit up in the bed. “I can’t stop thinking about it. Do you think they will be okay?”
“I do, Ana. I really do. Sheppard is one of the best men I know. He knows how to handle himself, and I know he will do whatever it takes to make this right. Goliath and Renegade are with him. They’ll make sure nothing happens to him,” she says, trying to reassure me.
“This is all my fault,” I tell her. “I should’ve tried….”
“No, Ana. None of this is your fault. Bishop told me what those people are doing, and they have to be stopped,” she says with a pained look on her face. I know what she is saying is true, but I still feel so guilty.
“What if…” I start.
“I know it’s hard, but you’re going to have to trust Sheppard. He’ll make this right.”
“I just don’t want him to get hurt. I don’t think I could survive it if something happened to him,” I explain. Just the thought of something happening to him brings tears to my eyes. I love him so much and just want him to come back to me.
“I’ve been where you are now… more times than I like to admit. I’d like to say that it gets easier, but it doesn’t. I always worry about him, but he’s never failed to make it out okay,” she says as she reaches over and squeezes my hand. “They’re good at this, honey. You just have to be patient and try to have a little faith.”
“Okay… I’ll try.” I know what she’s saying is right, but it’s hard not to worry.
“In a few days, this will all be behind us, and you can concentrate on your future with Shep. Do you want to finish your residency?” she asks.
“I don’t know… I just don’t think I can go back there, especially after everything that’s happened,” I explain. “It’s just too much.”
“Can’t you do it at another hospital? Maybe you can do it here,” she offers.
“I’d have to see if I can get my suspension cleared, but yeah… being a doctor has always been a dream of mine, and I really want a chance to finish what I started. I’d really like to try to do it here… with Dillon.”
“Doc knows several of the doctors here. I’m sure he can help you get on if you decide that’s something you might like to do.”
“Really? I’d love that. It would mean a lot to me.”
“Great! I’ll talk to him in the morning. Let’s see if there’s something he can do,” she tells me.
“Thanks, Tessa. I really appreciate everything you and Bishop have done for me.”
“Ana, you don’t have to thank me. You brought Sheppard back to us, and it’s obvious that he’s crazy about you. We want to do whatever we can to help,” she says as she stands up. “Try to get some rest. I’ll come by in the morning to check on you.”
“That’s easier said than done, but I’ll try,” I tell her as I lay back down.
As soon as she leaves the room, my anxiety starts to set in again. I can’t help but worry about Dillon. I try to focus on everything that Tessa just told me, but my heart sinks when I think of all the horrible things that could happen. I just want this thing to be over, so Dillon can come back to me… now.
Chapter 21
Sheppard
We’d been driving for over an hour when I got the call from Ana’s dad. He’d done like I asked and taken his best farmhand with him to look for Steven at the hospital. When they got there, he was gone. When he asked where Steven was, one of the nurses told him that he’d just been released, and someone had already taken him home. He wasn’t supposed to be released for several more days, so they rushed back to Steven’s in hopes that they’d missed him.
When he pulled onto their street, he knew something was wrong. His voice shook with anger as he told me about the firetrucks speeding past him as he made his way up to Steven’s house. The fire and smoke billowed into the dark sky as firemen swarmed around trying to put out the blaze, but there was no use. It was burning out of control, and there was little they could do to stop it. When he tried to approach the house, they blocked him, telling him it was for his own safety. They told him there had been some kind of explosion. They blamed it on a gas leak, but he knew that wasn’t what happened.
I could tell from his voice that he was devastated. He blamed himself for not keeping a better eye on him and making sure Steven was safe. I tried to convince him that there was nothing he could’ve done, but he wouldn’t listen. Steven was like a son to him, and he thought he let him down.
Once I hung up the phone with Ana’s dad, I knew it was time to pay Jason a visit. There wasn’t anything we could do for Steven now, but we could stop these motherfuckers before they got to Ana or hurt anyone else. I told Goliath and Renegade about the fire, and I followed them down the Interstate. I was thankful to be on my bike instead of in a cage tonight. Listening to the rumble of the engine is the best way for me to clear my head, and I need that more than ever.
When we pull onto Jason’s road, we kill our engines. It’s after three in the morning, and we don’t want to risk being heard. Everything is quiet when we pull our bikes behind his house. I look over to Goliath and Renegade as they get off their bikes and immediately feel a sense of gratitude. They are my brothers… always there when I need them. They both look to me and nod, letting me know they’re ready to go.
As we approach his back door, we realize the asshole doesn’t even have a fucking alarm system. Renegade and I stand watch while Goliath works his magic on the lock. When it pops open, a sly smile slowly spreads across his face. The man loves this shit. I shake my head, laughing to myself as he gestures for us to go inside first.
My adrenaline is on overdrive as we make our way into the house. When we get inside, everything is pitch black. It’s difficult to see, but the floor plan is simple. We have no problem knowing where we are going. Goliath and Renegade follow me down the small hallway that leads to the back bedrooms. Our heavy boots cause the floors to creak and pop as we make our way into his room, adding tension to every step we take. I can’t believe the noise doesn’t wake him, but sure enough, there he sleeps all curled up in his bed. His breathing is heavy and deep, and I smile thinking how surprised the motherfucker is going to be when he wakes up.
Excitement rushes through my veins as I stand there staring at him from the edge of the bed, waiting for Goliath to give me the go ahead. I grab one of the pillows lying beside his head and press it against his face, blocking all the oxygen from his lungs. His body instantly begins to thrash and jerk, trying to break free from my hold. His hands frantically grab and pull at my arms, trying to wrench the pillow from his face. Goliath grabs his feet, preventing him from falling off of the bed.
It doesn’t take long f
or Jason’s body to begin to become limp, letting me know it is time to take the pillow off his face. He gasps and coughs as he tries to pull the air back into his lungs. I lower my face close to his and say, “Good morning, sunshine.”
“What the fuck?” he sputters.
Before he has a chance to say anything else, my fist connects with his chin. His eyes roll back, and his body falls completely limp. Motherfucker is knocked out cold. Goliath takes his hands and secures them over his head, while Renegade and I tie his feet to the footboard of the bed. I go into the kitchen and after I fill a pitcher full of water, I head back into the bedroom. I stand over him and slowly begin to pour it over his face.
He starts to shake his head from side to side as he tries to avoid the cascading water. “It’s time to wake up, motherfucker.”
He pulls at his restraints as he spits the water out of his mouth and shouts, “What do you want?” The bedpost clanks against the wall as he pulls at the ropes binding his hands. He looks over to me and asks, “Why are you doing this?”
“You’ve been a busy man, Jason… very busy,” I tell him. “Tell me about Steven.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about! I don’t know anything…” he starts, but he stops when he sees the knife I’m holding in my hand. I lower it to his chest and use it to cut a line down the middle of his t-shirt.
“And Evelyn? I guess you don’t know anything about her either,” I say as I press the edge of the blade against his hip, close to his kidney.
“I… uh… oh god, please don’t kill me!” he pleads, pulling frantically at the ropes.
“I want you to listen to me, Jason,” I tell him as the blade begins to cut into his skin. It isn’t deep, but it is enough to cause blood to trickle down his side. “I want you to listen… very… carefully.”
“Please!” he begs as he looks down at the blood staining his sheets.
“You’re going to tell me everything you know… about Ana… those patients at the hospital… and Steven.” I drag the blade over to the other side of his chest, scratching the first few layers of his skin. I press deeper into his other hip, causing the blood to begin to flow as I say, “And don’t leave out anything, motherfucker.”
“Ana?” he asks, squirming beneath my knife. “Fuck me… that bitch just keeps causing problems. Should’ve taken care of her weeks ago.”
Rage surges through me, and I jab the knife deep into his side. He grunts in agony when I pull the knife free. “Watch your fucking mouth,” I shout. “Or I’ll end you right now!”
“Just do it, asshole! You’re going to kill me anyway… just get it over with!”
Goliath steps closer to the bed and says, “When we leave here, we’re going to go see your parents… I’m sure your mother....”
“No! Please don’t!! She didn’t have anything to do with any of this,” he shouts. “It was my father. It was all his idea. I… I just helped him. And… and when Ana started asking questions, he told me to take care of it.”
“Is that why you had her suspended?” I ask.
“That's her fault! As soon as she started snooping, I did everything I could to get her to leave. I thought it was enough to get her to give up and move on… try to get on at another hospital, but she wouldn’t give it up. When she wouldn’t leave, my father had her suspended,” Jason explains.
“We know about the transplants,” Goliath says as he leans over him. “Maybe you’d like to be added to the donor list…. I’m sure that you’re a perfect match for someone out there.”
“I’m sorry! But if Ana had just kept her damn mouth shut, nothing would have happened to her.”
“Tell me about Steven,” I demand.
“When Dad got a message from the Medical Board tonight, we both knew Ana was behind it. She didn’t leave me any choice. I had to shut her up and make her disappear,” Jason admits. “I sedated him, and after I took a few pictures, I took him to his house and set the fire. It’s all her fault. The cunt should’ve kept her damn….”
“Motherfucker,” I yell as I begin my assault on his face. “Her name is Ana!” My fist crashes into his face again and again. “You are never to speak of her again. Ever! As of this moment, she is forgotten, along with us. We were never fucking here. If you run your mouth, I’ll finish what I started, and I won’t stop with you.” My knuckles sting from the continuous blows I pound into his face in rhythm with the message I'm giving him, but I don’t stop. It isn’t until after I’ve knocked out his front teeth that Goliath pulls me off of him.
“Rein it in, brother. Remember what Bishop said… we don’t need him dead. They’ll be here any minute,” Goliath warns. I look down at his bloody face, almost unrecognizable from all of the swelling and bruising.
Renegade sits down at Jason’s desk and turns on his computer. Following Bobby’s instructions from earlier tonight, he quickly searches for all of the medical files and emails. While he pulls them up, Goliath takes all the documents we collected and places them on the edge of the desk. Once he’s done, we quickly begin untying Jason’s feet. We can hear the sounds of the sirens in the distance letting us know it is time to get moving.
Jason is barely conscious when I lean down, just inches from his face and say, “They are going to love a pretty boy like you in prison, especially now that you’re missing so many of your fucking teeth.” He moans and tugs at the ropes that still hold his hands. “Payback is a bitch, asshole,” I say, stepping away from the bed.
Goliath makes one final check of everything we have left for the police, ensuring that they will find what they need to put Jason and his father, along with that other fucked up doctor, in jail for the rest of their lives. We leave there feeling confident that everything will be taken care of. Any two bit local cop would be able to find everything they needed to put him under, but Bishop also notified a few of his contacts, ensuring our protection. With his connections, we won’t have to worry about any blowback from everything that went down tonight.
Chapter 22
Ana
It’s been two weeks since the night my life spiraled out of control. Doc’s phone call to the Medical Board ignited a fire that caused my life as I had always known it to burst into flames and practically combust before my eyes. Everything changed that night. I’m still having a hard time with losing Steven. Honestly, I don’t think I will ever get over it, or the fact that it could've been me. A part of me finds comfort in knowing how many lives were saved through all of this, but it’s still hard not being able to talk to him. Steven had always been a wonderful friend to me, and I know he’d be happy with the way my life has turned around.
Dillon never would tell me what really happened that night with Jason. He said it was club business, and he couldn’t talk about it. I knew he had taken care of it, just like he promised. I wasn’t surprised when I read in the newspaper that Jason and his father were arrested. There was a huge investigation, and several doctors and nurses were indicted for organ trafficking. It was over… I had my life back.
Once the news became public, my suspension was lifted from the hospital. They offered to let me come back to work, but I just wasn’t interested. That part of my life was over, and I was ready to move on. I decided to take Tessa up on her offer. Doc was able to get me on at the hospital in town, and they even let me keep the hours I had already acquired in Kentucky. I’ve been working there for several days, and I already love it. The staff is wonderful, and the best part is I get to be with Dillon every day. I couldn’t ask for more.
My dad was so relieved to hear that I was back to work. He’d been so worried, and he couldn’t be happier with the way everything turned out. It means so much to me that he is okay with me staying here and understands that I need a fresh start. I have no doubt that he will continue to keep a close eye on me. My father is a worrier, and I love him for that.
Dillon called earlier to tell me that he had something to show me after work. I could hear the excitement in his voice, so I am eager
to see what he is up to. I go to my locker and change into my jeans and t-shirt. Once I get my boots on, I reach for my Devil Chaser’s leather jacket. The smell of fresh leather surrounds me as I slip it on. When I walk down the hall, I get a few questioning looks, but they don’t bother me. I love wearing it. It’s just another reminder that Dillon is mine, and I’m part of his family now. I’ve grown to love all of them, and I wear the DC name with pride… having it say Sheppard’s property is just an added bonus.
He is sitting on his bike watching me as I walk up to him. There is just something about seeing that man on a bike. He’s so damn hot. His worn blue jeans and boots along with his new Devil Chaser’s leather jacket make me painfully aroused. I just can’t get enough of him. My heart races when he gets off his bike and starts walking towards me.
“Did you have a good day?” he asks.
“I had a really good day,” I tell him just before he leans down to kiss me. I love how his mouth feels against mine, and I immediately feel the loss when he pulls away from me.
“We need to get going,” he tells me as he takes my hand and leads me over to the bike.
“Where exactly are we going?” I ask.
“You’ll see,” he says with a sexy smile.
As soon as he gets on, I lift my leg over the seat, and the smell of his cologne mixed with leather swirls around me as I get settled in my spot. I never thought I’d be one to like riding on a motorcycle, but I love it. The wind whipping around me makes me feel like I’m actually a part of the nature that surrounds us. As soon as he starts the engine, I wrap my arms around his waist and snuggle in close to him.
We’ve only driven a few miles when he pulls onto an old country road. Beautiful yellow buttercups are sprouting up everywhere, and the dogwood trees are starting to bloom. It’s simply breathtaking. He slows down in front of a large log cabin house and pulls into the driveway.
