Stormy's Thunder: Satan's Devils MC Utah

by Manda Mellett

  Pip’s arms had tightened around me, and such was my fear for Finn, I barely noticed. “Finn did what he had to do, what only he could.”

  “He’s dead, isn’t he?” He has to be, it sounds like the whole building is coming down.

  “Don’t think like that,” Pip snaps. “Finn’s resourceful.”

  I know he is, he was a SEAL for fuck’s sake. But his wings have been clipped. Even whole he’d have difficulty coming down from the roof.

  A particularly loud crash had me startling. In the light of Pip’s flashlight I catch sight of his wince.

  He answers my unspoken question, “That was the elevator, I think.”

  And Finn has difficulty on stairs.

  Time seems to stop, the sounds begin to die off, a rattle here, a shudder there, another loud bang as something else crashes into the box we’re in.

  “They’ll come for us as soon as it’s safe,” Pip reassures me.

  “Can’t we get out?”

  “Not letting you go anywhere until we get the all clear.”

  I didn’t voice my fears, but that hadn’t stopped me thinking them. What if the plan hadn’t worked? What if our side is dead? What if Gun’s still free? Who exactly would be opening the safe room up when the building finally settled?

  We waited, in silence. I’d been kidnapped, sold to a man who kept me captive and who abused me. I’d thought I’d never be able to move past that, but the loss of Finn? That I know I won’t survive.

  It’s like being trapped in the cellar all over again. If I was on my own, I’d go crazy. As it is, the walls feel like they’re closing in.

  “Can’t we communicate? Maybe they don’t know we’re alive in here?” Surely men as resourceful as this club would have a method of getting a message to the outside world?

  “They know. And we don’t know if our comms have been compromised. It’s radio silence until someone comes and opens the door up.”

  It was probably not as long as I felt it had been in my mind and my terror about Finn, but eventually we hear different noises outside. Pip unbolts the door from the inside, then steps back fast, a gun appearing in his hand. He picks up the one Finn had given me and pushes it at me.

  “If you don’t recognise them, pull the trigger,” he’d said, tersely.

  I might not have shot anyone in my life, but if Finn’s dead, I’ll have no reluctance killing his murderers.

  In the end, it’s Pip who forces the barrel of my gun down when the door opened to reveal Grinch and Goofy. Quickly they’d ushered us out.

  God, the next few moments were hard. My memory replays them as I look around the clubhouse, seeing my rescuers at the bar having a well-deserved drink. Our side had won, but Finn? I shudder at the memory.

  I’d counted every one. Gears was injured but walking under his own steam. One by one I crossed off everyone, except for Finn. Finn. Where was he? The building was half destroyed, and the half that wasn’t was on fire, the building my man was on top off with no way down given his injuries.

  “There!”

  With my heart in my mouth, I looked where Grinch had pointed. Not daring to breathe, I watched Finn slide and fall his way down what barely resembled a building at all, making a vow that if he survived, I’d hold onto him, and never leave him. It seemed impossible. What had taken moments seemed to stretch out forever.

  Until he hit the ground.

  Pip had held me back while Igor had rushed over…

  Now I’m here, in the clubroom, standing next to the man I thought I’d lost forever. It’s still sinking in.

  “I’m going to get a beer.” The voice of the man I’m thinking about comes into my ear. I turn to face him. He’s clean and wearing borrowed clothes. Apart from the cuts now scabbing over on his face, he’s as handsome as I’ve ever seen him.

  “Don’t leave me,” I cry, sinking into his chest. “I thought you were dead.”

  He kisses the top of my head. “Never. You’ll never get rid of me.”

  Grinch saunters across, his beer raised in salute. “To the man of the hour.”

  Finn snorts. “I played my part, that’s all. It was a fuckin’ good team effort. Hey, Cat. You can probably let App off in here. He won’t go anywhere.”

  But something makes me keep holding onto his leash. Gears had given him back to me when I’d come back downstairs. Like me, he’d had one hell of a shock tonight, and I don’t want him running off.

  “Good to hear the words team effort from your mouth, Stormy.” We both swing around.

  “How the hell did you get back so fast?” Finn’s mouth is open in surprise.

  Snatcher’s face sours. “We knew we were conned as soon as we arrived. The place was booby trapped, but we figured that out. Turned on our heels and came back immediately. When Pip’s call came, we were already in the air.”

  Around me more men are walking in, but instead the crowd building up concerning me, I count them off in my mind, pleased to see them all alive and breathing. There’s Swift and Road—when Swift spies App she comes running over, snatching the leash out of my hand, lifting him up and cuddling him to her.

  “Thank you for keeping him safe. I was so bloody worried.” I wave her off, I think App saved me as much as I did him, at least he was something to think about.

  Honor and Duty walk in, then, after a few others I only know by sight, there’s Bolt, another of my dinner companions.

  The clubhouse might be gone, but everything that’s important, the people, had survived.

  Snatcher whispers something in Finn’s ear. Finn jerks his head up and down in response. As his prez walks off, he turns to Grinch. “Got any clean bed linen around here?”

  “Sure. There’s a closet in the hall upstairs. Hell, we’d have made the place spick and span if we’d known we were having visitors.” Grinch yells across the room, “Prospects. C’mere.”

  As Brute and Igor run over, and Gears limps along behind them, Grinch issues his instructions. “Got beds to be stripped and made.”

  I feel Finn’s sigh as much as hear it. “I’ll be back later, babe. You going to be alright here?”

  Grinch’s eyes open wide. “Stormy?”

  “I’m a prospect, aren’t I? Best start as I mean to go on.”

  Now it’s Thor who approaches. “Like you can make a fuckin’ bed with one leg and one arm, let alone after you fell from the roof of the fuckin’ building. You get a pass. This time.” The brawny man winks at me. “How about you and your woman get your own room sorted first? Then,” his eyes narrow and his face becomes fierce, “you can explain why you blew up our fuckin’ clubhouse and I’m not going to be sleeping in my own fuckin’ bed tonight.”

  As Thor and Grinch move away, I bite my lip. “Are you going to get into trouble for that?”

  Finn chuckles softly. “Nah, but I’ll get my chain yanked. Brothers are going to get some good mileage from it. Come on, let’s do what he said. Let’s get our room sorted.”

  Our room. A few hours ago I’d have run from a possessive like that. Now, I don’t want Finn out of my sight.

  Again, he uses me as a crutch as we go upstairs to where the prospects are already hustling and bustling around, doors bang open and dirty laundry is chucked out as they try to get some order into the chaos. Gears seems to be limping more heavily now.

  Finn notices as he’s handed some fresh linen from a rack. “Don’t overdo it, man. You took a bullet for the club tonight.”

  Gears rolls his eyes, and shoots Finn a frustrated look. “They were getting impatient. They said they’d shoot the ‘little fuck’ first to hurry you up. I had minutes man, I knew death was coming, but you took that fuckin’ shot. I owe you.”

  Finn shrugs the obvious thanks off clearly embarrassed. But he deserves it, Gears might have had doubts about his own future, but a shiver runs through me remembering how I’d thought the worst had happened to Finn. Never, ever, do I want to watch my man seemingly fall to his death again.

  What’s hap
pened since my rescue has put things into perspective. I don’t know how, but I know I can’t leave Finn. It will take time, I will need help, but having almost lost him, I’ll do anything to hang onto him now.

  As I take his weight again, he needs me to be a strong Cat now, not one the wind is likely to blow over. Slowly—he’s a big man—I help him back to the room he’d labelled as ours. The pronoun that had seemed so wrong yesterday means the world to me now.

  “Sit before you fall down,” I instruct, noticing him rubbing his temple. “I can do this.”

  Falling off a building will take it out of you, I think to myself, the last few hours seem to be catching up with him as he obeys without argument. He sits on the chair, leaning back his head, and closing his eyes for a moment. I leave him be as I strip the bed while wishing I was wearing rubber gloves, then, after washing my hands, remake it. I avoid looking at the mattress as I do.

  But as I’d told him, where I was kept just two nights ago had been far worse. Well, quite a lot anyway. Even with clean sheets, I’ll be sleeping fully covered tonight.

  “Finn?” Once I’m finished, I crouch at his side, taking his left hand in mine. “Are you alright?”

  “What?” He comes to, giving himself a little shake. That he’s feeling bad is clear, when he grimaces. “My head aches. Everything aches.”

  It’s no wonder, given what he’s been through.

  “Lie down for a bit.” I pull at his hand.

  Again, there’s no argument as once more he leans heavily on me as he moves from the chair to the bed. It’s apparent from the careful way he lies down that he’s hurting, a lot. Once again, his eyes close.

  I watch his chest rise and fall, the motion strong, but slow. He’s asleep.

  When a knock comes at the door, I go and open it. Seeing it’s Swift, I ease out into the corridor, putting my finger to my lips. “He’s asleep.”

  “He’s a crazy bastard.” Her eyes roll, but I can see admiration there as well. “I came to see how you were doing, Cat. I know this isn’t great, and we’re all doubling up, hell, three in some rooms. But if you prefer, Road can stay here, and you can sleep in my room.”

  The thought I’d be anywhere but with Finn tonight hadn’t crossed my mind. “I need to be here.”

  Her eyes soften and I see admiration. “Good. He needs someone with him. He probably hit his head again today, you know about concussion watch?”

  “I’m a nurse,” I scoff. The thought had already occurred to me. Especially once he’d mentioned a headache.

  “How’s Stormy?” It’s Preacher coming along up the stairs now.

  “Sleeping,” I tell him, or he was before the sergeant-at-arms just barked.

  Preacher looks at Swift who raises her eyebrows and shrugs. “Can’t wait for him, Preach. He’s just a prospect. He’ll understand.”

  I don’t know what they’re talking about but am thankful when they both move off.

  Finn hasn’t been woken, he’s lying on his side. I check he’s comfortable, then go to sit in the chair, leaning my chin on my hand and just watching him.

  Finn’s always described himself as an asshole, and sure, there are things about him that can’t make me argue with that. But there’s more to him, he’s an honourable man.

  He’d never force me. Even if I wanted to jump his bones right now, I wouldn’t be able to. Not until I know that I’m in the clear. But I know he’ll be patient with me.

  My main fear isn’t that I won’t make it back to some semblance of the woman I was before. No, what scares me most is that the bastards left something inside me. An STD which can’t be cured, or, heaven forbid, a pregnancy.

  Unbidden tears start rolling down my cheeks. I didn’t deserve what had happened to me.

  But if Finn hadn’t come into my life, I’d have died when Weston hadn’t returned to release me.

  My hands clench as I hang onto that Finn’s not to blame for what Gun did to me. I owe my life to my man.

  We’ll get through this.

  Finn seemed so sure.

  Wiping away the wetness from my eyes, I stand, go over to him and wake him. He grumbles and growls but is compliant when I check his eyes.

  “Fuckin’ nurses,” he objects, but he winks at me.

  38

  Stormy…

  During the night Cat wakes me regularly. My complaints are automatic, fuck knows my body needs rest. Her actions show how much she cares.

  They also serve another purpose.

  Not normally one to dwell on anything, tonight my brain taunts me. I’m plagued by nightmares in which I’m falling, dropping without anything to hold on to, everything happening in slow motion. Each time as I drop through the air, I see Cat with a gun to her head. I’m screaming in my head, knowing I won’t be able to get to her. Then, thank fuck, she’s put on the light and is staring into my eyes.

  When I fall back asleep, the dream plays on repeat. Each fucking time I’m too late to save her. Each time I’m soothed back to sleep with dulcet tones and a warm hand caressing my forehead.

  I wake, refreshed with a woman in my arms. Not any woman, but Cat. Still caught in the vestiges of my dreams I check her for injuries then the events of last night come flooding back.

  Fuck. That had been close. I’d thought my number was up.

  “You’re awake,” she murmurs softly. “How are you feeling? How’s your head?”

  At her mention of it, I raise my hand and massage a bump on my skull. “Better than it was.” Fucking fantastic actually. She’s in my arms when there were moments I’d thought she’d never be there again. I refrain from asking her how she’s feeling, I’ll leave her to just do what comes to her naturally.

  I hadn’t lied, I’m far from in working order. Even if I wasn’t, she needs time to heal. My nose starts to twitch, I sniff the air. “What’s that smell?”

  “Brute brought some breakfast up for us. Coffee and an egg and bacon muffin if you’re up for it?” She chuckles softly. “They ordered in. You could hear Cowboy from up here when they asked him to cook. That kitchen and over my dead body, as well as a few fuckin’ rats were phrases repeated quite a lot.”

  And I slept through that? It’s unlike me not to keep one eye half open at night. Still, after falling off a roof, I might have needed it.

  I groan as I replay her words and think of the implications. “Prospects are going to have to clean that shit up.”

  “Count me out if there are rats.” She shudders. “I’ve had enough of them to last a lifetime.” She has, both of the animal and human kind.

  As I gingerly ease myself up, yeah, the headache is all but gone, and reach for the muffin, I realise there’s a hell of a lot of noise coming up from downstairs. Voices that I don’t immediately recognise.

  “What’s going on?”

  “Visitors, I think. Snatcher poked his head around the door and said you’re to go down when you’re ready.”

  I’m surprised he didn’t insist on waking me up. If visitors have descended, prospects will be run ragged and I was deemed one of their number yesterday. Even disabled as I am, I’m determined not to be found wanting. Who could they be? Colorado, belatedly come to help us? That’s our nearest chapter.

  If so they’re far too late. From the fire I saw burning yesterday, there won’t be much left of the other clubhouse.

  I need to get a move on, have a question for her first. “How are you, Cat?” I don’t refer to that fact I just woke up with her arms around me.

  “Better now you’ve woken up. I was worried about you.”

  “Babe, I’ve survived worse than a little concussion.”

  She huffs. “You’ve already had one concussion too many. You’ve got to be careful about your head.”

  Chuckling, I can’t help pointing out. “I didn’t exactly plan for the building to collapse.”

  But it’s too soon for joking, as her disgusted glance suggests. I suppose I was lucky, I only had time to react and do my best to survive. She
had to fucking watch me. I reach for her hand and squeeze it. “I’m so fuckin’ sorry. I’ll do better okay?” Or I’ll try. Even inadvertently I never want to hurt her. Another worry hits me. We’ve got Gun, there’s no danger to her now. “You’re staying, aren’t you? Not running off to Kentucky?” Please let her say yes. I don’t want space between us. I can’t let her go.

  She sighs. “I meant what I said, Finn. I love you. Maybe it took nearly losing you to show me, and I want to get back to the woman I was. I’ll stay, but you’ll have to be patient. I’m going to try, but it’s going to take time.”

  She’ll get there. She might not realise but she’s no longer flinching from my touch. Small steps, in one way, huge in another.

  “We’ve all the time in the world,” I tell her. I lift the cup placed within reach of my good hand, and down the life-giving coffee. “You going to be okay while I take care of business?”

  Her mood lightens. “Apart from the kitchen which I’m not going near, I spoke to Snatcher earlier. He’s assigned the prospects to me, and we’re going to clean up the place and make it habitable. Brute’s already arranging to pick up new mattresses and couches.” She giggles softly. “I don’t know that Snatcher considered his wisdom of putting a nurse in charge of sanitising.”

  I chuckle with her, then her words hit me. “You’ve been downstairs?” My eyes widen.

  “Well, you have been asleep for hours. I kept checking in on you.”

  I don’t mind her leaving me. I’m pleased as hell she’s confident enough to go down to the clubroom without me.

  “So we’re staying here for a while,” I surmise from her comments. I suppose it makes sense, though this old clubhouse isn’t really what I had in mind for starting our new life together.

  “Apparently so. Snatcher thinks it just needs a woman’s touch.” She rolls her eyes, and giggles. “Swift told him rather firmly to count her out.”

  Swift would, but as for Cat, I think Snatcher’s right. Left to us men, we’d pretend not to notice the squalor around us.

  I sit up, realising I’ve no fresh clothes to change into. But I won’t be the only one. I’m still wearing Grinch’s oversized-for-me sweats and t-shirt, I notice as I start to get to my feet.