Tainted Desire

by Brook Wilder

  Eileen’s worried face came into view and I managed a smile. “Hey, you found me.”

  “Oh my God,” she said as her hands touched my face. “Are you hurt? Did he shoot you?”

  “I wish he had,” I groaned as I tried to move my leg, feeling nothing below where I had tied it off. “How do I look?”

  “Daniel,” she breathed, her eyes full of worry and concern for me, her mortal enemy. “We have got to get you out of here.”

  “No hospital,” I stated. I couldn’t go to a fucking hospital like this. It would raise too many questions that I wasn’t prepared to answer.

  “But you need help. You’re bleeding.”

  I grabbed her wrist, her cool skin a completely different change from my own heated touch. “No fucking hospital, Eileen.”

  “All right,” she swallowed, looking at my wound on my leg. “Can you get up with my help?”

  I nodded, clenching my teeth as she slid her arm around my shoulders and helped me to a standing position. My body screamed in pain and the world tilted on its side, forcing Eileen to catch me before I fell to the ground. “You can do this,” she said firmly. “I need for you to do this, Daniel. I need to get you out of here.”

  I fought through the pain, the beads of sweat popping out on my forehead as I somehow found the strength to walk up the embankment and back to the road above, leaning against Eileen heavily. She never once buckled, never once forced me to slow down, bearing all my weight with her slight build until we got to her bike.

  Her ‘borrowed’ bike.

  Eileen helped me over the back, and I tried not to cry out in pain as my leg was swung over the leather seat. “I’m sorry.” She scrambled around, allowing me to press my forehead into her chest to recover. “I’m so sorry.”

  “I’m fine,” I ground out, panting. “Let’s just get the hell out of here.”

  Her hands smoothed the hair on my head. “Take a breath, Daniel. I got you.”

  I wrapped my arms around her and held her close, breathing in her scent. “You came.”

  She let out a miserable laugh. “Of course I did. Did you think I wouldn’t?”

  She would have been better off just leaving me down there. I was complicating her life and once we got back to the club, she would have to make a choice.

  “Come on,” Eileen finally said, pulling back. “I think I know where to go, but you aren’t going to like it.”

  Her profile blurred before me and I knew I was fading fast, having lost too much blood to be of any help. “I’m not gonna make it.”

  She grabbed my chin, forcing me to meet her eyes. “You are going to make it,” Eileen stated, her voice cracking. “All right?”

  “All right.”

  Somehow, we did make it and before I knew it, she was pulling the bike into a nice neighborhood on the edge of Castillo, with stately brick houses and neatly cut yards. Eileen cut the bike off and I sucked in as I felt the pain shoot through my body with the slightest movement. She stood, peering at me. “You still with me, Voodoo?”

  “I’m here,” I said, grasping her wrist lightly. “I think I love you.”

  I felt her stiffen but I wanted to tell her that what she had done for me was more than anyone else had bothered to do.

  Hell, I didn’t want to lose her.

  “Come on,” she said instead, reaching for my arm. “Let’s get you off this bike.”

  I allowed her to do so, grimacing in pain as we got my leg from the other side of the bike and me to a semi-standing position. “Where are we?”

  “Machine Gun’s house.”

  “Are you fucking kidding me?”

  “I told you you wouldn’t like it but she’s the only nurse I know.”

  I grumbled, mainly because I knew that Machine Gun and his fiancée wanted nothing more than to kill me for what I had allowed to happen to him. She wasn’t going to help me.

  She was going to bury me in the backyard and move on like nothing had happened. “I can’t go in there,” I said as Eileen attempted to get me to walk up to the front door.

  She stopped and glared at me. “It’s either this or the hospital. I’m not about to let you bleed out because you are so damn stubborn.”

  “I prefer to stay alive,” I fired back but allowed her to lead me to the door. It would be her fault if they shot me at first sight.

  Eileen propped me up on the brick doorway as she rapped on the door with her knuckles and I felt my knee weaken from having to attempt to hold myself up. Damn, I was in a way. I had been shot out, nearly blown up, stabbed, and beat up pretty badly but never had I experienced this type of pain before.

  I hoped that Elisa had some good drugs here. I snorted then as Eileen rapped on the door again. Elisa probably would try to cut my damn leg off without giving me any pain meds if it was up to her. What if she refused to touch me? What would we do then? I couldn’t go to a hospital and the moment I called in help I would be pulled out of the assignment.

  I would have to leave Eileen.

  That wasn’t gonna happen.

  Chapter 14

  Siren

  I had never been as scared as I was right then, rapping on Machine Gun’s door and hoping that someone would answer. Daniel looked like death warmed over, his skin an unhealthy shade of white, and all I wanted to do was help him.

  I just hoped I wasn’t walking him into a death trap. When I had seen his bike, my heart had stopped in my chest, hoping that I hadn’t been too late in getting back. Traffic had been at a slow crawl because of another accident on the highway and no matter what exit I took, I had run into it.

  Damn him for not wanting to go to the hospital. He was leaving me no choice but to be here.

  The door finally opened, and Elisa’s face appeared, surprise in her expression. “Siren!”

  “Elisa,” I started as her eyes flitted over to Daniel, narrowing as she realized who was gracing her doorstep. “We need your help.”

  “He’s bleeding on my bricks,” she said flatly, crossing her arms over her chest.

  “He’s been injured,” I explained quickly. “We can’t go to the hospital.”

  “So, you brought him here?”

  “Please,” I urged. Just then Daniel made a noise and started to fall forward, knocking us both into the opposite doorway while I fought to keep him upright. Oh God. He was dying.

  “Crap,” Elisa said, reaching out to help me. “Come on, get him inside. Damien!”

  With her help, I got him across the threshold as Machine Gun came hobbling into the room, his steps slowing as he saw who was at the door. “No fucking way.”

  “Help me, please,” Elisa stated, throwing her arm under Daniel’s shoulder. “We need to get him flat.”

  “That’s Voodoo.”

  “I know who the hell it is,” she argued. “But that’s also Siren and she’s asking for our help.”

  Machine Gun let out a growl but between the three of us, we got Daniel down the hall and into a spare bedroom, laying him gently on the bed. His breathing was shallow, and I touched his forehead, my hand coming back covered with sweat. He was worse off than he’d led me to believe.

  “You’re not helping his ass,” Machine Gun said firmly, rage written all over his face. “I’m calling Chains.”

  Elisa came to stand before her fiancé, touching his face with her hand. “I don’t want to, trust me, but I’m also a nurse and I can’t turn my back on an injured person. You can kill him after I bring him back to life, all right?”

  My knees weakened as I saw Machine Gun’s expression soften, knowing that he wouldn’t cross his fiancée when she had her mind set on something. She was going to save Daniel for now.

  After, well, I would have to try to protect him the best I could.

  “All right,” Machine Gun said, glancing over at me. “Come on. You look like you could use a drink.”

  I looked down at Daniel, his eyes closed, and my heart leapt into my throat. Could I leave him knowing that these people wan
ted him dead?

  “Don’t worry,” Elisa sighed, her hand clutching my arm. “I’m not going to kill him now. I want to save him. He will be safe for now.”

  I nodded and walked out of the room, following Machine Gun into a massive kitchen that did not match the rough biker I had grown to know. He didn’t say anything as he reached into the cabinet, pulling down a bottle of amber-colored liquid and two glasses. “Sit.”

  I did as he asked, seating myself at the island in the middle of the kitchen wearily. It was then that I realized I was covered in Daniel’s blood, dark splotches smeared on my jeans and on my hands. I started to tremble, thinking about what would have happened if I hadn’t brought him here, if he hadn’t survived the trip.

  Sure, everyone else would have been elated at the thought that Voodoo was finally dead, but me, I cared about him.

  Heaven help me, I cared.

  “Here,” Machine Gun said, pushing the glass in front of me. “Take a sip. It will calm your nerves.”

  I did as he instructed, allowing the fiery liquid to burn a path down my throat. “Thanks.”

  He sat down in front of me, pouring himself a glass but not drinking it. “Why did you come here?”

  “I didn’t have anywhere else to go,” I said honestly. “I know you don’t want him here.”

  Machine Gun held up his hand. “It’s not that I don’t want him here. I want to kill him, Siren. Do you not remember what he tried to do to the club, to our family?”

  I swallowed. I remembered it all very clearly. “Will you at least hear him out?”

  “I already have once,” he responded, surprising me. “He came to visit me in the hospital in the dead of night. Scared the shit out of me. I told him to get the fuck out, but he wanted me to know that he wouldn’t be blackmailing anyone any longer.”

  That sounded like Daniel. I couldn’t help but think of how difficult that must have been for him to go and apologize like that, knowing how proud of a man he was. “I’ve been trailing him for two months. I believe that he won’t be going back into the blackmailing business.”

  “I agree with that,” he answered. “But it doesn’t cancel the fact that he nearly took my life, Siren. I hope that you realize he needs to answer for what he has done, and you need to remember where your loyalties lie.”

  “I haven’t forgotten,” I snapped, tired of people telling me that. I knew that the club was my family and that I owed them a hell of a lot.

  But it didn’t mean they ruled my heart. No, that I owned all to myself and right now it was hooked on the one man I probably could not have.

  And clearly, he thought he was in love with me. I still couldn’t believe he had said that and was going to chalk it up to the loss of blood he had sustained.

  Still, his words had burned a way into my soul, and I knew I was in trouble. “Can I ask you a question?” Machine Gun said after a moment, still not touching his drink.

  “Yeah.”

  “Are you fucking him?”

  My eyes flew to his and I could see nothing but concern in their depths, much like a big brother would have for his sister. “No,” I said tightly. “I haven’t.”

  “Good,” he responded. “Keep it that way, Siren. That will make what’s gonna happen a hell of a lot easier to swallow in the end.”

  I knew what he was talking about. He was talking about Daniel’s impending death. No one had seen the man I had seen over the last few days, the discussions he and I had had. He had gone with me after a girl when he could have easily taken off and disappeared.

  He had protected me, given me his damn name, and trusted that I would keep it a closely guarded secret.

  And I was going to have to stand back and watch him be killed by those I called family.

  “Why is he wearing a vest?”

  Machine Gun’s soft question drew my attention once more and I slumped my shoulders as I explained to him what we had been attempting to accomplish over the last two days. I even threw in a mention about Two Tone’s bike and how I had borrowed it since mine was impounded, watching as Machine Gun arched a brow at that. “You’re gonna tell them, aren’t you?” I asked finally, feeling spent.

  He sighed. “You know I have to, Siren. This isn’t right and what you have done, I’m not sure if I agree with it all, but no one can fault you for saving that girl’s life, even if it was with that fucker.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “I hope you know that Voodoo’s allegiance is with the CIA. He takes his orders from a higher power, Siren, and won’t hesitate to turn his back on you the moment it doesn’t fit into the plans.”

  “I know,” I said stubbornly, not wanting to think about that fact.

  “No, I don’t think you do,” Machine Gun interrupted, his expression thunderous. “Listen, I know you care about him. It’s written all over your face. You say you’re not fucking him, but I would beg to differ given what I see. Trust me on this, he’s gonna break your heart and the club might not be there to pick up the pieces.”

  I stood, angry that his words might be right about both Daniel breaking my heart and the club turning its back on me. “I need some air.”

  Machine Gun nodded to the back door. “Go back there. You look like you just murdered someone.”

  I stepped outside onto the patio, taking in deep breaths to keep from crying. Machine Gun’s words hit far too close to home for me. The club was what I had known nearly half my life and I was seriously considering the ramifications of what would happen if I chose to stand up for Daniel.

  I would be ousted, that was a definite.

  But was I willing to take that chance knowing that the man lying in the bed right now had some serious feelings for me? Both clubs were full of those that had taken chances when there hadn’t been chances to take and everything had worked out for them.

  For me, though, I didn’t think it was all going to work out in the end. I really was looking at two paths and if Daniel started spouting feelings for me, I would find it difficult to take the other path knowing I could be turning my back on happiness.

  True happiness.

  A tear escaped down my cheek and I brushed it away, feeling lost. I didn’t know what to do really. I did know that Machine Gun was not going to allow Daniel to walk out of this house without getting his revenge.

  The door opened and I sucked back the rest of the tears as Elisa appeared, wiping her hands on a towel. “You can see him now.”

  “How is he?” I asked.

  “He’s lost a lot of blood, which I can’t replace for him, but I think he’s going to be okay with a good night’s rest and some fluids. I hooked up an IV and sewed up the wound. All we can do is make sure that he doesn’t get an infection.”

  “Thank you,” I said softly. “I know this was hard.”

  “I did it for you,” she interrupted, slinging the towel over her shoulder. “As much as I hate to admit it, I saw the look on your face, Siren. I hope you know what you are getting yourself into because I feel like it’s just going to be heartache for you in the end.”

  “What would you have done?” I asked.

  She sighed. “You know what I would have done. Come on. He’s been asking for you. I’ve got him some pain meds on board, but he refused the heavy stuff.”

  I nodded, smoothing my hair back with my hands as I followed her back through the kitchen and into the spare bedroom. Daniel was sitting up in the bed, his leg elevated by a pillow, his bare chest peeking out from under the white sheet. “Hey,” he said weakly as I entered. “She didn’t cut off my leg.”

  “The night is still young,” Elisa replied, though her voice didn’t hold any animosity. I approached the side of the bed, my hands clenched at my sides. “How do you feel?”

  “Like shit,” he responded, leaning back on the pillows. “She said I need to be down a few days but you and I both know I don’t have that kind of time.”

  “Daniel,” I said softly, reaching out to grasp his hand. “Coming here was a risk, but I didn’t have
anywhere else to go.”

  He linked our fingers together, giving my hand a squeeze. “I know and I don’t blame you, all right? I just wish I had more time with you.”

  His words tore through my heart and I found myself wishing the exact same thing. If only we had been different people. If only we had met earlier in our careers, before this shit with the CIA had gotten started.

  “I’m not scared,” he said after a moment, his eyes on our joined hands. “I’ve dug this grave, Eileen, and I don’t want to drag you down with me.”