by Lane Hart
“What the hell could Torin have done that’s worth a million bucks to hide?” Abe asks.
“Torin won’t tell me what it is. I had hoped Malcolm would know, but it looks like Hector is playing this close to his chest. It doesn’t have anything to do with the cartel or their drugs. It’s something Malcolm and their crew of traffickers aren't involved with. The only things Malcolm knew was that Hector has promised the Aces access to our fucking territory and that just two people are aware of what the shit with Torin is about - Hector, and for some reason, Hector’s daughter, a chick named Lexi.”
“If it’s not about drugs,” Miles says, “then Hector is going rogue and doing this without the cartel backing him up. They might not be happy that he’s making plays on the side, without their involvement. And if only he and his daughter know what it is…”
“I’m not going to play any guessing games,” I interrupt. “Torin’s our president, and he wouldn’t do anything intentionally to hurt this club. We’ll figure this shit out together, and if it means taking down Hector and dealing with backlash from the cartel…”
“We’ll make them regret even glancing at our territory,” Abe finishes. “This is our town, and these drugs they’re slinging are hurting our people. We’ll make them bleed for every person they’ve hurt trying to muscle in on our home.”
“You’re damned right we will.” I nod to Abe. “I just hope that we can shut them down before too many of us have to bleed with them.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Sasha
Chase got home late last night; and from what I can tell, things didn’t go as well as he'd hoped. Instead of staying in the clubhouse, he wanted us to come back to the farmhouse to have more privacy.
I asked if we could take his bike, and he gave me some excuse about a storm coming and how he didn’t want us to get caught in it. I didn’t press the issue but plan to bring it up again soon.
When both of our phones start going off early in the morning, I sneak out of bed and grab them both to take them downstairs, so Chase can get more sleep.
Since Debra, the station’s producer, has called me twice, I go ahead and call her back.
“Hey, Debra, it’s Sasha,” I say.
“Sasha, how are you feeling? Any better?”
“Yes,” I say to further the lie I told her yesterday when I called in sick. “Hopefully I can recover over the weekend and be back on Monday.”
Honestly, I’ve enjoyed my break. It’s nice not to worry about how I look or what hateful comments I’ll get on social media about my outfits.
“Glad to hear you’re on the mend,” Debra says. “And congrats! World News Tonight called to get our referral for you and said you got the job!”
“I did,” I reply. “But I don’t think I’m going to take it.”
“Really? I thought you were excited?”
“I was, but I’m happy here,” I say, thinking of Chase upstairs in the bed.
“It’s a big decision,” Debra says. “We’ll support you in whatever you decide.”
“I appreciate that,” I tell her.
“I’ll let you go rest up,” she says. “You’re missing one helluva news day, though.”
“Oh really?” I ask, curious and a little disappointed to miss out on the excitement. “What’s going on?”
“You know the motorcycle gang that wears the bearded skull with a crown, the Savage Kings?”
“Yes,” I say, not willing to tell her just how intimately I know them.
“There was a shooting outside their clubhouse, like a rival gang or something, and…”
“And?” I ask impatiently.
“A woman was shot.”
“No,” I gasp. Looking at the screen of Chase’s phone, I see a list of missed call from several of his brothers. Fuck. “Who?” I ask Debra.
“They haven’t released her name yet, but there are rumors she was one of the old ladies.”
“Oh my God,” I gasp when my breath is knocked out of my lungs and tears fill my eyes. “I-I have to go,” I tell her before I end the call and run up the steps with both of our phones. “Chase,” I say kneeling on my side of the bed to shake his shoulder “Chase, baby, wake up!” I urge as a sob leaves my throat.
“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” he asks as he pops up, bleary-eyed in concern.
“There was a shooting…at the clubhouse.” I open his hand and put his phone in it. He blinks at the list of missed calls and curses before his finger moves over the buttons, and he puts it up to his ear.
“Abe,” he says. I’m close enough to hear Abe’s response.
“It’s bad man. We’re at the hospital, but it’s not looking good.”
I slap my hand over my mouth in worry as Chase explodes, coming out of bed and pulling on his jeans with one hand with the phone between his shoulder and ear.
“What the fuck’s going on? Who’s at the hospital?” he shouts.
I can’t hear Abe’s response, but I know by the way Chase’s back slumps against the wall that it’s her.
Kennedy, Torin’s wife, is in the hospital, and her and their baby are most likely fighting for their lives.
…
Chase
Thank fuck my body runs on automatic functions, or I’d be worthless.
Kennedy was shot by some stupid motherfucker right outside of our clubhouse. Abe said that, after the ambulance got her to the hospital, they took her back to surgery and they hadn’t told Torin a damn thing in over an hour.
Sasha and I ran through the parking lot and into the surgical waiting room, looking for my brother. I knew that Torin was gonna be a wreck, but seeing him was even worse than I expected. He jumps up from his chair to throw his arms around me, and my throat clogs up with emotion when I see the blood soaking through his cut, his shirt, and his jeans.
“How is she?” I ask when he pulls back and wipes his eyes on the short sleeves of his tee.
“They won’t tell me…they won’t tell me anything about her or…or the baby,” he says with a clenched jaw.
Clasping his shoulder, I tell him, “Kennedy is tough. She’s a fighter, and I bet that kid of yours is too.”
“Yeah,” he replies with a nod. “Yeah, they are.”
The guys make room for Sasha and me to sit next to Torin, Sasha’s fingers squeezing mine while we all wait in silence. Torin can’t sit still for long. He’s up pacing most of the time.
I want to ask what the fuck happened, but now’s not the time. If I had to guess, it had to have been Hector. Torin is probably blaming himself, and I know exactly how he feels. The waiting while Sasha was in surgery was the worst hours of my life. Hearing the doctor say she was in recovery and doing well was such a relief I nearly kissed the man.
“Get them the fuck out of here!” Torin shouts when he looks through the windows of the hospital and sees the media vans out front.
“On it,” Sax says, jumping up to head outside.
“I can’t believe this,” Torin mutters to himself, scrubbing his hands across his face over and over again. “She has to be okay. She has to!”
“Mr. Fury?”
I swear the entire world stopped spinning in the seconds following the surgeon’s appearance in the middle of the waiting room. Our whole group jumps to our feet as Torin stands frozen in place like he can’t make himself walk over and talk to the man in blue scrubs who has answers for him. Thankfully, the surgeon comes to us instead. His face is solemn, not the least bit hopeful before he speaks.
“I’m so sorry,” he tells Torin. “We did everything we could…”
“How is she?” Torin interrupts, still holding out hope, unable to accept the words as the doctor meant them.
“I’m sorry, but your wife’s heart stopped while in transit. We tried to revive her and deliver your son. We couldn’t save either of them.”
“No!” Torin gasps. “No, please, God, no!”
“I’m so sorry for your losses,” the surgeon says again, then wa
lks away as if he didn’t just drop the atomic bomb that annihilated everything that was good in my brother’s life.
Torin falls to his knees and buries his head in his hands as he starts to sob. I kneel down beside him and wrap my arms around him as tears overflow from my eyes.
I can’t believe Kennedy is gone. It just…it doesn’t seem possible that something so awful could happen to someone so good. And the poor baby…
There’s no way that my brother will ever be able to recover from this. But as soon as he has a chance to grieve, heads are gonna fucking roll, and I’ll be right there with him, swinging the ax.
…
Sasha
Death is nothing new for me. As a reporter, I’ve seen all kinds of horrible tragedies, the worst moments in all sorts of lives.
But this, being here at the hospital with Chase when the doctor gave the devastating news to Torin that his wife and baby are gone is more painful than anything I’ve ever experienced. Maybe because I know the news is also hurting the man I love.
I didn’t even know Kennedy that well, only spoke to her once when we went to dinner, but still, my heart is breaking because she was such a sweet woman and didn’t deserve to have her life taken so soon.
The entire packed waiting room remains frozen, most of us crying silently as we listen to Torin’s heartbreaking sobs. And at this moment, when his entire life has been turned upside down, all of his men surround him placing a hand on his back or shoulder or arm to show him their respect and condolences, their solidarity.
This is what the MC is about. Some people think that these guys are nothing but outlaws, broken men with criminal backgrounds who break the law for sport. The other half is made up of military veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress, unable to fit in with the regular world after their return from war, so they decide to make their own rules. But really, the Savage Kings MC is about a loyal brotherhood made up of men on the outskirts of society who support each other through the good times and the bad.
And I know as I look at their united group that one thing is clear – whoever hurts one member, hurts them all. They’ll find the gunman, and then there will be bloodshed. While I may not agree with their methods, I can agree that someone needs to inflict justice for such an awful crime.
I just hope that Chase doesn’t end up getting himself killed or arrested.
Things are going to get bad until the MC enacts their revenge. People will get hurt, some may die. Even knowing all of that, I couldn’t leave Chase now, not after all the time apart and how amazing it feels to be with him again. Through whatever may come, I’ll be here, by his side when he needs me.
Hopefully, that won’t be seeing him behind bars or in the morgue.
Chase stands up and breaks free from the group of men first. He wipes his face on the hem of his shirt before he turns around and faces me.
I meet him halfway, wrapping my arms around his neck as he squeezes me to him tightly.
“I’m so sorry, baby,” I whisper, unable to figure out the right words to make things better. There aren’t any; I don’t think. So I just hold him until he pulls away.
“I’m, um, I’m gonna talk to the doctors,” he says. “See if they’ll let Torin go back and see her.”
“Okay,” I agree. “Do you need me to do anything?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “I need to call my dad before he hears about it on television. I’ll go outside and do that; then I’ll find a nurse or doctor.”
“Let me try to do that part. I’ll find someone who can let Torin go back and wait for you to return,” I say. “But don’t go outside. There are still news vans and all out there.”
“Oh, yeah, you’re right. I didn’t think about that,” Chase says as he presses the heels of his hands into his eyes. “This is just so…I don’t even know what to say…”
“I know,” I agree, giving him another hug around his waist. “I’m here, whatever you need. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Thanks, sweetheart,” he says. “I’ll be right back.”
With a nod, I walk with him to the information desk. Chase goes down the hall a little further to an empty corridor to pull out his phone.
“Excuse me,” I say to the woman behind the counter. “Mr. Fury just received the news that his wife and newborn son passed away. Could you please find out if he can go back to see them? His brother is right there down the hall and would like to take him,” I explain as I point out Chase.
“Oh, of, course. I’m so sorry for your loss,” she says, looking behind me to the group of men in leather still huddled around each other. “Let me make a few calls, and I’ll let you know as soon as I find out.”
“Great, thank you,” I tell her before I start down the hallway toward Chase. I have a feeling that he’ll need a little support during this conversation.
“Torin and I are fine,” he tells his father. “But, um, listen, Kennedy was the one who got hurt.”
Placing my hand on the center of Chase’s cut, I rub his back as he tries to find the words. “She…she didn’t make it, Dad. The baby didn’t either.”
I can’t imagine how hard it is for Chase to be the one to have to deliver that horrible news to his father.
“I know, I know,” he says with a sniffle in response to whatever his father says. “How do you think he is? We need you here. Yeah, we’re at the hospital. Okay. Love you, too. Bye.”
Ending the call, Chase says, “They’re on the way.”
“Good,” I say when I lay my head on his back. I know he probably doesn’t like me seeing him cry.
“Fuck,” he mutters as he bows his head and covers it with his hands. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard my father cry before today.”
“Everyone is hurting,” I explain. “There’s not much worse that can happen to anyone.”
“Yeah,” he agrees. Taking a few deep breaths, Chase turns around and pulls me into his side and places a kiss on the top of my head. “I’m so glad you’re here. I’d be lost without you to keep me standing when it feels like the ground under my feet is all crumbling apart.”
“We’ll get through this,” I tell him. “One small step at a time.”
He must nod, because I feel his chin move against my head before it returns.
“They’re working on getting Torin back there to see her,” I say.
“God fucking help us,” he mutters.
…
Chase
“Mr. Fury? We can take you back now,” a nurse in green scrubs says when she comes out into the lobby.
“War?” I ask, tilting my chin toward the nurse because I want him to help me get Torin back there. This isn’t gonna be pretty, and hell, it’ll probably be even worse than getting the news, but my brother needs this, to see her and say goodbye. I know he does, even though I wish we could be anywhere else right now.
War gives a nod of understanding and then, one of us on each side, pull my brother to his feet.
“Wh-what are you doing? Where are we…where we going?” Torin asks as we start guiding him down the hallway.
“Don’t you want to see her?” I ask.
“No,” he answers, and then, “Yes, but I don’t know if I can yet.”
His voice breaks on the last word, and it’s like a goddamn chainsaw cuts off my knees. I power through because my brother needs me right now. I’ve got to be the strong one today, holding him up and helping him get through this shit. That’s what he would do for me.
“We’ve got you,” I tell him, looking over his slumped body to War. It takes him a few moments to visually swallow down his emotions. He’s the only one of us who has a kid and a former old lady, so I’m guessing that this is all hitting pretty close to home today.
“We’re here for you, brother,” War says to Torin. “Every step of the way, every second of the day. Don’t doubt that for an instant, no matter how bad things get.”
With a nod, Torin continues to follow the nurse down the hallway, needing only a
little bit of support from War and me when he stumbles. Rather than having too much to drink, he’s had too much goddamn heartbreak today to put one boot in front of the other.
Slowly, though, we make it to our destination – also known as hell on Earth.
I go in first and see Kennedy lying on the bed, so peaceful that it looks like she could just be sleeping, except that her face is pale and her lips are a little blue. Then, I spot the bassinet, and it’s too fucking much.
Strong. I have to be strong. Because a second after me, Torin walks in and sucks in a deep breath.
“Oh, God,” he whispers as he goes over to Kennedy. He lifts her head and cradles it to his chest as he bawls on her. “What did they do to you, baby? What did they do?” he cries.
War rests his hand on my shoulder when I start to move forward. “Give him some time,” he says. “He needs to say goodbye. We’ll be here when he’s ready.”
Nodding in agreement, I let him turn me around to step back into the hallway where he pulls the door closed.
With my back pressed against the wall, I slide down it until my ass hits the floor to bury my face in my hands. God, when will these fucking tears stop?
War sits down next to me.
“What the fuck happened?” I ask, needing to know.
“I dunno much,” he says. “We’ll need to call Jade…”
“I’m guessing she’ll be here as soon as she can,” I tell him.
“All I know is that I saw Kennedy bring Torin some breakfast. He’d been at the table working when I came in around six,” he says. “I knew he’d be there early, and I didn’t want him there alone with everyone else asleep. I’ve had this feeling in my gut, you know?”
