Lost in the Dark

by Ann Jensen

  He took a deep breath determined not to make that mistake again. “Yeah. She’s more than that.”

  “Good, because I already have a replacement for you here. You can head back to Denver, clean up your shit, and help me out with something else.”

  “Didn’t know you had any jobs going in Denver.”

  “It’s Club business not construction work.”

  As an officer for the Dark Sons MC, Dozer could pull resources as he saw fit. Every Brother had to help out when needed and, in return, they got a monthly income. Extra jobs, outside of the usual, meant extra income but Dragon wasn’t sure if this request was helping out or a job, not that he would say no either way.

  “What do you need?”

  “I need you to clean up the absolute clusterfuck at Dark Zen.”

  From what Dragon knew the business wasn’t anything more than a cash neutral spa the Club bought, to have something to make the old ladies happy. Pixie had said Tari was working there but he didn’t even know what she did. “What kind of clusterfuck can a spa get into?”

  Dozer rolled his eyes. “It was my mistake not paying attention to that shit. But seriously, who the fuck could have known a yoga studio and holistic living spa could be a front for a major heroin distributor.”

  “Seriously?”

  Dragon was surprised that any dealer would have the balls to use one of the Dark Sons’ businesses for anything. Tari worked for a place that was dealing heroin. Was that the major talk they had to have? If his woman had gotten dragged down into something like selling drugs, all her fear and nervousness made sense. It wouldn’t matter to him what kind of trouble she was involved in. If he couldn’t fix it, one of his Brothers would know what to do.

  “Sharp found enough heroin hidden in the shop to supply most of Denver’s addicts for a week. He cleared it out and pulled all the books and shit in the safe, too, which is good because after he left, masked assholes broke in and trashed the place.”

  “Cristo.”

  “Christ is right. Sharp has done a quick look but he has his own garage to worry about. Since you have that fancy business degree, I figured using you for manual labor was a waste of talent.”

  It surprised him that Dozer knew he had earned a Masters in accounting while on active duty since he had never mentioned it to anyone. The exact precision of math and finance had always been a way to get his mind off of the messy reality that was life. It had taken him nine out of the ten years he was on active duty but he had left the service with a piece of paper that meant he could get a job outside of manual labor if he wanted. Which he hadn’t.

  “Who told you?”

  “I’m the treasurer of our chapter. We own over fifty businesses in the Colorado area. I may mostly focus on D.S. Construction but who do you think has to make sure all the companies not actually run by Brothers keep making money?”

  “And that means you know about my degree how?”

  “I know every resource available to the Club. Before we even asked you to prospect, we knew more about you than your own mother.” Dozer seemed amused by his ignorance, but Dragon was stunned. It made sense that the MC ran background checks, he had never considered what that could mean.

  He knew the Club was big and took in enough money that the monthly stipend for being an active Brother was enough that it could support a modest living. Most of them did extra work to supplement but it never occurred to him that the primary source of that regular money was legitimate businesses.

  “So, you want me to take over running the shop?”

  “If you’re interested. But right now, we need someone to figure out just how bad the books were cooked and if we have any other surprises coming our way. The pay will be better than you would have gotten here swinging a hammer for me.”

  Dragon wasn’t really worried about that. He didn’t need much. His thoughts froze for a minute. If Tari was going to be a part of his life, he needed to start thinking more long term. He had only been living moment to moment since he left the service. The future now might actually contain something to look forward to.

  “I’m in.”

  “Good. Get back to Denver and make sure that woman doesn’t think you right out of her life.”

  Chapter 10

  What doesn’t kill you…

  Tari got off the bus exhausted. Thank God, Citlali didn’t wake when she transferred her to the stroller. It was just after ten and if her daughter woke up now it would be hours before she settled down again. After the emotional rollercoaster of this afternoon, and a tiring shift on her feet, all Tari wanted to do was settle down into a bath and go to sleep.

  Footsteps echoed her own as she started off towards home. A quick glance over her shoulder had fear spiking in her throat. Two local gangbangers were shadowing her steps about ten feet back. After paying the babysitter she only had a few dollars of her tips left. If they tried to shake her down, she knew it wouldn’t be enough. They were smaller men with tattoos and colors that marked them as members of the Jacks. Tari had heard enough rumors of the cruelty it required to become a member and quietly prayed this wouldn’t become a confrontation.

  Tari hunched her shoulders regretting not changing fully before leaving work. She almost never left in the tiny shorts they had to wear, changing instead into old comfy jeans. However, tonight, she was still wearing the red halter top that showed too much cleavage to make her comfortable in this situation. Why men insisted on catcalling and harassing a woman, especially one with a baby was baffling, but from the leering looks on the two men’s faces she was sure she would have to put up with it again tonight.

  Tari hoped the three blocks to her apartment was long enough that they could get their laughs and leave her be. If they followed the whole way she would go into the manager’s office that doubled as a convenience store until they hopefully got bored and left.

  The rough grip that wrapped around her neck shocked her so much that she was halfway down the alley before she started fighting back. She was thrown against a wall and pain exploded as one of the men punched her; causing her to stumble and fall to her knees.

  Her cry for help was cut off when the same man kicked her in the face and her head hit the wall; the world shattered for a moment into prisms of light. Her breath rushed out of her as he kicked her several times in the chest and head. Her cracked ribs hurt more as she hit the ground and she tried to crawl through the pain to protect her daughter.

  “Little snitch. No one fucks with Jacks’ business.”

  He pinned her legs down by sitting on them. His dirty hands easily ripping the fabric of her top exposing her breasts. Tari’s mind swirled, lost in pain and confusion.

  “Please, I didn’t do anything!” The world blurred and tilted, her words sounding like they came from far away.

  She felt more than saw the knife running down her neck leaving pain and a bloody trail as it ran over her breast and onto her stomach. She couldn’t help the scream that bounced off the walls when he pushed the blade in and she felt it tearing through muscle. He laughed and ran the blade down the other side of her body repeating the action. This time she heard her scream echoed by her daughter. Terror gave her strength and she thrashed, trying to get to her baby and somehow protect her from what was happening.

  “Fifi told us everything. Your stupidity cost us over a hundred grand in product.”

  He ran the blade across her stomach slowly. Again, and again she screamed for help that wasn’t coming. Her attacker’s face showed no pity, only sick enjoyment as he took his time cutting bloody trails into her.

  “Please, please don’t hurt my baby.” The pain was so great that her mind barely registered the amount of blood that was now pooling on and around her, but the gray and black fog around her vision told her that her time was running out.

  “You and your little brat are going to be left as examples for what happens to people who cross the Jacks.”

  Tari ignored the pain, thrashing as if she wasn’t a mass of bleedi
ng wounds. She had to find a way to save her baby. Had to find some power that would make these evil men not kill her daughter. A desperate idea formed in her mind and she prayed as she spoke it would be enough.

  “You hurt my baby and the Dark Sons will destroy you!”

  “What did she say?” The man not treating her like a pincushion asked.

  The hesitation in his voice gave her hope. Tari tasted the copper of her own blood in her mouth. She could just see her daughter in the stroller pushed up against the side of the alley screaming her terror into the night. She had to make these men believe her.

  “She’s lying.”

  She shook her head. “Her father is high up in the Dark Sons. You do one thing to her and he won’t stop until he finds you.” Tari had no idea how high up Dragon was but she did know one man who was right at the top. She didn’t think he would mind her using his name if it meant saving Citlali. “Sharp is her father. He’s the vice president.” She threw in the last in case it wasn’t common knowledge among criminals who was who.

  Her attacker stood cursing and she rolled to her side trying to push through the pain that wanted to drag her into unconsciousness and find something she could do.

  “Sharp is a fucking psycho, Chobo. I ain’t touching shit that belongs to him.”

  Tari almost found it funny that a man who had just watched his friend Chobo slash a woman repeatedly would call anyone else a psycho.

  “She’s lying. Fifi said this bitch wasn’t associated with those fuckers.”

  The sound of Citlali’s crying gave Tari the strength to dig down into her pocket and pull out her phone. The two started arguing and didn’t notice her motion. Fumbling for a few seconds she somehow dialed the number Pixie had programed into her phone. The sound of Sharp answering had her crying out in relief. His deep gravel voice the sweetest sound to her ears.

  “Sharp.”

  “Help—” she screamed before Chobo finally noticed what she had done and snatched the phone out of her hand.

  “Who’s this?” Chobo snarled into the phone before he quickly hung up. “Fuck!” He threw the phone.

  Tari’s phone hit her in the face and she clutched it, unable to do any more than struggle for air as her vision continued getting blurry at the edges.

  Chobo paced a few steps away and punched a wall. Tari lost her grip on consciousness for a moment and only snapped back when she felt someone pawing at her neck. “No pulse, fuck. Well the bitch is dead she won’t be able to tell anyone shit. Leave the kid. We need to get out of here before they trace her down.”

  She forced herself to remain still until she heard the two men running away. She would have sobbed in relief if she could have spared the breath. Her baby was crying. Citlali wasn’t safe yet. Home was one block away if she could get her daughter there someone would come.

  Tari managed to get to her knees, then used the wall of the alley to stumble to the stroller. Light faded in and out as she forced her body to move. Everything focused down to moving just a bit closer to safety. She wouldn’t fail her daughter. Ringing, car honking, crying, all of the noises meant nothing. She focused on just getting each step closer to home.

  The few people on the street she saw looked away knowing who had hurt her and not wanting to get involved. How could fear make people so callous? Her top was ruined flashing everyone but she didn’t care. Nothing but pushing the stroller one more step mattered. Blood dripped down the smooth plastic and onto the fabric of her daughter’s seat. Time seemed to stretch and flow as the sounds of her daughter’s cries lessened and the ringing kept stopping and restarting its incessant noise.

  Stumbling and trembling with fatigue she somehow managed to make it to her first-floor apartment and get her daughter inside. Safe. She had reached safety. Her fingers shook as she locked the door and legs that couldn’t hold her anymore collapsed. Citlali was quiet and the ringing started again. Only then in the quiet of her apartment did Tari realize it was coming from the phone still somehow clutched in her hand.

  She hit the accept key and was happy to hear the enraged voice like flames over water come through the speaker.

  “Who the fuck is this?”

  “It’s Tari.” Her voice echoed oddly. Her vision now reduced down to tiny pinpricks of light.

  “Tari? What’s going on? Talk to me.” His voice was gentle now and Tari was glad that Pixie had someone who was both scary and sweet.

  It was so hard to focus. She knew she had to tell this sweet man something. Something about the man she was never going to hold again. “Tell Dragon. Tell him I’m sorry.” Sorry she had pushed him away for fear. Sorry she would never get to see the wonder in his eyes as he saw the miracle that was his daughter.

  “Sorry for what, honey? Where are you?”

  Yes, she had to tell him to come. Where to go to save her daughter.

  “Home. Lali is safe but I’m… He’s going to have to…” Her mind was misfiring and she tried to hold it together. There was one last thing she had to do. One last thing she had to say before the angels took her. “Promise me you’ll tell him. She’s his daughter… someone has to… He– he has to keep her safe.”

  Tari’s phone rolled from her hand to the ground.

  Chapter 11

  A real man is like an oyster – Hard on the outside but soft where it counts.

  It was almost midnight when Dragon felt his phone vibrate. He was twenty minutes outside Denver and when he pulled his phone out, he saw he had missed four earlier calls, all from Sharp. He always put his phone on vibrate but sometimes on long rides he missed calls. A few guys had Bluetooth units, but he had never thought the bulk of a helmet was worth the expense.

  Pulling over to the side of the road Dragon answered as he stopped.

  “What’s up, Sharp?”

  “Where are you?”

  “Just north of Denver. Why? What’s wrong?”

  “You need to come over to Denver Health.”

  Dragon gripped his phone a little too tightly. “Is Pixie and the bebe okay? What happened?”

  “She’s fine.” Sharp took a deep breath and Dragon felt his stomach roil. “Your woman’s been hurt.”

  “Tari? ¿Qué mierda pasó?” Dragon yelled his fear and temper overwhelming his control.

  “It’s too much for the phone and she may not have much time; just get here.”

  Dragon shoved his phone in his pocket and rode like the fires of Hell were chasing him. What the fuck could have happened to her in the few hours he had been gone. If his leaving had been the cause of her getting hurt, he would never forgive himself. Images of car wrecks and robberies flashed through his mind so quickly he was worried he wouldn’t be sane by the time he reached her.

  He raced into the parking lot of Denver Health twenty-five minutes later and saw Flak, the newest Dark Sons’ prospect, waiting by the entrance. He barely stopped his bike before jumping off knowing the man would take care of it and raced inside.

  Grinder, one of the Brothers he was closest to, waved him over to the elevator. The doors closed on them and Dragon was afraid to speak.

  “She’s in surgery. Everyone is up in the waiting room. We’ve told them you are her fiancé and Cheryl brought over a Healthcare proxy listing you as agent so they won’t give you a hard time. Tek also did some magic and upgraded her health care coverage so they won’t hesitate when choosing what to do.”

  How his Brothers had pulled everything together so quickly for a woman he hadn’t even told them about was overwhelming. He would find a way to pay them all back somehow but right now he needed to know about Tari.

  “What happened?”

  “She was attacked near her home. We have Brothers combing the streets to find out what happened but so far no one is talking. From what Puck said she’s in bad shape, they’ve had her in surgery for about two hours.”

  The doors opened and Dragon could tell by the gathering of his Brothers where he had to go. He walked fast knowing there was nothing he could
do but needing to be there.

  “How did you even know she was hurt?”

  “She called me.” Sharp stepped out of the doorway that must lead to the waiting room. Six of his closest Brothers were inside along with a few old ladies.

  “Why did she have your number?” And why hadn’t she called him? Everything was still a jumble of confusion and he needed to sort it out.

  “Pixie gave it to her the other night. Thank fuck she did. I don’t ever want to get a call like that again but she’d probably be dead right now if she hadn’t.”

  Another thing he had to be grateful to Pixie for. Though from the grim looks on everyone’s faces Tari might not survive even with that stroke of luck.

  Dragon listened, his whole body vibrating with tension as Sharp told the story of getting the call and knowing Tari was in serious danger. Tek had gotten her home address from Dark Zen’s records and called Puck, a prospect that lived nearby. Puck had gone over and found her unresponsive in a pool of her own blood looking like she had been beaten badly. When he couldn’t wake her, he had called an ambulance. Sharp had organized everything from there.

  “So, I have to talk to the nurses. Find out what is going on. What do the cops know?” Dragon felt like he’d been hit by a truck. He had just found Tari again and he might lose her despite everything his Brothers had done.

  “Deep is handling the cops for now. Val just got an update. Surgery is going well but it will be a few hours before they can tell us for sure. There is something else you need to know.” Sharp looked uncomfortable and it wasn’t an expression Dragon had ever seen on the man’s face.

  His friend stepped aside and Dragon could see more clearly into the waiting room. Pixie and Cheryl were sitting next to Val who was bouncing a wiggling, cranky, baby girl on her lap. There was no question in Dragon’s mind this beautiful child belonged to Tari. She had chin length, straight black hair held back by a yellow flowered clip. Her skin was lighter than her mother’s but no one could deny the sparkling dark eyes were an exact copy of Tari’s.