Lost in the Dark

by Ann Jensen

  Dragon stood there motionless as Val looked up and gave him a welcoming smile. She stood, transferring the girl to her hip with no effort. He had trouble catching his breath as the pair moved closer.

  “Dragon,” Val said in a gentle voice. “This is your daughter, Citlali.”

  The little girl clapped her hands and held them out to him. “Up!”

  Dragon felt his knees buckle a bit and Grinder and Sharp grabbed his arms keeping him upright. Their small chuckles snapped his mind back into gear and he stepped forward to catch the perfect little angel in his arms.

  Citlali fit like she was meant to be there. Her little head fell onto his shoulder and snuggled in close to his neck. Children always made him feel awkward since he was so big, but Citlali was different. She was his. And he was hers.

  “You’re a natural.” Val smiled, and much to Dragon’s chagrin, pulled out her phone and snapped a picture.

  His daughter. Of all the things he had imagined Tari had to tell him, not once had the thought of a child entered his mind. Guilt swamped him. He had left her without any way to contact him. He had selfishly left thinking she would wait for his call never thinking once that she would need him. How different would things be if he had taken five seconds to write down his number.

  He didn’t question that this was his daughter. He could feel the connection and knew in his soul that this little princess was his. He tried and failed to keep his emotion out of his voice as he faced Val.

  “How long have you known?” Dragon wanted to be mad but something about the sleepy little girl who was settling in quietly on his shoulder made that impossible.

  Pixie stood up looking guilty. “We only found out yesterday but she wanted to be the one who told you.”

  “She didn’t. I would have never left for Wyoming if I’d known.”

  “We know, sugar. If I had known her and that sweet child were living in East Colfax I would have made her call you and tell you that night.” It looked like everyone, including Val was feeling responsible.

  East Colfax wasn’t exactly a war zone but the thought of Tari having to live there with his daughter was unacceptable. They all moved into the waiting room and Dragon found himself slowly rocking the little girl who was quickly becoming dead weight.

  “Say the word and we’ll get her moved into one of the apartments on the compound,” Sharp offered.

  The compound was a couple hundred fenced acres east of Denver that held the main Clubhouse. The Dark Sons officers all had houses built on the property along with a few other members. They had also built a two-story apartment complex with one- and two-bedroom apartments that were used by prospects and active-duty Brothers who didn’t have their own places. Dragon had been living in one of the single bedroom units from the time he had started prospecting when he was still active-duty.

  His first instinct was to move them both into a two-bedroom unit, but didn’t know if the independent woman now fighting for her life would appreciate it.

  Grinder spoke up, “Puck is watching her place but he had to bust in a window to get to her. If we don’t move her shit, she won’t have anything to come back to.”

  “It’s a good idea.” Dragon rubbed his daughter’s back. His daughter. The thought was so foreign, but right.

  “Okay, I’ll get the Brothers on that.” Grinder pulled out his cell and walked out of the room.

  He looked at the woman who had become like his own sister over the last few months. “Did she tell you why she disappeared? I tried to find her but she vanished.”

  Pixie nodded. “It’s going to be a long night. Let’s sit down and I’ll tell you what I know.”

  An hour later, Dagon sat with his daughter sleeping on his chest. He was absolutely floored by everything he had learned. A nurse had come in, and after Cheryl gave her the fake legal papers, told him everything. Tari’s wounds were less severe than originally believed. Most of the bleeding had been caused by superficial wounds. The surgery had been to relieve pressure from cranial bleeding but the nurse said it went well. The damage to her head was the most severe, from the beating she had received, and they weren’t sure if there would be brain damage once she woke up. The doctor would come see him once all the lacerations were attended to and hopefully be able to give him more news.

  The woman he intended to claim as his had been fighting for her life while he was nowhere to be found. Just like before he had left her alone. When she woke up it didn’t matter what they had to face, and he would make sure she understood she would never be alone again. He now was responsible for a precious little girl and finding, and destroying, whoever had done this to her mother. Pulling out his phone he dialed the one person he needed more than anyone else in this moment.

  “¿Bueno?” A tired woman’s voice answered on the third ring.

  “Te necesito, Mamá.”

  Chapter 12

  Parenthood is the scariest hood you will ever go through.

  His mother had come an hour ago, giving her love and strength to him without reserve. She had calmly, and with genuine warmth, accepted the fact he was a father and the sleeping angel was her newest granddaughter. Val and his mother had taken the sleeping Citlali back to his place to sleep leaving him to await news of Tari’s condition.

  The only people left in the waiting room were Sharp and Hannibal who had shown up an hour ago to relieve Grinder. It was after three in the morning when a tired surgeon finally came through the doors.

  “Gabor Rios?” The surgeon looked between him and Hannibal, rightly assuming the name likely belonged to the man with skin darker than milk.

  Dragon stood up, fearing the look on the man’s face. Had something gone wrong? He had to believe Tari was alive. Something inside him would know if she was dead, wouldn’t it?

  “Ms. Johnson’s surgery went well but there was extensive blood loss from the many lacerations to her chest before she got here. The internal bleeding and damage to the brain from the blunt force trauma was significant and we had to drill Burr holes to relieve the pressure. Unfortunately, she didn’t wake up after the procedure and has slipped into a coma. We do see mild responses to physical stimuli so we are hopeful she will wake given time. Until then there is no way to tell the level of brain damage that occurred. As for the rest of the injuries, most of her lacerations were superficial and did not require stitches so we expect her to have minimal scarring.”

  “Can I see her?”

  “Of course. I’ll send a nurse to let you know when they have her in a room.”

  “Thank you.”

  Dragon didn’t know if he should feel happy or scared. Brain damage could mean anything. She was alive, but would she be the same person he knew before? Hell, he hadn’t known her long enough to be sure if he would even notice if she changed. Doubt and fear circled in his brain.

  “Gabor, and I thought my name was bad.” Hannibal surprised a laugh out of him which was probably the point.

  “It is Mayan. My mother says it means bravest warrior.”

  “Guess it’s slightly better than Henri, which I’m pretty sure is Creole for ‘boy who gets his ass kicked till puberty’.”

  When the nurse came back and said only two people could visit, Sharp said goodbye and promised to check in later. Dragon had heard what had happened to Tari, but nothing prepared him for the impact of seeing her lying on the hospital bed.

  He saw bandages and tubes crisscrossing her chest and stomach before the nurse pulled up the sheet. Her face was swollen, hiding all the beauty he knew lay beneath. A small tube ran along her cheek disappearing into her nose. Her dark skin hid some of the bruising but swollen patches of black covered her face and arms. Her lovely black hair was pulled up in a messy bun revealing a shaved patch and a small bandage.

  “She looks strong.” Hannibal put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

  “She is. The first time I met her she was facing down a squad of blonde bitches who wanted her to be their token black girl.”

 
Hannibal gave a small smile. “My mama would love her. She has no time for fools or those who put up with them.”

  “Mi madre también.” Dragon wanted to kill whoever had done this. He wanted it to be slow and painful. “Am I a fool? I’ve spent less than twenty-four hours with Tari and it feels like a part of my soul is lying there.”

  “Non. You’re not a fool. When the right woman comes along in five minutes or five years, it makes no difference, you grab on and enjoy that ride.”

  “That’s what you do with Didi?” Dragon teased, doing his best to pull out of the melancholy that was threatening to overwhelm him.

  “Nah. Though she is one hell of a ride. If Ink and I ever find that one, you can be damn sure she ain’t going to get away.”

  “Mama, up!” Dragon sighed and pulled his daughter back from the edge of the bed.

  “Mama can’t get up right now.”

  “Papa, up!” Lali stretched up high reaching and wiggling her adorable little fingers. Her hair was flying out of the clips he had put in earlier and the outfit she was wearing was the fourth of the day. If the little angel spilled one more thing, he was thinking naked might be the best option.

  He smiled and bent down to pick her up, and just like the last fifty times they played this game, she dodged him and bent at the waist, giggling. “Down Dog.”

  “And you are an adorable little dog.” He gripped her by the hips, and swung her a few times before putting her back on her feet.

  “It looks like you got this Daddy thing down, Dragon.” Val’s voice was a welcomed sound.

  “Glad I’m fooling someone.” Dragon ran his hand through his hair. How had Tari done this alone for almost two years? He had Val and his mom helping him out, and he was barely keeping up with things. The books he was supposed to be reviewing only got looked at at night when either woman came and picked up his little girl. Doing her hair was like wrestling an oiled pig and he somehow always managed to have her crying before all the knots were out.

  “Don’t you fuss. You’re doing a fine job. It’s only been three days, you’ll get the hang of it.”

  Three days without any progress with Tari. Three days and no closer to knowing who had attacked her. It took everything he had not to let his little girl see how angry he was.

  “Well today Lali is teaching me all about up and down, dog and cat, and telling me very seriously something that sounds like not my tea.”

  Citlali put her hands together and bowed adorably. “Namate, Papa.”

  His heart melted every time she called him Papa. He swept his daughter up in his arms and gave her a kiss as Val burst out into laughter.

  “She is as cute as a kitten in yarn.” Val put her hands together, eyes sparkling with laughter. “Namaste, Lali girl.”

  “Nantie Val!” Lali dove for Val and Dragon had to scramble not to drop her.

  Val scooped the girl out of his arms and kissed her cheeks. “Have you been teaching your papa Yoga?”

  “Yesss!” The tiny bundle of energy bobbed her head enthusiastically.

  Things clicked together and Dragon chuckled. “That makes so much more sense.”

  Dragon slipped Citlali’s headband back onto her head and picked her up. “Give your mama a kiss goodnight, Princesa.”

  He leaned his little girl over so she could kiss her mother’s forehead. Today had been a good day for him and Lali. Only two outfit changes and not a single tear during hair brushing time. Six days of being a father and he had learned things he never knew he needed to know. The only thing that could have made the day better was if Tari had woken up.

  “Come to Abuela, sweetheart.”

  Dragon handed off his daughter to his mother, then kissed them both on their cheeks. “I’m going to stay a bit.”

  “Don’t you worry, mijo. We’ll be fine.”

  “I know, Mama.”

  The sound of his daughter’s voice faded as they walked away and Dragon settled himself next to the bed. The swelling had gone down and Tari looked almost as if she was just sleeping. He took her hand into his own squeezing it softly.

  “I don’t know how you did this by yourself for years. I can barely keep up with her and I have Mama and Val giving me breaks and my Brothers making sure I have nothing to worry about. You are so damn strong, mi reina, you can beat this. You will never be alone again if you give me a chance.”

  Citlali and Tari were now dug deep into his heart and he could not imagine a world where he didn’t get to raise the joy, that was their daughter, with her. Alone in the room, Dragon let his head drop and the tears flow freely into the starched white sheets.

  Chapter 13

  If this is a dream, I will kill the person who wakes me up.

  Everything felt wrong. Her skin itched and she was sweating even though the room wasn’t hot. Strange sounds were all around her, making Tari realize this couldn’t be her bedroom. Why wouldn’t her eyes open? Her heart raced, and she slowly became aware her whole body ached like she was getting over the worst of flus.

  Voices became clearer, adding to her confusion. She knew that sweet southern twang, it belonged to one of her yoga students Val. The woman was a delight and Tari had always thought she would make a good friend, but between two jobs and taking care of her daughter, there had never been time.

  It made no sense the woman would be wherever she was sick. A second voice spoke, and even without seeing his face, Tari knew she was dreaming. The deep, rich tones that held a slight Spanish accent had haunted her nights for almost two years. The memories of his laugh and touch, both gentle and rough, had helped her stay sane when the world became harsh.

  She saw echoes of his face in her daughter’s, and took comfort in that when the little girl refused to sleep. For what seemed like the millionth time, Tari thought about what life could have been like if only she had asked more questions on that wonderful night. What kind of woman sleeps with a man and doesn’t know his last name? Who doesn’t say, ‘Dragon is a cool nickname but what’s your real name’ before letting him inside your body?

  Tari needed to see his face again; wanted to know his touch. She fought to open her eyes, fearing it would end this beautiful dream, but hoping before she woke back in her tiny apartment, she would get a glimpse of him one more time.

  It felt like sand was holding her lids closed but she blinked it away and fought against the too bright light. Plain white walls held a painting of flowers she didn’t recognize.

  “Sweet Virgin Mary, I think she’s waking up,” Val said.

  Tari’s vision was suddenly filled with exactly who she had prayed for. His features were even more beautiful than she had remembered. Regal sharp lines, deep almost liquid brown eyes, and lips that were so soft and full they begged for kisses and other naughtier things. Tears began to blur her vision and she knew this dream wouldn’t last much longer.

  “Just one more kiss.” Tari’s voice was harsh and filled with pain, but her dream man understood because his lips were claiming hers a moment later.

  His lips were so gentle and even more sensual than she remembered. Her body wouldn’t move, but she reached toward him with her heart and opened her mouth to deepen the kiss. His tongue swept in and Tari found it strange that her imagination made him taste like ham and mustard since she absolutely despised the condiment.

  He ended the kiss slowly moving back so she could see his face through her tear blurred eyes. She licked her lips almost laughing. “I hate mustard.”

  His laugh, choked with emotion, filled the room. “I’ll remember that.”

  “Will you tell me your real name before I wake up?”

  Tari’s voice was slowly regaining strength, but her body in this dream was still sluggish and wouldn’t follow her desires. She wanted to pull him down and relive all the wonderful things he could do to her body. Rediscover the passion that had made her lose her sense all those years ago.

  “Gabor. Gabor Rios, mi reina. But you are awake, this isn’t a dream.”

 
“Que?” This had to be a dream. Nothing made sense. Val, and her big red hair, stepped into view on the other side of her. She was wearing a green top with rhinestones peppered along the scooped neck.

  “He’s right, sugar. You’re in the hospital.” Val patted her arm but it felt distant like there were several plush blankets between them.

  “I don’t understand. Why are you here? Where is here?” Her brain raced and then terror had her stomach pitching. “Lali! Oh my God, where is Citlali?”

  She tried to sit up but her muscles barely twitched.

  “Citlali. You want to know where our daughter is?” Dragon looked confused and Tari was too scared to understand his confusion. She nodded, praying her daughter was okay.

  “She’s with her abuela. She’s safe. I’ll have Mama bring her over. She’s been visiting you every day.”

  “You know about her? How did you find us?” Things weren’t adding up right. Even now that she was thinking, parts of her memory were still dark and fuzzy. She tried again to sit up but her body still refused to obey. “What’s wrong with me?”

  Dragon looked between her and Val, his eyes wide. “She is talking but not making sense. What do we do?”

  “I’ll go get the doctor.” Val hurried away.

  Tari’s mind was a jumble of conflicting needs. Dragon was here like some miracle out of a storybook. She wanted to know how this was possible. Her body was acting like she was drugged: slow and muffled. She was in a hospital and she didn’t know why or how she had gotten here.

  Dragon stroked her cheek and she couldn’t stop the tears that were slowly soaking her face.

  “Everything’s going to be okay. You’re alive, our daughter is perfect, and everything else we can figure out.”

  He knew about Citlali? How? His words were comforting but caused more confusion than relief. Why was he here by her side acting as if they were more than strangers with amazing chemistry? What wasn’t she remembering?