Rage of the Phoenix

by Elizabeth N Harris

  Minutes passed as Ace held me safe in his arms. Aware of Martin’s dead eyes glaring at my back from somewhere in the room, I was glad Ace was there. Bike pipes roared, lots of them and then lights lit up the dark doorway and men came barrelling through. There was still no sign of Ramirez.

  A light fell on us and Ace flinched. Drake cursed, and he hit his knees beside us. Ace stared at Drake but didn’t let me go. Chance landed beside Drake seconds later. Someone, sounding surprised, said there’s a body in the corner. Yup, that was Martin’s body, I giggled to myself. Blast, I was becoming hysterical. I took a sharp hold of my thoughts.

  “Saved her brother.” Ace muttered. Drake’s hand hovered over both of us. Drake didn’t know where to touch either one of us.

  “You did brother. Let Phoe go now. We’re here for both of you.” Drake soothed.

  “Holy shit look at that! Man’s been staked, gotta be near a heart shot.” Texas exclaimed.

  “Yeah, that was me!” I muttered. Drake tensed and looked at me in surprise. Chance gripped my hand reassuring me.

  “Proud of you, girl.” Chance muttered.

  Drake gently rolled me out of Ace’s arms and checked my body with deft hands and then he checked Ace. Chance hit the floor and snatched me up. A yelp of pain made Chance be gentler. Apache was on the floor now beside us, his sons head in his lap. Apache stroked Ace’s hair with shaking hands. Drake’s face hovered in my line of sight. Axel’s voice jolted me aware.

  “Ambulance is on the way.” Axel said quietly, his usual loudness missing. Axel should never be sad and quiet.

  “We’re okay, we’re okay, right? Chance, tell Axel.”

  “Yeah, you’re okay Phoe. You’re both good.” But I heard the worry in Chance’s voice and turned my head to see Drake holding a hand over Ace’s gut wound. Ace lied, it wasn’t a torso shot, it was a gut shot, and I knew they could be deadly.

  “I stabbed him. Martin shot Ace, and I stabbed him in the back, not very sporting.” I informed Chance as I stared into his face. Worry and anger was written all over it. Chance held me gently in his arms and looked at my wounds.

  “Good, baby. You did well.”

  “Ace shot first. I stabbed Martin. I killed him. Martin was going to kill me and Ace. I couldn’t let Martin kill us.” I told Chance needing him to understand, that damn darkness was encroaching.

  “Baby everything’s okay, I get it. Don’t need absolution from me. Fuckin’ proud of ya. Our girl survived, did what ya had to, to survive, that’s all that matters baby.” Chance muttered stroking my hair. There was blood on his hand.

  “I’m proud of you too.” I told him back feeling magnanimous.

  “Just hang tight. Need you.” Chance muttered as he bent his head and kissed me on the top of my head. I suddenly remembered something, that pesky darkness.

  “Oh, Ramirez is out there. Can you find him, there were gunshots?”

  Drake snapped an order at Texas and Mac, Pyro and Shee followed them. Guns in hand, they left running, to search for Ramirez. My hand groped for Ace’s and finding it, I clenched it tightly. Ace weakly squeezed back and then blue and red lights lit up the dark room. EMT’s came crashing in with the police behind them. Now the darkness could take me.

  ◆◆◆

  Axel received my sternest look, as I struggled to move his hand, which was pushing me back into the bed. I snapped at him in temper. The bloody man grinned, and I smacked at his huge paw.

  “I want to see Ace.” Axel shook his head. It was thirty-six hours after my kidnapping and I’d been admitted to hospital and was now stuck here. Yesterday I’d been sedated for most of the day. Today I was awake and on a mission. I was black and blue with one eye swollen shut and stitches in my cheek and upper lip. And I wanted to get out this damn bed and see Ace. I had stitches everywhere but hell if that was going to stop me.

  “You’re not leaving this bed.” Axel boomed. I narrowed my good eye at him. “That won’t work either woman.” I growled my displeasure as the door opened and Drake came in with a doctor.

  “Get him out of here.” I snarled on seeing Drake. He looked shattered. Vanity kicked in and I didn’t want Drake to see me like this. I’d won, I’d beaten Martin and at the moment I resembled a loser more than a winner. Drake had caused as much emotional hurt as Martin had physically. Panic rose in my throat, alongside my now familiar friend, bile.

  “Phoe.” Axel said firmly.

  “Get Drake out of here. He can go fuck one of those skanks of his.” I hissed at him. Drake blanched at the anger in my voice. The doctor looked over his shoulder in surprise.

  “Phoenix.” Drake said and his voice was soft.

  “Get Drake out of here!” I shrieked, and the doctor murmured a few words and Drake left to be replaced by Chance.

  “Good, now get a wheelchair and take me to Ace.” I demanded of the doctor who raised an eyebrow and then picked up my file. The doctor read through it, as I seethed in silent temper.

  “I’m Doc Gibbons.” The man said, and I glared. Whoopie, I didn’t care who he was, I wanted to see Ace! Fully aware I resembled a spoilt brat, I pursed my lips.

  “I need to see Ace.” I repeated stubbornly. Axel’s lips twitched, and I frowned. The huge mountain of a man broke out into a big grin. Mouth pursed, I ignored Axel and looked at Chance and the doctor. Chance looked rough. My heart squeezed in pain for him, I’d never seen Chance look so sad or pained.

  “Ms Phoenix. You have a multitude of cuts and bruises, a grand total of over one hundred and fifty stitches. The surgeon reset the two bones in your ankle that was broken. Your hand is a mess, and we spent over twelve hours in surgery putting that back together. I’d suggest you don’t leave your bed for twenty-four hours at least.” With a sigh, I cut into his litany of my injuries.

  “I. Want. To. See. Ace.” I said each word clearly and firmly.

  “Take her bed to his.” Chance muttered. “Phoe won’t settle.”

  “Ms Phoenix needs rest and peace and quiet.” Doc Gibbons said.

  “Phoe can rest once she’s in a room with Ace.” Chance insisted. I lay back on the bed and grimaced. Doc Gibbons gave a sigh and then gave a nod of agreement. Twenty minutes later, I was in a private room next to Ace. After insisting that our beds be pushed together so I could hold his hand, I settled.

  Once their backs were turned, I shifted over to his bed and curled at his side. I lay on my side looking at the unconscious man and willing Ace to open his eyes. He hadn’t opened them by the time I slipped into sleep. I faded away with my arm wrapped around Ace.

  When I next awoke Drake was sitting by Ace’s bed holding my good hand. My arm remained clenched around Ace’s waist, Drake was asleep. I watched him for a few seconds and then pulled my hand from him.

  I turned my head to face Ace. Green eyes flared briefly and I realised I wasn’t holding his waist, Ace was holding my arm there. Ace gave me a smile, the first one I had ever seen from him and he squeezed my hand.

  “Okay, Phoe?” Ace whispered.

  “Yeah.” I whispered back.

  “Glad you made it.” He said with a wink.

  “Glad you did too.” I told him.

  “What I said…” Ace broke off. I gave his hand a squeeze and gave Ace a soft smile.

  “Yeah.” I drawled softly. “I’d have risked it too.” His face registered shock and then Ace wiped it away.

  “Make Drake happy.” He told me and then closed his eyes.

  “He needs to stop being an asswipe for me to do that. Drake needs to let me in and not think I’m always judging him.” I told Ace.

  “Prez’s let you in, you got a hard job, crossing lines between two MC’s, the Trusts, being a mom. If anyone can manage Drake you can.”

  “I love him. I need him, but I don’t think I’m what Drake needs. Too much baggage.” I said tears in my throat.

  “Man loves you. Strength of love Drake feels for you, had the same once. Lost it, chased it away because I didn’t trust she’d
understand our vision. Trust Drake, Phoe.” Ace said and then turned his head away. “Enough with the girly chat shit.” Ace muttered. Conversation over.

  “I love you too.” A voice rumbled, and I looked over at Drake and found his eyes studying me.

  “You’re an asswipe Drake.” I went on the attack.

  “Yeah got that right. Got scared.”

  “Bullshit.” I snapped, and he looked shocked. Drake rarely heard me curse, and I decided this was a time for it.

  “Woman.” Drake said narrowing his eyes.

  “You were a total asshole. Didn’t deserve that, I wasn’t even bitching about the women you’ve screwed. I was complaining about the crudeness. You’ve never spoken that crudely.” Drake was not going to wriggle out of this.

  “Dunno if I can tone it down angel.”

  “When did I ask you too?” Drake blinked absorbing what I was saying.

  “I was tryin’ to push you away. See, my fear is that one day, you’ll wake up and realise you can do better. Better than me and I’ll lose you.”

  “Now you’re just an insulting dick.” I heard a muffled chuckle from Ace.

  “You’re still mad.”

  “Someone give Sherlock a medal.” Yup, definitely a chuckle from Ace.

  “Got fuckin’ scared, jumped on that to push you away. Was tryin’ to protect you from me. And then Chance made me realise that I was protectin’ myself.” I studied Drake and suddenly saw the bruises on his face. I thought back to Chance and remembered bruises on his too.

  “You two had a fight?” Horror coloured my tone.

  “Chance beat some sense into me.” Drake ruefully said. I grinned at him.

  “Good. Did it work?” No sympathy for Drake, tough love time.

  “Yeah. I love you woman.”

  “Did it hurt?” Drake’s eyes narrowed at my gleeful tone.

  “Yeah.”

  “Good.” I gloated cheerfully. Drake’s eyes narrowed even further at my delight in his ass kicking. Visibly weighing up whether to continue in that vein or change the subject, Drake made his choice.

  “I love you woman, I’ve never said that, never wanted to. I love you, the kids, your job, Albert, the Ames. All of it Phoe, I love all of it.” Drake changed the subject. Wimp!

  “Drake.” I whispered and began crying.

  “Told ya, your mine, even when I’m being an asshole.” He said. I laughed through my tears and the man next to me groaned.

  “Get a fuckin’ room.” Ace muttered and both Drake and I burst into laughter.

  Epilogue.

  Detective Ramirez came to see me in the hospital. Ramirez had taken a bullet to the leg and then got disorientated in the trees. He’d got two shots off at Santos. Santos vanished into thin air. Mac and Texas found him stumbling back, alongside a Hawthorne detective called Max.

  The detective took my statement and then Ace’s and told us, it was a clear case of self-defence. Ramirez appeared rather impressed with my ‘Stake the Vampire’ impression. When he asked who he’d been chasing, I gave him Miguel Santos’s name, the air turned electric.

  Shocked, Ramirez asked me again to confirm the identity. When I did, he asked Ace if he could confirm and Ace reminded him that he’d only seen the back of the man. I’d been Ace’s priority. It was obvious I was missing something judging by the looks Ace, Drake, Chance, Ramirez and Dylan Hawthorne were exchanging. The detective put a warrant out on Santos but he’d gone to ground. A mystery for another day.

  Chance returned the day after beyond furious. Roadkill just dumped Martin in the woods and thinking him dead left him there. Martin had been rescued by hikers and survived. From Chance’s expression, Roadkill faced serious penance.

  The kids were fine. Micah insisted on seeing Martin’s corpse this time to ensure he was dead. Drake took Micah, so he got peace, I’d been ready to refuse but Drake explained my boy needed this. I trusted Drake. Carmine and Micah made the decision alongside the Ames and Albert to tell the younger kids from Harley down that I’d gone on a trip for the Trusts.

  Ace was healing, but I left the hospital before he did. Drake took me to the clubhouse for a few days and then I went home. The bruises and cuts faded enough that heavily applied makeup hid most. Drake and I explained the more visible ones as a car accident. The children didn’t need nightmares at knowing how close they’d come to being orphans.

  The younger ones bought it but Harley, Christian, Jared and Aaron looked suspicious. But they didn’t challenge it. The Ames made a fuss of me and Drake put in a call to Hawthorne thanking him for his help. Dylan Hawthorne had kept eyes on me, that’s why the police arrived so quickly after Hellfire and Rage.

  Davies gave directions to Drake on the phone, as Drake chased after Ace and Ramirez. At the same time Davies contacted Hawthorne’s cousin who worked alongside Ramirez. Davies tracked my phone while Max, followed Ramirez and Ace. Max covered Ramirez assuming the same as Ace, the runner had been Martin.

  All in all I’d been covered. I just hadn’t been aware of it. It had taken Martin and Santos twenty minutes to beat me. Ace and Ramirez had parked back from the hut I’d been taken to, so they didn’t warn Martin and Santos they were there. Time had been lost when Ace had to explain to Ramirez why he was riding in the dark and that I’d been taken.

  Drake was obviously wallowing in some of his own guilt, he felt that if we hadn’t had our argument, I wouldn’t have gone to HQ alone. Maybe, maybe not, who knew. The fact remained I was stupid enough to have done it.

  Drake’s guilt was heightened by the fact I refused to get my scars removed. I’d survived this, these were my reminders, I’d won. In the end I couldn’t watch Drake’s guilt consume him and I’d had the facial ones removed. Drake stopped wincing every time he looked at me after they’d been removed. I kept the body scars though, proof of survival.

  Everyone kept a close eye on me. Drake and Chance kept waiting for my breakdown, my collapse. They didn’t realise bless them, that it wasn’t going to happen. I’d won, beaten Martin Page and I stood tall. He was in a pauper’s grave. In defeating him and surviving, I’d laid my nightmare to bed.

  Yes, I agreed to therapy, that never hurt but I didn’t think I’d collapse again. Therapy kept both clubs happy and if they were happy, I was too. The inner strength that helped me adopt my kids, create the Trusts and trust in two MC’s was dominant now. Drake had his hands full of a determined woman. I’d say Drake enjoyed it!

  The case, therefore, was open and shut and my story hit the papers. For a few days the clubhouse was under siege, covered in reporters. Hawthorne sent more men and between them, Hellfire and Rage, not a single reporter got close.

  Rage were being hailed as heroes in foiling my kidnapping and I was lucky that the kids didn’t watch the news. And that Mrs Ames was the first one awake in the Hall every day, she managed to retrieve the newspapers first. Hawthorne had put a security blockade up at the house so the press couldn’t intrude on our privacy.

  Things went back to normal. Drake and I were solid, we loved each other, he tried laying down the law, and I went and did what I needed to do. We’d a lot to learn about each other. Two days after I got discharged, Drake slipped a stunning antique diamond engagement ring on my finger. Inscribed inside was one word.

  Mine.

  I loved it.

  Four weeks after my discharge I stormed into the clubhouse and sought out my future husband. Drake was standing at the bar with Ace and I barely noticed all the brothers were present. Drake had kept the kids with him today, so they were scattered around. I was shaking in shock and narrowed my eyes at him.

  “Phoe?” Drake asked puzzled as he got off his stool. I held up a hand shaking my head at him. “Christ babe what’s happened now?”

  “You! You! I spluttered. Drake took another step towards me. I glared at him and he froze.

  “Babe what’s wrong?” He asked worry tinging his voice.

  “You!” I shrieked throwing a drama. Everyone began looking at
everyone else.

  “I what?” Drake snarled exasperated.

  “You knocked me up!” I shrieked. Drake froze and his hands fell to his side. The room went silent as everyone looked to Drake and then me.

  “I what?” Drake whispered. Hope, surprise and disbelief crossed his face.

  “You knocked me up! I’m pregnant. Seventeen kids!” I shrieked again. Love and pure male satisfaction spread across his face as he strode towards me and swept me up in his arms. Drake kissed me with a shit load of passion and then lifted his head and pure happiness blazed from his face.

  “I’m fuckin’ pregnant! I’m having a baby!” Drake hollered, and the room broke into laughter and we were lovingly surrounded by family.

  Character Index.

  There are a lot of characters in the Rage book’s so I thought I’d give everyone a helping hand with who is who. As more of the Rage brothers find their girl’s we’ll add them to this page!

  Rage MC

  Drake Michaelson. DOB. 1975. His father started Rage Mc and died before Drake was old enough to become President. He became V.P and then in a hostile takeover became President. Phoenix thinks he looks like Tim McGraw with longer hair. Drake has a lean build to him but has well defined muscles and broad shoulders. Drake sports dark brown eyes with laughter lines. He’s six foot four.

  Phoenix. DOB 1979. Drake’s old lady. She is English and left England to escape an abusive relationship. She has five children she gave birth to and adopted eleven. She is exceedingly well off and runs three National Charities. The Phoenix Trust, the Rebirth Trust and the Eternal Trust. She has been married twice, the first husband died and her second was a bigamist. She is blond and green eyed and is five foot tall. She met Hellfire MC first and is a sister in Hellfire.

  Apache. DOB 1967. He is one of Drakes enforcers. Ace is his only son. Ace was widowed when Ace was young. He has bright green eyes and is six foot two. He is Native American. He’s described as absolutely stunning with gorgeous, high cheek bones, raven black hair that hangs past his shoulders.