by T. O. Smith
“Understood,” Joey said.
I hung up and began making more phone calls, trying to get as much intel as I could before I rode out to the Sons of Death’s territory – rode into a fucking war zone.
I knew Tristan’s club wouldn’t survive this. If it did, it would be a miracle, and there would only be a small ass club left behind – not the one he’s built up over the years.
The Sons of Death’s days were limited.
■ ■ ■
ADELAIDE
I groaned when I felt someone gently shake me awake. Blinking slowly, I looked up to see Joey knelt beside the bed. “Joey.” I breathed, my voice sounding hoarse.
He gave me a small smile. “Hey, pretty girl.” He greeted me as he reached out and tucked my hair behind my ear. “River told me you were sick. You feeling okay?”
I shrugged. “Could be better, but not as bad as earlier,” I told him. “River gone?” I asked him.
He nodded. “He told me to tell you he would call as soon as he got to the Sons of Death’s clubhouse.”
I sleepily rubbed my eyes as I sat up, my belly prominent with the t-shirt I was wearing. I moved to slide out of bed, and Joey gripped my hands, helping me up. I smiled up at him as he chuckled. “You get bigger and bigger every time I see you.” He told me. “You look beautiful, pretty girl. Got a pretty ass glow about you.”
I ran my hand over my belly, feeling Jaxon move under my hand. “He’s strong,” I told Joey. He caressed my belly for a moment, that small smile for me never leaving his face. “I’m measuring pretty big – he’s going to be as big as his damn dad when he gets older.”
Joey chuckled as he laced his fingers through mine to lead me out of the room. “You need to eat so you can take some more medicine, pretty girl.” He told me. I groaned. I hoped I held it down this time.
When I walked into the bar room with Joey, my eyes instantly landed on Reina. She was holding Axel on her hip as she shook a bottle. I walked to her and gently took Axel from her, smiling down at him. “Hey, little man.” I cooed, taking the bottle from Reina as she handed it out to me. He instantly latched on when I put it to his lips, his beautiful, blue eyes – strangely so much like River’s – staring back up at me.
Joey grabbed his little fist, smiling down at him. “Hey, kiddo.” Joey greeted. He looked over at me. “Don’t overdo yourself.” He warned me.
I rolled my eyes at him. He only grinned before he leaned over and pressed his lips to my forehead. “I’m going to find you some soup. Sit your pretty little ass down somewhere.” He ordered.
My phone went off as I was taking a seat on the couch, and Reina grabbed it out of my pocket for me and answered it, placing it on speaker for me. “Hello?” I asked as I finally sat down, adjusting Axel into a more comfortable position.
“Hey, Darlin’.” River responded, making me smile.
“Hey.” I breathed. “Everything good?” I asked him, so happy to hear his voice. He’d made it safely.
“Clubhouse is fucking trashed.” I frowned. “Zyla’s room has blood on the carpet – sign of a struggle. She didn’t go calmly.”
Fear for her settled in my gut. Zyla had already gone through so much hell. I only prayed that she didn’t go through it again. “River, you have to find her,” I begged him.
“Trying my best, Darlin’.” He reminded me. I sighed. “Everyone is silent – won’t even meet my fucking eyes. Someone here knows what happened.” He told me. “No one was expecting Tristan to bring me in. They remember what I was like when I was here – how much I noticed. I’ll find out who did this, Darlin’, I promise.”
I racked my brain trying to think of something – anything that could help him find her. “Fuck.” I muttered. “It’s got to be someone from Vin’s circle,” I told him. “It’s the only thing that makes sense to me. They had to get power situated within their circle again, which is why it’s taken them this long to do anything, but it makes sense why they were trying to come after me to get to Tristan. Tristan pulled that trigger.”
“But Jesup was with him.” River finished. “So, they went after the next best option to get their hands on Tristan and Jesup. Fuck.” He muttered. “Not even going to lie, Darlin’, I’d forgotten about him – been so fucking long since anyone heard from them, but I don’t have a doubt in my mind that they haven’t forgotten about what happened to Vin.”
“Fredrick wouldn’t go to these lengths to draw me out,” I told River. “Something in my gut tells me that whoever is in power now is behind this, and if Zyla isn’t found soon enough, she’s never going to be coming back home,” I warned him, fear settling in my gut.
A chill went down my spine as I remembered what Vin’s men had been capable of doing to me when Vin had allowed them their turns with me.
It made me sick just to think about it.
“I’ll find her, Darlin’. You’ve got my word. And when I find her, she’ll be alive.” He promised.
He hung up a moment later. Joey strolled over to me, his eyes narrowed down at me. I closed my eyes and drew in a deep, shaky breath. Joey knelt in front of me, his hands lightly gripping my thighs. “Talk to me, pretty girl.”
I opened my eyes to look into his warm, dark eyes, holding him with me. “I think Vin’s men may have Zyla.” I swallowed thickly, tears filling my eyes. “She might die all because Tristan was so desperate to save me.” I sobbed.
Joey sat on the couch next to me and lifted me onto his lap, wrapping his arms tight around me. Reina quickly lifted Axel from my arms, allowing me to tightly wrap my arms around Joey, sobbing into his shoulder.
Zyla, I’m so sorry. This is all my fault.
■ ■ ■
RIVER
I shoved my phone back into my pocket, hating that I wasn’t there with Adelaide right now, but I knew Joey would take care of her. I knew this shit was going to hit her hard – after all, the only reason Vin’s men wanted retaliation was because Tristan was an idiot and allowed himself to be seen when he sent a bullet through Vin’s skull.
Which put him and all members of his club on their radar – not to mention anyone that might be attached to them.
I strode into the clubhouse. “Call church,” I ordered Tristan, not giving a fuck about the boundaries that I was overstepping. They wanted my help? They were getting it – my way.
I strode into his chapel without waiting for another word. Jesup was sitting at the table with a glass of whiskey in front of him, but he hadn’t touched it. “I think I’ve got something,” I told him. “Adelaide thought of it.” He looked up at me with hope in his eyes. I only hoped that my woman was right and that I wasn’t giving the broken man in front of me false hope.
Men began to file into the room under Tristan’s command. Tristan took his seat at the head of the table, but I remained standing. Sam stood at the door with Henry and Val. “Let’s cut to the chase.” I started. “All of you sitting here know I’m not fucking stupid. Somebody better speak up about their ties to Vin’s men and you better tell me who the fuck is behind this shit.”
Sam coughed slightly, and I looked over at him. He inclined his head to Dirk. I arched an eyebrow at Dirk. Sad to see him as a traitor, but every man had a price. My men kept their loyalty to me because I kept my payment high. Tristan had never learned that. “Something you want to share with me?” I asked him.
He clenched his jaw and shook his head. “I’m not a fucking traitor – unlike you.” He snapped at me. I snorted. “Don’t come making commands when you fucking betrayed the goddamn president himself.”
Anger roared through my veins. Dirk had once been a pretty damn good friend of mine, but obviously, that had changed. And Tristan betrayed himself before I ever betrayed him. He betrayed himself by not loving a good woman correctly.
“At least I owned up to my shit, Dirk.” I retorted. He clenched his jaw. “I was prepared to take the bullet in my skull for sleeping with her.” I reminded him. “So, what the fuck do you know?” I asked him a
gain.
He stayed silent. I looked up at the ceiling, slowly losing my fucking patience. The only person I had patience for was the woman currently waiting at home for me to come back to her.
“Aright, then.” I snapped, pulling out my gun. Everyone squirmed uncomfortably, even Tristan. “I’m about to just start dropping fucking bodies.” I snarled. “So, if someone values their fucking life, they better speak the fuck up right now,” I ordered.
“I saw Dirk and Winston meeting up with a man named Calhoun a few nights ago – the night the clubhouse got shot up.” Tank spoke up. Dirk’s and Winston’s eyes flashed with rage before they smothered it, but it was there long enough for me to catch it. “They caught me eavesdropping. I was going to call you with all of the information so you could protect Adelaide, but they saw me, and Calhoun threatened Adelaide if I opened my mouth, so I kept it shut.”
Jesup got up and sent a right hook against Dirk’s face. I heard a bone crunch in Dirk’s face – most likely his nose – as he flew out of his seat to the floor. Winston got up, but Sam sent a solid punch against his temple, sending him crashing to the floor knocked out cold. “Get Tank out of the room,” I ordered Henry. “Keep him isolated from the rest of the club because if there’s more than one traitor, someone is going to shut him up,” I told him.
Henry nodded, motioning for Tank to follow him. I clapped a hand on Tank’s shoulder, bringing him to a stop for a moment. Like me, his loyalty had always resided with Adelaide. Fuck the President. Protect the woman. I had always had respect for him for that.
I nodded once at him in thanks. He clapped my back on his way past me as he continued following Henry out of the room.
“There are two of your traitors,” I told Tristan. “Find out where Zyla is and find the rest of your traitors. Guarantee by the time you find all of them, you’ll barely have a club left.”
I strode out of the room, pulling my phone to my ear. Joey answered on the second ring. “Yeah?” He answered, his voice hushed. Knowing Adelaide, she had probably cried herself to sleep.
My heart squeezed painfully in my chest for her.
“You got your eye on Adelaide?” I asked him.
“Always.” He responded. “She’s passed out on the bed with Axel on her chest. I’m sitting in the rocker. What’s up?” He asked.
“Tank caught Dirk and Winston talking to a man named Calhoun – said Calhoun threatened Adelaide if Tank opened his mouth. Don’t take your eyes off of her and get one of your men on Reina.” I told him, thinking of Sam and the attachment he seemed to be forming with her. “I want tight fucking security on my goddamn clubhouse,” I ordered.
“You got it,” Joey told me. “What are you going to do about Tank?” He asked.
“See if he wants to switch clubs,” I told him honestly as I moved through the clubhouse, wanting some fucking fresh air. This clubhouse was fucking trashed and so were its members.
“What about Tristan?” Joey asked me. I grunted, frankly not giving a fuck about Tristan and his thoughts on it. “It’s his choice in the end if he wants to let go of one of his members.” Joey reminded me.
“Fuck Tristan.” I snapped. Joey laughed. “Tank has always done a good job of protecting Adelaide, and Tristan doesn’t treat his fucking men like he should. Besides, once this shit is taken care of, I doubt Grim will have much of a club left.” I told him.
Gun shots rang out on the other end of the phone. I stopped in my tracks, my hand tightening around my phone. Joey shouted ‘fuck’ at the top of his lungs. “Adelaide, get the fuck up!” He roared.
My blood ran cold in my veins. This shit didn’t happen on my territory. Someone had notified either Fredrick or Calhoun that I wasn’t at the clubhouse anymore – that I was down here – a few hundred miles away from Adelaide.
“They’ll be safe, River,” Joey informed me before he hung up.
“Fuck it all to hell!” I roared, storming back into the chapel, fear and anger rushing through my veins. If something happened to my woman or my kids, I would tear this goddamn world apart. I slammed open the doors. “Put your fucking hands on the table!” I roared.
I pointed my weapon at Tristan when he didn’t move with everyone else. “That includes you, Grim.” I snarled. “Hands on the mother fucking table.”
He warily eyed the gun in my hand as he did as I instructed. I was pissed. I didn’t give a fuck anymore how Adelaide felt about him. Joey and I could bring her back to us, but Tristan was a hairsbreadth away from getting a fucking bullet put through his skull.
Tristan could tell I was at my fucking wits end. “Who the fuck snitched that I wasn’t at home?” I demanded. No one spoke. “Fucking speak!” I roared.
“Fucking shoot.” Jesup spoke up. “Zyla is at your clubhouse with Calhoun. I got it out of Dirk right as you burst through the doors.”
I put a bullet through Dirk’s head and one through Winston’s, cleaning up the trash for Tristan. “I’m taking Tank with me.” I snapped as I strode out of the room. “Jesup, if you want your woman, let’s go. My clubhouse just got fucking ambushed.” I turned my angry gaze to Tristan, letting my eyes meet his. “If Adelaide or Axel is hurt, or if she loses our baby, Tristan, I’ll fucking kill you, do you understand me? I don’t give a fuck what you mean to her right now. So, you better hope and pray that Joey fucking protected them.” I snarled.
■ ■ ■
ADELAIDE
I held Axel tight to my chest as I paced the floor of the waiting room of the hospital, barely holding myself together. I was worried sick. Ink hadn’t gotten to Reina in time, and she had taken a bullet to the shoulder and one to the thigh.
And she was in surgery for it.
“Pretty girl, you need to sit down before you walk yourself into an early labor,” Joey commanded as he stood up and gently gripped my hips, stopping my pacing. “River isn’t far out.” He assured me.
“I’m scared for her, Joey,” I told him, my bottom lip trembling. “She’s already been through so much.”
The doctor said she lost a lot of fucking blood – almost didn’t make it to the hospital alive.
God, and then there was Zyla. She was bloody and unconscious when two of the club men found her behind the clubhouse.
Ink strode over to us. “The doctor just informed me that Zyla is going to be alright, and she’ll be waking up in the next few hours.”
I nodded at him. “Any word on Reina?”
He shook his head at me. “Afraid not.” He said quietly. Guilt flashed in his eyes. “I’m sorry I didn’t protect her, Adelaide.”
I shook my head at him, blinking back the tears in my eyes. “It’s not your fault.” I hoarsely whispered. “She was showering. No one could expect you to be in the bathroom with her.”
Axel began crying, and I bounced him up and down, wishing I could calm down so he wouldn’t feel my stress. Joey drew me to him, holding me with my back to his front, his strength wrapping around me, holding me together as I tried my damnest to calm Axel. But his wailing only intensified, making a tear run down my cheek.
River strode through the waiting room doors at that moment with Sam, Jesup, and Tank behind him. A sob ripped from my throat as soon as I saw him. Joey quickly pressed a kiss to the top of my head before he let me go. I rushed towards River, and he met me halfway across the room, wrapping his arms around me tightly, sandwiching Axel between us as he pressed his lips to the top of my head.
“Still no news on Reina,” Joey informed them. “Zyla will be awake in a few hours according to her doctor.”
Jesup took off for the nurse’s station. “What do we know about Reina so far?” Sam demanded to know as River led me over to a chair and forced me to sit down, taking a now whimpering Axel from my arms, instantly calming him down.
“She took a shot to the shoulder and to the thigh,” Joey informed him. “She’s in surgery, and she’s lost a lot of blood. The doctor told us she barely made it here alive.”
Sam swung his angry e
yes to Ink who was meant to be protecting her. Ink swallowed thickly. “Why the fuck weren’t you with her?” Sam snarled at Ink.
“She was coming out of the bathroom from a shower, Sam.” Ink informed him. “I swear to God, I tried to get to her in time, but I’m not as fast as bullets.” He told him.
Sam clenched his fists at his sides, his eyes flashing dangerously. “Sam.” River snapped, drawing his VP’s eyes to him. “Cool it down. I know you want to bash his face in, but this isn’t the time nor the place.”
Sam stepped back from Ink and stormed over to one of the windows to look out at the darkening sky, his back rigid with tension.
I rubbed my hand over my belly and winced in pain as I got a cramp. River’s eyes instantly locked on mine, nothing getting past him. I shifted uncomfortably as the pain worsened. “Adelaide?” He asked as he moved closer to me, kneeling in front of me, his worried eyes running over my face.