by A. C. Bextor
I breathe noticeably as he annunciates ‘daughter’. He said that for me, so they would know not to touch me. Finally he turns around and motions for me to come to him, likely for the last time. These feelings I’m having so perplexed. He’s going after Hem, but I know Hem will handle him. He’s no longer my father and if he and Hem go toe to toe, Warren will be the one to die. Hem won’t stop until he’s dead. I feel like I should say something more before leaving. I don’t get the chance though. I’m hurled into a tight hug by Warren, wincing slightly as my ribs ache.
“Go, stay at the lake like I told you. Protect yourself from what’s to come. What’s more, know that I loved you and your mother. All your life Mace, you really were loved unconditionally by us both. Your mother spent your life hiding this secret, medicating her guilt with her drink. At times I know you saw the real woman she was, as did I. She’s at peace now and I’m thankful for that but I need peace too, I need revenge on Doc whether he’s alive or dead. Hem must go away, for good.”
He doesn’t give me a chance to talk again and takes my upper arm and gives me to the big tattooed scary man with scars on his face that mirror something from a slasher movie, “Take her gently boys, do not fuckin hurt her. The lake, you know where it is. Not one hair on her head is to be touch, you got that?”
Scarface takes my arm from Warren giving him just a nod and leads me through a scary maze into the outside. It’s so dark. I’m waiting to just wake up.
*****
--HEM--
Fuck I’m going crazy. It has been seven fuckin’ hours and my sister is out there with that crazy lunatic. His trail is clear, no signs of either Mace or Greyson Meyers. I literally have no one to call, no one to question. Fuck, I know I should call Warren. That man is so fuckin’ broken over Mama that I’m unsure of any help he could be though.
Shame is on lockdown. Brother went fuckin’ nuts after he walked in on Peyton and her hysterics while she told us about Mace and Greyson. He lunged for her, doubting he would hurt the woman but in that state she was in, she was already scared. She would have never been able to finish telling us what happened. Gunner and Raider have him locked in the shed out back, like an animal. I need his head in this and he will kill me when I free him, I know he will try but I can’t have him creating havoc while I’m trying to find my sister.
Going back to thought, I am going to call Warren. He has connections in the law. He can help us get some more men on it at least. People who are good at their jobs, who know the protocol and they can work with my men with this.
Grabbing my cell phone and looking down trying to find contact information to Warren, it rings in my hand. ‘WARREN CALLING’. What the fuck?
“Warren.” I try to keep calm, he has never called me. Our hates for each other match, bit by bit.
“Patrick.”
“What you need? I’m busy right now.” I want him to tell me the reason for his call first before I unload on what’s happened to Mace.
In a calm tone, as if he’s telling me the weather forecast he mutters, “She’s at the lake.”
My bones fuckin’ chill in my skin. No way did he just tell me where to find her and he is this calm. No fuckin way.
“Did you not fuckin’ hear me you pathetic son of a bitch! GET TO HER NOW! My boys have confirmed she’s there right now.”
His boys? What the fuck? I do not fuckin’ understand this. He doesn’t have boys!
Moving the phone down from my ear, covering it to avoid Warren hearing anything being said I scream, “HONOR, get Shame out of his cage and then gather some brothers and head to lake. I have report that Mace is there. Same as Cherry, you proceed with fuckin’ caution. You decide if she needs hospital or home. Trust you brother but get her and you contact me as soon as you know.”
Picking the phone back up I can still hear Warren’s breathing. He’s remaining completely quiet and calm. I’m trying to listen for half a second, placing where he could be but all around him is silent. Where the fuck is he and what’s he getting at with this?
“Patrick, this is what is going to happen. You have 24 hours to make a decision. Listen real fucking good you Goddamn worthless scum. Mace lives, you die. You give your life for hers and no harm comes to her, ever. I will see to it. You don’t give your life to me, surrender of sort, then all you love disappears one my one. I do mean Sadey, baby, Shame, Mace…. Should I continue or have you got my fucking point?”
“I hear you loud and fucking clear, Warren.” I hear him, yet the words sound completely insane to me. I have so much information to process but he’s not finished with this call.
“24 hours, I expect the call back. You for them. Confirm or deny. You will decide everyone’s future with this call. Wouldn’t bother looking for me son, I have hits out on each of you if anything happens to me.” Click. The line is dead.
“FUCK ME!” I scream into the room, no one is around. That fucker will die. He will bleed out by my hands. Do not fuck with my life, this lesson will be learned.
Chapter Twenty:
“She was sitting up now. My arm was around her and she was leaning back against me, and we were quite calm. She was looking into my eyes with that way she had of looking that made you wonder whether she really saw out of her own eyes. They would look on and on after everyone else's eyes in the world would have stopped looking. She looked as though there were nothing on earth she would not look at like that, and really she was afraid of so many things.”
--Ernest Hemingway
On the drive to the lake I sit in the back seat with my hands bound and think about Warren and how lonely his life was all these years, being married to a woman who loved another man enough to have his child and protect that child from the life he led. I’m angry at Mom for Warren. Whatever Warren is planning against Hem will fail. Hem will never allow himself to be put in harm’s way knowing he has Sadey and that baby to love and protect for the rest of his life.
I’m thankful to Warren for interrupting the vengeance I was about to be dealt at Greyson’s dirty hands. That man is a psychopath who played me to get close to Hem, for Warren. I spent two years loving him and never knew until the end what he really was. I tremble inside with fear.
Scarface pulls me out of my dark thoughts, “Here now, out.” He comes around to my side of the car and opens the back door, yanking me with more force than necessary. Fuckin’ bastard, I will remember him as I wince and try to pull this shirt I’m wearing down with bound hands at the same time. Shame will kill him.
He sets me near the lake, taking out a knife and quickly cuts through the material binding me, telling me to sit tight and not move and that he’s going to be watching. Fearing a setup, my mind immediately races and tries to think of a way I can subdue this scary man. Coming up with nothing I nod my answer and he turns around, gets back in his car and drives away. I make my way to the Treehouse, from where I was put it is a hike and I’m risking that asshole coming back for me. Oddly though, I believe I have the upper hand. I heard my dad, well Warren, give the orders I wasn’t to be hurt so I’m less afraid of Scarface.
After about twenty minutes, I’ve finally reached the Treehouse. I haven’t cried, broke down, or froze since this all started. The familiarity with Greyson, Dad, the lake, and now treehouse has kept me constant. It isn’t until I hear the engine and see the headlights approaching in the distance that I’m allowing myself to begin my descent into sorrow.
It feels like it is taking forever for the car to reach me. I can see its Hem’s truck coming at me and my fear is beckoning again. If Scarface is here, he can see Hem. Will he take a sucker shot to kill him? I stand waiving my hands frantically in front of me and the truck stops about half a block in front of me. No one exits and I can see Raider in the driver’s seat looking around outside. He doesn’t look scared but he looks pissed off. Next I see Shame fighting in the backseat with the doors. He’s rocking the entire truck back and forth as he uses his body to try to break the door open. Honor pops out from th
e front passenger side and opens Shames back door from the outside. Shame immediately pushes the door onto Honor roughly and Honor goes flying to the ground with the force that Shame has used. Shame doesn’t hesitate a single moment. I can see him running straight towards me. If I am to believe my Dad then I don’t think Shame is in any danger. He’s running and I’m not moving, my vision is impaired and my ribs are screaming now that I have finally started to accept this situation. I should be running for him now I am trembling uncontrollably. Shame finally makes it to me, but doesn’t touch my body at all. He’s in shock.
Looking down on me with fear, “Baby.” It’s all he can get out. He’s looking at me up and down as he stands no more than two feet away from me, still afraid to touch. He has been around a long time and he knows what Cherry went through. The rape. He’s asking silently for me to answer his unsaid question. He sees I’m broken.
“Shame I’m okay. He didn’t rape me. Greyson, he beat me and I’m broken but he didn’t…”
I’m enveloped into Shames arms immediately. He’s forceful but still gentle not to hurt me. He’s sobbing, I can hear him above my head. He’s tucked my face into this neck and he’s holding the back of my head to him, his other hand is in the middle of my back holding the rest of me to him. He still hasn’t said a word other than the initial endearment. I try to pull back but he won’t let me go. Although my body is screaming in pain, I give him a few minutes to gather himself.
“Shame, we need to look at her. She’s hurt. She needs clothes. C’mon man, let her go and let’s get out of here.” Honor is talking to his VP as if Shame’s nothing more than a prospect. He’s taking charge of a situation that Shame can’t handle right now.
I pull my head back again and look at Shame, in his eyes. They are running over with tears but his anger is palpable. He’s barely holding on and my fear is that when his anger is released it will Honor, Gunner, or Raider that takes the thrashing.
“Honey, please. Let’s go. I want out of here. I want to go home, please.”
“You’re not going home, Mace. I’m sorry. Hem said if you looked like you needed medical attention and honey you do, then I’m to take you to the hospital.” Still Honor in charge. Shame has yet to say a word.
“I want to go home. Honor, I’m going home. You’re taking me. I do not want to go to hospital. I’m fine. Now, Take.Me.Home.”
Now Shame is shaking in even more anger. “Mace, get your ass in the truck. You will be checked out tonight. I will have Sade bring you clothes there and you can rest. I won’t leave you but woman, you’re going to be looked at. You’re face looks like it could use some stitches. Let’s fuckin’ go.”
I don’t have any strength left so no use in arguing with Shame. He needs to have control over this situation. His reaction to me when he saw me for the first time a few minutes ago had me realize he hasn’t been in control at all since I was taken. He needs this.
“Okay. Let’s go.”
On the way to the hospital, Shame has me on his lap in the back seat. He has his hands wrapped around the shirt at the bottom holding my body parts in and protected from anyone’s view. He isn’t talking but his other hand is gently rubbing my back as a sign of support. I’ve never seen Shame so out of it. He is radiating anger, fear, but I still feel his love.
*****
Once at the hospital I am able to lay down. Hem arrived just before I was taken to a room and has created a scene outside my door until the staff figures out that he isn’t leaving and he tells them he is my family. The doctors have already checked me out and Shame as promised hasn’t left my side once. When the doctors had asked if I was raped I was forced to explain what happened. I gave them all a play by play of the Greyson portion of the night. The hospital staff didn’t need information about Warren or anything that happened after Greyson so I kept quiet about it. The police took notes but you could tell that since they knew my brother and the Club were involved they did a half ass job with questions. This was Club business and law enforcement was well aware of how that worked. They put on a show of concern but that was about it. Officer Riley told Hem that if he needed assistance, he knew his number. Hem nodded with understanding although through his anger.
Many tests were taken on me to be sure nothing was broken and that while been beating my internal organs were okay, things like that. I knew I was fine, I feel okay other than being sore from the beating. My head is pounding and my ribs are throbbing in pain.
Now the tests results are back, the doctors came in and woke me. I had fallen asleep from exhaustion finally since I felt safe with Hem and Shame in the room. It was short lived though, the doctors are about to deliver some life altering news.
“How you feeling, Ms. Cash?” I hate them using my formal name, especially knowing I wasn’t Warren’s daughter. Hem and Shame have yet to know this so I don’t want to correct him. I wouldn’t even know what to call myself now. I tuck that away though, focusing on the handsome young doctor at the foot of my bed. No room for him on either side of me, as I was surrounded by both Hem and Shame. Looking at the doctors face though, I can tell he’s more comfortable at the end of the bed, closer to the door.
“I’m okay.”
“The results have all come in from the lab. No broken bones, which is a relief since we feared maybe you had a broken cheekbone. The stitches will leave a small scar but that will fade in time.” He has something else he’s not telling me I can tell. I try to sit up but fail.
Before the doctor sends me another silent message to excuse the boys, I step in. “Guys will you go get me some coffee. I need something to feel normal. I’m tired and I want to visit with my men after the doctor leaves, can you do this for me?”
“Nope.” Hem states plainly.
Right behind that I hear. “Not leaving ya, Sweetheart.” Dammit.
“Mace, I have more results however it is your call if you want your family members here to hear them. They may be alarming and you may want to hear this without any members present.”
“Nope, not leaving even if she tells me too so you may as well say it. What the fuck is wrong with my sister?”
Shame just glares down at the doctor, willing him to continue.
“Ms. Cash, okay?” The doctor looks concerned and a little pale as he asks for my approval to finish the news. My eyes are watered, this is bad. I nod at him just wanting him to get it over with. “Well alright. We had to run some tests on your kidneys. Although you may not have been struck there directly you were under a lot of stress and it is routine during act of violence and how you were captured to run tests including urine and blood.” He pauses looking at Shame and Hem again. He moves on one foot to another in a nervous gesture.
“During the routine tests it is not uncommon to look for pregnancy.” He sees my eyes widen in surprise so he doesn’t make me wait. “I will get to the point. Mace, you’re pregnant. There’s no mistake in that.”
“WHAT?” Shame shouts.
Hem smiles. He fuckin’ smiles at me, leans his big ole head down and kisses my temple. Oh God. I feel faint. Thank hell I’m already lying down.
“Ms. Cash? Were you already aware of this?” Still no one says a word, letting this news process. “We can’t know how far along you are until we examine you more closely but by the look on your face, you seem to be completely unaware.”
“MACE! DID YOU KNOW?” Shame is upset. I’m in shock and Hem is still fuckin’ smiling!
Screw this! I need to let go of something at someone. I just don’t know what. “HEM! Stop it. Stop smiling at me. Shame, NO I DID NOT KNOW! How am I pregnant? I’m on the shot? I cannot be pregnant!”
“Ms. Cash, you haven’t had your shot in four months. You were supposed to come in every 90 days for an additional dose. You never showed for your last appointment.”
“FUCK!” Shame is not taking this well.
“Well sir, I’m going to need your help then.” I’m still wrapping my head around this but I’m asking this doctor to
give me the impossible.
“Do not fuckin’ even think about it, Mace.” Shame is growling next to me and he’s dropped my hand, leaving me cold.
“Shush Shame, this is about me.”
“Fuck that woman, this is about ME TOO! You can’t just… well no… you will NOT…”
It dawns on me right then, Shame thinks I’m about to ask for an abortion. Oh my God, no! I look in his silver blue eyes and pause. I want to remember this moment. He’s freaked out sure, but he would never want to give up a child. This makes me feel more secure so I’m going to get to ask my favor.
Ignoring Shame’s fury that is directed solely at me along with my ignorant brothers stupid smile that continues to grow as he grasps this situation I continue talking, “Doctor, if I’m really pregnant and if you know this for certain. I’m going to ask your help. I need it to be a boy. If I don’t have all boys, my best friend and love of my life right here will drown himself. He’s serious. He can’t handle me on a daily basis, let alone a little miniature me.”
Hem busts up laughing and I take my eyes away from a smirking doctor to look at Shame. His eyes are filling fast and it has finally dawned on him that he’s going to be a father, boys or not.
Shame stands and grabs my face and locks his lips to mine. He’s kissing me hard, closed mouth but I get the message. I think my boy is happy of this news.
*****
I’ve been held captive by this hospital now for over 24 hours and my patience has already worn thin. Doctors have told family and friends that I’m to remain calm while they monitor the baby and me. It has been determined by my OBGYN that I’m just about 4 weeks along and the first trimester can be dangerous when the mother endures any kind of trauma. So, here I sit. I’m pissed off that I still haven’t gotten to tell Hem about Warren’s warning. He’s tense and doesn’t even know my story yet. I’m waiting for Shame to get here so I can check out and go home. Just as I’m about to cuss out loud, which I don’t like doing but when I’m pissed I develop the words in my mind so quickly they all come out when Shame comes strutting in.