by Erin Osborne
Tank throws a bucket of water on the fucker. We watch as he sputters back to reality and looks around him. Evil smiles appear on our faces as we launch ourselves at the chained men.
Renegade, Playboy, Killer, and I take care of the fucker that spilled his guts to us. Tank, Grave, Bear, and Psycho take care of the other fucker. We each take turns slicing, burning, beating, and dismantling the men before us. It almost becomes a one-up-manship as we each try to outdo the others with our torture.
Killer outdoes us all. After slicing off the dick of the man before us, he shoves it in his mouth. The man’s balls are shoved up his ass before Killer begins to fillet him like a gutted fish. Only having the tools we found in the shed, he takes a torch and sets the dumb fuck on fire after telling him to enjoy Hell.
I make sure the men know what I want done before I leave the shed and clean up in the abandoned house real quick. Zach brings me a change of clothes so I can get back to the hospital. We may have taken out the immediate threat to the clubs, but we stirred up a fucking shitstorm. The cartel won’t take lightly to us taking out their muscle in the States.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Shy
I SLOWLY WAKE up to beeping machines, pain radiating throughout my entire body, and the memories of what I’ve been through. Trying to sit up, I almost scream out in pain as my body revolts and I lay back in the bed. As my vision clears and I realize I’m in the hospital, I calm a fraction and take in my surroundings.
I’m in a hospital bed hooked up to an IV along with a blood pressure cuff, an oxygen sensor, and a bandage wrapped around my head. There’s a throbbing in my head making it hard to concentrate or keep my eyes open for very long.
To the left of me, Slim is sleeping on a cot someone wheeled in. Kinsliegh is on his chest sleeping too. Tears fill my eyes as I realize these are the two I fought so hard for. I fought to get back to Slim and to protect the little girl sleeping on his chest.
Lying in the bed, I think of everything that happened while I was being held. There’s so much I need to tell Slim about my time there. Just like there’s so much I need to tell him about us. I want him to know how much he means to me and how much I love him. Even when he’s being an ass.
Before I can wake him up, my door opens and a nurse walks in. She smiles but doesn’t say a word until she’s standing next to my bed. After asking how I’m feeling and checking my vitals, the nurse reassures me the doctor will be in shortly to talk to me about everything.
Once it’s just the three of us left in the room, I turn my attention toward Slim and Kinsliegh. For the first time, he looks absolutely relaxed and peaceful. I can’t remember a time Slim’s brow hasn’t been furrowed even in sleep. He’s always thinking about the club, potential problems that may arise, and whatever else plagues his thoughts.
With Kinsliegh wrapped in his arms, his face is relaxed and he looks younger than I’ve ever seen him. It’s a sight to behold and one I want to make happen for him daily. He needs to learn to lean on his club brothers and me instead of trying to take everything on himself. Slim’s not a man that’s going to change so it’s up to me to ensure he lives his life feeling loved and knows he’s more than just the President of the Phantom Bastards.
Lying my head back, I relax into the bed and continue to watch the pair on the uncomfortable looking cot sleep. I begin to doze as I wait for the doctor to come in and talk to me. I’m safe and my world is right with the three of us in this room together.
Just as I’m falling into a deeper sleep, I hear Kinsliegh begin to stir. Everything in me calls to me to go get her. I don’t because I’m hooked up to the IV and I don’t want to pull it out. Once Slim wakes up, he can bring her to me though. So, I turn my eyes to face them as I watch her little body squirm in an attempt to wake up.
Slim slowly comes awake as Kinsliegh continues to move around on his chest and begins to cry. After looking down at the bundle in his arms, he immediately turns his attention to me. I greet him with a smile on my face and tears in my eyes. Even rumpled from sleep, he’s the sexiest man I’ve ever seen.
“How long have you been awake?” he asks, carefully sitting up with Kinsliegh in his arms.
“A little while. Just waiting on the doctor to come in and talk to me,” I answer, watching him walk toward me. “I can take her if you want to go eat or something.”
“I got her. I’ve missed you two so much. Shy, I was goin’ out of my mind while you were gone. I’m so . . . ” he starts to say.
“This is not on you. You didn’t choose to take us. You weren’t the one that beat on me. And you didn’t make the decision to go to the store with no backup. I should’ve taken a Prospect with me and made sure someone knew where I was going. It happened and there’s nothing we can do about it now. I do need to talk to you when we’re not in here though. Got some information,” I tell him, placing my hand on his cheek as he leans down and places a chaste kiss on my lips.
Before he can respond, there’s a knock on the door. A man with short hair and a white coat sticks his head in the door. Noticing that I’m awake, he walks into the room with a smile on his face. I’m not sure what there is to smile about since I’m lying in a hospital bed and I hurt worse than anything else.
“Good morning, Ms. Carter. How are you feeling today?” he asks.
“Like I’ve been hit by a truck. How long am I gonna have to be in here?” I ask, slipping my hand in Slim’s.
“That’s to be expected, unfortunately. We’ll monitor your pain and help you manage it the best we can while you’re here and when you leave,” the doctor tells me.
After explaining my injuries to me and letting me know they’d like me to stay in the hospital for a few more days to make sure there’s no complications, the doctor drops a damn bombshell on me. He lets me know I’m also pregnant. But, none of my injuries have affected the fetus and they don’t foresee any complications with the pregnancy.
I can feel my mouth hanging open and my eyes, well, eye, feels like it’s about to bug out of my head. My gaze swings over to Slim who’s sitting on the cot with Kinsliegh in his arms. A smile lights up his face and I know I don’t have to wonder what he’s feeling about having a baby.
Once the doctor leaves the room, we sit in silence. I’m going over the fact that I’m pregnant and that we’ll be having two kids in our care under the age of two. Slim’s children are already grown and he’s got grandchildren. How the hell can he be happy about adding another baby to our family?
“Get out of your head, Shy. What’s goin’ on in that mind of yours?” he asks, coming over to sit on the side of my bed next to me.
“What are you thinking about the fact we’re about to have a baby? That means two under two. Your kids are grown up already and you’ll be starting all over again,” I tell him.
“So what? I love you and our family is growin’. How can I be upset or mad about that?” he asks, leaning down to gently kiss me on my cheek.
Kinsliegh is getting fussy again and I know this has been hard on the little baby. She’s been so good during everything though. I look down at her in Slim’s arms and think about what he’ll look like holding two little ones in his strong, capable arms. It’s an image I’d like to see every day for the rest of my life.
“What are you thinkin’ about? You got a dreamy look on your face,” Slim asks me, a smile covering his handsome face.
“Just thinking about you holding two little ones in your arms. Are you sure you’re okay with this?” I ask, my nerves getting the best of me.
“Oh yeah? Take it you like that thought. And yes, I’m more than okay with you bein’ the mom to one of my children,” he says.
Tears fill my eyes. One of them is so swollen, I’m surprised I can feel it filling with tears, but I can. This is how I imagined my life with Slim. Us letting one another in and building a life together. Not pushing the other one away and trying to just keep the other person involved enough to ensure we had a steady piece of ass.
I could do without having my ass kidnapped and all the other bad shit that’s happened over the last few months. But I’ll cherish having my family back in my life and the man I’ve longed for sitting by my side. I’ll stand by his no matter what happens from here on out.
“I love you!” I tell Slim suddenly.
He looks at me for a few minutes without saying a word. “Shy, I love you more than I thought possible. As soon as we can make it happen, I want my ring on your finger and my name on your back. Everyone will know who you belong to and I’ll show you off to the world.”
“You asking me or telling me that’s how it’s gonna be?” I ask, a smile on my swollen face.
“Tellin’. There’s no doubt about it in my mind. You got doubts, you better get over them. Quick,” he tells me, leaning over to place a kiss on my temple.
We spend the afternoon talking and playing with Kinsliegh. Guys come in and out of the room to check on us until Maddie and Tank come in. No one else will come in while they’re in here. They want us to spend time together as a family. The same thing happens when Playboy comes in for a visit.
They’re still in with us when a knock sounds on the door and a technician with an ultrasound machine comes in. Tank looks between Slim and me and I can see the question in his eyes. He wants to leave with Maddie if that’s what we want.
“You guys can stay. There’s no point in leaving now when you already know the secret,” Slim answers.
Maddie smiles at me and pulls her chair over to the other side of the bed so she can see the screen with us. Tank stands behind her with a hand placed on her shoulder. I know her story and I can’t imagine not being able to have more kids. She’s such a good mom and any child in her life is lucky.
The technician goes about her business and we all stop talking as soon as we hear the heartbeat fill the room. It’s strong and fast as I look to my man and see his eyes glistening with unshed emotion. Relief fills me as I realize our little one is safe and sound in my womb for the next six months.
She prints out some pictures for us to take home and leaves us alone in the room. Maddie hugs her dad and then me before they make their way from the hospital. She’s taking Kinsliegh with them so she can sleep in her crib tonight. I’m hoping to get out of here tomorrow so it’s not like she’ll be out of our sight for very long.
Slim and I spend the rest of the night with him lying in the small hospital bed with me. I curl my body around him and find a comfortable spot before I start running my hand up and down his chest. The smell of leather and cigarettes fill my senses and a calmness washes over me. I release a sigh and close my eye to get some much-needed sleep.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Slim
SHY’S BEEN HOME for almost a week now. I’ve been going to the clubhouse for the bare minimum time during the day while Maddie and the rest of the girls go spend time with her. Today, I’m sitting in my office getting ready to make some calls. We all need a vacation and I’m going to make sure all the clubs are ready to meet up and spend some time relaxing.
My first call is to Butcher, the President of the Phantom Bastards in Whitney Glen. We talk business for a few minutes so I can make sure everything is okay with his club before I get down to the reason for my call.
“Butcher, I bought some land and I want to have everyone down for a meet and little vacation. You’ll need to bring tents, RVs, or whatever you all want to sleep in,” I tell him.
“Okay. Where’s this land?” he asks.
“’Bout two hours from me. I’ll send you directions in a little bit.”
“Sounds good. When we doin’ this?”
“End of the week I want everyone to head there. We’ll spend a week there and talk about doin’ this every year from now on,” I let him know.
“That gives me time to put things in place here so we can make the trip. See you in a few days,” he says, hanging up the phone.
I repeat the process with Grim, Gage, and Renegade. They’ll all be making the trip to the land and we’ll go from there. Now I have to get with the girls and make sure they get what we’ll need for food and other necessities. Especially with the kids going.
Leaving my office, I make my way out to the common room. Shy and the girls are taking up one corner while the kids play close by. There’s a few men scattered about the room while the rest are out at work. The ones here are more than likely on break or have the day off.
“Shy girl,” I say, walking up to the table. “Need some help.”
“What’s up, babe?” Shy asks.
“Goin’ on a vacation at the end of the week. Our entire club, the other chapter of Phantom Bastards, both Wild Kings chapters, and Satan’s Anarchy. The only one I have to talk to is Blaze about the Nomads goin’. Need you guys to figure out what we’ll need for food and other shit for the kids and everyone there. There’s no cabins or anythin’ like that. Gotta go get some RVs and the single guys can stay in tents. As soon as you got those lists ready, gonna need you to get with the Prospects to get everythin’.”
“Okay. We can do that. Is there runnin’ water out there or no?” Sami asks.
“There’s runnin’ water but that’s about it. No electricity so whatever we do for music is gonna have to come from the RVs or a generator. I’ll leave you to it. Shy, I’ll be ready to leave in an hour or so,” I say, leaning down to kiss my woman before making my way back to the office.
Once I’m back in my office, I pull out the paperwork I got from the realtor. There’s a map of the property and I mark down where we’ll put everything for the week we’ll be there. I’m not sure what clubs are going to be bringing pussy for the single guys, but the girls better know the attached men are off-limits or they’ll be kicked off the property without hesitation. We’re going to have a good time and make sure everyone can relax. Not worry about some skank trying to get their man.
I mark out where I want the single guys and where the RVs for families will go. I’m sure most of the married men will have RVs so they don’t have to worry about their kids sleeping in tents and getting out easier.
Once I’m done marking out where I want everything to go, I pull out the blueprints and begin to mark where I want the buildings to go. Part of the reason I want Renegade and Psycho there is to talk to them about their construction crew handling the building of the compound I plan to make there for a getaway spot. It will have cabins built around the place. One large building will house the kitchen and dining room. There’s going to be a game room and I want a pond built too so we can spend time fishing or swimming when we’re there.
The small details can be figured out by the men on the construction crew. I just want to make sure there’s enough buildings we don’t have to depend on tents and RVs whenever we go out there I’ll also have Shy look at the plans before we head out so I can get her input in the decision as well. It’s important she feels like she’s part of the decision-making and I won’t make that mistake again.
Just as I’m putting the paperwork back in the folder, there’s a knock on my door. I call out for the person to enter and look up to see Blaze and Dozer making their way in my office.
They take the chairs in front of the desk and wait to see what I want.
“Thanks for comin’ in. And thank you for helpin’ with gettin’ my woman back. We’re all goin’ away at the end of the week. There’s gonna be a lot of clubs there and I want you to come out with us. Unless you have somewhere else to be,” I say, sitting back in my chair and pulling out a cigarette before lighting it up.
“Grim and Gage goin’?” Blaze asks.
“Yeah. They’ll be headin’ out at the end of the week with everyone else. You’re more than welcome to stay here and head out with us if you want.”
Blaze and Dozer look at one another before turning their attention back toward me. The President of the Nomad chapter nods his head to me and lets me know they’ll be heading to the land I bought. This is shaping up to be a big meet and I can’t wait t
o interact with all the guys at one time. It will also give Renegade’s guys a chance to get to know the Wild Kings. They’ve been around one another a few times, but nothing like the next week will allow them to do.
We spend some time in the office shooting the shit until I figure it’s time to get Shy and Kinsliegh home. She still gets tired easily and I know I’ve given her a lot to do with the help of the girls. I’m ready to get her home and have a quiet night in with my girls. The rest of the week will be busy enough.
Killer, Playboy, Blaze, Dozer, and Tank have gone with me to pick out the RVs the families from the Phantom Bastards will be using. Grim and Gage said they’d make sure the ones they picked out will be getting delivered the same time ours are. So, they should all be there by tomorrow. We’re leaving the dealership when I realize we’re going to have to head out early to make sure they’re all set in place before everyone starts showing up. It’s going to be insanity navigating between the arrival of so many clubs and arranging the RVs somewhere.
I’ll have to get with everyone and see about arriving the day before everyone else. It gives us an extra day away and I can make sure things are set up. Shy’s been getting everything else ready for the past few days and she falls into bed exhausted every single night.
The only time we argue is when I’m trying to get her to take it easy. She reminds me she’s pregnant and not an invalid. I remind her she’s also recovering from a brutal attack at the same time. The quicker I can get her to the campsite, the easier it will be for her to relax and get off her feet for a while.
As soon as we get back to the clubhouse, I call attention to the few people that are sitting around the common room. Alex and Zach go round up anyone else that might be lingering in the clubhouse or out back.
After a few minutes, I begin talking.
“As everyone knows, we’re goin’ to the campsite in a few days. However, it’s goin’ to be hectic with everyone arrivin’ and tryin’ to get the RVs in position. So, I’m thinkin’ of us headin’ out the day before everyone else gets there so we can take care of all that,” I begin, looking around the room. “There’s enough people to get everythin’ in the right spot and unpacked. Then we can sit back and relax until the other clubs start showin’ up. Sound good?”