Dealing with the Devil

by Black, Marina

  Archie nodded a silent thank you and jogged to where the ambulance was parked. Lucy was loaded into the back and strapped in for the ride. The minute the sirens began to wail, the sea of bikers parted to let them pass. Vaguely, he was aware of the two paramedics staring in awe of the mass in front of them. “Have you ever seen anything like it?” One whispered to the other. The answer was unequivocally ‘no’. Every motorcycle club within a thousand miles fighting for a singular cause was still baffling to Archie and he was the one who arranged it all.

  As they drove past, Archie noticed Rogelio cross himself in a silent prayer for Lucy, Narayan bow his head, and Tim clench his fist in a display of solidarity. Everyone was pulling for Lucy, no matter what colors they wore. Archie hoped he hadn’t used up all his miracles already…he just needed one more.

  Exhaling sharply, Archie rested his head against Lucy’s hand. She was warm despite the pallor of her complexion; it gave him the smallest ray of hope. “Come on, Luce,” He murmured softly. Closing his eyes, Archie begged God to save the woman he loved so very much. When he opened his eyes again, they’d arrived at the hospital and several nurses were waiting to bring Lucy into the trauma room. He was forced to stay in a crowded waiting room filled with crying babies, sniffling wives, and sad, stoic men. It was hell on earth.

  Minutes ticked into hours and Archie’s anxiety rose steadily. He paced the floor, muttering curses under his breath. One of the hospital volunteers offered him coffee and he accepted, if only to keep his mind sharp, but the toxic sludge made him jittery. He nearly flipped his chair over when he heard his name called over the loudspeaker. Rushing to the check in desk, Archie’s heart was beating wildly in his chest. “I’m Gabriel Archer! Is my wife okay?”

  Bea smiled gently as she opened the door to admit Archie into the patient care area. Steve had to pull a thousand strings to make this happen but it was well worth it in her eyes. It felt so good to be back at work and caring for Lucy was vitally important to her. “Follow me, Lucy’s right through here.” There was no personal offense taken when Archie blew past her and jogged to the room Bea motioned to. He closed the door gently behind her, holding Lucy’s file close to her chest. “Your wife is doing just fine.”

  “Then why isn’t she waking up?” Archie stroked Lucy’s cheek gently. Some of her color was starting to return now and a rosy bloom spread over her cheeks. All around him, machines were beeping and buzzing and whirring. He let out a shaky breath, “And if she’s so fine, what are all these things for?”

  “This one is monitoring Lucy’s heart rate and oxygen level, this one is the IV pump, and that one—” Bea rested a hand on the monitor that was spitting out paper reports every few minutes, “Is for the baby. Lucy is wearing a band around her abdomen that’s monitoring the child’s heartbeat.” Walking around to glance at one of the printouts, she grinned. “The baby is doing very well too, considering all the stress Lucy’s been under. The OBGYN has already been in to perform the ultrasound for confirmation. I’m sure that Dr. Arbor will be happy to share the pictures, if you’d like to see…”

  Archie felt his heart shatter as he inched closer, watching the rapid movement. “I…” His terror returned tenfold as he watched the baby’s heart rate speeding on the monitor. “It seems really fast.”

  “It’s normal, I promise.” Bea rested a comforting hand on Archie’s shoulder. “Lucy is suffering from dehydration and sleep deprivation. She was experiencing some morning sickness, coupled with stress and not feeling up to eating. The combination taxing on Lucy’s body.” Leaning over the bed, Bea smoothed Lucy’s dark hair. “After she shot Sofía, I believe Lucy finally felt like she was safe. The adrenaline that had been keeping her going started to wane and she shut down. It’s going to take a little while to heal. With some rest, fluids, and a few good meals, she will be fine.”

  “Thank God.” Archie breathed and collapsed in the chair at Lucy’s bedside.

  A smile tugged at Bea’s lips. “They’re going to keep her overnight. The OBGYN will check her out again tomorrow. If everything’s okay, they’ll plan to let her go tomorrow morning.” Stepping back to give Archie some alone time with his wife, she paused. “There’s a restaurant and gift shop on the second level. They’ll have one of the volunteers deliver, if you want. I’m sure Lucy would like something more than applesauce and graham crackers when she wakes up. Not to mention, she’ll kick my ass if she wakes up and you’re not in tiptop shape.”

  Archie couldn’t help but grin back at Bea. It didn’t surprise him at all that she and Lucy had become friends. Bea’s presence put him at ease, even though he still was on edge. “I’ll keep that in mind.” He rocked back on his heels. “Any news on Sofía?”

  Bea shook her head. “She’s still in surgery. The bullet went clean through her shoulder but the doctor was worried about shrapnel in the wound bed. They wanted to make sure they got all the pieces out. When she’s out, she’ll be transferred to section of the hospital we normally reserve for inmates.” She paused. “With all the testimony pouring in, Steve has got an airtight case. You’ll never have to worry about Sofía Salma or the Black Jacks ever again. That’s definitely one thing to celebrate.” The phone in her pocket started buzzing, letting her know another patient needed something. With that, Bea slipped from the room and closed the door behind her.

  Archie settled himself down in a chair by the bedside. The room wasn’t awful but it certainly wasn’t home. He glanced back at the woman in the bed and his entire body convulsed with shock to. Lucy’s onyx eyes were open and staring right at him. “Lucy!”

  Although her head was still fuzzy and arm ached where they had put the IV in, Lucy managed to push herself up in bed. “Hey…” Lucy’s voice was raspy and hoarse.

  Archie stood over her, his hand slipping into hers and gripping tight. “I thought I’d lost you…”

  “Please. It’s going to take more than that to get rid of me,” Lucy chuckled weakly. When she noticed the look on Gabe’s face, she instantly regretted the jibe. “Hey, come here.” Lucy shifted to accommodate him. They’d been parted for so long now, she worried it might be awkward; yet the moment he slipped in beside her, it felt like proper order had been restored to the world. Emotion burned in her throat as she smoothed a strand of his sandy blonde hair. “Did everyone get out? Is Danny okay? Did everything work out with your truce?”

  “Danny’s managing, Cecelia is keeping him in line.” There was a beat of silence and Archie genuinely smiled. “You should’ve seen it, Luce. We have a treaty with Los Santos, the Nightriders, and the Redhawks now. Everyone came out in force.” Swallowing hard, he glanced at her, “But I don’t want to talk about that. I need to know how you’re feeling.” He wondered how much Lucy remembered of the last few hours. “You shot Sofía, you know.”

  Lucy licked her lips. “I did…and I’d do it again in a heartbeat. She was going to kill you.” Her hand fell to the still-flat plane of her belly, careful not to bump the censor. “I love you, Gabriel. I couldn’t let anyone hurt you.” Resting her head against the pillow, Lucy covered her face with her hands. “I didn’t want to kill her. Death would be a release for someone like that. Sofía deserves to rot for her crimes.” Her voice cracked painfully.

  Archie smoothed the dark hair away from her cheek, “Look at me, Lucy.” It took a moment for her to gather the courage and he could see the tears forming in the corners of her eyes. “What’s wrong?”

  “How much time have you got?” Lucy sniffled, aching to sink through the cracks in the hospital floor. “Everything that’s happened: my patch, our marriage, going to Reno, being taken by Sofía…it’s made me realize how stupid I’ve been.” She her head again so he wouldn’t see the tears splashing down her cheeks. “I almost threw away everything I have just to prove a point. I’m—”

  “Pregnant?” Archie finished for her. “I know…” Reaching out, he gingerly covered her hand where it lay on her belly. “Lucy, you’ve only been fighting for what you deserv
e. I, on the other hand, have been the world’s biggest ass…”

  Lucy grabbed a tissue from the bedside and dabbed her eyes, “Go on.” Despite everything that had happened, she was eternally grateful Gabe was here. He hadn’t bolted the second he found out about the baby either. It allayed at least one of her fears. Holding his hand tighter, Lucy met his probing gaze. “You’ve spent so much time pushing me away.”

  Archie sagged. “I know, Luce.” He licked his lips. “I’m no good at this…I have a hard time opening up to people. You’re practically the first girl I ever met and I’ve been in love with you for as long as I can remember.” Stroking his thumb over the back of her hand, he felt as if his heart was on display in front of her. “I want you so badly, but then I remember my father and the terrible things he did to my mother and I.” He swallowed. “I couldn’t stand the thought of hurting you like that. I thought my love was a curse…” Archie shifted uncomfortably. “It took me almost losing you to realize not loving you was hurting us more than anything else ever could.”

  “I’ve been saying that all along, Gabe,” Lucy murmured. She shifted to rest her head against his shoulder. “You are good and kind and loving. You’re going to be an amazing husband and father. I wish it didn’t take you so long to realize it.”

  “You’ve always been smarter than me, Lucy. It was bound to take me a little extra time to figure it out.” Archie was inordinately careful not to get tangled up in Lucy’s IV or the monitors. It took some maneuvering but he managed to cradle her against his body. Pressing a soft kiss to her shoulder, he smiled. “I just want to go home and start our life together.”

  Lucy snuggled tighter against Gabe. She nodded eagerly. Getting out of Reno was her first priority. Then again, she also wanted things in Errol to be calm. “What about the baby?” Her voice was so quiet it was a miracle he even heard her. “We should’ve been more careful—”

  “Lucy,” Archie cut her off swiftly. “I’m happy. Shocked, a little nauseous, and terrified, but happy.” He smirked. “I guess we played it a little fast and loose on our honeymoon. Now that I think about it, I’d be suspicious if you weren’t pregnant.” He teased. “We’re going to be a family and that’s all the matters.”

  The soft laugh that bubbled from her chest broke the tension between them. “I want that too…but there’s something else, Gabriel.” She sighed heavily. “I need my patch. After all this, I have to be a Devil.”

  Archie tensed. “Lucy, if this entire experience has shown us anything, it’s that this life in the MC is too dangerous. I can’t do it. I need you both to be safe.”

  “What this should have shown you is that we have the power to do good in this world.” Lucy wasn’t going to back down. “Everyone around here thinks the Devils are criminals and thieves. Probably because that’s what it used to mean to be a part of the MC. But it doesn’t have to be that way anymore.” She stroked Gabe’s cheek gently. “We can do good in this world. Let’s fight for those who need it most. Women like your mother, Gabriel, and children like you.”

  Archie felt as if he’d been stabbed in the gut. He sat up. Lucy’s words were a blow he wasn’t expecting but now that it was out there, he couldn’t ignore the thoughts spinning in his head. What if there had been a man like him around when Archie was young? What would it have been like if his mother had a place to go where she knew she’d be safe from Erik? Life would have been very different for the both of them. “How would we do it?”

  “If we revamped the bar, we could turn it into a safe haven. Instead of using the boarding rooms for sex and debauchery, we’d open them up to people who need them.” Lucy smoothed Gabe’s hair tenderly. “No more wild, crazy parties. No more weeklong benders. We make the Devil’s Own into something we can all be proud of.”

  “It’s going to take a lot to convince the club,” Archie warned. They’d likely lose some of their members…it wouldn’t be easy. But he trusted his wife above all else. “I’m on board. Whatever it takes, Luce. I never want to worry about something like this happening again.” Archie smiled as Lucy pressed a tender kiss to his lips. He could feel the joy flowing off her in waves. “When we get back home, I’ll call a vote.” There were other reasons he wanted the entire club assembled. “It’s never been done but I am going to move we waive the wait period and make you all full members. Hunter, Mort, and Kyle were instrumental in all of this.”

  “That’s a great idea,” Lucy smiled but it was interrupted by a yawn. The exhaustion was still weighing on her but her stomach was protesting the lack of food. “I think I heard rumors about crackers and applesauce? Do you think you could get me some? I’m starving.”

  Carefully slipping from the bed, Archie shook his head. “I’ll get you some real food. Bea said there was a restaurant somewhere around here. I’ll take a walk over and pick up whatever you want. Anything you’re craving?”

  “I would probably sell my soul for a cheeseburger right now…” Lucy chuckled. “Anything with meat and cheese and extra pickles would do it, though.” Pulling Gabe down for another kiss, she grinned. “Thank you.” Once Gabe slipped from the room, Lucy eased her way into the bathroom, using the IV pole to steady herself. There were dark purplish stains marring the delicate skin beneath her eyes, she looked drawn and pale, and that was only her face. Lucy’s dark hair was frizzy and flying in every direction. She groaned at the sight. Perching on the edge of the toilet seat, Lucy did the best she could to tame the beastly curls. She splashed a bit of water on her face, reveling in the coolness. She felt like a whole new woman.

  When Lucy stepped out of the bathroom again, Danny was hunched over in a chair with his face in his hands and Cecelia was crouched beside him. Her heart leapt into her throat at the sight. “Danny?” Her brother launched himself into Lucy’s arms. He hugged her so tightly that he nearly knocked the wind out of her. “Oof!” Lucy gasped.

  “Hey, be careful!” Cecelia chastised and slapped Danny’s shoulder to get him to give Lucy some space to breathe. “I tried to get him to wait but he was making such a damn fuss, Bea snuck us back.” She glared at Danny disdainfully, though there wasn’t any malice behind it. “We just wanted to check and make sure you were okay. Now that we have, I’m sure we should let you get some rest. Right, Danny?”

  Lucy laughed softly, “It’s okay, Cece.” Danny was still holding on tight and she stroked the back of his head the way their mother used to do. “Hey, Danny?” She pressed softly.

  “Hmm?” Danny asked, raising an eyebrow to glance at her.

  “When was the last time you washed that shirt?” Lucy made no bones about grimacing at the smell of it. “You smell worst than the dumpster behind Marge’s on trash pickup day.”

  Danny visibly relaxed and chuckled throatily. “Well, at least I know you’re going to live. If you have the strength to nag me about my laundry, you’ll have the strength to hold on.” Gently, he helped Lucy back to the bed and arranged the blankets around her, as if he were tucking in a small child. “By the way, where the fuck is Archie?”

  Lucy caught Danny’s hand and held it tightly. “I made him go get some food. He’s been here the whole time, I promise.” Her thumb slid over Danny’s knuckles as she attempted to soothe him. “He’s a good man, Danny. I love him and he loves me.” A smile tugged at the corner of her lips as Danny sighed in exasperation. “We’ve known Gabe since we were kids. You know he’s going to make an excellent husband and father.”

  “Yeah…” Danny murmured several curses under his breath before his eyes widened. “Wait, a father?” He stared her down.

  “Yes, and you’re going to be an uncle.” Lucy smiled at Danny’s incredulity.

  “You’re pregnant?” Danny’s breath caught in his throat as Lucy nodded. There was half a second where his expression was blank; then his face darkened and he looked positively murderous. “I’m going to kill him!”

  Lucy laughed despite the gravity of the situation. Danny’s overprotectiveness knew no bounds. “Gabriel is
my husband.” Her expression softened. “It’s been just you and me for so long, Danny. Won’t it be nice to have family holidays and picnics and birthdays all together? You’ll have a little niece or nephew to spoil. Trust me, this is a good thing.”

  Danny didn’t look convinced but Lucy looked so joyful that he couldn’t stay sour. “Well, if you’re happy, then I’m happy…” He sighed, “But I still want to kill him.” Gazing at her with a sloping grin, he added, “Could I maybe just rough him up a little bit?”

  Lucy narrowed her eyes at her brother; clearly, that was a ‘no’. Danny looked appropriately sheepish as she leaned in and kissed his cheek. She glanced over at Cecelia who was doing her best to stay out of the way. “I’m so happy to see you, Cece. I was so worried.”

  Cecelia felt a sense of relief wash over her when Lucy reached out. Stepping to her side of the bed, she hugged Lucy tenderly. “Hey, I’m just as tough as I look,” Cece teased. Brushing a strand of her blue hair to cover the scar Sofía had inflicted on her, she stole a glance at Danny. “We may have busted out but you saved our asses, hermana. And you don’t have to worry about shooting Sofía. Jules said they’re giving you a freakin’ commendation or something for aiding an FBI investigation.” Cece chuckled. “Though I got to admit, I’m a little pissed I didn’t get to shoot her myself.”

  Lucy smirked. “Sorry, I beat you to the punch.” Hugging Cecelia again, Lucy realized that glances were being exchanged between Cecelia and Danny. Those looks told her there was something more roiling beneath the surface. Her smile widened. “Did you two come here together?”

  “No,” Cecelia replied tartly, as if the question was ridiculous.

  “Yes,” Danny interjected, talking over Cece.

  Lucy smirked and raised an eyebrow at the two, who were now engaged in a silent battle of wills. “Well, I’m just glad you’re here…” Cece and Danny. Well that was something Lucy never expected. Cece looked like she was about to deck someone when Lucy interjected, changing the subject. “Is everyone else is okay? Jules and Candy? Adela?” When Cece nodded, relief washed over her; it felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Life was just about complete with Gabe stepped through the door with a cheeseburger.