by Debra Kayn
Nene lost more than that. Any of the men here would stop her if they spotted her pointing a gun at them. She swallowed hard, looking over her shoulder. If all their attention wasn't directed on Olin.
She turned her head forward. "Let's not panic. Someone will see us eventually and stop her."
They were going to have to do something on their own.
"My son...Olin?" Karla stifled her sob. "He's alive?"
"Yes. Doc will fix him." She squeezed Karla. "He's got the whole club there helping."
She put her hand on the handle of the back door, hoping it was locked and would force them through the front door where the members rallied around Olin. The door opened. Nene poked her in the back with the pistol, and she led Karla to the meeting room.
The broken glass left over from Skidd breaking the display case had been cleaned up. She turned around and shielded Karla.
"Nene, I don’t know what you're doing, but there's an emergency with Olin going on. If you have a problem with me, wait until Chief returns and talk to—"
"Shut up." Nene waved the pistol in front of her.
"Let Karla go see her son." Johanna's heart raced. "Please. He's hurt. Her other sons need their mom. I'll stay here with you."
Nene pointed the pistol at the chairs. "Sit, and use your phone to call Chief. I want him here now."
"Chief won't come back." Johanna's voice raised. "He's trying to find Skidd."
Nene laughed. Johanna shivered. The evil, nasty sound filled the room with fear.
"He'll never find Skidd." Nene reached out and pushed Johanna. "Sit down."
She fell into the table. Karla pulled out a chair and set Johanna down before taking a seat beside her. "Don't anger her," whispered Karla.
Nene pulled a prescription bottle out of her pocket, unscrewed the cap using her teeth while holding the gun on Johanna. She dumped multiple pills on the table. Johanna chanced a glance at Karla, seeking answers to questions plaguing her.
When she lived with Nene, she'd never seen her take any medicine, except the occasional Tylenol for a headache. The different colored pills and capsules on the table were not over the counter drugs, but prescription, she was sure of that.
Beyond scared, she wouldn't let Nene hurt either one of them. "You're wrong. Skidd's crazy...doing things he shouldn't and making threats."
Nene picked up one pill and popped it into her mouth, tipped her head back, and when she looked at Johanna, she narrowed her eyes. In a voice Johanna had never heard from the woman, Nene said, "It's time Chief finally got what he deserved. For every five minutes that Chief doesn't show, I'm going to take another pill."
"W-what are the pills for?" asked Johanna.
"Who knows." Nene smiled, but there was nothing humorous in her gaze. "You should be asking how many I can take before I die. But, we'll just have to see how fast Chief responds to you calling him. You better hope he loves you enough to come or you'll be the one who gets to watch me die in front of you."
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chief rushed out of the house he owned where Nene lived. He tucked the pistol behind his belt and got on his Harley. If he found Nene, he'd find Skidd.
Nobody needed to tell him that Nene found a new dick after he'd pushed her out of his life. After he put a bullet in Skidd for stabbing his boy and threatening his woman, he'd make sure Nene paid for her part in today's fight between Olin and Skidd.
He roared down the road and headed toward Skidd's duplex where he lived off Landing Street.
His phone vibrated in his pocket, and an ache resurrected in his chest, squeezing the breath out of him. A call would mean there was a change in Olin's condition.
He downshifted and braked to the side of the road. Grabbing his phone, he answered, "Yeah?"
"It's me," said Johanna. "This call isn't about Olin. Doc is with him. You need to come to the clubhouse right now."
His hand tightened on the phone. "It's not Olin?"
"No."
"What the fuck do you mean it's not Olin?" He put one boot on the foot peg ready to go.
"Can I tell him who wants him?" said Johanna.
He lowered his chin, straining to hear over the traffic. "Come again?"
Johanna's exhale came over the call. "Just a second."
He didn't have time for a fucking phone call. Either Olin needed him or not.
"Chief?"
"Yeah?"
"Nene's here. Please, come to the meeting room. She's making me call—"
His spine stiffened. He looked straight ahead. "Johanna?"
He pulled the phone away from his ear. The call ended.
He shoved the cell in his vest pocket, started the Harley, made a U-turn in the road, and headed back to the clubhouse. He could only hope that Nene being at the clubhouse would draw Skidd in. There were at least one-hundred members in and out during the day. They all knew he wanted Skidd and would apprehend him. At the clubhouse, Johanna would remain protected as Olin fought for his life.
Two riders rode in his direction. He recognized Chano and Pillar. He put down his arm and touching the tip of his index finger to this thumb, signaling for them to follow him.
At the edge of town, he put caution to the wind of getting stopped by law enforcement with a loaded weapon, something as a felon would put him back in the slammer, and opened the throttle. Johanna's tone of voice and awkward conversation put him on alert.
She was uncomfortable. She was scared.
He knew her as well as he knew himself. She needed him.
The gates of Brikken property came into view. His body tensed the closer he came. Damning the closed gate, he skidded to a stop as Cash and Shore scrambled to push the sheet metal break in the fence open.
He revved the engine and tore into the yard. Scanning the vehicles, he parked beside the front door and jumped off the Harley. Nene's car wasn't here.
Pushing through the door, he found Doc sitting beside the pool table with Keeffe. The other members solemn and quiet in different parts of the room.
"How is he?" He walked across the room.
"Unconscious. I stopped the flow of blood, but he needs a transfusion." Doc grabbed the edge of the table and pulled himself to his feet.
"Do it here," he said, stopping at the foot of the pool table.
Olin's still body, covered in a thick blanket up to his chin, had Chief staring at his chest looking for any movement of breathing. Finally, he seen a slight rise and fall of his boy's chest. He inhaled deeply, wishing he could give life to Olin.
Doc shook his head. "It's not that easy."
"Is it possible?"
Doc nodded once. "But, I don't know who is a match for his blood—"
"Jett! Thorn!" His boys hurried to him. "Talk to Doc. Ask your mother. Find someone who can find out if your fucking blood matches Olin. If he can get blood from you, you give your brother your damn blood. Hear?"
"Yeah," said the boys in unison.
He stalked out of the room, down the hallway, and opened the door to the meeting room. One step inside, he stopped. Nene stood with a pistol on Johanna and Karla. The two women sat in chairs, Johanna the intended target.
"Put the fucking pistol on the table, Nene." He shut the door. "You want to talk, then talk." He looked at Johanna. "Take Karla out into the main room, bug."
Nene stepped forward, swaying. "She's not going anywhere. I want her to hear what I have to say. It's time she learns everything."
Everything he'd done up to now, he'd done to protect Johanna. "Bitch, I'm not dealing with you right now."
"You will, or she's dead." Nene stepped back and reached out blindly for the table, her fingers tapping a line to a pile of pills. She picked one up and set it in front of Johanna and then turned the gun on Chief. "Swallow the pill, Johanna, or I shoot him."
"Stop." Johanna jumped from her chair. "Don't point that gun at him."
"Take the pill, or I shoot him," repeated Nene. "He should never have taken you. It's wrong. He should ne
ver have taken a child away from her mother."
Johanna leaned to the side and picked up the pill. Chief stepped toward her. "Don't."
Nene shook the pistol. "Now or I'll sh—"
"Okay. Stop." Johanna popped the pill in her mouth. "I took it. Put the gun away."
"Jesus Christ. What did you make her take?" Chief stepped toward Johanna and stopped when Nene pressed the pistol against his back.
Rage blinded him. He stared at Johanna, willing her to spit out the pill. She couldn't save him. She had to protect herself.
"Chief, that's the second pill Johanna's had to take to keep Nene from shooting you," whispered Karla.
Nene shifted behind him. "I'm not finished."
He turned his head, and Nene jabbed him hard in the back.
"Nene's taken a lot of pills, Chief," said Karla softly. "She's trying to kill herself."
"Let her kill herself." He turned, making sure to keep his body in front of Johanna. "Give me the fucking gun."
Nene backed up, stumbled, and caught herself on a chair. "It's all over."
He remained quiet, inching forward. Nene's eyes no longer focused properly and she worked hard to keep looking at him.
"You... and Rollo thought you were better... than everyone else. R-Rollo when he brought your mother to Brikken and you...you when you lusted after a child." Nene slapped at her chest, her words slurring. "He didn't care about... me. You didn't care."
Chief stopped and raised his hands waist high. "Rollo took care of you until the day he was fucking killed."
She shook her head. "That's what he wanted you all to believe, but he turned his back on me the second he brought Jaqueline to Brikken."
Chief growled, hearing his mother's name. "Watch it."
"He was supposed to be mine." Her speech slurred. "He came to me once when he loved your mother. I bet he didn't tell you that. He came to my bed."
Chief tilted his head. "Nene, give me the gun."
"He should've taken care of me when I got pregnant. All Rollo did was take the only person I loved away. He stole my baby and kept him from me. G-gave him to someone else. He was my baby. Mine. We were supposed to be a family, and instead, h-he stayed with her and raised you to take over Brikken."
Johanna's hand touched his back. He sprawled his fingers at his sides, motioning for Johanna to move back out of harm's way.
Something was wrong with Nene's story. He'd been twenty-eight years old when Rollo was killed. He remembered everything.
"What did Rollo steal?" he asked, keeping Nene concentrating on the conversation.
She'd taken a fucking lot of pills. He only had to wait. She'd either pass out or die.
Nene's gaze fixated on his face. "My son."
"You don't have a kid." Chief took another step closer.
"Because Rollo stole him, but I'm not going to keep the secret any longer. My son deserves to step up and take his place as the president of B-Brikken Motorcycle Club." Nene's shallow breathing made the words spaced out, and he had to concentrate on each one, stringing them together.
"Impossible. I am Rollo's son. Just as my oldest son will someday be the leader."
Nene's arm lowered. The pistol no longer aimed at his heart. But, he needed to know what Nene was talking about.
"My baby..." Nene's face wrinkled in pain. "Rollo should've claimed his son."
"I am his son."
"He had another one, after you." Nene's legs buckled and she fell into the table, pushing her upper body up, she said, "Skidd deserved to have a father. He deserved Brikken. He deser....he de..."
The pistol slipped from Nene's hand, and seconds later, she collapsed at Chief's feet. He picked up the fallen weapon. Ignoring Nene, he turned and grabbed Johanna. He wrapped his arms around her, cradling her head against his chest.
"It's okay, bug. It's over." He lifted his gaze and looked at Karla. "Go...go see to our son and tell Keeffe to come here."
Karla nodded, touching Johanna's back. Then, she hurried from the room.
He pulled Johanna's face away from his vest and studied her dilated pupils. "What kind of drugs did Nene have on the table?"
"I don't know."
"Your eyes are spacey, bug." He caressed her cheeks with his thumbs. "What are you feeling?"
"Scared," she whispered. "She said Skidd would kill you if I didn't take a pill. Then, she was going to shoot you, and I'd lose you."
"Not going to happen." He inhaled deeply, feeling like he'd had his ass beaten.
She pressed her cheek into the palm of his hand. "You need to be with Olin."
"I will after I deal with Nene." He forcefully moved Johanna when she tried to look behind him. "Don't. She's dead."
"Maybe she just passed out," whispered Johanna.
He shook his head. He'd seen many dead people. There was no mistake the loss of human life behind a blank stare.
"Is it true?" Johanna reached up and pressed her hands on top of his. "Is Skidd her son?"
"I'll find out but until then let's keep the shit she'd said in this room to ourselves." He walked her toward the door without letting her see Nene on the floor.
Raised as Rollo's only son, he wanted to believe that Nene's story was built on jealousy and revenge. Skidd came to Brikken as a nineteen-year-old, like any other prospect. He knew nothing of his past or where he came from, which was the way of Brikken. Once you stepped through the doors, your past never existed.
Keeffe walked toward him in the hallway. He met his vice president's questioning gaze. Somehow, Nene had slipped past everyone and put Johanna in danger, the mother of his sons in danger, and eventually, he would get answers on how that happened. Right now, he had to get his boy on solid ground, take care of Johanna, and then he would find Skidd.
Answers always came. Maybe not in the order he'd like them, but he would find out the truth.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Karla laid beside an unconscious Olin on top of the pool table. Not wanting to let go of Chief's hand, Johanna was thankful when he rushed to his son's side taking her with him.
Johanna reached out to Karla with her free hand. "Are you okay?"
"I will be once my son wakes up." Karla raised her head and looked at the flow of blood traveling through the tube from her arm to Olin. "I have the same blood type."
"He will get better. Olin is strong and stubborn." Johanna smoothed the hair from Karla's forehead. She hated calling with the news of the emergency and felt responsible for Nene terrorizing them. If she hadn't of called, she could've saved Karla from being frightened even more with Nene going off the deep end. "I'm so sorry about—"
"You couldn't have known." Karla closed her eyes an extra beat. "I can't even make sense of what happened."
"I know," she whispered.
The situation exploded with Olin coming back injured and hadn't ended yet. Skidd remained missing. Threats against Brikken remained out there. Chief was still in danger.
"Chief?" Karla lifted her gaze off Johanna and looked at Chief. "Who hurt our son?"
Chief's mouth tightened. Johanna squeezed his hand. A mother deserved to know what was going on with her son.
"Skidd," said Chief.
Karla's chin trembled but her gaze intensified. "Kill him," she whispered harshly.
Chief dipped his chin. Nausea closed Johanna's throat, and dizziness hit her. She turned her face into Chief's upper arm and closed her eyes.
"Bug?"
She couldn't swallow. "Chief?"
"Bug." He shook her body.
She lifted her head and blinked trying to keep her eyes open. "I don't feel good."
"Doc!" said Chief.
Her body floated, and her head landed. A familiar brush against her skin calmed her. Chief held her. His beard covered her.
"God damnit, bug. Stay with me." Chief manhandled her. "Doc, help her. She popped a couple pills."
"What kind?"
"How the fuck do I know? Her eyes are rolling back. Johanna, look at m
e. Come on, bug. Open your eyes."
She reached out and grabbed on to his beard. "I'm here. Just tired..."
"Watch out. Let me through."
"Do something now."
All the voices soothed her. Softness and comfort. Olin would be all right. Why couldn't they hear her?
"Open her mouth," said a male voice. "Swallow, Johanna."
Sweetness coated her tongue. She swallowed.
"Sit her up on your lap. Someone get a glass of water. She'll need to drink."
Jostled, her chin fell to her chest. She moaned, wanting to lay back down. Where was Chief? She needed him. He promised not to leave.
"What could she have taken?" asked the man.
She had to take the pills to save Chief. Johanna tried to reach out, but her hands weren't working.
"I don't know. There were lots of different medicine. She only took one pill," said Chief. "How does this fucking happen?"
"Depends on what kind of medicine was ingested. Heart medicine, seizure medicine, there are lots out there that would harm a healthy person." The calm male voice continued. "Let's hope the Ipecac will help and not do more damage."
"Johanna, drink the water," said Chief.
Coldness touched her lips. She swallowed, and Chief's voice urged her to drink again. And, again.
She struggled to open her eyes and failed. Her hand made contact with him. "No more."
"That's it, bug." Chief's arm around her tightened, and he put the glass to her lips.
Unable to stop him, she swallowed as the liquid poured into her mouth. Her stomach rolled, and she blinked her eyes open.
"Someone get a bucket."
She turned her head to see who else was talking. It was Doc.
"What did you give me?" Her throat spasmed, and she panted.
Her stomach gurgled. Chief shifted her on his lap, wrapping his arm around her waist. A bucket appeared in front of her. Her chest fluttered, and she vomited. The violent eruption kept coming. Unable to catch her breath, she held her stomach, fearing her insides were coming undone.
She kept retching. Tears streamed out of eyes, unable to breathe for the vomit propelled out of her mouth.