Kase: M.C. Biker Romance (Great Wolves Motorcycle Club Book 19)

by Jayne Blue

  He hopped off his bike. In the light of the streetlamp, I could see his hair and decided it was greasy and hung around his face in clumps. Where Kase had a lush sandy-haired beard, this guy had a shadow of scruff that made his face look dirty. He was wiry, nowhere near as big as Brogan or Kase, or any of the Great Wolves that had celebrated my graduation.

  He walked toward me; his moves as slippery as his hair looked. He looked at me with anger, meanness, and there was a sneer on his face. My boldness was shrinking, as my fear grew with the realization that I was in serious trouble here.

  “Get out of my way.”

  “No, I don’t think so.”

  He walked closer to me until we were inches apart.

  “What do you want? I have zero money, and my bag is filled with granola bars and coloring books. Does that sound interesting to you?”

  “No, but you’re not really getting it, are you?” He lifted his hand and struck me hard, with the back of it. The knuckles connected with my jaw and the sting of it blinded me. The blow was powerful enough to knock me to the sidewalk. I fell with a thud and actually heard my elbow crack.

  “Getting it now?” He laughed as he said it. I crawled forward, trying to blink away the pain of the blow. I felt the sting of tears in my eyes. Shoot. I needed to get up and away. I needed to figure out how to fight back. I was a preschool teacher. I could disarm an angry toddler wielding Elmer’s Glue; I had no clue how to defend myself in this situation.

  I scrambled and saw him walk slowly closer. Shit. I knew what was next.

  I felt him wind up and a kick to my side offered a whole new level of pain. It had the effect of making me forget how the blow to my face felt.

  I thought I heard a roar of a bike in the distance. Were there more coming? I was surely dead if that was true.

  I was on my side, on the sidewalk, trying again to get up. The man got closer. I had the presence of mind to read the patch on his jacket. If I survived this, well, it was something.

  “Yeah, you did read that right. I wouldn’t be running off to the cops, cause, honey, your brother is just as dirty as I am.”

  I spit in his face, which was now inches from mine.

  “Classy.”

  He leaned in close and ripped the blouse I was wearing down the front. Buttons went flying. Was worse coming?

  He read my thoughts.

  “I’m not a rapist, don’t you worry. Preschool teachers aren’t my speed.”

  He was just trying to scare me? What had I done to him?

  I scrambled away; I was going to at least run. I was going to scream! He put his hand up over my mouth. He pushed, hard, and then wound up with the other hand, and the backhand turned into a closed fist. A fist that landed again, on my jaw. I saw stars.

  I didn’t know how to fight back. Or should I play dead? Would that make him stop?

  Would anything?

  I heard a bike again. He was gone. Or was I gone? The kicking and hitting had stopped.

  I was alone, the hand was off my mouth, but inside my mouth, I tasted blood.

  I tried to stand up, and my arms seemed like they were made of Jell-O.

  The stars were blotted out by something inky. I fought through something dark and muddy that was trying to suck me down.

  I was on the pavement, I knew that.

  The roar of a bike engine got louder. I should run; I needed to run.

  My house seemed so far away, but so did my work. I got to all fours and then finally stood up. I was on my feet.

  I was on my feet, and yet, things were swirling.

  Eleven

  Kase

  “Look, I need to have a leadership meeting,” Brogan said to me as we met up at HQ back in Stickney Forest. I helped A.C. get on his feet.

  All four of them had taken separate paths home, and it had worked. There had been no sign of Bane. The night was a fucked-up mix of success and failure.

  “You okay?” I looked at A.C. He nodded.

  “You better be fucking okay. Because I’m going to kick your ass,” Thorn said as we made our way to the club.

  “Ridge is up. We’re meeting,” Brogan said to Thorn. The officers had shit to discuss, no fucking question. I walked up to Brogan.

  “What’s next, do we have enough for the cops?” I asked as Titus, A.C., and Thorn headed inside.

  “I hope so. I got some shots. They’re packing oxy and if that’s not enough, well, we’ll do whatever it takes.”

  “Right. What do you need me to do next?”

  “Actually, I hate to ask. I mean, you saved our asses back there, but I need you to do some babysitting?”

  “Ah.” Brogan thought he was sentencing me to an annoying task. Instead, it was all I could do to contain my fucking smile.

  “Yeah, I’m going to be in this meeting, and you know Emlyn, she’s probably headed out soon. Make sure she gets to the daycare like you’ve been doing?”

  “Yep.”

  “Thanks, I appreciate it. I know it’s boring as fuck, but, well, I trust my kid sister to you. Other than the club, she’s all I got, you know?” Brogan was not emotional. Brogan was not warm and fuzzy. This was about as many words as Brogan had ever strung together when it came to talk about family.

  I was honored by his trust. I was committed to putting my body in the way of any harm that could come to him or his sister. And I was still lying to his face.

  I wanted to come clean at that moment. Tell him that I had feelings for Emlyn. That I wanted to do more than watch over her.

  “You can count on me.”

  “I need to keep her out of this life. Safe, you know?” he asked me like I understood. I did. This was a tough life, even now that we’d gone legit. We’d spent the night on the run, in a hail of bullets, taking pictures of oxy.

  I loved the life and so did Brogan. But it wasn’t the life for a preschool teacher. For someone with a sweet smile and a gentle soul. Someone like Emlyn.

  “I know, I’ll go make sure she gets to work.”

  “Good, I’ll let you know what Ridge wants us to do next.”

  “Got it, good luck.” I knew Ridge was going to be pissed as hell. Our little mission was supposed to be stealthy. Instead, A.C. had used it as his personal Rambo moment for avenging Tracks.

  I understood why; I wanted to do the same, but it wasn’t Ridge’s plan. Ridge didn’t want violence and escalation. He wanted to use the law to our advantage.

  I didn’t know if that was possible now.

  I turned and got back on my bike. It was still early. Hopefully, I would catch Emlyn as she was leaving her house.

  Maybe I should end this? Trust with Brogan was the foundation of my damn life. He had trusted me to watch over Emlyn, and I did, boy did I ever.

  His anger was going to be epic if he ever found out.

  I was rounding the corner, about three blocks from their bungalow, when I saw a woman. She was leaning on the side of the building, struggling to stand. I had to go help her. I hoped that Emlyn hadn’t left yet. I was going to be a minute or two late.

  I got closer, and my heart sank. It was Emlyn, her soft curves silhouetted in the street lamp. Something was wrong. She was staggering.

  I sped up and called her name.

  “Emlyn!”

  She didn’t answer. The roar of the bike was loud, my headlight trained on her, and she looked straight into it. Tendrils of hair escaped her neat ponytail. Her blouse was open.

  What in the actual fuck?

  I parked my bike and leaped off. I ran to her. Her face was bloody. Her eyes were unfocused.

  “Mother fucker,” I said as I realized someone had attacked her. Fuck.

  “I’m okay.”

  She said it and I surged forward. Her eyes rolled back in her head.

  I grabbed her as she collapsed. I cradled her and lowered us both down to the pavement. She was out. Totally out.

  “Emlyn, baby, EMLYN!” I said and brushed the hair gently from her face.

  “
Kase, okay, yeah, no need to yell.” Her eyes fluttered open.

  “Jesus, what the hell happened to you?”

  “Shh, my head is killing me,” She said, and I pulled her in tighter to me.

  I kissed her head. She was alive. Okay, that was okay, she was alive. But now I needed to figure out what had happened. Had she been shot? Or stabbed like Tracks? What?

  “I need to look at you.”

  “I’m okay, really. This man he was on a bike. I thought it was you or Brogan at first.”

  “Bane.”

  “Yes, I tried to get by, he blocked my way, and then he hit me.”

  I looked at her jaw, it was red. I saw red too, in that moment. He fucking hit her?

  “Jesus, baby, oh my God.” I lightly touched her face; the jaw wasn’t the worst of it, though. Her cheek had me worried.

  “I fell, and then he kicked me. That’s what really hurts.” I was careful not to move her. What if she had a broken rib?

  “I spit at him, not the smartest move. He hit me again.” She was pulling herself out of the fog. I could see her eyes clearing up. They had fear and pain in them, but she was also aware. She was fighting against all of it. She wasn’t dying like I’d seen with Tracks. They’d hurt her but didn’t plan to kill her. If they had wanted to kill her, she’d be dead. And it would be on me.

  She looked down and saw that her blouse was open. She struggled to pull it shut.

  “This was a new outfit! What an asshole.” She was pissed now and tried to stand up.

  “Slow down, slow down,” I said and helped as she got to her feet.

  “He ripped it open, just to show me he could.” She took a breath and then winced. That was the side kick. Her ribs, shit. I needed to get her to a doctor.

  “We’re going to the hospital. I’m calling 911.”

  “Kase, just take me, okay? I don’t want an ambulance or whatever. Can you take me to the club? Maybe Rose can look? I don’t have insurance and I’m trying to get a bank loan. I can’t have this be a thing.”

  “Can you ride with me?”

  “I can. I can. See.” She pushed away from me and stood on her own. I felt like there were a thousand knives in my own gut, for not protecting her from this.

  “He could have killed you. I’m so sorry.” I had failed to protect her. I had one fucking job, and I failed.

  “This isn’t your fault,” she said, and I realized this was not the time to think about me. It was about her.

  “Come here.” I pulled her gently into my arms and she let me hold her, nearly hold her up. She was crying softly.

  “I’m so glad it was you, here, now.”

  “I’m here, you’re safe with me. It’s okay.” It was my job to reassure her, not to act like an asshole. Not to make her deal with my own fucking guilt. I was going to make Bane pay. I was going to ignore any edict to be calm and smart.

  Whoever did this to Emlyn was going to get the same, times ten.

  She was so tiny in my arms and soft. I had nearly lost her. Fuck.

  “Let’s get you to the club. We’ll let Rose take a look.”

  “Okay, yes.” I picked her up, slowly, and as gently as possible.

  “I’m better every second.” She smiled at me, and I put her on the bike. I drove as slow as possible back to HQ. She wasn’t bleeding and seemed gradually stronger. But I avoided every bump in the road and feathered every stop.

  By the time we got to the Great Wolves, she’d changed. Her fear, her pain, her confusion at what had just happened had evaporated. I helped her off the bike.

  “Listen to me, Kase.”

  “What?”

  “I’m okay. We’re going to have to play this right or Brogan, well, he’ll land himself back in prison if he knew.”

  “What?”

  “I know who did this. I know his name anyway, but I can’t tell Brogan that. He’ll kill him. I need Brogan, Momma needs Brogan. Preschool salaries don’t pay for assisted living. Do you understand me?” Em was more concerned with Brogan’s reaction than her own safety. I did not agree or understand.

  I should have, but all I could really think about was the red welt rising on her face. And the fear I’d felt when I first saw what had happened to her.

  I blinked. This time I was going to lie to Emlyn.

  “You can tell me; I won’t tell Brogan. Don’t worry.”

  She hesitated. Maybe she doubted if I could keep my shit together. I put on my best calm, reassuring face. I wanted that mother fucker’s name and making her think I could handle having it meant making her think I didn’t have a murderous rage boiling up in my gut.

  “His name was Gooch. I think he grew up around here.”

  Gooch. It was fucking Gooch. I knew exactly who Gooch was.

  He was dead to me; he was so fucking dead.

  “Okay, don’t worry. Let’s get you inside.” I was going to let her think we were too cool for revenge. I wasn’t going to make Em worry about me, or about Brogan right now. She needed Rose. She needed to be okay.

  But Gooch was as good as dead, and if it escalated the fucking war with Bane, so be it.

  Emlyn and I walked into the HQ.

  “Get Rose,” I said to Baby Paul, the probie who was getting taller by the second. He started out as the club mascot, and I had to remind myself he hated the name, Baby Paul. Shit, whatever, I had bigger issues to worry about.

  I helped Emlyn to the little surgery room that Rose had set up. It was a good place to get patched up when you didn’t want an ER report to go to the police. And it was as clean and well-stocked as the urgent care.

  Emlyn sat on the exam table and all traces of confusion were gone. She was single-minded now; intent, it appeared, on making us think she was just fine.

  I reached out and squeezed her hand. She squeezed back.

  “You scared the shit out of me,” I said to her. It was me who wanted to fucking cry right now, out of relief that she was alive. How had she become so important to me, so fast?

  “I scared the shit out of myself. Oh, gosh, I need to send a text to Wanda that I’m going to be late to work.”

  “Late? I think you need a sick day today.”

  “I shall be judging that.” It was Rose, with her mixed-up English. I pulled my hand away from Emlyn’s. Had she seen? She looked to Emlyn and to me and there was a little smile in the corner of her mouth. Was that bedside manner in Russia?

  “Get out. I need room to work.”

  I wanted to stay but realized that would give us away. The club had no idea about us, and it needed to stay that way.

  “She’s in good hands. You go find her brother.” I looked at Emlyn one more time. She smiled and nodded, yes.

  “Okay, will do.” Our HQ was a fortress these days. They were both safe inside its walls. I needed to break the news to Brogan.

  And the two of us would be breaking some heads, shortly afterward. I had no doubt.

  Brogan’s reaction was no different than mine. Rage. Except he had a legitimate reason for the rage. My reaction had to be subdued, hidden. She was my best friend’s sister, not my old lady.

  He raced to the exam room and barged in.

  “Sis. Are you okay?”

  Rose put a hand up to stop his charge. “You are all like bulls who charge, that’s the basketball team right, for here? I see why. It is a Chicago thing?” Rose asked Emlyn and she laughed and then winced a little.

  “What hurts?” Brogan said. I hung back, in the doorway, but listened intently. I wanted to hear what Rose had to say.

  “My side, a little, that’s it, honestly,” Emlyn said to Brogan.

  “Doc?”

  “She is fine. No sign of concussion though probably has a mild one based on her dizziness out there on the sidewalk. We’re going to want to keep her awake for a day. Sorry, that will be the hardest part,” Rose said to Em.

  “Why the wincing?” Brogan was accusing Rose somehow, and she wasn’t having it.

  “Calm yourself.”
>
  “Why the WINCING? I SAW IT!”

  “Your sister was kicked in the ribs. Her ribs are not broken, but they hurt.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “Do we need to admit her?”

  “We are not paying that kind of medical bill,” Emlyn chimed in.

  “I’ll decide what we pay for.” Brogan was full-on Brogan, and I had to admit, watching Rose and Emlyn stand up to it was impressive.

  “Her breath is good. There are no fractures. If there is a small one, it would be hairline and nothing, but rest can heal that.”

  “I’m not resting. I have work today.”

  “Here’s where I step in to tell you two days. You must stay away from work two days.”

  “What?”

  Brogan looked very happy about that.

  “Lifting children, the noise, the stress of childcare, no. Two days of rest.”

  “Wanda is going to be swamped.”

  “You heard Rose; she knows best,” Brogan said; he was now on Rose’s side instead of in her face.

  “Like I said, she can sleep, but wake her up every hour or two, to be sure.” Rose walked around Brogan, who hovered over Emlyn.

  She said something to Emlyn that I couldn’t hear, and Emlyn smiled.

  “Okay, my work here now is done. Don’t upset her,” Rose said and walked into the hallway, leaving brother and sister in the exam room.

  She caught me hovering in the hall.

  “Does he know?” Rose whispered to me.

  “Know what?” I was defensive and even quieter than she’d been.

  “That you two are in love,” Rose said, with a small smile playing on her lips.

  “We’re not. I’m just looking out for her. We’re friends. She’s my best friend’s, kid sister.” I hissed the denials one after another.

  “Yes, well. I’m not blind, and he is not either. It is as plain as a...oh, what is plain? Plain as a chin on a face?”

  “Nose on a face. Plain as the nose on your face.”

  “Darn, so close. And exactly! Don’t worry. Doctor Rose will keep chin closed on this. But warn me when you do tell him, so I can take cover.”