Bane

by Kristin Mayer

  Sarge faced us. “Enough! Both of you!” The tone scared the shit out of me and I closed my mouth and glance toward Frankie’s body.

  He was gone.

  Forever.

  Then, all the commotion started. Bane leapt from the chair tackling Sarge to the ground. Hampton grabbed Eric. Bane’s booming voice echoed through the cabin. “Maren, to the bedroom!”

  I fell off the chair and crawled. Yelling, cursing and gunshots went off around me. Making it to the door, I looked back. Sarge and Eric were on the floor with Hampton and Bane standing above them. Hampton had blood dripping down his arm. I slumped in relief. They’d been subdued.

  “Check him,” Bane commanded. As soon as the words were out, a gun was in Eric’s hand, pointed at me. I curled into a ball. Our baby. I have to protect our baby.

  Bane cried, “Angel!”

  Bang.

  Thud.

  I peeked my eyes open, checking myself. I was fine. Hampton kicked Sarge and Eric in the head, knocking them out cold. But, Bane wasn’t. Bane laid on the floor in a heap. I died a thousand deaths as the father of my child laid on the floor unmoving.

  Please don’t do this to me.

  “Bane! No!” I crawled over to Bane. I couldn’t lose him too. Not Bane. Not the father of our child. No!

  I rolled his body over. Blood seeped from his shoulder. Banes eyes opened and landed on me. “Are you okay? How’s the baby?”

  “We’re okay. You saved us.”

  “Finally. I was able to save my family.” Family. We are a family? Where did we stand? I searched Bane’s face and only relief was there as he looked over me. His eyes landed on my stomach and he swallowed hard. Oh, how I wanted those words of being a family to be true. But, the memory from this morning in the bathroom flittered unwantedly into my mind and I couldn’t let my guard down.

  Bane turned toward Hampton. “Are they secure?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good. The bullet went through. I need you to cauterize my wound. We need to see what these motherfuckers have on us and how deep it goes.”

  Hampton moved to the fireplace where he put the poker in the red hot flames. Was he crazy? I interrupted, “Bane, you need a doctor.”

  Bane’s hand came up to my face, “I’ll be fine. We’ll cauterize the wound. After we get what we need, I’ll go to a doctor. I’ve had worse.”

  That thought sickened me. Hampton handed Bane some booze and he shook his head. “No, I want to be completely alert when I question them. I can handle it.” Hampton started to protest. “No! I need to be on top of my game. What did they have on you?”

  Pouring rubbing alcohol on the wound, Bane didn’t wince. “They’d been using Security Branch on a few jobs and I caught on. Before I had a chance to warn you, they took Felicia. They had her for about a week prior to Discrete Encounters. When I gave you the signal, my guys confirmed they had my wife safe via my pager while I was in the bathroom with Maren. There’ve been several moving pieces to try and limit any casualties.”

  My eyes drifted to Frankie’s dead body. Bane watched me as more tears fell. Bane nodded to Hampton. Hampton grabbed a blanket from the couch and covered his body. “Angel …” I looked back to Bane. “I need you to go to the bedroom while Hampton cauterizes the wound.”

  “I—”

  “I know you want to stay here, but please, the stress can’t be good for you or the baby. I’ll be in there in a second.”

  Baby. I was still trying to comprehend we were going to be having a baby. I was pregnant. I hadn’t fully had a chance to comprehend it all. Kissing his forehead, I stood. Bane watched me until I disappeared behind the bedroom door. Sitting on the bed, I rubbed my stomach.

  This is happening. All of it. Later, I’d have time to mourn the death of my brother. It was too much to process right now. Not ever knowing what happened to make him change when I turned eighteen will be hard. I always thought I’d be able to sit and have a serious conversation with him. Time changes things. It’s unpredictable.

  I heard grunting from the other room and my teeth ground together. Bane was in pain. Pure pain. Moments later, burnt flesh permeated the air. The smell. Oh geez, that awful smell had my stomach roiling. Toilet, I needed the toilet. Barely making it, I expelled the water I’d drank. My throat burned as I stood and brushed my teeth. I finished and looked at my reflection.

  Did I look different?

  I felt different. My world had been turned upside down in a matter of moments. Nothing would ever be the same. I was going to be the mom of Bane’s child.

  The queasiness came over me again as another wave of burnt flesh smell hit me. Hopefully this sickness was from the situation and not the pregnancy.

  Quickly, I wet a cloth and put it to my nose for a filter. The door opened and Bane walked in, concern clearly etched on his face when he saw me in the bathroom. “Did you get sick?”

  Through the cloth I spoke. “The smell.” He wore a white bandage so I couldn’t see the freshly cooked flesh. Stop thinking about it, Maren. You’ll make yourself sick.

  “I’ll be right back.” Bane left the room.

  Going to the bed, I laid down with the cloth still covering my mouth and nose. There was no way a smell so sickening would be gone at this point. No way.

  Bane entered with a bottle in one hand and a protein bar in the other. Confusion raced through me as to where we stood and what I thought about everything as he laid the two things on the table. “Try to drink and eat this when you can.” His thumb came up and rubbed my face. “You’re in shock and need the nourishment. I need to go make sure my family will be safe. Stay here. I’ll be in the shed.”

  I mumbled, “Be careful.”

  “I will.”

  With Hampton standing at the door, Bane left the room. I wanted Eric and Sarge dead. They were truly vile people. Villains like them weren’t supposed to be real. They planned to use me and the baby to keep Bane in Black Division. Was there anyone else who knew about the plan? Bane would get to the bottom of it all.

  Frankie. I’d lost my brother today. Turning on my side, I let all the emotion out as I tried to think if there was something different that could have been done to save him. Frankie had been a liability all along. If only he’d walked away from whatever they’d offered him. But then, I wouldn’t have met Bane. I wouldn’t be pregnant.

  Baby. Family.

  How did I feel about this being forced upon me? I wasn’t sure. But, I would love and cherish this baby forever. There was no going back. I cared for Bane, but as of this morning he was willing to walk away from me forever. Now, because of the baby, he wanted to keep me around.

  There was one thing I knew I wanted. To be loved for me and not because I was carrying someone’s baby.

  MY EYES FELT heavy.

  My limbs couldn’t move.

  There was something important I needed to check on.

  The fog needed to clear so I could think.

  A sweet angelic voice broke through my conscience. “No, he’s still asleep. I’m fine. I’ve been sleeping on the couch. Yes, I promise I’ve been eating. Yes, they haven’t left the door. Okay, I’ll call you if anything happens. Thanks, Hampton. Means a lot. Talk to you soon.”

  I cracked open my eyes and caught sight of Maren. “Angel.” My voice was hoarse and my head hurt like a fucking semi drove through it.

  “You’re awake!” The loud excited voice was like a hammer bashing me in my head. I pushed further into my pillow. The relief on Maren’s face brought a warmness to me.

  Baby. She was pregnant. I remembered that important thing that had been plaguing me only moments ago.

  She was at my side in a second. The darkness closed in on me. I needed to know one thing. “Are you okay?”

  “Yes, we’re fine.”

  We’re. Does she mean the baby? I had to verify. I had to make sure. “The baby, too?”

  “Yes, the baby is fine. The doctor checked me out.” Her voice sounded confident. Maren wouldn’t lie
to me.

  My eyes closed as I whispered, “Thank, God.”

  I fell back into the oblivion.

  Opening my eyes, I saw Hampton sitting in the chair Maren had been in before. I scanned the room as dread seeped in with the antiseptic smell. Had she left me? She couldn’t leave me. I’d been such an ass the day Eric found us. Things needed to be set right between us. “Maren?”

  There was no answer from her voice. She wasn’t here. Where was she? I tried to sit up and Hampton pushed me back down. “Take it easy. She’s at the hospital. The doctor’s examining her.”

  He sidestepped my question. “Why? What’s wrong?”

  A firm hand stayed on my chest. I was two seconds away from ripping the damn cords off of me and finding her.

  “He’s being cautious with all the stress she’s been under.”

  That was closer to the truth, but not all of it. “What the fuck happened, Hampton?”

  Running a hand through his white hair, he blew out a breath, only raising my anxiety. “She started spotting. John thought it best to do a thorough examination at a hospital.”

  John Willbanks. I remembered telling Hampton to take me to him. He was a doctor who saw people off the books for a price. No questions. Just cash. I was in his home. I recognized the room. Not much changed since the last time I was here five years ago.

  I tried to sit up. “Bane, lay your ass back down. I have three of my best guys with her. Do you remember what happened?”

  My pulse rocketed under my veins. The heart monitor confirmed it as the beeping increased. All I could think about was Maren. “Let me talk to her and then I’ll think about all that other shit. I need to hear from Maren that she’s okay.”

  Of all people, Hampton knew what I had been through. The fear from what happened with Jasmine bulldozed its way to the surface. Happiness wasn’t something I deserved. Something was going to take away my last chance at love … I knew it.

  Hampton handed me the phone with the number already dialed. It rang twice before she picked up. “Hampton, I was about to call.”

  Her voice instantly soothed me. It sounded normal. If something happened she’d be upset. Wait … was she upset about the baby? We needed to talk. What if she didn’t want the baby? What if she tried to abort it? I took a steadying breath realizing I was overreacting. Maren wouldn’t do that. Through all our time together I knew her as a person.

  I swallowed hard. “Angel, it’s me.”

  A page with someone’s voice went through the speakers and came through the line. “You’re awake! How are you feeling?” She sounded calm and excited to hear from me. Thank goodness.

  There was no hiding how stressed I was. “How are you and the baby?”

  “We’re fine. The doctor left and said the amount of bleeding was normal. I’m supposed to take it easy for the next few days. If any more spotting occurs, I should come back.”

  I heaved a sigh of relief. “Good. Are you on your way back?”

  “Yes. As soon as I get the discharge papers. The doctor estimates I’m almost five weeks along, which means I got pregnant one of the first times we slept together.”

  Even if I’d been strong enough to stay away after the first time, chances were Maren would have my child inside her. Some things were meant to be. I’d been drawn to Maren like a moth to a flame. There had never been a chance for me to stay away. It was all clear now looking back.

  “Bane?” There was hesitation. Had I responded to what she said? Fuck, I messed this up. When she got back, I’d clear the air—set things straight.

  “Yeah, angel?”

  “I’ll be back in about twenty minutes.”

  “I need to see you.”

  “I’ll hurry, Bane.”

  I laid back and remembered the questioning of Eric and Sarge. It had been brutal as I pulled their finger nails out one by one, ensuring no one else knew about Maren, Hampton, me, or the pregnancy plan. As I’d assumed, me coming back to Black Division wasn’t the real reason to get Maren pregnant. It had been a way to get me to cooperate based off my history with Jasmine. Playing off my fears to subdue me until they got what they wanted.

  Bastards.

  They needed intel only I had, on several contacts I’d used through my years at Black Division. Operatives didn’t give out their field allies. It was understood. Most of the time, having the outside resources was what kept us alive.

  Alex, Sarge’s boss, wasn’t retiring. That had all been lies from Sarge. After Sarge and Eric had all the pieces of their puzzle together … Alex would have an “accident”, leaving Black Division to Sarge.

  To get their finances in order, Sarge and Eric were involved in several illegal gun smuggling operations. Up until this last year, they’d kept the operation small and under the radar. Then, when they decided to take the side business to the next level they needed my Middle East contact. My contact could get information on anything or anyone. He was still alive.

  Sarge hoped with Jasmine’s death I would come to the wrong side of the line. I hadn’t. And I’d walked. Knowing I wouldn’t be swayed to join them, they’d let me walk. That’s why there had been a large gap in the years since they’d contacted me.

  From what I could tell, Alex had no idea all this was going on.

  The squad who’d tried to raid my safe house in Atlanta had been killed days before they came to Colorado and that’s why the team had only been Hampton, Eric, and Sarge. There were to be no loose ends. Hampton’s men killed the ones holding Felicia.

  They’d planned to kill Hampton and Felicia as soon as Maren and I were safely in route to our destination.

  Fuckers.

  Sarge knew better than to beg for his life. He’d taken the bullet stoically. Eric spit and had been an asshole to the end. All of this—the loss, the pain, the sadness—was to try and keep me in Black Division.

  Regrets.

  I’d always regret my decisions that cost me Jasmine and Faith. They’d forever be part of who I was. But, maybe, just maybe, I was being given a second chance at life.

  Forgiveness.

  Could I forgive myself? I hoped so. Maren entered my life like a ray of sunshine showing me that there were things worth living for. She’d accepted me for who I was regardless of my scarred soul. Maren wanted me as I was. Stupidly, I’d pushed her away. I needed to prove myself to her.

  “You look deep in thought. Do you remember it all?”

  I nodded at Hampton’s question. The reason they’d gone after Hampton was to get to me. They needed his help to get me into situations. Before Maren, there was nothing to lose in my life. Hampton was a casualty because of his association with me.

  We’d put all the bodies inside the cabin and set it on fire. The same had been done at the shed. There’d be no way to trace the identities after Hampton removed the teeth in case dental records were used. With the combustible resources we’d used, the fire should’ve burned hot enough to leave no traces of the body. Hell, it’d be hard to tell how many people died there.

  After all that had been done, we’d gotten in the car and drove off. Shit, I’d lost a lot of blood and pushed beyond my limits to keep my family safe.

  “Yeah, I remember it all.”

  Maren cried while I held her until I’d passed out in the car. Her brother had been left in the cabin to burn. The memory of her staring at the cabin in complete silence would haunt me forever. There was no other choice and I hoped to hell she forgave me for it.

  Hampton interrupted my thoughts. “She’s a strong girl, Bane. I’m sure she’s hurting, but she’s putting up one hell of a front. Just remember her world’s been rocked. Give her time to adjust.”

  “I know.”

  How much time would she need? Would I even be able to convince her I was the right choice? Would I be able to let go of the past so I could love with my whole heart? That was what Maren deserved.

  As promised, about twenty minutes later, Maren walked through the door with a sweet smile on her face. Ha
mpton gave her a hug and indiscreetly left. “You’re looking better. How are you feeling?”

  Sitting next to me on the bed, Maren looked me over as I grabbed her hand. “Better. What did the doctor say?”

  The baby and Maren were all that mattered. I’d survive. Maren touched her stomach. “The baby is perfect from what they can tell. All my blood work came back good. The spotting happens in some cases. They said not to worry, but if it happens again to come back. He put me on vitamins and folic acid. I need to have my next visit in about a month wherever we end up.”

  Relief coursed through me. There had been an underlying fear of Maren not keeping the baby. With her plans for the future, I knew she was keeping the baby. Of course she was keeping the baby. My head was a mess from all the drugs. My thinking was delayed—slowed.

  I leaned back trying to stay casual. “Have you been sick anymore?”

  “No, not so far. Just queasy from time to time.”

  “Good.” Then a thought occurred to me as I shot straight up wincing from the pain. “What name did you use at the hospital?”

  Gently, she pushed me back down. Her sweet aroma enveloped me. “Don’t worry. Hampton has been taking good care of me. No one knows my real name, not even John Willbanks. I used Kendra Childers from the bag I was supposed to use when we walked away from each other. You’d packed it before you set the cabin on fire.”

  Oh, fuck. I could hear the hurt in her voice. “Maren—”

  She held up her hand and gave me a loving kind look. “It’s okay, Bane. I get what we were, I do. You can be as involved as you want in this baby’s life since we’re now connected. But if you still need to walk away, I’ll understand. We were pawns in their game.”

  “No, Maren, you don’t understand.”

  I tried to explain, but she cut me off again, not listening. “Bane, until you found out I was pregnant you were willing to leave without a glance back. I heard the resoluteness in your voice that morning. You choosing to be with me at this point would be out of obligation. I’ll never be Jasmine.”

  This was not going to plan. “Maren—”