Origin

by Ana Jolene

  “Oh, thank God,” I breathed. “Can I talk to him?”

  “Hold on.”

  There was the sound of movement on the other end of the line before G’s gravelly voice echoed through. “Seven?”

  “G! Are you okay? I’m so glad they found you!”

  “I’m fine, sweetheart. But you’re not going out with that dickshit Trey ever again. Understand?” Despite the roiling emotions within me, or maybe because of it, I laughed.

  “I’ll talk to you later.”

  “Love you!”

  “Love you, too.”

  Kitt once again took over. “We’re going to get him first aid and a shower. But let Hastie know everything is well on our side.”

  “Okay,” I said. “And thank you. For everything.” I don’t think Glory MC knew just how much this meant to me.

  “You’d do the same for us,” Kitt said before clicking off. Snapping the phone shut, I listened carefully for sounds of gunfire. When about a minute passed and nothing was heard, I went back into the other room. “Hastie? Is everything okay?”

  Hastie had a frown on his face but he wasn’t shooting at anything anymore. His gaze was fixed out the window as the phone in my hand rang loudly. “Answer it,” he said. “It’s most likely Lucky.”

  Oh God, Lucky. “Hello?”

  The deep voice I’d come to know so well sounded over the line. “Thanks for the assist, man.”

  “Lucky? It’s me.”

  Immediately, his voice softened. “Seven?” I couldn’t speak. I was just so happy to be able to hear his voice again. “Come on, baby. Don’t cry.” I hadn’t realized it but tears were streaming down my face.

  “Are—are you okay?” I couldn’t contain my hiccups or my sobs.

  “I’ve been better. But look, it’s not over yet. The Phantoms killed Trey, which means that they won’t hesitate to kill you or G either. We have to find him before they do.”

  “Glory MC found G already. Everything is okay. We’re okay.”

  “Thank fuck,” he breathed. Hearing his voice, having that reassurance that he was alive, made me so damn happy I could weep.

  “Come on.” Hastie had somehow hidden the firearm because when he approached me, it was nowhere to be found. “We better move,” he said, motioning towards the stairs.

  “We’re leaving now,” I told Lucky. “Meet you on the street.” When there was no response, my heart skipped a beat. “Lucky?” I stared down at the phone. It was still connected so why wasn’t he answering? “Lucky!”

  “What happened?” Hastie asked.

  “He’s not answering.”

  “Shit,” was all Hastie said before he was on the move. With a curse, I dashed after him.

  TWENTY-SIX

  Salute

  Lucky

  “Every single time you go chase someone down, you almost end up getting yourself killed.” Even as she scolded me, Hanna was smiling. I groaned as she helped me settle into bed. My body still ached but at least my heart was still beating.

  Surprisingly, a bullet from our enemy’s gun hadn’t been the thing to knock me down, but blood loss. After taking two and then running for what felt like miles, it had finally taken its toll on me, leaving me no choice but to get a blood transfusion.

  How embarrassing was it that I had passed out while taking to Seven? Hastie had said she’d had been hysterical when they found me passed out on the ground, thinking the worst had happened. But I hadn’t been dead, just unconscious.

  After taking me back to Neptune’s, Hanna removed the bullets from my leg. “Maybe I should retire,” I said as Seven came into the room. I focused on her and not on the aches in my body. Her hips swayed as she came towards me, and I wished I could sit up and pull her into my lap.

  “Maybe you should,” she agreed. “But then you wouldn’t have those biker babes all over you.” Hanna laughed.

  “As long as I got you, I’m all right.”

  Hanna shook her head. “Even injured and pale from blood loss, you can still be charming.”

  I couldn’t help but grin at the older woman. She’d saved my life. “Hanna, if you’ll excuse us, I’d like to speak to Seven.” Alone didn’t need to be said. Hanna left with a smile, leaving me with Seven. I felt like I hadn’t seen her in forever.

  “What do you want to talk about?”

  I gave her my best smoldering look. “Hop on.”

  “I’m not touching you! You’re still bleeding through your bandages.”

  “Hey, a little blood play never hurt anyone.”

  “That blood play almost got you killed and it’s my fault.”

  My playful smile immediately disappeared. “It’s not your fault, Seven. You didn’t know that turning down a guy would result in him breaking into your house and trying to kidnap you.”

  “But it happened,” she said. “And you’re in this bed because of it.”

  “I’m here because I made a decision for myself. Because I care about you, not because I felt forced to act. Anyway, it’s not over yet.”

  “What do you mean? Trey is dead.”

  “But you heard him. He succeeded in breaking into your house but was stopped before he could go in. By whom?”

  Seven nodded. “I almost forgot about that.”

  “While that person may have saved your life if you had been home, we need to find out who it is.”

  “Not ‘we,’” she corrected. “You can hardly sit up.”

  “I’m fine.” My energy was already gathering.

  Seven shook her head and placed a hand on my chest. “Just relax. I’m going to make you some food.”

  Ooh, I liked that idea. “Will you make some more of that stew?” It’d been delicious.

  She paused by the door and smiled back at me. “No. You’ll have whatever I make you.”

  I grinned. She was so mean. And I loved it.

  Seven

  I’d gone slightly crazy with tonight’s dinner because Neptune’s was recently stocked with items that I hadn’t seen in a long time. As everyone settled at the tables, Lucky was rolled in, looking like a triumphant king as he grinned at me. “This is fresh, isn’t it?” he said, indicating the fact that Kitt was pushing him around everywhere in a wheelchair.

  Kitt, however, looked irritated. “Could you get out of the way so I can dump him here and eat?” Laughing, I stepped back from the table so that he could push Lucky right up against it.

  “Oh, baby.” Hastie approached the table with hungry eyes. “This is gonna be so good.”

  Beside him, Indy laughed. “You sound more excited than when we had sex.”

  Everyone at the table chortled at that. “Don’t worry, babe. After I eat this, I’ll have you for dessert.”

  “What’s for dinner?” Hanna asked as she approached.

  “Just a classic meal of meat and potatoes.”

  “Holy crap, Seven. Where did you learn how to cook like this?”

  I shrugged. “It was something I whipped up when I was studying in cooking school.”

  “It’s amazing!” she cried as she took her first bite.

  “Thank you.” As everyone else dug in, there were more shouts of approval and praise. The room, which was formerly filled with stress and pain, was now temporarily brimming with good spirits. Food always had a special power like that and that was why I loved it.

  “Come. Sit,” Lucky said as I watched everyone eat. “You’ve been working hard in that kitchen all day. You must be starved.” Well, I was. But it was enough for me to just sit and watch everyone else enjoy.

  “Eat, eat!” Hastie cried when I still remained standing. With a smile, I sat in the chair beside Lucky, grinning at him when he popped a whole potato in his mouth. “I don’t know what the hell you were doing working at Giovanni’s. You’re a great cook.”

  “Yeah, well, since I’m out of a job, I guess I’ll need to find someplace else that will take me.”

  “You’re not out of a job,” Hanna called out. “You’re work
ing for me.” Everyone at our table turned to her.

  “I am?”

  “Yup, you can start tomorrow if you want. You’ve got talent, girl, and I can’t let it go to waste.”

  I slid a delighted glance at Lucky, who was beaming with pride. “See? I’ve always said you’re a great cook.”

  “You’ll have to come up with your dishes,” Hanna explained. “And also make sure you stock the fridge and pantry with everything you need. Since the alliance with Ward Three, we’ve had weekly deliveries of fresh wheat and produce. If your recipes require more than what they provide, you’ll need to get those yourself.”

  “I can do that.”

  “Good, then I guess I should welcome you to the family, shouldn’t I?” She raised her glass high in the air and paused as everyone did the same. Surrounded by bikers on all sides, it didn’t seem strange when Hanna called out, “Cheers to good food and good friends.”

  The group of bikers roared, causing me to throw my head back with a laugh. With all that had happened recently, this was the first time we had all gotten a chance to sit down and just appreciate the fact that we were all here.

  Well, all of us except for Knuckle. “Where the hell is he anyway?” Beck asked when he realized the prez of the club was missing from the group.

  “He’s at the safe house with Vincent,” Kitt answered before taking a pull from his beer.

  “Again?”

  “Yup. The guy’s determined to break him or something.”

  “He’s obsessed with it,” Hastie said. “Been at him for days.”

  “We should go check on him.” Everyone simply stared at Lucky as he finished speaking. “Or you guys should,” he corrected.

  “Right.” Hastie straightened, Kitt and Beck following. “Just rest up, and for fuck’s sake, the next time you decide to chase someone down, try not to kill yourself in the process.”

  Lucky’s only response to that was a one-finger salute.

  TWENTY-SEVEN

  Isla Fionola

  Seven

  After a week of working at Neptune’s as head cook, I was quickly learning more about myself and my culinary skills. For one, I wasn’t nearly as good as I thought I was. And secondly, as many times as I’d prepared dishes for my friends at home, nothing was like cooking for customers. It was way more fast-paced and yet, I learned that Lucky had been right about me—this was where I belonged.

  Even though G was safely out of Ward Two and in hiding, Lucky was still overprotective of me, especially since he couldn’t hover over me like the protective boyfriend he was since he was still healing. Nevertheless, the difference was clear—while Daniel and Trey both had deep-rooted feelings for me, their admiration bordered on obsession. Lucky, on the other hand, placed a great deal of emphasis on my protection, but he wasn’t controlling and he never acted out of line. He was quickly turning out to be my best boyfriend yet.

  I was in the street market now, looking for the cheapest and freshest meat and vegetables for the next week’s menu at Neptune’s. Unfortunately, it wasn’t going as well as I hoped. “Six!” I shouted at the street vendor before me.

  “Are you crazy?” The man waved his hands in a frustrated manner. “These potatoes are premium!” he argued. “Fifteen credits.” If anyone here had his screws loose, it was him. His “premium” potatoes were nothing but an overpriced, starchy crop.

  “Eight credits,” I said with finality. “And no more.”

  “Fifteen!”

  “Ten.”

  “Fifteen.”

  “Twelve!”

  “Fifteen!” Gah, did this man know anything about bartering? I threw the potato I still held at him. “Hey!” he shouted at me.

  “You can take your potatoes and shove them up your—” My words were cut off when shouts echoed through the streets. We both turned in the direction of the noise, spotting colors that made me blanch. White and red. The Phantoms were here? To my horror, I realized that they were headed my way!

  Shit! How had they found me?

  Forgetting all about the potatoes, I jumped on my bike, pumping my legs as hard as I could. In the busy market, it was hard to navigate through the swarms of people.

  In some way, I was a little glad for the crowd. They acted as a barrier between me and the Phantoms. But unless I could slip into the crowd and vanish out of sight, I was trapped.

  At the sound of more shouting, I zipped out of there, trying not to jostle my bike too much or lose the food I’d just spent my credits on. I came across a smaller road that was sandwiched between two residential buildings. With luck, I would be able to lose them in there and perhaps hide between a couple of houses until I could get help.

  Those who lived around here hung their laundry out to dry in the sun. As I ducked and swerved to avoid hitting it, I came to a stumbling stop when a woman walked straight into my path. “Hey! Watch it! I could’ve hit you.” It was a damn good thing I stopped when I did, otherwise she would’ve been a pancake. “Are you okay?” I asked when she didn’t say anything.

  She didn’t even blink at my question. “Come with me,” she said instead.

  I shook my head. “I’m sorry. But I really have to go.” The Phantoms were still on my trail.

  “I will help you. Follow me.”

  Help me? How was this old woman going to help me get away from the Phantoms? “Look, I really can’t stay here.”

  “In here,” she said as she showed me an entrance I hadn’t seen before now.

  I looked behind me, seeing no sign of the Phantoms so far. Maybe I’d lost them? “Lady, I really appreciate the offer but—”

  Just then, the red and white appeared again, much closer than I anticipated. Shit! They were pushing their way through people, eyes trained on me. I had about half a second to make a decision then. Grabbing my bike, I darted for the threshold and the woman sealed the door behind me. “What is this place?” I asked.

  The room was dimly lit and decorated with minimal furniture. A kitchen was in the next room over. At the window, there was a sheer red veil that kept people from looking in. When I saw the Phantoms pass, I let out a sigh of relief and pulled out my phone to call Lucky. “Give me that!” the woman said, rudely snatching it from my grip.

  “Hey!” I tried grabbing it back, but she reached out and dunked it in a pitcher filled with water on her table. I gasped in outrage as my phone sunk to the bottom. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

  “You could’ve been killed!” she exclaimed. “Do you know what those men would do to you if they caught you?”

  I had a guess, but I wasn’t going to tell her. What did she know about the Phantoms anyway? “Who the hell are you?”

  “We need to keep you safe.”

  “Look,” I said, taking a step towards her. “I appreciate you helping me back there, but you don’t want to piss me off.”

  “Your temper doesn’t scare me.” Her cobalt eyes shone with a familiar intensity. But I couldn’t exactly place where I’d seen her before.

  “Then you won’t like it when Glory MC discovers you’re preventing me from contacting them. They’re going to wonder where I am and then they’re going to come looking for me.”

  “Let them try,” she said with a dismissive wave of her hand.

  This woman was crazier than I thought. “Who are you?” I repeated.

  When she didn’t answer, I rushed back towards the door. But her arm shot out to grab me. “You can’t go back out there! They’ll find you!”

  “What are you doing?” I batted her hands off me. This woman was crazy!

  Moving before me, she slid the locks in place. “No. You’re staying right here. Don’t even think about running again.”

  Lucky

  I frowned as the sky darkened to an inky black. Seven hadn’t returned yet. Why hadn’t she returned yet? “Do you think something happened to her?” I asked Hastie. By his expression, my nagging was starting to annoy him. I’d been asking about Seven for the last hour or so. />
  “I think she is fine. Now will you let me nap for a bit?” Hastie closed his eyes again, settling deeper into the couch that he was lying on.

  After a week of being under Hanna’s care, I was finally allowed to go home, but she stressed to Seven that I couldn’t overexert myself. It basically meant I had to stay bedridden for most of the day.

  Whenever Seven went out, Hastie would come over to keep me company. While the gesture was considerate, I knew it was to make sure I didn’t try anything stupid. Like try to go after her if she went somewhere alone. “She should’ve been back by now.”

  “Maybe she’s tired of you already and wants a break,” he muttered.

  I threw my pillow at him, hitting him dead center in the face. Hastie let out a growl but simply tucked the pillow beneath his head, resuming his slumber.

  Where the hell was Seven? And why wasn’t she picking up her phone? Was the reception poor where she was? Did her phone run out of battery?

  I looked over to the window again, noticing the way the sky turned a burnt amber color as it dimmed. Sundown was a dangerous time. It was when the baddies loved to take advantage of women outside on the streets alone. Again, a pang of dread hit me. “I’m fucking telling you, man. Something’s up.”

  Hastie snarled, annoyed to be disturbed yet again. “Fucking A, why don’t you call her?”

  “I did. She’s not answering!”

  “Maybe she’s on her way back. She needs two hands to ride that bike.”

  “No. Seven has been riding that piece of crap for years. She can ride it without hands, upside down or even backwards if she wanted to.”

  Something was wrong. I knew it. It wasn’t like her not to call. From there, the decision was simple.

  I tossed the covers off me, edging off the bed. It was when I began dressing that one of Hastie’s eyes popped open and he jumped to his feet. “What the fuck are you doing?”