by Wilder, L.
“Hopefully, she’ll be able to find out something.”
“Oh, she will. Robyn always finds a way to get what she wants.”
Turns out that Caleb was right. It wasn’t long before Robyn returned to the waiting room, and from the look on her face, I was worried that she didn’t have good news to share. When she started towards us, Blaze stood up and asked, “Did you find out anything?”
“Yeah, I was able to talk to one of the nurses in the operating room with Kenadee.” She wrung her hands, twisting them nervously as she spoke. “Dr. Foust is the surgeon working on her, and that’s really good because he’s the very best.”
“Okay, what else?”
“The knife in her abdomen nicked her spleen, but the damage was minimal. Right now, it looks like she’s holding her own. Stats are good, and they’ve got her blood count back up.”
Even though I didn’t know Robyn, I could tell that something was worrying her, and I wasn’t the only one who’d noticed. Blaze clearly picked up on it too. He took a step towards her as he asked, “Why do I get the feeling there’s something you aren’t telling me?”
“The important thing to remember is that she’s going to pull through this.”
“Dammit, Robyn! Just tell me what’s going on!”
“She’s pregnant, Blaze. Looks to be about ten or eleven weeks along,” Robyn finally admitted.
“Pregnant? She never told me anything about being pregnant.”
“I don’t think she knew. If she did, she would’ve told me, and she sure as hell would’ve told you.” Robyn placed her hand on Blaze’s shoulder. “There’s a good chance the baby will be okay.”
“When will we know for sure?”
“It’s hard to tell. It’ll take some time to see if the anesthesia has any adverse effects.” Trying to be optimistic, she continued, “Right now, we need to focus on the fact that Kenadee is doing okay. We have to make sure she pulls through this, and then we’ll worry about the other, okay?”
“How much longer before she gets out of surgery?”
“It shouldn’t be much longer. I’m going to head upstairs, so I can be there when they take her into recovery.” She gave him a quick hug before she turned to leave. “I’ll call you the minute I know something.”
“Thanks, Robyn.”
Once she left the room, we went over and sat down with Blaze, waiting silently to hear something back from Robyn. The adrenaline that was pumping through my body was starting to fade, making me suddenly feel like I’d been hit by a truck. Noting my fatigue, Caleb slipped his arm around my shoulder, and I rested my head on his chest, quietly watching as Blaze got up and started pacing around the waiting room. It was impossible not to feel sorry for him as he returned to his seat and dropped his head into the palms of his hands. The man was really struggling, but his spirits seemed to lighten when his parents walked in with his son, Kevin. As expected, they had a million questions, and Blaze tried to answer them the best he could. A troubled expression marked Kevin’s face as he listened to his father describe Kenadee’s condition, but he kept his concerns to himself as he sat down next to Blaze, quietly trying to give his father the support he needed. While it had to be difficult for Blaze to sit there not knowing what was going on with Kenadee, it was clear that having his son close was helping him a great deal.
It had been over an hour since Robyn had left to go upstairs, and there still hadn’t been any word from her. We were all getting anxious to hear something and were relieved when Blaze’s burner started to ring. We watched as he answered the call, each studying his reaction to see if it was good news or bad, and we all felt a sigh of relief when a smile spread across his face. “That’s great. I’ll be here waiting.”
As soon as he hung up the phone, he turned to us and said, “She’s out of surgery. The doctor said it went well.”
“That’s great news, brother,” Gus told him. “When will you be able to go up and see her?”
“They’re sending a nurse down now to get me.”
“Great. Be sure to tell her we’re here and thinking about her.”
“You know I will.”
Moments later, a nurse came to the waiting room and led Blaze upstairs to see Kenadee. As we sat there waiting for him to return, I looked around the room at all the brothers. Not a single one of them looked like they were restless or eager to leave. They weren’t there out of some unspoken obligation. They were there because they truly wanted to be. Having support like that wasn’t something I was accustomed to. In fact, I’d never really had anyone who was there for me. I always had to look out for myself—not that I’d ever really had a choice in the matter. But things were changing. Now, I didn’t have to be on my own anymore. The thought had me leaning towards Caleb. As I rested my head on his chest, he ran his hand down my back and said, “You never told me how you managed to get out of the garage with Kenadee.”
“I got lucky, I guess.” I lifted my head and looked up at Caleb as I told him, “KeShawn was so angry when he thought I was snooping around his place, even more so when he realized I was there for the club. I guess that’s why he didn’t tie me up tight enough.”
“So, you were able to pull free on your own?”
“Yeah, with a little work. Once I’d untied myself, I went over and did the same for Kenadee. I couldn’t believe how calm she was during the whole thing, especially when she told me about not removing the knives. I can’t tell you how hard it was to see her like that. I knew I had to get her out of there, but I had no idea how I was going to do it until I heard that explosion.” Just thinking about the sound of the explosion and the screams that followed sent a chill down my spine. “I had no idea what was going on when I heard all the screaming and gunshots but hoped that Lewis and his men would be distracted enough for us to get away. I used an old paperclip to pick the lock.”
“You’re really something. You know that, right?”
“Why? Because I let KeShawn catch me in his living room and lock me in garage?” I scoffed.
“Because you kept your shit together and managed to get not only yourself, but Kenadee, out of that garage alive.”
“That’s only because you showed up when you did.” I laid my head back down on his chest. “Thank you for that, by the way. I can’t tell you how relieved I was to see you.”
Before he could respond, Blaze walked back into the waiting room looking completely different than he had when he left. The tension was gone from his shoulders, and he was almost smiling. The entire room fell silent as he walked over to us and said, “Things are looking good. Kenadee is still pretty out of it, but her stats are looking good and she’s talking.”
“That’s great, brother,” Gus told him.
All the guys got up and hugged him, telling him how happy they were that Kenadee was going to be okay. Once they were done, Blaze turned to them and said, “I appreciate you all coming and staying like this, but I’ve got it from here. Besides, I know there are things that need to be dealt with.”
“We’ll get gone, but you call us if anything changes,” Gus replied.
“I will.”
When the guys started to disperse, Caleb went over to Blaze and gave him one last hug, telling him to call if he needed anything. As soon as they were done talking, he reached for my hand and we started towards the door. We hadn’t gotten far when Blaze called out to me, “Darcy, you got a minute?”
“Sure.”
A serious expression crossed his face as he came over to me and said, “I wanted to thank you for everything you did today.”
“There’s no need to thank me, Blaze. Especially after things turned out like they did.”
“You’re kidding, right? If you hadn’t gotten those cameras out...” He stopped himself before he said too much. “Let’s just say it would’ve been a hell of a lot worse.”
“I’m glad I was able to help a little.”
“No, Darcy. You helped a lot.” His expression softened as he let out a sigh. �
��Because of you, Kenadee and, God willing, the baby she’s carrying, are going to pull through this, and I can’t thank you enough for that.”
“You’re very welcome, Blaze.” I reached out and gave him a quick hug. “You take care of them, and please tell Kenadee to call if she needs anything.”
“Will do.”
Caleb led us out to the SUV where Gunner and Murphy were waiting on us, and as soon as we got in, Gunner drove us back over to the clubhouse. He had to go meet with his brothers and make sure there were no loose ends that needed tying up, so I told him I’d wait in his room until he was done. I had every intention of doing exactly what I told him, but then I remembered that I hadn’t been home to feed Lenny and Scout. Knowing that they had to be hungry, I sent Caleb a text to let him know that I was running home. Instead of waiting for a response, I headed out to my truck and went on my way.
Rider
As soon as we got to the conference room, Riggs pulled up all the police scanners and reports to see if we could find anything that showed that they’d suspected our involvement in the attack against the Disciples. He took his time and went through every piece of information they’d collected, but there was no connection to Satan’s Fury to be found. It seemed that the cops were solely focused on the Red Knights. Since the Knights were known rivals of the Disciples and most of their members had suddenly come up missing, they assumed that the attack was some sort of retaliation. Gus, along with the rest of us, was pleased to hear that we were in the clear. I thought he was about to dismiss us when Murphy turned to him and asked, “Any updates on Dane or Gauge?”
“I checked in with Mack earlier, and he said Dane’s improving. He should make a full recovery.” A half-smile crossed Gus’s face as he continued, “And we all know how Gauge can be. He’s too stubborn to let a couple of gunshot wounds slow him down.”
“Good to hear,” Murphy replied. “And what about Clay? Have you made any decisions about him prospecting?”
“I was having my doubts about him until today,” Gus replied. “Blaze said that he really stepped up to the plate.”
“He did,” I replied. “Saved my ass, that’s for sure.”
“Really? How’s that?”
“I was on the way to the garage to see about Kenadee and Darcy when I came face to face with Lewis and his AR-15. We were in the middle of a standoff and it wasn’t looking good for me when Clay came out of nowhere. He came up behind him, put his gun to Lewis’s head, and was able to distract him long enough for Blaze to take a shot. I don’t want to think about what might’ve happened if he hadn’t shown up when he did,” I explained.
“Sounds like he did good.”
“He did, and don’t forget, he was also the one who got Kenadee and Darcy to the hospital. Having his car close came in handy.”
“I remember.” Gus thought for a moment, then said, “I also remember that Riggs told him to get his ass back to the clubhouse. He didn’t follow orders.”
“I get that. I also get that he didn’t want to leave without Darcy,” I replied. “I think it shows that he’s finally starting to get the meaning of brotherhood.”
“I hope you’re right.” Gus ran his hand down his beard as he thought for a moment, then said, “You’ve all been around Clay, and I’m sure you all have your own opinions about him. I’d say it’s time for us to make a decision. Are we going to let him prospect or are we going to send him back to Viper?”
“He’s got a lot to learn, but honestly, I think Rider’s right. This kid’s got something,” Shadow replied. “I’d say give him a try.”
Murphy nodded. “I agree. Once he builds some confidence in himself and learns the ropes, I think he’ll be an asset to the club.”
“He’s got my vote,” I added.
“Are we all in agreement?” When the rest of the brothers gave their consent, Gus announced, “Then, it’s settled. We’ll let Clay prospect, and hopefully, he’ll do us proud.”
As soon as we were dismissed, I went back to my room to find Darcy. When I opened the door, I was surprised to see that she wasn’t there. Worried that something might be wrong, I reached into my pocket for my phone. I was about to dial her number when I saw that I had a text message from her saying that she was headed home. Even though I knew Lewis was dead, I still didn’t like the idea of her going to her house alone. I quickly dialed her number, but she didn’t answer. That didn’t set too well for me, so I grabbed my keys and headed out to my bike. After everything that had happened at Lewis’s place and the hospital, I’d let my panic take hold, and my imagination started to run wild as I sped over to Darcy’s. By the time I made it to her place, I was a fucking wreck. I got off my bike, and was racing up her steps when I heard, “Well, lookie there. The handsome, young biker is back!”
I glanced over and found Thelma and Louise sitting on their porch with blankets thrown across their knees and a cup of what I thought was coffee in their hands. “Hi, ladies. How you making it today?”
“We’re doing just fine,” the lady with the purple tinted hair answered. “It’s so nice to see you again.”
“Good to see you too.”
“Would you care to join us for a hot toddy?” she offered. “Frances has outdone herself with these. They sure hit the spot.”
“I appreciate the offer, but I need to get in here and see about Darcy.”
“We were sure glad to see her this afternoon. We were worried about her.”
“Oh, yeah?”
“Absolutely. It’s not like her not to come home, especially for two nights in a row,” the other lady replied. “We were beginning to think you’d stolen her away from us. Isn’t that right, Alice?”
“That’s right.”
“I’m sorry we had you worried.”
“No need to apologize, dear.” She took a sip of her toddy before she said, “Just so you know, we aren’t just a couple of nosey biddies poking into Darcy’s business. It’s not that at all. We think a lot of that sweet girl, and it’s hard not to worry about her. That’s all.”
“I understand. I think a lot of her too.”
“Well, that’s really good to hear. I hope that means you can appreciate just how wonderful she is.”
“I do.”
“Well, if you happen to forget, Alice and I will be sure to remind you.”
“I’m sure you will.” Eager to get inside to see Darcy, I continued towards the door. “You two enjoy your toddies.”
“We will! Don’t you worry about that.”
I knocked on the door and waited, but she didn’t answer. That uneasy feeling I’d felt earlier came creeping back, and I found myself reaching for the doorknob. When I found that it was unlocked, I opened the door and stepped inside. “Darcy?”
Still no answer. There was no sign of her in the living room, so I went to check her bedroom. The weight of all the tension I’d been carrying with me quickly vanished when I found her curled up on the bed, sleeping next to her cat. It was difficult to be angry with her when she looked so damn beautiful lying there. Her hair was wrapped up in a towel, and she was only wearing a long-sleeved t-shirt with a pair of oversized socks. As I stood there staring at her, I felt a sudden need to be close to her, so I took off my cut and boots, then slowly eased into the bed next to her. When I slipped my arm around her, she nestled her back against my chest and whispered, “I thought you were meeting with the guys.”
“I was.” I lowered my mouth to her ear as I said, “I thought you were going to wait for me in my room.”
“I was.” She remained completely still with her eyes closed. “Then, I remembered I needed to get home to feed Scout and Lenny.”
“And you couldn’t wait for me?”
“I didn’t know how long you’d be.”
I could feel myself becoming frustrated as I said, “You could’ve asked.”
“I tried. You didn’t respond to my text.”
“So, you waited on my response or did you just leave without really telling
anyone where you were going?”
Finally catching on that I wasn’t pleased with her actions, she rolled over to face me. The towel fell loose from her head, leaving her damp hair falling around her shoulders as she sassed, “I didn’t realize that I needed to check in with a babysitter before I went home to feed my cat.”
“Do I need to remind you what went down this morning?”
“No,” she clipped. “I was there. I remember it all quite well. Thank you.”
“You remember, and yet you still came here alone.”
“Why don’t you quit beating around the bush and just say what you have to say, Caleb?”
“You know I don’t like you being out here all alone.” I eased up on my elbow as I looked down at her. “So, after everything that happened today, you had to know that coming here alone wouldn’t set well with me. That’s why you didn’t wait for my response.”
“I didn’t wait for your response because I knew you were busy meeting with the brothers.”
“That’s bullshit, and you know it.”
“I’m a big girl, Caleb. I can take care of myself.”
I glared down at her as I growled, “Would you have been able to take care of yourself if one of those Disciples had gotten away from us, and he was sitting here waiting for you?”
“But there wasn’t anyone here, Caleb. I’m fine.”
“I get that you’re used to being on your own. Hell, you’ve been doing it since you were just a kid, but you don’t have to keep doing everything on your own anymore.”
She looked up at the ceiling, and a tear trickled from the corner of her eye as she whispered, “I get what you’re saying, but I’m just not used to having someone who actually cares about me and what I’m doing.”
“Well, you do now, so get used to it.”
“I’m trying.”
I wiped a tear from her cheek. “Try harder.”
“Are you always this bossy?”
“Only when it comes to something I care about.”
I eased up on the bed, and never took my eyes off her as I reached for the hem of her t-shirt, carefully pulling it over her head. Her brows furrowed as she placed her hand on my chest and said, “Wait...Do I need to be worried about one of those Disciple guys showing up here?”