by K. J. Dahlen
Cassie went over to the huge king size bed and knelt beside it. Throwing back the comforter, she reached underneath the framework and released a latch.
When a drawer opened along the side, Victor pushed her out of the way again. Inside the drawer, he found the money he was looking for.
The drawer took up the entire side of the bed. It was several inches deep and almost two feet in length, and it was filled with cash. All hundred dollar bills. Also in there was a small wooden box. Victor began loading the stacks of money in the backpack he found in the kitchen. When it was full, he zipped it closed and got to his feet. Turning around he glared at her. “Now what do I do with you?”
“You got what you need, why don’t you just leave? Save your own skin while you can.”
Victor grinned. “I know what I’ll do.” He grabbed her arm again and headed for the stairs leading back to the first floor. He pushed her in front of him and forced her to go toward the door she had learned to hate.
When Cassie realized where he was taking her, she fought back. “No…I won’t go down there!” She tried to twist away from him but his fingers tightened on her arm and he shoved her hard against the wall. Reaching for the doorknob, he opened the door and forced her down the steps.
The air down there was stale and musty. All of Cassie’s fears slammed into her and for a moment, she felt like she was going to faint. Her legs were weak and she half fell when Victor shoved her hard. Her hands burned when they scraped against the cement floor. She tried to cry out but her throat was swollen with fear.
“Yeah, I think this is a good place for you.” Victor smirked. “But don’t worry, you won’t be down here for long. I won’t let you suffer. Death will come for you this time like it should have before.” He turned and stomped back up the steps. The door slammed shut behind him.
The cold darkness swallowed Cassie up.
CHAPTER TEN
Victor opened the back door and made his way down the back steps. He wasn’t paying attention to anything as he tightened his grip on the backpack and made his way to the car parked just outside the driveway.
He was looking the other way when he was suddenly hit from behind. Someone landed on top of him and knocked the breath out of him. Then a fist slammed into his head and he heard someone growl, “Where is she, dirtbag?” Another fist hit him in the mouth then another hit his cheek.
Victor could feel pain and something warm slid down the side of his head. “What the fuck?” he grumbled.
Then hands were lifting him upright and he twirled around to see three men standing there.
~* * * *~
Sam stood above him with his fists clenched. “Where is Cassie?” he demanded again.
Victor didn’t say anything and Sam’s fist hit his face, busting his lip open. Fresh blood poured down his chin. “She’s inside but it’s too late.”
Sabbath and Raine turned to search the house and that’s when they saw the smoke curling around the windows and back door.
“Son of a bitch!” Raine exclaimed. “He started the house on fire and she’s trapped in there.”
Sam slammed his fist into Victor’s belly and when he doubled over Sam demanded, “Where the fuck is she?”
Victor couldn’t breathe as he doubled over in pain. He tried to speak but the words wouldn’t come out. Finally, after a full minute, he could take a breath. “B-basement, she’s in t-the basement,” he wheezed.
Sam tossed him to the ground and turned to Sabbath. “Watch him.” Then he ran toward the house. Raine was close on his heels and when they breached the back door, they saw the flames burning the kitchen. It hadn’t reached the hall or the rest of the house yet, but in the kitchen the fire was getting out of hand.
Sam and Raine went to open doors. They didn’t know where the basement was but one by one they began eliminating the doors. Smoke and heat were getting bad as they came to the last door. Sam reached for the knob and tried to pull it open but the door wouldn’t budge. He looked at Raine. “The fucker locked the damn door!”
Raine lifted his foot and began kicking the door. After several hits, the door finally gave way. Sam rushed down the steps with Raine close behind. The smoke was heavy down there and for a moment, they couldn’t see anything.
“Cassie, where are you girl?” Sam called out as he searched the basement for her.
Raine cocked his head and thought he heard something. Turning toward the sound, he narrowed his eyes and took a step toward the far corner of the room. “Sam, over here,” he called out as he rushed to where he’d seen something moving.
Sam and Raine reached her at the same time. Her face was pale and she was trembling with fear. When they got to her, Sam reached for her and pulled her into his arms. She tried to fight him off but Raine called out, “Easy girl, we got you.”
Cassie turned to him. “Please get me out of here,” she whispered and began coughing.
Sam turned and headed for the stairway. Raine went up the steps first leading the way. The smoke and flames are thicker once they reach the kitchen and Raine grabbed Sam’s arm leading them both to the back door.
Once outside, the air is cleaner and Cassie started to cough. Sam tried to put her down but Cassie couldn’t stand on her feet. She fell to her knees and doubled over in pain. Sam looked at Raine and Sabbath. “We need to get her out of here.”
Cassie raised her head and tears rolled down her face. “Please take me home. Take me back to Deke.”
Sam stared at her then knelt beside her. Reaching over, he cupped her face between his hands. “I’ll take you to him sweetheart. Don’t you worry about that.”
Cassie raised her hand and covered his. ‘Is he still alive?”
Sam nodded. “Yeah, he’s still alive.”
Just then, the silence was broken by the sound of motorcycles roaring into the backyard. Sam got to his feet and watched as fifteen cycles came to stop in front of him. The men on the bikes stared back for a moment then looked at the house behind him. The smoke and flames were visible now lighting up the night sky. From somewhere in the distance, sirens could be heard.
One man stepped off his bike and moved closer. Reaching out his hand he said, “Name’s Jimmy Dean but most people call me Hawk. Vice President of the Sinners.”
Sam held out his hand. “Sam Tory, most people call me Bones, except for my kid, he calls me a bastard, but that’s how life is sometimes.”
“Iceman said there might be trouble coming.” Hawk nodded at Victor laying there on the ground behind Sam. “Is this the piece of shit he was talking about?”
“That would be him.” Sam nodded.
“He the one who started the fire?”
“Yeah.” Sam reached out and kicked him.
Victor groaned and hunched over to protect his side.
“He got what he wanted then left the woman in the house.”
Hawk raised his eyebrow and turned to glare at Victor. “Is that true? You left a pregnant woman in a burning house?”
Victor glared at them. “Fuck you!”
Sam reached down to grab the backpack Victor had dropped. When he unzipped it, he whistled. He showed Hawk the contents and they both turned to glare at Victor. “You left three people in that house to die for money?” Sam growled.
“Three?” Hawk questioned.
“Yeah she is having twins, my grandkids,” Sam told him.
Hawk smiled. “Congrats man.” He turned back to Victor. “So what do you want to do with this piece of shit?”
“Burn him,” Sam told them without hesitation. “He shot my son and would have killed his woman and kids. He deserves to burn in hell.”
The sirens of the fire department could be hear louder now. They could see the reflection of the red and blue lights bouncing off the buildings a couple of blocks away now.
“We need to get out of here before the cops show up,” Raine warned them.
Sam grabbed the backpack and helped Cassie to her feet. Turning to Hawk he said, “We
’re taking his car but I’ll have to leave my bike behind. I want to get her back to Troy as fast as I can.”
Hawk signaled to one of his men. “I’ll have Grit travel with you and bring your bike home. Get her home where she’ll be safe.”
Sam reached out and grabbed his hand, “Thanks man.” He turned and helped Cassie over to the car.
Hawk waited until Sam was about to get in the driver’s seat before he called out, “We’ll take care of this piece of shit for you.”
Sam nodded and started the car just as three fire trucks rolled in the yard. He, Raine, Sabbath and a man named Grit took off. When they left town and started back to Troy, Sam asked, “So what was his story? Why did he bring you back here?”
~* * * *~
“He’s Elliot Handlin’s nephew.” Cassie shrugged. “According to Janelle, some people knew him as Seymour Dent, whoever the hell he is he was mixed up in Janelle’s kiddy ring. He’d been using Victor to stay one step ahead of the police and FBI.”
“Seymour Dent huh?” Sam growled. “I know that piece of shit.”
Cassie tried to find a more comfortable position. The babies were rolling around harder now. She tried rubbing her belly to get them to settle but she hit the sore spot she’d gotten when she hit the railing. Hissing in pain, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
“Are you okay?” Sam asked. He was driving as fast as he could to get her back to Deke but they had a ways to go.
“Yeah, I’m okay,” she whispered then had to catch her breath as her stomach hardened and pain tightened her lower abdomen. “Fuck a duck.” Her hand gripped the door handle. A moment later her hand relaxed as the pain melted away.
“What’s going on over there?’
“The babies don’t like all the excitement we’ve had. I’ll be okay.”
Sam pressed the gas pedal all the wall to the floor as he sped through the night. An hour and a half later, they approached the outskirts of Troy. As the lights of the city could be seen, Cassie gasped again, as yet another pain gripped her belly. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she thought of her babies and Deke. She had a feeling she was in labor and if they were to be born now, her babies might not survive. She wanted Deke with her. She cried out when she felt a sudden flood of water flow between her legs. “Oh, my God…”
“What’s going on?” Sam yelled.
“My water just broke.” Cassie whispered.
Sam whipped the car around the corner and turned down the street. The guys following him turned and continued to follow. A few minutes later, Sam turned again and finally came to a stop in the parking lot of the hospital’s Emergency entrance. He got out of the vehicle and stood there on the pavement hitting the horn. A few minutes later, emergency personnel came rushing out. Sam reached for his cell phone as they loaded Cassie up and took her inside.
“Yeah?” Gator answered the phone back at the clubhouse.
“Tell Deke his woman is back and we’re at the hospital. She’s in labor.”
“What the fuck?” Gator growled. “She isn’t due yet.”
“Can’t help that man, she’s having them babies tonight.”
“Fuck!” Gator yelled. “Deke is already there. Deacon took him in for the gunshot wound. Lance is there too.”
“I’ll find him then.” Sam hung up the phone before he could say anything else. He made his way into Emergency and looked around. When he came up to the nurse’s station he asked, “Where can I find Deke Tory?”
The nurse checked the records and told him, “He’s being seen right now in room three, but—” She started to say something else but Sam walked away, looking for room three. “Sir, I’m afraid you can’t go back there!”
Sam turned his head. “Watch me, that’s my kid back there.” He pushed through a closed doorway and could hear Deke in one of the rooms. He walked to the doorway and saw his son sitting on the exam table.
Deacon was there as well and he was trying to hold Deke down.
“Get the fuck off me asshole! I need to get out of here and find Cassie.” Deke was growling.
“You need to stay here and let the doctor’s help you or you will never find her because you’ll be dead,” Deacon grumbled. “They have to check things out. The bullet went through you but you’re still bleeding.”
“Patch him up quick doc.” Sam nodded. “His woman is in labor with twins and it’s too soon.”
“What the hell?” Deke swore as he tried to get to his feet. “Where is she? Is she okay?”
“She’s a little bruised and maybe got a little smoke inhalation but she’s okay. Her water just broke about half an hour ago. I got her here as soon as I could.”
“What about Victor?” Deacon grumbled.
Sam grinned. “He’s in the very capable hands of the Sinners.”
“Good, he deserves whatever happens to him, dammit,” Deke seethed.
The doctor in charge finished up bandaging Deke and stepped away. “That’s all he’ll allow me to do right now. She is probably on the fourth floor. That’s the maternity floor.”
Deke nodded. “Thanks doc.”
Deke, Deacon and Sam made their way to the fourth floor. There, they found Raine and Sabbath waiting for them. Deke went to the door of the room they were standing outside of and found Cassie and her doctor. “Are you okay?” he asked as he rushed toward the bed. He noted the dirt and grime on her as well as the bruises on her face. “What the hell did he do to you?”
Cassie looked up at him with tears in her eyes. “Oh, thank God you’re all right!” She cried. “I thought he killed you.”
Deke gathered her in his arms and hugged her close. “Not likely, baby. The bullet went through me with little damage.”
Cassie sniffed. “My labor started.”
Deke grinned. “So Sam told me.” He gazed at her doctor. “Is she going to be okay?”
The doctor nodded. “Other than the babies being small I think so. We’re going to do an ultra sound to be sure.”
Deke nodded. “Are you ready for this?” He gazed at her.
Cassie shrugged. “I had hoped to be married before they came but I think so. Do you know where Peaches and Paige are?”
“They are on their way. Deacon called them.”
“How about we get you cleaned up and out of those smoky clothes before the babies are born?” a nurse suggested. She’d brought a basin of water and a wash cloth over to the bed.
Deke stepped back out of the way while she readied Cassie. Going to the door, he joined the others out in the hall. He went over to Deacon and asked, “Can you get a preacher down here? She wants to get married before the babies are here and I want them to have my name before they’re born.”
Deacon left the waiting area to make his call and Sam grabbed Deke’s arm. “Are you sure about this?”
Deke ripped his arm away. “Yeah, I’m sure. What the fuck do you care anyway?”
“You little fool.” Sam growled as he stepped back. He walked over to the window and sat down in the sill. Glaring at the son, he wished he could get through to.
Raine and Sabbath sat down against the wall and waited.
A few minutes later, Peaches, Paige, Gator and Iceman came running down the hall.
Peaches grabbed Deke’s arm and asked, “Where is she? Is she okay?”
Deke nodded. “She’s been asking for you. She’s in labor and the nurses are cleaning her up. I don’t know what actually happened yet, but she’s covered in grime and her clothes stink of smoke.”
“If you had asked, I would have told you that Victor dragged her to Janelle’s house where after collecting the money she left in the house, he left her in the basement to burn to death after he started the house on fire,” Sam informed him. “But hey, you didn’t ask, did you?”
Peaches gasped in horror as his words sank in. She almost fainted but Iceman caught her and held her up. She slowly turned her head and stared at him for a moment before she closed her eyes briefly. When she opened them aga
in she asked, “Is she going to be all right?”
Sam nodded. “I think so. She was more worried about Deke than herself on the way back.”
“And Victor?”
“Hawk is taking care of Victor,” Iceman mentioned as he held her close. “He just called me. Janelle’s house is gone. The fire department is wrapping things up and the cops are already there.”
“I’m gonna get a hold of my VP and have him take Seymour Dent into custody until we can turn his ass over to the cops,” Sam told them. “Let’s hope the cops have what they need to put him away for a very long time.”
“Cassie told Lance about the three kids buried in the basement,” Peaches informed him. “That should be enough.”
“Let’s hope so because any other evidence went up in smoke.”
Deacon came back with the man who was going to marry Cassie and Deke before Sam came to town. Pastor Ashton looked over at Deke. “What am I doing here?”
“I need you to perform a wedding. Cassie is in labor and I want those kids to have my last name before they’re born.”
Pastor Ashton nodded.
When the nurse opened the door, she smiled at the whole group. “You can come in now.”
Deke, Deacon, Peaches, Paige, Gator, Pastor and the rest of them all went into the room.
~* * * *~
Raine turned his head and asked Sam, “Are you going to sit out here and pout or are you gonna go in there and watch your kid get married?”
Sam rolled his eyes but got to his feet. “Come on then.”
Raine grinned at Sabbath as they got to their feet and joined the others. Standing in the back of the room, they watched as Deke and Cassie exchanged their vows.
Just before Cassie said the words ‘I do’ she doubled over in pain.
When Deke leaned forward to seal the vows with a kiss, the pain was evident on his face as well. Once everything was said and done, the nurse cleared the room of all the extra people. The only ones left were Cassie, Deke, Peaches, Paige and Sam.
Deke glared at his father but didn’t say anything. He knew his father had gone to great lengths to bring Cassie back to him and he was grateful, even if he didn’t like him much.