Running with the Devil: Plantain Series Book One

by Amelia Oliver

  “We’re going to emergency, call Em, V,” Joey’s voice comes booming down the hall from the front room.

  Dornan cups my face, his eyes glassy as they look into mine once again. He swallows hard and leans his forehead down to mine.

  “We have to go,” his whisper caressing my face.

  6

  He slips his hand down to take mine, leading us through the hallway and back to the chaos in the main room. But Smokey isn’t there and just then I hear a vehicle take off out front, blood and gauze cover the floor and the table he’d been on. All the gear from the job is laying on the floor by the door, and I pull my hand free as we pass, reaching down for my laptop.

  I set the computer on the bar and quickly hack into Durango, searching through the files, finally finding the security camera feed. Highlighting all the files to erase them, then I clear the hard drive, assuring that there was no video of us from tonight. I mean they’ll have Smokey’s blood, and for a moment I fear that if Durango, like us, has someone in the police force, they can run tests and find out who’s blood it is and trace it back to us. But then I realize that no cop would stick their neck out with expensive testing that would raise red flags, just for a crooked company. I have to believe they won’t go that far to get it analyzed for a botched robbery, fuck...my gloves are gone. Shit, when the fuck did that happen? I rack my brain to try and remember at what point I lost them. It’s out of any of our hands, I just have to hope that Durango doesn’t look too much into this one.

  Dornan takes my hand and pulls me out the door and to his Charger. I call Emily as Dornan drives us to the hospital, her two sisters have been staying with them to help with the older kids, since she just gave birth.

  “Smokey’s been shot.”

  Taking in a deep breath as soon as the words leave me, my heart cracking as she asks me to repeat myself. Dornan reaches over and un-balls my fist on my lap, linking his fingers with mine. Emily’s surprisingly strong, she asks me if he’s okay in a weak voice. When I tell her he’s headed to the hospital, she clears her throat and tells me she’ll be waiting for Joey and Chain to pick her up.

  This is one of the many reasons I can never be an old lady, the dreaded call of your man being hurt or even killed. Turning my head against the seat, I look over at Dornan. His free hand grips the top of the steering wheel tight, his brows furrowed slightly, as the edginess radiates off him. Something shifts in me, even though Dornan could eventually be hurt or worse, the need to be with him seems worth attempting. Everything relating to Dornan seems worth it. The feelings I have about being with someone who’s in an MC, I realize, is slowly dissipating. No one knows me like this man does, he knows what I haven’t yet come to terms with. That we’re going to be together, it’s inevitable. Out of the corner of his eye he notices me looking, and smiles that sexy half grin I feel in my gut, his hand tightening with mine as we ride in silence.

  Entering the hospital, Dornan does all the talking at the front desk, finding out where we need to go and leads us there. The guys are standing in the hall, all looking nervous. Missy and Sven are hugging, it seems as if she just got there also, they both turn to look at us. Missy rushes towards me, grabbing my shoulders before turning me, breaking my hand away from Dornan’s.

  “Bathroom babe.”

  She leads me to the bathroom and when we enter, I catch sight of myself in the mirror and see why she wants me in here. I turn the water on and rub it over my face, my neck, my hands, and arms, in an attempt to clean the dry blood off. My shirt’s fine since I had my hoodie on during the run, but my pants are covered. Even though their black, you can still see dark stains covering them. Dornan’s and Joey’s clothes are also covered, which causes me to cringe thinking of Emily having to see her husband’s blood all over us.

  “You’re not hurt right?” Missy asks.

  “No,” I reply softly.

  After a long pause, she asks, “Job went bad, huh?”

  Missy’s cool, but she’s still an old lady. I know for certain Sven tells her things in regards to the club, but not details, not facts or too much information. That’s more than most other old ladies are privy to, but she’s no equal by any means.

  “Uh huh,” I answer as I dry my face with paper towels.

  The night and early morning is spent waiting, since we have such a large group we get moved to a private waiting area. Emily holds herself together, not crying, but anxiously wrings her hands on her lap. Officer Milton came by since the hospital reported a gunshot wound, and he talked with Sven in the hallway, telling him it was an accident at the club with a prospect. Finally, after what seems like days, the surgeon came out and told us that Smokey will be fine. The bullets had ruptured his spleen, and the one in his chest had just missed his lung and heart, but he would recover. The sun’s already coming up by the time Dornan and I leave, the fog of no sleep and all the night’s events, has me on the verge of delirium.

  Luckily, my house is a short distance from the hospital, but it seems like we get stopped at every light, and the trip’s taking an eternity. I’m so out of it I don’t even think anything of it when Dornan pulls up my driveway, turning off the car and following me into the house. Bagheera excitedly jumps up to me, his paws on my hips as I pet his head and bend down to kiss his head. Dornan dumps dry food in his bowl and refills his water as I go upstairs. Stripping my clothes off and getting in the shower, the water pink from the blood I wasn’t able to get out of my hair earlier. Walking into my bedroom in only a towel, Dornan passes by shirtless, with his jeans unbuttoned as he enters the bathroom after me. I slip on a vintage Grateful Dead tee and some panties, before closing the drapes to darken the room from the sun that will be rising shortly. Knowing my thoughts are going to be running rampant, regardless of how tired I am, I turn on my iPod on the dock and put Bob Seger’s- “Night Moves” album on.

  I stand at the dresser and comb out my wet hair, when Dornan walks into the room, I watch him in the mirror and pause. I’ve seen him shirtless many times, but something about seeing him in my room, knowing he’s just been naked in my shower...does things to me. He’s tall, tan and lean. His black and grey tattoos shiny on his still damp skin and muscles, oh and his muscles are a work of art. I can see the pendant that lays between his pecs, and as usual when I think about it or see it, the feeling it gives me is deep in my heart. Dornan wears a necklace with a pendant of Saint Christopher that I gave him on his twenty-first birthday. Since then, I always see the chain peeking out from the collar of his shirts, but haven’t seen the actual pendant in so long. Dornan arranges the pillows before dropping onto the bed, stretching his legs out as he throws his arms over his head, oblivious to my ogling.

  It’s like I have to remind myself how to actually pull the brush through my hair, because even a task like this seems impossible when looking at all this Dornan flesh on my bed. Setting the brush on the dresser and without thinking, I crawl in beside him. Pressing my body into his side, and snaking my hand around his waist. Before I can get comfortable though, he rolls onto his side, maneuvering me so my back is to his front. He slides an arm under my neck and under my pillow, as his other arm wraps tightly around my midsection. Both my hands connect to his, and he links our fingers while nestling his face into my hair, his legs tangling with mine. I’ve never spooned with anyone, cuddled even, and shit I can get used to this. When the song “Night Moves” comes on, he begins to hum. The vibration of his chest against my back, his soft exhales playing with my hair, makes my whole body tighten.

  “She was a black haired beauty with big dark eyes,” he sings softly.

  This causes me to smile at his voice singing, I melt. Melt. As Dornan continues to sing, I try to fight the sleep that’s quickly approaching just to keep hearing him, but by the time the song ends, I’m out.

  7

  It only seems like minutes later when I hear my phone ringing in the distance. It takes me a while to realize I’m on my stomach, and Dornan’s laying with half his body over mi
ne. Then his phone begins to ring on the bed side table, and with a groan his warmth leaves me.

  “Yeah?” he asks in a gruff voice. “Okay... yeah, we’re coming... no, she’s with me.”

  My eyes still struggle to open as Dornan smacks my butt cheek lightly.

  “Smokey’s awake,” he whispers.

  I roll onto my back as he stands, showing me his amazing toned back. The muscles defined and flexing under his tattooed flesh as he stretches, the top curve of his ass also showing above his boxer briefs. He adjusts himself and wanders into the bathroom, while I head downstairs and let Bagheera out and start a pot of coffee. The bathroom’s empty when I go back up, so I wash my face and braid my hair before returning to the bedroom. Dornan’s standing at the dresser, and I notice he’s set clothes out for me on my bed. A pair of faded jeans, purple tank top, along with a matching black lacy bra and panties. I slip the bra on under my shirt, while Dornan seems more interested in my jewelry box than checking me out in the mirror, although he does glance up before I put the tank top on.

  “You still have this?”

  He asks, turning and holding something in between his fingers. I slip my jeans on as he steps closer, showing me the ruby ring.

  When we were fifteen, Dornan told me he found this ring mowing the clubhouse grass one day. But the ring looked brand new, and I often wondered if he lied and bought it for me. It was too big at the time, so I used to wear it on my right middle finger.

  “Of course I do.”

  His eyes transfix on the ring, not looking at me when he says, “You stopped wearing it and I thought maybe, you got rid of it.”

  The tone of his voice takes me back to when he was a kid, and showed emotion or expressed his feelings. A little embarrassed, but hopeful.

  “No, never...but I started...with Brayden and it didn’t seem right to wear something you gave me - to him or you.”

  He lifts his eyes and his blues meet my honey, his fingers toying with the ring.

  “You’re not with him anymore,” he states.

  I reach out to take it from him, now it’s too tight on my middle finger, so I slide it onto my right ring finger. The ring’s really beautiful, there’s a small ruby in the center and two diamonds on either side. Dornan lets out a breath and presses his forehead to mine, nuzzling my nose along his as I bite my lower lip. We’re both breathing fast, and my fingers trace down his cheek. His hands grip my hips, flexing into the material of my shirt.

  “We should go,” he groans in a pained voice.

  I nod and close my eyes a moment, inhaling him and really feeling him against me. We listen to Tom Petty on the drive to the hospital, and I check my work emails on my cellphone along the way. There’s one from Justice, asking if we can meet at the building site sometime next week. Which I reply with an, ‘I’ll let you know at the end of this week.’ Justice is nice and all, and hasn’t done anything in particular to turn me off. But not being able to be honest with someone about the simplest things like, ‘What did you do last night?’ or not being trusting enough to talk about my dad with, made me think. Yes, I just met the guy, but would I or could I ever trust someone not in the circle of the MC? With Dornan I don’t have to get into the pain over my dad, or why my neighbors don’t like me, or how I got the scar on my knee when I was nine. Dornan and I make sense, even if this life we’re living is anything but normal, I’m realizing that life for me will never be cookie cutter. As much as I hate the MC part of my life, hate it and fear every day that I’ll get thrown in jail or murdered. I can never escape it; it will always be there no matter how far away I try to distance myself.

  We swing by the clubhouse so Dornan can change his clothes since he lives in an apartment there, which takes him all of five minutes before we’re back on the road. Even though it’s still very early and we probably only slept three hours, it was the best sleep I’ve had in a long time, and I knew it was because Dornan was with me. Katie and Joey are waiting at the elevator doors on Smokey’s floor, and we exchange hugs.

  “I’ve got to get to work so I just wanted to come by and see Emily, but then Smokey woke up,” Katie tells me.

  “The doctor says he’s doing really good, did well through the night and is optimistic that he can get released in a few days,” Joey says.

  “Good brother. You coming back?” Dornan asks.

  “Yeah, just gonna walk Katie to the car.”

  Katie and I hug again before the two enter the elevator, and the door slides shut. Dornan takes my hand as we walk down the hallway and around a few turns, before I see Emily leaning against the wall on her cellphone. As we approach she smiles, giving us a small wave.

  “Yeah, I’ll be home in the hour. Don’t forget Eva has her school project due today...okay, love you too, bye.”

  She ends the call just as we near the room, instantly she hugs Dornan.

  “Thanks for coming, Smokey’s been asking for you since he woke up,” she says looking weary as she takes my hands.

  Her eyes water as they connect with mine. “He told me what you did... how you got him out of there.”

  “He’s family Em, of course-” I state.

  “No, I know but he said you got into that room and, we’re so grateful,” she nods, swallowing hard.

  I pull her in a one armed hug as she covers her mouth with her hand, before pulling herself together and giving me a watery smile.

  “Are you going to stay in the hall all day?” Smokey yells from inside his room.

  “Well, you heard the man, better go before he climbs out of the bed to get you,” Em smiles with a sniffle.

  Smokey looks too big for the bed he’s in, the white sheet pulled up to his waist. He’s pale and aside from the IV’s in his hand, he looks okay. Sven stands on the opposite side of the bed, pacing in front of the window on his cellphone, as Dornan and I greet our injured brother.

  “How ya feelin brother?” Dornan asks.

  “Like I’ve been shot,” Smokey groans.

  His eyes move down and notices my hand in Dornan’s, and that signature shit eating grin begins to creep over his lips.

  “Ah shit, who knew me being shot would finally get you two fuckers together...’bout damn time, if I had to see this dude wanting to pile drive every guy who ever looked at you one more time, I was about to beg you to date him.”

  “Just because you’re in this bed doesn’t mean I won’t fuckin hurt you,” Dornan states.

  I smile and roll my eyes at Smokey, noticing Sven run his hand over his blond hair, worry etching his features.

  “Joey said something about you goin’ home in a few days,” Dornan says.

  “Yeah, thank fuck, one night in here is good enough for me,” Smokey shakes his head.

  Sven ends his call and finally seems to realize Dornan and I are in the room, he winks at me but it does nothing to soften his features. He looks to Dornan, before lifting his chin towards the door and walking out, causing Dornan to follow.

  Smokey keeps smiling and then asks, “Seriously, I’m glad you are together...that’s what it is right? I know that kid wouldn’t just go halfway when he finally got you, he’s probably already planning the wedding.”

  “You know I wish you got shot in the mouth,” I reply sarcastically.

  “I’m just sayin, I thought maybe you were needing to get your head checked if you kept ignoring him.”

  “How about you stop worrying about us and worry about yourself and going home.”

  Smokey clears his throat, his facial expression turning serious. I’m not sure if he’s in pain and I need to get a nurse or something.

  “For real though V. You could have left me, gotten out, but you didn’t. I owe you.”

  “Smokey. God, between you and Em you act like I did something that you wouldn’t have done. You’re my brother, if shit went down, it would go down for both of us, simple as that, so stop.”

  “Yeah, yeah. But just know that because of you I’ll be seeing my kids and woman another day.
”

  Dornan and Sven’s heavy boots shuffle in behind us, before Dornan takes my hand, causing me to turn to him. His face taking on that same worried expression his dad has.

  “It was good seeing you brother,” Dornan says while outstretching his fist, Smokey holds his arm up limply and nods as they bump knuckles.

  Smokey blinks long and I wonder if medicines just been administered through his IV Dornan pulls me towards the door, leaving Sven sitting in the plastic chair beside Smokey to watch TV. Emily’s still in the hallway but down at the end looking out the window, talking on her cellphone again.

  “I gotta go, Dad worked something out with The Steel Axes, and we got a few more days to work out getting the guns. Me, Joey, and Boo-Boo are heading out to Milestone, they owe us and hopefully it will be just a night or two.”

  “Why am I not going?” I ask, my brows furrowing.

  “Stop thinking whatever it is you’re thinking right now-”

  “Because I fucked up at Durango?” I state more than question.

  “Stop.” Dornan cups my face and tips my head up to lock eyes with him.

  “We all fucked up, the job was fucked up, it wasn’t anyone’s fault. Dad needs you to run the shop; he can’t have you gone for days. You do have an actual job, remember?”

  I swallow hard because he’s right, but I also feel annoyed that they’ll be going into the unknown again with this one. Annoyance melds into fear, fear gripping my gut and my heart.

  “Text me when you get there, keep me updated with what’s going on,” I tell him.

  He wraps his arm around my shoulder to pull me close, as I slip my arms around him. His lips press against the top of my head, while his other hand rubs my back.