by Eliza Marsh
Inside the clubhouse, the bikers looked at each other, processing the new information. Tyler was the one to break the silence, asking the question that was at the front of everyone's mind.
“What do you think they’re doing so close to the border?” He’d quickly been filled in on the ongoing rivalry with the motorcycle club based out of Jacksonville, but still lacked any details on the situation.
Finn shrugged, looking around at the others only to get the same reaction. Vic went behind the bar and got himself a beer, sitting down next to Johnny. “Stirring up shit, that’s what they do best.” The Kings had an ongoing beef with the Dead Saints MC up and down the East Coast. “They haven’t crossed into Lakeside yet, but being so close is causing me some discomfort.”
“So what? We wait ‘til they do to take them out?” Jagger rose a bit higher in his stool.
“Well, we can’t just go and start another war. That’s more trouble than we need,” Benz said, adding his two cents from his position on the couch.
“Yeah, and waiting on them to do it will be so much better for us,” Johnny replied sarcastically as he took a drag from his cigarette and shook his head. “We don’t know what they’re doing, so we can’t take action. But we can’t wait around for them to get a shot at us either.”
“We need some more intel.” Vic took a drink from his beer as he formulated a plan. “Johnny, go with Finn and take a look at our dear friends' new hangout.”
“On it,” Johnny replied and got up from his stool.
“Oh, and take the prospect with ya. Just in case,” Vic added with a shrug and a smirk. Tyler hurried to catch up with his two brothers, not paying any attention to Jagger’s chuckles.
“For fuck’s sake, prospect! Put some damn pants on!” Johnny’s enraged voice made Jagger’s chuckles turn into full-out laughter.
31
A few hours later, Finn re-entered the clubhouse with Johnny and Tyler behind him. He wasn't returning with good news.
Looking around the room, he found all of the other members of the club there, probably waiting for them to get back. He nodded to Vic, indicating that everything had gone relatively well.
The Red Kings’ president motioned to their private room. “C’mon.”
The bikers made their way inside, half-empty beers in hand. Taking their places around the wooden table, all of their faces turned hard.
Vic looked at the prospect and Johnny before his eyes focused on Finn. “So? What do we know?”
“Not a lot, but enough to know they're planning to cause trouble.” Finn’s words earned a snort from Jagger. “Would have been easier sneaking around after dark, but we got enough. The warehouse they just moved into is full of drugs, looked like heroin."
Johnny took the lead. “It’s not our concern at this point, but it’s not gonna be long before they start trafficking it through Lakeside.”
“So close to the town border, I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s already inside.” Lincoln took a drag from his cigarette, blowing the smoke out slowly.
“How’s their security?” Jagger had both of his hands on the table, twirling a lighter. He was itching for something to do, somebody to hit.
“Two security cameras, one in the back and one at the front.” Everyone turned to Tyler, and he swallowed, not appreciating the attention. “Three guys sporting heavy hardware. We couldn’t get a good look inside, but I’m pretty sure there aren’t civilians around. ”
“They’re feeling safe then, the pricks.” Jagger’s blue eyes were alight with excitement; he looked like Christmas had come early. Already knowing what was about to happen, he spun the lighter one last time, letting it fall on the table. “What are we gonna do?”
All eyes went to the charter president, the guys waiting to hear what he had to say.
“They know how things work around here. Last time we laid the ground rules out for them, I thought we’d come to an understanding.” He chuckled, a dark sound that had no humor in it. “Looks like I was wrong.” Shrugging, he looked around the table. “All in favor of paying a visit to our friends and checking on their heroin business?”
“Hell yeah, man.” Jagger was the first one to raise his hand. Following his lead, the other members did the same. A small smile played on Vic’s lips.
“Let’s get to work then.”
Nights were unbelievably peaceful in Lakeside. The local businesses closed up early, and folks were having dinner and preparing for bed by eight. The silence was disturbed only by an odd car or motorcycle headed down the street, the drivers hurrying to get home.
The only place open late was Vic's Auto Garage, or more specifically, the Red Kings’ clubhouse. Parties there often lasted until the morning sun peeked through the clouds, and sometimes even that didn’t stop the crowd’s fun.
Not tonight, though. The garage was quiet, and the clubhouse deserted. A few of the club members gathered around a black van parked in the lot. One had to look closely in order to spot them, the darkness covering them like a blanket.
The five men were all dressed in black and weren’t wearing their cuts, wanting to avoid any signs that would immediately identify them.
“You got the guns?”
“Yeah, of course, I do,” Johnny replied in exasperation.
“Good.” Jagger chuckled, pulling the hood of his sweatshirt over his head. “We don’t want this thing getting away from us.”
“Don’t get too excited,” Vic warned sternly, staring mainly at his eager enforcer. “We’re going there to educate and teach them a lesson, not to stir up trouble.”
“You got it, boss.” Waiting for his brothers to get in the back of the van, Jagger thumped the remaining man on the back, catching him by the collar and steering him away and towards the front passenger's seat. “No, no, prospect. You’re riding in the front with me.” He grinned and jumped into the vehicle. “Time to teach you how we do things around here.”
Tyler smiled back hesitantly, both excited and terrified at what the night would bring.
32
Groaning, Jackie opened her eyes. One hand flew up to cover her face, the bright sunlight entering the apartment impairing her vision. Blindly groping around the nightstand with her other hand, she snatched up her phone, turning her back to the window. Of course, the damn thing was going to ring just when she fell asleep.
Bianca's name was flashing across the screen, so the young woman hurried to pick up.
“Yeah?” Her voice was thick with sleep, and she hoped the biker queen took mercy on her and let her nap for a few more hours.
“Hey there, sweetheart.” She sounded too chipper for the half-asleep woman. “Get up and get ready. I’ll be over in half an hour to pick you up.”
“Pick me up?” Jackie ran a hand over her eyes, trying to wake herself up. “Pick me up for what?”
“I didn’t tell you? Sorry.” Bianca sounded anything but apologetic. “We’re going shopping, and then you have a doctor’s appointment at two.”
Doctor’s appointment? What doctor’s appointment?
“Bianca, what are you tal-”
“I have to go and pick up some things from the garage first, but you get up and get ready.” The matriarch interrupted her, not even acknowledging her question. “I'll be over in a bit.”
“I-” Hearing a beep signaling the call had ended, Jackie sighed.
Getting out of bed, she slowly made her way to the bathroom. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she groaned. Her hair was messed up and sticking in different directions. The oversized Red Kings MC t-shirt covering her torso was wrinkled, and she had dark bags under her eyes. All were indicators of her sleepless nights and the tossing and turning she had been doing recently.
Stripping down and stepping into the shower, she tried to wash away the exhaustion and fatigue. Jackie hadn’t had a good night’s sleep the last week and a half. Not only was her growing baby bump making it uncomfortable to lay at certain angles, but the talk with Bianca was putti
ng thoughts in her head that she couldn’t get rid of. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Dean’s face. Every time she managed to drift off, she was swallowed by dreams of him, of them.
One night, he’d be angry. He’d be in front of her, denying any connection to the baby she carried. She’d cry and beg for him to accept her and their child, and he’d just laugh. A father? He didn’t think so.
Another night, he’d be pushing her through the doors of a private clinic, providing support for her as she was about to give up their baby. She didn’t even entertain the idea of aborting her child while awake. But in her dreams, Jackie envisioned Dean convincing her to do it. They weren’t ready to be parents, no need to torture the child with their inability to take care of it.
Other nights, she’d see herself in Georgia, having lunch with Beth and Elaine. Dean and the guys would come into the diner, a small child trailing behind her man. The kid would run up to her with a shout of joy and start chatting about his day with dad. Dean would kiss her on the cheek and then pick the babbling child up, laughter in the air around them.
And after every single dream, Jackie would wake up gasping for breath, sweat dripping down her brow. She couldn't decide which scenario was worse. To her, the first seemed most likely. There was no way that Dean would ever want to be responsible for a kid. He had so much on his plate already. That and she couldn't ever recall seeing him interacting with a child. With his temper, he would likely kill the kid before its first birthday anyways.
No, that wasn't true. As angry as Dean had been that day at the garage, she had never feared him before then. Well, excluding those first few months, of course, because the guy had definitely been intimidating for a while there. But the Dean she had gotten to know over time, he was just a guy – laid back, quiet, uncomplicated, controlled.
Someone that could make a great father.
Bianca's talk had made her entertain the idea of the two of them together, raising the baby she was carrying. It was an unrealistic craving that she couldn’t let herself think about. Shaking her head, Jackie got out of the shower and wrapped a towel around her body. Going to the sink, she ran a hand over the bathroom mirror, clearing it of the condensation and revealing her reflection. Looking into her own tired eyes, she confessed to herself that, as much as she tried to deny it, she wanted that life. She wanted to see Dean hoist their child over his shoulder. She wanted to snuggle into him at night after she’d put the baby to sleep. She wanted it all. And thinking about it, dreaming about it, made the pain in her heart so much worse.
She kept telling herself over and over that he killed people as if repeating it would make all of the feelings from the past year just magically go away.
She took a deep breath, clearing her head of the relentless thoughts, and went to get dressed. Bianca was going to show up soon, grumbling that she had to wait. Jackie wondered what had brought this sudden flair of activity from the biker queen. Shopping? Doctor’s appointment? Everything was so unexpected. Of course, Jackie knew she’d have to go shopping sooner or later; she was running out of clothes that fit. And going to see a doctor was a given since she was pregnant after all. But Bianca taking the reins and making her an appointment surprised her, even if it really shouldn’t have.
This was Bianca Cole she was dealing with.
An hour later, and things weren't making much more sense.
“You do realize this is a store that sells clothing for men, right?” Jackie looked at her shopping companion like she was crazy.
“No, really? I hadn’t noticed,” Bianca deadpanned as they crossed the small parking lot. “You’re not exactly fit for the maternity section unless you want to buy a dress with a tacky flower print. Everything else will scream ‘I’m pregnant,’ and we don’t want that, do we?”
Sighing, the younger woman nodded. “Yeah. You’re right, I guess.”
Entering the store, they were met with the smiling face of the owner, an older woman with graying hair and a wrinkled face.
“Hello, Bianca. Shopping for Vic?”
“Hey, Tina.” Smiling in return, the biker queen nodded her head. “Yeah, you know how he is.” She pushed Jackie into the store, steering her towards the shirt section and away from the clerk. “Nosy old bat.”
The other woman chuckled, amused. “You’re awful.”
“Yeah?” Bianca quirked an eyebrow and smirked, looking Jackie directly in the eyes. “You should hear what I say about you when you’re not around.”
The two shopped for a while, picking up a few items here and there. After making their purchases, they returned to the car and headed to their next stop. Jackie lost all courage the moment they drove into the parking lot. Looking across from her at the large medical building, she just couldn’t find it in herself to enter.
One forty-five. One forty-six. One forty-seven.
The digits on the clock in the car continued to change, and Jackie kept watching them, unaffected by the passing time.
“We’re gonna be late, you know.” Bianca’s firm voice reached her ears, pulling her out of her reverie. “C’mon, sweetheart. Let’s go in.”
“I can’t.” Turning frightened eyes to the woman that had supported her until now, she pleaded for her understanding. “You know how small towns are. It’s gonna travel all over Lakeside the minute we enter that hospital. I’ll be the new piece of gossip – the pregnant chick rolling with the Kings. I can just see it now.” Shaking her head, Jackie took a deep breath. “I can't risk someone here telling the guys about it. I’ll be out of Florida by the end of the month anyway. I can go see someone then.” She had spent three months without going to see a doctor, and everything was fine. Why did she need to visit one now?
Bianca took her hands and looked into her eyes, her fierce gaze trained on the expectant mother. “Stop with that shit and get a grip. You’re not going anywhere. The guys won’t let you. I won’t let you.” The conviction with which she spoke the words made goosebumps travel all over Jackie's body. “Now, we’re going into that hospital and getting you checked out, okay?” When she got the nod she was expecting, Bianca loosened her grip. “Okay. And don’t worry about the gossip. There are ways to make sure nothing gets out.”
“Okay.” Taking a deep breath, the young woman exited the car. “Here we go.”
The biker queen was by her side in a matter of seconds, putting an arm around her shoulders. “Everything’s going to be fine.” Sharing a small smile, the two women entered the hospital.
Using the elevators, they went up to the second floor and stopped at the front desk. There was a young nurse typing away on a computer, but she looked up at their arrival.
“Hi there.” Bianca started the conversation, all confidence and power. “We have an appointment with Doctor Hodge.”
“Sure,” the nurse replied pleasantly, handing over a clipboard of paperwork. “Just fill out these new patient forms, and I’ll let him know you’re here.”
“Thank you.” Taking Jackie by the arm, Bianca steered her towards the waiting area of the small medical office.
Jackie scribbled away at the intake forms, trying to remember any family history and information from her last physical many years ago.
“Bianca!” An older man with glasses made his way down the hall with a bright smile on his face. It was obvious he was happy to see her. “Looking beautiful, as always.”
“Christian.” Bianca reached in for a quick hug. “Charming, as always.”
“Well, at age sixty, I've got to have something going for me.” He winked in Jackie’s direction. “This is the friend you told me about?”
“Yes.” She shoved the shorter woman forward slightly.
“Well, come on then. Let's get started. Time is money.” He led them into a room down the hall and gestured for her to get situated on the exam table. “Let me just grab your folder.” He scurried out of the room momentarily, leaving the two women to talk.
“You’re familiar with Doctor Charming, then?” Ja
ckie asked quietly with a smile.
“He's been my lady-parts doctor since he got out of med school.” She shrugged, smirking at the other woman. “He’s good at what he does.”
“Okay, then.” Jackie took a deep breath. “I’m ready.”
Entering the examination room again, the doctor smiled at his patient reassuringly. “Since you haven’t been examined before, we’re going to do some tests first. You said you’re a little over three months?” He waited for her to nod before continuing. “Okay, then we can do a sonogram if you want to. The sex of the baby can’t be determined yet. That can happen when you’re around four months at the earliest. But we can determine your due date, and you can see the baby.”
Jackie smiled at the thought. “I’d like that.”
“Let’s get started then, shall we?”
They ran through the tests one by one, Jackie barely keeping up with which test was for what. After an hour, the only thing left was the ultrasound. She hopped up on the table again, nervously lifting her shirt. The circumstances surrounding her pregnancy had been more than dire, and she hadn’t gotten the time to really appreciate the idea of being pregnant. Now, seconds away from seeing him or her for the first time, she realized this child was as much a blessing as it was a curse.
The doctor pulled a chair next to her bed, wheeling the ultrasound scanner with him. He looked at her and smiled warmly.
“You can call the father, and we can wait for him to get here if you’d like.” He patted one of her hands. “He won’t want to miss this.”
Jackie paled, the reminder that she was alone in this situation draining all of her excitement. “I-”
“That won’t be necessary, Doc.” Bianca went to her rescue, standing next to the head of the bed. She took Jackie’s hand in hers and squeezed it, providing all the support she could. “He’s out of town on business.”
Nodding, Doctor Hodge took a bottle from the cart and uncapped it. His face turned grim at the mention of ‘business out of town,’ all too familiar with the crowd the ladies were involved with. He quickly slipped a smile back onto his face. “I’m going to put this gel on your stomach.”