“You’re right, I’m sorry, but I won’t apologise for marrying her. She’s everything to me, and till the day I die I’ll take my vows seriously.”
“Good. That’s all I need to hear.”
Well, fuck me, if Slade is happy then everyone can be happy. Seriously, I have to bite my tongue. I don’t need to sit here and listen to how I used to treat Harper, I fucking remember it well and I hate myself for it. But he can’t sit here and be the doting uncle either, he let her down more than enough times when he didn’t have a clue about her running all over town losing her damn mind.
“How’s she doing? I didn’t get a chance to speak with her before she left to go see Cas.”
“She’s doing real good,” I say on the matter.
If he wants to know anymore of her business, he can ask her himself.
Pope and dad join us, and the table soon fills up and it does little to distract me from thinking about Harper.
I listen to all the chatter about Ellis, the Black Crows, and how we’re waiting on Cas before we make a move and I realise how much I miss Mercy and Harper and I’s time there.
Harper
Strangely, the mood between us is light after discussing me killing Ellis when the time comes. We walk the corridors leading us to the parking lot of the hospital while Cas stays behind to be watched through the night. Alannah wanted to stay with him but he made her leave with us. A few brothers showed up an hour ago and will sit outside his room. None of the nurses complained, choosing to work around them.
Alannah is busy on her phone while Leo swings his sets of keys around his finger. Luca has his hands stuffed in his jean pockets, keeping his head down as he walks behind us. I’m the first one to see him, and stop, causing the others to bump into me.
Standing in the middle of the reception area, grinning like a maniac, is Ellis. He hasn’t changed one bit from the last time I saw him. His cut fits snugly over his hoodie, the same way JJ wears his and I hate that I once felt something for him. I never understood what I was feeling for him, but it was something. Now, it’s gone and it will never come back.
“It feels so good to finally have my eyes on the both of you,” he smirks, looking straight at me and Leo.
Oh shit.
It’s late and not many people are around but there are enough witnesses that could get hurt.
“You’re brave coming here,” Leo calls out.
“Not really, I’m hungry for some lost souls and yours are going to taste very fucking sweet. Come with me, and you Harper, and no one will get hurt.”
“No one’s going with you,” Alannah jumps in.
“You’re wrong, momma Jackson. I’m going to kill your son tonight for killing my brother, I’ll do it here if I have to. I would like to hurt him a little first, but I learned a long time ago we don’t always get what we want.”
He’s lost his mind, but I already know that.
He pulls out a black gun from the back of his jeans and doesn’t care who’s around as he points it at Leo.
Oh my god.
I daren’t look away from Ellis, but I can see from the corner of my eye that no one is moving to help us. Luca and Alannah move in closer to us and the loyalty courses through me. I am one of them. Never by name because I am a Carter, but I am them and they are protecting me like I am.
“Look, just follow me outside and get this over with. If I shoot you in this place, help can be at your side in seconds and I don’t want that. I’m getting bored.”
“Fuck off then, you can’t be serious bringing trouble to a hospital. You’re out of your damn mind,” Alannah scolds him and he laughs.
“No, I’m not. I’m just as crazy as Harper.”
“My life is crazy, but I’m not, my doctor said so.”
“Ah, Dr Wallis. I miss those days. Come now.”
The manic humour fades from his face and pure mania sets in. I don’t move and Leo steps closer to me.
“You know, I’m getting real tired of wanting you and having to chase you down. I’ve missed you.”
He lies, he is crazy, certifiable so.
“Don’t play with him,” Alannah whispers. “Leo, you need to get out of here,” she adds.
“I’m not leaving,” he growls back at her.
While they get into it, Ellis raises his gun and one of the nurses hiding in the nurse’s station, shrieks.
“Harper, I’m running out of patience, baby.”
I keep my mouth shut, anything I say he’ll take the wrong way.
“No? You’re still not ready for me?”
Leo and I are standing so close it’s hard to know who he is aiming for. Nothing moves around us as his finger squeezes the trigger.
In all honestly, I didn’t think he would follow through on his threat and shoot someone here. There are countless witnesses and cameras everywhere.
Then the shot rings out and echoes around us. Leo and I are still standing. The blur that crossed us drops to the floor and Alannah is bleeding and all hell breaks out.
Leo drops to the floor to his mom, Luca runs for Ellis as he backs up to the door. Alannah is deadly white and Leo hollers for help but it’s like I’m hearing him under water. Blood is rushing in my ears blocking out the clarity.
Luca disappears out the main doors after Ellis and I’m moving. I run after them and ignore calls from Leo to come back.
Luca can’t be out there on his own with Ellis. I burst through the doors and see no one. Grunts and a bang comes from around the corner and I’m on my toes before I can think.
Luca has blood trickling down from his nose, and Ellis is standing over him with his gun pointing at him.
For a fraction of a second, it occurs to me that Luca doesn’t look scared. Then the scene before crashes back into reality and I step closer.
“Ellis, please, don’t shoot him. He’s my brother.”
This falters him and he steps back. He keeps the gun on him and concentrates on me.
“I just want you, Harper. Come now and I’ll let him live.”
“You promise?”
I manage to mould my voice so he believes my act and I swallow the bile that is threatening to erupt from my stomach.
“Yeah.”
“Harper, don’t. I’d rather die than let you go with him.”
“Shut up, Luca. Ellis and I have history you don’t know about.”
It makes me sick to act like I want to go and be with him. However, I continue talking to him like he’s a vulnerable child.
“Ellis, if I go with you, I’m scared you’re going to hurt me again.”
“Don’t be fuckin’ stupid, that was a mistake and I’ve said I was sorry.”
Boots hitting the ground grow louder coming up the alley. It spooks Ellis and before anything else confuses me about tonight, he runs off, leaving Luca and I alone and alive.
The boots approaching us are two security guards from the hospital. They run straight past us, and head in the same direction as Ellis. I rush to Luca and kneel down on the ground beside him.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, pissed that you were going to go with him…”
“I never was and keep that between us, if JJ ever finds out he’ll kill me himself.”
I hold onto his chin and scan over his face. The blood around his nose is drying over and the rest of him is untouched.
“I nearly had him, if he didn’t have a fucking gun, I would’ve fucking had him,” he spits out angrily.
“How old are you anyway?”
“Seventeen.”
“You sure can handle yourself,” I mutter.
Looking around, there isn’t anyone else around and the night is quiet again. It’s such a false conception, around every corner is danger and I have no idea which corner Ellis is hiding around. I saw him run off, but I still scan the shadows and I see something I wish I hadn’t.
“Is that a foot?” I cry because it clearly looks like one.
Luca scrambles up to his feet and I quickly
follow. He darts across to the dumpster and then jolts backwards.
“Fuck, it’s the prospects and AJ. They’re dead. I can’t see Ricky here, he must be inside somewhere.”
I have no idea who AJ is but they are Lost Souls and the brothers who rode behind us here I’m guessing and now we’re alone.
“Come on, we should get back inside and see how your mom is doing.”
As soon as I’ve said the words, it dawns on him what happened. Grabbing onto my arm, he rushes us back into the hospital. Police sirens can be heard in the distance and the lights are really bright against the darkness outside.
I swallow the lump of terror when Alannah’s blood is pooled on the floor and she is no where in sight. The nurses’ eye us warily and keep their distance.
Leo runs out from one of the corridors and relief is evident when he lays his eyes on us.
“Don’t ever do that again,” he yells at us both.
“Where’s mom?”
“Is she okay?”
“He got her in the arm, they’re saying she’ll be fine. She’s being looked after now, and we’ve got to go break the news to dad.”
Oh shit.
JJ
I’m staring at my phone, waiting on a call or a message from Harper. They should be heading back soon, they’ve been at the hospital for hours and Cas is okay. She’s had all evening with him, now I need her back here where I can keep my eyes on her.
“You trust Leo, don’t worry about her.”
I peel my eyes away from my phone and turn my head to see my dad sitting beside me.
“I trust him, and the three brother’s that rode out with them, I’m still going to worry about her. She’s my fucking wife and I’m sitting here watching my phone.”
Cas didn’t want Leo or Harper in any positions Ellis could get to them and they’re both out there. I should have gone with them.
“We can ride into the city if it makes you feel better?” he offers, and I raise an eyebrow.
“We? Why would put yourself out there when trouble is chasing us?”
“She’s your wife, making her my daughter-in-law. If anything happens to her, it happens to you. If anything happens to you, it happens to me and your mom. You catching my drift?”
I nod and rise to my feet as his phone rings. He stands beside me and digs his cell out of his pocket.
“You made Harper family, I’ll treat her as she is.”
He answers his phone and pales. He hasn’t said a word but I can already tell it’s not good news.
“Say that again,” he grounds out, his eyes setting hard on me.
My heart is racing, I can’t stand this.
“What?” I cut in, but I’m ignored.
“We’re on our way.”
He slides his phone in his pocket and slowly turns his back to me. He transforms before me. His shoulders broaden, his chin lifts, and an icy blast emanates from him and without having to say a word, the bar slowly goes quiet.
“Every brother head for the city hospital, any Crow you pass, shoot.”
“Sparks, what has happened?” Slade asks, limping through the brothers to face my dad.
Brothers remain quiet, waiting to hear. I’m waiting to hear.
“Ellis is at the hospital, he shot Alannah. Leo is with her. Luca ran out after him and then…” he pauses and turns back to me. I can already guess. Harper ran after him too.
“Harper followed Luca, they haven’t returned.”
I’m running for the door.
I’m sprinting for my bike.
There is no speed limit I won’t break.
I told her not do anything reckless when we retuned here. I shouldn’t have let her leave to visit Cas. She could have video called him or something.
I’m through the gate before I hear the faint rumble of bikes coming up behind me. The devil himself could come chasing me tonight and wouldn’t catch me. No one stands a chance.
If anything happens to her, I’ll fuck over the entire world in retribution. I thrash the throttle and block out the images of her returning bloodied and beaten the last time she was with Ellis.
This will be on Cas if anything happens to her, I said we should have stayed in Mercy, Harper wanted to stay. It was Cas who wanted her home because he wants to be her daddy.
If one hair on her fucking head is out of place, I’ll rampage like the club has never seen before. She is my life now and without her, it’s meaningless.
I block out the images so much, I block out everything until my dad rides up beside me and uses his hand to motion we’re coming up to the hospital.
Fuck. I lost track of time, I didn’t even realise I wasn’t watching the road. I don’t remember getting here at all.
There are cop car lights flashing blue and red into the night and dad signals to half the brothers to carry on around to the back of the hospital.
No one’s telling me shit. I ride right up to the front path outside the main doors and jump off my bike.
The reception area is busy with officers. An area has been taped off and blood is smeared across the shiny floor. It must be Alannah’s blood.
Cops check me out as I pass through, I don’t have a clue where I’m heading but I can’t stop walking. I dig out my phone and call Harper. Of course there is no answer. I call again and nothing.
I call Leo’s phone and nothing.
I scroll through my contacts for Luca and realise I don’t have his number.
Fuck.
I could fucking scream.
Where is she?
My blood is rushing and it’s making my head spin.
He can’t have her again.
“Son, this way.”
I can barely see my dad, but I follow his voice and then I hear hers. The rush of relief is almost too much, and I’m grateful when it doesn’t consume me. I turn the last corner and there she is, sitting next to Luca as Leo is ripping the shit out of them.
My relief soon turns to anger and when she sees me coming, she jumps up and comes towards me.
My strides are long and quick, when she’s close I grab her arm and carry on walking until we pass my brothers, her brothers, and I push through a set of doors and into an empty corridor.
“Jason.”
“Shut up,” I growl, turning on her and pushing her against the wall.
I don’t leave any space between us and push up real hard against her.
I grab onto her head, I push my forehead against hers and take a deep breath, closing my eyes.
“Do you not love me?”
She goes to speak but I continue.
“Did you not stand in front of a fuckin’ priest and vow to stand at my side for all fuckin’ time?”
“Jason.”
“No, you fuckin’ promised me you wouldn’t be reckless. Do you know how many times I nearly died getting here because you ran out after the guy who beat you so bad you have a scar running down your hairline?”
It’s the first time I’ve spoken out loud about it, she doesn’t like it and we pretend it’s not there to make her happy.
“I still can’t breathe properly even though I have you in my hands right now. That’s how scared I was. Fuck, babe. What were you thinking?”
Her thumb swipes across my cheek, she’s wiping a tear I didn’t feel fall.
“I’m sorry.”
“I don’t need apologies, I need to know what you were thinking.”
“I was scared for Luca, he chased him alone.”
“Where were the brothers who came with you?”
“We found them dead around the side where Ellis ran off to.”
Fuck. More dead.
“Did he touch you?”
“No.”
“Don’t lie to me, babe. I’m not in the best mood right now to find out later you told me bullshit.”
“It’s the truth, he didn’t touch me. He told me I was looking good, and he apologised for hurting me.”
“That’s it?”
&nbs
p; “He said, he’ll see me soon.”
Like fuck he will.
“I made Cas promise you wouldn’t have to go on lockdown at the club, I was wrong. Once I get you back there, you’re not leaving till Ellis is dead.”
“Jase…”
I slam my lips against hers to shut her up. I can’t be dealing with her arguing over what’s best for her.
Tonight has proven that Ellis can be everywhere and he isn’t afraid of a showdown in a public place.
Her warmth and softness breaks apart under my firm lips, and I push even harder just to grind it in, she is mine and she is still alive.
“We should get back, they’ll be wondering where we are,” she sighs, as I pull away from her.
“I don’t give a fuck right now, I’m still trying to get over the fact you put yourself in harms way.”
“Luca.”
“Luca can handle himself, if anything had have happened to him, we would have dealt with it. Luca isn’t stupid, and he isn’t exactly a pushover. His mom had just been shot, do you think he was thinking?”
I’m trying my hardest not to go off on her, but the more I think of the what-ifs, the more heated I become.
“I love you to the point I don’t know if it’s sane, if anything had have happened to you tonight, I’d…”
My rant subsides as I run out of steam, I can’t think of any more threats she hasn’t heard before.
Closing the distance between us again, I bend my knees until I’m at her height and press my forehead against hers.
“You are not leaving my side until this over, or we’re at the clubhouse. You got me?”
Her mouth opens to argue, I shut that shit down.
“You got me?” I growl.
“I got you,” she growls, and then her eyes soften.
“I always get you,” she says.
“Then don’t ever do that to me again, I can’t and won’t lose you.”
Leaning up on her toes, she claims my mouth and I shut up and kiss her back. I fought against this woman for so long I confused myself how I felt about her, now it’s all so clear it fucking kills me the thought of her hurt and in danger. I slide my hand into her hair and grip a little too hard for her liking. My hand shoots open and I let her go.
Her Crazy Life: Sons of Lost Souls MC Novella 3.5 Page 10