by Vera Quinn
“I don’t know Mrs. Steel. When Dr. White comes back around I will be sure and note that you need to talk to him. There is a big meeting of your doctors going on and since it is so late or early, however you want to look at it, I would say it is important. I am not positive but I believe they may be discussing that right now. Dr. Lyles, your pediatrician, is going to be doing checks on your little man every two hours. That was in Killian’s chart. I’ll give you time to feed him then I will be back to get him. They just want to be extra careful.” Nurse Chad hands me the bottle. “Do you need anything?” Nurse Chad has kindness around his eyes. He looks concerned and like he cares. I don’t usually like people instantly but for some reason this man seems like someone I could trust.
“I think we are good. Thank you.” I tell him.
“Mr. Steel, can I bring you anything?” Nurse Chad is checking my pitcher of water.
“Name’s Devil, and no, I am fine.” Kylar tells Chad.
“Okay then. I will be back in about thirty minutes.” Chad smiles but reaches down and takes the full trash bag out and ties it up and pulls another liner up. He pays attention. He turns and he is gone. I take the smell of Killian in. Inhaling the smell of a baby is so soothing. I take the plastic top off the nipple of the bottle and snuggle Killian in my arms and give him the bottle. He takes to it well. I am missing the bonding time breast feeding gives a new mom but I had rather be safe. I look at Kylar and he looks so tired.
“Come get in bed with us and we can feed him together.” That gets me a big smile. I scoot as far over as I can. Kylar is a big man and I know he is going to hang off the bed but I give him as much room as I can. Kylar gets on the bed with us kind of on his side. One arm goes behind me and the other is touching Killian. Kylar kisses the side of my head.
“You did good, Callie. You were strong for us again. Woman, you make me proud every time.” He tightens his hold around me.
“Kylar, I didn’t do anything. I was scared to death. Killian is like his daddy. Strong and stubborn. I am just glad he is here and healthy.” I look at the bottle and he has already taken two ounces. Our boy is hungry. I start to put him on my shoulder to burp him but instead I hand him to Kylar. Kylar gets up off the bed and I hand him the burp rag and he puts it on his shoulder before he places Killian there and gently pats him on the back. He starts to walk with Killian as he does it. “Do not walk with that child. You had Kellan spoiled to that and I am not doing that again.” Kylar smiles at me.
“Now baby, you know all Steel men like to be on the go. I think the stubbornness he inherited came equally from both sides. You can be one stubborn woman.” Kylar smiles. “That’s it son. That was a good burp.” Kylar looks at me. “I love you babe. Thank you for our son.”
“He was a joint project that we did good on. We can work good together on some things. We are good at the making a baby thing.” I give Kylar a big smile. He gives me one of those looks that he is thinking something evil.
“Yes, we are, and I will have you barefoot and pregnant in my kitchen again very soon.” This man is evil.
“No matter how good we are there will be no more babies for at least two years. Get used to it. I want a big family too, but my body needs a break and our boys need to grow up a little.” I know Kylar is playing but I am serious. Kylar gets a strained look on his face.
“I know, babe.” Then he looks at me and hands me Killian back to feed some more and sits back down and resumes his place. “As soon as you are home you know I have to go for a while. I need to get Stone. I must take the threat to my family out. We think that Charisma did this but she had to have help. We are looking at Starla since they are cousins. Tito and Oz are going over every security tape in the clubhouse. We don’t have a lot of cameras in there but there are some. We are going back a few weeks to see if we can find anything.” Killian is going back to sleep. He drank the two ounces and now he wants to sleep. I set the bottle down. “Sarge is arriving with Micah and Maddie. Chief said Dra is on his way, too. Sarge, Tazer, Crockett, Bowie, and I will be leaving as soon as you are home. Dra, Bourbon, and your dad will be staying until we come back. We won’t be back until Stone is gone. Oz dug up some leads last night and they are the same ones Sarge has so we are following them. It’s the first good leads we have had in a while. Stone had the Expendable Ghost Whispers MC at the Pub yesterday. Croup, the President, was there and he is not happy with Stone. Stone owes him 60 big and that means Stone has one more MC on his ass. I wouldn’t tell you all of this but we promised to be more open and I know you can handle it and I also know you are going to support me on it. You’re a mama bear when it comes to our boys. I hope you understand this is for our family.”
“Who has Kellan? I don’t want him at the club if Charisma is there. If she did this, she got to me somehow and the only place we were around each other is at the clubhouse. If it wasn’t safe for me then it may not be safe for Kellan. I don’t want to take a chance. Crazy is crazy. Will you put Killian back down? He’s fast asleep.” I look at Kylar and he looks deep in thought. I kiss my baby boy’s head and hand him to his dad. He kisses him too and hugs him close and he lays him in his little rolling bed. Kylar comes back and sits next to me on the bed. “Of course, I support you. I understand. I will miss you and worry like crazy but I am an ol’ lady and I know what has to be done.”
“Slow down, babe. We have it covered. Ma, Bourbon, Felix, Hanna, Chief, and Em are at the house. As soon as your sisters get here they will be there, too. Sarge and Dra are going to be around there as well. Then Tazer will be here with Maizy tomorrow. Maizy will be at the house and Tazer will be with Dra and Sarge. That’s the end of our sharing on the matter. Just know we are taking care of everything. I know you deserve the answers to everything but you also know sometimes it just can’t happen. I will tell you what I can when I can but for now that is all. Don’t you think you should get some rest? Everyone will be here early. I know it is already around four a.m.” About that time there is a knock on the door and then Nurse Chad sticks his head in. He walks on in.
“I am here to get that precious little man. He will be gone for a while so try and rest. Can I get you anything? I know Dr. Lyles is going to do a complete check on him again and I know Dr. White left but he said he would be back later to talk to you. He still hasn’t got all the answers. They are still waiting to hear back from some doctors they have consulted with. Probably won’t get those answers until later today.” The nurse is making sure everything is safe to go. “Mr. Steel, are you going with us? It’s up to you. Dr. Lyles won’t let you be in during the examination but if you want to stay closer you have that option. The little band on his ankle will make our security alarms go off if anyone tries to take him off this floor.” The nurse just doesn’t know the lengths some people will go through. I look at Kylar and I know there is no way he is letting our boy go anywhere without him. Kylar comes over and kisses me on the forehead.
“I’ll be back in just a little while. Rix is right outside the door if you need anything. Do you want me to send him in here with you?” I figured Kylar had someone around.
“No. I’ll be fine. I think I am going to try and sleep a little.” I yawn. It has been one long day.
“Okay, babe. We’ll be back later. Try to rest.” Kylar follows the nurse out the door and I shut my eyes for a little while. It seems like I only have them shut for a minute when I hear a thud. I open my eyes and nothing is out of place. I get up to go to the bathroom. I’m careful with the IV still in my hand. I make it in there and sit down to take care of my business when the door is flung open. I jump and there stands Charisma. She’s in a wig and scrubs. Well, here we go again.
“Do you mind?” She doesn’t give me time to adjust. She is in there and she slaps me across the face. I smile at her. I come up off the toilet and I know this is going to get messy but she has some plastic ties in her hands and that means no way is she by herself. I will not be taken anywhere and hopefully Kylar will be back soon. I hit h
er in the nose and bring my knee up and pull her head down into my knee at the same time. I hear her nose crunch. I’m weak but I will do what I need to. I pull my panties up but I see the mess I am making. I pull the IV out of my hand and push the pole into Charisma. I push her out of my way and get to the bed and hit the nurses button. She pulls my hair from behind and tries to slam my head into the side of the bed but I turn and put my elbow in the middle of her gut and twist and turn so my other elbow comes back and hits her in the side of her head. I slide my foot to knock her feet out from under her and I outweigh her with the extra baby weight and I go down on top of her and I start hitting her with my fist in her nose and face. She has blood coming out of her nose. She keeps trying to wiggle me off the top of her but I am not letting up. I keep pounding on her face. I keep remembering how scared I was for Killian and this woman caused it. I pick her head up and slam it back into the floor. She has stopped hitting back but I keep hitting her and then I get up and kick her in her side as hard as I can. We are both a bloody mess. I hear someone behind me and I am scared her help is here but it is a nurse and I hear her screaming for security. Thank goodness. I feel like I might pass out. My adrenaline is gone and I back into the wall. Before I know it, there are two security men coming in followed by two nurses and a doctor. I hear security buzzers going off but it seems like it is so far in the distance. I can’t move and I feel myself sliding down the wall. Then everything goes black.
Chapter 10
Devil
I hear the security buzzer going off and there is a call for security on this floor. I know Callie needs me but I can’t leave Killian. I try to text Rix but no reply. Damn. I send off a text to Hacksaw to get me some help in Callie’s room. Him and Bowie are outside but it won’t take them long. I send a text to Crockett to roll out. Then I text Chief. It’s not long before he replies that he’s on his way. I know the nurse told me to stay here but that is not happening. I beat on the door to the room where my son is and the nurse opens it. “Is there a problem Mr. Steel?” I push her back in. She’s a little woman not much taller than Callie but she looks to be in her mid- fifties. She looks startled from the buzzer still going off and me pushing her back.
“No ma’am, but I am a little concerned with security so I am going in there with my son. I will stand back and watch but I am going in there.” She starts to argue but I am through the other door before she gets anything else out of her mouth. The doctor looks surprised when I walk in and but the male nurse looks calm. “Everything is okay. I am worried about security so I am going to stay right here while you check out my son.” The other nurse comes in behind me.
“Mr. Steel, there are rules to follow.” She says. I turn to look at her.
“I don’t want to get in anyone’s way but until I know everything is okay with that security issue I won’t be leaving. We can either do this the easy way where I stand here quietly and I let the good doctor do his thing or we can do it the hard way where you three leave the room and I keep my son safe in here. Up to you, but I had rather not have to hurt anyone.” She steps back when she realizes she was just threatened if she doesn’t leave me alone.
“It’s okay, Nurse Conley. I am just about finished. He can stay there. I would be worried about my child, too. Not that I would do anything so drastic but I can understand with his current situation. Nurse Evens and Mr. Steel can’t go anywhere with the child until security gives an all clear anyway.” Dr. Lyles says calmly. I get a text and I look at it. My heart jumps in my throat when I read the words.
Hacksaw: It’s Callie’s room and we can’t get through security.
I can’t leave Killian. I look at the male nurse. “Chad, I need your help. It’s Callie’s room. Can you go and get them to my wife? Something has happened in her room.”
“I can do that.” Chad says.
“We’ll both go. It will be faster.” Dr. Lyles says. He turns to the other nurse and says. “Loretta, stay here with the baby and Mr. Steel. Everything will be fine. When I go out that door I am going to push the emergency button. Security will be here in minutes and everything is going to lock down in here. Mr. Steel you will be kept in here until they clear it. It’s what we do when there is a missing baby. No one will get in here until Loretta lets them in. Everyone will be safe in here. No one will get to your son.” Dr. Lyles tells me. I have no patience left though so I bark out.
“They told me my wife was safe, too. We see how that turned out.” The good doctor has nothing to say to that.
“We’ll know what is going on in a few minutes.” Chad says. I nod my head and they leave. When Dr. Lyles steps out of the glass door he pushes the button and nods at me. I hear the locks engage. He’s texting something and then he picks up one of the red phones on the wall and talks to someone. At least I can see if someone tries to approach us, since all the walls and windows are glass. I hear Killian begin to fuss.
“Are you ready to feed your son? Seems like he might be getting hungry.” Nurse Loretta asks. I look at the clock on the wall and see we have been away from Callie for over two hours.
“Just let me wash my hands.” I go over to the sink and wash my hands. By the time she brings me a bottle Killian is beginning to really get cranky. He is ready to eat. I grab a burb rag from the bottom of his rolling crib and pick him up and go over to one of the rockers on the other side of the room and sit down and begin to feed my son. My mind is on Callie but I know there is nothing I can do. I need trust my club brothers to cover her for me. Killian latches on to the nipple and he drinks as if he is starving. He reminds me so much of Kellan when he was a baby. I see security walking around outside and I see Nurse Loretta talking to them on the red phone but they don’t release the locks in place to come in. The security buzzers have finally shut off at least. The nurse finally gets off the phone with the security people. I get a text and I reach into my pocket to get my phone out. I see Killian has done two ounces. I put him up on my shoulder to burp him. I check my phone and it is from Hacksaw.
“Doctor’s with Callie. Charisma was here but Callie took her out. Don’t know how Callie is yet.” That’s it. I burp my son and then he spits up a little and he is back to sleep. I put him back in his bed and place his bottle at the other end. I put the burp rag away and I hear my phone again. It’s Chief’s phone.
Callie: I’m okay, Kylar. Dad is with me. I’m banged up but will be ok. How is Killian?
Me: He’s fine. Just fed and sleeping. Love you, babe.
Callie: Love you more.
I shut my phone up. Callie’s okay. Killian is okay. I am more determined now than ever to get to Stone. I see the male nurse come back towards us with Bowie behind him. I take my phone out but I hear the locks disengage. Chad knocks on the door and Loretta goes and opens it. Bowie is standing and waiting. Chads walks into where I am. “I will stay with him Devil if you want to talk to your man. He’s anxious to talk to you. Mrs. Steel is doing alright. Some woman attacked her but she held her ground. It shouldn’t be long before things are back to normal.” Damn. I walk towards the door.
“You’ll let me back in?” I ask Chad.
“Of course, Devil. You can see everything going on so go do what you need to.” Chad tells me. I go through the first door and then the second. Bowie walks over to me and leans in close.
“Callie is okay.” I know she texted me but hearing one of my brothers say it I can breathe again.
“What in the fuck happened? I thought Hacksaw had eyes outside.” I am trying to keep my cool.
“He did. Charisma and Starla snuck out of the clubhouse. We don’t know how. The damn door was still locked in the room we had them locked down in. Windows secured. They made it to the hospital and knocked Rix out. Starla got his attention and then someone hit him from behind. The hospital security camera showed it was Charisma. Oz hacked the security cameras here at the hospital. Charisma went in and confronted Callie by herself while Starla was getting rid of Rix. Callie was more than Charisma could handle.
Chief only said Callie was going to be okay. That came straight from the doctor is what he said. Charisma was knocked out and they have her on a different floor taking care of her. Don’t know what shape she is in. Only time will tell. But they have the cops here. They are waiting to question Callie. Chief is in the room with her. They have some cops posted with Charisma. She had on scrubs and a wig. Don’t know if she stole the scrubs or someone here is helping her. Starla is nowhere to be found. Last seen in the parking garage for personnel. Someone on a bike picked her up but haven’t seen the bike before and the man had one of those full facemask toboggans on. Oz is running the plates. Rix is being looked at for a possible concussion. What do you want us to do?” Bowie fills me in on everything. Before I have a chance to say anything Chad comes to the door.
“They said you can go back to Mrs. Steel’s room now. They moved her over a couple of rooms. She’s away from the stairs now. Seems her father insisted.” Chad tells me. I look at Chad and back at Bowie.
“Bowie is going to walk with us and I am going to have another man meet us between here and there.” I take my phone out and text Hacksaw and he is going to meet us on the way.
“That will work. I am going to get your boy then.” Chad goes back in to get Killian. He checks his diaper first and takes the time to change it. I take the chance to talk to Bowie.
“I want two men inside the hospital and two outside. It won’t change until the day they go home and then I want a full escort. Get our man in the police department to find out what they are going to do with Charisma and find me Starla. Turn this town upside down. I want her now!” I know I am on the verge of losing it and I need to control my temper. I take a deep breath. I see Chad rolling Killian out towards us. “Let’s get my son back to his mom.”