by Sam Crescent
They all looked out of place in the sterile hospital waiting room. His prez, Tank, and Reaper had come at his request.
“I told you about Skull Nation buying shit at the lumber yard, but there’s more.” He scrubbed a hand down his face. “Well, there’s this girl. I think they beat her up. Maybe a warning or something?”
“I’m supposed to give a shit?”
“She’s my girl.”
Lord shook his head. “No, she’s not. If you have a girl, I’d be the first to know. You’re supposed to be my fucking VP, are you not?”
Brick paced, running a hand through his hair. “It’s complicated.”
“Is this why you’ve been sneaking off on your own the past couple of months?”
He nodded. “She doesn’t know who I am. She’s a civilian. Innocent.”
“How could she not know? Look at you,” Lord said.
“He’s not wearing his cut,” Reaper said.
“Why don’t you shut the fuck up?” Brick had enough on his shoulders. As VP, he wouldn’t think twice about teaching their enforcer some manners.
“Cool it. Both of you.” Lord stared at him, that cold look that made most people piss their pants. “I was starting to wonder if you were the mole, moonlighting with the enemy. A chick, I can handle.”
“I’d never betray you, Lord. I’d fucking die for the club.” He glared at Reaper to punctuate the statement.
None of the hospital staff made a move to clear them out of the hospital, even though they were loud and covered in ink. They wouldn’t even make eye contact with them.
“So, what happened tonight?”
“I rode out to see Callie. It was supposed to be a quick visit. When I showed up, she’d been hurt bad. Last time I saw her, I may have sent a message to one of the Skull Nation, but they didn’t know who I was. As far as they’re concerned, I’m just a chicken farmer.”
Tank snorted.
“What the fuck is happening?” Lord asked.
“It’s a long story.”
He wished he hadn’t kept all this from Lord, but none of this was supposed to go so far. Callie was a forbidden pleasure, a walk on the other side of the fence. Then he fell hard for her without seeing it coming.
There was no backtracking now.
“And you want us to wipe out the Skull Nation in honor of your girl?” Reaper asked.
“No, I want you to go fuck yourself.” Brick shoved the enforcer, one of the waiting room chairs falling back with an echo.
“Enough,” Lord said. “What’s her condition? She give you details?”
“I’ve only been here an hour or so. No one will tell me anything, and when I brought her in, she was in and out of consciousness.”
“Find out.”
Brick approached the main counter again. “I need an update on Callie Johnson.”
The woman at the desk made a call, then pointed to the side doors. “A doctor is coming out to help you.”
The automatic doors opened a few minutes later. Two doctors met them in the lobby.
“You’re the one who brought in Ms. Johnson.”
“Yes, tell me how she is,” Brick insisted.
“She’ll be fine. She has a pulmonary contusion—a bruised lung. We’ve already aspirated the fluid from her lungs and given her IV meds. It’s a small impact area, so she’ll recover quickly. Some painkillers and deep breathing exercises for a couple of weeks are all that she’ll need.”
“Is she awake?”
“Oh, yes, she’s been awake for some time,” said the doctor.
“When can she leave?”
“It’s already late. I think it’s best for her to rest here the night so we can monitor her. Tomorrow, she’ll be discharged. Will you be able to pick her up, or is there someone else we need to contact?”
“I’ll be here.”
“Can he talk to her before we leave?” asked Lord.
The doctor nodded, urging him to follow. His prez told Reaper and Tank to wait for them in the lobby, then came along without being invited.
As they walked behind the doctors, Brick whispered, “She just found out about me. This is all new, and I know she’ll be pissed.”
“So you’ve lied to both of us.”
“No, I didn’t lie to anyone. I just didn’t offer all the details.”
“Same shit,” Lord said. “You’re VP because I trust you with my life. Don’t let me down now, especially with all the talk that’ll be going around the club now.”
“I’m sorry,” he said. “It wasn’t supposed to go down like this. She wasn’t supposed to matter.”
“Until she did. Women have a way of doing that to a man. Are you sure she’s the one?”
He didn’t need to think twice. “A million percent.”
“Okay then, let’s make sure she’s safe,” Lord said.
They entered a room halfway down the hall. Callie was partially upright in the bed. Wires came from her arms.
“Brick.”
He rushed over and carefully took her hand in his. “How you feeling, baby?”
“Better,” she said. “I don’t remember much.”
Hopefully, she’d forgotten everything. Especially the part about the Straight to Hell MC.
“When you opened the door, you passed right out. I brought you to the hospital.”
She frowned. “I can’t afford this.”
“Shit, Callie, don’t worry about the bill. Just rest and get better.”
The moment she noticed Lord behind him, she visibly tensed up. “Who’s that?”
“He wants to know what happened to you. Who hurt you, Callie?”
“He’s a biker,” she whispered, looking at Lord.
Brick had to stop from smiling. She was so damn innocent and had no clue how fucked up he was. He wished he could live those two separate lives forever, but it wasn’t possible. Eventually, he’d have to come clean, but was terrified she’d bolt.
“Nothing to worry about. Was it the Skull Nation? Don’t be scared. He just needs to know.”
She shook her head. “No, they never hurt me, just my boss. It was all an accident. He shoved me, and I hit the counter. He was just stressed. Jeff didn’t mean it.”
“Don’t defend him.”
Brick’s jaw clenched. He remembered that little prick from the lumber yard. Maybe the truth coming out was for the best. For weeks, Brick wished Callie didn’t have to work at that place or pinch pennies. If she lived at the club, he could take care of her. She wouldn’t have to work or worry about a thing.
“Who’s this Jeff guy?” asked Lord.
“Her boss.”
“So, it wasn’t the Skull Nation?”
“I guess not.” He’d involved his prez and looked like a lying asshole for nothing. He should have waited until he’d talked to Callie.
Lord clapped him on the shoulder. “I’ll meet you out front when you’re done.”
Once they were alone together, she squeezed his hand tighter.
“Brick, what are you doing getting involved with a guy like that? He’s a biker. He’s dangerous.”
He chewed on his bottom lip, caught in the middle of a shitty situation of his own creation.
“I’m dangerous.”
She shook her head. “You’re not. I’m the one who got caught up in some bad business. Did Sean Rigby threaten you?”
“Baby, Sean Rigby is a small player, what we call a bottom feeder. You don’t need to worry about him anymore.”
She slid her hand away, gripping the edge of her blanket. “He said something about you. It’s not true, though. I know it’s not true.”
“It’s true. I’m the VP of the Straight to Hell MC.”
Callie froze, then began breathing heavily, struggling to breathe. Her fucking monitors started beeping, and the doctors pushed their way in.
“Ms. Johnson, you have to breathe deeply.”
Brick was ushered out of the room by a couple of nurses. He stood with his back to the
wall until they’d stabilized her, then he quietly reapproached her bed.
“Callie?”
Her eyes were still closed when she spoke. “Was anything real? Was it all lies? Help me to understand this, Brick, because I sure don’t.”
“I did everything right, or so I thought. I’d do anything for you, Callie, but I can’t change who I am. I knew once you found out about my sins, you’d walk the other way. I tried hard not to trip up, but the truth was bound to catch up with me.”
“You assumed I’d walk. Maybe you should have been open with me. I’m not perfect, Brick. But I don’t know what to believe now.”
“Everything between us was real. The conversations, my feelings, all of it.”
“Except who you are and where you come from. I just need time to think.” She rolled away from him, effectively cutting him off.
Brick backed off, feeling completely at a loss. Would he be able to fix this? Would things ever be the same between them?
He met Lord back in the lobby, ready to face the music.
****
The next morning, she was able to shower and dress herself without much difficulty. She was sore, and it hurt to take a deep breath, but she’d live. Since she supposedly didn’t have to pay back Sean Rigby, she had enough extra cash to take a taxi home. She didn’t want to push herself with bus connections or walking miles just yet.
“Do you have someone picking you up?” asked her nurse.
“No, I’ll be fine. I’m taking a taxi.”
“I’ll grab your discharge papers. Have you already given your insurance to the accounting department?”
Callie shook her head.
“Well, you can do that before you leave.” Once she left the room, panic surged inside her. How would this nightmare play out now?
First, her boyfriend was a wolf in sheep’s clothing, and now she’d have a bill big enough to destroy any chance of a future. What more could go wrong?
She kept trying to think of excuses for Brick. If only things could go back to when she was blissfully in the dark about everything. Even when she’d refused to believe he was a biker, deep down, she knew he was. It was the lying that scared her. Her parents, cousins, and other relatives had all lied about everything growing up. Lying, cheating, and stealing were the norm. Callie didn’t want her adult life to resemble anything like the dysfunction of her childhood.
She still couldn’t believe Brick was a biker.
They were supposed to be violent, rude, and vulgar. But he was so good to her. Part of her was intrigued and a bit turned on. Why on earth was he dating a normal girl like her? Or was she one of many in his harem?
With all the questions in her head, she nearly forgot about her predicament. She was in a hospital without insurance. At least nothing was broken, but her prognosis still gave her a scare. She’d be sure to follow all the doctor’s orders. Her real worry was when the bills would start coming in when she had nothing to pay them with.
With her discharge papers in hand, she headed to the accounting department to make some sort of arrangements for her bill. Why couldn’t Jeff offer health insurance?
She handed her papers to the clerk when it was her turn. They pulled up her information on the screen then handed her back the paperwork. “You’re free to go. Hope you feel better.”
“Will I just get a bill in the mail?”
The clerk frowned. “You’re all paid in full.”
Callie shook her head. “Sorry, I’m confused.”
“You’re free to go.”
She stood up and didn’t bother arguing. Callie walked, half in a daze, to the front entrance of the hospital. There were usually taxis waiting. How had her bill been paid in full? It had to be a massive bill for all the tests and care she’d received.
Then she saw him.
Brick was standing outside the old pick-up truck he’d used when they first met. When she thought he was a chicken farmer and things were so much simpler.
One thumb was hooked in his belt, the other hand resting on the truck. The man was hard and sexy, those dark eyes unraveling her. Why did things have to be so complicated?
Right away, she knew. He had to be the one who’d paid her bill. There was no one else in her life able or willing to do such a thing.
She walked down the main steps toward Brick. “Did you pay my bill?”
He shrugged.
“Brick, answer me. How much was it? I’ll pay you back every penny.”
“Don’t worry about it.” He reached out for her arm, holding her in place. “Are you okay? Feeling better?”
She took a breath. Callie had already fallen in love with Brick. Fallen hard. It was stupid to commit emotionally to a man so fast, but they were so alike, perfectly matched. Now she wasn’t sure what was real and what was a lie.
“I feel much better. Just need to take it easy for a bit.”
He nodded.
An awkward silence lingered between them.
They both attempted to speak at the same time, so they stayed quiet instead.
“Don’t push me away, Callie.”
“Brick, I don’t even know what to say. You told me you were a chicken farmer.”
“No, I never said that. You assumed,” he said.
“And you could have corrected me.” She pulled away from his grip. “I should go.”
She only made it a few steps away when his voice, at full volume, stopped her in his tracks. “I’m only human!”
Callie turned to face him.
“I was good enough for you before, but I’m the same man, Callie.” He held both arms out to the sides. “I’m a sinner. You can’t love a sinner?”
“Brick, quiet.” She rushed over to him and gave him a little shove in the chest, loving the feel of him. “People are looking.”
“I don’t give a shit. All I care about is you.”
“Then why did you lie about who you were?”
He looked down at her, his features set hard. “Because of this. You’re judging me. If I could have kept the truth from you forever, I would have. I don’t want you thinking less of me, Callie.”
“I don’t think less of you. I just want to know what’s real between us. Bikers don’t exactly have the best reputation.”
“Everything between us was real. All of it. You’re the reason I want to get out of bed in the morning. Why do you think I’ve been replaying first base for months? Because I’m a player? No, because I respect you and want you to see that.”
She didn’t know what to say. Her emotions and sense of logic were tearing her down the middle. Who was she to judge? Most of her family tree could be framed with mug shots.
“What happens now, Brick?”
“Just don’t leave.”
“You’re dangerous. How can I make a future with you?”
“You think I’d ever hurt you, baby?”
“I don’t know what to think anymore,” she said. “I want to believe things will work, but I’m scared.”
“Say you’ll give me a chance. I’ll show you how good things can be.”
He’d already shown her. She had more happy memories built up with Brick than she had with her own family over a lifetime. He’d even come to her work with a picnic lunch one afternoon, complete with the checkered blanket. Everything he did or said made her feel like a princess. The man was so thoughtful and protective. How could he be a criminal?
Tears filled her eyes because she didn’t want to lose him. She just wished things were easier, but since when had anything in her life been simple?
“I was upset you hid the fact you’re part of the Straight to Hell MC. I’m still in shock, to be honest.”
“I’m not a monster.”
“I know.” She cupped the side of his face, loving the feel of his rough stubble. “Promise you won’t lie anymore?”
He nodded.
“Who was that guy you brought to the hospital yesterday?”
“The president of our club. I’ve been ke
eping things from him too, thinking I was protecting you. But he’s been pretty understanding. His old lady was a civilian, too.”
“This is a lot to take in.”
Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad being in a relationship with a biker. Brick got Sean Rigby to back off, and he always defended her when the Skull Nation got too close. Everything was starting to make sense as she thought back to countless incidents that should have made her question things. What kind of chicken farmer had that much ink? She must have kept herself in the dark rather than seeking the truth.
“Come on, I’m driving you home.”
Her instinct was to argue, but she bit her tongue and let him open the door for her. Once he was in the driver’s seat, they were off. “No bike today?”
“I don’t want to hurt you. What you need is some rest.”
“I guess.”
He watched the road, silence filling the cab of the truck.
“Jeff needs to be dealt with.”
“What? What are you talking about?”
“Callie, he hurt you. I can’t leave that alone.”
She began to panic. Callie didn’t want Brick to do something stupid and get into trouble, and she couldn’t lose her job because her boyfriend crossed the line with Jeff.
“Just leave it alone, okay? It was an accident. Ever since the Skull Nation have been around buying supplies, he’s been on edge. I know they’ve beat him up on more than one occasion.”
“You want me to feel sorry for that piece of shit? You’re mine, Callie. He never should have put his filthy hands on you.”
“I’ll deal with it. I’m sure he’ll have forgotten all about what happened on my next shift.”
“You’re actually going back there?”
“I have rent and bills to pay, Brick. I don’t have the luxury of walking away from that job.” Tears threatened to take over again. A frog built up in her throat. “I’m twenty-six years old, I’ve never been to college, and before I got that job, I was homeless without a penny to my name. I need that job.”
“You think too little of yourself. The whole world is yours. You can be anything, Callie.”
“Those are just pretty words.”
“Then you think too little of me,” he said. “Don’t underestimate my reach.”
Chapter Six