Hush - Fighting Fate #2

by Maree Green

  “TJ pulled a seller off the corner this morning. Vinnie’s pulled all the data off his cell, including The Shadow’s supposed number, so we can probably test it out. I have a line to his step-daughter, so I could get her to watch him when we try.”

  Leah shook her head again, this time with an exasperated expression. “Come on, Patch. She’s a known drug dealer’s step-daughter. You can’t let her get to you like that. Chances are, she’s just as dodgy as he is. I’ve been watching her at school. She’s just good at playing little miss innocent.”

  I felt myself tensing up at her skepticism of Kaeli. I started shaking my head before she’d even finished speaking. “No way, Leah. You’re reading her wrong. Trust me, Kaeli’s not involved. She’s a victim in this.”

  Leah rolled her eyes and growled. “Jesus, Patch. Just because she looks good in a skirt, doesn’t mean she’s a victim. She’s probably getting some fancy car for a graduation present in return for her services. You can’t let her get to you like that. You’ll end up letting the whole operation go to shit, and for what? Because a pretty school girl batted her eyelashes at you?”

  I blinked at the bitterness in her voice. I knew the situation with Kaeli could look as though she was playing the game, but I had no doubt she was innocent. Anyone who spent five minutes with her should know that. I didn’t know where her bitterness was coming from.

  “I know what you’re saying, Lea, but you need to trust me on this one. Kaeli’s as innocent as they come. She’s only in it to keep her mom safe.”

  Her eyes narrowed as she watched me, then her lip turned up with distaste. “You like her, don’t you? You want to bag the drug mule.”

  I couldn’t help it. My hands tightened into fists. “Leah…” I said in warning.

  “No, Patch. You need to get your fucking head in the game. I’m not about to let you destroy eighteen months of hard work because your mind’s gone all mushy over a fucking girl.”

  I had no idea where the hell all her anger was coming from, but it was starting to piss me off – especially her suggestion that I was about to fuck up the operation. “I’m not interested in her like that, okay? I just know she’s not in it with Ken. If you’ve spent five minutes with her you should know that. I need you to trust me on this, Lea.”

  Leah narrowed her eyes even more and pursed her lips with annoyance.

  “Look, if Captain doesn’t think Ken’s The Shadow, then he’s probably right, but I still think his kid knows something. He’s jumpy. Put some detail on him and see what comes up. Meanwhile, I’ll try to find out what TJ’s got from this guy’s cell.”

  Leah nodded, her face relaxing until she resembled the Leah I knew. “Okay, I’ll let Captain know.” She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around me. “Just look after yourself, okay? I worry about you.”

  I squeezed her back a little, not really feeling it. “You know I will. We just need to get to the bottom of this Shadow business or the exchange won’t go ahead, and you know what that means…”

  She sighed against my chest. “Yeah. I’m not sure I can watch you go through another six months.”

  I shuddered. I wasn’t sure I could actually survive another six months.

  Chapter 37

  Kaeli

  Mom slept for most of the day. She’d been awake on and off but the pain meds kept her pretty out of it most of the time.

  At some point, around mid-afternoon I think it was, a nurse told me Ken was in the waiting room, but no one asked me to leave and I didn’t offer.

  I spent the majority of the time reading Mom’s favorite book to her from my kindle. Occasionally, whenever I read a particularly exciting part, she would sigh, or a little smile would tug at the corner of her mouth. It was those small things that gave me the comfort I needed and the motivation to keep going.

  It was just after five when Dr. Miller came through to check on her for a third time that afternoon. I didn’t have that much experience with hospitals, thank god, but I had to wonder if it was normal for a doctor to visit their patients that often.

  He gave me an assessing look as he walked in. “How’re you going, Kaeli?”

  The warm comfort I felt whenever he was in the room washed over me, and I felt the stress of the situation ease a little more. “I’m okay,” I said.

  My stomach chose that moment to let loose with a loud growl and he laughed. “Hungry perhaps?”

  Yeah, that wasn’t embarrassing at all. I grinned a little shyly, my cheeks heating a fraction.

  I watched him ruffle through his coat and pull out a piece of paper. “Here,” he said, holding it out for me. “It’s a voucher to the cafeteria. Go get yourself something to eat. I have to check your mom over anyway…”

  Hesitantly, I took the little slip of paper. I didn’t know what it was about this man, but he just made me feel like he understood. I couldn’t pinpoint if it was a doctor thing, or if it came from personal experience, but either way, it seemed to be just what I needed.

  It also seemed to make me emotional.

  I silently cursed at the lump that sprang up in my throat. I’d been in this shitty situation with Ken for eight years – longer than I’d even known Mia, and all that time I’d had to keep the horror of it to myself.

  I knew Mia was aware something was off with my home life. It was obvious in the worried glances she threw my way every day, but the way Dr. Miller looked at me was different. Yes, it held a deep concern, but there was no pity there. It made me feel as though I didn’t need to hide anymore. Like I didn’t have to carry the weight of it all on my own shoulders for once.

  Diverting my now shining eyes to the voucher in my hand, I swallowed hard and bit my bottom lip to stop myself from bawling. “Thanks,” I croaked out.

  I chanced a quick look up at him and was yet again amazed by the depth of caring in his eyes. Knowing there was no chance of me speaking without breaking down, I nodded and left the room.

  Instead of grabbing my food and rushing straight back to Mom’s room like I wanted to, I made myself take a seat and eat it slowly. I was so used to keeping all my emotions contained so tightly, it was overwhelming to have them rampaging on the surface.

  I took the time on the walk back to try to reign it all in again, before I ended up having a full blown melt down.

  As I neared her door, I slowed. Dr. Miller’s voice floated out through the doorway, smooth and comforting. I paused, listening, and my eyes widened with surprise when I realized what he was doing.

  Taking one more step forward, I caught sight of Mom’s bedside chair, and with it, Dr. Miller. He held my kindle in his hands and he was reading to Mom from where I’d left off.

  I stood there watching him for a few minutes, stunned. This wasn’t Dr. Miller, the doctor. This was Dr. Miller, the man. He was so gentle, so kind. This was the kind of man I would choose for my mother as a husband. This was the kind of man she deserved.

  “Is this a new service the hospital’s offering?” I said, stepping further into the room.

  Dr. Miller’s gaze flew up to meet mine and he blushed. “I’ve actually finished my shift now. I thought I’d read until you got back.” His gaze swung back to Mom’s peaceful face. “She seems to like it.”

  I walked over to the opposite side of the bed and looked over Mom’s smooth, relaxed features. “Yeah, she does.”

  When I looked back at the doctor, he was watching me with an intense gaze. He looked like he wanted to say something, but didn’t know how. Something inside me actually wanted him to. For the first time ever, I wanted to talk. I wanted to purge myself of all the secrets inside of me.

  He sighed and put the kindle on the table. “I better get going.”

  I nodded, disappointment prickling under my skin. It was a very strange sensation for me. Different.

  “I’m keeping her on the same dose of morphine overnight. I’d prefer her to stay asleep so she heals. You should probably try to get some rest yourself. Try not to stay too late,” he said.
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  “I won’t. I promise.”

  He inhaled deeply, then with one last glance at my mother, he left.

  Settling down on the chair Dr. Miller had vacated, I read the rest of the chapter to Mom, then tidied up her things before deciding to follow doctor’s orders and head home myself.

  Traffic was heavy on the way home, but I appreciated the distraction from the never-ending thoughts that had been rampaging through my head since Mom’s hospitalization.

  I didn’t know what it was about Dr. Miller. It was strange. In the wake of all the emotions he brought out in me, I felt kind of lost. I wasn’t sure what I should do – either right that minute or with my hellish life. I didn’t know why the good doctor made me question everything, but there just seemed to be an honesty about him that made me want to give that back.

  As I turned into our street, I wondered if he could help us. Genuinely help us. As in get us as far away from Ken for the rest of our lives.

  That line of thought lasted until I caught sight of Ken’s car in the drive. Shit. He was not what I wanted to deal with at that moment.

  Pulling into the drive, I parked beside Ken’s car and climbed out, hoping I’d miss seeing him like I did the day before.

  Unfortunately, lady luck had abandoned me. Again.

  Ken sat in the lounge on a chair that had been turned so it faced the front door. At his feet was the brown bag from hell.

  The door slammed shut behind me as I glared at the bag. “No way!” I said before he could open his mouth.

  He shrugged. “I agree it’s bad timing, but unfortunately you can’t stop business for personal tragedies.”

  I gawked at him. Personal tragedies?! What the hell? I took a step towards him, my hands clenching into fists. “If you think I’m going to do anything for you after you put my mother in hospital, you’re delusional!”

  Ken’s expression didn’t change. He sat there all calm like he’d been expecting exactly that response. He shrugged again. “I wouldn’t say delusional, Kaeli. I’m a realist. I wouldn’t be sitting here with this bag waiting for you if I didn’t already know you’d be going.”

  “I’m not going. I only said I’d go in the first place so you’d keep your hands off Mom, and considering she’s now in the freaking hospital, the deal’s off!”

  He smirked. “You’d think, wouldn’t you? But I’m afraid that’s not the way it works.”

  “Oh, yes it is!”

  Slowly, Ken pushed himself to his feet. He cocked his head to the side a little and smirked. “I can’t remember…what was it TJ said after that first time you went? Something about me not sending anyone but you from now on…?”

  I felt the blood start to leave my face as his words sunk in. Shit. I knew I had grounds to argue this with Ken, but I hadn’t considered how TJ would react to me pulling out. Would he consider me a threat now that I’d been to his house and seen the things that went down there?

  “I could send someone else,” he said, taking a step forward. “Oh, TJ would be pissed at me and probably send one of his guys to let me know just that, but I’m not exactly sure what he’d do to you.” He raised his eyebrows and pursed his lips in contemplation. “He might do nothing – let you go, but I’m thinking he might think you know too much.”

  He took another couple of steps towards me until he was only a few feet away. The breath stuck in my chest. Panic was starting to creep in. TJ scared the crap out of me. I knew Mitch had protected me before, but that was behind closed doors. Would he do the same if TJ demanded him to hurt me? And then there was the problem of TJ knowing my greatest fear. They all knew I’d do anything to protect my mom.

  “And then there’s the little point of your mother coming home the day after tomorrow.” His eyes narrowed dangerously. “She might not make it next time.”

  I wanted to smash him. I seriously wanted to take my fists and inflict a pain so deep, he’d never get up. “You give me that bag and I’ll take it straight to the police.”

  I wouldn’t. I was too chicken shit.

  Ken’s eyes darkened. “Then you can say goodbye to your mother.”

  We continued to glare at each other for god knew how long. We both knew I was going. I hated having to back down. “I hate you,” I said.

  He shrugged like it didn’t matter, and I supposed to him it didn’t. “TJ’s expecting you at seven.”

  With that, Ken simply turned and walked away, leaving the brown bag from hell sitting on the floor where he’d left it.

  Glancing at the clock, I realized I only had half an hour. Snatching up the bag, I stomped from the house.

  Chapter 38

  Noah

  I got the text from Kaeli that told me she was on her way ten minutes before TJ announced it to the gang.

  As much as I hated for her to have to come to the Den, I stupidly found myself looking forward to seeing her. That kiss we’d shared back at The Crypt had filled every spare minute of my days since. I knew I should be trying to push thoughts of her away, but I just couldn’t help it. I wanted her like I’d wanted nothing else before.

  Sitting back, I tried to look as though I was just hanging out like the rest of them. As much as I hated to admit it, a joint would’ve helped me a lot, but the thought of Kaeli smelling, or tasting, it on me stopped me cold.

  When the knock sounded on the back door, I almost had to grip the couch I was sitting on to stop myself from jumping up and running to answer it. Letting Mac go instead almost had me swinging, and seeing TJ follow almost killed me, but I had to act cool.

  All thoughts of cool went straight out the window though when I heard TJ’s loud, booming laugh from the kitchen, followed by, “Mitch! I think someone’s been beating on your girl!”

  I jumped out of my seat so fast, I almost gave myself whiplash. Flying into the kitchen, I went straight up in Kaeli’s face.

  The sight of her badly bruised cheekbone had me seeing red. Dark. Fucking. Red. She kept her eyes down, unable to look at me for some reason.

  “Who did this?” I demanded. I already knew who, but I wanted to hear her say it.

  She didn’t answer.

  I tried to soften my voice a little but I knew TJ and Mac were still in the room. “Tell me, Kaeli. Who did it?”

  “I tripped,” she said quietly.

  The fists my hands were clenched into tightened even more. “Bullshit. Tell me who did it. Now.”

  Finally, she met my gaze. I couldn’t quite decipher the expression on her face. She looked like she was maybe making a decision or something. Something that looked like curiosity bloomed in her eyes. “Ken,” she said.

  My jaw clenched. Hard. So hard I thought I might actually break some of my back teeth. Turning my attention back to Mac, who stood watching with Ken’s brown bag in hand, I growled. “Get the bag ready. I’m going to deliver it personally.”

  Both TJ and Mac disappeared, leaving me alone with Kaeli. I wanted to ask her if she was really okay, but I wasn’t so sure I could speak without it coming out a growl. I took a few deep breaths.

  “Your mom?” I asked instead.

  She swallowed. “She’s…she’s in the hospital.”

  I gave a stiff nod. I was going to kill that fucker.

  Less than five minutes later, Mac returned with the bag. Without a word, I grabbed it off him with one hand, took Kaeli’s hand with my other, and pushed out the door.

  I fumed the whole way to Kaeli’s house, and to be honest, I wanted it that way. I wanted to make sure I was good and pissed when I got there. Kaeli didn’t speak either, but she didn’t look worried or uptight. She actually looked relaxed if anything.

  Fuck, if it was my mom laying in the hospital, I’d be happy to think the guy responsible for putting her there was going to get taken down a peg too.

  I didn’t bother going down the back alley this time. I just pulled straight into the drive.

  Without looking at Kaeli, I threw the door open. “Grab the bag,” I said before slamming it shut
.

  I didn’t bother knocking. Fuck him. Throwing the door open, I strode straight towards the den, following the sound of the TV.

  Ken was on his feet before I rounded the corner. His eyes widened when he saw me, and his face paled a little when he took in the rage that was rolling off me in waves.

  Without breaking my stride, I punched him right in the mouth before grabbing him and shoving him hard against the wall, making sure the grip I had on his throat was nice and tight. Pulling my piece from the waistband of my jeans, I pushed it into his temple.

  “Jesus, man! What the fuck?” Ken croaked.

  I glared at him. “Take a good hard look at Kaeli, and you tell me what the fuck!”

  Ken’s gaze swung over my shoulder, then back to me with sudden understanding. “It was an accident, man. She got in the way when her mother and I were having an argument. I swear!”

  “I don’t give a fuck if it was an accident or not. You don’t touch her! You gave up your right to her the second you decided to send her to the Den. She’s mine now. Do you hear me? MINE! If you so much as look at her the wrong way from now on, you’ll be walking with a permanent limp for the rest of your miserable fucking life! Got it?”

  Ken’s eyes narrowed slightly as he mulled over my words, then he nodded. “Yeah, I got it.”

  I gave him one last hard shove before releasing him and stepping back. I glared at him for a while longer, then turned to face Kaeli. I knew my eyes were still raging with anger. Even I could feel the tension rolling off me like a living breathing thing.

  Taking a step towards her, I grabbed her upper arm and walked her back out the front, not releasing her until we were back beside the car. It wasn’t until I looked into her eyes that I saw the fear there. It was like a sucker punch to the gut.

  Fuck. I needed to calm down. Closing my eyes, I took several long, deep breaths.

  Thankfully, when I opened them again, the fear was gone. This was so fucked. All I wanted to do was take her in my arms and hold her. I wanted to kiss the mark that fucker had left on her and make it go away. I couldn’t stand seeing it there. It hurt something inside me.