Axton crossed his arms in front of his chest and leaned back slightly. “I’m guessing you two fuckers don’t need an introduction?”
“Not at all,” Toad said with a laugh.
“So what the fuck are you doing here?” he asked.
“Trying to start a new chapter for our club. Just trying to make sure we don’t step on any toes,” I said.
“One percent club?” he asked.
“We’re not a 1%er, club, no. We don’t claim territory, and we don’t have any hustle. We just ride and have a deep brotherhood. It’s a nationwide group of firefighters, military, and friends of. We can talk about it at the bar,” I said.
Finding out he was alive and well was a huge relief, and quite a boost to my military ego. The emotion I was filled with was unexplainable, and would be the equivalent of someone learning their brother was alive after mourning his death for more than a decade. I stood there admiring him feeling better than I had felt since the war ended, and most definitely more accomplished than I had felt throughout all of my experience in combat.
I shook my head, still incapable of believing it was him. “Damn it’s good to see you. Let me introduce you to the soon-to-be Vice-President and Sergeant-at-Arms. Two of the best motherfuckers to ever grace this earth.”
“Big bastard here is Mike Ripton, but just call him Ripp,” I said as I extended my arm toward Ripp.
“Ripp, this is Toad, a Marine brother of mine. Toad, this is the one and only Ripp,” I said.
“Nice to meet you,” Toad said as his eyes fell to Ripp’s Chucks.
Most bikers rode their bikes in boots and jeans, but Ripp wasn’t most bikers. Dressed in his typical cargo shorts, wife beater, and Chuck’s he looked like he was going to the beach, not on a motorcycle ride.
Toad coughed a laugh. “Do you ride in those fucking tennis shoes?”
“Pleasure to meet ya,” Ripp said as he reached down and grabbed his foot. As he lifted his foot to his chest, he continued. “But these ain’t tennis shoes, Brother. They’re fuckin’ Chuck’s.”
Toad’s eyes widened as Ripp released his foot.
“And fuck, yes, I ride in ‘em. Hell, I even keep ‘em on when I fuck,” Ripp said.
I shook my head and pointed to Shane, who, as always, had stood silently.
“Ripp’s going to be the SAA. And this fella here…”
“You’re Shane fucking Dekkar,” Toad said excitedly.
Shane pulled his hood from his head and extended his hand. “Sure am. Pleasure to meet you, Sir. And call me Dekk.”
Toad glanced over his shoulder and quickly turned around. “You’ve got to be fucking shittin’ me. You’ve got the Heavyweight Champion of the fucking World as your Vice President? Otis, did you see this?”
A man standing behind him who was no less than six foot six nodded in our direction. “Sure as fuck did. Axton introduced us while you were zoned out.”
“Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Dekkar, call me Toad. And that fight a while back, against Brock? Best fucking fight I’ve ever seen. We all watched it in our clubhouse. Son-of-a-bitch that was a good fight,” Toad said.
“Thank you, Sir, I appreciate it. He was a tough opponent,” Dekk said.
“Fellas, I want you to meet Staff Sergeant Jacob. Known by his Marine brethren as The A-Train, because when he’s coming, not a fucking thing can stop him,” Toad said to the group of men as he stepped between where we were standing and the building.
The group was standing alongside the motorcycles, facing the building, and Toad was facing the group, waving his arms as if he was announcing the arrival of a celebrity. It was easy to forgive his excitement, because I felt exactly the same way, I only did a better job of hiding my emotion.
Slice stood from the side of what I assumed was his bike. “Well, if all you fuckers are done swapping spit and hugging each other, maybe we should head out to the bar.”
“Axton, my two o’clock,” Toad said.
I glanced over my shoulder to see what he was shouting about. A car slowly pulled into the parking lot. I turned around and shifted my eyes back to Toad, who was looking behind me and now clearly appeared to be concerned.
I’d seen the look a thousand times. Something was wrong, and when something was wrong with one of my Marines, something was wrong with me. With the car being the only thing I knew of that was behind me, and Toad’s eyes widening, I glanced over my shoulder again.
“Axton, behind you,” I heard Toad shout.
The driver of the car was no other than the one piece of shit in my life I allowed to walk away. The man who attempted to rob us before Shane’s title fight. The man who I kicked in the head.
And he was pointing a pistol out the window of the car.
Fuck.
I should have killed your sorry ass.
“Remember me, Motherfucker?” he asked.
The barrel of his pistol was pointed directly at my chest, and there was no time to react. I tensed my muscles and prepared to be shot once again.
But this time at point blank range.
At the same instant the sound of the weapon firing filled the air, Toad jumped between me and the car.
The shock of the bullet impacting my body never came. As the car sped away, Toad fell into me, and slowly began to collapse to the ground.
No.
No.
No!
Immediately, I reverted back to my training, and became the commander of my men.
“Dekk, get a plate number of that car, move!” I screamed as I fought to prevent Toad’s body from falling to the pavement.
“Ripp! Run that motherfucker down and yank his ass out of that fucking car!” I screamed.
I glanced at my watch and quickly shifted my eyes toward the men. Dekk ran toward the speeding car, and Ripp hopped on his motorcycle. As the car sped toward the on ramp, I saw Ripp’s motorcycle shoot across the lot, over the curb and through an adjacent yard, and onto the ramp behind the shooter’s car.
Get him, Brother Ripp.
I shifted my eyes to Sergeant Todelli.
He was losing blood with each beat of his heart.
A tourniquet was impossible.
“Corpsman!” I screamed.
I shook my head as I realized I had no support and I wasn’t at war. “Call a fucking ambulance!”
I slapped the palm of my hand against Todelli’s face as I lowered him to the ground. “God damn it, Sergeant, hold on.”
His eyes opened and closed repeatedly. If an ambulance didn’t show up within minutes, I was going to have a dead Marine on my hands.
Your will, not mine, Lord.
But we both know who that bullet was meant for.
He lived through that hell hole trying to make this world a better place, don’t take him now.
I’m begging you.
“Open those eyes for me, Todelli,” I said as I slapped his face again lightly. “Talk to me.”
He opened his eyes and grinned. “We’re…you and me…we’re…”
I could hear the blood in his lungs. We needed a medevac, and we needed it immediately.
“Hold on Sergeant Todelli. Medevac’s en route,” I lied.
He opened his eyes.
“Hear that chopper, Brother?” I asked. “Corpsman’s on his way.”
He opened his eyes fixed them on mine. There was no doubt in my mind he wasn’t going to live much longer.
“You and me,” he said. “We’re even.”
Obviously, he felt I saved his life the day I laid in the street and shot the three snipers. But I wasn’t ready to lose one of the Marines I almost died saving.
Not in that parking lot.
And not by the hand of the piece of human shit I chose to let live.
As the ambulance came screeching around the corner, I carried my Marine to the street.
“Gunshot wound to the chest, his lung is collapsed,” I said.
I glanced at my watch. “Fourteen minutes.”
They s
trapped him to a gurney and began to attempt to prevent his lung from collapsing completely. As they began to load him in the back of the ambulance, I pulled myself inside.
“Sorry, you can’t…”
“There isn’t one of you that’s going to stop me,” I said. “Now get my Marine to the hospital.”
As the ambulance sped away, I lowered my head and prayed.
Only you know what lies before him, Lord. If his life has meaning, and his soul has purpose, and I do believe it does, I ask that you spare his life.
And, if you must, take another of this earth, but not this man.
Not now.
Amen.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
Early Summer 2015, Austin, Texas, USA
I kneeled at the edge of the hospital bed and held his hand in mine as Katie’s hand rested against my shoulder. Cambio Todelli was in a coma, and there was no consensus on his potential recovery. According to the doctors, he may come out of it, and he may stay in it forever.
I had no idea of what to expect, and left the outcome in the hands of God. Mentally, spiritually, and physically, I attempted to release myself from the feeling of responsibility to keep him alive, realizing my health and sanity was far more important than anything.
As Otis, Slice, and Ripp walked into the room I stood and turned to face them. “We’re going down to get something to eat.”
“Hell, I’ll go with ya,” Ripp said.
“I’m going to stay up here. His girl is supposed to be here pretty quick,” Otis said.
“Mine’s coming with her,” Slice said. “I’ll wait up here ‘till they get here anyway, then I’ll be down.”
Ripp had followed the shooter in a high speed chase down the highway for several miles. While a traffic jam slowed the vehicles to a halt, he dumped his bike, ran to the car, and pulled the guy through the window.
One of the stopped motorists called police, and when the police arrived, Ripp was still beating on the guy.
I walked to Ripp’s, patted him on the shoulder, and nodded my head toward Otis and Axton. “We’ll be back up as soon as we’re done. If you’re not down first.”
“See ya in a bit,” Otis said with a nod of his head.
Axton nodded his head toward us and slapped his hand against my back as we passed.
We silently walked to the elevator, got inside, and independently stared at the closed elevator doors as we rode to the first floor. I was truly blessed to have Katie in my life, and seriously doubted I would have had the state of mind or the spirit to accept Toad’s condition as God’s will if it had not been for her.
The elevator doors opened and as we stepped from the elevator, Katie gasped.
“What?” I asked.
She grinned and shook her head. “Did you see that?”
“See what?” I asked.
“The light. When we were getting out,” she said as she peered over her shoulder toward the elevator.
I shook my head and glanced toward Ripp.
“Come on,” he said. “Dekk’s in there with Austin.”
“What happened?” I asked as I turned toward Katie, confused as to what had startled her.
“The elevator light, it flickered,” she said.
I shrugged my shoulders. “Fluorescent lights do that sometimes. Probably a bad ballast.”
She grinned, grabbed my hand, and proceeded to skip down the hallway toward Ripp.
“Well,” she said as she tugged against my arm. “I said a prayer on the elevator. And I asked for a sign. God answered me. So, he’s going to be just fine.”
“I don’t think it’s that easy,” I said.
“I do,” she responded.
As we walked to the cafeteria hand-in-hand, I hoped she was right. After getting a plate of fruit and a few muffins, we sat down at the table with Austin and Ripp.
“So, any changes?” Austin asked.
I shook my head. “Not yet.”
“Made a few calls.” Dekk said. “Seeing if we can get a specialist in here.”
“Appreciate it,” I said with a nod as I reached for a banana.
“He’s going to be fine, I’m sure of it,” Katie said.
“You shouldn’t say stuff like that,” Austin said. “You never know. It’s not good to get your hopes up.”
“Shut up, Austin. What the fuck do you know?” Ripp growled.
“Why do you say he’s gonna be fine, Bug?” Ripp asked.
“I said a prayer, and God gave me a sign,” she said cheerily.
“Can’t argue with that,” Ripp said as he glared at Austin.
“I’m not going argue God with you,” Austin said, waving his hand toward Ripp as he spoke.
“Not a believer?” I asked.
He shrugged his shoulders. “Don’t really know.”
I glanced toward the entrance of the cafeteria as Otis, Slice and who I assumed was Slice’s girlfriend walked into the cafeteria. I turned to face Austin again.
“I’m not going to argue God, either. And I’m damned sure not going condemn you. But let me ask you this. Why not?” I asked.
He shrugged his shoulders. “Never really had a reason to believe.”
I nodded my head. For me, it wasn’t a difficult thing to believe. All I had to do was look around me. For others, however, it wasn’t always that easy. I said a quick prayer for Austin as Slice, Otis and the girl with them sat at the adjacent table.
Axton cleared his throat, placed his hand on the woman’s shoulder, and stood from his seat.
“Fellas, this is my Ol’ Lady, Avery. Avery, this is Toad’s friend and former Marine commander, A-Train. And the one on his right is Ripp, the man who ran down Toad’s shooter and damned near beat him to death, and the one on the left is Shane Dekkar. Ripp’s sister, Katie, and the other fella is Austin. How’d I do?”
I nodded my head. “Perfect.”
He grinned a shallow grin as he lowered himself into his seat.
“Nice to meet all of you,” Avery said.
“He’s awake! He’s awake!” Someone shouted from the cafeteria entrance.
I spun in my chair toward the screaming. As everyone jumped from their seats, I followed, not knowing for sure who it was who was doing all of the screaming.
“Come on!” Otis shouted as the woman turned away and ran toward the door.
As we all ran for the exit, I glanced toward Austin.
Reason enough?
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Early Summer 2015, Austin, Texas, USA
It wasn’t surprising that a broken collarbone and punctured lung didn’t keep Toad down for long. After his continuous demands to be released from the hospital, they complied, and he stayed in my home for the remainder of his recovery. I found his stay to be a pleasant change for me. I had been living alone for several years, and although I constantly found myself looking forward to the day that Katie and I lived together, actually sharing my mornings and evenings with someone was nice.
Two weeks after his release from the hospital, he went back to Kansas. Seeing him in a healthy relationship provided reassurance that a full recovery from the war was not only probable, but quite possible.
“I know I don’t have to, I want to,” I said. “It’s something I think needs to be done.”
“Tell you what,” she said. “I’ll make a trade with you. I’ll agree to it as long as we get to eat some of those peaches when we get done.”
I glanced toward the kitchen counter. I found it surprising that she noticed I had purchased them.
“Deal,” I said.
“Okay,” she responded as she walked into the living room and sat down.
My new home was an open floor plan with a kitchen that faced the front of the house. Directly behind the kitchen sink was a large island and bar, and beyond it, the large open living room that faced the back deck. The entire back wall was lined with windows, providing not only a view of the spacious back yard, but of Dekk’s pool.
I grabbed my
coffee, followed her into the living room, and sat across from her in a chair.
“I struggle, not as bad as I used to, but I still do. You know, with everything I did, and even some things I didn’t do. My mind struggles with the men I’ve killed, and it’s weird. It’s not that I wonder if it was necessary, because it was. But there’s a part of me somewhere that isn’t completely convinced of it. So I have dreams, moments of pause, and sometimes I just sit and think about it,” I said.
She cupped her hands around her coffee cup as she rocked back and forth lightly on the cushion of the couch. After a moment she leaned forward and rested her elbows on her knees.
“But you don’t dwell on it?” she asked.
“No, I mean, I’m fully functional. So, no. I don’t dwell on it,” I said.
“And it’s getting better? It’s better now than it was when you came home?” she asked.
“Much better. I used to sleep about three hours a night. Hell, when I was in Wichita, I’d get up at night and check the doors, go outside, check under the cars before I drove them. It was pretty bad,” I said.
“But none of that now?”
I shook my head. “None of that, no.”
“I’m sure it just takes time,” she said.
I inhaled slowly as I gazed down at the floor. As I shifted my eyes to meet hers, I continued. “Well, that’s not all of what I wanted to talk about. I’ve uhhm. Since the war, I’ve done some things. Things I’m not ashamed of, but I haven’t uhhm. I haven’t admitted them to anyone but God.”
I felt the need to be truthful with her. I had not, nor would I ever lie to her, but not telling her everything about me, at least in my mind, was the same as not telling her the truth. In my opinion, for her to commit to spend a lifetime with me, she needed to know exactly who I was.
She leaned to the side, placed her cup on the end table and folded her arms in front of her chest. “Bad things?”
“In my mind, not so much. In most people’s eyes, I’d say so,” I said.
“Are you going to get arrested some day?” she asked.
I shook my head. “No.”
As she nodded her head softly, I decided to expand my response.
“I could be, but I won’t,” I said.
She tightened her grip on herself as if she were cold. “Are you sure?”
Hard Corps (Selected Sinners MC #7) Page 20