by Khloe Wren
I took some pleasure in the shudder that ran through his body. Before he could say another word, Blade strode over and took his arm from my control. I stood back with my weapon trained on him.
“I wouldn’t recommend fighting Blade as we get you settled. That fire isn’t giving us the time to knock you out and wait for you to wake back up, but if you force our hand, we will. And if we have to knock you out, we’ll be taking you back to Texas. Scout’s more than a little pissed over the fact your bullshit sent his wife into early labor. Just imagine what he’d do to you with no time limitations on him?”
Watching this fucker who’d ruined so many lives sweat and stumble as Blade dragged him across to the center of the room before he tied him to a chair we’d put there for him, had me grinning. It was time for some long overdue justice to be served. Charon style.
Zara
By the time I’d made it to the pharmacy and then home with my super clingy Cleo, I rather regretted my flash of anger that would probably mean Keys and Donna wouldn’t be staying here tonight. I’d definitely changed my mind on the brief thought I had about how I was glad Mac wasn’t here to see me lose my shit. I wanted him here. I wanted him to be holding me as I measured out this pink liquid and gave it to our daughter. I didn’t care if he saw me lose my shit. I mean, it wasn’t like he hadn’t seen it happen before.
It wasn’t that unusual for me to get so angry at my illnesses and all they stopped me from doing that I’d start ranting about it. I’d even thrown a mug across the room once. It had shattered against the wall and made a hell of a mess. Mac had calmly taken me upstairs to thoroughly distract me, then he’d cleaned the kitchen up while I’d slept.
Although, since having Cleo, I’d noticed I didn’t go down with cataplexy attacks as easily as I used to, at least not in situations that involved Cleo. Guess my maternal instinct overrode the disorder when it came to looking after my baby girl.
Not opening my eyes, I rubbed my palm up and down Cleo’s back, who was now fast asleep on my chest as I relaxed back against the couch. I wanted to call Mac so badly, but didn’t want to risk catching him at a bad time. The last thing I needed was him getting shot or hurt because I distracted him with a phone call for no reason, other than I was simply missing him. Cleo made a little whimpering noise and I opened my eyes to check her over. The moment my gaze focused on her, my heart stopped in my chest. A bright red rash had formed across her cheek and down her neck.
“No, no, no.”
I gently shifted her so I could stand and then I was off. Clutching her against me, I rushed from the back of the house and through the yard, over to Taz and Flick’s place. Along with Silk and Eagle, our houses were all next to each other and the men had taken out the fences so our yards were now one big area. It made it so it only took me seconds to get to the back of their place.
I started yelling the moment I was through their rear door.
“Taz? Flick? I need help!”
Taz came running first, little Lolly in his big, beefy arms as he pounded down the hallway toward me.
“What’s wrong? What do you need?”
“I need you to take me to the hospital. Cleo’s reacting to the medicine I just gave her.”
Flick had joined us by the time I’d finished speaking, and she took Lolly from Taz. “Take Zara’s car, I’ll follow you.”
As we raced back toward my house, Cleo stared to rasp her breaths in and out. I looked down to see her little lips had swollen up and my heart lurched. Dr. Stevenson said to call an ambulance, but that would take just as long, if not longer, than us going to the hospital so I kept moving. Please let us get to the hospital in time.
“It’s getting worse, Taz.”
“Fuck. Where’re your keys?”
I nodded to the kitchen counter and he snatched them up before sprinting for the front door with me hot on his heels. As Taz got behind the wheel, I got in the front passenger seat, keeping Cleo in my arms.
“Hurry, Taz. She’s struggling to breathe.”
“Call the hospital and let ‘em know we’re on our way.”
I nodded and pulled my phone from my pocket. The second the call connected I spoke.
“My baby’s got this horrible rash and now she’s not breathing right. We’re on our way into the hospital now. About five minutes out.”
“Come straight to the emergency entrance when you get here and we’ll have doctors standing by to take care of her. Do you know what your child is reacting to, ma’am?”
“I’ve just given her amoxicillin for an ear infection. Dr. Stevenson told me to watch for reactions.”
“What are your and your child’s names, ma’am?”
“Zara Miller and my baby is Cleo Miller. We’re nearly there now.”
“That’s good. I’m going to go and get everything ready for your arrival. Deep breaths and we’ll be here ready to help you both through this.”
I hung up the phone and stared at the screen for a moment.
“I should call Mac.”
But what had I said? He couldn’t do anything from where he was. It would just stress him out, especially when I didn’t know what they were going to do for Cleo yet.
“Not sure that’s a good idea, luv. They were doing something big today. I’ll let Scout know as soon as I can, and when Mac next checks in, Scout will pass the message on to call you. That’s the best we can do.”
His voice was tight and a wave of sympathy for him rolled through me. The three of them, Mac, Taz and Eagle, had always had each other’s backs while they served in the USMC and then afterward in the club. It must be killing Taz to have been left behind on this one.
At the same time, I also felt a jolt of anger that the club had my man so far away from me and Cleo when we needed him so desperately here. Not for the first time, I wondered what the fuck could be so important he had to leave for the second time in a week.
“Hate this.”
“I know, luv. But we’re family and we’ve got you covered. Just lean on us and let us help you.”
I wasn’t sure if he’d said that for my benefit or to remind himself, but we reached the hospital before I could ask anything else.
Taz pulled up right outside the door and there was a team waiting for us. A nurse opened my door and I stood, passing Cleo over to him. He turned and put my poor little girl on the gurney they’d brought out for her and the entire team rushed inside the hospital.
In that moment, my adrenaline ran out and I was spent. My need to see Cleo safe had prevented my body from doing what it normally did in intense situations, but now that Cleo was getting medical care, I was left standing there reeling. In a fast rush, I felt my cataplexy roll through me and there was nothing I could do to prevent myself collapsing to the ground.
“Fuck! Zara!”
Taz had gotten out of the car thankfully and was able to catch me before I hit the ground. Then I was up in his arms as he carried me inside the hospital.
“I’ve got you, luv. We’re just going to sit here ‘till you come back.”
Every time I got furious with the club for something, like taking my man away from me when I need him so much, someone else the club brought into my life, like Taz, stepped up and did something so fucking beautiful and kind, that I couldn’t possibly stay mad with the Charon MC.
Chapter 6
Mac
With my arms crossed, I stood perfectly still as I watched Sabella strain against the restraints that held him firmly to the chair.
“So unfortunate that we don’t have endless time.”
My words had the intended effect and got his full attention. I grinned at the fiery glare he aimed my way.
“You know you won’t get away with this. My men will come for your little pissant club and take every one of you out. Your women and children will be sold off—”
Blade’s fist connecting with his jaw cut his words off, thankfully. Blade didn’t say a word, just silently slipped back into the shadows behind Sabella
once his shot was delivered. Shaking myself back to the plan, I cleared my throat.
“Normally Scout delivers this little speech but since he’s not here, I guess I get to do it. I hope I get it right. Wouldn’t want my president disappointed in me...”
Arrow snorted from his place at the door. Once Sabella and his men were all taken down, Arrow had climbed down from his perch and he now stood guard at the door, keeping watch on the driveway and surrounding trees while Eagle stayed on the roof, looking out from there.
“Know much about Greek mythology, Antonio?”
“What the fuck does that have to do with anything?”
“In Greek mythology, the Charon was the ferryman. It was up to the Charon to decide if a soul would pass to the Elysian Fields or Hades. That’s who our club is named after. The Greek ferryman who decides the fate of those presented before him for judgment.” I paused for a moment before I pulled my knife free and stepped closer to him. “You messed with the wrong club, Antonio. You would have been better off to not gain our attention, but now that you have, we’re going to fucking deal with you once and for all. Because no one fucks with us and walks away.”
I made fast work of slicing his jacket and shirt from him. I couldn’t help the growl that rose from my throat at the scratch marks on his arms. I ran the tip of my blade down one, slicing open his skin.
“Where are you keeping them?”
He hissed through the pain of the slice before answering me. “Who?”
“You know exactly who. The innocent women and children you abuse and charge others to use. Where are you keeping them?”
A spark of humor in his gaze had me clenching my jaw.
“Your intention is to kill me regardless of what I say, no? Why would I tell you a thing?”
“Because the how is still up for negotiation. I learned all sorts of fun things in the USMC, in addition to what you taught me.”
The humor died and I saw a flash of fear before he locked it down and raised his chin.
“You don’t have the time to break me.”
I called over my shoulder to Jazz. “We still good with the fires?”
“Yep, we’re good. Plenty of time.”
Well, that was a lie. We didn’t have a heap of time, but I appreciated him adding that for Sabella’s benefit.
“Think I’ll start with a classic. Feel free to start talking at any time. You start giving me the details I want, I’ll stop.” I snatched the pliers from my back pocket and clamped it onto the nail on his right index finger as I wrapped my left hand over his, holding it down for what I was about to do. “Still got nothing to say?”
He clenched his jaw and glared hard at me. Without taking my gaze from his, I tore the first of his nails free. A small grunt of pain was all the stoic bastard allowed himself. So I moved onto the next nail.
When I ran out of fingernails, I stood back to take him in. He was red in the face and sweating, but nowhere near breaking. I was a little impressed. I’d figured he would have gotten soft over the years of being the big boss and no longer having to do dirty work himself.
“The longer you hold out on us, the worse you make this for yourself. You won’t win this one. And if the fire does get too close, we’ll just load you up and take you with us. Then we’ll have endless time.”
His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed.
“I will tell you nothing. And you can live with the fact that there was nothing you could do to save any of them. All those sweet innocents forced to spread their legs and open their mouths on command. Without me to say when they’ve had enough they’ll be used even more harshly, until their bodies give out.”
A low growl filled the room before Blade stepped forward and, with a grip on Sabella’s hair, he ripped the man’s head back so hard I was worried he might snap his spine.
“Easy, man. We still need him alive.”
The stupid fucker grinned at Blade. “I still have her, you know. I couldn’t bring myself to sell such a rare beauty. Even after all this time, your—”
Blade released his hold and backhanded him across the face.
“You lying bastard. You don’t say her name. You have no fucking right to even breathe in her direction!”
He spat out a mouthful of blood. “I wondered if this was you trying something, so I gave instructions. You see, all this time she’s been my toy, my favorite. But today she’s getting to be everyone’s favorite. My men are doing all sorts of nasty things to her and won’t stop until I tell them to. And they’ve wanted a taste of her for a long time. What do you think they’re doing to her right now, Blade?”
I’d figured this situation was personal for Blade, but this was a whole heap of new information.
“Blade, step back. Now. You kill him, we’ll never find her. Go out to the van and get the battery. We will break him.”
The situation took on a new level of urgency. He might deserve to have his death drawn out, but getting to those women and kids as quickly as possible was more important. Especially the one he just mentioned. Images of my sister flashed across my vision as I breathed through the pain those memories always brought on.
Blade wasn’t the only one who needed to calm down before we killed him too fast.
I kneeled to remove his shoes, socks, then cut off his pants until he sat naked before us.
Blade returned with the box I’d packed for today and set it on the table. I went to it and started pulling what I needed out of the box.
“Anything you want to tell me?”
Rage was vibrating off him. “I had no idea he still had her. He told me she’d died.”
As I wired things up, ready to start this next step in breaking down Sabella, I kept my voice low so hopefully only Blade would hear me.
“When we get the information, you can’t take off on us. It’ll be suicide for you to run in there on your own and you know it. We’ve got your back on this.”
“I need to get to her.”
“I know. Trust me, I get it. My sister, she was—” I still struggled to say it. “I get it, okay? But if you go storming in there all Lone Ranger, those men will kill them all and you. We need to do this controlled so at the end of the day, they’re the ones in the ground and we’re not. Understood?”
He was still strung tight and I could see in his gaze the warring emotions causing chaos in his mind. But he gave me a nod.
“Right. Now let’s make this fucker pay.”
Zara
It was hours later before I found myself alone beside my little girl who was now peacefully sleeping in a hospital bed. We were still in the ER, with noise and people moving around us but that was easy to block out as I focused on the rise and fall of Cleo’s torso as she breathed.
The swelling around her lips and face had gone down since the doctor had given her whatever the fuck they did to stop her reaction. The rash over her arms didn’t look so nasty either. I was still scared to take my eyes off her for even a second, but it helped that the doctor and nurses were all certain she was heading for a full recovery.
It seemed so insane that something as simple as a damn ear infection nearly cost my baby her life. Stupid fucking drugs. They helped so much. Hell, without my medications I’d barely be able to function, I’d be so tired all the time. But when shit like this happened, I hated them. Especially when I was the one who’d given Cleo the medicine that nearly took her from me. My mother’s guilt was pulling at me strongly. It was even worse since I still hadn’t heard from Mac. I understood what Taz was telling me. They were doing something dangerous today and couldn’t be distracted. But dammit, I needed him.
A sob caught in my throat and I squeezed my eyes closed as I covered my mouth with my hand to try to contain the sound.
“Knock, knock.”
Donna’s quiet voice had me dashing the tears away and taking a deep breath, desperately trying to get my shit together before I turned to look at where she stood by the curtain that separated us from the rest of th
e ER.
“Hey, Donna.”
Her gaze ran over my face as she spoke. “Can I come in?”
With a wince, I gave her a nod as I wondered what the hell to say to her. Guilt ate at me that I’d been so harsh with her earlier that she was now questioning her welcome. Without another word, she came and sat in the chair next to mine. Her silence did my head in and I rushed to fill the void.
“Listen, Donna, I’m so sorry—”
“Don’t be silly. You have nothing to apologize for, honey. I understand. I really do. You’re a grown-ass woman and I got a little carried away being a mother hen on you. Should be me apologizing.”
More tears sprung to my eyes and I sniffled as I tried to suck them back. She was being way too nice about this. She had every right to be angry. With me for lashing out, and with the club for making her stay with me in the first place.
“Not sure what the hell is wrong with me, but my emotions are all over the damn place. I’ve been flipping between hating the club and loving it lately. Today, I’m missing Mac like you read about, but I can’t even call him.”
She nodded. “And they forced me and Keys into your space without even asking you first, I’m guessing. These men of ours forget so easily that we women can actually take care of ourselves. I guess I’m so used to them now, I didn’t stop to think you might not want or need our help.” She paused on a sigh. “Club life isn’t for the weak, that’s for sure. But when the chips are down, I wouldn’t want anyone else at my back than the club. When Emma did what she did, they could have kicked me and Keys to the curb over it. They certainly didn’t have to step up like they did. You know the club covered all her funeral costs?”
I shook my head. Donna’s daughter, Emma, had sold me out to the Iron Hammers MC, helping them kidnap me from the Charon MC clubhouse. Once they had me, they’d killed her and left her body for the club to find. It’d been a hell of a mess. Emma had gotten into drugs and her biological father, Sledge, who had been president of the Iron Hammers, had used his daughter without care to get what he wanted. Which had been me.