Copper (Hell's Handlers MC Book 4)

by Lilly Atlas

  No weight on his leg for a few months? That wasn’t going to go over well.

  As she concentrated, she kept up the knee bouncing. The moment the trauma doctors dragged Copper behind the thick operating room doors, anxiety shot through her, and it hadn’t left, even now, hours after surgery. It felt like she’d been zapped with a live wire, aftershocks zinging every few minutes.

  “Babe, put down the phone and lie next to me,” Copper said.

  Was he crazy? She looked up at his bruised face. “What? No, I’ll hurt you.” There were way too many injuries for her to be crawling into bed with him. The tibia and fibula were broken on his right leg. The femoral artery on his left leg had required surgical repair as well as the broken bones, but he’d be allowed to stand on that leg, thankfully. Then there were a host of stitches in his thigh as well as cracked ribs, a broken nose, and countless deep bruises. Oh, and the nasty blade-shaped third-degree burn on his abdomen. Couldn’t forget that one.

  Copper reached out and snatched the phone from her clutches. He tossed it on the two-drawer nightstand on the opposite side of his bed.

  “Hey!” Shell yelped. “I was reading that.”

  “No,” he growled. How the man could be two hours out of major surgery and still so commanding was beyond her.

  It was kind of a turn on.

  “Look at me, Michelle.”

  Yeah, the tone was definitely sexy. As was the use of her full name. She met his solemn gaze.

  “I’m all right, baby. The doctors fixed me all up. All of my injuries will heal. Might have a few gnarly scars, but I’m pretty sure you can handle those.”

  Her throat constricted and her eyes burned. It’d been so close. If they’d been just a few minutes later…

  “I’m all right,” he said again, tugging her hand. “Baby, please relax. It’s killing me seeing you so worked up like this. If you want me to sleep and heal, you’re gonna have to take care of yourself. I can’t be calm until you are.” When she resisted his pull, he only tugged harder.

  How could he still be so strong with all the blood loss?

  After a thirty second stand-off, Shell relented. As gently as possible, she stretched out beside him on the bed. “Please tell me if I hurt you.”

  “Not possible, babe,” he said. “I feel ten times better already just having you next to me.”

  A small smile tilted her lips. His warmth seeped into her, proving he was in fact very much alive. “It was terrifying,” she whispered. “Seeing you like that. I can’t even tell you how scared I was.”

  His large hand stroked over her hair and down her back. “Fuck, I wish you hadn’t been there.”

  She knew he did. He would be pissed over her presence for a while. She actually felt bad for Zach, who’d already gotten an earful and would undoubtedly get a lot more once Copper was back on his feet. Horrifying as it was, she’d been where she was supposed to be. No way could she have stayed back at the clubhouse waiting around for news. She’d needed to participate in Copper’s rescue. “You’re really feeling okay?”

  He chuckled. “Well, no, I feel like dogshit. But I am okay. Promise, baby.”

  She sighed. Guess that was the best she could expect. “All right.”

  “I really need you to get some rest. One of the guys will take you home for a few hours so you can sleep.”

  She fell silent, playing with the hospital gown that didn’t quite fit her over-sized man. The thought of leaving had her near panic. “Can I please stay? I know you’re okay, but I need to be near you right now. I just need to be where you are.”

  He didn’t like it, she could tell, but after a moment he said, “Fine, but no more researching my injuries. The docs will tell us everything we need to know.” Scooping his arm beneath her, he positioned her head on his chest.

  “Okay. I love you, Copper.” The steady beat of his heart under her ear helped to calm her anxiety.

  “Jesus, babe, I love you so fucking much.”

  They were gifted about ten minutes of peace before the door to his room swung open. Zach, Screw, and LJ burst in. “We got a problem, Prez,” Zach said. “Oh shit. Sorry, didn’t know you were still here, Shell.”

  “No worries,” she said, frowning. Did Copper really need to deal with club business right now? So soon after being injured? One peek up at his determined expression told her all she needed to know. Her man was ready for action. His head was already back in the game. If it ever left. With a sigh, she slipped off the bed. “I’ll give you guys some time to chat.” Squeezing Copper’s hand, she turned to leave but didn’t make it more than one step before she was yanked back toward the bed.

  “Don’t fucking think you’re getting out of here without giving me those lips,” he growled.

  Shell leaned down to give him a quick kiss, but he had other ideas. His mammoth hand gripped the back of her head, holding her against him while he ravaged her mouth. Within seconds she was flushed, lightheaded, and wishing they were anywhere else.

  When she righted herself, Zach whistled. “That’s some hot shit right there, guys. We better talk quick, I’m gonna need to find my woman, asap.”

  Face burning, Shell giggled.

  “Love you,” Copper said.

  She took a stumbling step toward the door making all the men laugh. “Love you too.”

  Jig stood in the hall, arms folded across his chest. Shell went right to him. “I need you to promise me something, Jig.”

  One of his dark eyebrows crept upward. “What’s that?”

  “Please don’t let Copper be the one to kill Rusty,” she whispered.

  “Shell—”

  “No.” She held up a hand. “I’m serious Jig. It will mess his head up. That’s his brother who, until a week ago, he believed was a good man. Up until last week, he loved Rusty and felt responsible for him. Promise me.”

  Jig banged his head against the wall and groaned. “I can’t make that promise, Shell. You know that.”

  Her heart fell. Of all the men, she’d have thought Jig would understand. He knew what it was to lose someone he loved.

  “I can’t promise you, but I agree with you, and I’ll do whatever I can to keep him from killing Rusty. Okay?”

  She nodded and ran a hand through her hair and exhaustion washed over her. She was going on about forty hours without a wink of sleep. Wouldn’t be long before her body took over and crashed her, hard. “Thanks. You know what they’re talking about in there?”

  With a shake of his head, Jig said, “Nah. Zach got a call, freaked, and asked me to guard the door. All I know.”

  The important thing now was for Copper to rest and heal. Hopefully whatever news his brothers brought to his literal door wouldn’t impede his recovery.

  “GO WITH HER, LJ,” Copper ordered before Zach could start talking. “Make her sit that fine ass down and eat something. I don’t care if you have to tie her to a chair. I want her fed and off her feet for a while. Hear me?” He wasn’t above using force to get Shell to take care of herself.

  “You got it, prez,” LJ said with a nod. He was almost as big as Copper, but with the way he worked out, would probably be even bigger in no time. “What happened?” he asked once the prospect was out of the room. LJ was a fantastic prospect, nearing his patch-in date, but he was still a prospect and wouldn’t be the first to hear any significant club news.

  Zach ran a hand through his hair, messing the typically perfect style. Dark circles rimmed both his and Screw’s eyes, speaking to the long days they’d had searching for him. The men appeared almost as wiped as Shell. He cleared his throat.

  Shit, this wasn’t going to be good.

  “Rusty’s dead,” Zach said.

  Copper blinked. He swore his heart missed a few beats.

  Fuck.

  Fuuuck.

  “How?”

  “Thunder and Mav were transporting him to The Box. We were gonna let him simmer there until you got released or gave other orders. Halfway to the clubhouse, they w
ere run off the road. SUV fucking flipped twice. Mav was disoriented, but conscious though he couldn’t get out of his seat. Thunder was out cold. Next thing Mav knew, there was a pop and Rusty had a bullet to the brain.”

  “Jesus fuck.” Anger had him curling his fists. To the right above his head, the monitor started beeping.

  “Take a fucking breath, prez,” Screw said. “Your heartrates jumping up. The nurse will be in if you can’t calm your shit.”

  Fucking thief. That was his kill. Rusty was his. He’d been fantasizing about the end of Rusty’s life for days. Countless scenarios and plans, not one involving someone else pulling the trigger. “They okay?”

  “Mav’s good. Banged up and pissed off, but that’s the worst of it. Thunder broke a wrist, busted his nose, and has a concussion. Lucky as shit, all being said.”

  “Who?”

  “Mav was pretty sure it was Lefty. Thank fuck a couple of our guys were close behind. They startled him into fleeing. If they’d been alone, Mav and Thunder might have bullets in their skulls, too.”

  Lefty. Copper ran a hand down his face, wincing when it bumped his nose. “Get Joe on the line for me.” The club had held up their end of the bargain, collecting Joe’s money, and delivering it to him four days ago. Lefty should have been on Copper’s fucking doorstep by now, not running around killing his men.

  Zach nodded and turned away, phone to his ear.

  Goddammit, this was fucking with his head. Not the fact that Rusty was dead. That was the only way this fairy tale would end, but Copper had wanted, no needed to be the one to pull the trigger. Only one who deserved the kill more than him was Shell and he’d set fire to his bike before letting her live with the burden of taking a life. Copper needed the closure. And to have Lefty be the one who took it from him...the universe’s sick joke. He was fucking done with this bullshit. If Lefty wasn’t trussed up and waiting for him by the time he got out of the hospital, there’d be hell coming Joe’s way.

  “Here, boss,” Zach said, tossing the phone his way.

  Copper caught it easily. Before he even had it to his ear, Joe was rushing to explain. The man hadn’t been shitting him when he said his crew didn’t want trouble with the Handlers. “We fucking had him, Copper, but we underestimated him. Guy looks like a cheesy Rambo wannabe, but he’s smarter than we’d anticipated.” The growl of frustration had Copper believing Joe’s words.

  “What happened?”

  There was a loud crash on Joes’s side like he’d thrown something across the room. Copper understood the sentiment. “We snatched him up easy. Set up a meet to deliver some product, and grabbed his unsuspecting ass, no problem. But the guy killed two of my men and escaped.”

  Well shit. Would Joe be gunning for Lefty just as hard as Copper now? Were they gonna battle over rights to Lefty’s death?

  “Heard he killed your brother. Sorry about that, man,” Joe said, sincerity in his voice.

  Copper cleared his throat. He wouldn’t waste a second of time mourning Rusty, but Joe didn’t need to know that. That was club business, personal business for the eyes and ears of his men only. “Thanks,” he managed to choke out. “You can understand why we want to get our hands on him.

  “Look, my guys are chomping at the bit to find him. We got a lot of manpower on this. But I gave you my word I’d deliver him to you, so when we find him, he’s yours. We’re gonna fuck him up first though, you hear?”

  Copper didn’t respond.

  “Promise we’ll leave enough of him for you guys to get your pound of flesh and for you to finish the job. But I need to give my men something. The two he killed were good fucking men.”

  Looked like that was as good as he was going to get unless the Handler’s found Lefty first. And with Joe’s guys working with him recently, they had a better chance of sniffing him out. He got it, though. Had he been in Joe’s place he’d want some sweet revenge just as bad.

  “Just as long as he’s conscious enough to enjoy his time with us.”

  “He will be. You have my word. I’ll be in touch, Copper,” Joe said before disconnecting.

  Copper handed the phone back to Zach.

  “We’re gonna take off so you can rest, Prez,” Screw said. Neither he nor Zach asked for the details of his phone call. Most likely they’d gotten the gist from his side. “We’ve also got guys searching Rusty’s laptop and phone. We’ll destroy any evidence he had against you.”

  Shit. In all the drama of being sent to the hospital, he’d forgotten Rusty supposedly had a recording of him comitting murder.

  “Want us to send Shell back in?” Zach asked.

  Fuck yes, he wanted his woman with him. “As long as LJ got her to eat.”

  With nods and orders to take it easy, the two of them left.

  Alone for the first time since he opened his eyes, Copper let his mind absorb all that had happened over the past few days. He knew himself, and it’d take some time before he came to terms with the anger over the circumstances of Rusty’s death. At some point, he’d have to suck it up and accept the unfulfilled feeling in his gut. Maybe once he saw the lifeless body, he’d finally feel some sense of justice. Now, he just felt cheated. He hadn’t asked, but he assumed the club had handled the situation before the cops got involved. They’d hold the body for Copper then determine the best way to dispose of it.

  The door opened, and Shell popped her head in. “Hey, baby,” he said.

  The tired smile she gave him had warmth filling his chest. As he watched her walk toward the bed, he had a thought that shocked him. Maybe, in some way, it was for the best. Rusty was dead. It was over. He and Shell could begin the process of moving-on the second he was discharged without the looming problem of dealing with Rusty.

  He patted the bed next to him and without a word, she climbed in. They both sighed and within seconds, Shell was out cold. He closed his eyes, and instead of feeling anger, he felt pretty damn content.

  Took way too much effort, but the next morning Copper convinced the damn doctors he wouldn’t hop right back on his bike if they discharged him. He had to sit through a lecture from three physicians and two nurses about taking it easy, letting himself heal, and staying off his bike.

  Through all the bullshit, Shell sat by his side looking like a sleepy angel. She’d frowned and nodded at all the lecturers as though it was the first time hearing it. Then she’d promised each doctor she’d make sure he followed orders and acted like a good boy.

  Whatever the fuck he had to agree to to get his ass out of the damn hospital he’d do it.

  Felt like the doctors were mocking him. Ride his bike…he could barely fucking walk.

  Later that evening, he was at Shell’s house lounging on the couch while Beth fixed him with her doctor kit. In the hours since he’d been released, Beth had fixed him no less than five times.

  She’d listened to his broken leg with her stethoscope, taken the temperature of the bandages on his stomach, and held the toy pager against his cracked ribs. According to her four-year-old-logic, the shrill beeping would make him all better. She’d frowned and stared at the plastic tools in her kit when he didn’t immediately get all better. Only one problem with this little game—Beth wasn’t the gentlest of healthcare providers. A few times his eyes had watered with intense pain when she healed him. All through it, she beamed with pride at her ability to help.

  Made every second of discomfort worth it.

  Shell sat on the floor alongside her daughter trying to soften the munchkin’s touch. Didn’t work. Beth plowed on like a bull in a china shop.

  The evening was damn near perfect. Once Beth went to bed, and he could get his woman naked, it would be perfect.

  As though she read his mind, Shell stood and hauled her squirming daughter to her feet. “All right, Bethy. Time to brush those teeth and head to bed.”

  “Can I fix Copper one more time? Please, Mommy!” she whined.

  “Not tonight, honey.”

  “But, Mom—”


  “Hey, come here, princess.” Copper crooked a finger at her.

  Her face lit up, and she scrambled onto the couch. “What?”

  He cupped his hand and whispered in her ear. “If you go brush your teeth and get into bed without giving Mommy trouble, we’ll go get ice cream tomorrow.”

  “Yes!” Beth shouted then shot off toward the bathroom.

  Shell cocked her head. Hair pulled back in a messy bun, face make-up free, and wearing sweatpants and a T-shirt, she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. “What’d you say to her?”

  He winked. “Secret.”

  With a roll of her eyes, Shell followed her daughter into the bathroom. It took almost half an hour, but she eventually returned. “Phew,” she said, gently wedging herself on the couch next to him.

  His arm immediately went around her shoulders. “Tired?”

  “Bedtime is a process.”

  “Isn’t everything a process with a kiddo?”

  “You have a point.” She fell silent. “You okay? I don’t know exactly what happened, but I know you seem frustrated with the outcome. I’ve been worried about you. I know how things had to end with Rusty, but you still lost a brother, the one you used to know. The one you raised. You lost him the day you found out what he did to me. It has to be hard for you.”

  It was true. And all the grief of it would probably hit one day soon. And his ol’ lady would be there to help him through it. But for now, he just felt relief Rusty was gone. “Hey,” he lifted a finger to her lips. “All you need to know is that you never have to worry about Rusty again. And I wasn’t the one to do the job.” She didn’t need those details. Just the outcome.

  Shell visibly relaxed before his eyes. Had he known how much this was eating at her, he’d have told her earlier he wasn’t going to off Rusty himself. “Good,” she whispered. “It’s all over.”

  “You ready to put it behind us? Move forward?”

  Her face softened, and she stared at him, love shining in her eyes. “Yes. That’s exactly what I want.”