“I can see she’s fuckin’ Hellfire. You keep sayin’ she’s fuckin’ Hellfire. Every brother can see she’s fuckin’ Hellfire.” Drake roared misunderstanding Chance. Chance leaned forward anger coming off him in waves.
“Phoe’s a sister.” Chance roared. Drake stepped back in surprise, his jaw going slack. Nuh huh, now the asshole understood. Drake looked between us and then at Hellfire at our backs. The fire flared back into Drake’s eyes.
“A sister? We don’t have sisters.” He shouted. Rage began muttering to each other. Hellfire closed ranks against them and my eyes darted around checking for safety.
“Hellfire does, one, Phoenix. She’s in and out of laps ‘cause Hellfire has her and will go balls to the wall. Hellfire will bleed for her. Phoe’s our heart and soul. No one touches her, we ain’t fuckin’ screwing her, Phoe is fuckin’ Hellfire.” Okay, maybe Chance needed to stop using the word fucking as it was obvious it held two connotations!
“Thinkin’ you need to explain shit. I’m missing stuff cousin. Woman said she known you three years and you don’t tell Rage, tell me, Hellfire took a sister?” Drake drawled, his eyes on me. I burrowed back into Chance’s chest and his arms tightened.
“Thinkin’ to introduce Phoe tonight to Hellfire’s kin, ‘cept our kin wanna be assholes. Wanted Phoe to have somewhere safe if our woman needed it. Re-thinkin’ that idea now.” Chance rumbled still angry
“Start explain’.” Drake demanded.
“Later.” Chance grunted.
“Better make later fuckin’ soon brother. Hellfire has a sister? A sister Hellfire will go to war over and Rage don’t fuckin’ know. When did the clubs take sisters? She’s your soul? Hellfire got something you withhold from Rage, we wanna find out why.” Drake snarled. Chance ignored him.
“Phoe?” I didn’t reply. The sound of fists hitting flesh again. I looked around but saw no fight. I was having flashbacks and fought desperately against them, refusing to let the memories come back. Chance squeezed me tightly, refusing to let the fight bring him back.
“Phoe, woman, talk to me. Everything’s good. I’m here, Bear’s here, your brothers are here.” Chance gently turned my head to face him and his face took on a frightful expression. I shook in his arms.
“Phoenix.” Bear called, making me look at him. He opened his arms, but I clung to Chance. Chance shook his head and then Chatter appeared and folded me in his arms. Chatter scooped me up and Chance let go.
I wrapped tightly around Chatter and he carried me to a beaten sofa and sat. Together we sat quietly until food arrived, I remained in his arms for the rest of the night. Watching everyone with wary eyes until I left to go meet with the second night team at HQ at ten o’clock. Rage’s eyes stayed on me the whole night.
◆◆◆
Two days later, on Wednesday I sat in my office and rubbed weary eyes. Kyle had been in earlier and dropped a file on my desk. He’d said something was off with California P.T and R.T. I’d started looking at the figures, Kyle was right. Over the last six months there’d been a steady decline in donations, gradual at first but now noticeable. I rubbed my neck to relieve the tension and realised something was very wrong with California.
I hit my inter-office phone and buzzed Kyle and asked him to come to my office in twenty minutes. He gave an affirmative and cut the connection. I began looking back through the figures trying to analyse where the accounting was wrong. I looked up as the door opened and to my surprise Drake entered. Emily came storming in behind him, with to my shock, a baseball bat in hand. She slapped it against her palm glaring at him.
“Emily!” I snapped my eyes widening. She stopped and sent Drake a dirty look. Drake glanced at her and his lips twitched. “We don’t beat people, sheesh girl, not even unwelcome intruders.” I exclaimed, although I’d a silent wish she’d hit him, before Drake entered my office. Burying that little thought, I focused on Emily who was spitting.
“Not in the office anyway, outside the office is fair game.” Emily mumbled sending Drake a death stare.
“Oh, boy.” I muttered, I didn’t need this right now.
“He pushed his way in after I told him you were busy.” Emily snapped giving him the stink eye. Wonderful. Drake was two for two, he was doing well at insulting women he came into contact with. It’s a wonder the man ever got laid.
“It’s okay, he’s Chance’s cousin.” I replied. Emily didn’t stop giving him the stink eye. Clearly being Chance’s cousin, didn’t rank Drake very high. Emily folded her arms across her chest. Drake watched with amusement in his eyes.
“Not even Chance would push his way in.” She glared, and I raised an eyebrow. She looked at me and sighed. “Okay Chance would, he ain’t Chance.” Emily nearly spat at Drake in her dislike.
“No, he’s not. Go on honey, it’s okay.” Emily pointed the bat at him and stalked out shutting the door quietly though. She made a point of dragging her chair around so she could see inside my office. With a snarl on her face she pointed two fingers at her eyes and then at Drake. I closed my eyes for a few seconds and faced Drake.
“What can I do for you?” I asked wearily. His gaze snapped to my face and his eyes searched it and then he sat on my couch. Great, he expected a conversation.
“Came to apologise for Plug, Chance explained shit.” I rubbed the back of my neck as I watched him. Drake didn’t sound too contrite to me, instead the Rage President came across arrogant and very cocksure. There was curiosity as well. He gave me a half smile, and I kept my face impassive.
“I’m sure he did.” I replied dryly.
“Yeah, so here to apologise.”
“That’s kind Drake but unnecessary.” I propped my chin up in my hand and looked at the irritating man.
“Plug was on Rage when insult was dealt. Plug was a Rage prospect, he wore a Rage cut, it’s on me and Rage MC. I’m the Prez, my place to apologise.” Okay, that I could understand, Chance operated the same way, so I decided to be gracious. It was unlikely we’d meet much in the future, Chance would make sure of that.
“Okay apology accepted. Anything else?” I asked, wanting him to leave.
“Dinner on Saturday.” Drake stated out of the blue. I blinked.
“That’s kind but again unnecessary. The apology is enough.” Oh lord I wasn’t going to go to dinner with him. Drake had insinuated I was a whore spreading my legs for Hellfire, then he and Chance had argued. Finally, he’d barged his way into my office. I didn’t like the man, I let that show and smirked.
“Yeah, wanna take you to dinner.” Drake insisted.
“I’m sorry I don’t get it.” I rubbed my brow trying to relieve the pain beginning to hammer me.
“Wanna take you to dinner, see how I’m seein’ it is this. Chance is my older cousin. But he’s more a big brother, Rage and Hellfire tied ‘cause of us two. Both clubs never taken a sister, now Hellfire has one. Rage didn’t know shit that Chance took a sister into the MC. I wanna know, sensing you’re special, wanna find out how special.” Drake informed me with a confident grin.
Wow Drake was handsome, and he knew it. But I’d had Chance around for over three years and I’d dealt with Drake’s good looks when dealing with Chance. Drake’s looks weren’t going to get him far! The two men could’ve been twins, with their devastating charm. I’d learned to resist Chance and I could most certainly resist Drake.
“Well, thanks but I’ve got plans Saturday.” I said hoping he’d go away.
“Cancel, see you gotta understand being Hellfire, means you’re mine too.” The sheer arrogance at telling me to cancel made my mouth drop open. Not to mention the last comment rankled, I didn’t belong to Rage, I belonged to Hellfire. Plus cancel? The cheek of the man!
“Sorry cancelling is impossible, Chance and Hellfire are at mine this weekend for a barbecue. Family weekend.” I said smugly, thinking I’d found a way out. Drake grinned at me, calculation behind his eyes and I got the sense I’d said something stupid. The Rage President was as devious as Ch
ance and I needed to remember that.
“What time Saturday?” Drake asked rising to his feet. I narrowed my eyes at the man. Despite my headache he was annoying.
“I said it’s family weekend.” I told him sternly.
“Yeah and I told ya, Hellfire and Rage family, which means if you’re havin’ family time then Rage invited too. Any time?” The man who was fast becoming a pain in my ass, grinned at me and I glared at him. “Catch ya then.” Drake said and strode his fine ass out. Infuriating man, I thought as I glared after him. I looked up as Kyle entered with Charlie the S.M for California and we got down to business.
An hour later, with one of Abigail’s investigators included in a conference call, the feedback was there were problems. California was a big worry, it was time to nip it in the bud. Jon, the assigned investigator, would arrive in a day and we’d wait for his report.
Kyle, Charlie and Abigail left and Stefan entered. Bless him, he took one glance at my face and pulled the blinds in the office and gave orders I wasn’t to be disturbed. Emily diverted calls to the Directors, and I stayed in my office for the last hour of the day.
Stefan came and offered a ride home, but he and Bernard were looking at premises for Bernard to open a restaurant. Bernard had sold his previous restaurant to come to South Dakota, the man was a wonderful chef. Once everyone had gone, I stumbled my way to the door.
I turned out the lights and managed to lock my door. Gradually, I made my way down the backstairs, calling a low greeting to the night team. Then hugging the wall, I made my way to the car. The pain was awful, my head was pounding and my neck and eyes hurt. I’d taken my tablets but clearly had taken them too late. Bile rushed up my throat, forcing me to bend over and I choked it back.
It was taking everything I had to concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other. Dizziness hit, making me lean against the wall. I kept one thought running through my head. Get the back-up tablets I kept in my car. The nausea subsided, and I began blindly groping my way again, concentrating so hard I didn’t hear footsteps behind me.
“Yo Phoenix? Drake sent me to ask what you needed us to bring… shit, you okay lady?” I looked up, seeing a blur. To my despair, I began slipping and scrabbled with my hands and found a hold on the wall.
Pings of a phone’s buttons being pushed echoed, “Drake get over here now. The alley. Somethin’s wrong.” The voice snapped and then I hit the ground. Hands caught me under my armpits and I was hauled up which made me retch for a second time. I choked it back again.
“What the fuck?” Drake asked as I heard his footsteps striding towards us.
“Found her like this, brother.”
“Phoenix, you okay?” Stupid question I thought to myself as I struggled to control not being sick. Did I look okay? “Go get Hellfire, Apache.” Drake ordered. Someone passed me into Drakes arms and he cradled me. Ineffectively, I batted at the spots in front of my eyes and Drake began to lift me in his arms.
“No.” I moaned as the movement made my stomach recoil. Drake stopped.
“How can I help?” Drake asked, concern in his voice. Well, that’s a surprise, Drake was capable of another emotion other than anger and smug arrogance.
“Ah no, Phoe!” A voice I recognised but couldn’t place, said. I thought it was one of my guys. Arms lifted me ignoring my moans and carried me through the alleyway to my car.
“Get the keys, Drake. That car’s Phoe’s.” The voice said.
“Got ‘em Banshee.” Ah, so that is who it was. Shee indeed was one of mine. There was a beep as my car unlocked.
“Open the back doors so I can get her in. In the trunk is a pillow and blanket get them.”
“Got ‘em.”
“Right hold her while I get in, then pass Phoe gently across to me. Don’t jar her head no matter what.” Shee ordered Drake and someone moved me and I kept my focus on not being sick. Shee and Drake got me into the car. A pained whimper sneaked out as Drake gently guided my head to the pillow on Shee’s thigh.
“Get Bear, need to get her home.” Banshee ordered. Shee gently stroked my brow and hair knowing that sometimes that helped.
“Fuck that, I’ll drive.” Drake said as the car door opened and then gently shut.
“Go easy on corners, do not floor it, no matter how tempting, avoid potholes if possible. Nice and easy.” Banshee told Drake.
“What’s wrong with her? Migraine?”
“Kinda, Phoe suffers hemiplegic migraines. Looks like she didn’t catch this one in time. We’ve sat through them with her a few times. Ain’t ever pretty Drake.”
“What’s hemiplegic migraines?” There was curiosity in Drakes voice but it was fleeting and I concentrated on my head not falling off my shoulders.
“They mimic strokes, the pain in her head paralyses her. Phoe suffers partial paralysation on her left-hand side for anything up to two weeks. There’s a stutter which can last months, she’ll get confused and disorientated if they aren’t caught in time.”
“Christ, how’d she get that?”
“Ex-husband slammed her head into a wall, causing a brain bleed and changing her migraines to these, a more dangerous type.” Banshee bit out and kept stroking my hair.
“What the fuck?” Drake gritted out.
“Turn here, you know where Reading Hall is? That’s her place, need directions?” Banshee asked ignoring Drakes question. Good for Shee. I didn’t want Drake knowing anything.
“Nah, been past it, seen work being done to it. Didn’t know it belonged to Phoenix.” Pipes sounded from a faraway place and I curled into Shee and concentrated on not throwing up. Oh and not disappearing down the rabbit’s hole that was opening in my consciousness.
“Oh no, Miss Phoe.” A woman gasped, I’d no idea how much time had passed.
“Mrs Ames, please run on and get her bed ready.” Shee asked. Footsteps hurried away from me and then silence. Movement made me heave and I couldn’t stop it. I leaned away from whoever was carrying me.
“Fuck.” Another voice. Even though my stomach was empty, I kept heaving. I whimpered in the bright light and heaved again. Pain, my life was pain.
“Get her stripped Bear.” Shee said. I was being held up and clothes ripped off my body.
“Shee, get a wet cloth. Mrs Ames, the strong medication, we gotta get it in her.” Bear spoke up.
“What can I do?”
“Stand back until you’re needed Drake.”
“Fuck.” Drake muttered as I leant over and heaved again. I coughed and spat something vile up and gave up and let my body do as it wished. I could only see blackness now, with tiny little bright flashes of light.
“Woman can’t focus.”
“We’re aware Drake, not our first go. Phoe we gonna lay you back, honey.” I tried shaking my head and heaved up again. Warm hands on my face and then a wet cloth was placed on my head. I tried batting it away but only one arm raised.
“Medication. Now Drake, run.” Bear said making Drake run after Mrs Ames. Footsteps faded and then returned fast. Someone sat me up and a pill shoved in my mouth. A glass held to my lips and a voice urged me to drink.
Bear ordered me to swallow. Some part of me knew I had to and managed to swallow. Gently I was laid onto the bed and found my left side dead. The blackness swirling and then nothing. No sound, no lights, no pain, just peace.
“How long has Phoenix suffered that?” Drake bit out watching the sleeping woman on the bed. Bear had his ass laid out on the bed and held her tight. They’d dragged an oversized tee on her and she lay curled into a ball.
“Whole time we’ve known her, nearly four years. Not often and twice worse than this, seen her laid out for weeks. Phoe usually takes the meds in time and just suffers a migraine. Today she obviously didn’t take them in time. We’ll see how bad the damage is in twelve hours, that’s how long the meds put her out.” Shee answered Drake.
“Anythin’ I can do?”
“No. I’ll come with and we’ll go back to clubhou
se. Bear’s got this.” Drake shot a glance at Bear.
“Phoe’s Hellfire.” Bear said from the bed. Drake lifted his gaze and got what he was being told and turned on his heel. He was getting tired of being told Phoe was Hellfire. He knew Chance and Hellfire had closed ranks around the woman, but he didn’t need to be kept reminding of the fact.
“Mrs Ames, you need help cleaning up?” Shee asked the older woman hovering. Mrs Ames placed a hand on his arm and smiled sweetly at him. Drake wondered how long they’d known each other. The older woman hadn’t batted an eyelid at Bear climbing into bed with Phoenix.
“Go Shee, I have this. Bear’s here and Chance is on speed dial. Our girl will be okay with Bear.”
“Where’s the kids?” Banshee asked. Drake looked up sharply, Phoe had kids? That was something Chance hadn’t mentioned. Drake saw no sign of kids being present.
“With Mr Albert and their team and the older ones. They’re due back Friday. A blessing.” The older woman mused her eyes drifting to Drake. There was a curiosity in them but also a warning. Drake gave nothing away that he’d recognised the warning. He was fast realising that everyone was damn protective of Phoenix. He’d felt it in his gut after Chance had explained Phoe was special, now he was seeing it in everyone’s actions.
“That’s good, give her a few days recovery. Will you let HQ know?” Shee replied.
“Of course. HQ will run without her, she’s got good people there. Go Shee, we have this covered, not our first rodeo.” Shee looked at Mrs Ames and then gave her a curt nod. He motioned for Drake to follow him and shut the door behind them.
◆◆◆
Drake walked into the clubhouse and headed straight for the bar and pulled a beer. He saw Shee give a report to Chance and saw Chance look in his direction. Chance ran his hand through his hair and walked in Drake’s direction.
“She’s Hellfire.” Chance stated, a gentle tone in his voice rarely heard. Drake gave a sharp nod.
“I’m fuckin’ aware she’s Hellfire, you keep ramming it down our throats.” He snarled annoyed.
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