Emerald

by Rebekah Thompson

Dominic told me the morning after my big nightmare.

  Yawning, I rub at my red eyes. Dominic isn’t in the bed beside me, so I sit up and look around. Crinkling my nose, I try to ignore the smoke smell as I look to the bathroom door when the shower water cuts off. I lay back down, and after a minute, Dominic walks out of the bathroom with a pair of jeans hanging low on his hips.

  “Why does our room smell like smoke?” I ask, looking over his muscular body. He frowns at my words and moves over to the bed, sitting down.

  “Hell Riders set Blade and Maria’s house on fire,” he tells me. My eyes widen. I scoot over to sit beside him and take hold of his right hand.

  “Are they okay?” I ask, worry filling me. They were such a friendly couple when I met them at the barbeque. How could the Riders go after an old couple?

  Dominic shakes his head, a single tear rolling down his cheek. “Maria got out, but Blade… he didn’t make it,” he tells me, and guilt fills me. If I hadn’t fought those guys, this wouldn’t have happened.

  My expression must have given me away because next thing I know, Dominic has my face in his hands. “It’s not your fault, so stop looking so guilty,” he tells me, looking right into my eyes. I nod my head, and he pulls me into a hug.

  “What now? Are you going to retaliate?” I ask, thinking about the woman that just lost her husband. She must be in agony.

  Sighing, I straighten out my black dress. Blade’s funeral is today. I slip on my gold studded booties. As I turn around, Dominic strides in, adjusting the black button up he’s wearing under his cut. I give him a slight smile as he picks up my vest and moves over to me.

  Still saying nothing, he helps me slip my arms in then smooths it out. Sadness sits in his eyes, highlighted by the bags under his eyes, as he looks down at me. I reach a hand up and cup his cheek.

  “I’m here for you,” I whisper, making him look at me. He nods, and I run my hand over his hair to fix the sections that are sticking up. Dominic closes his eyes and leans into my touch, relaxing a bit.

  He’s been angry and stressed all week, because he can’t find the Hell Riders that did this. The fire also hit home with him, since it’s the same way his parents died.

  However, when Maria needed help, he dropped everything to go to her and help plan Blade’s funeral. Apparently, Blade was a friend of Dominic’s parents and was like a father to Dominic, which made this even worse. Dominic has barely spoken all week, and I’m getting worried. I think he’s just trying to cope without showing weakness.

  “Come on, we need to go,” I tell him, grabbing his hand. We exit my room and walk into the living room. My eyes land on the woman with my kids.

  “Everything okay?” I ask, making her look up. She looks to be maybe in her thirties with brown hair, but she’s not familiar to me. I had to find someone who isn’t in the club because everyone will be at the funeral.

  “Yes, sweetie, I’ve got this,” she tells me, holding a talkative Rosaleigh. I nod and smile.

  “Okay, we’ll be back in a few hours. My number is on the refrigerator if there’s an emergency,” I tell her and she just smiles, saying ‘okay.’

  With one last kiss to each kid, I turn to Dominic and nod. He leads me out of the apartment and down the stairs to his bike. We choose to take his bike instead of taking both of ours, which is fine with me, because I would rather ride with him for the funeral.

  Dominic mounts his bike while I pull my skirt up enough to where I can ride. I mount the bike behind him and wrap my arms around his torso. Once I’m on, he starts the bike up and pulls out of the parking lot.

  When we pull up to the church, Dominic climbs off and stands in front of me, blocking the view of my hiked-up skirt. He silently lifts me off the bike, and I fix my skirt as he stares down at me, studying me. He bought the dress for me, and I hoped wearing it would help make him feel better.

  Once I fix my dress, I take Dominic’s hand and we walk towards the church.

  The service is short but meaningful. Dominic speaks about what a great man Blade was. How he was a caring man and the kind of man to have behind you when you needed someone. He spoke of the man’s relationships with club members and how Blade was the embodiment of strength, loyalty, and family.

  Through the entire ceremony, I held Maria’s hand or hugged her as she sobbed. I felt my heart breaking for the woman. She and her husband were married for thirty years with no children of their own, so she has no blood family.

  The funeral ends, and several men, including Dominic, lift the casket. I hold a crying Maria as the men march her husband outside. The assembly follows the men out to watch them place the casket on an open trailer attached to someone’s motorcycle.

  Once it’s secured, another Old Lady takes Maria to a car so we can go to the cemetery. She gets in the car, and I walk over to a very solemn Dominic. I don’t say anything when I reach him; I just climb onto the bike and settle behind him.

  Along with me, everyone either gets in their cars or on their bikes.

  When everyone is ready, Dominic begins the Last Rev. He revs his bike engine three times, then everyone but the man in the back copies. Once everyone finishes, the man in the back of the charter revs his engine five times. Silence surrounds us as he ends the Last Rev, and Dominic drives.

  Every bike in the club drives the five miles to the cemetery. Dominic parks his bike on the path beside the gravesite, clambering off the bike then lifting me off. He stands in front of me to give me a chance to fix my dress again, and once my dress is righted, I take his hand and let him lead me to the casket.

  Members gather as the same men from earlier carry the casket from the trailer to the grave. I follow, with Maria at my side, to the headstone. ‘BLADE- loving husband and father-’ is inscribed on the gray stone.

  A somber feeling hangs over the entire club as we come to a stop in front of the sizeable hole in the ground. The men carrying the casket set it down on the ground, on top of some ropes. The men grab the ropes and lift the casket again.

  Maria steps forward, touches the casket, and whispers “I love you” as they lower the casket into the ground. Maria’s wails grow louder and longer, her body slumping against mine. I let our bodies sink to the ground, my arms around her, and she lays her head on my shoulder.

  Her cries break my heart even more. They’re the cries you hear when someone loses the thing they love most. This woman has lost her everything… her true love… her world.

  ~*~

  “I’m here,” I whisper, turning over to face Dominic. He slides his arm under my head, between my head and the pillow, and lays the other across my hip.

  After the funeral, we all went home, and now Dominic and I are in bed, trying to go to sleep. No one, especially Maria, was in the mood for a reception. So, Dominic suggested we postpone it.

  “Thank you,” he mumbles, the arm around my waist pulling me closer. The warmth from his body seeps through my clothing and warms me. I rest my head on his chest.

  “I’m here,” I hum. He nods and lays his forehead against mine.

  “I just need to hold you,” he says, burying his face in my hair. I sigh and let him hold me. It doesn’t bother me he wants to hold me, but I’m worried about him. He just lost another father figure, and he’s not saying anything. At least he’s showing emotion, though.

  We lay like this for a while, but someone knocks on the door. Sighing, I try to stand up. Key word being try.

  “Dominic, I need to get the door,” I tell him. His chest rumbles, a growl falling from his lips, and he holds on tighter, making me sigh again. Whoever is at my apartment door doesn’t knock again, so I don’t get up. Reece and Rosaleigh are already asleep in bed, so I don’t need to do anything besides lay here with him.

  “Just let me hold you,” he murmurs again, burying his face back in my neck again. Nodding, I lay against his chest and just let him hold me. He’s wrapped securely around my body, holding on as if I’ll disappear.

  As I lay here, my eyel
ids grow heavy. I try to stay awake in case Dominic needs me, but eventually, I drift into sleep.

  Chapter 14

  Again, I’m woken by Dominic calling my name. Instead of answering, I grumble and roll over, burying my head under the pillow.

  “Emerald, I need to leave,” Dominic says, making me peek out from under my pillow. Dominic hovers over me, and I smile. I reach up and wrap my arms around his neck, attempting to pull him down to me.

  “Where are you going?” I ask. He takes a seat on the edge of the bed and pulls me into his lap.

  “I called Church. I just wanted to let you know I have a Prospect posted outside of your door, because Sniper and Drax will be in Church with me and the men,” he tells me. I nod and peck his lips.

  “Be safe,” I murmur against his lips.

  With that, he heads out. I lay back on the bed and sigh. After laying on the bed for a bit, I push myself up and off the bed. 9:21. I better get up and feed the kids before they come to eat me. Quickly, I go through my morning routine to get dressed then pull on my property vest.

  Once I’m done getting ready, I make my way out of the room and down the hallway to the kid’s room. I don’t bother knocking on the door and when I walk in, Reece is already awake. “Mommy!” He shrieks, making Rosaleigh turn over. He runs up to me, and I pick him up, settling him on my right hip. Surprisingly, Rosaleigh was still asleep until now.

  “Mommy?” Rosaleigh’s sleepy voice questions. I look down and smile at her. She’s so cute with her droopy eyes and lazy smile.

  “Morning, twinsies,” I greet, kiss Reece’s forehead, pick Rosaleigh up, and kiss her head too. She smiles at me as she rubs the sleep from her eyes.

  “Are you ready for breakfast?” I ask, and they nod. I squeeze through the doorway and head to the kitchen. I reach the bar and set the kids on their chairs before moving to get breakfast ready.

  “What are we eatin’?” Reece asks, looking up at me. I glance at the food and turn to answer him.

  Before I can answer, something hits the front door. My eyes immediately go to the door, and I freeze. Dominic said he had a Prospect outside, but is he outside the door or in the parking lot? I didn’t ask because I didn’t think about it at the time. Another sound, like a bang on a wall or floor, comes from outside. I look to the kids and point to my room.

  “Reece, take your sister to the hiding spot and don’t come out until I come get you, or Dominic comes to get you,” I tell him. His eyes widen, but he grabs Rosaleigh’s hand, hopping down from the chair.

  As soon as they’re out of sight, I grab a knife from the kitchen drawer and grip the hilt. Slowly, I creep to the door and unlock it. Please, let it be the Prospect.

  Opening the door, I peek through the crack. I step out into the hall. My hand flies to my mouth as my eyes lay on the Prospect on the floor. Red stains the carpet, and I let out a squeak, swallowing the scream and looking around. My grip on the knife tightens as I search for the intruder. Silence resonates in the hallway, so I take a few steps to glance around the corner.

  Nothing. If no one’s here, then what was that noise?

  A sharp pain hits the back of my head and darkness covers my vision.

  ~*~

  As the last members trickle in, I look around. The only empty seat is next to me.

  “Where’s Wolf?” I ask, causing everyone to look around. No one answers. Sighing, I take my phone out and call him. He knows we have church, so why isn’t he here? The phone rings and goes to voicemail. I call again. No answer.

  “He should to be here by now,” Kayden and Jayden mumble together. I glance at them, and my eyebrows furrow. They hang around the bar a lot, so maybe they were with him. “We talked to him before we got here, and he told us he was on his way,” Kayden says, then Jayden says, “Yeah, he should be here by now,” finishing Kayden’s statement.

  Nodding, I run a hand through my hair and scratch the back of my neck. “Kayden, track his phone and his bike,” I tell him. He nods and pulls out his laptop. Everyone’s eyes are on him as he types away. The room stays silent as he works, and I sit down, sighing.

  This isn’t like Wolf. He doesn’t just disappear.

  Jayden leans forward, watching his brother work. Kayden types furiously, and as soon as he looks up, his bottom lip between his teeth, I know that he can’t find anything. A beep sounds from his laptop, and his eyebrows pull together in confusion. When he shakes his head from side to side, I breathe out in anger. “Where is he?” I demand, slamming my fist on the table.

  “His bike is at the Roadhouse and so is his phone,” Kayden tells me, closing his laptop. Everyone looks to me for answers.

  “Was anyone else at Roadhouse before they came here?” I ask, and Reaper stands. His form towers over the rest of us.

  I nod, and he speaks, “I was one of the last few there. Wolf was locking up when we all left, but we left before he finished.” That means he should’ve arrived right after Reaper, probably even before me.

  “Someone call Lacy. See if she knows where he is,” I order, and Sniper pulls out his phone. He hits some buttons and puts the phone on speaker. It rings a few times before she answers.

  “Sniper? Why are you calling me?” She asks, her words half slurred. She must have been taking a nap.

  Sniper looks at me and speaks. “Lacy, we’re in Church, and Wolf isn’t here,” he says, “Do you know where he is?” There’s a pause on her end before there’s shuffling. Something makes a thumping sound and I hear her squeak.

  “Uh, no, I don’t know where he would be. I’m at home and he was at work,” she tells us. I growl. Where the hell is he? “I can call him for you,” she offers.

  “We already called him. Lacy, he didn’t answer,” I tell her. Another squeak sounds through the phone.

  “B-but he always answers his phone,” she says, “I’m going to look for him.” Then she hangs up.

  Sniper slides his phone back into his pocket before he sits back down. “Prez, what are we going to do?” He asks, looking at me. Everyone else looks to me for the answer, and I stand. We can’t have a missing member.

  “Priority one, Reaper and Beast go to Roadhouse to check things out. If you see Lacy there, don’t let her get into trouble,” I tell them, and Reaper acknowledges with a nod. “The rest of us will continue our meeting on Hell Riders,” I announce. Sniper and Reaper nod, stand, then march out of the room.

  “We need to deal with the Hell Riders. They killed one of our own. It’s unacceptable,” I declare. “How are we on finding their location?” I ask. He stands up beside me to get attention.

  “I’m still searching,” Kayden pipes in. I nod.

  “Everyone else, I want you to take your families and move them to the compound. We are officially on lockdown,” I announce.

  “Prez,” Tank calls out, making me look up. “How are the watch shifts?” He asks and several of them make noises of agreement. I nod and think for a second.

  “We’ll have tight security, Prospects will be at the front gate and around the gate, but we will have men posted in the compound too,” I tell them.

  “I’ll let you all know more once everyone is in the compound,” I say, “That’s all for today. We’re finished,” I say, slamming the gavel on the table. I watch everyone file out of the room, then I pull out my phone. Scrolling, I find Emerald’s name, hit call, and wait for her to answer. The phone rings five times before it goes to voicemail.

  My eyes flicker to the clock on the wall. 10:42. She should be awake. I ring her phone again with the same result.

  “What’s with people not answering their phones?” I mutter, dialing the Prospect’s number. He knows he’s required to answer when I call. The phone goes straight to voicemail and my heart jumps into a gallop. Jumping out of my chair, I rush out of the room and out to the parking lot.

  “Sniper, Drax, and Ink with me!” I yell, straddling my bike. They all do as I say and I rev the engine, taking off, scraping the gate as it opens, and spe
ed towards Emerald’s apartment. We speed down the road, and I call Emerald again. Voicemail… again. I curse and speed up.

  My stomach is in my throat as I skid into the apartment lot. I jump off my bike, pull my pistol, and run into the building. I take the stairs two at a time and slow down when I reach Emerald’s floor.

  “Prez, what’s going on?” Sniper asks, stopping behind me as I reach the hallway Emerald lives on. I glance back at him.

  “Emerald isn’t answering her phone, and the Prospect didn’t either,” I answer. He nods and pulls his gun out. I see Ink and Drax pull their guns out and nod to me. My breathing is ragged as I creep down the hallway. The first thing I see is the dead body on the floor.

  “Check him. I’m going in,” I tell them, knowing that one will listen and two will back me up. Ink kneels, placing his fingers on the Prospects neck while Sniper and Drax follow me in.

  Looking around, I see no one and no sign of struggle inside. “Emerald!” I call out. No answer. I flick the safety on and store my pistol waistband. Drax splits off to go to the small kitchen, and Sniper heads to the kid’s room. I head into Emerald’s room.

  “Emerald? Are you here?” I yell out. My heart pounds against my ribcage, and I feel like it’ll pound right out of my chest.

  “Prez, no one's here,” Sniper says, coming into the room, “Not even the kids.”

  The kids.

  “Where are they?” I roar, my fist colliding with the wall. The clock falls off the wall, and I growl in anger. “Send men out to find her!” I order. “Now!” Sniper and Ink head out of the room.

  “Reece! Rosaleigh!” I yell. I turn to Drax and point out of the room, “Find them! Go!” I yell. He runs out of the room. I look around. What would Emerald do with the kids if someone broke in?

  A sniffle catches my attention and I turn to the closet. Of course. “Reece? Rosaleigh?” I call out, my voice softer than before. I hear a whimper and walk to the closet. Slowly, I open the door and see the kids’ feet. I drop to my knees. “It’s me, Dominic,” I say in a calm, soft voice.