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Scooby
About half an hour after leaving Rowan, I found her in the great room, curled up on the corner of one of the sofas, watching the kids play pinball, a drink in her hand with Lord at her feet. She was alone, but she was smiling and appeared to be relaxed. I made my way to her, leaning down to kiss her before sitting down. “Hey, baby.”
“Hi. You feeling better?”
“Much. Nothin’ better than a little green to make all the pain go away.”
She chuckled. “I bet.”
“Can I get you anything? A beer or a burger? I assume you haven’t suddenly become an overnight vegan or anything, have you?”
“I was a vegetarian for a while,” she said, her nose crinkling. The tell-tale sign she was about to hit me with one of her horrible puns.
“Oh, yeah?” I braced myself.
“It was a big missed steak.”
“I think maybe I’m the one who needs that beer.”
She chuckled. “You ready to let me look at that bandage now?”
“It’ll keep,” I said. “Why are you sittin’ here alone?”
“I just needed a little reprieve,” she said. “Don’t get me wrong, your friends are great, they’re just...”
“A lot.”
“Yeah. I just needed to decompress.”
“You coulda texted me.”
“If I’d felt like I needed to, I would have.”
“Good.” I grinned. “You wanna head up?”
“No, I’m good. This is fun.” She leaned against me. “Unless you want to.”
“Nope. This is perfect.” I wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close.
“So, you live here full time?” she asked.
“Yeah.”
“You don’t want a place of your own?”
“Scrappy and I owned a place together. Couldn’t go back after he died. Sold it.”
“Oh, honey, I’m sorry.” She snuggled closer.
“It’s just easier to live here. I pay my dues, throw down a little for rent and I don’t have to deal with upkeep on my own place.”
“I get that.”
Stoney’s kid, Felix came running over with a wave. We all called him Fox. I wasn’t sure why, it had been his nickname long before anyone knew he existed. “Uncle Scooby, do you want to play?”
I pointed to my head. “I can’t tonight, bud.”
“Oh, no, what happened?”
“Had a little accident, but it should heal quickly. Just got a headache. We’ll battle in a few weeks, okay?” I promised. “Did you meet Rowan?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Fox helped me feed Lord,” Rowan said.
“You did?” I asked.
“Yes. He was super hungry,” Felix said.
“He sure was. Fox made sure his water bowl was filled,” Rowan said. “And then showed me where I could take him outside safely. He was a huge help.”
“Good job, buddy,” I said. “How about I take you to laser tag when my head’s all healed up?”
Felix’s eyes widened. “Really?”
“Yeah, sure.”
“Awesome!” Felix pumped his fist in the air before turning and rushing over to his dad. Stoney gave me a chin lift and I returned it with a grin and our agreement was made.
“I take it you like kids?” Rowan asked.
“I like Fox,” I said. “Actually, I like all of my brothers’ kids. Most kids, though, bug the shit out of me.”
Rowan smiled. “Sounds like that’s not really true.”
“Maybe not.” I chuckled. “What about you?”
“I love kids,” she said, snuggling closer. “I want a ton.”
“Like, as in, a metric?”
“Well, considering I might weigh a metric ton carrying one of yours, then yes.”
I lifted her chin. “You wanna have my baby, Twinkles?”
“Yeah, Frankie, I absolutely want to have your baby. Not right now, but eventually, definitely.” She smiled. “You gonna make that happen for us?”
“Fuck, yeah, I’m gonna make that happen for us.”
“Glad to hear it.” She leaned up slightly and kissed me gently before settling her head back against my chest.
“Scoob.”
“Yeah?” I looked up to see Sundance walking through the great room, his face was ashen, and I knew something was very, very wrong.
“You gotta come, brother.”
I frowned, standing, and following him out to the front porch. I noticed Boner climb on his bike and ride toward the front gates just as my mother’s car pulled up to the front of the cabin.
“What the fuck?” I breathed out.
Squeaker slid out of the driver’s seat and rushed to the passenger side. He’d been on gate duty, which meant, no leaving the guardhouse for anything other than an emergency. “Your mom’s hurt.”
“Jesus.” I flew down the steps and shoved Squeaker out of the way, ripping open the door. “Mom?”
I barely recognized her. Her face was swollen and covered with blood, and her clothing was dirty and torn. She let out a quiet moan, and I reached in to gently lift her out of the car, but I didn’t get far.
“Don’t move her,” Needles ordered from behind me, and I scowled at him as he laid a hand on my shoulder. “I need to assess her injuries first.”
“I kinda moved her already,” Squeaker admitted. “She drove here like that. I wasn’t about to let her go any further.”
“Fucking hell,” I hissed.
“Crew.” Rowan’s soft voice slid over me as she wrapped her fingers around my arm and tugged gently. “Let Needles help.”
I let her pull me away and Needles assessed my mother’s injuries while a couple of the recruits brought out a gurney and a backboard.
“We need to get her inside where I can dress these wounds. I’m also gonna need to surgically set her arm,” he said.
“Shouldn’t she go to a hospital?” Rowan asked.
“No,” Mom rasped.
“Mom, who did this?” I demanded.
“You’re a nurse, right?” Needles asked Rowan.
“I am. Well, I was.”
“Any surgical experience?”
“Ah... well, yeah. A lifetime ago,” she hedged.
“You still current?”
Rowan looked up at me and I gave her a squeeze. “All in or all out, baby.”
She licked her lips, then faced Needles. “Yes, I’m still current on all my licenses. I can assist you in whatever you need.”
If we had time, I would have kissed her right then and there. Instead, I said, “I’ve got Lord.”
“Follow me,” Needles said, and Boner and Squeaker wheeled my mother inside as Needles led Rowan down to his clinic at the back of the cabin.
* * *
Rowan
I steeled my nerves as I followed the club’s resident medical professional down the hallway. I had no idea exactly how this man could operate on a woman in the back of a cabin, but as I’d told Scooby, I was all in, so I needed to hold back my judgement until I had all the facts.
I was shocked to find a full surgical suite. One that rivaled the most modern and state of the art hospitals in the country.
“Wow,” I breathed out.
“Not what you were expecting, huh?” Needles said.
“No,” I admitted. “Sorry.”
He grinned. “It’s fine, sweetheart. It’s not something we want anyone to know about.”
“What can I do?”
“I’ve called in a buddy to help with anesthesia, but in the meantime, I need to get some x-rays and handle her pain. If you can get a central line in, that’d be great.”
“I don’t even know her name,” I rasped.
“Jill,” Needles said. “And she’s special to all of us, so we’re gonna take extra care, okay?”
I nodded and went about washing my hands, centering my thoughts, and calming my mind, my years of training and experience kicking in.
* * *
Scooby
I paced the great room, dragging my hands down my face. Needles’s doctor buddy had arrived over an hour ago, and I was crawling out of my skin. “What the fuck’s takin’ so long?”
Before anyone could answer, Rowan came walking down the hallway. I met her halfway and pulled her in for a hug. Lord was right by my side, obviously feeling my worry.
“Is she okay?” I asked.
“Yes, she’s good, honey. The surgery to repair her arm went beautifully and the x-rays showed a few fractured ribs, but nothing that won’t heal on their own. She has some contusions and lacerations on her face, which will also heal on their own in a few weeks. She will need a lot of rest, but otherwise, she’s doing really well.”
“Did she say who did this?”
“No. She was pretty out of it and once we pumped her full of pain meds, she was out. Needles is finishing up, and then they’ll bring her out of anesthesia, and you can talk to her when she wakes up.” She gripped my cut. “But it’s probably going to take an hour or more for her to be lucid. I know this is hard, but you need to be patient.” She stroked my cheek. “She’s good, honey. I promise.”
I let out a sigh and nodded, dropping my forehead to hers. “Thank you.”
“I have to say, this is one heck of a way to meet your mom.”
I smiled with a nod. “No shit.”
“I need to get back in there, but I just wanted to give you an update.” Lord let out a quiet growl, and Rowan hunkered down in front of him. “Thanks for watching out for him.” She kissed his head, then rose to her feet. “Did he go out?”
“Yeah, baby, and I made sure he’s got enough water.”
“Okay, thanks.” She gave me a quick kiss, then made her way back down the hall.
“Brother, let’s go wait in my office,” Sundance suggested. “It’ll be quieter.”
I nodded and followed him down the hall, practically falling into the sofa, smiling when Lord jumped up beside me and settled his head in my lap.
“You wanna tell me what happened with Stanley?” Sundance asked as he leaned against the desk.
“The guy on the news said he killed himself.”
Sundance frowned. “You gettin’ cute with me?”
“Just pointing out the fact that the cops think exactly what I wanted them to think. That Stanley Morter hung himself in his home.”
“How do you know for certain that’s what they think?” Sundance snapped. “Maybe the cops know Morter was murdered and are buying time to look for the real killer. What if a witness comes forward or you were caught on a security camera?”
“I was careful. No one saw shit and the security system was disabled.”
“How did you pull that off?” Sundance asked.
“I figured it out,” I replied.
“Which means Sierra helped you.” He dragged his hands down his face. “Goddammit. I’m gonna have to fuckin’ reel her in again.”
“Don’t get pissed at her. She only helped because I asked her.”
“You shouldn’t have asked for Sierra’s help because you shouldn’t have gone after Morter in the first place.”
“He tried to hire me to kill Rowan. When I refused, he sent two assholes, which we intercepted, then this Gary Barnes guy, to do the job. A real fucking animal. I should have put him down too, but Rowan wouldn’t let me.”
“I know, Needles gave me the whole story. He said you crippled the guy for life.”
“Are you really jacking me up about this right now? After what just happened to my mother? Why the fuck do you care so much about me handling two scumbags? You act like this club has never shed blood before.”
“I don’t give a single shit about Stanley Morter or the guy you sliced up. I care about you. And this wasn’t blood spilled by the club it was blood spilled by you alone.”
“You’re angry because we didn’t take a vote?” I bellowed. “He was gonna kill Rowan and I wasn’t gonna just wait around for that to happen. We still have the fuckin’ attorney out there in the wind who could make some serious trouble for her.”
“I suggest you watch your tone,” Sundance said.
“What the fuck do you expect me to do? Sit around on my ass and do nothing?”
Lord responded on my behalf by letting out a low growl.
“You said it, pal,” I said to the dog.
“That fuckin’ dog has more sense than you, I swear,” Sundance said.
“I should have come to you. You’re right,” I said.
“I could have talked you down. Talked you out of killing him.”
“That’s why I didn’t come to you. I didn’t want to be talked out of it. I needed for Rowan to be safe. I needed him dead.”
“No. You wanted him dead. There’s a big difference.”
“Is there?”
“There sure the hell is, and you not knowing the difference puts the club at risk.”
“You act like I was flying a flag that night. I told you I was careful. I left my cut at home, and no one saw me.”
“So, what about your mother?” Sundance asked.
“What about her?”
“Could it have been Morter who was behind her attack?”
“Not unless he set it up from beyond the grave or before he sent that goon after Rowan.” I shrugged. “I guess it’s possible, but I don’t know. He found me, knew my account details, it wouldn’t be too far of a leap to assume he could find my mother.”
“Who was watchin’ him?”
I scrubbed a hand over my forehead. “No one,” I admitted.
“Jesus, Scooby.”
“Yeah. Not my finest hour.”
“Right. I’m gonna let this slide for the moment,” Sundance said. “But when Jill’s outta danger, you and I are gonna have a sit down, because runnin’ off half-cocked like that was the dumbest fuckin’ thing you’ve done so far!” His voice raised slightly but not enough to shake the room, which was normal when he was pissed. “I need to know you’re not gonna do the same thing when you find Li’L Frisco,” Sundance warned.
My eyes met his, but I said nothing.
“You think I didn’t know about the little birds you have perched all over the city? What kind of MC president do you think I’d be if I didn’t know about shit like that? Besides, I know you. I know you want his blood more than anything, but I need you to promise me that you will not go after Li’L Frisco before talking to me. The peace agreement the Howlers have with the Kings depends on how things play out with that kid.”
I nodded but stayed silent.
“I mean it, Scoob. Promise me.”
I looked directly at Sundance and lied, “I promise.”
Sundance could take my patch, the cops could arrest me, the courts could put a needle in my arm, I didn’t give a shit. I would give my brother the justice he deserved. The man who killed him was going to die by my hand.
* * *
Rowan
Jill’s quiet moan alerted me to the fact she was coming to. Her shallow breathing, however, alerted me to the fact she was in a great deal of pain.
“Jill?” I whispered, checking her pulse. “If you can open your eyes, I can get you some pain meds, but I need to see those irises.” I leaned over her. “Crew really needs to know that his mama’s okay.”
Her eyes fluttered, but I knew it was going to take a little more effort to come out of her sleepiness. Needles walked in and stepped to the other side of her.
“Still out?” he asked, measuring some fentanyl into a syringe.
“She’s coming to,” I countered with a smile. “Just not completely ready to commit.”
Needles touched her arm. “Jilly Bean. Need you to wake up for me, sweetheart.”
She moaned as her panting began again. He didn’t wait for her to completely come to, just plunged the painkiller into her IV.
She relaxed immediately, and he squeezed her arm gently. “Okay, honey, I’ve given you something good, but you still need to wake up for me. If you don’t open your eyes, I’m gonna kiss you.”
Her eyes flew open immediately and she scowled at him. “Eddie,” she rasped.
“Hey, beautiful.” He chuckled. “Figured that’d get your attention.”
“What if she hadn’t opened her eyes?” I challenged.
“I’m no Prince Charming, Rowan.” He grinned.
“He’s also well aware that kissing me without consent would be assault,” Jill muttered.
Needles raised an eyebrow. “Oh, I don’t know, you liked it before.”
“Shut it,” Jill hissed. “Ow.”
“Careful,” Needles warned.
“Are you thirsty?” I asked.
She nodded, so I poured her some water and raised her bed, helping prop her up with some pillows.
“You up to seeing Scooby?” Needles asked Jill.
“Yes.”
“You’re gonna have to talk to Sundance at some point,” Needles said, squeezing her arm. “It can wait a few. But not long.”
She closed her eyes but gave a slight nod. “I know.”
“I’ll get Scooby,” I offered.
“He’s in Sundance’s office,” Needles said. “Third door on the right.”
I nodded and made my way out of the room, knocking on the third door on the right. I heard Lord’s quiet bark just as Scooby pulled the door open. “How is she?”
“She wants to see you,” I said, and Scooby nodded.
“Is she okay?”
“She’s doing well.”
“Thanks, Rowan.”
I nodded and watched him walk down the hall and into the clinic.
