BITTER SWEET CRAVINGS (The Kingsmen MC Book 6) (14 page)

There’s a thin strip of light at the bottom of the door, and I watch it like a hawk. I don’t have to watch longer than a few seconds, before several shadowed interruptions break the white line of light, heading away from my dark little hiding place.

Please, God, please let me get through this.

Just when I think my prayers have been answered, the dark blotches return. Two of them. And then the doorknob jiggles.

Oh crap!

“What’s in here?” One deep voice, a voice I’ve never heard before, asks out.

A second pair of shadows appears under the door.

“In there? Just a broom closet, I think,” Harris’s unmistakable smooth voice answers his accomplice.

The door vibrates, being pulled. “Why’s it locked?”

Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!

“I-I don’t know. Probably so patients don’t go wandering around near cleaning chemicals? You think the guy went in there?”

Damn Harris!

“You got a key?”

I hear Harris’s snooty little laugh. “I didn’t spend five years in med school to be mopping floors. Of course I don’t have a fucking key!”

“Well go get one! Put all those years of higher education to work, doc, and go find the damn key!” The gritty voice reprimands Harris.

Two of the little shadows disappear and I can tell Harris has done as the other man has suggested. It’s only a matter of time before he finds a janitor to unlock the door, and then I’m done for. There’s no way out other than to wait like a sitting duck.

Or is there?

I reach nervously for the cell phone in my pocket, making sure to turn off the sound before sending out a mass text to everyone I can think of, knowing whoever gets it first will hopefully save my life. Clink, Dana, Vince, Lil’s, T.J., Jean, Sunny… they all get the same message.

CALL 911 WITH A FIRE, A BOMB THREAT, ANYTHING FOR THE HOSPITAL ASAP.

I slip the phone back into my pocket, knowing I’ll have an endless barrage of questions after they’ve done as I ask. I don’t have time for that right now. I have to plan for the worst and be ready to protect myself as best I can.

I reach forward blindly and take hold of a long, thin, wooden handle. It must be a broom… maybe a mop. I know it’s nothing compared to what the guy on the other side of this door has, but it’s all I’ve got right now.

It’ll have to do.

And now… I wait.

CHAPTER TWELVE

DANA

I punch the little C button once more on the calculator, erasing the number that’s broken my heart.

It’s not enough. Even cutting corners and taking out some of the bigger expenses that I really shouldn’t isn’t enough to make it work. I still come up a few thousand dollars short.

Only a few thousand dollars separates me from my dream. A few measly thousand dollars between me and the independence I crave. I throw the pencil down on the tabletop as it’s failed me. No matter how many times I erased and rewrote the lists, making them shorter each time, it was never enough.

I don’t have very many options.

A bank will never give me a loan without collateral. I don’t own anything of value to use to secure the financing, so it’s a dead end. I could never in a million years ask mom for a loan, although I know dad’s life insurance has provided for her pretty well.

Her first reason for giving me a big fat “no” would be that I should just stay and work with her at her own catering business, with promises that one day she’ll turn it over to me when she’s ready to retire. Knowing Regina Griffiths, she’ll
never
retire.

She’ll work herself into every decision, every transaction, micromanage every little detail. It kind of defeats the entire reason why I want to be able to do this on my own. I want to accomplish something on my own terms, to break out of the shadow of being “little Dana” for the rest of my life.

Her second reason for denying me the money if I ever asked, after she’s claimed she’s having a heart attack from the shock of me moving to Chisolm, let alone opening a business there, would be her connecting the dots to figure out why I’ve picked that particular town, and then all hell’s going to break loose between Charlie, mom, and me.

No, thank you.

My only other option is to get a little job around here and continue to save up my money, hoping that by the time it’s enough, the space is still available. It would probably take me about four or five months. Maybe six if I can’t find a job right away.

I let my head fall and leave it resting on my forearms while I wallow. The knock at the door is the only thing to pause my little pity-party.

“I’m coming.”

I open the front door in mere seconds.

“Hey, Dana,” Lil’s whispers. My eyes drop down to the baby she’s holding in her arms and I catch on really quick that the volume level is most definitely on purpose.

I motion for her to come in, tiptoeing around her and the baby to close the door as quietly as I can. When I return to Lil’s, I angle my chin so I can peek under the pile of light brown fuzz that covers baby Charlize’s bow-adorned head to see her plump little lips and chubby cheeks.

I make the universal sound for a cute baby breaking someone’s heart and Lil’s rolls her eyes.

“Don’t let her fool you, Dana. This little girl can raise some serious hell when she’s cranky.”

I’ll bet. Charlie’s only told me stories of both Lil’s and Jay. I’m guessing their daughter has inherited the best from both parents.

“Charlie’s not home,” I apologize, knowing Lil’s has made the trip in vain. “She went to the hospital to check on Sable. Have you heard anything?”

Lil’s adjusts the heavy baby in her arms and shakes her head. “No. Jay says she’s being monitored carefully, waiting to see what, if any, damage she’s left with.”

I breathe slowly. I’ve never met the woman we’re talking about, but I hope by the word “damage” they don’t mean anything too serious.

“Besides,” Lil’s adds, “I didn’t come here to see Charlie. I came to see you, if that’s Okay?”

I’m taken back. Sure it’s Okay. It’s more than Okay.

“Can I get you anything?” I offer.

She holds up her palm. “No, no. I’m fine. Really. Maybe I’ll just put her down for a bit while we talk, though.”

Lil’s walks over to the sofa and sets baby Charlize down on the soft cushions, propped in place by one of the decorative pillows before taking off her purse and sitting down next to her child.

“So, what brings you here then, Lil’s?” I take a seat in the nearby armchair, facing my guest.

I’ve had only a little interaction with Lil’s so far. First, in the hospital when I brought Charlie against her will to see her sister-in-law and friend, recovering after the baby was born and Charlie’s secret had come out.

Then, when Lil’s and the rest of her family stopped by to try to see Charlie, only to have me regretfully turn them away at my stubborn sister’s request. And finally, when I had had enough of Charlie’s pigheadedness and devised a surprise ambush plan to get them all in the same room so they could start to straighten out all of their shit.

All three of those times I had really gotten along pretty well with Lil’s. I may not know her very well yet, but I feel like I do just from all of the stories I’ve heard either from Charlie, and even from T.J.

This world that they live in is very different from the one I come from, but, judging from what I’ve learned so far, Lil’s is at the very heart of it.

“I came to talk to you about your bakery.”

I nearly choke. “My what? How do you know about that?”

I’m not angry. Just confused. No one knows except the realtor, the landlord, T.J-- ahhh. I figure out my answer soon enough.

“I heard T.J. talking to Jay about it,” she sees the hesitation in my eyes, I’m sure. “You see, we all look out for each other, Dana. You’re Charlie’s sister. Not only is she Vince’s daughter, but she’s Jay’s sister, my sister-in-law, Jean’s step-daughter, and Clink’s Ol’ lady. She’s one of us. And… you’re her baby sister. So, you’re one of us, too.”

I tilt my head back in surprise.

“T.J. did the right thing by telling Jay. They’re working out the arrangements to overhaul the place and get it ready for business. I don’t know you very well, but you don’t seem like the type to just let them do that for you. Not yet, anyway.”

She’s right about that. Charlie may be in with all these people, but I’m not. The last thing I would want to do is get myself in deep with a group that I’d owe a debt to.

“So, I’ve got an offer for you.”

I’m intrigued.

The baby coos, and Lil’s immediately reaches in her bag of tricks for a little animal-shaped binky, pressing it to the baby girl’s lips. It does its job and Charlize is quiet once more.

“You don’t know much about me,” she starts, “but I went to college. I actually just graduated a couple of months ago. I took tons of business courses, and got pretty good grades in all of them. I, don’t get me wrong, I love being a mom. I love taking care of my man and my baby girl… but I’m not exactly the type to sit on a couch and watch soaps while eating bon-bons all day. I need something to do. Something that gives me a little bit of independence and security away from the club.”

My eyebrows raise high at that last bit.
Away from the club?

“Is everything Okay?” I’m quick to ask.

Lil’s sees that I may have misinterpreted her words so she’s fast in correcting herself.

“Everything’s great. Right now. But, I know this life Dana. Things can change real quick. My dad’s been behind bars a good deal of my childhood, leaving my mom with no support while raising me and Tiny. The club helped out, did what he couldn’t. I love Jay. I know he’s a good provider. I know he’ll never do anything to intentionally fuck things up, but I also know that sometimes shit just happens.”

I swallow hard listening to her.

“I need to make sure I’m in a position to take care of her,” Lil’s eyes dart down to her baby, “if anything were to happen where Jay couldn’t.”

I breathe deep. Wow. It’s kind of sobering listening to someone admit those kinds of deeply personal things to me.

I nod. “And you think working, having something of your own can do that?”

She smiles. Bingo.

“I have money, Dana. Money of my own,
clean
money that has nothing to do with the club. If anything were to ever go down, the Bakery could never be touched. There would be nothing connecting the two. I can handle some of the business side, leave you to the baking and the catering. It’ll give me somewhere to go, something to do when I’m about ready to lose my mind at home. It’ll give you the help so you don’t have to handle everything yourself. It’s a win-win.”

I bite the inside of my cheek, contemplating the merits of her offer. It’s true that I could use the help running everything. I may be a whiz at whipping up a crème brulee, but put me in front of a spreadsheet and I’m an idiot. There’s also the matter of supervision. While I’m out at catering assignments, who’s left to watch over the shop?

Mom always had me to watch over the storefront while she was out in the field. I’d have to hire a manager and that would really put a dent into my bottom line every month.

I save the most important factor for last, though. The cash. I don’t have it. She does. That alone is enough to make the decision for me.

“Are you sure about this, Lil’s? I mean, are you ready to do this? Do you need to talk it over with Jay first?”

She laughs. “Oh, sweetheart. Just wait till you get to know me a little better. I don’t
need
to talk to Jay. I have my ways. It won’t take long before he suggests the idea to me, thinking he came up with it all on his own.”

Wow. I see the stories must be true.

“Okay. So… let’s say I’m on board with this. What kind of time are we talking about to get rolling?” I know the realtor is just waiting to get his grubby little hands on my deposit check.

Lil’s looks satisfied. “Bank closes at three. Is that fast enough?”

I exhale. Yup, that’s fast enough alright.

I hold out my hand to shake on it, formalizing our agreement when the alerts on both my cell and Lil’s ring out simultaneously. It interrupts not only the end of our first business meeting, but also the baby’s nap as she begins to stir and whine.

It’s from Charlie.

She’s in trouble!

~*~

CLINK

“What the hell do you mean she’s not answering?” Vince bellows out to the room of people anxiously trying their cells.

I’ve called her four times. FOUR. FUCKING. TIMES.

I’ve texted her a half dozen more with the same outcome. No response. I’m not sure what the fuck is going on, but I made sure we did as she asked. I had Leo call in an anonymous bomb threat from one of the throwaway lines. It’s already made the news that they’re evacuating the hospital.

What the fuck has she gotten herself into?

Vince and Jay are busy calling all the brothers in, while still trying to get ahold of my woman. I’m not waiting anymore.

Jay sees me grab my keys and head out, weaving between all the people heading in.

“Bro! Hold up!” he calls to me, but I don’t stop.

He’s caught Vince’s attention, and he slaps his pop’s chest. “We’ll go check it out. You man everything here.”

I’m on my bike, kicking the start, bringing it to life before he even clears the building. I don’t ride out before him. Ever. But these are special circumstances. I’m not about to let some stupid shit like club hierarchy keep me from getting to that hospital a second before I should.

I peel out of the lot, nearly causing an accident as a beat-up grey Toyota slams to a stop to avoid me, screeching its breaks and fish-tailing across the lanes.

I’m racing to the hospital at full speed when the sound of a matching Harley pulls up along side, flanking me. Jay’s caught up and keeps pace, turn for turn until we’ve gotten to the blockade set up by the cops.

The HAZMAT team, the bomb squad and several ambulances are scattered, parked wherever they can between police cruisers. I hear the chopper blades from the news helicopter above. It’s chaos, utter chaos.

Sirens, lights, everywhere I turn there’s something.

“Sir, you need to evacuate the area. We have a suspicious device in the building.” A uniformed officer approaches.

I get off my bike. He notices the height difference immediately and I see his trigger finger twitch, inching closer to his piece in his holster.

“Stop right there, I said you need to evacuate. Don’t come any closer!”

Come on!

“Dude, my Ol’ lady’s in there. She works here.”

He sees my patches, sees my tats. He doesn’t believe a word I’ve said.

“The hospital’s been evacuated. All patients and staff have either been transported or are waiting in the far parking lot to be cleared to re-enter the building. You can go look through the crowd for her, but you’ve got to get the hell away from here. You’ve got two minutes before I book you for trespass.”

Stupid little fucker
.

He doesn’t leave me much choice, though. I suck on my lip in anger, not risking firing off my mouth to him. He’s clearly itching to get his rocks off by cuffing a Kingsmen. Give him something to brag about in that sorry little break room of theirs.