BITTER SWEET CRAVINGS (The Kingsmen MC Book 6) (16 page)

“Done,” I reach forward and help Blue lift the unconscious man onto the gurney and we pull up the sheet to cover him while Jay finishes with his shoes.

“Done,” he finally calls, picking up all the weapons to stash under the gurney as well.

We roll out the stretcher and turn left just as Charlie had instructed us and continue down the hallway until we see her standing with a clipboard.

“Doctors,” she nods to each of us and hands us little face-masks that loop around our ears.

We each put them on, some having more trouble than others. I roll my eyes at Blue and wait until he’s figured the thing out. Stupid, Asshole. My son could have managed the thing in half the time and he’s not even in kindergarten yet.

“This way.” Sugar leads us as we try to look as medically professional as possible.

She swipes her employee badge, setting off a pair of mechanical doors. We move forward and keep our eyes cast down whenever we pass a legit doctor. Most of these people know Charlie and don’t give us more than a quick glance. She’s changed into some scrubs, too, and although she’s not supposed to be working right now, she sure looks like she is.

We stop at a bank of elevators and she scans her badge once more, before pressing a round black button.

We remain silent as we wait for the elevator to arrive. The patient breaks that silence with a deep moan. Charlie snaps her head back and widens her eyes at the man as he struggles to regain consciousness.

Fuck!

“After you, Doctor,” another nurse joins us as the elevator door opens.

Thank God the elevator is empty, but wouldn’t you know it? The nurse steps in right after us. I can feel Charlie start to panic as the door closes, trapping us all inside.

The man on the stretcher moans again, drawing the new nurse’s attention.

“Looks like he’s in a lot of pain,” she states. “Hey, Charlie. I hear you and Dr. Jacobs are going out tonight.”

I widen my eyes and set them on my woman as she nearly falls.

What. The. Fuck?

“U-uh, no,” she stammers on her words. I bunch my fists, grit my teeth, and feel my eye twitching as I wait for her to finish. “I mean,” she laughs nervously, the kind of laugh she gives me when I catch her doing something she doesn’t want me to know about. “I wouldn’t call it going
out
, June. Just two coworkers… being social.
Completel
y innocent and absolutely
nothing
to get worked up about.”

I can tell she’s speaking more to me than the other nurse. It doesn’t do a damn bit of good, though. The semi-conscious man stirs again. I feel the temperature rise about twenty degrees as I begin to sweat in fury.

“Whatever you say, Charlie.” The elevator stops and the troublemaker nurse steps to exit, but stops. “Send me a text and let me know all about it. Have fun!” she says in a knowing way.

Once she’s left and the door shuts securely behind her, I pull my mask off.

“She sayin’ what I think she’s sayin’?” I confront her.

Jay steps in between us, holding me back as I feel my chest swell. “No time for that, brother.”

A loud moan once again calls out and I look down at the man on the gurney as he opens his eyes and stares from one to the next of us, registering he’s in some deep shit.

I feel all the anger that’s built up in me over the last sixty seconds and channel it all into my fist, wailing it down on the lying man’s face, knocking him out cold once again.

Sugar gasps. “You didn’t have to hit him like that!”

Even her brother eyes her, not believing she’s showing compassion for a drug dealing asshole who had every intention of murdering her.

“Oh yeah?” I ask, anger riddled through my voice. “Point me in the direction of
Dr. Jacobs
and I’ll hit him instead.”

The door rings out and opens, clearing the way to the basement parking area. Charlie’s already managed to move her Jeep to one of the first available spots and we ditch the gurney, propping the half-dead man up to toss into the back.

I slam the hatch door shut. “Get your ass in the car, Miss Social Butterfly.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

“Dawson on his way?” Vince asks out to whoever can answer first.

Jay nods, “Called him myself. They’ll be here late tonight.

Our Prez steps up to the man hanging from his wrists, tied in a metal chain from the rafters. “And what about this motherfucker? What’s he got to say?”

I loosen my cramped fist and dunk it into the bucket of ice water, hissing out as the pain hits. I hold it steady waiting for the ice to work its magic and cause the hand to go numb.

The once clear water has turned pink over the last hour as I continuously dunk.

“Not much. His lips are sealed tighter than the vag on a pissed-off wife.” I open my fingers and wiggle them.

“What about the tats?” He circles around my specimen and inspects the many tattoos. “Any clue who he’s linked to?”

I withdraw the battered hand and accept the towel that Trojan hands over to me, wrapping it up tight. “You need me to take over?” he asks me.

I shake my head. “Nah. He’s mine.”

I turn around to face Vince who’s still trying to read the artwork over this man’s bloodied skin.

“I don’t speak Espanol, but I got a good grasp on the word ‘Conquistador’. Pretty sure that’s who he’s with,” I update my Prez.

The mention of the word causes the hanging man to stir, attempting to open one swollen, bloodied eye.

“Ain’t that right, motherfucker?” I step forward and ask him. He grunts and spits on the floor, dangerously close to my shoe.

I drop the towel on the floor and swing hard, not caring about the pain it might cause me because I know it will cause him more. My rings cut up his cheek even more, and the punch is just enough for him to pass out again.

His mouth hangs open and the remnants of a tooth falls out.

My fist goes right back into the ice bucket.

“You’re done here. We’re havin’ church. Clean up and get in there.”

Trojan hands me another towel.

~*~

CHARLIE

“I need to see him,” I plead with Jay.

He holds out his arm, barring me from crossing. “Not right now, Charlie.”

I throw my hands up in frustration. “You don’t understand! I need to tell him. It’s getting late, I’m running out of time.”

“Running out of time for what, sis?” He thinks it’s that easy. He thinks I can just tell him, but I can’t. I know how it will sound. I have to be the one to tell Clink, to his face.

I shake my head in annoyance. He’s stubborn, just as stubborn as I am. He won’t let me in.

The other brothers are filing in, taking their seat for the meeting that’s been called to discuss their options.

Vince walks up behind Jay, “What’s going on?”

Desperate people do desperate things.

“You! I need your help!” I lunge passed Jay and take hold of Vince’s arm. “Please, you need to listen to me.”

His eyes are wide, surprised that I’ve not only used the word
please
while addressing him, but I’ve managed to do it without a single curse word, insult, or flying object.

His free hand reaches up and takes my shoulder. “Anything, Charlie. What is it?”

I look around at all the faces watching our unusual interaction. It’s no secret how much I’ve loathed this man.

“I-I can’t tell you like this, in front of everyone.” I feel the whispers around me.

“Okay. Fine, we’ll talk in private,” he assures me, before leading me over to a corner booth far out of earshot of all the other brothers.

“What is it?” he asks, taking a seat.

I press my lips together, not knowing where to start. “I know what kind of shit you guys are about to get into.”

Vince sits back, “Charlie, you may be my daughter, but you still don’t get to be involved in club business. Leave it to me, the rest of us, and your Ol’ man. We’ll take care of it. There’s nothing for you to worry about.”

“You don’t understand! I’m guessing that man didn’t tell you guys all that much. But there’s someone who can.”

Vince’s eyes light up like a fucking Christmas tree at my revelation.

“What are you talking about, Charlie. Who can tell us the rest?”

I shake my head. “Not until I have your word. You have to swear to me. If you ever hope to have me do anything other than hate you for the rest of my life, you have to swear.”

I’ve laid out my terms.

He eyes me, probably not liking that I’ve given him an ultimatum. I really don’t care at this point. Enough people have gotten hurt over all of this, maybe even killed and plenty more could end up in the crosshairs unless we do something about it.

Clink walks out of the garage that he’s been locked in for the last hour. He’s sweaty, his hand wrapped in a towel, but he looks… calmer, somehow. As if he’s found a way to let off the steam that’s been building.

He spots me sitting at the far end of the room with Vince an he slows his walk, squinting his eyes. I see him mouth something to Jay, and the two of them look just as perplexed as the other.

“Fine. You have my word.” Vince draws me back into our conversation.

I nod. “All right then. There’s this doctor. He’s had a little thing for me for a while and I took advantage of that to make Clink jealous when he came back into town. Well, I happened to see him with the man that is currently being used as a punching bag in your garage.”

Vince’s eyes widen and he sits forward on his forearms.

“I also happened to see them today, and I overheard their plans. He’s with a cartel. He’s mixed up with the doctor somehow. I’m sure he’s got to be blackmailing him or something. The man took a Hippocratic Oath for Christ’s sake. He’s not the type to go around hurting people, selling drugs. He must have gotten mixed up somehow.

“Well, anyway, he kind of thinks we have plans to see each other tonight. At seven. At my apartment. I know I can get information from him, I know I can find out what all this is about. I just need to talk to him. Please. Let me help him. He doesn’t need to get hurt. I know he’ll cooperate.”

Vince sits back again, his forehead furrowed.

“You really think you can get this guy to talk?”

That was oddly easy….

I nod. “Yes. I’m positive. He’s a bit creepy sometimes but he’s not a drug dealer, he’s not a bad guy.”

“Okay. Let’s try it your way. See if we can get him to talk.”

I’m stupefied. He actually listened to me. He actually agreed. Maybe I’ve misjudged him this whole time.

~*~

CLINK

“Over
my
dead fucking body!” I jump up and send my chair flying back.

Vince holds his hand up. “Hold on, Clink. You didn’t let me finish.”

It doesn’t matter. I don’t care what he has left to say. It ain’t happening.

“This douchebag shows up at her place at seven. We know where he’s gonna be. He’s expecting her, but instead… he gets us. We nab him, make him talk and then finish this shit,” he proposes.

“She’s nowhere near the house? She never sets foot inside the same goddamned room as his ever again?” I ask, just to make sure.

He nods. “You really think I would ever let my daughter get close a sick sonuva bitch like that?”

Jay nods to me, seemingly accepting the plan. He may not have known Charlie his entire life like Tiny has known Lil’s, but I know he feels just as strongly about his own sister as that brother feels for his own. If he’s Okay with this, as well as her own pop, then I don’t think we have any other choice.

“Well, it’s six forty. We best be getting a move on. You know she’s gonna hate you for this right?” I ask our Prez.

He rolls his eyes and shakes his head. “That girl’s got a fire in her lit up so bad to hate me, I don’t see it changing anytime soon. But she’s gonna be
alive
  and safe to do all that hatin’.”

T.J. is the first to open the set of double doors and exit, meaning we’ll have to follow behind and break the news to Sugar. She ain’t leaving this place until that walking dead man is gone for good.

I can already see her standing ready for us to include her in our plans, although she has a very different idea of what they’ll be.

Her phone rings and she reaches it while keeping eye contact with me.

“Dana?” I can see her mouth the words.

Her eyes change, her mouth drops open. “Leave-- you leave her alone you sick asshole!”

I run, pushing passed some of the other brothers in my way to reach her. She’s shaking by the time I get to her.

“Don’t touch her! She has nothing to do with this!” Her lips tremble. “Hello? Hello?”

She drops the phone onto the floor.

“What?” I have to shake her to get her to speak. “Sugar, what’s wrong? Where’s Dana?”

“He-- he’s got her. Harris. He has her. He says I need to go, to go alone, otherwise he’ll take her instead.” Charlie drops to her knees. “I can’t let him hurt her. She’s here because of me. She’s my
baby
sister!”

T.J. springs to life behind me. “I’ll go. I’ll kill the bastard myself.”

“Whoa, now!” We all turn to the new voice, the leader of the group who’s just entered the clubhouse. “You boys lookin’ to start the party before we even have a drink?”

Dawson.

He walks in nonchalantly as if he doesn’t have a care in the fucking world, with about eight of his guys behind him and a shit-eating grin on his smug face. “Who we killin’?”

I reach down and help Sugar to her feet. She buries her chin in my chest and I hold her tight.

Vince steps forward, looking to take charge of the situation before these Slayers look to make themselves any more at home in our place. We may have a truce with them right now, but there’s a thing called respect.

“There’s been a new development,” Vince clues in his counterpart.

Dawson snaps his fingers to the prospect behind the bar, signaling a round of drinks for all his men. “Well, skip the foreplay, Papa. I’m a ‘get it in before it’s fully wet’ kinda guy.”

“He’s got Dana,” Charlie whispers.

I smooth her hair. “I know. Baby, I know. Don’t worry. We’ll get her back.”

I watch Vince hash the shit out with Dawson as I hold a crying Charlie.

~*~

CHARLIE

“Please, don’t hate me,” I beg.

He’s asked, pleaded for me to stay, to reconsider. I can’t do it, though. I can’t leave Dana in that guy’s clutches. I was all wrong about him. I thought I could get him to see things clearly, to volunteer to help us with all this, knowing how bad it could get for himself if he didn’t.

I couldn’t have underestimated him any more than I did.

Clink breathes deep. “I don’t hate you, Sugar. I could never hate you. I just… I need for you to listen to every word I’ve said. You have to do everything just as we’ve said to. Otherwise, I’m coming in there, guns blazing.”

I nod, gulping loudly. I know he’s scared for me. I’m more scared, though.

“Ready?” Leo asks, straightening out my necklace that he’s hidden a transmitter, a wire. They’ll be able to hear and see everything that happens once I’m out of view and in the house.

Honestly, though, who’s
ever
ready for shit like this?

I nod my head in agreement anyway.

“Okay. We’ll be right here. I can hear you, I can see you. You’ll be perfectly safe. You remember the code word?”

Oh shit! I know that I know it, but I’m drawing a blank right now. My mind is racing a mile a minute on so many things that I can’t remember the most important one.

“Um… Spaniards? Conquerors?”

Clink takes me by the shoulders, his eyes lock onto mine. “Conquistadors. Say it with me, baby.”

“Conquistadors,” I repeat, in unison with him.

He nods. “You got this. Quick. Simple.”

Nothing about this is going to be quick
or
simple.

I know we have about two dozen pairs of eyes on us right now, including Vince and my brother, but Clink grabs me and kisses me so deep that it causes these stone-cold bikers to blush.

I hold on to him, fearing that it’ll be the last time I feel him, taste him, connect with him. I can’t let myself think this way, otherwise I’ll never leave his arms.

I pull away, my lips still throbbing from the intensity of it, my tongue sore.

Dana. I’ve got to think of Dana.

Jay moves in to give me a hug, “Don’t you go tryin’ anything brave, now. You hear me?”

I laugh nervously. “I hear you, big brother.”

I lock eyes with each of the Kingsmen and they nod. I even catch this new guy Dawson staring at me curiously. He’s got some of the most intense eyes I’ve ever seen. They’re like a wolf’s. Waiting, stalking. It makes me a little uneasy.