Blizzard (The Brotherhood Journals #1) (27 page)

“How much pull do you have in town?” Op asked as we sped through the streets. Rose was in and out of consciousness. I hugged her to my chest, smoothing my hand through her hair, more to calm me than anything.

Skins turned a sharp corner and I pressed myself against the door. He’d brought a couple of brothers to take our bikes and picked Op and I up in a van, so we could get Rose some help and fast.

“There’s a private hospital in town. We have a lot of influence there so no need to worry.” He slammed on the brakes, nearly missing a car before flooring it again through the intersection. “Lane’s already there. One of the boys caught Slider before he called for an ambulance.”

I grunted as he swerved again. “We’d like to make it there alive if possible.”

He just laughed, as though I was making a joke.

I fucking wasn’t.

I few reckless maneuvers and sliding corners later we pulled up outside what looked like a nice motel. Two women were waiting at the front entrance with a stretcher and they rushed to the car.

“She’s lost a lot of blood from a wound in her forearm,” Skins informed them, leaping out and running around to open my door. Optimus followed suit, scrubbing his hand through his short hair and staring at Rose worriedly. “There's a deep contusion to her collarbone. Other injuries seem artificial, but she could have head trauma.”

I climbed out and the nurses were on me immediately, helping me to place Rose on the gurney.

“You a doctor?” Op asked Skins as we followed them inside.

He shook his head. “Did time as an EMT, I know what it is, but I let them fix it.”

The small waiting room was filled with men and women, ours and theirs. It was always a lot quicker through streets on a bike, easier to weave through traffic.

I tried to follow them through two large double doors, but Op pulled me back. “Let them do their job.” His face was blank as he stared at where they had disappeared. It was only a few months ago that he was going through this exact predicament with Chelsea after we’d found her and Rose in Marco DePalma’s basement.

I shook him off but began to pace.

“Any news on Lane?” he asked as Judge and my mom moved over to us, hugging each other tightly.

Judge shook his head. “Hoping to hear something soon. It’s been over an hour since they took her back there.”

Op flicked his head, indicating for us to move further away from the others. Judge followed but my mom just gave me a sad smile before returning to a small group, of who I assumed to be old ladies.

“The cops… how much trouble are we going to have?” Op asked quietly.

“Depends. We have connections. We’ll do what we can, but we’ll make sure none of it comes back on you,” he said, his face stony. “You leave anyone breathing?”

“Edge,” I said dryly. “Not sure how long he’ll be that way, though.”

“My advice would be to get out of town and lay low.”

I scoffed. “Not leaving my girl here without me.”

He scratched at his beard but bobbed his head. “You’re welcome to stay with us for as long as you need.”

I looked up just as a lady doctor walked into the room, she didn’t seem shocked by the amount of bikers crowding the small space, and I knew instantly that she must be used to it. “Delaney?”

Light jumped from his seat and Judge gave us a quick nod before rushing over to meet the doctor. They talked quietly, my mom burst into tears and Light clenched his fists at his side, his chest puffing in and out like he was struggling to breathe.

Hearing the doctor tell them that they could see her, I released the breath I’d been holding.
She was okay.
Maybe not completely, but she was alive. I can only imagine that what she’d been through was traumatic and something a teenage girl should never have to go through—something no one should ever have to go through. But she’d made it out the other side and I felt relief that I’d still get the chance to meet my sister.

I felt weird, finding out I had a sister had been a shock. I’d been angry. But the feeling that I needed to protect her was instant. She was my blood and no matter what my mom had done, it wasn’t her fault.

“We need to get out of here soon. You gonna be okay here by yourself?” Op asked, placing a strong hand on my shoulder.

“Yeah. I ain’t leaving her now,” I told him, my conviction strong.

I wasn’t leaving her now, or ever.

“Call me later.”

I watched as he gathered my brothers and had words to Skins, who ended up leaving with them. My brothers all lifted their chins as they walked out the doors—a sign of support. A sign that they’d be
got to be fucking love.do the same fucking thing for me.
aightl alive, even if barely. knife fell from in
there for me, and for Rose, no matter fucking what.

It was my brotherhood. It was what kept us strong when a normal man would fall and crumble to his knees. We didn’t hold a grudge when a brother was in need. We didn’t make them feel stupid for asking for help. We didn’t look down on each other when someone broke. We helped them to stand, and forced ourselves under them and held them up if they couldn’t do it on their own. We found a way to support our brothers. No matter what was at stake.

It made me relax a little, knowing that they would be there when I called. And that no matter what happened with Rose, my family—our family—would have our back.

Ham jogged in a second later and tossed me my cell phone. He’d been left at the house in case something had gone wrong. I dropped myself into a chair, a little away from the rest of the men and women who were still milling around, waiting for more news on Lane, but still close enough to catch the doctor when she came out.

I turned my phone on and a couple of messages popped up, both from Chelsea. Everyone knew we were off the grid so I was surprised. I opened it up, there was a small video so I pushed play.

Chelsea’s face appeared with a broad smile. “I know you’re busy, but this one wouldn’t go to bed until she sent you something.” I frowned, confused. That was until Jayla’s face popped onto the screen. “Go ahead, sweetie,” Chelsea prompted.

Jayla screwed her nose up and her eyes wandered like she was searching for words. “Miss you.” Her quiet little voice sent tingles through me and my heart leaped. The attachment that I’d formed with her was hard to explain, but it seemed to be getting stronger. Especially since she’d met Rose. She sat quietly for a moment before I noticed her little lip begin to quiver. “Home soon?”

“Aw, Jay.” Chelsea wrapped her arm around Jayla and turned the camera so it faced her. “She needs you. Be safe.” She blew a kiss and then she was gone.

It seemed Rose hadn’t been the only one able to dig her way beneath my skin because this little girl had burrowed in right next to her.

The other message was just a picture. Jayla and Harlyn flipping through my collection of bike magazines that I kept stacked on the shelves in my room. Chelsea sent a message with it saying
‘They’ve already picked out the one they want.’

I had to laugh, catching the attention of everyone in the room. I didn’t care, though. This kid made me happy. Rose made me happy. And I was sick of fighting against shit because I was scared of getting hurt again. People got hurt, it was time to move on and just let myself live for the moment.

“Rosalie?” I heard the doctor call.

I shot up out of my seat, dropping my cell phone. I picked it up and practically ran to the doctor.

“She all right?”

“She’s had a lot of trauma—”

“Just tell me if she’s going to be okay?” I snapped. I just wanted to know, that was all. Anything else we could deal with in the long run, but I needed to know if she was okay.

The doctor smiled softly. “Yes, she’ll be okay.”

I wanted to drop to the floor, but I forced myself to stay upright, hoping the doctor’s next words would be that I could see her. She must have read my mind, or I was talking out loud. I didn’t care.

She held out her arm. “This way.”
on her face and her

1

I stood in the doorway and smiled.

Rose sat on my bed, Jayla tucked up under her arm as they read a book.

The sight made my heart soar.

Rose was still hurting, but we were back at the clubhouse, back home. Neither of us could wait any longer to get back, and Rose had braved the nearly four-hour car ride with the side effects of a concussion, ten stitches and bruising to her ribs and various other places.

She’d got off lightly as far as I was concerned. It could have been so much worse, but I had blocked those thoughts out, thankful she made it out alive.

We’d only spent one night in Arkansas before making the trip home to Athens. The local news over there had reported signs of a gang war, with multiple deaths.

The police came to question Judge and his boys, saying a neighbor had spotted men in motorcycle club vests, but there were more than enough witnesses who verified seeing Satan’s Sanctuary members in town during the time it all went down.

They claimed they would be in touch, but they seemed uninterested in hunting down the culprits. After what the Vicious Vultures had done to terrorize the town, I didn’t blame them for turning a blind eye.

The fuckers were gone, that was all that mattered.

We weren’t sure what the blowback would be from it all. I didn’t want to underestimate the enemy, but as far as they knew, the Vultures didn’t have a huge support base behind them. Edge had confirmed that himself during his time with Rose.

Judge had brothers coming into town from another chapter, just in case something happened, and he had us on speed dial. He seemed pretty confident that they could hold their own from here on out, though, and from what I’d seen he knew what he was doing.

“I talked to your mom,” Rose said, smiling at me from the bed. Jayla grinned next to her and I couldn’t help but laugh.

I walked over and sat on the edge next to them. “Yeah?”

She nodded. “Just wanted to check to see how Lane and Light were.”

“And?”

She sighed, and I didn’t miss it when she pulled Jay a little closer to her. “They are heartbroken. Lane was further along than they thought. It’s so sad.”

Jayla patted Rose on the leg and looked up at her with a smile. “Need a hug?”

Rose giggled. “I would never say no to a hug from you, little one.”

Jay scooted up and wrapped her tiny arms around Rose’s neck. She was gentle, though, knowing she had to treat Rose with soft touches while she was still healing.

I stood up and held my arms out. “How about we let Rose rest a little, and I take you to find Harlyn?”

She gave Rose a quick peck on the cheek and turned, launching herself into my waiting arms. I caught her with ease, shifting her to my hip. “I’ll come back.”

“She be okay?” Jay inquired, her little eyebrows pinched in the middle. I’d never heard the little girl talk as much as she had since Rose had arrived. She was more confident too, asking questions and laughing with people.

I brushed her hair back from her face. “Yeah, squirt. Rose will be okay.”

She relaxed a little, her faith in me and what I told her was obvious.

We still hadn’t quite figured out what had happened to Jayla. There hadn’t been any more nightmares or little comments that hinted at a tormented past like that day at the lake. I knew there was something, but as long as Jay was happy and healthy, my instincts told me not to go looking for trouble.

Lucy was MIA. Kat had assured us that she’d spoken to her and she was okay, but wouldn’t be returning anytime soon. So she’d suggested they find her a replacement at X-Rated.

I’d already made the decision to keep Jay with me.

The clubhouse may not be the best place to have a child. But Leo and Op did it every day, and as far as I was concerned the more people around to love and care for this little girl the better. There was another court date coming up in a few months and I would be fighting with every fiber in my body to claim custody of her. I hadn’t talked to Rose about it yet, but I wanted a house, and I wanted her and Jay to live there with me.

It was non-negotiable.

I’d fucked around for long enough. It was time to start looking into the future, and from where I was standing it looked fucking bright.

I let Jay wriggle from my arms and she hit the floor running as soon as she spotted Harlyn standing across the room with Sugar. The second I saw the look on Sugar’s face and tears streaking Harlyn’s cheeks, I raced after Jay.

“We’re taking her out of that damn school,” Op stated like it was the final word in the conversation.

“It’s the best school in Athens, and one of the best in the state. She needs to be there,” Sugar protested.

Op stared at her as if she’d suddenly grown two heads. “Did you not hear what your daughter just told you? She’s being bullied, not only by the kids but by the fucking teacher.”

“So we’ll go back and talk to the school. See what we need to do to help her.”

“Because that seemed to work so damn well the last few times you went down and talked to them, huh?” I interjected. “Go down there, have a chat, the school promises to help Har so you’ll keep paying them a shitload of money, and the next day nothing is different.”

I grabbed both Jay and Harlyn’s hands and pulled them toward me. Harlyn was confused and crying as she looked between two parents that usually had a great relationship. I tucked her into my side and she clutched my leg, Jay doing the same on the opposite side.

“This doesn’t involve you, Blizzard,” she sneered.

I was taken aback by the tone in her voice. We’d always gotten along just fine, better than fine actually. She was like a sister to me.

This was new.

“Every man and woman in this club cares about Harlyn, Sugar,” Op’s tone had calmed now, but his words were just as deadly. “If Har is being hurt, not one of us is going to sit idly by and let that happen. She’s your fucking daughter. How can you stand by and let those snobs down at the school do that shit and get away with it?”

Her face sunk. “It’s because of the club that she’s getting bullied. Always… the fucking club.”

Op’s face mirrored my own, both our eyes bulging at her comment. I saw her gaze flick to the doorway where Wrench stood, leaning against the frame, seemingly unsurprised by her outburst.

I knew then this was more than just problems at the school. Something had gone sour and she was looking for a reason to dump on the club. I silently shook my head, Sugar was usually so smart, so down to earth. But since she’d been back, things had started to change. She was making stupid decisions and not considering the consequences. I wondered what could possibly be going on in her head for her to be losing it so badly.

It couldn’t just be Wrench.

“Get out,” Optimus ordered. His voice was deep and emotionless.

Even Sugar was surprised by his words, but she nodded. Tears falling from her eyes as she reached out her hand to Harlyn.

“Harlyn’s staying here until you get your head fucking sorted and realize you need to do what’s best for your daughter and not what’s best for yourself.” Optimus crouched down and held his arms open. Har looked between both her parents before running to her dad and sobbing softly into his shoulder.

It broke my heart to watch the little girl who was usually so strong, break down.

Sugar placed her hand over her mouth, the tears flowing like a stream now. But she nodded and walked away, slipping past Wrench, who made no effort to move as she squeezed by him and out the door.

I knew how much it must have crushed her to have to walk away and leave her daughter here. But it was best for everyone and I think she knew that. She couldn’t help Harlyn until she helped herself. I just hoped that she came to us before whatever she had going on buried her too deep that she couldn’t find her way out.

Wrench’s eyes met mine and I narrowed my gaze. He shook his head once and headed for the stairs, his shoulder sagged slightly and I knew through all this shit, he was hurting too.

Optimus stood up, cuddling Harlyn close to his chest and rocking her from side to side. “It’s gonna be all good, kiddo.” I saw her nod. She believed in him and she knew he would do whatever it took to figure this all out.