Logan: New Crusaders MC (13 page)

“He needs fluids,” Sam told her.  “We don’t exactly have an IV, though.”  He handed Nicole a bottle of water.  “You think you can get him to drink some of this down?”

“Of course.”

“Thanks.  I’m gonna go wait for the doc, try to brief him.”

Nicole touched Sam’s arm.  “Thank you.”

He nodded at her and left the room.  Nicole uncapped the bottle of water and went to Logan.  She lifted his head carefully, letting it rest on her arm.

“Logan?  Baby?”

He grunted and opened his good eye.  “Hey,” he said, trying for a smile.

“You need water,” she told him.

“Yes I do.”

She lifted his head a little more and brought the bottle to his lips.  He coughed and spluttered at first, but then he managed to drink some.  She stopped every time he winced, knowing even this small movement was hurting him.  Little by little, he managed to drink down the whole bottle.  By then, the doctor had arrived.  An older man she hadn’t seen before.  Sam introduced him as Reno.

“It could be worse,” Reno said on a sigh.  He looked at Nicole.  “How’s your pop?”

“My dad?  He’s fine, thanks.  How did you…”

“I was the one Logan called to fix him up.”

“Oh.  I didn’t know.  Thank you so much.”

“Save it, hon.  I just like to double check my patients are still alive after they leave my care.”

Reno stepped forward with his medical bag and began inspecting Logan’s wounds.  He gave Logan a shot of something, then got to work.

It was a long and horrifying process.  Logan had broken ribs and a fractured cheekbone, not to mention numerous cuts and bruises.  Reno did his best to patch him up.  Whatever he’d given Logan earlier, it must have been a painkiller, because he barely seemed to feel what the doc was doing.

“You should stay with him,” Reno said, pulling off his gloves.  “When that morphine wears off, he’s going to be in a lot of pain.  Might want to keep a bottle of ibuprofen on hand.”

“I’ll find some.  Thanks, Reno.  For everything.”

He offered her a tired smile.  “I’d tell you that Logan needs rest and time to heal his wounds, but I don’t think it’d do a lot of good.  In all my years of doing this work for the Crusaders, they have never once listened to me when I told them to take it easy.  Good luck, honey.”

With that, he left.  Nicole went to Logan’s side and took one of his hands into hers.  He opened both eyes – the swelling in his face had gone down – and looked at her.

“Thanks for coming for me,” he whispered.

“Like I’d just leave you to die,” she replied, shaking her head.  “You scared me, Logan.”

“I’m here now,” he said, doing his best to squeeze her hand.

Nicole bit her lip, then said what was on her mind. 

“Cork says I’m your old lady.”

“Cork is right,” he said without hesitation.  “Unless you got a problem with it?”

Nicole shook her head.  “No problem.  Except that means I’m going to live every day worrying that you’re gonna get your ass handed to you again.”

“Hey!” he said, wheezing out a laugh.  “I was outnumbered.  In a fair fight, none of those guys could’ve taken me.”

Someone knocked on the door.  Logan called for them to come in, but didn’t let Nicole release his hand.  The Crusaders began trickling into the room, keeping their distance from the bed so they wouldn’t crowd Logan.

“You feeling better?” Sam asked.

“Like a million bucks,” Logan croaked.  “Cork back yet?”

“He’s on his way,” Yancey said.  “Just texted.”

“We’re still doing the run tomorrow,” Logan said.  “Tell me when Cork gets here.  Then we’ll go over the plan.”

“You got it, boss,” Sam said.

If anyone had a problem with Sam calling Logan “boss,” they didn’t say anything.  Everyone filed back out, leaving Nicole alone with Logan again.

“What run?” she asked immediately.

“Guns.  Up north,” he replied.

“After all that’s happened, you’re sending them on a run?” she asked.  “Is that safe?”

“Safe as it can be,” Logan said.  “We need this deal.  Can’t back down now.”

Nicole ran her hand over his forehead.  She wanted to protest, but all she could think was how brave he was.  She was proud of him.

This is my life now
, she thought with resignation. 
I’m going to go to sleep every night wondering if the next day my man’s gonna get himself killed.

“You’re going to go with them, aren’t you?” she asked.

“Yep.  I’ll be able to ride by tomorrow night.”

“But in the meantime you’re gonna rest, right?” she said.

He smiled at her.  “Yeah, baby.  I’m gonna rest.”

Nicole watched his face as his eyes closed and sleep took over.  She didn’t want Logan to be in constant danger, but this was the life he’d chosen.  There was nothing she could do to change it.  All she could do was love him to the best of her ability and pray that they would both live to see old age.

Pain.

Lots and lots of pain.

Logan felt better now that the doc had come, but he was still aware that almost every part of his body was throbbing.  Fresh stitches on his face, broken ribs, busted knuckles.

But he was alive.

His girl was alive.

He was going to keep fighting.

Nicole stayed with him while they waited for Cork, never letting go of his hand.  He was starting to wonder how he’d ever lived without her.  She was so strong.  So perfect in every way.  And more than he deserved.

A slight commotion outside the door announced Cork’s arrival, but then everything went silent.  Maybe Cork was talking.  Logan waited.  He was probably catching them up on what had happened back at the clubhouse with Nicole.  He was sure Nicole hadn’t had time to give them the full story when she’d first arrived.  He’d been bleeding in the backseat, so she would have made the call to postpone story time.

After a couple minutes someone knocked at the door again.  It was Cork.  He nodded at Logan when he saw him.

“You okay?”

“Healthy as a horse.”

Cork let the rest of the club into the room.  Nicole seemed to sense that she was caught in the middle of club business, and she retreated from the room.

With a great deal of effort, Logan pushed himself into a sitting position.  Then he asked Cork what agreements he’d come to with Wiseman.

It boiled down to money, of course. 
Guns at a discounted rate, and exclusivity on all protection runs, with a fifteen percent take on all successful sales.

“It’s only good until the shit with the Kings is done,” Cork said.  “He wants discounts after that, he’s gonna have to come by and suck our cocks.”

The guys clapped Cork on the back and nodded in agreement.

“Mutual protection still in effect?” Logan asked.

“Yep.”

“That’s something at least.”

“It was in effect when Wiseman had you picked up and beaten to within an inch of your life,” Yance pointed out.  “How do you feel about that?”

“It had to happen,” Logan said.  “Wiseman would never have cooperated with us without retaliation for me breaking Chuck out of their warehouse.  I’m more than happy to take a beating for the club.  This shit, whatever’s going on with the Kings, is more important than my pride.”

As he looked around, he realized he was seeing a lot of nods of approval.  Even Yance looked satisfied with Logan’s answer.

“We all good with Wiseman’s terms?” Logan asked.  “Vote on it.”

Everyone’s hand went up, and Logan nodded.  “Good.  Next order of business.  Guns.”

“We’re still doing the run?” Cork asked.

“Oh, it’s on.  The Kings don’t scare me.  But I’m making a couple changes.  Cork, I want you to get Wiseman to make good on his new deal.  I want extra Iconoclast protection for this run.  All goes well, he’ll get his fifteen percent.  And I’m going with.  I want to personally see to it that these guns get where they need to go.”

“That the best idea?” Sam asked.  “Can you even ride in your condition?”

“I’d ride with two broken legs and a split skull,” Logan told him.  “Any complaints about the plan?”

The room was silent.

“Alright, we’re done here.” 

Logan shifted in his seat, realized he felt completely naked.  For a second he thought he really was naked, and quickly checked to make sure he wasn’t.  He was clothed, thankfully, but his kutte was nowhere to be seen.  No wonder he felt so weird.

“Looking for this?” Cork asked.

Logan looked up and saw that his friend had his kutte with him.  He smiled and reached out for it.

“Thanks.  Feels so weird not having it on already.”

Logan grabbed the leather vest, went to put it on, and stopped cold.  Something had caught his eye.  Something different.  He checked the patch on the shoulder.  It should have said “V. President.” 

It didn’t.

“What… what’s going on?” Logan asked, staring down at the “President” patch.

“Took a vote earlier, when I got back,” Cork said.  “Club needs a president.”

Logan’s heart pounded.  This was way more responsibility than he was ready to take on.  Zeke was supposed to have lived a long life.  Logan was supposed to have had plenty of time to get used to the workings of the club, figure out how to be a leader.  Now leadership was his, and Zeke had left him with a real clusterfuck of problems.

He still remembered bits and pieces of what it had been like for his father, the original president of the New Crusaders.  The old man had tried to hide it, but Logan saw the bags under his eyes.  Joel Kirkwood had new stresses and worries every day.  Club member deaths, retaliation, gun deals, bribes, cops.  The list went on and on.

Logan tried to imagine himself in that position, everyone looking to him.  He didn’t feel like a leader.  But, as he looked around at his brothers, he realized he was okay with that.  He’d figure it out.  This was his family, after all.  If they trusted him, then he wasn’t going to let them down.

“I won’t fail this club,” he announced, making eye contact with every single man in the room, even the prospect.

“We know you won’t, kid,” Yance said.  “Now get that kutte on.”

Logan didn’t hesitate any longer.  He slipped the vest into place, his heart calming a little as the familiar weight settled over him.

A cheer went up as the guys came forward to clap him on his less injured shoulder.  There was a call for booze, and everyone rushed out of the room, towards the bar.  Sam stayed behind to help Logan out of bed.

“Can you stand long enough to get to the bar?” he asked.  “I’ll pour you a beer, and your old lady can see that we didn’t let you die during the meeting.”

“I think I can manage a beer,” Logan said.

It took some effort, but he got off the bed and hobbled out the door.  Nicole was waiting for him.  As soon as she saw him, she rushed over, stopping herself just before she hugged him.

“Should you be standing?” she asked.  “Is that a good idea?”

“I gotta stretch my muscles before the run tomorrow,” he told her.

“The run?  You’re
going
?”

“No choice.  Gotta protect my club.”  He pointed at the new patch on his shoulder.

Nicole saw it and her eyes went wide.  He could see the conflict in her expression, part of her wanting to be happy, and another part wanting to beg him to stay home.  She ended up kissing him long and hard.

“You get killed, and I will drag you back from the afterlife just to kill you again myself,” she said.  “Understand?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Good.”  She allowed herself a smile.  “Congrats on the new patch, baby.”

Sam walked over with three beers in his hands, offering two of them to Logan and Nicole.  They happily accepted, and Sam raised his bottle.

“To the president and his old lady!” he yelled.

The club roared in approval, glasses clanked against each other, and the drinking began.  Logan sipped slowly at his beer.  Nicole took him somewhere to sit down while they drank.

“What’re you thinking?” he asked.

She shook her head.  “For the first time, I’m starting to understand why my dad risked everything by breaking the diner’s neutrality.  A part of me wants to go to the diner and find out all I can about the Kings just so I can tell you.”

“You wouldn’t do that,” Logan said.  “But I appreciate the thought.”

Nicole picked at a loose thread on her jeans.  “For a loved one?  I might just do it.  I think that’s why my dad did it.  He’s always trying to protect me.  He talks a lot about me going to college, says I’m smart enough to get a good education, break away from this life.  Sometimes I think he wants that for me more than anything else.”

“You
are
smart,” Logan told her, though he didn’t like the idea of her leaving.  “Smarter than me, that’s for sure.”

She gave him a wry smile.  “No one was questioning that.  Doing a run in your condition?  When the Kings have all but outright threatened to kill you?  Not the smartest move.”

Logan put his arm around her and placed a kiss on her temple.

“We’ve been dealing guns to the MCs up north for years.  These guys have been loyal, more loyal than some of our other customers.  Plus, no one knows about this job but us and them.  All very hush-hush.  No way this goes south.”

“Then why are you going with?” Nicole asked.  “I know I sound like a whiny kid, but can’t the other guys handle it?”

“They could.  I trust them completely.  But I don’t feel right sitting on the sidelines with this.  They voted me in as their leader.  I gotta live up to that position.”

Nicole leaned against him, and he loved the feel of her there.  Once again, the thought of her leaving pricked at his mind.  He tightened his hold on her.  She wouldn’t go.

Would she?

“How am I supposed to argue with you when you talk like that?” she asked.

“You’re not.” 

He leaned down and kissed her cheek, her jaw, her neck.  She sighed appreciatively, and he knew the conversation was over for now.  He hated to leave her behind on this run, but she had her father to look after.  They deserved some time alone to catch up.

Word got out about the party somehow, and soon people began to trickle into the clubhouse.  Friends and acquaintances, old ladies.  The music was turned up and the alcohol flowed.  Logan wasn’t able to stand for long, but he did his best to make the rounds.  He shook plenty of hands, received congratulatory hugs.  Nicole was never far behind, keeping her hand on his arm in case he needed her to support him.

Logan liked seeing how easily Nicole was accepted.  The guys had already warmed to her, and she quickly won over their friends with her infectious smile.  It was clear the other old ladies respected her.

Everything was going fine until Rachel walked in.  Logan knew things were going to go wrong the moment Nicole and Rachel made eye contact.  He didn’t know what was going to happen, or when it was going to happen.  He only knew it was just a matter of time.

The party was going really well.  Nicole was almost able to forget what the Iconoclasts had done to Logan, and that he was still insisting on going on a run the next day.  With the loud music and constant flow of alcohol, she didn’t have a lot of time to worry.  People she’d never met kept coming up to her to introduce themselves, offer her a hug, congratulate her on Logan’s promotion.

A few more people arrived with giant pans of barbequed chicken, buttered corn, rolls, and coleslaw.  Nicole thought it was overkill, but that was before she saw how much the club members could eat.  Even Logan, who was about two seconds away from passing out, ate his fair share.  Nicole didn’t know if it was good for him to be eating so much, but Reno wasn’t around to stop him.

“Come on,” Logan cajoled her.  “Live a little.  This party is partly for you, you know.”

Nicole had to admit the smell of the food was making her mouth water.  She gave in and loaded up a plate for herself.

They were just sitting down to eat when a couple new people walked in.  Nicole recognized one of them as the blonde from the diner who had been hanging all over Logan.  Then the bitch had the nerve to look over at Logan, her face lighting up when she saw him.  Her expression fell pretty quickly when she saw Nicole sitting next to him, though.  Nicole smiled sweetly as she ran her hand up Logan’s arm.  He knew what she was doing.  She knew he’d seen Rachel walk in.