Razor's Edge (Afflictions) (32 page)

 
Thirty-eight

Morgan

Walking into the police station, I see Tryst sitting in a row of chairs by the tall window. Dani is next to him with her head in her hands. As I approach, she looks up. Her face is red and eyes are swollen. She rushes to me, crying.

“I’m so sorry, Uncle
Morg.” She clings to my waist. “I should’ve gone with him.”

Dani
, near that crazy asshole? Hell no. “I’m glad you didn’t.”

“Shouldn’t have listened to Dad,” she sobs. “I should’ve gone with Ben.” She hiccups. “Maybe he wouldn’t be gone.”

It’s not her fault. The adults present should have kept a better eye on him. They both didn’t have to talk to the admission clerks. Tryst could have done that all by himself. My bro’s a fucking moron. “The guy would’ve taken you, too. Don’t blame yourself.”

She lets go of my side and looks down.

I hug her. She doesn’t need to carry this guilt. “It’s not your fault, Dani.”

She nods. “Dad said it was. Said I should have told him when Ben took off.”

I’m going to rip Logan a new one, placing blame on Dani because of his fuck up. “Where’s your dad?”

“He’s in the back room talking to the cops.” Tryst unfolds his arms and stands. His jaw tightens and his fists clench. “Talking isn’t going to do a damn thing. They need to be out there searching for him.” Tryst cracks his knuckles
and heads toward the counter.

A door to the left of the counter swings open and Logan walks out, followed by a man in a charcoal-gray suit. He holds the door open.

Logan’s eyes meet mine and he hangs his head. “Dani, the detective wants to talk to you.” He holds out his hand to her and she takes it.

Yeah, I dare you to look me in the eye. Fucker.

My fists want to hit his face. Anger over Logan’s stupidity makes me want to pummel him, but getting arrested for assault isn’t on the game plan.

When the door closes, Tryst comes back over to me.

“They said they sent cops to check out the places Bebe listed.” He looks back at the cop behind the counter. Tryst growls then glances at me, brown eyes blazing behind his stone cold expression. “That’s not fucking enough.”

“I got an idea. I need your help.” I take out my phone to see if Wiley texted me back. I called him twice on the way over here and got no answer. I sent him a message. Still waiting to hear back. “Where the hell is Wiley?”

“At the hospital.”

I look up at Tryst. “No, he wasn’t.
Bebe was the only one in the waiting room.”

Tryst shakes his head.

Am I missing something?

“Wiley is in the
recovery
waiting room. Bryan was shot.”

My jaw drops. I can’t believe I forgot about the shooting. “Isn’t Lina with him?”

“No. She’s dead.”

Dead? What the fuck!

Shit. From the gunshots to the time I entered the bathroom is all a blur. Seeing Shay in labor broke my funk and I panicked. Now Ben’s gone, Lina’s dead.
Shit. I feel guilty.
As the leader of my band, I should’ve been there for them. I wasn’t. Instead of waiting for Carla to come back from NICU, those two hours, I could’ve taken a minute to see what the hell was going on after the shooting.

I shouldn’t have gotten Shay those backstage passes. What pregnant woman who’s about to pop needs to be at a rock concert? If I wasn’t such a goddamn moron, she wouldn’t have had Carla in a damn bathroom stall and Ben wouldn’t be missing. My idiot brother wouldn’t have been watching him.
Bebe probably would’ve. Hell, as flighty as she is, she’s more competent than Logan. Then I wouldn’t have been distracted after the shooting.

But then Shay would have had Carla without you.

I need to somehow make everything all right. It’s hopeless and all this weight is falling on me. This is too much. I’m on a sensory overload. My chest tightens.

“Dude.” Tryst’s hand lands on my shoulder. “Snap out of it.”

Huh?

“You’ve been zoning out.”

I shake my head.

Tryst arches a brow. “You said you had an idea?”

Oh, yeah right. Get your ass in gear.
“A guy I know has an in with the River Rats.”

“What guy?”

“Rictor.”

“Your drug dealer?” Tryst’s brows narrow and he shoves me. “No fucking way, man. Not
gonna let you see the dude. Shay will cut me a new one if you fall back into that shit.”

“I’m not. Guy owes me and we go way back. Logan knows—”

“Then get Logan to talk to the asshole.”

My cell goes off, and the cop behind the counter points to a sign on the wall stating No Cell Phones.
How about you worry about getting my kid back instead of policing the damn cell phones?
I look down at the number. It’s Bebe. “I gotta take this.”

Before Tryst can say anything, I’m out the door and have my cell pressed to my ear. “Yeah.”

“Sasha called and she was hysterical. Said Gary hit Ben. They’re in a cabin outside Troy. She gave me the address.”

I hold in my growl and look at the police station.

“Why would she just turn him over? Have you called the police?”

“She said she didn’t realize until now why Gary took Ben. She didn’t get to finish telling me the real reason ’cause Gary took her phone. I heard him backhand her. When he got on the line, he told me that if I called the cops he’d ‘kill the little turd’—his words, not mine. He wants to negotiate with you.”

Negotiate?
The only thing we’ll be negotiating is where my bullet is going to go if Ben has one bruise on his body when I roll up. “I need you to do me a favor. Hunt down Wiley in the recovery ward. I need him to call me the hell back.”

“Got it. What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to get my son back.”

“I’ll text you the
addy. It’s a cabin his buddy owns. Be careful.” The line goes dead.

I pocket my phone.

The doors to the police station open and Tryst, Logan, and Dani come out.

“Logan, take
Dani home.”

Logan’s brows pinch. “I thought you want—”

“I wanted you to watch Ben. You didn’t. He’s gone. And Dani needs to go home. So take care of your own.” I head toward Bebe’s bright yellow VW Bug. “You coming, Tryst?”

“How come he gets to go?” Logan shouts across the parking lot.

I snap around. All the anger I’ve been suppressing for the good of not getting arrested or looking like a maniac in front of my niece blows up. “He wasn’t the one in charge of Ben.
You
were!” My hands tremble. I clasp them shut. “I gave you one simple task! Thought you could handle it.” I point my finger at his face. “You fucked up. Now, like always, I’m paying for it. Be a father. Take your kid home. I’ll call you when I find mine.”

Dani
is hiding behind Logan, looking at me as though I’m a stranger. Damn, I didn’t mean to hurt her.
Shit
. She’s never seen me go off on Logan like this. I can’t do anything right.

I get into the cramped Bug and slam the door. After starting the engine, Tryst squishes into the passenger side. He adjusts the seat, like that’s supposed to help. It doesn’t, he still has to bend his neck a little.

“What’s the plan?”

“Pick Wiley up. Stop by my house so I can grab my
Glock. Go get Ben.”

“You know where he is?”

“Yeah.”

“Good shit. One problem.” Tryst has the empty murderous glare in his eyes again. “You’re not killing that motherfucker. I am. You
gotta family. I’ve got nothing to lose.”

 
Thirty-nine

Shay

That shower was what I needed, but I’m anxious to have my baby back. Bebe stepped out to take a call and has been gone for a couple of hours. I couldn’t wait any longer. There is only so long a person can take feeling icky and stinky. I sent Carla with a nurse to the nursery.

I step out of the bathroom in nothing but a towel and the hospital underwear they give you after birth. These things are so damn comfortable.
Maybe I should stash, like, ten of them.

The early light of dawn creeps through the windows of my room.
Where the hell is Bebe?
She was allowed to stay the night here in Morgan’s place and has been awake all night. I should tell her to go home when she comes back. I’m not going to be here all day. Even though I’m in pain, they are releasing me later this afternoon. No reason for her to keep killing herself.

Going through the bag that
Bebe brought me, I take out a red and black jogging suit and quickly dress. I hate hospitals and the afternoon can’t come quickly enough. I want to get home to Ben. He’s sick and needs me. Then again, I don’t want the baby getting sick. Maybe I should prolong my stay. Really milk it. Morgan can take care of Ben.

The door opens and in comes
Bebe, looking like some goddamn vampire. ”Hey, girl. How ya feeling?”

“A little sore. But nothing I can’t handle.”

Her face is a little pale. I hope she didn’t catch what Ben caught. She slumps down in a chair and sighs. Her head hits the back of the recliner, she scootches down a little further and closes her eyes. She’s gotta be exhausted.

“You look tired as hell.”

She opens her eyes, and I swear there is a look of pity in there.

Why would she pity me? “Is something wrong?”

“No.” It comes out more like a squeak and she clears her throat. “I was at the shop all day and pulled an all-nighter. Just need a couple minutes.”

Yeah, she’s getting sick. “You should go. I’m fine. I’ve been in the hospital before. It’s not anything new to me.”

She huffs. “I’m not leaving you. Besides, I want to spend more time with my niece. Is that okay with you?”

No. “You look like death and probably caught what Ben did. I don’t want that around the baby.”

She leans over and puts her head in her hands. “Maybe you’re right. But Morgan order—”

“Since when do you let anyone order you around?”

“Since it involves you.” She looks up at me. “And I’m not sick. Just tired.”

“I still think you’re getting sick.” She has been running herself into the ground lately, so much so that she passed some of her new clients off to me.

She rolls her eyes. “Fine, the next nurse that comes in can check me out. Okay with you?”

I shrug, seeing no reason to argue, then flop back down on the bed. I just need a half an hour of sleep then I’ll ask them to bring Carla back. I yawn and
Bebe does too.

The door flies open and in walks Logan. Alone.

Dani has been so excited about the baby, I thought she’d be with him. “Where’s Dani?”

He runs a hand through his hair. “At the babysitter’s. Where’s the little one?”

“In the nursery.”

He crosses the room to the recliner
Bebe is sitting in. “You look sick. You should go home.”

Bebe
shakes her head.

“Logan’s right,
Bebe. And I don’t want the baby to get sick.”

Bebe
cocks her head. “Then who will stay with you?”

“I will.” Logan tries to help her stand but she shrugs him off and glares at him. She’s being unreasonable. Logan isn’t going to take her place, he just wants to help.

“The last time you tried to help you fucked everything up.” She stands and pushes him off. “The only place I’m going is it to get a coffee. You think you can handle keeping an eye on Shay for a second or am I going to come back and find her missing?”

What the hell is
Bebe’s problem? “I don’t care what the hell is going on between you two, or why you think I’m going to leave this bed. But I have only one thing on my mind right now and it’s sleep. You both aren’t helping. So squash it, or get the hell out.”

“I’m going to get a coffee.” She glares at Logan. “When I get back, if she’s gone, she won’t be the only thing that goes missing around you.” She looks at his crotch then meets his eyes. She grins and it’s the same damn grin Gary used to give me when he was issuing a hidden threat. She leaves the room quietly.

Logan gulps. “She’s not serious is she?”

“With
Bebe, you never know.” I stretch and yawn. “Kill the light will, ya?”

He does and grabs the remote and slumps down in the chair next to the bed. “What do you
wanna watch?”

I eyeball him. He’s a little leaner and taller than Morgan and looks ridiculous laid out on the small recliner. “I’m about to pass out. Maybe you should go for a walk.” It’s
kinda creepy having him in here while I’m sleeping. He wouldn’t hurt me. I trust him. But it still feels weird having a man who isn’t Morgan watch me while I sleep.

He kicks off his shoes. “I owe my brother. I’m not
leaving. They still don’t know who shot up the concert. And he can’t be here. I’m staying to protect you. You don’t like it. Tough.”

Shot up the concert? It was that bad? First Morgan’s Hummer, and now this? “You think someone has it out for the band?”

Logan looks over with a raised brow like I should have already put it together. “Yeah, I do think someone is after the band. I’m not going to let you or my little niece get in the middle of it.”

He’s sweet and I’m suddenly glad he’s here. Maybe
Bebe should go home. I don’t want her getting caught up in this.

Ben
.

He’s with Morgan.

If someone’s after the band.

After Morgan.

There went my heart, right out of my chest. I fly off the bed and begin to pack.

Logan bolts up from the recliner. “What’re you doing?”

“I have to go home.”

“No…you have to get back in that bed. You’re exhausted.”

“I don’t care.” I move around him and grab my brush and deodorant from the counter.

“You should care.” He grabs my arm. “You just went through a big ordeal and you need your strength for Carla.”

I look down at his hand. “Let go.”

“No. You need to stay here. It’s safer in the hospital. More security.”

Safer for Carla. But what about Ben? “I need my son. I haven’t seen him since the concert and I need to know he’s okay.”

Logan’s expression goes soft. It reminds me of the way
Bebe was looking at me earlier. What the hell is going on?

He lets go of my arm. “He’s going to be okay. Why don’t you rest a bit? You’ll see him soon. Morgan’s on it. He’ll take care of him.”

Logan’s right. I don’t need to leave. I grab the phone by my bed, sit down and call Morgan. It rings.

“What’re you doing now?” Logan sits down next to me.

“Calling Morgan. I need to talk to—”

Logan presses the button to disconnect my call.

Fucking asshole.
“What the hell—”

“You can’t call Morgan.” He tries to take the phone from me.

I can’t call Morgan? 
Why doesn’t he want me calling Morgan? “I’ll fucking call him if I want to. And if you try to stop me, the next call I make will be security.” Something isn’t right. Bebe and Logan are hiding something. 

Logan’s hands go up. “Okay, okay.” He sighs. “But don’t be surprised if he doesn’t answer.”

I’ve had enough of Logan. I grind my teeth together as I dial again and listen to the constant steady rings, then his voice mail. I leave a quick message asking him to call me and hang up.

Logan shrugs. “See.”

“No. I don’t
see
.” I need to get out of here. Something is definitely wrong and a mother’s intuition has never lied to me before.

“Ben’s sick. Morgan probably couldn’t get to the phone. He’ll call you back.”

“Maybe. But I know in my heart something’s wrong. And I’m going home. Ben deserves his mother.”

“God, woman. You’re not making this easy.” He takes a deep breath and stands. “Ben… isn’t… there.”

Not there?
“Where is he?”

Logan won’t meet my eyes.

“Logan…where is my son?” The icy claws of dread tear at my soul. Gary’s threats come back to me. Every warning he gave me before I left his shop after every meeting
. I’ll take him when you least expect it. When you do notice he’s gone, I’ll be so far away the cops won’t find me. I always have an exit strategy.
And he would. I’ve said it a thousand times—the little shit is methodical. “When?”

Logan looks up, his brows pinched in confusion. “What?”

“Gary took him.” Saying it out loud makes the truth crash down around me. What will he do to him? Will I ever see my baby boy again? Tears roll down my cheek and fury bursts open inside me. I pound the side table with my fist. “When?”

Logan takes a deep breath. “When Tryst and I were asking where they took you. My back was turned only for a second and—”

“Did he take Dani too?”
Oh, God. Please, don’t let her be a victim.
I hold my breath.

“No, that part about her being at the sitter’s is true.” I finally get Logan’s eyes. He looks so damn sad. He feels guilty. But it’s not his fault. It’s that fucker Gary.

He’d do anything to get back at me. He’d hurt Ben. I know it. I go for the phone. I have to do something, call someone. I can’t lose my little boy. My soul blasts open and sorrow slowly starts to eat away at it. A sob erupts from my chest.

Logan’s arms come around me and he gently rocks me as he takes the phone away from me. “I’m so sorry, Shay. I was supposed to be watching him. If had been—” His voice cracks but he coughs to cover it. “I can’t imagine what you must be going through.”

I can’t feel anything. How can a night of joy turn into a day of despair? My body shakes as all my emotions pour out into Logan’s chest.

I have to pull myself together.
For Carla
. But I can’t find it in me to.

I feel like I’m dying. Everything inside me is screaming to leave the hospital and hunt for my son. I don’t know where to look. The cops are on it, I’m sure, and Morgan not answering his phone tells me he’s on it to. He’ll find Ben. He has to. My world can’t end when it’s only just begun.