Broken & Burned (23 page)

Everett…

My leg
hurt
. It was way passed time for another pain pill but I didn’t like the way that they made me sleep. I opened my eyes and realized that it was daylight outside the Venetian blind shuttered window. The light seeping in around the edges enough for me to make out the room and the people in it.

It was a full house.

I lay snug against Dray’s hard body on one side and against Mandy’s curvaceous one on the other. I smiled faintly at them both and then blinked in surprise. Sitting on the floor of the bedroom, back against the wall, was Zander. His feet were crossed at the ankle, and his chin drooped onto his wide muscled chest. His hat was still on backwards and his face was surprisingly at peace in his sleep.

I realized with a light start that though he smiled when he was awake, and his eyes laughed silently… that there was a tightness at the very edges of his expression, all the time… a tightness that I only now noticed because it was gone.

Dray sucked in a long deep breath and stirred, I turned my head at a slightly odd angle and his dark eyes blinked open and met mine. He smiled slow, lazily and stretched much like a cat. One of those luxurious full body stretches that made me realize I was in dire need of one too. I’d been in a deep, drug induced sleep for so long I felt as if when I got up, there would be a permanent impression of my body left behind in the mattress.

“Hi.” He said softly and I smiled.

“Hi…” I returned. He drank in my features and I felt myself blush faintly.

“You all right?” he asked.

“Um no,” I ventured. He pushed himself up from where he’d been laying on his stomach.

“What’s wrong?” he asked alarmed.

“Oh nothing, I just really have to pee!” I admitted and then frowned.

“Everett…” he said derisively, in a tone that more than anything told me to spill it.

“My leg really hurts, I should take something, but I’m sick and tired of sleeping.” Dray stood up and carefully helped me into a sitting position on the edge of the bed which woke Mandy.

“What’s wrong!?” she asked. I rolled my eyes. It was going to be a Domino effect I could just feel it…

“Nothing, I have to pee and my leg hurts.” Dray brought my crutches and Zander startled awake. He stretched his big arms over his head and yawned.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Nothing!” I laughed.

“Her leg hurts and she has to go to the bathroom.” Mandy supplied.

“I get what you’re sayin’ about the meds Babe. Mandy, can you go cut one of her pain pills in half for her?” Dray asked. “I’ll help her to the bathroom.” He helped me get on my feet and I got the crutches under my arms. Oh good lord I was stiff! I groaned a little, the urgency in my bladder screaming for immediate attention and got myself going. Dray paced me. I made it to the bathroom and did what needed doing, grateful I hadn’t embarrassed myself.

“Feel better?” Dray asked when I came back out.

“Much.” I said but tears were starting to stand out in my eyes where they watered from the pain… How could something feel dull and sharp at the same time? That’s what it felt like though, a dull, deep, sharp, grinding ache that just could not be ignored.

“Come on let’s get you out to the bar. Ashton’s cooked breakfast for everyone and you should eat with your pill.” His voice was soothing and sympathetic and I let him pace me out there. An old, brown, leather recliner that had seen better days had appeared from somewhere and Dray led me to it. I sank into it and he put up the foot stool and Mandy appeared with pillows.

“Morning Evy.” Doc said and knelt down by my leg. He looked ragged…

“You look so tired.” I said concerned and he smiled at me.

“Twenty four hour shifts at the hospital, I’ll go to bed as soon as I see to this leg and get you square for the day.” He smiled kindly at me and opened up a big padded bag that was boxy in appearance. It held all manner of medical stuffs.

He gently propped pillows strategically under my leg, snapped on some gloves and brought out a pair of trauma sheers, cutting through the bandages. He stuffed the soiled bandage in a plastic grocery bag and tied it off. The prospect made it disappear. The wound was angry and red and spikey with black stitching thread. It had a sheen over the top from antibiotic ointment. Doc looked it over through his glasses and nodded.

“Looks good.” He declared. He cleaned it up carefully and I hissed through gritted teeth and even yelped a few times. People looked on with interest. The girls’ and a couple of the guys’ expressions sympathetic, some of the men’s expressions, including Dray’s, clouded over with anger.

Doc doctored me up and re-bandaged the leg. Mandy handed me a napkin and I wiped my eyes and blew my nose. The prospect made that disappear too. Ashton handed me a plate of food and Dray stood by with a pill and some water.

“Eat a few bites and I’ll gladly hand it over.” He said and I obeyed. As much as I hated the oblivion and fuzzy feelings the pill brought, I wanted so badly to dull the pain in my leg I would do just about anything. I swallowed the bitter tasting pill quickly and went back to the rest of my food before I lost my appetite. Everyone else ate, scattered around at tables or the bar behind me.

“Got it.” Data handed a piece of paper to Dragon who took a swallow of coffee before setting the cup down and plucking the bit of white out of Data’s long fingers. He read over whatever was on it and picked up his phone from beside his plate. A hush fell over the room. He dialed and put it on speakerphone. The ringing loud in the hush between people.

“
Hello?
” came out of the phone.

“This Sparks?” Dragon asked.

“Yeah, who’s this?” the voice demanded, surly.

“The fuck you think it is?” Dragon asked. A long silence ensued on the phone.

“The fuck you think I’d be asking for if I knew?” the voice bit back.

“This is Dragon, President of the Sacred Heart’s MC,” Dragon said, “We need to sit down and have ourselves a little chat.” He went on before the man on the other end could say anything.

“Oh yeah? Why we need to do that?” the voice asked.

“Well it seems your crew is running around in Sacred Heart’s territory. One of your feller’s caused a hell of a mess yesterday. Shot our VP’s Old Lady. Think that might be something worth having a little sit down over?” Dragon asked.

“Shhhit! Fuck!” came over the line softly, it sounded like the phone was being jostled and the man on the other end changed his step to Dragon’s tune in a really big damned hurry.

“I had no idea man! Is she all right?” He asked and maybe the drugs made me a little fancy free but I couldn’t help it.

“No I’m not bloody well all right! He shot me!” I blurted. Some low chuckles swept the room and Dray’s hand descended on my shoulder. He gave me one of his burning scowls and placed the index finger of his other hand to his lips in the classic sign for shhh.

“When and where you wanna meet about this?” the man on the other end sounded pissed. Hard to tell at who or what over a phone though.

“This afternoon. Neutral ground.” Dragon said.

“Sounds good, you know the camp ground off state route 62?” the disembodied voice asked.

“Yeah.” Dragon said.

“Can you do it in an hour?” Spark’s voice asked.

“Make it two. No more than three men.” Dragon ordered.

“Just gonna be me and my VP,” the man said, “No weapons. If one of my guys did this, and I’m pretty sure I know which one you’re talkin’ about, last thing I want is a war with your boys. See if we can make this right.” the grip on my shoulder eased marginally and I breathed out. Well that was something.

“Two hours. We’ll be there.” Dragon said.

“Two hours.” Sparks said and Dragon disconnected the call.

“Trigger, Dray, you’re with me. Get ready to roll.” Dragon said and finished his coffee in one large swallow.

“Prospect, Hang arounds, you got anything immediate you need to be doin’?” Dragon asked.

“Don’t need to open shop until two.” Zander said.

“I make my own hours.” Loyal supplied.

“Good. You’re stayin’ here with Ev. Keep her comfortable. What about you?” he leveled his gaze on Squick.

“Nowhere until two, like Zander says.” Squick explained.

“You’re her errand girl then.” Dragon said. He looked at me.

“You need to square anything with your school or whatever, send Squick.” He said. I nodded a little too rapidly.

“Thank you.” I said.

“Mmm.” He got up and Trigger and Reaver made to follow, but not before Trigger kissed Ashton soundly.

“Be careful.” She whispered against Trig’s mouth.

“I’ll be in the hills or the trees Baby. No place safer.” He smiled a one sided smile and went to get ready. I looked up at Dray and he looked down at me. He kissed me.

“What do you want Baby?” he asked.

“I don’t want anyone fighting, if his people didn’t know what he was up to… I mean, it’s really bad to be kicked out of a club right?” I asked.

“The worst.” He said.

“That’s what I want. He gets kicked out of his club and goes to jail and I’ll be happy with that.” I said. Dray smiled down at me.

“Reasonable girl,” he said and sighed, “I want his balls on a fucking plate but I’ll do it your way.” He leaned down and kissed me and it was full of heat and promise.

“Just be careful.” I said.

“Trig will have our backs. Don’t you worry about nothin’.” He kissed me one more time and moved off back towards his room for clothes. I watched his muscled, well defined back as it departed and let myself mope that he had to go. Ashton came over and sat down with me and Mandy.

“They’ll be fine.” She said with certainty and winked at me, her golden-yellow eyes full of sunlight and confidence. Mandy looked at us both dubiously.

“You need anything from your school or from Dray’s?” Squick asked me.

“I need my phone from Dray’s room and to call my school before anything.” I said. He nodded, head bobbing eagerly and disappeared.

“You need anything Sugar?” Zander asked.

“I don’t think so.” I said and shook my head.

“K, we’re here if you do.” Loyal put in, and they took themselves just inside earshot from our group of girls. Doc had disappeared, as had Data. Doc presumably to sleep and Data back to where ever it was that he went.

Squick came back with my phone and wandered over to where Loyal and Zander sat. I called my school and spoke to my professors about why it was that I had missed class the day before. They were very understanding, and I say that with total sarcasm. The head office explained to me that as soon as I agreed to and supplied a doctor’s note, the absence would be excused. I was fuming by the time I got off the call. They wouldn’t let Squick or Mandy pick up my school work either. I had to come in. Well fucking fine!

“Mandy help me get dressed.” I said.

“Sweetie I don’t think you have any clothes here.” Ashton said gently. Well then by fuck I’d wear something of Dray’s!

I got up on my own. My anger propelling me upward and onward. My crutches loud as I hobbled down the hall. The boys and girls following me like helpless little lemmings, trying to stop me and talk me out of my temper. Well, all except for Mandy. She knew better than to try when I got like this. I pushed open Dray’s door with my crutch and he turned towards me, rubbing a towel over his wet hair, shirtless and barefoot and totally delicious in just a pair of boxers and his jeans.

“I need to borrow some clothes.” I said.

“The fuck you do Babe! You need to rest.” He said incredulously. I started going through things. I picked up his discarded lounge pants and threw them over my shoulder. They had a draw string waist. They would work. I found a clean black, if faded, short sleeved Henley of his and picked that. Mandy was explaining to him what had lit the fire under my ass and he was glowering.

“Prospects,” he said, giving my three appointed guardians the title, “Take my girl to her school, help her get shit done and get her ass back here so she can heal.” He ordered. I nodded in his direction and he came over and kissed me gently.

“Give ‘em Hell.” He said and I nodded resolute.

“You too if you have to.” I said. He smiled at me and ducked out into the hall, he’d finished dressing while we’d talked.

“Out! Unless you want an eyeful.” I ordered the boys. Squick damn near tripped over himself. Zander and Loyal grinned at me.

“At least one of you is a gentleman.” Mandy snorted.

“Nah, Squick’s gay.” Zander said. Loyal looked at him with wide eyes.

“I am not you douche bag!” Squick shouted from the hall. Zander’s grin got bigger.

“Watch it puddin’! I’m still your boss!” he called out and he and Loyal left the room, closing the door behind him. Ashton was frowning.

“He is.” I said softly, “I saw it when Johnny started talking at the dance studio, he was interested.” Ashton looked a little stricken and sad.

“Not our secret to tell.” Mandy said and sniffed.

“He doesn’t want anyone to know, he’s afraid they won’t let him patch in.” Ashton said.

“I’d be more afraid of lying.” I stated dryly. Dray had caught me up on a lot of the club politics and how things worked in the last couple of weeks.

“I think more people know than he realizes, they’re just waiting on him to come clean.” Mandy said.

“Something Zander told you?” I asked her and wrinkled my nose and smiled at her. She pursed her lips.

“Say no more Sis.” I told her and Ashton held the pants for me. I stepped into them carefully. I didn’t care how wrecked I looked. Hell the worse I looked, maybe the better I’d be off when I showed up at the school. Fucking assholes! Once satisfied Squick’s secret was indeed safe with us, Ashton slipped out. She was going after my doctor’s note before Doc got too far into sleep. She said he was likely reading, that he never crashed right away. Mandy helped me finish getting dressed. She slid a shoe onto my foot and tied the laces.

“Something there?” I asked her.

“I don’t know,” she hedged.

“Well if there is he better treat my bestie right or I’ma find him and kick his ass.” She laughed at me.