Blade (RBMC: Dallas, TX #4)

Chapter Ten

“Don’tLetGo”—Deepfield

Present…

M y brothers caught up to me about two hours later. I’d pulled over because my leg was bleeding through the bandage. It had also dawned on my stupid ass that if anyone saw me riding down the road with one leg cut off my jeans and blood seeping, I was going to attract unwanted attention.

After digging out my first aid kit from my saddlebag, I sat on the edge of the ditch to assess the damage. Thankfully, I didn’t rip any of the stitches out. I was dousing it with some alcohol as they all stopped and shut off their bikes.

Raptor stormed toward me, leaned down and jerked me to my feet in one smooth motion. “If you ever do some stupid shit like that again, I will center punch your fucking ass! Do you hear me?” he shouted as he clutched the front of my cut in his fists and shook me.

Feeling dead inside, I just stared at him and remained mute.

“Fucking answer me!”

“Yes sir,” was my emotionless monotone reply.

“Hey, let me take a look at that,” Gator calmly inserted as he looked down at my leg and placed a hand on Raptor’s chest. He knew it would never hold the big sonuvabitch but I think he was hoping to calm him down.

Phoenix and Ares stood close, poised to step in if they needed to.

“Those were our brothers,” I whispered as I stared out into the dark distance.

“I know,” Gator murmured. “I lost several of my brothers before our original chapter was disbanded. It never gets easier. You just learn how to continue with your life the best you can and always be there for your brothers if humanly possible.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat and blinked at the burning in my eyes.

“We need to stick together,” Raptor started. “This isn’t easy for any of us, so I get it, man. Venom and I went way back—back to when we were in the Army together.”

“Yeah, I know,” I replied, suddenly feeling angrily hollow and like a selfish asshole. But Venom, Kicker, and E had been there for me since day one of my arrival to Iowa. E, Hawk, and Kicker kind of became the dad I never had. They didn’t judge me for my need to mete out justice. Nor did they treat me like a freak for the way I craved it. The blood. The screams. The violence.

They accepted me and welcomed me into their family. To think that four of them were gone in one fell swoop was too much.

“We have to find out who did this,” Phoenix ground out.

“Squirrel said Facet was already on it. Chains was talking to Declan while Squirrel was on the phone with me. Gecko told me he would keep us updated on what he could find. If they find anything that ties these events together, then we know we’re all in deep shit—every chapter.” Raptor’s jaw was clenched and one of the muscles was twitching.

“We gotta get home,” I insisted.

“I understand and I do too. But we’re no good to anyone if we’re dead. We’re all exhausted. I reached out and my family sent several hawks to watch over the compound. The women and others will be safe until we get there.” Raptor paused and blew out a harsh breath. “I know damn well we all need gas. Let’s stop up the road to fill up. Blade, let Gator take care of your leg, then get some fucking pants on—you stick out like a sore thumb.”

I knew he was right, but the longer I was away from Eliska, the more anxious I got. Maybe I was fucking up, but this was an eye-opening event. Life was fucking short and fragile. Maybe she deserved much better than me, but I was gonna claim her.

A small sinister part of me whispered that I was going to destroy her, but I ruthlessly shoved it away.

Rage bubbled and burned through my veins. The need to punish whoever had done this was overwhelming. Not only did I want them to pay with their own lives, I wanted to make them suffer.

Sometimes I wondered where I’d gone so wrong that I derived the greatest pleasure from making people who hurt those I love suffer. Like was that the only way I could show love? By destroying the people who hurt them?

“We’re about three hours from Central Texas. I’m gonna reach out to Ripper to see if we can crash there tonight, then we’ll get up and leave early in the morning,” Raptor explained as his thumbs flew over the screen of his phone.

Gator doctored me up, then I grabbed a clean pair of jeans from my bike. Unconcerned with who might be passing by, I removed my boots, then dropped the ruined pair and redressed. I rolled the dirty ones up and shoved them in the saddlebag. I wasn’t about to leave any of my DNA behind if I could help it.

“Let’s go,” Gator called out as he walked back to his bike.

We all traveled together to the nearest gas station where we filled up and grabbed some caffeine. In less than twenty minutes we were back on the road.

It was late when we arrived at the Central Texas chapter’s clubhouse. Yet Ripper and Powerhouse were waiting for us as we cut our engines and climbed off. My leg was killing me, and I winced as I climbed off.

“I’m real sorry to hear about Ankeny,” Ripper solemnly said.

My teeth were grinding together as I clenched my jaw. It was the only way I could stop from having an uncharacteristic outburst. I was normally calm, cool, and collected. Despite the loss of my brothers being traumatizing, ever since Eliska showed up, it was like I was coming apart at the seams—changing.

I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing.

“We have the rooms ready for you, but a couple of you will need to bunk up on the couches,” Powerhouse informed us as we made our way toward the entrance of their clubhouse.

“No problem. Ares and I can sleep on the couches. Blade, you probably need to rest that leg,” Phoenix warned.

A grunt escaped me when I put weight on said leg again.

“Baker can probably hook you up with whatever you prefer to help with that pain. The fucker is always lacing the damn food with weed, so I’m sure he has some brownies or something around,” Ripper offered. “He’s inside watching some damn cooking show as he’s eating something he probably laced.”

“A joint would be nice,” I muttered. “Thanks.”

“Any time,” Ripper replied. We followed him inside.

As he’d said, Baker was indeed watching a cooking show and munching on a big, thick brownie. He looked up as we came through the door.

“Baker! You got any joints on you?” Powerhouse called out. The old guy grinned.

“Now, you know damn well I do.” He reached into the inside pocket of his worn cut and pulled out a baggie full of wrapped joints. “Pays to be prepared,” he went on as he chuckled.

I hobbled over and plopped down next to him. “Fuuuuuuck,” I groaned.

He tossed me the bag with a grin. It deepened the already prominent lines on his weathered face. “Help yourself.”

“Much obliged,” I returned as I removed one, held it between my lips, then zipped the bag closed again. He held out his lighter with the flame at the ready and I leaned over to light it.

After a deep drag, I held it in for a second, then exhaled. Though I was an avid smoker, I coughed at the strength of it.

“That’s some good shit, ain’t it?” he asked with a wink.

I used the side of my fist to beat on my chest. “You aren’t lying,” I agreed before taking another hit and started another fit of coughing. The effects were already starting to hit me. As I rapidly chilled the fuck out, I glanced at Powerhouse.

“Thanks for that last win, brother. You made me a pretty penny,” I told him.

The corner of his mouth kicked up. “You bet on me?”

“Sure as fuck did.” I nodded, then lifted the joint to my lips again.

He gave me a chin lift.

“Whiskey and Plague will be here in the morning,” Ripper told Raptor.

“Plague still having issues with the cartel?” I heard Raptor ask quietly.

“Yeah.” Ripper shook his head.

“Maybe we can help with that after the dust settles on whatever the fuck is going on,” Raptor offered.

“I’m sure he’ll appreciate that, but we can discuss that later. I’ll see if one of them can grab some donuts or something on their way in,” Ripper then said.

“Thanks, brother, but we might be on the road home before they get here. We want to get an early start. Our ol’ ladies are there with the bare minimum of men,” Raptor explained.

“I understand, brother.” Ripper gripped the back of his neck.

“There may not be a connection, but it was too fucking coincidental for my taste. Something is telling me these attacks were all connected. Have you heard from any of the other chapters?” Raptor asked.

Ripper shook his head.

“Me either. But Rip, be careful. Just in case. One of the last things I found out is that Ankeny believed they had a rat. I never got a chance to talk to Venom about it more before… well, you know. Maybe do some sweeps of the property, up your security if need be,” Raptor cautioned as he massaged the back of his neck.

“Are you okay?” I heard Ripper quietly ask him.

Raptor cleared his throat but didn’t respond.

Ripper gave him a curt nod, but didn’t add anything further on the matter. “Make yourselves at home. There’s coffee behind the bar. It’s one of those fancy K-cup things that one of the ol’ ladies insisted on. We’ll see you in the morning if you’re still here. If not, you ride safe.” The two presidents shook hands, then Ripper and Powerhouse left.

Gator and Raptor told us goodnight and went down the hall to the rooms they were using. Phoenix ended his call with Sloane—or at least I assumed that’s who he had been quietly talking to. Ares had already made a quick call as soon as we got here.

“Phoenix,” I drawled, eyes heavy.

He glanced my way from the couch he was settling into. “Yeah?”

“Bro, I’m not moving from here. I’m just gonna prop my foot up on the arm of this couch.” Pain temporarily forgotten, I hit the joint one more time then stubbed it out in the ashtray next to the couch. I set the remainder on the edge for in the morning.

“Here. For the road.” Baker tossed me the baggy full of joints as he got to his feet. I caught it in disbelief.

“Naw, brother, I can’t accept this. It’s too much. The rest of that one will be fine.” I motioned to what I had left and held the bag back out to him.

He snorted and waved me off. “Son, that leg ain’t gonna be healed by the time you get back. You’ll need it. Please, take it with my blessing.”

My brow pinched in the center. “Thanks, brother. I’ll make it up to you.”

The old guy went sober. “You just make it home safe and take care of your brothers. That’s thanks enough for me.”

He slapped me on the shoulder, popped the last little bit of his brownie in his mouth, and meandered to the door.

“You watching this?” I asked Phoenix. Ares was already snoring on the third couch.

“Nah,” he mumbled through his yawn.

I shut the TV off and flipped off the lamp. Then I got myself situated and promptly dropped off to sleep.

My dreams were plagued by a beautiful blonde who didn’t know it, but she was about to be mine.