Chapter 27
Tempest Miller
Iwoke to the sound of beeping machines and a bright light that felt like someone was stabbing my eyes with a thousand tiny needles. My head throbbed, and for a moment, I couldn”t remember where I was or why everything hurt so damn much.
”Fuck,” I whispered, trying to lift my heavy, tired limbs. The effort felt monumental as if each movement required more strength than I had left in my battered body.
The sterile smell of the hospital room invaded my nostrils, and I tried to focus on my surroundings without letting the pain completely overtake me. I blinked away the spots that danced in my vision, cursing under my breath at the relentless assault from the lights above me.
”Shit!” Corvus shot up from a chair next to the bed, his face a mixture of relief and concern. ”Tempest, don”t freak out. We”re at the hospital, okay?”
”Wha--” My voice was barely a whisper, my throat dry as sandpaper. Corvus grabbed a cup with a straw from the bedside table and held it to my lips. I took a few sips, the cool water soothing my parched mouth.
”Fuck... what happened?” I asked, the memories still hazy.
”Take it easy, princess,” he replied, his voice low and gravelly. ”You have a concussion.”
”Fuck, a concussion?” I groaned, the words barely making it past my cracked lips. Corvus nodded solemnly as he continued to hold the drink to my mouth, letting me take small sips.
”You passed out, I thought it was from the panic attack you had,” he confessed. ”The EMTs took one look at you and knew something was up.”
”Shit, really?” I muttered, trying to process the information. My head felt like it had been split open with an axe, but the thought of Killer pulled me back to reality. ”Where”s Killer? Is he okay?”
Corvus” smile didn”t quite reach his eyes, which held a hint of fear that made my stomach twist in knots. ”He”s still in surgery. We don”t know much yet, but he”s young and tough as nails. He”ll be alright, Tempest.”
I studied his face, taking in every little detail - the way his brow furrowed, his jaw clenched ever so slightly. I knew he was doing his best to reassure me, but that fear in his eyes told me all I needed to know. Things were bad, and there was no sugarcoating it.
”Fuck,” I whispered, my hand instinctively reaching for his. I needed the comfort, even if it was just a fleeting moment. ”What about the others? Are they okay?”
”Everyone”s accounted for,” he said, squeezing my hand gently.
“You need to rest Princess.”
”Fine,” I conceded, knowing he was right. My body felt like it had been run over by a truck.
”Corvus,” I choked out weakly, ”is it over? Is Greg gone?”
Corvus looked me dead in the eyes, his expression serious and unwavering. ”Princess, you can”t come back from a blown-out head. Hammer did a good job, I promise.”
The thought should have disgusted me, but it didn”t. Instead, I felt relief wash over me, finally free of that sick bastard. A small, genuine smile spread across my face as I revelled in the newfound freedom.
”Are we in trouble with the police?” I asked, the worry creeping back into my voice.
”Princess, we”re criminals,” Corvus said with a smirk. ”If we didn”t have a few on our payroll, we”d all be locked up by now. It”s okay; it”s all taken care of. They have no idea why Greg was at the house. We spun it as someone Killer pissed off, so they won”t link to you. But you”ll have to lay low and keep that Aussie accent of yours hidden until it all blows over, okay?”
I couldn”t help but chuckle at the absurdity of it all. Me, hiding my accent was downright laughable. ”Okay,” I agreed, knowing that if Corvus said it was handled, then it was.
”Listen, Princess,” Corvus leaned in, his voice low and serious. ”When they release you, we”ll be going back to my place for a while. Your house is an active crime scene, and they”ll want a statement from you. Do you think you could learn an American accent between now and then?”
I thought about it for a moment, the idea of faking a whole new way of speaking made me feel like I was in some sort of twisted spy movie. My lips curved into a weak smile as I let out a quiet laugh. ”Oh, I can try, but I”m hopeless at it.”
Corvus frowned, clearly deep in thought. He ran a hand over his stubbled jaw, looking for all the world like he was solving the most complex puzzle ever created. I couldn”t help but admire the way he seemed so determined to protect me. I owed this man my life.
”Okay,” he finally said, his expression shifting into one of resolve. ”I”ll see if we can get our man to interview you at mine. That way, he won”t mention the accent. Leave it with me, Princess. I”ll work it all out.”
The relief washed over me like a tidal wave, and I knew that I”d made the right choice in trusting Corvus.
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The past day had been a fucking whirlwind, Corvus had managed to get one of his guys to handle the interview, thank fuck for that. But it all went down in the hospital, as they insisted on keeping me overnight for observation.
”Tempest, you”re checked out now,” Corvus said, walking into the sterile room with a tight smile on his face. ”You ready to get the hell out of here?”
”More than anything,” I sighed, my voice hoarse from exhaustion. ”I”m tired of playing patient.”
”Let”s go then,” he replied, reaching over to help me sit up. His strong arms wrapped around me, providing a sense of security that I desperately needed.
As we made our way to the exit, I couldn”t help but think about how different everything was here in America. Back home, the hospital system was free, but here, it seemed like healthcare was a privilege reserved for those who could afford it. I didn”t have insurance, and I knew that meant I”d be shown the door as soon as possible.
”Corvus, what about the bills?” I asked hesitantly, not wanting to sound ungrateful but also needing to know.
”Already taken care of,” he replied gruffly, his jaw clenched. ”You don”t need to worry about that.”
”Jesus Christ, Corvus.” I shook my head. ”I owe you my life, my house renovations, my job at the bar, and now a goddamn hospital stay? How am I ever gonna pay you back for all this?”
He stopped in his tracks, looking down at me with an intensity that would”ve scared me if I didn”t know him better. ”Tempest, listen to me,” he said firmly, his voice low and rough. ”You don”t owe me a damn thing. You”re my old lady.”
”Fine,” I grumbled, trying to push down the guilt that gnawed at me.
”Corvus?” I asked hesitantly, ”Do you think... maybe I could sell my place when the renovations are done? Use the money to pay you back some and find somewhere else to live? That house just feels... tainted now.”
He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face before he looked me straight in the eye. ”If that”s what you want, Tempest, then we”ll figure it out. But let me be clear – you don”t need to pay me back for any of this. You”re my family now, and that means we take care of each other. Plus you can just move in with me, then we’ll work something else out later.”
”Thank you,” I whispered, leaning into him, seeking comfort in the strength of his arms.
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The sun dipped low in the sky, casting an eerie crimson hue over the streets as we pulled up to the clubhouse. The rumble of Harleys echoed in the distance.
”Killer”s been bragging about how he”s invincible now,” Corvus said with a smirk as we walked through the doors. ”Says even a bullet can”t keep him down.”
”Jesus, is there anything that would shut him up?” I muttered.
”Short of chopping his tongue out? Doubt it.” Corvus chuckled darkly, wrapping an arm around me. ”But don”t worry, babe. He”s still got a long road to recovery.”
”You reckon he will be okay?” I asked, glancing around the room as we entered the bustling heart of the clubhouse. Men and women swarmed around us, the laughter and noise nearly drowning out the pounding beat of rock music blasting from the speakers.
”Positive,” Corvus reassured me, leaning in to press a rough kiss to my temple. “Kid is a fighter, he will be back manning the front door of Dirty Devils soon enough.”
”I hope so,” I murmured, clinging to his words like a lifeline.
The scent of cigarette smoke and home-cooked food filled the air as we entered Corvus”s parents’ part of the clubhouse, making me feel both uneasy and oddly comforted at the same time. This was the first time I”d be meeting his family, and my stomach churned with a mix of nerves and anticipation.
”Mom!” Corvus bellowed as we stepped inside. ”We”re here!”
”About damn time,” an older woman”s voice snapped back from the kitchen. She emerged, wiping her hands on a dishtowel, and I took in the lines etched into her face – a testament to a life full of hard choices and even harder consequences. Despite her tough exterior, there was a warmth in her eyes that put me slightly at ease.
”Tempest, this is my mom, Maureen,” Corvus introduced, draping an arm around my shoulders. ”Mom, meet Tempest.”
”Nice to finally meet you,” she said gruffly, sizing me up with a critical eye. ”You hungry?”
”Starving,” I admitted, trying to ignore the tendrils of fear winding their way through my gut.
”Good,” she replied, nodding towards the dining room. ”Dinner”s ready. Sit down and make yourself at home.”
I obeyed, taking a seat at the long, wooden table that dominated the room. The walls were adorned with old photos of happier times - Corvus as a baby, his parents young and in love, and the club members, grinning and carefree.
”Mom”s cooking is the best,” Corvus whispered in my ear as he sat down beside me. ”Trust me, you”ll love it.”
”Let”s hope so,” I muttered under my breath, glancing at the array of dishes spread out before us - a feast fit for a king, or at least a club president.
”Dig in,” Maureen said as she lit a cigarette and plopped down at the head of the table.