Chapter 22 – Belle
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
BELLE
I don’t think anything could prepare me for seeing my father like that. He looks frail, smaller somehow. I sit by his side, holding his hand in mine. The machines beep around him, and tubes and cables are coming from him and all around. I wipe the tears that keep falling, feeling lost. Looking down at the tattoos on his arm—thorns and roses entwined around his forearm—and set within it, almost hidden, is a little gift box.
“Never noticed his tattoo until now,” Beast says from behind me.
I look up and smile, sniffing back my tears. “Yeah, he said he would never get our names tattooed. He didn’t want any of his enemies to know who we were. The roses are for my mom, because they were her favourite flowers, I’m the little gift, and he’s the sharp thorns winding around us to protect us from harm,” I explain.
Beast gently squeezes my neck. “What do you reckon, Doc? Do you think he will come out of this okay?” he asks the doctor who is cuffed to the heater.
He rubs his face and shrugs. “I don’t know. He could make a full recovery, he could wake up but not be able to speak or walk, or he could die. Anything can happen.”
I sob, and Beast growls. “You want to work on your fucking bedside manner before I put you in a fucking bed next to him?” he threatens.
“Bedside manner?! Bedside manner?! I’m cuffed to a damn heater for crying out loud! You thugs kidnapped me and brought me here. I am a prisoner, so I’m sorry if I’m not more tactile in giving honest medical information!” he snaps.
“Technically, you’re a hostage,” Rage states from the doorway.
The doctor shakes his head. “What?” he snaps.
Rage walks further into the room. “I said technically, you’re our hostage, as we have you against your will and forcing you to do something for us. A prisoner is someone held as security or a deterrent against war crimes,” he states, standing over the doctor.
The doctor swallows nervously. “Er, yes, I think you might be right there.”
I smirk. “What do you need Rage?” Beast asks.
“I just came to take the doctor on a toilet break,” he states.
The doctor shakes his head nervously. “No, no, I’m okay. Thank you. I can just go here in a bucket.” He’s so nervous, it’s giving him the sweats.
I smile. Rage doesn’t have to do anything to give off his crazy fucker vibe. “That would be unhygienic. Now come on,” Rage demands before he unlocks the handcuff and then attaches the other cuff to his wrist.
“You are going to be handcuffed to me while I use the bathroom?” the doctor asks, looking down at their now joined hands.
“Yeah, I’ve seen dicks before. I’ve seen Beast’s over there more times than my own I reckon. It’s just a dick.” Rage shrugs.
“Right, okay then,” the doctor stutters as Rage leads him out of the room.
I let out a laugh. “I didn’t think anything could cheer me up,” I state.
Beast smiles down at me. “Yeah, Rage has a way of doing that,” he says. “You sure you’re going to be okay?” he asks, concern pouring from his eyes.
I nod. “Yeah, Dad isn’t giving up anytime soon. He won’t, not at least until he knows that Charlie is dealt with,” I state firmly. “Never leave things unsettled, because you never know when it may come back and slit your throat,” I say, repeating my father’s words.
“Jesus, I hope he didn’t give you that advice as a kid,” Beast jokes.
I smile, shaking my head. “No, he shielded me from it for a long time, but I wasn’t stupid. I would creep outside his office and press my ear up against the door listening. I always wanted to be like him, to be the boss, but then we lost Mom, and I struggled with the hurt. I wanted something that was mine, that was away from him. I think deep inside I always questioned her crash, but then he never said any different, nor was I able to prove otherwise. So, I went on with my life, chose a safe career, away from him and that life,” I confess. “Do you know, I don’t think I’ve ever told anyone about this before?” I admit, looking up at him.
He bends down and places a soft kiss to my lips, his large hands cupping my face. “I think you would have made a fucking hot bad ass mob boss,” he says in between kisses. He stops kissing me and crouches down between my legs, resting his hands on my thighs. His thumb lazily strokes back and forth. “You know that this life comes with risks of its own, don’t you?” he asks. I nod yes, and he continues to talk before I can say anything. “What I’m saying is darlin’, this shit can get rocky. You became a teacher to essentially escape that kind of life, your own personal freedom from your father, and now, now you’re with me. Your father may live a different life to us, but darlin’, we live in the same world. It’s dark, messy, and it’s never easy,” he declares, like it’s something I didn’t already know.
I smile. “I already know that. We are here, aren’t we?” I ask, gesturing to our surroundings. “I don’t feel afraid, and I don’t feel scared. I feel, I feel alive.” I pause, leaning forward to cup his face. “I feel loved, I feel desired, and extremely satisfied.” I wink.
He smiles, his hands gliding around my hips, gripping my behind and yanking me forward. “Damn right you are,” he growls before crashing his mouth to mine.
“Jesus Christ, you guys not get enough yet? It was like having surround sound porno listening to you two,” Star complains as she walks in. I smile, breaking the kiss, looking over at her.
“Can you not talk about me fucking his daughter in front of him?” Beast hisses.
Star waves him off. “What’s he going to do? Suddenly come around and beat the shit out of you?” she states. “No offence sweetie, just being realistic. He will wake up and who knows, him hearing about how his daughter got railed by the big biker might just be the thing to snap him out if it.” She shrugs.
I laugh. Beast just sighs, but I can see he’s fighting a smile. “Why are you here?” he asks.
“Queenie sent me to get you both. She’s cooked dinner, and I’m not to come back without either of you,” she states. “The matriarch’s orders.”
We both stand and Beast takes my hand in his. “Wait, where is Rage with the doctor?” I ask.
“Oh, he’s out there, still cuffed to Rage, but getting food. Queenie demanded he sit with us at the table.” She smirks. “When I left, I think Spider was bent over asking him about a mole on his ass cheek.” She laughs.
“Jesus, the doctor will be fucking killing himself soon if he has to deal with that shit,” Beast adds.
Walking outside to where they had set up long tables with all the food, the barbeque is cooking something delicious, and everyone is laughing and joking. I think I even spotted a smile from the doctor, too.
“Finally, the rampant fuckers have joined us!” Hawk cheers. Josie elbows him, muttering something. “Oh shit, sorry. Forgot you were with your old man,” he apologises.
“It’s fine.” I laugh.
“I will go in and check on him in a minute, but I noticed earlier that his vitals are good,” Dixie says, pausing to put some food on her plate.
“The doctor can check on him. You rest,” Rage counters.
She gives him a look. “Rage, I’m fine. I’ve had a good sleep, and the poor doctor was chained to the beater all night.”
The doctor frowns, looking all around. “Er, beater?” he asks.
“She means heater. Some words get muddled, it’s a long story. Don’t worry, you’ll soon get used to it,” Maggie tells him.
“How strange,” the doctor states. Rage growls at him, and the doctor clears his throat, looking away. Hawk, Cash, and Spider laugh at the doctor.
We all eat, laugh, and tease each other. “Any word from Acid?” Beast asks Ghost.
“Acid?’ I ask.
“Brother gone nomad,” he explains.
I nod, and Ghost takes a pull of his beer, shaking his head. “Not going to lie, getting concerned. It’s been a long time since any of us have heard from him,” he states.
“When things return to normal, I will look his plates up on the national database. See what comes up,” Cash offers.
Ghost nods, his eye pinned on the doctor. I don’t think he likes having an outsider at the table, especially hearing personal business.
“Okay, it’s been bugging me. I’m sorry to ask this Belle, but how in the hell did you manage to get her dad, with all the equipment, and the doctor here? The van is only so big, and I’m not a medical expert, but surely he needs those machines on like all the time, right?” Maggie asks.
Ghost’s lips twitch. “Turn around, and look to the left,” he says.
We all look and there, partially covered, is an ambulance. “You stole a fucking ambulance?!” Star asks, shocked.
Ghost shrugs. “We needed to make sure he was okay for the journey back. If something had gone wrong when driving back, we needed to give him a fair chance of surviving. Even the doc said it was the only way. Ain’t that right, Doc?” Ghost looks over at the doctor who is shovelling food in his mouth like he hasn’t been fed in days.
“Uh…” He finishes chewing and swallows. “That’s right.”
“You got enough food there?” Hawk teases.
“Well, I don’t know when you will feed me again. You could let me starve to death,” the doctor answers.
“Why would we starve you when we need you?” Rage counters. “Doesn’t seem like a smart idea.”
Hawk, Beast, and Ghost all choke on their drinks, laughing. “He’s got you there Doc, and he ain’t got no degree. Have you, Rage?” Beast laughs.
“No,” Rage answers sharply.
I clear my throat. “Do you have a family?” I ask the doctor.
“Why? What are you going to do to? Kidnap them, too?” he asks, terrified.
“So, you do have a family?” I press.
He shakes his head no. “No. Have you tried dating when you work in the ICU? It’s not exactly sociable hours,” he huffs.
I smile. “Well, maybe one day, there will be someone special. I want you to know that even though you are here against your will, I am eternally grateful for you helping my father. This act of kindness won’t go unnoticed,” I tell him. I reach for my drink and take a sip before placing my glass back down. I look at the doctor. “But my gratitude comes with one condition, that when we no longer require your services, then you shall return to your life. We never existed; this house, my father, none of it happened. Do I make myself clear?” I ask, keeping my eyes pinned on him. My face is set to stone as I repeat my father’s words over in my mind.
You act the part, you play the part. Show no emotion. No weakness.
The doctor nods. “Of course,” he says, his voice breaking slightly.
“Good. If your colleagues should ask, you simply say some drug gang stole the ambulance, and you were just trying to be a hero,” I tell him. He nods, and it’s then that I realise the entire table has gone completely silent and everyone is staring at me. My cheeks heat and I look down at my plate.
“Like father, like fucking daughter,” Ghost tuts, shaking his head.
“I may have just become very attracted to you,” Star breathes.
I snort back my laughter as Beast leans in. “When we go to bed,” he whispers in my ear, “I want you to threaten me like that.” He turns toward me and nips my ear.
“Hell brother, if she talks like that, I may take her to bed!” Spider jokes. Beast growls and glares at him. “Shit, too soon?” He winces, holding up his hands in surrender.