Chapter 25 Bear
BEAR
I kissed her forehead as she drifted off to sleep, settling against me.
It killed me, seeing her like this. In a bed, recuperating from something that should have never happened to her.
I should have taken that bullet, not her.
I should have moved quickly enough to get in front of that barrel so she didn’t have to understand the pain and anguish that came with getting shot.
It would be a scar that would haunt her for a while.
Nightmares. Waking up in night sweats. All the things I experienced after being shot for the first time.
But I’d be there to walk her through it.
“Knock, knock,” Piper said softly.
I looked up and saw her coming into the room as the guys gathered out in the small hallway.
Piper walked over to the bedside and began fiddling with things.
Like the morphine drip and the I.V. bag and the catheter Margot had to be fitted with.
She checked levels and took her pulse. Checked her pupils after she knew Margot had fallen completely asleep.
Then, she also bent over and kissed Margot’s forehead.
“I’ll do whatever it takes to sign off on her residency after all she’s been through,” she said.
“That gives me some peace. I know how much that means to her,” I said.
“Did she tell you about any pains she was experiencing that I should know about?”
I shook my head. “No, but I want to thank you. Without your help, we would’ve lost her.”
“I’m not going to lie, we almost did anyway. Had it not been for the haphazard coincidence that you two share the same blood type, she wouldn’t have made it. You're the one who saved her life, Bear. I was just the assister.”
“It takes a doctor to do what you did. To hook me up like you did. Thank you. For everything you done for me, for her, for us, and for this crew,” I said.
She smiled softly. “We’re family. And family sticks together, no matter what.”
I peeked out into the hallway and saw Diesel beckon for me.
I sighed as I pressed my lips to Margot’s forehead one last time, then I slipped out of the bed.
I left her in Piper’s capable hands, though my gut wanted to go hop back into bed with her.
I didn’t want to leave her side. I didn’t want her to wake up without me there.
I didn’t want her to think I had abandoned her to go do something “better,” or “more important.”
Because there was nothing more important than the woman I loved.
Then again, Margot wasn’t the only one that needed our help.
“We all here?” Diesel asked.
Every single one of us looked around the room as we gathered in Rock’s kitchen.
“All right. Let’s close off this door so the kiddos don’t get in,” Diesel said.
I reached back and slid the door closed, blocking us off from the rest of the house.
“Okay, Margot’s stable, so now we need to figure out what comes next,” Rock said.
“We have to find her, guys. She—we have t—”
Cage drew in a shuddered breath and my heart broke for him.
He looked positively done in. His shoulders were slumped.
His eyes were cast to the ground. He flopped down into a seat as Brewer rubbed his back, trying to give him some sort of hope.
Some sort of confidence. But the truth of the matter was that Sutton had been taken by the men of the man that wanted her dead.
That wanted all of us dead.
“Are we even still convinced Lars is alive?” Grave asked.
“Yes,” we all said in unison.
“Well, fine,” Grave murmured.
“And I have proof he’s still alive now,” Diesel said.
“How?” Cage asked softly.
“I got a call from that bastard a few minutes ago.”
Cage’s head whipped up and he shot up from his seat. He charged Diesel, but Brewer and Rock both held him back. I didn’t think he meant Diesel any harm. But at any rate, I drew my gun. I leveled it at him, trying to keep some semblance of control over the situation.
“What did he say? What does he want!?” Cage roared.
“Sit down and I’ll tell you. Because it’s the most solid lead we have, so we all have to be of a sound mind. And if you can’t be of one despite the circumstances, then I’m going to have to dismiss you,” Diesel said.
“You wouldn’t dare,” Cage growled.
“He will in a heartbeat if you don’t shut up,” Toxin said coolly.
Cage finally settled back down into his chair. But his eyes never wavered from Diesel’s face. The entire room stood still, watching the two of them stare one another down. And while I understood Diesel’s need for control in this moment, I also understood Cage’s mindset.
I commended him for the control he forced over his body.
“I got a call from Lars a few minutes ago. On my fucking cell phone. So, yes. It’s him. I didn’t manage to record it, but I remember it. Clear as day,” Diesel said.
“He didn’t happen to tell you where he’s located, did he?” Toxin asked.
“If you’re not gonna contribute, then shut up,” I said curtly.
“I second that motion. This is serious, Toxin,” Knox said.
But the young man simply rolled his eyes.
“He proposed a swap. A trade, of sorts. Simply put, Cage’s life for Sutton’s,” Diesel said.
“Done,” Cage said.
“You aren’t the only one that gets a say in this,” Knox said.
“This is the woman of my heart. My life. Not yours,” Cage said.
“And you’re a prospect of this group. We’re a family. And we don’t trade like this if we don’t have to. We don’t give up one to save the other unless there’s a unanimous vote,” Grave said.
“Then get your hands up in the air so we can get Sutton back!” Cage exclaimed.
“Sit! Down!” Diesel commanded.
Cage dropped back into his chair as anger filled his eyes.
“Whether or not you want to believe me, I get it. I get the situation you’re standing in right now.
But I asked for proof of life on this phone call.
I told him the only way we’d even consider that trade-off is if we knew Sutton was being kept alive.
So, twice a day, every day—while we come up with our plan—Lars is supposed to call me.
Prove Sutton’s still alive,” Diesel said.
“I’m not leaving your side. You know that, right?” Cage asked.
“I expected nothing less. Rock, I want you at my side, too, with your tracking equipment. I want to see if we can ping even one fucking cell tower to figure out where these calls are coming from,” Diesel said.
“On it,” Rock said.
“The rest of the prospects, listen up. You guys are on recon. You’ll be patrolling, but you won’t be in crew gear. Plain clothes, around town, cover up any discernible emblems on your bikes. Brewer, I want you putting out feelers in the police department,” Diesel said.
“What do you want from me?” Grave asked.
“Me, too,” Knox said.
“Knox, I don’t want you leaving Monroe’s side.
You’ll help me coordinate things back here, so you’re close in case something happens during her pregnancy.
Grave, I want you on watch with Bear. Wherever we decide to go, you and Bear set up shop to protect.
Right now, it’s here so we can keep an eye on Margot.
But once we’re prepared to move, you two are our heavies,” Diesel said.
“Done,” Grave and I said together.
“We’re going to get her back, right?” Cage asked.
The entire kitchen full of men fell silent as we all looked toward our president for an answer. And he answered with a determined frown on his cheeks.
“Whatever it fucking takes.”