Chapter Twenty-One
Logan
Just as we’d planned, Justin and Savior had a mock fight that ended with Justin revving his motorcycle and tearing out of the clubhouse parking lot. He shot through the gates and toward town. After a few minutes, hopefully long enough for Tinker to be long gone if he’d witnessed what happened, we decided to follow.
“Let’s move,” Wraith said.
We mounted our bikes and tore out of the compound, the wind whipping against my face as we raced to beat Tinker to the hiking trail. We took an alternate route from the one Justin said he’d use. That way our paths wouldn’t cross, and hopefully we’d get there first. The urgency of our mission pounded in my chest with each mile we covered.
Once we neared the trailhead, we hid our bikes and melted into the shadows of the dense woods. Wraith’s eyes scanned the tree line, ever vigilant. Evan crouched beside me, tension radiating from his muscular frame.
“You good?” he whispered, green eyes searching my face.
I nodded, forcing my breathing to slow. “Yeah. Just hope this works.”
“It will,” Evan assured me with a confident grin. “Justin knows what he’s doing.”
Tempest’s gravelly voice cut through the stillness. “Quiet. They’re coming.”
We held our breath as Justin’s bike roared past, followed moments later by the ominous rumble of Tinker’s motorcycle. My fists clenched involuntarily at the sight of the man who’d caused so much pain.
“Remember the plan,” Wraith murmured. “No one moves until my signal.”
I watched Justin disappear around a bend, Tinker in hot pursuit. Now came the waiting game. My mind raced with worst-case scenarios, but I forced them aside. Focus, Logan. Lives are at stake .
Somewhere nearby, I knew Savior and the others were also lying in wait, ready to spring our trap. The weight of my medical bag pressed against my back -- a grim reminder of why I was here. I’d made sure to pack anything I might need in an emergency, with the hope we’d all return home still breathing and not in a body bag.
“Logan.” Evan’s voice was barely audible. “You’ve got steady hands, right? For when shit hits the fan?”
I met his concerned gaze. “Always. It’s what I’m trained for.”
Although, to be fair, I’d never had to work on someone I cared about. I hoped my nerves would hold out.
He nodded, a flicker of relief crossing his face. “Good. Because I’ve got a feeling we’re gonna need you.”
I hoped like hell he was wrong. I may have brought the bag, but I didn’t want to have to use it. Because if I did, that meant one of us had been injured.
The distant sound of voices drifted through the trees. My muscles coiled, ready to spring into action at Wraith’s command. Whatever happened next, I knew one thing for certain -- this confrontation with Tinker ended today, one way or another.
Tinker’s harsh voice cut through the air. “Justin! Stop right there, boy!”
I watched as Justin came into view again and halted, his broad shoulders tensing as he turned to face the man he’d never known about before now. Even from a distance, I could see his jaw clench, hands balling into fists at his sides. The air crackled with tension.
“What the hell do you want?” Justin’s voice was cold, controlled. He was playing his part perfectly, feigning ignorance.
Tinker’s laugh was an ugly sound. “Is that any way to greet your old man? I’m disappointed in you, son.”
Justin’s face hardened. “I don’t know who you are, old man , but I’m not your son. My father was William Lackland.”
As they faced off, I eased forward, careful not to make a sound. The others were doing the same, slowly closing in on Tinker. My heart pounded, but years of emergency situations had trained me to keep my cool.
I pulled out my phone, fingers flying as I typed a message to Wire. Tinker alone ?
The response came quickly. Affirmative. No backup detected. Previous associates have cleared out .
Relief flooded through me, but I didn’t let my guard down. This was far from over. I glanced at Justin, saw the barely contained fury in his eyes as he stared down the father he’d never known. Stay strong, Pres. We’ve got your back .
Suddenly, Tinker’s hand darted to his waistband. My heart leaped into my throat as he pulled out a gun, aiming it squarely at Justin’s chest. Before I could react, a blur of movement caught my eye.
Venom, moving with a speed belying his age, materialized behind Tinker. The muzzle of his weapon pressed against Tinker’s temple.
“Drop it,” Venom growled, his voice low and dangerous. “Now.”
Tinker froze, a string of curses spilling from his lips. Slowly, he turned to face Venom, realization dawning in his eyes. “You sneaky bastards,” he snarled.
Torch and Bull emerged from the shadows, their own weapons trained on Tinker. The old man’s face contorted with rage. “This is all your fault,” he spat at them. “You and your damned club!”
I watched Justin carefully. His blue eyes were ice-cold, but I could see the turmoil beneath. This was his biological father, after all. No matter how much of a bastard Tinker was, that had to sting.
Torch stepped forward, his silver hair catching the filtered sunlight. “Until you decided to stir up shit, we all thought you were dead. Why now, Tinker? Why didn’t you just stay gone?”
Tinker’s laugh was bitter. “You want to know why?”
Well, yeah. We wouldn’t have asked otherwise. What sort of dumbass question was that?
His eyes darted to Justin. “I only found out about him a year ago. My own flesh and blood, a cop. I watched. I waited. Hoped maybe he’d at least be dirty, something I could work with.”
My stomach churned at the casual way he talked about corrupting his own son. Justin’s face remained impassive, but I could see his hands shaking slightly.
“Then I realized,” Tinker continued, a cruel smile twisting his features, “that the Swift Angels had ties to you Dixie Reaper scum. That’s when I knew it was time to make my move. All these decades, waiting for a chance to get revenge, and it fell right into my lap.”
I fought the urge to punch the smug look off his face. How dare he try to use Justin as a pawn in his sick game? But we weren’t done yet. Not only would the Dixie Reapers want their pound of flesh for endangering Akira, but I knew Justin probably had a ton of questions for him.
Venom’s gravelly voice cut through the tension. “It’s over, Tinker. You’ve lost. Do you really think you’ll get out of this alive? We may not have made sure you were dead last time, but things are different now.”
Tinker’s grin widened, sending a chill down my spine. “You sure about that, Venom?”
Before I could process his words, chaos erupted. Two men materialized from the shadows behind Justin. What the fuck? Wire had said the man was alone! My heart seized as I saw the glint of metal.
“Justin, down!” I yelled, but I was too late.
A deafening crack split the air. Justin’s body jerked, his blue eyes wide with shock. Blood bloomed across his chest, a crimson stain spreading rapidly. “Shit,” he muttered, his voice barely audible before his knees buckled.
Time slowed as I watched my president, my friend, crumple to the ground. No, no, no. This can’t be happening . Adrenaline surged through me, propelling me into action. I snatched the med bag I’d brought as a precaution and sprinted toward Justin’s fallen form.
I heard chaos erupt around me, and knew the two shooters and Tinker would be handled. Right now, I had other priorities.
“Hang on, Pres,” I muttered, dropping to my knees beside him. My hands shook as I pulled out shears, cutting away his shirt. The bullet had gone clean through, an angry red hole marring his chest. I pressed gauze to the wound, my mind racing. “It looks like it missed your heart, but I can’t be certain.”
Justin’s breathing was labored, each inhale a struggle. “Kelsey,” he whispered, his eyes locking onto mine. “Logan, if I don’t --”
“Don’t you dare,” I interrupted, applying more pressure. “You’re going to be fine. Focus on your daughter and how much she needs you.”
As I worked to stabilize Justin, I kept my head down, silently praying that my brothers and the Reapers had the situation under control. Based on the number of times I’d heard a gun go off, I had to assume the three men would be dead, if they weren’t already. At that moment, all that mattered was keeping Justin alive. I wouldn’t let Kelsey lose her father. I wouldn’t let our club lose its leader.
“Logan! Hurry the fuck up!” Dawson’s frantic voice cut through the chaos, sending a chill down my spine.
I caught sight of Venom sprawled on the ground, a pool of blood spreading beneath him. Shit. Two critically injured. This was bad.
“Diego!” I barked, my mind racing. “Keep pressure on Justin’s wound. I need to check on Venom.”
Diego nodded grimly, his warm brown eyes filled with determination as he took my place. I sprinted to Venom’s side, my stomach churning at the sight of his injuries -- gunshot wounds to the shoulder and lower abdomen. This was going to be touch and go.
“We need ambulances,” I shouted, trying to keep my voice steady. “Two of them. Now!”
I knew it wouldn’t be good to have them show up, especially since the police would come as well, but keeping these two alive was more important. We’d deal with the rest later.
As I worked to stabilize Venom, I caught glimpses of the aftermath -- Viking and Sticks standing over two motionless bodies -- Tinker’s men. Torch and Bull hovered near a third figure I recognized as Tinker himself, his unseeing eyes staring at the sky. A part of me felt sick at the carnage, but I pushed it aside. Focus, Logan. Lives are at stake .
“Dad.” Dawson’s voice broke as he knelt beside us. “Dad, can you hear me?”
I met Dawson’s panicked gaze. “He’s lost a lot of blood. We need to get him to the hospital immediately.”
My hands worked furiously packing Venom’s wounds but my mind raced with grim possibilities. Even if the ambulance came right this second, there was still a chance one or both men wouldn’t make it. Everything had gone to hell so fast. In the blink of an eye, all our lives had changed.
The wail of sirens pierced the air, and relief washed over me. Help was coming. But as I glanced between Justin and Venom, both critically wounded, worry gnawed at my gut. How the hell were we going to explain this?
“Shit,” I muttered, pressing harder on Venom’s wounds. “We can’t exactly tell them we were out for a casual stroll when this went down.”
Torch caught my eye, his face etched with concern. “We’ll figure it out. Right now, keeping them alive is all that matters.”
He was right, of course. I took a deep breath, forcing myself to focus on the immediate task at hand. The familiar rumble of approaching ambulances grew louder, and I silently prayed they weren’t too late.
Two emergency vehicles screeched to a halt at the edge of the woods, followed closely by a police cruiser. Chief Daniels stepped out, his son Grant right behind him. The chief’s eyes widened as he took in the scene, his weathered face creasing with a mixture of shock and resignation.
“Christ almighty,” he muttered, shaking his head. “I’m getting too old for this shit.”
As the paramedics rushed toward us with their equipment, I felt a surge of conflicting emotions. Relief that help had arrived, but also a fierce protectiveness. These men were my family, and I didn’t want to let them out of my sight.
“I’ll ride with Justin,” I announced, my voice leaving no room for argument. “Torch, you want to go with Venom?”
Torch nodded grimly, his usual joking demeanor nowhere to be seen.
“What the fuck about me?” Dawson demanded. “He’s my dad!”
“Right, and you aren’t thinking rationally right now. You’ll only end up in their way. Follow them to the hospital,” I said.
As we loaded our injured friends into the ambulances, I caught a glimpse of Chief Daniels speaking in hushed tones with Savior. I could only hope they were working out a story that wouldn’t land us all in jail. I didn’t think telling my soon-to-be in-laws that I was arrested the day after I proposed would go over well.
The ambulance doors slammed shut, and we were off, sirens blaring. I gripped Justin’s hand tightly, willing him back to consciousness.
“Stay with me, brother,” I whispered fiercely. “We’re not done fighting yet.”
* * *
The waiting room was a pressure cooker of tension. I paced back and forth, my mind racing with every possible scenario. The sterile smell of disinfectant did nothing to calm my nerves. Akira, Nora, Ridley, and Darian huddled together, their faces etched with worry. The ticking of the clock on the wall seemed impossibly loud.
“They’ve got to be okay,” I muttered, more to myself than anyone else. “Justin’s too stubborn to give up, and Venom… well, he’s too ornery to die.”
Hours crawled by like years. Finally, two doctors emerged, their faces unreadable. My heart leapt into my throat as they approached.
“Family of Justin Lackland and” -- the first doctor glanced at his chart --”Venom?”
We all surged forward as one unit. The doctor raised an eyebrow but continued, “Both men are stable, but it will be touch and go for the next few days. Especially for Venom. We performed emergency surgery and managed to repair the damage, but they’re not out of the woods yet.”
A collective sigh of relief rippled through our group. It wasn’t a victory, not yet, but it was hope.
“Can we see them?” Akira asked, her voice trembling slightly.
The second doctor shook his head. “Not yet. They need rest. We’ll let you know when they’re ready for visitors. Venom will be moved to ICU once he’s out of recovery. They’ll only allow one visitor at a time in that unit, and immediately family only.”
As the doctors left, I caught Savior’s eye. We may have taken out Tinker, but at what cost?
“Logan.” Chief Daniels’ voice cut through my thoughts. He gestured for me to follow him to a quiet corner. I hadn’t even noticed he’d come to the hospital. Once we were alone, he spoke in a low voice. “When Justin wakes up, let him know his job is safe. We’re going to spin this, make him out to be a hero.”
I blinked in surprise. “Chief, I…”
He held up a hand. “After talking with Savior, we agree jail wouldn’t have been enough for Tinker. Sometimes… sometimes the system fails us.”
The chief’s stance shocked me. It must have shown on my face because he gave me a wry smile.
“My daughter’s with another club,” he explained. “I’ve learned it’s sometimes best to look the other way. Just… keep your noses clean from here on out, yeah?”
I nodded, speechless. As Chief Daniels walked away, I was left pondering the strange alliances forged in the heat of battle. We had survived, barely. But as I looked around at the weary, worried faces of my brothers and their old ladies, I knew one thing for certain: whatever came next, we would face it together.
I made my way back to Akira’s side, my mind still reeling from the chief’s words. I scanned the room, taking in the scene before me.
Dawson sat hunched over, his face buried in his hands. Ridley, Venom’s wife, had her arm around him, her own eyes red-rimmed but determined. The Swift Angels and Dixie Reapers intermingled, an unlikely alliance. And yet, we’d worked well together.
“Any news?” Torch asked, his voice gruff with worry, as he came back carrying cups of coffee.
“The doctor said they aren’t completely out of the woods, but they’re stable for now. That’s something, right?” I accepted a coffee from him. “I’m sure they’ll pull through. They have to.”
Bull grunted in agreement, his massive frame seeming to dwarf the plastic chair he was perched on. Darian sat beside him, holding his hand.
I found myself drawn to the window, staring out at the parking lot below. The sun was setting, casting long shadows across the asphalt. It felt wrong somehow, that the world kept turning while Justin and Venom fought for their lives.
“What… what if he doesn’t wake up?” Bull’s daughter asked. I thought I remembered her name being Tara. We’d only met briefly during dinner the first night we’d stayed at the Reapers clubhouse. “What if neither of them do?”
I turned to face her, choosing my words carefully. “They’re both tough, Tara. They have so much to live for. Their clubs, their families… and their friends.”
Tara’s eyes widened and I saw tears fill them. “Kelsey! Justin’s little girl, she’s with Isabella. I don’t think anyone’s told her about her dad yet.”
I gave her a brief smile, wishing I could offer more comfort. “That’s probably for the best. We’ll know more soon. Besides, I’m not sure how much she’d understand about what happened. We can just tell her that her daddy got sick and he’ll be back soon.”
As if on cue, a nurse appeared in the doorway. “Family of Justin Lackland?”
We all tensed, ready for news, good or bad.
“Here,” I said, standing.
“He’s awake and we’re moving him to a room. No visitors until tomorrow. He needs rest.”
“He has a daughter. Will she be able to see him?” I asked.
“Only if she’s over the age of twelve. Hospital policy,” she said.
Shit. Kelsey was nowhere near that. I nodded and thanked her before she hurried off to talk to another patient’s family. The waiting game continued, each minute stretching into an eternity as we held our collective breath, hoping for news that Venom was now awake as well.