Chapter Thirty-Two Olivia
As I helped the last woman into the waiting ambulance, I finally let the tears fall for them. Some were already pregnant when those assholes grabbed them off the street, but several became pregnant from rape. I watch the cops lead Drs. Calder and Merkel away in handcuffs, but part of me wishes the guys had killed them.
Lake steps up behind me, and I lean into his embrace.
“Are you okay?” he asks.
“No, not really. I can’t believe what those poor women went through. They’re lucky you found them.” I look around for cops before continuing. “Why didn’t you just kill them?”
Lake chuckles before kissing the top of my head. “Can’t say we didn’t consider it. They forced Marcia to deliver more than one baby. Those assholes have the answers. They won’t find jail a pleasant experience.”
“Will they go to prison? Our court system doesn’t often prosecute white men, wealthy white men. They can barter their freedom for the location of those babies.”
“If that happens, then we’ll deliver our form of justice,” he promises me.
“Good,” I say, turning to snuggle into his chest. I just get comfortable when his phone rings.
“Yeah,” he says. He still has one arm around me, so I feel it when he stiffens. I shift to look up at his face. “When? Has he said who attacked him? Why the hell is he waiting? Okay, that’s fine. I’m on my way.”
“Was that about your dad?”
“Coyote woke up. I need to call Toff and get to the hospital.”
“I want to go with you,” I tell him.
He leans his head against mine. “Thank god because I need you with me. Could you do me a favor and tell Rey that Toff will call her later?” He checks his watch. “They planned on meeting at eight, which is only a few hours away. I need to tell Hex that we’re taking off.”
While Lake goes to tell Hex, I search for Rey and find her talking with her brother.
“This is fucking bizarre,” Rey says when I reach her. “This is where they would have taken me. I don’t think I can ever repay you for rescuing me.”
“Same,” Detective Montague says, smiling at me as he pulls his sister close.
“Does that mean we can go?” I ask the detective. “Lake got a call from the hospital. Coyote woke up and asked to see him and Toff. Lake’s reaching out to Toff and expects he’ll be going, too. He’ll need to postpone his meeting with you.”
“That’s okay. I have other cases that I’m working on. Have Toff call me, and we’ll set up a meeting. Maybe I can visit the hospital later and talk with them.”
“I might have more questions for you and the club. Yes, I know who they are—the Demon Dawgs. I’ve seen them around town. We have to keep an eye out for those who could cause problems. However, in this case, they did good.”
I smile my thanks. “I’ll let them know you will reach out. They’re good men. All of them.”
Returning to Lake, he helps me get into the SUV. “Detective Montague wants to talk to you later. He said he’ll have more questions. He also knows you’re the Demon Dawgs.”
Hex, who is sitting in the front seat, nods. “I thought he might.”
I expect the guys to stop at the clubhouse, but Jack keeps driving. “Are they coming with us?” I ask Lake. “What about Toff?”
“Toff will meet us there. He went to pick up Annette.”
Lake says nothing more about why Hex and the others are coming with us, but I can figure it out. Once he gives them a name, the club will help Lake track down Coyote’s attacker.
We enter the lobby, where Lake and I break off to take the elevator to Coyote’s floor. When we exit the elevator, Lake takes off at a run. I’m confused until I see Colin lying on the floor outside Coyote’s room. I drop down beside him while Lake shoves into Coyote’s room. I hear scuffling and consider running downstairs to get Hex and the others, but the elevator door opens, and Toff steps out.
“Lake’s in Coyote’s room; help him,” I shout at Toff, who rushes inside while Annette drops across from me.
“Someone knocked him out,” I say unnecessarily, considering the blood on the back of his skull.
“Where is everyone?” Annette asks, just as a doctor and nurse turn the corner. They come over to help, letting me check on Lake and his family.
Inside Coyote’s room, I find Colin’s brother, Danny, unconscious on the floor. Stepping outside, I tell the doctor that he has another patient. Annette leaves Colin in their hands and joins us.
Lake shoves Crow against the wall, his hand behind his back. Toff pulls a thick zip tie from Lake’s pocket and hands it to him.
Lake fastens Crow’s wrists behind his back before shoving him to the floor.
“Why the hell were you trying to kill Coyote?” Lake demands. “Are you the one who stabbed him?”
“Yes,” Coyote responds. “That’s why I asked for you to come. I didn’t want to call the police. He’s still my brother.”
“Why did you want to kill Coyote?” Lake repeats his question to Crow.
“Because he deserves to die. He’s taken everything from me. He has gotten everything he wants all my life, and I have gotten nothing. Now he’s trying to steal my money.”
“What money?” Coyote asks.
“The money I would get for selling land to the oil company. I’ve been buying up abandoned properties throughout our territory. But you would ruin everything if you got the government to recognize our tribe. The land wouldn’t be mine to sell. It would belong to the fucking tribe.”
“You betrayed our tribe over money?” Coyote asks with disgust.
“Why the fuck not? What has the tribe ever done for me? What have you ever done for me? Except take everything that mattered? You stole the woman I loved and claimed our son as your own.”
Lake shakes his head. “What are you talking about? How did he steal the woman you loved? Do you mean Mom?”
“She was mine first!” Crow screams. “We would have been happy together, but he stole her! But I had my revenge. I had her before you did. She was mine, if only for a few hours. Long enough to make sure she was pregnant with my son!”
“You raped her?” Coyote yells out. “You mother-fucker. I’ll kill you. She didn’t love you, she loved me!”
“She had my son. My son will be chief, and I’ll have control of the tribe!”
Lake’s head snaps back as if someone punched him. “What did you say?”
“You’re my son. Lenora and I had a night of passion before she married Coyote. She loved me but had to marry him. Nine months later, she had you. You are my son. Not his.”
“You bastard! She didn’t love you. She liked you, but she didn’t love you. She loved me. You destroyed her. She never got over what you did to her.”
“You raped my mother?” Lake asks, his voice is soft and lethal.
“No! Of course not. She wanted me, but she couldn’t risk anyone finding out. I had to persuade her to give in to us.”
Lake rushes forward and punches Crow in the face. “Persuade her? You fucking persuaded her? Persuasion isn’t consent. You bastard.”
“No, no, it wasn’t like that. I swear. Lenora loved me.”
I leave Annette to tend to Danny and go to Lake. He trembles as I wrap my arms around his waist and give him my strength. The door opens to let in two security guards. They take Crow out, who continues to scream about being the man Lenora loved and losing it all to his older brother.
“Lake…,” Coyote calls out, causing Lake to tighten his hold on me. “Lake, look at me. I’m your father. I raised you. It doesn’t matter what happened. You are my son.”
“But, there are doubts?” Lake asks, looking at Coyote.
Coyote opens and closes his mouth several times before speaking. “Yes. There were doubts, but I swore to Lenora that I would never treat you differently. It’s why I want you to become chief. Because as my oldest, it is your legacy.”
Lake lets out a dark chuckle. “I never wanted to be chief.”
“I know, but I couldn’t betray my oath to your mother. You are my son.”
“I am your son. Biology doesn’t matter. Being chief doesn’t matter. I love you, Dad. I always have, and I always will. But you must get over the expectation that I will claim my legacy. My sperm donor doesn’t change the fact that Toff is your successor. We’ve wasted years arguing about this, and now there is a real possibility that Toff is your firstborn son instead of me. But you know what? That doesn’t matter. Not really. Make Toff your successor. Mom would understand, and you’ll do what’s best for you, Toff, the tribe, and me.”
Coyote studies his two sons for several long seconds before he nods in agreement. “You’re right. I let my promise to your mother blind me. I don’t think she cared if you became chief; she just wanted to ensure I didn’t treat you differently.”
When my phone rings, I take it out to see Rey’s number.
“Hello, Rey. Are you looking for Toff?” I answer, putting the call on speaker.
“No, I’m looking for Lucifer’s Heir. Tell him to give me back what’s mine, or his assistant will pay the price.”
“But, I don’t know anyone…” I start, but the line goes dead. I look at Lake.
“We need to find Abra,” Lake says, leaving the hospital room.