Chapter Eighteen
Nashville
Nero called Speedway to the office, and they were both waiting when I got back from Kentucky. After spending a little time with Sheridan, assuring her she was safe, I caught a flight back.
I’m still struggling to get her face out of my mind. Once she was lucid enough, the first thing she asked about was Oscar. Her and Nero’s kid.
I wasn’t sure how much to tell her, that’s Nero’s business but I did let her know he was safe with Nero and it was him who sent me to find her.
She went quiet after asking how long till she could go home and the doctors said she would need to stay with them at least a week to get her on the right track. It’s going to be a long road for her. Those bastards had been shooting her up with heroin for weeks.
And doing God knows what else to her.
Nero is fully up to speed. I video called him from the clinic and surreptitiously showed him Sheridan in the hospital bed. He called me in to speak to Speedway.
All I want to do is go home and fully admit to myself the thought of the person waiting there is fueling that need. But this has to be done and my mood is still dark enough that I wouldn’t want to taint Charley with it.
I’m hoping getting it all out and having Speedway take over will lift some of it so I can go to her.
How I’ve managed to look at Charley that way so quickly is a mystery to me but I do. It’s not even about sex, just being with her feels like it might help.
I don’t know her story but there is definitely some trauma in her history. I don’t want to pile my shit on her but I get the feeling Charley will understand.
Speedway is pacing when I enter the room, Nero is sitting at the table watching him. They both turn when I close the door.
“Is she okay?” Speedway asks.
“No,” I say honestly. Nero filled him in on some of it so it’s safe to say that without him thinking the real worst scenario. “But she’s in the right place.”
“Fuck,” he grabs his head with both hands.
“Sit down, Shaun,” Nero says.
It takes a moment for him to comply and when he does, it’s like all the tension drains out of his body, crashing under the weight of knowing his sister is safe now. They both listen as I explain what went down at the house.
Speedway’s fists clench and release when I talk about the man I killed. That was all Nero had given me permission to tell him.
“We have a facility all set up and ready to take her,” Nero tells Speedway when I’ve finished relaying what went down. “I’ve got a flight set up for you to go and be with her, then accompany her back here with the doctors to make sure she is protected.”
“Do we need to worry they’ll hurt her again?” Speedway asks.
Everyone at the club knows what Storm is doing and the war he is trying to wage against the club. They might not know the details but everyone is aware and on the lookout.
“We won’t let him,” Nero assures him. “Your flight is in an hour. Blaze has all the information, he’s downstairs.”
Speedway thanks us and walks out, looking like a broken man. I can’t imagine any of my brothers being hurt the way Sheridan has. The lasting effects of what she has been through are not going to be easy to forget.
“Catch me up on what Camden has done.”
Nero listens as I talk about the arrests of the men who were there abusing the women, the guards who were killed and taken away before the police got there.
All the women are either in hospital or back with their families, all of them had been kidnapped, not a single one of them had been there willingly.
The building had also mysteriously burned to the ground.
“Cam has a lead on the people behind it. He’ll keep us posted, but he is working with someone in Kentucky now who handles this kind of shit, they’ll make sure they’re taken down.”
“Where does Storm fit in?”
“The asshole was an old friend, he has no connection to the pricks running the house.”
Nero looks away from me and is quiet, so I hold my tongue.
“Razer has been out to Romney to see if he can find anything.”
“Any luck?”
“Not yet, but we’re closer than we were last week. Thank your brother for everything, if there is anything he needs.”
“Thanks. He didn’t do this as a favor, once he knew, he wanted to shut it down.”
“Fucked up,” he sighs. “People can be so fucked up.”
“The women are getting the help they need.”
Nero turns back and studies my face. The President getting an update and planning his next moves vanishes before my eyes.
“What do you need?”
“I’m good.”
“Callum, you saw some seriously bad shit and you’ve not been yourself. Anyone who witnessed that is going to be affected.”
“I’m fine.”
He doesn’t believe me but he’s never been one to push too hard, unless he doesn’t think we are coping with something.
“What’s the deal with Charley?”
“There is no deal.”
His brow lifts and he leans back in his seat. Psychic. He really fucking is.
“It wasn’t expected.”
“I hear that.”
“Jesus, Nero. Don’t put that shit on me.”
“You’ve put that shit on yourself,” he smirks. “Ellie says she’s smart, too good for the club. Which probably means too good for you. Then again, Taylor is definitely too good for me and I’m never letting her go.”
“It’s new,” I say it like I’m unsure.
“Maybe she is what you need right now.”
“Using her to make me feel better isn’t right.”
“You want her there when you’ve worked through this shit?”
Who knows? One thing Nero does well is get you thinking. Is that what I want? How could we ever work? I’m still hung up on how old she is, but that went right through the fucking window the second she kissed me. Nine years isn’t so bad, is it?
“Go over to the bar, talk with the brothers, have a drink, recalibrate to being back here. Then when you’re ready, go home.” He gives me a pointed look leaving no room for misinterpreting that shit.
“Fuck,” I shake my head. “When did you get so fucking in tune with women and relationships?”
“Since Taylor walked into my house and gave me shit for being mean to Jesse.”
I can’t help but laugh.
“It might not work out,” he says, meaning me and Charley. “You’ll never know if you bury your head and come up with a million reasons why it won’t. If you need it, Blaze will look into her background.”
“No,” I say immediately. “Anything like that, I will find out from her.”
He smirks. The asshole. I get up and push my chair under the table. “What can I do about Storm?”
“Nothing for now. Razer will get back to me and once we know more, I’ll call church.”
I leave the office and head downstairs. Blaze dips his head so I go over.
“Speedway left for the airport. That shit man,” he shakes his head. “You okay?”
They’re asking because they care and I’m grateful for that but I just kind of want to forget about it for now.
“Messed up but I’m good. Gonna go grab a drink, then head home.”
Blaze nods. I won’t invite him and he won’t come along. Blaze is an alcoholic who has been dry for eight years. He never puts himself in temptations way. He’ll come to parties and gatherings but he doesn’t stick around long.
There are a lot of people in the bar tonight and the noise, laughter and alcohol is exactly what I need to get into a better head space. It’s going to take a while to get the memory of that house out of my brain but being back here with family will help.
Seeing Charley is in the back of my mind the whole time I’m chatting and laughing.
She can never know what went down in Kentucky but it feels like I can tell her some things.
She is smarter than a lot of people twice her age, she studies, sees things.
I like that about her. Whatever is in her past that haunts her I want to help her.
“Nashville!”
Raven is sitting on a stool at the bar, waving me over.
“What?” I yell across the bar, earning a scowl.
“Come here, asshat.”
“With an invitation like that, how can I possibly refuse.”
The guys around me laugh as I get up and walk over. I doubt there is a guy at the club who doesn’t want a piece of Raven. Everyone knows Rebel will cut off their dick if they ever touch his sister. One guy tried once and ended up with a broken finger and cheekbone.
He’s very protective.
Raven can hold her own, growing up around the club and running this bar, she’s learned to take no shit and can be as scary as her brother at times.
Her attacks are more mental and physical though. She can having a cutting tongue at times, but she’s loyal. We’ve grown close over the years but my dick has never been interested. We’re friends.
I stop by her and smile. “I’m here, what do you want?”
“You know things.”
“This is true.”
“What’s going on with Beast?”
“Uh,” I frown. “Not sure why?”
“You realize he has a seventeen-year-old daughter who is sleeping in my spare bedroom right now.”
“I’d heard,” I smirk.
“Shit, Nash, come on. He hasn’t been round to see her. I heard he’d been told to sort his shit out but so far, nothing.”
“Cut the guy a break. He didn’t know he had a kid.”
“Regardless, he can’t get away from the flesh and blood person who showed up here. Tink needs him, she’s tough and tries not to show it. He needs to grow a pair.”
“Why are you giving me shit about it? This is nothing to do with me.” I go to walk away but she moves her leg so I can’t get away, jerking it so I am shoved back towards the bar. “Jesus, Raven.”
“Don’t think you can just walk away from me.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” I grin. “But I haven’t been around so I don’t know where he is or what is going on with him. If you let me go and tell me what Tink is like, I might go find him and have a word.”
Raven sips her drink and indicates the server to get me another.
“Buckle up,” she says. “This girl is a firecracker. I think I’m in love with her.”
I throw my head back and laugh. Fuck, Nero was right, this was just what I needed to get my head on straight. I feel better already being around these people. My friends.
She tells me about the kid and how underneath the bravado there is a scared girl who lost her only family and had the courage to walk into an MC to find the man who fathered her, and as far as she was concerned, abandoned her.
I promise to find him tomorrow and talk to him.
“He’s so fucked up about it, he even closed Elegance.”
“What?” I straighten up off the bar.
“Yeah, tonight he shut it down. That’s why I need your help, he’s going off the deep end or some shit. And, as much as I like the kid, she can’t stay with me forever. I didn’t sign on to be a foster mom.”
Beast gave Charley a couple of nights off but if I know her, she would have been going stir crazy and wanted to go back to work.
“Does Nero know he shut the club?”
“Why are you asking me that?” she deadpans.
“Fine, fuck,” I finish my drink and step away. “Give me a couple of days and we’ll get shit sorted with Tink.”
I won’t admit I’m worried. Beast never shuts the club, especially not on a Friday. The revenue we’ll lose is up there in the six-figure range. One good thing about it for me, Charley will be at home.
It takes another half hour to go round everyone saying bye before I’m on my bike riding back home.
My smile grows when I see the BMW parked beside the Shelby. Maybe tomorrow I’ll take her out for a spin in it. She ate it up with her eyes when she first saw it. Kind of like I’m hoping she’ll look at me when I get inside.
The house is dark and quiet. Not surprising given the hour. I kind of hope she spent the last two nights in my bed. Probably not, Charley has insecurities I want to help her fight.
I never planned to have her stay here as long as she has but knowing she is here is nice. Which is weird as fuck. Knowing she is in my bed waiting for me, now that is a thought I can get behind.
A quick peek inside my room says I’m right, she didn’t feel comfortable in there without me. I move down the hall and knock on her door. Why am I knocking?
There is no sound from inside so I push open the door. Light spills in behind me showing me the bed is empty. Where is she? I flip on the light and look around. Something about this feels off.
After searching the house to make sure I didn’t walk past her sleeping on the couch, I go back to her room. Something makes me open the closet and I stare at the empty hangers and space where her suitcase was.
“She left?”
My voice sounds loud in the stillness of the house. Where the fuck is she? She wouldn’t go back to that house, I’ve shown her what a hell hole that place is. If she wanted to get a place of her own, she would have talked to me about it first.
Panic starts to set in. I squash it down, her case and things wouldn’t be gone if something happened to her. This is all about what goes on in her head. It’s been two damn days, and she chose to leave without talking to me? What the fuck?
I have her number but it’s late and I don’t want to disturb her. Fuck that. I dial and it goes straight to voicemail, the generic robotic kind, not her voice. I’m not leaving a message, I need to talk to her. What caused this?
Maybe she realized this is all wrong for her, that whatever we’ve had going on is not what she wants. I’m not the kind to let things fester, if there is an issue I want to know what it is and if I can fix it, I will.
It’s late but Blaze still answers the call.
“Can you track a phone for me?”
“Who’s?” he asks with a yawn.
I don’t even feel bad I woke him up. He takes the number and says to give him five. When he calls back with a name and address, I frown but thank him and hang up. Why is she with one of the dancers from Elegance? She’d rather go stay with her than be here?
My own selfish reasons for wanting her to be here shouldn’t have any part of this, she obviously left for a reason but I’m irritated and also feeling rejected and like pure shit. Which is why I get on the bike and head for the address, not giving one flying fuck that it’s nearly two in the morning.
Nero is right, if I want to see if this thing can work then I’m not gonna sit back and let her slip away from me with no explanation. Rationally it can wait till tomorrow, but I’m committed now.
She can come home, explain herself and we’ll figure this out. In that order.