Chapter Twenty
Reckless
R ORY FINALLY GOT discharged from the hospital yesterday.
Whatever medicine Doc changed her to definitely worked.
After the second day, she no longer had a fever and was waking up more and more.
Cali finally started to relax and everyone came up to see Rory in the hospital.
Now, it’s as if she were never sick. It truly amazes me how fast kids bounce back from sickness.
Bryce is loving his mom and sister being home again because he didn’t like not seeing them constantly and he couldn’t stay at the hospital with us.
No, I never left her side and was there every day for Rory.
Kreed oversaw the opening of the haunted house on its opening night.
Thankfully he was able to head there while my dad and Tank stayed with Bryce.
Everyone stepped up while Rory was in the hospital for Cali and her family.
She’s used to it but it still always makes her extremely emotional when she sees it happening for her.
Today, I’ll be working at the haunted house for the first time and I’m excited to be there.
I haven’t been in one since Darren made the last one and I’ve honestly missed it.
It will be different to work in one as the man I am now and since this is in memory of Darren.
I want everything to be perfect even though I know that’s almost impossible.
Something will always go wrong and that’s a guarantee.
Hopefully tonight will be a good one. I know Kreed has said everyone is loving the haunted house and so many have gone through it more than once.
They always seem to walk out terrified and still can’t get enough of it. That’s a good sign if you ask me.
“Reckless, we’re all goin’ to the diner for lunch before we get ready for the haunted house tonight. You comin’ with us?” Manic asks, walking up to me as I leave my office.
“Yeah, I’ll go. Let me shower and change real quick,” I tell him walking to the stairs and heading up to my room.
I don’t waste time getting in the shower and washing up from my workout this morning.
Tank worked out with me and he was a damn beast. I forgot what it’s like to workout with him.
My uncle has one mode when it comes to his workouts and that’s full on.
He is always challenging himself and trying to do more than he did in his last session.
No one likes working out with him because they can’t keep up.
This morning, I wanted to push myself and asked him to workout with me.
After washing and rinsing off quickly, I wrap a towel around my waist and head to my room.
Grabbing a clean set of clothes, I dress and grab my cut after putting everything back in my pockets.
I make my way downstairs to find everyone waiting for me.
Luca is working behind the bar and I walk over to him.
We did nothing as he asked for his birthday and that’s not like us.
The club always celebrates everyone. Today, he’ll go to the diner with us so we can do something for him.
“Luca, let’s go. We’re all headin’ to lunch at the diner. You’re comin’ with us,” I tell him as the rest of the guys start clapping in agreement.
“Thank you, Reckless, but I can’t go. I’ve got work to do here before headin’ up to be with Miss Cali and the kids,” he declines while keeping his back to me and I can see the small bit of scarring he has to live with because of his stepfather.
“I’ll take over here, Luca. You’ve been workin’ harder than the rest of us and sittin’ with Cali and her kids when you’re not workin’.
Let us help ya out,” Evan says as I nod at him because he didn’t have to speak up like that.
I could have ordered him to finish Luca’s work, but he chose to be there for Luca without hesitation.
“Good man, Evan. Luca, let’s head out,” I state, waiting for the young Prospect to come around the bar and join us.
“Thank you, Evan,” Luca whispers as he passes by and walks toward the door.
“You’re doin’ good with him, Caleb,” my papa says, walking up behind me and keeping his eyes on Luca.
“That boy will be one of the strongest men in this club and will become the backbone because of his attitude toward everyone in this clubhouse. He’ll be the next Hound or Pops.
Luca just needs attention and guidance. You be his guide and Cali will give him all the attention he needs to thrive and become the man he’s meant to be. ”
“I’m tryin’. He’s still so nervous around us all and rarely opens up.
The only reason he did the other day is because it was in defense of Cali.
He loves her and they’ve formed a great bond already.
Cali really enjoys spendin’ her time with him,” I admit to my papa and wonder if Cali will go there with Luca.
He’s younger than her but I know how to read both of them.
When Luca and Cali are together, they laugh, talk and simply enjoy being with one another.
It’s on those occasions that we truly see the man Luca could be.
He comes alive when Cali is with him and we rarely see him flinch from loud noises or someone getting too close to him.
With Cali near him, Luca can almost forget his horrible past and the trauma he’s been through.
She makes him seem completely free from worry and the fear he lives with.
That’s just one of the many reasons I fell in love with Cali to begin with.
“I’ve seen it. They have a bond like you and Kreed do, Caleb.
Cali sees him as a younger brother and Luca looks up to her like the sister he never had.
The two of them have been through hell and back and will thrive around one another.
Luca is there to protect Cali when she needs it from him and she gives him the safety and feeling of home he’s never once had in his life.
We all saw it with his declaration about givin’ his life for hers and the kids.
Luca wouldn’t do that for just anyone and if you don’t realize that, you’re stupid as fuck,” Papa says, a smile on his face as he watches Link try to joke around with Luca.
“Kreed is another one who will get him to open up. Once Luca becomes confident enough in himself, I have a feelin’ you’re all gonna see an entirely different person who will only add to this club. ”
“I agree. Are you comin’ out to eat with us?” I ask my papa as the rest of the club members head out to their bikes so we can leave.
“Not today. Your grandma is cookin’ at your house for us. I’m headin’ there now,” he answers me as I pull out my bike keys and give him a hug before joining everyone outside.
Climbing on my bike, I start the engine and just take in the thunderous rumble of all the bikes running at one time in the parking lot of the compound.
The noise echoes off the clubhouse making it even louder than normal as we all prepare to pull out.
I lead everyone with Link at my side as Craig opens the gate for us.
Luca rides at the back of us and I keep an eye on him as we make the short trip through town.
When we pull up to the diner, the parking lot is almost full and I’m thankful we have a table that’s always empty just for us.
A couple months ago, we helped out the owners and that was one of the things they’ve done for us to thank us.
The owners, Simon and Veronica, are a younger couple who took over from Veronica’s grandma almost two years ago.
They got in some trouble after taking over because they were in over their heads.
We helped them out of the situation and have helped a few other times since then.
They’re a great couple and we will always support them in whatever way they need.
Walking in the diner, everyone stops what they’re doing to watch us move through the space and head for our table.
Movement catches my eye and I turn my head to find Cali taking an order at a table across the room.
Confusion fills me because she’s a fucking nurse and shouldn’t be working here.
We haven’t had the chance to truly sit down and talk about anything so I don’t know what’s going on in her life.
When we were just in the hospital together, our conversations revolved around Rory and Bryce.
Cali didn’t let anything become too personal after she woke up laying on me.
That’s also the only time she sat next to me.
She kept her distance and I know it’s because of our conversation.
“What the fuck is Cali doin’ workin’ here?” I ask the men around me because I’m sure one of them know what’s going on with her.
“You haven’t heard the bullshit that happened to her?” Master questions me, anger filling his face as we take our seats and put Luca in the center of the table.
“No, I haven’t. What the fuck happened and why wasn’t I informed of the situation before now?” I return, trying to keep my voice level and calm so Luca doesn’t flinch or get thrown into a painful memory from his past trauma.
“Darren’s parents showed up in the hospital.
Everythin’ was fine until his father realized Cali was workin’ there.
It was the same day Doc released her back to work as long as it was light duty.
Cali was workin’ the desk when Mr. Foster went out and started bein’ a complete asshole to her.
He spewed a ton of lies and used Darren’s death to get her suspended pendin’ an investigation.
From what I can tell, she’s been let go and Darren’s parents are makin’ it impossible for her to get a job at another hospital or clinic,” Master informs me as rage fills my body and I know if one person says the wrong thing to me, I’m going to explode.