Chapter Nineteen
Maverick
Three days later, he was at the garage, underneath the belly of an old sedan. He thought it was a heap of garbage, but it still ran. He was determined to make sure it continued to do so, even if it wasn’t worth the price of labor.
“Maverick!”
He recognized the sound of Wrangler’s voice right away and came rolling out from underneath the car. He sat up when he saw his brother wasn’t alone. Bull approached with him, and Maverick suspected he knew what this was about.
He was hitting the road.
There was only one question.
“Where we goin’?” he asked.
“Finally got word to the cartel. Struck a deal with Alvarez this morning. We hand over Viper, we got ourselves a truce.”
Maverick’s eyebrows shot up his forehead.
“Viper? Viper who’s been in the wind four days?”
“That’s where we come in,” chimed in Wrangler with a crooked smile.
“You, Wrangler, and Flank,” Bull clarified, speaking of Cheyenne’s enforcer. “You’ve got a week, or the deal’s off. You find him, you bring him to the warehouse. I want a word before we hand him over.”
Wrangler extended his hand, and Maverick took it, accepting the help onto his feet.
“We’ll roll out as soon as you’re ready,” he said. “Fucker’s already got one hell of a head start. Not tryin’ to have this drag out more than a couple days. Supposed to get my kids Sunday.”
Maverick thought about what it would take to hunt down a man who didn’t want to be found. It wasn’t the first time he’d done it; he suspected it wouldn’t be the last. It was a round-the-clock job that took him to places he wouldn’t otherwise go—both physically and mentally—and he wasn’t much looking forward to it.
But he’d do whatever it took to keep him and his brothers out of a war none of them had an appetite to fight.
To keep bullets from flying his way.
To keep his word to his lady.
He promised he’d be around.
If a man hunt was what it took to keep that promise, he was all in.
“Gotta pack a sack and drop by to see my lady,” Maverick replied.
Both Bull and Wrangler nodded.
“Meet back here in an hour?” asked Wrangler.
Maverick jerked his chin in approval, tossed the wrench in his hand to Bull, then headed straight for his hog.
Jenna
Heather and I were with a patient when I saw him enter the emergency room. I had to do a double take. When I looked a second time, I caught his eye as he headed toward the nurses’ station. I wasn’t expecting him, and my gut told me his visit wasn’t something to get excited about.
I flashed him a finger, letting him know I’d be a minute or two, and he dipped his chin in acknowledgment. Turned out, it was more like five minutes; but as soon as I could break away, I headed straight for him.
“Talk to you for a sec?” he said instead of hello.
As my stomach dropped, heavy with apprehension, I wondered if I told him no if it would change whatever it was that was so important he’d shown up in person to tell me.
Sure that likely wasn’t the case, I said, “Yeah.”
He took my hand and led me toward the exit. I could feel the eyes of my colleagues watching us as we went, but I didn’t turn to look. I was too preoccupied.
When we’d passed through the doors and out into the cool afternoon air—autumn officially right around the corner—he stopped and gave my fingers a squeeze.
“Gotta ride, foxy.”
My heart sank.
He’d been saying that a lot lately.
Only this time it came with different implications.
He had to ride more often when there was trouble.
Him getting shot at meant big trouble.
Another ride so soon wasn’t a total shock.
But it had only been three days since his last one.
The one after which we’d struck a compromise.
I thought I’d get a week—maybe two.
“Okay. That was fast,” I murmured, trying to process the extent of what this news meant.
My brain stopped processing when he said, “Don’t know how often I’ll be able to check in. I’ll text when I can, but we might not talk for a few days.”
“Days?” I asked, trying my best to remain calm. “What’s the danger level this time?” Before he could answer, I added, “And don’t you dare sugar coat it.”
“Six-out-of-ten, if I’m being generous. Four, if you really want to know how I feel.”
“Right. I’m going to say that makes this closer to nine-out-of-ten,” I muttered.
He smirked at me as he shook his head, but he didn’t argue.
“Don’t know the extent of the shit you’re dealing with here—but you need me, you call me ‘til you get me. Got it?”
I was instantly buoyed by his instructions.
I was his and he was mine, even when he had to ride.
“I got it, honey,” I assured him.
“Good. I gotta go.”
I drew in deep breath and let it out on a heavy sigh.
We were going the distance.
He promised.
But I had to let him go.
I had to let him ride.
It’s who he was.
“Okay. Be careful. And don’t neglect your wound. It’s still healing.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said, descending for a kiss.
We were standing right outside of my workplace, in full view of anyone who cared to look, but I didn’t care. My man had to ride. Kade’s mouth devoured mine, and I let him have it. When he pulled my hair loose in order to sink his fingers into it, I hummed my approval, holding him tighter, desperate for all he could give me, not knowing when I’d have him again.
He pulled away too soon, leaving me short of breath and unsteady on my feet.
“You good, babe?” he asked through a grin, one arm still holding me close.
“Mmhmm,” I replied, willing my legs to work.
He then held out my hair tie, pinched between finger and thumb. “Only cause you’re at work.”
I shook my head, speaking through a smile of my own as I said, “I’ll find another. I never did return the one I borrowed Sunday.”
He didn’t need further encouragement, and I watched as he slid the purple band onto his wrist.
“See you soon,” he told me, pressing a kiss to my forehead.
“You better,” I murmured in return.
He winked as he let me go and began to back away before he turned, jogging toward the parking lot. I watched him until he was out of sight, then I walked back inside, raking my fingers through my hair as I went.
Hopefully I had another hair tie in my purse.
I stopped short of the nurses’ station when I realized I had an audience. Lindsey, Abbie, and Heather were all gaping at me—Lindsey with a huge smile.
“What app did you find him on?” asked Heather.
I knit my eyebrows together, equal parts confused and amused. “Aren’t you married?”
She shrugged. “Just curious, is all.”
“Seriously, though,” gushed Lindsey. “Do tell! He’s smoking hot with unbelievable bad-boy vibes.”
“And that kiss,” Abbie murmured wistfully.
I laughed, shaking my head at all of them as I replied, “That man requires no app. And you wouldn’t find one of his kind on the internet anyway. There’s no one else quite like him. I’m sure of it.”
On Friday afternoon, it had been thirty-six hours since I’d last heard from Kade. To keep myself from going crazy with worry, I was doubling down on my efforts to find a nurse who’d talk to me regarding Dr. Grant.
I was close— really close.
I’d found a woman who’d worked with him while he was down in Casper. I’d baited her with a made-up story about wanting to possibly relocate. In my message, I mentioned how I’d heard some rumors, and I wanted the inside story—the one I wouldn’t hear during the interview process. We’d exchanged numbers, and she agreed to speak with me over the phone that afternoon.
Whether or not she’d open up about any dealings with Logan remained to be seen, but it was the closest I’d been able to get.
When my phone rang shortly after lunch, I was quick to reach for it. I was only a little disappointed it wasn’t an unsaved number and somewhat relieved when I saw Tess lighting up my screen. She wasn’t Kade, but she had a direct line to the men who would be the first to know if something had gone awry.
Mustang had given Tess enough information on Wednesday afternoon for her to know it was a good idea to check on me every once in a while. Tess being Tess had called me every day since Kade left. We’d been through a lot of life together, but I wasn’t sure if I’d ever been more grateful for her friendship than I was as the silence stretched on between Kade and me.
“Hey,” I answered as I closed my laptop.
“Hey. How are you? I’m just calling to check in.”
I smiled ruefully and asked, “Remember when a check in call was about how we were holding up at work?”
“You mean when we were single and ready to mingle with no real time to mingle because dating is the only thing more exhausting than working crazy hours as a nurse?”
This, as I was sure she intended, made me laugh. She joined in, too.
“Well, when you put it like that, I suppose I prefer life the way it is now.”
Sobering a little, she asked, “All jokes aside—are you okay? Any word?”
“No. He warned me it might be like this, so I’m trying not to worry too much. I know he wouldn’t want me to. It’s wild, though, the way I miss him like crazy after just two days.”
“I know it sucks, but I kind of love that you feel that way. I’m really glad he makes you so happy.”
“Who would have thought?”
Laughing softly, Tess said, “Two-and-a-half months ago, when Maverick sat with us at Steel Mustang, if anyone would have told me you were meant to be together, I would have laughed in their face, and I would have been totally wrong.”
“You and me both.” Thinking about Kade ignited an ache in my stomach, and I was ready to change the subject. “What about you? How are things going on your end?”
“Actually, I do have news.”
I gasped, instantly reading into what that could mean coming from my best friend, whose relationship with her Stallion moved at the speed of light. “Oh, my gosh, are you pregnant?”
“What? No!” she cried, laughing hysterically. “Although, I guess I wouldn’t put it past me.”
“Exactly!” I replied, speaking through a grin. “So, if not that, then what?”
“I’m going to get a tattoo this weekend—make the whole ol’ lady thing official.”
“Wait, what do you mean?”
“You know how an ol’ lady in the MC world is kind of like a wife? Well, if you get branded with ink, it’s like a ring. The tattoo is his brand, so I’m getting a mustang. I think I’m going to put it on my hip.”
“Wow, Tess. That’s—that’s huge ,” I murmured, almost at a loss for words.
“Yeah, I know,” she breathed reverently.
“Why does it feel like you’re getting married this weekend and I’m going to be at work instead of standing next to you in a bridesmaid’s dress?”
“First of all, if Mustang and I ever do the real thing with a wedding and a party, you will be my maid of honor, not a bridesmaid. Second, it’s a big deal, but you aren’t missing anything. Promise. It’ll be me, my man, and the club’s tattoo artist. But I’ll definitely send you a pic.”
“You better!”
She was starting to say something when another call came through. I peeked at the screen, saw an unknown number, and sucked in a quiet breath.
“Tess, hon, I’m so sorry, I’ve got to go. I’m getting another call, and I think it’s pretty important. Can I call you back?”
“Oh, no problem. Go. Call me back, don’t call me back, either way, I’ll check in tomorrow.”
We exchanged a quick goodbye, and I switched over to my incoming call before it dropped into my voicemail.
“Hello? This is Jenna.”
“Hi, Jenna. This is Kaleigh.”
“Yes, hello, how are you?” I asked, standing from my chair.
Suddenly, I was too anxious to keep still.
“Fine, thanks. Sorry, I don’t have long, but I wanted to call before the weekend.”
“I appreciate that,” I began to say, pacing between my living room and my kitchen. “I mentioned in my message I’d heard some rumors. Well, I didn’t want to mention his name before, but I’m looking specifically into—”
“Dr. Logan Grant?”
I stopped dead in my tracks. “Yes. Did he ever threaten you or anything?”
“Not me. I didn’t know him very well. But there was this other nurse—it was bad. She left the hospital because of the way he treated her. I’m not sure if it was because of him, but I’m pretty sure she left the state, too. Not that anyone could blame her.
“Before she resigned, she tried to go to HR about it, but they didn’t really do anything. I think they suspended him for a couple of days while they looked into things; but when they found out the two of them had consensual sex, they dropped the whole thing. The way I heard it, they’d had sex one time, and he was just a dick to her after that.”
I raked my fingers through my hair, pulling it away from my face, all the while wondering if Abbie had slept with Logan. I hoped she hadn’t, but I was afraid she did, and it broke my heart a little.
“Wow,” I breathed. “It’s a shame HR let him run her out of the hospital.”
“After she left, I think they quietly forced him out, but it took a few months, and they never told the truth about why he was leaving for another hospital.”
This, I guessed, had been a trend going on five years—CC Health his latest safe haven.
“What about the nurse? Do you remember her name? Do you have her contact information by chance?”
“Sorry, I don’t. We weren’t friends. I know her name is Elise, but I can’t remember her last name. Also, last I heard, she got married, so it’s probably changed anyway.”
“Ah, okay. I understand.”
“I hope I was helpful.”
“You were, Kaleigh. Thank you. I really appreciate your time.”
“Sure thing. I’ve got to go now.”
“Alright. Thanks again.”
We each said goodbye before we disconnected, and I stood staring down at my phone for a minute. The call had been a validation of my suspicions, but it wasn’t much more than hearsay. It still wasn’t enough. I wasn’t quite sure how I was going to manage it, but I needed to track down Elise.
First, I needed to call Heather and give her the latest.
She didn’t pick up, so I resorted to a voicemail, but I was sure she’d call back soon. We were finally getting somewhere. At least, I hoped we were.
I lucked out, and Logan wasn’t on duty at the hospital over the weekend. When I walked in and saw him on Monday afternoon, the last day of my night shift rotation, I was ready to endure his presence with an ice-cold shoulder.
I was in a mood.
I hadn’t seen my man in five days. Other than a text at three o’clock on Saturday morning, I hadn’t heard from him, either. I wanted him to be home. I was tired of worrying.
I was also tired of coming up short in my investigation on Dr. Grant. I’d sent a few messages over the weekend, trying to track down Elise, but with no success. I was sure if I found her and could get her to talk, we could convince Abbie to come forward, too. It was my best lead, but it felt like such a long shot—so many variables that needed to connect to make it a legit possibility.
Annoyed, worried, and exhausted, all I wanted to do that evening was my job.
I barely had it in me to pretend I had any respect for Logan around our patients.
Admittedly, I didn’t have a high tolerance for Abbie, either.
In the back of my mind, I knew it wasn’t fair. She was a victim, not an accomplice; but the fact that she wouldn’t speak up about whatever was happening between her and Logan was frustrating.
I avoided them both as best as I could. Especially Abbie.
It wasn’t her fault I missed Kade and was in a mood.
I was only a couple of hours into my shift when Logan caught me as I was leaving a patient.
“Could I have a word, Nurse Hayes?”
“Regarding?” I shot back, not at all interested in a conversation with him.
“It’s a sensitive topic. I’d rather not discuss it out on the floor.”
When he took hold of my elbow, I drew in a deep breath and jerked my chin in a nod. I wasn’t prepared to make a scene.
As we passed the nurses’ station, I set my tablet down. While he guided me toward the same hallway where we’d had our last confrontation, I reached inside of my pocket for my phone. Since Kade left, I’d been sure to have it on me at all times. I discreetly opened the voice memo app and pressed record then dropped it back into my pocket.
When we entered the hallway, I went to pull my elbow from his grasp, but he held me tighter. I snapped my gaze up at him, trying to pull away a second time, but he held firm and yanked me toward another door that led into a closet.
“Leave a mark, I dare you,” I hissed between my teeth when I tried a third time to get him to let me go and he still refused.
He tightened his grip once more, and I pressed my lips together, adamant I would not give voice to the pain he caused before he pushed me away and spat, “You nosey little bitch. I warned you. Stay out of my business. The next time I hear you’re snooping around, I’ll report you to the CNO.”
I was getting close. Too close. Elise was obviously a key witness in all of this.
“Report me for what? Trying to figure out the truth?” I cried, unafraid.
The Chief Nursing Officer loved me. She’d been around for six years and had seen many nurses come and go in the emergency room. I was one of the few who couldn’t get enough. But, of course, Logan wouldn’t know that. He’d probably never even spoken to the woman.
His handsome face was made ugly by his fury as he replied, “If you don’t think I have the power to smear your name in these halls—”
I cut him off with a humorless laugh. “The halls you’ve been roaming for, what, two months ? I’ve been here for a decade. No one is taking your word over my record.”
He sneered. “But they will take the word of a patient. The incident you had the other day? I can make more of those, Nurse Hayes. Soon, your miscalculations and incorrect practices will be negligence that cannot be overlooked.”
Something in me snapped at that very moment.
Except, rather than scream and yell, I shut my mouth and stared at him.
I was done. I was beyond my limit, and I refused to engage.
Logan interpreted my silence as compliance. I could tell the instant his face relaxed. Then, before he left me alone in the closet, he said, “The smart ones always come around.”
It took me a minute to calm the silent fury inside of me.
When I thought I had a grip on my emotions, I stopped the recording on my phone, then headed straight for the nurses’ station. Abbie was there, and I didn’t hesitate as I grabbed her hand and squeezed her fingers.
“Come with me.”
She frowned but didn’t argue as she stood from her chair and followed me outside. I didn’t stop until we were out of view of the ER’s automatic sliding glass doors.
“Jenna, what’s going on?”
“Stop protecting him,” I begged, my voice hushed but insistent. “Stop letting him have power over you. He doesn’t. We have all the power. If you won’t stand up with me, if you won’t help me, I don’t have enough. With what I’ve got now, the best we could hope for is that they’ll quietly ask him to leave this hospital and he’ll move onto the next and do it all over again. He’s done this before, Abbie. You’re not the first one.”
I hadn’t said his name. I barely gave her context, but the tears in her eyes said it all.
“He didn’t force me,” she whispered.
“Oh, Abbie, it doesn’t matter.” I took her other hand in mine and pulled her close. “It’s an abuse of power. I know you know that. I know you feel it every time you are in the same room as him. I can see it.”
She shook her head, a tear racing down her cheek as she said, “I can’t lose my job. I know I should have listened to you. You warned me to be careful and I wasn’t. I was dumb, and now I have to live with the consequence. It’s my fault.”
“He’s lording it over you. That’s not right. Don’t you want to make him go away? For good?”
“And what if he doesn’t?” She pulled her hands away from mine and folded her arms across her chest. “I tell HR he’s an asshole because I slept with him once and wouldn’t do it again, who’s to say I don’t get fired? I’m barely two years on the job and he’s an attending emergency physician. He’ll win and I’ll lose.
“Besides, you say this has happened before? That means someone noticed something and he still didn’t get fired, he just moved on. There’s no point, Jenna. I’m sorry—there’s just no point.”
She turned and hurried back to the hospital, wiping her cheeks dry as she went. I watched her go, trying not to cry myself. It felt so hard. Everything felt so hard.
Investigating Logan. Working with him. Watching out for Abbie. All the while, living with the fact that Kade was I didn’t know where doing I didn’t know what.
Overwhelmed, I wasn’t sure how much more I could take.
'Don’t know the extent of the shit you’re dealing with here—but you need me, you call me ‘til you get me.'
I replayed Kade’s demand as I extracted my phone from my pocket. I wasn’t quite ready to bother him, but I missed him terribly, and I needed him to come back to me.
I needed my man.
I wanted my Stallion.
I opened our text thread and did the only thing I could think to do.
I sent what was on my heart.
Come home soon, honey.