22. It Cant Get Any Worse
CHAPTER 22
IT CAN'T GET ANY WORSE
Nisa
Every time I think I'm going to be able to get Leo out of my system he pulls me right back in.
The one that man rocked my body last night has me floating on cloud nine.
This morning I woke up with his arms still wrapped around me as he slept. It shouldn't have made me so happy but the fact that I've been stuck on him for so many years and he's finally admitting his feelings for me excites me.
Unfortunately, my body refuses to let me sleep in any longer. I want to go see my mother and make sure she's doing okay. I shift as slowly as I can out of the bed so I don't wake him and go out into the main room of the clubhouse.
Cross is at the door keeping watch, his eyes light up when he sees me.
"Look who it is. What are you doing up so early, Nisa?" He asks smiling gently at me.
"You boys sleep the day away. I can't do that." I reply with a slight chuckle.
"Nah, we just know all the good shit happens at night."
"Whatever, you hungry. I think I'm going to run out for something to eat."
The light dims and he shakes his head. "You running again? I thought we were through with that?"
My mouth drops open and I take a step back surprised he'd even know much about my situation. Cross is only a prospect so he shouldn't know much about what's going on with the club. Seems that my need for freedom is the topic of conversation.
"I'm not running anywhere. Last time I checked I wasn't a prisoner here." I cross my arms over my chest and glare at him.
"You know I can't let you leave, prisoner or not. Leo'll have my balls if I just stand back and let you walk out of here."
Anger fumes in my body, "Leo isn't my father."
"No but he's your old man and my president. You not going to get me caught out, Nisa. Either get him to okay you're little trip or I'm not going to let you leave." Cross shrugs and turns back to the door as if the conversation was over.
"You can't stop me." I take a step forward as if I'm going to walk through him but he turns back in my direction and squares his shoulders as if he's prepared to do just that.
"He may not be able to stop you but I can." A deep voice sounds from behind me and this time I'm the one to turn around in surprise.
Rumble is walking toward me. The tall dark-haired man used to be a good friend to me but if he's stopping me from going to see my mother too I'm going to have to consider him an enemy.
"Rumble, I don't want to start nothing with you this morning. I'm going out whether you want me to or not. I'm not a fucking captive. I came here of my own free will."
"You really think that, don't you? Leo's already made it known that you're his woman and that means you do what he says. I mean, Nisa, you've been around long enough to know what the deal is. And before you say another word. Yes, that does mean you're his captive."
The weight of my situation begins to dawn on me. I might have been able to get by Cross, but there's no way I'm going to be able to get by Rumble too. I'm screwed.
"Rumble, I'm not trying to run away or do anything crazy. I just want to go see my mother. She's in the hospital alone, I don't know if she's woken up or anything yet. She could be scared. She could be getting worse. I need to go check on her." My words crack as I plead my case.
Rumble goes a long while without saying anything before he crosses his arms over his chest and answers me. "Fine, you want to go see your mother, I'll take you but you're not going to that hospital on your own. I don't care what you say. That is the deal, take it or leave it."
I roll my eyes at his high-handedness. If I thought I'd only have to worry about Leo, I was sorely mistaken.
"Fine, let's go. I'd like to be there for her when she wakes up." I turn to walk back to the room so I can get my clothes on. Leo is still sound asleep, now curled up with a pillow and I can't help but smile at the scene. It's the first time in a long time that I've truly felt safe. It's annoying that the protection detail extends to everyone in the clubhouse but I'm grateful.
I throw on a pair of leggings and one of his sweatshirts before I go down to where Rumble is waiting for me. He's already got his cut on and is at the door ready to go.
"Let's get this over with."
Rumble doesn't take me on his bike but instead takes me in one of the cars. According to him riding bitch with someone else's ol' lady is beyond disrespectful if there is any other option. I guess I could understand that. Leo wouldn't want my legs clenched around anyone else, just like I wouldn't want someone else's legs clenched around him.
We get to the hospital right as they open up visiting hours and I nearly run to the elevator to get up to her.
Rumble lazily walks behind me, clearly not in the same rush that I am in, "Be easy, Nisa. She's not going anywhere."
I don't respond to him. I didn't think my brother was going anywhere either but then one minute he was here with me and the next he was dead. I'm not going to take the chance.
Continuing my pace, I see the security guard standing down the hall watching my mother's door. He nods at me once and goes back to reading his paper. This must be light duty for him. I push open the door to her room, expecting to see my mother either sound asleep or with her eyes wide open. Silently I pray for the second option.
Taking one step into the room, every last hair on my body stands on end.
"No, get away!" I snarl and rush to my mother's still sleeping side.
Marc's beady eyes dance with delight as he watches me shake in fear.
I would've never expected him to be here.
"Get away? Is that how you greet someone who's helped you as much as I have." Marc replies not even bothering to hide the condescension in his voice.
"Who the fuck is that?" Rumble finally gets some pep in his step after he hears me.
"Rumble, brother. It's good to see you." Marc smiles and gets up out of his seat.
Brother? I take a step away from Rumble. Could it be that he's in cahoots with Marc?
"I'm not your brother. I don't know you. But I know you don't belong here." Rumble growls before he grabs my arm and shoves me behind him.
"You sure you don't know me? I would've bet a lot of money that your brother would've told you all about me. We've got quite the relationship." Marc replies and takes another step in our direction.
"I don't got shit to do with my brother." Rumble continues and I move closer to him. Thank goodness he's not really going against his club.
"That's funny because he seems to have a lot to do with you. In fact, he's doing his damndest to make sure you're okay. I'd hate for something to happen to him because you don't know how to show respect."
I can feel the testosterone, building in the room. Rumble may not be the president of Chrome Creed but he and Leo are cut from the same cloth he's not going to just sit back and let Marc talk to him any kind of way.
"I don't got to show you shit but the fucked up end of my pistol."
"Ah, but you don't have your gun on you now do you?" Marc tilts his head and I can feel Rumble's body tense up. He doesn't have it. We were just supposed to come in here and visit my mother. There was no need for him to bring his weapon.
I take a small step to the side, I need to de-escalate this. The last thing I want is a fucking shootout in the hospital room where my mother is trying to get better.
"Marc, I've already told you I'm not helping you do anything. I'm with Chrome Creed. I've always been with them. You just had me confused for a little while. My head's on straight now." I lift my chin in defiance.
Marc's eyes dart to mine and I watch as they harden with anger, "No, it seems like you're still confused. I don't give a fuck what you think you're doing now. I was promised Leo's crown. Chrome Creed is going to be nothing but a memory and very soon. Either you, get down with that program or I'm going to make shit very difficult for you and the rest of your people. I'll make shit hard for all of you. Rumble, I'd let Leo know he needs to play ball. If you thought shit was bad with the bomb I had gone off in your clubhouse, you're not going to want to know what I have planned for you next."
Rumble doesn't answer just continues to stare at Marc.
"Oh by the way, Nisa, I left some flowers at your brother's grave. Let me know if you like them." Marc winks at me and without a care in the world he sidesteps both Rumble and I to walk out of the room.
My heart hammers away in my chest and the room starts to spin as the adrenaline in my body plummets.
"What the fuck. We need to get back to the clubhouse now." Rumble grabs hold of my arm and tries to drag me out of the room.
"No, I need... I need..." I swallow the frog in my throat and yank my arm away from him. My head is pounding and I can feel the beginning stages of a migraine coming.
"Nisa!" Rumble shouts at me, trying to shake me out of my stupor.
"I need to get to my brother's grave," I yell right back.
"Bullshit, we can do that later. We need to tell Leo what's going on."
"You do what you need to do but with or without you I'm going to Hugh's grave." I stare at Rumble for a second before I shoot my mother one more look and storm out of the room.
Rumble is quickly right behind me and I realize he's on the phone. I've no doubt he's already called the boys at Chrome Creed but I can't focus on the words coming out of his mouth. All I can think about is Hugh and what Marc could've done. My brother's already dead, it doesn't get any worse than that.
Seconds later I'm in the truck with Rumble again and he's taking me to the graveyard. His entire body is tensed up but I watch a little of the stress leave him when I hear the rumble of bikes behind us.
That was fast.
We get to the graveyard quickly and I'm running out of the truck before Rumble can stop me.
"Nisa! Wait!" He screams for me but I'm not interested in waiting.
"Nisa!" I hear Leo's booming voice but still, I don't slow down.
I race using all the stamina I have straight toward Hugh's gravesite. I just need to see it. I need to see what Marc has done.
My heartbeat echoes in my ears along with the sound of thumping footsteps coming from behind me.
I round the corner and fall flat on my ass as I see my brother's grave. There are dead flowers all around it.
"No!" I scream loudly and crawl on my hands and knees to the edge of the open space. "Oh god, please, no!" The tears are hot and heavy as they roll down my cheeks.
"Shit." Leo grabs hold of me right before I plummet head-first into the ground.
Marc is trying to break me. After this, I think he might have succeeded. Not only has he left the flowers but he somehow has exhumed my brother's body from his final resting place.
"Shh, I'm here, Nisa. We'll get him back." Leo murmurs in my ear as he squeezes me to his chest.
What kind of person would do this? I always knew Marc was ruthless but this is extreme.
"Where is he? Where is he, Leo?" I cry hard against his chest.
"We'll get him back. I fucking promise you we'll get him back."
I want to believe him. I want to have faith that Leo is going to be able to go up against Marc and win but I've got my doubts. All of this happened right under our noses. While we were busy hiding out in the clubhouse, Marc was busy wreaking havoc.
My head pounds and I suck in deep breaths as I try and fail to come to grips with the fact that I've lost my brother again. The pain is surreal and all-consuming.
Darkness pulls at the edges of my sight and I allow myself the slight peace of unconsciousness.
This is a nightmare and I can only hope that when I wake up again it'll all be okay.
It has to be okay or I'm not sure if I'm going to survive.