Chapter 17
SEVENTEEN
DIEGO
I felt as if I were walking on clouds as I made my way back to my room.
I turned the hallway, but not before I peered over my shoulder and smiled.
Ruby was perfect. She was the most amazing, intelligent, most beautiful human being I’d ever come across, and I’d be damned if the cartel and the life I had tripped and stumbled into took me away from her.
But the footsteps coming my way quickly ripped me out of my trance.
“What the hell are you so happy about?”
Stone’s voice was hard as I whipped my head in his direction. “Nothing. Just thinking.”
His eyebrows rose. “Well, I want to be happy. Let’s be happy together. What are you happy about?”
I shook my head. “Just…the plan. I’m glad it’s in motion.”
He nodded slowly. “You sure there isn’t anything else?”
“Yep. I’m sure.”
He looked me up and down. “Good, because you need to come with me. I was actually looking for you.”
It was my turn to raise my eyebrows. “Oh?”
He turned his back. “Follow me.”
So, I did as I was asked. “Where are we going?”
He sighed heavily, as if the weight of the universe were on his shoulders. “Hayley is pregnant and needs to go in for a check-up.”
“And you want me to go with her or something?”
He scoffed. “Don’t act so surprised. She’s headed to the same hospital your mother’s at.”
I paused. “Wait, can I go see her? Can I visit?”
He turned around. “If you don’t pull any bullshit, that’s fine. But I do want you to see that I’m holding up my end of the bargain. We’re taking shifts watching over her, and I figured it would be a good show of faith on my end for what you did for us this morning.”
I rushed up to him. “Thank you. And if my mother knew what you were doing for me right now, she’d thank you as well. But she’d thank you in food, not words.”
He grinned. “Let’s get her better, then she can do just that.”
Then, he turned back around, and I continued to follow him.
“You know how to ride a bike?” he asked.
“If by ‘bike,’ you mean ‘motorcycle,’ then yes.”
He harrumphed. “Notch told me you could, but I didn’t believe him.”
I winced as the words came tumbling out. “My brother taught me how to ride one.”
Stone paused. “I’m sorry for your loss, by the way.”
I shrugged. “I might not have chosen this life, but he did. He knew what he was getting into.”
He peered over his shoulder. “Still, it doesn’t make it hurt any less.”
I wanted to ask him who he had lost, but I decided against it. “So, why did you ask?”
He cleared his throat and kept walking. “Because that’s how you’re going to get around. Rail, one of our prospects, has offered his bike for you to take to the hospital. Hayley’s going to ride with me in my car, and I want you bringing up the rear.”
I nodded. “Sounds like a plan to me.”
“Use this so you can tell me if you spot anything,” he said as he handed me a Bluetooth earpiece. I nodded and pulled out my phone to connect it.
I hadn’t been on the back of a bike in a long time, but the second I struck up that engine outside everything came rushing back.
The wind whipping around my body. The freedom that came with the open road being only a couple of feet away from the soles of my feet.
We flew down the highway, staying within the limits but still allowing ourselves to enjoy the small slice of paradise that we had been gifted.
And when we got to the hospital, Stone showed me to my mother’s room.
“See? Asher’s posted for another couple of hours, then one of his guys—Brutus—is taking his place.”
I walked over to the door. “Can I—I mean, is it okay to go in?”
Stone shrugged. “It’s your mother. Go ahead. Asher’s going to watch you while I take Hayley to her appointment.”
I nodded. “Okay, I’ll be here when you guys are done.”
As the two of them walked away, I stared at my mother’s hospital door. It felt like ages since I had visited her, even though it had only been a few days. Still, I had to take a few deep breaths to calm the shaking of my hands before I eased the door open.
And when she looked over at me with her pale, skinny little face, her eyes lit up. “Diego.”
I walked over and pulled up a chair. “Hey, Ma. Sorry it took me so long to get back.”
She reached out and took my hand as tears raced to her eyes. “I’m just glad you’re here.”
I hovered over her and kissed her forehead before I sat down. “How are you feeling today?”
She sighed, closing her eyes. “Eh, had better days.”
I squeezed her hand softly. “Can I get you anything? Have you seen a doctor today?”
She shook her head. “No to both.”
I furrowed my brow. “Why hasn’t anyone come to check on you yet? Should I go track someone down?”
Then, Asher’s voice sounded at the door. “Something wrong?”
Mom wrinkled her nose. “Who’s that?”
I grinned. “A friend of mine.”
Asher tilted his head. “What do you need, ma’am?”
I peeked over my shoulder at him. “A doctor hasn’t come by to see her yet today. Could you go find one?”
And with a nod of his head, he was off.
“You having me watched or something?” she snickered.
Her soft giggles turned to coughing very quickly and I picked up a napkin so I could wipe the spittle from her chin. “Not watched, no. But it does help to have someone here to help out in case something goes wrong while I’m away. How long have you had this cough?”
A female voice sounded behind me. “Only a couple of days. We think it’s because she isn’t drinking enough water.”
I narrowed my eyes playfully. “Mom? Are you giving these doctors a hard time?”
She harrumphed. “They want me to drink, like, three gallons a day. All I do is sleep and pee!”
Asher chuckled. “My mom had to go through that shit, too. It’s rough.”
I looked up at him. “Yeah?”
He nodded. “Brain tumor.”
“How is she doing?” Mom asked.
Asher smirked. “She’s on a two-week vacation hiking in the Blue Ridge Mountains.”
Mom gave him a thumbs-up. “Good for her.”
Then, the female doctor perched on the edge of her bed. “Will you drink more water if we send you home?”
That question perked up my ears. “Wait, what?”
The doctor smiled. “Your mother’s last round of tests came back clear. The infection and the pneumonia she contracted is completely gone. So, outside of making sure she stays hydrated, she can go home and resume her regular chemo schedule. If that’s something you guys want.”
Asher smiled. “Congratulations, you two.”
I gazed into my mother’s eyes. “Mom? Is that what you want?”
And she couldn’t nod her head quickly enough. “More than anything. I want out of this place. I want my own bed and my own food. I want rice and beans, for crying out loud!”
The doctor laughed along with us. “Well, then I’ll get started on your discharge paperwork.
I do want to keep you one more night just to make sure nothing comes back, but if all looks well in the morning then your paperwork will be ready to go, and it’ll only take you a few minutes to get out of here. ”
I squeezed Mom’s hand. “Thank you, Doctor. For everything.”
She nodded. “It’s not a problem. And you know you can always come back and see us anytime—or call—if something becomes concerning.”
Asher made his way for the door behind the doctor. “I’ll give you guys some privacy.”
“I appreciate it, thank you.”
With the relief that came with the good news, Mom was asleep within minutes.
And I was glad for it because it was always hard on her when I had to leave.
She was snoring away when Stone poked his head in and crooked his finger, signaling that we needed to get a move on it.
So, I pressed one more long kiss to my mother’s forehead before we left.
But as we walked out to the parking lot, a shiver worked its way down my spine.
“Spit it out,” Stone murmured as we walked beside each other.
I shook my head. “I don’t have any proof of anything.”
He helped Hayley into his car. “That shiver is proof enough.”
I sighed. “I think we’re being watched.”
He chuckled. “Wouldn’t doubt it for a second. Come on, let’s get back. I’m starving.”
“Me, too,” Hayley said.
I chuckled. “Then, let’s not keep you waiting a second longer.”
Stone nodded. “Good man.”
His words struck me to my core as I eased myself onto the bike.
It had been a very long time since anyone had attributed the word ‘good’ to my presence and it gave me pause.
Did he honestly mean that? Was Stone finally coming around to see me as the man I wanted to be rather than the man I had become?
I thought about it as we pulled out of the hospital parking lot and turned onto the main road.
But my thoughts were quickly interrupted when I saw a black vehicle turn out of the parking lot a few cars behind us.
“Uh, Stone?” I asked through the headset.
“Don’t worry,” he said as he got into the left-hand lane. “I saw. Just don’t panic. Hayley is a panicker.”
We were being followed.
Stone cursed to himself with every turn we took because they were right on our asses. Always a couple of cars away, but in sync with every turn we made. If we kept going like this, they’d follow us right back to the compound.
So, I decided to test how well Stone trusted me. “Stone?”
“What?”
“Do you trust me to handle this?”
He sighed. “What the hell are you about to do?”
“Stone, do you trust me to handle this?”
He paused. “With Hayley here? I don’t have a choice.”
I nodded. “Then, let me handle it.”
I pulled away from Stone and I heard him trying to talk me down in the headset.
But as he took another hard turn, I stayed straight on the road.
There was no way in hell this chaos was going down with a pregnant woman in tow, and when I saw the black vehicle stay with me instead of following them, I knew I had done well.
“Don’t you dare do anything stupid,” Stone growled.
But then, another black vehicle pulled out of nowhere and turned down Stone and Hayley’s road.
“Sorry,” I said as I pulled into an alleyway, “I have to keep you and Hayley safe.”
“Diego!” he barked.
When the black vehicle pulled into the alleyway behind me, I reached for my ankle.
I pulled out a small gun that I had found in one of the numerous gun cabinets in that damn warehouse and I aimed it behind me.
The car threw itself into reverse and I went for the tires, knowing damned well that those windows were bulletproof.
After shooting out both of their front tires, another set of tires squealed in the distance.
“Was that you?” Stone roared.
“Is the other vehicle turning around?” I asked.
“What the fuck have you done?”
“Stone! Answer me!”
He growled as his car’s engine throttled in the distance. “Yes, they’re turning around.”
I grinned. “Perfect. You guys get back. I’ll find my way home when I know these assholes are stalled out.”
I turned off the speakers in my ears and put the pedal to the metal. Gunshots rang out in the alleyway, causing people to scream and run as I sped down the back alley and toward the main road. I turned onto Main St. and flew down the road, keeping an eye out for that second blacked-out vehicle.
And when it finally emerged in front of me, I took aim with my gun.
We played chicken, gunning for each other’s vehicles.
Then, at the last second, I swerved to the right.
I took out the front tire before I popped a couple of bullets through the rolled-down window, then managed to take out one of their back tires before I took a hard left and turned down another alleyway.
I holstered the gun and set my sights on getting back to the clubhouse.
I whipped a massive U-turn and waited, wondering if anymore of Carlos’s goons might pop up.
But when police sirens wailed, I booked it as quickly as I could on that bike to get the fuck out of there.
Jesus, I hope that was a good decision.
I formulated my argument because I knew my contact would want to have my ear for what just happened.
However, I knew what to say to him: if I wanted to keep my cover with the guys, then I had to act like one of them.
I’d have to convince him that it was the only way to show these guys that I was really on their side: by protecting one of their pregnant women.
I rolled up to the warehouse after an hour of weaving around town to make sure no one else was following me and I wasn’t shocked one bit to see Stone standing outside with a shotgun in his hand.
I parked the prospect’s bike he had let me borrow and pulled my helmet off, and in just that little amount of time Stone had cocked his gun and made his way to my side.
Before shoving the barrel into my gut. “What the absolute fuck was that?”
“Stone!” Notch roared.
I held up my hands. “We were being tailed by multiple guys. I had to do something. We had Hayley with us.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Where are those assholes now? Were you followed?”
I shook my head. “I popped their tires and left them for the police. I drove around for about an hour before I even turned my bike in the direction of this place. We’re good. I wasn’t followed.”
His hands trembled, causing the barrel of the gun to tremble. “And you’re sure about that?”
I nodded. “Positive. If there’s one thing I don’t do, it’s put women and children at risk. Even if the children are unborn. Especially if they’re unborn.”
“Stone,” Notch said as he walked up to his side.
Then, all at once, Stone relaxed and the barrel dropped from my stomach. “Thank you. Maybe you really aren’t a spy after all.”
I sighed as I put my hands down. “I’m really not. I’m just a man trying to find himself a new life while not ruining his mother’s life in the process.”
Stone tilted his head off to the side. “What will you tell your contact? You know he’s going to call.”
I shrugged. “I’ll tell him that in order to keep my cover, I had to defend you guys.
That’s why I shot out tires and not faces.
And I’ll let them know that as long as I’m undercover with you guys, I’ll keep shooting out tires if they keep tailing us like twelve-year-olds who don’t know what they’re doing. ”
And for the first time since I met Stone, he threw his head back and laughed.
Genuinely, truly laughed.