Chapter 5
Some Thing's Never Change
Elizabeth
“I was perfectly fine there, so I don’t understand why you’re driving me to the slums. Did Sabre run out of money?” Gerry huffed, shifting in the back seat of Grace’s SUV as she drove down the road.
“Nope, I’m good, but you wore out your welcome.
” Sabre’s voice came through the radio. He was at the head of the pack.
Grizz and Meredith were behind him. Grace kept the SUV in line, but she had two more rows of bikers trailing her.
I could only imagine what we looked like to the people passing us by.
“Dad,” Grace sighed heavily. “Scrub didn’t have to do you any favors, but he pulled some strings to get you into this new place.
It’s actually nicer than where you were, and they have no problem making sure you rehab your hand.
” She placated him, and something clicked in my mind.
The last time I had heard her sound like that was the day of Meredith’s failed wedding.
She’d been talking to Matt at the entrance of the church, but Grace never used that tone with Sabre, and it made me like him even more.
“Liz is living in the clubhouse. You haul her to every appointment she has, and yet, I’m stuck in a facility. I’m your father, Grace, and you don’t even bother to visit.”
“Stop, please. They can hear you,” Grace begged. I wasn’t the only one who didn’t like the strain in her voice. I said nothing, knowing I didn’t have enough strength to fight, but there were a few different growls that came through the line.
“I’m not opening the clubhouse for you.” Sabre left no room for interpretation.
Gerry had worn out his welcome every time he ran to the cartel.
Each deal had only increased the danger to his family, forcing the club to act.
I wouldn’t plead Gerry’s case. He’d have to live with the consequences of his actions.
“See, Grace? You’re just going to let him leave your father on the streets?”
“No. My father wouldn’t sell intel on his grandchild to the highest bidder. You’re just the man I feel indebted to.” I stole a glance, surprised. Her jaw was tight, her knuckles white from clenching the steering wheel.
“Same,” Meredith chimed in. She’d been quiet for most of the day.
Grace had never spoken with a bite before, and while her tone shocked me, I was extremely proud of her.
She was no longer letting him run roughshod, and I only had Sabre to thank for that.
He gave Grace the space to grow into her own, and while I had always known she was a quiet force, seeing it melted my heart.
“The only time I’ve ever seen my grandson was at Christmas. You didn’t even bring him for a visit,” Gerry scoffed, shuffling back in his chair as he crossed his stump over his arm. “What kind of name is JR, anyway?” He smacked his lips.
“James Robert. She named her baby after me.” Thunder came in, loud and clear. “I don’t think I need to remind you I was riding in the ambulance with your daughter while you were waiting for a message from the cartel. We’re not the same.”
No, they weren’t. Gerry had always put himself first, no matter who he hurt, but back then, it hadn’t been so obvious. Thunder was the warm security blanket that wrapped around you when he thought you needed support.
“Don’t move in on my property, or I’ll end you.”
“Gerry!” I craned my head around the edge of the seat to stare at him. “Stop!” I wouldn’t let him talk about them like that.
He leaned forward until the shoulder strap pulled against his chest. “I should stop?” he asked, meeting my gaze. “There’s nothing left for you here. Go home, Liz.”
“I’ve had enough. We’re pulling over at the next gas station. Gerry can call one of his cartel buddies to pick him up.” Sabre’s voice quivered with anger. “We’re done.”
“Please,” Grace cried. “Don’t do this.”
There was chatter coming from the club members surrounding us, but I ignored them all. None of the words made sense, but it didn’t matter. Gerry wouldn’t listen to reason.
“You’re the wrong person to be giving me advice,” he sneered at me.
“I know,” I whispered, “you saw... Alex.” A coughing spurt took over, and I reached behind me for the water bottle I always carried.
Taking a sip, I calmed the irritation down.
“You make…deals…with…Alex. He’s here.” I tried to say more, but the faster I wanted to talk, the slower my speech processed. “He’ll burn…you, like…other cartel.”
“No. He’s hired me as his lead counsel.”
It was all lies, and Gerry only wanted to see the version that best suited him.
He was a lawyer. He had always been good at finding alternative theories to the facts, but this was delusional.
Alex wasn’t going to suddenly show up after nearly twenty-five years without an agenda.
He was dangerous, but he had won that title through hard-fought battles, not tea parties and charity events.
I often questioned how he had hidden that level of dominance from me.
Maybe I had seen it and still turned a blind eye.
“What did…you se…sell him?” Alex did nothing without a reason. It had made no sense when Peter had let it slip that Gerry had been losing clients.
“What did you promise him?” Grace spoke up, following the line of bikes as they exited the highway.
Gerry said nothing.
“What the fuck did you promise him, you dumb motherfucker?” It was hard to tell who that was, but I thought it was Grizz. My mind was spinning, and while the blackouts were inevitable, I fought to stay present.
“He sold us out,” Meredith answered Grizz. “Again.”
“No, I didn’t.” Gerry was indignant at the suggestion.
“What did you offer him this time? You have nothing of value, and Alex is about to fight a cartel war with the Lopezes.” Sabre made a right at the end of the exit before he pulled off onto the shoulder. No one broke formation as they followed his lead.
“No—“ My stomach lurched. “Not girls. He…sold…me.” The car stopped, and I opened my door, trying to swing my feet to the side.
“I’ll beat your ass, you motherfucker. Did you sell Liz?”
I couldn’t hold on to my breakfast any longer, leaning forward and spilling it all over my shoes. As the last drop fell from my lips, the black crept over my vision until my spatial awareness was gone. Thunder would make sure I was safe.
***
Thunder
“Liz?” I asked, running to her side of the car. Her head was hanging down between her knees, and I’d never seen her limp like that. “Hey, are you alright?” I avoided the projectile vomit on the side of the road as I crouched next to her. She was out.
I didn’t want her to be disoriented once she woke, but I needed to sort this out. “Hey, it’s just me.” I said to Liz’s form, as I gently leaned her against the seat of the SUV. “It’ll be all right. I won’t let you get hurt.” I kissed her forehead before I stood, backing into Flo.
“I’ll stay with her. Sabre took my dad into the field. He’s calling for a pickup.” Her voice shook on the last word. She was pale, and her breath was coming out in gasps.
“Are you alright? You don’t look so good.” I walked her to the back passenger door, and she let me guide her to the seat.
“I don’t feel so good, Thunder. I think my blood pressure is up, but Sabre didn’t notice, and I don’t want to distract him.”
“We’re not having a repeat of last time.” I tried to make her smile. “Roberta is old-fashioned, unless you call her Bobbie.”
She laughed, but the sound was weak. “It’s too early to know.”
I needed to wrap this up. Looking around, my eyes landed on Buster.
She was standing a few feet away from us, but her eyes were watching the men in the field.
“Hey, Buster,” I called to get her attention.
She turned to face me, heading in our direction.
“I need a favor. Liz is out, and Flo isn’t doing so good.
Can you stay with them?” I didn’t give her a chance to answer before I jogged out towards the rest of the brothers.
I didn’t even bother with the pleasantries.
“Call an ambulance. Flo’s not doing well. ”
“What the fuck?” Sabre met me halfway. “What the fuck is going on?”
“She doesn’t look good. Thinks it’s her blood pressure.”
“Fuck.” He pulled out his phone and hit some buttons. There were too many numbers for an emergency line. “Hey, are you on shift?” He waited for a response, drumming his fingers against his thigh. “If I ask for you in the ER, can you meet us downstairs? I don’t trust anyone else, Stands.”
Fuck. It was the right call. Stands would take good care of Flo, but I only wished there weren’t such old blood. Her name was popping up more often, and each time, my heart would twinge at the little girl who’d run around the clubhouse.
“Yeah, I can do that.” Sabre nodded at something she said. “We’re near the gas station on Old Hickory.” He hung up, but before he said anything, Grizz told him to go. He’d said he would take care of the rest.
“Liz might be out. She’s sitting in the front seat.”
“Fuck!” Sabre screamed towards the sky. “Grizz call Twig and Berry. Tell them to bring a car and grab a prospect. Gerry’s going to the Playroom.
One of them is going to have to drive the SUV, and the other can ride Meredith’s bike.
I’m taking Grace to the hospital. It’s not ideal, but I’m not waiting. ”
“Do you want us to wait for you?” Grizz asked. We all knew what he meant.
“No.”