Chapter 19
At the hospital, the white lights on white walls were almost blinding. I lay on the gurney, trying to breathe through the pain radiating seemingly from everywhere at once. A nurse efficiently moved around, checking my vitals, and I watched her through a haze of discomfort and confusion.
“You’re scuffed up pretty bad, and you’ve got a couple of broken ribs and a fractured wrist,” the doctor finally said. “We’re going to get you fixed up, but first, someone from social services wants to talk to you.”
A woman with a clipboard stepped in, her eyes gentle but probing. “Hi, Sybil. I’m here to ask you a few questions. Can you tell me why you leaped from the vehicle?”
I filled my lungs with air, wincing as my ribs protested. I was in too much pain to think of a lie. “It’s complicated. Vince Mancini, he’s not my boyfriend. I took a deal to play the role of his bride for a million dollars. But then he said he loves me, and it’s just another lie.”
The social worker exchanged a look with the nurse before stepping out of the room. I could hear them talking just outside the door. “She’s delusional. Definitely unstable,” one of them said.
The doctor returned, a serious look on his face. “Sybil, we’ve got some blood work back, and there’s something you should know. You’re pregnant.”
The room spun around me. Pregnant? I was freaking out, trying to understand what was really happening. Just then, I saw Vince standing at the door, his expression worried, but something else. Sudden elation. He’d heard everything.
“I don’t know if the baby is his,” I blurted out, looking straight at him. “I don’t want to see him. He’s abusive. He caused me to jump out of the car.”
The doctor nodded, motioning for Vince to leave. “We’ll do an ultrasound to make sure the baby is okay.”
As the room cleared, they brought in the ultrasound machine. The cold gel on my stomach startled me. The screen showed a tiny flicker, and the nurse smiled. “You’re about four weeks along. Everything looks fine.”
It had to be Vince’s. I hadn’t been with another man for months. Understanding came crashing down on me. But the suspicion was the worst. This was just what Vince said he’d wanted, an heir. What I only could assume was really what he wanted all along. If he knew my medications, he’d had access to my birth control, as well.
When everyone finally left me alone, I grabbed the hospital’s phone with my good hand and dialed Rage’s number.
“Rage, it’s Sybil. I need to come home.”
There was a pause on the other end. “What happened, Psycho?”
Tears welled up in my eyes, but I blinked them back. “I’m pregnant. It’s Vince’s, and everything’s fucked up. Please, just let me come home.”
“Okay, calm down. Of course you can come home. We’ve been worried sick, threatening everyone in that family.”
“I’m sorry I haven’t checked in. I was just so wrapped up in it all,” I tried to explain.
Rage was always the mother hen. “We’ll figure this out. I’ll send someone to get you. On a plane. Make sure you get home safe.”
I hung up, knowing I needed to get away from Vince and this entire mess.
The very next day, one of our Enforcers, Mudflaps, showed up at the hospital, her dark hair down to her ass crack. She had the same no-nonsense attitude as Tank, but with a slightly more playful demeanor.
She walked in like she owned the place, her thigh high leather boots ticking against the linoleum floor. All in leather, she stood out against the sterile walls like a sore thumb. "Hey, Psycho," she greeted me. "Tank’s laid up with some broken bones, so you got me instead."
Wincing, I attempted to sit up straighter. "I feel like shit for missing so much at the club."
She just waved it off. "Same ol’ shit, different day. Except now all our sisters are getting some Slayer dick since the truce."
“Shit is right then.” I laughed, but it hurt my ribs, making me groan. "Good to be away then," I managed, forcing a smile.
Mudflaps helped me out of bed, supporting my weight as we made our way out. "Let's get you outta here," she said, her grip steady and reassuring. “We’ve got a plane to catch.”
As we approached the waiting room, I saw Vince sitting there, his head hung. He stood up, handsome as ever in his designer suit. He tried to talk to me, but I looked away, refusing to engage. He did hand me my phone, which I took without a word.
“You better call me,” he quipped.
Mudflaps stepped between us, her dark eyes flashing with anger. "Sybil's going back to the Roost where she belongs. Don’t even think about messing with her again."
Vince's jaw tensed up, but he faked a smile. "It's been fun, Sybil. Can't believe you're backing out of our deal." He cracked his knuckles. "You have something of mine, and I expect you’ll change your tune in eight months."
Mudflaps pushed him back, her voice a warning in itself. "You better stay the hell away from her, Vinni."
He chuckled, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Whatever you say. Just remember, Sybil. I always get what's mine."
Ignoring him, we made our way out of the hospital. All I could think about was getting back to the Roost and getting away from Vince and his messed-up game.
Mudflaps and I flew back to Florida. Waiting in the airport felt like it took forever, giving me too much time to think about everything that had happened. I was freaking out, trying to make sense of everything that led up to this moment.
Vince’s words echoed in my mind, the way he looked at me with those penetrating blue eyes, telling me he loved me. Love didn’t fit into our deal, and I wasn’t the type to fall for fairytales. I’m Psycho, the crazy biker chick who doesn’t do love. And yet, I couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe I loved him.
But it was too late now. I had exited the ride, literally and metaphorically, putting distance between us that felt insurmountable. I had to remind myself why. The mafia wanted the Hell on Heelz MC gone, and Vince was supposed to be part of that plan, one way or another. Marrying him meant becoming a pawn in their evil plans, and I wasn’t about to let that happen. Not to me, not to my sisters.
Then there was the pregnancy. I put my hand on my belly, feeling scared but determined. Vince knew about the baby. He wouldn’t let me be, knowing that. And I didn’t want him to. But I didn’t want my child caught up in his world, in his lies. But part of me, the part that had felt his arms around me and his lips against mine, wished I hadn’t jumped. Wished I had stayed to figure things out with him, to see if his words held any truth.
"Hey, Psycho, you good?" Mudflaps asked, her voice cutting through the hum of the airport. It was time to board.
I nodded, though I wasn’t sure if I was lying to her or myself. "Yeah, just thinking."
"About Vince?" she pressed, her tone gentle yet probing.
I sighed. "About everything. It’s all so fucked up. One minute, I’m pretending to be his fiancée for a million bucks, and the next, he’s saying he loves me. Then there’s the mafia wanting to take us all down, and this fucking pregnancy. It’s a lot."
Mudflaps guided me to the gate. "You’re tough, Psycho. You’ll figure it out. And you’re not alone. You’ve got your sisters. Rage is baby crazy. You know she’s a grandma now."
I smiled at her, appreciating the reminder. The Hell on Heelz were my family, my anchor in this storm. " I just need to get my head straight."
We boarded the flight, the door closed, and there was no going back. My thoughts were still all over the place but started to get a little more focused. I thought of all the decorations and food that would go to waste this weekend. The guests who would again think Vince was a failure at love if not more. I couldn’t feel sorry for him. This was his idea, his doing. All of it. He’d picked me knowing I’m crazy.
Crazy or not, I needed to protect my club, my baby, and myself. Vince might be a complication, but I had to deal with him on my terms. No more letting him control the narrative. No more letting him control me, even if that had turned me on. I had to figure out how to take control, to deal with this mess without losing myself.
As we began our descent, I looked out the window, the familiar landscape of Florida coming into view. "Let's get back to the Roost," I said to Mudflaps. "I need to see Rage, tell her everything."
Mudflaps nodded. "Let’s do it."
Once we landed, Mudflaps helped me navigate through the airport, her steady presence a comforting reminder that I wasn’t alone in this. Neither of us having luggage, we headed straight to the parking lot where our Harleys were waiting for us. Seeing that she brought my Harley made me tear up.
Despite the pain shooting through my ribs with every step, I felt a thrill zing up my spine. I had missed the rumble of my bike, the freedom of the open road, and the wind in my face. It was time to get back to the life I knew and loved.
Mudflaps handed me my helmet, her eyes scanning me with concern. "You sure you can handle this in your shape?"
I grinned, though it probably looked more like a grimace. "Hell yeah, I can. I’ve missed this too damn much."
We straddled our bikes, and the familiar roar of the engine beneath me felt like a long-lost friend. The pain in my ribs was nothing compared to the joy of being back on my Harley. As we pulled out of the airport parking lot, I took a deep breath, letting the familiar smells of gas and asphalt fill my lungs.
The ride back to the Roost was exactly what I needed. Every bump and turn reminded me of who I was—Sybil "Psycho" James, a proud member of the Hell on Heelz MC. I wasn’t some trophy wife in a silk dress. I was a badass biker chick, born to ride and fight. The farther we got from the airport, the more the tension in my chest eased. Vince and his twisted world were far behind me, and I was riding toward my real family, my real life.
Mudflaps kept pace beside me, her presence making me feel secure. We rode through the streets, the scenery blurring as I focused on the road ahead. The pain in my ribs was a constant reminder of everything that had happened, but it was also a testament to my resilience. Once again, I’d survived, and I was stronger for it.
By the time we reached the Roost, I was exhausted but exhilarated. The sight of the clubhouse brought a smile to my face. This was home, where I belonged. We pulled into the lot, the familiar sounds of laughter and music greeting us. As I killed the engine and swung my leg over the bike, a wave of relief washed over me. I was back in my rightful place.
Mudflaps and I made our way inside, the warmth and noise of the Roost enveloping us like a hug. My sisters gave us big hugs and cheers, showing they were worried but glad we were okay. I was home, and nothing else mattered.
Tank, despite her own injuries, hobbled over to me with a grin. "Look what the cat dragged in."
I laughed, wincing at the pain but not caring. "Miss me?"
"Like a hole in the head," she teased, but her eyes were soft. "Glad you're back, Psycho."
We made our way to Rage's office. I had a lot to explain, and I needed to make sure my sisters knew everything. Vince’s world might have been full of lies and manipulation, but here, I had to be honest. For the sake of my club, for the sake of my unborn child, and for my own sanity.
As we stepped into the office, Rage looked up, her eyes narrowing. "If it isn’t our prodigal sister." She was full of shit as she rounded her desk and hugged me carefully.
I filled my lungs with air, readying myself for what lay ahead. "I've got a hell of a story to tell."
She nodded, her expression serious. "Then let's hear it."
As I began to recount everything that had happened, from Vince’s proposal to the mafia’s plans, I felt a whole hell of a lot lighter. I was back with my family, back in the world where I belonged. And no matter what came next, I knew I could handle it. Because I was Psycho, and I was a Heel.