Chapter Sixteen. #2
The roar that had left me contained pain and anger, and Chance had managed to contain me as I flipped the hell out.
My beautiful girl had been assaulted. The text Margrave had sent riled me even more.
‘Fuck with me, and I’ll screw you.’ April was a message to me.
We had to find her. She was strong, and she’d not sit by and be a quiet prisoner.
Without a doubt, April would already be calculating an escape plan.
We took the second from last turnoff, and Chance wobbled and skidded as Bear split in the opposite direction. Bear almost laid his bike down as he tried to avoid the person in the road. Instinctively, I hit the brakes as I saw the figure ahead of us.
“Julie!” I called as I leapt off my Harley. Skeletal-looking and panting heavily, Julie Rogers stood in front of me.
“Stay back,” Julie cried as she shook herself, appearing as if she was coming out of a trance.
“Julie, I’m Harlequin, a PI, and we’ve been searching for you,” I replied slowly as Julie stared at me wild-eyed.
“That’s a lie! Angel said Stone was looking for me,” Julie exclaimed and started backing away to the trees.
“I’m Stone. My given name is Stone; my road name is Harlequin. Angel? Who is Angel? Do you mean April? Margrave took my woman and sent me pictures of her. Do you recognise her?” I showed Julie my phone, and her eyes widened.
“That’s Angel. She saved me, told me to run. I think she’s dead, Mr Margrave shot her,” Julie cried.
My gut twisted, and I nearly screamed at Julie that she’d left April, but I swallowed hard. Christ, Julie was an eighteen-year-old girl who’d been kidnapped and held captive for six months. Who knew what torments and torture she’d experienced?
“Julie, these are my brothers, and none of us will harm you. We need to get to April, especially if she’s hurt. Will you get in the car?” I motioned to the SUV that Sailor had been driving. No way would I leave Julie alone at the side of the road, but urgency was crawling down my throat.
“Hi, I’m Sailor. Miss, I served in the armed forces. Let me help you, please?” Sailor said gently. He reached into the SUV, pulled out a blanket and offered it to her. Julie collapsed against him with a sob, and Sailor nodded. “Go. I’ve got Julie.”
I didn’t hesitate, but headed for my bike. She’d be safe with Sailor. “Take Julie to the hospital,” I threw over my shoulder.
Julie began arguing, but I didn’t hang about; April needed me.
Chance and Bear pulled out ahead of me as Jinx rode up by my side.
Jinx was feeling guilty, but I couldn’t reassure him.
April might be dead. That horrendous thought kept circling as the hogs ate up the road.
We took the turnoff into a lane and rode up it.
April’s car appeared as we rounded a bend, and then Chance moved in front of me.
I frowned and tried to ride around him, but Chance blocked me again.
Chance and Bear exchanged a glance as they parked their bikes. I stopped, got off my bike, and raced past them before they could obstruct me. Finally, I saw what they had. Huddled into a small ball, lying in the mud, with blood covering her face and hands, was April.
Staggering over, I fell to my knees and took in April’s pallor, and a pained cry escaped me.
Agonised howling left my lips as I gathered April up, noting the wound in her shoulder and gut.
Jinx slammed down beside me, and I shoved him away as I wrapped April up tightly. Could I breathe life back into her?
Jinx was shouting, and strong arms grabbed me and tried dragging me backwards. I fought like a demon, but Tiny and Bear were hard to overcome.
“April’s breathing!” Jinx yelled in my face.
The words didn’t sink in, and I continued fighting.
April lay on the ground with Chance pressing on her stomach.
My frantic gaze took in Chatter on the phone, Sailor keeping Julie back, and Rooster running forward with a first aid kit. Why did he need that?
“She’s alive! Harlequin, April’s breathing!” Jinx yelled again, and I stared uncomprehendingly.
“Huh?”
“April’s critical, Chatter’s calling for the air ambulance. We have to get her to the hospital quickly,” Jinx said, holding my face and capturing my eyes.
“April lives?”
“Yes. Pull yourself together, brother. April needs you. Calm down and talk to her. If you panic, she will, and she’ll bleed out quicker,” Jinx murmured.
I nodded, and Bear and Tiny released me. I scrambled across the mud and stroked her poor, battered face. April’s nose looked broken, and both her eyes were badly bruised. One seemed swollen shut. There was blood matting her hair, and I saw a nasty gash on the top of her head.
“April, baby, can you hear me? You’ve gotta hold on, okay. Help is coming. Just hang in there, babes,” I begged.
“Harlequin, the air ambulance is en route. We need to shift April’s vehicle so it can land,” Chatter said.
“Is that her car? I threw the keys away. Sorry, I thought it was Mr Margrave’s,” Julie said. Why was Julie here? I’d told Sailor to take her to the hospital.
“Break the window and hot-wire it. Move it!” Chance ordered.
Boots stomped the ground around me as I held April’s hand tightly, as Chance kept pressure on her stomach. I caught him exchanging a look with Diesel, and Chance shrugged. I gritted my teeth. Chance didn’t rate April’s chances. But my girl was a fighter; she’d make it.
◆◆◆
I flew with April to the medical centre.
Maybe I should have called Clara, but delivering the news over a phone call was too cruel.
Slaughter was already on his way to tell her and bring her to the hospital.
Sailor was taking Julie in the SUV as she wasn’t critical.
As soon as the chopper landed, April was whisked away from me, and I was herded to the waiting room.
None of my brothers had arrived yet, so it was just me alone with my thoughts.
Attempting to distract myself, I dialled Darren Rogers and informed him that Julie had been found. The man’s sobs nearly caused me to cry as Darren stated he was coming straight to the hospital. I spotted April’s friend, Teagan, and waved her over, explaining what had happened.
“I’ll go check!” Teagan exclaimed, tears welling in her eyes.
“Wait. We’ve a kidnap victim arriving, a young woman, Julie Rogers,” I said, and Teagan stopped.
“You found her?” she gasped.
“Yes. That’s why April was wounded. The asshole who took Julie shot April. Julie’s going to need someone with empathy. Her dad’s on his way too.”
“Harlequin, I’ll deal with Julie. Wait a moment.” Teagan hurried away and returned with an older man. “This is Dr Simmons; he’s in charge of the ER.”
“Pleasure,” I said abruptly.
“Teagan has given me the bare bones. She’s planning to check on which operating theatre April’s in and will update me. I’ll contact the surgeon there and ask him to keep me updated. When the kidnap victim arrives, I’ll deal with her care with Teagan. Have the police been informed?”
“No. I didn’t…”
“Don’t worry, Teagan can inform them. Is there anything else you want?” Simmons asked.
“Just how April is doing,” I replied.
“As soon as I have an update, I’ll notify you,” Simmons said and walked away.
“Harlequin, I’m going to prep a room for Julie and get Simmons the information he requires. If you need me, ask the receptionist. I’ll tell her to fetch me immediately if you ask,” Teagan stated, and I nodded. What else could I do?
◆◆◆
Darren Rogers beat my brothers by minutes.
His was the first face Julie saw when she slowly entered the ER.
Darren hurried to his baby girl and swept her into a tight hug.
They both sobbed loudly, ignoring the peanut gallery.
Teagan escorted them to a room, and Dr Simmons was summoned.
My brothers milled around. Hellfire MC was used to being here for one thing or another. This time it was my girlfriend.
I wasn’t surprised when the press arrived, and I sent Lio a text warning him. My brothers chased the reporters out of the ER and held the entrances until Lio, Phil Gold, and two black-and-whites arrived. Two uniformed officers stood at the doors, keeping the media back as Lio approached me.
“How is April?” Lio asked.
“In surgery.” I didn’t bother asking how he knew.
“Margrave is in the wind,” Lio announced with a glance at Chance standing nearby. I jolted. I’d not realised Margrave had escaped.
“We don’t have him?”
“No. The asshole wasn’t at the cabin. We believe Margrave was tracking Julie, heard your bikes, and disappeared into the trees. There’s an APB out for him. If Margrave’s in the area and has lost access to his car and April’s, he’ll be seeking an escape route,” Lio explained.
“You need to find him. The asshole is beyond dangerous,” I stated.
“Ain’t disagreeing,” Lio said.
A young man entered, looking unsure of himself, and headed to the reception.
“Hi, I’m Jabari Jones. My girlfriend was brought in, Julie Rogers? Her dad called me,” he said.
“Take a seat, sir. I’ll let someone know,” the receptionist replied.
“Seems a decent kid,” I murmured before turning my gaze out of the huge windows. At least Darren and Jabari would get their happy ever after—to a degree. Mine hung in the balance. Surgeons held my happiness and future in their hands, and there was nothing I could do to help them.
“Stone,” a soft voice said, and I saw Clara entering the hospital holding onto Slaughter’s arm. I hurried over and hugged her. Thin arms wrapped around me, and Clara held on tight.
“Any news?”
“None yet. April is in surgery. She’d taken two gunshots to the shoulder and gut.” Clara released a small cry of pain and grief as I added, “She also had a very nasty head wound.”
“Find this bastard who did this to my girl and make him pay,” Clara hissed.
“That’s a promise.”
Clara nodded, and we stood there together for a while until Dr Simmons came out to tell us April was in the ICU and stable for now.
My hands stopped shaking for a moment. There was hope. My world would be okay, for now.