Chapter Twenty-Three
Spencer
Thinking he could claim me as his old man then leave me behind while he’s riding off to his potential death was Grinder’s first mistake.
Forgetting that my best friend is his club Enforcer’s wife is his second mistake.
“Are you sure about this, Spence? It feels like one of those dumb bitch moves from romance novels.” Mac’s concerned frown is almost amusing. Mostly because it’s usually me on the other side of said frown.
“I’ve never seen him like this before, Mac. If something’s happened…” I take a deep breath and shake my head because it doesn’t bear thinking about. “I can’t let him go through it alone.”
“The club knows what they’re doing and you very much don’t.
That’s all I’m saying.” She holds her hands up in surrender and sighs.
One of the rats, I think it’s Bandit, is running across the back seat of my car, no doubt investigating all the smells.
The other rat, Ninja, is curled up on Mac’s lap, and even he gives me a look that says I’m out of my mind.
“I’m not planning to rush in and do a damn thing. I’ll stay a safe distance away and observe before approaching. Don’t worry. I’m not Psycho or you.” Giving her a playful wink, I allow myself a half-hearted smile. “Please?”
Rolling her eyes, she huffs. “I’m not giving this to you.
” She pulls a piece of scrap paper from her purse, along with a pen, and scribbles down what I’m hoping is the address I need.
Slamming it down on the dash of my car, she gives me judgey eyes.
“I left this behind by mistake. Blame it on baby brain.”
For a moment, we hold each other’s gaze knowingly, each of us saying a thousand things that ultimately mean I love you.
“Come on, Bandit, let’s go home.” She holds out her hand into the back seat for Bandit, who eagerly steps onto her palm. After putting both rats in the special section her mom sewed into her purse specifically for them, she gives me a disapproving but amused stare.
“They left Jonesy here to keep me company taking some of the motorcycles back to the compound, so go now before I change my mind.” Leaning forward, she air kisses my cheek before slapping it lightly.
“Knew you were a sucker for Grinder.” She laughs and climbs out of my car, bounding toward the club van and truck where Jonesy has just finished loading everything from the races.
Taking a few deep breaths, in through my nose and out through my mouth, I grip my steering wheel with both hands and stare at the paper on my dash.
I have a large first aid kit and a few basic tools.
There’s a small gun in my glovebox…and that’s it.
I’m not armed to the teeth with weapons or skills, but for some reason, I feel compelled to follow Grinder.
To see for myself that he and Parker are okay.
I can’t just sit at home and wait patiently.
I know the address. It’s a couple of hours away.
The brothers all left about ten minutes ago.
As soon as Grinder relayed the threats from the phone call, they rode off quicker than I’ve ever seen them.
It’ll take me longer to get there than them, widening the gap, but hopefully that means the dangerous part will be over by the time I arrive.
I’m calm, I’m calculated, and I’m aware that I’m driving straight into the lion’s den. Does that make me as crazy as Grinder? No…but it does make me a fool.
The thing is, I’m okay with that because I’m jumping into this thing feet first. And I can’t do that effectively if my new boyfriend or his girlfriend die tonight.
Ten minutes from the destination, I almost crap myself when a rear tire bursts and the car skids to a stop. And of course it’s on a road surrounded by trees. It doesn’t frighten me, but the lack of streetlights means I’m going to need to play ‘balance the flashlight’ while I change the tire.
With everything I need from the trunk, I set about fixing the problem, cursing a few times because when does it ever go right the first try?
The wind is putting an additional chill in the air tonight, rustling the leaves of the trees and giving off eerie vibes. Being unafraid doesn’t mean I want to stick around and I’m relieved as I tighten the final wheelnut.
“You better have some grub in that car because I’m fuckin’ starvin’.”
My stomach leaps to my throat as I spin, only to see a battered and bruised Parker leaning heavily against a tree.
She grins and it looks painful, a cut by her mouth cracking with the action.
“I thought I was gonna have to skin a rabbit or something for dinner because where the fuck are we?” Raising one arm, she gestures all around us. “This place is a serial killer’s wet dream and the only house I managed to find belongs to said killers.”
Shaking myself from the pure shock, I drop the tools into the trunk and grab a blanket.
“Where have you been?” Approaching with caution, because this is Parker, I unfold the blanket and hold it out for her. “What happened?”
“I went fucking berry picking, what does it look like?” Snatching the blanket from me, she huffs and immediately wraps herself up.
“It looks like you got beat the hell up, but if you’re just out here berry picking, I’ll leave you to it.” I know strong women like Parker…and it’s always fun to mess with them a little. They get fiery but they make the best friends.
“Oh, but wait. I have something for you.” She reaches her hand into the front of her black shirt and pulls it out again to flip me off as she pokes her tongue at me.
I laugh and grab one of the protein bars I have for emergencies, holding it out as a way of peace making.
“Thanks.” Hopping forward with impressive speed and balance, she grabs the offered food and rips into it.
“Ohmygod, this is fuckin’ disgusting, tastes like cardboard.
Mmmm.” She eats the whole thing in just a few seconds.
“It’s also the best thing ever because of course I chose this morning to skip breakfast.”
“What happened?” I head to my trunk and open up a first aid kit. “And where are your injuries?” I don’t have anything to clean her up with and I doubt being sprayed with a water bottle is going to be helpful.
“O’Malley or O’Cry Me A River tossers tried to kidnap me and take me to their boss or some shit.
I sent them all back to him in pieces, left the driver alive.
But they managed to get a few good hits in on the way, and the fuckin’ wankers drugged me too.
Got a nice crack on my head from passing out but I cleaned it up with a leaf, so probably just my knee that’s fuckin’ me right now.
Anything in there I can wrap it with?” Leaning against my car, she grins and flutters her lashes like she’s up to something…
because she certainly isn’t trying to flirt with me.
“Can you roll up the leg of those yoga pants?” It looks swollen, I need to see and touch it to figure out what’s wrong.
“Nah, just wrap it over my clothes. It’ll be fine until we get to somewhere not in the middle of the woods.” She grabs the bandage and lifts her leg while still leaning against my car, and I huff a laugh.
The way she wraps it is actually really good, secure…
“You’ve done this before.”
“Too many times.” She ties it off and puts her foot back on the ground, albeit tentatively. “Now, where’s ya car keys?”
I laugh. “No.” I pack away the first aid kit, expecting my no to be the end of it. Alas, Parker is Parker. “What the—”
“Finder’s keeper’s!” Dangling the keys she just stole from my back pocket, she giggles and jumps into the driver’s seat of my car.
Now, I could argue. I should argue. But the threats to my life or extremities would be all too real. I pull out my cell as I climb into the car, side-eyeing Parker, who looks way too pleased with herself.
“You know, finder’s keeper’s isn’t actually the law…”
“Yeah, but if I listened to the law then the world would be super fuckin’ borin’.
” The engine rumbles to life and she actually takes the time to strap herself in with the seatbelt, glaring at me when she sees me watching.
“You’re a paramedic, you should know how dangerous car accidents can be.
” She shrugs, her sweet and demonic little grin making her large eyes pop with glee.
“Do you even have a U.S. license?” Luckily, I drive an automatic, because I don’t think her knee could handle a manual. She begins driving in the direction I was headed as I send Grinder a message.
Me: Found Parker. She’s safe and in my car.
I want to ask him to come back but I’d never interfere in club business. I’ll just worry myself to death instead.
“Be honest, Spence. Do you care?” She side-eyes me right back, continuing before I can answer.
“But yeah. I wouldn’t do you like that. We’re not fucking, but we’re like sister wives.
The good kind that actually care about each other, not the backstabby cunty kind.
And yes, I know, we haven’t spent enough time together to be besties, but I get good vibes from you.
You actually give me a nice warm feeling in my stomach rather than making my skin crawl. ”
“Um…thanks?” It’s at this point that I realize she isn’t turning around and heading home.
“You’re welcome.”
“Parker…?”
“Spencer…?” She gives me an amused grin before concentrating on the road again.
“Where are we going?”
Adjusting her position slightly in her seat, she clears her throat.
“Pretty sure it’s the same place you were going before your burst tire saved me from setting up camp and having rabbit stew. I heard the bikes ride past about twenty minutes before you, I just couldn’t get to the road in time to wave them down.”
“I texted Grinder and told him you’re safe. They’ll be on their way back any minute. We should turn around.” Knowing Parker is okay will ease Grinder’s mind exponentially which, in turn, eases mine.
How I became this linked to him so quickly isn’t beyond me, the years of banter and tentative friendship are easily making my feelings more intense.
“Orrr…” She drags the single word out as a whole bunch of motorcycles appear on the side of the road leading toward a long driveway surrounded by more trees.
“Or?” I’m staring straight ahead, knowing damn well what the ‘or’ is as she pulls the car to a stop.
“Orrr…we can help because our man’s currently having all the fun without us. I’m telling ya, he’s gonna be horny as fuck by the time we’re done. I’ll grab a wrench from your boot.”
“Trunk.”
“If we’re gonna do the word connecting game, foot or sock would go with boot, and leaves or tree would go with trunk…
none of those have anything to do with a car…
” She opens the driver’s side door and gets out before hopping around to the back, still mumbling to herself about trunks and boots, and all I can think about is what a bad idea this is.
It was not the best idea on my own, but I only planned to basically wait here. Now, I have an injured crazy woman with a wrench…and a hammer that she proudly shows me as she opens my door for me and gestures for me to get out.
“I would leave you here because you’re a healer of death, not a giver of it, but if one of the bad guys escapes and finds you, then I’ll feel like shit and we need you.
You’re like the good, calm, reasonable…ish, and fun to be around kinda person that cancels out the crazy.
So, grab that gun that I know is in your glovebox and stay behind me like a fuckin’ shadow. That’s not a request, by the way.”
There’s something sweet and vulnerable in what she’s saying, and as much as I know I’m doing the dumb bitch thing Mac talked about earlier, I grab my gun and get out of the car.
“If I die, I’m going to haunt you. Here, lean on me until we get there.” Her hopping on her good leg may be to expert levels, but we have no idea what we’re heading into. If I can help at all, this is basically the extent of it.
“I would expect nothing less.” She hooks her arm through mine, one fist gripping the hammer, the other firmly on a wrench. “If I die, make sure Grinder saves my nipples. They’re my best feature.”