Chapter 40
BLAIZE
Iwas sick and tired of this person attacking the people I loved, and if Annika died, there would be hell to pay—not only from me, but from Kadence and three angry men.
I pulled up to the scene before anyone else and raced to find my girl.
There was a crowd forming around as police, fire, and an ambulance rolled up to the scene.
I pushed past the crowd to see Kadence on her knees, pressing hard onto Annika’s shoulder.
Annika looked dazed, and Kadence had tears streaming down her face. “Kadence, baby, I need you to let the medics in and let them help her.”
She nodded, looking to see two female medics flanking her side.
Kadence stood on shaky legs and lunged into my arms, crying into my chest. There were screeching tires, and I was positive the calvary just arrived for their girl.
I looked behind me to see Drew’s Jeep and three angry, concerned, men jumping out of the vehicle and racing towards us.
“Annika!” The crowd split as they got closer. Noah and Theo dropped to her side while Drew looked at us.
“Kadence are you hurt?”
Kadence shook her head. “I-it’s her blood.”
“Is she okay?” Theo snapped at the medic.
“Theo,” I hissed. “Let her do her job. What happened, Kadence?”
She wiped her tears onto my shirt and looked up at me.
“We were walking to the parking garage and I heard a motorcycle, but I wasn’t worried because it’s a biker town.
Something didn’t feel right, and when I looked again, I saw a flash of a gun.
I-I thought I grabbed her, but I—” She buried her face into me again as her sobs took over.
“We gotta go,” the medic yelled. “She’s alive, but she’s losing blood fast. Only one can ride with.”
Noah and Drew looked at Theo. “Go. We’ll meet you at the hospital,” Noah said. He and Drew picked up Kadence and Annika’s bags before taking them to the Jeep.
I walked Kadence to Cross who showed up in his Jeep, thankfully.
Tossing Cross the keys to my bike, I walked Kadence to Cross’s vehicle and buckled her in.
I grabbed her cheeks and wiped the tears away.
“Look at me.” She opened her big forest eyes.
“Annika is a fighter. She is going to make it.” She nodded, wiping her eyes.
The drive to the hospital was quiet, but Kadence was silently crying in the seat next to me.
When we walked into the ER waiting room, Annika’s men, Hawke, and Hunter, were all there waiting.
The guys looked distraught over their girl being shot, which was understandable.
Kadence was beating herself up because the bullet was meant for her.
“Is she okay?” Kadence asked, stepping closer to the guys.
“She’s in surgery. Doc said she should be fine. No major organs were hit. She just lost a lot of blood.”
While Kadence spoke with them, I walked to Hunter and Hawke.
I never should have let her out of my sight, knowing someone was out there trying to hurt her.
Now Annika was hurt, and I had the police breathing down my neck even more.
Whoever this person was, they were getting bold.
This attack was in my town against my girl, and Annika was the one hit. It was either a warning or a message.
“I need footage from the mall. Someone tried to kill her, and if they realize Kadence is still alive, this won’t stop.”
Hunter nodded. “When I get back to the club, I’ll get on it.”
“Who knew they were going out?” Hawke asked.
I shrugged. I knew because she texted me, but from my understanding, they made this plan last night. “Someone is watching her. It has to be the only explanation.”
Two hours later, Kadence was sleeping with her head on my lap while Theo, Drew, and Noah continued to pace the room.
Hawke went back to Fallon’s room, and Hunter was at the club scrounging through footage to find the person that did this.
I needed to make sure Kadence would be okay after this.
If the bullet was meant for her and it hit Annika, she was going to be riddled with guilt. I knew how she was.
A tall man with salt and pepper hair stepped into the lobby.
“Family of Annika Morris?” I tapped Kadence’s arm and she woke up, jumping to her feet and joining the guys.
“She’s resting in her room. The bullet missed her heart, but it nicked her axillary vein.
We patched her up and she was a little groggy, but you can visit her. ”
I took Kadence’s hand as we followed the doctor to her room. Her men were going to stay with her tonight, but I needed to take Kadence home and make sure she slept. Kadence ran to Annika’s side, grabbing her hand and apologizing over and over again.
Annika giggled. “This is the start of an erotic fantasy.”
Noah kissed her. “She’s fine. You scared the shit out of us, pretty girl.”
“I’m strapping you to my hip, mariposa. Someone is going to be with you at all times. Do you hear me?”
Annika tugged at his shirt, lifting it off his body. “I want—”
“Aht. You have drugs in your system, pretty girl, and you’re in a hospital bed. None of that until we get home.”
Annika sulked and Kadence laughed, wiping her eyes again. “I’m so glad you’re okay. I was so scared.”
“I’m okay. Just high? I was shot, but I feel like I’m floating.”
“I’ll come see you tomorrow,” Kadence said. “I’m so sorry.”
Her brows scrunched. “Why are you sorry? You didn’t shoot me. And don’t go down a hole because some asshole decided to shoot at us.”
“Annika—”
“Nope. It wasn’t your fault.” She looked at me. “Don’t let my bestie be sad. I’m alive. Just stuck.”
“Yes, ma’am.” I looked at her men. “Keep us updated. I’m going to take her home and get her cleaned up. When she goes home, I’ll bring Kadence over.”
When we made it back home, I pulled Kadence into the bathroom and stripped her out of her clothes.
Annika’s blood had dried on her skin, and I knew it was uncomfortable.
She looked dazed, her eyes glassy as I pulled her into the shower.
Kadence was stuck in her head, blaming herself for what happened to Annika.
Kadence went to the floor, tucking her legs into her chest as she rested her head on her knees.
I squeezed her sugar cookie body wash onto a loofah and started to gently scrub her skin.
I was giving her today to feel like this, but tomorrow, I’d make sure she was out of this funk and doing things.
The last thing any of us needed was for her to go down a wormhole and spiral because of what transpired today.
“Come on, princess. I need you to stand up. Let’s finish this shower and then we can go to bed.
” I helped her to her feet and washed her body.
“Look at me.” Her eyes stayed downcast. “Princess.” I put my fingers under her chin and lifted her head up.
Fresh tears spilled from her eyes, and I was ready to rip this person to shreds.
“What happened is not your fault. If it’s anyone's fault, it’s mine. Let’s get to bed.”
Kadence crawled into bed in an old band tee and I pulled her into me. She curled into me, more silent tears falling down her face until she fell asleep.
I left Kadence in bed to meet with Kala.
The police were not enthused that something like this happened on public property with other civilians around.
I had them in my pocket, but I kept my businesses away from them, and they left me alone unless I needed help with something.
With what’s going on, and now this attack on Kadence, I’d have to put my tail between my legs and let the department assist me.
“People could’ve gotten hurt, Blaize,” Kala snapped.
“Someone did get hurt,” I shot back at her.
She folded her arms across her chest. “Someone not connected to you. You might be the leader of this town, but even you aren’t above the damn law.”
“Kala, shut the hell up,” I barked, already annoyed with her attitude. “I am the leader, and I use your department when needed. Someone is targeting me, and they are using my girl to do it. Annika was not the target, but got hurt in the crossfire.”
“Since when do you have a girl?” she bitterly asked.
Ever since we shared a night together once upon a time, she’d been a bitch. “That’s none of your business. Are you going to help me or not? I’ll go to your captain if you can’t do your job.”
She huffed. “No. I’ll deal with it. I’ll get with my people and we’ll look into it, and I’ll get back to you if I find anything.”
I hated relying on other people to help me, but the more people I had looking for Ava and her boyfriend, the harder it would be for them to hide. Kala walked off, grumbling to herself as I glared at her. She’d get the job done, and that was all I needed from her.
DREW
Check on Kadence.
ME
She’s sleeping.
DREW
I meant in general. She’s going to blame herself. No one blames her for what happened to Annika.
ME
I will. How is Annika?
DREW
Ready to get out of the hospital.
ME
Let me know if you need anything.
Annika was Kadence’s best friend, and I would do anything to make sure my girl was happy. And that involved protecting the people she loved.