Chapter Sixteen
Inferno
Also, she hoped I didn’t need a catheter because she was out of all but the garden-hose-sized ones and didn’t much feel like running down to the storeroom in the basement.
She also said she was also out of lube. That last part was said with a really pleasant smile that gave me chills. After that, I shut up.
The one time I threatened to get up, Knuckles just folded his arms and dared me. “You so much as put a foot on the floor, I’ll break both your legs,” he said. “Stay put. Or you’ll definitely get that catheter.”
I glared at him, but I didn’t get up. I wasn’t stupid.
Besides, my throat burned like Satan’s own barbecue and breathing hurt like a motherbitch with each inhale.
My lungs had been scraped raw by the smoke and burning chemicals.
I knew pure luck was the only reason I hadn’t been hurt any worse.
I glanced at the door for what seemed like the hundredth time.
Looking for Juniper. My head felt full of mud and bad memories, and I craved the peace I had come to associate with her presence.
After a while, Knuckles shifted. “You want to talk about it?”
I scowled in his direction. “No. I don’t want to fuckin’ talk about it. What the fuck, Knuckles?”
The president raised his hands in surrender. “Just tryin’ to be all sensitive and shit. Hannah says I need to work on that.”
“Well, don’t.” I glared at him. “It’s fuckin’ creepy.”
“She’s on her way. Pretty sure she’s using most of her time trying to make sure your nurse doesn’t poison you.”
I didn’t dignify that with a reply.
I kept glancing at the door. Waiting. I wanted to see Juniper so bad I was nearly mad with it. She didn’t make me wait long. The door to my room opened and there she was. My fucking queen. Looking the worse for wear, but she also looked pissed.
“No offense,” she said as she sat on the bed next to me, brushing a lock of hair off my forehead, “but you look like shit.”
I barked a laugh that turned instantly into a coughing fit. Juniper reached for a bottle of water on the bedside table and held it until I could breathe again. She unscrewed the lid and handed it to me so I could take a long swallow.
“I got some clothes for you,” she said, setting a duffel on my lap and unzipping it. “I kind of figured that you’d try to escape early and figured you wouldn’t want to do it bare-assed.”
It was Knuckles’ turn to laugh. “That one’s a keeper, Inferno.”
“I know,” I managed to croak out. “Ain’t lettin’ her go.”
I opened the bag to see what she’d brought. Jeans, T-shirt, socks, and my colors. No underwear. I raised an eyebrow at her but Juniper only grinned. I’d take it. Her anger still showed through underneath, but she wasn’t consumed by it. She had a level head.
“Every time I see you, you’re wearing that vest,” she said. “Figured you’d want it close.” She said that like it was the most logical Goddamned thing in the world.
I took the heavy leather vest out of the duffel then looked back up at her before grabbing her wrist and pulled her close to me. The scent of smoke still clung to her, but all I cared about was the woman in my arms.
When I finally pushed her away from me, she smiled. I took the leather vest and draped it over her shoulders, tugging it into place. It was too big, but fuck if she didn’t look right wearing it. I slid my hands down her arms.
“You wear it today, honey,” I said. “You keep it on until I get your property vest made. Yes?”
Her gaze flicked from my hands to my face. She’d been angry when she came in, but now I thought I saw fear. “Jonah,” she said, quietly.
“Yeah, baby?”
She let out a sigh, then squared her jaw. “Someone has decided the homeless man you dragged out of my bakery is responsible for the fire. They’re wanting to put him in jail.”
“It’s not exactly something I hadn’t figured, but I don’t want an innocent person to take the rap.”
“That’s the thing,” she continued. “He’s confessing to it, though he also told one of the nurses he didn’t mind going to jail because then he’d have a place to sleep and three squares a day.
Winter’s coming and at least he’d be warm.
I almost think the guy’s using the situation to his own advantage, and I can’t say I blame him. ”
I looked up at Knuckles in exasperation. “How can one man be so stupid and yet so fuckin’ lucky?”
Knuckles shrugged. “Beats the fuck outta me.”
“Whatever the case, the police are pushing the story toward a junkie starting the fire while squatting in back of my building.”
“My friend, Frank Danner, is in good with the fire marshal. He can help with that narrative. We’ve talked briefly outside your bakery. He’s on your side.”
“Yeah? Well, he better be,” Juniper said. “Because I’m not letting this go. Not after what that bastard, Brett, did to my shop.”
I fucking loved the sound of that. There was steel in her, and I wanted to throw her over the bed and fuck her senseless, but considering Knuckles was right there and my lungs still burned, I settled for just grinning at her. “Don’t worry. Danner’s got it all under control.”
“Do you believe that? I mean, really believe Danner’s on your side?”
“I do,” I said without hesitation.
“OK, then. I’ll leave him to you. I need to go to the bakery. They’ve not released the scene yet, but I’d still like to look over what I can.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” I shook my head.
“I need to do this, Inferno,” she said, gently, taking my hand in hers once again. This time, she brought my palm to her face, cupping her cheek with my hand before kissing the center. “I’ll be fine.”
I wanted to tell her not to go, but honestly, with cops and investigators likely still combing the place, I didn’t think there was much danger. Still, I didn’t want her to go alone.
I tried to sit up on the edge of the bed, but the room spun, going gray for a second around the edges. Juniper eased me back to the bed. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“I’m going with you.” Of course, my lungs chose that moment so seize, and I coughed until my sides ached. “Fuck,” I gasped.
“Not sure you’re up for that,” she muttered.
“Good thing them feet didn’t touch the floor,” Knuckles drawled. “You know me well enough to know I will absolutely follow through.”
When I could breathe again, I closed my eyes briefly.
This shit was my own fault. I’d been too stubborn to let a firefighter on scene go look for the sound of the screams I’d heard.
Sure, the officer in charge hadn’t been super motivated, but he’d had a huge-ass structure fire he was trying to keep from spreading, and I hadn’t gotten specific.
Finally, I sighed. “Take Zero with you.”
She smiled. “I can do that.”
“And be careful.”
“Don’t worry. I have every intention of coming back to make sure you behave. Nurse Lisa says you’ve been particularly… rambunctious.”
“If that’s a fancy way of saying he’s a pain in the ass, then I agree with Nurse Lisa.” Knuckles hadn’t moved from his spot in the corner and didn’t seem to have plans on moving any time soon.
I glanced at the door, and Zero eased into view. “You stay with her at all times,” I said. “Anything happens to her, I will fuck you all the way up.”
He gave me a nod. “Understood, sir. I’ll keep her safe.”
“You’re gonna wear that cut.” I tried to make my voice stern, but again, I started coughing. “It’ll let the world know you’re mine. No one will fuck with you because you’re Kiss of Death, same as me.”
She blinked hard, then straightened her shoulders. “Yes, sir.” It was said with a smirk.
I pulled Juniper in for another kiss. I brushed her hair back and let my thumb trace her jaw, just for a second. “Don’t stay too long.”
“I won’t.” She looked away and out the window. The sad look on her face made me want to kill Brett even more than I already did.
“I just…” she trailed off before looking back at me with a small, sad smile. “I need to see it. You know?”
“Yeah, honey. I get it.”
She looked at me, then leaned in and kissed me. “I’ll be back soon.”
Goddamn, I loved this woman.
* * *
Juniper
Inferno’s cut was heavy as hell on my shoulders.
The weight wasn’t just the patches or the leather, though.
It was what the thing represented. I knew how much Kiss of Death meant to Inferno.
I also knew the other members of the club saw everyone in their compound as family.
To me, having Inferno’s vest meant I was family, and I desperately wanted family.
Zero held the exit door for me, and we left the building in the early afternoon sun.
The sky was the color of dirty ice, the air wet and sharp against my lungs.
Zero directed me to a truck parked next to the entrance.
Once we were both in and buckled up, Zero headed out.
When we arrived, he parked as close as he could get to the bakery without crossing the yellow caution tapes.
Everyone seemed to have packed it in and the street sat empty except for the car I recognized as belonging to the hardware store owner.
Yellow tape cordoned off the area, and we sat there for a second.
“You want me to walk with you, ma’am?” Zero asked.
I shook my head. “No. I just want to look for a minute.” He nodded, jaw tight, and settled in for the wait as I stepped out.
Everything still dripped from last night’s excitement. Puddles on the sidewalk and soot turning the runoff black, along with broken glass, all caught the light, shimmering like diamonds. I walked as close as allowed by the yellow tape and stopped.