Chapter 14
Chapter
Fourteen
AFTERMATH
W e pull into the Clubhouse around midnight and Derange is waiting for us at the door. He hurries over to the SUV with Jezebelle right behind him. He yanks the back passenger side door open before I even have a chance to put it in Park. “How’s she doing? Did she wake up? Is she in pain?” Doctor Derange fires off questions while putting a stethoscope on the young girl's chest andlistening to her lungs. That’s what Capone’s daughter Nina started calling him a few months ago when she decided to become adventurous and jumped off some beams in the house they’re building. I could have sworn Capone’s heart stopped when he heard her scream in pain. She sprained her ankle and wrist, but it could have been much worse if she was higher up. Nina hasn’t done that again, but I imagine over time she will do something like that again. Every time someone is hurt, it’s Derange and Jezebelle that mend them back together.
“She hasn’t woken up since before we got to her. Her breathing is there but shallow and I think whatever drug they gave her, it’s kept her sedated.” Playboy holds up the girl’s arm and shows Derange the track marks. “She also has fresh bruising and blood on the inside of her thighs.” He tucks her arm back inside the blanket to keep her warm.
“Bring her inside and we’ll take it from here. Thank you, Playboy, for keeping her comfortable.” Playboy climbs out of the car and Derange shuts the door. Jezebelle opens the door that leads into the Clubhouse and they disappear out of sight.
I release the breath I didn’t realize I was holding and squeeze my eyes shut. When I open them, Torch is still in the vehicle with me and he squeezes my shoulder. “We’ll find her, Aftermath. Have faith.” Torch climbs out of the SUV and shuts the door behind him. Once he’s out of sight, I get out, shut the door and rest my body against it. Pulling my phone out, I dial Kensi’s number. I know she won’t answer but I have to try something. It rings several times before it goes to voicemail so I leave her a message.
“Tiger, I’m sorry things went the way they did. If I had realized how much of a domino effect this decision made, I would have told you about that chick coming on to me. I didn’t think it was a big deal at the time, but now I see that it was. I’m so sorry for not being upfront and honest. I know I shattered your trust in me, but I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make it up to you. I love you, Kensi. You own my mind, body, heart and soul. It only beats for you and will until my dying breath. Come back to me, please. I’m not whole without you.” I hang up the phone and push back the tears threatening to tumble down my cheeks. Instead, I squeeze my hands into tight fists, the dried blood cracking.
Commotion from the guard shack gathers my attention. Knight and Seth are assigned guard duty when they don’t have something to do for the Club. I hear shouting but I’m too far away to make out voices. Capone and Red come flying out of the Clubhouse with Blayze, Trigger and Torch hot on their heels.
“What the fuck is going on?” I ask. No one answers so I follow behind them. Being the SSA, it’s my duty to protect the club and its members. I’ve been doing a shitty job these last few days. “STOP!” I shout, causing everyone who was moving to slow down. I know I can get my rank pulled but damn it, my Prez needs to let me protect him. “Prez, let me take thelead and do my fucking job. I’m supposed to protect you, not sit back and watch someone shoot your ass and if you want to reprimand me later, I’ll welcome your punishment. Torch and Trigger, you’re with me. Blayze and Capone, stay behind us until we can assess the situation.”
Capone’s nostrils flare, but he knows I’m right. He steps back with Blayze and they fall in behind us. “Knight, what’s going on up there?” I shout as we approach the gates.
“Visitors walking down the road,” Knight shouts back.
“Are you sure they’re not drunk and lost?” I counter.
“Take a look for yourself,” Knight offers with a sweep of his hand once we get to the gates. I shine a flashlight on the two figures and my heart stops beating before picking up the pace again.
“Ouch.” Kensi’s sweet voice echoes through the darkness. “Do you mind asshole?” She shields her eyes from the light. I’m sure she doesn’t know it's me because if she did, more than asshole would have flown from her lips.
“Kensi,” I breathe and she stops in her tracks.
“Aftermath?”
“Yeah, Tiger, it’s me.” I turn to Knight still standing there with a dumb look on his face. “Open the fucking door,” I demand.
Knight jumps and hits the button to roll the gates open. I want to sweep Kensi into my arms and kiss her. But I don’t know whatshe’ll do or how she’ll react. Fuck it.
I approach father and daughter and take Kensi into my arms. Before she can protest, my lips are on hers. She stiffens from my touch, then melts into my arms, kissing me back. I groan against her lips, “God, I’ve missed you.” My breath whispers across her skin.
“I’ve missed you too, but before we go any further we need to talk,” Kensi responds, her fingers clutching onto my cut. I rest my forehead against hers, close my eyes and inhale her sweet scent.
“What happened?” Capone asks standing next to us. I don’t let Kensi move so her dad answers for them.
“I’d rather tell you inside instead of staying out here like sitting ducks. If they realized we escaped and know us, this is the first place they’ll look. I won’t put my daughter through that again.” His blue eyes cut toward me, and I get the innuendo. He won’t let anyone hurt her again unless it’s over his dead body.
“Come on.” Capone motions and we all follow him inside. I keep Kensi tucked under my arm, not letting her get away. The Ol’ Ladies, kids, and bunnies are in bed so we don’t have to worry about anyone bothering us. Once we’re all inside, I notice the bruising and dried blood on the side of Kensi’s head.
“Shit, what happened to you? Are you OK?” I ask, barely touching the side of her forehead. Kensi winces and pulls away.
“I’ll be fine. I’ve dealt with worse.” Her comment cuts me hard, but right now I deserve it.
“We were at my house when several men came storming in. I was restrained in the kitchen and could hear Kensi fighting with them out in the living room. She gave them a run for their money.” Sheriff Donovan’s eyes light up with admiration. “The one in charge knocked Kensi upside the head with the butt of his gun, stunning her and that’s how they got the upper hand on us. I was already held at gunpoint and was forced to watch as they zip-tied my little girl up. When Kensi came too, they were moving us to the SUV. Then she passed out again and didn’t wake up until we were at an apartment complex in the middle of nowhere. I knew how to get out of zip-ties so that’s what I did while taking down the one guard they left with us.
“Once Kensi came too, she broke her zip-ties and we got out by the fire escape and headed here. I think Lil’ Kay has a concussion. She’s been throwing up and dizzy the whole walk here.”
I take Kensi’s face in my hands and carefully look her over. She’s paler than normal and the mischievous sparkle in her multi-colored eyes is missing. “What can I get for you, Tiger? How can I make this better?”
It’s a double-sided question and she hesitates. “I need answers.” Kensi casts her eyes down to the floor and I gently lift her chin, making her look at me in the eyes.
“Do you want to do this here or in private?” I ask, giving her the option.
“Here, Aftermath. I can’t focus on what happened to my dad and me until this thing between us is cleared.” She shakes her head, holding back tears. “Even when my life was in jeopardy, the unanswered questions about us were running through my head.”
“I swear on everything I am and the loyalty to you and my Club, I never touched that woman.” Kensi doesn’t say anything but continues to gaze into my eyes. “She came onto me when Red and I were at Nadia’s dance studio. She walked up behind me, naked as the day her face came through her mother's crotch and tried to touch me. I got the fuck out of there and never looked back.”
Kensi glances toward Red and he nods his head in confirmation. “What about the grocery store and the night of the party before you had to leave for the job? She told me everything, Aftermath. Every last detail of the two of you together. She even described the tattoo you got just for me.” Kensi’s eyes lower to the zipper of my jeans and I know what tattoo she’s talking about. One night, I went to a tattoo shop in Vegas when we had to do a job for a woman Capone knows and got a tattoo of a Tiger on my junk. When it healed that was the best sex the two of us have ever shared.
My eyes shoot to Red, “Who is this fucking chick?” I’m pissed.
“I don’t know, but I don’t like it, brother. I’ll start digging deeper.” Red scurries off to his communications room.
“I swear, Kensi, I have never let that bitch touch me. Nor did I ever touch her. She came on to me at the grocery store with Pearl and Lexi, throwing out little jabs here and there. I didn’t know how to handle it, so I told them to keep their mouths shut. Now I wish they didn’t. And the night of the party, I couldn't stand looking at her skanky ass and I was exhausted. All I wanted was you in my bed and my arms without the drama. So, I went to our room and waited for you to get home. That way she couldn’t corner me.” I take Kensi’s face gently in my hands and move as close as I can. “I swear you are the only woman I want or need. When you’re not with me, I can’t breathe. Say you believe me, Tiger, please.”
“I believe you, Aftermath. I might be an idiot, but I can’t breathe without you.” I kiss Kensi with everything I have. All the love and adoration I have for this woman spills out of me and into her.
“I love you, Kensi Donovan. Will you still marry me? I might fuck up from time to time, but please knock me upside the head if I do. You’re my everything and I want to ride through life with you by my side.”
“Of course, I’ll still marry you. You’re my everything I want to ride through life with.”
“Forever.”
“And always.”
“Thank fuck.” Playboy groans. “He’s been an inconsolable asshole on this whole trip.”
I smile against Kensi’s lips before I kiss her again.
“Not to be the other asshole, but we have to figure out who those men were that kidnapped you two,” Capone speaks up.
“They said they were FBI,” Kensi speaks up.
“I’ll have Red check.” Trigger states.
“Good idea and wake up Bones. He can work with Red.” Capone orders.
“Do you think this bitch and those men who took us are working together?” Kensi asks.
“Why do you think that?” Capone asks.
“I don’t know. With all the weird shit happening, I don’t think it’s acoincidence. What if she’s a plant to try and get close to the Club while pushing me away from it and in return, my dad?”
Capone and the Sheriff pass a knowing look. Now that I’m in the loop I know what that look is for. Well, fuck me, it’s not the Feds who are after Kensi and the Sheriff. If they’re who I think they are, we're in some deep shit.