Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
Everleigh
A persistent knocking jerks me from a deep sleep.
Upon sitting up, I know I’m alone in the room and whoever is on the other side of the door is there to wake me.
I quickly throw the covers off and climb out of bed.
I grab a pair of jeans, pull them on over my bare legs, and pluck Daemon’s hoodie up where I’d thrown it when we came into the room.
I have it over my chest before making it to the door and opening it.
My eyes widen, seeing the grim look Tombstone has on his face.
“Is everything okay?” I whisper, but in the pit of my stomach, I know it’s not. “Where’s Daemon?”
“Gotta get you to him, babe.” Tombstone grimaces. “Get your shoes, and let’s go. Something’s happened, and he needs you.”
I nod and turn without hesitation to find a pair of flip-flops.
I don’t have time to find other shoes. Spinning back to Tombstone, I don’t utter a word and step from the room, not caring about anything else but getting to Daemon.
My mind races with the different scenarios that could have happened in a short amount of time.
He couldn’t have been away from me long, and I fear what’s going on.
Tombstone guides me to a truck and helps me into it. Again, neither of us saying a word. But I don’t miss the men on bikes in front of us passing through the gates.
I stare out the passenger window and hope to God that Daemon is okay. When I notice us pulling into a nice suburban neighborhood, I frown and look to Tombstone. “Tombstone?”
“Just hold on, babe, and remember this one thing. He needs you right now. They both do, and it’s gonna be one of the hardest things you’ll ever have to do.”
I swallow and nod at the advice, though I still don’t know what’s happening.
Tombstone pulls up behind several bikes.
I don’t miss the police cruisers, and the ambulance parked haphazardly in the street in front of the house.
I open my door at the same time Tombstone does and jump out of the cab.
On trembling legs, I make my way up to the house, walking past Daemon’s brothers.
I get to the driveway, and Reaper wraps an arm around my shoulders, guides me up to the front doors and through the threshold. All I can hear are murmurs that sound more like buzzing noises as Reaper shows me through the cute little house, and I realize as we pass a picture that it’s Lana’s house.
Oh no.
I spot Daemon and Hendrik standing close together. Daemon’s arm wrapped around his son’s shoulders. The look on both their faces is one I don’t think I’ll ever forget. I know Daemon didn’t love Lana, not in that way, but they were friends. Parents. They cared for each other.
Without thinking, I move to both of them. Daemon’s eyes lift, coming to mine when he notices me. I wrap my arms around them the instant I’m close enough to do so.
“She’s gone,” Daemon whispers, burrowing his face in my shoulder.
“What?” I ask, unsure I heard him correctly.
“Lana. She’s gone.”
The words penetrate, hitting me in the chest like a knife slamming into it.
No. No. No.
I tighten my arms around him and Hendrik, words unable to be voiced. For them, I want to cry. I don’t like either man or son hurting like this.
“Daemon.”
I pull away slightly in order for Daemon to face whoever called his name. I twist, seeing Trey, the officer from last night. The one who questioned me. Daemon explained to me that Trey was Lana’s brother.
“Trey,” Daemon rasps.
“Can we talk?” he asks, looking down at Hendrik and back.
“Whatever it is, Hendrik has a right to know too.”
Nodding, Trey looks apprehensive and sighs. “You know Lana. Nearly as well as I do.”
“Spit it out, man.”
I flinch at the harsh gravely tone of my man’s voice.
“Lana found out she had breast cancer. Docs said the prognosis was too far along for treatment.”
I suck in a breath at this news.
“Come again?” Daemon demands tersely.
“She didn’t want you to know. Fuck. I didn’t even find out until a couple of days ago, but she asked me to keep it to myself.
She said she was gonna tell you. I told her she needed to do it soon.
” Trey grimaces and shakes his head. “You know how stubborn Lana was. Didn’t want anyone pitying her or thinking less of her. ”
“She should have told me. Told us,” Hendrik whispers, his breath hitching.
“Yeah, kiddo, your mom should have told ya.”
“I . . . I wouldn’t have . . .”
“Hendrik, don’t, buddy. Your mom wouldn’t want you to do the whole pity thing. It’s why she didn’t tell you. She didn’t want you to feel the pain alongside her. Yes, she was wrong for doing it, but she did it because she loved you,” Trey says, stopping Hendrik from what he was going to say.
“What now?” Daemon grunts.
“They’re gonna take her to the morgue. She already had her wishes taken care of with the funeral home. We just need to go handle them and figure the rest out.”
“Right.” Daemon nods and releases a harsh breath. “Let’s get this done.”
“Daemon,” I whisper, getting his attention.
Seeing the hollowness consuming his eyes, I swallowed back what I was going to say. He’s hurting, and there’s nothing I can do right now for him other than be here while he gets through it.
Over the past three days, I’ve been doing everything I can to ensure Daemon and Hendrik had what they needed. Losing someone like Lana, though I wasn’t close with her, has affected those close to me, but nothing like it has my man and his son. I wish I could take their pain away.
Per Lana’s wishes, she’s being buried today next to her parents.
I went with Daemon, Hendrik, and Trey to the funeral home to offer my silent support as they finalized everything. I hate they are going through all of this and had to lose Lana the way they did.
“Everleigh,” Daemon calls from the front of the house. With Hendrik being with us, we haven’t been back to the clubhouse. Granted, members and the ol’ ladies have been by daily helping out.
“I’m coming,” I answer and look at the stick in my hand.
Yesterday while I’d gone to the store, I was passing by the feminine products, and it hit me I hadn’t had my period.
At first, I wanted to put it down to all the stress I’ve been under over the past months.
But to ease my mind, I got a test and hid it.
Staring at it now, I push back the fear that’s threatening to take hold of me. This can’t be happening.
Not now.
God, why did I have to do this now? I should have waited. I can’t tell Daemon about this now. We’re about to lay the mother of his son to rest and he wouldn’t want to know. Well, he would but not when he’s got so much else running through his brain.
I throw the positive test in the trash and look at myself in the mirror one last time before leaving the bathroom.
Dressed in a solid black dress, I run my hands down the front, trying to block out all other thoughts, and make my way to where Daemon and Hendrik wait for me.
Both of them sporting dark jeans with black button-up long-sleeve shirts.
The only difference between the two is Daemon’s got his cut over his shirt.
“Ready,” I say, meeting Daemon’s gaze briefly.
Daemon grunts and ushers Hendrik and me out of the house and to his truck.
I don’t miss that he’s still distant from me as he has been in the past few days.
I’m trying to give him his space but be here for him all the same.
It’s not easy when he seems to be blocking me out.
Though I don’t know what he’s going through.
Not with these circumstances. I just hope that once the funeral is over that he’ll find a sense of peace in the fact Lana isn’t suffering anymore.