Chapter 17
TRIGGER
Seth grips the wheel as we speed through the night. Elise's limp body rests in my lap, her head against my chest. She’s stirred a couple of times since we pulled her from that basement, but each time, she drifts back under. A blessing in disguise. If she’s as bad as I think, the pain will be unbearable when she wakes up. I try to keep her still, but in the back of a van with no seats, it’s damn near impossible.
Guilt eats away at me for leaving Aerianna there without my protection, but I didn’t think about it at the time. I had to get my sister out of that house and get the medical help she needs. I pray Aerianna will forgive me for pulling a dickhead stunt like that.
Pretty Playboy sits beside me, his knee bouncing, jaw tight. With each passing mile, the deeper the worry etches into his face about Elise’s condition. I see it, but I can’t afford to focus on his feelings. Elise comes first.
“Call Bones, I bark. “Have him get Jezebelle and have her ready to see Elise.”
Pretty Playboy fumbles for his phone, and his hands are shaking as he dials Bones’s number. “Hey, I need you to get Jezebelle into the infirmary. We’re bringing Elise in, and she’s in bad shape.” He nods his head while his gaze sweeps over her bruised form. “I don’t know, man, but it’s bad.”
Pretty Playboy hangs up his phone and shoves it back into his pocket. “He’ll have her there and ready for whatever Elise needs.”
“Thanks.” Silence stretches between us before I finally ask, “Can I ask you something?”
Pretty Playboy exhales. “Yeah.”
“This thing between the two of you. Is it serious, or are you just passing the time?” I keep my voice low so I don’t disturb Elise.
Pretty Playboy pulls his knees up so his hands are resting between them. “Honestly?”
I nod.
His breath comes out heavy. “I don’t know.” He leans his head back against the van. “She’s off-limits, but that doesn’t stop me from wondering what it would be like to be with her. I see all of you pairing off and finding your other person, and I wonder if she’s mine. But she’s forbidden. And even if she weren’t, what if I’m not good enough for her?”
I sigh, running a hand down my face. “Or what if you hurt her? Don’t you think she’s been through enough?”
“I know she has.” His voice is quiet. “And I don’t know if I wouldn’t hurt her. But it doesn’t matter, I don’t need to know if we have a chance. She’s off-limits. End of story.” He pushes to his feet, stalking toward the front. Slumping into the passenger seat, he props his feet on the dash, closing the conversation.
Did I just fuck something up for Elise? Is Pretty Playboy good enough for my sister? These questions swirl in my mind when Seth drives through the Clubhouse gates. Before I can think too much about it, the side door slides open. Bones, Dagger, and Jezebelle stand on the other side, ready.
Jezebelle climbs into the van, eyes sharp as she assesses Elise. I growl and pull Elise against my chest tighter. “I know my husband is the one with the medical degree, but Trigger, you’ve got to let me check her over before we move her again.”
With a huff, I relax my grip on Elise and let Jezebelle do her thing. “Don’t hurt her,” I growl through clenched teeth.
“I’m not, I swear.” Jezebelle opens Elise’s eyelids and shines a penlight in each of them. Then she runs her hands softly down Elise’s arms, chest, and legs. “Nothing appears to be broken, but I want you to carefully lift her and move her to Dagger and Bones.”
“No. I can carry her. I can climb out without them taking her.” I’m not letting my sister out of my sight.
“You could , ” Jezebelle agrees, her voice calm. “But if you jar her stepping out, it’ll hurt like hell. You don’t want her hurting any more than she already is, do you?”
“Fine.” I begrudgingly agree.
She nods. “On three, pass her to Bones, then he will pass her to Dagger. We’ll take it from there.” Jezebelle counts down to three.
I carefully lift Elise and hand her over to Bones, whose muscles are straining with her weight. He then shifts her to Dagger, who holds Elise with no issues. Swiftly and carefully, he takes her inside, and I follow.
Bones glances at me. “What the hell happened?”
“We’ll talk when everyone’s back.”
Jezebelle ushers Dagger inside the infirmary, and he gently lays her on a hospital bed. I shut the door once Dagger leaves, only keeping myself, Jezebelle, and Elise in here. I turn around and watch what Jezebelle is doing to my sister.
She begins hooking up wires and an IV, and the steady beep of the heart monitor releases the edgy feeling I’ve been having.
“Daisy is on her way, and you need to step out,” Jezebelle demands next to my sister’s bed.
My head snaps toward her. “What? Why?” I growl. “That’s not going to happen.”
Jezebelle crosses her arms over her chest. “Trigger, I know you’re concerned, but I have to get her cleaned up and changed. Give your sister some dignity and step out of the room once Daisy comes in.” She steps forward, making me step back. “Don’t you think she’s been through enough already? She’s already had her freedom stripped from her. Do you really want to take more away?” Jezebelle throws her hands up in the air in frustration.
A knock on the door interrupts my answer. Daisy peeks her head in, then steps inside. “It’s OK, Trigger. I promise once we’re done, you can come back in here. But please do this for her.” Daisy places a comforting hand on my arm. “Please.”
I huff out a breath, knowing I’m defeated before I even argue some more. “Fine. But…”
Jezebelle cuts me off, rolling her eyes. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. If anything happens to her, you’ll kick our man’s ass.” Daisy opens the door, and Jezebelle shoves me out. “I’ll let you know as soon as you can come back.”
The door slams in my face, and I brace my head against the wood, my chest aching. My heart feels like it’s breaking in two. Half my heart shatters for Elise and what she’s endured. The other half breaks for Aerianna and the fact that I left her at the scene to clean up my mess. I hope she forgives me for that fucked up situation.
I sit at the bar, nursing a Crown and Coke, waiting for the rest of my brothers to arrive with our two captives. The whiskey burns as it goes down, but it does nothing to numb the restless energy crawling beneath my skin.
Aerianna texted me earlier, asking about Elise. I read the message a dozen times but never responded. What the hell was I supposed to say? That my sister is breathing but barely functioning? That every time she closes her eyes, she’ll see her worst nightmare replaying on a loop? That I don’t know how to fix her?
Instead of answering, I left the message unread.
My back is to the room when a warm hand slides along my thigh. My muscles tense instantly. The touch is foreign, wrong. It isn’t Aerianna. I’d know if it was. I’d feel her before I even saw her. Fingertips drift higher, lingering too close to my junk. A pair of tits press against my arm, and the heavy scent of perfume floods my nose, making me gag. My stomach twists with disgust. I don’t shove women away, not unless they give me a reason, but this feels all kinds of wrong.
I turn my head and come face-to-face with Pearl. Her lips part in a slow, practiced sigh, her pale eyes gleaming with hunger.
“I’ve missed you, Trigger.” Her voice drips with desire as she presses against me. “Wanna get out of here?” One slender arm wraps around my neck, her nails dragging over the back of my neck. She’s trying to seduce me. But my body? It doesn’t respond. My dick doesn’t even twitch. There’s no pull, no heat, no interest.
I lean into her so my lips are a breath away from hers. The lust and hunger in her pale eyes enrages me. Who does she think she is touching me?
Before I can say a damn word, Pearl is ripped away from me so violently that her body flies across the room. A solid crunch echoes through the clubhouse before Pearl’s shriek pierces the quiet air.
Aerianna stands over her, breathing hard, her fists clenched at her sides.
Pearl scrambles back, clutching her cheek. “What the fuck, bitch?”
Aerianna lands another punch before she can dodge, knocking Pearl flat on her ass.
I barely have time to react before Aerianna’s glare locks onto me, fury and betrayal burning in those grey eyes I crave.
She points an accusing finger at me before her sharp gaze lands on Pearl. “If that is what you want,” she gestures to Pearl, her tone dripping with disgust. “Then have at it. I’m not some easy piece of white trash you can use when it’s convenient for you.”
“Wait. It’s not what you think.” I shove off the barstool, but Tiny’s thick arm slams into my chest, holding me back. He shakes his head, disappointment in his eyes.
“The fuck it isn’t,” Aerianna snaps. Her chest heaves, her anger radiating through the room, setting my veins on fire. Jesus Christ, she’s pissed. And fuck, it turns me on. “I thought you were helping your sister. You know, the one who was beaten within an inch of her life, and instead you’re out here fucking this whore.”
Before I respond, Aerianna holds up her hand. “I’m out. When you want to man up, you know where to find me.”
She spins on her heel and storms toward the door, taking all the air in the room with her. I hang my head in defeat. My heart, my other half, my soul, is leaving, and these fuckers won’t let me go after her.
“Release me, Tiny, before your dick matches your name,” I growl.
“Don’t do anything stupid, man,” Tiny shoves me back into my seat. “Sit the fuck down and explain what happened.”
I rake a hand through my hair, my head pounding. “The only stupid thing I’ve done is let her walk away.”
“Who?” Tiny asks, sitting next to me. “Aerianna or Pearl?”
I shoot him an incredulous look. “Who the fuck do you think? I don’t give a shit about Pearl. She can go suck a dick for all I care.”
“That’s real nice, Trigger.” Pearl whimpers behind me.
I turn so I’m facing her. “You’ve done enough damage tonight. Go clean yourself up.” I give her my back. “Get the fuck out of my sight before I do something we’ll both regret.”
Tiny snorts. “She’s good for you.”
“Who?”
He rolls his eyes, “Aerianna, dumbass.”
I frown. “Why do you say that?”
“Because before her, you would have chopped off my dick for holding you back, and you would have done more than tell Pearl to leave.” He pats me on the back. “That’s why she’s good for you. Your trigger finger is under control when she’s around. I even saw it during your last fight.”
He’s right. I don’t lose my temper as easily when Aerianna’s around. I don’t let my anger control me the way I used to. She makes me better. “So, what do I do?”
Before Tiny can answer, Torch and Blayze step into the room, followed by Capone.
“You go and get her ass,” Torch says, clapping a hand on my shoulder.
“What about my sister?” I hesitate, finishing the rest of my drink before rising from the stool.
“Derange is in there with Jezebelle and Daisy,” Capone assures me. “We’ve got her.”
I don’t waste another second. I stride out to my bike, throwing one leg over the seat. My hands grip the handlebars tight enough to turn my knuckles white. I don’t bother with a helmet as I peel out of the garage, the roar of my engine shattering the silence of the night.
Misunderstandings can be fixed. Mistakes can be forgiven.
And that’s exactly what I’m going to do. Fix this, even if I have to get on my knees and beg.