CHAPTER ELEVEN
It was later that night when Izzy got up to go to the bathroom. As she shuffled along, she heard a noise behind her. Turning, she felt a sharp pain in her head and she groaned as she fell to the floor.
The man grunted as he bent to pick her up. Half dragging her to the door, he grunted again. Finally, he bent lowering his torso and flung her body over his shoulder. Her belly didn’t fit but the man didn’t care. He wasn’t careful of her condition.
Izzy registered all his actions but she was too weak to fight.
~* * * *~
A door opened and shut inside the house. Boone along with his cane came out into the hall and looked around. Something had awakened him and he was investigating the odd noise. When he saw nothing amiss, he turned to go back to his bed when his foot stepped in something wet. Boone turned on the light as saw what he stepped in was blood. His gut told him something was terribly wrong.
Shuffling over to his sister’s bedroom, he knocked lightly and called out, “Izzy? Are you there?”
When Mountain pulled the door open a moment later he growled, “What do you want?”
“Is Izzy in there? I thought I heard a noise and there’s blood in the hallway.”
Mountain frowned and turned back to the darkened bedroom. Snapping on the light, he found the room empty. “What the fuck?” Boone stepped back as Mountain stepped out and went down the hall. Kneeling beside the drops of blood, he reached out and touched the floor.
Mountain glanced over his shoulder at Boone. “Tell me exactly what you heard?”
Boone shrugged. “I don’t know that I heard anything really. I thought I heard someone groan then I didn’t hear anything else but I got up anyway. Like I said, I checked the hall but there was nothing wrong. I turned to go back to bed and stepped in the blood.” He gazed at the older man. “What’s going on here? Where is my sister?”
“I don’t know but I’m sure as hell going to find out.” Mountain looked around and found yet another drop of blood, then another. The path seemed to be leading toward the door. Mountain followed the trail all the way to the door.
Boone followed as fear ate at him.
Opening the door, he heard the sound of an engine in the distance. Looking out, he found a pair of red taillights disappearing around the corner.
Mountain went back inside and into his bedroom. Moments later, he rejoined Boone in the living room. He’d gotten dressed and was dialing a phone when he returned. “Dominic, sorry to disturb your rest but Izzy was just kidnapped. What the hell is going on?”
Mountain was in a rage a moment later when the phone line went dead and he glared at Boone. “He’s on his way over and we’re not to touch anything.”
“Did he say what was going on?” Boone asked as he made his way over to the sofa and sat down. He was just getting his strength back and his legs were still weak.
“No, but he’ll explain when he gets here or I’ll beat the shit out of him.” Mountain put a few more calls out while he waited for Dominic to arrive.
Within moments, his brothers, Deke, Sam and Gator along with Dominic came through the door.
Mountain glared at Izzy’s father and demanded, “Okay old man, tell me what the hell is going on and why would anyone kidnap Izzy?”
Dominic drew to his full height. He still wasn’t as tall as Mountain but he was getting mad about the lack of respect in the other man’s voice. “Watch carefully how you demand things from me.”
“Just tell us what we need to know, sir,” Deke asked interrupting the growing tension between the two men.
“I came here today to tell Izzy I was happy about her finally using the trust fund I set up for her shortly after she was born.”
“What are you talking about?” Mountain interrupted the other man. “She told you several times she didn’t want the money.”
“I know what she told me.” Dominic frowned. “But when I checked the account, I found several million dollars had been withdrawn in the last few weeks. I thought she had accepted her place and was using the money.” He shook his head. “But when I asked her about it earlier today, she said she hadn’t taken the money.”
“Damn right, she didn’t take the money. I can provide for her and Boone just fine.” Mountain growled.
“Never mind that Mountain,” Deke spoke then he turned to Dominic. “If she didn’t withdraw the money, who did?”
Dominic tightened his lips, “My attorney Billy Singer. I had someone look into the withdrawals and found him on the bank videos. He was stealing the money for his own gain. He disappeared from Chicago earlier today. I never dreamed he would come here and take my daughter.”
“Do you have any idea where he might go with her?” Sam asked.
“No but he might be using her as a shield to make sure he gets away from my reach.”
Mountain glanced over at Deke. “Can we get the boys out on the streets looking for her? I can’t just sit here and wait for something to happen.”
Deke got his phone out and dialed a number. “I’ll get Zipper looking for anything he could be using to get her out of town. Maybe he can pick up their trail.”
“How much money was in the trust fund anyway?” Boone asked.
Dominic shrugged. “Somewhere in the neighborhood of twenty million dollars, why?”
“How much did Singer take?”
“Close to fifteen million is missing now.” Dominic seethed. “My accountant gave me the real numbers a few hours ago. He’s been stealing the interest and fudging the books on that account for years.”
“So what made him come after Izzy now?” Sam asked.
Dominic shrugged. “I’ve been pushing Izzy to accept the trust fund. I wanted her to have something from me after all this time. I wanted to provide for her something no one else could give her.” Dominic hung his head. “I was wrong. She had everything she wanted already, a good man, a baby on the way, her brother and the chance at a great life. All of that meant more to her than money. I finally understood that a while back, so when I thought she had taken the money I was happy and surprised about it.” He looked over at Mountain. “She showed me in her own simple way that you made her happy. I listened to her say months ago that the only thing she ever wanted was a home, not a house and what the difference between the two was.”
“I love her.” Mountain nodded. “Her and the baby belong to me. I will kill this bastard if he hurts her or the baby.”
“You may have to stand in line,” Dominic seethed.
Deke’s phone rang breaking the tension between the two men glaring at each other. When he answered, he listened for a moment then hung up. Everyone stared at him and Deke wished he had better news. “Zipper found someone named William Singer chartered a private plane out of Albany. The plane is waiting at a private airport just outside the city. The tower claims the plane is getting ready to take off.”
“We need to stop that plane!” Mountain yelled. “If he takes off, I’ll never see Izzy again.”
Deke got on the phone. “Amos, do you have anybody that can stop a plane in Albany? Some dumbass kidnapped Izzy tonight and he’s on his way to the plane now.” Deke listened for a moment then nodded at Mountain. “We’ll be there in fifteen minutes,” he spoke into the phone.”
He hung up the call. “Let’s ride. Amos said they would stop the plane.”
“I’m right behind you,” Dominic replied.
Men and bikes roared out of the parking lot.
Dominic followed in his limo and within minutes, they arrived at the private airport near Albany. On the tarmac sat a small plane. The door was closed and it was moving slowly toward the runway.
But the runway was blocked by several vehicles. The drivers were sitting behind the wheels.
The plane finally stopped and the engine shut down.
A moment later, a section of the plane opened and revealing steps came down. Then Billy Singer pushed Izzy through the door. He came to stand behind her and shoved a gun to her head.
Dominic came to stand beside Mountain. Together, they both watched the woman they loved standing as a shield between them and Billy Singer.
“What the hell do you want Dominic?” Billy called out.
“I want your hide nailed to my wall!” Dominic growled.
“Yeah well, that ain’t going to happen now is it?” Billy laughed. “I’m leaving and you’re going to let me.”
“You aren’t going anywhere,” Mountain called out. “That’s my woman and I’m here to take her back!”
Billy laughed. “No…I can’t let that happen. She’s my ticket out of here. When I get away safely, I give you my word I’ll let her go.”
“Let her go and I’ll let you live fool,” Mountain sneered. “Otherwise, I’m gonna rip you apart piece by piece.”
“You don’t scare me, Mountain man. I’ve got her.” Billy smirked.
“Just tell me why you took the money?” Dominic asked.
Billy laughed. “I took it because I could. Why should she get it all? She wouldn’t even take a blood test to prove she’s your kid and do you know why? Because I doubt she is. She’s just another fucking whore who’s looking for a better life. A life she has no right to it.”
Suddenly, there was a sound of a gunshot and Billy had a stunned look on his face. He pushed Izzy away and fell to his knees.
Izzy’s body was pushed over the side of the steps. She screamed as she dropped the ten feet to the pavement below.
Mountain roared in fury as he ran to her side.
Dominic was right behind him.
Deke and the others watched as a single line of blood began dripping down Billy’s forehead. He fell forward and tumbled down the steps of the plane. When he hit the bottom, they all saw his blank stare. The bullet hit him right between the eyes and he died instantly.
Deke turned to his men and yelled, “Who the fuck took that shot?”
Sam lifted his gun and waved it in the air. “I couldn’t let him leave. All of us know Izzy would be dead before he got to where he was going.”
Deke went over to Mountain and Dominic. He could see Izzy in Mountain’s arms. “How is she?”
“Not good,” Dominic admitted. He looked up at the other man. “She fell a long way.”
“Oh, fuck!” Mountain yelled. “She’s bleeding.”
Everyone stared at the rush of fresh blood that stained her nightgown.
“Oh my god, the baby…” Mountain looked frightened.
The other men had never seen him like this.
“We need to get her to a hospital!” Dominic shouted.
Mountain picked her up and carried her to Dominic’s car. Opening the back seat, he climbed in with Izzy still in his arms. Dominic got in the front seat and nodded to his driver. Before the back door closed, he called out to Deke, “St. Mary’s. Meet us at St. Mary’s.”
Deke nodded and watched as the limo pulled away and sped off for St. Mary’s hospital.
~* * * *~
Izzy woke up as they got to the Emergency Room. She screamed in pain and placed her hand on her belly. Looking up at Mountain, she told him breathlessly, “The baby is coming.” She gasped in pain. “It’s too soon. The baby won’t make it.”
Then medical personal ran up and loaded her on a gurney.
Mountain was two steps behind as they rushed her toward the ER.
Dominic followed and listened as Mountain gave them her doctor’s name.
Then they were stopped at the exam room door. The nurse placed her hand on Mountain’s chest. “The doctor needs a moment to check her out. We’ll let you know as soon as we know what’s going on.”
Mountain began pacing.
Everyone present looked fearful as the big man with the silver blonde hair looked as if he might kill someone.
Dominic felt time slow as he thought about what had happened.
Deke and the others showed up moments later. Soon, the waiting room was filled up and the wives joined their men. Before long, the room and the halls were filled with bikers.
Cassie, Peaches and Reva sat quietly while they all waited for word on Izzy.
Wiley and Boone arrived a few minutes later. “How is she?” Boone grabbed Mountain. “How is my sister?”
Mountain looked like he was going to shake off the kid but caught himself. He turned to Boone. “He dumped her over the flight steps on the plane. She’s bleeding from the fall and could lose the baby. The doctor is in there with her now. I don’t know anymore than that at the moment.”
Boone paled and moved to sit down. His stare was blank. “I hope the bastard is dead at any rate,” he whispered.
“He is,” Deke replied quietly.
Suddenly, they heard alarms going off in the room Izzy was in and medical personnel rushed to the door.
Mountain stood there and watched as they rushed Izzy still in her bed down the hall. He couldn’t move, he could barely breathe as he watched them disappear with Izzy behind the operating room doors.
A nurse approached the group and she looked a little bit nervous as she made her way over to Mountain and Dominic. “Are you the husband?” she asked softly.
Mountain nodded.
“I’m her father,” Dominic stated.
“They took your wife to the operating room,” The nurse spoke quietly, “The baby is in distress and they are going to deliver it tonight. Your wife has some internal bleeding and they need to stop that if she’s to survive.”
Mountain felt himself sag with pain. He couldn’t bear to lose either Izzy or the baby.
Dominic reached out and grabbed his arm. “Stay strong Talon. You must believe in miracles now. Pray for Izzy and the baby to survive.”
Mountain pulled away from his grasp and walked over to the window. Looking out over the city, he found he couldn’t even think of losing either one of them. He could see the reflection of the room behind him. Everyone he cared about was there in the background but he couldn’t hear them. He knew they were talking but he couldn’t hear any words. His mind went blank, almost like his brain had gone on holiday and forgot to come back.
One by one, his brothers joined him. They didn’t say anything but each one laid his hand on him and slowly they all connected. Talon was grateful they were here but at the moment, he just wanted to be alone.
He went over to the corner of the room and leaned against the wall. Sliding down, he sat on the floor. His mind was blessedly blank for the moment but his soul was screaming in pain. He couldn’t imagine losing her. In the few short months they had been together, she’d taken over his life, so much so he needed her in order to breathe.
Her face was the one thing he saw before he closed his eyes at night and the one thing he saw when he opened them the next morning. He loved her so much. He shook his head slightly as if to clear it. Instead, it became cloudier. His mind flashed pictures of Izzy in his head. Mountain pressed his fists into his eyes in order to stop the photos flashing in his brain.
Melora came into the waiting room. Her eyes were wide and she stopped as her gaze met Mountain’s. “Oh, God—dad what happened to her?” Tears rolled down her cheeks. Her fear for her best friend was all over her face. “Where is she?”
~* * * *~
Cassie sat at the table and watched as the men paced. She hated this part of the game, the waiting. Her back had been killing her all night. She decided she couldn’t take it anymore. Getting to her feet, she told Peaches, “I’m going to walk down the hall and get something to drink.”
Peaches nodded. Looking at the men she saw them talking quietly to each other. “Lord only knows what going to happen next.”
Cassie saw that Deke was busy, so she turned and began walking away. She didn’t get too far, when the first labor pain hit. Gasping, she crouched against the wall and held her belly. Groaning, she counted through the contraction. Pushing away from the wall, she continued down the hall with slow steps. Knowing it might be hours before the next pain she was surprised when it only took a few minutes for her belly tightened again.
Cassie frowned. Her labor was coming fast and strong with this baby. Then she thought about it, her back had hurt all night long, had that pain been part of her labor too? She began walking again. A few more steps and another pain. The pains were getting stronger.
Cassie went back toward the waiting room. She was hoping to catch Peaches’ attention without alerting anyone else’s. Pausing just before stepping through the door, she turned her head and found Peaches watching for her. Cassie motioned for her to join her.
Peaches nodded, then casually, she got to her feet and slowly she made her way over to where Cassie was waiting.
Cassie grabbed her arm and pulled her down the hall away from the waiting room.
“Cass, what’s going on?” Peaches asked.
When she was far enough away, Cassie turned toward her and as she did, her water broke. As the water gushed down her legs and pooled at her feet, she turned a pained face toward her friend. “I’m in labor,” she gritted with pain.
“Do you want me to get Deke?” Peaches asked as she wrapped an arm around her friend.
“No.” Cassie growled as the pain constricted her belly. “He needs to be there with Mountain and Dominic. But you can get me a nurse.”
Peaches went down the hall and came back a few minutes later with a woman in a white scrubs. They both helped her walk down the hall and around the corner. Getting her settled in a room, both the nurse and Peaches removed her wet clothes and got her into a gown.
Peaches bent over and across Cassie to flip the blanket across her leg when she suddenly yelped. Her hands went to her own belly and she laid her head down on Cassie’s bed. After a moment, she pushed herself up and turned to stare at her friend. She looked down at the floor between her legs. “Damn, my water just broke.”
Cassie knew that look very well. She gazed over at the nurse. “You’d better get another bed in here quick, she’s in labor too.”
The nurse helped Peaches over to the chair. “Do you want your husband?”
Peaches shook her head. “No he is where he needs to be right now. This could take hours and Mountain needs him right now.”
“Okay, let me move another bed in here and find a doctor.” The nurse disappeared and brought back a bed. Getting Peaches cleaned up and settled took a while but finally, she left the room to find a doctor.
Both women were in pain but neither wanted to scream yet. Trying to distract the other, they spent the next twenty minutes trying to have a conversation. They spoke about Izzy and Mountain, then the insane attorney pulling what he did. How stupid can a person be to try that with the mob? Then they slipped into a memory from childhood. They spoke of the tigers and how the thought of them got them through all the bad days and they laughed a little.
Finally, the door pushed open and a Cassie’s doctor walked in. He came over to the bed and smiled. “Well, this doesn’t surprise me.” He looked from Cassie over to Peaches and back to Cassie. “Where are your husbands?”
“They’re down the hall in the waiting room,” Cassie gasped the words out through yet another contraction. “They need to stay with the club at least for now. Someone took a pregnant woman and tried to kill her. He needs to stay with the club until they find out if she’s going to make it or not.”
Simon Peters nodded. “Okay, let’s see what we have here.” He pulled the curtain between the two women and examined Cassie. A few minutes later, he joined Peaches and quickly examined her. Then he pushed the curtain aside. Shaking his head, he told them, “Well ladies, this is going to get very interesting very quickly.”
Cassie grabbed her belly and rode out another contraction before she glared at him. “What the hell does that mean Doc?”
“It means you’re both about to give birth and it will be a race to the finish line. Cassie, you are dilated to five already. Peaches is at a three but since this is a second labor for both of you it could go quicker than we expect.”
Cassie sighed and slid down into the bed. Groaning, as she had another pain she grabbed her belly. Someone stood in the doorway and when Cassie looked over, she saw Reva was there.
Reva took in the scene and came further into the room. “Do you want me to get Deke and Iceman?”
Cassie shook her head. “No, they need to be there for Mountain.”
“Are you guys sure? They aren’t gonna like this, not being here.”
Peaches nodded. “Yes, we’re positive. Is there any news yet?”
Reva nodded. ‘They delivered the baby, he’s small and they are examining him now. Izzy is in the operating room. They’re looking for where she’s bleeding. The bastard that took her made no attempt to safe guard her or the baby. The doctors are doing what they can to save them both.”
“Oh, God…” Peaches groaned.
Cassie grabbed her belly and closed her eyes against the pain gripping her. “Damn!” She swore. Suddenly, she felt the urge to push. Searching the room, she found her doctor watching her. “I need to push!” she screamed.
Doctor Peters rushed over and bent to examine her again. Looking up at her, he smiled. “It won’t be long now.”
Then Peaches screamed and Doctor Peters rushed over to her. “Oh, good lord,” he muttered. He glanced up at the nurse. “They both are ready to deliver. Get me another nurse ASAP.” Turning back to Cassie, he commented, “It’s never easy with you two is it?”
The nurse ran from the room and returned with two more nurses.
Peaches chuckled. “Hey, we got a pool going. Everyone put money down on who would deliver first.”
Doctor Peters snorted. “Well, that figures.”
“The baby is coming!” Cassie called out. Sweat poured from her and dripped down the side of her face.
Peters examined her again and called out to the nurses, “We don’t have time to move her to delivery. We’re going to have to do it right here, right now.”
Cassie screamed as she felt her body split apart. She pushed and her pain level went up. For a moment, she couldn’t breathe as she felt something tear away. A moment later, she heard a baby cry and her heart lifted. She looked up and saw her baby in the doctor’s arms as he handed her off to a nurse. She saw his smile and knew her pain was over. Her entire body hurt but she survived.
Then Peaches screamed and the doctor moved over to her bed. Not even a moment later, another child cried out as Peaches screamed through the last few minutes of her labor.
The doctor was examining the babies while the nurses cleaned up Cassie and Peaches.
Reva joined them again. After being ushered out of the room just moments before they delivered their babies. She looked over at the babies and smiled. There was a glee in her eyes that hadn’t been there before.
“What are you smiling about?” Cassie wanted to know.
“I won the pool,” she replied smugly. “I claimed you’d both have the babies together. I was right.”
“No, I had my baby first,” Cassie insisted.
“Actually…” The doctor came over to the beds. “…Your friend is right. The babies were born at the same time.”
“Nooo,” Cassie groaned as she glared at Peaches.
Peaches just grinned and stuck out her tongue. “Nanana-booboo.” She chuckled.
Cassie looked over at Reva and asked, “Is there any word on Izzy?”
Reva nodded. “She’s out of surgery. They were able to stop the bleeding but it’s still touch and go for a while.”
“The baby?” Peaches asked.
“He’s small but doing well,” Reva assured them. “The doctors think he’ll make it but it’s going to be a while before he’ll be allowed to go home.”
“How is Mountain doing?” Cassie wanted to know.
“Not well at all,” Reva informed them both. “He’s still in shock. He’s sitting in a corner not talking to anyone. The man is suffering through hell.”
“Well damn, that doesn’t sound good.” Cassie frowned.