CHAPTER TEN
Victor opened the back door and made his way down the back steps. He wasn’t paying attention to anything as he tightened his grip on the backpack and made his way to the car parked just outside the driveway.
He was looking the other way when he was suddenly hit from behind. Someone landed on top of him and knocked the breath out of him. Then a fist slammed into his head and he heard someone growl, “Where is she, dirtbag?” Another fist hit him in the mouth then another hit his cheek.
Victor could feel pain and something warm slid down the side of his head. “What the fuck?” he grumbled.
Then hands were lifting him upright and he twirled around to see three men standing there.
~* * * *~
Sam stood above him with his fists clenched. “Where is Cassie?” he demanded again.
Victor didn’t say anything and Sam’s fist hit his face, busting his lip open. Fresh blood poured down his chin. “She’s inside but it’s too late.”
Sabbath and Raine turned to search the house and that’s when they saw the smoke curling around the windows and back door.
“Son of a bitch!” Raine exclaimed. “He started the house on fire and she’s trapped in there.”
Sam slammed his fist into Victor’s belly and when he doubled over Sam demanded, “Where the fuck is she?”
Victor couldn’t breathe as he doubled over in pain. He tried to speak but the words wouldn’t come out. Finally, after a full minute, he could take a breath. “B-basement, she’s in t-the basement,” he wheezed.
Sam tossed him to the ground and turned to Sabbath. “Watch him.” Then he ran toward the house. Raine was close on his heels and when they breached the back door, they saw the flames burning the kitchen. It hadn’t reached the hall or the rest of the house yet, but in the kitchen the fire was getting out of hand.
Sam and Raine went to open doors. They didn’t know where the basement was but one by one they began eliminating the doors. Smoke and heat were getting bad as they came to the last door. Sam reached for the knob and tried to pull it open but the door wouldn’t budge. He looked at Raine. “The fucker locked the damn door!”
Raine lifted his foot and began kicking the door. After several hits, the door finally gave way. Sam rushed down the steps with Raine close behind. The smoke was heavy down there and for a moment, they couldn’t see anything.
“Cassie, where are you girl?” Sam called out as he searched the basement for her.
Raine cocked his head and thought he heard something. Turning toward the sound, he narrowed his eyes and took a step toward the far corner of the room. “Sam, over here,” he called out as he rushed to where he’d seen something moving.
Sam and Raine reached her at the same time. Her face was pale and she was trembling with fear. When they got to her, Sam reached for her and pulled her into his arms. She tried to fight him off but Raine called out, “Easy girl, we got you.”
Cassie turned to him. “Please get me out of here,” she whispered and began coughing.
Sam turned and headed for the stairway. Raine went up the steps first leading the way. The smoke and flames are thicker once they reach the kitchen and Raine grabbed Sam’s arm leading them both to the back door.
Once outside, the air is cleaner and Cassie started to cough. Sam tried to put her down but Cassie couldn’t stand on her feet. She fell to her knees and doubled over in pain. Sam looked at Raine and Sabbath. “We need to get her out of here.”
Cassie raised her head and tears rolled down her face. “Please take me home. Take me back to Deke.”
Sam stared at her then knelt beside her. Reaching over, he cupped her face between his hands. “I’ll take you to him sweetheart. Don’t you worry about that.”
Cassie raised her hand and covered his. ‘Is he still alive?”
Sam nodded. “Yeah, he’s still alive.”
Just then, the silence was broken by the sound of motorcycles roaring into the backyard. Sam got to his feet and watched as fifteen cycles came to stop in front of him. The men on the bikes stared back for a moment then looked at the house behind him. The smoke and flames were visible now lighting up the night sky. From somewhere in the distance, sirens could be heard.
One man stepped off his bike and moved closer. Reaching out his hand he said, “Name’s Jimmy Dean but most people call me Hawk. Vice President of the Sinners.”
Sam held out his hand. “Sam Tory, most people call me Bones, except for my kid, he calls me a bastard, but that’s how life is sometimes.”
“Iceman said there might be trouble coming.” Hawk nodded at Victor laying there on the ground behind Sam. “Is this the piece of shit he was talking about?”
“That would be him.” Sam nodded.
“He the one who started the fire?”
“Yeah.” Sam reached out and kicked him.
Victor groaned and hunched over to protect his side.
“He got what he wanted then left the woman in the house.”
Hawk raised his eyebrow and turned to glare at Victor. “Is that true? You left a pregnant woman in a burning house?”
Victor glared at them. “Fuck you!”
Sam reached down to grab the backpack Victor had dropped. When he unzipped it, he whistled. He showed Hawk the contents and they both turned to glare at Victor. “You left three people in that house to die for money?” Sam growled.
“Three?” Hawk questioned.
“Yeah she is having twins, my grandkids,” Sam told him.
Hawk smiled. “Congrats man.” He turned back to Victor. “So what do you want to do with this piece of shit?”
“Burn him,” Sam told them without hesitation. “He shot my son and would have killed his woman and kids. He deserves to burn in hell.”
The sirens of the fire department could be hear louder now. They could see the reflection of the red and blue lights bouncing off the buildings a couple of blocks away now.
“We need to get out of here before the cops show up,” Raine warned them.
Sam grabbed the backpack and helped Cassie to her feet. Turning to Hawk he said, “We’re taking his car but I’ll have to leave my bike behind. I want to get her back to Troy as fast as I can.”
Hawk signaled to one of his men. “I’ll have Grit travel with you and bring your bike home. Get her home where she’ll be safe.”
Sam reached out and grabbed his hand, “Thanks man.” He turned and helped Cassie over to the car.
Hawk waited until Sam was about to get in the driver’s seat before he called out, “We’ll take care of this piece of shit for you.”
Sam nodded and started the car just as three fire trucks rolled in the yard. He, Raine, Sabbath and a man named Grit took off. When they left town and started back to Troy, Sam asked, “So what was his story? Why did he bring you back here?”
~* * * *~
“He’s Elliot Handlin’s nephew.” Cassie shrugged. “According to Janelle, some people knew him as Seymour Dent, whoever the hell he is he was mixed up in Janelle’s kiddy ring. He’d been using Victor to stay one step ahead of the police and FBI.”
“Seymour Dent huh?” Sam growled. “I know that piece of shit.”
Cassie tried to find a more comfortable position. The babies were rolling around harder now. She tried rubbing her belly to get them to settle but she hit the sore spot she’d gotten when she hit the railing. Hissing in pain, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
“Are you okay?” Sam asked. He was driving as fast as he could to get her back to Deke but they had a ways to go.
“Yeah, I’m okay,” she whispered then had to catch her breath as her stomach hardened and pain tightened her lower abdomen. “Fuck a duck.” Her hand gripped the door handle. A moment later her hand relaxed as the pain melted away.
“What’s going on over there?’
“The babies don’t like all the excitement we’ve had. I’ll be okay.”
Sam pressed the gas pedal all the wall to the floor as he sped through the night. An hour and a half later, they approached the outskirts of Troy. As the lights of the city could be seen, Cassie gasped again, as yet another pain gripped her belly. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she thought of her babies and Deke. She had a feeling she was in labor and if they were to be born now, her babies might not survive. She wanted Deke with her. She cried out when she felt a sudden flood of water flow between her legs. “Oh, my God…”
“What’s going on?” Sam yelled.
“My water just broke.” Cassie whispered.
Sam whipped the car around the corner and turned down the street. The guys following him turned and continued to follow. A few minutes later, Sam turned again and finally came to a stop in the parking lot of the hospital’s Emergency entrance. He got out of the vehicle and stood there on the pavement hitting the horn. A few minutes later, emergency personnel came rushing out. Sam reached for his cell phone as they loaded Cassie up and took her inside.
“Yeah?” Gator answered the phone back at the clubhouse.
“Tell Deke his woman is back and we’re at the hospital. She’s in labor.”
“What the fuck?” Gator growled. “She isn’t due yet.”
“Can’t help that man, she’s having them babies tonight.”
“Fuck!” Gator yelled. “Deke is already there. Deacon took him in for the gunshot wound. Lance is there too.”
“I’ll find him then.” Sam hung up the phone before he could say anything else. He made his way into Emergency and looked around. When he came up to the nurse’s station he asked, “Where can I find Deke Tory?”
The nurse checked the records and told him, “He’s being seen right now in room three, but—” She started to say something else but Sam walked away, looking for room three. “Sir, I’m afraid you can’t go back there!”
Sam turned his head. “Watch me, that’s my kid back there.” He pushed through a closed doorway and could hear Deke in one of the rooms. He walked to the doorway and saw his son sitting on the exam table.
Deacon was there as well and he was trying to hold Deke down.
“Get the fuck off me asshole! I need to get out of here and find Cassie.” Deke was growling.
“You need to stay here and let the doctor’s help you or you will never find her because you’ll be dead,” Deacon grumbled. “They have to check things out. The bullet went through you but you’re still bleeding.”
“Patch him up quick doc.” Sam nodded. “His woman is in labor with twins and it’s too soon.”
“What the hell?” Deke swore as he tried to get to his feet. “Where is she? Is she okay?”
“She’s a little bruised and maybe got a little smoke inhalation but she’s okay. Her water just broke about half an hour ago. I got her here as soon as I could.”
“What about Victor?” Deacon grumbled.
Sam grinned. “He’s in the very capable hands of the Sinners.”
“Good, he deserves whatever happens to him, dammit,” Deke seethed.
The doctor in charge finished up bandaging Deke and stepped away. “That’s all he’ll allow me to do right now. She is probably on the fourth floor. That’s the maternity floor.”
Deke nodded. “Thanks doc.”
Deke, Deacon and Sam made their way to the fourth floor. There, they found Raine and Sabbath waiting for them. Deke went to the door of the room they were standing outside of and found Cassie and her doctor. “Are you okay?” he asked as he rushed toward the bed. He noted the dirt and grime on her as well as the bruises on her face. “What the hell did he do to you?”
Cassie looked up at him with tears in her eyes. “Oh, thank God you’re all right!” She cried. “I thought he killed you.”
Deke gathered her in his arms and hugged her close. “Not likely, baby. The bullet went through me with little damage.”
Cassie sniffed. “My labor started.”
Deke grinned. “So Sam told me.” He gazed at her doctor. “Is she going to be okay?”
The doctor nodded. “Other than the babies being small I think so. We’re going to do an ultra sound to be sure.”
Deke nodded. “Are you ready for this?” He gazed at her.
Cassie shrugged. “I had hoped to be married before they came but I think so. Do you know where Peaches and Paige are?”
“They are on their way. Deacon called them.”
“How about we get you cleaned up and out of those smoky clothes before the babies are born?” a nurse suggested. She’d brought a basin of water and a wash cloth over to the bed.
Deke stepped back out of the way while she readied Cassie. Going to the door, he joined the others out in the hall. He went over to Deacon and asked, “Can you get a preacher down here? She wants to get married before the babies are here and I want them to have my name before they’re born.”
Deacon left the waiting area to make his call and Sam grabbed Deke’s arm. “Are you sure about this?”
Deke ripped his arm away. “Yeah, I’m sure. What the fuck do you care anyway?”
“You little fool.” Sam growled as he stepped back. He walked over to the window and sat down in the sill. Glaring at the son, he wished he could get through to.
Raine and Sabbath sat down against the wall and waited.
A few minutes later, Peaches, Paige, Gator and Iceman came running down the hall.
Peaches grabbed Deke’s arm and asked, “Where is she? Is she okay?”
Deke nodded. “She’s been asking for you. She’s in labor and the nurses are cleaning her up. I don’t know what actually happened yet, but she’s covered in grime and her clothes stink of smoke.”
“If you had asked, I would have told you that Victor dragged her to Janelle’s house where after collecting the money she left in the house, he left her in the basement to burn to death after he started the house on fire,” Sam informed him. “But hey, you didn’t ask, did you?”
Peaches gasped in horror as his words sank in. She almost fainted but Iceman caught her and held her up. She slowly turned her head and stared at him for a moment before she closed her eyes briefly. When she opened them again she asked, “Is she going to be all right?”
Sam nodded. “I think so. She was more worried about Deke than herself on the way back.”
“And Victor?”
“Hawk is taking care of Victor,” Iceman mentioned as he held her close. “He just called me. Janelle’s house is gone. The fire department is wrapping things up and the cops are already there.”
“I’m gonna get a hold of my VP and have him take Seymour Dent into custody until we can turn his ass over to the cops,” Sam told them. “Let’s hope the cops have what they need to put him away for a very long time.”
“Cassie told Lance about the three kids buried in the basement,” Peaches informed him. “That should be enough.”
“Let’s hope so because any other evidence went up in smoke.”
Deacon came back with the man who was going to marry Cassie and Deke before Sam came to town. Pastor Ashton looked over at Deke. “What am I doing here?”
“I need you to perform a wedding. Cassie is in labor and I want those kids to have my last name before they’re born.”
Pastor Ashton nodded.
When the nurse opened the door, she smiled at the whole group. “You can come in now.”
Deke, Deacon, Peaches, Paige, Gator, Pastor and the rest of them all went into the room.
~* * * *~
Raine turned his head and asked Sam, “Are you going to sit out here and pout or are you gonna go in there and watch your kid get married?”
Sam rolled his eyes but got to his feet. “Come on then.”
Raine grinned at Sabbath as they got to their feet and joined the others. Standing in the back of the room, they watched as Deke and Cassie exchanged their vows.
Just before Cassie said the words ‘I do’ she doubled over in pain.
When Deke leaned forward to seal the vows with a kiss, the pain was evident on his face as well. Once everything was said and done, the nurse cleared the room of all the extra people. The only ones left were Cassie, Deke, Peaches, Paige and Sam.
Deke glared at his father but didn’t say anything. He knew his father had gone to great lengths to bring Cassie back to him and he was grateful, even if he didn’t like him much.
But Sam had something to say and now was as good a time as any to say it, “I want you to know something.”
Deke turned and stared at him without saying a word.
“The day we met, I got the biggest shock of my life,” Sam began. “I didn’t know about you before that day. Your mother never told me anything about you but the day we met, I knew you were my kid. I know I made a lot of mistakes with you and you hated me for what I did, taking you away from her but I wanted you with me.” He ran his hands through his hair and continued. “I missed so much of your life already that I didn’t want to miss anymore. You were my son, my legacy to the world. But back then, I wasn’t ready to be a father. I was too full of myself, unwilling to do what I had to do to be a father. It wasn’t until after you left, I realized what I did wrong. It never occurred to me, at the time, that you were your own person, not an extension of myself. That you had a mind of your own and were old enough to make decisions of your own. Hell boy, I had no fucking clue. Thank god Gator was there for you.”
“Yeah he was,” Deke admitted.
“I don’t know what kind of man you’ve become but I’d like to find out,” Sam told him simply. “I never meant to hurt your woman that day. I just wanted to know her. Then after you got her back, I learned more about her story. I went to Redemption House and spoke to the guys there. Every one of them has their own story, just as I do and you do but they all have one thing in common. Each and every one of those men would die to protect your woman. Little by little, I learned her story.” Sam turned to Cassie shaking his head. “Damn woman, you went through hell but instead of breaking, you became stronger.” Turning back to his son, Sam held out the backpack he’d taken from Victor. “I know this money is tainted by the blood of those kids but maybe you can use it for something that will be worthy of their sacrifice. Nobody has to know where it came from but us.”
Cassie shook her head. “You keep it, I don’t want it. You tell me I’m stronger for what Janelle did to me but I’m not. I had to find a way to survive and I did. I made someone a promise to find and return her to her family and I did that too. That’s all I did.” She reached out a hand to Peaches.
Peaches took her hand and turned to Sam. “Iceman wants to move here and open his own custom motorcycle shop.” Shaking her head she admitted, “He won’t take a loan from my family because their money is blood money of a different kind. I know your clubs are all different but you have the same creed built in. You all live by the same code of honor, maybe there is a way you all could get together and combine your talents for one common goal.”
Sam nodded. “I could get behind that.” Looking at Deke he said, “If you could tolerate my being around, I’d like to stay and get to know you and your family.”
Deke stared at him He wanted to tell his old man to take a hike then Cassie took his hand and squeezed it softly. He knew what she wanted. She had only just found her family again and to her family meant everything. Then he thought about what Raine had told him…to know his father as a man not a dad. As a dad, Sam sucked but maybe this would give them both a chance to know each other as men. They both made mistakes when he was growing up but that was the past and they both needed a fresh start. Maybe this would give them one. “I can do that or at least give it a chance. But know one thing old man, I will not tolerate disrespect from you or your men. Not for me or my family and that includes each and every member of my club.”
Sam nodded and turned to leave.
“Sam,” Cassie called out softly.
He turned and looked at her.
“Thank you for coming after me and getting me out of that house. Thank you for giving me back my life and saving my babies.”
Sam smiled and winked. “You bet. I can’t wait to meet my grandkids.” Looking at Deke he commented, “Maybe I’ll have a second chance to be to them what I should have been to their father.”
Cassie smiled then groaned as a new and harsher pain ripped through her belly. She grabbed Deke’s hand and held on tight. She peered up a Deke and cried, “Something is wrong. I can feel it.”
Deke hit the call switch.
A nurse came in. Glancing at the monitors, she ordered everyone out. Hitting a new switch, a blue flashing light came one outside the door and medical personnel came running.
Sam grabbed Deke and pulled him back out of the way.
The open door showed them nurses and doctors swarming around Cassie’s bed. Peaches stood in Iceman’s arms crying and everyone else just prayed. Soon the nurses began moving the bed Cassie was in out of the room and down the hall, finally disappearing behind the double doors down the hall.
A nurse came up to the group and spoke to Deke, “Your wife is going to the OR. The babies are in distress and need to be delivered as soon as possible. Was she recently injured or has she fallen?”
Deke shrugged. “I don’t know for sure. She was on complete bed rest but earlier today she was kidnapped and taken hostage.”
The nurse nodded. “That’s would do it.”
“What can we do?” Peaches asked.
The nurse gazed at the whole group. “You can all pray.” Then she walked down the hall and disappeared behind the double doors leaving a silent group of worried people behind.