CHAPTER ONE
Sam, otherwise known as Bones stomped over to his table.
When he sat down, Deke lifted his beer to his lips and asked, “What the hell is wrong with you?”
Sam glared at him for a moment. “Not a fucking thing, why?”
Deke returned his steely eyed look and didn’t bother to respond. Instead, he glanced over at Cassie and his babies. Little Sam was trying to walk already. At ten months, their world was expanding and he couldn’t wait for every dawn to see what would happen with the kids next. One part of him wanted to keep them both small and dependent on him but another, couldn’t wait to see where they would go.
Little Sam took two steps and fell on his bottom. Instead of crying, he picked himself up and started over.
Deke glanced over at his wife, Cassie and found her watching their son as well.
Then she met his eyes and smiled.
Deke looked over at Sam and noticed his frown. “Dad, what’s wrong?”
Sam shrugged. “I don’t know. Something is happening with Melora and she won’t talk to me.”
“Well, I’m not getting involved in your woman troubles.” Deke shook his head. “That’s between you and her.”
Sam rubbed his jaw with the back of his hand. “You know something? Women are confusing creatures. They just don’t make sense sometimes.”
Deke chuckled. “This is news to you? I thought you’d know that by this time, old man.”
Sam sighed. “I guess I always knew it but it’s been a while since I’ve had anything to do with a woman on a regular basis. I guess she’s got me tied up in knots.”
“Why? What does she want?”
Sam took a drink of his beer and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “I’m not sure.” He shook his head and got up. “I can’t sit here forever. I’ve got things to do.”
Deke watched his dad walk away. He couldn’t wrap his head around the strange conversation he just had. He glanced over at his wife as she sat down next to him.
“I need to tell you something,” Cassie whispered.
Deke raised an eyebrow. “And what would that be wife?”
“I met someone yesterday and he said he needed to talk to you.”
Deke sat very still and waited for her to continue. When she didn’t he asked, “Did he say why?”
Cassie shook her head. “All he said was he needed to get in touch with you as soon as possible.”
“Who is this guy?”
“I have no idea. But he seemed desperate.”
Deke frowned. “I wonder what he wanted.”
“I told him he should call you at the club.”
“Did he give you a name?”
Cassie shook her head. “No, he only said he needed to get in touch with you without Sam around. He acted like he didn’t want to talk to Sam.”
“I wonder what the hell he wanted?” He thought for a moment, then asked, “Where did he contact you?”
“At Redemption House. He’d been there all morning searching through the phone books when one of the new guys called out my name. He snapped his head around and asked if I was related to you. When I said I was your wife he asked if I could set up a meeting with you. I told him the best chance to get a hold of you would be at the dance club. He said he would call tomorrow.”
Deke thought about that for a moment then nodded. “I’ll be sure to talk to him if he calls.”
Cassie shrugged. “Be careful, I don’t know what he’s up to, but there is something about this guy that sets me on edge.”
Deke nodded, then looked around the clubhouse for his children.
Little Sam and Jemmia were curled up next to Melora and Reva. The older kids, Alaina, Jack and Benny were playing quietly with the babies.
His eyes traveled around the rest of the room. So many things had changed in the last year. He couldn’t believe it. Yes, and mostly for the better. He couldn’t believe how his own life had evolved. He never would have believed it if he hadn’t lived it. His life was so much better. He had a family. Something he never thought he wanted was now something he couldn’t live without. His woman meant the world to him and he would kill for her and his kids.
His eyes came back to where his kids were playing. They fell on Melora and that’s when he noticed something different about her. He glanced over at Cassie, then back to Melora. There was something different about them tonight, like the two of them shared a glow he hadn’t noticed before. Then he thought about his dad. Was there something he should have noticed before? “Do you know what’s up with Melora? Sam said she’s acting weird lately.”
Cassie snorted. “Bones needs to get his shit together on this one.”
“What does that mean?” Deke frowned.
Cassie leaned forward and whispered in his ear.
When she sat back, Deke was stunned. Turning his head slowly, he watched the other woman. Nothing on the outside had changed but he knew in his heart what Cassie told him was true.
Deke smiled and the bigger his smile grew the more the idea took root. He threw his head back and laughed out loud.
Everyone stared at him for a moment.
Swiping at his eyes, he stopped and looked back over at Cassie. “Wife, is there something you might need to tell me?” He cocked his head to one side and stared at her.
Cassie smiled and looked away, “Possibly…husband.”
Deke groaned for a moment then looked at his children. They had been a complete surprise, a not unwelcome surprise but a surprise nonetheless. Turning his head, he studied his wife again. All he could do was smile. Yep, he was ready for more.
~* * * *~
The next morning he was whistling as he walked into his office. Cassie told him the night before what her secret was and he couldn’t wait to share the news. In fact, he wore the biggest shit eating grin on his face all morning.
Before he could even sit down and start his day, there was a knock on his door. He turned and called out, “Come in!”
The door opened and a young man entered. He was tall but not as tall as Deke. His hair was black and cut short and his eyes were green. He approached slowly and just stared at Deke for a moment. “Are you Deke Tory?”
Deke nodded. “And you are?”
The other man straightened and stared him in the eye as he responded, “My name is Charlie Blackman. Does the name mean anything to you?”
Deke thought for a moment, then shook his head. “No it doesn’t. Should it?”
“The name Quinn Blackman mean anything?”
Again, Deke shook his head.
Charlie snarled. “It should yeah.”
Deke stared for a moment. “Why should it mean anything to me? I don’t know the name or the person.”
“Maybe your father does.” Charlie growled. “Or at least he should.”
Deke shrugged. “Then maybe you should talk to Sam about that, not me.” Turning to his desk he said, “If you’ll excuse me I have work to do.”
Charlie took a deep breath and exhaled. “I’m sorry. Maybe I should explain myself before you dismiss me completely. I’d rather not talk to Sam Tory in this lifetime but to save her life, I will.”
Deke turned back to Charlie. “Maybe you should tell me whatever it is.”
“My sister’s name is Quinn. Quinn is also your sister and she needs your help.”
Deke felt his world sway. He moved over to his chair and sat down hard. Looking up at Charlie, he had to ask, “What do you mean she’s my sister too?”
“Quinn is Sam Tory’s daughter, which makes her your sister as well as mine.” He shrugged. “I came to you first, hoping you could help me.”
Deke narrowed his eyes. “What do you need my help with that you can’t go to Sam about?”
Charlie released a sigh of disgust. “I wouldn’t ask Sam Tory for the time of day, let alone something like this.”
“And what the hell is this all about?” Deke glared at him. “Explain yourself before I throw you out on your ass.”
“I need to know your blood type.”
Deke pulled his head back. “Why do you need to know that?”
“Because your father passed his rare blood type on to my sister and she needs a transfusion to live.”
“What the fuck?”
Charlie began to pace as he explained his mission, “My sister contacted aplastic anemia from our mother while Mom was pregnant with her. Mom used to work in a chemical plant where she contacted the disease. She was able to get treatment but only because she had a common blood type. Quinn wasn’t so lucky. When the anemia presented itself this time, her blood type was harder to find, in fact only a relative with the same blood type can help her. She needs a marrow transfusion in order for the drugs to work.”
“Can’t your mother help?” Deke asked. “And what did you mean this time?”
Charlie’s eyes hardened. “This is Quinn’s second go round with this disease. The first time it wasn’t as bad as this time. She was able to handle the drug cocktail the doctors gave her.” He shook his head. “This time, the doctors tried but the cocktail won’t work. Mom’s body was weakened by the disease the first time. She wouldn’t accept the full treatment because of the baby she was carrying, so her body began to shut down. After Quinn was born, the doctor’s began an aggressive treatment but there was too much damage by that time. She came back that time but then a couple years later, she got pregnant with me and the doctors told her we might not make it. She barely survived having me and when the anemia came back this last time, almost a year ago it proved fatal. Her body was just too fragile to survive the treatment the third time. She was sick a lot when Quinn and I were growing up, so Quinn ended up taking care of her and me when she should have been a kid but that’s just something you do for family. Now the anemia has presented itself in Quinn again and her body’s is rejecting the drugs she needs to live. The doctor tells us a marrow transfusion from someone with her rare blood type should help her not reject the drugs. It’s not even a certainty but it’s better than nothing. I’m hoping you can give her that. It’s worth a chance anyway.”
“Why not go to her father?” Deke wanted to know.
Charlie stared at him for a moment then shrugged. “If Quinn knew I even spoke to you, she wouldn’t accept the transfusion. She hates your father with everything in her. If I didn’t love her enough to look beyond Sam’s bloodline, I wouldn’t be here.”
“Does she know about me?”
“Yes she does, but because of Sam she wouldn’t ask you for anything either,” Charlie admitted. “She’d hate it if she knew I was here talking to you, begging you to give her a small bit of hope, because that’s all she has left.”
“What makes you think she’ll accept it if she knows it’s from me then?”
“Because I’m begging you to give her this chance without telling Sam,” Charlie explained. “Maybe as long as this has nothing to do with your father, she’ll accept it. At least I’m hoping she will. Without this transfusion, she won’t make it.”
“What exactly do I have to do?”
“To start with, you need to have a blood test done to see if you are a match or not. If you don’t share the same blood as Quinn, it’s a moot point anyway.”
“That’s not so bad,” Deke replied. “What if the sample matches hers? Then what?”
“Then the doctors will ask you for a sample of your bone marrow. If it’s a viable match, it will be a go and once the serum is administered, she can begin treatments. The longer this process takes the more damage is done to her organs, so I’m hoping your blood matches hers.”
“What happens if the blood doesn’t match?” Deke asked.
“Then she begins a slow painful death. We just had to watch our mother go through this and it broke our hearts to know the drugs would no longer work for her.”
“Why didn’t the drugs work for her this time?”
“The first time, she refused treatment because of the baby she was carrying. That baby was Quinn. The doctors warned her that if the baby had a different blood type than hers, treatment could cause a miscarriage. Mom wouldn’t risk losing the baby.”
“Why if she hated Sam so much, why would your mom refuse treatment at the expense of a child?”
Charlie shook his head. “She would never say anything but I think she loved him.” He shrugged. “She must have felt something for him, she wouldn’t risk his child even at the threat of her own body.”
Deke sat there for a moment then decided to help. “Let’s go test my blood to see if it matches your sister.”
“Dude, she’s your sister too, you know.”
“Yeah, well that kinda blows my mind right now,” Deke admitted. “I thought I knew all of Sam’s bullshit, now I find out something new and it sucks.”
Tell me about it,” Charlie agreed.