Daisy
I had a feeling that the reason that Reed and Elena were not around and not in contact was because something awful had happened. Seamus had come back with the girls in utter shock, telling us he had heard gunshots and then Reed came out looking like he’d seen a ghost. They’d split up somewhere in Texas with Seamus having orders to bring the girls home and let Reed go. That was all he knew and all we were left with nothing other than the orders to keep each other safe and trust no one. I knew the cartel we had been doing dealings with was nasty, and I could only imagine what they might do to anyone of us, especially Reed if he had harmed or killed one of them. I was nervous as hell, and tension was already high because Kyle had been around more and more since Reed had disappeared.
I had to admit, though, as annoying as hell as he was and as many awful memories as he brought back to me, he was doing a decent job at keeping morale up. He was even helping with getting the women Seamus had got back nice and settled. It really confused me, because I had my eyes set on someone else already. I wanted to keep to myself for a little while longer, but it was hard even to know that was right with my epic ex running around the bar all day long like the ghost from Christmas fucking past.
It was around eight or nine at night, and almost everyone was in the bar, having a drink and shooting the shit like they always did. It seemed like the most normal night we had in a little bit. But that soon changed when a group of Mexican men stormed into the place with guns of all sizes, shooting it up like it was war.
I screamed with the rest of the girls and dropped behind the bar, trying to pull as many people back there with me as I could. The shots just didn’t stop, and I knew some of our men had pulled out their guns and joined in the crossfire. Deep down, I was afraid that would only make it worse. How many people got killed from crossfire in MC fights? There were a lot I knew in my time on this Earth, and I didn’t want to see it happen to anyone I loved. But as I crouched behind the bar and prayed that the guns would run out ammo and the men would leave without taking prisoners, I knew that there couldn’t be that much gunfire without a loss of life or limb.
I began to flat out cry, hugging Michelle to me. She was the only comfort I had. I was scared shitless that I was going to be taken once again, become one of those women sold into sex slavery down south. It wasn’t a life I would live through after what had happened to me in the past. I would fuckin’ slit my wrists before I did it again.
Eventually, the guns quieted inside, and I could hear the men pushing the Mexicans outside, out into the open. I would go to jail any damn day if the noise and chaos was just seen and heard by somebody who could come and make it stop.
Jenna crawled over to me and pointed to the basement entrance. Just in case they came back in, that was probably the best bet. So, we began to lead all the women, crawling until we got to the stairs, and we ran as fast as we could, locking ourselves inside until someone could come tell us it was safe to get out.
I knew if a god existed I wasn’t on such good terms with him, but I bowed my head and prayed anyway. I found I wasn’t the only one. What was going to be left of the bar and the people I called my family after this was all over?
We held hands together down there for hours until we were too exhausted to keep ourselves awake.
***
I climbed into the ambulance like the fuckin’ softie that I was, looking down at the man I once loved, fighting for his life. He looked like hell, with blood all over him. My heart was torn. Even as I hated this man’s guts for abandoning me, I couldn’t let him die alone. I held his hand and cried for the second time in the last 24 hours, not knowing if the EMTs had even been able to get to any of our injured members on time. I didn’t even want to think about the dead ones we lost back at home. If I could just get through this one, I could worry about the rest later.
My damn cell began to ring in my pocket, and I picked it up. I had never been so fuckin’ received to hear the Prez’s voice. “Oh, my god, Reed!” I screamed, losing my shit right then and there. “They fuckin slaughtered us. They blew bullet holes through the place for hours. Where the hell are you?”
“The most I can tell you is that Elena and I left to keep something like this from happening. I couldn’t be more fucking sorry we were wrong. Dais’, Dais’, just tell me. Tell me who we lost. How bad is it?”
I could hear the distress in his voice. Someone had gotten to him first and told him what happened. Nothing was more humiliating or devastating for a Prez than having your members gunned down in an attack like that. I wondered how Elena was feeling and if the Vipers had met a similar fate.
I meant to tell him about the four we lost, including one of the girls he had saved, but there was only one person on my mind right now to speak of. “Kyle, your fuckin’ brother. He thought he was a bad ass and pushed them outside and off the property. He’s got bullet holes all in him and there was so much blood. It doesn’t look good, Reed. I’m in the ambulance with him now, and they’re working on him as best they can. But he just looks so red and so out of it, Reed. Please, tell me you’re coming back. We don’t know what to do without you.”
It was selfish to ask because I knew the two of them were probably safer where they were. But the MC would fall apart now without his leadership. And obviously being in hiding had done nothing.
“I think we’re both coming back. We’re going to figure this out, Dais’. Just hang in there. Do you want to talk to Elena?” He knew what the answer was before I even said it, and the phone was passed off to her. I could hear her tears before she even said a word.
“Shit, Daisy. I’m so fucking sorry for leaving you guys behind. I was just so sure you’d be safe if we disappeared. How can I ever make this up to you?” She sounded just as distraught as I was. In just a brief time she had made herself fit in with us like family. She was like the sister I never had. I just wanted to hug her so we could both know it would be okay, but I couldn’t.
“It’s not your fault, Elena. I know it ain’t. They were sick men; assholes. This was bound to happen one day. I just hope we find a way to make them pay for what they did.” It was the truth. I was seein’ red.
“You’re damn straight we will.” I knew when Elena said something like that, she meant it.