When Dove Cries Read online

  Was she now going to live with the bikers? Was this trading one group of men for another? And would Draven and Cade even want her with them?

  The nurse finished taking her vitals and gave her a tight smile. “You’re being discharged in the morning,” she said.

  “Not fucking fast enough,” Draven muttered.

  “John,” Cade warned in a low tone.

  Draven gave him the finger then resumed his place in his chair by her bed once the nurse had fled.

  * * * *

  That evening, Cade left to get them burgers and fries for dinner. The cafeteria had been shut down for so long that they couldn’t recover quickly enough, but Dove didn’t mind. It had been so long since she’d had a burger that the smell made her mouth salivate with pleasure. Her dinners had mainly consisted of bland, soft food that the doctor had thought would best suit her stomach. By nine o’clock that night, Dove began yawning, and she begged both men to sit by her so they could talk.

  “I want a bedtime story,” she murmured sleepily. “What made you become bikers?”

  At first, neither of them seemed to want to go first, and she looked back and forth as if she was watching a tennis match. But then Draven sighed and crossed his arms.

  “I didn’t know what to do with myself after I got out of the military,” he admitted. “I was drinking a lot, toking up. I tried my hand at odd jobs but couldn’t make anything stick. Then one night I met up with North, who’d gotten patched into the Red Wolves a couple of years before. I’d gone to school with him, but he was a few years older, and he talked about how freeing being part of the club was. It was a brotherhood, and I really missed that. I suppose I really wanted that sense of belonging again.”

  “I know that feeling,” she said. “I used to take care of my father and his men. What branch of the military were you in?”

  “Navy,” he said. “But don’t get the idea I was a great sailor. I passed basic A-okay, but on my first assignment, I got so seasick they stuck me into doing KP duty. I basically peeled potatoes and opened vegetable cans my entire eight years with them.”

  “You were vomiting, and they stuck you with the food?” Cade asked, incredulous.

  Draven shrugged. “They thought it would cure me.”

  Cade chuckled.

  “What about you, Cade?” Dove asked. By this point, her eyes were mere slits.

  He sighed. “Nothing so noble as John, I’m afraid. I patched into a club that I didn’t fully understand, and after some time, I began disagreeing with certain policies, so I decided to go nomad. I’ve traveled around and happened to run into John in Vegas for the charity run and asked if I could come to Wyoming.”

  “I’m glad,” she murmured, so softly even she wasn’t sure if she’d said anything. “I’m so glad you’re with me.”

  “So are we, Dove,” Cade told her. “Now, close your eyes, baby. Get some rest.”

  She drifted into sleep and dreamed of both men loving her body.

  Chapter Nine

  The new doctor came in to check her one last time the next morning and declared she could go home. The bandages on her wrists would still have to be changed because she had to keep the area moist with antibiotic ointment, but that was something minor. So the nurse took over pulling her IV line out of her arm, calling in her medications to the pharmacy downstairs and getting her discharge papers together. Dove knew that meant someone in billing would be coming to talk to her.

  Allis and North showed up, along with Nimrod and another Red Wolves brother named Branch. Allis carried a bag of clothes she had picked up from Wal-Mart. Dove couldn’t help the quick tears that gathered in her eyes at the kind gesture. She’d never really had a girlfriend before, and Dove couldn’t help hugging Allis.

  She took a shower with the nurse’s help since she couldn’t get her bandages wet and used the products in her little gift basket before donning the new clothes. They were just sweats, a T-shirt and cheap sneakers, but they felt so nice that Dove couldn’t imagine winning the lottery could feel any better. When she stepped out of the bathroom, Cade gave a whistle of appreciation while Draven just smiled, his white teeth flashing.

  “I’m glad it all fits,” Allis said, clapping her hands happily.

  A knock sounded at the door, and a woman dressed in a dark suit and sensible, low heels poked her head inside.

  “Hello,” she greeted. “I’m with billing. I was wondering if I could talk to Ms. Aldrin?”

  Dove bit her lip. “I’m Dove Aldrin.”

  “I was wondering if you have an insurance card or if you can provide an address—”

  “Bill the Red Wolves,” North said.

  Dove gasped and turned toward him. “But—”

  “Do you have insurance?” Draven asked her.

  “No,” she replied. “But you can’t possibly pay my bill here.”

  “I told you I’d take care of you,” he said.

  “We,” Cade added. He looked at North. “I can help as well.”

  North nodded. “Done. Now that that’s settled, let’s get the discharge papers and take you home. I bet you’re all looking forward to not sleeping in chairs.”

  The billing woman frowned, looking around as if confused, but Nimrod opened the door and practically shooed her out. Without a doubt, Dove owed the Red Wolves so much her head was spinning. She looked around at the people in her room, and a rush of emotions shot through her. It had been a long time since she’d been part of something meaningful. The brotherhood Draven spoke of appealed to her. She missed being with people who cared.

  Hospital rules stated that she had to leave in a wheelchair, so about an hour later, she was being wheeled down, unable to stop grinning. It felt so good to be leaving, to be moving on from this painful chapter in her past, although she wasn’t naïve enough to believe she could just ignore what had happened. She still hadn’t given her deposition to the sheriff.

  The nurse waved goodbye as Cade pushed Dove down the hallway to the elevator. North, Allis, Branch and Nimrod followed. Draven had left a few minutes before to bring the truck around. Branch and Nimrod would be driving Cade and Draven’s bikes back to the clubhouse.

  The elevator doors opened, and Dr. Blake stood there waiting. He stepped out and nodded to Dove. She hadn’t seen him since she’d requested a new physician to take over her healthcare.

  “I knew you were leaving, so I wanted to stop by and wish you well,” he said quietly. In his hand, he clutched a paper bag. He held it out to her. “Inside is some extra gauze and ointment for your wrists.”

  “Thank you,” Dove replied, taking the bag. Then she reached up and covered Cade’s hand, which rested on the wheelchair’s handlebars, with her own. She saw Dr. Blake glance at the obvious sign of unity.

  “Listen, I’m sorry about the things I said. If you need anything, please let me know.” He held out a card. “My cell number is on the back.”

  “Okay,” she murmured. She still felt a little resentment at his negative comments, but she took his card and slipped it into her bag.

  He stepped aside, and Cade pushed her into the elevator. The rest of them crowded in around her, and it was a comforting feeling. She was really blessed that it was Cade and Draven who had found and rescued her.

  The hospital was pretty empty as Cade pushed her toward the sliding doors. They swished open, and she saw Draven jump out of the truck to open the passenger side. The front wheel of the chair hit a break in the concrete, and it jolted a little, causing her to lose her hold of her bag full of goodies. It flopped to the ground and spilled.

  “Darn,” she muttered.

  “Got it,” Nimrod said, who had been walking beside her. As he bent in front of her to help gather her items, a shot rang out, and Nimrod fell into her lap. For a split second, her mind couldn’t comprehend what had happened, and she simply stared at the young man draped across her. But the others understood.

  “Get them back!” North shouted and pulled out a slick black gun from some
where. He grabbed Allis’ arm and yanked her behind him as he stepped in front of Dove and Nimrod. Branch grabbed Nimrod and dragged him back into the hospital before helping North. They used their bodies as shields as Cade backpedaled to safety.

  “Help us!” Cade shouted. “He’s been shot!”

  Several nurses ran as well as a passing doctor. All Dove could do was watch with big eyes as Branch laid the unconscious biker on the floor and let the staff take over. As soon as they’d swooped in, Branch, North and Draven took off out of the door.

  “Go,” Allis told Cade, nodding her head toward the door. “I’ll stay with Dove. I know you want to chase down the bastard who did this.”

  Cade didn’t even waste another breath. As he ran toward the entrance again, Dove watched as he pulled out a gun. She saw the rest of the Red Wolves running and her heart jumped into her throat. She prayed that they would all be okay. She didn’t want anyone hurt.

  The medical staff lifted Nimrod and placed him on a gurney, not even bothering to talk to Dove or Allis as they rushed him toward the ER. Allis pushed her wheelchair over to some chairs and sank down, shaking from head to toe. Dove rose from the wheelchair, then hurried over and put her arms around her new friend. Allis hugged her back.

  “I hate this,” Allis whispered.

  Guilt flooded Dove. She’d done this. She’d brought a killer into their midst. She’d been the one who had gotten Nimrod shot. It was all her fault. Her stomach clenched with the knowledge that she had hurt her friends.

  “I’m so sorry,” she said. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she struggled not to cry.

  Allis pulled back enough to look at her. “Why are you sorry?”

  “This was because of me.”

  “No,” Allis said, shaking her head. “Don’t you realize that if Nimrod hadn’t stepped in front of you, you’d be dead?”

  No, actually, that hadn’t occurred to her. A whole new slew of guilt slammed into her. She couldn’t keep the tears at bay. They coursed down her cheeks.

  “Don’t do that,” Allis ordered, but her tone was so gentle it just made Dove cry harder.

  “I-I’m sorry,” Dove stuttered. “I-it’s my thing. I cry whenever I’m too stressed. My father used to tease me about it.”

  “Well, being with the Red Wolves can be stressful. Not too long ago, I brought a heap of trouble to them in the form of another gang called the Tribe, so I understand your guilt, Dove.”

  “What happened?”

  “They shot up my house.”

  Dove’s mouth dropped in shock. “What?”

  Allis nodded. “One night, North, Givon and I were sleeping, and all of a sudden, it was raining bullets.”

  “Oh, my God. What did you do?”

  “Stayed down. As soon as it stopped, North and Givon went to check things out. I thought for sure someone was going to kill them at any second. The guilt and fear were overwhelming, especially when we went to the clubhouse and the rest of the Wolves got into it.”

  “They didn’t want to be a part of it?”

  “On the contrary, they jumped in without hesitation. The Tribe came, and it became a standoff.”

  “What happened?”

  Allis sighed. “I decided I couldn’t put anyone else in danger, so I turned myself in to the Tribe’s leader. I ended it…with Nimrod’s help. That’s why he would be the first who would tell you not to feel guilty. This is what the Wolves do, Dove. They protect their own.”

  Dove bit her lip. “I’m not one of them.”

  “Oh, by the way Draven looks at you, I think you are.”

  Draven and North rushed in. As soon as Draven’s gaze landed on Dove, he made a beeline for her. He dropped to his knees in front of her and cupped her face.

  “Are you okay?”

  She nodded and swallowed the lump in her throat. “But Nimrod… I’m worried about him.”

  “Yeah, me too.”

  North hugged Allis. “I’ll make sure he has the best care. He’s a Wolf, and we take care of the pack.”

  “That’s exactly what I told Dove,” she murmured.

  “It’s time for us go, Dove,” Draven told her. “Cade’s in the truck.”

  “Did you catch the shooter?” Allis asked.

  Both men shook their heads.

  Draven heard the shot and ran forward. His one thought was protecting Dove. He saw Nimrod slump over her and North jump in front of her as he pulled Allis behind him. Branch bear-hugged Nimrod as Cade hurried back inside the protective hospital walls. When they were safe, he pulled his gun out and took off in the direction he thought the shot had come from, which was a group of trees lying northwest of their location. As he ran, he knew that Branch and North were behind him.

  He burst into the dense grove of trees, searching rapidly around the foliage. The roar of a motorcycle pierced the air, and he immediately turned in that direction. He stumbled out of the treeline just in time to see a bike and rider in the distance but couldn’t make out who it was. The man either wasn’t wearing a cut or had concealed it.

  Branch came to halt beside him, and a second later, North joined them. They were all panting from the unexpected run.

  “Who the fuck was that?” North demanded.

  “Had to be a Demon Devil,” Branch said darkly. “No one else rides Harleys around here except the clubs, and I know a Wolf wouldn’t shoot at us.”

  “Agreed,” Draven said.

  “But why? Random drive-by shootings aren’t their thing, at least they haven’t been their thing for ten years or so.”

  “They were aiming for Dove,” Draven said harshly.

  “Why?” Branch asked, perplexed.

  “She was abducted for a human trafficking ring being run through Destiny,” Draven replied.

  “The hell you say! North, is this true?”

  North nodded. “We just found out. Clearly, this needs to be addressed at the next church meeting. Branch, Skids stayed in Vegas. You want to sit in his place for now?”

  “Sure,” Branch said. “The sooner this is addressed, the better. Can I ask what the Demon Devils have to do with this?”

  North ran a hand through his hair and put his gun back in its holster. Branch and Draven did the same.

  “There was a connection between Michael Hiller and Gray Dog,” North said.

  “Why haven’t any of us known about this?”

  “Until Dove showed up, it was a need-to-know basis.”

  “Enough of this shit!” Draven interrupted, shouting. “Those fuckers need to pay!”

  “And they will!” North shouted back. “But think, Draven! If we go starting another war, we’ll lose. We need proof of who’s behind this.”

  Draven hated that he was right. He turned around and stomped back the way he’d come, back to the hospital. He wanted to see Dove and make sure she was okay. Although North and Branch followed him, they stayed behind, and he was grateful. Otherwise, he was going to hit his president, and that wouldn’t solve anything.

  About halfway back, Cade ran up to him, his mouth a grim slash.

  “How’s Dove?” he asked.

  “Upset but fine.” Cade looked over his shoulder. “You?”

  “Upset but fine,” Draven mimicked. “If anything had happened to her, Cade—”

  Cade gripped his arm. “I know. It was the Devils, wasn’t it?”

  “All I saw was a Harley. No markings.”

  “We gotta fucking kill ’em,” he whispered.

  Slowly, Draven nodded, completely confused by this sudden jolt of camaraderie he felt with Cade.

  “That’s not something a fed would say.”

  Cade shook his head. “Right fucking now, I’m not a fed.”

  Draven held back a smile.

  “If Nimrod hadn’t bent over her, she’d be dead,” he told Cade. He knew he didn’t have to say anything, but he wanted to drive the fact home because the bloodlust he saw in Cade’s eyes burned through his own body, and it made Draven feel invincible.
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  “We owe him,” Cade said.

  Draven nodded. “Agreed.”

  Chapter Ten

  Draven drove the truck with Dove next to him. Behind them rode North, Branch and Cade. Branch and Nimrod had been going to ride their bikes back then take the truck, but now everything had changed. Branch would spend the night at Draven’s house for extra backup, and North would go back to the hospital to pick up Allis, who had insisted on staying behind to keep updated on Nimrod. Tomorrow would be church, and Draven had some choice things to say.

  He lived at the end of a road with homes that were so far from the asphalt you couldn’t see them, including his. He liked that. There was no way he could live in suburbia with perfectly manicured lawns and HOA fees. His home was the house he’d grown up in, but he really didn’t have any sentiment over it. He lived in it because his parents had willed it to him when they’d died in a car accident, drinking and driving like they always had. Once upon a time, he had thought about moving to Seattle because his cousin Tom lived there, but well, that was a long time ago and a memory path he had best not take right now. Resentment still boiled in his veins.

  As the single story, three-bedroom ranch came into view, he tried to see it from Dove’s point of view. The driveway was nothing but rocks, and the numerous trees kept the ground from getting too much sun, which caused the grass to die. Every time it rained, his yard was nothing but muddy soup. The house needed painting. It used to be white, but the years of neglect had turned it a dull gray. The brick chimney needed help, and the porch was missing a few boards. Next to the house was a covered carport, but it held the skeletal remains of several trucks and bikes rusting away slowly.