Page 21 of Flame's Fight

The stinging in my right leg wakes me from a deep sleep. I grab my leg and let out a groan as the pain intensifies. That pain turns to euphoria when I realize the reason for the pain. I’m gaining sensation back in my leg. I can feel my hands rubbing the skin. With some care, I try lifting my leg. The movement is slow and not at all graceful, but I see my leg shift an inch or two off the bed. I look over at Brooke, only to have my happiness disappear again when I see she’s no longer in bed with me.

“Reaper.” I call out. The door opens, but Axel walks in.

“It’s me. Reaper left about thirty minutes ago for Church.” Axel says.

I nod. “Do you know where Brooke is?” I ask him.

“She went home. Reaper said she left about eight this morning.”

My heart hurts, but I need to look at the positives. First, she came to me last night. I won’t think about why she left, but focus on why she sought me out. Second, I can feel my fucking leg!

“I can feel my leg.” I tell Axel. “Can you find a nurse?” I ask him.

He looks at me funny before heading to the bed and pressing the call button. Jeez, nothing is more humiliating than looking like an idiot in front of your younger brother. I grimace at him. “Thanks.”

“I’d make a comment about getting shot in the back and not the head, but you were stupid before the shooting, so that won’t work.”

“Fuck you.” I grumble as I continue rubbing my leg as Gina enters the room.

“What’s up?” She asks, her eyes following my hand as she breaks into a huge smile. “You’re getting feeling back?” She asks.

“Right leg only.” I tell her, and she nods.

“That’s expected. Most of the swelling is on your left side. It doesn’t mean that you won’t start regaining feeling there, too, but this is a good sign. I’ll let the doctor know.”

“Is Tally back?” I ask.

“She’s not in today, but I heard she is coming back soon. Likely tomorrow.”

“Good. Is Brooke here?”

“She comes in at eleven.” Gina says before leaving.

I grab my phone and call Brooke. When she doesn’t pick up, I text her. A few times. She’s who I want to share my good new with, but her continued silence saps my happiness more. I put my phone back on the table and try to temper my disappointment. Having her in my arms last night was the first good night’s sleep I’ve had since we broke up. Even though I can tell she’s struggling with something. I have a feeling that she left early because she knew I’d pry out of her whatever has her upset. She believes she’s not good enough for me, yet she’s the best person I know. She’s a fucking nurse and I’m a biker with a 1% club. We may not be violent sociopaths, but we certainly aren’t saints. She’s hiding a secret that she believes makes her unlovable. I’m not giving up on us, I need to prove her wrong.

A doctor I don’t recognize comes in to check my leg and assures me this is a good sign. He mumbles something about physical therapy, but my mind is back on Brooke. Ok, he probably didn’t mumble, but since I’m not listening to him, all I hear is mumbling. I don’t even catch his name. I want Brooke back, and Tally is the only doctor I’ll listen to.

By 10:30, I’m ready to crawl my way out of the room to the nurse’s desk to wait for Brooke’s arrival. I have a strong feeling that she’ll continue to avoid me if I don’t do something drastic. Dammit. I’m reaching for the wheelchair when my phone rings. I answer it, hoping it’s Brooke, but realize quickly it’s my President and we’re having Church.

“You able to be on the call, or do you want us to catch you up later?” Dante asks when I answer.

“I’m good.” I tell him as I settle back against the pillows.

“Any updates from you before we start?” Dante asks.

I tell them about the feeling returning to my right leg and hear shouts of encouragement around the room. The sound of my brothers rooting for me sends my euphoria back into the stratosphere. This is what being in an MC is about. Finding a family that cares about what happens to you.

Once everyone’s congratulations die down, Dante starts the meeting. “As most of you know, Tally’s father arrived in town yesterday and confronted her at the hospital. Tally, Caitlin, Scar, and I all met him for a late dinner at his hotel. It was a loud meeting, which you’d expect, but we made progress and we learned some new information about what’s going on in Chicago. Scar, you want to discuss his conversation with Caitlin?”

“Vance admitted he pushed Caitlin to marry Standish only because of input from his wife. He truly believed that Standish would offer Caitlin a good life based on Vivian’s praises of him. He claims he didn’t want to pull her tuition, but that again, he acted under his wife’s suggestion. She told him that Caitlin was in love with Standish, but was afraid to leave home and take on the responsibility of being a wife. She accused Vance of babying her because she was the youngest and not as scholastically inclined as Tally and Colin.”

“Did you buy that?” Shield asks.

“Yes, and no. I will say I think Vance had doubts back then and now regrets ignoring his gut. When Caitlin ran away, he realized he had misjudged the situation. Although, by then, she was gone, and he didn’t know where she went. He learned Tally and Caitlin were in contact when Tally berated him for Caitlin’s kidnapping by Gareth and Vivian. That’s when he started watching his wife and then later on, his son, more closely.”

“Did he know what they were up to?” I ask. “I mean the human trafficking?”

“Not right away. He figured out that they were trying to steal Caitlin’s inheritance.” Scar says. “When he learned what they were doing, he gave instructions to the lawyer, ensuring he didn’t speak to anyone but Caitlin about the inheritance. He then paid a private investigator to learn everything he could about Tally and Caitlin.”

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