chapter Twenty-One
“I gotta get this,” Liam apologized. He hated that the club was interrupting this moment, but this was his life. Her life now, if she would have it. It was a wakeup call that she would have to face sooner rather than later.
She understood, so she nodded, but damn did she resent that phone. Rolling over, she pulled the covers tightly around her body and listened. He hung up and turned so that he spooned her from behind, nuzzling his lips in the crook of her neck.
“We gotta go,” his voice was still deep and slow with the relaxation of their previous activities.
“We?” she asked, closing her eyes. Denise wanted to soak up whatever time she had to enjoy this. It had been so long since she allowed herself to enjoy the closeness of another human being, and she didn’t want it to end.
“Meredith is awake and she’s not being very forthcoming with the information that we need. Dad seems to think that you may be able to talk to her.”
Allowing herself a moment, she snuggled up to him, shivering as his hand gripped her hip and flipped her over. She ran her hands over his chest when he leaned over her, capturing her body with his. Their lips were inches apart, and she wanted to beg him to kiss her again, to let her feel the slow sweep of his lips, slide of his tongue.
“I don’t know why he thinks she may talk to me. The last time we said words to each other, she warned me away from y’all.”
He grinned before kissing her softly on the lips. “Well, I see the two of you seem to take advice right about the same way. I’m glad you ignored hers.”
“Me too,” she agreed, even though it was soft and he almost couldn’t hear her. She still wasn’t exactly sure just what she had gotten herself into.
When they arrived at the hospital, Denise gawked at the number of bikes parked outside. Liam had told her the whole club was on the lookout, but she hadn’t thought he truly meant everyone. This group even looked like it included other clubs since she observed colors and patches that weren’t familiar to her.
“These aren’t all Heaven Hill members are they?”
He shook his head, grabbing her hand as they made their way up to the entrance. “Not all, no. There’s about three clubs here that are friendly with us. We don’t have enough members to make this large of a showing.”
Feeling shy because his club witnessed them walking up together, Denise fell in step behind him, waiting for the ground to eat her up. Her face heated because she was sure everyone could tell just by looking at her what they had been doing.
He refused to let go of her hand, causing her to turn her palm so that she could keep up with him. Approaching the group, Liam called out to his dad.
“Anybody showed up?”
The older man took a drag off the cigarette in his mouth, shaking his head before blowing out a steady stream of smoke. “Nothin’. I figured somebody would at least do a drive by, you know, to see what’s going on. If they have, we haven’t seen them. Tyler’s kept everybody but doctors and nurses out of the reporter’s room too, so she should be up for a visitor,” he threw a pointed look at Denise.
“I’ll do what I can,” she promised, tightening her grip on Liam’s larger hand that held hers. William scared her – he was so different from his son - she did not want to be on the business end of his fist again.
Liam saw the uncertainty in her eyes as she gazed at his dad. He understood, because sometimes he was just as scared as she appeared to be. Liam pulled her body even with his and put his arm around her neck, tugging her securely to him. “Dad, she’s not a miracle worker. Back off.”
“We don’t need a miracle worker here, we just need to know what the hell’s goin’ on.”
“And we’ll figure that out, just give us some room to work,” Liam brushed past his old man and dragged her along with him.
“I don’t want to get hit by him again,” she whispered as they made their way down the hall.
He growled, looking back to where William still stood outside the main door to the hospital. “He ain’t touchin’ you again. It’ll be alright. You get us what info you can, and we’ll work from there.”
They had arrived at Meredith’s door, and Tyler stepped aside to let her enter. Searching for strength reserves she didn’t know she had, she took a deep breath and walked inside.
Denise had never been in many hospital rooms. The only time she’d ever had an overnight stay was when the twins were born. It looked much different than she remembered. Meredith lay in a bed that looked five sizes too big for her. There was dark bruising on her face and her wrist was wrapped in an ace bandage.
“Are you okay?”
Turning her head to face her visitor, Meredith ran her tongue along dry, cracked, lips. “Yeah, I guess so.”
This was not going to be easy. Apparently the reporter didn’t like to admit when she’d f*cked up.
“Who did this?” Denise tried again.
“Would you believe me if I told you I don’t know? I have a contact at the bank, but I don’t know his name. In fact, I’m only assuming it’s a man. He covers up his voice. He’s the one who got me an in with the Vojnik. I might as well have written my own death warrant tonight.”
She winced as she situated herself higher in the bed. While she hadn’t’ been hurt too badly, soreness marked almost every inch of her body.
“Why didn’t you listen to Tyler? He tried to tell you not to do this.”
Anger flashed in Meredith’s eyes. “Why didn’t you listen to me? Besides, how do I know he didn’t do this?”
“C’mon, we were all at the clubhouse watching the news when you started talking and the explosion happened. If he was going to do this, why would he warn you? I think we both know that he has more than a passing interest in you. Don’t be stupid, he’s standing outside that door, not allowing anyone in just to keep you safe.”
“Why isn’t Tyler letting people in? Why is it so hard to believe that he did this? He did warn me, but what if the warning wasn’t that? What if it was a threat?” Meredith wrapped her arms around her waist. “I don’t know who to trust at this point.”
Denise couldn’t argue with her logic but knew for a fact that the bombing was not Heaven Hill’s doing. “I hope you know what you’re doing, Meredith. You’re a good journalist, and a decent person, but messing with the stuff you are is going to get you hurt worse?”
Trying very hard to keep her composure, Meredith spat back. “Is that a threat?”
“No. Anyone with half a brain can see where this is going. Is being famous and having that ten o’clock job every night worth all of this?” She gestured to the hospital room and bed with her hands. “You have some person feeding you information about outlaw biker gangs. There’s a reason they’re outlaws. They don’t play fair. You’re a pawn, and they’re using you to the best of their ability. Do you want to die?” Denise pleaded with her. Surely she was smarter than this.
“No,” she whispered. “But now I don’t know how to get out,” she admitted. “I know so many things, and I don’t know if any of it’s the truth. I know that this was a play on Heaven Hill now, but I didn’t before. It had to be to set them up for something they haven’t done, and I don’t know who did it. I have too many informants, too many contacts.”
“Do you need protection?” Denise asked, feeling weird about asking, but she felt like it was her place to assume, her place as an affiliate with the club to offer.
Meredith thought about the big man who stood guard at her door since she’d been brought in. She wanted him and only him to protect her, but with him came the rest of them. Now wasn’t the time to show anyone just how scared she was.
“No,” she whispered, tears brimming in her eyes.
“I’m going to tell them what you’ve told me. It’s some guy at a bank.”
“I know.”
Denise wanted to shake her. It was obvious Meredith wanted help, but she’d be damned if she asked for it. “Do you have anything else you can give me, Meredith? These guys will protect you if you give them a reason to.”
Sighing deeply, she reached her hand out. “My purse is over there under the chair. One of the EMT’s brought it to me.”
Denise handed it to her and waited, impatiently rocking back on her heels. She wanted this over as quickly as possible.
She pulled out a manila envelope, somehow salvaged from the explosion. “This is the information my contacts gave me. I don’t want it anymore. I can’t stop what I’ve already started, but maybe I can keep it from getting worse.”
Denise walked out, envelope in hand. “She gave me what info she has. I’m not sure what’s useful to you, but maybe we can start trying to figure out who’s setting the club up and why.”
Liam kissed her forehead. “Thanks for getting this for us, I know it’s not easy to do this kind of stuff. We really appreciate it. I appreciate it more than I can tell you.” At his hip, his pre-pay buzzed, he flipped it open and read the text he had just received. Cursing loudly, he ran his hands through his hair. “We need to figure this out now.”
“What’s wrong?” Tyler asked, concern etched on his face.
“They just picked up dad. Steele says they’re takin’ him to county lock-up. I’m heading to the clubhouse. You stay here and watch over Meredith. Denise you come with me. Whoever has decided to make us an enemy doesn’t know what match they just lit.”
“Be careful,” Tyler called out.
If there was one thing Liam Walker didn’t stand for, it was someone shitting on his club. Now that they’d picked up the president, Liam looked ready to kill.