The cargo van was nowhere to be found, not that I expected it to.
“Fuck, never thought I’d see the day you’d get your ass kicked like that,” Diesel chuckled, walking beside me. “Better yet, never thought you’d let someone kick your ass like that.”
I pulled out a cigarette, lighting it up as soon as I got to the old girl. Inhaling half the filter in one long, hard drag, letting the smoke seep from my busted up lips and nose. “Ain’t nothin’ I didn’t deserve,” I reminded, spitting a mouthful of blood on the pavement, ignoring the sting in my lungs from Mia’s father’s assault. I took a seat on the curb, mentally and physically fucking exhausted from all the bullshit that had gone down. Allowing the nicotine to course through me, hoping it would calm my nerves the way it always had.
“Creed, you’re bleedin’ all over the fuckin’ place,” Doc stated the obvious, grabbing some alcohol swabs and gauze pads from the back seat of his car. “This may sting,” he informed, swiping the alcohol pad over the gash above my eye.
“The fuck?” I winced, turning my head away.
“It’s deep, but not deep enough for stitches. I’ll butterfly it to stop the bleeding and clean up your fuckin’ ugly mug.”
I nodded. Too tired to argue.
“You know Mia will back us up, Creed. She won’t say a word till she speaks to one of us. She’s a good fuckin’ girl,” Diesel said out of nowhere as if he thought that was what I needed to hear.
“Let’s get one thing clear, yeah? I don’t give a fuck what Mia tells them. Truth, lies, it’s all the same. All I want is ta’ put fuckin’ holes in whoever’s heads are behind this. Ya feel me?”
He nodded.
“Ain’t too fuckin’ happy about the bullshit lies you told in there, though.”
“What did you want us to say, Creed? Huh? It’s not just about you. We were all in involved in some way or another. Besides, it’s not that far from the truth. You did save her. Can’t hold yourself responsible for her baby—”
“Don’t even fuckin’ say it! You say it, and we ain’t brothers no more.” I took another long drag, cocking my head to the side, looking him over.
“Jesus Christ, man. You’re your own worst enemy, Creed. One day I hope you fuckin’ realize that. You did what you had to do! End of fuckin’ story. I’ll meet you back at the club, Prez called in church.”
“Ain’t leavin’ till I know she’s alright. You tell Prez he can take it up with me later.”
“What are you gonna do, Creed? Sneak into her room?” Doc questioned, looking at me like I was fucking crazy.
“If that’s what it takes.”
“Creed!” Mason hollered, interrupting us. Running through the parking lot, over to where we were.
Doc nodded goodbye, taking off. Diesel lingered for a few seconds before jumping on his bike and speeding off toward the clubhouse. Waving at Mason as he rode by.
I flicked my cig into the bushes, lighting another one as he walked up. “Look at you,” I breathed out through the smoke, eyeing him up and down. “All decked out in your fatigues. Boots still pinch like a motherfucker?”
He chuckled, knowing I was just trying to make light of the situation. “I was back at Fort Bragg when my parents’ called, saying Mia had been found. Been back in the states since the last time we talked. I jumped on the first plane I could out of Afghanistan after finding out she was missing. Wanting to be as close to home and my family as possible to help find my sister.”
I resisted the urge to ask him how he was doing as he took a seat beside me. Resting his elbows on his knees and signaling for my cigarette, instantly reminding me of old times.
Mason never smoked unless we were in the middle of a shit storm overseas. I guess this situation could be comparable to that.
He took a few drags, peering over at me. “I’m sorry about my dad, man. He... just... just give him some time. The last few months have been pure hell for them. I don’t think they’ve slept for more than an hour, here and there. Terrified they’d miss something. Focusing solely on trying to find her. I swear they’ve aged ten years since Mia went missing. My Aunt Lily has been running my mom’s restaurant, and my dad has his employees running jobs. Bo’s been a fucking wreck... Fuck, bro, my whole family has. Nobody had given up hope that we’d find her alive, and I think that’s the only reason we’re all still standing.”
Bile rose in my throat, but I pushed it back down. It was one thing to assume they were going through hell, it was another thing entirely to fucking hear it. I didn’t think I could feel like any more of a piece of shit than I already did, but I was wrong.
Yet again.
“He’s grateful you found her, I swear,” he reassured, even though I knew he was full of shit.
We sat there for I don’t how long, passing the cigarette back and forth. Exactly how we used to. There were times when all I looked forward to was doing this with him, mindful that we were both going through the same shit. Fully aware that we might not make it out alive. War didn’t even come fucking close to what I knew we were both going through right now.
Except they got Mia back.
And I just fucking lost her.
“Fuck... bro... if you... I mean... if you hadn’t... found her... she could of...” Mason stammered, unable to say what he was thinking, not realizing how close she was to exactly that.
Death.
“You got no idea...” I whispered under my breath. “Your old man may be grateful she’s back, but not wit’ my involvement in it. He made that very fuckin’ clear. Don’t hold it against him either, if my baby girl was missin’ and then turned up lyin’ in a hospital bed,” I paused, shaking my head. “The motherfucker responsible would be dead.” Stubbing out my cigarette with my boot, I stood. Not wanting to have this conversation any longer.
“Do you know who did this?” he asked, looking up at me. “What fucking happened out there, Creed? How did you find her?”
I walked over to my bike blowing off his interrogation, removing my cut and draping it over my seat. Waiting for what I knew he’d say next.
“What the fuck, man?! If you know who is responsible for this, I want to help take the fuckers down!”
We locked eyes.
“You wanna help me? Then I need ya to do me a favor.”