The Biker's Fate Chapter 161

Mack

I had slid my gun into my holster just as I heard a thud and a squeak from the back of the house. "Dare?"

"Mack!" she screamed, and I ran for the bedroom.

I arrived to find Darien in a frantic struggle with one of Nika's crew. I recognized Isaak, one of the Kozlov soldiers who was a nasty son of a bitch. Darien managed to knee him in the groin, which had him stunned for a second, but he still didn't release her, so I took over. Slamming my palm upward hard enough to break the guy's nose and draw blood, but not enough to jam the bone into his brain, Isaak squealed in pain. I hit him one more time and he went down like a stone. I checked his pulse. The asshole was still breathing, which was good. I wanted him alive for what I had planned.

"Stay the fuck down, Isaak," I ordered, and reached for Darien. "You okay?"

She nodded, tears streaming down her face and I saw her upper lip was cut and swollen. "I'm going to get a wath cloth," she slurred, and slinked her way toward the bathroom, careful to stay clear of her attacker.

I swore and pulled out my cell phone.

"Booker."

I scowled. "Isaak attacked Darien at my place. Get the crew over here."

"On it."

Booker hung up and I rolled a still unconscious Isaak onto his stomach, grabbing a set of cable ties and tying his hands behind his back. I sat him up and tied him to the bed, then I went looking for Darien. She was at the sink, pressing a towel to her mouth. "Hey."

"Hey."

"Here, let me help." I took the towel away and put cold water on the end, then settled it against her lip. "Did he do anything else?"

"He hit me in my stomach," she whispered, and I could tell she was trying not to break. "I saw it coming and turned, but he got me on my hip. I fell."

"Which hip?"

"My wight."

"Hold this," I said, and she took the towel. I slid the band of her yoga pants down over her hip and I saw a dark red spot that went from the top of her pelvis down to her hip. "Baby," I whispered. "That's gonna hurt like a bitch in the morning."

"It huts now!" she slurred into the towel.

"How's your mouth?"

"It huts."

I pulled her hand down, and gently raised her lip. No chipped teeth, but she was bleeding, so I put the towel back on and added a little pressure. "Let's get ice on you." I wrapped an arm gently around her waist and walked her past Isaak and out to the great room. Within minutes, Booker, Hawk, Ace, and Knight were storming into my house, obviously having used Booker's key. "Where is he?" Booker demanded.

I nodded to the back. "Bedroom. I'm gonna take care of Darien and then I'll join you."

Knight stepped to Darien who stood at the island. "You okay, babe?"

I watched her blink back tears, but she nodded, and Knight squeezed her arm gently before heading to the back of the house.

"Let's get some ice on that lip," I said, and wrapped a towel around an icepack. She gasped as the cold touched her skin and I slipped her hair gently behind her ear. "Better?"

"He had a knife," she whispered, barely loud enough to hear.

"Yeah?"

She nodded. "He said he was going to... slit my throat... and make you watch." She hiccupped as her composure broke and she burst into tears.

I pulled her against me and laid my hand on her head, stroking her hair gently. "Okay, baby, I've got you."

"We should take her back to the compound," Booker said as he walked back into the room. "Have Suz look her over."

Darien shook her head. "I just want to go home."

"It's not safe there right now," I said, and pulled my hand away with a frown. "Babe, you're still bleeding."

"But they'll know we're back together if we go to the club."

"They're gonna know either way," Booker said. "If you're at the club, no one can touch you."

"What about Pauley and Barney?"

Booker smiled. "They can come as well, Darien."

"Where will we sleep?"

"You'll sleep with Mack," Booker continued. "Pauley can sleep in the bunk room."

"Dare," I said, and rinsed out a towel. "Your head is bleeding," I repeated.

"It is?" she asked.

"Yeah. Sit down."

"I'll get Pauley," Knight offered. "I brought my truck."

"Thanks, Knight," Darien said. "Tell Pauley to get Barney's leash, we'll bring my stuff from here." She looked up at me. "Is that okay?"

"Yeah, it's okay, but you need to sit down." I squeezed her shoulder and guided her to a stool, pushing her gently down. "I'm gonna grab you some ibuprofen."

She nodded while Booker went back to the bedroom. Dropping her head onto her arm on the island, Darien groaned and then shot off the stool and to the sink, vomiting uncontrollably into it.

"Shit!" I hissed, and rushed to her. "Dare?"

"I'm dizzy," she said, and passed out.

I caught her, cradling her head gently. "Fuck! Book!" I bellowed as I settled Darien on the sofa.

Booker rushed into the room and headed straight for Darien.

"He fuckin' did somethin' to her head," I said, and grabbed my keys. "I'm takin' her to emergency."

"Go. I got this," Booker said.

"Thanks." I lifted Darien gently and carried her to the car, buckling her in, my heart racing in fear. I probably should have called an ambulance, but I knew I could get her there faster and I wasn't willing to risk the ambulance being delayed.

She started to come around just as I parked and rushed to her side of the car. I yanked the door open and unbuckled her, wrapping an arm around her waist and lifting her out.

"Sick," she warned, and I moved her to a grassy area where she promptly threw up again. "Oh, God, my head hurts."

"I know, baby. We're at the hospital."

"I think I hit my head."

"Yeah, you're bleeding. You don't remember me telling you?" I asked.

"Huh-uh," she whispered.

"Give me your weight and we'll get you inside."

She slid her arm over my shoulders and leaned against me. "Mack?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm dizzy again."

"You pass out, I got you."

"I'm not going to pass out," she said. "I'm just not feeling well."

"Do you remember the fucker hittin' you in the head?"

She shook her head and then whimpered. "I think it happened when I fell. He hit me in the face and I fell backwards."

"Fuck!" I whispered, guided her into the emergency area.

"Mack?" a voice called just as we entered the lobby.

I looked up to see a somewhat familiar face. Macey, I thought her name was.

"Hey. Booker called," she said. "I'm Macey Stone. My husband and I live in Booker and Dani's building."

"Right," I said. "You've been to a couple get-togethers."

"Yes. Let's get Darien inside. I'll grab a wheelchair. You can fill out the paperwork while we look her over."

"Thanks."

I was impressed by how quickly Macey got Darien checked in, seen by a doctor (who happened to be her brother-in-law) and had her in a bed to await a cat scan. I knew it was because she had pull as an ER nurse, and it was our good luck that all this shit happened on a day she was working. Darien had required six stitches, which I found impossible to deal with, so she forced me out of the room.

I trusted that my brothers would take care of everything else, so I could concentrate on Darien. The doctor had given her something for the pain and the nausea and she was resting comfortably for now, however, she wasn't allowed to sleep. I paced the room as my mind raced in worry.

"Mack?"

"Yeah, baby?" I sat at the edge of her bed.

"I'm really tired."

"I know. But you need to stay awake."

"I get it, but if you keep pacing, I'm gonna get dizzier because I can't close my eyes."

I lifted her palm to my lips and kissed it gently. "Sorry."

"I'm okay, honey." She smiled and squeezed my hand. "I'm just going to have a hell of a headache for a little while."

I grimaced. "We're gonna figure this out. It won't touch you again."

She nodded. "I'm supposed to be moving in less than a week."

"Yeah. We'll take care of that too." I ran a thumb across her fingers. "I'm gonna have Knight go through and sort out cameras and a decent security system."

"I can do that."

"Maybe, but he's gonna do it."

Darien rolled her eyes and grimaced at the action.

I shook my head. "No disrespecting your man. It'll hurt your head."

She let out a quiet giggle. "You're taking advantage of my current situation, Logan. You'll change your tune when I'm better."

"Yeah?"

Darien nodded. "You like it when I'm disrespectful."

"Yeah, I guess I do." I leaned down and kissed her cheek gently. "How's your lip?"

"Fine. Nothing hurts right now." She yawned. "I'm just tired."

"Darien?" Pauley rushed into the room and to her bed. "Ohmigod, what happened?" She glared at me. "And what the hell are you doing here?"

"How did you find out I was here?" Darien asked.

"Booker showed up at the apartment. What's going on?"

"It's a long story," Darien said.

"Why's Mack here, Dare?"

"That's also a long story."

"Can you give us a minute?" Pauley continued to glare at me. "Alone?"

I hesitated, but Darien squeezed my hand and smiled. "It's okay, honey."

"Don't fall asleep."

"I won't," Darien promised.

I nodded, leaning down to kiss her gently, before leaving the room.