The Biker's Fate Chapter 279

"Let's get these knees bandaged."

"We need to find out what's going on. And Poppy needs me."

"Baby, Jaxon'll fill me in on Alison when he can. There's nothin' we can do right now, so my priority is you and Poppy. Lily has Poppy and she'll take care of her. Your knees are bleedin' again and we need to get them bandaged." He stood. "Stay put."

I stayed put. Hatch grabbed some supplies from his bathroom and gently cleaned my knees, smearing ointment on them, then sticking bandages gently over the wounds. "How's your arm?"

"It hurts."

"You got anything in your bag?"

I shook my head.

Hatch frowned. "I'll find you somethin'."

He leaned down and kissed me gently before heading back into his bathroom and I flopped back onto the bed. "My jeans are ruined, aren't they?"

"No."

"Are they torn?"

"Yeah."

"Then they're ruined," I informed him.

He returned with a bottle of ibuprofen and a bottled water. "Not ruined, babe."

I took the pills and sighed. "You just have to argue with everything, don't you?"

"I don't argue with everything."

"Yes you—oh, I see what you did there." I rolled my eyes, and Hatch smiled. "Thanks, love."

"Your jeans are fine, Maisie. A little blood and some tearing at the knee, but totally wearable for today."

I couldn't believe I was worried about ripped jeans when my best friend had just shot herself. I squeezed my eyes shut. This is exactly what happened to me when Niall died. I'd have these moments where I'd hyper-focus on something else. I'd worry the roses by the kitchen window were getting too much light, or that the pillowcases on the guest bed weren't ironed; stupid, insignificant things like that… Alison said it was my brain trying to give me a break from the pain.

Tears slipped down my cheeks and I burrowed closer to Hatch. God, Ali. Why?

Hatch shifted and pulled his phone out of his pocket, putting it against his ear. "Hatch. Hey. Yeah." He dragged a hand through his hair and glanced at me. "Yeah. Shit. Yeah. Okay, Jax. Thanks, man." He slid his phone back in his pocket and faced me. "She's gone, Maisie."

The last ounce of hope I'd been holding onto exploded and I burst into tears again. Alison had done it. She'd really killed herself.

"Ryan and Merrick went to a movie, so their phones were off. Alison has had this planned for a while… she left a note."

"Ohmigod." I covered my mouth with my hand. "Why would she do that to Grace? Kill herself in front of her own daughter?"

His face darkened.

"What?"

"In the note…," he shook his head, "she was gonna kill Gracie too."

My stomach roiled. I rushed into the bathroom again, but all I could do was dry heave. It felt like my heart was trying to come up. Hatch hunkered down beside me and held my hair back as I leaned over the toilet. I couldn't wrap my mind around what Hatch said. Couldn't do it. I didn't think I even wanted to try.

My cell phone pealed in the other room and Hatch rose to his feet. "I'll get it."

"Thanks," I said into the bowl.

The phone had stopped ringing by the time Hatch walked back into the bathroom, but he handed it to me and I leaned back against the wall and checked my voicemail.

"Maisie, it's Ryan…" I squeezed my eyes shut. God, he sounded wrecked. "Can… ah… can you… do you have… would you be able to help with Merrick and Grace? I called my Mom. I just need them somewhere safe until I can… well… fuck. Call me if you can. Please?"

I dropped my phone on the bathroom rug and buried my face in my hands. "Ryan. He needs help with the kids."

Hatch slid down the wall, sitting beside me and wrapping a hand around my thigh. "What do you want to do, Sunshine?"

"They don't have any family here."

He waited.

"I don't know what to do, Hatch," I whispered. "I don't have room for them."

"The kids can come here," he said. "We've got plenty of food and there's nothin' planned tomorrow, so it'll be quiet, but we can have a few of the brothers around for coverage. We can stop by your place and grab a few things for you and Poppy."

"So you can make sure we're safe too," I deduced.

"Yeah, Sunshine, that'd be good."

"God," I breathed out. "I don't know if I can do this."

"You can say no, Maisie."

I dropped my head to the wall and closed my eyes. "I don't think I can. Those kids have no one."

"Whatever you decide, I got your back. We all do."

I gave him a sad smile. "Thanks, love."

"Mum?" Poppy called.

"She's in here." Hatch rose to his feet and stepped into his room.

"Be right out, Poppet." I didn't really want Poppy to see me sobbing on his bathroom floor, so I picked myself up and washed my face. I found an unopened toothbrush in his medicine cabinet and used it, then peeked into the room. "Can I get my jeans, please?"

"Why don't you have your jeans on?" Poppy asked.

"I skinned my knees, so I needed to clean them."

"Are you okay?" she asked, the worry in her voice heartbreaking.

"Yes, darling. They're all good now."

Hatch handed me my jeans and I pulled them on as quickly as I could. Contrary to his opinion, they were ruined. He might be fine with wearing jeans that were ripped up (and looked good in them), I, however, was not. I shook my head.

Again! What the hell was wrong with me? Who the hell cared about jeans when my best friend had just shot herself?

I felt tears escape. God, Alison. What the hell?

"Baby?"

"I'm okay," I lied, and turned to face Hatch.

He took my hand and squeezed it gently, and I stepped out and pulled Poppy into my arms. I filled her in on what was going on (filtering heavily), then we sat down and discussed options.

Poppy settled her chin in her palm and looked at Hatch. "Is Gracie safe?"

Hatch nodded. "Yeah, baby girl, she's safe."

"If she and Merrick are here with me and Mum, everyone will be okay? I mean…"

"What, Poppet?" I pressed.

"Will Uncle Ryan let them come here?"

"He asked me to look after them, so I think he'll be okay with it," I said.

"Well, if he's not, will you make him let them come, Hatch?"

"I'm gonna do my best," he promised. "Do you feel comfortable staying here with Cricket? Your mom and I might be gone for a few hours." I whipped my head toward Hatch and he shook his head. "Grace and Merrick will want you, Sunshine. They're gonna be freaked. There's no safer place than here for Poppy."

"He's right, Mum," Poppy said. Her maturity shining as it often did in surprising ways. "I'm fine."

"You'll need to take care of Sparky," I said.

"I can do that," Poppy promised.

"I'm gonna call Jax on the way," Hatch said, and we headed downstairs.