Hadley (The Club Girl Diaries Book 3) (12 page)

Ham heaved himself inside the car just as I threw it into reverse.

The tires screeched loudly as they fought to find traction on the road. There was a loud crunch and I cringed, knowing I’d just hit Ham’s bike.

I started to apologize, but the sound of the windscreen smashing and covering us both in glass instead caused me to scream. Luckily, the truck had a reversing camera, so I ducked below the dash as bullets pierced the vehicle.

“Get Macy!” I yelled at Ham over the revving engine. He instantly scrambled with his head down, through the center of the seats. I could hear her crying as Ham laid himself across her, attempting to protect her from any loose fire.

The loud booming of the gunshots ceased, and I slammed on the brakes. Taking a careful peek over the steering wheel, I saw the two figures running back toward their car.

“We need to get to the clubhouse,” Ham said frantically over Macy’s frightened cries. I heard him trying to smooth the little girl, but she was scared.

We were all scared.

I sat up straight and pushed the truck back into drive. There was no way in hell I was letting her get hurt. She was all Leo had left. Macy was his everything. He wasn’t going to lose her today. “Hold on to Macy. Don’t you dare let her go,” I told him fiercely as I slammed my foot to the floor. The truck picked up speed. The car parked across the road in front of us was an older model, and significantly smaller than Leo’s monster. Wind hit my face harshly through the holes in the windshield, but I blinked away the tears that burned in my eyes.

The car began to turn, attempting to follow us. I braced myself as I swerved to the left and pressed my foot to the brake. The front of the truck collided with the back end of their car, spinning it across the road and onto the grass verge. The impact tightened the safety belt against my body, forcing a whoosh of air out of my lungs as I jolted forward. I sat stunned for a moment. The loud crunching of metal against metal and smashing glass ringing in my ears.

“Go!” Ham screamed from the backseat. I jumped before forcing my foot to the floor once again. The smell of burnt rubber followed us as we sped down the road.

“Is she okay?” I asked loudly, checking in my rear vision mirror to see the damaged car once again turning back onto the road and coming after us. “Macy, baby. Sing with me, honey,” I called over the noises that invaded the broken truck. Wind whooshed in, the motor screamed loudly as I speed down the road, trying to keep at a speed that was fast but wouldn’t get us killed.

Macy continued to cry, so I started singing loudly, hoping it would ease her. “The wheels on the bus go round and round…” my voice shook noticeably, “…round and round, round and round.”

Ham’s head popped up between the seats, his phone to his ear and his head flicking back and forth between the road in front of us and the gaining car. “Open the gates! We’re coming in hot!”

“The driver on the bus says please—” My eyes flicked up to check how far they were behind us, and I spotted a man with his head and arm out the passenger’s window. “Get down!”

Ham dived back behind the seats, just as a bullet flew through the back window, shattering the glass and coating both him and Macy. I tried to keep my head down, but I needed to see where we were going. Another bullet hit the wing mirror and I yelped, pulling on the wheel and causing us to swerve before righting it again.

“The wheels on the bus…” I continued loudly.

Ham yelled into his cell phone, “I don’t know who they are!”

“I can see the club road, hold on,” I told him loudly. The car behind us was coming up fast, I slowed down a little and threw on my blinker.

“Why are you indicating?” Ham yelled in disbelief.

“It’s a fucking habit, okay!”

I tried to slow down a little for the corner, but there just wasn’t time. The back end of the truck started to slide, and I cursed loudly, hoping I’d be able to hold it. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.” We hit the curb with a bump before I managed to pull us back onto the street.

Seeing the clubhouse gates open up ahead, my foot hit the floor again. Car tires squealed behind us, and I knew now I’d make it inside before they got to us.

Men ran out the gates toward the road, large guns in their hands.

“Oh shit!” The truck hit the curb and bounced inside as I slammed my foot on the brakes, trying my best to pull it to a stop before I ran through the long line of bikes in front of the clubhouse.

Ham was out the door before the truck had even come to a complete stop. I took a breath, inhaling deeply through my nose, my foot pressed down on the brake so hard my foot ached.

Just as I began to allow my body to relax, the sound of automatic weapons being fired caused me to throw my arms over my head.

Macy’s cries filled the car, and my body seemed to come alive. Putting the truck into park, I wrestled with the seatbelt, ripping it off my body before throwing myself over the broken glass and debris, into the back seat. I struggled with Macy’s buckle, her little arms reached out to me as bullets still rained heavily outside.

Hooking my hands under her arms, I lifted her to my chest and sunk both of our bodies into the small space on the floor between the back of the driver’s seat and her car seat.

“The wheels on the bus go round and round…” I sang loudly, cradling her against my body, her head tucked under my chin and my eyes focused on the door in front of me, “…round and round, round and round...”

Her tiny body shook, and I felt tears forming in my eyes as I tried my best to stay strong for her, ready to protect her from anything.

“Where are they?” a voice called from outside.

“In the truck!”

A shadow moved across the door I was watching, my body instinctually wrapping my arms tighter around Macy as it flew open.

“Fuck.” The sound of Leo’s voice caused me to release a loud sob, and the tears began to stream freely.

I looked up at him, his large body filling the doorway, his hands braced on both sides and his head hung low. A large semi-automatic rifle was strapped over his shoulder and hanging loosely in front of him.

His eyes met mine from beneath his tense, furrowed brow. “Fuck,” he muttered again as his eyes moved over us, searching every inch.

Macy began to squirm, seeming to realize that her father was right behind her and desperately seeking the safety of his arms. He passed the gun off to someone beside him, and I lifted Macy to her feet, the light crunch of glass under her shoes sending shivers through my body. Leo quickly reached in and lifted his baby into his arms, crushing her tightly to his chest and closing his eyes.

Even through the tears, the smudge of red across the side of her cheek stood out brightly, causing me to gasp. “Oh my gosh, Leo, she’s bleeding.”

He pulled back, much to Macy’s protests and ran his hand across her cheek.

His eyes then moved to me. “It’s not hers, it’s yours,” he said quietly.

I held my hands out in front of me, there were small pieces of glass embedded in my skin. The knees of my jeans had small blood spots from where the glass had poked through and pierced the skin underneath, no doubt from when I’d rushed into the back to Macy. My senses now more alert, I could feel the pain and the warm blood that had trickled down the side of my face.

Up until that point, the adrenaline of the chase had kept me oblivious to any of it, but now it was all becoming so real.

“I broke your truck,” I whispered, finally taking the chance to look around at the aftermath.

“I know, baby,” Leo agreed, his voice soft and sympathetic.

“Ham okay?”

Leo nodded. “You did good, Hadley.”

I bobbed my head in agreement. “I got us back.”

“Yeah, baby. You did,” he said, offering me a smile like you would give a child when they had done something brave. “Now come on, Doc is on his way to check you all out.”

Leo shuffled Macy onto his hip and held his hand out to me. I wiggled myself out from between the seats, trying to use my elbows to push myself up and avoid more glass in my palms. I took his hand, and he didn’t even flinch as he helped me to shuffle across the seats and step out on the gravel of the clubhouse grounds. He pulled me against his body and his lips lightly brushed against my hair, the tension in his shoulders releasing and causing him to slump.

I swallowed harshly as I saw all the men, standing around us and the truck, watching as I emerged. They didn’t say anything, but they did nod their heads as Leo guided me toward the clubhouse, Macy tucked into one side and me into the other.

I peeked over my shoulder before stepping through the door, the brothers all moving toward the vehicle now and assessing the damage. Some looked concerned, others in complete awe. But when I took notice myself, my heart stopped and I froze. The front bumper was smashed and deformed, front and back windows shattered, bullet holes in the body, scratches, and dents down the side. It looked like we’d been in some kind of a wreck. I didn’t remember them firing that many bullets, with just the holes I could see from where I was standing. I must have somehow managed to block them out, my main focus—getting us all home alive.

“You made it,” Leo muttered as he tugged on my hand, pulling me through the doorway. “That’s all that matters.”

Barely.

But I’d take it.

“Anything?” I asked, stepping into Optimus’ office, my voice tired and my body drained. But at the same time, I was looking to pick a fight. I wanted answers, and I wanted them fucking now.

It was 10.00 p.m. and I’d finally been able to remove myself from Macy’s arms as she was too exhausted to keep her eyes open any longer. Harmony was sitting in my room with her in case she woke up.

I couldn’t wait until morning to talk to my brothers.

Ham sat on the sofa against the wall, his head hanging down, looking at the floor, while Kit and Blizzard stood back against the walls.

Op shook his head, leaning back in his office chair. “I’ve got Wrench on it, and Kit’s got Tie running through shit, too. So far, these guys were nobodies.”

I nodded, squeezing my hands into fists in frustration. Unfortunately, dead men can’t talk. As soon as Op had received the call from Ham, warning us about what was going down, there was no time to plan. It was simply, protect our own.

Someone was trying to hurt my baby. I wasn’t about to chase after them and ask fucking questions.

I wanted them dead.

Nobody fucked with my family and walked away breathing.

We’d filled that car with a hail of bullets, killing both the guys inside within seconds. Pictures and fingerprints were taken, and now they were taking a ride with Camo and Eagle into a watery grave.

Ham’s bike was a complete write off and so was my truck. But right now, I didn’t give a shit.

Three lives were accounted for, and that was all that mattered.

That and figuring out what the fuck had happened.

Ham swore quietly.

Op swiveled to face him. “You did good, kid.”

He shook his head, finally raising his eyes to us. “It was all Hadley, man. As soon as she spotted the gun, she had the truck in reverse before I was even fully inside. She told me to get in the back, and I pretty much spent the whole time covering Macy while she got our asses out of there.”

I listened intently, reaching over and patting him on the shoulder. “Thanks for looking out for my girl.”

Ham nodded as he met my eyes. “Fuck man, of course.”

“Go get some rest. We’ll deal with this all tomorrow,” Op ordered the kid, pointing toward the door.

He bobbed his head, not saying anything as he pushed off the sofa and headed out the door, pulling it closed behind him.

I groaned loudly, dropping into the space he’d just vacated. “What are we feeling about this? Were they after Hadley, or was this an attack on the club? Because if it’s the latter, we need to be prepared.”

“We get prepared either way,” Blizzard said, stepping in and bracing himself against Op’s desk. “Hadley’s one of ours, and both Macy and Ham were in that vehicle. Whether it was directed at her or not, whoever it is, just started a war.”

“No fucking kidding,” I murmured in anger, my throat tight.

“Church first thing in the morning,” Op ordered, standing from his seat. “We’ll discuss it then.”

“How’s Hadley doing?” I asked as we moved to the door. I hadn’t seen her since Doc took her to check her over. Macy had been my priority. I hated myself for letting her get caught up in this bullshit. She should never have to see that shit or be involved in anything like that.

My heart ached, wondering what Kim was thinking, letting our daughter be hurt.

I’d let them both down.

“She’s fine,” he answered as we headed down the hall to the main room. “Few stitches, bit of whiplash. I’ve given her a few days with no interruptions to recover.”

I breathed a little easier. I wasn’t sure if it were because she’d come out unscathed, or because I knew she’d be untouchable. But both put my mind at ease.

Op patted me on the back and headed for the staircase.

I knew I should follow. Get back to my baby, hold her close, just to remind myself of what I’d nearly lost. But my body was wound so tightly, I just needed a drink.

Macy could have so easily been killed today—the thought made me shudder.

She was all I had left.

Nothing else mattered if she wasn’t with me.

Not life, not anything.

I promised myself a long time ago that even with Kim gone, I would make sure that Macy grew up strong, with everything in her life that she’d ever need.

Unlike her sister, Kim loved the club, and they adored her. She was strong, focused and passionate about helping others. Reasons why she made the perfect nurse. She didn’t judge people by the way they looked, it didn’t matter to her.

I remembered the day she found out she was pregnant, how her face had lit up and her eyes shone with excitement about bringing a child into the world. She knew Macy would be loved and cherished. Having the brothers behind us didn’t scare her, she wasn’t afraid of Macy getting hurt by our world. Instead, she saw the amount of love and protection that the club offered.

Even today, seeing my baby girl so shaken and upset by what had happened, I knew in my heart Kim would never see it as an excuse to run. She would see it as a reason to fight, let them know that no matter what they threw at us, we were stronger because of the fierce love that flowed through our brotherhood.

No one would hurt our baby and walk away breathing.

I slipped onto a bar stool, and Skylar moved toward me with a soft smile. “You need a beer.” It was a statement, not a question. She’d already started pouring it before I could even answer and slipped it across to me before heading back to where she was stacking the fridge.

“How you feeling?” Kit asked, pulling up a seat next to me.

“Like I could have lost everything today.” I took a few large mouthfuls of the bitter liquid. “Just lucky Hadley was so quick on her feet.”

“Yeah, she’s smart. Gorgeous too. But don’t tell Harm I said that.” He chuckled softly.

I looked over at him. “You’re grew up in the club. How did your parents do it?”

“Club life is dangerous,” he admitted seriously. “When it comes to your family, I think it’s about finding balance.”

“How?”

He shrugged. “I never grew up inside the clubhouse like you boys do with the kids here. We had a house, Mom stayed at home with us. The clubhouse wasn’t off limits, but we’d always check with him before we came in to visit. If there was something going down, or any kind of threat or danger, he’d keep us away.”

“And that worked best?”

“It meant he could worry about business without us under his feet or getting caught up in the drama,” Kit explained, tapping his fingers on the bar.

I took another drink of my beer. “You think I should move Macy out of here?”

He held up his hands. “Ain’t telling you anything, bro. Different things work for different people. You don’t have a woman at home to watch her while you work. That makes it harder.”

Kit’s words really did make sense. Maybe it was time I thought about moving Macy out of the clubhouse and into our own place. It would be harder to juggle. The clubhouse more often than not had someone around to watch her if I got called to do something, but if it was safer for her to be out of the danger zone, I would make it work.

Looking up, I saw Skylar shuffle out of the kitchen holding a tray of food.

I patted Kit on the shoulder. “Hey, man. Sorry for keeping Harm from you. You think she’ll be okay for a few more minutes while I check on Hadley?”

Kit laughed. “I’ve got the rest of my life with her man, I’m not worried if she’s busy watching your girl for a bit. Take your time.”

“Thanks, brother.”

I jumped off the stool and headed Skylar off before she walked down the club girls’ hall. “That for Hadley?”

She smiled and held it out for me. “All yours.”

“Thanks.”