Strays (Red Kings #1) (20 page)

This
was
Bianca Cole she was dealing with.

Meanwhile, Finn sighed and entered the clubhouse, Johnny and Tyler following behind him. Everything was pretty obvious now that he thought about it. What else would the Saints be doing hanging around that building, feeding the homeless? Not likely.

Looking around the room, he found all of the other members of the club there, probably waiting for them to get back. He nodded to Vic, indicating that everything had gone relatively well.

The Red Kings president motioned to the conference room. “C’mon.” His eyes swept along the room.

The bikers made their way inside, half-empty beers in hand. Taking their places around the wooden table, all of their faces turned hard.

Vic looked at the prospect and Johnny before his eyes focused on Finn. “So? What are our friends up to?”

“No good, just like we suspected.” Finn’s words earned a snort from Jagger.

“No shit?”

Ignoring the interruption, the vice president continued. “Would have been easier sneaking around after dark, but we got what we went for. That warehouse they’re hanging around?” He looked at his brothers that were seated at the large table. “They’re storing their heroin in it.”

“Aye.” Johnny took the lead. “It’s not our concern at this point, but it’s not gonna be long before that heroin enters Lakeside.”

“So close to the border, I won’t be surprised if it’s already inside.” Lincoln took a drag from his cigarette, blowing the smoke out slowly.

“How’s their security?” Jagger had both of his hands on the table, twirling a lighter. He was itching for something to do, somebody to hit.

“Two security cameras, one in the back and one at the front.” Everyone turned to Tyler and he swallowed, not appreciating the attention. “Three guys sporting heavy hardware. We couldn’t get a good look inside, but I’m pretty sure there aren’t civilians around. ”

“They’re feeling safe then, the pricks.” Jagger’s blue eyes were alight with excitement; he looked like Christmas had come early. Already knowing what was about to happen, he spun the lighter one last time, letting it fall on the table. “What are we gonna do?”

All eyes went to the charter president, the guys waiting to hear what he had to say.

“They know how things work around here. Last time we laid the ground rules out for them, I thought we’d come to an understanding.” He chuckled, a dark sound that had no humor in it. “Looks like I was wrong.” Shrugging, he looked around the table. “All in favor of paying a visit to our Mexican friends and helping them with their heroin business?”

“Hell yeah, man.” Jagger was the first one to raise his hand. Following his lead, the other members did the same. A small smile played on Vic’s lips.

“Tonight then.”

***

“You do realize this is a store that sells clothing for men, right?” Jackie looked at her shopping companion like she was crazy. 

“No, really? I hadn’t noticed,” Bianca deadpanned as they crossed the small parking lot. “You’re not exactly fit for the maternity section. Unless you want to buy a dress with a tacky flower print. Everything else will scream ‘I’m pregnant’, and we don’t want that, do we?”

Sighing, the younger woman nodded. “Yeah. You’re right, I guess.”

Entering the store, they were met with the smiling face of the owner, an older woman with graying hair and a wrinkled face.

“Hello, Bianca. Shopping for Vic?”

“Hey, Tina.” Smiling in return, the biker queen nodded her head. “Yeah, you know how he is.” She pushed Jackie into the store, steering her towards the shirt section and away from the clerk. “Nosy old bat.”

The other woman chuckled, amused. “You’re awful.”

“Yeah?” Bianca quirked an eyebrow and smirked, looking Jackie directly in the eyes. “You should hear what I say about you when you’re not around.”

The two shopped for awhile, picking up a few items here and there. After making their purchases, they returned to the car and headed to their next stop. Jackie lost all courage the moment they drove into the parking lot. Looking across from her at the hospital doors, she just couldn’t find it in herself to enter.

One forty-five. One forty-six. One forty-seven.

The digits on the clock in the car continued to change and Jackie kept watching them, unaffected by the passing time.

“We’re gonna be late, you know.” Bianca’s firm voice reached her ears, pulling her out of her reverie. “C’mon, sweetheart. Let’s go in.”

“I can’t.” Turning frightened eyes to the woman that had supported her until now, she pleaded for her understanding. “You know how small towns are. It’s gonna travel all over Lakeside the minute we enter that hospital. I’ll be the new piece of gossip entertaining the town’s women – the pregnant chick rolling with the Kings. I can just see it now.” Shaking her head, Jackie took a deep breath. “I can't risk someone here telling the guys about it. I’ll be out of Florida by the end of the month anyway. I can go see someone then.” She had spent three months without going to see a doctor and everything was fine. Why did she need to visit one now?

Bianca took her hands and looked into her eyes, her fierce gaze trained on the expectant mother. “Stop with that shit and get a grip. You’re not going anywhere, baby. The guys won’t let you.
I
won’t let you.” The conviction with which the words were spoken made goose bumps travel all over Jackie's body. “Now, we’re going into that hospital and getting you checked out, okay?” When she got the nod she was expecting, Bianca loosened her grip. “Okay. And don’t worry about the doctor. There are ways to make sure nothing gets out.”

“Okay.” Taking a deep breath, the young woman exited the car. “Here we go.”

The biker queen was by her side in a matter of seconds, putting an arm around her shoulders. “Everything’s going to be fine.” Sharing a small smile, the two women entered the hospital.

Using the elevators, they went up to the second floor and stopped at the front desk. There was a young nurse typing away on a computer, but she looked up at their arrival.

“Hi there.” Bianca started the conversation, all confidence and power. “We have an appointment with Doctor Hodge.”

“Office 206, down the hall.”

“Thank you.” Taking Jackie by the arm, Bianca made her way to the appropriate room and entered after a quick knock.

An older man was seated next to a small desk looking at a file. He rose when he saw them and took off his reading glasses.

“Bianca!” He had a bright smile on his face. It was obvious he was happy to see her. “Looking beautiful, as always.”

“Christian.” Bianca reached in for a quick hug. “Charming, as always.”

“Well at age sixty, I've got to have something going for me.” He winked in Jackie’s direction. “This is the friend you told me about?”

“Yes.” She shoved the smaller woman forward slightly.

“Well, come on then. Let's get started. Time is money.” He led them into a connected exam room and gestured for her to get situated on the exam table. “Let me just grab your folder.” He scurried out of the room momentarily, leaving the two women to gossip.

“You’re familiar with Doctor Charming then?” Jackie asked quietly with a smile.

“He's been my lady-parts doctor since he got out of med school.” She shrugged, smirking at the other woman. “He’s good at what he does. Gonna keep it private, too.”

“Okay then.” Jackie took a deep breath. “I’m ready.”

Entering the examination room again, the doctor smiled at his patient in reassurance. “Since you haven’t been examined before, we’re going to do some tests first. You said you’re a little over three months?” He waited for her to nod before continuing. “Okay, then we can do a sonogram if you want to. The sex of the baby can’t be determined yet. That can happen when you’re around four months at the earliest. But we can determine your due date and you can see the baby.”

Jackie smiled at the thought. “I’d like that.”

“Let’s get started then, shall we?”

They ran through the tests one by one, Jackie barely keeping up with which test was for what. After an hour, the only thing left was the ultrasound. She hopped up on the cot, nervously lifting her shirt. The circumstances surrounding her pregnancy had been more than dire, and she hadn’t gotten the time to really appreciate the idea of being pregnant. But now, seconds away from seeing it, she was realizing that this child was as much a blessing as it was a curse.

The doctor pulled a chair next to her bed, wheeling the ultrasound scanner with him. He looked at her and smiled reassuringly.

“You can call the father and we can wait for him to get here, if you’d like.” He patted one of her hands. “He won’t want to miss this.”

Jackie paled, the reminder that she was alone in this situation draining all of her excitement. “I-”

“That won’t be necessary, Doc.” Bianca went to her rescue, standing next to the head of the bed. She took Jackie’s hand in hers and squeezed it, providing all the support she could. “He’s out of town on business.”

Nodding, Doctor Hodge took a bottle from the cart and uncapped it. His face had turned grim at the mention of ‘business out of town,’ all too familiar with the sort of crowd the ladies were involved with, but he quickly masked it with a smile. “I’m going to put this gel on your stomach.”

He put a thin layer of the clear gel on her belly and she was surprised by the warmth of it; the stuff was always really cold in the movies. After that, the doctor got a small hand-held device that resembled a microphone and was attached to the scanner by a cord. “The pressure might be a bit uncomfortable, but otherwise it’s completely safe.”

Jackie nodded, her eyes glued to the ultrasound screen. She felt the pressure on her stomach, but didn’t have time to think of anything else. There, on the screen, was their baby. Her and Dean’s child. Her eyes filled with joyous tears, all thought of being on her own leaving her head. The baby was so small, barely resembling a human, but it was theirs. Hers.

She wiped at her eyes with one hand, looking to the doctor. “Is…” Her voice failed her and she took a deep breath before trying again. “Is everything okay?”

“Yes, everything looks fine.” Doctor Hodge smiled at her once more. “We’ll have to wait for your test results, but by the looks of it, you’ll have one healthy baby…” Trailing off, he looked at the screen more closely. “…around the end of December.”

“December?”

“Yes, December. The twenty-sixth if my estimations are correct.”

“Perfect! A Christmas baby.” Bianca’s voice startled her. The queen had been silent until now and, being caught up in the baby, Jackie had forgotten she was there.

“A Christmas baby…” Smiling, Jackie looked up at Doctor Hodge. “Can we get a picture?”

“Of course, dear.” The older man smiled at her. “Here are some wipes so you can get cleaned up.” He handed her a box of baby wipes and brought her the sonogram photograph.

“Thank you, Doctor Hodge.” Jackie squeezed his hand gratefully.

“Yes, Christian, thank you.” Bianca expressed her own gratitude. “Not only for the exam, but for keeping it quiet, too.”

“You’re most welcome. Anything for my favorite lady.” He winked at Bianca and she grinned mischievously back at him, then led Jackie out of the room.

“See, sweetheart. Wasn’t so bad.”

Jackie smiled to herself, the sonogram burning a hole through her pocket. No, it wasn’t bad at all.

***