ChapterSix
Preacher
Blood splattered and exhausted, I leave the room we’d set up as an infirmary. My patients are stable for now, but I anticipate more with the way the phone continues to ring off the hook and brothers continue to come and go in a steady flow. Rubbing my sleep weary eyes, I walk down the hallway to the office.
“How’s everyone?” Aries asks.
“Wrench is stable for now, but if he gets an infection, it could be bad. We have to keep that wound clean and keep pumping the antibiotics. Calling the doctor out wouldn’t be a bad idea.”
Grimm nods.
“Shadow, how you feeling?” I eye the patch job I did on his arm where he was grazed.
“I’m good. I know the drill, keep it dry and clean ’til it heals.”
“Good man.” I give him a nod of approval. My patients tend to be irresponsible and hard-headed. It keeps me busy, and them in pain and coming back for treatment that could’ve been avoided. It’s par for the course when you’re living with a group that thrives on individuality and not being told what to do.
“Preach.” Grimm lifts his head. “We have to hit back at them for this.”
“I know, brother.” I nod.
“I don’t do anything halfway.”
“What are you asking me?”
“Guidance.”
I drop my head. “Taking a life is never an easy thing, and for that reason we don’t do it often or without reason. They’ve rained hell down on us with no sign of stopping. They’re risking civilians, and going after my woman, so this is personal for me. This is about more than keeping our family safe, we’re providing a service to our community. We wanted this to be bigger than us. This is how we start, by taking out the trash and clearing our name.”
Grimm nods. “I need to make my peace with what we’re about to do. We’re not attacking, we’re decimating and leaving nothing behind but ashes.”
“I’m with you ever step of the way, brother.”
“We’re calling church in thirty minutes, and we’re going in hot. Tech chased down the clubhouse locations and the assholes they hired to work with them.” His brow is furrowed, and I can almost see the weight weighing down his shoulders. He’s sending a message of guilt by association.
“I’ll be ready.” I push off from the wall and walk toward my dorm with thoughts of the two women who mean the most flooding my mind. I need to come back from this for them. I have to believe God wouldn’t give me a second chance at a family only to rip it away. Inside of my room, I strip off my clothes and move into the bathroom. Turning the shower to near boiling, I climb under the spray and bow my head, resting my hands against the white tile. I let the water rinse away the grime and the insecurities. People look to me to be solid in the midst of the action.
I know you have a plan, but right now I’m not able to see it. Pumping out my soap, I lather up and scrub down. To run this mission, I have to put everything else on hold. The needs of the many outweigh mine. It’s the deal I agreed to when I took this role for my brothers. But I need to do one final thing first. Turning off the water, I step out, towel off, and wrap it around my waist as I trust my gut. If I leave this world, it won’t be with things left unsaid. I dig my phone out of my cut and call Smiley.
“Preacher.”
“Everything going good out that way?”
“All’s quite here.”
“My girl?”
“Keeping busy, but uh …” He clears his throat. “Melancholy.”
“I know it’s late, but I need to talk to Queenie. Wake her if you need to.”
“I’m on it.” I listen to the rustling of material and then his feet moving over the wooden floors. He taps on her door.
“Yeah.” I love the sound of her sleepy voice.
“Preacher is on the phone.” I hear a thud and the sound of a door opening.
“Give me,” she whispers. “Edmund?”