“And where will you go? To your family’s island? Costa knows where it’s at. He has boats anchored a few miles off the coast waiting for any movement.” Gideon stated.
“And you can’t take her back to Chicago. Bianchi’s men are watching.” Jonathon added.
“California is out. The Golden Skulls are being hunted by Ascari’s men,” a deep gravelly voice said from behind me. Turning slowly, I stood as a man stepped out of the shadows, someone I knew. Someone I worked hard to save months ago, who would have died if I hadn’t been there. When he held out his hand, I took it as he said, “Thank you for being there that day, for saving me and for taking care of my sister.”
Pulling him close, I hugged him. I thought I would never see him again when he fled the hospital. After everything, the man had been through, I honestly believed he disappeared to die in some hole, where no one would ever find him.
Releasing him, I grinned, “You look like shit man.”
“Feel like it too.”
“Bullseye, you were supposed to stay hidden.” Gideon sighed.
Dylan Franks, also known as Bullseye, a member of the Golden Skulls Motorcycle Club, said nothing as he flipped Gideon the one-finger bird before taking a seat. Bullseye did indeed look like shit. If I didn’t know any better, I would say he wasn’t sleeping and from his glassy eyes, he was barely sober. The man seriously needed to shave. He was still recovering from surgery; I could also tell he had lost some weight. I wondered if he was taking his anti-rejection meds. God, I hoped he was. Then again, he did have his wife’s heart beating in his chest and with the way he felt about her, I knew he would do nothing to harm that heart. Still, I could tell he wasn’t well. I wanted so much to talk privately with him. To see if there was anything I could do. I may not know much but I knew enough.
Gideon and Jonathon both stood. “We will let you two catch up. Bullseye, make him see reason.” Gideon firmly said, before the two of them disappeared into another cabin.
When they were no longer in earshot, I asked, “How are you feeling? Do you have your meds? Have you had any complications?”
“I’m fine. Just tired. I don’t sleep much.”
“And your heart?”
I watched as he slowly touched the middle of his chest, rubbing the area tenderly as if it was something precious. “Still beating strong.”
I could tell it wasn’t easy for him to talk about this but I had to know. For the entire ride to the hospital, I had his life in my hands. It wasn’t an easy feat keeping him alive and a few times, I thought I lost him. Sitting next to him, I asked, “What the hell are you doing here? The last I heard you left the hospital and disappeared. Where the fuck have you been? The club is looking for you. Reaper asked Gio for help finding you.”
“I’ve been around.”
“Gio told me you were there that day on the pier. That it was you who killed Jekyll and helped save Layla. Thank you for that.”
“Fucker deserved it.” He said softly, then asked, “How is my sister? Is your fucking brother keeping her happy?”
I grinned. “Layla is loved and cared for. Gio worships the ground she walks on. The whole family adores her. They are planning their wedding. Your sister talks about you all the time. You should call her.”
“Look Lorenzo, this shit that’s about to go down. It’s no joke. Are you sure you want to be a part of it, because once you’re in there is no going back? It’s a death sentence if caught.”
“I will do anything to make sure Donatella is safe.”
Bullseye nodded.
“How did you get mixed up with this?”
“Gideon found me about three months ago in Shreveport. He made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.”
“Does the club know?”
“No,” he growled. “They don’t deserve to know shit. I have plans for those fuckers.”
The venom in his voice left no doubt in my mind what he had planned. That day back in Louisiana was fucked up. Decisions were made that no man should ever have to make. We all knew the repercussions and even I had to admit I wasn’t so sure about it but I was overruled. In the end, Reaper made a choice that now put many of us on Bullseyes hit list. Though we did it for him, to keep him alive, I knew Bullseye would never see it that way.
No man would.
“Bullseye,” I carefully said. “I was there that day. It was a fucked-up situation all around. It was complicated man. Reaper knew that no matter what he decided, he was going to hell, but he refused to lose you. He couldn’t. The man cried Bullseye. Gio fucking held him, stood by him throughout it all.”
“He made the wrong decision.”
“Reaper refused to leave your daughter an orphan.”