Being Us (Next Generation Book 4) Page 5
I raised an eyebrow. “You want my help? Do as I say.”
He grunted but tossed the pistol behind him. It landed several feet away on the ground. I made a mental note to go grab it later. “Anything else?”
He shook his head and lifted his pant legs around both ankles.
Satisfied that he was no longer packing, I met his gaze.
“Please,” came his muffled response.
I took a breath, unlocking the patio door. As soon as I opened it, his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he fell against me.
I grunted, struggling to hold him up. I had to do something but what, I wasn’t sure. I wasn’t medically trained. I knew my way around every single type of gun known to man, thanks to the men in my family, but that wouldn’t save this guy’s life.
“Alright, big guy.” I dragged him to a chair in the dining room, gently sitting him on it as best I could without doing any more damage. “What happened to you?”
He blew out a slow breath, his eyes opening that time. They landed on me, something flashing behind them.
I wasn’t sure what it was but the look he was giving me, made my heart flutter. I had never reacted this way toward a man before. Only because I didn’t get out much, I was sure. And the guys I knew were either too old for me or they were taken already. They were also family even though we weren’t blood related.
“You’re beautiful,” the dark mysterious stranger suddenly said.
I barked a laugh. “I think you’ve lost a lot of blood.”
He adjusted himself on the chair, his face turning ashen. “Still the truth.”
“Hey.” I cupped his good shoulder, trying to stop him from moving too much. “Tell me your name,” I said, attempting to distract him until I could figure out what to do.
“Tanner,” he said between clenched teeth.
“Tanner what?” I moved his hand out of the way and saw blood soaking through a bandage.
“Horsch,” he answered, his eyes dropping to the wound. “You need to stitch me up.”
I was afraid he would say that. “You need to go to the hospital.”
“Not happening,” he bit out.
“The knife could have hit something vital,” I argued.
“It didn’t or I would be dead already. It just hurts like a bitch and the blood loss is not boding well for me.”
“The hospital would be a better place for you,” I insisted.
“I can’t go to the hospital. I’ve been stabbed. They’ll ask questions.”
“I’m sure they won’t.” But I didn’t know if that would be the case or not. I was trying to reassure him that he would be fine. They would operate or whatever else they needed to do, and he could leave.
“Sew me up. Please.”
I laughed. “I am not sewing you up, Tanner.” I was experienced in sewing up wounds, but it didn’t mean that I actually liked doing it.
“Do it,” his voice was firm, but he wasn’t talking down to me or treating me as a kid like Sammy did half the time. “Please,” Tanner’s voice pulled me from my thoughts. “I don’t want to bleed all over your floor.” He pinched the bridge of his nose, taking shallow breaths.
“Alright, Tanner.” I took a deep breath. There was clearly no sense in arguing with him. “I’m going to save your life.” I jumped to my feet and ran to the bathroom. Grabbing the first aid kit from under the sink, I rushed back to where Tanner was sitting at the dining room table and dropped the bag on top of the table. “This is going to hurt.”
“Don’t care.” He ran a hand through his hair, slowing his breathing. “Can’t be any worse than this.”
“How did you end up in this area?” I asked, trying to distract him from the pain.
“I walked. I ended up blacking out a few times I think, so I don’t really remember much. Just…” His voice became thick. Oh God, did he lose someone? Was there someone else hurt?
“Are you alone?” I whispered.
He nodded.
“Did someone else get hurt?” I asked gently.
He nodded again, looking down at his hands on his lap.
Getting an idea, I went to the liquor cabinet that my parents kept stocked for whenever we had people over. I looked through it until I found the bottle of Mezcal my parents brought back from Mexico a couple of years ago.
Heading back to Tanner, I sat beside him and twisted off the cap before handing the bottle to him. “Take a swig of this.”
Without asking me what it was, he did as he was told. “Fuck.” He coughed, taking another swig and letting out a soft sigh. “That shit’s good.”
“Yeah, it’s the strongest thing we have.” I placed the bottle on the coffee table and started rooting through the first aid kit.
“Have you done this before?” Tanner asked, trying with one arm to take off his hoodie.
“Here, let me help.” Together, we got his hoodie off without causing him more pain. When we got it off of him, I placed it on the table. I turned back to him, swallowing a gasp. Scars lined his torso. Small jagged lines sat on his abdomen, disappearing beneath his jeans.
“Hey,” he barked.
My eyes snapped to his.
“I asked you a question,” he said, his voice rough. The liquor brought some of the color back to his cheeks, but it was still a matter of time before the liquor no longer helped.
“To answer your question, Tanner. No. I have not done this before, but I have seen a bunch of movies.” I shrugged. “This is no different, right?”
He stared at me. “You’re kidding.”
“Stop being a jerk and I’ll tell you. You showed up here, asking for my help. So, either you be nice to me or you can leave and find someone else to sew up your booboo.”
“I’m sorry,” he mumbled.
“You should be. But yes, I have done this a few times before. The guys I know, play rough, so they needed someone to tend to their wounds because like you, constantly going to the hospital is bound to strike up questions they don’t want to answer.” I snapped my mouth shut, unsure as to why I revealed all of that. “What happened tonight?” I asked, cleaning up the wound.
“I was trying to save my dog,” he answered, his voice becoming thick.
“What? You did?” I asked, while sterilizing a needle. “Ready?” I brought it to his shoulder, pausing while I waited for his answer.
“Yes.” He inhaled sharply.
When I dug the needle into the skin and began sewing up the wound, he didn’t even flinch, which was impressive as hell. “What happened to your dog?”
“We had gone for a walk.” Tanner pinched the bridge of his nose. “I needed to meet up with someone. After that, Trigger and I were on our way home, but we stopped at a deli, so I could get us some food. He…” His voice cracked. “He disappeared and I found him in an alley. Someone had him in a headlock and eventually…stabbed him.”
I gasped. “I’m so sorry.”
“He died because of me,” Tanner said, more to himself than to me. His eyes took on a faraway look, like he was remembering the events from the night or something even before that.
“I’m sorry if this leaves a nasty scar,” I told him, working away on his shoulder.
“Don’t care,” he mumbled. “Not like anyone’s going to see it.”
I paused. “What does that mean?”
“What do you think it means?” His gaze locked with mine.
I wasn’t sure if it was his subtle way of telling me that he was single, but I knew, God did I ever know. With the way he stared at me and the intense air about him, he was dangerous. For me. For my health. For my damn sanity.
I cleared my throat. “I am really sorry about your dog,” I whispered.
“It is what it is.”
Which meant, he was going to get revenge. And I hoped he did. Poor puppy. I couldn’t imagine losing an animal like that and having it done right in front of him, I was sure, only made it worse. Especially when there was nothing he could have done. He probably thought that his dog blamed him.
“Okay, I’m done.” I put the needle and thread away, closed the kit and placed a bandage on the wound. Running my thumb along the edge, I hoped it didn’t hurt as much anymore.
A shiver trembled through him.
“Sorry.” I pulled my hand back, my cheeks heating. “I’m sorry.”
Much to my surprise, Tanner grabbed my hand, placing it back on his shoulder. “Don’t be sorry. I like it.”
“I’m sure you do.” I laughed lightly. “Don’t most guys like it when a woman touches them?”
He smirked, his dark eyes dropping to my mouth. “I’m not like most guys, little one.”
My breath caught.
A heavy knock sounded on the front door, interrupting our moment.
“Expecting someone?” Tanner asked, his brows narrowing.
I pulled away from him and jumped to my feet when the knock sounded again.
“Coming!” I called out. Knowing that it was probably Cyrus and Sammy checking up on me for the millionth time, I quickly disposed of the first aid kit. Maybe they were coming over to apologize for being jerks. Unlikely, but a girl could hope.
After putting everything away, I stopped at the hallway that led to the front door. I looked between it and Tanner.
He raised an eyebrow.
I didn’t know him. Hell, I had no idea why his dog was killed in front of him either or why Tanner had been stabbed. He obviously knew people that wanted to harm him, or he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. But I had a feeling that he knew more than he let on. He didn’t give me a lot to go on, just that they had been attacked.
Before I got lost in Tanner’s stare, I rushed to the door. Checking the peephole, my stomach somersaulted. Cyrus and Sammy stood on the other side of it. They were going to rip me a new one for inviting a stranger into my home.
I unlocked the door and stepped outside before the twins could barge into the house.
“What’s wrong?” they asked at the same time.
“Nothing.” I gave them a smile for reassurance. “Why are you guys here a third time? Did you miss me that much?”
“What the hell is this?” Cyrus grabbed my hands, ignored my question, and turned them, palms up. They were covered in Tanner’s blood.
Shit.
“What happened?”
“I was doing the dishes and a glass broke,” I explained, surprised at myself at how easily the lie slid from my lips, and pulled my hand back.
“You’re lying.” Cyrus grabbed my hand again. “There’s no cut. Who the fuck’s blood is this?”
I pulled away. “Listen, thank you guys as always for stopping by and checking up on me but I’m perfectly fine. You can go now.” I went to head back inside when a heavy hand slapped the door closed.
“Who the fuck is here?” Cyrus growled, his large body looming over mine.
“You know, my daddy won’t be too happy if he finds out how much of an asshole you’re being right now,” I threatened.
Sammy chuckled, puffing on the smoke between his lips. “You can’t always use the daddy card, Bumble Bee.”
I rolled my eyes, but I couldn’t stop my heart from warming at the nickname our Uncle Catch had given me when I was a baby. It stuck and everyone started calling me it.
“Johnny.”
Except for Cyrus, who insisted on calling me by my middle name just to piss me off. But I could never complain, seeing as I was named after their parents who died before I was born.
“You can’t tell my parents,” I said, entering the house with the twins hot on my heels.
Tanner slid the hoodie up and over his head, covering his scarred torso. He was now sitting on the couch in the living room. He stiffened when he saw us coming toward him.
“What the ever loving fuck?” Sammy laughed. “This shit is unreal. Even for you.”
“Johnny,” Cyrus barked. “What the hell is going on? Why is he here?”
“Your name’s Johnny?” Tanner sat back on the couch like he didn’t have two men trying to drill holes into the sides of his head.
“It’s Bee.” I glared at the twins. “Short for Beatrix.” I crossed my arms under my chest. “Tanner showed up and needed help. I was going to call 911 but he told me not to.”
“That’s because of who he is, who he knows, and the shit he’s done,” Cyrus said through clenched teeth.
“I don’t know what any of that means.” I lifted my hand when he went to speak again. “Listen, it doesn’t matter. He needs help. He was stabbed and I sewed him up as best I could, but he needs to go to a hospital.”
“I’m fine,” Tanner mumbled.
“Sure you are,” I threw at him.
“How the fuck did you get here and why would…” Sammy pointed his smoke at me. “You’re really in for it. You know that, right?”
“Yeah, sure.” I rolled my eyes. “My dad will yell a bit and then get over it. Cause remember, I am his baby girl and all.” I batted my eyelashes.
But the twins were having none of it.
Before I could stop him, Cyrus grabbed Tanner by the collar of his hoodie and lifted him from the couch.
My eyes widened. “Cyrus.” I rushed to him, trying to get him to let go of Tanner who was clearly in no condition to be manhandled.
“What the fuck do you want, Tanner? Got more of our members to kill? Want to ruin more lives?” Cyrus released him roughly.
Tanner stumbled back, landing on his ass with an oomph. “Fucking hell. I showed up here because I saw the lights on. I didn’t know who lived here.”
I went to Tanner, helping him to his feet.
“Thank you, Busy” he said gently.
My heart stuttered at the unexpected nickname he had given me.
“I know the Hell’s Harlem clubhouse is a couple hours from here,” Tanner added. “I would have gone there directly but I think I would have died on the way.”
“Too bad,” Sammy muttered, shoving his hands in his pockets.
“Sammy.” I glared at him.
He only shrugged.
Tanner lifted his arm, wincing when he couldn’t lift it far. “I didn’t know she was your property.”
“I am no one’s property,” I snapped.
Something flashed behind his eyes. I wasn’t sure what it was, but it sent a shiver racing down my spine. Something happened to him. Long ago. Maybe recently. Besides losing his dog, he was struggling. I knew because I had seen it in the men I had grown up with. Either way, I had a feeling that there was more to Tanner’s story than just his dog dying.
“You have no idea who lives here. Do you?” Cyrus asked, taking a step toward Tanner.
“How the fuck could I know?” Tanner held on to the back of the couch for support. “I’ve been keeping to myself for months. I don’t know shit.”
“Right.” Sammy’s brows narrowed in the middle. “Like you don’t have any contacts that you keep in touch with. I’m sure you could get any information you’re looking for.”
“No.” Tanner shook his head. “I’ve laid low. Kept to myself and took care of Trigger. That’s it.”
“Who’s Trigger?” Cyrus asked, leaning against the wall.
“He was my dog,” Tanner’s voice cracked.
The pain etched on his face tore at my heart.
“Was?” Cyrus stuck an unlit smoke between his lips.
“He…uh…he was killed in front of me.” Tanner rubbed the back of his neck.
It took everything in me not to go to him and comfort him as best I could. No matter what the twins said, no one should have to watch their pet die like that in front of them. Even though Cyrus and Sammy stood nearby, I moved to the couch beside Tanner.
He looked down at me.
“You gave him a good life and I’m sure he knew that,” I said gently.
“Bee,” Sammy barked.
Tanner continued to stare at me.
I gave him a small smile, lifting my shoulders in a shrug.
“Johnny.” Cyrus’s rough voice pulled me from Tanner’s intense scrutiny. “We need to get this shit sorted. He can’t stay here.”
“I’ll leave,” Tanner said, taking a step away from me.
“No.” I thought a moment. “We need to take him to the hospital and then we can take him to Uncle Greyson’s.”
The twins laughed.
“Right,” Sammy said slowly. “Because that’ll go well.”
“I’m saying that we can take him to Uncle Greyson and then we can find out what’s going on.” I wasn’t sure how well it would go over with him, but it was worth a shot. Tanner had shown up for a reason. One that I couldn’t explain at the moment but a reason nonetheless. And he was also stabbed for a reason as well. Whoever hurt him, didn’t just kill his dog because they felt like it. They were clearly making a point.
“Who killed your dog?” Cyrus asked, moving beside his brother.
“I don’t know,” Tanner confessed. “I had never seen them before.”
“I’m making a call.” Sammy pressed his phone to his ear and walked away, heading down the long hall that led to the bedrooms.
“Cyrus, please.” I went up to my cousin. “You know helping him is the humane thing to do. You don’t want his life on your hands, do you?”
Cyrus searched my face but before he could answer, Sammy came back out into the living room.
He looked between all of us. “We’re going for a ride.”
***
(Tanner)
I had no idea where we were going. It wasn’t like I had much choice in the matter. The fact that neither Sammy nor Cyrus had killed me yet, earned them both a pat on the back. And maybe a raise. No, definitely a raise.
Sammy was the smaller of the two.
While Cyrus’s eyes were cold, Sammy’s were lacking something. Heart, warmth, life. Who the fuck knew? I didn’t know their story. But even though my club had been a rival of Hell’s Harlem for as long as I could remember, word traveled fast that their parents had been murdered.
I had never experienced that kind of pain. Losing Trigger was hard enough. He had been the only thing I had ever loved. I never even loved my club. I tolerated it most of the time.
When Bee helped me to my feet, we were under the watchful eye of the twins.