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I hang up after thanking her and send a message with my address to her number. Instead of letting my eyes close like they want to, I make sure to remain awake and alert. If I lose consciousness, I know it’s not going to lead to anything good. It’s happened too many times in the past and I refuse to let it happen again. It’s bad enough that my father came in here and attacked me in my own home. The stupid fucker will pay one of these days and I have a feeling I know who will be dishing out that pain. Billy won’t let this stand because the same could be done to his son.
Doc took care of me better than anyone else ever has. Usually I tend to my own wounds or find someone close to do it for me. I was right in my assessment of the injuries my father inflicted on me today. Everything but the stab wound and my arm is superficial. The only thing I was wrong about is my rib being cracked. They are bruised, but nothing worse than that. I guess I should be grateful for that, but the pain is there all the same.
I’ve picked up Zane from school. He knows something is going on based on how I’m moving and the red cast I’m now sporting, and was at my side until I put him to bed. Even then he didn’t want me to leave his side and tried to keep me in his room with him. Heather is here now and doesn’t want me to go into work with the injuries I have. I’ve covered them the best I can. After all, I’ve got years of practice making sure my bruises are hidden and the cuts are covered. I suppose I can use the excuse of being in a car accident or something despite having my car at work with me. I guess I was with someone else when it happened.
“Calla, I don’t think this is a good idea. You can hardly move and when those women come in to have their babies, you’ll be working nonstop. How are you going to get through your shift?” Heather questions me as I grab what I need for my shift and head toward the door.
“I’ll make it work one way or another. I always do. Thank you for watching Zane for me. I’ll be home first thing in the morning. Please keep a close eye on him. If anything happens out of the ordinary, call me immediately and I’ll come home or get Billy here to find out what’s going on,” I remind her before walking out the door and heading to work.
Heather’s not wrong. I’m moving slow as fuck and I’m in constant pain from the attack. Heather and Dr. Mason don’t know the details of what happened. No one ever does. There’s no point in saying anything to anyone because my father manages to turn the situation around on me instead of getting in trouble like he should for the crimes he commits. It’s how it’s been his entire life.
My grandpa was a judge and always bailed his son out of trouble whenever he got in it. There wasn’t a single second my father has ever had to pay for a damn thing he’s done or had done in his name. I don’t know what it is, but there is a line my father won’t cross. I know for a fact he’ll commit murder because he’s already killed at least once before. I seriously doubt my mom is his only victim though. I just don’t have the proof of his crimes so I can make sure he finally pays for his sins once and for all.
On the drive to work, I can’t. help but let my mind wander to what I have to do now. I have two choices in the matter and nothing more than that. The first option is leaving town again and hiding out from my father for the rest of my life. Or, I could get Billy involved and see what he wants me to do. It’s obvious I’m not safe at the house and I’m not sure I’ll be safe at work either. My father has ways to get to me no matter where I am or what I’m doing.
When I finally get up to the labor and delivery floor, my co-workers and boss look at me and I know it’s just a matter of time before I’m pulled into my bosses office and talked to about whatever is going on with me. I’ve seen it happen before and never believed I’d be in the position to be the one going in to talk about personal shit when it’s the last thing I want to do. Still, I clock in and get to work by taking report from the nurse I’m relieving.
“Calla, we need to have a word,” my boss says before I can enter the first patient room.
I follow her into the hall that’s empty. We both lean against the wall and I wait for the questions I know are going to come. The ones that always come.
“Are you okay? What happened?” my boss finally questions me.
“I’m okay. In a bit of pain, but nothing I can’t handle. I’ve worked longer shifts worse than I am right now. It was a car accident. Nothing I can’t handle. I wasn’t taken out of work despite my broken bone,” I tell her, trying to convince her not to send me home when I need the money.
“I’m not sure that’s the entire truth, Calla. I can’t make you talk to me about anything personal you have going on in your life. However, I need to know if there’s going to be trouble coming for you here,” she states as if I don’t know about that fact.
“I know. If I thought this would follow me here, I’d be the first one to tell you what’s going on. As you can see, the situation has already been dealt with and it won’t come here,” I say knowing there’s nothing I can say that’s going to be good enough for the woman in front of me.
“Make sure it doesn’t, Calla. I really like you and your amazing with the mother’s here. I won’t risk them for any reason.”
Without another word, my boss leaves me standing alone in the hallway. Taking a few deep breaths, I calm down as much as I can before getting started on my job. I go from one room to the next, assessing my patients and making sure they know to call me for any change or anything else. I don’t allow myself to rest or sit down between patients because if I do the pain will invade once again and it’s the last thing I need right now.
It's too bad I don’t realize my night is about to get worse than anything I ever imagined before in my life.
Chapter Seven
SITTING AT THE clubhouse, surrounded by my brothers, I wonder how long it’s going to be before the questions start. We’re all very close and there’s nothing we don’t keep from one another. I just don’t have the words to say what’s going on in my mind and how my life is changing in ways I never dreamed of. I’ve always lived free with the thought of finding out what happened with Calla. Once I got my answers, I’d know how to move forward with my life—with Calla at my side or alone to find someone to be my ol’ lady. Yes, I’ve always wanted an ol’ lady. To have someone at my side, someone to come home to at the end of every night, and a woman I love to create a family with.
“What’s goin’ on with you, Shank?” Sabotage asks, sitting down with me at a table in the back of the common room.
“More than you could ever imagine. Remember Calla?” I return, not sure if he remembers the girl I’ve been in love with.
“I do. You guys were tight as fuck in school. Then she just disappeared one day. I know you’ve been lookin’ for her. Have you found her?”
“Not only do I know where she is, but I got a few bombs dropped on me at the same time. Calla is back in town. She was the nurse Makena had when the baby was born. I got the answers I wanted from her. Not in any great detail, but enough to put the pieces of the puzzle together. If that shit wasn’t bad enough, she also informed me that I have a son. He’s six years old now and amazing. You weren’t here last night when we were so you didn’t see him. Zane is his name. One that we talked about when we were in school. The kid is smart as fuck and looks just like me. If I had a mini me out there, Zane is it,” I tell him, not going into detail because it’s not my story to tell.
Sabotage sits there and doesn’t say a word for a few minutes. He watches me like a hawk until he starts laughing his ass off. Personally, I don’t see anything about my situation as being funny.
“I’m not laughin’ cause you got a kid or that Calla’s back in town, Shank. What I’m laughin’ at is the fact that I’m one of the few people who know you want an ol’ lady and a family. Well, you’ve got one. Your girl’s back in town and you got a child all at the same time,” he tells me, his voice full of laughter still.
“I don’t know what the fuck to do about her though, Sab. She kept my son from me for six years. You’ve got kids. You know what I missed out on while I had no clue that he was even out there. I’m so pissed at her and don’t know if it’s somethin’ I can get over. Now, my focus needs to be on gettin’ to know my son and becomin’ a part of his life. It’s the only thing I can worry about right now,” I tell Sabotage honestly.
“You can get past this shit, Shank. Calla holds your heart in the palm of her hand. If she’s still the same as when we were in school, then I know there were reasons she didn’t tell you the second she realized she was pregnant. Do you know what her reasons for keepin’ that shit from you?”
“I do. She’s been gettin’ the shit beat out of her and threatened by her father for the last seven years. If not longer. I don’t honestly know when the shit started or how bad it’s actually been. Zeus has been diggin’ into her father and her for me but hasn’t given me any information at this point in time. He’s not done and doesn’t want to come to me without havin’ all the information available,” I answer him, knowing it’s just a matter of time until I get the information I want and need to move forward to free my son and Calla.
“You’re fuckin’ kiddin’ me. That fuckin’ asshat has been threatenin’ her with what? And why?” Sab questions as I notice more of the guys paying attention to our conversation.
