Chapter 8

Her brain felt foggy. There was a cottony feel in her mouth that made it difficult to swallow. The smell of antiseptic was strong, leaving a bitter note in the air. She crinkled her nose.

Slowly, she blinked her eyes open. Bright light accosted her eyes, making her moan and close them again.

She felt motion beside her, then a hand squeezed hers. "I turned off the overhead lights, sweetie. Try again."

Knowing she could trust that voice, she obeyed. Her eyelids felt heavy as she raised them once more.

Angel sat close to her. Her eyes were red and blotchy like she'd been crying, but there was also a look of joy on her face. "Hey," she smiled. Still holding her hand with one hand, Angel reached up and ran her other through her hair. It felt good.

"Was the surgery successful?" Her voice was croaky, dry.

Angel nodded. "Yeah, baby. Dr. Forester said you did wonderfully."

She looked around, expecting to see other club members present in the room. There was only Cage, her personal hero, who still looked asleep in the bed next to hers. "Is he okay?"

"Yes. He's fine too. Just sleeping. Look here, sweetie, I want to show you something."

She turned her head back towards Angel, the only person who had ever kept any promise she made to her. Probably the first person she'd ever trusted completely since her mom died.

Angel was holding up a piece of paper. It looked official. She squinted her eyes to see it clearer.

It was a death certificate, pronouncing Brianna Lynn Faux dead. There was even a doctor's signature at the bottom.

"I don't understand." Why was she holding her own death certificate?

"Death announcements and certificates are public record," Angel said conspiratorially. "The hospital has to announce them. However," she added, "patient records and admissions are covered under HIPAA laws."

Angel held out another piece of paper. It was a birth certificate for Brianne Isabella Matthews. It claimed that on August 12, 2010, at 4:32 p.m., Brianne was born weighing seven pounds and four ounces to Selene Joan Matthews. No father was listed.

"Today's my fourteenth birthday," she noted. It wasn't really, but, according to the birth certificate in her hand, it was now.

"Happy Birthday, baby."

"And…that," her voice cracked, "you're my birth mother."

Bree pushed her head back on her pillow as she tried to get her overwhelming emotions under control. For the first time in ten years, she had a mother again. She had a home, protection.

For the first time in her life, Bree felt loved.

She crushed her new birth certificate to her chest, proof that she was wanted. Tears fell freely from her eyes. "Thank you," she told Angel. "You have no idea what this means to me."

Angel's cheeks were also soaked with tears. "Yeah, baby, I do."

Tessa could not believethe club had faked Bree's death. She couldn't wrap her head around the logistics of it. Obviously, Dr. Forester had to have been in on it.

Lucky had filled Bear and Tessa in as he drove them home. Everyone in the waiting room had been a wreck. There'd been prayers and tears. Angel had nearly collapsed, being held up by Steel. Looking back on her memory of the waiting room, Tessa didn't know who had known and was faking their grief or whose grief, like hers, had been real.

Steel had escorted Angel down to ‘view the body'. Others had left, especially those with kids present. Tessa probably should have suspected something when Lucky had offered to drive Bear and her home rather than remain with his own family in their grief. Plus, Scotty had conveniently been taken down to the cafeteria just before Dr. Forester had come in to deliver the devastating news.

"I don't know all the details, but Angel has, or had, a contact with WITSEC. She was able to have Bree legally proclaimed dead and have all the paperwork provided to make it look like Brianne has been Angel's daughter for the past fourteen years."

They pulled into Tessa's driveway. Bear's brother Keys had submitted a claim to Bear's insurance company regarding the total destruction of his new car. She was pretty sure some insurance adjuster somewhere was crying as he read the report. Bear had paid for his new car in cash two weeks ago and would be owed the full, or close to the full, value.

"I can't believe you guys did that!" Tessa exclaimed, continuing the conversation about Bree. "For an entire ten minutes, I thought she was dead."

"I can't believe you guys didn't tell me beforehand!" was Bear's argument.

"When Angel approached us, we had to keep it tight lipped. Only Steel, Bulldog, and I knew besides her. We needed as many real reactions as possible to sell it." Lucky turned around in his seat to face Tessa. "As far as anyone else in the hospital is concerned, Bree died. You can't say a word to anyone. She's got private staff now and only certain people are allowed in and out of her room. When we go to visit, we can't wear our cuts."

"Not a problem for me," Bear grumbled. His cut, along with Scar's, was at the bottom of the river. Neither had been salvaged with the car. Tessa was pretty sure he was more upset about his lost cut than his destroyed car.

"We're going to go around to each member and explain what happened so no one believes Bree's dead for real. I've got three more of you to tell tonight."

Lucky got out. He came around to the passenger side of the car. Bear was already fighting with his door, cast, and crutches. Lucky just rolled his eyes at his best friend and went to the rear door to assist Tessa out.

"I'm pregnant, not an invalid," she said without hostility.

Lucky bent down and kissed her cheek. "You're carrying my niece, sweetheart. You'll find there's nothing I'm not willing to do for you."

Tessa felt her cheeks redden.

"Stop flirting with my woman, Russell," Bear snapped as he finally got himself upright and leaning on his crutches.

"I'd never dream of it, Terrance," Lucky answered back with mirth.

As they got themselves inside, Lucky offered to help get Bear ready for bed. "My leg is broken, not my pride. Get the fuck out of my house!"

Lucky gave her a wink and told her to call him if they needed anything. Conner would be by in the morning to help them.

"You shouldn't be so mean to him," Tessa scolded as she followed Bear into the bedroom. "He's only trying to help."

"No, he's trying to get back at me from when I had to help him after the fire. He still doesn't like that I had to carry him around like a baby."

She sat on the bed to take off her shoes. Bear was already getting himself scooted under the covers. He was pleased they didn't have to switch sides of the bed with his cast. If he'd broken his right leg, he'd have to sleep on what he'd deemed as ‘her side', or the far side of the bed. Bear insisted on being between her and the door.

She watched him out of the corner of her eye to make sure he didn't need help. It was awkward, and she could tell he was trying not to flinch in pain, but finally he laid back against the pillows with a loud sigh.

She walked around the bed to get his other pillows in place for him. She lifted his casted leg out from under the covers and placed a pillow under it. Then she took a long body pillow and tucked it under his left side to help cushion his broken ribs.

"Do you want any pain medicine?"

He shook his head. "Just sleep and you. That's all I need, honey."

She smiled. "I'm going to go to the bathroom and then I'll join you."

"We haven't had dinner yet, Mama Bear."

"Sleep first, food later." Their daughter was hungry, but she was too tired to go into the kitchen and make something. There were some crackers in her nightstand that should hold her over until after their nap.

Bear didn't even bother to open his eyes. "Sounds like a plan."

It tookBear a moment to realize what had woken him. Even though it had been twelve years since he'd been a Marine, there was some training that remained engrained in him. Like certain sounds he memorized upon hearing them.

Like the sound of Tessa's front door's slight creak.

His eyes glanced to the window. It was dark out. His internal clock said late, past midnight. No one should be entering Tessa's house at this time of night. After Tessa's attack in the hospital parking lot and the car accident, his instincts were going haywire.

Conner wasn't in the living room; he wasn't supposed to be there until the morning. They were alone. Tessa had a broken elbow and was pregnant. He had a broken leg and ribs. Running wasn't an option.

Staying wasn't that much better of one.

He grabbed his phone off of the nightstand where it was charging. He turned the sound off as he put a hand on Tessa's mouth. He hated to startle her awake, but he couldn't risk her making any noises.

Whomever was in the house was taking their time to be quiet. That gave him and Tessa only seconds to act. If the intruder knew they were aware of his presence, silence would no longer be required and those precious seconds would be lost.

Her eyes went wide as she awoke with a start. He put a finger to his lips. Fear appeared in her eyes. He indicated for her to head towards the bathroom. He mouthed "quietly" to her.

She nodded. There were questions in her eyes, but thankfully she didn't voice or waste time trying to mime them.

Bear winced at the small click of the bathroom door. He hadn't told her to lay down flat in the tub, and hoped she was intuitive enough to do so. He got himself up out of bed, forgoing his crutches. They were a hindrance in a time like this.

His gun was in the drawer in the nightstand on his side of the bed, and right in the line of the doorway. Unfortunately, he didn't have time or capability to get the gun, send an SOS to his club, and get to the other side of the room. The door was closed, giving him a few extra seconds, but still not enough time on one leg.

Of the three things, only two were priority. Bear sent the SOS as he reached for the gun. He barely kept his balance as he spun around to point it at the bedroom door, just as it was kicked in.

Two men stepped into the room, both holding guns. They stood like bad actors who'd never held guns before in a B-rated action movie. One even had it tipped to the side like a wannabe gangster. If he shot, the casing was going to discharge right into his face. Bear might be able to use that.

Due to the cast on his leg, his stance was poor. His feet weren't grounded, and he was facing the intruders with his chest as a clear target. His Marine drill instructors would be yelling themselves hoarse if they saw him now.

Though both men were wearing balaclavas, he could see the utter shock on their faces that he was standing there with a gun of his own. He took advantage of that shock.

"Get the fuck out of my house," he warned. It had been funny when he'd uttered those words to Lucky. Not so much now.

"We just want the doctor," the one on the right said. Like he could talk Bear into handing her over without blood being shed.

Bear wasn't about to put ideas in their heads by saying something cliché like over my dead body. Instead, he said, "Not going to happen, boys. I'm a ten-year Marine veteran. I did seven tours between Afghanistan and Iraq. Of the three of us, which one do you think is going to be walking away from this scenario?"

Rather than contemplating shooting him, he wanted them thinking of their own mortality. They'd come here thinking they were going to kidnap, or possibly kill, a defenseless pregnant doctor in her sleep. They were not prepared to be facing a six foot-six Marine with combat training.

Before either of them could make a decision, though, a shadow moved behind them. Quick as a flash, Scar had both intruders on their knees and disarmed.

Bear sagged back against the nightstand in relief. He flipped the safety on his gun back on. "Thank God. You have impeccable timing, brother." Scar didn't look up at him. He seemed to be debating something between the two men. Then Bear realized he was figuring out which one was going to die first. "Don't kill them. At least not yet. I want answers and, if I'm right about who they are, Angel's going to want her slice of meat too."

Scar looked up at him. Though there was no emotion on his scarred face, Bear had the distinct impression Scar was disappointed. Bear shook the creepiness of that feeling off.

He hobbled his way over to the bathroom door. "Tessa, honey, open up."

Based on how quickly she opened the door, she was not in the bathtub like he'd hoped she would be. If bullets had started flying, she would have been very vulnerable on the other side of a wooden door.

Tessa flew out into his arms, nearly knocking Bear onto his ass. If he hadn't caught the doorframe, they both would have gone down. She was crying and shaking like mad.

"We're moving into my room in the clubhouse until our house is built," he informed her. "And don't you dare fight me on any security measures."

Tessa nodded without argument.

Then she stepped back, keeping her left arm close to her body since she didn't have her sling. For the first time, she noticed Scar was also in the room.

"Oh! Thank God, Scar. I don't know how you knew to come here but thank you." Her hand touched her bump where Bear's cub grew as she spoke.

The only acknowledgement to her words was a slight shift in Scar's stance. Like he was uncomfortable by her appreciation and praise.

Breaking the awkwardness of Scar's silence, Tessa asked, "Did either of you call the police?"

Bear reached for her shoulder. He was still balancing against the doorframe. His crutches were across the room by the bed. "We aren't going to call the police, honey."

Her eyebrows scrunched down. "Of course, we are. We aren't going to just let them go. I heard one of them talk. He at least was one of the ones who attacked me outside the hospital, Bear!"

Bear's face darkened. No doubt the other one had been there too then. He wondered if they were the ones who'd also thrown Bree out of that van and had run them off the bridge a few days ago. Chances were definitely high.

"We're not letting them go," he explained carefully. "The club has certain ways of dealing with things like this."

He could see her rolling his words around in her head. Her eyes narrowed slightly. "What do you mean? You told me you weren't criminals."

"We're not," he insisted. "However, there are times when we have to do what we must to protect the club. We see justice is served in a way the law can't or won't to ensure that they can never come after you again." He put a gentle finger under her chin to raise her face up to meet his eyes. "We don't talk about club business with outsiders, Tessa. You're mine, so there are certain things I can tell you. Sometimes," he added, knowing he couldn't tell her everything. "As my ol' lady, it gives you that right. However, you can never discuss it with anyone else. Do you understand?"

She glanced between the men on their knees with Scar standing over them back up to Bear. "You're asking me if I'm okay keeping the secret that your club is going to torture and most likely kill the men who attacked me, endangered our unborn baby, and nearly killed you when they ran our car off a bridge, not to mention our suspicions about their involvement with Bree? Fuck yeah, I'm okay with it." She turned her fierce gaze onto Scar. "Make them bleed."

Maybe it was the shadows of the room in the moonlight, but Bear could have sworn he saw Scar's lips twitch. There was no missing his distinct nod to Tessa though. It was a promise to see her request fulfilled.

Bear wasin the living room speaking with Steel, Lucky, Bulldog, and some of his other brothers as Tessa packed in her bedroom. Harper had had to stay home with Scotty, but Jenna had come with Steel. She was helping Tessa pack, which Tessa was grateful for.

"Do you think you need to go get checked out again?" Jenna indicated to her baby bump with her chin.

Tessa shook her head. "Other than the scare of the situation, I'm fine. I took my blood pressure before and I'm slightly elevated. If it doesn't go down by morning, I'll go in." Dr. Pedaleck would probably put her on bed rest restrictions if she went in now.

"I can't imagine waking up to finding strangers in my house." Jenna shook her head, partly in fear and partly in disgust. "I would have nightmares."

"My dreams seem torn between the attack on the hospital and the car accident. I'm guessing this one will be added to the mix as well. Like some twisted scratched vinyl playing the same section over and over again."

Jenna gave a soft chuckle. "I think you just aged yourself there, sweetie."

Tessa smiled. "I've always had an old soul."

"No wonder we get along so well." Jenna pointed to the bathroom behind her. "Anything specific you want me to grab or just the basics?"

"Basics for now," Tessa said. "I really appreciate this, Jenna. Dealing with all of this one-handed is only adding to my stress."

"Of course, Tessa. This is what the club is here for. The men have their little get togethers. Now I have you and Harper. We'll make our own kick ass women's club and show the boys how it's really done."

Tessa shook her head as she chuckled. She liked Jenna. Harper too. She couldn't wait to get to know them better. It would be nice to have women friends, not just colleagues. Like sisters.

Shit. The reminder made her think of her mom and Gina. She really did need to call them. It was past the point where she owed it to them.

Tessa glanced at the bedroom doorway where an hour ago two men had broken down her door. After her attack at the hospital parking lot and then the car accident on the bridge, she would have thought she was used to feeling gut-wrenching fear. But no, there was no getting used to that. She didn't know what would have happened if Scar hadn't arrived when he had.

Not wanting the men to overhear, Tessa followed Jenna into the bathroom. "Can I ask you something?" She kept her voice low.

"Of course." Jenna also kept her voice low.

"Does it bother you, what you know they're going to do to those men?"

Jenna studied her for a moment then asked, "Does it bother you?"

"I feel like it should, but it doesn't. There's no doubt in my mind they would have killed Bear to get to me tonight. That they tried to kill us the other day. That they attacked me outside of the hospital. God only knows what hand they had in Bree's situation. Bear thinks it's likely they're the two who threw her into the road that night. I know right and wrong. I know that there are laws for a reason or there'd be anarchy. But…" She winced, thinking of what could have happened. "I feel like I should argue for them to be turned over to the police, but I'm not."

"And you think that makes you a bad person?" Jenna asked knowingly.

"What kind of mother does it make me if I allow this? Am I teaching my daughter the right values? If not, does that make me a hypocrite?"

"First of all, your daughter is about the size of an avocado right now. She knows nothing about any of this and won't unless you tell her. Of course, you're going to be a good mother. A great one, even. Look at the lengths you've gone to to protect her already and you've never even held her in your arms. You are going to teach your daughter right from wrong. You are going to teach her to stand up for her beliefs and to stand up for the little guy. You are going to make her so strong, just like her mama." Tessa wiped the tears from her eyes. Jenna's confidence in her was inspirational. "As for what our men are going to do to the assholes who attacked you? Personally, I don't think about it. I don't ask questions. I let Steel handle it and sleep soundly at night knowing he did."

Tessa nodded. She could understand that. It was like another layer of Bear's protection, of his devotion to her and their baby. "Thanks, Jenna."

The older woman gave her a soft smile. "Anytime, sweetie. You, me, and Harper have to stick together. We're like the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, only with motorcycles and really hot men."

Tessa nearly peed herself laughing.

While Jennaand Tessa packed in the bedroom, Conner, Gus, and Quinten came to collect the men who'd broken into Tessa's house. They didn't have their names, but they'd get them. Keys also had pictures of their faces and was running them through his facial recognition software. Apparently, it was so good, it rivaled the NSA's. The man was former Navy Intelligence, after all.

Angel was on speaker phone with Steel, Bulldog, Lucky, Bear, and Grumpy. She'd stepped into the bathroom in Bree's hospital room to speak with them without disturbing her new daughter. Angel clearly was torn between staying at the hospital with Bree or going to the clubhouse to be present during the men's interrogations.

"We'll send the prospects to guard her if you want to come," Steel offered.

"She needs more than guards, Steel. She needs interaction. I don't think she's had real conversations outside of us in years."

"Cage is there," Lucky said like the answer should have been obvious.

Angel snorted. "Bree blushes like a tomato anytime Cage looks at her. That's not conversation, that's hormones."

"Jenna and Tessa are in the bedroom," Bear said to Steel. "Why don't we ask them if they can stay with Bree for some time tomorrow? Angel's due her pound of flesh if these men are who we think they are, though we won't tell the ol' ladies that."

"They might just be worker bees," Bulldog reminded them. "They might not be the men running the snuff film videos business."

"I'd still rather be there when we find out," Angel's voice came over the phone. "Bear, could you ask Jenna and Tessa if they're willing to come stay with Bree? Lucky, Harper too."

The men agreed to ask, though Bear had a hard time believing Tessa would say no. Perhaps he could convince her to get checked out by Dr. Pedaleck while they were over there. She'd refused tonight, despite her high blood pressure.

"Sounds like we have a game plan," Steel said. "Let's get ourselves home and get some sleep. I've ordered the prospects to keep the captives awake tonight."

Since Bear and Tessa would now be sleeping at the clubhouse, it was a good thing Cage had soundproofed the cellar. He did not want Tessa to hear how the prospects were keeping the men awake.

Tessa's feetdragged as she, Jenna, Harper, and Scotty walked into the hospital the next morning. They were being escorted by Conner and, a prospect Tessa hadn't met before, Gus. For reasons Tessa didn't know, Gus was wearing a pirate patch and hat. Since Harper and Jenna acted like this was normal, Tessa didn't question it.

Neither Bear nor Tessa had slept much after getting themselves settled in his clubhouse bedroom. Two of Bear's brothers who lived at the clubhouse, Ranger and Grumpy, had offered to help Bear get situated, but he'd declined the assistance. They'd laid down, curled together on his bed, but neither could sleep. Instead they had a light conversation about likes and dislikes. The topic of baby names came up, though they hadn't gone further into it.

Tessa wished she could have stayed at the clubhouse in bed, but, despite her dreariness, she wanted to see Bree.

She knew they were arriving to watch over Bree while Angel left. Bear had not said why Angel was leaving, though Tessa could guess. It was the same reason Bear had stayed at the clubhouse and allowed the prospects to escort them instead of coming himself.

Bree's new room was larger than her former one. Tessa didn't know how the club had gotten the hospital to give them a private suite. They were a small hospital and there were only a few of these high-end rooms. As far as Tessa knew, they were saved for people of wealth and/or importance. Like the mayor or a visiting politician. She'd never known the hospital to offer up one of the suites on a whim.

Was the club paying for Bree's medical expenses? If so, where did they get that sort of cash from?

Her mind went back to what she knew was going to happen once Angel joined her brothers at the clubhouse. Bear had said they weren't criminals, but she got the impression this wasn't the first time the club had done something like this. So, what did they do with the bodies? How did they keep missing persons reports from flooding the town? Was the sheriff in on it? What about Carlos? He was Bulldog's brother after all.

What if that was how they were getting the money to pay for Bree's care? Dead men don't need money after all. If Keys was as talented with a computer as Bear claimed, was it so far fetched to think he could hack the club's victims' bank accounts and take their money?

Then she wondered if ‘victim' was the right word to describe the men who'd assaulted her, run Bear's car off a bridge with Bear and her still inside, and had broken into her house in an attempt to kidnap her?

Tessa shook her head. She wasn't going to think about it. Any of it. She was going to take Jenna's advice and not ask questions. Bear was doing what he needed to do to protect his family, which now included her, their daughter, and Bree. She would not let him feel guilty about his actions.

Jenna gently knocked on the suite door before walking in.

Standardly, the hospital bed was closer to the door. It allowed the nurses and doctors to get to the patient faster. However, Bree's bed was the furthest from the door. Angel's cot was between Bree's and Cage's hospital beds. As long as Cage's incision continues to heal with no signs of infection, he would be discharged in a day or two.

Even though their surgery had only been the day before, both Cage and Bree looked well. Bree's pallor was improving greatly. Tessa would have to check her charts, but she was impressed by how well Bree's jaundice was clearing up.

Cage was sitting up in his bed eating his breakfast. He had no meal restrictions following surgery. It wasn't recommended he have alcohol or overly heavy meals for the two weeks following surgery. He also wasn't supposed to drive for those two weeks.

Tessa was reaching for his chart—mainly out of habit—when Angel walked over to her. "Nope. You're not a doctor today." She gently took Tessa's right arm and led her over to the cot between the two hospital beds. There was a small couch and a lounge chair in the room too, but Angel guided her to the cot. "You're under strict orders to sit and put your feet up. Nap if you can."

Tessa's eyes narrowed. She knew exactly who those orders came from. "I'm the doctor here?—"

"Not today," Angel reiterated.

Tessa glanced to her right where Bree's bed was. The teenager had a wide grin on her face as she watched the show. "It's nice to see her boss someone else around."

Tessa rolled onto her side so she was facing Bree. "How are you feeling, sweetie? Transplant surgery is an amazing advancement of medicine, but there are risks to it."

"I honestly can't remember the last time I felt this good," Bree said with a wide smile. "Dr. Forester was here this morning. He's very enthusiastic about my levels. He is hopeful of a full recovery."

"That's amazing, sweetheart. I'm so proud of you."

Bree looked beyond Tessa to where Angel was standing next to the cot. "I wouldn't have had the strength to fight without you guys."

From behind Angel, Cage said, "You've always been strong, kidney buddy. You just forgot for a moment."

Bree's cheeks pinked. "Thanks, kidney buddy."

Angel walked around the cot to Bree's side. "I'm needed at the clubhouse, baby. Your aunts and Scotty are going to stay with you. I'll be back soon, I promise."

Though Bree nodded, Tessa could see the worry on the teenager's face. She wondered if this was the first time Angel had left Bree's side since she'd come to guard her on the night of her admission to the hospital.

Angel bent and kissed Bree's forehead. "Stay strong. I'll be back before you know it."

On her way out of the room, Angel hugged Jenna and Harper, got a nose-kiss from Scotty, and fist-bumped Cage. She only gave a chin lift to Gus and Conner as she passed them. She closed the door behind her.

Scotty walked up to Bree. "Hi, Bree!"

Bree smiled. "Hi, Scotty."

"My mommy says you got a new kidney. I asked if I could get one too, but she said no. You got your kidney because you were sick. I hope you aren't sick now that you got your new kidney."

"I'm getting better," she told Scotty. "What do you want to do today?"

"My mommy brought us some games to play. I'm really good at Monopoly. Want to play that?"

"I've never played it," Bree admitted. "Can you teach me?"

Tessa had wondered what was in the large bag Harper had been carrying on her shoulder. She agreed that bringing board games was a good way to entertain the two teenagers, and even the adults. They all knew what was about to happen at the clubhouse. It was on their minds whether they wanted it to be or not.

As Jenna moved two hospital tables over to Bree's bed, Harper helped Scotty climb up onto the foot of the bed. Tessa watched carefully to ensure Bree's legs weren't jostled or sat on. Her caution was for nothing. Harper moved the two around easily and even stole a pillow from Cage to place behind Scotty's back. The man only protested for the amusement of the children.

From what Tessa understood from Bear, Harper and Lucky had only been engaged about five months. Harper was a lot younger than Lucky too. Tessa was eight years younger than Bear. She'd never heard Scotty refer to Harper as ‘Harper'. He called her ‘mommy', which made Tessa wonder how long Harper and Lucky had been together prior to getting engaged.

Tessa declined playing. As much as she hated to admit it, Bear's instructions for her to lay down were needed. She pulled a blanket over her legs, propped her head up on a couple of pillows, and closed her eyes. The giggles of the two teenagers, as well as the light chatter from Cage, Harper, and Jenna eventually lulled her to sleep.

If Bear'sleg wasn't in a cast, he'd be pacing. Angel was on her way to the clubhouse, and Bear was anxious to get answers.

Lucky sat next to him on the couch. The main room of the clubhouse was a large open space. There was the bar to the right upon entering the double doors. It went along most of the wall until the swinging door of the kitchen. They had an entire commercial kitchen in the back that the Honeys and Jenna used to cook for the brothers. Everyone preferred Jenna's cooking.

On the left side of the room were a couple of couches and chairs. The stairs to the room where they held Church was directly across from the entry doors. Steel's and Demo's offices were below the stairway. To the right of the stairs was an open doorway that led to the bedrooms the brothers kept at the clubhouse. Some of them stayed permanently and had no other homes while others, like Bear, had homes off property and a room at the clubhouse. The rooms weren't large. They were set up like studio apartments with a small kitchenette and bathroom.

Prior to last night, Bear couldn't recall the last time he'd slept overnight in his clubhouse apartment. He'd mainly used it as a hookup location with a Honey or patch bunny. He hadn't been proud to take Tessa into that room and wanted her out as soon as possible. She deserved better than a studio apartment, regardless of his past actions in that room. They'd need more space once their cub arrived too.

"You sure you're up for this?" Lucky asked him. "Doesn't look like you've slept."

"I haven't slept and, hell yeah, I'm up for this. Bastards have attacked Tessa three times now."

"And they'll get what's coming to them. I just want to make sure you're okay too."

Bear's eyes narrowed on his best friend. "If the next words that pop out of your mouth are asking me whether I need you to carry me down the stairs, you're going to make Harper a widow before you're even married."

Lucky grinned widely. "I only wanted to offer my assistance."

Bear snorted. "No, you want to pay me back for having to carry you down."

"At least you're not in a wheelchair."

There was that, Bear agreed. Though the crutches weren't that much better. His back was not happy with him whenever he used them.

Steel walked out into the main room. He glanced around. The Honeys had been told not to come in without explanation. They also knew better than to ask. Bulldog was at the bar on his laptop, as was Keys. Ghost was rummaging around in the kitchen, though Bear didn't know if Steel knew he was there.

"Where's Scar?" Steel called over to Bulldog.

Bulldog looked up from whatever he was working on and then around the room. "He was here," he told his President with a shrug.

"Text him. I want to get started as soon as Angel arrives."

Bear got the feeling Steel wanted this over with sooner than later. This was not like their first interrogation when they had decided to let the criminals stew for several days while Lucky had been hospitalized with severe burns. Though they'd wanted answers, and quickly, the club had felt Lucky deserved to be present and had voted to wait until Lucky was well enough to attend.

This time, they needed answers faster. There were too many unknowns, too many questions. They didn't even know the names of the two men in the cellar below their feet. All Keys had been able to tell them so far was that neither man was wanted by the FBI, NSA, or Interpol, neither had served in the military, and neither had government clearance of any kind.

The clubhouse building used to be a distillery. When they'd purchased the land and buildings, no one had any idea that there was a secret cellar underneath their clubhouse. Even after it had been discovered, the club hadn't done anything with the space until recently. Bear wasn't even sure if the newer members had known it was there until the club had turned it into their interrogation location.

Below the hidden hatch in the floorboards was now a soundproof cellar with four sets of chains hanging from the ceiling. A preexisting drain in the floor made for easy cleanup.

Scar had been present for the last interrogation, using the opportunity to hone his ninja star throwing skills. Bear had assumed the man would be present for this one, but had yet to see his silent brother.

Bear was still unclear how Scar had ended up at Tessa's house. He had to have been right next to the house to get there so quickly after Bear's SOS message. Unless… Bear pondered another thought: what if Scar had already been at the house? Had he been watching it? He may have followed the intruders inside.

He wasn't sure he'd ever heard a direct answer from Scar. Bulldog claimed Scar could speak, yet Bear had never heard him in the five years he'd known him. There must be some psychological trauma, beyond the man's physical scars, that kept him silent.

One of the double doors opened to reveal Angel. Bear immediately started to get to his feet. Or tried to, at least. "It's about time!"

She glared at him. "It was harder to leave Bree than I thought it would be." She found Steel across the room. "I don't want to be away from Bree very long."

"Then let's get this over with," their President said.

Bulldog closed his laptop. Ghost came out of the kitchen with a sandwich in hand. Quinten, the only prospect present, headed over to the hidden door. Keys remained where he was. It was easier for him to stay topside and the club to relay information to him either via speakerphone or text than to try to get all his equipment down the old wooden stairs.

Bear was still trying to get to his feet to join them. Lucky stood next to him—just watching in amusement.

"Quit standing there, asshole, and help me up."

"Not if you aren't nice to me," Lucky told him.

Bear glared at him and then hollered across the room, "Ghost!"

"No fucking way!" Lucky shouted and lifted Bear to his feet. He even went so far as to balance the crutches under his armpits.

Bear looked at him smugly. "You're so predictable."

Lucky humph'ed and walked away, waving his middle finger above his head as he did. Bear chuckled as he followed.

Ghost was waiting for him at the top of the stairs. The man was pouting. "It's not nice to use me to make him feel jealous. My feelings were hurt."

"I'd only be worried if you had feelings."

"Jackass."

Bear looked down the stairs with trepidation. This was not going to be easy. The stairs were old and not sturdy. He got why Steel hadn't had Cage fix them when he'd soundproofed the cellar. They didn't want the stairs to seem inviting. However, Bear was now wishing there was at least a railing.

Sighing, he handed Ghost his crutches. There was no way he'd be able to balance on those things well enough to get himself down the narrow stairs. He was going to have to go down on his butt. His nose crinkled at the thought as well as the musty smell coming from below.

Lucky, the asshole, videoed the whole thing. According to him, Keys could edit it so no one would see the background clearly.

Thankfully a chair had been brought down for Bear to use. It was a small folding chair, but it was still something. A plastic crate had been left for him to put his foot on. Someone had even put a pink pillow with frills on it for him. Assholes. Joke was on them, though, because he planned on using the pillow under his butt instead of his cast.

The two men who'd broken into Tessa's house were hanging naked from their wrists. The taller one was able to stand flat on his feet. The shorter one struggled to stand on his toes.

"Still no Scar?" Steel asked Bulldog quietly.

Bulldog shook his head. "I'm not sure where he went. I didn't see him leave and he's not answering my texts."

Steel nodded once. "We'll start without him then." He looked to Angel. "I'm allowing you to be here. Don't make me regret it. Keep your cool, no matter their answers. I'll let you have your time with them. I promise."

Though stiff, Angel agreed.

Steel turned to the men dangling. "Let's start with something simple, gentlemen. What are your names?"

"If we answer your questions, will you let us go?" That was the taller one. The shorter one was glaring daggers at Steel.

"No," Steel told him honestly. "You endangered the life of my brother and his ol' lady as well as their unborn daughter. For that, you will die. However, depending on your answers, that death can either be painful, extremely painful, or less painful."

The taller one started to cry. "Look, man, I needed the money. My sister. She's sick and doesn't have insurance. I needed the money to pay for her medical bills."

"While I commend your desire to care for your sister, I judge how you went about it. Did you not consider that the woman you were going after was also someone's sister? She's obviously someone's daughter. Did that not matter to you?"

Shame rolled off the taller one in waves. He'd chosen to be blind to his actions, that was clear enough.

"I'll ask again," Steel said sternly. "What are your names?"

"Travis Camden," the taller one answered through his sobs. "Please, my sister?—"

"And your name?" Steel asked the shorter one. Though Steel seemed indifferent to Camden's sister's plight, he would know that Bulldog was relaying information upstairs to Keys. If his sister truly was sick and truly did need the money, Steel would find a way to help her.

Just because her brother was a selfish prick, didn't mean she had to suffer for it.

The shorter man started to gather saliva into his mouth to hock at Steel, but the cocking of a gun had him pausing. Angel stood next to him, the muzzle of her gun pointed at his temple.

"She's a little anxious to get this over with," Steel explained condescendingly. "Technically, we do only need one of you alive to answer questions."

The shorter man swallowed hard. "Gaven Stewart."

"Thank you. Now, why did the two of you attack Dr. Tessa Fisher outside of the hospital?"

Camden obviously was the talker between the two of them. "The girl. When we heard she'd survived and was at the hospital, our employer freaked out. He wanted her back so she couldn't talk."

"What girl?" Steel asked, playing dumb.

"The girl," Camden repeated, like saying it again cleared things up. "The one we…um…"

"The one you threw out of a moving van into oncoming traffic?" Steel provided for him.

Camden hung his head. "Yes."

Bear and Lucky exchanged looks. Camden just confirmed Bear's suspicions that they were the ones in the van that night.

"And who is your employer?"

"His name is Crisco?—"

"Shut up, you fool!" Stewart snapped. "He'll kill you himself for talking."

"Let me assure both of you," Steel said calmly, "that neither of you is leaving here alive. Crisco may or may not find out you talked, but it won't matter since you'll be dead. Your only incentive to talk is to make your death a painless one."

Camden let out a pitiful whimper. Bear placed him as mid-twenties. Such a waste of a young life.

"Now," Steel ordered, "tell me about Crisco."

"He's… Well, he's an asshole, frankly," Camden said. "He thinks of himself as this great artist of the human form and has the cocky attitude to go with it." Not exactly the details Steel was probably going for. "He makes porn. But it's…bad porn."

"How so?" Steel asked, though again he knew the answer.

"Because he kills the unwanted sluts when others are done with them," Stewart piped in. He had a high and mighty way about him. Like he thought a fourteen-year-old girl had done something to deserve to be raped and killed on video for sick men's enjoyment.

Ghost suddenly moved. Bear looked to his right to see him gripping Angel's wrist. Her gun was still pointed at Stewart. Only this time, her finger was on the trigger. A silent exchange passed between the two before Angel removed her finger. Slowly, Ghost and Angel lowered her arm.

Steel continued on as if there'd been no interruption. "He makes snuff films," he said icily. "What's your role in the operation?"

"We dispose of the bodies," Camden mumbled. Like if he said it softly enough, it wasn't true.

"How many and where?"

Camden shook his head. "I don't know. At least five."

Five? Since when? Five this year, this month? Jesus. Thankfully Steel reiterated Bear's questions so he didn't have to.

Stewart let out a snort. "They're trash. What do you care?"

Bam!

Bear jumped at the gunshot. Stewart started screaming, blood running down his thigh. Bear looked to Angel, but her gun was still facing the floor.

It was Bulldog who'd fired.

Steel gave his SOA a slight shake of his head. Bulldog growled and put the gun away.

Over Stewart's shouts of pain, Steel asked again, "How many and where?"

Likely fearing a bullet himself, Camden started talking. He gave the dates and locations of the victims they'd disposed of. He didn't know any of the victims' names, but they were all women. Bree was the only teenager, Camden assured them.

Only, Bear scoffed silently. The word disgusted him.

"If you buried the others, why did you toss Bree out of the van?" Steel asked next.

"We thought she was dead. They've never given us a live one before. So when she started coughing and moving, we panicked."

Just as Bree had thought had happened.

"And you thought throwing her into oncoming traffic would finish her off," Steel finished for Camden. "Which leads us back to Dr. Fisher. Why did you attack her?"

"We got into the hospital, but we couldn't get into the girl's room. There were always people in her room. She was never alone. We saw the doctor in her room a lot. As a doctor, we figured she could get the girl out of the hospital without raising suspicion."

It was Bear's turn to growl now.

"Clearly that plan failed." Steel's voice almost sounded bored. "Why try to run her off the bridge then?"

"We thought she'd seen our faces. We knew we couldn't get back into the hospital ourselves if she was around to identify us. Crisco said to get rid of any witnesses."

Bear knew Steel was going to circle back to Crisco at some point. There was a lot to learn about him.

"You two went to a lot of trouble for a little girl you thought you'd killed," Steel observed.

Camden flinched. "Crisco was pissed when he discovered she was alive. He even took down the video of her death, claimed it was fake snuffing and he refused to be a fraud. Blamed us for letting her live. Told us we should have buried her alive instead of panicking and throwing her out into traffic."

Bear knew he wasn't the only one who became nauseous at those words. Or the only one who wished Bulldog would shoot them both.

Steel cleared his throat. "We know the girl was sold to Crisco. Who sold her to him?"

"I know him as Nathan Moore. I don't know if that's his real name or not. Likes young girls. I do know he's a cop, though. Crisco's used him a couple of times to get out of a tight bind."

Bear was not the only one who looked disgusted that Bree's abductor was a cop. It even took Steel a moment to collect himself before he could continue with his questions. "If he'd already sold the girl to Crisco, why would he be at the hospital trying to find her?"

Camden shrugged his shoulders, making his chains rattle. "Crisco told him what we'd done. He didn't like that the girl was still alive either. Said she could identify him. Never spoke to the man myself but, if I had to guess, I'd say he was trying to silence her so she couldn't identify him."

Lucky and Bear exchange a sickened look. Bree was fourteen fucking years old and she had no less than three people actively trying to kill her, and a fourth person ordering her death.

Steel asked, "Where do we find Crisco?"

"Runs his operation out of a warehouse in Cottonville." Camden rattled off the address. Bulldog immediately sent the information off to Keys.

"Besides the two of you, how many people work for him?"

"They rotate. Crisco directs and rarely stars in his films. The actors he uses?—"

"Murderers," Angel spat.

Camden flinched. "The…men, they rotate. I couldn't tell you how many there are. Maybe half a dozen. They come from all over. Always wear masks. I've never even seen their faces. Some pay for the experience too."

"What about Moore?" Steel asked. "Where can we find him?"

"I don't know," Camden answered. "I've never spoken to him directly. I don't know anything about him other than what I've told you."

Steel didn't look happy about the lack of information regarding Moore. "What about Crisco's guards, other employees?"

"There's another like us. I only know him as Myles. I don't know if that's his first or last name. Guards are from a street gang in Pittsburgh. Crisco pays them but I don't think they're involved in the business."

"Bear."

He sat up straighter at his name. "Yeah, Steel?"

"Anything else you want to add or ask?"

"Nope," he replied. "But I'd appreciate it if Bulldog could reenact the injuries they gave Tessa and me."

Steel gestured Bulldog forward.

"Wait!" Camden shouted. "You said it'd be painless if I talked. I talked! I told you everything I know! Please!"

Steel walked right up to Camden, nose to nose. "I lied." Then he turned away from the man. "Bulldog, they're all yours."

While Bear would have rather done the act himself, he was in no physical shape to do so and still took great satisfaction in watching Bulldog administer the punishment on Tessa's and his behalf. He had to hand it to the man—he was thorough. Without having to ask Bear what the injuries were, he broke both men's left elbows and their right tibias using a piece of pipe. Then he used the pipe to break their ribs. Finally, he beat both men black and blue with his own fists.

Winded, Bulldog turned to Bear. "Satisfied?"

Both Camden and Stewart were bloody messes. Camden had pissed himself at one point. Stewart looked ready to pass out. Neither could stand fully now.

"One more punch each," Bear instructed. For good measure.

Bulldog did so. He hit both in the solar plexus. Stewart threw up. As Bulldog walked away, Steel instructed Quinten to wash the two down. There were two buckets of ice water waiting for this purpose.

Quinten threw one on each of them, causing both to shout out in pain. The water helped wash away some of the stench of urine and vomit, but not all of it.

"Angel." Steel looked to her. "They're yours to do with as you wish."

Steel had discussed this with Bear prior to them coming down to the cellar. Though they had almost killed Bear, Tessa, and his unborn daughter, they'd also nearly killed Angel's new daughter. Angel deserved her pound of flesh and, frankly, she could deliver it since she wasn't hobbling around on crutches. Bear was satisfied with whatever Angel came up with to end their miserable lives.

Angel stepped forward. She pulled a thin piece of rope out of her back pocket. "Are you awake, boys?"

Both let out pitiful sounds.

"Good. I'd hate for you to miss the next part." Angel started unraveling the rope. "I wanted to give you two a little history lesson of the last men who stood where you do. Two admitted to being rapists. Are either of you rapists?"

Both shook their heads, insistent that they'd never. Bear found it odd how they were morally fine with the kidnapping and murder of innocent victims, as well as disposing of dead bodies, but they drew the line at rape.

Angel just kept unraveling the rope in her hand. "We castrated and penectomized the rapists. Do you know what that means?" Without waiting for their response, she answered her own question, "It means we took their penises and testicles before we killed them. Actually, if memory serves, the blood loss from the removal of their genitals was what killed them. Now, the two of you claim not to be rapists. However, you assisted in the rape and murder of innocent women. You stood by and did nothing as those women were tortured and died horrific deaths. Scared, alone, without hope. So, I've come up with a different punishment for you. Since you aren't rapists."

She held up the rope in her hands. "Your deaths are going to be just as slow and painful as your victims. Now, I don't have balls, but, from the research I've done, I'm told testicular torsion is extremely painful. Especially if done incorrectly and, well, I'm no professional." She stepped forward. Almost clinically, she started wrapping the rope around Stewart's genitals. He tried to kick at her, but Ghost came up behind him and grabbed the man's legs. "Between this, starvation, and dehydration, I estimate death in three to five days."

Stewart cried out as she tightened the rope. Bear couldn't help but wince. He had the urge to shield his own crotch. Based on how Lucky was shifting next to him, he guessed his best friend was feeling the same way.

"I was just going to shoot the two of you. But then you admitted you were supposed to bury my daughter alive. It was only by your panic and stupidity that she's still alive. I was going to bury the two of you, but that's a lot of work." She took out a knife and cut the rope. Finished with Stewart, she moved onto Camden. Ghost moved with her to secure the man's legs. "Since this cellar is already underground and soundproof, I figure it's good enough."

Camden let out a shout of pain, followed by a whimper.

Just as Angel was finishing up roping Camden's genitals tight enough to cut off blood flow, the hatch above their heads opened. They all looked up, confused, but also worried. They weren't exactly doing something legal.

A man's body was tossed down the stairs. He hit hard several times before rolling to the bottom. As another man walked down the stairs behind him, Bulldog's phone dinged. He pulled it out just as Bear recognized Scar descending the stairs.

Bulldog read off the text. "Scar says he caught this man trying to sneak into the hospital morgue. Claims he was looking for Bree's body."

The man grunted and groaned as he got to his knees. As soon as his eyes landed on the two men dangling from their wrists, broken and beaten, with their genitals tied up in rope, he started yelling out in fright.

Bear caught Lucky's eye. Apparently, the interrogation wasn't over yet.