Chapter Fifteen

Leia yawned and stretched, bumping into a muscular arm. She smiled and turned to study Brim as he slept. He looked so peaceful. This was the only time she felt she could really watch him and not reveal how much she was infatuated with him. She had no idea how he felt about her, but somewhere along this journey she had fallen for him.

She rose, needing to use the restroom. Her foot tangled in his clothes, and something went skidding across the wooden floor. Leia glanced quickly at Brim, making sure the noise hadn't awoken him. She spotted his butterfly knife and scooped it up before heading out of the room.

In the guest bedroom she grabbed a change of clothes before heading into the bathroom. She turned on the shower and washed quickly. Then she dressed and, in an afterthought, stuck the knife in her pocket, thinking she'd return it to him later. Heading into the kitchen, she was planning on making something to eat, but his refrigerator only held some expired milk, moldy cheese, and a jar of pickles. They still hadn't gone to the grocery store.

"Not gonna find much, I'm afraid," Brim said from behind her.

Leia let out a startled squeak and spun around. "Good lord, you scared me!"

He grinned. "Sorry. How about we go out?"

"Okay. I can't believe it's almost noon."

"Sleep all day, party all night."

"The life of a biker?" she asked, raising one eyebrow.

He shrugged. "Once upon a time I enjoyed that life. I must be getting old. Anyway, let's take the truck. We can stop and pick up some groceries after I've had my coffee."

"You own a truck?"

"I don't enjoy riding in the rain. But don't tell anyone. Thorn'll call me a pussy."

She rolled her eyes.

Brim's truck was in the garage, and it took him a moment to turn the engine over. It eventually rumbled to life, and they headed to a nearby diner. He ordered a steak and eggs and she settled for pancakes.

"I might have to take a road trip to St. Louis," he said.

"What's in St. Louis?"

"Business."

"Ah," she said. "Say no more. If you're going, I'm going."

"Wouldn't have it any other way, darlin'."

"Can we catch a Cardinals game? I've always wanted to go to one."

"I think we can make that happen."

Brim held her hand as he led her through the parking lot. When she glanced at him, a black shadow suddenly formed behind him. He grinned down at her, but at her expression, he stopped in his tracks.

"What is it?"

"A shadow," she whispered.

She reached to touch it, but before she made contact, a black sedan suddenly accelerated and swerved toward them. Leia had no time to think. She acted on pure instinct and pushed Brim out of the way. Where she got the strength to move a mountain like him, she didn't know. While he stumbled out of the way of the car, she wasn't so lucky. Leia tried to turn away, but the car clipped her and threw her into the air. She landed with a hard thud on the asphalt, the wind leaving her body in a painful swoosh. Dazed, she tried to gulp in air, desperate to breathe, but nothing seemed to be working.

"Leia!" Brim cried. Moments later, he leaned over her. "Breathe, darlin'. Come on, now, breathe for me."

She couldn't tell him she was trying. Tears leaked out of the corner of her eyes. Something really hurt, but she didn't know what.

"God damn it! Someone call an ambulance! Stay with me, Leia. Do you hear me? No, don't close your eyes. Leia…"

She heard no more as she succumbed to the darkness clawing around her vision.

****

Brim heard the wail of the siren long before the ambulance showed up. He wanted to scoop her up and hold her tight, but he knew she might have internal injuries. Just that thought was enough to send fear into his heart.

God damnit! He wasn't supposed to care like this. But seeing her so helpless tore him apart. He wanted to hit someone, or something, but all he could do was wait. Finally, help came, and he watched as the paramedics swarmed around her. They asked him to move to the side, and all he could do was put his hands on his head and watch helplessly. Finally, they lifted her onto a gurney and then placed her into the back of the ambulance. He climbed in after and moments later they were speeding toward the hospital.

He kept his gaze focused on her face, not liking how pale she was. At least she was breathing. The trip to the hospital took forever, but soon they were pulling up to the front. People in scrubs came swarming around them as they rushed Leia inside. He couldn't go with her, but he wished he could. Instead, he had to watch, mentally urging her to not fucking die.

The admitting staff came to him with questions, and much to his shame, he didn't know half of what they were asking. Instead, all he could do was sit in the waiting room and stare out the window. He pulled out his phone and placed a call to Thorn.

"Yo."

"She was hit by a car," he said, unable to say a greeting.

"Brim?"

"I want to find out who they were, and fucking crush them."

"Brim, where are you?"

"I'm at the hospital. My truck is at the Main Street Diner."

"Okay, hang on. I'm on my way."

The line went dead, leaving Brim sitting there. Waiting. The clock ticked by so very slow. He fell into counting every second the hand clicked over. At some point Thorn slid into the seat next to him.

"I had one of the prospects take your truck back home," he said. "How's Leia?"

"I don't know," Brim replied. He ran a hand over his face. "They're still back there with her. She better not fucking die, Thorn, or I will burn this place down."

"What the hell happened?"

"A car hit her," Brim said. "She saved me by pushing me out of the way, but it got her."

Thorn blinked. "Wait. What? This was deliberate?"

"Very much so."

"Did you get a look at the driver?"

Brim shook his head. "All I saw was a black sedan. So fucking cliché."

"Do you think it's McKeighan?"

"No."

Thorn studied him for a moment. "You know something. What is it?"

Brim sighed. "You can't tell anyone in the club. I shouldn't be telling you, but I have to trust someone."

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

He looked at his V.P. "I need to know that I can trust you."

"I hope that's a fucking joke and not a direct stab at my loyalty," Thorn said a bit testily.

Brim stared him in the eyes, assessing him. He realized he had no choice. "I know what happened to Knuckles."

Thorn raised an eyebrow, waiting.

"He's dead."

"What the fuck? How?"

"I killed him."

Thorn stood up, holding his hands out. "What the actual fuck?"

"Shh," a nurse said as she walked by.

"Sit down," Brim ordered sharply. Thorn dropped back into his chair. "I was at the cabin the entire time I was nomad. Several times I had traveled to the bar where Leia worked. One night she warned me I was going to die, and I fucking listened. I snuck behind the man waiting to shoot me in the head. After I killed him, I realized it was Knuckles."

"This makes no sense. I mean, I know you had differences, but why would he try to kill you?"

"That is the question Leia and I have been trying to figure out."

"Are you sure she's not in on it? I mean, she warned you. How else did she know he was out there?"

"I thought the same thing at first. Even kidnapped her over it, but if she was working with Knuckles, then why warn me?" He took a deep breath. "Okay, here's the part where you have to keep an open mind. Leia … she has a gift. She can see the shadow of death on people. That's why she warned me."

Thorn blinked. "Is this a joke?"

"I know you're a little skeptical—"

"You think?" Thorn shook his head. "I don't believe in any paranormal crap."

"I didn't either, but if you don't believe me, just ask Kix. Remember the turf war I mentioned? Leia saw everyone being gunned down. The men, the women, even the fucking kids. She saved them all."

"I just… I'm not sure what I expected when you told me to keep an open mind, but I certainly wasn't expecting this."

"I know," Brim said. "I know I'm asking a lot, but she's the real fucking deal, and she just risked her life to save mine."

They sat in silence for a moment.

"So… Knuckles is dead."

"Yeah. I took his patch and his identification. He'll be a John Doe if the body is ever found."

"What about his bike?"

"That I don't know," Brim admitted. "Wasn't in the bar parking lot. Don't know where he stashed it."

"If he was following you, he wouldn't use the bike because you'd hear it."

"Which means he was using a car." Brim thought for a moment. "Maybe even the car that hit Leia, which means his accomplice was driving today."

"And Leia pushed you out of the way."

Brim nodded.

"Because she saw a shadow on you."

Brim nodded again.

"Is it still there?"

"I don't know. The only way to get it to go away is if … oh, no."

A terrible thought just entered his mind. One that scared him.

"If?" Thorn prompted.

"If one soul is exchanged for the other. What if she dies, Thorn? What if she exchanged her life for mine?"

"Don't think like that."

"I will tear the fucking head off that driver. You hear me?"

"Brim, stop. We'll figure this out."

Just then a doctor appeared in the doorway. Brim stood up, waiting. His heart thumped painfully in his chest as he tried to read the physician's face.

"It better be good news, doc," Brim said. Despite his words, he braced himself for the worst.

"She's stable. Has a concussion and a few deep bruises. Overall, she's very lucky and should make a full recovery. I've admitted her for the night, to monitor her. She's resting right now, but I don't mind if you sit with her."

All the air swooshed from his lungs as a wave of relief swept over him. "Thanks. I'd appreciate that."

"All right. Give us a few minutes. I'll have a nurse come to collect you."

He gave a quick, consolatory smile before leaving. Thorn turned to him.

"Okay, I don't know if I believe this paranormal story, but I trust you. And I'll let the insult that I would betray you slide. If I wanted you gone, Brim, there are less devious ways to do it."

"I never thought a brother could stab me in the back. I have to admit, it played a head game with me."

"Yeah, I suppose it would," Thorn said. "Don't breathe a word of Knuckles to the rest of the club. If it is one of us, that could push the traitor back into hiding."

"My thoughts exactly. By the way, when did you install the security camera?"

Thorn frowned. "About a month ago. Discovered the lock at the back gate had been tampered with, figured it was just local kids curious about the club."

"Interesting," Brim muttered. His mind raced. "Mac from The White Death was able to hack into it. Maybe he can find out who was driving that car from other surveillance cameras."

"Want me to give them a call?"

Just then a nurse appeared in the doorway, beckoning to him.

"Yeah," Brim replied. "Right now, I've got to see Leia."

Thorn gave him a pat on the shoulder as Brim hurried by.