Chapter Twenty-Nine

Delany

"Here," Dr. Lansing said, reaching for Harlow. "Let me take her while Marco gets a room ready for her."

Relinquishing my daughter, I followed Dr. Lansing into a beautiful drawing room.

When he showed up at the charity ball and offered me help, I took it. Though he was a member of the club, he was also one of Harlow's doctors, and I knew he would never do anything to hurt her, or me, for that matter. Before, when I didn't know what was wrong with my daughter, it was Dr. Lansing who took the time to listen to me and see beyond my words to the heart of the matter. Without him or Dr. Jackson, I didn't know what kind of life Harlow would have had, but thanks to him, she now had a future.

"Sit down, Delany. You look ready to collapse."

Doing as he suggested, I sat in an over-stuffed chair as I watched the older man hold my sleeping daughter while he paced the floor with her.

"You are a natural," I whispered.

"Not really. I just have a soft spot for Harlow."

"You saved her."

"Not just me, Delany. There were many others who had a hand in that."

"I never told you thank you for what you did. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It all worked out and that's all that matters."

"Dr. Lansing, why are we here? Won't they look here?"

Dr. Lansing grinned. "No. In fact, this will be the last place any of them look."

"Why's that?"

"Because Montana and I have history. I may be a brother in the club, but I have no love for any of them. As far as I'm concerned, they all deserve what they get. Montana the most."

"Alright." Marco smiled, walking into the room, reaching for Harlow. "I've got my little biker girl all set up."

"Thank you, Marco."

"No problem, Doc."

Standing, I walked over and kissed Harlow's forehead. My poor girl had been uprooted so much over the last few months. She was plum exhausted.

She needed stability.

Not uncertainty.

Sitting back down, Dr. Lansing walked over to the small bar and poured himself a double scotch before taking the seat next to mine, undoing his black tie, and unbuttoning the top button of his shirt. "God, I hate charity functions. Have the utmost respect for what they do. I just hate all the pomp and circumstance."

Leaning forward, he took a swallow of the amber liquid before adding, "Delany, the reason you are here, besides knowing they will never find you here, is because I knew your father. The first time I met your dad, he was a firefighter recruit and had cut himself. Fifteen stitches on his arm."

I smirked. "I know that scar. Dad told me he was being stupid."

August grinned. He truly was a handsome man when he smiled. Which he didn't do often.

"He told you the truth. His class was practicing holding the hose when a recruit lost his grip. The hose went wild. Your dad jumped on the thing and in the process, the nozzle cut him. Never met a bigger cowboy than your dad. Over the years, we formed an easy friendship. He was a good man. An honest man."

"Thank you for that. I needed to hear that."

"He didn't set those fires, Delany. You have to believe that."

"I know he didn't. It's just hard because everyone believes he's an arsonist and murderer. I don't understand how they could believe a decorated hero was capable of such atrocities."

"The papers are only going to believe what they know. Unless someone tells them otherwise."

"Jason said the same thing."

"He's right."

"Why didn't he tell me, August?"

"I don't know, sweetheart, but I'm sure he's kicking himself right about now. Over the years, I've gotten to know all the brothers, and what I can tell you about Jason Calloway, is that man never does anything without knowing the outcome. I think you threw him a curveball, and he wasn't expecting that. Delany, you are so innocent of this world. It's refreshing to see. You want to see the good in everyone. You are so trusting. So forgiving. Honey, this world, the real world, is dark and sinister. It will eat you alive if you let it, and I couldn't stand by and let that happen."

"I don't believe that. I believe the world is what we make it. I may be too trusting, but I want to see the good in people. I believe that people are inherently good. It's the decisions they make that make them bad."

"You may be right, but the world I live in is cutthroat and nothing is what it seems."

"Who was that woman he was with?"

"Her name is Stephanie Stevens. They have a past."

"They were lovers, you mean."

He nodded. "Yes. She contracted with him through the club. She was his submissive until he ended it."

"I see," I whispered.

"No, Delany. I don't think you do. What you also need to know is that her father is Gale Stevens. The fire chief of station 43 and the man who is the real arsonist and murderer."

"What?" I gasped.

"Told you, sweetheart. It's a cutthroat world. The fact is, back in the days immediately after 9/11, Gale Stevens was looking to move up the ranks fast. As a survivor, he was intent on riding that all the way to the top. When he learned your father wanted to revamp the entire first response system, joining the NYPD and the NYFD into one emergency response unit, Gale knew he was in trouble."

"Why?"

"Because Gale Stevens is not the man everyone believes him to be. Like, for instance, Gale barely passed the fire exam. Then, he was reprimanded several times for putting his fellow firefighters in danger. You see, Gale is a glory hound. He wants all the recognition but doesn't want to put in the effort. After 9/11, this city, this country revered the boys in blue and our firefighters. They were heroes. All of them."

"I don't understand."

"After 9/11, there was a rumor going around that a firefighter left his brothers to save his own ass. Those brothers died in Tower Two."

"Gale."

"Yep. Bastard cut tail and fled as if the hounds of hell were chasing him. Then, after Tower Two fell, he shows up pretending to be disoriented, saying he couldn't save them. Everyone thought he was in shock. Bastard played the victim damn good."

"But my dad knew differently."

"Yeah," August sighed, taking another drink. "After everything was said and done, your dad came to see me for a physical. All the firefighters returning to duty were required to get one. Well, we got to talking and your dad let it slip that he saw Gale running from Tower Two as his station entered Tower One. Your dad thought nothing of it at the time, because, let's face it, the world had gone to shit that day. But when the dust settled, your dad knew."

"Knew what?"

"That Gale Stevens was nothing more than a coward."

"If that's true then why didn't my dad turn him in?"

"He did. There was an internal investigation too, but Gale transferred to headquarters after 9/11."

"Oh God. He knew about the investigation."

"Yep, and that's when the real shit hit the fan. Gale didn't just want to get rid of the problem. He wanted to destroy your father. You were right to believe in your dad. This city did for a long time. Your dad was a true-blue American hero."

"Why didn't Dad stay and fight? Why did he leave?"

"Because it was the only way to save you and your mom. Your dad knew Gale wasn't going to stop until he was dead. He couldn't allow your dad to sit in some jail with the knowledge he had. So, your dad left, taking you and your mother with him. He thought if he was no longer in the city, you all would be safe."

"But that wasn't the case, was it?"

"No." August shook his head. "Some years later, George Stone needed help with a little matter. What that matter was, doesn't concern you. What you need to know is that George asked Gale for help. Gale agreed, only on one condition."

"That George Stone kill my father."

"Yeah."

Shaking my head, I stood up and walked over to the window.

This was all so messed up.

I couldn't take much more.

Rubbing my hands down my arms, I realized I was still in the dress that Jason bought me. But I guess that really didn't matter.

My mind swirled with everything Dr. Lansing had just said. I didn't understand how one man's desire for more could cause so much destruction. Maybe I was na?ve and too comfortable living in my own bubble, but I was okay with that, because understanding the world Jason and everyone else lived in was something I wanted no part of.

That didn't make me weak. It made me smart.

Well, at least I thought it did.

My whole life, I never had to worry about anything. If I was hungry, my mom fed me. If I was scared, my dad protected me. If I wanted something, I worked hard to achieve it. I didn't take from others. I never lied, stole, cheated my way to anything. Everything I was, everything I had, I did on my own, from hard work, all the while accepting that sometimes things just don't work out the way they are supposed to.

Yet everyone around me lived in that dark, different world. Even my friends Robin and Finley. A world where lies, deception, intrigue, and murder were the norm. Neither of them batted an eyelash. It was like they didn't care. Almost as if they accepted their fate.

I wasn't like that. I don't think I could be even if I tried. I didn't lie when I said I wanted, needed to believe the good in people. There was nothing wrong with that. It's just who I was. I even wanted to believe that the sole reason that Dr. Lansing brought me to his home was because he truly desired to help me. Not use me as a pawn to get back at the club, the brothers, or Montana.

Remi told me there was always another angle.

A more significant, more disturbing reason for doing things. If she was correct, then whatever was going on wasn't over, and if I wanted to make it through to the other side, then I was going to have to think like them. While I wanted to be nothing like them, if I looked at everything like a business deal, maybe like a hostile takeover, then everything would fall in line, and I could get to the root of this mess.

I was always good with the facts.

Numbers never lied.

"You said that the woman Jason was with tonight was Gale's daughter."

"That's right."

"Don't you find that odd?" I asked, looking over my shoulder at the good doctor. "That the very man who had my parents killed, the man who took everything from me, destroyed my life, is the father of the woman Jason had a prior relationship with? It's rather convenient if you ask me."

August frowned.

"I mean, and correct me if I'm wrong here, but Jason told me that once we married, the club would be honor bound to protect me."

August leaned forward, nodding. "That's right. No one in the club would dare risk Montana's wrath by going up against a brother's wife, let alone an innocent. The club may be many things, but it's a brotherhood and they take that oath seriously."

"Then who leaked the investigation about my father to the press?"

"I don't know, Delany, but I know it wasn't the club. Montana was very insistent that the information stay sealed. Jason wanted it buried. He knew if the investigation leaked, it would hurt you."

Turning back to the window, I stared into the darkness. "The night my parents died, I'd snuck out of the house to see some friends. It was the only time I'd ever done anything so reckless. I was supposed to be in the house. Asleep in my bedroom."

"What are you saying, Delany?" August asked carefully.

"I don't know. I just find it odd that the daughter of the very man who had my parents killed was in a relationship with my husband and that she was there tonight at the ball. No one knew I would be attending. I didn't even know until I stepped out of the car with Jason."

"You think someone knew you survived the fire? You said it yourself. You should have died that night with your parents, but you didn't. Then you moved back to the city."

"It makes sense. I had no one other than my parents' friends. I stayed to myself, finished school. Went to college. Got a decent job until my boss fired me. That very night, I met Jason and took him home. What if someone's been watching me all this time, making sure I know nothing? What if Jason's relationship with Stephanie wasn't on the level? What if it was orchestrated to keep him busy? I'm best friends with his sister. We meet monthly at the Bar & Grill. Any time we could have bumped into each other but didn't."

August smirked, adding, "And the only reason they got suspicious was because Jason started coming around the hospital where Harlow was. Then, before they could figure anything out, you two are married and a few days later, the investigation is leaked to the press to silence you both."

"It's a little convoluted for my tastes, but it makes sense," I agreed, sitting back down in the seat. "But what confuses me is why go through all this subterfuge?"

"Because of you, Gale now has something to hold over the club and Jason. He can use the club to his advantage and use Jason's connections in the fire community to further his advantage."