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CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Declan

We pull into the emergency room parking lot, and something about Violet shifts. She’s throwing the door of the truck open and running for the doors of the ER before I have the truck fully parked. Thankfully, Caleb is waiting for us at the entrance and catches her, grabbing her with both arms and hugging her.

“What happened, Caleb? Where’s Carter?”

I’m not far behind and hear him telling her, “Calm down, sweetheart. He’s all right. Liz is in there with him. He was riding Midnight and something spooked the horse. Midnight took off in a run. I chased after her, trying to catch the reins, and she bucked. Carter fell off and landed wrong on his wrist. It looks like it might be broken. I’m sorry, sweetheart.” Caleb looks at her, moving his hands down her arms to grasp her hands. “But if you go in there all hysterical, that bitch of a nurse at the front desk won’t let you see him. She’s not responsive to yelling or acting crazy.”

“Liz lost her shit, huh?” I ask over Violet’s shoulder. Caleb nods, laughing.

“Yeah. They were asking questions we didn’t know the answers to, and the nurse said she had to wait until his parent arrived to treat him since it wasn’t life threatening. Liz got pissed off. She didn’t see why they couldn’t take an x-ray while we waited for you two to get here.” He chuckles. “She then explained to the nurse how not seeing to Carter’s arm could become life threatening, and whose life was being threatened.” He looks pointedly at me. The picture in my mind of Liz going off on the nurse makes me laugh.

Violet takes a couple of deep breaths. “I’m good.” She sounds calmer, but her body language says she may fulfill Liz’s threat if she doesn’t get to the boy soon. “Take me to Carter. I want to see my son.”

“Let’s go, Dove.” Gripping her shoulders, I steer her to the ‘bitch of a nurse’ Caleb warned about. She’s actually very nice to Violet and shows us to the room they put him in. When I pull back the curtain, Liz is sitting on the bed, Carter’s head is on her shoulder and she lightly drags her fingers through his hair, soothing him.

“Carter?” At his mother’s voice, Carter’s head pops up. He’s off the table and hugging Violet around the waist. Tears drip down her face as she strokes his head with her hand. “You okay, baby?” She quickly swipes at the tears, not wanting Carter to see her worry.

Carter lifts his head and smiles softly. “Look, Mama. I got a cast. The pretty nurse said I could pick the color.”

“Why black? Your favorite color is blue,” Violet asks, surprised.

“Batman wears black, and it will look cool with my Kings hoodie.” He looks up at me, grinning.

“Smart thinking, kid.” I wink and his smile widens.

“Do you think the guys will sign my cast, Mr. Declan?” His eyes shine with excitement, and both Caleb and I chuckle.

“Of course, kid. But I need you to stop calling me mister. It’s just Declan to you. Okay?”

“Yes, sir.” He looks between me and Violet, his face serious. “Declan?”

“Yeah kid.”

“Do you think the girls will sign my cast? Caleb said chicks dig scars … and casts.” Carter wiggles his eyebrows, and Violet lets out a small, amused gasp as she covers her smile with her hand.

“Shit,” Liz mutters and I laugh. “Only girls that you let touch you are mine—Jayde, Sadie, Skyler—but none of those skanky ass …”

“O-kayyy,” Violet draws out, stopping Liz’s rant. “Are you in pain, baby? Did they give you any medicine?”

“I’m good. Dr. Halloway gave me some liquid pain medicine when we first got here. I’m just waiting for the lady to bring me a sling and some papers for you. I have to go see an ortho—what’s it called Miss Liz?” Carter spins his head around to ask. I don’t miss the way Violet stiffens at the mention of the doctor.

“Orthopedic doctor, honey.”

“Yeah, that,” he says, pointing at Liz.

“I’m sure Dr. Halloway will have the name of one for us to see,” Violet tells him. I’m not sure if it’s Halloway or the thought of another specialist visit and the cost that has her tensing. If it’s money, she has no reason to worry. From now on, I’ll be taking care of those things for her. But if it’s Halloway, she has some explaining to do. Unfortunately, now is not the time or the place to have either discussion.

As if summoned by Violet speaking his name, the man himself appears with another man and a woman, both in suits attempting to look unsuspecting, and failing at it. The hair on the back of my neck stands up and I immediately stand in front of Violet and Carter, glaring at Halloway. Caleb steps in beside me.

I don’t like Halloway. Not because he’s a bad doctor, but I’ve seen him at the gym over the last few months chatting up my woman and eye-fucking her from across the room. I haven’t said anything because Violet hadn’t accepted that she was mine and I didn’t want to push her away by laying claim too soon or without her consent. Not that it would’ve detoured me from claiming her eventually, it just would’ve caused a fight I didn’t need to have. Violet’s always been mine, but now that she’s agreed to it, this fucker needs to get a clue.

“Who are these people and why are they in Carter’s room?” I don’t beat around the bush. Something isn’t sitting right in my gut and the shakiness to my Dove’s breathing tells me she’s feeling the same.

“Paul? What’s going on?” Violet asks from behind my shoulder with a quiver in her voice I don’t like.

“We found something with Carter’s x-rays. I’m sorry, Violet, but I had some concerns, and I called the hospital social worker, Mrs. Cortez. This is her associate, Mr. McBride. He’s with Child Protective Services. They’re here to talk to you, Carter, and Mr. O’Malley.” The way he says my name tells me everything I need to know.

This son of a bitch told them I’ve been hurting the kid.

My list of dead men walking has just grown by one.

“Hi, Miss Dupree. I’d like to ask you some questions about your son. Would you come with me, please?” The woman reaches her hand out for Violet, who shies back from the offered hand.

“Mama doesn’t talk to strangers,” Carter snaps, stepping up beside Caleb. “We don’t know you.”

“I assure you, Carter, I’m only here to help.”

“I call bullshit,” Carter says, and if the situation wasn’t so tense, I’d laugh.

“It’s okay, Carter. Stay here with Caleb and Miss Liz. Declan and I will only be a few minutes. They just want to talk to us in private, baby.” Violet’s worried eyes meet mine. I don’t like this. The slight tilt of her head and the soft smile she gives me tell me she knows it, too. She turns, telling Liz, “Take care of him until I come back.”.

Caleb grabs Carter’s shoulder, pulling Carter back against his body, his arm banded across the boy’s shoulders. “I’ve got him.” He assures us.

“Hey there, son,” the asshole CPS worker addresses Carter, who folds his arms across his chest, matching my stance.

“I’m not your son.”

I fucking love this kid.

Caleb’s demeanor changes from one of confusion to fuck around and find out. Pulling Carter with him, he walks over to stand beside Liz and the bed, not loosening his grip on the kid. I see Caleb pull out his phone from the corner of my eye, certain he’s texting Pres. None of us are sure what’s about to go down, but having my brothers at my back would certainly even the odds a bit since the three people standing in front of me have the law at their backs.

“Can you tell me how you broke that same wrist so many times? You must’ve been a clumsy little guy, huh?” The man bends down, making himself almost Carter’s height.

Carter shrugs his shoulders. “I don’t remember. I was little.”

Carter doesn’t so much as flinch when he sees me watching him. I know he’s lying, but he’d do anything to protect his mother, and I’m damn proud of the fact.

The man stands up, not believing Carter either based on his expression. “Dr. Halloway says you’ve had several accidents, all hurting the same wrist. It took a while to find all your records since you’ve changed your last name.” The man looks pointedly at Violet, who’s now pale, eyes full of panic. “Are you sure you don’t remember? It’s important that you try, Carter. Dr. Halloway has expressed his concerns and so has Mrs. Cortez. If you’re unsafe at home, I can help you.”

“I’m not in any danger. I’m a little King. The Kings take care of their own. Right, Declan?”

My mouth curves, and I wink at the kid. “That’s right, kid.”

“See. Declan and his brothers won’t let anything bad happen to me or Mama,” he says with such conviction, my heart swells with pride.

“Mr. O’Malley is part of a local biker gang,” Dr. Halloway jumps in. “They’re known for being violent. I’m concerned the boy may be in danger?—”

Turning to face the doctor, my fist connects with his face before the good doctor can finish spewing his bullshit. There’s a satisfying crack and blood pours from his nose.

“You son of a bitch,” I roar. “You told them I hurt him?” It’s an accusation more than a question, because I know now that’s exactly what he did.

Violet stands in front of Carter, sandwiching him between her and Caleb, out of the way of the chaos. Dr. Halloway takes a swing at me, but I duck under the punch and throw another of my own, this one hitting his ribs with a thud. He grunts but tries to swing again. This time it connects with my jaw, but I don’t stop. I hit him three more times before I feel hands grabbing me and pulling me off him. There’s shouting and men talking behind me, but my eyes stay fixed on the soon-to-be-dead motherfucker in front of me. It’s not until I hear Violet’s voice screeching that I stop fighting.

“What the hell do you mean he’s being arrested?” Violet cries. “I don’t understand what’s happening. Why are you even here? My son is in no danger except from all of you!”

“Violet Dupree, you are under arrest for the neglect of a child,” an officer says, and begins reading her rights.

“Do you wish to press charges, Dr. Halloway?” another officer asks. Halloway glares at me. “Absolutely.”

“You set this shit up, Halloway. You told them we hurt, Carter. You fucking pathetic asshole.” I’m pulling at the officers’ grip, dragging them two steps to get in his face. “You’ll fucking pay for this shit, asshole.” I let him see the seriousness staring back at him, the determination I have to destroy the motherfucker for what he’s done.

It’s at that moment Pres comes through the curtain with Hawk and Jameson at his sides.

Thank fuck.

“What the hell is going on here?” Gabe bellows.

“Get a lawyer Pres. We’re being taken in.” I don’t explain any further. Caleb will do that for me. I just need Pres to know what needs to happen next.

“Carter, come with me, son.” McBride, the CPS worker, grabs Carter’s hand and pulls him away from Caleb. “You’ll be all right. We just need to talk to your mother and Mr. O’Malley to sort some things out.”

“He can come home with us,” Liz tells the man, grabbing Carter’s shoulders to keep him with her.

“I’m sorry, ma’am, but that’s not how this works,” he explains. “I need to take Carter with me and ask him some questions. While the police get things sorted out with Miss Dupree, we will try to locate Carter’s next of kin.”

“No.” Violet breathes, her eyes filled with horror. “I’m his only remaining family. Caleb and Liz can watch over him until we’re finished here.”

“You don’t have a say in this, Miss Dupree,” McBride damn near growls, and if these two cops weren’t holding me and my hands weren’t cuffed, I’d break his fucking nose too. He pulls a screaming Carter behind him, dragging him away from Violet.

“Mama!” Carter cries.

“I’m okay, Carter. It’ll be okay.” Violet tries to reassure her son with tears streaming down her own face, her fear matching his, as they lead her down the hall and out of the emergency room doors in the opposite direction.

People who are meant to be good but don’t do good things. Carter’s words are brought back to mind.

“Declan O’Malley, you’re under arrest.” My rights are being read to me, but I’m too fucking angry to hear anything but Violet and Carter’s cries. This fucking prick set us up, and now that I’ve taken the fucking bait, I can’t do shit to help them.

Fuck!

“We’ll meet you at the precinct,” Caleb calls from behind my retreating back. “The lawyer is on her way.”