Page 6 of Killer (The Skulls #5)

Killer nursed his drink back at the clubhouse. The women had left apart from the sweet-butts and Rose. All of the men with children had left as well. Butch had a blonde on his lap, and he was fingering her pussy for all to see. Zero sat beside him, drinking. The other man looked deep in thought. Killer wasn’t in the mood for talking and was pleased no one was trying to get him to talk about his feelings and all that shit.

“Kelsey looked really sad today,”

Hardy said, speaking up.

“It’s what she deserves leading you on like that.”

“Don’t, Hardy. I appreciate your concern, but I’m not in the mood. Kelsey, she has her own issues.”

Killer found himself defending her.

Turning around, he looked at the older man. Rose sat beside her man, sipping from a bottle of water.

“She didn’t look like herself at all,”

Rose agreed.

“Even though she doesn’t deserve any pity.”

“Stop it. None of you know the truth about her decision. We had an argument, and I told her about the woman I fucked.”

The other men winced. They still wore a frown, and he knew it was directed at Kelsey.

“Come on, guys, she didn’t tell him the truth about her married state. He had a right to lose his head for a little while,”

Butch said, pulling away from the sweet-butt to speak.

“She didn’t even tell you the truth?”

Rose asked.

“No, she didn’t. We’ve talked a little, but when I first saw Michael I saw the truth in her eyes. I fucked up by screwing with a woman I didn’t want. This is between Kelsey and me. I appreciate all of your concern, but please, don’t go judging her without knowing everything. I know I did, and I’ll have to live with that mistake for the rest of my life. Everyone has a past. Hers just turned the fuck back up.”

“What are you all talking about?”

Sandy asked, taking a seat beside Zero. Stink followed behind her signaling for a drink.

“Kelsey. Bitch looked really sad today,”

Rose said, bringing the other woman up to speed.

“Don’t call her a bitch,”

Killer said.

Sandy nodded.

“I’ve never seen her looking so sad. I know she’s fucked Killer up, but I was worried about her, and I didn’t want to let her go home. Is Tate with her?”

“No, I dropped her off home. Michael was waiting to have a word with her,”

Killer said, staring down at his drink. He’d not taken a sip since the drink had been poured.

“She’s on her own? I thought someone was going to stay with her.”

“What did you see earlier?”

Killer asked.

Sandy shrugged.

“I’m not a psychiatrist, so I don’t know the real signs. She appeared defeated, depressed. If I was at the hospital…”

Sandy stopped as she ran a hand down her face.

“If you were in a hospital, what?”

Killer tensed as he waited for Sandy to speak. She had all of their attention.

“I’d have her on suicide watch. I don’t know why I’m saying that. I know Kelsey. She’s a strong woman, besides her issue with lying to everyone. She’s got no reason to do that.”

Sandy wasn’t looking at anyone as she frowned.

Killer panicked. Grabbing his phone, he dialed Kelsey’s number. The line kept ringing and ringing.

“Fuck, no answer.”

He dialed Tate’s number.

“Have you spoken to Kelsey this evening?”

“No, I haven’t spoken to her since she held Simon. Killer, what the fuck,”

Tate said.

Disconnecting the line, Killer headed outside.

“Wait, I’m coming with you,”

Sandy said, running after him.

He heard the commotion in the clubhouse as he left.

“I’m coming with you as well,”

Stink said, following them all out.

Killer went straight for the truck. He waited long enough for Stink and Sandy to climb inside.

Charging out of the compound, he broke the speed limit trying to get to his woman.

Shit, she wouldn’t kill herself.

Kelsey was not the kind of woman to hide away from everything that was happening. They would get to her apartment to find nothing out of place.

The panic wouldn’t stop with his reasoning. He knew something bad had happened. Killer felt it.

“She’s going to be fine,”

Sandy said.

“No, she’s not. If you thought she was a fucking suicide risk you should have told me. I’d never have left her.”

Killer was cursing himself for walking away from her. What kind of bastard was he to just walk away?

Killer parked the truck with the tires squealing. Running to the intercom, he buzzed Kelsey’s door. He kept buzzing and buzzing. Nothing happened. There was no response.

“Fuck!”

He yelled the word. Using his foot, he started to kick out at the door. He’d pay for the repairs. When the glass wouldn’t break, Stink joined him, and together they threw their weight behind smashing the glass.

He unlocked the door and charged toward Kelsey’s apartment. His heart was racing, and he’d never been so scared before in his life.

Hearing Stink and Sandy hot on his heels, he pushed all of his weight behind his body and shoved the door open.

None of the locks had been put in place, which was not like Kelsey.

He told her to always put locks on even in the town of Fort Wills.

Why wouldn’t Kelsey lock the door?

“Kelsey?”

He shouted her name loud enough to be heard throughout the whole apartment.

There was no sight of her the moment he walked through the door.

Going to her bedroom he saw the bed looked untouched.

His stomach was in knots, wondering what he was going to find. The apartment was eerily silent.

Heart in his throat, he entered the bathroom.

On the floor was her clothes, and he lifted his gaze up to the bath.

The shower curtain was pulled across the bath obscuring his view.

Pulling open the curtain Killer sank to his knees.

He pulled Kelsey into his arms.

Both of her arms were slit open, the blood leaking out.

She was too pale to be normal.

“Kelsey, fuck, what have you done?”

He sank his hands into the bath, tugging her close. Reaching for one of the towels he wrapped the cloth around her body.

“Shit, Killer, out of the way,”

Sandy said, sinking to her knees.

“Stink, get on the phone. We need an ambulance immediately.”

He watched her press two fingers to her neck.

“Her pulse is there, but it’s not strong. Fuck, Killer move out of the way.”

“Don’t fucking tell me to move away.”

He snarled the words at her. There was no way he’d be leaving his woman again. Fucking shit, she was so pale. There was no way she could survive. The water she’d been in was red.

Baby, what did you do?

Biting his lip, he held onto her, not caring about her naked state even as he tried to cover her with a towel.

“Pull her out of the bath, Killer. I need to stop the bleeding.”

“The ambulance is over twenty minutes away,”

Stink said, cursing.

“She’s not going to make it,”

Sandy said, working.

“Grab her a robe. I’m going to bind her arms up. We’ll have to take her to the hospital ourselves. We can get there a lot faster without waiting for the ambulance.”

Stink hung up the phone and grabbed a robe. Holding her tight in his arms, Killer took the robe from Stink’s hands and wrapped it around her as Sandy bound up her arms. His heart was pounding and his head throbbing. Her body was lifeless as he held her.

“Come on, that’s going to have to do.”

Sandy got to her feet, heading out of the apartment.

Lifting her in his arms, he followed them outside. Stink was in the truck firing up the engine. Another car pulled up, and Tate rushed out of the car.

Tears exploded in her eyes.

“What the hell is going on? What did she do?”

Tate rushed to his side, touching Kelsey.

“Get out of the way, Tate. She needs the hospital, otherwise she’s not going to make it.”

He pushed past her.

“Fine, I’m following. I’m not letting anything happen to my friend.”

She stormed off to her car. Murphy was driving, and from the look of it, Simon was strapped into the car as well.

Climbing into the truck, Killer cradled her into his arms. Stink took off the moment the door closed.

“She’s so fucking stupid,”

Killer said.

“No, she’d not stupid, Killer. She clearly has a problem. This has nothing to do with her. She’s suffering, and we need to be there for her to help.”

He ignored Sandy, knowing he would never forgive himself if she died. Kelsey was his world.

They were followed by a cop car. Stink didn’t stop.

“When we get to the hospital, you both get out. I’ll deal with this fucker,”

Stink said.

Killer wasn’t going to say anything. The only concern was Kelsey.

The tires squealed as Stink brought the truck to a stop right outside of the hospital.

Opening the door, he climbed out, heading inside. He screamed for help.

“Follow me,”

Sandy said, leading him down a long hallway. Nurses tried to stop him, but Sandy barked orders out. She went into a clear room and grabbed a gown.

“Put her down on the bed. I need her file.”

Sandy started shouting. Placing Kelsey on the bed, he leaned down and kissed her lips.

“You better not leave me, Kels. I fucking love you, and if you die I will never fucking forgive you,”

he said, breaking apart inside.

“Killer, I need you to get out,”

Sandy said.

“I’m not leaving her.”

“If you don’t leave I won’t work on her. I need you gone so I can work straight,”

Sandy said.

“Come on, man, outside,”

Stink said, appearing in the doorway.

Reluctantly, Killer allowed himself to be led outside of the room. He followed Stink down the long corridor toward the entrance. Tate held Simon cradled to her chest with Murphy stood behind her. Angel was also walking through the entrance with Lash and her son. The Skulls were turning up to give him the support he needed. They were not here for Kelsey, apart from Tate.

“What the hell happened?”

Tate asked. Tears were spilling down her cheeks. Simon wriggled in her arms clearly sensing her distress.

“She slashed her wrists open,”

he said. Even as he spoke the words, they felt wrong, poisonous even.

“Kelsey wouldn’t do something so fucking stupid. She’s strong,”

Tate said, breaking down.

“Baby, give Simon to me. You’re upsetting him.”

Murphy took their son as Tate charged up to him.

“Is this because of you? Did you hurt her? She was fine when she left the clubhouse.”

She started to land blows to his chest. Killer didn’t fight her. Her hits didn’t hurt him. He felt torn in two because he hadn’t seen a change inside Kelsey.

He was breaking apart inside. The image of Kelsey’s pale body surrounded in red tinted water would stay with him forever.

Angel walked forward. Tears were in her eyes. She looked so lost and broken.

“Stop hitting him, Tate. It’s not going to help. He’s not to blame for this.”

Suddenly Tate spun and slapped Angel across the face. Before anyone could stop, Lash caught Tate around the neck, holding on tight.

“Lash, no, don’t do it,”

Angel said, catching the arm that caught Tate. The whole confrontation was going to shit.

“Please, everyone is upset. Think about what you’re doing.”

She tried to tug Lash’s arm away.

“Step the fuck away from my woman,”

Murphy said.

The nurses were looking on as if they were some kind of circus act.

“I don’t care who you are, Tate. No one touches my woman, no matter what. You’ll fucking apologize for that right now,”

Lash said.

Tate glared at him, but Killer saw the real tears in her eyes. She turned toward Angel.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. Please, forgive me. I don’t know what the hell I’m doing.”

“I know, honey.”

Angel tugged on Lash’s arm.

“All’s forgiven. Let her go.”

Slowly, Lash pulled away.

“You forgive too easily,”

he said. The tension eased slightly.

“I’m sorry, Killer. I have no right to blame you.”

Tate took a deep breath, closing her eyes.

“What the hell happened?”

she asked, running fingers through her hair.

“Sandy mentioned some shit about her mood and how she’d want to put Kels under suicide watch. I tried to call her, but she wouldn’t answer. She slit her wrists.”

Killer shook his head recalling the sight of her in red tinted water. He knew he’d never get that image from his mind. Fuck, he needed a drink or something to take his mind of what he just witnessed.

Instead, he walked over to the nurses’ station where he needed to fill in the necessary paperwork.

Looking down at the list of questions and details, Killer suddenly realized he didn’t know a fucking thing about her.

He never asked her any real questions about her life, but he hadn’t told her anything about himself either.

He took the forms to the waiting room where several people were sitting.

“I can’t do this,”

Tate said.

“She’s always seemed so strong and calm. I never for one second thought she was capable of killing herself. None of it makes any sense to me. Kelsey is not like this.”

Killer couldn’t say anything.

“We need to get in touch with her husband,” he said.

“What?”

Tate turned to glare at him.

“Why would you get him involved? Kels wouldn’t like it. She hates him.”

Pressing the forms against her chest, Killer glared at her.

“Can you answer all these questions?”

he asked.

“I’ve not got a clue, and I bet that fucker knows more about her than we do.”

Murphy, Angel, and Lash sat opposite them staring. Killer felt stripped to the core at knowing his woman was suffering. Fuck, what if she doesn’t make it. He didn’t know how he’d live with himself.

“No one knows how to get in touch with him,”

Tate said.

Someone charged through the front door, and Killer recognized him immediately.

“Speak of the fucking devil.”

Getting to his feet he walked over to Kelsey’s husband, who was shouting at the nurses.

“I want to know where my fucking wife is, and I want to know now,”

Michael said, slamming his palm against the counter. He looked angry and frustrated as he spoke.

“Sir, you’re going to have to take a seat.”

“No, I fucking won’t—”

“Kelsey is in surgery with a damn good doctor,”

Killer said, speaking up over the commotion going on around them.

“What?”

Michael turned to him.

“What the fuck are you doing here?”

Tate stormed over.

“He’s the one who found her.”

Michael looked from him to Tate.

“Then why don’t you tell me what the hell is going on.”

“Why are you here?”

Killer asked. He needed to stop thinking about Kelsey, pale and lying in the bath surrounded by red tinted water. He’d never stop thinking about her like that. What could have been so horrid to make her kill herself?

“I got a call from one of my men guarding her apartment building. He told me what happened and how you carried her out of there. I left my hotel room to get here as quickly as I could.”

Michael glared at him.

“She doesn’t want you here.”

The rest of the hospital fell away as Killer glared at the man opposite him.

“No? Well I’m the one who pays her fees and make sure she’s well taken care of.”

Michael snatched the papers from Killer’s hands.

“These are all hers I assume?”

Gritting his teeth, Killer nodded, wishing he could wipe the smug smile off the bastard’s face. He saw the ring on Michael’s finger, taunting him with the prior claim he had over his woman.

Walking away from the man, Killer stood near the secure door wanting to meet Sandy the moment she came out of the room.

Fuck, Kels. You’ve got to live. I can’t live my life without you. I love you. Fucking please, don’t die.

****

Zero cleaned away the used bottles and crap from the night before. Most of the men were at the hospital trying to wait for news of Kelsey. He felt sorry for Killer. The man clearly loved her, and now he’d seen her at her most vulnerable.

The door to the clubhouse opened. Zero stopped to watch Sophia walk inside carrying her daughter on her hip. The more he saw her, the more he felt like he’d been hit in the gut by what he couldn’t have.

“Let’s clean this place up so Aunty Kelsey knows we all love and miss her,”

Sophia said, talking babyish to her daughter.

He dropped the bottle making her cry out.

“Jesus Christ, Zero, you scared me to death.”

“Sorry,”

he said, holding his hand up.

Her daughter started to fuss, and he watched her place the bag on the floor and rock her.

“I thought everyone was at the hospital or dealing with club business. Nash has gone to help his brother out. Angel won’t leave the hospital because of Tate. I heard a lot of stuff went down last night.”

Zero nodded, taking in the sight of her beauty.

“Yeah, Kelsey tried to commit suicide. I’ve not been called for an update, so I’m taking that as good news. Tiny and Eva are on their way back from Vegas.”

Zero stayed out of the mess. When he got the call from Angel about what was happening, he chose to stay away from the drama. He had far too many problems of his own, including this woman before him.

“I couldn’t believe it when Nash told me this morning. Kelsey is so strong. I wonder what set her off,”

Sophia said, placing her daughter in the crib set up in the corner.

Forcing himself to look away from her, Zero wondered if there would ever be a time when he didn’t have feelings for the young woman.

The only real meaning his life had was in trying to avoid this woman.

Fuck, he didn’t know what he was thinking or feeling anymore.

He loved the club, but seeing Sophia everyday was starting to hurt like a son of a bitch.

She held such power over him, and from the way she smiled down at her daughter, she didn’t even have a clue.

Picking up bottles he started throwing them into the sack he was holding. The bottles smashed with the force with which he threw them inside.

“Hey,”

she said, touching his arm.

He felt frozen inside from her touch.

Can’t have. Can’t touch. Can’t fucking love.

Pulling away from the feel of her fingers wrapped around his arm he glared at her. “What?”

“What’s the matter with you? Did you have feelings for Kelsey?”

She frowned, waiting for him to answer.

She really didn’t see how she turned him up in knots. He wanted to laugh, shout, scream, and shake her to bloody death. Didn’t she have a clue how he felt about her?

“Nothing, I’m fucking fine.”

Throwing the bag to the floor he charged toward the door. He needed to get out of here. Being close to her was going to make him do something he regretted.

She belongs to Nash.

“Zero, wait. What’s going on?”

She ran to the door. The pained look in her eyes struck him deep.

“I need some fresh air. Can’t I even have that in fucking peace?”

“I’m so sorry.”

Sophia dropped her arm giving him the space to disappear.

He walked out of the back to find Steven having a smoke.

“I thought you were at the hospital?”

Zero said, grabbing a smoke for himself.

“I was. I came home to give Tiny and Eva the heads-up when they get back.”

“Is she dead?”

Zero lit his cigarette taking a deep draw from it.

“No. It was touch and go. Sandy said they lost her for a second but brought her back. Killer is beside himself, and her fucking husband is sitting beside him. It’s a total fuck up and looks more like a soap opera. No wonder the girl tried to off herself.”

Staring at Steven, he shook his head.

“You can fucking talk some, can’t you?”

“Fuck off. Besides, it’s a good job I’m here so you don’t do anything stupid when it comes to Sophia. Bitch isn’t worth it, man.”

He ignored the advice leaking out of Steven’s mouth.

“Fine, ignore me. Shit, I stink. I need to get a bath. Are you sure you can be safe here and not risk fucking your friend’s woman?”

Steven asked, taunting him on the way back inside the clubhouse.

Zero stared out over the horizon. It was a lovely fresh morning, and the slight breeze ruffled his hair. Fuck, he needed to get his shit together. The Skulls meant everything to him. He didn’t want to risk the club for a woman. Sophia was just a woman, and he needed to get it through his thick skull otherwise he’d be out on his ass. There was no way he’d be facing this world alone without his club for support.

Taking out his cell phone, he looked up her number and dialed. She answered on the fifth ring sounding breathless.

“Hello,” she said.

“Hey, Prue, it’s me.”

“Lucas?”

He chuckled. Zero hadn’t heard his name in so long.

“Yeah, it’s me. How are you doing?”

“Me? I should be asking you that. You’re the one who came to me a year ago. Are you well? You’re not hurt, are you?”

“Nah, I’m good.”

Her voice was so sweet and he owed her so much, yet he could never repay her for anything.

“How are things?”

“Good, it’s pretty manic around here at the moment.”

She went on talking about the fairs, the love she had for picking the fresh fruits and apples.

“It’s coming up to over ten years, Lucas.”

He closed his eyes remembering the pain of the past.

“I know, honey. I’ll come and see you soon.”

“You don’t have to come. You didn’t last year or the year before that.”

“I’ve got new commitments here. I’ll get away from here and try and get up there,” he said.

“Lucas, you sound … distracted.”

“I’ve got shit going on down here. In fact I better be going. Take care, Prue. I’ll talk to you soon.”

Before she said anything else, he hung up the phone. Tears sprang in his eyes at the memory of what Prue created. Fuck, he was turning into an emotional bastard. Talking to Prue wasn’t supposed to make him feel like this.

Wiping the tears away from his eyes, he walked back into the clubhouse. Being around Sophia made him forget about his pain and what he’d done.

He stood behind the bar and watched Sophia with her daughter. She was untouchable to him. There was no way for him to get to her, and because of that, they were both safe.