Page 28 of Next Level (Royal Bastards MC: Oakland Chapter #1)

THE SAVE

“B lossom, you don’t have to go,” Ray says. It’s Sunday, and everyone is tired from all the happenings and partying over the previous two days.

After all the commotion yesterday, we had a relaxing day just having fun. Sammie played video games, her friends came by with their families, and she danced around, letting us all know she’s going to be okay. It turned out to be a really great day.

Vicki, Ray’s mom, tried to return to the party, but Dawg told her to go home and that Ray would talk to her tomorrow.

This morning, he did just that. He went over and had a long conversation with her. Apparently, she wants to take all the girls—me, Samantha, Tink, Siren, and Cracker—shopping and out to lunch.

Right now, we’re at Ray’s house. Samantha is in her room with her friend Amanda, and we’re all looking forward to tonight. My friend Sunshine is coming, and everyone’s excited to see her, especially Sam and Dawg.

Sunshine and I have been close for almost ten years. We both live busy lives, especially now that she’s become a well-known DJ, and I’ve started traveling for tattoo conferences and teaching.

I’m still lying in bed, enjoying a rare moment of calm. I got to sleep in since Ray went to visit his mom. My thoughts start to drift when his voice interrupts them.

“Blossom?”

“Hmm, gorgeous?” I say sleepily.

He’s standing at the foot of the bed, godlike in jeans and a black T-shirt that fits his body like it was made just for him. I’m not really listening to what he’s saying. I’m too busy checking him out.

“Blossom, if you keep looking at me like that, we’ll be naked again.”

I grin, stretching lazily in the shirt he made me put on before he left for his mom’s. I grab the blankets, pulling them over my shoulder and tucking my arm under the pillow, as the smell of Ray’s cologne escapes. Closing my eyes, I inhale deeply through my nose, letting the scent wash over me.

I feel the bed dip. Opening my eyes, I see him crawling toward me.

“Hmm…” I sigh, moving to my back.

Ray moves over my body, hovering on his forearms, letting the rest of his body envelop me. I close my eyes, loving everything about this man.

He caresses my face with both hands, moving all my wild curls away from my face.

“Blossom?”

“Hmm?” I moan

“You good?”

“Mmhmm.”

“Cherry?”

Hearing my name, I open my eyes and lock eyes with his ocean blues.

“Yeah, gorgeous?”

“Are you sure you want to go today? With all the girls and my ma? You can say no. Sammie wants to stay and get ready for Sunshine anyway. We can—”

“No, your mom is trying to make up. Let’s see if it’s for real. Tink, Cracker, and Siren will be with me. I don’t think she’ll try anything with Samantha with us either. Not after last night.”

Ray leans his face down, kissing me softly and sweetly.

“Whatever you want.”

“I want to go. We won’t be gone long. We have to be back to get ready for Sunday BBQ, right?”

“God, you already know the routine. That makes me so happy.”

“I need coffee.”

He kisses me on the nose. “I gotchu. Already brewing. I’ll be right back.”

I roll over, cuddling back into the pillows, as Ray shuffles off, exiting the room.

Two hours later, we’re walking into a restaurant in downtown Oakland. We’ve visited a couple of stores, and now we’re ready to eat. This place has bottomless mimosas, which makes me happy.

Vicki has apologized more than once. I feel like she’s genuinely sorry. I forgive her, knowing Ray’s never had a serious girlfriend, so I get it. She was testing us both to see how we would react.

I don’t condone it, but I understand it.

“Let’s sit outside,” Siren says to the group.

We take our seats at a table, and everyone grabs a menu.

I decide on what I want to drink and look at everyone around the table.

Cracker, Siren, Amanda, and Vicki are sitting across the table.

Samantha is on my left, and Tink is on my right.

Jay is next to her, and Zip is on the other side of Samantha.

All day, the boys haven’t been but a few feet from us.

I’m not too sure how they ended up with us… I guess they drew the small stick.

Yesterday, when I saw Cracker and Siren for the first time since the kitchen incident, I was worried it would be awkward.

However, seeing Lazy and Tink after the Tamara thing, I felt like it would be okay.

Lazy acted normal and didn’t make me feel weird.

The other girls were the same way. It was like nothing had happened, and I certainly didn’t want to bring it up.

Ray and the guys are down at the ports dealing with business. We’re all supposed to meet back at the clubhouse in two hours. Sunshine’s plane just landed, and she was going home first to freshen up.

I’m excited to see my friend. It’s different when you have a girlfriend who’s your friend.

I like these girls, and I know I’m safe, but I don’t trust any of them.

All their loyalty is to the Bastards, which it should be, but I’ll feel better when Sunshine is here.

It’s just different when it’s your girl.

Our waitress finishes with our drink orders when Samantha asks, “Where is your bathroom?”

The waitress gives her directions, and I tell her I’ll go with her. When the boys stand up, I say, “Relax, we’re just going pee.”

Sam links arms with me, laughing. “You’ll get used to it. I’ve had men following me since I was born. Pops doesn’t let me out of his sight.”

“That’s a good thing.”

Samantha shrugs. “I guess I should listen to him more. It’s my fault I was taken.”

I stopped her inside the restaurant, next to the bar. “No, it’s not your fault. They manipulated you. You’re young.”

She gets tears in her eyes, and I turn us toward the bathroom. Once we are inside, I turn her to face me. “Samantha, you didn’t do anything wrong. You trusted the wrong person.”

She shakes her head. “Jared really did care for me. I know he did. He was manipulated too.”

Damn, she still has feelings for the guy.

I don’t want to upset her, so I just say, “It’s okay. You’re back, and you’ve learned a huge lesson. Don’t trust anyone.”

She giggles. “I trust my Pops.”

“So do I.”

We both use the bathroom and wash up. As we walk out, a man exits the men’s restroom, cutting us off and moving in front of us.

Another man comes out of the men’s room, boxing us in and stepping in behind us.

Samantha and I walk single file down the long hallway leading to the restaurant and away from the entrance to the kitchen.

The hair on my neck raises, and I become hyper-aware of my surroundings. The man behind us says, “Excuse me, you have toilet paper on your shoe.”

I make the mistake of looking down at my shoes and then at Samantha’s. The man behind Samantha grabs her from behind, and the man in front of me grabs me.

We both cry out, but their hands instantly cover our mouths. They drag us back toward the kitchen, where there is an exit I hadn’t noticed before.

Fuck.

Samantha fights to get free, and on instinct, I stomp the man’s foot and elbow him in the ribs and punch him in the nuts. He releases me, and I scream.

I reach for the man holding Samantha, but he has a knife, pointing it at me. I hold up my hands as the man behind me gets up. But before he can reach me, I hear, “Get your hands up.”

The man holding Samantha is distracted by whoever is behind me, and I grab his arm with the knife. Sam elbows him in the gut, which gets him to release her, but he gets his footing and lunges for her with his knife. Just as I move her behind me to protect her, the knife plunges into me.

“I said freeze.”

“Sam!” I hear Zip yell.

Samantha is screaming behind me, and the man holding the knife pushes it deeper. I slump down, but when he goes to run, there’s a shot fired, and he falls to the ground.

There’s yelling and people rushing all around me. Sam has me in her arms, crying, “Cherry, hold on.”

My hands are around the knife in my stomach. Zip is next to us, trying to stop the bleeding.

I ask, “Sam, are you okay?”

Tears are running down her cheeks. “I’m okay, I’m okay. You’re gonna be okay too.”

Samantha looks up at someone. “Agent Tellez, help her. Please.”

Zip has his phone to his ear, and before I pass out, the last thing I hear is, “Cherry’s been stabbed.”