Page 29 of Next Level (Royal Bastards MC: Oakland Chapter #1)

THE CALL

“I think we need to move most of this shipment to the warehouse. We have too much heat on us right now with the FBI snooping around looking for George and his goons,” I say to Joe as we sit in his office.

My phone rings, and I see it’s Zip. I raise a finger, telling Joe I need a minute. I answer immediately, knowing he’s with the girls.

“Yeah?”

Zip’s panicked voice shoots through the phone. “Cherry’s been stabbed.”

I jump up. “What?! Where?”

Joe automatically stands up. I’m sure the look on my face lets him know something bad has happened.

Zip rattles off the location and where they’re rushing her to.

I snap my fingers toward Dawg and Chewy. “I’m on my way,” I say, hanging up the phone.

“Joe, I gotta go—”

Joe’s phone goes off next, and he mouths, ‘Hold on.’ “Hello?”

I need to go. I turn to exit the office with my men on my tail when Joe says, “We got George.”

This halts me in my tracks, and I turn around to face Joe again. “When?”

Joe answers immediately, “Just now. They’re on their way here.”

I snap, “No. Something just went down, so until I figure out what happened, take him to our spot. Don’t let anyone touch him until I’m back. My girl was stabbed, and I need to go to the hospital.”

“Keep me posted,” Joe says, and I hear him relay the message through the phone as I walk away.

“What the fuck happened?” Dawg rushes out as we race to our bikes.

Jumping on my bike, I reply, “I don’t know. All Zip said was that Cherry was stabbed and to get to the hospital.”

We fly to the hospital in record time. Rushing into the emergency room, I’m greeted with Sam crying and four freaked-out women.

“Pops, she saved me. Oh God, she can’t die,” Sam cries out as she rushes to me.

I embrace my girl, holding her and looking to Zip for answers. Except Agent Tellez walks over to me first.

Shit.

“Ray, a minute, please.” I hand my crying girl over to Dawg, who envelops her in his arms.

I walk a few feet away, following the agent.

When she turns around, she says, “I was following George Casso today. I was taking photos of him giving an envelope to two guys. I was about to follow George out of this meeting when the men re-entered the building from the back. I got a call from our agent who was following your girls today. He’d been checking in all day, letting us know where they were going.

This time, they were having lunch. I was at the back of the building when I realized it was the same place.

I knew something was going to happen, so I decided to let George go and went back to check on the men.

It all happened so fast. I was too late. ”

My heart constricts. With clenched teeth, I say, “What the fuck do you mean you were too late?”

“Agent Rojas entered the building from the front and got there first, apprehending the first gentleman. I entered the back just as the second man was exiting. I told him to halt, and he went for what I thought was a gun, and I shot him. When I continued into the building, I found Ms. Jones on the ground. We rushed her here, and they just took her back.”

Knowing Joe has George, I still ask, “Where’s George now?”

I can tell the agent is upset, but I don’t say anything. I wait for her to reply.

Sounding defeated, she says, “I don’t know, but I put out an APB on him. I need to get back to the scene. I rushed here to speak with you and get Samantha’s statement, but I need to go back.”

“Okay.”

She continues, “We’ll find him and make him pay. We’ve got enough evidence to send him back. I got photos of him paying those men. The first guy has already confessed that it was George who paid him. They’re from the same prison, and he promised them lots of money.”

“So what about the other guy?” I inquire.

“The guy who stabbed Ms. Jones is dead.” Agent Tellez sounds just as upset about killing him as she was about Cherry being stabbed.

She’s lucky she killed the bastard. Otherwise, I would have.

“Thank you, Agent Tellez. I need to go be with my girl. Please keep me posted.”

Agent Tellez nods and says, “I got Samantha’s statement, so I’m all set here. I’ll be back to check in after I finish the scene. I’m leaving a few police officers here just in case George has anything else planned.

Oh, he’s going to be dead soon. He won’t be planning anything.

“Thank you.” That’s all I can muster up before heading back to my girl.

Zip looks beside himself as he walks up to me. “She said she was just going pee. She wouldn’t let me—”

I cut him off, pulling him in for a hug. “Brother, it’s not your fault.”

“I should have been there. Fuck when we saw the FBI rush in, we jumped up and followed them, but it was too late. Cherry threw Sam behind her back and took the blade intended for your girl.” Zip recalls, his voice filled with emotion.

I pull back, letting him get it all out.

The love and pride I feel for my Blossom overwhelms me, tightening my throat with emotion.

“I need to see my girl.” I grip his shoulder, letting him know it’s not his fault.

I see my ma crying, holding herself, so I go to embrace her next. Everyone is emotional. I even have tears welling up in my eyes.

Fuck.

“Son, I’m so sorry. Christ. She’s a good woman. She’ll make it through this. She will.” Ma’s words sink in that I might lose my Blossom.

I’m hugging my ma to my chest and say, “Zoom, get a hold of Cherry’s parents, let them know what happened.” I release my mom and walk over to Dawg, who’s still comforting my crying daughter. “Dawg, call Sunshine and get her here too.”

Reaching for Sam, she moves from my best friend’s chest to mine, and I squeeze her tight. Kissing the top of her head, I murmur, “She’s going to be okay. She has to be okay.”

Sam cries even harder. “She saved me, Dad. She saved me.”

I shush her, squeeze her hard, and say, “I know, Punkin, I know.” Finally, a few tears escape my eyes.

I pray to whoever is listening, I can’t lose my Blossom. I just found her.

More members begin to arrive. When Lip walks in, he heads straight for me. “Level, Big Betty needs me to go help her.”

I know this has to do with George and Joe wanting some of my men there as well.

“Take Nut with you. Once I hear back from the doctor, we’ll come meet you.”

Nut walks over. “What’s up?”

“I need you to go with Lip and help out Big Betty. She has our package that needs securing until I get there.”

Ma gasps, surprising me. I didn’t know she was behind me.

I turn and see her staring at me with wide eyes.

I ask, “What?”

Ma moves closer to whisper to me, “You got him, didn’t you?”

Oh Christ.

“Ma, this has nothing to do with you.

“The fuck it don’t. Son, you promised me. I’m going with you,” she rants, letting her voice rise.

Seriously. I rub my face.

“Are you with Jane Jones? Is anyone family?” a man in scrubs asks down the hall.

I shuffle to meet him. “Yes, I’m her boyfriend. Her parents are on their way.”

“Ms. Jones suffered a major stab wound to her lower stomach, lacerating her appendix and small intestine. She’s still in surgery, but so far it looks good.

She will need a lot of recovery but shouldn’t have any problems. We just wanted to give you a quick update.

We’ll let you know once she’s out of surgery and in recovery. ”

Relief washes over me that she’ll be okay. “Thank you. How long until we’ll be able to see her?”

“She’s still in surgery, so probably not for a few more hours.”

“Thank you again.”

He grins, giving us a head tilt before walking back down the hall.

Everyone’s standing behind me, listening when I turn around. Each person’s face shows the same relief I feel.

I sigh. “She’s going to be okay.”

Ma claps her hands. “Thank God.”

Noticing Lip and Nut are still here, I motion for them to follow me. I wave my hand, grabbing Chewy, Zip, and Dawg’s attention too. When we’re in a corner, I whisper, “I want to deal with this shit now. He needs to be gone by morning.”

“What are you thinking?” Zip asks.

“Lip and Nut, take off now. Get everything set up. Zip, tell Jay to retrieve the van and bring it to another entrance where we won’t be expected to go out.

“Most of us need to stay here. We have police here, and if Agent Tellez comes back, I want more of us here than not. With our bikes here, no one should question us. I’ll go with one or two people max to meet up with Lip and Nut.”

Dawg chimes in, “I’ll stay here. Sunshine should be here any minute.”

“Okay.”

Zip speaks next. “I want to stay here too.”

“Okay.”

Chewy offers next, “I’m going with you.”

Zoom is last. “I’m with you too.”

“Okay, that’s good. Everyone else stays here. If Agent Tellez shows up, call me, and I’ll shoot back over here.”

Ma’s voice vibrates around us. “I’m going with you.”

“No, Ma, you’re not.”

“If I’m with you, no one would suspect you of doing anything wrong. If Agent Tellez shows up, you could say you took me home or something. I’m going with you to talk to him,” she insists, folding her arms over her chest.

Chewy laughs. “Looks like Ma is coming.”

“Jesus Christ. Fine. I need to complete this task quickly so I can focus on my girl and make sure I’m back before her parents get here.”

Lazy, of course, is all jokes. “Go kill a man, check. Meet your future in-laws, check. Should be a fun-filled evening.”

Everyone finds that hysterical, and before we disperse, I say, “Jay, text when you get back, and Nut, let Joe know I’ll be right behind you.”

I grab Ma’s arm when everyone walks off. “Ma, I’ll talk to him first, and when I’m done, you can say whatever you need to say, then you’re outta there. You understand?”

“I understand, son.”

Ma has seen some shit and been around when my dad has handled business, but I don’t want to follow in his footsteps. I don’t think our women should be exposed to that kind of shit.

I head over to sit with Sammie until I get the text from Jay that the van is here.

I need to kill this motherfucker so I can focus on my Blossom’s recovery. Everything else can wait. Garrett is in jail, and he’ll be dealt with later. Then I think of the boy Jared and look at my daughter. I’m still pondering his future.