Page 1 of Ranger's Rise

Ranger

“So, he’s okay?” I can’t believe he was still standing until VP showed up. I can’t say I know him well, but what I’ve seen and heard is all good. The Brother is fucking funny too. He reminds me of Tito, my old President and uncle.

Freedom nods. “He is. Patcher used the defibrillator pads to keep him from losing too much air. It was a sucking chest wound. Doc closed up the nick and he was laughing but ended up throwing Raid out because that hurt. He won’t use pain meds. Doc operated like he was in fucking combat. Cort is crazy about drugs. Something happened in the city when he got shot and he refuses everything now. He wouldn’t let Patcher or Doc sedate him so he was restrained on the gurney.”

I swing my head. That goes along with what I know of him. I know drugs and trafficking are a hard-line for him.

“Do you need to get back to the office?” I know they brought Hade to holding. There’s a Club full of Brothers here that want him dead.

She’s watching me with those fiery eyes. I’ve seen them when she asks questions. She’s watching my eyes for an indication of why I’d ask. “No, I brought Seren. She’s with Cort now. Raid and Lorelei are there.”

Keeping her eyes, I ask, “Did you see Hade?”

With the slightest movement, she answers cautiously. “No, I had no reason to see Hade. I did tell Raid that you hit the switch, but he knew. How is your wrist?”

“Fine. Come walk with me.” I need to know what the fuck is going on with Hade and why he’d shoot me or try. Even if it was with a laser, that’s fucked up. She takes my hand and walks by my side. I like that she does. Women that make you pull them along or walk a step behind annoy the hell out of me.

When we’re close to the lake, I sit at one of the picnic tables. “You know about Hade and me.” She doesn’t make me wait. I like that too.

“No, I know there was a you and Hade, but nothing about it. Falcon isn’t big on details.”

She laughs. “No, the Brother is closed mouth about most things. So, there was a Hade and me, but we had some trouble in a training class and he took offense to me stopping trainees from pulling Victory into the stockroom. One trainee needed a hospital and I told them he would. Their President wanted them to drive home and he died on the way. Hade had more trouble with that and wanted me to quit training. When I wouldn’t, he said me being a stone-cold killer caused him concern. It was only a few months and it never got to serious.” She shrugs. It’s not something she’ll go back to. “It’s been a while and I can’t see anything that would make me forget those words.” She’s hurt in a way that he’ll never be able to heal.

She hurt them all? “Trainees? How many?”

She’s always got someone on the floor with her, this doesn’t sound like anything I’ve seen here. “Dead trainee was pulling her, the two injured were blocking for him, then half the class was. It felt like five minutes until Mounty got through and had her shielded. He says it was two. I had the three down when Hade pulled me away as I was turning to the trainees that blocked me from stopping the three. Before you ask, yeah, I was going to put them all down.” It took Mounty two minutes?

I nod. “I would have too. Tell me I didn't train the assholes.”

Her head is swinging. “No, Cort had them on a tight leash. Mounty, Brinks and Falcon were their only trainers.”

I hope they didn’t take her off training. She would need to show presence and that Badass attitude. “And you?”

Her smile says it all. “Yeah.”

“Anything I need to know about Hade? The Brother was trying to shoot me.”

Her eyes roll. “No. He ended it but never said. He just stopped talking to me. I agreed and moved on. I’m not a stone-cold killer but had no remorse for the trainees. They’re out there with women who aren’t trained to protect themselves. Victory is a level three, but she’s not one to hurt someone. I had to step in and defend her, then myself when the class turned. I’m not sorry and would do it again. Bending to a man’s idea of me isn’t going to work. I’m not willing to change who I am.”

I nod, agreeing. “I get it and agree. I like what I know and hope you do too. I’m not willing to change either.”

Her smile changes her eyes to playful. I like the dark chocolate color. “Glad we agree on that.”

“Freedom!” Someone yells from the back door of the Club.

Her groan tells me she knows who it is. My guess is Victory. “Her chastity thing is going to kill me.”

I laugh then kiss her lips. “Go, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Yeah, I’ll need batteries if this keeps up.”

She squeezes my hand and walks toward the Club. I see Shultz pass her on the way. Since he’s aiming for me, I stay where I am and watch Victory pull Freedom around the side of the building. They’re going to the condos.

Schulz sits, handing me a beer. “How’s your hand?”

“Fine. It’s just a graze.”

“That was messed up, Ranger. You deal with shit like that regularly?”