Page 11 of Soul (Royal Bastards MC: Camden Maine Chapter #4)

Bryony

“Hey, I hope you don’t mind, but we got your number from Soul,”

a woman said.

“Who is this?” I asked.

“Sorry, it’s Iona. We’re all going for a girl’s day out, and we were wondering if you’d like to come,”

she replied.

“Oh, thank you, but I’m busy…”

“Or avoiding Warden? Warden won’t be here, and he’s fully aware he was an asshole,”

Iona cut me off.

“She tried cutting his goodie time, but it backfired because she’s horny as fuck being pregnant. Makes me sick! All three of my kids I had morning sickness, and this bitch hasn’t even a hint of it!”

Lindy complained.

“Stop calling me a bitch,”

Iona moaned.

“Then puke your guts up,”

Lindy snapped. “Give me that phone.”

I blinked as there appeared to be a struggle, and then Lindy’s voice came over the line.

“Iona, I shall slap your boney hiney. Now fuck off. Bryony. We’re aware of what you are to Soul, and we know Warden grilled you. We are all in agreement. He’s an asshole. Iona did try to stop the goodies, but failed. She’s a horny bitch at the moment. But Rosalea did make Warden’s favourite cake and then handed it out to everyone, apart from him. And I made Warden’s favourite meal and again didn’t save any for him. Warden knows we’re pissed at him.”

“Thanks, but I got the feeling I wasn’t welcome, and I won’t—”

“You’re welcome, and screw Warden. Now, how much do you like shopping?”

“Without the kids, a lot. With them, nope.”

“Well, they’re at school, so come meet us at Seeker’s diner. It’s called Munchies,”

Lindy said. “See you in twenty minutes!”

“What just happened?”

I asked as Lindy cut the call. Bemused, I rushed upstairs to change my lazy clothes and headed out.

◆◆◆

Several hours later, my ribs and cheeks hurt from laughing so much. Lindy was a blast and very caustic, which she aimed at Rosalea, Lissy, and Iona. She did not bother holding back with me. While it was clear Iona was the head old lady or Queen Bee, she often deferred to Lindy. There was a story there I wasn’t privy to, but I didn’t ask, either.

We’d just left a shoe store where a small fortune had been spent when my phone rang.

“Mrs Teague. This is Mrs Knight from Hamilton’s school.”

“Yes?”

“I’m afraid there’s been a problem.”

“What a surprise,”

I said drolly.

◆◆◆

I couldn’t believe this. For the second time in two weeks, I was being called up to the school. Mrs Knight had straight out refused to answer what the call was about, and I guessed it gave her an air of superiority.

However, I wasn’t going alone. Lindy had insisted coming with me, and I told her about what happened the other day I’d attended the school. She didn’t look amused.

As we entered the reception, Mrs Knight sat behind her desk with a disdainful expression.

“Look at her. Miss My Shit Don’t Stink, when she’s taught your daughter what banging someone means,”

Lindy stated, and I choked.

“I’ll inform Mr Kane you’re here,”

Mrs Knight said as a red blush crept up her neck.

“You can also tell him we’re waiting exactly one minute and then we are off again,”

Lindy announced and sat down.

Mrs Knight eyed Lindy cautiously and murmured into a phone. Moments later, Mr Kane came out yanking at his tie. Yeah, he clearly didn’t want this meeting any more than I did.

“Mrs Bright—”

My eyebrow cocked.

“—Miss Teague. Thank you for coming so quickly. I’m sorry, you are?”

“Mrs Reynolds,”

Lindy replied.

“Mrs Reynolds is here as a witness, considering what happened last time I was here.”

“Good, good. Um, come this way. Hold my calls, Mrs Knight,”

Mr Kane said as he motioned to his office.

Lindy and I followed him in, where Hamilton sat looking totally unrepentant. Maci was seated in her wheelchair next to him, and another set of parents and a boy were present. On close inspection, I noted the boy had a swollen nose and a bruise under his eye.

Two guesses what this was about.

“You left my children unattended in an office with strange adults?”

I demanded.

“Excuse me?”

the man asked.

“Did I address you? No? I spoke to Mr Kane. Did you leave my kids alone in a room with other parents who they don’t know?”

“It was for less than a minute!”

Mr Kane spluttered.

“And how long would it have taken to harm one of my children or threaten them? Ham, Maci, were you touched, harmed, or threatened?”

I asked, addressing them.

Lindy tutted and made a note on her phone.

“Strike one,”

she muttered.

“Excuse me? What on earth are you insinuating?”

the other mother demanded.

“We’re good, Mom,”

Hamilton replied.

“Are you sure?”

I questioned, ignoring the woman.

“Yeah.”

“So why am I yet again here?”

I spoke to Mr Kane.

“Hamilton punched Toby here, and as you know, we’ve a strict anti-bullying policy,”

Mr Kane explained.

“That’s fine. What happened?”

I inquired.

“Toby, would you like to tell Miss Teague? Miss Teague, these are Toby’s parents, Mr and Mrs Watcher.”

“Hello,”

I offered shortly. I’d taken their measure. Assholes, the pair of them. I could predict their argument already; their precious Toby was innocent in all this.

“We were in the playground when Hamilton punched me three times and knocked me down,”

Toby whined.

“Without provocation?” I asked.

“No, I was playing with my friends, and Hamilton’s a big mean bully and pushed me down and hit me four times,”

Toby replied.

“Lie,”

Maci announced.

“Oh, this is getting interesting,”

Lindy muttered as she made another note.

I held up a hand to Maci. “Toby, which version is correct? Hamilton punched you three times and knocked you down, or he pushed you down and hit you four times?” I asked.

“Does it matter?”

Mrs Watcher demanded.

“Yes. Clearly, he has just told a lie. His story has changed,”

I replied.

“He’s upset. Toby isn’t used to getting beaten on,”

Mr Watcher exclaimed.

“Okay. So, you can see why we’ve called you here. We’re going to have to suspend Hamilton for fighting,”

Mr Kane said.

“I don’t think so, not yet anyway. Why is Maci here?”

I inquired.

“What?”

Mr Kane blinked.

“Why is my daughter here?”

I repeated. “Was she involved?”

“No,”

Mr Kane answered, yanking at his tie.

“So, why is she here?”

“Hamilton refused to leave her. The co-dependency is rather worrying,”

Mr Kane muttered.

“So why did Ham hit Toby?”

Lindy asked.

“It doesn’t matter. Hamilton raised his fists to another boy. That behaviour can’t be tolerated,”

Mr Kane stated.

“Wait a minute. You’ve not investigated what occurred? Are you kidding me?”

I exclaimed.

“As I said, Hamilton…”

Mr Kane began.

“Shut up, you incompetent nincompoop,”

I snapped. “Hamilton, what happened?”

Mr Kane cried indignantly, “Miss Teague, I object to your—”

“And I must protest your wilful blindness and lack of sensibility. Anyone gets the full story before phoning parents! Hamilton, I want the truth!”

I boomed, turning to face him.

“Maci was playing with some friends when Toby walked up to her and began calling her nasty names,”

Hamilton explained, his cheeks flushing red.

“That’s a lie!”

Toby cried.

“You had your turn. It’s Hamilton’s,”

I snapped at the little snot.

“Don’t talk to my son like that,”

Mr Watcher retorted, puffing up.

“Someone needs to! Hamilton, what names?”

“Cripple, freak, gimp, I don’t know what gimp means, but it must be bad, humpback, and other stuff. Maci began to cry, and one of her mates came to get me. When I got there, he was stabbing Maci in the back with a drawing compass and hurting her.

“Her friends were trying to stop them, and Toby smacked two of them and knocked them down. So, I knocked him down and punched him hard. Nobody hurts my sister, and you shouldn’t ever hurt girls. Only pussies hit girls!”

Hamilton stated with a sneer.

“What vile lies! What do you teach your children?”

Mrs Watcher sneered in return.

“Maci, let Mommy see your back,” I said.

Maci leant forward, and I peered down her top. My lips tightened when I saw the drops of blood on her tee.

“I think you better call the school nurse now. Maci has been harmed,” I stated.

“What?”

Mr Kane cried.

“Maci is bleeding and has been stabbed. I want the police called. My daughter has been assaulted. Have those other children been spoken to?”

I snapped.

“My son wouldn’t have done that!”

Mrs Watcher shrieked.

“Lie,”

Maci said, her face white.

The door blew open, and I gaped as Soul appeared. His expression was as black as thunder as he stormed in.

“Did I just hear you say Maci’s been stabbed?”

he growled out.

“Soul!”

Maci cried.

“Who the hell are you?”

Mr Watcher demanded.

“I’ve called the police!”

Mrs Knight cried.

“Good. Because they can arrest that brat for common assault!”

I yelled, losing my control.

Lindy reached out, held my wrist, and grounded me again.

“Call those other kids in right now and pull the CCTV footage,”

Lindy ordered.

“Your son assaulted my boy!”

Mr Watcher shouted.

“Your asshole kid insulted my daughter, calling her names, stabbed her with a sharp item and then hit several other children. You’re damn lucky I’m not telling Hamilton to beat him to a bloody pulp!”

I snapped.

“Are you really this fuckin’ inept?”

Lindy demanded of Mr Kane.

“Babe, you need to get Maci to the hospital. Take a look at this,”

Soul said.

Maci was shaking as Soul rolled her top up. I blanched at how deep some of those wounds were.

“Call an ambulance, Lindy,”

Soul ordered.

Sirens wailed in the car park as officers arrived.

This was now a bona fide shit show.

◆◆◆

Within ten minutes of the police arriving, the other children Toby had punched were being interviewed, and an ambulance was on its way. Soul stayed with Maci the whole time, as he called Slasher and asked him to meet us. Maci hadn’t been in pain because Ham had been blocking her. But now she was shaking, pale, and scared.

“Bryony!”

Soul shouted with worry in his voice. I rushed over from where I’d been given a statement to an officer and peered at Maci.

I turned back to the cop. “How much longer for this ambulance? Maci’s starting to have a turn,”

I explained.

“Three minutes, ma’am,”

he replied. “What can we do?”

“Soul, pick Maci up and lay her on the floor, put her in the recovery position,” I said.

Soul did as I requested, and I kept a sharp eye on Maci as I took her wrist and started taking her pulse.

“Slasher’s gonna meet us there,”

Soul murmured, and I nodded.

“I’m Detective Noah Myers. One of my officers has brought me up to date. Is Maci okay?”

a man asked.

I looked up as Soul growled. “No, she’s lapsing into an attack,”

I answered as Maci began shaking more violently, and her breathing became stuttered.

“Does she need oxygen?”

Myers inquired, and I nodded, so an officer took off at a run. “What is this?”

“Guillain-Barré syndrome. She caught it through an untreated infection several years ago and has suffered ever since,”

I replied. I stroked Maci’s hair as her face scrunched up in pain.

I glanced at Ham, who Lindy had wrapped up in her arms. A trickle of sweat dripped down his head as his wide eyes took Maci in.

“What can we do?”

Soul demanded.

Maci’s arms and legs were starting to stiffen more than usual, and tears trickled down her cheeks. Her eyes closed as the officer rushed in carrying an oxygen cannister and mask. I snatched it from him and placed it over Maci’s mouth and nose.

“Nothing, Soul. If Maci was going to recover from Guillain-Barré, she would have a long time ago. This is her life now, and during an attack, all we can make her be is comfortable until she gets to the hospital and receives morphine,”

I replied.

Soul hovered over Maci, looking helpless as we finally heard sirens in the distance. A few minutes passed in silence, and I realised that Toby and his family were still present.

“You little bastard,”

I hissed. “This is what your bullying son has caused. What a treasure he is. I hope Ham breaks his fucking nose every day!”

Mr and Mrs Watcher were pale, and this time, neither of them had a comeback. I glowered at Mr Kane.

“Maci getting this bad could have been avoided if you’d done your damn job and investigated. Her wounds would have been noticed sooner, and an ambulance called. I’ll have your job for this!”

I snarled.

“That’s the culprit?”

Myers asked.

“Yes. That little shit stabbed Maci with a drawing compass multiple times,”

I answered.

“Take them down to the station,”

Myers said. “Were other children involved?”

“Several were punched. Two female officers are with them taking statements,”

an officer replied.

“I want everything on my desk. Have you given a statement?”

Myers turned to me.

“Ham and Maci haven’t no, and neither have I. And it’s not a good time right now,”

I answered, waving a hand at Maci.

“No, but with what I’ve seen, I can proceed. Maybe we’ll talk at the hospital when Maci is better?”

Myers inquired.

“Please.”

I looked up as two paramedics hurried in. Five minutes later, I was in the back of an ambulance as Maci was rushed to the emergency room.

Soul

I searched up Guillain-Barré syndrome and winced at what the long-lasting effects were. Maci would experience tingling in her hands and feet, sharp shooting nerve pains, constant tiredness, muscle pain and weakness, which was why she was in a wheelchair, no doubt.

Maci also couldn’t walk without help again. And she might suffer from anxiety and depression, breathing problems, and spasms. Most sufferers lived with some or all of those symptoms daily. But a flare up would make them intensify, which is what had happened just now.

I paced back and forth in the waiting room with Ham beside me. I’d been surprised that Bryony had left him with me but honoured at the same time.

Lindy was on the phone, and it was no surprise when half an hour later, Warden, Undertaker and Spice walked in. Spice wrapped Lindy up in his arms as she told him quietly what she’d witnessed.

“What happened?”

Warden asked. I motioned to Lindy, who came closer and explained everything.

“And this is the second incident with the school?”

Warden inquired.

“Yeah. It’s not a safe environment for them,”

Lindy said. “Not with their uniqueness.”

Warden ran a hand over his chin as his eyes focused on something in the distance. “Iona hasn’t mentioned it. But what if our child is like me? And in school, when something happens? I’ve been thinking about how Ham and Maci have been coping. Always on edge. And Maci must be in agony, surrounded by lies all day.”

“True,”

Lindy replied.

“What are you suggesting?”

Spice questioned as he rubbed Lindy’s arms.

“Would Bryony be interested in a private teacher? Maybe the club needs to hire someone to teach our kids that has an understanding of what they are,”

Warden mused.

“Do you have any idea how hard it is to find somebody like that?”

Bryony asked from behind us.

We turned to face her. She looked weary and carried the weight of the world on her shoulders.

“Yeah, I can imagine it is. Especially as you’ve never crossed anyone with abilities before,”

Warden spoke.

Bryony held his gaze. “Why are you here?

“Soul informed me what happened,”

Warden replied.

“And not to be a dick, so what? I don’t like you, and you don’t like me,”

Bryony stated, and we winced.

“I really rubbed you up the wrong way.”

Warden chuckled.

“Yeah. You did. And I haven’t decided if I’m staying or if I want anything to do with your damn club,”

Bryony snapped.

“Bryony, I was testing you the other day. My brothers and sisters are everything to me, and their health and well-being is something I take seriously. I don’t expect you to understand, but being their president is more than being a leader. Everything comes down to me. I want them to find their anchors and be healthy and happy.

“I probably went about shit the wrong way and upset you. But an anchor is vital, and I needed to make sure you were genuine. That you wouldn’t use your status to hurt, blackmail, or abuse Soul.”

“You know what, Warden. I might have respected all that, bar one thing. Do you believe this was the time and place to have this conversation? My baby girl’s just been drugged up to her eyeballs because she’s in fucking agony, and you want to talk about your concerns? Well, fuck me, since when did you think you come before Maci? You’re really a dick!”

Bryony snapped.

“Hey. I came because I care. I don’t want to see kids living like yours; afraid and cautious. You might not like it, but I’m trying to make amends here,”

Warden growled out.

“Pick a better time,”

Bryony retorted and sank down on a chair. She rubbed a hand over her face, and her shoulders slumped.

“What did the doctors say?” I asked.

“Maci is going to be in a few days. This attack has hit hard. Some of the compass wounds went deep. They’re giving her a tetanus to combat any filth that might have been on the tip. They’re also giving her antibiotics in case of infection.”

“Slasher’s on his way,”

Warden said.

“Do you mind if we do some research around her illness? See if it can be cured?” I asked.

“Knock yourself out. But as they don’t know what causes it, it’s highly unlikely Slasher can cure it. But thank you for the offer,”

Bryony replied.

I reached out and held her hand. For a moment, I thought she’d pull away, and then she wrapped her fingers around mine.

“What do you need?”

I inquired.

“Someone to look after Hamilton. I have to stay, and I’m not calling Madden,”

Bryony said.

“Not a problem. Ham can come home with me and Lindy. We’ll have pizza and root beers,”

Spice stated with a gentle smile.

Ham looked excitedly at the thought. “Could I ride your bike?”

Spice glanced at me and shook his head. “Not until your mom agrees, but you can sit on it. But don’t disrespect it, boy, a man’s ride is sacred.”

“I am going to call Iona. See what she can come up with around a teacher. Would you like to be involved in the process?”

Warden asked Bryony.

“You meant that?”

Bryony murmured, resting her head on my shoulder.

“Yes. Even as angry as you are, I’m not gonna punish the kids for it,”

Warden replied.

“You earned that.”

“Yeah, I did, woman, so take the olive branch,”

Warden quipped.

“Then yes, I’d like to be involved,”

Bryony admitted.

“Call Saph. I think she knows of a teacher who’s sympathetic to our needs,”

I said, recalling something Lila had said.

“Nice!”

Warden took his leave, and moments later, Lindy and Spice took Ham with them.

“Aren’t you leaving?”

Bryony asked.

“Nope. I’m going to be your anchor tonight,”

I said, and Bryony smiled.

“Thanks, Soul.”

“Anything for you. Just ask,”

I promised and sat back and wrapped an arm around her shoulders and drew her in.

For a few moments, I could offer her peace and comfort. Even if I was fighting my dick at the feel of her soft curves.