“Naw, I can’t do that. I love fuckin’ with you too much. Anyway, what do you need?” Of course, the asshole isn’t gonna stop.
“Has there been any movement with Vi’s parents or that asshole Parker?” I ask, going on to explain the feeling of being watched to him.
“I haven’t seen anything really out of the normal, but I wouldn’t expect anything less right now with the parents. It’s election year, right, and it looks as if Victoria’s dear old pops is running for senate this time around,” Nerd says. The tapping of keys can be heard in the background.
“What about Parker?” I demand, he’s the one I’m more concerned with.
“As of yesterday, everything was good. I’m not finding anything in the dark network out of normal dealing with him. In my opinion, the asshole still needs a bullet in his head for all the bullshit he deals in. I mean fuck I know we deal with guns, but damn peddling kids and women is just fucked up. What happened to the code of honor where you don’t fuck with those weaker than you shit,” Nerd rambles.
“I’d love nothing more than to put a bullet between the asshole’s eyes. Unfortunately, I can’t right now. Not until he makes a move against Vi. When that happens, all bets are off,” I grumble, wishing I could have already made my play but I’ve also gotta think of the club. We go against Parker Boudreaux, we’ll be going to war with another club who not only protects the evil bastard, but the Inferno’s Clutch MC is not one to be messed with.
From the information we’ve been able to gather on them, they are worse than the Dragon’s Fire MC ever were. If you traffic it then they handle it. Being right there at the Mississippi River, they have an advantage.
Shaking my head, I make my way back to the living room to check on Vi. Finding her asleep still, I focus back on Nerd’s rambling on about all the bullshit Parker’s into. We already know everything he deals in so far but Nerd being who he is, can’t let the shit go. He’ll never be able to when it comes to peddling. Only a few people know why, and I cringe at the thought of all the shit he’s been through in his life.
“Just keep an eye on shit make sure no movements are made without us knowing where Vi’s concerned,” I mutter before disconnecting. I’m sure I’ll get several ranting text messages about the way I hung up on his ass. Nerd is unique in his own right and one thing about him is he hates people who don’t say goodbye.
Putting my phone in my pocket, I crack the blinds just enough to peak through them.
“What are you doing?” Vi’s sleepy voice draws my attention from the window.
Glancing in her direction, I find her sitting up, smiling, as she rakes a hand through her hair to get it out of her face.
Smiling at her, I step in her direction as she stands. I immediately notice the red dot aimed at her chest.
Fuck.
I’m on her as quickly as I can, sending her back to the couch just as pain rips through my body.
Motherfucker.
Everything becomes a haze as Victoria’s screams fill the room.
“James, please stay with me. You can’t leave me,” Vi sobs as she rolls me to my side.
“I love you,” I whisper right before everything goes dark.
Chapter Seventeen
Victoria
Pressing my hands to Tracker’s chest, I do my best to keep the tears from blinding me as I sob. I can’t lose him.
“Come on, James, wake up. Stay with me. James, please wake the hell up,” I scream as his blood continues to seep through my fingers.
I barely recognize the crashing of the door or Neo coming to kneel next to me. “Come on, Vi, let me get to him,” he says gently.
“No, I’m not moving. I can’t,” I sob, shaking my head vigorously.
“Babe, I need you to move so I can work on him until the ambulance gets here,” he states as he all but lifts me away from Tracker’s body.
Not taking my eyes off either of them, I watch as Neo works on Tracker doing his best to keep him alive.
I don’t know how much time passes before the room is swarmed with police, EMTs, and guys from the club.
Neo talks to several of the medics as they work together to prep Tracker to move him.
“Ma’am, can you tell me what happened?” The question draws my attention to the police officer who is gazing down my shirt rather than meeting my eyes.
“I-I-I don’t know,” I murmur.
“Can you at least tell me something, maybe why you aren’t hit but he is? Or where the shooter is? Was this an attack from a rival gang?” The officer kept shooting out questions as a sneer forms on his face.
“Hey, dickhead, back the fuck off and get out,” Blaze growls from behind me. I’d know his rough voice anywhere. Turning around I find him glaring toward the officer. Blaze can be one scary dude and you don’t want to be on his bad side ever.
“Sir, I suggest you step back and change your attitude,” the dickhead, as Blaze called him, says calmly. Glancing back in his direction, I give him a good look. Scanning his uniform, I find his name badge, ‘Martin’.
“Listen here motherfucker you’re in here being difficult. You want to ask questions, do it at a later time where you can be respectful. Better yet I’ll be sure to call Markus, and tell him to find someone else,” Blaze snarls.
The look on the officer’s face would be comical any other time but right now I just wanted him away from me.
“Come on, Vi, they’re loading Tracker up,” Blaze says as he wraps his arm around my shoulder and guides me away from the asshole and out of the house.
“I don’t know what happened, Blaze. One minute, I was waking up and standing. Next thing I know, Tracker’s throwing me back onto the couch as his body jerks,” I murmur as tears stream down my cheeks.
“It’s gonna be okay, babe. Tracker’s a fighter, and he’s not about to give up this fight now. Not when he’s got you in his life,” Blaze says gently as my gaze seeks Tracker.
A sob catches in my throat as I spot him in the back of the ambulance, one of the medics holding an oxygen mask to his face as another checks his vitals. Neo was with them as well assisting in keeping Tracker alive.
Right before they closed the back door, I hear the one medic yell out, “We’re losing him.”
Blaze’s arms wrap around me as he keeps me from falling to the ground when my knees give out and I collapse. “Fuck, babe, come on. Let’s go. It’s all going to be okay,” he mutters.
“It’s not. He’s gone,” I scream out as I clutch at his arm.
“He’s not ,Vi. He’s fighting. Let’s get going. I’ll call Raven to meet us there,” he says, lifting me into his arms as he makes his way to Tracker's truck.
Everything seems to blur together as time passes. I barely register the ride to the hospital or even stepping through the ER doors. All I can see in front of me is Tracker laying there bleeding out.
Closing my eyes, I tilt my head to the ceiling.
Why are you doing this to me? To us? What have we ever done to deserve any of this?
“Vicky!” Raven yelling my name brings me back down to earth.