Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend (22 page)

Dax

I couldn’t drive fast enough. I looked through the phone screen and watched as vomit seeped from her mouth. What the fuck did that bitch give her? If something happened to Scarlet-no. I couldn’t think like that.

I started hearing voices in the background. Thank God. The paramedics were there.

They moved her so I couldn’t see her anymore but the voices were loud enough.

“She’s convulsing. Get her on a stretcher. We need to get her to the ER, stat.”

No. Please, don’t take her away from me. Please.

I saw the ambulance and Scarlet being lifted inside. My truck fishtailed and skidded before I threw open the door and rushed over to one of the paramedics.

“Where are you taking her?”

“Sir, we can’t-

“I’m the one who called you. Now, tell me. Please.”

Couldn’t this mother fucker see the tears falling from my eyes? This shit was not pretend. I didn’t cry. I don’t cry.

Scarlet was the only one who could break me. Her being broken was doing me in.

“Dude, I can’t lose her.”

“Local hospital. She might not make it.”

No.

I ran back to the truck and followed them to Methodist down Garth. I didn’t really care for this hospital, but as long as they saved her, that was the last of my concern.

I couldn’t go into the ER with her. They told me I had to wait in the waiting room. Someone would get me as soon as they knew what was going on.

This wasn’t happening. The ER waiting room wasn’t crowded yet. Thank God. I sat down in a corner and put my head in the palms of my hands.

It was the MC.

I took out my phone and called Agent Suitor.

“Suitor.”

“Scarlet’s in the ER.”

“Whoa. Wait. What? How?”

“Get to Methodist in Baytown. I’ll fill you in.”

It didn’t take him long to get there.

“She still in the ER?”

“Yeah.”

I let him get settled in before I told him everything I knew.

“Scarlet’s mother showed up.”

“Yes. Marybeth Castle. Or Dixon actually. What makes you think she would kill Scarlet?”

“Really?”

Was this guy for real? Did he seriously not remember?

“Uh. The fucking lounge? She was a witness to a crime the MC committed.”

“There’s no proof, Dixon. Doesn’t mean I don’t believe you. But without hard evidence, it’s not going to go anywhere. Besides, that’s her mother. Why would she try and kill her own daughter?”

“Because she’s heartless? Works for Big D? She abandoned Scarlet when she was just four years old. If that doesn’t give you something, then I don’t know.”

“Being abandoned by the parent doesn’t equal a murderer.”

“She did something to Scarlet. She’s not in there for a fucking check-up.”

My cage was getting rattled. Everything I’ve ever known was blowing up in my face. I couldn’t sit anymore. I needed to see Scarlet.

I knew the MC was behind this.

“I’m trying to give the mother the benefit of the doubt.”

“Ha. That’s exactly what Scarlet said to me. Now fucking look at her! If she dies…if she dies, I have nothing. That woman was made for me. I’ve never had anything like her in my life. The only way I’ll survive this is if she does. If she dies, I will go after them myself. If that means killing every single one, so be it. I can start off slow.”

“Whoa. You need to settle down. Dixon, no person is worth killing another. And it’s illegal.”

“Does it look like I give a fuck? My woman is dying. All because she saw something that she wasn’t supposed to and instead of walking away, she went after them. Trust me, Special Agent Suitor. When that one woman comes into your life that you know you would do anything for her. Give her anything she ever wanted. Protect her over everything. Since you’re a cop, over your badge. Give her your last breath so she could live. Then you’ll know exactly how far you’re willing to go for revenge.”

“Mr. Dixon.”

We both whipped our heads over to the ER doctor holding up a chart. I hurried over and Suitor was right on my heels.

“Is she okay?”

The doctor looked over the growing crowd and motioned me to follow.

“I don’t need you, Suitor. Just-

“No. This is my investigation.”

“Get in my way-

“Get in my way, and we’ll have serious issues. So let’s deal with your girlfriend first.”

Rolling my eyes, we followed the doctor into a small office.

“I’m Doctor Williams. Please, take a seat gentlemen.”

“Yeah, I’m Dax. I’m good with standing. I want to see Scarlet. This is-

“Special Agent Suitor.”

The doctor sat down behind his desk and took off his glasses.

“She had a large dose of Ketamine in her system. The amount that was given to her should have killed her.”

God. Thank God there was a chair behind me. I plopped down and shook my head.
Should
have
killed her? This wasn’t happening. I just found her. I wasn’t going to lose her.

“Mr. Dixon?”

“Yes.”

“Like I was telling the agent. The amount she was given rendered her helpless. She convulsed and when they brought her in, she had small amounts of vomit on her clothing. Technically she should be dead. Usually when a person has an overdose of Ketamine, it’s fatal. She was still convulsing when she arrived and we gave her diazepam and that helped cease the seizure-like symptoms. We pumped out what we could, but I’m sorry to tell you, she’s in a coma. It’s very rare they come out of it.”

“What? No. That’s not-

“Doctor Williams, by any chance did she say anything before she slipped in the coma? The person who did this to her, maybe?”

“You’re fucking kidding me, right? I told you, her mother was there. She’s with the club. What more do you need?”

“Proof, Mr. Dixon. We can’t just waltz up to the club and accuse and arrest without evidence of some kind. I’ve been witness to many MC’s; they have air tight alibis. Usually.”

“Well, actually, there was something she said to the EMT’s who picked her up.”

“What?” Both myself and the agent said simultaneously.

“She mentioned a phone. She just kept saying, ‘phone. Whole thing. Phone.’

“That gives us nothing. She needs to wake up.”

“Hey, douchebag. Sorry my girl was almost killed and didn’t give you anything to go on. You really gonna say that shit? That’s real coply of you. I wouldn’t expect anything less.”

“Name calling is so juvenile.”

I ignored that. I didn’t have time for his bullshit. What did Scarlet mean by her phone? I was on the phone with her. I knew her mother drugged her. If that meant going to the MC and getting answers, so be it.

With the decision clear in my head, I stood up. But first, I wanted to see Scarlet.

“There’s no way of her coming out of the coma?”

“No, Agent Suitor. Coma’s like these are rare. The only way she could still be alive is sure will. She’s fighting to stay alive. Which could be good. That can help fight the effects of the drug, but her ever regaining conscious is unlikely.”

“No it’s not.”

They both looked at me with surprise.

“Mr. Dixon? I must insist that Scarlet regaining consciousness is one out of a thousand.”

“Then she’ll be that one. She’s stronger than you think. She’ll come out of it. I know she will.”

I couldn’t take this anymore. I needed to see her. I stood and stormed out of his office. I wasn’t going to let this happen. Not to Scarlet. She could beat this. Like the doctor said; she was fighting to stay alive. I was counting on that fighting side of her to get her through this. And prayers. I was almost to her room when the doctor called out my name.

“Mr. Dixon? Wait a moment.”

My hand was on the door knob and my grip was so tight, I felt like I was about to rip it off. I didn’t want to hear any more of the doctor’s negativity. I had enough of that shit swirling inside my brain as it is. I was not an optimist in most ways, but there wasn’t a thought or inkling that made me believe Scarlet wouldn’t pull through.

“Yes, doctor.”

“I wanted to tell you this in private.”

Why didn’t I feel like I wasn’t going to like what he was about to say? My heart started pounded hard once again.

“Yes.”

“Scarlet was pregnant. Not very long. About two to three weeks. I’m sorry. It couldn’t survive the effects of the drug. I’m sorry.”

“Will she be told when she awakes?”

“If, and that is a big if, she does awake, I will in my expert opinion, leave that up to you. She should be told though. If she does awaken, she could feel like something is missing. Pregnancy changes a woman. Did she know?”

I shook my head no. We just talked about this the other day and she told me she had her period the previous month. I wasn’t going to pressure her into getting pregnant. It would happen when it happened.

“No. Neither of us did. Thank you.”

“As a doctor, I can’t say she’ll wake up. The odds are against her,” I was ready to say something when he hurried, “but-and it’s a big but-the best thing for you to do is talk to her. People in comas do still have brain function. We will have to further test this. She’s isn’t brain dead. That’s a plus. The brain is a very complex organ. It controls basically everything in the body. So I recommend you play music, and the best thing to keep her brain active is by talking to her. I’m not big on miracles, but I’ve seen a few in my lifetime.”

“Thanks, doctor.”

The doctor nodded and walked away. My hand was on the doorknob, but for some reason, I was deathly afraid to walk in that room.

A baby?

That sonuvabitch took away my child. Harmed my woman. Almost took her completely away from me. He was going to pay. There had to be something I could do. I wouldn’t rest until Scarlet was awake and in my arms. If that meant going to the one place I vowed to never go.

I pushed myself through the door and there was a curtain around Scarlet’s bed. She was alone in the room. I walked around the curtain and-holy fucking mother.

There were tubes going up her nose, and an IV in her arm. She was pale. So fucking pale. Looked like she had bruises under her eyes and somehow she looked…she looked like she was knocking on deaths door.

I pulled a chair up close to the bed. I brushed the bangs off her face and rested my hand on her cheek. It was cold.

Talk to her? What was I supposed to talk about? This shouldn’t have happened. I failed the one person I shouldn’t have failed.

I knew I shouldn’t have gotten involved. This girl has ripped out my soul and left me empty. Without her my heart felt heavy.

“I’m scared, Scarlet.”

I caressed her cheek, and swept my hand down to hold her hand with both of mine.

“Never. Baby, you’ve taken me heart, body and soul. You fight this. Do not leave me in this world alone. I want my life to find you by my side. Every day for the rest of my life. You are so strong, Scarlet. It scares me to think I will lose you so soon after I’ve found you. I knew I shouldn’t have pursued you. You were too bright a light. I thought if I had just a glimpse of that, I would be fine with just a lantern full. You’re so beautiful and perfect. I want you to wake up and fall into my arms like you were meant to. I couldn’t help myself though. Your beautiful innocence made me rethink my life. Where I was heading. Don’t quit on me. We still have so much to live for. You keep fighting. I love you. Know that. I love you so much.”

Tears were already falling down my face and I buried my face into her side on the bed. I put her hand over my cheek. Kissing her palm and wrist. Willing her to move. To wake.

“Dax!”

My head came up as I heard Danny’s voice filter into the room. Behind her was Sebastian.

“My God.” Sebastian stilled as he got a good look at Scarlet.

“Oh, Dax. That poor girl. Was it?”

My mother didn’t have to finish for me to know who she was talking about.

“Yes. Her mother is Big D’s old lady.”

Sebastian tapped Scarlet’s foot and asked if he could go get us a coffee. Mother nodded her head and thanked him. He shut the door, leaving us in the dim darkness and quiet.

“Declan. I am so sorry.”

“Mother.” I shook my head. I didn’t know what to say. So I just said whatever came to mind. “She’s my life. I’ve never felt so consumed. I love her more than I’ve ever loved anything or anyone and that mother fucker tried taking her away from me. Now look at her. In a coma and the doctor said she only has a small chance of ever regaining consciousness. What am I supposed to do?”

“Whatever you feel like doing, honey. You know something? At one point of my life, I hated everything your father represented. I hadn’t learned about the club or what his family did until after I was pregnant and we married. It caused a strain. I thought he was a bad boy; perfect to rile up my life and get away from the strictness I had growing up. My parents hated him from the start. They turned me away when I got pregnant and refused to help. Typical of them. When they died a few years ago, I didn’t tell you, but they left me everything. I thought they would just give away all their shit to charity or donate it, but they didn’t. It all came to me. When they died, my father had a letter for me. Telling me he was sorry. That it’s probably too late to get to know you, but they watched over you from afar. Us, from afar. I know it doesn’t mean much, but he wrote that he was proud of the man you’ve become. I had to sit back and think about that.