Chapter 28

TRAX

I'm a dick.

I am a total motherfucking dick. The way I just treated Sophie was wrong and she didn't deserve it, but I still did it. Couldn't help it. At least that's what I'm telling myself.

I'm fucked up. I was made that way by the family that screwed me up since birth. Except, the situation I'm in didn't help either. I sent her home last night. She hadn't left the hospital since I was brought in. That's loyalty. That's what being an ol' lady is all about. Except I felt smothered. I'm not used to someone around me all the damn time. She was fussing over everything...my medication, my food, and even the damn pillow.

She needed to go home and get a decent night's sleep for a change and I needed to have a few hours to myself.

She wasn't the only one freaked out about me almost dying. That was messing with my head too. Even though I needed to sleep last night, I spent most of the night awake staring at the walls, just like I'm staring out the car window now as she drives us back to the clubhouse.

Being a Road Devil sure ain't like being a Boy Scout. Why was I dragging Sophie into this life? She had no idea about MC's until she met me. A chance meeting on the side of the road had led us here. What if I had taken a different route that day? I never would have met her. Except, her cousin is with Diesel so maybe I would have met her anyway, but would she even have noticed me with guys like Wolf and Striker around?

I'm older than they are. I ain't as nearly good looking as they are either. So who the fuck knows what could've happened, I just know that I got her now and I'm not sure I should keep her. I want to, hell I fucking need her like I need to breathe, but should I keep her?

This is a dangerous life.

I always knew that even if we aren't a 1%er club. Everything is different now and I don't know what to do. So the screwed up head makes me act like a dick, but damn this girl knows how to handle me.

I'm still not any closer to figuring out what I should do when the clubhouse comes into view. Cage lets us through the gate and Sophie pulls up by the front door. No matter how strong I think I am, I ain't. At least not right now. Just getting from the bed to the wheelchair winded me as if I just ran a marathon, not to mention it hurt like a bitch.

The second Sophie throws the car into park, the door to the building opened up and Colt and my brother strutted out. I would have preferred nobody knew I was coming home. To be able to crawl my way back to our room without any of my brothers witnessing my weakness would've been top on my list. It looks like that's not happening.

I'm so slow opening the door, that Sophie is already out of the SUV and heading to my side of the car before I know it. I pop the door open before I look like a feeble old man and Sophie greets me with a smile as Colt and Sugar stand there watching us.

"Just put your arm over my shoulders and lean on me. We'll just look like a loving couple and I'll help you inside. Use me all you need, I can handle it," she says dropping an easy kiss on my cheek.

How does she know what's going through my head? That I don't want to look weak in front of anyone when that's exactly what I am. I have no idea if I can make it inside and especially up the stairs. Now I know how stupid I was to leave the hospital. Except, Sophie is by my side to help me.

And I've been thinking of letting her go? What the fuck is wrong with me?

"Thanks" I whisper back to her as I slowly swing my legs out of the car. My damn belly wound is making me grit my teeth so hard that I hope I don't break a tooth or two. Once I stand, I need a moment as my head swims. I close my eyes for a second as I try to get my bearings. Good thing I'm holding onto the car door.

When I open my eyes and look down at Sophie, she's smiling at me like I am the God damn king of the world. I can't help but smile back at her. "Let's go, but hang on because I'm a dumbass. Okay?"

"I got you, don't worry."

I step away from her SUV and Sophie slides her arm around my waist and I put my good arm around her shoulders. The first few steps are tough, but it does get a little a bit easier as we make it closer to the clubhouse door, which frankly wasn't that far away in the first place.

"Prospect, park this car after you wash it," shouts Colt. "Keys inside?" he then asks Sophie.

"Yes. Thanks, Colt."

"How you doing, brother? Was this a jailbreak or do they always let their patients leave who can barely walk?" Leave it to Merle to state the obvious. Just when I'm hoping to make it inside without embarrassing myself he calls me on it. I'll remember that the next time he does something stupid which could be as soon as the next minute.

"Fuck you, asshole," I mumble out while Sophie laughs.

"It was definitely more of a jailbreak, but we got this. I doubt he was the first one of you guys to leave a little before he should have. You all don't seem like very patient men to me." And that's why I loved her. Merle's giving me a hard time just to give me a damn hard time, and she gently puts him in his place.

"Good to have you back, brother," Colt said as he held the door open for us. "You need anything, either one of you, you let me know. Family takes care of family."

I nodded my thanks to my VP. Words were too much of an effort as I lean heavily onto Sophie. There were a couple of guys and a few of the Hellions hanging out by the bar. They started to hoot and holler when they saw me and by the time I got halfway into the room, the crowd had tripled.

And I was exhausted.

"How about resting on a barstool? Everything else may be too low to get up from?" Sophie suggested in a soft voice.

I tried to not make it look like I was in as much pain as I was as we made our way over to the bar. When my ass hit that cushioned seat, I couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. Fuck this shit about me trying to look strong here. I was shot twice and carved up in surgery. My belly had a long line of staples keeping it closed not to mention the sutures in my shoulder from another bullet. I wasn't invincible, so why was I trying to appear to be?

Dutch brought me a bottle of beer. Damn, I needed that but Sophie put her hand on mine before I could bring the bottle to my lips. "What?"

"Daryl, you're on pain medication…strong pain medication. Mixing that with alcohol isn't good."

She shouldn't have said that to me in front of everyone. I know what the fuck I'm doing, One beer isn't going to kill me and I need this beer, but she said it in front of all of my brother's like I'm some stupid kid.

And I ain't no damn kid.

"I'm havin' one fuckin' beer woman. No need to turn into a nag." I shook her hand off mine and proceeded to down half the bottle. Damn, that tasted good.

Sophie didn't answer me, instead, she waved the prospect behind the bar over. "Dutch, shot of tequila, please. Looks like I'm going to need it today."

She didn't look at me as he poured her shot. Sophie threw it back slamming the glass down on the bar. "Hit me again. I get the feeling this day isn't going to get any easier." And she threw back another.

So I finished my beer.

A huge meaty paw landed gently on my shoulder…my bad shoulder, but as usual, Bear knew what he was doing. "Heard there was a jailbreak at the hospital. Good to see you out, man. Welcome, home."

"Thanks. Feel like shit, but I needed outta there." It was the truth. There was no real way to hide that even though I wished I could.

"Fuck you look like shit," Bear laughed. "But you got a good woman there to take care of you. Let her and don't be a dick."

Of course, that made Sophie smile. "Thank you, Bear. I appreciate that and he will if he knows what's good for him."

He was right on all accounts. Sophie was a good woman and I did need help. That didn't mean I wanted it. I've taken care of myself since I was a kid and I still could now. I hated that I needed help even if it was for a day or two, but it wasn't my fault I got shot to hell.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. She's gonna hover no matter what I say and I fuckin' don't have the strength to argue." I slid my ass off the barstool before turning to my ol' lady. "Get me upstairs woman, I need a fuckin' nap."

So much for me trying to look strong in front of my brothers. I just told them I needed a nap like a baby and the sad thing is I really do. I'm fucking wiped.

"C'mon my big bad biker, let's get you upstairs so you can nap." I hated the smile she had on her face. I hated that she was right.

Sophie wrapped her arm around me and mine went around her shoulders. We headed toward the stairs leaving the chorus of "Enjoy your nap" and "Tuck in him nice and tight, Sophie." They were fucking with me and it's what we did.

Half the way up the stairs Sophie stopped me. "Take a rest for a minute, Daryl."

"Thanks." I meant it too. I looked up ahead and saw we had six steps to go. Then we had halfway down the hall until we got to the room. I would make it, but it just may kill me.

By the time I was able to sit down on the edge of the bed, I was completely exhausted. Like totally out of breath in bad fucking pain exhausted.

"I didn't think we were going to make it," she said as she untied a boot for me.

"Me neither," I panted. "Thanks."

Sophie shook her head at me. "No thanks needed. We're a team, Daryl. Just like you and the guys here, extra I get some extra bonuses."

"Like what?" I asked. I wanted to see what her answer would be. I know what it should be, but I still wanted to know.

I saw a smirk appear on her face as she pulled off the second boot. "Well, you keep me warm at night. You give me really good kisses. But I think number one on my list, has got to be your really…big…bike."

What the fuck? My bike wasn't that big. What about my…that's when I looked at her face. She had the sexiest look on her face as she stared right at my crotch. I swear she even licked her lips as my dick went from soft to rock hard in mere seconds. "Which bike are we talkin' about?"

Sophie moved closer to me so she was kneeling between my legs. "The really big one I love to ride," she answered placing her hand on the straining bulge in my jeans. "This one." The hard squeeze shew gave me had me groaning.

I leaned back on the bed completely forgetting about my belly full of stitches. "Motherfucker!" I cried out pushing my halfway-reclined body back up to sitting. I had to close my eye as the pain ripped through me. Leaving the hospital was definitely not the smartest thing I had ever done.

"Oh baby, I'm sorry. Let me get you a pain pill." Sophie stood up and grabbed her purse that had everything from the hospital in it. "Fuck. We never stopped to get the prescription filled."

"Stitch. Bring the prescription to him. He'll get it filled and he has drugs."

"Okay, good, but you're lying down first."

Sophie helped me get down on the bed so I could try to relax. The pain wasn't shooting through me anymore but it was a long way from being gone. "I'm okay, go."

She gently kissed my forehead as I laid down on the bed with my eye closed. The click of the door closing let me know that she was gone. I loved her but I needed these moments to myself even though I was in pain.

My body was exhausted after everything I had been through. Plus, I hadn't really slept at all last night, so although I wanted to wait for her to get back with a painkiller or three from Stitch, my body decided otherwise. My fatigue won out over the pain and probably even before she made it downstairs I was dead asleep.

It's taken a couple more days but I'm finally starting to feel better. Meaning I can slowly get up from a bed or chair without looking like I'm dying and I'm down to one nap a day. Isn't that fucking pitiful? Here I am a big bad biker that people will cross the street to avoid and I'm taking naps.

I don't give a shit that I was shot twice and they had to open up my belly two weeks ago. I should be strong and not have to rely on Sophie to help me. This weakness was really pissing me off and that, in turn, had me growling at my woman too often. Sophie didn't deserve it but I couldn't help it.

It fucking sucked feeling like this.

I had been alone watching TV in my room. It was Saturday and Sophie was working half a day before she was going to look at a couple of houses. The clubhouse was quiet which wasn't normal for a weekend, but everyone else, except the prospects, was on a ride. A ride that I was missing out on as I couldn't sit on my bike yet. Knowing I was missing that, plus the fact that I hadn't been on my bike in weeks, had me keeping to myself. It was better this way so I didn't do anything stupid.

When my stomach started to growl, I clicked off the TV and went in search of some lunch. I made a quick sandwich in the kitchen and brought it to the bar to eat. Cage was out front on watch, while Brick was watching NASCAR on the big screen TV we had. Dutch was as usual behind the bar.

"The usual?" he asked me as I sat down at the bar.

"How's the new tap working?" We had a beer tap installed this week instead of always having to go through bottles.

"Good. I got less bottles to haul around, but more glasses to clean. The guys seem to like it. Wanna try one?" he asked while already grabbing a beer mug.

I nodded my head since I had taken a big bite of my sandwich. I had slapped a bunch of meat and cheese onto a roll. It was a boring sandwich. If Sophie had made it, I don't know what she does, but it just tastes so much better. That's when I realize that I forgot to put some mayonnaise on it and that's why it was so dry. I was too lazy to go back into the kitchen so I ate it as it was and downed that first beer pretty damn quick. It was nice to have a draft beer available that was ice cold and frothy.

That first beer went down nice and fast, so Dutch asked me if I wanted another. "Fuck, yeah."

I watched him pour the beer with a perfect head. "Watch this," he said as he slid the glass down the bar. Except it hit the ashtray on the bar and since I had both hands on my sandwich, I watched it in almost slow-motion veer off and tip over onto me. My jeans were soaked through with beer.

"Oh fuck! Man, I am so sorry. Shit! I didn't see that ashtray. Trax…fuck…sorry, damn I need more practice!" Dutch handed me a bar towel all the time watching for my reaction. The kid tried and it was an honest mistake. Can't fault him for that even though I should.

"Prospect, that was a fuckin' waste of good beer. Don't do that again to you know what the fuck you're doin'. Now pour me a beer and hand the damn thing to me. I gotta go change my clothes."

He needed a light warning. I wasn't pissed. Shit happens, but I still had a hard time bending over taking the boots off. Sophie would do that for me. It was either stay in wet clothes or suck it up and ask for help.

I stood up from the barstool and felt the beer run down my legs. Guess I was going to have to suck it up.

"Brick, follow me."

As he should, the prospect followed me up the stairs without question. It was when we got into my room that he started to look a bit nervous. Fucking Christ, did he not know me at all? So I decided to mess with him a bit. I sat down on the edge of the bed trying not to look like I was protecting the staples I had going down my stomach. "Kneel in front of me, prospect."

The look on his face was priceless, but I got to give him credit he did just as I asked. I could tell he was nervous as shit as he rubbed his hands up and down his thighs. He would make a good patched member. Brick had proven himself time and time again. It was time I mentioned that to Bear.

"Get my boots and socks off for me. I need to shower this beer off me and I can't bend with the staples in my belly. Sophie ain't here so you're the next best thing."

I heard him say under his breath, "Thank the fuck." I knew what he was thinking I was going to ask him, but I appreciated him not giving me a hard time. Sure this was a small test, but as far as I was concerned he earned his patch that night I got shot. This was simply to get him to help me and have a little fun at his expense. Plus, I doubted he mention to anyone that I needed his help now.

My boots ended up in front of the closet and my socks in the laundry basket Sophie had for us. "Anything else, Trax?"

"Naw," I said slowly standing up. "You did good, but Brick?"

"Yeah?"

"If I wanted someone to suck my dick, it sure a fuck wasn't gonna be you. Sophie can get kinda possessive of that. Plus she's damn good at it. Appreciate the help with the boots. Now get the fuck outta here."

I saw a slight blush creep upon his face and I knew he thought that's what I was going ask him. When the hell did I ever get a blowjob from a dude? I sure as fuck don't roll that way, but he was fun to fuck with. The second he hit the doorway, I stopped him. "Hey, hold up."

"Change your mind?"

That caused me to laugh. I appreciated a good sense of humor. "No, you dumb ass. Just want to tell you that if it was up to me you've earned your patch. It's been crazy here since the ambush, but I'm going bring it up to Bear. You deserve to be a full member."

I saw the pride in his face. He wanted this more than I've seen any prospect lately want it. Brick deserved it. "Thanks, Trax," he said before closing the door behind him.

I felt good when I hit the shower to get rid of the beer smell that surrounded me. I was in and out in a couple of minutes. I got as far as getting another pair of jeans on when I looked at the clock. It was a little after one. Sophie was going work until twelve then take off to see a few houses. I could have gone with her, but I didn't care what she chose. You think I would since I was the one spending the money, but it was more important that she like it. I could always go back and see it another time.

It was sad to say but the bed was calling my name. I lay down and within seconds of me closing my eyes, I was fast asleep. It was naptime for this big bad biker.