A Kiss To Send Us Off

Chapter 5

The next few days were the same, sans strange notes in her car, busy work days that bled into long visits at the hospital. Energy draining, she grabbed her coffee and headed out for what would most likely turn out to be a long day at the infirmary.

The note poked out of her purse, mocking her, as she drove. Amelia didn't tell anyone, she didn't know what it even meant but even so, there was so much going on within the club it didn't seem important.

"Anything overnight?" She asked another nurse as she locked her purse and personal items in a locker.

"Three new patients."

"Jesus, really?"

"One is really cute though!" Tanya giggled. "I know, I know, cons are cons but he is one beautiful con."

With a knowing smirk Amelia nodded. "I've seen a few that caught my eye. That one, Ortiz, from last week? Remember him?"

"Oh yeah, the shiv guy, right?"

Amelia laughed and nodded. "He was released, no more eye candy."

"I hate when the cute ones get out. I miss them until we get new ones, like we did last night."

"Lucky girls today." Amelia joked on her way out of he room to greet these supposedly handsome prisoners.

--

"Helen," Max barked at his wife. "Tell me."

"I'm not sure." She stuttered while the floor creaked beneath her as she swayed and stirred the three pots on the stove. "She would let tell me exactly where."

Frustrated, and seeing easily she was lying, Max shoved Helen back against the wall. "You find out."

"You're a monster." She spat, gaining her footing again, her eyes never leaving his as she challenged him. "I don't understand why. Please tell me why you're doing this?"

"I'm trying to protect her!" He snapped, his flailing arms, sending Helen further away out of fear. "There's more about that club than you will ever know."

"Tell me," she pleaded. "Tell me and maybe I can help."

An eery calm settled over both of them as Max flipped from enraged to dark and composed. "I was married before you."

"You what?"

"How do you think we all ran into each other, Helen? I mean honestly, I was in California for one reason and then I met you and Des and it all fell into place."

Utterly confused, Helen's face twisted as she listened to his rambling. "So all this?" Gesturing to their home with shaky hands Helen felt less scared and monumentally more angry. "All this is second place? Some fucking scheme?"

"I love you." He said forcefully. "But I had my run ins with those assholes and when I saw Des, when I knew it was a possibility Meely was a bastard of the club, I had to save her."

"Save her?" Helen was dumbfounded. "You only stepped up our relationship because the Sons were in MY SISTER'S LIFE?"

"I'm trying to be honest here. I love you and I didn't want to see that little girl hurt the way mine was."

"You're not the man I married. I don't even know you."

"What are you doing?" Frantically he tried to keep her from leaving but Helen whisked past him and toward the front door. "Stay here."

"I think I'm needed in Charming."

In a panic and without much thought, Max gripped Helen's hair and slammed her head into the door. Her body slumped to the ground, a smear of blood staining the dry wall, and only then did he know how he'd truly made the situation disastrous.

--

"Miss Shawcross." The doctor who had insulted Juice strutted after Amelia as she headed toward the lockers.

"Yes?" It took a second to respond, even though she wasn't legally Ortiz, she felt more connected to that name than Shawcross. "What can I do for you?"

"I think I may have sent the wrong message the other day. I was having a terrible day and I took it out on our patient. And that wasn't right."

Amelia smiled sincerely and nodded as they moved down the hall together. "It happens to the best of us. Just keep it in mind next time."

"Do you have plans this evening?"

She cursed inwardly, annoyed his apology was probably solely to get to this point, and shook her head. "I do, I'm sorry."

"Maybe another time then, I was just going to suggest some drinks."

"Sure, maybe another time. Have a good evening Dr. Richards."

Amelia didn't regret her decision until she had the barrel of a gun jammed into her spine as the masked assailant ripped her debit card from her hand at the gas pump. "Just take it." She muttered, terrified, her eyes screwed shut.

"Get on the ground." He instructed calmly. "Count to a hundred, then you can open your eyes and get up. Remember those cons have friends, bitch."

Doing as she was told, Amelia could hear Juice scolding her. He'd told her before about using that gas station, no attendant or workers, after work for just this reason. She got to the ground and counted aloud cursing herself for being so foolish.

"I can't fucking win." She snapped after hitting one hundred. "This has got to stop. Stupid fucking job, nasty convicts think they can go after me." Brushing and dirt the gravel from her scrubs Amelia hurried back to her car, her heart still pounding, and sped toward Saint Thomas.