Priest: A Motorcycle Club Romance (The Viking’s Rampage MC: Tucson Chapter Book 2)
Priest: A Motorcycle Club Romance: Chapter 27

There wasn’t a clock back here with us, so I didn’t know how much time had passed. All I could do was wait here to see what was going to happen. It was making me antsy and I shoved to my feet and began pacing the cell I was in. I was worried about Jenny and my girls. I couldn’t help any of them right now and it grated at me.

The rest of our brothers were out in the desert, watching the compound, and we wouldn’t hear from them until sunrise. Hopefully things wouldn’t take that long. It had the potential to be a long fucking night.

Nobody was talking, an unusual thing for this group. There wasn’t anything to say. Chet was dead, and Jenny and my girls were safe. That was the important part. Now that the immediate threat was over, it was time to face the consequences.

Would I lose custody of my girls over this? Would I—we—get charges filed? Had I cost my brothers their freedom? No one asked out loud. No one tried to reassure me, nor did they blame me. We weren’t the type to offer platitudes nor to cast the blame. Still, the longer this took the worse the foreboding became.

My brothers watched me with worried eyes, but didn’t comment. We were all helpless in this moment and that wasn’t something any of us liked.

A cop walked past and Lockout stood up, going over to the bars. “I want my phone call,” he told the officer.

The guy paused, then shrugged. “Soon as the Lieutenant says so, you can have it.” He kept going while we all swore.

More time passed before another officer finally stepped up to the cell. “You get one call between the lot of you.”

My eyes narrowed, but we all looked to Lockout. He stepped forward and the cop let him out of the cell. He brought him toward the back of the room and cuffed him to a bench there and handed him a cell phone.

Lockout waited until the officer stepped a ways away before he punched in a number on the screen. His expression was grim as it met mine. He straightened up when whoever he was calling answered.

“Static. It’s Lockout.” I leaned against the bars and waited, listening in. “Gonna need your help, old friend.”

Lockout ran the man through what had happened tonight, giving him the names of those of us locked up and Jenny’s. “Get here as fast as you can.” He paused for a moment and sighed. It was a relieved sound and it eased the tension curling around me. “Thanks.”

Disconnecting the call, he motioned for the cop and handed the phone over. The officer put him back in the cell and left us alone.

“Who was that?” I asked as soon as we were alone again.

“Friend from my time in,” he replied.

“I don’t know a Static,” I pointed out.

“Me neither,” Hush added.

“Tried to get him to join the MC while we were forming it and he wasn’t in a place to be able to. I’ve kept in touch with him over the years, but he hasn’t been ready. None of you have met him,” he said, sitting down on the bench near Toxic.

“How’s he going to be able to help us?” I asked.

Lockout gave me a feral smile. “You’ll see.”

Rolling my eyes at his cryptic ass, I stood up and pounded on the bars. The cop came back into our area and glared at me. “I want to check on my kids…and my girlfriend.”

“Kids were picked up by your sister,” he said. “Girlfriend is still in interrogation.” He gave me a toothy smile and left, ignoring the curses I threw his way.

Riptide had made up IDs for all our old ladies and Kit so that if anything ever happened to any of us they’d be able to get information on us. He’d made Jenny a set just last week, which is why she knew she’d be able to call Kit and have her pick up the girls. She’d brought along the driver’s license and paperwork that ‘proved’ she was Kit Mitchell. At least my girls weren’t stuck here in the police station and they hadn’t been taken away by CPS. Yet.

I knew the girls must be terrified, but as long as they were safe, I could focus on the rest of us getting out of here. Not that I was in any position to help. I paced around the cell, waiting for something—anything—to happen.

When it finally did it felt like we’d been waiting for hours. I knew it probably hadn’t been more than one, but time moved differently when you were stressed the fuck out.

A tall man in a suit walked in next to the cop. He gave Lockout a wolfish smile and a wink before turning to the officer. “I need a few minutes alone with my clients.”

“Yeah, alright,” the officer grumbled and walked out the way he’d come.

“Took you long enough, Static.”

“It’s damn near midnight, Lock. Took me a few minutes to get my shit together.” His blue eyes swept over us as he raked a hand through his light brown hair. “What the hell did you get into?”

We stayed quiet while Lockout went more in depth on what had happened. Static nodded as he listened. “Alright, well, I’m going to handle Jenny first since they’ve got her in interrogation. Hopefully she hasn’t said anything. They’re holding you assholes on resisting arrest and assault on a police officer.” His eyebrow raised at that and he looked over at Lockout.

My president shrugged. “Had to buy some time.”

Static shook his head. “This is going to take a while, so settle in,” he warned.

“Priest!”

My head jerked up from where it’d been resting on my chest at the sound of Jenny’s voice. The lone bench in the place had put my ass to sleep hours ago as I dozed.

She rushed over to the cell and grasped the bars, her worried eyes roving over me. Once she realized I was fine she looked over at the others. “I’m so sorry,” she said softly.

“Hey,” I walked up to the bars and put my hands over hers, “there’s nothing to be sorry for.” I shot the cop accompanying her a dark look before lowering my voice. “You couldn’t have known that asshole would have figured out to go to the Oro Valley house. If we’re going to play the blame game then it’s my fault. I told you to take them.”

She shook her head, tears filling her eyes. “No, it’s not your fault.”

I lifted my hand and brushed her tears away. “Then it’s not yours either. No more guilt.”

“Okay,” she replied with a wobbly smile. “I talked to Kit. She got the girls calmed down and they’re asleep. She told them that you had a wrestling match with the police, and that they were being sore losers.”

Relief nearly made my knees buckle. I laughed at the thought of that, and it wasn’t far from the truth. I sucked it up and shoved my emotions down so I could concentrate. “Good. What about you?”

“Mr. Henderson showed up and I ran the police through everything that happened… Well, everything from the time the man busted through the window and attacked us.” Her eyes strayed over to the cop.

Good. She hadn’t told them she knew who Chet was or what we knew about him. The coroner would run his prints or dental records soon enough and figure out who Chet was. Whether they ever put together that he was Caitlyn’s father didn’t really matter. It was obvious, thanks to the broken window, that Chet had illegally entered my home and that Jenny had feared for her and the girls’ lives. There’s no way they’d charge her for his death. It’d been self-defense.

“Mr. Henderson?” I asked.

“The lawyer?” She gave me a puzzled look. There hadn’t been time for Static to properly introduce himself.

I noticed her hand go to her ribs and I reached through the bars, gently placing my hand over hers. “How are these?”

“Just bruised like the medic said. He wrapped them and gave me some painkillers. They only hurt occasionally.”

The door behind the officer opened and everyone perked up as the Chief of Police walked in, Seek on his heels. My grin was sharp and filled with amusement when I saw her.

“…can’t believe you didn’t call me Tyler. I should have been the first one you notified as soon as you knew you had my boyfriend in lockup.”

“Come on now Jamie. You know I couldn’t do that. Not until we finished the investigation-”

“Bullshit. How many people have I saved on your watch, not to mention one or two of your officers?” When he didn’t answer, she huffed in irritation. “Is it over now?” she snapped, cutting the Chief off. “Are you letting them out?”

Static walked in behind them. The Chief sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. He stopped in front of our cells and let his gaze run over all of us. It was soft when it landed on Jenny, but hardened for the rest of us. “Considering what we found out about Chet Holden and the fact that you were trying to get to your family and stop him…” he said, looking at me. “We’re going to be dropping all charges on you men.” He looked over at Jenny. “You’ve been released pending the completion of the investigation. We’ll have to finish up the reports and put everything through the proper channels, but it’s shaping up to be a clear case of self-defense, so I’ll give you a call and let you know once everything is finished. Don’t see a reason to keep you in custody while we do that—might take a few days—but don’t leave the city until I give you the all clear. Got it?”

Jenny nodded and the Chief motioned for his officer. “Release them all and get them out of my station.” He glanced over at Seek. “Happy now?”

She gave him a wide smile. “Yes, sir, I am.”

“Now she calls me sir,” he muttered as he walked away shaking his head. “You’re lucky you’re the best damn Search and Rescue contractor in the state, Jamie,” he called out before the door slammed shut.

On the way out of the cells we could see the dirty looks from the cops we’d fought with. I wasn’t sure if they were pissed we were being released, or ashamed because we were trying to stop a kidnapping and they interfered. One of them, a tall officer with a black eye, grabbed Lockout by the forearm as he passed. We all stopped dead in our tracks, round two was on the verge of erupting.

“One day, I want a rematch,” he growled. Lockout narrowed his eyes on the officer. But the man let go and slapped Lockout on the back and walked off, laughing. Lockout burst out laughing as well, and with that the tension released and we all let it out.

It took another hour to get us all out and get our belongings back to us. Static gave us a ride back to my house so we could pick up our bikes. I checked mine over and noticed some scratches from when I dumped it, but that didn’t matter. I’d get her fixed back up easily enough. Butcher and Toxic offered to stay behind to board up my window. I was happy enough to take them up on it. I just wanted to get home to my kids, then wrap Jenny up in my arms.

We waited as Lockout spoke with Static, then rode home. We came into the clubhouse and I saw the girls asleep on the couches in the living area. As soon as the door shut Caitlyn woke up. Her eyes widened and she bolted toward us.

“Daddy!”

We all froze as Caitlyn choked out the word. It was followed by sobs as she tossed herself into my arms when I knelt down to catch her. I squeezed her tight to my chest as emotion clogged up my throat.

“Everything’s alright, Love,” I crooned, rocking her in my arms as she cried. It’d been a shock to hear her speak, but I could only hope that she wouldn’t shut down again after this. The poor girl had been through hell and back over the last few months. All my girls had.

Looking over my shoulder, I found Jenny and Kit standing there, tears streaming down their faces as they watched me comfort my daughter.

I picked her up in my arms and headed upstairs with her. There’d be plenty of time later to ask her all the questions that were burning in the back of my throat. I settled her into bed and grinned when Auron hopped up beside her. He curled his furry body around her as I tucked her in. “Get some sleep.”

“What if he comes back?” she asked me quietly.

I swear my heart fucking grew a whole size hearing her speak. “He won’t be back.” I considered whether to tell her the truth or not. I didn’t want to freak her out, but the fear hovering there in her eyes answered the question for me. “He’s dead, Cait.”

Her tense little muscles relaxed hearing that and I knew I’d made the right call. “Get some sleep, okay? We’ll talk in the morning.”

She nodded and closed her eyes. I only had to sit with her for a few minutes until her breathing evened out. She was exhausted. I went downstairs and gathered up each of my daughters and put them into their beds.

Most everyone had wandered off to their own rooms, but Jenny, Seek, and Hush were out in the hall waiting for me. There would be time in the morning to thank my brothers and Kit for everything they’d done for me and my family.

I stepped into the hall and gripped Jenny’s arm. My gaze met Hush’s. “Can you stay with them for about an hour?”

“Of course,” he replied. “Damn dogs practically live over here anyway.” Seek laughed and pulled Hush inside my apartment.