Cross, page 6
But this was a turning point. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. It was time to show Dana that she had a dad she could be proud of, a dad who could stand up to bullies like the Crows.
Jeremy plugged in his phone to charge, seeing his battery was nearly dead. He had memorized the location of Larry’s Roadhouse and knew how to get there, a necessary precaution for what lay ahead. He knew he had to face the Crows, but he wanted to be as prepared as possible.
Making his way to the bedroom, Jeremy retrieved his father’s old pistol hidden away between two boxer shorts. Jeremy recalled the night when the Crows had stormed the shop. He had the pistol back then, but he didn’t have the guts to use it, let alone contemplate shooting someone.
Jeremy let out a sigh of relief. It was a good thing Dana had inherited all the best qualities from his late wife, including her strong will and determination. With the pistol secured in his belt, he slipped on his coat, zipping it all the way up to conceal the gun.
He considered stopping by the nearby sports bar for a few more cold ones before his meeting with Panther. The liquid courage would serve as a last-minute boost to his resolve, and maybe, just maybe, help drown the memories of past failures.
****
Dana arrived home from work, feeling a little guilty. She hadn’t spoken to her father since her date with Cross the previous night, and the worry had been gnawing at her all day. As she entered their rented apartment, she set the bag of groceries she had bought on the kitchen counter, careful not to spill any of the contents.
“Dad? Are you here?” she called out. “I bought us some roasted chicken and grabbed a tub of potato salad for dinner. It was on sale at the supermarket.”
The apartment remained eerily quiet. Dana was certain her dad had been home not too long ago, because he left lights on.
Her worry grew as she made her way toward his bedroom, the door ajar, and her frown deepened as she noticed an open drawer. She hesitated for a moment, not wanting to intrude on her father’s privacy, but concern for his well-being overcame her hesitation. Dana peered inside, only to find it contained nothing particularly interesting—just some boxers and socks.
Returning to the living room, Dana’s gaze finally fell on her father’s phone, which he had plugged in and left to charge. She let out a sigh of relief, at least it seemed he intended to return.
Dana sank into a chair, the uneasiness that had gripped her heart refusing to subside. Something—an unexplainable instinct perhaps—prompted her to reach for her father’s phone, which lay on the table, its screen lit up with notifications.
She knew the password, her mother’s birthday. Dana entered the code, and the phone unlocked. Her eyes fixated on the screen for a moment, and shock reverberated through her as she discovered a series of text messages from Panther.
Dana felt this surge of mixed emotions. She couldn’t help but wonder why her dad hadn’t mentioned Panther’s threatening texts to her. It felt like a breach of trust, and it made her stomach churn.
Her stomach dropped even lower when she checked out the images Panther had sent her dad. The shop, their family’s legacy, was in total chaos, and the pictures hit her like a ton of bricks. It was all a big mess—broken tools, smashed windows, and those menacing Crows lurking in the photos. It was painful to see.
Dana couldn’t help but feel frustrated and helpless. She wondered why her dad hadn’t let her in on all this trouble, why he’d been keeping it to himself. It stung.
At the end of the message chain, Dana noticed that Panther had provided her dad with an address, probably expecting Jeremy to hand Dana over. But Dana sensed her father had decided to face Panther himself, a decision that sent chills down her spine.
“You’re a fool, Dad,” she mumbled, shaking her head in disbelief.
One thing became painfully clear to Dana—she couldn’t handle this daunting situation on her own. She quickly reached for her own cellphone and dialed Cross’s number. Cross answered right away.
“Hey, sweetheart. How’s dinner with your dad?” Cross’s warm and comforting voice came through the phone.
Dana took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. “Cross,” she whispered. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she blinked them back, but it was no use. The last time she had cried was at her mother’s funeral, and now, the thought of losing her dad was too much to bear.
“Dana, are you crying?” Cross asked. “What happened?”
Dana let it all spill, holding nothing back as she shared every detail with Cross.
“It’s 8:30 now, and they’re supposed to meet at 9:00,” Dana said.
She couldn’t just sit around and let her dad walk into bar full of Crows.
“Dana, let me and my crew handle this. It’s not safe for you to jump into this mess,” Cross insisted.
But Dana was having none of it. “Cross, my dad’s in trouble, and I can’t just stand by. I have to do something,” she insisted.
Cross let out an impatient sigh. Although they’d only started dating, Cross knew her better than most people. He probably recognized that once Dana made up her mind, she wouldn’t back down.
“Fine,” Cross finally said. “You have to promise you’ll follow my instructions. It will be dangerous, Dana.”
“I understand, Cross. Thank you.”
“I’ll meet you in ten minutes,” Cross said. “I just need to grab Priest and Spike and a couple of weapons.”
“Got it, I’ll see you soon, Cross.”
Chapter Ten
Cross killed the engine of his Harley. Dana hopped off the bike, yanking her helmet free. She was a little pale, definitely scared, but he knew she was determined to go through with this no matter what.
“I’ve got a bad feeling about this plan,” Cross told her.
Dana met his gaze. “I know,” she admitted, “But it’s the best way to distract Panther and the Crows.”
“Your woman’s right, Cross,” Priest said. “This way, the three of us would be able to catch the Crows off guard. We don’t know how many we’re facing.”
Cross nodded in reluctant agreement, well aware that Dana’s plan was their best shot at success. But it didn’t sit right with him. Dana shouldn’t have to put her life on the line for her dad, but it was also the best plan they came up with.
He leaned in and gave her a kiss on the mouth. She cupped his face, responding with equal passion. Spike let out a whistle. Dana pulled back.
“You ready?” Cross asked, searching her eyes.
Dana nodded. Cross handed one of his guns to her. “In case of an emergency,” he said.
Dana nodded. Since she moved to Hanging Grove, he’d been giving her shooting lessons.
The sight of Dana striding down the desolate road was like a jagged knife to Cross’s heart. Every step she took away from him and toward the unknown felt like a painful twist of the blade.
He wished he could just grab her, whisk her away, and head back to the safety of Hanging Grove. The thought of her willingly taking such a huge risk, of putting herself in harm’s way, weighed heavily on him. But he knew, deep down, there was no going back.
Once Dana vanished through the entrance of the roadhouse, Cross looked at Priest and Spike.
“Let’s go,” Cross said.
Cross and his crew revved their bikes, the engines growling as they rode toward the roadhouse. They approached the roadhouse cautiously, their senses on high alert. As they neared the parking lot, they spotted two Crows standing beside their motorcycles.
Without warning, the situation escalated into a sudden eruption of gunfire. Shots rang out. Two more Crows emerged from the roadhouse, both armed.
Amidst the chaos, Priest’s voice cut through the noise. “Go rescue your woman, Cross!” he yelled.
Without a second thought, Cross swung his leg over his motorcycle and charged toward the roadhouse. Gun in hand, he pushed through the entrance, the adrenaline coursing through his veins.
As he crossed the threshold, a Crow caught sight of him and opened fire. Cross’s instincts kicked in, and he dropped to the floor, narrowly avoiding the barrage of bullets. His heart raced, but he couldn’t afford to be distracted.
Amidst the chaotic scene, he glimpsed Jeremy sprawled on the floor, clutching his injured leg, and groaning in pain. And then, as if in slow motion, he spotted Panther, a wicked grin stretching across his face, his gun menacingly pointed at Dana’s head. The sinister smile on Panther’s face sent Cross into a blind rage. No, Cross couldn’t let his anger get the better of him. He needed to think on his feet, or risk losing Dana forever.
“Dana, get down!” Cross yelled.
Dana might not have initially spotted Cross, but she recognized his voice. Without hesitation, she dropped to the floor. Good girl, Cross thought.
Cross reacted swiftly, firing a shot in Panther’s direction. The slippery bastard, however, darted behind the bar, evading Cross’s bullets with an eerie calmness.
“You won’t get out of this alive, Cross,” Panther said with a laugh . “It’s three of us against one of you.”
Realizing Panther wasn’t firing back, Cross grabbed Dana’s arm, helping her to her feet. He planted himself in front of her as a shield in case Panther started shooting again.
“Priest and Spike are outside. Leave Panther and your dad to me,” he told her.
Dana bit her lip but nodded. She leaned in, planting a swift but heartfelt kiss on Cross’s cheek before making a break for it.
Just as Cross was about to advance further, another Crow lunged at him with a gleaming knife, the blade glinting in the roadhouse. Cross swore, but before the attacker could reach him, a gunshot rang out. Cross glanced over his shoulder, a wide grin spreading across his face when he saw Priest.
“Nice one, Priest,” he said.
“Spike has your woman, she’s safe,” Priest told him.
Swearing in frustration, Panther’s voice carried from somewhere in the roadhouse. The Crow was making his way toward the kitchen, likely to find a way to escape.
Cross trusted Priest to handle Panther’s remaining minion and provide Jeremy with the medical attention he needed. There was no time to lose. He gave a final nod to Priest before he sprinted after Panther.
Cross made his way through the roadhouse, and as he approached the kitchen, his eyes locked onto the open back door. He pushed through the door.
Then without warning, pain flared through his shoulder as a gunshot rang out. Cross grunted in agony, stumbling but refusing to fall.
Cross scanned the area and he found Panther, frantically trying to mount his motorcycle. The Crow was determined to make a quick getaway, leaving his men behind and abandoning the fight. Cross silently shook his head in disapproval. It was unacceptable behavior for a member of an MC.
Cross leveled his gun at Panther, his eyes locked onto the target. The seconds stretched, and then, without hesitation, he pulled the trigger. The bullet found its mark and Panther toppled over in the dirt.
It was finally over. After checking Panther was dead, Cross returned to the scene of the standoff. He entered the roadhouse. There were only two lifeless bodies of Crows left behind.
He found the rest of his crew outside, where Priest was attending to Jeremy’s injured leg. Spike was in a conversation with Dana. The moment Dana caught sight of Cross, she abandoned her conversation with Spike and ran toward him. Without hesitation, Cross wrapped his arms around her, pulling him into a tight embrace. Cross held her close and he breathed in her familiar and comforting scent.
“Is Panther really dead?” Dana asked.
Cross cupped her face in his hands, his gaze locked onto hers. He leaned in and planted a reassuring kiss on her lips.
“Panther is never going to trouble you again, Dana,” he said.
“But what about Smoke and the rest of the Crows? Do you think they’ll retaliate?” Dana asked.
“We’ll just have to wait and see,” he said, “but I’m not worried. We’ve faced worse, and we’ve come out on top.”
Cross took a moment to assess the scene. He knew there was much to be done to clean up the mess, but for the time being, his priority was to get Dana to safety.
“I’ll get some prospects to clean up this mess,” Cross told her.
He stepped closer and gently took her hand, leading her toward his motorcycle.
“Priest will see to it that your dad gets to the hospital,” he added, glancing back at the roadhouse.
Chapter Eleven
Dana walked into Hanging Grove Medical, dreading this moment. As she approached her father’s room, Dana didn’t know the first thing she wanted to say to him. Of course, she was still pissed at him for meeting Panther on his own but she understood he didn’t just do it for himself, but also for her.
As she pushed open the door to his room, she found Jeremy lying in a hospital bed, pale and disoriented. At the very least, he seemed to recognize his daughter.
“I’m a terrible father, aren’t I?” he muttered. “I’ve let you down again.”
Taking a deep breath, Dana approached his bedside and gently took his hand, squeezing it reassuringly.
“Dad,” Dana began. “We’ve all made mistakes, just promise you won’t do anything that reckless again.”
Jeremy took a deep breath. “I promise, Dana,” he replied. For once, Dana believed him.
“So, what did Cross tell you? Are the Crows still after us?” he asked.
“Cross contacted Smoke directly,” she explained. “He said Smoke wanted to cut his losses and is unlikely to waste any resources coming after us. But...” Dana trailed off. She took a deep breath before continuing, “I don’t think we’ll ever get the shop back, Dad.”
“Dana,” Jeremy said, his hands gently squeezing hers. “When I entered that roadhouse to confront Panther, I realized what a fool I was. The shop, the past, it doesn’t matter anymore. What matters is you.”
He continued, “I know I haven’t been the best father, and I never gave this town a fair chance. But I want you to know that I’m a new man now.”
Dana nodded, though she was still a little skeptical. She had seen the poor decisions he made over the years, and it was natural for her to remain cautious. However, she also recognized that he was trying his best.
As she opened her mouth to respond, a sudden wave of nausea washed over her, catching her completely off guard. She placed a hand on her stomach.. The room seemed to spin around her, and the queasiness became too much to bear. Dana quickly excused herself, barely making it to the nearest restroom in time. Her stomach revolted, and she leaned over the toilet, her body heaving as she emptied the contents of her stomach.
Dana returned to her father, her face still pale from the sudden bout of nausea.
Concern flickered in Jeremy’s eyes. “What’s wrong, Dana?” he asked.
She tried to downplay it, not wanting to cause any undue alarm. “Just a stomach flu, I think,” Dana said. She didn’t want to make a fuss when her father was already going through so much.
“Oh,” Jeremy suddenly said, looking pointedly at her flat stomach.
“What?” she asked. “What is it, Dad?”
Jeremy hesitated for a moment, then said, “Dana, your mother was the same way when...” He trailed off, leaving the statement unfinished.
Dana furrowed her brow, waiting for him to continue. Finally, he found the words he needed.
“When she was pregnant with you.”
The realization hit Dana like a sucker punch. She and Cross had never been shy about sex and they didn’t use protection. Of course she was bound to get pregnant. Dana sat down, processing everything.
“Head to the pharmacy on the first floor,” her father suggested. “Make sure it isn’t a false alarm.”
“Good idea,” she said. “Do you need anything?”
Jeremy shook his head. “I’m good. Go.”
Dana made her way to the pharmacy. She had purchased a pregnancy kit, and as she headed toward the bathroom, she felt her heart pounding in her chest. Her mind was a whirlwind of questions.
How would Cross react if he found out she was pregnant? They never discussed the prospect of children before. Would he be mad? Happy?
Dana decided she needed to find out if she was pregnant first before worrying herself to death. Inside the bathroom, she followed the instructions on the kit carefully. As she waited for the result, the seconds seemed to stretch into an eternity. She stood there, her gaze glued to the small plastic device in her hands. Finally, the result appeared on the pregnancy kit.
It was positive.
Dana’s eyes widened, and her heart skipped a beat. Feeling numb, Dana retraced her steps back to her father’s room. Sitting down beside her father, she took a deep breath and found the strength to tell him about the pregnancy.
“Dad,” she began, “it’s positive.”
Jeremy regarded her. “You don’t seem happy.”
Dana let out a heavy sigh. “It’s not that I’m unhappy,” she explained. “It’s just that I haven’t processed the news yet. I don’t even know how Cross will react.”
“Dana, you know I distrusted Cross at first, but he’s a good man, and he’s crazy about you. You don’t have to worry about a darn thing,” he told her.
Dana only hoped Jeremy was right.
****
Cross and Priest stepped into the elegant jeweler’s store. He gazed at the display cases of fancy stuff, never expecting he’d be in a place like this one day. At least Priest was by his side and that helped Cross feel less overwhelmed.
“Can’t believe it,” Priest said as they looked at the array of engagement rings. “It feels like it was just yesterday you asked for my help to get Dana and her father away from the Crows. Now you’re tying the knot.”
