Stoned (Unlikely Heroes Book 4) (22 page)

Rebel returned with two Negra Modelos. He popped the top of Karen’s with his pocket knife and handed it to her.

“Thank you.”

He nodded, reclaimed his seat. The dog curled up on the floor beneath his chair. After popping off the top of his own beer, he took a sip and glanced across the table at her.

“You doing all right in here?”

“Yes. Stoner’s taking care of me.”

“Yeah, he’s a good guy. He’s taking care of me, too.” Rebel broke off and lowered his gaze, as if he’d said something he hadn’t meant to or he was embarrassed.

Karen’s curiosity spiked. “How long have you known Stoner?”

Rebel shrugged. “Not long. A few weeks or so.” He stared down at his beer.

“Were you here before he joined the Cobras?”

He took a swig of his beer. “Yeah.”

“What made you join?”

He hesitated, his gaze darting to hers, then back down to his beer. “They needed a vet to care for the dogs. I applied for the job and got it.”

Karen took a sip of her own beer. “Did you realize what you were getting into when you joined?” She had a hard time imaging this kind, decent young man willingly joining the Cobras.

“Yeah…I was…warned.” He took another gulp of beer.

Warned? Who had warned him? Karen sensed there was so much Rebel was keeping from her, but she didn’t understand why. What was going on? He didn’t appear to be acting right now. He was…lost, alone, troubled. He wasn’t the charming, carefree young man he’d been in the beginning.

“You said you were an actor before you became a vet. I think I recognize your face, but I don’t recall your real name.” Would he supply the information? He wasn’t as secretive as Stoner. She didn’t think Rebel had an agenda like Stoner did. Rebel seemed like a kid who’d gotten mixed up with the wrong crowd and had no way out of the mess he’d gotten himself into.

“Sebastian,” he murmured, sounding disgruntled. “That’s my name. Sebastian Wolfe.”

Karen studied him across the table. Didn’t he like his name?

“You don’t like your name?”

He shrugged. “It’s not the name so much as who named me. And who I was named after.”

Karen considered that for a moment. He was starting to open up to her, give her a glimpse into his past life. Did she dare question him some more? She wasn’t sure how much more information he would provide before he clammed up. He was a very secretive young man.

“I like that name.” She didn’t want to run him off so soon, so she didn’t press the matter. “But I don’t recognize it. Did you use a stage name when you acted?”

His gaze shot to hers. “You really haven’t heard of me?”

She shook her head. “No. I’m sorry, but I haven’t.”

He grinned, his entire face lighting up with genuine happiness. “You don’t know how
good
that makes me feel! Finally, someone who doesn’t recognize my name. I think I love you, Karen.”

Karen chuckled. “Why would that make you happy?”

He let out a loud sigh. “You don’t know how sick I got of women always flinging themselves at me. I couldn’t go anywhere without being recognized, without the Paparazzi in my face, cameras exploding, people screaming,
Oh, Sebastian, Sebastian, can I have your autograph, please? We love you Sebastian
!” He shuddered and took another gulp of his beer. “I had no privacy. People are so fake, it just pisses me off. The women only wanted to be seen with me because I was famous, because I had money. They didn’t care about me, the person. They didn’t care about who I was inside. They only wanted what they could get from me. I felt like nothing more than an object, something they coveted for their own gain. That’s why I gave it up. The whole celebrity thing disgusts me.”

Karen touched his arm across the table, wanting to ease his distress. “I’m sorry you had to go through that. But didn’t you know when you became an actor that all that would happen?”

He shrugged. “Yeah, I guess, but I wasn’t expecting it to be so bad. I admit I loved it at first, all the attention women gave me, being recognized whenever I went somewhere. All the sex…I was
somebody
besides the poor kid from Alabama. But it got old quick. Why can’t someone be interested in me for more than just my looks or my fame? Why can’t they just want me for me?”

Karen released his arm and leaned back in her chair. Her heart ached for him. Everybody wanted to be loved for who they were. “Someday you’ll find a nice girl, Rebel. Don’t give up on happiness.”

His hopeful gaze swept back to hers. “You think so? I wouldn’t want her to be in show business. Just a regular girl with a normal life. Someone like you.” He grinned.

Karen snorted. “You could charm the panties off an eighty-year-old granny, you know that?”

He lowered his gaze, then glanced up at her sheepishly. “You wouldn’t happen to have a daughter, would you?”

She laughed. “I do, as a matter-of-fact, but she’s married and has a little girl.” She finished her beer. “Have faith, Rebel. You’re a good kid. You’ll find your soulmate someday.” She rose. “Well, I’m off to bed. You should get some sleep too. You look tired. Do you ever sleep?”

“Naw. I don’t sleep much. Too much going on inside me.”

Karen sensed Rebel had serious issues he needed to deal with. “Maybe it’s time you let all that stuff inside you go.”  

A shadow came over his face. He lowered his gaze. “I wish I could.” He hesitated. “Is Stoner all right? I…” He swallowed hard. “…Didn’t hurt him too bad?”

Karen paused before his chair. “Viper hurt him a lot worse than you did. Stoner wouldn’t want you to feel bad about it. He already forgives you, so stop worrying, okay? Stoner’s going to be fine. He’ll be up and about tomorrow. Are you coming to the lab at my house with us?”

“Yeah, Viper mentioned something about that. Seven-thirty tomorrow, right?”

“Right. I’ll see you then. Try to get some sleep.” Karen turned away, headed for the stairs. Would Rebel ever overcome whatever demons possessed him? Would he someday find the happiness he desperately sought? She hoped so. He deserved to be happy. 

Karen entered Stoner’s room a few minutes later. His soft snores came from the bed. It was dark in the room, so she doubted the camera would pick up her movements as she stripped. Needing his closeness, she slid into the bed next to him. He mumbled something as she curled up against his back, entwining her legs with his, but he didn’t wake up. Snuggling up to Stoner gave her strength.

Yet despite the temporary lull in the storm, Karen feared the worst was still yet to come. She wasn’t a fool. Viper would kill her when he was done with her. She would have to do everything in her power to keep them ignorant about micropropation.

Because as soon as Stoner could do it without her, Viper wouldn’t need her anymore.

And she didn’t think Stoner could save her, even if he wanted to.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

The next several days passed without incident. Stoner awoke that first morning with Karen snuggled up against his back and dreamed what it would be like to have a life with her outside of this place. To wake with her cuddled against him each day. It was a foolish dream, but he longed for it just the same. If they managed to survive this place, he would do everything he could to make sure it happened.

Karen wrapped Stoner’s ribs for him each morning before they went to the lab at her house to clone pot. She also attended to his whip lacerations, but those were healing much faster than the broken ribs and he was soon starting to feel like himself again.

After micropropagating another batch at the lab every morning, they headed back to the compound. Grizzly, Scorpion and Rebel accompanied them each time, always watching and never allowing them to be alone. Even back at the compound, Stoner felt eyes on them everywhere they went and knew Viper was having them watched 24/7. He hadn’t forgotten about the camera in his room, either, so he and Karen were careful to keep their conversations away from any discussions that might make Viper suspicious.

Viper already had the construction of a lab underway at the compound and had ordered the supplies they would need. He’d also converted a giant room into a grow room with artificial lights, fans, and a humidifier. The man was serious about this.

Stoner feared his time with Karen was drawing to an end. If only he could find an opportunity to help her escape… 

Then on the fourth day, his worst fear came true.

Viper summoned him to his office.

“You’ve got the cloning down pat now, right? You can do it on your own?”

Stoner hesitated. Karen had deliberately mislead him. She hadn’t shown him the proper way to micropropagate. Though he now had a general idea how it worked, there was no way he could do it on his own. But if he admitted that to Viper, not only would he look like an idiot, but Karen would likely be punished. So he lied. “I think so, yeah. But this is just the first phase. Once the explants start growing, they will need to be transplanted into larger containers until they reach a bigger size. She hasn’t shown me how to do that part yet.”

Viper waved his arm in dismissal. “That part doesn’t bother me. That should be simple enough. I just need you to know how to get the cuttings started in the lab. Can you do that?”

Stoner heaved out a sigh. It was too soon. He needed more time so he could help her escape.

“Yeah.”

Viper nodded in satisfaction. “Good. Tomorrow I want you to get rid of her. Make her think you’re going back to her house to clone another batch, but then take her into the woods and kill her. I’ll be sending Scorpion, Grizzly and Rebel with you to make sure you get it done. If you don’t do it, they will, and they’ll let me know if you refuse. Got it?”

Shit.

“Why can’t I just keep her here?” Stoner asked, knowing Viper wouldn’t go for it, but trying just the same. “She’s my woman now. She’ll behave. She won’t cause any trouble. I promise.”

Viper shook his head back and forth. “She hasn’t taken the oath. She’s just a prisoner here, nothing more. You knew that when we first brought her here. You don’t think she’ll open her mouth to the first person she runs into outside of here and tell them what we do here? I told you not to get attached to her. You knew this was coming. If you refuse to do it, I’ll just have one of the others take care of her. Tomorrow morning, get it done.”

He pulled open his office door and motioned Stoner out.

Stoner left, his heart heavy with dread. How the hell was he supposed to kill the only woman he’d ever cared about? She was a part of him now, the other half he’d been missing all these years. Without her, he wouldn’t be whole.

What the hell was he going to do?

* * *

“We’ve got a problem.” Scorpion stood out in the hallway, his face filled with worry.

Viper motioned Scorpion into his office and closed the door.

“What now?”

“Ms. Williams’ family is back. Her daughter just texted her and said they were home and on their way into town to get groceries and that they would stop by her house to visit on their way back.” He held up the woman’s cell phone that Viper had asked him to monitor.

Viper groaned and turned away. “What about the starts in her lab? Can we get them out of there before the family shows up?”

Scorpion shrugged. “I don’t know. Should I text back and tell them she’s not there or something?”

“Give me the phone.”

Scorpion handed it over. Viper thought for a moment, then texted the daughter back.

I’m in CDA shopping. I should be back later this evening. Why don’t you come over tomorrow instead?

He pressed “send.”

A few moments later, a text came in.

Okay, see you tomorrow then. I’ll call you in the morning. 

“Disaster averted, temporarily.” He handed the phone back to Scorpion. “You need to get over to her house today and bring all the lab starts here. I want you cleaned out before the family gets there.”

“What about Ms. Williams?” Scorpion asked. “Is Stoner going to take care of her?”

“He was supposed to do it tomorrow morning, but now he’s going to have to do it tonight.” Viper paused. “Get Grizzly, Rebel and Stoner in here. It’s time for a meeting.”

* * *

Later that afternoon Karen visited with Tonya in her room. Karen held Damon while Tonya took a shower. Then they sat and visited while Tonya nursed her son.

Someone knocked on the door. Karen rose to answer it, surprised to see Stoner standing out in the hallway. His expressionless face told her something was wrong. Karen followed him out into the hall. There was a coldness about him, a lack of emotion that reminded her of how he’d been when she’d first met him out in the forest. Dread settled into her chest.

“Come on.” He took her arm. “We have to go.”

“Go where?”

“Viper wants us to get everything from the lab at your house and bring it here. We’re done there now. He’s got the lab almost ready here.”

She yanked her arm out of his grasp, her heart pounding. That meant they were done with her and Viper would kill her soon. Probably now.

“No. I won’t do it.”

A muscle ticked in his jaw. “Don’t fight with me, Karen. We have to go. Now.”

“You bastard. He’s going to kill me now, isn’t he? How can you just stand back and let him do this? How could you? Why won’t you help me?”

He didn’t answer. He took her arm again and propelled her forward. “Let’s go.”

Grizzly, Rebel and Scorpion were waiting for them out front in the truck. They had the bed of the truck packed with boxes to haul everything over from the lab. Sadness filled her chest as they headed down the road toward her house. Her chest squeezed with the realization that today was the last time she would see Stoner, that today she would die. She had to find a way to stop this. She wasn’t ready to die. She wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Stoner.

When they arrived at her house, the bikers began loading the boxes with her lab supplies. Though her first instinct was to shout and block them from taking her things, what was the use? They were going to kill her anyway. But she’d be damned if she helped them take away her livelihood. She refused to show them how to pack and haul the explants that needed tender care until they reached a certain size. Though the explants weren’t showing any signs of growth yet, she wasn’t about to help them along. It was just marijuana anyway, so she wanted it to die. She wanted all of it to die.

Stoner tried to get her to help. She backed away, glaring up at him, her heart pinching with misery.

“How can you do this after what we shared? How can you act like there’s nothing between us? I will not help you take everything away from me, you son-of-a-bitch! This lab is how I support myself. Without it, I have no job, no way to live.”

But if they were going to kill her, what did it matter?

Something flashed in his eyes, but it was so fast she couldn’t decipher what it was before he snagged her arm and dragged her into the lab with them.

“You will help. Now start packing.” He thrust a box at her.

That was when she lost it. She couldn’t take his coldness anymore. Yanking open the grow chamber, she snatched up a handful of test tubes filled with tiny explants and threw them against the glass wall. Glass exploded as the test tubes shattered and tiny green explants fell to the floor. Everyone turned to her in shock. Before they could move, she reached into the grow chamber and pulled out more test tubes and slammed them on the floor. She reached into the grow chamber for another handful. Stoner’s hand snaked out, stopping her.

“What the hell are you doing?”

She fought and pulled at his grip, but he wouldn’t let her go. “What does it look like I’m doing? I’m destroying them.”

Scorpion snatched up his cellphone and turned away from them as he spoke into it. Karen didn’t care who he was calling.

“That was a very stupid thing to do,” Stoner said softly, but she glimpsed a flash of worry in his eyes. When he next spoke, there was menace in his voice. “Now Viper’s going to be extra pissed.”

“Good. Maybe I’ll get lucky and he’ll kill you so I don’t have to see your lying, using, back-stabbing face again!”

Stoner’s gaze bored into hers, cold, hard, unyielding. Uncaring. Damn him, when he closed himself off like this, she couldn’t read him.

“I’ll take great pleasure in killing you, Ms. Williams. You’re nothing but a pain in my ass.”

Ms. Williams?
He’d never called her Ms. Williams before.

Her heart stopped. Stoner had gone berserk. Had they drugged him? Where was the man she’d been falling in love with over the past week and a half?

Scorpion stuffed the cellphone in his pocket. He motioned them out of the lab. Stoner shoved her forward in front of him and out into the greenhouse.

“Viper said to do it now, Stoner. He’s pissed.”

Scorpion held a knife out to Stoner. Stoner took it from him. Karen flinched.

He marched her out of the greenhouse and past the other bikers. Rebel’s eyes widened and Karen glimpsed fear in his gaze before he jerked his face away.

All the bikers followed them out into Karen’s backyard.    

“Kneel.” Stoner shoved her down into the grass beneath the pines.

Too shocked to protest, she went down to her knees, her heart pounding in terror. Stoner was the one who was going to kill her.

A sob burst from her lungs.

Not Viper.

Stoner.

Pain exploded in her chest.

No. Not Stoner.

He couldn’t do this to her. He couldn’t. There was something special between them. She’d felt it. It was real. She
knew
it was real. Didn’t he feel it too? Didn’t he believe in them? Didn’t he care?

Was that why he was being so cold, because he’d been trying to distance himself from her so he could do the deed? So he could kill her? How long had he known about this? Had he been playing her all along—
using
her—all the while knowing he would have to kill her in the end?

Her heart pinched. How could he do this? How could he even
contemplate
this? She’d thought he cared for her. Because damn him, she
cared
about him.

A tear trickled down her cheek. “Please.” She tilted her head back to gaze up at him. “Don’t do this, Stoner.
Please.
” It was too painful to bear.

He stared at something near his feet, refusing to meet her gaze. His chest expanded as he drew in a deep breath and slowly exhaled.

“Please,” she tried again, unable to control the sobs that erupted from her throat. “Don’t do this. I thought we had something special. I thought you cared.” She hitched in a breath. “Damn you, Stoner. You know I’m falling in love with you. Don’t you care?”

He squeezed his eyes shut and turned his head away. “
Fuck.
”

“Get on with it, Stoner.” Grizzly took a step toward them. Scorpion lifted his cellphone and spoke into it again. Karen had no doubt he was talking to Viper.

“Please Stoner,” she whispered, reaching a hand up to cup his cheek.

Stoner hissed out a breath and knocked her hand aside. “Shut up, Karen. Just…shut up.” He grasped her by the chin and tilted her head back toward him, exposing the soft flesh of her throat. He lifted the knife. She felt cold steel as he pressed the blade against her neck. Karen didn’t fight him. What was the use? If she meant so little to him that he could snuff out her life like this, then he could rot in hell. Besides, if he didn’t kill her, one of the other bikers would. Fighting would only delay the inevitable.

She stared up at his expressionless face, willing him to look her in the eye, to see how much his betrayal hurt. But he wouldn’t look at her.

“Please,” she whispered, trying one last time. She swallowed hard. “Please don’t kill me. I don’t even know your real name.”

Stoner tensed. His hand trembled against her throat.