Page 5 of The Devil's Weakness

“Yo, Kid,” I turn my attention to our prospect. “Can I get that bread down here?”

I take a bite of my lasagna as Kid gets up from the table and brings me the plate of garlic bread. He’s the youngest of all of us, hence the nickname. As a prospect, he needs to prove that he wants to be here, which he does by completing tasks for us that we would normally do for ourselves; cooking, cleaning, fetching us beer, and so on.

“Iron is what?” Stone exclaims.

My head snaps back to Stone, who is sitting to my left at the head of the table. His eyes shoot to mine, and his expression turns to worry. Whatever it is, it’s not good. Iron is our Vice President and an integral member of our Club.

Our family.

“Fuck.Is he breathing?” Stone asks.

Iron has also been like a father to me since I was ten. When I hear the panic in Stone’s voice, my heart plummets into my stomach, and the fork drops from my hand, clattering onto my plate.

“Where are you?” Stone inquires, standing and placing his napkin on the table. “Okay, we’re leaving now.”

Before I have time to ask him what happened, he speaks again.

“Hawk, grab your van and meet us out front. Blade, come with me. We’ll take my truck.”

“What’s wrong?” I demand as we walk toward the front door of the clubhouse.

I’m irritated that he’s barking orders without explanation. Usually, I wouldn’t require one, but I need details, and since it involves Iron, I need them now.

“Iron’s been in an accident. SoCo and Drama were on their way home for dinner and found him. They said it looks like it just happened. The engine on his bike was still warm.”

“Where are they?” I question, closing the door behind us.

“Deep Run Road where it intersects with Wine,” Stone informs me as we climb up into the cab of the truck.

When Hawk catches up with us, we take off going north on Brick Store Road toward Miller’s Station before hightailing it to Route 30. Once we cross over the main drag, it’s just a few minute’s drive down Deep Run until we run into SoCo and Drama on the side of the road.?

After checking to ensure there aren’t any cars coming, we cross the rural back road and park the truck on the shoulder. I’m thankful the road is so empty right now. At five-thirty, I would think more people would be on their way home from work. I hear the faint sound of a siren in the distance, and I wonder if they’re coming for Iron. If so, that would mean that someone called them.?

Someone other than Iron or another member of the Club.

As outlaws, we don’t consort with outsiders, and that includes the law.?

I spy Iron at the bottom of the embankment, and my stomach turns sour. His head is facing the trunk of the tree, appearing as though it’s resting on the roots. I feel my muscles clench as fear creeps in. Hawk backs his van up to the side of the road, then hops out of the cab as I run down the embankment.?

Dropping onto my knees beside Iron, I place my fingers on his neck to feel for a pulse, not entirely sure what I’m doing. My first instinct is to roll him over and see if he’s alright, but I know that might not be the brightest idea. I notice some severe road rash on his arms, and I imagine there is more on the rest of him.

“Blade, I need to get in here,” Hawk nods gently to me as he speaks, knowing how much Iron means to me.?

I stand up and step back as he drops a cot with a neck brace attached to it on the ground next to him. Hawk was a doctor in the Army before joining the Club. He’s seen horrible injuries before, and we all trust him with our lives. If anyone can help Iron right now, it’s him.

As long as he’s not already dead.

The idea makes my stomach turn again. Crouching over Iron, Hawk places a hand on his neck.

“He has a pulse, but it’s weak,” he shares.

Stone, Drama, SoCo, and I all have similar looks of worry in our expressions. As the sound of the siren gets closer, we realize we need to get Iron out of here quickly and safely.?

“We need to secure him to the cot and get him on the stretcher as gently as we can. I’m going to hold his head in place so his neck won’t move. Blade, help guide his shoulders.”

“Drama, SoCo,” Stone speaks up. “Get his bike into the back of the truck.”

They nod to Stone and run up the hill, back to the road.

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