Enjoy the Ride

Chapter 20

Venom's POV

Emergencies were never fun. Emergencies that involve your kids is frightening as hell. Vanessa and a few of her friends had been hanging out and were walking to the ice cream shop two blocks from the house when two bikers from Toxic Smoke and seven from Chaos Pack got into a shoot out, started by Chaos Pack. The odds weren't in our favor and the Chaos Pack had the shittiest of aim. The girls had been behind our men, having just turned left at the street corner, their backs to the bikers, when the bullets began flying. Two hit Vanessa as she and her friends dove for the ground. Vanessa took one to the leg and shoulder.

I had been at a job when I got a call from Stella, crying. Spark got the call at the same time about the men. I dropped what I was doing and rode like a bat out of hell. When I got there she was still in surgery. A cop was also grilling Stella with questions. She looked pale, and the cop didn't care.

"If I'm not under arrest, then I'm done answering your questions," Stella told him. He put a hand on his cuffs and she glared. "What's the problem," I asked, interrupting then. "And you are," the cop asked. "Braxton Reece, Vanessa Reece's father," I answered. "I thought you cops stayed out of MC business?" "Children were hurt, so we have to be involved," he told me. Fair enough I thought.

"Where were you during the shooting," he asked me. "On Baker and Seventeenth with several members. We got some supplies we were moving," I told him honestly. This job was legit so they can look into it as much as they want.

He nodded as he wrote it down, "Can you tell me why the girls were unsupervised?" "They were going to the ice cream shop two blocks from our home. They're thirteen years old, and there were like five of them together. I have seen teenagers in pairs of two, parents off where ever the fuck, and be perfectly fine. Plus all of those girls have cell phones, and Vanessa keeps her Snapchat location on for me to keep track of her," I snapped. "So before you fucking question me on my parenting, you need to look at how others are parenting and letting their teenagers do the stupidest of shit."

"Venom, lower your voice," Stella whispered, taking my hand. "Now then, why the fuck are you questioning my girlfriend, when you should be getting the fuckers who shot my daughter," I asked him. "We're questioning everyone," he explained calmly.

Spark then approached, "Any word on Vanessa?" "She's still in surgery," Stella whispered and sniffled. I looked at her and saw the tears silently falling down her cheeks. "You need to sit," I told her. "You're really pale." She really didn't need any of this right now. The cop began to question Spark while I lead her over to a chair. "Where are the kids," I asked her. "Home," she answered softly. She ran a hand through her hair, clearly stressed.

When Spark was finished he came over to us. "Can you take Stella home," I asked him. "I'm not going anywhere," Stella declared. "I am not going to sit on my ass at home while she is going through this." "Stella, you look ready to fall over," I told her.

"When the surgery is done, I will go home," she said and I knew, this fight, I wouldn't win.

I sat next to her and we waited until the doctor came out. "How is she," I asked him. "She's fine. She has to take it easy, but the bullets missed anything vital. She was incredibly lucky," the doctor informed us. He then told us about how long till she can come home and the severity of her injuries, and given how late it is, I was gonna stay the night at the hospital with her.

I walked Stella outside and she turned to face me. "I don't know if I can keep going through this Venom," she whispered, tears swimming in her eyes. "You just barely got out of the hospital and now Vanessa is in the hospital for the same reason. How many more times am I gonna have to go through this?" My heart began slamming in my chest. What was she saying?

"Had it been Jocelyn, that bullet would've gone through her head. If it was the boys," she couldn't finish as her breathing became erratic. "I-I love you Venom, but I'm terrified. I could loose you, we could loose the kids. I can't go through that. I can't get another call telling me someone I love is in the hospital." Her emotions began to overwhelm her, and before I could say anything, she was falling. 

"Stella," I yelled as I caught her. A doctor and nurse were instantly there and having her taken in to get looked at.

"What happened," Spark asked me as he came over. "She was telling me she couldn't handle it anymore. That she didn't want another call telling her someone she loves is in the hospital," I told him. "I think she wants to leave me." Saying that out loud fucking killed me. I didn't blame her though. She's scared. I ran a hand through my hair, "And I don't blame her." 

"We'll figure this out. Right now, you have two women who need you," he said to me. I nodded and went inside. When I had thought about losing Kimmy when we were young and in love, it didn't hurt like this does. The idea of Stella leaving me is fucking painful. She had a very good reason though. I was part of an MC and we've done nothing but make her fear for her and her sons' lives. First the laundry mat, then the bar, and now with Vanessa. It hasn't even been a year since she and the boys moved here. Usually this place is peaceful, but Chaos Pack hasn't made it seem like that lately. 

Things aren't always like this, and we need to hurry up and get shit back to normal before it's too late. 

I was told where Stella was and entered the room. She was still asleep and I felt like an ass. A doctor came in. "How is she and the babies," I asked him. "The twins are fine, however, her blood pressure is still a little high," he explained to me. "Can you tell me what happened," he asked. "My oldest daughter was shot earlier today and only recently got out of surgery. I was leading Stella out to the car for a friend to take her home, when Stella began to talk to me about how she felt about what happened, and she collapsed," I answered. He nodded, "Because she continues to have a high blood pressure, we're going to limit her activity. For the most part she needs to be resting. She can do minimal exercising, such as walking and such, but no lifting anything over ten pounds. The important thing is she needs to stay relaxed. With her hormones not being balanced it won't be easy." I nodded, "We'll do our best." "What does she do for work," he asked me. "She's a bartender. They make her sit any time she isn't pouring a drink," I answered. "She doesn't move much from behind the bar." She would go stir crazy if he forced her to stay home. 

He nodded, "I will need to discus with her OBGYN and get their opinion. They're currently in the hospital this evening, with one of their patients who is currently giving birth, but they'll be by when they're able." I nodded, "Thank you doctor." He left the room and I sighed. I gave her forehead a kiss before going to see Vanessa. 

She was awake with Spark by her bed. "How is she," he asked me. I shared with them what the doctor told me. I then looked at Vanessa, "And how are you doing?" "These pain meds work great," she said, holding out the word great. Vanessa was a light weight when it came to her pain meds due to having a very low tolerance since it's rare she ever needs to take them. I chuckled softly, "That's good to hear." "Were my friends hit," she asked me next. I shook my head, "Just a few scrapes from when they dove for the ground." "That's good," she said. "How do you feel about what happened," I asked her. "Fucking terrified," she told me. "I got shot. Who would be okay after that?" I was somewhat okay, but it wasn't the first time. For the sake of my relationship, I need to make sure it's the last time. 

I kissed her head, "It's gonna be okay." She sighed, "If you say so. Now go be with mom, she needs you more. I'm high off of pain meds, and I've got Sparky here. Mom is probably scared she's gonna loose the twins." I nodded, "Let me know if anything changes with her condition." Spark nodded, "You know I will." 

I went to Stella's room and sat in the chair beside her bed. I took one of her hands, and ran my thumb over the back of her hand. It would be better for her health if she and I weren't together, but damn it, I need her. I know she'd stay in the girls' life though. She loves them way too much to just up and abandon them. Just like I would stay in the boy's life. I couldn't see a life without the three of them. Plus soon I couldn't entirely leave her life because she was carrying our children. And if I wasn't there, Stella wouldn't listen to the doctor. She'd have to work more to provide for the boys. She doesn't know how to not push herself without someone there to get her to pace herself. I just hope I can convince her to not leave me.