Rainbow by K.L. Savage

It’s all in my head. It has to be. I’m losing it. Fuck. I’m losing it. I dry off my body from the bath and my hands won’t stop trembling as I mop up the water on the tile floor.

No, someone had to be here. I didn’t dunk myself underwater.

I let out a breath once the floor is dry, and I hang the towel on the edge of the tub. I lift the baggy black gym shorts up my hips and try to tighten the strings, which is pointless considering Rainbow is so much bigger than me.

A loud commotion from the living room has me throwing a hand on my chest. A few shouts of words that I can’t understand have me racing to the bedroom door and swinging it open. Maybe it is Rainbow. He’s been outside for a long time.

When I enter the living room, Mime throws a lamp against the wall, making hoarse, panicked noises. He tugs on his hair, the strands dripping wet. His clothes are drenched, and his eyes are screaming for help.

“Mime, what the hell happened? Are you okay?” Fox timidly takes a step forward, but Mime can’t seem to gather himself.

He’s darting his eyes all around the room, gasping and clutching onto his stomach, when Hound walks through the door next. Half of his pants are drenched in mud, and he’s dripping in water, too. Hound is creating a puddle around his feet, and he picks one boot up to kick the door shut. “Fuck!” he yells at the top of his lungs.

“Where is Rainbow?” I ask, a slight tremor in my voice.

I don’t hear the banging on the roof anymore, and while I enter further into the room, I have to put aside who could have drowned me because that isn’t a priority right now.

Mime still hasn’t met anyone’s eyes. He’s distraught, so it isn’t hard to put two and two together.

“We were trying to plant our feet to hold his weight, but the wind got too strong. It swung him over the river, and I was pressed against the house. Mime was holding me down, but I was in so much pain,” Hound explains, wiping the water from his face. “He cut the rope.”

“What the hell do you mean he cut the rope? What does that mean? Where is he?” I sound hysterical, my voice cracking. God, why do I care so much? I’ve only known the man for a few days, and I’m halfway in love with him, and now he isn’t here. “Where the hell is he?”

“He’s in the river,” Hound finally says. “And there is no way—”

Mime throws a punch, and it lands with a smack right against Hound’s face. The abrupt motion has everyone standing from the couch. Jokester grabs onto Mime’s arms, and Fox wraps his around Hound.

“He’s a firefighter. He knows how to swim. He’ll be fine,” I say, more to myself than to them. “I’m going to go.” In a daze, I head to the bedroom. I think I saw a first-aid kit somewhere. “Yeah, I’m going to go.”

“And where the hell do you think you’re going?” A man I have never seen before grabs my arm and I drop my attention to his patch.

Puzzle.

“I’m going to go look for him.” I yank my arm out of his grip, not liking how the muscle aches.

“You can’t go out there in this,” Lye says as he mops up the water off the floor. “You’ll end up getting yourself killed.”

“I’m not staying here while he’s out there! I’m going to look for him, and there isn’t a damn thing any of you can do to stop me.” I begin walking again, and another hand stops me.

Okay, now it’s me who’s about to throw some punches.

“Let me go, or I swear I’ll stab a syringe in your—oh.” I stop short when I see Mime’s watering eyes pleading with me. He hits his chest with his palm, then mine, and points out the door. “You want to come with me?”

He nods, and the movement causes a tear to dislodge from his eye.

“Yeah, okay. Let me try to find something that will fit,” I say, my voice distant.

“I should have something,” A guy too pretty to be a biker smiles at me. “I fucked someone your size a few weeks ago, and he left a pair of shorts here.”

“Jesus, Cosmo,” Prez hisses.

“What? I’m just saying—”

“He can’t leave. Rainbow would never allow—”

“—It isn’t up to you to keep me here. So what are you going to do? Drown me?” I sneer at the President of the Ruthless Kings.

“Drown… what are you talking about?”

“Nothing. I’m going, and everyone here should be going, too. Cosmo? Those shorts?”

“They are kind of… short.”

“I expect nothing less,” I exhale and wait for him to bring the shorts out of his room.

A tug on my arm has me turning to see Mime. He mouths, “Thank you” to me.

“He’s okay,” I tell him and lay my hand gently over his, his fingers pulling against the skin of my arm. “He survived a fire. He’ll survive water too.”

“Here you go.” Cosmo comes out of the room, his cheeks tinting a faint pink as he hands over the silver sequined shorts.

I pucker my lips. “Are you kidding me?”

“I said they were short.”

“You didn’t say they were for show business.” They will have to do, considering Rainbow’s keep falling down my hips. I roll my eyes and head to Rainbow’s room. “I’ll be out in a second. Mime, gather any medical supplies you have.”

He gives me a curt nod and runs through the open space while I don’t pay any mind to the men in the living room. I lean my back against the door to shut it and close my eyes to gather myself. I have to stay calm and keep my head.

I have to find him.

He’s the only one that’s made me feel safe. He’s the only one that’s made me feel happiness and acceptance.

Ever.

I have to know where this can go.

Because it could be really beautiful, I think.

I slip off the shorts and shimmy on the silver jean shorts next. Good god, Cosmo has to sleep with strippers if this is their outfit. No judgments.

I swing the door open, and Mime is standing there with a bag in his hand. His eyes widen when he sees the shorts and Cosmo whistles.

“Damn, legs. If Rainbow and you don’t work out, call me.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t make jokes when your friend could be floating dead in the river,” I snap, irritable that no one is taking this more seriously. “It’s like you’re so used to people dying.” After the words leave my mouth, I realize how true they are. “Regardless, I’m searching for him, and I’m bringing him back. Dead or alive.”

“I’m coming with you too,” Jokester says. “Everyone else stays here. Keep everything locked down.”

“He’ll come home if he’s alive,” Puzzle says slowly. “No need to risk our lives in this weather for a guy that—”

“For a guy that what?” I go to approach him and Mime’s arm slings against my chest to stop me.

“The guy is our brother. Our VP. You’ll show a little more respect, Puzzle.”

Puzzle grunts and gives me a disgusting curl of his lip before disappearing into the kitchen. The way he sounded, the way he looked at me, has a shiver running down my spine. “Let’s go,” I snag a jacket, uncaring whose it is, and shrug it on.

I feel everyone’s eyes on me as I leave. The wind and rain smash against my legs, making me cold—damn shorts. I look like a hooker in these.

“We’ll take the truck. We’ll follow the road that runs parallel to the river. That’s the first place I’d think he’d go,” Jokester informs us as he jumps down the steps.

I take two at a time, and Mime whisks me off my feet to hurry the process along, then sets me on the ground. He gives me a quick pat on my shoulder before climbing into the passenger’s seat.

“I think we need to check the river,” I add my two cents in as I struggle to get into the backseat.

How high does a truck need to be? This is ridiculous.

I jump and claw on the leather seats to try and get some type of leverage and Mime watches me with amusement. “It isn’t funny.”

“It’s a little funny. Here.” Jokester grabs me by the back of the jacket and hauls me into the truck by tossing me as if I’m some sort of ragdoll. “No time to waste. The storm surge is nearly here, and we need to make sure we’re back before then. One hour. If we don’t find him—”

“Then you can leave me outside, and I’ll look for him on foot.”

“It’s too dangerous. He wouldn’t want that. You want to know why people didn’t jump at finding him? Because we’ve gotten to know him. He’s all about saving lives, and he wouldn’t want us risking ours. Believe me, we’ve heard a lecture from him a time or two.”

On their own accord, my eyes tumble to the back of my skull as I cross my arms. “I don’t give a damn about lectures. He can talk all he wants. I’m not going back until I bring him home.”

“Why do you care so much?” Jokester asks, and Mime’s eyes flick to the rearview mirror to watch what I say next.

“Because he cares about me, and he hasn’t ever hesitated when it comes to me, so he deserves the same. I’m not going to hesitate. Hesitating gets people killed.”

“You sound a lot like him.” Jokester takes the road slow as he turns on the wipers to clear the rain.

I don’t know what to say to that, so I keep quiet instead. My eyes follow every tree, every bush, every leaf that blows in the wind. I can see the river from the road. While we’re going slow, and I think I’m focused enough to know if I could see a body, there’s a chance I missed him.

I sniffle, and Mime turns around in his seat. “I can’t imagine how you must be feeling,” I tell him. “You must be going out of your mind.”

He nods and begins making gestures. Finally, he points to himself and lowers his hand to the ground.

“When you were a kid?”

He nods.

“Rainbow,” he mouths, but no sound comes out. Instead, Mime wraps his arms around himself and points to the center of his chest. He begins to make a gesture I don’t understand. It’s too erratic. Up and down. Waves, maybe?

“I don’t know,” I say apologetically.

He blows on his hand as if it is hot and then wipes his forehead.

My brain catches up. “A fire.”

He frowns and a veil of sadness masks his features.

“He saved you from a fire?” I question, trying to piece what he’s saying together.

He holds up the number two and makes the erratic hand motion again, followed by his palm arching through the air like a rainbow, then he shakes his head.

“Rainbow tried to save someone, but he couldn’t?”

“Their parents,” Jokester finishes Mime’s line of thought.

Mime huffs in aggravation as Jokester completes the conversation for him.

“What? We don’t have all damn night, Mime. I didn’t mean any harm by it. Anyway, they’re close. It’s just the two of them. Their parents died in a wildfire in California. It’s why Rainbow became a smokejumper. Jumpers rescued him and Mime, and now Rainbow thinks he has to save everyone, to make up for not being able to save their parents.” He glances at me in the mirror, staring at my black eye.

“I’m not someone that needs saving.”

“No?” he asks, not believing a word of it. “Doesn’t look that way to me. I don’t want to see my VP getting hurt.”

“There’s nothing I could do to a man like Rainbow.”

“If you believe that, then you must not know him too well yet,” Jokester replies, then inches his chin over the wheel. “Wait, look.” He points ahead of us. “Hey, that’s McDonald’s truck. Damn, it’s fucked.” Jokester pulls the truck off to the side of the road, and I don’t waste a second, leaping out into the rain before he even comes to a complete stop. I nearly slip and fall on my ass, but I don’t care. There’s a tree crushing the driver’s side, a car smashed against the passenger side, and dangerous smoke billowing from the engine.

Glass is everywhere, the smell of burnt rubber is fresh in the air, and the clicking of the engine ticks, ticks, ticks.

I sprint toward the wreckage, years of training possessing my body. Raindrops hit my cheeks, and my arms pump at my side with every stride I take. I choke on the fumes and harsh chemicals lingering in the smoke wafting from the engine. My eyes burn as I walk through the fog, but when I can finally see through to the passenger’s seat, my heart starts and stops all over again.

Rainbow blinks through the blood dripping down his forehead and over his right eye.

“Rainbow,” I gasp.

“He’s there?” Jokester yells, the splash of his boots coming closer as he reaches me.

Mime shoves by us and jumps on the hood of the truck. His hand drops to the windshield, and the meaningful gesture has my eyes watering. Rainbow stretches to reach his hand and lays it flat on the other side of the glass. Mime drops his head, and his shoulders shake as he sobs with relief.

Mime is different from the rest. He isn’t afraid to show how he feels. It’s really all he has since he doesn’t speak.

I unglue myself from my still position and try to open the passenger’s side door, but it won’t budge. “Rainbow.” I meant for his name to sound confident, but it cracks as I look at him.

He’s alive.

“Sassafras,” he says. “I’m so fucking glad to see you, baby. All of you.”

“We’re going to get you out of there. Can you move? How is the driver?”

“We’re fine. He’s passed out, but I don’t think he has much time left. He’s pinned to the wheel. Check the other car. I’m going to kick the windshield out,” he says.

Mime hears his plan and slams his own boot into the windshield. Impatient to get his brother out.

Jokester whistles at me. “Ryan, I think you’re needed over here.” He’s standing by the driver’s side of a silver Toyota.

I don’t want to leave Rainbow. I came for him. No one else matters.

“Go, Sassafras. I’ll be here when you get back.”

The thud of Mime’s boot slamming against the window has me nodding, so I place one foot on the tire of the car and climb over by using the bed of the truck.

“Nice shorts, Sassafras!” he hollers.

My cheeks heat with embarrassment. God, even in an accident he notices my ass.

I hop to the ground next to Jokester to see a man unconscious with his face against the airbag.

Blood everywhere.

I reach my hand to his neck to search for a pulse and grimace when I don’t feel one. “He’s gone.”

“Damn it.” Jokester laces his hands behind his head. “I’m going to have to call Lye.”

“Why?”

“Because he can make all this go away.”

Okay. That’s my cue not to ask any more questions. “You do that.” I run around the back of the car and the windshield finally shatters. I stop short when I see Mime yanking his brother out of the truck with a red hand, blood dripping down his arm.

I let them have their moment as I run to the driver still pinned in the truck. I yank the door open quickly, but what I see tells me there’s nothing more I can do. I can make him comfortable, but that’s it. I dig into the bag and pull out a bottle of morphine and a syringe. I know MC’s have a doctor, so that’s the only thing I can think of for the Kings to have medicine like this.

“Mr. McDonald, right?” I ask him as I stab the meat of his arm with the needle.

“Yeah, dat’s me.”

“Love that accent. I wish I knew more people like you with it.” I drop the used syringe in the bag and take his hand in mine.

When the tree fell, a branch punctured the roof. It’s now embedded in his neck. He’s lost a lot of blood.

Too much.

It won’t be long now.

“Oh, I doubt dat,” he coughs, and a red flow of blood leaves from the wound in his neck.

“We can get him out, right?” Jokester asks from my right just as Rainbow comes to stand at my left.

“Fuck,” Rainbow mutters when he sees the injury.

“It’s bad, ain’t it? Real bad?” he asks.

“This wouldn’t have happened if he didn’t stop for me,” Rainbow whispers.

“Don’t. It’s my time. Explain it to me, please?” I can hear the fear shaking his question while his coherent eyes meet mine.

“You have a branch in your neck, and you’ve lost a lot of blood. If I remove it, you’ll just bleed out faster.”

“Well, ain’t that some shit.”

I smile sadly at him when his eyes begin to water. “Rainbow?”

“I’m here, Mr. McDonald.” Rainbow wipes the blood dripping down his neck on his shoulder.

“Can you call Dex? I need to talk to one of my kids, and I need to say my piece. Please.”

“Of course,” Rainbow says, his fingers trembling and his lashes wet. He clears his throat and shakes his head. “It’s dead from the water. Fuck!” he screams, tossing his phone against the road. “Goddamn it!”

Mime and Jokester check theirs too, but there’s no service. I didn’t bring mine so I can’t check.

Mime shoves his phone in Rainbow’s face and points to the recording app.

“We can record a message for Dex. I’ll get it to him. I swear, I’ll get it to him.”

A tear drips from Mr. McDonald’s eye as he closes them. He’s getting tired.

“Make it quick,” I whisper to Rainbow.

Rainbow clicks the app and holds it to Mr. McDonald’s lips. “Ready when you are.”

“Hey Dex, it’s ya Pa. I’ve done got myself into an accident and I ain’t coming home. I’ve lived a good life, and I’ve come to peace with a lot of things except one.” He swallows, and another stream of blood drips down his neck. He squeezes his eyes shut and grips my hand tighter. “I know, Dex. Ah, kid, my first baby boy, I know. Always have since you were still in diapers. It’s okay. I want ya to know it’s okay. I just want ya happy, Dex. Love who ya want to love. I’m proud of ya. I’m so damn proud to call ya my son. And the man ya get to love is gonna be a lucky guy. I love ya and ya brothers more than anything. Promise me ya won’t get rid of the farm. It’s yours now. And promise ya won’t hide yourself no more. Ya too good, Dex. Ya too damn good. I love ya.” He inhales a gurgling breath. “I love ya.”

Rainbow ends the recording, and a smile takes over Mr. McDonald’s face. “Sheila,” he says on his last breath as he exhales, a lone tear rolling down his cheek.

“Who is Sheila?” I ask as I reach and close his eyes, then double-check his pulse. “He’s gone.”

“That’s his wife. Unfortunately, she died giving birth to their last son,” Rainbow informs me sadly.

“I hope he’s with her now.” I let go of his hand and take the branch from his neck. “We have to bring him to his kids.”

Mime bends down and lifts his dead body into his arms without question and heads to the truck.

I throw myself into Rainbow’s arms at last. “You’re alive.”

“Little water won’t keep me from getting back to you.” His arms tighten around me, and I sigh in relief, but it quickly turns into a sob. “Hey, it’s okay. I’m sorry for scaring you.”

I lean back and slap him in the shoulder. “You can’t do that to me!” and I smash my lips against his. “I was so damn scared.”

He chuckles.

“What?” I pout.

He runs his hands through my hair and grins. “Nothing, just something I thought of earlier. Let’s go home.”

So much has happened in one day and it’s nowhere near over.

Is he going to believe me when I tell him someone tried to drown me? Or will he believe in his club more than me?