Cherishing His Forever

by LeAnn Ashers

  I wish I’d a dad and a mom, and it makes me so happy that Hunter will have that.

  I know that growing up with love would have made all the difference for me. Lee wouldn’t have been in my life. I was looking for love in any way possible, but I don’t regret it. I got my son.

  Chase hands Hunter off to Katherine, who is grinning ear to ear. I put that there. It makes me happy that she loves him.

  Chase takes my hand, and it’s shaking in his. Just because I am happy that she loves him so much doesn’t mean I’m not nervous. What if he’s in danger?

  Chase leads me to the door. I look back one last time, and I see all three of them looking down at Hunter.

  Trey left before we did because he wanted to check on Lani, who was still feeling bad. He told me her symptoms, and I have to guess she is pregnant, but I’m keeping that to myself.

  I shut the truck door. Ben is at his front door, setting the security system. Chase notices too. He takes my hand, kissing the back of it. “Angel, I told my dads about the situation. They are both ex–Navy SEALs, he will be safe. Plus I’m sending a guard to stand at the gate.”

  It feels like I can breathe again. “Thank you.” I squeeze his hand because I didn’t know how much I needed to hear that.

  He puts the truck in drive and pulls down the long driveway. “You know, tonight I get to fuck you, and you can scream as loud as you want.”

  I laugh and lean over to kiss his cheek.

  Chapter 9

  Jessica

  We didn’t go straight to bed because Kane, Sydney, Braelyn, Isaac, and Emily wanted to go to a bar for some drinks. That doesn’t mean it won’t happen once we are home though. So I got dressed up in a pair of tight jeans and a fitted shirt and curled my hair sexily around my face.

  Chase is in a pair of jeans, boots, and a plaid shirt that looks absolutely perfect on him. It shows off his tattoos and, let me tell you, he looks amazing.

  We pull up outside the bar and park beside Kane and Sydney. I’m excited to hang out with her and Braelyn; I have missed them. I was used to seeing them almost every day.

  I slide out of the truck, run over to Sydney, and hug her. I haven’t seen her in weeks. “I have missed you so much!” I tell her.

  She rubs my back. “It’s so good to see you! How are you feeling?” She steps back and looks me over. I love her, she is so sweet.

  Braelyn and Ethan have arrived, and I walk over and hug Braelyn. She is still healing, but every time I see her I notice a huge difference.

  Chase does that handshake thing that guys do. Isaac and Emily show up next. Emily is so tiny, shorter than my five-foot-two by a couple of inches, and Isaac is at least six-foot-five.

  She has had it rough. She was kidnapped, and she and Sydney were rescued by Kane and the MC. Isaac carried her out of there and never let her go.

  “Hi guys!” Emily waves at us, grinning.

  She is so strong. She is wearing a shirt with a low back, and it shows her scars. That is how strong she is. Most people would hide it, but she doesn’t.

  It doesn’t define her.

  We all hug her. “It’s so good to see you!” I tell her as I let her go, and she grins at all of us.

  She has long blond hair, bright blue eyes, and the prettiest smile ever, which is contagious.

  “You guys ready to head inside?” Kane asks. Sydney takes his hand and we follow them inside.

  This bar is a casual one; we can eat wings, drink beer, and have a good time. I am not one who enjoys being in huge crowd shaking my ass for the world to see. To each their own. I just don’t enjoy it.

  We find a table near the back of the bar, and the guys sit down where they can face the room. We girls sit facing them.

  “I bet you miss Hunter!” Braelyn touches my shoulder.

  I nod. “Bad!” I take out my phone. I have the video feed hooked up to my phone, and I see Katherine is setting Hunter down in his bassinet.

  “Oh wow, I bet that helps a ton!” Sydney says, looking over my shoulder.

  The waiter comes over, and we put in our drink orders. The guys get beers and I just get a fruity drink. I want to be sober for later. I notice Braelyn ordered water. I narrow my eyes at her. She winks at me and my eyes widen. Ethan is full-out grinning. “What?” I point at her and he gives a little nod.

  Oh my god, did I start something and now everyone is knocked up? Emily is drinking so I guess she isn’t. This makes me so happy though. Hunter will grow up with kids all around him..

  This has made my night so much better.

  “Come to the bathroom with me?” I ask the girls.

  They all walk with me to the bathroom, and I shut and lock the door behind us. I look at both of them with my arms crossed. “Are you pregnant?” I ask Braelyn. Emily gasps. “I am not sure, I think I am,” Braelyn says.

  “Well, you’re in luck. This has been chilling in the bottom of my purse since I found out I was pregnant with Hunter.” I take out a box with two tests in it. They burst out laughing, but I don’t. I take them out of the box and send her into a stall while Sydney and Emily stand next to me.

  I look at Emily, wanting to ask. She shakes her head. “I took a test before I came out tonight, but I am trying.” She winks. I want to jump up and down. So many babies will be happening in the next year or so.

  Braelyn comes out of the stall and puts the tests on the counter; now we wait. I take her hands and she steps away from the counter, because staring at the tests just makes it ten times worse.

  “Jessica, want to read them for me?” Braelyn asks.

  “I will be honored.” I walk over to the counter and pick up her test. She is gripping Sydney’s and Emily’s hands hard.

  I look down at the test; then I grin at her. “You’re pregnant!” Her mouth opens and I hand her the test. She covers her mouth as it sinks in.

  Tears are rolling down my face at this point. God, I’ve been so emotional since Hunter. I cry just watching TV commercials.

  Sydney, Emily, and I hug her, grinning as we cry silently.

  This is probably one of the best moments of my life. I am so happy that I get to share this moment with her. A few minutes later, we finally compose ourselves. “Let’s go tell our men.” Sydney and Braelyn take each other’s hands, walking out in front of us. We ignore the bitching women standing outside the bathroom.

  The men take in our crying faces, and they all jump up as we get close to the table. Chase is at my side. “Watch,” I whisper to him.

  Braelyn hands Ethan the test. He looks down, and his face splits into the most beautiful smile I have ever seen on him. He pulls her into his arms, his face tucked into her neck. Both of them are shaking.

  God, I just love love.

  Chase tucks me into his side, kissing the top of my head, and we watch this beautiful moment.

  My heart is just so full.

  Chase pulls me into his lap, kissing me softly on the lips. I touch the side of his face. “I love you.”

  “And I you.”

  I close my eyes as his words wash over me, and he kisses my forehead, causing my stomach to do flips. The others are wrapped up in their own world. I am so happy that everyone around me is so happy.

  A couple of hours later, we decide it’s time to go. We offer to have everyone come over and spend the night.

  Isaac holds open the door and we walk outside. The parking lot is packed with people smoking and talking.

  “There she is,” someone says. A group of men are staring at me. My eyes widen. I totally forgot about the bounty on my head. Chase has stopped dead in his tracks, looking at them. Emily takes my hand. Why can’t they leave me alone?

  I scoot closer to Chase and grip the back of his shirt. He brings his arm around me and holds me, not taking his eyes off the guys. Kane, Isaac, and Ethan stand in front of us girls. The guys who were staring at me look back and forth before taking a step back. Thank goodness. Maybe they will just leave and not ruin this night.

  They
pull back into the shadows, and we all hurry across the parking lot to our vehicles. I stand still for a second, making sure all the girls are safe and with their guys. That was a mistake.

  A hand entangles with my hair, and I am lifted off the ground by a bunch of hands. I scream and Chase turns around in absolute shock. I was supposed to be glued to his back.

  It was my fault.

  The guy pulls my hair harder. “Shut the fuck up, bitch,” he snarls in my ear. Pissing me right off.

  Chase runs over and tears me out of their arms, and I scramble out of the way. I can’t breathe. I clutch my throat. I am so scared.

  Chase punches them all over and over again, and one falls to the ground. Chase stomps on his face as he continues to beat the three other guys. Kane, Ethan, and Isaac jump into the fray. I grip the front of Chase’s truck like it’s going to be my saving grace.

  Another guy slips between Chase’s truck and another one and reaches for me. Chase comes out of nowhere, grabs his hand, and bends it backward until there is a snap. Chase grips the man’s throat and slams him to the ground. His head makes a sickening sound.

  Chase gets right in his face. This is another side of him I have never seen before. “Who sent you?” he roars.

  He doesn’t say a word, his eyes clenched shut.

  Chase turns around and looks at Kane, Ethan, and Isaac. Then he takes out his phone. “Brother, I need you.”

  Chapter 10

  Chase

  I need to find out who put the bounty on her head. This shit ends now. It will fucking haunt me for the rest of my life: the look of pure fear on her face when the fuckers had her.

  She was supposed to be right at my back, with the girls, but they weren’t there. It was my mistake, and I will have to live with that for the rest of my life.

  I do what I need to do. I call Trey; I’m going to get him to take this fucker. I will meet him later once I get Jessica straight.

  I want to hold my girl and my boy.

  Isaac drags the fucker away, and I walk over to Jessica, who is just staring at the concrete. I touch her face gently. She looks at me with tears in her eyes. “I have you, my angel.”

  She nods, her lips trembling, her fear taking over. I pick her up, tucking her head into the side of my neck. I open the passenger door, set her butt on the seat, and just hold her until her body stops trembling.

  “You’re safe, angel, I would never, ever let anything happen to you,” I whisper into her ear and she nods, tightening her grip around my neck. I rub the back of her head. They pulled her hair—the stupid fuckers.

  A few minutes later, with a roar, my brother pulls into the parking lot with his MC brothers. They came with the van; this fucker is getting questioned.

  It’s time to end this bounty on Jessica’s head so my girl can live her life in peace.

  Trey walks over with Vinny at his side and takes in the scene. I nod toward the back of the truck.

  “I will see you later.” I give him a pointed look and he grins.

  I used to be a SEAL; I was trained in shit like this. It’s time for the other side of me to make an appearance.

  * * *

  Jessica

  We pass right by our house and continue to the next town, so I know we are going to Hunter. I close my eyes. I just want to hold my baby and have Chase holding both of us.

  Tonight was meant to be a relaxing evening, and it was—up until the very end. For a bit I forgot all about what was happening in my life. Then I was hit with the reality that it had never ended. The bounty is still there and weighing on me like a million pounds.

  Chase is quiet. I think he feels guilty, but it was my fault I separated from him. “Chase, it’s not your fault. I let myself fall behind the others.”

  He lets out a deep breath, his hand relaxing on the steering wheel. “It’s just been a fucked-up night.”

  It has been that.

  I take off my seatbelt and move to the middle of the seat. I lean my head on his shoulder as we drive down the long stretch of highway. Trey and Vinny are right behind us.

  “You’re going to be leaving me for a while, aren’t you?”

  He glances over at me. “I need to end this, angel, I need to take this bounty off your head.”

  I understand that, but it doesn’t mean I’m not scared out of my mind at the thought of losing him.

  We pull up in front of his parents’ home. He helps me out, and I grip either side of his shirt. My heart is hurting, I am hurting. I don’t want him to go. He bends down and kisses my forehead, and he doesn’t move as we just hold each other for a second.

  “Please come back to me.” My voice cracks as I try to hold in the sob that is wanting to come out.

  He pulls back, looking me straight in the eye. “Always. Nothing and no one could tear me away from you and Hunter.” I let out a deep breath, and he wipes away a tear that managed to escape.

  “I will be waiting on you. I love you so much.”

  He smiles. “I love you, my angel.”

  With that I walk the short distance up the stairs. Ben touches my shoulder as he walks past me, and I know he is going to be with Chase. Katherine takes me in her arms, and we walk inside the house. Alex locks up behind us.

  Hunter is lying in his bed in front of the couch. I couldn’t stop the tears now even if I tried.

  I take him out and hold him; then I pray.

  Chapter 11

  Chase

  My dad Ben gets into the truck. We both look at the house, and I manage to put the truck into drive without going inside. My dad gives me the encouragement I need. “We will finish this, son, then she can breathe easy. She needs that.”

  We sit in silence on the way to the clubhouse; we are both getting into the headspace we need to be in.

  I need information and I am going to get it.

  All of the MC members are waiting for us when we walk inside. I approach Kyle and shake his hand.

  “Jessica is ours too. We will fix this shit and settle it.”

  It makes me fucking happy that she has all these people in her corner. She doesn’t realize how much she affects those around her and how much she means to them.

  The door slams open again, and in walk Kane, Ethan, and Isaac. My brothers, the ones I served with.

  We follow Kyle into the basement; this is not their first rodeo by any means. They do what they need to do to protect their family. I respect all of them for that.

  At the bottom of the stairs, I see the four guys from the bar hanging from the ceiling by chains. There is a table, close by, with the tools to get the job done.

  I straighten my shoulders. It’s go time.

  I grip the first one’s face hard. “You tell me or I will make your life hell.”

  “Fuck you.”

  I grin. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

  I pick up the pliers, and his screams haunt the building.

  It took hours to get the information we needed. Now we’re sitting outside a run-down motel. We are seeing someone’s brother, and it’s Lee’s brother if you’re wondering.

  Lee is broke, just like his brother, and they weren’t going to be able to pay the bounty on Jessica’s head.

  Techy ran all of that information, and we got all the shit we needed to know. I walk straight up to the fucking door and kick it in. A man is lying in the middle of the bed. He sits straight up, eyes wide. Ethan slams the door shut. When he came into the clubhouse earlier, he left his badge at the door.

  Sometimes jail isn’t justice; it needs to be taken care of.

  “What are you guys doing?” the man asks, inching toward the edge of the bed, and I notice the gun on the nightstand beside him. I nod to it, and Kane takes it so this guy doesn’t have a chance to do something stupid.

  “I heard you have a bounty out on Jessica?” I play it off like I am here to collect the reward.

  He relaxes. He is a fucking idiot. “Do you have the bitch and the little bastard?” he spits out. He is
just making it so much easier for me. The hatred and anger are so deep I can fucking taste it.

  He doesn’t deserve to breathe another second.

  “Yeah, come on. They’re in the van.”

  He rubs his hands together and walks to the door. I look at the guys, and they’re trying not to laugh at how incredibly stupid he is. We lead him to a black van we borrowed from the MC, and Kyle pulls open the door. Trey is sitting there, right in the middle of the floor. “Not what you were expecting, was it?” Trey gloats.

  I take my gun and hit the guy on the back of the head, and he falls face-first into the van. I hear a crack, and we push him all the way into the vehicle. That’s when I see the blood pouring out of his nose.

  That’s what he fucking gets.

  I climb into the van and shut the door behind me, and I stare down at the stupid fucker who caused my woman so much fear.

  We drive into the middle of nowhere and stop in a field. I smack the fucker on the face, hard, and he wakes up. His eyes are wide as he takes in the scene.

  I grip his hair and drag him out of the van, his legs kicking. All I can think about is how Jessica was dragged just like this by Lee.

  I let him go and he looks up at me. “You’re the one that put the bounty on Jessica, not the Mafia?” I ask.

  He hesitates, and Kane walks over and steps on his hand. He screams, trying to pull his hand free.

  “Yes, I did. She put my brother in jail and took the next generation of our family. She deserves it. I was hoping that someone would bring her to us alive, so I could have some.”

  I pull out my gun and put a bullet right in the center of his forehead. I couldn’t fucking hear the words he was going to say.

  I am shaking so hard that I can barely keep hold of my gun. I drop my hand and Trey takes the gun from me.

  I have killed before—I used to be a Navy SEAL—but this is different. I am doing it to protect my family. I don’t feel one single ounce of regret. I would do it all over again. I would do anything to make sure they’re safe.