The growl of a motorcycle engine. Not one, but multiple. I pray the riders are my family. My family, my Lost Souls. I’ve never felt those words more than I do now.
“Fuck,” Mags hollers and that’s when shots are fired.
A bullet whizzes right by my ear. I pump my legs harder. Moving toward the sound of the roaring engines. Two things happen at once.
I register the sound of a chopper overhead as its light beams on me and the area around me. Then I see them, I would know them anywhere. I’ve looked up to them for as long as I can remember. I falter a step because I can’t believe what I’m actually seeing.
I know the bikes, but one doesn’t make sense. The sight before me doesn’t make any sense. King is leading the formation, but right beside him is my daddy, Cage. I don’t have to see his face. I know the bike, I know the way he rides, I know his frame on a bike.
Flanking King and Cage are Brick and Mix. Behind them are eleven other bikes. Squad. Our family came for us, Baby. I think to my unborn child.
The pink and black bike in the middle of the formation breaks rank and rides around the other bikes. I know right away it’s Reap. She puts herself and her bike between me and the gunfire.
I stop in awe as Reap’s bike lifts onto the front wheel and her arm comes out holding a gun. I watch as the bike rotates on one wheel and Reap starts to spray bullets.
I turn in time to see Mags’ body jerk back once, twice, three times. Mags takes a bullet to each shoulder and her left thigh before she drops backward to the ground. When I look back to Reap, her bike lands back on two wheels with a bounce.
I’m so lost in the action I don’t notice Brick has stopped his Harley right behind me until he scoops me up into his strong arms. He buries his face in my neck and inhales deeply. I can feel his body shaking with rage as he holds me tight.
“Are you okay?” he chokes into my hair.
“Yes,” I try to speak through my heaving chest.
I turn my head sharply when I hear Mags screaming and cursing in Spanish. Axle is standing on her left leg with the bullet wound. Reap is standing over her as well, with her gun pointed at her head.
“You’re gonna die slow, bitch,” Axle sneers. “Sug never fucks with nobody. That shit you gave her almost killed her. She had a fucking allergic reaction. I swear, you’re gonna pay.”
“What the fuck is he talking about?” Diggs says as he swings his leg off his bike and he moves in Axle’s direction. He says it with so much venom my skull catches a chill. “What happened to Sugar?”
Oh, this isn’t going to go well. Reap snatches Mags up by her hair and whispers something in her ear as Axle and Diggs bend their heads together to talk. Diggs roars into the night when Axle’s lips stop moving.
Yeah, this is going to be bad. Even I know about this. Everyone but Sugar knows Diggs and Axle have a thing for her. With them being best friends, neither has tried to make it known to her.
Owen pinches my chin between his fingertips and turns my face toward his. He searches my face with his green eyes. When he seems satisfied, he crushes my lips with his.
“I love you so much,” he murmurs against my mouth.
“I love you too.”
I’m breathless. He moves his hands to my back where he runs them up and down soothingly. I sag into him as the adrenaline starts to wear off. I inhale him like he did me. Then, I fall apart as everything hits me.
As if knowing I’m crying in part because of him, Cage appears over Owen’s shoulder and looks down at me. I look up through my tears into my daddy’s eyes. He may not be my real father, but he will always be my daddy.
My heart aches as I see his scarred face. My mother’s face has remained smooth and clear, but I didn’t miss the scars on her arm. They’re not as deep as Cage’s and cover less of her skin.
Just looking at him, I know he took the brunt of whatever happened to them. It only makes sense. If you knew how this man loved my mother you would come to the same conclusion.
“You just gonna stare at me, sugar, or you gonna come give me a hug?” Cage asks with a smile.
His eyes sparkle at me, transforming his scarred face. He’s still handsome as ever, scars or not. Kennedy men are simply gorgeous, no matter what.
I pull from Owen’s embrace and rush into my daddy’s open arms. I can’t find it in me to be angry with him. Not now, not seeing him in the flesh.
Cage holds me so tight, but it’s what I need, because I feel like I might fall apart if he lets me go.
“Shh, darling. Daddy’s here now,” Cage whispers.
I jump in his embrace when I hear the slamming of car doors. I look around Cage to see Jemma dragging herself from one of the cars. She’s soaked in blood and collapses into Track’s arms as he rushes to help her.
Misty and my sister catch my eye as they rush from a Soul Deep SUV. Everyone else moves about to get things under wraps before the police arrive. Owen doesn’t need this mess in front of his empire.
“Didn’t I tell you two to stay at the loft?” Gutter barks.
“Daddy?” Sal questions, ignoring Gutter, sounding like a little girl. Tears roll down her cheeks and her lips tremble.
“Come here, baby girl.” Cage holds out an arm for her.
Sal rushes forward and stumbles into our father’s arms right beside me. We both cling to him. I still don’t think it has hit me that this is real.
Yeah, everyone has a lot of explaining to do.
Chapter 36
Time to Process
Brick
“Thank you,” Eva says as I place a glass of water on the island in front of her.
After getting her checked out at the hospital, I brought her back to the warehouse apartment. It wasn’t smart to try to return to South Carolina yet. I believe we were all exhausted and overwhelmed by the time Eva was released from the hospital. However, King and Cage did head back early yesterday morning with a few of the Squad members to tend to Rose.
Rose and Cage are still alive.
Two resurrections in one night. I, for one, feel like I’m in the twilight zone and have been since the day before yesterday. Seeing Cage on his old bike tugged at something deep inside of me.
“I’m still trying to wrap my head around all of this,” Eva says as if she’s reading my thoughts.
“I know what you mean. What are the chances she’d wake now, when Cage decides to return? My mind is so fucking blown,” I muse aloud.
“Can we take a bath? I just need to sit and think for a bit.”
I wrap my arms around her and place my chin on the top of her head. “We can do anything you want to do.”
After sleeping in yesterday and most of today, we’re trying to get our bearings. I ordered something to eat to feed her and the baby and now we’ve been sitting in silence for the most part.
Although I want to get back to South Carolina, I’m not going to rush Eva. I can tell she needs some time.
“Well, in that case, I really want to sit in your arms and breathe for a moment,” she says.
I scoop her up from the stool she’s on and start for the bedroom. “Then a bath it is,” I say and place a kiss on her forehead as she wraps her arms around my neck.
She rests her head on my shoulder as I carry her through the apartment. Once in the bedroom, I head straight into the bathroom. Placing her on her feet, I note the lost look on her face.
So much has changed over the course of one night. I can’t blame her for needing a few days to process it all. I’ve come to learn how much both Cage and Rose mean to Eva in the time we’ve been together.
“I got that,” I say when she starts for the hem of her T-shirt.
I pull the fabric over her head and toss it aside. Needing to have my hands on her to remind myself she and the baby are okay; I place my hands on her hip and draw her closer. With the gesture she comes back to me from wherever her mind has her.
Eva turns her pretty face up and gives a shaky smile. I hope to have a son because if my little girl eve
r looks up at me with this much hurt in her eyes, I’m going to kill the motherfucker that placed it there.
I’m already standing in a long line of brothers who want to put Pop to ground. The need to sooth Eva’s hurt and my own anger consumes me. I dip my head and seize her lips for a tender kiss.
“That has been the best part of this awful week,” she says with a catch in her voice as I pull away.
“Come on, let’s get this bath going and then I’ll get the rest of your clothes off,” I say and kiss her forehead.
Once the water is running, I go for her favorite bubble bath. I noted a while ago she favors this one. It’s a citrus scent.
I make a note to pick up some more as I turn to her and pull the tie of my sweats she has on. Her belly comes into view. Not firm from the pregnancy yet, but still a reminder of the seed inside of her.
As I tug her panties down her legs, I can’t help but get hard at the thought of her carrying my baby. If someone would have told me all of this would have happened when I woke up four days ago, I would have put a bullet in them for being a lying fuck.
“What are you thinking?” Eva says as she runs her fingers through my hair.
I look up from my crouching position. As exhausted as she looks from the events of the last few days, she’s still concerned about me. I don’t deserve her, but I’m sure as fuck going to cherish her now that I have her.
“The last two days have been the longest and most eventful days of my life,” I reply.
Eva gives a small laugh. “You can say that again. I think I’ve learned more about the club in the last few days than I knew from the time Mom married Cage.”
I stand and strip out of my sweats and T-shirt. When I’m naked, I walk Eva over to the bath and cut off the water before helping her in and stepping in behind her. I sit and place my hands on her waist to guide her to straddle my thighs as she sits in my lap.
“This is nice,” she says as I pull her against me so we’re chest to chest. She gives a small breathless laugh. “We won’t be able to do this once my belly starts to pop.”
“We’ll make do. Nothing can keep me from having my arms around you,” I say, tightening my hold and kissing the top of her head.
We’re silent for a moment. Our bodies relax in the water. For a moment, I think she’s fallen a sleep until she lifts her hand and starts massaging my beard with her fingers.
I take her hand and kiss the palm before I let her return to her massaging. I close my eyes and revel in the feel of just being still and knowing my woman and child are in my arms. They’re safe.
“He had her locked away in that house like some precious doll or something. Now that I think about it, it was sort of weird,” she says to break the silence.
“She’s always been precious to him. So I guess it’s not that weird.”
I hold back from telling her I’d probably do the same thing Cage did to keep her safe and to hold on to hope. I’d do everything in my power to keep her alive if I had to.
“I want to be angry at him. At both of them, Cage and Mix. While we were at the hospital, a few times I did feel some anger, but then I’d look at Daddy and it all went away. I’d rather the lies than to never be able to see them again. Does that make any sense to you?”
“Yeah, darlin’, it does. You have a right to the way you feel,” I reply.
“I mean, he stayed. Cage wouldn’t leave the hospital until he knew I was okay,” she says and sniffles.
I noticed that too. He looked concerned the entire time we waited for Eva to be seen. I could feel the relief come off of him when I let everyone know she and the baby were going to be okay.
I always knew Cage cared for Eva and Sal. However, tonight really showed how much of a father he is to them and how deep his love for them runs.
“Love will do that. I don’t think Cage meant for this to go for so long or for you girls to get hurt. Honestly, as far as what Mix told me, they didn’t think your mom would wake. At least, everyone but Cage had given up,” I say.
“He has never given up on her.” Eva chuckles. “You know, she thought he was too old for her. She once told me that was one of the reasons she tried to avoid him and turned him down.”
She lifts her head and looks into my eyes. The smile on her lips is the first real smile she’s given me in days. I reach to trace her lips.
“What?”
“I guess I got dating older men from her,” she teases.
I growl and close the distance between us to take her lips. She wraps her arms around my neck and we get lost in our connection. The kiss turns feverish. It’s clear we both need this more than we know.
She breaks the kiss and looks at me through her lashes. “Make love to me,” she whispers.
I grab her hip with one hand and palm her breast with the other. “You don’t have to ask twice,” I say before dipping my head to take her nipple between my lips.
Eva
I cry out, my body aches for him. I had been tired and confused with everything going on but sitting here in his lap has caused my body to come to life. I can no longer ignore his erection that’s been twitching against my ass.
“Babe, Owen, yes,” I sing for him as he sucks on my breast and fingers me from behind.
I begin to rock my hips, greedy for more of him. For now, I let all of the drama slip away. There’s nothing I can do about it now anyway.
What I can do is enjoy the way this man makes me feel. I drop my head back and move my hands to hold on to his strong shoulders. He circles my nipple with his tongue in a teasing manner, causing me to lower my head and look down at him.
He lifts me and lines up with my entrance. I follow the command he gives with his eyes and lower myself onto his throbbing length. The way he fills and stretches me makes me feel like I’ve come home.
“Thank you,” I say in a moment of insanity.
Brick bursts out into laughter and even that feels so good and delicious. I cup his face and place my forehead to his. We breathe each other in as I start to move up and down.
“I’m forever yours,” I whisper.
“I’d move heaven and hell for you. Forever, it’s not long enough for how long I’ll love you.”
My heart blooms and I fall apart calling his name. I have hope that in the end we’ll all be okay. I have my mom and dad back and I’m having a baby of my own. Most of all, I’ve fallen soul deep in love.
Chapter 37
Gift from Reap
Brick
A few days later…
It’s been a long time since I’ve been at this location. It’s an old shack in the woods. It looks abandoned to the rest of the world.
We keep it around for club business such as this. The woods play their part in the end. The wild hogs will provide aid as well.
“You say the word,” Reap sings gleefully.
I nod, giving her the go ahead. I want this over. There’s more to be done.
We’re not even going to fool ourselves into thinking this is all over. Mags had nothing to do with the guys outside my club, the fires, or the attacks on Sal. Those were just warnings.
We still have a problem out there. The sooner we take care of this one the better.
Mags screams as Reap approaches her. “Please. I’ve told you all I know. Please, no more. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. Please,” she cries.
She’s been saying sorry for the last two days. Too bad I know she isn’t. She’s only sorry she failed and got caught.
Her cries fall on deaf ears. Mags looks like she’s been through a meat grinder, but I can’t find it in me to feel the least bit moved by her appearance or her pleas. Not even with the skin hanging from her face and arms.
Reap tortured the information we need out of her after we had a doctor stitch up her original bullet wounds.
“Now that we have what Miguel wants, we have the leverage we need to bring the pressure,” Grim says.
“Exactly.” I nod. “If he wants us or that
money, he can come at us. We’ll be waiting.”
“Do you think he will show up once he knows she’s gone?”
“Brother, I don’t give a damn. He’ll be lucky if I don’t show up at his door after I handle this other bullshit. You know I believe in just cutting the entire fucking head off the snake whether it’s facing me with its hiss or not,” I reply.
“True, strike now before it turns and comes for you while you’re asleep.”
“Exactly.”
The distinct sound of a bullet’s pressure moving through a silencer grabs our attention. I turn to see Reap with a satisfied smile on her face and Mags slumped to the side.
“That’s that,” Grim says.
“Sure the fuck is.”
And I feel nothing. I should. I was once married to that heap of flesh. However, she killed any feelings I may have still had for her when she tried to kill my woman and child.
Honestly, I won’t shed a single tear. Magdalena meant to hurt my woman and family. She got what she deserved.
“Bring Jemma in,” I say coldly.
My thoughts are moving quickly. My cousin was released this morning after being treated and monitored for her bullet wound. They wanted to keep an eye on the baby.
As I said, I trust only so much these two have ever told me. I want to confirm Mags’ story and then I want the information Mags left out because despite the torture, I know she held back what she could.
Jemma enters the room and screams.
“She meant to kill you, get over it,” I say dryly. “Now, I’m going to ask you some questions. If you don’t want to end up like her, you’ll answer, and remember, I’m very close to forgetting you’re my family.”
“Brick, I didn’t mean for—”
“Save it. What I know… when it comes down to it, Miguel never wanted any of the Lost Souls. She stole from him and he wanted his shit back. She’s been sitting on a fortune all this time because cashing in would have brought Miguel to her door. Now, it’s your turn. Tell me what I don’t know.”
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