by Wilder, L.
A spark flashed through Gus’s eyes, but he didn’t move. Instead, he remained completely calm as he said, “Where’s the woman and the cop?”
“Like I’d fucking tell you.” He turned back and looked at his brother, then spat out, “You gonna tell them to get the fuck out of here or what?”
“That’s not gonna happen,” Buck answered. “Not gonna have your back on this one.”
“What? You’re actually gonna turn your back on your own flesh and blood?”
“You heard me. I’m out on this. We all are.” Buck crossed his arms as he said, “You gone too far this time, brother. Katie deserves better than this shit.”
“Shut your goddamn mouth!” He reached into his back pocket and took out his gun, pointing it at his brother as he shouted, “You don’t know shit!”
“Put the gun down, Chris,” Buck warned, but Chris didn’t listen. Instead, he kept it aimed directly at his brother’s head. “Don’t make this thing worse than it already is.”
“You’re so full of shit. Always have been. Acting like you’re some big deal because you run this club full of losers, and now—”
Before he could finish his sentence, Shadow charged towards Chris, grabbing him from behind. He pinned his arms tightly against Chris’s chest, and with firm jolt, the gun fell from his hand. Chris tried to break free, but Shadow was simply too strong. Buck stepped towards his brother and shook his head as he said, “We’re done here, little brother.”
“You’re gonna regret this!”
“Doubt it.” Buck looked to Shadow as he said, “Just get him the hell out of here.”
Shadow nodded, then pulled out a zip-tie from his pocket and bound Chris’s hands behind his back. After he had him secured, he and Gauge led him out of the bar. The door had barely closed behind them when Gus asked, “So, where’s the girl ... and the cop?”
Buck motioned us to follow as he led us out of the bar and down a short hallway. When we reached a door, he quickly opened it and revealed an old, dingy supply closet filled with dirty mops and brooms, as well as a dazed and confused looking Landry and Danny, sitting on the floor next to Katie. As soon as she spotted me, Landry quickly stood up and threw herself at me, wrapping her arms around my neck. “I knew you’d come. I just knew it.”
“Of course, I would. Nothing could’ve kept me away.” I held her close as I whispered, “Are you okay?”
“I’ve got a little bit of headache, but yeah, I’m fine.” She leaned back to get a better look at me, and when she noticed the cuts and bruises on my face, she asked, “What about you? Are you okay?”
“Yes, beautiful. I’m fine.”
“Good.” She clung to me once again, then asked, “Where’s Coburn?”
“We got him. Don’t worry,” I assured her.
“And the others? His brother ...” her voice trailed off when she spotted Buck standing in the doorway. She took a step back, standing protectively in front of Katie as she asked, “What’s going on?”
“It’s over, Landry. You’re safe.”
She glared at Buck with apprehension, and clearly unsure if she could trust him, she reached for Katie’s hand, helping the girl to her feet. “Come on, sweetie. Let’s get you out of here.”
Without saying a word, Katie took a hold of Landry’s hand and looked completely terrified as Landry and I led her out of the small storage room. When we returned to the front of the bar, they both watched silently as Gus and Moose took a moment to thank Buck. Neither Landry nor Danny seemed to understand what was going on. I couldn’t blame them for being confused by the exchange, especially after they’d found themselves locked in a fucking storage closet for hours. As soon as the pleasantries were over, we headed outside and across the street. Danny looked surprised when he found Shadow standing by his squad car with Chris. He glanced over at Gus and said, “Damn, you guys don’t mess around, do you?”
“Can’t say that we do,” Gus answered with a chuckle. “I trust that you’ll take care of him?”
“Yes, sir. Absolutely.”
“And I also trust that you’ll keep Satan’s Fury out of all this.”
Danny nodded. “You have my word.”
We all watched as Danny opened the back door of his squad car and helped Shadow get Coburn settled in the back seat. Once he’d closed the door, Danny turned his attention back to Landry and Katie. They were both standing by my side as they stared over at the Rebels’ clubhouse. Their facial expressions left no doubt that they’d both been rattled by what had transpired there. Danny grimaced as he stepped towards me and said, “I hate to rush you off, but you guys should probably get going. As soon as I put a call into the station to let them know we found Katie, cops will be swarming the place.”
Gus nodded, and the guys started making their way back to their bikes, while Landry led Katie over to her car. Landry took a moment to warn Katie about what would occur over the next couple of hours, then closed the door and walked back in my direction. Tears filled her eyes as she reached up and wound her arms around me, hugging me tightly. I knew she needed the moment to collect herself, and to be honest, I needed it just as much as she did. I’d never felt more relieved than I did the second I saw her sitting in that fucking storage room alive and well. It was like I’d been given a second chance, and there was no way in hell I was going to fuck it up. After several long moments, Landry looked up at me and said, “I love you, Clay. I really do.”
“And I love you.” I kissed her briefly, then said, “The cops will be here soon. We better get going.”
With a quick sigh, she released her hold on me and said, “I know.”
“When will I see you?”
“It’s probably going to be a while. Once we’re done here, I’ll have to get Katie down to the station and complete a mountain of paperwork there. Then, after I’m done there, I need to head over to the office and fill out even more paperwork, but I’ll try to be as quick as I can,” she promised.
“I’ll be waiting.”
She gave me another quick kiss, then I made my way over to the truck and got in with Rider. I never took my eyes off Landry as Rider pulled out of the parking lot. I didn’t like leaving her, but with the cops on their way, I didn’t have a choice. At least I could find comfort in knowing that it was over. Landry was safe, and it wouldn’t be long until Katie was returned to her foster parents. I didn’t want to think about what might’ve happened if Gus and the brothers hadn’t come through for us. Once again, they showed me what it meant to wear the Satan’s Fury patch, and I couldn’t wait for the day when I could actually call them my brothers. As Rider drove out of the parking lot, I turned to him and asked, “We going on to the garage?”
“Maybe later, but for now, we’re going to let Mack have a look at the hand.”
I’d almost forgotten about it until he mentioned it. I lifted it and wiggled my fingers so he could see all the swelling and bruising. “You think it’s broken?”
“Definitely.”
“You think Mack will be able to fix me up?”
“Yeah, but it’s gonna hurt like a motherfucker,” Rider scoffed.
“I’ll be all right. Nothing a few beers won’t take care of.”
When we made it back to the clubhouse, I went down to the infirmary so Mack could have a look at my hand. Rider was right. He was able to patch me up, but it hurt like a sonofabitch. Not only did he have to set the damn thing, he had to put my hand in a fucking cast. By the time he was done fixing me up, it was well into the afternoon and too late to bother with going to the garage. I hadn’t gotten much sleep the night before, so I decided to go back to my room for a quick break. I took a couple of the pain relievers Mack had given me and lay across the bed. The next thing I knew, Landry was crawling into bed next to me. “Hey, handsome.”
“Hey, beautiful. Did you get everything sorted with Katie?”
She nodded with a smile. “I did. Thanks to you and the guys.”
“I’m just glad it all worked ou
t.”
When I went to reach for her, Landry’s eyes widened with a gasp as she noticed the cast on my hand. “What happened?”
“It’s nothing. I’m fine.”
“No, it’s not nothing!” she fussed.
“I had a little run in with a wall.” I smiled as I told her, “It won.”
“So, it’s broken?”
“Yeah, but it could’ve been worse. Now, stop with the inquisition. I’m fine.”
“I don’t think so. Why did you have a run in with the wall?”
Before I could answer, her phone dinged with a text message. With a huff, she rolled over and grabbed it out of her purse, quickly scanning the screen. Seconds later, she was reaching for the remote. “We need to turn on the news!”
The TV came on, and seconds later, Katie’s face crossed the screen. We both watched quietly as the reporter announced the cancelation of Katie’s previous Amber alert, stating that she’d been found unharmed and had been returned to her foster home, and just as Gus had hoped, there was no mention of Satan’s Fury. As soon as it was over, Landry turned off the TV and lay down next to me. She curled up to my side, she said, “Now, about the hand ...”
“It’s fine, Landry. Really.”
Her brows furrowed as she pushed, “So, you’re not going to tell me what happened?”
“Already told you, there’s nothing to tell.” It meant a great deal to me that she was so concerned, but at the same time, it was a conversation I’d hoped to avoid. I had no intention of telling her about the visit I’d had with Strayhorn. As far as I was concerned, I’d dealt with him, and if all went as planned, he would no longer be a problem for either Landry or his wife and kids. Hoping to distract her from her line of questioning, I rolled over and faced her as I asked, “You remember that house we went to look at?”
“Yeah, what about it?”
“What would you think if I made an offer on it?”
“Seriously?” She eased up on her elbow. “Why the sudden interest in it?”
“Not exactly sudden,” I answered casually. There wasn’t anything particularly special about the house. It was just a simple three-bedroom painted brick house with all the basic necessities, but when I thought about Landry being in that house with me, nothing about it seemed simple or basic. Instead, it couldn’t have felt more perfect. “It’s close to work and has that big backyard for Duchess, and there’s plenty of room for you to have an office.”
“For me?”
“Yeah, you.” When our eyes met, I told her, “If I buy the house, I’d be buying it for us.”
“But—”
I could see the wheels turning in her head as she considered what I’d said. I knew it was early, that we were still getting to know one another, but I knew without a doubt that Landry was the one for me. Hell, I was pretty sure I knew it from the moment I spotted her out on the street with Duchess. I just hoped she felt the same. “It’s a simple question, Landry. Should I get the house or not?”
Landry
The days after Katie’s kidnapping were a complete blur. Between filling out all the paperwork, answering questions from both Mrs. Hawkins and the police department, and getting Katie settled back in with her foster family, it seemed like I could barely catch my breath. But at the end of the day, it was all worth it. Knowing that he was facing substantial jail time, Christopher Coburn relinquished his parental rights, giving the Hopkins family the opportunity to take her on permanently. I was worried that Katie might not be ready for such a big leap, but when I told her the news, she couldn’t have been more pleased. She loved being with the Hopkins, and it meant a great deal to her that she’d be able to stay with them indefinitely. I couldn’t deny that it did my heart good to see her so happy. It made me feel like I had some small part in making her life a little better, and I liked the feeling. It was one of the very reasons I’d found myself driving out to the Strayhorn home to check in on Aniya and the kids.
It had been just over two weeks since I’d had the encounter with Aniya’s husband at the coffee shop. Considering how that had turned out, I’d decided to back off for a little while, give it some time to settle down, but that didn’t mean I hadn’t tried to reach out to Aniya. I simply wanted to make sure that she and the kids were okay, but I couldn’t get her to answer her cell. Hoping to avoid her husband, I’d tried calling her at the coffee shop, but she wasn’t working today. I’d just have to see for myself if Mr. Strayhorn had ruined everything we’d worked so hard to accomplish.
I was feeling a little uneasy as I pulled up to the house but felt slightly better when I didn’t spot the Ford pickup in the driveway. I parked and kept my eyes open for any sign of the husband, then made my way up to the porch. A wave of nervousness washed over me as I lifted my hand to knock. My mind was suddenly bombarded with thoughts of Strayhorn yelling at me and threatening to slit my throat. Those memories combined with the fear of having been locked in the storage closet with Danny and Katie were enough to give me second thoughts about my impromptu visit. I was just about to turn and leave when the front door opened and Fiona appeared with a bright smile. The tightness in my chest quickly faded when I saw that Fiona was no longer scared to see me. In fact, she actually looked happy as she announced, “You’re back.”
“I am.” I knelt down, so I could look her in the eye as I spoke. “I wanted to come by and see how you were doing.”
“I’m doing ‘weally good. I gots a gold star today in Missus Tatum’s class.”
“A gold star? That’s wonderful!”
She nodded. “Momma gots me a treat for it.”
“That’s really great, Fiona. I’m very proud of you.” Seeing her so pleased warmed my heart. I had no doubt that her mother felt the same. Curious as to where she might be, I peered through the crack of the door. “Is your mom at work?”
“She’s in da kitchen.” Fiona reached for my hand and tugged me inside, leading me straight to her mother. As we entered the room, Fiona excitedly announced, “Momma ... it’s Missus Daw-sun.”
When Aniya turned to face me, I was thrilled to see that her black eye was almost gone, and there were no other signs of bruises anywhere to be seen. A bright smile crossed her face as she said, “I was wondering if you would be back!”
“I had to come check on my favorite crew.” As I stepped further into the room, I spotted Joseph sitting at the table. He was eating a bowl of cereal, and from what I could tell, he seemed bruise free and perfectly content as he shoved a big spoon-full of cereal into his mouth. He continued to chomp away as I told Aniya, “I tried calling, but I haven’t been able to reach you on your cell.”
“That would be because Stephen busted it all to hell that day in the coffee shop,” she grumbled. “But I’ve got new one. I’ll get you the number before you go.”
I’d been there several minutes, and from what I could tell there was no sign of Aniya’s husband anywhere—no truck, no clothes, and no booming voice, screaming for me to leave. “Since you mentioned him ... Where is your husband now?”
“Hell if I know.” She shrugged. “I haven’t seen him since the day he packed up and left.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I honestly don’t know what happened. One day, he was set on staying here and trying to make things work, which would’ve never been a good thing, and then the next thing I know, he comes to the house all black and blue, covered in blood, and barely able to walk. Somebody got him real good. He hardly said two words to me ... just packed his crap and left. Told me and the kids good riddance.” She rolled her eyes with a heckle. “If you ask me, him getting his ass kicked was some kind of divine intervention.”
“And how long ago was it that he left?”
“I don’t know. About two weeks ago?” I was trying to think back to what was going on two weeks ago when she said, “It was the same morning that little girl went missing.”
While I was baffled by what had happened with Aniya’s husband, it was easy to se
e that she was relieved that he was gone, and if Fiona and Joseph’s moods were any indication, they felt the same way. “So, things are going okay?”
“Things are going better than okay.” She glanced over at her children with a soft smile as she said, “The kids are doing good in school and really like the new daycare, and I just got extra hours at work ... even managed to pay off the water bill balance and part of the electric.”
“That’s fantastic, Aniya. I’m really excited to hear that.” I could’ve spent the entire day sitting there and listening to her tell me about how well things were going, but sadly, I simply didn’t have the time. I’d invited my parents over for dinner, and since it was going to be the first time they’d met Clay, I wanted everything to be perfect. After checking the time, I told her, “I’ve really enjoyed seeing you guys, but I should get going.”
“Okay. I’m glad you were able to stop by.” She showed me to the door, and I was just about to walk out when she said, “Ms. Dawson?”
“Yes?”
“Thank you for everything. It’s really meant a lot to me.” Before I had a chance to respond, she reached out and hugged me. “I couldn’t have done any of this without you.”
Her words brought tears to my eyes. It wasn’t often that I was thanked for the work I’d done, and it meant a lot to me that she’d said them to me. I hugged her back as I whispered, “I’m really glad I could help.”
As soon as we said our goodbyes, I rushed back to my car and started towards my apartment to get ready for my parents’ arrival. I spent the better half of the afternoon cleaning and cooking, and I had to admit, everything was looking pretty good. That didn’t mean I wasn’t still freaking out. While I would’ve never admitted it to her, my mother’s opinion meant a lot to me, and I really wanted her to like Clay, especially since I’d agreed to move in with him. I was trying to think of the perfect way to break the news to her when Clay came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, hugging me with my back against his chest. “Hey, beautiful. It smells great.”