I tried to talk Joseph down, but I couldn't keep my eyes on him, he'd done something to my sister, her eyes were rolling, head falling back, blood dripping down her legs. She was losing her baby right before my eyes, and there was nothing I could do to help her at that moment. Joseph told me that he knew he wasn't getting out of what he'd stupidly done, and that meant he wouldn't let Maria live either. He put a gun to her head, gutting me.
A gun blasted, and I honestly thought at that moment that he'd killed her. It wasn't until Jett rushed to her side that I realized what Hammer had done. He'd kicked the door down and shot the old bastard in the head within seconds.
I couldn't help Maria because I couldn't take my eyes off of Joseph. His eyes were locked open. He was dead. Why couldn't I look away? It wasn't because I felt anything for him, it was the fact the man who gave us life had tried to kill the little girl I loved more than life itself — something he never did.
I remember my brother screaming at me to snap out of it, but I couldn't, all I could do was touch Maria's leg, and pray that she'd be okay. I couldn't even snap out of it when a couple of the MC guys came running into the room with some of my men. Jett grabbed Maria and ran, taking her to safety. All I could do was stand there with a heaving chest, angry eyes, and death on my mind.
I wanted the old cunt to die painfully, he was already dead, didn't mean I couldn't make his soul suffer first. Make him suffer, I did. I tore his fuckin' eyes out of his head and stamped the fucking things to mush. The eyes are the doorways to the soul; without your soul, you'll be trapped in limbo for all eternity. So my grandfather once told me. The piece of shit that fathered me didn't deserve peace in the next life; he hadn't given me any in this life. I knew he'd forever linger in limbo, stuck between hell and purgatory. Just where the motherfucker belonged.
A man should always respect his father. He’s the man you look up to, the man who raises you to be a man better than himself. Mine taught me nothing about family values. The only thing he ever taught me was how to lie and cheat my way through life. If it weren't for my uncle showing me a better way, being a father to me, and showing me that I didn't need to be anything like Joseph Vidal, I'd be dead by now. Fact.
I spent the rest of that night with my brother and brother-in-law at the hospital. It was touch and go there for a while with the baby. Maria almost lost Jessica. Joseph had beaten Maria because she refused to help him get back what he believed was his.
That beautiful girl put her life at risk for me. I made her a promise that day, a promise that I would never let anything happen to her again, and I never have. As long as I have breath left in my body no one will ever hurt her again.
There are many ways to kill a person, many painful ways. Quick or slow. I prefer slow torture. It's the only way to make sure they take to the grave the fact Draven Vidal killed them!
As I look at my girls right now, smiling at me as I ready myself to leave them for the night – not alone, would never happen – because tomorrow is our wedding day, I know I'd die for the three of them. I'd die for them just as I would Maria, and Jessica, and the baby inside of my sister. Even Avery, her little boys.
I never thought I deserved to be this happy, this loved. Maria always told me that one day I'd find my soulmate. I thought she was crazy. I know that's what Marnie is, she's my soulmate. My very own blonde bombshell. She's everything a real woman should be. Everything my heart has yearned for my whole life. Everything I never realized I needed until she came into my life.
“When will you come home, Daddy?” My sweet little angel. Something else I never realized I needed until Lydia and Amber came along. I never really understood when people would say how they loved the child they adopted as though it came from their body. I understand now.
I crouch down in front of my little girl, dressed in her little unicorn pajamas. She looks so very different from the scruffy little girl I rescued from that cesspit of a house. She's clean, healthy, happy, her sister just the same. Both don't have any evidence on them that they were ever left to suffer.
Amber is clingy to Marnie, not that Marnie minds. Lydia loves her mother, but she's more outgoing than her sister. Lydia also loves her daddy and hates when I go anywhere without her. Never knew she'd be like this with me.
I take her little hands in mine. “I'm only going to be gone one night, princess. Tomorrow is a big day, but tonight is for you, Amber, and Mommy.”
“Then you'll come back to us?” Those tears in her big brown eyes cut me up. Goddamn. This kid is so deep in my heart that I can't bear to see her upset.
“Then I'll come back to you, my little princess. No tears. Daddy isn't leaving you.”
“Never, ever?”
I smile and pull her into my arms. “Never, ever.”
“I'm going to miss you.” She tells me. “I love you too much, Daddy.”
I get to my feet with her in my arms and smile at Marnie as she watches us with tears in her eyes and a smile on her face. “I love you too much, too.” I kiss Lydia's little cheek and set her on her feet.
“I love you, Daddy.”
I grab my little cutie pie and kiss her cheek. “Daddy loves you, too, Amber.” More than she knows.
“I love how you are with them.” Marnie smiles so sweetly. I want to see that smile on her face for the rest of my life. “We're so lucky to have you.”
I reach for my girl, pulling her to me and kissing her lips softly. “I'm the lucky one, baby.” I cup her soft cheek and kiss her again. I can't get enough of kissing her. “I'll see you tomorrow at the altar.”
“You are my heart, Draven.”
“And you're mine, baby.”
“I love you, man of mine.”
I kiss her passionately before telling her, “I love you, too. Always.” And then I leave, but not before making sure my men are stationed all around the house. I've upped security since Marnie was attacked by her brother. Even more so now the twins are home. Doesn't mean I'll take any chances where my girls are concerned. Not one fucking chance.
Even if she's having the girls over, especially because she's having the girls over, my sister will be with them.
* * *
Merlin! Please come back!” The sound of the young woman's desperate sob, draws both mine and Hammer's attention.
I insanely agreed to stay over at his house tonight. What possessed me when I own a damn hotel and could have stayed there? The fact he's my brother, and he's trying to show me that he care.
Hammer and Tony organized a small get together with the few friends I trust, plus Tank, Jett and Hawk. I can't seem to escape those fuckers. It was pleasant enough, though the atmosphere was tense. Mafioso and Bikers do not mix, yet Hammer and Tony threatened them with death if they so much as sneered at each other.
I called it a night after an hour because I wasn't comfortable being there. I'm always the boss, never let my guard down, but who can enjoy their last night of freedom if they can't let go a little?
Hammer and I decided to walk back to his house. I needed some air. Tony and Lorenzo are right behind me, as they always are. At a safe distance, of course, I don't want them thinking they can converse with my brother and me tonight. They can't.
Of course, now we've come across a young girl yelling for someone to come back. I can't see her yet, but Hammer and I are walking quickly, following the sound of her voice. I would have carried on walking, but Hammer seems to be in a rush to get to her.
“Please come back!” I hear her yell again.
We round the corner of a small side street, and I see the girl standing in the middle of the road crying. She's in her pajamas, and her hair is all over the place. Is she sleepwalking?
Hammer rushes over to her. “Leah!” Her head shoots up, and she reaches for my brother. I narrow my eyes as he grabs her, pulling her into his arms, kissing her head, and stroking the back of her hair.
What the hell?
“I lost him! I can't find my Merlin!” She sobs into my brother's ch
est.
“It's okay, Leah, we'll find him.” He hands me his phone from his back pocket. “Call Roman and tell him to meet us at my place.”
“What? Why the hell would I call him?” For anything other than a job I want doing. Roman is an asset no man can pass up. Hammer is a sick fuck who will grind your bones to dust. Roman will torture a man in ways that are beyond devastating. He'll keep that man alive long enough to feel every single rotten thing happening to him.
I've seen Roman at work only once, and I can honestly say that I have never seen anyone as twisted as that man, and I've seen twisted. Roman is evil beyond compare, and he cares nothing for what he's done. He's like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. You never know which one you're going to get.
Regardless, I do not make phone calls to bikers!
“Draven, this is Leah, she's Roman's baby sister. Leah has autism; she's twenty-nine with the mental age of twelve. Merlin is her service dog. He must have slipped his lead and ran off. Roman is the only one who can calm Leah when she's like this. She's panicking and that ain't right, Draven.”
For Christ's sake!
“He ran away from me! Mommy will be so mad with me.”
I can honestly say I've never met a child stuck in a woman's body before, and it is like looking at a child right now. I know nothing of the form of autism this young woman deals with every day, hell, I don't know this girl at all, but she reminds me of Amber. Leah reminds me of Amber because Amber also panics when she thinks she lost something. She also sobs, and begs hysterically. Leah being frightened is obviously bothering Hammer, so, I call the damn number.
“Why are you calling me? Shouldn't you be causing trouble with your big bad Don brother?”
I raise my eyebrow. So that's what they refer to me as. I've heard worse. “This is the big bad Don brother.”
The sociopath that Roman is merely laughs down the line. “Why are you calling me from Hammer's phone? Scared to call me from your own?”
“I wouldn't be calling you at all if I had the choice.”
“Then why are you calling, Draven?”
“Because Hammer and I stumbled upon your sister in the middle of the road yelling for Merlin. From what I gather, she shouldn't be out in the middle of the night alone.”
“I'm on my way.” Roman slams the phone down, and I just shake my head. He has no idea where we are, yet I guarantee he'll find us in minutes.
“What will I do if I can't find Merlin, Hammer?”
“We will find him, darlin'.”
“But he's lost, and I'm so sad!”
“What breed is he?” I ask only because I'm going to send my men out looking for the damn thing. I don't think I've ever seen anyone as sad over a pet as this young woman.
“German Shepherd. Big motherfucking thing.”
“Lorenzo?” I snap my fingers, and he comes running like always.
“Boss?”
“This little lady has lost her dog. I want you to take a quick look around for him. His name is Merlin, and he's a German Shepherd. Merlin is Leah's service dog, so do all you can to find him.” Lorenzo nods and leaves.
Hammer manages to persuade Leah to go with him back to his house. No one is home because Willow is with Marnie, and my nephews are with their grandmother. I only hope Willow doesn't go into labor with her third child until after the wedding. Don't get me wrong, I can't wait to meet my new nephew, and he's due any day now, but I'd rather he come after the wedding. I want no drama, good or bad.
Hammer leads Leah into the house, flipping on the light as he goes. I turn to Tony. “Let me know the moment Lorenzo gets back.”
“Some bachelor party this turned out to be.”
I chuckle and shake my head. “You know that's not what tonight was. Let me just deal with this and then you can get back to Amy.”
“There's no rush.”
I tip my head and make my way inside. “... So, I took him out to pee,” Leah is telling my brother why she was out so late alone. She's talking so quickly that I'm finding it hard to understand everything she's saying. “Then I looked and looked and then you came. Is this your brother?” She stops ranting and smiles at me.
In the light of the room, I can tell she's Roman's sister; she looks just like him, her skin tone is a little darker maybe. She's stunningly beautiful and looking at her; there's no way to tell she has autism. Talking to her, it's obvious.
“Yes, this is Draven.”
Leah rushes over to me and grabs my hand. “It's nice to meet you!”
“Leah!” She jumps and pulls away from me. Roman stares me down while telling his sister, “Come here, right now!”
I watch as Leah hangs her head and makes her way over to Roman. “Are you mad at me, Roman?”
“No.” Leah sighs. Roman tips her head so he can look at her. “I'm not mad at you, Leah. I was worried about you, and that makes it seem like I'm mad. I'm not. I'm just relieved that you're okay. What are you doing out at this hour though? Where the hell is Mom and Dad?”
“Merlin needed the potty. Mom and Dad are sleeping, so I let Merlin into the yard, but the gate was open, and he ran away. I chased him, but I couldn't catch him, and now I can't find him.”
Leah starts crying again, and Roman holds her to him. I fold my arms around my body as the man gives me the evil eye. I smirk at him because I'm trying not to laugh. He won't intimidate me, so I have no idea why he's trying.
“It's okay, sweetheart, we'll find Merlin.”
“But what if something bad happens to him? He's my best friend. He has to come home!”
My phone buzzes in my pocket. It's a text from Lorenzo, he's found the dog, and he's on his way here. Thank God because I have an early start tomorrow. I cannot be late for my own wedding because I slept in!
“Lorenzo has found the dog. He’ll be here any minute.”
“He found my Merlin?” The excited smile on the young woman's face has me smiling despite myself.
I nod and smile.
Roman leads Leah outside to be reunited with her beloved dog. Hammer clasps my shoulder. “Thanks.”
“For what?” I narrow my eyes.
“For sending Lorenzo out to look for that damn dog. Leah would have been lost without him. She was unable to go anywhere alone before Roman got Merlin for her.”
I never thought anything about service dogs before. I never had to. Maybe I should. I’m sure Amber would benefit from a service dog.
I'll put it to Marnie, see what she thinks. I'll do anything to make sure Amber doesn't struggle with anything in this life. If I can help make things a little easier for her, then I will. I need to do my research first to make sure any dog Marnie and I choose is capable of being what Amber needs.
Amber struggles with getting to the bathroom on time, she struggles with concentration, and she always needs to be holding something while she sleeps. A service dog could help her with those things. It could also help her with her confidence when it comes to being around people.
“What are you thinking about? You seem miles away.”
I look at Hammer. “I'm thinking it might be a good idea to get Amber a service dog.”
“Would do wonders for her confidence, Draven. She's a beautiful little girl, they both are, but Amber will never really be like Lydia. There will be times when she won't be able to do everything Lydia can. Having a dog like the one Leah has is a great idea. Merlin was the best thing to have happened to Leah. She's a very different young lady to whom she was before that dog came along.”
I nod in thought. Whatever I can do to help Amber have a better life, then I'll do it. Even if I hate dogs.
“Why don't you go shower and get some sleep? I'll see Roman out. You have a big day tomorrow, brother.”
I nod, clasp his shoulder and walk away. I call Tony to let him know he can leave, Lorenzo too, and I ready myself for sleep. Not that it will come easy, I'm excited about tomorrow, and not in my own bed.
Just a few short hours, and you will be forever m
ine, Marnie. I will own you completely and there's no way you'll ever be able to leave me.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Marnie
My first wedding was not a good one. The whole thing was hell. It may have been a huge wedding, the church, the big white dress, fancy cars, but it was all bullshit. I hated every moment of it. I even imagined myself screaming No! at the altar.
Of course, I didn't do that, I stood there and said my vows, even if they were lies in front of God. I didn't even know the man I was marrying. I'd met him only a few times before that day. We hadn't even had a conversation. Mainly because he did nothing but talk about himself.
Our wedding night was when I cried my heart out in the bathroom of the hotel Paul took me to. After he'd forced himself on me that is. I didn't feel ready for sex. I'd given birth just weeks prior, and the delivery had been hard. I was scared to even show Paul my body. I tried to tell him that I wasn't ready for sex without telling him the reason why. That pig just laughed and literally tore the dress from my body.
He was so rough with me that he left bruises all over me.
He heard me crying in the bathroom when he came to check on me. Somehow, he made me realize that I had to make my marriage work. He spoke softly to me, told me that he would never hurt me again, that he hadn't meant to hurt me the way he did. That was the way he liked sex, he said. He didn't realize I wouldn't like it also. So, I promised Paul that I would try to be a good wife.
How is it that I allowed Hank to rule my life the way he did?
Why did I stay with a man who took to beating and humiliating me the way Paul did?
Because of the little girls, I have just tucked into bed, that's why. They are the reason why I allowed my father to rule my life; that's why I did what he told me. They are why I didn't stand up to Paul more. I couldn't lose my little girls completely. I couldn't risk Paul finding out about them and confronting my father about it. Hank would have made sure I never saw my babies ever again.
I knew I'd one day find a way to get away from Paul. Once I had, I would have found a way to get my little girls back. I would have done whatever I had to do to be in their lives. However, it wasn't me who fixed everything. It was Draven who did that. He has made everything right for me and my girls, our girls. He's a wonderful father to them, and they love him so much, especially Lydia.
Vidal!: Snakes Henchmen MC Page 24