“Copy that, Cap. I just saw Mannix and Squid coming down from the roof, and Booth called a few of the guys on leave back to take over the detail while we say goodbye to Vegas.”
I gave Seb a chin lift. Obviously, while I was away, Booth had thought of everything. He always did, and I trusted my pres with my life. When he asked us if we wanted to vote him out, it pissed me off but also increased my respect for the man. None of the shit was his fault, but he had to see that on his own. He had our vote of confidence, and now it was up to him to accept it and let the last pieces of guilt roll off him.
I pushed open the big door with the club’s emblem carved into it to reveal a room full of people. Most were affiliated with the Wounded Souls, and there were quite a few former army mates, employees, and friends. Darth’s grandmother was standing in front of the makeshift aisle with Vegas’s mother and sisters. I deliberately kept my eyes from the coffin that was only a few feet away from them. This was going to be hard enough without my ghosts making an appearance.
“Angel, Seb is going to stay with you and Apollo, okay? When I can, I will join you, but I need to be up there with Darth and my brothers,” I said with a tap to her hip. Despite the sombre reason for being here, people were still talking and laughing quietly, remembering the life of a very dear friend.
Memphis placed her hand on my cheek, her soft fingers exploring my face of their own accord.
“Don’t worry about me, Creed. Your friends need you. I would like to sit in the back if that’s okay? Apollo is too big, and it sounds like there are a lot of people here. If he gets too excited, you know what will happen.” Her fingers traced my lips to see if I was going to smile at the reference to her rambunctious dog.
I didn’t. Instead, I gently took her fingers in my hand and pressed them to my lips.
“Yeah, I know. Okay, in the back it is. Come on, let me get you seated.” I weaved her through the crowd of people, ignoring the looks from them, which ranged from interest to outright shock. There were a few of the dancers from Body and Souls there, and they were giving Memphis daggers. They’d tried their hardest to get me to fuck them over the years, but they failed miserably, so seeing me holding hands practically carrying a woman would probably make Memphis public enemy number one with the strippers.
“Don’t go anywhere other than this chair. I mean it, Memphis. No talking Seb into going on an adventure. None of your trouble. Copy?” I said firmly. It was warranted since Memphis could get herself into trouble in a bathroom. Give her a large building with dozens of rooms to explore… Fuck, I shuddered at the number of things that could go wrong.
“Roger that. No going anywhere, no breathing, no trouble,” she sassed back at me.
I grunted in response and placed her hand into Seb’s, which not only engulfed her tiny hand but also looked wrong. After years, it had become second nature for me to hold her hand. She didn’t feel comfortable hanging on to someone’s elbow like most blind people did and preferred hand holding where she could feel a squeeze, a response that alerted her if needed.
With one last look at Memphis and a chin lift at Seb, I followed Steel to the other side of the aisle and to the front to join my brothers.
“She will be fine, Creed. Nothing will get her here.”
“You’re right there, brother, because if anyone touches a fucking hair on her head, I will fucking kill them.”
Chapter 6
DARTH
The Funeral
“Julie left me this letter. It was just like her to have the final say, so I am going to read it out loud. I tried to read it more than a dozen times last night, but I think the best way to honour my beautiful girl is to actually let her have the last say.” I stood on the small podium in front of all my friends and brothers, fighting back the tears as I unfolded the letter Rainn had given me last night. I’d sat in Shiloh’s room all the night before just to be close to her, to reassure myself she was safe and alive. Losing Shiloh to this fucker Rogue was not an option. The fact that the love of my life died cut me deeper than I thought possible, but if I lost Shiloh, too … Fuck me, nothing would be worth going on.
I looked at the pretty script that was all Vegas. Everything about her was—had been pretty. God, I want her back. I cleared my throat and spoke the words Vegas thought important enough to write to me.
“Hey, Darth. See, I told you I always get the final word, and, baby, if you are reading this, then they really are my final words to you. By now, you know about my cancer—”
That was when I stopped reading it, why couldn’t she tell me? I looked up and found Rainn, tears streaming down her face, her hands clutched tightly in Mannix’s, and the look she gave me was one of pure devastation. She knew? Why hadn’t I? My girl had fucking cancer, and she didn’t tell me? Jesus Christ!
I looked back down and continued to read aloud.
“It is terminal, baby. I have seen the doctors, and there is nothing that can be done other than some treatment that will just prolong the inevitable. Baby, I don’t want to spend the last of my time here on earth like that. I don’t want you to see me like that, and I know you, Darth. You will want to help me through the sickness and the pain. Then what will you have? Just a bunch of horrible memories of me throwing up all the time. I want you to remember the great times we had together, the rides, the parties, and the incredible sex and love we shared. Every day with you, Vader Darth, have been the best of my life. Every. Single. Moment. My only regret was that I never got the privilege of being truly just yours. I know I was, but the romantic in me wanted that ownership. My other regret is leaving my beautiful princess. You make sure Squirt knows every day that I loved her like she was my own. That little girl wormed her way into my heart the second I laid eyes on her, and that will never change. Charlotte is the perfect mother for her. The day Deck found and claimed Charlotte was definitely the best thing he ever did—after Shiloh. It warms my heart that Booth and Steel found their soulmates. Stella and Mia are very lucky women—tell them I said so. Make sure Mannix doesn’t mess up with Rainn. I know she will knee him in the balls every time he does—just you do it too if she needs the help—although having twins will be punishment enough. Tell Creed that life goes on, and it is too short. Tell him to let go of the past and his fears, his happily ever after is waiting for him. He just needs to reach out and grab it with both hands. Love is worth every risk—you tell him that from me, Darth. The world needs to see him smile, Shiloh needs to see him smile, so remind him of the promise he made her. Don’t forget, Darth. I mean it. And lastly, remember that you are the love of my life. If I could do it all over again, I wouldn’t change a thing, baby. Well… maybe getting married and having children. But I think I will let my mum and sister explain that last one to you. I can hardly see the paper I am writing on for the tears. Tears because I have to leave you. Tears because I will never get to see your smile again, hear your growl, or watch you with Shiloh. Those are the memories I am taking with me, my love. Bye, my Darth. Always, your Vegas.”
The quiet sobs of the clubs’ women could be heard all about the room as Stella, Charlotte, and Rainn all cried into the chests of their men. Even my brothers had wet eyes, all affected by the beautiful but sad words from my girl.
I searched the front row of seats for Shiloh, who was wedged between Deck and Teach. Deck and I didn’t want her to attend today because Vegas had meant the world to her, and it had only been a short time ago that we lost Dundee, which Shiloh sort of understood. But I thought being at a funeral for Vegas would be too much for Shiloh, but Teach disagreed, explaining that Shiloh needed to know that Julie wasn’t coming back because Shiloh still asked about Dundee at times, thinking he would walk in the door one day.
I wiped the tears from my face and called out to Shiloh. “Squirt, come here, baby girl.”
My princess hiccupped through her tears as she gave me her version of a chin lift. The cute move tore at my heart. Vegas would have laughed her arse off at that. Hell, she probably was.
I moved away from the microphone and walked over to her. I took her in my arms and hugged her tight against me, reassuring myself, again, that she was safe. How fucking long would I need to do that?
Until Rogue was fucking dead.
“Vegas loved you so much, kiddo. No matter what you are feeling right now, you remember that, Squirt,” I whispered in her ear.
Her tiny arms reached around my neck, and she hugged me to her, asking in her pixie voice, “I lubbed her, too, Darf. Will she come back one day?”
My heart broke for her. How did a little girl of four understand that death was final, that nothing was going to bring Vegas back?
“No, sweet girl. She isn’t going to come back, but she will always be in your heart, and every time you do something that reminds you of her.”
Shiloh looked at me with serious, sapphire-blue eyes.
“Like when I watch Frozen, and when I watch Zeke?” she said. The kid was smarter than we gave her credit for.
“Yeah, Squirt, like when you watch Frozen and Zeke,” I agreed, laughing.
“I will lub you forever, too, Darf. Can you take me outside so I can rides my Harley now,” she whisper-yelled.
Fuck, my heart just nearly got put back together with just a few honest words from the pint-sized kid who owned me.
I looked over at the white coffin covered with colourful flowers of every kind imaginable. Fuck, Vegas would have loved it. I had still so many things to talk about with her mum and sister… but they could wait. Whatever it was, I knew it was going to piss me off, madder than hell and heartbroken. But first, I wanted to go watch my little girl rides her Harley. I shifted Shiloh in my arms and walked past the coffin, my hand gliding over it as I went.
I didn’t claim you the way you wanted, sweetheart, and for that, I will be eternally sorry, but you claimed me the day I met you. You will always have my heart, baby. There will never be another for me.
I didn’t say the words aloud. There was no need because Vegas already knew.
“Come on, Squirt. Let’s go ride.” I pressed a kiss to the soft skin of her temple and walked towards the door. Shiloh and the club were my only priority now—and to find Rogue and kill the prick.
Chapter 7
MEMPHIS
I put tissues in my bag. I just know I did. I let go of Seb’s hand and asked him for the bag. My face was dripping with tears, and God knew what else, and the hairs standing up on the back of my neck told me people were watching me. Well, they could just lump it. Hearing Darth read out his girlfriend’s letter would have made the devil himself bawl like a baby.
“Seb, can you see any tissues in there?” I asked the prospect, opening the bag so he could see inside it.
“Ah, I don’t think I should be doing that… Maybe we could—”
“Excuse me, Sebastian, the guys need you to take Darth’s place as coffin bearer,” said a sweet, soft voice, clogged with tears, from my right side. The other thing I noticed was the beautiful floral smell that came with the voice—flowers, gorgeous flowers.
“Oh, thank fu— Yep, righto, on my way,” Seb said quickly.
As my bag was thrust back into my lap, upside down, I heard the noise of my things tumbling onto the ground. Did I have any tampons in there?
“Let me get that for you, hon. I’m Charlotte, by the way.”
I felt a hand by my legs as Charlotte picked up my possessions that had tumbled to the floor.
“Oh, yes, Charlotte. You’re Deck’s wife, yes?”
“Yes, I am. I’m sorry. I don’t know your name. Are you here with Seb?” she asked. “Here, hon. I think I got it all, and here are the tissues you were looking for.”
I couldn’t speak. She didn’t know who I was? Didn’t she know I was blind and couldn’t see the tissues let alone anything else? Did Creed talk about me at all? Panic started to set in. Seb was the only person other than Steel who knew about me. They were off with Creed, somewhere, and I was left alone. A complete stranger, it seemed.
“My dog! Can you see my dog?” If I couldn’t have Creed, then I needed Apollo. He knew what to do, how to get me out. “Please, Charlotte, can you see my dog?” I cried again. One side of my brain was telling me to be calm, that it wasn’t as bad as I was making it, that Creed would never leave me alone if the situation were dangerous. The other side was screaming at me to get out now. Creed had not told his club about me, he couldn’t have. Not if Charlotte, the club’s sergeant-at-arms wife didn’t know anything about me.
“You mean the huge black dog on the other side of you? Take a look, and see for yourself. He is fine.”
Tears formed in my eyes. Creed was ashamed of me. For the five years, he had been part of this club, and he hadn’t mentioned me once, at least that much was obvious. This was a huge mistake. I wanted to go back to my house and bookstore where I knew where everything was, where the town’s people knew who I was and didn’t care that I was blind, and who were proud to know me.
“Apollo, out,” I commanded, loud enough for him to hear me over the beautiful singing from the other end of the room. Even in my upset state, I knew Stella, the wife of Booth, was singing. Creed had told me about her beautiful voice. In fact, he’d raved about her singing. Telling me about his family was okay, but divulging my existence was another matter. As Apollo pushed his face into my hand, I reached out and felt for his collar and leash. Grabbing hold, I pushed to my feet. I had no idea what direction I was supposed to head to get out of the main building or how I was going to do it without walking into something. Creed had practically carried me through the aisles of seats when I arrived. With any luck, Apollo would get it right.
“Out, Apollo,” I said again and felt him brush past me to get to the other side of where I was standing. He was taking me to the right.
“Oh, my word,” I heard Charlotte whisper in shock. “You’re blind.”
“Yes. Is there anything in front of me that will cause me to—” I was about to say fall when I did that exact thing. I cried out in fright more than pain as I fell over what sounded like folding chairs. The clatter of them falling like dominos echoing in the room halted Stella’s singing.
“Oh, no, sweetie, are you okay? Did you hurt yourself?” Charlotte’s voice sounded closer to me and seeing as I was on the floor, I guessed she was down there with me.
I felt humiliated right to my bones, angry and hurt, also. Anger at Creed for leaving me in a situation he knew I wouldn’t be able to handle on my own. Hurt that he saw me as a dirty secret, not worthy of his family to know about.
Apollo licked my face. The big softy hated my tears, and when I got upset, he always crowded me whether I wanted him to or not. Today, I did. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I pulled him to me to hide my face in his thick fur, my tears wetting it. I cried while I prayed the floor would suddenly open up and swallow me.
This was not the way I thought today would go. What a crap way to spend my first full day as Mrs Stephens.
Chapter 8
CREED
Vegas’s words rang in my ears as I lifted the coffin to my shoulder. When Darth read out the letter she left for him, I listened to my brother as he spoke, listened as he read the heartbreaking news that she had been dying of cancer and her decision to save him the grief of watching her die from it. Fuck, poor Darth. The big prick was never going to get over it. I recognised his shattered look, the black bleakness in his eyes because it stared back at me every morning when I looked in the mirror. Every time I pictured my dead wife in my arms, and I felt that same bleakness when I held Shiloh when she was a baby.
The beautiful white coffin had a ton of flowers all over it, but the best accessory was a pair of flaming red silhouette heels. Vegas hadn’t been an overly flashy dresser, not like Rainn or some of the other girls that frequented the club’s parties, but she loved her heels and wore them with jeans, skirts, and denim shorts. Yep, Vegas loved her heels, and I knew without asking that the flock were behind the shoes. They lost a huge part of them, a me
ntor and a confidant, and as I stood quietly waiting for our queue to move out of the main building to take Vegas to her final resting place, I briefly thought how well Vegas and Memphis would have got along with each other. Memphis would have loved her—of that, I was sure.
Just as Ford gave us a nod, I heard a commotion coming from the back of the main room as a high feminine screech, and the sound of furniture crashing hit my ears.
Fuck! Memphis! I didn’t know how I knew it was her. I just did.
“Ford, get here,” I ordered in a low voice.
Ford came straight over to me, but he was looking over to where I had left Memphis. Seb had been told to take Darth’s position as bearer when Darth opted to take Shiloh outside instead.
“Swap with me, mate, quick.”
Ford acted without question, and with quick precision, I transferred my side of the coffin to his shoulder.
“What the fuck, Creed?” Booth hissed, but I was already on the move.
Fuck, I should never have left her alone. This was a strange place to her, and she didn’t know the layout yet, which was why I ordered her not to move.
Ignoring my pres, I vaulted off the platform and made my way to the back of the room. I couldn’t see Memphis, just Charlotte. She had her hands over her mouth and looked shocked and upset.
Where the fuck is Memphis?
“Memphis!” I shouted as soon as I got close enough. Panicked, I searched for any sign of her.
“Oh, Creed, this poor woman is blind. She just started panicking and fell over the chairs when she tried to get out,” Charlotte said, but I wasn’t listening to her.
My eyes were on the crumpled figure on the ground, her huge furry protector wrapped around her.
“Jesus, Angel,” I said with a sigh as I jumped a few chairs and dropped to my knees.
His Angel: The Wounded Souls Series Page 4