by Faith Gibson
Hayden was already designing a sidecar in his mind for when Sadie and Mateo rode with him. Already thinking about getting a puppy for Mateo. Animals were skittish around shifters, but Hayden could ask Tamian to work his magic. Lucy’s Gargoyle had a special gift of talking with animals.
“Earth to Havyk.” Spyder nudged him on the shoulder. “You gonna sit on the plane all day or get back to your female?”
Hayden unbuckled and stood, taking the bag Spyder was holding. He didn’t bother correcting the male about Sadie being his, because if he had his way, she would be. Sooner rather than later. Hayden knew in his heart she was meant to be his. Now he had to figure out how to keep her safe.
On the drive from the airport, Lucy called to check in. “I have movement on Antonia. She’s back at the house in New Laredo, and she isn’t alone. She has six men with her. Tomás and Jose haven’t been seen since last night. The nanny, Ana Marie, showed up, and after what appeared to be a heated discussion with Antonia, Ana Marie packed a couple bags and left. Since there’s no audio, I have no idea what was said. And that’s not all. A group of bikers showed up this morning. Two of them were escorted into the house, and after about an hour of civil discussion, they rolled back out. Since there’s no audio feed, I have no idea if they’re working together or not.”
Hayden and Spyder looked at one another. “What did these bikers look like?” Spyder asked through the Bluetooth.
“Mostly Hispanic, but there was one really big male. Towered over everyone.”
“Could you see the name of the MC on their kuttes?” Hayden asked.
“I never saw their backs. I’m sorry I can’t give you more.”
“No, Lucy. You’re doing all you can. I appreciate it.” Hayden leaned harder against the passenger door. Her description sounded like Kodiak, but Hay was assuming when he didn’t know for sure. If it was Kodiak and the Norse Gods, what was the male playing at? He knew Hayden had Sadie and Mateo, but he wouldn’t offer that information up to Antonia, would he? If it meant he could find his mate, then maybe. “I have to make a call, Luce. Keep us posted if you see anything else.”
“Will do.”
The line disconnected, and Hayden punched in Devon’s number. As soon as his nephew answered, Hayden asked, “Have you seen any bikers in your area?”
“No. Things have been quiet. Why do you ask?”
Hayden recounted the call with Lucy. He had a bad feeling in his gut, and his Gryphon was rattling around his head, shouting to hurry up and get to Devon’s house. “Call the Hounds. Get them to your house now.”
“I have Jericho, Oscar, and Reid here with me. I think we can handle some humans.”
“Dev… Fuck. They aren’t all human.”
“What?” Spyder and Judge shouted at the same time Devon said, “Come again? If they were Gryphons, they’d be riding with the Hounds.”
Hayden scrubbed a hand down his face. “They aren’t Gryphons. I have no idea what they are, but I do know they aren’t human.”
Spyder slapped the steering wheel. “And you didn’t think we needed to know that?”
“At the moment, no. When I met with them yesterday, I voiced Kodiak, but it didn’t work. One of the others, Saber, burst into the room when Kodiak threw a glass against the wall. After a heated discussion where it was hinted none of us were human, they admitted some of their club were like them, but not all. Kodiak also admitted Sadie’s mother is his mate.”
“Fuck, man. He was probably telling Antonia you have Sadie.” Spyder growled low in his throat, but Hayden ignored it.
“I don’t think so. Kodiak called her ‘our Sadie.’ You saw how emotional all the Gods were when they saw the tribute bike. She means something to them. There’s no way he’d sell her out.”
“Even to get his mate back if Antonia has her? You know mate trumps everyone else.”
“Fuck! Devon, get on the horn and call in the Hounds. I want as many as you can get guarding the house. We’ll be there in twenty.”
“I’m on it. We won’t let anyone near your female.”
Chapter Eighteen
Sadie
“Good morning.” Sadie padded into the kitchen. The aroma of coffee tempted her senses, and Nora looked up from the island, where she was working a crossword puzzle.
“Good morning. Have a seat.” Nora poured a mug and handed it over, pushing the sugar bowl and creamer toward Sadie. “I have some news.”
Sadie spooned some sugar into her cup, giving Nora her attention as she stirred. “Hayden’s on his way home?” When Nora grinned, Sadie blushed. As a married woman, she shouldn’t be worried about someone who wasn’t her husband, but damnit, she hadn’t asked to be married to Juan.
“Yes. Their mission was successful.”
“You mean Juan’s dead?” Sadie whispered. She looked behind her toward the hallway. As glad as she was to be out of the man’s clutches, her son would be devastated.
Nora nodded. “Hay’s on his way back, but now’s when things are going to get complicated for you. Someone else is going to be ready to step into your husband’s shoes once they find out he’s dead. As things stand, what he owned technically belongs to you. But we both know that’s not how things work in that world.”
“I don’t want any of it. The house, the cars, the money… Okay, maybe a little money for Mateo’s future, but the rest of it? Whoever takes over can keep it. There is nothing in either house that was truly mine. All the clothes are dresses, and I’d rather burn them than wear them again. Although I will miss the nice skincare products, but I’ll be fine shopping at the local pharmacy for those things.”
Nora tilted her head. “You’re really not going to miss the fancy house? The expensive jewelry?”
“Not at all.” Sadie sat her mug down harder than she should have, but she needed the woman to know she was serious. “I didn’t ask for any of those things. I lost eight years of my life, and all the flashy shit is a reminder of what I lost. I was happy wearing jeans and cowboy boots. T-shirts and shorts with flip-flops. Going the weekend with no makeup and my hair in a messy bun. I had friends. I got to leave the house and go to school. To the movies. To watch whatever I wanted on TV. To spend time in the kitchen with my mom learning to cook. All that was taken from me, and those are the things I want back.”
“I’m sorry, Sweetheart. I didn’t mean any offense.” Nora’s eyes were shiny, and that made Sadie feel like crap.
“No, I’m sorry I snapped at you. You’ve been nothing but kind to Mateo and me. I do worry about what this is going to do to him though. He’s so young.”
“Yes, he is, but kids are resilient. He’ll miss his papa, but he’ll have you full time now to make sure he’s okay. You’re a wonderful mother, and you’ve got a lot of people in your corner to help make his new life better.”
“I really don’t. I mean, yeah, I’ll have my mom and Dominic, but everyone Mateo was used to is gone. I don’t even know where Ana Marie got off to after the attack on the house. She could be back in Mexico, or she could be waiting for Juan to come back from his trip, expecting everything to go back to normal. She’s worked for him a long time. The woman doesn’t realize she’s out of a job. That her employer is dead. Ana was just as big a part of Mateo’s life as I was. Heck, she spent more time with my son than I did.” Sadie pressed her palms to her eyes. Nora was right. Things were more complicated than before. Not only did she have to worry about someone taking Juan’s place, but there was still the matter of who wanted her dead.
“Sadie, look at me.” When Sadie raised her head, Nora leaned across the counter and took one of her hands. “Yes, you’ll have your mom and brother, but you also have our family. And let me tell you, it’s a big one. Hayden has ten siblings. Most of those siblings have mates and kids and even grandkids. I can’t tell you how many Lazlos there are because honestly? I’ve lost count. You and your son have the extended group who will welcome you both with open arms. Some of us already have.”
“But
why? I mean, yes, you and Devon opened your home to us, and I’ll be forever grateful to you. But the others? They don’t know us.”
“Because you mean something to Hayden, and he means the world to the rest of us.”
Sadie’s heart beat a little faster. She meant something to Hayden? No, she was a job. He had a life in New York.
“I can hear you thinking from over here.” Nora laughed and turned loose of the grip she had on Sadie’s hand. Nora picked up her coffee and took a sip. “I’m a firm believer in everything happening for a reason. And I think Hayden was meant to be the one to take this particular job. He was meant to find you and Mateo.”
“But my life’s a mess. Why would he or anyone else want to get mixed up in all the craziness? Like you said, my life is just now getting complicated. Who would want to take that on? What man wants a woman with a past like mine? A woman with someone else’s child? A woman who for all intents and purposes has nothing to offer? I have a ninth-grade education. I have no job. No marketable skills. For all I know, my mother could have had me declared dead, and then what?”
“You are an amazing person. You’re strong. Brave. You’re kind. Let’s not talk about how stunning you are, even with your crazy bed hair.” Nora winked again. “You have lived through your own hell and came through the other side. It doesn’t matter about your education. That can be fixed. From the way you speak, you’re intelligent. You don’t need money or a job. The right man will take care of you and Mateo. If you want to stay home and take care of a household, there’s nothing wrong with that. If you want to find a job that makes you happy, you can do that too. You’re young, Sweetheart, and you really do have your whole life ahead of you. Now, how about you and I get breakfast started?”
“You want me to help you?” Sadie’s throat was tight from Nora’s kind words, and now she was willing to let her help cook.
“Only if you want to.”
“I’d like that.” Sadie was truly gratefully for this woman. She was the kind one, and Sadie was glad Hayden had been the one to get the contract too. Anyone else could have not worried whether she deserved to be taken out. Mateo could be an orphan, not just a fatherless child. But she wasn’t going to let herself think that just maybe Hayden was interested in her other than she had been a job. She couldn’t get her hopes up.
Nora showed Sadie how to make homemade biscuits and gravy. As good a cook as her mom had been, even Gloria couldn’t get the hang of biscuits. She’d more often than not bought the frozen kind. They had been good, but the ones Sadie took out of the oven looked and smelled like heaven. Sadie loved carbs of all kinds, but bread was her weakness. Always had been. Living with Juan, she hadn’t exercised much other than swimming and dancing when she was alone in her suite. A few of the videos Juan had allowed Sadie to have were how-tos on Salsa dancing. She had watched them over and over until she was able to do the moves flawlessly. Sadie had always loved to dance, so it wasn’t a hardship to learn.
Mateo walked slowly into the kitchen, his hair as askew as hers had been before she excused herself earlier. While the biscuits had been in the oven, Sadie had gone to check on Mateo. While she was in their room, she took the opportunity to brush out her hair, taking care not to bump the staples. Her scalp was tender, but the pain had lessened. She dreaded having the staples removed, but she looked forward to it as well because that meant she would be healed up.
“Good morning, Mateo. Would you like some juice or milk? Breakfast is almost ready.” Nora had already pulled a small plastic cup down from the cabinet. It had cartoon characters on it. When Sadie asked about it, Nora explained that there were a lot of small kids in the family who came to visit.
One thing Sadie couldn’t wrap her head around was how Nora was old enough to have grandkids. Jericho wasn’t married, but Nora had mentioned she had daughters. She said they had good genes, but Sadie felt there was more to it than that. She had seen family photos scattered around the house, and all the adults appeared young. Sadie couldn’t tell the parents from the kids unless they were younger like Mateo or teens. And there wasn’t an ugly one in the bunch. That wasn’t Sadie being cruel. She knew not everyone could look like a model. Her best friend growing up had been about as plain as a girl could be, but Sierra was a beautiful soul on the inside, and to Sadie, that counted more than what a person looked like on the outside.
“Milk, please.” Mateo climbed up on the same stool he’d used the night before, his eyes following Nora’s every move. When she set the cup down, he smiled. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
The back door opened, and Devon, Jericho, and a couple other men walked in. Devon went straight to Nora and kissed her on the cheek before snagging a biscuit. Nora didn’t chastise her husband; she just grinned and shook her head. Now Sadie understood why they had cooked such a large breakfast. The two newcomers glanced at Sadie, but neither man’s eyes lingered too long.
“Sadie, this is Oscar and Reid, two of Devon’s cousins,” Nora said, introducing the men. “This is Sadie and her son, Mateo. You boys wash up, then grab a plate. Breakfast is ready.”
All four men took turns at the kitchen sink washing their hands. They each grabbed a plate, but none of them made a move for the stove. Nora explained she didn’t usually set the food on the table to be passed around. Said it was easier to eat buffet-style.
“Sadie, come fix your plates. If we don’t get ours first, there won’t be any food left once these Lions get through with theirs.”
“Lions? Where?” Mateo asked, looking around.
Nora and Devon shared a look, but it was Jericho who answered. “All us men have the appetite of a big cat. It takes a lot of food to fuel these muscles.” He flexed his bicep, and Mateo giggled.
“Mamá, I want to be a lion,” the boy said as he climbed down from the stool.
“Then you need to eat a good breakfast.”
Mateo held up his hands like claws and roared. All the adults laughed at his antics, but Sadie’s heart swelled. Her son never felt at ease enough to play around. Always afraid he’d be chastised for not acting proper. Being around Hayden’s family was good for him. She wished some of the grandchildren could come over and show him how to play like a regular boy.
They all filled their plates, then moved to the dining room. Nora made sure everyone had something to drink, then sat down next to Devon.
“These are yummy,” Mateo said around a mouthful of biscuit.
“Your mama made them.” Nora gestured at the bread clutched in the boy’s hand.
“Really?” Mateo scrunched his little nose, and Sadie couldn’t help but laugh.
“I did. Miss Nora showed me how.”
“Do you think you can teach Señora Elena how to make them when we go home?” Mateo’s question was innocent, but it caused the food to sit like a rock in Sadie’s stomach. How could she tell her sweet boy they didn’t have a home to go back to?
“We’ll see,” was all Sadie could manage. She would have to figure out a way to tell her son his papa was gone.
“Mateo, how would you like to play with someone your age today?” Nora smiled softly at Sadie as though she knew where her mind had gone.
“A boy?”
“Yes. Devon’s cousin, Nolan, is driving down from Dallas to talk to your mama, and he’s bringing his grandson with him. Grayson is five, just like you.”
“Can I, Mamá? Can I play?”
“You sure can. But first, you have to finish your breakfast.”
Mateo shoved a big bite of biscuit in his mouth. Sadie had tried to get him to cover it with gravy, but he insisted on eating it plain. When he finished that one, he eyed the stack of them in the middle of the table. He had never before asked for seconds, having been told he had to clean his plate first, so she reached out and grabbed another for him.
The men at the table were watching them closely, but there were smiles on their faces as they did so. Sadie didn’t know if Devon had told them about Sadie and
Mateo, but she figured he had since they weren’t asking questions. She was pleased they weren’t looking at her with disdain considering who her husband was. Had been. That was going to take some getting used to.
When Mateo went back to focusing on his food, Nora reached out and touched Sadie’s arm. “Nolan is an attorney. Hayden called him this morning and asked him to meet with you.”
Sadie set her fork on her plate and laced her fingers together in her lap. “Do you think he can help us?”
“Yes. There’s still the small situation of why Hayden was here in the first place, but while he and the others are working on that, Nolan will start working on getting what you want out of the… deal.”
“I really appreciate that.” Sadie had been thinking that maybe she and Mateo might need new names. She didn’t know if that were possible, but if someone was still after her, she thought maybe it best if she and Mateo left Texas. She considered asking Hayden to take them to New York. Surely that was far enough away that whoever was after her couldn’t find them at the other end of the country, but she couldn’t do that. His family was already going out of their way to be kind.
After they finished eating, Sadie insisted on helping with the dishes. Devon and the two newcomers took their coffee out onto the deck, and Jericho offered to get Mateo settled in the living room. Her son went with the man without question. He was such a trusting boy, and that worried her. He was only five, but he had no real life skills. He had been just as sheltered as Sadie, but she knew how ugly the world could be. Sadie watched the door as much as she did the dishes she was washing, knowing Hayden was on his way back.
“His flight lands at 1:30,” Nora said without looking at Sadie.
“I wasn’t… I just…” Sadie sighed and stopped lying. She absolutely was watching for the blond.
“It’s okay, Sweetheart. If you’re worried about me or anyone else judging you, don’t. You didn’t ask to be married to Juan.”
“No, I didn’t, but I should be focused on what happens next. Do you think…?”