by K. J. Dahlen
She opened the door behind her and saw the young boy sit up. When he saw her, he smiled and when she motioned for him to be quiet, he knew instinctively that his mother was in the other room. He settled down in the bed he shared with Cricket and began playing quietly.
Cricket closed the door and turned to Cordy. She was still pacing and muttering to herself. Cricket knew enough not to bother her in the planning stage of her schemes. She didn’t want to know what Cordy was up too anyways, but Cordy’s schemes always had a habit of coming back and biting them both in the ass. “What are you going to do?” Cricket asked softly.
Cordy glanced at the clock on the wall. “Shit, I have to get to work.” Glancing over at her sister she sneered, “I’ll have to get back to you on my plans for Deke. Stay inside today, I don’t want the neighbors to see you or the kid.”
“Why do we always have to stay hidden?” Cricket asked.
Cordy stomped over to her and slapped her hard again. “Because I say so! I can’t deal with stupid people today. I’ll be back after work.”
Cricket watched as she went to the other bedroom. Tears ran down her face as she swiped the blood from her lip. Then she heard Cordy getting ready for her job. She bartended a few hours each day at the bar down the street. Since they had moved here three months ago, Cordy hadn’t allowed either her or Dusty outside during the daylight hours. She was keeping them hidden but for what reason she never said.
Cricket turned and went back into the bedroom she shared with Dusty. She smiled when she saw her nephew. He was such a sweet kid.
Small for his age, he grinned up at her as they both heard the front door slam. “Wow, are you okay?” Dusty asked when he saw the bruises on her cheek. He hated that his mother hurt Cricket.
Cricket went over to the bed and ruffled her fingers through his hair. It was a sandy brown color with streaks of gold. He must look like his father. Cricket smiled because he didn’t look much like his mother, nor did he have her temper. And for that, Cricket felt very thankful. One of Cordy was more than enough.
Dusty’s hair looked a little on the long side and Cricket decided he needed a haircut.
His beautiful green eyes twinkled as he ducked away from her fingers. “Stop it Cricket,” he whined.
“Come on big guy, let’s get something to eat.” She grinned.
“Can we go outside yet?” he whispered. A glimmer of hope in his eyes
Cricket sadly hated to tell him no. “Your mom doesn’t think so, not yet anyway.”
Dusty didn’t say a word but looked away.
Cricket could see a single tear roll down his cheek.
“Okay,” he whispered as he inhaled deeply. Exhaling, he gazed at her, “Maybe tomorrow?”
“Maybe, I’ll work on her when she gets home,” she promised.
Dusty sighed heavily and got to his feet. Peeking up at his aunt, he whispered, “Why does she hate us so much? Did I do something wrong?”
Cricket knelt beside him and wrapped her arms around his thin little body. “No buddy, you didn’t do anything wrong, and neither did I.” Kissing his cheek, she told him, “I just don’t think your mom knows what she wants and she’s looking for something she may never find. I think she’s built up a dream in her mind that was never meant to be and now, she can’t get beyond that disappointment. She’s just an unhappy person right now and we need to understand that.”
“But you love me, don’t you?” Dusty asked in a small voice.
“You bet I do, buddy,” Cricket whispered. Hugging him close, she breathed in his sweet baby scent. “I love you to the moon and back.”
Dusty giggled. “I love you to the moon and back,” he repeated back as his arms went around her neck.
Cricket choked up while his arms tightened. Then she got to her feet with him still in her arms. “It’s you and me kiddo. We look after each other and I’ve got your back always.”
“And I got your back too, Cricket,” he vowed. “I’ll always have your back.”
Cricket carried him out of the bedroom and their lonely day began.
~* * * *~
Cricket watched out the window as evening approached. She’d been waiting and watching for Cordy for what seemed like hours already. She knew her sister had been done at the bar by early afternoon. When she didn’t come home, Cricket began to get really nervous. Now, it was dark outside and she still wasn’t home.
Cricket didn’t like it. Cordy hadn’t been in a good mood this morning and she was sure her mood hadn’t improved. Cricket had been thinking about her announcement this morning. The more she thought about it the less she liked it.
They had met Deke Tory the year before he left Maine. Cordy had been eleven years old, while she had only been six, and Cordy had fallen hard for the older boy. Deke had been sixteen when they met, seventeen when he left the MC. It had been a hard year. Cricket and Cordy’s mom had died the year before and their dad needed to move on with his life. They’d been living around Saranac Lake in New York but after their mother died, Orrin couldn’t stay in New York anymore. He moved his daughters to Bangor, Maine to join some friends of his and joined the MC there.
It had been hard for them, moving away from everything they’d known and it had been a struggle to get settled. Cordy had pushed her around, been mean to her when Orrin wasn’t around and for the next few years, they’d played a game of holy terror when Dad wasn’t around. Then Orrin died when she was fifteen and Cordy didn’t have to pretend anymore. Cricket’s life became a nightmare and she couldn’t wait until she was eighteen and could leave.
That never happened. When Cricket was seventeen Cordy got pregnant and the sisters made a deal. Cricket would take care of the baby and Cordy would earn the money to take care of them all. When Dusty was born, Cordy used the baby to get her sister completely under her thumb and the last six years had become a living nightmare.
It was midnight before Cordy finally came home.
The thing that scared Cricket the most was the fact her sister was now in a good mood. Any way you sliced it that was never a good thing. Cricket laid there in the dark with Dusty’s small body pressed up against her own and listened to Cordy in the other room. She was sighing and laughing and there wasn’t anyone with her. Her grip on Dusty became even tighter as Cricket squeezed her eyes shut.
CHAPTER FIVE
Deke woke without opening his eyes. Reaching out, he discovered the bed on Cassie’s side was empty. Sitting up, he found her out on the deck, wrapped in a blanket with a cup of coffee in her hand.
He got up and joined her.
When the door opened, Cassie turned her head and smiled as Deke came out of the bedroom dressed in nothing more than his boxers. She admired his chest and thighs as he walked toward her. She swung the blanket from her shoulders as he sat down beside her. Wrapping it around both of them, she Deke pulled her onto his lap.
The early morning air was cool yet. Deke snuggled his head into her shoulder area, and he whispered in her ear, “It’s not even dawn yet, what are you doing up this early?”
Cassie shrugged. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “I woke up and couldn’t go back to sleep.”
Deke listened to her and recognized the tone in her voice. “Did you have a nightmare?”
Cassie shrugged. “Not really a nightmare exactly…”
Deke leaned closer. “Then what?”
Cassie closed her eyes and leaned back into his strength. “I woke up and just wanted to scream. I felt such an overwhelming sense of dread and pain, I couldn’t bear it.” She bit her lip and groaned.
“What is it?” Deke whispered.
“I have a feeling something bad is coming,” she whispered. “I don’t know what it is or who it is, but I can feel its coming and it is coming soon.”
Deke didn’t say anything for a moment. His arms tightened around her almost to the point of crushing her. “I need you to do something for me.”
“What’s that?” Cassie asked.
; “I want you to promise no matter what happens, you’ll stay here with me. If you promise that, I know you will do it. I need you to stay here with me. Together, we can face anything but I can’t do it alone. I need you beside me. You can’t let Rufus protect you. If something bad happens, I know you’ll want to but I need you here.”
She let out a heavy sigh. “I hope to hell I’m wrong and nothing happens, but I’ve had this feeling of dread before and something bad always happens.”
“Promise me,” Deke insisted. He believed her. This had happened a few times before and her instincts had been right.
Cassie took a shuddering breath. “I’ll try, I really will try.” She turned her head. “But I need something from you as well.”
“What would that be?”
“I need to feel you inside me,” Cassie whispered. “I need to be as close to you as I can be right now.”
Deke smiled. His hands went to her pussy and he could feel her heat. He pushed her underwear aside and when he touched her skin, he could feel the intense heat from her core. His fingers dipped deep inside her and he felt just how wet and hot she was.
She moaned and moved to give him a clear way in.
Deke shifted his body and pulled down his boxers all in one move. When his hard cock sprang free, he moved to her entrance and shoved himself deep inside her.
Cassie hissed as he filled her and she leaned back as his hands guided her hips. “Ohhh, yes,” she cried out softly. “Fuck me hard baby.”
Deke ramped up his rhythm. His strokes were hard and deep. He could feel her body tightening on him and he almost rolled his eyes back in his head. He could feel his body getting ready and he lost control. Slamming her down hard and fast on his cock, he felt her explode just moment before he shot off. He ground her hips down on hers and moaned. It felt so dammed good. As their hearts slowed down, the silence was shattered by the cry of their son.
Cassie giggled.
She made to move from his embrace, but Deke wouldn’t let her go. He leaned forward enough to kiss the spot under her ear. Sucking her earlobe into his mouth, he whispered, “I love you, always remember that I love you. You are my life and I don’t want to live it without you.”
Cassie closed her eyes, then turned and cupping his face she told him, “I love you too. I never knew love existed until I met you. You and those babies have given me hope that life means something. My whole life has changed since I met you, so much so that I can’t imagine a life without you in it either. As long as we have each other, then life is good.”
Deke grinned and allowed her to stand. As she pulled up her panties, he slapped her butt. “Now go take care of the babies while I get dressed.”
Cassie squealed. Then she bowed to him, “Yes master. Whatever you say master. Kiss my ass, master.” She scooted out of his reach and giggled when he started getting to his feet.
“One of these days Spitfire, one of these days…” he swore with a grin and watched her disappear into the house. He sat back down and listened to her greet his babies. He threw off the blanket and sat there as the sun came up in the eastern sky. Closing his eyes, he prayed Cassie’s dread never came to be.
Right now, his life was just about perfect and he didn’t want anything to change that. He’d gotten over his rage about his father’s failures and accepted both of his new sisters and now, he had a baby brother. Life as he knew it had changed for the better and any dark cloud wasn’t welcome.
But his life wasn’t the only one that had changed for the better. His dad was finally settled down, he had his two daughters around him as well as a new son. He swore he wasn’t going to run this time, but like everything with Sam, they were all waiting to see if he meant it or not.
As the sun warmed him, Deke thought about everything that had changed. Iceman and Peaches, along with their kids. Then Mountain and Izzy. Later on finding out Izzy was related to the Chicago mob, which had been unexpected. They were still feeling that connection out.
Then there was Gator and Reva. Thank God that worked out the way it did. Now his best friend was married and going to be a dad. The kids might not share his blood but they shared his heart.
Plus, everybody was having babies, including him and Cassie. Deke grinned. He’d never given any thought to having a family before he met Cassie. He always swore he would never have kids. Then it happened and he couldn’t imagine his life without his kids. And he didn’t really want to either. Little Sam and Jemmia were so much a part of his life now, it just seemed right. Soon, they would share their world with another kid and Deke couldn’t wait to meet his new daughter. The second generation of Sin’s Bastards was well on its way.
His family was expanding and Deke couldn’t be happier. He turned his head and waited as he heard tiny footsteps running toward the patio doors. Soon, his son’s smiling face appeared and Deke grinned when he heard Sam yelling, “Dadada.”
Deke jumped to his feet and lunged at the door.
Sam backed up and laughed, then turned and ran for the door.
Deke chased him and swept him up into his arms. The joyous sound of his son’s laughter was music to Deke’s ears and the sound calmed his soul.
They met Cassie and Jemmia in the hall and Jemmia reached out for her daddy. He gave Sam to Cassie and took his baby girl in his arms. When her little arms wrapped around his neck Deke felt his heart pounding in his chest.
Breathing in her baby scent, Deke closed his eyes against the feelings bursting in his chest. He never knew what being in love really meant before he found Cassie and now, he had his kids. He would die for his kids and he would kill to keep them safe. No doubt about it.
~* * * *~
An hour later, Cassie pulled into the Redemption House parking lot and grinned. The place was buzzing with people. Everyone seemed to be upbeat and happy and that by itself, was rewarding.
When she got out of the van, Amos and Frankie rushed outside and over to her. “You got them sweet babies with you, girl?” Amos asked.
“Yep.” Cassie grinned.
“Well git out of the way then.” Amos pushed her slightly away as he opened the back door and greeted the two babies waiting to be let out. He got Jemmia out first and passed her back to Frankie who turned and shuffled back to the House. Amos then released Sammy from his seat and carried him away, leaving Cassie standing there.
She just shook her head when Amos and Sam disappeared inside. These men loved those babies to distraction. Reaching for her bag, she was astonished when Amos stuck his head back out the door and yelled at her, “Are you coming or what?”
Cassie chuckled. “I’m coming.”
“Well git your fanny in here then,” Amos called out as he closed the door.
Cassie shook her head and made her way to the front door. Once inside, she followed the sound of baby laughter. When she came to the door of the nursery, she found everyone gathered around her babies.
Kayla and Britney, two of the older children of the other members of the MC were there as well as Amos, Frankie, Gus and Joey. Claire and Rita, two nursery workers were also present. Someone had brought a pair of rocking horses, so at the moment, Sam and Jemmia were busy trying out the new equipment.
“What the heck?” Cassie exclaimed.
“Me and the boys have been working on them for a while now,” Amos informed her.
“You guys made them?” she asked as she knelt to look over the horses. “They’re beautiful.”
Frankie grinned, while Joey and Gus tapped each other with their elbows. “Yeah we did,” Amos admitted. “Them babies are growing like weeds and they need something bigger to ride on.”
She got to her feet and threw her arms around Amos’s neck. “Thank you.” Then she moved over to Frankie and hugged him. She did the same to Gus and Joey. She gazed at her children and saw the smiles on their faces. “They love them.”
Jemmia threw her head back and laughed out loud while she rode her pony.
Frankie chuckled. “And that righ
t there is thanks enough,” he whispered.
Cassie smiled. “Yup, it makes it all worth it.” She then headed to her office to do some much needed paperwork.
CHAPTER SIX
An hour later, Amos walked around the Redemption House building, making his afternoon rounds when he noticed footprints where there shouldn’t have been any. He followed them around to the side of the building and found an open window.
Peeking inside the window, all seemed quiet, maybe a bit too quiet. As he stared into the room, the hairs on the back of his neck began to tingle. Amos reached for his phone.
Moments later, six bikes roared into the parking lot. Amos met them out in the front of the building.
Deke sat on his bike and stared at the old man. “What the hell is going on here Amos?”
Amos looked at him then over to the others, Gator, Deacon, Sam, Mountain, and Iceman. Swinging his eyes back to Deke, he knew this was not a group of men he would want to piss off. “I don’t know yet. I was making my rounds and found footprints then an open window. I called you because the window was the nursery window and it shouldn’t have been open in the first place.”
“Have you checked the nursery?”
“No and Frankie is standing guard inside the building. There are no sounds coming from the room either.”
Deke felt a moment of dread. His kids were in that nursery. Swinging his leg over the bike, he and the others dismounted and strode to the front door. Walking down the hall, he noticed several men walked with them, each of them falling into line behind him.
When they reached the door to the nursery, Frankie met them. Deke stared at the other man and watched as he stepped to the side. Deke took a huge breath and opened the door.
The room was darkened and quiet. Too quiet. Slowly, Deke made his way around the perimeter of the room. He went one way and the other guys spread out in the other direction. Nothing seemed to be disturbed but nothing seemed to be right either. When he came to where his kids should be sleeping, he glanced down at the cribs.