Except for the one death there will be is that of the son of a bitch who thought he could come into my town and threaten what's mine. I feel my body tense and my blood heat at the thought of getting to wrap my hands around the bastard's throat and slowly watch the life drain from his eyes. And I will do so with sick pleasure.
"All good, back home?" Demetri asks from the front seat.
"Yeah, brother. Logan says things have been quiet since we left."
Giving me a curt nod, Demetri then glances over my shoulder and into the back at Glory. Something he has been doing non-stop since we have been on the road. The funny thing is he's not even subtle about it. He's blatant about it, and we all watch Glory squirm under his gaze. If I'm not mistaken, I believe he has taken an interest in Grace's friend. The first clue was back at the hospital when after Glory's parents declined my offer to stay with us in Polson, Demetri immediately stepped in once he saw the worry on Glory's face and insisted one of his men watch over her parents until the situation with Ronan has been handled. Not wanting to upset his daughter any further Mr. Keller accepted Demetri's offer. We can all rest a bit easier knowing her parents are protected.
There is also another look in my friends' eyes when he's watching Glory. It's a look I know all too well. Demetri lost the love of his life a long time ago. I'm willing to bet what he is feeling for Glory is something he's not felt since Rose and he doesn't quite know what to do with those feeling. Like me, he's probably assumed he'd never feel for another woman the way he felt for the woman he once loved and lost.
It's nearly nightfall when we arrive back at the clubhouse. When we pull up to the gate, Blake and Austin greet us, both armed and on high alert just as I would expect.
"Wow." Glory breathes when she takes in her new surroundings. "You all sure don't play around, do ya?" she remarks when she notices our security. Not only do we have Blake and Austin at the front gate, but we also have Reid and our new prospect Grey on the roof armed and ready for anything and welcoming us in the parking lot is Logan, Bennett, and Nikolai.
"Good to see ya make it back okay, Prez," Logan says as I slide out of the SUV. Clapping him on the back, "Thanks for holding things down here while I was gone, son."
"What the hell do y'all put in the water ‘round here?" Glory jests as Grace helps her out of the truck behind me.
"Girl, they sure do know how to grow them around here. At least I'll have some decent eye candy while we're in lock-up." She jokes while taking in all my brothers.
"Glory!" Grace whisper hisses. "You can't say stuff like that. Some of these men are married."
"Not all of them though, right?"
"Oh lord, let's just get you inside and settled." Grace huffs exasperated at her friend and Glory giggles.
Walking into the clubhouse Remi launches herself at full speed into her mom's waiting arms. "I was so scared, Mom."
"Oh Peanut, there's nothing to be scared of. I was safe the whole time. Jake wouldn't let anything happen to me."
Hearing Grace's words of confidence to her daughter that I would protect her fills me with pride. Leaning in, I whisper into her ear. "Why don't you, Remi, and Glory go on upstairs and catch up. I'm going to make my rounds with the family. Once you all have talked and settled in you can come back down and meet everyone."
"Thank you, Jake."
"You're welcome, babe. Now go on. I'll have the prospect bring Glory's bags up in a minute." I say giving her a soft kiss on her lips, and she melts into my touch.
Several minutes later I begin making my way around the clubhouse to check up on the family. My first stop was my parents who I found in the kitchen along with Raine and Ember who were busy setting up for dinner. Ma was showing the girls how to make her homemade peach cobbler while my dad sat at the table drinking coffee. Leaving the kitchen, I run into Quinn. "Hey son, I was looking for your folks. I wanted to say hi and see how they are doing."
"Hey, Prez. They're out back. I was just headed that way myself." Following him down the hall and out the back door, I see Bella, Alba, Mila, Emerson, and Leah all hanging with kids and watching them play. With them is Quinn's mom. Victoria is a beautiful African American woman with shoulder length hair and stunning honey color eyes. She's also a tiny little thing standing no taller than 5ft 2in. But don't let her size fool ya. That woman is a firecracker. She has to be with a son like Quinn. On the other side of the yard sitting around the fire pit is his dad Quinten. He has light brown salt and pepper hair and stands a couple of inches shorter than me. I decide to make my way over to the ladies first. When I approach, Victoria gives me a big warm smile.
"Vicky, get your ass over here and give me a hug." I say returning her smile.
"It's been awhile JD, how have you been?" I've known Quinn's parents as long as I've known him. JD is what Victoria has been calling me for years. "My son tells me you done gone and fell in love. Where is the lucky lady?" she asks hugging me.
"She'll be down in a bit. In the meantime, I wanted to see how you were holding up. You or Quinten need anything you let me know, sweetheart."
"We're fine JD. You focus on taking care of business. Quinn didn't tell us too much what was going on. But Quinten and I trust you, and when you said to get here and get here fast, that's what we did."
"I appreciate that Vicky. And I promise, me and the boys are going to handle the situation soon."
"You over here flirting with my girl?" I hear a voice question and when I turn I see Quinten walking up behind me.
"I'm tryin' too, but she's not buyin'." I hedge, holding out my hand for him to shake.
"It's good to see you, Jake," Quinten says shaking my offered hand.
"You too, man. I was telling Vicky I appreciate you all coming to stay here for a few days."
"No problem. You know we'd do anything for the club."
After spending several minutes talking with Quinn's parents, I walk around the yard and have a few words with all my brothers, then I stop and get my grandpa love from the kids. Across the yard, I spot Sam sittin' in a chair with a beer in his hand and his eyes on Sofia, who is down on the ground playing with the kids.
"Hey, kid." I say taking the seat next to him.
"How's it going, Mr. Delane?"
"You want to tell me what that's all about?" I ask tilting my head towards Sofia.
At my question the boy actually blushes and takes a pull of his beer. "And I don't care what Alba and Leah say, I don't believe for one second you're gay, not that any of us would care. But no way do I believe that shit with the way you look at that girl." No sooner do the words leave mouth when Sam chokes on his drink and beer sprays out of his mouth.
"Gay! My friends think I'm gay? What the hell!"
Chuckling, I hold my hands up in mock surrender. "Hey, don't shoot the messenger. Besides me and the guys never though for a second you were gay. Especially not with all the interest you've been showing Sofia." When Sam goes to open his mouth, I hold up my hand cutting him off. "Look kid, I'm not here to bust your balls, but I will say if you hurt that girl, I will personally cut your dick off and feed it to ya."
"I would never hurt Sofia, Mr. Delane."
"Good. Keep it that way kid, because I like ya and would hate to have to hurt ya."
On the way back inside, I notice Emerson propped up against the side of the clubhouse nursing a beer, and she has her eyes trained on Quinn and his parents.
"How ya holdin' up, sweetheart?" I ask saddling up beside her and taking a pull of my beer.
"I'm doing okay, Jake. How's Grace's friend? You know if you all need me to look at her or anything, don't hesitate to ask."
"Thanks, darlin'. I think she's okay for now though. Maybe see how she's feeling tomorrow."
After giving me a nod, we're both quiet for a moment before I speak up again. "You're wondering about his parents aren't ya?"
"Am I that obvious?"
Chuckling, I shake my head. "Darlin', you and Quinn have been dancin' around each other for too l
ong now. One thing you should know by now is Quinn is an open book. You only need to turn the pages. I promise you won't be disappointed in what you find. I'm almost certain you want him just as much as he does you and you're holdin' back. And I get it, I do. Lovin' one of us men means lovin' the club. For most that is a scary thought. But one thing I know for sure is you won't find a better man than Quinn, and you won't find a more loyal family than the Kings." After kissing the top of her head, I leave her to chew on my words.
18
Grace
You would think with all these members under one roof there would be complete chaos, but there isn’t any of that. I also would have thought Glory would be overwhelmed with so many people but that’s not the case either. If anything, she seems to be more at ease than she was before we got here last night. And although Remi can't leave to attend school until all this is over; I hope it's sooner than later, she has been enjoying herself. Remi has quickly made friends with Quinn's baby sister Katalina, but she prefers to be called Kat. We met her parents, Quinn's mom and dad yesterday. They are a beautiful and sweet couple.
Softly knocking on the bedroom door to the room Glory is occupying, I wait for her to answer before turning the handle and opening the door. Poking my head inside, I find her sitting on the side of the twin size bed. "Hey, how are you feeling this morning?"
"Aside from the tight muscles in my back and side, I feel like I need a two-hour soak in a hot bath." her eyes lock with mine, "Seriously, I feel pretty good," Glory replies as she reaches for the glass of water and the plastic pill bottle sitting on her nightstand.
Having yet stepped into the room I ask, "would it be okay if a doctor friend came in and gave a look at you this morning."
Glory pops the pill in her mouth and tips the glass up. "I don’t mind. Does this doctor look like the rest of those delicious looking bikers I met last night?"
Swinging the door open, I step inside, and Emerson walks in behind me then closes the door. "Afraid not," Emerson laughs.
"Glory, this is Emerson." I introduce the two. Emerson takes a seat on the edge of the bed next to Glory. "Dr. Evans, Grace has told me about you and the rest of the girls she's been lucky enough to become friends with. I'm happy to meet one of you finally," Glory gives her a sincere smile.
"You'll get to meet the rest of them soon," Emerson tells her. "You mind if I take a look at your side?" she asks Glory. Lifting the hem of her shirt, Glory exposes her ribs and I cringe. The bruises on her side vary in color from dark purples to reds and cover all her exposed skin on her side.
Lightly touching the traumatized area, Emerson examines her. Moving on, she cleans the stitches on the back of Glory's head. "No signs of infection, but still a little swelling. That warm bath you spoke of a few minutes ago is a great idea. It will help relax the tense muscle spasms you're having in your back."
Knocking at the door draws our attention. Cracking the door slightly open, Remi pokes her head in. "Momma, are we allowed to go outside?" she asks.
I haven’t heard Jake say otherwise but to be safe, I think I need to discuss it with him first. The compound is secluded, but that doesn’t mean the area isn’t prone to being vulnerable. Yesterday everyone was outside, and I was less worried. This morning with everyone still indoors I'd prefer her not to be out there. "Peanut, I don’t think it’s a good idea right now, but I'll see what Jake has to say about you guys going outside for some fresh air later."
A deep sigh leaves her lips. "Fine, I guess I'm going to go find Kat and hang out with her and watch some Netflix."
Crossing the room, I open the door a bit and pull her in for a hug. "I know this whole situation sucks." Throwing her head back, Remi looks at me and I push the mass of curls from her face.
"Are you and Aunt Glory coming down to eat breakfast? I helped make the French toast casserole," she smiles.
"Of course, I'm going to run her a bath then I'll head to the kitchen and help the rest of the women. Lord knows we have several mouths to feed and tons of food to cook," I tell her. Peeking around my shoulder Remi says, "See you downstairs, Aunt Glory," then rushes off to find Kat.
"That kid is my favorite person," Glory remarks.
"You're bias," I tell her and head towards the bathroom.
"Damn right I am," Glory smiles.
"Alright, ladies. I'm going to leave you to it." Standing, Emerson grabs her medical bag. "I'll see you both later. My shift starts in about two hours, and I have a feeling I'm going to have to sneak out of here to get there." She walks out the door and closes it behind her. She's right. Emerson is going to have a fight on her hands getting the men—one man, in particular, to let her leave with everything that’s going on. I hate that my baggage has affected them and permanently put everyone's life on hold for the moment. I've watched my friends overcome many obstacles over the years. The last thing I wanted to do was add to it.
"What's with the melancholy look on your face," Glory starts to move towards the bathroom.
"We are stuffed in this building like sardines because of my past, Glory. That doesn’t bother you at all?"
Pulling the shower curtain back, I turn the hot and cold water on and start filling the small tub.
"Why would it bother me?" She shrugs. "Look, life sucks sometimes. Right now, Ronan and his merry men happen to be the ones leaching on it for all it's worth right now. So, we do what we need to do and use the help you've been given to our advantage. You were lucky enough to get away from that piece of shit and his family. Sure, two years of hiding has been tough, but you are alive. Remi is alive."
Plopping down on the toilet seat, I take in my best friends words. Peeling her clothes off, she steps into the water and lowers herself.
"Oh my god," she moans as the warmth of the water relaxes her. "You have several large badass bikers on your side. I have a feeling the De Burca family has met their match, and I for one can't wait to see all of them go straight to hell." Closing her eyes, Glory sinks a little further into the water.
"Hell would be too good for the likes of Ronan De Burca." I murmur. Standing, I announce, "I'm gonna head downstairs and get busy cooking. Come find me when you're done," I tell her before leaving her to enjoy her bath in peace.
When I make my way downstairs, I find the common area taken over by many of the member's kids of various ages playing, watching TV, or playing video games. Turning to my left, I walk through the kitchen door and find Bella, Alba, and Raine milling around trying to get brunch ready.
"Hey, Grace, thank god you're awake. We could use an extra pair of hands in here," Bella announces as she pulls waffles from the iron then ladles more batter onto the hot surface before closing it tight.
"Put me to work." Taking the hair tie from my wrist, I pull my mess of hair away from my face and secure it in a low ponytail. Glancing around the kitchen, I notice someone missing. "Where Lisa?"
"Oh, Bennett took her to the grocery store. We've run out of bread and a few other items. They should be back before too long." Alba tells me as she hands her and Bella's daughter the toys they keep throwing over the edge of the playpen they have set up on the other side of the kitchen.
Roughly an hour later we have finished cooking. The kitchen door creaks open, and Quinn pops his head in. "We got the tables set up. You ladies need a hand?"
"Thanks, Quinn," says Bella who has two casserole dishes in her hands. Walking up to her, Quinn takes them from her and carries them out to the common room. Soon after, Blake walks in to help us as well. With a little help, we get everything laid out across three tables including the paper plates and plasticware. As the mommas go about plating some food for the smaller kids first, Jake walks up behind me and wraps his arms around my middle and leans down placing a light kiss on my neck. I let my eyes close for a moment enjoying the connection. Of all the ways he touches me... this—a light caress of his lips on my neck is my favorite.
"You smell so good, Little Bird." Jake murmurs.
Hearing a shuffle behin
d me, I peer around Jake's arm to see Glory making her way down the stairs. "Okay, people. I smell bacon." She announces.
"I put some aside for you in the microwave just in case you didn’t make it down in time," I laugh.
"You are the best," she pauses, grabs both sides of my face and plants a kiss on my lips. The gesture is nothing unusual to me. She's done this as long as we've known each other. She can be dramatic about it, but that’s how we are. She's my ride or die bestie. However, the lip action catches the attention of a couple of other people, one being Quinn who makes his feelings known on the public display of affection.
"Do it again," he begs holding a plate full of waffles and scrambled eggs as he stares in our direction. Adding fuel to his fire, true to Glory's nature, she blows him a kiss and smiles.
"Don't encourage him," Jake chuckles. "Besides, I don’t want Demetri to kill one of my men," he lifts his chin gesturing across the room. Glory and I follow his line of sight. Completely zoned in on my best friend with a stare so intense, even I can feel the heat, is Demetri. When I lift my eyes to Glory, her death stare in his direction is in full force. He has no idea what he wants to go after. Glory is a one of a kind force of nature. Demetri better be prepared for a chase because Glory will be a hard one to catch.
"That man wants to devour you," I whisper in her direction.
"Yeah well, too bad for him. I'm not interested. I'll be in the kitchen," Glory says breaking their connection and walking away.
"Did you believe a word she said?" Jake questions me as we continue to watch everyone eat.
"Not a word," I state.
"Come on," he grabs my hand, "Let's get some food before they eat it all." About the time we grab a couple of plates the front door burst open causing it to slam into the wall creating a loud thud. In stumbles, a bloodied Bennett assisted by Austin.
"Prez, he's been shot," Austin yells.
UNBREAKABLE: The Kings of Retribution MC Page 14