With that done…I’m off to start my next adventure—Meeting my daughter.
Chapter 2
~Tic
Driving to a daycare center was definitely something new for me. Walking in, handing over my I.D. like a stranger to pick up my daughter wasn’t something that I was proud of. A stranger to the school that teaches my daughter what she needs to know at the tender age of 3, is an experience I’m never repeating. I will never be a stranger anywhere that houses my daughter, whether it’s temporary for an hour or a lifetime of teaching.
Kori’s done a good job picking out a place for our girl though, it’s clean, secure, and the ladies here seem protective over these kids. That was a weight I’d not realized I’d been holding onto or carryin around on my shoulders. Then as I followed the lady from the front office to my daughter’s room, I saw her through a window and knew immediately which one was mine. She was me with our brown mop color hair in two pigtails. As she ran around the classroom, her hair was bouncing and her hair looked like tiny pom-poms. She has the cutest, chubbiest thighs on a toddler I’d ever seen. Gorgeous eyes that could see straight through you, looking identical to her mother’s.
Kori, damn, just thinking of her eyes and passing them off to my daughter, my child, my second chance at love. Kori just keeps giving me everything to remind me, or so she says, that I am the best at loving someone. Well, these two beautiful ladies in my life are fixing to know how true love feels. I am gonna drown them in it, they will never again know a day without my love and protection. Just then as I am watching my baby girl run chasing this damn boy, which she and I are gonna talk about just as soon as I get to hold her tight in my arms.
My daughter, at the age of three, should know nothing of boys! Not now, hell not ever as far as my heart is concerned. I believe that little girl, my little Lila, she’s gonna be the one to bring me to my knees. Her momma brought me to my senses, my daughters gonna break me down and flay my emotions. I will never be safe from my girls. I’m gonna have to work hard at keepin’ my tough skin with these two. Kori used to get everything she wanted from me, I can only imagine what this little dumplin’s gonna do to me.
Her screamin’ moves me in motion, I’m in combat mode immediately until I realize what she’s screamin’.
“Daddy, Daddy, my Daddy’s come to get me!”
Fuck me…I never realized bein’ called Daddy could make me feel so full. This little rug-rat’s freakin’ done it in 2.5 seconds. I’m on my knees in front of her as she jumps…no, she flies into my arms. Knockin’ me down on my ass in front of all these people. I should be humiliated, but I just can’t seem to bring myself to feel that emotion holding my girl in my arms.
“Daddy, are I gonna go home with you? Momma said one day she’d make it so. Did Momma make it so Daddy? I’d really like to go home with you.”
I turn with my daughter in my arms and walk down the hall. I know, I can feel it, if I answer her here in this hall, all these grown women, ladies who care for my daughter will see me at my lowest. I’m barely holding myself together as I put my mouth to my daughter’s ear and whisper “always, you will always be home with me. Daddy’s not going anywhere that you and Momma aren’t.”
That’s one fuckin’ promise this father can make to his daughter and know without a doubt, nothing could be further from the truth. This father right here…I am fighting for my family, now and for the rest of my life. Anyone who dares to get in my way, won’t be breathing the next, that’s a guarantee. I never threaten, I always make guarantees. Just as I did to this precious cargo in my arms. Never goin’ anywhere without bein’ on high alert, I scan the parkin’ lot as I make my way toward the truck. When my attention is caught by the figure standin at the tail-gate.
“Damnit Travler, what’re you doin’ here? I’m on high alert and was ready to take you out without a question. You don’t do that shit to me! You know that shit, do you have a fuckin’ death wish?”
I was so angry, but still needin’ to watch the way I was spewin’ my angry words at my brother. Rememberin’ I have my daughter in my arms I go to place her in her seat just in case I need to slap some sense into the nitwit who thought it would be a good idea to try and surprise my ass.
“Now boss, before you go all badass on me. Did you really think I would watch you walk out that door, lookin’ the way you did without givin’ you some backup rather you wanted it or not? We’re brothers, that shit doesn’t happen in our family. If you ride, I ride. Period, end of it. Let it go, and let’s get this gorgeous little girl home. Shall we?”
Fucker knew just what to say to keep himself gettin’ a structure rearrangement. And by that, I mean that ugly mug he carries away on a daily basis…everyone says he and Tumbler are model-worthy. My ass, they may be identical, but Travler, he’s one who seems to always know what’s goin’ on with his brothers. It’s like he has some type of read into our minds. Freaks me the fuck out. I jump in the truck and start my journey home…
Singing Old McDonalds farm with the little angel version in the back of my Angel.
Chapter 3
~Kori
Please, oh god, please say I’ve done the right thing. My father is an evil son of a bitch; he will kill anyone to get his way. He cares for no one, not even his own flesh and blood. We are all pawns in his journey for control and power. Nothing and no one is sacred in his game of bloodlust. We are all in danger, regardless if we’re loyal to him or not.
My memories go back to the hold and control he had over me the day I had to make the heart wrenching decision to leave Tic behind for good. I could never let him know that I was never returning to him as his Ol’ lady, and all our plans for our future were never to come true.
“Kori”, I heard my father scream my name as my last item went into my box to leave for school. My door suddenly flew open and their Father stood, he looked like a madman, ready to make a fresh kill. Only his intended target was me, his own daughter. Only this shouldn’t surprise me, he held my mother’s life over my head for years to keep me his puppet, doing his bidding and living my life the way he wanted. “What the fuck is this bullshit?!” he flung my new school acceptance letter at me. How in the hell did he get his hands on that? I had that hidden, it was hidden in my lock-box. Did he break open my personal box?
“Father, how did you get that? Are you breaking into my things?” I hissed at him, I learned it doesn’t matter how I speak to my father, if he’s gonna attack, he’ll do it rather I’m sugar and spice and everything nice…or if I mimic his rude tone.
“It doesn’t matter how I got my hands on it, you worthless piece of shit! I told you that you’d go where I told you. You have no say so, I control every aspect of your future. I chose it all! What makes you think you can go somewhere else and I wouldn’t find out about it?” He’s really seething, full of anger now. I know how this is going to end up, me on my ass and his fist in my face. Been there and done that most of my life. Especially once I learned how to walk and talk.
“You have got to be shitting me! I am almost 19 years old! I am going out to make a life for myself! I don’t need your control anymore!”
Yep, there it came…just as I knew it would. I wish I could tell you I was fast enough to miss the blow that came at me, but I would be lying. My father’s fist on my face always felt like I’d been sacked by a 300lb. lead steel bar. It knocked me right on my ass, but me being me, got right back up. Determined not to let him rule my life anymore, willing to show him, his iron fist no longer ruled my world.
“Is that what your gonna do ‘till the day you die, Father? Hit me ‘till you get your way like an adolescent boy?”
He smiled and laughed, a laugh so evil a grown man would cower from him. I, however, have heard it my entire life, still determined to stand up to him. I straightened my shoulders and looked him dead in his eyes. Determined not to let him control mine and Tic’s future. Only shaking his head, he held out some papers and pictures for me.
“Read and look th
rough those photos, darling daughter, then tell me if you’re willing to take any chances where ‘your man’ is concerned.”
He left my room whistling a tune of a winner, as I fell to the ground in tears taking in all my father has just shown me. He has enough here to not only ruin the love of my life’s entire future but that of our family, his brothers, his club. Our future is over! Where did he get all of this? After hours of sitting and going through all of his documents, I knew there was only one thing I could do…run, run for Tic, run for the Rage Ryders, run…run for me.
Noting that my father had left for yet, another business meeting, leaving only one henchman behind, that’s exactly what I did. I ran for all of our lives. And until today, that’s what I’ve been doing, but now, I can’t keep running. I have to tell Tic and the Rage Ryders everything. They have a right to know that they may be in danger, danger from a madman, danger from my father. Elijah Reynaldo Cardozo. The new drug lord of our town, state, and lives.
Chapter 4
~Tic
I decided to make a pit stop and join the prospects we have workin’ on emptyin’ out Kori’s place of clothing and items she’ll need while I figure out what’s her dad’s game plan. I know my Lil’ Bit here is gonna want some of her toys and I’m gonna make sure she gets what she wants. Neither of my girls were ever again gonna need or want for anything that I won’t make sure they don’t have. My little bit couldn’t stop talkin’ about showin’ her old man her room and drawins, so that’s what were doin’ while she’s gonna show me what items are a must while she stays with me at my dorm where I know Cardozo and his ‘men’ can’t get to either of them.
See, I have my history with the son of a bitch that donated his sperm to my Angel after she left for school, and I knew her sudden rush was his fault and I had my confrontation with him, I told that bastard I was gonna make him pay. Sure nuff’ I did, I sent his buddy, childhood friend to prison where he met his maker. Saldanado, he was obsessed with my girl, thought she was born for him, and Cardozo was gonna give her to him – over my motherfuckin’ dead body would that ever happen.
It just took word to some of my inside contacts and the deed was done, no more Saldanado. One threat to my girl was gone. Now, one more to go and my girl can relax and enjoy her man and daughter, the way life is supposed to be. Hearing Lil’ Bit scream in excitement at bein’ home brings me outta my head and I enjoy her excitement and allow it to bring some to myself. It amazes me how a little sunshine from my daughter can light up my life and I’ve only had her in my life and arms a little over twenty-four hours. Goes to show what havin’ a piece of yourself livin’ outside of you can do to bring some peace into an existence that was just that – existing. I kneel in front of my daughter so I can look her in the eyes and know I have her attention.
“Lil bit, you and your momma are gonna stay with me and our family for a while for a reunion, ya, so we need to get you some clothes and toys and load em up in your old man’s truck.”
“Daddy, you so funny! You not old! You don’t have gray hair, and you don’t carry a crazy stick to walk wid like the man at the stora. You silly Daddy.”
I don’t even know how to respond to my girl, I’ve never had such sweet in my life other than her mother. I look up and see the prospects starin’ at my girl in awe…yea fuckers, this is what it’s like with perfection in your life. Since Malibu, it’s been hard to keep Prospects around. He’s the last one we all trusted completely, we had two men betray us in such a short amount of time that we are leery about lettin’ another rat bastard into our club.
These two fuckers here though, I would personally put my life into their hands – why you ask, because they are my brothers. By blood. They came from the same womb I did, and they’re mine, so I know where their loyalties lie. Carson is twenty-five he’s the middle one and Levi is twenty-two. He’s the baby, and I brought them here to save them from the shitty path they were headin’ down. They still don’t know what to do or say about my girl, and neither of them have taken their eyes from her since we walked through the door. Guess it’s time they meet their niece.
“Carson, Levi – close your damn mouths and don’t push your damn eyes outta your sockets and come meet your niece Lil Bit. Lil Bit, these dipshits here are your uncles…Carson and Levi. Their fun and cool once they remember how to talk and be human again.”
“Daddy! You said lottsa bad wordsa!! Momma’s gonna wash your mouth out, she doesn’t like bad words from my mouth.”
“That’s because you’re a lil lady beautiful, and I’m a man, men don’t always watch what words spit outta their mouths. You’re just gonna have’ta forgive your old man – k?”
“Daddy, why do you keep callin’ yousa’ old?”
My little beauty is so confused by her old man callin’ himself old instead of her Daddy, how do ya explain’ this one? I look to my brothers for help, not sure where to go with this one when I hear the voice that still after all of these years has the ability to take my breath away and stop me dead in my tracks.
“Your Daddy is calling himself your old man sweetness because boys are funny – and to him, it means the same thing as it does to you when you call him Daddy.”
Kori explains so effortlessly. Damn, she’s so fuckin’ beautiful.
“Momma!!! Daddy picked me up from school today, we sang Old McDonald’s farm, but he’s not very good at it yet, he needs lessons!”
My baby girl says this as she scrunches her nose up at her mom as she explains all of this in full detail. I personally didn’t feel I did all that bad for my first time. I’ll tell you however, I’m all for any lessons Kori’s willin’ to teach me, especially if we can play teacher in the bedroom. I can’t wait to feel her thighs around my waist as I slam into her. She always made me feel whole, and tonight, she’s givin’ me what I’ve been cravin’ for all this time we’ve been apart.
My Angel lifts her eyes and looks at me eyes to eyes, soul to soul. Damn I’ve missed this, the way she manages to fulfill me just by being near and givin’ herself to me by just one look. All of a sudden all of my senses have come back online as I find myself suddenly standin’ in front of her, I don’t even remember walkin’ across the room to get to her. She looks up at me and we both reach for each other, her up and me down as we say hello the only way we can.
Our kiss starts off demandin’, we have none of that takin’ it slow, this isn’t our first kiss, it isn’t a patient reunion. This is an all-out war of two people’s souls crashin’ into each other, they’re what’s reuinitin’ and our bodies are just their flesh, our kiss is our souls becomin’ one.
“Ewww…. Momma, Daddy, that’s icky! Don’t do that no mores.”
My beautiful Lil’ Bit says bringin’ me outta my lust-filled trance her momma’s lips have the capabilities of puttin’ me in a trance with. Angel breaks out in a happy laugh that has me and my knucklehead brother’s joinin’ her in. Her laugh is contagious; you can’t help but be dragged into her happy place.
This is it, this is my missin’ part, this is where my hearts been hidin’. It’s been with her, and now, it’s startin’ to settle back in place. Tonight, tonight our bond will be resealed when we reclaim each other completely, heart, body, and soul.
Chapter 5
~Kori
After a hard day of thinking, I’ve decided to let Tic have all the reasons I left earlier than we had planned and he can decide how to tell his brothers what happened all those years ago. He deserves to hear it all from me first hand, not in a room filled with his brothers’, that would be like me throwing salt into an open wound without giving him a chance to clean it first. That’s not how our relationship deserves to be resurrected.
Once we’d gotten all of our belongings together and thrown them into Tic’s new truck we hit the road headed toward the clubhouse. I was a ball of nerves returning to the clubhouse, it’s been years since I’d stepped foot inside those doors. What if the brothers didn’t accept me anymore, I did run and hurt my
man! Tic is a loved and valued member of that brethren, they all respect and love him. I was once a valued member of the family, I hope to show them it was out of loyalty to them that I ran, not out of disrespect or disloyalty to them in any way.
My father is a vicious man. The more I think about it, the guiltier I feel about not trusting Tic and the Rage Ryders with all the information and letting them handle it the way they felt it needed to be done. Our lives could have turned out so much different, Lila could have had her Dad and Mom together, we could’ve been a family instead of me fearing for not only myself but also her and Tic. The guilt and anger are eating me alive. I wish there was a way to go back and change the choices I made. I just hope and pray one day they can all forgive me for the selfish choices I made. Yes, I was scared for all of them, but my fear of my father and what he could and would do to me is what was foremost in my mind.
Seeing Carson and Levi on bikes riding with us suddenly brings a smile to my sullen mood. They were little shits the last time I saw them, leaving a trail of chaos everywhere they were, I was sure the history they’d be known for in our little town. Glad to see they’ve finally wised up and found a place for themselves not only in their brother’s life, but finding a place in the Rage Ryders. If anyone deserved finding a place in a family like them it’s these three men. They never stood a chance at having a good life without having a strong role model in their lives. Thank goodness there’s plenty of them in this amazing MC of men.
Taken by Sadistic (Rage Ryders MC #3) Page 2