by E. C. Land
Snickering, I smile at her. “Quit playing with them and let’s get a move on. I wanna see how far along I am and get the rest of this mess out of the way. Oh, and I suggest maybe informing your nurse out there not to cross me,” I say.
“I’ll see what I can do about her,” is all Doctor Taylors mutters as she goes about prepping everything for the ultrasound. I already know it has to be an internal prod going inside me, so before she’d stepped into the room, I went ahead and stripped, placing a paper gown over my lower half. “Alright, spread your legs and let's get a look on this screen,” she orders.
Neither Dagen nor Casey have said a word since Casey asked his question earlier. They both crowd in close to my head and watch the screen with me. Sucking in a breath, I feel the wand slide inside of me all the while forming an image on the screen.
Oh my God, is that . . . twins?
“Well, I guess it goes to show it runs in the family. You, missy, are carrying twins,” she goes on to confirm what I’ve already realized. Doctor Taylors knows twins runs in my family from a conversation we’d had a while ago. Turning toward Casey and Dagen, I’m scared to know their feelings of having not just one but two babies join our family.
“Fuckin’ right, twins,” Casey mumbles under his breath, eyes still on the screen.
“God, I love you, woman,” Dagen murmurs, placing kisses against my forehead.
Guess they’re both okay with us having twins.
39
Dragon
Twins, damn right. This is the best news Gadget or I could have ever received. Except a location for our brother and maybe getting our hands on Hydro, neither of which are an option at this time. So instead, I won’t allow either to bring down the joy of finding out that our woman is carrying twins. Will they be like us and share a connection the way my brother and I do? Boy or girl, I don’t care, as long as they’re healthy.
Connors asked that we celebrate by getting some Mexican food. A woman should never be denied her food. Gadget and I have both learned this already. One morning while trying to do something nice, she bit our heads off for not letting her eat first. Hangry doesn’t even describe the way she gets without food, more like savage, and you dare not try taking her food because she’ll rip you a new one.
While waiting on our food, I shoot a quick text to Shadow to see how our boy was doing. I can’t wait for him to find out.
“You know what?” Connors states.
“What, baby?” I ask, putting my phone down.
“I want to go to the mall when we leave here,” she announces. I open my mouth to protest, not wanting to go that far for several reasons, one being my gut clenching with the thought that something isn’t right.
“Babe, we can’t go that far today. What if we took you to one of the local stores today and this weekend, we’ll make it a family day, go to the mall and maybe take Lo-man to see Santa,” Casey reasons with our woman. Her emotions are haywire and will probably get worse.
“Okay, I can go with that idea,” she beams. Like I said, erratic emotions, one minute pissed as fuck, the next sweet as pie. What’s that candy they have commercials for where the candy people do horrible shit to people then turn around and love on them? Yeah, that’s how Connors has been lately.
Glancing at my phone, I furrow my brows at the fact Shadow hasn’t responded back yet. He should have done so by now. Deciding to give him a call, I dial his number and bring the phone to my ear. When I get his voicemail, I know something's off.
“Why don’t we swing by the house first?” I suggest, trying not to alert Connors as to what I’m feeling as I shoot off a text to the prospect who's watching the house.
“We can do that, though I was hoping to maybe pick out a couple gifts for Logan,” she murmurs.
“I know you were, mo chroí, and I’m not trying to scare you, but I want to go check on Logan. Shadow isn’t responding,” I say calmly, reaching for her hand. Regret consumes me as Connors’s face pales.
“Okay, let’s go. I’m not hungry anymore.” She stands and moves for the door.
Grabbing her hand, I pull her into me. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to ruin anything. I just want to check on our kid,” I whisper against the top of her head.
“No, I’m sorry I’m being selfish, and I need to not be doing that.” My woman's voice is filled with tears at the thought she was doing something wrong.
“Baby, there’s nothing selfish about what you wanted to do today. Besides the doctor’s appointment, all you wanted to do was get Christmas gifts for Logan. I know everything has been fucked up recently with you not being able to leave the clubhouse for your safety, but I promise you this, he will have the best damn Christmas he’s ever had,” Gadget declares.
Nodding, she dries her eyes. “I’m sorry, I can’t seem to help it. My emotions are all over the place right now. I love you both and just wanted time away from everything with you two. I know it wasn’t a good idea. Now, let’s go check on our son. I’m worried more than anything about him. If something’s happened, it will be my fault because I left him at home when he should have been with us,” she murmurs the last part more to herself than anyone else.
“You didn’t leave him at home alone. Shadow’s with him and we had a prospect placed down the street to keep an eye on the house,” I say lightly, running my hands up and down her back.
Without another word, Gadget and I guide her to the car. Kissing the top of her head, I close the car door behind her.
“I know the feeling you’ve got and it’s not good. I texted Twister and asked him to meet us at the house,” Gadget mutters under his breath.
“Good, I’ll follow you there,” I grunt. Turning to my bike, I straddle her, taking a second to calm my nerves. I can’t seem to shake the thought something isn’t right and the fact I have yet to hear back from either Shadow or the prospect. Shadow has been around us long enough to have earned his name but the other one has only been with us for about four months now. I’ve seen the new prospect’s background check, didn’t seem to be anything out of the ordinary there, he just hasn’t earned his name yet. As for Shadow, he earned his name for being able to sneak up on someone. He’s a sneaky bastard. When shit went down with Cleo, he came to Gadget and I and apologized for letting his guard down.
The sight of smoke looming over the neighborhood as we approach the house does more than fill me with dread— it kills me. I know it’s Connors’s house. The house we were gonna move into with her and Logan. The house we could’ve raised all three of our children in and any others we may have.
Parking on the side of the road, I get off the bike and run the rest of the way to the house. Fire trucks and police swarm the area, keeping people at bay.
“Sir, you need to back up,” a cop orders, getting in my face when I go to take a step forward.
“Not happening. That’s my woman’s house and our kid was in there,” I roar, pushing him out of my way, not giving a damn about the repercussions. I need to find my son.
40
Connors
Screaming out Logan’s name as I run toward the devouring sea of flames. Casey grabs ahold of me pulling me into him, before I can go under the tape that’s keeping people back.
My mind races and panic consumes me. Crying out, I would have dropped to my knees if Casey wasn’t right there holding me to him. My eyes take in everything that is going on. Firefighters work to put the flames out. Police keep the public back. When my eyes land on Dagen, I gasp. He’s suiting up in fireman gear.
“Don’t worry, baby, he knows what he’s doing and will refuse to listen if anyone tries to stop him,” Casey murmurs in my ear.
“Logan,” is all I manage to say.
“Yeah, mo chroí, that’s why he’s suiting up to help. He wants in there to find our son. Dragon got his name for more than his love of them. He thrives on this shit,” Casey discloses.
Focusing on Dagen as he finishes getting ready, talking to one of the firemen by the truck,
he turns toward us, nods his head, and takes off into the fire. Soon as he’s inside, two other firefighters come out carrying Shadow.
Fuck this shit. I dive under the tape with Casey right behind me.
“Miss, you need to back up,” a cop states sternly.
“Shut up. I’m a doctor and this is my fuckin’ house,” I yell at the man as I whip my head around.
Nodding, he goes back to what he’s doing, leaving Casey and I to head toward Shadow.
Getting close to the ambulance, one of the EMTs opens their mouth to protest us being so close, but the other one recognizes me from the hospital.
“Hey Shadow, how are you feeling?” I ask, going into doctor mode and blocking everything else out. I need to be sure he’s okay so I can find out about Logan.
“Doc, fuck, I’m sorry,” Shadow groans through the oxygen mask over his face. How he didn’t get burned in there is remarkable. Although he inhaled a lot of smoke and will need to go to the hospital for observation, he’s okay.
“Shadow, do you remember what happened?” I ask gently.
Nodding, he looks over my shoulder to Casey. “Hydro,” he grunts.
Paling, I step back into Casey, needing his touch. Nick has my son. Oh, fuckin’ hell. What did I ever do to deserve this? Better yet, what did Logan do? Nick will kill him.
Shit, I’m gonna puke. Holding my hand over my mouth, I jump out of the back of the ambulance and move to the side so that no one can see me as everything in my system comes back up.
“Baby?” Casey asks from behind me.
Turning to him, tears blur my vision. I can’t handle this. If I lose my son, I don’t know if I could live anymore. He’s my special little boy. Because of him, I was strong enough to pull the both of us out of a horrible life. I did it for him.
Casey draws me into his chest. “We’ll find him. I swear, we will,” he murmurs against the top of my head. I don’t say anything, trusting that he and Dagen will do everything they can to bring our son home. I say ‘our son’ because that’s what he is to Dagen and Casey. They will do what they have to do to bring Logan home. And so will I.
Turning my head, I focus on what used to be the house I made a home for my son. As I stare at the dancing flames, Dagen prowls toward us, his hands clenched at his sides. He has something in one of his hands, though. As he gets closer, I notice it’s the lion they bought for Logan at the Zoo.
Scanning over his body as Dagen stalks our way, I let out a relieved breath at seeing him unharmed. A new resolve hits me. If Dagen can walk through fire to look for our son, then I can do my part in bringing him home. Steeling my shoulders, I send a prayer to whoever may be listening. I’m going to trade myself for Logan. I know Dagen and Casey will protect him with their lives.
“You hold on to this until we get back, mo chroí,” Dagen growls, holding out the stuffed lion and drawing me out of my thoughts. “Don’t go thinking about doing something stupid, baby,” he goes on to say. Shooting my eyes to his, I find him staring at me with what I can only describe as feral eyes.
“What?” I ask dumbfounded.
“I can see it in your eyes,” he states, running a finger along my cheek.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I say, ashamed at how easily he and Casey can read my thoughts.
“Baby, we know because we know you. You’ll do anything to protect your family, even sacrifice yourself. Remember, it’s not just you doing it all anymore. Dragon and I will get our boy back while you take care of you and the babies. We don’t need you jeopardizing yourself or the twins,” Casey murmurs, placing his hand against my stomach.
Dagen does the same as he kisses my cheek. “Love you, mo chroí,” he whispers as he pulls back just enough to look in my eyes.
“Love you too, honey, both of you.” Reaching up, I place a hand against his cheek. “Now, go get our son,” I tell him.
“You got it, baby,” they say systematically.
“Let’s get to the clubhouse. The dipshit cop isn’t gonna let any of the brothers pass and I’m sure they’re all pissed,” Casey says more in a demand then suggestion.
41
Gadget
Pulling the car into the lot of the clubhouse surrounded by my brothers, I park the car. Connors has been silent the whole way here. I don’t blame her. I’m fuckin’ furious as hell that Hydro got to Logan. We shouldn’t have left him at the house without more protection. That’s what we get for assuming we’d have a few hours to give Connors a chance to pick out a few presents for our son.
The whole thing is fucked and on top of that, she’s lost everything. All the pictures she ever had of Logan are gone. I swear, when I get my hands on that motherfucker, I’ll slice his throat and pull his tongue through. He fucked with the wrong men.
Once we get into the building, the women surround Connors, shoving us out of the way.
“Church,” Twister bellows.
“Babe, we’ll be back,” I say unable to reach her through the women.
“Okay,” she says sadly.
Before going into the room where we hold church, I run to my computer room and grab a stack of papers I know I’ll need. Hydro thinks he’s a smart man, but fortunately for us, he’s not as smart as I am. I’m pretty sure I know where he went and if I’m correct, once I access my computer, I will be able to confirm it. I’d do it in here, but I don’t have time.
When I get into the room, everyone is seated and waiting for me. Placing the papers down, I sit in my chair and begin to work as my brothers ask what the hell happened. A key question that I hear has me lifting my head. Where’s the new prospect? I hadn’t seen him at the scene. Good thing I have a tracker implanted in his wallet. I’ve done it with all the members of the club, but only the brothers know about it. It’s just in case of an emergency. You can lose your phone, but you rarely lose your wallet.
“Shadow’s heading to the hospital under protest,” Dragon informs everyone.
“I don’t blame him. Fuckin’ hate that this shit is happening. Do we have any idea where they took your kid?” Twister asks, leaning forward, his brows furrowed. I get this is bothering him as much as me since he’s got a kid on the way. Hell, I’m sure it’s bothering every one of my brothers.
“I’m looking at the device on the prospect now. Seems I know exactly where he and Hydro both are,” I state as a matter of fact.
“Well, where are they?” Horse growls.
“Remember that old slaughterhouse Flame took Kenny to?” I ask, hating to bring up old memories for him.
“Yeah, should have burned the bitch to the ground,” he grumbles.
“That’s where they both are. Seems the little prospect might have been a plant. Good thing we didn’t give him anything serious to do. Now, I don’t know about you, but I’m going after my kid,” I declare as I stand. I’m not wasting another minute when Hydro has Logan.
Dragon keeps his silence. Words aren’t necessary for him right now. His body language says it all. He’s let the inner dragon out, the one who’s ready for blood. I’ve never had that feeling before now and now I get it.
Without looking toward Connors, I head to my back-up bike that, thankfully, I decided to get on a spur of the moment trip to the junkyard. Since I had driven Connors this morning in her car, I’d left my other one at the house and for all I know it’s charred from the fire.
Climbing on, I don’t bother checking behind me when I start her up and hit the throttle. We don’t have time for anything other than getting to the slaughterhouse. It’s almost like we’re on repeat, with Flame running through my head, walking into that room behind Horse to find Kenny hanging from a chain in the middle of the room. Now our son is in the same building. Fuck that shit. This time around, it won’t be left standing.
Dragon’s emotions run through me and for the first time in our lives, it feels like we’re completed. This was the one thing missing between us, a rage so all-consuming that it fused the rest of our bond together. It’s
a new feeling, almost like I can see into his mind. Weird as fuck, I know, but fuck if I want it to ever go away.
Pulling up to the slaughterhouse, I don’t give a damn if they hear us or not. In fact, I want them to know we’re coming for them. Let them think they have the upper hand when we walk in there. Fuck if they do, though.
By the time I climb off my bike, Dragon is doing the same with my brothers following right behind.
“Let’s do this smart, Gadget. Don’t go in guns blazing,” Twister speaks up as he makes his way toward Dragon and me.
“Wasn’t planning on going in guns blazing, Prez. He could have one on Logan. Not taking that chance,” I mutter, moving for the door. Slamming the door open, I walk in. “Hydro,” I roar out.
He doesn’t respond but I hear my son’s whimpers coming from somewhere in the silence of the building.
“Hydro, show yourself, you fuckin’ bastard.” Dragon’s voice echos off the walls like an explosion to the eardrum. I can feel him about to explode.
“D-d-a-g-on,” Logan’s voice calls out.
“Logan, where are you?” I yell out.
“I-I ‘on’t k-no-w.” His voice trembles as he tries his hardest to talk right.
“Okay, buddy, we’ll find you,” I say.
“Horse, Burner, and Thorn, I want you all to head back to the clubhouse. I know I told Izzy before leaving to go somewhere else and I’d call her when we were back, but I won’t take any chances, not after last time,” Twister states. Glad he thought of that since we all left the club unprotected.
“On it, I’ll call Kenny on the way,” Horse says, pulling his phone out as he heads for the door.
“Alright, let's split up and find your son. They may still be here and waitin’ for a chance to take us out,” Rage says.