Brass: Ruthless Bastards (RBMC Book 6)

by Chelsea Handcock

  “Yeah, we’re going to talk about that soon, brother,” Jinx said. “But now isn’t the time. I’m feeling like a game of chicken, I need to work off all that pent-up aggression that show you told Maddie about caused. I don’t know what it is about those fucking cartoons horses, but they freak me the hell out and piss me off at the same time. Why can’t kids these days watch things like Looney Tunes or He-Man? Or even fucking Disney shit would be better. I’m not even going to get into the voices they use for those things,” Jinx said shivering his body. “Makes me want to go out and hurt someone.”

  “Man,” Brass laughed, “I can see you being a Brony. Pink tights, unicorn horn on your head with glitter. I bet you have that shit stashed in your house somewhere.”

  “What the fuck is a Brony? And how in the hell do you even know about them? Forget it, I don’t even want to know. Come on, let's get the hell out of here before the asshole comes up with a fucking song or something,” Jinx grumbled. Brass and Creed watched as the three men got on their bikes and drove away.

  “You know, Jinx wasn’t wrong, you need to tone your shit down with Jada. She isn’t Suzie.”

  “Man, I don’t need your fucking Dr. Phil moment, Creed. My shit is just fine where it is. Jada needs a distraction right now. She doesn’t need to be in her head, thinking about what happened or what’s going to happen. If she’s pissed off at me and showing her temper, she’s focused on that.”

  “You might be right, but you’re being rough with her, brother, and I, for one, don’t like it. That chick saved your ass back there. Jinx and I weren’t in position to help. If she hadn’t taken those shots, we wouldn’t be talking right now.”

  “Mind yourself, Creed. I might have fucked up in that warehouse, once! I don’t need your ass questioning every move I make, got me? It isn’t the first time I’ve been in a situation where I needed to get my ass out of hot water, I would have found a way out of that mess, you and I both know that. If it meant a hole in my head, that’s the risk we all take. I’m not going to deny she helped my ass out, but I’m not going to give her kudos for it either. Have you asked yourself why a chick who works in a department store and comes from suburbia can shoot like a trained sniper? Because I have to say that shit is weighing on my mind, and I intend to find out. Now, if you’re done questioning my intentions and every fucking move I make, why don’t we get our new Princess loaded up and out of here. The faster we get home, the better I will feel about this shit.”

  Brass had been glossing over the truth some with his words, deliberately pushing Creed off track. But there was some truth to them too. Intentionally or unintentionally, he had been trying to distract Jada, and he still had more question. He intended to get the answers. What had shocked him was the offer of his place to hide them. He had bought it for Suzie, hoping it would make him more palatable for her, but now, he was offering it up to Jada. When he bought it, he hadn’t wanted the Brothers to know how much of a pussy he was for wanting the family with the white picket fence to come home to, so he kept it under his hat. When shit went south with Suzie, he kept it that way, not wanting the reminder. Damn, this was just another mistake. He needed to learn how to keep his damn mouth shut. It got him in more trouble than he needed. Just like that fucking kiss. Now, what was he going to do? He would be holed up with her for an undetermined amount of time with nothing but temptation and want pounding at his dick and head. Son of a Bitch.

  Chapter Ten

  The trip to Defiance was, thankfully, uneventful. Maddie slept on and off, and Creed played soft music on the radio. Brass was broodingly quiet, something she was coming to expect from the man. If Maddie was in the room, he was quiet, or his focus was totally on her. If Maddie was out of earshot, he was abrupt and abrasive, directing that at Jada. Creed was the one who surprised her. Jada’s first impressions of him had been wrong. He was quiet, choosing to observe the interactions going on around him, but when he talked about his Old Lady, Tessa, the man’s whole demeanor changed.

  She could see the love he had for her in his face. Jada hoped one day she would find that kind of love. Looking at Brass, she wondered if the lust she felt could turn into something more. If he could be that man. It had only been a couple of hours since they met, but she felt something for him, something deep. She didn’t know what that was, exactly—lust definitely, irritation totally—but every time he talked to or looked a Maddie, there was a little something more there.

  Having been so busy trying to keep a roof over her and Maddie’s heads and food on the table, Jada hadn’t taken much time to date. She also learned relying on a babysitter was a bad idea when Mazie could show up at any minute. So, she had basically been a nun for the last five years. Maybe that was the problem, maybe the adrenaline and fear of the past few weeks were making her think unrealistic things. Kind of like, Grab hold of life while you can because you never know what is going to happen tomorrow. If the situation was different, she wondered if she would find Brass so appealing; the answer to that question was yes. She had always been the type of woman to go for the bad boys. She liked the insta-lust, hold on to your panties or drop them ride, and Brass screamed those things in living color. Her body and mind responded to the man like no other.

  Jada laid her cheek against the cool glass and listened as Creed talked, needing a break from her thoughts of Brass. Creed had told her Tessa was Tuck's sister and couldn’t wait to meet Maddie. That scared her a little. Maddie had only ever had her; now, she had a huge extended family. Jada’s role in her life would get smaller and smaller, the more these people got involved. She just hoped Tuck was who they said he was, and that he would love Maddie and give her the life she deserved.

  Creed also let Jada know Tessa was a nurse and would be helping the doctor they had called for Maddie. There had been so many times in Maddie’s short life Jada had wished for someone to talk to about her disease. The doctors and nurses were always professional and to the point. Jada would find herself googling half the shit they had said to her, not knowing or being familiar with the medical jargon. She had prayed for a person who would just give it to her straight and on her level. She hoped Tessa was that person.

  “We’re almost there, first drive on the left,” Brass softly said to Creed.

  Jada looked out the window, and all she could see were trees. The road was winding and had its fair share of hills. She was surprised Creed was able to see anything at all. There wasn’t a single mailbox, but a short time later, he was turning. At first, Jada braced herself on the seat because looking out the windshield from where she was in the back seat, it looked like they were driving off a cliff.

  She couldn’t imagine making that turn on a motorcycle. The driveway—or rather two worn-out dirt trails because that’s all it amounted to—was long. She could have sworn they drove for at least a mile before they hit smooth pavement, lined with little lights. That’s when she saw the house or cabin. It was breathtaking. The light spilling out of the windows onto the covered porch emphasized the intricate stonework and rough texture of the hand-hewed logs. She had only seen a house like this in magazines or in her dreams. That house was everything she had ever wanted for herself and Maddie.

  Creed parked the car, and Brass got out, opening Maddie’s door a few moments later, picking her up and cradling the still sleeping child in his arms. Jada just watched, not able to look away from the sight of him with Maddie in his arms. When Jada didn’t move to open her own door or scoot over to use Maddie’s, Brass said, “Come on,” jerking his head to the side, indicating she should follow him into the house. Jada got out, and her body had stiffened during the car ride. She was starting to feel every bump, bruise, and scrape inflicted on her during the last few weeks. Walking slowly, she tried to stretch out her tight neck and shoulders.

  When she got to the steps, she instantly noticed the two large men on either side of the open door and stopped. Menacing and scowling at her, they were both an intimidating site. It wasn’t until a small, dark-haired wo
man with a warm, genuine smile on her face came through the door past them to Jada, she started to feel a little comfortable again.

  “Don’t mind them, Jada, Link and Whiskey look worse than they really are.”

  Jada was laughing just a little at the looks on the guys’ faces. The woman’s comments seemed to irritate them more, but she acted like everything was bubbly in the world. Jada heard Creed yell and turned.

  “Babe, don’t provoke the bears.”

  She watched as the woman who she now was pretty sure was Tessa screamed and ran right into Creed’s open arms. The two of them exchanged a few words Jada couldn’t hear, then Creed was planting a kiss on the woman’s mouth that even left Jada panting. She felt like she was invading a private moment, but she couldn’t look away. If she thought his face lightened and brightened talking about the woman, nothing compared to the glow of him seeing her and having her in his arms. It was beautiful.

  When they broke apart and spoke softly to each other, Jada could feel her own envy. She didn’t think she had ever witnessed two people so much in love. The couple came back to where she was standing.

  “Hi, Jada,” the woman said, putting her hand out. “Sorry about that, we haven’t seen each other in a while.” The pink blush on her face was cute, and Jada held out her hand as well, waiting for an introduction. The woman knew who she was, and Jada really hoped this lady was Tessa.

  “Sorry, my name is Tessa, the aunt from the other side,” she said, laughing out loud.

  “Nice to meet you, Tessa. Creed has been so nice, and I appreciate all you guys are doing for me and Maddie. But can I ask you one favor before we go inside?”

  “Sure,” Tessa said questioningly.

  “Jinx filled me in a little on what’s going on with your brother. I don’t want to seem rude or ungracious, but I would like it if you didn’t mention him in front of Maddie, just yet.” Jada hurried to explain when Tessa looked at her, perplexed. “Maddie knows her dad's name, I never kept that from her, but she doesn’t know him or that you guys are related. I don’t want to get her hopes up if… Shit, I’m sorry, I don’t know how to say any of this. I’ve had Maddie with me since she was a baby. My sister was a real piece of work and did a number on her. I don’t know any of you, and I have to keep Maddie’s best interests in this. If something bad has happened to your brother or if he turns out to not want her in his life, I would just rather she not even know about him, can you understand that?”

  “Better than you will ever know,” Tessa nodded. “My lips are sealed, but Jada, this Club belongs to Tuck, someone is bound to slip up and let the cat out of the bag. I think you should maybe start thinking about that and how you want to handle it, sooner rather than later. I know for my part, I will honor your wishes, but I want the chance to know my niece, for her to know me. Is that okay with you?”

  “More than okay, and thank you,” Jada said.

  “Good.” Tessa let go of Creed and linked her arm with Jada. “Now that we have all that settled, tell me what we are looking at with Maddie’s medical condition.” As they walked into the house, Jada briefly described what Maddie had been through in her short life, that at three months she was diagnosed with failure to thrive. A year later, she had been diagnosed with HIDS disease. She told Tessa about the symptoms and flare-ups—Maddie would have a raging fever, nausea, pain, and headaches often—and they had only found one medication that worked for her.

  Jada hadn’t realized they had made it into the house, she was so engrossed in her conversation with Tessa, but when she looked up and saw it, she was stunned. If she thought the outside was beautiful, the inside was a masterpiece. She could literally smell the wood from the walls and the leather from the furniture. Brass was holding Maddie, talking with an older man Jada assumed was the doctor.

  They hadn’t wanted the doctor pulling up Maddie’s records in case someone was watching, but someone named Talon was able to get untraceable copies. The bigger problem was the medication itself; it wasn’t widely used and could be traced because of FDA laws. The doctor was going to use a friend of a friend to get it sent to him, but it would take at least another day. Jada didn’t like it, but she had no choice but to accept it. The doctor, with Tessa’s help, checked Maddie out and gave her a good report.

  Jada, on the other hand, had a few infected cuts, bruised or cracked ribs, and the doctor wanted her to get an x-ray on her shoulder which Jada refused. She tried to refuse the pain relievers and anti-inflammatories too, but Brass stepped in and took the bottle, saying he would make sure she took them. Jada would see about that.

  Tessa and Creed stayed around for a while, talking with Maddie, Tessa showing Jada what she had picked up for them. Seeing a package of plain white cotton underwear almost made her start crying like a baby. The other clothes were simple and nice too. She couldn’t wait to get in an actual shower or bathtub, then just sleep for a couple of days. Brass ushered everyone out, except the two men at the door. He explained someone would be posted there for the foreseeable future, and she just needed to get used to it.

  Brass surprised her again by making a small meal for them, nothing special just warmed up soup and sandwiches but Jada gobbled it up like it was the best cut of steak. When she finally looked up from her plate and bowl, Brass was looking at her strangely.

  “When is the last time you ate anything?”

  “It’s not a big deal,” Jada said, not wanting to get into it. “I’m full now, and that’s all that counts.”

  “It is a big deal. When was it?” Brass demanded.

  Jada didn’t get the chance to answer because Maddie answered for her.

  “She wouldn’t let me share my snacks with her, and those bad guys didn’t give us any food.”

  “I see,” Brass said between gritted teeth. “Do you want any more? I can heat up another can or make you another sandwich?”

  “I’m fine, I just...”

  “What, Jada? Just ask.”

  “Would it be okay if we took a shower or bath,” Jada said pulling her t-shirt away from her body. “I’m kind of ripe, and I would really like to put on something clean and get some rest.”

  “Not a problem. Let me show you guys where you’ll be staying.” Brass led Jada through the house while holding Maddie. All Maddie had to do was put her arms up, and he was right there ready, willing, and able to take her wherever she wanted to go. It was sweet. Jada grabbed the bag of clothes Tessa had shown her earlier and followed them.

  The house was one-story, and Brass showed them to a hallway that had two bedrooms, one with an attached bathroom and the smaller room with a bathroom down the hall. He explained his room was on the other side of the house, but he had state-of-the-art security, and they were safe there. But just to be sure, he would be sleeping on the couch in the living room, just in case either of them needed anything.

  “Why don’t you get her taken care of first. I’ll wait out here for you and take her when you're done, then you can take your own shower or bath. Sound good?”

  It not only sounded good, it sounded like heaven to Jada. She couldn’t get words past the knot in her throat, so she just nodded, hoping he would get that she was grateful. It didn’t take long to get Maddie cleaned up.

  “Aunt Jay?” Maddie said when she was drying her off with a big fluffy towel.

  “Yeah, baby girl, what is it?”

  “Um, I like it here with Uncle Brass. Do you think we can stay for a while? I want to play with Aunt Tessa and Uncle Creed more, and I want Uncle Jinx to take me on another bike ride and…”

  “I get it,” Jada laughed. “I think we’ll be here for a while honey, but I can’t tell you how long. We still have our apartment, and what about all your friends back home?”

  “I don’t want to go back there, Aunt Jay.” A part of Jada didn’t want to go back to St. Louis either, but she had no idea what was going to happen next. Everything was still up in the air.

  “How about we just go day by day and see what happens
? It will be like our own little vacation, how does that sound?”

  “I like that idea, Aunt Jay,” Maddie said softly.

  Once Maddie was dressed in a pretty little nightgown and fuzzy slippers, Jada opened the door and as promised, Brass was standing there, waiting for them. Maddie once again held her arms up, and he took her, saying they would be out in the family room, watching cartoons and to take as much time as she needed. Jada took him up on that offer, decided she was just too tired for a bath, going for a nice hot shower. It took all of three seconds before she completely broke, crying her heart out for what had happened to them, for what she had done and what she would do again. She cried so long and so hard, she didn’t remember Brass helping her out of the shower, dressing her wounds and helping her with her clothes. He even put her to bed.

  Chapter Eleven

  Brass hadn’t exactly done what he said he was going to. After Jada handed Maddie to him, he went out into the family room and got her settled quickly. Going to the front door, Brass called Whiskey in.

  “I need you to watch Maddie for a little while.”

  “Dude, you can’t be seriously thinking of going out right now. We just got this place locked down.”

  “I’m not, asshole. Jada is about to break, and I want to make sure Maddie doesn’t see or hear it.”

  Link poked his head in and said, “Come out here after you get the kid settled, we need to talk.”

  It was the last thing Brass wanted to do right now, but it needed to be done. Link wasn’t the kind of man you kept waiting. Brass introduced Whiskey and Maddie, turning on the television and putting it on some cartoon movie, handing Whiskey the remote.

  “Baby girl, I need to go talk to my friend. Are you going to be okay here with Whisk?” Maddie nodded but didn’t say anything. He knew she was scared and didn’t want him to leave her, but sometimes, you had to make a choice. Right now, talking with Link needed to be the priority. He wondered how real parents did it. Maddie could look at him with those soft puppy dog eyes, and he would give her anything she wanted even risk the ass kicking he would get if he ignored the man standing outside.