by Chiah Wilder
After a long while, wavering headlights made him squint as the two trucks came toward him. Then several brothers jumped out and made their way to Axe and the other SUV. A few brothers stayed in the pickups with the prospects, lifting their chin to Axe as they drove away.
“You driving?” Hawk asked, opening the driver door.
“I can. You wanna take her?” Axe replied. Hawk nodded and Axe started to hand her over when she woke up screaming.
“I don’t want to. Stop it.” Tears rolled down her face as she tried to tear off the blindfold.
“Charity, it’s me. I’m not gonna hurt you. Calm down. We’re almost done with the game. Remember?”
“You’re not Uncle Beau?”
“No.”
“I wanna stay with you.” Her voice broke.
“Take her in the back and take off her blindfold. She’s freakin’ out,” Hawk said.
“She’s gonna see us,” Throttle said as he settled in the front seat.
“It’s dark. It’ll be fine,” Axe replied, slipping in the back seat. “Everything go good?”
Hawk glanced behind his shoulder. “Yeah.”
They rode back in silence, and Axe turned his body so that Charity could look out the window and not at the brothers. No one dared say a word about what had happened at the farmhouse. The less the child knew, the better it would be for her and for them.
By the time they arrived at the clubhouse, the girl had fallen asleep again against Axe. He covered her head with the blanket and went into the clubhouse.
“Take her to my room,” Hawk said, handing him the key. “We gotta figure out what we’re gonna do with her. Have Kristy stay with her.”
The rest of the brothers came in, and Rusty and Skinless pulled the trucks around back to unload the marijuana plants and the guns. The other prospect, Hog, had drinks lined up and ready for the brothers when they were ready for them.
Axe climbed the stairs to the third floor and opened the door. Illuminated by moonlight, he gently placed her on the bed and covered her with the blanket then slipped out to find Kristy. Once Kristy was in place, he went down to join the others in the great room.
Banger motioned him over. “A goddamn mess with the kid. Did she see or hear anything?”
“Not really. She seems pretty tired. I’m damn surprised she slept through the noise. Sorry I missed it.”
“The only bastard we didn’t get was Reggie. We checked everywhere and the asshole wasn’t around. If he takes up where his dad left off, we’ll get him.” Banger grabbed the beer on the bar.
“I thought the pussy was the one who cut off Sketcher’s balls.”
“That’s what Randy said before we put a bullet through him, but we don’t know for sure. Let’s see what he does. The fucker still needs a beatdown and he’s gonna get it for sure. Is the kid his?”
“Not sure. She didn’t say too much about her parents. Seems like the fucker Beau was messin’ with her from some of the stuff she said, and grandpa didn’t seem to give a damn.” Axe shook his head.
Banger jerked his head back. “What a bunch of sick perverts. Well, the little one doesn’t have to worry about that shit anymore. Glad we took them out. They deserved it.”
Axe bobbed his head as he brought his shot to his lips.
“We gotta take her back to her parents. Find out who they are so we can bring her back before morning. We’re gonna have enough shit to deal with when the fuckin’ badges start snooping around. A kidnapped child will take all this to a new level.”
Jerry came over and sat down on the barstool. “We took the money and drugs, so it’ll look like a robbery. They’ll probably think it was Los Asesinos. We did find out Chad was cheating them. They had a whole stash of cash and drugs in a safe he’d put behind a false wall. We made it look like it was a hit.”
“That’s why we gotta bring the girl back to her parents right away,” Axe said. “I’ll go up and see what I can get out of her.”
A few hours later, Kristy, decked in a wig, glasses, and heavy makeup, rang the doorbell of Paige and Eddie Bridgewater. It turned out that Chad was Eddie Bridgewater’s grandfather and Charity’s great-grandfather. Kristy told them she’d found Charity wondering in the streets. She rushed away as the two confused parents hugged their daughter. It seemed that the news about Chad’s death hadn’t reached them yet. It’d probably take a few days before the badges received a call. By then, Kristy would be back at the clubhouse—her safe haven.
Axe dropped her off and drove home. It’d been a night of mixed emotions for him. Holding and comforting Charity had sparked something inside him he couldn’t explain. He didn’t know the child, but he’d been concerned for her safety and the way she felt. He hadn’t wanted her to be afraid of him. And when she’d said she didn’t want Beau around her, anger had flared up inside him and he’d wished he could’ve beaten the shit out of the man before Banger had put a bullet into his skull.
Axe went quietly into the bedroom and slipped out of his clothes. Slipping between the sheets, he smiled when Baylee mumbled something in her sleep. He scooted close to her and rested his hand on her belly. She’s got our kid growing inside her. For the first time since she’d told him the news, a thread of happiness unfurled inside him. He actually wanted this baby, and that thought blew him away. And something deep inside him assured him he’d be nothing like is mom or dad; he’d love his child no matter what.
“What time is it?” Baylee’s sleepy voice startled him.
“Almost four.”
“You’re back real late. Is everything okay?” She turned around and faced him.
“Yeah. Everything’s good.” He dipped his head down and kissed her tenderly. “I love you, baby.”
A smile flicked across her lips, and she brought her hand to his cheeks and stroked it. “I love you too.”
Rubbing her stomach, he kissed her again. “I’m happy about the baby,” he muttered against her lips.
“You are? Really?”
“Really, babe.”
Hugging him, she kissed his throat. “I’ve waited to hear you say that. Even though we didn’t plan it, this baby is a wonderful gift.”
“Yeah. You gotta hurry with the house plans. I want the best for our son.”
“Or daughter.” She chuckled. “I’m almost done with the plans, but we can wait until the spring to start building. The baby won’t come until July.”
He squeezed her and pressed her closer. Fuck. I’m gonna be a dad. Life can be so damn unexpected. He hadn’t expected to fall in love with Baylee and now he couldn’t imagine his life without her in it. He hadn’t planned on being a father, but now he was going to be one.
Yeah… sometimes life can be pretty fuckin’ awesome.
Holding her close, he shut his eyes and let sleep take him away.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Garret
I hate needing a fix so badly that I’m breaking into Brighter Lives to steal shit. Garret cut the glass easily, slipped his hand inside, and unlocked the window. He hoisted himself up and climbed through. Moving the flashlight around, he made his way down the stairs to the basement. He was supposed to steal the toys, but when he saw the sheer volume of them, he figured it’d take him hours to drag them upstairs and load them into his van.
“Why the fuck didn’t he come and help? He’s the one who has the problem with Christmas.” His heartbeat raced as sweat coated his body. He needed a fix real bad, and he couldn’t wait anymore. The money promised to him after he stole the toys was just a few miles away.
Licking his lips, he paced the length of the room. Stopping, he rammed his hands into his pockets, digging for any loose change or bills. Nothing. He was dead broke. Mostly every dollar he earned or panhandled went to support his meth habit. Two days before, he’d gone to Bridgewater’s farm to buy a few bags, but the whole damn place had been destroyed, and there was yellow tape and cops swarming the grounds. He’d high tailed it out of there. He didn’t need any troub
le with the cops.
He kept pacing, thoughts whirling through his mind. The memory of seeing the lawyer at Brighter Lives the week before made his head throb. She’d called out his name a few times, but he’d pretended he hadn’t heard and got the hell out of there as fast as he could. He’d been shocked to see her. And driving to Durango and Pueblo to sell the shit he gave to him made him sweat even more.
Garret had become a slave to a demented person who enjoyed watching children cry. The madman had taken a good holiday and twisted it into something evil and painful. Even though Garret hadn’t been home for Christmas in a few years, his mom and sisters always sent him gifts, and he always called them to wish them a Merry Christmas. The bastard’s sick as hell, but he pays well. So, Garret pawned items in neighboring town and cities, got rid of what wouldn’t sell, and found himself in the basement of Brighter Lives contemplating on what to do with all the toys. If he didn’t destroy them, the man wouldn’t pay him and he needed a fix so badly he could taste it.
Abruptly, he stopped. He took out his lighter and went over to a pile of dolls in shiny boxes. Ripping them open, he threw the cardboard on the floor. He lit the dolls’ dresses and then the cardboard boxes and smiled when they caught fire. He systematically did that with all of the toys and boxes. As the fire caught, he rushed around the basement looking for paper, gathering it in his arms and throwing it on the fire. Soon the smoke began to grow thick and he rushed up the stairs and climbed out. As he pulled away from the building, the alarms screamed. In his rearview mirror, he saw the golden glow from the basement windows, and he turned into a dark alley when he heard the wail of fire truck sirens in the distance.
Garret drove slowly down the alley, not wanting to draw any attention to him. Driving farther and farther away from the sirens, he made his way to their meeting point. He’d get the money first then tell the man how he’d ruined Christmas for the needy boys and girls. After that, he’d call Reggie and see if he had some meth he could buy. He couldn’t wait until he was back in his room, the rush of crystal surging through his body. There was nothing like it.
And the man knew it.
It was how he controlled him.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Cara
“I can’t believe someone would set fire to Brighter Lives. What’s wrong with people?” Lindi asked.
“The good thing is it was after hours and no one got hurt,” Joseph said.
Cara went around her dining room table pouring coffee in the board’s mugs. Joseph had called an emergency meeting, and Cara offered to host it at her house since the building had been closed down by the fire department.
“It looked like whoever did it was targeting the toys. The fire chief said that’s where it started. It’s appalling.” Torey stirred sugar into her mug.
Evan shook his head. “With the benefit only a day away, it’s going to be a sad affair for the children we invited to come. We don’t have any toys to give out, and we don’t have the budget to replace them. It took us weeks to get what we had.”
“No worries. I spoke to Banger and he and the other guys are madder than hornets. He said that they’re going to take care of it,” Belle said.
“What does that mean?” Joseph asked.
“It means there will be toys for all the kids we invited to the event and plenty more for the others next week,” Addie replied.
“How is that possible?” Lindi asked.
Cara laughed. “Don’t ask how. Just know that if the Insurgents say it’ll happen, it will.”
“What a relief,” Torey said. “Since we have that solved, I’ll grab myself a sweet roll. When I came over, my stomach was in knots. Knowing that the kids will have their toys makes me very happy. Tell the men thank you so very much.”
“Yes, tell them we are very grateful and appreciative,” Joseph added.
“We’ll let them know. They’ve been doing this for many years, and there was no way in hell they were going to let someone ruin it for the kids,” Belle said.
“I hope they catch whoever did this. It’s despicable,” Addie replied. The others nodded in agreement.
“Since we have that settled, let’s just go over the mechanics of Saturday night, and then we’ll let you ladies get on with your day,” Evan said, pulling out a folder from his briefcase.
The next hour they reviewed everything connected to the event. Cara’s mind kept wandering back to the arson. In her gut, she knew it was the crazy person who was destroying Christmas decorations in people’s houses. What better way to ruin the holiday than to destroy the toys for the children. It has to be Garret. I saw him at Brighter Lives the week before.
“Are you zoning out on us, Cara?” Joseph asked. A smile tugged at his lips.
“I was. Sorry. I was just thinking about the fire. I can’t help but think that guy, Garret, is involved in it. I know you told me he doesn’t work for Brighter Lives, Lindi, but what was he doing in the building when I saw him?”
“Maybe he’s after you. Have you seen him since?” Evan asked.
Cara shook her head. “No.”
“Or he could’ve been there applying for a job.” Joseph turned to Lindi. “Did you check out the applications?”
“No. I just checked out our employee roster. I can go through the applications if you want me to.”
“It wouldn’t hurt,” Torey added.
Joseph stood up. “I have to meet with the board of directors about what happened last night. I’ll see you all on Saturday.” The other employees of Brighter Lives rose to their feet and said their goodbyes as they followed Joseph out of the house.
Belle and Addie helped Cara clean up before they left, and after they’d gone, Cara went to the computer and plugged in everything she knew about Garret. Nothing came up. Frustrated, she rubbed the back of her neck and picked up a file she’d been working on for a preliminary hearing the following week.
When she heard the patter of running footfalls, she smiled right when Braxton ran into the study. “Mommy!” He rushed up to her and she settled him on her lap.
“Did you have a good day at school?” she asked.
“Ya. We made Christmas stuff. I made something for you and Daddy but you can’t see it until Christmas.”
“How sweet you are.” She kissed his cold cheek. “You’re frozen. Let’s go in the kitchen. I’ll make you some cocoa. Where’s Nana?”
“She’s still taking Isa out of her car seat. I’m big so I’m faster.”
She went into the kitchen and saw her mother and Isa coming in from the mudroom. “Mommy!” Isa toddled over to her and she picked her up, kissing her soft cheeks.
“Hi, Mom. Thanks for picking up the kids. I’m making hot chocolate. Do you want some?”
“I’ll have a cup. It’s so cold outside. Do you have anything sweet?”
“Do I. There’s a ton of sweet rolls and cookies that the ladies brought for the meeting. Help yourself. They’re in the cupboard next to the stove.”
“That’s awful about the toys being burned. What’re you going to do for Saturday?” Her mother took out a tin of Christmas cookies and placed one on a plate and handed it to Braxton.
“Thanks, Nana.” His eyes sparkled and Cara and her mother laughed.
“Hawk and his brothers are taking care of it. They’ll buy all the toys. I’m sure there are several Insurgents and a few old ladies buying out some of the stores in Denver.”
“How can you stand being called an ‘old lady’? I’d die if your father said that to me.” Cathy shook her head and placed another cookie on Braxton’s plate.
Ignoring her mother’s comment, Cara mashed a banana in a bowl and placed Isa on her lap. “Can you watch the cocoa on the stove, Mom? Anyway, I think it’s great that the Insurgents are making sure the needy kids have a great time on Saturday.”
Before her mother could answer, the back door slammed shut and the thud of heavy steps had Braxton sliding out of his chair and rushing toward the mudroom.
“Hey, babe,” he said in a gravelly voice; his eyes smoldering with intensity.
“Hey,” she said softly as Isa grabbed her hand for more fruit.
Her mother standing up broke the lusty haze between them. “I better get going,” she said.
“Hiya, Cathy. Don’t leave on my account.” He went over and kissed Isa then Cara. “I missed you, babe,” he whispered, his hot breath fanning over her face. Setting Braxton down, he walked out of the kitchen.
“Where’re you going, Daddy?” Braxton asked. “We’re having cocoa.”
“I got some work to do, little buddy. Save me some.”
Cathy sat back down. “I guess I can stay for one cup.”
“I wish you’d be nicer to Hawk, Mom. He’s a great father and guy. It isn’t fair that you always act like he has the plague when you see him,” Cara said under her breath, not wanting Braxton to hear.
“He just makes me nervous. I don’t know why, but he does. Anyway, we have absolutely nothing in common.” Cathy came over and poured the hot chocolate in two mugs and Braxton’s plastic cup.
“You have me, Braxton, and Isa in common,” she replied as she reached for Braxton’s cup. “Grab me an ice cube from the small ice tray. It’s too hot for him.”
Her mother placed a small cube inside the mug and sat down. Changing the subject, she talked about her upcoming trip to Europe with two of her friends. They talked until raspberry red and blackberry violet embraced the edge of the clouds as a brilliant white patch slipped behind the mountain peaks. Cathy glanced out the window then at the clock. “It’s later than I thought. I better get home and start dinner.” She stood up.