by M. T. Ossler
We make our way through the hospital in silence. My panic rises as we walk out the doors and I see two black sedans with blacked out windows not far from our SUV and the guy’s bikes. The motors are running, and I don’t see anyone outside of them or anywhere around. I feel eyes on me, and my gut is telling me it’s him. Daddy and Val always taught me to trust my gut, and I do.
I start to shake and rush, pulling Aunt Cindy and Jules towards the SUV. No, please, let me be wrong, I have to be wrong. I can feel it in my gut it's exactly what I think, though.
It’s that slimy bastard and his lazy goons, it has to be. What has that bastard done now? What is he up to, nothing good that’s for damn sure? He’s got to be here for me, I know it. He must be here to get Jules, Gigi and me himself.
Sweet Jesus, Joseph, and Mary, please protect us. Oh dear God, don’t let him hurt me again or my babies. Please watch over and protect us.
“Bella, unlock the cage, get in the driver seat and start it up. Everyone get in and lock up. I’m going to stay out here and wait for my brothers. If anything happens, or I give you a signal, Bella, you book it to the Clubhouse and mom you call Gator. Can you do that for me, sweetie, if not, let mom get in the driver’s seat and drive,” Blaze says sternly, but with compassion. All I can do is shake and nod my head yes.
I can do this. I need to be in control. I have to be strong for my babies and keep them safe. I need to get back to Gigi and make sure she’s safe behind the locked gates at the Clubhouse.
We all do as we are ordered and hurry into the SUV. Blaze shuts my door for me, waits while I lock the doors, and start it up before he moves to the front of the SUV. He scans the area and pulls out his phone.
My heart is hammering so fast in my chest, and my anxiety is climbing up, I can feel it. Aunt Cindy takes my hand in her’s to reassure me and talk me through this, so I don’t panic. I don’t hear a word she’s saying, but her tone is almost like a soft lullaby. I stare at the hospital front doors the whole time she speaks, waiting and watching to see Gio’s reassuring face come through them.
Chapter 18
Beast
I just got the best and most shocking news of my life. Seeing our babies on that TV screen scared the shit out of me, at first. I’m going to be a daddy to not one, but two babies. Seeing our babies on that screen made this all so real for me. They looked like little aliens on the digital screen, moving all around in that small bubble they are inside of. Two little aliens, two little babies, instead of one, this means twice the love and twice the fun. We can do this, and it’s going to be a wonderful experience, I’m ecstatic for this chance.
We’re having twins. I can’t wait to shout it from the rooftops, and to the whole Club. Of course, after we tell Gigi first.
I can’t wait to see Bella’s belly grow with our babies, she is going to look more stunning than she already does. Most of all, I can’t wait to be able to hold our babies in my arms. Two babies, wow. Okay, I may still be in a bit of shock.
Doc is classifying Bella as high risk, because of the high blood pressure and carrying our twins. I have a ton of paperwork to read through and the pictures of our babies in the inside pocket of my kutte. I will also be ordering books to read so I can help her through her whole pregnancy, smoothly. I see a lot of reading about everything baby in our future, and I’m looking forward to all of it.
After telling our family, I feel like my heart is going to burst out of my chest with the pure happiness and contentment I’m feeling. That is until Ace receives a call from Gator, he gives Bella a blank stare, but I feel her tense up in my arms. She knows is something going on, especially when Ace sends Blaze out with them and wants to speak to me alone.
I kiss Bella and try to assure her things are all right, and I’ll see her in a couple of minutes. She leaves, and I make my way to the front desk to pay for her visit and make another appointment before leaving.
We both ignore all the googly eyes and the flirty comments from the women on office staff. I rush them through the process, telling them straight up to hurry so I can get back to my pregnant wife.
Five minutes later Ace and I are in the elevator heading down after that little debacle.
“What’s going on, brother?” I ask not able to wait for the doors to fully close. He gives me a look like he’s in pain and my heart begins to hurt. Fuck, I can feel it in my gut, whatever it is I’m not going to like it one iota.
“Antonio, the devil himself, was spotted in town. He’s here to get the girls himself. He was bragging to Markus at his bar last night, saying he’s here to collect his three bitches and a gay dude that has been causing him trouble. He said he owns their asses and they slipped away from him,” he growls. “Gator ordered a mandatory lockdown for everyone again. He called Maddox and ordered him and his men to our Clubhouse for extra protection for the girls and Cesare. They’re on their way to stay with us now. Throttle also found out...” He doesn’t finish because his phone rings again. He puts his hand up for me to hold on.
“Brother,” he says, and then he’s quiet for a few heartbeats.
Markus is a friend of the Clubs, he owns the bar in town we sometimes frequent - Markus’ named after himself. He’s a good man and thankfully on our side.
That bastard is not getting his hands on my girls, not while I’m alive. He had better be planning to take me and my brothers out first if he wants them, but that will never happen. I will get him before he has the chance and put him to ground soon enough. He’s on my home turf where we wanted him, and we have a chance to finally end this shit once and for all.
In the middle of my thoughts, Ace’s voice breaks through, and I can hear the uneasiness in his tone.
“We’re exiting the elevator now. Hold tight, brother,” Ace says as the elevator doors start to open and he hangs up the phone.
“Run! Cage! Now!” he yells the order, and I don’t ask questions. I hightail it out of the hospital, sidestepping people on my way to my cage, and to my Bella. The whole time I’m thinking something happened to her.
I exit the doors and head straight to her. I see Blaze by the hood of the cage scanning the area. I backed into the parking spot, but none of the girls or mom is with him. As I get closer I see Bella in the driver’s seat, mom in the passenger seat and I hear the cage running. Jules and Sam are in the back seat. Now, what the fuck happened that he had to call us?
I bypass Blaze, heading straight for the driver’s door, to my girl. Ace does the same and runs straight to the back passenger door on the other side to Jules. When I pass the front door, by the back passenger door, Bella throws it open. I immediately grab her, wrapping her in my arms.
“Are you okay? What’s going on?” I ask in a rush. She is quivering in my arms, and I can feel her fear. She whispers into my chest, the one word that makes me mad as all hell and causes my blood to boil. “Anton.”
Blaze comes up to us at that moment, on the other side of the door, to tell me what’s going on. “There are two blacked out sedans with the engines running, five spots north of us. I had the girls lock themselves in the cage until you came out. I gave Bella strict instructions to head straight to the Clubhouse if anything happened. I called Gator before I called Ace. He was already in touch with Maddox to come stay at the Clubhouse to help. Since he’s on the way, Gator redirected him here. He and his men should be here in less than ten minutes to accompany us home,” Blaze whispers to me, and I hold Bella tighter to my chest.
Maddox’s Club is east of the hospital we are at in Deland. The hospital is actually in the middle of both of our Clubs.
“Gio, you have to keep us all safe, at any cost. You have to kill that sonofabitch soon, just like daddy said. Don’t let him hurt our babies, or me, please. Please, don’t let him touch me again,” she weeps venomously in a mere whisper, shaking like a leaf in my arms with fear.
“Baby, Anton is in town,” I confirm. “I promise you, I won’t let him touch you ever again. He’s
not going to get his hands on the girls or hurt our babies, either. Maddox and his men are on their way here to escort us back to the Clubhouse and stay for a while. Then they’re going to help me and the guys finish this shit for good.”
I look back at Ace, and he’s holding Jules as close to him as I am Bella. We stay where we are for another five minutes, then we hear the roar of 10 motorcycles coming our way. I see Maddox leading the pack with Bull, his enforcer, beside him coming straight to us.
They give us a wave, and the guys mount their bikes, and we move out.
Mom hops in the back seat with Sam and Jules, Bella slides over into the passenger seat. Ace is making Jules stay in the cage where it’s safer, in case those asshats try knocking him off his bike like they tried not too long ago with Romeo and Cotton. I also suspect he’s keeping her in the cage, so they don’t see her.
I get into the driver’s seat, and we all head back to the Clubhouse with our companions. The two sedans follow us out of the hospital parking lot. I don’t like them knowing where our Clubhouse is located, but it’s unavoidable at this point, unfortunately.
My main concern is getting my pregnant wife home safely, she is clenching onto my hand digging her nails into my skin cause she’s that terrified. I need her behind the locked gates of the compound with all my brothers, and her brothers around for protection.
Halfway back to the Clubhouse, I notice the sedans splitting off from us and I finally feel like I can breathe. I dodged that bullet, for now at least they won’t know where we are hiding the girls.
We make it back to the Clubhouse, and all the guys are waiting in the bar when we enter. I look straight at Val and shake my head no, so he doesn’t open his big fuckin’ mouth just yet. This is not the time or the place to have this discussion.
He pushes Bella out of the way, and into mom’s arms before physically attacking me. He takes me by surprise, getting a good right hook in on me, hitting the lower left side of my jaw. I recover fast and go after him, throwing a right, left, right again at his face and abdomen before he gets the drop on me again. We both end up on the floor rolling around, throwing fists after fist at one another.
All I can hear are Bella’s ear-piercing screams for us to stop fighting. She’s also yelling at Romeo, Lorenzo, Ace, and Blaze to break us up.
She’s trying her best to remove herself from mom’s arms without force, but mom has a tight hold on her. My girl is a fighter and would have no problem getting out of mom’s grasp, but she won’t hurt her. Maddox ends up having to take Bella from mom, to restrain her, so she doesn’t hurt herself.
We get a few more punches in before Ace and Blaze yank me off him, and Romeo and Lorenzo haul Val back, breaking us apart. Ace and Blaze are each holding one of my arms behind my back.
“They were supposed to be safe here, asshole. She was supposed to be safe with you. How could you let this happen to my sisters and Jules?” he screams at me. I feel Bella’s tiny hand on my lower back, under my kutte.
Shit, fuck, asshole, he couldn’t wait five minutes to tear into me until I had her ass settled in our apartment.
I guess Gator filled him in on Antonio’s plan for the girls when we left. I don’t want Bella or Gigi to know any of this shit. I need to get him to shut the fuck up.
“Fuck you, man, you couldn’t wait till I had Bella’s ass settled before you attacked me, could you. I warned you about her health, and you don’t fuckin’ care, do you, asshole,” I yell at him pissed the fuck off now.
“Bella can’t get too stressed out, she’s high risk with her pregnancy, and if she gets too stressed out, she will end up in the hospital. If that happens, it’s easier for him to get her there. I won’t let that bastard touch her again or our babies or Gigi. Now, calm the fuck down and lemme get her ass settled. Then we can go out back and duke this shit out, all the fuck you want, or we can sit down and figure this shit out together like goddamn adults!” I scream in his face losing the last shred of my patience.
Val needs to calm his ass down when Bella’s around, or I won’t let him be near her. So do I at this point, me getting upset like this is not helping her either.
I can’t deal with him on top of all this other crap. I’m at my wits end here, and I feel like I can’t breathe as it is. My first priority is Bella, Gigi, and my babies.
Gigi comes rushing over next to Val grabbing his arm from Lorenzo’s hold, with Dusty at her side.
“Did you just say my sister is pregnant with babies, not a baby?” Bash asks, pushing Val back and standing in front of me, blocking my view of Val.
Ace and Blaze release their hold on me finally.
I never wanted to announce our biggest news to everyone this way. Bella and I planned to talk to Gigi and her brothers separately before telling the Club.
The room is full of my brothers, her brothers, Lorenzo, the girls, Cesare, Maddox, and nine of his men, even the club whores have come out of their hole for this shit show. I take Bella from Maddox and settle her under my arm, and she wraps her arms around my waist. Before I speak, I take a couple of deep breaths to calm my ass down. Then I announce our big news to the entire bar.
“Bella is pregnant with twins and due the beginning of April. Her pregnancy is classified as high risk because of the twins and the high blood pressure. We’re very excited, and my main priority right now is to keep her safe and healthy. So please, don’t stress her out for any reason or I will be forced to keep her away from you,” I growl the last part directing my statement to Val. They all ignore it and erupt in cheer and congratulations.
Bella is so happy she’s smiling from ear to ear as she thanks everyone. Gigi comes up to Bella hugging her, and then me before hanging on to Bella again. I take both my girls in my arms.
“Apparently, our man Beast here has some kind of super sperm or something,” Blaze announces to the room, trying to break up some of the tension with Val. Laughter fills my ears from everyone except Val. He’s standing frozen with a stone-face, but his eyes say he’s mad as all hell.
I shake all my brothers’ hands, Lorenzo, Bash, and Romeo. I do a one-armed hug with them since I won’t let go of Bella and Gigi.
Once the room quiets down, Bella and I stare at Val. You could cut the tension in the room with a knife it’s so thick.
“Val, please be happy for us,” Bella says timidly, it’s more of an order not a request, though. She wants to be strong, but she’s having a hard time with it.
She lets go of Gigi, her little hand creeps up my chest under my kutte, and into my pocket. She removes the first pictures of our babies to show her brothers.
“These are our babies, Uncle Val you’re the first to see them. I wanted it to be Gigi in private, but now you can all see them together. Our family is growing.” Leave it to my girl to play the uncle card.
Val comes closer to Bella and me, and she hands him the pictures. Gigi moves over to his side and Romeo, Lorenzo and Bash all gather around him, in a half circle to get a good look.
Once he takes them in his right hand, she quickly grabs for his left without hesitation. He looks up from the picture to their hands, then into her eyes. He nods to her, and then looks back at the pictures in his hand, taking them in and still holding his sister's hand. The room stays silent as our blood family looks at the pictures and Bella points out the babies to them.
“I’m really going to be an uncle. Holy shit, my baby sister’s having...babies,” he whispers shaking his head, clearly in shock as he takes in the reality of the situation.
“Yup, they’re going to need their uncles, especially you, Val. You and me... We’ve always had a special bond, and you’ve been closer to me than I was with Rom and Bash.
“I looked up to you and Gio, and the friendship you two had since I was a little girl.
“You and Gio have been best friends since before I was born. Can’t you see the good in all this and how happy he makes me? He loves me, he would never hurt me, and you of
all people should know that. Please accept us and don’t hold anything against my husband.
“I need you both in my life, but if you can’t accept us, I will choose him. Val, I will always choose my husband. I finally have him back in my life, he is the only man I have ever loved, the man I never thought I would ever have. I’m happy, truly happy for the first time in a long time. I’m never leaving him, ever.
“So please, for me and your nieces or nephews... At least try,” she whispers with tears in her pleading eyes. Everyone in the room is watching their exchange and waiting for his response anxiously.
He doesn’t answer with words. He drops Bella’s hand and hands off the pictures to Romeo before he sticks his right hand out to me. I accept it, and we shake, he surprises me again and pulls me into a hug, and I go willingly.
My strong girl takes a deep breath beside us before hugging us both in her small arms. Val takes it as a sign and lets go of me, taking Bella into his arms alone, and she lets him. I keep my hand on her lower back, so she knows I’m close. She stays crying into his chest for a minute. Gigi is crying too, beside them, and Val envelops them both in his arms.
Then she backs up from him leaving Gigi with him, and I take her into my arms.
“Okay, Beast, Ace, get mom, Cesare, and all the girls settled in your apartment,” Gator says.
“Torch and Dusty, head up with them, I want both of you to stay with them while we’re in Church.
“We’re on lockdown folks until further notice and these five women and Cesare are our top priority.” He points at mom, Bella, Gigi, Jules, Sam, and Cesare. Sam technically is not in any danger, but I know how much Gator cares for her, so it shouldn’t surprise me that he included her.
I wish he would wise up, like Ace and I finally did, and just claim her ass. From what I’ve gathered they have been on and off since high school. I think it’s about time he makes an honest woman of her.