Beauty From The Ashes Of Destruction (Rebellions 4 Blood MC Book 2)

by Vera Quinn

  “Maddie, damn, I almost went crazy hearing you were shot, and I was so far away from you. I love you, babe. Please say you will marry me?” Jeb is talking crazy, but I hope this isn’t a dream.

  “I’ll marry you as soon as Rye is well enough to walk me down the aisle. I promise,” I tell the man I have come to love so much.

  “Then he will be getting well very soon because I won’t have it any other way.” Jeb tries to make me feel better and I am sure he believes what he’s saying.

  “None of us will have it any other way. That man is too stubborn to die, and he’s going to be smothered with love as soon as he pulls through,” Aunt Deb says.

  “I want a small wedding with Micah as my maid of honor, and Sarge officiating the wedding. B will be the flower girl, Aunt Deb will be the mother of the bride, Stealth as your best man, and Rye will walk me down the aisle. Callie and her bunch will be the audience.” The words keep coming out of my very dry mouth.

  “Your brother, Braun, can be there too. We found out he is alive, but it needs to be kept quiet until he’s sure he is in the clear. Just us. I’ve met him and I think you will like him. I know we kept it from you and Micah, but we wanted this all cleared up before we added anything to everyone’s plate.” That sounds very understandable. I see Sarge has Wolfie in his arms and is sitting beside Micah.

  “Jeb, my head is all swimmy. I think I need to lay down since Micah has Sarge here. I ordered food and coffee to be delivered for everyone.” I think it comes out of my mouth right. I see B sleeping and I want to hold her so bad, but I know that isn’t a great idea right now. Lucas looks like a little cherub lying on his tummy with his behind in the air. I am so lucky to have my children.

  “The nursing staff is giving us a birthing suite for the night. The kids can stay with us and we can keep Wolfie with us so Sarge and Micah can stay with Deb until Rye is out of surgery.” Jeb is taking care of me and I like it. We are set up in the suite within the hour. Sarge gets Wolfie settled in his pack and play and Jeb has transferred Lucas with only a whimper or two. B walked in here, but she’s out again. The nurse just settled me in the bed and my eyes just stay closed.

  23

  Two Days Later

  Deb…

  Rye made it out of surgery. I’m now just sitting here waiting for his eyes to open. I have prayed, I have screamed to the heavens, and I have bargained with anyone in my mind that will listen. If Rye will just open his eyes, I will be the best person I can be.

  I have told Rye every story of my life growing up and then the girls growing up on the ranch. I’ve left nothing out. I have given him my hopes and dreams. I’ve told him I love him, and I choose him. I am ready to go wherever he wants to go. He’s the only man that has ever accepted me the way I am. He never wanted to change me. I see his eyes blinking, and I press the red button to call the nurse.

  “Have you come back to me, Rye? I love you and I choose you. I will go with you anywhere you want.” Rye blinks his eyes open and I press the red button again. Rye pulls me down to him.

  “I knew you would.” His words are coming out slow. “I love you, babe. Always remember me.” He closes his eyes and the machines go off.

  “No! You can’t leave me now. I have waited so long for you. Please, dear God, no.” The nurses come in and they tell me to get out. I am still holding Rye’s hand in mine and I feel when he’s gone. I release his hand and back out of the room. The nurses are working on him and a doctor rushes in but I know Rye hung on to tell me he loved me one more time. I will never be held by the man I had waited for my entire life. I walk to the waiting room on autopilot and I see Buster sitting there. My legs won’t hold me anymore and I sit in the first chair I come to. I can’t talk. I can’t think. My world just left me alone again. The tears start and I don’t know if they will ever stop again. I can’t do this. I can’t do any of it.

  24

  Two months later

  Shield…

  The last two months have been agonizing for Maddie and her family. The night that Maddie agreed to be my wife was the happiest I had been, ever. I took my family home the next morning, but Rye hadn’t opened his eyes after surgery. The doctors said there was no reason for it. Deb stayed in his room and never left his side. We all went in and checked on him. Bourbon and Chief came in to be with their family and Deb still wouldn’t leave even for a minute. On the third night, Rye flickered his eyes open and talked to Deb briefly and then he died. The doctors worked on him for forty-five minutes but the damage from the bullet to his chest was just too much for him. He wasn’t a young man, and he had lived a hard life. His heart just couldn’t take it. Deb was a broken woman. I could see it in her eyes and so could everyone else. The funeral was a week later, and Deb leaned on Micah and Maddie during that week. The day after the funeral, Deb was gone by the time we got up. She said she couldn’t be at the ranch anymore, not without Rye. The note also said she was going to see the world by herself to try and find some peace. Maddie and Micah say Deb will be back when she has pieced herself back together. I knew she would never step foot on this ranch again. Call it gut instinct or premonition. It was an eerie feeling. The next week, Deb died of a massive heart attack in her sleep in a hotel in Dallas. The doctors say it was from an underlying condition, but Deb had no idea about it, or if she did, she never said anything about it. It wasn’t in any of her medical records. I think she died of a broken heart. Deb was buried five days later in a grave beside Rye and I swear the birds sang louder and the sun shined brighter that day.

  Maddie and Micah tried to be strong, but we all knew they were struggling. We all knew that Deb was their mother figure and Rye had become their father figure.

  That’s why I was surprised when Maddie said she wanted to be married today at the cookout. She says the weather has cooled off, so it won’t be as hot for the guests outside. We set up chairs for the wedding, but everything will take place inside. It’s a simple wedding. We did set up a table for her mom, dad, Deb, and Rye. Sarge married us. Stealth stood beside me and Micah stood beside Maddie. Braun met his sisters and Maddie and Micah love him unconditionally. Braun walked Maddie down the aisle and gave her to me. We went with standard vows because we didn’t want any pressure today. Neither of us is particularly good at stating our feelings in front of people.

  Today has been the best day of my life but I haven’t gotten enough of my wife. Callie and her bunch are here and while our club patched in our new members the three sisters and one brother have been talking. Callie isn’t as accepting as her sisters and it’s taking Braun longer to get to know her. They are passing the babies around and Wolfie was introduced to the entire club and his family. Sarge was bitching about everyone touching his son. Micah laughed at him and so did everyone else. Callie and I were made Wolfie’s godparents. That’s something I never even thought about. We have gotten to the eating part and I see my bride making her way to me with Lucas on her hip and B running along behind her.

  “Hello, husband. Are you ready to eat? I’m starving and so is B,” Maddie tells me. I see Janie making her way over to us. I have been keeping her away from Maddie all day. The brothers have been helping me by running interference all day, but it looks like this scene is going to play out.

  “Let’s go eat because I’m hungry too.” I take Lucas from Maddie.

  “Maddie, Shield, I would like to have a word with the two of you before you eat. I know I’m not supposed to approach an ol’ lady, but I had to tell you that you made the most beautiful bride and that I wish you two all the happiness in the world,” Janie says sincerely. I’m surprised.

  “Thank you and I’m sorry, what is your name? I don’t think we have been introduced today,” Maddie says to Janie in a very gracious tone.

  “Maddie this is Janie. Janie, my wife, Maddie.” Janie smiles at Maddie.

  “That’s all I wanted to say. I know you know I’m a club girl but there’s no reason for us to dislike each other. If you ever need a sitter, then I’m h
ere. My older sister has six children and I babysit for her all the time. It will give me something to do away from the club.” Stealth was wrong. Janie is a good girl, and she knows I love Maddie. “Good luck, Shield.”

  “Thank you, Janie,” I tell her. Janie walks away from us.

  “Stealth misread her, Jeb. She’s genuinely happy for us,” Maddie says.

  “You’re right,” I agree.

  “I have one more wedding present for you.” She hands me a small box. It’s about five inches long and weighs nothing. I start to rip it open, but she brings her hand to mine to stop me. B is playing in the dirt at our feet and Lucas is drooling on my shirt. “You’ve made all the dreams I never knew I wanted come true. I never thought I would fall in love again after Dra, but you wouldn’t take no for an answer. You have become our family’s protector and provider. You love me and you love my children. You’re a gentle giant when it comes to Lucas and B. You stand up to my sass and the best lover I have ever had, and you will be the last lover I ever have. I wracked my brain for what I could give you. It had to be the thing you want the most in life. I took you at your word. Go ahead and open it. Life is too short to wait. Rye and Aunt Deb showed us that. Open it.” I am curious. I tear the paper open with one hand, and I see it sitting in a plastic bag. I look at Maddie and she is smiling the biggest smile. I don’t open the bag, but I see the plus sign on the stick. “Congratulations, Jeb, you’re going to be a dad.” I grab Maddie’s hand in mine.

  “You have made me the happiest man on earth. How? I mean I know how, but why did you change your mind?” I ask.

  “I decided that night we had our long talk that having a child with you is what I wanted to do. I threw my pills out that night. I wanted to surprise you.” I kiss Maddie until neither of us can breathe. We both gasp for air. I hear Micah and Sarge coming up behind us. I turn and look at them.

  “We’re pregnant.” Sarge laughs and congratulates us. Micah’s eyes latch onto Maddie’s and I know they are thinking about Deb, but they don’t say anything. Stealth walks up to us. “We’re pregnant.” Stealth smiles.

  “Congrats, Bro. You deserve the best and now you have it. Don’t lose it, dumb ass.” That’s words of praise for Stealth. Then I see her, and I can’t say anything before she is right behind Cru.

  “Cru London, I have been looking for you everywhere. Hello everyone, I’m Drew. Hey, Jeb and Mason.” We all have lost our tongues but Stealth recovers quickly.

  “Hey, babe. I didn’t know you were coming this soon. Jeb and Maddie here just got hitched and that other twin over there is Mason’s wife.” Stealth is talking fast.

  “Congratulations, Jeb and Maddie. Did you tell them that we’re engaged?” Another thing that Stealth forgot to mention. Maddie saves us.

  “Congratulations to you two as well. We need more females,” Maddie says with a forced laugh.

  “Drew, let’s go to my room. I have missed you so much,” Stealth says.

  “That would be rude of us to just leave the celebration.” Drew knows something is up. She’s a smart woman.

  “It’s not rude, Drew. You’ve traveled a long way, and we were just going to feed B and Lucas and then go home to have some family time. Sarge and Micah were doing the same thing. We patched some members in today and in an hour or two max this place is going to be naked women and booze flowing freely. You would probably be more comfortable in Cru’s room.” I try to cover; it’s mostly the truth.

  “Alright but I want to catch up tomorrow with you guys. I will be here from now on, so I need to get caught up and spend some time with these adorable children,” Drew tells us and Stealth pulls her away from us and I am sure up to his room.

  “Good save, honey. You have showed me the Beauty From The Ashes Of Destruction and now you are saving Stealth’s butt too. This day can’t get any better.” Maddie realizes what she said, and the sadness come s back to her eyes. “Let’s eat.”

  The end for now.

  Remember this is not where Maddie and Shield began. There will be a novella, Healing From The Destruction, in the anthology, Beauty From Ashes, due out July 27th. This will give you any answers you may have of how Shield and Maddie became so close. Catch it on Amazon. Free in KU.

  https://amzn.to/2RRJtzW

  Also by Vera Quinn

  BlackPath MC

  1. Never Forever

  2. Catching Forever

  3. Holding Out Forever

  4. Making My Forever

  BlackPath Motorcycle Club Box Set The Complete Series (Box Set)

  Feral Steel MC

  1. Beginning of the Inevitable

  2. Beginning to Breathe, Again

  3. Beginning of the Reckoning

  Demented Revengers MC: Quitman Chapter

  1. Surviving for Tomorrow

  2. Surviving, One Day at a Time

  3. Surviving Until the End

  4. Surviving The Chaos of Life

  The Complete Box Set Demented Revengers MC: Quitman Series

  Troubled Fathoms MC

  1. Severed Ties That Bind

  2. Ties Bonded by Blood

  Rebellions 4 Blood MC

  1. New Bloodlines of Destruction

  Deacons of Peril MC

  Sweet Whiskey Dreams

  Haunted Hills MC (with Penny Anglene)

  Love the Man, Love the Club

  Standalones

  Comfort Side of Heaven

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