by Wilder, L.
He, Blaze, and Shadow came over and sat down next to me. As they got settled in their seats, I couldn’t help but notice that there was something different about Gus. I couldn’t put my finger on exactly what it was; that tough-as-nails expression he normally wore was there, yet it seemed toned down. While I couldn’t be sure, I figured it had something to do with his morning with Samantha. Viper looked over to Gus and boasted, “We make a pretty damn good team, that’s for sure.”
“That we do.” Gus nodded. “We can’t thank you enough for your help, Viper. You boys really pulled through for us. You got a good thing going here, but I knew that coming in. We all did.”
“Appreciate that, brother, but we were more than happy to help.”
“Well, as soon as we tie up some loose ends, we’ll get out of your hair and let you get back to business as usual.” Gus turned to Riggs and asked, “You got the ownership to the properties moved over?”
“Almost.”
“And David?”
Riggs nodded. “August supplied the names we needed, and I’ll be getting everything sent over to them within the hour.”
A satisfied look crossed Gus’s face as he leaned back in his chair and said, “Then, that should just about do it.”
“There’s just one more thing we need to figure out,” I told him.
His eyes narrowed as he asked, “And what’s that?”
“Gabriella.” With all that was going on, we hadn’t had a chance to discuss what we were going to do about her. “We need to get things sorted with her.”
“Fuck, I forgot all about her.” Gus thought for a moment, then asked, “I know she was with Harper, but have we got any idea who this girl actually is?”
“Not much. I was talking to her this morning, and she told me that Polito killed her father, then kidnapped her. No idea what he was planning on doing with her,” I explained. “She didn’t say much more than that, but she made it clear that she’s got no place to go.”
“Well, the decision is completely up to her, but she’s welcome to come back to Memphis with us,” Gus offered. “We can help get her on her feet, and she can decide what to do from there.”
“I’ll let her know.”
“But I don’t want any surprises. If she does decide to come back with us, we’ll need to find out who she really is and why Polito killed her father,” he said then turned to Riggs. “Once we get more information from her, I’ll need you to see what you can find out.”
“Will do.”
“So, when are we planning to head out?” Murphy asked, sounding eager.
“That depends on how much time Riggs needs,” Gus answered.
“I’m about to wrap things up.” Riggs looked down at his watch as he continued, “I should be done within the hour.”
A pained expression crossed Gus’s face, and I knew exactly why it was there. Like me, he wasn’t looking forward to leaving. Not only had he just started to get to know the daughter he never even knew he had, he’d finally gotten Samantha back. It wouldn’t be easy for him to leave her behind, but if I knew Gus, he would be seeing them again sooner than later. He quickly rebounded and said, “Then, I say it’s time to start packing up. You boys get ready to roll out.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice,” Blaze teased as he stood and started for the door. “Momma, I’m coming home!”
The room rang out in laughter as he strutted out of the room with Shadow and Murphy following close behind. I stood to follow them but stopped when Gus said, “I’m gonna need you to hang back with August and Harper for a couple of days. Just until we know David is no longer a risk. You good with that?”
“Yeah, I’m definitely good with that.”
“I thought you would be,” he scoffed. “I’m expecting you to take good care of my girls.”
“You know I will.” I stood up and started for the door. Just before I walked out, I turned back to him and said, “I won’t let you down, Prez.”
“I know that, son. I’ve known it all along.”
CHAPTER 20
August
I’d never been a fan of goodbyes, especially when it’s someone I truly care about. I was always worried that I would never see them again, so I wanted to hold on to them and prolong the time we shared together. Even though I knew that wasn’t the case with Gus and the brothers of Satan’s Fury, saying goodbye to them was just as hard. Once we’d gotten packed up, we loaded everything into the SUVs. I’d just put our bags away when Gabriella come over to us. She knelt down beside Harper, and with a soft smile, she told her, “Hey, cutie. Before I left, I wanted to tell you goodbye.”
Harper’s brows furrowed as she asked her, “W’ere ya going?”
“To Memphis with the guys for a little while.”
“Why?”
“They’re going to help me find a place to live and do grownup stuff. Things that you don’t have to worry about just yet.” Gabriella wasn’t your typical beauty. She had a way about her that was endearing and comforting to those around her, but my gut told me that she was hiding something. I just had no idea what it was. After all she’d been through, I hoped her secrets wouldn’t end up causing her even more trouble. Gabriella wrapped her arms around Harper and gave her a hug. “I’m really going to miss you.”
Harper’s eyes filled with tears as she returned Gabriella’s embrace. “I miss you, too.”
“Maybe your mom can bring you by to see me when you come to Memphis.”
Harper nodded, then Gabriella gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before turning her attention to me. As she stood, she said, “I hope you both have a safe trip home.”
“Thanks, Gabriella. You, too.” I gave her a quick hug as I said, “If you ever need anything, just give me a call.”
“I will.”
She gave Harper a little wave goodbye, then turned and started towards Blaze and the others. Harper didn’t take her eyes off of Gabriella as she got into their SUV and closed the door. Seeing that she was upset, I picked up Harper and tried to console her. I was just starting to make her feel better when the guys started coming over to tell Harper and me goodbye. Each time they gave me a hug, I had to fight back the tears. These men had risked their lives for us, and not only that—they had also made us feel like we were a part of their family. While it wasn’t easy, I’d managed to keep it together until Gus came over to me. The second he approached me, I could feel the tears starting to sting my eyes. A tender smile crossed his face as he said, “You know this isn’t goodbye.”
“I know, but that doesn’t make this any easier.”
“Can’t disagree with you there.” He reached for me, hugging me tightly as he said, “I never knew how much I wanted a daughter until I met you. Now that I have, I’m gonna do my best to make up for lost time.”
Hearing those words from him moved me in a way I didn’t expect. I thought back to my childhood and the years I’d spent with Denis, and he’d never once made me feel as loved as Gus did in that moment. In the short time we’d spent together, Gus had showed me the kind of compassion and understanding that only a father could, and I knew without a doubt that he meant it when he said he would make up for the time we’d lost. I loved him for that. With tears streaming down my face, I hugged him back and said, “I’m going to hold you to that ’cause I kind of like having you around, and I want Harper to know her grandfather.”
“That’s a good thing ’cause I have every intention of spending as much time as possible with her.” Then he took a step back and looked over to Harper and said, “You be good for your momma, and I’ll see you two soon, okay?”
“Kay.” Her brows furrowed as she asked, “When?”
“When will I see you?”
Harper nodded.
“Very soon if I have anything to say about it. That all right with you?”
Harper nodded with a smile, then held her arms out, letting him know that she also wanted a hug. Gus quickly obliged, lifting her into his arms and giving her a tight s
queeze. When he was done, he gave her a kiss on the cheek and handed her over to me. “I’ll be in touch.”
“I’ll be looking forward to it.”
When he walked away, I turned to put Harper in Hawk’s SUV. Since Cade’s was still at my house, he offered to run us home. I’d just gotten Harper settled when I noticed that Gus had gone over to talk to Mom. She was waiting for him on the other side of the SUV, so I couldn’t hear what either of them were saying. I didn’t have to. I could see the love they felt for each other. It was written all over their faces, and it pained me to know that they had to say goodbye once again.
My chest tightened when I saw Gus wrap his arms around her, pulling her close as he whispered something in her ear. She clung to him, quietly sobbing as she buried her head in his chest. They remained like that for several minutes, and then he brought his hand up to her chin, forcing her to look at him. Anguish marked his face as he said a few more words to her, then kissed her tenderly. While it was brief, the kiss was effective, and my mother finally smiled. It was clear that their conversation was coming to an end, so I slipped into the SUV next to Harper and closed the door. Moments later, she started towards us and got inside the SUV.
Once she was buckled in, Hawk started the engine and we were on our way. As we headed out of the parking lot, I realized that the church van we’d borrowed was nowhere in sight. Curious, I leaned towards the front where Hawk and Cade were sitting and asked, “What happened to the van?”
“One of Viper’s boys took it back before anyone had a chance to report it stolen,” Cade answered.
“Okay. Good.”
When we pulled through the gate, I noticed Mom turning back to see Gus one last time. I knew she was heartbroken over having to leave him, so I suggested, “Hey, Mom … Why don’t you stay with us for a few days? Just until things start to settle down.”
“Oh, honey. I appreciate the offer, but I really don’t want to impose.” She feigned a smile as she said, “I know you want to get back home and into your own routines.”
“Mom, I wouldn’t have asked you to come if I didn’t want you there. Besides, you don’t need to be home alone right now, especially with David still on the loose.”
Before she could argue, Cade turned to look at her and said, “She’s right. Gus would want you to be there with us.”
“Okay.” She turned to look out the window and sighed.”
When we pulled up at the house, Cade and Hawk went inside to check things out. After a thorough search, they came back out and said, “It’s a bit of a mess, but it’s safe to go in.”
“Thank goodness.” After I grabbed my bag from the back of his SUV, I went over to Hawk and said, “Thanks again for everything.”
“No problem. Glad we could help.”
“We really do appreciate everything y’all did for us,” Cade told him. “If you’re ever in Memphis, be sure to give us a call.”
“You know I will.”
They gave each other a quick man hug, then Hawk turned and got in his SUV. Once he was gone, we all went inside. I thought it would feel good to finally be home, but I felt out of place. Even with Cade there to watch over us, I didn’t feel safe, but it was more than that. I had no idea why, but it simply didn’t feel like home anymore. I wasn’t the only who was feeling out of sorts. Floppsie was lying on the floor, just waiting for Harper to snatch her up, but she didn’t. Instead, she passed right by the stuffed bunny and headed outside. I walked over to the window and was watching Harper as she climbed up in her swing when Cade came up behind me. “You okay?”
“I’m getting there.” I raised the bags in my hand as I said, “I’m going to put all this away. I’ll be right back.”
“Take your time. I’ll be outside with Harper.”
“Okay.” I eased up on my tiptoes and kissed him on the jaw. “I’m glad you’re here.”
“Me too. More than you know.”
I was feeling pretty good about things when I went to put my stuff away, but as soon as I walked into my room, I spotted my cell phone sitting on the bedside table. I dropped my bags on the bed, then picked up the phone to see if I had any messages. Dread washed over me when I saw all the texts and missed calls from work and several of my friends. I even had a couple from David. I don’t know what I was expecting. I’d been MIA for days, so it only made sense that they’d wonder where I was. I knew I should call and let them know that I was okay, but I wasn’t ready to deal with it. I figured one more day wouldn’t hurt, so I just tossed the phone back down on the table and started putting my things away. Once I was done, I headed to the kitchen to see if we had anything I might be able to fix for dinner.
I opened the fridge, and just as I’d expected, there was nothing to be found. What few groceries I had were out of date or just simply not appealing. I closed the refrigerator and went back into the living room where Mom was sitting on the sofa. The TV wasn’t on, but she was staring blankly at the screen. I hated to see her so withdrawn, so I went over and sat down beside her. “Are you okay?”
“No, but I will be.”
I tried to comfort her by saying, “You’ll see him again, Mom.”
“I know. I’m just upset with myself for waiting so long to set things straight between us,” she said then started to cry. “I’ve spent so many years wishing things could’ve been different. I should’ve done something sooner, and then I wouldn’t have wasted so much precious time.”
“You can’t change what’s been done, but you and Gus have a second chance at happiness together.” I placed my hand on hers as I said, “I know he cares a great deal for you, Mom. He’s not the kind of man who’s just going to let you slip through his fingers again.”
“Would you think I was crazy if I told you I was thinking of going to Memphis for a while?” she asked as a look of apprehension crossed her face.
“What do you mean ‘for a while’?”
“A few months … just long enough to see if there’s anything left of what we had all those years ago?”
I’d had similar thoughts about Cade, so I told her, “No, I don’t think that sounds crazy at all.”
“I’m not saying that’s something I would actually do, but it’s something to think about.” I could see her spirits lifting as she went on, “I’ve always loved Memphis, and I have friends there …”
“Mom, it’s a good idea. You should do it.”
“I think I will then,” she said, as a smile crossed her face.
“Good!” I leaned over and hugged her. “I want you to be happy, Mom.”
“I want the same thing for you.” She glanced out the window and watched Cade as he pushed Harper on the swing. “He’s a good boy, August, and he’s clearly crazy about you and Harper.”
“I’m pretty crazy about him too,” I said then stood up. “I better get out there and give Cade a hand.”
“Okay.”
When I walked outside, Cade was still pushing Harper on the swing while she sang one of her silly nursery rhymes. It was good to see her smiling, and I hoped that she would be pleased when I asked, “So, what do you two think about having pizza and watching a movie tonight?”
“Can we watch Fwozen?” Harper asked with excitement.
“Umm,” I mumbled. “Any chance we could watch something else?”
She thought for a moment, then turned to Cade and asked, “You wanna watch Fwozen?”
“How about we watch something else first, and then we can watch Frozen?”
Knowing she’d never make it through two movies, I smiled and said, “That sounds like a great idea. What do you think, Harper?”
“Kay.”
“Great.” As I sat down on the swing next to her, I noticed several dark clouds rolling in. “It looks like we might get a little rain tonight. There’s nothing like a cozy night inside when it’s storming.”
“I have to agree with you there,” Cade replied, “especially when I’m with my two favorite ladies.”
Harper smil
ed as she looked over her shoulder at Cade. She didn’t say a word, but I knew what she was thinking. Cade had made quite the impression on her during the time he’d spent with her. I was pleased to see that she liked him as much as she did. In fact, her liking him made me fall for him even more. We stayed outside for a little longer, and when it finally started to rain we went inside and I ordered our pizzas. Once they arrived, we all piled up in the living room and started our movie. Harper and I curled up next to Cade on the sofa while mom lay back in the recliner. With the dark room and the storm rolling outside, I didn’t make it through the whole movie before I fell fast asleep. I was completely out of it when Cade picked me up and carried me to bed. As he kissed me on the forehead, he whispered, “I’ve already taken care of Harper. She’s in her bed asleep.”
With my eyes barely open, I nodded and said, “Thank you.”
“Goodnight, beautiful.”
“Goodnight,” I mumbled, then fell right back to sleep.
I woke up the next morning with the sound of rain and thunder rumbling outside, making it hard to get up. I just wanted to lay there and enjoy a moment of quiet, but once I remembered all those missed texts and messages, I just kept getting more and more anxious. I’d put it off long enough, so I reached for my phone and opened up my messages. I had no idea how long it took me to go through them all, but I’d saved the worst for last—my boss. When I finally returned his call, he made it clear that he wasn’t pleased that I’d never made it to the office to sign the projections for next month. He was even more upset that I hadn’t been back to the office since Harper’s return. He’d assumed that I was just taking vacation time to be with her, and I wasn’t in the position to correct him. When he asked me to come in to see him the following week, I knew there was a good chance that he’d fire me, but honestly, I just didn’t care. There were other jobs to be had. I was about to start sorting through my emails when Cade appeared in my doorway. “Hey, you’re gonna wanna see this?”
“What?”
“Just come on. You need to see it for yourself,” he urged.