Another loud crash sounded, and then, a black car came crashing through the front door. We all dove to the ground and took cover.
Apollo landed on top of me, and Slider was on the other side of me.
“What in the fucking hell is going on?” Slider grunted. “I’m not made for this mafia shit.”
I didn’t think anyone was made for this shit.
The horn on the car was blaring, and no one moved.
“Stay down, sir,” Apollo barked. I always knew shit was serious when Apollo called me sir. Normally, we were basically equals, but when it came to shit like this, he was my body guard and did everything he could to keep me safe.
I heard the door of the car creek open and the sound of shoes stepping on broken glass.
“Marco!” a man hollered.
Apollo leaned on me. “Do not fucking move. It’s Meeks,” he hissed.
“Maybe you don’t know the game,” Meeks called. “I say Marco, and you say Polo.” A gun cocked, and Meeks let out a bark of laughter. “Marco!”
“Let me up,” I said calmly.
“I am not letting you up,” Apollo grunted.
“Let me up, now,” I thundered.
Apollo hesitated, but he shifted his weight off me. “Fine. But I’m fucking standing up first. You got me?”
I nodded. “Yeah.”
“Marco!” Meeks called again.
“Is it the dad or the kid?” Slider asked.
“The dad,” I replied.
“Yo,” Apollo called. “I am going to stand up, and then Marco is. You got it?”
“I want fucking Marco!” Meeks shouted.
“You’re gonna get him, all right?” I called. “I’m under a pile of shit since you decided to bust through the front of my home.”
“Stand up!” Meeks shouted.
Apollo shifted his weight and slowly stood. He pointed his gun at Meeks. “I’ll shoot you before you can even think about shooting me. Got it?” he barked at Meeks.
“I don’t fucking want you. I want Marco and what belongs to me.” Meeks sounded maniacal and like he was off his fucking rocker.
I shifted away from Slider and slowly stood with my hands in the air.
“Marco!” Meeks called.
“Polo,” I replied.
Slider moved next to me but stayed down on the floor. There was a pile of debris blocking him.
“I hear you’ve been looking for me.” Meeks looked like hell. His hair was matted down on his head, and his nose was bleeding. The last time I had seen him, he had been dressed pretty slick, but now he was wearing a ripped jeans and a white shirt with dried blood stains all over it.
“You’ll have to forgive me for my attire today. I paid a visit to your friend Malman before I came over today.” Meeks chuckled. “The old coot didn’t even know who I was.” He swung the gun at me. “He knows now.”
“What the hell does that mean?” I asked. Malman had nothing to do with Meeks and me.
“I heard he tried to give you information about me.” He shrugged. “I didn’t appreciate it.”
“You opened a fucking can of worms if you killed Malman,” Apollo called.
Meeks shrugged again. “Like I fucking care about that. He didn’t respect me, so he had to fucking go. No one is going to miss him.”
That was where Meeks was wrong. If I wasn’t going to kill Meeks today, you could bet your ass Malman’s kids would seek their revenge.
“Where is Rider?” I asked.
Meeks laughed. “He’s grabbing something for me.”
A scream sounded down the hallway from the media room.
“Sounds like he has it.” Meeks turned his gun back on Apollo. “My son is going to walk down that hallway, and you’re not going to shoot him, you got it?”
Apollo clenched his jaw.
“Do what he says,” I said softly.
Apollo grunted but nodded. “Fine. But my offer of shooting you still stands if you take a shot at Marco, yeah?”
Meeks laughed but nodded. “Whatever, muscle.”
“Dad!”
“Come on out, Rider. You better have the girl,” he warned.
The door to the media room creaked open, and a woman cried.
It wasn’t Royal, though.
“You son of a bitch,” the woman called. “Put me down! I never should have even looked at you.”
Apollo flinched. He knew it wasn’t Royal either.
Something was happening, and we needed to figure out real quick what the hell it was.
“Would you get the bitch out here,” Meeks called. “Swear to fucking Christ, it’s like I dropped you on your head when you were a baby. Fucking moron.”
“Oh fuck,” Slider whispered.
We were able to see that Rider wasn’t walking down the hallway carrying a woman. It was Hero, and the woman slung over his shoulder was Bristol.
Everything shifted.
We had to play this the right way or Hero and Bristol were going to be dead when Meeks figured it out.
“I’m coming, I’m coming,” Hero called. His voice was muffled, and if I hadn’t seen it was Hero, I wouldn’t have known.
He had Bristol thrown over his shoulder, and she was kicking and carrying on so much that she kept blocking Hero’s face.
Hero stepped into the entryway and stopped.
“What in the fuck are you doing, fuckwad? Bring her over here,” Meeks thundered.
Bristol let out a blood-curdling scream, and Hero raised his arm at Apollo at the same time. “Surprise, motherfucker,” Hero shouted.
He tossed Bristol onto the floor, and that’s when gunfire rained down on Meeks.
From every angle, bullets hit him. His body was a ragdoll jerking back and forth. He collapsed to the ground, gasping for air. “No,” he croaked. “Marco,” he gasped.
The hail of gunfire stopped, and we all watched Meeks. His body was lifeless.
“Give me your gun,” I ordered Apollo.
Apollo handed me his gun.
I emptied the clip into Meeks body. It was unnecessary, but it made me feel better.
“What in the fuck was that?” Rigid shouted at Hero. “Were you trying to get fucking killed?”
“I had to do something. That fucker Rider tried to get into the media room. I thought on my feet. After I killed him, I heard his dad yell for him to bring the bitch, and it all just happened.”
Rigid ran his fingers through his hair. “I bet your mother is having a fucking aneurysm right now. Not to mention Reva.”
Chaos ensued with King and Rigid yelling at Hero while Pie made his way to Bristol to make sure she was okay. Hero had tossed her like she was a sack of potatoes.
“Marco!!!!!!”
The hair on the back of neck stood up. “Royal,” I gasped.
I struggled to make my way across the entryway and down the hallway. “Royal!” I called. “I’m coming.”
“Hurry up,” I think Meg called.
Every horrible thought rushed through my mind. Had Rider gotten to her before Hero did? Was she hurt? Did something happen to the baby?
I made it to the door of the media room and stumbled in.
Royal was laid out on the couch she loved with her legs spread and Dr. Hamm between them. Mom was at her head with Meg and Cyn right beside her.
“Her water broke,” Dr. Hamm called. “Looks like the baby is coming a little sooner than you expected, Daddy.”
“Baby?” I mumbled.
I blinked slowly. The room shifted around me, and then, the floor rushed up to meet my face.
“Marco!”
*
Chapter Fifteen
Royal
“Look at all that hair,” Meg cooed.
“I can’t believe how chubby his little cheeks are,” Memphis sighed. “He looks just like you, Royal.”
“Because of the chubby cheeks?” I laughed.
Memphis shook her head. “No. Well, maybe, but no.”
Four hours ago, al
l hell had broken loose.
Now I had a baby and was sitting comfortably at the clubhouse with my own personal doctor keeping an eye on me. Marco had decided that since the front of Wyndemere was missing, the clubhouse was the next best place for us to be.
King and Apollo had both tried to make me go to the hospital, but Dr. Hamm had finally convinced them that I didn’t need to, though she wasn’t very happy about me being moved to the clubhouse. She would have preferred for me to just stay put.
Ten minutes after my water broke, Marco had passed out, and then, seven minutes after that, I had given birth to a handsome baby boy.
Thankfully, Dr. Hamm always had her medical bag with her and was able to help me give birth with no problem.
I had been terrified when it first started, but it happened so fast that it was over before I even had a chance to take in what was happening.
“You think I can hold my baby again?” Marco drawled from the corner.
“Only if you give him a name,” Meg drawled. “You can’t keep calling him baby.”
“He’s four hours old, Meg. It’s not like he’s six years old and doesn’t have a name,” I laughed. I had an idea of what I wanted to call him, but I had to talk to Marco about it first.
Fayth sighed next to me. “He really is beautiful, Royal.”
I smiled at her. “You think?”
“He’s my first grandchild. He’s the most beautiful baby in the world.”
It was amazing how easily everyone was accepting my baby as Marco’s. There hadn’t even been a hint of hesitation from anyone.
Marco managed to get the baby from Meg and moved over by me. “Uh, do you think we could have a minute alone?” I asked.
“Out!” Meg called. “These two need time to get all mushy.” She took it upon herself to shoo everyone out, and then, it was just Marco and me.
Marco sat on the edge of the bed and tipped the baby toward me.
“Do you have any ideas for what you want to call him?” I asked.
Marco sighed. “I can’t think of one name that is worthy of this cutie.”
I looked at the little angel’s full cheeks, button nose, and dark brown hair. “I think I have an idea.”
“Oh yeah?” He glanced at me. “It better not be Fall or some shit like that. I’m never going to be able to stop the ribbing for passing out and missing the whole birth.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. If you would have told me that Marco could be a cold as steel mafia boss but would pass out at the sight of his woman giving birth, I never would have believed you.
“Uh, I was actually wondering what Slider’s name is.” I flitted my hand at him. “I mean his real name.”
Marco reared back like I had slapped him in the face.
“I mean, you don’t have to tell me. I just thought that it would be a good name since he was such a good…” my words trialed off and I wondered if I had made a horrible mistake even suggesting it.
I bit my lip and prayed I hadn’t messed everything up.
“Kane. His real name is Kane.” Marco closed his eyes. “You wanna name our baby after my dad?”
I hadn’t made a mistake. I had made the perfect decision. “I’d like to. I know I don’t really know either of your parents, but I already love them for the amazing person they made you. I’ve never met someone who has so much unconditional love inside of them, Marco.” I looked down at Kane. “I just gave birth to another man’s baby and that doesn’t even faze you.”
Marco’s eyes opened, and he hooked his finger under my chin. He tipped my head back, and his eyes connected with mine.
“You gave birth to my baby, Royal. He’s a Banachi and nothing will ever change that.”
Tears clouded my eyes, and I sniffled. “I wish I would have met you before all of this.”
Marco shook his head. “I don’t, because then we wouldn’t have Kane. Everything happened for a reason, Royal. It was scary, sad, and now happy. Everything happened because you and Kane Leo were meant to be mine.”
I smiled wide. “Kane Leo, huh?”
Marco nodded and looked down at Kane. “The two men who shaped me into the man who is worthy enough to love you.” He glanced up at me. “You’ve been mine since I laid eyes on you, Royal. Fell in love with you the night you told me to never leave you.”
I sobbed and covered my mouth with my hand. “I liked you, hated you, and now love you, Marco. You threw me through all of the emotions, and I came out loving you more than anything in this world.”
Marco nodded at Kane. “Maybe not everything in the world, but I’ll gladly take second to our son, Royal.”
I leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his lips. “I love you, Marco Banachi.”
“And I love you Royal Banachi.”
I gasped. “Is that your way of asking me to marry you?”
Marco nodded. “We all need to have matching names, Royal.”
I looked at Kane. “Marco, Royal, and Kane Banachi.” My eyes connected with Marco’s. “I think I like the sound of that.”
“No like about it, mio amore. I love it. You and our son are mine, and I’m never letting either of you go.”
I brushed my hand over his cheek. “I love you, Marco. You saved me and Kane, and I’ll forever be in debt to you.”
“How about you repay that debt with kisses for the rest of our lives?”
I smiled wide. “Deal.”
Chapter Sixteen
Bristol
“I hope this is okay.”
I pushed open the door and looked around. Bed, TV, and bathroom. “This is all I need.” I may live a somewhat ritzy life when I stayed at Wyndemere Estates, but that all changed when I wasn’t working.
“Are you sure?” Meg asked. “This is one of the extra rooms, and there isn’t much to it.”
Earlier in the day, some crazy guy had driven through the entryway of Wyndemere Estates, I had pretended to be a pregnant Royal, and Royal had given birth. That happened all within the span of about half an hour.
Talk about a whirlwind day, and it was only half-past seven.
“It’s completely fine. All I need is a place to sleep and shower.”
Meg pursed her lips. “I supposed. I feel kind of crappy since we just stayed at Wyndemere, and now, you’re stuck here.” She smiled wide. “Maybe we can start calling it Devil’s Knights Estate.”
“I would like to see King’s face when you tell him that.”
Meg laughed loudly. “Oh, God. I’m funny.”
And this was why everyone loved Meg. She was funny, and she was more than nice to everyone.
Over the years, I ran into her at bake sales and whatnot, but I never got the chance to hang out with her. Maybe this was my chance in disguise for me to get to know her.
“I’m gonna see what I can dig up for dinner.” Meg hitched her thumb back toward the kitchen and room everyone was hanging out in.
“Did you want some help?” I might have sounded a bit too eager. When I had blurted out to Marco the other day that I loved cooking, I hadn’t been joking.
Meg shrugged. “I mean, you can if you want, but I heard Hero hurled you like a football earlier. If you just want to rest, you can.”
I rolled the shoulder I had landed on. “I think I’m still running high off adrenaline. I feel fine.”
Meg clicked her tongue. “Well, why don’t you unpack your things and then come find me.”
I nodded. “Okay. I’ll be ten minutes or so.”
Meg smiled at me and backed out of the room. “Sounds like a plan, Stan.”
I chuckled and closed the door behind her. Meg was definitely one of a kind.
I emptied my duffel bag into the dresser drawer and hung up the few shirts I had grabbed that need to hang.
After I checked out the bathroom and washed my face, I felt a tinge of pain when I bent over to grab the hairbrush I had dropped.
I rolled my shoulder like I had before, but this time, things seemed a little tighter.
“That’s gonna leave a mark,” I laughed.
A knock sounded on my door.
I gingerly pulled my pants back up and turned off the bathroom light. Maybe Meg had changed her mind about me helping her cook.
Or it could be Greer.
Greer, Meg, and Royal were the only women who I actually knew. If it was Royal knocking on my door to chat, then she was damn near Superwoman since she just gave birth hours ago.
I opened the door, and my jaw dropped.
“I thought maybe we could pick up where we left off at Wyndemere.”
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March 29th, 2021
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April 27th, 2021
About the Author
Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author Winter Travers is a devoted wife, mother, and aunt turned author who was born and raised in Wisconsin. After a brief stint in South Carolina following her heart to chase the man who is now her hubby, they retreated back up North to the changing seasons, and to the place they now call home.
Winter spends her days writing happily ever-afters, and her nights being a karate mom hauling her son to practices and tournaments.. She also has an addiction to anything MC related, puppies, and baking.
Winter loves to stay connected with her readers. Don’t hesitate to reach out and contact her.
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Downshift
Skid Row Kings
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