“Nah, brother. Just worried about Harlow. She should be taking things easy since she’s closing in on delivery. She’s always volunteering to watch the kids; I wish she’d just take one day to put her feet up and relax.”
“Well, the kids will be out of her hair here shortly and she’ll have no choice but to chill,” I chuckle as I lean over the box and grab a slice for myself. “Hmm, that’s good,” I say as my belly anxiously devours the food I’ve given it. With all the worries I’ve been facing, taking time out of my day to consume any meal of nutritional value has been the last thing on my mind. The liquid diet of booze and smokes alone isn’t gonna fuel my body for much longer.
As I walk away from my office, I grab Sledge to accompany me on my fishing expedition. I’m feeling confident enough that one man should do the trick. My plans are to spend some time with the kids and then close my eyes for a much-needed nap. I’ve been catching some Z’s on the couch in my office, and haven’t had the comfort of my bed, nor the warmth of my woman’s body. I’m ready for this shit to be done and over with. I have a club to run and tracking down a fucking thief is messing with the jobs that need my focus.
Grabbing the keys to my truck, I head over to the club’s garage and hop inside. I won’t be able to pick all of the kids up on my bike, so I have to settle for my cage, one that doesn’t see the daylight hours much. I hate being enclosed and the freedom of my bike stolen from me, but when you’re a father, you do what needs to be done. If it was just Harmony, I’d be able to feel the wind in my face. Shaking myself out of my wayward thoughts, I stick the key in the ignition and fire her up.
The kids are chatterboxes in the back. They haven’t stopped their excited squeals since the second I picked them up. Reaching into my glovebox, grabbing a bottle of pain relievers, I pop a few in my mouth. Might as well be prepared for the impending headache I feel surging my way.
“Daddy, when can I get a bike of my own? One like yours and my uncles,” Harmony inquires nonchalantly from the backseat.
I feel the dread at her words seeping into my mind as I picture her on a bike same as mine. But then I can’t help but feel proud that my girl wants to be just like her father. “Girls don’t ride bikes like the men. They ride on the back like the old ladies, but they never have their own,” Asher blurts out in rebut.
“Hey now. Watch it young man. A woman,” I begin but the thought of my little girl growing into a woman frightens me if I’m honest. I want her to stay little as long as possible. Shaking off my intruding thought, I continue, “As I was saying, a woman can have a bike of her own. Now an old man? We’ll have to see about that one. My little Outlaw isn’t made for just anyone.” Reaching my hand behind me, I squeeze her tiny knee and shoot her a smile.
“Yeah. I don’t want a boyfriend anyway. Boys are gross and they fart a lot,” she says through a giggle and I catch her glance over at Asher through my rearview mirror.
“At least we don’t play with dolls and makeup,” he replies, making eye contact with her. “We play with fun things like fire, bugs, and the big bikes that you want.”
Outlaw’s grin shifts to one of frustration as I try to keep somewhat of an eye on them from the driver's seat. Before I can say or do anything to stop it, Harmony hauls off and punches him square in the arm. “That’s for talking about my dolls. And I like bugs and big bikes, too,” she finishes as I holler for them to knock it off.
“Geez, you didn’t have to hit me, you little twerp,” Asher tells Outlaw as he rubs his arm.
“That’s enough from the two of you or we won’t go fishing. I’ll be having you both scrubbing baseboards at the clubhouse if you keep it up,” I warn and watch as both of their eyes widen and they straighten up in their seats. “Now, we’ll be there in less than five minutes, so both of you keep your lips sealed until then.”
Internally, I chuckle when I see Outlaw mimic zipping her lips and shooting a look of utter revulsion toward Asher. She narrows her eyes at him until he gives in and mirrors her actions. My little girl is a pistol until she gets what she wants. I may not be the one to scare future men away, her hardheadedness and strong will, that’ll be what pushes them away, not my show and tell with all of my guns and weapons. It’ll take a mighty strong man to tame my little girl. That thought brings elation to my worries, I’m going to make sure she knows to always speak her mind and stand up for herself.
She’s already a little tornado, but I will make sure she’s a hurricane when I’m done teaching her all the ways to defend herself. My girl will never be left wide-open for someone to take advantage of her.
Aurora
Armed with shocking news from the doctor, I try calling Harlow to check on how things are going with her and the kids; but get no answer. Mobile phones are relatively new, and we don’t always get the best reception, so I decide to stop by and see if she needs any relief.
Once I pull up to Harlow and Bane's house, I realize that her car is gone. There’s no way she would’ve attempted to take all the kids somewhere in her tiny vehicle. So, I call Rogue to see what he knows about this. After no answer from him either, I call Bane, same thing. What the hell are these damn phones good for if they’re not gonna answer? As I begin to toss my phone back into my purse, I notice that I have a voicemail. How did I not notice this before? Oh, please don’t tell me this pregnancy brain is already kicking in.
“Hey, beautiful. I know you’re out shopping, but I wanted to let you know that when you get done we’re all gonna be at the clubhouse. Just head on up here. I’ve got Harmony. We’re all here, waiting for you. Miss and love you, Rora. Can’t wait to see you.”
He sounds more relaxed and in such a better mood than earlier. And I can’t wait to give him the best news when I arrive. Putting my car into reverse, I back out of the driveway and cautiously proceed to my man and daughter. I take another mental note of Marx parked down the street. Apparently, he’s been placed as my personal spy for the day, as I like to joke. Focusing back on the road, I place my hand over my belly, as I speak to mine and Rogue’s little miracle, “Your daddy and big sister are gonna be so happy when they find out about you. We haven’t even met you yet, but just know that you are already so loved and wanted.”
Rogue
The kids are sitting in lawn chairs, poles baited, and in the water as Bane and I pop open a cold one and enjoy the view. The sun is just beginning to set and most of the old ladies have already arrived, except Aurora.
“You didn’t hear a word I just said, did you?” Bane takes a swig of his beer as he steals my attention away from my last thought. “What’s that puzzling look on your face about?”
“Aurora.” I dig into the front and back pocket of my jeans, and lastly, the pockets inside of my cut, only to realize I must’ve left my damn mobile phone inside the clubhouse. “Figured she would be here by now and I don’t have my phone on me.”
“Marx has detail duty on her today, right? Here, let me call him. They might already be here. Hell, she’s probably in the clubhouse gossiping with all of the other women.” He pulls out his mobile phone and I anxiously watch and wait for an answer. It feels like an eternity that it’s ringing and fucking Marx isn’t picking up. I’ll have his ass scrubbing toilets with his own toothbrush for this shit. “Huh?” Bane looks at his phone puzzled as he tries again, but this isn’t gonna work for me.
Turning my back, I hastily begin to make long strides toward the clubhouse before the loud and alarming sound of rapid gunfire has me turning around to grab my baby girl. Racing toward her, I scoop her into my arms and lay on the ground, shielding her little body with mine. “Everybody get down! Now!” Harmony’s cries and screams underneath me can be felt as she wiggles out of fear attempting to go somewhere, anywhere away from here. The endless assault on my clubhouse and family that resides inside seems to go on for an eternity and as this club's president I am helpless. “Bane!” I holler out as I glance up and see him lying protectively over the other two boys. I watch him speak somethin
g to them and as he cautiously raises his body up, they scoot theirs backward, down further into the bank of the stock pond. We’re in sync with one another and I know what’s coming next, and it’s for the best. “Uncle Bane is gonna come get you and you’re to go with him and stay with the boys until we come back to get you. Do you hear me?” Harmony nods and as I finally see her little face, it’s stained with dirt-traced tears. “I need you to be my strong girl, my Outlaw.” She nods again and I squeeze her tight once more. Bane stands, racing to me where I hand my daughter to him and he takes her over to where the boys are.
Once we feel they’re hidden, we begin to run in a slouching position toward the clubhouse with our guns drawn as we scan the area. The gunshots have stopped and as we get closer, I hear the screeching tires as rubber burns against the pavement. I barely catch a glimpse of the small black car as it speeds off. Nobody is running out from inside the clubhouse and this frightens me even more. I can only hope Aurora hasn’t made it yet.
As we push our way into the bullet riddled door, there’s nothing but blood and bodies everywhere. “Aurora!”
“Harlow!” Bane calls out seconds after me.
Aurora
Moments before...
Shots come out of nowhere. I had just found Harlow and we were making our way toward the fishing pond when all hell breaks loose. I feel the pain of a bullet as it breaks the flesh of my skin. Then, someone rams into me from the side and lands atop of me. I can feel the blood flow freely from me as my eyes begin to dim. I know that I’m dying, I can feel my lungs as they fill with my life force. Bubbles of blood begin to form on my lips as I attempt to call out and check on my friend. She’s deathly still, as her body lies on top of me. Harlow tried to save me, but I fear she has sustained some life-threatening injuries of her own in the process.
My mind shifts to my daughter first, all the things I’m going to miss out on, the things I’ll never teach her and experience beside her. I want to fight, I want to hold on, but can feel my body losing this battle. This can’t be the end of my story, the tragic way my old man will lose me is heartbreaking. I hear Rogue shout out my name as he skids next to where I limplessly lay. My limbs have become heavy, my eyes are trying to close, only I know that once they do, they’ll never see life again. I feel Harlow’s weight removed from me as strong arms band around me and a hand begins to rub soothingly over my head, fingers moving my blood-stained strands away to clear my face.
“Aurora, don't leave me, please, baby.” I wish I could concede to his begging, but I know there’s no saving me now. Each breath is a struggle, my lungs are filling and the lack of oxygen is stealing my future away from me.
“Love you, love our girl, love...baby.”
Rogue
Anger pelts me. Overriding me as I hold my dying wife in my arms. When the last breath leaves her, my body begins to tremble in outrage. Someone just stole my everything from me, from Harmony, from a future we have planned. Rora was doing nothing more than simply living her life, she never caused harm to anyone. No enemies. She was perfect, loving, full of life and spread joy wherever she went and lit up everyone’s life she ever met.
“No!” I bellow out, my voice echoing around me as tears break free, flowing down my cheeks. I don’t wipe them away, I don’t try to hide them, instead, I let them fuel me and encourage the retribution that will happen.
Chapter Five
Rogue
My emotions these last few days have taken me on a ride I never signed up for, ever. Learning that Rora was pregnant and had literally just found out mere hours before her life was stolen from her and us leaves me questioning if my own life is even worth living anymore sometimes. Our family would’ve been and should still be growing, but now that is all history and hard to accept. But, when those thoughts seep into the darkest corners of my mind, I look at my daughter and remember exactly why I have no choice. Telling Harmony about the loss of her mother was the hardest thing I’ve ever faced. I had no answers to all of her questions. I can’t explain why someone chose to steal her mother away from her when it should’ve been me. At the end of the day, nothing about this makes any sense.
Harlow is still in the hospital recovering from her injuries. She lost the baby and they had to remove her reproductive organs. The gravity of this news was so unbearable that she has been temporarily placed in a medically induced coma; leaving Bane to make funeral arrangements for their now deceased son. Bane is beside himself, overcome with the surmounting responsibilities now resting upon his defeated shoulders. He’s yo-yoing between anger and grieving the loss of his unborn child and any future children they could’ve had.
The club is nothing more than what’s left of our men walking around like zombies. They all know this could’ve been their old ladies; their children mourning the loss of mothers. There’s also an urgency to find our mole, our betrayer, but that’s been on the backburner while I plan my old lady’s final rest. But one thing I do know is that Marx hasn’t been seen or heard from since that tragic day. Seeing as he was Aurora’s detail at the time, my mind has wondered if he too met his fate that day. Naturally, he’s the first one I want to both question and possibly strangle as he had one job; and that was to protect my wife with his own life. However, before I allow unwanted thoughts to plague and cloud my mind, I must focus on laying my sweet Rora to her final resting spot. Our plots were chosen years ago, most of the decisions have been previously made, leaving me with some sort of peace that I desperately cling to throughout this unwanted journey filled with travesty. Harmony isn’t sleeping, she’s waking up reliving that day over and over again. The screams that leave her small lungs each night have me unraveling at the seams.
I’m not sure how much more either one of us can take until we finally snap. My daughter hardly eats, she’s scared to close her eyes, she doesn’t play with her toys nor pay attention to her friends when they come by. I can’t leave her side without her having a complete melt-down. She’s scared that if I’m out of her sight for any period of time, I won’t be returning to her.
The fact that the fear she has is possible, worries me for her and what will happen to her if I’m no longer walking this earth. She’s become a shell of the little girl who once was so full of life and laughter. What frightens me the most is the sunken cheeks, the dark circles forming under her eyes… a child on the cusp of turning six-years-old shouldn’t carry the burdened look of an older woman.
This entire thing is fucking me up. I don’t know how to soothe all that ails her, I don’t know how to take care of myself most days. My brothers have tried to help me, but nothing breaks through. I’m beginning to wonder if anything will ever be the same again.
Bella
The phone call I received informing me of my closest friend's death, is crippling my senses, devastation wrapped firmly around my heart. When Rogue called to tell me what went down, the shattered way his voice spoke the words caused my heart to break further than it was with the tragic demise of Aurora. I don’t know if he’ll ever come back from her loss, if Harmony will ever experience a normal childhood according to society's standards. I left years ago, fighting with the feelings that grew with each passing day toward Rogue. How could a best friend develop the feelings I felt for him when he was wholeheartedly taken, branded and owned by one of the strongest, most ferocious when it came to love, a woman such as Aurora. The answer simply was I couldn’t, but I also couldn’t stop nor ignore the feelings that were gripping my chest. I was becoming depressed, pathetic and Aurora started questioning what was going on with me.
I wasn’t sure how much longer I’d be able to refrain from opening up to her, and I feared the separation in our friendship that would cause. There isn’t a time in my life where I can remember Aurora and I weren’t attached at the hip. She was the yin to my yang and I couldn’t be the one who caused that bridge in our friendship to collapse. Instead, I tucked my tail and ran as far away from the both of them as I could. I always kept in touch through lette
rs and phone calls, but things were never the same.
The day Aurora birthed Harmony, I was joyous for her, but my heart sank deeply into my chest. Once again, I buried my feelings and sent gifts and a card offering my congratulations. I was the long distant aunt who spoke with Harmony often and sometimes she’d be sent for an extended holiday to my home. I’ve deeply enjoyed the time I’ve spent with her. The icing on the cake was always when Aurora would come with her. Usually, those times were when Rogue was on the road taking care of club business.
As I drive down the dirt road that will lead me to the clubhouse I know and abandoned years ago, tears stream down my cheeks at the thought of having to say my final goodbyes. I did everything I could to protect her, and now, I’ll never be able to make amends for my heart’s desire, something I had no right feeling.
“Stop feeling sorry for yourself, Bella,” I chide, “this isn’t about you. It’s about that poor man and your best friend's distraught daughter; their innocent child.”
I come up to a gate that has a guard manning it. Rolling down my window, I give him my name and once I’m granted entrance by whomever was on the receiving end of the phone call, I slowly pull my car forward. When I put my car in park, I look up and see Harmony sitting on the front step, a stick in her hand as she draws patterns into the dirt. She looks so lost and sullen that I want to do nothing more than pull her into the comfort of my arms. Harmony’s head lifts up and a gasp leaves the confines of my mouth. The light has dimmed from her eyes; if she wasn’t moving, I’d swear she was in a comatose state, that’s how lifeless she comes across as. “I’m gonna take care of them,” I vow to Aurora, as I inhale deep breaths before reaching over and grabbing the door handle. Remembering at the last minute that my car is still running, I reach up and twist my keys. Pushing the door open, I exit. Reaching back in, I grab my purse and possessions. When my head swings back to where Harmony was stationed, my heart leaps from my chest as Rogue now stands next to her. I nearly forget to breathe as the sight of him takes my breath away. Even as he’s aged since I’ve laid eyes on him last, he’s still the handsomest man that’s ever existed. “I can do this. Be strong.”
Rogue's Retribution: Twisted Iron MC Page 5
