Liam
Heaven Hill Shorts #7
Laramie Briscoe
Copyright © 2020 by Laramie Briscoe
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to any person, living or dead, or any events or occurrences, is purely coincidental. The characters and story lines are created from the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any trademarks, service marks, product names, or named features are assumed to be the property of their respective owners, and are used only for reference. There is no implied endorsement if any of these terms are used.
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Also By Laramie Briscoe
The Haldonia Monarchy
Royal Rebel
Royal Chaos
Royal Love
Heaven Hill Series
Meant To Be
Out of Darkness
Losing Control
Worth The Battle
Dirty Little Secret
Second Chance Love
Rough Patch
Beginning of Forever
Home Free
Shield My Heart
A Heaven Hill Christmas
Heaven Hill Next Generation
Hurricane
Wild
Fury
Heaven Hill Shorts
Caelin
Christine
Justice
Harley
Jagger
Charity
Liam
Drew
Dalton
Mandy
Rockin’ Country Series
Only The Beginning
One Day at A Time
The Price of Love
Full Circle
Hard To Love
Reaper’s Girl
The Nashvegas Trilogy
Power Couple
The Moonshine Task Force Series
Renegade
Tank
Havoc
Ace
Menace
Cruise
Laurel Springs Emergency Response Team
Ransom
Suppression
Enigma
Cutter
The MVP Duet
On the DL
MVP
The Midnight Cove Series
Inflame
Stand Alones
Sketch
Sass
Trick
Room 143
2018 Laramie Briscoe Compilation
2019 Laramie Briscoe Compilation
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Contents
Blurb
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Connect With Laramie
About the Author
Blurb
It is recommended that you read “Heaven Hill Generations” before starting this series, or you will be spoiled and lost!
Liam Walker
When I gave up the Presidency of the Heaven Hill MC, I never thought I’d be called upon again.
My plan was to coast through, spoil my grandkids and fix bikes in my spare time.
None of us thought we’d have a traitor amongst us, and we didn’t think of the far-reaching consequences.
Now we are.
And when I’m called on again to pull everyone together, I do what I do best.
Lead.
Chapter One
Liam
Close, but not too close.
That’s what I tell myself every single day as I drive behind the school bus as it takes the girls home. It carries precious cargo. The most precious if anyone were to ask me.
When I started doing this, I realized quickly I couldn’t ride my bike. Both Justice and Harley would have recognized the sound as soon as they heard it. They’ve been around it often enough. Harley could probably recognize it in her sleep.
The Bluetooth in my SUV starts beeping, showing the name of my wife.
“Hey, babe.”
“Hey, how’s it going?” She asks, knowing good and well how it’s going.
“Just leaving the school,” I add in a mumbled. “Like you don’t know.”
She laughs. “I do know, I’m just wondering when you’re going to let this go?”
Let this go. Our granddaughter was kidnapped.
“I don’t know that I’ll ever be able to let it go.”
Those are the most honest words I’ve ever spoken, maybe the most honest I’ve ever been with myself. Justice being kidnapped changed everything.
Every. Single. Thing.
Once I let the reins of Heaven Hill go, I’d become the fun guy. The one who didn’t always have to worry. There wasn’t a group of people counting on me to make all the decisions anymore. I was able to be a husband, father, grandfather, and friend without the fear of ramifications.
Only to realize one of the people I’d trusted most my entire life had been the one to turn his back on the club.
Not only turn his back, but make a play for every person I call family.
It was the worst betrayal of my life.
Even worse than what my parents did to me.
Truth be told, I’m not over it, and I’m not sure I ever will be. Which is why I’m here, in the middle of the day, following a goddamn school bus as it lets kids off.
“She’s safe,” Denise whispers.
“Yeah,” I inhale deeply on the cigarette in my mouth, before taking it out with my fingers and exhaling. “That’s what we all assumed before, too. Now, I’m not taking any chances.”
“Which is why I love you.”
Those words still warm my heart, even though we’ve been saying them to each other for over twenty years. “You need anything on my way home?”
She’s quiet for a minute. “Get us milkshakes?”
Neither one of us should be drinking them, and we both know it, but she’s my favorite person to break the rules with.
“Strawberry?”
“You know me so well, Liam Walker.”
I chuckle. “Know you better than I know myself, Denise. See you in a while.”
“Make sure she’s safe.”
See, even my love worries, although she tries to act like she doesn’t.
“Always.”
And that word I do mean, because nobody will ever come in my house again, threaten my family right under my nose, and not die by my hand.
That’s what I promised myself, and that’s damn well what I mean.
Watching her get off the bus and run into the shop, or her Charity’s office, depending on what’s happening that week, is the most stressful moment of my day. That moment in time is when she could be taken, even with Harley right there next to her. Don’t think I haven’t noticed how Harley’s stepped up though.
I see her. The way she watches, the way she takes in her surroundings. Nothing is going to happen while she’s around either, but it scares me.
Who watches out for Harley?
It’s a double-edged sword. One that gives me fucking heartburn and causes a tightening in my chest. The first time it happened I thought I was having a heart attack. Even went to the ER.
Panic attack.
T
hat’s what the doctor said.
Liam Walker, former pres of the Heaven Hill MC suffered a panic attack. Talk about recognizing your mortality and vulnerability in one small moment. I felt it, like I’ve never felt anything else before.
Scared the fuck out of me, and I don’t think I’ve recovered since.
As the girls run to the shop, Harley turns around, giving me a wave. My girl knows I watch, I think she appreciates it, and if I can help her breathe a little easier, then it’s all worth it.
Every worry, sleepless night, and bottle of Tums I take. It’s completely worth it.
I do my best not to drink my entire milkshake before I get to the house, but they’re good and I’ve never been one to deny myself. Especially since I left my spot as pres. There’s been no reason to. I denied myself shit for years, trying to make sure everyone else was taken care of.
This is my time to shine. My time to put into my family, and I’m enjoying it more than I ever thought I would.
When I pull into the drive, I see Mandy’s SUV parked next to the house.
She’s been here a lot lately. Since the miscarriage, since the split with Dalton, she’s needed comfort.
She’s needed her mom, and sometimes me.
Whatever it is though, we’re willing to help. All I want is my family happy again, strong in themselves, and settled in their lives.
Some days I feel like that’s asking too much.
Other days I feel like it’s not asking enough.
“Papaw!”
Before I even get out of the truck, I hear Walker yelling at me. Around the same age as Justice and Harley, they’re all growing up too fast for me.
He looks just like his dad, gonna be taller than me, bulkier than Drew, and wiser than Tyler.
“What’s going on?” I hop out of the truck, putting my arm around his neck.
Sometimes he reminds me so much of Drew when I first met him, it’s hard to reconcile they aren’t the same person.
He shrugs. “Just came over with mom. Hoping to see dad later.”
They’re break up has been hard on all of us, but him the most. He’s caught in the middle, unsure of where his loyalties should lie. I feel close to the same way, if I’m being honest. I care for them both, and it’s killing me to see them doing this to one another.
“I’m gonna take this milkshake to your grandma and then I’m gonna go work on my bike. You’re welcome to join me.”
His eyes light up. If there’s anyone who enjoys working on a bike as much as Harley, it’s Walker. More than anything it’s in his blood, and he’s been bitten by the bug.
“I would love that.”
Today I notice his voice is a little deeper, his body a little leaner than the last time I saw him. He’s growing up on me in a way the girls aren’t, and I’m going to have to navigate how to help him when it comes to his parents.
It’s okay, I brought Drew through the gates of hell a time or two. I can bring Walker through them, and everyone else.
I may not be the pres anymore, but I am the head of this family and I refuse to let it fail.
Chapter Two
Liam
“When did you get your first bike?”
The question doesn’t come out of nowhere, Walker’s been hinting at wanting a bike for a while now. I guess that’s normal. Especially when you grow up like he has, in this club, with these men and women. It’s a changing of guard, so to speak, the day you get your bike is when you become a bigger piece of the puzzle. You go from child to almost adult. It’s revered by many, and respected by all.
Part of me wonders if he’s going to use his parents being split up right now, to get one. He’s never been manipulative like that, but we’re all venturing into unchartered territory right now. As much as we’ve always been a family, there are branches of us split off, and I’m not sure if we’ll ever grow strong again.
“When I was around sixteen, and that’s when Harley’s getting her bike. You’ll probably get yours around then too.”
I can tell immediately by the way his face falls he’d expected me to say something different.
“Not any sooner?”
Pulling a cigarette out of my pack, I put it in my mouth, holding it loosely between my lips as I light it. If I’m going to be having these types of conversations with people today, I’m going to need nicotine to get me the fuck through it.
“Sorry dude, not any sooner,” I shake my head.
He sighs. “I’m trying to talk mom into it.”
The way he says the words strikes me as odd, and I wonder what kind of shit he’s feeding Mandy. Dalton’s not here to discipline, but I sure as fuck am.
“If you’re trying too guilt your mom into giving you a bike because she and your dad are going through a hard time right now, cut it out,” I give him a look. “It’s been hard on everyone around here.”
Walker swallows harshly. I’ve called him out on what he’s doing, and it’s obviously pissed him off.
“It’s the only way I get to see Dad,” he argues.
“What do you mean?”
I haven’t ask either one of them how their personal lives are going. One, I’ve never felt like it was any of my business, two I know it’s hard on them too talk about it. The one afternoon I approached Dalton with it, he threw a wrench at my head and stormed out of the shop.
Maybe that’s been the wrong thing for me to do. Obviously Walker is hurting, and I have no idea what’s going on or how to help him.
“He’s not at the house anymore.”
I half figured it, especially with how many times I’ve seen them both by themselves. “Why don’t you tell me about it?”
Walker’s lip trembles and I see him try to pull his shit together. I’ve seen so many men in this club do the same when they knew they had to be strong. Walker is a kid, and he doesn’t have to be strong. Part of me wonders if he realizes he doesn’t have to take this all upon himself.
Putting my hand on his shoulder, I lean forward.
“What we talk about is between us. You don’t have to be the man of the house with me, Walker. Whatever you have to say won’t go any further than us, unless you want it to.”
His dark eyes stare up at me. “I miss him,” his lip trembles harder, tears falling from his eyes. “Mom was so happy when she found out she was pregnant, and so was dad. I wasn’t supposed to know yet, but I came home early. They were smiling at each other, kissing in that gross way, and I could feel the excitement. Then it was gone,” he cries. “Everything was gone.”
I reach out, hugging him tightly. He’s needed to talk about this for a while, we’ve all known it. At some point Walker was going to break down, and it looks like me telling him he can’t have his bike yet was what pushed him over the edge.
“It’s not gone,” I assure him as we let go of our hug.
“It is though, Dad left and he’s not been back. Mom cries all the time, she doesn’t smile, and me? I’m so damn sad.”
Normally I’d say something about him cursing, but desperate times call for me to allow things I normally wouldn’t allow.
“Have you talked to either one of them about this?”
He sniffs, rubbing his nose against the back of his hand. “No, they don’t need me being this way on top of everything they’re going through.”
Just like Drew when I met him.
He’s sad, he’s angry, and he’s grasping at straws as to how to help everyone, including himself.
“Just because they’re going through something doesn’t mean they don’t want you t suffer, Walker. I guarantee they care about you more than they care about themselves.”
He’s quiet as he continues to cry. “Mom was up the other night,” he whispers. “I walked into the living room, and what I saw scared me.”
His voice changes in a way I’ve never heard before, it makes me listen closer and harder than I ever have. “What did you see?”
The way he shifts his eyes downward freezes my gut. H
e doesn’t want to tell on his mom, I’ve seen the look many times.
“She had a bottle of alcohol on the table, and there were pills laying beside it. She was counting them out. I’ve never seen her do that before,” his voice is strained. “The only time I’ve ever seen it is in movies where the character is about to commit suicide.”
It’s the only place I’ve ever seen it too and immediately I’m terrified. Terrified for my daughter, my family, and my club when all of this comes out.
Justice being kidnapped started the downward spiral, but it looks like Mandy’s miscarriage is going to be the cause of it going completely out of control. If we aren’t careful we won’t be able to get this back on the right track.
It will kill not only my daughter, but all of us. An urgency I haven’t felt in years gnaws at my gut.
“Are you going to tell her I told you?”
“Walker, you’re not in trouble,” I pull him closer to me. “Thank you for telling me, but you aren’t in trouble.”
I get the feeling he knows Mandy doesn’t take well to people not minding their own business, but me? I don’t care.
She better get prepared because I’m about to be all up in it, regardless of if she wants me there or not.
Chapter Three
Liam
I’m quiet tonight, mostly because I’m thinking, planning, trying to decide what I want to do. No one ever thinks they’ll need to be in a situation to confront their child. Even if that child is an adult with their own child.
Liam (Heaven Hill Shorts Book 7) Page 1
