by Ambere Sabo
The minute Cessy and Venom found out they were having a boy she started buying him things. I swear one weekend after she went shopping, her apartment looked like a Babies ‘R Us exploded in it. She’s bound and determined her godson is going to be a heartbreaker, and she wanted to make damn sure he looked the part. And all the animals, Lord the animals, I didn’t know they made so many blue animals.
Venom comes out wearing scrubs, smiling bigger than I’ve ever seen. He has everyone's attention when he says, “He’s here. He was a stubborn little shit, but he’s here. He and Reine are both doing well.”
There are a few “hell yeahs” yelled out with “congratulations” as everyone hoots and hollers before Maria shushes us.
“When can we see her?” Wraith asks as soon as it quiets down. He never had children of his own, so Cessy is the closest thing to a daughter he has. If anyone didn’t know how much he cares for her, they do after today.
“As soon as she gets out of recovery. They had to do a c-section, but they should be ready for visitors soon. I'll let you know as soon as they move her to her room. Right now I need to get back. Reine just wanted me to let everyone know that they’re good.” With that, Venom rushes back down the hall to the delivery rooms.
“Well, now that we know both mama and baby are good, I need some coffee,” Vic announces.
“I can go with you, Ma,” Havoc offers as he starts to stand from his place next to Angel.
“No, I think I’d like it if Gunner came with me.”
I can’t help the surprise on my face when my eyes open wide and I ask, “Ma’am?”
“Come on, Gunner. I won’t bite,” she says with a smirk.
“No, she’ll just sick your mama on you,” Wraith grumbles.
“Hush,” she tells him before standing and looking over at me expectantly. When I glance at Havoc, he shrugs at me. Lord, I hope I didn’t do something to piss this woman off.
We make it halfway to the cafeteria before she says anything. “What are you thinking over there?”
“Trying to figure out if I did something wrong,” I say without thinking. My mind is working a million miles a minute, trying to remember anything I might have done.
With a laugh, she asks, “Why do you automatically think you’ve done something wrong?”
“Well, with all due respect, you can be a little scary, ma’am.”
“It’s Vic, please,” she says placing a hand on my arm and with a smile says, “I’m only scary if I need to be. Now I have a question for you.”
Slowing to a stop, I turn and give her my full attention.
“You love my baby?” she asks, crossing her arms over her chest. “And don’t you dare lie to me.”
Her question takes me back to the porch when I dropped Lilly off for the last time. I look at the floor unable to deny it, “Yes, I know I shouldn’t, but yes I do.”
“And why shouldn’t you?” she snaps at me, making me look back at her. Hands on her hips, she glares at me.
“Because she’s my brother’s baby sister. She’s supposed to be off limits. Havoc already told me all the things he’ll do to me if I so much as lay a finger on Lil. And…” Running a hand through my hair, I blow out a breath and finish, “…because she deserves better than me.”
The anger melts from her face and is replaced with sadness. She reaches up and puts her hand on my cheek. “The only person who thinks you aren't good enough is you, Gunner. My son loves his sister, but even he can see how much you care for her. It's time to remember your worth, son. And if it comes to it, I can handle Eric.”
My mouth drops open when it hits me in the chest. Could I really be the only reason Lilly hasn’t been in my arms all these months?
This is my doing. Without another word, Vic starts towards the cafeteria, and I trail behind her in a daze. God, baby girl, how could I be so stupid?
“Ma’am,” I start before correcting myself, “I mean, Vic?”
“Yes, Gunner,” she says, turning to look at me over her shoulder.
“If it comes to it, I’ll take whatever Havoc can dish out. If I have to fight for her, I will.”
With a smile, she claims, “It’s about time you got your head on straight.”
Chapter 14
Enterrador
It’s been almost two months and no one can find her. How a girl can just disappear without a trace? I don’t understand. I learned very little in Flagstaff. She pawned the bracelet I sent for her birthday. Javier killed the pawn shop clerk under my orders for the ridiculous amount he gave her for it. And they say we’re criminals.
The hotel had next to nothing when it came to video surveillance, but I did get a glimpse of this blue-haired woman. She’s Hispanic, but she made sure to avoid looking directly at any of the cameras. Something about that just doesn’t sit well with me. There's something else going on here. I know it. I can feel it in my gut. When I figure out what that is, I’ll find my prize. Then Lilly will be mine.
For now, we’ve come back to Mexico. The trail ran cold in Arizona, and I’d rather be here getting my home ready for her arrival. She can’t stay hidden forever. Sooner or later she’ll go home. Then she’ll be mine. When she is, I want everything to be perfect for her arrival.
“You know we have people to do this for you?” Diablo says in disgust as he wipes his hands on a handkerchief.
Everything in my home was covered in dust two days ago. I’ve spent hours removing the covers from the furniture and preparing the rooms for Lilly. I had all of Alex's belongings moved to storage years ago. The only piece of her still left behind is the photo collage of her and my sister, Lena, hanging in the dining room. Diablo stands stiffly before it now examining the images of his lost daughter. The look of disgust he has whenever he sees an image of Selena confuses me. Not that much about him makes sense most days.
“I wanted to do it myself. It’s the only way I know everything will be done correctly.”
Giving the pictures of Alex and Selena one last look, he turns to me. “I don’t like you moving this far north again. It’ll take too long for you to get to me if you’re needed.”
“You’ve already told me this,” I say turning away from him so he doesn’t see the roll of my eyes. “My answer hasn’t changed. We’ll come to San Luis once Lilly and I are married. I want her away from all the chaos of the cartel in the beginning.”
“And an heir? When will you give me an heir?” he demands.
“When she's ready.”
The laugh that erupts from him has me bristling. “Do you really think she’ll come to you willingly? Son, you’ll have to take that one and break her. I’ve seen the surveillance of her you’ve been keeping. She’s nothing like Alex. This girl has a fire in her. She’ll never give herself to you by choice. Ever.”
Within a blink, I'm across the room. Snatching the collar of his shirt, I pull him to me. Through gritted teeth, I say, “You know nothing of my Alex. Remember that, old man. Lilly will be mine. And only once I have her willingly will you get your heir. I am nothing like you. I will not take her by force.”
His men surround me with their guns drawn. Even in my own home, he has his army with him. He trusts no one, least of all me. Diablo knows his son is gone. He died the day Alex took her last breath. Enterrador was who he wanted me to become. But the minute I did, he no longer trusted me. He finally knew what I was capable of. I could kill him just as easily as I have all those who took Alex from me, and he knows it.
“Then you’ll die before you ever remake the family you lost. And you’re a fool,” he hisses at me.
“I was a fool for ever becoming the monster who could snap your neck before they even get a shot off,” I say cocking my head at his men.
“Let. Me. Go,” he commands.
With a shove, I do. “I’ll let you know when we’ll make our way to San Luis. I don’t care if it takes years to get her to love me in return. Now, get out.”
“I choose the wrong child,” he grumbles just
loud enough for me to hear.
“Excuse me?”
“Nothing,” he says as he straightens his suit jacket.
Diablo is always the picture of perfection in his Armani suits. His salt and pepper hair remains styled, no hair out of place. Looking at him now, no one would ever know his father let him grow up in the ghetto of Mexico City before he came for him. The only difference between the way he and I were both left to believe our fathers were dead is that I found love in Alex. Diablo had nothing, and it made him into the cold, detached man who walks away from me now.
Turning to me before he reaches the door, he looks me straight in the eye. Look the devil in the eyes, and you’ll see he has no soul. “You have three months, son. If you aren’t in San Luis by then, she won't be the only one coming to me against her will. Do you understand?”
Without even waiting for a response, he and his men stroll out the front door. The glass vase from below the pictures of the only two women to ever hold my heart smashes against the door just as it closes. Lilly is my second chance. I know it. And I will not let him take this from me.
Chapter 15
Lilly
Twenty-seven hours. That's how long it takes to get from Tahoe to my home. We have less than an hour left, and I think I might be sick. Mythic stopped trying to talk to me four hours ago.
“Lilly, earth to Lilly,” Mythic says, interrupting my internal battle.
“Huh?”
“Damn, girl. I said, do you need to go to the bathroom? There's a rest stop up ahead,” she says, pointing to the sign on the side of the road.
“Oh, no. I’m good,” I tell her with a shake of my head.
“I think I liked the drive to Tahoe better,” she says with a huff. “You may have asked a shit ton of questions, but at least I wasn’t talking to myself. Look, Lil, they love you. They’ll forgive you for running.”
When I look back through the window without replying to what I hope is true, she grumbles under her breath before turning the music back up.
I mean, I knew eventually I’d be coming home. Hell, I didn’t really plan to be gone the two months I have been. Still, that didn’t stop the knot that formed in my stomach when Mythic came and told me it was time. She needs Snoopy's help to get the last piece of information to use against Enterrador.
I have no clue what all she’s compiled, but she’s certain what she has will get Enterrador to back off and leave me alone. In all honesty, I don't care what it is, as long as it gets me my life back.
When Mythic takes the turn to head straight to the Silent Sons clubhouse I know it's time to face the music.
“You ready for this?” Mythic asks as we walk up to the door.
I can’t even find the words to answer her right now. My hands are sweaty, and my heart’s beating so fast I feel like it might jump right out of my chest. Instead, I just nod in response.
“Ok, I’m going to wait out here like we discussed. Come and get me when you're ready.”
Turning the handle, I walk into the clubhouse. Ready to deal with whatever consequences I need to. These people have done everything to protect me, and I ran away with no explanation or care as to what it would do to them., I was a coward, and now it’s time to deal with the fallout.
Colt is the first one to see me as I enter the dim room. Throwing his head back, he says, “Thank fuck,” before he jogs towards me and scoops me up into a bear hug.
“Gunner, Havoc,” he yells out over his shoulder.
Cessy comes around the corner with a face full of fury. “Colt, what the hell are…” she starts before her eyes meet mine, and she breaks out into a run. Pulling me from Colt, she squeezes me tightly. “What the hell were you thinking, Lil? We’ve been worried sick,” she scolds while stroking my hair.
As I clutch her back tightly, I realize there's no longer a barrier between us. Leaning back to look at her, my heart stops. “The baby?” I ask with pure fear gripping my chest.
“He’s asleep. That’s why I came out here ready to kill Cole for yelling,” she says with a giggle.
I can’t help the breath of relief that escapes. Looking at her and the tears streaming down her face fills me with shame. “I missed his birth,” I say looking at my feet.
“You did. But you’ll have plenty of time to make up for it,” she affirms, lifting my chin so I have to look her in the eye.
I scared her. I scared all of them. But all I see staring back at me is understanding. It helps ease the knot in my stomach just a bit.
With all the commotion, the men start to filter out of church. In moments, I’m surrounded by them all. Each one passing me to the next for a hug. And each one throwing out questions I don’t want to answer right now. Havoc pushes through and pulls me to him.
“Don’t you ever fucking scare me like that again, Lil. You got me?” his voice thick with emotion.
“Baby girl,” Gunner croaks from behind us. Stepping away from my brother, I come face-to-face with the man I love. A man I’m sure I’ve put through hell the last couple of months. I don’t even know what to expect from him right now. My palms sweat. My heart thuds. My nerves are strung taut. I deserve his anger, his hurt. I’ve prepared myself for it. But instead, he holds his hand out to me, and I take it.
As he draws me to him, I can’t bear to look him in the eye. The regret I feel in this moment is soul crushing. Hooking a finger under my chin, he brings my eyes to his and without a word crushes his lips to mine.
My body melts against his. I savor the feel of his lips on mine. Each stroke of his tongue is like an electric current jolting through my whole body. Losing track of where we are, who surrounds us, I wrap my arms around him. I can’t seem to care we have an audience. Not until Havoc clears his throat beside me.
Pulling away from Gunner, my cheeks heat in embarrassment. It only grows as Cessy says, “It’s about damn time.” The brothers all begin to chuckle with Havoc’s growl.
Gunner leans down and whispers in my ear, “We’ll finish this later.”
“Much later,” Havoc grumbles.
Turning to face the members of my brother's club, I can’t help the smile spreads across my face. I’m home.
“Where’s Snoop?” I ask when I don’t find him as my eyes seek him out.
“Over here Lil,” he calls out from one of the corner booths where he’s furiously typing away on his laptop, typical.
“Mythic’s on the porch for you,” I tell him.
Looking up from his screen, confusion fills his eyes and wrinkles his brow. “You’ve been with him all this time?”
I can’t help the laugh that escapes. “How well do you know Mythic?”
“Better than you I hope,” Gunner grunts as he wraps his arms around my middle pulling me tightly to him.
“Um… I don’t know. Since all of this started with the cartel, we chat almost every day. Not as often the last two months which makes more sense now. He’s been the main source of information I’ve given y’all about Enterrador, why?”
“Mythic,” I holler over my shoulder. “You can come in now.”
When the beautiful woman walks in from the porch, I swear I can see the drool form on Snoopy’s chin.
“You’re Mythic?” he asks incredulously.
She hits him with a killer smile, before propping her hand on her hip, and sasses, “What? You thought I was a guy because I’m a better hacker than you?”
“Uh, well… yeah” Snoopy admits, taking his beanie off and running a hand through his hair.
“Not all hackers are guys you know,” she says, crossing her arms across her body, bringing her chest to full attention.
“I know but… I’ve never met one as hot as you,” he blurts out. Realizing what he’s just said his face turns red. “Uh… I mean. That didn’t come out right,” the words rush out in a huff.
I can’t help but giggle at his reaction. Snoopy isn’t like the other brothers. He’s hot, don’t get me wrong but more with that smart, loner guy kind of vibe
. Mythic is the complete opposite. She knows she’s gorgeous and has no issue owning it. She’s going to love giving him hell.
Speaking of hell… “Where’s Ma?”
Chapter 16
Gunner
Most of our afternoon is spent in church. There are questions that need to be answered about where she’s been the last two months. Hearing how Mythic found her and hid her from us doesn’t sit right with me. How can I ever fully trust the woman who kept my girl from me? Mythic is hiding something I know it. Lillys says I need to trust her, so I'll try, for Lilly.
After church, Lilly gets to meet her godson for the first time. I’d be lying if I said this doesn’t make me wish for the day when I might get to see her hold a little piece of me and her. Those first few moments watching her with him are nothing short of amazing.
Lil sits with a bundle of blue in her arms. “Please tell me you finally picked a name, and I don’t have to keep callin’ him LV?”
Venom grins at her nickname for his son while Cessy growls. She hated that Lil called him that. Really, aside from his dark brown locks, he looks just like Cessy, but no one will tell her that. Not just yet anyway. It's too much fun to fuck with her. Until she realizes we are anyway. Then she’ll have all of our asses, but it’s worth it.
“Lilly, meet Phoenix Jagger Walters,” Venom says with a smile so big I think his face might crack. The brothers have taken to calling the little guy Nix, but Venom isn’t a fan, so I’ll tell Lil that little tidbit later.
“Hey, little guy,” Lilly coos as she rubs her thumb tenderly over his cheek. “I’m your godmother, Lilly, but Angel says you can call me your niña. I’m so sorry I wasn’t here to meet you when you came into this world. I hear you gave your mama quite a bit of trouble. But I promise, I’ll spoil you rotten over the next few weeks to make up for not being here.”
And she will. For the next hour I watch my baby girl fawn and fuss over Nix until he needs to go down for a nap.
