I take it and slide it on. I have to bunch it up near the bottom and tie it together since it’s a bit big on me, but I’m happy to be covered up again. “C’mon, let’s get to the hospital so the docs can update you,” Dad says and his words shock me. The fact he’s encouraging me to go is mind-blowing. Maybe he’s realizing Gears isn’t all that bad. I get on the back of my dad’s bike, and I tell him which hospital we’re going to.
In a matter of minutes we’re there, parked, and are in the waiting area. I’ve already told registration who I’m here with and they said he was just taken back into surgery. My heart sank into my stomach as soon as I heard, but I know it’s good he was rushed right back. It means they’re taking his wounds seriously. It means he’ll be okay, right?
My dad sits beside me, and Inc sits on the other side. Meanwhile, Tex, Bull, and Grim are across the aisle from us. “He s-saved my l-life. He pushed m-me out of t-the w-way,” I sob, ripping my hands away from both of my fathers. I put them over my face and cry. I allow every emotion to come to the surface and let it all out, knowing keeping it in won’t do me any good.
An arm comes around my right side and I know it’s Inc. “Everythin’ is gonna be okay, kiddo. We’re here with you, alright?” He presses a kiss to my forehead and there’s pressure on my kneecap. I open my eyes to see my dad with red-rimmed eyes. He’s staring right at me.
“I’m grateful it isn’t you back there. I’m glad he put himself in the line of fire to protect you, baby girl, and I . . . I’m sorry I was so fuckin’ stubborn before. This shows me he’s not as bad as I thought. It sure as hell fuckin’ shows me there’s truth behind everythin’ you were tellin’ me before. Fuck, I never thought I’d say this, but I should give him a chance.”
“Dad, I only want you to be happy for me. You don’t have to be friends with him. Just respect him and the relationship we’re forging.”
He nods and grabs onto my tear-smeared hand. He gives it a squeeze and brings the back of my hand to his lips, kissing it chastely. “I’m sorry I’ve been a dick. It’s just hard for me seein’ you as a grown woman and all. You’re always gonna be my baby girl, Syd. Doesn’t matter if you’re ten or twenty. I’m never gonna not see you as the shortie with the pigtails in the pink tank tops.”
“God, I can’t believe I wore pink that long.” I shake my head, thinking back to the time I was obsessed with that specific color.
“The point I’m tryin’ to make is I love you, and I ain’t ever gonna stop. I hope you know I do things outta love, not to be an asshole.”
I bite my bottom lip and give him a nod. “I know.”
“Good, now let your old dad hold onto his little girl for a bit. Alright? Tonight, fuck, tonight I got too close to losin’ you,” Dad says, wrapping an arm around me. He holds me close, and Inc holds onto my other hand. I love them both so much and I’ll always consider myself blessed to be loved by two strong, fearless men. Inc’s more of the silent and broody type, while my dad is the one who turns red in the face and will burn down entire cities. Still, I love them both so much.
After a couple hours, a doctor comes out and tells me Gears is okay, but he’ll need to be monitored closely over the next couple of days. Today I’ve had the daylights scared out of me, and I make my dad vow to help me find the person who did this. The doctor asked I don’t go to Gears’ room yet, so I’ll sit in the waiting room as long as I need to. Whenever he’s awake and accepting visitors, I’ll be here waiting to see his handsome face.
Chapter Eighteen
Gears
“For the love of God, tell me I’m healin’ alright, ‘cause I’ll be damned if she makes me sit on this damn couch for one more minute,” I grumble, shakin’ my head at Cheyenne while she checks my two-week-old gunshot wound.
I’ve been stuck in the apartment for two weeks, practically in the same position. We all know I was in the bottom of the barn for far longer than that, but fuck, I’m not the type who chooses to be a homebody. If anything, I want to be out gettin’ some sun on my skin, movin’ around a bit. Truth be told, recovering from the gunshot reminded me too much about bein’ downstairs. Well, that and the fact I don’t like to rely on other people. I never have. However, I do have my reasons. My mom wasn’t the best kind. She was scum, the type of person who abused the system in whatever way she could. Whether it was welfare or taking handouts whenever she was given the opportunity. There is such a thing as relying too much on other people, and I don’t intend to ever become someone who does that.
“You look to be doing well, yes. And I’ll need to have a chat with your lovely Sydney. You keeping still too much could cause a blood clot. I understand her wanting you to rest, but you need to move around too, okay?” she’s talkin’ to me like I’m the bastard who wanted to sit on the couch.
Cheyenne pulls her hands away and allows my shirt to drop. Meanwhile, while she goes over to her medical bag, I stand right up. She raises her eyebrows and shakes her head, damn well knowin’ what I’m doin’. “What? You said I could move around.”
“Yes, I did. I’m only laughing because all of you are the same. Every time I tell one of you things can go back to normal, you all jump up outta the chair like a kid on Christmas day.”
“I don’t like sittin’ around and doin’ nothin’, doc.”
“I’m not a doctor, Gears. I’m a nurse practitioner.”
It’s the same damn thing if you ask me. “Toe-may-toe, toh-mah-toe. You know what I’m sayin’?”
Cheyenne sighs and a smirk pulls at her lips. “I’ll be on my way. Make sure you’re staying hydrated and eating well. It’s key while your body still heals, but you’re doing very well.” She grabs her medical bag and heads toward the door, opens it then goes down the stairs.
The cell Sydney got me vibrates on the coffee table, so I bend down and pick it up.
From: Tara
Hey. I’m off today. Mind if I come by? I just made this new pastry for Tart, so I’d love for you to be my taste tester.
Damn, I’m so proud of the woman my little girl has grown up to be.
To: Tara
Sure. You know the routine. When ya comin’ over?
Within a minute, I have a response.
From: Tara
I’ll be there in five minutes. See you soon!
I walk over to the bathroom and wash my face, change into a pair of jeans and a fresh t-shirt and brew some coffee. Fuck, I forgot how much I missed it. Back when I wasn’t a captive, I drank a pot of this myself every day.
A light rap comes to the apartment door, and I head over to open it. Tara’s smile grows ten times as big the second she sees me. There are times where I think I’m gonna wake up from this dream and still be zip tied downstairs.
“Hey, you look great,” Tara says as she walks in. I shut the door behind her, and she puts the plastic container down on the island.
“Feel great too. Doc said I’m doin’ alright,” I comment and head up to see whatever she has in the container.
“Ooo, is that coffee?” Tara whips her head around to search for the smell.
“Hell yeah, it is. Give me five minutes and it’ll be done. I made it extra strong.”
“Perfect. It’s just the way we both like it.” Tara cackles and opens the plastic container.
They look like soft Pop-Tarts, but flaky like a cheese Danish. There’s icing on the top in a zig-zag pattern and I’m already foamin’ at the mouth. Jesus, desserts are my best friend. “You gotta tell me what this is, kid, ‘cause it looks damn good.”
“Okay, I’m really excited about these. There was this little girl who came in the other day to have lunch with her mom, and she kept staring at the display window. I’d just put some new pastries out and she really looked like she wanted one. I thought I was being nice, so I was fully prepared to bring one over. I took her one that looked like this, just like it actually, but as I was handing it to her, the mom told me she was diabetic. The little girl was so sad. It’s like I literally rippe
d a present from her hands. She started crying and her mom assured me it was okay, that this happened all the time, and that really bothered me. It shouldn’t happen all the time. We should be providing things to people who have a plethora of dietary needs and restrictions. So, I promised this little girl I’d make something special for her and I’d have it on the menu every day.”
“Fuck, when did you become a softie?” I tease her and she rolls her eyes.
“Sometimes, I wonder if you think I was raised by a pack of wolves. You taught me to be kind, considerate, and compassionate. And goodness, that poor kid. I had her mom promise to bring her back in on Tuesday, so fingers crossed she makes it in.”
I start to grab a piece and Tara slaps it away. “Hey now! Wait until the coffee’s done.”
We both break out into laughter and I pull my kid against my side, pressin’ a kiss to her temple. We wait for the coffee to be finished brewing, then each devour a few pieces of the scrumptious treat. By the end of the container, I’m pretty damn sure this little girl is gonna be pleased with my little girl. I don’t think I’ve done many things right in my lifetime, but raisin’ her will be the proudest of all my accomplishments.
“You didn’t even save Sydney a treat?” Tara questions attitude evident in her voice. She’s been hangin’ around a lot with me since I was shot, and it’s been great to reconnect with my daughter. Although, I don’t miss the awkwardness when Sydney’s here and Tara is too.
“Shit, some boyfriend I am.” Tara scrunches her nose up the second I say it. I’m pretty good at ignorin’ what other people think of my life, but when it’s my kid, it isn’t so easy. “What was the face for?”
Tara opens her mouth but closes it only moments later.
“Tell me what’s on your mind, kid.” What I’m askin’ her to do won’t be easy, but I’m hopeful she’ll at least be honest.
Tara sucks in a deep breath and purses her lips. “I don’t know, Dad. It’s weird. It wouldn’t be so weird if she was older, but she’s not. She’s younger than me, you realize that, right?” Tara widens her eyes.
“Yeah, I know. Sweetheart, I know we look funky on paper, but her and I have somethin’ good. I’m not gonna ruin it, even if I know the reality of our situation.”
Tara furrows her brows, not understandin’ where I’m headed with this.
“I’m twice her age, have been shot numerous times, and always seem to get myself in the middle of deep shit. I’m not a dummy, baby. When she’s in the prime of her life, I won’t be here anymore. I’ll be leavin’ her behind, all alone, and I pray she won’t be alone. I hope the people who loved me the most will surround themselves around Sydney and make sure she knows how much I loved her.” My voice cracks at the end and Tara seems taken aback by what I’ve said.
“You love her?”
“Absolutely. How couldn’t I? She put everythin’ on the line for me, and I’ll never forget it.” Tara doesn’t know all the details about my time here, but she knows a good bit of info.
“All I’ve ever wanted was for you to be happy and now you are.” Tara smiles lightly, and I know she’s still strugglin’ with the age difference. I can only hope one day she won’t struggle with it anymore. At the end of the day, Sydney will be in my life as long as I have a say in it, and so will my daughter. Though, when the day does come where I leave this world, I hope the two women I cherish the most will rely on each other.
An exhaust shutting off causes me to divert my attention, and soon thereafter a knock comes to the door. No one opens it, so I walk over and open the door to find Zane.
“Evening,” I say, and Zane looks to the right. “Ah, I don’t think you two have been formally introduced. Tara, this is Zane, Sydney’s father. Zane, this is my daughter.”
“The baker, cool. Look, I got somethin’ for you. Somethin’ I need you to handle right now.” Zane’s tone is low and gravelly, which isn’t much different than usual.
“I gotta go, but I’ll check in with you later. Alright?” I say to Tara and her expression drops.
“Let me guess, club business?” Tara asks, obviously not pleased.
Zane steps into the apartment I share with Sydney and looks right at my daughter. “Not today, darlin’. It’s personal today. I nabbed the son of a bitch who popped your father, and I’m gonna make sure your dad gets a hand in his punishment.”
Tara blinks wildly at Zane. I know she’s shocked. Boomer would never come out and say what the hell was goin’ down. He was the king of secrets. Zane doesn’t seem the type.
“Alright. Um, I’m gonna get outta here, but . . . I’ll talk to you later,” Tara tells me while she grabs her purse and moves around Zane and me. Once she’s at the bottom of the stairs, Zane returns to his stoic self.
“Let’s get going. I wanna get a move on this shit,” he grumbles, goin’ down the stairwell.
We both get downstairs and surprisingly I spot two Harleys. One is a deep blue, while the other is jet black. Zane goes to the blue one and looks over at the black one. “That’s yours,” he says so nonchalantly. He must be fuckin’ with me right now, though I slowly approach it.
“You fuckin’ around?” I question, and he shoots me a glare.
“Do I look like someone who fucks around? Keys are in the ignition. Follow me,” Zane instructs, startin’ up his bike, he rides out through the open barn door. I quickly follow suit until we’re ridin’ back down the way Sydney used to take me. It’s the extension of the lane where we have our secret exit to the property. We pass the four-wheeler trail and keep goin’ until he pulls off to the side of the road. There aren’t any other bikes, so I’m startin’ to wonder if the man brought me out here so he can off me.
We both get off our bikes and head into the woods. We walk for a while until we go up a hill. I for sure think he’s about to kill me, but then I see an old cabin. Looks like somethin’ that’s been on the property for many years.
He and I both go up to it, walk inside, and then head down a steep set of stairs. They’re made of old rock, probably from whatever the rest of the basement area was built with. I round the corner and see a face that’ll forever be burned into my memory.
The fucker who threatened Sydney and shot me is tied to a wooden post. Now, I don’t know what Zane’s deal is with wooden posts, but fuck, I couldn’t care less.
“Fuck, I didn’t know who y’all were, okay?” he stammers out, lookin’ between Zane and me.
“Your mistake,” I grit, grabbin’ a piece of wood with a nail stickin’ out one end. I hit him like he’s a fuckin’ pinata. His screams of agony fill the space and even as they grow worse and he begs for me to stop, I don’t.
No one will ever threaten her and live to tell the tale. Not as long as I’m alive. I will protect her with my life if that’s what it takes.
Chapter Nineteen
Sydney
Today is going to be the day my life changes, or at least I hope it is. I have a meeting with Bellamy Mason at nine in the morning. She’s a staple in the music industry and the fact I even got a meeting with her blows my mind. I made a basic EP to send into her music label, MMG, otherwise known as the Mason Music Group. By the end of the day, my life could be so much different, so I want to ensure I start this day off right.
I roll over in my bed and Gears is stretched out beside me. He lays on his back with one arm under his pillow, breathing in and out slowly. I lay here for a few minutes and watch him in the darkness. Moonlight illuminates his body enough for me to see the perfect ridges on his abs and the definition in his arms. Hell, my eyes wander down his body until I see the well-defined V and I can’t help but lick my lips.
I know the perfect way to start this day.
Scooting closer to him, I bring my hand under the covers and slowly glide my fingers against his skin. He prefers to sleep naked, so I’m at an unfair advantage. My hand finds his flaccid member in no time, and even though he isn’t hard, it doesn’t mean he’s small in the least bit. I close my hand ar
ound his shaft and pump his cock until he begins to grow harder and after a few minutes pre-cum is dribbling at the top of his head.
He groans in his sleep, and it drives me wild. I scoot under the duvet and manage to get myself between his legs. I continue to pump his cock, but I adjust myself and begin scooting closer to his nether regions. My heart beats with intensity and I pray he enjoys what I’m about to do. Fuck, he’s never once complained when I’ve wanted him and, in the last two weeks, we’ve barely touched each other. I’ve been too afraid to hurt him, but now he’s in the clear. Even so, I’ll take my time with him, and I’ll do all the work.
Opening my mouth, I wrap it around his swollen head and bob myself up and down his cock. Within seconds he’s hissing in his sleep and a hand comes to the back of my head. “Fuck, this isn’t a dream,” he groans, arching his hips as he aches for more.
With a hand wrapped around the base of his shaft and one hand massaging his balls, I suck his cock while I move my mouth up and down his length. “Fuck, Lemon, keep that shit up,” he encourages me to go on, so I suck harder and move faster. Saltiness fills my mouth and I use my tongue to tease his cock.
“Fuck this, get on my cock. I wanna coat your insides,” Gears demands with a deep-throated growl. Happy to oblige, I free his cock from my mouth with a pop.
I rise up and move the silky shorts I’m wearing to the side, hover over his dick and slide down. We’ve been together numerous times at this point, but I don’t think I’ll ever get used to the way he forces me wide open.
I shut my eyes and continue to lower myself down onto him. He places a hand on my hip and rocks himself up and I meet his movements. Sweat begins to form on my forehead and my limbs start to get the pins and needles feeling.
“Fuckin’ hell, Lemon. Just like that, keep ridin’ my cock like that, baby.” His words of encouragement keep me going and heat gushes through my center as I ride him faster and harder, grinding myself against him.
Sydney's Battle (Reapers Rejects MC: Second Generation Book 1) Page 11
