by K E Osborn
A shudder runs over my body as I step in front of Sparx who looks as shaken as I feel.
Malcolm holds up his arms in a gesture of surrender as he steps inside the room closing the door behind him, leaving his goons outside. I tense as he takes a breath.
“Before you get trigger happy… I know what happened at the barn.”
Dread fills me while I glance at Sparx.
I killed his son.
This could go one of two ways.
Either, I’m going away for a long time or I’m going to kill a senator, then go away for a long time.
Fuck! I had it all.
A woman I love. A family on the way. Now, I could be put behind bars, losing it all.
Or, I could find out he was behind this all, and Sparx is about to see my demon set fucking free right here in this damn hospital room.
“My son’s dead, but in the grand scheme of things, it’s better this way.” I tilt my head wondering if I’ve heard him correctly. “He was ill. Nothing I did helped him. He was a tarnish on my career. If news of what happened to Mylee broke, it would ruin everything I’ve been planning.”
I glance at Sparx as she slides in closer to me, so I wrap my bandaged arm around her. “Are you trying to tell me, Senator, that you’re not… angered by your son’s death?”
Pursing his lips, he shrugs. “Thing is, Trax… that’s your name, isn’t it?” I don’t say anything in reply, but he smiles menacingly as he takes a step closer to Sparx’s bed. My lip turns up in disapproval as he stops, placing his hands on the end of the bed and exhales. “My son lost himself the day he shot Rylee. I guess some boys can’t cope with the adrenaline that comes with killing people… you know what I’m talking about, don’t you, Trax? I mean, after all, I’m sure it would’ve been you who plunged that pitchfork into Everett’s stomach… right?”
Again I say nothing as he chuckles while cracking his neck to the side. “Fear not, Trax, I’m not here to place blame. I’m not here to bring you down. I’m here to thank you.”
My head jolts back as I scoff.
Sparx tightens her hand in mine as I keep my eyes firmly on Malcolm. He pushes off from the bed and starts to pace the room. “I’m going to confide something to you, Trax, because I know that with me knowing your secret, you’ll be able to keep mine. Tit for tat and all that.”
My lip twitches wanting to run over and smack the fucker in the face. His cockiness and arrogance far outweighs mine even on a good day.
“My squeaky clean image is only kept that way by an amazing tech team. I mean c’mon, what politician has a track record like mine? I mean, really?”
I scoff out a laugh. “I have to admit, we couldn’t find a thing on you. You almost had us fooled into thinking you were actually a decent guy.”
He shrugs. “Well, I am most of the time. I only have ties to one organization. You might have heard of them.”
Huffing, I can’t help but take the bait. “Okay, I’ll bite, who?”
He grins wide. “The Scarsi Dettagli. Ring any bells?”
My jaw wracks from side to side as I breathe harshly in and out trying my hardest to keep my shit together. “You’re going to run for President, and you have ties to women traffickers?”
Sparx opens her eyes wide as she lets out an audible gasp.
“Not so squeaky clean. In fact, the young girl, Rylee… she was sold. Everett didn’t know. He also doesn’t remember this part, but they were playing in the barn with the guns. I came in to take her, told Everett she was going and never coming back, but she tried to fight me off. Everett went to shoot me, but shot Rylee instead… but being the fucked-up idiot he was, his mind blocked out me even being there.” He lets out a menacing laugh. “It was perfect really, played right into my hands. He only remembered them playing in the barn with the guns and him shooting her…. pathetic boy.”
Sparx sits up taller in the bed. “It sounds like you wanted Everett dead!” she spits out her tone full of venom, and I tighten my hand in hers in an attempt to quiet her down.
Malcolm chuckles. “Now you’re getting it. I should have known you’d outsmart him, Mylee. My plan was to let him find you, carry out his stupid plan with my help, so he would end his own life in the process. If he took you out… well, you were just collateral damage.”
Anger seeps through me, my demon starting to rear his ugly head. I want nothing more than to tear Malcolm limb from limb, but Sparx tightens her grip in my hand as if to sense I’m starting to waver.
“You thought it would be okay for your son to take out as many people as he could, just so he would end his own life to make your life easier?”
He smiles. “If Everett took his own life, not only does it make mine easier, but I get sympathy from the voters. Plus, I don’t have to clean up his mess anymore. I wasn’t expecting it to turn out this way. This is a little more mess, but I can still spin it…” He grins widely, and honestly the look in his eyes right now is menacing. “I’m willing to make it like this never happened, if you’re willing to keep it quiet on your end. No charges will be laid against the club for the men who were shot at the gates, or for the murder of Everett. Everything will be swept under the proverbial rug. It all just… disappears.” He waves his hands around.
I swallow hard. This would solve everything, but politicians are known for their lies and deceit.
How the hell can I trust him?
How do I know he won’t play me for a fool?
I want to rip his heart out. He orchestrated this entire bullshit to get rid of his son. He didn’t care if Sparx got hurt in the process. This fucker’s got to pay. Problem is, a senator going missing is a big fucking deal. But, having one on our side, yeah, that could come in handy. Especially one running for President, especially one who I know for certain isn’t above breaking the law.
I need to push my demon down.
I need to take a breath.
I need to think logically here.
I step forward, taking a stand, toe to toe with him as he puffs out his chest while I look him square in the eyes. “You stay the fuck away from Defiance, from Mylee, from me, and from the Notorious Knights. If I let you walk out of here knowing you set all this in motion, then it’s a two-way street, Senator. I have something on you, you have something on me. But the way I see it, your son tried to kill my woman and my two unborn kids… you owe me one. And one day… one day, I’ll come knocking for that favor.”
His face lights up in a bright smile as he chuckles slightly. “The Scarsi were right about you, Trax. When they told me they met with you at the deal for Andretti’s daughter, I started looking into your club. That’s how I found the link between Defiance and the Notorious Knights. From there, I found the link between you and Mylee. It wasn’t hard once I started looking.” He shrugs. “Then when I realized that Miller had gone missing in Chicago after a business trip, I figured it must have been Defiance who took him. It was you, wasn’t it?”
I tense up feeling Sparx’s eyes on my back but say nothing.
Malcolm laughs. “Of course, nothing to say. Don’t want to incriminate yourselves. I bet you did Jason, too, right? He was a handy helper that one. I sent him, though, not Everett. Once I realized it was Defiance who had you, Mylee, I forced Jason to tail anyone who left the club. Jason was my guy, not Everett’s. Everett loved to take credit for everything. He was such an attention whore, that kid. Fuck, you did me a favor, Trax.”
I shake my head with an exhale. “You really are a fucking lunatic.”
He lets out a loud laugh slapping my bicep. I curl up my lip wanting to punch the fucker again. “Oh, Trax, you have no idea! So, remember, this just goes away now if you keep your pretty little mouth shut. If you don’t, your babies will be born with their father in prison.”
I glance back to Sparx as she gnaws on her bottom lip. Every inch of me wants to fight him. Wants to let my anger take hold. He’s caused so much pain. Sparx could have died, my twins could have died, but right now I don�
��t have a choice. For Sparx, for the club, for the Knights and for me, for all of us to come out unscathed, I have to shake on this.
“How do I know I have your word?”
He grabs the hem of his cuff straightening it out. “I want to be the President of the United States of America. Having my son trying to burn a woman to death won’t work for me. You knowing about my links with the Scarsis is also fodder. I have more to lose than you. I will have a non-disclosure agreement drawn up to make this all go away. If you breathe a word of it to anyone, there will be consequences.”
I glance at Sparx, she raises her brow in agreement. “If you ever, and I mean ever, come near us again…” I leave that hanging in the air.
He nods like he understands.
“Okay then... you have yourself a deal.”
TRAX
Six Months Later
I sigh as I look into the back seat of the truck. My twins settled in their car seats as Sparx pulls her head out from the inside of the truck to stand by my side. She looks tired given she just gave birth forty-eight hours ago, but fuck if I’m not proud of her. The twins came out a little small, nothing to be worried about, but other than that, they’re healthy as fuck, not to mention a good set of lungs on them. I swear for their first night in this world, all they did was scream. But for the moment, at least, they seem to have settled. I hope the car ride back to the clubhouse has them keeping calm.
Sparx smiles up at me, her stunning green eyes alight with such a fierce happiness I haven’t seen in her before. She looks so fucking gorgeous I can’t even comprehend it. “Fuck you’re amazing,” I say out loud.
It was meant to have just been said in my head.
She chuckles leaning into my side wrapping her arm around my waist. “I don’t think you realize what you’ve done for me, Trax.”
I jolt my head back. “What I’ve done for you?”
She nods. “You made me realize I can do anything. I was being held back by a diagnosis. I was scared to live because of the effects of a disorder which could drown me. But with you by my side, pushing me to see that I am strong, I am capable, I can get through the storms that come my way, it’s been empowering. I’ve come through the other side of this journey. Dealt with my demons. And I know that if our babies are dealt the same hand I’ve been… that we know the symptoms well enough, we know the signs… we can master this as a family.”
I lean in planting a tender kiss on her forehead, feeling elated that she’s happy knowing that no matter what shit might come our way in the future, we’ll face it.
Together.
“We got this, babe… you, me, our twins. We’re a perfect little unit. And sure, the three of you might have the same health issues, but hey, what family isn’t a little crazy now and then?”
She gasps with a bright smile slapping my chest as I lean down kissing her strongly. She kisses me back as she chuckles against my lips. Pulling back, she shakes her head. “You’re going to pay for that little comment later. But, in the meantime…” She reaches back into the car pulling out a small purple bag. I furrow my brows as I look to her and chuckle.
“You buying them more shit already. Sparx they’re not even two days old.”
She chuckles shoving the bag into my chest. “Just open it.”
Gripping the bag, I open it and inside is a very masculine bracelet. I raise my brow as I look at the black rope band with silver cuffs. It has a silver shield with a skull, the skull has a ‘D’ obviously for Defiance on the head matching the same as the one my brother wears around his neck. Then there’s a black pebbling in the shield. It’s badass and totally me. I pull her to me as I lean in planting a kiss on her forehead. “Babe, I fucking love it. But what’s the special occasion?”
She grabs it, opens it up then hands it to me showing me the back. Something catches my eyes—on the back of the shield it has yesterday’s date engraved on it—the twins’ birthday.
I look to her, not really having any words. She understands as she grabs the bracelet looping it over my scarred wrist. “I thought it might be nice to cover bad memories with good,” she instructs as the shield with the skull is big enough to cover the scar from where the fire scorched my wrist.
She’s goddamn perfect.
She leans in kissing my lips briefly before pulling back and slaps my arm. “C’mon, let’s get these babies home before they start crying again.”
I look down at my bracelet and smile as I walk to the driver’s side sliding in as the twins start to cry in unison. I groan as I start up the car while Sparx turns back cooing over them. She’s taking to motherhood like a duck to water. She suits it perfectly as she deals with the twins all the way back to the clubhouse.
As we pull into the compound, everyone’s waiting for us like a giant welcoming party. There’s banners, balloons, and people are popping party poppers. It’s crazy as I chuckle parking the truck. Their excitement actually relaxes me knowing we have the help of not just my immediate family, but of this brotherhood.
We will be fine.
The four of us, one big happy family.
And fuck if it doesn’t feel utterly fantastic.
I look back now thinking of how it came to this—Sparx and me.
They say that deviance is an absence of conformity to the normal. If you look at me, I was a deviant without Sparx. A vigilante, a man out for vengeance. Sparx, she too was seen as someone not of the ‘norm,’ someone outcast from the social acceptance of the world. So when we deviated toward each other, the things that made us which were frowned upon by others is what actually brought us together.
She’s kind and gentle where I’m harsh and strong. We’re opposites, yet we work so well together.
I need her to breathe like she needs me to stand.
We may be society’s outcasts, but to each other, and now to two little babies, we mean the damn fucking world. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Even if my babies won’t stop damn crying.
I slide out of the car to Torque slapping my back as he chuckles. “You look frazzled, brother.”
“They haven’t stopped crying.”
I open the door to let Sparx out. She picks up my baby girl, and she stops crying as I grab my boy who stops crying instantly. Holding my son in my arms makes me feel complete. As I stand here with everyone looking at me holding my baby boy and Sparx holding our daughter, everyone cheers.
Crest walks up along with Mom.
“Let me get a look at my grandbabies,” Crest demands.
“Me, too!” Mom almost yells making me laugh.
Neala squeals running over like a crazed woman as she moves in beside Mom. “So, tell us, have you finally picked their names?”
I glance to Sparx. She winks at me, then I look at Mom. “Patrick… after Guinness, we’ll call him Rix for short.” Mom’s eyes well as her hand rushes to her mouth. She begins to cry moving in to kiss little Rix’s cheek.
“Oh, Konnor… oh, bless you, boyo,” she murmurs bringing her hand up to caress my cheek. I smile as I glance to Torque who’s beaming while Neala’s eyes well. Naming my first-born son after our father was always something I wanted to do.
Crest clears his throat looking to Sparx. “And the girl?”
Sparx’s eyes glisten looking at her father. “Grace… after Mom.”
Crest’s eyes begin to glisten, too. He moves in pressing his lips to Grace’s forehead. She wriggles against him making a slight gurgling noise which, in turn, forces the hard shell of a man to chuckle. “My little Gracie.”
“To Rix and Grace,” Torque calls out pulling Foxy to his side as she smiles at him lovingly. I can’t help but see the sparkle in her eyes. She’ll be the next to pop out a kid, I’m sure.
“Right, can we get these three inside and resting,” I call out making Sparx laugh.
“God, you’re so overprotective. We’re fine. Let everyone have their fill of the babies, Trax. We can rest later.”
Everyone laughs. “Good to see who’s wear
ing the pants, big brother,” Neala teases slapping me across the back of the head as she steps up wrinkling her nose at Rix.
“Shut up. When you love someone this much, see if you don’t turn sappy for them, too,” I berate.
I don’t miss the sideways glance Lala sends Tremor. He exhales looking away from Lala toward his ride like he’s thinking of taking off. It confuses me. I know shit between them is strained right now, but they were in a good place a year ago. What the hell has changed?
“Yeah, well, looks like I’m going to be serially single. So I can just be your babysitter forever, okay?”
I snort out a laugh. “You know I’m going to hold you to that.”
Lala brings her finger up to caress the side of Rix’s face, and she smiles so wide it’s contagious. “I don’t even care right now. Look. At. This. Face.”
I chuckle as I glance to Sparx to see her smiling as Torque walks over with the biggest of fucking grins. Being an uncle suits him.
“Can’t say I ever saw this day coming, but I have to admit, you holding that little kid looks damn good on you, brother,” Torque marvels.
I snort. “Yeah, gotta admit, this is a feeling I’m liking. Me, my woman, my kids… doesn’t get much better than this, right, babe?” I call out.
Sparx cuddles into Grace. “Absolutely… cloud fucking nine right now.”
Neala continues her half attention on Rix, half on Tremor who’s definitely getting on his ride. The unmistakable sound of his engine roaring to life making us all look up as he kicks his stand up and hammers down taking off, pulling out of the compound. His eyes watching Neala as he goes. Neala’s body tenses as she watches him leave. I furrow my brows glancing to Torque wondering where the hell he’s going—it’s my kid’s welcome home party.
Neala seems to be none too impressed as she huffs, her face scrunching up while she chews on her bottom lip.
