by K. J. Dahlen
~* * * *~
Cricket bit her lip and closed her eyes at the sensation of betrayal she felt. She tried to turn away and as she wrapped the sheet around her body, she couldn’t hold back the sobs any longer. When she’d seen the mark on his body in almost the same place as Dusty had, she didn’t want to believe it. But it was there.
“Wait a minute,” he called out as he held her at his side. “What’s the matter?”
“Nothing.”
“There’s something you aren’t telling me,” he insisted. “Talk to me Cricket. What has you so upset this morning?”
Cricket took a deep breath. “Isn’t the fact that the tribunal is upon us reason enough?”
Raine pulled her back against him. “No, while that’s a concern, I don’t think that’s what’s bothering you. Talk to me.”
Cricket took a deep breath. She tried to get away from him but he wouldn’t let her go. Finally, she asked him, “Did you sleep with my sister?”
Raine was stunned. “What? No, how could you ask me that?”
Cricket turned her head and saw his look of astonishment. She frowned.
“Why would you think I slept with your sister?” Raine asked.
Cricket waved at his side. “You have the same birthmark as Dusty. It’s in the same place and the same shape.”
Raine looked stunned. “Dusty has the same birthmark as me?”
Cricket nodded. “I thought that you passed it down to him. Like something from father to son.”
Raine got out of bed and grabbed his pants. As he pulled them up, he sat down beside her. “This,” he motioned toward his birthmark, “Is a birthmark of the Moore family. More often than not, it passes down to the men in our family. But if Dusty has this mark, he isn’t my son. I never met your sister before all of this happened.”
Cricket frowned. “But you were in Dad’s club in Maine weren’t you?”
Raine nodded. “Yeah I was in the Satan’s Bastards, but seven years ago I wasn’t around much. I was out on the road setting up a business route for Sam.”
“Do you have brothers?”
Raine nodded. “Four. I have four brothers.” He turned to her. “I need to see this birthmark. If this kid is a Moore, I’ll know it.”
Cricket felt her world spinning out of control. She didn’t want anything to change and she knew if Dusty’s father ever knew he was there, things would change. She’d been his only lifeline and she wasn’t sure she wanted that to change. “What would happen to him if he is a Moore?” she whispered.
“Then his family will raise him,” Raine insisted.
Cricket got up and wrapping the sheet around her, she went to stand in front of the window.
~* * * *~
The early morning sun lit up the room and for a moment, it glowed around her. Raine was so intrigued and attracted to this woman. He could sense she was very upset though. He didn’t know what was so disturbing for her. “Is that so bad? I’m sure his father never knew he existed but he will now.”
Cricket nodded but wouldn’t look at him. “I did the best I could you know. With Cordy as a mother, it wasn’t easy. I did the best I could for him.”
With her whispered words, Raine finally understood her position. He went over to her and wrapped his big arms around her. When he tried to pull her close at first she resisted but he didn’t give her a choice. It was only when she relaxed against him that he told her, “You did a great job. The night you brought Jemmia home to her family that kid attacked someone that was hurting you. He was protecting the one person who had protected him all his life. He loves you just as much as you love him.”
Cricket smiled. “He’s so easy to love. When Cordy told me she was having a baby I couldn’t wait to meet him.”
Raine snorted. “I’m surprised she kept him.”
Cricket had to think about her next words very carefully. “She didn’t want to.”
“Didn’t want to what?”
“She didn’t want to keep him,” she told him softly. “I begged and pleaded with her and finally, I ended up making a deal with her.”
“What kind of deal?” Raine asked. Knowing what Cordy was like, he wasn’t sure he wanted to know.
Cricket tried to move away from him again, but Raine held her tight. Sighing, deeply she told him, “We were in Portland when she found out she was pregnant. She had just started to see a man named Hammer. When the test came back positive, she was pissed. Then she thought she could pass off the baby as Hammer’s, so she slept with him. Over the next two weeks, she set him up. She was crazy, everything she did was for one purpose, then it all feel apart. Something bad happened and in the heat of the moment, I told her I would take the blame if she would have the baby and let me take care of it. She agreed knowing it would put me deeper under her thumb. I would protect her and she gave me someone to care for. That was our deal. I was about to be arrested for her crime, when she dragged me out of town. We’ve been living on the run ever since.”
“Why would you do that?” Raine frowned. “You could have gotten out from under her thumb and yet you chose to stay, why?”
Cricket turned to look at him. In her eyes was a look that begged him for understanding. “Because I finally had the chance to have someone who could love me. I was so lost when my mom died. Dad was lost to me after that, he had to deal with his own grief and two girls. I loved him but he just sort of gave up on us at that point. To him, the MC became more important than we were. Cordy wasn’t the best sister when she realized she could do whatever she wanted and no one would care. And me? I got lost in the afterthought. But with the baby? I could finally have someone to love and who would love me back.”
“Was it worth it?”
Cricket nodded. “It was worth everything. Dusty became my son in every way but that I didn’t give him birth. Cordy reminded us every day that she was his mother but I was the one who loved him.”
Raine stood there and thought about what she said. “I’d still like to meet this kid. If he is family, don’t you think we have the right to know?”
Cricket nodded slowly. “Yeah, I guess you do. For a moment, I was selfish and didn’t want to share him, but yeah your family deserves to know him and he deserves to know them.”
“We aren’t like your sister, you know.” Raine tried to assure her. “We would never just rip him away from you.”
“I know but it’s still so hard for me to let him go.” Cricket patted his arm. “Cordy never told me who his father was and I was too afraid to ask her. But if does belong to your family, he couldn’t have a better family to belong too. I can tell you are a decent man.” She hung her head.
Raine felt her hot tears brand his arm as they fell from her cheeks.
“Just love him like there is no tomorrow. Show him every day that you care about what happens to him. And please tell him that there was once someone who loved him very much.”
“What do you think is going to happen to you?” Raine asked. “You act like you aren’t going to be around anymore.”
“I may not be after the tribunal. I still have to answer for what happened here and in Portland.”
“I don’t know what happened in Portland but you did what you could to bring back Deke’s kids. You kept them safe until you could give them back,” Raine argued. “That’s got to count for something.”
“I still have to answer for Portland and that won’t be so easy to explain. Cordy is a very good liar.” Cricket shrugged. “I think I’d better get dressed. Dusty will be back any time now and I don’t want him to see me like this.”
Raine watched as she gathered her clothes and disappeared into the bathroom. Part of him wasn’t looking forward to the tribunal today, yet another part of him was excited about the possibility of finding Dusty. He knew if the kid were a member of the family, his mother would go crazy. Not to mention one of his brothers was going to get the biggest surprise in history.
Just then,
someone knocked on the door. Raine went over and unlocked it. When he opened it, he found himself looking down at Dusty. He smiled and tried to look for something he would recognize in his face. He looked a lot like his mother but then he saw he had Gambler’s eyes. Raine felt a shiver of recognition as he found himself staring into his brother’s eyes. They were the same shape and the same clear green color. Even without seeing the birthmark, he knew this child was his nephew.
~* * * *~
Cricket came out of the bathroom and saw him standing there. She felt her heart pounding in her chest when she saw Dusty and Raine face to face. Then she put her own feelings aside and pushed herself to move forward. “Hey there, big guy. Did you have a good time last night?”
Dusty nodded. “Yeah, that Jackie is a cool kid. We played video games then we had a tent to sleep in. Reva made us a tent from blankets. It was so much fun.”
“Well maybe, you should change your clothes and get ready for the day,” she suggested.
When Dusty pulled off his shirt, Raine looked carefully at the mark under his right arm. When he saw it, he was filled with excitement. It was the Moore birthmark. He looked over at Cricket and found her looking back He nodded slowly and watched as she closed her eyes.
When they opened, again she gave him a nod and looked away.
“I have a phone call to make. I’ll see you guys later,” Raine said.
Cricket took a deep breath and released it in a rush. “Okay, I’m sure I’ll be around.”
She watched as he left, then turned her attention to Dusty. She had made arrangements with Reva to keep him away from the clubhouse while the tribunal was going on and for now, that’s the best she could do.
“Reva said she was taking us to the park in Troy today, is it okay if I go with her?” Dusty asked as he pulled on a clean shirt. “Do you need me to stay with you today?”
“No baby, you can go with her. I’ll be just fine today.” She tousled his hair and he smiled at the gesture. Then she hugged him and let him go. “Be a good boy today buddy, okay?” She watched as he disappeared down the hall. She chuckled as he yelled he would be on his best behavior.
The she saw a bigger body block the doorway. She didn’t know his name but she knew why he was there. He was there to make sure she didn’t go anywhere.
She watched as he frowned and crossed his arms. She nodded and turned back to the window. She wasn’t going anywhere until someone came to get her for the tribunal.
It wasn’t very long before someone knocked on her open door. She turned away from the window to see Deke and Sam standing there.
“We’re ready.” Deke told her.
Cricket nodded and stepped forward. She held out her hands and waited while the big guys at the door secured her wrists with a length of rope.
“Reaper and Scythe are here,” Sam told her.
Cricket halted then took another step toward them. “I thought they would come.”
Deke reached out and grabbed her by the arm. “They’re ready to tear you limb from limb.”
Cricket slowly raised her head to stare at him. “I know. They hate me for what happened to Hammer and they have every right.”
“Will the truth come out today?” Deke asked. “The whole truth?”
Cricket closed her eyes. “I hope so.” Opening her eyes, she glanced at Deke. “One of the truths has been told already. Whatever happens today, Dusty will be cared for.”
“What does that mean?” Deke frowned.
“Raine seems to think Dusty belongs with his family.” She watched as he gave her a penetrating look but neither of them said anything.
“I think you should know the police reports from seven years ago will be entered into evidence,” Deke explained.
“I figured as much.” She nodded.
“I have to know something.” Deke told her. “Did you murder him?”
Cricket felt the tears fall down her cheeks. “No I didn’t but I was there the night he died.”
Deke and Sam waited for her to say more and when she didn’t, Sam reached out and held her elbow as he motioned for her to move forward.
Cricket felt each step forward was a step toward her own death. When they came into the main room of the clubhouse, she saw the set up and shivered. She stopped and wanted to turn and run away but Sam’s fingers tightened on her arm and she knew the only way was forward.
He led her to one of two chairs in front of a table.
Cordy already sat on one of the chairs.
As she sat down, she found herself looking at several men. The tables were set up to surround the main table and all of them were full of bikers. Most of them were wearing cut that proclaimed they belonged to the Sin’s Bastards MC.
There were two sitting at the main table that had different cuts. Their cuts read Hellspawn MC. They glared their hatred at Cricket.
When she sat down Cordy leaned over and snickered in her ear, “They want your blood,” she whispered. “At least I won’t die alone today.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Cricket didn’t say anything she just got to her feet and moved her chair away from Cordy’s. It wasn’t as far as she would have liked.
The men around her were getting nervous. Three huge men came to stand behind them.
When Deke and Sam sat down the whole room got quiet.
Deke got to his feet and picked up a piece of paper. He looked at the two of them and began reading, “This is a tribunal for Cordelia and Cricket Tannis. Charges they will be faced with are kidnapping, murder and treason against the club. Evidence will be presented, so the club can understand who is guilty of what charges. You will have a chance to present evidence of your own to proclaim your innocence. Then the members of the MC will be your judges. Normally, tribunals are not held for nonmembers but in this instance, the club has made an exception since one of you kidnapped a members children and the murder happened to a member of another MC. Do you agree to be judged by the MC?”
“Do we really have a choice?” Cordy sneered.
“I do,” Cricket agreed.
Cordy turned and kicked her foot at Cricket’s chair.
Cricket didn’t move or acknowledge her in any way and that seemed to piss Cordy off immensely. “Are you so eager to die today little sister? Because that’s what’s going to happen here. They’ve already made up their minds as to our guilt.” When Cricket didn’t answer her, Cordy slumped in her chair.
Deke continued to read the charges against them, “We have proof that four days ago, Cordelia Tannis entered the nursery of Redemption House and kidnapped my two children. We have her on security tape and she was identified by the tattoo on her wrist. We have been told she took the children to where she was staying in Albany and surrendered them to Cricket’s care. Cricket did care for them and she did bring my daughter Jemmia back to us a day or so later. She tried to bring back Sammy as well but Cordy escaped with him. Cricket then told us about a cabin her father kept on Lake Placid. She offered to show us how to get to the cabin and she came with us to find my son. When we arrived at the cabin, she gave us the layout of the cabin and warned us what her sister might do. I left her with Raine and took the others with me. When the lights went out in the cabin, we couldn’t be sure where Cordy was. We found out that she left the cabin and came to confront her sister. Cordy is very proficient with a knife while Cricket was unarmed. Cordy gave her a blade and then proceeded to try to kill her. She did stab her sister but then was stopped before she could get away.”
“I gave her a chance to defend herself,” Cordy shouted out. “It isn’t my fault she can’t handle a blade? She never learned how to defend herself. Besides, she betrayed me, she deserved what she got.”
Deke ignored her outburst and went on with the charges, “Raine came upon them and shot Cordy in the shoulder. He gave Cricket medical care while we went through the cabin looking for Sammy. When we couldn’t find him we thought he wasn’t there, but t
hen Cricket told us about a safety hole her father put in the cabin. She showed us where it was and inside we found my son.”
Everyone began to whisper in the background and Deke let them talk among themselves for a moment.
Then Sam Tory stood up and asked a question, “Cricket did you have prior knowledge of what Cordy was going to do? Did you know she was going to kidnap the kids?”
“I didn’t know what she was planning until a few hours before she took them,” Cricket admitted. “She told me to go to the store and get food babies could eat.”
Deke closed his eyes. Her words were damning her chances. “Why did you do it?”
Cricket paused then went on. “Since the time our mother died when I was six years old, Cordy was in charge of me. She was older and stronger and just plain meaner than I was. I learned the hard way to do what she told me to do. I didn’t have to like it, I just had to do it. I knew what she planned was wrong but I couldn’t stop her. She then told me that another woman had taken what she considered hers and she was going to give Deke a choice.”
“What kind of choice?” Deke frowned.
“She was going to take your children and give you the choice of them or her,” Cricket replied. “If you choose your kids, you would have to tell your woman to leave and she would be with you, if you choose your woman, she was going to disappear with your kids and you would never see them again.”
“You bitch,” Cordy growled under her breath.
Deke glared but didn’t say anything.
Cricket turned to stare at her sister. “The truth will be told here today. Every single truth. No more secrets and no more lies.”
Cordy paled but didn’t say anything. She seemed to slump in her chair.
“But you took care of my kids didn’t you?” Deke told the group. “You brought my daughter back to me and her mother.”
“It was the right thing to do.” Cricket shrugged. “She had no right to take them in the first place. She’s hurt so many people, I couldn’t let her hurt your babies.”
