Sight Unseen: The Devils Dawg Pound book 2

by Annie Buff

  “Sweet Jesus Noah! Are you certain that’s what was happening? I mean Christ Almighty, how screwed up do you have to be to do that?”

  “Plenty screwed up my Beauty. I can’t stop seeing the inside of that barn. It’s in my head and I have a feeling it’s going to be a while before it goes away. But I got a question for ya. One that has absolutely nothing to do with that grotesque scene. I already talked to the Queen and she can make it happen if you say yes.”

  Tara had no clue what Ajax could possibly have in mind. But she didn’t have to wait long.

  “Tomorrow night I wanna marry you. Izzy went and got you a dress, Peyton already has the party set and Bones’ lawyer friend got us the license. So, what do you say? Wanna get married tomorrow?”

  She most certainly did.

  I DO FOREVER

  Tara got dressed with help from Isadora and Rylee fixed her hair. She had found some hair clips with lace on them, perfect for pinning the sides back and the dress that her future Stepdaughter found couldn’t have been a better choice. Tara felt how soft it was, and she instantly knew it was silk.

  “Is it white or something different?” She asked.

  Izzy knew Tara better than she knew herself. She knew how she wanted a pale pink dress the first time but her family talked her into traditional white.

  “It’s pink Tara. I remembered us talking about how if you ever got married again you wanted a baby pink dress, so I found one. And it looks amazing on you by the way.” Tara sat letting the girls fix her for the biggest night of her life. She was marrying the man of her dreams and they were having a baby. In her mind, life was perfect.

  “Okay future Momma, it’s almost time. You nervous?” Rylee asked, beaming.

  Ajax stood next to Renegade wearing a suit and his newly decorated cut. His leather had been adorned with a Cerberus and the Dawg Pound rockers on the back, and his name patch above the right front pocket. Ajax was official but right now all that mattered was making the one woman he loved more than anything his Wife.

  “You nervous?” Ren asked him with a sly grin on his face. Ren would be the next one saying ‘I Do’, but that didn’t scare him at all. Watching his woman go through labor had terrified him but marriage, that idea was thrilling.

  “Only if she doesn’t come down that aisle, then I can’t say what I’d do.” That was just understood, they all felt the same way. No matter how big and bad they were, the women in their lives made all the difference.

  Ajax looked around at the scene in front of him, Peyton had done good. The tables had been decorated in soft pink with daisies in the center. The tiki torches had pink and yellow ribbons tied on them and they lit the pathway to where he stood under a lattice arch. It was a fairy tale picture, Ajax was proud of how far they had gone for him.

  Red waited for Tara outside the bedroom where she was getting ready. He was escorting her down the aisle, she had asked him earlier in the day and he told her it would be an honor. When the door opened he was floored, Tara looked like an angel.

  “You ready to go get hitched?” He asked her with his biggest grin.

  She was, Tara had no idea six months ago that this would be where she’d find herself. It was more than a blessing.

  The music started and Ajax stood on pins and needles waiting to see his Beauty. When she appeared, he was floored. He halfway ran, meeting her and Red at the beginning of the aisle Peyton had designed. Red just smiled and left them. Ajax hadn’t said a word. He wasn’t sure he could find the right ones.

  “Noah do I look pretty?” Tara wasn’t sure by his silence.

  “Beauty, pretty can be kinda ugly most of the time. You, well you’re beautiful and that’s breathtaking.” They stood in the aisle for a number of minutes just holding hands until Renegade did a very loud throat clearing. One that got the couple’s attention. Ajax laughed.

  “Guess we’re wanted up front. You ready to be my Wife?” She was more than ready.

  Renegade started the ceremony by welcoming everyone even though it was just the Brothers and Wives. When the vows came Ajax had something to say.

  “Tara, I know I ain’t an easy man to deal with. Spent too much time alone and now with you I’m learning. I’m finding parts of me I didn’t know were there, good parts. Better than I ever thought, and I’m gonna love you every single day until I leave this world.”

  Even Renegade was speechless and that was quite a feat. What Ajax said made them all think, even the single men had that faraway look. Like they all wanted to feel the way he did. Once Tara stopped her tears she wanted to say something back to him.

  “Noah, do you remember the morning you came back to the bakery and I told you to go?” She knew he did. It was hard to forget being told to get the hell out. “Anyway, I think I started falling for you that day. The way you talked to me, asking me questions about my work, my sight. And how you held me that night when I fell over the mop. Even when I was hysterical you didn’t run away. That is the mark of a good man Noah Jarvis. And you just get better every day. Thank you for being that man, my man.”

  He placed the simple white gold band he had for her on her ring finger and after the “I do’s” from both of them, Renegade finished the ceremony.

  “Brothers, ladies, let me introduce to you Noah and Tara Jarvis. Ajax kiss your woman.” He didn’t need to be told twice. He had waited for this day his entire adult life.

  The party roared on late into the night, with everyone enjoying the food and drink the Queen had arranged. Even the wedding cake was perfect. She had asked Izzy and Cheyenne to do the baking and they aced it. Strawberry cake with chocolate filling and fresh strawberries mixed in. They also adorned the top of the cake surrounding the Hot Wheels Harley. Peyton was proud of just how fast they’d put all of this together.

  Her nanny had taken all the children to the main house and put them all to bed. The only child left behind was baby Weston. He was just a couple days old and Reagan wasn’t about to part with him.

  Ajax saw Tara holding the little one and it brought tears to his eyes. It wouldn’t be too long before they were doing that with their own. He had said something about hiring a nanny to help Tara. His Daughter had quickly nixed that idea, stating she would be there to help along with Krissi and Cheyenne. The girls viewed Tara as the house Mother, which meant she was family and family stuck together and helped.

  Tara sat sipping on a Shirley Temple, listening to Ajax and the rest of them. They were drunk and the things they said made her laugh. Ajax had never been drunk around her and he was funny. They all were and each one accepted her into this family with open arms.

  DING DONG THE WICKED MAN IS GONE

  The morning after, Smoke and Red had all the particulars worked out. Peyton offered to sit with Mambo while he did his thing. Smoke had a conniption but eventually she won, which really was no surprise to anyone. Once Peyton McAllister set her mind to something that was it, not even her Husband could make the dam break. She was as stubborn as he was. They all knew just how edgy he would be with her that close so nobody gave him any grief, they just did their jobs.

  Falcon had a bag full of explosives, ready to set the charges and burn the barn to ash. Ajax had said it needed to be gone and since he loved blowing things up, he didn’t hesitate. Smoke, Red, Slinger and Renegade were taking the front while Magic and Havoc covered the back. Krispy drew a map of the roads in and out but stayed behind with Bones and Jace to protect the women and children. Pretty Boy found a vantage point in a tree that gave him a view of the house and barn. If anyone else showed up to the party he would see and be able to warn his Brothers.

  They sat camouflaged in the brush until they saw movement in front of the picture window. They all knew who it was. Ajax had been waiting for this. “Showtime.” He whispered to himself as he strolled out of the brush.

  “Aries!” he yelled directly at the farmhouse. “Come out you sick fuck! You wanted me, here I am!”

  He stood square in front of the window but he
heard nothing. Not even a board creaking and that made him nervous. Aries was unpredictable at best. He moved in closer but still nothing. Ajax was just a few feet from the front window when it shattered as Aries’ body flew through it, attacking him. The Bastard quickly took the upper hand pinning Ajax and throwing fists left and right, breaking his nose and spraying blood all over.

  Ren tried to break away from the group to lend aid to his Brother, but Smoke quashed that. “We’re here if it gets out of hand, otherwise we let Ajax handle his business.”

  Back on the ridge Mambo sat with Peyton surrounded by a salt circle. He had a bag of tiles with odd designs on them, black salt and a live chicken.

  “What are these for? And are these bones?” She asked the Creole, referring to the tiles; unsure if she got herself in over her head.

  “Runes. I will need them to cast, and yes my lovely friend they are bones. Mostly from chickens but some are just from other animals I have encountered. None died in vain. They were meals for me along the way.”

  Peyton nodded, curious about the voodoo. “So what do I need to do?”

  “All I need from you is your energy. I have never met someone with such potent energy before. I believe it will help defeat Aries and set the souls of those departed to rest. Just close your eyes and concentrate on me.”

  Peyton did as he asked while Mambo chanted words she didn’t understand. It started off slow and soft but the tempo increased as he moved the tiles. Before long she felt a warm squirt on her arm and the chicken went silent.

  Meanwhile Ajax and Aries traded blows, rolling around in the dirt. Ajax’s knuckles were raw and bloody from striking his enemy. Aries was spitting blood in his face and spewing words at him.

  “Why can’t you just die!” He bellowed as he threw another punch. As Aries leaned over trying to bite him, Ajax flung his head forward. That was his signature move in a brawl, he was the king of the head butt. It had saved his ass more than once.

  Aries had him in a bad position, one that prohibited Ajax from getting to the Kukri in his boot. He kept reaching, hoping his fingertips would somehow lengthen. It would be the only way he could work it out of its sheath in between throwing punches and rolling in the dirt.

  Ajax saw Smoke holding Renegade back out of the corner of his eye. The one-on-one with the Bastard was appreciated but he could really use a hand right about then. Ajax had to get the upper hand one way or another, taking a fistful of dirt and smashing it in Aries eyes. That was just the edge he needed, getting himself out from underneath and pulling the knife from his boot.

  Ajax had Aries pinned with the Kukri to the throat of his enemy. This would be the point where any normal person would have been afraid and begging for his life but not Aries. He just laughed that evil laugh he had. “You ain’t got the stones, Cleaner boy. You’re too soft to kill me.”

  Ajax wanted so badly to let the Kukri slide across his throat, to slice the carotid and let him bleed out there. He was torn, never had he killed an unarmed person. Then Aries sealed his own fate.

  “That pretty little Baker might want a visit from me again. She’s soft, tight ass too.”

  That was the turning point for Ajax, the knife fell away and he threw punch after punch after punch. The crunching of bones filled the ears of the Brothers. Nobody was sure if it was Aries skull or Ajax’s hand that made the noise.

  With each punch thrown, the blood splattered all around, covering Ajax. It was dripping off his chin as he pummeled the face of his enemy. Red looked to Smoke, who knew when to say enough. He made his way to Ajax and grabbed his arm in mid swing. The Cleaner yanked it back and continued to punch, not deterred by the President.

  “Ajax enough!” Smoke yelled and pulled him off the half dead body of Aries. Ajax was visibly shaking. The adrenaline was flying through his veins like a seven-forty-seven.

  “Smoke he has to die! I gotta finish this!”

  Smoke understood that, so did Red. “You’ve done enough Ajax. This is murder man, and that’s not you. We got this, you don’t want this on you. That ain’t how you’re made. I hate killing, but sometimes it’s necessary. Look at me man, I’ve got you.” Smoke said as he pulled his sidearm and aimed. The shot echoed in the canyon but they all knew nobody was close enough to care.

  Ajax sunk down to his knees, he knew Smoke was right. He didn’t need another body to haunt him, even if it was Aries. That wasn’t him, and it was almost over.

  “The barn Smoke, it’s gotta burn. They died in there and I gotta set them free. We gotta make this right somehow.” Ajax was torn apart by the atrocity.

  That part was already covered. Falcon had enough explosives set that the slaughter house would be nothing but ash in no time. The charges were set so he could detonate them from the ridge where Mambo and his Sister, Peyton were. The walk to the hilltop was silent. Ajax was clutching his bleeding right hand. He would need several sets of stitches, ice and probably a cast. But in his mind it was worth a little pain.

  The first explosion shook the ground under their feet, the second had more bang. Enough bang to knock them off their feet, but Ajax knew it was over. At least those souls were free and he felt relief. Now he could have a life, the right kind of life. One without the threat of Aries and the Brazen Bastards.

  FULL CIRCLE

  It had been six months since Aries died and the world seemed better; seemed right. Tara’s belly had swollen and she was just days away from her due date. They had found out the sex of the baby a few months back but decided to keep it to themselves until the birth.

  Isadora had taken up with Krispy, despite what Ajax wanted for his Daughter. He was less than thrilled but she was an adult so he had no choice but to let them be.

  Poppy and Pretty Boy welcomed another child right before Christmas, babies were prevalent in the compound and Ajax just hoped his Daughter was using birth control. He wasn’t sure if they’d had sex yet but it was on the horizon. He saw his Wife waddling out towards him, she looked like he was in trouble by the scowl she wore.

  “What’s wrong my Beauty? What did I do?”

  Tara smiled. He hadn’t done anything but her man just assumed he had. “You didn’t do a thing Noah. Bones sent me to walk, he says it will help me dilate.”

  That was a word that stopped him cold. She said dilate and he knew it could only mean one thing, the baby was coming. “Beauty did your water break?” She nodded. “What do we need to do? You gotta walk? Okay Wife, let’s walk.”

  He took her hand and they took the trail that lead to the canyon. It was a slow, gentle pace but it was enough to help her body do what came natural. The labor pains got closer and closer. Ajax was timing them so when she got to two minutes he knew heading back was the thing to do.

  Just two hours later the cry came and Ajax was on his knees in tears as he looked up at his Wife and child. Isadora was let in to meet her sibling along with the rest of the crew.

  “Oh Dad, it’s a girl? Oh my God she’s beautiful.” She said as she cooed to the newborn.

  “Okay let me at least check and weigh her guys.” Bones spoke to the group. He did a quick assessment of the girl and did her vitals. She was perfectly healthy and loud. This child would fit in perfectly here.

  “She’s good and chubby. Eight pounds, that’s a good weight. Everything looks fine. I’ll set up her pediatric appointment for later in the week. Other than giving her a name, she’s great.”

  The name they had chosen a while back, but of course it was kept under wraps. Ajax held his Daughter, looking every bit the proud parent. “Her name is Morgan, Morgan Breanna Jarvis. My Mother’s name is Brenda and we just liked Morgan so that’s it.”

  Ajax let the women tend to his Wife while he took baby Morgan outside to catch his breath. Red came up behind him while he was in mid thought, clasping a hand on the Cleaner’s shoulder.

  “Mighty proud of you Ajax. You’re not the same man you were a year ago, not even close and I’m impressed.” Red didn’t need to be, he hadn�
��t really done anything. That was all Tara.

  All Ajax had needed was the right woman in his life to make everything different, make it better. To make a life, not just live. That was the difference now. Before he was just living, existing in the world. Now with Tara he had a life and he would do everything he had to so he kept that life. The MC helped too, not just Red or Smoke but all of them. The comradery they had shown was the driving force in keeping him in check. Ajax wasn’t running anymore, there was no need. He was accepted where he was and that meant everything.

  Table of Contents

  1: THE BAKERY

  2: CLEANING HOUSE

  3: FLAVOR OF THE WEEK

  4: THE CLEANER, THE BAKER

  5: COMMITMENT

  6: MI AMORE

  7: BLAST FROM THE PAST

  8: BUSINESS AS USUAL

  9: THE SINS OF THE FATHER

  10: RAM IT

  11: CIRCLING THE WAGONS

  12: ICE, ICE BABY

  13: REVENGE IS A DISH

  14: THE BEST LAID PLANS

  15: MOLE IN THE HOLE

  16: A BLOODY SINNER

  17: LIFE, DEATH AND THE AFTER

  18: TIME TO CELEBRATE, TIME TO EXTERMINATE

  19: OH BABY, BABY

  20: WHAT'S EATING YOU

  21: I DO FOREVER

  22: DING DONG THE WICKED MAN IS GONE

  23: FULL CIRCLE