Shiloh would’ve been Janie’s age when she was taken. Even thinking about the same thing happening to Janie made me understand where Silas was coming from. Since he couldn’t leave the life he’d made, he did the only thing he could. And that was cut the people he loved the most off from his life, at the expense of his own happiness.
Knowing that a change of topic was needed for now, I asked the question that had been on the tip of my tongue since he’d arrived. “How about you tell us what’s wrong with you, and why you’re here right now?”
“Amen.” Sebastian muttered.
The preliminaries needed to be covered for Sam and Cheyenne’s benefit. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have listened.
“Frozen, ‘Loh!” It was repeated twelve thousand times before I could hear the sounds of Frozen coming from the family room again. “Okay, okay. Fuck.” I heard Shiloh mutter under her breath.
She was with the kids. Although she wanted to hear about what was going on, someone needed to keep the kids occupied, and since she’d heard half the story before, not to mention being somewhat a part of Silas’ life, unlike Sam, she volunteered to go watch a movie with the kids while the grownups could talk.
Silas sighed. “This doesn’t leave this room. I’ve worked my entire fucking career to get this piece of shit, and I’m so close I can fucking taste it.”
Reaching into his vest pocket, he pulled out a folded up file folder. With careful precise movements, he started to extract each sheet, laying them down carefully and neatly so everyone could see.
“Who’s...” Cheyenne started to say when her voice strangled as the last picture was set out.
“Yes, that is what you think it is.”
My inner fury skyrocketed as I took in what was laid out before me. Little girls, all under the age of what had to be thirteen, dead. All of them were Caucasian. Not as precise on hair color though. Some were blondes, others brunettes. One curly redhead.
“As you can see, they have a thing for little girls. I won’t go into detail on what’s been done to them. Y’all can read that information for yourself. I don’t want to read it again. Needless to say, they don’t have it easy after they’re taken. The foreign trade for Caucasian American girls is through the roof. The man who’s the ringleader of this has a thing for pre-school aged blondes. He also has the entire South Eastern side of The Cerberus Legion at his back seeing as he’s the president of that region.”
Silence. Utter goddamn silence.
“What...” Sebastian said shaking his head. “What...”
Sebastian was a badass in every way. From what I’d learned from Shiloh, he was a marine for five years. After Shiloh had left us alone while she put her nephew down to bed, I’d learned some more about him that he wouldn’t have divulged if she were to have been in the room.
After his second tour of duty in Afghanistan had commenced, he’d done some thinking about things before deciding not to re-up his commitment. He’d prospected for a year before he’d been patched in with The Dixie Wardens MC. He worked tooth and nail for the next eight years to become vice president. His dad didn’t give it to him; it was earned.
From what I’d come to understand about The Dixie Wardens Motorcycle Club from my contacts and a few favors from Jack and Winter, I’d learned that the majority of The Dixie Wardens MC were all law abiding citizens. Sebastian was a member of the local fire department, as were quite a few others. There were also a few police officers in the mix.
However, just because they had regular jobs didn’t mean they didn’t take care of a problem with lethal force if need be. Didn’t protect their territory and club with their lives. They were nothing to sneeze at. A solid four state spread with three separate charters, they demanded respect. They dominated Louisiana, Arkansas, and Alabama. In those three states, they were the ones you thought about when you heard someone talking about a ‘motorcycle club.’ However, they were also in Texas and Oklahoma as well.
They were a solid 1000 plus members strong and still growing. For Sebastian to have a reaction such as the one he was having now, he had to believe that it was bad.
I’d only heard about The Cerberus Legion from the media and paper. Since they weren’t in the area, I had no reason to be concerned before. However, now it was different. Something was happening here, and it was big.
“The agency isn’t sure where to go from here. My cover was blown two nights ago when we had a meeting. They’d contacted me for alliances in my states. They wanted a way into the Southern portions of the US so they could find a way to smuggle their cargo into Mexico. Which is how it was supposed to go since we’d been feeding them the information on us for nearly a year. I’d done pretty good just coming off as a president of a MC. Then your fucking shithead of a sister started asking questions about you, and everything went to shit. I’d told him I didn’t have any children. No wife. No ‘ol lady. Then your sister went and did background checks, and started hunting for birth certificates, asking questions. Found your mother’s name. The birth certificate has me listed as your father. I was selfish. I needed that connection to you, although I thought I’d done a good job in hiding it from my enemies. Left no ties or connections. Not from my own goddamn daughter though. It was sloppy of me, but the man had a thing for princesses, and I didn’t want him to think he could have my daughter so our alliance would be more solid. It all just added up, things worked against me. His man found Sebastian first, and the other two later.” Silas explained with his face in his hands.
“The club doesn’t know that Sebastian’s yours?” I asked, bewildered.
“No. I didn’t want them treating me differently if they knew I was his kid. Never came up again. They knew we were close, but they probably only contributed it to the fact that I was VP.” Sebastian explained.
“You didn’t bring him around when he was a kid?” Sam asked with surprise.
“He was there some when he was a baby, but from then on, only sparingly, and never after the age of nine. Lettie moved two towns over and took them with her, refusing to bring them back. I went to them when I wanted to see them.” Silas explained.
Footsteps from the hallway had me turning my head. The others didn’t hear it, didn’t know the house like I did. Didn’t know the creeks each step on the old hardwood floor made. I did, which is why I was able to see Shiloh’s devastated face as she came into the room.
***
Shiloh
“Hello?” I answered my ringing phone.
"Hi, Shiloh. How are you doing?” Melissa asked.
Melissa was the team leader for our division of CPS. She was a hard woman, but with over twenty-eight years in the child protective services, who wouldn't be?
I liked her, and respected her. Not once in my four months of working there had she had anything but hardness in her voice. That changed with this phone call. She sounded utterly defeated.
"I'm okay," I answered hesitantly. "What's going on?"
She sounded very close to tears. "Lyle Jennings and his mother's house burned to the ground last night. The mother perished in the fire. Lyle is in the butterfly room in Dallas."
My stomach sank. Lyle and his mother were a special case. Lyle's mother, Nadia, a seventeen-year-old rape victim, was on our watch list. She found out six weeks later that she was pregnant by the man who’d raped her, and from there it just went downhill from what I’d heard. When she was six months pregnant, she overdosed on anxiety medicine, and was hospitalized for three weeks.
Although she was released, she was still put on the 'watch list,' as it was called around the office. She was given random visits every week at all different times to ensure the safety of the child.
After almost killing herself and her child, she'd straightened up. No more depressing moods. She was in school and held down a job as well. I entered the picture when she was kicked out of her parent’s house. Apparently they were Christian, god-fearing people, and didn’t think that anyone could
have a baby out of wedlock.
However, seeing as they were members of the church and didn’t want to look bad when they kicked their pregnant daughter out, they allowed her to live in the house with them until the baby was born. Then kicked her out since she decided to forgo adoption like she’d originally planned.
I'd helped her find an apartment just two weeks ago. She’d been living in a women’s shelter for four months. It'd been frowned upon by the boss woman, but I’d done it anyway. That girl deserved a fighting chance, and if I had to put myself in a position of warning with my superiors so she and her child could have a better life, then so be it.
Except now, it didn't matter. She was gone.
"What's Lyle’s prognosis?” I choked.
"It's not good, sweetie. They don't think he'll make it. When they got to him, he'd inhaled a large amount of smoke. They say his lungs are most likely beyond repair. They moved him to the butterfly room so his family and friends could say goodbye. Nadia's parents didn't sound like they would make it. I'm sorry, Shiloh. I know this family meant a lot to you."
"I'm going to need the next few days off so I can be with him. He shouldn't be alone." I told her.
"Take it. I'll let Lillian know." Melissa said softly.
We hung up shortly after. I sat on the edge of the couch watching Frozen with Cheyenne's girls asleep on various pieces of furniture, and Janie leaned up against the base of the couch on the floor. She was staring at me with a concerned stare.
I smiled sadly at her. "I've got to talk to your father for a few minutes. Can you watch the girls for a little while?"
"Yes, I can." She agreed softly.
I got up and moved to the living room where the meeting was being held. I heard my father speaking. Heard him blame me for starting everything into motion. Didn't care.
Shuffling into the room, I went to the one person that I knew would never put me second. Would always make sure I was okay. Wouldn't let me hurt if it could be helped.
His eyes tracked my progress across the room. He'd spotted me even before I made it into the room. His eyes were trained on me as soon as I'd crossed the threshold.
When I got close enough, he extended his hand up to me and I placed my palm in his.
"Could I speak with you for a minute?” I pleaded with my eyes for him just to come. Even though I knew he was in the middle of an important conversation. I needed him now, or I just might fall apart.
He stood, but Sam’s voice stopped his progress. “Where’re you going? We still have a lot to hash out.”
Sebastian’s voice uttered agreement. “Go back to the other room.”
“It’ll just take a minute.” I pleaded.
“This is your life we’re discussing, princess. It won’t take much longer, promise.”
Well, I guess my petty problems didn’t amount as important to them. James looked torn. I knew he wouldn’t want to choose, so I made the decision for him. I’d also realized that I was leaving whether he was with me or not. He’d just have to catch up later. I wasn’t letting that boy die alone.
“It’s okay. I’ll talk to you in a bit.” I said, tapping his chest, and turning to leave.
“Well at least she listens sometimes...” Sam muttered under his breath.
I whipped around so fast I started to lose my balance. Waving off James steadying hand, I turned to Sam and glared.
“Fuck you.” I said pointing at him.
Then I turned to Sebastian. I was mad at him, too. That, and my bitch button was pushed.
Pointing my finger at him as well, I said, “Fuck you, too.”
Cheyenne’s laugh made me turn to her. “Fuck you, too.”
Her smile slipped off her face, and she looked hurt that I’d said it to her as well.
I didn’t say ‘fuck you’ to my daddy. That’d be against every southern bone in my body. That didn’t mean that I wasn’t mad at him, as well. It just meant that I wouldn’t verbally express the ‘fuck you’ - it was mentally implied.
I left the room in the silence, and turned back towards the family room where the girls were still sleeping, minus Janie who was now watching Brave instead of Frozen. She looked up as I entered the room.
With that one look, I fell in love with her, just as much as I was in love with James. She looked like her father. Not even a hint of her mother showed in her. Her attitude was James to the T. Her face also showed extreme concern, which, for a six year old, was impressive. She was very aware of what was going on around her, and intelligent on top of that. It was a good quality to have.
I sat down on the floor next to her and explained what was going on, and told her not to tell her father until everyone else wasn’t in the room. She agreed, and I told her as soon as the girls woke up, to make sure their parents were told.
She agreed.
Giving her a kiss and a hug, I left the room. Then the house through the backdoor. I walked through the yard, made a mental note to jump on the trampoline when I came back next, and walked to my truck. I was lucky that the truck was so far from the house. Hopefully they wouldn’t notice I was leaving.
Not that I was really trying to avoid them. I just didn’t want to get into a fight about my safety when that little boy was dying in the hospital without anyone to hold his little hand.
I made it out of the neighborhood without incident, and then drove straight to Dallas, not stopping once. Luckily, I’d just filled up the tank the day before, so I didn’t have to stop along the way.
The hospital was easy enough to find. The only problem I had was parking. Since it was such a large hospital, they made the parking garage nearly a mile away from the hospital itself. They offered a shuttle, but I didn’t have time to wait the fifteen minutes they estimated for it to be back. Instead, I started running. Luckily, I was wearing comfortable clothes. I made it there in under five minutes, and was on the floor that Lyle was on in less than two.
The nurse’s station was empty, but a nurse showed quickly, and I gave her my credentials, and told her I was there for Lyle.
“Do you know about the butterfly room, dear?” She asked sadly.
“No,” I shook my head.
“This is the room that was created for family to say their goodbyes to the children. It is a happy place painted in bright, cheerful colors. There are Disney characters smiling on the walls. It’s made to be a place of comfort and peace. With one as small as Lyle, he doesn’t really realize what’s going on. He’s woken a few times, but never for long. I’ll show you in there. Are you ready?” She smiled warmly.
As we walked down the hall towards the butterfly room, I tried to prepare myself for what I was going to see. Unfortunately, nothing ever could.
The little bubbly, happy boy, all of seven months old, looked so very tiny in the hospital crib. He was hooked up to multiple wires and lines. He had a breathing tube down his throat, which made his mouth hang unnaturally to accommodate it. His tiny little hands were lifeless on the mattress beside his body. His hair, filled with blonde ringlets, was matted to his face and head.
Tears started leaking out of my eyes to see that normally vivacious personality gone. None of it was there anymore. Nothing showed of the happy baby who always had a hearty smile on his face every time I saw him. He looked utterly broken.
“He’s in no pain, honey. I promise. Now, I’m going to explain to you what will happen from here.” She explained as she checked a bag that was running to a tube that was inserted into his tiny little hand. “This is going to be a painless process. As you can see, he’s on oxygen. The doctor doesn’t think he’ll make it much longer, despite the oxygen. He’s barely holding on. Don’t be alarmed if the machines start blaring their alarms. It won’t be very long now. Do you have any questions?”
“No,” I shook my head.
“Do you need me to bring you anything?” She asked softly.
“No,” I choked. “No.”
“Okay, honey. Pre
ss this button right here if you change your mind.”
With that, she left, and I held Lyle’s hand, and waited for him to be brought home.
Chapter 16
I’m scared of walking out of this room, and never feeling the rest of my whole life, the way I feel when I’m with you.
-Dirty Dancing
Shiloh
“From what I’ve been told, Lyle was a gentle soul. He loved life, and lived it to the fullest. Now he’s home, where nothing will ever hurt him again. He’ll forever be remembered, and loved.” Reverend Justice preached solemnly.
My heart felt lighter today. It’d been a week since Lyle had passed. Originally, the state was going to bury Lyle and his mother together, side by side, in the plot awarded by the state in a cemetery on the outskirts of Jefferson, where they’d lived. Sadly, Nadia’s parents decided to bury her in their family plot, sans Lyle, and didn’t tell anyone of the service until after it was finished.
Throughout the entire process, James remained a rock. He held me through my crying jags. Offered help, suggestions, and his ear for me to rant about the injustices of it all. What he didn’t offer was judgment. He wasn’t mad that I’d taken off without him. Concerned for my safety, yes. Upset? No.
He’d shown up at the hospital an hour after me. I smiled at the Root Beer he’d offered me, and took it with silent thanks. He’d sat with me for around seventeen hours, only leaving for bathroom breaks and phone calls to Janie. At two in the afternoon the next day, Lyle took his final breath.
The nurse had been correct. The alarms all shrieked their warnings, scaring me half to death. Sadly, they weren’t able to bring him back, even after multiple measures to do so, as per state regulations.
Then commenced the drama, which led us to now. Lyle being buried in the tiny little coffin, in the tiny little hole. Alone.
He wasn’t sent away from this earth alone, however. The entirety of Sam’s Free Family, my coworkers who’d been on the case, my father, my brother, and the entire damn Dixie Wardens Motorcycle Club showed. Which surprised and shocked me. I’d never been a part of The Dixie Wardens Motorcycle Club. Although they were aware of me, they didn’t know my relation to my father and Sebastian. Well...they didn’t used to be.
Texas Tornado (Freebirds Book 5) Page 16
