Delight (Legacies, #1)

by Erin Osborne

I’m sorry I left you at the hospital. But, I don’t want kids. I’ll help financially but that’s all I can do. I’m sorry things couldn’t be different between us. Let me know how things are.

  Bounce

  Tears fill my eyes as I make my way into the rooms Karson and I briefly used. I pack our things as quickly as I can and look back through the rooms to ensure I haven’t left anything behind. The last thing I want to do is have to get ahold of Bounce because I forgot something of Karson’s here. I’d rather buy it new, but I won’t be getting a paycheck anytime soon while I heal.

  Hell, I’m not even supposed to be walking on my ankle right now, but I am. At least it’s supported by the soft cast. It hurts like hell and I’m ready to be off it. But I have to get our bags to the car. I don’t have to look in the laundry room because it appears Bounce did our laundry for us. I’m sure he just wants us gone as much as I want to be gone right now.

  I find a notebook on the counter along with a pen and leave a short note for Bounce.

  Bounce,

  I’m sorry this happened. It’s not something I planned on happening and I don’t know what to do to make you see that. However, I won’t force this child on you. In saying that, I won’t let you know how I’m doing with the pregnancy or anything else. The only evidence you’ll see is when I’m at Legacies and start to show. For that, I’m sorry. Thank you for everything.

  Sydney

  Leaving the notebook paper in the notebook and setting the pen on top, I leave the house for the last time. I don’t look back or try to find something out of place I can take care of. Bounce wants us gone and that’s what he’s going to get. He won’t even have to see me for several weeks as I heal and stay away from the strip club.

  Santana helps me with the bags as soon as she sees me outside the house. While she’s loading them in the trunk of her car, I climb in the passenger seat. By the time I’m in the seat and fastened in, she’s opening her door and turning to face me. I’m crying and she pulls me into her arms. For a few minutes, we sit in her car just holding one another. Then, I pull back because I’m not going to make Bounce stay away from his house for longer than necessary.

  “Let’s get out of here. Please,” I beg my best friend and sister from another mister.

  “Anything, babe. I’ll get you home,” she says, putting the car in reverse and leaving Bounce’s house behind us.

  We head toward my house and I let the tears flow freely. I’m giving myself until the time we pull into my driveway, or yard, and then that’s going to be the end of my pity party. I’ll get through this just fine with Karson and Santana by my side. Now, I just need to figure out what my game plan is going to be. We won’t be living in this house long term. I just need to save enough money up to move.

  “I’ll put the bags just inside the doorway. Then, I’m going to head home and grab some things to bring back here. I’d have them with me, but I thought we were going back to my house,” she tells me.

  “It’s okay. Take your time. Karson and I are just going to veg out on the couch and watch some movies. Or maybe we’ll go in my room so I can lay down and rest before you get back,” I tell her just before she gets out of the car.

  I get out and lean in to unbuckle Karson’s seat belt. He gets out of the car and holds my hand to the door. Once we’re inside and Santana has left, I turn my attention to the interior of the house. From what I can see, the living room is trashed. The TV is on the floor, the couch is ripped to shreds, and our belongings are scattered across the house and destroyed beyond repair. Slowly I walk through the house and see the destruction hasn’t been spared in a single room. I think my room is the worst though.

  Walking into my room, my clothes are shredded, the bed is flipped and my mattress is unsalvageable. I manage to step in a wet puddle on the floor and I don’t want to think about what it is. There’s a white substance on several pairs of the new panties Santana bought me. This is disgusting. I’m going to need to call Santana and let her know not to come back here. So, I reach into my pocket for my phone and it’s not there. Karson hands me the phone as I lead him from my room. I forgot I gave it to him in the car so he could play a game on the wait at Bounce’s house.

  “Karson, let’s go to the park for a little bit. Let me just leave a note for Aunt Santana,” I tell him.

  He nods his head at me with his eyes wide open. Karson is scared and there’s nothing I can do to take that away from him. So, I grab his hand and ignore the pain I’m feeling to we can get the hell out of here. I walk to the kitchen and jot a note down in case she gets here before I can call her. I don’t want to be in the house when I make the call. So, I slide the phone back in my pocket and make sure the note is visible to her.

  As we make our way to the door, it’s thrown in and I see Lloyd standing there. He looks about as good as I feel. Lloyd has bruising covering most of his face, necks, and arms. He’s walking a little slower than I remember, and I’m sure he’s got some busted ribs. Thankfully, I don’t; mine are just bruised.

  “You’re coming with me, bitch,” he yells out, further scaring Karson.

  “What do you want with me?” I ask him, trying to push Karson behind me.

  “You’re going to give me the money your good for nothing mother owes me. Or you’re going to join my stable of women and work the fucking money off. Let’s fucking go,” he yells again, grabbing onto my arm and practically dragging me from the house.

  “What about Karson?” I ask becoming frantic to get away from him.

  “The snot nosed brat can stay here. I don’t fucking want him. Told your mother that when she tried to blame me for knocking her up. He ain’t fucking mine and he’s not coming with us,” Lloyd growls.

  I turn my head and look at my brother. The only reason I’m not making a big deal about bringing him is because I know Lloyd will beat or kill him if I do. He’s a violent man and I don’t want Karson to be his target because it won’t matter that he’s only five. Plus, Santana will be back here before he’s alone too long. Or, I’m hoping one of the neighbors will see what’s going on and call the cops. It hasn’t happened in the past, but I can hope and dream it will this time.

  Lloyd throws me in the back of his beat-up, piece of shit car and slams the door on my already injured ankle. I scream out as I hear his evil laugh. He climbs in the front and shows me the gun he left in the car.

  “You scream or try to get out, I’ll shoot you and then go back and do the same thing to the fucking asshole we left behind,” Lloyd tells me.

  “I won’t,” I respond knowing he’s not lying.

  Instead, I turn my attention out the back window of the car and see Karson standing in the doorway. He’s crying and I can see him shaking from here. My heart breaks into a million pieces as I think of the damage this is doing to him. I watch backwards until I can no longer see him. I want to fight back, scream, and take Lloyd down, but with the damage already done to me, I know there’s no way I can do anything just yet.

  Turning around, I keep Karson and my new baby in my thoughts. I have to do what I can for both of them. Without a doubt, I’ll be getting back to him and I’ll have a healthy baby eight months from now. It’s the only thing that’s going to keep me going if I’m going to get away from this psychotic, demented asshole in the front seat of the car.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Bounce

  KNOWING SYDNEY HAS left the hospital and had more than enough time to get her things from my house, I leave the guys at the clubhouse and head there to be alone. I can’t believe she’s fucking pregnant. I knew it was a possibility with the condom breaking, but now it’s a fucking reality. One I’m not equipped to deal with; one I don’t want to deal with.

  I leave the clubhouse parking lot and fly down the backroads to my house. It doesn’t take me more than ten minutes to get there and I see the back of Santana’s car leaving my road as I pull in. In my mind, she’s just dropped Syd and Karson off and they’ll be inside waiting on me. So, I park
my bike out front of the garage and make my way inside the house. It’s dead silent as I get inside.

  Walking over to the kitchen counter, I see the pen I used earlier is sitting on the notebook now. I look down at the note and see the words Sydney left me. She’s letting me off the hook for everything. She’s not mad at me for not wanting kids and I know she’s going to be an amazing mother to our child. If my past weren’t so fucked up, I’d be right there with her to raise that child. But I don’t honestly know how to be a parent and I don’t have any role models, other than Blood, to look up to. I’ll never be as good as him and I don’t have anything else to offer her or a child. Children in this case with Karson already in her life.

  I can’t do this; I need to see her and Karson. The house feels empty and cold without them here. And it’s only been an hour or so since they left. Not even that long considering I watched Santana pulling away from the house. I race outside and jump onto my bike. Turning it on, I peel out and make my way to Sydney’s house.

  It seems to take forever as I hit every single red light and people want to drive slower than the damn speed limit. I’m ready to split lanes to get there quicker, but I don’t want to be pulled over and waste more time getting to her. Maybe if I explain why I can’t be a father I’ll feel better about things. I’ll be able to move on and not have the little family on my mind constantly.

  As I finally pull up to the house, I see Karson standing in the doorway. Tears are pouring down his face, his finger is in his mouth, and I can see his little body shaking. What the fuck? Has something happened to Sydney?

  I don’t see Santana’s car here. I’m not sure why she’s not here considering Syd just got out of the hospital. It’s surprising she left her here alone with just Karson. I don’t waste time, jumping off my bike and racing to Karson. He finally sees me and starts to run at me. I catch him as he launches himself at me.

  “Buddy, are you okay?” I ask him as he buries his head in my neck. “Where’s sissy?”

  “Gone. Bad man,” he manages to get out.

  I walk in the house and it’s completely destroyed. There isn’t a single thing left alone here as I walk from room to room. Sydney isn’t in any of the rooms and now my heart is racing in my chest. It feels as if it’s going to explode. I walk back outside with Karson still in my arms. As soon as we’re away from the house, I pull my phone from my pocket and call Blood.

  “Yeah,” he answers the phone.

  “Need you,” I tell him.

  “Where are you?” he asks as Karson starts crying again. “Who is that?”

  “It’s Karson. I’m at Sydney’s house. I just got her and she’s gone. Karson was left alone and he’s flipping out, Prez,” I tell him.

  “Be right there,” he says hanging up the phone.

  I sit down on the ground with Karson still wrapped around me. He’s shaking and crying and there’s nothing I can do to calm him down. So, I rub my hand up and down his back and murmur soothing words in his ear. Soon, his sobs begin to quiet as he falls asleep on my chest. We’re snuggled together on the front lawn as I hear the rumbling of several bikes riding up the road.

  Placing my hands over Karson’s ears, I try to quiet the noise as much as possible so he doesn’t wake up. He stirs as the bikes pull up and shut off, but doesn’t wake up. At the same time, Santana pulls up in her car. She jumps out and runs over to me. I look up at her and see the questions in her eyes. I have no answers for her right now. I’m sure she’s seeing the desperation in mine. I have to get Sydney back. Not only for Karson, but for me too.

  Instead of the thought fucking with my head, I relish the thought of having her in my life long term. Not only in my life, but in my bed, on the back of my bike, and with my children in her stomach. Things I’ve never wanted until one woman and little boy walked into my life. Now, it may be too late and I feel helpless.

  “What’s goin’ on?” Blood asks, practically running up to me.

  “I don’t know. Karson said a bad man took Syd. The house is fuckin’ destroyed and she’s not in any of the rooms. Where the hell were you?” I ask looking at Santana.

  “I had to run home to get some clothes and things to stay here. I dropped them off and came back as quick as I could,” she answers me, not shying away at my harsh tone.

  “Specs, see what you can find,” Blood says as Breaker, Specs, and Carver walk into the house.

  “What about Karson?” Santana asks.

  “You’re gonna take him to the clubhouse. For now, you’re both stayin’ there until we know what the fuck is goin’ on,” Blood answers her.

  Before I can say anything else, my phone starts vibrating in my hand. I look at the screen and see Syd’s name on the screen. Looking up, everyone around me goes dead silent.

  “Baby, where are you?” I ask her.

  For a minute, I don’t hear anything. Then I hear a male talking as if at a slight distance.

  “You’re gonna pay off your mom’s debt one way or another. I’m thinking instead of putting you to work in my stable, I’ll just sell you to the highest bidder,” I hear.

  Taking the phone away from my ear, I place the call on speaker and Specs runs out to join us. He’s typing furiously away on his phone and I have no clue what he’s doing. I don’t really give a shit if he can get us to Sydney sooner rather than later. Especially since no one knows about the baby.

  “I got a location on her,” Specs says.

  “Let’s go get her,” I tell my brothers. “We have to get her before he hurts her. We found out Sydney’s pregnant when she was attacked and taken to the hospital.”

  No one says anything for a minute.

  “Baby yours?” Breaker asks me.

  “Yeah. She was a virgin the first time I was with her and the condom broke,” I tell him.

  “Let’s fuckin’ go get our girl back. Santana, Specs and Ledger are gonna take you to the clubhouse. Tonya’s there waitin’ on you. Don’t leave and don’t let anyone know where you are,” Blood says.

  I get up and take Karson to Santana’s car. After putting him in his seat, I kiss the top of his head and run over to my bike.

  “I’ll send updates as I get them. Let’s hope the fucker doesn’t find her phone on her,” Specs says.

  Blood has the GPS location on his phone and I know Specs is going to be calling him with the updates. He’s got Bluetooth in his helmet and I’m pissed I don’t have one yet. I’ll be getting one as soon as this shit is over with Sydney and she’s back home safe and sound.

  We follow Blood out of the yard and toward the last location her phone pinged from. It takes us twenty minutes to get there. Blood motions for us to pull over in an empty warehouse parking lot so he can get a hold of Specs and figure out where we go from here. I sit on my bike and accept the cigarette Breaker hands me. I don’t usually smoke except for when I’m stressed the hell out and this is definitely a time I’m stressed the fuck out.

  I light it up and wait for Blood to get off the phone. No one tries to talk to me because they can see from what little is exposed on my face I’m not in the mood for small talk. All I want is to find where the fuck Sydney is. When I’m in one of my moods, everyone tends to stay away from me. They know I’m not a talker in normal circumstances and today is anything but normal.

  “We lost the trail,” Blood says facing me.

  “The fuck you mean?” I yell out. “How do you just lose a trail?”

  “Specs said either they threw her phone out the window and it smashed or they found it and shut it off and removed the battery from the phone so she couldn’t turn it back on,” Blood answers. “Everyone back to the clubhouse so we can figure this shit out. We’ll find her, Bounce.”

  I ignore my President and make my way to the clubhouse, without waiting for them. I’m on my own as I race toward the clubhouse and I don’t give a fuck if something happens to me. Who knows what’s being done to Sydney right now? She’s just been beaten while at Legacies. Yeah, we all saw the vid
eo of a man following her out to the dumpster and then beating the shit outta her. Don’t know who he is, but Specs also pulled up footage of him groping her at the table he was sitting at inside and no one stepped in to help.

  Vanish feels horrible because he’s the one who asked her to take the garbage out, but it’s not his fault. They were getting slammed and he didn’t have time to think about what he was asking of her. And she didn’t say a word about what happened at the table. Plus, we still have yet to figure out why Carl, our bouncer out back, wasn’t at his spot. He’s not supposed to leave the back door in case one of the women go out on break. I’ll be having a fucking discussion with him as soon as we figure out where the fuck he went. For now, it’s going to be one of us at the doors. We’re done trusting anyone outside the club except for the crew who comes in when we have church.

  Pulling into the parking lot of the clubhouse, I back my bike into my spot and shut it off. I don’t bother waiting as I stalk inside. The first thing I see is Karson sitting on one of the couches with Santana’s phone in his hand. As soon as he sees me, the phone is forgotten and he jumps from the couch and races toward me. I scoop him up in my arms and walk to my room. Santana doesn’t follow me; she knows I need this time with the little guy. Karson is the only piece of Syd I have with me right now and I will latch onto him if I have to.

  Chapter Twenty

  Sydney a.k.a Delight

  MY EYES SLOWLY slip open as I begin to wake up. For a second, I’m not sure where I am but I know I’m in even more pain than when I left the hospital. Then it all comes rushing back; Lloyd has me. He took me from the house and left Karson there alone. The last thing I remember is him finding my phone after I had called Bounce.

  Lloyd pulled over and beat on me to get my phone. Then he threw it on the ground and smashed it into as many pieces as possible. Fuck! The one way I had to let someone know where I was and it’s been taken from me. I don’t even know how he saw it because I never lifted it off the seat once I managed to get it out of my pocket.