CHAPTER 33
Nancy
Today is the day.
The day that I finally free myself from the last thing that links me to my parents.
“Can we go to Callum’s?” I ask Bennett as we lie lazily next to each other on the couch.
“Why do you want to go see Callum?” He props himself up on his elbow and looks at me.
“There’s something I need to do.”
“And what might that be that can’t be done with just me?” He raises his eyebrow at me, clearly not happy about my needing Callum.
“Just trust me and come on.” I roll my eyes and sit up.
“If you want a threesome then the answer is fuck no! One, I do NOT share and two, I do NOT want to see Callum naked, ever.” He shudders and makes me laugh.
“Trust you to think about sex, pervert.” I kiss him softly and stand up. “Come on.”
“What are you up to?”
“You’ll see, come on.” I whine pulling on his arm trying to get him up.
“Alright, alright, calm your tits.” He snickers and earns himself a slap on the back of his head.
“Spoilsport” He mumbles and rubs the back of his head.
After a few more minutes of bickering, we’re on our way to Callum’s. He’s been staying at his cabin for a while so it’s taking us longer than I wish but it’s all well worth it.
We don’t speak much on the drive over. Not that we don’t have anything to say to each other, but we don’t feel the need to fill the silence when we’re in each other’s company. The thing we do seem to need to constantly be doing is that we need to be physically touching each other one way or another. I’m not sure if it’s due to the fact that we were robbed of five years together or if it’s because Bennett almost died or maybe it’s a combination of both.
After way too long to my liking, we finally park outside the cabin and Callum walks out, wearing only his jeans and boots.
“Cover your tits, dude, no one wants to see man boobs,” Bennett groans. They have a true bromance relationship these two.
“Your woman seems to be enjoying the view.” He smirks and winks at me.
“Stop looking!” Bennett yells and rounds the car to cover my eyes with his hand.
“I only love your man tits.” I grin and kiss Bennett after pulling his hands away from my eyes.
“Good.” He grumbles.
“What are you two doing here? Can’t a man have some peace?” Callum asks.
“You have a lady friend in there?” I ask with a shit-eating grin.
“Maybe, what’s the matter?” He smirks but there’s a darkness in his eyes.
“It’s time.” I look into his eyes and he nods. I’m glad he remembers.
“How do you two do this? How do you know what she’s on about?” Bennett asks confused and sounding a bit jealous at mine and Callum’s friendship.
“We discussed this a couple of months ago. I told him that whenever I would be ready I’d come to him.” I shrug.
“Ready to do what?” He frowns.
“You’ll see. It’s back in Pinehurst.”
“Oh fuck.” He sighs rubbing his face. “Your headstone?”
“Yes.” I wrap my arms around him kissing his jaw.
“I get it now.”
“Took you long enough. Let’s go,” Callum says as he walks down the steps after grabbing a shirt and his jacket from inside.
“Thought you had company in there?” I ask smirking.
“And?” He raises his eyebrow at me.
“You’re going to leave her there while we go to Pinehurst?”
“You don’t want me to ask her to come, do you?”
“Just make sure she’s safe, being all alone here might not be the best place for a woman.” I say matter of factly.
“Smartass. Go on I’ll drop her off and catch up.” He kisses my temple and walks back inside.
“You’re lucky I’m not jea- yeah I’m totally jealous fuck and I’m not happy he’s kissing you and hugging you as he pleases.” Bennett frowns.
“And yet I don’t say a thing when you hug Ayden or Line or Viv or Nicole.”
“Not the same.” He groans and gets back in the car. I look inside, trying to catch a glimpse of Callum’s lady friend but he’s blocking my view with his large frame.
“How is it not the same?”
“Are you smitten with him?” He makes me look at him and the look of hurt on his face makes me feel bad.
“No I’m not, I was trying to catch a glimpse of his lady friend but the fucker is standing in the way. I only have eyes for you, Bennett. I. Love. You and only you. It’s always been you and will always be you. I’m never going to stop loving you but you need to stop with this.”
He takes in a shaky breath. “I love you too.” He brings my face up to meet his and kisses me passionately, but all too soon cuts the kiss short. “I’m still not used to you being so close with Callum and I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it.” He sighs.
“It’s alright, I’ll just have to keep reminding you that you’re my one and only.” I smile.
“You’re my happy.” He brushes his lips over mine, resting his forehead against mine.
We’re disturbed by Callum rapping his knuckles against the car window.
“Stop making out and get on your way. You two are worse than teenagers!” Callum chuckles and gets on his bike with a woman who already has a helmet on.
“Stop watching, Grandpa!” Bennett snickers and gets starts driving.
The drive takes us about four hours and Callum joined halfway through the journey.
I can’t say it was an easy ride there. My mind was swirling with fucked up thoughts of everything that’s happened over the past five years. I don’t know why I do it to myself sometimes. I just sit there and let myself think of everything in great detail. Luckily Bennett is always there for me when I start. He knows absolutely everything that’s happened, we’ve talked about it a few more times and I hated every single second of it, but he said he needed it to completely understand the hell I was in. I don’t know which was worse, having to relive it all or seeing the look of horror on his face.
I’ve also been trying to imagine what my reaction will be when I see my name on the headstone. I’ve only seen it in pictures and it’s incredibly creepy, I’m not sure if seeing it in person is going to be any better, but I have to do it and destroy this last piece of my old life.
We park outside of the cemetery and gather around the back of Bennett’s truck.
“Are you sure you’re ready?” Callum asks.
“Yes.” I look between Bennett and Callum and they both nod at me. Bennett grabs a sledgehammer from the back of his truck and we make our way into the cemetery.
It’s almost dark already, which makes this place seem even creepier. I hate cemeteries and knowing my name is engraved in stone somewhere doesn’t help. We walk around for a few minutes before we spot it and a wave of emotion overcomes me.
I stare at this headstone for a couple of minutes, feeling frozen. It’s a big marble stone, looking as if my parents were trying to show off by getting a big one.
I don’t know what hurts the most. The fact that my parents buried me, or that they put up a message that is unlike them. On the headstone, engraved, these words can be read:
Treasured Memories of Our Beloved Daughter
Nancy Elizabeth Larkins
June 10, 1993 – August 16, 2015
Gone to Sleep on this Earth
To Wake Again in Heaven.
Deep in our Hearts you will Always stay Loved and Remembered, Every day.
I turn to Bennett and take the sledgehammer he hands me. I take one last glance of the headstone and walks to the side of it. I take a deep breath and swing the sledgehammer as hard as I can into the headstone. It’s not breaking it as dramatically as I have hoped it would, but at least a few of the letters have now disappeared. I look at it and drive the sledgehammer into it over and
over again. I’m hoping to shatter this piece of shit, but the stone isn’t giving and I’m not strong enough. Tears fall freely down my face and I’m an emotional mess. So many thoughts are running through my mind, should I have died? Would things have been different for everybody? Should I have stayed away from Bennett altogether? How would my life had turned out? What would have happened if I left with Bennett before the end of the school year? Would we still be together and happy? So many questions getting mixed up in my head.
I jump when I feel a strong hand on my shoulder. I turn around and find myself looking into Bennett’s eyes. There’s a sadness in his eyes, mirroring mine. I don’t know if he’s sad for me, seeing me in such a state or if it’s pity that I’m such a mess. Probably the first one.
“Give me that,” he says softly and moves me backwards. He takes my place on the right of the headstone and I see Callum on the left of it. I take a few steps back and stand in front of the headstone. Both of them look at each other and nod before swinging their sledgehammers. I have no idea when Callum got his, but it did the trick. A sob escapes me as I watch the dust and pieces of rock fly into the air. They repeat the process three more times and with each blow to the stone, I feel the chains my parents had me trapped in all those years being broken. With the last blow, a wave of relief and freedom washes over me and I fall to my knees and burst into tears. I cry for the teenage girl who never got to experience a normal life with loving parents; for the girls she left behind; for Bennett and the hell he’s been put through and for all those moments we were robbed of.
As I’m still crouched down, I feel two strong arms wrap around me; to my right is Bennett and Callum stands on my left. The two constants in my life, without who I wouldn’t even be here I’ll forever be grateful for all they’ve done for me, both knowingly and unknowingly.
I place my hands on their knees, squeezing a silent thank you for their support. We stay like this for a couple of minutes before leaving in silence.
“Uh guys? We probably should run,” Callum suddenly says.
“Why?” Just as I get the word out, I hear people shouting. We turn around and we see the cemetery caretaker accompanied by cops.
“Run!” Bennett shouts and sprint to where we parked. Me and Bennett jump into his car and Callum onto his bike and we speed away. I don’t know if they’ll follow us or if we’ll get into trouble, but right now I really couldn’t care less. I finally managed to do something I’ve wanted to do for so long and it feels so liberating. I feel free.
CHAPTER 34
Bennett
If you had told me that Nancy would be taken from me five years ago, that my brother would be the one behind it, I would never have believed you. Nor did I expect to be shot once again. It’s starting to become a very painful habit. Some day, I don’t know how Nancy manages to handle me and my personality but I’m so glad she does. She’s been there with me since she got back but most importantly, since the whole fucked up mess with Richard happened. I can’t even call him my brother. The only brothers I have are my MC ones.
After a few weeks of recovering and my parents calling me over and over to ask how I was, I decided to grow a pair and go visit them to talk about Richard and what exactly happened. I didn’t want to tell Nancy at first, I felt like I had to do it on my own, but after finding me sitting on our porch smoking in the middle of the night, she knew something was up. She left the choice up to me and I don’t know why I even wanted to go without her in the first place. She’s my rock and my strength. The only thing I’m grateful for is that after I left Pinehurst and joined the Last Hangman, they moved away from that hellhole. It’s making this trip a lot easier for Nancy and I, neither of us having to go back to a place that brought us so much heartache.
Nancy drives us all the way to Baton Rouge, where my parents now live a peaceful life. She’s not exactly a calm driver, but seeing her get pissed off and insult other drivers is hilarious. At one point I thought she was going to stop the car and go start a fight with a driver that had cut her off. I had to physically hold her back. I thought it was hilarious, but she didn’t agree with me.
She parks the car with a huff outside of my parents’ house and slams the car door after she gets out.
“Calm down, Nance,” I state as I try hold back my laughter when she gives me a death stare.
“He was totally in the wrong, I can’t believe you stopped me from wanting to kick his ass, he cut us off!” she exclaims.
“I didn’t want him to get his ass kicked by a woman in front of his female companion.”
“Like hell! Next time I’ll show that fucker.” She crosses her arms over her chest and stalks towards my parents’ front door.
“I promise I won’t hold you back next time. Are you ready?” I caress her back to try and calm her down as we stand in front of the door.
“I should be the one asking you that question.” She looks up at me. “Are you okay?”
“I am, I just want to get this unpleasant talk done and over with.” I give her a small smile.
“I’m with you, Bennett.” She squeezes my hand and I ring the doorbell. We don’t have to wait long before my mom opens the door.
“Hi, Sweetie, Nancy.” My mom smiles at the both of us.
“Hi, Mom.” I walk in and hug her.
“It’s good to see you alive and on your feet.” She sighs, looking relieved to see me.
“Nance, you remember my mom, Linda,” I say pulling away from my mom and holding my hand out to Nancy.
“Of course, how are you?” They smile at each other and hug.
“I’m good thank you, and you, Lovely?” Mom asks Nancy.
“I’m alright.”
“Just alright?” Mom questions her.
“A fucker cut us off on the road and Bennett didn’t let me out to kick his ass.” Nancy huffs and glares at me again.
“His father did the same to me not that long ago. Men, always spoiling our fun.” Mom moans and shakes her head.
“I know, right!” Nancy exclaims.
“Fuck my life,” I mumble and walk to the living room to greet my father as I hear my mom and Nancy laughing together. “Hey, Dad.”
“Son, how are you?” He gets up from his chair and walks to me, clapping my back as he gives me a man hug.
“I was fine until two seconds ago.” I cough.
“Fuck, sorry,” he says apologetically.
“It’s alright. How are you?”
“I’m good, your mom still busting my balls all the time.” He frowns and we both chuckle.
“Nance is like that already,” I whisper, but clearly not quietly enough.
“What am I like already?” She walks over to me with a face full of attitude.
“A ball buster, how are you, Darling?” Dad asks her making her chuckle.
“Always and I’m alright, thanks.” They hug and we all sit down. Mom brings us iced teas and there’s an awkward silence settling in between us.
“Right, you guys know why we came all the way out here. It’s not a discussion I want to have, but there are some things I need to know. It’s been on my mind since I found out about Richard and it’s eating away at me.” I look my father in the eyes and see sadness in his eyes.
“I know, Son. You deserve an explanation, but it’s something that’s going to require whiskey, not iced tea.” Dad gets up and gets a bottle of whiskey from his large collection. If there’s one thing my Dad and I have in common, it’s our love for whiskey. He grabs four whiskey glasses and pours them. We all take a sip before he starts. “It all started before you were born. We were part of the Last Hangman but weren’t active members like the others. We loved the lifestyle because we both grew up into it, but we didn’t want to take part in any club business as we had just found out that your Mom was pregnant with Richard and we couldn’t be any happier. Things were going well, the pregnancy was normal and things within the club, for us at least, were good. I was working daily at the garage and we were hang
ing out at the weekends and going on road trips but that’s all.
“Fast forward a couple of years and things started to get heated for the Last Hangman, they were in a war with the Bastards from Hell because of some deal gone wrong. I don’t know all the details, but it was bad. We decided to lay low for a while and take a step back from it all. Things were good for a while, we were happy just living our lives with Richard, but things didn’t stay that way very long. He was nine at the time. Unfortunately for us, I caught the eye of a woman. She came onto me and I declined her many offers. She didn’t like it and tried to kill your mom. We managed to get her locked up, but she was released early for ‘good behaviour’.
“A few months later, that’s when it happened. We were having a barbecue with a couple of the Last Hangman brothers at our place and Richard was playing in the garden. We were always cautious and kept the garden gate locked and secure, but something made him open the gate and run out and then he was gone. We tried to find him and searched for so long. We even got the police involved as well as the club and its chapters, but we never found him. It’s was a living nightmare knowing our son was out there somewhere, lost in this world and we had no idea where. We had no idea if he was still alive or dead or if he was even in the country anymore.
“Things didn’t get any easier for us, we were heartbroken and there was nothing we could do about it. We looked everywhere but had to realise that he wasn’t coming back. We forced ourselves to move on. The pain wasn’t getting any better, but we were dealing with it better than we did in the beginning. A couple of years later, your Mom fell pregnant with you and things were good for a while, we went back to the compound and I started working again. After she had you, she stopped coming to the compound altogether, not wanting to expose you to the lifestyle at such a young age. But you being you, you started to ask to come see me at work so she was bringing you. You befriended Viv quite quickly. She was showing you around and using you as her play pal for her tea parties to the relief of the other bikers.
Forgiving Nancy (Last Hangman MC Series Book 5) Page 24
