by Brook Wilder
I swallowed hard, thinking of how close I had come to losing both of them. It had been hard enough losing Aaron, but if Brendan had died… well, I wouldn’t have this love inside me, something I was looking forward to expressing if I could get out of this current situation.
"So, now I am going to finish the deal," he finally said, his eyes growing hard. "He will watch you be tortured first, though. I want him to suffer, to take his mighty ego down a notch or two before he dies, with his last thought being that he couldn’t save you either."
I squared my shoulders, looking him dead in the eye.
"Has anyone told you you talk too much?"
He looked at me with some surprise before bursting into laughter, shaking his head.
"Ms. Hall, I swear… if this was any other situation, I might have enjoyed getting to know you. You are a piece of work, a true Hall through and through."
"I will take that as a compliment."
He smirked, pushing away from the doorway.
"You do that. Don't go anywhere. Everything is about to get fun around here, and you are going to be the star of the show. We will see how much Morrison actually cares about you and that child in your belly."
I didn't say anything, waiting until he had left the room before blowing out a long breath. I could joke, I could pretend to be strong, but the real issue was that I was tied to a chair with no means of getting loose.
I enjoyed challenges, but this was far too challenging for me. I could only hope that Brendan had a better plan and that it involved me not dying. He would come. I had no doubt in my mind that Brendan would try to rescue me.
Sighing, I looked up at the water-stained ceiling. Life could not be ever be easy.
Chapter 19
Brendan
I frowned as I watched the building from a distance, seeing the large presence of Blood Eagles milling about the property. Hector had built quite an army, and I imagined that he was hoping I would walk in the middle of them to take whatever beating he had to offer.
"We have the guys flanking each side," Jax said next to me in a low voice. "It's going to be bloody, Brendan. Are you sure you want to go through with this?"
I nodded.
"Laura is in there. Hector has taken it and turned it personal."
He wasn't just trying to get my attention. He wanted a fight, and I was more than willing to give it to him. He had found my weakness, and, while I hated the fucking fact that Laura was in this mess, I was glad that I could attribute her to my weakness. She was, without a doubt, the only thing that would make me want to give up my life. I just hoped that we didn't have to test that theory today.
"Make sure they don't attack the building. We don't know where she is nor what he's using to keep her in place."
"Got it," Jax said, touching my shoulder briefly before moving away.
I knew that all I had to do was give the order and every man I had brought with me would fight until there was no one standing. This was much more than a rescue mission; this was a show of power, and only one club was going to be left standing.
I planned for it to be mine.
And now I would have to walk into the fray and get this damn show on the road. It was going to be the only way I saved anyone today, and I just hoped I wasn't too late.
Straightening my shoulders, I touched the knife at my side before starting the long walk toward the building, my eyes constantly darting around to look for any blind spots we hadn't covered. There would be no element of surprise; it was going to take the best we had to ensure that we rescued Laura.
Then I would deal with Blackwood and his club.
I’d almost got to the door when two members of the Blood Eagles flanked me. I doubted they noticed that they were all that was left guarding the building. We had done that on purpose, to make them feel as if they were still in charge when, in reality, they had lost it the moment I started walking. I had to give Jax credit for the plan. It was pretty damn brilliant.
"Boys."
"Shut the hell up, Morrison," one of them growled.
I gave a little shrug as I pushed open the door, the smell of decay and wet wood hitting me in the face. The façade of the warehouse was metal, but the rotting floors had not survived the test of time, leaving pockets of holes all over the damn place.
"Just trying to be polite."
"I hope you feel that way after we get done with your ass," the other said, chuckling as if he knew a secret I didn't. "You never was bright, Morrison."
"You're right," I said with my own chuckle, waiting for the moment that these assholes would be running for their lives. "But I never said I was anything else either."
One of them snorted as we walked into a small office, my heart flipping in my chest as I saw Laura tied to a chair in the center, looking more annoyed than scared. She looked unharmed as well, and I let out a breath, the tightness in my chest easing some.
Hector was standing near her, the glee on his face almost too much to look at.
"So, you did come."
I chuckled, keeping my nonchalant attitude. The last thing I needed for him to see was how much he had rattled me.
"Did you expect me not to?"
The club president reached over and touched Laura's hair lightly, a sly smile on his face.
"I wasn't sure, to be honest. I guess the old saying is true about love and absence. What is it? ‘Absence makes the heart grow fonder…’ or some shit like that?"
I forced a smirk as well, though, inside, I wanted to rip his damn arms off for even touching one strand of her hair.
"Growing sentimental in your old age, aren't you Blackwood?"
He dropped his touch, and I saw Laura shudder, though she remained silent. How, I didn't know. She also wouldn't meet my eye, which had me thinking it had more to do with the words I had said to her than the situation we were finding ourselves in.
"Enough of this nicety talk and shit. I'm here to settle a score with you, Morrison."
"What score would that be?" I asked, frowning.
We hadn't crossed paths in months, both clubs staying largely away from each other. Sure, there had been skirmishes, but mostly bar fights and shit like that. No one had died from any of those.
Hector laughed, looking at his goons.
"He looks confused, doesn't he? I'm sure you are wondering what the hell you have done lately to piss me off, not including last night when you stormed my bar and threatened my life."
"That was necessary," I bit out. "And you still didn't fucking listen."
"True," he admitted, rubbing his chin. "But that's neither here nor there. I'm fucking talking about the store. You had no right."
A light blinked on in my head and I burst into laughter.
"The store? Is that what this all about? Are you serious?"
He frowned, and I continued to laugh, unable to help it. Months ago, I had a chance to buy the only liquor store in Paradise, to go in partnership with the owner in exchange for protection against assholes like Hector and his club. After discussing it with my brothers and with Jonah, we had purchased fifty-one percent of the store, providing the club with another means of monetary support.
"If you hadn't been such an asshole, maybe he would have offered it to you instead," I said, my laughter dying down.
"They won't even serve my boys anymore," he shot back, his eyes wild. "First Jonah and now you. Well the best part about this all is that I can rid the world of one Morrison and one Hall at the same time. Hell, I'm even stopping procreation by killing your bastard. It's a three-for-one special."
Laura made a sound, and I caught her eye, begging her to hang on just a little bit longer. If everything went right, we would be out of this warehouse and no longer having to worry about Hector.
"Well," I started, moving closer to Laura. "I wish I could say I'm sorry, but I'm not."
Hector grinned and took a step closer to Laura, his hand on her shoulder.
"Well, I won't be sorry either, then, when I
do this."
I lunged for Laura and the chair as Hector pulled the knife, blocking her from the blade. It bit into my shoulder, but I covered her body with mine as all hell broke loose outside the office, the sound of the doors being ripped off their hinges providing enough distraction for Hector and his goons. Rolling over, I crouched in a low position, the blade biting into my shoulder painfully. Hector was already out the door and, as much as I wanted to go after him, I had to take care of Laura first.
Blowing out a breath, I righted her chair, setting it gently on the ground.
"What is happening?" she shouted over the noise.
"Plan B," I answered, working quickly to free her from the chair. "We gotta hurry. They are going to pull the damn building down."
I got the ropes free and then snapped the zip-ties with my own knife, grabbing her hand and leading us both out of the office. Jax caught sight of me as we exited the building, blowing a shrill whistle with his fingers for the destruction to stop.
"Hector's escaped," I said, gripping Laura's hand in mine.
He motioned for the guys to start unhooking the chains from their bikes, the ones they had hooked into the metal façade of the building with the intent of bringing it down around our ears if need be.
"Oh my god, you are hurt!"
I turned to see the horror on Laura's face as she stared at the knife buried in my shoulder, giving her a crooked smile.
"It's fine. Not the first time I've been stabbed."
She choked on her words, and I squeezed her hand. No amount of injury would compare to me losing Laura and our unborn kid.
"Still," she finally forced out. "I think it's time for you to go to the hospital."
I pulled her close to me, inhaling her scent.
"Only if you will go with me."
She looked up and gave me a tiny smile, warmth spreading through my veins.
"Always."
Chapter 20
Laura
I bit my lip as I stood in the driveway, waiting for my mom to arrive. It had been a month since I had left her, a month since I had found Brendan and fallen in love with the gruff biker. Instead of going back to Anchorage, I had stayed here with him, in my father's house, as we worked through some of our new relationship issues. Actually, Brendan had taken some time off from the club, turning over some of the operations to Colby, and just spent time with me, learning who I was and vice versa.
Now I knew he enjoyed his steak medium, that he was obsessed with reality TV, and that his secret fear was failure.
And I loved every little piece of him. Though we hadn't said the words aloud yet, I felt the love and, for right now, it was fine. We had the rest of our lives to do so.
But first, my mom. I had to get her and him to agree to disagree, and, even though I had told her the long story of why Aaron had died that night, I didn't know if she truly believed me.
Or that she had accepted the fact that Brendan was giving her a grandchild. That, she clearly hadn't accepted yet. The conversations we had leading up to this visit had been brief, but I could hear the disappointment in her voice. She was thinking about me being with Brendan in the first place, as well as settling down in Paradise and having a child before my career was established. I knew she only wanted the best for me, but I had found the best. I had found the love I needed in Brendan, and no amount of planning for my future was going to change that.
Sure, the pregnancy had been a surprise to us both, but right now it fit. I couldn’t explain it, but the grin I got each morning when I woke only made me want to do it again the next morning. The laugher and fun we were having together, planning this life, only showed me that I was making the right decision. We didn't have it all figured out, of course, but we did have each other and that was enough. It would always be enough.
The car pulled into the driveway and I drew in a deep breath, forcing a smile. Brendan was waiting inside, per my request, wanting to talk with my mom first before I brought him into the conversation. She stepped out, and, before I knew it, we were hugging and crying.
"You are glowing!" she exclaimed, taking my face between her hands. "I can't believe my baby is having a baby!"
"We still have a while yet before it happens," I laughed as she looked down at my stomach. "Are you… are you okay with it?"
She drew in a breath.
"I-I have struggled with it, yes, but there's nothing I can do about it, and clearly I can see how happy you are. While I would have chosen a different guy for you, I… well, I can't live your life for you Laura, and, if Brendan is that guy you have found, I have no right to say anything."
My eyes crowded with tears as I hugged her again.
"I am really happy. He makes me happy."
She patted my back.
"Then that's all that matters baby girl. Okay, I'm ready to meet him."
I took her hand and pulled her into the house, past the messy kitchen table full of renovation ideas for the house. Brendan and I wanted to make it our own, for our future family, and I was excited about it. I would have a house of my own, a future I hadn't envisioned but wanted nevertheless.
Brendan was in the living room and stood quickly as we entered.
"Mrs. Betty."
"Brendan," my mom said, inclining her head. "You sure have grown up."
Brendan gave her a grin, and I felt my heart melt. Gah, he got me every time with it!
"Yes, ma'am. I'm glad you came to visit."
She laughed, and I knew then that everything was going to be okay.
"You don't mean it."
He looked at me, his expression softening.
"No, I do mean it. I want you to be a witness."
"Witness?" she asked, looking at me, puzzled. "To what?"
I shrugged, surprised myself.
"I-I don't know."
We had talked about this meeting multiple times since my mom had agreed to come, but… a witness? What was he going to do?
Brendan walked over and took my hand, dropping to one knee, and my heart stuttered in my chest as I realized exactly what he meant. I gasped as he pulled out a box, holding it up to me.
"I'm not good at this shit," he started, giving me a tender smile. "But I do know I love you more than anything on this fucking earth. And life with you… I can't even imagine it now. Will you marry me?"
Tears filled my eyes for the second time that day as I saw the love reflecting in his eyes, love I felt in my heart. Brendan made me unbelievably happy.
"Yes. Of course, I will marry you."
He stood and pulled the dazzling ring out of the box, sliding it onto my finger before I threw my arms around his neck.
"I love you."
"Not as much as I love you," he whispered into my ear, placing a kiss on my neck. "Thank you."
"For what?" I asked through my tears, knowing it wasn't just the hormones that were driving them.
These were happy tears.
"For choosing me," he whispered for my ears only, emotion in his voice.
I smiled against his neck. The funny thing was, I felt the same way.
"Well," my mom said, clearing her throat. "I guess we have a wedding to start planning, then?"
I laughed and pulled her into a hug.
"Are you really okay with this?"
She hugged me back.
"If I wasn't, he would be laid out on the floor right now. He loves you, Laura. I can see it written all over his face."
"I can hear you, you know," Brendan muttered. "Shit, now I sound like a sissy!"
I looked over at him, giving him a wink.
"But you are my sissy."
And I never planned on giving him up.
Chapter 21
Brendan
Three Months Later
I grinned as Laura pulled us in yet another direction, greeting some of our guests with a big smile on her face. I liked to take credit for putting that smile on her face and planned to keep it there for many, many years. Now that she was Mrs. Brenda
n Morrison, she was my responsibility, as well as the child that would be born in a few months.
While the thought should have scared the shit out of me, I was actually at peace and so fucking happy that I couldn't even explain it. It was funny to even think of me actually getting married, that my life had never been about the happily-ever-after, but I wanted it all. I wanted the picket fences and the barefoot kids. I wanted to wake up to Laura's smile each morning and feel her hands on me at night. I wanted the dirty diapers, the tears, the happiness, all of it.
