Unexpected Love (South Coast Brothers Book 5)

by Kacey Hamford

  “If I wanna come and see my woman, then I will,” I stated crossing my arms over my chest.

  “Oooo, I love it when you’re like this.” She rubbed her hand over my forearm and licked her lips.

  “It’s probably not a good idea to give me a hard on in front of your class of little people,” I whispered in her ear. Knowing that my beard tickling her skin would cause goosebumps all over her body.

  “I’ve got a class to teach.” She laughed, pushing me away with her hand on my chest.

  “We got another lead and me and the guys are going to check it out tonight. You got some sort of reading shit after school right?”

  “Yes, today is the day I run the reading group in the library and Nate has football practice.”

  “Ok, flower. Jono is outside and will be when you finish. I’ll see you when I get back. I’m not sure what time it will be.”

  “Ok, be safe.”

  “Always am.” I leant forward and gave her a quick peck before turning around and strolling back down the corridor.

  ***

  “So we’re heading to this address.” Prez passed around the piece of paper for each of us to see, just in case we got separated on the way. “We all here?” He looked around the room. “Let’s get going.”

  We left the room and headed towards the clubhouse doors.

  “Tyler?” This Tanya chick was getting on my nerves, he needed to explain to her again that around the brothers, and in the club, she was meant to use his road name. They were both still living at the clubhouse, only now they had an extra addition. Cooper was born two weeks ago, weighing seven-pounds and four-ounces. He had blond hair and a baby face like his dad.

  “Tanya, I can’t stop, we’re off on a run. I told you this.”

  “But I need help. I can’t do this by myself,” she cried, lifting the baby up in her arms and rocking him as he cried.

  “Let the girls help you,” he said, motioning towards Missy, Lottie and Penny.

  “I’m not having club whores touching my son!” she shrieked.

  “We leave in five. Sort her out,” Prez said as he walked past Pup. I gave him a squeeze on his shoulder and he stormed towards Tanya.

  We were all mounted on our bikes, engines running when Pup came flying out of the clubhouse. He shoved his helmet on his head, swung his leg over his bike and nodded at the Prez.

  We rode in a formation, sticking together until we reached our destination two hours later. We pulled up into a layby that overlooked the building.

  “Is this an MC?” I asked.

  “Yeah, the Red Knights MC,” Toes answered. “Harold is the Prez. Something about his bloodline owning the MC. It’s a bit strange if you ask me.”

  “What’s the plan, Prez?” Holes asked.

  “We find a way in.”

  “I say we just storm in,” Toes added.

  “That’s not very smart,” Holes said.

  “Well, I don’t think you’re very smart guys at all.” We all spun around to see a bloke with his knife to Steve’s throat.

  “Shit,” I swore. I could see the fear in Steve’s eyes and the sweat building on his temple.

  “Everyone down the bank. NOW!” this guy roared. We all followed this guy towards the front of the clubhouse. It was strange how it didn’t have any security around it; no fences or anything. “In the door,” he demanded. As soon as we were all over the threshold, he slit Steve’s throat and threw him to the floor.

  “NO!” Pup yelled and tried to dive for him. The same guy pulled a gun on Pup and told him to stay back.

  “Well, who do we have here?” A fat, bald guy rounded the corner in a three piece suit. I saw Toes nod at Prez, he was telling him that this was Harold. “Where are the girls?”

  “What girls?” Prez asked.

  “Jasmine and Eden. I was told that you were protecting them. I want them here. NOW!”

  “They’re safe,” I added.

  “No one leaves here alive until I see them. Get them here.” I looked at Prez and he nodded his head at me, telling me to call Jono. As Steve was needed on the job with us, that only left Jono to protect the girls so Eden was having to stay at Jasmine’s place for a few hours.

  I grabbed my phone out of my pocket and dialled Jono’s number.

  “Tell Jasmine to bring the file.” Harold added.

  “I need you to bring Jasmine and Eden to the address I’m about to text you. Yeah, do that. Oh and tell Jasmine to bring the file.” I heard Jono talking to Jasmine.

  “She said she doesn’t know what the file is,” I explained to Harold.

  “It’s the file Harvey left for Nathan.”

  I relayed the same information back to Jono and he said Jasmine thinks she knows what he meant.

  “Take a seat,” Harold said, pointing to a couple of large sofas. Holes, Toes, Tat and Pup sat down. Prez and I decided to stand.

  “What is this place?” I asked, looking around. We were in a large room with a couple of sofas, a large TV and coffee table. The stairs came into this room too.

  “None of your business. Ask too many questions and you’ll be just like your buddy out there.”

  I couldn’t believe that we had been distracted enough to let Steve get caught, he didn’t deserve to die like that; no one did. We’d make sure to collect his body when we left to bury him properly.

  ***

  Just over two hours later, I heard a car pull up outside. I glanced out of the window and it was Jono, Jasmine and Eden. One of Harold’s guys was outside and he pointed a gun at them, telling them to get in the house. Jasmine covered her mouth with her hand when she spotted Steve’s body outside, lifeless.

  “Get in,” the same guy that killed Steve demanded. He pushed Jasmine between her shoulder blades and she almost lost her balance, I reached out for her and she flew into my arms.

  “Is Nate safe?” I whispered. She nodded.

  “Eden, sweetheart. It’s so lovely to see you.” Harold smiled. She crossed her arms over her chest and just stared at her dad. “No hug?” He held his arms open wide for her and she didn’t move.

  “What do you want?” she asked him.

  “Why did you want my son?” Jasmine asked.

  “I needed my grandson. He’s a threat to me, one I needed taking care of.”

  “Dad, what are you talking about?” Eden asked.

  “The file.” He held out his hand and Jasmine held the file closer to her chest. “In that file is all the information that Nathan would need to overrule me. I want that file.”

  “Overrule you? Why would he want to do that?” Jasmine asked.

  “The Red Knights MC is a big club. I own this club, I’m the Prez, but any blood relations of mine that are male have the right to take it from me. Once Nathan hits eighteen, this will all be his.”

  “What about Harvey?” Eden asked.

  “He wanted nothing to do with it. He chose a life outside of the MC. But knowing that he could come and claim it anytime that he wanted, no I wasn’t happy with that.”

  “Did you set up the hit and run? Did you kill him? Your own son?” Jasmine asked.

  “Well, he was a threat and I needed that one gone.”

  “He was your son. How could you do that to him?” Jasmine cried. I held her at my side.

  “Why did you have me kidnapped? Why didn’t you just call me and ask me to meet you?” Eden asked.

  “Would you have come?”

  “No, probably not.”

  “I needed you here. I had big plans for you, once I had got rid of Nathan, I needed you to marry Stud, he’s the VP here, to make me lots of grandbabies. I’m getting older now and Stud would make a perfect Prez until his son was old enough to take over. Just think, a grandson of mine that was in our bloodline and the son of the Prez, he would have the power to rule everything. No one would ever dare cross him.” Tat climbed to his feet and pulled a shaking Eden into his arms.

  “What about my son? You were just going to take me away fro
m him?” Eden cried.

  “He’s better off with that husband of yours. He can get him all of that special stuff he needs.”

  “You are a horrible man,” Jasmine said to him.

  “Give me that file.”

  “Do you know what?” she said pulling out of my arms and standing in front of me. “If you had just been a decent human being and just asked me for the file I would have given it to you. I don’t want my son involved in any MC,” she said that last bit with disgust lacing her voice. Were we not good enough for her? Was I not good enough for her? I knew getting involved with her was a bad idea, I knew we were too different. My heart got involved and now it was going to be destroyed.

  “Great, then we are on the same wavelength. You keep your child and I’ll have that folder.”

  “I don’t think so. I think I’ll keep this as insurance. You ever come near me, Eden, our family and this club again and I’ll make sure this falls into the wrong hands. My son will never know about you or this club. Got it?”

  His face was stunned and his silence spoke volumes.

  “Let’s go,” Prez said.

  “I’d invest in some extra security around here. If I ever find out you contacted her again, your body won’t be recognised. Not even your teeth.” I threatened. I placed my hand on the bottom of Jasmine’s back and guided her out of the door.

  “Jono, Pup? Load up Steve, we’re not leaving him here.” Prez demanded.

  Once Jasmine was at the car, I turned around and headed up to my bike. She called out my name but I chose to ignore her. All I kept hearing in my head was those words she spoke, her voice full of disgust; ‘I don’t want my son involved in any MC’. I climbed on my bike and got out of there before anyone else. I need to be on my own, away from her.

  Chapter 20

  Solar

  It had been two solid weeks since I had seen Jasmine and Nate. They were no longer in danger so didn’t need protecting from the club. I knew that on a Thursday she always came home for lunch so I planned on meeting her there.

  “What the fuck is that?” I roared as I parked my bike and flew off of it. I was met with a ‘For Sale’ sign in her front garden. Was she leaving? Moving away? Why the hell didn’t I know about this? I yanked it out of the ground and flung it to the side. I paced up and down in front of her house for god knows how long. She clearly wasn’t coming back today.

  I rode around for a couple of hours until it was time for Jasmine to be finishing at work, I decided I was going to meet her at the school. We needed to talk, I needed to know how she really felt about me and if me being in an MC bothered her. Those words she said to Harold still plagued me today but the truth was, I was a shell of a man when she wasn’t around.

  “Solar!” I glanced up at the happy boy waving at me. I pushed off from my bike and ambled towards him.

  “Hey, dude. How are you?”

  “Where have you been?” Well I wasn’t expecting to get questioned by Nate.

  “I’ve just been busy. Where’s your mum?”

  “I hear her cry at night,” he told me, looking worried.

  “Let’s go and find her.” I held out my hand for him and he slipped his little one inside as we headed for the main doors.

  “Solar!” Eden called out. “Thank god. Where’s Jas?”

  “What do you mean where’s Jas? Isn’t she working?”

  “She didn’t come in today. I looked after Nate last night, she was coming to find you. Did you not see her at the clubhouse?”

  “I was at my place last night. I haven’t seen or heard from her. You tried calling her?”

  “All day. It’s just ringing constantly. I just assumed you two made up.” I shook my head and ran my hand over my beard. Where the fuck was my flower?

  “Where’s mum?” Nate asked. “Has someone got her? Taken her? Like I was?” His little chin wobbled and I knelt down in front of him.

  “I’m not sure where she is, dude.”

  He started shaking his head and crying. “I need my mummy!” he wailed. I picked him up and held him close to my chest.

  “Ssshhh, its ok, dude.”

  ‘Where is she,’ I mouthed to Eden. She shrugged her shoulders. “I need to get to the clubhouse.” I started walking towards the exit. “Shit, I’ve only got my bike.”

  “I’ll take him and meet you there.”

  “Go with auntie Eden ok, dude?” He nodded his head and after I passed him to her, I bolted out of the door, down the steps and straight to my bike.

  The normal fifteen minute journey took me less than ten minutes and I impatiently waited for George, the new prospect to open up the gate. We had buried Steve once we arrived back at the compound, he had no family and Carla, the Prez’s Old Lady, stood up and said some nice words about him.

  I climbed off my bike and ran into the clubhouse, Cammie and Ashlyn were sitting at a table with their kids.

  “Is Jasmine here? Have you seen her? Did she turn up last night?”

  “Whoa, Solar, calm down,” Cammie said as she climbed to her feet and placed Harley on her hip. He was beginning to look more and more like Holes every day.

  “We haven’t seen her here but I was at home last night,” Ashlyn said.

  “Yeah, I was at home too.” I took off down the hall and flew into my bedroom; there was no sign of her at all. Where the hell was she?

  “Hey, Solar, what’s going on?” Pup asked as he stood in the doorway to my room.

  “Have you seen Jasmine?”

  “Not since the night at the Knights MC.”

  “Fuck! She’s missing.” Just as I said that, my phone started ringing in my pocket. I pulled it out to see Eden’s name lighting up the screen.

  “Yeah?” I answered.

  “I’ve found her. Oh god, Solar.” She sobbed.

  “Where is she? Is she ok?”

  “No.” I could hear ambulance sirens through the phone. What the fuck?

  “Tell me.”

  “She’s been in an accident. The ambulance is here. Nate is in a right state. We came across her car while making our way to the clubhouse.” Shit, that’s what I got for taking the tiny backroads to the compound.

  “I’ll meet you at the hospital. Eden?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Is she alive?”

  “I don’t know, Solar.” She cried. “I couldn’t get to her. Her car is on the roof, they are having to cut her out.”

  “Fuck!” I roared and threw my phone across the room.

  “Come on, man, let’s get you to the hospital. I’ll take the clubs car, you’re in no fit state to be riding.” Pup said.

  ***

  Once we arrived at the hospital, I flew up to the front desk and asked for Jasmine. I was told that she would be on the fourth floor. Pup and I ran towards the lift and once I was inside, I frantically pushed the number four on the display panel.

  As soon as the doors started to open, I could hear Nate crying. I shot out and ran up to Eden.

  “Have you heard anything?” She shook her head and I pulled Nate out of her arms and he settled his head against my neck, still crying.

  “They won’t tell me anything.” I stormed up to the front desk and asked after Jasmine.

  “Are you a relative?” the older lady asked, looking at me up and down.

  “Yes, she’s my wife.”

  “She’s having some tests done. I’ll let you know when I know more.”

  “Thank you.” I went to walk away when her voice stopped me.

  “You really need to quieten him down, it’s not good for the other family members that are here waiting.”

  “Oh, well, sorry for the inconvenience that he may be causing to other people, I’ll just tell him to pipe down after he just saw his mother’s car on the roof and her not moving inside!” I shouted.

  “Maybe you’d be better off in a family room.” She pointed to the pale pink door and I walked in that direction with Pup and Eden behind me.

  “It’s ok, N
ate,” I tried soothing him as I paced up and down the small room.

  “I want mummy!” He cried.

  “I know, dude. So do I, so do I.” I ran my hand constantly over his back, nothing was working.

  I stopped my pacing when the door opened and a young doctor in a white lab coat walked in.

  “The family of Jasmine Bolt?”

  “That’s us.” I motioned to all of us. I tried to quiet Nate down so I could hear the doctor.

  “Oh, is he ok? Was he is the car too? Has he been checked over?”

  “He wasn’t in the car. He’s been through a tough time recently and I think all of this has triggered some distress in him. He’ll be ok once he can see and talk to his mum.”

  “I’m afraid that’s not going to be possible.” My blood ran cold and I started to shake. Please don’t tell me that she died out there all alone.

  “What?” I stuttered.

  “I’m afraid your wife is in a coma. She’s suffered a head injury, which was determined by a CT scan. We will just be keeping a close eye on it and her. Oh, and the baby is doing just fine.”

  “Baby?” I asked.

  “Did you not know that she’s pregnant?” I shook my head.

  “Oh, well she is lying at eleven weeks pregnant. It came back through the blood tests so we did a scan to make sure everything is ok. I’ll come back with the scan picture for you.”

  “Did she know?” I asked, looking at Eden.

  She nodded. “That’s why she was coming to find you. She couldn’t figure out why you didn’t want anything to do with her anymore.”

  “I’ve been telling her all along that I’m no good for her, that we are too different and then she said what she did when we were with Harold.”

  “What did she say?” Eden asked. I looked at Nate and he had fallen asleep on my shoulder.

  “She said that her son would never be involved in any MC, like it was such a bad thing. The disgust in her voice killed me.”

  “She doesn’t think that way about the Cornish Crusaders. She owes them a lot for saving her son and meeting you again.”

  “Then why is her house up for sale? Was she going to take my baby and leave?” Eden stayed quiet.