All For You (Snakes Henchmen MC Book 2)

by Alivia Grayson

  “Take me to him.”

  This will either go my way, or he'll kill Ghost without so much as blinking. The man didn't get a reputation for being the Vidal Famiglia's most dangerous Don for no reason.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Ghost

  Twelve hours, that's all I have left on this earth. Twelve hours. I'm not afraid of death, I'm afraid of leaving Avery. I know Vidal won't physically hurt her. But I know nothin' in her life is ever going to be the same again.

  I knew the moment she told me who she really was that I should've walked away for both our sakes. I'd been lying to the only family I'd ever known and they all had the right to hate me once they found out. Fearing I would lose them should have been enough to have me walking away.

  Trouble is, I couldn't. There was something about Avery Vidal that drew me in. It had nothin' to do with her family and everything to do with the beautiful soul she is.

  It's funny how life works. Never thought I'd fall in love. Used to laugh at my brother's each time one of them claimed a girl and made her his.

  What could make a man give his heart away like that?

  Skeptical maybe. But I never had love in my life. Not in the conventional sense. I grew up in a care home, my parents died when I was just a few days old. Killed by ice on the road. Their car crashed into a building and killed them instantly. I was in the backseat of the car and to this day no one knows how I survived.

  My whole childhood was spent being pushed from foster home to foster home, and then back to the care home. No one ever wanted me for long. I was a difficult child, too much of a prankster for anyone to handle for too long. Truth is, no one really tried with me. They'd decided I was a waste of space and that was that.

  I, Daniel Niccolo Vitali, have always been a waste of space.

  At least that's what I thought.

  I met the Snakes when I was nineteen. I had a room in a shitty shared house in Stalsville, which is a shitty small town in Nashville. I had a job in a burger bar, my life was going nowhere. I was at work the night I met two of them. The shop was quiet, a scuffle going on right outside, a couple of big bikers were beating the shit outta three men. None of the men out there were in any way small. Seemed like a fair fight to me.

  My boss warned me to mind my own business, bikers like them would kill me soon as look at me, he said. I didn't listen. I took myself outside to get a closer look. I was a cocky son of a bitch, wasn't scared of anything. I'd been fighting, literally and metaphorically, my whole life. A couple of bikers beatin' three guys wasn't gonna frighten me. Besides, seemed no one even noticed me.

  Won't lie, hadn't ever seen men as big as the two bikers that night. Biggest one had long collar length hair, short beard, looked like he'd been in a fair few fights in his time. Looked to be in his early-thirties.

  The other guy looked like he belonged on the damn cover of a magazine. Handsome cunt. He had collar-length hair too, but his hair was choppy. He was clean-shaven, had intense green eyes. Even in the street light, I could see that. I laughed at myself right then, could imagine both men and women throwing themselves at his feet.

  I watched with fascination from the shadows as one by one the bikers dragged the three men into the alleyway between the burger joint I worked in and the pizza place next to it. I followed. I wasn't surprised to see both bikers shoot dead two of the men they were beating the shit out of. Should've freaked me out, but it didn't. Somethin' inside of me churned with excitement.

  I saw the third guy standing behind the bikers after dragging himself up off the floor draw a small handgun from his ankle.

  Why hadn't he pulled it before now?

  I had no clue, didn't care.

  Didn't even care why two men had just been killed.

  Kind of wondered why no one had seen or heard me though. I was hidin' in the shadows, but I was watching them shamelessly.

  The third guy pointed his gun at the biggest biker as both turned around to face him. Both bikers were laughin' as the guy screamed how he was gonna kill them both. Neither biker cared, both knew they'd pump him full of lead before he could pull the trigger.

  Problem was, my adrenaline was pumping like crazy. I wanted in on the action. Never wanted anything more. Those bikers were dangerous, but I didn't care, I wanted to feel some of the glory they were feelin'. I wanted to feel something. Anything.

  Keeping to the shadows, I made my way toward the guy with the gun. I had no idea if anyone had heard me approaching, but I'd always had a knack for moving around unheard. Learned at a very young age how to sneak around to get what I wanted without being caught.

  I was just centimeters away from the guy, the bikers had their guns trained on him, and I had no clue who he was or what he'd done to deserve death, but I imagined it to be something bad. For all, I knew these bikers were attackin' these men just because.

  But you know what? Right then, I didn't care. Everything I'd been through in my life, all the anger I felt came to a head, and I didn't care at that moment who lived or died. Including myself.

  Like some kind of fuckin' ninja in the night, I stood behind the guy, grabbed his throat with one hand – which was easy to do when I was at least four inches taller – and the hand he held the gun with my other. It took maybe two seconds from the moment I grabbed his hand and pointed the gun at his own head, pressed my finger on the trigger and pulled, the bullet entering his head, and him fallin' to the ground with a thud.

  Two seconds of time is all it took for me to become a killer.

  Nineteen years old and I had killed.

  I became exactly what people always said I would become.

  “Where the fuck did you come from?” The handsome one asked with both shock and amusement. I couldn't answer right away, too much was happening inside my head, too much adrenaline rushing through my body.

  “Kid's fuckin' crazy.” The big guy said while tucking his gun into his belt. Seemed I wasn't a threat in his eyes. “You have any clue who we are?”

  “No.” Truth was, I didn't know who they were, nor what club they belonged to.

  “You ever heard of the Snakes Henchmen?”

  “Yes, Sir,” I said with as much control as I could muster. But who hadn't heard of them, they were a huge motorcycle club. Everyone had heard of them.

  He nodded his head slightly before telling me, “I'm Red. This is Roman. And you are?”

  “Danny. Danny Vitali.”

  “This your first kill?”

  I nodded and folded my arms around myself. I had the urge to throw up. Tried hard to stop myself, didn't wanna look weak in front of those men.

  “Danny the Ghost.” The one called Roman, the handsome one laughed. “Go home to your family, Danny the Ghost and forget you ever saw us. Tell no one what happened here, we'd hate to have to come back and silence you.” Both men turned and walked away.

  “I have no family and no one to tell!” I yelled after them. “I've never had a family. It's just me.”

  Both men stopped and turned to look at me. They looked at each other, then back at me again. That's when Red told me, “You best come with us, Ghost.”

  I chuckle at the memory of that night eight years ago. The night my life changed forever. The night I got my very own family. My own family especially in Red, his wife and kids. That old man is like a father to me, and just like any good father, he's been here every day showing me his support. Sappy old man told me today that he loves me like a son. Choked me up a little. It was time for us to say goodbye.

  My family had almost been completed. All the years of whoring around, all the women, fights, kills, accidents, and scrapes I got myself into meant nothin' from the moment I first kissed Avery. She was almost mine. Almost. We had a future planned, a life together. Even thought about having a couple kids in the future. If there was ever anyone I could see myself having kids with, it was her.

  But it's all gone now. My family, my girl, my life. And as the door to my room opens and Vidal enters alone, I know m
y life is over sooner than it should be by the hands of a man who swore I would die by the hands of my family.

  “We meet again, Mr. Vitali.”

  “Don Vidal.” God knows why I'm showing him any respect, he doesn't deserve it. But Avery means everything to me. And if this cunt in the Armani suit tells her anything about my last moments, it's going to be how I showed him respect. How I was no coward. I don't want to be known as that. I will die a man, and I won't beg for my life. There would be no point when there is no way out of this.

  Before Red left this room an hour ago, he told me to hold my head up to the very end. I had nothing to be ashamed of, every man in this club knows I am no coward. The man who treated me like a son knows I am no coward. That's all I could ever want.

  I'll miss Red the most, he took me under his wing, treated me like a little brother, like a son. He was always there to guide me in everything. The man showed me a better way to live. Showed me that even though a man has to fight for everything in his life, especially men like us, when you have someone who cares for you, would bleed and even die for you, then you have everything.

  He's my family, him and his wife and children, and I love them all.

  Roman, now he taught me how to fuck. How to charm the ladies and show them the time of their lives. Even taught me how to build my body up into a machine. A fightin', fuckin' machine. A machine no one would dare mess with unless they had a screw loose. I'll miss him, too.

  Hell, I'll miss them all.

  I'll even miss Hammer, the man who is finally going to end my life. If Vidal doesn't kill me first. Somehow, I don't believe he won't just to make a point.

  If he is gonna kill me himself, why have me locked up in my own clubhouse for weeks? Why not just do it?

  Because he likes toying with his prey, Ghost. Have you learned nothin' over the years?

  “I suppose you're wondering why I'm here.”

  “Not really. You're here to kill me. So just get on with it.”

  I'm not going to give him the satisfaction of me asking why he's changed his mind, because he obviously has. I won't ask why he's going back on his word. I gave myself up on the understanding my brothers would be the ones to finish me. Pointing it out won't change the outcome.

  “I'm not here to kill you,” What...? “I'm here about Avery.”

  “What about her?” I stand a little straighter.

  “I have some questions for you, and I want your honest answer. Don't tell me what you think I want to hear, I've been told on good authority that you're more of a man than that.”

  I tip my head slightly. I have no idea what all of this is about, but I'll go along with it. What else do I have to do while waiting to die?

  “If I let you walk out of here right now, let you live, but the only way that could happen is if you never saw Avery again, no matter what. Even if she sought you out and begged you to take her back, would you turn her away?”

  I breathe deeply. I could lie to him, tell him what he wants to hear. But like he said, I'm more of a man than that. Besides, I'm not a liar. Lying won't help me now, anyway.

  “If you let me walk out that door right now, the first place I would go is to see the woman I love. I wish I could tell you that I'd walk away and never think about her again, but it would be a lie, and a liar is something I'm not.

  “I'd find her and tell her how much I will always love her. But I'd also tell her that she's better off without me, that she should move on and find a good man to share her life with. Only then would I walk away. Not for you, but for her. Because I love her more than anythin' else on this earth.”

  “Huh.” He scratches his jaw with his thumb in thought. He's a big guy, cage fighter, undefeated. Not sure if that's because people are too scared to actually fight him properly or if he's just that good.

  But I do know he lands devastating blows on his opponents. I've felt those blows first hand, trust me, he packs a punch. Good thing I'm as big as I am and can take a damn beatin' or he'd've killed me then and there.

  “What if I told you that killing you would mean killing Avery also.”

  My blood suddenly runs cold. I'm not a stupid man, but I don't know what he means by that. I know he'd never hurt her physically, so what's with the cryptic shit?

  Fuck, where is she?!

  “What are you talkin' about? Where the hell is Avery?!” I ain't playin' nice any longer, he's gonna kill me either way.

  He looks at me and something in his dark, dangerous eyes tell me my Avery is no longer here, that she did something stupid in order to be with me. But that can't be right, surely I'd feel it deep within me if she was gone?

  “I won't sugarcoat this for you, Ghost, and the only reason I'm telling you is that my brother wants you alive, told me you ain't all that bad.”

  “Brother?” Vidal has a brother? Since when?

  “Yes, my brother. Although, he's more your brother than mine.”

  What the fuck is this twat talking about?

  “Hammer,” He smirks.

  What the fuck?!

  No way!

  “You look as confused as he did half an hour ago.” I'll say. “My baby brother wants you alive. Believes you love Avery. Truly love her.”

  “I do.” I'm defensive, but so what?

  “In my quest to keep you away from Avery, I've inadvertently hurt her beyond words. Hurt her so much she tried to take her own life tonight so she could be with you.”

  My world is black. My beautiful girl, whom I did all of this for, took her own life. And the worst thing is, I didn't see it comin'. I thought she was strong enough to get through this. I was wrong.

  “Is she... Is she...” I can't even say the words. Oh, God!

  “No, she isn't dead. I got her to the hospital in time.”

  I swallow hard. Never thought anything could hurt me in my life the way this has. My heart is pounding, breaking apart. All of my muscles feel tight. I'm shaking and I'm trying so fuckin' hard to be a man and not cry.

  “She slit her wrists and hoped I wouldn't notice until it was too late.”

  I scrub my hands over my face and sink down in the chair behind me.

  Oh, baby. What have you done?

  “Will she be okay?' I don't want to go to my grave knowing the woman I love will be anything but okay when I'm gone. I need to know Vidal will take care of her and make sure she won't do anything like this again.

  “I don't know, Ghost. I honestly don't know. Will she be okay if I go through with this and kill you? Even though I ought to after what you did? No, I don't think she will be.”

  I close my eyes, and for the first time in my life, I pray to whoever is up there to keep my baby safe. To heal her heart and help her move on with her life as best she can. And my god, I want her to have the best life.

  “You have to help her, Draven.” Yeah, yeah, I know I'm supposed to call him “Mr. Vidal” or “Don” when addressing him, everyone is, it's a respect thing, but I have nothing left to lose. “You have to help her move on from me. Help her...”

  “I am helping her. Come with me.”

  I nod and follow him to my death. Each brother tips his head as I walk through the clubhouse with my head held high. I'll miss them all, even in death.

  Prez and Hammer are waiting on their bikes either side of the black SUV, which some tall bodyguard opens the back door of. I climb inside, Vidal follows. I don't know where he's taking me, where my final breathing spot will be, but I say nothing.

  I didn't wanna die with this fear for Avery inside of me. But I'm going to with it buried deep inside of my heart. I'm gonna die not really knowing if she'll ever be okay or not.

  I don't want to leave her, I want to hold her close to me and grow old with her the way I promised we would. Fuck, I wanted to make her my wife, start a family with her. My very own family. Something that was really mine.

  Yeah, I know it sounds ridiculous coming from a man like me. But I wanted it all. I wanted a wife and a child of my own. I stil
l want that for her. I want her to find somebody who will give her it all, and I don't want her to feel any guilt about it.

  “You should think yourself lucky that my brother thinks so much of you. You're lucky that I love my cousin as much as I do my sister.”

  I look at him, I don't know if he's rubbing my nose in something or trying to prove something.

  “I'm giving you one chance and one chance only to get this right, Ghost. One chance to prove to me that you can take care of Avery the way she deserves. Now, this ain't easy for me, handing my cousin over to a biker, even if you are Italian.” By blood and name only. There ain't nothin' Italian about me.

  Wait... “What are you sayin'?”

  “That I'm letting you live and I'm letting you be with Avery.”

  “And the famiglia will just approve that?”

  He smirks. “I am the Don, Ghost. What I say goes. In the end. But let me tell you this. You make one wrong move and I swear there will be no one that will be able to save you.”

  I take a shuddering breath. My heart is beating out of my chest. “I won't let you down. I love her. I'm going to marry her and give her the life she deserves. There ain't no one alive who will hurt her, because I will fuckin' murder them in the worst way. She is everything to me. Everything.”

  “Then go to her. And you make her happy, Ghost.”

  It's only now I notice through the tinted windows that we've pulled up outside the hospital.

  “Second floor. Room fifteen.”

  I don't wait for another word, don't even acknowledge Shepard and Hammer, I'm out of that car and racing toward the room where Avery is so fast, I haven't given a second thought to that fact Vidal just gave me back my life.

  I swing the door to her room open, breathing heavily for a moment. She's lying in bed, eyes closed, blanket pulled up to her chest, arms outside of it, wrists wrapped in white gauze, IV in her left hand, Maria by her side. And it's only now when I glance at her do I see the resemblance. I see Hammer in her features.