by Dawn Martens
“I’m sorry, but it seems everyone in the city is giving birth today, and we only have one anesthesiologist on staff this evening.”
Cori must know I’m about to go off on this nurse because she gets in my face. “Just breathe damn it. Seriously. You’re giving me a headache.” The moment those words are out of her mouth she pales and backs away.
“Giving you a headache? I’m giving you a headache?”
She puts her hands up. “It got you from going fucking psycho on the nurse!”
She has a point. “Where the fuck is Dray?”
“He’s getting a bite to eat with Blake, remember. You’ve been screaming for the last four hours, and not fully ready to push yet, so he needed a damn break. Plus, I think during one of your contractions, you sprained his hand.”
“Serves him right, stupid bastard did this to me in the first place.”
“You ever gonna marry him?”
Dray has asked me repeatedly during the pregnancy to marry him, but I say no each time. I want to marry him, but being a pregnant bride wasn’t something I ever wanted. Now that I’m having the baby, the next time he asks me, I’m going to say yes. But even then, I want to wait. I want to be together without being pregnant. I want to knock off all this baby weight I gained. That’s not too much to ask for is it? If he loves me and is serious about marrying me, he’ll agree.
“Mother fucker!” another stupid contraction pulls me out of my wedding thoughts. “I need those god damned drugs now!”
The nurse I screamed at earlier comes back in and takes a look. “Oh, I’m just going to go get the doctor.”
I turn to Cori, who is wiping a cold wet cloth on my face. “What’s that mean?”
“I think it’s time. I’m gonna get the guys back up here. When it’s time to start pushing, do you want it to be just you and Dray?”
“No, I need you here too.”
“Then I’ll stay. I’ll be right back, I’m just going to let everyone know.”
Ten minutes later in comes my doctor with Dray and Cori behind him.
Doctor Gregg claps his hands. “It’s time.”
Dray and Cori stand on each side of me.
“Wait, it can’t be time, I need the drugs!”
“No can do. The Anesthesiologist got pulled into a surgery, and this baby is ready.”
“Dray, I can’t do this.” I sob.
“Babe, you can do anything.”
“After this you’re not gonna love me anymore. My vagina is going to be loose and gross, looking like a nasty ass burger from Arby’s.”
Cori snorts and I twist my head to glare at her.
“It’s legit gonna be like throwing a giant sausage down a double wide hallway. We’ll never be able to have sex again. Neither one of us will feel it.”
Dray’s lips twitch and he shakes his head. “Stop. Everything will be perfect. Now bring my baby into the world.”
With Cori and Dray by my side, I do just that.
And now we’re both cleaned up, while I hold our beautiful little girl in my arms.
“Daddy, wanna hold her?” I smile up at Dray and hold her out to him.
He wipes a tear from under his eye and takes her from me. God, there is nothing more beautiful than seeing a man hold his child for the first time.
Chapter 34
Melissa
A week later
Having to tell Dray about my pregnancy was hard. His reaction was so much different than Caden’s. It has me questioning everything. Part of me wants to take a step away from both men, but the thought of being away from Caden has me physically in pain.
I haven’t heard from Dray in a week, he sees Mikayla every other day, but he goes through my dad to do so. It’s weird, and I feel somewhat wrong that I haven’t really missed him.
Caden, on the other hand, has been here constantly, and we even went to my doctor’s appointment together.
Right now, Mikayla and Caden are at the park, it’s just me at home. Which is good because I’m about to video chat with my sister, I just really need her advice, maybe she can help me out.
“Hey lil sissy, what’s shaking,” Cori says, huge smile on her face.
“Everything,” I tell her as I hold back my tears.
“Start talking. You know you can talk to me about anything.”
So I do. I tell her all about Caden and how amazing he’s been. Then I tell her about Dray and what’s been going on, finishing off with telling her I’m pregnant and how the men reacted.
“I’m a slut, aren’t I?”
Cori glares at me. “How can you be a slut when you were up front and both men knew? That doesn’t make you a slut. Don’t let me hear that shit come outta your mouth again. Now, as for the men, it’s clear to me who you want, Melissa. You and Dray have history, a child, but your relationship has always been a shitty one. Hell, the first time he fucked you, he fucked another chick minutes later, like you meant nothing. Then it turns out he had a wife with two kids; although, they ended up not being his kids, but still. Then, of course, his lie about his job. Your whole relationship has been a struggle. But you two powered through and eventually got your shit together. But ask yourself this, can you see a future without Caden? A good man that has never once lied to you, that treats your daughter like his own, a man that puts you first.”
My chest aches. “No,” I say softly. “It hurts to think about that.”
“There you go, you have your answer, because you’ve never felt that way about Dray. He's a good man. He has his moments anyways, but he’s not your forever.”
She’s right, Dray is my past. We’ll always have a relationship because of our daughter, but Caden is my future. It’s a future I don’t want to let go of.
“Thank you, Cori, now that’s out of the way, hold up my nephew! I wanna see him!”
She laughs and leaves the screen to get him. When she comes back, I can’t help but stare at him, he looks so much like Cori, it’s sort of creepy. “Andrew Jasper. Meet your Auntie Melly.”
“Aww, So adorable! And you named him after Angel? What’d he think of that?”
“Don’t tell anyone, but he totally teared up. But I wouldn’t have named him anything else. Angel and the club saved us, raised us, hell, Trevor is your Uncle, so it’s the least I could do.”
We talk a little longer and finally hang up when I realize the time. Today I go over a color scheme and design patterns for my restaurant that is finally built. Now just the inside needs to get all done up, and I’ll be ready for business.
Once I’m finished with this meeting, I’m going to see Dray and let him know we're over for good. Caden is the man I need and want in my life, and every day he proves how much I mean to him, as well as Mikayla.
Chapter 35
Dray
Marcus slams a file down on my desk. “Got something on those Jacks Devils finally, need you on this as soon as you can. Warrants are all there, pick a team and get out.”
Nodding I flip the case file open. Thumbing through the pages, I try to focus, except all I can think about is how Melissa told me last night we were done. Said she couldn’t imagine a life without her precious fucking Caden.
That bastard is the only thing standing between me and the family I am supposed to have. Melissa was supposed to be mine, but he got in the way. Spouting his bullshit about how no matter what, this baby she carries will be his. Guy comes off as a goodie fucking two shoes but looking at his record I know he’s not. There has to be a way to get him out of Melissa’s life and her back into mine.
After the shit I went through with my brother, I won’t raise another man's’ child, I can’t go through that shit again. Honestly, I don’t even want to know who the father is. Shit cuts too damn deep. My wounds are still wide open from the kids I had to walk away from. But Melissa is crazy if she thinks I am giving her and my daughter up so easily. No. I want Slammer gone. For good. Maybe even six feet under.
Slamming the files shut, I assemble my team
and we leave. Half an hour later, we’re pulling through the Jacks Devils compound gates.
Before I fully make it out of my car door, shots are being fired.
Crouching down behind my door, I shout out, “Put your weapons down.”
I hear another officer radio back to the station that shots are fired, and we’ll have to return fire. I peek to the side and take aim, shooting one of the club members in the leg. Instantly, he drops to the ground in pain, but it doesn’t stop him from just firing wildly around the compound.
“They aren’t gonna stop shooting at us, what do we do?” Officer Dunlop shouts at me from his spot behind his squad car.
“Has someone called in for backup?” I ask.
“Yeah, they should be here—” He’s cut off, and I look back at him, to see blood pooling in his mouth.
“Officer Down! I repeat Officer Down,” I say into my radio. Fuck this isn’t going the way it was supposed to.
“Backup is en route, hold them off the best you can.”
I look around and fire off a shot at anyone wearing a biker cut. I don’t see their faces, I pretend they are that bastard, Slammer, who stole my family right out from under me.
I crouch-walk over to Dunlop to see if I can find the bleeding to stop it, and realize he was shot in the back. “Fuck! We’re surrounded,” I shout to the other officers as gunfire continues to pop off all around me. There is nowhere to dig in for safety. My car is shot up and there is no cover to get behind unless I hide beneath Dunlop’s body.
I watch as two more of my men get taken out, and quickly stand up and start firing at anyone I can hit. If I’m going out, I’m gonna take as many of these fuckers as I possibly can with me. I won’t go out hiding like a coward. I took an oath and I will uphold it.
Searing pain takes over, as bullets enter my flesh, that’s all I can feel right now. I notice the blood pouring to the ground as I drop to my knees. I can taste it in my mouth as it fills up. As the darkness takes over me, my last thoughts are of my daughter. Her sweet smile. Hearing her calling me Daddy. The day she was born. It all flashes through my mind as I drop to the ground. I’m going to miss her sweet smell. All I can think is how I’m going to miss her growing up, her wedding, and how I’ll never get to tell her I love her ever again. My eyes flutter as I hear sirens in the distance. A hand reaches down and pulls my head back, as I choke on my own blood.
The bastard smiles smugly at me as a blurry haze clouds my vision.
A Jacks Devil looks me in the eyes and then there is nothing as he slices my throat.
Chapter 36
Slammer
Melissa and I are on the couch, watching a documentary about some serial killer, when her phone rings.
“Hello?” She answers. “Yes, this is she.”
Her face pales, and she drops the phone.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, pulling her into me.
Tears fall down her face, and I can’t keep up with wiping them away.
“It’s Dray, he’s dead,” she says brokenly, choking on her words.
I kiss the top of her head. “I’m so sorry, Melissa. I’m so sorry, baby.”
“This is all my fault. This morning, the last thing I told him was that I chose you, and now he’s dead. I did this,” she sobs into my chest.
My heart feels full, happy, wanting to burst to know she chose me. “Melissa, this isn’t your fault. What did they say on the phone?”
“That he was working a case, and the whole team was gone.”
I know exactly what happened. Hangman called it. The Jacks Devils took him out. This makes me wonder if Hangman will go after them harder now, or if he’ll just let it go. We got what we wanted out of the situation, but for Melissa we’ll have to do something or at least say we will.
“They want me to identify the body, I guess I was listed as his next of kin.”
“You don’t have to do that, I can do it.”
“Really?” She sniffles. “Are you sure? I don’t think I want to see him like that.”
I kiss her head. “Don’t worry about it, your dad and I will take care of everything. I promise, the guy in charge of the morgue is actually a member of the club, so it won’t be a problem.”
She sobs against my chest harder, and it kills me. I wish I could take her pain away.
I wipe at her tears, but they aren’t slowing. I know part of her loved him because they had a child together. I can’t begrudge her this as I rub soothing circles on her back.
**
“Everything good?” I ask Hangman as I walk into his office a few hours later.
“Yep, it’s all been dealt with. Also contacted Melissa’s sister and Trevor, they’ll all be coming down for the funeral. Trevor said he’ll contact the rest of Dray’s family so we can start arrangements for the funeral next week.”
“What about the Jacks though, we just gonna let them get off with this?”
“Don’t worry about the Jacks, it’s being handled. You just go handle my kid. She needs you more than I do right now.”
**
Melissa
The Funeral
God, I fucking hate this. This whole week leading up to this day has been so damn overwhelming. My sister, her husband, and my nephew showed up four days ago, followed by the entire Angels Warriors club. It’s been a godsend to have my entire family here with me.
As I place a flower on Dray’s casket, I’m tapped on the shoulder. I turn around and see a beautiful black woman, who smiles sadly at me. “I’m Dray’s ex-sister-in-law, Layla, I hope it’s okay we came.”
“We?”
She tilts her head at the children behind her. “This is Laura and Luca, Dray’s niece and nephew.” Oh shit, these are the children Dray thought were his until he found out the horrible truth. They are stunning, both of them. For a moment I wonder if their mother is here, but I don’t see her.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” I tell the kids. They come close to me and wrap me up in a hug.
Laura tightens her hold on me. “He loved you so much, I’m sorry for everything that’s happened.”
“We’ll be having a party after he’s in the ground at my dad’s place, you guys are invited if you’d like to come?”
Layla gives me another smile and looks to the kids. “Our flight leaves later this afternoon, we only wanted to say our goodbyes and pay respects to Dray, just one last time. I have to get back home to my kids. But thank you for the offer.”
I nod, give her a sad smile and look to the kids again. I understand Dray leaving his wife, but looking at these children, I don’t get how he could have just abandoned them. Hell, if I had known about them myself before the fuckfest that was supposed to be our wedding day, I would have encouraged and demanded Dray to go see them.
“It was good to finally meet you guys. I’m sorry.” Luca’s eyes fill with tears, and he gives me a chin lift as he walks away. Laura looks back at me after watching her brother leave.
“It was nice to meet you too. I should go check on him.” She points over her shoulder at her brother. She looks to Layla and nods, and they leave.
**
I stand around the backyard just taking in everything. Half of the Untamed decided not to come, which is probably a good thing, considering the Angels Warriors are here. Everyone seems to be getting along at least.
“Hey sis,” Cori says, coming up to me. “How you feeling?”
“I’m sad, but there’s nothing I can do about that except just move along. Ya know.”
She gives my arm a squeeze. “You know I love you, right? You’re my favorite little sister in the universe.”
I used to say I was her only sister when she would say that, but now I can’t, since Lilly is her big sister.
“I love you too, and you’re my favorite big sister in the world." Cori looks over the yard and watches Caden play with her son and Mikayla. “He’s good with her, and him, but especially you.”
“Yeah he is.”
“I�
�m glad you met him. I’m happy for you, sis. But I do have a problem,” she sasses, hands on her hips.
I raise a brow. “What’d I do now?”
“I miss you, so we’re going to make a pact, twice a year, we need to get together.”
“You got a deal, I missed you too.” I grab her and pull her in for a hug.
“Alrighty then, enough with the sad shit, had enough of this to last a lifetime. Tell me about your restaurant.”
I laugh and loop my arm in hers as we walk towards our family, and I fill her in.
Later on, as I am sitting with Caden, I look up at the sky and hope that wherever Dray is, he knows that Caden and I will do our best to give Mikayla a good life. The best life. I won’t let her forget that he’s her dad and that he died doing what he loved.
Caden’s lips brush along my shoulder. “I love you, Melissa. I promise you, I’m going to make you so damned happy. I’m going to make you my wife.”
Twisting around I stare at him in shock. “Are you asking me to—”
He presses a finger to my lips. “No, baby, I’m telling you.” He grins and then he slams his mouth down on mine.
Epilogue
Many Years later
Melissa
Why am I doing this again? Damn Caden and his sperm. I swear the fucker wants to keep me knocked up forever. After having our son Jason Vincent, which we found out at his birth was indeed Caden’s child, I was pregnant exactly six weeks later. As soon as we got the all clear from the doctor he pounced on me, and bam, knocked up. And two months after our daughter Rachelle Hilary was born, again, knocked up, and now here I am, two weeks over due, finally having this baby.
“Caden, I hate you for this.”
He grins at me and winks. That ass.
Since we got married a month after Dray’s funeral, everything has completely changed. Caden adopted Mikayla and gave her his last name, but we always make sure to remind her of who her father was. Dray might not have been who I was to end up with, but his death hurt. He shouldn’t have died the way he did. The club took their revenge, by getting the man who put the killing bullet in Dray, but their war with the Jacks Devils is far from over as far as I know, considering they are rival clubs.
