To the End: Year Four (Hannaford Prep Book 4)

by J Bree

  I look up at Illi and jerk my head to tell him to let them in before Harley hulks out and beats his face in. Ash shoves him away from the door so hard he bounces and Blaise completely ignores Nate to bundle me gently into his arms.

  Harley and Ash both know exactly who is sitting by my bed.

  Nate doesn’t speak to them, doesn’t acknowledge them at all, he just watches the door. I tuck my face into Blaise’s neck for a second and then let him go when Harley yanks him off to get a good look at me.

  “What the fuck happened to trusting us and not running off on your own? You could have fucking died, babe.”

  “She did die.” says Illi from the doorway, a frown pulling the corners of his lips down. I grimace and try to smile at him.

  “Sorry. Thanks for coming for me.”

  He scoffs at me and waves a hand at Nate. “You’re lucky your brother was stalking you. He found you first, staunched the bleeding, then did CPR while I drove you both in. You’d be dead in that fucking mausoleum if it weren’t for him.”

  I don’t point out that Nate made it there first, that I’d interrupted him taking care of Senior for me. I don’t think the guys will take that very well.

  “Brother?!” sputters Blaise, and Avery stalks through the door with Atticus hot on her eight-inch heels.

  She arches a brow at my rock god. “Isn’t that obvious? You only need eyes to see it.”

  I swallow and stare at her for half a second before my eyes think about leaking. We made it. We’re alive, the demons stalking us are dead, or I guess related, we’re going to be ok. She smiles at me then frowns.

  “I’m angry at you, Lips. We’re having our first official spat as friends. Ash, you and Illi are on my side. Lips can have the other two idiots.”

  I smile at her but Ash snorts, and snaps, “Not fucking happening. I’m not on your side after the year we’ve had and I’ll never side with Atticus fucking Crawford.” Ash sneers, and I hold my hand out to him. He stares at it for a second and then takes it.

  “I’m angry at you too, Mounty, but I’ll wait for you to heal before I spank you.”

  Avery makes a disgusted sound and elbows her way over to me. “You haven’t even introduced yourself to your girlfriend’s brother and you’re talking about spanking? Jesus H. Christ, Ash. Anyone would think you were raised by wolves.”

  She stops and gets this weird look on her face. We stare at each other for a second and then burst out laughing until my stitches hurt. I’m not sure if the tears streaming down my face are from joy, hysterics, or pain, but fuck it, I feel alive.

  “Well, guys, this is Nate. He’s my sociopath half-brother and we’ve decided to keep in touch. He also approves of our relationship.”

  Nate speaks without looking at any of us, “I didn’t say I approved. I said I don't care, and as long as you’re happy I won’t kill them.”

  Avery swipes a hand over her own wet cheeks and shrugs at him. “It’s a start. Avery Beaumont, lovely to meet you. Thank you for saving Lips. Losing her would have been unbearable.”

  Nate nods. I don’t understand what the threat is that he’s staring at the door so obsessively, but I decide to let it go. He’s here, and he cares enough to kill for me and watch my back while I’m down.

  It’s more than my parents ever gave me.

  * * *

  Nate doesn’t move from his chair for hours.

  The guys all take it in turns sitting in my bed with me, forcing me to eat jello and snarling at the nurses to give me more drugs when I start wincing. Avery sits at my bedside and has a death grip on my hand at all times, like if she lets go I’ll disappear again.

  It’s fucking perfect.

  Atticus sits in the corner on his phone, completely ignoring us all, and Ash keeps watching him like he’s going to knife him in the kidneys the second Avery isn’t paying attention. I raise an eyebrow at him but it only makes him smirk back at me.

  “Maybe wait until the drugs wear off before trying to look stern, Mounty. You look like a pouting toddler.”

  Well, fuck.

  Illi brings Odie in to see me with pizza for lunch, which the guys inhale like it’s their last meal on death row, and Avery refuses to touch it. She’s looking exhausted, and I kick Blaise out of my bed to bully her into it for a nap. She’s out like a freaking light the second her head touches the pillow.

  Nate watches her for a second and then says, “I didn’t think such a spoiled princess could be as tough as her. She’ll be a good influence for Poe.”

  Atticus glances away from his phone for the first time and, hoo boy, I’d put money on Nate skinning him alive for the look he gives him. “She’s not spoiled, she’s just from a different class than your sisters. Anyone who isn’t a biker brat would look like a princess to you.”

  Nate’s head tilts. “Last person who called my sister a biker brat ended up being put through a wood chipper. The noises he made were the sweetest sounds.”

  Atticus holds his eyes for another second and then flicks his attention back to me. “Your friendship with the Butcher makes more sense to me now, knowing that ‘deranged psychotic killer’ is in your blood.”

  I smile at him, more teeth than sweet. “I’m taking that as a compliment, Crawford. The best people I know are all a little psycho. Avery included.”

  He huffs at me, and we’re interrupted by a knock at the door. It swings open as the Boar steps in. Nate’s eyes turn glacial and he turns to look out the window. Right, so their relationship isn’t all that great after all.

  The Boar doesn’t acknowledge anyone, just pegs Nate with his own glacial look and says, “I’ve just gotten done cleaning the mess you made down at that billionaire’s mansion. Thanks for that, by the way. You could’ve done it clean, just this fuckin’ once.”

  Nate doesn’t move or look away from the spot he’s fixed his eyes to. “They deserved to die screaming, I wasn’t going to give them anything less.”

  A shiver runs down my spine but I don’t let it show.

  The Boar huffs. “Well, your sister is here, Nate. Some of my boys brought her in so she can meet the Wolf.”

  Nate shows the first sign of life, his eyes narrow at our uncle’s words. “Your boys? If he’s touched her-”

  “He hasn’t. He’s a good man, wouldn’t trust him with her if he wasn’t. Besides, Thorn came up with them.” The Boar says flippantly, and I decide here and now that I’m firmly Team Morningstar.

  I’ve been thinking about Poe all day, from the second Nate told me her story. I’m weirdly protective of her already and I haven’t even met the kid yet. Fuck, how old is she? Nate looks young, is she still in grade school? Christ. I’m not good with kids.

  Nate stands and presses his back against the wall where he won’t be seen by anyone looking in. I arch an eyebrow at him.

  “It’s best if they don’t know Poe’s my sister. Makes her a target.”

  I nod. Smart. I’m starting to really like him.

  “The bathroom might be a better choice, we can watch out for Lips.” Avery murmurs from where she’s woken up, meeting Nate’s eyes like a badass bitch. I’m freaking proud of her.

  He stares at her for a second and then back at me. I don’t know what the look means but I jerk my head towards the bathroom with a smile. Aves knows her shit.

  He closes the door behind him and Avery leans into me to whisper, “He’s fucking terrifying, Lips. Honestly, I feel like he really is the devil incarnate.”

  I nod, and clear my throat, scared of what they all think about keeping him around.

  Harley reaches over to grab my hand and says, “Family is family. He saved Lips; he’s in.”

  Avery opens her mouth and Ash cuts her off, severely, “He’s done more than that dumb fuck you’re still mooning over. He’s in.”

  Avery ignores his comment entirely and slides out of the bed, yawning and stretching. Odie murmurs softly in French to her, passing a fresh cup of coffee and sitting with her on the plush chairs agains
t the wall. I must be in some ritzy hospital because every other hospital I’ve been in had those cheap plastic chairs.

  My mind goes off on that tangent for a minute and then the door opens again and in walks a girl who has to be my sister. Holy shit. Poe is not a kid. She’s a teenager, younger than me but not by that much. She’s… gorgeous. She looks like me but without any of the demons, the dark stain nowhere to be seen. I could fucking cry all over again and it just confirms once again that I’m with Nate.

  I’ll fucking gut anyone who tries to take that sunshine away from her.

  “Holy shit, we look exactly the same!” She squeals and bounces into the room. A dirty-blond biker steps in behind her and tips his head at Nate, who steps back out of the bathroom now it’s clear Poe hasn’t come up with a hoard of bikers.

  “Morningstar.”

  “Thorn.” He replies, and Poe rolls her eyes as she climbs up onto the bed next to me, careful about the wires and tubes.

  “Brothers are dumb. Hi. I’m Posey, but everyone calls me Poe because Posey is a stupid-ass name.”

  Her southern accent is freaking adorable, especially with the curse words, and I fall hard. I glance at Avery and see the same thing on her face, even as guarded as she is. Looks like our family really is growing again.

  “My name is Eclipse, but I go by Lips because Eclipse is a stupid-ass name too.” I say, and Poe giggles.

  “Do you think our dickhead father can only get it up for junkies with shitty taste in names?”

  Blaise cackles beside me and I grin so fucking wide I feel my cheeks protest.

  Thorn kisses Poe’s head and walks out. Poe calls out to him, “Don’t wait up!”

  I have no idea what to say to her as she glances around the room. “So, ah, who the hell are all these people? Are we planning a heist? I always thought I’d end up in a life of crime. No one tell Thorn I just said that, he’d fuckin’ skin me alive.”

  Nate gives her a dark look. “What’s he said to you?”

  She rolls her eyes and grins at me. “Nate doesn’t get expressions. Like, because he does skin people alive, he doesn’t get that I’m not being serious. Thorn would be pissed off, is what I’m saying. He said he’s putting me on the path to a blue-collar life or some shit. There’s no way.”

  I look her over. “Is he also your brother? I’m guessing I’m not related to him, though apparently I have about a billion siblings.”

  Poe cackles. “Nah, Thorn and I have the same mom. He shares custody of me with Nate because Nate doesn’t want his annoying kid sister cramping his serial killer style or some shit.”

  Illi fucking loses it, just roars with laughter until tears stream down his cheeks. “You’ve got a way with words, kid. How old are you?”

  Poe grins. “Fourteen! Fifteen in the fall, which means I’m so fuckin’ close to freedom. Nate said I had to be sixteen before he’d let me live with him and… I mean, I think I still wanna live with him. I think.”

  Nate’s jaw clenches and I try to steer us to a safer area of conversation though I have no idea what the deal is there. I introduce Poe to the rest of the room, stumbling like an idiot over my guys and how exactly I’m supposed to explain them to her. She laughs at me, like I’m a fucking comedian. It’s fucking perfect.

  The Crow leaves shortly after Poe arrives and Illi takes Odie home for the night, confident that I’m safe with my guys and Nate watching over me. We order in Chinese for dinner and Poe takes a seat between Harley and Ash to eat. They all treat her like she’s not just my little sister, she’s theirs too. My chest aches over it all.

  Nate gets a phone call and steps into the hallway to take it privately while also still guarding the room. He hasn’t eaten a thing.

  “Oh, who’s car is that!” Poe says, peering over Harley’s shoulder and he tenses a little.

  “It was mine. I’m fixing it at the moment, it doesn’t look like that at all anymore because someone blew it up.” He mumbles, still torn up about the ‘Stag.

  “Who the hell would do that to such a beauty? I hope you beat the fucker.” She says, prying the phone out of his hands and staring at the car lovingly.

  Ash stares at her for a second and then shrugs, “Your brother cut his head off.”

  I shoot Ash a look, because I know she’s just been joking about that shit but I’m not sure how much she really knows and let’s not fucking break the kid, but Poe just laughs like a freaking witch.

  “Good. Fucker deserved it. You shouldn’t pay that for the muffler by the way, the guy is ripping you off.” She says around her mouthful of fried rice.

  Harley frowns at her curiously as he swipes his phone out of her hands. “What do you know about cars?”

  She shrugs and clicks her tongue. “I build ‘em with my pops. I hate school but I’ve never met a car I couldn’t fix. I wanna drop out and work at the garage with him but I think that’s the one fucking thing Thorn and Nate agree on and… never mind. Everyone agrees.”

  There’s a hint of color on her cheeks and, sweet merciful lord, that’s my blush. The one I get about the guys, the one that let every-fucking-one know I wanted them.

  Who the hell does my sister have a crush on and how quickly can I kill him?!

  Harley’s eyes narrow and I know he’s onboard with the killing. “Who else agrees? No lies in this family, kid.”

  She grins at him, so happy at being his family, and fidgets a little. “It’s nothing. He’s too old for me. We’re just friends, he would never… I’m not someone he’d ever want.”

  Too old? Fuck, I need to nip this in the freaking bud.

  “Just forget about guys for now, Poe. Focus on fun shit before boys tie you down.” Lame, so freaking lame, but whatever. Avery scoffs at me and I shoot her a look. She should be helping me!

  “You’d know, you’ve got three of ‘em.” Poe says, all sly and coy, then she scrunches her nose up at us and shrugs. “Rue’s not going to be interested in some dumb kid. We’re friends. I help him with cars and he beats up guys who ask me out because he thinks he’s my protector like that. It doesn’t matter.”

  “What kind of a name is Rue?” Blaise jokes.

  Poe grins, “The type of name a Prez’s son has. The type a future Prez has. His name is Ruin, but there ain’t a biker out there without a nickname.”

  Fuck.

  He’s a dirty biker and my sister is crushing hard.

  “Which MC would that be?” Avery says sweetly, like she’s taking a passing interest when really she’s digging for enough information to do a background check. Good. I say we shank the dickhead.

  “The Unseen, back in Mississippi. When I moved in with Thorn, Rue lived next door with his uncle while his dad was in lock up.”

  The door opens and Nate steps back in. Poe shovels another forkful into her mouth until there’s no way she could say another word and we all follow her lead.

  Clearly Nate isn’t big on that sister having a love life.

  Good.

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Avery works her magic and by the early evening there’s extra beds in the room for everyone to sleep in. I wake up to the sounds of Poe teasing Nate and his gruff replies. I rub my face against Harley’s chest, wriggle a little against the hard lines of him, and he grumbles under his breath at me.

  “It’s fucking weird enough having your brother in the room, babe, don’t make it any worse.”

  I blink at him. “What exactly have I done wrong? I was getting comfortable.”

  He gently eases me off of his chest and grumbles under his breath at me again, something about me being a drug-induced temptress, but it still doesn’t make much sense to me. I must look like a freaking mess so it’s not like I was trying to tease.

  Nate doesn’t say a word about it, or anything else, he just comes over to my bed and says, “I need to take care of something else here at the hospital. Is Poe ok with you for an hour or two? I won’t be far, she’s got my number.”

  I nod and he gives
each of my guys a fierce look before heading out. I have no idea what the fuck is going on there but Poe is still laughing and full of jokes so I let it go.

  Atticus arrives and I find myself wondering why the hell he’s sticking around. He brings Avery and I coffee though, the real stuff not the shitty sludge the hospital has, and I think a little more favorably of him.

  When he steps out to take a call Poe jerks her thumb at the seat he’s just left empty. “So, who’s the fuckin’ suit? He some sort of dirty cop or somethin’? He looks fuckin’ pissed.”

  I cringe. Avery rolls her eyes when Ash starts glaring at the doorway Atticus just walked out of.

  She turns to Poe and speaks in her sweetest, most dangerous tone. “He’s an old friend of mine. We’re having a little bit of a disagreement at the moment, so Ash has decided that Atticus is the number one enemy of our family now that the others have been taken care of.”

  I scoff and Ash gives me a foul look, like it’s all my damn fault.

  “Isn’t that the point of brothers? To hate any guy who comes within spitting distance?” Poe says, that sly little grin on her face, and Avery narrows her eyes at her even though it’s so fucking clear she’s being charmed so freaking hard by the kid.

  “Is it? What do your brothers think of Rue?”

  Poe cringes, her eyes darting around at us all and blushing a little under the intensity of our eyes. Or maybe just at the boys who are all now glaring just a little at the talk of this biker. “Well, Nate doesn’t know I’m sweet on him because if he did, Rue would already be nothing but DNA matter. And Thorn… Thorn knows I have some feelings and he’s told me if my panties come off at any point before I turn eighteen he’ll tell Nate and that’ll be the end of that. I think he’s bluffin’ but I ain’t risking it. Nate’s fuckin’ fierce when he needs to be, and I don’t want Rue dying over some stupid… crush I have.”

  She sounds so miserable as she trails off and, fuck it, now I want to hug her or something. I clear my throat. “I agree with Thorn about the… panties thing but once you’re… ready or whatever, I’ll help you tell Nate. We’ll tell him together and before you start anything so he has time to adjust to the idea of his baby sister being with a… dirty, fifty-seven year-old biker named Ruin.”