Chapter 30
Cage
I take a deep breath as I stare at the clubhouse, holding my wife’s hand while Blade and a few of his brothers ride past with our belongings, taking them to a home I have yet to walk inside, and I swallow hard.
Fuck, my heart is pounding, and my feet don’t want to fucking work.
Before I was forced back here nearly a year ago, I hadn’t set foot inside the clubhouse for years. And here I am, about to willingly go inside, and my stomach knots.
Joel went home to sort his things, while Mary stayed in Rose Hill with Elizabeth, who screamed and threatened as we drove away, insisting she would harm my girl if she had my baby.
She screeched about how she didn’t deserve her like the crazy bitch she is, and it took everything in me to restrain myself, and now I must face my past.
“Are you ready?” Drew asks softly as she squeezes my hand, and I shake my head.
“Little bird, what if I can’t handle the ghosts? What if I revert back to my old ways and hurt you and our daughter while I drown in guilt and grief? What if I allow my need for cocaine to take over again?” I voice my concerns, and Drew grabs my arm with her other hand, and we lock eyes.
Pride and fucking love, that is what shines back at me.
“You won’t because you love me,” she whispers, “You won’t because our daughter will become one of the other reasons why you breathe and whatever other children we may have in the future. And, if I know you like I think I do, you’ll want to get me pregnant as soon as possible.”
Fuck me, this girl.
“You’re so sure about that, huh?” I ask with a small smirk despite the fear seeping into me, and she grins.
“I’m positive. Even though you still hold guilt, I don’t think it’s because of what happened. You’ve realized it wasn’t your fault. I think it’s guilt because you haven’t seen her at rest. We will go just after we tell your whole family that we’re married, and that you are home.”
She stands on her tiptoes, balancing in her wedding shoes because she is still shorter than I am and she leans in, kisses me softly, and then whispers, “Come on, husband, let’s tell our family we’re back.”
“I love you,” I choke full of emotion, and she smiles a watery smile and replies, “And I love you. I am so proud to be able to call myself your wife.”
Fuck.
I nod and kiss her again before looking at the building I grew up in. Taking a deep breath, I walk towards it with my girl by my side, being my rock as my sister’s laughter echoes around me. The happier memories from when she rode on the back of my bike hitting me straight in my chest.
I open the door and gently guide us inside and my heart pounds as loud chattering and music fill my ears. I catch sight of the brothers laughing and drinking. Their women talk among themselves but glare at the club bunnies, who are dressed in jeans and tees until tonight.
I swallow hard as a sense of familiarity, home, and longing rushes through me.
“Chains, when are we kidnapping your son?!” Splinter, Knuckles' dad, shouts across the room, and Drew snorts, and I raise a brow.
"He has until Monday. Then we’re swarming Rose Hill, I’m not waiting four weeks, he’ll fucking run.
But we need to take Drew first—that way he follows," Dad calls back and I look at Drew, who tries her hardest to hold in her laugh and I shake my head, not surprised they’re coming up with a plan.
I’ve ignored their calls and the only reason why they didn’t come confront me in person was because I spoke to Mom.
“Then what would you do, Dad?” I ask loudly, and everyone looks at me abruptly, the music instantly quieting and shock flitters through the room.
Mom gasps while Whit lets out a sob, and every single brother just stares at me like I’m a ghost.
“Well, I’m waiting…” I goad as I gently wrap my arm around my wife’s waist.
“You’re here, in the clubhouse?” Dad chokes, not believing what he’s seeing and I swallow hard.
“No, Dad,” I say, “I’m home.”
Sobs echo through the room, and Trick is the first to shock himself out of his stupor. He runs towards me, mindful of Drew's bump, and drags me into a hug, then gently pulls her over, hugging us both.
He chokes, “Fuck I’ve missed you, and when Clark gets home I swear she’s going to sob.”
I smack my hand on his back and hold him tightly while keeping my arm wrapped around my girl before Trick is pulled back, and my dad takes us next.
I feel tears hit my neck and my guilt hits again. As if my girl knows what I need, she gently moves herself back and I hold onto my dad tightly.
“You’re fucking home, please tell me I’m not dreaming,” he rasps, and I squeeze my dad tighter while the brothers keep my sister and mom back.
“I promise, Dad, I’m home, Drew convinced me,” I whisper just as I hear my girl say softly, “Give them two minutes, Whitney, then you can jump him…” and my sister’s protests quiet along with my mom’s.
“Who do you think you are, huh? Just because Cage brings you home doesn’t give you the right to keep a mother from her son.
He’ll most likely move on from you by next week and send you back to where you came from.
That’s after the DNA test says that child isn’t his!
” I hear Mixy, one of the club bunnies I used to fuck regularly, sneer.
Everything in me tenses as Dad mutters, “Fuck,” and pulls back.
The room grows tense as my mother and sister step back, clearly already listening to my wife, while Mixy glares at her not seeing the danger she is now in.
“Bellamy,” Drew says softly as her hand clutches my arm, but I keep my body rigid, purposefully not glancing at her, and fix my gaze on the woman I’m about to kill.
A soft hand gently touches my cheek sending tingles throughout my body as it guides my head toward my wife until I lock eyes with her beautiful, dark blue ones.
“Breathe for me,” she whispers as she gently rubs her thumb along my jaw, and I hear a gasped, “Is that a wedding ring?” and I didn’t think the room could get much tenser.
“There’s no way our Cage would marry that thing, heck, look at her dress, clearly she wants to trap him, it looks like a wedding dress,” Mixy says yet again, and I lock eyes with Dad's tearful ones that now show anger. He’s partly pissed at me because he can see I have indeed married Drew, and the other half is with Mixy.
“All in favor of Cage to take over the presidency patch say, Aye!” Dad commands loudly, and I swallow hard as in unison the brothers shout, “Aye!”
I look around the room and see every brother looking at me and pride shoots through me, pride and fucking awe that they still want me as their Pres…
“I swear if she doesn’t let go of Cage in a minute, I’m going to punch her!” Mixy threatens with more need, hearing I’m now president just as Mom accuses, “You got married without us there?”
I don’t take my eyes off Mixy. “I did,” I admit and Mixy looks at me with wide eyes as I declare, “That bitch just insulted my pregnant wife.”
Dad adds, “And old lady,” and I look to see him holding up a property patch and I swallow hard seeing ‘Little Bird’ stitched on the left breast.
Not taking my eyes off the cut, I call, “All in favor of Mixy to be kicked out of the club and to be removed off all club premises?”
Again, in unison, the brothers shout, “Aye!” showing me they have my back, including against a club bunny everyone likes.
Mixy gasps in shock and pleads, “I-I didn’t, Cage, please, you and I were, I mean, I thought…”
I ignore her as a prospect grabs her arm and drags her toward the door while he eyes me with fear.
Hmm… I narrow my eyes at him, and I see the sweat before something catches my attention, something that he’s tried to cover up with makeup.
Son of a bitch…
"He’s new, Cage," Dad chuckles which soon stops when I state, "He’s also a traitor. He has the Charger mark on his neck!"
Dad looks at the prospect in shock, who literally throws Mixy to the floor making her scream and runs towards the door.
I don’t hesitate. I grab my gun and shoot once, hitting the back of his head. He flops down as I hear Mom mutter, “Well, I’m glad Willow wasn’t here to see that…”
Shit, I forgot about Willow, the cute little four-year-old who I’ve only met a handful of times….
"Bellamy!" Drew snaps and everyone looks at her in shock while another prospect grabs a protesting Mixy as she tries to get out of his grip that only makes him roll his eyes and drag her harder all while my girl’s anger echoes.
Oh shit, she sounds pissed. I wince, turning and eyeing her with caution.
“Shit, son, you’ve angered her,” Dad mutters, and I swallow hard, suddenly hoping she loves my cock too much to break it.
“What did I say about shooting people in the head in front of me?!” she growls, hands on her hips and she adds, “On our wedding day of all days!”
“Why isn’t she panicking and running for the hills?” I hear Clarisse, Clark, and Crash’s mom ask, and I clear my throat.
“Little bird, he would have harmed you. I won’t have that,” I say with caution after checking how far she is, making sure I’m safe. “Unless you want me to turn my ass around and drag you back to Rose Hill, so I know you are safe?!”
Protests instantly begin to be shouted, and Drew rolls her eyes as she walks my way and instantly my guard goes up along with fear for my cock.
“We both know that won’t ever happen, you just don’t want me to break your cock like I did to Drake when he attacked me,” she says, and the brothers, who weren’t aware of what she did, take a step back, looking at her with caution.
“Did it work?” I ask with a raised brow.
She scrunches her nose and mutters, “Unfortunately,” and I chuckle, wrap my arm around her waist, and look at the brothers. Their eyes are wide, seeing our interaction, or more the fact she controlled my anger.
I clear my throat and say, “Brothers, I would like for you to meet the sole reason I’m not dead in a ditch somewhere,” Drew grips the back of my cut, “The reason I’ve gone on the straight and narrow.
The reason I’ve decided to come home, my wife, Drew Martinez.
But I believe you all know her father, Joel Taylor.
” Every brother stands straight as they look at my girl, trying to see the resemblance, and I grin as I lock eyes with Dad and admit, “Now known as Greasy because there was no way he was going to allow his daughter to move to his hometown without him.”
“Fuck, I get my son and best friend back?” Dad chokes, and I nod, causing him to bite his fist to control his emotions while the brothers cheer, and I take a deep breath, waiting for them to calm down.
"I know I’ve messed up a lot," I rasp, "I’ve drowned in sorrow, guilt, and shame. I’m sorry to everyone in this room for not being man enough to face my ghosts. The fact you all still want me—it means a fucking lot."
“Welcome home, brother,” Blaze says as he walks over to me and hugs me tightly, causing my girl to take another step back, and I just see Trick wrap his arm around her. I tighten my hold on Blaze, knowing she’s in safe hands before my sister and mother swarm us.
Fuck, I’m finally home and now, I need to go and confront a ghost.
***
An hour later, I sigh as I look at the headstone before me, and my heart shatters.
Angela ‘Angie’ Martinez
Beloved Daughter and Sister,
Taken too soon, but never forgotten.
“Eight years, eight fucking years, and not once have I been here, not once have I come to speak to you, and for that, I am so sorry, baby sister. I’m so goddamn sorry,” I choke as I drop my head in shame, hating myself.
After Drew spent some time with Willow, teaching her how to do ballet, something she has begged her momma to let her take part in as soon as the studio that we will see tomorrow is opened.
Of course her momma agreed without hesitation like always where her daughter is involved.
I explained that I couldn’t celebrate my return or my wedding reception and several complained, while Mom looked ready to smack me until I mentioned that I needed to see my little sister.
Mom offered to come with me, but again, all I wanted was my wife, who is sitting beside me, leaning against me, allowing me to get my grief out.
I needed my rock and mom thankfully understood.
“I was ashamed,” I whisper, “I blamed myself for bringing that woman into your life, I hated that I couldn’t save you and I’m so sorry Angie.
I’m sorry for not being the protector that you deserved,” I sniff hard, “I was also mad at you and I think that is why I went off the rails, I had the guilt but I also had the anger at you,” I admit, “You never should have confronted her, you should have come to me because you know I would have always believed you over her.”
I swallow hard and turn my head, kissing my girl’s, and I confess, “I got married, I fell in love, knocked her up, and married the woman of my dreams. I’m finally happy, finally moving on with my life, I just wish you were here to see it.
I wish you could have met my wife, that you could meet my daughter who will share your name… ”
I swallow the lump forming as tears sting my eyes, and I promise, “I won’t let you sleep alone anymore, Angie.
I’ll come see you, I’ll sit with you, I’ll talk with you, I’ll be the big brother I should have been these past eight years, instead of making stupid decision after stupid decision. I love you…”
I kiss Drew's head again before turning and leaning my back against Angie’s headstone, and Drew smiles at me, her eyes teary.
“Let me tell you a bedtime story, little sister. Its of broken biker riding through a town, intending to leave the next day, only to end up staying because he met a ballerina…”
My wife grins widely before she crawls over to me, then sits between my legs, her back leaning against my front, and listens as I tell our love story to my sister. She listens to how much of a pedestal I hold her on because Drew, she saved me, and she continues to save me every single day.