Chapter 31
Beau
I stare up at the ceiling in my room for the millionth time.
Beside me, Ty is curled up sleeping. I’m not sure why he’s asleep.
I couldn’t if my life depended on it. I’m thinking it’s some kind of adrenaline rush that stopped and wore his small body out.
I was shocked when he asked to lay down with me.
I came to my room to get away from all the eyes on me—eyes that were looking at me like I was going to fall apart at any moment.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Yes, I killed a man. Perhaps it should have scarred me.
Maybe I should be doubled over, drowning in regret and pain.
I’m neither of those things. Donald Ray Hyde was a man in need of killing and I would do it again a million times over.
He is littered with victims that are strung across the US.
I wasn’t his first and I’m damn sure I wasn’t his last either.
Hell, I think we should have a party celebrating his death.
I look down at a sleeping Ty and chills run down my spine.
If I hadn’t been able to kill Donald, I don’t know what the bastard would have done with Ty.
He acted as if I went with him, he’d leave Ty alone, but I know how Donald operated.
He had this need inside of him to make others suffer pain. So, I couldn’t trust in that.
I jerk up on my elbows when the door is violently pushed open.
Hunter is standing there with a wild panic emblazoned on his face.
He doesn’t speak, his eyes just dart to his sleeping son who has his hand in mine and then move to me.
There’s a fierceness that I’ve never seen from Hunter before.
I get up slowly, carefully disengaging my hand from Ty’s and walk to him.
His arms envelope me immediately. I thought I was fine.
In fact, I felt remarkably calm, but the moment Hunter’s arms go around me, I lose it.
I bury my face into his chest, my legs start quaking and his strong hold on me is all that keeps me from falling to the floor.
He moves his hand to my neck and applies gentle pressure to get me to look up at him.
I didn’t realize I was crying until I realize his face is blurry.
Before I can wipe them away, Hunter’s lips are on my forehead, my eyelids as I close them, and then my cheeks.
He’s kissing my tears away. They aren’t tears that he caused.
No, these are tears that he wants to take away—to heal.
I don’t know why recognizing that difference is so powerful, but it is.
I feel his lips move to my ear, his warm breath centering me and making me feel alive all at the same time. “Come into the living room. We’ll let Ty sleep.”
I nod, using the back of my hand to wipe the rest of my tears away.
Hunter keeps a tight hold on my other hand and leads me from the room.
He gently closes the door and then he’s directing me through the hall.
He doesn’t stop until we’re in the living room.
He sits on the couch and then pulls me down into his lap.
I don’t fight him, despite my house being full of Devil’s Blaze and my boys from the garage.
I need Hunter as close as possible right now.
“Ty still sleeping?” Torch asks.
I clear my throat quietly. “Yeah.”
“You should have taken him to Mom’s” Hunter mutters, his face buried in the side of my neck, breathing me in. I let my fingers sift through his hair, hoping it calms him as much as it’s helping me.
“We tried. He wouldn’t leave Beau’s side.”
“Like father like son,” Hunter mutters. “I’m never leaving you again, Beau.”
“Hunter, stop. I’m okay. I can take care of myself, and you can’t help you had work to do.”
“She can definitely take care of herself,” Dad says, sounding extremely proud.
“Damn straight. I’d trust her at my back anytime,” Pez says.
“You’ve got yourself a hell of an old lady there, BB. I’m thinking between her and my Gabby they could take over the club and no one would miss us,” King joins in.
I look up when I hear Gabby laughing. She leans over and kisses King’s cheek, while handing him their daughter, Etta. “I couldn’t live without you and you know it,” she says, her face glowing.
“Same goes, Sunshine. Same goes,” King croons.
I watch as he kisses Gabby and then bends down and kiss the top of his daughter’s head so tenderly that I feel those tears stinging my eyes again.
I realize that they have exactly what I want with Hunter.
Their love is so strong that it feels the room with its power.
The way they look at one another as if the sun rises and sets in one another is a physical thing.
I can have that with Hunter. I know it with a surety that should scare me, but instead just makes me feel whole.
For the first time since my father died, I feel complete.
There are no holes inside me bleeding out and keeping me away from the people I care about.
They’ve been there for so long that the freedom without them is staggering.
I smile so wide that it hurts, look down to see Hunter staring up at me.
“What’s that smile for, Harper?” he says softly, his thumb stroking a dimple that I know is there.
“I’ll tell you later, but just know that I love you, Cowboy,” I tell him, not bothering to keep my voice quiet. I want everyone to know that this man owns my heart.
“I love you too, sweetheart,” he says. Obviously, he doesn’t care who hears him either.
“You used my nickname again. I’ve missed it.
” I laugh, feeling so happy that it’s bubbling out of me.
I hadn’t even realized that I stopped using it.
The more time I spend with him he’s just Hunter. My everything.
“How are Apex and Callum?” Hunter finally asks. I lay my head on his chest. I already know the answer, but I let the others deal with it. I just want to be close to him right now. I need it and by the strength of his hold on me, I think he does too.
“We called Adam. Filed a report saying someone tried to attack them while having car trouble. The bastard shot them with horse tranquilizers. It wasn’t a full dose but if Pez and Spider hadn’t found them as soon as they did, and got an ambulance to them, it could have ended very badly,” Torch explains.
“Doctor says they’ll be fine. He’s going to keep them in today for observation, but they’re both already bitching about having to stay there, so I’d say they’re fine,” King murmurs, rubbing his daughter hair gently—almost reverently.
Hunter looks around the room, frowning. I feel his body grow tight beneath me and I press a kiss against this neck. His fingers curl into my hair, holding me there.
“I’ll have my woman tell me about this fucking asshole who tried to take her from me, but which one of you are going to tell me how he got to Beau’s car and cut her brake lines?” I thought we had the garage under surveillance at all times.”
“We do,” Skull answers. I stiffen and look over at Torch in panic.
I guess Hunter has been back long enough to get more details than I thought.
I was hoping to have a little more time before we had to blow up his world.
Shit. I know what Torch has to tell him.
I’m just not sure that now is the right time.
“Maybe you and I can talk about that a bit later, Hunter.” If it’s possible, his body stiffens underneath me, his muscles tighten so much that they have to be painful.
“Dad,” he grunts.
I cup the side of his face and try to draw his attention only to me. “Let’s talk about it when we’re alone. I don’t think right now would be—”
“Tell me, Dad,” Hunter insists, not taking his gaze off of me.
“Damn it, Hunter. Now’s not the time,” I warn.
“Tell me,” he snaps his eyes still on Torch.
“We looked at the camera footage at Ty’s school. It was monkied with there,” Torch answers.
“This son of a bitch tailed her all the way to the school, and no one saw his ass? How didn’t our men catch them sooner, before this fucker had a chance to take them out?”
“Hey, Hunter, stop. Ty and I are fine. It’s handled. There are things we need to talk about, but it should be handled when we’re alone. Ty is just in the other room and—”
“My boy almost died in a car that didn’t have brakes.
He had to prepare himself to watch someone he cares about go with a man who meant her harm, and he watched you kill the son of a bitch.
My son will be fine hearing me talk about this shit.
Now, before everyone leaves, I need to know what in the hell happened so I know you’re safe and I can stop feeling like my entire world has spun out of control. ”
“But I’m fine. I’m right here with you and I’m not going anywhere.”
“Dad, what the fuck don’t I know?”
“It was Robin,” King says, making Torch blow out a breath that sounds raw and painful.
Hunter’s body jerks like he’s been sucker punched, and I guess he has.
“The cameras showed her crawling under Beau’s car when she went inside to get Ty. Robin crawled under it. Stayed for a bit, and then got back into an old Jeep that we traced back to her brother. She left once Beau and Ty left.”
“You’re sure Robin cut Beau’s brake lines?
” Hunter asks, like he can’t believe it.
I can’t blame him. To find out she tried to kill me is one thing.
To do what she did with Ty in the car is unfathomable to me.
That’s why I didn’t want him to talk about it here.
I don’t want Ty to have that knowledge. That sweet boy has been hurt enough.
He doesn’t need any more of his mother’s garbage to hurt him.
“Beau’s car didn’t have dual master cylinders. So that caused complete failure. Then, from inspecting Beau’s car, it appears she also slashed the front tire in the middle of the tread. That tire is the one that blew out and caused it to careen out of control.”
“She slashed the tire. That cunt fucking made sure my woman didn’t have brakes and then just to make sure she did enough damage she sliced the motherfucking tire, knowing my son—her own flesh and blood—would be in that vehicle and it could kill him?
” Hunter snarled, his body vibrating. His voice was low enough, but I still panic. I don’t want Ty to ever find this out.
“Hey, Cowboy, c’mon, now. Look at me,” I urge him, keeping a hand on each side of his face.
His eyes finally connect with mine and the pain I see there is staggering.
“Ty’s good. I’m fine. Everything is okay and we will make sure that bitch never gets near him again.
Ty will live a long life and you and I together will make sure of it. ”
“He’s only fine because you protected him. God, Beau. How could she do that? How could anyone do that to a child—any child, let alone one that miserable cunt gave birth too.”
“I don’t know, honey. All we can do is to make sure Ty knows that we love him and we’re here for him. We’ll make sure he knows how special he is.”
“You love me, Beau?” Ty whispers, rubbing his eyes.
“You already know that, Ty,” I tell him, sliding off of Hunter’s lap and walking over to him. I kneel down so I can be closer to him. He’s actually taller than me like this and that would make me smile if my heart wasn’t hurting for him right now.
“You love me,” he says again.
“With my whole heart. I told you I’m only keeping your dad around so I can have you.”
Ty laughs despite the tears I see in his eyes. “You told me not to tell him that.”
“Whoops,” I say with a wink.
“You two conspiring against me?” Hunter says, coming over to us.
“It’s okay, Dad. You can still be a part of our family, even if I’m Beau’s favorite,” Ty announces, making me giggle.
“Gee thanks,” Hunter grumbles, ruffling his son’s hair. “Are you okay, son?” he finally asks.
Ty takes my hand, and I hold onto his tight. “Are you marrying Beau?”
“Ty,” I gasp.
“Absolutely,” Hunter says with no hesitation.
“My friend Blake didn’t have a dad. When his mom got married his stepdad adopted him so that could be a real family.”
“Ty, buddy—” Hunter interrupts.
“If you and Dad get married, do you think you would …” Ty stops talking, losing his confidence, staring down at the ground.
I reach up and tenderly hold the side of his face. “I’d be happy to be your stepmom, Ty.”
He nods. “But if I wanted you to be more? Like maybe my real Mom. Although maybe it wouldn’t work. You may not—”
I push my fingers against his lips to stop him from talking. I grin up at him and I can feel tears sliding down my face. “I’d say Shit, yeah.”
Ty looks stunned for a minute and then he throws his head back and laughs. “So, going to start blackmailing you every time you say that word.”
I pull him to me and hug him tight. “You can’t blackmail family,” I murmur.
“Speaking of family, I’m thinking this calls for a family celebration. I’m getting a new daughter-in-law and my,” Torch announces.
“I’ll call Beth and tell her to get Katie and Izzy,” Skull says.
“Dad, if you tell Mom that she’ll bring her homemade mac and cheese,” Gabby cries.
“Oh, God,” King mutters under his breath.
“No way, Uncle Skull. I don’t want her to run my new mom off,” Ty says.
“I’m not going anywhere, but c’mon you guys it can’t be that bad.”
“My woman’s mother has a heart of gold, but I swear, Beau, that mac and cheese tastes like kerosene.”
“Maybe we should eat out,” I whisper, making everyone laugh.
“I’ll tell her we’re ordering pizza and if she makes any sides you pretend to eat it and when she’s not looking, sneak it into trash cans that Gabby and Spider will position close by the tables,” Skull announces.
“You sound like you do this a lot,” Callum says.
“You have no idea,” Gabby mutters, making us all laugh.
“Cal, you call Gordo, Billy and Eli. See if they want to join with all of us.”
“See if Slider can come, please?” Ty begs looking at me and Hunter.
“Make sure you ask, Cal.”
“You got it, Beau,” he says.
I stand up with Hunters help and he pulls me to his side, leaning down kissing me in a quick, hard, kiss that just left me wanting more.
He looks down at me and the love shining in his eyes warms me all over.
Today has been hell, but right now, standing in Hunter’s arms and holding Ty, I have everything I could ever want in this life.
I hope my dad is up there somewhere looking down and seeing that his little girl is finally safe, happy, and surrounded by love.