Chapter Fifteen.
Harley
A ngrily, I descended the stairs toward the incinerator. I passed Jared and Christian, who nodded, and noticed they both had bruised knuckles. Seems my brothers had made their feelings clear.
On entering, I walked into the cold storage and pushed aside the panel that led to the area where Rage now did our wet work. The panel slid back into place, hiding the fact there was a hidden room.
Tied to three chairs were Edmond and, Sarah Ferguson and Reverend Jefferies. The Reverend made me look twice as he was pure white and shaking furiously. As I moved around, I saw why. Serenity rose from a crouch where she’d been playing with Bronson. If that lump of meat was Bronson.
Dad, Ace, Apache, Texas, Axel, and Fish all looked slightly green.
Serenity twisted her head and grinned manically. “What do you think of my handiwork?”
Expressionlessly, I studied what remained of Bronson; he was barely breathing, but I didn’t know how. “Oakley wanted you to shove his dick up his ass.”
“Easy,” Serenity said and removed the cock from Bronson’s mouth. She rummaged in a drawer and pulled a skewer. Dad made a slight noise as Serenity rammed the skewer into the dick and kicked Bronson over onto his stomach. She booted his legs apart and then shoved his cock up his asshole.
Reverend Jeffrey howled as Serenity stepped back.
“What type of monsters are you?” Sarah sobbed.
I walked over and dragged her head up by her hair.
Sarah screamed as I held her steady.
“Me? I’m the type of monster that will protect his family, no matter what. Oakley is mine. My wife, my lover. I live and breathe for Oakley and her alone. You fuckers thought to kidnap and threaten her and let that piece of shit try to rape her. If you hadn’t committed crimes against my girl, you wouldn’t be here. We’re the monsters that you created.”
“Look, I can pay, just release me,” Edmond begged.
“That’s how much Edmond cares about you. Your darling husband wants to be set free. Nothing about you, bitch,” I hissed at Sarah. “Saving his own skin. Typical.”
Serenity looked at Edmond, and he flinched as she ran a knife down his face. I held out a hand and grasped hers lightly.
“Go home, sis, Oakley needs you.”
Street Serenity stared at me coldly.
“I’m not Carmine or Tye, but I was there too. Listen to me, you got revenge for Oakley. Leave.”
Serenity cocked her head as she studied me. “Baby brother, all grown up,” she whispered.
“Serenity. Oakley needs you, and I need you to take care of her.”
“Oakley is your family?”
“Yeah, honey, and yours. Oakley’s going to make you an aunt. There’ll be babies for you to love on,” I answered, holding her eyes.
Street Serenity began to fade, and our Serenity returned. I heaved a sigh of relief. Because other than Ice and Shutout, nobody else would have been able to bring her round.
“I’ll go clean up,” Serenity said as she studied the mess at her feet. “Wow, she got vicious this time.”
“Yup.”
Serenity began to walk away and stopped.
“I’m frightened that she’ll take over completely,” she whispered to me. I placed my hands on her shoulders and clenched her.
“Shutout and Ice will never let that happen. Nor will I. One of us will always be here to bring you back,” I promised.
Serenity lit up before leaving.
I watched Serenity go and turned towards the lump of meat lying on the floor. Walking over, I pulled my weapon and shot Bronson in the forehead. The callousness of my action set Sarah screaming, and I slapped her.
Sarah gaped in shock.
“Bitch, I swore never to hit a woman. And I’m pissed you’ve made me break my promise,” I said before repeating my actions.
Edmond began yelling as Sarah’s brain matter and blood splattered across his face.
“However, I never promised not to harm an asshole who harmed my family.” I punched Edmond so hard he passed out.
Fuckin’ pussy. I turned to Reverend Jeffrey and smiled.
He blanched.
“Hope you really believe in God because you better start praying,” I said and got to work.
Dad finally stopped me after half an hour and checked my hands over. “Enough, Harley, before you fuck them up.”
I looked down and nodded. My knuckles were swollen, and a couple had split. I’d been using brass knuckles, and I dropped them on the floor. There were other ways to hurt someone.
◆◆◆
I let Edmond’s head fall forward and stepped back. I had taken my time. He was going to learn a lesson, one that would end his life, but Edmond would know why he was dying. Edmond’s breath wheezed from his lungs, and his eyes were so swollen he couldn’t see out of them.
“Okay?” Dad asked.
I nodded as I put the hammer down that I’d used to smash every finger in Edmond’s right hand.
“Anyone else want a go?” I questioned, and several chuckles were returned.
“That might be nice, son. You ain’t left much of asshole there to beat on, but the Reverend is a different story.” Ace chuckled.
I kicked Edmond and laughed.
“There’s still life in him. I’ll start clearing the bitch and would-be rapist away,” I said.
“No need, your brothers have taken care of that. By now, they’re already ash. Hear that, Reverend, your piece of shit son is on his way to meet his maker. The devil. That’s who you worship, really, ain’t it? Because no man I know would raise his boy to be a rapist!” Dad sneered at Reverend Jeffrey.
The guy managed a grunt.
“Fuckin’ assholes.” I spat on the floor at his feet.
“You done, son?” Dad asked, and I nodded.
“Yeah. I’m finished.”
“Go clean up and leave your overalls. I’ll burn them with the remains,” Apache said.
Within an hour, I was home.
Oakley
I paced back and forth.
Harley remained out, and I was worried. I was waiting outside, staring at the snow, when there was a stampede as the Michaelson kids and some of their friends ran out. They instantly began a snowball fight, and I laughed. It was a great distraction from wondering where Harley was. I’d sensed the anger inside him when he’d left.
I glanced up as a bike roared. As Harley rode up the drive, he waved before passing beyond the house to the huge double-storey garage hidden in the trees. The kids gathered together before splitting and collecting a ton of snowballs. Oh boy, Harley was about to get creamed.
Amused, I bit the inside of my cheek as Harley jogged around the corner of Reading Hall, making a beeline straight for me. Harley sent me a smile and then jumped as Tony, Eddie’s twin, yelled a war cry.
Harley spun to face the kids and blanched.
I couldn’t blame him. Each kid, and there was about twenty of them, faced him, holding a snowball in each hand.
“Shit!” Harley boomed and hit the floor. The snowballs launched, and I started laughing. Harley hadn’t dived quick enough, and snowballs battered him.
The kids threw the second wave as he lay on the ground before rushing him.
Harley yelped as youngsters began shoving snow down his back and I gasped as Eddie even shoved a handful down his jeans. That would cause shrinkage!
However, it was too funny not to laugh. Giggling, I sat on the swing as the children buried Harley.
Aaron and Fanatic walked out as I watched and gulped.
“Yeah, Harley can deal with that,” Fanatic said, stepping back inside the doorway.
“Fuck, yes,” Aaron agreed.
“What a pair of cowards,” I teased, and they nodded vigorously.
“Nope, not taking them on. Rather fight a rabid bear,” Fanatic replied.
“You’re going to leave Harley out there?” I asked, amused.
Both of Harley’s brothers nodded.
“Harley would do the same,” Aaron pointed out.
“Holy shit.” I gasped as the kids scattered, and I gazed wide-eyed at where Harley was. Only his head emerged from the snow. Harley’s entire body, from the neck down, had been buried.
“Assholes! Come and dig me out,” Harley roared.
“Not happening,” Aaron stated.
“God, you can’t leave him,” I exclaimed, getting to my feet.
“Oakley, I know you’re new here, so I’m going to save you some grief. Look over there,” Fanatic ordered, pointing.
I looked in the direction Fanatic pointed in and spotted a youngster hiding. Oh.
“And there,” Aaron added, and I followed his finger and noticed a second child.
“Behind the fountain,” Fanatic murmured, and I spotted Eddie there.
“Are they waiting to ambush us?” I demanded.
“Now you’re getting it. Whoever goes to rescue Harley will get attacked and buried the same as him,” Fanatic replied.
“But if we don’t dig Harley out, he’ll end up with flu!” I cried.
“That’s why we do this,” Aaron snickered. He sent a text to someone, and a few minutes later, the old ladies barrelled past me.
“Get your asses out here and dig Harley out now!” Lindsey yelled.
“Ah shit, Fanatic’s a tittle-tattle,” EJ exclaimed, coming out from behind a bush.
“Language!” Lindsey snapped, and EJ blanched and looked at Dante.
“Mom washed my mouth out with soap last night because I said the A word,” he muttered.
“What A word?” Dante asked, all innocent.
“Asshole…” EJ answered and spun to Lindsey, wincing as he did so.
I spluttered before laughing hard.
“EJ!” she hissed.
“Well, if I’m going to get my mouth washed out again… you’re a fuckin’ shit, Dante!” EJ cussed.
Dante grinned hugely as Lindsey sent me a baleful glare, and I shoved my glove into my mouth.
“Not helping, Oakley,” Lindsey muttered before raising her voice. “Dig Harley out now! Before he catches flu and I make you all wait on him hand and foot. And yeah, EJ, you’re getting your mouth washed out. You too, for trapping him into it, Dante!”
“What did I do?” Dante exclaimed, and Lindsey stared him down.
“Bro, take it on the chin!” EJ stated and grinned as Dante began muttering under his breath.
Harley
I was freezing cold. Even the shower hadn’t warmed me up. Because I was shaking so badly, Oakley had sent me to bed and gone to the kitchen to ask for some soup. I’d gulped it down and was now snuggled up with Oakley curled into my side.
“Harley, you know you said you liked the idea of kids… but in the future?” she asked, playing with my tee.
“Yeah?”
“How far down the road?” Oakley questioned.
“When we’re ready,” I answered.
“Can we be ready in eight months?”
“What?” I yelped, sitting bolt upright.
Oakley flopped on the bed and pushed herself up. She looked absolutely terrified.
“We might have had a mishap.”
“You’re pregnant?” I exclaimed, shocked.
“Yes. The condom must have failed. We’re going to have a baby,” Oakley said.
I sat there for a few moments. Holy shit. I’m gonna be a father. A moment of sheer terror passed through me. What did I know about being a dad? Dad’s face flashed into my head. He’d known nothing when he took us all on and had succeeded despite the odds. I did know what a father looked like because I had Dad.
“Is that bad or good?” Oakley demanded.
“Fuckin’ good baby, I’m over the moon. Fuck, I’m going to be a dad!” I yelled in happiness.
There was a smash from the doorway.
Two mugs of hot cocoa lay smashed on the floor.
“Drake!” Mom screamed at the top of her lungs as she gazed at Oakley and me, wide-eyed.
“Aw shit!” I mumbled.
“Phoe?!” Dad called back with alarm in his voice. His booted feet thundered up the stairs.
“I’m going to be a grandma!” Mom shrieked again. She bounced on the spot like a demented bunny.
“Wow,” Oakley muttered.
“Seriously?” Dad demanded as he stopped running.
“Harley’s knocked Oakley up!” Mom squealed in delight.
“Talk about being diplomatic,” I murmured.
Dad approached and looked over Mom, who was now doing some weird assed dance that seemed painful. However, Mom seemed to be enjoying it.
“You kids ain’t got a fuckin’ hope,” Dad said.
Mom speared Oakley with a sharp eye. “You’re my favourite today!”
“Er, thanks,” Oakley replied.
Mom ran at the bed, and I swear Oakley nearly dived behind me. Mom wriggled her way between Oakley and me and whipped out her phone. “Look at this lot I book marked. They’re adorable,” Mom squealed again, making us all wince.
“Yeah. Eight months of this shit, not even moving to Chicago will stop her. Your mom’s a damn expert on facetiming.” Dad sighed.
And on that, the traitorous bastard left me alone with my woman and a demented mother.