Chapter 28
Jesse and his lovers got dressed and make their way over to the bunker. Val wanted to walk, said she needed the fresh air, and neither Jesse nor Xander could blame her. All three of them held on to each other as they walked over the grassy expanse.
He needed the walk too. Jesse’s world had shifted.
For the first time in his adult life, he felt more than just sexual desire. He knew in his heart that Val and Xander were in his life for good. It didn’t make sense on paper, but it was real and right. They belonged to him, and he to them. It was as clear to him as the blue sky above. But, there were a lot of unknowns.
Would Val really want to stay him and Xan and the MC for good? What if she got pregnant? Suddenly, an image of him, Val, and Xander with a handful of kids didn’t scare him like it should. In fact, he wanted it. Which was all kinds of crazy given his life. Then again, Nate and Rochelle were just about to have a kid. Avery and Sonny, too. If anything, all the wildness that was about to unleash would bring the crew closer together. They were a family, and they were getting bigger, and stronger. Their MC was here to stay.
Jesse texted Sonny and he met them at the door of the bunker, arms crossed over his chest, his usual icy mask in place.
“Did he talk?” Jesse asked.
Sonny nodded and turned to face Val.
“You sister and mother, they’re buried in the woods just behind the farm,” Sonny stated. Val let out a gasp and covered her mouth, turning to Jesse and Xander.
“And that’s not all,” Sonny continued. “There are other members of your religion that were killed and buried along with them. It appears that the people you said disappeared over the years, well, in face, they didn’t. He never let them leave.”
“Except me,” Val whispered. “I was the only one who escaped. The only one who made it out.”
“And that’s why he came after you,” Sonny explained. “He didn’t want to leave any loose ends. Even after five years. It wasn’t just that, though. Most of it has to do with his ego, his pride. You rejected him, and his way of life. And you were smart to leave when you did. Because that man in there? He’s a sadistic fuck. I won’t repeat most of the stuff he confessed to me but believe me when I say the world is better off without him.”
Val shivered in Jesse’s arms. “What kind of stuff?”
“No.” Xander shook his head. “I think you know all that you need to.”
Jesse nodded in agreement. Val wasn’t hardened enough to hear those details. But Jesse would get them. After all, he was pretty sure that a man like Simeon didn’t do all his own dirty work. Simeon had to have accomplices. Other men in his group, probably. And that knowledge was their insurance to make sure Val never heard or saw from anyone in that group again.
“Is he…is he dead?” Val asked.
“Not yet,” Sonny replied. “I wanted to know if you had any more questions you wanted to ask him before I finish up.”
Val bit her lower lip. “No, I don’t have any more questions. I think I know enough. But I do have something I want you to pass along.”
“Go on?”
“Tell him,” she paused and glanced up at Sonny, a fierce look of determination on her face. “Tell him that hell is waiting for him. And it’s a lot nicer than he deserves.”
Val turned and walked back down the stairs.
Jesse nodded at Sonny. “Get it done. And we’ll talk later, yeah? I wanna know all the details about what went on in that cult of his. Make sure our insurance policy is up to date in case any more of his members decide to pay us a visit.”
“Of course,” Sonny replied.
“And make him suffer,” Xander added as he walked past Jesse and followed Val.
Jesse nodded. “What he said.”
Then Jesse turned and walked away, joining Val and Xander. With the weight of the Krypt crew gone, and now, Simeon, it was time to get back to usual business.
They had drugs to manufacture, guns to sell, and parties to enjoy.
Then his phone buzzed, and Jesse pulled it out to check his messages.
Nate: Get the fuck over here. Chelle’s water broke.
First, they had a new Hellions Hellraisers member to welcome into the world.
Val
“Rochelle’s in labor,” Jesse called out.
Xander and Val stopped in their tracks.
“I’ll come with,” Val stated. “Your kit is already there.”
“Are you sure you’re up to it? After everything?” Jesse asked.
“I’m fine. I’ll have a good cry later on,” Val insisted. “Right now, I need to forget for a while, and keep busy.”
“You got it,” Jesse replied. “But this ain’t gonna be pretty.”
“I told you, I’ve helped with dozens of births,” Val reassured him. “You’re the one who’s probably going to freak out.”
“Me?” Jesse scoffed. “Please, I’ve seen gunshots wounds and worse.”
Val started laughing, shaking her head at him, and he growled, pulling her in tightly. “Woman, don’t tease me.”
“But I like teasing you.”
Xander grabbed Jesse’s ass and squeezed hard. “I agree. Watching Jesse get riled up is my favorite past time.”
“You wanna come help us too?” Jesse asked Xander.
Val suspected Jesse already knew the answer. And Xander’s horrified expression confirmed it.
“I’m out. Besides, someone has to get the cigars and booze for Nate.”
Jesse nodded. “Good call.”
They said their goodbyes to Xander and headed for Nate and Rochelle’s cottage.
Nate met them at the door, looking flustered and freaked out, holding on to Jesse’s medical kit. A sudden, loud shout echoed behind him. Rochelle wasn’t the most vocal member of the crew. Until now.
“It’s about fucking time you got here!” Nate hissed. “As you can hear, Chelle’s in a lot of pain, and I don’t know what to do.”
“Just leave it to us,” Jesse replied as they entered the house. “All you have to do is hold Rochelle’s hand.”
“I think she’d rather bite it off at this point.”
Val and Jesse bit back a laugh at Nate’s comment. Jesse grabbed his kit and he and Val headed for the kitchen. They washed their hands carefully and put gloves on, then walked down the hallway to see their patient.
The bedroom door was open. A large inflatable bath was set up in the room, but Rochelle was still lying on her bed, with Sage and Avery holding on to her hands.
“Thank fuck you guys are here,” Rochelle called out, her face sweaty, as she held on to her stomach. “I think the baby’s coming real soon. The pain’s getting so bad.”
Jesse stood in the doorway, hesitating for a split second. “It can’t be worse than delivering puppies, right?”
Val rolled her eyes at him.
“Let’s see how far along you are,” Val replied and removed the sheet that was covering Rochelle’s lower body. Val quickly assessed her. “Oh my God. You’re fully dilated. It’s time. Let’s get you into the water.”
Nate and Sage helped Rochelle get up and into the bath. Thankfully, it was only a few steps. Val got in too, along with Jesse.
“Take a deep breath and push.”
Nate held onto one of Rochelle’s hands, Sage the other, while Rochelle took a long, deep breath and pushed.
Val reached down and smiled up at Rochelle and Nate. “I can feel the baby’s head.”
“Already?” Nate asked. “I thought first babies took hours and hours.”
“Not your baby,” Jesse replied.
“Another deep breath, another push,” Val encouraged Rochelle. “You’re doing great.”
“I’m never doing this again,” Rochelle screamed as she pushed, her face red with exertion.
“He’s coming,” Jesse announced. “Holy fuck, he’s huge!”
“No shit,” Rochelle bit out and everyone laughed.
“One more push, Rochelle. You can do it.”
Another push and that was it. Val pulled the baby out of the water, and handed him to Jesse, who quickly cleared his nose and mouth and started checking him over. A few seconds went by, and Val held her breath.
Until a loud, piercing cry filled the room. The sweet sound of new life.
Val looked over and Nate and Rochelle were both in tears, anxiously waiting to hold their son.
“He’s perfect,” Val murmured as she wiped away her own tears on her shirtsleeve. “You did good, Rochelle.”
Jesse and Val got to work, cutting the umbilical cord and finishing up a health check for the baby and Rochelle. Once the baby was cleaned and wrapped in a blanket, Val gently placed him in Rochelle’s arms.
“He’s so beautiful,” Rochelle whispered. “And thank God he’s got my nose.”
Everyone laughed at that.
Nate leaned down and kissed her, then kissed his son’s head. “Welcome to the world, Axel James Wallace.”
“He’s already got the coolest name in the club,” Jesse teased as he stretched and made to leave the room.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Val asked.
“Um, I thought we were done.”
Val shook her head. “Oh no. Not yet.”
Two hours later, with Rochelle given one last check up and everything cleaned up, Val and Jesse left the house.
“Call us if you need anything,” Jesse reminded Nate on the way out. “If Rochelle suddenly spikes a fever or has sudden pain, or if the baby?—”
“I will,” Nate interrupted with a grateful nod. “Thank you both. For everything.”
“Can I give the guys the good news?”
“Of course. We got another bike to start working on.”
Xander
After checking on their security cams, and getting a new shipment of guns ready, Xander wandered back to the bunker. He wanted to witness Simeon’s final goodbye.
He knew that Val would always worry and wonder, but this way, he could assure her that the man who’d haunted her was gone.
For good.
Sonny had tortured Simeon for hours, and the man was barely coherent by the time Xander returned. Beaten and bleeding out. And when the deed was done, Xander helped Sonny take the body to the incinerator. Xander should’ve felt some kind of guilt, but he didn’t. He gave up on that kind of self-recrimination the moment he joined this crew. And he had no sympathy for an asshole like Simeon. The man deserved everything he got.
Now, all Xander felt was relief.
Another job done, he headed back to his place, packed up most of his clothes and electronics, and walked over to Jesse’s. He was surprised to find the two of them already there, freshly showered and sharing a couple of beers.
“So?” Xander asked them.
“Get ready for our newest club member, Axel James Wallace, nine pounds, two ounces.”
“Fucking hell!”
“That’s what Nate said,” Jesse quipped.
“Everyone is healthy and doing great,” Val added.
Xander walked over and grabbed Jesse’s beer, taking a long sip.
“Hey! Get your own.”
“I thought we were gonna share everything?” Xander leaned over and kissed him, tasting hops and a flavor that was all Jesse.
“I’ll share with you,” Val replied and offered her bottle.
Xander turned to her but ignored the beer in favor of taking her lips.
“Is Simeon gone?” she whispered.
Xander nodded. “He’s gone for good. He’s never gonna hurt you again.”
Tears welled up in Val’s eyes and she shook her head. “I’m not crying for him. Just, for all those people he hurt, including my family.”
“You’ll never get justice,” Jesse replied. “But at least now, you get peace.”
Val nodded and then gave a small smile, despite her tears. “I’ll get there, in time. But more than that, with you and Jesse, and the rest of the club, I’m ready to start the next chapter of my life. I’m finally home. With the men I love. And I don’t want to be anywhere else.”
Xander pulled her close and reached for Jesse.
“I love you, too, baby,” Xander confessed. “Both of you.”
“More than anything.” Jesse continued. “You have our love, loyalty, and protection.”
“And, maybe someday, a family of our own?”
“Someday?” Xander gave her a wicked smile. “Why wait?”
Thank You for reading Hell Yes. Read Books 1 and Two: No Chance in Hell and Hell Bent.