10. Chapter Ten
Chapter Ten
J ustice stood leaning against the wall of the waiting room.
Ariel and Pit may have thought it was going to go fast, but they’d been here five hours.
Ariel’s mom and dad, Baron and Regina Shields, along with her brothers Roam and War, had shown up with their wives and kids.
Ariel’s brother Brew lived at the Texas Chapter of the Bluff Creek Brotherhood MC and was expected in another two to three hours, depending on how fast he was driving.
Most of the MC had come to the hospital. Ian was asleep in his carrier. He’d been fed, changed, and held for hours. His mom was sitting with his carrier beside her, making sure no one woke him up to hold him.
“How’s it going?” Justice asked War as he leaned against the wall beside him. War had served in the military and as a police officer before going home to take over the MC from his dad. He and his wife had their first baby last month.
“I thought I knew what love was when I found Remi, but that little girl has me wrapped around her fingers. She has no idea that nighttime is when you sleep, but all I can see is the little girl that I would burn the world down to keep safe. I have a new appreciation for Locks training his girls to take over the bail bonds because I want to wrap Amelia in cotton wool and keep her safe forever,” War said.
“Yep, Ian hasn’t been in my life long, but I couldn’t imagine not having his smiles. And yeah, so with you on burning the world down for him. In my head, I want him helping run the MC someday, but right now, I just want him happy and safe,” Justice said.
War grinned when his phone went off. “Brew’s close by but saw an all-night donut shop open and wanted to know how many people are here. He’ll be in all their good graces getting them sweets tonight. He’s probably trying to make up for Mom having to fly down there and help them with the clubhouse.”
Justice chuckled. Ariel had cackled listening to her friend, Beth Franks, tell how she’d told Regina how nasty the Cider Creek Clubhouse had gotten.
Regina had flown down in the club’s helicopter, landed on the property, and proceeded to rip the guys a new one for not keeping the club nice.
She’d made a chart and had everyone help get it perfect before they hired the executive assistant for the clubhouse and brewery to be in charge of cleaning companies and providing meals for the members.
Justice and Pit had laughed until Justice teased Pit that Regina would be at their club when Ariel had the baby.
Pit had made the prospects clean the club even though they had a weekly cleaning schedule with a company.
They might all be big, bad bikers, but they adored their mothers and didn’t want to disappoint them.
Pit walked out of the swinging doors with the biggest grin on his face.
“Ariel is doing great, and we have a healthy son, seven pounds four ounces, who is perfect. Give us a couple minutes to get some stuff cleaned up, and then you all can come back and meet Theodore William Lawson. We’re going to call him Teddy,” Pit said, wiping the tears off his face.
Justice walked over and pulled Pit in for a hug, patting his back.
“Our dads would be so pleased to have your son named after them,” Justice whispered.
Pit nodded. “Ariel and I wanted to honor them, but she said she has no problem if you want your next son’s name to be William Theodore to honor your dad and mine.”
Justice nodded, his throat a little full at the thought of what his dad and uncle would say about this next generation. They’d be cheering here right along with Baron.
Justice stepped back to let the others hug Pit. A hand on his shoulder had him turning. Tack stood there with a look on his face that worried Justice.
“Hey, after you see the baby, you might want to check on your lawyer. Adley’s house was broken into by three assailants. One got away. Adley and her sister shot and killed the other two,” Tack said.
“Thanks, Tack,” Justice said, walking away from all the loud laughter. He dialed Adley’s number.
“Hello,” Adley answered.
“Hey, Tack just told me what happened. Are you okay?” he asked.
“Yes. It’s been an evening,” Adley said.
“I’m at the hospital getting ready to see Pit and Ariel’s son, but then I’d like to see you and check on you,” Justice said.
The line was quiet, but Justice waited. His prickly attorney had been through a lot tonight.
“I think I’d like that,” Adley said softly.
“Okay, I’ll let you know when I’m on my way. I know you can probably stay at your mom’s or sister’s, but we have plenty of room at the compound. In fact, we have room for all three of you if you’d like to be behind some big walls tonight or this weekend,” Justice offered.
“Let me think about it. Can I answer you when you get here?” Adley asked.
“Yep. I’ll be there soon,” Justice said.
Justice was worried about whether this had happened in relation to his case or if it was something specifically regarding Adley. He’d worry about that when he got there.
Justice chatted with his brothers while he waited for his turn to see little Teddy. Justice, Tack, and his mom went in. Ariel looked exhausted but happy. Pit, his hard-as-nails cousin, was beaming. Justice snapped a quick picture because he always enjoyed annoying his President.
After he’d had his turn holding little Teddy, he pulled Pit away for a second .
“Need to inform you that Adley and her sister had to defend themselves at Adley’s house tonight. They shot and killed two assailants and wounded one that got away,” Justice said.
“Did you offer Adley and her family the compound as a safe place to stay?” Pit asked, keeping an eye on his family while talking with Justice.
“Yes, I’m heading there next to see if they are going to take our offer. I thought I’d offer they could stay at my house.”
Pit nodded. “Perfect. Once we know more, we could offer them a separate house, but I’d want to meet them all first.”
Justice nodded and hugged Pit before he left. He picked up Ian, still sleeping peacefully in his carrier. Tack picked up Ian’s diaper backpack, then followed behind him .
“Not letting you go alone over there. I heard Stain tried to investigate, and Adley had him removed. I don’t trust that guy.
I feel better having your back, especially since you have little man,” Tack said, following Justice to the elevator and then out into the parking lot.
Justice efficiently hooked Ian’s carrier in, smirking a little about how long it had taken him to figure it out when he first got it.
Some of the others who worked in law enforcement had experience installing them and had taken great delight in teasing him. Justice started up his truck, then waited for Tack to get on his motorcycle before pulling out.