Chapter 20 #3
I take Linsey’s hand and examine the abrasions around her wrists before asking the question that’s been weighing on my mind this whole time. “Is the baby okay?”
“They never knew. Nothing happened that would have interfered with the pregnancy. Look, I was going to tell you, but the phone rang. I didn’t know if you really wanted us or just felt the need to protect us.”
I take her face between my hands. “I want you, Noah, and this baby more than anything in this world. I fell in love with the two of you during all the ordinary moments we managed to steal amongst the chaos.”
A tear slips down her cheek, and I catch it with my thumb. “The emergencies gave us the opportunity to show each other what we’re made of. They didn’t create what we feel for each other. You know that, right?”
Noah appears on the step below us, totally oblivious about what we were talking about, and starts talking about their captivity.
“Did Mom tell you what happened? I used two knives. The first one was to give Caleb a reminder not to try to touch my mom’s hair.
Then when the Legion arrived, another guard grabbed her.
I think he was gonna use her for a human shield.
Anyway, mom gave me the signal, and I didn’t hesitate.
I threw from about six feet and caught him in the eye.
Can you believe that? I kept the third knife in reserve, but I didn’t need it in the end.
It’s a good thing throwing knives come in sets of three. ”
Tugging Linsey to my side, I tell him, “Here’s your debriefing.
You did good every step of the way. Forwarding that message was the smartest thing anyone did during this entire operation.
It put us on their tail early enough for it to matter.
And every decision we made started with the information you sent. ”
Noah’s expression turns proud. “You already said that once.”
He ain’t wrong about that. “Then I’ll add a new part. I like that you waited for your mother’s signal before throwing. A lot of grown men would have panicked and taken their shot. You had good discipline to wait until throwing was necessary. You respect blades and don’t treat them like toys.”
I pause, because I’m going to sandwich a bit of constructive criticism between two compliments to make it sting less.
“Getting into that car alone wasn’t smart.
I understand that they had your mom and were threatening to harm her, but you put yourself in danger.
I’m equal parts proud of you and furious with you at the same time.
Being on a team means everybody moves together.
Sometimes you have to wait for backup even when someone you love is in danger. ”
He opens his mouth to speak.
“Hear me out, son. This was your first mission, and you did well. If it wasn’t for your quick thinking, things might have been different.”
Noah considers the instruction. “I’ll remember the part about moving as a team. I won’t make that mistake again.”
“You did good. And you’re only going to keep getting better throughout the years.”
He nods slowly, filing the teamwork rule with everything else he considers important.
“I just knew you would come for us. It must be because you really do love us.”
I pull him into another one-armed hug. “Yeah, I love ya both. Don’t you ever doubt that, son.”
Noah pulls back for a second. Just when I think he’s gonna say something about being too old for hugs, he looks up at me and says the words that floor me. “Can I call you dad?”
“Course you can, son,” I say as I pull him back in for a hug.
Linsey’s hand covers her mouth and tears well up in her eyes. I have one of them on each side and suddenly have the urge to just get them out of this place. “Come on, let’s get outta here.”
When we stand up, my club brothers form a corridor from the porch to my bike, which the prospects have moved up to the yard for us.
I keep one arm around my old lady.
“We’re going to the hospital first,” I tell her. “I want all three of you to get checked out by a doctor. You can go with Zen in the van, and I’ll follow behind on my bike.”
We’re almost to my bike when Gerald shouts from the back seat of a cruiser.
“This isn’t over. Linny belongs with her family!”
Linsey doesn’t look back, but I look at the man struggling to get back out of the cruiser.
“She’s with her family, and come what may, you need to remember that sharin’ blood ain’t the only way to make a family.”
He opens his mouth and then closes it again, watching as my Savage Legion brothers close ranks around us. These arrogant assholes thought they could take my old lady, and I wouldn’t be able to do a damn thing about it.
Now they know better. By the time the feds are finished, all of them will be serving hard time.
Me? I’m taking Linsey and Noah home, where they’ll be fuckin’ loved and cherished the way they deserve. And when our baby gets here, the three of us will make damn sure that kid never doubts for one second how wanted they are.
Ain’t nobody in this world gonna take what’s mine to protect.