Chapter 25
Remy
“I don’t think you should do that,” I tell Charlie as she reaches for a beer cap that lies on the floor. She grins and picks it up anyway as I look around for anyone to help me with her. I thought this would be easier than it is. I have to give props to the women and men who do this shit alone.
I shove out of my chair and grab the cap from her causing her to cry. And not just any cry, either. No, that little girl is pissed. She’s screaming and then finally throws herself on the floor and kicks her little feet. I don’t know what to do so I just stand here and watch her.
“There are different ways to handle that kind of tantrum. You can let her scream it out and ignore her, or you can try to pick her up,” Gunner tells me as we both stand here and watch her.
“What would you do?” I ask, looking over at him.
“Honestly? I picked Kiki up and held her but Hodge? He was a little shit. I’d pick him up, and he’d beat the hell outta me, so I’d let him scream it out until he was done.”
“And Charlie? What do I do with her?” I ask nodding toward the small girl on the floor kicking her feet.
“You’re the dad. Pick one,” he says as he laughs and slaps a hand on my shoulder. I don’t like hearing her cry, so I reach down and pick her up, only to have her hit me in the face.
“Jesus,” I mumble when she leans in, almost like she’s going to kiss me, but then I feel it. Those little sharp ass teeth of hers sink in my flesh. “What the hell?” I pull her back to look at her but she seems happy now.
“She bit you!” Kiki roars with laughter. I don’t think it’s all that funny. That shit hurt.
“Why the hell did she do that?”
“She’s being a two-year-old. You’re going to have to break her of that habit before it gets worse,” she tells me.
“I can’t even change her diaper. How the hell you expect me to get her to stop biting?” Kiki keeps laughing when Gunner comes over and takes her from me.
“Come and see Grandpa. Dad might need a little break,” he tells her. She reaches for his beard and grabs a chunk, yanking as hard as she can. Gunner doesn’t care. He just laughs at her and takes her toward the tables. I sigh, running my hand through my hair, when Kiki comes over with a wet rag, passing it to me.
“You’re bleeding,” she says, nodding toward my face. I take the rag and wipe my cheek as I listen to Charlie laughing with Gunner.
“I don’t know what I’m doin’. I don’t know how to take care of her by myself, Kiki. She needs her mom.”
“You’re doing fine. You’re learning, and that’s all anyone can ask for right now. This is a fucked up situation you’re in, but we’re all here to help.” I nod my head, knowing I have their help, but this is a lot.
“You good watchin’ her? I’m gonna go back to the hospital. I haven’t been up there today,” I tell her.
“Of course. I got her,” she says. I pull her into a hug and thank her for everything she’s doing for me and Charlie. Without Kiki, I don’t know what the fuck I’d do.
I walk over and kiss Charlie goodbye, and she turns, waving her little hand at me. I can’t believe that she’s mine. I can’t believe I’m a dad.
I head out to my bike and climb on, taking off as soon as I have my helmet on. Instead of heading straight there, I take the longer route. I need a minute just to breathe. I need a minute to get my head straight. This is all happening too quickly for me.
Once I feel a little more centered, I head to the hospital. I park the bike and head inside to Tianna’s floor and down to her room. When I step inside, Locke turns to look at me. We’ve all been taking turns staying with her in case she wakes up.
“Hey,” he says.
“Hey. How is she?” I ask, nodding toward Tianna, although I already know the answer. She isn’t any better.
“She’s the same. Doc was just in a little while ago.” I nod my head as he stands and stretches his back.
“Thanks for staying,” I tell him.
“You know we got your back, Remy. You’re my best friend.”
“Appreciate that,” I tell him as he walks toward me and pulls me into a hug. I hug him back before he pulls away and leaves the room. I walk over and take his seat, pulling it closer to her bed so that I can reach out and grab her hand.
“Your daughter is somethin’ else. Tianna. That girl is as wild as they come,” I chuckle. “I didn’t know this is what it would be like. She’s all over the place, touchin’ everything and just gettin’ into stuff. She seems to really like Gunner, though, but that’s probably because he’s done this shit before.”
“I don’t really know what I was expectin’, but this wasn’t it. How the hell anyone can do this alone is beyond me. If Kiki weren’t there right now, I’d rip my damn hair out,” I laugh a little.
I talk to her some more. I tell her about trying to change Charlie’s diaper and get her dressed. I tell her how much I need her to wake up and help me with this shit. I make it a point to tell her that I can’t do this alone. I need her. I need her here with me and Charlie.
I don’t know how much she can hear. I don’t know if she even knows I’m here, and that fucks with my head. Is she even in there anymore? Am I holding on to nothing?
“I know you’re fightin’ in there, Tianna. I know there has to be some part of you that wants to come back to us. I need you to focus on that. Focus on comin’ back to me and Charlie because I don’t fuckin’ know what to do without you,” I admit to her. “Even though we weren’t together, you were still here, yeah? You’ve never left my goddamn heart, and I’m sure as hell not gonna let you now.”
I lower my head as a few tears fall down my face. I reach up and wipe them away quickly. I’m not supposed to cry. I’m supposed to be the stronger one here. I’m the one who has to hold it together for all of us. She doesn’t need me here crying like a fucking child over something I can’t control. No. She needs me to fight for her right now.
I sit back and just look at her lying there. She’s here, but she isn’t, and knowing that rips me apart inside. What if she truly doesn’t make it? What kind of life am I facing then?
Back then, it was easier to get over her, or at least try to get over her. It didn’t work that well, but she also wasn’t lying in a goddamn hospital bed either. She was alive. Out there, living her life, or so I thought. She was out there breathing, and that was good enough for me at the time.
I crack my neck from side to side as the nurse walks in. She smiles, checks her wires and shit, and then leaves again. I blow out a breath when my phone rings. Sliding it out, I see it’s Hodge.
“Yeah, Hodge. What’s goin’ on?”
“You want good news?”
“Is there such a thing?” I ask. He laughs.
“Yeah, there is. We’ve picked up Brad’s trail, brother. We’re gonna hunt him like goddamn bloodhounds.”
“No shit? Where?” Now, I sit up a little straighter.
“Not too far from his cousin’s place. He has another house under an alias, but it’s all come back to him. You want a prospect up there?”
“Fuck yeah. I’m not missin’ this shit for nothin’.”
“Heard that, brother. When he gets there, you head back here, and we’ll go over the plan,” he tells me. I agree, and I hang up, grabbing her hand again.
“You hear that, darlin’? We got a lead on that motherfucker. Do you know how badly I’m gonna make him pay? Everything he let them do to you, I’m gonna do to him. He’s gonna feel every fuckin’ ounce of pain you felt. You just rest and get better,” I tell her. She doesn’t move, not that I expected her to. She lies there, motionless, but I can’t stop the excitement, the thrill that runs through me, knowing we’re closing in on him.
I sit back and wait on the prospect to show up, and when he does, I head the fuck out. I’m so ready for this. I’m ready to end that motherfuckers life for what he did to her, to me, to us.
I ride hard and fast back to the clubhouse. The guys are already outside waiting for me when I pull in and climb off my bike.
“You ready for this? We don’t know for a fact he’s there, but we know it’s his place,” Gunner tells me. I nod my head and crack my knuckles as Gunner goes over the plan. It isn’t much different than what we did at his cousin’s house. Only there’s a no-kill order since that kill is going to be mine.
Once we’re settled and have our weapons ready, we climb onto our bikes and get ready to take this motherfucker down.