Chapter 18
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
ROMANIA
I snorted and coughed. “What? Ha, no. Where are you pulling that from?” I scoffed and started for the door myself. “You’re crazy.” How had he seen this? Was I that obvious? Oh shit, did they know? Did anyone else? I had to hide it better.
“Want to come with me to see those birth pricks?” he asked. Aww, he was being sweet and changing the subject.
He probably saw my pure panic and wanted to ease my emotions.
Still, I had to be sure this subject would be dropped before I either shit myself or vomited from worry that I’d been too obvious with Eve and Quake. I never wanted to ruin anything for them.
Spinning around, I raised a brow and asked, “Are you going to talk to me about feelings?”
He smirked. “Not if you don’t want me to.”
I grinned. “Then I’m totally on board to teach those people a lesson.”
Saint and my dad suddenly walked around the corner. “Whose arse are you beatin’?” Dad asked.
“The people who brought Eve and Tech into the world,” I offered.
He stopped and crossed his arms over his chest before looking to Tech. “Need a hand?”
Saint clapped and then rubbed his hands together. “I’m always up to scarin’ some people.”
Tech nodded. “Appreciate the hand. Let’s make sure they get the picture, they’re not to show their fuckin’ faces to either of us again.” He took Eve’s keys from me, and we climbed into the car.
Saint and I were sitting in the back when he asked, “So why doesn’t Rommy want to talk about feelin’s?”
I slapped at his arm. “Nothing. Shut up.”
“This about you likin’ two people?” Dad asked.
Groaning, I palmed my face. “Does everyone know?”
“Yep,” Tech said.
“Sure do,” Saint replied.
“Easy to read,” Dad said.
“Do they know?”
God, I hoped they didn’t.
“Don’t think so,” Tech told him.
“How the hell did you read this with Rommy, but you didn’t know about Quake and Eve for years?” Saint asked him.
He paused to think about it, then said, “Fucked if I know. Maybe, subconsciously, I never thought a brother would do that to me.”
“You still cut about it?” Saint asked.
“Already told Quake I forgive him, but I get to punch him any time it comes to mind and pisses me off again.”
The guy’s chuckled, but I was just glad we were off the subject—
“Back to Rommy,” Saint said.
“Dick,” I muttered, then louder, I said, “No, we are not back to Rommy. We’re off this subject all together.
I live in Australia, and I’d never jeopardise what Eve and Quake have.
They’re just starting out, and it’s a forever type of relationship.
I wouldn’t mess that up for them. Now, Tech, I’m guessing you know where these people will be.
They couldn’t still be caught up with security at the mall, right? ”
“Shit, I didn’t think of that. Dodge, plug my phone into Eve’s car there.” After Dad did that, Tech hit some buttons, and Blaze’s name lit up.
“Yeah?” Blaze answered.
“Hey, need a favour. Look up Michelle and Jim Sager. Check their address, but I also need you to hack their phones to see their whereabouts.”
“You need help?”
“Thanks, but I’ve got a group in the car with me.”
Blaze grunted. “Good.”
“Hi, Blaze,” I called.
There was silence for a moment and then he commented, “Nice pick on takin’ the hellcat.”
“Awww, you have a pet name for me. Can I make one up for you?”
“No,” he replied blandly before he ended the call.
Grinning, I rolled my eyes. I liked teasing that man. He was easy to rile.
“We’re just gonna head to the last I have for them until Blaze can confirm it,” Tech informed us.
Dad looked at Tech. “How long does—” The phone rang with Blaze’s name lighting up.
Tech grinned at Dad before he answered. “Blaze.”
“Phones are saying they’re both at home.” He gave us the address, and Tech nodded.
“Thanks, man,” Tech said.
Blaze grunted and hung up.
Dad snorted. “Is he always like that?”
Tech and Saint chuckled, but it was Tech who said, “Yeah, but you learn not to take it to heart. He’s a good guy. Just rough around the edges.”
“Except with Henri,” I said.
Tech nodded. “Except with Henri, Sawyer, and Arlo. But if anyone fucks with them…” Tech shook his head. “They’ll be dead.”
“He used to deal in body parts,” I told Dad.
He swung his wide gaze around to me. “For real?”
“Yep.” I bobbed my head. “Henri told me about it the other day. It was what broke them up ages ago, but then Henri called Blaze to help rescue Dusty and they reconnected. Blaze gave up that business so he could keep Henri. He won’t let anything come between them again.”
Dad huffed. “Takes a good woman or man to come along and wake you the fuck up.”
“Damn right. Kylo was that for me. One blow job later I was a goner,” Saint said.
Tech groaned, Dad chuckled, and I grinned before I asked, “Seriously? One BJ and you were obsessed?”
“Please don’t ask him,” Tech complained.
“Fuck yes I knew he was meant to be mine.”
I nodded. “That’s pretty cool. Maybe I need to get Gun to teach—”
“Fuck’s sake, kid,” Dad yelled.
Tech snorted before he laughed while Saint just roared his mirth.
Smiling, I shrugged. “Just saying I’d like to find my own one day.”
“Or two,” Saint commented.
I shoved him. “Zip it, peen head.”
“Dodge, you and Low are gonna be missed, but it really won’t be the same without our girl around,” Saint said, making me all buttery.
“Aww, you like me.” Stretching over, I hugged him, which he returned before patting my head awkwardly.
Dad turned, smiling softly. “She has that way about her where everyone likes her.”
“Not everyone,” I reminded him.
He scowled. “Fuckin’ teens.”
“What happened?” Tech asked.
“There was a group of girls who absolutely hated me because I talked too much. They were popular and had these guys hassle me. Used to stick things in my locker, corner me in the hallways, push me, punch me, spit in my face.” Dad’s hands fisted at the memory. “Relax, Dad, you guys took care of it.”
“Only after you’d been dealin’ with it for years. She’d go to school like nothin’ bad was happenin’ and put up with everythin’ because she thought that one day they’d get over whatever they hated her about and become friends.”
“Yeah, yeah. I learned that not everyone is nice. It hurt my heart to know that they could hate someone because they’re different.
So, when Dad, Mum, and Texas found out, the first thing Dad had to do was lock Mum down since she was so mad she would have actually smacked some kids around and got into trouble for it.
Then Dad, Texas, and some of the other brothers rode to the high school. ”
“Did you kick their asses?” Saint asked.
I giggled. “I’d already heard my family arrive, so when the last bell rang, and I knew they’d come to hassle me again, I raced outside.
They followed, of course. You should have seen their faces when they saw me surrounded by my family.
Best day ever. Dad stalked up to the group and threatened that if they didn’t leave me alone, they’d deal with the brotherhood. ”
“They left you alone after that?”
“Yep. They sure did, and that was when I started to learn how to fight so any other problem I had, or someone else who was different had, I could step in to help.”
“How in the hell have you stayed so positive when you’ve dealt with the shit you have in life?”
“Because I’ve been surrounded by people who love me and have shown me it’s okay to be who I want to be. I don’t need to be defined by a prognosis. I’m just here living life and enjoying every moment I can while helping protect those who have trouble standing up for themselves.”
“Christ, Rommy,” Tech said. “You’re like a ray of damn sunshine, and I mean that in the best way possible. You’ve warmed so many damn lives, my sister for one. She’s been brighter since you’ve come into her life, and I can’t thank you enough for it.”
I waved him off. “That’s sweet. Thank you. But I don’t think I’ve done anything special. I just wanted to be her friend and help her see that her man is scrum-diddily-umptious.”
Saint snorted. “You’re a good egg, Rommy. Though, your taste in guys needs to be checked.”
“Hmm, if I wasn’t attracted to Quake, then I’d say the next guy I found hot would have been Gun.”
Saint glared. “Back the fuck off, bitch.”
Laughing, I rolled my eyes. Even Dad and Tech were grinning wide.
“And now I’m pumped to hurt someone,” Saint commented.
I stuck my tongue out at him, which made his lips twitch.
“That’s good then, since we’re here.” Tech pulled the car to a stop outside a rundown weatherboard home with long lawn and weeds. Even the porch looked like it could fall at any moment.
“Was this where you and Eve lived?” Saint asked.
Tech hummed under his breath, taking in the house. His jaw clenched before he unlocked it to say, “Let’s get this shit done.” We all climbed out and made our way to the front door.
When Saint stepped onto the porch behind Tech, it groaned, and Dad quickly pulled Saint back just as a piece of wood collapsed.
Tech didn’t knock. He lifted his foot and kicked it in with a loud crack.
“The fuck?” Jim yelled.
Tech entered, and we quickly followed, jumping the porch to get inside.
“Remember me?” Tech demanded, crossing his arms over his chest.
“That bitch ran to complain to her brother. Get the fuck out. Don’t want anything from you.”
“You!” Michelle screeched as she strode down the hallway, eyes locked on me.
“Kid,” Dad said.
I moved around the men and rushed the advancing woman. I ducked, and since I was moving fast, I was able to pick her up and slam her down to the grotty carpet. I straddled her waist and held her wrists to the floor with one hand.
“Get off me,” she screamed.
I slapped her. “Shut up.”
“You bitch.”
I slapped her again. “Quiet,” I warned.
“Get that stupid bitch off her,” Jim snarled. He advanced my way before Tech lunged and punched him in the face. Jim staggered back, eyes wide.
Tech grinned a pretty smile. “Been wantin’ to do that for a fuckin’ long time.”
Jim’s gaze narrowed. “You have no right—”
“No right?” Tech clipped. “You and that cunt beat, starved, and would have pimped us out so you could stay high or drunk.”
Hearing the words, I slapped Michelle again.
“I didn’t move,” she snapped.
“No, but I hate hearing the shit you did to your own kids. You’re supposed to love them, take care of them.” Hell, fury burned under my skin. I slapped her again.
“Enough,” Jim yelled. “Just leave us alone.”
“Then make sure you never step foot in that mall again. Make sure you and that bitch stay far away from me and Eve for the rest of our lives. If you don’t, I’ll come back and kill you.
We have a good family at our backs now so know it won’t just be us you’ll have to deal with.
And you really won’t like it if we see you again in any fuckin’ way.
” He stepped in and jammed his fist into Jim’s stomach.
The guy dropped to the floor, hands up and out.
He groaned. “Okay, okay, you won’t see us again.”
“Rommy,” Dad called.
I grinned down at Michelle and leaned down to whisper, “I’d have done more damage so think yourself lucky.” With a final crack of my hand to her face, I bounced up and over to the others.
Dad nodded once, while Saint grinned and cupped the back of my neck, shaking me slightly.
I hadn’t been lying either. I really did want to beat on her some more for spewing those vile things to Eve and making her think she wasn’t worthy of love.
In a way, I hoped they didn’t listen, and I’d get to pay them a visit again.
Then I remembered I wouldn’t be around for much longer, and my stomach twisted.