Chapter 26 Holly
Holly
The prospect brings over the online orders that have been delivered and takes the boxes up to Roman’s bedroom. They're both asleep in Roman’s cot and the prospect quietly offers, “If you need me to help with anything, just holler.”
“Holly!”
I run out of the room and to the top of the stairs. King is stood at the bottom.
“Keep your voice down!” I snap. “What do you want?”
“The prospect came over this way. Have you seen him?”
His vibe sets me on edge and then I flinch when King takes two steps up the stairs, I’m about to ask what the hell he is doing when he tells me, “Holly, duck!”
Time slows and though it takes a few seconds to register what he’s yelling, I drop to the carpet and cover my head with my hands and arms.
A shot echoes around the house. Rayna screams and the babies both cry furiously.
I go to go to them, but a heavy weight lands on me, and I scream myself.
It's not until King pounds up the stairs, that I learn it’s the prospect’s body.
His dead body. I scramble closer to the bathroom door once King has dragged him off me.
“Get him out of here!” I order trying to keep my voice controlled.
Rayna's bedroom door opens, and I scramble up to my feet to block her view of King lifting the dead body over his shoulder.
“Hey, sweetheart. I need you to stay in your room until I come back. I promise I won’t be long.”
“Okay.”
She steps back and I close the door. I run into my room and check on the boys. They're both crying but they’re safe in the cot and as I head out onto the landing, Harper is carrying Gunner and asks, “What the fuck is going on?”
“Can you watch the babies? Rayna is in her room. I'll explain everything when I get back.”
“Sure.”
As soon as I hear her confirmation, I run down the stairs and out of the house and over to the bar. King is slamming a van door closed and stops when he sees me.
“What was that?” I demand.
“You have blood on your face.”
I wipe at my cheeks and forehead, having no idea if I'm making a difference.
“Please, tell me why you killed the prospect in my home.”
“I don’t know if Leo would want me to say.”
Anger pulses through me. I snatch my phone from my back pocket and call Luca’s phone.
I fear I’m going to get his voicemail when he eventually answers, “Holly?”
“I need to speak to Leo.”
The sound of shuffling fills the line and then my husband’s voice comes through, “Babe?”
“King just shot the prospect dead in our house, tell him that he can tell me why or if you know, you tell me, because his blood is on my face and his body dropped on top of me and...”
“Babe! Slow the fuck down. Are you hurt?”
“No, I'm fine. King told me to duck.”
“Pass me over to him and don’t go anywhere, I want you back on the phone.”
I hand the cell over to King and listen as he explains quietly what went down. He passes the phone back and I turn my back on King.
“I’m here,” I say.
“It turned out the prospect was one of Hopper’s men. I was going to deal with him when I got back. I got King to keep watch on him. When he told you to duck, the prospect was coming up behind you with a knife in his hand.”
I gasp. I can’t begin to process how close I came to dying in my own home.
“I’m sorry this happened. I didn’t think he’d do anything, thought he was only a rat relaying information.”
“It’s okay,” I find myself saying. “I’m fine and the kids are safe.”
“Don’t do that, babe.”
“What?”
“Act like this ain’t a big fuckin’ deal. It is, and I hate that I'm not there with you. I should have figured it out long ago.”
He's got too much to deal with, I tell him, “Leo, I’m fine, focus on what you need to do. I need to get back to the house, I left Harper watching the kids. The shot set off the babies.”
“We’ll talk when I'm back, okay?”
“I’ll look forward to it.”
I end the call and smile weakly at King before heading home. There is no crying from the boys, and I go straight up to Rayna’s room.
She's sat on her bed with her headphones on, and is tapping away on her phone. I collect her in my arms and try to keep the trembling to a minimum.
“Everything is okay, I promise.”
She pulls away from me and takes her headphones off. “Is dad home yet?”
I shake my head and tell her, “No, but I spoke with him and he’s trying to get home as soon as possible.”
“Does he know Wolf is going to live with us now?”
“Not yet.”
“Will Wolf call you Mom?”
“Maybe one day, if that’s what he wants. Just like you.”
“So, he’s my new brother?”
“In a way, yes. We're a family, and you know better than anyone, family isn’t always blood relations.”
“I know. It's just that, well, now we’re going to have two babies crying all the time.”
I laugh. “That we will, but it won’t last forever. Your dad and Uncle Luca used to be babies, and they’re not still crying all the time, are they?”
“I suppose not.”
“Does that help?”
She nods. “Can I go to Grandma Kris’s?”
“Not today. Wait till your dad gets home.”
“But, Mom!”
“No buts.”
“Seb needs me!”
“You can video call him?” I suggest.
“It’s not the same. Our grandpa died, Mom,” she reminds me like I could forget. “You can take me.”
“No, not today. Dad wants us to stay here, and that’s what we’re going to do.”
“Fine,” she huffs and climbs off the bed. “Can I go see Grandma Alannah or am I trapped here forever?”
Rolling my eyes, I tell her, “Sure.”
I leave before any more attitude leaves her mouth, and I go to check on the boys. Gunner is making silly faces at Roman and Harper has Wolf in her arms.
“Everything sorted?”
I nod. “It turns out the prospect was one of Hopper’s men and King killed him before he could kill me. That was the shot you heard.”
There’s no reaction from her, only to tell me, “There’s blood on the landing. I’ll keep watch over these two while you go clean it, if you want.”
“Thanks,” I mumble.
I grab the mincemeat and tomato sauce from the fridge and dump them on the counter. Reaching for my phone, I call Alannah.
“Hey, I was about to come over. Leo called and told me what happened.”
“It’s okay, I'm about to make a start on dinner. I just wanted to know if Ray is eating over at yours or if she’s coming home. She was upset with me earlier because I wouldn’t take her to see Kristen.”
“Holly, I haven’t seen her today. She isn’t here.”
“She told me she was coming over to see you.”
“I wouldn’t lie, and I would know if my granddaughter was in my house.”
“Can you please check?” I ask as I run up the stairs and throw open Rayna’s door.
Her room is empty and her backpack she takes everywhere is gone, her phone and her headphones are gone too.
I run back downstairs and knowing Harper is watching TV with Gunner and the babies in their bouncy chairs, I run outside and over to Alannah’s house.
She is already stood on her porch, and we both drop the phones from our ears.
“She isn’t in her room,” I tell her.
“And she isn’t here.”
“Where is she, Lana?”
“You said she wanted to go to Kris’s right?”
“Yeah.”
“Then maybe she took herself off there.”
“She wouldn’t have left, especially without telling someone! She knows the rules. Leo and I have made them very clear.”
“Let me call Kris.”
Every second drags as I stand by aimlessly, waiting for her to give me the news I need to hear. She's not on the phone long when the fear in her eyes grow stronger.
“She isn’t at Kristen’s.”
“Where is she?” I cry, angrily wiping at my eyes. Getting my shit together, I think what would Leo do? He would go looking.
“If she was making her way to Kristen’s, she might not have gotten there yet, she’d still be walking.” I run back into the house and rip my car keys from the hook.
Alannah is in the doorway when I turn. “I’ll come with you.”
“No, I need you to stay with Harper. I’ll call you as soon as I find her.”
She nods and I run out to the car. King and Warren come running toward me. King comes to the window and Warren leans on the hood, blocking my way.
“With all due respect, you ain’t leaving.”
“I am. Rayna’s sneak out.”
They look to each other and then Warren moves around the car and slides into the passenger seat.
“Are you sure she’s not hiding around here somewhere?”
“I’m sure.”
“Alright, let’s go.”
My thumb taps the steering wheel as I drive.
I don’t know how much more I can take today.
It’s now twice in my life someone has tried to kill me and twice I’ve survived.
Now Rayna has run off, I can’t let her dad come home to the news that his daughter is missing.
She’s my responsibility and I can’t let him down.
“We’ll find her,” Warren assures me but I can’t speak a word.
Three streets from Slade and Kristen’s house, Rayna is walking along the sidewalk, kicking at the curb. I slam my hand down on the horn and she jumps out of her skin. Good.
I swing the car over and leave it idling by the curb as I jump out.
“Rayna Jackson! You are in so much trouble!”
Though I'm angry, I collect her in my arms and squeeze her tightly, tears streaming down my face.
“I’m sorry!” she cries.
Pulling back, I ask, “What were you thinking?”
“I needed to see Seb and Grandma Kris.”
“I know, sweetheart, but I told you to wait until your dad was home. You can’t take off like this. It's too dangerous!”
Taking her over to the car, she asks, “Now we’re nearly there, can you take me to grandma’s?”
“No, I told you to wait. We have to get home. You scared me silly,” I tell her as she climbs into the back seat. “You probably won’t believe the relief I'm feeling having found you given how angry I am, but I won’t forget the trouble you’re in.”
“Are you going to tell Dad?”
“I don’t have a choice.”
I close the door and round the car, sliding behind the wheel.
“Who are you?” she asks taking in Warren.
“Name’s Warren, kid.”
“Where did you come from?”
“Dog City.”
“My uncle lives in Dog City.”
“I know, he’s my president.”
She stops with the questions, and I glance in the rear-view mirror to find her staring out of the window.
“He’s not going to be happy that I got past you and your brothers. He's probably gonna kick your ass.”
“Rayna!” I gasp. “This isn’t like you! Apologise, now!”
Warren chuckles to himself. “It’s fine, Holly. She ain’t wrong. He's not gonna be happy when he hears about this.”
I frown, but then it clears. He was meant to be watching out for us, and she succeeded in sneaking out of the club. If a child got past him, how would we fare with the enemy.
I remind myself that Leo handles the club and I handle the family side.
“When we get home, you’re grounded, and I’ll be taking your phone.”
“For how long?”
“I’ll decide that after I talk with your dad.”
“That’s not fair!” she argues.
“Running off wasn’t fair to me. We don’t always get what we want, do we?”
“I can’t wait till my dad is home!” she huffs.
Nor can I.