25. Chapter 24
Trick
I gently run my fingers through my daughter's hair as she sleeps against my side, her head lying on my chest, while I caress my lips against my wife’s forehead lying on my other side. Even though my chest is aching like a bitch with their weight, I don’t react, needing to keep my girls close.
Clark has been asleep for four hours according to Cage, and she needs it, and not just because she had her first graveyard shift last night…
Cage mentioned she fell asleep ten minutes before I woke up in excruciating pain, while Willow came in an hour ago crying because she wanted her mama and me after she overheard Drew speaking on the phone to Cage about my condition.
My little girl is bright, and it didn’t take her long to figure out I was the one hurt.
“She did well, you know, brother, she was brave,” Crash chokes from where he’s sat beside me, and I hum, not taking my lips from my girl as I breathe her in.
Being shot, fuck, so much regret hit me even harder than the bullet, and all I saw was my wife and the life we should have had.
Regret fucking consumed me because I didn’t claim her when I felt drawn to her. Instead, I spent five years pushing her away, making her think I was seeing others after I realized I was in love with her and then I spent the last year pushing her further away to get my shit together.
Fuck, we should be on our third child right now, and the regret... I can’t breathe through the emotion, it feels like it’s choking me more than the bullet.
“She stayed calm the whole time until she finished the last stitch, that is when she collapsed,” Cage mutters, and I hum again.
I passed out as soon as my wife began digging into my chest, the pain too fucking much for me to stay conscious for, and I hate myself for it. She needed me.
Okay, I get it, I was shot and all that shit, but still, I feel like I failed her in that moment, just like I feel like I failed her by not claiming her.
“Both fuckers dead?” I confirm against my girl's soft skin, and Cage answers, “Yep, Blaze double checked, and Face-timed me,” then asks, “Why in the fuck did the fat fucker have their crest tattooed large on the side of his face?”
“Thank you,” I say as I look at him, “that is what I questioned, but Crash wouldn’t acknowledge it!”
“I was trying to stabilize you, brother,” Crash exasperates before saying, “It was fucking weird though, it went from his temple to his chin.”
“It has to have been a bet, there is no other reason why,” I say, “I mean I love this club, it is my life, but I wouldn’t tat the gold spider on the side of my face.”
“It makes it worse because their crest is a cannon dripping with blood, the guy looked like a fucking idiot,” Crash mutters, and I grin because yeah he did before I look back at my girls.
Willow's mouth is slightly open while her mama is burrowed into my neck, a frown marring her beautiful face, like she’s reliving what she had to do in her dreams, and despite the twinge in my chest, I tighten my hold on her.
“How are you feeling, brother?” Cage asks, and I look his way with a slight smile.
“Amazing,” I admit, because even though I was shot, I wouldn’t change having my girls in my arms. Cage grins in understanding, his eyes going to my girls, and I ask, “Did Psycho leave alright?” knowing he saw him off.
The fucker stayed for a good three hours before my dad finally convinced him we’ll be good after ensuring no cameras picked up anything. They knew I was too out of action to cover our tracks, while Blaze torched the fucker’s truck with them inside so nothing would come back to both clubs.
I’m just sorry the fucker didn’t survive so I could question his tattoo, I mean, come on it covered the whole side of his face, it had to have been a bet…
“Yeah, he mentioned he’ll call later to make sure you and Clark are alright,” Cage murmurs, “He was impressed by her strength.”
I am not surprised because my wife, when she puts her mind to it, can conquer a lot but when it comes to me and our daughter, she’ll fucking conquer the world.
“She punched Lavender as well, so that may have gained his respect first,” Cage mentions, and I look at him sharply.
“What the fuck?” I snap, and Clark moves slightly, making me tense and still until she settles again, Cage and Crash watch her with caution until she settles before Crash explains.
“Apparently, Lavender refused to let your wife help you. She even claimed Clark couldn’t set foot on the premise.
Which was fucking pathetic and laughable considering she knows Clark is a club princess by birthright and has more right than her to be here,” he says.
“When the bitch grabbed Clark, after Clark told her to fuck off and reminded her she’s only a whore, Clark snapped. ”
My jaw ticks, and I ask lowly, “And what did the brothers say or do?”
“Every brother has ignored her since, despite her attempts to get attention, they are all just waiting for you,” Cage explains, “Apparently, Clark mentioned Lavender drugging you, and the bitch didn’t deny it. If anything, she looked pissed because her plan failed.”
“Amen to small fucking mercies,” I mutter, and Cage snorts.
If his mom hadn’t told her to get her ass up and finish her job, Willow would have been hers and I can guarantee I wouldn’t have enjoyed the sex as much as I have come to realize I did with my girl.
“She needs to leave before I kill her,” I rumble, and Crash nods while Cage sighs, “You may have to kill her,” and Crash and I raise a brow at him, but he waves us off.
“As much as I hate killing women, she won’t stop. She sees you as hers, always has, despite you never showing interest. You never slept with her, but her vibes are crazy—like Drew’s sister kind of crazy. She may try anything, even harming your girls,” he says and I nod, knowing he’s right.
“Besides, if you don’t kill her, your mom will. Apparently, she also snapped at the bitch,” Crash mutters, and I frown.
My mother, who tried to kill me out of revenge, stuck up for my wife?
“I don’t know how to feel about that,” I admit.
“Your dad was happy, he seems to think this is a turning point for your relationship. You know, like she didn’t try to kill you or ensure you thought of yourself as a fucking rapist for six years,” Cage grunts, displeasure in his voice, and I scoff.
Spending so much time hating my mom, not being able to go near her, not being able to forget what she did, I don’t think there is any coming back from that. That is something Dad needs to understand.
He made his bed and chose her, even now knowing how she treated me, he’s still with her but that doesn’t mean I’ll be having a relationship with her.
He wasn’t the one who was drugged fucking twice.
“I don’t want a relationship with her, and I don’t want her around my kid, plain and fucking simple. Dad wants to be a grandfather, then fine, but as soon as he allows my daughter near his wife, he’ll be on the no-go list,” I state, meaning every word, and Crash and Cage nod in agreement.
“She can’t try and kill you out of petty revenge then claim bipolar just so her husband didn’t leave her.
She made you feel uncomfortable and unsafe for fucking years and expects you to allow her near your daughter,” Crash growls and I hum in agreement before I mention, “I need to speak to my dad,” before I sigh, “We also need to come up with some sort of fucking plan with Lavender. I want the bitch gone.”
“We could just kill her,” Crash mentions, and I snort.
“We can’t just kill her without a club vote, we need ammo,” Cage adds, and I slowly lick my bottom lip, trying to come up with something.
“We need someone to get her to confess before we can kill her. Not just because we need a club vote. I won’t let the club think I killed her for my wife and daughter. I need them to see she tried to drug me and nearly killed Clark.”
I feel movement on my left and I look down and meet my wife’s beautiful, dark green eyes and her love settles me.
Only my wife would still look at me with love after waking to hear us talking about casually killing someone.
"Hey, buttercup," I rasp as her hand reaches up to gently caress my jaw and tears brim in her eyes as she looks over me to ensure I’m okay making my heart race.
“I’ll do it, I’ll get the confession out of her,” she chokes, her voice full of sleep, and already I’m shaking my head, but Cage quickly interjects.
“It may be the best way, brother,” he says, and I glare his way.
“There is no way I’m going to allow my wife –”
Clark interrupts me and says, “Your wife spent an hour digging a bullet out of your chest, then stitching you back up again. I can handle Lavender.”
I shake my head as Willow lets out a soft snore.
“Buttercup,” I whisper, “I won’t be able to handle her touching you, I will fucking snap.”
“She drugged us,” she reminds me, “And even though our daughter is my everything, she was conceived in a way we both felt like we assaulted the other, and I nearly died, Miles. I need to do this, and honestly, I hope she comes at me because my nerves are still shot and I need an outlet,” she squeezes her eyes tight, then empathizes, “I had to dig a bullet from your chest.”
Fuck.
“Let her do this, brother, let her help get rid of the person who claimed she was pregnant with your child, trying to break you two apart.” Crash says lowly, and my jaw ticks.
“Tomorrow, we’ll do it tomorrow morning after Willow has gone to school,” I growl, and I feel Clark soften against me, and I know she does need this.
“Crash,” Clark murmurs, and her big brother looks at her with a softness only a brother who feels guilty can, she asks, “could you stay with Willow tonight then take her to school in the morning? Miles can’t leave the medical room and I-I can’t leave him…”
Cage clears his throat to stop his chuckle while I grin at my friend, who looks ready to cry his heart out.
“But I haven’t managed to get a hold of Belle…” He rasps, maybe thinking that's why she’s asking him, but she quickly says, “Willow would prefer an uncle and niece evening.”
Crash instantly nods, and Cage's chuckles release, and I look at my wife.
“I’m proud of you,” I whisper, and she hums.
“Please don’t ever scare me like that again,” she chokes, but instead of agreeing, I lean down and kiss her lips, knowing I cannot make that promise.
Being the VP is no easy job, and it can be dangerous, and I will always try to make sure I come home to my girls, but I won’t make empty promises.
The club is my life, just like her, and our daughter are.
I just hate that she’s agreeing to confront Lavender to get a confession.
Maybe I could just shoot the bitch?
Shit, if I did that, then I’d be in the doghouse…
Fuck.