Chapter 15 #2
The noise in the common room must draw out Prez and Sniper as both men come rushing out, only to freeze in the doorway.
Dex smirks, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning on the wall but Sniper walks calmly, steadily until he reaches Nell and Greer.
He nods once at Nell before scooping Greer up into his arms, her little girl giggles filling the room with a level of lightness that this place needs after last night’s church.
Sniper joins in the chasing game and I see the ghost of a smile on his face as we team up against the other brothers.
Damian pretends to die in the most dramatic way ever.
Justice carries Joe out of his room to enjoy the chaos and the Matrix twins stand in the doorway looking confused.
This is what the Keep needed.
Loyal
I’m used to the Landry brothers horsing around.
They did it all the time growing up, and I’ve seen Vex on more than one occasion kicking his brother’s butts for irritating him, as younger brothers often do.
However, what I see when I first walk into the common room has me pausing.
The look on Vex’s face to begin with is anger, so much so that it shocks me.
I’m not dumb enough to think the man is cool and calm all the time, but I’ve only seen him this angry a few times in my life, and each of those times has been because of me.
I was about to lead the girls and Nell back to Nell’s cottage but the twins’ voices seemed to shake Vex out of his head and now I’m watching grown men chasing each other around, the kids in their arms laughing up a storm.
At some point Justice joins in and he currently has Bree on his back, yelling orders at him from her little throne as Addy squeals, safe and sound in Vex’s arms. Greer has her head tipped back, giggling so hard that I’m afraid she might throw up, but just when things are looking dicey Sniper slows a little, cupping the back of her head in his large scarred hand and bringing her into his chest, taking deep breaths with her until she calms and is ready for more.
“Oh my gosh,” Nell whispers, her hands over her mouth, large brown eyes filled with tears. “I never, I just-”
“Come here,” I murmur, taking her hand and leading her to one of the couches, away from the chaos but still where she can see her little girl.
She sits heavily on the couch and before I can open my mouth Flack, the older biker with the gentle eyes and gruff voice throws his arm over Nell’s shoulder.
“Come here, girl,” he says, giving her a side hug. “Did I ever tell you girls that I have daughters of my own?”
Both Nell and I shake our heads. Since the DRMC bikers turned up with the Landrys I have gotten to know some of them, but not all.
Whilst I’m friendly enough to say hi, we haven’t all lived together long enough to form the same family vibes that the Original crew seem to have, but I look forward to the day when we do.
“I have two girls, probably similar in age to you both. Both their mothers were club girls. Uh, we don’t have them here, but think of them as women who like to hang around the MC men in the hopes to be made Ol Ladies,” he says.
I know there is probably more to it but I’m not about to ask.
“With Sunny I got lucky, her mother left her on my doorstep when she was three days old. Just up and left. I was young and had no idea what it took to look after a baby, but I managed pretty well and my Sunny girl lives in Roxburgh running her diner and doing her thing.”
“You said you had two daughters,” Nell says with a sniffle.
“You’re a smart one,” Flack teases, his white teeth peeking through his salt and pepper beard.
“Remy is where I went wrong. Her mother was a bitch of the highest order - sorry girls-” he says and hits us with an apologetic look before sighing.
“I thought I was doing the right thing, sharing custody of Remy with her. But there was this little niggly voice in my noggin that I couldn’t ignore, that I wasn’t doing right by my girl.
All to find out that she was having men over and my little girl was having to hide in her little teepee from the men.
She was terrified and I was pissed. I got her away from her mother when she was around Greer’s age but those first few years I felt like the shittiest parent on the face of the earth.
What parent lets their child live like that?
” He turns Nell in his arms so he can look her in the eye.
“The thing is, you made the decision to save you both and you did it. Lots of people don’t.
Greer won’t grow up thinking you failed her; she’ll grow up knowing that her momma had to make a tough decision and she chose her. ”
“Do you think so?” Nell sniffs, her gaze moving to Greer in Sniper’s arms and then back to Flack.
“I know so. Never once has my Remy blamed me for what happened to her in her early life. Instead she looks at me like her hero. I know I don’t deserve it for what she went through, but that just pushed me to do right by her until she fell in love with a man who loves her the way she deserves.”
“Wait, she’s one of Chewy’s computer people, isn’t she? The little blonde?” I ask, only now just remembering which one Remy is.
“That’s her.” He smiles proudly. “As her dad it was my job to take care of her heart until her best friend came along to steal her away from me. I’m still not over that, but if you’ll allow me I’d love to look out for your girls.
Might be because I’m missing my granddaughter, or it could be that you both have girls that need a grumpy old biker in their lives.
” He gives me a wink and I lean in on his other side to give him a hug.
“I’d like that,” I whisper at the same time Nell tearily says something similar.
“Good. Now let’s dry all these tears and see who’s gonna wrestle Damian’s huge ass.”
I can’t help the snort that flies out of me at Flack’s words and I stand with him and Nell, my eyes landing on all the kids, including River all piled on top of Damian. He’s a good sport, acting as if he’s dying there on the floor. Again.
A loud whistle rends the air and all eyes turn to Prez. “Sorry to ruin your fun kids, but we have Church. The Matrix twins have found something.”
I’m not sure what the Matrix is, but all eyes turn to the newcomers who stand in the mouth of the hall in their professional attire.
Vex said they work for Chewy but I have no idea what that little woman would need with two accountant looking men.
Although I guess that doesn’t really matter, as long as they can help figure out not only what is going on with the twins’ dad, but also with whoever killed that man and sprayed Eden’s Keep on his wall.