Chapter 11
JOSEPH
Amewling noise drags me from my slumber.
The bed shifts next to me, and I smile as memories of last night fill my head.
The taste of Trish’s sweet pussy, the way she came, dancing on my tongue, and the release I gave her that she so desperately needed.
And how we fell asleep, her warm body molded against mine like it was always meant to be there.
Rose’s cries drag me from the memory, and I flick on the bedside light.
“Sorry,” Trish whispers, “I’ll take her out to the living room and change her.”
She cradles Rose to her chest, but the baby doesn’t stop crying.
“Don’t apologize.” I swing my legs over the side of the bed and catch her arm before she can scurry out.
“Change her here.”
She kisses the top of Rose’s head and rubs her back, trying to calm her. I smile. I’ll never get sick of the sight of the two of them in my cabin, even at five o’clock in the morning.
“Don’t ever apologize,” I say. “This is where you and Rose belong now, Trish. Don’t apologize for the needs of your daughter.”
She gives me a grateful look as she grabs the changing mat, and a flare of anger goes off inside me. That asshole ex of hers probably hated the baby crying. From what Trish has told me, he blamed her for Rose’s crying instead of helping out with the baby like a parent should.
“I’ve got traps to check anyways.”
Getting out in the woods will help with the rage I feel toward that scumbag. I’ve been neglecting my traps and haven’t been hunting for the last few days. I need to get out to see if there are any animals I need to process.
Rose’s cries have turned to giggles as she makes a grab for Trish’s hair. Trish distracts her as she changes the diaper, shaking her head so her hair tickles Rose’s face.
“She’s wide awake now.” Trish sighs. “I guess that’s all the sleep I’m getting tonight.”
But she’s got a smile on her face, and who can blame her? Her daughter’s giggles are infectious.
“You two climb back into bed. I’ll fix you a bottle and a coffee.”
“You don’t need to do that, Joseph.”
Trish efficiently puts the changing mat away all with one hand cradling her daughter. She doesn’t get it yet. She doesn’t get that I’ll do anything for her and the baby.
I slide my arm around her waist and pull them both toward me.
Rose looks up at me in surprise. Her little hand reaches out and grabs my beard. When she tugs on it, her eyes open wide in shock at the way it feels. Then she giggles and yanks on it again.
“You got some strength in you.” I chuckle at the little girl. “You’ll make a good hunter one day.”
I’ve learned a few things about babies over the last few days, and it doesn’t take me long to mix the formula and get the bottle heating. While the milk’s warming, I put the coffee on.
It won't be light for another hour or so, but I love getting up in the predawn and getting out into the forest. Having a baby around the house suits me better than I ever thought it would. I’m used to early mornings.
When I go back to the bedroom, Trish is sitting up in bed singing nursery rhymes to Rose. I put the coffee down on the bedside table and hand her the bottle. Rose reaches for it greedily.
Before heading out, I stop at the bedroom door and spend a long moment watching them, Rose sucking hungrily while Trish sings softly to her daughter. My heart warms, and my chest expands. They’re everything I never knew I needed in my life. And I hope to hell I can make them mine.
Frost crunches under my boots as I head into the forest. The well-worn paths crisscross in the undergrowth and today I take the east track, planning to circle around to check each of my traps.
When I came to Wild Heart Mountain, I bought this piece of land covered in forest. I know it intimately and I’ve come to love it, the wildlife, the trees, the weather patterns.
I’m already thinking about how I’ll share it with Trish and Rose. The family walks I’ll take them on. I’ll teach Trish how to hunt and how to trap, how to live off the land.
My thoughts are flooded with the future as I come to the first trap.
There’s a bunny in it, a big one that’ll give us meat for the winter. I usually sell the pelts in town, but I’ll make something for Rose out of this one, a blanket and some mittens to keep her warm for the winter that’s coming.
Rabbit hide will make a good underlay for the crib, which I’ll have to build. There are a couple of pines near the cabin where the wood will be perfect.
The cabin will need extending, but that can wait till the spring. I don’t mind having Rose sleep with us for a few months.
We’ll need a room for Rose and maybe more rooms for mine and Trish’s kids.
The thought has me smiling. A few days ago, I would have run at the sight of a baby. But since meeting Trish, there’s nothing I want more than to see my home filled with children. Our children. And I already count Rose among my own. I feel as responsible for her as I do for her mother.
With more mouths to feed and a bigger family, I’ll have to hunt more. I’ll extend the veggie garden, and we’ll get a couple of chickens for fresh eggs. It’ll be an adjustment, but my heart warms at the thought of Trish, belly round with a baby inside her, tending to the veggie patch.
It’s a few hours later, and I’m on my way back with four bunnies strung over one shoulder and my hunting rifle over the other. There was no sign of deer today, but there’s always tomorrow.
I’m whistling as I walk, thinking about insulating the cabin. With winter coming and a baby to take care of, I’ll need to make some improvements.
I’m smiling to myself thinking about this new future as I come out of the thicket of trees near my cabin. I stop in my tracks.
There’s a flicker of white through the trees, a car that I don’t recognize. I drop to my knees and shrug the rabbits onto the ground.
My heart’s racing, but my military training kicks in. Silently, I ease the rifle off my shoulder and move forward across the forest.
The car is a beat up Honda and not one that I recognize. I’ll bet you anything that’s her asshole ex.
I whip my phone out and make a quick call to Prez, thankful that I installed a satellite dish on the cabin.
I explain the situation to the Prez and tell him I’m going in. The MC will be here as soon as they can, but I don’t know what’s happening inside the cabin and I need to get to Trish and Rose.
Dumping everything but the hunting rifle, I creep closer to the cabin.
From what Trish has told me about Ian, he’s the kind of guy who would bully a woman but shit his pants if he came up against anyone his own size. Well, he’s going to get the scare of his life. I want him to see who Trish has in her corner now, that there’s an entire MC protecting her.
But I have to be cautious. He’s a man with a wounded ego. His girlfriend and baby left him. That must hurt, and there’s no telling what he might do.
The front door is open a crack, and I push it all the way open with the barrel of my gun.
Voices are coming from the bedroom mixed with the sound of Rose’s cries.
My heart hammers against my chest and I want to rush in there, but I’ve got surprise on my side.
And as I learned in the military, surprise can go a long way in deciding an outcome.
I’m a big guy, but I can be stealthy when I need to. I creep through the cabin until I’m at the door of the bedroom. Keeping low to the ground, I edge the door open until I get a full picture of the situation.
A tall man with greasy hair holds Rose in front of him as the baby screams and writhes in his arms. Her face is puckered, and her arms reach out for her momma.
“Just hand me Rose, please.” Trish’s eyes are wide and terrified, and I hate the desperation in her voice.
Her eyes are only on Rose, and she doesn’t see me at first.
“Make her fucking stop, Trish. Tell her to stop fucking crying.”
Ian jiggles the baby harder, making Rose scream.
“Give her to me and I’ll make her stop, I promise.” Trish reaches for Rose, but Ian holds her out of Trish’s grasp.
My instinct is to shoot the fucker for what he’s done, but he’s holding Rose and she can’t get hurt. I lower my gun and rise to my feet; I’ll do this the old fashioned way.
This guy must be deaf as well as stupid, because he doesn’t hear me sneak up behind him. Trish’s eyes glance at me and I hold my finger out for her to be quiet, to not let him know I’m here.
I give her a nod, and we move at the same time. I barrel into Ian as Trish lunges forward and snatches Rose out of his hands.
Ian spins around just in time for my fist to connect with his face. He screams, which makes Rose scream louder.
“Get her out of here.”
Trish cradles Rose to her chest and scoots past us out of the bedroom. As I lay into Ian, my vision goes red as all the rage simmering inside me comes out in my fists. I pummel the man who hurt the woman I love, and when he slumps to the floor, I kick him.
“You motherfucker.”
Kick
“You think it’s fun to hurt a woman.”
Kick
“You’re scum.”
Kick
All the rage I’ve pent up since I saw Trish’s bruise comes out of me.
I’ve seen humans hurt each other. I’ve seen humans shoot each other and beat each other to death.
In the military I learned how to fight and I learned how to kill.
And that’s where I go now. My years of training and the unofficial training I had from what I witnessed goes into each kick.
“Stop!”
Trish’s voice cuts through my rage.
My foot pauses mid kick. Ian’s in the fetal position on the floor, his arms covering his head as blood spurts from his nose. My boot is covered in his sticky blood, and there’s an acrid smell from where he’s pissed his pants.
I hate this man for what he did to Trish and Rose, but if I let my anger go and kill him, then I’m no better than him. I’m no better than the dehumanized soldiers from both sides who I witnessed doing bad things to each other.
But there is good in this world. I’ve witnessed it in the last few days, seeing Trish’s devotion to her baby and the MC coming together to help.
Since I’ve lived on Wild Heart Mountain, I’ve only seen the good side of humanity.
And maybe that’s what humanity mostly is.
Maybe what I witnessed was the exception.
If I take Ian’s life, I’m no better than the dark side of humanity that I fear, but in the last few days I’ve seen the light. I’ve got something to live for now, an example to set for my family, for my daughter.
I stagger backward, breathing hard. Trish puts a hand on my shoulder and it’s reassuring, her light in my darkness.
From out front comes the roar of bikes.
“You’re not worth going to prison for.” I grab Ian by his T-shirt and haul him to his feet.
He pleads with me not to hurt him as I shove him towards the door.
“There’s nothing for you here, you understand? You lost your right to be with this woman and this baby.”
He’s blubbering, snot bubbling out of his nose mixed with blood. I almost feel sorry for him until he speaks.
“She took my money.”
I’m so angry I almost hit him again. He loses a woman like Trish and his own baby, and all he can think about is the money that Trish took off him.
I pull a few bills out of my pocket and shove them at him. I don’t want to give him any excuse to come back.
“Here’s your money, asshole.”
By this time we’ve reached the front door where Hops, Barrels, and Prez are getting off their bikes. The roar of engines coming up the path bring three more of my brothers.
Badge is absent, which is for the best. Plausible deniability if this loser is stupid enough to make a complaint.
If Ian was scared before, he’s terrified now.
We’re an impressive sight, my boys in leather patches with their big road bikes.
Trish comes onto the porch cradling Rose and the MC stand in front of her, forming a barrier.
Ian swivels his bleeding head between us with wide eyes, no doubt wondering what the fuck he’s walked into. His gaze finds Trish and he looks vulnerable, like the schoolboy she must have fallen for.
“Come back, Trish,” he says. “I miss you.”
The fucker seems genuine, which pisses me off. How typical that he doesn’t realize what he’s got until he it’s gone. I turn to Trish. There’s no way in hell I’ll let her go off with this scumbag, but he needs to hear it from her.
She steps forward, clutching Rose to her chest.
“It’s over, Ian. Whatever we had. It’s been over for a long time. I’m taking our daughter, and I never want to see you again.”
Ian’s face is a picture of agony. But I have no sympathy for this asshole. I shove him down the steps, and he staggers to his car.
I follow him, flanked by Barrels and Wood, until he gets into his shitty Honda. I’m proud to see Trish standing tall on the porch. Rose has stopped crying, and with my MC club flanking her, they look formidable.
Ian gets in his car and kicks up the gravel in a hurry to get out of here. Without being asked, Barrels and Wood get on their bikes and follow, giving him a personal escort off the mountain.
It’s not till he’s gone that my fists unclench.
I stride to my woman and put my hands on her shoulders, scanning her and Rose for any signs of harm.
“Are you okay?”
She’s trembling but she juts her chin out, and I love how strong she is, not wanting to give him the power and setting a good example for her daughter.
“We’re good. Thank you.”
“I mean it, Trish. I want you to stay here with me. I don’t want to be another man telling you what to do. But if you want it, there’s a place for you here. You and Rose. I love you, Trish. And I’ll protect you for the rest of my life.”
Her bottom lip wobbles, and now the tears come. She buries her face in my chest, and I put my arm around her and Rose.
Prez catches my eye as he slips his phone into his pocket.
“Badge has got a team following the car to make sure it gets out of town. His plate will be on a watch list if he ever tries to get close again.”
“He won’t be that stupid.”
I think about the kicking I gave him; how easy it would have been to keep going. But I didn’t. I stopped. When it came to it, I was one of the good guys.