Chapter Sixteen
YOU brOKE ME FIRST
Two Hours Ago
Biting my nails, I listen closely when I hear a Harley coming up the lane.
My anxiety ratchets up another notch when I realize that it’s not Sparrow.
Breathing deeply, I wonder where the hell he is.
He said he’d only be gone for an hour, and it’s been almost two.
It isn’t like him not to check in if he’s going to be held up longer than he expected.
He’s been going above and beyond to make sure that I have as little stress as possible.
“I’m sure he’s fine, sweetie. Don’t drive yourself crazy,” G insists, squeezing my hand.
“I got a bad feeling. I don’t know how to explain it, but something feels very wrong.” I’m pretty sure she feels it too. Especially since Knox took off without a word twenty minutes ago, even though he promised Sparrow that he wouldn’t leave.
G and I climb off the couch and go out onto the porch when it becomes clear the bike is headed this way. My hands start to shake as I watch Viper climb off his bike. G rubs my back in soothing circles, trying to offer her support, but nothing can shake this feeling.
“What’s wrong?” I can’t explain it, but I know something’s not right.
“Have you heard from Sparrow?”
“No, and I’m starting to get worried,” I admit.
“Probably just got caught up at the scrapyard,” he says, looking unconvinced.
“Yeah. You’re probably right.” I say without conviction as sharp pain zings across my stomach. Ow! These Braxton Hicks are no fucking joke.
I take a deep breath, knowing I need to calm down. I’m sure everything is going to be okay. Sparrow wouldn’t want me to get upset and risk something happening to our babies, anyway.
“If you hear from him, tell him I’m looking for him, yeah?” Viper says, looking from G to me.
“Okay,” we both offer before he climbs on his bike and leaves.
“I’m going to go lay down. I’m not feeling so hot,” I mention, rubbing the foot in my rib.
“I’ll take the kids over to the clubhouse and let them play on the playset. You go lay down and rest, sweetie.”
“Thank you, G.”
As I’m climbing into bed, I smile when I hear Nash’s overly excited voice ask if they can call Mila to come too. I am so thankful for this family we’ve become a part of. I don’t know what I would do without them.
Just as I close my eyes, my phone starts to vibrate on the nightstand. Annoyed at having to move since I just got comfortable, I answer without looking at the screen.
“Hello?”
“There’s someone at the gate to see you.” Pulling the phone away from my ear, I look at the caller ID but don’t recognize the number.
Switching to speakerphone, I ask, “Who is this?”
“It’s Candy. Hurry up,” she snaps and then hangs up. The woman has avoided me like the plague, and now, she wants to shout orders at me. Figures.
Rolling out of bed, I put my shoes on and slowly make my way outside. Halfway to the front of the compound, I’m huffing and puffing and realize I left my phone at the house. I laugh when it hits me that I should have called Tigger to drive me up here.
I breathe a sigh of relief when I finally round the corner and can see the guard shack. When I see Candy leaning against the fence out of view, I wonder what the hell she’s doing. I don’t know her all that well, but Sin says that ever since I showed up, she’s been acting a little crazy.
When she finally sees me, she narrows her eyes and takes another drag off her cigarette. “About time,” she hisses, flicking the remainder of her smoke into the sand.
“About time nothing. I’m almost thirty weeks pregnant with twins. I don’t know what you expect from me,” I growl.
She rolls her eyes and points through the open gate.
“Some woman in that gold car says she’s related to you.
Kidd went to go get your sister,” she claims, looking anywhere other than at me.
I am going to have to talk to Viper about her.
I think she’s on something, and I know how he feels about that.
“Did she say who she was?” I inquire, looking behind me to see if Kierra is close.
“No, but you better hurry before she leaves.”
“Okay. Thanks.” Using this as an excuse to get away from her, I waddle through the gate and slowly approach the car.
I stop in my tracks when the driver’s door is thrown open, and out steps a man with a gun.
“What do you want?” I croak as I place my hands protectively over my stomach, scared to make a wrong move.
“Get in the car.” I nod, praying me and my babies will make it out of this.
How could I be so damn stupid? I should have known that bitch was setting me up.
With one foot in the car, he grips my hair and pistol-whips me.
My last thought before everything fades to black is, I hope that someone is watching the cameras.
For long moments, I lay still with my eyes closed and listen. I pay attention to anything that might give me an inkling of an idea in where the heck I am. I remember Candy calling, and the long trek to the gate. I remember the gun and being hit on the head, then nothing.
Focus Sierra!
The first thing that hits me is the smell of the ocean, so I must be somewhere near the beach, but the musty smell is throwing me off.
There’s a low hum coming from somewhere in the distance, but I can’t place where I’ve heard it before.
Zeroing in on my immediate surroundings, I find a tiny speck of relief that I’m alone.
Finally prying my eyes open, I cry out, “No! Please, God, no!” This must be a nightmare. It can’t be real. I can’t be back here.
I frantically try to sit up, but everything starts to spin. I feel dizzy, like I’m going to be sick, but I desperately push it aside.
I hold my breath as I take inventory of my body. Thank the Gods that everything feels normal below. I feel groggy and stiff, with a tightness in my chest. I feel like I’ve been drugged, and instantly, I start to cry. No, please. I’ve been clean for 569 days, and I can’t do it again.
Somewhere nearby, I hear a door slam and know my time is running out. Trying again to move my body, I have a moment of hope when I manage to make it to my feet.
“Shit!” I hiss when my head throbs. I notice the smell of copper as I struggle to hold down the contents of my stomach. I gently feel for the open wound I know is there and flinch when I find it. “Someone hit me,” I whisper, pulling my hand away. My stomach roils when I see all the blood.
“Think, Sierra. How did you get out of here last time?” I look around the maintenance room for something I can use as a weapon, but there’s nothing here.
This room isn’t much bigger than a closet, and like before, it’s making me claustrophobic.
I start to hyperventilate, looking at the dirty sink, toilet, and flimsy mattress on the floor.
I … Placing my hand on my belly, I know I can’t do this again and start to cry when I hear someone coming.
Screaming, I scramble back into the corner as the door is viciously kicked in. My knees give out when Braxton surges into the room and yanks me into his arms.
“Birdie,” he breathes as his own body shakes with emotion.
“You found me,” I sob, clinging to him as he squeezes me tighter.
“I will always find you, baby.” The vow is whisper-soft in my hair. I hold onto the love of my life, refusing to let go.
The door is hanging open by a single hinge, and the hum of the machines is increasingly getting louder because of it.
Clink. Clank. Clink. The familiar sound of keys rattling filters through the room.
Teeth chattering, I violently start to shake before uncontrollably wetting myself.
I’m not sure how I hear it, maybe because it’s haunted my dreams for years.
“We have to go,” I whisper just as the monster of my story comes charging through the doorway.
In a single move, Braxton spins his body and positions us as far away from danger as the room will allow before viciously attacking.
“I’m going to fucking kill you,” Braxton snarls as they crash together.
I’ve never seen my ol’ man move with such aggression, his sole purpose to kill the threat that means to harm his children and me.
As if with superhuman strength, Braxton lifts the man who’s tormented me for years and tosses him against the wall before straddling his chest and striking him over and over.
“Shit!” I jerk my head to the door just as a cavalry of Saints descend the rickety steps.
“Sparrow. Brother, he’s had enough,” Wrath says.
“I’ll kill him. I’ll kill him,” Braxton repeats hoarsely, the body beneath him is unrecognizable.
“Brax,” I sob his name. He stops instantly and looks at me in confusion. I know he’s wondering why I’m asking him to stop, but I need him to get me out of here.
“Sparrow. Get Sierra out of here. She’s hurt.” Lifting his head, Braxton looks around as if just realizing where we’re at and who has arrived. When his eyes connect with mine, they widen in fear.
“Birdie!” he hollers, jumping to his feet and lifting me into his arms.
“No! Put me down. My clothes,” I tell him, embarrassed that my bottom is soaked.
“I don’t care about that, baby. I need to get you out of here. Wrath, tie him up and take him to the shed.” Without another word to anyone, he pushes through his brothers and carries me out of my living hell.
Two days. It’s been two days since Braxton rescued me from the place that used to scare me more than anything.
It’s also been two days since I’ve seen him.
I don’t know what happened between us getting to the clinic and the stitches Doc put in the back of my head, but something changed, and the man who swore never to leave me again became cold and distant. And he left me.
“Is he in there?” I ask Knox, approaching the clubhouse doors.
“You don’t want to go in there, darlin’. Let me take you to your sister’s house.” He darts in front of me, trying to block me from going inside.
“Move, Knox.”
“Sierra—” I know it’s a crappy move, but he isn’t giving me any other choice. Leaning forward, I grab his shoulders, drive my knee into his nuts, and shove him to the side.
“I’m sorry!” I yell before dashing inside and locking eyes with Sparrow. The man with the mostly empty bottle of whiskey staring back at me isn’t my Braxton. No, this man doesn’t care what he stands to lose.
With narrowed eyes, he licks his lips and tips the bottle up. He watches my every move as I slowly but cautiously approach him.
Placing my hands on the table in front of him, I lean in and growl, “Is this what you’ve been doing while I’ve been going through hell?”
“Go home,” he slurs drunkenly.
“I will not go home! You promised me, Braxton! You promised you wouldn’t leave me again!” I shout, uncaring that everyone is watching us. A flash of red hair grabs my attention as Candy tries to slink to the kitchen.
“You fucking bitch. Did you think you were going to get away with what you did? You set me up!” I shout as Legend rounds the bar and grabs her arm.
“Take her to the shed,” Knox demands as he throws his arm over my shoulders like I didn’t just try to take out his family jewels.
“Get the fuck off of her.” Gearing up for a fight, Braxton climbs to his feet and takes a swing at Knox. I cry out when Knox blocks the blow, effectively putting the father of my children on his ass.
“You don’t mean this. I know you don’t. You love me. Please, Braxton.” Everyone is looking at me with pity as the tears run down my cheeks unchecked, but I don’t care.
“Don’t you get it, Sierra? It’s better this way. Now get gone!”
“Calm down, brother. You’re drunk, and you’re going to say some shit you’re going to regret.” Knox motions that it’s time for me to leave, and I can see now that he is right. This isn’t getting us anywhere, and Braxton is too intoxicated to see reason.
“He just needs to sober up some, Sierra. He’s hurting,” Knox tries to assure me as he ushers me toward the door.
“I am, too,” I admit. Glancing over my shoulder, my heart sinks when I see the love of my life climbing the stairs with his arm around a blonde I’ve never seen before.
“Fuck.”
“It’s over now.” I steel my spine when my legs threaten to buckle. I’ve been through hell and back; I will survive this too.
With that, I harden my heart and head for the door, wondering if Kierra will let me and Nash stay with them until I can figure something else out.