CHAPTER TWENTY TWO | Onyx
CHAPTER TWENTY TWO
Onyx
Four months after the betrayal
I PACE OUTSIDE OF THE address Candace gave me. This is stupid, I’m fucking stupid. I’ve never in my life sunk this fucking low. I look down at my belly, remembering why I’m doing this. This is for them, my beautiful twins.
My mind flips back to when Candace showed up in my apartment almost a full month ago.
“Kenan tried to kill himself.” Candace says point blank and I can see that she’s fighting off her tears as she clears her throat.
“I’m sorry, what?” I say, stifling a laugh. Not because I think it’s funny, but because what the fuck am I supposed to do about it? “What do you want me to do about it?” I ask, sitting up in my seat. “He ruined everything, not me.”
“What do you truly know about the family and our business?” Candace asks.
“Well, I know you told Kenan to kill me so he could marry some biker bitch.” I roll my eyes, crossing my arms as I lean back in the chair.
“Yes, I did.” She shrugs. “This life isn’t easy, myself and my guys fought our way to the top, taking on Felton when we were very young. I’ve been in my position making moves and keeping my family safe ever since.”
“I’m aware.” I reveal. “I know about Felton’s other son, the one you killed when you were eighteen. I know that Garrett wanted revenge but somehow ended up one of your husbands. I know that you and Aaron went on some sort of murdery rampage and I know what you’ve done to Cordelia’s family. I also know that everything you’ve done, except killing people, has been to better the city you live in. Even if most of it is illegal.”
“Then you know I can’t have spoiled heirs to take over my crown when I’m gone. I need men and women who will carry on what I’ve built.”
“Get to the point, Candace.”
She lets out a sigh and rubs her temples. “The point is Onyx, I test my children, especially when they bring new partners into their lives. Sometimes I push them in the direction of who I think would be a good fit for them. Someone to help ground the insanity that is my children. I didn’t raise them in some cookie cutter life. They can dismember a body and leave no traces, they all know how to deal with different aspects of the business and I test them frequently.”
“Again, the point?” I’m starting to get irritated that she’s sitting on my couch after we faked my death.
“Kenan was being tested. I wanted to see what kind of man he was after I pushed him to take you.”
“So the kidnapping was your idea?” I scoff, rubbing my belly, “Thanks for that.” The nerve of this woman.
“Not exactly. I have a deal that I need with the Colorado Vipers, and I pushed Kenan into this marriage, I told him to kill you. I wanted to see if he’d protect what he wanted or let me rule his life.”
“Well, you won.” I say.
“Did I? My son tried to kill himself three different times, after he faked your death. I need him to see the error of his ways.”
“What does that have to do with me?” I ask, pushing up out of the chair, which takes me an absurd amount of time to get up and several stupid grunts.
“Well, I also test the people my children bring home. So it’s your turn sweetheart. Are you going to let a man tell you what you can and can’t do with you and your children's life? Or, are you going to go take him back?”
Take him back? That’s what she said, she doesn’t want this wedding to happen, but she needs the deal to go through. So we set it up perfectly, and I won’t leave without my men, the ones who I’ve done nothing but cry over for the last month as my children grow inside of me.
“If anyone objects.” I hear the preacher man say and that’s my cue. I push the doors open and hold the gun out, pointing it straight at the stupid fucking bride in her puffy ass white dress.
Each step I take, I watch as Kenan and Beck stare at me with shock plastered all over their faces. “I object.” I shout, holding up the sonogram photo I have. “I’d rather this fucking biker bitch keep her hands off the father of my children.” When I get to the altar, I push the nozzle of the gun to her head.
“Put that down.” A man shouts, but Candace promised me no guns would be in the church, she said that it would be a rule for the wedding. I don’t bother to look over at him as I see Candace and her men line up behind me, blocking the crowd and us. The bride, the groom, his best man, and myself. The preacher man takes off running like a scared little chicken.
“Children?” Beckett repeats.
“Esme, let go of my man.” I say, looking down at her hands, grabbing his jacket in fear.
She drops her hands. “I need a volunteer as tribute to marry this stupid fucking whore, right now.” I shout, cocking the gun. “Or I’ll plaster her fucking brains all over Jesus and his stupid fucking cross.” Esme shakes in her dress, squeezing her eyes shut.
“I will!” Someone shouts, and I turn my head to see a man in a leather vest, the Joker’s logo like Candace said.
“Someone hunt down the preacher man. We have a wedding to finish!” I shout.
“This is not what I agreed to!” A large man bellows, the same voice that told me to put down the gun.
“Shut up. No one cares what you think, you wanted your daughter to marry someone powerful right?” I ask, but I don’t give him time to answer. “Say hello to the current President of the Jokers.” I say as he approaches us, Candace stepping to the side to let him through. “Kenan, step the fuck away from her, now.” I growl, waving the gun for him to move.
Someone drags the preacher back to the altar, shouting about how he won’t do this. So I point the gun at him, “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today.” I say, starting the ceremony and the preacher finishes it up, asking the man for his name as they do the vows part. “Let’s hurry this along shall we?” I say.
“I now pronounce you man and wife.” The preacher says.
“Yadda yadda, you may kiss the bride.” I say, nodding for him to do it. The one thing no one expects is the two currently kissing, Candace and myself know is that they’ve been in love for years, sneaking away when they could. Candace has been trying to get the Vipers to patch over to The Jokers for two years, but didn’t have a way to get it to happen. But this union should help force that.
Candace is literally the most brillant person I’ve ever fucking met in my life. She knows fucking everything, and I don’t know how she keeps so many different secrets straight without revealing the path around her.
“What the hell is happening?” Beckett whispers, stepping closer to me. I hold a finger up, not wanting him to interrupt the bride and groom.
When they stop kissing, finally. “Congrats. Enjoy your life.” I wink to them, smiling as I drop the gun to my side. I walk away from the altar, putting the gun into Candace’s hand as I walk back down the aisle and out through the doors I barged through several minutes ago.
I’ve done what I came here for, now it’s their turn. I hear shouting as I leave the venue, both Kenan and Beckett chasing after me. Looking over at them from over the top of the car Candace left me, I smile and wink, dropping into the car and taking off down the road.
Two hours later, Kenan and Beck walk into Kenan’s room, mumbling about how they have to find me. I’m exhausted, tired of being pregnant, and I need to speak with them. But, when they stop and look at me, my heart breaks just a little as I spot Kenan’s black cast on his wrist.
“I see you two are talking.” I arch a brow, Candace said they hadn’t spoken in months, but Beck showed up at his hospital bedside.
“Where the fuck have you been?” Beckett asks, falling to his knees in front of me.
“What the fuck is that?” Kenan asks, pointing to my belly.
“Damn, I guess that bridge made you forget all the terrible fucking things you did to me.”
Kenan’s head drops in shame and I’m not sure if it’s from him trying to kill himself or if it’s for what he did to me. I know I should hate him, both of them. But the further along I’ve gotten in this pregnancy, the less angry I've become. At least for what he did. I wouldn’t have my two beautiful babies if it wasn’t for them, and I love my little ones so much already.
All is not forgiven, but I can learn to love the father’s of my children. Right? I could be a bigger person instead of hiding away from them and have them in my life, or at the least in my children’s lives.
Kenan stands there with a dumbfounded look on his face while Beckett has tears falling down his cheeks. His large eyes staring up at me like he’s trying to decide if I’m actually sitting here.
“Hello puppy.” I say to him, holding a hand out for him to take. He looks at my hand like he’s in a dream. There’s a feeling that washes over me as he puts my hand to his cheek, one that I’ve missed. Belonging. That’s what he makes me feel, like I belong here.
“Hi.” He says, looking up at me with his tear soaked eyes, “I never thought I’d see you again.” He bows his head, pressing his lips to my belly, “Especially like this.”
My heart flutters as he rests his head against me and when I look up to see Kenan, he’s leaning back against the wall, staring at the floor.
“Little wolf.” I whisper his name, feeling the anguish that is rolling through and off of him. I pat the bed, inviting him over as I sit here, because let’s be honest, I cannot just pop up with this belly and make him listen, so I need him to come to me.
“I can’t.” His voice is so low, I almost miss his words.
“You can’t?” I huff out an exaggerating breath, the nerve of this asshole. “After everything we’ve been through, both apart and together, the lies, the heartbreak. Where's all that alphahole energy?” I ask, popping a brow at him while I pet Beckett's head, smoothing his hair and soothing his heart.
Kenan rocks on his feet, moving away from the wall. “I'm sorry I fucked everything up.” His eyes flicker between me and Beck, “Why did you come back?”
It's a valid question, but not something I want to discuss right now. “We’ll talk about it later, can you just come sit with me. I'd like to tell you about our babies.” I say, patting the bed again.
Dragging his feet, he makes his way to the bed as I pull out the photos of our babies, holding them out for both of them to see as he sits down.
“Baby one is a girl.” I point to the one that is to the right, then move my finger to the other one, “Baby two is a boy.” A smile curls my lips as I look at them, feeling Beckett as he runs a hand over my belly. “I'm around twenty-five weeks and they love moving, especially at night when I'm trying to sleep. Their favorite pastime is kicking into my bladder and ribs, and I crave cottage cheese with diced pickles, ham and Lawry's seasoning sprinkled on top. I also eat a lot of sour candies.” I chuckle.
There's an awkward silence when I stop talking that makes the room shrink around us and I feel nervous as fuck at what happens next.
“I loved that you showed up with a gun, it was hot as hell.” Beck looks up at me, letting out a sigh.
“I'm still stuck on that horrific cottage cheese concoction.” Kenan replies with a shiver. “That sounds horrible.”
The three of us laugh together, that tranquility that’s been missing for too long settles in my chest as we just sit here. My sweet boys.