Chapter 21
DAKOTA
I couldn’t help but grin as Malissa speed-crawled across the floor in the family room. Shawna had just removed her old diaper and was about to put a new one on, when my adorable niece rolled over and got the hell away from her.
“There she goes!” Mama clapped and laughed while Shawna tried to frown, but a grin broke through.
“Every time. I swear this girl is a mess.” Shawna laughed and stood to retrieve her child who was astonishingly fast on those little chubby knees. “She needs to start taking her little grown self to the pot.”
“I remember Dakota potty-trained herself,” Mama added.
“She followed me into the bathroom every time I went. When I tried to close the door on her little nosy self, she cried like somebody was whoopin’ her, so I just stopped.
Next thing I know, she was ripping that diaper off and heading into the bathroom on her own. ”
Shawna scooped Malissa up and walked her over to where I was sitting on the other side of the couch from Mama.
“Well, since you know so much about potty-training, you change her.” She plopped my bare-bottomed niece onto my lap, then turned to retrieve the new diaper from where she had it ready on the floor. Then, she tossed that over to me.
I nuzzled my niece’s neck and laughed when she chuckled. “Tell your mama she doesn’t have to be mad. Auntie will always take care of you.”
Her auntie also wasn’t taking any chances. I immediately laid her across my lap and got that diaper on her before she could make a mess.
“Well, I think we’ve done enough planning for today,” Mama said and stood. “It’s time for dinner. Y’all figure out where your husbands are, so we can sit down together. I’ll go find Charles. He’s probably somewhere asleep.”
“I was just about to call your son to see where they are.” Shawna sat in the chair across from us, one leg folded under her as she picked up her phone from the end table.
“I’ll text Fabian in a minute. Just gonna sit here and love on this pretty little girl some more.” Today was such a great day.
After waking up in Fabian’s arms, I’d cooked us breakfast and entertained his idea of keeping the personal chef he had on for at least a part-time status.
I could agree that we both had busy schedules, but I enjoyed cooking.
Loved the time it gave me to run things over in my mind while also being productive.
And because I’d finally agreed with him, I was really close to brushing off his second suggestion that I take the day off.
But then, as if she had been reading his mind, my mother called asking when we would have our first planning meeting.
I was well aware that Brenda could plan this whole wedding and reception by herself and it would be everything that she wanted it to be.
It wouldn’t, however, be what I wanted. So, I took the day off.
Shawna and Malissa coming over was a surprise to me, but I soon learned my mother had called her over too.
Hours later I realized how much I needed a day with women I admired and loved.
Mo had finally returned my numerous texts an hour ago, saying she was just waking from her hangover.
I figured that was the case, which was the only reason I hadn’t driven to her house to make sure she was still breathing.
Pop! Pop! Pop!
“What the hell was that?” Mama asked, from where she stood close to the entryway. She hadn’t made it out of the family room before the sound erupted.
Tor moved from the spot he’d occupied in the corner of the room, gun drawn. “Stay here!” He made his way to where Mama stood and touched a hand to her elbow, moving her back toward the room.
Pop!
Shawna and I both stood this time because the sound was louder. Stan was in the foyer right outside of the family room and I saw him rush past heading in the direction of the front door.
Glass shattered in the distance and Shawna hurriedly crossed the room to where her purse was hanging from the back of a chair. Scooping Malissa into my arms, I went to my purse to get my gun too.
“Give her to me!” Mama said, suddenly appearing right behind me when I turned.
I handed Malissa to her. “Get back there and stay down,” I told her, motioning for her to go to where a double-wide recliner was positioned catacorner on the other side of the room.
Shawna was already near the family room entrance, gun drawn. I followed, standing a few feet away from her. Neither of us spoke when more gunshots and things shattering ripped through the air.
“Stay back!” Daddy yelled, when he came from out of nowhere, his shotgun in hand.
My heart hammered in my chest as I wondered what the hell was happening.
But I didn’t speak, didn’t want to upset Mama anymore and I knew Shawna was wondering the same thing.
We both turned as something crashed through the window.
The person dressed in all black with a mask over their face climbed inside.
Shawna and I both fired instantly until the body fell to the floor.
Footsteps sounded behind us, and we turned in unison once more as if we’d been trained together.
“Whoa! Whoa! Don’t shoot! Don’t shoot!” Stan said.
“Stand down,” Daddy shouted.
They were coming back into the room, their guns still in hand. Daddy lowered his rifle, and came closer, holding one hand out signaling us not to shoot. I thought my heart was going to beat out of my chest. What the hell was happening?
Tor came in after Daddy and Stan, his gun pressed into the back of another man dressed in black. One of the security guards that were stationed outside also came in with a man dressed in black.
“Move back, both of you,” Daddy said as he came closer to me and Shawna. “Get over there with your mama.”
“No. Who are they? What is going on?” I had so many questions.
Tor punched the guy he had in the stomach and when he bowed in pain, Tor slammed the butt of his gun down over the back of the man’s head. He crumbled to the floor.
The other guy was smart enough to listen when the guard ordered him onto his knees.
“Dakota!” Daddy yelled but I ignored him and attempted to move around him until he grabbed my arm. “Get. Back.”
I didn’t want to obey him. I wanted to see who these men were and find out why they were here. But this was my father. The man who’d barely said ten words to me since I’d announced that I was married. With my gaze locked on his very serious one, I took a step back.
Shawna came over and grabbed my hand. “Come on.”
We moved to where Mama was shaking, holding a crying Malissa so tight against her chest it was a wonder the baby could even breathe. Shawna took her daughter in her arms, and I wrapped mine around Mama.
Another one of Daddy’s guards came into the room with rope and tape and the two gunmen’s wrists and ankles were secured, their mouths taped as Stan continued to point his gun at them.
I barely had a moment to blink, let alone consider who these men might be when there were more footsteps and over them, I heard my name.
“Dakota! Dakota!”
Relief washed over me in waves as Fabian called out to me. “I’m in here, baby!”
He came through the walkway first, gun drawn, worried eyes searching the room until he found mine.
The gray jogger suit he wore was full of black smudges and his face was dirty, but I didn’t care about any of that as he ran toward me.
Removing my arms from around Mama, I was about to run toward him, but I paused and looked back to make sure Mama was stable.
She was, tears streaming down her face, but she stood tall and took a steady breath.
When I turned again, I was being swooped up into Fabian’s strong arms. He hugged me so tight I felt like Malissa must have a few moments ago when Mama was holding onto her for dear life.
“I’m okay,” I whispered, my mouth right up against his ear. “I’m okay.” I hugged him tightly too, our hearts pounding in the same frightened rhythm.
When he finally broke the embrace, he took a step back. His gaze moved over me, surveying every inch of me. Then he turned me around.
“Fabian, I’m good. I promise.” Well, not necessarily good, but I wasn’t bleeding or anything like that.
He stepped to me again, this time planting a kiss on my forehead, then my lips.
“Oh, now you’ve got something to say?” Tor asked and Fabian and I turned our attention to where he stood over one of the gunmen.
From beside me, I watched Cade release Shawna and Malissa from what I suspect was another tight ass hug.
Fabian stalked over to where Tor stood in front of the two men on their knees. Cade immediately followed. Before they could say anything, KC came running into the room with two other guys who I knew were from their bike club, but I couldn’t remember their names.
“What the fuck?” KC yelled, coming further into the room. After a quick look around, he immediately went to stand beside his brother.
Fabian ripped the tape off the gunman’s mouth.
“You got something to say before I put a bullet in your head?” he shouted.
The man, with his almond complexion and close-cropped wavy black hair looked up at Fabian. A slow smile spread across his face before he said, “Hi, Dad.”