AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“We need a new vow. If by some chance we’re in this situation again, I need your word that you won’t do something crazy and that you’ll look out for my kids. Dad isn’t here anymore. Grumps is old as fuck, and the brothers have their own families. I need to know my kids have someone in their lives in my place. And in return, I give you my word that Aspen and your kid will be just as a priority to me as my own family.”
I look away from him.
I ignore his new vow.
Instead, I say, “Mom will have to come stay with one of us for a while. She shouldn’t be on her own.”
“Mase…”
“Don’t. I was willing to do what I needed to get you out of there. I would do it all again, and if it came down to it, I would die for you. You are just as much a part of me as I am. Aspen will always be alright. I made sure of that a long time ago…”
“And the kid? She told me you don’t want it. Is that really true?”
“I don’t know what I want. But I do know that a kid has never been in my plans.”
“There was once a time when having old ladies wasn’t in our plans. It was the club and pussy all the way. Making money and fuckin’ shit up. Plans change, brother. And you’ve been happy with Aspen. I’m calling bullshit on whatever crap is filling your head. So unless you tell me something worthwhile, I’m calling you out as a pussy.”
“Yeah? It’s like that?”
“You fuckin’ know it. You’ve got a great woman in your bed every night. She was slapped around, bound to a radiator, not knowing if we were gonna survive, and all she could worry about was you. I know you love her, so what the fuck is going on?”
The door opens, and I’m relieved when Leo walks in, a coffee in one hand and his phone in the other.
“Victoria’s been told. Luca’s with her.”
“Is she okay?”
“As you’d expect. She’ll be safe with my brother.”
“We know,” Myles and I say simultaneously.
It’s one thing I can rely on these days, Luca’s possessive love and obsession with my sister. There isn’t a man or woman alive he wouldn’t kill to keep harm from Victoria.
Leo pulls up a chair from the corner of the room and drags it to my bedside.
“It’s been one hell of a couple of days, brother. It goes without sayin’ how fuckin’ sorry I am about your dad. He was one hell of a brother. He’ll never be forgotten.”
Myles and I both nod once.
“While you’re in here, the brothers are tidying up the town, holding it down for when we leave. Wyatt’s gonna rebuild, and hopefully, this will be a lesson learned to sort his fuckin’ chapter out. Once you’re discharged, we’ll head back to Willow’s Peak, arrangements will be made for the funeral, and we’ll mourn our fallen brother. Then, when things start to settle down, you will answer for your actions back at the house. You broke every orderI gave you. Put aside the danger you put the club in, you thought you could take on a houseful of guns. You went against me, Mase, and I can’t have that. I can’t have you breaking the trust we have in one another.”
“Leo, he’s not the first to go against an order. I think he’s paying the price now.”
“And unfortunately, it pains me to rub salt in the wound to say that if he hadn’t gone off alone, the day might have turned out much different. I know he was your dad, but…”
“You don’t need to say it. I as good as killed him myself. I’ll face whatever punishment I get given. Just give me the funeral and time to get my mom settled.”
“I can do that.” He rises from his chair and nods. “We all grew up hearing the old timers drumming it in that the club isn’t one person. You’re not the only one guilty of forgetting, and some of us know the consequences better than others.”
My father is my consequence.
India was his.
“Do as the nurses tell you. We want you both out of here as soon as possible.”
He leaves, and Myles blows out a long breath.
“This is so fucked up.”
