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“Mom, I tried. It was chaos. They came out of nowhere, just firing at us. Fuck, we’d taken bullets before we had even got our footing,” Tye whispered pale.
“Shh, baby, Dad and I are going to fix everything. Everyone is alive, don’t worry,” I soothed him. Gently, I brushed his hair, running my fingers through it like I did when he was younger. It had taken Tye months to let me touch him at first, but when he’d realised I only wanted to love him as a son, he relaxed. My beautiful boy.
“Gauntlet and Bone were bad,” Tye murmured.
“Yeah, but they’re going to fight because Rage and Hellfire are all about fighting,” I teased and received a ghost of a smile.
“We shot back, but I lost sight of Harley,” Tye admitted.
“Harley is fine.”
“I know that now, but back there, I was fucking terrified. Micah disappeared after Wraith, and Carmine went down. Gauntlet hit me hard. Mom, they were coming for the four of us. Ain’t no doubt in my mind they were after us,” Tye mumbled, his fists tightening.
“Micah said the same. They were aiming for him,” I agreed.
“Because we’re Michaelsons? Take us out, and it would hurt Dad and Uncle Chance?” Tye asked innocently.
“Yeah, son. I think you need to stay in Chicago. Just for now. Don’t come home for a while; I’ll be telling Carmine the same. Dad will understand.”
I didn’t look at Tye’s face because I knew he’d refuse it. Greedily, I wanted two of my kids safe, as selfish as that was. They had great careers; Rage shouldn’t be taking them away from that.
“Was thinking of quitting with all this shit going on,” Tye admitted.
“The club?” I said, trying to hide my shock.
“No, the team. I’m needed here,” Tye disagreed.
I sat up bolt right.
“Er, no! I shall flip my lid if you stop playing. No way would Dad allow you, either. He’d kick you from the MC. Both of us made sure you understand how important your career was. Shit, Tye, you’re at your freaking peak! To quit now would be foolish!” I exclaimed loudly.
“Tye, if you leave the team, son, I’ll make your life a misery!” Drake growled from behind me.
“Dad—”
“No, boy. Listen to me; it was agreed when you joined us you’d prospect during your off-season. That doesn’t change. Son, it doesn’t matter what is going down here; your career was always mine and your mother’s priority. And the clubs. That ain’t changed. So you and your brother gonna go home, rest, and then return in top shape to your team. Get me? Refuse, and as your father and president, there’ll be hell to pay!” Drake threatened, but even I sensed how weak the threat was.
“Okay, Dad,” Tye agreed and closed his eyes. He leaned back, and Serenity shoved a pillow under his head.
“Go to sleep Ty-Ty. I’m here, watching,” Serenity whispered.
Drake and I exchanged glances. Every so often, we caught a glimpse of ‘Street Serenity’, the persona our daughter had developed to survive on the streets. Only Tye, Carmine, and Harley could handle that aspect of her. Street Serenity had surfaced twice. I was worried she would now. Heck, I wouldn’t put it past her to go hunting her brother’s shooters.
“I’m cool, Mom,” Serenity said, but her eye had a dangerous glint.
“You did put the survivors under lockdown and guard?” I whispered to Drake.
He was also observing Serenity carefully as he nodded. Neither of us would put it past her to sneak into the wet room and take her revenge. Instead, we watched as she settled back-to-back with Tye, something I’d seen my four kids do often. It meant they were watching each other’s back. Tye closed his eyes, comforted that Serenity was guarding him, and his body relaxed. Drake and I exchanged a glance and then a small smile.
There was no doubt Carmine, Tye, Serenity, and Harley shared a bond stronger than most siblings. Of course, they weren’t blood, but as I was fond of saying, blood didn’t make a family. Love and caring did.
Drake got to his feet as Doc Paul came towards us.
“Carmine will be released soon, and Harley is having his leg potted. It’s a clean break. Everyone else is doing fine. Gauntlet and Bone are still in surgery and critical, but we expect them to pull through. We don’t have a next of kin for Bone.”
“That’s me,” I said. “In the absence of Chance, I’m any Hellfire prospect’s next of kin. What do you need, Paul?”
“Some forms signing, and do they have insurance, Phoe?” Doc Paul looked a little sheepish, and I reached out and patted his arm.
