[ Truyện Tiếng Anh ] Holding Out

Holding Out
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“Well, we look forward to meeting him.”

David cleared his throat. “As do I. Now, isn’t this reunion grand? But it ends now.”

“No,” I said. “Please, I just got them back. Oh, God, Mum, Dad. Mattie said you were dead, killed in a car accident.”

“Yes, well. That’s what the idiot over there told us too. But it was his way of trying to get you to show; he thought you’d turn up at our funeral, and then he’d nab you there.”

“Enough. Take them and the children out. I’ll deal with them later.”

Nancy placed Maya's feet back on the floor and tugged Maya behind her body. Dad did the same with Cody.

“Mummy,” Maya wailed. “I’m not leaving my Mummy,” Maya said, stomping her foot on the floor.

“Ha! I’m afraid so, daughter of mine.”

“You’re not my daddy, Talon is,” she stated.

David’s upper lip raised. “Get them out of here. Now!”

“I’ll see you soon; it’s going to be fine.” How many times had I said that? I could only hope it was true. The great part was that I knew my parents would do anything to protect Maya and Cody, and they knew that I would understand that.

“Be smart and safe, sweetheart,” Dad said.

Oh, God. Just like Mattie.

Snot a block—Mattie and Julian.

I nodded, tears threatening again. “Be good kids for your grandparents.” I kissed Maya and Cody on their temple. “I love you both,” I said, and it was then I saw for the first time, tears in Cody’s eyes.

“Love you too, Mummy.” Maya smiled. Cody gave me a chin lift…just like his father.

Mum hugged me close and whispered, “Don’t give in.”

“I never will.” Not when I had Talon.

She picked up Maya. Dad placed his arm around Cody’s shoulders, and they walked silently from the room with two guards, the one that came in with them, and one of Rocko’s men. Thankfully, the one who eyed Maya stayed behind.

I slumped back onto the couch.

“No, no, Zara. Come and sit in this chair.” David gestured with his hand to the chair Pervy Guy placed a foot in front of David’s desk.

I rolled my eyes, hopped up, walked over, and sank into the wooden chair. Pervy Guy came to stand behind me. Hairs on the back of my neck raised; I looked over my shoulder at him, and he grinned down at me.

“What’s your name?” I couldn’t keep calling him Pervy Guy, and I needed a name to seek my vengeance on.

“Call me, Jeff.”

I doubted that was his real name.

David stood, walked around the table, and stopped in front of me. My heart rate accelerated as Jeff grabbed both my arms and pulled then roughly behind the chair, holding them in place.

“Why all the fuss for me, David?”

He laughed. “I never like to let anything go, Zara, you knew this.”

Whack. He slapped me across my already sore face.

“Obviously, I hired the wrong people to find you, for it to take this long. Wasn’t it lucky these men contacted me and said they’d found my wife? You really should have turned up at the funeral, Zara. I might not have been as mad as I am now,” he said, leaning over with his hands on the armrests of the chair, our noses nearly touching. “But then again, you have really pissed me off.” He leaned back.

Whack. A hit to the other side of my face forced my head around.

At least he was being kind enough to not hit me in the same spot.

I licked my lip and tasted blood.

I don’t know if I’m going to get out of this.

“Six years, Zara. You left me for six long years, and if you hadn’t, I would have been fine. My plan would have been over by now, and I would be a rich man. But it didn’t, all because of you.”

Whack. I slumped in the chair and winced, not just from David hitting me, but from being held in place, my shoulders and arms protested against the angle Jeff had them in.

“Sit her up,” David ordered. He sat back on the desk, eyeing me. It was starting to get a little hard to see; my face was already swelling. I felt the urge to vomit. The taste of blood and the pain churned in my stomach.

“So, we have a daughter.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. Now, he wanted to talk.

“Oof,” I breathed, as David punched me in the stomach. I tried to calm my breathing, but ended up in a coughing fit. I spat blood onto the floor.

“Do not laugh at me.” He opened a drawer in the desk and pulled out a wet wipe, wiping away my blood from his hands. He pulled out a knife, stalked back around, and in one move, he stabbed it into my leg.

I bit my lip, trying to stop my scream, but it still escaped.

He pulled it out slowly and ordered, “Rest her up a bit. I need to make some calls, and then we’ll talk again.”

I was pulled from the chair just before I passed out.

“What the **** is going on here?” Rocko yelled and stood from his desk. I stormed into his office in the nightclub he owned around midmorning. Griz, Deanna, Violet, and three other brothers were following close behind. Blue had called, informing me that he and Warden were at the hospital with Mattie and Julian. They weren’t allowed in Pick’s room, under doctor’s orders. But he reassured me, as soon as no one saw, he’d be in there.

With a lift of my hand, the three brothers slipped outta the room and closed the door, keeping an eye open for trouble that could come our way.

Holding Out
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“What do you know asshole?” Deanna snapped. She stood next to Vi, both holding their hands on their hips.

“Sorry, sweetheart; I don’t know what you’re talking about."

I pulled a gun from under my Hawks vest and pointed it at his head.

He stood with his hands up in front of him. I followed his movements.

“Where are my boys?” he asked.

Violet scoffed. “You need new brothers, Rocko; they’re all a bunch of pussies and incapacitated.”

“Talon, what’s the meaning of this? You want war? Is that it?”

“Two of your men have taken my woman and kids to hand her over to her ex who beat and raped her. You tell me; do you want ****in’ war?”

“I know nothing about this; they have obviously gone out on their own. Who are they?”

“The guys that were with you last night,” Deanna said.

Rocko smiled.

“What the **** are you smiling at?” I roared.

Waving his hands he said, “Sorry, ****. I know it ain’t a smiling matter. But your woman…” He smiled again.

“What?” Griz growled.

“She warned me last night that I needed to find new friends. Goddamn, she was right, and after just one glance, she picked it. ****. I should’ve never let them in. I was taking a risk on them; other brothers had warned me, but I didn’t listen.We needed new recruits. The Monty’s motorcycle club from Melbourne wants our territory. Crap, I was only with them last night to see how they ran, and I didn’t like what I saw. I was gonna cut them.”

“How’d they learn about my woman and her ex?”

“I was the one who told Rocko. ****,” Griz swore. “I’d asked him to keep his ear to the ground, see if he heard anything new. ****, I didn’t think.”

“Jesus Christ,” I yelled. “Jesus Christ.” I turned and put a hole in the wall the size of my fist.

“I’m sorry, brother,” Griz said.

“****, man, but it ain’t your fault. You weren’t to know,” I answered, leaning one hand up against the wall.

I couldn’t lose her. Cody and Maya…

It would kill me to lose all three of them together.

I’d wasted so much time stuffin’ around and waiting, trying not to scare her off. But I didn’t know she’d been watchin’ me the whole time as well. I saw the looks she gave me, the secret smiles that drove me ****in’ nuts.

I thought the dicks in the brotherhood were crazy when they’d let their old lady run their life. Blinded by stupid love. I swore I’d never let myself fall again…

never.

Until Zara. Until I ****in’ walked down that hallway to see a hot piece of ass standing there, glaring at me in a pink kitten nightie and combat ****in’ boots.

I was a goner.

From that day on, I knew I’d let Zara do anything.

She could talk, bitch, and complain about **** and it wouldn't faze me. She could harp about me swearin’ around the kids, and still it wouldn’t bother me.

Nothin' would, as long as she was at my side to do all that.

I had to find her. Them.

Jesus. The kids. I’d already missed out on enough of Cody’s life. I wasn’t missin’ out on any more. And sweet Maya. There was so much more I wanted to learn about them both, so much I wanted to teach them.

I needed them all back.

They are my family.

And I ****in’ love them.

“Do you know where they have taken my family?” I asked Rocko.

“No. But I’ll look into it. Maybe one of the brothers knows something.” Rocko sat back down at the desk.

“You know I’ll kill them.”

“So be it. They are no longer ‘Vicious’.”

My mobile rang; I answered, “What?”

“Nothing. I’ve got nothing,” Blue said.

“Is Pick talkin’?”

“Yeah, he’s talking, telling me lots of ****; none of it is any use to find them, brother. Cops have been; they want a statement on what went on in the house.”

“****. Has Mattie or anyone said anything?”

“Nothing, I told them to wait to hear from you. But you know the cops, brother.They won’t wait long.”

“Tell them to say it was self-defense. I had Mattie and Julian stayin’ at my house. Pick called in; he found Vic holding them, ready to kill them. Vic was a hater of gays. Didn’t like the way I was running things. No one says **** about my woman and the kids. We deal with this in-house. I’ll be doing the cleanup.”

“But the cops could help.”

“No. They’ll only hold me back.”

“Right. On it. Then what?”

“Tell Matthew and Julian to head back to the compound—”

“Already have. They won’t leave.” Blue laughed. “They don’t trust me and Warden around Pick. He saved them, brother; they’re saving him back.”

“Christ. All right, leave them there, and Warden. You get to the compound and see what they’ve found; talk to Travis and see what’s he’s got. I’m heading to Vi’s work.”

“Right. Done,” he said, then hung up.

I turned to Rocko. “Keep me in the know,” I said with a chin lift. In other words, ‘if you don’t, I’ll **** you over’; he nodded his understanding.

“I hope you find ‘em, Talon. She’s a rare beauty.”

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“I know. I ****in’ know. So are the kids. Let’s move.”

“Wait,” Violet called, before I opened the door.

“What?” Rocko asked her; she was staring down at him.

“Do you know what they drive? Licence plate numbers, where they live? Maybe they’re stupid enough to either use their own cars or take them to their place?”

“Great thinkin', sugar.” He got up from his chair and went to a file cabinet to the right of his desk. “I had to shift my paperwork here while the office at our compound was getting detailed. ****in’ lucky I did,” he explained, as he searched through the drawers.

Hell. How long did it take to find the information?

Let’s hope these ****ers were just that dumb enough. And thank **** my sister was here using her brain.

“Here.” He thrust the files toward Deanna, the closest to him. “All the info I have on Jefferson and Zane. And while you're searching through it, I’ll still keep looking here.”

“’Preciate it.”

We got outside; I sent my other brothers out searchin’ the streets while Griz, Hell Mouth, Vi, and I got back into my Camaro to drive to Vi’s station.

With the information we had, I felt a little lighter. The fist around my heart wasn’t squeezing as tight.

I just hoped it was going to lead us somewhere where my family was.

Payback was needing to happen, and I was looking forward to it.

There was no way I was gonna be some pansy-ass and pray…even if I wanted to.

****.

****.

Why the hell not? Anything was worth it for them.

Yeah, um, God...

We stormed into Violet’s work; funny enough, it was the first time I’d ever set foot in there. Things had to change. A lot of things. Violet booted up her computers while Deanna and Griz were talkin’ quietly in a hushed tone; but I knew what it would be about. He was trying to reassure her, and I knew she wouldn’t want that from him. Deanna was one hard chick to crack. Griz would have his work cut out for him when he got his act together. I should hurry him the **** up—‘cause you never know what could happen.

“Anything?” I asked.

“Talon, I’m not that frigging fast, give me a minute.” Violet groaned.

I paced in front of one of her desks while she worked the computer, her fingers flying across the keyboard. I wondered where Zara sat while she worked. She hadn’t been here long, but I knew she’d already brought some of herself into the business. The yellow sunflowers that sat on the windowsill. The scenery picture of the woods with a ray of sunshine shining through that was hung on the wall. The colourful rug that sat in the middle of the floor. She'd always brightened up a place.

“I’ll send Chuck to their houses, but I doubt they’re there. They would have taken them to David straight way so they could be paid.” She picked up the phone and rang her employee.

Griz walked over to me. “She’s freaking. I'm worried she’ll lose it soon.”

I nodded. “She’s not the only one.” I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. “The thing I’ve noticed, though, is that Hell Mouth relies on Zara in more ways than one. Deanna not only helped Zara outta her past, but I’m sure it was the other way around as well. Not sure, kitten knows that though, unless she does and carries that burden, as well as Deanna.” I looked over my shoulder to Deanna as she perched her ass on the end of Vi’s desk. She looked in pain. “Anyone can ****in’ see that woman has been through some **** from that big iced wall she has built around her, and right now, it only seems Zara has a key.”

I turned to Griz. “Good luck, brother; you’re gonna need it.” My phone rang; I grabbed it outta the pocket of my jeans, and answered with, “Speak.”

“Just got back to the compound.The brothers have nothing. No one’s called in with ****, Talon. How’s your end?”

“Violet, how we doing?” I was feeling antsy. I needed to be doing something instead of talking **** with Griz, or standing around doing nothing at all. I felt useless, and it ****in’ hurt when it was my family out there in trouble.

“Zip. I’ve got Chuck on the line; there’s no one at their houses. Their cars are in their frigging drive. I’ve got nothing else to go on. I’m sorry.”

“Jesus Christ,” I whispered.

“I’m guessing it’s not good,” Blue said on the other end of the phone.

“No. ****, brother.We have to find them—”

“Talon, wait,” Blue snapped.

“Blue?” I heard talking in the background, but I didn’t know what was being ****in’ said. “Brother?”

“****. ****, boss, we’ve got them. Travis just came in; he’s ****ing found where they are.”

“Text me the address. I’ll meet you there,” I said, and turned to the others. “Travis's got a location. Let’s go.”

“Thank God.” Deanna sighed.

“Christ, yes,” Griz growled.

“Talon, wait,” Violet called.

“What, woman? I gotta get my family.”

“You and Griz need my guns. If the bullets are traced, I’m covered for being a PI. You’re not.”

I closed my eyes.

My sister was protecting me.

“I want one too,” Deanna said.

“No way, darlin’. You get a taser,” Griz barked, and handed her a black taser from his back pocket.

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“Seriously?” she said with an eye roll.

I ignored them as Violet approached holding three guns. She handed one to Griz, and then one to me. I looked her in the eye and said, “There could be a lotta people goin' down today, Vi. You ready for this?”

“**** yeah.” She smiled.

“Let’s move then.” I smiled back.

I woke laying on a double, four-poster bed in a dark room. I could see the sun shining through the gaps in the blinds. That told me it was still daytime, but I didn’t have a clue what hour it was, or how long I’d been asleep.

I was sore all over; I needed water and something to eat, but I doubted I’d be able to keep it down.

Where was my family?

What was going to happen next?

I sat up slowly, wincing when pain stabbed through my head and leg. I looked down to the wound and found that someone had changed me into slip-on pajama pants.

Why?

The door opened, and in walked a young girl around the age of sixteen with long, red, curly hair, and a freckled face. She was short but slim, too skinny, actually. She carried a tray with a glass and a bowl upon it.

“Oh, you’re awake.” She smiled. “Good, you’ll be wanting some food and water, yes?”

I nodded. What was such a young girl doing in the house with David? She set the tray on the bed beside me. I took the glass with shaking hands and sipped it. The water helped my parched throat.

I looked to the door that she’d left open.

“You won’t make it.” She smiled as she stood beside the bed.

What? Was she a mind reader?

“W-who are you?” I asked.

“I was homeless until David took me in.” She glanced at the door, and then back to me. Bending over so we were inches apart, she whispered, “You need to get out of here; he’s going to kill you.”

My eyes widened. Why was she warning me? I controlled my eye roll. God, doesn’t she think I already know that?

“How can I get out?” I asked.

She laughed. “That, I don’t know.”

“I wouldn’t without my family anyway.”

Her head ****ed to the side. “Smart or stupid, you are, but I can’t work out which one. I know I’m stupid, because I keep staying here. So maybe you’re the same?”

Probably.

“Josie, what are you doing in here?” David came through the door.

“Nothing, Daddy. Um, I mean, I brought our guest some supper.”

Oh my flipping God. Was this for real? I mean I'd always wanted to role-play where Talon was a pirate and I was a damsel in distress…kind of like now.

But they're roles were just fruited up.

Jesus, why hadn’t I seen how crazy this ****tard was from the start?

He stalked across the room. Josie backed up until she hit the wall. “I told you not to call me daddy around people,” he hissed through clenched teeth, and then slapped her across the face.

She whimpered and sunk to the floor. “I’m sorry, David.”

“Don’t be an ass,” I said. He turned to face me.

Better me than an innocent girl.

His arm outstretched, grabbed me by my hair, and dragged me from the bed. I cried out when I landed on my knees in front of him.

“Don’t,” Josie screamed. She jumped onto his back, clawing at his face. He swore and flipped her off; she landed beside me with a thunk. He kicked her in her side and she groaned.

With a fist, I punched him in the balls. It was his turn to groan, bending at the waist.

“Run,” I yelled to Josie, but she didn’t move. Staying in her protective ball.

“Jefferson,” David called. In ran Jeff. “Take my wife to my office. I’ll deal with her in a minute.”

“You are nothing but a perverted ****sucker, David. Or should I call you daddy too? Isn’t that what you like, you hairy sac sucker?” I yelled.

“Take her now,” David barked. Jeff dragged me up and threw me over his shoulder. I clenched my teeth from the pain.

We moved down a hallway, but I noticed David walk out of the room behind us and lock the door. I smiled to myself; I’d pissed him off that much? I guess he wanted to deal with me first. At least that left Josie alone…for now.

Into the office, Jeff threw me onto the couch.

“Leave,” David ordered.

Jeff smirked down at me, gave me a tap on the head, and left, closing the door behind him. David turned the lock into place.

He started pacing the room. “I used to think that when I got you back we could have worked this out. But you’ve changed.”

“Lucky for me, eh?” I sat up straighter and wondered why I wasn’t bleeding through the pants I had on. I felt my leg where David had stabbed me. It was covered by some sort of taping.

“Shut the hell up,” he screamed. I felt like telling him he screamed like a girl, but I didn’t think that would go down well. Though, my chances were getting slimmer by the second.

I love you, Talon. Tears threatened.

All I could do now was pray that he got here in time to save the children and my parents.

“I should have never been with you, David.” I laughed. “I thought I knew what love was, but I didn’t. Because now I know what love is, the love I feel for Talon is bigger than anything I’ve felt before—”

He ran at me, grabbing my shoulders, and roughly shook me. “Shut up. Shut up. Shut up. You are nothing.” He spun away and walked to the desk.

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Oh ****.

He pulled open a draw and pulled out a gun. “I would never have wasted my time in finding you, but your life insurance is going to make it worth it.”

Say what, now?

“Um, hold on a second.” I giggled. “Have you thought this through? Won’t the insurance people know something's up if I’m riddled with bullets?”

Why am I helping him? Jeesh.

It was then I realized that I wasn't scared of David. I was no longer scared. What was in front of me was an old, mean man and nothing else.

“The police wouldn’t question a break in, where my dear wife was killed defending our home.Well, not home—seems you made me ****ing travel a state away to kill you,” he yelled, and then shook his head. “But our new holiday warehouse is nice, here in Melbourne. Isn’t it wonderful? I get a dead wife. I get money, and a new place. Yes, I think I’ll intend on living here…with my two daughters.”

“No!” I screamed.

He raised the gun and fired.

My body bounced back into the couch. I looked down as pain shot through my arm; blood started to soak my tee.

Damn it, I liked this one.

“Practice shot,” he smirked. He raised the gun again.

I’d organized to stop a block away, in an old, unused, supermarket car park. I didn’t want to rouse suspicion with Harley pipes, as well as large ****in’ cars pulling up to the warehouse.

I got out of my car just as twenty or so Harleys were roaring down the street and pulling to stop. Blue was the first over to me, Griz, Deanna, and Violet.

“What’s the plan?” he asked.

“We need to be fast, get in and get out. The warehouse is a block away at the end of a dead-end street. Not much goes on in these parts, so there shouldn’t be any witnesses we’d need to buy off.”

****. I felt like I was wasting time standing here explaining; all I wanted to do was get in there, kill the ****er, and get my family back.

Violet stepped forward and rested her hand on my arm. “We go in on foot from here; we don’t want them knowing we’re coming.” She looked over Blue’s shoulder to a white Sedan family car pulling into the car park. It stopped just behind the Harleys. “Good, just in time.” She grinned as Warden got out of the car, went to the back of it, and opened the trunk. “Everyone needs to swap over their weapons for one of ours,” Violet shouted to my brothers.

“****, Vi.” I closed my eyes. “How the **** are you going to explain firing off twenty or so guns to the cops?”

She shrugged. “We’ll deal with that when the time comes.” I shook my head as she added, “Do you think Zara would want her man in jail after just saving her? No. Do it for her, Talon.”

“Do I get a ****in’ gun now?” Deanna asked.

“No,” Griz growled. “You stick with me, princess.”

She sighed loudly and rolled her eyes. “Fine. But I want a piece of him.”

“We’ll see,” I said. I wanted him first. My hands itched to choke the ****er for layin’ hands on my family in the first place. “Right, let’s load up and move out,” I called.

Violet had me send Warden in first to remove—if there were any—cameras. Not that I believed a large mother****er like Warden would get in there undetected, but he came back saying the coast was clear.

I spread my brothers out so we had the whole warehouse covered. I went straight for the front door with Griz, Deanna, and Violet. Then Blue came running around from the side to inform me, “We’ve taken out five men.”

Then why the **** wasn’t the front covered?

I gave a chin lift in response and tried the front door. It was locked. I took a step back, ready to kick it in, when Deanna stepped forward and knocked. I sent her a ‘what the ****’ look.

Seconds later, the front door was opened, and one of Rocko’s men, still in a betraying ‘Vicious’ vest, stood there.

“****,” he hissed. He went to grab a walkie-talkie at his waist when Deanna punched him in the face. He teetered back. Blue jumped him and held him to the ground.

“I’m sure Rocko wants to deal with this ****er himself.” Blue grinned. “You guys go. I’ll find something to tie him up with,” he said, while emptying the dick of weapons.

I bolted for the stairs, just as my other men came through the back door and went searchin’ through the bottom area.

Taking three step at a time, I climbed the stairs with the others following.

A gunshot sounded in the distance.

“****, ****,” Deanna chanted.

We reached a hallway. I signaled for everyone to stay quiet and keep their eyes open. I opened the first door…nothing. Griz got to the second just as another of Rocko’s men was walking out. He reached for his gun as Griz knocked him out with one punch.

“Leave him. One of the brothers will deal,” I whispered.

Vi was at the next door to the right; she opened it, but nothing again. I wasn’t here on a ****in’ scenic tour, so I took no notice of what was in the room and moved on.

The fourth door was locked. Violet pulled something out from the back of her jeans pocket and started working the lock; within seconds, it clicked open. She moved out of the way. I held the door handle and turned it; I threw it open while I stepped in with my gun raised.

A gasp, a sob, and a frightened squeal was what I heard first.

I looked around the darkened room and saw four bodies huddled in the right-hand corner.

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“Dad?”

My eyes closed upon hearing Cody’s voice. I lowered my gun, knowing Vi and Deanna had my back. I wasn’t sure where Griz was.

“Told ya he’d come,” Cody said with pride.

“Talon,” Maya cried, as she ran at me; I had enough time to brace as her little body hit me. I picked her up and hugged her close, gesturing to Cody to come to me.

“Richard? Nancy?” Deanna asked.

“Why, hey there, Deanna girl,” a man said as he stepped forward into the hallway light.

“Oh my God.” Deanna gasped, tears in her eyes. I studied the man; he was an older image of Matthew, Zara’s brother.

“My, my, it’s so good to see you, Deanna; and in the flesh, instead of on Skype.” A woman stepped around Richard…****, she was an older image of my woman. “And you're just a hot piece of eye candy.” She smiled, looking up at me.

Violet and Deanna chuckled. Griz came running into the room, and in his arms was a young teenage girl.

“Found her in a room. She’s unconscious, but alive.” He laid her on the bed.

“Have you seen Zara?” I asked.

“Oh, my. No wonder my girl couldn’t resist you with a voice like that.”

Richard sighed. “Nance, focus. We saw her earlier, but that was a few hours ago. We don’t know where she is.”

Another gunshot sounded not far from where we were.

“****,” I hissed. I put Maya on her feet. “Stay here with your grandparents. Deanna, you gotta stay here with the girl in case she’s gonna be trouble.”

“Sure, boss,” she said, taking out her taser. She was itchin’ to try that out.

“Keep ‘em safe,” I said to Richard, as I handed him my back-up gun.

“Oh, sure, he gets a gun,” Deanna complained.

Richard nodded when Nancy piped up about something regardin’ me and grammar. I ignored it and knelt down to the kids. “It's gonna be good. I’ll find ya momma, baby girl, and then we can get outta here.”

“I know you will.” Maya smiled and patted me on the face.

“Good luck, Dad; and kill that ****er,” Cody said.

“Boy, language,” I growled, gave them both a peck on their heads, and ran from the room.

Another gun shot, but at least that time, I was able to pinpoint the location. It was the last ****in’ door at the end of the hall.

I tried the handle. Locked. I didn’t waste time for Violet to pick it; instead, I kicked it open, with the gun held up, and with Vi and Griz at my back, I stepped in.

****in’ mother****er.

I saw my woman on a couch, bleeding.

****, there was ****in’ blood everywhere.

“Who the hell are you?” David asked.

As I stared him down, he backed up, and Violet ran to Zara.

“Tell me she’s breathing,” I said.

“H-honey?” my woman said, but then starting coughing.

“Christ, Talon. We have to get her outta here. She’s got three gunshot wounds, and she’s been beaten.”

“You are not taking her,” David yelled.

“Back the **** up,” I roared. I stalked toward him. “You bloodied my woman, you beat her, raped her, and ****in’ shot her. ****!”

Fury. All I could feel was fury. This ****er did not deserve it quick and painless.

He was going to pay.

He went to pick up the gun he’d dropped on the desk when we’d bounded into the room, but I got there first and shot his hand away.

“Damn it!” he screamed, holding his hand to his chest.

“Talon! We have to go, and now,” Violet screamed.

“Griz, take him. Clean this. I’m getting’ my woman outta here.”

Griz smiled. “Sure, brother.”

I stalked over to the couch. “Jesus, babe,” I whispered.

“I-I k-knew you’d come. Kids? Parents?”

“They’re safe; now let’s get you safe.” There was no time for an ambo; so as gently as I could, I picked her up in my arms, but still, she cried out.

Pain laced thought my heart.

“Vi, clear the way; make sure the kids don’t see.”

“On it,” she said, running from the room.

“H-honey…”

“Yeah, kitten?”

“I-I don’t know…if this is gonna work. I-if I can—”

“****, kitten. Don’t. You’re gonna be all right, you’re gonna be good. ****, babe. I know you’re gonna be good ‘cause I love you, and my ****in’ love for you is strong enough to keep you that way. So let’s get you fixed yeah?”

“Y-yeah, honey. You k-know, I love your alpha-ass too.” She smiled up at me and then passed out.

As soon as we reached the hospital, they took her away. They took her from my arms and told me to stay. The cops were called; still, my brothers got there first. The waiting room looked like a party at the compound. But instead of havin’ a good ol’ drunken time, everyone was sober and somber.

I sat in a chair with my head in my hands as they worked over my woman. Zara's parents had the kids at her house, with more of my brothers watchin' them. They were waiting to hear from me...I just hoped to **** I had good news to tell them.

No. It will be great, fan-****in'-tastic news that I'll tell them!

Griz was deflecting the cops, tellin’ them what had gone down at the warehouse…well, our story of it. He told them that Zara had been kidnapped by her crazy ex, and that when we turned up, David'd taken off. We hadn’t bothered chasin’, ‘cause we had to get Kitten to the hospital. It was lucky enough that we had a witness, the young girl Josie, who David had held hostage for the last three years. When Billy had brought her in, she'd said that she was willin’ to tell the cops whatever we wanted, and she did. That, at least, brought me more time to sit and wait for my woman to get fixed. Though the cops said they’d still need my statement at a later date, as well as—how’d they put it? — ‘MissEdgingway’s if she pulled through.’

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If.

If she ****in’ pulled through.

That was when I punched a cop, swingin’ and yellin’ to get the **** out. Blue had to pull me off him. The cop told Violet later that he wouldn’t be pressing charges, that he understood.

Not that I gave a ****.

By the time the doctors came out, I had a child in each arm, and Zara’s parents sitting with me. They decided not to wait at Zara's house after all, and came in after showering and changing. I couldn't blame them.

Deanna had turned up earlier, screamin’ that she missed out on her shot, that she missed out on her retaliation on the ****er. That was when I'd whispered, “Not yet, you ain’t.”

She ****in’ grinned with pure glee, and then sat her ass down to wait it out with us.

The doctor teetered backwards when she spotted the waiting room full of bikers.

“Uh…family of Zara Edgingway?”

“That’s us,” I said, standing. Zara’s parents held the tired children close.

“Oh, okay. I just wanted to say she’s through the surgery, and it looks like she’s going to be okay.”

I sank to my knees, and for the second time that day, I ****in' prayed my thanks for savin' my life. 'Cause I knew I wouldn't have a life without my kitten in it.

“Talon,” I moaned.

“Jesus, kitten,” he groaned as I rolled my hips. We were in his room, at his…our house. The kids were at my parents’, and it was time for us to have a private party for two. He was sitting up against the headboard, naked as the day he was born. I was just as naked, besides some rocking heels my man had bought me for my birthday last week.

I was working my inner-cowgirl magic, riding him like I was meant to.

Leaning forward, I kissed him.

I was never going to get enough of him.

Never.

“Babe,” he groaned.

“Not yet, honey.”

“****, kitten.”

“Not yet,” I uttered through clenched teeth. “Oh, God, honey. Now.” I gripped the headboard behind him as he pounded his cum into me, and I climaxed around him.

Exhausted, I rested my head against his shoulder, breathing hard.

“Christ, woman. We are never doin’ that position again. I come too ****in’ quick.”

I giggled. “Hell to-the no. I love taking control.”

“Only in the bedroom you can, and only when I let you,” he growled.

“Whatever,” I said, pulling back so he could see my eyes roll. He grinned. I got out of bed and went into the en-suite to clean up. When I came back out, Talon was lying down with a sheet covering his bottom half. I ran and leapt right onto the bed. He chuckled at my antics. I turned off the lamp on the bedside table and snuggled in. Then I wiggled as close as I could to him, knowing he’d curl me into his arms just like he always did.

“You happy, kitten?”

“More than happy…but a little worried.”

He laughed. “No need to be, ‘cause I’ll be here right alongside you. Always.”

“I know, honey. That’s why I love you.”

“And I you, babe. Now sleep.”

“Yes, boss.” And I squealed when he slapped my behind.

The only reason I was a little worried was…well, it wasn’t because Talon had asked me to marry him the night before, as we sat around the table with our closest friends and family. And it definitely wasn’t because he then informed me we were going on vacation with the kids to Fiji.

I was worried because that morning at my doctor’s appointment, we found out we were having twins. Talon had grinned down at my shocked face and said, “**** yeah. Kitten, when I do something, I do it good, and you got it really good.”

That was still debatable.

I had been just getting over the fact that we weren’t sure I’d be able to have children, after David had shot me two times in the stomach. You could say that Talon was over the frigging moon we’d be having a child together. He’d said that I’d been through enough **** in my life to last me ‘til I was old and grey; and now that we were finally over the speed hump, we could live our lives to the fullest, each and every day.

Well, our lives would certainly be filled.

Of course, after the news, I ran and cried on Deanna’s shoulder, telling her that Talon had super-sonic sperm, and that he’d sonic-ed his way into my…fandola, and shot me up with twins.

Her response was, “Well, **** me.”

I thought another hot-crisis-issue would have gotten her out of her funk. But it hadn’t.

She was worrying me, because these days I hardly saw her, and when I did, she always seemed to have something on her mind…only she wasn’t sharing.

It was if she’d been altered when I’d been taken, and it wasn’t something she was getting over. Though, I still doubted it was that alone. Something else was in her head, and I was going to get to the bottom of it.

So many other things had changed since I got out ofthe hospital.

Mattie and Julian were now residents of Ballarat. They moved into my old house when Talon moved me out…yes, he moved me out while I was in the hospital. Maya was ecstatic.

We’d been keeping a close eye on Maya and Cody since the incident, but they seemed to be handling it okay. We still had Cody every second weekend, but now we were working on going for full custody. Cody had finally come clean that he was home alone most of the time. His mother was always busy at the gym, beauticians, and entertaining her partner’s clients…and that meant entertaining.

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My parents also decided to move to Ballarat, and as soon as they’d told Talon, he found them a house, bought it…because apparently he was rich, and moved them in—while I was still in the hospital.

My man loved to control.

But he had my heart at hand. He knew I’d be more than happy to have my family close, and I was.

Also, it was not only my parents living in their house, they had adopted Josie. Who was still one mixed up girl, but who could blame her after living with David for three years, and what he’d put her through?

I told her I’d help her along the way to recovery, because we were sisters now. That was the first time I’d seen her smile. Not only has she attached herself to my parents and me, but she’s formed a bond with Maya, Cody, and Billy, the cookie-lover biker, one of Talon’s brothers, who’d been her savior by taking her to the hospital.

Not long after I was released from the hospital did Talon and I have our first argument, and it was regarding Pick. Mattie and Julian had told me what Pick had done for them. Talon wanted Pick gone from the brotherhood. Mattie, Julian, and I told him to give him another chance…eventually, we'd worn him down, and he said he’d consider it. Meaning Pick was still in the brotherhood, and in the end, it was Talon and Mattie who helped Pick cut the ties his mother had on him.

I used to wake every night while I was in the hospital, but that stopped as soon as I had Talon sleeping next to me.

I’d always have scars, but they were something that made me stronger. To prove that I was over what had happened, and that I was stronger for it, I did something that scared me. I got my first tattoo to cover the smallest scar—which hurt like a mother-fruiter. And that was when Talon and I had our second argument. He didn’t want my body inked. That was when I yelled, ‘What's good for the goose is good for the gander.’ His reply was, ‘What the **** does that mean?” I flashed him my tattoo on my lower stomach, a picture of a hawk, and underneath was written ‘You flew into my life, but I’ve got my claws into yours.”

The next day, he'd come back with his own tattoo, a picture of a kitten digging its claws into his skin.

“Jesus, kitten. I can hear your brain churning again. Get to sleep. Everything will be good.”

I smiled into the dark room and knew that everything would be good, because I had my badass-biker beside me.