Josie

Too soon we were at the compound. After walking out of the funeral home, and after the car had driven away to the crematorium, I was soon whisked away from Nary, into my men’s arms. Mum decided to drive with Maya and Cody, while the twins went with Blue and Clary. When we arrived, the atmosphere was sad even though the sun shone. The compound, a usually busy, laughing, happy place, was now one where people walked around talking quietly with sober expressions. We mourned Dad, but the day shined over such a wonderful man.

My tears had dried up and I was making my way around the side of the compound when Nary called out.

Turning, I smiled as she walked quickly our way. I looked back to my men and said, “Why don’t you both go through. I’ll be in there soon.”

“Is that code for you wanting to talk to Nary about us?” Eli teased.

“Yes.” Nary smiled as she stopped beside me.

Eli chuckled while Caden smirked. He quickly kissed me and started for the tall side gate. Eli slid his hand to my waist, winked and said, “Make sure you talk us up real good, babe.” Then he kissed me and followed Caden.

Nary, taking my hand in hers, brought my attention away from my men and back to her smiling face. She waited until a few stragglers walked out the back of the compound before saying, “I’m so happy to see you’re cared for by not only one but two men.” Then her smile slipped. “It’s sad Richard won’t get to see more of it.”

Licking my dry lips, I nodded. “It is.”

“Still, he knew, and from what Stoke told Mum, he was very happy about it. He said he knew you were meant to be loved and fiercely so. He was happy that he got to know you’d be taken care of.”

Hugging her, I said, “Thank you.” Pulling back, I asked, “What’s been happening with you? It’s been too long since we’ve emailed last.”

She shrugged. “Just the same really.”

“How were the exams?” Nary was in her final year at high school. She was still contemplating on where to attend uni the following year.

“Good, I think at least.”

“Have you picked a university?”

She laughed. “No, but I’m close.”

I hesitated before asking, “How are things with Saxon?”

She groaned. “The same. He doesn’t want anything to do with me. Besides, he’s moving soon.”

“I heard. So...there is always a chance you could attend my uni?” I smiled.

She grinned, shrugged and looked to the ground. “I’m not sure. It’s hard to like someone who wants nothing to do with you...who sleeps with everything he can get his hands on and ignores the only one who would care for him.”

Sighing, I touched her shoulder. “One day he’ll come around.”

Shaking her head, she said, “I doubt it and you never know, by the time that happens, I could have moved on.” She laughed then. “At least then Stoke would be happy. I’ve lost count of the times he’s told me to get over the undeserving little shit.”

I threw my head back and laughed. Stoke would say that. He was very protective of Nary and Josh. I brought Nary in for another hug. “Thank you, you always did know what to say to make me smile.”

“Same with you,” she whispered and pulled back. “At least I know all I have to do is talk about my sucky love life.”

“I’m sure it won’t be sucky for much longer. Someone will see your worth and sweep you off your feet.”

“Just like your guys have with you,” she teased.

Laughing, I nodded. “Yes, just like my guys.”

“Two men, Josie. Two!”

Biting my bottom lip, I blushed. “Every day I wake thinking of how lucky I am. It helps that they get along so well. They’ve accepted that I couldn’t choose between them.”

“So lucky.” She sighed giddily.

“I know.”

“Not for long,” a new voice snarled.

Nary and I jumped and turned to the entrance of the car park of the compound.

No.

Not today.

Not any day.

“You come with me now or I start shooting,” Cameron ordered and raised his gun high, pointing it right at Nary.

“Don’t,” I pleaded and stepped in front of Nary. My heart pounded in my ears, my hands shook as I held them out in front of me.

“Then come with me.” He held out his other hand toward me.

“Why? Why do this, Cameron? Do you know what today was for me? Do you even care?”

“No, I don’t care that your dad died. Perfect opportunity for me. You are all I have ever wanted and I get what I want...one way or another.” He sneered. “Now walk toward me and I won’t have to hurt anyone.”

“Why did you kill your dad and Caden’s mum?”

Please, please someone walk back out the front. Please.

“We’ll talk about that later,” he snapped.

“No. I-I can’t go with a person who’s willing to kill people.” I gulped and stepped back into Nary more.

“Don’t you see? I had to do it. They were worthless, disgusting people. Now come.” He shook his hand in front of him.

“Can I, please, can I just say goodbye to people?”

“No!” he snarled and then caught himself. “You will not go to those men again. They’re nothing, Jo-Jo. I’m more than them. I can provide for you. You’ll be happy with me.”

“But—”

“Josie,” he growled. “Come now or your friend won’t be the only one I shoot today. I’ll walk out the back and open fire on everyone even if I get shot in the process.”

No, God, no, the kids. Mum, my family. My men.

“Don’t, Josie,” Nary pleaded and grabbed my arm. She knew I wouldn’t risk anyone else.

Turning to her with tears in my eyes, I smiled sadly and said, “I have to.”

“No, no, you don’t. Please, don’t do this.” She leaned in and whispered, “I’ll scream. The men will come, they will.”

I cupped her cheek and wiped her tears with my thumb. “But not before you get hurt. I can’t let that happen. Not when I can stop it. Seek help after I’m gone—”

“Josie, now,” Cameron barked behind me.

“My men will hunt him down. They will find me,” I whispered to Nary. Turning, I stepped up to Cameron. He took my hand and started for the entrance.

“No,” I heard Nary whisper behind me. “No!” she screamed.

“Nary, don’t,” I yelled, but it was too late. She grabbed at Cameron and they struggled. I tried to get in and help her, but I was knocked backward, my bottom hitting the ground hard. “Nary,” I screamed before the gun was fired.

With wide eyes, I watched as Nary fell to the ground.

Blood.

Everywhere.

So much.

Blood covering Nary’s face dripped onto the gravel ground.

I was hurled up and over a shoulder, jolted with every running step Cameron took.

––––––––

Pick

Standing out the back of the compound with Eli, Saxon and Stoke just talkin’ about random shit. But my eyes were glued to the side gate waiting for our woman to walk through with Nary by her side.

“You ready to make the move, brother?” Eli asked Saxon.

“Yeah, more than ready.” Saxon nodded. He probably needed the break from Ballarat. Too many bad memories were here for him from having a fucked-up father like his.

Bloody lucky Stoke took him under his wing and got him out.

Saxon was a good brother, a mean motherfucker who took no shit any longer. He had the body to back it all up as well. Since joining the Hawks, he’d trained hard at the gym to gain the muscle. He was a big fucker now and everyone outside Hawks knew not to screw with him.

Still, we gave him shit all the time, but he knew we were just playin’ with him. That was what brothers were for. He soon learned and gave just as much shit back.

What was on the tip of my tongue was to ask him about his situation with Nary. Everyone knew she had the hots for him, but for some reason, he was standoffish with her. I had only one thought why and that thought was standing next to him. Stoke would skin him alive if Saxon fucked with his daughter, and Saxon knew it. He respected Stoke, looked up to him, which was probably why he steered clear of Nary.

It was too bad. Our woman was sure Nary and Saxon would be great together. I didn’t really give a fuck, but I wanted my woman happy in every way and I hated it when she talked about Nary and Saxon and got a frown on her face because Saxon was being a dick.

“How’re things in Melbourne?” Stoke asked after he took a pull from his beer.

“Last I spoke with Memphis, not good. The Venom club are being cunts trying to take business away from ours, opening a club just down the road from one of Talon’s clubs,” I said with a glare.

“Talk on the street is they’re also dealin’ in sellin’ women,” Stoke said.

“Fuck,” Eli growled.

“Damn straight. That’s why Talon not only has you two stayin’ there, but why Saxon, Dallas, Dive and Dodge are there,” Stoke informed us.

“Understandable,” I said with a nod.

“Fuckin’ lucky we got Lan as well,” Eli added.

“Yeah, and apparently, Talon’s asked Warden to get to Melbourne. Wants state-of-the-art cameras at all businesses. Doesn’t trust anyone but Warden to do it.”

“That fucker can fix up anything,” Saxon said.

“Hey, guys,” Malinda said as she walked up and claimed her man with an arm around his waist. Stoke looked down at his woman and touched his lips to hers. She smiled up at him. “Have any of you seen Nary?” she asked.

“Yeah, she’s out the front with Josie, I—”

Everything stopped.

Everyone stood still.

“Nary,” we heard screamed and then...fuck, then a gunshot sounded in the calm air.

Everything sprang back into action. Men hustled women and children inside.

“No,” Malinda whispered. She started for the side gate. Stoke grabbed her and ordered her to the kids. I was already moving, rounding the corner. I ran through the gate and what I saw turned my blood cold.

Nary was on the ground, fuckin’ blood everywhere on her and Josie was over Cameron’s shoulder. He was makin’ a run for it. “Stop,” I yelled and started sprinting toward them.

All I saw was fury and a need.

A need to save our woman.

“Fuck!” Saxon bellowed behind me. “Fuck.”

Cameron turned and fired.

A pain stabbed me in the neck. I stopped.

How could I stop?

I had to get to Josie.

Still, my feet were firmly set on the ground. My hand went to my neck and when I pulled it back there was blood on it.

Shit.

Looking up, I saw Cameron deposit Josie on her feet beside him. She took one look at me and screamed with anguish.

My mouth moved, but nothing came out. Precious was on my lips before I took my last breath and fell to the ground.

––––––––

Eli

I was just behind Saxon when we got around the side, and a part of me turned to stone when my eyes landed on Nary on the ground, her blood being soaked up by the gravel. And then as Saxon roared, “Fuck!” my eyes found Josie over Cameron’s shoulder.

Motherfucker.

The sound of a gun being fired hit my ears. I froze, but then my body jump-started and my eyes raked over Josie to see if she was hit. She hadn’t. Cameron was standing her on her feet. They went to Saxon now on the ground beside Stoke and Nary, cursin’, whisperin’ and prayin’.

And then...fuck me. Fuckin’ hell. My eyes landed on Caden as his body hit the ground.

Cameron took a screaming Josie into his arms and ran again.

“What the fuck?” Talon snarled from somewhere.

My feet took me to Caden, I knelt beside him.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck.” Blood dripped out of his neck.

“Brother?” Blue said before touchin’ Caden’s neck. “No pulse.”

No. Christ. No, no.

“Fix him,” I growled low. “Fix him now. I’m gonna go get our woman back.”

“Billy,” Blue uttered. “It’s too late.”

“No!” I roared. “Fix him, brother, fix him, now.”

He read something from me and he nodded. “Go get your woman,” he said.

With a nod, I ran faster than I had ever ran before. Footsteps behind me thumped on the concrete, echoing with my own. I knew it was Saxon and probably Talon. Both of them would want payback.

Not as much as I did myself.

“There, go light, go in and get the fucker,” Talon ordered, pointing out Cameron as he rounded a corner down the street.

I took off into a neighbouring backyard. With a leap, I was over their fence and coming up the side of the house Cameron was on. My gun in my hand, I snuck low. No sound other than Josie’s cryin’ and Cameron cursing.

I had to get her back.

We needed our light.

Caden...holy Christ, my chest hurt. He had better be breathing when we get back.

Talon and Saxon had obviously turned to smoke and was comin’ in from their own way. I peeked around the house and saw Cameron, with shakin’ hands, tryin’ to unlock a car. Josie crumbled to the ground sobbin’.

But then.

Jesus. It was as if something had snapped inside her.

Josie turned her face from the ground up and glared at Cameron’s back.

She bounded up. Her fists flew into his back. He fell into the car and she pounded into him yellin’ over and over, “You bastard, you killed him, you killed Nary. You bastard. You bastard. No more. No more.”

Cameron turned to hit her. I dove behind the fence. I didn’t want him to see me yet. Josie blocked the slap to her face and shoved with all her strength into his chest. He stumbled back, his hands out to steady himself. His gun dropped to the ground.

They both eyed it. Josie got to it first.

She took a step back and raised the gun.

“You deserve to die. I just lost my dad. I just saw you shoot two people I love. You deserve to die.”

“Jo-Jo—”

“No,” she screamed. Her hands shook as she held the gun.

“Sweetheart,” I said quietly, standing. I jumped the fence and was at her side in seconds. I knew her stance. I knew her thoughts. She was ready to take his life.

One hand to her shoulder, my other hand trailed slowly down her arm to her hands, and I wrapped my hand around hers on the gun.

“Babe,” I uttered.

“Eli,” she sobbed. “Caden?”

Jesus.

“I don’t know.”

“Eli,” she uttered. “C-Caden?”

“He didn’t have a pulse when I left.”

She shook her head. “No,” she cried. “No. No one will take from us again. No more,” she declared before she fired the gun, hitting Cameron square in the chest.

Saxon showed, took Cameron to the ground and hit him over and over. If the gunshot wound didn’t kill him soon, Saxon would.

Talon, Griz and Killer appeared. They would handle things. They would clean everything up.

I had to take care of our woman.

My life.

My light.

And then...then we would get back to our other light. Caden.

Hopefully.

Fuck.