Ashley
1 year later….
Blackjack took me straight away from that shit show. He took me away, into the comfort of our own home. When Harry had ripped me from my house he broke almost everything in sight, it took a long time for me to be okay – to not be worried, to just…. forget about everything that had happened that day.
I stuck to myself for a long time after that. I wouldn’t have called it depression, or even anxiety, but I knew I needed time to truly process everything that I had been through over the last year.
I lost my child because the man I had loved didn’t want it, I was almost used as a pawn in a fucked up game because he was determined to please his Prez and in doing that, he could have taken everything that I held close to my heart. I came back home, broken and bruised – thinking that I’d never be myself ever again. The boys at the club brought me back to life, specifically Blackjack and my Dad.
If it wasn’t for them, I feel like I would still be the same shell of a woman that came home over a year ago. I was able to flourish. I suppose I should thank Blackjack for most of that. With his unconditional love and support, he was able to bring me back. If you’d have told me a year ago that I’d be sitting here in my living room, rocking our baby girl Noelle in a chair overlooking the lake I’d told you that you lost your damn mind. Yet here we are.
She’s the perfect mix of both of us, my light blonde hair, Blackjack’s dark eyes, and she even has the same freckles on her nose that Dex has, a trait that must’ve been passed down by their father. I never thought about motherhood being like this, sure I thought that it would be amazing, but I truly didn’t know how amazing that it would be. Granted, Rob and I were blessed with the best little girl ever. She sleeps through the night, hardly cries and smiles all the time. It’s as if she makes up for every horrible thing that we’ve endured over the last year.
I’m torn from my thoughts when I hear the front door to the house whip open and close with a bang. I turn around quickly, ready to berate whoever the fuck just came through my door and could wake the sleeping bundle of joy in my arms. When I turn, I’m met with my brothers, Dad and Blackjack in tow right behind them.
As usual, they all stop dead in their tracks to take off their boots. This is my house, and I do run a tight ship. There isn’t going to be dirt dragged through my entire place. Blackjack tears his boots off and rushes over to me and Noelle, he brushes his lips across my forehead and scoops her up into his arms. “How’s my favorite girl?” He coo’s.
“I’m fine. Thanks for asking” I scoff with a smirk.
He chuckles softly, leaning down to give me a lingering kiss on the lips. “My woman” He declares.
“Mhm”
“Would ya both stop that shit and give me my grand baby?” My Dad grumbles. I swear, ever since Noelle’s been born he hasn’t stayed away. He’s over at our house for breakfast and dinner, plus the weekends too. Blackjack hands Noelle over to my Dad, his smile lighting up like it was Christmas morning.
“So, are any of you going to tell me why you barged into this house and almost woke up my sleeping little girl that I just got back down to sleep?” I look to Zane and Kade first, who look to Blackjack, who then looks to my father.
I know this look.
“What is it?” I demand, wanting to know exactly is going through his mind.
“We’ve got some news sweetheart.” Any time my father had news, it wasn’t good. I’d learned that from a very young age and since then, not much has changed. He still has the same way of making me nervous as all hell before he says a word.
“Okay, so tell me”
“It’s Kathryn.” Kat. I blink quickly, looking to the twins to find out if this is really the truth, they both nod and I’m overwhelmed with fear – I know what’s coming. They’ve finally found a body after all these years. “She’s alive.”
“Wait……wh-what did you j-just say?” I ask, my lip trembling.
Kat is my cousin. My Uncle Tex and Aunt Roxy’s lil’ girl. She’s my age, just a few weeks younger. When we were thirteen we went into Billings to go to the movies, it was the first time that we went by ourselves and we were absolutely thrilled. I couldn’t tell anyone how excited we were because it was our first taste of independence. We were thirteen going on thirty, so to speak.
Long story short, one of us didn’t come home that day.
Obviously, I was the one who came home.
“Kathryn is alive baby girl. We know where she is and we’re gonna figure out a way to get her back, okay?”
Kathryn, my cousin and my best friend. A girl who had been missing for years, a girl that we couldn’t find no matter how much we cowered the ends of the earth, and suddenly – we found her.
“Where is she? I just….after all this time it’s hard to believe that you just magically found her. How do we even know it’s her? How?!” I ask, tears welling behind my eyes. I want my baby girl back so I can rock her, but I’d only be using the movement to soothe myself and not my little one.
“You don’t want to know” Blackjack interjects.
The twins stare at me, both of their faces filled with concern, and a dash of anger. “Where the F is my cousin?” I snap, keeping my voice low so I don’t startle Noelle into a crying fit.
“Rage has her.” My father says lowly, “He’s had her this entire fucking time.”
Rage.
He’s the type of man that your mothers warn you about, the man who will take advantage and cripple you. He did exactly that to my aunt. She and I are the same in a lot of ways. We both left abusive marriages and moved on to something better. She married my uncle Tex and I married Blackjack. I shut my eyes for a moment, when I open them my father is staring out of my window, looking down to the lake.
“We’re going to get her back. Whatever it takes.” He declares.
“Whatever it takes” I agree, taking a few steps towards the window. As I overlook the crystal waters an idea hits me in the face. “Dad?”
“Yeah sweetheart?”
“Where’s Damon?” I ask, turning back towards them. I look to him and then to the twins who both have a knowing smirk.
“Around” He mutters.
“Good, cause Damon is gonna help us get Kat back.”