Chapter 29 – Chelcie
It takes only seconds after Asher hissed out those eight words.
Those eight words that will either be his demise or his salvation.
In that short time, the room explodes with voices of concern, outrage, anger, and understanding. I can’t tell with all of their yelling which is winning.
“Excuse me,” I try to say over the testosterone fest that is raging within the conference room’s four solid walls. They don’t even spare me a glance.
Each one of them is speaking over the other, trying to be the lone voice that gains the upper hand and gets to speak first.
Hell. No.
There is no way I’m going to sit back and let them help make the call that would define my future. No way. That would not only be tempting fate with Asher’s own life, but if I know anything about these men, it is that they would never let Ash go at this alone—effectively making this a call that will affect all of their futures and those of their families.
“Excuse me,” I try again, raising my voice slightly.
When that still doesn’t work, I push myself up, the chair wheeling back with a force so strong that it slams against the wall behind me. They still don’t even stop to look at me.
Looking around the room for something that will help me gain the upper hand, I see Maddox watching me with a small smirk on his face. He isn’t even attempting to stick his voice into the uncontrolled war around us. I’m not sure what compels me to act like a child, but seeing him just sitting there—doing nothing—causes my already rising temper to shoot through the roof.
I place my hands on my hips, cock my head to the side, and stick my tongue out at him.
Well, it seems as if basket case has decided to come and play today.
I see his shoulders move with his silent laughter, and then he pushes up from the table and walks around the short distance to me, all the while going completely unnoticed by the other men in the room. They just keep yelling over each other.
Maddox dips his head low, his face just inches from mine, and I try my hardest not to cower under his intense gaze. He’s standing so close that I can feel the heat of his nose against my own. He gives me one sharp nod, shifts to the right, and brings his mouth to my ear.
“You make sure and keep that damn light shining bright on him. You give a broken man like me hope that there might be something to be said about trusting that blaze that fights a man’s demons.” Then he pulls back just as quickly.
I get one hell of a smile before he places his hands on my hips, turns my body to face the men in the room, and lifts me up. I flail for a second until I realize that he’s helping me onto the conference table. He doesn’t remove his hands, making sure that I’m safe on my perch.
“EXCUSE ME!” I scream.
The room falls silent and all four of the grown toddlers fighting over the last cookie turn to look at me with shock.
Greg’s and Beck’s eyes go wide. Axel roars with laughter. But Asher’s face turns hard as he looks at Maddox with nothing short of bared vehemence.
“I suggest you get your fucking hands off my woman,” he fumes.
Maddox doesn’t move. He keeps his hold on my hips, and I see Asher’s eye twitch.
“I’ll fucking kill you,” he vows.
“Oh be quiet, you overgrown ape!” I scream down at him.
His blue eyes are alight with anger, but I can see the shock starting to hit him with my tone.
“That’s right. All of you just shut up for a second. Sitting here and pissing all over each other isn’t going to accomplish anything, but I have something to say and you’re damn well going to listen to me.” Maddox’s fingers flex against my hips in encouragement. “I will agree with Asher that this asshole, this vile excuse for a human, needs to pay for what he did and every crime he’s committed since Coop’s death. I firmly believe that he needs one hell of a kick in the ass. He needs to suffer, and he needs to suffer for a long time. That being said, going off half-cocked to seek some vigilante type of justice? News flash—you boys are not invincible and there are a lot of people who love you, who don’t want to see something terrible happen to you.”
I look around the room while I gauge the best way to express myself. “Tell me this. Would Coop, for one second, want you all to be putting your lives on the line just so that you can avenge him? Well, I’ll tell you this much—he damn sure wouldn’t. I might not have known him as long or as well as you all did, but I knew a man who lived each day as if it were his last. He laughed often. He loved fiercely. He was strong, brave, and courageous. He was a man who knew right down to the last second what he was giving up by stepping in front of that bullet.” Maddox’s hands clench so tight that I have to bite my cheek to keep from crying out in pain. “He assessed the situation and he decided that he would be the hero he was meant to be. He would be sick if he knew that any one of you were willing to follow him into the grave just to punish the man responsible.”
I look down at Asher, his earlier anger washed away, and he’s looking up at me with something close to shocked pride.
“His memory will never be anything short of miraculous. Asher, baby, he doesn’t need this vengeance in the way that you have planned. You don’t need to kill another man to make this wrong right. Make him pay, suffer, and spend the rest of his days locked in a cell with no hope of ever seeing the outside again. I’m begging you, baby. I don’t want our son to lose another father. We need you,” I stress.
I pat Maddox’s hands, letting him know that I’m ready to get down. He easily lifts me off the table and gently places my feet on the floor. I turn, give him a brief hug, and turn back to Asher. I walk as close as I can, or as close as my belly will allow, placing both of my palms on his chest and looking up into his sad face.
“I would never be able to give you up without a fight, Asher. I told you a long time ago that I’m with you every step of the way, but I need you to understand me and why I feel the way I do about this. This is about so much more than giving your brother peace. You need to look at the bigger picture. If you go through with this, you’re not only risking your life, but each one of these men who stand with you. Whether they agree with you or not, you know they would follow you into the depths of hell. And if that happens, there are a lot more people than just me who stand to lose their persons.” His eyes flash, comprehension finally dawning within. “I need you, they need you, Zac needs you. And as much as it pains me to say this, whatever you decide, I will do my best to be the strength you need to ensure that you have everything needed to make it happen. You and me, baby. It’s you and me.”
I can hear the others moving around us. Their chairs are rolling back to the table and they’re sitting back. The energy that was going wild just moments before is now sober. I continue to hold Asher’s gaze, pouring all my love into this look. He closes his eyes, drops his forehead to mine, and lets out a rushed breath.
“I hear you, Sunshine.” He turns back to the room, moving his chair back to the table and taking a seat. He pulls me into his lap and places his hand on my belly before addressing the men silently waiting. “We call Robert with the ATF, get with Mitchell over with DEA, and I’ll call Stan with the FBI. Let’s make sure Dominic Murphy goes down…and pays for a long fucking time.”
I let the tension leave my body, and the mammoth amount of fear, anxiety and pain washes out in one big rush. I collapse back on Asher, his arms tightening around me, and I say a silent prayer that everything is going to be okay.
I look over at Maddox moments before my eyes close and the stress of the situation bleeds from my body. He meets my gaze, gives me a nod and a warm smile.
His approval that I did the right thing.
Yes, everything is going to be just fine.
I close my eyes, my head resting against Asher’s chest, his heartbeat thumping against my ear. The voices around me—making plans and finalizing decisions—lull me into a deep sleep.