Ace
My heart is pounding in my chest like a jackhammer as we stand out here waiting for the fuckin’ door to open. I can’t believe I’m this close to seeing my baby sister again. I need to hold her in my arms and never let her go again. Fuck, I missed her more than I allowed myself to feel all these years.
The sun is starting to set in the west behind us for the night. We plan on staying here tonight in this room and then head out early in the mornin’. I need to feed my girl and baby some real food and she needs to rest. I’m sure my sister needs the same, being a few more weeks along than Jules. Then we’ll stop somewhere on the way to purchase another SUV, since it’s too late to do that tonight. The new SUV will be for Brookie to keep for after she has the baby. Jules and I already have one, and we don’t need another. Brookie will need it to get around with the baby once things settle down.
The door slowly opens, and I can’t move. I’m astonished by the vision before me, for more than one reason. Her right eye’s swollen and her lip is cut. I can only assume this is that asshole Rage’s handy work. Her eyes are all bloodshot from crying and her hair is up in a messy bun. She has on a large band shirt, hiding her belly and yoga capris. She’s still beautiful, stunning, older, the spitting image of our mother. And she still looks like a shining angel, well a glowing angel, nose ring and all. Her blonde, almost white, hair hasn’t changed that much, nor has her angelic face and blue eyes that match mine. The purest blue eyes, like sapphires.
I hear a gasp come from behind me and ignore it as she lunges into my arms, crying and I grab her. Holding her so tight I may be hurting her and her baby, but I can’t help myself. I won’t let her go, never again. Never fuckin’ again!
She cries into my chest, soaking my shirt and I feel tears welling up in my eyes too, but I won’t allow them to fall. No. No tears out of me.
I feel Jules hand on my lower back as she nudges me forward into the room. I won’t let go of Brookie, so I lift her up off her feet, walk us into the room and place her down. The door shuts and locks behind me. We stand in the middle of the room with the guys and Jules behind us.
I don’t know how much time passes, but they give us our space. I take her tiny frame in my arms and feel her swollen belly against me. She can’t weigh more than a hundred twenty pounds. She’s short like Bella, maybe five feet two inches at most. She smells like lavender flowers. Her hair and perfume. It reminds me of one of the perfumes Jules wears that she got at Victoria’s Secret. I wonder if it’s the same one. What am I thinking? I’m distracting myself from the main reason I’m here. I need answers, then we need to eat and sleep and get out of here in the mornin’.
Finally, one of the guys clears their throat behind me and brings me back to reality. I let go of Brookie and take a tiny step back to evaluate her closer. I keep her in my arms, not wanting her to disappear on me.
Standing here speechless, looking at her, feeling as if I’m in a dream. Looking at her face, she looks so young. She has her nose pierced, a few tattoos on her arms, wrists, and one under her right ear. Those are the ones that I can see peeking out of her clothes, who knows what’s underneath.
Staying in my own little world while I evaluate her. That is until I see a flash go off in front of us. I look up and see Jules with a gleaming smile on her face and her phone in hand. She just captured a memory for us. Snapping a few pictures that I will forever cherish. I grab for Jules’s hand and take her under my right arm and keep Brookie under my left. Now, I have both my girls in my arms, right where they belong and their babies too.
“Baby girl, this is my girl, ol’ lady, fiancée, all the above. She’ll be my wife next weekend, Jules,” I whisper rambling. I shake my head and laugh to break the spell I was under. I look down at Brookie, then I turn to Jules. “Kitten, this is my baby sister, Brookie.” I can’t believe this day has finally come and I have my worlds in my arms. Life sure is good.
“It’s so great to finally meet you,” Jules says smiling brightly at my sister. Brookie reciprocates and they hug each other with me in the middle still holding them. Then, we stand frozen just staring at one another. Well, I can’t take my eyes off my sister. She’s turned into a beautiful young woman standing before me.
Then, I hear one of the guys clear their throats behind us again. Shit, I totally forgot we weren’t alone. I turn my head and see Beast approaching us with a huge smile on his face and his cell phone in hand. I swear, ever since the girls got their phone privileges back all they do is take pictures and the guys have started that shit too. Especially, since the twins arrived.
“Brother,” is all he says, and I nod lookin’ away from Brookie. I get his hint and break myself from our little moment to include my brothers.
“Brookie, these are my brothers Beast, Shadow and that big guy over there is Blaze.” I indicate who’s who, pointing to Beast first, then Shadow and finally Blaze. She gives Beast and Shadow a warm timid smile.
Then, she looks over at Blaze and I swear Brookie’s pale face just went even paler. I look at my brother and see his face in stone and the same color as hers. They both look like they’ve seen a ghost.
Her smiling face fades away and goes sad. Her legs begin to shake. I let go of Jules and grab my sister, so she doesn’t fall. As I grasp Brookie around her waist, Jules comes to her other side and helps me get Brookie to the bed to sit. What the hell just happened? Is she sick or something?
I kneel before her and keep her upright with my hands on her shoulders.
“Brookie, what’s wrong?” I ask concerned. She doesn’t answer me or look at me, she’s still staring at Blaze. She places her left hand on her belly and silent tears cascade down her face. I look back at my brother again and see he’s still pale and hasn’t moved a muscle from the door. What the fuck is going on here?
We all look back and forth between Brookie and Blaze. Do they know each other, no that’s impossible, right? Does he look like that guy Rage that hurt her, maybe? So, what could it be?
We’re the only ones in the room and the blinds are drawn, no one can see in or out. So, it can’t be that. I don’t get a chance to ask any other questions in the eerily silent room.
“Angel... is... is that really you?” Blaze murmurs in a shaky voice like he knows her. A voice that doesn’t sound like my brother at all. It’s too gentle and loving, not hard like the brother I’ve known for years. No one says anything, I think we’re all in shock.
Brookie doesn’t talk, just nods her head to him with tears spilling down her face.
“Is... is she mine?” he asks quietly as he directs his eyes to Brookie’s center and tilts his head. He stares at her waiting for an answer.
Is who his? What is he asking? Is he talking about Brookie or the baby in her belly? What the fuck is going on here? I don’t like the look on my brother’s face, not one iota.
“Jaxson,” Brookie gabbles out with uncontrollable tears streaming down her white face.
Jaxson, who the fuck is Jaxson? I go to stand up to inspect the room. Did another man get in here with us? Was someone in here with Brookie that I didn’t see when we walked in?
Then it hits me, I know that name Jaxson. Asshole, that is Blaze’s given name. How in the world does Brookie know that?
Now, I’m beginning to get really pissed the fuck off. I want to know what the fuck is going on here? Is this why Blaze has been acting so weird since I got Brookie’s call earlier?
“What the fuck is goin’ on, brother?” I growl at Blaze, and again, I get ignored. It’s like no one is in the room, but the two of them.
Brookie gets up from the bed slowly and walks over to Blaze, who is still standing by the door. We all stand back and watch them gravitate to one another.
She takes his hands in her’s and places one on her swollen belly. Then takes the other to the side of her face. She takes her hand off the one on her belly and places it on the side of his face. He gasps from her touch and closes his eyes for a few seconds.
I’m left speechless as I move closer to Jules and take her in my arms. I stand back watching them fuming.
“Jaxson, is it really you? Are you really here?” Brookie soft voice asks him through sobs.
Beast comes closer to my side and Shadow behind me. Beast is on my left and I have Jules tucked under my right arm. Jules leans her head on my chest and wraps her arms around my waist. Beast places his hand on my shoulder to keep me in place. I didn’t realize how angry I was getting until Jules touched my trembling body. I’m vibrating with fury and want to tear my brother apart right now.
“Angel, is this my baby growin’ in your belly?” Blaze says in a soft, unrecognizable voice. I see him rubbing circles on her stomach over her shirt. I can’t think, I just see red and go to attack him. Beast’s grip on my shoulder tightens and Shadow grabs hold of the other to hold me back. I look at Jules, her eyes pleading for me to let them be and have a moment.
I can’t breathe. When did they meet? Is she the chick he ran off with at the bike rally in October? Was my sister in Florida for that and I didn’t know? Her pregnancy kinda lines up with that timeline.
Shit, he touched my baby sister? No, he fucked her and put a baby inside her. That’s his daughter baking in her oven. My soon to be niece is his daughter.
“She is,” Brookie confirms through her sobbing and I see tears glistening in my brother’s eyes. My head is spinning. I want to feel for him, but I’m so full of rage towards him for touching my baby sister. My seventeen-year-old baby sister.
“Jaxson, I didn’t want to keep this from you. I just... I didn’t know how to find you without putting you in danger. And now... Oh, shit.” Brookie doesn’t continue she just sobs, falling into Blaze’s arms. He holds her close, closing his eyes, and absorbing all her words. He has one hand on her back and the other on her head, protectively, soothing her as her body quakes in his arms.
“I’ve been searching for you, angel. Your face has haunted my dreams since you left me. You just left without a word. Nothin’, you were just gone, and I had no way of finding you.” I can hear the gut-wrenching pain in his voice. She’s the one he’s had Throttle looking for, the woman he fell for.
Too much shit is floating around in my head at once. First, she calls me after all these years for protection. Then she tells me she’s pregnant. Now, I find out her baby is my brothers and I have no clue how they know one another. We will get to that soon. Very fuckin’ soon.
Blaze lifts Brookie in his arms and kisses her. Not able to watch this shit anymore, I growl, loudly and lunge for him again with no luck.
I growl again and fight with my brothers to let me go so I can separate them. Beast and Shadow’s hold on me becomes painful as they pull me back.
“Give them a minute, brother. Then you’ll get your answers,” Beast says in my ear.
Fine, right now I’ll give them this moment. Then I’m getting all my fuckin’ answers.
Blaze is 6’5”, she is probably only 5’ 2” and looks so tiny in his arms. He’s so much taller and bigger than her and full of tatts. She looks like a child in his arms that he’s protecting. Well, I suppose she still is a child with a baby on the way before she even turns eighteen. What the fuck was my brother thinking sleeping with some girl ten years younger than him?
They finally stop kissing and Brookie looks back at me after hearing my growls.
When Blaze examines her looking at me, he follows suit and looks straight into my eyes. He sees the fury in them and the control I’m trying my damnedest to hold back here as I stand away from them.
“I didn’t know she was your sister when I met her last year, I swear, brother. How could I have?” he says, staring me directly in the eyes, showing me the truth in them.
“Just give me a few minutes to hold my girl and take this all in. Then we can all sit down and talk. Obviously, we all have questions that need to be answered.”
We continue to stare each other down as he holds my sister in his arms. Everyone stays quiet until I can’t take it any longer. I forcefully shake off the guys and turn away from Brookie and Blaze, not able to watch their affection for each other another second.
“Fine, I’ll order some pizzas and fries. My girl needs to eat and I’m sure Brookie does too. Then we’ll sit down and fuckin’ talk, calmly and rationally. Starting from the goddamn fuckin’ beginning, brother,” I say and pull out my phone.
I look at Jules for some direction here and she seems to be as stunned and lost as we all are. She can just compose herself better than me.
“No, we can’t stay. We have to leave, now! They’ll be coming for me,” Brookie says frantically and we all stare at her. She breaks free of Blaze’s arms and rushes to the other side of the room gathering her things.
“Brookie, stop! Talk to us now! What the hell is going on? Who is gonna come for you?”
I have more questions than I do answers at this point and I don’t like that. I need somethin’ concrete to go on to proceed with this situation with caution. I cannot have anyone gettin’ hurt on my watch. Especially, the two pregnant women in the room that mean the world to me.
“Rage, Slayer, and Uncle Ry threatened to kill me if I ever left again. I didn’t want to call you and involve you and your friends in my shit. Unfortunately, I had no choice, there is no one in my life I can trust. I needed to buy some time and get further away from them, all of them, and figure out my next move.
“The other day, I overheard a conversation between the three of them downstairs. They were saying they’re going to sell my daughter to one of the men in the Mexican Cartel when I deliver her. And me as a sex slave for their men. Since I’m not a virgin anymore and pregnant with a bastard’s child, my body is ruined. Apparently, that’s all I’ll ever be good for. They said it’s all your fault no one wants me in the Club as more than a whore like mom,” she says lookin’ into my eyes.
“I also heard them say, they’re going to come for your girl. I didn’t know who they were talking about at the time. When you said her name today and I saw her I figured it out,” she says pointing to Jules’s round belly.
“And now I put a target on your backs, you’re all in danger along with me. The Cartel is not to be messed with, they know all. They know she’s pregnant, I overheard them say it when they were talking. They want her baby to do with like mine. Some man named Santos or Santiago wants to punish you and her for ruining her for him. They laughed about what he wants to do her, making you watch him and all his men fuck your whore in every hole.
“Daddy, I can’t let them take my daughter away from me before I even have a chance to hold her, love her.
“We have to leave now! They can’t find us, any of us! They will kill us all!” she screams at me quivering so bad. Blaze, Beast, Shadow, and I all growl at the same time and snap out of our furious haze. We definitely need to get out of here and fast. I can’t chance them finding us and not having enough back up to keep the girls safe.
Then we’ll have to buy a new Cage somewhere along the way.
Blaze looks furious at the idea of someone touching what’s his. I know the feeling. I feel the same way when it comes to my Jules and our baby. No one will ever touch my girl in any way. I will kill Santiago with my bare hands and stuff his dick down his throat, along with all his men’s before he even gets close to my girl.
“No one is taking you or my daughter away from me, angel. I just got you back. You’re both mine and you’re not leavin’ me ever again,” he says looking at her with soft, furious eyes. Then he turns to our brothers.
“Beast, help me get her shit together so we can get the fuck out of here,” Blaze barks the order in a mad rush to gather all her things.
Beast helps him with her shit as she waddles across the room. I look at the time on my cell phone. It’s 8:05, so we have some time, I hope. Unless they’ve been watching us. I check out the window, looking for any strange activity. None, thankfully, but it’s getting dark outside and harder to see in the distance. I turn back to my sister needing to ask Brookie a couple of things before I leave this room. No one is gettin’ hurt or leaving my side.
I grab my phone out of the back pocket of my jeans and send a quick text to Gator to call an emergency Church to fill the guys in. He texts back immediately, he’ll call it for an hour from now. The guys are around the Clubhouse somewhere.
“Brookie, do you think they followed you here to the motel? Or do you think they’re on their way here?” She stops what she is doing and looks up at me.
“I texted Uncle Ry when I arrived here, so he would think I went to work at the diner. That was right before I called you. They never know what goes on in the morning. Too drunk and stoned and up to their eyeballs in pussy to bother with me till the afternoon.
“I usually work an 8-hour shift. I start at one and normally get home around 10. When I don’t show up then, they’ll track my phone. They’ll find it in my room on my bed, under the covers that are stuffed with pillows. I stole a burner phone from Burnie’s corner store on my way out of the city, to contact you on. Once I called you and I knew you’d come, I relaxed a little. I assumed we would leave immediately not to draw any attention to ourselves. They’ll know where I am once they get to the bus station. Uncle Ry has everyone in the city on his payroll in one way or another, including the cops. They’re all in his back pocket. They’ll come straight here looking for me.” She stops rambling and walks over to me.
“I’m sorry, please don’t hate me. I know you’re a good man, not like Uncle Ry and the guys in that God-awful Club. You never intentionally hurt me like they have. Please understand, I had to do this for my daughter, to give her a chance at a better life. A better one than I ever had, like the one you tried to give me in the beginning. Please, don’t let them get to me and hurt me again. Please protect me and my daughter,” she cries and wraps her tiny arms around my waist. I hold her to me and she rests her head on my chest.
“Baby girl, I could never hate you. I just needed to know how to handle this situation and keep everyone safe. I love you, Brookie, and we’re all going to keep you safe. Your daughter is gonna be safe and protected and loved before she even comes into this world. You’re family and family takes care of family at all cost,” I whisper to her and kiss the top of her head.
“We got everything. Brook, how did you get here from the bus station?” Beast asks not hearing her tell me. Then I see him throwing her duffle bags over his shoulder.
“I walked here and paid cash for the room. It’s a pay by the hour kinda place so it’s cheap. I gave the old man at the front desk an extra five hundred bucks to keep his trap shut if anyone came sniffing around for me.” She definitely grew up in this life and knows how to take care of herself, to a certain degree. Getting pregnant before she’s even eighteen, not so smart.
“Blaze, you stay here with the girls. Beast, Shadow, and I will get her things in the cage and check out the area and the old man. Once it’s all clear, we’re gettin’ the hell out of here, fast.” He nods his head to me and takes Brookie back in his arms. He walks her over to the bed and sits down. They start to talk in a whisper.
Jules walks over to me. “Blue, be careful. I love you,” she whispers to me.
“Always, kitten, always. Listen to Blaze and keep an eye on them. When it’s clear I’ll come back for you. I love you too,” I say placing a soft, quick kiss on her lips and rubbing her belly.
I release her and walk over to the door. I check the peephole and Beast and Shadow look out the big picture windows by the door. Thankfully, she’s on the first floor and we were able to park right out front of her room.
They nod to me, giving me the all clear and we shuffle out the door, locking it behind us.
We get everything in the cage and do a perimeter check. Shadow checks in with the old man to see what he knows. He kept his trap shut about the pregnant woman in one of his rooms and Shadow gives him an extra five g’s to stay quiet for good.
Beast starts up the cage and waits outside with all the doors open. We decided to bring them all out at once, instead of one at a time, and get the hell out of dodge faster.
It’s pitch dark out now and I don’t like this shit at all. Blaze lifts Brookie in his arms and takes her in the back, the third row, to have some privacy. Jules and I take the middle row seats and I make sure my girl is secure before we take off. Beast is driving, and Shadow is in the passenger seat. Once we’re all settled and secured, he takes off like a bat out of hell.
We head straight to the main highway and get on the interstate. My girl needs to eat, but we need to put some distance between us, the motel, and that town.
Thankfully, Brookie has some snacks with her and they will hold the girls off, for a while.
We’ll hit a drive-through for food soon, until then, we all need to talk. I need some fuckin’ answers before I lose my shit.
I’ll call Gator soon, once I get what I need from the two in the back seat.