Climbing Out (21 page)

“I’m happy where I am,” Warden said. “I got enough shit goin’ on workin’ with Vi. No offense, but being in a biker group just ain’t my thing.”

“None taken, but I’m sure the offer is still there, even when we tell Talon.” I said. “What about you?” I asked Travis. He’d be a good asset; he’s got sources in Melbourne. It was obvious he’d do anything to protect what was his and he didn’t crack under pressure.

“I’d have to talk to Violet about it,” he said with an amused smile.

I chuckled, as did my brothers. We got that; Violet was another hard, ball-busting woman.

“We’re nearly there,” Nathan said.

“Fuckin’ nark,” Kenny hissed.

I hit him in the head again, making him swear.

Blue got up on his knees with his hand on the backdoors, ready to pop them open. Killer and Stoke were beside him, which left Warden, Travis and me to get out the side door.

The calm atmosphere in the van intensified into a harsher anxious one. Everyone was ready.

Duckin’ my head down a bit, we pulled into a drive. Kenny went to stop there, but I ordered him to take it into the garage that was already open. Ryan’s huge motherfuckin’ house was in the suburbs; we couldn’t risk an audience. We needed to take the fight inside.

With a hard shove on the back of Kenny’s head from my gun, he finally did as I told him, and slowly drove the van into the garage. As soon as we were through, the automatic door behind us closed.

I smiled. Ryan obviously didn’t want an audience either, seeing how he still thought he was kidnappin’ my woman. It was pure fuckin’ luck we caught them before they arrived here, because it had worked out beautifully for us.

A door in front of the van opened, and Ryan outlined the lit opening.

“What the hell are you waiting for?” he yelled.

Just as I turned to give the go-ahead to the boys up the back, dickhead Kenny screamed, “Watch out!”

It all went into chaos. My brothers jumped out the back as I knocked Kenny out with the back of my gun. Warden opened the side door, got out with his gun raised and pointed it at Ryan. He moved aside to let Travis and myself out, and I stepped up to Ryan and smiled. His eyes widened comically.

“It was the wrong move trying to take my woman, arsehole.”

A shot at the front of the garage was fired. “We’ve got incoming,” Blue called.

“They’re coming in the side door, Griz,” Travis said.

More shots were fired. Travis ran to the back to help out while Warden and I eyed Ryan. For some reason, he wasn’t running.

He moved aside, and a few more men ran in shooting at whatever moved. I shifted back into the van, as did Warden.

“What do you want to do?” Warden asked.

“I want my hands on that motherfucker,” I growled. The noise in the garage grew louder from guns, fists and voices.

“Go get him then.” Warden grinned. He silently moved out of the side door of the van once again and crept to the front, where the men with guns were now standing. Warden shot and one fell; the next turned and fired on Warden, but I dove from the side of the van, fired off a shot and clipped him. Warden ran and tackled the guy to the ground as Blue came up from the other side of the garage and took down one more.

I ran for the door and went straight through. A loud clutter came from the left, so I went that way, following the wall down the hall closely, so if anything came around the corner, they wouldn’t see me first before I killed them.

As I crept closer to the entry way to what looked like a living room, another loud clatter sounded, accompanied by swearing.

“Fuck, where in the hell are my keys?” Ryan cried.

I turned the corner with my gun held high and asked, “Missing something?” He was over near a black leather couch, a cushion still in his hand.

“Griz, come on. Let’s just forget this. You don’t owe me money any longer, and I promise I won’t go after your woman.”

I laughed. “Too late for that—your guy already touched her in a way I didn’t like. She’ll have a bruise from it for a couple of days, which means she’ll remember what happened for a couple of days, and I don’t like that.”

“What do you want? You want money? People? I can find anyone who has done you wrong and have them gone.”

“Jesus, you really are stupid. I want nothing from you; I take care of my own business. No one who has crossed me or mine has lived to see another day.”

“What about Maxwell?”

“Don’t worry about him; he’s on my list,” I glared. “Get on your knees,” I snarled. He was pathetic, trying to bargain his way out of the inevitable.

He took a step back, his hand raised in front of him, and he looked down as a wet patch filled the front of his slacks. “Griz,” he squeaked, “I-I’m sure we can work something out.”

I shook my head at the sight in front of me. It was all the same. As soon as the shoe was on the other foot, their tough exterior faded and left a weak, useless one behind.

I scoffed, “Nothin’ to work out.”

“I’m sure we can figure something out.” A gun was shoved into my back. I looked over my shoulder to see Kenny standing there.

Well, shit. I should have just shot the dick.

“Not today,” another voice said; this time, it was behind Kenny, who in turn let out a grunted groan and fell to his knees, his gun dropping to the ground beside him.

Nathan stepped up with a knife in his hand. “He’s getting away.” He gestured with his chin to Ryan, who was looking frantic as he neared the front door.

I sighed, aimed and shot. Ryan fell onto his back to the wooden flooring, just out of reach of the front door.

“Because you had my back, you go. Now, before my brothers catch you,” I said to Nathan as I started my way over to a moaning Ryan.

“Thanks,” he said, and moved off to where, I guessed, the kitchen and backdoor was.

“Don’t thank me; you haven’t made it yet.”

I stopped and looked down at Ryan. The fucker was actually crying as he held his stomach.

His eyes widened as I raised my gun once again and shot him in-between his eyes.

“Griz, brother, we gotta go,” Blue called from the other side of the living room.

I looked up to see him with a bleeding nose and a busted-up lip. Running forward, I asked, “Everyone all right?”

With grim eyes, he shook his head.

Fuck.

Shit
.

“Who?”

“Stoke. We gotta get him to a hospital. He was shot in the gut and he’s bleeding out pretty bad. I think it hit something vital.”

“Goddamn it,” I uttered. We hit the garage just as Killer and a limping Warden were loading Stoke into the back of the van.

After Travis climbed in the driver’s seat, Blue hopped in the passenger one and I ran around to the back to get in.

Warden closed the door behind me. I made my way to Stoke’s side; Killer was on the other, holding a folded up towel over Stoke’s wound.

The garage doors opened and we took off. Both Killer and I supported Stoke, trying to keep him as still as we could as Warden watched from the backdoors of the van.

“Brother,” I said, taking his hand in mine. “Dammit, Stoke, dammit.”

“S-s’all good, Grady. You know I’d do it over again if I had the chance. Always at your back, brother. Alwa—”

“Stoke. Shit, brother?”

Killer crouched over him, “He’s only passed out, but his heart is slowin’.”

“Fuck! Travis, drive like you did before; get us to a hospital.”

Deanna

––––––––

I
left the happy couple to head back out the front where everyone else was waiting. Talon wanted me to announce the monsters’ arrival while he helped Zara get cleaned up; they wanted to bond with the twins over breastfeeding.

Opening the doors, eight pairs of eyes were instantly latched onto me.

“We have a boy and a girl.” I smiled. Clapping filled the space along with wild cheers. I searched further to see if my man was there, but he wasn't. My shoulders slumped in sadness. I would’ve loved to have shared this moment with him. Worry took over my body.
Was he okay? Was he hurt? Where in the fuck was he?

I pushed it all back and slapped on my happy face. A nurse stepped out behind me and said, “Only a few visitors for now, but they're asking for their children, Zara's parents and his sister to come in.”

A tired Violet, Richard, Nancy and Cody, who took Maya's hand, walked past me as Josie and Swan came to stand in front of me. I smiled and asked, “Are you guys excited to meet...”
Crap, I didn't even know the names of the brats yet.
“...the bundles of joy?”

“Yes, very.” Josie grinned behind her hand; she was often doing things like that. If she laughed, she covered her mouth, but if she forgot to at the time, she'd duck her head at the end and blush. I could only hope one day her self-esteem issues would evaporate.

“W-when?” Swan asked.

I looked over my shoulder to the doors. “I'm sure you can soon, baby. Besides, they have to announce their names.” I glanced over to Julian and Mattie, who were sitting in the waiting chairs hugging. “Do you guys know what they're gonna name them?” I asked.

They looked at each other and then shook their heads.

“No,” Mattie said. “It's all been very tight-lipped.”

A half-hour had passed when the doors finally opened again; Violet and Zara's parents walked out with the kids, happy tears shining in their eyes.

“She wants all of you in there.” Nancy smiled. “They're absolutely beautiful; I could just eat them up.”

Violet walked up to me and whispered, “I'm going to catch a taxi, head home to shower and come back with Travis. I'm leaving his car here in case you need it to get Swan home.”

“You're being nice again,” I stated.

“I know, and believe me—I'll throw up for it later.” She smiled. I smirked at her and shook my head.

I understood her need for a shower; I really wanted one too, but I'd wait. So with a thanks and a nod from me, she took off after a goodbye to everyone else.

“We're taking the kids to the cafeteria to get something to eat. Do any of you want anything?” Richard asked.

With a no from everybody, they made their way to the elevators, and Mattie, Julian, Swan, Josie and I went back into Zara's room.

She was sitting up in her bed, and even though she looked beat, she was obviously happy. I could see it in her shining eyes and the smile that played on her mouth.

I stood back with Swan, holding her hand as Julian, Mattie and Josie all gushed over the twins being held by their mum and very happy dad.

After they stepped back, I moved forward and sat Swan on the bed beside Zara.

“Hey there, sweetie,” Zara said to Swan. “Do you like the babies?”

Swan nodded, and then her head turned on its side as she asked, “Names?”

Talon cleared his throat and was about to say something, when the door to the room opened and in walked Grady. My hand went to my neck as I took him in. He was in one piece, but he had a grim look upon his face, though it quickly changed once he saw Swan and me.

Swan jumped down from the bed and ran for her father, yelling, “Daddy!”

He scooped her up in his arms and held her tightly, and then one arm came out as he eyed me. I went straight for it. I wrapped my arms around both of them, burying my head into Grady’s neck.

“You okay?” I uttered.

“S'all good, darlin'. We'll talk soon.”

I nodded and moved back so I could reach up and peck him on the lips.

“Will you two stop groping in front of your child? Let's hear the announcement of the names, and then we can take Swan down to the cafeteria too,” Julian said.

Grady had a silent conversation with Talon through nods and chin lifts. I would never begin to understand how that worked.

“All right,” Talon started, “we've been going over some names for a while, but we’ve finally decided, and even if you hate them, we won’t give a fuck. For our son,” he lifted his arms cradling the sleeping boy, “it's Drake.” His eyes held mine as stupid, ugly tears filled my own eyes. Holy shit, why would they do that?

“Hun, we wanted to pass on the Drake name in some form. I knew how much they meant to you and how much you mean to me. From what you’ve told us, they were amazing people who deserved to have their name preserved, so that's why we chose it.”

I could only nod. If I opened my mouth, I was likely to cry.

“And for our beautiful girl, her name is Ruby,” Talon said and smiled. “Maya and Cody helped with that one. We were sure damned surprised that they actually kept it to themselves.” He chuckled.

“They're really nice,” Josie commented.

“They're great,” Mattie said.

“I love them!” Julian clapped. “Right, now come on, sweet pea,” he said to Swan and took her from Grady's arms. “Let's go get some food.”

Mattie gently grabbed Josie's hand, who I saw flinch, but he ignored it and started for the door. “We'll be back soon,” he said, and then left with the rest.

As soon as the door closed, Talon growled, “Now, you wanna tell us what in the fuck is going on?”

“It's been handled, so you don't need to worry about it right now.”

“I don't give a shit if it's handled. Explain, brother.”