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raight to Reid.
Me: Find out all you can about this location
Reid: got it, brother.
Walking out the door I mount my bike and head straight for the clubhouse. It doesn’t take long for the guys to show up. Once Reid found out, so did everyone else. The text said to be at the address by 4:00pm. That gives us enough time to try and map the location. Reid is sitting in church with Prez when I walk in, followed by Logan.
"Alright, the address is out near the country club near East Bay. Looks like a waterfront property," Reid tells us.
"Well, we have a few hours before you’re due out there."
"I told Santino I wanted eyes on Leyna today."
"Did he agree?" Logan asked as he takes a drag from his cigarette.
"Yeah," I tell him.
Now it’s a waiting game as Logan and I sit at the bar nursing a beer while Prez sends word to a couple other members to do a quick ride near the location Santino is staying to case the place out. I’ve never been a patient man. More along the lines of instant gratification. I hate sittin’ on my ass like this. My sister is sittin’ over there, in a house full of people she doesn’t know, in a country she has never been too. If one son of a bitch has laid one finger on her I will relish in the pain that I inflict on them. I start to grip the bottle in my hand so tight my knuckles turn white on my tan skin and heat starts to radiate from the skin on my face with the rage boiling inside.
Slapping me on my back, Quinn saddles up on a stool beside me at the bar. "Hey, brother."
I’m through with fuckin’ talkin’ right now, so I lift my chin and acknowledge him.
"I have your back today brother. I’m riding with you guys. I want to see this knob gobbler for myself." He states as he takes a pull from the beer Liz handed him when he sat down.
No joke? No snarky remark to get a rise out of me? I cut my eyes to Quinn as he continues to drink. He stares straight ahead, either lost in his own thought or he is actually giving me the space I need, which never happens. So, I don’t question it. I welcome it, the silence. The support my brothers are quietly giving, they know I’m hangin’ on by a fuckin’ thread right now.
The location Santino sent is about thirty-five minutes away. The brothers Prez sent to scope the place out arrived at the club about thirty minutes ago giving us the rundown. From what they could see, there wasn’t too much activity outside, just a couple of big guys on a golf cart riding back and forth a few times in front of the property. Sounds like Santino is trying to keep himself low-key. But once we roll in, with the rumbles of our Harleys through the cookie-cutter high class neighborhood that plan will be blown out the fuckin’ water. No more words are spoken between any of us as Jake, Logan, Quinn, and I mount our bikes and head towards East Bay.
Chapter Nine
Alba
“How is it you are not totally freaking out right now?" Leah asks as she stands beside me in the bathroom and both of us are staring down at the not one, not two, but three positive pregnancy tests sitting on the counter. Shrugging my shoulders, I answer. "Because freaking out is not going to change anything. And I know it’s crazy, but I’m not that upset."
"Well, what are you going to do now?" Leah questions. Isn’t that the million-dollar question. I turn to my friend and calmly reply.
"I’m going to take one day at a time, because that’s all I can do. Right now, I don’t know about anything. No way am I going to have everything all figured out in this moment."
"I’ll support you know matter what happens, Alba." She says squeezing my hand with a soft smile and no judgment in her tone.
"Thanks, Leah." I’m thankful that she’s not asking more questions. She never pries. I suspect it has to do with the fact she doesn’t want people asking her questions about her life. Either way, I’m relieved. Maybe once I get my head wrapped around this news I’d be able to talk about it. It might even do me some good, to get some things off my chest, to finally talk to someone. I’ve got to let go of the bitterness inside me. The anger I’m carrying is not healthy for me, and it’s certainly not healthy for my baby. Baby… at that thought, I bring my hand to my stomach and finally let my tears fall.
What I wouldn’t give to have Gabriel wrap his strong arms around me and whisper in my ear that everything is going to be okay. Just like he did the night he carried me out of that house after I was kidnapped. When I close my eyes, I can feel his warm breath on my ear and feel the roughness of his beard on my cheek. Being in Gabriel’s arms feels like home, and I’d give anything to go back.
I hear the soft click of the bathroom door, letting me know Leah has left, giving me the privacy I need. Resting my back against the wall, I stare at my reflection in the mirror. I can do this.
"Damn straight I can do this." I say out loud.
The next morning, I wake with new determination. The first thing I do is schedule a doctor’s appointment. I’m thankful Logan added me to his health insurance. I don’t have to worry about money.
My designs are selling like crazy. Requests started coming in left and right ever since I sold my first two. Now I’m booked solid for the next two months. I can use my own money to pay for what I need. No way am I ready to explain any of this to Bella. I’m not ready for her to know. I don’t think I could take her disappointment. All my sister has ever wanted for me was to finish high school and go to college. I couldn’t tell her I never really wanted to go away to school. I like being home—with her. Every time she would bring me a new college application to fill out, she would get so excited. How could I tell my sister I didn’t want to leave home and that I was content with going to community college. Bella worked so hard and sacrificed so much for me. I owe it to her to make her proud. Besides, school isn’t so bad. I have Leah and Sam. The only problem is it’s not where my heart is. I need to prove to Bella and myself that I can handle things on my own.
I’m going to be a mother. I’m going to work my butt off. Everything I do will be for me and my baby. Gabriel is a dream I have to let go of. My baby is all that matters now.
The ping of my phone brings me out of my thoughts. Pulling it out of my bag, I see a text from Sam asking if I want to meet him over by the campus promenade for a quick lunch. I reply yes and begin to make my way in his direction. The promenade is a short walk from my dorm. Walking across the campus lawn, I spot Sam sitting on a bench holding a takeout bag and a couple of drinks.
"How’s my favorite girl?" He asks when I sit down next to him.
