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Carefully getting to my feet, I kept Andi in my arms as I dared not move while Bri toddled over to the big, muscled man, giggling. I watched as the massive man looked down at my niece, frowned, then picked her up. My little niece snuggled herself close before laying her little head on his chest, sucking on her thumb.
“Please,” I begged, fear racing through my veins. This man could easily destroy any hope I had about staying. I didn’t know why I begged like I did, but it felt right. I couldn’t take the girls back to Denver. Their grandmother would insist on visitation. She would kill every good thing about them. I couldn’t let that happen. She only wanted them for the money. I knew that. That was all she ever cared about. The prestige of being linked to the Duchene name. Funny thing was, I could have told her that money wasn’t everything, but she wouldn’t believe me. I could take them to New York, but that was a whole other slew of problems. If I thought Denver was bad, New York City would be worse. The company headquarters was there and if I showed up with the girls, then there would be no hiding them.
Sandman looked about the small one-room cabin and sighed. Reaching for his phone, he texted something before capturing my eyes and asking, “Hiding?”
I nodded.
Sandman took a deep breath and walked over to the small couch and sat with Bri in his arms. Doing the same, I sat back down in the chair and wondered what he would say or do next. The man rarely talked that I’d seen. So, I was at a loss why he was still here. I didn’t know who he texted or what was going to happen, but if they forced me to leave with the girls, I would. I didn’t want to cause anyone trouble. I needed to avoid it as much as possible. I was already in enough trouble. No sense adding to it.
I didn’t know how long we sat there in silence when I heard the back door open as Sunny and Remi walked in.
“Oh dear,” Remi said, stepping into the small living room surveying everything as Sunny walked over to Charlie and kneeled before her, smiling. “Who do we have here?”
“Please Remi. I didn’t mean…”
Remi waved her hand. “I know that. Look Linsey, you don’t have to tell me anything until you are ready. What do you need?”
I couldn’t believe it. She wasn’t going to make me leave. She just accepted that I needed help and offered. Tears fell down my face as I hugged Andi close. Remi’s face softened as she walked over to me. Sitting on the small coffee table, she leaned forward and said, “Linsey, I know you don’t know me very well, but you are safe here. Does Matrix know you have three little ones?”
I shook my head. Remi inspected the girls. I knew what she was seeing. As much as I wanted to hide them, I couldn’t hide the fact that they didn’t exactly look like me. Though the Duchene genes were strong, the girls had one distinct feature that set them apart from me and the rest of the Duchene line. Where I was blonde like their mother, the girls were dark-haired like their father.
“Yours?”
“No. Their mother was my sister.”
“Was?”
“She died before I left Denver. I hid them with a family friend of mine who has been keeping them in town for me. That’s why I leave the compound every day at three.”
“Because you needed to get home to them.”
I nodded.
Remi sighed, sat up, and looked about the room. Sunny was now holding Charlie, rocking her back and forth as Sandman held Bri, who had fallen asleep in his arms. “Linsey, I have to tell the others. You can’t live in a one bedroom. Hell, girl, this place is barely big enough for you. Do the girls have anything?”
“Just what you see. I didn’t have a lot of time to pack everything they needed. Most of it’s back in Denver in storage now.”
Getting to her feet, she added, “Okay, first we need to get you a bigger house.”
Sunny cooed at Charlie as she spoke. “Vicious has five bedrooms. He’s not using it.”
“He moved in yesterday with Elizabeth.”
“That still leaves three empty bedrooms, Remi. Linsey can take one and the babies can have the others. Linsey can help with Elizabeth and Elizabeth can help Linsey with the babies. Plus, with Vicious there, he can keep an eye on them in case Linsey needs help.”
“You think he will do it?”
“Why don’t you ask me?” the man himself said, standing in the small kitchen with Reaper, Ghost, Matrix and Slaughter behind him. My eyes shot to him, as his silver eyes took in everything around him. There was no condemnation in his eyes, only worry. The man was intimidating, but when his eyes landed on Andi and the other girls, they softened.
“What’s going on?” Reaper asked, taking the room in.
“Still not talking to you, asshole,” Remi scolded as Reaper frowned. They’d been at each other’s throats for days now. No one knew why, only that Remi was angry at Reaper for something. A few of the ladies thought it was because Reaper wasn’t there for Remi after the accident, that she was angry she had to deal with losing her pregnancy all on her own. Made sense but I didn’t want to speculate. It wasn’t my place.
“Linsey?” Matrix questioned, ignoring the brooding couple as he walked around Vicious and the others to stand in front of me. Trying to hold back my tears, I said, “I’m sorry Matrix. I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t leave them. Sarah had to get back to Denver. She told me to bring them here. They are all I have left of Davy.”
“Your sister in Denver?”
I nodded as Vicious walked over to me and carefully took Andi from me, holding her sleepy body close to his.
