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Kevlar gets the truck over to us and Anthony helps me in the front passenger seat. Lyric is helped in behind Anthony by Kevlar since he’s got longer legs and I can move my seat up so he’s not crushed in the back. Once we’re all inside, Anthony puts it in gear and starts to leave the hospital. I lean my head against the window of my door and let the tears fall. Every foot we pull away from the hospital breaks something deep inside. Now I know how Quinn felt when she was coming to see their baby boy every day. Her looking so upset when she’d get back to the clubhouse didn’t really make sense until this moment. It’s so fucking hard and I don’t know how parents can do it. Not those whose baby has to be in the NICU for a long time.

When we get to the house, Anthony helps get me inside while Kevlar and Lyric bring our things in. Our moms are in the kitchen with the boys making dinner for us. I kiss and hold Andrew and Griffin tight as they rush to my side. When I’m done holding them, Anthony takes his turn and he holds them longer as Andrew starts telling us all about what they’ve been doing with our moms all day long. He’s talking a mile a minute in his excitement and I know that he’s not gonna stop until he gets his story out.

Lyric sits down on the couch with me and takes my hand in hers once again. She keeps her eyes locked on Kevlar as he moves around the house. He’s helping my mom put something away that the boys got out at some point today. I can’t stop the smile from filling my face as I take in one of my best friends and how she obviously feels about Kevlar.

“So, what’s going on with the two of you?” I ask when Anthony takes the boys into the kitchen to give us some sort of privacy.

“I really like him,” she says, her voice a whisper. “We talk all the time and the night before your grand opening, we, um, kind of had sex.”

“What?” I ask, freaking out for my friend.

“It just kind of happened. We were sitting on the couch watching a movie. Ricochet was at the diner watching over Paige so it was just the two of us at the trailer. I snuggled into him and he held me close. He started running his hand up and down my leg and I was only wearing a tiny pair of pajama shorts. It felt so good. I leaned into his touch and he started moving his fingers up higher and higher. I tipped my head up and we kissed. It was the best kiss I’ve ever had in my life. So, I didn’t try to stop it from happening. We haven’t had sex since that night since we’ve been at the hospital with you guys. I want it to happen again though. Hell, we haven’t even talked about anything. I don’t know what’s going on between the two of us. He’s so different when it’s just the two of us,” Lyric says, the confusion filling her face as she looks at Kevlar once again.

“Be patient. It’s not like you guys have really had a chance to sit down and talk about anything. You’ve been at the hospital surrounded by a ton of people. Most of them you don’t know. Kevlar’s dad is here if you haven’t met him yet. Tank is great and he wants his boys to find their one. He’s just not putting much faith in them doing so yet. My suggestion is wait until the two of you are alone and then have a talk about things. Let him know how you feel and what you want. If he can’t give that to you, then you have to decide if you want to stay or walk away. However, I will tell you now, once these guys make their minds up about something, they take what they want. There is no stopping them either. Just look at Anthony and me. I was planning on moving back to the trailer for a while so we could date and shit. Take things slow. You see how well that worked out for me. The guys moved my shit out of the trailer and back in here,” I tell Lyric as I let my eyes find Anthony in the kitchen with our moms and boys.

“I’ll give it some time and see what happens. For now, there’s no rush to make any decisions. At the very least, I had amazing sex. The man knows what the fuck he’s doing in the bedroom and I’d love to experience it again, but I’m okay if it doesn’t happen,” Lyric says, still not taking her eyes off Kevlar.

We spend the rest of the day talking, hanging out with the boys, and putting them to bed. Lyric and Kevlar hang out longer than our moms do. I love spending time with Lyric since we don’t live next door to one another any longer. When they finally leave for the night, Anthony helps me shower before we climb into bed. He holds me close and we talk for a while before sleep claims me. I let it pull me under because the sooner I go to sleep, the quicker we get to go back to the hospital to spend time with Bexley.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Shield

KASEY’S BEEN HOME for a little over two weeks now. Every single day we go to the hospital and spend as much time with Bexley as we can. Each time we leave her behind, Kasey spends the rest of the night lost in her head and crying. She tries to put on a good front for the boys, but I can see right through her. Kasey laughs at all the right times and she plays with the boys when they want her to. We watch movies with them and both give them their baths and put them to bed together. I don’t know what I can do to help her get through this shit. Not until Bexley comes home where she belongs. Our little girl is the missing piece of our family and even though she’s where she needs to be right now, it doesn’t make anything any easier when we come home and she’s not here.

My mom and Keegan are going to the hospital with Kasey today. Venom wants to have church so we can figure out what’s going on with the truck that ran Kasey and Lyric off the road. We haven’t forgotten about that shit, but our main focus has been on Kasey and being there for Bexley. Everyone here will be in church so we’re kicking everyone out of the clubhouse so we can use the common room. With three chapters of Wild Kings together, there’s no way we’d all fit in our meeting room. The only ones who will be allowed to stay are the Prospects. For the first time, they get to attend church because we want them to be looking for anyone who is possibly involved in what happened to my girl.

I’ll go to the hospital once church is over with and spend time with my girls while Tank and Maddie spend time with the boys at our house. They offered to watch them and we weren’t gonna turn them down. So, it’s time for me to head to the clubhouse so I can take off and get to the hospital. I’m sure Lyric is already there with Kasey too. With Rage and my dad staying there constantly, Kevlar can come to church and then head over with me. I want to ask him what’s going on with Lyric, but he’ll tell me if he wants to. I’ve seen them together and know he likes her. He can’t go more than a few seconds without looking in her direction. Ricochet is the same way with Lyric’s sister. I have a feeling those boys are gonna fall hard and fast for the sisters. If they haven’t already.

Driving down to the clubhouse, I park my truck close to the door. There’s no way I’m taking my bike yet because I’ll bring Kasey home with me. I’m not putting her on the bike for two reasons. The first is we don’t know who ran her off the road. There’s no way in hell I’m going to risk her getting hurt or worse by being on the back of my bike. Secondly, I want to make sure Doc says it’s okay. Until she’s cleared for all normal activity, I’m not going to do anything to risk her health.

Walking inside the clubhouse, I find the common room packed to capacity. Grim and Gage are standing with Venom as the three of them have a conversation in hushed tones based on how close they are to one another. I look at them while moving around the crowded room to find a seat. There’s literally almost none left as I head for the bar and pull out the stool next to Kevlar. He nods his head in greeting toward me before our attention goes back to where Venom, Grim, and Gage are standing. As the three Presidents here, they’ll be at the head of the room. Venom will lead church since this is his clubhouse, but his dad and Gage will remain at his side.

“Church in session,” Venom calls out, his voice rising so he can be heard among everyone here today. “Most of you know a few weeks ago, Kasey and her friend Lyric were run off the road. It wasn’t some kind of accident like the cops believe. This was done on purpose accordin’ to Rage. She was able to call him when it was happenin’. They were rammed hard several times. Includin’ once the SUV was on its side and sittin’ at the side of the road. Whoever did this shit wanted to prove a point and make sure Kasey was injured or worse. We’ve called everyone we know for help findin’ the truck. Goose has combed through every fuckin’ inch of camera footage he can find along the highway. Any leads we’ve gotten have all come up with nothin’. We need to figure out who the fuck did this and why.”

Before anyone can respond, the front door of the clubhouse opens and the Prospect on the gate rushes inside. He’s out of breath and holding a large envelope in his hands. Looking around the common room, he rushes to me and holds out the envelope.

“I’m sorry to disturb you guys in your meetin’. This was just delivered and I was told to bring it right in. A man in his forties delivered it. He was drivin’ a black truck with heavily tinted windows. The asshole held a gun on me and didn’t leave until I was runnin’ up here. The gate is shut and no one can get in. I’m so sorry. I’ll accept whatever punishment you need to give me,” the Prospect says, his voice wavering as he looks at Venom, Grim, and Gage up front.

“No punishment will be given. Get back to the gate. If you see that truck again, call me immediately. I want to know where it is and what the driver’s doin’,” Venom says as the Prospect nods and rushes back out the door. “Goose, pull up the camera footage from the gate so we can find out who the fuck this douche canoe is. I want to see if it’s the same truck that ran Kasey off the road.”

A screen comes sliding down by the TVs. In a few seconds, Goose presses some buttons on his laptop and what he sees appears on the screen across from us. While he’s busy getting everything set up and going to the footage from the right camera, Venom looks at me and nods his head that it’s okay for me to open the envelope. Usually it wouldn’t be a big deal if I open this on my own or during church. Right now, this could have something to do with Kasey considering the timing of when it was dropped off. So, I rip the end off and set it on the bar behind me. Opening the envelope wide enough for me to look inside, I pull out a ton of pictures. Setting the envelope next to the end I ripped off, I begin to sift through the pictures and my rage builds with each one I see.

Each picture shows me in bed with Clarissa. I’ve never once fucked this girl and there’s no way she has pictures of us in bed together. We’re not in my room at the clubhouse. I honestly don’t know where these pictures are even from. Most of the pictures show me covered to my waist by a sheet while Clarissa is all over me. Kevlar looks at the pictures with me and I can feel his anger level rising right along with mine.

“What the fuck?” he barks out, taking half the stack from me and going through them. Thankfully they’re the ones I’ve already looked at.

I continue to flip through the pictures as Venom makes his way over to us. There are no words to say because I know that I’ve never been in bed with this bitch. When I get to the last picture, there’s imprints on the image. Flipping it over, I read the words that have been written.

You’re mine and you always will be. One way or another I’m going to get rid of that bitch who thinks you love her. Shield, you love me. I know you do. If you just leave her for good, I’ll leave her alone. Instead, you moved her back in with you and she had another brat she’s claiming is yours. You believe her lies when I’m the one who loves you. She can’t stand you and I know that’s the truth. She never would’ve left you if I was lying about it.

Love Always,

Clarissa

“Fuckin’ skank!” I yell out, throwing the pictures in the air because I don’t want to fucking see them for a second longer.

A Prospect rushes over and picks them up before handing them over to Venom. He flips through them and reads the note from Clarissa on the last one. Looking up at me, I know he’s waiting for me to say something.

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