32. Chapter Twenty-Six

Xander

I stand here staring at Rave and Axlyn, they are so big!

Rave's seven and I am only just meeting him for the first time. I hate that I missed so much of his life. Axlyn is five and looks so much like his dad. Rave is a spitting image of his mother but I can see the devil in his eyes which is all his daddy. I've been standing out back watching the two boys play with Taylan, Clara and Roberto and can't help but smile at the sight. I never thought I would be back here or even have the chance to meet my nephews or see my mom's eyes have some life back in them.

"Here." I turn and grab the beer Knox offers me and nod my thanks. We stand here side by side, sipping our drinks as we watch the kids jump all over Tay who pretends to be injured from them bouncing on him.

"Roberto, huh?"

Knox groans and scrubs a hand down his face. "I was out voted in my own fucking house. Lake and mom moved him in while I was in the states meeting up with Chaos and Artemis." I had heard from Taylan that Knox has grown close with Chaos Murdoch and Artemis Argyros.

"You forgive him?" I push.

"Yes and no," he answers. "Yes, because he makes my mom happy and my boys get to have their grandfather around. No, because…" He lets his sentence trail off.

"Because you didn't have him around when you were growing up, you blame him for not being there to protect Wave," I finish for him.

"Yeah," he breathes out.

"She's not the same person you once knew, Knox."

"It doesn't matter?—"

"It does to her. I love your sister with every beat of my fucking heart, Knox?—"

"Stop–"

"No, you need to hear this!" I face him so he can see the seriousness in my eyes. "I've loved her since we were kids, I never stopped. There will never be another woman for me aside from her. You are my brother and I love you but if there is a war coming between you and her, I will choose her, always." His mouth parts and his brows raise as he searches my eyes for any sign of deceit.

"You mean that, don't you."

"Yes."

"Is my sister coming to kill me?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because she blames me, you and Taylan for not finding her."

Guilt swarms his gaze. "I thought she was dead," he whispers brokenly.

"It doesn't matter what we thought. She thinks she is too damaged to be Waverly again but she's wrong. Trey and I know she can be her again."

He pushes his lips to the side as he studies me. "What's the deal with you and him?"

"No deal. We both love her. Trey has proven that she is the center of his world and shown it many times. He is the one who was there the night she escaped and whisked her off to a safe house where he helped her train and plan to take back her freedom and overthrow his father."

Knox frowns. "Who is his father?"

"Uh shit, I forgot you didn't know. Karl is his father."

"You brought a traitor into my fucking house?" he roars.

"No. Trey hates him and he is the reason we were able to put an army together and help Wave raid the clubs and free the girls. He knows she has his father and what she is doing to him. He won't betray us because he is in love with your sister. Make no mistake though, if there is a war, we will both stand with Wave. I'm sorry, brother, but you chose Lake and I chose your sister years ago." I wait for him to break out into a fit of rage and curse me out for having the balls to dare to touch his sister much less fall in love with her.

"Do you swear to protect her no matter what the cost is, even if that cost is our brotherhood?" His question surprises me but my response is instant.

"Yes."

"Is Trevante good to her?"

"Yeah, he soothes the darkness inside her. I force her to face it but together we both get her to feel without her even realizing it. I think seeing you again will make her admit to herself that she isn't an emotionless bitch."

"Boss!" Knox and I turn to see Marco, Chris and Drew rushing toward us. Marco shoves an iPad into Knox's hands. "A convoy was spotted leaving a private airstrip in Winnipeg. I checked the flight manifests and the plane came from Ireland sir."

"You confirm this?" Knox asks Marco.

"Yes, sir. I had Chris and Drew cross check my searches and they confirmed the same thing, the plane that landed was your sister's." Knox and I share a look.

"Get the men ready, we fly to Winnipeg as soon as the plane is ready." The three of them rush off to carry out Knox's orders. "Looks like I won't have to fly back to Ireland after all, she kept her word and came back."

"I'm coming with you to get my girl." Knox scrunches his face in disgust which has laughter bursting out of me.

"That shit sounds so fucking ugly coming out of your mouth," he grumbles as he stalks away.

Trey and I are both tense but excited at seeing our girl again, two weeks without her has been fucking hell. I miss the touch of her skin, the feel of her lips, the scent that lingers in a room after she leaves it. Fuck, I just miss her. Knox has been shooting Trey subtle glares every chance he gets, the plane ride was fucking awkward but being in a car with them both is suffocating.

"What's the plan?" Tay asks, breaking the tension-filled silence.

"We couldn't track her so we have no choice but to go in blind," Knox answers.

"What made you think you could track her? She has been a ghost most of her life, she knows how to disappear." Tay shoots Trey a filthy look over his shoulder before focusing back on the road. There may only be the four of us in the car but the amount of alpha energy in here can be felt.

"We thought making it look like you and Xander were tracking her that she would leave you some bread crumbs to follow but turns out, she didn't." I grind my teeth hating the gleeful way Taylan says that shit.

"That was your first mistake, you think you know her but you don't," Trey counters.

"And what would you have done differently, asshole?" Knox bites out.

"I would have created a fake club that held women and leaked its location, she would have come to you. She will do anything to help a woman in need which is why you are fools." We don't get a chance to answer, Tay slams on the brakes. I lurch forward and smack into the back of his seat with a grunt.

"Spikes, Wave has fucking spikes down!" I smirk, my girl is smart. I jump out of the car with Trey following after me, ignoring Knox's calls for us to stop as I stroll across the bridge, not giving a fuck about all the guns her men have pointed at us. She looks like a dark angel standing there in the center of the bridge with Anna, Kimber, Nano, Brett, William and Calvin forming a semi-circle around her. Her face is a picture of rage and fuck me, that look has my cock twitching in my pants. Before I can get more than ten feet near her, Brett and Calvin step forward with their guns raised.

"Close enough," Brett barks out earning a scowl from me.

"You ready for the war pulling that trigger would start?" I taunt.

"Yes. I have my orders and will obey them." I purse my lips and nod my head at William's answer, respecting him for obeying her.

"What about me, Wavey baby? You gonna let these fuckers put a bullet in my chest?" Taylan asks as he takes a step past me. All the men cock their guns but the sound of Knox's guys mimicking their moves has everyone on edge. All it would take is for one of these guys to get jumpy and pull that trigger accidentally before a war would break out and lives would be lost.

"Yes," she answers without hesitation. Taylan's face falls.

"What about me, sister?" She snaps her gaze to the other side to watch as her brother stalks toward her, paying Brett and William no mind as he passes them.

"You shoot him and I will kill your families while you watch!" Taylan vows when Brett shifts his finger on the trigger. Wave raises her hand, halting her guys as Knox comes to a stop a couple of feet away from her. The dead look in her eyes tells me everything I need to know, this is a set up.

"Knox, move!" I roar as I try to reach him but I'm too late, she pulls her gun on him.