Chapter Sixteen

Tears prick my eyes at my first sight of Mom in over two months. The huge smile on her face is magnetic as she walks toward the truck with Aleko and Spencer on either side of her like bodyguards. Her arms are linked through each of theirs until I make a move to get out of the truck, opening the door and sliding out. Then, I practically run into her now-open arms, and sob into her neck.

"Hey, now. Why are we crying, sweet girl?" Mom pulls back, wiping the tears from my cheeks as she takes me in.

I shake my head, fighting more tears, sucking it up so she doesn't worry. Now's not the time to go into everything.

"I'm just happy you're finally out. You're… well, you're you." And she really is. Her eyes are brighter than I've seen them in years, her dark hair bouncier, and the pallor of her skin makes her look ten years younger.

"Of course, I am, darlin'. Now, I hear there's a party going on in my honor? It's been too long since I tasted good food, so are we making a move?" I don't blame her eagerness to get out of here, this place holds nothing but crappy memories for her and I'm sure she'll be glad to see the back of it.

The sun is shining, so my baseball cap and sunglasses aren't out of place, but I'm still conscious that someone could recognize me out here. I was, after all, a regular visitor to this place. Meaning, I'm good to leave too, and I open the passenger door so we can all file inside.

"There sure is. Let's go, Mom."

Spence hugs Mom and they say their goodbyes before he drives off—he has to work tonight—and we're finally leaving this place behind us and on our way to the compound.

Most of the club members are around back, the barbeque already on the go, and Aleko heads off to find Ninja so I can show Mom around her new home without overwhelming her with people. After laughing at the irony that she's gone from one psychiatric hospital to another, she takes in her new suite, lovingly decorated by Vanessa and Sabrina. There are bright colors everywhere, oranges, yellows, pinks, completely opposite to the bland white and beige that she's been used to.

"This is beautiful, darlin'. I love it." She runs her palm over the soft sheets of the large double bed, then pushes down on the pillows and cushions, bringing a hand to her chest before looking up at me standing in the doorway. "Thank you."

This whole day is more emotional than I had imagined it would be, but seeing the happiness in my mom is worth everything.

"Actually, Vanessa and Sabrina did most of this." I can't take the credit for how beautiful this room currently looks.

"Are they—"

"The food is almost ready, Mac," Vanessa calls down the hall as she approaches, before coming to stand beside me and grinning when she sees Mom. "Hey, Mrs. Wilson. I'm Vanessa. It's lovely to meet you, Mackenzie's told us so much about you. How's the new room?" If I'm not mistaken, Vanessa is a little nervous about Mom's reaction.

"Oh, sweet girl, it's beautiful. Thank y'all for making me feel so welcome." Mom seems to hesitate for a moment, something briefly flashing across her face, but it's gone in an instant and she walks toward us and opens her arms to hug Vanessa.

"Phew. I wasn't sure if it was too much, but Sabrina insisted it was all good. She doesn't speak… ever, but you'll love her." Vanessa winks at Mom as they pull away. "Shall we?" She holds out her elbow for Mom, and I swear, the way this woman accepts new people into her life is staggering. One of the most beautiful souls I've ever known for sure.

"Oh yeah, let's! Mackenzie tells me your boys make the best barbecue in the state." Eagerly, Mom takes Vanessa's elbow and we all head outside.

The ‘Congrats on your break out' sign makes Mom laugh as soon as she sees it, and one-by-one, the club members introduce themselves with a handshake. To begin with, she lets go of Vanessa and grips onto my arm like her life depends on it, the situation completely overwhelming, but it gradually loosens. Then Grinder approaches right after Boner, and he plants a lingering kiss on her knuckles before walking away with a wink that makes her cheeks heat.

There's a little hesitation in Mom's steps, but for now, she seems to be dealing with all the people and this new situation just fine. And as we settle into the afternoon, my cheeks ache from all the smiling.

"We've heard that the Rebels have got themselves some protection in jail. Some big wig from outta town. Means we can't get to any of ‘em, but Veronica says they're moving soon to prepare for their trials." Hoops swigs at his beer, throwing the glass bottle in the recycling bin Vanessa insisted on keeping out here before picking at the leftover pork on his paper plate.

"Okay. So we find out when they're moving and hit them hard." I don't know how this conversation even started, but Aleko's fists are clenched as he speaks and I can see how ready he is to do exactly what I had been trying to avoid by keeping my original plans from him. Being out of jail and knowing I'm alive has only slightly soothed his anger toward the Rebels, but he still very much plans to kill them, Isaac and Brick in particular.

It makes sense, I want to kill them too, which should in no way be something I'm okay with. Murder… being responsible for taking a soul from this Earth…

What am I thinking? Those fuckers have no souls, and neither did my brother.

Looking over at my mom sitting at the table beside us, laughing and smiling with Violet, Sabrina, and Crow, I decide to continue ignoring the fact that I'm more than okay with everything that's been happening. Future me really is gonna have some shit to deal with soon, but for now, I have zero fucks to give.

My mom is here, no longer cooped up inside a psychiatric facility. She's talking, and though her movements are a little stiff from years of, well, mistreatment, she isn't showing any other outward signs of her previous condition. It does all seem kind of overwhelming for her though, which is understandable. I can see it in the way she keeps checking her surroundings, jumping whenever someone approaches from behind her. That was until I suggested she sit with her back to the building so that she can see everything going on around her. It seems to have helped her relax a little, and while she may have people directly next to her right now, I'll still be keeping an eye on her. The damage that place did could be invisible.

"Hey, Cherry baby." Aleko nudges me to gain my attention—I must've zoned out watching Mom—and I turn to face the man who holds my heart. He grins, that dangerous half grin that I can't resist, before planting a too-short kiss on my lips. "Did you want more food before the prospects start wrapping up the leftovers for tomorrow?"

"Ooh, yes please. Is there any more potato salad?" I don't know what they put in it, but it's like crack. I swear, I'm addicted.

Ninja chooses that moment to scurry back to us, climbing up Aleko's pant leg and into his lap, where he settles in for a belly rub. He's been spoiled this evening, each of the brothers feeding him carrot sticks or apple wedges and fussing over him when he does his cute paw thing.

"Sure is." While scratching at Ninja's tummy, Aleko leans forward again and kisses my cheek. "Jonesy! Get your ass over here."

The new prospect drops his can of local brew in shock at Aleko's yell, and immediately jogs over to the low brick wall we're sitting on.

"Yes, Sir Psycho?"

I can't help it, I end up spitting out the water I was drinking and laugh.

"Drop the sir. My old lady would like some more potato salad."

"You lazy shit." I lightly hit Aleko's shoulder and Ninja stands and abandons his lap for mine.

"What?"

He knows exactly what, and the smile he's trying to hide tells me so.

"I can get my own food, you know? You didn't need to send a prospect."

It's a moot point anyway, because Jonesy didn't need telling twice, he's already disappeared.

"I didn't need to, no. But I wanted to. He looked bored and I'm comfortable with you nestled in beside me." He shrugs, completely unapologetic. I fucking love this man.

Maybe it's the way he carries himself, the way he does what he wants when he wants, the way he accepts every single inch of me, mind, body, and soul, that makes all the fucked up shit seem trivial.

Wordlessly, Jonesy returns with a bowl full of potato salad and a fork, handing it over to me with a small, worried smile. It seems out of place, because he has an intimidating look about him. His head is completely shaved, like Bear, but it's also covered in tattoos, and he has more piercings in his face than I've ever seen on one person. The man is a walking contradiction because he's sporting a pair of baggy, colorful beach shorts along with a Hawaiian-style shirt and his leather cut.

"Thank you." I take the bowl and return his smile, ignoring Aleko's low growl beside me until Jonesy goes back to what he was doing before he was summoned—covering the leftover food and stacking it on the cart to take it inside.

"Hey, Prez!"

I don't know who it is, but it's loud, shouted across the courtyard jovially, and everything kind of hits the fan so quickly that I barely have time to blink.

My mom's chair is thrown backward as she stands, screaming incoherently, then she moves faster than I thought she could, waving a knife in the air. Hoops approaches and tries to calm her, holding his palms up to show that he's not trying to harm her, and she fucking stabs him.

While all this is happening, I'm frozen in shock with no clue how to handle this. Ninja jumps and runs up Aleko's arm into his hoodie. My potato salad goes flying to the ground and smashes on impact, and Sabrina, of all people here, is the one who grabs Mom around the waist to pull her away. Sabrina holds on tight, pressing her whole body up against Mom's front in a tight squeeze, then Mom breaks down and begins sobbing.

Shaking myself out of my inaction, I quickly stand and approach the pair. Hoops is sitting on one of the tables with Vanessa putting pressure against his new wound, the knife is on the ground, and my whole world may as well have imploded. Again.

I don't, and won't, blame her, but Mom just fucked this up for both of us. By trying to kill one of the members of this MC, she is forcing their hand. I know how this all works.

Silently, Sabrina passes Mom over to me, unwrapping her arms to slide them around me instead.

"I-I'm sorry, I thought it was… him. I… I…" Mom is trying to apologize through her sobs, her body giving out on her as she collapses to the ground.

"Hey, Mom. It's okay. It's okay." Falling to my knees, I cradle Mom's head against my chest. Tears prick at my own eyes because I know this short but happiest time of my life is going to crumble around me after this.

Behind me, Aleko approaches, kneeling on the ground and wrapping his arms around both of us as he gently kisses my head.

Everything around me feels like it's on pause. I know there's bustling and talking, but nothing's important to me right now other than Mom's wailing sobs and shaking body.

I don't know how long we're sitting here for, in our strange cuddle-huddle, but sounds begin filtering in and I realize I need to try and help. Hoops could be bleeding out and I've been ignoring the fact that my mom stabbed him. Hugging the attacker isn't the way these things usually go down.

The sounds are filtering in because Mom is now silent. Her body is still trembling, jerking on the occasional intakes of breath, and as I pull away I see what she's doing. She's shutting herself off, unable to deal with what's going on, and I get it.

"Mom, I'm gonna take you to your room. Okay? It's been a long day and you need some rest." One thing at a time. I remind myself to breathe, my EMT training kicking in.

Aleko unwraps himself from us and stands, holding out his hand to help me and Mom up. Looking around, I see Hoops flanked by Prez and Vanessa. Prez looks pissed, which I understand, it also cements my thoughts on how the club is going to want to handle this whole thing.

There's a gentle tap on my shoulder, making me turn to Sabrina, who is waving a small piece of paper at me. Her brows are furrowed in concern as she silently urges me to take it.

I'll take her to her room and stay with her for the night.

I know Sabrina is mute, or chooses not to speak, but this is my first kind of communication with her like this. The club trusts her, Vanessa thinks the sun shines out of her fucking ass—her exact words—but I don't want to put someone else in the same position as Hoops.

"No, it's fine. I can do it."

As if she pre-prepared for my response, she produces another piece of paper from her back pocket and holds it out to me.

It's fine. I've got this. I think Hoops needs stitches.

I shake my head in disbelief, because I have no doubt that she has more pieces of paper stuffed into her pocket, ready to argue her point.

"Okay. Thank you." I turn to Mom, who is now standing stoically beside me, her gaze unfocussed and her cheeks patchy from the tears. "Is it okay if Sabrina takes you to your room and stays with you? I just have some things to do first, then I'll come too."

Mom waves me off as though I'm speaking nonsense and holds her hand out to Sabrina. They must have done some serious bonding in the few hours we've been here. With a quick hug, I let Mom go, watching as they disappear through the doors into the main building where all the suites are located.

"You good, baby?" Standing directly in front of me now, Aleko cups my cheeks and searches my face for I don't know what. I can't believe I'm going to have to give him up. Again.

I nod as he wipes a thumb across my cheek where a tear has escaped. "Is Hoops okay?"

The blinding grin Aleko gives me is one for the history books because it's fucking beautiful. "Of course he is. Could probably do with a few stitches, if you're up for it?" He winks before leaning down to kiss me, so softly, like a goodbye…

I nod once more, trying for a light smile but probably failing miserably, and pull away from him to head for Hoops, Prez, and Vanessa. The other brothers and the Khunts are all still enjoying themselves, drinking, laughing, the smell of weed beginning to overpower the barbecue scents.

"How are you doing? I'm so, so—"

"No need to apologize. Just wrong place, wrong time. But I'm good. It's not too deep."

"Can I see?"

Vanessa moves her hand away from where she has some cloth pressed against the wound. He's right, it's not too deep and a couple of stitches is probably all he needs. As an EMT, I'm not trained for this but I had fun practicing on Jake when I held him prisoner. So, yeah, I have limited knowledge. Guess we'll see how good I am.

I notice some other scars across his ribs, but he quickly lowers his shirt a little to cover himself when he sees me looking. Neither of us says anything, mainly because I don't want to piss him off any more than my mom stabbing him already has.

Luckily, I have the supplies I need to fix him up inside.

After a long-ass day and night, Aleko leads me to his suite, gently placing Ninja in his tiny bed on the dresser once we're inside.

"It's not your fault, you know?" Aleko breaks the silence first as I undress. He's already naked, lying back against the pillows on the bed.

"Hmm." As I'm pulling my dress over my head, Aleko grabs my hips and pulls me onto the bed with him, making me squeal.

"Don't hmm me, Cherry. I know you. I know you're blaming yourself and feeling all kinds of things that you don't need to be feeling." Wrapping his arms around me, he holds me close, the big spoon to my little spoon. "Now I'm going to help you feel some things that will make you smile before you pass out from being cum-drunk, then we can deal with this tomorrow."

More shit for future me to deal with, and I know I'll be cussing my past self out again for burying my head in the sand, but the way Aleko's fingers trickle across my skin is too intoxicating to ignore.

So I give in to him. Over and over… and over again, until I do, indeed, pass out.