14. Chapter Fourteen

14

Chapter Fourteen

Rowan

T hat happy, care free, and vulnerable mood I had with my family earlier? Yeah, that didn't make it to the warehouse. I've suppressed my rage for as long as I can and now I'm making my way to the back room whistling with my hands in my pockets. I'm on business which means long gone are my casual clothes, messy hair, and glasses. In place are my typical freshly pressed suit, perfectly styled hair, dress shoes, and contacts. This is the part of myself that I refuse to show Clara and Rhett.

Walking into the back room with Dec on my heels, I stop to examine the men hanging from the ceiling by industrial hooks. The hooks hang from the ceiling and are just high enough that their feet barely touch the floor. The poor unfortunate Bratva soldiers are hanging to the hook by their cuffs attached to their wrists. They're glaring at me through clearly beaten bodies. Little do they know, that was light work. "Good Afternoon, Gentlemen." I boom so loud it echoes off the walls.

After removing my suit jacket and laying it neatly on the table with my instruments, I roll up my cuffs. While doing so I explain, "So I have it on good authority that not only is your boss batshit crazy, but he's been trying to tail me." The men are of similar heights and build both with blonde hair, although one has blue eyes, and one has brown eyes.

Brown speaks up first, "We aren't going to tell you shit." He spits at me and I shake my head, slightly amused.

"Why are they all so tough at first, Declan?"

Dec smiles and shakes his head, "No idea, Boss. Must be stupidity."

I'm ‘Roe' every other moment of the day, but when we're on business I'm ‘Boss'. My brothers wouldn't dare disrespect me in an official capacity. Roe checks in and checks out at the front gate of our estate.

"We haven't been tailing you."

Oh right, back to what I was doing. Picking up two freshly sharpened pairs of cable cutters I toss one to Dec, "Who do you want?"

Declan studies them both then smiles, "I'll take brown." Of course he will, because he always has to pick the hardest target.

I've made it through three fingers on Blue before he's screaming for me to stop. Brown cries out but otherwise stays silent.

"We aren't the only ones tailing you." Blue gasps out.

Brown shoots him a ‘shut the fuck up' look. Too bad for them now I'm intrigued. Using the cutters I take his index finger between the blades and start adding pressure. "Who else?"

Blue sniffles, "I don't know, man.." Fucking Preston. He screams out and I realize I just took his index finger, oops.

We continue to work them over for hours. Taking teeth, toes, slicing skin from muscle, and blunt force until Brown finally breaks, "Nik wants you gone. He's willing to do anything. You don't make a move we don't know about. How's that girl and kid you've got? You think they're safe at your house? They aren't safe anywhere. We can get to you, get to them, everywhere. Good luck Rowan. If you're left standing, it'll be without them and your brothers." He laughs maniacally, and all the rage I've pent up over the past twenty-four hours finally comes out as I swipe out as fast as I can and slice from ear to ear. As he bleeds out I make sure the last words he hears are, "No one threatens my family and lives."

Blue's eyes are wide as saucers, "I, I don't know anything else. Just that in the end none of the BOCG will be left standing." Pulling my gun out of the waistband of my dress pants I aim and pull the trigger. Right between the eyes.

Looking over at Declan and seeing the rage set in his face he grits out, "We'll put detail on them. They won't leave the house without one of us on top of that. Nothing's going to happen to them." I holster my gun and take a deep breath. Choosing not to deal with this until after I've laid my eyes on them again to make sure they're okay.

"Help me clean this shit up, so we can shower and get that detail appointed. I want to see my family."

* * *

We've both showered, and have made our way back to the estate figuring out a plan the entire ride home. Pulling up to the house, I take a deep breath. We finally got the warehouse scrubbed clean. I'm not sure it's seen that much action, probably ever. My mind is finally quiet again after purging all the rage that's been simmering since Clara told me everything last night. I just want to go inside, hold them for a little while and see that they're okay.

Unfortunately for me that has to wait, I have one more extremely important thing to do. Getting out and locking the doors of my SUV, I make my way up the stairs. I walk into the door, Dec only a few steps behind me and call to Nolan, "Get me your number one and meet me in my office."

Nolan calls back, "Yes, Boss" My brothers all peak their heads up from the couch and stand up. They already know whatever I'm about to do must be important if I'm asking for the top two.

I've just settled behind my desk when Nolan comes in with Killian behind him. I knew he was going to grab him, Killian has worked his way up the ranks quickly because he's so dedicated to keeping everything safe and secure. His attention to detail is next to almost none. He's also imposing without being too menacing, which means he'll blend in better in public. It also means maybe Rhett will warm up to him easier.

I nod at Nolan to shut the door behind him then motion the two of them to sit in the chairs across from me. Dec leans on the side of my desk with his arms and ankles crossed, Kieran and Mac stand behind my chair flanking me, arms folded. Lastly the twins are posted up on each side of the door. They're just observing unless I need them to step in. "Killian, I've got a new position for you." Killian sits up straighter, his ears are definitely perked up .

"What do you have for me, boss?"

I would toy with him a little but I'm antsy to see my girl and my Little Bear so I cut to the chase. "You are now detail on Clara and Rhett. If they leave this house, you're driving the car. If you're out in public, they're no more than four steps ahead of you. If anything happens to either of them, you'll be begging for death. Just in case you haven't heard yet, my favorite tool is a paring knife. It separates the skin from the muscle so nicely."

Killian's face pales and, to drive my point home, I take the knife I keep in my sock and slam it straight down into the wood of my desk. "Don't disappoint me, Killian. It wouldn't benefit you."

Killian nods, "Yes, sir. I'll protect them with my life." Saying all that needs to be said I dismiss them with a wave of my hand.

"You better, you start tomorrow."

After they leave Declan smirks, "Normally I'd question you for scaring the shit out of the man you're about to trust your family with, but I'm impressed. Nicely done, Roe."

I roll my eyes and put my knife back in its sheath. "Does anyone know where they are?"

Flynn shrugs, "Last I saw them was before you left. I think she's scared to leave your room without you." Well we need to fix that.

"I'm going to check on them. We'll be down in a little bit."

I'm almost to the door on a mission to find them when Mac stops me in my tracks, "You reminded me of Da this morning. Being a Da of your own looks good on you, big brother."

I smile over my shoulder at him, "Thanks Mac, I plan to make up for every second of the first four years that I wasn't there for him. And every single moment that I hadn't found Clara yet. They're it for me." I walk out to go search for my little family.

I sneak into my bedroom to find them snuggled up with Safe watching that damn ninja movie again. It's Rhett's nap time so I'm surprised to find him awake. He must catch my movement out of the corner of his eye because his head whips to mine. A huge smile takes over his face and he starts signing a hundred miles per hour. I've learned a lot but not enough to keep up with everything he signs. Clara takes over, "Baby, give Rowan a second to come in first before we tell him every thought we've had today." She chuckles and taps the end of his nose.

I walk over and kiss his forehead then kiss his mom. God, I've missed them and I wasn't even gone a whole typical day. Smiling against her lips I mumble, "We've got to start utilizing that phone, baby. I was dying without hearing from you guys."

"I didn't want to bother you." She pulls away and pats beside her on the bed. Climbing on the bed pulling her and Rhett close.

"You'll never bother me. Call, face time if Rhett wants to talk, text, it doesn't matter. I'll answer." She nods and we all turn back to the movie.

I run my fingers through Rhett's hair until he drifts off to sleep. Once I'm sure he's out I slowly get up and gently tug Clara up too. Taking her by the hand and leading her into the bathroom she quietly shuts the door. Turning around I have maybe two seconds before Clara throws herself into my arms and I grab under her ass hiking her up so her legs circle my hips. She surprises me, but I recover quickly because it'll be a cold day in hell before I let her drop.

Her lips make their way across my jaw and start down my neck, making me groan out, "Clara." I brought her in here so we could talk about why she shut herself in our room all day, but I'm just a man. Her hands start working the buttons of my dress shirt and she has to stop her assault on my neck so she can see what she's doing. That gives me just enough time for my brain to clear, "Pretty Girl, we need to talk. Then I promise we can continue this."

It's like we instantly turn into repellents. She wiggles until I set her down and backs up. Crossing her arms under her chest, it almost looks like she's shielding her body. It's not lost on me that she's placed herself between me and the door leading to the room where Rhett's asleep. I try as hard as I can not to be offended that she's placing me in the same box as fuck face Preston. "Baby." I place my hands out in front of myself.

Clara shakes her head, "I, I'm sorry. Whatever I did wrong, I'm sorry. Just let us go. I'll get Rhett and we'll leave." My heart feels like it cracks right down the middle and my breath stutters in my lungs.

"No, Pretty Girl, no. I don't know what you think I want to talk about but it's not bad." She looks at me like she isn't sure if I'm telling the truth or not. "Baby, I promise. I just wanted to talk about why the boys said you guys stayed up here all day."

She couldn't look more skeptical if she tried, "I didn't know if we were allowed to leave. I thought we were supposed to stay in here."

I feel like I'm going to throw up, they think they're stuck in here unless I'm home? "Can I show you something?" She looks unsure but eventually takes my outstretched hand. "We're going to go through our room but we won't disturb Rhett." She nods and lets me lead her through our room then out the door. I'm praying that what I have to show her makes her realize, I'm not him.