Chapter 13

Tav

I 'm sitting at the table in the common room trying to sort through paperwork from Tombs Security. It's nice that my brother has told me not to return to work until Pixie and the kids are all safe, but I don't want my siblings picking up too much slack if there are things I can work on.

It's been almost a week since my Pixie and the kids came to the clubhouse, and we still haven't nailed down a decent plan of attack. Royal, Hammer, Officer Martin and Eden's Keep are moving pieces which complicates things. We just don't have enough information for a coordinated strike. We can take out one or two, but not before alerting the others. We want to take out the whole operation, not leave survivors that will just start up again from a different base.

"Hey, um, Tav, are you busy?"

Niko stands awkwardly on the other side of the table. I tip my head at the seat across from me and shut my laptop. If Niko wants to talk, then I'm all ears.

"Yeah, man. Have a seat. You OK?"

He frowns over my shoulder, and I give him the time he needs. He's so much like his mother sometimes. Prickly to begin with, but I've noticed over the past few days, since they've been here, that he's started to soften up. I get it though. They've lived through Royal coming after them and who knows what else. He's right to be wary of men. I just hope that one day he'll accept my relationship with Pixie.

His eyes flick to mine, and he takes a deep breath before exhaling, his shoulders drooping. "I need you to promise me you'll look after my mom."

My brows pinch together as my head tips. I'm a little confused by his request. My role in this life, the one I'm trying to have with my Pixie and her family, is to look after her, to be there for her.

"Of course I'll look after your mom," I almost tell Niko that I love her, but those words are for her to hear first. My words don't seem to have any effect on him, as he's still tense as hell. "Is there something worrying you, Niko?"

"I'm worried that she'll get impatient and try to go after Royal herself. I need her to not do that. I want her to leave it to you guys. I mean, look at you! You all look like you'd be able to take them all out without breaking a sweat." Now that he's started talking it seems hard for him to stop. "Like, she doesn't need to go out there and put herself in danger. I need you to get her to just wait for you guys to take care of it, keep her here or something. Please? She's my mom and I know she's capable, but she doesn't have to do it by herself anymore. I, we, really need her." His dark eyes implore mine and I see the scared boy behind all the teen bluster and bravado.

Niko turns 18 in a couple of weeks. Essentially a grown man, not much younger than Gus and Jules when we lost our parents, and I still see the effect it has on my brothers every day. No kid deserves that and I know that it'll be over my dead body that these kids experience what we went through.

"Niko, your mom is my Ol Lady. It's my job to look after her and protect her and make sure she and you guys are happy, healthy and safe. But-" I hold my hand up when he opens his mouth to interrupt, "she's her own woman. She has her mission, just like DRMC has ours. We are working with your mom to end this. She deserves to slay her dragons and I will stand by her side as she does. In terms of her going off on her own, you and I will work together to make sure that doesn't happen, OK? I'm sure between the two of us we can make sure she's distracted enough to wait for Marx to come up with a solid plan."

He huffs before smiling at me. "Deal." He holds his fist out to bump, so I gently tap him. "Thanks, Tav."

"Anytime, Niko," I smile at him as he stands and heads toward his sister Sage.

"Nice work there, kid," Tank's smooth voice says as he kicks the chair Niko was sitting in out further so he can ease his much larger body into it.

"Why do you all call me that? I'm not that much younger than you guys," I grumble slightly. And not whiney.

"It's probably less to do with your age, and more your personality,"

I raise a brow at him.

He sighs, then looks around the room. The brothers have started filing in, as most of our businesses would have closed up for the day. "What do you think of Sniper?" He points at our brother sitting in the farthest corner of the bar, back to the wall.

Frowning, as I'm not sure where he is going with this, I decide to answer him. He's my sponsor and as his prospect I should do as I'm told. "He's a cool guy. He's seen some shit. I can see it in the way he holds himself. He spends a lot of time in his head and I think he's lost someone close to him. He's measured and thoughtful. He's a good man." I nod at my assessment as Tank tips his head at my words.

"Switch. Tell me about him." He tips his chin to Switch, having a loud conversation with Cove.

"He's a solid brother with a great sense of humor. I know he trained in the army and he's seen some nasty shit, but he still treats everyone with care and kindness. He's empathetic, and he cares about everyone in this clubhouse."

Tank's lips twitch as my description. "OK, what about Pops?"

"Pops?" My brows pull down, but I answer anyway. "Well, he's Pops. He may be a little weird, but he's protective and caring. He has so much love to give. He'd do anything for any of us, including the DRMC."

Tank's smile grows. "That's why we call you Kid. You have a childlike ability to see the absolute best in everyone and everything. You've just told me the three most damaged, unhinged men we know are thoughtful, kind, and loving. They are, in their own way, under the surface, but you see it clear as day. It's what makes you a good brother, and what'll make you a good father." He slides his chair back with a screech, stands and walks to the bar.

My chest fills with pride at his words. One day I hope I can be as good a father to my kids as my dad was to me. I'm really hoping that Pixie, Niko, Sage, Cove and Elio will allow me to be a part of their family. That would be the perfect cherry on top of the sundae. After killing all the people on our list, of course.

"He's right, you know," I jump a little when my brother speaks a little too close to my ear.

I spin to look at Jules, expecting a frown. Instead, he has his unreadable face on.

"You got all the empathy and sunshine that I missed out on. It's what makes you a good guy, Tav."

"Jules, you're a good guy. You're one of the best I know."

He gives me the lopsided smile that he very rarely gives and then heads toward the bar as well. I'm not on bar duty tonight and with my laptop closed for the evening, I'm gonna check on the kids and my girl.

I stand, grab my things, and head toward my room. It's funny, I still have my cabin next to Pops and my siblings, but these past few days my room here has felt like home. Every night I get to make love to my woman, and then fall asleep wrapped around her. Just thinking of her in my arms has my cock thickening, so I quicken my pace, unlock my room door and come face to face with my girl, pacing like a caged animal.

Kicking the door closed, I place my laptop on the little desk and hold my hands up in front of me, stepping into her path.

"Pixie, baby, talk to me. What's going on?"

She tips her head back to look at me, her brows pulled in, mouth a tight line. She grits her teeth before letting out a frustrated scream.

"I can't handle this anymore! It's been days and Marx still doesn't have a plan. The Computas are working around the clock and are struggling to find anything on why the fuck that man keeps coming after my son. My brothers aren't answering at the moment and I just feel like I- I- I don't know! I feel useless." She deflates now that she's put a voice to her feelings. "I just feel like going out there and putting an end to it now!"

"Pixie," I warn, "That is not a good idea. You made a deal with the Pres of DRMC. Marx will not storm into a place where we are severely outnumbered without knowing all the details. You need to stand down and wait."

Her eyes narrow and her jaw tenses. "Are you telling me what to do, Octavius?"

"Blanche," I sigh. "I'm all in with you. You're my Ol Lady. That means I have your back and I stand by your side. If you want to go out right now and take out Royal, then I'm there with you. But we have to be smart. There are so many moving pieces and things we still don't know."

Her little body deflates, shoulders drooping, her head tipping forward as if all the fight has left her. I don't want this Pixie. I want the one I fell for. The one with guts and fire and fight.

I run my finger along her cheek, under her chin, tipping it up to look at me.

"It'll be your time soon, just not now. But when it is? You will burn Eden's Keep to the ground and I'll be there to dance on its ashes with you."

Her eyes dart between both of mine, searching for something. She must find what she's looking for because she smiles softly at me. Moving up onto her toes, she kisses me, her plump lips brushing mine gently.

She pulls back with a sigh, slowly opening her eyes to gaze at me. "I love you, Tav."

My insides light up from within, and it's as if all my insecurities and fears are washed away in that one little sentence. I crash my lips down on hers, my hands cupping her face, angling her head as I control the kiss, my tongue dueling with hers, lapping at her mouth, tasting, delving, wanting deeper and deeper. Wanting everything.

Her hands move across my chest, pushing my cut off my shoulders, letting it slide down my arms until I catch it in my hand, gently tossing it over the desk behind me. I need to be closer, so I grip her ass in my hands, her legs wrapping around my waist, Pixie's heat rubbing against my hard length.

"Tav, I need you now," she breaks the kiss long enough to whine, her hands scratching at my shirt, trying to get to my skin.

I toss her small form on the bed and start stripping off my clothes. Pixie doesn't need to be told twice because she stands on the bed, stripping in double time, her clothes flying everywhere. I'll tidy those up later.

Once we're both sufficiently naked she throws herself in my arms, wrapping her legs around me once more as I stand at the foot of the bed.

"Get in me now, Tav," she demands before nipping at me, biting down on my lower lip until it hurts so good.

Gripping my hard cock at the base, I rub the mushroom head through her pussy lips, covering myself in her cream. I ease into her wet heat, my head tipping back on a groan.

She kisses my neck, sucking hard before licking a stripe to my earlobe, nipping it in her teeth before demanding "Fuck me."

Blanche

Tav's hands grip my ass cheeks and he lifts me slightly then drops me down on his cock at the same time he powers up into me, pulling a "fuck!" out of me from the depths of my stomach. Holy shit, this man will be the death of me.

He spins us toward the door, pressing me up against it, the cold surface shocking the breath out of me, but I have no time to think about that as Tav powers in and out, pushing me higher and higher up the door. In no time at all I feel the pull low in my belly, his cock hitting that special spot inside me that sends me flying.

"That's it baby, give it to me, cum all over my cock," he growls.

My body convulses and tightens, my orgasm pulsing through me, draining me of my stress, frustration and anger. As my body softens, so does the look in Tav's eyes, the man that somehow stole my heart. I'm still scared as hell, scared that he'll see the real me and reject me. Scared that he'll want to control me, scared of the depth of my own feelings, but I push that all aside and try to trust my heart.

His hands slide from my ass to behind my back, pulling me into him, holding me against his warm chest, his dark hair rasping against my still sensitive nipples, his short beard rubbing against the short hair at my temple. His cock is still hard, deep inside me as he gathers me in his arms and moves me to the bed, laying me down gently, almost reverently. Once I'm on the warm comforter, my head on the pillow, his strong arms bracketing me, he starts to slide out of me, slowly, and then somehow, even slower, he pushes back in.

He moves within me, dropping gentle kisses on my eyelids, my nose, my cheeks, my jaw. He presses his lips to mine and whispers "I love you," gazing into my eyes, my soul.

We make love.

For the very first time in my life, I learn what making love is, what it means, how it feels. We both go over the edge with tears in our eyes.

* * *

"Babe, babe, your phone," Tav's thick voice rasps in my ear.

Holy crap! We must have fallen asleep after that amazing moment. What started off with Tav fucking the stress out of me, ended with me feeling something I've read about in books and never thought I'd ever experience.

"Shit! The kids!" I hiss at Tav while searching for my phone.

"They're fine, Rider and Wire are teaching the Littles how to play chess with Elio, and Mama Debs has the big kids out the back with her hunting bow," he says, rolling over, propping his hands behind his head, his lips curling up as he watches me, ass bent over wrestling my phone out of my jeans pocket.

"Finally!" I yell triumphantly before sliding the answer button. "Vic! I've been trying to call-"

"Someone tried to take Lovely. Her and Bee are fine, they're with us now, any chance we can hide Lovely with you?"

"Shit shit shit fuck shit!"

Tav sits up immediately, worry on his face. Without even knowing what's going on he gets up, finds my clothing and lays it on the bed so I can get dressed. Flicking my brother to speaker, I throw my phone on the bed and roughly pull on my clothes.

"Who the hell tried to take her?" I try not to screech, but my voice is definitely a few octaves higher.

"Don't know sis. Some guy pretending to be police," Chris answers instead of Vic.

"Where are you now?" Tav asks, leaning over me to speak, his beard grazing my cheek.

"On our way back to ours to switch out vehicles," Vic replies. He's the planner of the three.

"Let me talk to my Pres, get shit sorted. Give us 10 minutes."

"Stay safe!" I yell to my brother before closing down the call.

Tav and I share a look before we both head for the door. The shit just hit the fan. Tav links his fingers with mine as we walk down the long main hall, stopping briefly to look into Marx's office. Seeing he isn't in there, we continue on through to the common room. Spying his bulk sitting at the bar with Tav's brothers, we head that way.

"Pres! We need to talk. A police officer found Pixie's sister and tried to abduct her," Tav says loudly, the bustle in the room dying down as everyone turns to listen. The room is full as it's almost dinnertime.

"Officer Martin?" Marx barks..

"We don't know, but my brothers have her and the baby. They need a safe space to take them."

My thigh muscles are tight with tension, shoulders up by my ears. I know that the clubhouse isn't a hotel, and they only have so much space and resources, but I really need my sister and niece to be safe.

"We'll set up a room. Can you call your brothers, please?" Marx asks, then nodding toward Nat and Chewy who head off down the hall, presumably to get things ready. Thank God this place is huge with room to spare.

I pull up Vic's number and hit the call button. It rings once before he answers and I switch him to speaker. "You're on speaker, Vic."

"Vic? My name is Marx. I'm the Pres of Devil's Rose MC. My people are sending through a picture. Can you confirm if this is the man that tried to take your sister?" Marx nods at Wire who leans over to check the number Pixie has called, then taps on his keyboard.

"Should be with them now, Pres," he says, eyes never leaving his screen.

There's some rustling on the line and then Lovely answers, "Yes that's the man! He said my sister sent him, but he wasn't in uniform. The woman I was staying with asked him to leave and he- he hit her! I picked up Bee and ran to the neighbors who called my brothers. I hid in their basement until they came and got me."

"Mother fucker! How far out are you?" Marx seethes. I've heard he has a soft spot for women and children.

The phone rustles again and Vic answers, "We're on the road now. I'd say another two hours."

"Let us know if you need an escort. We have MC friendlies up your way. We'll ready your rooms."

"Thank you, Marx. We'll keep in touch."

"Wire, Chewy, Remy, one of you, get me everything you have on Office Martin's whereabouts the past two days. I'm sure you placed trackers on more than just his work cruiser, Chewy."

"I wouldn't dream of such a thing," she says, staring at him with giant eyes.

Marx raises a thick brow, then rolls his eyes. "I need to know everything. If we want to bring all these fuckers down we need to know when they eat, when they sleep, when they shit."

"Aye, aye Captain."