Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

Kendell

I'VE MANAGED TO choke down a little of the food Alex brought me. I have no appetite and eating is the last thing I want to do right now. But, Hawk's right and I need to take care of myself for the baby. Yes, I realized he said that shit to get me to eat and I don't have a problem with him doing that. This isn't him manipulating me to get his own way like Martin. He's doing it so I take care of myself when it's the last thing I want to be doing or thinking about. Hawk is a good man and would never let me hurt myself because of the way I'm feeling. Guilt is riding me hard because this entire situation is my fault. If I had gotten Kelsey away from Martin sooner, or been home when he finally made his move, so many things I could've done differently so my sister wouldn't be back with the monster that's hurt her so horribly. Instead, I took time for myself and chose to leave her and baby G alone so I could see Zoey and her babies. I'll never forgive myself for that and I won't blame Kelsey if she doesn't forgive me either.

Gideon ate more than I did, but he doesn't have an appetite either. I'm not going to force him to eat because it's only going to make him more upset than he already is. Other than the few words he said when I found him in Hawk's closet, Gideon has remained silent. He's reverting back to how he was when Martin was in his life on a daily basis and it's shattering my heart because I've gotten to witness what a funny little boy he is. I'm pissed as hell that Martin has managed to affect his son like this and I vow to make him pay for his sins. The fucker will end up begging for his life if I have anything to say about it.

"Zoey, I think I'm gonna take Gideon up to Hawk's room so he can take a nap. I know we just woke up, but I don't think he wants to be around people right now," I tell her as she keeps watching the two of us.

"Okay. If either one of you needs anything, we'll be here. Alex and I aren't going anywhere and Reagan will be here soon. I guarantee she's gonna wanna check on you the second she gets here," Zoey says, her voice soft and gentle as I start to stand from the table while Gideon watches my every move.

I hold out my hands for him and he immediately reaches up for me to lift him into my arms. Picking Gideon up, I carry him from the common room and straight up to Hawk's room. I lock the door behind us and carefully sit him down on the bed. Gideon climbs to the top and lays his head on the pillows before grabbing his blanket and stuffed hawk. He holds them close as I lay down next to him and just stare at the ceiling. There's no point in turning the TV on because neither one of us will watch anything I put on the screen. Before I can contemplate too much of what I should be doing to help my nephew through this, my phone vibrates in my pocket making my breath stall in my chest. I already know it's gonna be Martin.

"What?" I answer the phone, letting all of the anger coursing through me fill my voice.

"Watch your fucking tone, bitch," Martin returns, his voice cold and hard. "You're the one with something to lose right now, not me. So, here's what you're gonna do. I want my fucking son. He's mine and not yours, Kendell. As I've told you before, they're both mine and you're going to stop interfering in our lives. What happens in my home doesn't fucking concern you. Kelsey stopped being your sister the day she married me. I'm sending you an address. You're not going to open your fucking mouth to a single person about where you're going. I want you to put my son in your car and drive to the location. Alone. If you don't, I'll start cutting your sister up into little pieces and send them to you. If I catch one hint of a motorcycle following you, I'll use Kelsey as a shield so no one can get to me. I'm not fucking around, Kendell. You will do this or she'll be the one to pay."

There's no way in hell I'm going to let Kelsey suffer any more than she already has. I have no choice but to agree with Martin. It doesn't mean this is going to play out the way he wants it to though as a plan already begins forming in my mind.

"Fine. Send me the information and I'll leave as soon as I get it," I grind out, not giving him some smart ass comment or letting myself tell him what I really want to say.

"I always knew you could be controlled. It just took a little bit for me to figure out the correct way to do it," Martin says, laughter filling his voice as if this is simply a game and nothing more to him.

Fuck him!

I hang up the phone before he can say another word and I go off on him. Standing from the bed as Gideon starts to fall asleep, I search for any weapon I'll be able to take with me. It takes me a while, but I finally find a gun and the ammunition for it. Putting everything in a small bag, I slide the strap over my shoulder while grabbing one of Hawk's hoodies from his closet. It's big enough on me that it will conceal the bag from any prying eyes. After making sure I have everything, I kiss Gideon on the top of his head and tell him that I'll always love him no matter what happens before I leave him in the room to take his nap.

Heading back down to the common room, I spot Zoey still sitting at the table where I left her. The noise coming from the kitchen tells me Alex is still in there doing something. I don't bother going to Alex because I know she'll grill me until I give up the truth of what I'm doing to her. That's not something I can afford to risk, so I head for Zoey.

"Hey, can I ask you for a favor?" I question her once she sees me standing next to her.

"Of course. What do you need?" she returns, taking a sip of the bottle of water she has in front of her.

"I have to run to Hawk's house for something really quick. Gideon just fell asleep in his bed. Can you keep an eye on him until I get back?"

"Yeah. Are you sure everything is okay?" she asks, her voice letting me know she doesn't necessarily believe me right now.

"Yeah. I just want to grab a few things for Gideon. He's had such an upheaval in his life and I don't want him to feel as if this is going to take away the things he's just gotten. It's stupid, I know," I tell her, stating my true feelings even if it's not what I'm about to do.

"I get it. He's more resilient than you know though," she states with a soft smile on her face.

"Yeah. It's just a feeling I have. I know Kelsey would want me to do this."

"Okay. You go get what you need. Be careful and I won't let anything happen to him while you're gone," Zoey says, not taking her eyes off of me once because she can see the truth in my eyes and understands what I'm about to do.

Nodding my head, I leave the clubhouse and walk around it toward where my car's been parked. The guys put it in one of the barns they converted into a garage so it's not seen from the road. That's where I park it every single time I leave the clubhouse and come back. Before I was allowed to park it at the house, but once we moved Kelsey and Gideon here, Hawk didn't think it would be safe. If my car was parked at a house, Martin would be able to find us easier. Not wanting to do more than necessary to lead him to my sister, I agreed and let him move my car to the barn. Now it's only going to help me get away from here faster.

Martin sent me an address that appears to be about halfway between Clinton City and our hometown. I put it into my GPS and it says it will take me about forty-five minutes to get there. That's if I go the speed limit and all that shit. Right now, that's the least of my concerns. The only thing I'm thinking about is getting to this address so I can see my sister and try to save her from the monster that's haunted her for so fucking long. I want to save her and don't really care what happens to me in the process. Yes, I want to live and have this baby I'm carrying, but I also need my sister at my side. I can't do that if Martin kills her or sets her so far back she can't see a way toward her future again.

I left the clubhouse about twenty minutes ago and stopped long enough to put gas in my car. It killed time until the message from Martin came through and I knew what direction I had to head in. I even went in the store and looked around before buying a bottle of water and a few snacks that I don't really plan on eating. It was more just to have something to do instead of driving myself crazy. Or picking up my phone and calling Hawk to tell him what Martin said and where I was going. The only reason I even brought my phone, and I'm not getting rid of it now is because I want Hawk to be able to find me. He told me about some app or something he installed on my phone before he returned it to me so he can track my location even if the location gets turned off by myself or someone else.

Pressing down on my accelerator, I ignore the vibrating of my phone. By now, Hawk realizes I lied and am no longer at the clubhouse. My phone has been vibrating nonstop for the last ten minutes and I've been ignoring it. It sits on the passenger seat of my car and I barely glance that way as I focus on the road in front of me. Hawk is going to be so pissed at me no matter what I do, so I'd rather get my sister back if at all possible and face his anger than sit on my ass and do nothing while letting them all deal with the situation.

The men in the club have families, wives, and children depending on them coming home every night. Martin won't give a fuck about any of that. He'll kill them the second he sees them. Or he'll at least try to kill them. I doubt he'll succeed, but it's not a risk I'm willing to take. It's bad enough they've all been out searching from the second Hawk and a small group showed up at his house to take in the damage and my missing sister. Now, I'm going to do what I can to make sure Alex, Zoey, and Reagan don't lose their men so they can have the future they deserve. Yes, I know it's illogical and doesn't make any sense at all, but if I can do this, then I'm going to.

Resting a hand on my stomach, I think of the baby I carry. A baby that's a mix of Hawk and me. I let myself wonder if it will be a boy or girl. How they'll grow up and what they'll want to become as an adult. I can see Hawk playing with them, teaching them things he probably shouldn't, and raising hell if we have a daughter and boys come around her. For the first time since Kelsey was taken, I smile at the thought of Hawk going all caveman over a boy wanting to date his daughter. If we have a little boy, I can see him right at his daddy's side no matter what Hawk's doing. I envision them spending hours in the garage working on bikes together and talking about everything. Hell, I can see Hawk doing the same thing if we have a daughter. He'll make sure he's always there to take care of her, but that she can take care of herself at the same time.

My thoughts swirl around everything and nothing at all for the entire trip. It's not until I'm about five minutes from the location that I force all thought from my mind so I can focus on what I'm about to do. The address Martin is bringing me to is in the middle of nowhere. I'm driving down a dirt road filled with potholes and large rocks that I'm trying to avoid. The one thing that's working in my favor is the tall as fuck grass and weeds surrounding me. No one's taken care of this property for a very long time from what I can tell. That will give me the cover I need for the lie to make Martin do what I want before he ‘gets his hands on Gideon'. My nephew was never going to make this trip with me and I can't believe Martin actually believes I'll cave to his demands. I never have before and I'm not about to start now. I will call his bluff in person where I can protect my sister.

Stopping my car just as I start to see the house, I remove Hawk's hoodie from my body and then the bag I put the gun and ammunition in. Yes, I know how to load and shoot a gun. When I was putting myself through self-defense lessons, I also went to a shooting range and one of the employees taught me how to shoot several guns. Martin doesn't know that little fact about me though. Just one more thing I'll use to my complete advantage because he's a dumbfuck and won't even consider the fact that I can take care of myself and my sister in this situation he feels he has all the control in.

When everything is ready to go, I start driving once again. Pulling up to the house, I take in every detail of the place. It's definitely been sitting empty for a long time. Like the road I just traveled up, the house is in desperate need of some TLC. The roof needs to be replaced, the front door is barely hanging on its hinges, and most of the windows on the first floor have been shattered or broken in one way or another. The front porch is sagging and looks as if you step on the wrong board, you'll fall right through. Even the steps are crooked and lopsided as if they can't bear to stand straight any longer. I'm sure the house was a beautiful farmhouse when it was first built though.

Shutting off my engine, I open my door and remain behind it as the front door of the house opens and I see Martin. He looks like fucking shit. His hair is a mess and looks as if he's been raking his fingers through it nonstop. It's greasy and just not how he usually keeps it. Martin is extremely vain and always looks as if he's about to step on a runway to model something. Not a single hair is ever out of place and I swear he showers at least three times a day. It could be to wash the stench of the women he's fucking off, but he's always in the shower. His clothes are hanging loose from his body as if he's lost weight and his shirt is half untucked from his pants. Pants that have blood splattered on them already. My heart speeds up in my chest and my breath catches as I continue to take in his haggard appearance.

"Where the fuck is he?" Martin yells out, his voice full of rage and uncertainty.

"He has a name Martin. It's Gideon. Your son's name is Gideon. Which if you spent any time with him at all, you might know it," I call back, pissed that he's literally talking as if my nephew is nothing more than a possession instead of a person.

"I know what his fucking name is, Kendell. Where the fuck is he? You were supposed to bring him here. Do you think I won't torture your sister and cut her up in front of you?" he yells back, pacing the porch as it groans under his weight.

"He's here. I'm not gonna call for him to come out until I see Kelsey. I want to know she's still alive so there's someone here to take care of him," I state, needing him to bring her out of the house so I have less chance of hurting her when I shoot him.

"This isn't your fucking show, Kendell. Gideon!" he screams, his voice echoing around me and I know he's losing patience fast.

Martin has never been a patient man though. He demands to have what he wants the very second he wants it. Anything less will make him throw a fucking tantrum worse than any toddler I've ever seen. He's an entitled prick whose parents have given him everything he's ever wanted and it's only done more damage to him because now he expects that from everyone around him. That's not how shit works in the real world.

"I don't care, Martin. If you want me to hand Gideon over to you, then you'll bring Kelsey out here so I can see her first," I tell him again, not playing into his demands.

"You fucking cunt!" he screams, knowing Gideon is too scared to come to him when he's like this and I do have the upper hand in this situation.

Martin disappears into the house. In a few minutes, he drags my sister out behind him by her hair. She's trying so hard not to scream as silent tears roll down her face. She's already dirty and covered in grime and he's removed her clothes. My baby sister is only wearing a small pair of panties with the rest of her body on full display. He's beaten her and blood covers her skin and the bruises that she hasn't had to worry about hiding are now once again covering her body. Martin's also cut her in several places. This is all payback for her daring to leave him. My blood fucking boils as he releases her hair and she drops to the porch and curls in on herself.

"You've seen her, now bring the boy out. I want to see him in five seconds, or I'll fucking shoot her right now," Martin says, pulling a gun from the back of his jeans.

Before he can even point it in Kelsey's direction, I lift the gun I borrowed from Hawk and point it at him. Martin starts laughing his ass off and drops his arm back down by his body. The gun is barely being held by him and I know this is gonna be one of my only chances to shoot him and injure him enough that I can get Kelsey out of here and to a hospital. Doing as I was taught at the gun range, I aim at Martin and squeeze the trigger while releasing my breath. His laughter stops immediately as the bullet hits him in the shoulder and I take aim again.

"You fucking crazy bitch! Who do you think you are?" he screams out as the gun drops to the porch next to him.

I'd call out for Kelsey to grab it, but I think she's pretty much lost in her own world right this second. She's learned to go to a peaceful place in her mind when Martin starts hurting her and it takes forever to get her to come back to reality. I get why she does it, but it's not helping us right now. I need her here with me and that's not what she can give me. It's okay though. Kelsey deserves to do whatever it takes to protect herself.

Martin drops to his knees as I watch the blood pour from the wound in his shoulder. Lining up the gun again, I fire another bullet. This time it hits right above his knee and he screams out even louder than before. I set the gun on my seat and rush to the porch. Skirting around the stupid fucker as he writhes around the porch in pain while screaming at me, I try to lift Kelsey off the wooden planks. She doesn't move. If anything, she pushes her weight toward the porch more so I can't lift her to her feet. I try to tell her it's me, but she doesn't hear a word I say.

"You fucking liar!" Martin shouts from directly behind me as my feet are suddenly swept out from under my body. "The boy isn't even fucking here. You stupid fucking bitch. Now I'm gonna fucking torture your sister in front of you and when she's no longer breathing, I'll start on you."

Before I can move away from Martin, something hits me in the head and my vision instantly goes black. I fade to nothing and the only image running through my mind as everything fades away is of Hawk and the life I could've lived with him. Of the family we were creating and how it's all going to disappear now because I chose not to believe in him and the Fallen Brethren MC to put a plan together to get Kelsey out of here safely while remaining at the clubhouse with Gideon. I just hope he doesn't hate me for not protecting our baby like I should have.