Chapter 36

Chapter Thirty-Six

Nevaeh

A mity comes barreling into the room, slamming the door into the wall, a wild look of panic on her face until her eyes land on mine.

She takes in a deep, shuddering breath before she crumples to the floor and sobs.

G is behind her in seconds, scooping her up and carrying her to the bed where I’m sitting.

“I’m okay, Amity, I promise.” Physically at least. Emotionally, I feel like I’ve been put through the wringer.

“Yeah, well I’m not,” she snaps through her tears. “You could have been killed and I couldn’t get to you. Midas had me locked down, but I swear Pippin, I’d have come––”

I cover her mouth with my hand, muffling the rest of her words.

“I know you would have Amity, but I didn’t want you near that asshole any more than the guys did, and you know Midas was just following orders.

She turns her head to glare at Havoc, who is sitting in the chair beside my bed, but he just crosses his arms and scowls at her.

“I wasn’t risking you too.”

She opens her mouth to argue, but I squeeze her hand.

“He’s the president, Amity. He’s the one who has to make the tough calls. He didn’t know if he was going to walk in there and find me dead. He would never put you in that situation, and I’d never want him to.”

Her shoulders drop, some of her anger draining away. “I get it. I don’t like it, but I get it,” she whispers before she moves to lay down in the bed beside me.

G sits in the free chair and watches us both while Havoc remains by my side, silently guarding me.

“Citi’s really alive?”

I nod, feeling myself choke up. “She’s been through hell and back, Amity. I can’t even wrap my head around how he had her all this time. The things he must have done…” I choke out as Amity pulls me into her arms, and we cry together.

As glad as I am to have her home, safe and sound, there’s a part of me that wishes she’d died all those years ago. Not because I’m cruel, but because I’d give anything to have spared her the years of torment and abuse. I don’t know what to say or do. How do you move on from something like this?

“She survived all this time Pippin. That tells you just how strong she is. I’m not sure I could have done it. Fuck I’m in awe of her. Giving up would have been so fucking easy, but to live?” She shakes her head. “She’s a fucking warrior.”

“She really is. And you should see Star, Amity. She looks just like we did at that age.”

“Who’s sitting with them?”

“Ambros and Hannibal. I think she feels safe with them because they helped her get free.”

“Hannibal? Not many people can say they feel safe with him. It’s that dead-eyed glare of his that gives me the heebie-jeebies.”

My lips twitch at that. “I’m telling him you said that.”

She shrugs. “He won’t care. He lives to freak people out.”

“Knock knock,”

“Speak of the devil,” Amity mutters as Hannibal walks into the room.

“Hey Tink, how you feeling?”

“Honestly, I’m fine. I’m just waiting for the doctor to discharge me.”

“That’s good. You had us all worried for a minute there.”

“I had myself worried,” I admit. “How’s my sister doing?”

“She’s asleep right now, so’s the kid. Your father just turned up, but Ambros is sticking with her.” I nod and feel Amity squeeze me a little tighter.

“Any news on Probe?” Havoc sits forward at my question.

“I just passed the doctor. He’s out of surgery, but the next twenty-four hours will be touch and go. Have a little faith in him, Tink. The man is too fucking stubborn to die on anything other than his terms.”

“I know,” I whisper. It doesn’t stop me from feeling helpless.

“I’m going to head out now if you don’t need me, keep me updated about Probe.”

Havoc stands and holds out his hand for Hannibal to shake “Thank you.”

“No thanks necessary. You know that.”

He offers me a wink before heading for the door, stopping when I call his name.

“Hannibal?”

He turns to look over his shoulder at me. I try to tell him about Driller and what he said about Lola, but snap my mouth shut. If Lola wanted him to know, she’d have told him.

“Take care of yourself.”

He stares at me for a moment before answering softly. “You too, Tink.”

I watch him leave before turning to look at Havoc. It might not be my place to tell Hannibal, but Havoc is a whole different matter. My loyalties lie with this man. Am I worried it will change things between us? No, I know he loves me. I feel it wrapped around me like a child’s safety blanket. No matter how this plays out, he’ll still be mine, and I’ll still be his.

That doesn’t mean I’m not a little wary about how the dynamic might change between him and Lola. I push my own insecurities aside because this isn’t about me. I just hope that when Havoc realizes Lola isn’t the villain here, that she doesn’t become the one that got away.

Havoc leans forward and grabs my hand. “What’s wrong?”

I shake my head and offer him a small smile. There is a time and place for this conversation and this isn’t it. “Nothing. I just want to go home.”

He bends his head and kisses the back of my hand as a doctor walks in with a smile on her face.

“Sorry for the long wait. It’s been a crazy couple of days. The full moon makes everyone go a little nuts.”

“I’ll forgive you for anything if you tell me I can go home.”

She chuckles. “Then I have good news.”

I sigh in relief as I half listen to some signs and symptoms to watch for. I know Havoc will be paying attention to every word, so I let my mind drift to my sister and Star and what their futures might look like now they’re free.

“How’s my sister doing?” I ask once she’s finished talking. She gives me a sad look that makes me swallow.

“I’m not her doctor, but I’ve been briefed so I could let you know that she’s doing okay. She’ll need to stay here for a while longer yet. She’s severely malnourished and needs treatment for an infection. Her daughter, though, will be ready to go home tomorrow. We’d just like to keep her in overnight for observation.”

I fight back my tears and take a deep breath. Amity sits up beside me and leans her head on my shoulder in solidarity. “She can stay with us. If Citi is okay with that, I mean. Right?” I ask Havoc, who squeezes my thigh.

“Of course. She’s family.”

Family. I’ve got my family back . I feel myself start to shake before the first sob slips free. And then I find myself in the middle of a Havoc and Amity sandwich with a side of G and he wraps his hand around mine, making me cry harder.

I’m greeted with hugs and well wishes when we get home which sets me off again.

“I’m getting really sick of crying,” I sniff as Havoc takes a couple of tissues from a box someone tosses at him.

He holds them to my nose. “Blow.”

I don’t even question if it’s weird or not, too emotionally wrung out to sweat the small stuff. Besides, it feels good to be taken care of.

I settle in his lap and look around the room, seeing that most people have moved away to give us some space. Amity walks over with G, who has a tray of drinks in his hand. He slides them onto the table before they both take a seat. Amity passes me a coke before taking a bottle of water for herself.

“We need to get a room sorted for Star. I’m just not sure where to put her. Most of them are soundproof, which is great for not disturbing her, but what if she cries?” Amity bites her lip.

“What about the apartment above the clinic? It’s got two bedrooms, so the three of you could move in there, and that way, Star won’t see or hear anything she shouldn’t,” G suggests.

“I didn’t even realize there was an apartment above the clinic,” I admit and see Amity shake her head.

“Me either.”

“It’s mostly used during lockdown. We can get the bunnies to give it a clean. Me and Amity can go into town and grab some shit for Star. I have no idea what a little girl might need, but I’m sure we can figure it out between us.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Havoc agrees, calling over Lil, who gives me another hug.

“Can you round up a couple of girls and get them to clean the apartment above the clinic? We’re going to be moving in there temporarily with Nevaeh’s niece.”

“Of course. Leave it with me, and I’ll get it sorted.” She hurries off, heading straight for the circle of bunnies near the pool table.

“I can make a list of what Star might need. Any chance I can see the apartment first though?”

G nods before getting to his feet. “Let’s do it now before the bunnies descend.”

I climb off Havoc’s lap and wait for him to get to his feet, knowing there is no way he won’t join us. Amity walks around the table and links her arm through mine, leading me out the back as the guys follow behind us.

“I’m thinking we need some pretty bedding and cozy sleepwear,” she muses.

“Definitely. She’ll need a week’s worth of clothes too. We can always grab more if we need to. Get something for her to play with, some books, maybe a teddy or two.” I take a deep breath before I let the sadness overwhelm me. I have no idea what Star likes. I don’t even know if she knows. Judging by what little she had in that house, I’m not sure she’s had the chance to be a kid.

Raised voices snap me out of my thoughts. I look to see what’s happening and find Legs walking around the side of the building with a cardboard box in her hands, tears streaming down her face.

Amity pulls away from me and jogs over to her just as Midas rounds the corner. “Don’t come back, Legs. We have fresh meat. Don’t need to bother with lying bitches like you.”

“Hey,” I yell at him.

“Stay out of this, Nevaeh. This has nothing to do with you.”

“Legs is my friend, and you don’t get to speak to her that way.”

“Huh. Typical. I guess sluts like to stick together.”

He is so focused on me that he doesn’t notice Havoc beside him until he punches him in the face and puts him on his ass.

“Please get me out of here,” Legs begs Amity. I can see how hard she’s shaking as she tries to put on a brave face.

Amity looks at me. I nod and move toward them both. I grab the box from her and let Amity wrap her arm around Legs’ shoulder as she leads her away from Midas, who now has a furious G and Havoc circling him.

I’m too pissed to walk away, though. Instead, I storm over to Midas, ready to kick the asshat as he lay on the ground, but Havoc catches me.

“How fucking dare you. You know what? I’m sick to death of your sanctimonious bullshit.”

“She was sleeping around, and now she’s fucking pregnant?—”

“And? She’s not your old lady, Midas. She’s not good enough for you, remember? She was doing her job. Bunnies don’t get to stay unless they fuck the brothers. You know this. And still, you did nothing but set expectations she couldn’t reach. You set her up to fail. You’re pathetic. One day, you’re going to wake up and realize what you did, and by then, it will be too late. I hope regret keeps you warm at night, Midas.”

I spin in Havoc’s arms to look at G. “Can you and Amity take Legs home? She’s in no state to drive.”

“Absolutely. I need to get away from the smell of bullshit anyway,” he snarls down at Midas before walking over to me and relieving me of Legs’ box. He heads over to Legs, and says something to her that I can’t hear, but she nods rapidly and lets Amity lead her down the hill. She glances back at me briefly, her eyes filled with so much heartache that it makes my chest hurt and makes me want to kick Midas in the dick. I watch until they are out of sight before whirling on Midas again.

“You just lost the best thing that ever happened to you, and you’re too much of a dick to even realize it.”

He gets to his feet, wiping blood from his mouth, his gaze warily on Havoc, which is smart. If he didn’t have his hands wrapped around me, I know they’d be wrapped around Midas’ throat. I can feel his anger pulsing through him like a living, breathing entity ready to strip the skin from Midas’ bones.

“You don’t get it.” I hear the pain beneath his anger, but I’m too far gone to care.

“You’re right, I don’t. From what I can tell, you want kids, and you can’t biologically have them. That sucks, Midas, it really does, but there are other ways to be a father. Look at Hannibal. He considers Lola’s baby his too.” I sigh and move to step toward him, but Havoc is having none of it.

“Don’t move,” he growls at me. “If I let you go, I’ll kill him.”

I close my eyes for a moment and take a deep breath before focusing on Midas once more. “You need to figure out what it is you want––what’s important to you. You can’t play with people’s hearts like that.”

“I didn’t…” his voice drifts off as he drops his head.

“You did, and you know it. Lie to me all you want, but don’t lie to yourself. She loves you Midas, and she hates herself because of it. Why do you think she’s leaving? You’ve called all the shots and held all the power, but that positive pregnancy test changed everything. Now she has someone in her life she loves more than you. You better figure out real quick if you can accept that because if you can’t, you need to let her go.”

I tug Havoc, who, after a moment of resistance, lets me drag him toward the clinic––my mind on Legs. No matter what, she’ll be okay. She’ll have the baby she always wanted. If Midas doesn’t get his head out of his ass, she’ll find a man who’ll love her and her kid––Midas will be nothing but a memory. And one day, when he wakes up—and he will—he’ll come back for her and see the perfect life she made for herself. The one he could have had if he'd fought for her instead of throwing her away.

Lord, won’t there be fireworks when that happens?