Page 5 of Brandishing Balance (Devil’s Psychos MC #3)
Marcos
D espair weighed me down as I pulled into the Henderson’s driveway. I drove my Harley all the way up the long driveway and turned it around near the garage, parking it with its front end facing the street so I could make a fast get-away if I needed to.
The sun was just beginning to set, but I could feel the weariness settling into my bones. Nico had decided to stay out with our club brothers and the Seratelli’s, which was good, because I needed to be home for Luke, and relieve Jason.
Finding that my sister, Kara, and one of her guys were still at the house alleviated some of my burden. I had called her after getting off the phone with Luke, explaining what had happened and asking if she wouldn’t mind checking in on them.
Jason was in no shape to take care of a child, and Elaine was never all that motherly to begin with. I couldn’t imagine how she was coping with everything. The last thing Luke needed was to hear her brand of love being spouted in front of him. No.
I was grateful my sister had said she would head right over; I was even more happy that one of her guys had accompanied her. The last thing I needed to worry about was her safety while I tried to find Maya.
The garage door was closed, and a faint smell of weed drifted from under the door. I hoped it had helped Jason calm the fuck down. I used my keys to open the front door before anyone in the living could get up.
Luke jumped up from where he was cuddling Kara on the couch and flung himself into my arms. He immediately began to cry while he clung to me.
Tears welled in my own eyes as I held my son tightly, picking him up completely. “I know, buddy, I know.” I met Kara’s gaze and saw that tears were already slipping down her face.
Kevin wrapped his arm around Kara and pulled her against him, giving me a nod. “We should go; give you guys some space.”
“No!” Luke shouted! “Auntie Kara, please don’t go!” Luke scrambled out of my hold and ambled over to her, climbing into her lap to wrap his arms around her neck.
“Oh, buddy,” Kara breathed, holding him closer. She rubbed his back while she rocked him slightly.
Marcos sighed heavily. “Luke, baby. She can’t stay. She has to get home to her baby.”
Luke wailed louder, his sobs wracking his small body.
Kara’s face scrunched in pain, as if Luke’s misery was killing her.
It was killing everyone.
Elaine looked on with tears in her own eyes. “There’s an air mattress in the hallway closet,” she murmured.
Kara met Kevin’s eye. An unspoken conversation passed between the two of them before Kara nodded slowly. “It’s alright. Luke, I’ll stay the night, ok?”
Luke nodded through his tears, his face pressed into the crook of her neck.
I sagged with relief. God, I didn’t know what I would do without my little sister.
Kara wiped her cheeks as she rocked Luke. “I’ll need to run home for a bit though. Do you want to see your cousin, Lilah?”
“Can we? Please?” Luke asked, pulling away from Kara to look over at me.
Kara eyed the weary expression on my face. “We could take him with us. Give you guys some time to talk. We took my Lincoln.”
My face must have dropped at the suggestion, because Kevin immediately sat forward. “I’ll guard them with my life.”
I took a deep breath and rubbed my hand over my buzzed head before I nodded slowly.
Kara lived in the same neighborhood as Maya’s mother.
The house she shared with her guys was right around the corner and there would be three big burly bikers there to look after my son.
Technically, I had nothing to worry about, but everything was hitting so much harder with Maya kidnapped.
“Yeah, ok,” I murmured softly. Seeing Luke perk up had been worth it. I would do anything to help ease the pain my son was feeling.
“I have to pump, so we’ll be a little while,” Kara said.
I nodded. “I’ll change the sheets in Maya’s room. You guys can take her bed. We’ll crash in Luke’s room.”
Kara reluctantly agreed.
After they left, I sat heavily on the couch where my sister had been sitting. I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees, and hung my head.
Jason and Elaine eyed me warily. “Nothing?” Jason prompted.
“No.” I shook my head. “It’s like they fucking vanished. We checked all of Las Serpientes known hang outs. The whole fucking gang has gone a ground.”
Jason swore and shook his head. “And the Seratelli’s?”
I leaned back against the couch and shrugged a shoulder. “They’re helping, they’re doing everything they can. The extra manpower has been amazing, but still, it’s not enough.”
“Kevin called his brother, Jack. Apparently, he’s some big tech guy in Chicago. He’s searching the dark web for Hillcrest.”
I felt my spirits lift a bit at the news. “Yeah?”
Jason nodded. “Kevin said Jack was the one that helped them find Kara. So he should be able to help this time around.”
“Thank fuck,” I sighed, letting my head fall back against the couch and closing my eyes.
“When you say, ‘the Seratelli’s’” Elaine’s voice broke through my thoughts. “You mean, the mafia?”
My eyes snapped open. Fuck. I had forgotten she was in the room.
“Yeah,” Jason answered, before I could respond. “The Don is Nico’s cousin.”
I shot Jason a look that said, what the fuck dude?
Jason shrugged a shoulder.
Elaine nodded, as if she expected that. “Well, let’s hope they can help.
Now, the air mattress is in the hallway closet.
Marcos, you’ll have to grab it. It’s much too heavy for me.
You can set it up in Luke’s room, but I’m sure Jason would feel better sleeping in the recliner.
I know when I had my shoulder surgery, laying down made the pain worse. I slept in that recliner for weeks.”
I felt dumbfounded by Elaine’s easy-going demeanor and acceptance to the news of the mafia helping to find her daughter. The woman sitting before me was a far cry different from the one that used to berate and belittle Maya growing up. “Right.”
“Come on, the sooner you get the air mattress set up, the quicker you can relax.” Elaine stood from the loveseat and limped toward the hallway.
I stared after her in shock.
“She’s right,” Jason grunted.
Shaking my head, I got to my feet and followed after Elaine.