Page 16 of Roxy’s Independence (Mayhem Makers – MMM: Deviant Knights MC #3)
CHAPTER
FIFTEEN
Saber
I’ve noticed that Python has his son with him more often than not lately, and it has me wondering if Kinsley is pulling back.
I’m aware of the issue she has with Easton and him being special, but still, a mother’s love is all-consuming, infinite, and when they have a baby as young as Easton is, they’re usually spending loads of time together and bonding.
I’m not sure what this says about the future and what is going on in her head but it has me curious.
Roxy and I are walking to our house from the infirmary and my attention is on my brother so I miss the root sticking out of the ground and trip on it.
“Dammit,” I mutter, righting myself after the stumble.
“What has your mind so preoccupied?” Roxy asks, scanning me over to make sure I’m alright, even though I didn’t actually eat dirt. “It’s not like you to be unobservant and clumsy.”
“Python is taking Kinsley’s distance personally.
As if it’s his fault she’s not spending time with Easton because his bloodline is what passed down the gene for gifts.
I’m worried about him,” I tell her. “He’s neglecting work, calling in and taking personal paid time, and the brothers are picking up his slack around here because he’s even put his club duties on the backburner. ”
“Are people complaining? If they are, you need to shut that shit down because he’s going through a lot between Easton’s diagnosis and Kinsley’s mind being on other things. He needs some time to figure things out, Weston. His entire world has been upended.”
“Nobody’s complaining,” I confirm, “but everyone is worried and we’re trying to figure out a way to make things easier on both of them but so far, we’re coming up blank.”
“All y’all can do is be there for him,” she says. “There are times when someone needs to find their way without interference. He’ll come to you if he needs you.”
“Maybe, maybe not,” I say, shrugging my shoulders.
“I’m sure you’ve noticed most of us keep our personal issues close to the chest and are closed off to everyone.
Most of us had horrible, traumatic childhoods that taught us to be independent and take care of shit on our own.
Even after all of these years together as brothers, learning to trust one another, that’s something most of us haven’t been able to break. ”
“I’m the same way, Weston. You’re the only one that knows every dirty detail about me.
I trust the ladies to an extent, but there are things from the past that I want to keep to myself.
I also like to take care of my own issues, not because help wouldn’t be welcome, but for most of my adult life, I haven’t had anyone I could depend on other than myself,” she acknowledges.
Those words are like a knife to the chest because I’m the reason she was lonely and didn’t have anyone at her back. “I’m sorry, Foxy. So damn sorry. I made a mess of things back then, didn’t I?”
“We both did,” she confirms, reaching out and twining our pinky fingers together like she used to do when we were kids, yearning for some sort of touch. “We were young and our communication skills sucked.”
A smile spreads across my face as I state, “That they did. I was full of anger back then that I didn’t take the time out to see things from your point of view. It’s my biggest regret in life.”
“But we’re fixing things now,” she insists.
“And I think that we needed that time apart to grow and become who we are today. You know what they say, everything happens the way it does for a reason. We had lessons to learn and trials to conquer. I needed to stand on my own two feet for a while so I could become a stronger person.”
“You’re one of the strongest people I know,” I whisper, pulling her to me and planting a kiss on her lips.
When she pulls back, a tear falls down her cheek and I use the pad of my thumb to wipe it away.
“Thank you, Weston.” I’m not sure what she’s thanking me for, and I don’t have time to ask her about it because her phone chimes and she lifts it out of her pocket and reads the screen.
“Kinsley’s going to be later than planned getting here, she has a stop to make on her way home that can’t be put off.
I need to let the ladies know. Why don’t you go check on Python while I do that?
” she suggests before continuing, “because we have food being delivered and I need to see if I can push the time back.”
She somehow knew that I wanted to go talk to my brother and she gave me the opening I needed to do that without feeling like I’m abandoning her.
She could have sent out a mass text to the girls with me beside her and push back the delivery time with the push of her finger, but as always, she’s putting my needs first.
I smirk at her before telling her, “You’re the best. I’ll see you at home later.”
“Canyon and Egypt are going over to RiffRaff and Jilly’s tonight for a sleepover.” She sends me an exaggerated wink that has me grinning. “Which means we can be as loud as we want to be without having our kids overhear us.”
“And I can take you in any room I want in the house,” I tack on, making her blush.
“There’s that too,” she laughs. “Go on, go check on Python so I can take care of this.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I say, swatting her ass as I walk away. “So many rooms!”
“Weston!” she gasps. “Not so loud.” I shake my head as I walk away, my face frozen in a smile.
Python sets the phone down on the coffee table with a thunk. “This isn’t like her, Saber.”
“Roxy says she isn’t answering any of their calls either,” I inform him. “I’m putting a call into Beast so he can track her car. I’m sure Selah’s already on it, but if Kinsley has gotten herself knee deep in shit, I don’t want the old ladies involved.”
He runs his hands through his hair, a look of disbelief crossing his face. His features are pinched, he’s not sure if he should be angry or concerned.
“I need to know what’s going on, Saber. If she’s not coming back, that’s fine, it’s her cross to bear, but if she is in trouble, I owe it to our son to help her. I can’t just sit around twiddling my thumbs.”
I send off a text to Beast and get confirmation back from him within seconds that he’s initiating the tracking device and will send me a location as soon as it dings her location.
“Beast is on it, we’ll find her and get the answers you need, brother,” I promise.
“In the meantime, why don’t we get this little guy his bath and feed him so we don’t disrupt his routine.
” My suggestion has him nodding his head as he looks over at his boy who is lounging in my lap, sucking on his fist and eyes roaming as he takes in his surroundings.
“Yeah. At least that’ll keep me busy until we know where she is,” he mumbles.
When he plucks Easton off my lap and heads toward the nursery, I grab my phone and put a call into Dragon.
“What’s up, brother?” he asks, sounding distracted. I’m pretty sure it’s the baby I hear gurgling in the background that has his attention.
“We may have a problem,” I announce, then break down the situation for him.
“Shit,” he rumbles. “I have the kids since Laney’s with the women. Let me see if I can get her back here and I’ll be there soon. I’m sending Wrecker your way, but he has Stone so he might be a minute getting there, too.”
“I’ve got Python for now. See you when you get here,” I say before disconnecting. The more time that passes without any word from Kinsley, the more worried I become. Python was right, this isn’t like her.
I swear, when it rains it pours around the clubhouse.
We have this damn prophecy to tend to so we can end the fanatics that are tucked away somewhere in this neck of the woods, Tamara and Chance to keep safe, kids developing new gifts, and now a wayward woman.
It’s beginning to feel like the universe is testing us, keeping the Roanoke and Cedar Creek branches separate while we deal with individual issues.
I have a feeling Dragon and Brick are going to divide and conquer, using each one of our strengths in areas before they decide to put us into teams.
We’ll be separate, but together.
United always.
We even have guests heading this way from a different Bastard brotherhood than the one we used to belong to that are due to arrive any minute. Good thing Brick has rooms set aside at his house for them because everything else around here is occupied by brothers, club girls, and family.
As I ruminate and think things through, I conclude that most likely some of us will surround Tamara while the rest of us help Python and the gifted kids who are awakening.
The prophecy said we had to stand tall and stay strong—so that’s exactly what we’re going to do.