Page 58 of Wicked Ends (Hellions of Hade Harbor #4)

Marcus

When we parked a block away from the blinking dot on my phone, I finally answered Ari’s call. She’d been calling nonstop for hours, and honestly, I couldn’t take hearing her plead with me not to go, and ignoring her worry. I was going. I was here. It was too late.

“I know all about the sister-in-law and your niece, don’t worry,” I said immediately when I answered.

She let out a long breath. “Okay, so, what now?”

“Now, we go and get them out safely. That’s where the money went your brother says you stole went, right? All the money he wanted back? You didn’t have it because you gave everything to them, so they could run away and start a new life. You didn’t keep anything for yourself?”

I already knew the answer, but I needed the confirmation that my birthday girl really was that selfless. Of course she was. She picked up other people’s trash off the street and worried about everyone.

God, I loved her. She was rare, and precious, and I’d nearly let my bullheaded, self-destructive tendencies take her away from me.

“They needed it more,” she said.

“Sure, except they weren’t the ones living in a motel, subsisting off scraps?—”

“Marcus, what’s happening now?” she interrupted, clearly frustrated that she wasn’t closer.

Maddox and Gage had also dismounted as the rest of the guys pulled up and parked.

We walked toward the house. The front curtains were shut.

According to a quick internet search, this was a vacation rental.

Luckily, there had been lots of photos inside and out, so we knew the entrance points and possible escape routes.

“I’m going around back,” I said to Maddox.

He nodded.

“Meet you in there.”

“If you get to the brother first, remember…” I stared at him meaningfully.

“He’s yours,” Maddox agreed.

He’d hurt my girl. Tonight was his reckoning.

“Where are you going?” Ari whispered in my ear. Her nerves were palpable over the phone. “Don’t underestimate Dale. He’s stronger than he looks and he has a gun.”

“So do I. Don’t worry,”

“Don’t do anything you’ll regret!” Ari cried.

I could imagine her agonizing over the perceived sacrifice she thought I was making for her. Tarnishing my good, upstanding soul.

My sweet girl thought the best of me. It was adorable. What she hadn’t realized yet was that there was nothing I wouldn’t do for the people I loved.

“When it comes to you, Ari, I have one regret, and that’s being a possessive dickhead and making sure everyone knows that we’re together by showing those photos in the presentation.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t regret letting everyone know, but I do regret letting anyone see you so intimately. That view is for me and me only.”

Ari drew in a breath. “You showed those pictures because—I went to breakfast with Wade?”

“Mm-hmm, desperate, wasn’t it? I swear I could feel you slipping through my fingers…”

“I thought it was because you thought I’d given the bag away and you wanted to hurt me.”

I swallowed the blow that her soft voice gave to my heart and nodded, then remembered she couldn’t see me.

“That, too. In my world, it’s always hurt, or be hurt. I’m sorry I hurt you. I’m sorry I disappointed you. I’m making it up to you, starting now.”

“You don’t need to make anything up to me. I lied to you. I played around with the bag—Marcus, I don’t blame you for anything.”

“But you haven’t forgiven me, have you? You don’t think we can go back to before… I can tell by your voice. I put a wall between us.”

She was quiet for a long second. I moved around the house and took in the back exit. There was a small garden, surrounded by a railing that was easy enough to jump. Inside the garden, I snuck forward, jamming my phone between my shoulder and ear. In the house, a loud bang sounded.

“I’ve got to go, beautiful. Let’s talk this out in person.”

“Wait! Are you okay? What’s going on?”

I went to answer and then the phone fell, right as a sharp object poked into the back of my head.

“Put your hands where I can see them,” a voice whispered behind me.

I glanced down, seeing the phone call still connected. Ari’s tiny voice was still shouting from the speaker. I brought my hands up slowly. The figure behind me stepped around the front, accidentally stepping on the phone and ending the call.

But it wasn’t some big stomping boot like I’d feared it might be. It was a small shoe, dainty even.

A bright-red Mary Jane.

A little girl pointed a stick at me. “Who are you and why are you here? Is this your house?”

I let out the breath I was holding and shook my head. “No, it’s not my place, but I’m here to see your mom, Claire. That’s your mommy, isn’t it?”

The girl stared at me distrustfully. “My daddy is here. He sent me out to play, but I’m cold, and it’s dark and scary in the garden.”

I nodded and slipped off my cut. It would drown an seven-year-old girl, but it was better than nothing.

“Here, take this.”

She stepped closer, and I threaded her arms through the jacket. She snuggled inside then sighed.

“What do you want with my mommy?” she asked.

“I’ve got a message for her, and your daddy, too. It’s from Aunt Arianna.” It was a risk to take, that saying Ari’s name would relax her niece, but it seemed to do the trick.

“Auntie Arianna is here?” the girl—Lulu, I remembered her name was—immediately echoed, her eyes lighting up.

“She’s on her way. I came first to make sure you and your mommy are okay.”

There was another loud bang from the house, so loud it might have been a gunshot. The Hounds had entered the building. It didn’t matter if Dale had a gun. What could he do against twenty angry bikers?

“I have to go and see what’s happening now. Can you stay here for me?”

Lulu nodded slowly.

“I’ll send your mommy out to sit with you, okay?”

She nodded again, and I pinched her cheek. Christ, she was cute. I wanted one, or five, with Ari. She’d be a fucking phenomenal mother. Together, we’d be a real family, parents like my brother and I never had the chance to know.

I turned from Lulu and started toward the building. As I drew closer, the door flew open and a dark shape jumped out, racing away. Maddox appeared behind him.

“I got it!” I called and flung an arm out at the racing man’s neck.

He smacked into my arm and went airborne for a second, collapsing onto the ground.

“Nice save,” Maddox chuckled and made his way toward us.

“Lulu!” a female voice screamed, and then the woman who had to be Claire ran past us all and grabbed her child tightly, hugging her hard.

“We don’t want to keep them waiting long,” Maddox remarked, watching the tearful hug between mother and daughter.

“I’ll make it quick.” I grabbed Dale by the back of his collar and leaned down.

“Remember me?” I looked him in the eye.

Fear radiated from the man. Wasn’t it always the way that the ones who beat on women and children were the most afraid of all?

“It’s time you picked on someone your own size.” I dragged him toward the house. “If it hurts, just remember—this is for Ari.”