Page 45 of Wyatt (The Black Roses MC #5)
Wyatt
I t’s been six weeks since the incident at the motel, and we haven’t heard shit from the Bone Breakers.
Liam and his team cleaned up the scene. Everything was set back to rights as though no one had ever stayed in those rooms. They erased all evidence of them ever having been in Shine.
But the effects of their visit? That’s still plaguing us all.
Maizie hugs Colby a little tighter than she used to before when she leaves for work, and he’s having nightmares a couple times a week.
Each time, I carry him into our room and lay him between us so we can all sleep in the same bed, wrapping my arms around them each time we fall back asleep.
Maizie assures me it won’t be forever, but as far as I’m concerned, he can take all the time he needs with us.
I’ve been staying with Colby every night when Maizie works.
Cece has been…well, not great. Jude told me she’s angrier than ever before, lashing out at her sister for the smallest things.
She isn’t home much and doesn’t talk to anyone about where she spends her time.
I know it’s made Cash nervous, especially with the threat of the Bone Breakers still out there and whoever else may be lying in wait.
But no one can tell her what to do or force anything on her.
She may have grown up subservient and obedient, but she’s still Lucy’s sister, and I’m pretty sure angry rebellion runs through their veins.
It just took Cece a little longer to find it.
It’s nearing the start of the school year, so everyone is gathered in Mia’s grandmother’s backyard for an end-of-summer party. That’s never something I’ve celebrated, but since Mia and Colby will be starting back, it was as good of an excuse as any to have a BBQ at Elaine’s estate.
Cash, Knox and Jude are running around with Colby in an epic water gun fight while Pepper sadly lies at my feet.
I know he wants to be out there running with his best buddy, but he still isn’t up for it.
The vet said a little walking is okay, but running is going to have to wait for at least a couple more months to give his leg time to heal.
The first week he was back home with us, he had steak every night for dinner.
But Maizie was afraid I was going to make him fat since he isn’t able to get the exercise he once did.
I conceded to going back to regular dog food, but that doesn’t mean Colby and I don’t slide him strips of bacon from our breakfast plates every now and again.
As far as I’m concerned, this dog is going to be treated like a fucking king for what he did trying to protect our kid.
Colby comes running over, followed by a soaking Jude, and collapses next to Pepper.
“Who won?” I ask as Colby gives Pepper all the attention he’s been dying for.
“Your kid is quite the shot,” Jude remarks, pulling his wet shirt from his chest. “Although it doesn’t hurt that you gave him the biggest water gun that was ever made. I was beginning to think it was never going to run out.”
“You could have given up,” I say.
“You mean surrender?” Jude asks, affronted by my suggestion. “Never.”
I laugh as Maizie makes her way over to us with two towels, tossing one to Jude and laying the other over Colby’s shoulders.
She steps between my spread thighs and bends to kiss me, letting out a yelp when I pull her by the hips, setting her on my leg.
“Hi, baby. Having fun?”
“Mm-hmm. I can’t believe he’s going into first grade in a week,” she says, tilting her head toward Colby. “What am I going to do with my days when he’s back in school?”
“I can think of a few things,” I whisper in her ear so other, littler ears don’t hear me.
“I walked right into that one, didn’t I?” she says with a giggle.
There’s a commotion that grabs all of our attention at the double French doors leading from Elaine’s formal living room into the expansive backyard.
“I said I’m fine,” Cece hollers as Lucy is trying to grab her arm.
“You’re drunk,” Lucy hisses. “And you drove here. That is not even in the realm of okay.”
“I had one glass of wine. I’m hardly drunk. You drink all the time. We can do that now. Whatever we want. No one is going to tell us no, right?”
“I never get behind the wheel. And I guaran-damn-tee it was a bottle, not a glass, unless you filled a fucking flower vase and consider that one glass,” Lucy shoots back.
“Goddammit,” Jude mutters before he takes off toward the two scowling women, one of whom is swaying where she stands—and it’s not Lucy.
“Mommy, is Cece okay?” Colby asks, looking at his mom with concern in his gaze.
“Not right now, honey. But we’ll take care of her. Get her better. Okay?”
He doesn’t look like he believes her. Can’t say I’m not questioning it, too.
Cash stalks over to Cece and grabs her by the arm, leaning down to whisper something in her ear.
Cece tries to struggle out of his grasp, but he doesn't let up.
Then her eyes dart to Colby, and I see tears well in hers.
She nods at whatever Cash is telling her and allows him to lead her back into the house.
Ozzy walks over to where we’re sitting with Freya under his arm.
“Cash is handling it?” he asks, staring at the door the two just walked through.
“Guess so,” I reply.
A buzzing noise comes from Ozzy’s pocket, and he pulls out his phone. He looks down at the screen, and his arm drops from Freya’s shoulders as he stands stock-still, the only movement is the ticcing of his jaw as he stares at the phone in his hand.
“Ozzy?” Freya asks. “What’s wrong?”
Knox walks over, and Ozzy hands the phone to our VP.
“What does it say?” I ask, getting more and more worried the longer the two of them are silent.
“It’s from that piece-of-shit Red—the Bone Breakers president,” Ozzy says through a clenched jaw. “He said he now has six dead brothers and wants to know how many I’m willing to sacrifice. Otherwise, he’s bringing war to Shine.”
The End
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