The Rockers' Babies (The Rocker... Series) by Terri Anne Browning
“Momma has a boo-boo. Daddy hasn’t kissed it yet.” She looked worriedly at her mother. “It’s bleeding.”
When I glanced back at Emmie I saw that Mia was right and the wound on Em’s head was bleeding again. I stepped forward. “Can we hurry this along? The doctor needs to get her stitched up.”
Chubby raised a brow at me. “I would think you would be more concerned with finding your niece, Mr. Stevenson.”
“I would think you would be just as concerned, dipshit,” I growled at him, adjusting Mia in my arms so I didn’t drop her. “Shouldn’t you be out there looking for her right now?”
“We have our finest officers looking for her right now, sir,” skinny twig assured me, obviously the more diplomatic of the two. “An Amber Alert has been issued and we have road blocks up throughout the city.”
“Perfect.” Emmie gave them a tight, fake smile. “Thanks for all your hard work. But I really do think the doctor should come in now. I’m not feeling very well.”
Skinny closed his notebook. “Of course, ma’am. But we will have to come back in the morning for you to sign the statement. And we will be in touch as soon as Miss Thornton is found.” The last was addressed to Jesse who only gave him a brisk nod.
Both cops turned to leave and I waited until the door was closed behind them before stepping closer to Em. “I want to go with Jesse and Nik to make the drop.”
Emmie shook her head. “You and Shane are needed here, Drake. I need you to keep Lana calm so she can soothe Layla. I’m not able to be there to help them, so I am really counting on you.”
She was right, and I didn’t want to make this any harder on her. She wasn’t allowed out of bed for twenty-four hours to make sure she wasn’t having a miscarriage. That didn’t stop the burning need in me to go with my band brothers to get Lucy back. Or the intense desire to kick the guts out of Vince Grady.
“They won’t be going in unprotected,” Emmie assured me. “I’ve called Seller. He’s going to be in the background when Jesse hands the money over. As soon as they have Lucy, he’s going to take the bastard down.”
The door opened before I could ask another question and the doctor came in. “I really do need to get you stitched up now, Mrs. Armstrong. Then we can get you into your room and the tech can do the ultrasound.”
“One more minute!” she snapped at him.
“No,” he told her calmly and moved to the sink across the room to wash his hands. “Gentlemen, I’m afraid I must insist that I tend to the lady. You need to step out, all of you.”
“Like fuck.” Nik didn’t budge, tightening his hold on Em’s hand. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“Mr. Armstrong…” the doctor began, but it was Emmie who got him to leave.
“It’s okay, baby.” She tugged him closer and he bent to kiss her lips. “Besides, you and Jesse need to get moving. Right?”
He looked torn and then Jesse put his hand on Nik’s shoulder. “We have things that require our attention, man.”
“Right.” Nik grimaced. “I love you.”
Emmie kissed him again, lingering this time. “I love you too. Be safe.”
He only nodded as he followed Jesse out of the room. I took Mia to her mother so that she could kiss her. “Does your head hurt, Momma?”
“A little.” Emmie smacked a kiss on Mia’s cheek. “But I’ll be all better in the morning, flower fairy. Now go with Uncle Drake. Help him take care of Aunt Lana and Layla for Momma, okay?”
“Okay, Momma. Daddy will kiss your boo-boo better later,” she promised.
“I know, baby. Be good.”
Mia wrapped her arms back around my neck, but I was reluctant to leave her alone. “Em…”
She caught my hand and gave it a squeeze. “Take care of them for me. They need you more than I do.”
“This fucking sucks.” I brushed a kiss over her cheek. “Here.” I handed her my cell phone. “Call Lana’s cell if you need anything.”
When I got back to Layla’s room the twins were gone, having been taken back to the nursery for the evening. Shane was sitting on the edge of the bed, holding Layla’s hand, while my angel stroked her hair. Layla looked like she was in shock, her face pale, her eyes vacant. Her tears had dried, but their trails on her face still remained.
I placed Mia on her feet and crossed to hug Angel, who didn’t look much better than her sister. Her free hand went around my waist and she placed her head on my chest. For the longest time no one spoke. Not even Mia who climbed into a chair by the window and just sat watching all the adults around her.
It was Harper who finally broke the tense silence when her cell phone buzzed and she muttered a curse when she saw the text she had received. “It’s Rex. He says that the tabloids have gotten wind of everything. Some rookie cop blabbed his mouth, looking for some quick cash. They know the Amber Alert is for Lucy.”
“Em already had Seller tighten security earlier today,” Shane said, his voice quiet as he continued to hold Layla’s hand. “They won’t be able to get in here.”
I felt Angel tremble and urged her into the chair beside Mia. She looked wasted. Her face drawn and pale. Her eyes bloodshot and puffy. “Get off your feet, Angel.”
“Layla needs me,” she protested.
I kissed her to quieten her. “I’ll take care of her.” Another quick kiss and I moved to sit on the edge of the bed.
“She’s probably scared right now,” Layla whispered, a sob in her voice. “I want her here with me. I want to hold her and tell her it’s going to be okay.”
“You’ll have her by the end of the night,” I promised her. “Lucy’s strong. Brave. Sassy just like you and Angel. She’s going to be okay, sweetheart.”
“What if he hurts her?” She covered her face and her shoulders started to shake. “Oh gods, what if he hurts her?”
“Then Jesse will grind him into dust,” Lana burst out. “He will kill the fucking bastard and burn the body.” Beside her, Mia made a distressed tone, not used to her Aunt Lana like this. Angel sucked in a calming breath and reached for the little girl. “Sorry, baby,” she whispered against Mia’s hair as she kissed the top of her head. “I’m sorry.”
“I don’t like this night,” Mia informed her aunt.
“That makes two of us, baby cakes,” Harper assured her. “This night royally sucks.”
I had to agree with them. It sucked balls. And all we could do was sit and wait.
Chapter 22
Lucy
So this was my real father? The man who had helped Lydia Daniels give me life.
He was kind of ugly-looking and I was suddenly very glad I looked more like the woman who had brought me into the world than this disgusting man. I don’t call her my mom. I had never really called that woman Mom. From the time I could remember it had been Lana who had taken care of me until Lydia had died and we had moved in with Layla. It was then that I really understood what a mom was like. Layla was everything a kid could want in a mom. And this man? He was everything nightmares were made of. His teeth were yellow, his eyes all glassy-looking. He was kind of skinny, boney really. Tattoos up his arms that didn’t make much sense to me. His hair was messy and smelled nasty, like he hadn’t had a shower in a while.
Vince Grady was mean too. Real mean. He had hurt Emmie. Made her bleed and then just left her on the side of the road. When I had run, making him chase me, he hadn’t liked that very much. As punishment he had hit me five times in the face. Now my face felt swollen and hurt so bad I couldn’t help but cry. I had the lingering taste of blood on my tongue where he had split my lip from his first slap.
Now he was pacing back and forth, kind of like Shane did sometimes when he was worried. Only Vince was talking to himself, and scratching at his arms. I noticed he had a few sores on his arms and every now and then would scratch a scab off of one of them, causing blood to drip down his arm. Yuck.
There were noises coming from the room next door that were scaring me, and I kept hearing sirens
I wasn’t sure how long we had been in this smelly old motel room, but my legs had fallen asleep a while ago and I had to use the bathroom really bad. I was scared to tell him that though. Scared he would have to watch while I peed. I didn’t want him to see me like that.
From my back pocket my cellphone vibrated and not for the first time. Vince, seemingly lost in his own world as he continued to pace and mutter and scratch his bleeding arms, didn’t notice the slight noise though. I knew it had to be Harris and shut my eyes as I said a little prayer that I would get to see my best friend again. He was probably mad at me right now. I had promised to go trick-or-treating with him tonight and he no doubt thought I had bailed on him. Part of me wished he were here with me now. He was braver than I was, and he wouldn’t let this man do anything to hurt me. Another part, a bigger part, was glad he was home with his dad. Safe from the monster I shared DNA with.
The vibrating stopped and I closed my eyes. I was tired and my face was hurting so bad. I wanted to go home, wanted to see Layla and the twins… Wanted my dad to hold me and keep me safe.
Tears that had nothing to do with the pain I was in leaked from the corner of my eyes. Vince Grady might be my real father, but Jesse Thorton was my dad. Completely. Totally. A million percent. He loved me. Would never hurt me like this gross, evil man had hurt me. I prayed that I would get to see him again. Get to hug him and tell him how much I loved him…
I must have dozed off because the next thing I knew Vince was shaking me. I opened my eyes or at least tried to. My left eye was completely swollen shut now from where he had hit me earlier and my right one felt heavy and achy. “Time to go.”
His breath so close to my face made me gag and I tried to turn my head to get away from the stench before I vomited all over him. Eww. How could someone smell that bad? Like week-old trash that had been sitting in the sun. It smelled sour and dirty and vile.
Vince lifted me and tossed me over his shoulder roughly, hurting my stomach with his boney shoulder. I hoped he didn’t drop me, because he didn’t look strong like my dad or Drake, Shane, and Nik. I was sure even Axton was stronger than this guy. He carried me like a sack of potatoes out of the room and I noticed that it was dark outside. It had still been daylight when he had brought me here. I wondered what time it was and where he was taking me.
I’d heard his part of the conversation when he had talked to Dad on the phone earlier. He was going to exchange me for a lot of money tonight. Money that my dad would pay because he loved me. I just hoped Dad didn’t get hurt.
When we got to the old beat up truck that Vince had used to hit Emmie’s SUV with, he tossed me in the back instead of placing me in the front seat like he had before. My elbow hit something metal and I whimpered in pain. He jumped in and started the truck. It backfired twice, making me jump and whimper again, but then he was backing up and the wheels were squealing as he pulled into traffic.
He didn’t drive far before he stopped and just sat parked for a while. It was dark out here. No lights from buildings. No stars or even a moon. It was so dark that at first I thought I was going blind or that my right eye had swollen shut too…
The sudden lights of an oncoming vehicle reassured me that I could still see out of my right eye. Vince got out of his truck and must have left the door open because I didn’t hear it shut. After only a moment I heard two doors open and my heart stopped.
Was it my dad here to get me? Or was it someone else?
When I heard a deep, angry voice I breathed a sigh of relief. “Daddy,” I whispered, then strained to hear what he was saying.
“Where is she?” he demanded and it sounded like an animal growling.
“Back of the truck. You got my money?” Vince sounded anxious. I wondered if he had lost some of his scariness in the face of the big beast that was my dad. Not many people, scary or not, could see my dad and not be intimidated.
“Right here, Grady. As soon as you give me my girl and sign these papers you can have the money,” Dad told him, still sounding all growly.
“Papers? I don’t remember agreeing to sign no papers.”
“Right here… Sign them and take your money.” It was a different voice this time. Nik! I wanted to cry out, ask him if Emmie was okay but I was too scared to speak. What if Vince heard me and changed his mind? I wasn’t going to do anything to stop my dad taking me away from this monster.
There was a pause and then Vince started screaming curses at Dad and Nik. “Fine!” he shouted.
“Now give me Lucy,” Dad commanded.
“In the truck,” Vince told him, but he must have had his money because he sounded calm again.
“Lucy!” His voice was closer and I finally let a sob escape me.
“Daddy!” I tried to roll over, but couldn’t move. “Daddy!”
“Lucy… Gods.” The tailgate opened and then he was lifting me into his arms. His hands skimmed over me from head to toe, checking me over. He couldn’t see my face clearly with just the lights from the vehicle as his only light source. I tried not to whimper when he touched my hurting face, but it was agonizing to have his big rough hands touch my eye and cheek.
“Oh, baby. Daddy’s here.” He kissed the top of my head and carried me toward the vehicle he had gotten out of. The closer he got to the vehicle the more light he had and when he glanced down at me, seeing my swollen bloody face, I felt a change in him.
“Fuck…” he breathed, his eyes black as the night around us. “Nik…” He was shaking and there was an expression on his face that would have terrified me if I didn’t know how much he loved me.
I felt another pair of hands on my still-tied arms. “Let me have her, bro.” Nik lifted me into his arms and carried me to what I realized was Layla’s Tahoe. He didn’t say a word as he placed me on the second row of seats and used a knife to untie my hands before cutting through the duct tape around my ankles.
“Motherfucker!” I heard Dad roar followed by the sound of groaning. I closed my eyes, knowing that Jesse Thorton was ripping Vince Grady apart.
The sounds of flesh hitting flesh, groans and curses, filled my ears and I covered them with my now free hands. I had never been scared of the dark before, but it suddenly felt like it was closing in on me. I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think.
“Deep breaths, Lucy.” Nik’s big hand rubbed circles on my back. “It’s okay, baby cakes. You’re okay.”
“Make it stop,” I pleaded. “Please, Nik. Please make it stop.”
His blue eyes were cloudy in the dim lighting of the overhead light in the Tahoe. I knew in that minute he didn’t want to stop my dad from beating the man to death. Part of me didn’t either, and that just made me sick to my stomach. “Put your seatbelt on, sweetheart.” He leaned forward and kissed my right temple, being careful not to touch any part of my face that was throbbing. A hard task since my entire face was one big ache.
Nik stepped back and shut the door of the Tahoe. I didn’t move, but kept my eyes on Nik as he walked toward the front of the SUV and pulled Dad away from Vince. Dad said something that I couldn’t hear because it was practically sound proof in here. Nik didn’t seem scared of Dad like this and pointed toward me as he said something back. Before my eyes I saw another change in my dad. His shoulders seemed to droop and his head bowed.
Dad stood like that for a minute then nodded. He didn’t look back as he walked toward me. Nik just stood there for a long moment. His back to me, but his shoulders told me that he was in a bad place. It took a lot to get him as mad as he was right then. He was the calm one most of the time. The one I expected to have his cool in any situation.
The back door to the Tahoe opened just as Nik lifted his foot and stomped. I heard somethi
Then, as if he hadn’t just left a man broken and bloody, Nik turned around and got in behind the wheel while Dad climbed in beside me. No sooner was the door shut behind me was I climbing in his lap, and my tears just wouldn’t stop.
From the front seat I heard Nik talking to someone. “We have her… Can you meet us in the ER? She’s going to need a doctor… I know, man. I know. Just… Layla can’t fucking get out of bed! You don’t let her… Shit! Okay. Okay. I’ll see you in about twenty minutes.” He didn’t say another word as he drove through the dark night.
Dad seemed scared to touch me too much. Afraid to hurt me. He just kept me on his lap, kissing the top of my head every few minutes, letting me cry it all out. I wasn’t sure if I would ever be able to cry this all out. My body would probably shrivel up from lack of water before I stopped crying.
That morning I had been so happy. Layla and my brothers were doing okay. I was actually going to get to see and hold the babies before I got to hang out with my best friend that night. Now… I didn’t feel happy. I didn’t feel much of anything except this need to hold onto my dad. I was still scared, even if he was the one who made me feel safe. I was still sick to my stomach, the memory of Vince’s smell alone making me gag. I wanted this to just be a dream, to wake up any minute with just a fading memory of this horrible night. But the pain in my face told me that it wasn’t.
Nik had to pull over twice so I could be sick. He just stopped in the middle of the street and Dad helped me out so I could throw up. People honked and cursed at us, but I barely heard. Vomiting only made my pain twice as bad. By the time we got to the hospital, I was dizzy and still nauseated.
Shane was standing by the entrance to the hospital with two hulking-looking men in suits. From the corner of my good eye I could see vans and cameras flashing across the parking lot. The press, again. I hated the press. All they did was take pictures of me and my family and all we wanted was peace. Before the door opened, Dad pulled a blanket out and covered me from head to toe. He didn’t want the photographers to get a picture of me like this, and really neither did I.