Page 76 of Gypsy Angel

“Cheryl, you were a child yourself. You were raped. You were still healing from your trauma. You allowed someone to help you find a good family to adopt her, to give her the best life she could have had. In doing so, you showed your love the best way possible. It allowed you to heal. To grow. To be the version of you that needed to come out. You became the person you needed by letting someone else raise Raven. It does not mean that you hate her, never wanted her or didn’t love her. It’s what needed to be done.”

“She’s right, D. That girl in there said nasty shit because she’s hurting. She knows what she did was wrong. Her own mother abandoned her. Assumed her father abandoned her, only to find out he was killed while trying to find her. She doesn’t know what it means to be wanted, loved. You do. Raven does. The only thing Katrina knows to do is lash out.” Pratt said softly, sitting on the ground beside Diesel, her hand on her back.

“You’ve also got a man who would literally murder anyone who tried to harm you. That man will walk through fucking hell for you. He wouldn’t even entertain the shit that Woody’s done to Katrina. You two may not have been together for long as a couple, but you two have circled each other since we met them when Lindsey was kidnapped a while back. That man isn’t going anywhere without you, girl. He’s the real deal!” York followed up, sitting on Diesel’s other side.

“Let me ask you this, something that none of you knew about me,” Captain Irby commented, lifting Diesel’s face to look her in the eye. “I got pregnant at sixteen after a guy I crushed after really hard got me drunk. It was a bet between him and two guys from the high school football team. They knew I was from the wrong side of the tracks and had a crush on the captain of the football team. I was awkward and a nerd back then. Raised by a single mom who worked two jobs to make ends meet for me and my two siblings. She was gone all the time, so we ran a little wild.”

“Captain was a wild child. Now that’s hard to believe.” Pratt snorted before she cleared her throat when the captain gave her a stern look.

“Yes. I was a wild child at one time. I gave birth to a boy. My pregnancy ruined the close relationship I had with my mother and older sister. The guy I got pregnant by told the whole school how I begged him to have sex and seduced him, although he was a man whore, or in his case, a boy whore. Every day until I gave birth, and until I graduated, I was made fun of, laughed at, teased and excluded. I didn’t go to my junior or senior prom because of him. I gave my son up for adoption because I knew I couldn’t take care of him properly. His father would not be there for us. I graduated from high school, went to college, and joined law enforcement.”

“What was the question, captain?” Diesel asked, sniffling, wiping her nose with her arm.

“Smart ass. Because I gave my kid up for adoption, do you think of me as a loser? Someone who abandoned my child?”

“Damn, she went for the jugular on that one, D.” Rameriez chuckled as she situated herself on the ground with the others.

“God no! You were just a child.” Diesel answered, ignoring the others.

“Exactly. So why would you assume that you would be any different? You were raped. Your choice was taken from you. You did what was best for you and for Raven when you placed her up for adoption. No if’s, and’s, or but’s. Got it?” Captain Irby questioned sternly, looking Diesel in the eyes.

Diesel stared at her for several moments before looking around the yard where she perched on her knees. Her team was sitting on the ground around her. Viper, Highlander, Jacko, Dom, Kermit and Houston surrounding the women as if shielding them from prying eyes. The men all looked at her. When she caught each one of their eyes, they all smiled at her and nodded their support to her.

“This, lass, is family. The one ye were born into was just that, people ye were born to. This…” Highlander pointed towards everyone surrounding her, “this is family, love. They have ye back, no matter what is going on in ye life. They will support ye in the darkest of times and in the happiest of times. They are loud, nosey and a pain in the arse. But I wouldn’t change it for anything in this world.”

Diesel watched as Viper moved towards her, dropping down on his haunches. “Everything they have said and what I’m about to say should let you know how we feel. How I feel. You are an amazing woman. The woman I have gotten to know these last two years and our short time as husband and wife, I wouldn’t change for anything. Even knowing what I know about your past. When this is over, your family will only get bigger. It will now include Raven, her family if they choose, and my family. I’m not going anywhere hot stuff. You’re it for me. I don’t want anyone else.”

Diesel couldn’t help but let the tears fall down her face as she pushed up on her knees and gripped Viper by the face and kissed him. When she pulled back, she looked around at the people who surrounded her. Enough was enough. She had a daughter to bring home to her adoptive parents. She had a past to destroy and a dynasty to end.

“Get Blu ready. She told us how Woody noticed her. She never told us how her situation came to be. Something tells me she put her in Symon’s crosshairs. Time to find out. She goes nowhere until we know her participation in this. Yeah, she was hurt, but she caused more harm. It only backfired on her since she refused to read the red flags.”

“Fuck yes! Our girl is back!” Pratt and York cheered at the same time as they high fived each other.

FIFTY-ONE

“What’s the plan, lass?”

Diesel looked over at Highlander as she contemplated what else she wanted to do. “Ramz, you, Duong and Peaches go have fun with Katrina. Interrogate her. Do not treat her like a victim. She’s a suspect. Treat her like one.”

“I’ll join them. I have a few things I want to say to the little bitch.”

“Captain’s going to hand that girl her ass. She better not mouth off like she did before. She does, that girl’s going to need surgery to remove a foot from her ass before she goes to jail.” Showalter laughed as she joined the group.

“Nah, they can leave it in there. We’ll get the captain a new foot.” Diesel smirked as she watched the group go up the stairs towards Katrina’s room.

“Blu balls is ready.” Kermit cracked as he smacked his hands together and rubbed them with glee.

“Showalter, York, Red, Toi and Angel, with me. Viper, have your boys watch the other four we have. I want the next one to be ready to go once we are done with Blu. Keep Symon zonked out until we’re ready for him. We have little time to find Raven before Krieger gets here. He has to know that Symon did something, if what Kraven said was true.”

“Doc, Dom and I will go in with ye. I know ye lasses can handle yourself, but he’s a big guy and if he gets combative, we have ye back.” Highlander informed Diesel, standing next to his wife.

“Thank you. Viper, once you have everyone in their places and Symon taken care of, meet up with us.” Diesel advised, stepping away to get everything started.

When Diesel walked into the room, the guard known as Blu was hanging from the ceiling. His hands above his head, zip tied, duck taped and cuffed together, attached to the hook dangling from the ceiling.

“What the hell? Ya’ll making sure he doesn’t go nowhere, aren’t you?” Showalter laughed at the jerry rig that was done on the man’s wrists.

“He was a little combative, so we dealt with it.” Dom shrugged as he walked in behind the women.

---