Page 17 of Tease Me

“Is that right? You got a name of the person who supposedly hired us?” he questions and I know I’m on the right track.

Jordan won’t give up any information until he knows what you have on him is concrete. That’s if you know him and he knows you. If you’re a stranger and try to pull what I just did, you’re gonna wind up dead. Jordan is a man I met a few years ago when he was on a job and we were on a run for the club. Our paths crossed when his target tried to hide among the club members as an ally. We quickly realized what the hell was going on and handed him over to Jordan. The fucker he was after was a predator and wanted for raping and killing a powerful man’s daughter. So, we made sure he got the punishment he deserved. Since then, Jordan and I have remained in contact every now and then.

“Martin Stanford. He wants you to come here to get back his wife Kelsey and son Gideon. Kelsey’s sister, Kendell, is here too and she’s the one he’s threatened to kill. Kendell isn’t my ol’ lady yet, but I am with her. Gonna tell you now that whatever he fed you is nothin’ but bullshit. Kendell got her sister and nephew away from this fucker because he was beatin’ the fuck out of Kelsey right in front of their three year old son. A son who was so quiet because of him that I would’ve missed him completely if I didn’t search the room. He’s already shown up to the warehouses and no one should know about their location with a gun. It set Kelsey back a little and she’s just now gettin’ out of her room and tryin’ to move forward with her life and be with her little boy as a mom he deserves instead of an empty shell like when I first saw her,” I inform Jordan and listen to him swear from his end of the phone call.

“That stupid fucker. He gave me some sob story about her bein’ taken against her will by the sister and how she’d reached out to him about comin’ home. I should’ve fuckin’ known it was nothin’ but lies. Not gonna complete the job, Hawk. You know I don’t have beef with your club and I won’t go out of my way to start any. I’m not about to put a victim back in her abuser’s hands either. You already know how I feel about that shit,” he states as I nod my head because I do know this is a very sensitive subject for Jordan.

“Thanks, man. You need anythin’, give me a call. Look me up the next time you’re near Clinton City,” I tell him before we hang up.

With a smile on my face, I realize it’s later than I thought. I need to get home so I can have dinner with Kendell, Kelsey, and Gideon. Letting a few programs run in the background, I make sure I’ve got everything and head out of my room. No one will go in there, but I still lock the door to be safe. Heading home, I feel lighter than I have in a few days because I know to some extent that Kendell and her family are safe. Jordan won’t come near them and it’s gonna be up to Martin to get them on his own. Something I doubt he’ll do because he’s a pussy. He’ll have to find someone else to help him, but it’s gonna be hard because we know a ton of people and Jordan will also now put the word out to his contacts because Martin is a fucking piece of shit. I’ll get with Reaper soon to go over things because I promised him I would. I just want more information before we meet again.

Chapter Eleven

Kendell

THIS LAST WEEK has flown by. Between all of the counseling sessions my sister and nephew have attended at the clubhouse and me trying to forget about the call from Martin, each day seems to pass in a blur. My mind has been trying to process the pregnancy as well. Every day it seems to get easier to think about the baby I’m carrying as Hawk and I work on the relationship we’re trying to build. I don’t know if what we’re doing is right, but Hawk shows me every single day that he meant it when he said he’s all in and he’s been there for us in ways I never dreamed anyone else would be. For so long I’ve tried to take care of my sister and nephew all on my own. Now, Hawk has stepped up and he helps me without having to ask.

More often than not, I find Hawk playing with baby G when he’s home. They’ll sit in the living room and build with the blocks we got him or race cars around the floor. They make a mess with the toys and Hawk doesn’t complain one bit. When they’re done, he helps Gideon pick up the mess they’ve made and shows him how to take care of his things and put them away when he’s done. Everything he does with my nephew shows what a good dad he’s going to make to our little one. This is what has me getting a little more excited and happier about the pregnancy every day we get through.

“Sis, where have you gone?” Kelsey asks me as we finish clearing up the dishes from breakfast so I can start the dishwasher.

“I’m here, Kels. Sorry. I guess my mind is all over the place lately,” I tell her honestly.

“It happens. So, what’s going on with you and Hawk? I know you’re sleeping in his bed and you’re always whispering to one another about something. For the first time you seem really happy, Kendell. Is Hawk the one making you this happy?” Kelsey asks me, leaning closer to me so Hawk and Gideon don’t overhear our conversation.

“He is. There’s so much I want to tell you but it’s not important right now. What’s important is that you and Gideon are healing and figuring out what to do in order to move on with your life,” I tell her, looking at my baby sister for the first time in a long time.

Everything about Kelsey seems so different to when we came here. Not only is her skin free of the marks she used to be covered in, but her entire personality has shifted. There’s a weightlessness about her that I haven’t seen in a very long time. She’s not carrying the weight of the entire world on her shoulders and the shadows in her eyes are slowly receding. Kelsey’s eating whatever she wants again and has put on weight. She still has a long way to go, but you can definitely see that she’s starting to get healthy again. Her clothes don’t hang off of her body as badly. The best part about her healing journey so far is seeing her smile again. Not the fake one she pasted on her face in front of Martin when she felt she was supposed to. I’m talking about her genuine smile that lights up her eyes and usually leads to laughter. A laugh I didn’t think I’d ever hear again, but have been hearing every single day. Kelsey is going to be just fine and I’m so proud of her.

“I might be in the middle of getting my life together, Kendell, but it doesn’t mean that I don’t want to hear about what’s going on with you. You’ve always been the one to take care of me. When we were living with the asshole sperm donor, you worked multiple jobs just to make sure we had a roof over our heads and food in our stomachs. You’re the one that made sure my homework was done and that I went to school each day. From the very second you met Martin, you told me there was something off with him. I chose not to listen to you because I thought I was in love with him. It wasn’t ever love, I can see that now. Then, when Gideon was born, you took on the role of doing whatever you could to protect the both of us. Even when you knew it would piss Martin off, you showed up and were there every single day. Now, it’s time for you to live your life and be as happy as you can be. If that means being with a badass biker like Hawk, then I’m all for it,” she tells me as tears fill my eyes because I never once knew she appreciated everything I’ve done for her.

Don’t get me wrong, Kelsey and I are always talking and sharing things with one another. This is just something she’s held back from telling me for some reason. Or maybe she thought her actions showed how much she appreciates everything I’ve done over the years. All I know is that her words mean everything to me. Pulling her into my arms, I hug my baby sister and she doesn’t flinch away from me. It’s been a long time since she hasn’t flinched when I’ve given her a hug. It only makes me cry harder because every little thing I see shows me how much she’s truly improving, that she’s putting in the work it’s gonna take to heal from the damage that fucker has done to her.

“You’re so fucking strong, baby sister. I’m so proud of you and the woman that you’re becoming each and every day. You will always have my support and I want you to know how much I love you,” I tell her before releasing her from my hold.

“I love you too, Kendell. You’re my rock and the only person I’ve ever looked up to because of everything you chose to give up for me. Things you shouldn’t have had to give up because we definitely lost the pool when it comes to parents and the paths we chose to take in life. You’re my hero and I want you to be so happy in every aspect of your life. Hopefully Hawk can give that to you,” she says as I watch him enter the kitchen behind her.

“I plan on makin’ your sister happy every day of her life movin’ forward, Kelsey. That’s somethin’ you don’t ever have to worry about. I’ll also be there every day for you and Gideon. You’re Kendell’s family which means you’re my family now too. You’ve all got the backin’ of the Fallen Brethren MC and we’ll all support you no matter what’s goin’ on,” Hawk says, stepping around my sister and pulling me back against his hard body while wrapping his arms around my stomach.

“Good. Every man here has shown me that there are still good men out in the world. I’m not anywhere near ready to be with anyone, but I have hope for the future when I am ready to take that step and it’s all because of your club, Hawk. I can’t thank all of you enough for everythin’ you’ve done to help us out of the horrible situation I got us in,” my sister tells him making my heart soar with the knowledge that she does realize there are truly good men in this world and not everyone is a monster like her husband.

“You didn’t get yourself in any situation, Kelsey,” Hawk tells her, his voice going a little hard. “Martin put you in a situation because he lied to you, manipulated the situation to get what he wanted, and then beat you down until you didn’t see a way out. Even with your sister’s help, you couldn’t see that it was possible to get away from him. That’s on him and only him. When you were ready to leave him, you took the opportunity and have been puttin’ in the hard work to get back to who you’re meant to be ever since. That takes guts, shows how strong you truly are, and proves to me that you wanted to get out for a long time but he scared you so bad you didn’t want to risk those you love gettin’ hurt. Don’t take the blame for what he did.”

“I keep trying to tell myself that, but it’s hard some days. I’ll get past feeling like that though. It’s what I’m working to achieve,” Kelsey says as Gideon runs into the kitchen and wraps his arms around Kelsey’s legs. “Hey buddy. Did you have fun playing with Hawk after breakfast?”

“Yeah, Mama,” he says, a smile lighting up his face.

“Good. Why don’t we go in so you can take a bath and clean the syrup out of your hair?” my sister asks, her fingers sticking in Gideon’s hair.

We watch on as my nephew unwraps his arms from his mom’s legs and races toward the bathroom. I can hear his excited babbling as Kelsey follows him, laughing at whatever he’s doing. Hawk doesn’t let go of me as we remain standing in the kitchen with his body wrapped around mine. He rests his chin on my shoulder and I close my eyes as I soak up his warmth and strength.

“Reagan called. Zoey’s at the clubhouse with the twins and wants you to go over to see them,” Hawk says as I turn in his arms. “I’ve got some things to grab and I want to check on a few programs I’ve left runnin’. I’ll have Jay come up to the house to keep an eye on your sister and Gideon. The rest of the guys are gettin’ ready for a run they have to leave on. I’m goin’ with them so I won’t be here for the next two days. Remember?”

“I remember. Yeah, I’d like to go see the twins and Zoey. Let me tell Kelsey and we can head out,” I tell him, walking to the bathroom and letting Kelsey know what’s going on.

Hawk and I leave the house as Jay gets there. He nods his head at us and stands guard as Hawk helps me get in his truck. Once I’m settled in the passenger seat, he closes my door for me and walks around to the driver’s side. Getting in, he doesn’t waste time starting the engine and leaving his house. Hawk knows I don’t want to be away from my sister for very long. Not when there’s only one guy here looking after them. The club has had at least four or five guys on her since Martin called me. Today that’s not the case, so I’m a little nervous.

We haven’t heard from Martin since the day he called me. I keep looking over my shoulder and thinking about what his next move will be. If he’s tried to get onto the compound, I haven’t noticed it at all. Instead, he seems to be hiding in the shadows and biding his time until he can catch us with our guard down. Well, he can go fuck himself because I won’t ever let my guard down when it comes to my sister and nephew. They’re my family and he won’t get his hands on them again if I have anything to say about it.

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