Page 8 of Protectors

Next, I separate my family members and take pictures of Jameson, Zoey, and their kids before moving on to Reagan, Trax, and their kids. These pictures are really good and I only have a few where the kids photobombed the other family. If my parents were here, they’d be laughing so hard and Pops would be encouraging everything going on right now.

“Sis, I want some pictures with you too. You’re never in the pictures if you can help it,” Reagan says, walking up to me.

“No. I look like shit and this isn’t the right time to have my picture taken. I will always be in the background and that’s okay with me,” I tell her, seeing the look on her face that lets me know Reagan’s not going to back down. Especially when she turns her eyes toward Jameson to get him on board with this plan of hers.

“I think Reagan’s right this time, Alana. We don’t have any pictures with you in them. It’s time for you to get in a few with us. I know the kids will love it too. You’re talented enough that you can cover up whatever shows from the attack on you. We all want this and it’s gonna happen. You know that you can set the damn timer and shit to ensure the pictures are good,” Jameson states, his face missing the smirk or any trace of his smile that’s normally showing.

I let my head drop because with the two of them already on my ass about this, it’s only gonna be a matter of time before my nieces and nephews join in. I can ignore a lot of shit until it comes to the kids in my life. They will always get their way because I’m the overindulgent aunt who spoils them rotten before leaving them back with their parents to deal with the fallout of whatever I’ve done that time.

“Fine,” I grumble, setting my camera up as Zoey and Reagan round up everyone.

The kids holler in excitement and make their way over to stand in front of the camera as I double check everything once again. Reagan links our arms together and pulls me to stand directly in the middle of all the kids and in front of the couples behind me. Xavier, Reagan’s oldest son, and Blake, Jameson’s oldest son, grab my hands on each side and smile up at me. Their faces are lit up with excitement as they turn back to the camera just in time for it to go off. Xavier pulls my hand and I bend down while he places a kiss on my cheek. Blake can’t be outdone so he gives my other cheek a kiss before all the kids are peppering kisses on my cheeks and we end up on the ground as I lift my hand in the air so none of them accidently hurt it.

After several minutes, my brother and sister pull their kids away and I go back to make sure the picture was taken and we don’t have to redo it. Tears fill my eyes as I stare at the viewing screen on my camera. While the bruises and cuts stand out on my pale face, the love on everyone’s faces shine bright. I’m looking down at my oldest nephews and the smile on my face is one I haven’t had in a very long time. Not since long before I ever met Terrence.

“Don’t cry, Alana,” Jameson says, walking over and pulling me into his arms to hold me close. “I got you, baby sis. I’ve always got you no matter what’s goin’ on.”

“I love you, Jameson. I’ve missed you so much,” I tell him as he returns the words and my youngest niece toddles over and lifts her hands in the air.

Berkliegh is Trax and Reagan’s youngest daughter and she’s an exact replica of my sister. I lift her in my arms and she rests her head on my shoulder, her warm breath fanning out over my neck. It doesn’t take long for her to fall asleep in my arms as I cradle her little body close. Jameson packs away my equipment and makes sure it’s all safe and secure before we make our way back to the clubhouse.

The rest of the day we spend our time in the common room. I get to know the club members of the Fallen Brethren and the ol’ ladies welcome me with open arms. It’s a ton of fun and I know these men and women are no different than my family back home. They might not walk on the right side of the law, but it doesn’t change who they are or what their core values are. I’m accepted without hesitation simply because of Jameson and Reagan and it’s a feeling that brightens up my world. At the end of the day, the men and women who don’t follow anyone else’s rule care more about me than a man who is supposed to be on the right side of the law. Terrence will never understand what this means to me because he’s an entitled narcissist who only gives a fuck about himself.

Chapter Four

Ghost

WAITING ON ALANA isfucking killing me. I know she wants to spend the week with Savage and Reagan before heading to Cedar Bay. What I didn’t expect was to feel as if each day lasts a week because I’m ready for her to be here with us. Geek and I have talked to her every single day. We’re getting to know her as she is now and were even given the speech from Savage about hurting her and him kicking our ass. I assured him the last thing we’d ever do is hurt the woman we’ve both been waiting for over the years. I don’t know if Geek and I convinced Savage about our intentions, but it doesn’t matter to me. The only person who matters is Alana and how she feels about us. As long as she believes in us and realizes our intentions are filled with doing everything we can to ensure she’s happy and loved, we’ll be good.

Geek and I have made sure that the room Alana will be staying in here is perfect. We’ve bought brand new bedding, a ton of pillows and blankets to fill the bed. There’s every streaming service we have set up on the TV in her room as well. I bought her a bookshelf and we filled it with the latest books that compare to those she’s been reading. I’m not sure if she’s already read these ones, but she has them if she needs something to read when she has some down time. We also turned the corner of her room into a little nook for her with one of those overstuffed chairs and a blanket over the back in case she gets cold. There’s a mini fridge in her room that we’ve filled with her favorite drinks and snacks. I don’t know what else we can do to make it perfect for her at this point. It doesn’t stop Geek from going in there almost daily to make sure everything is perfect.

Today, I’m going crazy and everyone is giving me a wide berth because they know when I get stuck in my head, I tend to take it out on everyone around me. Walking through the common room, I don’t pay attention to anyone as I leave through the back door and pull out my phone.

“What’s goin’ on, Ghost?” Cage answers his phone with worry filling his voice.

“Just checkin’ in to see if you’ve heard from Alana. I know she left yesterday mornin’ and that she was plannin’ on drivin’ the long way to Cedar Bay in case Terrence is followin’ her. I haven’t talked to her today and it’s gettin’ to me,” I answer him honestly as he starts chuckling on his end of the phone.

---