Page 103 of Moose

I looked up to see Lily holding both my kids in her arms while they sat on the ground and cried. Finding one of Javier’s guys, I handed Rob off to him and ran over to my family, falling to my knees and letting the tears fall. Not a care in the fucking world who saw me crying.

“Fuck. Fuck, guys. I am so goddamn sorry. Are you okay? Did they hurt you?”

Maddox shook his head, “It’s okay, dad. We’re okay. I didn’t let them touch Nova.”

I looked up to see a black eye and a few scraps on his arms.

He shakily smiled. “I protected her.”

I pulled him into my arms and just held him while he cried, letting his guard down now that he was safe with me.

Javier came over and kneeled down, placing his arm on both Lily and I’s arm.

“Why don’t we get them out of here? I’ve got a place you can stay. It’s fully stocked so they can take showers and eat some food.”

I nodded and grabbed Nova, lifting her up in my arms like when she was just a baby. Maddox grabbed Lily’s hand as we followed Javier back out to the SUV.

Javier’s guy drove down the road while the rest of his crew cleaned up the mess we were leaving behind.

As we drove back to his clubhouse, I sat with both my kids by my side, thanking whoever was looking out for us that we could save them.

Javier’s driver turned down a smaller road, and I sat up, concerned about where they were taking us. I turned to Lily and saw a small tear fall down her cheek.

She looked up at Javier, who was looking back at all of us.

“This is your mom's house…”

He smiled. “Yeah, it was. But I moved her across the street to that cute little home. This one was just too big for her.”

“You still live at the end of the road?”

“Of course. That house is mine and I’m not moving.”

Lily nodded as the driver pulled into the driveway. We all got out, and the kids went inside and I grabbed Lily’s arm.

“You okay, princess?”

She sighed as she laid her head on my chest.

“It’s just a lot to take in. The house at the end of the road is my old home. It’s been in the crew for as long as I can remember.”

The sound of a door closing made us both look up as a little old lady came walking across the street.

Lily gasped as she got closer, “Tia Rosa!”

Both women cried as they embraced. The old woman kept pulling back and touching Lily’s face like she couldn’t believe she was actually here.

“Oh, myhermosa niña flor! I’ve missed you, child.”

Lily let the tears flow freely as she held onto Javier’s mother like a child who had just been reunited with her mother; like my children when we rescued them.

I could tell how much she meant to Lily and felt a pang of sadness that Lily had to walk away from somebody who meant so much to her.

“Look at how skinny you are,niña. Come inside, I’ll make you your favorite foods.” Rosa stopped in front of my children and put her hands up to her heart. “Lillith Navarro! Are these your babies?”

Lily smiled. “They’re my boyfriend's children. This is Nova and Maddox, Tia.”

Rosa pulled both my children into a hug. “Beautiful little ones. Come, come. Everybody inside to eat!”

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