Lynn looks down at his hand holding hers but does as he asks. I know she just wants to climb into bed with Michaela and never let go.
I’m emotionally exhausted too. First thing is that Lee got away. When everyone went to find Michaela, he slipped loose.
But we have the person that tried to kidnap Michaela. He is in such deep shit because he hurt an ole lady to the club and tried to kidnap one of the princesses. She may just be Vinny's niece but everyone loves her.
I can see Lani inside of the house, her guys and kids surrounding her as Myra the club doctor checks her over. Myra’s coming to Lynn’s next to check out Michaela.
Trey leaves the house and walks toward me. “Etta, you're going to go have to go under protection for a while; nowhere by yourself for a while until this shit is settled.”
I knew this was going to happen. “I understand, Trey.”
He looks inside Lynn’s car as Tristan backs out. “Are you okay? This shit is so fucked up.”
We have had peace in the MC for six years, then all of this happened at once on his kid’s birthday party. It’s beyond fucked up.
Trey runs his hand through his short hair. “I’ll put a prospect on you tonight, unless you want to come live with us for a while?” he asks.
Konrad walks up, catching the end part of the conversation. “I have her tonight, brother.”
My eyes go to Robert, the crying boy resting on his hip. “They were going to leave their baby? What the fuck is this?” Rage fills me to my core.
Trey closes his eyes, just now realizing. “I’ll take him to the compound until we find information on him. We have plenty of mothers around to care for him.”
My heart breaks at his tear-stricken face. I can tell he’s so scared. “Hey there, sweetheart. Ready to go get some food and a warm bed?” I ask him in a soft voice.
He nods, but he doesn’t move to leave Konrad. He just tightens his fist on his shoulder, which causes Konrad to grin.
I don’t want to go there and admit how great he looks with a kid. “You don’t have to babysit me.” I don’t want him to feel obliged.
His face hardens, that beautiful smile gone. “Being around you, I wouldn’t call that fucking babysitting.” He winks.
Lord bless my heart.
Trey is glaring at Konrad for flirting with me. “Follow behind me?” I ask Konrad.
He waves me forward. “Wouldn’t want to do anything else,” he flirts once again. My face burns with the attention of him doing this in front of Trey.
Vinny is my brother, but Trey? He’s like my father. He has taken over the role and I am so thankful for him and everything he has done for me.
“Text me when you’re home, Etta. Wear your earring, okay?” he tells me.
I was given a special earring years ago. It has a tracking device in it. If you’re kidnapped, your abductors would never expect an earring to have a tracking device in it.
“I will.”
I’m sure some would feel smothered, but I’d rather be safe and feel smothered than face the opposite.
“I’ll follow behind you.”
I look at Robert. “You okay, honey?” I ask. He must be so confused.
“What happened to Henry and Lee?” His little voice trembles. I am so mad. I am so mad that this happened and that this little boy has to suffer his consequences of their actions.
“Your dad is busy right now, sweetheart.” I open the back door, hating that I don’t have a booster seat for him.
“Henry is not my dad,” he says as I buckle him. I look at Konrad, wondering if he’s thinking the same thing I am. I smile at Robert. “Do you know where your momma is?”
His face falls. “She was bad and I’m not allowed to see her.”
Fuck! I know exactly what has happened to her. He’s been taken from his mother because they think she did something wrong and she’s being punished for it.
“Sweetheart, what’s your mom’s name?”
He wipes his tears. “Maci.”
I shut the door. “We need to find his mother.”
Konrad opens my door for me, taking my hand and helping me inside. “Belt up, sweetheart.”
I smile at the endearment and do as he asks. “Be careful, I will be right behind you.” He shuts my door and walks over to a beautiful Harley.
Then it hits me that he’s coming to the compound where I live. Nerves wrack me immediately, but that can’t stop the excitement I feel on top of that.
3
Etta
I can barely keep my eyes off of the mirror. Konrad looks way too good driving behind me, and I can’t stop the thrill at the fact that he’s following me.
My phone rings, and I’m so lost in my thoughts that it scares me for a second. It’s from a number I don’t know.
“Hello?”
“Hey, sweetheart. I’m going to have the prospect bring us some takeout for dinner. What do you want?”
Holy shit, I guess the date is still on?
I panic, not knowing what to say. “I like all food, just whatever you want.”
He chuckles. “I’ll just tell him to pick up random shit. See you in a bit, darlin’.” He hangs up before I can say anything back.
Those damn butterflies are making themselves known in my stomach. He is so gorgeous and intimidating.
The drive back to the compound is way too short because I’m internally freaking out, but I’m also saddened by Robert quietly sniffling in the back.
His whole entire world has been flipped upside down. I want to tell him so bad that I’m going to find his mother, but the disappointment isn’t worth it if I can’t.
I’ll have to talk to Techy later to give him the information on Robert’s mother. I know right now that Henry is in the pit and he is going through some kind of hell and that’s something I will never regret.
I’ve never been in the pit, but I know that the guys dish out their own kind of justice down there and I don’t have any ounce of sympathy for those who have been there.
Including my own father. He was so horrible to me and Lynn, but it was nothing compared to Vinny and Danny’s experience. That was a different kind of hell.
The things done to me do haunt me, I feel those wounds, but it’s nothing compared to knowing what happened to my siblings.
That is a whole different kind of hurt. My mother is out there somewhere and I do feel sorry for her because she was forced into that life also, but she allowed everything to happen. That is hard to forget.
I pull to a stop outside of the main house where I live, and before I can put the car in park, Konrad opens my car door.
“Thank you!” I say, putting my hand in his so he can help me out.
Looking at Konrad, you’d never think that he was such a gentleman. I open the back door. “Come on, little man.” Konrad unbuckles Robert and lifts him out.
“How do you feel about a burger?” Konrad asks him, taking his hand. He’s holding mine in one hand, the other holding Robert’s.
Robert smiles. “A burger for me?!” He gets so excited and my heart melts at the precious little boy.
Inside the house, I spot Rosa, one of my main helpers. “I need you to find him a room to stay in and I need someone to watch him.”