Might as well get stoned – Chris Stapleton
* * *
My tires screech as I take the last turn, the house coming into view. My pulse pounds like a war drum, my hands tightening around the steering wheel. I don’t stop to think. I don’t hesitate.
Then I see him.
Justice bursts out of the front door, his little legs pumping as fast as they can carry him. He’s crying, his face streaked with tears, but he’s running straight for me.
I slow my bike, coming to a top. The second he’s close enough, I scoop him up, holding him tight. His little arms wrap around my neck, his whole body shaking against mine.
“Daddy Dean,” he sobs into my shoulder.
I swallow hard, pressing a hand to the back of his head. “I got you, buddy. You’re safe.”
But Josie isn’t.
“Move!” I bark, motioning to my brothers. “Country Boy, Grinder, Miles, Dove—get in there. Now.”
They don’t hesitate. They know what’s at stake.
“Gotta go get your momma. Need you to stay with Boots. He’s gonna take you home. I’ll be there soon, okay?”
“Momma said she would be behind me,” he hiccups.
“She is just making sure you’re safe. Go with Boots, okay. I’ll be home soon as I can. Sara is waiting for you at the house.” I hand Justice off to Anthony “Boots” Brocato, Stud’s son, Honey’s brother and probably one of the nicest Hellions anyone will ever meet. He will be the calm Justice needs until I can get Jo and be home with him myself. “Get him out of here. Don’t stop until you’re home.”
Anthony nods, carrying Justice away.
I turn back to the house, my jaw clenching as I take in the sounds coming from inside. A crash. A scream. My body goes ice cold.
As they storm the house, I pull my gun, heart hammering.
I’m coming, Josie. Just hold on.
I push through the doorway, my gun raised. The sight before me makes my blood boil. Brett stands behind Josie, one arm wrapped around her waist, the other holding a gun to her temple. Blood drips from a wound on her forehead, staining her skin. She sways slightly, her breath ragged, but she remains on her feet.
Beside Brett, there is a woman who watches with a smirk, her own gun trained on Josie’s side.
Josie lifts her gaze to me, her eyes filled with pain, worry, but also with something else—relief.
I keep my gun steady, my voice low and lethal. “Let her go.”
“Justice,” Josie whispers.
“Safe,” I tell her keeping my eyes trained to Brett while Country Boy has his gun aimed on the woman.
“Let her go,” Brett chuckles, pressing the barrel harder against Josie’s head. “Or what, Dean?”
My finger tightens on the trigger. “Or I put a bullet between your eyes.” He doesn’t react to my threat. “Brett,” I growl, taking a step closer. “This ends the same way no matter what. You hurt Jo, I hurt Colleen here.” This gets his attention. Yes, I know who Collen Martin is.
The woman cackles, shaking her head. “You can’t hurt me!”
“Dying can be painful, not sure what you’ve heard,” Grinder taunts her.
“Without his son, Brett won’t stay with me. There is no greater pain! All my life I wanted him to love me. I can’t have kids, and he wants his family back.”
Colleen Martin is Brett’s high school sweetheart. Only she’s been in love with him since the fifth grade. She has a vision board of their wedding on her social media page and children’s names for the kids she can’t have. Colleen got pregnant in high school. Brett joined the Army to provide for them. Only she had a massive rupture causing loss in pregnancy and a hysterectomy to save her life. She’s been unhinged ever since.
