Only, he had no idea why some of the Ohio clan was here in Pennsylvania.
Unless they were there to help repopulate Hillbilly Hill.
Could it be?
Was that how they’d grow their numbers again? Bring in women and children from other clans?
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
It wasn’t hard to pick out Red’s mother. Her hair was the same fiery color as Sig’s ol’ lady. Even pulled back in a tight bun, it turned to fire when the sun hit it.
“Whose kid she holdin’?” Dodge asked.
“My guess is hers. But my half-brother would be about five by now. That baby she’s holding only looks about a year old.”
Just then a redheaded boy about five climbed out of the van and stood next to Red’s mother. Then the woman leaned into the van and helped a third kid climb down. That boy seemed to be a couple of years younger than the oldest one.
“Oh my God, Sig,” Red whispered, one hand clamped over her forehead, the other still drilling into Sig’s arm. “Oh my God. Tell me this isn’t happening. Do you think they’re here looking for me? It looks like she had two more children after Ezrah. Why? Why would she do that to innocent children?”
Forget the children, why the fuck would the woman do what she did to her own adult daughter?
Because the woman and Red’s stepfather were completely fucked in the head. They had given Red to the Shirleys to be used as one of their breeders. To bring fresh blood to the inbred hillbilly clan. Her own damn mother had caused the biggest nightmare of Red’s life. One that scarred her deeply. One she’d never fully recover from.
Sig had originally talked about going to Ohio to exact revenge for Red, but never did. Dodge wondered if his ol’ lady talked him out of it. Sig was probably regretting that about now.
“No, baby, they don’t know where you are,” Sig assured her. “They wouldn’t know to look for you here.”
Dodge hoped he was fucking right.
“How do you know that? How do you know? They’re the ones who sent me here in the first place.” Her voice had raised even higher.
If Red retreated into her dark space, Sig would lose his shit. And in the middle of Walmart’s parking lot was not the place to have a meltdown. It would catch people’s attention. Including the group near that van.
“Let’s get the fuck outta here,” Dodge suggested. “Start walkin’ toward the truck, Syn. Hold Maya’s hand and do not let go. You get me?”
“Yes.”
Thank fuck she knew better than to be stubborn right now. He normally loved when she acted like a brat so he could teach her a lesson. It was one way they played.
But now was not the time. None of this was a game. All of it was serious.
Sig steered Red in the same direction they headed, keeping a firm grip on her. “Don’t do anythin’ to draw attention to us,” he warned and then said to Red, “You ain’t steppin’ off that farm unless I’m with you. Syn, same with you. You go nowhere without one of us.”
Red nodded as she walked. Dodge noticed Syn did not.
“This shit’s got to end,” Sig growled, taking longer strides. “Don’t care what we gotta do. Don’t care how we gotta do it. But this is gonna end once and for all.”
Dodge agreed with all of that. He glanced down at his own responsibilities. The two people he had to protect.
He felt it down to his very fucking soul. He now understood why Trip was so protective of Stella. Sig of Red. Judge of Cassie and Daisy. Along with all the rest of his brothers who had women and children. Or had babies still in bellies.
A protective wolf was growing deep inside him, itching to escape, ready to growl, bite and snap the neck of anyone who tried to do Syn or Maya harm.
So, like Sig, Dodge didn’t care how they had to do it, but he’d help make sure it got done. He’d do anything to protect the family that now belonged to him.
Once they got home, he would make it clear to Syn how important Sig’s order was and he’d explain why. He only wanted to avoid doing it in front of Maya. He had mentioned the Shirleys briefly, just enough to make sure she was aware they were trouble but not enough to make her worry about sending Maya to school. He didn’t want his woman living in fear, but, unfortunately, he would now have to go into details.
Ugly fucking details to make sure she understood.