Never Give You Up (Snakes Henchmen MC 4)

Papa.” It slipped from me in a whisper.

I can't believe what my eyes are seeing. He looks smaller than he once did. Older. Much older. His hair is completely gray. He's chubbier than I remember, or maybe he's not. If I'm honest, the vision I have of him in my head is a God amongst men. A man so strong he could've taken down an army all by himself.

So what changed, what made my brother and whole family turn on my father the way they did?

What made my brother keep me from the father I loved?

What made my brother swear on our mother's grave that he'd kill our father if he ever came back?

Why is he here?

How is he here?

Why now?

My memories of him are so messed up. I remember how hard he was on my brother, how he would hurt my mother sometimes, how he would look at me like I was dirt on his shoe, but then there are memories of him telling me that I was his little princess. It has confused my mind for years because I don't know what's real and what's not.

“Get. Out!” I jump out of my damn skin. I forgot Hammer was here for a moment. I don't know how when he's holding my hand, but I did. Hammer jumps to his feet. Holy fuck, he really is tall. Compared to our father, he's enormous.

“Samuel, please, I just want to make sure she's okay.”

My mouth is bone dry as I watch Hammer take a step forward, his arms around his big chest. “A: My name is Hammer. You ever call me by my given name again, which isn't Samuel, and I'll kill you.” That's right his name is simply Sam. Jett told me that was because Hillary didn't see the point of calling him Samuel if his name would just be shortened to Sam. “B: You are not welcome here. You know full well you're not allowed within five miles of her. C: How the fuck did you even know she was here?”

“I followed you here. She's my daughter. I've been watching her for a while.” I swallow hard. He's been following me for a long time, I know he has, and I'm not sure I like that fact. I don't even know how he's been following me without being seen. I have so many people around me that would have seen him, but obviously, they haven't. “I just wanted to make sure that you're okay, Maria.”

“She's fine. Now, I'm tellin' you, old man, get the fuck outta here before Draven arrives and puts a bullet in your stupid fuckin' brain!”

My heart is pounding so hard I feel like I'm going to have a heart attack. All the years I prayed I'd see my father again, and here I am wishing he'd just go away. I'm not in the right frame of mind for this right now. I'm scared out of my mind that there is something wrong with my baby. I've had minutes to get to know my brother, minutes where I should have had months.

Draven is on his way home, or so Hammer informed me because he called Draven and told him what had happened and how I need him. If he arrives here and sees my father, he'll kill him without a seconds thought.

Family is everything, but so is loyalty. I don't know if my father has any of that.

“I knew you'd be just like him. So full of yourself. I had hoped for better, but what could I expect when your whore of a mother...” I scream the second Hammer's fist connects with my father's jaw, knocking him right off his feet, and I'm crying in fear. I don't want to see this. I don't want my brother to beat my father in front of me like this.

I know everyone says he's an evil man, that if I could only remember what he'd done, I'd never want even to hear the name Joseph Vidal again. However, I don't remember what happened, and no one will tell me. So, of course, all I see is my daddy, and I hate that I can't just reach out to him and have him hold me.

“You ever so much as think about my mother again and I'll rip your fuckin' throat out!”

“Hammer!” I'm shaking so badly I think I'm going to vomit. However, my eyes lock with Jett's, and I know I'll be okay. He's here. Finally.

“Get him the fuck away from my sister before I do somethin' I won't regret!” Hammer drags my father to his feet and pushes him toward a furious looking Stryker, who grabs him tightly.

“Maria, I just want to talk to you.”

“Please leave. You can't be here, Daddy, Draven will kill you.” I sob a little. No matter what he's done, he's still my father, and this hurts so much because I really want him to hold me like he did when I was a little girl. I want him to make it all better.

“I don't give a damn about Draven! You're my daughter, and I have every right to be here for you right now.”

“Leave. Right now!” I jump again and clasp my hands over my face, sobbing as Jett yells at my father. I can't do this right now. Don't they understand how scared I am? All I want is to know my baby is okay!

“Every single one of you, out now!” An unfamiliar voice cuts through me, silencing everyone in the room. “This is a hospital, not a boxing ring.” The doctor, I realize that now. “Mrs. Jackson does not need this right now. Please leave.”

“Jett!” In a panic, I call his name while looking up at him, my hand outstretched. He can't leave me here without him. He smiles, walks toward me and takes my hand in his. He kisses my head, and I calm my tears.

“Hammer?” He turns to look at me, his hand on the door. “Thank you,”

“I'll be right outside.” I nod and smile at him. Everything has changed between us this evening. Everything. I finally feel like my brother is my brother and not a man who hates my guts. He was just scared to show me that he loved me, but that's over now.

It's so nerve-racking listening to the doctor telling me to relax and breathe while she performs the ultrasound. All the time Jett is holding my hand as he sits on the high-back chair beside my bed, his other hand rubbing my shaking leg. There are so many things going through my head right now, and nothing at all at the same time.

“Maria?” I open my eyes and look to the doctor. She's smiling at me.

“Is everything okay with my baby?”

“Doctor Willson?” Jett urges.

“It's gone.” I sob while trying not to. My fucking heart is breaking in ways I didn't even know were possible. God help me, what am I going to do now?

Then I hear it. I do hear it, right? The loud thumping of a heartbeat through the wall speakers?

“As you can hear, your little one is just fine.”

“Oh, thank God,” Jett rests his head on my hand for a moment in relief. I'm numb with it. I think I'm too scared to breathe in case I misheard her.

“Little one was just being lazy. It happens more than you think, and trust me; we have plenty of Mom's come in scared to death something is wrong. It's always best to get your fears checked out, no matter what they may be.”

“Will everything be okay?”

“Yes,” She smiles at Jett. “Just as long as Maria takes it easy for a while. No stress. It is not good for the baby in any way. It's not good for Maria in her condition.”

“Don't worry,” he smiles while stroking my swollen stomach. “I'm going to take really good care of them both.”

“I don't doubt it.” She smiles.

“Can you tell us if our baby is a boy or a girl?” I hadn't intended to ask, Jett and I had already decided to wait, but I want to know. This scare has really frightened me. I just want to know my baby. I want to give them a name, call them by it each day. I refer to the baby as him in my head a lot, but I want confirmation.

“I can. That's if Daddy would like to know?” Jett looks at me and winks before turning back to the doctor and nodding. “It's a girl.” A girl. I'm having a girl! I honestly thought my baby was a boy. Shows how much I know.

A little girl!

God, we're going to be such good friends, my little girl and I. I'm going to hold her so tightly to me every day and tell her how much her mommy loves her. I want her to know that she is everything to me, to her daddy.

The second the doctor wipes the jell from my stomach, I stroke it gently. “Hello, baby girl,” I whisper. Jett kisses me softly, resting his forehead against mine. “She's okay,”

“Yes, she is. Our little Jessica.” I giggle. Jessica. We'd ch

osen that name for a girl, but I honestly didn't think we'd need it.

We chose Jessica because Jessica was my mother's middle name, and oddly, Lynette's middle name, too. It just seems right to name our sweet baby after our mother's, the women we love with all out hearts.

“Will she start moving again?”