Bitch!
I'm glad we're no longer friends, I don't need people like her in my life. Draven never liked her or her family, but then he's never had to witness her vile attitude towards people. If he had... Well, I don't want to think about what he would have done.
“It's only as difficult as you allow it to be, Brooke. You're the best friend I ever had, and I would do anything to protect you. I know you have the whole MC behind you, but if it came to it, I'd ask my brother for help. He'd make sure you were safe from harm and that you had regular contact with your sister. No one says no to the Don.” I chuckle.
Brooke looks at me with tears in her eyes. “You'd do that for me?”
“I would do anything for you, Brooke. You're my best friend.”
She wraps her arms around my neck and cries. I can't imagine what it's like for her when her father beats her the way he does, and so often. She tries to hide it from Hawk, but I can always tell when she's been hurt. Women just know these things when it comes to their best friends.
“Don't cry, Brooke, everything will be okay, I promise.”
“I love you, Maria. So much.”
I smile. “I love you, too.”
She pulls away from me, wiping her eyes with her fingertips. “I guess I should be going, my dad's expecting me soon. I don't want to be late.” Late. If she's just one minute late, that man will hurt her so badly Hawk won't see her for days. I will never understand how a man can beat his daughter the way Brooke's father does.
I know Jett would never hurt our little girl. Our little Jessica. He'd cut his own hands off first. He's going to be a wonderful father to her. She's his everything already. Just the way it should be.
I used to believe I was that to my father. What went wrong? Why was he forced out of my life? I know Draven wouldn't have done that without a damn good reason. I just wish I knew what that was. I wrack my brain daily to find an answer that never comes.
I understand about my mother leaving my dad and then him forcing Hammer's mother to marry him as punishment. That in itself was beyond sick. How can any man justify why he forced a woman to marry him just to hurt his ex? His ex-wife's identical twin at that?
I understand that my mother took him back, it was so that Hillary could get away from him and be with Titus so they could raise Sam together as their own. My mother was selfless and wanted to protect her sister.
Neither of my brother's told me this, Tank and Jett did. Even through Draven tried to keep me in the dark, my husband and my cousin – my cousin! – thought I should know the truth.
I am so proud of my mother for protecting her sister the way she did, and in doing so, I was born.
I'm not sure I'll ever know the truth of what drove my uncle to outcast my father. I can kick, scream, demand till I'm blue in the face, but it won't make anyone tell me what really happened.
Jerks!
After saying goodbye to Brooke, I curl up on the couch and close my eyes. I'm beyond tired. Fighting with so-called friends will do that to you.
I'm drifting in and out of consciousness. I can see my mother smiling at me. Smiling the way she used to smile when she would tuck me in bed at night when I was a little girl. She would always sing me to sleep, always words she made up about how beautiful I was, how lucky she felt to have me, and how much she loved me. I wonder if she'd be proud of me for the woman I am now.
Is she proud of me for marrying my baby's father?
For falling so deeply in love with him?
For building a happy home with him for our child?
I also wonder if she's proud of my brother for the man he is. She never wanted him to be part of the famiglia. It was her biggest fear. As I assume it would be most mother's biggest fear to know their son could, at any moment of any day, be taken from her for the man he is.
Deep in my heart, Mafia Don aside, I know she's proud of Draven for raising me the way he did. The way he selflessly put his dreams on hold to make sure I had the best life he could give me.
Deep in my heart, I know she's proud of both of us.
I hope she's up there with her sister right now, both of them looking down on their children with huge smiles on their face. Content in the knowledge that we're all together at last.
I love you, Mama. Wherever you are now, I hope you're at peace.
I hope Aunt Hillary is with you, and I hope she knows that Sam and Haiden are safe with Draven and me.
I also hope Uncle Vinny is up there with you, looking down on Avery, happy that she's so happy with Ghost and little Daniel. I hope he's looking out for the baby inside of her right now. I know in my heart he's keeping them all safe.
Please watch over my little girl, Mama. Help me bring her into this world safe and sound.
I feel air brush past my cheek, and I smile in my sleepy state. That was a kiss from my mother. A kiss and a promise that she'll keep Jessica safe until she's safe in my arms.
It might sound stupid to some, believing my mother is watching over me. However, my mother was an angel on earth, I know she's one in heaven.
I believe Hillary is too. From everything I've heard about her, she was more like my mother than I could ever have imagined. They loved and protected each other fiercely. My only wish is that they'd been able to spend more time together on earth.
I know they're eternally together in heaven now.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Jett
Why is it little fucking mongrels think it's okay to assault women? It doesn't wash with me. What's worse than assaulting a woman? Assaulting a Snakes Henchman woman!
Tessa, Ace's old lady, works at the strip club we own. The Pretty Pussy. All sorts of motherfuckers come in and out of the place. We don't give a shit as long as they stick to our rules.
Don't bring drugs into the club.
Don't abuse the staff in any way.
Never touch the girls on stage or off it.
You touch them, and we fuck you up. Simple.
So, of course, when I got a call from Trixy, one of the dancers at the club, telling me I needed to get down to the club ASAP, I did just that. Didn't expect to walk in and see the place as quiet as it is. Something is weird here, the lights may be on, but there's no one on stage. There are no customers, and the only people around are Jimmy, the bartender, and Trixy.
What the fuck?
“Where the hell is everyone?”
“Jett. Thank god. Some guy was in here with a gun,”
I fold my arms across my chest, feet shoulder-width apart. Trixy is a tall dancer, legs up to her armpits. She's slim, big fake boobs, huge ass, blonde and beautiful. She isn't shy either. I think most of my men have banged her at one point or another. I haven't been there, but it's not because she hasn't tried. There's just something about her that puts me off.
“He scared everybody out of here, and then he grabbed Tessa, and...”
“Where is she?!” Yeah, I cut her off and yelled, but I'm not interested in anything but Tessa right now. That girl has been Willow's friend her whole life. She's been an MC girl for a few years now. She's family. She comes first.