No one will dispute that; Nova has done amazing things for this club since she came home. She's helped out a few times on missions, but only when asked. Nova hasn't pushed her way in and taken over... Well, ever.
Nova has also done wonders for the women and their self-esteem. The self-defense classes she teaches are incredible. Each woman is now full of confidence at the fact that they now have the ability to defend themselves in ways us men have never been able to drum into them.
Nova is even teaching the kids to defend themselves. Especially Ember. Nova wants our little girl to be able to take care of herself in the big wide world. Life out there is much harder for a woman than it is a man. It's ridiculous, but that's just the way it is. If Nova can change that for our women, for our kids, then she will.
“What's it gonna take, Nova, for you to listen? How many times are we gonna end up here?”
“I had no intention of getting involved today. I swear that I didn't.” Nova sounds defeated. Shepard and Booker have been giving her a hard time since we walked in the room. They've repeatedly banged on about her staying out of things that don't concern her. If the club needs her help, she'll be contacted.
“Do you have any idea what could have happened to you bringing that motherfucker in here? And alone?!”
“Yet you still let me leave with him.” Nova raises her eyebrow. Shepard looks annoyed, but my wife has a point. We all let her leave with him. Why did we do that? Because we all know how well she can take care of herself. If I thought Trigger would have hurt Nova, I would have stopped it immediately. However, when Nova looked at me and winked, I knew she'd be just fine.
“He could have torn you apart!”
“You don't know me at all if you honestly think a pissant like Trigger could have gotten the better of me, Booker.”
Booker looks at Shepard. “I know she's your daughter, and I know she's capable of many things, but...”
“Don't be a sexist prick, Booker.” Red steps forward. “Standing here and shouting the odds at the girl will get us nowhere.”
“Red's right,” I look over at old CueBall. “Nova did wrong getting involved in business she had no right getting involved in, and I get why you're all annoyed. People got hurt today, but no one died. None of ours anyway.”
“That's all well and good, CueBall, but you know the rules Apollo put in place,”
Oh, fuck, no!
“Not happening!” Booker looks at me, but I'll fucking kill him if he even thinks about hurting Nova! “You're not laying a hand on my wife!”
“She wants to be part of this club, and take matters into her own hands without consulting the club...”
Booker's words trail off, and all eyes are now on Nova with her gun pointed at his head. “Don't do anything stupid, Booker. I did wrong, and I'll have to work damn hard to gain the clubs trust again, but everything worked out just fine in the end. It's not a damn problem to use my skills when it suits you all. I'm always there when I'm needed, and I never ask for anything in return. I killed Trigger because...” I watch Nova swallow back her emotions, and it hurts me to see her like this.
“If you think for one-second I won't kill you should you touch me, then you are more stupid than you look.”
“Nova?” She looks at BlackJack. “What's going on? This isn't like you; you're never this disrespectful. Did something happen to make you this angry?”
“I'm so sorry,” She whispers, tears falling from her eyes as she reaches for me. I take her hand in mine, and stroke her face with my other hand. “I don't know how to deal with this, Tank.”
I wrap her up in my arms after taking her gun from her hand and placing it on the table. I kiss her head, all the while Nova is trying not to cry in front of everyone.
“What the hell is going on?” Shepard asks.
“We didn't want to say anything until we knew for sure.”
“Knew what? Nova?” She shakes her head at Jett, and I look at Hammer.
“Let it out, son. We're your family. If something is wrong, you know we're here for you.”
I nod my head. CueBall is right. I know Nova and I shouldn't have kept this to ourselves, and it's not an excuse, but there was so much going on. We didn't think now was the right time.
“I know that Nova did the wrong thing involving herself in club business. The Alison thing, no one would have been able to stop Nova from doing what she did there. You all know she fights against the injustices women suffer.”
Each man nods his head in agreement. Well, it's not like it's a secret.
“Tonight, I should have realized why she was here, and that something bad would happen. I should have made sure Nova knew the severity of what could happen should she get involved. I didn't, and I'll take whatever punishment you have in mind for Nova. I won't let anyone hurt her. You know that, Prez.”
Every fucker knows that. They also know that I don't make excuses for Nova, she's her own person. However, she's hurting so badly right now, and I have to protect her in the best way I know how.
“We had some bad news yesterday.”
“Bad news?”
I nod slightly at Jett, stroking Nova's back at the same time. “Micheal has been unwell as you all know. What you don't know is that a couple of days ago, Micheal became lethargic and unresponsive,” Nova clutches at my back, while Hammer, Jett, and Shepard all look at me wide-eyed. “We took him to the hospital, and the doctor sent him for some tests. They think...” I swallow back my emotions. I'm trying to be strong here, but my boy is just two years old, dammit! “They think Micheal could have leukemia.”
“No,” Shepard whispers in shock, and Nova sobs heartbreakingly in my arms, no longer able to keep it inside.
“Naturally, Nova has been struggling. Today, she hit out. She killed scum, whom one of us would have more than likely killed anyway because she's terrified for our boy.” Moreover, she's not coping with it at all.
“Jesus Christ,” Booker hisses. “Man, I'm sorry.” I tip my head. It's all I can do. “Shepard, my boys and I will get out of your hair for a while so you can deal with this.”
“Thank you,” Booker leaves, and Shepard turns to Ace. “Take the Lawson twins up to the safe house and settle them in. Take a couple of the others with you. They'll be leaving with Booker in a few days.” The best thing for them.
“Prez,”
“Jett and Hammer stay here. The rest of you, leave us alone, please.” Once everyone is out of the room, Shepard strokes the back of Nova's head. “Baby girl, why didn't you tell me?”
Nova turns in his arms and sobs some more. There's not much in this world that can make Nova cry; she's a hard woman. However, like most mothers, her kids are her weakness. “My baby boy, Daddy!”
“I know, I know. It's gonna be all right.”
“What are we going to do about...”
“Nothing, Jett. I think she's being punished enough right now.” Jett nods once at Shepard.
While Jett and Shepard talk to Nova, I follow Hammer to the other side of the room. “What the hell, Tank? Why would you keep something this big to yourself?” I don't know what to say to him. I'm hanging on by a thread here. Hammer sighs to himself, and grabs the back of my neck, pulling me into him. “When do you get the results?”
I pull away from my brother. “Should be another day or two. The doctor said she'd call to let us know when to go in.” I look over at my wife. She's wiping more tears from her eyes. I want to take her home so we can hold our kids a little tighter tonight.
“It'll be all right, brother. Micheal is strong; just look at who his Mom and Dad are.” I smile at Hammer slightly.
“Haiden, can we go home now, please?”
“Of course we can.” I take my wife in my arms, and I send up a silent prayer to a God I don't even know is real, to keep my little boy safe, and to give my wife the patience to stay out of club business. No matter whom we're dealing with.
God, please keep Micheal safe. I don't think I'd survive losing him
.
Chapter Twenty
Brooke
You're lucky this wasn't broken, and look at the state of your ribs.”
“I'm fine, Mom. Nothing I haven't dealt with before.”