Inked Babies (Inked Brotherhood 6)

Wesley nods. “Were you good friends with this boy?”

“Why are you asking me this?” I barely feel Dakota’s hand drawing circles over my now pounding heart. “What did you find out?”

“The house in Wausau was searched. No incriminating evidence of any kind was found inside. The house was renovated relatively recently. But.” He grunts. “But the force also dug up the yard and found a skeleton of a child. He’d been wearing a red cap. I’m sorry, Mr. Madden.”

I draw Dakota closer to me. Can’t get her close enough. I’m not gone, my mind isn’t lost in the maze of my memories. I know exactly where I’m sitting, but a hush has fallen over everything.

Kenneth Shaw killed Tyrese.

At last I know the truth.

***

“You sure you’re okay to see them now, man?” Rafe asks. “We could come back later.”

“We’re here. And I’m okay.” As long as Dakota remains by my side, I’ll wing it. There’s no telling whether seeing those kids will flip the switch, especially after finding out about Tyrese, but I’ll take the chance.

Can’t hide forever. I need to do things, live my life. Do what’s fucking important.

“Where’s Lee?” Megan asks as we follow Wesley into the building.

“With Dylan and his brothers,” Dakota says.

I hope that fucker takes damn good care of my kid, or I’ll ink “I’m an idiot” on his forehead. Thinking about the design of the tattoo keeps me distracted. Maybe I’ll add a heart. A pink one.

Wesley calls over one of his colleagues and tells her to take us to the location where the children are kept.

“You will not disclose the location to anyone else, understood?” He’s back in full authoritative mode, and we let him have his moment in front of others.

“Of course we understand,” Rafe says. “Keeping them safe from that madman should be your number one priority.”

“It’s a private clinic. Officer Delaney will drive you there. And we’ll talk another time about the other topic you raised.”

The adoption.

I’m the one who brought it up, back at home. It was Dakota who suggested a solution. We can’t realistically think of adopting them. We have a baby, the Damage Boyz to care for as well, and it’s not like we’re millionaires or something.

But Dakota has a huge family and many ideas.

“If you’ll follow me,” Officer Delaney says, flashing us a bright smile. “People who save children are my favorite.”

“Lead the way,” Megan says, smiling.

I hang back and turn to Wesley. “You really are Superman,” I tell him and leave him looking confused.

Well, he found Tyrese’s bones. He made it happen so we’ll meet with the children. And he promised that we’ll talk more. That’s already a whole damn lot in my book from a guy who owes me nothing.

And now it’s time to officially meet the kids. There’s a sick fascination churning in my gut. I wanna know if he did to them what he did to me. Fuck, I wanna know, and I don’t. But one thing’s for sure, I need to fucking see them now that my mind’s clear. See that they’re alive, that they’re okay.

That we got there in time to rescue these lost brothers of mine, and if what we went through doesn’t make us blood, I don’t know what else could.

Chapter Thirty One

Dakota

Learning of that boy’s fate was a shock. Tyrese. Bones and a red baseball cap buried in the yard of a house where who knows what other horrors might be unearthed.

The knowledge that Zane came so close to meeting that fate has me shivering. I’m grateful for his hand around mine, his grip strong and warm, reminding me he’s here with me and not laid in the cold ground.