My Family Is MINE

He is dead. I lost him to death.

I always hated when someone phrased it like that before I actually lost someone.

I would think, ~Just say they’re dead~.

You know where they’re at so you didn’t lose them. But I didn’t know what they were actually saying.

That the loved one was lost to death.

A game that they unfortunately…never could win.

I have now found Grave to do the unboxing of the past and have been okay for the most part with him being around.

He has followed every boundary I have set and hasn’t pushed me in one way or another.

The guilt is still there, but…

I think I might actually be grateful for Grave. I mean, it’s true I really miss my dad and I will never, ever be able to replace the man that raised me.

I’m just not disappointed with the fact I have someone here on this green earth that looks kind of like me and is naturally on my team. He is on my side.

Even the dumb shit I almost always find myself a part of, and it…it’s nice.

***

Going into big sister mode, I lost every single fuck I could have possessed and stole Uncle Jonah’s work SUV.

The door popped open, I give myself the pep talk I need to kick my ass into gear and go save my biker brother.

That’s when I felt his presence and the shoes being dropped at my feet.

Snapping around, I go into a defensive stance and will not let him tell me I can’t go.

“Stop. I don’t care.” Grave tosses me my dad’s jacket and goes to walk off. He starts pushing the vehicle and I have no idea what he is doing.

Slipping into my boots, I wrangle the leather jacket back on and man the steering wheel to lead us away from the cabin. I don’t know what he is doing, but it seems to be helpful.

Pushing it a good distance away, Grave comes back around to me.

“Follow me out. I’ll get you into town. I’ll follow you after that. You need me, pull over. I’ll take care of it. Don’t push yourself, Savannah.”

He goes to walk off and get to his own bike, almost disappearing into the night with the amount of black and leather that seems to be the only thing my biker family wears.

He didn’t ask me where I was going or why. He didn’t question me. He didn’t try to stop me. He doesn’t know where I’m going. He doesn’t know for what.

He’s just here for me.

Grave pushes his bike along the dirt as I pull up my beast mode and climb into the seat.

~I can do this.~

~I’m coming, Morgan.~

Blocking out the rest of the world, I know what to do. My keys in the ignition, I turn the radio on and click it to an oldies station.

My heart is hammering away, and my anxiety has peaked. I can feel the glass of the wreck hit my skin. The downward spiral as we nose-dived off the bridge.

A guitar solo comes over the speakers with the breeze of the wind to help ground me back on the real dirt and not that of the mucky clay sand of my past.

The music notes and talent are unique.

I know my man when I hear him.

Slash brings me down to root me. My seatbelt on, I close the door and move the car into gear. My foot on the gas, I train my eyes to Grave and follow him out.

I roll every window down and listen to my man wail on the strings.

~I’m coming.~

~And nothing will stop me.~

The windows down, I make sure I feel the wind on my face as I set my broken mind on finding Dane and his boyfriend.

I ignore everything but what is needed of me.

~Get to Dane.~

~Make them safe.~

When Grave starts sweeping through the other cars, I follow right behind him. At one point, telling him to haul ass, which he responds with going thirty miles over the speed limit on the interstate.

~Come the hell on, he needs me.~

With the pedal to the floorboard, I know this is dangerous, against the law, against the rules, and one hundred percent going to get me in trouble, but no fuck to give is found as of right now.

I’ll deal with everything else when I get Dane and his friend to safety.

When they are safe from this hate.

I push it faster and don’t bother to slow down when we pass the border of the city limits.

Grave drops back just like he said he would. Sunlight is creeping at the edge of the world, the full moon still on display, and what feels like a spotlight for me.

I even figure out how to turn the sirens on and manage to get through the small bit of the city without drawing attention to the music I have bumping out the speakers.

I can’t imagine what the complaint to come in would be like. Some dusty ass Karen going on about how rock and roll is the devil’s music and not for law enforcement.

The devil.

Lucien… ~I’m coming for your bitch ass next.~

Angel. ~I’m alright, my Angel. I’ll be with you soon. I promise.~

I skid around a corner and notice a little Toyota truck parked out by the old building.

My gut twists and knots up. I hope this is just how Dane and his boyfriend got away and not unwelcome guests.

The glass in all the—what used to be—windows has been taken out of the property, and the doors and most of everything else is open from the ongoing tear down the city has going on.

I don’t know how or why Dane chose this place, but I’m here.

I park next to the truck and turn off Slash, the keys going between my knuckles. Grave comes to park beside me.

Getting off his bike with not a single word spoken between us.

The look in his eyes is unreadable, even for me. His arm goes behind him and dips into the waistband of his jeans; he holds out the one thing I have never, ever been allowed to touch.

Grave offers no explanation as he hands me a smaller pistol and pops it out of safety.

Damon has shown me some things, but never let me actually have one.

I don’t know why.

~I mean, I’m responsible. Right?~

“Really?” My fingers lace around it.

“You wouldn’t have driven if it wasn’t serious. If you could tell me, you would. I’m here to keep you safe, not get in your business. You do you. I got your back.”

He nods his head for me to go on as he quickly tells me the trigger makes it go bang and to not point it at anything I wasn’t ready to kill.

“Good to know. There should only be two people in here. They’re hurt. But, I don’t know if that”—I point to the truck—“belongs to the two bastards that hurt them or not.”

Grave gives a tilt of his chin in acknowledgement and turns to face the building.

He goes into full hardcore biker mode. One of the same that Damon showed when I got shot in the back alley. That battle-ready, war-tested kind of stance.

I want to be like that.

I do what I’ve seen on TV and act like one of Charlie’s Angels. My back to his with the sleek little gun in my hands and brought up to my chest, I can even hear the theme song.

Every step Grave makes, I do too. I keep my eyes open and go with him as we push past the entrance. Like what I can see from the outside, I can see almost everything.

“I’m going to call out for them.”

Grave says nothing, just ready if anything happens.

“Dovey? I’m here,” I call out and let it echo through the abandoned store.

“Dovey? I have company, but I promise you, it’s only me.”

~It’s only me that knows.~

~You’re safe.~

~To come out.~

~One way or another.~

We move further in and get back by the used-to-be dressing rooms when I try again.

“Dovey? It’s Savvy. I’m here.”

This time I hear something from the fire escape. Grave must have too because he pushes me back behind him. His gun raised, we get to the half-cracked, broken-hinged door.

“Sweet boy, it’s me. It’s only me, I just had to be safe, that’s all. It’s only me. Come out. You’re safe. You trust me, don’t you?”

I can hear some movement, like the door sticking, like someone is trying to open the heavy door that they’re too weak or hurt to manage the rest of the way.

“I got it, it’s okay.” I hand the gun to Grave and run forward. I lift the door back and catch Dane as he staggers with his boyfriend in his other arm.

I grab them both and wrap them in my arms. Dane’s face is stained with old blood and it’s caked in his black hair like some shoddy hair gel.

The boy with him and his bright aqua-blue hair has been tinted with red as well, giving off an almost purple color.

Both of these boys are in nothing but their birthday suits. Both buck ass naked and covered with splotches of red and purple in welts, cuts, bruises, and that shadow of shame.

All of which should not be there.

“I got you, I got you both, okay? Let’s get you to the car.” I hold them tighter and let them lean into me as I back out. Dane cries into my shoulder but I keep us moving.

Grave clearly has no idea what to do.

When he goes to move forward to help carry one of the boys out, I stop him and flick my eyes to tell him to just keep moving.

I don’t want them touched by anyone they haven’t given their permission to.

I know Dane doesn’t want anyone to know and I want to respect his privacy as much as I can.

I should’ve come alone.

“It’s okay. I’ll fix this. Don’t worry. I got you.”

I take on most of their weight for the rest of the walk back to the SUV and help Dane into the back seat before helping his boyfriend into the other side.

I pop the rear hatch and grab the blankets up. Going back to them, I tuck them in separately and add another blanket to join them together.

“All safe, all better.” I kiss the tops of their heads and give them a minute with both wrapped in my arms.

My mom did this to Morgan and me when we got hurt. I got it more because, well, it’s me, but I remember her in the emergency room after I got stitched or casted and the hug I got.

The relief that came after the fear.

I’m not a mom, but I get it now.

“I’m so sorry, Vannah,” Dane croaks.

Grave keeping his distance behind us, not saying anything as to what he has seen or what this might be about.

“You have nothing to be sorry for. Nothing at all. Both of you. Listen, some stuff has happened and that’s what took me so long to get here. I have to go back to the cabin.

“I’m going to take you two with me, I’ll get you cleaned up there. I will not tell anyone. They will not ask. I will protect you both, okay?”

I look them both in the eyes and make sure they see I mean it.

“Damon can’t know.” Dane starts to panic but one hand to his busted up face and I soothe him.

“Damon isn’t with me. I will not tell him. It’s just me, Percy, Uncle, and Grave. All of which will not ask a single thing as to what is going on. You. Are. Safe. This is just between us, okay?”

Dane is reluctant but he nods in agreement. I shut his door and walk back around to the driver’s seat.

“I’m sorry, but I have to do this a certain way.” I hit the radio on and let the air hit me.

“I’m sorry, Savannah. I didn’t mean to do this.” Dane tries again to take the blame for someone else’s problems.

“You didn’t do this, sweet boy. They did. And for that, they will pay. Let’s get you two cleaned up. And we can worry about everything else after.”

Grave roars his steel horse to life and takes the lead. I start up and follow suit.

Nothing more is said or talked about the entire ride back, the sun high in the sky when we take the dirt path back to the cabin.

Pulling up in front of it, Percy is the first off the porch but Uncle Jonah isn’t far behind him. They have my door open before I have the car turned off.

“I’m okay!” I half yell with them unclipping my seatbelt and removing me from the car.

“What happened?” My uncle looks past me to the two boys tucked under a thick layer of blankets.

“Never mind. Let’s get the first aid kit. Come Percy.” Uncle Jonah turns tail, heading back in and letting me handle this.

What I didn’t tell anyone was, I knew that Uncle and Percy would know the second they saw them what happened.

We know what homophobia looks like.

We’ve dealt with it.

Percy goes after his father and gets the space ready for us and the two boys I’ll be bringing in.

Grave going right after them, I take it easy with helping them out. Keeping their blanket tight so we don’t flash anyone.

“Let’s get you guys cleaned up.”

I hold them a little tighter and walk us in.

~I got you.~

~You’re safe.~

~I’m here.~

***

“Eat. You need to eat.” I offer Tristan some more food since he gobbled the first bowl down. He seems to be coming around. It’s Dane that has me worried.

“Thank you,” he mutters gratefully as he inhales the food again. I pick up the second bowl and head out to the patch of grass that Dane has spent the rest of the day at.

Percy’s shirt hanging from him, a touch or two too big for his smaller frame.

“Dovey, don’t make me spoon feed you,” I warn as I take a spot next to him.

“Penny for your thoughts, baby prince?”

I hold out the food, which he takes.

He shakes his head and leans into my shoulder, managing a bite or two as we sit in silence. I don’t mind. He will talk when he’s ready.

“Why are you here?” He doesn’t want to talk about what happened and that’s okay.

I know he needs a distraction for now.

“Fourth trial, a lie detector. Luci said my mom killed your mom. Have to let the storm pass,” I sum it up for him.

“Mathias Barns killed my mom. Dad’s just mad because he can’t get to him.”

“Why can’t he?”

Dane takes a breath that he lets out in a sigh as my hand grabs his back to keep him calm.

“Because Mathias is the second-in-command to the Hell's Raiders. No matter how many times dad’s tried, he hasn’t been able to get to him. He almost never leaves their compound and is always surrounded by low ranks.”

That’s not going to stop me.

There has to be a way.

“Dane, would you give me some more information on Mathias and the Hell's Raiders?”

He leans up, his eyes big as he looks me over.

“You can’t think you could—”

“That I could do whatever it takes to bring someone to justice for something that should have already happened? Someone who hurt my family? Someone who dares to breathe after laying harm to my Angel and my brothers?

“Yes. Yes I fucking do. Luci calls my mother a killer whilst the real killer goes free? Fuck that. I will clear my mother’s name, get justice for Nina and go back to my Angel.”

Grave clears his throat. Unlike Dane, I don’t care that he heard.

“You need an actual plan, kid.”

“You going to help me with that?”

My eyebrow cocked. I look him in the eyes.

“Sure, what else is there to do?”

^End of Book One^