Page 24 of Echoes of Temptation
“Let’s go get her back, brother,” Blackhawk says. “It looks like you have a shit ton of groveling to do.”
“He isn’t the only one,” Knox says, glaring at the rest of the team.
“We know,” Ghost says, regret alive on his face. “No bikes, one car.”
“Fuck,” Steel complains. “I hate the damn van.”
“It fits eight people,” Ghost says. “We’re taking it. Colt and Jax, you’re staying behind. Keep our little family safe.”
“It fits eight normal-sized people,” Viper says. “Do any of us look normal-sized to you?”
“I’m driving,” Ghost says. “Quit bitching and get in the van.”
“I’ll head on up to the house and pick her up,” Blackhawk says. “Park at the gas station so you can see when we pass. I’ll keep her out for about two hours.”
I climb in the van and smash my body against the widow of the front row. While we make our way to the gas station, I make plans.
Madeline will be mine, heart, body, and soul. I just need to make her understand how much she means to me even after the cruel lies I told.
I told her she was desperate, fat, and unworthy. I told her that I should have shot her. I said such cruel things in the heat of my anger. Things I didn’t actually believe but knew would hit her hard.
I’ll regret it for the rest of my life.
She’s fucking beautiful. I’m the one not worthy. But I sure as fuck am desperate. When I saw how she was with those children, I was flooded with so many different and conflicting emotions. I didn’t date clients. And this woman was way too pure for someone with so much blood on their hands.
Before that damn video surfaced, I had every intention of calling Ben and rejecting the job. I wanted to protect Madeline because she was mine to protect. I didn’t want his money. I wanted his daughter.
The look in her eyes, when I kissed her forehead before leaving her classroom, makes my heart ache. Will I ever get that look of longing, of hope, to shine back on that beautiful face?
I angle myself, retrieve my phone from my pocket, and hit two before connecting the call, making sure to connect to the van's Bluetooth. I toss my phone on my lap and just hang my head.
“Hello, my beautiful boy,” my mother’s voice rings through the van’s speakers. “Are you coming down Friday?”
“Mama, I messed up,” I say, not caring a single bit about the emotional break in my voice. The men in the van remain quiet but I wouldn’t mind if they didn’t. These men are my family and they mean the world to me. I’m not afraid to show them who Iam. It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve cried in front of them and it won’t be the last. They’ve been my rock for years.
“What happened, Kingston?” she asks.
Not giving a single fuck, I let my tears fall as I tell my mom everything. Viper is beside me with his hand on my knee while Blaze and Steel are behind me, one with a hand on my shoulder and one caressing the back of my neck. Venom is turned sideways in the front seat watching with so much love in his eyes while Ghost looks back at me from time to time from behind the wheel.
Every single man in this vehicle grew up in one family, apart from me. I joined them much later in life. While they’re all actual brothers, even with Venom’s adoption, they’ve never treated me as if I weren’t a member of their family, as well.
“Oh, son,” mom sniffs. “That really was a stupid thing to do. What happened to you listening to your heart, honey? If your heart was telling you one thing then why on earth would you believe something else regardless of the proof it might show? Honey, I understand you wanting to be cautious, but sometimes the heart knows best. Don't let doubt cloud your instincts. Life is about taking risks, and I just want you to be true to yourself. Listen to your heart, and everything else will fall into place.”
“None of us believed her after the video,” Ghost admits to my mom. “Well, Knox, Bitsy, and Sophie did. The rest of us are just as guilty as King.”
“She’s never going to feel welcomed in our family, mama,” I admit my fear. “Knowing what she went through, how is she ever going to be able to feel as beautiful as she is with the memories of what I did?”
“I know each and every one of you boys have a heart of gold,” mama says. “Mistakes were made. Feelings were hurt. Trust was broken. There’s only one thing to do, isn’t there?”
“What’s that, Ma?” Blaze asks.
“Fix it,” she says. “It’s not going to be easy. You don’t deserve easy. Find her, bring her home, and then fix it. And Kingston?”
“Yeah, mama?”
“She’s a teacher for special needs?” she asks, her voice rough with each word.
“Yeah mama,” I smile. “When I saw her in the middle of that class with those children, everything clicked into place. I’ve never felt like something fit with me more than in the moment. I broke it, mama, but I’ll fix it.”