“I’m calm about it because I know in the end, I’ll be with my woman again. She and I are never apart. She’s in my heart as I was in hers. We’d talked about this many times after our Jane died,” Bear states sadly.
“Yeah, but it should have been me.” My body stiffens at the words.
“No, Raven, and you know that. Momma B would slap you up one side and down the other if she heard you right now. You were doing everything in your power to protect her and your son as we were getting them to the Pocket. This isn’t on you and it sure as hell isn’t you who should be laying here right now lifeless,” Bear growls.
Raven stays mute for a moment as she holds Bears gaze. Finally, she nods in agreement. “You’re right, Bear.”
“I know I’m right,” he mutters.
“Rage is on his way up with several others from the Franklin charter. I also called Alverez to come back and he says he’ll get one of his friends who is a coroner to come as well and get Momma B for us,” Stoney announces as he comes back in the room.
“Thanks, Prez,” Bear says, standing to his feet. “Now, did I see you carrying a baby when you came in?”
Raven finally glances up to meet my gaze. “You have Mark?”
“Yeah, Little Bird, he’s in the kitchen with Pitch Black,” I say, sliding one of my hands up to brush her hair out of her face.
“I need to see him.”
“I know, baby, first you need to change your clothes get the blood off you,” I advise her.
Nodding her head, she allows me to help her off the floor.
As quickly as she can with my help, my ol’ lady gets cleaned up and changed. When we’re back in the main room, I realize someone was courteous enough to cover up Momma B. I guide Raven into the kitchen. Pitch Black immediately hands the baby over to his sister.
“His name might be Mark but I’m calling him Spartan,” he says.
“Spartan?” Raven asks.
“Yep, Blaze can tell you what he wants but that boy is a fighter.” Pitch Black grins.
“Ugh, okay. Now someone best tell me something. I’m figuring we were set up. What with the way we were attacked and all. But I want to know what happened?” she demands.
Shit. I do not want to tell her this shit.
“Baby, I’m just going to put it to you this way and we’re leaving it at that. Got to the location, it was empty, went in, checked it out, found Mark, brought him home to you like I promised,” I state.
Raven lifts her eyes to slowly meet my own and stares deep within me. I swear when she does this it’s as if our souls are one and she can read my mind.
Finally, she nods her head in agreement and returns her gaze to our son she’s finally holding in her arms like she was supposed to be from the moment he was born.
Chapter Thirteen
Raven
Holding Mark in my arms for the first time I finally feel whole. As if the pieces of me that were missing had been put back in place.
My heart ached for the loss of Momma B. The women were all still in the Pocket. They didn’t want to let them back in here until we knew it was clear for them to come out. Soon as they did though, the tears will be flying once again; however, I hope like hell we get Momma B out of here before doing so. None of them need to see her like this. It’s going to be bad enough when we have to tell them what happened.
Glancing around the room, I spot Matthew still in Cane’s arms only this time he’s not covered in blood and his clothes disappeared. He was down to his diaper.
Clearing my throat, I turn my attention to Blaze. “I need to get Matthew some clothes.”
“I’ll get him situated,” my man says.
“I’ll do it,” Pitch Black declares stepping forward. “I don’t get enough time with my nephew as it is so I’ll get him straightened out.”
“Thank you,” I murmur.
“No problem, but gotta say, Ray-Ray, next time I come for a visit let’s not make it this much of a thrill. Got enough drama shit going on back home. You remember Faith?”
“Faith?” I ask, trying to recall the name.
“Yeah, Axel’s ol’ lady,” he says.
Oh shit. Yeah, I remember her. “What about her?”
“On the way up here, we ran into her. Then some shit happened, and Axel and Fuse took her and her friend back to Louisiana. Kicker is Faith had a kid and was working in a strip club a couple hours from here.”
“Guess the drama bullshit is everywhere,” Blaze mutters.
“Looks that way.” Pitch Black shrugs turning to Cane and grabs my other son then leaves the room.
“Church. Everyone including the prospects,” Stoney roars, with Shadow and the rest of the guys following him. “Raven, you’re coming too. Not leaving you in the main room alone.”
Well, okay then.
“Come on, baby, let’s get this over with then I want you and the boys in our room where you can rest like you’re supposed to be,” Blaze says, placing an arm around my waist.
“Rest is for the weak,” I yawn.
“If you say so, Little Bird,” he chuckles.
Blaze guides me into the room that they hold church in and to the chair he sits in. I stand to the side of it to allow him to take his spot and sit on his lap. Ol’ ladies and other women are not supposed to be in here unless told. I’d heard stories of the ol’ ladies at the club in Franklin, that they all had burst in on them at some point or another.
“Pitch Black will be here in a minute he was helping us out by getting some clothes on Matthew,” Blaze mutters as Stoney takes his
