Page 40 of Cyber
I just didn't know how I was going to keep them safe now I had them in my life, and their safety had to be my priority. As much as I wanted to keep them, have them live with me so we could play happy families, I knew it wasn't an option. Keeping them would just put them in more danger. If I wanted them to be safe, then I would have to say goodbye one last time.
Biting back a sigh so I didn't wake them, I started to close the door when something caught my eye.
A scrap of paper dangling from Iris' hand. The handwriting was evident but faint from the light coming from the hallway. My curiosity getting the better of me, I padded silently towards the bed and plucked it from Iris’ slack fingers.
Squinting in the half light, I read it quickly, the frown on my face deepening as I read it again more slowly.
“Son of a bitch.” My voice came out louder than I meant it to as I dropped the neatly printed note back on to the bed where Iris’ hand rested. The sons of bitches had known what we were going to do, they had known and they had prepared for it.
The threat to the two girls on the bed was clear.
Which meant I had even less time than I had originally thought.
“Cyber?” Iris blinked sleepily up at me, confusion clouding her eyes.
“It's ok, baby.” Without thinking, I reached down to stroke my hand across her hair. “Go back to sleep.”
I needed her to sleep and give me a chance to talk to Fang and Monster. God knows she needed it. Especially with how bad things were about to get. She needed to sleep whilst she could.
“When are you coming to bed?” Her face lifted, her lips searching for mine. I didn't waste any time in pressing mine to hers. She wanted me to sleep with them, to hold them both in my arms. She trusted me that much,
“Soon, baby. Go back to sleep. I'll be up soon.” And I would. I would hold them all night. I needed to spend as much time with them as I could. But there was something I needed to discuss with the two men downstairs first.
“Ok.” She settled her head back onto the pillow, her eyes closing instantly. “Don't be too long.”
“I won’t, baby.”
She was already asleep, her chest rising and falling gently as she hugged Violet a little closer to her.
They were mine. Both of them. And I wasn't going to let anything happen to them. Not ever.
Closing the bedroom door behind me, I headed back down to Maggie's brightly lit kitchen, my face set in grim lines.
Monster’s face lifted. “Everything ok?” The smile slid from his lips. “What's happened now?”
Fang didn't say a word. He could already see on my face that things were far from ok.
“We have a problem. A really big fucking problem.”
“There has to be another way.”
I didn't need to turn around to know it was Monster behind me. I just carried on looking out to where the sun had started peeking out between the trees. It was quiet and peaceful out there. And right then I needed peace. My mind was a mess, my thoughts in turmoil.
“Cyber, did you hear what I said?”
“I heard.” My voice was barely a whisper, but I knew he’d heard me. I could tell by the way he sighed and settled his leaner frame next to mine.
“You can't be serious about this.” He tried again, and this time I did look at him briefly before my eyes darted to the dark window above his head, the curtains closed tightly against the rising sun.
It was a brand new day. Soon Maggie’s house would be full of childish laughter just like she wanted, but it wouldn't last long. Nothing good ever lasted long in my life.
“I’m serious about her - them,” I amended quickly. It wasn't just Iris anymore; I had a child to think about. A little girl with dark hair and the same birthmark I had. A little girl that I hadn't even realised existed but that I would do anything for.
“Brother, the easiest way to keep them safe is to keep them close, you know that. You know that the club has your back on this? That I have your back?”
I knew that. Monster had been by my side since we were teenagers. We’d always had each other's backs. But it wasn't mine that I was worried about. It was Iris’ and Violet’s.
“I know Monster, but it's done. Just make sure you have my back when the time comes and get them the fuck out of this country.” My knees cracked as I stood, stretching my arms above my head. “I'm going to grab an hour's sleep.”
