No Man Left Behind: A Veteran Inspired Charity Anthology by Elizabeth Knox (black authors fiction TXT) 📕

Piper walked out of the cabin and Smokey signaled for her to join us. Women were never included in the MC’s business, but Piper was like a mother to all of us. She approached and twisted her hands together in front of her, her gaze bouncing between her cabin, my cabin, and the group of us.

“Darlin, why don’t you go check on Sadie while we finish up,” Smokey suggested, and she silently entered my cabin.

I caught a quick glimpse of Sadie sitting in the middle of my bed and something deep inside of me settled, knowing she was safe in my cabin with Bear. He would destroy anyone who tried to get close to her and keep her calm until we could resolve whatever the fuck was going on.

“Do you think it was him?” Skid asked, and we all turned our attention to him. “Do you think it was Callahan?”

Devlin Callahan was the newest king of the Flats. He rose through the ranks and rumor was he killed Marco and took over his empire. He was changing the dynamics of the Flats and I wondered if he would be capable of killing someone without remorse and walking away without accolades.

“From Jacob’s description, it’s a fairly good assumption. Supposedly, he had a weakness for kids and a short fuse,” Bullet replied, and I thought back to right after I arrived back in Portstill and the news of Marco’s demise.

Everyone was terrified of Marco, but he always surrounded himself with loyal foot soldiers who protected him. If he was taken down from inside, there must have been a damn good reason. The sound of a door opening made us turn and Mick was carrying Jacob in his arms, the little boy’s eyes taking in everything.

Mick approached and Skid took hold of Jacob. I didn’t want to traumatize him further, but we needed to know exactly who it was that saved him. The MC now protected that man, and we owed him a debt. At least, I felt like I owed him something for saving him.

“Where’s my sissy?” Jacob’s little voice asked, and I pointed to my cabin.

“Would you like to go with her for a little bit?” Skid asked and he nodded.

We all followed him to my cabin and Smokey knocked, waiting for permission to enter. Piper opened the door, and her eyes were glassy from unshed tears. Worried that something was wrong with Sadie, I pushed past my brothers and saw she was leaned against my headboard with Bear resting across her legs.

She saw us and graced us with a smile before her eyes caught Jacob. Skid placed the little boy on the bed, and he crawled onto her lap, being pulled into a fierce hug. Piper excused herself and closed the door.

“I want you two to stay here tonight until I can get to the bottom of what happened,” Smokey stated and Sadie looked over Jacob’s head, her chin trembling.

I was sitting on the bed, holding her hand before I realized what I was doing and all my brothers, and her brother Skid, watching with stunned curiosity. She linked her hand with mine and soon the silence overtook the room.

Skid smiled, Mick shook his head, Smokey chuckled, and Bullet fought the laughter as Sadie and Jacob leaned into me. Bear curled around the boy and was watching everyone as they stood and observed us. I felt under a spotlight, but something about this woman cracked the ice that I encased my heart in, and I didn’t care if they liked it or not.

Sadie was mine. And so was Jacob.

Mick sat down on the foot of the bed and spoke softly, “Jacob, I need you to tell me what the man looked like.”

Sadie’s eyes grew wide, and she looked to me. I shook my head, and she turned her attention to the scared child in her lap.

“Jacob. Do you know who saved you?” Skid asked, answering her unasked question.

“Callahan,” he replied, and my eyes caught Skid’s. He swallowed deeply, clenching his hands.

“Did he hurt you?” she asked and Jacob whispered, “No. He saved my life.”

A stomach grumbled, and I looked at Sadie who was resting her head against my shoulder. “Let me get you something to eat and then you two can get some rest.”

I don’t know where the compassion and understanding was coming from, but I wouldn’t ever do or say anything to upset her or Jacob. Something about the selfless woman who worked her fingers to the bone to support her brothers called to me and I made a silent vow to watch over them, protecting them.

“I don’t want to be a bother,” her small voice replied, and I leaned over, kissing her on the uninjured side of her head.

“You’re no bother, sweet Sadie.”

Skid observed me and when I stood from the bed, she said, “Thank you.”

“That’s what family is for,” Smokey responded, and Skid leaned over hugging his siblings before we left my cabin.

We walked to the clubhouse and the gathered brothers followed us inside. Skid helped me make a plate of food for both of them, and one of the prospects was instructed to find Piper and deliver the food to Sadie. Smokey was pacing the floor, his anger barely contained, and we watched and waited for him to give us orders.

I was always kept away from the more illegal parts of the MC’s operations, but after witnessing Jacob and Sadie so vulnerable and broken, I pushed the last bit of my moral compass to the side, vowing to kill or maim whoever tried to hurt them.

Skid kept watching me and it was pissing me off, but now wasn’t the time to have it out with my brother. I wasn’t certain what I was feeling for Sadie, but something about her called to me and I wouldn’t give up the peace and tranquility she brought, no matter if it pissed her brother off or not.

“Here’s what went down tonight,