Page 86 of Fanatic

“You’ll be the head of the family, do you understand that? You and I, when Mum and Dad are gone, we’ll hold everyone together and keep things ticking along,” Fanatic teased as he laid back in the grass.

Shock hit Willow and I chuckled.

“Do we have to?” she whined.

“No!” I mock exclaimed. “You’re telling me you’d desert my family? My younger siblings, nieces and nephews. Willow, I thought family meant something!”

“It does, but yours is huge! Couldn’t we adopt some of them out?” Willow babbled, looking panicked.

I burst into laughter, and Willow’s eyes narrowed as she turned her head. “You were busting my lady balls?”

Willow launched herself at me, and we wrestled for a few moments before I settled with her lying full length on me and tucked under into my shoulder. “Yeah, I was busting your lady balls, but it’s still the truth. You and I will head the Michaelson family one day.”

“Just keep the scotch stocked up because we’re gonna need it with the younger Hellions,” Willow stated.

I began chuckling again and wrapped my arms around Willow, pulling her up for a kiss. Yeah. This promised to be a good life.

???

Three days later, I was sitting in the office when there was a stampede of boots. The door opened, and I jumped as Willow flew inside.

“We need to ride! Now! Someone tried to take Danny and hurt Ellen, she’s in hospital!” Willow cried.

I was up and out of my chair as soon as I heard Danny’s name and running with Willow to my bike. I swung on, noting several other members of Hellfire were doing the same. When Willow’s hands clenched around my stomach, I roared off.

Harlequin already had the gate open and was waving us through. Chance pulled out in front of me with Bear by him.

By rights, I should have been at the rear of those riding, but fuck that. This was my kid and Grandma. Sunny pulled in at my side and kept me company as we headed out of Spearfish. Shotgun and Levi came from a side street as we hit the I-90.Chance seemed to know which hospital Ellen was in as we hit the outskirts of Rapid City.

As we pulled up, I’d not even put the stand down before Willow was off and running inside. I hit the doors mere seconds after Willow and heard Danny screaming. Mum had hold of him, and I headed for my boy and took him.

Danny began calming, hiccupping, and crying more quietly. I rubbed his back and tucked his head into my shoulder.

“Nanna!” Danny shrieked. Disbelief caused me to turn and look. “Nanna! Nanna!”

“Shit, that’s his first word?” I complained even as I scanned the room.

Willow was in Axel’s arms, the man holding her like she was a lifeline. Axel appeared to have aged twenty years as he looked way older than his seventy-three. Wild and Cowboy flanked him, faces pale and hands on his shoulders.

I’d never seen Axel anything but big and strong, not even when he had been injured. But now he’d shrunk. I headed over with Danny as he kept intermittently shrieking ‘Nanna’. Willow twisted her head, her eyes wide.

“Seriously?” she demanded as Danny shrieked ‘Nanna’ again.

He was a lot calmer, but clearly upset. Willow reached for him, and Danny grabbed her and held on tightly.

“Axel,” I said.

“Son,” Axel’s voice was a weak murmur. His gaze was fixed on the ER doors, which Ellen must have been wheeled through.

Cowboy tilted his head, and I moved to one side. Mum and Dad joined us.

“What the fuck happened?” I demanded.

“Ellen had taken Danny out for ice cream. They should have been safe, Ellen had her cut on, which is why she’s probably alive and Danny’s still here,” Mum explained.

“That ain’t explaining shit,” I snapped.

“Mind your mouth, boy, I know you’re upset, but it isn’t your mum’s fault,” Dad warned.

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