Page 25 of Bren

The thought of anything happening to her… I didn’t even want to contemplate it. After my initial outburst, I held my tongue as Reaper issued orders. While I knew we all had trackers, something that had been implemented after Kaleb had been kidnapped, I also knew I wouldn’t relax until I’d made sure Bren was as safe as we could make her. Lexi would be safe enough at the garage with Gunny, Mum, and me, plus all the mechanics; nobody would get to her. But Bren and Ellie were always moving from company to company. Bren more than Ellie.

After Church, I catch Sam’s eye and tilt my head towards the corner of the bar where we can talk without anyone listening to us. Tagging Ben on my way, I tell him, “Follow me.” Knowing that with him would come Brice, and where he went, Booker followed, and Beau wouldn’t be far behind.

“What’s going on?” Sam questions, taking the beers that Dragon holds out to him and hands them out.

“We need to do something about security for Bren. I know that Reaper is setting stuff up, but I need to know she’ll always havesomeone on her. Ellie too as she’s usually with Bren. I’d do it, and I will some days, but I’ve got a massive order that’s on a timeline. Once I’ve done it, I’ll take over the bulk of shadowing her.”

Sam and Ben share a smile. “What?” I ask.

“Nothing,” Ben replies, “It’s just that you’re finally turning into the guy I always knew you could be if only you’d pull your head out of your arse.”

Rolling my eyes, “Yeah, okay, it took me time to grow up, I get it. Fatherhood will do that to you. What about Bren and Ellie?”

“We can take turns,” Sam replies.

“If you all give me your schedules, I’ll set up a rota,” Beau informs us. “Ellie works from our office most of the time anyway, so I’ll be there for her then, and I’ll make sure we keep the door locked and clients will have to buzz in.

“I’ve got a few out-of-town projects,” Booker informs us, “but when I’m here, I can tag along with the girls if they need me to. I’d suggest you let them know what’s going on as soon as possible, and you’d better let Reaper know too.”

Beau shakes his head, “No need. He asked me to set up the schedules, and he’ll check them over, so it’s not a problem. Get me your availability by tomorrow morning at the latest, and I’ll sort it out. I was just about to send out a message when worrywart over here had us come for this little huddle.” Beau smirks at me, clapping me on the shoulder.

The rest snigger with him, but I don’t care that they’re laughing at me as long as Bren’s safe. I relax a little, knowing that we’d do our best to keep the girls that way.

Taking a sip of my beer, I enjoy some time shooting the shit with them and try not to make it obvious that I’m keeping an eye on Bren, who’s talking to the girls.

“Is it weird that we seem to have broken up into groups?” I wonder.

Sam frowns, “What do you mean?”

I nod towards the main room, “Don’t you notice it? The OGs always sit over in the corner over there, then Pres and the First Gen always congregate over at that side of the bar with their Old Ladies, and we take up this side, and the girls always hog the pool table and the couches over at that end. I mean, I know we mingle, but we tend to fall back to our own corners.”

Sam looks around before turning back to me with a shrug, “It’s the natural order, I guess; the Originals went through their shit together, same with the First Gen, adding in that they all served together. As for us, we were thrown together because of school and training at the gym. It makes sense that we formed our own unit. We know that they’re there if we need them, but we are more than capable to handle shit on our own.”

Ben and I exchange a look; I’m not sure if Sam even realises that he’s always been our unofficial leader, and I know when it becomes time for Reaper to step down, he’ll be handing the gavel to Sam.

“Bren’s on her way over,” Brice informs me quietly. Turning, I frown slightly when I notice that her headache seems to have got worse. She’s always suffered from tension headaches, probably from always worrying about her siblings and their well-being. When she gets to me, I immediately take Lexi from her, and I can’t help but rub at the tension in Bren’s neck, hating to see her in pain.

‘Fuck, no wonder she’s got a headache,’I think when I feel how rock-hard the muscles in her shoulders are. I take that she’s letting me touch her like this as a win, though. Two weeks ago, she’d never have let me touch her like this. Thank fuck we’d seemed to have turned a corner.

So, when she tells me she is going back to the house, I go with. I’d rather spend time getting to know her again than drinking with my brothers and wasn’t that a complete mind fuck.‘Fuck me,’Ben and Sam were right. I’d grown up! Or maybe I wasn’t letting my past fuck up my future. It had taken enough from me, and I was tired of letting it win.

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I didn’t mean to fall asleep in Bren’s bed, but now as I lay watching her feed Lexi, I couldn’t help but be happy that I had. I’d not expected her to let me stay once she was awake, but I wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

I tried to keep awake because watching my girls had become a favourite pastime of mine. I now understood where Cash was coming from when he told me fatherhood was a gift, and he would always regret missing out on Sam, but he’d never regret that he’d done it to keep him safe.

It felt like I’d just closed my eyes when I woke to a heavy weight on my chest and a knee nudging my hard cock. Not sure if I’m still asleep and dreaming, I tilt my head slightly, and my eyes widen when I realise that, NO, I wasn’t dreaming; Bren really was curled around me. I’m just wondering if I should wake her or not when she mumbles, “You snore.”

My chest lifts and dislodges her slightly when I start to laugh, “I know.”

Sleepy blue eyes meet mine as she rests her chin on my chest, “How did I not know that the perfect Alec Owens snores?”

Running my hand over her head, I push a strand of hair behind her ear and reply, “Maybe because I’m not perfect.”

Bren smiles, “No, you’re not, and that’s okay. I like this, Alec.”

I still, and I’m almost afraid to ask, “You do?”

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