Whiskey: Soldiers Of Hades MC, #5

Python muttered something under his breath.

Cobra looked over at him.

Python glared back at him. “What? I was a man wronged back then. I honestly didn’t know about the girl until I saw her tonight. Cecily knew my name and where I was from. She could have come and told me. Or even called me.”

Shaking his head, Cotton reminded them all, “Well, it looks like she’s never going to accept us as family now, or anytime in the future.”

“She may not look like the rest of you, but she’s got the family birthmark, so I know she’s my kid.” Python shook his head as he looked down the hall.

Cobra snorted. “She has your disposition too, old man. She even growls like you do.”

Cotton snickered. “Yeah and you two can suck on eggs, according to her.”

They both turned to glare at him.

He shrugged. “Come on. You two come on a bit strong ya know? Like bulls charging at red flags. Maybe if you try to talk with her and not AT her. You would get somewhere.”

Python paused as if he was considering his words. “I wish I had known about her before. Her life would have been so different.”

“You can’t blame yourself, Dad,” Cotton told him.

Python shook his head. “I know but I always will. She was right about her mother. She was beautiful and wild. And yes, a little bit crazy and more than a little selfish. At least, Sidney doesn’t take after her. That, we can be thankful for. Except she looks so much like her. It spooked me when I first realized it. Took me back some years. I’m gonna need a bit of time to get settled with this. A daughter I never knew I had. God dammit, Cecily was as a selfish woman. I would have taken Sydney to my home and raised her.”

His sons stared at him. They both knew how he felt about family, despite how they were separated from their mother.

“Let’s go back to bed, it’s late, we have a full day tomorrow,” Cobra stated then he chuckled. “Let’s just hope we can get through it before she decides to bolt again.”

Once inside the bedroom, Sydney headed the sofa under the window and sat down. “I’ll take the sofa. You are way too large to be able to sleep on it.”

Whiskey just watched her for a moment, then he snorted. He walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge of the mattress. He took off his boots, then grabbed a pillow. He took a blanket that had been folded at the end of the bed. He came over to the sofa and gave them to her.

She looked up at him and took the items from him. “Thank you.”

“I would never force a woman to sleep with me. You would be safe as a baby in the same bed with me.” Then he turned and began walking away.

Sydney grabbed his hand to stop him.

He turned to look down at her.

She shook her head. “I know that. I knew what kind of man you were as soon as you woke me up tonight. I had a feeling you wouldn’t hurt me. I know I’m safe with you.” She shook her head. “Those other guys? Not so much but you, I trust.”

Whiskey nodded and moved back toward the bed. When he sat down on the edge of the mattress, he took off his cut and laid it on the dresser next to the bed. Then he tugged his t shirt off and tossed it. He removed his weapon from his back waistband and laid it on the bedside table. Pulling the sheets back, he laid down.

He reached out and snapped off the lights and in the dark, he settled down for the night. After a few minutes he finally spoke, “Tomorrow I have to ride to Odessa. You’re free to come along if you like.”

“Will you come back here after you take care of your business in Odessa?” she wanted to know.

“Yeah, I’ll be back tomorrow night.”

“Then maybe I’ll wait for you here,” she replied.

After a long moment, he had to ask. “Will you be here when I get back?”

“Yeah, I’ll be here.”

That was as good of an answer as he was going to get and he knew it. But she did promise she’d still be here, so he had to give her a benefit of a doubt.

He closed his eyes and fell into a light sleep.

Sometime before sunrise, he awoke and grabbed his phone to see the time. He knew he needed to get on the road with Lightning early, to get this job done in Odessa.

He looked over to the sofa.

Sydney was deep asleep. Well, at least it wasn’t on a rooftop. He shook his head. The girl was homeless, though she hadn’t admitted it. What kind of life was it to run from town to town? Her fear was visible over Carmen too. As well as it should be. The man was a stone cold killer. Well, his killing days were about to end. To think he came here and found what he hadn’t been able to locate for all this time. The man who’d murdered his family.

He found something else too. He paused and stared at Sydney’s sweet face as she slumbered. This girl had courage and she had some sort of tug on him as well. He’d felt it several times since he’d dragged her here. But hell…She might not even be here when he got back tonight. Her fright and flight pattern was clear. He hoped Python and his sons could keep an eye on her.

Whiskey sighed as he got up quietly to shower and dress. Then he’d get Lightning and they could get on the road.

Sydney woke up and stretched. Sunlight spilled into the room. She slept hard. But she felt rested finally. Sitting up, she looked over at the bed. Yeah, the man was gone. She let out a sigh. He was something she couldn’t figure out. He had dragged her all the way here, but then got mad when that Cobra had manhandled her. Then after, he kept her on his lap as if protecting her. Then here in the room, he again seemed standoffish.

Standing from the couch, she saw his t-shirt lying on the floor by the bed. She went over and picked it up. She tried to resist but she did it anyway. Raising it up, she inhaled. Yep. Leather and some light cologne. She sighed. She was attracted to a biker. One that had drawn her into this world of an MC, where she supposedly had a father and brothers.

She pushed that thought away. She had been alone for all of her life, except for when she was with her grandmother and she had so wanted to get to know her back then. Then Cecily had ruined that. Her mom had ruined many things for her. Again, she shook these thoughts away as she went to find some clothes and then she could take a shower. She still held Whiskey’s t-shirt. Well, she could wear it with her jeans.

After showering and dressing, she put her long dark hair into a ponytail and went out the door. She could smell coffee brewing and the scents of pancakes and bacon. Now, this was a good feeling, breakfast food. They must have a great cook here.

Coming into the man hall, she looked around.

There were many big men here. Not just the three she saw last night. This was about 20. They all wore this same cut, proclaiming, Soldiers Of Hades. She furrowed her brow. Geeze, she thought their name would have something to do with snakes. Not that she understood any of it. She’d never been around an MC before.

Her gaze caught the older man, Python. He stood by the table where they had a huge amount of cups and coffee decanters. He raised a cup at her.

She paused, then made her way over.

Python asked, “You like cream and sugar?”

“No. Just black.’

He nodded. “I take it the same.” He handed her a cup. “You hungry?”

She nodded and took a sip of the brew. Then she moaned. “Good coffee.”

Just then, a tall woman came out of the kitchen and made her way over to them.

Python stared at her then over to Sydney.

Sydney couldn’t take her eyes off the woman.

All curves, long jean clad legs and black boots. Long red hair the color of red like Sydney had never seen before and huge emerald eyes. She wore an apron over her t-shirt. After she stopped in front of them, she took a step closer to Sydney.

Sydney stared at her. “What?”

The woman smiled. “Yep.” She then picked up her red hair and turned to Sydney showing her neck to her.

Sydney gasped and placed a palm over her own neck. Then she looked over at a silent Python.

He nodded. “This is your sister, Scarlet.”

Scarlet laughed and then grabbed her up into a tight hug.

Sydney’s feet left the ground as she gasped.

Scarlett then set her down. “I hope you like pancakes.”

Slowly, Sydney nodded. “I-I have a sister?”

The woman nodded. “And boy, am I glad. Up until now, I have only had brothers.”

“You mean the snakes?” Sydney raised a brow.

Python huffed as he crossed his arms over his chest. “I am called Python, but my given name is Tiberius Valin. Your brothers are Lucian and Micah.”

“Dad, don’t get all worked up now. Show her to the table, so she can get breakfast.” Scarlet looked over at Sydney. “I’m glad to see you refuse to take shit. You just have to be my sister all right.” She patted her arm and walked back toward the kitchen doors.

Sydney had breakfast as her brother and her dad sat at the same table. She wondered at their silence but then after she ate it began.

“So, did Whiskey um…” Cobra started.

“What?” she asked as she took a sip of her coffee.

“Did he cross any lines last night?” Python just came right to it.

She set her mug down and looked at them. “He slept in his bed.”

They paused.

“And you? Where did you sleep?” Python questioned.

She cocked her head at them. “What are you getting at?”

“He just might not be the right man for you.” Cobra stared at her.

Blinking her eyes, she felt confused. “And why not? He’s one of you isn’t he?”

“No, not really,” Cotton spoke up finally. “He’s from a different MC.”

“And so?” she asked.

“Well, we don’t know much about him.”

“Well, neither do I. And if I decide he is the guy for me. Then what?”

“Oh crap,” Cotton muttered.

She glanced at him and then at the other two. “I do not know what the hell you think is going on and I don’t care. But just know this…This is my life. Always has been. So, if you three think that just because I bear the same birthmark as you that you can boss me around, then think again!” Her voice rose at the last part.

“You are my blood. My daughter!” Python shouted. “We need to look out for you. Protect you.”

Blinking at him, she shook her head. “And I don’t know you from didley fucking squat either. How do I know you are a good man? I don’t. So you all judging me or Whiskey…Well, you can just go fuck yourselves!” She got up and stormed from the table.

“Yeah, good talk, guys,” Cotton muttered.