Tank's Redemption: Red Devils M.C. (Red Devils MC Book 4) (20 page)

Tank realized then that her mother and these men had no idea that Annie thought they didn’t care if she lived or died. He almost felt sorry for them. Having been with Annie
for the past few weeks, he knew that she was stubborn, and convincing her that they were her family as he’d always suspected even when she denied it, wasn’t going to be easy.

“Yes, and if you don’t want your balls cut off you’ll get the hell out of my house! I can’t be involved with this shit anymore. My mother needs to find a new person to torture. Now, go home!” Annie screeched, almost jumping up and down in her rage.

“Geez, Annie! How many times do I have to tell you to quit threatening my balls. It’s just mean!” Rico whined again. Then seeming to realize what else she’d said he looked shocked before saying. “Annie, we just want to know that you’re safe. Wait, your house? Isn’t this his house? And if you recall the last time you were with a biker gang you were the one being tortured.” His last two words ended on a whisper that he was sure Annie had missed.

“My house.” Annie said proudly, making Tank feel all warm and tingly, which made him fell like a fucking pansy.  “And these bikers are not like the Jackal’s. They won’t hurt me.”

“You can’t be sure, Annie. They could be just as bad, you’ve only been with them a short time and they could have controlled what you saw. We’re your family. You need to come home with us, so that you’re safe.” Rico told her.

“The hell she is boy!” Tank roared, his fist clenching at his sides.

“What do you mean us?” Annie said, her eyes narrowed. “Shit,” She said when Rico got a smug smirk on his face. “Where are they, and how many of you came?”

“Not telling, not till you agree to come with us.” Rico said, and Tank moved towards the man. Only he saw him draw the gun again, pointing it at his chest.
“Now, don’t get all heroic there, big guy.” The little weasel said, making Tank want to rip the fuckers head off.

“I’m not going to tell you again not to point that at my old man
again, dickweed. Now, put that damned thing away.” Annie growled, then she turned storming to the door. She stormed out onto the porch and bellowed at the top of her lungs.

“Get your fucking asses out of those bushes and tell my mother that I don’t give a fuck what she wants I am not coming back to run her shit anymore!”

“Fuck,” Rico said, putting the gun away. “So much for the element of surprise.”

“Yeah, that was never going to end well
, you know.” Tank told him, watching as the man ran a hand through his hair.

“We knew that, but we’re her family we have to protect her. If we don’t who will?” Rico asked.

“You’re not her family, boy. We are. She claimed us, and you aren’t getting her back. She belongs to the Devil’s now. And what we own we keep.”

“That’s sick asshole. She isn’t a possession.” He glared at Tank with fire in his eyes.

“No, she’s not. But she is owned, and you don’t own her, I do.” Tank said confidently before he walked out the door behind his woman to see not only several Red Devil’s in his front yard, but also about twenty men that he didn’t know.

“You’re all here?” Annie asked in confusion. “Why are you all here? Who’s with my mother?” She suddenly demanded
, her eyes narrowing as she turned to glare at Rico.

“You all left her to come here and get me? What if someone fucking goes after her while you’re here wasting your time with me, dumbass?
”

“I think she can
handle herself, gel.” A woman’s voice called out from behind a tree as she stepped into his yard. Ah, thought Tank seeing the woman, and this was when his baby learned that her mother loved her after all, he thought, smiling.

“Mother?” Annie asked, shock making her
mouth hang open.

Annie had been pissed when she’d stepped into the hallway to yell at Tank to hurry his ass up
, and found him being held at gun point. Rico was on her upstairs landing, holding a gun to his head. She’d been beyond mad at that moment.  Why the hell had her mother sent him after her? Then she realized that he may be acting on his own, without her mother’s permission. She’d thought when he said “we” he’d meant Tim and maybe Tanner. They’d always treated her like a kid sister. It had been quite a shock to see all twenty of her mother’s men stepping out of the woods. Then she’d freaked out because if they were here who was protecting her mother.

Only the shocks had kept coming because not only was her mother’s boys here, but her mother herself stood in her front yard. What the hell? Annie thought.

“Mother?” She asked.

“
Daughter.” Her mother smiled at her.

“Wh-what…why are you here?” Annie couldn’t believe that she was standing here in front of her. Her mother was here.

“Did you think we’d let you stay ‘ere with bikers, who might be holding you against your will, gel?” Her mother asked, her lips pursing in a thin line.

“I told you I was fine.”

“You did, but I didn’t know if you were being forced to tell me that.”

“Nobody was forcing me, mother. I’m happy here.” Annie told her, looking back at Tank. He moved forward wrapping an arm around her waist as if sensing that she needed his support to keep from falling apart. This was the nicest thing her mother had ever done for her.

“I can see that.” Her mother said, surprised filling her eyes as she took in Tank holding her.

“She didn’t think we’d come after her, Lou.” Rico complained. Geez, he was such a momma’s boy. Her mother had found him when he was fourteen and took him in, and he’d worshiped her ever since.

“Well, that’s likely my fault, Rico.” Louise said, looking at her daughter with regret in her eyes. “It is, isn’t it, gel”

“Well, I didn’t really expect you to be broken up about me not coming back, but I know you care if I’m alive or not.” Annie said hedging.

“Ha, you thought I didn’t care at all.” Her mother accused.

“Maybe,” Annie clutched Tank’s arm
, making him hold her tighter.

“Well, I do, gel. I
love you, and maybe I was too hard on you. I can see that, now.”

“Mom, it’s fine”

“No, baby. It’s not fine. I should have made sure you knew you were loved, and then I wouldn’t be standing ‘ere knowing that I caused the rift that now stands between us.” Louise’s eyes were filled with a fine sheen of tears, and she looked like she was going to break at any moment. Tank felt his own chest squeeze. Annie hadn’t known that these people loved her almost as much as he and the club did. She was about to learn that she’d always had a family, even when she didn’t know it. Of course, that was too fucking bad. He knew that what he’d said to Rico a little while ago was true. She’d claimed them as much as they’d claimed her, and she wasn’t going anywhere. At least not while he was still breathing.

“I just didn’t ever want you to hav
e to feel lost, but now I see that in trying to stop that I made you feel lost in another, much worse way.”

“No, mom. Really
, it’s okay. I knew you loved me in your own way.” Annie said, moving towards her mother hugging her.

“When I was fifteen your grandfather died. I was
left alone there was nobody for me to turn to. It was rough. I didn’t know what to do, my father had always done everything to protect me, but he didn’t plan on him dying before I could learn to fend for myself. It was hard to find food and I nearly starved before I finally found work. Then I began to save and bought the first shipment of guns and from there I built this business from the ground up. Then thought of you ever having to do some of the things I did to find food, horrified me. I never wanted you to ever have to feel that desperate. So, I made a choice to raise you not to be dependent on me to bail you out of every scrape.” Her mother paused, holding her hand against Annie’s face. She looked over Annie’s shoulder at him.

“I see that I may have been too extreme in my zeal to make you independent
, though.” Her mother looked down at her, and Annie was surprised at how upset she looked. Her mother really must care about her, and she had just been trying to protect her.

“Mom, I turned out fine.” Annie assured her.
Not wanting to admit to her mother with that heartbroken look on her face that she’d lived a lonely childhood.

“I know, gel. I raised you.” She pronounced proudly.

Laughing, Annie hugged her again. “I’m staying here, you know.” She said firmly.

“Yeah, that patch you’re wearing told me that. As well as the way your young man watches you like you’re his whole world does. He’s a keeper, gel.” Louise whispered, looking at the man who was her lover, her husband.

“I know, and I will be keeping him.” Annie said, loudly. Tank turned away from where he’d been watching Bone enter the yard, and smiled from ear to ear at her.

“That’s good, sweetheart. I didn’t want to have to kill all of these men tonight, I’m kinda tired.” He was only half joking about that, and they both knew it. If Tank had to he’d take on an army to keep her. That thought made Annie feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside
, even as it made her think she might just be as crazy as her mother for feeling that way.

Bone finally made it to them
, looking around at the men surrounding them, he asked, “Is there a problem, or are we good.”

“We’re good,” Tank replied, then gestured to her mother. “Bone, meet Louie.”

“Ah, I see. Nice to meet you.” Bone held out his hand and her mother took it.

“Hello.”

“So, now that everything is settled, maybe you and I can talk some about business?” Bone asked.

“Is that what you want my daughter for young man, cause if it is I will castrate you.” Louise told him with a glare.

“My old lady would not like that much, and she might just skin you alive for suggesting that.” Bone said, glaring at her mother.

Oh dear, here she went again, making enemies. Her mother needed to work on her people skills, Annie thought. Even as she had that thought her heart squeezed a bit at th
e thought that her mother was right, at least on the rest of the clubs part. She knew Tank was different, he didn’t give a fuck who her mother was.

“Besides, you leave here and I will not think of you again
. It doesn’t matter if you work with us, or not. But let me tell you that Annie strays here, she’s ours now. And what we own we keep, and that will never be negotiable. When we make people family, they stay family. So, leave or stay, doesn’t fucking matter, but I’d like to know how the fuck the Jackal’s are getting your guns. I thought maybe we could help with that, but if that doesn’t concern you, then what ever.” Bone met Annie eyes with his, and she felt that warmth again, except not the same as when Tank claimed her. This was the warmth she’d feel for a brother. And she was touched that even if her mother wasn’t who she was she’d still be accepted here. She was truly a Red Devil now, and it had nothing to do with being Tank’s property. It was kinda nice feeling like you had a home and people who truly loved you, just the way you were.

“Fine, I’d like to know the answer to that question as well.” Her mother replied
. Annie’s only thought was, ‘uh-oh’ because neither Bone nor Tank realized what they were getting themselves into.

Annie bent forward stretching out her back. She’d been gardening for the past two hours, and had just come in to take a shower. Tank had gone on a gun run with her mother and several Red Devils, about twelve hours ago. The last month had passed in a blur of happiness. Her mother was around a lot lately, which drove Tank crazy. He wasn’t liking her always showing up unexpectedly, but that was just who her mother was.

Annie knew that part of the reason was that it annoyed Tank, but the other reason was that she was trying to repair their relationship. Smiling, she took off the gloves setting them on the counter. She heard the door fly open, and then slam shut. Tank was home, and he didn’t sound happy. He walked into the kitchen where she was standing with a dark glower on his face.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” She asked. “Was it really necessary to slam the door like that?”

“Your mother!” He roared, moving towards her with a fierce expression. He threw his hands up. “That woman is crazy as fuck!”

Annie almost laughed, but attempted to hold it in because he looked so upset. “What did she do?”

“That insane woman just shot the man we were delivering the guns to
in the head
. There was no warning.” Tank glared at her as if it were her fault her mother was crazy, coming to a stop with his hands on either side of her resting on the counter. “It was freaky. She walked in with Rico, Tim, Bone and I like always. Then suddenly, she just pulled her gun out and casually shoots the man right between the eyes.”

Annie couldn’t hold it in anymore and snorted out a laugh, “Yeah, she does that.”

Tank looked at her like she was just as mad as her mother. “That’s all you have to say? ‘She does that’ really, that’s all you have to say?” He demanded.