The Cross's Fury

planning

Hayden Pov

My mind was racing after the meeting that we just had, on top of everything else that had happened tonight i was wired. I sent my men to their assigned duties, Jake stayed at the house and Ryder made sure he stayed in the guard shack. We were now on high alert and waiting for the next move. I sat on the couch the rest of the night and into the morning making sure no one tried to attack us. I still wasn't sure we weren't followed here by my family and their goons.

Bag under my eyes and feeling tired i decided to go down and grab some breakfast for Rhea and myself. Hector and Jake were already down there talking and making themselves useful. i greeted them with a curl of my lip and a groan.

"Father called." Jake said as he broke the silence. "he wants to know where i am and if i had seen you."

"I thought you got rid of your phone?" i asked as i poured myself some coffee.

"I did, in the SUV when you said it was a risk. I have the one that was given to me.." i nodded and dug into my pocket to pull out some money for my little brother.

"FUCK!" i blasted in a angry rage. Go get Ryder and send him to my office, ill be there in a bit. Jake have him collect everyone's phone, no one is to make a call. Do you understand?" i tightened my jaw and ground my teeth.

"Understood brother." he nodded that he understood.

"i need to go wake up Rhea, see how she is and feed her." taking a deep breath and letting it out i headed out of the kitchen. I took the tray of food and drinks up to the bedroom and set them down on the coffee table. Walking over to the bed i watched Rhea's chest rise and fall ever so slightly as she breathed in and out in her sleep. It was like being in heaven.

"Hey, littles. Beautiful." i cooed to her as i leaned against her ear and watched as she fluttered her eyes open. she turned her head towards me and smiled

"Good morning. what time is it?" she asked as she stretched and then recoiled in pain, she must have forgotten that she was hurt.

"Careful beautiful. remember you are still recovering." i reminded her as i helped her sit up. "how do you feel?" i asked as i adjusted my self on the bed so she had more movement.

"I feel okay, a bit sore but ill be ok." she pressed her lips together like she was hungry.

"tell me what you need. im at your beck and call." smirking i flung my shirt off and exposed my body to her as i grabbed a clean button up shirt. Black would look good on me today i thought to myself.

"Hayden!! YOUR BACK!" Rhea exclaimed and hissed at the sight.

"It's nothing, littles. Now what can i do for you?" i asked again and placed the shirt upon my scared body and sat on the bed next to her. I would tell her when the time was right about my past.

"i need a shower and some food. Im starving!" she smiled. her face was so beautiful and smooth.

"Alright, ill go start it. you like it hot or warm?" i asked

"Not too hot but not too warm either please." she said in a pleading voice as i walked to the bathroom to start her shower. when i came back she was standing up and trying to walk to me.

"Feels like i haven't walked in ages." she laughed as she held herself up by the bed but i rushed to her side and wrapped my arm around her back.

Taking her shirt off for the shower made me really see the extent of the scars that marred her body. my lip curled in disgust and anger at her father who i knew was doing this to her. she saw me interrogating her body and went to cover it up but i stopped her.

"Im not going to hurt you beautiful. im just trying to figure out how a father could do this to his own child. A female at that. He was suppose to protect you, not hurt you." i ran my hand down her face and she leaned into it making my heart melt even more. No one would ever touch her again. Her father was as good as dead.

"Hayden, please..." she trailed off and closed her eyes in my hand.

"Please what littles?" i asked, i almost begged

"Why me? of all the people in the world, you picked me. Why? i dont deserve you." i saw the self pity, the "im no good to anyone" in her eyes as i stared into them.

"From the moment i saw you walk up to the school, cold and and shivering with no covering for the scars that showed, I knew. my heart and my mind told me i had been waiting for someone like you. We are the same in so many ways Littles." i leaned down and for the first time lifted her chin up and kissed her with the most softest kiss on the lips i had ever done. Rhea leaned in and let out a moan and i smirked. As she responded to the kiss i wrapped my arms around her and pulled her closer to my body. i pulled back, breaking the kiss and locked eyes with her, she was stunned and in heaven i could tell.

"that was my first kiss." i was shocked when she spouted that. she had never kissed anyone? no one had ever wanted her? she was mine, i was done chasing tails and fuck buddies.

"i have plenty more whenever you want them. Lets get you into the shower and cleaned up." i smiled at her and she nodded her heard then got into the shower.

After she was done, i got her some clothes and got her situated for a bit while i went to talk to Ryder about this issue that would put us in harms way if it wasn't dealt with correctly. Sitting in my office i saw Ryder reading something. He looked irritated at having to wait on me.

"Sorry." i said in a firm but unwavering voice. i wasn't really sorry, Rhea meant very much to me and to make sure she was comfortable was more important at this time.

The meeting with Ryder was over so i let him and Jake go do what i needed them to do and went to see how Rhea was. She was asleep on the couch and the tv was on. i turned that off and picked her up into my tattooed, muscular arms and laid her on the bed, kicking my shoes off i laid down next to her and fell asleep. I hadn't realized how tired i really was until we woke up 5 hours later to a knock on the bedroom door. Jake let himself in and shook me to wake me up.

"Hayden, Hayden...." he whispered into my ear and i jolted up and glared at him. What the fuck did he want? i wondered. It was now dark out.

"What?" i asked in annoyance

"Ryder found her. Mom is alive!" that got my attention and i bolted out of the bed and down to my office.

"Out with it little brother, what the fuck is going on?" i asked as i stomped into my office, wasn't i just in here today? i asked myself

"Mom, she is living in Peru. Ryder had someone in South America that said he had seen her, wasn't sure if it was her but it just got confirmed." Jake seemed very happy about finding mom, i was very cautious and not so sure about all of this. I stayed guarded for the sake of my family and Rhea, did we really know it was her?

"Take me to Ryder, i need to see this." I said in a firm voice

we walked into Ryders office downstairs and he handed me a blown up photo. It sure as shit was mom. She was there looking straight at us.

"get me a flight to where ever she is. NOW!" i exclaimed

Jake nodded and he found a flight. "I'm coming with." he demanded

"No." i demanded him to stand down "i need eyes on Rhea, here." i told him. He looked upset and hurt that i didn't want him with me when i confronted mom, but i needed Rhea safe here.

"Look little brother, I cant let anything happen to you. This is all me. Let me go find her and bring her back. Father could start a war at any time and i need you here to help safe guard our family." i warned him

"Understood." he was not at all happy but he knew what he had to do.