“Not to you, they aren’t. They’d never hurt you or another woman, or most men. We handle violent criminals and other violent clubs. We just want to exist with our family in peace and keep our community safe. We have jobs, we run businesses in town. We’re about as normal as they come, except for the rules of the road and brotherhood we live by. There’s no line we won’t cross to keep the people we love safe. Especially me.”
Which means there’s no telling how he would react if he knew for certain the things Blake said and did, how my arm is still bruised, how I thought he broke my ribs when he kicked me, and how he has someone following me. Rhys would end him. I can’t have that on my hands. I’d be no better than Blake.
“Is that how you got your name?” I ask, pointing to his name patch on his cut.
“Yeah, baby. That’s why.”
“I trust you, Rhys,” I tell him honestly, even if I can’t tell him all of the truth. His shoulders visibly deflate, relief passing over his features, as if he really needed to hear those words.
“Good. ’Cause if you were scared of me, it would destroy me, love. I’m a lot of things, but a liar isn’t one of them. I will never hurt you, and you will always be safe with me. Always.”
He confesses the words, and I truly believe him. My heart sinks. “Are you safe? Has he hurt you? I gotta be honest here, baby, I’m really struggling with being okay with you going back there. I feel like there are things you aren’t telling me.”
And there it is. The questions I’ve been avoiding and hoping he wouldn’t ask. I should have known better. Rhys just wantswhat’s best for me, and I know he’s smart enough to put the clues together.
I open my mouth to tell him everything, but I can’t chance him going after Blake. I can’t chance Blake going after him. I’d never be able to live with myself knowing I was responsible for anyone getting hurt or killed. I may hate Blake, I may think he’s a terrible person, but no human should die. And I certainly don’t want anyone to die because of me.
“I’m leaving him, Rhys. I’m going to get a plan together and move out. I’ll be safe and careful. But I’m leaving.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
RHYS
The beer is cold in my hand as I sit at the bar inside the clubhouse. My mind has been fully on Bristol, wondering if she’s alright, contemplating what kind of man I am for letting her go back to the house she shares with someone who could be hurting her.
Wrath rounds the corner of the kitchen, looking like his ass is on fire. Pulling his phone away from his ear, his eyes give me a look of worry.
“There’s a woman outside the gate, she’s asking for you by your legal name, boys say she’s scared out of her mind. What do you want to do?” It takes less than a second for Wrath’s words to hit their mark, forcing my heart to rise up and knot in my throat.
“Fuckin’ let her in!” I scream as I’m storming past him, pushing through the crowd of people partying to get to the front doors. The cool autumn air hits my face, but it can’t cool the fire burning inside me. Scared out of her mind? If heput his hands on her, I’ll fucking kill him tonight. There will be nothing that could stand in the way of preventing his slow, painful death.
I’m on my bike before I realize it, the engine roaring to life under me. As I race down the long driveway, dirt and dry leaves pick up and form a cloud in my wake. In what feels like eternity but in reality is only a moment, I’m sliding to a standstill at the front gate, just as they’re closing behind a group of people. Our prospects huddle around a figure, guiding her forward. Then my eyes are on her, and my heart fucking shatters.
“Bristol,” I say on a panicked, rushed breath as I shove the prospects out of my way, leaving me standing right in front of her. I don’t waste any time, my hands sliding into her hair on either side of her face. The floodlight from the top of the posts illuminates her features. She’s hysterical, and I’d guess on the verge of a panic attack. Her eyes are puffy and swollen, and tears cascade down her face. I gently move her head side to side, looking for any physical harm and finding none. “Who did this to you? Who hurt you?” I growl, barely controlled rage thrumming through my veins.
“I didn’t know where else to go, Rhys. Kira is out of town, I can’t go to my parents’ like this, and I just wanted . . .” Her voice cracks, and I pull her into a hug, wrapping my arms around the top of her shoulders, cradling her head to my chest. She wraps her arms around my torso, holding me so tight that it’s clear she’s scared to let go. Her sobs come harder, her body shaking with the force of her tears.
I’ve never seen her like this, never wanted to see her so distraught. I’m borderline psychotic right now, torn betweenwanting to comfort my woman and viciously murder the person responsible for the state she’s in.
I drop my voice to a gentle whisper, not wanting to scare her any more than she already is. “You wanted what, my love?”
“To feel safe,” she hiccups against my chest.
So she ran to me.
I rub my fingertips against her scalp, my other hand sliding up and down her back until her tears start to slow down, her breathing coming in at a much healthier rate than moments ago.
Sliding my hands back into her hair, I angle her head so I can look at her face. Even tear-stricken, with bloodshot eyes and raw skin, she’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on. But I’m fucking fuming seeing her hurt like this. She should never know fear, should never experience hurt. My only focus right now is getting to the bottom of what happened, to make sure that she’s alright, safe, and comfortable.
I drop my lips to her forehead, kissing the spot furrowed between her eyebrows, then I kiss each of her cheeks, her salty tears coating my lips.
Bristol blinks up at me, large beads of tears sticking to her wet eyelashes before they trickle over her cheeks. “You’ll always be safe with me. I would move the earth itself to keep you safe.”
“I believe you.”
Thank god.
“Let’s get inside so we can talk in private.” Bristol nods her agreement as she takes a small step out of my arms, lookingaround at her feet for something when a prospect holds out a bag in her direction.
