“What?Why wouldn’t she want to see or talk to me?I mean I know she wants to focus on her health and recoverin’.Does that really mean she can’t have any kind of contact with me while she does that?”I question as Playboy and Tank step up closer to me and place a hand on each of my shoulders.
“Kreed, it’s not that she doesn’t want to see or talk to you.Annistyn doesn’t feel as if she’s strong enough to be in contact with you and not leave the ranch to be back with you.Annistyn truly has to take this step on her own and left in the only way she knows how.The very second she’s ready to have contact with you, I’ll let you know immediately.If it takes me coming to get you from the clubhouse, that’s what I’ll do.Anything to help Annistyn and give her everything she needs as she recovers and starts the process of healing from her past.You know why she’s doing this, Kreed.She’s doing it for you.To be the woman you truly need and someone strong enough to stand on her own two feet even when she’s facing the hardest times in her life,” Roger says as I sink down on the bed behind me and Playboy takes the phone from me.
“Am I the only one she doesn’t want to have contact with?”I ask the question swirling in my head because I don’t know if I’ll be able to truly handle the answer if she’ll have contact with everyone else.
“No, you’re not, Kreed.Annistyn doesn’t want to have contact with anyone.She knows herself well enough to realize if she hears from any of you, she’ll leave before it’s time and won’t get the full treatment she needs.My cousin is trying to do the right thing here but she doesn’t understand how to handle the social side of things.She’s never had friends or had a guy she’s been interested in the way she is when it comes to you.Annistyn views Cali as her best friend.Her only friend.Again, that’s something she’s never had before because it wasn’t allowed.I just found out last night that she was locked away whenever anyone showed up on the farm for any reason,” Roger tells me as I look at the floor by my feet and once again feel a rush of relief that I’m not the only one she’s locking out.
“You’ll be there every fuckin’ day with her?”I question Roger needing to know she’ll have someone at her side when the days get too hard for her to deal with.
“I’m not going anywhere, Kreed.I’ll be here every step of the way and won’t let her face anything on her own.I’ve got a strong team here in place and have already talked to the ones who will be in charge of her case while she’s here.They’re all ready to jump into things when she wakes up.One of them has an eating disorder herself and will be able to help more than anyone else when it comes to that aspect of her recovery,” Roger says as I release a little more of the tension that’s been filling my body since climbing out of bed not that long ago.
“Okay.Can you at least update me every so often?”I ask, trying to make him understand this is a lifeline I’ll have when it comes to Annistyn.My Pixie who is doing something so remarkable all on her own because that’s how it has to be.
“You’re the only one I’m allowed to update.Annistyn filled out paperwork giving you permission to get updates from me and every other member of her team.She’s trusting you not to tell anyone else what’s going on with her and I know you won’t ever betray her trust.She means too much to you,” Roger says as I take a deep breath.
“Thank you, Roger.I was goin’ out of my mind with worry.Please update me as soon as there’s news,” I say before hanging up the phone and setting it on the bed next to me.
“This is a good thing, Kreed,” Tank says as I look up at him.“She’s doin’ what she needs to do for herself.Right now, Annistyn needs to be selfish and do what she has to for herself.You’ve heard Doc.If she doesn’t get the necessary help, she won’t be around much longer.There’s nothin’ else you can do to help her but be a support system when she comes home.Make sure she has a home to come back to, Kreed.You have that house you hardly spend time in unless you don’t want to be surrounded by everyone here in the clubhouse.Make it a safe place for her to set down roots and finish makin’ it a home for the two of you and any children you have in the future.Dedicate space just for her and the photography she loves so much.And make sure there are pictures of her on the wall.That girl is scared of the camera and she needs to know it’s okay to be the one in front of the camera lens.Be the soft spot she needs to land in on the days everythin’ is too much for her.”
“I’ll do that.She deserves that and so much more.Annistyn is my queen and will only be treated as such movin’ forward.I’ll give her an entire floor of the house if that’s what it takes for her to feel like it’s her home.It’s just space to me and means nothin’ if she won’t be there with me,” I say with all the conviction I can put in my voice.
“We know you will, Kreed.If there’s one person who will be able to give Annistyn everythin’ she needs and more.We’ve all watched you take care of your mom when you should have been a boy.That doesn’t mean you love Annistyn because you want to fix her.You are a fixer, but in this situation, it’s completely different.You’re different with her and we all see it.You truly see the woman she has the potential to become with the right help and support system.You’re the only one who can give her exactly what she needs without her havin’ to ask for it.Kreed, love that girl the way you know how and you won’t ever have to worry about anythin’ else when it comes to her,” Slim says, stepping forward as he talks to me.
“We’ll all be there for her when she comes back, Link,” Viper says and I know he means it with every beat of his heart because he sees so much of himself in her.“I’ll do anythin’ I can before she returns to help you get ready to bring her home.”
“Appreciate it, Viper,” I say as a knock sounds on my door.
Tank opens it to show my mom and Cali.Both women are worried as they look at me and no one else in the room.
“She’s okay.Annistyn is safe and exactly where she needs to be right now.I won’t say where or go into detail because it’s not about me.Just know she’s not alone and won’t be alone while she’s gone,” I tell them as they both slump in relief.
“Are you gonna go get her and bring her home?”my mom asks as I smile at her.
“Not right now.Annistyn will let me know when she’s ready to come home.Like I said, she’s exactly where she needs to be and will remain there until the time is right,” I say and I watch the realization dawn on Cali’s face.
“She’s with Roger.”It’s a simple statement and one I won’t confirm or deny.
“Annistyn is with another man?That doesn’t seem like her,” my mom says as Reckless, Viper, Cali, and I start to laugh.
“Ma, Roger is her cousin.Her biological cousin,” Caleb says as he looks at my mom and pulls her into a hug.“She wouldn’t ever do anythin’ to betray Kreed like that.I don’t believe she even knows how to talk to a guy.”
“I didn’t think she would, but you never know these days.As long as she’s okay and safe, that’s all that really matters at the end of the day.Please keep me updated when you can, Son,” my mom returns, her voice wavering with emotion as Caleb releases her and I pull her into my arms.
Everyone trickles out of my room and I head down to find Master.There’s no way in hell I’m about to not get one last look at the girl who has captured my heart and attention from the second I saw her.Master is in his room as if he were waiting for me.
“Got it all pulled up for ya, Link.Guessin’ you’re here for Annistyn leavin’ the compound,” he says without looking at me directly as I move closer and my eyes lock on Annistyn’s figure as she walks away.
I watch as she leaves the clubhouse and gets to the gate.She pauses for a minute and turns to look back as if she’s second-guessing her decision to leave us behind.Tears fall from her eyes and she does nothing to stop them from falling.This is a moment she needs to cry for because she’s making one of the hardest decisions in her life to leave everything she’s known for the last few months behind to change her life and become better.After taking one last look at the clubhouse, Annistyn slowly turns around and leaves the compound.The camera angle switches and I watch on as she takes one step after another away from us.Away from me.Roger’s truck pulls up at the very end of the long driveway leading to the clubhouse and gets out to help her load the duffle bag I’ve had since football in the back seat of his truck.Once the door is closed, he helps her in the passenger seat.He takes a look back at the gate for a minute before walking around his vehicle and getting in the driver’s seat.He pulls away and I watch until his taillights disappear.
“Already sent it to your phone, Kreed.Look at it whenever you need to.Just so you know, Annistyn has taken a huge step and is doin’ the right thing.We’re all here for ya no matter what you need,” Master says as I get a notification on my phone and know it’s the video I just watched.
I leave him alone in his room once again and head for the kitchen to grab breakfast so I can go to work.If I’m going to get through each day without Annistyn here, I’ll have to keep myself busy.It’s the only way I won’t climb on my bike and ride to the ranch to bring her home or watch her from the shadows to ensure she’s truly being taken care of.It’s not that I don’t trust Roger, but he’s not me.I know how I’d take care of her and it might not be the same thing he does.Roger uses tough love where I tend to give in to her because I don’t want her to be upset or feel as if I’m as bad as everyone in her life before I found her that day.Something I’ll have to work on before she comes home.
