I slowly make my way back out of the house to find my parents, Rex, and several other men standing around talking. They stop when I get close to them and everyone turns to look at me.
“Bean, Rex and the rest of these men have offered to clean up the house, repair the damage, and pack your things if you choose not to come back here,” my dad tells me as I stop in the middle of the sidewalk and look at everyone. I don’t know anyone here other than Rex and my parents.
“Um, you don’t have to do that. I’ll get it taken care of,” I whisper because my throat already hurts from talking and crying. “I will be selling this house. I can’t ever come back here and feel safe again. .TJ has ruined it all for me. I don’t know what I’ll do about the bookstore. I’m not sure if I can go back there again.”
“You’re not steppin’ foot back in this house, Doll. Let us deal with this for you. I’ll personally make sure everythin’ is taken care of and you can focus on your recovery. You’ll just have to deal with the realtor once we get the repairs made,” Rex says, stepping closer to me as I ignore him and move slowly past him. He could definitely stop me if he wanted to, but he lets me pass by without reaching out again.
My parents help me in the car and I wrap up in my blankets once again. Right now, I’m feeling extremely vulnerable and just want to hide away in my old room so I can forget today ever happened. Seeing what TJ has done to my home broke something deep inside me. It shattered what was left of my soul and broke my heart all at the same time. Having Rex witness that destruction shattered what little pieces were left intact. Now, I just want to be alone.
Chapter Nine
Master
WATCHING TALEAH STRUGGLE at her home broke what was left of my heart. I could see every single piece of her in each room and it was clearly evident in her office. Signs of Bhodi filled the room. His jerseys were on the wall in poster frames, the championship football from our senior year in a glass case located between the jerseys, and pictures of him fill the room. I have a feeling most of them were located in other areas of the house previously and she moved them to protect them from being destroyed. It’s bad enough the other pictures were shattered and left behind. Pictures of the four of us, our families, and every room held a piece of a past we shared. Memories flooded me when I first stepped in the house and saw various things Taleah kept over the years. Things I gave her, items my sister and her spent hours crafting, and a few treasures Bhodi got when we would ride out of town on our own adventures without the girls. Things only the two of us and Elara would know about.
While Mrs. Winslow was helping her daughter get settled in the backseat of the car, Taleah’s dad locked the house up and set the alarm. TJ might be in jail, but we have no idea what he’s told to the people who invaded the house to party with him. Especially the girls since he’s been fucking around so much with whoever paid him attention for a second. He’s such a fucking idiot and threw away a diamond for particles of dirt. I know because I did the same fucking thing when I finally broke Taleah that night.
I remain standing on her sidewalk as Mr. Winslow drives away and she doesn’t once look back at me. It’s nothing less than I deserve. I hurt Taleah beyond repair and I don’t know what the hell I’m supposed to do moving forward to get her back in my life. I know we can’t go back to what we were, I wouldn’t want to even if we could because I didn’t treat her the best. Taleah deserves to be treated like a fucking queen and have the world laid at her feet for the taking. Things I want to give her.
Pulling out my phone, I make a phone call I should have made years ago. There is hopefully one relationship I can repair despite my actions in the past and how long it’s been.
“Rex, did something else happen to Taleah? I thought she was getting discharged today,” my sister answers her phone and I can hear the panic in her voice.
“She did get discharged today. Came by her house to find that piece of shit throwin’ a party. Taleah walked through once the cops arrested him and got everyone else out of there. He’s destroyed it. There’s so much damage done that has to be repaired,” I tell her so she’ll calm down. “I’m sure she’ll need you soon, but not yet. You know how Taleah is. She’ll have to sort through all this shit on her own before she opens up to you or anyone else. She looked pretty shocked when they drove away from here.”
“Fuck. I knew he was a vile asswipe. Taleah said she knew what she was doing. Anyway, if everything is okay with her, why are you calling?” Elara asks me, her voice taking on a wary edge I’ve never heard from her before.
“I was wonderin’ if you’d want to meet up for dinner tonight. I fucked up, Lar. I knew it when it happened and have known it every day over the last eight years. Seein’ you rush to Taleah’s side only reinforced how badly I messed everythin’up,” I say as Count remains at my side and the rest of the club members move toward their bikes so they can leave.
My sister doesn’t say anything for a long time. I actually pull my phone from my ear to make sure she didn’t hang up on me. It wouldn’t surprise me if she did. I’m calling to meet up with her out of the blue after not speaking for eight years. The first time I called her, I had to let her know Taleah was attacked and now this. I’m sure Elara has whiplash from this shit.
“You got one chance, Rex. One. You fuck up again, I won’t have anything more to do with you. You have a lot to prove to me and I’m gonna hold you accountable. Do you understand me?” she asks, her threat clear as I smile for the first time since I got the security alert on my phone.
“I got ya, Lar. Let me know where you wanna meet up and what time. I’ll be there,” I promise her before hanging up and heading for my bike with Count following behind.
“Go to church when we get back to the clubhouse,” Reckless says, his eyes locked on me as I straddle my bike and nod my head in response.
We all leave and ride toward the clubhouse together. Pulling in, Evan is on the gate and nods to each of us as we pass him by. I wait for the others to park before backing my bike in line and shutting the engine off. Count meets me at my bike because I’m taking my time. Church is gonna be about me and I’m not ready to talk about this shit with anyone. It’s my personal business. However, I’ve brought it to the club with them helping me as often as they have over the last almost two weeks.
I finally get off my bike and make my way inside with Count. We head for the hallway and I already have my gun and phone ready to hand over. Reaching in my pocket after theProspect grabs my stuff, I pull out a pair of brass knuckles and add them to my collection. Count and I head into our meeting room and take our seats. I wait for Reckless to call church to order while mentally preparing for the conversation that’s about to take place.
“Church in session. Master, what the fuck is goin’ on?” Reckless questions me, staring a hole through me as I look at the table in front of me.
“As most of you have guessed, I have a past with Taleah. We met when I was eleven and she was nine. There were four of us includin’ my baby sister and Taleah’s older brother. The four of us did everythin’ together and ended up datin’ when we were in high school. Taleah’s brother was my best friend. He was like a brother to me. We were like you and Link if I’m bein’ honest. My sister, Elara, and Taleah were just as close. Taleah’s brother and I played sports together, rode bikes, and decided to enlist in the military right after graduation. Each decision we made had a conversation before anythin’ concrete happened. When I was with Taleah, I didn’t treat her very good. I could have been a better boyfriend for sure. No, I won’t go into detail about that.
“My senior year of high school, I lost my grandma. She was one of the most important people in my life and the pain of her loss was excruciatin’. That’s when I started to push everyone away from me. I never wanted to experience that shit again. It only got worse when Taleah’s brother died a few weeks later because I wasn’t there with him to protect her. I did the one thing I could to force Taleah from my life. Again, not goin’ into detail because it’s my business and no one else’s. I haven’t talked to my sister or her for eight years now. Not until the day Taleah was attacked and we got the alarm,” I say, refusing to give anything more than that to the men at this table. Not because I don’t trust them—I trust every single man in this room with mylife. It’s because I don’t like to share my life and this is one aspect I really don’t want to share with anyone.
“Movin’ on, for now,” Reckless says, letting me know I’ll be having a conversation with him later on. “What’s the deal with the asshole who was arrested today? Is he the one who put her in the hospital?”
“He is. That’s TJ Bond. Taleah met him in college and they got together before breakin’ up. She finished her degree and moved on with her life. He got hurt playin’ football, blew out his knee and it ended his career. That’s when he went crawlin’ back to Taleah. He’s been usin’ her for her money and the house. He has no job, license, or anythin’ of his own. Taleah has funded his life and he’s used that money to spend on his fuck toys. She had enough of it and I know she’s been tryin’ to get him out of her house for weeks now. He’s got friends on the force I’ve already reported. Taleah has also reported them,” I answer him, knowing I have his file in my office but don’t need it because I’ve memorized everything about the scumbag.
“Other than that, what’s his deal?” Manic asks me, leaning back in his seat so it’s resting on two legs.
“He’s an alcoholic and gambler. Lost a ton of Taleah’s money, always promisin’ to pay her back. TJ never had any intention of payin’ her back because he doesn’t ever win,” I state, knowing he’s in debt to loan sharks and others already.
“You and I are talkin’ no later than tomorrow, Master. For now, let us know when you need us and we’ll be there. I know you got plans tonight so we’ll call church for now. After work tomorrow, be here,” Reckless states, slamming the gavel on the table in front of him to end church.
After church I did more research on TJ and what’s going on with him in jail now. He’s currently in a holding cell waiting to see the judge. That won’t happen until tomorrow morning and I’ll be there to ensure he doesn’t get bail set. I’m not going to have Taleah go there when it’s the last place she needs to be. Taleah has already lived through the torture once and doesn’t need to relive it in a courtroom with an audience. It’s her personal business and is about to become public knowledge. I can’t imagine what she’ll be going through during this time.
