I pinch the bridge of his nose. “I’m sorry, I have no time for people’s feelings. We need to move” I search my jacket for my cell and pull up our tow truck driver’s number. Once he answers, I tell him our location and what all we need picked up.
I look down at Xavier, who is now in a sitting position with his leg wrapped up nicely. He looks like he is about to vomit–he looks too pale. “The tow is on his way to pick up the van, the bike, and the prospect for transport.”
He looks up at me. “How bad is it?”
I shake my head. “This ride is a bust. We need to go back to the clubhouse and recoup. Multiple men need to be tended to, and your leg is not going to ride the entire way.”
He nods. “Fine. Let me call my contact about the guns to let him know we won't be showing up with them.”
Once everyone is ready, and the tow has picked up the vehicles and the passenger, we all set out in our usual formation to head back home.
Chapter 48
Blake
After the day we have all had, filled with emotions and feelings, we all sit in the living room, enjoying some wine and listening to music. The kids have long since gone to bed and the rest that are still awake can be heard softly playing in the room.
“Anyone want to play cards or dice?” Sam asks, getting up to grab the stuff from the kitchen drawer.
I am exhausted, but as much as I would love to go to sleep, I know it will be a restless night. I would rather just stay up with the girls and bond. “I’ll play cards.” I raise my hand.
“Me too,” Naomi says.
That leaves Candace and two others to decide. But before the game can be chosen, and we get started, there are headlights sitting out front of the house. They shine brightly through the window, and I get up to check who might be out there.
With the headlights pointed directly at the house, it is hard to see anything past them. Suddenly, a loud pounding comes from the other side of the door, and all of us turn to look at it. Candace walks over to it, and before I can tell her to wait, she unlocks the door and turns the knob.
Whoever is on the other side of the door kicks it in the rest of the way, and Candace goes flying onto her ass. Gasps and yells erupt around the room, but I don’t hear them–not really.. Everything around me slows, the air sucked out of my lungs as my body locks up. Because standing there in the doorway is the man of my nightmares. Craig.
My stomach twists so violently I think I might throw up. My ears ring, my vision tunnels, and for a moment I am back there. He looks throughout the room until his eyes land on me, and he narrows his gaze. He points his finger toward me and says, “You bitch!”
I force my feet to move, dragging air into my lungs even though it feels like I am trying to breath through a paper bag. I rush toward him pushing him outside before he can turn this rage on anyone else. I have to protect Charlie from this. I slamthe door behind me and walk out into the yard. “What are you doing here? How did you even find me?”
I already know the answer. He will never really let me go.
“What am I doing here? Shouldn’t I be askingyouthat?” he scoffs. “Since when do you hang out with fucking bikers?” He takes a step closer toward me, and I instinctively flinch back.Don’t give him the satisfaction. Don’t let him see he still has the power.But of course he does.
“Have you been sleeping with one of them, Blake?” His voice is a low growl, laced with that same cruel edge I know too well, as he sizes me up. “Maybe it was the guy who paid me a visit?”
My stomach drops. Hunter?
My heart feels like it is going to beat out of my chest.Craig was the friend Hunter paid a visit to the other day? Why wouldn’t he tell me that?I shake my head, but my voice trembles, giving me away. “No.”
He laughs, sharp and bitter. “I know when you are lying to me, you stupid whore.”
His words make my skin crawl, my stomach twist and he isnt going to stop.
“What did you do? Take our child from a loving home, only to shack it up with some low-life biker?” He takes another step toward me., I am frozen. “I knew you were a whore the day I met you. That was the only reason I even gave you the time of day. Figured you would be easy to fuck. It wasn’t for your brains.” He lets out a smug laugh at that.
“Clearly you were too stupid to realize I have tracked you every day of your life. Did you really think I wouldn’t be able to find you?” He points at me. “Now look at you. Living up to my low expectations.”
Tracking me?Fuck.
I knew he was unhinged but this? The lengths he’s gone to? A fresh wave of panic grips my chest,I am never going to really be free.I bunch up my fist, feeling something underneath the fear.Rage.
“I am not a whore! How fucking dare you!” I clench my fist tighter, my nails bitting into my palm, grounding me.
The words snapped out before I can second guess them, before I can let fear swallow me whole like it always has. Maybe it's because I am not alone this time. There are people inside the clubhouse who will come looking for me. Maybe it’s because Hunter has shown me what a real man is, what love should look and feel like. Or maybe it’s just that I am fucking done being afraid. He is nothing to me now. He has no hold on me anymore.
