3. Skyler
3
*********
I knew I was going to catch hell when I pulled through the gate of the clubhouse. The prospect didn’t even stop me, just pointed in the direction he wanted me to park. Which means someone told him to expect me, and what my vehicle looked like.
Eli.
He’s going to be pissed.
I was told to come straight to the Oak Ridge clubhouse after I got the call from Daddy and then from Eli. But I couldn’t.
I needed time to let things settle in, to feel Daddy’s presence one last time before reality comes crashing in. I knew once it did, the warm feeling would be taken away, replacing it with cold dread.
I knew Daddy wasn’t coming home. He told me as much. It’s why he sent the code out. But I wasn’t ready to be here. I wanted a few minutes to pretend my world wasn’t crashing down around me again.
I called Vincenzo and told him I wouldn’t be coming into work for a few days, and I knew he knew. He didn’t say as much, but the way he sounded on the phone. The deep sighs. The sound of his hand scrubbing down his face through the phone and his heartfelt apology. He knew my daddy was dead.
Vincenzo offered me all the time I need, a place to stay, and a bodyguard should I want one. It was all very sweet, but I already knew I’d have more than enough babysitters once I crossed into the Kings’ yard.
Passing the old farmhouse brought back memories of an easier time in my life. It was hard not having Mama around, but at least I had Daddy and Ghost, and of course Caleb and Liz too. I didn’t have grandparents growing up. Caleb and Liz were the next best thing as far as I was concerned.
Walking into the clubhouse, Eli is the first to see me. He makes a B-line for me with Xander and Walker isn’t far behind. The clubhouse is mostly empty this early in the morning. I’m not surprised.
“Hey, sweetheart,” Eli says, pulling me into his chest. I grab the back of his cut and hang on. “I’m so sorry, baby girl.”
I sniff, nodding into his chest.
“You know Gabe is blowing flames out his ears pissed at you for disobeying an order.”
I lean back, looking up at Eli’s eyes. “I know. But one day y’all will remember, I’m not yours to command. If Daddy hadn’t asked me, I wouldn’t be here at all.”
Cash looks at me and seems a little confused. He was there the night they took me to Mountain Heights and has been a close friend since, but none of them know why I was sent away and placed under their protection. Only a handful of members know. The ones who weren’t fully patched in at the time, like Cash, weren’t privy to my business.
Club business.
“Skyler!” Gabe bellows from across the room.
Eli steps back, releasing his hold, but keeping his hand on the small of my back. His way of showing solidarity to me.
“Come in here. We need to talk to you.” Gabe beckons me to the office where I’m sure my sentence is awaiting.
I walk across the room and down the hall to the office. Gabe is sitting behind the desk, Mack standing behind him against the wall. My uncle makes his way to me and grabs my hand before sitting down with me on the chairs in front of the desk. Caleb comes in a couple seconds behind me, offering a small smile. Eli closes the door and the shitstorm that is my life ensues.
“Where the fuck were you?” Gabe growls.
“Hey! Easy, Pres. She just lost her dad.” Ghost glares at Gabe. He’s hurting too, having lost his brother-in-law and I’m sure his protective instincts are on overdrive.
I put my hand on his chest drawing his attention to me.
“It’s okay, Ghost. I’m a big girl. I make my own decisions and handle my own…problems.” He cocks a brow, waiting for my explanation. I meet his glare with one of my own. I’m not the same little mouse they sent packing all those years ago.
“I needed a moment to get my shit together. In case you missed it, my father called me to let me know he was about to die before telling me to come here. Then he hung up and that was the end of it.” Gabe leans back and lets out a long breath.
“You were supposed to?—”
I throw my hand up, cutting him off. “I know what the instructions were. Daddy called mefirst. And although I agreed to come here, I didn’t agree to do it right that very moment,” I say, trying to keep my breathing in check and my voice from cracking. I take a deep breath and continue. “I went where I could be alone with my thoughts. I was still on Kings property. I needed to feel like…I don’t know. To fucking feelsomething or a minute. To cry by myself.”
“Watch your tone,” Gabe growls. My eyes roll of their own accord. “You should’ve come here where we could?—”
“You know I couldn’t come straight here!” My voice raises just under shouting. “My father’s death isn’t the only thing I’m facing, and you fucking know it. So, you’ll have to forgive me if I needed a minute to lose my shit and then get it together again before coming here to face the firing squad I’m sure I’m about to when Ethan finds out I’m here.”
Gabe leans forward, no doubt about to lose his shit, when Eli steps between us.
“I know what she did was foolish and reckless.” He glances over his shoulder making eye contact with me. I barely hold back a second eye roll. They can be mad all they want; I don’t give a flying fuck. I don’t report to them.
“But give her some slack, Gabe. She just lost her dad. She was finally getting used to the idea of coming back here, but not under these circumstances. A lot has changed for her in a matter of months. Now this. You can’t expect her to be excited or even want to come here. She’s right.” He pauses, looking at every man in the room one by one. “Ethan is going to lose his shit when he realizes the truth about everything, but especially if he finds out Skyler’s been at my club, with my men, his brothers. Just…give her some breathing room for a minute. Let her wrap her head around everything before you go chastising the shit out of her.”
“Thank you,” I whisper, but Eli hears me, and is quick to turn his attention to me.
“Oh, I’m not letting you off the hook, sweetheart. You were told to get to the clubhouse and under Gabe’s protection ASAP. If Vincenzo hadn’t called me himself to let me know he had men tailing your ass, I’d be taking you over my damn knee myself.”
“The fuck you will,” I snap.
Wait. What’d he say?
Vincenzo did what now?
My head drops into my hands.
Of course, Vincenzo sent people to watch over me. Fuck my life.
“I wasn’t trying to be difficult. But I don’t think I should be here. Why don’t we do this at the house? Away from Ethan and everybody else. I don’t want?—”
“Your dad’s house was trashed, Sky. Whoever did this, went through the house looking for something. I was hoping you might have an idea what they might be looking for.”
“Me?” He’s kidding right? “Daddy didn’t tell me anything other than when his next run was and when we would visit each other again. Most of our conversations were about me and how I was doing. If I knew who did this or what they were after, I would’ve?—”
“Would’ve what? You better not go doing something stupid, you fucking hear me?” Gabe demands.
“The stupidest thing I’ve done is come here, where Ethan will no doubt lose his shit when he sees me. We should’ve met up somewhere else. Away from him!”
“He’ll need to face the truth sometime, Sky. So do you.” Caleb speaks up from his place in the corner of the room.
“No. He really doesn’t.” I scowl at the old man. “He doesn’t have to know I’m here. I’ll stay in the background at the funeral like I did with Emily’s. He doesn’t have to see me. You can have a club funeral if you want. But I don’t need to be here for it. I’ll…” I take a stuttered breath. My uncle’s hand squeezes my shoulder. “I’ll say goodbye on my own. Without all the people around to fuss over me or ask questions about where I’ve been all this time. I’ll disappear again.”
For now.
“No.”
My eyes snap to Gabe’s.
“What do you mean, no?”
“Just what I said. No.” He cocks his damn eyebrow again, challenging me to argue.
“You’re Ghost’s niece. George was a friend of the club, and like it or not, it makes you club family too.” I don’t’ say anything. What can I say? If I deny his claim, I’ll hurt my uncle and if I accept it, I’m agreeing to his terms.
Bastard.
“We’ll have the funeral. You’ll be there, front and center with Ghost and the rest of us at your back. Ethan will probably throw a tantrum, but I’ll deal with him. He’s my problem, not yours. Got me? He’ll follow orders.”
“He’ll grumble like a little bitch.” Caleb chuckles. “But we’ll keep him in line.”
“You’ll have a room here at the clubhouse,” Gabe declares.
“No.”
“Excuse me.” Gabe glares at me, leaning closer on his forearms. “What did you say to me?”
“I’m not staying at the clubhouse. This is the brothers’ sanctuary. Ethan may have to put up with me moving back to town, but I’m not going to invade his safe place. I’ll stay at Daddy’s safe house. It needs some work done to it anyway. It’ll keep me busy until I figure out what I want to do with myself.”
“Where’s the safe house you’re talking about?” Mack asks.
“Down on Mulberry Road, not far from here,” Ghost answers for me.
Gabe looks to Eli who nods. He approves of my decision.
“You have a job at O’Malley’s if you want it.” Gabe changes the subject, but I know he’s not pleased I’m not following orders.
“I don’t know if I want to work right away. Eli and the guys have been good to me. I have money put away.”
“Your father had an insurance policy…” my uncle starts, but I wave him off.
“I don’t care about any of that. Not now.”
He concedes with a nod. “Okay, Butter Bean.” He kisses my temple. I hold back the tears at the mention of my nickname.
Hold your shit together, Sky.
“Why don’t you head out with the boys. Let us finish up in here,” Eli suggests. He doesn’t have to tell me twice. I jump at the chance to get the hell out of this office.
I head straight to the table where Cash and Xander had been sitting earlier, not making eye contact with anyone.
I lay my head down on the table and pray for this to all be over soon.
I want to go home.
A soft hand rubs my shoulder. I look up to find Lisa, Mack’s wife, and her daughters, Jayde and Sadie standing there. Lisa gives me a side hug.
“It’s so good to see you, sweetheart. I wish it were under better circumstances.”
“Thank you. You, too.” Lisa sits next to me. Sadie sets drinks down on the table while Jayde scans the room looking irritated with something.
I’m surprised to see Sadie. She’s Gabe’s niece. Mack and Lisa took over caring for her when her mother went crazy when she was only a baby. I’ve known both these girls since they were in diapers. I helped watch them a few times with Liz.
I’d been holding up just fine. Accepting hugs from people who haven’t seen me in a while. They reluctantly approach me at the table where I sit under the watchful eyes of Eli’s men. They greeted everyone, but Eli’s guys are all very protective of me. They don’t know the whole story about my past. They only know I was brought to them to be watched over and cared for, away from Oak Ridge and its inhabitants.
Even Eli only knows the basics. Gabe wanted as few people as possible to know all the details. Even he doesn’t have the whole truth. I’ll take it to my grave, Em.
Eli knows enough to know I could be walking into an epic shitstorm because of all the rumors surrounding my disappearance. It’s why his men were told to stick close and didn’t stray far enough to mingle for too long with their brothers. I’m sure everyone else feels the discomfort in the air. But is it ever comfortable when someone we know dies?
Daddy didn’t just die though. He was murdered.
I don’t have to be a club member to know the truth. I knew after the way Daddy sounded on the phone when we spoke, and then when I got the call from Ghost telling me Daddy’s body had been found and his truck stolen. He confirmed without saying the exact words; Daddy had been killed.
Which is the real reason behind the guys’ obsessive need to hover over me.
Protecting me. Watching me.
They’re all waiting for me to snap.
I damn near did when my uncle walked up after leaving the office and engulfed me in his big arms, cradling my head into his chest. A few tears slipped past, soaking into his shirt, but he didn’t let anyone see them. He held me to him and let me have a moment to immerse myself in the comfort and familiarity of his arms. God, I’ve missed this.
Armor, Skyler! Put that shit up and don’t let it down!
Ghost presses his lips to the top of my head with a tender kiss. “I’ve got you, sweet girl.”
I nod my head against his hard chest, and take a deep breath in, letting it out slowly, as I raise my face to look up at his. Those piercing violet eyes like Mama’s and my own stare back at me.
His large hand cradles my cheek as he leans in close and whispers, “Keep your shit together just a little longer. We’ll get this shit done with the club and then you and me we’ll go have a long chat and you can have a good cry, yeah? Your mother would have my ass if I let you fall apart in front of all these assholes.”
“I’m not going to crumble. I’m good.”
His reassuring words put a small smile on my face. He’s right. Mama would be pissed if he let everyone gawk and stare at me. She was very private when it came to emotional or traumatic events. It’s why she didn’t allow anyone to see her during the last few weeks before her passing. Only Daddy, Ghost, and me. No one else was allowed to see her at her worst.
Rebecca Sinclair was a fierce, proud woman. And she took every chance to give her big brother shit.
“I’m not as fragile as some may think.” He smirks and kisses my forehead.
“No. You’re not. You’re your mother’s daughter. Becca was as strong as they come.”
Cash adds in a whisper, “The minute this is over, we’ll find a store, stock up on Rocky Road ice cream, and all the cookies you can stuff in your cute little mouth. Unless of course you’d rather stuff it with something else.”
Ghost grunts, shoving Cash back and growling, “Fuck off.” I chuckle at them both.
“Don’t provoke him, Cash.”
You’ve got this, Skyler. Hang in there a little longer.
“What the fuck are you doing here, Skyler?”
And just like that, the small bubble of safety I had begun to relax in bursts open, leaving me exposed. Serves me right for letting my guard down.
The gravelly rasp of Ethan’s voice, and the harsh way he spoke those words, nearly takes me to my knees. I feel the daggers pierce my soul the moment his eyes land on mine and suddenly the air around me is too thick to breathe. I could only wish the Earth beneath me would open up and swallow me whole.
Do not cower, Skyler Sinclair!
Seeing him at the Pearl was difficult, but the space between us was enough he couldn’t see how affected I was by his presence. I’m thankful he’s unaware of the way my heart gave a harsh thump like it recognized its missing half. It was difficult, but doable because he didn’t know it was me in the Mardi-gras mask dancing before him.
But here. Like this. Where I’m completely exposed, with nowhere to run or hide, completely unprotected from his wrath…it’s suffocating. It feels like someone has stuck a bag over my head and all my air is slowly being taken away, one breath at a time.
Fucking breathe, Skyler!
I shout to myself in my head.
Get it together! Breathe in.
And out.I repeat the exercise a few more times.
I told them this was a bad idea.
Berate them later. Get a fucking grip on yourself.
I begged Eli to take me somewhere else until he and Gabe had a chance to smooth things over with Ethan, to get him used to the idea I’m back. But Gabe insisted Ethan would be fine with my being at the clubhouse because his president would make him okay with it.
Because that’s how shit works, right? Someone tells you to be okay and suddenly you are.
It’s asinine.
Ethan wouldn’t be okay with me being in the same county. Yet, here I am, in his precious clubhouse. The sanctuary for all club members. The one place, had they not forced me to be right now, would still be undefiled.
I’m his enemy.
The enemy his brothers not only invited but welcomed here.
The enemy who stole his sister form him.
Okay, so it wasn’t like I was given an engraved invitation, more like they made me come at Daddy’s request. Even though I warned them Ethan would lose his shit when he found out.
Fucking men. They never listen when you try to warn them their ideas are stupid!
Ethan charges toward me. Everything happens with a domino effect.
Eli, Cash, Walker, and Xander all file in a half circle, a muscular wall of leather formed in front of me and Ghost. My uncle stands at my back with his hands firmly planted on my shoulders, a show of solidarity to me.
That’s going to go over well.
Another proverbial knife in Ethan’s back.
Cash walks forward a couple steps, forcing Ethan back enough to create space between Ethan and Eli, making it clear Ethan won’t be disrespecting Cash’s president without repercussions.
The vein behind my eye is beginning to twitch at the amount of testosterone being thrown around in this room.
Ethan isn’t angry, he’s confused. His brothers are showing their loyalty lies with me before him.
Solidarity to an outsider.
The enemy.
Not their brother.
It’s a slap to the face.
The MC is a brotherhood. A family. Their ways don’t make sense unless you understand the loyalty and depth of friendship and familial connection they all share. It goes far beyond wearing a cut and becoming a member. Their safety, security…hell, their lives, are dependent upon each other every day. The trust they share is earned and held sacred. The patch on their back is warn as a badge of honor and a warning to any who would dare fuck with one of them. Because you fuck with one, you get them all.
Ethan’s brothers are standing before him, guarding me, his nemesis.
The woman he believes betrayed him and his family.
I’m certain by the scowl on his face he sees their stance as an act of disloyalty. Treason of sorts. He won’t understand their motives or their actions. He doesn’t know protecting me was a direct order from both his president and theirs. He wasn’t made privy to the arrangement. Not many in this room are.
“Back the fuck up, Anderson,” Eli demands.
Ethan doesn’t budge. His breathing is ragged. His eyes are burning with fire. Every muscle is taut. He’s not even seeing them. He’s looking right through them and straight at me.
He’s the predator and I’m his prey.
Unfortunately, it’s not a bedroom situation where this kind of attention would be welcomed. Shame.
No! Damnit, Sky! Focus!
A wave of sadness hits me as I remember I’ll never know what it feels like for him to want me again.
“Ethan! Stand the fuck down!” Gabe shouts as he stalks his way across the room to where we’re facing off.
Oh, here we go. The president to the rescue of the needy little girl.
My eyes roll of their own accord. This is becoming a habit really. When will they learn I’m a big girl. I can speak for myself. I don’t need them to do all this macho bolstering bullshit.
Gabe’s voice is threatening enough to snap Ethan out of ourglaring contest, but he doesn’t drop his eyes completely. Ethan takes two steps back but doesn’t relax in the slightest. His shoulders are bunched. He doesn’t want to let up, but he’s not stupid enough to disobey Gabe.
His president won’t hesitate to put him on his ass, and Ethan would have no choice but to let him if he wants to keep the beloved patch on his back.
Ethan relaxes his stance enough to lean back on his heels, and his arms are still at his sides as he clenches and unclenches his fists repeatedly. If I didn’t know him as well as I do, I would fear for these men in front of me and myself. But no matter how angry he is, Ethan will not go against his brothers. He won’t do anything he knows could cost him his patch. These men, this family, is all he believes he has in this world. And for that reason alone, they have his complete, undisputable loyalty. Even if it seems he doesn’t have theirs.
They were there for him when his world went to shit.
I was nowhere to be found.
Not by your own choice.
But I went along with the decision, therefore he has a right to blame me to some degree.
I take a moment and watch him. Take in every detail.
I’ve seen him over the years from a distance, but not up close like we are now. Never this close. Not in what feels like forever.
Ethan’s always been tall. Well over six feet, lean and fit. The man standing before me isn’t fit, he’s ripped. He’s a trained fighter by profession and it shows. His shirt pulls taut across his broad chest and what I know are washboard abs. I’ve followed his fighting career as closely as I could from where I was. I know a little about what his body looks like. But damn!
His now folded arms pull the sleeves tight across his bulging biceps. With his leather cut and loose fit dark wash jeans, dark hair, and light scruff, he’s beautiful.
In a rugged, psycho-crazed-biker sort of way.
Even with his pissed off scowl, he’s every woman’s walking fantasy.
He’s always been my fantasy. Even before he became a member of the Kings. When he was just a teenage boy with dreams of becoming a fighter with half the muscle mass, and the desire to make a name for himself. He checked off every one of my boxes.
Though, I must admit, the scruffy, bad boy biker is a great look on him and one I will be adding to my mental rub club photo gallery.
He’s so much like I remember, and yet so different.
But if I’m honest, he’s been starring in every one of my dirty dreams since I saw him at The Pearl.
The heated look he gave me had my body throbbing at the center and my mind conjuring up all the dirty ways I knew he could get me off.
Down girl!
He wasn’t looking at you like that. He was looking at Scarlet.
A girl can dream.
Now he looks tortured and a bit unhinged.
This is how he looks at Skyler. Scarlet is his fantasy. Skyler is his hated foe.
Everything within me is screaming, begging me to run to him, pull him close, and tell him how sorry I truly am for everything I had to do. For the hurt I caused him. The hate and accusation I see staring back at me in those whiskey brown eyes of his have me considering betraying the trust of those whose secrets I’ve kept, the ones that have hurt him.
Including mine.
But it would only hurt him more and put the rest of us in harm’s way. I can’t hurt him anymore.
Nor can I cower to him.
“She’s a fucking traitor and a junky whore who got my sister killed and left me to pick up the pieces alone! So, why. The fuck. Is she. Here?”
His words hit his target, but he’s not going to get the response he’s expecting.
Maybe if he hadn’t chosen to come at me in the middle of Gabe’s explanation about my father’s death. Maybe if he’d listenedto what was being said, he’d have understood why I’m here and maybe we could’ve handled things civilly out of respect for my dad if nothing else. But Gabe didn’t fucking listen to me. Ethan isn’t listening to Gabe and is doing exactly what I said he would. Though his reaction is understandable, it’s still disrespectful to me, to Gabe, but most importantly, to Daddy. I might’ve put up with people’s bullshit before, but I’m not the same girl I was back then.
That girl died years ago.
And this woman is pissed.
I don’t drop my gaze or look away. I hold Ethan’s stare with mine. The shit I’ve been through has taught me what I’m really made of, and I will not cower to him or anyone else. It’s something they all need to understand.
Hate me all you want, Ethan, but I’m not the little mouse I once was.
“Answer me,”Ethan demands. His words aren’t directed at Gabe, but at me.
Having had enough of everyone’s demands and gruff demeanor, I step forward, speaking directly at him. “My being here has nothing to do with you, Ethan. I was summoned here because my father’s been murdered, and the club wishes to help me bury him.”
All eyes are suddenly on me. I feel the stares burning into my skin.
Ethan’s head snaps back momentarily so I know he heard me.
The stillness in the room is eerie. The calm before the storm. Gabe hadn’t filled in that last little part about Daddy’s death. Gabe growls.
My chest is tight with trepidation and animosity, but I hold my ground and let the pain and anger of my father’s death take root. They’re my anchor, holding me to reality, keeping me from spewing everything and not giving fuck all if anyone here likes it or not.
But you don’t want their blood on your hands.
Well…
No! Sky! Focus!
Eli growls at Ethan to stand down.
Everyone is quiet; only the sounds of heavy breathing and soft whimpers can be heard as the news of Daddy’s death sinks in.
All eyes are on us, waiting to see what will happen next. Eli’s men stand ready to defend and protect me, while Gabe’s men file in to stand beside Ethan. Whether they plan to hold him back or help him should a fight break out, I have no fucking clue. None of the men in this room owe me their loyalty the way they do the patch on their backs or the men at their sides. The only reason any of them are standing to protect me now is because of my father and what he did for this club and my uncle. He kept their secrets, and those who know, have kept mine. The skeletons he kept hidden, the sacrifices my father made when I was sent away, they’re the kind of ties that bind.
“You need to calm down.” Cash smirks, talking to Ethan. “You’re liable to pop a hemorrhoid talking out your ass so much.” Though ill timed, Cash’s off the cuff remark does as intended, and defuses the situation by several degrees causing some of the men to relax a little in their stance. Unfortunately, it does nothing to calm Ethan’s ire.
I tap Eli’s shoulder to get his attention. When he acknowledges me, I nudge both his and Cash’s arms, pushing for them to move. Both glance at me, and I nod.
I’ll be fine.
Eli gives me room to walk through their muscular barricade, while Cash moves over a single step. He turns my face to his, lifts my chin, and searches my eyes. A low growl comes from Ethan which only serves to make Cash smirk.
Such a punk ass.
Always poking the damn bear.
When Cash sees what he’s looking for…my lack of fear I imagine…my armor in place, he drops my chin giving a slight tip of his own, then finally moves one step more. It’s not because I need his permission, but Cash’s loyalty is to me.
By protecting me, Cash is being loyal to his president and the orders given to him. Eli tasked Cash years ago with my personal safety and well-being. He takes his job as protector very seriously. He’s been my rock when I needed one.
“A brother’s loyalty is to his club, first and foremost.” I’ve heard those words preached my whole life growing up with an uncle who lives and breathes for his MC family.
“I’ve got this. It’s fine. I’m fine.” The two men move almost shoulder to shoulder with me. Ghost takes a firm stance behind me, and I can feel the anger radiating off him from here.
Jesus, the testosterone in here is stifling!
Although, to be fair, my Uncle Chris has just lost his brother-in-law and is concerned about a threat to his only niece. Him snapping would be understandable. Scary and a little bloody, but understandable. Thankfully, he’s allowing me to handle it myself…for now. But I can guarantee with all he’s dealing with, his temper is holding on by a sheer thread.
This is exactly what I was trying to avoid when I asked them not to bring me here.
“Hello, Ethan.” My voice is calm, and as polite as I can muster. I’m holding on by a thin thread myself. I haven’t had time to process through my father’s death or what it means for me moving forward. The time at the dock was only a band-aid. A temporary reprieve until I can get away on my own and deal with my own shit.
I have so many questions lurking in the back of my mind.
Will our agreement with the club still stand?
Does this mean the past is coming back to haunt me?
I can’t do this here. There’s too much to process and this isn’t the time or the place to do so.
Ethan has a reason to be angry, but so do I, and if he’s smart, he’ll realize the fact and let shit go for now.
“I asked you a fucking question,” he says through gritted teeth.
Not smart. Noted. One too many hits in the ring, I guess. Shame. I had such high hopes for him once upon a time.
“And had you been listening, you would’ve heard the answer. My. Father. Is. Dead.” There are muffled whispers heard throughout the room, most of them curses. “You probably would’ve heard Gabe announce it to the room if you had been listening to your president and not so busy focusing on the new pussy in the room.”
Shots fired, bitch!
It’s a dick move to point out his disrespect to not only me but to Gabe as well. I know it’ll only stir the pot, but I don’t care.
Not. A goddamn bit.
Ethan stands there glaring at me. He heard me, but he can’t see past the anger and deception he feels when it comes to me. I told them he wouldn’t. Ambushing him was only going to make shit worse. Did anyone listen?
“You haven’t been home in six years. You never came to see him, not once, and now you show up? Why bother?”His eyes narrow as he glares at me expecting me to feel guilty and crack, I presume. But he’s wrong. In more ways than one. “Why not stay gone. It would’ve been better for everyone if you had.”
Shy, timid, soft spoken, never wanting to engage in conflict Skyler from six years ago? She would’ve cowered to his threatening tone. Would’ve broken down at his hurtful words, hearing he’d rather I stayed away. Probably would’ve curled in on herself and hidden away in a dark room feeling guilty. Because I hated for people to be upset with me. Especially Ethan.
But now? Fuck that. I cower to no one. Never again.
These accusations aren’t true, and I’m done giving a shit about what people think about me.
I could set him straight. Explain what he doesn’t know and prove him wrong. Give him a reason to apologize and make shit right. But there’s no point. It would only serve to piss him off more to know I had been here. I saw my father once a month for the last five years, once we established it was safe. We kept in contact almost every day by burner phones. If he was busy with a run or was in a position where it wasn’t safe to speak to me directly, he would send messages through Eli telling me he would contact me when it was.
“You’re right. I haven’t been home, and I didn’t want to come here.” I gesture around the room. “I didn’t make this deal. Like you, I’m just following orders.” I turn, narrowing my eyes at Gabe, whose face is an emotionless mask.
Ethan’s eyes darken, and his nostrils flare. He’s infuriated. So am I, baby. So am I.
“What deal? What are you talking about?”
I take a deep, cleansing breath and let it out slowly grasping for an ounce of patience. Really what I need is a magic carpet and a fast wind to carry my ass out of here.
“Daddy made a deal with Gabe and the club a long time ago. You’ll have to ask your president for the details, since I’m but a lowly woman and don’t have the privilege of knowing the specifics of ‘club business.’ Right before he called the club, Daddy called me and told me to get my ass to Oak Ridge. To Gabe. My being here has nothing to do with you or the club. I’m simply here to keep a promise to bury Daddy next to Mama on the hill overseeing town.”
“You’re lying. The club has no reason to do a damn thing for you. For George, sure, but you. No fucking way.” He’s waiting for a reaction from me. A sign his words have struck a nerve. When he doesn’t get what he’s after, he continues his tirade. “You, fucking left Oak Ridge after you got my sister mixed up in your bullshit. You’re the reason Emily is dead. Instead of owning up for your mistakes, like a goddamn coward…you ran. Leaving me here to clean up your shit…alone. No one here owes you a goddamn thing.”
And there it is.
The real reason he’s pissed.I don’t believe he believes I’m a junkie. He knows me too well to believe I’d ever do anything of the sort. But it’s easier to blame me than to accept the truth about his sister’s death.
He thinks I left him alone. It’s the real reason he hates me.
I don’t think he really believes the rumors or that I was the cause of Emily’s death. Deep down, he knows I would never be those things. I’d never put Emily in danger.
But he’s too hurt to care.
“If you only knew the truth.” The words are out before I can catch them. Though they weren’t said loudly, I can still feel Gabe’s eyes when his head snaps to look in my direction, glaring.
“What was that?” he asks, but I don’t repeat myself.
“She’s telling the truth. George told her to come here.” Ghost speaks from behind me. He’s not my uncle. In this moment, he’s Ghost, the man the club calls to make people disappear, and he’s letting Ethan know he’s not fucking around by his tone.
“Why the hell would George have called you right before he died? Unless you had something to do with his murder. Is that it, Sky? Did you get yourself in trouble? Is George another victim in your fucked up game?”
“You son of a bitch!” Ghost roars as he pushes past me, grabbing Ethan by the collar of his shirt, and swinging. His fist collides with Ethan’s face, and pandemonium ensues in the common room.
Gabe and Mack pull Ghost off Ethan. Ethan takes a shot while he’s subdued only to be wrestled to the ground by Eli and Walker. Xander takes his stance in front of me, guarding me from the chaos. I reach around him, wanting to get in between them all and put an end to this idiocy. Hawk reaches his arm across my chest holding me back.
“Stay out of it, Sky.”
“Fuck you! Let me go!”
Cash hears me shouting and moves from the pile of fists and bodies flailing to where I’m being blockaded.
“Come on, Sky.” Cash takes my hand. “You’re leaving.”
I’m suddenly frozen in place, lost to the memories and why this is happening.
“Come on Sky. You’re leaving,” Daddy says. “It’s the only way.”
“I have to tell Ethan, Daddy. He’ll think something terrible happened to me. He needs to know what really happened. He deserves to know the truth.”
“He can’t know, Sky. He’s going to have to believe you ran away like everyone else will. It’s the only way.”
“He’ll hate me.”
“Sky!” Cash shouts my name, but I’m still stuck back there.
Of all the times I wish I wasn’t right.
Her death isn’t on your hands.
No. Hers isn’t, but…
“If I ever say or text the words, Skyfall, you get your ass back to Gabe immediately. Don’t ask questions. Don’t make any unplanned stops. You follow the plan to a ‘T’ and get your ass home. Promise me, Butter Bean. I need to hear the words.”
“I promise, Daddy.”
“That’s enough!” I shout over the crowd. The entire room stills. All heads turning to meet my gaze.
Ghost is being held by Gabe, Mack, Declan, and a prospect I don’t recognize. While Ethan has Jake, Gus, and Caleb holding him back with Walker and Eli standing in the middle in case one of them gets loose.
Jesus. This went fucking swell didn’t it.
“You’re right, Ethan. The club may not owe me, but everyone here loved my Daddy. They offered to give him a proper burial and honor him and his friendship to the people of this club. Blame me for whatever you must to make things easier for yourself, but don’t expect me to stand here and have you disrespect my father’s memory.”
I move to leave but am stopped by Cash’s hand on my stomach.
Damnit! Can’t a girl get a dramatic exit for once? The testosterone filling this room is enough to shrink my ovaries.
He doesn’t want me getting close to Ethan, but I’m too pissed to care what anyone thinks anymore.
“I’m going home. I won’t be back here until the funeral. I’ll stay out of your way. You stay out of mine. Once all this shit is settled, you can fuck right off, back to fighting, your gym, women…I don’t fucking care. We don’t even have to speak when we see each other. Whatever you have to do to deal with me being here…do it. But know this. I’m not leaving. Oak Ridge is my home too and I’m fucking staying.”
I let Cash lead me out of the room. I barely make it out of the clubhouse doors before I lean over and toss the contents of my stomach into the nearest trashcan.
Cash rubs my back with one hand, holding my hair back with the other.
“You’re okay, babe. I’ve got you.” Though his words are meant to be soothing, they’re anything but. No one here has me. They don’t understand the agony I feel. Every hateful word out of Ethan’s mouth hit like a shot to the heart. The pain of everything I’ve lost crashing over me in waves, threatening to take me under.
I knew he would be mad. Hate me. Blame me. But I didn’t know it would make me wish I’d died along side with Emily.
It would’ve been easier than this.
I was battling back tears, the knot in my throat becoming thicker and more painful making it difficult to breathe or speak, but somehow, I managed to croak out, “I want to go home.”
Cash helped me stand up, giving me a second to regain my composure. Making sure I was steady enough to walk on my own.
“Go back inside, Cash, I’ll be fine. You stay with Eli.”
I can see the battle Cash is fighting. He knows I’m right. His place is inside with his president. His brothers. But his friendship to me means he wants to stay with me and make sure I get home safe.
“You’re not staying out here alone. Come on. Why don’t you go use the bathroom and clean yourself up. No one will bother you in there. I’ll get Pres to send a prospect out to follow you home.” He waits until I nod to add, “I’ll be there as soon as I’ve got shit finished up here.”
We head inside. Cash heads toward the men huddled in the middle of the room.
“You better check yourself, son,” my uncle growls loudly. I don’t hang around to see what becomes of it, instead I make my way down the hall to the restroom to wash my face.
*********