Chapter Twenty-Seven
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
THE FARMER’S MARKET was bustling, the sound of people chattering and the distant buzz of the radio filling the space as I made my way down the grassy aisle. I had come out with Josie to check it out and possibly consider it for the future. Plus, I needed something to occupy my mind, something to keep my hands busy so I wouldn’t have to think about Bolt, James, Jenny, or the mess my life had become.
But it wasn’t working.
I grabbed some fresh berries and moved toward the checkout, trying to focus on the simple task at hand. But my thoughts kept drifting back to Bolt, to the way he looked at me when I saw him with Jenny. There was something in his eyes, something that didn’t match what I thought I saw, yes it looked like they were getting cozy, but his eyes were cold, his face angry.
But how could I believe anything else?
Men were always trying to explain things away, and I just wasn’t that trusting anymore.
I shook my head, trying to push the thoughts away as I paid for my things and headed back toward the car to wait on Josie, we had agreed to meet back at his car, and he’d given me a key in case I got there first.
I was about to reach for the car door when I heard it—a voice that sent cold shivers down my spine, freezing me in place.
“Fiona.”
I turned slowly, my heart pounding in my chest, my blood turning to ice as I saw him. James. Standing just a few feet away, his eyes fixed on me with that familiar, predatory gleam that I knew all too well.
“James,” I breathed, my voice barely a whisper, my mind racing with a thousand thoughts all at once. But one stood out.
What is he going to do?
He took a step closer, his smile cold and sharp, sending a wave of nausea through me. “You didn’t think you could hide from me forever, did you?”
I swallowed hard, my hands shaking as I clutched the bag of berries to my chest like a shield. “What do you want, James?”
“What do I want?” he repeated, his voice dripping with mock amusement as he closed the distance between us. “I want you to come home, where you belong. With me. I’m sorry, and I’ll never hurt you again... I swear it. You know how much I love you.”
I took a step back, my heart racing, my mind screaming at me to run, but my feet felt like they were glued to the ground, my eyes scanned the parking lot and there were so many people around surely, he wouldn’t try to take me. “I’m not coming back to you, James. It’s over.”
His smile vanished, replaced by a cold, calculating glare that turned my blood to ice. “No, Fiona. It’s not over. It will never be over until I say it is.”
I shook my head, trying to summon some of the strength I’d found since leaving him. “You don’t control me anymore. I’m not afraid of you.”
He laughed, the sound harsh and cruel. “Oh, but you should be,” he said, his voice low and menacing as he took another step toward me. “You should be very afraid, Fiona. Because if you don’t come back to me willingly, I will make your life a living hell right along with anyone who gets close to you.”
My breath hitched, the fear rising up inside me, threatening to choke me. I had to get out of here. I had to get away from him. I took another step back, my mind scrambling for a way out, for something to say that would get him to leave me alone. Hoping that Josie would show up and run James off.
“You can’t do anything to me,” I managed to say, my voice trembling but defiant. “The club will protect me.”
His eyes darkened, his jaw clenching as he reached out and grabbed my wrist, his grip like a vise. “You think those bikers are going to save you? They don’t care about you, Fiona. They’re using you, just like everyone else. But me? I’m the only one who truly loves you.”
I yanked my hand away, fear turning into anger, a hot, burning rage that gave me the strength to push him back. “Stay away from me, James. I’m not yours. I will never be yours again.”
For a moment, he just stared at me, his eyes narrowing with fury. He looked around and noticed that people were now staring at us. Then, without another word, he turned and walked away, disappearing into the crowd like he’d never been there at all.
I stood there, my body shaking, my mind reeling from the encounter. He was still out there. Still watching, and now he knew where to find me. The safety I’d felt at the clubhouse, the illusion that I could start over, was shattered in an instant.
I needed to get back. I needed to tell dad, to tell Devil, even Bolt. They had to know that James wasn’t going to give up, and that he was still a threat.
With shaking hands, I fumbled with the keys, unlocking the car door and sliding inside. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart, but it was no use. The fear was there, clawing at my insides, refusing to let go.
A knock on the window caused me to jump. “Fiona?”
I breathed a sigh of relief. Josie. I unlocked the door and watched him slide into the driver’s seat. “What’s wrong? Tell me,” Josie demanded.
“He was here, and he threatened me,” I explained, my voice shaking.
“Dammit!” Josie thundered, his hand hitting the steering wheel. “I knew I shouldn’t have left you alone to take that phone call.”
“It’s not your fault. I figured since I hadn’t heard from him in so long, I was safe.”
“You’re wrong, Fiona,” he replied, looking over at me. “I know more than anyone how a bastard like James thinks and should have known he was following you.”
“Let’s just get out of here.” I rubbed my arms, my skin prickling with fear. “I feel like he’s still watching.”
“Yeah, let’s get you back,” Josie said and started the car, pulling out of the parking lot.
I WAS SITTING in the common room, nursing a beer and trying to ignore everyone around me. It felt like I was going through the motions, watching everyone else laugh and carry on while my mind was living in hell.
Just then, the door opened, slamming shut with a little too much force. I looked up, my heart seizing in my chest when I saw Fiona standing there with Josie, her eyes wide with fear, her entire body trembling like she’d just seen a ghost.
“Fiona?” I shouted, standing up and going over to her.
She looked at me, her eyes scared, before she focused on Horse and Brenda, who were already rushing toward her, their faces filled with worry. “Dad... Brenda... he found me.”
My blood ran cold at her words. I didn’t need to ask who she was talking about. Her ex-bastard. That miserable fucker had found her.
Horse reached her first, pulling her into his arms as she broke down, her sobs filling the room. “What happened, honey? Where did he find you?”
“I was at the market,” she choked out, clinging to him like a lifeline. “He just... he just appeared out of nowhere. He grabbed me, and he... he said I had to come back to him.”
Rage hotter than hell rose inside me, my hands curling into fists at my sides. That son of a bitch. I should have known he’d try something like this. Should have known he wouldn’t give up so easily. We’d had no luck in finding him, and he hadn’t been living in their house or going to work. Horse had gone back several times looking for him and had been scouting around trying to get leads to find the bastard.
“He threatened you?” Brenda’s voice was sharp, her eyes flashing with anger as she rubbed Fiona’s back in a soothing motion.
Fiona nodded, her voice breaking. “He said... he said the club couldn’t protect me.”
Her words fired me up, my fists curling tighter, and I had to take a deep breath to keep from losing my cool right then and there. I wanted to find James and tear him apart, make him pay for putting that fear in her eyes, for daring to lay a hand on her.
“He’s not gonna touch you,” Horse said, his voice tight with barely restrained fury. “I swear to God, Fiona, he’s not gonna lay a finger on you again.”
“We’ll make sure of it,” Brenda added, her eyes darting to me with a look that said more than words ever could. Brenda had cornered me and grilled the shit out of me about that night and amazingly, she believes me. She’s been keeping her ears and eyes open when it comes to the sweet butts who she supervises.
“How’d he get close to her?” I snapped, looking accusingly at Josie.
“I fucked up,” Josie replied. “And I know it.”
“No... no, it wasn’t,” Fiona said, quick to defend him, pissing me off.
“It’s okay Fiona, you don’t have to defend me,” Josie replied, and she shouldn’t. If he took her out, he should have fucking protected her.
I stepped forward, deciding I wasn’t staying on the sidelines any longer. “Did somethin’ scare him away?”
Fiona glanced at me, her eyes filled with a mixture of fear and something else, something that looked like trust. “I don’t know. He just... he just walked away. Disappeared into the parking lot like he was never there.”
“Did he follow you back?” Horse asked, his eyes scanning the room as if expecting James to jump out of the shadows.
Josie shook his head. “I don’t think so. I drove around for a while, tried to make sure he wasn’t following us. But from what he told Fiona he’s been watching her, and he knows where she’s at.”
“You did good,” Brenda said softly, stroking Fiona’s hair. “You did exactly what you should have.”
I watched them, the way Fiona leaned into them for comfort, and it twisted me to pieces. I wanted to be the one holding her, the one making her feel safe. But right now, I was just the guy who had screwed things up, who had just given her another reason not to trust me since I swore to her that James would never touch her again.
But that didn’t mean I was going to sit back and do nothing.
I turned to Devil, who was standing in the doorway, his face concerned. “We need to take care of this.”
He nodded, his eyes never leaving Fiona. “Damn right we do. He’s been sneaking around here somehow. There’s a breach.”
I looked back at Fiona, my chest tightening at the sight of her so scared, so vulnerable. I wanted to reach out, to tell her that I would fix this, that I would make sure James never came near her again. But I didn’t know if she would even believe me, but I had to try.
“Fiona,” I said, my voice rough as I took a step closer. “We’re going to keep you safe. He’s not going to get to you. I promise.”
She looked at me then, her eyes searching mine, and I could tell she wanted to believe me, but doubt took over. “I don’t know if you can promise that, Bolt,” she said quietly, her voice shaking. “I don’t know if anyone can.”
I just nodded; my jaw clenched tight. “I’ll do whatever it takes.”
She didn’t say anything, just turned back to her dad and Brenda, her body still trembling as they led her to a chair, helping her sit down. I watched them, feeling more helpless than I ever had in my life. I was used to solving problems with my fists, with action, but this was something different. She needed more.
Devil moved to my side; his voice low as he spoke. “We need to have eyes on her at all times.”
I nodded, my mind already racing with possibilities. “I’ll keep an eye on her.”
He gave me a hard look. “You better make damn sure you can handle everything. Her and the war with Dragon Fire.”
He didn’t need to finish the sentence. I knew what was at stake here. “I can handle it. No worries.”
I looked back at Fiona, at the way she was holding onto her dad like he was the only thing keeping her from falling apart, and I made a silent vow right then and there. I was going to make sure James paid for what he’d done. With his life.