4 | Cade – Then
Blood splatters as I drive my fist into his nose, over and over, until the cracking stops and his body goes limp. Throwing him on the floor, I stare down in utter disgust at my sister’s boyfriend. One who just beat her within an inch of her life. Nobody lays a fucking hand on her and gets away with it.
“You ever fucking touch her, come near her, say her name, or even breathe in her direction and I’ll gut you like a fish. Do I make myself fuckin’ clear?”
Coughing blood, the man rolls to his side with a groan.
“I said,” I roar, “do I make myself clear?”
“Yes,” he spits out.
Good.
Turning, I stomp through the blood on the ground and past the onlookers, watching but not daring to intervene. They wouldn’t want to, because I’d have their fucking heads. Reaching my truck, I get in and turn the key, getting the fuck out of this shit part of town. Clara is going to get herself killed. The crowds she is hanging with are trash, and that’s putting it nicely. She’s going down a bad road, and it doesn’t seem to matter what I do, she won’t stop.
Arriving back home, I don’t pause as I head to her room where she is resting after arriving home from the hospital.
Swinging the door open, I step in, my hands still covered in blood, my shirt no better. Turning her head, she looks at me, and her eyes widen as she croaks out, “Tell me you didn’t go and hurt him?”
“He’s lucky he isn’t dead. What the fuck were you thinkin’ Clara? To let that motherfucker into your life. You need to do better. You deserve more than those fucking scumbags.”
Pushing up, she winces as she glares in my direction. “Don’t tell me who is good for me, Cade. It’s my life. It’s my choice. I’m eighteen now, and I can be with whoever I want. He was just upset, that’s all.”
“He nearly fuckin’ killed you,” I roar. “That isn’t upset, that’s fuckin’ abuse. He will do it again and again. Why can’t you see that?”
“You don’t know what I’m like,” she snaps. “I pushed him, made him angry.”
“It shouldn’t matter. He should never lay a fuckin’ hand on you. You don’t have to worry; he will never speak to you again.”
“What have you done?” she cries. “Cade, I love him.”
“That ain’t love, it’s fuckin’ trauma bonding. You will stay away from him.”
“You can’t tell me what to do,” she cries, and it breaks my heart.
I’ve always protected her. Always had her back. When she was a little girl and she was scared, she could climb into my bed and hold my hand until she stopped trembling. We grew up with abuse, and I’ve always tried to keep it from her. I can’t stand back now and watch her walk right into the life we are so desperate to escape from.
Walking in, I sit on the edge of her bed, reaching out for her hand. She looks up at me, her eyes watering.
“I know you think you love him, Clara, but you don’t. Love ain’t layin’ fists on people. That isn’t what it’s about, and you know that. Don’t let your life turn out the same as the one we’re tryin’ to escape. Don’t let a man lay his hands on you. Promise me that.”
Her lip trembles. “I just want someone to love me. I thought ...”
“I love you,” I tell her, “and there is a man out there who will love you so fuckin’ hard you’ll forget this piece of shit. If he loved you, he wouldn’t hurt you, and deep down, you know that.”
She nods, swiping away her tears.
“We’ll get out of here, one day soon. I’ll show you what life is really about. There will be no more abuse and anger. You’ll find someone who will treat you right, I promise you that.”
“I hope so,” she whispers, closing her eyes.
I go to release her hand, but she hangs on tight. “Cade. Can you stay with me?”
Nodding, I stay, right there on the end of the bed.
I’ll get her out of this.
I will.
I swear it.
~*~*~*~*~
“WE’VE GOT ENOUGH SHIT to worry about without my daughter gettin’ us into more,” Jackson mutters during church, as we discuss club business.
“I hear you,” I say. “But she’s fuckin’ stubborn and won’t back down.”
“Ever think of tellin’ her about your sister so she can make an informed decision?” Spike points out, lighting his cigarette.
“My past ain’t somethin’ I want brought up,” I grunt. “You know why, because you had the absolute pleasure of meeting my father once and you know what kind of fucked up shit he put us through.”
I’ve known Spike since we were younger, but when it came to my family, I kept him away. I never brought my friends home, and I never involved them in my family. I was far too ashamed, and I never wanted the world to see what kind of monster we lived with. He only met him once, when I nearly killed the fucker, and it was Spike who convinced Clara to agree it was self-defense so I wouldn’t go away for a long time.
Jackson gives me a look, firm and unwavering, and answers before Spike can. “She shared her past with you, only fair for you to do the same. Might pull her up.”
“You’re her father, you fuckin’ pull her up.”
“Easy now,” Muff cuts in. “Ain’t no reason to get angry. We’re only tryin’ to help you, brother. Don’t want to see her get into trouble.”
Taking a long, burning breath, I change the subject. “How about we worry about what the real problem is? We still have to deal with that fucker Wesley. He ain’t goin’ to just disappear. He’s already caused a problem with our club, and if he’s messin’ with bad people, we could have a problem.”
“We’re dealin’ with Wesley,” Jacks mutters. “You need to focus on Addison.”
“This ain’t just your club, Pres. We all fuckin’ play a part. If that fucker is goin’ to come in here and blow shit up, I’m goin’ to be part of it,” I grind out.
“As I said, we’re dealin’ with it.”
“How?”
“Got men trackin’ him. We’ll get hold of him, and bring him in. That’s all you need to know for now.”
“It’s my business too,” I bark. “Don’t fuckin’ shut me out.”
“Alright, you two,” Muff slaps a hand on the table. “Think we’re done here for the day. I’ve got a buyer to meet with. I’ll check you later.”
Pushing up off the table, Muff pulls on his leathers and disappears.
Spike leans back in the chair, throwing a booted foot up onto the table. “Don’t let me stop you.”
Jackson glances at the table of bikers, who are all watching, half of them smoking, the other half leaning back with their arms crossed.
“Goat,” Jackson barks. “Go and deal with Muff.”
Goat stands, nodding and disappears too.
“The rest of you, we got shipments to move. Get on it. I want it done by close of business tomorrow.”
The rest of the guys stand and leave.
Spike grins.
I shoot him a glare.
Jackson stands, his fists clenched. “I’ll deal with you two later.”
Once he’s gone, Spike looks to me. “Looks like you pissed the big dog off.”
“Fuck off, Spike,” I growl. “I’m not in the mood for your shit.”
Spike stands. “Best you get control of your lady, Cade. She’s goin’ to get herself into trouble.”
“No shit. I think you’ve all made that very clear. What will you have me do? Throw her over my fuckin’ knee and spank her?”
Spike’s grin returns. “To start with, yeah. Then you get a man on her to watch where she’s goin’.”
Well. Fuck.
That’s not a bad idea.
I’m not telling him that, though.
Turning, I leave the shed without another word. He doesn’t need the satisfaction of gloating. Especially not when I walk into the main living area at the compound and up to one of the newest prospects, Adder. His real name is Aiden, but he quickly got the nickname Adder when we realized just how vicious he can be when it comes to standing up for the club.
He’ll be a valuable asset one day.
Standing at six feet, with short messy blond hair and stark green eyes, he’s only twenty, but he’s had a rough life. That shows not only in his personality, but also in the scar that runs down his cheek, compliments of his father. I have no doubt he’ll be patched in sooner rather than later, and if he pulls off this task for me, I might hurry along the process.
“Got a job for you,” I say, stopping in front of him.
He glances at me. “Yeah.”
A man of very few words, but he never puts up an argument. Whatever we tell him to do, he does it.
“My old lady is diggin’ around in business I don’t want her diggin’ around in. She’s sneakin’ about, and I want someone with eyes on her. You down?”
Adder nods. “I got it covered.”
I have no doubt about it.
“Want her followed when she leaves the house or compound to do anything other than goin’ to the store or park. She has no reason to leave this town, if she does, I want a call.”
Adder nods. “I’m on it.”
“Appreciate it.”
Addison won’t like this.
No, she’ll fucking throw down if she finds out.
Lucky for me, I have no intention of letting her find out.