Chapter 19
Camo
M y head throbs and my body aches, so I sip more amber liquid to soothe the pain away.
Since I walked away from Skyla, my body has decided to fucking hate me. Winger and Thorin informed me that it was my soul letting me know that letting Skyla go was the wrong move.
Twisting my neck, I try to make it crack to ease some of the tension that has taken up residence for the last few weeks.
As I like to torture myself, I have driven past her gym and home, hoping for the chance to see her, to see if she is suffering as much as I am.
When I saw her, she was leaving the gym with Eva, and they were smiling but I could see the dark circles under her eyes, showing she was having trouble sleeping.
Fuck.
With the time and distance between us, I have had time to think about our time together until I fucked it all to hell and back.
If I have any chance of getting back into her life, in her body, then I am going to have to fucking grovel and I never beg for fucking anything. I am just not sure I can keep away from her.
So, I am going to have to man the hell up and make it work.
A few nights ago, my stomach knotted while I was playing pool with Cotton and Shift. I still have no idea what caused it, because it was gone as quick as it came.
“You good, brother?” Shift asked as he and Halen took the seats around the table I was sitting at.
“Yeah, man. Just thinking on some shit,” I say.
“Skyla?” comes Halen’s deep voice.
I nod.
“Shit still bad with her?”
I nod again.
“I fucked up, but have no idea how to make it right with her.”
The guys laugh, earning a scowl from me. They are just as fucked up as I am, when it comes to women. Halen is the soft one of the club; he can’t fucking wait to meet the one person who will claim his battered heart.
“Make her see, brother. You denied it for so fucking long but you know that she was meant for you. Your soul calls to her?” He hints and I nod to him, confirming.
“Then take her, brother.”
Before I can say anything, my cell rings from my pocket. Fishing it out, I see that it is Rocky calling me and my gut tightens.
“What happened?” I answer without greeting.
“Fuck, man. She is okay, let me say that first. Well, as okay as can be expected, but I am worried about her, Camo.”
“What has been going on?” I sit forward, and my brothers take note of my sudden change in demeanor.
“You know Aston, the kid she has been helping?”
“Yeah,” I confirm.
“Well, the boy’s stepfather has been causing all kinds of shit for Skyla.
Calling her at all times of the night, vandalizing.
Having college punks come into the gym saying they saw a flyer offering free memberships if they eat Skyla’s pussy good enough.
” I can hear the anger in his voice and it sets my own building.
“Why the fuck didn’t she come to me? I would have dealt with the fucker. No one touches her.”
Rocky scoffs on the other end of the line.
“Are you fucking for real right now? Why would she come to you, Camo? You treated her like a club whore, only offering her your dick when you wanted it. And when she asked for more, you fucked someone else in front of her,” he hisses through the phone.
I growl, my teeth hurting from grinding them so fucking hard, hating that what he is saying is true but it doesn’t mean that I have to like hearing it.
“So, if she doesn’t want my help, why are you calling me?”
He sighs, and I know that I am going to hate what he is about to say next.
“She and Clark got attacked two nights ago. Two motherfuckers smashed into the gym while they were cleaning after hours. They are both okay— some scrapes and bruises, but I feel that this guy will escalate even more now because Skyla has Tate involved in the attack. He took some officers with him to give the stepfather an unofficial warning to stay away,” Rocky explains to me.
My fist clenches on the table, the phone cracking against my ear from my fingers tightening around the device.
“They are working on getting the boy removed, and Skyla is involved with that.”
I cut him off. “Is she at the gym now?”
“Yeah, we are all here.”
“On my way,” I spit out and end the call.
“What has happened? Skyla okay?” Halen asks, concern clear in his voice.
“Yeah, we need to get to the gym. I have some shit to sort out with my woman.”
I wait for the fear and strangling feelings to hit me when I think of her as mine, but they never come. All I feel is pure rage for someone who put their hands on what is mine.
“I’ll let Pres know,” Shift says as he types on his phone.
The three of us run to our bikes and ride toward the gym, so I can see for myself that Skyla is okay and make her see that she is now under the protection of the Kings of Anarchy MC.
Racing through the streets of Salem, images of how badly hurt Skyla could have been play in my head. She would have been so fucking scared and I wasn’t there to protect her. She will have me from now on, I just need to make her see that I am in this now.
We arrive at the gym, and I see there is a new glass entry door to the gym, and my fists clench, my blood boiling.
Pushing through the new doors, I scan the area but do not see her. Rocky’s gaze lands on mine, and he gives me a nod. Eva glares at me as she walks in my direction.
“What are you doing here, Camo?” Her arms cross in front of her body and she pops a hip, looking sassy and hot but she has nothing on my girl.
“Looking for Skyla,” I reply to her.
“She doesn’t need you, Camo, as you so not so nicely showed her.” Her voice has an edge to it and I can’t help but smirk at her, loving that my woman has friends like Eva on her side.
“Camo?” I hear my name and it does crazy shit to my heart. “What can we do for you?”
Her voice is cold, detached, as I take her in. She is wearing green sweatpants and matching sweatshirt with the words ‘Born to be real not perfect’ on the front. Her hair is pulled back into a messy ponytail thing, and I notice that her hair is now all black— the blue and purple are gone.
A growl slips from my throat when I see the cut on her jaw and neck. Her eyes go wide when I step forward before I can stop myself. Cupping her chin gently, I turn her head to see the marks that someone put on her.
My gaze connects with hers and I see confusion, worry, and some hurt shining back at me. Her skin feels warm to the touch and my body seeks more, leaning into her, but she blinks and steps back, severing our connection.
“Why are you here?”
“What happened?” I ask my own question.
Her brow dips, her gaze bouncing between my eyes, looking for the reason I asked her what I did. She pulls her shoulders back, in a way that she is holding her walls up between us, then licks her lips before answering.
“It does not concern you.”
“Like hell it doesn’t. What. The. Fuck. Happened?” I ask again, on a snarl this time.
Being the Skyla I know, she folds her arms, glaring at me through narrowed eyes. She waits a beat, her gaze laser-focused on me.
“It. Does. Not. Concern. You. What part of that are you having trouble with? Go back to your whores, Camo. Whatever is going on in my life, I can handle.”
I scoff, nodding to her face. “Clearly you can handle it. Was told that you have been having some shit from the boy’s family? He cause those marks on you?”
I mirror her posture, crossing my arms over my chest. Widening my stance, I’m ready to fight her for her protection, because I know that she will shut down any effort from me to help her.
She has the right to do it but there is no way that I will leave her unprotected again.
“Who told you?” She looks to her friends and both Rocky and Clark look anywhere but at her.
She sighs, and they both look at her, before looking away from the disappointment she is showing them.
“Tell me you boys didn’t?” Eva calls to them.
It is Clark who speaks for them.
“You never heard how fucking scared she was, Eva. I hated that I could not get to her before the door was smashed in, or after they got in here.” You can hear the regret and pain in his voice.
I know that both Rocky and Clark love Skyla, she is their family and they would die for her. The four of them have a bond that cannot be broken.
Skyla shakes her head before looking back to me. Her nostrils flare with anger, and her hands drop to her sides as she clenches her tiny fists tightly.
“They had no right. It is my problem and I am dealing with it, with the help of Tate,” she hisses, showing her agitation.
“We had every right,” Rocky calls out.
“You shut your mouth; I will deal with you later. I can’t believe that you went behind my back.” She may be angry, but you can hear the hurt in her voice.
“They had every right, baby. They were looking out for you and know that the club and I can protect you,” I interject, making her look to me again.
“You and your club will not get involved— there is no reason for you to. Just go, Camo. The police are helping me deal with the situation.”
I scoff, which makes her glare harder and I smirk at her.
“The police can only do so much, baby.”
“STOP CALLING ME THAT,” she snaps, screaming at me. “I am not your anything, you made fucking sure of that when you fucked a club girl in front of the whole club and me. You have no say in my life anymore.”
My heart stutters in my chest seeing and hearing the pain in her words.
I inch closer but she steps back.
“No. I do not want the Kings’ help.” She sighs, tears filling her eyes and it breaks my fucking heart, as she delivers the final blow. “Or yours. Leave me to move on, Camo. I am not yours to protect. It seems I never was.”
A growl builds in my chest and vibrates up into my throat, and Skyla’s eyes go wide. We are locked in a stare and I do not want to break it. Looking away from her means she wins and I have to leave.
“Brother, let’s go, yeah?” Halen speaks up, stepping between us, breaking my focus, which shifts to him.
I snarl at him, baring my teeth, which makes him shake his head.
“Calm it. You are scaring her; she has already had a scare.” He lowers his voice. “We will deal with it.”
Eva steps to her friend, pulling her close, and I see that both men have joined them, surrounding my girl, which pisses me off because it should be me comforting her.
But you hurt her, dickface.
“I won’t leave you unprotected, baby. A prospect will be your shadow until we sort this shit out.” My voice is low and I force the rage down, so I do not add to her current emotional state.
Stepping closer, I ignore the glares from her friends. She lets me cup her jaw, my thumb brushing over her bottom lip, and it pleases me to see her shiver from my touch.
“Hate me all you want, it is warranted. I fucked up, and I own that whole mess and I know that it will take me the rest of my life to get you to forgive me. Begging and groveling is in my future, baby. You are the strongest woman I have ever met, Skyla and you are beyond perfect to be mine.” I lean in closer, my lips touching the shell of her ear.
“You are mine, and I will make it up to you. My soul calls to you, Skyla Delmont. My mate.” She gasps, which makes me grin.
Kissing her cheek, letting my lips linger longer than normal and I swear to fuck she sighs, before I step back.
“Toad will stay here and will follow you home every night. No arguments on this, you will not win. Give me this, babe.”
She goes to speak up but Rocky cuts her off.
“We will take the extra security, thank you.”
Skyla says nothing, just keeps looking at me.
Smirking, I say, “See you soon, baby. Be a good girl and try not to give my prospect a hard time, okay?”
“No promises.” She shrugs, and I chuckle, making her eyes flash wide.
I wink and spin on my heels, leaving the gym with my woman behind me. Fuck, I hate stepping away but I need to find this cunt who hurt her.
Toad leans against his bike that is parked outside the gym.
“You call me if you see anything.”
He looks bored but nods.
“Will do.” He salutes me and I want to snap his fucking fingers.
He is only a fucking prospect out of respect for another club member, but he won’t patch into our charter.
Me and my brothers leave with the intention of seeking the cunt out and making him pay for what he has done. I will make him bleed like the weasel pig that he is and watch as he meets his maker.