Chapter 26
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
FREAK
They say eavesdroppers never hear well of themselves.
I’d been standing outside the door listening, my heart thumping as Ace related his worries that I’d once again fall for Toni’s charms. It had made perfect sense to hear why Ace, himself, had bonded with his aunt so quickly.
He’d wanted a replacement mom. But what about me?
I’ve got no fucking excuse. I’d been taken in by her playing the role of what a perfect woman should be, and she wasn’t even a good actor.
Now, my eyes have been opened. Despite her trying to convince me otherwise, I know it was all lies.
There is no way on this earth I could ever again trust her.
It does hurt that Ace didn’t come to me with his worries. Instead, he sought out the woman who’d probably saved both our lives. Ace, well, his story is already written, and as for me? I couldn’t have lived in a world where I’d lost my son as a result of being so fucking stupid.
While I was listening outside the door, I’d realised I’m not even jealous he’s chosen to open up to Trixie. It seems he can be more open to her than me. There’s clearly something about her that draws both of us in.
When I asked Ace to give me some room so I could join them on the bed, Trixie gave an involuntary exclamation of pain as she moved to accommodate my request.
I’m on my feet fast, berating myself for not checking whether she had any injuries.
“Show me,” I demand. “Where are you hurting?” I’ve got a good idea from how she’s protectively placed her hand over her lower chest.
“It’s nothing, Freak. Just a rib or two, hopefully just bruised, not broken.”
I start to turn. “I’ll go get Bronwyn.”
Her hand snakes out and finds my arm. “No, Freak. She’d only advise rest and painkillers. I’ve had experience with broken ribs before.”
She’s referencing her treatment from that bastard of a husband she had.
My body tenses, and it’s she who soothes me, immediately understanding the reason for my reaction.
“All in the past, Freak. And the man who hurt me tonight is dead.” More carefully this time, she inches over closer to the edge.
My hands hover. My desire is to help her, but I don’t want to make her pain worse.
She breathes a sigh of relief once she’s done and looks up at me from under her eyelashes.
“Why don’t you lie down, and we’ll all get some sleep? ”
“Ace and I should leave you in peace.”
As her face visibly falls, Ace pleads, “Dad? Can’t we all stay here together?”
“Stay, please, Freak.”
At her words, I examine them closely. Fuck, they've both been in hell the last few hours, and have bonded through their shared misery. How can I refuse the two expectant faces? After tonight’s stress and tension, maybe sharing each other’s company will keep all our nightmares at bay.
I go back around to where Ace is now sitting in the middle of the bed, take off my cut and boots, and lie down next to him.
He, having already shucked off his shoes, inches himself down, taking a horizontal position, as does Trixie.
I turn off the bedside light beside me, and she switches off hers.
As the room plunges into darkness, I turn on my side, putting a hand on Ace’s shoulder, whose back is toward me, as he faces Trix.
I need to be touching him, need the closeness to anchor me.
So many things could have gone very differently.
Just one wrong move, and I wouldn’t now have him close.
“Goodnight,” I tell them both quietly.
“’Night, Dad,” Ace sleepily returns.
“’Night, Daddy,” Trixie offers. Despite the circumstances, it makes my lips curve.
Ace is the first to start quietly snoring. Then, I know no more as exhaustion and sleep overcome me.
I awake when the door bursts open. “Trix,” Star’s voice says. “Do you know where Freak and Ace are? Bullseye’s been looking for them.” She sounds half-excited as she adds hurriedly, “He’s worried they might have been kidnapped off the compound, as they’re nowhere to be found.”
The blind is still drawn so the room is in darkness. As I flick on the light, Star gets her answer. She steps back in the force of my glare, and her hand covers her mouth. “Oh, you’re here. I’m, er, sorry for interrupting.”
“Hi, Star.” Ace emerges from under the sheet.
Her eyes go wide, showing she doesn’t know what to make of this situation.
“What’s the fuckin’ time?” I ask her.
“It’s coming up on eleven.”
Must have been five by the time we’d all laid down our heads. At least we’ve had a few hours of sleep. “Tell Bullseye to call off the search party. We’ll be down soon.” I very much doubt the idea that we’d been kidnapped had come from him. Gossip can get twisted as it goes around the compound.
As soon as she closes the door, I slide my legs over the bed, put my boots on, then stand, and pull on my cut. I eye my son, who’s burrowed down into the sheet again. “Get up, sleepyhead. Let’s give Trixie some space.”
“Da…ad,” Ace moans.
“You don’t need to go on my account,” Trixie murmurs, still half asleep.
Walking around the bed, I lean over her. “Our clean clothes and bathroom stuff are in my room. You get some rest, Trix. I’ll see you later.” I walk to the door, turning back to encourage my son. “Come on, Ace.”
“I’m coming,” he says grumpily, searching for and eventually finding his shoes under Trixie’s bed.
With my hand on Ace’s shoulder, we proceed down the corridor, ironically passing Dum/Dee leaning against the wall outside a door.
He steps forward, starts to open his mouth, then shuts it when I give him a pointed look.
He doesn’t need to tell me Toni’s still in the room.
He wouldn’t be standing there otherwise.
I know how much he wants his patch. Starting to make our way down the stairwell, I frown.
Toni’s a problem I shelved last night, but in the cold light of day, I’ll soon have to face it.
“Can we get something to eat?”
Ace’s query brings me back to the day-to-day routine of parenting. “Not until you’ve brushed your teeth, had a shower, and changed your clothes. You reek, son.” As probably do I. We’d all slept in our clothes last night. “Look, you go ahead. I’ve remembered something I’ve got to tell Dum.”
“It’s Dee.” Ace rolls his eyes, but nevertheless, carries on walking while I turn back.
“Prospect.” While I don’t doubt my son, I’d still rather hedge my bets. He all but snaps to attention. “Get her some food, and ask Bronwyn to look at her arm, yeah?” I jerk my head toward the door he’s guarding.
After he nods, I follow in the direction Ace has gone, but hastening my steps, I reach the clubroom at the same time as him.
“There he is!” Rattler bounces over to us. “Where the fuck have you been? Bullseye had us searching far and wide.”
Ace answers, “We stayed the night with Trixie.” I sigh, wishing he’d kept that quiet.
Rattler whistles and cocks his head to one side. “Suppose there’s nothing like keeping it in the family. A threesome? Put it there, Ace.” He holds out his hand to be slapped.
I knock it away, and none-too-gently, say, “Shut your fuckin’ mouth, Rat, or I’ll do it for you.”
“Get out of here,” Bullseye, coming toward us, tells him.
“What have I done?” Rat holds out his hands in a gesture of innocence. But receiving a piercing glare from the prez, turns on his heels as if suddenly realising he’s got things that need doing somewhere else.
“Ace, it’s fuckin’ good to see you. You alright?”
As my son nods, I address Bullseye. “We’ve just woken up. It’s been a long fuckin’ night. Let me go clean up, then I’ll be back down.”
“You better. You’ve given us a problem to deal with,” Prez states, then waves us away.
Ace showers first, and I take mine after. Once we’re both dressed, he moves toward the door.
“Hang on, kid.” I indicate my bed and pat the mattress.
“Want a word.” He raises his brow, looking so much like me at that moment, it’s like looking in a mirror.
How have I never really noticed that before?
It’s hard to see anything of Josie in him.
The only thing she left him with is his autism, which is more of a blessing than a disadvantage.
When he sits beside me, I continue to stare at him until he shifts uncomfortably.
“Pretty fucked-up twenty-four hours it’s been.
” Then I realise it’s been twice as long for him.
“Fuck, Ace, I didn’t even know you were missing until a day had passed.
I’m so fuckin’ sorry I didn’t come up looking for you earlier.
” My gut wrenches as I realise just how terrifying the whole situation had been for my son.
A lump forms in my throat. “I’m so fuckin’ proud of you. ”
“Proud?” He shakes his head. “I didn’t mistrust Toni for a moment. Or not until it was too late. Then, I couldn’t get away.”
“Can’t blame you for that. I gave her my fuckin’ trust as well.
I fuckin’ thought you were safe with her,” I growl.
“I should have said fuck the club and come looking Saturday when neither of you answered your phone.” Thumping my fist into my palm, I snarl.
“I thought up every excuse to tell myself I had no need to worry, but I was so damn wrong.” How could I ever make it up to him?
It’s now the child comforting the father. “I knew you would come, Dad.” As if he finds my distress awkward, he moves along.
“Was… was Toni anything like my mother? Was that why you liked her?”