Chapter 4 #2
“Tell me your address, and we’ll have someone there as soon as possible to help you out of your situation. It will be a War Brother’s Motorcycle Club member.”
I gasp out loud. Theo.
“They will have their club vest on, but please understand they’re only there for your protection and to escort you safely to the women and children’s shelter. If you can, pack a bag. If you’re concerned in the meantime that he can get to you before we get there, please call the police.”
After I get off the phone, it’s quiet, so Tyler must have left or gone somewhere to cool down.
I’ve never seen him that angry or thought he was capable of hurting me, but I guess I never knew the real him.
I was aware he had anger issues. He’s thrown things before when he’s been angry, but never at me.
Most of my clothes are in our main bedroom, but I grab what I can from the guest room and put it in a small bag. I hope they have spare toothbrushes and stuff like that because I’m not game enough to leave this room.
I sit and wait on the bed in silence. Who’s going to turn up?
Theo or one of his friends? My fingers thrum on the bed from nervous energy.
It isn’t long until I hear the rumble of a motorcycle.
My body stiffens. There’s a knock on the front door.
I listen in case Tyler is still here, but there’s silence.
The person knocks again. “It’s Theo, from the War Brothers MC,” he calls out. “I’m here to take you to the shelter. You’re safe now.”
I put my bag over my shoulder, open the bedroom door, and look around. When I don’t see Tyler, I rush out and open the front door. Theo stumbles back wide-eyed when he sees it’s me.
“Rose?” he asks softly.
I nod, and this time I can’t stop the tears from falling. He pulls me into him, giving me a warm hug while rubbing soothing motions on my back. My arms tighten around him as a sense of relief washes over me. I’m safe with him.
He inches back, searching my face. “Did he hit you?” he asks gently.
“No,” I whisper. “I’m okay. Let’s get out of here.”
He cups my cheek. “You’re not okay. Your hands are shaking.”
“He scared me. Sorry for having to come all this way to get me.” I glance away. “I didn’t have anywhere else to go.”
He pulls me into him again and kisses the top of my head. “Don’t apologize. I’ll give you my number. You call me whenever you need me. No questions asked. I’ll be there for you.”
I pull back, meeting his gaze. His eyes swirl with a mix of emotions—anger, concern, and something softer. I don’t know him well, but I trust him.
He takes my hand and leads me over to his motorcycle. “Here,” he says, and gently places the helmet over my head and helps me onto the bike. My legs are still unsteady from what’s happened, but I manage to get on.
My stomach drops as Tyler parks in the driveway haphazardly, gets out of his SUV, and slams the door shut. His face is red, and he’s balling his fists. I think I’m going to be sick.
“Are you the one who slept with my fiancé?” he yells as he storms toward us. Tyler is out of his damn mind. He can’t fight, and after everything he’s done, he has no right to say anything.
I glance at Theo. He’s just smiling. He casually walks over to Tyler, but a vein is popping out of his neck and tension is rolling off him in waves. This isn’t going to end well.
Tyler starts talking, but Theo pulls his arm back and punches Tyler in the face. The loud crunch startles me, making me shriek. Tyler falls to the ground, unconscious.
“Theo,” I yell. He stops and slowly turns around to face me. “That’s enough.” I think he’d keep beating Tyler if given the chance. “I just want to leave,” I beg.
Theo takes a moment, and I’m grateful when he listens and comes straight to me.
He puts his hand on the helmet, where my cheek would be.
“I’m sorry for scaring you, but fuuuck .
. .” he says as his head falls back. “You have no idea how hard it was for me to just walk away. Your ex deserves to be in the ground, if I’m honest.”
Because he’s a club member, I’m unsure whether he’s just saying he feels that way or he actually means it. Theo might be one of the nicest men I’ve met in a while, but he’s more dangerous than I first thought—not just in being violent to men who hurt me, but also to my heart.
Theo gets on the bike, and I wrap my arms around him securely. The motorcycle comes alive with a deep loud rumble that vibrates through my entire body, and we leave.
Rage
I go slow on the ride over. I need to cool down. I like the feel of her body pushed up against mine on the bike and her arms tight around me. Her touch has calmed my inner rage. I was ready to put her ex six feet under.
Bomber’s ol’ lady Zara owns and manages a women’s and children’s center called Misty’s Safe Haven.
The club helps her and the community out by going to the women who call up, and our job is to get them to safety without any altercations.
Zara always says they need to feel safe, so even though we may want to kick the ass of the man who hurt them, it’s the rules not to be violent, because they’ve experienced enough violence.
Seeing Rose like that, I lost it. My body tenses. I haven’t felt that type of seething anger since . . . well, since I was younger and dealing with my dad when he left us. My rage tends to build in my fists, and I unleash my inner demons. When fighting, it takes my pain away in that moment.
The fear in her voice as she yelled my name was the only thing that stopped me, because I realized she needed to get to safety and I had gone against what I was supposed to do.
I now understand why Demon can’t stop himself from hurting the despicable men who hurt the women and children we’re there to save.
If I hadn’t recognized that I was scaring Rose, I never would have stopped.
I’d happily do time for her. A shiver rolls down my back at that realization.
I hardly know her, but there’s this intense instinct to protect her. She was still wearing my clothes when I picked her up. Does that mean anything? Was she thinking of me like I was thinking of her?
We pull into the driveway, and I crack my neck from side to side.
I need to be there for her, so I need to rein any anger in.
I get off my bike and help her down. She takes the helmet off.
My fingers itch to touch her, but I shouldn’t, because I just knocked her ex out.
She’s scared, and I should let her come to me and seek my touch.
She passes me the helmet, and I place it over the ape bars.
Zara walks outside and over to us with a friendly smile. “Hi, Rose, my name is Zara. Come inside and I’ll show you around and let you know about everything we have here that can support you, keep you safe, and help you get back onto your feet.”
Rose nods. “Thank you,” she says softly. “Can Theo come with us?”
Zara glances between us and gives me a strange look. “Sure, whatever you need.”
Zara leads Rose inside and down the hallway.
She pushes open a set of double doors, revealing a large room filled with rows of tables and chairs.
The faint smell of coffee lingers in the air.
“Meals are served here three times a day,” Zara says, gesturing to a counter lined with plates and utensils at the far end.
Rose nods, her fingers tightening around the strap of her bag.
They move on, and Zara points out the sleeping quarters. Rose scans the rows of neatly made beds and then walks to the one Zara indicates is hers, setting her bag down carefully.
“This way,” Zara says softly, leading her to a small bathroom. Rose peeks inside, her gaze lingering on the clean tiles and neatly folded towels.
Zara stops at another door, this one slightly ajar. Inside, racks of clothes hang in neat rows, a mix of sizes and styles. “Take whatever you need,” Zara says, stepping aside to let Rose in.
Back in the hallway, Zara’s voice softens. “We have psychiatrists, counselors, and lawyers available if you want to talk to someone. They’re here to help, and confidentiality is absolute. No one will ever know you’re here unless you want them to.”
Rose nods again. I watch the tension in her body shift, like a weight she’s been carrying has been set down, if only for a moment.
I clench my fists at my sides, the memory of my anger flashing through my mind.
The fear on her face and in her voice plays on a loop, each time cutting deeper.
She needed safety and reassurance, and I failed her.
Instead of protecting her, I’d let my rage take over, showing her a side of me she didn’t need to see.
I lower my head, shame burning hot in my chest. I should have been better for her.
“Why don’t you grab some lunch?” Zara says. “Rage, can I talk to you in my office?”
Rose hesitates, so I give her an encouraging smile. “You go get something to eat. I’ll be right with you.”
She nods and leaves, and I follow Zara. I feel like I’ve been naughty and I’m going to the principal’s office.
Once inside, Zara closes the door behind us and I take a seat. She sits down opposite me and places her hand on her stomach. She’s pregnant. She and Bomber are thrilled—well, the whole MC is happy for them.
Zara presses her lips together. “What happened?” Her tone is friendly, with a hint of a bite, like she knows. Her eyes drop to my hands, and I glance down.
My right-hand knuckles are still red and raw. They aren’t bleeding, though. I flex my hand. That asshole has a hard head. My knuckles have experienced worse. I think I’m numb to the pain in my hands by now.
I rub the back of my neck. “Yeah . . . about that.” I cringe. “Sorry, I lost it on her ex.”
Zara’s shoulders drop. “Rage, what have I told you.” The disappointment in her voice cuts me.
“I slept with Rose the night before at the engagement party, so I knew her. I care for her . . .”
She lets out a deep sigh. “I understand. I think I’ll give you a break for a while from answering the calls for the shelter.
You need to control yourself, regardless of who it is.
It’s important that the women feel safe at all times, and especially with you being a club member.
We don’t want the club or the shelter to get a bad name; our reputation is important. ”
Her husband Bomber is our sergeant at arms. He’d commit murder to keep Zara safe, but I keep that to myself. I get where she’s coming from, and since she’s pregnant, I have no desire to argue and stress her out. “Sorry,” I say sincerely. “It won’t happen again.”
She gives me a small smile. “I’m glad to hear that.” She leans forward. “Rose trusts you. Please be careful and take care of her. She’s very vulnerable right now.”
“I will,” I reply, and we stand.
I go back outside and search for Rose. She’s sitting at a table, not eating. A woman and her two children are at her table. Rose is staring into the distance, so I walk over and take a seat next to her. “Is this seat free?” I tease, remembering asking the same question the first time we met.
A slow smile crawls across her lips. “The seat next to me is always free for you.”
I smile at that. At least I haven’t scared her off.
“Good afternoon,” I say to the woman with two kids across from me.
They all say hi. The women at the safe house trust the men in the MC. They know we’ll keep them safe.
I peer back at Rose. “I’m sorry about today. I shouldn’t have punched your ex and made you feel even worse.” Even though he deserved it.
She puts a hand on my arm. “Thank you for the apology, I appreciate it. Violence”—a shiver rolls down her back—“just scares me, but thank you for coming for me.” She tilts her head. “Why did Zara call you Rage?”
I feel a little relief that she has forgiven me, but what happens when she finds out I earn extra money by fighting in illegal fighting competitions?
I’m sure she won’t want me anywhere near her.
My stomach rolls. I flinch and carefully choose my words.
“It’s an MC thing; we all have nicknames.
I like boxing.” In truth, I enjoy fighting, but I don’t want to scare her.
After an hour I decide to let her get settled in.
I give her my number, but it’s hard to leave.
She has tears in her eyes as if she doesn’t want me to go.
She clings on tightly during our hug goodbye, and it tears me up, but it makes me wonder if she’d come back to the clubhouse with me. There I could be with her.