Chapter Seven
Rooster
“I TOLD YOU to go easy, brother,” Flea said, as we stood outside with a couple of beers. For the moment, we were alone, but I knew that wouldn’t last long.
“I had planned to.”
“Then what the fuck happened?” he demanded.
“I saw her.”
Flea shook his head with a sigh. “You hurt my sister when you left, Kam, but you staying away destroyed her. Me keeping you updated on her wasn’t so you could come back and fuck with her life.”
“Yeah brother, I know.”
“Then what the fuck’s goin’ on?”
“Not givin’ you that until I talk to her. She gets it first.”
“I can appreciate that,” Flea conceded. “Just need to know you’re not gonna hurt her again.”
“Never intended on hurting her the first time, Billy.” I faced him.
“I’ve loved your sister since the first day of freshman year and that has never changed.
She’s everything to me. Shit’s gone down that I’ll talk to her about, and if she can bring herself to forgive me for runnin’ out on her, then we can maybe make a plan on movin’ forward. Until then, I’m not goin’ anywhere.”
“Your funeral, brother.”
“Say nice things in my eulogy.”
“I’ll consider it.”
“How’s your mom?” I asked.
“Starts chemo next week.” Flea shook his head. “Appreciate you bein’ here, man.”
“Wouldn’t be anywhere else, brother.”
“Flea, honey?” Grace peeked her head out the slider door.
“Yeah, baby?”
“Some of the older kids want to ‘beat your butt’ at pinball.”
“Oh, I see how it is.” He chuckled. “Come on, Rooster. Let’s show these young’uns how it’s done.”
I grinned. “Lead the way, brother.”
We headed inside and down to the basement to find the teens waiting to annihilate Flea, although, they had another thing coming.
* * *
Saturday morning, I awoke with a plan. I wasn’t entirely sure it was a good plan, but it was the only one I had at the moment, so I was gonna wing it.
I texted Hatch letting him know I’d be gone for a few hours, then headed out. No colors, no bike, just a borrowed sedan from one of the club’s fleet he’d offered up the day before.
I felt suffocated the second I climbed inside.
I forced a few deep breaths and then started the engine, heading out of the compound gates and toward my destination. I wasn’t exactly sure how any of this would go, but it was my next step to absolution, and the only person I knew who could give me some sound advice on how to proceed with Katie.
I pulled up to the house, and then walked slowly to the door, finding it pulled open before my boot hit the first porch step. I gingerly met Jan’s eyes, and she let out a quiet cry, opening her arms which I walked into without hesitation.
“Beckham Cahill, as I live and breathe, what are you doing here?”
“I came for Katie, Mom.”
“Ooph, kid, have you seen her yet?”
I grimaced. “Yep.”
“And?”
“I’ve got a bruised ego and sternum for the trouble.”
“Come in, honey, I’ll make coffee,” she said, closing the door behind us.
“How are you feeling?” I asked as I sat in one of the stools at her kitchen island.
“I feel pretty much the same.” Jan grabbed a filter, filling it with coffee, then prepped her machine and hit ‘brew.’ “Chemo’s gonna be a bitch, I’m sure. But that doesn’t start until Wednesday.”
“I’m stickin’ around, so whatever you need.”
“You’re really sticking around?” she asked.
I nodded.
She smiled. “I’m so glad, honey. Katie’s been a complete mess, you know?”
“Yeah, Mom, I know. Me too.”
She reached over and squeezed my hand. “So, am I the reason you came back so soon?”
“Kind of.”
“Kam,” she admonished. “I’m gonna be just fine.”
“I’m sure you are, but it lit a fire under my ass in a way. I’ve been gone long enough. I guess I needed a reason to fight my way back. I was gettin’ complacent.”
Jan gave me a gentle smile. “But she’s angry and hurt, and now she’s digging in her heels because she’s angry and hurt?”
“Pretty much.” I sighed. “I want to marry her, Jan. Do you think there’s even a chance?”
“Oh, my sweet boy, there’s a chance. You’ve just got your work cut out for you. My daughter’s a lot like me, but she’s more like her father, may he rot in hell.”
“Whoa, let’s not go disparaging my woman there, Jan. She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me and I’m not gonna listen to anyone say anything negative about her. Especially her mother.”
“I didn’t mean it like that. Sorry. He’s an asshole, not Katie,” she rushed to explain.
“What I meant was, that in the ways that my ex was stubborn and set in his ways, she is as well, and that has served her well in being tenacious with her career change and her loyalty. For her dad, the flipside made him a piece of shit. I’m sorry. I should have clarified.”
“Thank you,” I said.
Jan grinned. “Wowzer, Hatch really raised you and Billy to protect their woman above all else, huh?”
“It’s not like you didn’t have a hand in that raisin’. You did save my life, after all.”
“You’re sweet, honey, but I have made my mistakes, especially with Grace, and I’ll regret those for the rest of my days.”
“I think you’ve made up for those. At least, I get the impression from both Flea and Grace you have.”
A sad smile formed on her mouth. “Probably because she’s extremely gracious, but I watch my son sometimes and he’s still a little leery.”
I slid off the stool and maneuvered around the island, pulling her in for a hug. “He’ll get there. You’ve apologized and you’re doing everything you can to make it right.”
She hugged me back and nodded into my chest. “I know. You’re right. I just should have never believed that bitch to begin with.”
“Betty caught you at a particularly vulnerable time, Jan. People like that know what they’re doing. You need to give yourself a break.”
“I know. You’re right. I just get in my head sometimes.”
I cupped her face. “Well, I’m here to tell you to stop it.”
She chuckled. “Stopping it now.”
“Thank you.”
“I made those cookies you and Billy like. Want some with your coffee?”
“If they’re cookies, duh.”
Jan laughed. “Right, let’s sit in the living room and plot your ‘get Katie back plan.’”
I grinned, gathering our treats and following her to the back of the house.
* * *
Katie
High School – Freshman Year…
Kam was late. The first bell had already rung, and he wasn’t at the front doors to walk me to geometry. I bit my lip. I didn’t know if I should wait. He’d never been late before, but if I didn’t get to class soon, I’d be late, and I didn’t want to risk a tardy on my record.
The second I moved to walk inside, I heard, “Katie!”
I turned to see him running toward me and I waved my hand. “Hurry,” I ordered.
He reached me, taking my hand and linking our fingers together. “Has first bell rung?”
“Yes, let’s go.”
We made a run for class, slipping through the door just as the second bell rang and Ms. Hamon raised her eyebrow as we slid into our seats. Kam gave me a sly grin as we opened our textbooks and got down to work.
When the bell rang, we gathered our things, and Kam took my books as we headed to next period. “Are you okay?” I asked.
“Yeah, Dad’s just being a dick.”
I bit my lip. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s all good. I’m getting good at avoiding him.”
“Want to come over after school?” I asked. “We can study.”
He grinned, leaning down to kiss me gently. “Love to.”
“Okay, cool. Tell Billy in shop.”
He nodded, handing my books back to me. “See you at lunch.”
“Okay.”
He kissed me again, and then headed the opposite way to his next class. I watched him for a few minutes and smiled. I knew that there would never be another boy as long as I lived that I would love more than Beckham Cahill.
* * *
I awoke with a start and then flopped back onto my pillows. Glancing at the clock on my nightstand, it read five a.m.
Fantastic.
I wasn’t scheduled to be up for another two hours, but I knew I would never be able to get back to sleep, so I slid out of bed and dragged myself into the shower.
It was Friday, a week since Rooster had dropped back into my life, and seven days of doing my best to avoid him and all mention of him.
I had to give it to my family, they were doing their best to honor my wishes, but it sucked for me big time, because it meant I had to avoid the fun.
But it was a sacrifice of my own choosing, so I’d have to live with the consequences.
I made my way into the clinic a full hour earlier than scheduled and found Gina already there. “Hey, you’re early too, huh?”
Dr. Gina Christakos, nicknamed “Eldie,” derived from L.D.
, which stood for Lady Doctor raised her cup of coffee toward me and nodded.
This name was bestowed upon her by the departed Red Dog, one of the Burning Saints founding members and the very first Saint she’d removed a bullet from.
Although, she’d been able to patch Red Dog up that night, the road life caught up to him shortly after.
She’d fallen for and married Clutch years ago and when I’d decided to take the plunge from registered nurse to physician’s assistant, she’d been a massive support, and now we were partners in a practice that was thriving.
I truly couldn’t have done any of this without her and loved her like a sister.
She grimaced. “Clutch has been tossing and turning all night with this war shit. Haven’t slept in weeks, and there’s only so much sex one can have in a day, you know?”
I nearly choked on my own spit. “Uh, no, I don’t know.”
She laughed. “Sorry, way too much information.”
“I’m just jealous.”
“How about you? Why are you here so early?”
“Ghosts from my past decided to visit me and not in the good way.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Oh, I hate that. Want to pour yourself a cup and fill me in?”
“Absolutely.”
I grabbed the biggest mug we had in the cabinet and made my coffee, filling Gina in on the Rooster situation as we opened up the clinic.
“He hasn’t contacted you the entire time he’s been gone?” she asked.
“Nothing,” I said.
“And he hasn’t said why?”
“Nope.”
“But he wants to tell you now.”
“That’s what he says.” I poured another cup of coffee.