Chapter 7
7
Steal
I grunt as I slam my fist into the bag with quick jabs, left then right, sweat dripping from my head and down my back, but I ignore it and continue to beat the shit out of the bag.
She’s gone, she’s fucking gone.
I spent two hours trying to find her. The first time I went to her apartment she wasn’t there, but when I returned after only an hour, the landlord was changing the locks.
He said she’s handed in her keys without notice, and the fucker looked ready to shit his pants when I flipped.
Fuck, fuck, fuck….
“Maybe ask Piston, brother,” Anchor tries to reason with me, and I chuckle darkly as I hit the bag again.
“Piston won’t talk to me; Acid is threatening to leave the brotherhood, and I have the old fucking timers all wanting Cassidy’s head on a stick, and don’t get me started on Perrie….” I growl before I jump and kick, my foot hitting the bag, making the chains clang.
“She’ll come round, brother,” he tries again, and I shake my head and grab the bag, breathing hard.
I feel like my fucking heart is breaking. Not only have I lost the girl, but also her little sister, who I saw as my own.
“How dare you!” a scream echoes in the common room as I head toward the basement stairs but pause, gritting my teeth.
I knew this was going to happen but, fuck, I was not ready for it. Trying to calm the frustration building inside, I turn and lock eyes with Perrie’s light blue eyes, which are so much like her dad's, full of heartbreak, betrayal, and despair, and I fucking hate myself.
Acid quickly rushes over to her and pulls her back against him as Bull stands up and snaps, “That’s enough temper tantrums out of you, young lady!”
I roll my eyes as he tries to stand tall and puff his chest out, but his large gut hanging over his jeans proves he’s nothing more than all talk.
Perrie scoffs, “Temper tantrum, really?” She tilts her head, her brown hair falling to the side, and offers sweetly, “Shall I show you what a real temper tantrum is, Bull? Let’s go get in the ring….”
The old man’s face reddens as the brothers all snicker, knowing she’ll put him on his ass.
The girl can fight, and she is better than all the men in the room, including myself and Acid; her dad ensured that.
Anchor comes up beside me and murmurs, “Now that shit I’d love to see,” and I nod in agreement.
Bull’s the main fucking voice calling for Cassidy’s head, and it’s understandable, considering Brute was his blood brother, but the man has been against Cassidy from day one. Faith’s dad and he were like two peas in a fucking pod before he passed in a car accident, which he stupidly caused by being under the influence.
Bull opens his mouth, but before he can speak, Perrie looks at me and points, “As far as I’m concerned, until my sister returns, you are dead to me!” I flinch. “She gave you everything, and all you’ve done is push her aside and use her as your bed buddy while treating that whore like your old lady!”
I swallow hard as she scoffs at me, shoves Acid out of the way, and storms out of the clubhouse.
Acid looks at me, and since everything went down, he looks at me with concern, but I ignore him and turn, heading to the basement, needing to let my anger out.
“Steal, you’ve been down here for hours; you need a break,” Anchor says.
I hit the bag again before saying, “I need some space….”
And I do because we both know I’ll take my anger out on him.
He watches me for a few minutes before sighing and relenting. “Alright, but you’ve got twenty minutes, then I’m hauling your ass out of here and into the shower. We’ll fucking find her, Colt….”
That said, he turns and leaves me to it, all while Perrie’s words echo in my head.
It can’t be more than five minutes later, and my knuckles are bleeding, and as I go to hit the bag again, I hear footsteps, and my anger takes over as I snap, “You said you’d give me fucking twenty, Anchor.”
“It's not Anchor, Steal baby, it’s me. I came to make sure you are alright,” Faith whispers, and I look over to the entrance and see her sauntering over to me. Gone are the jeans from this morning, and in their place, is a short tight skirt, heels, and a crop top, giving the clubwhores a run for their money.
I turn back to the bag to hide the sneer.
For years she’s been trying her hardest to get me to want her again; she’s been trying to get in between my relationship, and for fucking years, I’ve had to ignore all the jabs she’s thrown at Cass, putting Faith first because she’s fucking family, and despite being with my girl for years, the club refused to accept her. And I’m starting to realize this bitch is the reason why.
She wants the president’s property patch.
I step back and hit the bag with quick jabs, intent on ignoring her, before I feel her hand wrap around my bicep, and she gasps.
“Steal, your knuckles. Please don’t hurt yourself over that bitch!”
I grit my teeth, and I snap, “Enough, Faith!” and she gasps as I turn to her. “For fucking years, you’ve tried to act sweet and innocent, but I’ve seen through you each time. You wanted her gone.”
She shrugs, not denying it. “And? You were mine first, before she dug her nails into you,” I scoff at the shit she seems to believe as she gets on her knees, a smirk in place, her hands going to my jeans, quickly trying to undo them and for a second, only a split second, I think about letting her get away with this, to punish Cass for leaving me, even though I know I deserved it…because she had no idea I had to do what I did. But not only does my cock not fucking twitch but anger like no other takes over as I grab her roughly by her throat, making her gasp.
“Steal…” she chokes in pain, but I ignore her and shove her hard onto the ring floor, causing her to land with a thump.
“Don’t ever fucking think you can touch me like that again, otherwise, I’ll ban your fucking ass from the club. You got it!” I sneer coldly, and she nods with jittery movements, her breathing quickening with fear.
I growl at her, then storm past her, jumping from the ring, before I grab my shit and storm out of the basement.
The brothers all look at me as I hit the common room, but I ignore them and head down to the officer bedrooms.
“Prez?” I hear shouted, but I ignore whoever it is, knowing I’m ready to fall apart. I grab hold of the door handle before Piston’s voice hits my ears as he states, “The cameras were cut in the hallway from here to the kitchen as well in the kitchen. However, several people walked into the mouth of the hallway around the time Cass supposedly killed Brute.”
Fuck….
My body vibrates with anger, knowing that without the evidence of wrongdoing on Brute’s part, the older generation will want Cassidy’s head.
I offer Piston a nod, and without turning around, I walk into my room before slamming the door behind me as I throw my shirt and cut on the chair and breathe hard, putting my hands on my hips as my emotions fucking drown me. What’s worse is knowing Piston taught her very fucking well, meaning not even he will be able to find her.
“Fuck,” I choke as I lean against my door, my head hanging low as tears build.
If Faith hadn’t witnessed it, if she hadn’t seen any of it, I could have spun it somehow, gotten Cass’s side of things.
“Fuck,” I repeat, not able to get any other word out and shove off my door, knowing I need a shower and to clean my cuts, but I pause when my eyes lock on a piece of paper on my bedside table near the picture of me and Cass sitting astride my bike, her in front of me, leaning against my chest with a wide grin on her face.
I swallow hard, walk over to it, and pick it up, only to slump down on my bed as I read the words….
My dearest Colt….
I didn’t want to do this, and even writing this right now makes it hard to breathe, but I can’t be with you anymore.
“Fuck,” I repeat again, full of pain and sorrow.
I know this is the cowardly way out, but I know if I ended things face to face, you’d pull me back in, and I can’t have that, not anymore.
For four years, I’ve given you everything. My virginity, my body, my heart, and my soul, and in return, you’ve made me feel like your whore.
I understand you having to put family first, but the fact that she’s your ex-screw buddy and clings to you would be hard for any girl to be okay with, and for years, I tried…until you started putting her first over all the important things.
My graduation, Dad’s death anniversaries, our anniversaries, dates you planned, dates I planned.
I can’t do it anymore, Colt; I feel like I’m slowly losing who I am.
Your club doesn’t want me. You believe everything she says, accusing me of starting arguments, and the one time I stick up for myself, I get banned from the club.
She told me you two were still screwing, that you laugh about me while in bed with her at your house.
Why do you think I refused to stay there?
My body trembles with each word.
I love you, Colt, so much, but at some point, I need to put myself first, and you haven’t since our first date.
I can’t be around a club that takes a girl’s side all because they want her as your old lady. I can’t be around a man who I gave all my love to when he’s never there for me.
I love you, Colt, I always will, but this is it between us.
If Faith is who you want to be with, then good luck.
I’m sorry.
Goodbye, Colt.
Forever and Always Yours,
Cassy
I slowly slide off the edge of the bed, my ass landing with a thump on the floor, and drop my arms on my bent knees, my head lolling as the letter drops from my fingers.
She was leaving me anyway….
My breathing picks up before everything goes hazy, and I lose it. I drop the letter then grab the side table and chuck it across the room, smashing it against the wall, then pick up the wooden bedframe, flipping it over, the frame snapping in the process.
I head to my dresser next and boot it with my bare feet once, twice, and three times, causing the splintered wood to cut into my foot as my door slams open. I ignore whoever it is and grab the wood before chucking that next.
“Dammit,” I hear muttered before arms wrap around me from behind. I struggle against whoever has hold of me before Anchor comes into view, and we lock eyes.
Concern etches off him, seeing my tears, and I choke out, “I’m never going to find because she was leaving me anyway….”
He curses before taking me into his embrace as I fall apart, and Piston grips my shoulder.
She was leaving me anyway….