Chapter Nine
Cash
I sat at the bar, watching the back door. Waiting for Kytten and Ellie to come inside. I had fucked up, and I knew it. But in my defense, ninety-seven miles an hour on a bike was stupid for anyone.
But my woman wasn’t just taking her own life in her hands. She was taking mine too because I wouldn’t survive losing her. I barely survived losing Rach, and what I felt for Rose was so much more.
“Hey, where’s Kytten?” King sat down beside me, and the prospect dropped off two beers.
“Outside with Ellie,” I said, lifting the cold bottle to my lips.
“Nav sent me a video of her facing off against Gunner.”
“Already?” I shook my head, the corner of my mouth lifting.
Nav was quick to send off a video of anything he found remotely interesting.
One time he’d caught Rachel and I out back.
I threatened to beat the shit out of him if he didn’t delete it.
Then I stood over his shoulder until he showed me it was well and truly gone.
“She’s fierce.”
“Yea.” I looked at my president. I saw the envy on his face. “You decide anything about Grace?”
“Nothing to decide.”
“Bullshit.” Before he could say more, Ellie and Rose came inside. I held my hand out to her, and she took it. I pulled her between my legs and whispered, “I’m so fucking sorry.”
“I’m sorry I overreacted. I know you’re worried about me.”
“I fucking love you. I don’t want to lose you. I won’t fucking survive it.”
She smiled up at me, and it was so sweet. It was a smile that said she heard me. That she believed me.
“Kytten?”
Rose and I looked down at the sound of Charlie’s voice. She quickly glanced at me, panic in her eyes, and I squeezed her tight.
“What’s up, Charlie?”
“I wanted to talk to Kytten, not you, Uncle Cash.”
“Oh, excuse me.” I chuckled at her attitude. It was no secret Charlie had us all wrapped around her finger.
“Charlie, don’t be rude.”
“I’m not rude, Daddy. I want to talk to Kytten.” Jack sighed and shook his head. He knew he couldn’t deny her logic.
“What can I do for you, Charlie?” Rose asked quietly.
“Would you read with me?”
Kytten stiffened, and I rested my chin on her shoulder. “Easy, baby,” I whispered.
“You want me to read with you?”
Chrissy and Tabby had walked up behind Charlie, and Chrissy pleaded, “Please, Kytten.”
Tabby, however, didn’t ask. She reached out, took Rosie’s hand, and pulled her away from me. Rose followed where the little girl took her. She didn’t look back over her shoulder at me, and I knew it was because she and Tabby had created a bond in the span of a few hours.
Like saw like.
I watched as Rose sat on the couch. Tabby crawled up in her lap with a book, and Chrissy and Charlie sat at her side. Sam sat on the other couch, watching the unlikely quad as they got to know one another.
“Cash, I need to speak with you. And I’d like Melissa to be there too.”
“What happened?”
Ellie had been outside with Rose. I looked over at her, and when she looked at me over Tabby’s head, I smiled. Hoping I was reassuring her that everything was fine.
Only it wasn’t fine.
I could tell.
“She’ll know we’re talking about her,” I said, hating the look on Rose’s face.
“I told her I was going to talk to you and Melissa. But what I need to talk to you about is different from what she thinks. I’ve already texted Melissa; she should be here any minute.”
“Okay, let’s go into church.”
I led Ellie inside, and Ryder followed. I opened my mouth to speak, and he cut me off.
“Don’t even try it.”
We only waited a few minutes before Melissa joined us.
“I had a long talk with Kytten this morning. She would like to talk to someone else. I’m sorry, Melissa.”
“No, don’t be sorry. I already spoke to Cash about it. I called a colleague that specializes in children. However, he won’t see her because she is no longer a child. He’s pretty strict about who he sees.”
“Asshole,” I muttered.
“He’s not an asshole. He’s... eccentric. His specialty is working with children.”
“I have someone I would like to recommend. A therapist from New York, Dr. Zander Dunaway. He is exceptional at what he does, and I think he could really help Kytten. I think she would open up to him.”
“That is actually who Dr. Scott recommended.”
“Dr. Scott?” I asked. “Dr. Gideon Scott?”
Mellie’s confusion about my tone was clear. “Yes, that was who I called.”
“What did you tell him?”
“I gave him the run on Kytten.”
“Did you tell him her name?”
“Cash, what is going on?”
I jumped from my chair, slamming my hands on the table. “Did you tell him her name?”
“No. I wouldn’t give him her name unless he agreed to see her.”
I fell back in my chair, taking three deep breaths.
“What is going on?” Mellie asked.
“Club business.”
“Don’t give me that shit. This is about my patient.”
“Mellie, I’m sorry, but I cannot tell you what is going on.”
“Cash, Melissa, please,” Ellie interrupted us. “There is more.”
Mellie continued to glare at me until Ellie told us what she suspected. I sat there, stunned. How could I have missed it?
“Cash, there are no signs of abuse, other than the self-harm. And if she won’t open up, there would be no way we would know,” Mellie tried to reassure me. Tried to convince me I hadn’t failed at taking care of her.
“We still don’t know,” Ryder pointed out. “This is an assumption. Which is why Kytten needs to talk to someone she can trust.”
“Zander will be here tomorrow.”
“What? You already called him?”
“Yes, I did. He’s good at what he does, Cash.”
“He has to be vetted, Ellie. We can’t just bring a stranger into the clubhouse.” I pulled out my phone and sent a text to Nav.
A few minutes later, he walked in with his laptop. Looking from Ryder to me, then to the women, he asked, “Uh, what’s going on?”
“Rose needs a new therapist, and Ellie called in a friend. I need you to run a background check now. He’ll be here tomorrow.”
“Ok. What’s his name?” Nav sat down and opened his computer. Ellie gave him the name, and he ran a quick check. “Fuck.”
“Don’t say fuck, goddammit!” I shouted.
“Dr. Zander Dunaway is a great therapist and looking at his credentials, Ellie is right. He would be great to talk to Kytten.”
“But?”
Nav looked me in the eye, “But he is also Torment.”
“Are you fucking with me?”
“Who is Torment?” Mellie asked.
“A brother in the Soulless Sinners.”
“Zander is a Soulless Sinner?” Ellie asked. She sounded shocked.
“Call him back. Cancel the appointment,” I ordered.
“Cash, no. Kytten needs him,” Mellie insisted. “Doesn’t him being a biker make it better? He understands the life.”
“No, it doesn’t make it fucking better!” I ran my hands through my hair. “Nav, call King and the officers in.”
I paced the room while we waited for the officers to show up. Each brother entered the room, casting furtive glances between Mellie, me, Ryder, and Ellie.
“Hey, Princess. Everything ok?”
“Apparently not. But Cash won’t tell us why.”
King walked in, distracted by something on his phone. When he looked up, he quickly realized this meeting was more than just the officers.
“What happened?” he asked, closing his eyes.
“Have a seat, Prez.”
King slowly walked to his chair. His eyes moved from one person to another. When he finally sat, he looked up. “Okay, let me have it.”
Mellie started, “Kytten needs to talk to someone other than me. She resents my relationship with Danika, and it is preventing her from trusting me. Without trust, she will not open up.”
“Okay. What about Haizley?”
“It’s a conflict of interest for Haizley to see both of us,” I explained.
King considered my words as he studied me. “And you aren’t jumping on the chance to stop your appointments?”
“No.” That was all I said. It was all anyone was getting. My appointments with Haizley were my business, no one else’s.
“Okay. Mellie, who do you recommend?” King asked.
“I spoke with Dr. Scott—”
“No fucking way,” Ghost said before she could finish. “Malice,” Ghost added when King turned his way.
“Yea, no. Can’t happen. Who’s next?”
Ellie inhaled loudly, as though she was breathing in the courage to speak up. Ryder stood behind her, rubbing her shoulders.
“I called Dr. Zander Dunaway,” she said, shooting a look at Jingles.
“Ellie, fuck. He isn’t any better.”
“I didn’t know he was one of them, Sebbie. And Cash won’t tell us why this is such a problem. Kytten needs his help.”
“One of who?” Gunner asked.
Jingles never took his eyes off his sister. “Zander Dunaway is Torment. A brother in the Soulless Sinners.”
“Jesus Christ. There isn’t anyone else you can recommend?” King asked, looking at Mellie.
“Dr. Scott recommended him as well,” Mellie added.
“He’ll be here tomorrow. He’s already booked his flight and moved his appointments. If we call and cancel, he’ll wonder what we’re hiding,” Nav said.
“Are we hiding something?” Ryder asked.
King looked at me. “May as well tell them. They’ll find out eventually, anyway.”
“Rose and Mimic’s father was Justin ‘Shame’ Peterson. Pippen was his replacement when he was killed.”
“Can someone explain why that is a problem, and why Kytten and Mimic haven’t been told yet?” Mellie was in full protector mode. The way she glared at King with her arms crossed over her chest even had Ghost leaning away, and she was his old lady.
“They haven’t been told yet because I am trying to keep this club from being invaded by the fucking Soulless Sinners and Golden Skulls.
Once they learn the truth, I will have to notify both of them.
And once Torment gets here, he will learn the truth and call Montana.
If I call Montana, I have to call Reaper, too. ”
“Wait, what do the Golden Skulls have to do with Kytten and Mimic?” Ryder asked.
“Their great grandfather was one of the original founding members of the Golden Skulls.” King rubbed his hands over his face. We could feel his frustration. We had it too. All I wanted to do was protect Rose, and Mimic too.
“Call everyone in so we can vote. I need her in my cut before he gets here.”
“Hold on,” Mellie said. Standing from her chair, she paced the room. “You don’t want Torment calling Montana, right?”
“No, but he is bound to call his president when he learns that two legacies are in our clubhouse,” Jack explained.
“No, he isn’t.”
“Mellie, there are rules,” Ghost argued.
“There are also laws. And they are strict when it comes to HIPAA. More so when it comes to psychiatry and psychology.”
“I don’t understand, Mellie. Spell it out.”
“Kytten and Mimic need to be told who their father is. Tonight. Tomorrow, Kytten can tell Torment during her session. He cannot reveal anything from a session without her permission.”
“What about Mimic?”
“Send him in there with her,” Ellie suggested. “We all know Mimic needs to talk to someone. Sam can convince him to do at least one session.”
King studied both women. Would it work? I wasn’t sure. Biker law was pretty specific.
“When he gets here, before he meets either of them, ask him about doctor-patient confidentiality. It would be understandable given this is a club. He would understand that you want to make sure nothing he learns here is given to his president or anyone else.”
“It might work. Kytten and Mimic could wait in church,” Blade suggested.
King rubbed his beard. I knew he was going over every scenario in his mind. “I will only allow him to talk to them if he assures me he takes his oath seriously and agrees to meet with them together.”
“He will,” Jingles said. He had been quiet until now, and I wondered what he knew about Zander ‘Torment’ Dunaway.
“Okay, bring Kytten and Mimic in here. Mellie, I want you to stay,” King ordered.
When Ellie stood, I stopped her. “You too, Ellie. Kytten trusts you.”
She smiled, and I left to get my woman and her brother.