Chapter 8 #2
I don’t argue with him this time; I don’t even know what to say.
Slowly I move through to the walk-in, turn on the light, and then close the door.
I’m in deep shit if they are after me. But this doesn’t seem like the Southern Breakers MO, they are more the shoot first ask questions later kind of assholes.
I’m pretty sure if they knew I had anything to do with their boss man and top thug being dead, I’d be dead already myself.
They wouldn’t leave a threat for me telling me to run.
The clothes I had in my backpack are all clean and lined up neatly on hangers in here, along with some other items I have never seen before. Nice shit, not the stuff Slater left on the end of my bed this morning, but designer-brand stuff. Expensive linens and silks.
I skip over the satin and lace negligee and go for a pale pink printed T-shirt with a cowboy boot and some flowers on it that says darling on the side and locate my cotton sleep shorts.
They might not be fancy, but they’re comfortable, and right now I need me some comfort.
I get dressed, trying not to let the erratic thumping of my heart consume me.
All we know is someone saw something I did and were so concerned they felt the need to slip a note into my pocket while I was at River’s club, in plain view of him.
Yeah, nothing in that sentence is good news.
Oh, dear God, now I feel worse. Why would anyone risk it?
Unless it’s not a threat and it’s a warning, someone who cares about me, one of my girlfriends from back home.
But I know that’s not the case, it was creepy and menacing.
A fresh shiver runs down my spine. This is the weird shit that happens in horror movies before the bimbo gets a knife to the back.
I’m not a fucking bimbo, and this shit will not be happening to me.
I open the door in a rush and run straight into a solid chest. “Shit, Kasen, what the hell?”
His concerned eyes run over my face, a fresh scowl just for me. “I was coming to check on you; you’ve been in there for ages. Why were you running out like that?”
“Oh.” I remember why I was moving so quickly.
“I need a weapon,” I demand, my hands flying to my hips, ready to fight for one.
The small Stanley knife I found of my dad’s is not going to be enough.
And if he doesn’t give me one, I will do what I do best and find one in his expensive house and make it mine.
He bursts out laughing. “Do I look stupid tonight?”
I give him a bitchy look. “Kind of,” I snip back because, well, he asked for it. And after the way he treated me in the car, I’m looking for any excuse to get one back at him.
He sucks in a full breath. “Dove,” he says my name in warning, but he’s the one who asked a silly question. How did he want me to answer?
“If some biker is hunting me, I need to be able to protect myself.”
“Birdie, you have us. When I’m not around, Bodhi or River will be. If some biker is after you for what we did last night, then we will protect you.”
I sigh heavily. He doesn’t get it. “I came back here tonight because I’m tired and couldn’t be bothered fighting you on it. I’m not sticking round, Kasen. This might be your hometown, but it’s not mine anymore.”
“You came back here tonight because you had no choice. This is and always has been your hometown, and these fuckers can threaten you all they want, you’re not going anywhere.” He turns and moves to walk away from me.
I grab his arm, finding the confidence I couldn’t in the car earlier. “You can’t just tell me what to do. I know you have gone and told River I’m yours or some nonsense like that, but you don’t own me. I’m serious, Kasen, tomorrow I’m out of here.”
His smile is slightly psychotic and a little scary if I’m being honest, but I keep my head held high, not wanting to show him how intimidating he is right now.
“Love that you think you’re tough, but you’re teeny-tiny, malnourished, and injured.
You clearly can’t take care of yourself.
You’re lucky to have us. Take this time to rest and get better. ”
I grin back at him. Fuck him for thinking I can’t take care of myself. “Just give me a gun or a knife and I will be on my way.”
“You’re not hearing me.” He lowers his voice as he towers over me, making me feel so damn small, even when I try to tilt my chin up defiantly.
“I hear you, I just don’t care what you have to say.”
His nostrils flare. “I don’t know what shit you got messed up in over the last ten years.
You’re back now, and that changes everything.
You can drop this act, you don’t have to be this raging bitch around us.
I’m not the kid I was when you left. I have power now, so around here, you will be protected because they know you’re with me.
” He thinks he’s some kind of hero, my knight in shining armor.
I almost laugh at how ridiculous it all is.
I point my finger into his chest, making sure to dig in my nail. “I’m not with you!”
His lips twist, his smile deranged. “I think that show you put on at River’s bar has pretty much solidified to all that you are.”
“What?” I whisper, not liking the sound of that one bit.
“Birdie, you know it was always inevitable. If you didn’t skip town, we would have been a thing. Now that you’re back, we are. Get used to it.”
Both my hands fly to my hips. “Do I get any say in this?”
He looks almost confused that I’m questioning him.
“Nothing’s changed with you, you’re still a controlling asshole who thinks you can snap your fingers and I will do whatever you want.
I’m not one of your family’s men, and maybe this town thinks the sun shines out of your ass, but I don’t.
I think what your family has created here is disgusting, our sweet beachside town is gone.
Everything my mother was fighting for was destroyed, all for greed and money.
And I will never be associated with any of it. ”
He sighs heavily, exhaustion coming over him. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I know enough to know your hands aren’t clean. Like daddy, like son, I’m sure.” The words fly out of my mouth before I can stop them. They are bitchy as hell and meant to cut deep. I want to hurt him like he has me.
His face hardens, and his hands fly to my waist as he shoves me into the wall and glares down at me. “Watch your mouth.”
My brow rises, challenging him. He might be bigger than me, but I’m not going to show him I’m scared of him and his intimidation techniques. “Truth hurts, hey, Throne?”