Chapter 6
Raya
“Hey, Tom,” I say as I walk into the firehouse and remove my jacket, hanging it up, ready for the night shift and he smiles widely at me.
“Hey, darling, how are you doing?” he asks as he looks me over, but not in a creepy way, more like ‘is she taking care of herself’, which I get most times at around this time of year from him. I don’t really blame him after I nearly died before my sixteenth birthday.
Tomorrow will be another year since I lost my dad, and it doesn’t matter how many years that go by, it never gets easier. Don’t get me wrong, I love Gregory, and in my heart, he is my dad, but my daddy, he was my best friend, my world, and I still haven’t got rid of all his killers.
Once I rid them of this world, then maybe his death anniversary will be easier for me. I may actually remember the happier times and not the fact that I lost him, and on my birthday at that.
Tom tilts his head, and I smile at him, hoping he doesn’t see through it, especially when he knows me inside and out.
I’ve known Tom since I was in diapers. He was my dad’s best friend and an honorary uncle to me. He’s also the one who identified my dad's body just so Mama and I didn’t have to.
“I’m good, happy to work,” I lie like I didn’t just spend three hours stalking Hayden Gillies, who seems to be hanging around the MC territory the more I kill off his men, trying to recruit more. Then another two hours studying for the property law exam next week.
I only have two years left of law school before I take my bar exam and become a family lawyer, and I want to make Gregory proud.
Clearing my throat, I ask, “How was the day shift?”
“Good,” he admits, not asking more, knowing not to bring up tomorrow.
In the past ten years as of tomorrow, since losing my dad, I haven’t celebrated my birthday, and Mama understood, and so has Tom.
He ties up his boots and states, “You’re on with Hendrix, Liz, and Eddie tonight, Lee and Aubrey are on call, James and Daph will take over from you and Hendrix at 3 am.”
I nod and reply, “Okay, no problem,” and he nods again as he looks at me before sighing. He stands and walks over to me, taking me into his arms, and I hold him tightly as he whispers, “Happy birthday for tomorrow, sweetheart.”
My eyes tear and my heart pounds as I pull back and attempt the stink eye but he smirks as he walks past me and just before he walks out of the door he announces, “It’s time you started to celebrate sweetheart, your daddy would hate that you don’t,” and a few tears fall but I quickly wipe them away before any of my colleagues get here.
Not many people know my birthday, only those closest to me, so I don’t want anyone to question my emotions.
Just as the thought leaves me, I catch the light pink iced birthday cake on the counter with a massive happy birthday sign sticking out on top.
Crap.
I go to move to hide it before I can apprehend what Tom is doing, but instead I drop my head with a sigh as I hear Eddie ask, “Hey, whose birthday is it?” as he walks in.
Damn you, Tom…
“Mine tomorrow,” I admit without looking at the tall blonde haired beast of a man but before he can reply the drill bell echoes and I internally sigh in relief before rushing over to the pole, Eddie’s, “Fuck’s sake, I really wanted cake,” just hitting my ears before I hit the ground near the fire truck with a snort.
The man always thinks with his stomach, and that may be my saving grace tonight from answering any questions about my birthday.
I gently chew my bottom lip as I watch the little ray of sun peeking out from behind the buildings in town, my mind going haywire, and I cross my legs, ignoring the dampness of the grass sticking to my jeans.
Three fires, one in a house, another in a store, and the third, a car fire with a man still inside, and no, it isn’t a coincidence either or an accident.
Two Hyena members were watching, confirming the person inside died, but unfortunately for them, I pissed them off when I dragged the guy on fire out and forced him to drop and roll.
I gently squeeze my hand, the burn mark clear as day on the side, and it was so damn well worth it, even though they threatened me, recognizing me from the photo Hayden shows them now and again.
Apparently, I’m the big bad wolf who could ruin their gang, and he’s right, just not in the way he believes. To him, I’m a loose end that needs exterminating before I speak to the cops, but to me, I’m his worst nightmare, ending his men one by one.
Lake’s dad, Randy, the only person other than the girls who knew about my revenge, stopped in the club's truck before a greasy ass man tried to touch me, and they soon skedaddled, seeing the logo.
Randy wants me to tell the club, to ask for their help, but to me, it’ll just be another thing for Venom to use against me, and I won’t have that.
We have this weird thing going on where he’ll take the piss me off, mainly to get a reaction, and I always bite, which unfortunately for me is a habit now.
Sometimes I believe we’re actually flirting, but then he’ll bring up my dad, still adamant I’m only friends with Ivy to piss him off.
I will then get pissed off because my daddy is dead while the man I see as a dad is fully aware of my feelings for Venom and thinks it’s hilarious.
He actually believes he has feelings for me in return, but that is just bullshit.
Though my heart wishes it were true, which just makes me an idiot, considering he’s tried to split my friendship up with his sister, who is like my sister.
I’ll never get the club involved because, as far as I’m concerned, this is my battle, not theirs and definitely not Venom’s.
My phone beeps, and I grab it to see two messages: one from my Mama and another from Ivy, but not on our girl chat, which confuses me and I quickly check it, but my eyes tear up when I see why.
Ivy:
I know you don’t like to celebrate, and I know you’d rather not have a birthday, but I cannot sit back and not wish you a big, happy birthday, my best friend.
I love you so much, and even though you had a night shift last night so that you couldn’t celebrate, Hudson and I will still be around later with some chocolate cupcakes.
Mama:
Happiest of birthdays, my sweet, sweet little girl. I am so proud of the young woman you have become, and I'm sure your father would agree. I love you, my little ray of sunshine, but please, celebrate today - don’t mourn.
A few tears fall, and I quickly wipe them away and put my phone down, not answering back. I can’t. I won’t let them feel bad because I don’t want to celebrate.
How do you celebrate a birthday after losing your father on said birthday? Answer, you don’t.
My nose twitches as my tears continue to blur my vision, the need to sob pulling hard, but I push them back just like I always do, as picture after picture of my dad pops into my head like always on this day.
I should be with my Mama, I know this I just, I can’t.
A roaring of a bike echoes in the distance and my heart picks up at the thought of it being Venom which is just a stupid thought and I shove the feelings away or well I try but the clearer the roaring becomes the more my heart quickens because deep down, I know, it’s him.
I don’t know how he found me, I don’t know how he’d know I’d be at Rose Meadows, the place I always come to this time of the year but a little part of me doesn’t care.
While the bigger part hopes he drives past, not needing him to piss me off right now.
I don’t care how angry he gets me, I know I’ll burst into tears instead of hitting him.
I don’t look away from the view even as I hear the crunching of gravel as little revs echo as the bike pulls up before silence becomes me again, and then heavy footsteps echo, and I swallow hard.
“Hey, Kitten,” Venom rasps as he takes a seat next to me on the grass, but I don’t look at him as I try to ignore the goosebumps running down my spine. His voice suddenly soothes me which is confusing as anything.
Okay, so seriously, how did he know I’d be here.
“You're out and about early,” I whisper, not knowing what to say because I don’t know why, I just know he’s out here for me.
“So are you,” he retorts, and I hum, not willing to explain that I’ve not long finished work.
He thinks I’m this spoiled princess with thousands in the bank and while yeah I have thousands, well, millions, actually that I don’t want to touch, the rest of the fortune going in this morning because I’ve hit twenty-five.
Money I know my dad’s family will want if they find out, I’m not spoiled and I’m not a princess.
My daddy didn’t want me to rely on his money. He raised me to be independent and to live on the basics with a few special things once in a while.
“You shouldn’t be out here on your own, Raya. It’s not safe,” he says after a few minutes of quietness, and I hum, then reply, “I like coming here, it’s quiet, and you get to watch the town slowly wake up.”
Venom sighs before he whispers, “Ivy messaged me late last night. She mentioned you’d be here around this time. She mentioned that it is your birthday, but you never celebrate it.”
I bite my bottom lip hard.
She’s now bringing out the big guns, huh?
I swallow and choke, “I would have thought you’d already know it was my birthday, you know, with the extensive search you’ve done on me.”
I hold my breath and wait for his reply, but don’t look at him. I knew he was good with computers growing up, and I always hated that he’d read my medical report but still thought I was using his sister.
“I never did a search on your name, Raya. I don’t know why, but a big part of me knew not to break that kind of trust with you,” he admits, and I look at him in shock, my eyes connecting with his, and all I see is the truth.
Damn, that kind of explains it, huh?
“Thank you,” I whisper before I turn my head to look at the view again and murmur, “You don’t need to be here, Cale, I’ll watch the sunrise, then go home.”
I use his legal name without a thought, but instead of snapping at me like I’d expect, he admits, “Well, then I’m staying here until you leave.
I’ll follow you back to the apartment block so I know you got back safely.
Then I’ll let Ivy know you are okay because I don’t know if you’re aware, kitten, that girl loves you something fierce, you’re her family. ”
My bottom lip trembles, and I quickly clamp my teeth down on it, his words sending warmth through me. I move my legs from the crossed position they're in, and I bring my knees to my chest, wrapping my arms around them.
“Look, I don’t know why you don’t celebrate your birthday, Kitten, why you won’t allow Ivy to treat you, but I couldn’t go on with my day without saying, happy birthday,” Venom whispers as he gently lifts my right wrist and then places a silver bangle on it and my eyes tear as I eye it without looking his way.
It’s the same pattern as the silver chain my dad gave me the morning before he died.
How did he…?
Venom pulls back as I slowly look over the bangle, a bangle that cannot be removed without cutting it off and I notice 'Kitten' engraved on it.
And there goes my heart again.
Swallowing hard and as if on instinct, I gently lean to my right and lay my head on his shoulder, choking out, “Thank you, Cale.”
Without a word, he wraps his arm over my shoulders and holds me tightly to him as we watch the sunrise together, all while my heart pounds so fast I’m afraid it’s going to jump out of my chest.
My whole body is lighting up, the tingles rushing through me, and for the first time since I lost my father, I feel at home again.
And for that reason alone, my tears fall as a sob leaves me, causing his arm to tighten around my shoulders before I feel his lips on my head, and I slowly close my eyes, letting my tears fall and my emotions to come out in his presence.
He has no idea what he’s just done for me, and if I’m being a little honest, the love I’ve tried to squash for him is shining through, becoming the light at the end of the very dark tunnel I can’t seem to escape.