Chapter 24
Raya – Two Days Later
I blink a few times, the sun shining through the blinds, and I look around the room, Cale’s room, where I haven’t left since waking up two days ago.
The doctor, or Doc as the brothers call him, came to see me yesterday, explained my injuries, that I didn’t contract any disease from him, but I will need repeated tests in a week. I know the girls have tried to see me since I woke up, but Cale has kindly kept them away.
I’m not ready to see them, to see Ivy or my mama and Gregory.
I broke my promise to them, and it’s a hard pill to swallow, especially when I thought I was going to be dead and not have to face them.
Cowardly? Yes, it is, but that was the route I chose, and now I need to face the music, just not quite yet, though.
I sigh and slowly turn on my back, wincing at the aches and pains as I look at the ceiling.
Cale hasn’t left my side, not once.
If a brother needs to speak to him, he’d call them or tell them to come to his house.
When they had church yesterday, he called in and was a part of it that way, just so he didn’t leave me and it hurts my heart because as much as he’s showing me he’s there, that I’m his, I can’t show it back because I am fucking broken, used and abused.
I blink a few more times, trying to stop the tears that want to fall, not feeling like I achieved anything by killing my father’s killers because he isn’t here, he didn’t come back.
Killing them didn’t bring him back.
I thought I’d feel lighter, like I could breathe easier, but it isn’t lighter, and I still can’t breathe knowing I’ll never get to see my father again.
A few tears fall as I grip the chain that Cale picked up from Ivy’s old room. The chain my dad bought me for my fifteenth birthday, while the bracelet Cale bought me for my twenty-fifth still sits on my wrist, which thankfully he didn’t try to remove.
Perhaps I need to go back to work, maybe that is what my problem is.
It’s winter break at school, and Cale messaged Tom on my phone after I was taken, requesting a few weeks off to recuperate, so he doesn’t worry.
But maybe returning to work is what I need to get back into the swing of things, to get rid of this feeling that is consuming like I failed because my dad didn’t come back.
Nodding to myself, I sit up and grab my phone, adamant about calling Tom, but I freeze when I hear the front door slam, crap, that has to be Ivy, making my eyes widen.
“Crap, she’s come to murder me,” I whisper, but frown when I hear panicked whispers of male voices, and I quickly get out of Cale’s bed, but flinch at the shooting pains in my back and side, my legs nearly giving out.
Shit, I forgot about them.
Limping over to Cale’s drawers, I grab my jeans that Ivy must have brought over, sitting on top, and put them on. Then, I put on my sneakers, which again, Ivy must have brought me, because I’m pretty sure I left them near my front door and I grab my phone.
I go to move, but I pause, seeing Cale’s gun, shocked that he left it out in the open on his dresser.
I don’t know why, but I grab it and put it in my jeans underneath his shirt that I refuse to take off before rushing over to the door. Limping would be a better description as I grunt in pain the whole way there.
I open the door just as I hear travel from downstairs, “How in the fuck did she even grab him?!”
It sounded like Glock…
“Cherri,” is all Blade replies, and I quietly tiptoe down the hallway, then the stairs, stopping halfway to see all the officer brothers in Cale’s light gray living area, Psycho pacing with his fingers linked behind his head.
“I’ll find him, brother,” Cale promises as he types away on his laptop, and Psycho snaps, “Today or in four days like Raya?!”
What the...?
I flinch at his harsh words, a little bit of anger filling me because he’s blaming Cale for what happened to me, and every brother looks his way harshly while Cale slowly looks up at Psycho, who winces, realizing what he just said.
“I get my sister is upset that it took me four fucking agonizing days to find my woman beaten, bloody and bruised, and I know she’s been in your head because I won’t allow her to see her friend just yet, her friend who is still recovering but brother, don’t fucking go there.
With how I’m feeling lately and the no communication with Raya, her staring at the fucking walls every day, I will shoot you,” Cale says lowly and I whisper, “No you won’t I have your gun. ”
“Fuck Cale, I didn’t mean it, you’re right, I had your sister in my head –” Cale cuts Psycho off and snaps, “No shit!” before looking back down at his screen, his fingers moving quickly and I swallow hard at the look Psycho gives his friend, regretting his panicked words.
“Cale, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it. I know you’ll try your hardest to find my son, to find your nephew,” Psycho whispers, but Cale doesn’t answer him, instead he continues to type away quickly while I take in a breath.
Someone took Huddy?!
“Gotcha,” Cale growls, “Fucking Cherri handed him over to mama at the back gate twenty minutes ago.”
“Follow them, brother,” Blade encourages while still glaring at a sorrowful-looking Psycho before my phone rings, gaining everyone’s attention and Cale’s head instantly pops up, our eyes locking.
The guilt for not finding me shines in his eyes, and anger courses through me as I glare at Psycho, who flinches, and I snap at him, “Cale isn’t god, he can’t find someone who tried to hide their tracks expecting to die, jackass!”
“Shit,” Fury mutters, hearing my truth, while Psycho tilts his head and gives me sad eyes, but I shake my head and look at my phone before quickly answering, “Tom?”
Cale stands, giving me a stern look while his brothers look the other way, not willing to get involved, knowing I’m being called in.
“I know I said I’d give you two weeks but Emma called in sick and there’s a house fire, Ivy and Venom’s mama’s house,” he says and I stand up straight and promise, “I’ll meet you at the firehouse, get my gear ready,” before I hang up and keeping eye contact with Cale I state, “I know where Clara is with Hudson, she’s set her house on fire. ”
The brothers all curse, and I rush down the last few steps before Cale is on me, giving me a look.
“They need me, Cale, and honestly, I think I need this,” I admit quietly, and his jaw ticks before he nods, then commands, “Get on the back of my bike,” causing my mouth to part a little as the brothers file out.
I mean he already got my name tattooed on his neck, claiming me, I shouldn’t be surprised.
I nod, knowing I can’t argue with him and I rush out after the brothers.
I climb on Cale’s bike before he climbs on before me and demands, “Hold me around my waist tightly and keep your legs away from the pipes.”
I do as I’m told and I ask, “What happened to the side of your bike?” noticing the large scrape marks down the side and he admits, “Trashed it after finding out you were missing,” shocking me before he starts his bike and shouts, “Hold on, kitten,” and I squeeze him tighter, trying to ignore the pain in my back, little Huddy on my mind.
Five minutes later, breaking all speeding laws, Cale stops outside the firehouse and helps me off his bike. I go to move, hoping he doesn’t realize I have his gun, my intent on grabbing it now clear, but he grabs my hand and pulls me towards him.
Our eyes connect as he rasps, “Please, for the love of god, don’t go doing something stupid, kitten, because I am telling you now, where you go, I go.”
“Cale,” I choke, seeing his sincerity as my eyes race between his.
He shake his head and states, “Years, fucking years I have always gotten in your business and I’ve now realized why – you are my person, my heart,” his eyes race between mine as he confesses, “I love you, Raya Wilson,” shocking me before he presses his lips against mine quickly then pulls back and revs his bike saying loudly, “I’ll see you at Clara’s,” no longer calling her mama.
I swallow hard as I watch him speed down the road, before I shake my head and, ignoring my pain, I run towards the firehouse.
Tom notices me first and frowns seeing the state of me, but before he can say anything, I put my hand up and lie, “Took on a fight with a horse and I lost and never again will I go horse riding, now, let’s go put out this fire.”
He blinks then nods, falling for my lie and I quickly put my gear on and climb into the truck while he gets in the driver’s seat and puts the sirens on.
The feel of Cale’s gun in the back of my jeans at the front of my mind knowing I’m about to add the first female to my kill list just so the club doesn’t have to do it.
I just hope Cale and Ivy don’t hate me afterwards.