Chapter 21 Gracie Mae #3
Oak’s eyes are as hard as glaciers as they regard him. “I’m sure you heard me correctly the first time.”
Steven doesn’t question again but he does narrow his eyes at him.
Needing to break the tension before Oak really does kill him I turn on the hospitality like a true southern bell would. “How was your drive here, Steven? Do you want me to get a glass of water for you?”
Steven finally looks away from Oak who he was eyeing with disdain and smiles warmly at me. “My drive was fine, thank you. And the water isn’t needed.”
I clap my hands. “Alright then. So,” I wave my hand around the home, “it’s a nice home isn’t it? Even in a decent neighborhood.”
The sound of the knife hitting the cutting board echoes throughout the kitchen. And I just know Oak wants to slam that knife down on flesh instead of wood.
“Anything is certainly better than where you were before,” he says and I feel myself shrinking inside.
He didn’t compliment the house.
What does that mean for me? Is it not good enough for him. If it’s not does that mean I won’t gain custody of Connor?
“Still working at Fantasy I see,” he says. And there it is again. Every time he brings up my work at Fantasy he makes me feel dirty and cheap.
I keep my tone upbeat to cover up the dread I feel in the pit of my stomach. “Until I get a call back.”
“When you told me you would find a way to become more financially stable for Connor I didn’t think you would actually become a stripper there.” He might as well have shot twelve rounds in my chest.
I cut a glance at Oak who has a death grip on the handle of the knife as he has a murderous gaze on Steven.
And right now he’s talking himself out of slicing his throat.
“I didn’t tell you about that,” I say to him calmly when I feel anything but.
“I thought I would check up on you at work and see how the job applications were going,” he says simply.
That’s such utter bullshit. “Imagine my surprise when I saw you on stage. You really do have beautiful assets, Grace.” As he says assets his eyes land on my breasts and it’s then I realize I didn’t put on a bra.
With the morning light he can see right through my lilac cardigan.
I immediately feel disgusted. My stomach churns and I stop myself from wanting to gag.
“Her eyes are on her face you perverted fuck,” Oak’s voice is sharp like a blade.
I fold my arms over my chest and gravitate towards Oak.
Steven watches my movements like I’m his very own test subject. Seeing how I’ll react and predicting what I’ll do next.
It’s unnerving.
I stand beside Oak across the island from Steven. And it’s not enough distance for me.
But as I stand beside Oak I already begin to feel his strength bleeding into my own. Behind the island where Steven can’t see I interlock my hand with his. I just need his touch right now to keep me steady.
“Maybe next time wear something with more coverage if you don’t want me to look.”
The absolute worst fucking thing to say.
Oak leans across the island as he stares at him menacingly.
I can tell Oak is hanging on by a frayed thread.
The muscles in his neck are strained and his back is rigid.
His voice is lethal as he says through clenched teeth, “She could be naked in front of you and that still gives you no fucking right to look.”
Steven swallows thickly but doesn’t take a step backwards. He does, however, stiffen and I can see the fear laced in his eyes. He fiddles with those damn titanium cuff links that bare his initials.
Then ever so bravely he replies smartly, “So, I can only look if I throw her money?”
That has me seething and Oak blistering cold. His hand tightens around mine tightly to the point I fear I’ll lose circulation. But it’s better than him grabbing that knife and plunging it through Steven’s skull.
“All the money in the world and you’ll never fucking see her. Now show her the god dammed respect she fucking deserves.”
He scoffs. “Her position as a stripper isn’t a suitable job. As far as I’m concerned as long as she is one she will never gain custody of Connor.”
“Exactly what kind of motherfucking power trip are you on?” Oak questions him in a deadly tone.
“Did your mother not pay enough attention to you when you were young? Did dad yell at you too much? Or did the kids at school constantly make fun of your ass and now that you have a sense of power you can’t help but fucking abuse it. ”
“Oak,” I say his name in warning but it’s one he doesn’t heed.
Meanwhile Steven stands across from us seething with daggers in his eyes.
Oak releases my hand and closes the distance between him and Steven with menacing steps. Steven has to crane his neck back to look at him.
“Or is it because too many girls turned you down and now having power over them allows you to have revenge?” Oak’s voice is lethally calm and I know that’s when the other person should be terrified the most.
In Steven’s eyes you can see the fear but his anger is palpable, it comes off of him in waves.
Oak’s eyes harden but there’s a smirk on his face.
A dark predatory smirk. “That’s it isn’t it?
” He asks rhetorically. Steven keeps his lips in a firm line.
“You wanted women like Grace and they were smart enough to turn your perverted twisted as fuck ass down. And now, because you can, you belittle her to make yourself feel like a man.” Oak laughs bleakly.
“You aren’t a man, Steven. You aren’t even a young boy.
What you are is a fucking coward who wields power. ”
Steven blinks furiously up at him and through terse lips asks, “Are you finished?”
“No, not even fucking close.”
“Oak,” I say his name in hopes to rein in the beast but I fear I’ve already lost that battle. I only have to trust that he’s in control of himself.
Steven glances over at me and he doesn’t hide how his eyes languidly travel up and down my body.
He’s doing it on purpose.
He wants Oak to snap. He wants to see him lose control.
Because if Oak lays a hand on him Steven will press charges.
And I refuse to see Oak behind bars because of this fucking asshole.
“Oak, please. Don’t,” I keep my voice calm as I plead for him to stay in control.
My voice registers because the fist by his side uncurls but then his finger twitches against his outer thigh.
Then something twists on Steven’s face. He turns to something more sinister as his smile becomes deviant. “Ah, that’s right. You’re Oak, Vice President of Vipers MC. The very same MC that Reed Carter belongs to.”
It’s unnatural hearing Snake’s real name pass through someone’s lips who isn’t Alice. That name only belongs to her and we all know it.
Oak cocks his head to the side as he studies him. “What’s your point?”
“The FBI was around town doing their own little research on him,” he says casually, as if he didn’t just drop a bomb.
The FBI is investigating Snake?
What will that mean for Alice if they can convict him?
What will that mean for the club if they decide to investigate into all the crimes that they have committed?
My mind is spiraling but Oak looks as cool as a cucumber. It’s as if the bomb Steven just dropped Oak was already prepared to diffuse it.
“And with his name they also brought up you and the rest of the club. So tell me, Oak,” he says his name mockingly, “do you honestly think you’re a better man than me?
You’re a criminal. You aren’t a good man.
To do what I’m sure they’re collecting information on, you never were.
And as long as you are in Grace’s life Connor will never be hers. ”
The bomb detonates.
It detonates and everything inside me explodes to smithereens.
I clutch my chest as I suck in a horrifying gasp.
Fuck, I feel like I can’t fucking breath.
Every breath I draw in burns my lungs.
My heart is beating way too fucking fast.
“Are you seriously threatening her?” Oak’s voice is low, dark and deadly.
Steven holds his head high and his nose proud in the air when it should be shoved through the grounds of the earth collecting dirt and shit. “I’m only doing what is best for Connor.”
Oak barks out a bleak laugh. “You can’t expect me to believe that when even you don’t.”
“I always have both Grace and Connor’s best interest at heart. I’m only doing what is right.”
Oak’s nostrils flare. “What you’re doing is keeping her at your fucking will. Trust me on this, fucker, as long as I’m in her life, as long as I’m alive, she won’t be at your mercy.”
“We will see about that, won’t we?” He then backs away from Oak and struts over to me with more confidence than The President of the United States.
I feel myself crawling out my skin the same time I want to chop his dick off and shove it down his throat.
He stops just a few inches in front of me and reaches out to tuck a loose strand of hair away from my face. I dodge him at the last second as his fingers graze my chin.
And it’s enough to feel the blistering cold coming from Oak. I look over Steven’s shoulder and beg with my eyes for him not to move a muscle.
When he remains where he stands, reluctantly, I feel a weird sense of relief.
Steven wants him to react and I’m not going to let that happen.
“The next time I visit if he’s here what I write on Connor’s file will be damning for you,” he warns me.
My eyes harden. “It will be a lie.”
He shrugs his shoulder. “I’ve been lying this whole time. What’s one more?”
Fighting the urge to spit in his face I forcefully swallow down the saliva that sits bitterly on my tongue.
With a smug face he then backs away from me and starts to see himself out.
“Steven,” Oak calls out his name and Steven has no choice but to listen to the command of his tone. He stops, giving Oak his back but looks over his shoulder. “Your days are numbered.”
“The very same can be said for you.” And with that he leaves.
I don’t feel like I can breathe properly until I hear the front door shut behind him.
Then I exhale a long breath as my shoulders sag and I can feel myself about to collapse on the floor.
Before my knees give out on me Oak collects me in his strong arms and cradles me against his chest. I close my eyes as I let my head rest against him.
I allow my body to release all the tension and seething anger.
I let Oak’s scent fill my nostrils to cleanse the air and I welcome his touch to soothe my soul.
He carries me gently back to the bedroom and sits down on the edge of the bed but doesn’t let me go. If anything his hold on me tightens. His arms bound around me like steel.
“I’m not giving you up, Oak,” I tell him, my voice absolute.
He smiles down at me but it isn’t as bright as they were just earlier today. “I know, baby. Believe me, I’m not giving you up either.”
I frame his face in my hands and lean upwards to place a kiss on his lips. He kisses me back but not with urgency like our other kisses. No, this is tender, affectionate.
“What are we going to do?” I ask him.
He places another soft kiss on my lips and then my forehead. “We’re going to fight this battle together, Grace. You and I, we’re one in the same. We fight because we don’t know how not to. You’ll be the shield and I’ll be the sword.”
I love him.
I love him. I love him. I love him.
I feel it in my every heartbeat and every breath. I feel it flowing through my veins and in my soul.
I love him.
I don’t say it but I let my eyes do the talking for me. I let them say what I think he’s not ready to hear.
His thumb swipes along my bottom lip and as he tilts his head downwards his lips brush against my own as he says, “I know, Grace. I know.”