Chapter Nine
Carbon
WALKING INTO THE clubhouse, rage fills me.
Not only did someone get onto the compound without anyone knowing, but they have my woman so fucking lost she has no clue what the hell is going on around her.
It’s rare that I’ve seen Peyton like this.
The only time is when she has a massive panic attack.
I can’t even begin to imagine what she went through if the items that were left on our porch were things only her and her dead husband had access to.
Things I know for a fact Peyton wouldn’t have gone to get.
She hasn’t been leaving the compound for any reason and has been spending all of her time working and being with the kids.
Seth and others have been on her at all times.
If she had gone anywhere close to the house she lived in with her husband, they would’ve let me know.
Peyton hasn’t been alone for any reason at any time because of her feeling as if she’s been watched and followed.
I don’t talk to anyone as I stalk through the common room and straight for our meeting room.
The Prospect is already standing at the door and I know men have been arriving and waiting on the rest of us to show up.
Handing over my weapon but keeping my phone on me in case something happens to Peyton, I make my way in the room and straight for my seat.
Everyone’s eyes are on me as I look at Brick.
My best friend knows me better than anyone else and understands how enraged I am right now.
I’m sure the others surrounding me can guess, but it's only a guess and not the truth of what I’m feeling.
“Church in session,” Rooster calls out while slamming the gavel on the table in front of him and looking directly at me. “We all know what happened at Carbon’s house earlier. They made more than good time gettin’ back from the run they were on. How’s Peyton doin’?”
“She’s not good. I told her what had to be done and she has no clue what the fuck I said to her.
Her dad’s with her right now, but I doubt she even realizes that.
Her sister and mom are home waiting to be told they can come see her.
I don’t think right now is the time for them to show up.
Peyton wouldn’t realize they’re with her.
That’s why I’ve chosen to leave the kids with Marie for now,” I answer, my voice barely above a whisper as the rage consumes me to the point I’m ready to lash the hell out and destroy everything in my path.
“Fuck!” Brick says, his voice raw with emotion as I look at him and he slams his fist on the table next to his laptop.
“What the fuck is goin’ on with findin’ out who the hell did this?” I question him as everyone else in the room fades to nothing and I become completely focused on the task at hand.
“Somehow the fucker who did this knew where all of our cameras are. They didn’t get picked up by a single one of them.
Plus, they were wearing all black. Literally from the hoodie they used to cover their head down to the boots on their feet.
I’ve been diggin’ into the crash like you asked me to and there is no way in hell her husband died.
Yes, there was an accident on the highway that day.
However, his car wasn’t involved. At least not in that one.
It was made to look as if it was part of the accident.
The body of whoever was in the car was cremated per the instructions of her husband’s will.
There’s a headstone at the cemetery but nothing is buried there but a wooden box full of his ashes and a few keepsakes.
That knife was one of the items buried that day,” Brick informs us all as he hands me over papers from the police station about the accident.
“So, we have no clue where the fuck her husband is? Or if he’s truly dead at this point?” Knuckles asks, leaning back in his seat next to Rooster as I sit between Homicide and Brick.
“No clue at all. At this point, he could be in Frostford and we’d have no clue at all.
I have pictures of her husband to let you all see so you know who to look for.
However, at the end of the day, it’s been more than enough time now that if he wanted to change his appearance, he could have and we’d never know.
Peyton wouldn’t even know and she could see him on a daily basis without a clue,” Brick informs us, his voice breaking with the rage he’s feeling on behalf of a woman he’s known since high school.
“Peyton is so fuckin’ sweet and there’s no one who deserves to be treated as if she’s a fuckin’ queen than her! ”
“That’s my fuckin’ woman you’re talkin’ about, Brick. Know you don’t mean anythin’ by it, but at this point, I’m hangin’ on by a fuckin’ thread and my control is ready to snap,” I state, my voice hard and cold as I stare at the man I’ve called my best friend most of my life.
“I know, Carbon. Also know you’re ready to snap and if you do when you’re home with Peyton, she won’t take it well if she’s barely hangin’ on now.
I saw what was on your porch and there’s no way in hell Peyton won’t be relivin’ that shit for weeks to come,” Brick informs me, his voice going soft as he stares at me until he realizes I hear the truth and understand what he’s saying.
Brick passes out pictures of everything that was found on the porch by Marie.
Things my woman saw. The blood coated pictures are what truly throw me over the edge.
No one mentioned that shit to me when I was on the phone with them.
I get why they didn’t, but this shit pisses me off like nothing else could.
Not only is he threatening my woman, but the blood on pictures of their children is a clear threat as well.
One I won’t take lightly because Cedric and Caydence are my children and won’t know a single ounce of pain or fear if I can help it.
I’ll protect all of them with my life. Peyton and our children are my only concern right now.
“Are you fuckin’ kiddin’ me right now?” I growl, tossing the pictures in my hand across the room.
“Not kiddin’, Carbon. This is what we found exactly how it was left on the porch.
We’re all seein’ the same thing you are in these pictures.
A clear threat against your woman and kids.
The knife was left behind on purpose. That tells me he’s got more weapons at his disposal and won’t hesitate to use them.
We need to find out everythin’ on this fucker and keep men on Peyton and the kids around the clock.
They aren’t to leave the compound for any reason.
In fact, I’ll call Dr. Matthews and make sure she knows Peyton’s on lockdown so to speak and she’ll have to come here for the appointments,” Rooster orders as he looks around the table at all of us but mainly in my direction to judge my response.
“I’m not leavin’ the compound other than to go to work when I’m needed.
I won’t be gone more than a few hours a day.
My time will be spent with the kids and Peyton.
I’d like Dr. Matthews here today after the shock to Peyton from seein’ all that shit on the porch.
Homicide, I want the best men with my family when I’m gone.
And more stationed outside at all times,” I order even though I’m not the President.
This is my fucking family we’re talking about and I don’t give a fuck what has to be done to protect the three most important people to me in the world.
“You do what you gotta do, Carbon. We’ll all be there for you no matter what you need.
I’ll make sure guys are on the house and with your family at all times,” Homicide says, already pulling out paper to write down the list of men who will be on rotation.
“Seth will be there for sure. Peyton trusts him and he’s been in the house with her since this shit happened.
All the ol’ ladies here seem to love him for some reason. ”
“Carbon, get the fuck home with your family. We’ll bring the kids over in a little while. Make sure Peyton rests and I’ll get Dr. Matthews over to check on her soon,” Rooster says as I’m already getting out of my seat and heading for the door.
“I’ll call you later. Maybe stop over to check on Peyton with Kimber,” Brick calls out before the doors can close behind me.
Grabbing my weapon from the Prospect on the door, I head straight through the common room once again and don’t stop until I get on my bike.
Starting the engine, I rev it a few times before making my way home.
When I pull up, Seth is sitting on the porch, his eyes constantly scanning the area around him.
He’s a good Prospect and one who will make a great brother when we patch him in.
“How’s she doin’?” I ask Seth when I get off my bike after parking it against the house and out of the way.
“Not much better than when you left. Her dad did manage to get her to eat the soup. I’m not sure if she finished it, but I did see her eat some of it,” he answers me without taking his eyes off the area around us.
“Good. Dr. Matthews will be here at some point. Make sure she gets in the house without hesitation. I want her to make sure Peyton and the babies are okay. There will be more men surroundin’ the house at some point as well.
Other than the full patch members, you’re the only one allowed in my house when I’m not home.
I’ll be cuttin’ back at work and only there for a few hours a day when I’m needed,” I inform Seth as he continues scanning the area for any sign of a threat.
“Okay. I won’t abuse goin’ in your home, Carbon. Only if Peyton or the kids need me for any reason,” Seth says, finally pulling his eyes from the area surrounding the house for a brief second to look at me before going right back to doing the same thing.
“Never had a doubt about you, Seth,” I tell him, bypassing him on the steps and heading in the house to find my woman.
Looking around, I find her asleep on the couch with her dad sitting across from her.
He’s watching over her as if she’s a newborn baby who can’t take care of herself.
Unshed tears are in his eyes as he watches his daughter.
My heart aches for the man I’ve known since high school because he wants to take care of Peyton and protect her.
In this situation, there’s nothing he can do to help her.
Peyton has to sleep off the aftereffects of the panic attack and deal with the emotions and everything going through her on her own.
Yeah, she can talk to us and we’ll all be there for her, but until she’s ready to open up, there’s nothing we can do to help her.
Something else I’ll have to talk to Dr. Matthews about when she shows up.
“How’s she doin’, Mr. Stein?” I ask him as I step up to the couch and lift my woman just enough to slide underneath her head.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen her like this, Matt.
I don’t know what’s going on around here other than someone got to the porch and left a bunch of stuff.
The only other thing I know is she’s felt as if she’s been followed and watched at work.
That’s one of the main reasons she asked to work from home and hasn’t left the compound since her last day at work.
There’s nothing I can do to help my Baby Girl, Matt.
Do you know how fucking hard this is for me?
” he asks, letting a lone tear slide down his face as I look down at Peyton to give him a moment of privacy so he can gather his thoughts.
Peyton’s eyes are closed and she’s sleeping, but I can tell she’s not sleeping restfully.
Her body is twitching and I know she’s deep in the throes of a nightmare.
It’s gripped her tight and I have no clue how to break her from the prison holding her hostage.
If I wake her up, I could startle her to the point something happens to the babies and her.
That’s the last thing I want to happen. If I let her remain in the nightmare, it could scar her mentally and emotionally.
There’s no way in hell I’m about to inflict that kind of pain and damage to the woman I love.
“What do I do, Mr. Stein? I don’t want to hurt her or the babies, but I don’t wanna leave her in this hell she’s livin’ in right now,” I ask her dad as he looks at his daughter once again.
“I don’t know, Matt. Right now, there’s no right or wrong answer here.
Do what you feel is best for her and the babies.
This is the hardest part of watching her struggle with this shit,” he answers me, concern for her filling his face as he looks at her and I know he’s itching to come comfort his daughter in some way.
Making a decision, I choose to wake her up. Peyton can’t keep reliving whatever hell she’s in.
“Peyton. Come on, wake up, Baby,” I tell her, my voice soft and gentle as I pull her closer to my body and press kisses to her forehead. “Please, Baby. You gotta wake up from this.”
Peyton slowly stirs and I know she’s having a hard time coming out of her nightmare.
“No! Please leave us alone!” she screams, her voice echoing off the walls of the house and shattering my heart into a million pieces.
“Peyton!” I yell, my voice louder than I intend as she finally jerks awake in my lap.
Tears slide silently down her face and her eyes already have dark circles under them.
This is after one damn day of this sick fuck getting close to our home.
If we can’t figure out who the fuck this asshole is, I hate to see what will happen to her if this goes on too much longer.
My woman doesn’t deserve to feel this kind of pain and heartache.
Of grieving for a man who might not be dead.
All I know is when I get my hands on this bastard, he’s going to pay for making Peyton suffer.
“I’ve got you, Tutor,” I tell her, pulling her up in my lap and holding her close to my chest. “No one’s gonna get you, Peyton.
I swear on my life I’ll do everythin’ in my power to protect you, Cedric, Caydence, and our unborn children.
I’ll give up my life if that’s what it takes to ensure you’re safe. ”
Peyton continues to sob against my chest as I slowly rub my hand up and down her back.
She presses in closer as I continue to whisper words of reassurance and love to her.
Her dad continues to watch over his daughter despite her seeking comfort in my arms. He wants to be the one who holds his baby girl and gives her the comfort she needs in this moment.
However, he’s man enough to realize it’s not his turn to give that to her any longer.
I’m her man and she’s giving me the privilege of offering what she wants and needs right now.
He doesn’t have any clue what this means to me and I won’t ever be able to tell him how I feel being able to hold the woman I’ve dreamed of for so long.