Chapter 23
Drew chuckles from where he’s perched on the stool at the bar, watching Jett hand me my ass at pool.
Jett straightens, wearing a grin. “No one likes a sore loser, bro.” He walks over to me and pats my cheek. “Suck it up, buttercup.”
I swat his hand away and he only laughs harder.
“Another game?” he asks.
I toss my cue stick onto the pool table. “Fuck no.”
“I will.” Drew hops off the stool, nearing the table.
“Good luck, little cobra, you’re gonna need it, this prick’s a hustler.” I grab my beer off the bar and toss it back.
Drew shoots me a glare at my use of the nickname he hates and it makes me smile for the first time in a week.
“At least someone’s finally managed to get a smile out of your moody ass,” Jett comments. “You’ve been miserable all fucking week. Barely seen you.”
I shrug. “Been busy.”
“Bullshit.”
It is bullshit and everyone can smell it.
I’m fucking rolling in it. I’ve avoided my crew to avoid conversations like this.
Conversations and questions I don’t wanna answer but it’s impossible to lie to my brothers.
They know me too well. I’m just glad it’s just Jett and Drew I’m up against tonight.
I don’t think I could face my entire crew.
Myles is spending the evening with Allie. Ray and Rita have gone away for the weekend to the mountains. Cruiser is doing a shift at The Ape Hanger, giving Jett the night off. The prospects are off god knows where together, and fuck knows where Alex is.
It’s rare to see the clubhouse so quiet, but tonight it’s welcomed.
“So come on, out with it.” Jett turns to me, leaning up against the pool table, clutching his cue. “What the fuck happened between you and Kaia? What did you do?”
“I love how you assume it was something I did.”
“Well, she ran outta here like her ass was on fire, so I’m pretty sure you’re the one that set it alight.”
I have a sigh. “She tried to kiss me. I turned away at the second and…”
“So you humiliated her? Nice going, man,”
“Fuck off,” I snap. “I feel bad enough as it is.”
“Holy shit. Do you actually care about her?”
My silence tells him everything he needs to know.
“You forgetting this was your plan?”
“No, of course I’m not forgetting! Just need to find a way I can do this without hurting her.”
The memory of what I did makes me wince.
It’s been a long week, and I’ve missed her.
I’ve missed the push and pull between us and I’ve been feeling like a sack of shit for ruining it.
For making her think I didn’t want her when it’s the exact opposite.
I want her more than I’ve ever wanted anyone.
I need to explain why I didn’t kiss her that night and it was nothing to do with her and everything to do with me.
My phone buzzes in my pocket and I take it out finding Sofia’s name flashing up on the screen.
It’s the winter ball tonight, an annual event to celebrate the holiday season, an event Lawless are never invited to. Sofia goes every year and apparently Kaia is expected to go this year with her being back in town.
So why is she calling me?
Unless…
“Sof?”
“Kill, you need to come. It’s Kaia.”
My stomach sinks at the mention of her name, the tone of Sof’s voice telling me something is wrong. “What about Kaia?”
Drew and Jett must hear the alarm in my voice because their heads snap my way, their game of pool abandoned.
“I can’t believe he’s done this. She told me not to tell you, said she could handle it herself but I… God, I swear if I wasn’t wearing six-inch open-toed stilettos my foot would be so far up his ass, he’d—”
“Sof! What’s happened?” I shout, cutting off her rambling.
She sighs through the phone. “Her dad’s invited her ex to be her date tonight.”
“Okay…?” I won’t lie, the thought of another man being with her has a wave of jealousy crashing through me.
She’s mine.
“You don’t get it, she never would’ve invited Daniel here. She’s terrified of him, Kill. He’s an entitled prick who treated her like crap when she wouldn’t sleep with him. He tried to force himself on her in college, that’s why she broke up with him.”
My feet are on the move as soon as the words forced himself on her leave her mouth. “I’m on my way,” I tell her before hanging up.
“Bro, what’s up?”
I stop and turn. Jett and Drew face me, their eyes wide and alert. “If you don’t want to see me in cuffs through a screen during visiting hours, you better come with, because I won’t be held responsible for what happens next.”
“Oh fuck,” I hear Jett mutter as I burst out the door, crossing the lot towards my bike, Jett and Drew hot on my heels.
I climb over my bike and fire up the engine before the three of us peel out of the lot, taking a right onto Watery Lane towards the town hall.
I don’t know who I’m angrier with. Her piece of shit ex who touched her enough to fill her with terror or her father for inviting him to be her date. I’d love to pound both of the bastards into dust, but I need to get to her first.
I need Kaia to know she’s safe.
With me.
“Good evening! May I see you invitation?” The guy on the desk welcoming the guests smiles, but it dies when his eyes lift from his guest list to the three leather-clad bikers standing over him.
“Don’t have one.”
“I—I’m sorry but without one, I can’t allow you inside.”
I lean over, my palms flat on his desk until I’m towering over him. The poor guy shrinks in his seat and I almost feel sorry for him. “You don’t allow anything.”
“Kill, no trouble tonight,” Ryan Eaton warns. He’s one of the town’s police officers, and Allie’s partner before she was suspended. He’s a decent guy and a pretty good cop, but with Collins at the helm, Eaton’s just another one of his lap dogs.
“Here’s my invitation.” I flip him the bird and make for the door.
He places his hand flat on my chest, halting me. “Kill, I can’t allow you in.”
I glare down at the hand on my chest, before meeting his eyes. “Kaia’s in trouble. Not you or anyone else is gonna fucking stop me,” I say before shoving my way past him, Jett and Drew close behind me.
The three of us head inside. The room is decked out in ice blue, silver and white, but I really couldn’t give a fuck. My eyes dart around the room, searching for Kaia but I can’t see her. Spotting Sof sat at the bar sipping her cocktail, I push my way through the crowded room towards her.
“Sof?” She turns when I call her name. “Where is she?”
“She went to the bathroom. I offered to go with her but she insisted she was fine on her own.”
“How long has she been gone?”
“I dunno, a while?”
“And her ex? Where’s he?”
She lifts up onto her toes, her eyes scanning the room. “I can’t see him.”
“Fuck!” I push my way through the crowd and my eyes meet with Mayor Watson’s glare. He’s talking with a man I don’t recognise, his wife looking about as interested in his conversation as someone finds watching paint dry.
As much as the idea of wrapping my hands around his thick neck and squeezing until he can’t breathe is inviting, I drag my eyes away and continue towards the restrooms when a voice has my ears pricking up.
“…think I’ll let you humiliate me?” I hear.
“Get your hands off me!” Kaia shouts.
I turn the corner just as Kaia’s palm connects with her ex’s cheek. He’s got her pinned up against the wall, boxing her in.
“You won’t let me between your legs but you’ll give it up for some filthy biker?
Yeah, I’ve heard all about your relationship with that criminal.
Fucking whore!” he spits. The back of his hand strikes Kaia’s face, knocking her to the ground.
He crouches over her, taking a handful of her hair in his fist and she whimpers in pain as he drags her closer.
She cowers away from him, bracing herself for another hit, but it won’t come.
I was angry before. Now I’m out for blood.
My boots eat up the floor as I come up behind him. “Hey, asshole.”
He releases her hair and spins around just as my boot connects with his face like I’m kicking a soccer ball. Hard.
I hear something snap as his head is thrust backwards, blood spraying from his mouth. He collapses to the ground, his nose crooked and bloodied, his lip split, and with any luck a few missing teeth.
I reach for Kaia, helping her to her feet. I cup her face in my hands, my thumb dusting over the angry red mark across her cheek, my jaw clenching at the sight. “You okay, butterfly?”
Tears brim in her eyes as she gives me the smallest nod.
She’s not okay, but she will be.
I’ll make sure of it.
I edge her behind me so she’s safely out of the way before turning my attention back to the piece of shit currently lying at my feet. I bend down and grip him by the lapels of his fancy designer jacket, dragging him to his feet and shoving him up against the wall.
“You enjoy beating up women, huh? Let me show you how it feels.” I drive my fist into his face and his eyes roll, his knees buckling beneath him but I hold him up, my hand locked around his throat.
He claws weakly at my hand, trying to remove my iron grip around his neck and fails miserably.
“I don’t like men who abuse women, I like rapists even less, and you my friend are both.”
“S…She tell you that? That I r—raped her?” he slurs, “I didn’t f—fucking touch her.”
“The intent was there, asshole. Wanna find out what happens to men like you?” I lean in close. “Put it this way, I didn’t spend seven years in prison for nothing.”
His eyes flare and he goes to speak, probably to plead his innocence but, we’re interrupted.
“What in God’s name is going on here?” Mayor Watson’s voice has my head snapping in his direction. Beside him is Kaia’s mother, who’s eyes are wide with shock, but not shocked enough to go to her daughter’s aid.
Watson’s eyes flick from Kaia, to the prick in front of me before finally settling on me. “Hm. I might’ve guessed it would be something to do with you.”
“You’re damn right. This how you take care of your daughter? By letting this piece of shit near her!” I shout.
Jett and Drew appear then, Sofia close behind, rushing to Kaia’s side and wrapping her arms around her friend as a crowd starts to gather.
“What is this? What have you done to my son?” The tall man from earlier that I don’t recognise beside the mayor asks in outrage. “Peter, who is this thug?”
“Your son?” I interrupt. “Tell me, what kind of a father raises a son who thinks it’s okay to hurt women?”
He frowns. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me,” I snap before my eyes return to Watson. “And what kind of a father lets the guy who tried to rape his daughter to come within an inch of her?”
He’s speechless for a second, processing my words before his eyes dart to Kaia. “Is this true?”
“I—I tried to tell you earlier,” she sniffs, her voice thick.
What?!
“She fucking told you and you still made her come here with him! The fuck is wrong with you?”
I release her ex and he drops to the ground like a sack of potatoes. I stretch out my hand to Kaia. She untangles herself from Sof and hurries to me. She takes my hand, her other looping around my upper arm as she presses herself against my side, clinging to me like I’m her lifeline.
“She’s your fucking daughter, Watson. You had one job: to protect her, and you blew it. But don’t worry, that’s my job now.” I squeeze her hand comfortingly. “Come on, butterfly. Let’s get you out of here.”
I lead her towards the exit, past Ryan Eaton and past the guys still sat behind the desk and out into the cold night, descending the steps at the front of the building.
It’s sub-zero out here, the biting wind like needles against my face.
Kaia’s body shakes violently beside me, and I stop to shrug off my jacket.
I haven’t had the chance to take her in until now, and if the cold hadn‘t already stolen the breath from my lungs, the sight of Kaia sure would’ve.
She’s dressed in a beautiful midnight blue satin gown that hugs her soft slender curves, looking like a fucking goddess. Her dark hair falls in waves down her back and around her bare shoulders. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything so beautiful in my life.
One of the thin spaghetti straps of her dress has slipped off her shoulder and I reach down to put it back into place, my fingers dusting over her skin and I’m not sure if it’s the chill in the air that makes her shiver or my touch.
“I’m gonna take you home, okay?”
She shakes her head. “I don’t wanna go home.”
“Good thing I’m not taking you there then. You’re coming home with me.”