Mac’s Obsession (Saint’s Outlaws MC: Pensacola Chapter #3)

Prologue

“Mommy, what do spiders eat?”

I smile at my youngest, Emily. She’s only five years old, but smart as hell. She always has been a curious one. I should be worried that she’s found a spider, but she won’t touch it without permission. I taught her that animals are living creatures that deserve the same respect as humans.

“Bugs and flies. Why?” I yell to her as I finish up the dishes.

I should have another hour before my husband gets home. Dread fills me at the idea, but I shake it away. I’m still here for them. I can’t stay much longer, though. I will need to take them and run before long.

Thankfully, I’ve already gotten a go bag together. That’s what they call it at the shelter. The same one I go to under the guise of helping the needy. He likes me to keep a positive image.

If only he weren’t such a monster.

“There’s one living under the bathroom cabinet,” she yells back.

I smile, shaking my head. She is always looking around and finding new things to interest her.

You should see her library list. I let her pick out five books a week, but that’s not enough anymore.

She is reading well above her grade level, but I have no idea how to keep her engaged if it’s not knowledge-related.

“Mom,” Tanner, my eight-year-old, comes into the kitchen, fear on his face.

All the humor disappears from my face.

“He’s home and looks angry,” he tells me.

I swallow hard.

“You know the drill. Keep your sister safe,” I tell him, hating how he nods as if this is normal.

To him, it is.

He has seen firsthand the damage his father can cause.

I listen as he corrals Emily upstairs. As he does, I hear the front door open. I flinch when he slams it shut, but I continue to do the dishes as if everything is okay.

“Hey, honey. How was your day?” I ask in my chipper voice as I hear him move down the hall.

He doesn’t say a word. That doesn’t bode well for me. It’s a bad day.

That’s the thing with Evan. On his good days, he is a loving father and husband. I can almost convince myself that he isn’t the monster I know him to be. He reverts back to the man I fell in love with ten years ago. The one who promised to treat me like a queen on our wedding day.

Unfortunately, that man doesn’t exist much anymore. As each day passes, the new one, this monster, takes his place.

I don’t say a word as he stalks toward me, grabbing my hair.

“Why do sluts always think they can do whatever they want and get away with it? I swear, one day I’m going to kill her.” He spits in my face.

I’m not the cause of his anger, but I am the target. I don’t dare utter a word.

I know who he is likely talking about. Recently, the partners at his firm promoted a female above him. On the day it happened, he came home ranting and raving about how they only gave her the position because she opens her legs for them. I don’t think that’s true, but I didn’t dare tell him that.

It didn’t save me that day, and it’s not going to save me today.

“I swear, all of you are useless. If it wasn’t for the fact that we need you to populate the earth, I’d say we should kill you all. It would make the world a better place.”

His hand in my hair tightens, making me wince, but I don’t dare make a noise. That would only piss him off more.

It’s the opening he was looking for. Evan won’t hit me out of nowhere. No, he makes sure there is some sort of slight that makes it my fault. It is always my fault.

“What? Do you agree with the bitch? I bet you do. All you whores stick together.”

He pushes me back, my hip hitting the kitchen counter, causing a burst of pain. I don’t dare cry out, though. Not that it stops him. He rushes me, slapping my face.

“You dirty fucking whore. I bet you’d open your legs for them too. You want to let them use that old, dry ass pussy to give your man a promotion? I bet they’d make me president if I let them all fuck you, huh?”

I press my lips together, unable to stop the tears from welling up in my eyes. Not at his words. No, from the pain radiating from both my hip and cheek.

“Dumb cunt. You won’t even speak, will you? No, because you know your place.” He grabs me by the hair, pulling me up the stairs.

I go willingly. I always do. He can do whatever he wants to me as long as he leaves the children alone.

That’s when I hear it. The click of the door. My eyes fly to Tanner’s as he glares at his father.

“You’re hurting her. Leave her alone.” His little voice yells out.

I will him to go back into the room, to leave this to me.

Evan won’t let this go, though. He can’t. It’s a blow to his ego.

“What did you say to me, boy?” He sneers at Tanner.

Tanner is quivering, but he steps forward.

“Leave her alone.”

“Tanner, go to your room,” I hiss.

A smack to the back of my head has me seeing stars as I hit the floor. My nose is pouring blood from hitting the hardwood. I try to reorient myself quickly, though. I need to. Otherwise, Tanner will be hurt.

I’m not quick enough. I watch in horror as Evan grabs Tanner, punching him in the gut. My heart shatters as I watch my little boy cry in pain. I would do anything to take it from him.

So I pull myself up and clear my throat.

“Such a prick, picking on a child. What will your buddies think of you when they find out?” I ask him.

He drops Tanner, turning to me. He has murder in his eyes as he rushes forward. He grabs me, dragging me down into our room. As soon as the door slams, I let out a relieved breath. Whatever he does to me is worth saving Tanner. Always.

“I’m going to teach you how to obey, you little fucking whore.” I listen as Evan unzips his pants.

It’s the same thing every time. He will spend the next five minutes taking his anger out on my body. Then he will turn over and pass out.

I endure it until I hear his loud snores. Sneaking into the bathroom, I clean up before I head down the hall to Tanner’s room. Inside, I find him sitting in front of his closet, with tear stains on his face.

“Are you okay?” I ask him.

He shakes his head. “We need to leave.”

“It’s not that simple,” I tell him.

He pulls out his phone, turning to show me what he recorded. It’s his father abusing me, but that’s not what scares me. It’s the fact that I don’t remember this particular instance.

“Tanner, life isn’t always black and white.” I try again.

“He’s going to kill you. You can’t leave me and Emily with him. He will kill us too,” he pleads.

I hate how brave he is being. He is far too perceptive.

“He only hurt you because you stepped in. I can handle it.” I try to reassure him.

He frowns. “When you are gone, he will hurt us too. We will say the wrong thing. If you die, we will be all alone with that monster.”

My whole world shatters with those words. He’s right, but I never planned on leaving them alone with Evan. Tonight was a close call. Tanner stepped in because he is now old enough to realize his father isn’t a good man.

“Has he ever done anything to you when I haven’t been around?” I ask, needing to know.

He shakes his head. “Other than hitting me tonight, he has never touched me.”

I nod, grateful. Looking into those little brown eyes, I realize I thought I was protecting them, but I was really failing them.

He’s right. We need to leave.

“Grab your sister,” I tell him.

He does, pulling the sleeping girl from his closet. He carries her down the stairs as he follows me into the garage. I take out the three backpacks I have set aside for this moment.

As quietly as possible, we slip out the side door, the alarm long since damaged for this moment. I hesitate for only a second.

He will kill all three of us if he ever finds us, but he will kill us if we stay.

We have to go.

Walking at a brisk pace, I lead Tanner with a sleeping Emily down to the truck stop six blocks away. Once there, I search for the friendliest-looking driver.

“Stay here,” I tell Tanner, leaving him by the entrance to the store.

Carefully, I approach an older man.

“Hello,” I say to him.

“I’m not interested.” He doesn’t even look my way.

I clear my throat.

“I heard there’s an angel heading your way.”

His eyes blink my way as if he is seeing me for the first time.

It’s the phrase Denise from the shelter told me most truck drivers know. It means I’m in immediate danger and in need of help.

I can see him take in my injuries. Then he looks behind me, likely seeing my two children.

He nods once. “Load up in the truck. I’ll take you as far as I can, but we will need to switch quickly. As soon as he realizes you are missing, he will check the tapes. Best you keep on the move.”

“Thank you. I can pay you,” I tell him.

He waves me off. “No need.”

Waving the children over, we climb up into his rig. He gets the kids set up on his bedding in the back before he tells me to take a seat in his passenger seat.

As we pull away, I look down the road, wondering if I’m making the right decision or if I doomed us all.