Chapter 21
ALWAYS CHECK YOUR BACKSEATS, LADIES
CANDYMAN
I’ve been trying to find Izzy for a week.
She’s hiding from me, and unfortunately, she’s damn good at it.
I’ve even had our tech guy track her credit cards.
She’s not using them. Anything I can think of to find her, I’ve tried.
Unfortunately, I keep coming up empty. Hell, I’ve tried asking Beau and even BB.
They both hang up on me. Apparently, she’s been in contact enough to talk to them and let them know what scum I am.
The damn woman won’t even let me explain.
I’d gotten so desperate that I went to the Devil’s Blaze clubhouse in person to try to explain.
To say it didn’t go well is not an understatement.
Shit, I’m still sporting the bruises and a black eye from talking with her brother and dad.
Then Savage threw me a lifeline. He came up with a solution I should’ve thought of.
I might have if I’d been thinking straight.
Honestly, ever since Isolde found me in that clusterfuck of a situation, my mind has been a mess.
I didn’t touch that bitch—I would never.
She was in my bed when I came out of the shower.
I don’t even know how she got into my room.
Still, I know exactly how it looked to Izzy though.
I let Georgia and Nana get even with the girl.
Last time I saw her, the woman had a burr cut and was crying.
Grifter took her to the county line and told her never to come back.
I’ll tell Izzy all of that if I can just get her alone to talk to her.
I need to explain exactly what happened.
Then, I need to make sure she knows I would never betray her.
That’s why I’m sitting outside Vanderbilt Hospital—waiting for Izzy to get off work.
I could have barged into the hospital, but I knew she’d just call security.
So, instead, I’m sitting in her car, hiding like a fucking stalker.
Which, really, I am. I’ve been outside this hospital every day and night waiting to see her.
Tonight, I got lucky because she’s finally here.
The minute she parked and went inside, I broke into her car and have been waiting here.
I keep glancing at my phone. I know it’s time for her to come out.
I’m as fucking nervous as a cat on a hot tin roof.
I feel like I could jump out of my skin.
My heart practically stops when I hear heels clicking against the concrete of the parking area designated for ER doctors.
I don’t dare raise up and see if it’s her.
I can’t let her see me. When the sound stops next to the driver’s side door, I know I’m finally going to get to talk to Izzy again. The joy and relief roar inside of me.
I remain hiding in the backseat like a fucking chump. She gets into the car, tossing a briefcase into the back seat. It narrowly escapes hitting my balls—that are still sore from where she kneed me. My girl can definitely take care of herself.
Once she starts her car, I make my move.
I rise and put my hand against her mouth so she can’t scream.
Then, I quickly handcuff her to the steering wheel.
It isn’t easy because my Izzy can put up a fight.
Still, I get her secured while cursing when she bites down on my finger.
When all this is over and she’s back in my bed for good, I’m going to have to teach her that you never get into a car blindly.
You’d think she’d seen enough movies to have that rule in her brain at all times.
“Fuck, Isolde. It’s bad enough you've probably ruined our chances of ever having kids together. Now you’re trying to bite off my finger.”
“We’re never having kids. I want nothing to do with a cheating asshole like you,” she spews, hate dripping from every word.
“Isolde, I never cheated on you. I love you. What you walked in on, wasn’t what it seemed.”
“God! Spare me! That’s what every motherfucker says who gets caught cheating. I know what I saw, and there’s no way you can explain it.”
“There is. I need you to listen to me. I swear, I can explain everything. I even brought proof with me,” I assure her. That seems to calm her down slightly. She looks at me and waits.
“Can I show you?” I ask.
She shrugs. “It doesn’t matter anymore, but if it will make you happy and you will get out of my car, do it and get it over with.”
“Bullshit. It does matter. That bitch was no one, Isolde. Now, she’s not even a club whore. Nana made sure Grifter kicked her out. You’ll never see her again.”
She looks at me with a frown. “That seems kind of harsh. I mean you fucked her. It’s not all on her. Besides, it’s not going to make me feel better. If you want to do that, you should probably cut off your dick and any other appendage she has ever touched and let me burn it.”
“God, you’re a hard woman, Isolde. Baby. I’ll never lie to you. I have fucked her—”
“Can you just leave? I don’t want to hear this shit!” she screams, tears stinging her eyes.
“Let me finish, damn it,” I growl, being harsh with Izzy in a way I never have before. “I haven’t fucked her, or anyone else since I met you. I haven’t even thought about it or been tempted. Izzy, you’re all I want.”
“Yeah, that’s exactly what it looked like when I walked in,” she huffs, not giving an inch.
“It’s the truth! I got done with that damn alliance meeting and went back to my room to get a shower. I wanted to rest up because I knew when you got there Saturday that I wouldn’t sleep any.”
“Well, at least you don’t have that problem any longer.”
“Izzy,” I growl. “Will you just listen? When I came out of the shower, that bitch was naked in my bed. I yelled at her and asked her what the fuck she was doing in my room. Instead of answering, she got down on her knees, offering to give me head. You called, and I panicked when I heard the pain in your voice. I admit I fucked up because I took my anger out by yelling at her for hurting you instead of just throwing her out of my room. The bitch was high as a fucking kite. I’m not sure what on, and I don’t care.
She climbed back onto my bed. I threw her clothes at her.
I was going to get the men to get her, I swear.
I was going to the closet to get some clothes when she started that fucked-up show you walked in on.
I swear I never touched her, baby. I wouldn’t do that to you. ”
She doesn’t say anything. I don’t know if that is good or bad.
I take my phone out and exhale. “My room—well, all the officer’s rooms have a camera in them.
The footage goes to our private server, so we’re the only ones who see it.
It was done so we can make sure no one breaks in and plants shit.
I know it sounds weird, but our club hasn’t exactly had a great run lately, and we deemed it necessary. I just want you to watch this. Okay?”
She still doesn’t say anything, but when I hold the phone out, she doesn’t move, so I hit play on the app.
Together we watch as the scene unfolds, and I can feel Izzy calm a little.
I spare a glance at her, but she’s staring at my phone intently.
It proves everything I just said, but I don’t speak a word until it reaches the end.
She watches as Savage manhandles the bitch, and she finally confesses I never touched her. Then, she actually offers up her pussy to Savage. God, Grifter is right. Club whores aren’t worth the time. This one could have cost me my woman. When I look at her face, I worry that she already has.
“Do you believe me now?” I ask, my voice hoarse—fear growing stronger inside of me when she continues not to speak.
“Will you uncuff my hands, please? It’s starting to hurt,” she asks. It’s only then I can see the tears falling down her cheeks.
I get out of her back seat and go to her door and undo the cuffs.
Before I can go around to the passenger side, she’s pushing to get out.
I let her, not wanting to upset her more.
I keep her hands in mine, kissing the inside of her wrists where the cuffs were, while rubbing her warm skin against my fingers. I just need a connection with her.
“Talk to me, baby,” I beg.
“I believe you, Caleb, and I appreciate you showing me the video.”
“I’d do anything for you. I needed you to see for yourself that I didn’t touch that fucking crazy bitch.”
Izzy leans up on the tips of her toes, placing a kiss on my cheek. “Thank you.”
It’s a sweet move, but there suddenly feels like an impenetrable wall around her, and that has my blood running cold.
“Isolde—”
“How did you get the black eye?”
“Your father and brother are pretty good with their fists. I figure they’re the ones that trained you.”
She gives me a sad smile. “Yeah.”
“Baby—”
“I believe you, but it just doesn’t matter, Caleb.”
“How can you say that! Of course it matters.”
She steps away from me, putting space between us. “No, it doesn’t. I learned something through all of this.”
“What are you talking about?”
“There’s a reason I never wanted a relationship with a biker.
It’s not the life I wanted. I don’t want to wade through half-naked women to find my boyfriend or husband.
Even if he’s not touching them, he’s there with them.
I don’t want my daughter to walk into a scene like that and find her dad fighting off some skank who thinks she can put her hands on her father and have him.
I don’t want my son to see that life and think it’s okay to treat his woman like that. ”
“Isolde, that’s not what the life is about. That’s not what I’m about since I met you.”
“I know, but you were once, and happy to live that way. I don’t want my future son to be the same.
I don’t want to create a life and a family with you.
I can’t trust it. Who’s to say you won’t wake up someday and discover that having a wife who works long shifts and weird hours in a hospital isn’t worth what you gave up?
Or that having a wife and kids is a bad trade-off for your party days? ”
“I would never—”
“Maybe you wouldn’t, but maybe you would, Caleb. The pain I felt when I thought you betrayed me nearly destroyed me. What happens when I’ve invested more into us as a couple, when I open my heart to you completely and this love that I feel gets deeper, more meaningful? It would kill me.”
“You love me?” I ask, grasping onto the first thing that means the most to me.
“It doesn’t matter anymore. I want you to be happy, Caleb. I just don’t think I’m the woman meant to bring that joy into your life. We’re just too different.”
Before I can respond, she’s kissing me. I take the kiss and try to pour everything I can into it. I want her to feel how precious she is to me. I want her to know that I love her completely.
When we break apart. I can already see she’s receded to a place I can’t reach. Izzy is on overload. It’s going to kill me, but I need to give her some space. I know it, but I hate every second of it.
“Izzy—”
“I need to end this here. I have my school to worry about, my future career, and there’s just no room for a relationship—especially with someone whose lifestyle is so opposite of who I am as a person.
Being a biker and living that life is phenomenal.
I love my club family, but it’s not what I want for me or how I want to raise my kids.
Take care of yourself, Caleb. Be happy.”
She gets in the car, and I just stand there and watch her leave me. She’s not going to listen to me, but if she thinks this is over, she’s dead wrong.
This is far from over.