Chapter 15
Tide
I’m here. I’m home. I’m safe. But she isn’t, and that pisses me off. She should be here. With me.
Then there’s Christian to think about, too. Does he even know she’s gone? Does he care? Just as I think about things, the door opens and in walks Beth. I’m in no mood to deal with her. She smiles when she sees me and struts over, taking a seat next to me.
“What do you want, Beth?”
“Is that going to be the same question you ask every time I come to see you?”
“Yeah, it is. It makes no sense for you to be here.”
“I told you what I wanted, Tide.”
“And I made it clear that I didn’t want your ass, didn’t I?” She looks down for a brief second before looking directly at me.
“Can’t we just start over, Tide?” she asks. I shake my head and bring my beer to my lips. I’m in no mood to deal with this shit today, but I guess I have to.
“No. You walked, Beth. Left your son behind. Did you forget that part?”
“He’s forgiven me, Tide. Why can’t you?”
“Over twenty years, Beth. Twenty fuckin’ years and you want to come back.
Nothin’ has changed. I’m still a patched member.
I’m still doin’ shit I shouldn’t be. What’s the difference now?
What makes you think you want this life now?
” She’s crazy. She left Christian and me when she couldn’t handle the club life and didn’t want to be a mother.
She left us alone to fend for ourselves, and now she wants to come back? Fuck that.
“I’ve grown up Tide. I see what this club means to you now. I didn’t see it back then. All I saw was you in and out of prison. That’s changed, hasn’t it? You don’t want to spend the rest of your life in there. Do you?”
“And let me guess, you should be the reason I don’t want to go back, yeah?” She nods her head slightly, and I burst into laughter. I shove out of my chair and stand, running my hand through my hair.
“You’re kiddin’ me, right? You come in here one day and decide that you’re what I need?” I ask her. She stands to her feet too, crossing her arms over her chest. I’m pissed. I’m beyond pissed. I’m aggravated and annoyed and upset, and I want Mylah.
“Is this because of her?” She snaps at me. My heart races as I look at Beth. The guys must be able to feel the tension in the air because Ranger places his hand on my shoulder and pulls me back a step.
“Easy,” he says.
“You think you know anything about her? You think you know what this is?” I ask Beth. Bane and Patch now walk over, standing next to me on either side.
“I know she isn’t yours, Tide. You can’t possibly think about stealing her away from your own son.
And what kind of woman does that make her?
” She says as anger courses through my veins.
I’m about to lose my cool and snap on her when the guys grab my arms. A roar leaves my mouth, startling Beth. She takes a step back.
“You don’t know anything about her! If you were smart and I pray for your sake you are, you would walk the fuck outta here before I lose it altogether, Beth. And if you are as smart as I think you are, you won't come back.” Her eyes dance between mine before a small smile curls her lips.
“I’m not that smart. I’ll be back, Tide.”
“There’s nothin’ for you here, Beth!” I roar once more.
“I think there is.” With that, she turns and walks away as I watch her go out the door. The guys release the hold they had on me as I crack my neck from side to side.
“You okay?” Patch asks.
“No. I want my girl back. I want Beth the fuck outta my life. What the hell is she even doin’ here?” I ask, more to myself than to him.
“Clearly she wants somethin’.”
“Yeah, but what? I have nothin’ to offer her, Patch. Never did.”
“I get that. We’ll put someone on her. That make you feel better?” I nod my head. I don’t know what the hell is going on with her, but it’s better if we find out now.
“Yeah. Do that. See what the hell it is she’s after,” I tell him.
“You need to calm down,” Ranger says.
“How? Someone has my girl, Ranger.”
“Griz is in contact with Mystic. He’ll get this sorted out.”
“I sure as hell hope so before somethin’ happens to her. I don’t know how I’m gonna keep my shit together, brother.” Patch slaps a hand on my shoulder.
“I know, Tide. I know you’re on a thin line right now, but you gotta think about her. Wherever she is, she’s gonna need you and you can’t just go off.”
“I know, Patch, but fuck.”
“I get it, brother. I do. We’re gonna find her.”
“The longer she’s out there, the worse shit’s gonna be,” I remind them. Traffickers. I know what they do to women. We’ve seen it firsthand. We’ve dealt with the aftermath of that shit, and their reality isn’t a pretty one.
“I know that, Tide. That’s why we’re doin’ everything we can to find her.”
“Are we?” I ask, looking over my shoulder at him. It’s a low blow. It’s a shit move to say that to him because I know he’s doing what he can.
“Yeah, Tide. We are. I know you don’t like it, I know shit’s movin’ too slow for you but we don’t have anything to go on, remember?
Trust me, I get the frustration, brother, but you need to calm down.
Havin’ you in a fit isn’t helpin’ her at all.
” Fuck he’s right. I shouldn’t be acting out right now, but she’s gone, and Beth is still coming around.
What the fuck am I supposed to do? Take this shit lying down?
I can’t. I’m too amped up. I’m too ready to kill.
I need her back before I do something stupid that will have me ending up back in prison.