Cas
I shut the shower off and wrap a towel around my waist and grab one for my shoulders. I managed to get a couple of hours of sleep after I forced my mind to shut down. I held Alannah against me as I dozed off and woke up as I felt her getting up. I should be tired but I’m not, my mind is wired and I’m thankful for the little sleep I did get.
Today is the day we all claim our revenge and put an end to Danny and his crimes against us. The house is quiet with Leo at Sparky’s place and Alannah is sat doing her make-up at her dresser. If I had my way she would be in bed but she’s adamant she’s doing okay.
“Please come with me, I don’t want you here on your own,” I say, drying off in the bedroom.
She’s adamant she wants to stay at home but I can’t leave without her.
“I’ll be fine, babe. I am fine,” she insists.
I know better than to tell her what to do, she’ll do the opposite to spite me just to show I don’t own her, even though we both know I fucking do. I choose my words wisely and dig out a clean tee and boxers.
“Danny is going to die tonight, and normally nothing would be more important, but you are my life and we have lost a part of us. My need to avenge Oak matches yours and our pain for our loss won’t come between us because I’m not by your side.”
“Cas, nothing will ever come between us. I’d rather you focus on Danny, I know you love me and I know I can rely on you. You don’t have to worry about me, or us.”
Her faith in me is amusing.
“I’ve worried about you for a long time now, even when you’re happy, and especially when you’re in pain. You’re coming with me, babe.”
“How can I argue with you,” she grins, coming up behind me and kissing me.
“You can’t.”
I get dressed as she finishes brushing her hair and whisks it up into a ponytail. I spin off a quick message to Sparky telling him to bring Leo to the club and grab my wife’s hand, leading her downstairs.
“I’ll drive you,” I say, reaching for her keys before she does.
“I can drive, Cas.”
“I didn’t say you couldn’t, just said I was driving.”
“Fine.”
I hold her hand for most of the journey and when we pull into the club, neither of us move.
I watch as she puts on a front of strength and it’s fascinating to see. She will never stop amazing me with her ability to hold it together in times when most would crumble.
“After today, everything is going to change,” I say.
“It already has, babe.”
I keep thinking the change is coming, but she’s right, it already has and I’m not sure I’m ready for it.
“Do you want me to walk you to the house?” I ask her.
“I’ll be okay, you go do you and I’ll do me and when we go home, we’ll work through anything and everything that is thrown at us.”
“I fuckin’ love you, Alannah. Never forget that.”
Saying it and showing it are two different things, but I hope she hears and sees it from me. I really fucking do.
“Love you too, now let’s get going,” she says, taking a deep breath and opening her door.
I lean over and quickly kiss her. The violence that will occur today will drown many men’s conscious, but with her taste on my lips, I can’t sink.
The sun is warm today and I soak in the rays for a brief moment while Lana walks towards the main house. Danny will never feel the sun on his face, he will never see the sun, the moon or the fucking stars again.
“Cas.”
Opening my eyes, they land on my wife and she’s stopped on the front steps of the house.
“When it’s done, I want to see his blood on your hands.”
Fuck, when she talks like that, it gives me a fucking twitch.
“I’ll stain them for you,” I promise her and she heads inside.
All I seem to be doing lately is making promises, promises to my wife are the easiest to keep. I find Pope in the bar in the corner sharpening a blade.
“Ricky not around?” I ask.
Lately, the two of them come in a pair.
“He’s with Ky, he’ll be here soon.”
I nod and take a seat.
“I’m sorry to hear about your loss…”
I flick my hand cutting him off. I know I have my brothers support in abundance, I don’t need to hear it, it makes it real again.
“Today isn’t for personal problems, it’s for Oak.”
Pope has three smiles. One is a forced smile and he looks in genuine pain as he does it. The second is small crook in the corner of his mouth when he looks at Sally, and the third is the smile he’s showing now. Evil.
He goes back to sharpening his knife and I pull out my smokes. Lighting one up, I inhale heavily and watch as brother’s start coming in.
“Kyle wants to prospect for us,” I say and Pope stops his sharpening.
“It seems suspicious to me.”
“Me too, but as you can imagine, I didn’t get much sleep last night so I had a lot of time to think. I came to the conclusion that we’ll let him prospect, Dex is only capable of watching that pain in the ass. If we let him in, he’ll be surrounded by eyes for much longer, long after we’ve taken out his brother.”
“Makes sense, he wouldn’t be able to move without being seen,” he agrees.
“Call him here and spread the word of my decision.”
Slade bawls through the door and searches me out. He finds me and makes his way over. He’s holding his hand out before he’s standing in front of me and I stand and shake his hand. He pulls me in and briefly hugs me before slapping me on the back and stepping back.
“I’m sorry about the baby, brother. I just see Lana at the house, she’s looking well,” he says and I smile my way through the formalities.
“She’s doing okay, I didn’t want her at home on her own so she’s staying here until we’re done with Danny.”
“I understand, if you two need anything, let us know,” he offers and goes to get us a drink.
I sit back down and lean in towards Pope and keep my voice low.
“Spread the word, I don’t need anything. I know I’ve got all your support, I don’t need to hear it anymore.”
I don’t mean to sound like a cunt but hearing them offer their condolences is like a dagger to my heart each and every time.
“Got it.”
I walk through the bar and shut myself away in my office. No one walks in unless I allow them to, I prepare for tonight in peace.