Chapter Twelve
The days passed, and with it, Sally’s anger dissipated and all that was left was disgust with herself. She had lashed out and hurt the man she loved. She had become violent. Now she didn’t know what to do, and because of that, she didn’t speak to any of The Skulls, the women or men. Even though Drew was there, he understood that she didn’t want to talk about anything. She just couldn’t bring herself to admit out loud her own feelings about what had taken place.
Angel called, and Sally ignored her.
Whizz and Lacey called, and she did the same with them.
She completely blanked them out of her life because it was easier than to let the revelations tear her apart. By the end of the first week, she had spent an hour listening to the messages, and at the end of it, she felt like the world’s biggest bitch. She was supposed to be better than this. That life was in her past. It wasn’t their fault, and she’d done this. She had hurt those closest to her, and it was destroying a part of her. Thinking about her own pain made her feel so fucking selfish. This was the longest she had gone without talking to anyone, and it was driving her crazy. She felt sick all the time, and hadn’t eaten much.
Her days were spent looking for work, which just didn’t come.
Sitting at the table, she sank her fingers into her hair, resting her elbows on the table, and her head in her hands. She had hit rock bottom, or at least that was how it felt.
They’d wanted to know about a sheriff, and about what went down. They’d wanted to know the woman who had taken her statement. Closing her eyes, the pictures that she’d been shown many years ago flashed across her mind.
“You tell anyone, and this is what is going to happen to you.”
The woman who had believed her initially had turned up dead. Sally would never forget those pictures for as long as she’d lived. That woman had taught her a great deal, the biggest thing being that the only person she could rely on was herself.
“Are you okay?” Drew asked, pulling her out of her thoughts.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” She lifted her coffee to her lips, and took a sip. It was black, and she breathed in the scent, hoping it would open her up. “I need to go and take a shower.”
She stood up and left him alone, heading back into her room.
Her cell phone buzzed in her hand, and it made her freeze on the spot. Releasing a breath, she chanced a glance at the screen and saw it was Lola.
In the past week, the only people who’d tried to call her were The Skulls. Intrigued, she accepted the call.
“Hello,” Sally said.
“First, I’m not calling because Steven asked me to. I’ve not spoken to him for a few days, and I’m not calling because of him.”
“Okay.”
“I’m calling to see how you’re doing,” Lola said.
Sally sighed. “I don’t know anymore.”
“I’m going to be honest here, and tell you that I’m the one that helped Steven. He loves you so much, and because of everything that was going on, he wanted to get rid of the monsters from your past.”
“You knew?”
“Of course I knew about what you’d been through. I didn’t want to hurt you, and I knew what Steven and I were doing was wrong, but it was all in a place of love. I know you’re hurt and you’re upset, but I wanted to tell you that they couldn’t ignore this sheriff guy. You were gone, but the girls didn’t stop. Some of them killed themselves, and they all got a witness statement that claimed they were liars. We don’t know who at the department is making these statements, or hiding them is a better word, but he needs to be stopped, Sally.”
Sally stopped listening after that, and she closed her eyes. Michael had gone through some of the details but not all of it. All he’d wanted to know was what she remembered. He didn’t go into any other details. If he did then she couldn’t remember it. She’d been too furious. “The sheriff had a wife when I was there. She worked in the office for fun. She had this false smile, and false kind nature. I don’t know her name.”
“It doesn’t say that he’s married,” Lola said. “In fact, there’s not even a notice that he’s with anyone.”
“Either way, there’s someone who lives with him. I don’t know if he lied about it or something, but believe me, there was a woman there, and she was always by his side. It was kind of creepy how they were together. This is nearly ten years ago now.”
“I know. Thank you, Sally. Please tell me you’re going to forgive Steven soon. He loves you so much.”
“I’ll talk to you later.” She hung up the phone, and just stared at it. Tears filled her eyes because the truth was, she missed Steven so much. Each day it was harder for her to not just go back to him.
She’d lashed out, overreacted, and now she didn’t know what to do.
You know what you’ve become.
She held her head, feeling sick. Her stomach recoiled as she realized that after all the time of being the victim, she’d turned and lashed out at those closest to her. She’d become the abuser, the very thing she’d never wanted to be. With the revelation in her own mind, she felt like she’d been kicked in the gut. Lying back on her bed, she wondered what Steven was doing in that moment. Did he miss her as much as Lola said?
Everything had been perfect. Their time together, the love she felt for him, it had all been … right. She loved him more than anything. The crush she’d had on him in the early days had changed, gotten stronger, and now it was a consuming love that was threatening to crush her fragile heart.
“Are you okay?” Drew said, pulling her attention toward the door, which he’d opened partially. “I could hear you crying all the way outside, and I know you’re pissed at me, but please tell me you’re all right.”
“I’m fine.” She sobbed then. “No, I’m not fine. I love Steven, and I know I screwed up. I miss him so much, and I’m so angry at you for doing what you did. Why did you have to tell me that you loved me, and that you were going to fight for me? I’m not that important. I’m not a good person, Drew.” She was just like those people that abused her.
He moved toward the bed and sat down. She saw the pain in his eyes, and that only made her cry harder. Hiding her head beneath the pillow, she ignored him.
“You’re not a bad person, Sally. Far from it, and I regret telling you how I feel. I never, ever wanted you to feel like this.”
She sat up, and stared at him, feeling so damn raw, exposed, and open. “It hurts knowing that I can’t feel the same for you. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had, and I don’t want to hurt you.” She wiped her tears. “But I did, didn’t I? I hurt you, and yet you’re still here, being my best friend.”
Drew reached out and tucked a curl behind her ear. “I may love you, Sally, but you are my friend first. You’re the one I can talk to about everything, and I’ve come to realize that for as much as I’d love to hold you, kiss you, make love to you, I miss talking to you a lot more. I miss being around you, and having fun.” He took her hand, and it made her cry as she saw the tears in his eyes. “So I’m going to tell you that I will find a woman of my own who I will love way more than you.”
This had Sally laughing.
“And she’s going to make me feel good, and when I look at you, I’ll see my best friend again.”
“I never meant to hurt you. It’s always been Steven.”
“I know. He’s a good guy, and he keeps checking up on you.”
“He does?”
“Yes. He calls me every single day, morning, noon, and night.”
“What does he want?”
“He wants to make sure you’re happy. That you have everything you need. If you’re eating right.”
This made her smile.
“And he wants to know if you forgive him, Sally. He was acting in all the right places, and I know you didn’t want him to delve into your past. I get it. Our pasts are our own, and yours was filled with pain and loss. At least you know he was doing what he thought was right.”
He squeezed her hand, and she stared down at it. “I must look a mess.”
“I have to say, keep the running snot up and I really won’t love you for much longer. It’s so gross.”
She burst out laughing now.
“You’re not allowed to make fun of me.”
“I can. Steven can’t make fun, but I can. As best friend, that gives me a right above everyone and everything.”
She nodded, and sighed. “What do I do?”
“You do what you feel is right, and what you have to do. You can’t keep living like this, Sally. Slowly, it’s killing you, and that’s not fair.”
****
Killer had the baby bag on his shoulder, and he was just rounding the corner when he spotted Michael Granito sitting at the club counter, nursing a small tumbler of whiskey.
Killer’s first instinct was to go over and slaughter the man. He didn’t like him, and even though he’d been the one to win Kelsey, not that it had been any real competition, it didn’t mean he had to like the guy.
Still, he made his way toward him, and just stood there. Michael didn’t turn toward him. He lifted his glass and took a sip.
“Are you wanting to take me outside? Teach me a lesson?”
“Thought about it, and decided not to do it. You’re not getting Kelsey.”
“I’m not here for Kelsey. I’m here for information, and to get your guys’ help. That’s all.”
Killer tapped his fingers on the counter. “What’s taking so long? We could have been in and done by now.”
“Protocols, my friend. Lola called Whizz, and he came to me. It would seem that there is another character in our story that we know nothing about, and my guys are running intel to find everything out. One thing you’ll learn is these things take time, and when you deal with the right side of the law, it’s all about having the right information and when. There are multiple players in any given game. The Sheriff is one, and then it has branched out like a network. You are aware that this isn’t going to be a case for you to run inside, and kill.”
“Figured as much. You know us, being on the right side of the law and all.”
“It’s a good place to be, Theo.”
Michael refused to use his club name, but that was fine. Killer didn’t give a fucking shit about it.
“He hurt one of ours,” Killer said. “He can’t have it easy. I’m sure you don’t understand what it means to love someone who was hurt.” Before he’d even finished Michael started to laugh, and then it turned hysterical as he wiped his eyes.
“Wow, that’s so funny,” Michael said, finishing off his whiskey and finally turning toward him. “I know what it’s like to have someone you can’t protect.”
Killer tensed up as Michael reached into his pocket and pulled out a wallet. He flipped it open and turned it around.
“Beautiful,” Killer said. The woman had thick brown hair, shocking green eyes, and a smile that even Killer saw was filled with pain.
“Her name’s Clarissa.”
“Are you going to marry her?”
“I was going to, but she’s dead. Died a year ago.”
“Shit, I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s fine.” Michael stared down at the picture. “I guess you can say she’s what kick-started all of this for me.”
“How do you mean?”
“I was always helping the law after our last meeting. Giving them hints, tips, and using my money and business to find the crooks. With Clarissa, though, I met her at a party. To cut a long story short, her stepdad offered her out as payment for stuff. The men she was handed to could do whatever the hell they wanted with her. She was nothing more than a toy, a gift for them to pass around from person to person. I saw it, and at the party, I knew I could change her life. I told her to say one word if she was in trouble and that I could help her out. She did, and I got her out safely.”
Killer knew this wasn’t going to have a happy ending. Shit like this never did.
“So for six months, she stayed with me, and I got to see her shine. She was so sweet, inside and out. She’d never had anything to call her own. Her stepfather wouldn’t even let her eat unless she earned it. I gave her everything. The night she was killed, I was going to propose. I’d fallen in love with her, and I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. I’d become a good man. A man that was worth a woman’s love.”
For the first time Killer actually felt sympathy for Michael. He didn’t even want to think of living without Kelsey and his boys.
“She had gone to the market, and because nothing had come of me taking her, I fucked up. I didn’t put detail on her, security, and when she didn’t come home, I knew that something bad had happened. A week later, after searching for her and finding nothing. I got a call to come to the morgue.” Michael stopped, and he stared up at Killer. “She had been raped and beaten to death. When we got to the stepfather, he knew who I was, and he told me that while they were hurting her, taking her life away, she begged for me. She begged for me to come and save her, and I never did. I was too late.” Michael put his glass down on the counter. It was empty. “After that, I started to think about all the women and children who got hurt because someone got too complacent, and then I thought about The Skulls.” He stared at Killer. “I guess in a way I’m here to use you, and sure, you’re going to hate me for it. But I want to protect women like Clarissa. I want to make sure no one else has to go and identify a body in the morgue after what happened.” Michael stood. “We’ll get the monsters, and I hope in time you can trust me.”
“What happened to the stepfather?” Killer asked.
“He’s serving his time in lockup. He’s still got a fucking cozy life, and it makes me sick. I guess not all of us get our happily ever after.”
Killer knew he should just walk away. He didn’t owe Michael anything. “If you ever need him to not have a cozy life, let us know. We have contacts that can make sure you get your revenge without getting your hands dirty.” He went to walk away.
“You’d do that for me?” Michael asked.
Looking back, Killer nodded. “The Skulls are not animals, Michael. We deal with our own kind of vengeance, but any fucker that can pass his stepkid around, as far as I’m concerned, is taking up our taxes for all the wrong reasons.”
****
“You’ve got to be fucking shitting me, right?” Ned Walker asked.
“Dad, please, the kids are upstairs,” Eva said.
Tiny sat at the table and watched as his father-in-law paced his dining room. Most of the time he hated this fucker, but then there were rare times he liked him. Right now, he didn’t like him. “This is not your decision to make.”
“Not my decision, of course it’s not my decision because if you’d asked for my fucking input, I’d have given it.”
“Dad!”
“No, Eva. You all made the fucking wrong decision. Don’t you see that? They’ll use you, spit you out, and fu—”
“That’s enough!” Tiny stood up. “This is not your club. It’s not your decision, and you need to learn to back the fuck off, old man.”
“I told you Lash would fuck up as Prez. You had no right to give the gavel to him.”
“Why? Because Lash won’t be your fucking whipping boy?” Tiny was done with being yelled at. It was true that Lash had taken the club in a completely different direction, but that didn’t mean it was bad. In fact, Tiny was happy that for the first time he could walk down the street with his wife and kids and not be fucking terrified.
They hadn’t needed to do lockdown in years, and everyone was fucking happy. Tiny knew he’d made the right decision putting Lash as leader of The Skulls. He wasn’t going to lie. In the beginning, he’d doubted the decision himself a lot. Over the past few years though, he had seen the direction that Lash had been working, and he was so damn happy with the way everything was going. The club was stronger than ever. They were all fighters, and now this deal could mean the end of them watching their back from their past decisions. Tiny had a lot in his past, and he had to be careful.
When he’d been alone with his family, watching his kids play around, he had thought about everything he’d done, for the club, and just for fun. In his youth he’d been an asshole, and nothing like Lash. It was only as he got older that he got wiser, and realized what he had to live for.
“This isn’t about that.”
“Lash made a decision for the club. I’m with him on it. I’m backing him every step of the way. The entire club stood by him.” He saw the shock on Ned’s face. “Exactly, the entire club wants this. So we have to help them out. We had to make runs for you, and don’t for a second try to make out that you had the club’s best interests at heart. You and I both know that’s not true. For a long time you only had what was best for yourself.” Tiny wrapped his arm around Eva’s waist. “I love her, and I’m going to do everything I can to make sure she has me in her life forever. Do you understand me, even though it means I’m eating quinoa and shit. I’m doing it for her.”
“Dad, I know you’re angry, but times are changing. You’ve got to embrace it.”
Ned sighed. “Fine, fine. You’re right, I guess. I’ve been living in the past too long. I always expected you to come back, do the runs, and stuff like that.” He shrugged. “I’m sorry.”
Tiny knew that wasn’t the end of it completely. There were going to be more rants, more conversations, but Tiny wasn’t about to take back the club. Lash was doing better than he ever had. The kid knew what he was doing.
****
Lash looked down at the invite and smiled. This was something he’d not considered in a long time, but he was sure it could be a lot of fun. A bikers’ rally, a once in a lifetime event hosted by the Billionaire Bikers MC. Just looking at the card with all the fancy writing made him laugh. It was just fucking wrong.
Sitting back, he ran his fingers through his hair, and just smiled.
“What’s wrong, honey?” Angel asked. She had Chloe on her hip, and Lash smiled at her.
“It’s nothing, really. Just something that I find bizarre is all.” He lifted up the invitation for Angel to have a look over it.
“It feels soft,” she said.
“I know, right? It just goes to show that the club has more money than sense.”
“A bikers’ rally? What is that?”
“I don’t know. I think it’s what they’re considering some fancy shit for us all to get together.”
“All of you?”
“Yep. As Prez of The Skulls we invite you, your family, and your club to shoot the shit.”
Angel laughed. “You’re so cute when you speak all posh. It sounds like a lot of fun.”
“Fun? It’ll probably have cucumber sandwiches, or salsa.”
“I think you went from England to Mexico in cuisine there. I could take my lemon pie. You know how everyone loves my lemon pie.”
Lash eased his chair out, grasping Angel by the hips and sitting her down. He smiled at his little girl, and then looked at the card again.
“I have no idea what the Billionaire Bikers could want. It’s not even funny, to be honest.”
“I didn’t even know there was a Billionaire MC thing. What are they?” Angel asked.
This time Lash sighed. “Okay. They’re a group of wealthy men that formed an MC. I think they’re big on leather, money, and all that. They’re not taken seriously.”
“Are they really … like, posh? You know with how you talked and all that?”
“They are, and they aren’t. From what I know they all earned their wealth, and this is probably the real deal invite.”
“It could be fun!”
“Or we could kill each other and save us all the trouble. Would you like to go?”
“I think it would be cool. I know you’d be the best biker there.”
This had Lash smiling. “God, I love you.”
“I know, and I love you, too.”
He really was the luckiest fucker alive.