Ashton
The air in the dugout is stifling and I soon feel sleepy. Bonnie is good company but I’m anxious to know what’s happening.
It must be a good hour later that we hear the trapdoor open and we both stiffen. Bonnie raises her gun and points it at the entrance. We hear heavy steps approaching and she calls out, “Who’s there?”
We hear Snakes’ unmistakable growl.
“Who d'you think?”
She grins at me. “Oh, I’m not sure. Tell me the password and maybe I won’t shoot.”
An extremely terse reply shouts, “You know who it fucking is and if you think about shooting, I’ll spank that fine ass of yours into next week until you can’t sit down for a month.”
She winks and laughs. “Password recognized, you may approach.”
She lowers her gun and Snake fills the dugout with his considerable frame. He rolls his eyes, and she giggles at his expression. Then he turns to me and looks guarded.
“I’m sorry, darlin’, but you’ve got a visitor.”
My heart starts hammering.
“Who is it? Are Ryder and Cassie ok?”
He nods but his expression remains blank.
“Cassie’s at school and Ryder’s in his office with, um… your father.”
All of my strength drains out of me and I feel as if the bottom has dropped out of my world. Daddy is here. I knew he would find me but I never thought he would come himself.
I start to shake and the tears fill my eyes. Bonnie looks concerned and moves across and puts her arm around my shoulders.
“It’s ok, honey. I’ll come with you. Nothing can harm you with us to look out for you.”
I gulp for air and nod. “I’m sorry, it’s just unexpected, really. Of course, I’ll come. It needs to be done.”
As I follow Snake out, Bonnie brings up the rear.
It’s time to grow a backbone and take on the one man I despise more than I have ever hated anyone in my life.
My father.
As we reach the compound, I notice all the cars have gone except for one. I breathe a little easier as I recognize the threat has diminished slightly.
Snake and Bonnie walk next to me and we don’t say a word. The tension is stifling me and making it difficult to breathe. My heart hammers in time with every step I take and I swallow hard. This is it, just me and him. No Tyler to help me this time, just my husband. My panic subsides a little at the thought of Ryder. He’ll be there for me, I just know it.
As I stand outside the door to his office, I prepare myself for what’s about to happen inside. Then, with a deep breath, I push the door open.
I almost can’t look at him but my eyes are drawn to the large overbearing shape of my father who stands the minute I walk into the room. He rushes over and grabs my hand pulling me to him until I almost can’t breathe. I feel his relief but I’m not stupid. He’s just glad to have his investment in his grasp and that’s all I ever was to him.
He whispers, “It’s ok, sugar, daddy’s here. I’ve come to set you free.”
Pushing back, I fix him with a hard look. I move out of his arms and move behind the desk and take Ryder’s hand. “I don’t think so, daddy.”
Ryder squeezes my hand reassuringly as my father looks at us with total shock.
“What do you mean? Of course, you’re coming with me. I insist on it.”
I shrug.
“You can insist all you want but my life is here now.”
I fix him with a withering look and say softly, “With my husband.”
The shock on his face makes my heart lift a little. He sinks back into the chair and looks at us wildly as the realization sets in. His virgin sacrifice has gone—forever.
There is silence as we wait for him to speak. All of us looking at the man struggling to understand what’s just happened.
He looks up and his eyes narrow.
“We’ll see about that. You foolish girl, do you know what you’ve done?”
His face turns purple as he starts to shout.
“How can you marry another when you are promised to Marshall? You knew what was at stake. You have always known, and this is how you repay me. Well let me tell you young lady, I’m having none of it - you hear? You’re coming back with me and we are getting this marriage annulled. Marshall need never hear of it and you will have to act convincingly on your wedding night, otherwise we’ll end up with nothing.”
He stands and starts pacing, shouting as he does so. “Nothing, I tell you. All these years we had an arrangement, and you only had to do one thing. Marry Marshall and become his wife. You had to keep yourself for him and him alone but you had to become the whore you really are and lower your standards to give it up to this biker scum. You’re a disgrace and you are coming with me if I have to drag you home by your hair.”
I start to tremble as his anger hits me like a huge slap in the face.
Then Ryder brings his fist down on the desk and roars, “Enough!”
The whole room goes silent as Ryder glowers at him and says in a steely voice. “Sit down and shut up before we make you.”
My father sits down in total shock and if looks could kill, we would all be dead on the spot. Ryder takes my hand and looks at me with such love I almost can’t breathe. He says softly. “You ok, darlin’?”
I nod and he pushes me down to his seat and stands with his hand on my shoulder. Then he speaks in a calm, deadly, voice.
“Ashton is going nowhere unless she chooses to. She is over 21 and has every legal right to marry whoever she wants to without your consent. Secondly, any deal you made with your associate is your debt to pay, not hers. Maybe I should let you explain what brought you to make the deal in the first place. Maybe she would understand your need a lot more and who knows take pity on you.”
I watch my father turn ashen and he looks at me nervously. The sweat breaks out on his forehead and he stutters. “I don’t know what you mean?”
Ryder laughs softly. “Come on, daddy, we both know you have quite some tale to tell your daughter. Maybe you would like me to refresh your memory.”
I watch in fascination as my father shakes his head and looks as nervous as hell.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. There’s nothing to tell.”
He looks at me and his expression softens. “I’m sorry, Ashton. I’ve scared you. Please come home with me, baby girl. I’ve been frantic with worry and looked for you everywhere. I hired a private investigator who led me here to you. I love you. You are everything to me. I can’t lose you as well as your brother.”
Instantly, the alarm bells ring and I feel the blood rushing to my head. I whisper, “What do you mean; what’s happened to Tyler?”
He shakes his head and looks devastated. “I tried to save him, sugar. I did everything in my power but he wouldn’t listen.”
I feel the scream starting in my soul as I say wildly, “What happened, where is he?”
He fixes me with a blank look and says in a broken voice.
“He’s dead.”