Forever Came Calling

by B. C. Falls

  “Let’s get inside,” he reaches for my door but I lock it. “What are you doing?” he asks with a laugh.

  “I know what going inside with you entails. You’ll try to talk about us and I’ll get upset and then you’ll hit me. So I think I’ll stay here until the Marshals arrive.” Jeff laughs. “What’s so funny?”

  “You think they’ll come? They won’t, Royce. We called them off last night. No one’s coming out here. Maybe the cartel but no one else. So, come inside.”

  I reach for my purse but don’t get to it before Jeff’s got a gun to my head. “What are you doing?”

  “I’ve waited a long fucking time to get you alone and now you just walk right into my arms,” he laughs. “Give me your purse.” I reach for it and hand it over to him slowly. “Good girl. Now step out,” he reaches over and pulls the lock. I open it slowly and only hesitate when he moves the gun away for a couple seconds while the door opens wider. As soon as I’m out of the cab he grabs my hands and pulls them behind my back making it impossible for me to see him. “I’ve been thinking. With all this money I could get everything I want.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “The money’s just been sitting here collecting dust. Why not make use of it?”

  “What did you do?” I look over my shoulder at him. His grin tells me I need to be worried.

  “I made a little deal with the cartel. Half the cash for bringing in Blake and we get our freedom.” My heart stops. I can’t breathe. “Isn’t it great baby?” he laughs. “Come on,” he pushes on me to walk into the cabin.

  I used to love this man. I used to dream about our future together and now I’m sitting here wishing for the hundredth time that I never met him.

  I wish I had one of those simple sayings. The ones that make you feel powerful and give you a sense of peace when you read them. Maybe in this moment with one of those I wouldn’t feel like I just made the biggest regret of my life.

  I wish I had a chance to right all that I’ve done wrong.

  “So shall we call Blake?” Jeff asks. He’s got me tied to a chair knowing that if I was given a chance I’d kick his ass. “No?” I scowl at him. “Well I think we should,” he reaches for my phone and turns it on. It immediately starts beeping with texts.

  My only thought is that Kady is safe. I know Dane, he loves her, and he’ll keep her safe from all of this.

  I watch as Jeff starts to look through my phone until he finds the number he is looking for. “Here we go. Leah, huh? Interesting cover name, I would’ve gone with something less familiar to her,” he puts the phone to his ear. “No. It’s not Royce.” I’m sure Blake’s blood is draining from her face at the moment. “Well, why don’t you find somewhere private to talk,” he waits. “Good. Now we have some business to discuss.”

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Blake

  “What do you want Jeff?” I ask, I’m hiding in the bathroom. Trent saw me leave and no doubt he’s going to come in here in a couple seconds. “Make it quick. I won’t be alone for long.”

  “Well little Blake, despite my father trying to control this whole situation, I’ve found a way to make everyone but you happy.” I hate this man with every breath I breathe. “Turn yourself over to me and I’ll make sure Royce isn’t killed or any of those other boys you’ve all found yourselves with.”

  “What did you do to her?” He laughs.

  “Nothing. Right now she’s tied to a chair looking more beautiful than ever.” I cringe and lean against the sink behind me. “I won’t do anything as long as you get here to the cabin.”

  “You know I can’t get away. Not only are those boys from your father here but the whole bike club is too.”

  “You’ll find a way if you care about Royce’s life.” The door handle starts to jiggle. “Find a way Blake, or I’ll kill her.”

  “Fine,” I hang up.

  “Blake?” Trent knocks on the door. “Can you open up?” I reach for the door and unlock it for him. My breath catches when he opens it and steps in. This man is everything. This man is what I’ve been fighting to get back to.

  He’s changed so much since the last time I saw him ten years ago. The height is one thing but his body is way more defined and bigger, he looks like a body builder without all the stupid ego. He looks like a man. My man. His hair is shorter, cut down to almost nothing. When we were younger he used to let it grow out so I could run my fingers through it. He also didn’t let the scruff on his face grow out much, but right now he’s got a long beard that’s grown to just below his chin. Everything else is the same though, same smile, same tan skin, same golden brown eyes that make me feel like he can see right through me.

  “Who was that?” he asks coming to a stop in front of me.

  “Jeff,” I whisper, “He has Royce,” I cross my arms over my stomach, trying to hide my nerves. “I have to go, Trent.”

  “No,” he says, that deep voice of his sending waves of old memories through me. I shiver when he wraps his arms around me pulling me against his chest. I gravitate towards him, holding him just as much as he’s holding me. “I won’t let you go again.”

  “I made this mess, Trent. I put Royce in a position where she is in danger and I can’t let her get hurt because of me.”

  He growls and pushes me until my ass is on the sink and he’s standing between my legs. “You don’t get it, Blake. I’ve waited ten fucking years to have you back here in my arms, and I’m not going to let that go ever again. I might not be the same man I was back then but I am still madly in love with you and I’ll do everything in my power to make sure that you are never away from me again.” He growls so close to my lips that our breath mixes. With his lips so close to mine I can’t help but capture his.

  After ten years of not touching a man, of not kissing anyone, it’s not a shock that my whole body gets set on fire from just the touch of him. When we were younger we could barely keep our hands off each other, and I don’t think that would have changed if we were never separated.

  At first it’s slow, peaceful and so beautiful, but that all quickly changes when the taste of him meets my tongue. I can’t help but pull him tighter to me, my legs wrapping around his waist and ankles locking just above his ass. Our tongues move with each other, getting familiar again with every inch of our mouths. Trying to find the peace our need for each other always brings once we’ve seemed to cooled down.

  A lot might have changed but one thing is clear, our love hasn’t changed and this fire that constantly simmers between us will probably never be extinguished.

  “Jesus,” Trent says against my lips. We’re breathless, full of need and wanting from ten years of being apart. “I love you, Blake. We’ll find a way to get Royce back but this is not the way.”

  I run my fingers across his cheek, staring into his eyes and feeling so at peace with so much chaos going on around us. “I love you too.”

  “Come on. Dallas will know what to do.”

  “Just give me a few minutes,” I smirk. “I need to cool down.”

  “Not too much. I’ve waited ten long-ass years baby.” I smile wide when he calls me baby. I miss those words. I miss everything about him. “Love you,” he kisses me one last time before stepping out and leaving me alone.

  I turn around and look into the mirror. “Oh mom, what have we done?” I reach for my necklace, the one I have yet to be able to put down since I lost my mom all those years ago. “I wish you were here to help me through all of this.”

  If I do anything, I have to do it now and I can’t keep putting Royce in a situation that is meant for me.

  I sneak out of the bathroom and through the hallways until I’m outside. I do my best to avoid the bikers gathered there, I won’t be foolish and leave without some type of security. “Let’s go,” I say to the two guards who David, Jeff’s dad, sent down with me. They both look at me confused before getting into the SUV behind me. “Go north to the cabin,” they know where I mean. It’s where we first thought Jeff
was but when David sent people out there to look they found nothing.

  “It was empty,” LJ says.

  “It’s not now,” I look out the window just as all the guys, including Trent and Dane come running out. The tears start to fall. Leaving him behind again is not easy and I don’t know if he’ll let me back again, but I have to help Royce.

  “We should call David. Get back up there.” I shake my head. “Blake, this isn’t smart.”

  “They have Royce. I’m turning myself over,” I tell them. “Don’t try to stop me.” They’ve been ordered to listen to me. “Faster,” I plead, and LJ steps on the gas.

  I reach for my phone and dial Jeff’s number. “You on your way?”

  “Yes, but let Royce go now or I’ll turn this car around. It means nothing to me if she isn’t safe.”

  “No,” He sounds angry. “I can’t do that. She’s mine.”

  “You’ll have money to get her back again. Just let her go once I get there. Promise me.”

  He takes a couple seconds but eventually he says, “Fine.” I breathe. “Once I see you, I’ll let her go.”

  “Thank you, Jeff.”

  “No Blake, thank you. You’ve just given me a million dollar,” he starts laughing again. I hang up before I hear anything else.

  Funny how our parent’s lives so closely affect ours. I know my mom is up in Heaven reeling at the events that have taken place over the course of my life, but I also know how sorry she is and I can’t blame her for anything. I won’t let this end in another death of someone I love. I won’t let this mess I’m in take another best friend from me. I’d do anything to protect the people I love and if that means giving up my life to do so, then so be it, because what is love if not to sacrifice life and happiness.

  I’m terrified of the events ahead. It’s all worth it, in the end it’ll all be worth it. I have to face the consequences of my past to hope for a future.

  Royce

  Three years earlier.

  I’m sitting on a barstool trying not to cry while Jeff drinks himself stupid next to me. He’s been meaner than all hell lately and has more than once almost hit me when he get’s drunk. I most definitely hate my life right now but it’s all I got right?

  “Is that Royce Puckett?” a voice from the past breaks through my wall of self-pity and I turn looking around. “Holy shit!” I gasp when I see Blake standing not too far from me.

  “Oh my God!” I stand up from my stool and wrap my arms around her. “Am I dreaming this?”

  “Hell no, girl!” she wraps her arms around me just as tightly. “I’m alive,” she whispers in my ear.

  I pull back from her. “Dallas told me you died,” I say.

  “I know. Everyone thinks I am,” she gestures her head towards the bathroom and I follow. Jeff doesn’t even notice I’m gone.

  “So?” I ask as we stand in the hallway staring at each other.

  “It’s a pretty long story.”

  “I heard about some of the stuff going on but mostly that Trent and you got into trouble?”

  Blake nods. “It was a lot of trouble. I got shot and pulled into a world I didn’t even really know existed,” she moves her hands around gesturing to the bar. “This world.”

  “This world?” I ask looking at her confused.

  “Oh, I mean, I thought because you were here you knew?”

  “Knew what?”

  “This world. This bar,” I shrug my shoulders. “Oh umm, well, Jeff is your boyfriend right?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well he’s—”

  “A carpenter.” I tell her but she shakes her head. “I’m confused.”

  I listen to every word she tells me. Hang on every little sentence because I was so not aware of the world I was living in.

  “So he found me in that hospital and pulled me out.”

  “And Jeff?”

  “He knows but ignores it most of the time.”

  I shake my head. “This is all a lot to grasp,” I lean back against the wall. “So why the hiding?” I ask her.

  “I’m on the run.”

  “From?”

  “Before my mom met my dad, she was involved in some bad shit. She got mixed up with this life and borrowed some money. She left me money when she died. A lot of money that I have in an account in Miller Falls. Everyone thinks I got shot because of Trent’s past but it turns out that it was because of my mom’s mistakes. I don’t, by any means, blame her for this life though.”

  “I wouldn’t either,” I wipe my eyes. “So they are after you?”

  “Basically I have a target on my head, but as long as I stay close to Jeff and his dad they can’t touch me.”

  “What about the rest of your family?”

  “Dad died during all the chaos, same with one of my brothers.” I reach out and touch her hand, letting her know I’m here. “My stepmom is safe with the rest of the family in Florida. They’ve got protection.”

  “Why is Jeff’s dad helping you at all?”

  “His wife was killed for similar reasons.”

  “The money?” She nods. “So he protects you and what? What’s his goal?”

  “He wants revenge and he thinks I’m the only way to get it. I’m also in the witness protection program. My hiding skills aren’t awesome so it helps to have both parties around.”

  “So how long until you get your life back?” She shrugs.

  One year earlier.

  “Blake!” I yell out trying to get my new roomies attention. I moved in a couple nights ago after going down a path I shouldn’t have been going down.

  “Coming,” she comes running my way.

  Over the last two years we’ve been getting closer and closer to finding solutions to getting Blake her life back. Jeff’s dad hates that we involve ourselves so much but we have to do something. My life quickly became Jeff and Blake. I don’t resent Blake for anything because she’s been nothing but amazing to me. I love having her around whenever I need her. She’s turned into family for me. But I hate Jeff. He’s promised me so much and yet I’m still covered in bruises. Blake hates him more than me though and I fought it for so long because I thought he loved me. I thought I couldn’t leave him.

  “What’s up?” she asks stopping in my room.

  “Kady called.”

  “Oh no, what is it?”

  I rub my hands against my temples, the throbbing from all those drinks last night is killing me. “I have to go over there. She sounded pretty upset about something but I couldn’t make it out.” She smiles sadly. “I graduate Friday,” I whisper.

  “I know. I’m so proud of you, Royce.”

  “I’m proud of you, Blake. You are really fighting here. We’ll get you back to your life.”

  “I believe it now. I just hope Jeff’s dad isn’t going to pull out.”

  “He won’t,” I tell her. “Jeff is in rehab. His dad actually talked to me about everything and apologized for letting it go so far with me,” I look down at my phone. “I gotta go. I’m a little worried.”

  “Come on. I’ll drive,” Blake says pulling me off the floor. God, where would I be if I hadn’t met this woman?

  After getting temporary custody of Kady and Blake being okay with everything we went back home. Kady feel asleep pretty quickly after she stopped crying. I’m standing in the kitchen trying to figure out our next move.

  “Hey,” Blake says coming into the room.

  “Hi,” I look down at the paperwork and pamphlets they gave me.

  “So what’s next?”

  “I don’t know. I love her, Blake.” She just sits down and listens. “She makes my life so much better. Happier. There’s this light at the end of the tunnel. Ever since I met her. She’s made it so much easier to live and I can’t just let her live in a home where they’ll eventually throw her out. You know her. She’s innocent.”

  “She is.”

  “I want to give her a life. A good life full of love and family.”

  “Mille
r Falls,” Blake simply says.

  “Miller Falls?” I ask.

  “You know you need to go home, Royce. You’ve been talking to your brothers a lot more and Dallas bugs the shit out of you about moving every chance he gets. You need your family. I’m not enough for Kady and you.”

  “You would be,” I say but she knows I don’t mean it. “What about you?”

  “What about me? I’ll stay here, figure out how to get out from under my past and come home.”

  “What if we had a plan?” Her eyebrows lift. “What if we made a deal?”

  “Stop being vague!”

  I laugh. “Okay, okay. I’m just saying, what if we went to the Marshals and got a plan together. Get information on these guy, set them up or something to fail and get you back home?

  “So what, we tell him the Marshals everything and they get a plan in place to get me home?”

  “I guess so,” I shrug cause I’m not really sure.

  “Well I guess it wouldn’t hurt. It’s been ten years and no change. Let’s do it.” I smile.

  Over the next couple of weeks, we get a plan in place with the help of the Marshals. Only problem is my adoption with Kady is put on hold. I have no idea why until we meet with the Marshals.

  “What do you mean it’s a no go?” Blake yells. “I put myself at risk for this! Royce put herself up on the chopping block! You said this was the best plan for me. For us! You said you would help!”

  “We just don’t have the case to get down to Miller Falls. We can’t make it happen. I’m sorry, Blake.”

  “No fuck you! I have nothing else!”

  “What if I did it?” I speak up surprising the room. “What if I go down to Miller Falls and make it happen? Get them out of the wood works and get them to reveal themselves?”

  Have you ever had a person you would go to hell and back for? Someone who would constantly put themselves out there for you. I’ve never had that. Even my family has turned away from me at times. I know they are trying now, but it’s not the same as when I was growing up. Blake has done so much for me over the last two years. She saved me. I would go to hell and back for her over and over again.