Chapter 4
Bane spent a restless night thinking of Janie, hoping she’d feel better and that he’d get a chance to see her the next day. He got ready early and was at the grocery store early the next morning. He was sitting in the parking lot when Janie arrived for work. He’d have sworn that she saw him, but she gave no indication and went straight into the building. Bear wanted to run over and scoop her into their arms, but he wouldn't let him. He decided to give her time to get settled before he went in. He forced himself to sit back and wait.
Janie went into work and pretended that she didn’t see Bane. Her heart started pounding, and she got the flutters in her stomach at the sight of him, but she managed to reign it in enough that she hoped he didn't notice that she saw him. She liked him so much, actually thought that she might even love him, but that was ridiculous. She’d only just started getting to know him. But there was no denying that she felt drawn to him. He was what she clung to in the darkest times with her dad. He was what kept her from falling apart. Just the thought of him, of his smile, of the way his voice sounded when he said her name, had an actual physical effect on her. Any normal person would call her obsessed if she were to admit her feelings for him. Truth be told, she probably was. But today, she had to tell him that she couldn't see him anymore, that he had to leave her alone. That was going to shatter her heart and possibly her very soul. But she had no choice. If she didn’t, her father had threatened to hurt her mom, and she couldn’t take that chance.
This was the mantra that kept running through her head as she walked through the store on her way to her register. “I have no choice,” she thought to herself again and again. She took her place and started ringing people up. Lost in her thoughts, she startled when a single red rose wrapped in tissue paper was thrust into her vision. She took the rose to ring it up and looked up at the person who had handed it to her. Bane.
“I’m buying this for my girl,” he told her.
She raised her eyebrows at him; he had told her he had no girl.
He smiled at her and continued, “I hear she didn’t feel well yesterday, so I wanted to give her something to show that I missed her.”
Oh, hell. He was buying it for her, and he’d called her “his girl.” She looked up into his face, and the tears started.
Bane just about panicked; he didn't like it when any woman cried, but he most of all didn’t like it when his woman cried. “Janie, Baby, don’t cry. Whatever it is, it’s going to be okay. Just tell me what it is, and I’ll fix it.” He reached out and took her hand in his.
She yelped and tried to pull her hand back. He managed to just make out a bruise on her wrist before it disappeared beneath her sleeve. “What happened to your arm, Janie,” he asked her, voice deceptively calm. He continued to hold her injured arm in his hand, though he gentled his grip. Her eyes were locked on his hand holding her arm as she continued to try to free herself. “Janie, Baby? What happened to your arm?”
She stopped pulling her arm away and looked up at him, “I hurt it. Please let me go.” He looked back down at her arm and with his other hand, gently pushed her sleeve up her arm. The sight that greeted him had him seething and forced a growl from deep in his chest. There were finger prints on her forearm and bruises radiating out from there. He couldn't see all of her arm, but it looked like the bruise continued on up toward her elbow. “Who did this?” he barely managed to get out around the now almost constant rumble in his chest.
“It’s nothing, Bane. Just let me go,” she tugged on her arm again. The other customers were starting to stare, and it was embarrassing her. “Please,” she whispered.
He let her arm go and raised his eyes to hers. “Who hurt you, Janie?” he asked again. “Please, Bane, just let it go. I’m fine. I just bruise really easily.” Christ, she thought to herself, I’m beginning to sound like my mother.
He reached out and took her chin gently in his fingers,“This is not fine; no one puts their hands on you,” he told her. The customers were all watching now, and to her horror, her eyes caught her father, standing just a few feet away, watching them. She started shaking, her whole body trembling. His eyebrows were drawn down over his eyes, and he was sneering as he scowled at her. Watching the exchange between her and Bane. Then he mouthed one word. “Mom.” And the tears started to spill from her eyes. His message clear.
Bane didn’t know what to do. She was shaking she was so upset, and tears had started to spill down her face. He knew that he had to make sure that she was no longer in danger. But right now, he needed to soothe her. The only person he had ever soothed was Bam, so he adopted the same voice he used to use when he and Bam were kids and Bam was upset. “Janie, please, Hon; tell me what to do to make it better. Tell me who hurt you, and they will never hurt anyone again.” He took her hand again, which made her father’s eyes squint and his lips flatten into a thin line as he watched. His face steadily taking on a redder color as his anger grew. Bane watched as his Janie struggled to regain control, running his thumbs over her wrist, willing her to know she was safe in his hands and that he would take care of everything as soon as he knew what it was. “I can’t see you anymore, Bane.”
“What?! Baby, you’re just upset. It’ll be fine; just calm down and let me take care of you.”
“No, you don’t understand. You need to leave here; you need to forget about me and stay away,” she told him.
“Janie, you don’t really mean that. Whatever it is, I’ll take care of it, then you won’t have to be afraid anymore.” Her fear was apparent, she reeked of fear and it tore him apart. He hated that she ever feared anything at all. That anything dared to frighten her made it almost impossible to control his Bear. He would destroy it, whatever it was.
“No, Bane! I need you to leave me alone!” she said forcefully. Then she lifted her eyes to his, “It’s not safe. Please.”
Her father caught her eye again and took a few steps toward the door and mouthed, “Mom,” again.
“Baby, you have no idea what I am, there is no danger to me. I can handle…” her voice, steel through his heart, cut him off. “It’s not your damn business, Bane, just leave me alone. Get the hell out of my life. It’s not your concern; I’m not your concern. Leave. Me. Alone. I do not want you!” she shouted at him as she threw the rose onto the floor at his feet. His heart broke as he watched the rose hit the floor. His mind trying to make sense of the words. His Bear was roaring in his mind, his soul screaming, his heart crumbling. The one woman he had dared not hope for, the one he’d intentionally not searched for, because he knew he wasn’t worthy, had just done what he feared the most. She’d rejected him. She didn't trust him. She didn't think he was enough to be able to protect her, to love her. He’d allowed her to see him, to see his need, his vulnerability, and she’d deemed him not worthy. His own Mate had rejected him.
He stood there looking at her, as she turned and ran from her register, shoving her way through the customers that had gathered to watch their little drama play out. He watched until she rounded the corner, and he couldn't see her anymore. Then he reached into his pocket and tossed a few bills on the conveyor to cover the cost of the flower. Then walked out of the store, got on his bike, and drove away.
Janie ran from her register, ran from the crowd of customers, ran straight into the bathroom at the back of the store and locked herself in. She put both hands over her mouth to try to muffle her sobs as her back slid down the wall, and she allowed herself to drop to the floor. She sat there, sobbing. Her soul dying, as she replayed the look on Bane’s face as she yelled at him to get out of her life, that she didn’t want him. He was the one thing she had ever allowed herself to want. The one thing that had ever mattered to her, other than her mother. And she had just destroyed him with a few choice words. It hurt that she would never be able to have him, to belong to him, to have him belong to her. But what absolutely destroyed her was the pain she saw on his face when she had hurt him. She’d had to hurt him to make sure that he w
ould walk away. It was the only way to save her mom. The only way she could guarantee that he wouldn't come after her. Because if he did, she had no idea of the lengths her father would go to. And she couldn't risk it. She cried until she could cry no more. Until all sounds of the store had faded away. Only then, did she unlock the bathroom door, clock herself out, and walk home. When she got there, her mother was busy cleaning the house. Her father, apparently, hadn't made it home. She went straight to her room and locked herself in there, too. She lay across her bed and sobbed until she fell asleep from exhaustion.
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Dinner at Avaleigh's cabin was a tight fit, so she opted to bring it over to the main house most nights when everybody was eating. Tonight was no exception. Bane hadn't come back yesterday, but the guys had all stayed busy, working on the site of his house to be, and then they’d figured that he was with his Mate. So, they weren’t really worried. Tonight she’d decided to make a fried chicken dinner in case Bane showed up with his Mate. She didn’t know anything about the girl, but who didn’t like fried chicken, so she felt somewhat comfortable with her choice of dinner for the night. She had set out plates and glasses, making an extra spot for Bane’s Mate. Having made several trips from her cabin to the main house to bring all the food, she was finally laying the fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, and corn on the cob on the table when the guys started filtering in from working on Bane’s new place. They’d continued in his absence and had really made great progress. Bam had laid it all out, and they’d driven the posts into the ground. They’d cemented them in place and had started cutting the boards for the flooring and had installed all the cross beams to support the floor just before they came home to eat tonight. They all washed up and took their places. She served Bam’s plate and then Daniel’s. As she set their plates on the table, the others took that as their sign to dig in. As everyone started serving themselves and eating, she asked, “Anybody heard from Bane?”
“Naw, he’s probably with his Mate. Nothing to worry about,” Kaid told her.
Goldy smiled at her, “Don’t worry, Baby Girl, he’s probably so deep in her that he can’t find his own ass right now.”
Bam slammed his hand down on the table so loud and so suddenly that they all startled, “Don’t talk about my new sister like that,” he glared at Goldy. “She’s nice, and you don’t talk about her like that.”
Goldy put his fork down, “I ain't meant it like that, Bam. I’m sure she’s nice enough. I was just trying to put Avaleigh's concerns to rest. Didn’t mean to disrespect her.”
Bam looked at him for a moment, “Fine. Just don’t.”
Goldy nodded once at Bam, “I won’t.”
Kaid watched all this quietly and noted Bam’s unusual response. Something was off. His nerves were on edge. And from Bam's outburst, he figured the big man’s nerves were off, too. Mav hadn’t been right since Bane had admitted that he’d found his One, so his behavior was nothing to go by. Goldy, he was just Goldy, so not much of a clue there either. He met Daniel’s eyes over Avaleigh’s head. He raised his eyebrows at Kaid in question. Kaid shook his head and lifted one shoulder in a shrug. Apparently, Daniel felt it, too. Kaid reached out for Bane through their connection. He hadn’t thought to try it since earlier that morning; they’d all been busy working on Bane’s house, and it hadn’t occurred to him. What he got back from Bane was muted, a confirmation that he was there, but not much more. Like he was deliberately trying to hold them off. Naw, something was not right. He was going to have to stay on alert until he could figure out what it was. They all pretty much kept their thoughts to themselves as they ate in silence. Each thinking of Bane. Some of them happy for him. Others concerned. But they all thought of him in one way or another as they finished their dinner.
Later that night Mav was sitting on the porch alone. Having a beer, waiting for Bane to show. Goldy had gone to bed early. Bam had given up waiting and had gone back to his own place a couple hours earlier. Ave and Daniel had headed home, and it was just he and Kaid now. Kaid was talking and chuckling low on his phone in the kitchen, sounded like he was talking to that old man he and Avaleigh had befriended back when they had first escaped from Lurin. What the hell was that man’s name? he thought. Amos! That was it. Amos. He and Kaid had kept in touch since they’d gotten back. Even more so now that things had calmed down since Ave had finally accepted Daniel. Amos had sent Avaleigh a mating gift, a T-shirt that said, “Dragon’s Mate.” She had laughed when she put it on, she laughed even harder when she saw the one he’d sent for Daniel. It said, “Dragon’s Mate’s Mate.” Mav pulled his thoughts away from Kaid talking to his old friend and tried to focus on Bane again. He wasn’t letting Mav get a good read on him. That could mean a couple of things. Could mean he was just really happy with his Mate and didn't want them butting in, but Mav had been edgy since Bane hadn’t come back from town yesterday. Even edgier than he usually was. So he didn’t think that happy was what Bane was trying to hide. He got up and went back through the house, screen door slamming behind him as he made his way to his bedroom. He pulled on a pair of riding boots, ran his fingers through his Mohawk and grabbed his keys. As he made his way back through the house toward the front door, he yelled over his shoulder, “Going to get a beer!” Kaid answered almost immediately, “Meet you there, brother.” Mav stopped at the top step of the porch and looked around. Hands on his hips, he took a deep breath, filling his lungs and puffing out his chest. Yep, something was off. He didn’t see anything wrong, didn’t smell anything wrong, it just felt wrong. He went down the stairs and over to his bike. He threw one leg over and sat down as he cranked his ride. He grinned, he loved the deep, loud rumble and the hard vibrations his Harley delivered. As he pulled out onto the highway, hands wrapped around his Ape Hangar handlebars, wind in his hair, vibration between his legs, he howled. Yes, this was all the love he needed in his life. His bike, the wind, and a good beer. He was fine.
Chapter 5
His footsteps echoed as he stumbled up the old metal stairway, announcing his approach. He had a death grip on the metal railing as he pulled himself along toward the top of the stairs. He mumbled to himself as he climbed, justifying his plan to his own sick, blackened conscience. As his head came even with the landing he targeted, a large pair of worn boots stepped into view. He stopped and looked up at the man looking down at him. “What do you want, Ward? You know you’re cut off. You owe us too much money as it is.”
The pleasant high he had was quickly wearing thin in the face of this big asshole questioning his reason for being there. “I got business with Ricky. You need to move out my way before he finds out you kept him from a good deal,” Ward told him.
The big man barked out a laugh, “Business with Ricky? Really? You do realize that Ricky, himself, told me if you brought your sorry ass back over here, without the thirty thou you owe him, I got to remove both your knees myself, don’t you?”
Ward’s sharp intake of breath let the man know he had hit a nerve. He must have finally sobered up enough to realize true danger when he saw it. “No, man, No, I got a deal for him. Pay off all my debt and earn me some credit for future business, too. I just need a minute of his time.”
A sharp whistle cut the air, and the big man’s head jerked in the direction of the whistle, “Riley, let him pass. I’m bored, let’s see what this upstanding individual has to offer us.”
“Yes, Sir,” the big man replied.
Riley stepped back just enough to allow the waste of a man to stumble up the rest of the stairs and squeeze between himself and the exterior wall as he made his way in to see Ricky.
Ricky was the dealer of choice in this part of Louisiana. He had no morals, no scruples and even less regard for anyone, living or dead. He had respect for only one thing, money. And thanks to the drug trade in this sleepy little town and its surrounding areas, Ricky had plenty of money. He watched as Ward made his way into the living room of the little apartment he and his men used as a current stop
ping point. He sat back, lounging on an old, faded overstuffed chair, two women on their knees in front of him, taking turns sucking and licking a steady path between his legs as he sat there, jeans around his knees, overseeing business with the unfortunate souls who sought him out for the temporary relief his drug of choice could offer them. “Why you here, Ward? You got my money?”
Ward looked at the women kneeling in front of Ricky and felt sure he had an offer that the man couldn’t refuse. He smiled at Ricky, falsely believing himself on equal ground. “No, I do not have your money.” Ricky sat forward, a scowl covering his face, “Then why the fuck are you here? Riley!!!! Come get this piece of shit out of my sight!”
“No, Ricky, wait, wait, I got a deal for you. Better than money. You ain’t going to believe this, you are going to be so grateful to me that we are going to be best buds, my man.”
“First, do not call me your man. Second, you do not have a goddamned thing that I would care to have. Now when you recover from the beating you about to experience, you got thirty days to get me what you owe me, or I’m coming for you. I’m going to strangle you with your own intestines, while you are still alive. You got me, Ward? Buddy? My man?”
As Riley advanced on him, Ward began to panic. He started to shake, worse than the drugs had previously made him tremble, and he knew it was now or never. He blurted, “My daughter, I’ll trade you my daughter!” Riley pulled up short, stunned that any sonofabitch would stoop so low as to offer his own daughter in trade for his drug debt. As Riley started toward him again, with a new reason to kick his ass, Ricky held up his hand, “Ho, hold up!” he said to Riley. Riley stopped and waited for whatever his boss told him to do next. He didn't like the man at all, but at the moment, he was the boss. So he waited. “You gonna trade me your daughter for your debt. And you think that covers all you owe me?”
Bane's Heart Page 4