by Michelle Woods - Catching Trick (Red Devils MC #3) , 25th July
He got off the bed with a jerky movement.
“Trick,” Katie called, wishing she could take it back.
“You don’t love me, Katie! Women always relate great sex with love, but it’s just great sex.” Trick roared, looking at her.
“You don’t know what I feel, Trick” Katie said, getting up off the bed. She grabbed her robe that lay across the nearby table, putting it on. She felt like she wanted to scream, the man was just as crazy about her as she was him. That was why he was becoming possessive, hell the other day they’d gone on a walk and as they’d returned, she’d seen one of the prospects and smiled at him. Trick had gone insane, throwing her over his shoulder carrying her inside, and made her say that she belonged to him over and over, again. He wasn’t even aware that he was acting that way, she was sure, or if he was he was denying it to himself.
“Katie, love is a fairy tale that woman came up with to make their relationships mean something.” Trick growled looking back at her with a sad pitying expression.
“Are you serious? What about Bone and Molly, and Tiny and Racheal, or hell anyone with an old lady for that matter?” She demanded wanting to know how he was going to explain these relationships away. This would be good she was sure.
“They just want unlimited access to that woman sexually. So, they allow them to think they’re in love, or hell maybe their buying into the same fantasy. I don’t know.” Trick was running his hands through his hair, wearing a lost expression. Poor, poor, deluded man.
“Oh, Trick. That’s ridiculous, you realize that right?” Katie asked, looking at him in shock.
“It’s not. I told you when this started that this wasn’t ending in a fairy tale wedding, Katie. I didn’t make any promises that I can’t keep. I will not be tied down. I won’t.” Trick watched her with an anguished expression.
“Fine, you’re right. You never promised me anything. I’m going to the guest room, I wouldn’t want you to feel tied down.” Katie growled, moving to the door.
“This is why I tried not to start this with you, I never wanted to hurt you.” Trick muttered, a scowl on his face.
“Don’t worry, Trick. I’m not hurt, I’m disappointed. This won’t be messy, it will just disappear as if it never even happened.” Katie stormed out the door heading into the guest room. She slammed the door locking it. Damn the man. He was still an asshole, with the fabulous sex frying her brain over the last few weeks, she’d almost forgotten he was an idiot.
Katie heard Trick knock on the door, muttering. “Can’t we talk about this, Katie?”
“Not tonight, Trick” She growled through the door. He left without another word and Katie cried herself to sleep. When she woke up in the morning, Log was in the living room. She asked where Trick was, and found out that the man had left without a goodbye, again. So, began the worst week of her life.
Stalker
It’s been five weeks since I’ve seen her, where the hell is she. I’m going to make her pay this time. She has to realize that she isn’t the darling, that all she’ll ever be is a whore. How dare she not stay after the punishment? I should have seen her suffering, her pain. Instead she ran off, with him! How dare she? I was going to really make her pay this time. When I find her I am going to show her that she isn’t so special. That she’s not allowed to ignore me.
If she wanted to go off, she should have not taken him with her. I should be with her, not him. That stupid, bitch! She was going to get what she deserved. I was going to get what I deserved, too. As soon as I find her, I’m going to show her what she should have known. What she should have done, to make me happy. Stupid whore! Stupid, stupid, whore!
Chapter 17
Trick sat at the bar, it had been five days since he’d left the cabin and Katie. He’d tried to work in order to stop thinking about the damned girl. That was why he was sitting here staring at the sweetbutt’s who were milling around the clubhouse trying to entice the club members into screwing them, and he should. He should just choose one and head upstairs to bang her and forget about Katie. Only not a single one of them even made his cock twitch, much less harden. This was fucking stupid. He took a swig of his beer.
Duck walked over from where he’d been talking to Dog and plopped down on the stool next to him. Trick looked at the man, who stared at him for a long moment before asking Dank, the bartender, for a beer.
“Trying to forget her? Ain’t working is it.” Duck gruffly stated.
“I’m not trying to forget anyone. Just trying to enjoy my night.” Trick replied, clenching his teeth, pissed off that the man was right.
“Uh-huh,” Duck looked at him skeptically. “You think you’re the first man to come here and try to deny that a woman is his whole world?”
“Look, I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about, but can we drop it. I’m not in the mood for this bullshit, old man.” Trick growled, trying to seem unaffected.
“Too fucking bad, pup. I’m trying to prevent you from making an even bigger mistake here tonight than you already have. A mistake you’ll regret for the rest of your life.” Duck glared at him. “You’re in love with that girl, and you have been for years.”
“Don’t tell me you’ve bought that line these jackasses have been selling. Love is bullshit. It’s a way for women to control a man.” Trick grumbled, angry that he wasn’t as sure about that statement as he would have been a few weeks ago.
“Boy, you aren’t gonna end up like your daddy. Admitting you love that girl isn’t going to cause her to act like your momma.” Duck said, making him wish the older man didn’t know the history of his family. His mother had run out on his father more than once when they were kids. She was a juice junkie, and she’d used his father’s obsession with her whenever she was in the mood for it. She’d only loved him when she was sober and needed a place to live. His father had acted like a fool, and allowed the woman to ruin his and Charity’s life by popping in and out of their lives more than once. Love had meant that his mother would be around for a few weeks, and the only love he’d ever truly trusted was his sisters. There had never been any conditions on that love, unlike with his parent’s love.
“What would make you think that I care what you think about my life old man?” Trick asked, angrily.
“Shut up, and listen. I’ve known you since you were in diapers, and I have never thought you were an idiot. You can’t tell me that girl hasn’t been in your blood for more than four years. You would almost burst into flames anytime you saw her.” Duck growled.
“I never said I didn’t want to fuck the girl.” Trick yelled, glaring at him, not caring that he was getting attention from other brothers in the club. There were quite a few men looking up from their beers, to see what was going on.
“When you think of Katie with another man, do you feel nothing?” Duck questioned, watching him closely.
Trick felt like his guts had just exploded in flames, so great was his rage, at the mere thought of another man with his Katie. No—Fucking-body was going to touch Katie and live, he thought with increasing rage. Then he realized that he was being unreasonable. Of course, she would move on, get married to some fool, and have kids. But the thought made his fists clench and his teeth felt like they would break from the pressure his clenched jaw was making.
“Well, since you don’t seem to mind, I guess I read the situation wrong,” Duck paused, taking a swig of his beer. “Think I might know just the man to set her up with actually. Fine girl, our Katie. I think that Jack might be perfect in fact.”
“NO!” Trick roared, glaring at the older man.
“Huh, then I’ll tell you that love isn’t what your father had with your mother. It’s what I had with Freda, and what Bone has with Molly. Love, isn’t letting someone ruin your life, it’s about someone being the only one who can complete your life. When a woman is all you can think about night and day, when you wake up you want to see her beside you just so you can hold her, when just knowing she’s happy makes you t
he same, and when you can’t stand the thought of even your best friend touching her, that’s love. It isn’t giving up your own happiness, it’s allowing her to teach you happiness. What went on with your parents shaded your view on what real love is, and I get that. Only there comes a time in a man’s life where in order to be happy he has to let the past go, so he can find happiness.” Duck looked at him, a grim smile curled his lips. “This is that time, boy. Don’t be a fool and cling to something that is only going to lose you, and that sweet girl any chance either of you has to be happy.”
Duck stood, and Trick stared at him. He leaned forward and left Trick with one last statement. “That girl of yours, she will move on. She might never be as happy as she would have been with you, but she will find someone that makes her happy. Don’t be a damned fool.” He left the club house then without another word.
Leaving Trick staring after him, anger burning in his guts and the realization that he may have already fucked up his chances with Katie. Duck was right, he wasn’t his father and Katie was definitely not his mother. She’d been vain and selfish, but Katie was caring and giving. He was being a damned fool, he knew he felt all those things Duck had said, and so much more for Katie. Fuck, what the hell had he done? He needed to fix this, and he prayed as he stood, slamming out of the club house, that he wasn’t already too late.
Katie sat with her feet propped up on the arm of the couch, reading her novel for any edits she may want to do before sending it to her editor. She’d at least gotten it done. Trick’s leaving had helped with that, anger always did. She been bouncing back and forth between anger and tears, all damned week. The last seven days had been hell. She was not happy at still being stuck in this damned safe house. She was tired of being cooped up in here. She was calling Bone today to talk to him about her returning to Devils Falls, Log who sat nearby sketching, had said that they were no closer to finding her stalker than they had been six weeks ago.
They hadn’t found any clues as to who was after her and they weren’t seeing any changes in behavior either. Staying in this place even a few days more was not happening, Katie thought. She needed to get out of here, everywhere she turned she was bombarded by memories of Trick. Hearing a commotion outside, she sat up as Log stood, pulling out his gun. They waited hearing raised voices.
“I’m going in there Pretty Boy, don’t make me break your face before I do.” Trick’s growl surprised Katie. Then it made her mad, Log shook his head and put the gun away, sitting back down.
“She doesn’t want you here anymore, asshole!” Pretty Boy barked at him. There was a scuffle and then a loud thump against the wall. Then the door was opened and Trick stepped into the living room. Katie got off the couch, glaring at him.
“He’s right. You might as well leave. I don’t want to talk to you.” Katie screeched, holding her handheld to her chest.
“Please, sugar, at least let me talk to you. I have something for you too.” Trick said, his eyes pleading. Katie wanted to be hard, to ignore him and walk out, only she couldn’t. So instead she set down her computer and crossed her arms over her chest.
“Stop calling me that.” She demanded, meeting his eyes with her own. She saw the pleading look in his, and she caved. She really should tell him to get the fuck out, but instead she agreed, “I will let you have three minutes.”
Trick’s heart was beating too fast and he was holding his breath. As he waited for her answer. Katie looked so indifferent to him. She didn’t seem at all like the Katie he’d known for years. Maybe it was the fact that he was scared shitless that she wouldn’t forgive him for being a dick. He almost passed out from relief when she agreed to let him talk.
“Here,” Trick said, holding out the package he’d brought for her. He might as well get that part out there first, he thought as she took it from him wearily. “Open it.”
“Fine.”
She ripped open the box and nearly began crying at what was inside. She’d wanted this for so long, but not like this. Not when she knew he most likely didn’t mean it. She pulled the patch out of the box, allowing the packaging to fall to the table as she held it up.
“I’m sorry, Katie. I was acting like an idiot.” Trick said, watching her.
“Do you think, that this will be that easy? That you’ll walk in here say, ‘Opps I made a mistake’, hand me a patch and all is forgiven?”
“I hoped it could be that easy, but I was sure that it wouldn’t be.” He muttered, sheepishly with a half laugh at himself. He’d known that the patch wouldn’t be enough to get her to forgive him, but he’d wished it would be.
“Let me get this straight. You walk back in here after SEVEN fucking days and I’m just supposed to forgive and forget? Act like it never happened?” Katie stared at the man, amazed by his gall. Did the man think she was a fucking doormat?
“Umm…I think I will go outside, so you two can talk.” Log stood and started towards the door.
“No, stay. Trick’s leaving, he’s good at that.” Katie said, setting the patch on the table, even though she didn’t want to let it go. She was nobody’s doormat, and she wasn’t going to start acting like one today.
“The hell I am, Katie!”
He growled, in that voice that sent shivers down her spine. She knew that most likely she would forgive him for being a jackass, but she wasn’t about to let him know that. She put her hands on her hips and glared at him.
“Okay. So, yeah, going outside.” Log murmured, as he walked out of the cabin. Katie glared after him, pissed that neither man was listening to her.
“You can’t just waltz in here after seven days and expect this,” Katie jabbed a finger at the patch which sat on the table. “To fix everything!”
“I don’t, Katie! I came here to tell you I acted like an idiot and I’m damned sorry about it. I love you, I have for a long time, and I will never stop!” Trick had started out shouting but ending on a roar as he moved towards her. Katie moved back from him holding her hands in front of her, she couldn’t let him touch her. If she did, then she would never make the man realize that he couldn’t walk all over her every time he got some crazy idea in his head.
Trick stopped, growling in frustration, standing a few feet from her. He began to pace in front of her, wanting to hold her. He realized that she wasn’t ready to forgive him. Hell, she may never be ready to forgive him. He was a dick, and he most likely deserved her treatment of him. She’d told him she loved him and he’d called her a fool, then left her for a week.
“Now you think I want to hear that you love me? It doesn’t mean anything if you don’t even believe it exists, Trick.”
“I’ve always known it exists, Katie. I just didn’t want to admit that it was real. My parents professed to be in love, but all my mother ever did was use my father’s love for her against him. She was hardly ever around, and when she was things were good for the most part, until she left again. Then dad would slip into depression for weeks and I was left taking care of Charity. I didn’t mind, she’s my sister, but I learned that love was just something my mother said to keep my father hooked. That was when I stopped believing in love. I’m not telling you this so that you’ll feel sorry for me, Katie. I’m telling you so you’ll understand.” Trick ran a hand through his hair, sighing.
Katie moved to the dining room, grabbing on to a chair to stop herself from holding him. Although, what he’d told her was sad, she’d known bits and pieces from Charity. Charity had always acted like Trick was more of an authority figure than her father, and now Katie knew why. Trick and Charity’s mother had already been dead by the time she’d met them. She’d overdosed on the designer drug four years before that. They hadn’t talked about their mother much and she hadn’t pressed. She’d known that it hadn’t been a good relationship, she’d just never known how bad it was.
“I can’t tell you that I haven’t seen good relationships, strong relationships. I have, and still I clung to the idea that love wasn’t real. It’s not fair that I�
��m asking you to understand, to forgive me, but I am. I will never doubt the way I feel for you again, Katie. I can promise you that much.” Trick looked at her pleadingly.
She gripped the chair waiting to see what else he would say, she wasn’t going to forgive him right away just because he had a good reason. He’d hurt her, and he needed to know that she would not allow him to do it again. Not in such a senseless way, she had too much self-esteem for that. She also didn’t want to spook him, he said he would trust his feelings, only she didn’t know if she could trust his words.
“I don’t know, Trick. How can you walk out on me, and expect that I will be able to trust what you’re saying to me. How can I know that you mean it? You’ve rejected me so many times.” Katie asked, watching him. He winched, then he started pacing again.
“I know. I really fucked up. I would do anything for your forgiveness.” He shook his head ruefully. “I promised myself I’d never say that to a woman, but I mean it, Katie. I will do anything you ask of me. Anything.”
“Oh, please. You would not do anything! If I told you to get on your knees and kiss my feet, you’d laugh your ass off before you said hell no!” Katie said, looking at him. She was shocked when Trick was suddenly kneeling in front of her. He lifted her foot gently, looking at her from the floor, his eyes serious.
“Anything.” He whispered, before he kissed her foot from her toes to her ankle. Then repeated it with her other foot. She was astounded. Trick was a proud man, arrogant to a fault, and yet he was kneeling at her feet. She felt her heart squeeze in love for him. She was frightened by the power of the emotions that hit her in that moment. How could she stay strong with a man willing to humble himself in such a way?
“Trick…” She said, tears in her eyes and her heart pounding in her ears. She couldn’t let him take advantage of her heart again. She needed him to understand that this was his last chance. Because her heart couldn’t take another blow like the one he’d dealt it the other day. “I need to think.”