Beyond the Cut

by Sarah Castille

  “Cade. Behave.” She jabbed him lightly with her elbow, and he laughed, his deep rumble reverberating through her body. Before Cade, her sexual experience had been limited to a few fumbles with inexperienced teenagers, and then Jimmy, for whom sex was a purely selfish event. But in the two nights she and Cade had been together, they’d done things she’d only fantasized about, and then some things she could never have imagined. Even now, her cheeks heated at the memories.

  “I can’t behave around you.” His voice dropped, husky and low. “Last time we were together—”

  “Was the last time we will be together.” Disconcerted by the intensity of her feelings, she pulled away. “I had a good time with you, but I’m not interested in getting involved. I have my hands full with work, the girls, and the custody fight.” She was good at building walls to protect herself. Even with him, she’d given her body but kept a lock on her heart.

  At least, she thought she had, but when he leaned down and brushed his lips over hers, her betraying heart stuttered in her chest.

  “You’re interested in getting involved with me,” he whispered. “Otherwise you wouldn’t have invited me to sleep in your bed. You think I’m hot.”

  Dawn lifted an eyebrow. “Is this part of the seduction technique you use to lure sweet, sexy young things into your bed?”

  He nuzzled her neck, feathering kisses along her jaw as one hand curved over her ass. She should push him away. Run. Hide. Pretend she didn’t enjoy having a badass biker whisper naughty words in her ear in the middle of the playground as he set her blood on fire. But she couldn’t move. Couldn’t speak. Instead, she closed her eyes and went along for the ride, tilting her head to the side to give him better access.

  “That’s my girl,” he murmured against her ear. “She’s sweet. She’s sexy. And she wants me in her bed, my hands on her body, my mouth between her—”

  “Mom.”

  Somewhere in the distance, someone was calling her name. This wasn’t a dream; it was real. And she’d almost made the same mistake with him again. She jerked back, her cheeks flushing at her uncharacteristic loss of control.

  “I can’t believe you.” She shook off her lust-induced haze and pulled away. “We’re in the playground.”

  A sly smile tugged at his lips. “Swings. Chains. Gives me so many ideas.”

  “You’re filthy.” And she loved it. But she would never let him know.

  “So are you, if I recall correctly.” He licked his lips and Dawn’s throat tightened. God, he looked like he wanted to do her right here. And if not for her girls, and the playground full of people, and the fact it was illegal, and it was the middle of the day, she might have agreed.

  But she knew better than that. She’d walked away from him for a reason—and it had as much to do with the fact that he was an outlaw biker with a reputation for sleeping around, as with how easily she succumbed to his touch and how much it scared her. Yes, he was hot. And, apparently, good with kids. But she had a history of trusting the wrong people for the wrong reasons, and his world was not a place she wanted to be ever again.

  They stopped beside the concession stand where Maia and Tia had made it to the front of the line. Maia turned to wave Dawn over, and a tall, bearded, giant of a man pushed past her, knocking her down on his way to the counter. Dawn ran over and picked a sobbing Maia off the ground.

  “It wasn’t his turn.” Maia looked down and saw blood on her knees and her sob turned into a wail. Tia’s eyes widened and she clung to Maia’s hand.

  “You’re right.” Her face flushed with indignation, Dawn leaned over the counter and caught the attention of the server. “These girls were next.”

  “Not fucking waiting for kids who can’t make up their minds,” the man growled. “I just want a soda.”

  “The back of the line is over there,” Dawn gestured behind her. “You can wait like everyone else. And on your way, you can apologize to my daughter. You knocked her down and she scraped her knees.”

  “Fuckin’ bitch. Don’t tell me what to do.”

  Dawn sucked in a breath and her vision sheeted red. A tiny niggle at the back of her mind warned her this was a fight she couldn’t win. But she’d done enough running away in her life. And this time, she had backup.

  “You got this, Dawn?” Cade appeared at her elbow, his calm, steady presence spreading over her like a warm blanket.

  She scowled at the man in front of her. “Yes, thanks. This gentleman was just heading to the back of the line.”

  The giant looked back over his shoulder at the angry crowd, then he locked gazes with Cade. Electricity crackled between them. Cade growled, ever so softly, cold and menacing, dark and threatening. Dawn sensed rather than saw the shift in the balance of power.

  “Didn’t want a damn soda, anyway.” The bully lowered his gaze and stepped out of line.

  “Wait.” Dawn’s voice cracked through the shocked silence. “You owe my daughter an apology.”

  “Fuck you.”

  Wham. Cade shoved him up against the wall, with a strength and ferocity that made Dawn’s heart pound. He closed his hand around the bully’s throat and Dawn leaned right up in his face.

  “Apology. Now.”

  Eyes glittering with repressed anger, Cade loosened his hand enough for the man to speak.

  “Sorry, kid.”

  “Thank you.” Dawn took a step back and nodded at Cade, indicating he should release his grip. Cade lowered his hand and the man stumbled away to the murmured appreciation of the crowd.

  “Thanks for having my back. Whenever anyone threatens my children, I just see red.”

  “Pretty damn hot seeing you go all mama bear on his ass.” Cade chuckled and put his arm around her shoulders while the girls leaned over the counter to choose their ice cream. Although outwardly he appeared calm and relaxed, she could feel the blood pounding through his veins and the quiver of his muscles from unspent adrenaline. “Good thing we’re in public.”

  “Pretty damn hot seeing you go all alpha wolf and slam his sorry ass against the wall,” she whispered. “Definitely a good thing we’re in public.”

  Cade leaned down, and his voice rumbled in her ear. “We don’t have to be in public. We could go back to your place, and I’ll show you how to make an alpha wolf howl.”

  “It will be a howl of frustration,” she said. “There is no being alone when you have two little girls who only see their mommy on Sunday.” And thank God for that because after Cade’s show of dominance, and with the adrenaline still streaming through her veins, she was ready to tear off his clothes at the first available opportunity.

  For the next half an hour, Dawn and Cade took turns pushing Maia and Tia on the swings. Cade took Tia’s refusal to speak to him in stride, including her in their conversations even though she didn’t respond. Dawn hadn’t seen the girls as relaxed around a man as they were with Cade, and when he finally told them he had to leave, Maia didn’t hold back her disappointment.

  “Do you have to go? You pushed Tia three times and you only pushed me twice.”

  “Got work to do, Maia-who-wears-pink, but I’m glad I passed the swing test.”

  Her mouth turned down and she squeezed Tia’s hand. “Will you come back? You make Mom smile.”

  Cade didn’t miss a beat. “Your mom has a beautiful smile. Just like her girls.”

  Dawn fought back a sigh. So charming. And yet why would he be interested in a woman with a fucked-up life, two kids, three jobs, fifteen extra pounds, and baggage in the form of a psychopathic outlaw biker ex who had already tried to kill him? Maybe it was just his way of getting back at Jimmy, or maybe he wanted another notch in his belt.

  Cade leaned down and brushed his lips over her cheek before mounting his bike. “See you later, beautiful.”

  Or maybe not.

  FIVE

  I shall savor the ignorance of those who do not know me.

  SINNER’S TRIBE CREED

  “He’s on his way.”


  Cade startled when Zane stepped out of the shadows. He’d brought Zane and four brothers with him after receiving a tip that Rusty, the redheaded bastard from Mad Dog’s van, was at Peelers Strip Club, but Zane had the unnerving ability to move without making a sound and damned if he’d known his brother was right behind him.

  “Christ.” He lowered his weapon and drew in a calming breath of night air, cool but damp with an oncoming storm. “Don’t sneak up on a man with a gun. I almost shot you.”

  “Your gun was pointed in the other direction,” Zane said. “Mine was aimed at your back. Wasn’t feeling the threat.”

  Shaggy joined them from the far side of the parking lot, located at the side of the small brick building. “He’s got a woman with him. There’s a buncha Brethren inside, but doesn’t look like they’re planning to go anywhere. We should be good if we keep it quiet. If any of his buddies decide to join him…” He raised his weapon. “I figure the only good Brethren is a dead Brethren.”

  “In a normal situation, I’d agree with you.” Cade checked his magazine and holstered his gun. “But we’re here for Rusty only, and the rest of those Brethren will soon be our brothers.”

  Shaggy’s face curdled beneath his beard. “I voted to protect the club, same as you, but I still don’t like it. The Brethren can’t be trusted. We learned that lesson the hard way and had to run them outta town. Why the hell are we bringing them back?”

  “To win the war against the Jacks. I don’t want to bury any more brothers over at Sandy Hill Cemetery.”

  The front door opened and Rusty emerged with a woman beside him, her red hair twisted into a messy bun on top of her head. She wore workout clothes, and not stripper gear, and Cade didn’t recognize her until he heard her raspy voice.

  “C’mon, Rusty. I’m in big trouble here. I need the cash you owe me and I need it fast or Jimmy’s gonna slit my throat.”

  Shelly-Ann. What the fuck was she doing at Peelers when she was supposed to be looking after Dawn’s kids?

  Rusty shoved her away. “I don’t owe you nothin’, bitch. I paid for that coke by giving you the pleasure of my dick.”

  “That’s Mad Dog’s sister,” Cade murmured to Shaggy. “The one who’s blackmailing Dawn.”

  “You want her taken out?” Shaggy jerked his chin in Shelly-Ann’s direction. Vicious, loyal, and trigger-happy, he’d once claimed he would shoot his own mother if it would benefit the club.

  “Just keep her quiet.” Motioning to his brothers to follow, Cade unholstered his gun and crossed the parking lot, blinking to clear his vision when the first few raindrops fell.

  “Hey, Rusty. Remember me?” He smashed the butt of his gun into Rusty’s head, and the smaller man staggered back against the wall.

  “Stop! No!” Shelly-Ann’s hand flew to her mouth as Cade threw punch after punch, easily dodging Rusty’s retaliatory strikes. He hit Rusty’s nose and blood sprayed over Shelly-Ann’s jacket and splattered on the wall.

  “Oh God.”

  Shaggy grabbed Shelly-Ann and pulled her away when Zane and Gunner joined the fray, the three men pummeling Rusty until he fell to his knees.

  “You like that Rusty?” Cade kicked him in the ribs. “You want my boot prints on you to match the ones you left on me?”

  “Damn Sinner. We shoulda fucking killed you when we had the chance.” Rusty heaved in a breath, and pushed himself to his feet. Then he ran at Cade, knocking him back.

  “Your mistake.” Cade grabbed Rusty and twisted his arm behind his back, then pushed him to the ground. Raindrops splattered on the pavement around them, streaming off Cade’s jacket. “Six against one and my hands tied? You must have known I’d come for you.”

  “Didn’t think you were that stupid,” Rusty grunted, his cheek flat against the wet pavement. “We’re patching over to the Jacks, and then we’re all coming for you. There won’t be a Sinner left alive when we’re done.”

  His free hand slid out from beneath him and Cade caught the glint of steel. “Look out!” He dived to the side just as Rusty fired. The bullet hit Shaggy in the leg and his brother went down.

  “Die, fucker.” Rusty jumped to a crouch and aimed his gun at Shaggy’s head. Cade threw himself forward, knocking Rusty off balance. Rusty fell to the side and his head cracked against the cement parking bumper. Then he went limp.

  “Fuck.” Shaggy fell back, clutching his leg. “One more second and I woulda been a dead man. Gratitude, brother.”

  “Oh. My. God,” Shelly-Ann shrieked. “You killed him. You killed Rusty. He owed me money. Now what am I going to do?”

  His body still pumped with adrenaline, rage seeping through his veins, Cade grabbed Shelly-Ann by the shoulder and shoved her hard against the wall. “You are one damn coldhearted bitch. Man’s dead and all you care about is money. And what the hell are you doing at Peelers when you got two kids at home to look after?”

  Shelly-Ann’s face twisted in anger. “Not that it’s any of your business, but I got a babysitter. And I need money. Since you killed Rusty, his debts are your debts. You owe me.”

  “Son of a bitch,” Gunner said. “She’s either incredibly stupid or she’d got the biggest fucking balls this side of the Bridger Mountains.”

  “You owe me,” Cade growled. “I saved your fucking life. Shaggy here wanted to off you the minute you stepped outside.”

  “I know you.” Shelly-Ann leaned up and stared into Cade’s face. “You’re the Sinner who was with Dawn outside the school. Just wait till Jimmy hears you offed Rusty.”

  Cade snorted a laugh. “You tell him, princess. Let him know I’m coming for him, although I think he’ll guess.” He tipped his chin in Rusty’s direction, drawing her attention to Gunner, who was spray-painting the Sinner’s Tribe symbol on Rusty’s cut.

  Shelly-Ann’s eyes narrowed. “Kinda hard to go after him if you’re in jail. Gimme the money Rusty owes me and maybe I won’t say anything to the police about what I saw.”

  “How about you go home to those girls and I won’t tell Shaggy to slit your fucking throat?”

  “How about I get someone to slit yours?” Shelly-Ann gave him a sly look and then she screamed. “Help! Shifter! Trey! The Sinners got Rusty!”

  Cade clamped a hand over her mouth a moment too late. The door to the club burst open and Brethren bikers flooded the parking lot.

  “Let the fun begin.” Zane drew his weapon, and the brothers followed suit.

  “Stand down,” Cade ordered, gesturing the brothers back to their bikes. “Zane and I will cover. Everyone out of here now. We’ve done what we came here to do. They know what Rusty did. Even with the possible patch-over, they’ll have been expecting some form of retaliation, although it wasn’t meant to go that far.”

  Cade’s heart pounded in his chest, adrenaline crashing through his body in waves. Yeah, he wanted to off that Brethren scum. But tonight wasn’t a good night to die.

  * * *

  “You staying for a drink?”

  Banks handed Dawn her share of the evening’s tips as she untied her apron. Not a bad night. If she could find more ways to cut costs, she might be able to scrape up another couple hundred dollars for Shelly-Ann. Enough to keep her quiet, at least in the short term.

  “I have to get going. I have an early shift tomorrow.” And she wanted to get home and lock her doors tight. Before Jimmy crossed the Conundrum border, she wouldn’t have been concerned, but something spurred him to take the life-or-death risk of coming into town, and she desperately wanted to know what it was. Jimmy only took chances when he knew he would win. She could only hope he wasn’t after the girls.

  “Just one drink.” Banks held up a glass. “Then I can finish up and walk you out.”

  “Thanks, but I have to run or I’ll miss the last bus.” Usually she caught a ride on the back of Arianne’s motorcycle. Her bestie bartended at Banks Bar four nights a week, and they tried to arrange their shifts so they could work together, but Arianne’s work at the Sinner garage was taking
up more and more of her time and she’d cut her shifts this week down to two.

  Dawn grabbed her jacket and picked up the trash bags near the stockroom door leading to the parking lot. Although she missed her car, she wouldn’t trade the extra time it had bought her with the girls for anything.

  “Don’t like you taking the bus at night,” Banks said.

  Dawn put her hand in her purse and pulled out her .22. “I have this to keep me safe. A present from Arianne.”

  “Jesus Christ. Put that away before you hurt someone, namely me.” Banks jerked to the side. “Don’t know why Arianne would give you a gun. You aren’t in that life.”

  “She gave it to me because that life won’t let me go. And until I get my girls back…”

  “You won’t be shooting anyone.” He placed a gentle hand on her wrist, and she lowered the gun. “And I know this first, ’cause I know you got a soft heart; second, ’cause I can see that gun isn’t loaded; and third, ’cause I got faith you’ll find a way to cut Jimmy deep and get back those girls without spilling any blood and landing your pretty ass in jail. You’re a fighter, but not a killer.”

  “I’ll take that as a compliment.” She tucked the gun into her purse and zipped up her jacket.

  “Meant as one.” Banks twisted his lips to the side, considering. “How about I call you a cab?”

  “You don’t give up, do you?” Dawn unlocked the dead bolt on the door leading to the parking lot. “It’ll take at least an hour to get a cab out here at this time of night. The bus is coming in five minutes. I’ll be fine. It’s not like I have far to go.”

  “I’ll wait at the bus stop with you,” Banks called out. “Just gimme a minute and I’ll meet you there.”

  The door closed behind her and she crossed the deserted parking lot toward the Dumpster. She tossed the bags, and pulled her leather jacket tight around her neck. Where had the warm spring weather gone? This winter had been the longest ever, and she so wasn’t a winter kind of girl. Now, Florida. That was more her style. Her parents had owned a condo on Miami Beach and she’d spent the summers with them building sand castles, learning how to in-line skate, and never appreciating her safe, secure loving world until it disappeared when a drunk driver crossed the median and hit her parents’ car.