by Simone Elise
“FUCKING FRUSTRATING WOMAN!” Roach hurled his phone across the bar.
Roach might be finished with her, but I hadn’t even started. I dialed her number, putting it to my ear and walking outside. It went straight to her voice mail.
She never checked her voice mail. Fine, I’ll just have to message her.
Chapter 16
Abby
It was late. After midnight. We had gotten the guns there. Daniels talked shop for a good few hours. They offered for us to stay the night, but Daniels wanted to head back and so did I. Well, at least that’s what I thought was going to happen.
Till he pulled into a motel about five hours from home, complaining of being tired.
I offered to take over driving, but he wouldn’t hear of it. Just gave me a lecture about how I needed to rest.
“You alright, Abby? Quieter than usual.” Daniels stopped at my motel door. I had made him get us two rooms.
“Fine.” I unlocked the door. “Night, Daniels.”
His hand wrapped around my arm. “You know, considering you are my girlfriend, you should be sleeping with me.”
I laughed dryly. “We both know that’s just a front. Like I said, night Daniels.” I got out of his grasp and closed the door.
Dropping my book on the bed, I pulled out my phone, turning it back on. Sighing, I fell back on the bed. I knew I needed sleep. But I also knew it wasn’t going to happen. I hadn’t been sleeping for months. Then one night with Reaper in my bed and I slept like a log.
My phone started vibrating, and I assumed they would be missed calls from Dad. I picked it up. Not surprised at all to see Dad’s name keep flashing on my screen. I thought my phone was finished being raped by Dad’s name when Reaper’s name popped up.
Why would he be calling me?
Then before I could even think of reasons why he would be calling me, messages popped up from him.
I unlocked the phone and opened his messages.
Abby are you safe?
Why r u not answering your phone?
Msg me when you get this
It has been hours Abby why haven’t you msged me?
I am guessing by this reaction he had overheard my conversation with Dad. Might as well get this over with.
I’m fine. Staying at a motel
I sent it. He would be asleep by now. I needed sleep. I pulled the blankets back and grabbed my book. I knew if I couldn’t sleep, I could read. My phone vibrated next to me. Reaper. Why was he still up?
R u with him?
I sighed. It was a fair question.
No
I picked my book back up. Then my phone started ringing.
Reaper.
He wanted to talk to me?
What did he want to say to me?
Yell at me?
My heart was pumping so fast you would think I just killed someone, not debating whether to answer a phone call or not.
I closed my eyes tightly, took a deep breath, and answered.
“Abby?”
“Hey.” I suddenly felt extremely nervous. How could I threaten that cop without my voice even wavering, but I say one word to Reaper and I sound completely breathless and unstable?
“Are you ok?” He sounded wide awake, like he had been waiting to call me all night.
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
“What happened this afternoon?”
I sighed. That. “Let’s just say I’m convincing with a gun in my hand.”
“You threatened him?” He didn’t sound pleased. He actually sounded really pissed off.
“Don’t sound so surprised. What did you expect me to do? Let him arrest me?”
“You shouldn’t have been in that position. I told you not to take those guns. I should have stopped you. I should have-”
“Reaper, stop.” I groaned. “It’s not your fault. You aren’t my keeper. I’m the one dating a leader of a gang, and I’m the one who decided to go on this run today. So just stop.” The last thing I wanted was him bashing himself up about something that wouldn’t change. Something I chose to do as well.
“I want you to break up with him. It isn’t safe, Abby.” He was speaking calmly, but I knew if I could see him, he would be the type of deadly calm. The calm he had before he had a full rage attack.
“I told you. I can’t do that.” If he knew the situation, then maybe he would get off my back? But I couldn’t tell him. That was my problem.
“Tell me why.” He sounded even more determined than this morning.
“I can’t do that either.”
He groaned and then went silent. All I could hear was his heavy breathing. Why didn’t he just hang up? This was a pointless conversation. Hell, it wasn’t even a conversation!
“How you feeling?” He changed the subject and I was taken back by it.
“Um ok.” I lied.
“How about you try again, and this time put some effort into your lie.” He caught me out. Of course he knew when I was lying.
“I’m tired. And I’m sore. And I can’t sleep.” I moaned, letting my head fall back against the pillow and telling him the truth. “I just want to be home.” I didn’t want to be in this motel room. I didn’t want to be hours away from my home.
“Do you want me to come get you?” He was speaking like he would drive the five hours here just for me.
I laughed. “You’re not serious, are you?”
“How far away are you?”
“At least five hours.”
“I’d drive farther for you.”
Sweet. So incredibly sweet. Did he know how sweet he was? “You’re too kind to me, Kade.”
“I hate the thought of you and my baby uncomfortable. Even if it is just for a night.”
“I’ll be ok.” I blew into the phone, even though his words were making me feel incredibly loved. My hand went over my stomach. “I think this baby of yours is growing.” I felt bigger even though I know I looked the same this morning. But I felt ten times bigger.
“It pleases me to hear that.”
“Yeah well, it’s not your body getting fatter, is it?”
He laughed. “You sure you don’t want me to come get you?”
“As tempting as it is, you won’t get here till at least six, and by then I could be back on the road. If I get Daniels up.”
“You sure he isn’t with you?”
“Yes.” I pulled the blankets up and put a pillow behind my back. “I should let you get to sleep.”
“I should be saying that to you.”
“Yeah well, I’m not going to get any unless I’m with you.” The words tumbled out of my mouth and I immediately regretted them. “Sorry I didn’t mean to say that. I don’t know what I was thinking. I don’t want that pressure on you. It’s-”
“Abby, stop.” He cut me off. “I meant it when I said it, you are mine come nighttime. And after last night, I’m not planning on letting you sleep by yourself again.”
“Apart from tonight, right?”
“Because it’s out of my control yes.”
I went silent. I couldn’t keep him on the phone all night. Even if I’d be up all night.
“Night, Kade.”
“Try and sleep, Abby,” he pleaded with me. “For both of you.”
“I will. I’ll see you later today.” I pulled the phone from my ear and hung up. I flicked the lights off. I guess I could try and sleep. I moved the pillow behind my back, but my eyes were wide awake, staring across the room. Screw it, I might as well read. I flicked the lights back on. Maybe after a couple of chapters I’ll fall asleep.
***
I finished my book about an hour before Daniels was knocking on my door to leave. Which meant I had nothing to read on the way back home. So I played games on my phone and when that got boring, I sung badly to the radio. When Daniels declared his ears were bleeding from it, I was forced to talk to him.
And for once, we didn’t talk business. No, we talked babies. He told me all about his three-year-old so
n. How his ex-girlfriend wants nothing to do with him, but he still gets his son every second Sunday.
Which made sense to me now. Why he always made a point to be home at a reasonable hour every second Sunday. I just never picked up the pattern. He told me his son’s name was Kyle.
It was the middle of the afternoon when we really got home. And again, Dad had been raping my phone. I knew I was in for a lecture as soon as I stepped through the clubhouse. I also knew Dad was so furious, it wasn’t going to be a private one.
I closed the van’s door, readjusting my handbag on my shoulder and walking to the garage.
I saw his legs sticking out from under a car. I swear this man loves spending time in the garage. I kicked his legs, causing him to curse and slide out.
“Hey Brad.”
“Abby.” He smiled.
I dropped the keys on his chest. “Thanks for the van.”
“I don’t think you will be thanking me when your old man is through with you.”
“Yeah, I was expecting as much.” I sighed. I really was tired and not in the mood for a fight. “I’ll see you later.”
“Nah, I’m not letting you face your old man by yourself.” He got up. “The more people around, the less chance of it getting physical.”
“I deserve it if he hits me.” I shrugged, walking across the lot with Brad. My eyes landed on the GT that was parked across from the bikes. Who would be driving that around here? Yet why was it familiar?
“You don’t deserve to be hit. Your old man needs to keep a lid on his anger.” Brad held the clubhouse door for me.
“I nearly brought heat on the club. I’m expecting him to react as a President who just had a club threat than a Dad.”
The air-conditioning whipped around my body. I was used to the heat and no air-conditioning in the van; it was really welcoming once I felt it.
I scanned the bar looking for Dad. A few members I didn’t know, Reaper, Drake, Kim, Trigger, Cameron… wait a minute.
“DRAKE!” My eyes went wide with delight and I ran across the bar, forgetting about the doom that was meant to be coming my way. I threw my arms around his neck.
He caught me, laughing. “Now that’s the kind of welcome a guy could get used to.” His arms wrapped around me tighter.
“God, it’s been too long! Why are you here?” I pulled back, not being able to wipe the grin off my face. “You didn’t tell me you were coming.” I shoved his shoulder. As much as I loved his surprise visit, I would have loved it more if I knew he was coming. Would have given me something to look forward to.
“I wanted to see my brother and,” his hand went on my stomach, “my niece or nephew.”
“So I didn’t make the cut then?” I was still grinning like an idiot. I had missed my friend.
“How are you, Abby?” His hand was still on my stomach.
“Good,” I lied.
“You look tired.” He knew me nearly as well as his brother did. “Must be exhausting carrying this little bugger around.”
“Trust me, it’s not the baby stopping me from sleeping.” Or maybe it was? I didn’t know. All I knew was my mind wouldn’t shut off. “How long you in town for?”
“A while.” He took his hand off my stomach and picked up his beer. “You eaten? Want to go get some lunch?”
“I’d love to.” I looked over my shoulder. “I have to deal with Dad’s lecture first. But after that, I’d love to get out of here.”
My eyes glanced to Reaper. Why did he look so calm? Then as if on cue, the boardroom doors burst open and I could hear his heavy footsteps coming at me.
“Like I said, I have to deal with Dad first.” I turned around, putting on a brave face. “Ok Dad, get it over with.”
From his clenched fists to his red face. I knew I was in for a good one. But this time I didn’t have the energy to give it back to him.
Reaper
He first started laying into her about how she put the club at risk. Went on and on about how she was getting the club into trouble. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes because if anyone was bringing heat on the club, it was him, always ripping off bikes and getting us to rebirth them.
He then yelled at her for her lack of thinking, saying she was incapable of making a clear decision because she was pregnant. So far Abby just shrugged her shoulders. Didn’t say anything back. Just stood there as he attacked her.
Abby looked too exhausted to even be fighting. So she simply wasn’t. She was just letting her old man get it off his chest.
It wasn’t easy for me to just stand back and let him abuse her. If she didn’t want to stand up to him, I would. I had somehow moved closer to her as their argument went on. Even the other members in the pub, all knowing what it was like to be on the end of one of Roach’s sprays, were looking at Abby with pity.
But she was just taking it. Didn’t say a fucking word. I don’t know what was worse, watching her get abused or the fact she was just taking it.
“AND THAT BOYFRIEND!!! CONSIDER IT OVER!” Roach roared down at her. “THIS WAS IT, ABBY! HE DOESN’T CARE ABOUT YOU!”
She sighed. “I’m not breaking up with him.” Finally, she said something, but I didn’t like the fact it was sticking up for her boyfriend. “I told you this, Dad. Nothing will make me break up with him.”
“HE IS USING YOU!”
“Did you ever think maybe I’m the one using him?” Abby put her hand on her hip. “Believe it or not, but I’m not a blonde, stupid girl.”
“Don’t even act like you are smarter than him! You are the one risking your life delivering guns for a gang that tried to kill you!”
“If you want someone to blame for this situation, blame yourself! Now I told you I’m with him for a reason, and you just have to drop it! I’m not a member. I don’t have to put up with your shit. So I can easily move out of here and move in with him. So. Stop. Yelling. At. Me!” She pushed him back out of her face.
The Abby I knew was showing her face, but as soon as her hands pushed him backward, he was more furious. Maybe because she reminded him he had no control over her. Or threatening to move out. Like I was going to let that happen. He was frustrated with her. He lived for control. I saw it coming before he even pulled back his hand.
Taking two steps, I pushed Abby behind me and into Drake. I caught his hand before it whipped across her face.
“Don’t even think about touching her,” I snarled. “I put up with you yelling at her, but if you think I’m going to let you touch her, you have a death wish.”
That was my woman he was about to hit. The woman pregnant with my kid. I held his fist in my hand, liking the fact that as I crunched it, his face screwed up in pain.
“Get out of my way, Reaper.” He went to pull his fist away but I just held on tighter.
“This argument is over.”
“It’s over when I say it is.” He might have towered over Abby, but he wasn’t towering over me. So I met his furious eyes. He had been pissing me off since he started laying into her like she was a member and had to take it.
“And I’m telling you it’s over.”
“You love her so much, huh? You want to take responsibility for her? Take responsibility for when her shit brings this club down?”’
He thought he could scare me off by giving me responsibility of her. He was wrong. I wasn’t the same man that ran from responsibility. When it came to Abby, I wanted all of her.
“Fine. I will.”
“Reaper-” Abby started speaking behind me.
“Next time you have a problem with her, come to me. I’ll handle it,” I said before she could say another word.
If that meant I wouldn’t have to sit back and watch her being abused again, then I fucking take responsibility over and over again of her.
Roach nodded his head. “Have fun in your early grave, son.” He backed off and I let go of his fist. “Doing me a fucking favor.”
He turned and stormed back off to his office, slamming the door behind
him.
“I’m not letting you take the heat for my shit,” Abby said behind me.
But I wasn’t about to fight with her. It wasn’t a big deal. So what if I kept her old man off her back? I could handle Roach. I couldn’t handle him abusing her or hitting her. My control over my temper was thin when it came to someone hurting Abby.
I turned around and was not surprised to see her blue orbs looking at me with regret. “The last thing I wanted was for you to get involved. I can handle Dad.”
She was putting her walls back up.
“You should head out for lunch.” I glanced at Drake. Time for him to do what I called him here to do. “Knowing you, you haven’t eaten today.”
She pursed her lips, narrowing her eyes. “How do you know me so well?”
“Easy to read, babe.” I gestured with my head for them to get out of here. “Go.”
“I really need to work on that,” she muttered under her breath. She looked at Drake. “You still want to go out for lunch?”
“Didn’t come all this way not to spend time with my best friend.” He threw his arm around her shoulders. “Come on.”
He shot me a wink. I had told him all about Abby’s behavior. How she was withdrawing from me. How she was dating a gang leader. How she was up to something and I didn’t know what the fuck it was. She had locked me out. But slowly I was getting in. I knew Drake had a way with her to get answers.
“Can I drive?” Abby said, and I didn’t need to see her smile to know she had one on her face.
“Like hell I’m letting you drive my GT.”
She was going on about how her driving had improved when the clubhouse door shut.
“I know what you’re up to.”
I turned, seeing Kim giving me a knowing smile.
“I’m not doing anything.” I picked up my warm beer. Nothing worse than a warm beer.
“Yes, you are. And it’s really sweet you care about her that much.” Kim twisted the cap off a cold beer and placed it in front of me. “I hope it works. I want my sister back.”
I didn’t just care about Abby. I fucking loved her.
“Did you know she’s thinking of giving up the baby?” Was I the only one she told?
Kim’s eyes went wide. “NO! Like hell that will be happening.”