Grasping For Freedom

by Debra Kayn

  Pushing herself to her feet, she whirled around. "Stop shooting him. He needs help. Go get help."

  "God damn, mother fuckers. Take their shit, and take their shit. Put a bullet up their ass, and their whores too." Her dad waved the gun around, pacing in the exact spot the car vacated. "Nobody, nobody screws me over."

  "Dad!" She approached him. "Give. Me. The. Gun."

  Her dad turned, tilted his head, and stretched his gun hand out to the side. "Messed up, honey. Messed up your momma. Messed up you. Messed up the bar, Messed up—"

  "Dad, I love you." Brandy held her hands out in front of her. "I love you. Let me have the gun. I need to help Torque. Shit, you shot him, Dad. Stop, please, and help me save his life."

  Her dad's attention shifted off her and he aimed toward her left. "That's it, dad. Nobody is going to touch you, but I need you to give me the gun and go get help."

  "Protect you," her dad muttered.

  Movement out of the corner of her eye had her jumping to the side, her worse nightmare coming true. She rushed toward Torque to stop him before her dad could shoot again, but he made it to her dad first. Both men went down in a tangle of arms, each fighting for the gun. Shocked Torque was fighting and not dying, she grabbed onto her father's shirt, attempting to hold him back.

  "Don't, dad, don't," she yelled. "Let him go."

  Nobody understood there was only one way to handle her father. Attacking him was not going to help. She had to get through to him.

  Torque lifted his fist and punched her dad in the face. Blood squirted out of his nose and her dad's head hit the ground. She rushed to Torque. "Lay down, please. You're bleeding."

  "I'm okay," he said, swaying to get up.

  "Shit," she mumbled, grabbing him.

  "Jesus..." He panted, falling back on his ass and letting his arms fall between his legs. "Son of a bitch."

  Brandy hovered beside him, reaching out, but stopping before she touched his shoulder, his leg—that bled around the hole in his jeans—and his face. "You? How? You've been shot, babe."

  "Flesh wounds." He groaned, leaning back. "Get my phone out of my pocket, hit Rain's number, and tell him to get his ass over here."

  She followed the directions, keeping an eye on both Torque and her Dad. Before she pushed the button, she paused. "He's going to kill my dad."

  Torque shifted his leg and grimaced. "He tried to kill me."

  She swallowed. "I know, but..."

  "Give me the phone." He held his breath as he strained to raise his arm. "I'll call Rain, and you stay away from your father."

  "Torque, I need to get him somewhere safe and talk with him. He's not like this—"

  "Give me the phone, sunshine, and step back," Torque said, struggling to his feet.

  She did, because there was no way she'd ever be able to deny him anything or convince him to listen. Handing her dad over to Bantorus MC hurt almost as much as seeing Torque in pain. Guilt left her unable to know what to do. Her Dad shot Torque, twice.

  This had to end. One way or another, she was going to end up hurting one or both of them.

  Torque tapped the screen on the phone and then limped over and picked up the pistol lying by her dad's hand. She tried to help him, but he shrugged her away. She glanced at her dad, at Torque, her dad, and knew her and Torque's relationship would never work. No matter how much she loved him, she'd never be able to walk away from her father because of the damage he always left in his wake. Her dad needed her. Torque didn't.

  Chapter Twenty One

  Total chaos inside Cactus Cove came from two different directions. Torque sat in a chair letting Ginger clean and wrap his wounds, while he finished off the rest of the whiskey. The bellowing of outrage from Brandy's dad assaulted his ears, and the low murmurs between the Bantorus MC members had him wanting to join his brothers.

  Unfortunately, the burning pain in his body meant he couldn't do anything until he stopped bleeding. At the first impact of the bullet, he'd waited for his life to end. Then he'd felt his arm, his leg, and all hell broke loose.

  Because he couldn't do anything but sit while Ginger doctored his wounds, he concentrated on Brandy. During the whole attack, he'd witnessed her withdraw further into herself, and he didn't like it.

  She'd walked right up to her father. All six foot six, four hundred pounds of muscle, holding a gun on his woman, was not a sight he wanted to see ever again. Even after everything congregated inside the bar, he'd watched her go between him and her dad. He wondered how long she'd had the darkness under her eyes.

  Last night, she'd slept fitfully. He was used to running on little sleep, but his own bad night habits had kept her from resting. He should've let her sleep in, and held off their planned trip one more day.

  Brandy walked back over to him and kneeled down on his right side. "I'm so sorry."

  "I don't want to hear you apologize again. This isn't your fault." He hooked the back of her neck with his good arm and massaged the muscles. Her tense shoulders remained tight and unyielding. "You need to go lie down in the backroom until I'm finished here and rest."

  "I can't." She drew back. "I need to take care of you, my dad, and...I need to talk to you."

  "Get away from him," Brandy's father yelled, rising from the chair Rain had planted him in and ordered to stay. "You touch my daughter, and I'll kill you."

  Jedman stepped forward, blocking Haas, but the Bantorus member only reached the man's shoulders. Torque spoke to Ginger. "Wrap it up, now."

  He lifted his arm, allowing Ginger to tape the gauze that went around his shoulder and under his armpit. Once she finished and left him, he stood and headed in David Haas's direction.

  "Torque, just let him spout. Once Rain's done with him and if I can take him away from here, I will." Brandy shifted sideways, walking with him. "He's mad, that's all. Once we're alone, I'll talk to him and calm him down."

  He ignored Brandy's reasoning. He'd had enough out of the man.

  "Sit down," Torque said, stopping a foot in front of Haas. "You're going to lay off Brandy now."

  Haas stepped forward, his chest bumping Torque. Brandy gasped and tugged on her dad's arm. "Dad, stop..."

  "Make me," Haas said, his chest puffing out, totally ignoring Brandy's request.

  Torque refused to budge. "Shouldn't have done that, old man."

  "Are you telling me what to do with my own daughter?" Haas asked.

  Torque brought his head up, clipping Hass under the chin. Before Brandy's dad could react, Torque punched him in the diaphragm.

  Hass landed in the chair hard, sucking air. Torque ignored the pain radiating throughout his body. "I'll only tell you this once. Brandy belongs to me now. While you were with Los Li, you lost any say in what she does with her life. That also means from right now, you act like a fucking man, so she doesn't have to make herself sick with worrying over your ugly ass."

  "Brandy?" Haas's head came up and he looked at his daughter.

  Torque continued before Brandy could say anything. "Respect, man."

  "You're with this guy?" Haas ignored Torque. "I leave for—"

  "You left, Dad. Again." Brandy sighed, and the sorrow written all over her face bothered Torque.

  "Right now, you're going to shut up and give her space. You've done enough, don't do something that will make you lose her completely," Torque said.

  Several beats went by and finally Haas dragged his gaze from Brandy to him, and he nodded without another word. Torque acknowledged his reply with his own chin lift. "Come on, sunshine."

  He limped with Brandy over to a table, sat her down, and gingerly lowered his body in the chair beside her. "You wanted to talk."

  Her gaze went from her father to him. "Rain's been more than gracious enough, after I explained the circumstances, to let my dad stay in the cabin with me for the next couple of weeks until I can calm him down and get him settled again. I can't have you staying with me. It'll only anger him. I need this time with my dad."

  H
e looked over at the big man, sprawled in the chair. "He pointed a gun at you, sunshine."

  "I know." She hung her head. "I know, but you have to understand, he wouldn't have shot me."

  The throbbing in his shoulder intensified. "Jesus, Brandy. You were right beside me when he shot me. Luckily, his aim is bad, which proves my point. He could've shot you."

  "Trust me. I'll be fine with him," she said.

  "I have no problem letting him stay in the cabin by himself on Bantorus land. You can check on him during the day before you work, but after work, you sleep at my house. You need the rest, and I can make sure you get it," he said.

  "I can't, babe," she whispered. "I can't."

  Brandy stood and without meeting his eyes, turned away and walked back to her dad's side. Torque wanted to drag her back, but he could barely walk. The alcohol he'd downed before Ginger worked on his wounds already affected his thinking and his leg ached even when he didn't put his weight on it.

  And, Brandy had made up her mind.

  She'd had so little independence in her life, caring for her dad, and even running the business for the man. Torque wouldn't take away her freedom to choose between staying with her dad or making a life with him.

  He caught Rain's eyes studying him. His President came toward him, and Torque held out his hand. Pulled out of the chair, he looped his uninjured arm over Rain's shoulders. "Get me the hell out of here."

  Once outside, he said, "I want someone around her twenty-four/seven. Put one of the prospects in the cabin next to hers and have him sleep with his God damn window open. If he hears a sound from Brandy's cabin, he calls the emergency number for the club. I'll want everyone there if she needs help. I don't want anything to happen to her."

  Rain opened up the passenger truck door. "Agreed."

  He heaved himself up into the seat. "We need to get Haas medicated so Brandy can deal with her dad. He's wound up and wanting to fight. Does Sherman still deal on the side?"

  The pharmacist across the border in Oregon often helped them out if they needed medical attention and couldn't chance going to the hospital and have their care documented. Torque took the seatbelt from Rain and buckled himself in.

  "Already thought about that and put a call into Sherman. I also got Brandy's okay to do whatever we can for her dad. From the sound of it, he needs something to mellow out. He's a fighter with a lot of grief feeding into him that makes him angry. Once I drop you off, I'm meeting Sherman by the bridge. We'll get Haas started on something to calm him down and relax him." Rain shut the door, walked around the front of the truck, and got in the driver's seat.

  Brandy was still trying to take care of her dad. He clenched his teeth together but whether it was the whiskey or the fact he was going home to an empty house, he said, "She's going to stick by her old man, and there's nothing I can do to make her realize he's not her responsibility."

  Rain drove out of the parking lot. Torque let his head fall back on the headrest. His president let him have his quiet. Probably a good thing, because he wanted to punch someone. Fuck his shoulder. Even releasing his anger was impossible tonight.

  "What's your take on Los Li?" Rain asked, turning off Main Street onto Cedar Street.

  He rubbed his hand over his eyes. "If they planned to come after me, they had their opportunity to take me out today. Unless they expected Haas and his piss poor job of shooting me to finish the job for them."

  Rain pulled into Torque's driveway and cut the engine. "I had a chance to talk to Brandy while the other members were getting Haas inside the building and you were getting the blood washed off you. She mentioned he's an ex fighter, stayed underground, and made a name for himself. Then after his wife died, he became uncontrollable, took chances and at his size, that made him a dangerous man to face. She claims he tells her when he's fighting, he can deal with life better—Brandy's words."

  "Fucking great, and I'm expected to step back and trust that he has Brandy's best interest at heart?" he muttered. "The man's a giant. He's three times the size of Brandy, and I'm allowing her to stay with him."

  Rain stared off at the garage. "He's also the man who held the baby Brandy in his arms when she was born, the one who probably taught her how to ride a bike, and wiped her tears when her first boyfriend broke her heart."

  Torque's head spun. He glared at Rain. "Doesn't help. She's still my woman, my heart, my happy."

  He slammed the truck door, knowing he sounded like a damn fool. Two agonizing steps later, he bit down on the discomfort and hurried to the house. By the time he reached the door, his head, shoulder, leg killed, and he wanted to puke. He unlocked his door and a thought came to him.

  He whistled grabbing Rain's attention. After Rain rolled down his window, he said, "Get her a damn pre-pay and send me the number."

  Rain waved and drove off. He hobbled to the couch and eased himself down. Uncomfortable in his own home, he stood back up and opened the door before finding his spot on the couch again. What Rain said about Brandy's dad raising her made sense, but that didn't mean he liked her being around him right now unprotected.

  Though if he brought them both here, they'd be alone during the day when he worked, and he preferred having her close to the club when she wasn't working in case she needed anything. He closed his eyes. Hell, he rather stay in the cabin with her. They barely had any time to themselves between going on a run and dealing with Los Li.

  Tomorrow, he'd talk with her.

  The coolness of the night covered him. The open door, the breeze, the silence, it wasn't the same. He'd gotten used to having Brandy's warm body against him; her heartbeat to feel, her breathing to listen to, and the womanly curves to remind him he was alive. He shifted uncomfortably, unable to find a position on the couch to relax. He missed the soft sighs she gave him as she slipped into sleep. The way she'd smile against his lips when they kissed, letting him feel her happy, and the in-your-face-attitude when he tried to push her too hard. That same attitude he enjoyed also put the aloofness in her tonight, and she'd used the distance to create space between them.

  And, he let her step away. He only hoped she understood he was doing it for her.

  She'd had to be strong for too long. It was time she relied on someone else, and he wanted to be the man she leaned on. He wanted to protect and love her the way she deserved.

  Hell, he missed the sunshine.

  Chapter Twenty Two

  Brandy's dad sat on the couch, staring at her as if she'd transported him to another world. She stood in the middle of the room; arms crossed, and challenged him to push her. Her stance was a familiar pattern she'd adapted a long time ago to deal with his sporadic moods and need to let off steam.

  He in turn, had his arms crossed and had already pushed her to her limit. "You can't stop me from leaving."

  They'd gone round and round all day after her dad woke up. At least one of them had slept, and it wasn't her.

  "Try me," she said. "You've put me through hell the last month. I didn't know if you were dead or getting yourself in trouble. It ends now."

  Her dad rubbed his hand over his jaw. "Honey, a man needs to enjoy life. You pamper me. I'm going soft. I'm getting old. I only have a few more years to get in the ring before someone takes me out."

  She shook her head, not giving him an inch because if she did, he'd take off again looking for the excitement he used to find in the ring.

  He was too old to fight. Any more knocks on the head and she'd lose him.

  "You shot Torque," she said, swallowing her worry. "Twice."

  He chuckled, shaking his head. "You know if I wanted that man dead, he'd be dead. He touched you. It's a small price to pay, and he's lucky I didn’t drop the pistol and hit him with my fists. I should've taken him out anyway, after finding out what you've been doing with him. A biker? Honey, what the hell are you thinking?"

  "It's my business what I'm doing." She glared, guilt piling up on her. "This is exactly why you're staying here. I'm working, and while I
earn us enough money to go back home, you're staying put."

  "The hell you say." He stood. "What happened to the money I had saved?"

  "Besides the amount you took with you, I used what was left to pay the months' rent, so we wouldn't lose our only home while I looked for your stubborn ass."

  Her dad sat back down with an oomph. "Damn, honey."

  "Dad..." She walked over and sat beside him, sliding her hand into his big hammer of a fist. "Everything will work out. You just need to help me take care of you. I need you in my life, and going out and fighting, raising hell, and gambling is not the answer. I don't want anything to happen to you. Do you even realize how bad Los Li is and the danger I was in?"

  Not to mention the danger he'd put Torque, Bantorus MC, and every woman and child in Pitnam in with his stupid move. Her eyes hurt, and she only wanted to close them for a few minutes and maybe this nightmare would go away.

  "Boxing is all I know," he said. "Even before your mom..."

  She squeezed his hand. "I know."

  The loss of her mother broke her heart a long time ago, but continued to hurt when she watched her dad fight his demons. It wasn't his fault. It wasn't her fault. Her mother acted alone, no fault of her own, and though taking herself out of their life was selfish, as an adult, she realized everyone had choices.

  Her father chose to fight in the ring.

  She squeezed her eyes closed for an extra beat and sighed. Had she learned nothing?

  She was making choices for her dad that weren't hers to make. He was an adult, and she no longer needed him to take care of her. In fact, it'd been years since she'd needed him to support her.

  Until Torque, she'd never met a man who lived by an inner need to protect and live the lifestyle that made him happy. While Torque buried himself deep within the Bantorus MC, her dad had hung on to what he was skilled at, where he felt the happiest, and where his peers accepted him. It seemed that everyone wanted him to continue fighting in the ring, but her.