Club Scars

by Mara McBain

  He sighed, nodding as he moved around the island to help. Their queen meant well, but she was a fixer. There would’ve been a repair man or a replacement on their doorstep the next day.

  “Sorry, baby. I’ll get on it.”

  “Worry about the truck. I can hand wash dishes,” Kat said, thrashing her hand through the water to create suds.

  His neck cracked as he rolled it. Leaning against the counter he scrubbed at his face. “I’ll figure it out.”

  “Another couple of weeks and I’ll be picking my shifts back up at The Lantern. It can wait.”

  “You don’t have to go back to work,” he growled. “I can handle it.”

  “I don’t think I could handle being home all day. It makes me stir crazy and I miss my friends. I want to go back to work.”

  “What about Cam?”

  “For now, he can go with me. Gin made the lounge baby friendly.”

  “And what happens when he gets a little older and is into everything? That’s not safe.”

  “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”

  Her dismissive attitude was pissing him off. “You don’t have to do this. I might not be John Merrick, but I can support my damn family,” he ground out.

  Kat’s hand slammed down on the faucet shutting off the water. She turned slowly to look at him. Her eyes gleamed a brilliant shamrock to match his own, making her ire clear.

  “After all these years you still think money matters to me?” she asked, her voice shaking with the emotions that flitted across her beautiful face. “I would live under a fucking bridge before I went back to that bastard. Don’t you dare throw his money in my face because things are a little tight around here. We’ve been through worse and made it. We’ll always make it.” Her voice broke. Dropping her eyes, her shoulders heaved as she fought a sob. Slapping the sopping wash cloth into his chest she whispered, “Fuck you, Tommy.”

  He watched her flee the room, her hand clamped over her mouth as her shoulders shook. He closed his eyes as she disappeared up the stairs. The bedroom door slammed and Cam gave a startled wail. Crux tossed the dish rag in the sink and headed for living room, stripping off his wet t-shirt. His son’s cry became more adamant, no doubt as unhappy with the tension in the house as he was. Scooping the little guy up, he swayed on his feet, rumbling a soothing hum in his ear.

  Cam snuffled against his neck, his tears warm. Crux’s heart twinged at the thought of Kat’s tears now soaking a pillow instead of his chest. Why the fuck had he said that? As broke ass as they’d been at times, Kat had not once whined about money. His old lady was tough and resourceful. They paid the bills and she made do with what was left over. She handled money, and the lack of it, better than he did.

  He sighed, kicking himself for lashing out while he was tired. Knowing Kat, he was going to pay for that moment of stupidity. Tears or not, she wasn’t up there feeling sorry for herself. He grimaced. She was likely plotting her revenge and he had it coming. She was right. They’d get through this bullshit like everything else. Rubbing his hand over the back of his neck, he cast a look skyward, not sure if he was asking for strength from God or the woman upstairs.

  Eleven

  Shrugging the diaper bag higher on her shoulder, Kat hooked the baby carrier in the crook of her elbow and tried to nudge the Lincoln’s door closed. She sighed when it didn’t shut all the way and resorted to shoving it the rest of the way with her foot. The boot print glared accusingly at her in the road salt that coated the bottom of the posh SUV. Rolling her eyes she added the car wash to her mental to-do list. Slinging her purse over the other shoulder, she started for the backdoor. Her heart sank as she heard the distinct jingle of her car keys hit the ground. Dropping her chin to her chest, she shook her head in frustration. She was never going to get the hang of motherhood. How the hell did everyone else make it look so easy?

  Letting the carrier slide down her forearm, she caught the handle and lowered it to the ground as she searched the gravel for her keys. A heavy sigh left her lips as she flung the sliding diaper bag to her back muttering, “Give me a fucking break!”

  “Let me help.”

  A well-dressed man squatted beside her and picked up the elusive keys. Kat scrambled to her feet, hand reaching back to find the carrier’s handle. Heart pounding, her eyes narrowed on the stranger. He was around Crux’s size, but older, his high and tight haircut a distinguished silver. He had the same air of authority as Zeke. She licked her lips, easing toward The Lantern’s back door. A cop, she guessed, or maybe the private investigator?

  “It’s okay, Katrina. I just want to talk.”

  “I have nothing to say to you,” she said, the words sounding weak as she swallowed against her suddenly parched throat. The sunlight glinted off the metallic emerald cover on her house key in his outstretched hand. “Give me my fucking keys.”

  He stopped, the keys taunting her from the palm of his hand. Shaking her head, she stole a look behind her to gauge the distance to the door and buzzer.

  “Things don’t have to be like this, Katrina,” he said smoothly.

  “Stop calling me that and toss me my fucking keys,” she snarled, backing up another couple of steps.

  “There’s no reason to be hostile. Do you prefer Kat?”

  “I’d prefer you toss me my keys and disappear.”

  “I understand you have had your differences with your father, but as a new mother you have to understand that a parent’s love never dies. Your father loves you and just wants what is best for you and his grandson. He wants to talk to you and make things right.”

  Kat couldn’t hold back a snort of disbelief. The carrier finally bumped against the building. Settling it behind the shield of her legs, she stretched for the button, holding it down in hopes it would express the urgency to her friends. She picked Cam back up and moved to the other side of the door so they could push in as soon as it opened.

  “I have a check for you. No strings attached. Mr. Merrick knows that times are tough and just wants to make sure his grandchild is well taken care of. I saw you struggling. You should have help, a nanny.”

  “Screw you. There is no such thing as no strings attached where my father is concerned.”

  “A lot of things can change in fifteen plus years, Katrina. Think about how you feel about Camden. Is there anything he could do that would make you stop loving him?”

  “If you had any idea what that sick fuck you work for is capable of you wouldn’t be standing here having this discussion with me.”

  The door opened and her eyes barely met Gin’s as she backed through the opening, keeping Cam behind her. The sawed-off shotgun in Ginny’s hands was comforting.

  “All he wants is a relationship with you and Camden. I’m going to leave the check here with your keys. His phone number is on it. Call him, Katrina. You won’t be sorry,” the man said sincerely. Squatting down, he placed the envelope on the ground with the keys on top and backed away.

  Neither woman moved until he got in his car and pulled away. Kat slumped against the hallway wall.

  “Sweet Jesus,” she breathed.

  Ginny scanned the parking lot and eased out the back door. She kept the shotgun ready, but walked quickly to the keys. Snatching them up with the envelope, she backed to the door and pulled it closed in her wake. She leaned next to Kat and took a deep breath.

  “Do you have any idea how badly I wanted to hum the Mission Impossible music while you were doing that?” Kat whispered.

  They both burst into hysterical laughter and Ginny had to lean the gun in the corner, her hands shaking. She turned and hugged Kat when they could stand up straight again. She waved off the girls crowding the end of the hallway.

  “Are you okay?”

  Kat nodded against Gin’s shoulder, clinging to her friend for a long moment. “Thank you.”

  “Don’t thank me. I’m sorry it took so damn long. When I saw you guys on the security camera I didn’t know if I should just open the door o
r run for the damn gun. I need to find a way to have a gun by the back door,” Ginny said with a shaky breath.

  “It felt like eternity, but it couldn’t have been more than a minute or so. The gun was probably a good idea. He was armed. I saw it under his jacket.”

  Ginny glanced at the envelope and keys still clutched in her hand. “How the hell did he get your keys?”

  “I dropped the damn things,” Kat said, slumping against the wall again to tug at her hair in frustration. “How in the hell do the other mothers do it? I don’t have enough hands!”

  Ginny laughed and hugged her again. “You’ll get the hang of it. Wait until you have more than one. Come on.” She picked up the shotgun and ushered Kat and Cam down the hall.

  Worried faces met them in the kitchen and Kat tried to calm their fears while Gin went to put the gun away. Cam was an effective distraction. She looked up as Lee touched her arm. The girl winced and offered an apologetic smile.

  “We’re about to have company.”

  Kat looked at her and closed her eyes, shoulders slumping. “You didn’t.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Lords or cops?” she asked, honestly not sure which would be worse at this point.

  “Lords.”

  “Call Bowie and call off the cavalry,” she ordered her returning best friend. All it took was a look at Lee’s guilty expression for Ginny to scramble for her phone. Kat dug out her cell and punched in Crux’s number. “Everything is okay,” she said before he could say a word. “Don’t come in here with guns blazing.”

  “I’ll be there in a minute,” he snapped and terminated the call.

  Kat pressed the phone to her forehead for a long minute before turning her gaze on Lee.

  “I’m so sorry.”

  “Ginny and I had it under control.”

  “What if you hadn’t?”

  Seeing the fear and misery in the girl’s dark eyes Kat relented and pulled her into a hug. “It’s okay, Lee. I know you were trying to help.”

  The swinging doors banged against the wall as Crux made his entrance. Fury rolled off her old man in waves and Big Red didn’t look much happier behind him. Fighting the urge to cross herself, Kat picked up the baby carrier and moved to greet Crux.

  “Let’s go in the lounge where we can talk and not disrupt Gin’s kitchen,” she suggested.

  “What the fuck happened?”

  “Cam and I are okay.”

  “I see that. Answer the question,” Crux snapped.

  Plopping down on the couch, she settled Cam’s seat between her feet and started fussing with making him more comfortable. “One of Daddy Dearest’s minions approached me in the parking lot.”

  “Define approached.”

  A shiver rippled through her at the low growl of her husband’s voice. She bit her lip on a smile. Why was it that growl always made her shiver be it good or bad?

  “I was fumbling with carrying little man and all his gear, and dropped my keys. This guy came out of nowhere and picked them up. He called me Katrina and said he just wanted to talk. I told the fucker I had nothing to say to him, but he kept babbling while I backed over to the door. When I leaned on the buzzer Gin came to the door with the shotgun. He left.”

  “Just like that?”

  “I guess Gin looks pretty convincing with a sawed-off in her hands.”

  “He left this with her keys,” Ginny said from the doorway and handed Crux the now crumpled envelope.

  Kat grimaced at her best friend and winced at the hard look Crux shot her. She watched as he tore it open. She shook her head at a glimpse of zeros. Her father knew how to make a statement.

  “What were you planning on doing with this?” he asked, eyes narrowed to sinister slits.

  “I haven’t touched that,” she said, her spine snapping straight as she glared back at her husband. “Gin retrieved it with my keys. I wouldn’t have even opened it. Run it through the damn shredder. We don’t need his money and I don’t want it.”

  “That’s a shit load of zeros. Daddy must really want to talk to you,” he sneered, waving the letter under her nose.

  “Do whatever the fuck you want with it. I’m not having this discussion with you again,” Kat snapped. Scooping up her son, she stood and headed for the door. A startled cry tore from her lips as Crux’s fist in her hair stopped her short.

  “Take the baby and give us a minute,” Crux ordered.

  Kat swallowed hard at the harsh rasp of his voice, but didn’t hesitate in handing Cam to Ginny. Her friend’s hazel gaze was worried and questioning, but she didn’t have any words of comfort as Crux’s fist tightened. She took a step back, trying to ease the pull. Bowie pushed off his spot on the wall and gave Crux a hard look before stepping out and closing the door behind him.

  He wrenched her head back until she was sure her neck would snap. His breath was hot against her cheek as he leaned close. She whimpered, searching his eyes out of the corner of hers.

  “We’re going to have a discussion about your mouth, woman, and I suggest you listen carefully because I’m not warning you again. I give you a lot of leeway, but if you take that snotty ass tone with me again I will backhand it right out of your mouth,” he whispered, the menace in his soft voice more frightening than any bellow. She cried out as he gave her head a shake and pulled harder. “Do you understand me?”

  “Yes, sir,” she gasped, back bowing and legs trembling. She stumbled and almost fell when he released her.

  “Last warning.”

  “I’m sorry,” she whispered, rubbing her nape and the back of her skull with a shaky hand.

  “I saw the look you gave Ginny. You didn’t want me to know about this. Why?”

  Kat’s shoulders slumped. “After the fight we had last night I didn’t want to stir shit up again. I was going to shred it or burn the damn thing. I don’t want anything to do with him, Tommy.”

  Crux ran a hand through his mussed hair, giving it a yank. His lips pressed into a thin line and she held her breath when his eyes closed. “I want to kill the bastard,” he whispered through clenched teeth.

  Biting her lip, Kat moved closer. Her hands shook as she smoothed the front of his work shirt. His arms opened and she pressed her nose to his chest. “I’m sorry.”

  His arms closed around her and the cursed letter crumpled against her ass as he tugged her tight. She struggled with a flood of emotions, blinking back tears. They stood silent for several long minutes. He sighed and she shivered at the humid huff of his breath on the side of her neck. His lips brushed behind her ear. She didn’t move when one of his arms slid up to hook the back of her neck, pulling her face tighter to his chest.

  “With Cam and now all this shit going on, things are tight and it puts me on edge,” he whispered into her hair. “It doesn’t matter how long it’s been. I know what you came from. I’ll never be able to give that to you. As selfish as it fucking is, I don’t like being reminded of that.”

  Kat nodded, fingers stroking his ribs.

  “The fucked up part is that it’s not you, baby, it’s me. You don’t complain or ask for shit, but I love you and if I could, I’d give you the world.”

  The strangled emotion in Crux’s voice clawed at Kat’s heart. She shook her head. He didn’t get it. “I don’t need stuff. I need a tough old man that loves me and will protect me from the monsters in this world that get their jollies off torturing women and children. Money won’t do that. You have scraped and fought your whole life. No one handed you a damn thing and maybe that’s why you’re so strong. I need your strength. That’s what I need, Tommy, not dishwashers and material things.”

  “I just threatened to bust you in the mouth and now you’re singing my praises as a husband?”

  Kat nodded, her lips curving at the smile in his voice. “I’ll take tough love from you any day. At least I know it’s love.” She pushed back experimentally. His arm relaxed, sliding down her back. She met his eyes. “I am sorry. With all the shit and stress
you don’t need lip from me.”

  He nodded, his hands now roving over her ass. “And I need to take that shit and stress into consideration. I know you’re adjusting to being a mom and fuck knows it’s…it’s different knowing that we have this whole other person completely dependent on us.”

  She was relieved to know he was scared too, admit it or not.

  “You don’t want to be locked up at home, but you need to make smarter decisions; park on the main streets and stay in public places. Watch for suspicious vehicles and shit. We really don’t know how far the megalomaniac will go when he realizes he can’t just buy you,” Crux said. He paused and brought a hand up to cup her cheek. “Your mom fucking disappeared. I’d go bat-shit crazy if I lost you.”

  Kat could feel the blood drain from her face at the thought. Her nails bit into her husband’s back and she pressed closer, a shudder rippling through her body. His hand slid to cradle the back of her head as she burrowed her face into his shirt. Stroking her hair, he held her and waited for the words to sink in. Kat swallowed against nausea. The Merrick men had a reputation as problem solvers. Anything and anyone who stood in their way disappeared. Just the thought of Cam left to that upbringing was enough to make her sick. The sudden longing to wrap him in her arms was so powerful it threatened to bring her to her knees. She clung tighter to Crux.

  “We need to get a will drawn up. I don’t want him to have a snowball’s chance in hell of getting his hands on Cam if something happens to us. Gin’s the only one I would trust. She would die before she allowed anything to happen to Cam.”

  Crux shoved her to arm’s length, an incredulous look twisting his face.

  “We’ve waited this long, I’m sure as hell not going to allow anyone else to raise our kid. Nothing is going to happen to us.”

  “We don’t know that and I would feel better if we were at least prepared.”

  Crux shook his head in bewilderment.

  “Please, Tommy. I don’t want there to be a chance that bastard gets his hands on our son.”