Chapter Thirty
Dex has been gone for four months when Jim dies from lung cancer.
Everyone is devastated.
I sit by the hospital bed and watch as Cindy cries. The woman who didn’t even cry on that night when Mary died right before her, is bawling her eyes out. Something about seeing such a strong woman shatter makes it hard for me to try and stay strong.
I cry silently, holding Clover close to my chest.
The men stand around Cindy, helping her up and leading her out of the room. She wails, screaming Jim’s name. We all leave the hospital and go back to the clubhouse. The place is unusually quiet, and extremely depressing. The men drink.
And then drink some more.
Jim’s good friend Jack Kane and his son Xander come to help us with the funeral. Apparently Jack was once a member of the club, and I guess officially, still is one.
Since the new President of Wind Dragons is still behind bars, Trace takes over things until Dex gets back. The club gets three new prospects, two I like but the other—not so much. I guess time will tell how it all turns out with each of them.
I walk up to Trace and refill his drink. He gives me a chin lift in thanks. Allie is sitting on Tracker’s lap, whispering in his ear, so I don’t go and intrude. Instead I walk up to Rake, showing him the bottle of scotch. He lifts his glass up for me to pour.
“How are you holding up?” I ask him so only we can hear.
He gulps his drink, replying with a question of his own. “Where’s Clover?”
“She’s asleep,” I tell him, pointing to the baby monitor sticking out of my jean pocket.
He nods his head, then stands up. “I need a woman and some more alcohol.”
“I can provide the scotch, but unfortunately, I’m not a pimp.”
That earns me a small smile. He cups my face and kisses me on the forehead. “Why don’t you and Clover go home for a few days? This place isn’t going to be any fun to be around.”
I feel a little hurt, but I realize he’s right. “That’s probably a good idea.”
I stay at home for a week.
Each day they send someone to check on me. It’s not necessary but kind of nice too.
When I return, the place is a mess and there are women sleeping out in the open.
“Did they throw a party?” I ask Allie when I see her in the kitchen.
She nods. “It’s been like this since you left. Few members from other chapters are here too, so it’s not safe to just walk around here anymore.”
Tracker walks into the kitchen, wearing nothing but a pair of boxer shorts. He smiles when he sees me, “You’re back”
“Yeah but I’m not staying,” I reply, eying the place with distaste.
Tracker looks around and grimaces. “Place has kind of gone to hell.”
“You think?” I reply dryly. Clover stirs in my arms.
“Can I hold her?” Allie asks.
I nod my head and gently put her in Allie’s arms. “I’m gonna try and clean this place up a bit.”
I get a large garbage bag and start picking up all the rubbish. I’m throwing bottles into the recycling bin when a hear steps behind me. I quickly turn and come face to face with the man from the first party I saw. The one Dex spoke to and wanted to ‘share’ me. My pulse races as fear shoots through my system. There’s something not right about this man.
“How nice to see you again, and without your man,” he says, staring at my breasts.
I force a smile. “I’m just trying to tidy the place up.”
He takes a step closer and grips my wrist. “Dex isn’t here, so I guess I should take care of you for him. I’m sure he doesn’t want his old lady going without.”
“Dex will kill you if you touch me,” I grit out, trying to pull my wrist from his hold.
His grip tightens. “Dex isn’t here.”
He forces his mouth on mine, gripping my head with both his hands. I can feel him pressed against me, and he’s hard. Hell no, this is not happening to me. I reach for one of the bottles, lift it and hit him in the head. When he pulls back, his face contorting with rage, I whimper. He backhands me and I fall onto the floor.
I scream.
I scream for Tracker at the top of my lungs.
The man grabs me by the hair and yanks me up, just as Tracker runs out, still half-dressed.
“What the f*ck!” he growls, running up and punching the man across his face. “Have you lost your f*ckin’ mind Shame?”
Shame? That’s the bastard’s name? How fitting.
I rub my hand along my jaw, grimacing at the burning pain. Tracker punches him in the stomach, then knees him in the head.
Shame falls to the ground.
“You’re f*ckin’ dead when Dex gets out,” Tracker spits out as Shame falls to the ground, kicking him in the head for good measure.
Suddenly Rake is behind me, picking me up like I weigh nothing and carrying me into the house.
“I want to go back to the house,” I whimper against his chest. He puts me on his bed and touches my face, checking the damage.
“It’s just a bit swollen. He hits like a bitch,” Rake says. “F*ck, I can’t believe he’d be so f*ckin’ stupid.”
“I’m fine,” I mumble. I stand up, ignoring Rake’s demands. I find Allie and take Clover from her, then we both go home.
I cry as I drive, needing Dex.
I can’t do this alone anymore.
*****
Two days later, I hear the rumble of motorcycles. I walk outside, Clover in my arms, to see Rake, Vinnie, Trace, Tracker and the prospects all there.
My first thought—something has happened.
Tracker gets off his bike and walks to me.
“Is everyone okay?” I ask him, looking into his eyes for a hint of why they were here.
“Everything is fine. Are you okay?” he asks, a calloused finger touching my jaw.
I flinch at the contact. “I’m fine, what’s going on?”
“We came to bring you home. Everyone’s cleared out, the women are gone. It’s all cleaned up. We want you back there. What happened the other day never should have f*ckin’ happened, we don’t hurt women, and especially not you,” he says, staring down at me. “Dex is going to gut all of us for not protecting you better.”
I swallow hard. They were all here for me? “I don’t know—”
“Get in your car Faye, and bring that beautiful girl with you. We’ll follow you,” he says, crossing his arms over his chest, letting me know he wasn’t going anywhere.
I smile. “Fine, let me pack some stuff.”
Tracker helps me pack, and then they all follow my car home.
*****
Back at the clubhouse, everything goes back to normal.
And then finally—finally that day comes.
The one I’ve been waiting for.
I wait for him, a few steps in front of the club members, Clover in my arms.
Then I see him. A plain white t-shirt clings to his muscled body, and his eyes solely are on me.
It’s like no one else is here.
Just us.
He jogs towards me and grips the back of my neck and kisses me like... well, like a man just getting out of prison. I ignore the whistles and catcalls from the peanut gallery. Dex pulls back and our eyes connect. His are full of emotion, want, need, and pain pouring out of them at once.
“We missed you,” I whisper, pulling him back down for another quick kiss.
“I missed you both so f*ckin’ much Faye,” he whispers, resting his forehead against mine, his voice thick. He looks away from me to Clover.
“She’s so beautiful,” he says softly, taking her into his arms, kissing her forehead and whispering to her, making her laugh. He looks at her like she’s everything to him.
Like she’s precious, like he can’t look away even if he wanted to.
He holds her to his chest, and kisses the top of her head.
Then, his daughter in his arms, he goes and greets his brothers. Many half hugs and shoulder slaps later, he comes back to me and wraps me in his arms.
“Time to go home, yeah?” he says, grazing his teeth across his bottom lip. “F*ck, it feels like it’s been forever. Home. Now. We have lost time to make up for.”
I go up on my tip-toes and kiss him on the lips. “Take us home then.”