“Figured you thought I was dead. You’ve always been a gullible sonofabitch,” he gasped, each breath more difficult than the last. “I was thrown from the truck just before it hit the bottom of the ravine. Guess you could say I had luck on my side.”
As much as I appreciated that my brothers were there, having my back when I needed them, I had to do this on my own. I looked over to Guardrail and motioned my head to the door as I said, “Out.”
He nodded, and I watched as they all filed out the room. Once the door closed behind them, I turned my attention back to Derek. The color had completely drained from his face, and I could tell that his time was running short. I pulled a stool over and sat down in front of him as I said, “Looks like your luck’s run out, Derek.”
When he didn’t answer, I said, “You know… you could’ve just left it alone. Gone on with your sorry fucking life and no one would have ever been the wiser, but you just couldn’t do that, could you?”
He coughed, trying to muster up the strength to speak, then grumbled, “Fuck you.”
“You’ve always wanted what you couldn’t have. Just couldn’t get it through your thick fucking head the club was never yours. Same goes for Sara. She never wanted you. Hell, she couldn’t even stand the sight of you, especially after you tried to fucking rape her. But she wasn’t enough… you had to go after Cass, too.”
“Sara,” he started. “She was something. Beautiful… Smart. But Cass. Fuck, she was a real prize.” Blood started to trickle from the corner of his mouth as he said, “That girl has it all. Those legs and that mouth…. I was looking forward to having those lips wrapped around my cock right before I put a bullet in her head.”
I jumped up from my stool and slammed my fist against the side of his jaw as I shouted, “Shut your goddamn mouth!”
I clenched my fists at my side and tried to steady my breath as I reined in my anger. I wanted to wrap my hand around his throat and end it right then and there, but I had to ask him, “Where was it going to end, Derek? When would it ever be enough for you?”
“Nothing… would ever be enough... Not even when everything you’ve ever wanted… everything you ever cared about was dead and buried,” he snarled. “You did this to yourself, Cotton... You got greedy… Took what should’ve been mine.”
“The club was never yours, Derek. You made sure of that long before I ever stepped in. Uncle Saul tried…,” I started.
“Fuck Saul,” he grumbled angrily. His voice was low and hoarse as he said, “It was easy, you know… Just took the bolts out of the rear brake caliper and let Daddy Dearest do the rest... He never saw it coming.”
He confirmed what I’d always suspected, and the rage I felt was all-consuming. I reared back and punched him again and again, until his body fell limp in the chair. I looked down at my blood-soaked hands and knew down in my gut that it was over. I couldn’t change the past. What was done, was done. I sat back down in front of him and watched as he struggled to breathe. He tried to fight it, tried to hold on, but it was useless. It took almost an hour for the life to completely drain out of him, and even after he was gone, I sat with him, trying to make peace with everything that had happened between us. But I finally realized that time might never come. I eventually got up and walked out of the warehouse, leaving Derek and our past behind me.
As soon as I stepped outside, Maverick walked over to me and placed his hand on my shoulder as he said, “We thought he was dead, Cotton. I fucked up....”
“Don’t. No way either of you could’ve known he was thrown from that damn truck. Besides, doubt I’d be here right now if you hadn’t gotten me to the hospital when you did. Derek’s gone now. That’s all that matters,” I assured him.
“I’ll get Derek sorted,” he told me.
I nodded and without saying another word, I headed for the clubhouse. I knew my mother would be pissed I hadn’t come to see her, but I couldn’t face her. I hadn’t slept in over twenty-four hours, and after dealing with Derek, I needed some time to decompress and hopefully get some sleep. Before I reached my door, I spotted Cass standing at the end of the hall. She stood there, frozen, as she stared at me with surprise.
“Cotton?” she whispered. She took a step closer and began crying as she said, “My god, you’re really here… and you’re standing… walking.” I wanted to go to her, but I didn’t move. I deserved to lose her, but everything in my body screamed she was mine.
“Cass,” I said softly.
She moved a few steps toward me, but stopped herself. I could see the wheels spinning in her head as she looked at me. Finally, she said, “I’ve missed you… more than you know.”
“I’m here. Not going anywhere.”
“I want so much to go back to the days before you were shot. But, Cotton, how do I do that? How do I forget how you hurt me? Even after I’ve read all of your letters, I just don’t know what I’m supposed to do.”