“I’ll be damned,” he murmurs, eyes floating over me. I hadn’t seen him in years. Out of nowhere the tears come crashing out of me, a riptide that I didn’t dare try to control. Years of pain and misery finally seeping out of my body.
He darts over to me, wrapping his big, heavily tattooed arms around my body. My Daddy was built like a massive fucking tank. As a kid I remember most of my friends being terrified of him. “Fuck, I missed you,” he croaks out, holding me as closely against him as possible. I wasn’t fighting it, instead I was wrapping my arms around him, clinging onto him for dear life.
“Daddy,” I cried into his leather cut, my tears soaking through the tank top he had underneath it.
“My sweet little angel.” He takes his hand and cups my neck, making me look up at him. He looks me over, I’m not really sure what for, but when he takes my arm in his hand I can tell he feels my scars. I close my eyes in shame as he brings my forearm to his view, slowly he runs his fingers over every scar I put on my body.
“What happened?”
“Lots of things,” I murmur.
“Did he…”
“No, those were one of the only things he didn’t do.”
His eyes linger over mine for a moment before he looks away, and then back at me. “I’m not the same little girl you remember, Daddy. I’d gone through a lot, and yes, I did put these scars on my body. My body matches my heart, my soul I suppose. I’m scarred.”
“You are no such thing. You’re a warrior, baby. Through and through.” We stand there talking for almost an hour, not saying too much but there’s so much to catch up on. I know it’ll take more time then we have right now. I can’t describe the feeling of happiness that washed over me when I saw my Daddy, how being in his arms made me feel safer than I had in years, but it did. He told me to go get some rest, so I listened, heading down the stairwell to the basement.
When I hit the bottom steps, I saw Damon, sitting on a plush cream-colored couch with his hands on his head. Before I even reached the bottom of the stairs he was speaking to me. “You know I care about you, it’s undeniable, so when you said that to me…it hurt. I care about you so much more than I ever should have.”
He was right, on this matter. I shouldn’t have said some of what I did, and implying that he didn’t care about me was immature. It didn’t mean that I didn’t disagree with most of what he did, though. He could have done things differently. I wish he had.
“You’re shaking again,” he comments, and when I stop thinking for a moment, I realize how fucking cold I am. “Come here, baby.”
I listen, and maybe I shouldn’t. At least, that’s what I’m telling myself. Part of me doesn’t want to be anywhere near him because I’m so pissed, but the other part of me wants nothing but to be near him. So, I do the one thing I want to do, I walk towards him and take a seat next to him on the couch.
“I shouldn’t have yelled at you, I’m sorry.”
“You’re damn right you shouldn’t have,” I mumble, sinking in further next to him.
“I won’t take back what I did. I mean it, if I thought it would have been smart to tell you, I would have. You understand that, right?”
“I understand it, but I also don’t think it was right. It wasn’t right.”
“Fine. We’ll just agree to disagree, then.”
“Perfect” I grumble, and he laughs, cocking his head back he wraps his arms around me and pulls me on top of him.
“What’s so funny?”
“We just had our first fight and survived it.”
“I didn’t realize that was something to laugh over, considering it was a pretty big one, and it’s not like we’re a couple or anything. Fights don’t matter.”
The way he looks at me is like I just slapped him silly. “You don’t think we’re a thing?”
“No, cause we’re not. We had sex. Big whoop.”
“Oh, baby. We are a thing. You and I are so much more than just sex, and I know you know that. If you think for one minute I’m not going to be with you, you’re batshit insane. We’ve got a connection, Kat. I’m not giving any of that up. Like I said, I want you. I belong to you, baby.”
I sit there next to him, silent for more minutes than I can count. He’s driving me insane, saying the sweetest things and also being a pain in my ass. I have a feeling there’s much more than just empty promises here. After all, he promised my family he’d bring me back safe and that’s what he did.
“Let’s go to bed, we have breakfast in the morning,” I mutter, taking his hand and heading towards a closed door.
If I knew one thing at all, it’s that I didn’t know anything about what the future held. I could only move forward and try to find out. Guess what? The future starts now.
Chapter 11
Never reveal everything you know.
-@PrimeWayOfLife
Damon
I wake up bright and early, leaving Kat sleeping sweetly under the comforter. I head up the stairs, brushing my hand through my shaggy hair and walk straight out the door. I scan out over the fields, looking to the clubhouse parking lot and much to my surprise, I spot a bright red bike that is easily recognizable. No one around here owns anything like it, except one person.
Widow.
He’s one of my closest friends, and while I would normally be happy that he’s here, his arrival only means one thing. My father is shortly behind him.
“I’ve been waiting for your ass to wake up.” His deep grumble greets me, I look behind me and see him on the other end of the porch, on the swing, smoking a cigarette.
“Normal people wait inside.”
“Not my house, ain’t walking through that fuckin’ door.” It’s never stopped him before. Widow doesn’t ask permission, he takes and does as he wants. Fucking anyone up who dares to stand in his way. He’s the most savage in my father’s club. There’s a reason he’s called Widow, because he creates widows. Taking the breath from many men’s lungs. He leaves their women as widows. He isn’t the Enforcer, he just does it for fun, getting a high off of it.
“Why are you here?” I ask, pulling my pack of cigarettes from the back pocket of my jeans. I walk over to Widow and grab his zippo from the arm of the swing, bringing the flame to the end of the cigarette, breathing in deeply as I wait his answer.
“Can’t I just be here to check on you?”
“You don’t give a rats ass about anyone, not even Melody.” I scoff. Melody used to be Widow’s old lady. A few years back something happened. I’m not really sure what, but one day they were together and the next she was high tailing it. All he did was tell us he fucked up and she left him. Somehow, I know there’s a shit ton more to that then what he’s telling me.
He stares at me briefly, before he directs his gaze onto the landscape in front of us. “Care to tell me why you’re really here?” I lean back against the siding on the house, minutes pass us by of pure silence. I can’t say I didn’t expect it. I already know why he’s here, he just isn’t saying it.
“Your father is on his way. I’m sure he’ll be here within the next couple of days. He wanted me to go ahead of him and make sure nothing crazy was happening before he rode out here. Fist has shit with the Bears going down. Not like its calm se’s up here.”
“Sure, as fuck, won’t be now, either,” I comment, finally beginning to think of the shit storm I’ve brought to Montana. The Bears have always given the Reapers a problem, and The Brotherhood too. Adding the Demons into their problems wasn’t anything that I could have avoided. Kat needed to come home, and it had to be now. If anything, our clubs are the strongest together – right now. Even as a child I can remember being told we had an alliance with the Reapers, and the Raiders.
The combinations of our clubs together is a hefty size, not to mention the countless Nomad’s that we can call upon, and my uncle if need be. There are many advantages to being a Raines, including having the cartel in our back pocket, even if my Father doesn’t want to call in a favor. I
’m sure my uncles have heard that I’m no longer with the Demons now, and none of them are happy about it.
I was there to do two jobs, find out who has been supplying the Demons with their drugs, and watch over Kat. I did one, and not the other. Rage was smart, always keeping me at arm’s length when it came to who his supplier was. I have a hunch, but a hunch isn’t jack shit. It’s not one hundred percent guaranteed. My uncles may be ruthless, but they don’t take to killing their competition unless they know that they’re actually a competitor. The quickest way to get rid of your competition is to kill them, my father taught me that.
Overall, I can’t guilt myself for doing what I needed to. If I had taken Kat back into the Demons clubhouse she could have been dead by now. Regardless, none of us will know because she’s here and I don’t regret acting in the way that I did. She’s safe, I’m out of playing trojan horse. All is well.
“You have something you want to tell me?” I glance over, waiting for what is bound to be his unsolicited advice. I’ve known the man for too long to think he’d keep his mouth shut.
“Don’t stay, go back home to the Brotherhood compound and leave her behind. Things will be much simpler without you fucking the Reapers Princess.” There it is, that unsolicited advice I didn’t want, nor need.
“Nah. I’m staying here, where I’m needed.”
“Well, you don’t have a problem up and leaving where you’re needed to be so that won’t be a problem for long.” Anger courses through me at his words.
“Let me make this clear to you. I’m not leaving Kat, not when I’ve had to watch her for years, not when I finally have the chance to have her. Do you understand that?” I snap, balling my hand into a fist. I’m trying so hard not to slam my hand into Widow’s face, to fuck him up for even speaking to me this way. I know his intentions are pure, but it doesn’t give him a free pass to be a dick.
“Don’t bring up Melody, and I’ll leave your Princess infatuation alone,” he snarls. It seems I did hit a button. Again, this tells me that there is so much more to the story. If Melody was around, or any of us knew where she was, I’d go up and ask her what the hell happened. Guess I can’t do that shit now, though.
“Fine.” I start to walk away when his voice booms from behind me.
“Just because I’ll leave it alone doesn’t mean Roman will. He’s going to burn you alive for being attached to her.” I know my father, and Widow is right. He’s going to make a big deal, tell me that my feelings got in the way of my obligation to The Brotherhood. Maybe they did, maybe they didn’t. Guess we’ll never really know now, will we?
“Well then, we might as well make a show out of it.”
Chapter 12
Take the risk or love the chance.
-@ WrittenByBrittany
Kat
The next morning came quicker than I anticipated, as soon as I woke up I saw that Damon wasn’t in the bed. Instantly fear rippled through my body until I was distracted with a light rap to my bedroom door. It was my Mom, and all of my Dads.
Over the years I couldn’t tell you how much they had changed, how their hair has slowly faded now, how lines have appeared over their faces.
I don’t even remember what we were talking about, just that the day had passed in a blur. The four of us didn’t leave the comfortability of my uncle’s basement. Honestly, I didn’t want to. I wanted to stay here and catch up with them, even though that I knew spending one day with them wouldn’t make up for the countless years that I wasn’t here.
“It was my fault, you know. I don’t know if Ashley told you what had happened, but I sent her back in for her purse. I shouldn’t have done that. I was just being lazy, and I should have walked in with her, then…none of this would have happened”
“You don’t know that for sure, Kathryn. Please don’t blame yourself for this. It wasn’t your fault that a psychotic man came after you…that he…” My Mom trails off into a big apology about how it was truly her fault and I shouldn’t be doing this to myself. I’ve had a lot of years to do this to myself, lots and lots of them.
I tuned her out after a certain point, looking up at the clock on the wall, noticing how it’s already past six in the evening. Where did this day go?
“We have something we need to tell you…,” she stammers. I glance to her and then meet each one of my father’s eyes.
“It’s not bad, don’t fret,” my Dad, Tex tells me.
“Yeah, it’s not anything to worry about,” Pops adds.
“…I don’t think she’s gonna worry or fret over the fact she has two baby sisters,” Daddy grumbles, glaring at the rest of them.
I’m shocked, or maybe shocked isn’t even the word for it. “Wait…what?!”
“I...uh, I really wanna kill your Daddy right now but, I was pregnant when you were taken. Then after I had another baby, who was completely unplanned but…well…uh…”
“Mom. Why are you acting like you committed a crime? It’s fine. Daddy, why didn’t you tell me last night?” I look to my right, sitting comfortably on the couch, and glare with all of the fire inside of me. He could have told me, then this wouldn’t have been sprung on me like this. I won’t lie, it feels odd to know that they continued to be somewhat okay even after I was gone. Is it wrong that I feel this way? Or is it wrong that I feel like they should have been on the ground, screaming with grief?
“Jordyn and Nova are their names, I’m sure you’ll see them in the clubhouse later tonight. They were out with Saffron’s daughter, Sydney today.”
“Do they know about me?” I ask, curious as to what they told them.
“Yeah. We didn’t give them all the details, but they knew you went missing when you were a kid and as of last night you were home. They both wanted to come and meet you then, but we felt it was best if you had a night of sleep to process your day, and if we all got to speak with you first.”
It probably was a good idea. I don’t even know how I would have reacted last night after finding out so much. Damon knowing my family, lying to me for years…being reunited with my family and then finding out I had two little sisters. I probably would have spiraled, screaming about how my family didn’t love me if they could’ve just moved on like that. I’m glad that they gave me the night, the few hours of rest gave me a clear head. Now at least I know I won’t be a bitch when I meet them. I won’t lie though, I’m still wondering about…
“Did you just give up on searching for me?” I ask them, blunt as ever. I’d wondered it time and time again, the thought plaguing my mind over the years. I tried so hard not to think about my family, so I didn’t. Instead I wondered about this – if they just stopped looking.
“No, not at all, baby,” Pops mutters, his voice choking through his words. I think now that maybe I shouldn’t have asked this, it was bound to be a hard question for them to answer, but the guilt filled expressions that cover their faces make me feel just as bad, if not worse.
“We had no information, no witnesses, nothing. All we could do was run down a list of potential people who could have taken you, and what they would have wanted. We thought that…he was a possibility, and even had planted scouts around the Demons clubhouse. No one had ever seen you, but you were right there…this entire time…”
“He didn’t move me to the main clubhouse until a couple years ago,” I tell them, looking at each of them in the eyes as I continue to speak. “He moved me from Washington, Oklahoma and then to Nevada.”
“They said that they never spotted Rage in Nevada either,” my mom mumbles, dragging her nails into the palm of her hand, a move that I know so well.
“I guess now it all makes sense. He knew that you’d be keeping an eye out for him, and of course you’d send someone to overlook the Nevada clubhouse. Probably didn’t even think about the other charters because there are so many spread out across the states. He used that to his advantage.” My Father’s all nod at my assessment, even now I can see the shame spreading through them. The misery and chao
s this has caused all of us.
“I want to help. I know a lot and I can bet that the Reapers have something planned for payback, let me help. Where’s Uncle Fist? I need to tell him what I know now before Rage changes things up.” I stand up before my arm is tugged and I’m flying back against the couch. My Daddy wraps his arms around me, holding me close, his scruff against my shoulder.
“No, we have plenty of time for that later. Today is about celebrating the fact that you’re home. Tomorrow we will worry about business and how we’ll fuck up those cockroaches. Today we rest. Today we live in this moment. Understand?” I turn behind me, listening to his stern voice as he speaks. My sailor mouth, rugged Daddy is being strict with me right now and the only thing I can do is simply nod. There’s no point in arguing. I’ll do what he wants today, but first thing tomorrow morning I’m speaking with my uncle, whether my Daddy likes it or not.
Chapter 13
Owning your story is the bravest thing you’ll ever do. -Brene Brown
Damon
I may have known the Monroe’s, the royal family behind the Reapers MC, however I didn’t know all of their members. Today is where that changes. I’m familiar with Zane and Kade, the adoptive twins of Fist Monroe, also Ashley’s two older knucklehead brothers. Cracker is Fists brother, and VP. Of course, I know of Blackjack since he’s Ashley’s old man and they have a daughter now, I think her name is…No…Noelle? I can’t fucking remember. Amara told me a few weeks back when I snuck out for a day. Even though I’m my father’s puppet, sometimes we all need a break, an escape.
Outside of the main family, I didn’t pay much attention to the Reapers. I was more concerned on learning who was who in the Demons.
I’ve been sitting here in their clubhouse with Widow, drinking at a table in the far end of the room. Pool tables, a couple booths and what looks to be some sort of gambling tables fill the space. I’m not a man who gambles, so I can’t say which game they play, but I recognize it. It’s something they use in the casinos. Now that I think about it, it’s probably a table they play Blackjack on.
Havoc- Reapers MC Boxset Page 38
