by Jarrod, Cait
Speeding over the mountain roads, he raced to the bar he had followed her to the other night. When he didn’t see her car at The Dusty Spur, he stomped on the gas. The next bar on this road was Talon’s Point. The paint-chipped building and unkempt grounds, with a variety of rough bikes parked out front that he’d seen on his drive to Divine, wreaked bad news. His stomach twisted into a knot.
He rounded the corner and spotted her car between bikes. “Damnit! He hit his fist against the wheel and skidded into the bar’s lot behind her car. A cloud of dirt formed, leaving a thin layer on the shiny metal. Moving on pure adrenaline, he climbed out and charged for the door. Wheels squealed, and a truck he’d seen at Divine darted off the road and slid to a stop next to his. A stern-faced Jace climbed out of the pickup, reached into the truck’s bed, and pulled out a bat. Without a word, he tossed it to Bradley. Another guy he vaguely remembered seeing at The Dusty Spur climbed out of the passenger side, a three-foot metal rod in his hand. Damn!
He needed reinforcements. Giving each of the guys a glance and receiving head nods in return, he jerked open the door. Provocative music and heavy smog drifted out like the cloud of dirt his tires spun up from stopping short. Cigarette smoke and the scent of reefer followed.
Bradley stepped into the bar, squinted against the dim light, and scanned the area. The men and women stared at something on the stage. A silver pole flashed as a spotlight moved over it. Shifting, he glimpsed through bodies. Near the stairs leading to the stage, a figure curled in a ball, clutching his or her stomach. Dark silky hair fanned out around her. Cadence.His heart slammed against his ribs and blood rushed his ears. He didn’t have to get a clear view to know it was his Cadence. With a tight grip on his rod, he moved forward.
Men wearing leather jackets and gold chains turned and eyed them with suspicion. Their fingers rolled into their palms, displaying gold rings and brass knuckles. Holy shit. He gripped the metal tighter, ready to swing. He didn’t fight, but he’d do anything to protect Cadence.
A large-bellied man blocked Bradley’s path. His weather-worn skin, thick gold chains, and arrogant attitude gave the impression he was the leader. Maybe the guy would negotiate. Cadence for cash. Crap! Using money as a bargaining chip was out of the question. At least not the amount that would tempt them to leave Cadence alone, not like he used to have before he was disinherited.
The man closed one eye and perused Bradley, his attention landing on the rod in his hand. His eyes went wild. “Get ‘em!”
Fuck!
“Watch out!” Jace’s friend yelled.
Water sprayed from overhead sprinklers in the ceiling and the music ceased.
A club struck Bradley’s side. He grunted off the pain and ducked, missing the next assault. The guy raised his arm, and Bradley swung. His bat hit the attacker’s legs, knocking his feet out from under him. He glanced up, looked around for Jace and his friend, and spotted them each combating more than one thug. Their keen precision and quick reflexes reminded him more of military than street fighters.
A mug flew through the air. A fist followed. Bradley stumbled backwards from the blow to his face, regained his footing, and slammed his bat into the guy’s flabby gut. A “Mother-fucker” rolled out of the overweight biker then a thud.
Bradley turned. More leather-clad brutes appeared like ants crawling out of an anthill. They just kept coming.
“Son of a bitch!” Jace’s friend’s deep voice radiated with pain as a fist connected with Bradley’s jaw. The metallic taste of blood lined his mouth as he launched himself at the guy, readying to swing a metal rod at his head.
Gunfire exploded, ringing his ears. He crouched behind an upended table and eyed the door.
“Get the fuck out!” From behind the bar, a tall, burly man in a sleeveless shirt, exposing an American eagle on his shoulder, held a rifle in front of him. “Now!” His glare backed up his order. “Take the girl and don’t come back!” he said with a growl.
Bradley dragged his hand across his eyes, met Jace and his friend’s firm expression, and went toward the stage. Battered bikers fixed their jackets and straightened their chains as water, sweat, and blood dripped off their faces. None of them moved. In shock, he raced to Cadence and knelt beside her. “Cadence,” he said, speaking softly and pressing two fingers to her neck and felt the steady beat of her pulse. A vice-like squeezed his chest.
“Sweetheart.”
She moaned. Inescapable, gut-wrenching pain slithered through him. “Let’s get you out of here.” He lifted her against his chest and rose. Jace grabbed the bat he had dropped, and he and his friend flanked his sides as they made quick work to get out of the bar.
“Garth, take my truck to Divine,” Jace ordered his friend as he opened Bradley’s passenger door. “I’ll get her car.”
After settling Cadence into the truck, he flipped on the heat, and tugged an emergency blanket from under the seat. He covered her with it and kissed her damp cheek. It nearly killed him seeing her look so weak and helpless. “Where’s the closest hospital?”
Jace shook his head. “A ways out. Travis’ girlfriend will tend to her.”
“She’s a vet not a doctor.”
“She can handle it. Go there.” Jace ordered him as if he were the superior and Bradley the grunt. “We need to get the hell out of here before Eagle can’t hold the roaches off.”
Whoever Jace was, he made sense. Behind the wheel, Bradley followed Jace’s friend Garth, with Jace bringing up the rear in Cadence’s BMW.
“I’m toxic.” The ache in her words emphasized how low she thought of herself and stilled his heart. How had she gotten to this point? “You should have left me. I’m no good.”
Why had he listened to her the day she told him to leave her hospital room? “Stop the crazy talk.” He gripped the wheel tighter as he took a curve too fast.
“Not crazy.” She smacked her lips together as if her mouth was dry. “It’s the truth.”
The normal ten-minute car ride turned to five, and stayed silent as he passed the last of Divine’s customers leaving the lot. He stopped several spaces away from where Garth parked and hopped out of his truck.
Every muscle in Bradley’s body tensed; every nerve smarted. The self-destructive shit was gonna stop. He slammed his door, plucked his wet shirt away from his chest, and rounded the front of his truck. Telling people what they can or cannot do wasn’t his thing, but enough was enough. He’d be damned if he would lose her. Pain radiated through him like an electric shock. He braced a hand on the hood and sucked in a deep breath. “Ain’t no way in hell I’m gonna lose her,” he muttered.
“Cadence!” Trina screeched, rushing over from Divine with Matt and Travis leading.
“Stay back!” His eyes stung and his chest felt like a vice grip ripped it open. “Let me do what I need to do. Alone.”
Trina’s eyes widened, but she didn’t argue. She nodded and turned to Garth. “What happened?”
“Inside,” Matt said, his tone firm and calm as he slid a hand around his wife. “I don’t think you want to listen to the tough love Bradley is about to dish out.”
“I don’t,” Jace said, climbing out of Cadence’s car.
Autumn rushed over. Her keen eyes absorbed the marks on him, and she peeked in the truck’s front window. “Do you need me?”
“Later.”
She nodded. “I’ll get my stuff.”
Adrenaline shot through his body; he didn’t know if the metallic taste in his mouth came from blood or being pissed. The pasty substance on his cheek was a different story. “Possibly a suture kit.”
“Got it.” She jogged past Trina and halted in front of Garth and Jace. “Looks like I got things to do while I wait.”
“Were you all in a brawl?” Matt wrapped his arm tighter around his wife. “And why are you wet?”
“The ceiling sprinklers were on,” Jace informed. “Someone must have flicked a lighter near them. I didn’t smell smoke.”
“Probably th
ought the water would slow down the commotion,” Matt offered.
“What do the other guys look like?” Travis’ voice faded as the group turned the corner.
Bradley waited for the sound of a door closing before he approached Cadence. The pink in her face came back, but a ghostlike expression stayed in place. He rested his hands on either side of the open door, blocking a possible escape. “What the fuck did you think you were doing?” he snipped, not caring if she did get pissed. He was furious. “Did you want to get gang raped?” Spitting out the words stole his breath. What if I hadn’t gotten to her in time? His head dropped on its own accord, his chin hitting his chest, and he squeezed his eyes shut as the horrible possibilities raced through his mind like a tornado. “I could have lost you.” He whispered on a pained breath. “I could have fucking lost you.”
She remained silent. The only clue she heard him were the tears welling in her eyes.
“As of right now, you are no longer allowed to make your own decisions. You will not go anywhere without my approval. That means no more nights out and no more being alone. Hell, you won’t be allowed to take a crap on your own without me in your face.”
****
Cadence had listened to Bradley’s gruff tone and his controlling words enough. She tossed off the blanket and jumped out of the truck, glad to have her bearings back. “No, you don’t get a say over me. You can’t tell me what I can and cannot do!”
His eyes narrowed, one eye closing more than the other. “I was wrong to walk away from you at the hospital, and I was a son of a bitch to walk away from you earlier today, but I’m not a bastard. I will not let the woman I love kill herself. No longer will I listen to your request for me to stay away.”
The never-ending tears stopped. The air around them stiffened as everything he said slipped out of her mind, except for one word. “Love?”
He moved closer, wedged her between him and the truck. “Yeah dammit, I do, and it’s about time you got on board.” His breath wisped over her face and neck, bringing energy to her weary body and giving her tired heart a lilt. “We’re gonna take this slow, real slow.”
Bradley had a way of righting her world, but was she repairable?
“You’re a survivor. What you’re going through now is an annoyance. It’s not who you are.” He paused, evidently waiting for her to take that in. “So, here’s the deal. You will not leave my side. You will talk to me. You will tell me whatever negative thoughts you have going through that pretty head of yours.” He stroked a hand down the side of her. “And Cadence, you will come back to me.”
“Come back to you?” She never left him—denied herself of something wonderful, yes, but she didn’t leave him. Not in her heart. Yet she asked a question that she didn’t have a firm grasp on. “In order for me to come back, that implies I was yours.” She did the stalling act and swallowed. “Was I?”
He tugged her to him, until her cheek touched his chest, and slid his hand down the length of hair, caressing her as if she were a piece of delicate silk. She closed her eyes and savored his comforting touch.
They stayed this way for minutes, maybe longer, before he grasped her arms and eased her away from him and brushed his lips over hers. “To answer your question, when you can answer that on your own, let me know.”
Wait. Why didn’t he answer her? Why talk in circles? “I don’t understand.”
He pressed his forehead to hers and she closed her eyes. “When you kiss me because you want to, because you can’t get enough of me, and no one else’s company will do, then sweetheart, let me know so I can kiss you the way you deserve.” His finger touched her lips. “There.” His finger lowered to her heart. “And there, and all of your other delectable parts.”
He had a way of putting things into perspective.
“For now, I need Autumn.”
“Huh?”
He pressed his fingers to the side of his face, held them up, and showed her his reddened knuckles. She’d been so self-absorbed, she hadn’t noticed. “Jeez, I’m a cold-hearted bitch. I’m sorry.” She gripped his elbow and led him toward the house. “You should have gotten this taken care of before lecturing me.”
“You’re more important.”
Her heart swelled. The Lovett siblings were something else. No one made her feel special like Bradley and Trina did, especially him. He penetrated the rough, gloomy edges of her heart and brought a light to her darkened soul.
****
Showered, bandaged, and ready to fall into bed, he slipped on pajama pants that he rarely wore. Fighting of any kind wasn’t Bradley’s forte. He didn’t like it and didn’t want to do it, but he would never stand idle when someone was in danger, especially not someone he cared for and loved so deeply.
He opened the door next to the bathroom, Cadence’s bedroom. When he informed her he wouldn’t let her out of his sight, he wasn’t kidding. Moonlight shone over the room, shadows swirled and dipped, highlighting Cadence’s form beneath the comforter.
Cadence shifted, her head angling toward him, and remained quiet.
He closed the door behind him and stepped close to the bed. “Scoot over.”
The stillness in her demeanor—no snappy comeback, no jolting out of bed, and no reaction whatsoever from his intrusion—ripped at his heart. If only he was there to be with her and not as a protective shield.
She did as he asked, giving her back to him as she lay at the edge of the bed. Her hair fanned over the pillow and silk pajamas covered her shoulders. He realized tonight was her first night in his sister’s house since he’d arrived and wondered if the other nights were spent in some man’s arms.
Groaning off the annoyance, he slipped between the covers, folded his hands behind his head, and stared at the ceiling with a raging hard-on. The kind only Cadence gave him. Soft whimpers had him forgetting his turmoil and twisting to her.
“Hey.” He propped his elbow on the mattress, resting his head in his hand. When she didn’t move away from him, from the heat radiating between them, he slid closer and placed a hand on her hip. “Sweetheart, we’ll get through this.”
When she shifted an inch backwards, his cue that she would accept him holding her, he dropped his hand to her stomach and relaxed his head on her pillow. Her breathing grew steady and deep as if she’d fallen asleep, and he peeked at her parted lips and chest rising in a comfortable slumber. His erection had softened with her cries; now it came back full strength. His balls ached. He put space between her butt and him, before his body demanded who was boss, and summoned sleep.
Hours went by while he watched the clock on the nightstand beside her; a tablet laid beside it. Several times, he thought about reaching over and reading one of her digital books, but he didn’t want to disturb her or break contact. He hadn’t gotten to hold her like this since…well, never.
“Why can’t I say it?” Cadence muttered as the early morning sun shone through the window. “Why can’t I say I love you? What’s wrong with me?”
The conversation was a one-woman show. She probably figured he was asleep, that is if she was even aware that she had spoken aloud. If she kept going down the path that everything she did turned out badly, she’d never return to the dynamic woman she once was. “Don’t mean to ease drop—”
She gasped and her body went rigid. Yeah, she hadn’t meant to relay her thoughts. “You’re not broken.” He pressed his chest into her back to whisper next to her ear. “You’re stuck in between how you dealt with your parents’ problems and processing what happened as a result of the accident.” Man, how he hated that she thought hanging around a variety of men would lessen her troubles. “For some reason, you’re scared to let go of old habits. You use the men as a security blanket.” He wouldn’t go into his theory as to why he believed she was scared. His gut instinct said her frustrations deepened the night they were together; yet, he didn’t believe he fell into the “used” category.
She remained quiet, and he went further. “The accident, losing t
he baby—it opened your eyes to your reckless behavior. You didn’t cope and did what you’ve always done, buried your emotions by spending time with guys that you feel nothing for.”
“I don’t…” She let out a long, shaky breath.
She didn’t disagree that she hid from her feelings; a step in the right direction. She needed to come to terms with her behavior on her own and not by them arguing. He planted the seed. It was up to her to give credence to what he said and stop the downward spiral to move forward. “I’m here.” To emphasize his point, he slid his other arm between her and the mattress and squeezed her to his chest. His erection enjoyed the contact.
“I want you.” Her morning voice deepened to a sexy purr as she rolled over to face him
The moment was too tempting to pass up. He pressed his mouth to hers and slid his lips over her soft ones, caressing. Flushed against his body, she clutched onto his back and tilted her head to give him more access. He slipped his tongue inside and stroked until she moaned. He wanted more, so much more, but they needed space from their overheated bodies for him to know her endgame. For him to know that she wanted him not an avenue to bury her grief.
“I want you so badly I’m about to bust, but we can’t be together until you’re happy with yourself. Others can’t do it for you. If you’re not content with yourself then you won’t be happy with anyone.”
“You’re wrong.” She rolled onto her side and pressed her butt into his erection. The minx!
“About what? Having a healthy relationship? If we try to have one now, it might backfire. That’s not something I’m willing to take a chance on.”
“Bradley,” she eyed him over her shoulder. “What if I can’t make me happy?”
“You will.” He kissed her cheek. “Forgive yourself.”
“Have you? Have you forgiven me?” His hand, covering her heart, stopped rising. Obviously nervous for what he might say, she held her breath.
“Forgiving would imply I thought you did something wrong.” Thankfully, his words came out strong, sure, and confident, leaving no room for her to doubt what he said. “I don’t. Life dealt us a bad hand. There’s plenty of time for a child.” The words slipped out without thought. He glanced at her tablet and decided to try a different tact of explaining, one she should understand. “Life is like chapters, scenes. New things come into it that changes our views, the things we do, the people we want in our life. Our childhood was one, being a college student another. Now, it’s time to decide what you want for your future. In each chapter of life, you have the wonderful opportunity to recreate yourself. Take all the positive and negative stuff you’ve learned and apply it to your future.”
