Cassia blushes and rests a hand on my face. “We could try.”
The wave of emotion that washes over me takes me by surprise. This woman is willing to entrust her body to me in every way possible, and it warms me from the inside out. I kiss her fingers one by one, then lean in for a soft kiss.
“And you’re right, we need a safe word. You pick.”
Without hesitation, Cassia replies, “Savage.”
I chuckle, and she grins at me. “Is that because of my club or you think I’m a savage?”
“Both.”
I pull her closer and whisper, “I’ll always be your savage through thick and thin.”
“For better or worse?” Cassia asks, eyebrows raised.
“In sickness and in health,” I reply.
“Until death do us part.”
“Death will not separate us, Cass. I won’t let it.”
“That’s because you’re a Savage Angel.”
“Amen.”
We laid in bed for hours, neither wanting to let go of the other. When she finally falls asleep, the house is in darkness, and I slip away from her warm body. Cass mumbles but doesn’t wake. As silently as I can, I pad out of the room, shutting the door and head for the kitchen.
I flip on the coffeemaker and go into the laundry room in search of a pair of jeans. It’s dark out, but it’s a full moon, so I don’t put on any lights. Through the backdoor, I see a torchlight bobbing up and down as someone makes their way through our yard.
I put on the jeans, go back to the bedroom and place a hand over Cassia’s mouth. Her eyes fly open, and I place a finger to my lips.
“Shhh. I need you to be quiet, and I need you to hide under the bed and stay there until I come get you, okay?”
“Why?” Cassia whispers.
“Someone’s in the yard. Now, do as I say.”
Cassia nods when she’s under the bed. I open my side table and get out my Glock.
Approaching the backdoor, I can no longer see the torchlight or anyone outside. I stand stock-still and listen for movement inside the house. After a minute, when I’m sure there’s no one inside, I open the backdoor and shut it behind me. I stand with my back up against the door, listening to the night. There are crickets and the odd frog, but nothing sinister appears to be lurking in the dark.
I step down the porch steps, and the last one creaks loudly into the night. Inwardly, I swear and take two steps away from the house onto the grass. My foot touches something. The moon is so bright, I crouch down and find three dead birds at my feet—all ravens. Straining, I listen to my surroundings but continue to hear nothing that shouldn’t be there. I prowl around the house and cannot see or find the trespasser. I do another loop and find nothing apart from those dead birds. Weird. I go back inside the house, shutting and locking the door behind me and walk back into our bedroom.
“Come out, love.”
Cassia scrambles out from under the bed and rushes me, wrapping her arms around me.
“Did you find them?” Cassia whispers.
I grip her by the shoulders and push her back, crouching a little, so we are the same height, and so I can stare into her eyes.
“No. I couldn’t find anyone. I’m going to call Kade and Dirt.” I pause and briefly glance down at the floor before meeting her eyes again. “Keep the lights off. Go shower and get dressed.” I kiss her, turn her around, and gently push her in the direction of the bathroom. Without looking back, Cass does as she’s told. I wait until I hear the shower running before I ring Kade. He picks up on the second ring.
“Zeke?” Kade asks.
“There was someone in our yard tonight. Don’t know who or what they wanted, but we had an intruder.”
“I’m on my way.”
“Bring Dirt, and can you come by car? If someone is gunning for me, I need Cass to be safe. Don’t want someone taking me out if she’s on the back of my bike and killing her in the process.”
“You think they are hostile?”
“I’m armed, and I did walk around and couldn’t find anyone, but I’m on my own here.”
“We’re coming.”
Kade clicks off, and I find Cassia beside me, hand on my arm, fully dressed, the tips of her blonde hair dripping.
“You are not on your own. I can shoot. Give me a gun.”
I shake my head slightly.
“Don’t you give me that, Zeke Russo. I’ve been shooting guns for most of my life. My daddy made sure I could handle everything from a rifle to a handgun. I can probably shoot better than you.”
“But could you shoot a man?”
“If some fucker is trespassing, hell yes.”
I pull on a t-shirt and my boots, then open the closet door and put a gray gun case on the bed. I punch in the code to open it and pull out another Glock.
“This weapon is clean.” I hand it to her.
“It’s clean?”
I don’t explain. I nod and hand her a clip.
“Coffee?”
Cassia slams the clip into the gun, makes sure the safety is on and heads for the kitchen, nodding as she goes.
“No lights,” I state.
“Got it.”
I walk toward the front door and peer out in the night. Nothing moves, everything is as it should be. I let the curtain fall back into place and glance over my shoulder to Cass. She holds up a cup for me.
“Who’s after us?”
“Not us love, me.”
“Why you? Something to do with the club?”
I shake my head and sit at the table, placing my gun on it. I point at the chair next to me, and Cass sits beside me, placing her gun on the table too.
“Your father. That mess with my family? He organized the whole thing. Your dad is tied up with the Russian mob, and he’s asked them to kill me.”
Cassia shakes her head. “No.”
“Yes,” I say, forcefully. Licking my lips, I think about what to say next and grasp her hand in mine. “You need to talk to him. You need to make him understand because if he continues the way he’s going, I’m going to have to kill him.” Cassia lets out a gasp. “I don’t want to, love, but if it’s a choice between him and me? What would you have me do?”
“You’re sure?”
“Absolutely. I was going to tell you, but this has sped up the timeline. He’s doing all this for you. He wants me out of your life so badly, he’s prepared to kill me. He’s lied, he’s bribed people, and he’s manipulated everyone. Cass, your dad is trying really hard to wipe me from the face of the earth. You need to talk to him before I’m asked by Dane to do what I know will break your heart.”
“If I get him to stand down, will that be enough? I’ve been around you and your club a while now. They deal with… treachery fiercely,” Cassia says with her lips firmly pursed in a line.
“Let me worry about that. Dane will give me some leeway, not a lot and only if we can get Gerald to tow the line and compensate the club.”
“Compensate the club?”
I nod. “It’s the way it’s done in my world.”
“Dear old dad isn’t fond of parting with his money.”
“You need to convince him.”
I take a sip of my lukewarm coffee and grimace. Headlights from a car light up the house, and I pick up my gun.
“Stay here until I know who it is.”
I stand and move to the front curtain, moving it slightly to see who’s waiting for us. The headlights turn off, and I wait, gun raised, I see two men coming toward me, and I can tell by his walk one of them is Kade. I open the door when he hits the porch stairs.
“Hey, Kade.”
“You okay?”
“Yeah, like I said on the phone, nothing happened just a person in the yard.”
Kade nods, and Dirt appears behind him.
“Let’s get you two to the clubhouse,” states Dirt as he looks around.
Cass comes up beside me with her handbag clutched under one arm and the gun in the other.
&
nbsp; “Thank you both so much for coming.” It sounds so formal, she gives them a fake smile and walks out onto the porch. “Let’s do what Dirt suggests and get going.”
Kade raises his eyebrows at me, and I shrug, for now. Cassia needs to work through this on her own. I’ll let her have some time and, in the morning, we’ll work it out together.
Cassia
Absorbed in my thoughts, I don’t talk to the boys on the trip to the clubhouse. My father has always been a hard man, but I can’t believe he’d do all the things Zeke has said. Zeke’s hand covers mine, and I look down at our fingers entwined. I know he wouldn’t lie to me, no matter how much it would hurt me. I tighten my grip and shuffle closer to him. Casting a look at him, Zeke gives me a small smile and leans in kissing my temple. His lips linger there, offering me a soothing balm for my soul.
When we arrive at the clubhouse, Kade and Dirt get out. I have my hand on the door, but I don’t open it.
Staring straight ahead but not seeing, I say to Zeke, “Promise me you won’t kill my father.”
“Cass…”
I look down at our hands, and a single tear escapes.
“Promise me,” I repeat in a stronger voice.
Zeke sighs and lets go of my hand only to place his arm around my shoulders and put his face closer to mine.
“I promise you.”
Only then do I meet his gaze. I see nothing but love and understanding in his eyes, but I know, deep down, if Dane orders it, Zeke will do as he’s told. This promise, it’s a stalemate, a way to buy my father some time to reconsider. As I stare into Zeke’s eyes, I reaffirm to myself that he is indeed mine, and if it comes to it, I’ll put my father down.
Looking at me attentively, Zeke pulls back as though he can read my mind. I blink several times, shake my head, and lightly kiss his lips.
“I’m tired. Let’s get some sleep before daylight breaks. I have a feeling it’s going to be a long day.”
Zeke
I put Cass to bed and go in search of Kade and Dirt. I find them in the meeting room sitting at the clubhouse table. Conversation stops when I walk into the room. Both men look at me with apprehension in their eyes.
“We don’t know who it was. It could have been anyone,” I state.
“Yeah, that’s why you had me come out in the middle of the night, with backup, because it was a… what? A driver who was lost? Someone wanting to borrow a cup of sugar?”
“Don’t be an asshole,” I snap.
Dirt stands. “Don’t be naive. Lee is making a move, and you need to strike first. That fucker has meddled and fucked you around for far too long.”
“Cass—”
“If Cass doesn’t get this, then she’s not the fucking one for you! I’m telling you now, brother, it’s you or him,” replies Kade, cutting me off.
I blow out a breath and place my hands on my hips. “I need a day before we take this to Dane.”
“Too late,” states Dirt.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I ask.
“When Kade rang me, I rang Jonas. If he hasn’t told Dane, he will when he sees him. And before you get your fucking panties in a knot, I did it in case something happened to us, the chain of command, or are you forgetting who’s in charge around here?”
Jonas is VP in the Savage Angels MC, and he’s Dane’s best friend. What one knows, the other quickly finds out. I know Dirt has done the right thing, but it still pisses me off. In frustration, I punch the wall causing a hole and splitting my knuckles.
I glare at Dirt and nod furiously at him. “I just wanted some time to sort it all out!”
“Gerald fucking Lee sped up the timeline, not me and not you, brother,” replies Dirt calmly.
“I’ll go see Lee today. I’ll try and talk some sense into him. I’ll fix this,” I state rubbing my hand.
“You want company?” asks Kade.
“I’ll be taking Cassia. If she can’t get through to him, no one can.”
Both men nod, and I leave them in search of my woman and a calming hand.
We are sitting in Betty’s Diner. Cassia has ordered the pancake stack, and I’ve ordered a breakfast with the lot. Cass keeps looking past me to the people walking by on the sidewalk.
“Be calm, Cass. He won’t come in here. Your dad won’t want a public display.”
Her eyes dart to mine and widen.
“I wasn’t looking for him,” Cass whispers loudly.
“Who then?”
“Rush, Doc Green, and Izzy.”
I raise my eyebrows at her and lean back. “Not what I thought you were going to say.”
Howie, who normally works in the kitchen, puts two cups on the table and pours us both coffees.
“Morning folks, We’re a little shorthanded today, so I’ll be cooking as well as helping out here.”
“Hey, Howie, how are you?” asks Cassia.
“In desperate need of a reliable waitress,” Howie replies quickly.
“What happened to the girl who took our order?” I ask.
Howie raises his hand in the air doing quotations. “Women problems.” With a shake of his head, he goes back into the kitchen.
“Poor Howie,” says Cass as she watches him walk away.
The bell above the door goes off as a couple walks in with Izzy behind them. She waves and makes a beeline for us as the couple sits in a booth. Cass casts a look in the direction Howie went, gets up and goes behind the counter, grabbing a pad and pen. She winks at me and goes up to the couple. Izzy looks at Cass quizzically as she sits opposite me. I shrug.
“What can I get you?” Cass asks.
“Black coffee for starters,” replies the woman.
Cass smiles, puts the pad and pen into her jeans pocket and goes and gets two mugs and the pot of coffee. I smile at her and shake my head. She proceeds to chat with the customers, takes their orders, and even refills my coffee cup.
“Hey, Izzy, you want a coffee?”
“Are you working here?”
“Howie is short-staffed, so I thought I’d help out.”
Howie comes rushing out the front with our orders as Cassia is putting the coffee pot back. For a moment, he looks confused, but Cassia walks up to him and hands him the new order from the other couple.
“Make sure the husband’s bacon is super crispy and the wife’s eggs are over medium.”
“Thank you, Cassia. I heard the bell go off, but I was busy cooking your meals.”
“It’s how I made extra cash in college. It was fun.”
“I don’t suppose you could keep an eye on things out here while I cook? Your breakfast is on the house!”
Cassis laughs. “You go cook, and I’ll keep an eye on everyone.”
Howie turns and heads for the kitchen only to stop and whirl back around.
“I know you’re not working at your dad’s store anymore, and I know you went to college and all, but we could use the help around here if you’re looking for work?”
Cassia looks at me, I grin at her and shrug. It’s her decision, not mine.
“You know Howie that’d be great. My friend, Izzy, is new in town, but she ran a diner in Black Ridge. Do you think you’d have enough work for her, too? Do we need to run it by Betty?” asks Cass as she points at Izzy, who smiles broadly at him.
Betty’s Diner is owned by Betty Copeland, not that she spends too much time in here anymore as she must be pushing ninety.
Howie’s face goes red, and he shakes his head. “Betty knows I’m struggling. She won’t mind.”
“Great! Do you think you could use both of us?”
Howie nods. “Yes! You’re a lifesaver.”
“When do you need us to start?” asks Cass.
“Now?” asks Howie as he hurries back to the kitchen.
Cassia sits opposite me, grinning like a Cheshire cat. “That’s two jobs! I’ve got two jobs and one for Izzy!”
“Thank you, Cass! I was wondering what I was going to do. He seems like a nice guy,” s
ays Izzy.
“I thought you weren’t going to work for your dad anymore?” I ask.
“I’m not.”
I cock my head to the side and watch as she stuffs a mouthful of her pancake stack into her mouth.
“Love, what’s the other job?”
Cassia holds up a finger as she tries to chew and swallow her food.
Holding a hand over her mouth, she says, “Jonas gave me a job doing the books and working in the office.”
“When?”
“Just before I came to get you. It’s not a problem, is it?”
“No, Cass, it just would have been nice to know,” I reply with a smirk. “Damn, woman, you’re going to make me look bad.”
“You have a job,”’ Cass pauses and looks at me intently. “What do you do again?”
“Whatever the club needs. And I know that’s not much of an answer. One day I’ll tell you everything, I promise, but today isn’t that fucking day. Today we need to deal with your dad, so as soon as you’re finished here, we’ll pay him a visit.”
“I’m going to go and speak with Howie and let you two talk,” says Izzy as she gets up and walks into the backroom.
Cass frowns at me. “Today?”
“Yeah, we need to get a handle on this ASAP.”
Cassia nods, eats more of her pancakes, and looks thoughtfully around the diner.
“You know I love this town. I couldn’t wait to come back home after college. My dad has always been my protector and advisor. I know he’s made some bad choices lately, and I know he needs to be dealt with, but Zeke, he’s my dad, and I’ll always love him.” Cassia takes a sip of her coffee and continues, “But right now, I don’t like him very much.”
This is one of the reasons I love Cass—she has a big heart. I take a sip of my coffee just as the bell above the door goes off and in walks Cassia’s brother, Jeremiah Lee. Our eyes lock, and his mouth goes into a grim line. Instinctively, I reach across the table, touching Cass’ hand. She turns, and her face stills as he walks toward us. Jeremiah is six-foot-two, muscular in a bodybuilding kind of way. I’m pretty sure the man spends more time in the gym than working. He looks a lot like Cass, blond hair, but a little darker and those same green eyes. Cass casts me a worried look. I pat her hand and smile.
Savage Lies: Savage Angels MC #7 Page 18
