Cade (Aces MC Series Book 5.5)

by Aimee-Louise Foster

  "You're fucking laughable, you're just a joke." Paige flung her arms, freeing herself from her father's clutches and smirked at him with pure contempt.

  He grabbed her sleeve and yanked it up her arm, "Have you been using again?"

  I noticed the hurt on Paige's face as she pushed past Hound and ran up the path towards the house.

  I placed my hands on my hips as I witnessed the events, he needed to still tread carefully with Paige, not just assume the worse or on the flip side that everything was okay because she'd had a couple of appointments with a councillor.

  "Come on Justice, there's no point hanging around here," Stoney shouted from his opened window.

  I nodded my head towards Hound and walked around the vehicle to the open driver's side door. I had told Paige that I was going to look into the situation with Cade and that's what I was going to do.

  "Message Diesel, inform him that we've dropped Paige off at Hounds and he's kicked off. Maybe he can send Ink or Amy round to calm the situation before it gets out of control." I blurted my instructions to Stoney, I wasn't a higher rank but I'd been at the club longer than him, which had earned me the respect.

  I drove from the cul-de-sac, "Right Lyric, give me the directions to this birds house so we can find out exactly what's going on."

  It wasn't long before we pulled up outside the presentable looking house, in an affluent part of Epping. I was surprised at such a house if what Lyric had said was true about the girl's age but maybe it was her parent's house.

  "Are you sure this is the address?" I asked looking out of the window.

  Lyric nodded enthusiastically as he pointed to Hound's motorcycle.

  "He's taken Hounds pride and joy?" I asked not believing my own eyes.

  Stoney let out a low whistle, "The boy's lost the fucking plot, you don't take another man's ride especially if he's your sponsor."

  "Well let's rock n roll, this should be interesting." I exited the 4x4 and placed my keys into my pocket as I walked around the vehicle. Stoney joined me and we looked a force to be reckoned with but I couldn't be sure what we were about to walk in to.

  I knocked on the front door and stepped back ready for a response. Stoney positioned himself at the gate glancing from side to side to make sure we weren't walking into a trap. I heard a noise behind the door before it opened. A plain but pretty young girl answered the door with a confused expression at first until she noticed my patch.

  She smiled, "Are you looking for Cade?"

  I glanced at Stoney before I slowly nodded. "Hold on I'll just get him." The young girl glanced over her shoulder down the hallway. "Cade, there are a couple of guys to see you."

  I could hear some noises that I couldn't place and pushed the door open slightly so I could see what was going on.

  Cade's eyes widened as he saw me, "Erm hi Justice." He gave an uncomfortable wave as the young girl stood beside him laughing. Cade was standing in just his jeans, I simply raised my brows and noticed the reddening of his skin under my scrutiny.

  "It's not what it looks like Justice, I can assure you." Cade grabbed his t-shirt from the sideboard and started to get dressed. I was annoyed, I didn't for one minute think the boy would've cheated on Paige but it was here in black and white.

  "You've got 2 minutes, I'll leave you to get dressed while I call it in."

  There was no way that I could let this go unreported. Too many club members were privy to us being here that I needed to contact Diesel and let him know of the situation.

  "I'm gonna wait in the vehicle otherwise I'll be in there dragging him out by the scruff of his neck."

  Stoney patted me on the back understanding my annoyance at the situation as we made our way to the 4x4 but without warning the front door flew open and Cade took off down the road as he pulled his t-shirt over his head.

  "Was that Cade?" Stoney asked humorously pointing to the person running down the street.

  I shrugged, "I ain't fucking chasing him. There's no way my legs could keep up."

  "Do you want me to follow him?" Lyric asked with his hand on the handle ready to bolt from the car.

  "Don't worry mate, we'll catch up with him soon."

  "So what do you suggest we do?" Stoney fastened his seatbelt and turned towards me.

  "We speak to Diesel and go from there, this is turning out to be a situation higher than my pay scale." I smirked as I pulled out into the road, I wouldn't want to be in Cade's shoes when the guys caught up with him.

  Chapter 6

  Cade

  My lungs hurt, I glanced over my shoulder and couldn't see anyone chasing me but I wasn't taking any chances. I continued running at speed although a little slower than the outset and found that I was heading in the direction of Stew's house.

  What the fuck was I doing? I had no plan, no weapon and I had now burnt all bridges with the people that could look out for me. I wasn't thinking straight at all but I needed to put some distance between myself and Justice before I tried to rationalise the situation.

  I slowed the pace to walking to try to get my breathing back under control, I hadn't realised how unfit I was until now. I could see a large tree up ahead that would give me a shelter as it had just started to rain, I was only wearing a thin cotton t-shirt as I'd left my cut at Jazzes before I bolted.

  Leaning my arm against the damp bark, I positioned myself so that I was looking down the road in the direction in which I had just come, in case I had been followed.

  My breathing slowly returned to normal as I rested against the tree, I took this opportunity to look around my surroundings to see what may be a familiar vehicle or face. A long sigh of relief left my body as I realised the guy's hadn't followed me because that would just cause more aggravation.

  I had acted on impulse earlier and hadn't thought it through but in hindsight, I should've realised that Justice and Stoney wouldn't be able to keep up with me although I was unfit.

  There was a chill in the air, I crossed my arms and ran my hands up and down my exposed skin trying to get some warmth into my body now that the adrenaline had stopped pumping.

  I was situated on a small grass verge under an old oak tree at the top of the road near a T-junction. I now had a big decision to make, by turning right I could head back into the High street and possibly crash at Jazzes for a couple of days until I sorted myself out or I could turn left, and head towards Stew's house.

  I pushed from the tree giving the boost my legs needed to start walking and headed in the direction that I thought would be best.

  The sound of all traffic had now disappeared and I walked down the country lane hearing nothing but the squelching of wet leaves beneath my boots. It looked different, I'd only driven down here yesterday but being in the open air with darkness setting in, gave the lane an eerie feeling which made me feel uncomfortable.

  I noticed a set of headlights in the distance, I couldn't afford to be spotted and quickly made my way up the steep bank at the side of the road so I could take cover behind a tree. I lost my footing a couple of times as I clambered through the leaves and mulch until I reached a safe distance from the road. The car drove at a steady speed as it passed me and I knew that I hadn't been spotted. I was probably being a little over cautious but I couldn't be too careful regarding the situation. If I were seen it would cause all kinds of issues and not just for me, I was worried that Jazz would also pay the price for my meddling.

  I made my way slowly through the low bushes careful not to stumble and fall. I needed to get down from here and looked for the simplest way but from my viewpoint nothing looked easy. I took hold of a low lying branch from a tree that over hung the single track road below and used this to balance myself as I gingerly made my way down the bank towards the road. It wasn't easy but I managed to keep my footing.

  I sighed with relief and brushed my jeans down with my hands trying to remove some of the leaves that had stuck to my clothes. As I stood upright, I felt a small spot of rain touch my skin before another
and another. I groaned inwardly, my t-shirt would be wet through if I didn't find somewhere to shelter and quickly.

  I could hear the faint sound of another vehicle in the distance and knew that I needed to find a safe place to hide. I glanced behind me, Stew's house was in sight but I needed to get closer if I was going to investigate what he was possibly up to.

  I jogged further up the road towards his house past the area in which I had parked the car last night and made my way towards some thick bushes on the edge of the bank opposite his house. They were covered in dark green leaves, perfect camouflage for a night worth of snooping. I eagerly made my way around the bushes being careful to not trample too many of the leaves as I didn't want to give away my hiding place. There was a damp smell but the trees that over hung the road offered protection from the rain that was now falling heavily. I nestled inside as much as I could and sat quietly listening to the sound of the car approaching. My heart thudded hard inside my chest, thank god I was the only one that could hear it although I'm sure it could be seen pumping through my chest.

  My view point wasn't too good from here and I quickly decided that once the car had passed, I would move to position myself closer but it would have to do for now, at least I was dry.

  I heard the car stop, it sat idle for a while before I heard the sound of a car door opening. The headlights shone directly at Stew's house illuminating the building and I could see that most of the lights were on in the house and there was movement in a room downstairs that I assumed was the living room.

  The crunching of gravel beneath the persons shoes could faintly be heard over the sound of the engine before it was turned off suggesting that there was more than one person. I heard another car door open and footsteps that indicated that the people were walking further away from me in the direction of Stew's house. I jostled a little for position and strained my neck trying to see what was going on and whether I recognised any of the people but couldn't see anything as the bush was wild with leaves. I got on all fours and crawled to my left careful to not make a noise as I clambered over branches, mud and leaves. The bright light of the house hit my eyes as I found a small opening in the bush and I moved closer to better my viewpoint of the situation.

  As I did that light soon went dark, "What the fuck," I whispered. Why had the lights gone out if someone was entering the house?

  I tried to focus but now had a glare in my eyes from looking directly into the light, I closed my eyes several times blinking hard to rid myself of the yellow streak. As I returned my head to the hole in the bush, I heard shuffling and realised why the lights had gone out. Someone was blocking my view, "Hello Cade."

  Chapter 7

  Cade

  I felt tired, I hadn't been sleeping properly lately because of the situation with Paige but I knew it was just a blip in our relationship. It was still new, we were working things out, getting to know each other as we went along which made it exciting but also put a strain on things when obstacles were put in the way. Maybe us living together at Hound's added to the pressure but it felt right, she'd even told me that she loved me.

  I was an arsehole, I had pretended to be asleep but as she said the words, it melted my heart completely. I was a coward though, I wanted to tell her that I loved her too and that she meant the world to me but I bottled it. If I told her those three simple words, I'd add further pressure on the relationship and I wasn't ready for that.

  I had used her for my own needs, I needed sex in a particular way and she allowed me to express my desires. Paige was a total spitfire she was so wrong which made her so right, not to everyone but certainly for me. The problem was that I used sex as a weapon and a form of punishment, I sometimes allowed her to come other times not because I needed to hold all the power when it came to sex. I needed to be in control, that way I wasn't vulnerable like I had been in the past but on the flip side I often wondered if that was healthy for Paige. She enjoyed fucking me, she'd even fallen in love with me but was it right for her or just a relationship of circumstance. A million and one thoughts flashed through my mind as I sat here dreary and feeling lethargic. I had a lot of people to make up to, I just hoped that they'd give me the opportunity to say sorry.

  My throat was dry, I really needed to get a drink and I tried to move. I quickly drifted from my thoughts of Paige and the club as I panicked, trying to get my body moving but it was no use I wasn't going anywhere. I listened to my surrounding as I tried to peer from my eyes and dread instantly filled my body.

  "Is Oz turning up tonight?" A voice with a strong Scottish accent asked.

  "I don't think he can make it but Greg said he'll make an appearance." I heard this person walk past me and tried to place the voice but it wasn't any use, my mind was jumping all over the place.

  "How long he gonna be out for?"

  The man sniggered, "He'll be coming around very soon." I heard footsteps come towards me and felt the pain of the slap as his hand made contact with me face.

  "Wakey wakey Cade, it's time to join the party." I heard laughter from several people around the room and realised that my worst fears had come true as history was repeating itself. I was in the same room as Stew and his friends and there was nothing I could do to protect myself.

  I willed myself to open my eyes, my eyelids felt heavy but I knew that I'd be in danger if I didn't. I fought with every piece of energy I had in my body and managed to complete the normally simple task of opening my eyes.

  The stench was the first thing I noticed, the smell reminded me of the last night I spent in the children's home and I immediately felt uncomfortable. I looked down at my attire making sure that I was fully clothed and felt relieved at the sight but not so much as I saw that my hands were tied to the arms of a wooden chair that I was sitting in.

  Porn was playing on the TV and it had all the hallmarks of the events of that terrifying night. I quickly glanced around the room to see three young boys, not much older than me when I was abused by Stew. They were in different states of disarray from smoking and drinking this evening and I immediately knew that they were in danger. They smiled and laughed but couldn't possibly imagine what was going to happen to them this evening, if I didn't do something about it.

  I pulled on the ropes that fastened my wrists to no avail and turned towards the laughter.

  "Cade I used to be a boy scout." Stew's friends laughed at his statement regarding the reason why he could tie knots so tightly. He crouched down in front of me, resting his arms on my thighs. "Don't you want to join in the party this evening?" he asked as if I'd simply been invited to a normal house party.

  I shook my head theatrically, I'd play no part in all this. Stew moved his arm to place his hand on my cheek and I flinched at the gesture, "Shhhh Cade, there's no need to be so aggressive. It's just a little housewarming party, I've invited a few friends around and we've got some live entertainment."

  His sniggering made me feel sick to my stomach because I knew his intentions for these poor boys. I needed to get myself free and protect them but I was running out of options and time.

  The force of the door flying open startled all of us within the living room. Two of the young boys immediately shot up from their seats and ran into the corner of the room, the rest of us turned our heads towards the doorway in wonder waiting to see who was about to stop the party.

  It was a sea of commotion, people piled into the room and I was unsure of where to look. I couldn't take cover or even protect myself because I was still tied to the chair and I felt an element of frustration and fear.

  I heard a familiar voice and turned my head to see Recon storm towards me. He pulled a large knife from the sheaf attached to his belt and with two swift moves, he had cut me free.

  I stood and glanced around the room, it was a hive of activity and the Aces outnumbered the guys which sent a sense of relief through me.

  "Are you okay?" Recon asked standing tall. I nodded, not yet able to say anything due to the drugs I'd been given.
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  He looked me over, I didn't know what he was looking for but he seemed satisfied with his findings. As I gazed around the room I was surprised by the number of club members that were here, at a glance, I noticed Duke, Diesel, Lyric, Justice and Rex putting their manpower to good use.

  "Well well well, what do we have here," the situation was now under control giving the guys time to assess things. Duke strolled towards the sofa where a guy lay sprawled with Diesel upon him, his knee digging firmly into his chest.

  Duke nodded, indicating for Diesel to let him go and he shuffled back up the sofa so that he was now resting his back against the firm cushions.

  "No sooner are you out and you're back up to your old tricks." Without hesitation, Duke swung his arm back and hit him clean in the jaw with full force. His lip quivered and his eyes streamed, he must've been in pain but he didn't do anything to try to get away from Duke or defend himself.

  Diesel stood beside Duke, "What should we do with this lot? I know someone that would happily take Josh off your hands." The bloke's eyes widened at the thought and he brought his legs up to his chest to cradle himself.

  Josh? I was trying to put all of this into context when the penny dropped. Josh was involved in a trafficking ring that Savannah was nearly dragged into. Josh had been inside for a few years but he must've been released without the Aces acknowledgement and had obviously fallen into his old ways rather quickly.

  "Fuck knows, I haven't thought that far ahead yet." Duke pondered, "Take his phone and call the police." He pointed to Josh and Diesel immediately stepped forward and rummaged around in his pockets.

  "What the fuck have you lot got to do with this anyway?" The Scottish man asked trying to pull free of Rex's hold.

  Duke shook his head, "Shut the fuck up you sick cunt, you're acting like a little bitch. You play with fire you get burnt it's as simple as that."

  Diesel pulled out Josh's phone and I was surprised that the gobby bloke, had soon shut the fuck up now that the Aces had arrived.