CHAPTER ONE
When Deke came out of his room the morning after he and Cassie returned from Boston, he saw one of his guys sitting in the main room. One that had been away on club business for the last three weeks. On the table in front of him was an open bottle of Jack Daniels.
One of his club’s brothers, Deacon seemed to be staring at the painting Cassie had drawn of Rufus.
Deke walked into the kitchen and found Reva and Gator drinking coffee. When Reva grabbed another cup and handed it to Deke, he looked over at Gator and asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Did you see Deacon out there?” Gator asked.
Deke nodded. “Yeah, I did. He seems a little preoccupied. What’s his problem? Doesn’t he like the new art?”
“Oh, I think it goes deeper than that.” Gator looked over at him. “He got back around one this morning. Reva and I were still here when he came in.”
“My lord Deke, when he saw that painting, he lost all the color in his face and for the longest time, he just stood there staring at it,” Reva explained. “About an hour later, he picked up the bottle and started drinking. He’s been sitting there, in that same spot, sipping his whiskey and staring at that damn painting.”
Deke frowned and turned to stare at them both. He moved to the doorway and watched Deacon for a moment, then turned to Gator and shrugged. “Maybe he objects to it, I don’t know.”
Gator shook his head. “No man, I don’t think he objects to it but there’s something wrong with him. Something is bothering him about the painting.”
Deke sipped his coffee. Reaching for the pot, he filled his cup again and wandered back into the main room and over to the table where Deacon was sitting. When he sat down, he searched Deacon’s face.
The man was still staring at the painting.
“So,” Deke spoke softly, startling the other man out of his daze. “When did you get back?”
Deacon lifted the shot glass to his lips. After sipping the liquor he said, “Got back around one this morning. I was happy to be back after three weeks on the road.”
Deke nodded. Then he turned his gaze to the painting Deacon couldn’t seem to take his eyes off of. “His name is…”
“Rufus,” Deacon finished his sentence, “I know. My sister Jemmia made it up a long time ago.”
“Your sister?’ Deke sat up straighter in his chair.
Deacon turned his head to Deke with a frown. “Yeah, she drew him when she was a kid. I haven’t seen him in a very long time. I’ve never seen him in full living color before.” Turning back to the painting he asked, “Who painted him here?”
“Are you sure he’s the same tiger?” Deke asked.
Just then, Gator and Reva came out of the kitchen. They stood just behind Deke and were looking at Deacon.
“Oh, yeah.” Deacon nodded. “That’s Rufus all right. Jemmia said he had green eyes because green eyed people and animals are very intelligent. She said he would keep all her secrets safe.”
“What happened to Jemmia?” Reva asked softly.
Deacon turned away from the painting and poured another shot. “She died a long time ago.”
“What happened?” Deke asked.
Deacon shook his head. Without saying anything, he lifted the glass to his lips and was about to slam it down his throat when they all heard the door to Deke’s room open.
Deacon turned his head toward the back hall. “Did you finally get a woman, Deke?”
When Cassie came into the room, the glass slipped from Deacon’s hand and smashed on the table. “What the fuck?” he swore as he stared at her. His face paled and he looked at her like he was seeing a ghost.
Cassie frowned and stared back at him.
Deacon took a step toward her, still not believing she was real. “Jemmia?” he whispered.
Cassie’s hand rose as if to push him away. Color drained from her face as well. Sweat beaded on her forehead. She took a step back and uncertainty flashed across her face. “Do I know you? You look familiar somehow.”
“Who are you?” Deacon wanted to know. He strode forward and grabbed her by the upper arms.
~* * * *~
“I wouldn’t do that!” Gator yelled out.
Cassie felt the fear rising and she didn’t like it when he’d grabbed her. She brought her knee up and slammed him in the groin. Her arms were let loose and the man groaned as he bent over.
His hands went to cover his manhood.
Cassie took several steps back but couldn’t take her eyes off the man in front of her. “Who are you?” she whispered.
“My name is Deacon,” he groaned out. “Now, who the fuck are you?”
“My name is Cassie.”
Deacon turned and limped back to the table. He picked up the bottle and took a long drink. When he put it down on the table and turned to stare at the young woman again. Disappointment was evident on his face. “I’m sorry,” he murmured softly. “You reminded me of someone I knew once.”
“Just who do I remind you of?” Cassie asked as she came up behind Deke. Laying her hand on his shoulder, she waited for Deacon to speak.
Deacon laughed. “That color hair belongs to a bastard I knew once but your face reminded me of my sister.” Deacon shuddered.
“Your sister?” Cassie questioned. “What was her name?”
“Jemmia. Her name was Jemmia,” Deacon whispered brokenly. His face was twisted with pain.
Deke watched Cassie when she heard the name. She paled even more and took a step backward. It was obvious she knew the name. What Deke wanted to know was how she knew the name.
Deacon finally looked over to Cassie and was surprised to see how pale she was. He frowned and looked at her again. “Do you know that name?”
Cassie took another step back. She couldn’t look away from the man in front of her. She nodded and finally tore her eyes off him. She turned to the painting behind him on the wall. “My mother’s name was Jemmia,” she whispered.
Deacon’s eyes widened as he glanced from Cassie back to the tiger. Looking back at Cassie again, he asked, “Who was your father? What was his name?”
Cassie turned back to Deacon. “His name is Flynn Rearden.”
“Is? You mean he’s still alive?” Deacon roared. “Where the fuck is he? I’ve been looking for that bastard for eighteen years!”
Gator got to his feet. “Deacon, you need to calm down. Yelling at her won’t do you no good.”
Deacon whipped his head around to glare at Gator.
When Deke stood between them, neither of the men seemed to care for the look on Deacon’s face. He looked willing to commit murder at the moment.
Cassie turned and was going to run back down the hall but Deacon grabbed her again. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he tried to hold her but Cassie felt the fear take over and she went a little crazy trying to get away. She fought his hold, digging her nails deep into his forearms.
Deacon hissed in pain. When she kicked out at him, he started to cuss. She finally threw her head back and it connected with his face. Blood sprayed from his nose and he finally let her go. He swore loudly as he bled.
Deke rushed over to her and tried to calm her down. He knew better than to touch her, but he got as close as he could and tried to soothe her frayed nerves. “Baby, please, everything will be okay.”
Cassie was trembling as she came back from her protect mode and threw herself into his arms. “Who is that man?”
Deke’s arms wrapped around her. “Honey, he’s one of the brothers.”
Cassie turned and watched as Deacon held a towel to his nose to stop the bleeding. Reva and Gator were standing beside him but he couldn’t take his eyes off Cassie.
Deke led the way to the table. “I think we all need to sit down and figure this out.”
Cassie sat down and grabbed his coffee cup. Taking the last swig, she grimaced at the taste of cold coffee.
Reva chuckled and went to the kitchen. When she returned, she carried a fresh pot o
f coffee and several more cups. She poured a cup and pushed it over to Cassie.
Cassie thanked her for it. Then she stared at Deacon.
Deacon had come back to the table. He looked a little worse for wear and he was limping. He sat down across from Cassie. Absently, he picked up one of the cups and sipped the hot brew. Then, he finally spoke, “So, if Jemmia is your mother and Flynn is your old man that means your name is Josette.”
Cassie nodded. “That’s right. My true name is Josette Rearden.”
Deacon slammed the cup down on the table hard. “No, it’s not. Your true name is Josette Phoebe Ryan. Jemmia and Flynn were never married.”
“How do you know that?” Cassie asked.
“I may have only been seventeen at the time but I knew my sister very well. I hadn’t seen her in a couple of years because I didn’t know where she was living but when I found her that last time, you were about three years old. Hell, toward the end, she didn’t really even like Flynn that much. They were only together for four years. She told me she only stayed with him because of you. She felt you needed a father as well as a mother.”
Cassie snorted. “Yeah well, I could have done better without him in my life.”
“What happened to your sister?” Deke asked. “Do you know how she died?”
Deacon nodded. His eyes were sad. “Like I said, I was only seventeen when she died. I found her a week before it happened. She wasn’t happy, even I knew that. She claimed Flynn was drinking and doping a lot and it bothered her that Josette was seeing him that way.”
“Was he bad to her?’ Cassie had to ask. She was remembering the loud voice that awoke her almost every night.
Deacon nodded. “They were fighting a lot. Jemmia told me she was thinking about leaving him. She was only seventeen when she got pregnant with you. Our parents were already gone by that time and I had gone to live with another uncle. She thought her, Flynn and the baby would be a family. She missed being part of that closeness. And at first, Flynn wanted a family but after you were born, he realized how much work it was to have a baby in the house and he found he didn’t like all the changes that came with it. Jemmia was so busy taking care of you that he felt neglected. The last time I saw her, she had a black eye. I wanted to beat the shit out of Flynn but she wouldn’t let me. She said to wait until after you and she were gone and then I could beat the tar out of him. She told me she had a plan to take you and disappear, somewhere where Flynn couldn’t find them. Somewhere, she felt it would be safe for the two of you. Flynn had some connections in Boston she didn’t care for and she was worried about you being safe.” He paused and looked at Cassie. “She loved you very much you know. You were her whole world.”
“What happened then?” Cassie asked.
“A week later, my sister was gone. Flynn told the cops some fucking story about his dealer coming after him cuz he owed them money. He said they broke in and Jemmia was in the wrong place at the wrong time and they beat her to death but his hands told me a different story. Your mother died at his hands, not some random strangers. He never would give the cops the name of his dealer, so I doubt the cops believed him but their hands were tied.” He shrugged. “By the time I got back to ask my own questions, Flynn and you had disappeared. A neighbor told me Flynn had taken you to a friend. He said he couldn’t take care of a small kid and that it was better this way. I tried to find you but didn’t know where to look. Then he disappeared as well. I searched Boston, off and on for years and didn’t find either of you.”
“He didn’t leave me with a friend for safe keeping.” Cassie sneered. “He sold me to an evil bitch for money he used to get high.”
Deacon’s hands curled into fists and he broke the handle of his coffee cup. “Is that bastard still alive?”
Cassie shrugged. “He was yesterday but today…could be another story.”
“What?” Deacon cocked his head to one side, staring at her.
“Let’s just say my father made a very bad mistake sixteen years ago that came back to bite him in the ass.” Cassie grinned. “If he’s still alive this morning, he’s probably wishing he wasn’t.”
Deacon turned his head and stared at Rufus. “I see you got your mother’s talent.”
Cassie turned and gazed at the tiger on the wall. “My mother knew Rufus too?”
Deacon smiled. “Oh yeah, she told me he was the only one she could talk to that truly understood her. She showed me his picture when she was fourteen.”
“Is that how you came to know him?” Deke asked her.
“It must be.” Cassie nodded. “I must have remembered her telling me about him when I was very young.” Then she frowned while she stared at Deacon. “Yes, I remember now. She told me about you. She said that if anything happened to her, I should always remember my uncle Jethro.” Her eyes got wide as the memory of her mother flooded her brain. “That’s who you are, my uncle Jethro Ryan!”
Deacon winced. “I prefer the name Deacon.” His look softened. “But yeah, I’m your uncle.” Reaching out to her, he waited until she took his hand. “I’m so glad to find you again.” He glanced around the room and his gaze finally landed on Deke. “How the bloody hell did you end up with him?”
Cassie laughed out loud. “Would you believe I came into his club looking for a friend of mine?”
Deke smiled as he remembered their first meeting. “Then she took on three of our brothers and came out on top.”
Deacon winced again. Looking the worse for wear…He agreed. “Yeah, I can believe that. She fights like her life depended on it.”
“Very often it does,” Cassie told him quietly.
“Deacon, we should probably talk in my office. I know we have things to discuss,” Deke said as he got to his feet.
Deacon followed him down the hall and the door closed behind them.
Reva got busy in the kitchen and Gator sat down with Cassie.
“I suppose he’s telling him my story,” she said finally.
Gator nodded. “Probably.”
“Do you suppose Deacon will hate me when he finds out what happened?” Cassie whispered.
Gator turned his head slowly and stared at her for a moment in surprise. “Why the hell would Deacon hate you?”
“Because I’m dirty and broken,” she whispered as a lone tear rolled down her cheek.
Gator leaned closer and took her hand. “Now you listen to me spitfire, you are not dirty and you are certainly not broken. Not to me, not to Deke and nobody here thinks of you that way. Do you hear me, girl?”
Cassie nodded but tears still fell from her eyes.
Gator brushed them away with his thumbs. “The fact that you lived through everything she did to you just means you have a strong spirit. She couldn’t break you anymore than life could.”
Just then, they all heard the sound of breaking glass and a roar that no one could name. The door to Deke’s office was thrown open and Deacon stomped out. He paused to glare at the painting on the wall, then turned and left the clubhouse. They all heard his motorcycle roar as it came to life and the sound faded as he rode away.
Deke finally came out of the office. He glanced at Gator and shook his head slightly. When he sat down at the table, no one said a word about what just happened.
Finally, Cassie whispered, “He didn’t take it well did he?”
“Did you really think he would?” Deke asked.
Cassie hung her head. “Does he blame me for what happened?”
Deke tipped her head up with his hand. “Listen to me Spitfire girl…the man just found out that the one man who was supposed to love and protect you, sold you to a woman running a damn kiddy selling ring. I didn’t have time to tell him everything but I think you should. He’s your family.”
Cassie stared at the open door of the clubhouse. “Do you think he’ll come back?”
Deke chuckled. “I don’t think he’ll want to miss anymore of your life. He’s already missed eighteen years. He’ll be back.”
&n
bsp; “I sure hope so,” Cassie replied. “I want to hear all about my Mom. I don’t really remember her all that well anymore, although I can still hear her voice sometimes when I dream.”
CHAPTER TWO
Deacon rode through the countryside like the demons of hell were following him. The wind wanted to suck the air from his lungs and the burn was almost welcome. The rage that he felt as he listened to Deke inform him of what Cassie’s life had been like as she survived the hell her father put her in was like none other he’d ever felt before.
He saw the road signs for Albany before he slowed down. He hadn’t realized he’d been riding for almost an hour. He slowed his bike, made a u turn, then headed back for Troy and the clubhouse. He knew Cassie would be there waiting for him.
When he’d first seen the tiger painting on the wall, he’d been stunned beyond belief. He looked just like Jemmia had described him all those years ago. It had been a revelation to him to finally see the Rufus she’d told him about. She had described him in detail. As he sat there staring at the beast, Deacon wondered about all the secrets the drawing alluded to. What really blew his mind was the fact that Jemmia hadn’t drawn him but her daughter had.
When he hadn’t been able to find his sister’s little girl or Flynn all these years, his heart had been broken. It left a hole in his soul that time hadn’t been able to fill. Now she was back, despite everything she’d been through she was still alive and had come back into his life. This time, he would step up and take care of her, like he didn’t have the opportunity to do before.
He frowned as he thought of what had brought her back into his life. Deke had told him of how she’d come looking for her friend and he’d noticed that she had come out of his President bedroom. The first thing Deacon was going to do was ask what her position in the club was.
It might not be any of his business but he wasn’t going to allow his boss to take advantage of his niece. He was the only family she had left.
When Deacon got back to the clubhouse, he noted that Deke and Gator’s bikes were not in the slots they were in when he’d left.
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