“You don’t have to worry about either of them anymore.” He hesitated then added, “Or about Stephan. All three of them know you and Boone cannot be touched and if they do come around, I want you to tell me. Some men are just stupid and don’t listen to good advice. I’m hoping these three will listen.”
Izzy took a deep breath and exhaled. “Then they are still alive?”
Dominic grinned. “Yes, they are still alive. As much as I wanted to kill them for what they did, I restrained myself. It wasn’t easy mind you, but I did it.”
“I do hope you didn’t restrain yourself too much.” Mountain hinted.
Dominic grimaced. “No I didn’t, but I figure they had that much coming for the misery they caused.”
“Did you ever find Roxi?” Izzy asked.
Dominic shook his head. “She escaped her final judgment. She died a year ago in a bar fight. Someone stabbed her for cheating him. She was trying to rob him while he slept.”
“I can’t say that I’m all that surprised to hear it.” Izzy shook her head.
“There’s a special place in hell waiting for her and I hope she enjoys it,” Dominic said. “Everything that woman ever touched has turned out badly.”
“Not everything,” Izzy reminded him. “Boone turned out pretty damn good.”
Dominic smiled. “Ahh, yes, Boone, but then he had you fighting on his side and that my dear, made a big difference.” He glanced at the two of them. “And now he has both of you in his corner.”
“Yes, he does.” Mountain stared back at the older man.
“So what are your plans now?” Dominic asked. “When are you planning to get married?”
“As soon as Boone is able to stand the pain,” Izzy replied. “I want him to enjoy the wedding. It’s more than just a marriage, it’s a celebration of life.”
“Well, let’s not wait too long,” Dominic urged. “I would like to see you married before the baby is born. My grandchild deserves a name.”
“He’ll have it, when the time is right,” Mountain promised the other man with a steely violet gaze.
~* * * *~
Cordy Tannis parked her cycle a block away from the dance club and watched as Deke met up with two other men outside the club. She followed him all the way here. She watched him laugh and joke with the others, then she watched him walk inside. The whole time her heart was breaking into tiny pieces. She thought she’d been broken when he left Maine seventeen years ago, but she was wrong.
Now the pain was a thousand times worse. She knew what life was about now, more so than then. Then she’d been a child, her love for him had been that of a younger love. First love was always the worse kind of love, it was new and untried, but now her love was different. It had grown into something more substantial over the past years—to consume her entirely. Deke had been all she thought about since her father died.
Orrin Tannis had told her to let him go, that she was foolish to hang onto a child’s dream of forever and make a life of her own. He always told her she could do better than Deke, but she secretly never gave up on her dream.
Then today, her dreams had shattered when she realized Deke had moved on. He’d found someone else to take her place in his heart. And he’d had children with the bitch. Cordy frowned as a thought came into her mind.
Deke had told her all those years ago, he would never have children. He spoke of what his life was like living with his mother then with his father and he swore he would never put a child through that.
They’d spoken about a number of things that last summer. Deke had talked to her, told her his dreams and shared his secrets with her. They might have been young but she felt sure he loved her. She had certainly fallen in love with him.
She glanced down at the marking on her wrist. It was crude but permanent. When she’d been fourteen she and some friends had tried to tattoo themselves. One of the older bikers, Bunky had taught them how to do it the way they did in prison. Bunky had spent some time in the big house and he often bragged about how things were done behind those stone walls. It had hurt like hell and Orrin had been furious with her but she had done it. She had put a D inside a heart on her skin proclaiming to the whole world how much she cared for him. Turning her arm around, she viewed the other scars she bore. Tiny little white lines, some thin, others not so much. Each and every line on her skin meant something to her but she couldn’t tell anyone. No one understood how or why she did what she did. They would look at her with pity in their eyes and she never wanted pity. She hated pity. They would never understand the pain she felt or how she coped with the pain. Outwardly, she appeared calm but inside, she was a mess. The only person still alive that could read her mood was her sister, but Cordy knew Cricket would never betray her. She didn’t dare glance down at her boot. The slim handle of the knife she carried was always there, always standing guard whenever she needed it. She couldn’t take it out at the moment that would be dangerous, both for her and anyone who came near her. Cordy liked her privacy to dwell in the darkness that crept up on her.
But for now, her tears splashed down on the letter etched on her skin in dark ink. Cordy shook her head and refused to let her dreams fall to the wayside. She vowed then and there to reclaim the man she’d loved for most of her life. She would get him back. Hardening her heart, she reasoned that if he couldn’t love her the same way she had loved him all these years, then she would use force to bring him back to her. And it would be his fault she had to tear his world down. His fault because he hadn’t waited for her. She vowed she would get him back and she would make him pay for not waiting.
Starting up the bike, she rode away leaving him behind. She had to watch and wait for her chance to come up, but she was watching the wrong person. She needed to find out as much as she could about the other woman in his life. She needed to study her, find her weaknesses and faults. Then when she knew where and when to strike…she would.
She wanted the other woman out of his life and she wouldn’t let anything or anyone stand in her way. As she rode away, she knew she had some planning to do.
About twenty minutes later, she pulled into a driveway in Albany. The small house was a dump but for now, it worked. She wasn’t planning on staying long. Cordy got off the bike and went to the front door. Pushing the door open hard as the bottom scraped against the floor. “Cricket,” she yelled. “Where the hell are you?” Running her hands through her short light brown spikey hair, she gazed around at the interior of the dump.
The sofa to her left was old and smelled funny and the chair next to it was faded and ripped. The place was quiet, too quiet and that just set her off. “Cricket, where the fuck are you?”
A door off the living room opened and her sister stepped out, closing the door behind her. Cricket glared at her sister. “I’m right here, what are you yelling about?”
Cordy glared back at the other woman. She noted her sister’s long black hair and glaring green eyes. She was taller than Cricket by at least four inches but Cricket had a way of commanding respect that Cordy didn’t. Cordy had to use force to get her way sometimes and this was going to be one of those times. She stomped over to her sister and raised her hand. Slapping her hard, she watched as Cricket stumbled and hit the wall behind her.
Cricket slumped to the floor and tucked her head into her shoulder, trying to avoid being hit again.
“Oh, get up!” Cordy screamed. “Stop being so dramatic.” She turned and walked a few feet away then turned to her sister. “I found him,” she told her excitedly. “I finally found Deke!”
Cricket got to her feet slowly, watching every move Cordy made. Rubbing her face she asked, “Deke? Deke Tory? What do you mean you found him?”
Cordy reached out and grabbed her sister’s arms then shook her. “After all this time, I found him again!” She stared at Cricket. “I’ve been looking for him for almost a decade.”
Cricket grimaced at the grip her sister had on her arms. “I know you’ve been looking for someone I j
ust didn’t know it was Deke Tory.”
Cordy frowned. “It’s always been Deke. Since I was twelve years old, he’s been the only man I ever cared about.”
“What about Dusty’s dad?” Cricket asked staring at the door behind her. Dusty was Cordy’s six year old son.
“What about him?” Cordy sneered. “You’re the one who wanted him. I would have left him behind after he was born.”
Cricket shook her head. “How can you be so unfeeling about your own son?”
Cordy shrugged. “He was a mistake from the beginning. I’d been dreaming about being with Deke when I got pregnant and you wouldn’t let me get rid of the thing. We made a bargain. I would have the baby and you would take care of it. I did my part, now just shut up and do your part.”
Cricket glared at her sister. “You can be a real bitch when you want to be, can’t you?” she whispered.
Cordy sneered. “And don’t you forget it. I’ve taken care of you since Dad died but that can stop anytime. All you have to do is walk out the door.”
Cricket curled her fingers into a fist. “But you won’t let me take Dusty with me.”
Cordy laughed. “That’s right bitch, I won’t. As long as he’s here, you’ll be here too. Now, I have plans to make regarding Deke.”
“What kind of plans?” Cricket looked troubled.
“Another woman has taken what’s mine,” Cordy announced. “I plan to get him back and take her out of the picture altogether. I just have to figure out how to do it, so he won’t know it was me.” Cordy paced the length of the small room while she thought.
CHAPTER FOUR
Cricket watched her sister without saying a word. Inside, she was trembling. Every time her sister made these sort of plans, something bad happened. She hated the fact that she didn’t have the courage to stand up to Cordy. She wanted to walk away from the chaos and heartbreak a dozen times or more over the last nine years, since her dad died but she knew she couldn’t walk out now. When her dad died, she’d been too young to live on her own but now she had Dusty to worry about. God only knew what his life would be like if she left him behind. Cricket knew she couldn’t leave him to his mother’s not so tender mercies.
She opened the door behind her and saw the young boy sit up. When he saw her, he smiled and when she motioned for him to be quiet, he knew instinctively that his mother was in the other room. He settled down in the bed he shared with Cricket and began playing quietly.
Cricket closed the door and turned to Cordy. She was still pacing and muttering to herself. Cricket knew enough not to bother her in the planning stage of her schemes. She didn’t want to know what Cordy was up too anyways, but Cordy’s schemes always had a habit of coming back and biting them both in the ass. “What are you going to do?” Cricket asked softly.
Cordy glanced at the clock on the wall. “Shit, I have to get to work.” Glancing over at her sister she sneered, “I’ll have to get back to you on my plans for Deke. Stay inside today, I don’t want the neighbors to see you or the kid.”
“Why do we always have to stay hidden?” Cricket asked.
Cordy stomped over to her and slapped her hard again. “Because I say so! I can’t deal with stupid people today. I’ll be back after work.”
Cricket watched as she went to the other bedroom. Tears ran down her face as she swiped the blood from her lip. Then she heard Cordy getting ready for her job. She bartended a few hours each day at the bar down the street. Since they had moved here three months ago, Cordy hadn’t allowed either her or Dusty outside during the daylight hours. She was keeping them hidden but for what reason she never said.
Cricket turned and went back into the bedroom she shared with Dusty. She smiled when she saw her nephew. He was such a sweet kid.
Small for his age, he grinned up at her as they both heard the front door slam. “Wow, are you okay?” Dusty asked when he saw the bruises on her cheek. He hated that his mother hurt Cricket.
Cricket went over to the bed and ruffled her fingers through his hair. It was a sandy brown color with streaks of gold. He must look like his father. Cricket smiled because he didn’t look much like his mother, nor did he have her temper. And for that, Cricket felt very thankful. One of Cordy was more than enough.
Dusty’s hair looked a little on the long side and Cricket decided he needed a haircut.
His beautiful green eyes twinkled as he ducked away from her fingers. “Stop it Cricket,” he whined.
“Come on big guy, let’s get something to eat.” She grinned.
“Can we go outside yet?” he whispered. A glimmer of hope in his eyes
Cricket sadly hated to tell him no. “Your mom doesn’t think so, not yet anyway.”
Dusty didn’t say a word but looked away.
Cricket could see a single tear roll down his cheek.
“Okay,” he whispered as he inhaled deeply. Exhaling, he gazed at her, “Maybe tomorrow?”
“Maybe, I’ll work on her when she gets home,” she promised.
Dusty sighed heavily and got to his feet. Peeking up at his aunt, he whispered, “Why does she hate us so much? Did I do something wrong?”
Cricket knelt beside him and wrapped her arms around his thin little body. “No buddy, you didn’t do anything wrong, and neither did I.” Kissing his cheek, she told him, “I just don’t think your mom knows what she wants and she’s looking for something she may never find. I think she’s built up a dream in her mind that was never meant to be and now, she can’t get beyond that disappointment. She’s just an unhappy person right now and we need to understand that.”
“But you love me, don’t you?” Dusty asked in a small voice.
“You bet I do, buddy,” Cricket whispered. Hugging him close, she breathed in his sweet baby scent. “I love you to the moon and back.”
Dusty giggled. “I love you to the moon and back,” he repeated back as his arms went around her neck.
Cricket choked up while his arms tightened. Then she got to her feet with him still in her arms. “It’s you and me kiddo. We look after each other and I’ve got your back always.”
“And I got your back too, Cricket,” he vowed. “I’ll always have your back.”
Cricket carried him out of the bedroom and their lonely day began.
~* * * *~
Cricket watched out the window as evening approached. She’d been waiting and watching for Cordy for what seemed like hours already. She knew her sister had been done at the bar by early afternoon. When she didn’t come home, Cricket began to get really nervous. Now, it was dark outside and she still wasn’t home.
Cricket didn’t like it. Cordy hadn’t been in a good mood this morning and she was sure her mood hadn’t improved. Cricket had been thinking about her announcement this morning. The more she thought about it the less she liked it.
They had met Deke Tory the year before he left Maine. Cordy had been eleven years old, while she had only been six, and Cordy had fallen hard for the older boy. Deke had been sixteen when they met, seventeen when he left the MC. It had been a hard year. Cricket and Cordy’s mom had died the year before and their dad needed to move on with his life. They’d been living around Saranac Lake in New York but after their mother died, Orrin couldn’t stay in New York anymore. He moved his daughters to Bangor, Maine to join some friends of his and joined the MC there.
It had been hard for them, moving away from everything they’d known and it had been a struggle to get settled. Cordy had pushed her around, been mean to her when Orrin wasn’t around and for the next few years, they’d played a game of holy terror when Dad wasn’t around. Then Orrin died when she was fifteen and Cordy didn’t have to pretend anymore. Cricket’s life became a nightmare and she couldn’t wait until she was eighteen and could leave.
That never happened. When Cricket was seventeen Cordy got pregnant and the sisters made a deal. Cricket would take care of the baby and Cordy would earn the money to take care of them all. When Dusty was born, Cordy used the baby to
get her sister completely under her thumb and the last six years had become a living nightmare.
It was midnight before Cordy finally came home.
The thing that scared Cricket the most was the fact her sister was now in a good mood. Any way you sliced it that was never a good thing. Cricket laid there in the dark with Dusty’s small body pressed up against her own and listened to Cordy in the other room. She was sighing and laughing and there wasn’t anyone with her. Her grip on Dusty became even tighter as Cricket squeezed her eyes shut.
CHAPTER FIVE
Deke woke without opening his eyes. Reaching out, he discovered the bed on Cassie’s side was empty. Sitting up, he found her out on the deck, wrapped in a blanket with a cup of coffee in her hand.
He got up and joined her.
When the door opened, Cassie turned her head and smiled as Deke came out of the bedroom dressed in nothing more than his boxers. She admired his chest and thighs as he walked toward her. She swung the blanket from her shoulders as he sat down beside her. Wrapping it around both of them, she Deke pulled her onto his lap.
The early morning air was cool yet. Deke snuggled his head into her shoulder area, and he whispered in her ear, “It’s not even dawn yet, what are you doing up this early?”
Cassie shrugged. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “I woke up and couldn’t go back to sleep.”
Deke listened to her and recognized the tone in her voice. “Did you have a nightmare?”
Cassie shrugged. “Not really a nightmare exactly…”
Deke leaned closer. “Then what?”
Cassie closed her eyes and leaned back into his strength. “I woke up and just wanted to scream. I felt such an overwhelming sense of dread and pain, I couldn’t bear it.” She bit her lip and groaned.
“What is it?” Deke whispered.
“I have a feeling something bad is coming,” she whispered. “I don’t know what it is or who it is, but I can feel its coming and it is coming soon.”
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