“Oh, honey,” her mother said.
“I can’t … I’m really sorry.” This came from her sister.
She looked up as they were about to hug her, but she pulled away. The nasty things they’d said. What they’d done. Right now, she couldn’t allow herself to let go with them. It wasn’t so easy to forgive and forget.
“I’m really hungry,” she said.
Pulling away from Dog, she glanced around the room and nodded her head. “I’m glad we’re all safe and that Grass can’t hurt anyone anymore.” She had nothing more to say. Being the center of attention wasn’t in her nature.
Escaping to the confines of the kitchen was her only option. Dog followed behind her. She went straight to the fridge. He wrapped his arms around her waist.
“Talk to me,” he said.
“I’ve got nothing to say at the moment. Do you want something sweet or savory for breakfast?”
“Sable, I can feel how shaken you are. Talk to me.”
“I’ll be fine. It’s nothing really.” She pulled out some ingredients to cook them both a big breakfast. She hoped by the time it was actually served up on a plate, she’d have her appetite back. Dog let her go to put the items on the counter. Without his touch, she didn’t feel grounded. She felt close to drowning with no way out. This was a nightmare. The club was her family but right now, she felt like an imposter. An outsider.
Tears filled her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away. There was no way she’d cry. Not now. Not ever again.
“Look, there was a time I’d have walked away and said, if you’re fine, that means you’re fine. I’ve got nothing to worry about. I know you. I know there is nothing fine about you. Talk to me. Tell me what the problem is.”
She sighed, licking her lips as her mouth went dry. “I … I don’t really know. With everything going on, I don’t feel like I belong here anymore. The things they said—”
“They only said them because they thought—”
“I know what they thought, Dog.” She put a hand on his arm to stop him. “What bothers me is they didn’t even doubt my loyalty. They … believed it. I’ve never given any of you cause to believe that I wasn’t one hundred percent invested in this patch. I am. Club whore or not, this is my family and they were able to believe me so weak.” This time she let the tears fall. Her pain so acute.
“Right now, it hurts. I don’t want to hug my mom or sister. I don’t want to talk to people. It’s easy with you because you knew the truth but, really, you thought I was with every single guy.” She looked down on the ground. “Everyone always assumes the worst of me, and right now, I just, I need some time.”
“Would you like me to leave you alone?”
“No. I’d like for us to have the day together. Where it’s just me and you. None of this other crap, if that’s okay? Fake smiling isn’t my thing.”
He smiled but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. She wondered if she’d messed up, talking so openly about her pain.
“I want you to know that you can come to me about anything,” he said.
“I know.” She pressed her head to his shoulder, taking the comfort and peace his strength always gave her. “Let’s get something to eat.”
Chapter Nine
Dog thought after the first few days back home, Sable would be able to settle back in. It still hadn’t happened. She was acting like a pariah, not speaking to anyone and keeping to herself. He couldn’t say he blamed her, but it still wasn’t healthy.
He’d just gotten out of a meeting with Forge and a few of the higher ranks when Honey crossed his path in the yard. He really hated the bitch after what she’d put Sable through.
“Want some company tonight, Dog?”
Dog had never slept with her and had no intention of starting now. He knew he needed to make his relationship with Sable public. He’d talk to Forge about it this week. Sable was the only woman he wanted as his old lady. Soon everyone would know.
“I’m on my way to see your sister.” He attempted to walk around her, but she held on to his arm.
“Sable?”
“Yeah, that’s your sister’s name.” He tugged his arm free.
“Why you want to be with her, anyway? She’s not one of us. She liked being a civilian. I saw it in her eyes. You think she didn’t fuck the cop?”
He gritted his teeth. Sable was right. Her family would never love her how she deserved. “Did you hear what Forge said when she came home? It was all a fucking act. At Forge’s request. She did nothing wrong.”
“We all know the real story.”
“And what’s that?” He wanted to wrap his hands around her neck and steal the life right out of her.