“The club that took his girl were brutal. They took her as payment for something they accused Cade of doing. Killing one of theirs.”
“And had he?” Her voice is soft. She's feeling Hammer's pain right now.
“No. These pricks just wanted to make a name for themselves. By taking Cade's girl, they did that. She didn't deserve to die. She was a beautiful soul, loved by everyone around her. Everyone is suffering because of this, no one more than Cade. If we could find the cunt who did this to her, we'd end him ourselves. But he's gone without a trace.”
“There's always a trace... What's your name?”
“Will.” Fucking Will? Where did that come from?
Oh well, whatever. It doesn't matter now.
“No one disappears completely. Not to those who know how to search and find. Believe me, The Exorcist will find this man. Can you tell me how exactly he killed her?”
Hammer lifts his head and takes a deep breath. “He slit her throat live on camera so that I could see the woman I loved more than life itself die. I saw the fear in her eyes, mine were locked with hers through that camera. I watched the light go out of them. All I've wondered since the day she was taken from me is whether or not she believed I was searching for her. If she thought I'd just left her to their mercy.
“She was my world and I would have taken her place in a heartbeat. I searched from the moment I knew she was missing to the moment she died in front of my eyes. I just couldn't find her. Nothing we did to track the cunts who took her led us to finding her. We only got her body back because they dropped her off in the middle of the town we live in. They had no respect for her at all. They literally threw her body out of their truck and drove away. My beautiful girl...” Never heard this man sob before, but he does right now.
The little girl who still hasn't given us her name? She walks closer and wraps her arms around his neck. My eyes narrow, no one but Willow touches this man, he won't allow it. But this woman? He wraps his arms around her and holds her to him as he cries.
I'm fucking stumped.
I also know I will never tell another living soul about this. First off, Hammer would kill me. He'd literally hammer me into the ground. His name ain't Hammer for nothing. Secondly, the man just lost the woman he loves. We might be bikers but we can grieve just as hard as anyone else.
“I know how much this hurts right now,” She tells him while stroking the back of his head, her fingers in his long hair. “I can see and hear just how much you loved her. I know how much pain you're in right now because I can feel it. I'm so sorry you lost her, she sounded like a wonderful woman. And I promise you right now that The Exorcist will help you, I'll make sure of it.”
I hear him mumble, “Thank you,” before she pulls away from him.
Hammer wipes his eyes and keeps his head hanging down.
Little girl, who I'd say can't be a day over nineteen, turns to me, “Do you have the information you were asked to bring?”
I turn away from her, lift the lid on the box at the back of my bike, and pull out the A4 size envelope. Inside is everything The Exorcist needs to know about Cindy and what happened to her. Everything about the cunt who killed her, and a little about some of his friends, just in case.
I hand it to her. “Thank you.”
“How long will this take?”
“The Exorcist, once he has the information he needs, is quick. No more than two days. No matter where this man is The Exorcist will find him within a week tops. No more than that and all this will be over, Cade, I promise.”
“And just how is he going to find a man no one else can find?”
She smirks at me, which tells me everything. It's none of my business. “You were told how much this will cost you?” Hammer nods his head and slips the smaller envelope from the inside pocket of his jacket and hands it to her.
I place my hand over his before she has the chance to take it from him. “How the hell do we even know this is real? How do we know you are who you say you are and we can trust you?”
“You don't.” She shrugs. “The only thing you have is my word. Believe me, that's all you need. As soon as the job is done you'll get proof. Trust me, this prick is going to get what he deserves and so much more.”
What else can I do but trust her? Hammer has already pulled his hand away from mine and given her the money. She opens the envelope just enough to look inside. Once she's satisfied, she slips it into her inside pocket. “Take care of yourselves, Cade and Will.” She smirks. She knows those aren't our names and I doubt she cares what is.
“Will you be safe?”
She smiles at Hammer. He always was a sucker for making sure women were safe. “I'll be just fine. Go home to your families. Never forget your girl but don't live in the past either. Remember, she wouldn't want you to be alone forever.” She slips her glasses onto her face and walks away.
Hammer and I watch until she's no longer in sight. “You think we just made a massive mistake? That girl could have been anyone, someone who just walked off with thousands and thousands of dollars.”
“Don't worry so much, Ghost. She knew a little too much just to be some random looking to rob us. Anyway, there was something about her that had me trusting her. You know me, I trust no one but you guys.” True. “Her eyes were so kind. I felt it, Ghost, this will be over soon.”
I slap him on the back. “In that case, let's get the fuck outta here. It's time to go home.”
“Home.” I hear him mumble while climbing on his bike. Home to him right now is the clubhouse. Don't think he'll ever go back to the apartment he shared with Cindy. Poor bastard can't stand to be there without her.
I couldn't deal with the pain he's in right now if it was my own.
I couldn't handle watching the woman I loved die.
That's why I'll never fall in love.
I'll fuck who I want, when I want. It's safer that way.
Even if it can be a lonely life sometimes.
I just hope this doesn't backfire on us big time.
I think a week here is enough. I'm too close to being found out. If Ghost knows who I am, or thinks he does, then I haven't been as smart as I thought I'd been. I need to make plans to leave as soon as I can. I know I can't just leave without telling my father, I've only just found him. I'd hate to just disappear on him again. I think it might just break his heart.
It's not like Jett or Max will miss me, they haven't said two words directly to me since the day they found out who I was. My other siblings would miss me, Willow has told me enough times that she loves having me home.
I've tried so hard with Jett, but nothing I say or do gets a reaction out of him. Even at dinner with our father, Lynette, Willow, and the kids last night, he was an asshole.
I try not to let it get to me but it's hard. Max is just a kid, the fact he ignores me is nothing, he'll either get over it or he won't. But the fact I don't even know him means it doesn't hurt as much as it does with Jett. Little Sophie is talking to me a lot more now that she knows VJ and Willow are fine with me.
I really like Lynette, she's everything a mother and wife should be. She told me all about how she and my dad got together. How long she's loved him. Lynette has been my father’s old lady for the past thirteen years, his wife for just as long.
She's a little more than ten years younger than him and I see how much she loves him. But I have to wonder if he loves her the same way. After all, it's not like the men in my father’s chapter don't have many whores on the side. He might have said he doesn't cheat on her, but I have never known a biker who didn't. That's why I'd never date a biker. They're all assholes.
But maybe my dad is as true as he says. He sure does look at her like she's everything to him. And the way he holds her makes me wonder. I've never seen such tenderness between two people before. Butch was never tender with Celia.
My dad makes me believe that not all bikers are bad. But then I give my head a shake and remember that they're all criminals, killers,
drug pushers, monsters.
Then I think, maybe Tank could be the exception to the rule. He doesn't seem to be into drugs, yeah, he drinks, who doesn't? He probably fucks around, but most men do. He's a killer, or at least, he's killed before now. Maybe not in cold blood but out of necessity.
Okay, so dating him would be extreme. But I wouldn't mind him erasing some of the horrors stuck inside of my head. No point thinking about that though when the man can't stand to be near me.
Is there anyone that can?
Maybe it's a good thing. I mean my father did make it clear to everyone in his club that should they come near me, he'd end them. I wouldn't want anything to happen to Tank because of me. He's a good man, I see it in his eyes. And believe me, I'm good at weeding out the bad ones. I'm good at reading people. Hell, I've had enough practice.
I drag myself out of my bed in this tiny apartment I'm now renting thanks to my father while I'm here. He wouldn't allow me to stay in a hotel, and I didn't think it would be a good idea to stay at his place. I didn't want to take one of the boy's rooms from them. I don't think Max would've thanked me for that.
Anyway, the sound of knocking on the front door pulled me from my sleepy state.
Great, that's all I need at this hour, visitors. I'm tired, I've been training for hours. I know it's not late, but fuck, do people not know it's rude to call round at this hour?
I'm not stupid either, I know anybody could be on the other side of that door. I'm a little over cautious sometimes, but I find that's what's saved my life more than once.