It still haunts me, you know, the fact I almost lost Willow in the worst way. It was Cindy all over again. It took us days to find her. Needed Nova's help and expertise in order to do it. When we did, we stormed that damn place, guns firing, fists flying. Then I saw that cunt Crack's knife against her throat and I had to act fast.
I pulled my trigger. I thought I'd saved her, but I was wrong. That damn knife cut across her throat and I knew right then that I'd lost another woman I loved in exactly the same way as the last. I grabbed her throat and held on until the moment the doctor forced me away from her.
I thanked the Almighty that day.
Why?
Because through some miracle, he saved her. The second the Doc came out of that room and told us she was alive, I sank to my hunches against the wall with my head in my hands. Something took over me that day, a determination like I'd never known. Someone was looking out for all of us that day.
Seeing her right now, running past me in tears, something tears inside of me. Everyone's too engrossed in the damn party to even notice her. But from my quiet, dark corner, I see her.
I follow her to the balcony. I can hear her crying before I've even stepped outside. She's slumped forward on her knees, her head in her hands, her shoulders shaking as she cries.
What the hell has happened to upset her like this?
I crouch down beside her, trying hard not to notice how firm her ass looks in those tight jeans.
“Am I hideous, Hammer?”
I smile inwardly at the fact she knew it was me without even looking up.
“Why on this earth would you ask me something like that?”
“Everyone avoids me.” She says almost too quietly. “You avoid me.”
“Is that what this is about?” She shakes her head while looking up and out toward the trees beyond the clubhouse grounds. She brushes a strand of her dark hair away from her face and behind her ear. “Then what is it about, sweetheart?”
“Do you like Jordan, Hammer?”
“I think he's an asshole. But what I think about him doesn't count. Shepard is thinking of patching him soon.”
“That's what I thought.”
“Will, has he done something to hurt you?” She shakes her head erratically before clasping her hands over her face and crying into them. “Tell me the truth, right now,” I say as I clasp the back of her neck. Anger boils inside my gut. If he's hurt her, I'll kill him. Rules or no damn rules!
“Oh, Hammer,” She turns in my arms, her face toward my neck. I wrap my arms around her and close my eyes. It shouldn't feel this right to hold her. But it feels like fuckin' home to me. I can feel her breath on my neck, and it makes me shudder. “He's in there fucking one of those skank whores.”
“He's what?!” I practically bellow. Is that cunt really this stupid?!
“I couldn't tear my eyes away. Why would he do that to me, Hammer? Did he think so little of me because I couldn't sleep with him after what happened? I didn't mean...”
“Don't you dare,” I take her face in my hands. Big fucking mistake. Ah damn, there's that look I've been trying to avoid for the past year. The look that taps at my cold heart. “Don't you ever blame yourself for what he's done.”
“I don't. I just feel like...” She shakes her head and sighs. “I feel like I could have tried harder.”
I'm gonna kill that fucker. I'm gonna fucking kill him in the worst way... If Shepard doesn't first.
She looks up at the sky with her eyes closed and breathes deeply. Breathing the night air into her lungs. I can't help but notice the jagged scar across her neck. The scar she tries so hard to hide with fashionable scarfs. But with her head tipped back like this, it's peeking over the top.
“I'm sorry,” She says with a smile before pulling herself to her feet. “Didn't mean to bawl all over you.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for.” I drag myself up and stand. “I'll deal with Trace, Will. He won't get away with what he's done.”
“I don't want you to be hard on him. It's not his fault the way he is.”
“Why are you always sticking up for him, Will? Even after he's done this to you.”
“Because I know him better than anyone else does. Deep inside of him is a good man, Hammer.” I swear this girl has a screw loose! “We've been over for a long time. I don't know why we stayed together so long when we both knew it wouldn't work. We're better as friends. Yes, I'm angry that he cheated on me tonight when all he had to do was finish things before we came here. I would have been okay. You know?”
“I know that, sweetheart.” That stupid cunt is not getting away with this. I don't give a damn what Willow says. I don't care if they're no longer in love... Wait, they're no longer in love? Damn.
“Can you answer me something honestly?” I nod. “Is he good at what he does for this club? Does Trace deserve his full patch?”
I fold my arms across my chest. I can't lie to the girl and say Trace hasn't earned his bottom rocker because the man is dedicated to this club if nothing else. “Yes. On both accounts.”
“That's good. Can we keep this between us? I don't think it would be right for Shepard to know. He'd probably kill Jordan for cheating on me, but I don't want that. Like I said, he's not a bad man, just misguided.” She thinks too much of people. Too much of Trace. The cunt has no idea what he's just lost.
“Then what do you want, baby?”
“To go home and sink into a hot bath. I want to wash this whole day off my body. Jordan and I are done, and I need to figure out what to do next.” She smiles slightly. “Thanks for talking to me, I missed this.” I open my mouth to say something but she's gone before I can even breathe in.
I find the fucker drinking at the bar with Stryker. My blood is boiling on the hottest level. I don't give a damn about Shepard's rule about us not fighting amongst ourselves. I grab his cut, spin him around, and smack him square in the jaw, knocking him off his stool. “Get up!” I yell.
“What the hell, Serge?!”
I'm suddenly crowded, knew I would be, but it won't stop me kicking the shit outta this cunt. “Stupid fucker!” I kick him in the ribs with the steal end of my boot. “Stupid fuckin' cunt!”
“Calm the fuck down!” I pull against Tank and Ghost as they try to hold me back. “What the hell is going on, brother?” Tank hisses down my ear.
They can hold my fuckin' arms all they like, I've still got the use of my fuckin' feet. And I'll make damn good use of them, stamping that fuckers face in!
I didn't see the fuckin' fist flying at my face, but I damn sure felt it connect with my jaw. “You stupid fucker!” The Prez yells in my face. I can't seem to tear my eyes away from Trace. Stupid motherfucker!
“Look at me right now!” I grit my teeth together and turn to look at the Prez. His face is contorted in anger. Ah shit. I know better than to attack another brother like this without good cause. I have good cause but the Prez doesn't know that. “What the hell do you think you're doin'?”
“He asked for it!” I watch the stupid fucker pulling himself up against the bar while trying to hold his ribs at the same time. Don't think I broke any, just bruised 'em. Mores the pity.
“What the fuck am I supposed to have done?” He winces and knocks back the whiskey Tammy, our bartender Red's wife just handed him.
“Damn good question. Start talkin', boy.”
“How many daughters do you have, Prez?”
“Three. But what the fuck does this have to do with anythin'?”
“Three.” I nod while yanking my arms away from Tank and Ghost. “Two of them grown, right?” He nods with narrowed eyes and arms folded. “And if Tank or Trace did somethin' to hurt either of them, what would you do?”
“You better get to the damn point, and soon.” He hisses at me.
“I found Willow on the balcony cryin'. It seems she'd been watchin' this cunt fuckin' one of the club whores.” Dickheads eyes widen with both shock and fear, his face pale.
Did he h
onestly think he could fuck one of the whores in the damn clubhouse and no one would know? And at a goddamn party?!