I woke up early and took a hot shower, then got dressed. I was eager to see if Trevor had a change of heart, so I skipped my morning coffee and ran straight out to the parking lot. I was about to get on my bike when Axel and Shotgun ran out the back door and over to me. As soon as they approached, Axel asked, “You headed to the prison?”
“I am.”
“Thought so.” They started getting on their bikes as Axel added, “We’re going with.”
“Not necessary. You can’t go in anyway.”
“We know,” Shotgun replied. “Going just the same.”
“Suit yourself.”
I started up my bike, and with Shotgun and Axel following close behind, we drove through the club’s gate and out to the main road. I’d like to say that having them ride along with me helped ease my mind about Trevor, but unfortunately, it didn’t.
I knew he’d be a fucking pain in my ass, and I just wanted to get this over with—once and for all.
When we arrived at the prison, Axel and Shotgun waited outside while I went in to see Trevor. Ronnie had done like I’d asked and put me on the visitors list, so I had no trouble making it through security. I walked over to the table and sat down, then waited for the guard to bring in Trevor.
It felt like I’d been sitting there for an eternity when Trevor finally came shuffling into the room. With his black, swollen eyes, busted lips, and bruised face, he was barely recognizable. His gait was off as he walked over to me, leaving no doubt that he’d had himself quite a night with the club’s allies.
I thought a night like that would’ve been enough to rattle him, but the determined look from the day before remained in his beat-up eyes as he sat down at the table in front of me. Knowing that the room was full of guards and other visitors, he kept his voice low as he snarled, “Back again I see.”
“I’m a man of my word.”
“And last night, that was you keeping your word.”
“Not sure what you mean,” I lied.
“You know damn well what I mean, but I got news for you ...” He leaned forward as he growled, “Having my ass kicked isn’t going to make me stay away from Cat and Becca. If anything, it only makes me want to fuck with them even more. So, call ’em up. Tell ’em to come at me again and just see what happens.”
“I knew you were fucking stupid, but I didn’t think you were that fucking stupid.”
“Not stupid. I’m just not a fucking pussy who’s willing to roll over because some motherfucker had my ass kicked.”
I was done dealing with this asshole, so I stood, looked down at him, and asked, “So, you’ve made your choice?”
“Told you yesterday I wasn’t going anywhere, and I fucking meant it.”
“We’ll see about that.”
“What the fuck’s that supposed to mean?”
I didn’t respond.
I simply looked over to Ronnie and gave him the nod. There was no need for an explanation. He knew what to do.
I walked out of the prison and didn’t look back. I had no regrets about what I’d done. Like they say, we are the choices we make. I’d given Trevor the option to walk away, and he didn’t take it. Soon, he’d be nothing more than a distant memory. As far as I was concerned, that shit was on him.
And I’d chosen to take care of what’s mine.
A choice I wouldn’t hesitate to make again.
16
REBECCA
“This is Thatch’s house?” Cat asked as she got out of the car. “It’s so big.”
“Yeah, it is.”
I looked down at my phone and doubled-checked the address, and sure enough, the enormous house in front of us was the right place. I followed Cat up to the front door, feeling a little apprehensive as I reached up and knocked. I wasn’t expecting him to have such a lavish home, and I couldn’t help but wonder what else I didn’t know about him.
He opened the door, and a warm smile crossed his face. “Hey there, ladies.”
“Hey.” I looked down at Cat as I said, “Someone is really excited about seeing your place.”
“Great.” He stepped back and motioned us inside. “Come on in and check it out.”
Cat didn’t have to be asked twice. She bolted inside and started looking through the various rooms. I, on the other hand, took my time and soaked in every detail as I stepped through the front door and into the foyer. The outside was beautiful, especially for a lake home, but the inside was simply unbelievable.
There were cedar beams throughout and natural tones to all the décor, making it feel cozy and inviting. The furniture and artwork were all very nice, but it was the view that made the place truly spectacular. “Thatch, your house is beautiful.”