I let him go, and he collapsed to the floor, holding his throat. I kicked him in his rubs, and he grunted in pain. Kneeling down, I grabbed his cut, yanking him up so his face was level with mine. “If you ever lay your fucking hands on her again, I’ll cut them off and make you eat them, do you understand me?”
I dropped him back to the floor. My mom stared at me with wide eyes. I knew I’d stepped into something that I’d never be able to turn away from. I’d lost my sister, had the woman I cared about brutally beaten and raped for the goddamn umpteenth time, her memory scarred, and now, I was turning my back on my family and the clubs. But until they got their shit together, I had to get the fuck out of here.
And I was taking Amelia with me.
“I’m fucking riding out today,” I announced, ignoring my mother trying to say something. “Until you all get your fucking heads back on straight, I’m gone. I’m taking Amelia with me. I won’t keep her around a place where she’s never going to be allowed to heal.”
Luke did something he’s never done to me before. He hugged me, clapping me on the back. “Take care of her, please, Cole. She needs to get far away from here, and I know you can protect her. Get her out as soon as possible.”
I nodded curtly and turned on my heel to walk out of the chapel, going to find Amelia.
8
We parked our bikes in front of a motel three hours away from the clubhouse. Amelia hadn’t hesitated in leaving with me. It was clear she wanted out of there badly. I didn’t know her real reasons, but if I had to guess, I’d say it was because she didn’t want to be around the place Heather used to walk around and where Heather practically lived at sometimes.
I slid off my bike and grabbed my bag off the back of it, walking to the office of the motel we’d stopped at. Amelia continued to sit on her bike. She hated the process of getting a room; I remembered that much from when we used to ride together.
Man, those were the days, I thought, smiling to myself.
Once I had the key to our room, I walked back outside, only to find Amelia arguing with a couple of guys who were wearing cuts of another club. My face twisted into a scowl. I didn’t like the thought of my girl being threatened.
“You tell your fucking president that I don’t have shit to do with that. For fuck’s sake, this is my first time being outside since near the beginning of the fucking week. I didn’t fucking blow up your goddamn warehouse!” she yelled, throwing her hands up in the air in frustration.
I stepped up behind her, placing my hand on her lower back. “Problem here, men?” I asked quietly, my tone holding a thousand promises of pain if they dared to touch her.
“Yeah, your girl here blew up our fucking warehouse,” one of the men snapped at me.
I looked at their cuts, noticing they read Reapers. I sighed in irritation. “Guys, do you even realize who the fuck you’re talking to and accusing? Jesus Christ, you’re accusing Amelia of the Black Skulls.”
The Reapers and the Black Skulls have had an alliance for years now, and I knew in the past, they had called on Amelia for help in retaliation since she wasn’t afraid to get caught up in bad shit. I guess her face was fucked up enough to the point they didn’t recognize her.
One of the men shined a flashlight on her face, and she cursed, knocking the light out of his hand. “Shit, girl. What happened to you?” the president asked, stepping forward and gripping her chin in his hand to examine her face.
I forced myself not to break his nose—or worse, his jaw. I didn’t want anyone touchingmyAmelia. He pulled her into the circle of his arms, and that was where I drew the line. I yanked her back to my side, glaring at him.
“Keep your fucking hands to yourself,” I warned him.
“Cole, chill out,” Amelia snapped, glaring up at me. I narrowed my eyes at her. “Kyle has done nothing but look out for me. When I ran off for space, I went to his club. He made sure I was looked after.”
I returned her glare. She wasn’t going to fool me easily. That fucker had the look of a man that had arealnice fucking feel of her before. “Oh, I’m sure he’s had you looked after,” I ground out through my clenched teeth. “I’m sure he’s fucked you, hasn’t he?”
“Actually, I have,” the president told me, a cocky smirk resting on his face.
I didn’t restrain myself that time. I slammed my fist into his face. Guns were drawn on me instantly, but I didn’t give a fuck. Who in the hell did he think he was to rub his fucking relations with Amelia in my fucking face? He deserved a hell of a lot more than a fucking broken nose!
“Cole!” Amelia shouted at me. “For fuck’s sake, what are you doing?!”
I grabbed her by the arm and glared at everyone pointing guns at me. “Put them down. If you shoot me, you’re starting a war with the Black Skulls and the Bloody Royals.”
“Fuck, you’rethatCole?” the Vice President asked.
I rolled my eyes.Could they be any dumber?
“You couldn’t tell by the cut?” I snapped at him. “You fuckers are stupider than I first fucking thought.”
I dragged Amelia away, and we went to our hotel room. Once we entered, I slammed the door closed behind me. Dropping my bag onto the floor, I stormed off toward the bathroom. I was so fucking pissed, and I couldn’t release that anger on Amelia like I normally did with other women.Fuck, she had to recover, I reminded myself.
I just needed a fucking shower.