Page 92 of Wife Number One

But he didn’t say a word.

Queenie’s gaze slid to mine. “You’re her mother. I know you don’t feel like it right now, but you are, and she needs you.”

She turned and moved down the hall, shutting the two of them into her bedroom once more. The door shut with a soft snick, but I flinched as if she’d slammed it in my face.

I couldn’t get up. The entire room had gone quiet, all eyes watching us, but I couldn’t bring myself to stand. I had nothing left in me to propel me to my feet.

All I had was sadness, grief, and pure fear.

This wasn’t the life I’d wanted. But I couldn’t even imagine one that included happiness. Not with Alice’s body lying cold in the morgue. Not with Josiah out there somewhere, just lurking in the shadows, waiting for his time to bring me home.

Not with Hayley Jade not talking and so scared of me she preferred anyone else.

“Get up,” Hawk said quietly.

I couldn’t. My body was entirely boneless, my muscles all refusing to work.

“Get up, Kara,” he said again. He reached down and lifted my chin so I was forced to look into his green eyes.

I knew he was right. I couldn’t just sit there on the floor. I pushed to my feet, but he still towered over me from his six-foot-plus vantage point.

He picked up his shopping, his eyes flaming. “Come with me.”

I didn’t dare disobey or complain. I’d already disrespected him so badly by yelling at him in front of his entire clubhouse. I followed him out into early evening, the sun slipping beneath the horizon but the last light rays of the day giving us enough to see the path through the trees.

I walked with my head down, not bothering to place my feet as carefully on the uneven path as I would normally because what did it even matter if I twisted my ankle and fell? I deserved whatever pain and punishment came my way.

I followed him to a cabin in the woods and straight up the stairs, not questioning why he’d brought me here.

That wasn’t my place.

Only knowing that I’d spoken out of turn. That I’d yelled at him in front of everyone and I would now be punished for the disrespect I’d shown him.

He might not have been my husband, but he was the vice president of this club. He demanded respect, and while I lived here, I owed him that. I knew my place.

He opened the door, dumping the bags by the couch, and I followed him inside.

He whirled on me the second I closed the door behind me. “What the fuck was all of that?”

I didn’t say anything. Trying to explain myself only ever made Josiah angrier. It was better to just be quiet.

Quiet as the church mouse Hawk had said I was.

His body was tense with anger. “Kara, I would never hurt a kid! Or let anyone else hurt her! What kind of fucking monster do you think I am?”

A tremble ran down my spine at his harsh, sharp words.

He paced up and down the cabin, running his hands through the short lengths of his hair. He stopped abruptly. “Look, Queenie told me not to take her. But fuck, she was smiling and happy and she wanted to come. You were sleeping. I told Queenie to tell you where she was when you woke up so you wouldn’t worry. Maybe it was a bad idea. But she held my hand the entire fucking time we were out. She was safe, Kara. If Josiah had tried anything I would have taken him to his grave before he could lay a finger on her.”

I’d insulted him. That much was clear. Questioned his manhood. His ability to protect his flock. Josiah would have never stood for that sort of behavior. I didn’t blame Hawk for not accepting it either.

“Are you seriously just going to say nothing?” he asked.

“I’m sorry,” I mumbled.

He stared at me, anger flickering behind his eyes. “Why the hell are you sorry?”

One night at dinner I’d questioned Josiah when he’d said that Hayley Jade would need to get her ears pierced because one day her husband would want her to be pretty.

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