Page 23 of Wrath

“I know it all seems crazy, but it’s where I come from. My father was a Dirty Soul and I went to the compound just over ten years ago to find him.” I start to explain and it intrigues Laura enough to drop all the tension from her shoulder and sit herself down. “When I got there I found out I had a brother, and now that brother has become president of the club.”

“Okay, so why not be honest, why change your name and lie about not having a family?” She still doesn’t seem convinced.

“Something happened, something I really don’t want to talk about. I ran away from it and I made a new start. I swear to you, I wanted to leave it all behind me. But, the other day when I was getting ready in that chapel, I realized that I was being sounfair. Not just to myself, but to your brother, and your family.” I feel the knot in my stomach start to loosen as I open up to her. “I’m not Katie Sullivan. My name is Eden and I’ve been through unimaginable pain. It’s time for me to face up to that.” Now it’s me who's staring out the window at the man who I’m undoubtedly still in love with.

“And do all the bikers look like him?” Laura asks, sipping on her iced tea and blushing when he grins at us both from the other side of the glass.

“No, Aaron’s different.”

“And I’m assuming he’s thesomethingthat happened?” She almost looks as if she feels sorry for me.

“Laura, he was just the start of it,” I admit, feeling that sharp splinter dig itself a little deeper into my heart.

“Where were ya, Raze called church before he left?” Ruckus looks confused when I return to the club. I’ve just followed Eden back from the coffee shop, and now I’m watching her talk to Alicia and Polly on the other side of the clubhouse.

“I promised Raze I’d watch her,” I explain, getting more and more frustrated by the fact she’s shutting me out. There’s a fuckin’ killer on the loose and she’s being too stubborn to let me protect her.

“Maybe you're bein’ a little too much?” Dev, who’s never been interested in a female for longer than it takes for him to empty his ball sack, tries giving his opinion, and it ain’t wanted.

“Tell that to me when the two of you find a girl to care about.”

Dev laughs at the suggestion and when I light myself another cigarette Ruck snatches it straight from my mouth.

“You should be cuttin’ down. You need those lungs to get you through four fuckin’ fights.” He slips it between his own lips and tokes back. I can tell from how he’s been acting that he thinks me going into this is a bad idea, but like I said, I don’t expect him to understand. The members of this club have had it drummed into their heads that women are bad news. They see them as aweakness, and the way I’m feeling right now is making it hard for me to argue.

I look around the room and wonder if one of my brothers could be the person responsible for killing those girls and the thought makes my skin crawl.

“I got a lot on my mind,” I admit to Ruckus, lighting myself another.

“Raze spoke to the cops before he left and they don’t seem to be suspectin’ the club, they know the bar where they found that girl hasn’t been open for years, and you’d have to be a pretty shit killer to dump a body on your own doorstep.” Ruckus knocks back his beer.

“Raze told ya about that?” I frown.

“‘Course he did, called us into church before he left and broke the news, I’m guessin’ he wanted to read everyone's faces. You know the killer could be among us?” Ruckus’s eyes cross the room toward Saint.

“Not a chance.” I shake my head. I may not have known Saint for long, but he’s a good guy.

“Saint, no, but I’d question that creepy, little alter-ego of his. We’ve all seen what he’s capable of.”

“Nah, everythin’ about this is pointin’ toward Cliff,” I toke back hard on my cigarette, and this time it’s Dev that takes it outta my hand.

“Ruckus is right, you need to focus on the fight,” he growls at me.

“Yeah, well, the only way that's gonna happen is if someone starts playin’ ball.” I get up from my stool and make my way over to where Eden and the girls are. “Can I get a word?” I interrupt them from giggling, and when Eden turns around she’s already got that sassy look on her face that tells me she’s gonna try and make this hard.

“Sure.” She looks me up and down expectantly.

“In private.” I gesture my eyes toward the door that leads outside, suddenly it feels real stuffy in here, and the last thing I want is to be made a fool out of in front of my club brothers…again.

“Fine.” Her eyes roll as she struts past me, out the door, and I ignore the grins on Dev and Ruckus’s faces as I follow her out.

“Aaron, before you start–”

“You keep callin’ me Aaron, and that's not who I am anymore,” I snap, hoping to gain some control over this situation. “I’m Wrath, I’m VP of this club and I’m tellin’ ya that you're comin’ home with me tonight.” I watch the way she blinks back at me in shock and have to try real hard not to give in and kiss her again.

“I promised Peyton I’d take care of the bird.” She smiles cleverly.

“Screw the fuckin’ bird. I’ll have Polly deal with it. I ain’t takin’ no for an answer.”

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