Page 19 of Out for Blood

I tried to argue, knowing what could happen if Neal were to find them at the clubhouse, but he held his hand up. He was right though, I knew he was. The club was the only damn place we would be safe from Neal. “Sheridan, they are your fucking daughters. They need to be safe. We can find somewhere for you guys to go, away from this shithole and away from him. I don’t give a fuck who he is. If Ace found out, he’d raze this entire town for you and you know it.”

“You can’t tell him,” I felt suddenly scared that he would barge in here and lay waste to Neal’s empire. I hadn’t told him how bad this town had gotten on purpose, because I knew he had the heart to make it better. “Please, he has to stay away from this.”

Casey nodded. “Okay, but when he’s back, he’s going to find out. You have a few weeks before that happens, okay?”

“He’s gone?”

“He’s on a run, Sher. He’ll be back in a few weeks, but the club is yours. You know that. We have you and your girls’ backs. We are your fucking family and always have been. You should have called us, even when this fucking started. Now, get up, or I’ll carry you down the stairs and throw you in my truck.”

“Not your bike?”

“When your kid called me, I heard the panic in her voice. I knew it was definitely a truck kind of job.”

I was weary, the energy waning from my body as I tried to pull myself up. Casey lifted me with ease and helped me.

“Where’s your shit?”

“At my house,” I told him. “This is his house.”

Casey nodded. “Okay, I’ll have the bunnies go over and grab your shit while we get you set up.”

“He’ll find me at the clubhouse,” I told him. “I can’t let anything happen to that place.”

“He’s not going to succeed in whatever you think he's capable of,” he told me. But he didn’t know how deep his empire ran. How far he’d really fallen, his ties to corruption never ceased to amaze me. He had used his position to elevate himself, making sure he could live the high life, and fuck anyone who dared to oppose him. I didn’t want the club to feel his wrath.

I knew there was no way out, but to fight him, I needed my strength.

“He’s not going to find you,” he said. “Or them.”

I nodded and let him help me down the stairs where the girls were waiting. I was expecting the door to be kicked in and us dragged back up the stairs, but nothing happened. Neal was gone.

Casey led me to the truck, and helped the girls get in before he put me in the passenger seat. We took off toward the compound as I felt the tears pour down my cheeks. Even though I didn’t want him to see me this way, I also wanted him to be there so I could run into his arms and feel safe.

I needed Cooper.

Casey opened the door to a small cottage-type dwelling behind the clubhouse and far enough away that we would have a good chance to escape into the woods if anything were to happen.Casey had put his truck around the back of the cottage and given me the keys. If we needed to flee, we were told to take it.

He showed the girls how to work the TV and told me he would fill the fridge tomorrow.

“I’ll have Shona come down and feed you guys in a bit,” he said, running his hand over his short hair. I nodded. Shona was one of the old ladies who had been married to one of the former club members who had passed away. They still looked after her, and kept her safe. I liked her a lot.

“Where are you going to stay?” I asked him. “This is your home.”

He shook his head. “Don’t worry about that. I have a room up in the clubhouse. Just call me if you need anything and I’ll come running.”

I nodded. I felt safe here. I always felt safe with Casey or Cooper around.

The girls were watching TV as I walked Casey out onto the deck of his cottage and closed the door behind us.

“Why won’t you look at me?” I asked him, putting my hand on his arm. He didn’t move away, but he also didn’t make a move to look at me.

“I can’t.”

“Why?”

“Because I failed you. You didn’t come to me to protect you, you felt like you had to put up with this shit. I can’t look at those bruises and be okay with sitting at the clubhouse and not hunting down the fucker who did that to you.”

I moved in front of him, forcing him to look at me. “Promise me, Casey Byrne.”

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