Page 23 of Out for Blood

She’d spoken to Shona who moved toward her with a cardboard box full of food. “Take this honey, and tell Hawk to get his ass back here.”

The redhead nodded, taking one last look at me with a gentle smile, and left through the door she came through. I couldn’t stop seeing Sheridan in her features. How hadn’t I seen that the day we’d found them here?

Shona turned to me, her hands out to calm me down.

“Oh this is going to be good,” Bear said, taking a seat on the stools and waiting. I felt my blood pressure shoot through me, and my fists were balling. I hated it when people didn’t fucking tell me when shit was going down.

“Listen, Ace, you know we wouldn’t keep anything from you. Hawk was trying to sort this out but a couple of nights ago, we couldn’t keep them at bay anymore.”

“Who?” I ground out.

Hawk appeared at the door, his usual shit-eating grin far from his expression as he dismissed Shona. I looked over at my best friend since we were kids, and he’d never fucked up this bad before.

“Why the fuck is Sheridan’s kid here, and why the fuck is my clubhouse shot to shit?”

“Sit,” he said.

“Did you just give me an order?”

“Please?” he offered. I took a deep breath and found a lounge to sit in that hadn’t been ripped up or shot at. He sat opposite me but he was on edge.

“Out with it.”

“The day you left, I got a call from Sheridan’s kid. She was terrified, and asked me for help. I came over and found Sheridan in a bad way. She begged me not to say anything, scared of her ex-husband. Turns out he’s a pretty powerful guy in town. We’ve been hiding them for almost two weeks. He threatened her kids, man. Promised them to his friends for fun. His own fucking kids.”

I could feel the anger mounting, the idea of my woman being hurt by someone, anyone just made me murderous. I waited, knowing I was about to go shoot up the fucking town, but I needed to hear it all first.

“She asked me not to tell you, she didn’t want you to raze this fucking town. We both knew you would do that if you found her like that. It’s a good thing you stayed away until her face healed.”

I felt my body lift out of the chair without thinking about it.

“Her face healed?” I asked. “Are you fucking serious? Where’s your loyalty?”

“Loyalty?” he asked. “I have loyalty and you fucking know that, Ace. I also have loyalty to my friends, and she was one of the first. She asked for my help, and I offered it. Just like you would have done. I know you want to go and kill the fucker but he’s untouchable, trust me.”

“No one is untouchable.”

“He’s the chief of the police here,” Hawk said. “But he’s corrupt as fuck, so is his entire department. We’re sitting ducks here. I need to send them away to be safe.”

I nodded. “Do it.”

Hawk stood, his hand on my shoulder. “Go and see her. She is in my cottage. I’ll keep the girls entertained.”

I hesitated as he moved out of the clubhouse and down to the cottage. I took a few deep breaths, looking over at Bear who had a knowing grin on his face.

“Fuck off and do something,” I ordered. He turned and got off the stool, heading down the hall to find something to do. I moved out of the back door and down the path to Hawk’s cottage. He had the girls in his truck and was heading out of the compound when I found my way on the doorstep.

My hands shook.

She’d been hurt and I wasn’t here to protect her. I shouldn’t be here now. I should be fucking up her ex, making him see no one touched my girl.

Opening the door, I looked inside and saw a bunch of school books on the table, and girly products throughout the living area. Hawk must have been hating this.

Sheridan emerged from the bedroom, her eyes searching mine to see what I was thinking. I could see the line over her bottom lip where she’d had a cut. I knew what that felt like, I’d have a cut lip a time or two. Always from a punch to the face.

I closed the distance between us, taking her face in my hands, running my thumb over the line there.

“Why didn’t you call me?” I asked her, my voice deeper than normal. She crumpled into my arms, and I pulled her into me. Her sobs hit me hard in the chest as she grabbed onto the sides of my leather cut and held me close. I could feel my rage building as I held onto her as she fell apart. He’d hurt her. How could he have Sheridan and do anything to hurt her?

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