Page 11 of Big Red

When they release her, they say a quick good morning to Viper and me before running off to their rooms.

“Is it okay if I take them later tonight?” Cara asks me.

“I don’t have a problem with that. Are you sure, though?”

Cara nods and stands to her feet. “I’ll be back later to pick them up. I need to go home and shower.”

Viper stands to follow Cara, but before they can leave, her phone rings. Cara looks down at the phone in confusion before answering.

“Hello. Alice? Where are you?” she asks in a panic. Her eyes are wide, and she’s looking between Viper and me. “I’m on my way. Stay on the line.”

“Cara, what’s going on?”

“That’s Alice. The woman I helped last night. I gave her my card and told her to call when she was ready to get out. Looks like it happened a lot faster than I thought it would.”

“Cara, you are not getting involved in this. You just spent a night in jail from being tangled up in this mess,” Viper hisses.

Cara's eyes turn thunderous. “Sara and I made her a promise, and I won't break it for you or anyone else. She needs help. Her husband and his brother just beat the living shit out of herbecause they had to release me. She’s hurt, and I won't leave her just because things can get messy.”

“Fuck,” he growls. He snatches Cara's phone and puts it to his ear. “Alice, is your husband around?” He pauses for a few moments. “It's fine. We’ll be there soon.” He hands the phone to Cara and looks my way.

“Get dressed, brother. It’s time to ride.”

Chapter Five

ALICE

Declan was still ranting about Cara when we arrived home from the hospital. He was talking recklessly. He kept saying how he was going to make sure she got what was coming to her. I don’t know if the fact that she’s part of the MC slipped his mind, but surely he didn’t think that if he went after her, the MC wouldn’t do anything about it.

Inside, I’ve been cheering at the small victory of watching Declan be put in his place by a woman. He’s always seemed unstoppable to me, but seeing him with this cast on his arm while sulking has sparked a level of courage in me I thought died a long time ago.

After I got him settled in the living room, he ordered me to the kitchen to make him breakfast.

We had just gotten through eating when Vincent came storming inside like a dark cloud. He was furious, and his sights were set on me. I gulped while trying to calm my fast-beating heart.

“Is it done?” Declan asks him.

“No,” Vincents grits out. His eyes haven’t left me. I look away, unable to meet his hard stare anymore.

“What do you mean no?” Declan barks.

“I had to let the bitch go.”

“Had to let her go?!” Declan booms. “She broke my fuckin arm. What the hell do you mean you had to let her go!”

Vincent begins to pace while pulling at his hair. “The parking lot had cameras. I had no choice. Michael said if I didn’t release her, he would make sure the video was plastered all over the news! You were seen choking your wife, and then you pulled a gun on two women. That would be the end of my career and yours. We had a plan. Why the hell did you break it?!”

Declan stands from his seat, jaw locked tight as he stares me down, too. “Because of her. I went to the bathroom, and when I came back, she had a goddam faggot at our table. I lost it!”

Vincent takes a step toward me. “You never do as you’re told, and now you cost usmonthsof planning. This is all your fuckin’ fault.”

Before I can open my mouth and try to talk my way out of the inevitable, Declan backhands me with his good arm. The blow is hard enough to send me to the ground.

The moment I hit the floor, Vincent sends a kick to my stomach. I curl myself into a ball. I shield my ribs and face as best as I can while they take turns taking their frustrations out on me.

I learned a long time ago broken ribs are a son of a bitch, and they take forever to heal.

The ball I’ve curled into leaves my body open for attack. Declan kicks me repeatedly in the back while Vincent swings at anything he can. Declan's kicks almost make me unravel, but I know if I do, the injuries they will give me will be much more than a hurt back.

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