Page 16 of Centering Kaos

Going back to him wasn’t an option.

“Tina?”

I tried to answer, but all I could do was sob.

“Ohmigod, what happened?” Emily asked. “Is he there? Are you safe?”

“I’m… he called. He knows where I am. He’s coming. He’s going to kill me.”

Elenore’s arm around my waist tensed, then squeezed, offering me her silent support. Resting her head on my shoulder, she covertly listened in on the conversation. Her presence was a comfort, and I let her be nosy and didn’t pull away.

“No, he’s not. We have resources. Just a sec.” She spoke with someone in the background, but I couldn’t make out their words. “My husband says there’s room for you and Dylan at his club.”

“His club?”

“His motorcycle club. It’s in an old fire station and—”

“I can’t take Dylan to a motorcycle club.” I’d watched one episode ofSons of Anarchy, and that had been all the evidence I’d needed that kids didn’t belong in those kinds of clubs. Agitated by the idea, by the whole situation, really, I stepped out of my sister’s embrace and sat at the kitchen table.

“I can pick them up,” a deep voice said in the background. It sounded like Kaos. “I have plenty of room at my house and my security system is top of the line. They’ll be safe there.”

“Kaos has a huge house,” Emily said. “And he’s offering to let you stay with him.”

“I… I can’t.” I didn’t even know Kaos. He seemed nice, but so had Matt, and look how that had turned out. My sister was watching me, her brow furrowed in worry as she tried to keep listening in. She was generous and amazing, and I didn’t want to put her in danger by staying. I couldn’t risk her.

“You can trust Kaos,” Emily insisted. “He is a good guy, and he’ll take care of you and Dylan. I know you’re afraid, but I promised not to lie to you, Tina. That promise still stands. You are my client to protect and I wouldn’t do anything to put you or your son at risk. Kaos has been vetted. I can send you his background check and his training certificates. He wants to help, and he’s financially in a place where he can. Let him. Please let us help you. You have options. You are not alone. Please don’t go back to that man. I don’t think you will survive, and I don’t want that on my conscience.”

She sounded almost as desperate as I felt. It opened my eyes to the problem I’d created by going to her. Emily was in my corner. If I went back to Matt now, I’d not only be endangering myself, but I’d be spitting in the face of all she and Naomi had done for me. I finally had people who cared whether I survived, and I didn’t want to disappoint them.

My head suddenly felt too heavy to hold upright. I rested my forehead on the table and replied, “Okay. I’ll get us packed. How soon can he be here?”

6

Kaos

IT WAS A weekend and the fire station was active. When I arrived after serving the divorce papers to Matt, the common area was full of brothers, ol’ ladies, and club girls. The pool tables and dart boards were packed, and Shari was pouring drinks behind the bar. She held one up for me, but I shook my head. The job wasn’t done quite yet, but I had every intention of taking her up on that drink once it was. I slipped into Link’s office and handed off the signed receipt to Emily.

“How’d he take it?” she asked, her expression worried. She had their toddler, Jameson, on her hip, and was bouncing to keep him moving and content as Link worked at his desk.

I told them about how Matt had tried to win me over to his side, insulted me, and then backed down.

“Son-of-a-bitch sounds nuttier than squirrel shit,” Link said, closing his laptop and looking to his wife. “You sure she’s safe with her sister?”

Emily frowned and plucked her cell phone from the top of his desk. She made a call, and as soon as she started talking, I knew something was wrong. Link could tell, too. He offered up the club as a haven, but Tina and Dylan needed someplace a little more stable.

“I can pick them up,” I said without giving it a second thought. “I have plenty of room at my house and my security system is top of the line. They’ll be safe there.” My house made sense. It was the logical place to stash them. But more than that, I wanted them there. They’d had a rough shake of things, and I wanted the opportunity to make their lives a little easier.

Besides, Dylan would dig my house, and I kind of liked the idea of finally impressing that little punk.

Tina took some convincing, but while Emily talked, Link assembled a team. By the time the phone call ended, the office was full of brothers chomping at the bit and ready to do his bidding. This was my first time being included in a club op, and watching our president’s Special Forces experience in action was pretty fucking impressive.

“Listen up,” Link commanded. Everyone crammed into the space stopped what they were doing and focused on him. “The ladies have a case, and they need our help.” He deferred to Emily.

She nodded her thanks and quickly filled us in on the phone call.

When she finished, Link cleared his throat and added, “So we need to get Tina and Dylan out of there before Matt shows up. This asshole has beat the shit out of his wife twice. It won’t happen again. Not on our watch.”

“Fuck no, it won’t,” Havoc added. The club’s sergeant-at-arms was a big black man whom nobody fucked with. Projecting menace, he folded his arms across his chest and asked, “What do you need, Prez?”

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