Page 32 of Falling Hard

“Heading outta town to pick up some new bike parts,” Maiden added. “Wanna come for a drive, sweetheart?”

Dad didn’t jump down Maiden’s throat hearing Maiden call me sweetheart. No, instead, he seemed fine with it, which made me raise an eyebrow at the two of them, confusion written all over my face.

Before I could respond, Dad spoke up. “She’s goin’, and that’s settled. I’ve got a call to make. Look after her, Maiden.”

I couldn’t believe it had gone down that smoothly, especially after Grit discovered Maiden and I barely dressed last week. Not to mention, I was positive he saw us walking out of the garage with me wearing Maiden’s top because mine was ruined.

Maiden watched Dad leave, slowly moving toward me, and when Dad was gone, his hands went to my hips.

“You need anything, or can we head out?” His lips went to my ear, and he kissed my cheek as he gripped my hips and pulled me in. “About last night, you…” He inhaled sharply, then shook his head and changed his tone. “You’re mine now, Emmie”—his lips went back to my ear—“in the fuckin’ bedroom and out of it.”

Our gazes locked, and I knew it took a lot for him to say that considering his history.

The thing most people didn’t know about Maiden was he was involved with a lot of street gangs before he was traded to the MC for a debt. The tattoos over his body openly showed his street gang life, and their symbol was tattooed next to his right eye.

He didn’t hide his history, but I recalled a story Dad told me about him when I was younger, and Maiden first came to the club. Dad told me to keep my distance from him because he had experienced mental health issues with his girlfriend who, in the end, took her life.

Maiden had kept his distance from me, but then one day, he just started talking to me and told me not to hide from him. Since then, we’ve had an honest and trustworthy friendship. As he softly kissed my lips, I wondered if perhaps it was going to be more than a friendship since he was now calling me his.

My stomach bubbled with nerves.

* * *

Looking out the window,I stared into the man’s eyes. The eyes that never left me alone and were always around when I least expected it, but they’d never been in daylight. I didn’t think I’d ever held a conversation with him, but with him keeping half his face hidden, I couldn’t be sure.

Why me? Why did I have to not only hear voices but now see things? I would have to bring it up with my psychiatrist at the next visit. I wouldn’t accept I was now seeing hallucinations.

I hadn’t spoken with Dad since our…confrontation. So I was hovering at his office door now, away from the man’s eyes. The door was cracked open slightly, which had me confused. Dad never forgot to make sure the door was shut. He didn't want people hearing things they shouldn’t hear, which caused my steps to falter then stop completely when I heard my name mentioned. I was surprised hearing Maiden’s voice as well, not understanding why the two of them would be talking about me.

Unless… Fuck! Was Maiden telling him about us?

“Thanks for looking after Emmie. I know it isn’t easy on you to be around her,” Dad said.

“Gotta do what has to be done, Prez. You gave me a job, and I did it. Now it’s done,” Maiden replied.

Tears sprang to my eyes.

“Didn’t trust another member to look after her. Sorry, you had to spend so much time while we tracked the bastard down. Grit and Lynx caught the stalker with Libby, but he got away again.”

“Does Emmie have a clue that it’s real?” Maiden asked.

“No, and I don’t want to alarm her until we catch the bastard,” Dad replied.

I slapped my hand over my mouth, muffling the gasp that threatened to escape my lips.

“It will spark her, Maiden. If she knows this man is stalking her, it will send her off. We can’t have that.”

“So letting her walk around thinking she sees shit is better?” Maiden didn’t contain the anger in his tone. “I can’t keep lying to her and forcing myself to spend time with her.”

My eyes clenched shut as silent tears ran down my cheeks. His words,forcing myself to spend time with her,repeated in my mind.

What did you expect, Emmeline? He hates you just like everyone. No one loves you. No one needs you. No one will notice if you leave. Leave, Emmeline, leave everyone. They want you gone. You are nothing but a burden. They all lie to you.

The voices got louder, crippling me as I gripped the wall. I couldn’t fucking move they were so loud. The tears got heavier, and slowly, I found my feet moving, but it wasn’t back to my bedroom or to confront my father for lying to me. No. I was doing what they, the voices, wanted.

I was leaving. It was time to leave. They were right. I was nothing but a burden. So I walked, numbed by the creeping psychosis I was entering and the mental torture I was currently under, which destroyed my connection with reality. My psychosis heightened, and when I walked outside, my connection to reality completely disconnected, and I gave up fighting them. I let them take control and finally acted on what they were telling me.

* * *

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