Page 117 of Stella
“Okay,” I breathe, stepping back into his space.
“You’re not goin’ anywhere,” Cash says to me. “This club is on lockdown, and I’ve gotta figure out what the fuck I’m gonna do about bein’ framed for a murder I didn’t commit before I do anythin’ else.”
He glances at Cale — who didn’t have to share that vital piece of information — and something passes between them. An impasse? Maybe.
I frown. “I’m no longer a prospect, Cash. So I don’t belong to this club anymore.” I start to remove my cut, but Cash moves toward me.
“You’re temporarily reinstated, and I’m still in charge here. You’re a part of this club whether you like it or not,” he says. “Taking that cut off doesn’t change anything.”
“What if I quit?” I challenge.
He piques a brow. “I wouldn’t test me.”
“Cash.” Deanna places a hand on his arm. “We need to just take it down a notch, babe. Tempers are running high, it’s been a big day for revelations. We need to talk this through together.”
Cash doesn’t look at her like she should keep her mouth shut like some asshole presidents would, instead, he brushes a knuckle over her cheek. “You don’t need to be worryin’ about this.”
“Cash, Cale just said you’re being framed for murder, how am I not supposed to worry?”
“We’re one step ahead now, and that’s not gonna happen,” he says.
“But they are going to come for you,” Deanna whispers. “Any second of the day or night. I can’t lose you. Iwon’tlose you.”
“Which leads me to say that we have to figure out the blueprints,” Cale says. “They were sent for a reason, and that holds a big piece of the puzzle.”
“Cale’s right,” I say. “Cash, while I’m still under this roof, I want to help in any way I can. I love this club. I’m sorry I did what I did, but well, you can’t really choose who you love.”
Cale’s hand slides into mine, and he gives it a squeeze. I never expected to express our love in front of my freaking club, or my prez, but here we are.
“Let’s just get through the rest of tonight, okay?” He sounds less gruff, anyway. I’ll take that as a win. “Then we’ll work out what we’re gonna do and how we move forward. Cale, you can leave now.”
“He doesn’t have to go,” I say. “He’s the one who told you about the cops framing you, doesn’t that count for anything?”
“You don’t get to call the shots,” Cash reminds me. “And if I say he goes, he goes.”
“It’s fine,” Cale says. “I’ve got stuff to do.”
“But we are grateful for you giving us the heads up,” Deanna says before we turn and leave.
Cale gives them a chin lift, and Calli follows as we leave. I want to cry my eyes out, but nothing comes. I want to scream, but no words come out. Everyone hanging around outside falls silent as we leave. I don’t know if Indi put Caprice in Dad’s arms so he wouldn’t try anything, but I’m grateful that Cale leaves unscathed.
I step outside, and he pulls me to him. “I meant what I said in there. I love you, Stella. It happened fast, and I thought I could just skate by just doing what we were doing, but I guess fate had other plans.”
“I love you, too. I think I’ve always known it. My heart has belonged to you for a very long time. I’m sure Cash will come around, in fact, I know he will. He just needs time.”
He shrugs. “The thing is, I don’t need him to. I’ve lived for nearly thirty years without him in my life. I’m enough without him.”
I nod, knowing now probably isn’t the time to go into too much depth when we’re all reeling from the events unfolding. “I just can’t believe it, did you have any idea?”
“I always knew that I didn’t like him,” Cale mutters. “But that was because of who he is in this city, not because I thought for one second we were related. When I found out my mom hung out with bikers, yeah, it kinda made me hate them even more because of all the shit that goes down when they’re around.”
“You know that they‘re not all bad. Look at BADVA, Cash and Jett set that up years ago, and it’s not a front, they really help people,” I plead.
BADVA is the Bikers Against Domestic Violence Association that helps mainly women and children when they have to testify in court. It’s something they’ve been heavily involved in for years after Jett and Rock were abused and wanted to give back in some way.
“I know all of that, and I see things a little clearer,” Cale says. “My own station and people I thought I trusted are corrupt. Dougie? My friend? He’s involved, and he didn’t say shit. We were buddies.”
I see the hurt in his eyes. “I’m so sorry.”
