Page 18 of Healing His Darkness
“You can’t run from me beautiful; he likes the chase. He won’t hurt you, but he wants to claim you. Sooner rather than later, I’m barely keeping him under control.” He steps toward me, pulling me into his arms. My whole body lights up with excitement. I want to tell him I’m ready for him to claim me now, but I’ve already ruined one man’s life this week. Then Rooster dips his lips to mine and all my excuses why it’s a bad idea to let him claim me go right out the window.
“I have a plan; we will get your dad’s bar back. We will get rid of Rodney, and then it’s you and me baby.” Rooster squeezes my ass before picking me up like I weigh nothing and proceeds to carry me back to the house.
“Then you do the bitey bite thing, and I get a leopard of my own?” He smiles down at me giving me a quick kiss before nodding.
“Trust me George, I got your back. I will always have your back.” With a happy sigh, I snuggle into his arms. When I’m in his arms everything else falls to the wayside. I still feel like it’s my fault my dad lost his bar, and somehow, I will make it up to him. If Rooster’s plan doesn’t work, then I’ll be plan B.
13
ROOSTER
We’ve barely stepped inside the house before I’m yanking on the sweatpants and a t-shirt that Clay hands me. George looks around at her brothers and dad and I can tell she’s embarrassed by how she acted. She blames herself for what Rodney’s done, but it’s clear that her family doesn’t feel the same way.
“I’ve got to make a call, after that we’ll all talk. There might be a way out of this without you giving up your bar.” It’s a long shot, I don’t want to get their hopes up, but if what I’m thinking is true then Rodney has no one backing him. He’s trying to use an old connection that was demolished months ago.
“I doubt there’s anything you can do, but as long it doesn’t put George or the boys in jeopardy, I’ll let it play out. But if you put any of them in danger I don’t care if you’re her mate or not I’ll end you. They are all that matter to me, I’d rather burn that fucking building to the ground than see any of them hurt.” His sons and George start to protest about how the bar is his dream, his baby, and he holds his hand up to silence them.
“No, my dream was to grow old with your mother after we raised y’all and run that bar with her. Without her here, it doesn’t hold the same meaning anymore. All of you have put your lives on hold helping me hold onto that place. That wasn’t fair of me, all of you deserve to pursue your own dreams, not mine.” They try to argue that they don’t feel that way, but Clay isn’t hearing any of it. I have a feeling Rodney wanting the bar gave Clay the out he was looking for. He just doesn’t want to tell his kids that. Not when he feels like they’ve sacrificed their own dreams for him to pursue his.
“Alright, until my crew gets here, I need you to pretend like nothing’s changed. If Rodney comes into the bar tonight, I need you all to act normal. I don’t know what his gift is, but if he catches wind that he’s not the top dog he thinks he is anymore he’ll be more dangerous. I’ll know a better timeline once I talk to my president, but until then try to act as normal as possible.” George starts to giggle, and we all turn to look at her questioningly.
“Yeah, because turning into beasts is tote-tally normal.” We all smirk and shrug as she breaks out into a fit of giggles. Damn if she isn’t the sexiest woman I’ve ever seen, even disheveled from being out in the woods crying, she’s still fucking gorgeous.
“Hey asshole it’s about time you fucking called.” Wraith’s voice snaps through the phone and I can’t help but smile.
“Awe Daddy were you worried about me.” Wraith’s growl followed by Angel’s giggles comes through.
“Damn it Rooster, you were supposed to call us when you got there. Angel was worried about you.” He grits out.
“He was worried too; Rooster don’t let him fool you for a second.” Angel smarts back.
“Babe, did you really have to throw me under the bus like that?” Wraith responds.
“Well, you know he can tell you’re lying.” Angel replies.
“Not on the phone he can’t.” Listening to them bicker back and forth makes my heart happy for them. Before I left, I was envious of what they had, misery loves company and I wanted them all to be as miserable as I was. I was a shitty friend.
“Alright Mom and Dad don’t fight. I got shit to tell you, but you might want to get the crew together, because I don’t want to have to repeat myself.” I can hear shuffling through the phone.
“Hold on, I’m taking the phone into church, I’ll put you on speaker in there.” I hear movement and it sounds like he’s walking.
“Angel, baby can you go round up the misfits for me?”
“She’s gone, now tell me how bad it is before everyone gets here.” I shake my head at him, because if it’s one thing Wraith always knows is when shit goes down. Rubbing my hand over my face, I decide to be honest with him.
“Honestly man, I’m not sure. But it could be, and I might need your help.” Wraith lets out a deep sigh and I can tell he’s worried about what kind of shit I’ve already gotten myself into.
“You’ve been there for not even forty-eight hours, what kind of trouble could you have already found. Unless?” He’s not wrong, somehow, I left and walked right into trouble with a capital T. Fate really has a fucked-up sense of humor, but since she gave me George, I’ll forgive her, this time.
“Unless what?” I’m curious what kind of trouble he thinks I could get myself in. Before he can answer though, I hear the guys start to enter the room. All their voices blending together create a cacophony of background noise.
“Alright assholes sit down, shut up, and listen to your brother Rooster.” Wraith’s voice booms over the phone and I have to hold it away from my ear as I hear the gavel smack the wooden table, I know they are sitting around.
“You have the floor Rooster, proceed.”
“First, I found my mate, her name is George and she’s the best fucking thing that’s happened to me in my life.” Silence follows, by a few whispered “holy shits” and “no way” followed by Wraith coming back over the speaker.
“Congratulations man, that’s great news, but I thought you were in trouble.” I take a deep breath before I begin explaining the shitstorm that is going on.
