Page 24 of Hope in his Darkness
“Plan, the plan is to go end her father, that’s the fucking plan. Pretty damn simple.” I grip the steering wheel so tight my knuckles turn white. Her own fucking father threatened to sell her. What kind of fucknugget threatens to sell their own child? Dad said she is running from something and she’s been through hell. I imagined a lot of things, but her dad trying to sell her was definitely not on my list.
“Okay, I’m down with that, but Hope seemed to think it wasn’t worth it. I mean I think it’s worth it, or I wouldn’t have gotten in the truck with you. You are my least favorite brother, you won’t even share your mate with me, but I’m down for giving this guy a beat down.” Cole is clearly trying to get himself killed. My animal growls low in warning at him.
“Don’t taunt him right now Cole. He’s itching to get out and you are not who I want to unleash him on. Either get out or shut the fuck up.” Cole gasps while clutching his chest like he’s offended.
“Fine, but do you even know where this asshole lives?” Fuck! No, I don’t even know where to start looking either, Hope never mentioned where she lived. Of course, I didn’t ask either. Just as I’m getting ready to turn around to find out my dumbass brother speaks up.
“Ha, you don’t know! Well, aren’t you lucky then that I stole a peek at little Miss Hope’s driver’s license, and lucky for you I have a photographic memory?” I’ll deal with the fact that he was snooping in Hope’s stuff later, right now he has information I need to help my cause.
“Yes, I’m so lucky to have a brother like you who invades people’s privacy. Now tell me where I’m going so we can go fuck this asshole up.” Cole rubs his hands together again, creepy fuck.
“You know that trailer park over off of Route 60, head there.” That place is like a cesspool filled with nothing but drug dealers and prostitutes. Why is my Hope living in that dump?
“So now that you know where to go, how about you fill me in on what your plan is.” Cole relaxes back into his seat a creepy as fuck smile playing on his face. It’s almost like he’s excited to kick someone's ass.
“I don’t really have one. As soon as she told me what he threatened to do, my animal took over. He wants blood, Cole.” I don’t want to kill her dad, but I do want to put the fear of God in him. My animal has other plans. At the moment, he’s chomping at the bit to pound Hope’s dad into oblivion.
“Are you sure that’s what you want though? Tomorrow when you’ve cooled down and you realize Hope is safe with us. Will you want his blood on your hands? Do you think Hope will want that?” Why is he trying to talk me out of this? He’s the one who was gung-ho about getting in the truck to assist in the beat down.
“Aren’t you supposed to be on my side? You are my brother.” I know he’s trying to make me think about my decision, trying to be the sensible big brother. Asshole. Now he’s got me thinking and I don’t want to think; I just want to smash this guy's face for what he did.
“I’m always on your side, even when you’re a dick, but I also have to be the voice of reason when you need it. Now if you want to go to this asshole's house and beat the ever-loving shit out of him, I’m there for you man. I’ll hold him down while you do it. The asshole deserves a good ass beating. The question is should you be the one to give it to him.” Will Hope be upset if I beat the crap out of her dad? What will she do if I come back with his blood on my hands? And why is Cole holding his phone while shaking it back and forth in front of me?
“Are you trying to hint at something? What’s with the phone shaking?” When he smirks back at me like I should know what he’s thinking, I shake my head at him.
“Who do we know that could handle this kind of situation without your name or hands being on it?” The light bulb goes off and then I scowl at Cole. He’s got to be kidding me. I start shaking my head profusely.
“Georgia will have my hide if I get him involved in this.” But Georgia isn’t my top priority anymore either, Hope is. Cole grins mischievously beside me like he’s waiting for me to say yes. I give him a single nod and then turn the truck around and head back to our house. Cole dials the number and puts it on speaker, Rooster picks up on the first ring.
“Coleman my man. What’s hanging, besides your limp dick?” I crack up as Cole's cheeks turn red. Guess, I’m not the only one Rooster gives shit to, good to know.
“Fuck you man. We need help with a situation. Do you have time to talk?” We hear shuffling and a door open then shut before he comes back on the line.
“Alright, whatcha got? Don’t tell me you finally decided to take action?” Cole’s jaw ticks but before I ask him what Rooster means he starts explaining things to him.
“It has nothing to do with that, this is Brody’s problem, not mine. Fuck you very much for mentioning that shit. So, Brody’s mate has a dick for a father. Apparently, he threatened to sell her to his friends. Now we were on our way to his place to explain how that wasn’t going to happen when I, the best brother in the world, decided to outsource the problem.” Yeah, best brother ever I think, as I roll my eyes at him. Georgia’s voice is muffled in the background, she sounds pissed.
“Look Rooster, I know this is a big ask.” I don’t want to cause issues for him and Georgia. Okay, maybe I would have wanted that before I met Hope, but now things are different.
“Babe stop, I’m talking to your brothers. I’ll let you have the phone when I’m done. Don’t give me that look; I'll spank it right off of you.” I groan internally while Cole makes a gagging sound with his finger down his throat and Rooster chuckles over the line. Asshole.
“Now, where were we before my beautiful mate interrupted us? Oh yes, Cole, send me the address. A couple of the boys and I will go have a little talk with him out by the woodshed. We’re family; if someone fucks with your mate then they fuck with all of us.” Even though I want to take care of this myself I know this is a better solution. Hope might not like her father very much but he’s still her father. This means she probably won’t take too kindly to me beating him to a pulp. Georgia’s voice, the one I used to crave to hear, comes over the line. It’s not the same now, the only voice I crave now is Hope’s.
“I just wanted to say congratulations Brody on finding your mate and Cole you need to up your game and find yours now. Love you both, bye!” The phone goes black and Cole stares at it like it’s grown a second head while I’m laughing my ass off.
“I don’t need to find a fucking mate.” He says as he stabs his fingers across his phone screen, texting Rooster the address.
“Everyone needs to shut that shit down right now. Mates are for shifters with a soul, I lost mine a long fucking time ago.” I don’t have time to ask him what he means by that before we’re pulling into the driveway.
He’s out of the truck before I even put it in park. Hope is sitting on the steps of the front door nibbling her bottom lip with worry. She’s up and running toward the truck as soon as it’s stopped completely, tears glisten in her eyes. I did that to her, I hurt her, and all I want to do is take it back. Her father is going to get his, but I can honestly tell her I didn’t lay a hand on him. Sometimes it pays to have a brother-in-law that’s in an MC and is willing to do sketchy shit for you.
