Page 31 of Outlawed Treat
My SUV was totaled by the insurance company.They took in all the damage Carly did and decided it wasn’t worth repairing.Caleb and Kreed dealt with it before Kreed and Luca took me out to choose a different vehicle to buy.I got a good deal from the insurance company and I was able to put down a down payment on a new SUV for the kids and I.I like the new SUV and all the things that come in it to make it safer for my kids, but I really wanted to keep my old one with all the memories we’d made over the years.Especially anything involving Darren.Those are memories I’ll hold in my heart forever but I won’t be able to physically have a reminder of them any longer.Carly took that from me.She tried to hurt my kids and stole something precious from me.I hope she pays for the rest of her life and doesn’t get a single second of rest.
The stalker has left several more things on the porch of Kreed’s house since the day my SUV was damaged.It’s mainly pictures of my past and present.Caleb’s face is always crossed out with an X.Whoever this is really doesn’t like him.Part of me feels like it’s Darren because there were times over the years he said how much he hated my relationship with the guys.He didn’t want me as close to them as I was.I know Darren died, but the things left at times are things he would often gift me for one reason or another.Especially the rose petals.Darren always gave me roses and never remembered how much I hate them.
Darren and the guys are home from their second deployment.Caleb and Kreed have gone home to visit their family since it’s been over a year since they’ve seen them.I haven’t seen Darren in over a year.They’ve been deployed and the calls and emails were sporadic at best.I’ve moved to a house on base and it’s hard making friends with anyone else on base.My time is spent at school, taking care of Bryce, and doing homework or working in the house.I don’t have time to sit around and hang out with others on base because whatever spare time I do have is spent with my young son.While I wish I had friends here, it’s just not possible.Not only because of my lack of time but because it’s so hard for me to meet new people.
Darren’s still sleeping when I wake up and make him breakfast while taking care of Bryce.The guys got in late last night and Darren went right to bed.He barely said a word to me and he didn’t look at Bryce once.There were no words spoken between us and my heart cracked because this is new.Darren has never treated me this way no matter what’s goin on in his life.He always treats me with respect and the love of a friend.Last night it was as if Darren was looking right through me and seeing something else.Or someone else.For the first time since we got together, I wonder if he’s cheating on me with someone he truly wants to be with and simply not saying anything because of Bryce and his sense of responsibility.Because I don’t know what happened while they were gone, I have no clue how to approach Darren.I can’t help him work through whatever is going on in his head.Caleb and Kreed are the only ones who can.
As I’m cooking an omelet and homefries for Darren’s breakfast, there’s a brief knock on the door before it opens.Turning to see who’s coming in the house, I find Kreed and Caleb.They’re dressed in casual clothes and looking better than ever before.Both men have put on weight and added muscle to their already toned bodies.I can see the changes in Caleb more than Kreed though.Maybe it’s because I’ve spent more time memorizing everything about Caleb and not Kreed.
“Caleb!Kreed!”I call out, excitement filling my voice as I race to my best friends and accept their hugs.“I didn’t think I’d see you on this leave.I figured you’d both spend all of your time in Benton Falls.”
Caleb wraps his arms around me tighter than normal and lifts me off my feet.He spins me around as I laugh and press my face against his neck to assure myself he’s really here.Kreed soon takes me from his arms and gives me a bear hug.I feel as if I’m suffocating because he’s holding me so tight.Kreed doesn’t usually do this so I know shit must have gotten bad when they were gone.
“What the fuck is goin’ on out here?”Darren growls out, his voice low and menacing as he enters the kitchen and I scramble out of Kreed’s arms.“Always got my wife in your arms.I’m sure you already gave her a hug, Caleb.”
“I did.Caliana is our best friend and we’ve missed her.What the fuck is your problem, Darren?We’ve always hugged her and you’ve never once said anythin’ about it before.At least to us,” Caleb says as I get back to work cooking Darren’s breakfast while starting the coffee.
“The problem is she’s my wife, Caleb.You touch her as if she’s a single woman.Cali, you sure as fuck don’t push them away either.You let them touch you knowin’ you have a husband and young son.Is that what you want Bryce seein’?You want him watchin’ you act like a slut who allows any guy she meets to put his hands on her?”Darren questions me as pain fills me and racks my heart even more from his hurtful words.
“Are you fuckin’ kiddin’ me right now, Darren?”Kreed questions him, his voice low so Bryce doesn’t hear the fight going on in the kitchen while he plays in the living room where I can see him.“’Lil Bit is our best friend.We’ve known her longer than you have.Caleb and I know she’s your wife.We were at your weddin’.That doesn’t mean we’re gonna change how we treat her.That line is never crossed by any of us, Darren.You know this and are just bein’ an asshole because you’re a prick.I don’t know what Cali sees in you.”
Kreed usually doesn’t go off on Darren like that.He’s pissed because I see the veins in his neck standing out and pulsating with every beat of his frantic heartbeat.Caleb remains silent but doesn’t leave the kitchen.If anything, he moves a little closer to me in a protective stance.
“You got anythin’ to say about this, Doll?”Darren asks me, his voice full of mocking rage as I turn to face my husband.
“I’m sorry, Darren.I won’t let them hug me anymore.I’ve got your breakfast here,” I tell him, trying to keep the peace even though it’s a lie about the guys hugging me.I’ll just be more careful about things.
“Bring it to the livin’ room,” Darren says, leaving the kitchen as Kreed and Caleb remain with me.“What the fuck, Cali?Have you been cleanin’ the house at all?There’s fuckin’ toys all over the place.Bryce doesn’t move around like that already.What the fuck do you do that you can’t take care of the house and your son?”
Yeah, that’s new.Darren has never called Bryce my son.It’s always been our son.Kreed and Caleb share a look and I know they’re having one of their silent conversations.This entire situation with Darren this morning is a first and I don’t know how to handle it while keeping the peace between the three of them.I’ve never had to play referee before when it comes to my best friends and husband.Kreed usually plays that role in the friendship.
“Our families are comin’ here.They want to see you and Bryce and didn’t want us makin’ the trip there.I’ll take the douche canoe his breakfast.You get somethin’ to eat, Reina.It seems like you haven’t been eatin’ like you should,” Caleb says, taking the plate of food and cup of coffee when I’m done preparing everything.“Missed you, Reina.”
The last part is whispered so Darren doesn’t lose his shit again.It’s bad enough he’s lost his shit about a damn hug we’ve shared thousands of times over the years.I listen as Caleb and Darren talk.Darren bitches about my food and the coffee more than anything.This is what I make him every single morning when he first gets home from a deployment.I made it for him the first time he was allowed to come home from bootcamp and he made me promise I’d make it every first morning he was home from a deployment.I enjoy taking care of my family so I was quick to make the promise.Now, all I’m hearing is how awful it is as Darren practically throws his plate on the table in front of him and puts on some game.I’ll be ignored the rest of the day as Kreed leaves me alone in the kitchen to clean up before making lunch for Bryce and the guys.This isn’t how I thought our morning would go.Though, I should have expected it after the way Darren acted last night when he got home.It sucks being on the receiving end of his attitude and is a rarity for me to be treated this way by him.
I’m cleaning the kitchen when my phone rings and I rush over to see who’s calling me.It could be Dr.Stevenson or someone from the club with news about everything going on.Master and Caleb have been working nonstop on trying to figure out who my stalker is and why they’ve chosen me.I literally do nothing except for going to work, when I have a job, and being at the house with my kids.The only enemies I’ve ever had are those who wanted Kreed, Caleb, and Darren because I spent all of my time with them and we’re close.Females don’t like that.I honestly haven’t had to deal with the petty jealousy since high school.The Feral girls don’t mean anything to me and the guys keep them in check whenever I am at the clubhouse.This is something bigger and no one has the first clue about what’s happening or why.
“Hello?”I answer my phone, not looking at the caller I.D on the screen.
“Mrs.Foster, it’s Dr.Stevenson.I’ve completed the investigation and taken my results to the board.While there is nothing conclusive showing you’ve done anything wrong, the board doesn’t appreciate the fact that you have ties to the Feral Dragons MC.The club isn’t exactly dangerous or bringing danger to Glendale, but they aren’t good either.The board feels as if your ties to them could bring shame and trouble to the hospital,” Dr.Stevenson tells me, regret in his voice as tears fill my eyes and I realize Darren’s parents have won this round of the battles we continue to have every now and then.“I’m sorry to lose you, Mrs.Foster.You’ll need to come clean out your locker and sign the paperwork saying you no longer work here.You should also know the Fosters are ensuring you’re blacklisted from other hospitals in the area.They’re spreading the hate for you far and wide.”
“Thank you, Dr.Stevenson.I’ll be there tomorrow to clean out my locker.I need to make arrangements for the kids while I’m there,” I tell him before ending the call and setting my phone on the counter where it was.
This is the last thing I ever expected to hear from Dr.Stevenson.I don’t blame the club or anyone in it.Being with them is a choice I made a long time ago.There is nothing wrong with the guys and what they do.These men live their lives the way they choose—free without the constraints of normal society.I won’t say everything they do is legal, because it’s not.I’m not naïve enough to believe they’re all law abiding citizens.However, they don’t go out of their way to hurt others intentionally.There is no good reason for the board to terminate my employment because of the club and my connection to it.This is happening because someone is pulling strings and paying off people on the board.It’s a feeling deep in my gut that it’s what’s happening, I just can’t prove it.
Shaking my head to clear the thoughts, I finish cleaning the kitchen so I can apply for work in other fields.I’m not really qualified to do much.When I was in high school, I helped out the Phantom Bastards when they needed someone in various businesses.I also waited tables at the local diner.That’s about all I’m qualified for.Since then, I’ve been a mom and nurse.If the Fosters are blacklisting me from working in another hospital or clinic, then I have no choice but to either go to the club for help or find a job on my own.I won’t use my connection to the Feral Dragons that way.It will only be a last resort that I go to Caleb or Kreed to help me find a job.
It also means if I talk to the guys about needing a new job, they’ll ask me why I can’t go back to a hospital.Caleb and Kreed have no problem standing up to Darren’s parents and putting them in their places.That’s the last thing I want because things have been relatively peaceful over the last few years.It’s only on a rare occasion when I have to deal with either set of our parents.It’s like every few months they decide to make an appearance and show their ass.I guess it's been a while since Darren’s parents stirred up any shit and I’m sure Mr.Foster has been planning this attack against me for a while now.Yes, he’s still in the military and goes on missions regularly.I have no clue how long he’s been home this time because I don’t keep track of him.They want nothing to do with me and I feel the same way about them.
After cleaning the entire house, I make Bryce his lunch while Rory still naps.She’s teething and has an ear infection right now.My baby girl spends more time sleeping than normal right now between the medicine she’s on and being sick.I hate it for her, but I’d rather her sleep than be in pain from the teeth coming through.This stage is always horrible and I hate it for any child.
While Bryce eats, I grab Kreed’s laptop and sit at the table with him.I pull up every site I know and several local newspapers to search for a job.I’ve always worked and have no problem taking any job I can get.Earning money is something I have to do for my children.Even if it means working two jobs.Maybe I can clean the clubhouse or something for some extra cash.That is something I’ll talk to Caleb about.He’s the President so the decision will have to go through him and no one else.Kreed will say yes without a doubt, but Caleb might have a problem with me being there constantly.I don’t want to upset him when we already have so much tension between the two of us.So, for now, I’ll find a job somewhere else and see how the money situation plays out.If I have to get a second job, I will.
