Page 28 of Fury (The Dark Angel’s MC #3)

Skylar – Two Weeks Later

“Are you sure you’re settled, Mama?” I ask for the hundredth time as I hold my phone between my ear and my shoulder while I quickly put my client's paperwork into a folder.

I’m worried about her, so worried. She’s lost weight and barely smiles, and I know being in that motel room isn't doing her any good. If anything, she’s going deeper into her thoughts.

I hate that Brick forced her to sell the house she got behind his back because at least then she had somewhere decent to go and try to clear her head.

“I’m trying to be, sweet pea.” She admits, and I swallow hard and ask, “Do you feel like you’re missing your person?”

She sighs and mumbles, “Yes,” and I wince, quickly grabbing my phone with my hand as I sit back in my chair, giving her my one hundred percent attention.

It’s been two weeks since she left the club, left Brick. Two weeks and he and Blade have been going insane trying to find Mama, so Nyx explained.

It’s also been two weeks since I told Nyx I needed time to come to terms with living on club property and not brought it up again.

I sigh. For years, Mama has been in limbo, trying to get Brick to leave her, to get the club to hate her so she could go, and for years, her heart has struggled to be away from her husband who never thinks for her, only himself.

Something according to Mama he realized in their therapy session that he had been forcing her to attend in hopes to fix what he believes she originally broke, that he contributed to this by having me with Melissa.

The guy is a grade-A asshole.

During the therapy, he confessed that after Melissa announced that she was pregnant, he had a moment of vindication.

He apparently expressed he hated the feeling, which is why he chucked money at her feet to get rid of me, but he felt it nonetheless because Mama refused to give him another child after she cheated.

Little did he know that she was going to have another child, but Peter caused her to lose it and any chance of having another one. Brick tore her heart out with his confession, and she was done.

She left him at the therapy office and he let her go believing she’d head home and she did but she didn’t stay, instead, she grabbed her bags and left.

“Have you spoken to him?” I ask, and she snorts and retorts playfully, “I thought you were on my side?”

“I’m always on your side, Mama, just like you are always on mine. I may not want anything to do with the man, but he’s still your heart,” I mumble.

“And he is still your father,” she replies softly, and I look down.

She’s never called him that to me before, knowing I would hate it, and I do. It doesn’t sound right, and I know it could be my emotions of his treatment of Mama clouding over, but right now, I don’t care.

She’s hurting, and he is the cause.

“Mama….” I try, but she cuts me off and says, “No, sweet pea, I have tried to go at your pace, and as much as I love you for it, I don’t want you to regret not getting to know your father and brother all because of what they put me through.”

I shake my head with frustration and remind her, “He got Nyx to lie to me, Mama, to use me, breaking my trust.”

“I know, but that was because he was scared you’d knock him back if he came and spoke to you once you hit eighteen.

He didn’t know about Melissa’s threats and still doesn’t, and I understand it hurts to know he wanted Melissa to terminate her pregnancy, but you have to understand at the time, all he saw was his life flashing before him where I wasn’t there. ”

“But you’re not there now, you left him,” I say softly, and she sniffles.

Okay, I officially hate myself. I’ve just gotten defensive, even if it was softly.

Dammit!

“Because the pain is too much for me to handle, Sky,” she chokes, and my eyes blur with unshed tears. The pain she’s going through too much to bear.

“I love your father, Skylar,” she whispers, “I have loved him for thirty-two years, since I was fifteen, through the laughter and the pain, but there comes a point where I need to put myself first for a little while, and if I make my way back to him then I know I can learn to forgive him.”

“And if you don’t?” I ask with hesitation, already suspecting the answer.

She confirms, “Then I’ll be sending him divorce papers.”

“I’m sorry, Mama,” I whisper as a few tears fall, and she replies, “I love you, Skylar. You are my daughter in every way except blood. You were always supposed to be mine like Tate is yours, and I’ll always be here for you no matter what. Do you understand me?”

I sniffle and whisper, “I understand.”

“Good,” she says, “I’ll call you later tonight, okay? Go finish your accounts before Nyx decides to show up.”

Mama hangs up, and I gently drop my phone as I wipe my eyes.

He hurt her, yet she’s still trying to get me to have a relationship with him, yet again putting me first.

“It’s about time Mama puts herself first,” I mutter as I grab the folder next to me, but I freeze when I hear the front door slam before Blade walks in with determination.

Ah, crap, I forgot to lock the door.

“You can turn around and leave,” I state firmly, knowing he didn’t fight for Mama and that he is on my shit list, but instead of doing as I demanded, he sighs, oblivious to the reason for my anger, and places his hands on his hips.

“Skylar, come on. For fourteen years, I have wanted nothing more than to get to know my sister, and yet you keep pushing me back,” he says firmly, “and I want to know why! Is it my Mama? Is she the reason why you want nothing to do with us? Because if it is, she’s gone away for a little while…”

I shake my head, my anger already spiking at his cluelessness, but to make out like Mama has just ‘gone for a little while’ makes my blood boil.

So much for him being worried about her, huh Nyx?

My jaw ticks, and I grind my back teeth as I seethe, “Gone away or finally left the family who treated her like shit?”

I can’t keep it in even if I want to, and I have a horrible feeling I’m going to oust Mama’s past if he doesn’t leave.

Blade narrows his eyes, which are so much like my own, and he growls, “We never treated her like shit. She cheated on my dad and got the punishments she deserved when she acted out all because he wanted a relationship with you, so who the fuck has told you lies, Skylar?”

They never treated her like shit?

Seriously?!

My anger burns through me, pain for Mama taking over as I stand and shout, “How about the whole fucking town telling me how nasty you are to her, Leo!”

His eyes widen as he stammers, “Skylar, the rumors around town were just that – rumors. Growing up, she caused a lot of shit, wanting to be kicked out, and I see that. I’m not stupid, and while yeah, the brothers were concerned she was only with Dad for his cut, and honestly, I did believe that at one point, so did he, she lost a lot of respect from everyone.

Despite Dad trying to make things right with her, encouraging her to do therapy, she’s not engaging with him, and her leaving has destroyed him despite the way she’s been distant lately. ”

He’s struggling, he is destroyed?

What about Mama? What about her struggles, her pain?

She was raped, and he stood there believing she was cheating; he’s lucky she didn’t leave then and there!

Shaking my head, I growl, “He’s struggling, is he? He’s hurting, right?!”

Blade swallows at my coldness but nods stupidly, and I screech loudly, not able to keep my anger for Mama in as I grab my stapler and throw it at his head.

“Fuck!” he curses and just ducks in time before it can hit his head and I grab my phone and bag before storming around my desk, causing him to back up, lifting his hands up in surrender, and despite really wanting to smack him for being delusional, I point at the door and state, “Get the fuck out of my office now!”

Eyes still wide, he does as I ask, clearly seeing he’s messed up, and I lock up.

“Sky, I just want to get to know my sister,” he says when we walk outside, the street lamps shining above us, the sun well and truly down and I turn towards him and finally admit, “Well, then maybe you shouldn’t have been such a rotten son!”

His mouth parts in shock before he demands, “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” but I ignore him and walk quickly to my car.

“ Skylar!” he shouts as I throw my bag onto the passenger seat before climbing in, happy Nyx fixed the engine light as it starts, and I spin away from a shocked Blade with one place in mind.

I think it’s time I confront my ‘father’ but not for me, no, for my Mama.

Fifteen minutes later, I pull up outside the gates to the clubhouse, my eyes taking everything in.

I haven’t been here before, and the place is massive, but it’s the cars and bikes that cover the lot while music blares that get my attention, not the building.

I mutter, “Huh, guess I’m about to embarrass Brick in front of half the town.”

I can’t help the smile that overtakes my face before a knock sounds at my window, and I turn and make eye contact with Trent, the prospect who is sometimes with Ivy, and I put my window down.

“Hey, Trent,” I say, and he grins.

“Hey sweetheart, you here to see Fury?” he asks, and I grin wide at the mention of the man who hasn’t left my side, and I had to encourage him to come to the club.

Apparently, he’d rather be with me, not that I can blame him because, well, I’d rather be with him too, but I had work to catch up on, some paperwork for my client.

“Yeah, is that okay?” I lie, and he chuckles as he replies, “Of course it is, I’ll open up for you.”

“Thank you,” I call out as he walks away before the gates open and I drive through, waving at him and instead of parking with all the other cars, I park behind Nyx’s bike, not far from the door.

Somehow, I doubt I’ll be welcome after this outburst because instead of calming down like I thought I would on my drive here, my anger has just doubled.

I climb out of my car and scoff, “He’s struggling, ha!”

Time to give the ass some home truths where my mama is concerned!

Shaking my head, I storm towards the large building and open the door with one person in mind to confront before I know a certain someone will drag me outside, but I pause when I get inside at the scene in the light room before me.

Brothers are drinking and smoking, some making out with women on top of a pool table while others are getting frisky, but it’s not the orgy to my right that catches my attention and causes my world to spin.

No, instead it’s the man who told me he loved me, that I’m all he sees currently leaning against the bar with his head tilted back his eyes closed while Lacey in nothing but a thong is on her knees before him, sucking him off with one hand gripping his ass and bile rises…

No, this can’t be happening.

Breathing becomes difficult as I watch for a few seconds to see if he’ll feel my presence like I can feel his, but instead, he tilts his head to the side, his eyes still shut.

Damn.

I choke on a sob and quickly turn and leave before anyone can see me instead of confronting Nyx, and I know I’ll regret that at some point because a sinking feeling is hitting me hard, my instincts telling me to go back, but I can't, this feeling is drowning me, making it hard to breathe, the pain too much to bear.

All I want right now is my mama...