Page 33 of Operation Annulment (Silent Phoenix MC)

twenty-seven

Kate

I take in the beautifully set table and debate whether or not to light candles. A quick glance around the house reveals that Nate apparently doesn’t own any candles, so we’ll have to do without.

I feel like jumping up and down and screaming in victory. Nate is free from the demons of his past. She’ll never mess with him again. I still have questions about how Jess was able to leave things here, but we’ll get to that when he’s ready.

I also may have gone overboard on dinner. I had to watch a few YouTube videos on how to cook lobster tail, but this is day one of the rest of our lives together. I splurged and bought champagne—even though I’m a bit wary of drinking more than a glass.

Nicole was kind enough to give me some good book recommendations on how to heal after divorce and infidelity.

“His ego was bruised from the infidelity of three years ago. Knowing the lengths Jess went to to get close to him again—well, it might trigger a relapse for him. You need to be there to boost his self-esteem.”

I rather enjoy boosting his self- esteem.

I hear the garage door rise and smooth down my dress. I left work early and went to a department store to purchase it. I’d initially balked at the price, but it was a special occasion, and he was worth every penny.

I turn with a smile as he walks in, and my heart drops. He isn’t smiling—in fact, he looks downright angry. I swallow down the feelings of uncertainty. “Hey, babe. How was your day?”

Nate doesn’t say a word before disappearing into the bedroom. I follow him and stand awkwardly in the doorway. “I made dinner for us—I even got champagne if I’m brave enough to give drinking another try.” I laugh weakly.

You’re rambling, Kate.

He loosens his tie and finally makes eye contact with me. “Did you see Jess today?”

I knew that she couldn’t be trusted to stay away from him. “I did—I gave her a nice warning, too.”

Which she ignored completely, it seems.

“I see.”

I can see that he’s hurting, so I cross the room and wrap my arms around his waist. His arms remain stiffly at his side, and my heart beats faster in panic. “I should have consulted with you first before handling it myself. I’m sorry.”

His hands move up to grip my upper arms, and I briefly relax before he pushes me away. “Get out.”

Wait… what?

“I get that you’re mad because I confronted her without you there, but please don’t push me away right now. You need me.”

He laughs bitterly, and my blood runs cold. “I need you? That’s fucking cute, Kate. You’re just some chick I enjoyed fucking—I never meant for it to go this far. Now, get the fuck out.”

“No. You told me you loved me. You don’t mean that!” My voice is small. Weak.

He shakes his head and sighs. “God, you really aren’t that bright for a therapist. Men will say anything to get laid. ”

My chest tightens in agony. “Don’t say that. I don’t know what she told you, but don’t push me away.”

He runs his hands through his hair. “What she told me? Well, let’s see.

Her jaw is wired shut right now, so talking is an issue for her.

They were initially worried that she might have a brain bleed.

What else? Oh right. She’d been raped repeatedly.

She was still brave enough to turn over your emails to the police.

Did you learn to give warnings from your biker club daddy?

Is he the one who carried this shit out? ”

My eyes fill with tears, and I shake my head. “I didn’t do any of that to her. I did?—”

He crosses his arms over his chest. “Did you not just proudly state that you gave her a warning? And now you’re saying you didn’t.

Jesus, Kate! You’re so full of shit. You wanted to pretend that you were so fucking different, but what you’ve done is worse than anything she ever did.

You knew I was a doctor the entire time—using me for my money. Unbelievable.”

“I didn’t do any of this! I didn’t know who you were!” I sob, my chest heaving with each labored breath.

Why won’t he listen?

“She’s pressing charges, so get ready for prison orange. Who knows, maybe Dakota will fuck up again, and you two can share a cell. And when I find out who you recruited, so help me, god, they will pay.”

I’m choking now—it’s like trying to breathe through a straw. I clutch my chest to force more air in and out.

He walks toward the door leading out to the garage. “Have you been like this your whole life—a fucking psychopath? No wonder your mother left you. I meant what I said. I want you and your shit gone from my life by the time I get back.”

The door slams shut behind him, and I drop to my knees on the carpet, completely eviscerated. I used to pride myself on my ability to let praise and criticism roll off my back, never allowing them to change who I was.

Until him.

I wrap my arms around my body and rock on the floor.

I need a lawyer.

But right now, I need my sister.

“Is that everything?” Zane asks from the doorway, and I nod before breaking down again.

Dakota, Zane, and Little Ricky arrived to help me pack up within minutes. Not that there was much of mine to take.

Little Ricky pulls me into a hug. “I just don’t get it, Hail Mary. It seemed like things were going so well.”

“I’m gonna cut his balls off and then force them down his throat,” Dakota states to no one in particular.

Zane clears his throat. “Babe? Violence?”

She shakes her head. “I’m sorry, Big Guy. I meant to say that I’m going to cut his balls off and then bury them. Better?”

My eyes are almost swollen shut, and I haven’t been able to breathe out of my nose for hours now, but I manage to smile a little at her threats. “I just don’t know what happened between the time she left my office and her ending up in the hospital. Zane, have you heard anything?”

He rechecks his phone. “I reached out to Detective Sullivan. He said he’d let me know once he had more information. Now, we wait.”

Little Ricky releases me long enough to start bagging the food on the table.

“What are you doing?”

He looks up. “What? We can’t leave all this here to go to waste. We’ll take it back to Caparina’s and have ourselves a proper feast.”

Once the food is packed, he offers to drive my car back to Dakota’s, and we ride in silence for a few minutes. “Hail Mary, I’m gonna need you to start at the beginning.”

I shake my head. “I can’t talk about it right now.”

He nods. “Well, I could sing then. I can’t stand the quiet—it’s no good for my brain.” He flips through the stations, finally settling on a song he likes. “ No me queda mas …”

I grimace. “You’re right. Let’s talk.”

He shuts off the music with a pleased smirk. “Awesome, dígame que pasó .”

I sigh and tell him everything, including my sessions with Jess. I’m probably going to jail already—what’s a HIPAA violation going to matter at this point?

Little Ricky pulls the car over on a side street near Dakota’s house. “ Ay de mí . Carla Snyder? Let me guess; she delivered a stillborn in prison and named her Nora.”

I pause and stare at him in shock. “How could you know that?”

He slams a fist into the steering wheel. “ La puta was playing you this entire time. Carla Snyder is the main character in The World Will Still Go On.”

In light of the situation, I start giggling uncontrollably. “And how would you know this, Little Ricky?”

He shrugs. “I’m home a lot during the day. I like the drama. Plus, CarJack is my couple.” His phone rings. “Yeah? Okay, ten four.” He shifts my Tahoe back into drive.

“Who was that?”

He glances over at me before pulling back onto the street. “That was Zane. Mikey’s at the house, waiting.”

“Who’s Mikey?”

He laughs. “Sorry, Hail Mary. I forget sometimes. Detective Sullivan is waiting on us.”

I swallow the bile that rises in my throat. “Is he—am I going to be arrested?”

I start shaking, and Little Ricky reaches across the console. “Hold my hand. It’s going to be fine. You are not going to jail, Kate. I’ll call Grey myself to ensure it.”

We pull up in front of Dakota’s house, and there he is—the detective who looks like everything I asked the universe for. It seems like a lifetime ago .

I unbuckle and reluctantly climb out.

What if he throws handcuffs on me, and I end up in jail for days like Dakota did? What if my alibi isn’t strong enough, and I go to prison? I’d tell them I was innocent, but they would just laugh and tell me that’s what everyone says before feeding me bread and water.

“Hey, Kate.” Mike nods at me as I get out.

My teeth are chattering together loudly. “Am I under arrest?”

He frowns. “No, I just need you to come with me down to the station. I need to get your statement.”

Dakota starts crying and wraps me up in a hug while Zane storms inside to make a pot of coffee because “Fuck it. We’re not going to bed tonight.”

I refuse to look Mike in the eyes, instead focusing on the simple gold band on his ring finger. A wedding band isn’t very big, but it sure has the power to destroy lives, doesn’t it?

“Should I ride in the back?” I point to his truck.

“No, I already said you’re not under arrest. You can ride up front.”

“Please call whoever you have to so I don’t have to stay there. I’m not like you,” I whisper to Dakota.

She shakes her head. “Stop, you’re the strongest person I know. I’ll call Dad… he can fix this?—”

Mike cuts in. “I’ve already contacted Grey. I’m going to use every resource I have to keep you out of jail, Kate. Please trust me.”

Reluctantly, I get into Mike’s truck, my entire body quaking at the thought that this might be the last time I see my sister without a plate of plexiglass between us.