Page 7

The Scars Will Never Fade

G rizz

I knocked on Sabre’s door and waited for him to call out before walking into his office. He was reading something, so I grabbed a seat in one of the chairs in front of his desk. Stretching my legs, I crossed them at the ankles and interlocked my hands behind my head. Getting comfortable, I waited.

Sabre looked up at me, a smirk sliding into place. “I thought Meredith was going to kill you at breakfast. She didn’t want to go to the banquet center, and you weren’t bailing her ass out.”

“I ran my club errands and then took an extra ride up the coast for about an hour before texting the prospect to make sure they were gone. I didn’t lie to her.

” Tilting my head back, I let loose the laughter I’d been holding in.

“I could have gone with them, but I figured they might have a breakthrough.”

“That’s why I said nothing when Grace put JR in the car. I just made sure that contraption thing he hangs from was sitting next to his car seat. They won’t kill each other if the baby is in the way.” Sabre laughed with me. “How is she?” he asked when we quieted down.

“I don’t know.” I closed my eyes and rubbed them with the tips of my fingers. “There are moments when I swear she says something that sounds just like her from when it was all new, but then I look at the sweatshirt and the leggings, and I want to burn them.”

“I caught what you said at breakfast about her working. What’s up with that?” Sabre sat back in his chair, crossing his arms over his stomach.

“She’s been asking questions about her future.

I’m pretty sure she knows that fancy design firm fired her.

I called them and explained as best as I could, hoping they’d give her a leave of absence.

Those fuckers didn’t care, and when they said she had to return to the office, I didn’t push the issue.

She wasn’t strong enough then, but if she helps Grace, she might establish some routine, among other things.

” I pulled my knees in and then stretched them out again.

He made a noncommittal sound. “What about the condo?”

“I won’t take it away from her in this state. Eventually, she’ll have to decide what she’s doing with it, unless the bank rears its ugly head.”

“Have they?” Sabre asked.

“Not yet, but you know they will.”

Sabre nodded his head as a calm settled in the office. It was the first time in a long time that we weren’t snipping at each other.

“What’s up with you? Talking about another baby?” If he was going to question me, then his antics were up for discussion.

“Nothing.” He shrugged, but we’d been best friends too long. He was hiding something, and I wouldn’t let it go until I got the full story.

“Is everything alright between you and Grace?” I asked, pushing a little harder.

“No, yeah, everything’s fine.” He sat back in his chair and looked up at the office ceiling. “I bought a ring.”

“When?” I hadn’t known he was thinking about marriage, and I would bet everything I owned that Pretty didn’t either. If he had, he’d be hassling Sabre every chance he got.

“A few weeks ago. I didn’t want to be the guy who buys the ring at Christmas because it’s easy. I gave her what she wanted, supporting her dreams, but I couldn’t let that shit go.”

“Yeah? So what’s the fucking problem?” Grace wouldn’t say no.

“I don’t know where Grace’s head is at about marriage.

She’s already done that dance, and I don’t want her to feel like she has to settle.

Instead, I’ve been pushing for another baby to gauge her reaction.

It’s probably going to bite me in the ass, but I can’t propose with doubts she’s going to say no. ”

“She won’t say no, but she’s going to kill you when she finds out. Do you even want another baby, or are you just dangling that out there?”

“I wouldn’t mind either way, although I’d like more time just the three of us.” He sighed, and then leaned forward, leveling a gaze at me. “If I propose, is that going to set Meredith back?”

I thought about it for a minute before I gave him my answer. “I don’t think so. We’re already married, and if she ever wants a real wedding, I’ll give her one.” A thought crossed my mind. “You going to ask Gerry for permission?”

“Fuck no. The less I have to deal with that stupid fuck, the better off I’ll be.” He shot me a murderous look, but all I did was smile wider. “The only person I’ll ask is Aunt E.”

We both chuckled at his predicament, but our good humor died a quick, painful death when his cell phone rang. I watched as he picked it up from his desk.

“It’s the prospect.” Sabre instantly stood from his chair, and I followed suit, waiting to see what was going on. “Yeah,” he answered, putting it on speaker. His tone betrayed the worry that was clearly written on his face. I didn’t need a mirror to know that I probably looked the same.

“Prez, the cartel’s here.”

That was all I heard before I ran out of his office, yelling for the enforcers and anyone able to ride right now. Sabre was right on my heels, but I didn’t wait for him as I took off on my bike. The only person on my mind was Meredith.

***

I was the first one to pull into the Old McMillan parking lot.

I probably should have waited for the rest of the brothers to get into formation, but the only thing on my mind was getting there as soon as possible.

Grace’s SUV was sitting in the lot, and the prospect had parked his bike next to her.

There was a black SUV with black tinted windows parked in front of the main door.

Sabre pulled in next to me. He threw his helmet off and immediately started separating the brothers into two groups.

Half would come with me through the front door, and the other half would head with him towards the trees.

I didn’t care who was with me. They could handle themselves, but I was about two seconds from ripping through the entrance and causing mass destruction.

“We need them alive,” Sabre reminded me before he ran. Pretty and Wreck followed him. I shook my head, clearing my mind before I made my way to the entrance. I threw the main door open. “Mer?” I called out, but she didn’t respond.

Pulling my gun from the back of my jeans, I opened the second set of doors into the main ballroom.

“Mer?” I called out, but this time, I heard signs of a struggle.

“Mer?” I called out again, hurrying around the tables that were still set up.

I didn’t hear the brothers behind me, but I knew they had spread out.

I was the first to find them. Meredith was on the ground, crawling towards the door, but the cartel soldier had a hand wrapped around her ankle.

Every time she tried to move forward, she’d kick at him, but he didn’t release her.

There was blood covering the floor, and I didn’t know which one of them it belonged to.

I’d rip him apart when I got the chance if it was hers.

I ran around the table, approaching from behind.

“Get your fucking hands off my wife,” I said, the barrel of my gun against his temple.

He instantly stopped moving, releasing her ankle.

“Baby, you alright?” I called out to her, trying to calm down and think rationally.

I really wanted to fire, but Sabre wanted answers.

Truthfully, I did too, but I’d take death first. I wasn’t picky.

She held up her thumb, laying flat on the floor.

“You hurt?” I asked her.

“I had it under control, Jonathan.” I didn’t know if she was laughing or crying. There was no sound to distinguish which, but her back bounced with the motion.

“Don’t think about touching that gun. I’ll drop you where you lie,” Deadzone said, and I refocused on the situation at hand. I had to be their VP before I could be her husband.

“Dead, if he even fucking moves, put a bullet between his eyes. I’ll ask forgiveness later.” I tucked my gun back into the waistband of my jeans and sat on the floor next to my wife.

“Yeah, VP. You alright, girlie pop?”

“Peachy keen.” The muffled sound came from underneath her hair, but it was music to my ears.

Lacing our fingers, I took a breath. “It’s just me, baby.”

“It was too close. Don’t let them see me break,” she whispered, squeezing my hand in return.

I didn’t know how long I had, so I started issuing orders.

“Twig, Berry, call Grease for a couple of cars and some tarps. Our guest needs a personal escort to the Playroom. Op, call Thunder. Give him the basics, but once Aunt E’s appointment is over, they are to head straight back to the clubhouse. No lunch.”

There was a flurry of activity as the men complied, but I didn’t move from my spot on the floor, holding my wife’s hand.

“Damn, Buster. What did you do?”

“That’s a fuckton of blood. Think it’s still attached?”

“Didn’t you see the knife in his hand? Buster did good.”

“Jonathan, you got a problem. I’d sleep with one eye open.”

“What the fuck are you knuckleheads talking about?” I called out, but before they could answer me, Meredith squeezed my hand and pushed up to her knees, facing away from the brothers.

“The prospect gave me his knife, and I stabbed our visitor in the balls. He shouldn’t have been standing over me.” She never let go of my hand.

“You stabbed him in the balls?” I asked, hoping I hadn’t heard her correctly. Dropping her hand, I wrapped my arm around her, hugging her tight to my chest. I could feel her tremble in my arms.

“They shouldn’t have been dangling in my face.” She wrapped her arms around my neck, burying her face against me.

“Get the fuck out and take him with you.” I watched as they hauled him to his feet and were out the door in less than a minute.

“It’s okay,” I whispered to her. “They’re gone.

” I had promised her she could be as loud as she needed, so I said nothing as she struggled to let her emotions out.

She was safe, and that was all I cared about.

“They won’t stop, will they? They kept asking for Grace.”

“I doubt it, but at least we have a new lead to follow up on.”

“Is Grace alright? She didn’t want to leave me, but she had the baby strapped to her.” Meredith raised her head. Her eyes were red from the tears, but she swiped them away quickly.

“I don’t know. Sabre went toward the trees, and I came in here.”

“I guess I’m finished here for today.” She tried to make a joke, staring at the blood on the floor. A muscle in her jaw tensed, but it wasn’t funny, and the sad smile she gave me made it worse.

I held her tighter against me. “I will make him pay for his sins against you.”

“Make him pay, so that I have one less nightmare to worry about.” We sat on the floor in the middle of the ballroom for a few more minutes before I helped her stand. Grabbing my sweatshirt off the table, she reached for my hand as we made our way out to where the rest of the brothers waited.

Their eyes flicked to her scars. I waited for her to shift uncomfortably, but she hadn’t noticed them.