Page 56 of Wicked Ends (Hellions of Hade Harbor #4)

Marcus

Waking up and finding Cole gone from home added a shot of anxiety to the toxic brew clouding my head.

When we’d gotten home the night before, he’d headed to bed, and Maddox had stopped me in my tracks and handed me a cut.

“It’s your dad’s.”

I’d stared at the battle-scarred leather jacket.

“Don’t joke around about joining. If you meant it, show Cole.”

I’d looked down at the jacket and ran a finger over the sewn-on patch. Harbor Hounds Motorcycle Club. It had been a constant in my life, even though I’d tried my best to avoid it. It was always there, waiting to swallow me whole. My father’s legacy and my brother’s burden. My fate?

This morning, I shrugged on the heavy cut and went out to find Cole. The damn fool wasn’t resting at all, despite doctor’s orders, and seemed likely to hurt himself more.

I found the bikers of his inner circle at The Clutch. No surprises there, but walking in and seeing what was going on was a shock I’d never get over.

Ari, slumped in a chair, propped up before my brother like he was her judge, jury, and executioner.

“What the hell is this?” I demanded, shouldering through the waiting men.

They stepped back once they knew I was there.

Cole met my eyes and shrugged. “I wanted to see who you were lying for.”

So, he knew. Of course he did. He always knew everything people wanted to hide. I turned away from Cole and crouched beside Ari. She was out of it, her head lolling back and forth.

“What did you give her?” I demanded, my emotions pinballing around inside my chest. I took her hand and felt her pulse. I couldn’t fight the temptation to touch her and make sure she was okay.

“Nothing much, just something to make her relaxed—and truthful, since you seem to struggle with that so much,” Cole said heavily.

“She isn’t involved in any of this,” I attempted, but I could tell Cole didn’t believe me.

“Let’s wait until she comes around and ask, shall we?” he merely suggested.

Ari swayed slightly and leaned to the left, like she might slip off the chair. Gage reached out to catch her, but I glared at him and reached out to steady her myself.

“Don’t touch her. No one touches this woman except me, got it?” I told him in a low tone.

He held his hands up innocently, and I turned a glare at the assembled group.

“Make sure you all hear it. This woman isn’t to be touched by anyone, except me. If you need to ask her something, you ask me. If you need to move her, you ask me.”

I lowered my knees to the floor and cupped her face. Her eyes slipped open, giving me a slice of my favorite view in the world. As soon as she recognized me, her face spilt open in a full grin.

“It’s Marcus. Marcus is here,” she said, voice soft.

“That’s right. I’m here, baby. I’m still right here.” I tucked her loosely hanging hair behind her ear.

“I couldn’t find you,” she whispered, her smile dropping into an expression of despair. “I looked all over, and I couldn’t find you.”

“I’m here now,” I replied, my heart feeling like it was squeezing in two.

Yesterday, I had been furious, and today, I already missed her. Maybe loving someone was just realizing that no matter what they did, the way you felt would remain the same… I had no idea, but something dark and lost inside me felt better now that I was at her side. Like I’d come home.

Her hazy gaze swept over my jacket, and she frowned and shook her head.

“You don’t wear that. You wear the goalie’s jersey. You’re the goalie. You make all the saves.”

She was clearly pretty out of it, but there was something endlessly endearing about her sweetness right now.

She poked a wavering finger into my chest. “Take it off. I have a jersey you can borrow if you want.”

“Do you?” I mused.

She nodded. “My boyfriend gave it to me.”

Yes, birthday girl. Your boyfriend. It seemed like in her heart of hearts, Ari hadn’t written me off for being an asshole at the presentations.

“Find out where the money is, Marcus,” Cole instructed from across the table.

I bit down my snap of a response and instead focused on Ari.

“Beautiful, I need to know what happened with the money in the bag,” I said.

I knew she’d given it to her brother, but the Harbor Hounds had no idea.

Ari shook her head, her gentle expression shifting to a tearful one.

“I don’t have the bag anymore,” she confessed.

“Who did you give it to?” I pressed. There was no point in delaying the inevitable. I’d hoped to spare Ari all of this, but my brother wasn’t going to give up on the money so easily.

“No one. I’d never give it away,” she protested and had the gall to look offended by the question. “I would never give it away,” she said again and poked me in the chest. “Don’t you know that by now?”

Yes. I thought I did, but it seemed that I’d been wrong.

“But my brother doesn’t ask for permission. I guess he followed me. Dale doesn’t ask for permission when he does things. He promised he’d ruin my life.” She chuckled, but it sounded sad. “I guess he did, after all.”

“You gave your brother the money?” I tried to clarify.

“No, I told you I’d never do that. I’d never want Cole to be hurt,” she said.

“And why is that?” I wondered.

“Because he’s Marcus’ brother,” she said immediately, in a tone that made it clear she thought I should know the answer already. “And I love Marcus,” she whispered.

And my heart stopped.

“I love him—I’ve never loved anyone before.”

The feeling is mutual.

“How did your brother get the bag?” Cole cut in, taking over when I clearly lost the ability to talk.

“How did he get anything he has in life? By cheating and stealing and being a snake. He broke into the lockers and took it,” Ari burst out and fanned her face. “I’m hot. Are you guys hot?”

She struggled with her sweater.

“It’s just the drugs,” Cole reassured me when I looked at him askance.

“I hate him. I’m going to kill him. If he comes back, he’s dead. I can do it,” she was babbling now. “I should have finished him off the first time.”

I helped her pull her sweater over her head and tossed it away.

“Shit,” Cole said.

I leaned back and took Ari in.

She had a cami top on, showing plenty of her arms and upper chest. They were cuts and bruises. Darkness spread through my chest. The room fell completely quiet. There was a scab on her collarbone that was too perfectly round to be anything other than a cigarette burn.

“Your brother did this?” My voice was tightly controlled, all the bodily discipline I’d honed over the years helping me remain completely still.

“It’s his natural-born talent,” Ari sighed and swayed to the side again.

I was there to catch her before she could go too far. She snuggled her head into my chest.

“Why didn’t you tell me, birthday girl?”

“It’s not your problem. I don’t want to use you to solve my problems.”

Her words filled a hole inside me that had burned for longer than I could remember.

I tucked her hair back behind her ear as she continued.

“Besides, I’m tired of being weak. I didn’t want you to see me like that.

My whole life I was his victim, and I didn’t care who knew it…

until you. I wanted to be someone else for you.

I just wanted to be me… your birthday girl.

” She turned her face to look up at me. “But you’re mad at me. I ruined everything.”

“No, I’m not, and you didn’t. I was an idiot, hardly anything new, but this time, I hurt you. I’ll make it up to you, beautiful, or die trying.”

Cole leaned forward. “Where did your brother go?”

Ari blinked, her pupils already becoming more responsive. Fortunately, it seemed like she hadn’t ingested a large amount of whatever drug Cole had given her, just enough to loosen her up. And it seemed to be wearing off quickly, thank fuck.

“I don’t know,” she whispered and turned to Cole. “But Marcus does.”

Everyone shifted their eyes to me. I raised an eyebrow at Ari.

“I do?”

She nodded and laid her head on my shoulder.

“I put the tracker from my bag in his boot.” Then she closed her eyes and fell soundly asleep.

I transferred her into my arms and stood carefully, then walked to the back bedroom and laid her on the bed where we’d first been together.

Her face was soft in her sleep. I stood over her and stared at the dark marks on her skin.

I would remember every single one. Her brother would answer for every single one.

After looking my fill, cataloging the hurts that I’d inflict on the soon-to-be-dead piece of shit who had been born of the same blood as Ari, I headed back to the bar.

Cole was talking to Gage and Maddox. They all glanced up as I approached. Cole took in the cut I had on. I couldn’t read his expression.

Gage chuckled. “Your girl has guts, and brains. I approve.”

“Great, now I can sleep well at night,” I deadpanned at my brother’s best friend, who rolled his eyes.

“So, you were taking the fall for this woman because…?” Maddox asked quietly.

“Because she’s mine. No one hurts her, no one even looks at her wrong. Drugging her water? If you didn’t already have a head injury, I’d give you one.” I glared at Cole.

“Calm down. She drank the water, we didn’t force it down her throat.”

I turned a lethal glare on Gage. “Tell me to calm down about drugging the woman I’m going to marry one more time. I fucking dare you.”

“Enough. Where’s the brother?” Cole asked.

I broke off my staring contest with Gage and took my phone out of my pocket, quickly navigating to the tracking app.

“He crossed into Canada a little bit ago, still heading north.”

Cole nodded, rubbing his bottom lip with his knuckle, his stress tell.

“Well, what’s the plan?” I asked.

Cole shook his head. “For you, there’s no plan. You’re staying here and helping your girl recover.”

“Like fuck I am. Her brother will pay for what he did, and I’ll be the one who makes him.”

Cole narrowed his eyes at me. “So, what, you’re a Hound now? You want to throw away all the shit you’ve insisted you cared about for years?”

“Some things are more important. He needs to answer for what he’s done. I’m coming with you, and you can’t stop me.”

Cole studied me and then nodded. “Fine.”

“You shouldn’t be going anywhere yourself.” Maddox laid a hand on Cole’s shoulder. “No riding, no action. I’m not ready to be pres.”

“Does that mean it skips to me?” Gage asked and got a dirty look from Maddox for his efforts.

“They’re right. You can’t come. I’ll go instead,” I told Cole.

He opened his mouth to protest, and I shook my head.

“Nothing you say will change my mind. We can handle one abusive dickhead. To suggest any less would be an insult to me, and your crew,” I pointed out to Cole.

He sighed. He hated not to be in the thick of Hounds’ business, but this time, even he had to know we had a point.

“Fine, but I want to know what’s happening; don’t lose contact.”

“We won’t.” I stood, anger and anticipation surging through me. I was going to hunt down Ari’s brother and make him bleed. I couldn’t fucking wait.

“Let’s take your girl to my sister’s place. Sally will watch her until she’s awake and then get her injuries checked out,” Gage said.

I nodded, immediately agreeing. Ari needed safety and rest while I went out and evened the score.

You think that’ll make her forgive you for the presentation stunt? the voice in my head cruelly mocked.

I didn’t expect her to forgive me. I’d been on a mission to push her away, to hurt her like she’d hurt me, and I’d fucked up. But I could save worrying about that for later.

Right now, there was a man out there who had committed the unforgivable crime of hurting the woman I loved.

Now, he’d pay for it.