Tears spill over my cheeks as I take several heavy breaths, finally meeting his annoyed gaze. “I don’t wanna answer it, because I already know who it is.”
“And who is it?” he demands, narrowing his eyes to slits and his body tensing, waiting for my answer.
Lowering my head in embarrassment, I give in to him and tell him. “My stepbrother Chad Berry.”
Tombstone steps away from me and snarls. “How long has he been calling you?”
“Since he got out,” I whisper, “I only answered one time. The moment I heard his voice, I hung up. He’s been calling several times every day.”
The sound of something smashing against the wall makes me scream and jump in fear. I lift my head to find Tombstone had thrown the pan I’d been cooking with across the room. His heated gaze locks on mine, burning with intensity. With the way his nostrils flare and the vein at his temple bulges, I know better than to say a word. He’s pissed, and it’s all my fault. I should’ve just told him.
Without another word to me, Tombstone storms out of the kitchen in the direction of the bedrooms. He emerges once again moments later, fully dressed. I don’t move, and he doesn’t glance in my direction as he storms out of the house, slamming the door behind him.
Soon the thundering rumble of his motorcycle fills the silence. I slide off the counter and slowly make my way to the door to watch him speed out of the driveway. My tears continuously spilling down my cheeks.
I'd screwed up this time, and I don’t know how to fix it. Tombstone means everything to me, and now I’ve pissed him off to the point he can’t stand to look at me.
Tombstone
Speeding down the backroads leading to the clubhouse, I fume over the fact my woman would hide this shit from me.
I already knew Chad Berry was out of prison. The club’s keeping an eye out for him to make his appearance, and all this fuckin’ time, he’s been calling Sutton non-stop.
Why the fuck didn’t she just tell me about his calls? I could’ve put a stop to it myself.
My anger had started to get hold of me, and I needed to get out of there before I said something I would really regret later. Sutton’s my ol’ lady, shit, I have her fuckin’ name on my forearm where Devin drew her name in the midst of a flame surrounding a gravestone which is supposed to resemble me. That flame is meant to prove she’s bringing me back from the dead and making me want to live again.
Shit, the other week, I had a dream about Ronaele. It’s the first I’ve had in years, and it was her telling me to finally be happy and enjoy my life with Sutton. That she’s my forever like I was hers.
Weird as it was, I felt more at peace. Though I also gotta say I think that has to do with me actually loving Sutton as much as I do.
Right now, I’m just pissed as hell with her.
Pulling into the clubhouse parking lot, I notice more than the usual number of bikes. I park and kick the stand down before climbing off the back of my girl. With quick strides, I step into the main room to find Reaper and Angel sitting at a table with two other men. Everyone turns their attention to me as I walk deeper into the room.
Reaper meets my gaze, and I notice he’s pissed.
“What’s going on?” I ask, going on alert. The two men sitting with my Prez and VP spin in their chairs. I get a good look at them to realize who they are. Shit. Why didn’t I look at the back of their cuts? Sitting with them is none other than Kash, the President of the Jagged Kings MC, and his VP, Kidd.
“Where’s Sutton?” Reaper demands through clenched teeth.
“She’s at the house. Why?” I go on alert at my Prez’s question.
We’ve never had a problem with the Jagged Kings MC, but I wouldn’t say we’re allies either. More like a mutual understanding between our clubs that we stay outta each other’s way when it comes to territory. Though, I’m surprised they’re even out here, to begin with. They don’t have a charter out here. They’re more Nevada, Colorado, and such.
“Right, so do you know what her, Ivy, and Stella were doing?” Angel asks, leaning back in his seat.
Furrowing my brows, it dawns on me, and I look between the men again. “You think the three of them were doing something together?”
“I didn’t get a chance to speak to Ivy about this considering Stella and Juniper came and stole her away first thing claiming they had errands to run and I sent prospects with her, but it seems she’s been playing with fire. Alongside her friends and Stella.” Reaper grunts, his gaze seeming to examine me. “What do you know?”
“Prez, I don’t know what fire they’re supposedly playing with, but Sutton doesn’t know shit about anything Ivy and Stella are doing . . . but I do . . . they’re helping me with finding my woman’s father,” I announce, switching my gaze over to Kash and Kidd, already knowing what they’re here for. “Let me guess you found someone was looking into you?” I direct the question more so to Kash rather than Kidd.
“What’s Sutton look like?” Kash demands, grinding his teeth together.
I pull my phone out and unlock it before flipping it around to show him while I meet Reaper’s gaze. “Just so you know, Chad Berry’s been calling her repeatedly throughout the day, and she’s been keeping it from me.”
“What the fuck?” Reaper snarls stiffening.
“My exact reaction,” I mutter, shoving my phone back in my pocket as I glance back to Kash. “Satisfied?”
“She looks like my kid sister did when she was that age,” Kash growls, coming to his feet. “That stupid fuckin’ cunt played me, telling me she got an abortion.” Curling his lip, he meets my gaze head-on. “I want to meet her. I don’t need a fuckin’ DNA test telling me she’s mine. I can see it for myself. Fuck she’s got my damn eyes.”
“It’ll have to wait until later today,” Reaper mutters, also coming to his feet, his phone in hand. “Seems she’s joining my ol’ lady. According to her, they’re doing her baby shower bullshit today, and she’s saying, the first order of business is they’re heading to Tombstone’s to get Sutton who isn’t answering the phone.”
“Fuck,” I snarl, spinning on my heel, my gut twisting at the thought of anything happening to her. I shouldn’t have left her alone the way I did. Knowing Chad Berry is out and has been calling her, I should never have taken off, leaving her vulnerable for him to get to her.
Chapter Fourteen
Sutton
Once I gather myself together, I take a breath and wipe my tear streaked cheeks, deciding to get the kitchen cleaned back up before getting ready to go. I’m supposed to be getting ready. Stella and Ivy are picking me up, so we can meet everyone at the restaurant soon. Though honestly, after Tombstone left the way he did, I’ don’t want to go anywhere.
It doesn’t take me too long to get the wall and floor cleaned up. It’s a good thing it was only my first batch of bacon.
I finish the kitchen and head to the bedroom. Getting cleaned up, I put on a fresh pair of jeans, a tank-top, a thermal Henley, completing the outfit with my combat boots. I release my hair from its clip, flip my hair upside down, and run a brush through the long thick strands. Gathering it all up, I throw it up into a messy bun on the top of my head.