Making the Cut (Sons of Templar MC 1)

“Anyway, after I saw that I ran, I didn’t think. I don’t know how he didn’t catch me, I don’t think he realized I was really there until I was halfway down the stairs. I heard him yell to me, I kept going. I managed to get to my car, somehow.”

It was a miracle I had a car. No one in Manhattan had a car, but I did, since I had always had one and didn’t like the feeling of not having one here in an unfamiliar country.

“I don’t know why I didn’t drive to a police station.” I shrugged. “I was in shock I think, flight instinct firmly in place. I made it to my apartment and started to pack a bag. Don’t know why I did that either, my plan was to leave, get on a plane and get the fuck out. I didn’t think at that point I was a witness to murder I was too freaked.

“As I was packing, I heard banging at the door, hard, loud. I knew it was Jimmy’s boys, I had met them before, knew they were bad straight off. Seen it in their eyes, but I was blind, blind to Jimmy. I was in love,” I scoffed. “Or thought I was. Anyway, they kicked the door down, came at me and punched me. I’d never been punched before, it hurt.”

Cade’s arms were now vices and anger radiated from him. I swear he was shaking with it, I thought his jaw might shatter, it was clenched so hard. I kept talking.

“I blacked out or they knocked me out, I’m not sure which. I woke up, in a warehouse, naked, tied up. That’s when I saw Jimmy, really saw him, the evil. Saw past his charm and good looks that he wore like a mask. He beat me and they watched, the big men with their cuts, their evil smiles, sometimes throwing in a kick. They did it for hours, always stopping before I passed out. Then Jimmy decided they would rape me, him first for old times sake.”

I rolled my eyes, engrossed in my very own horror story I didn’t notice Cade had stilled.

“By this time, he had fractured my skull, dislocated my shoulder, broken my wrist and ribs. And his buddies had kicked me so hard I was bleeding internally. I was dying. But he still decided that wasn’t enough. I was also to be gang raped. Luckily, by then I had been missing for over twenty-four hours, my neighbors heard the break in, saw me getting carried off, the police lucked out, someone caught the plates on the van I was taken in. They found me just in time.” I was so lost in the story I still didn’t notice Cade, lying like a stone, arms around me.

“What I also didn’t know was police had been looking for Jimmy, for like a long time. He was a very wanted man, top 10 most wanted in America. I didn’t know I was sleeping with a murderer, a rapist, a sadist. I thought I loved him. I know now I didn’t, that it wasn’t real.” Tears welled up in my eyes and I didn’t let them fall. “I spent one month in the hospital, six more recovering, doing rehab. I tried to go back to work, tried to stay in my city, but I couldn’t. And one day, I found Amber, and it just made sense. This place, it was me, I could heal here, forget.”

I took a deep breath, needing to get it all out.

“That’s why I reacted the way I did when I first saw you, when I saw the guys from the club. They brought up some memories I had associated with bikers. I know now that you’re different, but it is still a world that represents everything I went through.”

I finally got out of my trance and looked up at Cade, realizing something was wrong. He was beyond angry there was no word to describe the sheer rage that was written all over his face.

I laid my hand on his chest and pushed up a bit, “Honey…” I whispered softly.

“Gwen get off me,” he hissed.

I felt the sick feeling in the pit of my gut again, a blow connected with my stomach like I had been physically punched. I didn’t say a word, just crawled off him, defeated. He knifed up, walking to the wall, punching it viciously. I jumped as he put his fist through the plasterboard, dust flying everywhere.

“Fuck!” he bellowed before putting both hands to his head and looking down at the floor.

I watched him cautiously, unsure of what to do. I knew he wouldn’t hurt me, but I had never seen anyone this angry. Not even Ian, and he saw me bruised and battered and almost dead. I guess maybe he checked it, saw I couldn’t deal. Cade most definitely hadn’t checked it. I sat on the edge of the bed, feeling exposed. I threw on his tee, unsure if this was the right move, but I knew if he told me to leave I’d take this, as a reminder. He sensed my movement, his eyes roamed to me. Something registered, his expression changed and he slowly approached the bed, crouching in front of me. Anger saturated his expression before it softened.

“Baby, I’m not going to hurt you,” he tread carefully, thinking his reaction had set me off.

“I know,” I whispered, eyes locked to his.

His head jerked with surprise. He gently pushed me back on the bed to cover my body with his. He stroked my face tenderly, like I was made of glass.

“This swine, Jimmy, he got a last name?” Cade asked carefully, his quiet tone still shaking with anger.

“Yup,” I said slowly. “O’Fallhan,” I told him on a slight whisper.

Something flashed through Cade’s eyes, something too quick to catch, recognition?

“You know him?” I asked softly.

“No baby,” he said stroking my head. “What prison is he in?”

“Ummm, Attica,” I answered, having memorized all but his prisoner number, needing to know where he was, where he would be for the rest of his miserable life.