Tears welled up in my eyes and I quickly blinked them away, stepping out of Cade’s grasp to survey the room. There was a dresser with the club’s emblem framed above it, a small fridge and cabinets to one side. What looked like doors to a balcony were on the left of the bed and an en suite to the right. Cade leaned against the closed door, watching me circle the room, a carefully blank look on his face. Suddenly, without warning, he shoved off the door and was on me in two strides. I was plastered against his hard body and his mouth attacked mine, his hands everywhere. I couldn’t help my body’s initial reaction, but my mind caught up, eventually. I stiffened, trying my hardest not to pull away and kick the asshole in the balls.
Cade sensed my anger and drew back, grey eyes intense. “Babe?”
I mentally shook myself, knowing I had to act normal. I wouldn’t put it past him to lock me in here if he knew I wanted to leave.
I stroked his cheek. “Go to Bull, honey,” I whispered. “He needs you.”
Cade frowned, knowing something wasn’t right but I could feel his concern for his brother.
“Okay Gwen, but I want you naked in my bed when I get back,” he commanded. “And after I fuck you, you’re going to tell me how you knew about Bull.”
I barely restrained an eye roll, him ordering me about came too naturally.
“Okay Cade.”
He stayed rooted on the spot, not taking his concentrated gaze off me.
“Go,” I urged, pushing him away from me.
He nodded sharply, walking towards the door. When he made it, he turned, hand on the doorknob.
“Lock this behind me, baby. The party might get a little out of control, and with the boys from other charters here, I don’t want someone stumbling in here by mistake.”
He waited for my nod before leaving.
I heard him pause outside, so I walked over to the door, clicking the lock in place. Only then did I hear his footsteps leave. I slowly sank down onto the floor, hands in my face, feeling like shit. Firstly, telling Bull about my suicide attempt was hard. No one knew. Except Alex. Somehow that strong macho man saw what was coming and stopped me from ending my life. I was forever grateful for that. He still called me almost every day to make sure I was coping. The only way he wouldn’t tell anyone was if I agreed to therapy, and I did, even had Skype sessions since I had been here. And secondly, even though I was trying hard to deny it to myself, I really liked Cade, felt it down to my core. And it hurt like hell that he just went and fucked some slut with me outside, drinking with his brother’s and his sister. My breath hitched a little as I cried through my silent pity party.
“Pull yourself together Gwen,” I commanded myself.
I pushed off the floor, took a deep breath and grabbed my purse, which Cade had thrown on the bed. I slowly unlocked the door and peeked out. I could still hear the dull rumble of music and voices, but upstairs seemed quiet. I slipped out, making my way down the stairs, trying not to listen too hard at the goings on behind slightly open doors. I made it through the hallway, now the tricky part, how the heck was I going to make it through the huge party area full of people? The room was relatively dark, I guessed people were using it to get lucky in lieu of beds, so I crept past unnoticed. I slipped out the front door and into the shadows, away from the party, to Amy’s car, which was thankfully parked out of the way.
I sighed a huge sigh of relief once I was in. But shit. The compound gates! How was I meant to get out? Did I have to have some code word or secret handshake?
“Darn it!” I whispered angrily, smacking my hands on the steering wheel. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the headlights of a couple of motorcycles heading towards the gate. Yes! Luck was on my side. I quickly pulled the car out and followed the bikes out of the now open gate and into the night.
Faces. Blood. So much blood. A man’s head exploding in my face, I felt pieces of brains on my cheek. Pain. So much of it. Jimmy’s face, yanking my legs apart, laying atop my broken body. There is no one here to save me. The knife was against my neck, leering eyes watched the life seep from me. I screamed, screamed for help until my throat was raw.
Suddenly, someone was shaking me and light flashed in my face. I blinked, disorientated for a second. Cade’s worried and angry face filled my vision.
“Gwen. What the fuck?” he demanded, concern in his voice.
I was still confused. I’m in my bed. It was still dark outside. Wait, how did he get in here? I glanced down and saw a gun in his hands. This was a lot to take in.
“Why do you have a gun?” I asked, one of the many questions I had, but half asleep that was what I deigned most important.
Cade’s expression turned stormy. “Well after finding an empty bed and Amy’s car gone I came here to hear you screaming bloody fucking murder. Wasn’t coming in unarmed. What the fuck was that Gwen?” he bit out.
I sat up in bed and he sat on the side, arms crossed. “Nothing,” I mumbled, slightly embarrassed. “Just a nightmare.”
“Didn’t sound like any fuckin’ nightmare,” he growled, his face softened and stroked my face. “Baby,” he whispered, concern on his rugged face.
I ignored this. “What are you doing here?” I snapped, now that I was a bit more awake my sass came back, so did my anger.
Cade glared at me. Obviously I was not the only angry one.
“Well, like I said Gwen, got kind of fucking worried coming back to an empty bed, with no explanation as to where you were. Especially after all the shit with Bull.”