Scars (Going All the Way 3)

“Kids grow up, brother, leave the nest, and start their own families.”

Scars knew Booshie was trying to show him the bright fucking side, but right now, he was in a foul place and didn’t want that positivity crap.

So he just nodded. He focused on the wall ahead of him, lost in thought. “They went to The Springs this week, and I know Cadeon plans on proposing.” And I know my baby girl will say yes. She’s in deep with that boy, and I can’t even be mad. He treats her like the queen she is.

“How do you know? I think you’re getting yourself pissed over nothing.”

Scars snorted and glanced at Booshie, focusing on the other man again. “He asked me for permission to marry her, showed me the big fuckin’ ring too.”

Booshie was silent for a moment. “Damn,” he finally muttered.

Yeah, that about summed it up. “Of course Stella doesn’t know, but she’d told me they were talking about it, and then Cadeon came to me before their trip, asked, and pretty much shoved the diamond in my face.” Scars scrubbed a hand over his face. “But she hasn’t said anything to me about it when she called to check in, so I assume he hasn’t asked yet.”

“You’re not losing her,” Booshie said right away, as if to make me feel better. “It isn’t like she’s leaving town with him. Cadeon is rooted in Reckless and respects the hell out of you and the club.”

Scars nodded. “I know, and I’m happy for them. I truly am. But when—if—you ever have a kid and go through this, or lose someone you love, you’ll know what I mean, how I feel right now.” His words must have had Booshie thinking, because the man didn’t say anything for long moments.

“Scars, I look at Stella as if she were my own flesh and blood. I watched her grow from a screaming toddler to a gorgeous woman. But even after that, I know I could never really understand what you’re going through, not after all you lost.”

It was as if Booshie’s words had the scar on his face throbbing, that painful reminder coming up once more. He forgot about it most times… the times he didn’t look at his ugly mug in the mirror. Then it all came rushing back.

As if on instinct, Scars lifted his hand and touched the raised flesh. It was a nasty fucking scar that started right below his left eye and moved all the way down to his jugular. He’d gotten it the night his wife had been killed, the night he almost lost his life too. It was a reminder of that violent evening, the moment his world changed and he became who he was today.

“Take some time off, get your head on straight, and when you come back, everything will be as you left it.”

Scars nodded, hoping that did the trick to clear his head. “Yeah, I think a couple of days in the cabin might do me some good.”

“You could take one of the girls up with you. You know they can make you forget your name if they try hard enough.”

He knew the look he gave Booshie said “yeah, fuck no.” Why Booshie even suggested that confused the fuck out of Scars. He hadn’t been with a woman in a while, and had no plans to any time soon. He didn’t need that mess in his life.

Besides, he wanted to be alone.

Booshie stood and clapped Scars on the back. “The fort will be held, brother. We can’t stay united if your head is somewhere else.”

Scars stood and walked away from the table, giving his brother a hug. “You seem different, more upbeat. You get laid or something?”

Booshie just grinned and shook his head. “Nah, I think I found myself an old lady.”

Well, at least one of them was happy. Maybe one day Scars could find himself a good woman too, one strong enough to deal with his shit and the life of the MC.

Maybe.

Or maybe he’d be alone for the rest of his miserable life.2God, Hannah had actually done it, actually grown a pair of balls and left the fucker, fought back, made sure she had a fighting chance.

Left my stepbrother behind, injured and bleeding.

Those words played through her head over and over again. She’d left, but at what cost? Hannah knew she’d hurt Landon. She knew she’d hurt him pretty damn badly. There had been a hell of a lot of blood.

Tears blurred her vision as she maneuvered the shitty car along the twisting and turning road. When Hannah had left, she didn’t have an actual destination in mind, but getting as far away from the life she’d had with Landon was all she’d been able to think about.

Landon had been a constant thing in her life since she was twelve, when her mother married his father. He’d always been an asshole, cruel and mean on a good day, brutal on a bad day.