Undaunted (The Kings of Retribution MC)

I finally make it to my room. The only thing I want right now is a shower, then bed.

I am standing under the spray of hot water, trying to relax my tense shoulders. It’s been one hell of a fuckin’ day.

After I dry off, I climb into bed. I lay here with my thoughts going a mile a minute. I can’t help but worry about what’s to come next.

I reach over into my nightstand, pulling out a joint and light it up. After taking a few tokes I’m able to relax. The only thing that puts my mind at ease right now is knowing no matter what happens tomorrow with this shit storm, my brothers always have my back.

CHAPTER FOUR

Bella

“Bella?” I hear my sister’s voice as I open my eyes. “Wake up. It’s 7:30 am. I missed the bus and I can’t get mom to answer her door and take me to school.”

“Shit,” I fuss as I jump out of bed. “I’m supposed to be at work at eight this morning to help open.”

I fly around the room, throwing anything on. I’m pulling on a pair of black leggings when Alba murmurs, “Sorry, Bella.”

“It’s okay, it’s not your fault I overslept.” I reach into the closet yanking a purple tunic off the hanger. “Meet me at the car. I’ll be there in a minute.”

She heads out of the room as I’m slipping on my black flats.

As I go past my mom’s bedroom I stop and knock on the door. She doesn’t answer, so I open the door and walk into the room. I find her with her legs curled under her, staring at nothing.

“Mom? You okay?”

She turns her head looking up at me. I can see a whelp the same size and shape of a hand print across her cheek and I gasp.

“What the hell, Mom? That fucker hit you?”

She doesn’t say anything. She just gets up, kisses my cheek, and walks out of the room.

“Mom, you can’t let him do this to you. It’s not right!” I plead with her as I follow her to the living room.

Grabbing her by the shoulders I make her look at me. “Mom, I need to run Alba to school, she missed the bus. On top of that, I’m going to be late for work. Promise me you’ll call the police if Lee comes back.”

Her eyes glazed over with unshed tears but I don’t get a response from her.

I lean forward and hug her. “I love you, Mom. You deserve better.”

I hate leaving her alone like this.

“I promise. I’ll call the police if he shows up,” she quietly whispers.

“Call me if you need to. Okay?”

I watch her slowly nod her head before I turn to leave.

I make a quick walk through of the house. Lee is nowhere to be found, so I head out the front door but notice his truck is still in the driveway.

“Bella, I really am sorry,” my sister whispers as I climb in my car.

“It’s okay. None of it is your fault. I’ll write your excuse a

nd sign for mom. She wasn’t feeling well, that’s why you couldn’t get her to answer her door earlier,” I lie.

Once I’ve dropped her off at school, I continue toward downtown to the grocery store. I’m thirty-five minutes late already, and I just realized I should have called my boss, Travis, to let him know I’m on my way.

I go to dig my phone out of my purse and realize I don’t have it. I left it sitting on my nightstand at home.