Criminal(7)

Kaiden is an intimidating guy.

But he’d never hurt me. Not like that.

“Abigail, I mean it,” he says darkly.

I take a step backward and shake my head.

“You can’t tell me what to do, Kaiden. Get over it,” I say as I shove the money back in my purse.

He reaches out, grabbing my face and forcing me to look at him, and there is so much emotion in his expression that I don’t understand. Couldn’t comprehend. The intensity behind his eyes is unlike anything I’d ever seen, and it gives me pause.

But then he releases me and storms back into the club, leaving me alone in the chilly, dark outside to catch my breath.





It’s been a hard week, and not just because I’ve worked every day. That would be hard in and of itself, especially in the heels that were killing my feet.

It was hard because dealing with drunks brings about a sort of mental exhaustion I haven’t felt before. Seeing their faces day after day and catching that haunted unhappiness between the hoots and the hollers, it takes a toll.

But I think the worst part of it is that Kaiden is avoiding me. He sneaks in after I’ve gone to bed. There hasn’t been any women. No sex. Nothing to incite my rage.

And he hasn’t talked to me since our fight at the club. It’s driving me crazy, and I didn’t think that it could affect me like it is. I’m torn up about it. The worst part is I barely even know why. I guess it’s because I’m invading ‘his’ place, but even that doesn’t wholly make sense. There’s something else going on between us, and I have no idea what.

I give another drunk a gin, and he grabs my ass before handing me a ten-dollar bill with a leering grin. I feel like I’m going to be sick to my stomach, and when I try to tug the bill out of his hand, he tightens his grasp.

“I’ll do it for a kiss,” he says, puckering up his weathered lips and looking at me through his watery eyes with expectation.

But I’m not that desperate, and I let it go, turning my back on him. I need some air, and I look at the bartender, motioning that I’m heading out for a second.

Opening the door, I find the eerie light to be strangely soothing, but when I hear a motorcycle’s engine rev up, I quickly move away from the entrance and the parking lot towards the back.

I can hear some voices though I can’t make them out yet.

Maybe I’m stupid, but I’m getting curious, and I try to make soft steps as I move towards them. I hold my breath, and it’s like by instinct I know I shouldn’t be here. As if I’m tiptoeing up to my parent’s bedroom at night, trying to hear what they’re saying about us.

“Man, I’m already looking at three years, minimum, for you.” I recognized the voice just as clear as day.

Kaiden.

I press myself up against the wall of the building, breathing softly through my nose. I can’t hear who replies or what they say as the motorcycle gets nearer. He seems to be parked in the lot, revving the engine for some reason.

My ears strain, and I hear Kaiden’s voice again.

“You know what this means,” he says, his tone threatening and dark.

But then there’s another deep voice I recognize, and it’s like my blood turns cold in my veins.

“You want to play that game with me, boy? Fine. But just remember that your little sister is here, and if you screw me, well... I’ll screw her. In more than one way.”

Ryder.

I bite down on my lower lip so hard that it feels like it’s going to start bleeding at any second, and tears are threatening my eyes.

It’s stupid to be so sensitive over something like this, but I can’t help it. I’ve always been the sensitive one, not strong like Kaiden or my dad.

There’s a long pause, and I can picture Kaiden, his face contorted in... what? Would he be angry at that?

I don’t honestly know. Maybe he thinks it’s funny, just a joke.

But when I hear his voice, it removes all doubt from my mind.

“If you touch a hair on her head, you’re going to wish you killed me when you had the chance, you smug fucking prick,” he growls, his voice low and hard. I’ve never heard him sound quite like it, but more than that... he almost got killed?

My stomach turns to lead as I take a step backward. Do I want to hear more? Can I hear more?

My mind is fuzzy as I try to remain calm, to not let emotions overtake me.

“Yeah, well, there’s still time you punk. You fuck up on the stand, it’s not your life you’re going to have to be worried about. Think of Abigail as... collateral.”

“You’re not going to touch her,” Kaiden threatens, and I take another step towards the parking lot. “You touch her, and I will fucking dismember you, to hell with Axel’s orders.”