Murphy(35)

His heart ached as he knew what was coming next. He didn’t want to hear the rest of her words. Murphy wanted her to be quiet as he knew he’d hurt her deeply.

“I saw you around the mall, and even before that I saw you with them.”

“What are you talking about? I saw you at the mall, and I kept my distance,” Murphy said. He’d done everything to keep her safe and away from the shit that was going on.

“When Dad told me what was going on and that you’d left to go to The Lions. I didn’t believe him. I went to your cabin out by the lake to see for myself. The one you said you only went to in order to think.” The tears she’d been holding in were dripping down her face. “I was stood behind a tree, and I saw you all. I heard you as well.”

He felt sick to his stomach. The cabin had been the place he’d started his initiation into The Lions. They’d started to hang out there. He’d since gutted the place and intended to do it all up.

“What did you hear and see?” he asked.

“I heard you telling them about me, Murphy. Laughing at how you got me to fall in love with you. I was just some sport for you to play with.”

Murphy cupped her cheeks. “Stop, that wasn’t the real me. I did what I had to for the club. You think I liked doing that? Do you think I liked talking about you in that way?” He stroked her cheek. “I hated every second of my time with them. All I wanted to do was be with you.”

“You chose the club.”

“I chose to protect you, Tate. I didn’t choose the club.”

“You left me all alone. I was confused, and you’d promised me forever. What do you want from me, Murphy? What more do you want to take? I can’t be the person you want. I’m not cut out to be an old lady.”

He tilted her head back and claimed her lips. “I’m going to go for tonight. I need you to calm down, and I’ve got some thinking to do. I’ll be back.” Murphy kissed her again. “I love you.”

Turning away, Murphy walked out of her apartment and went straight for his bike. He saw Killer’s bike was still there in the parking lot. Murphy didn’t bother going back to talk to him or seeing what the other guy was doing. It wasn’t his place, and he needed to get away from the shit that was going on in his own life.

Straddling his bike, he drove toward the cabin. He’d not been back to this place since the shooting in Tiny’s place. With the wind in his face, Murphy remembered the look of fear on Tate’s face as she’d looked at him. She’d been terrified of him because she knew what he was capable of.

“Are you happy now?” Tate asked.

She’d stared at him the whole time. He’d wanted to tell her that he was on her side, but he couldn’t. The only thing he could do was keep his mouth shut and hope Tiny and his men got there in time.

“Is this what you wanted, death? No wonder you wanted to go with the Lions, they’re just fucking pigs in a jacket,” Tate said.

He’d kept his shit together when Jeff backhanded her, but it was he who ended that scum’s life. No one touched his woman and got away with it. During his years inside The Lions he’d taken out all the men who’d said a bad word. No one suspected it was him. Any who suggested kidnapping or hurting Tate in any way and Murphy made sure to put an end to them.

There had been so many dead bodies, and he’d hidden them all. When it was safe he’d phoned Tiny letting him know what was happening.

No one hurt Tate. She was the one thing that was good in his world, and he’d be damned if he was going to let someone destroy it. It was not happening, not on his watch.

At the driveway of the cabin, he phoned Tiny to let him know where he was. His leader didn’t say a word and asked about Tate. Murphy gave an update, closed the cell phone, and turned it off. He didn’t want to be disturbed.

He climbed off his bike and headed into the cabin. It wasn’t really a cabin, but his folks always spoke of it as a cabin as it was the place they used to go to in order to get away. Going to the fridge, he grabbed the six pack of beer and headed out. The chairs were all neatly folded. He unfolded one and sat down. The cool beer helped to parch his thirst. Staring out across the lake, Murphy remembered the night Tate was talking about. He knew what she’d seen. After the guys had trashed talked The Skulls, they’d turned on Tate, Tiny’s daughter. They joked about her infatuation. All the time, Murphy had been sick to his stomach as Tate was the one reason he was at The Lions.

She didn’t know how big a threat they’d become to Fort Wills. His becoming a member had stopped it, and he’d helped to bring them down. Everything he’d done was to give him and Tate a future.