"Gwen." He greeted me, his rough voice caressing my name.
"Luke." I breathed, glad about my outfit choice. I was wearing short white, tailored shorts with a dusty pink silk shirt tucked in. My hair was up in a messy ponytail and I had multiple gold necklaces wrapped around my neck. I had on my third favorite pair of heels, they were pink with a criss cross of straps rounding my ankles. I felt good, I felt confident. His eyes assessed me, a small smile on his lips.
"Thought we could go outside the store and grab some of your drug of choice and perhaps some lunch?" He asked, eyes twinkling.
I started to tell him I couldn't until Rosie got back when I heard the chime of the bell. Rosie bustled in, hands full, looking down to make sure she wasn't spilling anything.
"Hey girl, I got us lemon cake as well, because Dylan makes the most kick ass lemon cake. Seriously it's almost better than sex." She yelled, making her way towards us. She looked up and froze when she saw Luke, red crept up her cheeks. "Um, hey Luke." She muttered sounding embarrassed.
Weird, she didn't usually get embarrassed, about anything.
"Hey Rosie." Luke gave her a chin lift. "You're right that cake is the shit, can't say its better than sex though." He teased and Rosie's blush deepened. She scooted past him handing me my coffee, eyes looking anywhere but Luke.
"Thanks babe." I said.
"No problem!" She replied with false brightness and the gears started to turn in my head. Shit, did she have a crush on Luke? She was never here when he came in the mornings so this was the first time I had seen them together. My spidey senses were picking something up, the way she avoided making direct eye contact with him and was as red as a beetroot. I bet she was struggling with this crush, considering the mutual hatred Luke and Cade had for each other.
"See you've got coffee babe." Luke's voice interrupted my thought process.
"Um yeah." I met his eyes deciding there was no way I'd even think about starting something with him, especially if Rosie liked him. And if I was honest with myself I didn't like him, I would just be using him to try and quell the hurt of Cade using me and then forgetting about me, although that's exactly what I said I wanted. God I hated being a girl sometimes.
"Babe?" I heard Luke ask. Damn, that's twice in a row I had retreated into my mental trance while I was supposed to be participating in a conversation.
"Sorry what?" I replied, sipping my coffee trying to sound alert.
Luke chuckled. "I asked if you wanted to go for a walk instead."
I looked to Rosie, who was sipping her coffee and trying not to frown, whether it was because of Cade or because of what she obviously felt for Luke I wasn't sure.
"Sure." I turned to Rosie. "You going to be okay on your own for a while?"
"Yeah fine! Take your time!" She replied with false brightness.
"We won't be long." I assured her, grabbing my shades and coffee.
Luke put his hand to the small of my back, opening the door, he kept it there, directing me towards the beach.
"So how's your day going?" He inquired conversationally.
"Good!" I exclaimed. "Today is the first day since we opened we haven't been run off our feet."
Luke looked at me sideways while we keep walking. "That's good to hear sweetheart."
"So how's business with you? Crime running rampant on the streets of our little town?" I joked. My words did not have my intended comedic effect, and Luke's face turned hard.
"Been quiet since the boys' been out of town." He said roughly, still watching me closely.
"The boys?" I parrot, my voice sounding high.
"Yeah, the Sons have been off on some ride, no doubt causing trouble in another county." His tone was bitter.
Guess that explained why I hadn't heard the roar of Harley pipes down the mean streets of our town, and why I hadn't seen Cade.
"Um, so I'm guessing there's no love lost between you and the club?" I asked softy, trying to tread carefully. Luke gave me a look, then gestured for me to sit on one of the tables outside the deli. We hadn't really addressed what happened the night of the opening, I was sure Luke didn't miss what went on with Cade and I.
"That's a bit of an understatement Gwen." He replied, voice tight. "They're a gang. Not a club, whatever the say different is a lie. They are criminals, and they've brought trouble and death to this town. I'm doing everything I can to stop that, to put them where they belong, which is behind bars."
I blinked. Shocked at not only his statement but the raw emotion in his voice.
"Death?" I asked, a sick feeling curled up in the put of my stomach.
"Yep, every now and them one of the Son's is killed in some shady way or another, or someone connected to them. They never used to hurt women though." He looked away as if he was remembering someone.
I struggled with nausea. "They hurt women?"
Luke nodded sharply and was silent for a moment.
"Her name was Laurie, sweetest girl you'd ever meet, I grew up with her. She fell for one of the boys and fell hard. Didn't matter what he was into, what her parents thought, trust me they were not impressed to say the least, but they also loved their daughter, wanted her to be happy." His gaze was intense and full of anguish. "Guess the boys had something going with a rival gang, drugs, pussy I don't know what it was about. Anyway the gang decided enough was enough needed to teach the boys a lesson. Grabbed Laurie one day, said they would kill her the boys didn't back down."
I gulped, knowing the story didn't have a happy ending. Luke continued, eyes on mine.
"They didn't give a shit, even fuckin Bull he was supposed to love that girl, didn't leave the god damn clubhouse. The next day, Laurie was dropped off in front of the clubhouse. Raped, savagely beaten, stabbed. Her fucking face tattooed. She died in hospital the next day." His voice was flat, almost devoid of emotion, but his jaw was hard.
I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "How long ago did this happen?" I asked with a shaky voice.
Luke still had that faraway look in his eyes. "Just under a year ago."
A year? Tears ran down my face, this story sounded too similar to what happened to me, shit it almost happened at the same time! Was this some kind of sick karmic joke?
Luke seemed to shake himself out of his trance and he saw my tears. He gently pulled me into his arms. "Fuck Gwen, you okay? I'm sorry didn't mean to be that harsh." He sounded truly apologetic.
The words didn't register and I continued crying, my breath hitching. This was meant to be my quiet little town, I was meant to heal here, not have my wounds ripped open again. How cruel could fate be, to thrust me into a situation, which posed so many similarities to one that almost killed me. How stupid could I be? To jump straight into bed with someone who came from a world that almost killed me. I was so out of it I didn't hear the approaching bikes, didn't notice Luke's hands tightening on my shoulders. I was so angry with myself for breaking down, but I had been holding this all in since I first encountered Cade, this was the last straw.
"What the fuck?" I heard Cades voice from behind.
Speak of the devil and he shall appear.
I blinked the tears out of my eyes glancing up to see Cade standing in front of us, arms crossed, stance threatening. When he got a good look at my face, his anger turned palpable, he was flanked by Lucky and Bull, both wearing blank expressions under their sunglasses.
"Crawford. Take your hands off my woman, then explain to me why in the fuck she is in that state." Cade commanded, his voice full of restrained fury.
"Watch your mouth, you forget who you're talking to Fletcher." Luke clipped "As far as I know Gwen is not your woman." Still, he took his hands off me.
"Not forgetting anything Crawford, I know I am currently talking to a prick who not only had his hands on my woman but made her fucking cry. And trust me, she's fucking mine." Cade promised, shades on me.
I stood on shaky feet. Cade took a step towards me stopping when I retreated.
"Baby..." His was voice gentle as if it was just the two of us.
"Stay away from me." I whispered brokenly.
Luke stood in front of me protectively. "You heard her Fletcher, beat it."
Cade scowled at Luke, then dismissed him, focusing on me. "Whatever he said to you … "
I couldn't deal with this. Any of it. I turned away and ran, ignoring the male shouts behind me. I ran in the direction of the beach, not knowing where else to go. I reached the sand pausing to take off my shoes. I walked until the water was kissing my ankles. I stood, looking blankly at the horizon, a million thoughts running through my head. I must have been here for a while because me feet and ankles were numb. But at least I could feel, at least I was alive. Unlike Laurie. I didn't know her, but she could have been me so easily. Still could be if I didn't sort myself out. I slowly walked out of the water, choosing not to react when I saw Cade leaning against his bike with his arms crossed, watching me.