Holy crap. This so sounded like the Sheriff was on the Son's payroll. Luke got to his feet, looking murderous.
"You've got to be shitting me, you know this was them? Jesus are you seriously protecting these criminals?"
The Sheriff's gaze turned dangerous, a quick change from the impassive look on his face moments before. "You watch what you're saying son and remember who you are talking to. Stand down before I lose my temper." The Sheriff ordered quietly.
Luke was quietly seething but he didn't say a word, just held himself stiffly for a moment before turning to Cade and I. He glared at Cade but when he turned to me his fury had all but disappeared, a tender gaze looking more at home on his handsome face.
"I'm glad you are safe Gwen, I was worried sick. We will have lunch again this week if you are feeling up to it." He delivered that parting shot before turning and walking out the door.
Shit. I hadn't told Cade about the lunches I shared with Luke on a semi regular basis. I didn't tell him because I knew he wouldn't like it (huge understatement, he would lose his shit) and I liked Luke's company. He was a decent man, and we got along well. My feelings for him were purely platonic and I genuinely wanted us to be friends. Which was hard considering his hatred towards Cade. But we never addressed that leather clad elephant in the room, always steering clear of subjects pertaining to the club. I knew Cade was angry, because his body tightened even more. He gave me a look before standing and shaking the Sheriff's hand.
"Thanks for everything Bill, you have the clubs gratitude." He sounded respectful, which surprised me.
Bill stared at him. "Don't need the gratitude just need you to reassure me that no more shit is going to hit my town." His voice was hard.
"Trust me Bill, clubs looking to move in different directions. After today, you have my word nothing else is hitting Amber." Cade's voice was resolute.
Bill looked at him a beat then nodded. He then focused his attention on me, face soft. "Glad you are okay beautiful. By the sounds of it, this boy got lucky getting you. You take care of yourself."
I nodded, unable to think of a proper response. I was surprised at the Sheriff's words and I wondered if Luke had been talking about me. Bill gave Cade another nod before seeing himself out. Cade turned back to me, face unreadable.
"Lunch?" He asked quietly.
Rah Row. How was I going to get out of this? My luck seemed to have turned for the day because at that moment the door flew open and a tear streaked Amy ran through it. Her gaze darted around the living room before settling on me, eyes narrowed on my face she strode towards me. Brock entered the room behind her.
"Gwennie! Oh my god. Oh my god." She threw her arms around me. I tried not to flinch when she squeezed my ribs.
She quickly pushed back and gaped at my face. "Those fuckers." She hissed.
"Amy its okay." I started softly, but she ignored me.
"Those FUCKERS!" She yelled, and I jumped slightly. "How can this be happening to you again Gwen? You've been though enough, Jesus you have been through hell. You almost died at the hands of crazy fucked up men, now after finally healing some other bastards get their hands on you. Um no. This is not acceptable." Her voice was in danger of breaking and I watched as she tried to fight the tears that threatened at the corner of her eyes.
"Amy." I said softly, but she ignored me again. Her eyes found Cade who was standing across from us, arms crossed, face still blank.
"What have you done about this? Are you going to make sure this isn't going to happen again? Cause if you don't, I'm calling my father and he is going to send his jet to come and take us away to an island far away where there is no men within miles. Actually fuck that I'm calling him now." She unearthed her phone and began furiously swiping at the screen. Cade's face was no longer blank, he uncrossed his arms and opened his mouth.
"Babe, cool it. It's sorted. Put the fucking phone down and chill the fuck out." Brock ordered, cutting Cade off and coming closer.
This was a surprise, I didn't even expect him to arrive with Amy much less be speaking to her. I didn't have much time to think on this though.
Amy whirled on him. "Cool it?" She uttered dangerously, glaring at Brock.
"Cool it?" She repeated, voice shrill. "Are you fucking kidding me? Did you see Gwen lying in a hospital bed, hooked up to monitors, on life support? No. Did you listen to a doctor say she might never wake up? No. Did you sit by her bed for almost two weeks, waiting thinking over and over how you could've stopped this, seen the signs, maybe saved her from the horror she endured? No you didn't! I did." Tears streamed down her face. I made to put my arms around her, soothe her. I had never seen Amy like this. Brock bet me to it. He gathered her up putting his arms around her, stroking her hair and kissing her head. I expected her to fight him, push him away. But she didn't she burrowed into his neck, hands clutching his tee. I watched in fascination as Brock's usually hard glare softened into something so tender it made my heart melt, just a little. He lifted her up, and without a word carried her out of the room.
"Did you just see that?" I asked Cade, my voice a little breathy. "She didn't even try to fight him or call him a biker asshole or anything." I was gobsmacked, and torn between happiness that Amy had someone that cared for her, and disappointment that might not be having her as a sister in law anymore. I frowned. I was really looking forward to being an aunt.
I glanced over at Cade who hadn't said a word. His eyes were black, and a muscle in his cheek was twitching. I fought the urge to roll my eyes, he was such a caveman.
"Seriously Cade, you all but thump your chest and proclaim ‘Gwen is mine' every time we see Luke. He gets the message. We've had lunch like three times, I enjoy his company, purely as a friend. You have to trust me, and let me have friends that happen to have penis's." I finished, quite proud of how firm I sounded. My hulk of a boyfriend was pretty scary when riled.
He continued to stare at me with that blank look on his face, arms crossed.
"This isn't about fuckin Crawford. Although I'm dis fucking pleased you kept your little lunches from me." He bit out.
I threw my hands up in the air. "He speaks! I was beginning to think I was destined to have a mute for a boyfriend. The plus side would be not having to deal with all your macho man comments." I joked, but Cade wasn't even cracking a grin. I begin to read the intensity in the air and got a bad feeling. I cautiously walked up to him and put my hands on his waist.
"What's wrong then?" My voice was soft and I craned to meet his black eyes.
His body was hard against mine, not responding to my touch.
"Amy's right." He growled, voice rough. "You've been through hell and getting involved with me put you right back there. I got you kidnapped."
It pained me to hear the raw emotion in his voice. I put my hand to his cheek, opening my mouth to say something, soothe him, but he got there first.
"Men put their hands on you." His hand lightly trailed my face. "You should never have once known violence not again. You are perfect, pure. And so fucking tiny, any man that would hurt you doesn't deserve to breathe. And I got you hurt again. Christ I put my hands on you because I was going crazy at the thought of anything happening to you."
"Cade … " I felt this was going in a terrible direction. I wanted to tell him I was okay.
"No Gwen." He removed his hand from my face and stepped away from me, his face back to blank.
"I thought I could protect you, protect you from the ugliness of this life, not let it taint you. I was wrong. Even if we get out of the gun business, I will always have enemies, enemies that would use you. I can't live with that. We have to end, this is over." He delivered the verbal punch and I almost doubled over. His voice and face both were void of emotion, which I knew was a lie. He loved me, he was trying to protect me. Before I could argue, he stepped towards me, cupping my head and roughly kissed me. I didn't have time to process this, he released me and walked towards the door. He couldn't leave.
"I tried to commit suicide." I blurted and he froze.
"Well I didn't physically try, someone stopped me before it got that far, but I was going to. No one knows apart from Alex and Bull." I talked to his back, he doesn't turn but he didn't leave either. He just stayed rooted to the spot, maybe it was good so I didn't have to look into his eyes when I laid myself bare.