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I follow my son through the house and take in every single detail I can. While the house is old and in need of repairs and updates, Calla has made it a home for our son and her. There are pictures lining the wall, everything is clean, and Zane’s room is filled with love. She’s put together a room for our son that has a bed with thick blankets covering it. There’s a bin of toys across the room, and a nightlight to ensure our son isn’t in the dark. Next to the bed is one stand that’s got a pile of books stacked on it. Calla no doubt reads to him every single night. It’s something she always told me she wanted to do when she had children of her own. Something her mom used to do with her before her father put an end to it.
Dinner goes good with Zane keeping up a steady stream of conversation. He tells me about school, his friends, everything he did before I showed up. My boy can talk and I can’t help but want to laugh because I’m the complete opposite. I don’t talk unless I absolutely have to and only say what needs to be said. Zane more than makes up for my silence. Calla says a few things now and then but lets me take the lead with Zane. She’s giving us our time despite not being very far from us for any length of time.
Once we’re done eating, I help her clean up the dishes and put away the leftovers. Calla made chicken parmigiana with spaghetti for dinner. It’s one of my favorite meals and something she obviously remembered from our time in school. I’d have it at least once a month when we were together because she’d make it just for me. I’d always take home a container of it when she’d bring it to me. One of the best things I ever ate.
“Are you ready to head to the clubhouse?” I ask her when there’s nothing more to do.
“Yeah. Let me get Zane cleaned up and then we can leave. I’ll follow you in my car so you don’t have to come back out. We can’t stay very long, Billy. Zane’s got school tomorrow and he’s got a routine we follow to make things easier. Like you, he’s not a morning person and needs all the sleep he can get,” Calla states, looking at me while I look between her and our son.
“We won’t be long. Maybe tomorrow you could bring Zane by after school so he could meet everyone. Have dinner there with us?” I suggest not sure if Calla will go for it or not.
“We’ll see. We need to take this a day at a time. Make plans each day instead of getting ahead of ourselves,” is the only response I get from her.
Calla gets Zane ready to leave and we all make our way outside. I search the area for anything out of place or someone watching us. My entire body is tense as I remain close to Calla and Zane while she gets him in his seat and closes the door behind her. I don’t move until Calla’s in the driver’s seat and has the door closed between us. Finally, I make my way to my truck and get in so I can lead the way to the clubhouse. I’m sure Calla knows where it is, but I still keep my eyes locked on the rearview mirror as much as possible to ensure she’s with me until we get behind the gate of the compound. Now, we’ll see how she reacts to everyone being in the clubhouse.
Chapter Six
LAST NIGHT AT the clubhouse was an unreal experience. While I saw the women there who provide sex for the men of the club, they gave me a wide berth. I was glared at, talked about, and they made sure to let me know without a confrontation that they didn’t like me being there. Instead of feeding into their hate because I’m here and a supposed threat to them, I ignored them and kept my focus on Zane. Being his first time in the clubhouse, I needed to make sure he was comfortable at all times. If I thought for one second he wasn’t ready to be there, I would have taken him home in a second. My boy was in his element though.
Zane loves meeting new people and there was a ton of them there for him to hang out with. Billy kept him away from the women who didn’t want us there but let him get to know the members and the ol’ ladies of the club. I was essentially ignored by everyone because no one knows what to do with me. No one was rude or anything like that, but it was clear that I wasn’t a part of the ol’ ladies or anyone else. Billy is literally the only one who talked to me on a regular basis. And Doc. She’s a woman who gets the job done and doesn’t pull any punches. Doc also put my son at ease when she did the DNA test and explained everything to him in ways he could understand.
Doc let me know she’s taking on new patients at her clinic in town as well. I’ve been looking for a new doctor for us and it looks like I just found who we’ll be going to. Her name is Kathy Mason and the woman is absolutely amazing. She is someone I could see myself being friends with if I didn’t have the situation with my father that I do. She’s just one more person he’d use against me in a way to get me to do his bidding. I won’t bring anyone into my life because of him. It’s a lonely existence, but one that I’m used to. The only time I ever brought anyone around was when my mom was still alive.
Overall, we did have a good time at the clubhouse and I don’t see a problem with Billy taking Zane there again. I can’t say that I’ll be heading back there anytime soon, but that’s nothing to do with anyone there and more about not wanting to involve myself where I don’t belong. I’m not part of the club and the women know it. It’s good to know where I stand though. I’d rather know than have someone lie to my face or pretend to like me when they really don’t. I lived that way for years with my father and I refuse to do it any longer. It doesn’t matter who the hell I’m talking about.
Since we got back home, I’ve had a feeling in my gut that something horrible is about to happen though. I know it can only involve my father which means my fear level is at an all-time high. It means that I have to be vigilant and I don’t want to let Zane out of my sight for any reason. Unfortunately, I have to work an overnight shift tonight and it means that I’m hardly going to be able to concentrate on my job when I know Heather will be here with Zane and I don’t know what will happen.
Before I can let myself dwell too long on what’s going to possibly happen, there’s a knock at my door. I don’t bother looking to see who it is because it will only be one of two people—my father or Billy. I’m not sure I’ll have a good time with either one of them if I’m honest with myself. So, unlocking the deadbolt and regular lock, I pull the door open to find my father and one of his men with him.
“Calla, you still haven’t learned after all this time. When are you going to get it through your fucking head that I know every damn move you make before you even think about letting it happen? No one in this town will lie to me for you. I’ve warned you for fucking years that if you saw that boy again, I would beat the shit out of you and your son would also suffer because of the choices you make. Now, you’re gonna learn that I’m not playing games with you. Everything you’ve felt in the past will be nothing compared to what I’m about to do to you,” my father promises me with a sinister smile on his face.
I brace myself because I know what’s coming. My father is about to beat the absolute hell out of me and there’s nothing I can do about it. I can’t stop it from happening either. So, I prepare the best I can to take the pain he’s about to inflict on me. The man doesn’t disappoint either. He always starts by throwing a punch or two. That’s what always happens and I’ve been on the receiving end of his punches more times than I can count. From there, he’ll manipulate my body until I end up on the ground at his feet. That’s when he really starts to have fun. He can land hits and kicks to my body at that point in time.
As the beating continues, I try to make myself as small as I can while letting myself disappear in my head to the place only I can get to. That works for me until my father does something he’s never done before to this point. He not only breaks my arm, again, but my ribs are bruised and I believe at least one of them is cracked. This time, I’m pulled from my head when a sharp, stabbing pain infiltrates my mind. My leg is on fire and I know he’s stabbed me for the first time in my life.
My eyes burst open as a scream is ripped from me. I look down to find the handle of a knife sticking out of my leg. From the placement of it, I don’t believe anything vital was hit, but I’m not about to remove it either. My father is laughing hysterically at me when he looks down at me. He loves to stand over me once he has me on the floor. It makes him feel more powerful and as if he has more control than usual. That’s what he’s told me countless times in the past. And people wonder why the fuck I hid from him for so damn long.
“You’ve wasted all of your chances to get back on my good side. Now, you’ll pay the ultimate price. I haven’t been lying to you all these years, Calla. Not only will you continue to pay, but your son will pay as well. Eventually, I’ll make sure that boy fucking pays for his sins too,” my dad promises me before he lands a few more kicks to my body and leaves me laying on the floor of my hallway.
My door is slammed shut and it takes everything in me to move the slightest bit from the floor. I have to get to my phone though. Heather is the only person I trust to help me right now and I know she’s home. Her plan is to sleep so she’s up tonight since she’s got tomorrow off as well and can get back on a sleep schedule tomorrow night. It’s how we’re able to go from night to day and back again on a regular basis.
I’m not sure how much time has passed since my father left me lying on the floor of my house, but I’ve finally managed to get to the living room and my phone. Not trying to get up from the floor, I manage to reach my phone and pull it down to me. When I call Heather, after memorizing her number so no one else gets it, her phone goes right to voicemail. Every single time I try to call her. So, I have to call someone else. My mind only goes to Doc. She’s the only one I can think of who might come to me so I don’t have to leave the house until it’s time for me to go to work.
There’s a business card for her on the table and I grab it since it’s so close to the edge. Kathy left her personal cell phone on the card and I use that one to make the call.
“This is Dr. Mason,” she answers her phone.
“Dr. Mason, it’s Calla. I met you last night at the clubhouse. I’m in some trouble and need help. I tried calling a friend of mine, but she’s still sleeping. This is a time sensitive issue because I have to pick my son up from school in a little while,” I tell her, not wanting to give up too much information on the phone.
“Can you make it my office?” she questions, her voice almost a whisper.
“No. I’m currently on the floor of my living room and I don’t know if I’ll be able to get up on my own,” I tell her honestly.
“Send me your address and I’ll be there as quick as I can.”
“Make sure you bring a suture kit with you. I’ve got a knife in my leg. Don’t think it hit anything important, but I don’t really know either. The rest of my injuries are superficial. Just cuts and bruises. I might have a cracked rib. Oh, and I think I have a broken arm. I’m not really sure if it’s actually cracked or not though,” I tell her so she has some idea of what to bring with her.
“I’ll grab what I need and get there quickly.”
