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“Beast,” she whispers, taking a step away from the counter in my direction. “Did you get Giselle?”
And that right there, even if she doesn’t want to, she cares for her sister. I see the pain in her eyes . . . the longing. She wants her sister in her life, but not if it includes her mother. I get that.
“Yeah, Butterfingers, we got her. Thanatos is bringing her in. But you gotta know, baby, she’s in bad shape,” I answer, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
“Thanatos is gonna need somewhere to check her over,” Reaper states, coming to stand next to me, getting Bristol’s attention. “Brissy, babe, you’ve got some explaining to do. Ivy is pissed with you right now, the twins want Aunt Brissy, and you haven’t been around.”
Bristol rolls her eyes and grins. “Reaper, it’s you who’s pissed because Ivy’s getting on you about cursing in front of Paxton and Sage. I’ve already heard about Pax repeating you using the ‘F’ bomb. Because I wasn’t there to distract the kiddos, you couldn’t take Ivy’s mind off what she’s mad at you for.” She snickers.
“Damn, woman, here I thought you loved me,” Reaper states, shaking his head and reaching a hand out toward Quinten. “I’m Reaper, President of the Satan’s Keepers MC, and Beast here’s my brother.”
“Quinten Hensley,” Quinten says, taking Reaper’s hand. “Nice to meet you. I see you know my daughter well. This is myson Benjamin. I appreciate all of you helping . . .” He slides his eyes to me, not finishing that sentence.
I nod, knowing exactly what he’s talking about. Us going after Giselle and bringing his daughter home to him.
Thanatos carries Giselle in with Cerberus right behind. No one says a word as the two men move to the couch, but eyes follow the movement of my brothers. I keep mine on Bristol, watching it hit her exactly what her sister’s been going through. I see the guilt eating at her, and I’m not about to let that take root. She’s been through enough of her own, and I’m sure none of her family even knows the exact pain and hardship she’s dealt with.
As much as I’d prefer to deal with that guilt now, I won’t do it. I’ll handle it later when it’s just the two of us, here alone, with no one around to interrupt how I’m going to get through to her.
CHAPTER 9
BRISTOL
Tonight has been nothing if not the weirdest night of my life. It’s like my two worlds, neither ow which I fully belong to, merged together. My family, well my dad, brother, and sister, I guess you can say they’re all of my family, considering my mother is definitely not a part of that. Oh no, definitely not. Not after what my dad informed me of. Anyway, my family met some of those I’ve seen as friends and a few close as family.
There’s a small part of me that wants to run and hide, but seeing the way they all fit together, it was nice. Well, except for the part about my sister. That part hurts. If I’d connected with her, talked to her, the two of us could be closer, and she wouldn’t have been dealing with all of this alone.
Beast, for the most part, has been distant. Sure, he touched me, but you could tell he was pissed with me. It was in his eyes. In the way he didn’t speak. Not to me, other than the initial greeting. Even through the distance he’s put there, he’s stayed close but not touching. I don’t know what to say to him. I feel slightly humiliated that he was pulled into all my family drama.He shouldn’t have to be dealing with any of it. It’s not his business. I don’t want him to have to worry about any of this. It should be my brother and me who handle it all, not Beast or those of the club.
But how would I even know where to begin when it comes to any of this?
I listened to all of them talk throughout the evening keeping quiet. What else can I say? I’m a lousy sister for one thing, so I can’t do much there. I hate being here and feeling like an outsider, and I know I did it to myself.
I’m about ready to ask my dad if the Town Car can just take me home when Beast grabs my hand.
“We’re heading out,” he announces, surprising me. I tilt my head back and stare at him momentarily.
“You going to the clubhouse?” Diablo asks, cocking a brow.
“Nope, we’re heading home.” Beast pulls me close and wraps an arm around my shoulder. “See you Monday at the shop.”
“Sunday,” Reaper states. “We’ve got the family picnic at the clubhouse, brother. You miss it, Ivy, Stella, and the rest of the ol’ ladies will be on your ass.”
“We’ll be there,” Beast says.
“See you then,” Reaper says and looks to my dad and brother who are sitting next to my sister. “Quinten, Ben, if you feel up to it, you’re welcome to join us. It’s a family thing, food and beer. Giselle will already be at the clubhouse, so you’ll get to see her again before we take her to a safe house. We just got to finish making the arrangements for it. But it might be best we get her completely out of the state. If we do that, I’m sorry, but to keep her safe, we’re not gonna tell you where we’re sending her.”
I stiffen at Reaper’s words, I’m not in the inner circle, but I know there are a few clubs they’re allies with and could potentially send her to stay safe with. I’m sure they’re all goodguys, but they’re not the Satan’s Keepers. I don’t know them, so I don’t know if I could trust them. Not like I do those of this club.
“Come on, Butterfingers.” Beast guides me away from the group, and I don’t get to finish listening to what my brother’s and dad’s responses are. I feel like my whole world is spinning out of control, and I know if I can hold on or not. It’s like I’m losing my grip on what I thought I had control over, and that’s not a good feeling for me.
Outside, Beast takes me directly to his bike, swings a leg over it, and climbs on. He doesn’t even look at me as he waits for me to follow his direction. The thought of arguing with him crosses my mind, but honestly, I just want to go home, have a glass of wine, and snuggle with Jagger. I want to be left alone.
I’m sure the last thing I want won’t happen. Or maybe it will. With the way Beast is acting, I’m sure he just wants to get rid of me, but then, if that were the case, he wouldn’t have said what he said to Reaper and the others.
Maybe he has other plans. Those that don’t involve me. A part of me dreads the thought. Could he just be taking me back to my house in order to tell me whatever this is going on between us is over? What if he does want us to be over, and he intends to go sleep with someone else?
The very idea of it causes my chest to ache. He’s been all I ever wanted and never within reach. Tears burn in my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall. Instead, I climb on the bike behind Beast. I wrap my arms around his middle and hold on. If this is the last ride, I get to have with him, I’m going to savor it all. No one else has ever put me on the back of their bike, and no one else ever will.
