Page 47 of Snake (Road Rebels MC 3)
“What?” my father asked. “I would like to hear what you would do if I didn’t call the police. Having this leak in the media is what they want. Whoever this is, they want to ruin my campaign. But they’re not going to. I’m going to win this. If anything, to shove it in their face.”
“Funny. I thought your campaign was supposed to be family-oriented,” my mother said.
I heard a loud crack before my mother started to cry. I sat on the edge of my bed, listening to their conversation as I pulled the covers up over my face. My father was losing control. He was spiraling in his anger. Neither of them cared that they were standing outside my damn door, but I was shocked as to what I just heard. Maybe they forgot I was in here or maybe my father really didn’t care that much.
Either way, it showed me exactly how much of a shit my father gave about me. And it was only a matter of time before he treated my son with the same amount of disregard. My heart hurt listening to them talk about me, but my heart was riddled with fear when I heard him hit my mother. My father had been many things, but I’d never once seen or heard him hit anyone.
Until now.
I hunkered down into the covers and pulled them over my head. I heard motorcycles riding off into the distance, leaving me here with the likes of a man who was on a rampage. I tried to blink my tears away as I sniffled, trying my best to keep myself grounded. Everything I experienced my child would experience as well, and I wanted to be strong for them.
For him.
The house quieted down, and soon my parent’s snores were filling the house. I could hear someone walking around downstairs, and it comforted me to know Cade was there. I thought about how he would perch himself outside my door. Or maybe he would come in and sit in the chair across from me. Maybe he would take another chance and slip underneath the covers and hold me close to him.
I was able to close my eyes and slip off to sleep, blocking out the thunderous crack that kept echoing off the corners of my mind. I dreamt of Cade and how we would ride off into the sunset. How we would stuff my things into the cargo container of his motorcycle so he could whisk me away from this place. I thought about his body. How good it felt to be against his warmth again. I thought about how his hands gripped tightly onto me and how those same hands cupped my stomach with a gentle, protective nature.
But I was startled awake again by a sound I couldn’t quite describe. A sliding sound, like wood on wood. My eyes fluttered open as my heart began to slam against my chest, my hands gripped the covers tightly to my body.
“Cade?” I asked.
“Who’s Cade?”
The rough voice hit my ears before an arm clamped around my neck. I struggled against the grasp as they choked my windpipe. I tried to cry out for help as my legs kicked the bed, trying to make any sound I could to signal that I was in trouble.
That, someone, had me.
That they were going to kill me.
“Night night,” the voice said.
Then, a cloth came down around my face.
Chapter 18
Cade
I met with the guys in the garden to see if they’d found anything. This shit had gone on long enough. Even though I told a lie to get us in here, there was obviously a threat directed at Harper. And that shit wasn’t gonna fly.
“She’s fucking pregnant, you guys. This is serious,” I said.
“I agree. Fucking around with pregnant chicks isn’t good,” Blade said.
“I didn’t find a damn thing on the casing of the neighborhood,” Doc said.
“Nothing in the garden,” Vex said.
“And with the hole where it in the glass of the window, that brick had to come from from the street. Which means we’re dealing with a dude,” Ink said.
“Or a very strong fucking woman. But my bet’s on a guy,” Blade said.
“We gotta figure out what’s going on and who this person could possibly be. Which means we need to speak with Ryan,” I said.
“I’ll go get him,” Doc said.
I looked back up at the guest bedroom window that Harper was now in. She wasn’t at the window, but I knew he was scared. She had to be, with everything going on. We were stomping around her house and flooding her neighborhood with the loud sound of motorcycles. She was already on edge from our talk, and then a damn brick came through her fucking window.
I honestly wanted to get her a doctor, but I knew I had to keep my distance for now.
“What is it?” Ryan asked.
“We gotta know everyone you’ve pissed off,” I said.
“You mean besides people who aren’t voting for me?” he asked.
“This is serious. Someone is after your daughter because of something you’ve said or done. Now be straight with us. Who have you pissed off?” Doc asked.
“Do you know how many death threats I get a day?” he asked. “I’m not trying to be difficult. It’s just that I’d literally be handing you over three hundred emails. And that’s just over the past four months. They pour in. People who think they can threaten my family and I and get me to stop with this election.”
“Well, it’s getting personal,” Ink said. “We gotta have a place to start. Can you get us those emails?”
“I’ve deleted them,” Ryan said.
“Then go into your trash bin in your email, pull them out, and forward them,” I said.
Ryan’s eyes pierced mine, but I wasn’t backing down on this. He was acting like this was just some fucking charade. We were going to go at this the same way the police did. Except we weren’t gonna fucking talk to the media.
“Help us save your daughter, Mr. Thomas,” Vex said. “Otherwise, her blood’s on your hands.”
“Her and that grandson of yours,” Blade said.
My anger rose to high precipices hearing them talk like that. I balled my fists up at my sides as I loomed over Ryan. He wasn’t such a fucking hot-shot when he wasn’t behind his damn podium. He wa
s a coward. An abusive, bullshit coward.
“Where do you want the emails forwarded?” Ryan asked.
“Print them out and hand them off to Cade,” Doc said. “He’ll get them to us.”
“Print them off?” Ryan asked.
“Is he serious with this shit?” Vex asked.
“Fine, fine. I’ll print them off and get them to Cade tomorrow. Will you be around tomorrow? To protect Harper?” Ryan asked.
“If you want me to be the one doing it, someone else needs to stay here and watch the house so I can get some rest. If you want me here, I can sleep on the couch,” I said.
“I’ll stay behind,” Blade said. “I can perch on the roof and keep an eye out.”
“The roof?” Ryan asked.
“Just let us do what we do,” Doc asked.
“Whatever, I’m going inside.”
“That man’s a real piece of work,” Ink said.
“He’s a dick,” I said.
“We don’t have much to go on until we can get those emails. A brick and a letter, and none of it helps us. We don’t have handwriting or anything of that bullshit to go on. The only thing we can do right now is guard them with the family in the house,” Doc said.
“You thinking of cooping them up?” Vex asked.
“That won’t work with a pregnant woman. She’ll have doctor’s appointments and shit,” Blade said.
“That’s what Cade’s for. Blade, you’ll do night shifts with Cade. Vex, Ink, you guys’ll be with me during the day,” Doc said.
“Sounds good to me,” I said. “I’m gonna go check on Harper.”
“Who?” Blade asked.
“The fucking pregnant daughter, man. Learn some names,” I said.
“Sensitive Susan over here,” Ink said, grinning.
“Going inside now,” I said.
The guys began to drive off, and I heard Blade scrambling for the roof. I walked up the stairs and heard Ryan talking with his wife, but it wasn’t long before I heard a mighty crack. I rushed up the stairs and stood at the end of the hallway, my eyes taking in the scene before me.
Ryan was hovering over his wife as she held her cheek.
