Chief's Angel (Biker Rockstar Series Book Three) (9 page)

“You know we need to make a good impression,” My Mother says, fixing my hair.

“But Greg isn’t a good impression; you’re giving him the wrong idea. I told him I’m not interested so why do you insist on keeping him around?”

“You and Greg are friends, and friends go to dinners together,” she justifies but I know better than to believe her.

“Fine, but after this I won’t play this little social game anymore.”

“What is wrong with you lately? You’re not acting yourself.”

“I’m just busy.”

She eyes me with the kind of questioning look that only Mothers can give. “Are you keeping something from me?”

“No Mother, I’m not.”

“Fine, but adjust your attitude for tonight. Greg will be here soon.”

I finish dressing and when Greg arrives we go through all the processes with my Mother. Stepping outside I get a gut feeling that something is not quite right. I smile for the camera and speak civilly to Greg; who is probably about as happy as I am to be here. We’re just climbing into the car and Greg has his hand on my back to help me in, when I see a motorbike pulled up over the road.

I feel my eyes widen as I see Caden standing and staring over at me. He has a bunch of flowers in his hand, and his eyes are full of rage. My hand cups over my mouth, I had promised him I would go out with him tonight. How had I forgotten about that?! Guilt swarms me as he tosses the flowers onto the ground and crushes them with his boot, never taking his eyes from mine. Then he gets on his bike and speeds off.

“What a lunatic.” Greg mutters, not having noticed the eye contact between me and Caden. He just assumed it was some random on a bike. In fact, it seems our exchange went completely unnoticed. 

“Ready?” My Mother smiles, oblivious to my trembling lip.

“Yes.”

I get in the car and swallow repeatedly over and over, trying to remove the lump from my throat. I feel sick and my desperation to speak to Caden is nearly enough to make me jump out of the car and chase him down. I feel so awful, and I can’t imagine how bad it must have looked to him; me and Greg getting in the car together. Especially after everything that happened yesterday, I can’t blame him for reading it wrong.

When we arrive at the charity function, I walk in with my arm reluctantly wrapped around Greg’s. He pulls me right out onto the dance floor to dance, and I do my very best to keep my body as far away from his as possible. This proves to be challenging, considering he keeps gripping my hips and pulling me closer.

“Stop being so stiff, you could at least pretend you want to be here.” Greg hisses in my ear.

“You know I don’t, so why do we keep going over this?”

“You know as well as I do that your Mother wants us together, why are you fighting it?”

I glare at him, “You know why. I don’t want to be with you so even though my Mother says so, it doesn’t work like that Greg.”

“It does when your parent’s come from big money.”

“No
,“ I say, letting him go, “It doesn’t.”

I make my way off the dance floor, feeling flustered and angry. I take my seat at the table, and watch all the couples dancing and mingling. I think of Caden, and how he would never fit into this world, and it has me wondering if
I
fit into this world? Yes, I like the glam and the affairs, but this world has never made me laugh the way Caden has; this world has never brought me pure joy.

“Why aren’t you dancing with Greg?”

I turn to see my Mother sitting down beside me. She looks dazzling tonight, with her light hair pulled up and her blue eyes sparkling. I force a smile, not wanting to upset her right now.

“My feet are hurting in these heels.”

Luckily she seems to accept this excuse because I don’t think I have it in me to come up with another right now. Smiling sympathetically she places her hand on my thigh.

“Oh no!
I hate new shoes.”

“Me too,” I say, staring out at the dance floor again.

“He is absolutely obsessed with you, I find it lovely.” My Mother sighs, staring at Greg.

Not this again. “Mother, you know he and I don’t mix.”

“You don’t even give him a chance.”

“How many chances do I have to give him?”

“You never make any effort to get to know the boy,” she reasons, “Maybe you two should go out alone…”

“Mom, I don’t have feelings for Greg and I wish everyone would just let me make my own mind up.”

“Amanda, you get a say so in most things you do.”

“Just not who I date right?”

I pick up her hand from my thigh and place it back in her own lap; I’ve had enough of this bullshit.

“It isn’t as though I am asking you to marry the man,” She snaps.

“Aren’t you?” I say, standing.

I rush off to the bathroom, and stare at myself in the mirror. I need to get out of here; I can’t deal with this right now. I freshen up then head out to find my Mother again. I find her still sitting at the table, chatting to a group of women. I wait until they are finished speaking, before catching her attention.

“I’m leaving.” I say.

“Why? We haven’t even had dinner yet.”

Not wishing to be drawn into a long winded argument, I say the first thing that comes into my head. “I…just went to the bathroom and I have gotten my period. I have no protection,” I lie. Really Amanda?! That’s the best you could come up with?!

Turning back towards her friends at the table, my Mom tries to ‘fix’ the situation. “Oh, I am sure I could ask one of the ladies…”

Feeling my face flush, I’m quick to thwart her rescue attempt. “God no Mom! Honestly, it’s fine; I’m tired anyway.”

I can tell she’s disappointed but she plasters a fake smile across her face. “Ok. Shall I get Greg to take you home?”

“No, let him enjoy the night. I’ll catch a cab.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure. Thanks for tonight Mom, it was lovely.”

She beams. “Yes, it was. Call me if you need anything.”

I give her a hug and then I leave without saying goodbye to Greg. Once out front, I wave down a taxi. I get in and give directions to Caden’s house. I need to make this right. When we pull up, I pay the driver and get out. Both houses are quiet, so I walk up to Caden’s front door. Jeff answers when I knock, and a smile stretches across his handsome face. He looks a lot like Caden, with grey eyes and greying dark hair. He is taller and leaner, but the similarities are still noticeable.

“Hi Angel, what you doing here?”

“I was looking for Caden?”

“Oh, he is at the party over the road with the boys.”

I look to where he is pointing, and I can see the glow of a bonfire on the beach over the road. Great. As if it wasn’t hard enough to walk in these heels already I’m going have to traipse over the bloody dunes.

“Oh, okay. Thank you Jeff.”

“Anytime love.”

He closes the door and I turn and walk over to the beach. When I get down onto the sand, people are scattered everywhere. I can smell smoke, salt and alcohol. I stumble and lurch in my heels; sifting through the people, desperately seeking Caden. I finally see him standing against a tree, with his arms around Dani. My heart plummets and I clutch my chest. I make my way over; my dress whipping madly in the breeze. He notices me, and his eyes flare.

“Caden…can we talk?”

Dani steps in front of him and glares at me; her blonde dreadlocks are pulled back into a thick pony tail.

“Go back and play with your dolls princess. This world ain’t for you; Chief ain’t for you, so best you fuckin’ leave.”

My eyes fall on Caden. I know I have made him angry, I know I deserve his wrath but he won’t even speak to me. His grey gaze burns through me.

“Caden?” I whisper.

Turning from me, he wraps an arm around Dani and pulls her away; leaving me to stand alone in the sand with pathetic tears falling down my cheeks. I know I stuffed up, I know that; but maybe Dani is right. Maybe this world just isn’t for me. I turn, kick off my heels and run away from the party; I need to get out of here because without Caden, this isn’t safe for me.

“Well, hello there little girl.”

I hear a voice just as I step onto the sidewalk. I turn and see three men standing and staring at me.

“Leave me alone.”

I turn and go to walk away, but a hand lashes out and grips my arm.

“Now, now, little one. We only wanna talk.”

“Let me go,” I cry.

“Don’t be horrible, we only wanted to say hello.” A dark haired man grins.

“Yeah, only wanted to say hello,” another repeats.

“Let me go, I’m not interested,” I say and I can hear the tremble in my voice.

I try to yank my arm away, but the man won’t let me go. Every fiber of my being is urging me to run, to scream or do something but my body is frozen. Alarm bells are going off in my head as the three men close in on me and pull me closer. My sense of self-preservation finally kicks in and I lash out with my leg. My foot hits one man right in the groin and he bellows. His fist shoots out and connects with my eye; sending me stumbling back into a nearby vehicle.

“What the fuck?”

I hear the voice and I see Bill come into view. His eyes widen at the sight of me slumped against the car. He sprints towards me.

“Angel, what are you going here?”

“I…” I can’t speak, my voice is trembling.

Running his gaze over me, he spots my fast swelling eye. “Your eye…you have been hit,” he growls.

The man behind him groans and Bill spins around and quickly pieces it together.

“MAX,” he shouts. “BOYS!”

“No Bill, we didn’t do
nothing…”

“You fuckin’ hit her you dirty scum bag.”

“It was a reflex; she kicked him in the balls,” one man says, putting his hands up.

“I don’t fucking care! You don’t fucking hit women!”

Six men appear out of the darkness and stare over at me.

“Angel, what the fuck?”
Max says, walking over and touching my swollen eye.

“He hit her.” Bill says, jerking his head in the direction of the man lying on the ground, his hands still between his legs.

“Where’s Chief?”

“No idea.”

“Take her over to my place, now,” Max orders one of the younger club members.

“I…please, I just want to go,” I whisper.

“Not until we know you’re okay, go over there now Angel.” Max orders harshly.

I follow the younger man over the road, and I hold my hands over my ears to try and block out the sickening sounds of fists connecting with skin. He leads me inside and I sit on the couch; watching as he walks into the kitchen to get me an ice pack.

“Thank you,” I say, when he hands it to me.

“He did a good job on you.”

Wincing as I place the ice pack over my throbbing eye, I agree. “I know. Sorry, I don’t know your name?”

“Henry.”

“Nice to meet you Henry. Sorry, I’m still learning everyone’s names.”

“Not to worry. Just sit tight.”

“What are they doing to those men?”

He sighs and shakes his head at me. “You don’t wanna know, just sit tight and it’ll all be over soon.”

I sit quietly and wait, an hour passes and finally the front door opens. Max, Bill, Caden and Dani stalk into the room. I look down at my hands as my gut wrenches at the sight of Dani and Caden standing next to each other. I know I hurt him, and I deserve his silence but for him to go right back to her, tears my heart out. I feel fingers wrap around my chin and my face is yanked up to meet Caden’s. His angry grey gaze focuses on my eye.

“What the fuck happened?”

I’ve seen Caden mad before but safe to say that, after taking one look at the purple, black and blue discoloration around my eye, right about now he was
pissed
. Well, given that he was still flaunting that skank in my face, that made two of us.

“Nothing, can I go?”

“Answer me Amanda, what the fuck happened?”

Ouch,
him calling me Amanda hurts more than I ever thought it would.

“I kicked him because he was holding me and I couldn’t get away. He hit me. End of story.”

“Not end of fucking story,” he snarls, and then he turns to the men, “You’re done here; go back to the party.”

“Chief, are you sure you got this?”

“I fucking got it.” Turning from them, he shoots me look that could freeze fire. “Get up,” he says to me.

“What?”

“Get up and get your ass next door.”

“I just want to go home…”

“Now!” he roars.

I get to my feet and as I feel a familiar burning behind my eyes, I desperately try to stop the tears from falling. Christ, I’m such a girl. Max gives me a sympathetic look, and then glares at Caden.