Never Forever (BlackPath MC Book 1) (10 page)

That
asshole needs to take his hands off of what’s mine. That smirk on his face
tells me he knows exactly what he is doing. Challenging me. It’s time to do
what we come here to do so everyone will know who Callie belongs to. I signal
to Dad to let him know it is time. I am tired, I need sleep, and my patience
has run out.

Like
Chief could read my mind he signals for Zman to stay.

“Callie
come here and sit down beside me. I know it’s late, ok early, but we need to go
ahead and get this done.” Callie moves around and sits next to Chief while
Trent takes the chair on her other side. Dad and I sit across from them and
Zman takes up post by the door so we won’t be interrupted.

Chief
turns to Callie and takes her hands in his and brings them to his mouth and
kisses her hands folded in his. It looks so out of character for the big man,
but he’s tender with her and shows her his emotions. I can tell by observing
the two just how close they are.

“Callie,
I love you with all my heart baby girl. I have since the first time I held you.
Showing my emotions is not what I’m good at, but I have tried extra hard with
you. Your brother, Tommy, entrusted your wellbeing with me and he knew I would
protect and love you until the day they put me in my grave. What I am going to
do now,” he chokes up and looks at his feet, “no one your age should have laid
at their feet, but I respect you and I never want you to hate me so I have to
give you the chance to make the choice.” And then he hesitates and looks at her.

“I
love you too dad, but your scaring me and you know I don’t scare easy. It’s ok.
Really, just say it. Tear it off like a band-aide.” Callie gives her dad an
encouraging smile and squeezes his big hand.

Chief
looks like he has aged ten years in the last twenty-four hours. He knows what
he has to do, but he still fights with leaving this responsibility on Callie’s
shoulders. I should feel guilty for my part in this, but I don’t. My soul was
blackened too many years ago to feel remorse for my decisions.

“Baby
girl, when Tommy was killed we have always known there was another shooter
there that night, do you remember that?” Callie shakes her head yes. I can tell
by the glassy look in her eyes that she is reliving parts of that nightmare she
already had to endure, no telling how many times, late at night in her worse
dreams.

“I
told you that. I remember two.” Callie says with vacant look now replacing the
pain I had seen only seconds before.

 “Callie,
I want you to stay with me here.” Chief strokes her cheek lovingly trying to
erase some of the harsh memories.

“Just
listen, so I can get this out. Ok? Just listen and take in what I’m saying.”
Chief tells her in a fatherly calming voice.

“There
was a second shooter. like I said. Also we have found out someone sent them.
They were not working on their own. We all know what happened to Chaz. I
thought we were really careful and covered our tracks, but I wasn’t in charge
then, and someone else took care of the clean-up. I should have done it, but I
was worried how it was affecting you.”

Callie
has listened without interrupting. The pain is written all over her face. Chief
telling her this has taken her back to when she was six years old and had her
whole world turned upside down. The day she lost her brother and killed a man.

 “Dad,
are you talking about what I did?” Callie asked just barely loud enough for us
to hear.

“Baby
girl are you ok? Is this too painful?” Trent asked and rubbed his hand down
Callie’s back to give her some comfort.

“No
Uncle Trent, I just want to understand.” Then Callie stiffens her back and
looks straight at her dad, “Tell me dad, what is it your trying to say?” she
looks determined to hear it all.

“What
I’m saying is there was definitely another shooter and it was ordered, but you
were the target just like we always thought. Steel and Devil have come to
bargain with us on the information about the other shooter and who gave the
orders. Nothing else.” There was a relieved look that come over her face. She
thinks her dark secret is safe but she will soon be enlightened. “Devil wants
you. He wants to take you as his wife and then they will give us the shooter
and the name of the man in charge. The club has vowed to avenge Tommy’s death
since he was killed, but this is not my call. I never thought you would even
think about it, but I had to let you know what they offered. I want to make it
clear that no one expects this of you, but I respect you and I knew Devil would
approach you and I wanted to bring it to you myself.” Chief squeezed her hand
and then kissed her forehead.

“That’s
why you have been following me around tonight? You want someone who doesn’t
even know you as your wife?” she sounds incredulous. She turns towards me and
looks at me as if she is seeing straight through me, “Why?” that’s all she asks,
then waits for me to give her an answer.

I
contemplate my words carefully. This has to come out right or I will be back at
square one. “Because I need a wife who can be by my side. Someone I don’t have
to coddle and who knows how the club works. I know that doesn’t sound all sweet
and shit but life is hard and I need what I need.” I try to sound convincing.
“By the way happy birthday. You are eighteen now.” Chief looks at me and now he
realizes I will care for his daughter. Something so small made him see for the
first time how serious I am.

 “They
don’t have women were you come from? Wherever that may be.” She doesn’t look
convinced.

 “Yes,
we have women, but I need a strong woman. One that won’t break when the going
gets tough and who is loyal. I know it would start out as a work arrangement
but I think love is way over rated. If we can have trust, loyalty, and
commitment, that aces love every time. I assure you that you will get your
revenge and you assure me you will be my wife.” I see she is considering it.
She wants the revenge. “To make sure you will not back out after I give the
information, you will marry me.” I hear her take a breath and hold it in. I
have shocked her, so I go in for the kill, “I mean, you had a boyfriend you
loved and see what happened, he cheated on you. That’s all love will get you is
a broken heart. We would have more.” I see in her eyes it has hit home what I
am offering and she’s curious.

“But
why me? You don’t know me. You know nothing of me. You don’t even like me.”
Callie’s eyes look far away as if she’s thinking about someone else. Probably
that prick of an ex-boyfriend.

“Your
name is Callie Cheyenne Monroe Black. Your eighteen today. You just graduated,
top of your class. Plan on attending UT. Business, I believe, is your study
area. You love to race cars. You have a bad temper at times. How is that for
someone that knows nothing about you? Oh, and I learned tonight you carry a gun
and you do what’s right even if it gets you in trouble, when it’s important.” I
look first at Callie and then to Chief. She seems to be trying to take it all
in.

“What
would keep me from agreeing and then after we know what we need to, leave? How
can you trust me? You don’t know me. If Steel and my dad are such good friends
can’t they come up with some other arrangement to get the information?” she ask
but looks from Chief to dad and then finally her beautiful blue eyes land on
me. In another place or another time, I could get lost in those eyes, but now
is not the time. She should be a carefree teenager, but within her eyes I can
see a maturity beyond her years. The innocent curtains most young women her age
have, was torn from her years ago. If eyes are the gateway to our souls, then
hers has been blackened from circumstances beyond her control. I have to give
her the most honest answer I can. From the shadows in her eyes I can tell she
is waiting for me to slip up, to tell a lie she can call me on. I won’t give it
to her.

“You
will become my wife first. From that you cannot run. Chief’s club would
recognize my right to keep you with me and would not interfere. They are the
only reason I am bargaining and not just taking what I want. I don’t ask for
permission for anything. I’m not some little school boy. I am a man and men
take what they want.” I take her hand in mine. Chief starts to get up from his
chair but she puts her hand on his arm and he relaxes some and sits back down.
“I give you my word I will take care of you and you will not be harmed. I don’t
abuse women. I will give to you what you need. Give you what you want, if I can,
and protect you with my life, with our club backing me on that, so you will be
safe. But I have to know you are all in.” I give it all to her and hold nothing
back. She has to know what she is getting into. “I live a hard life just like
your dad, but you know what to expect, you’ve lived it most your life.” There
it all was. Everything she needed to know to make a decision. She looks deep in
thought.

“Darling,
you can think about it. You don’t have to give an answer right now. We need to
head back home, and you can talk it over with Chief. Just know if the answer is
yes, it is binding. Our clubs will go to war if you back out. That’s a lot on
your shoulders, so think it through and be sure.” My dad tells her. I knew he
had a soft spot for Callie but he is giving her room to wiggle out of this and
she can’t do that. I know I am talking like I am giving her a choice, but I
know I will get what I want one way or another. I have to have her and I will
have her! I am just trying to avoid a bloody war between our clubs.

Callie
gets up and stretches and then walks around the table. When she gets back to
her chair she pulls it out and sits back down and looks at her dad, “Do you
trust what they say? Can we really rely on them giving us both the other
shooter and who ordered it? Honest time, don’t sugar coat for me.” She looks at
her dad with total trust. She thinks he would never hide anything from her for
her own good. I know differently, but right now I need her to have that trust
in him. I know what Chief and his entire club want. They want Tommy’s killers
in a bad way and they have exhausted their only leads to find them. They know
this is their last chance.

“Yes
Callie, if Steel says it’s true, I believe it. We have known each other long
enough he knows I would march through hell itself and fight the Devil himself
for you. So he knows there is no room for lies here or there will be a blood
war that will leave neither of our clubs left standing. I don’t know about
Devil but Steel will tell the truth. Only thing is, I hate to put this on you.
I loved Tommy like a brother, but you are my daughter. That’s why I had to
bring it to you or I would have told them fuck no. I have to consider how you
would feel about his killers. I don’t want you to hate me for making the
decision for you. The club has voted to do what you decide, since you will have
to live with the decision. That is big coming from the table. Never have we
ever given anyone else that power and it was a unanimous vote. We all love you
and know you will do the right thing.” Chief finishes, but you can tell this is
hard on him to have to let his young daughter make such a major decision. He
wants to protect her but sometimes our life is hard and you can’t protect the
ones we care about.

“Where
do you live? I don’t know anything about your club or you.” Then she stops and
looks at Trent who has been unusually quiet. She closes her eyes and I was
beginning to think she is way too tired for this. We’ve pushed too hard. Then
she opens her eyes and looks me at me as if she can see all the emptiness
inside me. “Can you give me until Sunday afternoon, let’s say six o’clock, back
here? Just stay in town and I will have your answer. Can we do that?” She looks
determined and is waiting for my answer. She has completely shocked me.

“Are
you sure that is enough time? You can take more time if you need it. This is
serious sweetheart.” My dad tells her.

“Callie
you need to give it more time. There’s no way you can decide something so
serious in such a short time.” Trent finally speaks up. He is grasping at
straws to try anything to delay this.

“Are
you sure baby girl? You can take more time. You need sleep.” Chief puts in his
two cents but Callie is already shaking her head but she’s not saying anything
and still waiting for my answer.

“If
you’re sure you can give us an answer by then. But think it over carefully,
because once you agree it is a done deal.” I tell her. She has an almost
haunted eerie look on her face and I am sorry I am the cause of it but I can’t
change it.

“Tomorrow
six p.m., and Devil, don’t be late.” She looks at her dad, “Can I go to my room
and sleep now and when I wake up we’ll talk?”