“I don’t get what the fuck you’re all seein’.There is nothin’ between Wren and me,” I tell them, accepting a cup of coffee from Wyatt before he disappears again.
“You keep tellin’ yourself that, Braydon,” Talon states as he looks at me with a knowing smirk on his face.
“You boys know I love ya all and I’d do anythin’ for ya.I helped raise all three of you when your parents weren’t around and did the best I could,” Gramps says as he looks between my brothers and I.“With the way the three of you have been so adamant about not wantin’ a family of your own, I fear I’ve led you down the wrong path.Yeah, Brice and Nolan have a family, but you’re more stubborn than the two of them, Braydon.”
“You didn’t lead us wrong, Gramps.You’ve always been there for us and made sure we had everythin’ we could ever need.You taught us more than Mom and Dad even when they were around,” I tell him honestly as he turns in my direction.
“I had the love of my life until she left this world.Everythin’ I did was for her and I wouldn’t trade a second of the time I had with her even knowin’ how it ends.Your grandma was an amazing woman so full of life and strong.She put up with my shit every damn day and was a saint.The three of you have been lucky enough to find that for yourselves and each one of you fucked it up.Braydon, if you don’t pull your head outta your ass, that girl is gonna leave here.She’ll leave you behind without a second thought and never look back.I can tell she’s had a rough life and the only two people she can depend on are those Prospects.
“She came into your clubhouse, cooked, cleaned, and took care of the men and women here when she didn’t have to.I’ve seen her back and know how bad the injury is.She’s in pain and hides it.That woman doesn’t complain about anythin’.She took care of the Rebel when there was an altercation and didn’t run to a single member about it.From what I hear, she apologized to the boys she’s close to and thought she overstepped.That’s the kind of woman you make a damn wife and spend the rest of your days knowin’ how lucky you are that she gave you the time of day.You love her and treat her like a fuckin’ queen.She’s full of sass and there’s a devilish glint in her eyes.Wren needs a strong man who can handle every single part of her and I know that’s you,” Gramps says as he takes a sip of his coffee and looks around the room.
“I can see where you’re comin’ from, Gramps.Havin’ one woman in my bed and kids just isn’t somethin’ that appeals to me.Bein’ a dad isn’t for everyone and we learned that first-hand with our own father.He was a sperm donor and our mom was an incubator.You were more of a parent to us than either one of them,” I tell him as I hear shouting from upstairs.
“What the hell is goin’ on now?”Death asks, looking up at the same time I do.
Rushed footsteps sound on the stairs and I see Fury.His face is redder than I’ve ever seen it before and his entire body is tight.Tristan is walking down behind him almost as fast.Both of them look at where I’m sitting with my family and head directly for us.Fury doesn’t say a word as he grabs the top of my tee-shirt in his fist and pulls me from my chair.Confusion fills me as I look at him while my brothers stand from their seats and stand where they are.
“What the fuck did you do?”Fury yells in my face, a vein sticking out in his neck as Tristan stands behind him and folds his arms over his chest while looking at me defiantly for the first time since I found him on the streets.
“What are you talkin’ about, Fury?I haven’t done anythin’,” I answer him as more people fill the room and watch the altercation taking place.
“You fuckin’ did somethin’ to Wren.She’s gone.Tristan went up to put the cream on her back and make sure she’s okay.Somethin’ was wrong with her yesterday but she wouldn’t tell Zach what it was.The only person in this clubhouse who has the power to hurt that girl is you.So, I’m gonna ask one last fuckin’ time, what did you do to her?”Fury questions me, his voice vibrating with the rage coursing through him as his entire body shakes.I’ve never seen my best friend this pissed off before.
I try to think about what happened yesterday.The only thing I can come up with is the short conversation we had in my office.I really didn’t say anything to her that would upset her to the point she left the clubhouse though.
“I’m tellin’ ya, I didn’t do anythin’ to her.I took her upstairs the night before when everyone was still here to put the cream on her back.We had sex.I went to take a shower when we were done and she disappeared from my room.I didn’t think she could get in the shower with me because I’d already put the cream on her back and didn’t want to get it wet.So, I was plannin’ on cleanin’ her up when I was done.By the time I got out of the shower, she was gone.I didn’t go lookin’ for her because I assumed she went to bed.Yesterday, I had a short conversation with her in my office.She told me she wasn’t gonna have sex with me again and then left the room.That’s the last time I saw her,” I tell Fury as he shakes his head but doesn’t release his hold on me.
“There’s somethin’ more to it than that,” he states as Demolition walks up to me.
“I told ya I’d beat your ass if you hurt her, Judge.You’re my President and I respect you as far as the club goes.As a man, you fucked up and hurt one of the best women I’ve ever met in my life.She’s genuine and you don’t fuckin’ find that shit these days.You know what else is goin’ on with her and I have a feelin’ your more involved in that situation than any of us know.You’re tossin’ a great woman aside and your fuckin’ kid,” Demolition says, throwing a punch before anyone can stop him.
“Wren’s pregnant?”Death questions me as he steps up next to Demolition and Fury.
“Yeah.And I know the baby is mine because I’m the only guy she’s ever been with.There’s no doubt in my mind about it.I’ve been tellin’ all of ya I’m not fit to be in a relationship or a dad,” I state as they all look at me and I watch as Ice steps up.
“She left late last night on foot.Had a bag in her hand as she left the compound.I’ll keep workin’ and try to figure out where she went, but I don’t know how long it will take.This was Razer’s area of expertise,” Ice tells us as he stares at the screen of his phone.
“She went to get her car,” Tristan speaks up.“She knows we haven’t started to work on it yet so it’s still sittin’ in the parkin’ lot of Whittaker’s.I don’t know if she’s plannin’ on leavin’ town now or if she’ll go see our foster mom first.”
“Go to your foster mom’s house to see if she’s there,” Fury orders him.“Go anywhere else you think she’d go.”
“There’s nowhere else.Wren grew up in foster care as some of you know.She was never physically abused, but she was hurt every single year of her life.The longest she ever remained in one home was when she was a baby.The first three years of her life was spent with one family until they simply decided they didn’t want her any longer.From there, she’d be lucky to last a year with a family.Each time, the results were the same—stay for up to a year and then be moved.That takes a toll on a person whether they want it to or not.It took forever for Zach and I to be let close to her.Days and weeks of puttin’ in the time and work.Anythin’ you might have said to her did nothin’ but prove to her you were one more in averylong line of people who pushed her away,” Tristan informs us and I know there’s more to the story than what he’s sharing right now.
“The only place she ever went besides school was to our sportin’ events.We have no clue what she’s been up to over the last five years.I’ve asked and she refuses to answer,” Zach says before Ice steps even closer to Fury and me.
I watch as Tristan and Zach leave the clubhouse.Their bikes start and I listen to them pull away from the clubhouse before the silence fills the room again.
“She overheard the conversation you two had in your office yesterday, Judge.Heard you say she’s nothin’ more than a fuckin’ hole.She walked away with tears in her eyes.I haven’t seen her cry since we first met.That tells me how truly hurt she is,” Ice tells me and I can see the anger on his face as Fury punches me without hesitation.My head snaps back with the force of his hit and I don’t do anything back to him because I know how he feels about Wren.How most of the men here are starting to feel about her.They all want to protect her.
“Fuck you, Judge.I’m fuckin’ done with your ass.Wren doesn’t deserve to be treated the way you’ve been to her.She deserves a man who will love every fuckin’ part of her.Especially on the days she’s feelin’ insecure and alone.You fuckin’ stripped her bare with a few words and acted as if it didn’t happen,” Fury says, finally releasing me and walking away.
I watch as my best friend leaves the clubhouse.His bike starts up in a matter of seconds and I hear him roar away.Fury shouldn’t be on his bike and I know others feel the same as Vulture and Carve run from the room and outside.Their bikes start up and I listen as they race away from the compound to catch up with him.
“I don’t even think we fucked up as bad as you just did,” Talon says as he takes his seat again and looks up at me.“I’m not steppin’ in if a single person beats your ass.That’s fucked, Braydon and you know it.”
“I didn’t mean for her to hear that shit,” I state as if that solves the problem and makes up for a conversation meant for no one besides Fury and myself.
“It doesn’t fuckin’ matter if she was supposed to hear it or not.She did.You’re like another son to me, Judge.Always have been since you showed up here.For the first time in my life, I can say I’m truly disappointed in you and don’t want to see your fuckin’ face.I’m goin’ to look for my son and Wren.Anyone but Judge can call me with any updates.I’ll stay in contact with Tristan and Zach because I’m sure neither one of them want anythin’ to do with you and they didn’t hear the last part,” Demolition says as more men leave the clubhouse without me saying a word about going out to find Wren.