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Rage mounted his Harley. He thought Cassie would throw a hissy fit but she simply got behind him and hugged his waist. Rage soon forgot the tension between them as he guided his motorcycle effortlessly along the winding road. Familiar scenery unfolded before them—rolling hills, wheat fields. Home.
Cassie held onto him firmly and he could tell her anger had ebbed away, because she started humming a song under her breath.
Hours passed. Cassie tightened her grip around his waist as they passed the WELCOME TO HANGING COVE town sign.
Rage wondered what emotions churned in her gut as they passed familiar landmarks. He rode past City Hall and the town’s Main Street. Rage’s destination was the outskirts of Hanging Cove, where the Death Seekers MC’s headquarters was located.
Cassie hardly uttered a word as the men guarding the compound let them through with a single nod from Rage. Rage killed the engine after he found a parking spot near the entrance. Cassie looked numb and apprehensive as she handed her helmet back to him. She looked out of place, wearing his cut, boots, and short dress.
“Come on, it’s best not to keep Breaker waiting,” he told her.
Cassie clung to his arm, like Rage was her only lifeline as they passed a group of bikers. One called out to Rage in greeting while another recognized Cassie and called out to her.
“Hey, Gears. How’s the missus and kids?” Cassie asked, finding her voice. Call Rage impressed. Cassie still recognized the old-timer and even bothered asking about his family.
“Tina and I divorced two years ago but we’re all good. You’re looking a little worse for wear, Cassie, but it’s good to see you. Breaker was worried about you,” Gears said.
Rage steered her gently on track, placing a hand on her lower back. Cassie didn’t tell him off. The woman was downright frightened, he realized.
“Hey,” he told her. “There’s nothing to be afraid of.”
“That’s easy for you to say. I haven’t spoken to him in years. Sure, we talked on the phone twice, maybe three times a year, but talking face-to-face?” Cassie shook her head. “I don’t even know what to say to him.”
“Relax. Breaker will be relieved to see you. That’s all. Besides, I’ll be with you every step of the way,” Rage assured her.
“Promise?” Cassie sounded like a terrified girl right then and there instead of a twenty-something woman. She looked vulnerable. Miserable.
“Promise,” he told her.
Rage swung the double doors leading to the MC clubhouse and stepped inside first. Heart thudding, Cassie followed. Dust danced in the stream of sunlight filtering in, revealing the building’s gritty interior.
The familiar noise of clinking beer bottles and the faint hum of country music filled the air. A couple of MC members turned their heads, their attention focused on Rage and her.
Rage confidently passed groups of bikers lounging on the table and chairs, Cassie meekly following behind him. A prospect whistled at Cassie, only to have an older MC member thump him on the back of his head.
“That’s Breaker’s daughter, you fool,” she overheard the older biker telling the prospect, who paled at the words.
With confident strides, Rage walked past the bar and toward the heart of the club, where her father was seated, alongside a group of men he trusted most. The empty seat on that table, she realized with a shock, was probably Rage’s.
Cassie didn’t know why she expected Breaker to look the same, but his face seemed more weathered, weighed down by age. Nonetheless, the same aura of authority surrounded Breaker as he rose to his feet, his gaze meeting Rage’s. The other men at the table gave Rage nods of acknowledgement.
Rage stood to one side, allowing Breaker a view of Cassie. Her lower lip trembled as she and Breaker stared at each other for a few seconds. Cassie couldn’t picture ever having a decent conversation with this man. She didn’t need to say a word. Breaker closed the distance between them and pulled her into a tight hug. Cassie resisted at first, then reluctantly hugged him back.
“Cassie, my baby girl. You’re safe and you’re here. That’s all that matters,” Breaker said, his voice a little muffled with emotion. Breaker pulled away from the awkward embrace, then turned to Rage. He didn’t ask how Cassie was doing, didn’t even question what she’d been through.
“Any trouble?” Breaker asked Rage.
“A couple of Hawk’s men got in the way,” Rage said in a conversational tone, as if killing men no longer weighed on his conscience.
That realization sent a chill down Cassie’s spine. It dawned on her that she didn’t know Rage at all. Sure, they shared one special moment back at the motel but it meant nothing. At least that was what she told herself.
She also didn’t like the feeling of being dismissed. It was like she was watching a play on the sidelines, except this play was her life.
“Why don’t you ask me what happened instead, Dad?” Cassie had never called him that, not since she was a young kid.
Both Breaker and Rage were looking at her like she was a bomb about to detonate anytime. She was causing a scene, and she hated it. Rage still thought of her as a spoiled brat, but Cassie was no longer that girl. Not anymore. Cassie took a deep breath.
“I’m tired and we had a long journey. I’m going to rest. I assume you’re still living at the old house?” she asked Breaker.
