Chapter 12

Twelve

Fletch

I don't stop fucking Gemma. Nyx shrugs from his kutte, his eyes fixed on us. I move us away from the window and drag her onto the couch, pulling her to sit over me. I grip her hips and move her, forcing her to ride me. She looks unsure, but I need to distract her while Nyx sorts out the recording device, so I pull her in for a kiss. He slips it between two books on the shelf and drops down on the chair opposite us.

I was so fucking angry, I'd called Nyx and arranged for him to turn up here. But fucking her like this feels wrong, and as she rides my cock with that uncertain mistrusting glint, I realise I can't look her in the eyes, so I grab her by the hair again and tip her head back. I catch Nyx's glare and give him the nod. He stands and slowly heads our way while popping the button on his jeans. I bite gently on her exposed nipple, and she shudders. Nyx runs his hands over her shoulders, sliding them around to her breasts. I release her hair, and she stares at me with eyes now full of lust as he teases her nipples between his thumb and finger.

I stare at his fingers working her into a frenzy and fight the urge to stop this whole thing. His hand travels down her front, stopping on her clit. She cries out, closing her eyes but moving faster to chase her release. When his fingers are wet enough, he takes them to her backside, and she tenses. "Darlin', you gotta relax," he whispers in her ear.

I feel my cock soften. Knowing he's touching her is too much, and I grip her hips, stilling her. Her eyes shoot open, and she stares at me with worry. I don't bother to speak. I lift her from me and rest my head back on the couch, staring up at the ceiling and ignoring Nyx as he drops to his knees, no doubt wanting to taste her . . . to taste what's mine.

I ball my fists and count in my head to calm myself. I have to do this. The club is depending on me. "Stop," I hear her say, and it takes a second to register. "I just need . . . it's all going so fast."

I glance up to where Nyx is about to bury his face between her legs. "You heard," I snap. "Stop."

Nyx falls back, holding his hands up in surrender. "I heard her, man, relax."

He pushes to his feet and moves back to the chair. Gemma stands, gives me a sad smile, and leaves the room.

"It's too much too soon," I mutter.

"You sure about that?" asks Nyx, cocking a brow. "I saw how tight your fists were just then, brother. You wanted to smash them into my face. You like her."

I pinch the bridge of my nose. "You're talking shit. Leave us."

He grabs his kutte and fastens his jeans. "You know where I am when you're ready." He laughs. "I mean, when she's ready." He takes the camera. "We might have enough, and Shadow got some shots of you two in the window and her holding the bag on the back of your bike."

"Wait," I mutter, standing. I feel beneath the couch and find the paper file I kicked under there. "It's got my name on it," I say, passing it to him. "Take it to the club."

I find her in the kitchen drinking a glass of water. "He's gone."

She starts at my words and places the glass on the side. "He didn't have to leave. I just needed a minute."

"You wanna fuck him?" I bark and instantly regret it. It's not her fault I'm jealous.

She slowly shakes her head. "No."

"You fucked up coming to the garage," I yell, beginning to pace. "You sprung that shit on me, Gemma."

"It's my job," she snaps. "I was doing my job."

"I've gotta stop you," I say, running my hands through my hair. "The club is relying on me."

"Stop me how?"

"I don't know," I yell, "but please don't make me find out."

"There's nothing to hide," she snaps. "You said there was nothing."

"You know that's bullshit," I shout angrily.

"Stop talking," she hisses. "Don't tell me anything you can't take back."

"I wasn't meant to like you," I admit, leaning against the wall. I feel tired, and when my eyes meet hers, she looks exactly the same. "It will never work."

"Leave the club," she says.

I laugh. "If you knew me at all, you'd know that can never happen."

She rushes to me, grabbing a fistful of my shirt. "It can. Just leave and we can be together."

"It's my life," I snap, pushing her from me. "It's the only place I've ever felt like I belonged."

"And what about us? Don't I make you feel like that?"

"We can't even be out in public together. We couldn't fourteen years ago, and we still can't. Gemma, I can't give up the club. And if you felt anything at all for me, you'd never ask me to."

She sighs, her shoulders dropping slightly. "I need to get cleaned up," she mutters, passing me to head upstairs.

I follow a few minutes later and kick off my boots. I shrug from my kutte and lie on her bed. When she returns wrapped in a towel, I hold out my hand, which she takes. "I've never wanted to kill a brother before, but seeing Nyx touch you . . ." I trail off, and she climbs over me, allowing the towel to fall away.

"It felt wrong," she admits. "All I could think about was you and how I just need you."

My hand snakes around her neck and I pull her closer until our lips touch. "Just me," I whisper, kissing her gently.

I lay her on her back and slip from my shirt, followed by my jeans and boxers. I grab a condom from my back pocket and slip it over my erection before slowly crawling over her body. This time, when I sink into her, I whisper soft words into her ear about her belonging to me. And I make promises for the future. Promises I know I can't keep.

I waited until Gemma had fallen to sleep in my arms before carefully slipping out of there. I couldn't even face writing a note, because what the fuck would I say? Sorry?

I fix Axel with a glare. "Beat me to death if it makes you feel better, just know I'm out."

"So, you do like her?" asks Grizz, smirking.

"You got what you needed, right? She's implicated in the drugs, she's on tape fucking me, and you have photos. That's enough to use against her."

Axel gives a slight nod. "Grizz, give us a minute," he mutters, and Grizz leaves.

"Sit," he tells me, and I do. "Is he right, do you love her?"

I scoff, ready to deny it, but my smirk fades and I groan. "Yeah, Pres, I think I do."

"And she feels the same?"

I nod, my aching heart splitting some more. "When she wakes up to see I'm gone, she'll realise what just happened between us."

"What happened?"

"We said goodbye."

He gives a knowing nod and pushes to stand. "You need whiskey and pussy . . . in that order."

I cancel Gemma's call for the eighth time and go back to fixing the engine. When my life goes to shit, this is where I come to find peace. I know cars. I understand what makes them tick and how to fix them. Women, I haven't a clue.

A text comes through and I pull the screen down enough to read it without opening it.

Snap: Raid. Tonight. Club.

Fuck . Now, she's giving me the heads-up. I call Axel to relay the information, but it makes no difference—the club is clean.

Snap: Please answer. Talk to me.

There's only one way I can get her to walk away.

Gemma

I don't know why I gave him the heads-up. I just wanted a response, seeing as he's clearly ignoring me. We made love. For the first time ever, we made love, and then I woke full of happiness, only to find him gone. He didn't even leave me a fucking note. I guess he didn't need to—it was clear what had happened.

He didn't respond to my tip-off anyway. Maybe he hasn't even seen it.

He's done. Just like before. And I'm in pain, just like before.

My mobile rings out and I step outside to answer. "I'm at work," I say cooly.

"I know," snaps my father, "but this is urgent. Ruby knows."

My world stands still. "What?"

"She found the paperwork, Gemma. I had no choice but to tell her everything."

"No," I hiss. "You promised she'd never find out."

"Just get here now." He disconnects.

I arrive at my father's house within ten minutes. He's waiting outside, pacing the porch. I stomp up the steps, and he finally stops in front of me. "Sarah left me," he says, and I still. "A few weeks ago," he adds. "I finally told Ruby, and she didn't take it well."

I frown. "Why did she leave?"

"Does it matter?"

"Yes."

"He was having an affair," snaps Ruby from the doorway, and we both turn to face her. "I know everything. Sarah told me."

I swallow the huge lump that's forming in my throat. "Let's go inside and talk."

"So you can tell me more lies?"

"We were protecting you," I begin, and she spins on her heel and heads back in. We follow, and for the first time, I feel like Father and I are a team.

She sits on the couch as Father goes to the window, keeping his back to us. I lower into the leather armchair. "I was too young," I begin.

"Bullshit," she hisses.

"Language," I remind her.

"Really?" she screams, taking me by surprise. "You hide this from me and you want me to watch my language? How about this . . . slag . . . fucking liar . . . dirty lying bitch."

"Stop," Father bellows, and I will her to before he slaps her. I remember how bad those hurt. He moves towards her, and I stand, ready to stop him. He eyes me before smirking. "She needs to know the sacrifices we made for her."

"I never asked you to," she yells.

He shoves me out the way, and I fall back into the chair. I watch as he grabs her arm and hauls her closer so they're practically nose-to-nose. "I gave you a decent life with parents who could raise you. She wasn't fit to," he spits, pointing in my direction but not moving his eyes from hers. "Sarah was a good mother."

"When she wasn't sleeping off her pills," Ruby yells.

"Maybe we should talk," I cut in, "just me and Ruby."

"Sister to sister," she hisses sarcastically.

My father pushes her to sit again and storms from the room. "You shouldn't antagonise him," I whisper.

"I'm not scared of him."

"Ruby, I didn't lie to hurt you. My life back then wasn't great."

"Why," she demands, "because he told you it wasn't?"

I shrug, biting my lower lip to stop the tears. "I was too young and too na?ve. Your father," I take a breath, "well, he wasn't a good person, and I was heartbroken and not thinking straight. Our father . . . I mean, my father, offered to raise you with Sarah. It was the only way I could keep you in my life."

"You've lied to me my whole life," she whispers, her eyes full of pain.

I give a nod. "I'm not proud, but how could I tell you? Once it was decided, it was out of my hands." I allow the tears to slip down my cheeks. "I just knew I needed to keep you in my life, and this was the only way."

"I want to meet him," she announces. "My real father."

I begin to shake my head. "It's not a good idea. I don't even know where he is," I lie.

Her eyes narrow and guilt eats away at me some more. "No more lies," she whispers. "Please."

My heart twists painfully in my chest. "He's doesn't know about you," I admit.

A small sob escapes, and she sits up straighter. "Then you'd better tell him."

"I can't do that, Ruby. I can't have him around you when I know he's no good for you."

"And he was?" she hisses, pointing to the door my father exited through. "You thought I'd be better raised here with a mother who spends her life out of it on meds and him, a man who cheats constantly and talks to us like he actually hates us?"

"I didn't have a choice," I mutter feebly.

"Crap, absolute crap. I'm not staying here."

"You have to," I argue.

"I'm coming to yours."

"Ruby, he'll never allow it."

"He's not my real father," she suddenly screams. "And I can't look at him for a second longer. It's bad enough I have to look at you, but him . . . I fucking hate him. And if you make me stay here, I'll run away."

I sigh heavily and push to my feet. "I'll talk to him."

I find Father in the kitchen nursing a scotch. "Why didn't you tell me Sarah left?"

"I'm telling you now."

"And she didn't try to take Ruby?"

He shakes his head. "If we're honest, she never really took to her, did she? Jolene practically raised her, just like she did you."

"Ruby is insisting on coming back to mine for a while," I say cautiously.

"Fine. Whatever."

"Really?" I'm surprised, and I can't hide it from my voice.

"She's your daughter," he mutters.

I leave the room before he can change his mind and tell Ruby to pack some things.

I head back to work after I get Ruby settled. She isn't speaking to me, and I don't blame her. But as much as I want to spend the night trying to make her see things from my point of view, I think right now she just needs time. Besides, I have a raid to lead.

The Chaos Demons clubhouse is all quiet when we arrive at midnight. Maybe Fletch took note of my text after all.

We go through the side door again, just because it's the easiest route in. This time, I opted to take Fletch's floor. Simply because I need to see him. I purposely sent Phil on another floor because if he sees me talking to Fletch, he'll see the connection I've made.

I take a breath, glancing to my left, where my three officers are waiting on me to open the bedroom door. I push and reach for the light, bathing the room in a bright white glow. It takes me a second to work out the dynamics before me, and when I do, I almost want to vomit. Everything seems to move in slow motion.

Fletch is naked, and beside him is Nyx fucking a blonde. Fletch glances my way, not looking at all surprised. He throws the sheet back and swings his legs over the edge of the bed, holding out his wrists, ready to be cuffed.

Nyx groans, shuddering before grinning my way. "Sorry, needed to finish," he explains, before pulling from the girl and handing her a shirt.

"Stay where you are," I snap as Nyx moves to grab some shorts.

"Officer, I'm naked," he drawls. "Can I at least cover my junk, or are you enjoying the view too much?"

"Hurry the fuck up," I snap, pulling a set of cuffs from my belt and slapping them extra hard onto Fletch's wrists. "Someone cuff the others," I bark, pulling the cuffs so Fletch has to stand. "Line them up outside the room," I add.

I wait for them all to move out, and when Fletch goes to follow, I hold him back. He avoids my eyes. "Really?" I hiss. "You're just gonna act like you don't give a shit?"

He rolls his eyes, irritating me further. "Can we not do this now, Gemma?" The full use of my name hurts me more. "I mean, the constant texts were bad enough, but now, you're creating a raid to see me?"

I feel my cheeks redden. "Fuck you," I whisper, pushing him towards the door.

I stand in the doorway, watching the officers tip the room upside down. Of course, there's nothing apart from a blade under the mattress. I hold out an evidence bag for it to be placed inside, then I show it to Nyx and Fletch. "Who does this belong to?"

"Really?" mutters Fletch, arching a brow. "You're gonna arrest me for having a blade under my bed?"

I give a smile. "Yep." I turn to another officer. "Take him out to the van."