Club Scars (7 page)

With time, and a lot of counseling for Katrina, he’d thought they’d made it past it. As much as mother and daughter were alike, their daughter had a strength that had been lacking in Kassandra. His lips curled into a wry smile; perhaps there was a little of him in Katrina as well. Either way, she was a passionate woman in need of a strong hand and he’d given her that. Then, at eighteen, she’d run again. That time, her age and Croston’s interference had prevented him from giving her the help she needed. 

Thinking about it, his grip tightened on the cut-crystal glass in his hand. The surge of joy and rage that had welled up in him at seeing them again still burned hot. He couldn’t fathom her attraction to that disfigured side show freak. The thought that she’d been married to that animal for fifteen years made him nauseas. He ground his teeth. How could she bear to have his filthy hands on her? The monster had despoiled his little angel. The marked bastard was going to pay. It was past due. Pride had gotten the best of him fifteen years ago. He’d been more than patient. No matter what it took this time, he would bring his little girl home where she belonged.

Five

The drive and sidewalk had been shoveled clean when they pulled in. He’d have to thank his brothers. Parking the Navigator in the garage, Crux hurried around the vehicle to open the passenger door. He was worried about Kat. Dark circles cupped her anxious eyes. He bit his tongue, not sure what to say. She’d been this way since her father’s visit. Nothing he said made a difference. He wanted,
needed
, the feisty woman who was always ready to fight at his side. This quiet, sullen shell of that woman was just not cutting it for him.

She pressed close as he opened the back to unfasten the baby seat. Her anxiety rubbed him the wrong way. Didn’t she trust him? Shouldering the diaper bag full of goodies from the hospital, along with Kat’s overnight bag, he hooked the carrier over his forearm and wrapped the other arm around Kat to escort her inside.

The rich smell of beef hit them as soon as they opened the door. Flowers and balloons littered the kitchen and a large Crock-Pot held a roast with all the fixings. It looked like he needed to thank his brother’s old ladies as well. Glancing into the living room, a portable crib was set up next to the end of the sectional. The nearby end table was stocked with baby paraphernalia and the couch held a nest of pillows and blankets for mom.

“They’re the best,” Kat murmured, fingering the multi-colored ribbons trailing from a balloon bouquet as she sank teary eyed onto the couch.

“They’re great, but it’s nothing you wouldn’t, or haven’t, done for them.”

“Why do you have to be so growly? They were trying to help, to be nice. Show a little appreciation.”

He blinked at his wife, a scowl darkening his face.

“Watch your fucking tone,” he growled.

“I didn’t know that I had a
tone
,” she snapped back, unfolding her blanket with a flip that flicked at the end of Crux’s nose.

His eyes flared before narrowing to seething slits. A low growl rumbled from his chest.

“What in the fuck is your problem?”   

“I was just saying that it was nice of Gin and the girls to take care of everything so when we came home we had no worries. Is that so bad?”

“And I agreed with you.”

“Not without pointing out that I’ve done it for other people. Is that what you think it’s about? Is everything tit-for-tat with you guys?”

Crux forced his fingers to relax as his hands tried to ball into fists. It wasn’t her words. Her snotty-ass tone of voice was grating on his nerves making him want to slap the taste right out of her mouth.  

“I know you’re tired and stressed out, but you need to lose the snippy voice. That’s not going to fly with me and you know it.”

He saw her swallow hard, obviously his displeasure finally getting through to her.

“I’m sorry.”

“And I was planning on thanking them all. I was just pointing out that it’s good to have a family where everyone looks out for each other.”

“Yeah, you’re right.”

“Something else bothering you?”

Kat slumped back on the couch.

“I’m tired. I didn’t sleep well at the hospital. I’m just glad to be home.”

Crux nodded, but watched her face as she fussed over settling the baby. It was more than just fatigue. He didn’t know if it was some kind of post-partum bullshit or if the visit from her father had spooked her more than she would admit. He reached over and opened the drawer in the end table. The snub-nosed .38 he’d bought for her was nestled there among miscellaneous clutter.  She looked at it, teeth sinking into her lower lip.  

“Do you think he’ll show up here?”

Crux shrugged. He hadn’t thought the asshole would show up at the hospital. How had he known they were there? Kat hadn’t had any contact with her father in years. Daddy sure as hell hadn’t approved of him and when he’d found out what kind of sick fuck her father and uncle were, he’d wanted to kill them both. It had taken a whole lot of talking, and a bit of bribing, to get him to agree not to go after them. He had news for his wife. If that fuck was trying to wheedle his way back into her life, all deals were off.

“So you do?” Kat asked, interrupting his thoughts.

“I suggest we go under the assumption that your father is as stupid as he is twisted and be ready for him.”

“Why after all these years?”

“Who knows what goes through that entitled, sick-ass mother fucker’s mind? If he wants to drop dead tomorrow, and leave Cam all his money, great. Otherwise, he’s not going to have anything to do with our son.”

“I don’t want a dime from him. You know that.”

“I’m more interested in knowing how he knew we were at the hospital.”

Blood drained from Kat’s face and if she hadn’t been sitting down, he’d have been worried she’d pass out.

“How did he know that?” she whispered, eyes darting nervously around the living room.

“I don’t know, baby,” Crux answered, rubbing the back of his neck, worry creasing his forehead. “But I’m going to do everything I can to find out.”

Lighting up a cigarette, Crux levered himself up to sit on the tool bench in his garage. His green eyes narrowed on the driveway as he drew the nicotine deep into his lungs. He spun his cell phone on the bench beside him, mirroring the troubled whirl of his mind. John Merrick was a wealthy, connected, sadistic prick; but how had he known Kat was pregnant, let alone known so quickly that she was in the hospital? What was the bastard’s game? He had to know they wouldn’t willingly allow him anywhere near their child. There had been a glint in the man’s cold eyes as he looked at Camden. Crux didn’t trust the bastard.

He sighed and picked up his phone. There was no way around it. He couldn’t leave Kat and his son alone right now. Blowing out a plume of smoke, he hit Bowie’s number.

“Hey, Crux, how are Mama and the little man?”

“They’re home and comfortable. I appreciate whoever cleared the drive and shit. Thank the girls too. When Kat got inside and found out she didn’t have to eat my cooking, she wept with joy.”

Bowie’s deep chuckle rumbled on the other end of the phone. Crux took another drag on his cigarette and pinched the bridge of his nose before forcing the words past his lips. 

“I need a favor.”

“Name it, brother.”

“I need at least another couple of days off. Some shit came up at the hospital with Kat’s father and she’s on edge. I don’t want to leave her alone like this.”

He could practically hear Big Red’s high forehead wrinkle and picture the purse of his lips as he mulled over the situation. Though he knew the answer, Crux still breathed a little sigh of relief when his boss spoke.

“That’s not a problem. You have plenty of vacation time available if you want to use it. Is there anything else I can do? Anything the club can do?”  

“Vacation time would be great. Sorry for the short notice.”

“Yeah, nine months isn’t much notice,” Bowie drawled.

Crux smiled and took a long drag on his cigarette.

“I’ve got to figure out how this fuck is keeping tabs on us. He knew we were at the hospital. We haven’t even spoken to the prick in fifteen years. Does he have someone watching us?”

“Does Kat have contact with anyone from her past?”

“Nah, her nanny was the only one she talked to after she came to Trinity Falls, and she died around the time Kat and I got married.”

“It was just too much for her, huh?”

“Fuck you,” Crux growled with a grin.

“I’ll let the others know what’s going on and we’ll keep our eyes and ears open, brother.”

“Thanks, man. Kat’s not going to like it, but if this fucker continues to mess with my family, all deals are off.”

“Understood,” Bowie murmured in his sonorous baritone. “We’re with you, whatever you need.”

Kat chewed on her lip as she watched her husband prowl around the house. He’d checked every window and door before inventorying the contents of his gun cabinet and now he was back to the windows. His pacing was only adding to her fear.

“I’d feel a lot better if you would at least tell me what’s going through your mind,” she said softly.

He shook his head and came over to sink down on the couch beside her with a sigh.

“It pisses me off that he knows a damn thing about you, and for him to think he can waltz into the hospital and claim any type of kinship with our kid makes me wish I’d killed the son-of-a-bitch a long time ago.”

“So that’s why you’ve been caressing your arsenal?”

He chuckled, looking a little sheepish.

“A man can fantasize can’t he?”

“Your wife gave birth less than 48 hours ago. You can’t do much more than fantasize,” Kat answered with a grin.

“You’d be surprised what I can do.”

“I always am,” Kat admitted, giggling at his lecherous leer and cuddling into his arms.

The worn cotton of his t-shirt was soft under her cheek. Her eyes closed in exhausted contentment as he rubbed a slow circle on her back. When he spoke the words vibrated through her.

“I’ll protect my family.”

“I know,” she whispered back.

“Then why are you so spooked?”

Kat rubbed her nose against the soft material and really thought about that question. The last year had been a wicked roller coaster ride with more bad then good for their extended family. How many times had she stood helplessly by one of her friends, unable to offer more than a comforting drink or a squeeze of the hand? Both were woefully inadequate in the face of horrors like fire, rape or the nightmare of sitting covered in your man’s blood in a hospital waiting to hear if he will make it.

Her pregnancy had been one of the few positive things to come out of the last year and now her father’s reemergence was threatening that happiness. That her father even knew about Cam seemed like a dark cloud over the little boy’s head. She didn’t want the stains of her past marking her son. Trinity Falls was full of skeletons and secrets and neither liked to stay buried.

“So much shit has gone on lately, everything with Zeke and Gin, then with Mox and Eva, Reaper getting shot…” she said into his chest. “I just wanted Cam’s birth to be a fresh start for everyone. Instead, it just feels like the beginning of another nightmare. When does it stop? How many more people have to be hurt before we’re allowed to live in peace?”

“Your father isn’t a mobster. He’s not going to start gunning people down in the streets. He’s a sadistic fuck that preys on those smaller and weaker than he is. I’m neither. Let him flaunt his money and flap his gums. We don’t need his money. I can take care of my family. As much as you aren’t going to like this, when Cam is old enough, I will tell him about the asshole. I want him to know from me, from us, what kind of monster the man is, so when he hits his adult years John can’t bribe his way into his life. As sick as it is, forewarned is forearmed. Until then, it falls on us to make good decisions for him. No matter what he does or says, Kat, he can’t hurt us if we don’t let him in. If he calls, hang up. If he is stupid enough to show up here when I’m not home, don’t answer the door. Call the cops. Call me. We just need to be smart about this, baby. When he realizes that we aren’t going to have anything to do with him, he will crawl back under whatever rock he crawled out from under.”