Rake's Redemption (Wind Dragons MC #4)(40)

“Have you seen Bailey?” I ask Christa. She’s a friend of Bailey’s, or at least I’ve seen them chatting now and again. I didn’t tell Bailey that the bitch has tried to hook up with me many times over the years, but I’ve shut her down every single time.

Christa nods, her eyes bright. “Yeah, I have. She’s in the third room.”

She points to the right. “I don’t think you’re going to want to go in there though,” she says. Her smile has a hint of cruelty behind it.

“Why the f*ck not?” I growl, losing my temper. I storm to the door, a bad feeling settling in my gut. I turn the handle, but the door is locked, so I punch the bastard down.

The sight before me breaks my f*cking heart.

My soul.

It destroys me.

For a second, I don’t understand what I’m seeing. Why would she do this? No, how could she do this?

I don’t look at her face. I can’t. All I see is red, and all I feel is broken.

I don’t know if she’s said anything this entire time—there’s just a loud noise buzzing in my ears. My feet carry me into the room, my rage acting on my behalf. I don’t feel anything, adrenaline pumping through me, my fists turned to iron.

I leave, my body shaking, my hands covered in blood.

I don’t even remember how the blood got there.

So this is what betrayal feels like.

*

It all makes sense now. I’m a f*ckup. How did I not see it?

Over the years, all the women, the way I treated sex, was because of how my world changed when I thought Bailey cheated. I cut her out of my life, didn’t talk to her even when she tried to talk to me. I couldn’t even look at her—it hurt too much. Little did I know, it was me who should have been at her feet, begging for her to forgive me. I didn’t trust women, and although I love women, I was never in love with another.

I couldn’t give away something that belonged to a ghost.

Now she’s returned, and I find this out?

Fuck.

I squeeze my eyes shut and allow myself this moment of weakness.

This here.

I created this.

That woman there, I broke her.

If I could go back in time . . .

I should have taken her out of that room, no matter what I thought she was doing, because she was mine. I was a f*ckin’ coward. I was no better than the f*cker who hurt her.

Why did I leave without her?

Bailey cries harder.

And for the first time since I can remember, so do I.

I don’t deserve anything from her. How can she stand the sight of me? The things I’ve done, things she doesn’t even know about. The things I’ve thought about her, wished on her.

I lift my head and lean it against her door, a tear dripping off my chin.

Whoever hurt her will pay.

I will destroy them, one by one.

Myself included.





Bailey


I always get a headache after I cry, and after completely breaking down, my head is pounding something fierce. Wiping my eyes, I sit up and open my bedside drawer, looking for some painkillers. When I find some, I pop out two, place them in my hand, and walk to my door, unlocking it and opening it. When I walk to the kitchen and pour some water in a glass, Rake isn’t anywhere to be seen, and I, for one, am thankful. I couldn’t face him right now.

I don’t know if I did the right thing or not by telling him the truth about what happened, but at the same time I feel lighter. The only problem is, I feel lighter because I shared the burden with him, almost giving it to him. Now he has to carry this around with him too. I know it’s not selfish of me, but I still feel that way. I put some makeup on, trying to make myself look a little better before picking up Cara from her dance class. When I walk outside and see Tracker standing there, I know Rake has sent him in his place to escort me.

I’m both relieved and disappointed.

“Hey,” I say to him, forcing a smile.

“Hey,” he replies, blue eyes scanning my face. “Everything okay?”

I nod and look to the side of him. “Yeah. You don’t need to take me, you know. I’m just picking up Cara and coming back home.”

He scratches his stubble with his thumb. “Oh, come on now, don’t be like that. I’m great company.”

That gets him a small smile. Out of all of the men, Tracker is the easiest to be around. I can see why Lana would fall for him.

“I’m sure you are,” I say, grinning when he opens the door for me.

“Let’s go pick up the angel.”

“I see the nickname is catching on,” I say before I slide in.

He walks around and gets into the driver’s seat. “It definitely is. I also hear there’s likely to be an ice-cream stop. I’m all over that shit.”

“Is that how Rake got you on board for escort duty?” I ask, feeling a little amused.

Tracker chuckles and shrugs. “What can I say, the man knows his audience.”

I look at him and check him out. “I really like your man bun.”

He turns to me and smirks, eyes twinkling. “Find me a woman who doesn’t.”

I roll my eyes. “All of you are so cocky.”

“Confident, more like,” he replies. “Now where exactly is Angel’s dance studio?”