Page 63 of The Secret's Out

“Brother.” Eli winced, shaking his head.

A snort left me. “Really, you as well? Fine. Just fucking fine,” I yelled and stormed down to the bedroom, slamming the door behind me.

Swearing was something I never did, but at that time, it felt relevant and also very good. It matched my mood. Tears no longer threatened; instead, I was angry. Why would they choose to lie to me? I thought they wanted it all to work between the three of us. Had I been wrong?

Stupid men. They made my mind overreact on the cheating part. No, knowing them, they were probably trying to protect me from something. Didn’t they see, with them at my side, I didn’t need to be protected? If it had anything to do with them, I’d want to know, to help. I would want to be there for them.

But why were they not letting me?

Goddamn it. Why did it hurt so much when they lied?

If it were anyone else, I wouldn’t care. I didn’t trust many people like I did Caden and Eli, which was probably why having them lie to me hurt so much. It shredded my heart and put a dent in my trust for them. It made me want to scream and yet vomit. My insides were in turmoil.

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Pick

Fucking hell, I’d gone from one nightmare to another. Only, the second one was worse because we’d hurt Josie. I never wanted that to happen, but I didn’t want to involve her with what I’d learned.

The lunch date, two weeks earlier, went to plan...now it’d gone to shit.

We’d turned up on time to find Cameron and his fucked-up father already there, sitting in some crap pansy restaurant. They’d probably expected us not to make a scene. Little did they know that it would be Cameron making a scene.

Eli was in front when we walked in. We were both about the same size so his view blocked me from the tables as the maître-d’ quickly and quietly, after a disapproving look at both of us, led us to a table at the back.

“That’s them, Father,” Cameron said in a snotty tone.

I stepped around Eli and looked down at Nigel. I’d hoped he’d recognise me and freak the fuck out, but even after he looked at me from head to toe it didn’t register who I was. Though, it had been fifteen years and I’d been just a boy when he violated me. The sick fuck took what he shouldn’t have from me.

I was about to ruin his relationship with his prick of a son and I couldn’t have been happier.

“Please take a seat and tell me why you have been harassing my son,” he said with his nose turned up.

Shaking my head, I smirked and placed my hands on the table, leaning in. “We won’t be staying, fuckhead. There is no way I would ever sit down with you.”

His eyes widened. “Do I know you?”

A humourless chuckle left me. “I don’t suppose you’d recognise me. It’s been a very long time. First, I want you to listen and then do as I say or your life will be fucked up, even more than what it already is.”

“You can’t threaten me. I will call the police right now and have you arrested,” Nigel demanded. His son sat back in his chair and smiled smugly up at us.

Eli widened his stance and crossed his arms over his chest. Nigel flicked his gaze to Eli, narrowed his eyes on Eli’s vest, and then looked back to me.

Smiling I asked, “You see that now, don’t you? We belong to Hawks and your son here has been giving shit to one of ours.”

Cameron snorted. “She’s not one of yours. She’s a club whore.”

I felt Eli move. I glanced over my shoulder to see his hand going to his knife. I shook my head.

“Fuck,” he hissed. “Make this quick then before I stab the fucker in the eye.”

“Josie is not a club whore. She’s our woman, and family to others in the club,” I said to Cameron. He rolled his eyes. Looking to his dad, I added, “You get your son and his friends to stay the fuck away from Josie or we’ll share some secrets of your past.”

Nigel chuckled. “I have no secrets, so you don’t have anything.”

“You remember Rosemary and her kid?”

Fuck yes. I smiled.

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