Page 12 of Cage's Fall

Seeing two red roses on the coffin, and then I dropped mine. Stepping back as everyone else dropped white roses in.

People slowly began to disappear, while I stayed frozen. I knew the moment I stepped away from this burial, that I would have to face the world without both my parents. A hand on my back, made me go stiff.

“Come on Acorn. Time to head to the wake.” Hawk’s voice was gentle, soft and horse even, from the tears he had shed at the service.

I brushed his hand off my back and shouldered past him, leaving.

“Autumn!”

I kept walking.

“Autumn stop.” Jacob wrapped a hand around my wrist and pulled me to a stop. His stern eyes landing on mine, with redness surround them. “You can’t lock us out.”

I remained quiet.

“Hawk lost his wife. I lost my mom too. You aren’t the only one grieving.”

My eyes narrowed on him. “You don’t think I know?” I hissed at him and snatched my wrist from his grasp. “I know. You understandI know.” I shoved Jacob back, tears running quickly down my cheek. “I know your club, cost me my mother. I know that she is in that hole, six feet under because of the club.” I pushed him firmly back and scoffed, looking him up and down. “And you know it too, but you’re still wearing the vest and that patch with pride.”

Hawk stood at Jacob’s side. “Autumn,”

“Don’t you start.” I pointed a finger at him. “You might have as well been the one driving the car. My mother was a target because she married you. My mother died because she was connected to you.” I looked between the two of them. “I want nothing to do with either of you.”

Hawk stepped forward, and I don’t know whether it was the fact I just accused him of killing my mother, or being to blame for her death, but the tint of rage in his eyes— mixed with hurt, should have struck fear in me.

“You are under my care and you aren’t cutting us off. You’re living with me.”

“Like hell I am!”

“You are. Because the state law says you are my daughter. And my daughter will be living with me.” He stepped towards me. “You can run away— you can throw a tantrum—

but I’ll have you know. I’ll track your ass down. I’ll drag you back. And until I lose legal right, you’ll be doing what I say when I say and living under my roof.”

My fists clenched at my side, and tears of rage now ran down my cheeks. “I. Hate. You.” And I had never meant three words more.

HAWK

“Three members down, we need to patch men up.” Wild spoke with a cigarette in his mouth. My eyes were zoned in on the table. I blinked and was brought back to the moment, by Wild’s words.

Nodding my head. “Okay. Who you thinking?” I said to the boardroom.

“Heard Cage is pulling more weight with the nomads. He wouldn’t make a bad enforcer.” Wild had obviously been thinking of members for the empty chairs. “As for Sergeant of Arms, I was thinking of Jacob.”

My eyes bounced to him. “No.”

“Come on Prez, the man has been loyal for five years. He deserves a place at the table.”

Emily wouldn’t have wanted Jacob ranking. She struggled with him being a member. I couldn’t do it. But I knew if I was able, I would have a conversation with her about it.

“The boy will walk one day, and one club will recognize his potential. I don’t want him as an enemy.” My VP, Vod spoke. “Bring it to a vote. Cage and Jacob to take spots. Which leaves one seat to be filled.”

The table began voting and then I voted nay on Jacob. But it was outweighed by yays.

I brought the hammer down on the table. Ending the church meeting.

Now I had to deal with my Acorn. Shit wasn’t exactly going my way. The house got claimed by the bank. The club was barely earning. Didn’t have the cash to bail it out of the debt. Didn’t help I had just paid for a funeral and before that a wedding and then a club rebuild.

It was the club rebuild that took most of the money. So, while the club was decked with the latest security and every room renovated, and a massive extension, my bank account was at zero.

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