Page 14 of Cage's Fall

I felt myself choking. I was hyperventilating. As much as I told myself to calm down. I couldn’t. I was physically shaking and breathing in sharply trying to get air.

“Autumn?” A hand landed on my shoulder, and then Jacob saw me. “Autumn come calm down. It’s going to be okay. Whatever has happened, it will be okay.” He steadied me. “Slow your breathing. In and out. Do it with me. In,” He breathed in. “and out.” He blew out. And I began to copy.

Jacob knew how to deal with my panic attacks. Slowly we managed to get a control over my breathing.

Jacob had his hands on my shoulders as he calmed me down.

“Good girl.” He blew out and pulled me into his chest. “What the hell has you so upset?”

“It was stupid.” I knew that, didn’t know what else to say. Hawk was going to sleep with new women. Hawk was going to be with club women. It was his lifestyle.

Mom was dead.

His commitment to her was dead.

“I know living here, isn’t great. But Hawk won’t let you get hurt. I swear any member that even looks at you will get a black eye from it.” Jacob was making light of it. Or was he serious about Hawk being overprotective? “Hawk loves you Autumn. You locking him out like this, isn’t healthy for either of you. He is currently having a conversation with Ruby, on how to deal with teenage girls.”

“Ruby?”

“Yeah her and Wild have four girls.”

I felt so incredibly stupid. Hawk was only in that booth with that woman because of me.

“He’s always been a father to you Autumn don’t give up on him yet.” Jacob smiled and my eyes dropped, and it was a fresh patch on Jacob’s vest that had my expression dropping.

“You’re a SGT of Arms” I spoke it, didn’t want to believe it, but then looked up at Jacob. “You’re following dad’s footsteps aren’t you.”

Jacob frowned, then sighed. “No.” Jacob had always made it clear. He never wanted to be like our dad—why I didn’t know. “I’m following after my Prez.” He then gestured for me to head back inside. “Come on, I'm sure you’re hungry, you’ve been living in that dorm room.”

Chapter Six

Autumn

Iput the pizzas on the back seat and put the car in reverse. Checking there was nothing coming I reversed out of the parking spot.

When my car jolted back into the parking spot I heard the distinct sound of metal crumpling and then my head hit the steering wheel. My neck snapped back so hard I was sure I had whiplash. I was dazed for a moment until I got out of the car, seeing the other car when the driver jumped out.

“Can’t you fucking look!” he roared at me. “Not hard to look backwards sweetheart.” Then it was the tint in his eyes, that told me, he was high on something. Then I noticed the car had no plates. My gut was telling me to get in the car and leave. But he was blocking me, angled behind my car.

A crowd was forming, and I pulled my phone out and dialled Hawk.

“Acorn everything okay?” It was clear he was surprised I had called him. Considering I hadn’t spoken to him willingly— it was a big deal I had called.

“I’ve been in an accident. The car is fucked, and they are wanting to start an argument.”

“Where?

“Ellis street.”

“Coming,” he said then hung up.

I looked back at the men, the other one getting out of the car.

Chapter Seven

CAGE

“Thanks darling.” I winked at the woman behind the gas station counter. Who had been flirting her teenage ass off with me, even did the classic move of leaning forward showing me her cleavage.

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