Page 5 of Cage's Fall

“Thanks,” James gave me a sly glare, “for that wife stealer.”

I looked him in the eyes. “At least I’m not a wife beater.”

Guess I was asking for the punch that followed. But I was fucking sick of walking on tippy toes around him. So getting a few punches, relieved some of the built up rage I felt towards him. Punching him square in the jaw. He was stunned, but then he came back swinging.

Finally a gun shot, caused us to stop. Wild was standing there, gun pointed at the ceiling. As the Vice he had some rank on me, but zero on James.

“Fucking look at ya elses. Fighting over a woman.” He shook his head picking his beer back up. “Just stay clear of each other for a bit,” he said as he walked away. That was his advice, but when James and I locked eyes again he and I both knew that this was only the beginning and not coming anywhere near the end.

The hate for each other was mutual. He hated me for having his wife at my house. I hated him for hurting Emily and the kids— not to mention how he treats Autumn. Like she is fucking invisible.

Yeah. The hate was mutual.

I stormed off, knowing my fists was going to get back involved if I stayed.

* * *

I walked into the house, and heard Emily shouting.

Jacob was on the couch, so that ruled him out of the cause of the argument.

“Em you alright?” I called up the stairs. She came rushing down the stairs.

“Autumn’s been storming around all day wanting to see James. Now, she has locked herself in the bathroom.” She then stopped mid stair case. “What the hell happened to you?”

Right. My fight with James. He had got a few cheap shots in. “Nothing.” I replied and walked up the few stairs. Emily was at the same height as me, only steps up. “I’ll talk to Autumn, princess.” I went to walk past her, but she grabbed my hand.

“I don’t expect you to parent her.”

Did it hurt that she didn’t want me to be viewed as a parent in Autumn’s and Jacob’s life— yeah it did. But if it was meant to be, it would be. Regardless of whether Autumn saw me as a father figure, I still loved her. Which was why I just gave Em a half smile, and kept walking up the stairs.

Coming to a stop at my bathroom door, I knocked. “Acorn?”

I heard sniffles on the other side of the door. Knowing Autumn she would have worked herself up into a real state.

“Come on Acorn open the door.” I said smoothly. Then sighed. She could be stubborn when she wanted to be. Accepting that. I slid down the door, leaning back against it.

“Acorn, you know I’m going to wait here till you come out.” I spoke to the closed door. “I know things aren’t great right now. I know you miss ya old man. I know you just want to go home.” I ran a hand over my short cut mohawk. “But you’ve got to believe me, things will get better.”

I heard her sniffle again. “Will things ever be normal?” She said, and I just heard it over her tears.

“Normal Acorn is for the weak. Why live on the right side of life when the wild side is more fun?” I said, and a few minutes passed, then I heard the door unlock.

I moved just as it opened. Autumn was always little but I was reminded how little when she was barely looking down at me, as I sat on the floor. I was against the door but I turned to face her.

She moved forward, sitting in my lap. She always liked affection. Which she never got from her father, and he knew she was an affectionate child.

Sitting in my lap, both her hands in her lap. “Dad never comes.” She whispered and I saw the tears in her eyes.

“Comes where Acorn? Here?” I pushed her blonde hair off her cheek.

“No, to fathers day at school,” she mumbled. “Each year he doesn’t come. Each year the kids say I don’t really have a dad.” Her lips started to tremor. “Mom comes. No one wants their mom there on fathers day, though.”

I sighed. So this was the problem. Fucking James. If he was half a father like he was a President he wouldn’t have this issue. The problem with James was he was true to the club and liquor. That was it. His family never made the cut.

Autumn’s tear filled eyes locked with mine. “Hawk will you come? It’s tomorrow. Dad won’t. He never comes. I don’t want to be that dad less kid again.” She was nervous I could hear it in her voice, also by the way she whispered the words.

I wiped her tears away with my thumb. “Of course Acorn. I’ll be there.” And I was nervous as fuck agreeing to it considering I hadn’t ran it past Emily. Autumn then wrapped her arms around my neck, hugging me.

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