Page 8 of Cage's Ruin

Ash then explained what the Cartel would expect of me.

“So Autumn,” He butted a cigarette out. “How deep are you willing to get?”

How deep was I willing to get? I hesitated. Not having an answer. Because I knew I would always be one foot in, one foot out—a part of me would always be loyal to the bikers. If there was one thing I knew, it was the Cartel and the bikers tolerated each other—but hated each other at the core.

* * *

“Where have you been?”

I blinked, squinting in the dark. Seeing Cage, sitting in the armchair chain smoking.

“You basically disappeared for days,” He added, and the annoyance was clear in his voice. “These came for you.” He handed me opened envelopes. “You’ve been sent to the debt collector.”

His intense stare met my eyes.

“I’ve got the bills covered.” I said, but I saw the legal bills which hadn’t been paid for my appeal. I wanted to groan. I was drowning in debt. I saw the bill there for Hawk’s rehab treatment as well.

“So where have you been?” He asked, and I couldn’t give him a real answer.

“Friends.” I lied, well somewhat lied.

“Autumn,” His tone made me look at him. “Are you in this relationship or not? And don’t use that weak excuse that you aren’t the same person.”

I couldn’t have the meth trade and him at the same time. “Cage, the girl you loved died a long time ago. Before prison. When I pulled that trigger. That is when the girl you loved died.”

He scoffed, running his hand down his face—out of complete frustration. “Yeah,” He got up. “You’re right. She did die.” He then handed me something else, “Because the woman I loved wouldn’t be seen with men like him.”

I looked down on the pictures of Ash and I—at breakfast after my first cook.

“You’ve been watching me?” I hissed out, my eyes ripping off the photos on to him. What else had he seen? What else did he know about the other life I was living. “What else have you seen!” I demanded to know.

“Enough to know you’ve changed.” He smiled dimly. “In some ways I’m happy you’ve gotten out.” He looked up, our eyes locking. “But it fucking hurts, that it wasn’t with me.” The pain so clear in his voice—as he thought he had lost me to the millionaire known as Ashley.When really Ash was in with the Cartel.

How untrue was that fact. I hadn’t gotten out. I had gotten in deeper. Cage walked around me. I knew then that our stained relationship was over. And tears flooded my eyes. I knew deep down. I couldn’t keep Cage and the business.

But I wanted Cage more. If only I had another way to pay the bills.

I wanted to tell him I loved him. I wanted to tell him that I was his forever and nothing could tear me from him. But I needed this money. But could I really lose the only thing that was keeping me sane? Keeping me from losing myself fully to the lifestyle.

Ash’s question went through my head again. How deep was I willing to get? Now all of a sudden I had no reason not to sink deep into the lifestyle.

Because the only reason I had not to—just walked out the door.

8

Autumn

Three Weeks Later

Seeing Cage move on was hard. Seeing the woman that replaced me—was harder. Yet I got through it, by swearing off men. Men caused nothing but heartbreak.

I knew she was a club woman. But still it felt like he has basically dropped me and replaced me within a month.

Getting Ash’s message about a party here, I decided it was a good idea to keep face with the boss. So here I was. At the beach, scanning the crowd for Ash. My bikini wasn’t leaving much to the imagination.

When I felt a hand on my lower back, I nearly jump only to turn around and see Ash standing.

“Didn’t think you’d make it?” he gave me a smile, and I was reminded how good looking Ash was. He was twenty five, rich, but that had nothing on his physical appearance. He was tall, no tattoos that I knew of, and deep chocolate eyes.

---