Page 7 of Hodge
“I told you why. He was alone and confused. I don’t think anyone should be left alone like that,” I tell them softly. My dad laughs now. He fucking laughs before coming closer to me. My skin crawls the closer he gets.
“You’re stupid to think anyone needs you, Kemah. No one needs you. And one day, you’ll be of no use to us,” he threatens as he stares me in the eye.
Fuck them. I don’t need them anyway. I can do this on my own. I know I can. So I hold my head high and smile back at the bastard who gave me to Jake.
“I don’t need you either.” He laughs again, and this time it pisses me off a little more. I ball my hands at my sides, and he notices, so does Jake.
“You better think real hard about what you want to do here, Kemah. If you so much as lay a hand on me, I’ll have you killed,” he sneers at me.
“Have me killed? Too scared to do it yourself?” I taunt him. My dad steps closer to me, and my fists slowly release.
“I’m definitely not scared to end you myself, Kemah. In fact, if that will make you feel better, I can do it now.” I swallow hard as his hand comes up to wrap around my throat and squeeze. I reach up and try to pull his hand away, but it’s useless; he’s too strong.
My eyes burn, my lungs scream for air that they don’t get until he finally releases me.
“If I didn’t need you alive until you’re thirty, I would fucking kill you now,” he sneers before turning and walking away. I drop to my knees, rubbing my throat as I suck air into my lungs.
Chapter 5
Hodge
“Did you wanna sit your ass in jail?” My dad, Gunner, asks as he stands there with his hands on his hips, glaring at me. I smirk at him when Remy speaks.
“Or end up dead?”
“I didn’t die and I didn’t go to jail.”
“You could have, Hodge! Your sister is at the clubhouse freakin’ the fuck out over you,” my dad snaps at me. My smirk fades as I think about Kiki for a second. I’m sure hearing I was here after an accident really had her worrying.
“I’ll call her. I’m fine,” I tell them.
“You don’t look fine. You look like shit,” Locke adds, nodding toward me.
“Well, I might look it, but I’m fine. In fact, the Doc said I can go home,” I tell them when my dad laughs.
“No, the fuck he didn’t. He said he’s watchin’ your head for the next few days.”
“Like fuck he is. I’m not stayin’ here.”
“Yeah, you are. You’re not comin’ home until you’re cleared, Hodge. You hit your head for fuck’s sake.”
“Dad, really? You’re gonna make me sit in this shit hole for a few days?” I ask, glaring back at him.
“You’re goddamn right I am. Now get some rest,” he replies before turning and ushering the rest of the guys out of the room. I flip them off as they go and lay my head back, blowing out a breath before grabbing my phone and texting my sister to let her know I’m good. She texts me back immediately, mostly to yell at me, but also to tell me she loves me. I smile at the phone before setting it down on the bed next to me and closing my eyes.
I don’t dream. I’m not sure why, but I do sleep. And when I wake up, I see her. I blink my eyes to make sure I’m actually seeing her sitting in the chair next to my bed. What the hell is she doing here? When did she get here?
I clear my throat, and she looks up from her phone and smiles at me. Then she reaches over and grabs the vase from the small table, showing me the flowers.
“I got you these,” she says softly.
“You got me flowers?”
“I wasn’t really sure what you got a man who was hurt. Flowers seemed universal,” she smirks, causing me to chuckle.
“Thank you. That was nice of you.”
“I saw all your friends in here, and I didn’t want to interrupt,” she says.
