Page 66 of Beyond the Cut
Crack. He struck again, this time whipping the belt over her wrist. Pain fuzzed her brain and her hand wavered.
“Stop, Jimmy. Stop. I dropped the gun.”
But Jimmy never stopped. No matter how hard she begged, he never stopped until he was sated or she was unconscious, or both. He yanked a blade from beneath his cut and raised his arm to whip her again. “Gonna mark you, bitch. Gonna carve my initials into those pretty cheeks so no one will ever mess with my property again.”
Heart pounding, she ran at him, using momentum to knock him off his feet. Jimmy stumbled over the coffee table, falling heavily to the ground. The belt fell from one hand and the blade fell from the other.
“Jesus Christ. You’re gonna be sorry for that.”
Dawn threw herself forward and grabbed the knife. Acting purely on instinct, she stabbed the blade into his thigh.
Jimmy screamed. The world slowed. She released the blade and backed away as Jimmy’s face twisted into a mask of horror.
“Fucking bitch. You stabbed me.” He grabbed his leg with one hand and pulled his phone out of his cut with the other.
“Drop it.” Dawn grabbed her gun from the floor and pointed it at Jimmy. “It is loaded. If you look closely, you’ll see the magazine.”
He stared at her for a long second, and then he placed the phone on the floor. “Christ. The Sinners have turned you. Little Dee carrying a loaded gun. Have they made you into a killer, too? Are you ready to pull that trigger?”
“You want to take that risk? Look what I just did to your leg. You think I won’t do that to your head after everything you did to me? Throw the phone to me.”
“Crazy bitch. You want me to bleed out all over your floor?” With a snarl, he threw the phone and Dawn kicked it away.
Sweat beaded her forehead as she contemplated the wounded man in front of her. She hated Jimmy, had imagined having him at her mercy countless times, although in every scenario he died and she lived with her girls happily ever after. But now that the moment was here, she knew she would never be able to live with herself if he died because of her. He needed medical attention but no way could she call the Brethren and tell them she’d stabbed one of their brothers.
As if he sensed her confusion, Jimmy softened his voice and tilted his head to the side. “I need your help or I’m gonna bleed to death. How many years were we together? You gonna let the father of your children die?”
She took a step forward and then caught herself. He wasn’t bleeding that badly, which meant she hadn’t hit any major veins or arteries, and he wasn’t screaming the way he had years ago when he’d taken a shot in the leg that had hit a bone. Her stomach knotted at the idea of someone in pain—even him—but she knew better than to trust him. 911 wasn’t an option unless she wanted to go to jail for stabbing him and carrying what she was damn sure was a stolen gun.
Jimmy groaned and clutched his leg. “I know you’re pissed at me, but I promise things will be different this time. I’m gonna be president of the Brethren. I won’t have to do things I don’t wanna do and I won’t be answering to no one. We’ll get a big house with a yard for the girls. We’ll be a family, just like you always wanted.”
***
Cade’s phone buzzed in his pocket, and for a moment he considered not answering it. Gunner was waiting for him outside the clubhouse, and he was just about to bail on him for the very first time. He’d promised Gunner weeks ago he would go with him to a party tonight. At the time, he’d been more than happy to accept the invitation, envisioning a night in a hot tub with a girl tucked under each arm, an endless supply of champagne, and a room with a bed big enough for three. But now there was only one woman he wanted, and she kept him plenty busy in bed.
Well, at least she had until he lost it outside Bunny’s pool hall. She hadn’t spoken to him since their encounter in the alley. But he couldn’t let her put herself in danger, especially after she’d just made a narrow escape from Bunny. Sure, she said it all went fine. But who knew what went on behind closed doors?
With an irritated growl, he checked the screen.Arianne?
“Is Dawn with you?” She sounded breathless, anxious. He could hear people talking, glassware clinking, and the faint sound of the Kongos’ “Come with Me Now” playing in the background.
“No.” His skin prickled. “Haven’t seen her since I dropped her off at work.”
“She didn’t call after her shift to let me know she was home and she’s not answering her phone. I thought maybe she was with you.”
“Maybe the bus broke down.”
“I called the bus company,” she snapped. “The busses are all running on time. I’m worried, Cade. It’s not like her to forget to call.”
That warning prickle returned, but worse, and his heart raced like he was running a damn marathon. Cade closed his eyes and tried to pull it together. But he couldn’t shake the damn past: memories of his mother’s face covered in bruises, her body limp on the floor, her arm in a cast, bandages on her head; the nights he spent sitting with her in the hospital. Abusive guys like Mad Dog—like his dad—never let go and they never gave up.
“Gunner and I were about to head over that way for a party. We can swing by her place.”
“Hurry, Cade. Something’s wrong.”
SEVENTEEN
I may not always agree with my brother, but he is always my brother.
