"Tattle tale." I groaned, eyeing my mother's expression out of the side of my eye.

It wasn't a happy one, either. It was an 'if you do it again, I'm going to hit you across the knuckles with my spoon, and I don't care how hurt you are' kind of look.

While my mother's disapproving look was centered on me, everyone missed when Sebastian and Johnny entered the room. What they didn't miss was the fact that Johnny was now dressed, full out, in a Superman costume. Cape, mask, abs and all.

"Wow, Johnny. I want to be Superman, too!" Katy proclaimed as soon as Johnny took a seat at the table.

"I like what you've done with yourself. Can I borrow your cape sometime?" I asked him.

He shook his head. "It won't fit you."

"Hey!" I said indignantly.

"Don't feel bad. He won't let anybody wear it. Not even Kettle." Sebastian rumbled as he took some beers out of the fridge and handed them off to my father and Luke, before taking a seat.

That was surprising. From what I knew, Johnny was absolutely obsessed with Kettle. When Johnny was at their clubhouse and Kettle was anywhere in sight, Johnny was attached to him at the hip.

"Who's Kettle?" My father asked, scooping out a large helping of mashed potatoes and pa.s.sing the bowl to Luke's waiting hands.

"Kettle is a member of the Dixie Wardens, dad." I explained as I lifted a piece of chicken onto my plate.

I'd hoped my dad would just leave it at that, but of course, the cop in him wouldn't let him.

Sebastian was incredibly tightlipped about the club, barely giving out information about them unless absolutely necessary.

What I'd learned came from the internet, or from Winter and the ladies I'd recently made friends with.

"Kettle and I became prospects together. I'd worked at the station for a little over a month, after being discharged from the marines, before I decided to go ahead and give the club a go. Kettle and I became fast friends, and he decided to prospect also. We bonded over s.h.i.tty jobs, all-nighters, and performing menial tasks. He's been my best friend ever since." Sebastian said as he scooped green beans onto Johnny's plate and then his own.

When Sebastian started giving out information about Kettle like it wasn't any big deal, I was stunned. And, to tell the truth, a little bit hurt. Why couldn't he have told me this? It wasn't as if I hadn't asked him before. He, of course, had changed the subject immediately, but with one innocent question from my father, I'd learned more about the club in one measly hour than I'd learned in three whole months.

"How long did you have to prospect." Luke asked.

My mother had to nudge my arm with the mashed potato bowl to get me to take it when my eyes remained locked on Sebastian's face.

Taking the bowl, I scooped out a helping that was entirely way too much for me to eat, and clinked the spoon so hard onto my plate that it echoed around the room.

"Careful there, honey. You don't want to break the plate. Are your ribs bothering you?" My mom asked in concern.

"No." I muttered, setting the bowl down in the middle of the table.

My mother didn't risk handing the green beans over, instead standing up and giving me a heaping spoon full.

"Thanks." I muttered.

I hated green beans, and my mother knew it. Witch.

The conversation between the men about the MC, the workings, and the business aspects of it continued to flow. My mother and I stayed silent, interacting with the children when they would ask something, but otherwise staying quiet, as was our usual at dinner.

If I spoke, I'd get distracted, and then my food wouldn't be eaten. A mult.i.tasker I was not, even at the most simplest level. My mother, in deference to me, typically stayed silent as well. Mostly out of habit, because if she didn't speak, then her daughter wouldn't answer. Easy as that.

Just as I always did when my mother cooked green beans, I slipped two and three at a time onto my father and brother's plates. Both of them knew I was doing it, as they always did, and never ratted me out to my mother.

My mother was a firm believer in finishing what was on your plate. She hated wasting food. If anything was left over, we'd have it for lunch until it was all eaten.

That was the bane of a one-income household. You had to be money conscious while skimping and saving where you could.

"We're having a barbeque this weekend at the clubhouse if you would like to go." Sebastian said to my father.

Huh. That was the first time I'd heard anything about a barbeque. Was I invited?

"We'd planned to watch Katy for Luke this weekend while he worked. But thanks for the invite. Maybe next time we come down." She declined politely.

A wave of exhaustion made me sway in my seat, bringing everyone's attention to me.

The concoction of pills I'd consumed earlier must've finally kicked in, because I was so tired that I felt like I'd fall asleep sitting in my seat. If I didn't go to lay down now, I'd be falling over in my proverbial soup.

Deciding that a bed was best idea for now, I shuffled to the bedroom, went to Sebastian's side, and laid down. Burying my nose into Sebastian's pillow, I let the sharp, strong scent of him fill my lungs before pa.s.sing out, my stomach full of homemade goodness, and my mind filled with questions.

Chapter 15.

This isn't a bakery. I don't sugarcoat s.h.i.t.

-why Sebastian p.i.s.ses Baylee off Baylee Questions about the club persisted until the day before the big barbeque with the club.

I had opted to go home so I could spend time with my family. By making that decision, it meant that Sebastian and I couldn't talk about the Dixie Wardens, unless I wanted to do it over the phone. Sebastian had a way of controlling any, and all, situations.

That included our phone conversations.

The single time I tried to bring up my concerns, while on the phone, he'd shut it down so fast that my head had spun, by telling me he'd talk to me about it when he saw me next, and then hanging up.

Hanging up.

Without a goodbye, at that.

He'd called me about an hour later claiming that he'd had a call, but I wasn't stupid. I knew that a tone actually rang in the station that indicated an actual call had come in; none of those sounds had played.

Which was why I was driving to his place at ten o'clock on a Friday.

With the few and far between phone conversations we'd had, I knew he'd be working today until ten. Johnny would be with his grandmother, so we should have some uninterrupted time to have a sit down conversation, without Sebastian able to hang up on me.

'Should' being the operative word, because when I pulled up in front of Sebastian's home, he was nowhere to be seen.

His bike and truck were both gone.

How he'd managed that little feat, I didn't know, but I'd be sure to ask him when I saw him again.

Deciding the best thing to do was wait, I backed my car into a spot at the back of Sebastian's yard so he'd be able to pull under his carport without having to maneuver around my car.

Once the lights were out, and I was standing beside my car, I gave an involuntary shiver at the darkness surrounding Sebastian's place.

It was extremely dark here.

The lights that were normally on at night, were out. I'd thought that they were motion detected, but I must've been wrong since they weren't catching my movement.

Then again, I'd never been over without Sebastian being home before.

I'd been shielded by the car, and hadn't realized it'd gotten as cold as it did. Although, I'd heard there was a cold snap coming through.

Looking down at my capris, I contemplated staying in the car, but decided I could probably hack it. It wasn't that cold, just barely sixty-four degrees, according to my phone. Plus, I had one of Sebastian's huge sweatshirts. If it got too bad, I could just tuck my knees inside of it.

My destination had originally been the back porch, but with one look at all the bike parts strewn all over the seats and the table, I turned to the dock and took a seat on the lounger.

The walk on the unsteady dock made my ribs ache for the first time that day.

I'd been pretty careful not to do any sudden moving, or walk more than I had to; this was the first time, in days, I'd actually felt more than the aches. My mom also waited on me hand and foot. If I had to pick anytime to get hurt, doing it while my mother was in town was the perfect plan.

I didn't know how long I'd stayed there like that, bundled up in Sebastian's sweatshirt and listening to the calming motions of the lake. I'd guessed it'd been about an hour when the sound of Sebastian's bike came barreling down the road toward the house.

I decided to stay right where I was, though, too relaxed to move right then.

I watched as the single headlight of Sebastian's bike pulled into its usual spot beside the carport door, and then the twin headlights of Sebastian's truck pulling in beside it. I knew it was Sebastian's truck because of the weird looking headlights.

They were shaped differently than most other new Chevrolets I'd seen. A red outline surrounded the outer rim of the headlights, and they had that really annoying brightness to them that probably blinded pa.s.sing motorists.

When I'd asked about them, Sebastian had laughed and told my they were the ones that had the emergency lights already built so he didn't have to have an 'unsightly light bar' on top.

Due to the openness of Sebastian's place, I could hear him clearly when he spoke. "Thanks for bringing it. Give me a minute to stow my stuff and flip the lights on and I'll be right back."

"Oh, Sebastian. This is the best truck ever. Do you want to let me borrow it sometime?" A flirty, feminine voice cooed.

My eyes crossed at the syrupy sweetness. Jesus, but the women that congregated around that man made my want to gouge my eyes out.

I couldn't keep count of the number of calls he received while he was with me that was of the feminine persuasion. He'd always turned them down flat, telling them he had a girlfriend now, but it was enough to make me realize that my man was a s.l.u.t before I'd met him.

"Yeah, pet. I like it. Be back in a few." Sebastian said before I heard the bang of the porch door being opened and closed.

I didn't want to be left alone out here by myself all night, and started the trek up to the carport when I heard the whispered conversation inside his truck.

"Did you ask him?" The woman whispered to someone.

"No." A man's voice I didn't recognize, answered.

The sound of the truck door opening and the distinct sound of a Zippo Lighter opening followed his abrupt answer.

"But he's done it before. Ever since that stupid b.i.t.c.h, he doesn't bring around the club showed up he doesn't even party anymore. Doesn't play. He doesn't even fight. The girls keep complaining that he won't visit with them, either. What kind of hold does the stupid girl have on him that keeps him from his life?" The girl whined.

I froze, seeing the opportunity for what it was, and listened as I leaned against the side of the house.

"He likes her. Nothing more you need to know." The man said, lighting his cigarette, and flipping the lighter closed.

The flare of the cigarette lit the man's face, and I recognized him. Trance.

I'd only met him from afar, but that was enough to realize why the man was called Trance. He was beautiful with blonde curly hair that, on a person with straight hair, would've been around an inch or so long; but, on him, it made it extremely short looking.

That wasn't even the most beautiful part about him, though.

He had two different colored eyes. One crystal blue and one emerald green.

His eyes were the stuff of fairy tales.

I'd asked Sebastian about him, but he'd only told me, offhanded, that he was a cop and had been with the club for around seven years.

"But Trance, I haven't gotten to play with him in forever!" The girl whined again.

The sound of the carport door opening again put a halt to their conversation as Sebastian yelled, "Trance, are the lights coming on on your side?"

Trance threw his cigarette onto the ground, putting it out with his boot, and distinguishing the only light with it. "No light on at all out here."

"f.u.c.k, why aren't these working?" Sebastian growled as he slammed the door shut.

Thinking now was a good time to announce my presence; I stepped out from around the house, and ran smack into a solid wall of muscle.

"Oomph." I said as my face hit something hard, and then my ribs met the same hardness.

I didn't have time to feel pain, though, because in the very next instant, I found myself face down on the ground, my mouth being shoved into the gra.s.s, and a body straddling my back.

I hadn't realized that I screamed through the haze of pain my ribs were now feeling.

The body had disappeared from my back just as quickly as it appeared, but it didn't stop the shards of agony shooting through me at the feel of being thrown onto the ground and then sat on.

It was long minutes later that I could finally work through the pain enough to realize I was being cradled against Sebastian's chest.

I'd been sobbing in pain for quite a while, if the wetness underneath my cheek was any indication.

"Shhh, I know it hurts. Please stop, baby. I'm so sorry." Sebastian soothed.

My breath hitched, and my sobs slowed, but the pain was still very much apparent. "I-I'm okay. H-hurts." I breathed.

"Where's your meds?" He asked, standing up as carefully as possible.

"Car." I said softly, trying not to breathe deep.