Raven’s Climb: Wrath MC by Tiffany Casper

Chapter 12

Michelle

Walking numbly into Cam’s house, nothing registered.

It didn’t register when Cam first led me to his bathroom, started the shower, and showed me where everything was.

Neither did it register that he had taken Laci to another part of his house.

When I felt his warm body wrap around mine in the shower, I turned, buried my face into his neck, and cried.

He didn’t move, he just let the warm water run over both of us.

When I had cried everything out, he let go of me then grabbed the shampoo bottle that was just like the one I had at home, in fact, everything in this shower were exact replicas of what I had in my show… my nonexistent shower.

He washed my hair and conditioned it. After he rinsed it all out of my hair, he soaped up a loofa and then washed my body.

After I was rinsed off I kissed him softly on the lips then stepped from the shower. Grabbed two towels and I sighed in blissful warmth when I realized they were heated.

After I toweled off I grabbed one of his shirts that he had laying on the bathroom counter then walked to his bed.

He came out moments later with a comb in his hand. What shocked me was that he sat behind me and combed out the tangles in my hair.

After he finished, neither one of us said a word, it wasn’t until Laci walked in the room and climbed on the bed that the silence was broken.

Sleepily she snuggled into my arms. I didn’t bother to ask where her nightgown had come from.

Laying curled up in Cam’s bed with Laci snoring softly in my arms, Cam climbed on the bed and surrounded us both, “Baby, it's going to be okay.'' He whispered into my hair.

And that was the last thing I remembered before joining Laci in a peaceful slumber.

Cam had lain awake all night making sure there were no threats.

That morning as I roused awake to find myself in bed alone, I rolled over and stretched.

Knowing that I was supposed to work today I looked over at the nightstand to see my phone plugged up to a charger.

Grabbing it I called Lisa, she was the Director of Emergency Medicine in the emergency room.

“Hello?”

“Hey Lisa, it’s Michelle. I’m afraid I need someone to cover for me for a few days…” I started to say.

“Honey I know. I’m so sorry. I tried to call you last night to check on you and Laci but you didn’t answer.”

“Thank you. We got out of there in time. It was scary, that was for sure.”

“Dr. Peters, Dr. Morelli, and Dr. Stone have already added their names on the schedule to cover your shifts for however long you need.”

“Thank you, Lisa, and please tell them all thank you for me.”

“You got it. You need us, you just say the word.”

My eyes finally started to take in everything that was in Cam’s bedroom and my breath caught.

What the hell? Everything was something that I would have picked out.

Remembering last night I jumped out of bed and went into the bathroom; it was the same. Down to the heated tiled floor.

I walked to his closet and again I froze. Staring dumbfounded at a few clothes that were hanging on the right side of his closet with tags on them. They were things I would have picked out.

In wonder, I pulled a day dress off of a hanger.

Then I walked to the bed and saw that my bra and panties from last night had been washed.

Pulling everything on I exited out of the bedroom to take in his house, and to look for the two of them.

Finding them in the massive kitchen, I stopped. He had black appliances, granite countertops, and an island. They were all top of the line, but that wasn’t what really caught my attention when my eyes scanned over the open floor plan.

No, what caught my attention was the picture that was hanging above the white brick fireplace. It was of us on the night he had first bought his bike, it was in black and white. I had that picture still on my phone. Thank God.

“Morning beautiful. Sleep okay?” At Cam’s voice, I turned my head to look at him.

“Yes, I did. Thank you for last night. Umm… mind explaining this house to me?”

He lifted his cup of what I assumed was coffee and said, “I think you know.”

“Mommy, come look.” Laci bounded out of her chair, ran to me, grabbed my hand, and pulled me down the hall. To say I was speechless was an understatement.

Her room. My God.

Walking in it was almost an exact replica of the one we had at our home. “I got a princess bed, and look.” She continued to show me everything that was in her room.

Lifting my head it was to see Cam standing in the doorway with his arms crossed, “When did you do all of this?”

He walked into the room then leaned to whisper in my ear so only I would hear, “The day after you kicked me out of bed.” Tears sprang in my eyes as I leaned my head into his chest.

His arms came around me as I whispered, “I’m so sorry Cam.”

“No need to be sorry baby. You were protecting yourself and Laci. Had you not done that, I wouldn’t have respected you at all.”

After we ate he checked his phone then nodded, looking at me he said, “I know you don’t want to but we need to head to the clubhouse. We gotta figure out how your house caught fire and the other ole’ ladies are dying to meet you.”

Knowing that having Cam in my life meant having them in my life. So I nodded.

The moment he shut the truck off, my eyes avoided that spot which Cam didn’t miss.

He leaned over the console to whisper in my ear so Laci wouldn’t hear,  “I'll replace that memory baby. Make it better. Promise you, it'll be a different experience and one where I intend to make your toes curl.”

Nodding, I kept my eyes focused on anything that wasn’t that spot. He jumped out of his truck as I climbed out and got Laci down. We walked hand in hand while Laci held onto his other hand into the clubhouse.

The place hadn’t changed much, they just had more tables and chairs along with some new artwork on the walls.

He walked us over to where a group of women were sitting. The moment they saw us, they stood.

“Ladies, this is my woman and my girl. Michelle and Laci. Baby, this is Lil, Power’s ole’ lady, Melia, Greek’s ole’ lady, and you already know June.”

I offered each of them my hand, “Nice to meet y’all.”

Then  I heard a voice that belonged to Nathan, as he ran over and asked, “Hey Laci, want to come color?”

Without waiting for me to say a word, my girl let go of Cam's hand and then she followed them.

Grinning, I sat down in the chair Cam pulled out for me. Tipping my head back to look at him he leaned in, “Got Church baby. Be out in a minute. You need me, don’t hesitate. Just knock on the door first okay?”

“Yeah, Cam.” Grinning, he placed a kiss on my forehead then headed to the room I knew was called church.

Just as the door closed I looked up to see my mom walk in the clubhouse as she made a beeline for me, wrapping me in her arms.

“Grammie!” Laci said as she rushed over and hugged her.

For the next fifteen minutes, Laci told my mother about Cam's house and her room.

“How are you being so calm about this? Everything you owned was just burnt to a crisp.” The woman who had been introduced as Lil asked me.

“I wouldn’t be so calm had I not had that safe. Always being prepared, worked well for me. Had I lost Laci’s baby things then yes, that would have me in tears, and I’d be a raging bitch.”

“Well, I guess that is the bright side.” June told me as she brought out a piece of paper, “Now, what are y’all’s sizes and things.”

“June, appreciate it, but no.” I shook my head at her.

“Don’t argue with her baby. This is what the club does. You know this.” I bit my tongue at my mother’s censuring tone.

“Had I not been forced to come here today; I never would’ve stepped foot on this property again,” I whispered.

Just walking by the spot where my rape took place had tears in my eyes. I hadn’t noticed that everyone had been watching me silently, not until I felt his presence at my back.

“Darlin, let’s get  Laci and take a drive.'' Nodding gratefully I stood, hugged my mother, then grabbed Laci’s hand as we followed Cam out to his truck.

 

June

“What’s her problem with the club? I mean her dad was a member, if I recall from the stories I had heard, she had been coming here a lot when she was younger.”

I couldn’t read Lil’s expression as she said softly, “You know about the girl that was raped outside of the clubhouse in the parking lot seven years ago?”

“Yes. Everyone knows about that. It was a sad tragedy and a huge slap in the face for what Wrath MC stands for.” I told her.

Then the floor was ripped right out from under me with what she said next, “That woman was Michelle.”

I felt the mistrust that I got from Michelle clear out as I stared at Lil in horror. “Are you serious?”

“Deadly. She was dating Cam. He ended things with her because of bitch face Mina told him lies about her and instead of trusting Michelle, he trusted Mina. Long story short, he ended things with her. She ran out of here crying, a man was waiting in the shadows for an unsuspecting woman.”

“Fucking asshole. Any clue where he is? I feel a little payback is coming his way.” I snarled.

Lil smiled darkly then whispered, “No. He’s six feet under. That was Cam’s first kill.”

I then made it my mission to support Michelle in any way I possibly could.

***

Michelle

“Where are we going?” I asked him as he pulled off the main highway and into the mall parking lot.

“You and Laci need shit babe.”

“Cam, you don’t have to do this,” I told him.

He looked over at me and sighed, “Babe, whether you’re ready to admit it or not, y’all are mine. Y’all have been mine for a very long time.”

“But still, it wasn’t your fault that our house caught fire, Cam.”

“Be that as it may, don’t give a fuck whose fault it was. I’ll say this again, y’all are mine to take care of. Now let’s go shopping.”

“Cam, I don’t like clothes from the mall, they are overpriced and stupid. We shop at Target.” I told him.

With that, he nodded then pulled out of the parking lot and headed to Target.

***

“This is too much already.” I sighed as I looked at the half-filled cart already. He had told Laci to get whatever her heart desired. And without a word to me, she did just that.

“Babe, I’ve got plenty of money. Buy what y’all need.”

“Cam…”

“Fuck your so goddamn stubborn. Let me break this down for you yeah? Ever since I was fifteen I’ve been working. Busting my ass. I own my home outright. Bought it at nineteen. Own my truck, paid cash, same for my bike. For the past six years, I’ve bought what I needed and paid bills. Make plenty working in the garage doing custom bike builds, those fuckers are not cheap. Get my take from the club. Got over six figures just sitting in the bank.”

Whispering, shocked at his words I said, “Okay.”

After we had Cam’s truck loaded down with the things we needed I turned to Laci and said, “Let’s go get Sparks.” I was thanking my lucky stars that Sparks had a floppy tail as they called it and we had dropped him off with the vet’s office to have his tail removed the day prior.

“Okay, mommy. Thank you Cam for having a tank ready.”

“Welcome peanut.”

After we got Sparks from the vet’s office and paid, we headed back to Cam’s. To say I was still shocked that he had built the house just like I wanted it to be an understatement.

Walking in through the doors in the light of day was an all too different experience. Seeing everything was such a shock to my system.

***

Cam

Five hours earlier at the clubhouse

The moment the doors were closed Powers banged the gavel. “What the fuck happened?” He roared.

“The fire was started at the back of the house. Fucking gasoline was poured on her back porch.” Lincoln stated darkly.

Greek had the look of murder on his face, “Got the footage from a nearby house.”

We all turned to watch and I felt the blood in my veins freeze. Seeing a woman that didn’t bother to hide her face.

Before I could say her name, it was Skinner that mumbled, “Fucking bitch.”

“Mina,” Zeke said with a growl.

“Find the cunt. Bring her to the shed.”

“Done,” Gage said murderously. The rest of the men nodded their heads as well.

My hands started to itch to meet out my own brand of vengeance.

“Cam, go home to your ole’ lady and your girl. The moment we have her, I’ll call.” I nodded to Powers then walked out of church only to hear Michelle’s statement and to see all eyes on her, my fucking heart broke for her.

If it weren’t for the fact that they needed me, I would’ve been out on the hunt too.

***

Michelle

I woke up to something moving softly over my curves, “Cam?”

“Yeah, baby. Gotta get to the clubhouse.” I opened my tired eyes as I looked up at him. What I saw in those eyes caused shivers to run along my body.

“Everything okay?” I asked him, coming fully awake now.

“Yeah, baby. Be back to take Laci to school and you to work.” I know that he didn’t like that I wasn't taking more time off from work but he knew me. He knew that I hated being idle.

I worried my lower lip as I said, “Okay. Be careful.”

I knew not to ask what happened within the club. I grew up in the club. I wasn’t an ole’ lady so I wasn’t privy to anything.

What I didn’t know was that I had said something in my sleep, and I hadn’t heard his reply.