Sacred by Caitlyn Dare
Wes
My cell vibrates on my chest and I instantly come to.
I don’t bother looking at the time. The second I see Sadie’s name on my screen, I swipe and put it to my ear. “Princess,” I breathe.
“Hey, Pretty,” she says. I can almost hear the smile in her voice, and it makes my own lips twitch up.
It’s been less than twenty-four hours, but damn do I miss her after having her by my side every second of the last couple of days.
The second I heard the fear in Mom’s voice down the line when she called me earlier, I knew I needed to come back and prove to her that I was in one piece.
She knew where I was. Despite the fact that she wasn’t having her best day when she first met Sadie, she knew. Mom’s always been perceptive where I’m concerned. It’s just a shame she can’t apply that attention to detail to her own life. She might have realized she’s living one massive lie otherwise.
I understand why she might have wanted to stay when I was younger. She wanted me to have two parents and all that crap. But now… now it won’t make any difference to me if she upped and left my cunt of a father. Actually, it would make both our lives significantly better if we were to walk away from this house.
I wouldn’t care if we walked away with only the clothes on our backs. Nothing, no amount of money, fancy houses or cars, is worth what he puts us through.
“How’s your mom?” Sadie asks. Even while she’s at the hospital with Dane, she’s worried about me. My chest constricts as I picture her smiling face and sparkling green eyes staring up at me as if I’m actually worth something. The only other place I’ve ever felt worthy is on a football field. But even there, I never felt like I was home. I might have been wanted, contributed to the team, but it was never where I was truly happy. Being beside Sadie, though… It’s everything. She’s everything. Even if she does come as a package deal with Savage and Stray… or Creed, I guess.
“She’s okay. Dad’s been out all night, but something’s happened. I can see the fear in her eyes despite the fact that she’s denying it.”
“Bring her to the clubhouse while he’s out,” she offers.
“We can’t. He’ll come back and…”
“It’ll be okay, Wes. We’ll make sure it is.”
“I know,” I mutter. She means well, but I really have no idea how we get Mom out of this without any blood being shed. I hate Grant Noble, but I’m not sure I could actually let Savage and Stray kill him like I suggested earlier. I might have adjusted to club life the past few days, but I’m not quite fully there yet when it comes to the stuff they do without batting an eye.
“How’s Stray?”
“Well, he keeps trying to convince me to give him a hand job, so I think he’s on the mend.”
“He’s in the hospital.” I chuckle.
“Yeah, that’s what I keep saying. He needs to rest.”
“How long is he in for?”
“As long as the night goes okay, I think he’s going to discharge himself tomorrow.”
“And you’re okay with that?” I ask, knowing how protective of him she is. I can’t imagine the news went down all that well.
“Hell no. He should stay here until he’s fully healed. But you’ve met him. He doesn’t exactly take well to orders unless it involves sex.”
“Use it against him,” I suggest, a smirk tugging at my lips.
“Hmm… He is pretty desperate to get in my ass. Maybe I could—”
“Princess.” I hear a growl in the background.
“Oh hey, you all done in there?” she asks him.
“What the fuck are you talking about?” I hear Dane grumble.
“Just telling Pretty how you’re doing,” she replies innocently.
“You were talking about your ass.”
“Dane,” Sadie chastises. “Not in front of your nurse.”
“Spoilsport,” he shouts. “Her ass is mine, Pretty. Don’t you go getting any ideas.”
“Oh my God,” she breathes.
“Is there really a nurse in the room?” I ask her.
“Yeah. But she’s beginning to get used to Dane’s brand of weirdness. She’s been stuck with him as her patient all day.”
“She loves me, don’t you, darlin’?” I hear him say in the background.
“When are you going to be able to get back to the compound? I hate you not being there,” she asks, tuning Dane out.
“I don’t know. As soon as I can, I promise.”
“I hate this. Everything is such a mess.”
“I know, baby. But it’ll be over soon. Your dad will find that piece of shit and Dane can finally take his place.”
“Wes,” she hisses.
“Does he know yet?”
“No. We’re gonna hold off until we’re back.”
“Good call. How do you think he’s going to react?”
“I really have no idea. I should let you get some rest.”
“I was just lying here thinking about you,” I half lie. I was thinking about her, but I had drifted off.
“Oh yeah? What was I doing?”
“Not sure that’s what you need to hear right now, princess. How about I promise to show you the next time I see you instead?”
“Deal,” she says so quickly I can’t help but laugh.
“Call me in the morning, yeah?”
“Yeah. And if you need anything—”
“I know. I’ll call. But we’re okay. Everything is going to be okay.”
“I know. See you soon.”
“See you soon.” Three extra little words teeter on the tip of my tongue, but I bite them back. Now is not the time for her to hear them from me. She’s got too much other shit going on to properly hear the meaning behind them.
I lie there with my cell in my hand long after she’s hung up, thinking about her and this weird situation we’ve found ourselves in.
Only weeks ago, I would've told anyone I wasn’t interested in being in a relationship with Sadie if it meant sharing her with others. But something about the four of us just works—even with Rhett’s coldness and clear dislike of me. It’s like how each of us feels about Sadie trumps everything else. And while I know I have zero interest in the guys sexually, I can’t deny that our little group sessions are hot as hell. I’m beginning to understand why Stray is so enthralled when watching her with us. It’s insanely hot, witnessing her come apart under their hands and to see her every reaction, experience every moan and writhe of her body…
My cock tents my sheets as memories of our times together play out in my mind, but as much as I might want to fix the situation, I don’t push my hand under the sheets to do so.
I don’t want to come with my own hand. I want her. Always her.
I eventually drift back off to sleep, still hard as fucking steel with my cell locked in my hand in case something happens and she needs me.
* * *
“Wesley.” I sit bolt upright in bed at the sound of his angry, booming voice.
“Fuck,” I mutter, pushing my hair back from my face, giving myself a second to come around.
I start to think I was dreaming, but the second I fall back to the bed I hear, “Wesley. Get your ass down here, boy.”
Dread immediately fills my veins.
I know that edge to his voice. I know it well, and nothing good ever comes from it.
He doesn’t know, I tell myself as I climb from bed and grab a pair of sweats from my closet.
I take a piss and freshen up before I pull my door open and make my way downstairs, dragging my mask on as I go.
I learned how to hide my true feelings from my father years ago. I must have been seven or eight when I came bounding off the football field with a beaming smile on my face, thinking I’d done an amazing job, only to be taken down a few pegs when he sat me down and told me in detail every single mistake I made, which play I fucked up, and how if I were paying attention, our team could have won even easier.
From that day, I never let him see how I thought I played. I also never reacted when he criticized my performance after every single game.
“Morning,” I mutter, walking into the kitchen and immediately going to the coffee machine. “Refill?” I ask, trying to be polite.
He’s sitting in his seat at the head of our table with his shirt sleeves rolled up to the elbows and his suit jacket hung over the chair.
My stomach turns over at the sight. He only ever rolls up his sleeves when he means business.
“Where’s your mother?” he asks, ignoring my question.
“Um… I’m not sure. I’ve only just woken up.”
“I’m surprised to see you home,” he says coldly.
“I just spent a few days with a friend. We had a school assign—”
“Bullshit,” he barks, his patience snapping as his palms slam down on the table, making everything on top of it rattle.
“I’m eighteen, I’m allowed to stay out if I want.”
I keep my back to him, which is a risk because I’ve learned more than once that he’s faster than he looks.
“Was her pussy worth it?” he asks, his voice so low I almost think I’ve imagined it.
“Excuse me?” I finally turn around to face him, my breath catching in my throat at the deadly expression pulling his features tight.
“Was her filthy club whore pussy worth it?” He spits the words.
My heart thunders in my chest, my fists curling with my need to defend Sadie but doing so will only make this situation worse.
“I-I don’t know what—”
“Bullshit,” he booms. “I know where you’ve been. I have it on good authority that you were inside that fucking compound when that car bomb went off the other night.”
“W-what?” I stutter, my head spinning, not knowing what to say for the best.
How does he know? Who would have told him I was there?
“What’s wrong, Son? Ashamed? You fucking should be.”
“No, I’m not, actually.” I take a step forward, needing him to see that I’m not afraid of him. “If you must know,” I say, puffing my chest out, the words that are about to fall from my lips are some of the truest I’ve ever spoken, “I’m not ashamed, because she’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
“You fucking stupid bastard.” He’s out of his chair before I even realize he’s moved.
“This is my life,” I roar as he closes the distance between us. “I get to decide who I spend time with, who my friends are.”
“Not while you’re living under my roof. Not while you use my surname.”
“I love her,” I blurt out, as if I think it’s going to make any fucking difference. He’s so lost to his anger that he wouldn’t hear anything I say right now. Hell, I doubt he’d even notice if the house crumbled around him.
He’s got one thing in his mind and one thing only.
As he gets closer, I can see in his eyes that he expects me to back away, to cower to him. I might have in the past, but not now. I’ve not only got my mom to fight for, but now I’ve got my girl.
“Go on, old man. Hit me. Try to beat it out of me.” I lift my chin in defiance. “There’s nothing you can do to stop me.”
“Fucking watch me.”
I see his fist coming, but I still don’t cower. Instead, I curl my own fists tighter, prepared to fight back twice as hard this time.
I’m fed up with his reign of terror, of his attempt to control our lives.
I’ve found something that means the world to me, and I’ll fight to the death to keep her, to prove to anyone that she’s worth it.
“Grant, no!” Mom screams as his fist makes my head snap to the side, an agonizing crunch coming from some part of my face. I can’t identify which bit because all of it fucking hurts.
A growl rips up my throat as he turns on Mom, his already bloody fist flying toward her cheek.
“No,” I shriek, the pain shooting around my body spurring me on as I fly at him, doing anything I can to protect Mom. But I’m not quick enough. My movements are sluggish as my body begins to shut down, the pain getting the better of me while my head thinks I’m still on top form.
“I’m going to fucking kill you,” I scream as I drag him back from her.
She slumps into the corner as I slam his face down on the counter, knocking him out cold and finally putting an end to his attack.
“Mom,” I cry, crawling over to her. “Mom, Mom. Wake up, please.” I cup her face in my hands, willing her to open her eyes, to tell me that she’s okay.
She lets out a low, rattling breath before she says words I never thought I’d hear.
“G-get us out of here, Wesley. F-for good.”
Sucking in all the strength I have, I stand, scoop her into my arms and carry her out to my car. I know where I need to go. I know where we’ll be safe.
I don’t look back as we leave the house. I don’t even check to see if he’s still breathing.
I don’t care.
I actually hope he’s not.
