Andrew’s POV

Why would he do that? And with Skyla in the room? He’s lost his fucking mind!

There’s a giant, furious dog growling and scratching at the other side of the door. The flimsy material threatens to release him any second. Though it’s more likely he redirects his rage to everyone else in the room.

“I’m going to open the door to let Diablo out, can I not die today just because Gauge is an idiot?” I ask, setting Skyla on her feet but keeping my hands on her just in case.

She gives me a small nod, though her attention is on the handful of pictures she managed to get ahold of. I stand behind Skyla and slowly open the door.

“That’s enough Diablo, thank you.” Skyla says so softly I’m not sure how he heard it over all the noise. With one last huff he walks past us and down the stairs to wait for her.

“Let me get you out of here.” I offer. The tears sliding down her cheeks just break my heart.

“Shouldn’t you get back in there?”

“I don’t want any part of what’s going on in there.” I assure her. Skyla lets me take her to booth at the back of the bar. She slides in against the wall, and I sit next to her on the seat. Diablo jumps up in the seat across from us laying is chin on the table to stare at her.

“Two waters.” I demand, grabbing the first person to walk by.

“Did you know?” She asks.

“I knew about you family, yeah. He’d brought it up when you were here last.” I scoot closer, hoping she’ll let me hold her. “But I swear to you, I had no idea he had these.”

Unclenching her fists, Skyla smooths out the crumpled photos on the table. As soon as the waters are brought over I set one in front of her and wrap an arm around her… waiting for her to say something. Anything.

“I only remember that night up until they kicked me, I passed out when my back was broken.” She starts.

“You don’t have to see these.” I cover the top of the small stack with my free hand.

“No, I need…” Skyla picks them up one at a time. She explains the first picture is of her destroyed living room. The second is the back porch, the pile of fur in the corner are the corpses of her beloved pets. The third, the hallway where she remembers being ambushed.

“Fucking hell.” I say without thinking, quickly flipping the fourth picture face down. She was naked on a gurney, bloodied and battered and unconscious.

The last photo Skyla had managed to grab was of a bedroom. A male body half-assed covered by a sheet. The bed soaked in blood, sheets and pillows thrown about. There was definitely a struggle.

Skyla brushes her thumb over him, I’ve said her name twice but she won’t look at me. She hold the pictures just inches from her face, scowling as she studies it closer. “This- this isn’t Jase.”

“You’re sure?” She’s been through a lot and there’s no way the last couple of days has helped.

“We were together almost a decade, I’m pretty sure I’d recognize my husband.”

“Didn’t you have to identify the body?” I ask.

“No, I was unconscious for days. I was told it had been handled by family, but I didn’t really ask any questions.” She tells me they weren’t sure with the extent of her injuries when, or if, she’d wake up. “I was hospitalized for months learning to walk again.”

“Fuck.” She needs to be certain, for her and the club. “I’ve got to take you back up there, he could be in a different picture.”

“What if he’s not? Andrew, what then?”

I rub my hand over the back of her head, hoping to comfort her in any way. “I don’t know, beautiful. I really don’t… but you’ve got me, whatever you need.”

Standing back in the doorway to the ‘chapel’ I’ve kept Skyla behind me. Colt immediately turns my way. “Welcome back, asshole. Where the hell have you been?”

“There’s something she needs to do.” I announce as I pull Skyla in front of me and walk us both forward. My hands on her hips, ready to catch her should she need me to.

Despite the protest from the rest of the table Colt doesn’t stop us from approaching. Once we’re staring down at the table I wrap my arms around her and lay my chin on her shoulder, wishing this was just another scary movie I could protect her from. 

Skyla takes her time looking through every picture. By the last one I might fucking cry. She’s shaking in my arms, barely holding it together. She doesn’t say a word instead she just shakes her head no.

“Goose, I didn’t want her to see this. Explain right the fuck now.” Ripper snarls. He knows the pain of losing the love of your life better than anyone, he’d been trying to protect Skyla from having to relive that night.

“Her husband, Jase. That’s not him in any of these pictures.” Holding up one of the crime scene. “This guy is dressed in his clothes, but it’s not him.”

“We need to talk to Slim.” Ripper directs at Colt.

Colt begins to argue about what good that might do. Skyla squirms in my grasp, and I’m worried I might be crushing her. As I loosen my hold she shoves my arms away and pushes past me. 

Skyla’s POV

I need some air.

I can’t breathe.

Out of the bar’s front door. The rush of fresh air doesn't dull the pain.

Past the last garage. The heavily wooded area surrounding the compond has overgrowth reaching right up to the road.

Thoughts swirl in my head as I follow Diablo. We walk until he literally stops to smell the flowers. Taking a seat in the large green field; yellows, pinks and pale purples speckle the lush grass. The quiet here actually settles my racing heart.

Diablo rolls in the grass and runs around like any other dog would get to do. The warm sun feels amazing and eventually the devil comes to join me. I hug his thick fur, the occasional tear still dripping off my jaw.

I haven’t got a clue how long it’s been, my phone must still be at the compound.

The sound of a motorcycle behind me means my alone time is over. I’m relieved when it’s Tyler who sits down next to me, without a word I lean my head onto his shoulder. There’s a few minutes of peace before he speaks. “Everyone is out looking for you.”

“I needed some air.”

“For two hours?” He sounds skeptical.

“Apparently.” I shrug.

“You’re over five miles from the club, Skyla. Will you at least tell me what the hell happened?” 

Tyler already knows about what happened to me and my family, well everything I thought I knew. So I tell him the short version of the crime scene photos and everything that went down while in church. Their rules long forgotten after feeling so betrayed and raw.

“Well fuck, no wonder you needed space… like a lot of space. I’ll text Colt to let him know he can call everyone in.” Tyler said.

“Everyone?” I ask.

“Yeah, about that.” Tyler laughs. “You didn’t come back and we found your phone on the table in the bar, so when Xavier and Goose couldn’t find you they kinda sent out a search party.”

I groan, getting to my feet and dusting myself off. “I think it’s time for me to go home. Can you ask Eloise to get my stuff together?”

“You sure?”

“ Tyler, there might be the ashes of a complete stranger on my mantle, I just really need to get out of here.”

He insists on walking back with Diablo and I even thought that means he has to push his motorcycle the entire way. We can talk about everything and nothing, carefully avoiding any more discussion about what’s gone down today. It takes over an hour to make it back to the compound.

As the bar comes into sight, I hesitate “ Do you think you can just bring me my bag and my phone? I don’t wanna see anyone else right now.”

“Sure, give me a minute and I’ll meet you by your car.”

Pulling my keys from Diablo’s collar, I’ve gotten in the habit of having him carry them so I don’t lose them. I get the AC started while we wait, Diablo sticks his face right against the vents to enjoy the cool air coming out of the vents.

Andrew’s POV

I catch Tyler trying to sneak out of the bar with Skyla’s duffle bag, “Where the fuck are you going with that?” 

I quickly head him off when he tells me she wants to go home, letting him know I’ll be taking it to her. Kid is smart enough not to question it.

I should be icing my face and knuckles, but that can wait. I need to make sure she’s okay.

Skyla sees me approaching and quickly gets out of the drivers seat, her eyes widen as she gets a good look at me. I can’t look that bad.

I drop her bag at my feet and wrap her in a tight hug. I don’t give a fuck if she can feel my heart racing, I needed to know she was safe. I’ve been losing my fucking mind trying to find her.

“A girl can’t disappear for a few hours without the world going to hell?” She asks when I take a step back.

“Don’t guess so, babe. Baby Face said you’re leaving?” I refuse to flinch as she touches a tender spot on my jaw.

“Yeah, I need to go home. I can’t go back in there today.” She reaches for her bag but I pick it up before she can. “You holding my clothes hostage?”

“Pop the trunk.” I smirk, though doing so might give her reason to see me again. She walks to the back of the car with me. “There’s no changing your mind, is there?”

“Not today. Are you going to tell me what happened?” Skyla gestures to my undoubtably swollen and bruising face.

With a sigh I have to admit that I’d confronted Gauge about where he got the file and why he thought it was a good idea to bring it to the table with her there. Eventually all the yelling devolved into us exchanging blows. Ripper and Colt had to separate us.

“What is it you want Andrew? I’m not really in the mood to belong to anyone right now.” 

“I get that, I really do. Can I at least make sure you get home safely? I’ll just follow you.” 

“I don’t know.” She says, shaking her head.

I interrupt before she can give me a definitive no. “You don’t need to invite me in, as soon you’re safely inside I’ll come straight back to the club. Can you just let me do this, please?”

“If I say no you’re just going to follow me anyway, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, I had kinda planned on it. I just want to be sure you’re okay.”

Skyla closes the trunk before looking up at me. “Fine, let’s go.”

I drive closely behind her the whole time, paying close attention to every turn. The drive is shorter than expected. I’m off my motorcycle as soon as she pulls up to her garage door.

Grabbing her bag before she can lift it from her trunk and walking it to her door. Skyla gets the door unlocked and lets Diablo in, I set her bag right inside the door before turning towards her and brushing the loose hair from her face with one hand.

“Call me… or any of us if you need something. I’ll- we’ll come right away.”

“Real smooth.” She smiles up at me.

“Shut up.” I respond, placing a quick kiss on her forehead before getting back on my motorcycle. Every nerve in my body is screaming at me not to leave, telling me she shouldn’t be alone right now.

I said I wouldn’t stay. I have to go. As much as it kills me to do so, I ride back to the clubhouse, hoping she might need me.