Road from Ruin

Chapter Twenty Three

DELTA

"Bea, hey!" I say answering my phone, voice filled with guilt. I hate that I've distanced myself from my sister. She's my only supporter and friend from my past life. I love her endlessly and hope when this is all over and handled that she can be a constant in my life again.

"Delts they served Dean with the divorce papers." She says quietly, as if she's whispering.

"That's great Bea thanks for telling me." I reply suspiciously.

"That's not it... he was at your house. The place is trashed delts. I guess he was really drunk too, the guy who served them called the cops because he was super aggressive and belligerent. Obviously just his buddies showed up so nothing happened but... Delta I told dad. I couldn't take it anymore." She finishes.

"Wait. You told dad? What did he say? What did you say? Why did you tell him! He's always on Deans side." I scream.

"He's so worried! I didn't tell mom she's too out of it. She wouldn't believe me anyways. Once dad found out he trashed the place and was getting hammered alone he knew something was up. Why wouldn't your husband be more worried? Out trying every single thing to find you and get you back." She explains calmly. "I told him everything Delta and he believes he. He confronted Dean. Told him he knew he beat you up... threatened you. Told him that he would find you and keep you far away from him until he can finally put him in jail. Dean went crazy tried to hit dad but he was too drunk. No ones seen Dean since but... dad knows I'm in contact with you. He's going to want to talk to you. And soon. I just wanted to help Delta. Just wanted to warn you." She finishes.

I take a deep breath. I knew this was all coming, I couldn't hide forever and I couldn't expect my poor sister to keep my secrets. That's so unfair to her, she doesn't deserve that.

"Bea. I love you. Thank you for everything you've done. It's time to face my own problems here, so if dad asks you can give him this number." I say thanking her again before hanging up.

I explain everything to Red and watch his knuckles turn white while gripping the steering wheel. We sit in silence for a moment while I wait for him to absorb everything. We're only a few hours from his apartment now and I have no idea what he's thinking.

"Say something Ben... please." I whisper carefully.

He takes another long moment of silence before finally speaking. "He's gunna come after you Angel. I know men like him. He's a manipulator. And now that your parents aren't under his thumb anymore he's going to snap. Filling that missing persons report and going to your parents made it very clear he wants you back and will do anything to do it. Now he's a man with nothing to lose..." He stops for a moment. "I'm just thinking angel. Thinking about how I'm gunna keep this loser from you and handle all my club shit at the same time." He finally explains.

So that's the problem. Me. He already has too much going on, he doesn't need this shit in his life.

"Red I'll just go. When we get back I'll pack up and get out of here you have too much..." He abruptly stops me.

"Dont fuckin finish that sentence angel. Already told you I'm in this. You're my girl. There's no more running for you, you hear me?" He says in a stern voice I've only heard him use when talking to prospects.

I shrink back confused. I can't leave, I can't stay. I can't keep running but I can't make Red take on my issues. I need to face my problems head on, and alone. But this man is so attached to my heart I couldn't imagine leaving him.

"You don't know he'll come. He has the divorce papers. I bet he's hurt and embarrassed. He thought he could bring me back and everything would be normal. I bet he'll just lick his wounds and hideaway somewhere. Bea will let me know when things calm down, we just have to hope he'll sign the papers and stay away." I say hopefully. Trying to calm him down.

"We'll figure it out." Is all he says. We drive in a comfortable silence the rest of the way home.

—

We pull into the shops parking lot, grab our bags and head inside. The shop is full of club members, cars and bikes. I'm about to say hi before I'm tackled into a hug.

"Oh darlin how do you look so sexy after driving across the country?" Mama says smacking a kiss to my cheek. I laugh and wipe her red lipstick off my face.

"Hey there mama, missed you too" I say with a laugh.

"You two head on up and catch up. I gotta to meet the crew, get some business out of the way." Red says laughing while looking between mama and myself. "No fuckin hootch and no makeovers. Don't need to walk in on what I walked in on last time you two trouble makers hung out." He says pointing his finger at mama.

"Hey! It was our first time hangin out I had to make sure she was comfortable!" Mama says holding her hands in the air, filled with false innocence.

"Wait what did you walk in on!" I hear a prospect scream from behind a bike.

"Shut your fuckin mouth." Red barks out. He turns to me, smacks a quick kiss on my lips, winks, then hops on his bike.

"Well, guess it's just us too." I say to mama before grabbing her hand and pulling her up to the apartment.

If you would have told me a few months ago that one of my best friends was going to be a 50 year old biker chick I would never have believed it. Although I probably wouldn't believe if you told me basically anything about my life for the past few weeks so...

Mama makes herself right at home by walking to the fridge and grabbing to beers. Uncapping both she passes me one and makes her way over to the couch.

"How was Cali darling? You two do the dirty all the way across this great country and back?" She asks after taking a huge chug of her beer.

I laugh and throw myself down beside her. "No sex mama. I'm still a married woman, what do you think I'm some scandalous deviant?" I ask jokingly.

Mama chokes on her beer and spits it across the room, and on myself.

"Jesus mama!" I shout, getting up to get a rag.

"Let me get this straight. You met this sexy man. Basically moved in with him the day you met. Have been sleeping in the same bed with him for weeks. And you drove across the country staying in hotels....and...nothing?" She chokes out.

"Well not nothing but... yeah no sex." I answer while wiping her beer off the tv.

"Explain nothin to me please." She demands.

"Well we've both... gone down on eachother. A lot. Obviously we kiss every chance we get but yeah. He says he won't sleep with me when I'm married to someone else. Said that once I'm his I'm all his, forever so... I don't know. Dean has the divorce papers so hopefully this will all be over soon." I say quietly.

"You need something else to look forward to. I know I know that probably sounded like the biggest piece of shit comin from my mouth but. Obviously we're both very excited for you and Red to finally get it on. But what if we got you a job? Somethin to do, get your mind off shit and get movin towards your future." She says carefully. I can tell she really cares about me but doesn't want to be to forward since our friendship is still new.

"And here I thought sex would be all you cared about." I laugh out. "But seriously... yeah. I'd like that. I think I want to work with animals, maybe volunteer at the local shelter to start. It's just hard to get a whole new life started here when I don't even know if I'm staying." I explain.

"What do you mean you won't stay? You're family now darlin. I know it's been quick but... you have to stop thinking that everything's temporary. You'll never move on with your life that way. So what if this doesn't work out, if you end up leaving. Do what you want. You're free now darling. Time to live."

She calls a friend at the shelter in town who asks me to come in tomorrow and start right away since they are super understaffed. After that we open a few more beers, put on some music and have a really fun night.

The thought 'you're free now darling, time to live' plays constantly in my head.