Let It Ride (Hell's Tribe MC Series) [Book 3]

Chapter 6: Six Weeks

Wow! We're already halfway through book 3 ! How crazy? I always planned to make Mick's book just a short little thing, but I find myself wishing I wrote him and Val a full book. Anyway, since it's too late for that now since I'm already working on book 4, you guys will just have to enjoy the next few chapters. I hope you all like it! Please let me know by voting and commenting to tell me what you think. 

xoxoxox

Mary.

Song for this chapter: Nothings Gonna Stop Us Now By: Starship

~Val~   

June 21st, 1989  

"Val?" Mick pressed, his voice rising enough for me to flinch. 

I was used to yelling, but not from him. 

I turned away, instinctively covering the spot I had been trying to hide for the last week. I had done well with Jodi's powder compact and high neck tops— but submerged in water and wearing only a bra, I didn't have very many options as far as coverage went. 

"It's nothing," I repeated. "Really." 

Mick let out a breath, gently running his fingers over the spot. I winced, but not because he was hurting me. He pulled back and looked at me with clear disbelief. 

"Who did this to you?" he asked firmly. 

I bit my lip, fighting tears. I wasn't in pain anymore, but I didn't want to talk about it either. I hated any reminder of the things my father had said and the way he and my mother looked at me that day. They made me feel worthless—and the absolute last thing I wanted to do was explain this all for Mick to hear.

Instead, I pulled away and swam back to the edge of the pond. I heard Mick calling out for me once I hoisted myself back on land, but I ignored him as I hiked back up to where we had jumped from. I was so inside my own head that I hadn't even realized his voice had been coming closer. It was only when I felt someone pull me back by the shoulder that I even realized he was out of the water. 

I turned around to face one seriously confused guy. His gaze once again lingered on my neck where he could now see the full extent of it, and his eyes widened. If he had only seen how much worse it was when it had just happened. 

"This was your dad, wasn't it?" he asked, a fury building in his tone. 

My bottom lip trembled as the tears I had been fighting began to surface. 

I never cried. But, standing here in front of Mick and admitting what my father had done to me was just too much to handle. 

I nodded, and Mick's eyes went black. 

"He's dead," Mick proclaimed, his voice growing an eerie calm. 

He took off uphill, leading the way to the elevation we had jumped from. I tried to follow after him, but his legs were nearly twice as long as mine, and he was practically running. I called his name multiple times, begging him to stop, but he was a man on a mission. 

I came to a stop nearly at the top of the elevation we had jumped from and collapsed to my knees. "Mick, please!" I begged, practically wheezing for how out of breath I was. 

His movements came to a halt and he stood in place for a few moments. I could see the muscles in his back relax as he took multiple deep breaths before he finally turned around to face me. 

His eyes had softened and a wave of guilt washed over his features when he saw the state I was in after trying to chase after him. 

Fuck was I out of shape.