The Biker's deadly obsession

Bailey POV The pain exploded through me as the boots pressed harder, my face squeezed against the cold shower floor. My blood pooled at my feet, swirling pink down the drain. "They said they can collect her bones," she spat, and the others laughed. "No one gives a f**k whether she dies or not. They want her gone and dead bitches don't testify." Then her boot connected with my ribs… I jolted awake, my lungs burning like I had been drowning. For three good seconds, I didn't know where I was. My hands clawed at blankets instead of cold tile and the realization dawned at me. I was no longer there, in that hell hole. My phone screen beside me glowed: 2:17 AM and my daughter's soft yet chaotic breathing besides me anchored me. “You are not there anymore. You're out and safe.” I whispered to myself. The lie tasted like copper on my tongue. I was out of that damned place but safe? I couldn't afford that luxury. Months later and I could still taste the bitterness of that hellhole I was forced into by… No, I didn't have to think about that…about them. I should have gone to bed but somehow, the nightmare stole that luxury and in came the bitter reality I needed to face tomorrow. Tomorrow, I had double shifts at the diner to raise enough money for my daughter's therapy session. Tomorrow, I needed to… My thoughts were interrupted by three knocks on the door My heart stopped for a moment. Nothing good knocked at 2 AM.m, that I was very aware of. With my heart in my palms, I grabbed the baseball bat by the bed and sat there, contemplating whether it was a good idea to confront whatever ghost came knocking at my door. Before I could come to a conclusion, the knocking continued. Then a voice followed, filled with urgency or should I say panic? "Open the door, Bailey. I know you heard me. We don't have much time.” My blood turned to ice instantly. I knew that voice. I knew it so well that it had haunted every dream and nightmare for five years. It's the same voice that had shouted “she betrayed us” in front of the entire club and branded me a traitor. It was the voice of the man who had fired the shot that ended my life as I knew it. Jax Carter, AKA Ghost, the f*****g Enforcer of the Devil's Reach MC. "Bailey." He called, his voice shifting lower in a way that made my skin crawl. "They're coming. Open the goddamn door." They're coming. That statement settled heavily in my mind. I knew exactly who "they" were. The Devil's Reach MC didn't leave loose ends. I had learned that lesson written in my own blood on a prison shower floor. I was supposed to die in Northpoint, that was the order given. Only that I didn't. At some point, I had thought maybe they had forgotten about me, given up on the idea. I thought they had been merciful enough to let me fade into whatever shadow I could disappear into. I should have known better. My father used to say: "The club always collects its debts.” It seemed like they were coming to do that. Only that I didn't owe anyone s**t. If anything, they owed me five years of freedom and pain. "Bailey." Ghost's voice dropped, almost gentle. “Reaper and Knuckles left the clubhouse forty-five minutes ago and are hunting you down. You should know what that means.” Reaper. The name settled through me like a bad dream Reaper didn't come for conversations, he came for corpses. This time, he was coming for my corpse. I turned to look at Lily, pressed a kiss to her forehead and moved to the door on autopilot. When I twisted the lock and pulled the door open…he stood there. Five years and Jax Carter was exactly the same and completely different at the same time. His face was sharper now and harder. Gone was the air of recklessness he carried five years ago. Looking at him, I could not read anything. Ghost had new scars mapped to his knuckles and disappeared under his collar. The Devil's Reach reaper patch sat prominent on his cut and that's when I realised that he had moved up. A fleeting bitterness struck my heart but I forced myself to remain neutral. His eyes… God, those storm-gray eyes that used to look at me like I hung the moon were now looking at me like I was a problem he was here to solve. I hated that some broken part of me still remembered what those eyes used to mean, what they did to my body every time he ran them across me. "What do you want?" I asked after composing myself, my voice coming out steadier than I was willing to give it credit for. "To keep you alive." Ghost answered bluntly. I laughed and the sound of that sounded unhinged. “You're five years too late for that, Ghost." I reminded him in case he forgot. Something flickered across his face but it was gone before I could name it. "Bailey. The VP sent Reaper and Knuckles after you. Do you know what that means?" Ghost pressed. I did. I knew exactly what that meant. "Why?" The question ripped out of me before I could stop myself. Five years ago, I wanted to ask him why he chose to betray me, to abandon me. Five years later, that was the least of my problems. "Why are you here , Jax? Do you remember you stood in front of everyone and called me a rat. You fired the shot that…" My voice cracked and I didn't get to finish my statement or more of a complaint. He knew what he had done. "I had my reasons." Jax replied , his jaw so tight I could see the muscle twitch. "Am I supposed to trust you now? Just believe that suddenly you give a damn whether I live or die?" I snapped. The audacity of him to come here and pretend to care when he… "No, you shouldn't trust me.” He said it simply, like a brutal honesty. "But you're going to trust me anyway." "Why the hell would I…" "Because at this point, I am the only chance she has." Jax pointed out. The shift from ‘you’ to ‘she’ landed differently and behind me, Lily coughed. He knew about her. He actually knew about my daughter. Ghost's eyes tracked past me toward the sound. His entire face turned complicated for a fleeting second. "How old is she?" He asked. My hand tightened on the doorframe. "Four years old and none of your business." I snapped. I watched him do the math and saw the exact moment it clicked into place. His face went blank then disbelief overtook his expressions. "Bailey…" Jax called. "Don't." I cut him off. Whatever he had to say, I didn't want to head him. Jax swallowed whatever he was going to say and nodded. "Fine but we are leaving here, asap.” Leaving here? That sounded like a good fantasy concept but the reality was too hard to implement. "To where, exactly? There's nowhere the club can't reach. I learned that in Northpoint." I reminded him in case he forgot. "There's one place." Jax pointed out, earning my attention. "Where?" I asked and something in his eyes made my stomach drop. He took a breath. "You marry me.”