Chapter 30

Sophie

I hated Daryl.

I hated him more than I have ever hated anyone in my life.

He broke my trust. He broke our love.

And I think he broke me. Or at least it feels that way.

After I ran out of the clubhouse, Brick barely had the gate open when I sped past him. I drove with tears streaming down my face until I found a place I could pull the car into. Now that I wasn't in any danger of killing myself or anyone else, I let everything out. I sobbed until I could barely breathe.

I couldn't believe he did that to me. I thought he loved me. Damn it, he told me he loved me and promised he would never cheat on me, but he did. And he did with that woman that had come to see him at the hospital.

The one I never told him about.

The one that looks so different than I do.

This feels even worse than when I found Sean screwing his best friend. And that was pretty damn bad. I had thought I had loved Sean, but maybe I didn't because it sure wasn't the way I loved Daryl. I had loved my big bad biker with every ounce of my being. Maybe that's why I feel so shattered.

Today had been going so well, too. My shift at the bakery went pretty fast. We stayed steadily busy all morning as more of the people of Angel Valley realized how good Maddie's baked goods were. Then before I knew it, my replacement was in and I left as quickly as I could.

I was going house hunting!

This was something I never imagined I would ever do. Having the money to purchase a house was something I knew I would never have. Unless I won the lottery or some long-lost relative left me a bundle of money I would never be able to afford to buy a house. At least not while it was just me.

I never expected to have a Daryl in my life. A man that wanted to take care of me. A man that had the means to do that through hard work and by simply saving his money.

A good man.

Or at least he was until I saw him making out with that woman. Now he was someone I hated.

Before my world came to an end, this was something I had been looking forward to since I moved into the clubhouse with him. We needed our own place, our own space, and most definitely our own privacy.

I was shocked at how much money Daryl had in his safe. Apparently, he doesn't believe in banks which makes no sense to me, but I wasn't going to argue with him about it. We had a maximum of eighty thousand dollars to spend on a house. And that wasn't all of his money either. There was still enough left over to purchase the furniture that we were going to need to furnish it since neither one of us owned anything to begin with.

I felt like a kid on Christmas being told she had the run of the toy store. It would have been better if he had been able to come with me, but he still tired easily and was in pain. We both felt it was better for me to scout the house first so it could be narrowed down to just a few.

There were three houses on my list today. I found a real estate agent in town that was going to be showing me around. She helped me come up with these early prospects to look at for today.

The first one ended up only having a one-car garage, but one of Daryl's few requests was that it had to have space for two cars. Plus the house felt small and claustrophobic. I preferred an open floor plan and this house certainly didn't have it. The second house didn't work out either. I wanted something with three bedrooms and it only had two, plus there was no master bathroom.

The third house was absolutely perfect. It sat on a large piece of land with no neighbors in sight. It had the open floor plan I wanted, a great kitchen, and the best feature was the porch that went across the whole front of the house. The owners were getting a contentious divorce so they were looking to sell quickly.

The house was at the top of our price range but it was still doable. This was definitely the property I wanted us to buy but I didn't feel right doing it without Daryl seeing it first. It was his money after all.

I made another appointment with Liz, the real estate agent, for the next day. As soon as Daryl was out of work I was bringing him here to see this house. I did not plan on losing it to anyone else. The fact that we were going to pay in full and in cash, literally, worked in our favor.

That's why I was rushing back to the clubhouse to tell Daryl the good news. I flashed a quick smile at Cage and Dutch who were hanging out in the unusually quiet main room before dashing up the stairs to the bedroom that Daryl and I shared.

A room that hopefully, we wouldn't need for much longer.

My hand went to grab the doorknob when I realized that the door was ajar. That was unusual since we always kept our door closed. Instead of just walking in, something told me to look first. I wish I hadn't. I wished I had never come back from house hunting right away. I wished I never saw what I did because Daryl was kissing Kat. Their arms were wrapped around each other in a kiss that certainly was far from brotherly.

I was so shocked that I had to hold on to the doorframe to keep my balance. After the longest minute in my life, they pulled apart holding onto each other tightly. I could see him whispering something to her but I couldn't hear what it was.

Not only was Daryl cheating on me, but he had lied to me. A double shot to my heart.

That fucking bastard!

He told me countless times that he didn't do relationships before me. He'd be with a woman a time or two and then move on. I could tell that Kat was not a one night stand or even short-term. He'd been with her for a long time, but I didn't understand why he never told me.

Maybe that was because he had never given her up. He playing both of us and that just showed what a scumbag he really was.

Dick.

Asshole.

Mother-fucking heartbreaker.

Now, I'm sitting in my car, bawling my eyes out in the back parking lot of a dollar store. All these thoughts are going through my head and nothing makes any sense. If they were still together, why was he with me? How could he love me if he still was with Kat?

She and I were as different as night and day, I was not the overly made-up glamour girl that she was. Now don't get me wrong, I can certainly dress up with the best of them, but that was not my everyday look. For some reason it seems that's how she was. Other than these two times seeing her, that was all I knew about this woman, but something told me their relationship went much deeper. It had to for him to hide it from me.

But the hiding was over.

She could have him because I was done. Even though my heart was breaking as I loved this man more than anything, I was not going to be with a cheater or a liar.

Been there. Done that and was not going through that again.

Except I had no place to go. I briefly thought about going back to Chrissy and Diesel's house since I still have the key, but I did not want to put them in a situation where their loyalty would be tested. Chrissy was my cousin and I knew she would always have my back, but Diesel was a Road Devil and that meant he owed his loyalty to Daryl. I did not want Daryl to know where I was going. I simply just wanted to be gone.

At least for now.

I dried my tears the best I could with a crumpled up napkin I found in my glove box. Then I drove off headed toward the only place I had left to go, back to Angel Cakes Bakery. I wasn't sure if Maddie would still be there. She wasn't just my boss, but my friend too. I had no one else to turn to.

I was so relieved that when I pulled around the back of the bakery to park I said her car was still there. A quick look at the clock on my dash showed that it was after closing time for the bakery. I was lucky she hadn't left yet.

The back door easily pulled open and I walked into the big back room where all the baking was done. Maddie looked up from a cake that she was decorating and as much as I tried to hold it together I couldn't any longer. Tears started streaming down my face as I walked over toward her.

"Oh my God Sophie. What's wrong?" she asked quickly wiping her hands on her apron and rushing over to me.

I couldn't say anything as I was crying so hard. Maddie wrapped her arms around me holding me tightly until the tears finally subsided. Then she brought me into her office dragging me over to the sofa with her. "Sophie what happened?" she asked, holding onto my hand.

I wiped my eyes with my free hand while I drew up the courage to tell her what happened. "I saw Daryl with another woman...and they looked very intimate."

"Okay, maybe it isn't what it seems. Tell me exactly what you saw."

"Daryl was in jeans and nothing else. No shirt and he was barefoot. He rarely goes shirtless because of the scars he has on his back and chest."

"What scars?"

"Scars that his Dad gave him when he was a kid. They are bad, Maddie. He doesn't like people to see them. That just shows he's comfortable with her. Anyway, I saw him kissing that woman Kat from the hospital. The one that I heard say things to him when she knew no one else was listening. How she was the one he always came back to and it was time for them to plan a future. And they look like they very well may be doing that. That kiss I saw, Maddie, was no brotherly kiss. It was deep and full of passion. Just like when he kissed me. When they stopped, he hugged her tightly to him as he whispered something to her in a low voice that I couldn't hear I didn't want to hear it I already saw too much. That's when I ran out of the clubhouse. I don't know what to do, except I know I don't want him anymore."

Maddie squeezed my hand in support. "I'm sorry Sophie. I didn't think he was like that but then again he's a Road Devil I don't know how big they are on being faithful. What I don't get is that he had you looking to buy a house for you both while he's still with another woman. That makes no sense at all."

"I know, I don't get that either, but it would have been in his name since it was going to be his money. It doesn't make any sense, but I know what I saw."

"Maybe you should give him the chance to explain?" she suggested.

I shook my head no. "I'm not going back there. I can't."

"It's your decision, but I know I would want an explanation. What are you going to do? Move back with Chrissy?"

"I don't want Daryl to know where I am and Diesel would tell him. I don't want to chance Daryl convincing me to go back. I'll just make more bad decisions when it comes to him. I don't trust him anymore. Hell, I don't trust myself around him. I wish I could just vanish from Angel Valley but I have no other place to go. Plus, everything I own is still at the clubhouse. I'm so lost right now Maddie I don't know what to do."

"I do. You're coming home with me. Don't argue this is your best option right now. I consider you a good friend so together we'll figure this out." The kindness and sympathy I saw in her eyes touched me.

"I can't impose Maddie. I appreciate it, but it would impose too much on you."

Maddie stood with her hands on her hips. I could see some of that red-headed fire coming out in her eyes. "I consider you a friend, a good friend Sophie and you're coming home with me. That's it, so don't even try to argue. The decision's been made."

I was too emotionally exhausted to fight it. Maddie was right she wasn't just my employer but she also was my good friend and I certainly needed her right now. I waited while she put the finishing touches on the cake she had been working on. Then we locked up the bakery together before I followed her in my car to her house.

It was a small cute older home that had a single-car detached garage. She confused me when she pulled in front of the house and not into the driveway. We both got out of the car at the same time, but she waved me back into mine. "I usually park in the garage but I want you to put your car there. That way of Trax comes looking for you he won't see the car."

I certainly couldn't argue with that. It would help me vanish at least for a little bit. I pulled into the driveway while Maddie lifted the garage door so I could slip my SUV inside. Together we closed up the garage. I felt like I was closing a piece of me off too. I realized my heart was just as untrustworthy as Daryl was.

Maddie unlocked the front door I followed her into a small living room. Beyond that, I saw a kitchen and a staircase. It was small and cute, just like Maddie.

"C'mon upstairs. That's where the bedrooms are. I've been using the extra one for storage, but it does have a futon in it. Let's clear some room out for you."

I let her show me the way. We worked quietly to move some boxes and a big mixer out of the way. I had enough room to live here for a couple of days. As I sat down on the futon, I became overwhelmed with sadness. I was beginning a life without Daryl in it. I was remembering the man I thought I knew, not the one he really was.

The man who took me out on nightly motorcycle rides. That quiet time together, with me riding at his back meant so much to me. He was the one that took care of me after I was kidnapped by a serial killer. Yes, they did find enough proof to convince the attorney general that Jacob Gentry had indeed killed over twelve women and that was only in the short time he lived in Georgia. The final total was likely so much higher.

Now everything was gone. All of it.

"Hey, it's going to be okay. It'll hurt for a long time, but eventually, you'll be able to move on," Maddie said trying to comfort me.

"I don't have anything anymore. I have the clothes on my back and my car. Everything I own is at the clubhouse and that's not much. I have no money since I took off so much time from the bakery when Daryl got shot. I didn't know what to do?" I sobbed.

I had never been in this position before and scared me. I had less than nothing and didn't know what to do.

"Sophie, look at me." Maddie squatted down in front of me. "You are welcome to stay here as long as you need to. You will always have a roof over your head and food. Now clothes are another thing since I'm much shorter than you and you got the boobs I wish I had. Can Chrissy get your clothes?"

I knew it wouldn't be fair to ask that of Chrissy. She didn't even know I had left Daryl. Hell, I wasn't sure that Daryl even had figured it out yet. He could be wondering where I was, but he would be clueless that I had no plans to return. In the span of just a few hours, we went from buying a house together to me leaving him. I couldn't send Chrissy there to get my stuff. I had to do it and face him. I just couldn't do it right now.

"No. She doesn't know what happened, but it would also put her in a position to choose between me and the club. I can't do that to her. I'll have to go back at some point to face him. I just need a day or two to get my head together. Letting me stay here is so good of you Maddie. You don't know how much I appreciate it."

Maddie smiled at her before standing up. "I'm glad I can help. Do you want anything to eat or drink?"

"I'm good. I think I'll just lie down and rest for a bit."

I was not just mentally exhausted, but physically as well. When I left the clubhouse this morning there was not a sound to be heard. Everyone was still asleep since the sun had only just started to rise. While I loved the job, the early morning hours were rough. I had worked a busy shift, saw three houses with the real estate agent, and had my world fall apart all in the same day.

That would exhaust anyone.

Just as I was about to settle down on the futon, I heard my phone ding. I knew it had to be a text from Daryl. I rummaged through my purse and pulled out my cell. It was a text from him.

Daryl:

when u coming back

I debated answering. If I didn't, he would think something happened to me and then he'd go to Chrissy upsetting her. I might as well get my point across to him now. Waiting wouldn't make it any easier.

Me:

NEVER! I'm done. Enjoy a life with that skank. Now leave me alone.

Then I turned off my phone and crawled into a ball on Maddie's futon. The tears flowed until I fell into an exhausted sleep.

When I woke up a couple of hours later, I still felt horrible. My head hurt and my body ached as if I had been either in a fight or in an accident. The sad thing was neither had happened.

I slowly got up feeling much older than I was. Unfortunately, that made my headache even worse. I went and used the bathroom at the end of the hall. Even splashing some cold water on my face didn't help. I needed aspirin, Tylenol or something to help the throbbing in my head.

There was a chance I had some in my purse, so I headed back into what had become my room and after searching through my overstuffed purse, I found a half-filled travel-size bottle on the bottom. I poured a couple into my hand, and just when I was dropping the bottle back into my purse, my phone caught my eye.

I wanted to know what Daryl said in response to my test. Then again, I didn't.

It had to be a couple of minutes of me staring at my phone before knew I had to see what he said. They say curiosity killed the cat, well I knew it was going to kill me.

There were fourteen texts and five voice mails.

I didn't want to listen to them, but I did. Even though I hated him, I still loved him.

Four of the voice mails were from him, with the last one from Chrissy. His were all the same; begging me to call him saying what I think I saw wasn't it. He didn't want anything to do with Kat and he hadn't in a long time. It was all her trying to get him to make their fucking more than it was.

Chrissy simply demanded I call her right away to explain what the hell was going on.

All of the texts were from him. Each one begging me to call him. To come back so he could explain. With the last two simply saying for me not to do this and that he loved me.

Did he love me when he had his tongue down Kat's throat?

I wasn't stupid, so there was no way I was going to fall for this.

Been there before and I wasn't going to go through that again.

I ignored his messages and called Chrissy back instead.

"Where are you and what the hell happened?" was how she answered the phone.

"Are you someplace where you can talk in private?" I didn't want Daryl to know she had me on the phone.

"Yes, I'm at home. Diesel dropped me off here after the ride so I could get ready for the party at the club tonight. What's going on, Soph? Daryl's been franticly looking for you."

My anger was now pushing the heartbreak aside. "Well, Daryl can go fuck himself or Kat, whichever he prefers."

I could hear Chrissy sigh over the phone. "Explain, cousin."

"I came home from house hunting where I was trying to find a nice place for him and me to move to. While I was doing that he had his tongue down the throat of this skank…Kat. And he was half-dressed. Lying cheating bastard!"

Now I was getting riled up. How dare he do that to me? And God, why do I fall for such losers all the time. But he had me fooled. I thought Daryl was different. I should have known better. He's a damn biker, so why did I think he'd be loyal to me? I know he never expected me to see making out with that woman. How many times did that happen behind my back?

What hurts the worst was that he not only told me he loved me, but that I was the first person he ever said that to. Yeah, right. I bet that's a game he plays with women. Damn you to hell, Daryl.

"Wait, he did what? Who told you this? Don't trust the Hellions and who is this Kat?"

I took a moment to calm my breathing. "No one told me, Chrissy. I saw them with my own eyes making out in our bedroom. She was dressed like she was going to a club and it's the middle of the damn day. Too much make-up, address so tight I have no idea how she got into it and fucking perfect hair. Who does that? I guess I'm lucky that he at least had his pants on cause that's all he was wearing. She's the one from the hospital that I almost got into it with. Raven made her leave Daryl's room."

"Hold on! You never told me about that. Start at the beginning and leave nothing out," she told me.

So I did. I went over with her everything that happened with Kat when Daryl was still in the coma. I ever described her from the over the top platinum blonde hair to the way too big boobs.

"I know who she is," Chrissy admitted. "She runs the Kitty Kat Strip club on the edge of town. The club is part owner."

"Daryl fucked me over for a stripper?" I swear I'm not going near another biker for as long as I live.

I heard Chrissy chuckle. I'm pacing this small ass room because the man that was supposed to have loved me is fucking a stripper on the side and my cousin is laughing?

"No, Kat runs the place. She has a body that would make her rich if she hit the pole, but she doesn't strip. I saw her at the club once when she was there to talk to Bear. Diesel told me who she was. Her boobs have their own zip code."

Okay, maybe I was just on edge because my life was such a mess. I blame everything on Daryl. There was no reason to get made at Chrissy, plus that comment about Kat's humongous breasts was spot on.

I couldn't help but laugh. "Thanks for that, Chrissy. I needed a bit of humor." The lightness only lasted a few seconds before I was back sighing in frustration. "Anyway, everything with Kat has been firsthand knowledge. I could've burst into the room to confront them, but I was too shocked to. Now I'm hiding out at…"

Damn, I didn't want to tell her where I was.

"Sophie, where are you? If you need a place to stay you can come here. You know that, right?"

She couldn't see me shaking my head no. "I can't do that to you or Diesel. At least not right now. I don't want Daryl to know where I am. I need a few days to process this before I confront him."

"You can hide out here. We have plenty of room," Chrissy pushed.

My cousin didn't get it. I stopped pacing and sat down on the futon. "Chrissy, Daryl's already looking for me. He's obviously asked you if you knew there was a problem. I don't want you to have to lie for me. Diesel won't lie and I don't expect him to. The club brothers come first. I'm in a safe place, but it's better that you don't know. Plausible deniability and all that. "

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. It's mine and Daryl's mess and I don't want you and Diesel mixed up in it. I do have a favor to ask."

"Anything, you know that."

God, I loved my cousin. "I have some clothes in my old room at your house. I left them there in case I stayed over when the guys were on a run or something like that. I need them. I have the clothes on my back and that's it."

"I could go and get…"

"No!" I interrupted her. "Give me a couple of days and I will go get my stuff and face him. I don't want you to have to do that. Diesel won't like you getting involved either. You know that. Just throw my stuff in a plastic bag and can we meet in the Kroger parking lot in an hour?"

"I'll be there," she promised me. "I can't believe he did that to you. I really thought Daryl wasn't like that."

"Neither did I. I'll see you in an hour. Thanks, Chrissy." We said our goodbyes and hung up. I'd see her in a little bit so I'd have some clothes to change into.

After a quick wash of my face, I went downstairs to find that Maddie had made us two cups of tea. She was a firm believer that tea helped any problem. My mom was the same way. Except this wasn't a tea-could-fix-it situation. Maybe I've been hanging around bikers too much because I wanted a shot or three of whiskey and I didn't even drink that stuff.

Well, that was all going to change. I'm giving up bikers and anything that has to do with them. Except, Chrissy. There's no way I could or would give up my cousin. Even though I like Marci and I was even getting comfortable with many of the guys, I had to stay away. Daryl was my weakness and I knew I couldn't trust myself around him. My head said I could do it. I needed to stay strong for me, but I didn't trust my heart. I knew it would betray me in an instant and I couldn't let that happen.

I was finished with Daryl and I had to stay strong and not let anything he said change my mind. I just prayed I was strong enough for that. I had no other choice.