The Samaritan, page 29
part #3 of Ghosttown Riders Series
Hmmm… Bailey and Saint?
“Where the fuck have you been?” Kase barked, and Marissa glanced over her shoulder to catch Caden walking toward them.
“Surprise for my wife, asshole.”
Marissa wasn’t sure if she’d ever get used to the way they addressed each other. Luckily, this time it was in jest and teasing.
“All right, meet us in the back room when you’re done,” Kase said and filed through the crowd with Saint following behind.
“You have a surprise for me?” Marissa bounced on her toes.
Caden chuckled and grasped her hand, leading her to the corner table where they had been seated earlier. “Yeah, ya just gotta promise you won’t kill me or leave my ass.”
She tugged on his hand. “Wait, what?”
Caden laughed and shook his head. “My heart was in the right place, remember that?”
“I’m so confused right now.”
Caden grasped her neck and pressed a sweet kiss to her lips. “Ya got me, ya got my family, the club, all of us, Riss. You got us.” His thumb swiped her chin. “But long before ya had me, ya had people who love ya, who refused to let you go.” His gaze flickered over her shoulder, and he smiled.
“Married and pregnant and I can’t even get a fucking call back?”
Her mouth dropped open, and her heart burst. A slow, giddy tremble rushed through her chest until she was laughing.
“You brought Janelle here?”
Caden grinned. “Fuck yeah, I did. And Ryan. They’re your people too.”
Marissa slowly turned, and she was struck by a million emotions. Her past and present colliding in the most perfect way. Her eyes teared before she could say a word. She glanced behind Janelle at Ryan. His warm smile greeted her.
“Get your ass over here so I can hug you, but don’t think I’m not mad at you ’because I’m fucking pissed.”
Marissa laughed as she walked forward and reached out, pulling Janelle into her arms.
****
Caden lifted his glass in the air for the fifth, and hopefully, final toast among the club. He’d left Marissa at the party with a loud-mouthed Janelle. He wasn’t sure about his decision, but the happiness on her face was confirmation he’d done good. But God, that woman is a fucking handful.
“Now, business,” Kase said.
Caden sat at the table. A table his father once reigned king at, and now his brother. The life may not have been anything he wanted, but he could appreciate the symbolism behind it. The brotherhood. Kase slid a check over to Caden. He saw the number without reaching forward. A weight lifted from his chest, and he reached out and took it. It was his first payout since partnering up with the club. Another confirmation of a good decision.
“Thanks.”
“You earned it, man.” Kase jerked his chin and grabbed his glass, raising it over his head. “Final toast so my brother can get the hell outta here. To the newest members of the Reilly family, Riss and the baby, may he be a boy, and one day, a Ghosttown Rider.”
Caden laughed, shaking his head. He chugged the last of his drink and stood from the table. It was getting late, and while the party had been fun, he was eager to get his wife in bed. But before he did, there was something he needed to bring to the attention of the club. He dropped his glass to the table and turned to Kase and the brothers sitting around the table.
Caden had always been the type to mind his business and not get involved in others’ issues. This time it was different. So fucking different. He couldn’t, with clear conscience, not mention it to Kase and the club.
Saint frowned and leaned forward. He could obviously read the indecision on Caden’s face. Saint had always been intuitive to those around him.
“Problem?”
Caden had struggled with mentioning it. He hadn’t brought it up to Marissa because he was sure she would shoot him down in wanting to talk to Kase and the guys about it. It pulled at his heart, though. This was their town, these were their people, and Bailey fell under their protection. He’d been around the club long enough to know how they worked. He also knew how support groups worked with their trust and confidentiality.
Cade glanced up to find Kase watching him.
“Ya got something to say?”
Caden eyed the men around the table. Saint, Trax, and Rourke seemed the most intrigued by his silence.
“Fuck.” He grasped the back of his neck. “I thinking I’m breaking some kind of fucking code with telling you guys.” Caden sighed. His decision was made. “Whatever I tell you has to stay in this room.”
All the men including his brother nodded.
“Been trying to get Riss to go talk to a counselor, but she doesn’t want to. The one-on-one sharing isn’t her thing, but she mentioned wanting to check out this support group. They have a meeting once a month. It’s not specific in their support, more like a bunch of people sharing shit about their life. Ya know, you share if ya want, or you can just listen.” Caden licked his lips, feeling the guilt weigh heavily on his shoulder. He was about to out someone else’s past. “Last week, I took Riss.”
“That’s good, Cade,” Kase said.
Saint interjected, “Rissa share? Did it help?”
Caden drew in a breath and eyed Saint, then his brother, Trax, and Rourke. He may not be a member of the club, but he was certainly a part of them where it mattered most. They all cared about him, and now his wife.
Caden shook his head. “No, she’s a long way off from sharing, but it was good for her. They had a few people, some speakers, who got up and talked about things that went down in their lives. The, uh, last one though, her story,” Caden tightened his lips with a pause. “It was rough.” He scoffed. Rough didn’t even begin to explain it. “It was brutal.” He glanced up and locked eyes with his brother. “We know her.” His gaze scanned the men. “We all know her.”
Kase furrowed his brows.
“Bailey. She got up, told her story.”
“Which was?”
Caden didn’t miss the deadly tone from Saint, who was now raging underneath his always silent façade.
“It’s bad, Saint.”
Saint clenched his jaw. “How bad?”
“It was a domestic thing with her boyfriend when she was nineteen.”
The tension in the room built so much, he could feel the heated fury coming off every man in the room. It was something he had felt as he listened to Bailey. While Marissa was there for compassion, Caden was raging inside.
“He doused her in acid. All her scars are burn marks.”
“Motherfucker.” Rourke seethed along with rest of the brothers.
“I’m breaking the fucking rules with this group by mentioning it. But after the meeting, Bailey told Riss and me he’s getting out soon. He’s being released. Just want you guys aware.” Caden glanced down at the table and then back up. “It’s fucking Bailey, man.” It was an explanation that needed no further justification, but Caden continued. “She’s got no family here, got no man.”
“We got her,” Kase said.
Caden knew they would.
“She say anything else?” Saint asked, and Caden knew, the always in control Saint was on the verge of losing his fucking mind. He’d caught their interaction. He knew Saint had set his sights on her. She’d be in good and safe hands with Saint.
“Just her story with the group.” Caden stared back at Saint. “Fucking heartbreaking.” He glanced down at the floor. “Strong as hell, that one. Don’t know if I coulda gotten up there and told that shit to strangers.” He sighed. “She kept it together, man. But when she told us about him getting out, I got the vibe she was nervous.” He shrugged. “Need you guys to keep an eye out for her.”
“We will,” Kase said and then eyed Saint, who was scowling at the ceiling.
It was not the note he intended to leave on. All the men sat silent. The tension was thick, but he felt good about his decision to tell the club. Bailey’s safety was important.
Kase cleared his throat and lifted his chin to Caden. “Get outta here. Don’t ya got a wife to bang?” He smirked.
Caden laughed. “Always the asshole, Kase.” Caden backed out the door and down the hall in search of his wife. The crowd of people had died down, but he was relieved to see the element hadn’t taken a turn toward a usual party at the clubhouse. Kase had promised him while Trevor was staying there, they’d tone it down. From the looks of it, he was keeping his word.
He walked out from the back and found her immediately. She was seated at the bar, talking with his dad and Trevor. Marissa was laughing at something Trevor said. He stopped and just watched them for a minute. My family.
He made his way to the bar and came up on her back, wrapping his hand around her waist to rest on her belly. My baby.
She curled into him, her body still rumbling from laughter. She angled her head and glanced up. My everything.
He leaned down, taking her lips for a soft kiss. “You ready to get out of here, Mrs. Reilly?”
She smiled with a nod. “Yeah, Mr. Reilly.”
The End
About The Author
Amelia Shea
Amelia Shea is an author of contemporary romance. She released her debut novel in 2015, and has continued her passion for writing romance series. A little sweet, a little sassy and lots of steam has been her formula for her writing. And of course, a happily ever after.
Born and raised, a Jersey girl, she has settled down in the south with her amazingly, supportive husband, her fabulous (most days) children and her trusty, loyal, four-legged, furry sidekick, Bob.
Ghosttown Riders Series
The Favor
The Hero
The Samaritan
The Saint
The Enemy
The Return
The Outlaw
Amelia Shea, The Samaritan
