Chapter 5

Two days later Chloe woke up to drawers slamming closed. Climbing out of her bed, she

walked across the small corridor to her parents’ room. The door was already wide open, and Lily

stood, suitcase ready, as she threw in clothes.

All of them Kurt’s.

“Hey, Mom,” she said.

“Hey, sweetie. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you. I’m making such a racket.” Lily shook

her head, tucking her long blonde hair behind her ears. She’d inherited her mother’s blonde hair, only hers didn’t have that sheen that her mother’s did.

“It’s okay. Do you want some help?”

Lily laughed. “Moving your father out of the house? No, this is something I need to do

myself.” She stepped over the mess and pulled her into a hug. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too, Mom. Do you think you’re making the right decision?”

“I can’t help but think I’m screwing up something.” Lily sniffled. “I’ve been with him nearly

twenty years. I’ve loved that man for what felt like a lifetime.” “Then don’t kick him out.”

“The thing is, baby girl, he loves that club more than he ever loved me. When they needed

him, he ran away. He came home and curled up in my lap, telling me how sorry he was with how

pathetic he was.” Her mother’s tears broke Chloe’s heart. “I never wanted to divorce him. I didn’t fall in love with him because of a leather cut. I loved him long before he thought he wanted to be a biker.”

“But you still love him.”

“And I’m tired of the love not being returned. There’s only so much empty I can take.” Her

mother tucked Chloe’s hair behind her ear. “You’re so beautiful.” “I’m not.”

Lily sighed. “I hate the way you feel about yourself.”

“I’m fat. You don’t have to pretend I’m not.”

“You’re a beautiful woman deep where it counts. So you have a few extra pounds, but that

doesn’t make you who you are. Anyone who only sees the weight, they don’t know the real you.” Her mother held her close. “Don’t ever let a man think you’re any less than who you are. You’re perfect just the way you are.”

She held her mother a little tighter. “I love you, Mom.”

“I love you too.”

“I’ll go and make you a hot chocolate.”

“I’d love that.”

Chloe stepped out of the room and looked back to watch her mother sit on the edge of the bed,

one of her wedding photos in her hand.

This wasn’t supposed to happen, but she knew things hadn’t been going well between her

parents for a long time.

The club was always getting in the way.

Giving her mother some privacy, she took a few steps, hearing the painful cry as Lily released

it. She stopped in her footsteps and turned to go back, but paused. If her mother wanted to have

someone to hold her, she would have cried while she was still there.

Chloe hated walking downstairs, but she did it. Going to the stove, she grabbed the milk out of

the fridge, pouring a mugful into the saucepan.

Putting it on the heat, she grabbed her mother’s favorite chocolate. She looked up and saw her

reflection in the toaster. Lifting her hair off her shoulders, she pouted her lips, turning left then right, before shaking her head.

When the water was hot, she added the chocolate, a splash of vanilla, and a spoonful of sugar. She stirred it all together, and the bruise on her wrist caught her eye. Putting the spoon down, she wrapped her fingers around the marks, covering them.

She hadn’t thought Alfie was that strong, and yet, he’d left his mark.

If her mother hadn’t turned up, what would he have done? She tried not to think of what ifs,

but like now, she couldn’t help but wonder. Would he have touched her? Shaking her head, she pushed those thoughts out of her mind, and served up the hot chocolate.

To garnish, because her mother loved it, she placed a single cinnamon stick in the hot

chocolate and carried it upstairs.

When she returned, the suitcase was packed, and in the trash bin she saw the shattered glass of the wedding photo. She couldn’t help but think her mother was acting too hastily. If she wasn’t careful, she could live to regret what she’d done. “That looks lovely,” Lily said.

Handing the chocolate over, Chloe looked back at the trash bin. “Why did you throw your photo away?”

Lily loved to look at it, and had spent hours doing it in the past eighteen years.

“I don’t need a reminder of my failure.” Lily lowered herself down onto the edge of the bed,

pushing some hair off her shoulder before cradling the cup. “I thought we were it, you know? He told me I was his life. Then you came into the world, and we were complete.” She sniffled. “They’re all lies.”

“I think Dad still loves you.”

“Oh, I have no doubt. Just not as much as he loves the club. I’m not going to do it anymore,

sweetie. I’m not going to let him constantly let us down.”

The doorbell went, and her mother sighed.

“Who’s that?” Chloe asked.

“Your father, if he’s not too much of a coward to come and collect his stuff.” Lily handed her

the hot chocolate.

Chloe followed behind, sitting on the edge of the stairs, seeing the doorway. Lily dragged the

suitcase down the stairs.

Each slap as it landed on each stair, she knew this wasn’t going to change. Kurt Decker wasn’t

coming back into their lives.

Her mother wouldn’t have him back.

The boots, it was the last straw for her mother.

Tears filled Chloe’s eyes as she watched Lily take a deep breath, gathering herself together,

trying to look strong, before opening the door.

Kurt was on the doorstep, but Eagle stood beside her father as well.

“Eagle, what’s going on?” Lily asked.

“I came to make sure this guy didn’t give you any trouble. You want him out of your life, don’t

you?”

“Yes, but I can handle him. He’s never going to hurt me or cause me any problems. Are you,

Kurt?”

“I want us to give this another try, baby. Please, for you and for Chloe.”

Chloe held the cup a little tighter. She did love her father, but this was one step too far.

“It’s too late. How many times are we going to go through this before one of us realizes this

relationship is way too toxic? I’ve got to set a good example to my daughter, and waiting at home for a man who doesn’t show up when he says he’s going to, and is always fighting for something else, I can’t go through with this, not anymore. It sucks. All of this sucks. You think I want this? You think I enjoy having you on my doorstep, your belongings packed, ready to send you away?”

“Then don’t. Let me prove to you I can do this. You know I love you more than anything. You

and Chloe.”

“And what happens when you get a call from Eagle, or any other brother from the club? I’ve

been through this so many times. I’ve believed you and you’ve gone running back to them. No more. I don’t want to do this with you anymore. I’ve already booked an appointment with a divorce lawyer.

I’ve got to do this. For myself and for Chloe.” She pulled the suitcase across the threshold.

When Kurt went to touch Lily, Eagle held him back. “What about Chloe?”

“You can see your daughter any time you want, Kurt. I’m not going to keep her away from you.

I’m hoping we can be friends. This doesn’t have to end badly. I just don’t want to be in a relationship with you anymore.”

“Come on, Kurt, grab your bag and let’s go,” Eagle said.

Lily didn’t close the door straight away. Chloe stayed on the stairs waiting. Kurt actually

argued with one of the men who grabbed him, helping him move along. She didn’t see who it was, but it surprised her all the same. It was the first time she’d seen her father fight a member of the club.

“I’m so sorry, Lily,” Eagle said.

“It’s not your fault. Not really. You’ve got a better hold of my husband than I do. I should have

known years ago I’d never be good enough. Especially not compared to the club.”

“Kurt’s an idiot.”

“He just wants to earn his patch.”

“You know it’ll never happen. I’ve told him repeatedly he won’t. The brothers don’t trust

him.”