Wrath (Heartlands Motorcycle Club #7) - Dani Wyatt Page 0,24

to have read it, why don’t you tell me?”

His eyes narrow as he throws the vest on the kitchen table and shoves the piece of paper my way. I take it from him, my eyes on the words, and I am chilled, but my heart is about to ram through my chest.

You may not understand, but I’m leaving you my vest with my patches. In my world, this is no joke. It means I’m coming back for you, Kristina. I’m going to make this all right. And when I do? You’ll get your own vest and you will choose to give mine back.

I’m taking care of what needs taking care of. Then I’ll be back.

Love,

Wrath.

My ears are ringing as I stare at the note. There’s a knot inside of me that is tightening and making it hard to focus on anything, but my father is still talking and I force my eyes to his.

“There’s something else you need to see.” He reaches inside his suit jacket and pulls out a few sheets of folded white paper, handing them to me. “Now read that.”

I unfold the stack and the knot inside of me becomes painful.

It’s a computer printout. It has Wrath’s legal name, dates and arrests. And convictions...

“He’s a murderer, Kristina. And more. Theft, assault and...” He grabs the papers from my hands, flips through them, then shoves them back in front of me, pointing mid way down the page. “Arson.”

“But...” I start, but his voice booms.

“Stop!” He slams a fist down on the table and the black leather vest falls to the floor. “I don’t know who you are anymore, Kristina. He’s a bad person. Dangerous.”

“These aren’t all convictions.” I throw the papers on the table, leaning down to pick up the vest and hold onto it this time. “He’s not a bad person. He may have lived a different life to ours, but that does not make him bad.”

“He set the fire to hurt us. To get to you. He’s a bad guy, this is just a game for him, don’t you see?”

I shake my head, no more words will help and inside I’m not even sure I know who I am anymore either.

“Listen.” There’s an abrupt change to his demeanor. He softens, like he’s trying to play good cop now after being the bad cop. “Everything is going to be okay. There are things here you don’t understand. Important things regarding the church, my position with the National Convention, my job at the college, our home.” He waves a hand at the ceiling, then takes my upper arms in his grip. “Sometimes, you have to trust. And right now you need to trust that I know best. We have a dinner to go to. I need you to not ask questions. Go get dressed. Something nice. Do your hair. I need you, Kristina.”

I open my mouth to ask a question, and he turns hard again.

“I’ve raised you to respect your parents. That is what I need from you right now. You will understand everything later. Right now, go get dressed. We’ll be leaving in a half hour.”

With that, I’m standing in the kitchen clutching Wrath’s vest, the note he left me this morning and the pages of his criminal record as my eyes burn and I lean over the kitchen table. I gather them into a bunch and put my head on top of them, breathing in the scent of leather and gasoline and Wrath’s masculine odor, and choke back the sob.

11 | Kristina

By the time we pull up to The Sly Fox restaurant, my hands are shaking, and for the first time in my life I consider punching something hard. The windshield comes to mind, but instead I turn to my father as he parks our Buick and turns off the ignition, looking straight ahead.

On the way to the restaurant, my father finally told me William would be here. He told me they’ve been arranging things. He wants to propose and my father has given his blessing.

All done, arranged and sealed without me.

“I don’t even know who you are anymore.” I do what I can to keep my voice even. I do respect him, but I have my own mind and he used to be so proud of that. “You were the one, you and mom, always encouraged me to use what God gave me. My mind being one thing. You told me to follow my dreams. I was given a gift, you’d say, and it would