Falling For The Biker: The Vice President's Girl Chapter 78

Wren

Lined along the walls are pictures. Pictures of my dad, of me, of Ray...of my mom that left when I was barely five.

They're so many, taken from different angles on different days...so many years ago.

My steps falter the closer I walk toward the pictures.

Squinting, I'm able to make out my name beneath my pictures including Ray's and my dad's. A large, bold 'X' strikes across my dad's face in red marker.

While Ray and I have large, black question marks at the top of our photos.

A sour taste fills my mouth and my stomach churns.

What is this...why?

When I touch the pictures, my hands tremble and my heart thumps.

I don't understand what I'm seeing.

There's a large desk at the far corner, papers scattered across it.

More pictures are on the desk, including some written notes...all in Ezra's handwriting. It's today that I realize how much of a problem my dyslexia is.

Although from the knowledge I can gather, Ezra's been targeting our family for years. He's been watching us, taking pictures of us.

Why?

I have no idea, but I will find out.

And so I sit and pick up one of the notes. Jaw tight, I focus on the letters, ignoring the throb in my eyes and my brain.

I have to know. I have to find out.

Tears roll down my cheeks.

I'm still holding onto the first paper, my head pounding and eyes burning. It's so hard to read these notes.

I don't know how long I've sat here but I've barely made it through two lines of text, and it's frustrating. It's so so hard.

But it's fine.

The little I've read tells me everything I need to know. And so I ball up the paper, and squeeze my eyes shut.

That single line of text repeats over and over in my mind.

'Tony Carlisle...I will ruin you'

My teeth clench together, breath heavy.

And then, I hear it.

The sound of the front door slamming shut, hurried footsteps running up the stairs, the bedroom door opening and closing.

And finally, his footsteps slow as he trudges down the stairway into this...basement or whatever it is.

His scent fills my nostrils. I don't have to open my eyes to see him.

"Wren—"

"How did you know I was here?" The calmness in my tone surprises me.

"Bab—"

"Don't you dare." My eyes fly open. "How did you know?"

His shoulder slumps forward, and he lifts up his phone. "I...I got the notification."

"You have a notification," I dead pan.

It's not a question, just a statement...point blank.

"I can explain, Wren."

I take him in, the love of my life. The man who has my heart in his hands and can choose to crush it whenever he wants to.

He looks haggered, his hair more tousled than ever like he's been running his hands through them.

"Did..." I pause, eyes filling again. "Did you kill my dad?"

His jaw ticks. "He was a vile man, Wren."

"That was not the question, Ezra. Did you kill him?"

It's silent except for his heavy breathing.

Then he sighs, lifting hardened eyes to mine. "I did."

All the breath leaves me. My throat closes up, tightening.

I nod slowly. "I see." Swiping a harsh hand across my face, I stand. "That's all I need to know."

He steps forward. "You don't think I should explain?"

"Explain?" I scoff. "You had no right to take him from us."

"The same way he had no right to take my mom from us!" He booms. I flinch. "Your father was vile, disgusting, a predator. He used you as collateral."

"That's my own damn problem!"

"Are you listening to yourself?"

"We could've handled it!" I shout. "Ray and I. Yes, my father wasn't the best, but he was still my father!"

He glares. "Your father was a sexual predator, Wren. He assaulted my mom!" He stalks closer. "If I had to do it again, I will. Over and over and over, because that disgusting piece of shit took from my mom, he ruined her...and I'll be damned if that man still walks this earth."

Ezra turns away from me, pushing his hand into his hair over and over.

But those words plant me to the spot, and my chest caves.

"W-what do you mean?" I choke out, heart pounding. "He...he touched your mom?"

A dry chuckle rips from his throat. "Touch? He fucking destroyed her, Wren. He broke her body, and her mind."

My lips quiver, and my hands clench and unclench.

"Ezra..." I sob.

"My mom's in a fucking psychiatric hospital."

"W-what?"

When he turns, his eyes are red-rimmed, muscles tense.

"That piece of shit abused her, and it wrecked her for weeks until slowly, my mom began to lose it," he sniffs. "Her mind shut it down, and shut down everything about her. He took my mom from us..."

I sink into the chair again, speechless, numb. Everything goes cold.

My dad was a horrible man, we all knew it. A horrible father too, but this...this is the height.

"H-how long ago was this?"

"Seven years ago," he replies. "It was why I joined Mitch's gang in the first place. I hoped I could learn a thing or two, or even pitch a fight against your brother so I can get to your dad."

Realization dawns on me. "So you used us."

He doesn't deny it.

"After everything happened with Mitch, I located Raven Reapers. Big Kent was the president at the time, but he loved Ray."

I remember Big Kent. He was the sweetest intimidating-looking man, and an awesome president before he retired.

"Ray found me loitering outside—"

"And you were ecstatic because your plan would be in play, right?" I shake my head, disappointed.

He looks me in the eye. "I was fucking psyched." Then, he continues. "Ray put in word to Big Kent, and I joined. It wasn't hard to find your dad, and to keep track, but I needed to be patient."

"So you got close to my brother. You knew he'd become the president after Big Kent retired."

"Yes. And then...everything fell into place," he says. "That night, I walked into your childhood home. And there, that motherfucker was, drinking away his life—as usual. When I showed him a picture of my mom...he didn't remember her."

His fists ball up and my heart breaks.

For Ezra, for his mom. No one deserves that abuse, no one should go through it.

"He didn't remember the woman he ruined! He abused her and went to sleep without remorse, do you know how depraved you have to be? Do you know how sick in the head you have to be to do such a thing with no guilt? No sleepless night?"

A sob chokes out from my lips. I don't say anything, I can't.

All I do is feel for him. I understand his anger, and it is valid. So, so valid.

When he blinks, a tear falls, and my heart shatters. I'm on my feet immediately but he moves away from me.

"Please, I can't have your hands on me right now," he gruffs out.

I nod. "Okay, okay...I'm sorry."

He sighs. "When I explained, he finally remembered. He begged me, but I didn't stop. After all, he didn't stop when my mom begged. Then..."

Ezra pauses.

With lips twisted into a scowl, he concludes... "I put a bullet between his eyes, and I don't fucking regret it."