She sat down on the couch in the living room and let out a sigh as she watched Jaime and Lynn rush around in the kitchen. They were cooking for Justin and the club to welcome Kale back. She had been following them around all day long, shopping for this and that, decorating Justin and Shift’s house with banners for Kale. You’d think he’d been missing for weeks instead of three days the way Lynn was acting. She also met the wives and girlfriends of the club members today, she noticed how they all looked at her like she didn’t belong, like they didn’t trust her at all. She was the outsider in their group and they obviously didn’t want her around.
She got up from the couch and headed down the hallway to the bathroom. She glanced over her shoulder, trying to see if they were watching her. She traveled down the hallway looking at various pictures of Kale, they ranged in age starting from when he was a baby until now. There were a lot of pictures of him with Shift and she stopped when she got to a particular one. It had obviously been professionally taken. Kale must have been at least two or three then because he was smaller than he was now. It must have been the beginning of fall because he was surrounded by green grass and red-orange leaves. He looked adorable in his little khaki pants and blue sweater with a little Burberry scarf around his neck. She could see Justin in the way his beautiful blue eyes sparkled and the way he threw the camera that crooked smile that definitely won her over.
He was standing up with various red, orange and yellow leaves piled around his small brown shoe-clad feet and Shift was bending down hugging him to her tight. She ran her finger over Shift’s outline, her green eyes taking in Shift’s brown slacks and sand colored turtleneck top covered by a knit cashmere ¾ length sleeve sweater that matched Kale’s scarf. Shift’s long brown hair was curled with loose curls that enveloped Kale’s face as she held him close. His blond curls mixing with the brown ones of his mother. The laughter sparkled in Shift’s brown eyes and her smile was radiant as she held her son. Addison wanted that.
She wanted that happiness that only having a child can bring. She wanted someone that small depending on her and she wanted that with Justin. He already proved to her that he had some great genes and could obviously make beautiful children. She moved down the hallway taking in more pictures of Shift and Kale until she noticed them changing to pictures of Shift and Justin. Her eyes instantly went to one where Justin must have been nine or ten. They were sitting on some wooden swing, Shift in her small white Harley Davidson t-shirt with an orange bow keeping her hair in a ponytail, her jeans were rolled up to her knees as her bare feet swung back and forth. Justin was seated beside her in a matching Harley Davidson t-shirt except his was black and his jeans were also rolled up to his knees and from the looks of it he was trying to kick Shift with his mud covered bare feet. His blond curls shone in the sun that was setting behind them. Shift had her hand between them, resting it on the wooden swing and Justin was covering it with one of his own. They were both looking at the camera with sheepish grins like they had got caught doing something they weren’t supposed too. They both looked so innocent and she wondered to herself what changed them.
“That’s my favorite picture of them. I had just caught them kissing. That swing used to be behind Paul’s shop. I just knew they were going to be together. You can’t stop a love like that.” Lynn told her as Addison stared at her.
“What did Paul think of Shift and Justin’s relationship?” Addison asked as Lynn looked at her for a minute before answering.
“He never kept them apart. Even when Justin started sleeping in Shift’s room at the club. He always knew if Justin had to choose between the club or Shift, Justin would choose the club but he also knew that Shift would never make him choose,” Lynn explained to Addison as she turned her attention back to the picture of Shift and Justin, “You know Justin killed Paul because he tried to have Shift killed. To Justin that’s as bad as trying to come between them…” Lynn said as she let out a sigh, “All I’m saying is know your place because Justin won’t hesitate when it comes to killing you.”
“Don’t you mean Shift?” Addison said and Lynn let out a chuckle.
“Shift was in the military. When it comes to killing people she does it by order only. The Wolf Pack’s order. Justin…well Justin is more an…impulse killer. He’ll do it if he’s pushed enough and threatening Shift or trying to come between him and Shift is enough to do it,” Lynn said as she warned her, “If I was you I would seriously take some time and figure out why I was really here. Because the road you’re heading down now will only end with you in a coffin,” Lynn finished telling her before she walked away back to the kitchen.
Addison looked at the picture of Shift and Justin one last time before turning away and making her way towards the bathroom. Lynn’s words echoed in her ears as she thought about Justin. She thought she could change him but if Shift couldn’t change him then she seriously doubted she could. Maybe for now she would settle for learning more about Paul and Justin before trying to convince Justin she would be better for him.
She was coming out of the bathroom when she heard the roar of engines and exhaust pipes and she knew they were back. She was making her way down the hallway when she heard various voices entering the house. She was rounding the corner when Justin and Shift entered the house with Kale in between them holding both their hands. She saw Justin notice her standing in the hallway and his warning came back, running through her mind. She watched him lean over and whisper something to Shift, she tried to move but his cold stare kept her feet frozen in place.
Shift picked up Kale, his small legs wrapping around her waist as she cradled his head as he tucked it in the crook of her neck. Addison could tell she was shielding or protecting him from something. She feared that that something had to do with Justin’s temper and his warning for her to stay away from the house he and Shift shared. Shift passed her in the hallway, taking Kale to his room without saying one word to Addison or anyone else.
Once Shift and Kale were out of sight and safely in Kale’s room with the door closed the room became eerily quiet. All the other Pack members headed to the kitchen with their wives and girlfriends and didn’t say a word as Justin made his way towards Addison. She knew she should try to apologize or explain herself but when she opened her mouth nothing came out. As she fumbled for words Justin stormed over to her and grabbed her by the hair and dragged her out of the hallway and through the living room. She tried to swat away his hands as he dragged her though his house. She kicked at the walls and tried to hold on to anything she could reach but that just caused Justin to pull her hair harder and throw her small body up against hard walls whenever possible.
“Justin! Justin Stop! I brought her! Justin, I brought her!” Lynn shouted as Justin was dragging Addison out the front door.
“I don’t give a fuck! She got her warning!” Justin said as he dragged Addison out into the front yard with Lynn, Jaime, Trace and Teak following close behind him.
“You can’t kick her out! I brought her Justin Randall! It’s my fault! Blame me!” Lynn pleaded with her son as she grabbed the wrist of the hand that was dragging Addison.
“Oh…I do blame you…mom.” Justin told her as he grabbed her by the hair as well and dragged her to her cage along with Addison.
He flung them both into Lynn’s cage and dropped the keys at her feet before turning away from them in disgust. He muttered out, “Get the fuck out of my sight…the both of you,” without so much as a look back as he made his way back to him and Shift’s house.
“Justin you shouldn’t treat your mother like that.” Jaime muttered as he passed her.
Addison sat in the passenger seat of Lynn’s cage, silent with fear of Justin and his temper. She shook as Lynn started up the cage’s engine and she watched as Jaime approached Justin. She could see Shift standing at the front door in the soft glow of the front porch light. She expected Shift to go stand beside Justin or deal with Jaime herself but she never did. She stood where she was, arms crossed over her chest and it was then Addison realized that whatever happened was Justin’s choice and Justin’s fight. Addison watched from her front row seat as Justin’s fists clinched by his sides and his shoulders tensed up. She didn’t know what Jaime was saying but she knew Justin didn’t like it one bit.
Her eyes flitted to Trace who was standing just as rigid and tense as Justin. Teak, however, was enjoying the interaction between Justin and Jaime with a small smirk on her face. Addison watched as Jaime said something and pointed to her and Lynn in the car, facing them and obviously defending them against Justin. Justin’s back was still to them but she knew by the look on Shift’s face he was about to do something that Shift obviously approved of with a nod of her head.
The next few moments seemed to pass by in slow motion for Addison as she watched Jaime’s defiance be met by Justin’s .45 Silverballer being pointed at her temple. Addison covered her mouth with her hands in horror as she let out a blood curdling scream as Justin pulled the trigger and shot Jaime in the head. As she fell to the ground Justin walked over to her and shot her one more time in the head for good measure. He turned around, eyeing the neighbors open curtains and curious eyes.
“What the fuck are ya’ll starin’ at? Go back to your pointless lives!” Addison heard him shout and she noticed the open curtains quickly being drawn close.
She didn’t understand how he could just shoot someone in the front yard of his home and not be arrested! More importantly she didn’t understand what happened to that good guy she once saw deep down inside. She wondered if her father had acted like Justin, if he was just as cruel and ruthless. She wondered if her father had taught Justin to be this way for the club. She wondered about how could Shift stand by his side when he did such horrible things. More importantly she wondered if her father had done such things as well and if Lynn stood by his side like Shift stood by Justin’s.
