Page 37 of Cannon

Chapter Twenty-Four

Cannon had been happy to get out of the house today, even if it meant going to therapy. Clara had taken him this time. She’d decided that after the stress of his appointment that he deserved a snack at the diner. He was happy to just not have to go back home. When she’d picked him up, she’d had one of the vehicles from the bail bonds. He’d worried that she’d have to help lift him into the vehicle. Instead, she’d shown him some modifications Jesse had made to the vehicle so he could lift himself and slide across a flat board into the vehicle.

He'd actually grinned when he didn’t have to have someone lift him in and out. Clara had just needed to have his wheelchair there with the brakes on. He’d easily gotten himself out at the diner. Bear had smiled at him when he’d held the door open to have Clara push him in.

Cannon waited until their food had been delivered, then stared at Clara with his eyebrow arched. He knew she was dying to ask him about his therapy, Jesse, and everything.

“You are entirely too cocky with the hat, the scruff on the face, and your eyebrow raised. But I look at you as a son, so it’s not going to distract me. How is it going?” Clara asked, then picked up her sandwich.

“How’s what going?”

Just to see what she’d do, he took a huge bite of his burger, so there was no way he could talk.

She shook her head. “It won’t work. I drove you here. I can keep you here for hours until you share something.”

Cannon finished chewing, wiped his mouth, then grinned at the woman who he adored. She reminded him so much of how he felt around his grandma. He imagined this is what War and Roam felt for their mom. Cannon wouldn’t know because he’d never had a mom. All his dad had ever said was she didn’t want him.

“Therapy is going well. Some of the stuff sucks, but I know I need it. For Jesse. For the girls and for myself.”

Clara smiled at him. “I hope you don’t take this the wrong way but I’m proud of you. You saw what Jesse and the girls needed, and you’re working to be that man for them. I’m sad you were hurt, but if it was the catalyst for your change, then so be it.”

Clara saying she was proud of him wasn’t ever a reason for him to get upset.

“I’m not taking it the wrong way. I can’t tell you how much it means to me that you’re proud of me. I’m glad you followed Sprite and the kids here. You’re a special woman, Clara.”

Cannon felt like he’d been through so many emotions in the last couple of weeks after pushing all emotions to the side for years. He just wished he could do more for Jesse. With his arm and leg out of commission, there wasn’t a lot he could do besides shop online. Maybe Clara could take him by the garage on the way back. He’d love to see if there were other items Jesse might like there. He was quite good at buying stuff and he had plenty ofmoney from saving for years. After the way he’d grown up, he’d promised himself he’d never do without. Now with Jesse and the girls, he wanted to make sure they had everything they needed.

“So am I, Cannon. Now let’s finish lunch, then I’ll help you hide some more of those notes. I think it is the sweetest thing ever.”

“Umm, I was thinking maybe we could drop by Jesse’s garage on the way. I haven’t seen the chair I got her and wanted to see if there were other things she might like. Then we could go hide the notes, if you have time.”

At his words, Clara looked at him with a look he’d only ever seen his grandmother have for him. He guessed it was probably love, but he didn’t have a lot of experience judging the look. All he knew was her looking at him like that gave him something he’d been missing. A sense of family. Not that he was denigrating the brotherhood and family he’d found with the MC. They’d become his family, but something about Clara made him feel closer to her.

Clara pulled the SUV up as close to the garage as she could and parked. A vehicle was parked close to the building. Clara parked so Cannon’s wheelchair could be on the cement, but the vehicle could still leave.

As soon as she came around and opened his door, he could hear yelling. Clara grabbed his chair, and he hurriedly dropped himself down into the chair, jarring his leg. He didn’t care. Heneeded to be in there where Jesse was. Clara pushed him at almost a jog into the garage, where Cannon could hear yelling. As Clara pushed him toward the office, he snagged a crowbar with his good hand.

“As soon as you get me there, send aCode Rossto everyone in our emergency text thread. Tell them we’re at Jesse’s garage,” Cannon whispered to Clara. Clara pushed him into Jesse’s office, where his pregnant woman was facing down a man at least eight inches taller than her. He also outweighed her by a good one hundred pounds.

“Listen, I told you. I don’t know what you’re talking about or where your wife is. Now, I’ve asked you to leave multiple times. You are now trespassing at a private business. My next step is to call the sheriff’s office.”

“NO, you listen, cunt. Where is my wife?” the man yelled.

“Hey, she already said that she doesn’t know what you’re talking about. You need to leave now.” Cannon said, waving his crowbar. He wasn’t sure how much damage he could do from a sitting position, but hopefully the threat of someone else here would make a difference.

“Who are you?” the man yelled.

“I’m the guy that is angry you’re yelling at my pregnant woman. Now leave. We don’t know what you’re talking about,” Cannon stated, keeping his voice stern but calm. He didn’t want to escalate the situation, knowing Jesse and Clara might get hurt. If the man didn’t want to leave, then Cannon could at least stall him until backup arrived.

It killed him that Jesse still looked petrified. Her face was flushing. He didn’t know if it was from anger or something else. It seemed like he’d been with the guy forever, but depending on how far away everyone was, he might need to stall longer.

“I know you know where my wife is,” the man yelled.

The guy screaming worried Cannon. Nothing they’d done had changed the guy’s story.

“Okay, so your wife is missing. Do we need to help you file a missing person report with law enforcement, or do you mean something happened while you were driving and your wife is missing?”

The man finally turned away from Jesse, and Cannon relaxed a little. A text came through, and Cannon slyly glanced at it.