Bonnie...
Someone must have moved me, the last thing I remember before everything went dark is feeling relieved that I’d reached Alannah, and falling to the floor. I felt the bed dip to my side and my hand being enclosed in a soft squeeze. When my eyes are fully open I find I’m in a room that resembles someone’s bedroom. Two men are standing at the bottom of the bed watching me closely and Alannah is beside me. I try to move as far from them as possible but the wooden bed frame stops me. I recognise Sparky, he used to flirt with me when he visited Alannah back in college. I never used to hang around too long while he was around. He was always friendly towards me but I totally clammed up and left them on their own until he left.
I don’t know how safe I was here but it had to be a lot safer than being back home…if I could call it that. They had saved Alannah from my father so I guess they didn’t treat their women like the Ghost Riders do… not that I am one of their women. I hoped my friendship with Alannah would be enough to keep me safe for a day or two before I moved on.
Sparky never took his eyes off me as I regained consciousness. Alannah told me the other guy’s name and it sounded familiar. I’m sure Alannah had mentioned it while we were roomed together, however I couldn’t take my eyes away from Sparky and his intimidating tattoos covering virtually everywhere on his body, his shaved head with a full on glare and tall, muscled body. He outright scared the hell out of me but he wasn’t different to anyone I am used to being around.
Finally, I moved my gaze to look at my friend. She looked a lot better than the last time I saw her when she was tied to one of my father’s contraptions of death.
“Doc is on his way, he’ll take a look at you to see if you need to go to a hospital or something,” she said.
“I’m fine, I don’t need a doctor. Honestly this is nothing. I’ll be fine in a few days,” I smiled, hoping they believed me.
I knew myself I was only bruised, maybe a cracked rib or two. As soon as I tried getting up I knew I had no chance with Alannah, who was pushing me back down and the two men moved closer to the bed.
“You’re seeing the doc, Bon. You turn up and collapse covered in bruises and you tell me your fine?” she said, raising one eyebrow.
Apparently I wasn’t going anywhere until I had seen their doctor. I must admit it was tempting to stay in this bed. It was the most comfortable one I’ve ever been in.
When I relaxed two things happened at the same time. As I tried to make myself more comfortable, the pain shooting down my back was enough to make me squirm until it subsided, and secondly I caught Sparky’s face flash with anger. Alannah caught it too and abruptly turned and faced the men.
“Go and find out where Doc is for goodness sake,” she snapped. I don’t know who she was talking to but I braced myself for the slap she was about to receive for talking to them like that. The shock it never came hit me hard.
“Can’t, gotta watch her,” Sparky said, crossing his arms across his chest.
“So you think your President can’t handle a battered woman if she decided to attack?”
She was mocking him and she wasn’t being punished for it. The scene around me was comical, I couldn’t help but giggle. Not only at Alannah’s dig about the guy’s ability to watch over me but the whole thing.
Cas, who hadn’t said a word yet, stepped forward and nodded to Sparky to leave. Once he was gone, Cas sat on the small couch on the other side of the room and leant his head against the back and closed his eyes. Alannah looked to him with a small frown but covered it with a smile when she looked at me.
“I’ve been so worried about you, where have you been for the last month?” she asked.
I didn’t particularly want to talk in front of Cas but he gave the impression he wasn’t really listening.
“For the last couple of days I have been driving here,” I started, hoping they both missed how I evaded the question slightly.
“There isn’t no car here, you fuckin’ lying to my girl?” Cas spoke with his eyes still closed.
Okay, so maybe he was listening. And, what…his girl? I remembered who he was now. Alannah had cried many times to me over what he did. What the hell has been going on since we last spoke for her to forgive him?
“It ran out of gas in town, I walked the rest of the way,” I told him, “Really Alannah, I should go, I don’t belong here,” I said.
“No, you don’t belong here but she isn’t goin’ to let you leave until you’ve seen the fuckin’ doc, so stay here out of sight while I go and calm the guys down. When the doc clears you, you can bet your ass you’re tellin’ us everything you fuckin’ know,” he said, finally opening his eyes and staring straight at me.
“It’s why I came here,” I whispered.
He didn’t say another word as he gave Alannah a look to say ‘don’t let her out of your sight’ and left the room.
“Who done this to you? I know your father couldn’t have,” she asked. I wish she hadn’t.
I’m truthful when I said I would tell them everything that I’ve overheard my brother planning, but I didn’t have to humiliate myself by telling her how I came to look like the walking dead.
“It doesn’t matter now, I’m not going back so they can’t hurt me anymore,” I said, hoping that was true.
She pressed her lips tight and didn’t push me for further information.
“I’m sorry for what he did to you. If I could’ve helped you I would have,” I promised her, referring to the ordeal my father put her through.
Ever so slightly she shivered and held her breath. Until the day I die I will never forget the image of her tied up and bloodied, and by the looks of it neither will she.
“Don’t worry about that now, I’m home and alive and so are you. Whatever you need, I’ll help you,” she smiled.
I didn’t deserve a friend like Alannah. Since the day we met at college I worried myself she would turn on me when she found out what I was really like…weak, disgusting and nothing compared to who she is. She was the first one to try and get close to me, and not only that, she wanted to be my friend. When I found out she belonged to The Lost Souls, I felt sick. I was never involved in my father’s business so I wouldn’t have known Alannah was classed as his enemy if it wasn’t for stumbling across her photo in my father’s office while I was cleaning. He immediately picked up on my shock and stupidly I told him she was my roommate. When my father found out who she was, my world could have burnt to the ground and I wouldn’t have noticed. It was a case of waiting for her to find out who I was and shun me.
I shook the memories away, she knows who I am now and she still hasn’t turned me away.
“I only came to warn you about my brother. Can you help me leave? I want to get far away from here and start fresh,” I asked.
“See Doc first then I’ll help you in any way I can,” she said.
There was a soft rap at the door and it opened marginally. A man in his early forties stepped through, giving me the impression he wasn’t glaring at me but at my bruises. Cas and Sparky followed him in and they both leant against the wall by the door. Alannah didn’t move from my side until Doc came around the bed and stood to my side.
He didn’t say anything, he just stood there. His face looked tired and washed out and his eyes spoke of many years of pain. I only recognised this because it’s what I see in mine through my reflection. He nodded to Alannah and she released my hand.
“I’ll be just outside,” she said.
No, I quickly looked to the man still at my side. I didn’t want to be alone with him, I didn’t even know him and then there was Cas and Sparky still here. She couldn’t leave me alone with them.
“Please, don’t go,” I begged.
The Doc stepped back and I appreciated his gesture. Alannah stopped at the door and turned back to me.
“He won’t hurt you Bon, he’s the one who took care of me after your father…” she said.
It wasn’t enough. Of course this man wouldn??
?t harm her, she had Cas and Sparky on her side. I can’t imagine anyone here trying to get through them to hurt her. Me, on the other hand, they didn’t know and all they see is me being the enemy. The enemy didn’t even like me so why should I believe these men would be any different?
“Please,” I urged.
I told myself not to cry but the tiredness was creeping in and so was the pain, making it difficult. I wanted the help, but not on my own.
“Okay.”
I felt the rush of pent up breath leave me as she took a seat on the small couch.
“Okay Miss, you look like shit,” the Doc grunted, “Any other injuries on you that I can’t see?” he asked.
“My chest and ribs hurt,” I said, meekly.
“Thought so, can you pull your dress down so I can take a look?” he asked.
He still hadn’t moved closer to me. He was still showing me that I could trust him and I was beginning to. It was the other two men in the room that had me stalling. I wasn’t wearing a bra underneath my dress and I didn’t want them seeing what else covered my body. Hell, I didn’t want the doc to either but I needed help.
My eyes kept flicking to them by the wall. They were both staring at me intently. I was beginning to panic, I didn’t want them here and it showed when the doc asked me again to pull down my dress so he could take a look.
“You haven’t got anythin’ we haven’t seen before darlin’,” Sparky grunted, looking me straight in the eye.
I looked to Alannah and saw her register what was happening. She got up from the couch and pushed them to the door.
“She isn’t going anywhere Sparks, you can wait just on the other side of the door.”
When they were both out of the room and the door was firmly shut I slowly pulled my dress straps down. After everything I’ve been through it was tonight that I felt most vulnerable. My only friend in the world was about to see what I kept hidden from everyone. I closed my eyes and let the tears fall as I heard her gasp and Doc began his examination.
Chapter Two
Sparky...
I was feeling for Cas. Not only did he have a beaten down woman in his club declaring war was coming but he had his old lady who would no doubt defend her. Yeah, definitely don’t want to be him right now.
“What you thinkin’ Cas?”
“I’m thinkin’ I want this woman out of our club as soon as possible. Nothin’ good can come from her bein’ here,” he muttered.
“Looks like her bein’ anywhere isn’t good.”
Neither of us had any more to say so we waited in silence.
The door opened after twenty minutes and Doc hustled out with his medical bag.
“So, what’s the verdict?” Cas asked him.
His cheeks ballooned out as he sighed heavily.
“I thought Alannah was bad when you brought her back but that girl in there,” he said, tipping his head towards the door, “she’s covered in bruises, old and fresh ones. She has two busted ribs but she doesn’t seem to need to go to the hospital. I’ve done everything I can do here. I left painkillers with her and a sleeper for tonight. I don’t know what you plan to do with her but for tonight she needs sleep and rest,”
“Thanks Doc, see Oak on your way out and he’ll sort you out the usual amount,” Cas said, slapping him on the back as he left.
Before he got to the top of the stairs, he stopped and turned around.
“Not my business, maybe not yours either, but she is covered in tiny scars. Whatever the girl has been through, it wasn’t pretty,” he said, before disappearing down the stairs.
“What the fuck brother?” Cas sighed, rubbing his hand over his face.
“Fucked if I know. C’mon, let’s get back in there,” I said, opening my own door.
Barbie was tucking Bonnie up in my bed talking quietly, which ended the moment Barbie saw us in the doorway. She waved her hand telling us to stop where we were.
She whispered again to Bonnie and left the room pushing us out. I’m getting slightly fed up with being pushed out of my own fucking room.
“We need her to talk Barbie,” I told her, as if it wasn’t fucking obvious.
“In the morning. She needs to sleep and anyway, I doubt you’ll get anything out of her. She took that sleeper Doc gave her five minutes ago and she’s already nearly out,” she said.
“Fine, you can go first then, tell us everything you know about her babe,” Cas said.
“I’ve already told you I don’t know much about her home life. At college she was quiet but kind, I never picked up on any animosity towards me. When Hunter brought her in at the warehouse she looked as beaten as she does now, she couldn’t get me free but she helped me in her own way,” she said.
Her hands were shaking again. She has been so strong dealing with what she went through and now seeing her friend was bringing it all back. It was enough for me alone to want to throw her friend on her ass out of the club.
“I haven’t even thought about her in the last month since I’ve been home,” she murmured.
“Hey, you’ve had your own shit to deal with,” Cas told her, pulling her into his arms.
“Yeah, you can’t save everyone Barbs,” I agreed. It was the worst thing I could’ve said.
“I haven’t saved anyone,” she said, tears springing to her eyes.
Shit, she was thinking about Billy again. Cas squeezed her tight and I stepped back. She’s his now and when he’s around he is the one to console her.
“What are you going to do?” she asked Cas.
He quickly looked at me. Nah…he’s on his own for this.
“I don’t know, you see her as your friend but I see her as our enemy’s family and so do the brothers down in the bar. They’re tense right now and I can’t sway them to believe otherwise. We’ll wait for morning when I can talk to her,” he said, releasing his grip on her. “I’ll give her protection tonight but when I’ve heard what she has to say, she has to leave babe. The club isn’t gonna tolerate her being here. I’ll go calm them for tonight, that’s the best I can do,” he finished, then pulled away.
Alannah stood there staring at his back as he left us still standing outside my room door.
“He’s right Barbs. He has the club to think about now and if any of us was in his position we would’ve said the same,” I told her.
She isn’t stupid, she knows the club and how we think, how we work. It’s probably why she hasn’t thrown a hissy fit following him down to the bar.
She wiped her eyes on her sleeve and turned to face me.
“I know, and I know her better than anyone here. I’m telling you she’s a victim of the Ghost Riders not an accomplice,” she said with such conviction that I almost believed her.
“Stop bein’ soft Alannah, she turned up here dramatically declaring a war is comin’. If she’s so innocent how would she know anything, you can’t trust her,” I reminded her.
“Stop being an ass. You’ve met her, you know she isn’t our enemy,” she said, her voice raising in volume.
I know fuck all about the woman apart from wanting to stick my dick in her but that soon fucking flopped when I found out who she was.
I wasn’t going to win this with Alannah. As far as she’s concerned Bonnie is her friend and she isn’t the enemy.
Instead of arguing, I threw her a look telling her not to be so stupid and to shut up.
We both looked up when we heard boots hitting the stairs. Cas appeared at the top and headed back to where were standing.
“Please help her Jason,” she whispered, before Cas joined us.
I scowled at her for using my real name before reigning it in and ignoring her.
“Calm things down?” I asked him.
“Yeah, they’re all back to drinking and partying.”
“How did you manage that?” I asked.
Our brothers have enjoyed the peace over the past month and anything that would threaten that would be hard to settle.
“I told
them she’s only here for tonight and that you wouldn’t leave her side till she steps off our property,” he said quickly.
Fuck.
“What the fuck Cas, I ain’t no babysitter. Can’t you get one of the prospects for that shit?”
“No,” he said sharply, taking Alannah’s hand.
“Where the fuck am I meant to sleep?”
“I don’t care as long as she doesn’t leave your sight,” he said, before walking off with Alannah at his back. She turned once more, she didn’t need to say anything. I heard her silent plea loud and clear. She was begging me for help.
How she wants me to help I don’t have a fucking clue.
I opened my door to find Bonnie away with the fairies, deep in sleep. Groaning out loud when it dawns on me how long this night is going to be. She can get fucked if she thinks I’m sleeping anywhere apart from my bed. She’s only taking up a small section of the bed so there’s plenty of room between us not to make contact.
If I slept on the small couch in the corner I would feel it for days and there was no hope of bunking down on the floor while this traitorous bitch sleeps in comfort.
I lock the door and slip the key into my jeans pocket just to make sure she doesn’t slip out before I wake. Cas said to keep an eye on her but I am not going to lose sleep over her.
I strip down leaving my jeans on with the key safely in the pocket. I doubt anyone would be stupid enough to try and get the key from me. Pulling the cover back, I made sure I was as far from her as she was from me and grabbed my piece from the bedside table and held it on my chest. I honestly didn’t think I would need it against her but after her father took Alannah, I am not taking any chances around her.