Without a beat of hesitation, I leveled my pistol and shot him clean between the eyes.
He stopped for a moment, then dropped to the floor with a loud thud. His fingers, which were still tangled in Nicole’s hair, dragged her to the floor with him. The other member rushed out of the bathroom, his dick still hanging out of his jeans from taking a piss, and I shot him, too, dropping him where he stood.
Tucking my gun back into its holster, I ran forward and helped free Nicole, then dragged her into my arms. She collapsed against me, wails leaving her abused throat as she clung to my cut. Her face was red and blotchy, and snot was running from her nose. But I didn’t care about any of that. She was safe, and while I fucking hated myself for not getting there sooner, she was safenow.
They hadn’t killed her. And since she was fully clothed, they hadn’t done more than force her to suck his dick either.
“I’m here,” I rasped, holding her tightly. “You’re safe now, sunshine. I’ve got you.”
“They—they—” She could barely talk through her tears and panic. My heart clenched in my chest.Whydid our shit have to touch her? Another fucking innocent? She was targeted solely for having a fucking conversation with me.
The sound of Blink, Carver, and Carter riding onto her property reached my ears. She tensed, her breathing coming too quick, a sure sign of a panic attack. “It’s okay,” I assured her. Gripping her face in my hands, I forced her eyes to lock on mine. “It’s just my brothers, you hear me? They’re just here to help us and clean up this mess.”
“B-Blink?” she stuttered.
I nodded, soothing my thumbs over her tear-stained skin. “Yeah, sunshine. Blink, Carver, and Carter—my brothers. They’re not going to hurt you.No onewill fucking hurt you again,” I swore. She wasminenow. Mine to protect. And over my dead body wouldanyoneharm her again.
Blink stepped inside first, and his jaw tightened as he stared at the two dead bodies on the floor. Finally, he looked at me. “Start talking, Grit.”
“They were fucking raping her, Blink.” Blink’s eyes turned dark and stormy. What they’d done to Nicolehadbeen rape. Didn’t matter they didn’t have her naked. Didn’t matter they didn’t violate her with a cock inside her vagina. The fucking president had forced her to suck his cock. That was fucking rape in my eyes. “I killed the president, then killed the other mother fucker before he could shoot me or her.”
Blink nodded once, his eyes steely. “Get her some clothes and get her to the clubhouse. We’ll clean this up, then figure out a plan from there.”
I nodded once, then gripped the backs of Nicole’s thighs, carrying her to her room. She wound her arms and legs around me, and when I gently set her on her bed, she visibly trembled, like no longer being in my arms left her terrified.
“I just need you to tell me where a bag is and what to pack, sunshine,” I said, remaining firm but gentle. “The sooner you do, the sooner I can get you out of here.”
“Bag is in my clos-set,” she managed through chattering teeth. She was going into shock. She needed warmth and security, but getting her out of here was a little more of a priority. “Just panties, bras, shirts, p-pants.”
I rolled with it, grabbing what she needed, then tossed her toiletries from the bathroom inside the bag, too. Then, I lifted her once more and carried her through the living room. Blink caught me on my way out the door. “I already called Lindsey. She’ll have hot soup waiting for you in your room when you get to the clubhouse.” He glanced at the shaking woman in my arms. “She’s going to need it.”
I nodded. “Thanks, brother,” I rasped, and then, I was walking out the house and heading for my bike. I’d send a tow truck to get her car later. For now, she was in no condition to drive, and I wasn’t getting in a fucking cage when I felt like coming out of my skin and destroying the goddamn world.
5
Grit
Nicole had gone mute. There were no tears, no sobs. No stuttering out the truth. By the time I’d gotten to the clubhouse with her on the back of my bike, she wassilent. And even as I tried to get her to drink some coffee spiked with liquor, her tongue didn’t loosen a bit. A haunted look lingered in her eyes, and her skin was covered in goosebumps. And every time I stepped too far away from her, she grew panicked, her breathing quickening and tears glimmering in her eyes.
Even now as I stepped into the chapel, she was wrapped under my arm. When I’d tried to gently explain to her that she was safe here, that no one could touch her within these clubhouse walls, she’d adamantly shaken her head and refused to let go of my shirt.
Blink, who’d gotten back to the clubhouse about ten minutes ago, took one look at her, frowned, and dipped his chin once in understanding. Seeing as Blink had no issue with it, Carverspoke up and quietly said, “Nicole, what’s said in this room can never leave it, understand?”
She stiffly nodded her head, then sniffled. I sat in my chair, then tugged her onto my lap. She turned sideways and rested her head on my shoulder, closing her eyes. Her fingers curled into my shirt, burrowing beneath my cut. Wrapping one arm around her back, I rested my other hand on her thigh, keeping her secure and hoping it helped to keep her calm. To know I had her and I’d never let anyone hurt her again.
“President and the Sergeant at Arms are taken care of, courtesy of you,” Blink began, looking at me. I just stared back at him unflinchingly. The four of us were no strangers to dropping bodies. “Which means there’s going to be retaliation. The Lockheart MC is going to want payment for what happened to them. But if we can get ahead of this, we might be able to hit them while they’re scrambling to regroup and come up with a plan of their own. They’re going to be on a search for their bodies and hold some kind of funeral for them both. That gives us time.”
“We need to go on lockdown again,” Carter said, his usual comedic demeanor nowhere to be found. He was all business as he looked at Blink. “For the safety of Nicole. They have to know where their president and SAA went. They’ll come looking for her.”
Blink grunted. “Lockdown it is. No one leaves without another rider. Women do not leave these grounds, and they do not leave this clubhouse without an escort. Clear?”
“Clear,” I grunted. And I had absolutely no problem with it. Nicole would be safest here, and until the fucking Lockheart MC was dealt with and out of our lives for good, they wouldn’t besafe outside these walls, where we didn’t have full control of the environment.
I pushed back from the table, and after gently setting Nicole on her feet, I led her from the chapel. Silently, we made our way up the stairs, and I sent a silent thank you to Lindsey for having soup, crackers, and a warm pot of herbal tea on my nightstand with a small note that read:
For Nicole. Please eat and drink the tea. I promise you’ll feel better.
Lindsey (Blink’s old lady)
