We all watch as he saunters out the door but I can’t help the feeling of unease that crawls up the back of my neck.
“Momma?” tugging at my shirt snaps me out of my spiralling thoughts.
“Sorry, baby. So, um, lasagne was it?”
The kids all cheer, but not as loud as Joe who giggles on the couch. Her dark face is lit up even if it’s still battered and bruised. Rolling my eyes I head toward the kitchen, laughing and joking over my shoulder as I push through the swing doors. I make my way across the kitchen headed for the pantry when a heavy body presses up against me, pushing me roughly up against the wall.
“Hello, Loyal,” a voice hisses, “although, you’re not really that Loyal are you, you filthy little bitch.”
I’d know that voice anywhere. That voice along with his brother’s haunted my dreams. Together they are the reason I will never have biological children.
“Get. Your. Hands. Off. Me,” I grit out.
My body shakes like a leaf, it’s muscle memory kicking in to the night where the Goodson brothers taught me a lesson. My brain wills my knees to lock and my hands to stop shaking. I couldn’t fight back then, but I can now. And fighting back means not causing a scene, not making a noise. Not drawing attention. I need to keep Joe, Nell, Greer, Izzy, Addy and Bree safe and that means keeping them none the wiser in the room next door.
“Well, well, well, you get a little biker cock in you and you’re little miss tough guy, huh?” His putrid breath wafts in my face and I have to pinch my eyes shut and will myself not to vomit.
“They know what you did. They know about the Eden’s Keep marking and the man you killed. Theywillstop you,” I grit out.
His body jiggles as he laughs silently pressed against me. “Perhaps. But I have a secret weapon. He’s going to rain down hell on the MC, take those little girls of yours away to their rightful buyer. Then Eden’s Keep will take over what belongs to us. Your filthy bikers will never stop us. We are on a mission from God. The same God that you have forsaken LoyalGoodson.”
He smooths my hair away from my forehead and his touch makes me want to cry out, to rage against the same God he says he serves. “What do you want?” I spit out through gritted teeth.
“To let you know that Eden’s Keep will never die. We’ll be back for you. So be a good girl and say your prayers. That might be the only thing that saves you once I have my hands on you.” His fat clammy hand pats my cheek gently before he slaps me across the face, the sting shocking me out of my submissive pose.
Spinning I strike out at him, landing punch after punch as my fists windmill and bounce off his chest. I pummel him as much as I can but I know that I’m not nearly as effective as I should be. His doughy hands catch my wrists, wrapping tightly as he shoves me hard against the wall. My head bounces off and my vision blurs.
“You’ll never win,” I slur.
“It’s too late, we already have,” he sneers. His sweaty palm covers my face, gripping hard as he slams my head against the wall again and again.
My legs give out from under me and I slide down the wall, hands gripping the back of my head as a large goose bump starts to rise up.
“Loyal?” The swinging of the kitchen door jolts me into a panic, wildly looking around but not finding Goodson at all. “Hey-fuck! What happened? Are you OK?” Justice’s heavy steps thump on the tiled floor beside me and he cups my face in his hands.
“Goodson was here,” I whisper. “He was here.” Gripping onto the leather of his cut I stare at my hands as they shake wildly.
“Loyal? Baby, what’s going on?” The voice of the only man I’ve ever loved rings out in my ears and my body relaxes, my hands dropping from Justice’s cut as if my whole body has been overcome with fatigue.
“He was fucking right here, Vex,” Justice growls before taking off.
“Goodson, he was here,” I whisper, burying my face into Vex’s chest.
Justice’s cut felt safe, but the buttery soft leather of Vex’s cut makes me feel at home. Vex’s large hand cups the back of my head and all I can hear is the thumping of his heart and the muffled sound of Dex’s voice barking out orders.
“Fuck! Where did he come from? Did the girls see him?” Vex asks, the rumble of his voice soothing even if his voice is loud with panic.
“No, I-I don’t think so. He was waiting in the kitchen-”
“The tunnel,” I can feel Vex run his hand down his face, even with mine buried into his chest.
“I left the girls in the common room with Joe and Nell, so I don’t think they saw anything, but I can’t be too sure.”
“They were playing with Izzy when I came out of church, so I think you’re right,” Vex sinks onto his butt on the floor and pulls me between his legs.
He starts taking deep cleansing breaths and I’m not sure if it’s for me and my panicked breathing or if it’s to calm himself down.
“Daddy? Is Momma OK?” Addy’s little voice asks from her position in the doorway just behind her sister.
