“Hey, you ever been hit with a walkin’ stick? That shit fuckin’ hurts worse than being kicked in the balls!”
I was confused as hell as to what was happening. Why weren’t they just killing me? Why did they want to take me somewhere? Oh my god, were they going to torture me and then kill me? My knees trembled as I opened my eyes, my fear taking flight. I was ready to run back inside and lock the door. I could call the cops and hope they got there in time before they broke in, maybe.
“I’m not asleep,” I said as I stared into the handsome face of Shooter.
He was rugged, his jaw hard and defined, his hair long around his shoulders. Lines appeared around his deep blue eyes as he scowled.
“Make it quick,” I begged on a whisper.
He scowled harder and I realized both the other voices had stopped. Shooter held me captive in his gaze to the point that I couldn’t break away to look somewhere else.
“Did she say make it quick?” the hyper voice from behind said on a laugh. “Ain’t no woman ever said that to me before. It’s normally take it slow, make it last, fuck me good.” He laughed again.
“I’ma kill you if you don’t shut the fuck up, Casa,” the deeper voice sounded out, and I realized that was Gauge.
“I’m just sayin’, maybe Beast didn’t do as good a job on her as he thought. She’s askin’ for it to be quick an all.”
“What’s going on with you?” Shooter asked, his tone faking concern. He reached for me and I began to cry. “Jesus, Belle, what happened? Are you okay?”
“We’re fucked,” Gauge said, and I saw the flash of a lighter as he lit a cigar.
“Has someone hurt you?” Shooter asked, his scowl deepening, but all that did was make me cry harder. “Tell me,” he ordered.
I sagged against the door, confused, scared, and lonely. I was going to die alone, and no one would care. Not my mom, not my godmother, no one. I cried harder.
“This is your fault,” Gauge said, punching Casa in the arm.
“Why the fuck is it my fault?” he asked, punching Gauge back.
“Because you were talking about sex with Beast.”
Casa laughed even harder and then Gauge joined in, but Shooter, he just stood there putting the pieces together and filling in the blanks, his calm exterior slowly soothing me.
“We’re not here to kill you, Belle,” he finally said.
“You’re not?”
He shook his head. “Fuck no. Why would we kill you? We need your help.”
I cried even harder at that. I was so confused, still slightly drunk, and still absolutely terrified. I thought I could stare death in the face and tell it I didn’t care, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t even do this right. I was utterly useless.
“Jesus, this is why I don’t have an old lady. Fucking women are too emotional for my liking.”
“Yeah, that’s the reason you’re single,” Casa snorted on a laugh.
“Fuck off, it’s true. You ever been around Laney when it’s her time of the month? That bitch is crazy! I don’t want a lifetime of shit like that. Fuck that,” Gauge growled.
“Laney is a psychopath when it comes to you no matter what the time of the month it is,” Casa retorted.
“Ain’t that the fucking truth.”
“Can you two shut the fuck up,” Shooter’s voice boomed as he turned to glare at them. “Can’t hear myself think because of all your bullshit going on behind me. Now shut up before I shut you the fuck up.”
“Sorry,” Casa said, sounding insincere.
“And remember that may be your kid, Gauge, but that’s my old lady and you’d do well to remember that,” Shooter growled. He turned back to me. “Gonna need you to come with me, Belle.”
My crying had all but stopped as I’d listened to Gauge and Casa talk, so I took a shaky breath and nodded. “Okay, I’ll go get some clothes on.” I swiped at my cheeks to get rid of the tears. I was so tired of this world. So confused with these people. And so damn lost that I’d do anything at the moment.
