I’ve had enough. I take hold of her uninjured arm and drag her into the clubhouse. She holds back, her sense of self-preservation coming to the fore.
“If you don’t want me, Freak, just let me go.”
I don’t bother answering, just drag her up to the bar where a very bleary-eyed Dum/Dee is waiting for the rest of the Kings to return home. I give him another duty. “Take this bitch and put her in one of the spare rooms in the bunkhouse. Lock the doorand stand guard outside. You don’t let her out for anything.” I think for a second. “Oh, and get her a bucket to piss in.”
“Freak?” She screams my name.
But I just thrust her at the prospect. The blinkers have been well and truly removed from my eyes. Why the fuck did I ever think she’d make a good old lady? I must have been blind. As Dum/Dee leads her off with an unbreakable hold on her uninjured arm, I turn my back on her, go behind the bar, and pour myself a triple shot of Jack. I down it in one go. I then notice, while I’d told Ace to wait for me inside, he’s nowhere in sight. Kid must have gone to bed. Fuck knows he must be tired. I’ll check up on him in a minute.
I pour myself another shot, thinking how stupid I’ve been. Relationships aren’t for me, and never have been. I should have learned my lesson long ago. I put my son in danger by letting my guard down. Well, never a-fuckin’-gain. No woman’s ever going to get her claws into me. God, what a fool I’ve been. And with my ex’s twin. I must need my brains tested. There’s obviously something wrong with me.
But what do I do with her now? She’s secure for tonight, or what’s left of it. But tomorrow will come, and I’ll have the same problem.
A roar of motorcycle engines sounds from outside as my brothers return home.
Thank fuck we’ve all returned in one piece tonight. Letting out a sigh, I turn, lean my back against the bar, and wait for my brothers to walk into the clubhouse.
Bullseye enters first, yelling, “Prospect, line up the drinks.”
Sheepishly, I hold up my hand. “One’s on the gate, the other I’ve got guarding the bitch, Toni.” Knight, having driven the crash truck, will still be outside.
He raises a brow, then, as the others flock in behind him, goes behind the bar himself. He starts lining up shot glasses and filling them.
“Hey, Bro. Is Ace alright?” Saint is first in, and has headed straight for me, his arm outstretched to bring me in for a man hug. It’s the first of many tonight, as we celebrate being alive and completing a successful mission.
For the next few minutes, I’m fending off questions about Ace, how we got him out of there, how he’d coped with his kidnapping, and as a close second, they’re singing Trixie’s praises, and asking if she’s okay.
“She’s got some fuckin’ balls.” Words slaps my shoulder. “Fuck, I know we can get pretty frisky with the whores, but hearing those men with her tonight. There was no respect there. They hurt her, Freak?”
I never asked her if she was okay.Or considered whether she might be traumatised. She did more than put her life on the line. She used her body to rescue my son. I haven’t even properly thanked her.
I field those questions with a noncommittal response.
I’ve been a bastard to her.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
TRIXIE
Men. I should know better by now to think they’ve got any intelligence that’s not rooted in their dicks. I could see the way the wind was blowing when Toni batted her eyes at Freak, and started on her excuses as to how she was the innocent party, and how she was only doing what she thought best for his son.
He was going to fall for it, I could tell. That cut me to the core. Why the fuck had I insisted we bring her back with us? There, in the heat of the moment, Freak had been so angry that he was prepared to leave her there. For the sole reason she hadn’t betrayed me, I couldn’t have lived with myself if we’d left her to the mercy of the MDMC.
Of course, I never expected Freak to suddenly declare undying love for me, despite all I’d done to rescue his son. I hadn’t even been thinking of him when I volunteered to put my life on the line. I did it for Ace, such a good kid who didn’t deserve to be treated like a pawn. But I hadn’t expected for one moment that Freak would give Toni a second chance. Yet, as I left them outside the clubhouse, it seemed like she’d been winning him over.
Christ, how could men be so stupid? If he lets her back in, she’ll hurt them both again.
And why had he kissed me? Was it his way of persuading me to play my part? To encourage me into that den of iniquity? All of a sudden, memories flood back into me of how I was taken so roughly over the pool table by those disgusting assholes. Bile rises into my throat, and I rush from my room to the bathroom, where I vomit up the contents of my stomach. I feel dirty, used. Tearing off my clothes, unable to get them off fast enough, I dive into the shower, taking off my underwear once under the water. Then I start scrubbing their filth off me, rewashing my body again and again. Never have the Kings made me feel dirty, but those slobs were something else. I’m beyond grateful they used condoms. I’m sure they were riddled with STIs. Nevertheless, I’m determined to get myself tested as soon as I can.
I stand under the too-hot water for as long as I can bear it, then, wrapping a towel around me, I scoop up the clothes destined for the garbage and return to my room where I dress in my most comfortable pajamas.
Ace is safe.That’s all that matters. I let the words circle around my head as I slide into bed. Although I’ve been awake for hours, I know sleep will evade me. I’m scared of the nightmares that surely lie ahead. The way those assholes had touched and abused me was far too reminiscent of Piero. He’s bound to invade my dreams. He’d probably have a starring role, taking turns with those motherfuckers raping me.
I’m a whore. Being fucked shouldn’t bother me.But it does.
A sob escapes, followed by another, and then tears stream down my cheeks. I turn to cry into the pillow, but only succeed in putting pressure on my sore rib, making me exclaim in pain. I’m descending into a full-on pity party when a tentative knock sounds on my door.
I’m tempted to ignore it, but then it sounds again, louder and more determined.
