by Erin Trejo
“She was mine first. Ain’t that right, princess.”
I hear her gag but I don’t look over before she throws up next to me. Evie moves to hold onto her while I step closer to this asshole who thinks he can lay claim to what’s mine. I don’t rightly give a shit who he thinks he is. He isn’t touching her.
“You either turn and walk or I fuck you up here and now,” I warn him once more. That’s the last time, too.
“She’s mine. My kid,” the fucker sneers back at me.
It all hits me like a ton of bricks. This is the motherfucker who hurt her. The one that let men touch his little girl. Before I can think about it my fist is colliding with his face. I don’t see him, I see her. A little girl being used and abused because her father didn’t take care of her. I see a girl who was hurt by the hands that were supposed to save her, and now I’m seeing red because that’s the one thing I hate the most. I know what that feels like. I know how lonely that can be.
So I beat this motherfucker until I’m pulled off him and sirens sound in the distance. I vaguely remember being pulled through the alley. There is too much going on in my head. Too many memories of a past that we both had to endure by the hands that were supposed to protect. I shake my head rapidly trying to erase the visions of that motherfucker coming into my room. The way he would talk to me. The sound of his goddamn voice. Irrational anger surges through me. She did this. She awakened all of this shit!
“Fuck!” I roar when I’m slammed against the wall “This is all her fault!” I scream loudly. I can’t think straight. I can’t focus. They’re all there. Every fucking memory I’ve kept locked away for so long have all resurfaced.
“Calm the fuck down, brother!” I hear Drake calling to me.
Taking deep breathes, I try to calm my nerves. Calm the rage. When I finally blink everything back into focus, I see her. Tears run down her cheeks like a fountain and I’m stuck once more. She caused this. Her life, her admissions that I forced out of her. That’s what triggered me. And yet I can’t hate her for it. I can’t blame her.
“Get off me,” I growl low in my throat at Drake. I don’t want him touching me, near me. He pulls away from me and that’s when I move. I grab Cheryl, roughly by the arm and pull her along with me. I hear Grinder ask if he needs to stop me but I dare him to do so. I fucking dare him right now to come near me.
We walk the rest of the way to the hotel, and once we’re back to my room, I release her. Tears continue to stream down her cheeks while I walk around running my hand through my hair. This is bullshit. I can’t believe this is happening right now.
“I was molested as a kid,” I say just to put it out there. I hear her gasp but I can’t look at her. I’m so goddamn ashamed of that happening to me that I can’t even look at myself some days.
“I’m so sorry.”
“It shouldn’t have happened to either of us, Kitten. We should have had people there to protect us. We shouldn’t have had to do this, be this.”
“You’re strong, Demon.”
“Timothy. My name is Timothy.”
“It’s perfect,” she whispers. When I look up at her, I see her. The sincerity in her eyes, the real her. Not the girl he made her into. No, I see her.
“You’re beautiful, Kitten. No man ever had the right to touch you.”
“Except you. You have every right,” she whispers softly.
My heart leaps in my chest, and with each step I take toward her, my chest explodes a little more. This is what I wanted. This is what I’ve been missing. Someone who understands me, who completes the fucked up puzzle that is me. Cheryl does that.
“I’m keepin’ you, Cheryl. I’m not lettin’ that motherfucker near you ever again.” Noise outside has me pulling away from her. I rush to the window to see those bastards firing shots into our bikes. Grinder’s explodes before the others do the same. Anger rushes through me as I grab my extra gun from inside the dresser and rush toward the door. Cheryl watches with wide eyes but doesn’t say or do anything. That’s perfect. I need her in this room and safe.
Chapter Thirteen
I hear the gunshots and I’m not stupid enough to walk anywhere near that window. I just pray that Demon isn’t getting hurt out there. I can’t believe my dad is here, and wearing a cut at that. He was never into the club scene, but then again I haven’t seen him in years. I didn’t go looking for obvious reasons.
I’m pacing the room when the door flies open. I rush toward it ready to greet Demon only to be stopped in my tracks by a kid that looks a lot like me.
“Who are you?”
“Come with me and everything will be fine,” he says. I look him up and down shaking my head. No way am I going anywhere with him. He’s one of them. He’s wearing the same cut.
“Get out of here or I’ll scream.” He doesn’t move, just smiles at me.
“I’m your brother.”
“I don’t have a brother. Help!” I scream loudly when he moves toward me. I’m about to run when he grabs me, spinning me around so that my back is pressed to his chest. His hand is over my mouth, the other around my stomach. His lips are close to my ear, warm breath dancing over my flesh.
“Just go along with it all. I won’t let him hurt you.” What does that even mean? He won’t let him hurt me? I don’t understand any of this. I shake my head rapidly but it does no good. The man drags me from the room like a ragdoll and down the hall. He forces each step I take down the staircase until I’m dragged out the back door and thrust into a van.
“Go!” he yells and the van starts moving. My heart beats rapidly in my chest, fear eating me alive. I begin to tremble when he passes me a blanket. He keeps looking at the driver and back to me before I pull the blanket over my body. I don’t want them looking at me. I don’t want them anywhere near me.
“I won’t hurt you,” he whispers once more. His eyes mimic mine. He looks so much like me. Could he really be my brother? I wasn’t around long enough to find out if my dad had other kids.
When I was old enough to start talking, I was tossed to the side. I was sent to live with family that weren’t much better than he was. I may have been beat on there but at least I wasn’t molested. Demon’s words slam into my chest, tightening it up. He was hurt as a child. How could someone do that to him? How could they do that to me? so many questions and no answers. I look up at the guy in front of me that claims to be my brother with interest.
“How?”
“I’m younger than you. You weren’t around when I was born.”
“Do…do we have the same mom?” He shakes his head, his eyes looking distant.
“My mom overdosed. Just do what he wants, okay?”
Acid rises in my throat, choking me. I won’t let him hurt me anymore. I won’t let him do that. I’ll fight him. I start to move and the guy, my brother, must see it. He leaps toward me, tackling me to the floor. In seconds, my arms are zip tied behind my back.
“I said to stop!” he growls.
“Everything good?” the man from up front asks.
“It is now,” he replies.
“You sure, Ty?”
“Yeah, I got her!”
“Ty?”
“What?” he asks.
“Is that your name?” I need to get him talking. See what he knows. Where we’re going. What’s happening. I need to get out of here.
“That’s my name. and you’re Cheryl.” I nod my head slowly as he sits back against the side of the van.
“How did he find me?”
“He’s the president of the Tadmore MC, that’s how. He can do anything, find anyone.”
“But why? I haven’t seen him since I was little. He threw me away back then,” I tell him, praying that Ty is as good as he seems to be. He doesn’t come off like the rest of the guys and that makes me think he hasn’t been in as long as they have. He couldn’t have been seeing how young he is.
“How old are you?”
“Eighteen.”
“Prez won’t be
happy you’re talkin’ to her!” The man in front bellows. Ty sits back closing his mouth, ending our conversation for good. Nothing more is said and that unnerves me. He follows orders. That’s not a plus on my side.
“Ty, he isn’t going to do anything good with me. Please let me go.” He shakes his head slowly before a small smile crosses his face.
“He won’t hurt you. He just wants you back as the club princess,” he tells me.
“It’s a lie, Ty. All of it is a lie. Please,” I beg him. He ignores my pleas as the man up front scowls at me. I don’t care, I’ll do whatever I can to get out of here. I work at the zip ties but it does nothing more than cut into my wrists. Deciding I’m not getting out of this, I sit back and wait for the ride to end.
Chapter Fourteen
I’ve never felt this kind of rage in my life. I’ve never had this kind of fire burning through my body and yet I can’t stop it from happening. Sweat trickles down my temples like I have a fever but it’s all pure adrenaline.
“He has her!” I roar as I look around at the guys. We don’t know shit about those motherfuckers or their MC. We know nothing and now they have Cheryl.
“Waitin’ on the security feed, brother.” Grinder’s words mean shit. We all know who it was. I don’t need a fucking video to tell me what I already know. That couldn’t have been all his guys out there shooting at our goddamn bikes. The cops were called in but lucky for us they were friendly with the Soulless Bastards and their prez handled that shit in a quick fashion for us. We’ve never had an issue with, but I’m meeting with their prez, Viking, in just a few minutes.
“Don’t need no feed. I got this.” The guy who walks into the room in a Soulless Bastard cut has long blond hair that’s shaved on the sides and a cute little girl hanging off his side.
“Hope you don’t mind me bringin’ my old lady. I’m not leavin’ her to that shit out there,” he says holding his hand out to me. “Viking.”
“Demon. Thanks for the help with the cops, brother. Wasn’t sure how to get out of that one. Some motherfucker’s got my girl,” I tell him. He nods his head and pulls a cigarette free, lighting it up.
“Heard that part. Shot up your bikes too. I got my boy bringin’ you some loaners but let me tell you this. These motherfuckers are nobodies. They ain’t shit, Demon. They run between here and Georgia tryin’ to fuck with other clubs, gain new members, but they don’t follow any laws. Meanin’ they ain’t shit but a bunch of little bitches that I’d be happy to help you handle.”
Damn, I didn’t think I’d be getting help like that but I’ll take it considering Viking seems to know more about them than I do.
“Who are they?”
“Tadmore MC. Named after a goddamn street down here. Prez’s name is Mitch Hagerty. He ain’t shit but a collector of losers that ain’t shit,” he says.
I smirk and shake my head knowing this is going to be easier than I thought it was going to be. I didn’t want to fuck anyone up this weekend, but they put their hands on something that doesn’t belong to them. They put their hands on something mine. Someone belonging to me.
“Heard that. Appreciate the help. We heard about them but didn’t have anything solid to run with. This just gives me the ammo I needed to get a little bloody. Been a long time since I’ve had that,” I inform him and his guys. I eye each one in turn, guys named Mason and Monster at the head of the crew next to their prez.
“Then let’s do this. I got an idea on where they would take her if you’re down to ride.”
“Fuckin’ right I am. She’s my old lady.”
“Let’s ride then. Follow us on the loaners and we’ll make a plan once we get there. I got the cops covered and weapons handled.”
Nodding my head in response, I recognize a thank you isn’t enough but it’s all I can give. Yet this is what friendly clubs do for each other. We watch each other’s asses and when one steps into the other’s turf you help a brother out.
All of us move to follow Viking out of the room and down the elevator. Just like he said, loaner bikes are sitting outside waiting on us. I thank fuck none of my guns were still in the saddle bags of my bike since it went up in flames with the others. Viking nods toward the bike next to his and I climb on ready to find my girl.
“Follow us out,” he says.
I nod my head and look over at the guys. They nod back at me and we’re off following Viking through the crowded roads. Once we hit the main highway, he takes off with us right behind him. Revving the engine, we fly past cars and trucks alike until we get off on the third exit. Down a few backroads, Viking pulls over and shuts the bike off. I pull up next to him and do the same as I glance around. It doesn’t look like much but old dilapidated buildings.
“This it?”
“See that van? It don’t belong.”
I nod once, appreciating his observation and climb off my bike. Pulling my gun from the back of my jeans, we all head toward the building. Just as we’re about to get closer the back door of the van opens and Cheryl is pulled out. The garage door in front of them opens and the man himself walks out. I take the first shot at that fucker and we get fired on in return.
“Cheryl!” I call her name but she has something tied over her eyes and her arms secured behind her back. She tries to shake her head to remove the blindfold but it’s no use. I duck behind a stack of tires when more shots are fired.
“Come on out you fuckers!” Viking roars. More shots.
“Fuck you! You won’t take her without a fight.”
A fight is what I’m ready for but judging by our positions we won’t be getting near her unless they have their focus on something else. Or someone else. Stepping out from behind the tires, I hold my gun in the air.
“Let her go. I don’t know what you want with her but let her go now!”
“She’s my daughter! That’s what I want with her!” The asshole yells.
“She ain’t yours anymore! You gave up that right when you burned holes into her flesh,” I growl. The man, Mitch, comes strolling out from the garage, his gun trained on me. Good. That’s where I wanted it.
“You claimed her?”
“Goddamn right I did. She’s mine, man. You know the rules, yeah?” He doesn’t or he wouldn’t have put his hands on her in the first place. The closer I get the more I can see the resemblance. She looks a lot like her dad. Too bad I’m going to murder him with my hands.
“She’s a club princess!”
“No, she’s not. She’s my goddamn queen and you just fucked up by takin’ her the way you did. You wanna talk about somethin’, this isn’t the way, man.”
“You don’t know shit. I’ve been lookin’ for her for years. Imagine my surprise when she happens to fall into my goddamn lap,” he says pissing me off further.
“She ain’t yours!” I aim my gun and pull the trigger before he has a chance to react. The kid with Cheryl releases her and she falls to the ground when Mitch pulls the trigger. The bullet grazes my leg but I ignore the sting and advance on them. The guys behind me move in now too.
“You fucked up now, old man.” The words leave my throat as a threat. Our guys move in along with Viking’s crew to clear the area. I watch Viking drag Mitch into the building while I cut the zip ties from Cheryl’s wrists and pull the blindfold off her face.
“He’s my brother.”
“Which one?”
“The one that had me. He said he was. He has to be, Demon. He looks like me.”
“We’ll deal with that shit later. Let’s handle your dad now,” I tell her. She nods her head, before I drag her body into mine, kissing her roughly. Claiming all that’s mine. I don’t give a fuck how long I’ve known her. She’s mine now and fuck all the rest.
“Let’s go,” I grab her hand in mine and drag her toward the warehouse, stepping around the first asshole that someone killed.
Once inside, the remainder of his guys - which is only five - are on their knees with guns to the back of their heads. Viking has M
itch, Viking sporting an angry glare on his face. I see his old lady off to the side and send Cheryl in that direction. She’s reluctant at first but finally gives up and walks over. The girl wraps her arms around Cheryl and holds onto her tightly. I’ll need to thank her later but for now I’m going to rip this fucker’s throat out.
“You piece of shit. I know what you did,” I growl pulling out a cigarette of my own out and lighting it up. “Pull those cuts and get his shirt off.” My demand is followed. The guys move to rip their fake ass cuts off and toss them to the ground. Viking tears the shirt from Mitch’s body and throws it over with his cut. I step up to him, leaning down so we’re eye level.
“You burnt her. Put holes in her flesh. You touched her, let men touch her. How the hell could you do that to your own daughter?” I don’t know why I need an answer to this shit. I know he’s sick just like the motherfuckers who did that shit to me. They are nothing.
Taking a long drag from my cigarette I blow smoke in his face before bringing the glowing orange tip to his chest. I watch as he screams and the hole forms. I smirk at the smell of burnt flesh before moving to do it again and again until he’s covered in marks the way she is. Flicking my cigarette to the side, I pull my knife free and press it to his throat.
“Any last words, asshole?”
He grins up at me before he opens his mouth. “She was mine first.”
Grabbing his tongue, I slice through it before stabbing the knife into his chest repeatedly. He falls almost immediately. I relish the downfall of this fucker. Only then do I motion to the others to dispatch justice. Each one goes down the line shooting the assholes in the head, save one. It’s him that bothers me.
“You took my girl,” I tell her brother.
“He…he made me. He said he wouldn’t hurt her.”
His tone and his words ring true in my ears. Why do I believe this kid? I don’t want to, but I do. Maybe because he reminds me of myself when I was younger. I believed whatever anyone told me.
