by Addison Jane
I could feel the blood draining from my face.
Jess grabbed me when I stumbled into the side of someone’s table, knocking over some pretty decorated vases. The man inside the booth swore at me in some kind of language I didn’t understand, and Jess swore back at him just as vibrantly in English as she helped me find my feet.
“Hey! Sky, what’s wrong with you?” Jess asked frantically, slapping my cheek softly.
I couldn’t answer her, though. I could barely even move as someone I recognized walked toward me, their eyes dark and menacing.
“Someone said they thought they saw you wandering around,” he said, his lips turning up in disgust as his eyes took in the outfit I was wearing.
I tried to fight back, to steal my spine and face him head-on. I always thought it would be easy. I was stronger now, they held no power over me. But suddenly my past had hit me with a devastating blow to the face, and I’d lost my balance and my wits.
I was scared.
I was fucking petrified.
“I suggest you don’t come any fucking further, pretty boy,” Jess snapped, holding onto me but moving her body to try and protect me at the same time. “Who the hell are you?”
The smirk that caught the corner of his mouth was exactly as I remembered because it reminded me so much of the look our father always made before he would beat me.
“I’m her big brother,” Abel said far too joyfully. “Are you finally ready to come home, Sapphire?”
Home?
Back to the depths of hell where there is no light, where there’s nothing but pain and suffering sprinkled in glitter to make it look pretty.
No way.
“I’d rather go to fucking hell,” I snapped, finally finding my feet and my voice, both incredibly shaky as tears burned in the back of my throat.
Abel’s smile grew wider, more deviant. He was unfazed by my sharp tongue because he had no emotions.
He was a cold, hard bastard.
“That can be arranged.”
A handful of other men from the Colony were heading our way, their eyes focused on me.
They knew who I was, there was no doubt about that. I hadn’t changed much since I left I guess, and right at this moment I probably looked exactly like that defiant teenager they knew so well. The one who stood her ground even with fear in her eyes.
The four men stood behind my eldest brother like they were soldiers, ready to leap in and fight in the blink of the eye if they were given the word. I had no doubt if they did, shit would start to crumble really fast, and Jess and I would be in a whole world full of trouble.
One thing my sister had informed me of after her escape was that my brother Abel, the eldest of all my father’s children and the most brainwashed, was working with The King’s Militia. They were like the Colony’s own personal law enforcement, I guess. They trained like the army, in the bush, learning how to shoot guns and were told they were essential, in case the tyrannical government tried to come and destroy the Colony and tried to stop our celestial path to heaven. They were the first line of defense.
In reality, though, they were used to instill fear amongst the members. They would show up at people’s houses if there had been rumors that someone was not being entirely faithful to the group, or had been speaking out against its teachings. If people second guessed the prophet, these guys would come and they would take them away for weeks, sometimes months, and when they returned they were suddenly completely faithful.
The King’s Militia had blood on their hands, and I had a grave reason to be fearful of what they might do.
When a member of the Colony came of age, we were all made to sign blood atonement contracts, giving the Colony the right to spill our blood for our god if we ever turned our back on our faith and its teachings. While the contract granting someone the ownership of whether I lived or died because of what faith I believed, was completely stupid and ridiculous in the real world, to these men and women it was law and they were more than willing to follow through with the punishment of that betrayal.
I could feel Jess was getting nervous having these men standing over us, looking menacing. Her mouth kept opening and closing like she wanted to tell them to go fuck themselves, but she knew it probably wasn’t a good idea.
“Why don’t you come for a ride with me, little sister. We can chat, catch up on all these years we’ve missed out on,” Abel said, his voice sounding to anyone passing by like a brother who missed his sibling, but to me, sounding like a snake trying to draw me closer so he could strike.
I wouldn’t be drawn into his den to be poisoned, and I wouldn’t let him stand here and make me feel inferior. I’d escaped him once before. He fell asleep while he was watching me. Abel was the one that had to go to my father empty handed with no daughter to marry off the next day, while I disappeared into the night to create this new life for myself. I can only imagine what punishment he would have endured for letting me escape.
It may sound sick, but that alone brought a little joy to my heart, and I found myself standing a little taller, a smile forming on my face. “What did father have to say when you had to go to him and tell him that I was gone? That your sixteen-year-old sister had slipped out while you were nap—”
The strike of his palm across my face brought a tear to my eye, but I refused to let him see it, wiping it on my bare shoulder before I turned back to face him. My body wobbled, I was lightheaded, and the pain that vibrated through my brain was almost enough to make me sick.
His eyes widened only slightly at the realization of what he’d just done in front of people who were not inside the Colony, people who would not have his back. For a man to reprimand a woman in that way was fine and dandy behind the closed doors and in the safety of home—hell, at fourteen, I’d seen a man beat on his wife with a bat because she was sick and had coughed too much during church—but to do that shit in front of this many strangers, holy shit, my brother was mad.
There were people around us who saw the assault, many of them standing in horror as if they couldn’t believe what they had seen as he stood over me like a predator with its prey.
Jess wrapped her arm around my shoulder, pulling me in and holding out her other hand like a line of defense. “You need to back your ass up,” she said sternly, a steely gaze in her eyes. That was the thing about Jess. She could be a bitch, but when push came to shove, she would stand with me in the face of danger and try and protect me.
“It’s okay,” I told her softly, not wanting to cower. Abel was my flesh and blood, and he would take my life without a second thought if he believed it would give him more respect, more power. He was just like my father, he craved control and dominance, and in that world he got it every single damn time.
But not here.
No fucking way.
He was in my world now.
“Make you feel good to stand over a woman and hit her? Does that make you feel so fucking powerful, brother?” More people were coming over now, men as well as women who were tugging on their husband’s hands, drawing attention to the drama. Some looked like they were fucking furious, glaring at my brother as though daring him to touch me again so they could step in.
“You should know your place,” Abel hissed, keeping his voice low.
I snorted. “Did you hit your head or something? I don’t have to bow to you anymore. I’ve grown. Yet, you’re here, still playing games, still pretending to be the all mighty something. Sorry to burst your bubble, but these people don’t give a shit who you are or whose genes run through your blood. To them, you’re nothing… to me, you’re nothing.” I screamed the last word.
Abel was starting to sweat. He wouldn’t look away from me, but I could tell he was noticing the attention he was drawing in. The men behind him were openly a little more wary, shifting from foot to foot. Abel took another threatening step forward, he was losing his shit, but he froze when a voice came out of the crowd.
“Abel, Abel, Abel,” a deep rumble came from behind me. I loo
ked over my shoulder to see four men walking toward us wearing cuts. I couldn’t read the club name, but people stepped out of their way nervously as they came forward. “For a smart boy, that’s an extremely stupid thing you just went and did.”
The front man had a short cut goatee which was almost wholly gray even though he didn’t look quite old enough for the gray hairs to make sense. His hair was much the same color, cut short and sharp, reminding me of the army general of the cartoon movie Small Soldiers. All four of the men stood at least a head over Abel and his friends, like damn giants in riding leathers.
Sexy giants in riding leathers, even Jess took a minute from the drama to just appreciate these men.
My brother rolled his shoulders. “This is none of your business, Rivet.”
Rivet chuckled, the deep baritone of his voice making the sound far more menacing than humorous. “Unfortunately, you made it my business when you put your hands on a young woman who belongs to a club where I have some very close friends.” The deep, distinct rumble of Harley’s in the distance, growing ever closer, was almost damn perfect. “Naturally, I had to give them a call to let them know what was going on.”
Abel was fighting to control his temper, and just like my father, I knew there would be a breaking point. The Colony was here to try and look good, their booth set up with pamphlets and booklets and pictures all about how loving and caring the community was. They even had three or four young women standing behind the table greeting people, wearing their full-length modest dresses. This was something which was new to me, given we were never allowed outside the city in which the group resided.
Had things changed?
At this point, I really didn’t care if he hit me again. I would take so much joy in letting these people see the real side of this so-called heavenly kingdom.
“Cat got your tongue, Abel?” I taunted him with a grin, not caring that the side of my face was throbbing, and burning like it was on fire.
“Get the fuck out of here, Abel,” the biker beside Rivet demanded, rolling his eyes and shooing him with his hand. He looked much younger, his shoulders broader, with dark, messy jet black hair and an intimidating ghostly tattoo that climbed the side of his neck. “You have about thirty seconds before those bikers end up right here in the middle of this shit-storm, and make you cry like a little baby girl.”
Abel’s eyes never left mine, the dark glare full of silent threats. This situation was out of his control, and it was control that made him thrive, that fueled him and made him more powerful.
But one other thing I knew about my brother was that he was stubborn, and no matter what he came up against, he would never back down, he would never show his people he was weak because if he did, he would lose his most vital weapon—fear.
The rest of the group I could tell were unsure what to do, poised as if they were going to come for me at any second, but nervous because they obviously weren’t sure of the mistake their master had just made.
We were at a stalemate.
The roar of motorcycles got almost deafening as they pulled around the corner, slowly maneuvering into an intimidating line of more than eight bikers sporting dark leathers, club colors and penetrating stares.
I couldn’t help but smile.
Abel had the Colony and his friends, the lot of them, thinking they were strong fucking men because people would typically bow to them and shake in fear.
Not here.
They were about to get a fucking reality check, and I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t going to make me grin with glee.
“You think your family is badass?” I whispered, pushing my shoulders back and lifting my chin as I met my brother’s eyes. “Let me introduce you to mine.”
I climbed off my bike, trying not to rush to Skylar’s side as I watched her stand toe-to-toe with some fucking asshole dressed in slacks and a dress shirt. My first instinct was to protect her and check she was okay, but right now, she looked like she was holding her own pretty damn well, so I took a minute to assess the situation.
I saw Op doing the same thing as we moved forward. “Skins, Levi, round these people up and usher them out of here, I don’t need all these people in our business,” Op ordered, his voice low and deadly. He was fucking pissed, but he still had nothing on me. I was ready to stab a motherfucker the second I heard that someone had put their hands on Sky. Skins and the club’s new prospect, Levi, quickly jogged around, using their arms to herd people away nodding and assuring them that things would be dealt with and that they should continue on with their afternoon.
We didn’t move until the people were well on their way out.
Blizzard, Kev, Ham and I all followed Optimus forward as he stalked toward the group of douchebags that were standing opposite Sky and Jess. The group seemed a little nervous, the handful of young guys unable to keep still, nudging each other and whispering quietly.
A couple of bikers stepped around them from the other side of the group. I recognized them both.
“Sorry to have to drag you away from your booth,” Rivet said, holding his hand out.
Optimus shook his first and then Twist’s, who walked up behind his father.
Rivet was the President of Hell’s Bandits MC. His club had close ties to the Brothers by Blood with Rivet’s sister being married to the Brothers’ Texas Chapter President, Digger. Twist was his eldest and also a member of the club.
“Not a problem,” Op responded. “I appreciate you looking out for them. But now, I’d like to know exactly who this motherfucker is.”
This guy still hadn’t acknowledged us, not even a glance out of the corner of his eye. He was either cocky or stupid, both were about to end with him getting his ass beat.
Rivet grinned. “Be my guest.”
“Sky, Jess, get over here,” I ordered sharply. My brothers and I surrounded asshole number one and his buddies. I needed to have Sky beside me, seeing the way this guy was looking down at her like he would delight in causing her pain, made me feel uneasy and a little stabby.
Jess tugged on Skylar’s arm, dragging her toward us. She walked a couple of steps before she finally broke eye contact with the guy and spotted me standing a few feet away. I saw her confidence and composure waver for a second when her eyes met mine, and in a split second she was rushing forward. Jess ran straight to Kev who tucked her under his arm, whispering to her quietly before he gently pushed her behind him in a protective move.
These girls may be club girls, but they were fucking ours. They were part of our family, and both had been for years. We cared about them, and when they signed up to be a part of the club and do what they do, we promised to have their backs.
I managed to brace myself as Skylar barreled into me. I wrapped both my arms around her, allowing her a few seconds and several deep breaths. “I got you,” I told her, resting my head on the top of hers. She inhaled deeply before pulling back, giving me a good look at her face. Her left cheek was bright red, the shape of a hand almost perfectly imprinted across the side of her face. Her eye was bloodshot, and I could tell she was fighting through the pain.
Optimus stepped up beside me, allowing her to stay in my arms as he hooked a finger under her jaw and turned her head to him so he could examine the damage.
“Go and get the stall packed up. We’re leaving,” a voice ordered, and we all spun to see fuckhead number one ordering his boys away.
One tried to leave, but Ham stepped in front of him. The guy tried to step around, but Ham stepped into his way again, a broad smile on his face and his arms folded across his chest. “Sorry dude, you ain’t leaving till you’re told you can.”
“Explain…” Op growled to no one in particular, obviously pissed after seeing the damage to Skylar and the asshole’s blasé attitude.
“They’re from the Colony,” Skylar said and my shoulders tensed. She tried to step away, but I held her tighter, hoping that the Colony she was talking about, wasn’t the one that I had heard about in the news. “This is
my brother, Abel.” The tone of her voice was almost as though she was embarrassed to admit it.
“Your fucking brother?” I cursed.
“What happened here is none of your business,” Abel spoke to Optimus, standing his ground like he wasn’t standing in the middle of a circle of men, who wouldn’t hesitate to drop him where he stood and then bury his body in a national park. “It is an issue that is between me, my sister and God.”
Optimus laughed under his breath, holding up one finger. “See, my first problem with that is… that I don’t have a god, so I can’t rely on him to get the message through that I need to get through.” He raised a second finger. “And my second problem is… that you hit one of my girls and I’m a firm believer in an eye for an eye.”
Abel’s eyes lit up, and I could see him trying to hold his body hard and solid and not cower.
This was the difference between a man who could hold his own in a fight and a man who only went after women because he knew he had the upper hand with strength.
“Maybe if you taught your girls to only speak when they are called upon, then they would not get into situations where they needed to be reprimanded,” Abel shot back, finally finding his balls inside those tight ass fucking pants.
“And who the fuck are you to decide when a woman should speak and how they should be reprimanded?” Blizzard questioned seriously, taking a step forward, cracking his knuckles.
The shithead took in a breath, puffing his chest out like he was fucking Superman. “I am the son of the prophet. I have been given the right to do what I deem necessary to make sure that our people follow the laws, so that they may get into the celestial kingdom.”
His words were all fucking, blah, blah, blah, bullshit, that I didn’t understand, but it was obvious he believed them with everything inside his soul, either that or he was just really fucking good at talking out his fucking ass and convincing other people what he was saying was the truth.
Skylar shot out of my arms and stormed toward her brother with fire in her step. I jogged after her, grabbing her around the waist and pulling her back against my chest. She fought against me, suddenly eager to take a swing. “Nobody gave you the right to steal children away from their parents and take them who knows fucking where! Nobody gave you the right to beat helpless women and men, who have done nothing but be faithful to a liar and a con man! And nobody gave you the right to rape our cousin when she was fourteen and make her have your children!”
