by Bella Jewel
“I...he...I...”
“Meadow, speak to me,” he bellows.
“At...L-l-l-lady’s. H-h-he...drugged...help.”
“Who drugged you? Did someone hurt you? Where are you, Meadow?” he yells frantically.
“I...” I begin to sob hysterically.
“Shit, baby, talk to me.” His voice comes across with more concern than I’ve ever heard before.
“He tried to r-r-rape...”
“What?” he says, and his voice is suddenly dripping with venom.
“I need...h-h-help.”
“I’m coming, tell me where you are, Meadow?”
“L-l-lady’s,” I murmur, before the phone slips from my hand and smashes onto the ground.
Then everything goes black.
~*~*~*~
“Where the fuck is she?”
I hear the angry roar, and I blink my eyes open. It’s so dark out now, and there are tiny bugs flying around my face. I hear the sound of music, and people chattering. I blink a few more times, realizing I’m alone, and freezing. My teeth begin to chatter together, as I force myself out from underneath the chair, and up into a sitting position. My head spins, and I’m disorientated for a second.
Until I remember why I’m lying here.
Cold fear shoots through my body, and I stare down to see that I’m not wearing any panties. Oh God, Trigg. He tried to...oh...bile rises in my throat, and I begin to panic, trying to move toward my clothes as tears trickle down my cheeks. Cool air whips through the gazebo, and I’m still struggling to fight past the cold taking over my body.
“Meadow?”
I hear Axel’s bellow, and I snap my head up. He’s here?
“A-a-axel?” I cry out as loudly as I can. Even then, it’s a pathetic whimper.
“I don’t know where she is,” Lady cries. “I thought she was in the house.”
“She’s in trouble,” Axel roars at her. “She’s hurt.”
I try to reach out for my panties, but my hands are shaking so badly I can’t wrap my fingers around them. My sobbing is loud and crackly, and my heart is thumping. I feel ill, knowing what nearly happened out here tonight. I hear the crunching sound of boots, and I lift my head to see Axel step into the gazebo. The moment his eyes fall on me, anger washes over them, but he drops to his knees in front of me anyway.
“Shit, Cricket, I got you,” he murmurs, reaching out for me.
“Oh God, Axel,” I hear Lady breathe from behind him.
I sob harder, and reach for Axel. He shrugs off his jacket, and wraps it around me before scooping me up into his arms. My bottom half is still bare, and Lady quickly takes off her shawl and drapes it over me.
“She’s fuckin’ freezing. We need to get her warm.”
“I...I’m sorry Axel,” Lady says, her eyes wide in horror. “I didn’t...”
“We’ll talk about this as soon as we find out who did this to her.”
Axel walks with me around the back of the house, and he enters through the back entrance. He takes the steps, two at a time, until he reaches the top.
The moment we’re in the spare room, he lays me down onto the bed, and takes the blanket, rolling it over me. My teeth are chattering together, and I feel sick to my stomach. I lift my eyes, and through my tears I see Axel looking down at me. He’s angry—no he’s wild—but he’s trying to keep calm.
“What. Happened?” he bites out.
“I...”
He turns away quickly, getting a glass of water from the beside table. “Drink this, Cricket. You need to flush whatever drugs are in your body out.”
“He must have d-d-drugged me,” I whisper, sipping the water. “I...he gave me a beer and I w-w-went for a walk. He came in, and...”
“And what?” Axel growls, clenching his fists.
“H-h-he touched me.”
Axel leans down, meeting my eyes dead on. “You need to tell me, girl, straight down the line. Did he fuckin’ rape you?”
I shake my head weakly. “He...used his f-f-fingers. Someone called out just as he...as he...” I close my eyes, and tears leak down my face.
“It’s all right,” Axel says, trying to soothe me, but his voice is coming out like gravel.
“He just started to r-r-rape me when someone called out,” I croak. “He r-r-ran off and told me if I told anyone, he would k-k-kill me.”
Axel’s fists tighten. “He put his dick in you?”
I nod weakly. “Only for a s-s-second.”
Axel stands, spinning around, and smashing a nearby lamp. Then he whirls back to me, and the look on his face is murderous. “What’s his name?”
“T-t-t-trigg.”
Axel spins, and charges towards the door.
“Axel...” I squeak out.
He turns, his face ripped with rage. He must see fear in my eyes, because his expression softens a touch. He walks over, leaning down, and pressing a warm, soothing kiss to my forehead. His hand is wrapped around the back of my head, and he stays there like that for a long moment with his lips pressed against me. He pulls back, and strokes my cheek softly.
“I’m goin’ to sort this, you know I gotta. You need to rest. You’ve got drugs in your system. You want me to shower you first, before I go?”
I shake my head, knowing that he needs to deal with this. I want him to deal with this.
“I’ll come back, okay?” he says. “You rest.”
I nod, and he tucks the blankets tighter around me before storming out of the room.
I close my eyes. God help Trigg.
CHAPTER 19
AXEL
To show weakness is a sin, I’ll never let you in.
I storm down the stairs, trying to control the burning anger inside my chest. My fists are shaking. I want to get hold of this fucker and tear his fucking head off. Lady comes rushing in, just as I hit the bottom step. Her eyes are wide, and she looks devastated.
“Axel,” she says. “I’m so sorry.”
“You were meant to be watching her,” I roar. “I trusted you with her safety.”
“I didn’t think...I didn’t expect something like this would happen. I thought I could trust them all, and...”
I step toward her, grinding my teeth. “He fuckin’ raped her, Lady. He put his dick inside her, he drugged her, and he tried to fuck her.”
“W-w-w-who?” she says, with a trembling lip.
“Trigg.”
Her eyes widen, and she shakes her head from side to side. “No, he wouldn’t...”
“You want me to take you up there and see that broken girl?” I roar.
“Axel, please, this has to be some sort of misunderstanding...”
“It’s not.”
I hear a voice coming from behind me, and I spin to see another man with blonde hair holding a tall, squirming guy in his grips.
“Coby, what are you doing?” Lady gasps.
“I saw him running from the gazebo earlier, but I didn’t know Meadow was in there. He was fumbling with his pants. I figured he was just pissing, but when I heard what went down, I found him trying to fuckin’ leave, and I found these in his pockets.”
Coby lifts a hand full of drugs, and my rage gets the better of me. I charge over, ripping the scumbag from Coby’s hands and slamming him so hard against the wall his head busts open. He bellows in pain, and begins to plead. “She wanted it, she said she wanted it,” he yells in a high-pitched, squeaky voice.
I lift my fist and I drive it into his face, busting his nose. Blood spurts out, but I don’t stop. I drive another fist into his eye, relishing in the feeling of his bones crunching.
“Axel, stop!” Lady cries.
I spin around panting. “This is my business now, Lady. I’m takin’ him.”
“We will call the police, and...”
I step toward her, letting the scumbag drop to the ground. Coby reaches out, putting his boot down on him, stopping him from crawling away.
“Meadow is club property, and he fucked with club p
roperty. This is my business now, and if you call the police, you’re only goin’ to get questioned. I’m goin’ to deal with him, and you’re goin’ to stay out of it.”
“Axel,” she whispers. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know...I didn’t know he would do that, and if I had...I would have never...”
I can see the genuine pain in her eyes. She really believed this guy wasn’t bad. I walk over, controlling my rage for long enough to put my hands on her shoulders. “I know, Lady. It wasn’t your fault. I’m goin’ to deal with this now, but what you can do is go and look after my girl until I get back.”
She nods. “I will, I swear.”
She stares down at Trigg on the floor, groaning in pain. “I trusted you,” she whispers, shaking her head sadly. “I hope he makes it hurt.”
When she disappears up the stairs, I turn to Coby. He’s glaring down at Trigg, and his foot is planted firmly on his ribs.
“You fancy a ride?” I growl.
He looks up at me. “You’re gonna let me in on this?”
I stare down at the worthless piece of shit on the floor, then back up at him. “I figure he wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you, so yeah, I’m lettin’ you in.”
Coby leans down, hurling Trigg up. “Then let’s do this.”
~*~*~*~
“Please,” Trigg bellows, thrashing in the chains.
I’m standing in front of him. Coby and Cobra are to my left, and Colt and Jax are to my right. They were all too eager to be in on this when they found out what the scumbag did.
“You think it’s okay to fuck women that don’t want it?” I growl.
“I...I...” he stammers.
“You think it’s okay to drug them so they don’t get a choice?”
“I just...I just...”
“You fuckin’ answer me, boy,” I roar.
“No!” he cries. “No!”
I take step toward him, and the knife in my hand shimmers in the dull light. “Did it turn you on to see that she couldn’t move?”
His eyes are frantic, and he begins babbling again.
“I wonder how it’ll feel when I cut your dick off, and you can’t do anything to stop me.”
“Please,” he cries. “Please, I won’t do it again. Don’t hurt me. I fucked up. I swear I won’t do it again.”
I take another step forward, yanking his pants down. I glare at his flaccid cock with a rage that is uncontrollable.
“That was my girl you fucked,” I spit. “No one fucks with my girl.”
“Please!” he screams.
I stare at his dick, and turn to Cobra. “Hold it up.”
His face scrunches up. “Fuck that, I ain’t touchin’ that shit.”
“Don’t be such a fuckin’ pussy, hold it.”
Jax snorts from behind me, and I glare at him.
“Boss, seriously, you want us to touch his fuckin’ dick.”
“Someone needs to so I can make sure I get it right off.”
“No!” Trigg screams, twisting and turning.
“Shut the fuck up,” I bark at him. “Come on you pussies, hold his fuckin’ dick.”
“You hold it then,” Colt says, walking over. “I’ll cut it.”
“Fuck that, I need this satisfaction.”
They shake their heads, putting their hands up. “Then you hold it, boss.”
“Bunch of girls!” I mutter staring down at Trigg. “I’m not touchin’ his cock.”
“I have a better idea,” Coby says.
I turn in time to see him pull a blowtorch off the wall, and light it. My grin is wide.
“Good choice, boy.”
CHAPTER 20
MEADOW
There’s enough room in my heart for you, come in, I’ll welcome two.
That night, after Lady comes in and helps me shower, I cry myself into exhaustion. She tried to give me some food, but my stomach couldn’t handle it, so with a kiss to the head and whispered sorry, she left. I know she’s blaming herself, and maybe when my emotions aren’t so shaken I’ll tell her it wasn’t her fault. It was no one’s fault, except maybe mine, for accepting the drink so easily.
I clutch Axel’s jacket to my chest, breathing in the smell of leather mixed with that smell that is all Axel’s. I haven’t heard from him. It’s been more than five hours, and I’ve not heard anything. It’s early hours, now, and I’m still listening for that rumble of his Harley-Davidson. I can’t hear it. Is he hurt? Or worse? My heart pounds angrily in my chest, and I try to do anything to take my mind off it.
My phone vibrates beside me, and I peer down at it. The number on the screen is Cobra’s. My heart nearly leaps out of my throat, and my entire body stiffens. Why would Cobra be texting me? He would never text me...unless...with trembling hands, I open the message and read what he’s written.
C - Boss is on his way. He’s in bad shape. I know you’re fucked right now, but he needs you. Take care of him. Yeah?
I feel sudden relief flood my system, and I quickly reply.
M - I promise.
A moment later my phone beeps again.
C - You doin’ ok?
My heart swells that one of these guys, one of these brothers, would even ask me such a thing.
M - I’m doin’ ok.
I smile at the response I get, because I can imagine Cobra saying it.
C - Well, alrighty then.
I listen for Axel’s bike for a long, long time. Three hours later, I hear the rumble as it comes to a stop outside of Lady’s house. I get out of my bed, and with shaky legs I walk out of my door and to the top of the steps. I hear the front door slam, and when I see Axel, I gasp. Lady walks out, and she does the same, stopping in her tracks.
He’s got blood all over him.
I mean...all over him.
His hair is messy, his face is gritty, and there’s blood on his cheeks, on his hands, on his arms, on his shirt, and on his jeans. Lady covers her mouth, and he gives her a sad expression, then he turns and looks up at me. The pain and utter exhaustion I see in his eyes makes my heart ache. He takes a step toward me, and then doesn’t stop until he’s a step down.
Looking up at me, I can see something I’ve never seen in Axel’s eyes before.
It’s need.
He needs me.
He drops his head forward into my belly, and I react by wrapping my arms around it, holding him to me. I try to ignore the smell of burned flesh on his clothing because I know Axel doesn’t cuddle, but this is his way of showing me that he just needs me with him, and I need to be there. I stroke his hair, ignoring the blood there, and when he lifts his head, I reach out and take his hand, walking us to the shower.
The moment we get in, I turn and take hold of his shirt, slowly lifting it over his head. He works with me, lifting his arms when I need. I move to his jeans next, trying to ignore the mass amounts of blood on them. I unbuckle his belt, and then I slide it out of the loops before unbuttoning him and lowering his jeans. When he’s naked before me, I quickly strip out of my own clothes.
I don’t take my eyes off his.
I take his hand, and pull him into the shower the moment I’m naked. The first thing I do is fill my palms with soap and begin lathering it over his skin, taking extra long on the bits coated in dried blood. The bubbles foam red, and I feel my stomach turn, but I don’t stop. I rub until there’s nothing left, and all the blood has washed down the drain. Then, I reach up with a palm full of shampoo, and I begin to lather his head. He puts his palms on the wall in front of him, and drops his head, closing his eyes.
I finish up, and then I slowly turn him around, and tuck myself into his chest. He doesn’t put his arms around me, because Axel doesn’t hug. It doesn’t matter, though; he’s letting me hold onto him, which I know we both need. He lowers his mouth to my ear, and in a crackly voice, he rasps, “He bled for you, and anyone who ever hurts you again will bleed for you.”
~*~*~*~
I stare down at Axel as he sleeps, knowing he’s exhau
sted. He’s on his back, with his hands up near the pillows. He’s breathing deeply, and I know he needs this rest.
I slip out of the bed, and I tiptoe out of the room. I walk down the stairs, and into the lounge. I peer around, looking for Lady, and I see her outside with a phone pressed into her hand. I step out, and she spins around when she sees me.
“What are you doing, Lady?” I ask.
She looks at me sadly. “I just called Coby, I needed to make sure he was okay...”
“Is he?” I say, walking over, and leaning against the railing.
“He is. He said Axel was ruthless.”
I swallow. “I don’t imagine he would have made it easy on Trigg.”
She looks out over the yard. “Trigg deserved what he got. I just...I feel like I failed somehow.”
I take her hand, and she looks down at me. “You didn’t fail, Lady. Some people can’t be helped—or, worse, they don’t want to be. Sometimes you can give a person everything you are, but it won’t mean they’re going to give it back. He didn’t want to accept a better path. That’s not your fault.”
“You know, when Axel came to me, I thought I’d never be able to help him. He was so broken. So angry. But then, with time, something happened, and he found a way back, even just a little. With love, and understanding, and space, he found his way. I made it my life’s mission to help people after him, and I’ve had a few go through. Coby and Trigg were my most recent, and Coby has come so far, but Trigg...I just...I’m so sorry, Meadow.”
I squeeze her hand. “This isn’t your fault. Sometimes these things...happen.”
“You’re a brave girl. What you just did in there, for him...you don’t know how much strength that took.”
“He’s everything to me,” I say, looking away. “If I didn’t do it, then who would have?”
She cups my cheek. “He’s lucky to have you. You’re going to be the reason he keeps fighting. Promise me that no matter what happens you won’t let him push you away. He’ll try, it’s how Axel works, but promise me you’ll fight for him.”
“I promise,” I say with determination in my voice.
“How’s he holding up now?”
I shrug. “I’m not sure. I imagine Axel has seen worse in his life—hell, I’m sure he’s even done worse, but it rattles him all the same.”
