Neo's Strength (Devil's Riot MC: Originals Book 8)

by E. C. Land

  “I asked you again, babe,” he says firmly as he gets even closer to me.

  To give him an answer I shrug my shoulders.

  “I would suggest Harley stay another month.” I don’t think so. She’s out of her mind. Narrowing my gaze on her, I wish I were able to shoot laser beams from my eyes.

  “I don’t think it’s a good idea,” Venom mutters his gaze going from doctor bitch back to me.

  “In all honesty, she is still at risk of doing harm to herself. Since being here she’s hardly eaten a thing. I believe she’s switching her methods of self-harm to starving herself.”

  “And if that’s the case then her family can watch over her,” Neo says, wrapping his arm around my shoulders.

  Ugh. Okay?

  “And when she ends up back in the hospital . . .”

  “With all due respect, we made a deal with Harley. She came here without fighting us and we’re taking her home. Now, unless you have a significant reason as to why my ol’ lady is still a danger to herself then she’s coming home as we agreed,” Neo says, interrupting her.

  Ignoring the doctor who continues to protest, I stare up at Neo with wide eyes.

  Did he just say what I think he did?

  Chapter Seven

  Neo

  I don’t know what it was about this doctor, but something felt off when she wanted to speak with the four of us in her office. And the way she kept insisting Harley needed to stay here another month pissed me off.

  Stepping into Harley’s room I knew something was off. More so when she refused to speak or even meet any of our gazes.

  I felt like shit after seeing how much weight Harley had lost. Weight she didn’t need to lose as it was.

  The best part of it all had been her eyes widening when I called her my ol’ lady. She’d looked like a doe in the headlights, completely confused as to what to say.

  Once the doctor was dismissed, the four of us shared a look.

  Now with it just being the five of us in the room, I release my hold on Harley and turn her to face me. “You ready to speak to any of us?” I ask quietly.

  Harley shakes her head and I can see confusion in her eyes through the tears she’s holding back.

  “Angel Eyes, if we take you home, are you going to revert back to what you were doing before?” I fuckin’ hope not.

  Harley takes a moment to let my words sink in, her gaze only leaves me long enough to look to the others in the room then comes back to mine and she shakes her head once again. Seeing the truth in her eyes, I know I can trust she won’t but that doesn’t mean I’m leaving her alone. We’d decided for a while she would be staying at the club with us.

  None of the ol’ ladies, besides Rachel, knows what happened or that she’s been here. I’m sure they’ll question us as to what she’s doing there soon as they find out I’ve claimed her as my ol’ lady.

  “Alright, then let’s get you out of here,” I say, wrapping my arm around her shoulders once again.

  Nodding, she tries to step away from me but I hold her close.

  “Is this everything, Harley?” Venom asks, nodding to the suitcase on the bed. His hardened eyes soften as he speaks to her. Not many people get that from him including the ol’ ladies.

  Again, she nods her answer.

  Fuck, why won’t she talk?

  Meeting my Prez and brothers’ gazes I see the same damn question in their eyes.

  “Then let’s get you out of here, Angel Eyes,” I murmur, guiding her out the door of the room and through the building out into the warm, fresh air.

  Venom brings her bag out and puts it on the back seat of the truck, while I lift Harley into the passenger seat. With the lift and no step bars on the side she’s not able to get in or out without help due to her height. I love the fact that she needs my help. I also like the fact I can easily pull her into me and press a kiss straight to her forehead without tilting down. Sure, when I finally get to taste her lips it’ll be a different story but I don’t give a fuck. Harley’s mine.

  Closing her door, I hit the remote start so the AC will kick on and she’s not sitting in there sweating to death. Walking to the back of my truck, I stop to speak to my Prez, Shadow, Stoney, and Venom.

  “What the fuck?” Stoney mutters.

  “That’s my same question,” I say, crossing my arms over my chest.

  “She lost a lot of weight she didn’t need to lose. Nerd looked into this place and it’s supposed to be one of the top five on the East Coast for rehabilitation. Her weight loss and not wanting to speak is not healthy,” Shadow remarks.

  “Nope, I don’t like the way that bitch of a doctor kept talking and eye fucking each of us,” Venom sneers.

  “I agree with you there, brother,” Stoney sighs. “Let’s get her back to the clubhouse. I’ve told Rachel we were bringing her home today. She decided to get the other ol’ ladies out of the clubhouse to give us a chance to get Harley there without them bombarding her first thing.”

  Fuckin’ love Rachel.

  “And you’re good with your ol’ lady being away from you all day?” Shadow asks.

  “Not really, it’s why I have Whip and Coyote out with them.” Stoney smirks.

  “Fuck, I don’t envy their job for today,” I mutter, thankful to not be playing babysitter to all the ol’ ladies.

  “Yeah, same here. At least with Harley we’re just taking her to the clubhouse,” Venom chuckles.

  “Speaking of, let’s get to it. See if you can’t get her to talk,” Stoney orders.

  Nodding, I round the side of my truck and hop in. I glance over to my woman sitting in the passenger seat and furrow my brows at the way she’s clasping her hands while looking out the side window.

  “Let’s get you out of here, Angel Eyes,” I say, causing her to jump as she turns to meet my gaze. Her eyes brimming with tears.

  Shit. I didn’t mean to scare her.

  Sighing I reach over and grab her hand. “Harley, nothing’s going to happen to you. I promise I’ll make sure no one fuckin’ hurts you ever again.”

  I don’t know if she believes me or not but Harley nods her head in agreement.

  Lifting her hand to my lips I press a gentle kiss to her palm. I release her hand to put the key in the ignition, turn it until the engine starts, and put it in drive. As I press the gas, I reach back over and slide my fingers through hers.

  I pull out on to the main road and start up conversation telling her things I’d been up to over the past month. About how I fought every Friday and Saturday night. Told her about my brothers being there to support me. I even told her about my uncle living next to the house she was renting. I didn’t tell her that since she’s been gone the owner decided he wanted to sell it so he could buy his condo down in Florida so in turn I bought it from him and now own the place. I’ll tell her that little detail later on once I hopefully get her talking.

  Chapter Eight

  Harley

  Something about Neo holding my hand and hearing his voice soothes me in a way I don’t understand. There’s so much I don’t understand right now my head hurts.

  When we hit city limits my panic begins to rise inside me as Neo turns down the road to go to the clubhouse.

  Oh no.

  I can’t go there.

  Th–That woman is there.

  “Take me home please,” I whisper, my body starting to shake.

  “What?” Neo asks, pulling over to the side of the road. “Why are you shakin’, Harley?”

  I lift my gaze to see his confused one staring back at me. He hadn’t released my hand and has twisted his body toward me. I guess he’d used his left hand to put the truck in park.

  The sounds of motorcycles rumble behind us. Stoney, Shadow, and Venom had followed us the entire way here and are still behind us as we sit still on the side of the road leading to the clubhouse.

  God knows the thought of going there makes my stomach churn.

  “Take me home please,” I say, repeati
ng myself.

  “Angel Eyes, you gotta stay with me for now,” he says gently.

  “No,” I say breathily as I shake my head in denial while closing my eyes.

  There’s a tap on the window and then the window is down. My panic starts to get the best of me.

  “What’s going on?” Stoney asks.

  “I don’t know. Harley just spoke for the first time since we picked her up,” Neo says.

  My door opens and my other hand is takin’ into one just as big as Neo’s massive one. “Harley, what’s going on?” Stoney asks.

  “Take me home please,” I whisper. “I can’t go there, not again. I don’t want it to happen again.”

  “What to happen again?” Neo demands, his hand tightening around mine.

  Maybe if they know what happened they’ll take me home and not make me see that dreadful woman again.

  I take a deep breath and open my eyes. “I don’t want her to touch me again.”

  “Angel Eyes, who are you talkin’ about?” Neo growls.

  “I don’t know her name but . . . but the last time I’d been at the clubhouse she cornered me. Said if I didn’t stop coming here she’d do to me what Mareena and Charlotte did. She put her hands on me,” I sob, admitting to what happened for the first time.

  “Fuck,” Neo mutters, releasing my hand as my other is released. Neo opens his door and gets out of the truck, rounds the hood then stands where Stoney had been. He reaches in, releases my seatbelt, and pulls me out of the truck.

  Next thing I know I’m encased in his arms. One hand cupping the back of my head as I lean into his chest. He keeps the other arm firmly wrapped around my waist.

  No one says a word or at least one I can hear as Neo calms me down with sweet words and promises that nothing else will hurt me. As my tears slow, I look up and meet his gaze.

  “You can’t stop something from happening. People hurt others all the time. You can’t promise something won’t happen,” I murmur as my demons try to break through the barrier, I put them in.

  “Angel Eyes, I sure as fuck can make those promises. I’m not about to let anyone else harm you in any way. You’ve been through enough,” he proclaims.

  “Neo’s right,” Venom speaks up. “You’re like a little sister I didn’t get to have so I’m claiming you as my family. So, babe, you can guarantee we can promise you that shit.”

  “Agreed,” Shadow rasps. “Tell us who fuckin’ touched you and they’re gone, no one touches my family.”

  Um, this is so overwhelming.

  “Goes without saying you’re family, Harley. You belong to Neo and Venom and Shadow just claimed you as their family. So, babe, I can fuckin’ promise you long as we know what’s going on meaning you talk to us, we’ll protect you in every way possible,” Stoney declares.

  I don’t know what it is about these men. Maybe it’s the fact they’re men and I don’t feel threatened by them, I’m not sure. All I know is I feel as if I can trust them. There’s not many people I can say that about but I think I can when it comes to these men. Neo, especially.

  “Okay,” I murmur softly, leaning my head against Neo’s chest.

  “Good girl, now, who touched you?” Neo asks.

  “I don’t know her name, sh–she came in the bathroom, when I was in there.” Neo’s body goes taut as he curses.

  My body starts to shake once again.

  Do they know who I’m talking about?

  “Venom, Shadow, I want you to personally see that bitch out of the clubhouse,” Stoney orders.

  “No problem, Prez,” Shadow snarls.

  “Don’t worry, Angel Eyes, she won’t touch you again. When we get to the clubhouse, I’m going to take you straight to my room while Venom and Shadow escort the cunt out.” At the mention of the clubhouse, I cringe but not as badly as before because I trust these four men.

  Nodding my head, I lift my gaze to meet his. “Cunt is not a nice word,” I whisper.

  Soon as the words leave my mouth Neo and the rest of them burst out laughing, it feels good to know I can make someone laugh.

  “Oh fuck, babe, that shit’s hilarious,” Venom chuckles.

  I shrug and tilt my head to look at one of the two men who just said I was their family. Then it dawns on me Neo claimed me as his ol’ lady. “Do you all really mean what you said? I’m yours?” I ask, blurting the question out before I can stop myself.

  “Angel Eyes, I meant every word I’ve said,” Neo says gently, lifting the hand he’d move back down to my waist. He’d not once let me go since pulling me out of the truck. Even at the rehab place, once his arm was around me, he didn’t stop touching me in some way.

  “Meant it, babe.” Venom nods.

  “Same here, Harley. Lost my little brother, feels good to call you my little sister,” Shadow announces.

  Wow.

  This is unexpected.

  “Alright, let’s get to the clubhouse,” Stoney orders.

  Neo lifts me back into the passenger seat and tells me to buckle up. He closes my door, goes to the other side, and climbs in. Before putting the truck in gear, he looks to me, “Promising you one last thing, Angel Eyes, and I want you to promise me something as well. I’m going to be here. I want to see where this goes between us. I fucked up by not going after you when I first saw you that night before shit went down. Can’t turn back time but I can be here now. Which I am, so, Harley, I want you to promise me if you feel like everything’s becoming too much you’ll come to me. And I’m promising you now I’ll lend you my strength to get you through it.”

  Um. Um. Um.

  Oh my.

  He really means what he’s promising. I can see the determination, the vow in his eyes shining through.

  “I promise,” I say, meaning the words.

  I might have been angry with him along with the rest of the world for the past month for making me go to that dreadful place and deal with those people. Only the moment I felt his strength just a few moments ago as he enveloped me in his arms, I knew. I knew I wasn’t alone anymore.

  Chapter Nine

  Neo

  Pulling up to the clubhouse, I sense the difference in Harley and I know she’s giving me her trust.

  I put the truck in park, unbuckle my seat belt, grab my cut and throw it on. As I round the hood of my truck, Harley already has her door open and I grin at the sight of her feet attempting to touch the ground.

  “Need some help there, Angel Eyes?” I offer.

  “Um.” She blushes.

  Fuckin’ beautiful.

  I step forward and pick her up by the waist. A small squeal slips past her lips going straight to my cock. I place her on her feet and wrap my arms around her. I can’t help but touch her every second I can.

  Closing her door, I turn us in the direction of the back of the clubhouse, deciding to go that way as Venom and Shadow stalk to the main doors. “I’ll get your suitcase later, okay?”

  Harley nods her head and I can sense her nervousness. I glance down at her to see her cheeks flush as her tongue slips out to wet her lips.

  Images of those very lips wrapped around my cock fill my head. Shit. Now is not the time for that, but my cock’s not hearing it as it stiffens. I haven’t fucked or been sucked off by a woman since before I found Harley near death that day in her house.

  Which reminds me, I need to finish the master bathroom remodel in the house. After the house was signed over to me, I completely gutted that room along with Harley’s bedroom. I’m not about to be reminded every time I go in there of how I found her.

  Soon as I open the back door, I guide Harley inside keeping her close to me. I quickly move us toward my room. Just as I get the door open a high pitch screeching comes from another hallway and I grin.

  Yeah, that bitch is getting removed from the clubhouse and though my Prez didn’t say it loud enough for Harley to hear, Jezebel is being taken down to the Pocket. As he promised, the cunt wouldn’t be touching her ever again.

  No
ne of us like to hurt women, but the moment a woman does something to violate or cause harm to someone else, they’re no longer seen as anything but a monster in my eyes or any of our eyes.

  Only when I close my door to the room do I remove my arm from around Harley. I watch her as she glances around my room. I try to take in my room as she would see it. A bed centered against a wall in the corner with a headboard, Rage carved for me himself and gave to me for my seventeenth birthday. The unique design had my name encased into it. On either side were angel wings. One for both my parents, he’d told me.

  It’s one of the best gifts I’ve ever received.

  Across from the bed on the opposite wall is my dresser with shit strewn across the top. My desk was near another wall. Since Bear left, I’d taken over his room. I didn’t want to at first but he’d said when he came back, he didn’t want to stay in the room he’d shared with his ol’ lady for so long. Now after being in here for a while I’m thankful to have it since I finally have my own bathroom. My old room didn’t have one. Members who aren’t officers have rooms down another hallway and have to share a bathroom that has two stalls and two showers.

  I’m not an officer but because of Bear’s request it was granted to me as he and Momma B saw me as another son.

  The room looked like any other to me, my clothes were falling out of the laundry basket and my boots were tossed in the corner.

  I step around Harley and make my way to my desk. I reach into my pockets and empty everything out. I then pull my gun out of the waistband of my jeans as I open the palm scan safe, I use to put my gun in. I don’t like to keep it out just in case one of the kids were to somehow get into my room.

  Finally, I turn my attention to Harley to see she hadn’t moved. “You okay, Angel Eyes?” I ask.

  “Um, yeah, I guess so,” she murmurs nervously.

  “Harley, don’t be nervous. No one is going to do anything to you. Including me, unless you say otherwise,” I say reassuringly.

  Nodding, she relaxes a little bit. “I’m confused about what you mean about this whole you and me thing,” she states, her eyes dropping to the floor as she clasps her hands together.