"Are we staying in a hotel or a caravan?" Devon asked.
"A hotel," well it was a refuge but Devon wouldn't know the difference, that's if they had room for us. If they didn't have space I was unsure of what I was going to do with only £203.37, after putting petrol into the car to get us to our destination.
"Does it have a swimming pool? Lucy at school went on holiday to a place called Spain and she had a swimming pool. They were only going to stay for one week but they were having so much fun that her daddy booked another week."
Lucy's father probably didn't beat the shit out of Lucy's mother though, so they probably liked spending time together!
"Is dad coming?"
Tommy had been quiet up until this point. "No he's not coming Tommy." I glanced at him in the rear view mirror to see him nod his head as he looked out of the window with a small smile on his face.
"Why isn't he coming? Is he busy at work?" Devon asked.
"Yeah, he's going to be busy at work for a very long time!" I wasn't ready to discuss all of the details at this point in time. I needed to think about it properly and break the news to them gently although I was starting to think that they wouldn't be too bothered.
The journey was long and boring, more so now that the twins had both fallen asleep although this had given me a little thinking time. Once we were settled I would need to find a job and think about enrolling the children in school eventually. I knew that the refuge could help with such things but I had been so dependent on Liam over the years, that I knew I was going to find this more difficult than I originally thought. The big question was could I actually stop Liam from finding us? If he found out where we were he would most certainly come and get us and there was no way of knowing what he would do. I didn't want to live in fear for the rest of my life, I needed to be clever and make sure I covered all of our tracks and that started by driving at the speed limit so that I didn't break the law and get any tickets.
My stomach rumbled loudly and I quickly realised that I hadn't eaten since lunchtime yesterday. I didn't have a watch and I had purposely covered the clock in the car so I didn't know what the time was but I assumed it was now approaching lunch time because of the distance we had travelled.
Since the first physical attack in the kitchen six years ago, I had found it difficult to look at clocks and only did so when absolutely necessary. This to a normal person would probably sound ridiculous. It reminded me of that awful day that had been pivotal to the changes in my life but this little act of control gave me a coping mechanism to deal with the shit life that I had been handed.
Bang!
The car jerked forward and the engine spluttered, it felt like I'd lost power and I had to quickly change to first gear as we coasted down the high street.
Bang!
The car came to an abrupt halt and I let it roll to the side of the road just stopping short before it hit a motorcycle.
"Shit!" I glanced quickly at the children who were still fast asleep and although I knew that the car had broken down, I smiled shaking my head slowly as I couldn't believe that the children had slept through the loud noises the car had just made.
Stepping out of the vehicle I stretched to try and relieve some of the mounting tension and walked around the car to see if there were any visible issues, not that I would know what to look for as I was a novice when it came to things like this.
Looking up and down the unassuming street, I noticed the two motorcycles in front of the car in more detail. They were large motorcycles, and the sun reflected off the shiny metal indicating that they were well looked after. I didn't know who they belonged too as the street was fairly empty but I was grateful that I hadn't hit the first bike as it would have created a domino effect in the direction of a 4x4.
Spike
"What the fuck was that?" Duke asked as he stood making his way towards the door of the cafe.
Diesel and I left our food and followed him outside to see a petite mousy looking bird standing by a car that had smoke pumping out of the engine.
She quickly realised that it was now on fire and opened the door, struggling to move the passenger seat forward.
She glanced around panicked, "My kids are in the back seats asleep, please help me!" She screeched, fighting with the plastic lever on the side of the seat.
I ran to her aid, shoving her out of the way slightly so that I could pull back the seat, and lent inside to retrieve a young girl from the rear seat. I lifted her carefully and rested a hand on top of her head so that she didn't bang it as I backed out and to my surprise she instantly snuggled into my embrace. I glanced over at Diesel who was now doing the same but was holding a young boy of about four or five in his arms. The boy whimpered rousing from his sleep, probably scared by what was going on and being woken by Diesel.
Once they were safely away from the car we stood on the pavement outside the cafe. Duke released the hand break and managed to push the vehicle back slightly so that it wasn't in direct contact with our motorcycles.
Bang!
Another loud boom echoed around the street as the fire took hold of the vehicle.
"Shit, my bags are in there!"
Duke made a grab for 'mousy' as she bolted towards the vehicle and managed to grasp her arm before she got too close. He pulled her towards him and held her firmly as she struggled to get free from his arms. Duke briefly glanced over in my direction when her top rode to reveal bruising, substantial bruising on her midriff.
"Look babe, I'm gonna let you go but you can't go over to the car. Think about your kids, who's gonna look after them if you get hurt?"
This hit a cord and she slowly calmed turning quickly to take the boy from Diesel's arms. This is when we all got a good look at the woman in front of us for the first time. She had a natural beauty under all the makeup but it was obvious why it was there. The bruising was evident around her left eye and I could also see lacerations around her neck. Diesel and Duke glanced at me with raised eyebrows and I immediately understood their unspoken words. We'd all experienced the effects of domestic violence at some stage in our lives, which in retrospect had turned us into the men we were today but time hadn't healed the anger we had for the men that had abused our mothers.
I was pulled from my thoughts to the sound of sirens faintly in the distance.
"Go on, get the kids inside. I'll deal with the fire fighters when they arrive." Duke stated shooing us away as the flames had now taken hold of the vehicle.
The young girl wriggled again trying to get comfortable and I moved my arms to accommodate her new position. I couldn't remember a time when I'd held a child and was thankful that it wasn't a newborn as I wouldn't have known what to do.
Taking the lead I walked into the cafe, to sit at the table I had vacated earlier. I still had the girl in my arms but didn't want to wake her, she looked so peaceful and there was enough going on without a child running around. I glanced over at her mum who looked totally out of her depth with the situation and was on the verge of breaking down with tears glistening, threatening to fall.
"I called the fire brigade, do we also need an ambulance?" Amy asked as she came over to us assessing the situation.
I glanced over at 'mousy', "Do you need to see a doctor?" I asked with raised eyebrows looking towards her waist.
She glanced down noticing that her t-shirt had revealed her bruises and perched on the chair as she frantically pulled her top so that she was now covered, "No I'm fine thank you." She said quietly.
"And the kids?" I asked more intently as the little one on my lap started to stir.
"They're also fine." She stated opening her arms so the little boy could fit snugly on her lap.
I nodded my head accepting her response and glanced down to see a set of beautiful blue eyes staring at me.
"Hello, I'm Spike." I said introducing myself, not knowing if the girl was old enough to have a full on conversation, in fact I didn't know anything about kids.
She eased her
self forward so that she was now sitting on my lap and looked around the cafe.
"I'm Devon but I'm also starving. Mum can we have something to eat?" She glanced at her mother with pleading eyes.
I was shocked by her demeanour as I hadn't expected that, considering everything that was going on.
"What would you like Devon?" Amy asked as she removed her note pad from her tabard.
Devon glanced at her mum making sure it was okay to order as she simply nodded.
"Can I please have a strawberry milkshake and sausage and mash with lots of gravy?"
"And little man, what would you like?" Amy asked quietly looking at the young boy sitting on his mum's lap.
"He'll have sausage, chips and beans with a chocolate milkshake and could I please have a cup of tea."
I thought it strange that she ordered for him as he looked to be about the same age as Devon who certainly wasn't backwards in coming forwards! This bird also looked like she could eat a good meal herself and I was surprised that she just ordered a cup of tea.
"Ames, can I also get a tea when you're ready." I asked not taking my eyes off the wallflower in front of me. "What's your name babe?" I asked with a nod of the head.
She was a little taken aback by my address but I needed a name, I couldn't keep calling her babe and mousy.
"Sorry, my name is Louise and this is Tommy and you've already been introduced to Devon." She said gesturing with her hand towards the girl who was still sitting on my lap but was now rubbing her hands up and down my arms.
"Do you like them?" I asked smirking at her as she contemplated my tattoos.
"I like the flowers but I don't like the skulls." She said skimming around the outline of my designs with her finger.
"Devon, can you please sit on a chair." Louise asked with panic evident in her voice.
I could see the anguish on her face and if I flipped the situation, I don't think many mothers would be fine with their young child sitting on a stranger's lap, especially if the stranger looked like me.
"I'm fine mum." Devon said softly, raising her eye brows as she continued to move her finger around the flower tattoo on my arm.
"Devon, sit on a chair now." Louise stated with a little more force.
Oh she did have a little fire in her belly after all, "Come on poppet, do as your mum asks."
Louise looked at me with a questioning look as I moved Devon off my lap and onto the chair opposite.
Diesel caught my eye and smiled shaking his head slightly, "I'm gonna see if Duke needs me." He stood placing his hands in his pockets before strolling out of the cafe to leave me with Louise and the kids.
"Mum can I go to the toilet?" Tommy asked as he held himself with both hands jigging around on Louise's lap.
I caught her eye as she looked between Devon and I, torn as to what to do.
"I'm not a fucking paedophile or an axe murderer so I think she'll be safe with me." I spat fucking annoyed. I had just helped save her kids from a burning car. Would I have gone to all that trouble if I was such an arsehole?
"Louise, I'll keep an eye on her." Amy said softly as she placed the children's lunches on the table.
Louise nodded hesitantly as she escorted Tommy to the toilet.
"Ouch! What was that for?" I asked as Amy smacked me on the arm to a round of giggles from Devon.
"Her car just blew up and her children were saved by you lot," she stated gesturing with her hand towards the guy's standing outside. "She's probably petrified, so cut her some slack."
I nodded my head as I looked at Devon who was still giggling trying to eat her lunch.
"What you laughing at monkey?"
She stopped laughing and looked at me with a serious face, "I like poppet better than monkey."
"Oh do you now, well poppet it is."
Amy lightly squeezed my shoulder before she went to get our drinks.
Devon continued to eat her lunch but stopped abruptly like she had an eureka moment, "Didn't you have paper when you were a kid?" she blurted out quickly.
I looked at her confused, "What do you mean?"
"The drawings on your arms," she stated pointing at my tattoos.
Her comment made me snigger, she was certainly a breath of fresh air. "I had lots of paper growing up, probably the one thing I did have a lot of as a child."
Her face saddened slightly, "I drew on myself once and dad got angry because I had paper to draw on rather than my skin."
So there was a dad, I had briefly wondered but this intrigued me and I found myself wanting to find out more about him.
"So where's your dad now Devon?" I asked trying to keep the conversation light.
"He's too busy at work so mum has taken us on holiday. We're staying in a hotel and it might have a swimming pool."
Busy at work? More like mums done a runner.
"Can you swim?"
"Yeah! Mum said I should've been a mermaid."
Her statement made me smile, "And what about Tommy, can he swim?"
"Yeah but he's not as good as me," she stated as a matter of fact.
"So how come you're so chatty and your brother is so quiet?" There must be a reason for this. He was very clingy in comparison to Devon and Louise handled him with kid gloves. Devon continued to eat her lunch slowly, only stopping to take a sip of her milkshake.
"He makes daddy angry."
"Right that's enough Devon, stop boring Spike with your stories." Louise sat at the table with Tommy closely by her side. She quickly picked up a paper napkin and wiped the strawberry moustache from Devon's top lip.
"Come on you two eat up, we need to get going soon." Louise said to encourage the children to eat their meals.
"Devon informs me that you're on holiday." I looked at her closely to observe her reaction, it was none of my business but I'd decided to make it mine.
Louise fidgeted and couldn't make eye contact, "Yeah that's right." She said quietly.
I decided not to push her further, I'd received enough information to know that my hunches were correct.
"It's fucking pissing it down out there," Duke said walking towards us leaving a trail of water on the floor closely followed by Diesel. "I'm sorry to say it babe but your car's a write off."
I turned to see Louise rub her forehead trying to control her emotions. She let out a loud sigh, "I don't care about the car to be honest. I just want to thank you all for getting the kids out on time. If it wasn't for you, I don't know what may have happened." She smiled a genuine smile and placed her arms around both children to give them a squeeze.
"Not a problem, do you need a lift somewhere?" Duke asked sincerely.
"No thanks, I don't think the hotel is far." She stated helping Tommy to put on his jacket.
I couldn't understand her haste to get the kids ready, they'd been through a traumatic event this afternoon and hadn't even finished their lunch.
"I feel bad, you haven't got a car and it's pissing down." He stood glancing at his watch as he continued to push her to say yes. He had his motorcycle here but he could borrow the keys to my Jeep to take them.
Louise looked like a rabbit caught in the headlights of a car and glanced towards Amy. What was that look? Did she need reassurance or support?
"What's the name of the hotel?" Diesel had now joined the conversation, "You don't have any luggage now, so we could fit you all in Spike's Jeep."
They looked at her expectantly and I could see that Louise was now breathing heavily, like she was about to have a panic attack, "Honestly we're fine, I just need to go." She grabbed for her hand bag.
"Don't be silly, we're offering to help." Duke leaned forward and placed his hand on her shoulder, she quickly recoiled from what was supposed to be a kind gesture and tears fell from her eyes.
There was an uncomfortable silence as we watched Louise on the verge of a meltdown.
"I'm going to Somerset House!" She shouted and I could see an array of emotions on her face. She threw some money on the table
and quickly stood grabbing Tommy and Devon by the wrists as she dragged them out of the cafe.
"Bye Spike." Devon said waving with her free hand.
"Bye poppet."
Amy joined us at the table, "Fucking hell guys, you didn't handle that very well."
"I just didn't think." Duke said in his own defence.
"Clearly!"
"Alright smart arse. I just assumed that when she said hotel, that's what she meant regardless of the bruises."
We all knew what Somerset House was, Amy had worked at the women's refuge for a few years now, helping out where possible. If Louise was going there, then things had to be serious.
We all clearly saw the bruises on Louise but I was starting to have my suspicions that Tommy had also been knocked about by his dad.
"Louise lost everything in that car so I contacted a couple of the ladies at the club earlier and asked them to have a whip round. I also asked Tyler to pop to Primark to pick up some essentials for the kids, I hope you don't mind Mitchell?"
"Would it matter if I did?" he asked with humour in his voice.
"No!" Amy answered with a smile, "He just text me, he'll be here soon and then I'll ask Tia to hold the fort while I drop the clothes off to her."
"Well, as much as I'd like to stay and help further, I've gotta get back to Ink." Diesel stood throwing some money on the table for the food he ate earlier.
"And I've gotta get back to work, one of us needs to be bringing money into the club." He said looking at us with humour in his eyes.
We said our goodbyes and Amy moved so that she was now sitting next to me at the table.
"What do you think Ames?" I asked referring to Louise and the kids.
"I see it all the time Connor, doesn't make it any easier though." She let out a loud sigh, "The good thing is that she got away as that's the first big step and always the most difficult."
We turned to the sound of Tyler coming through the door with an array of bags and bin liners filled with clothes.
"I'm gonna need to get these to her today. Can you give me a lift over there?"
Spike (Aces MC Series Book 3) Page 3
