by E. C. Land
Finally, unable to take anymore, Harlow collapses to her knees and her hands go to her head as she screams out her pain. Falling to my knees in front of her, I pull her against my chest holding her to me as she gives me every ounce of pain pouring out of her.
“I’ve got you, baby. I’ve got you. Let it go,” I mutter soothingly as I close my eyes and rest my cheek against the top of her head.
Hearing her screams of pain from all she’s endured and allowed to build inside her, I wish I could go back in time and protect her from all of what she went through. However, if I did that, she wouldn’t be the woman she is. All I can do now is make sure she knows without a doubt she’s not alone. Not anymore and that’s the way it’s going to stay until I’m not breathing anymore.
Chapter Thirteen
Raven
At the sound of Harlow’s screams, I close my eyes and squeeze them together. I hate having to hear them. But the wind told me she needed this. To release all of the pain inside her. Everything she was holding on to. If she didn’t, I knew she would go back to being the Harpy and leave once again. I also knew if she did this, none of us would find her, not this time around.
“What the fuck?” I open my eyes at the snarling question coming from Stoney as he approaches the table I was sitting at with Blaze. Shadow and everyone else were sitting silently around us. Some of them were drinking beers, others were taking shots.
My gaze goes from Stoney to the woman in his arms.
The very same woman he nearly lost.
Rachel.
All because he was buried in his own head being stubborn while hurting his ol’ lady. If measures weren’t taken they’d have lost each other completely. Now it looked to be as if everything were on track.
I try not to think what they endured during those days. I was having to go through my own terrors, something I prefer to keep blocked out of my mind, not wanting the reminder. Hell, Blaze doesn’t even like to think of it, either. We’d spoken of it once and after that we swore to never talk about it again. For us, and our boys. Matthew and Mark.
“Someone going to tell me what the hell is going on here? Why you’re all sitting here while someone is screaming like a fuckin’ banshee?” Stoney demands.
“Prez, it’s Harlow’s screams coming from the gym,” Tracker says, standing from his chair where he’d been sitting silently holding my best friend close. This has been a struggle for Victoria. She hates seeing anyone who she loves hurt. After we found out about Harlow and what she had been doing without any of us knowing, Victoria felt it. The guilt of not seeing it for what it was when Harlow pretty much cut contact with all of us.
“Again, someone want to explain.” I close my eyes and shake my head.
“Easy, little bird,” Blaze murmurs, his hand cups the back of my head and pulls me to him. Ever since the beginning, this man has been my anchor. I don’t think I could truly deal with everything the wind throws at me. Sometimes it can be intense, and Blaze is always there to keep me grounded.
“Ranger asked us to clear the gym and not to come in there no matter what we heard,” Shadow rasps.
“Fuckin’ hell,” Stoney growls and I can sense the anger rolling off him in waves. Anger on behalf of Harlow. Every last man in this room is affected by what they’re hearing right now, same as the women. Well, other than clubwhores who seem to merely be annoyed by it.
“None of us like it, but it has to be done,” Blaze mutters, speaking for me.
“This shit fuckin’ sucks.” This came from Venom.
Stoney sits in a chair and pulls Rachel into his lap wrapping himself around her. I’ve notice he does this a lot now. And even more so than ever when he’s working in his office, he has her with him there as well. It’s almost as if what they went through shook him to the point that he needs her near him as much as possible.
I can understand this, I prefer to be where Blaze is as well.
I don’t know how much time passes when Harlow’s screams of agony finally stop.
“Do you think it’s okay to go back there and check on them now?” Victoria whispers.
Taking a moment to listen to the wind, I shake my head. “No, they need this time alone. Harlow has just released every ounce of her pain to Ranger.”
“What?” Venom asks, brows furrowed in confusion. He doesn’t understand and normally thinks I’m nuts. Which I would agree with him. I am.
“Harlow has been through so much in her life, she’s never shared her pain with anyone. Not even when she was five and lost her dad. I don’t think she ever knew how to share this and in doing so built a wall within her soul that blocks every little bit of pain behind it.”
“I get that, but why doesn’t she just go see a therapist or something,” Venom suggests, earning a growling response from Stoney as Rachel winces. Beyond them, I see Cara burrow her head in Nerd’s chest.
“Brother, you know the answer to that,” Stoney mutters.
“I know that but what about someone from within that we can trust. That’s what I meant. Whip and I go to meetings once a week for PTSD why not let her join us, it might help.” I tilt my head somewhat to get a better look at Venom. He might be onto something here.
“It would be worth a shot,” Blaze mutters. “I’ll talk to Ranger, see what he says.”
“Figured it be good for her. She’s different. Going to a victim support group wouldn’t be enough for her. She needs one where those around her will understand where she’s coming from. You all know with being in the military, going overseas, it’s not easy, Whip and I are the only ones from our team to make it out of the last hellhole. K-9 and the guys who went to the Franklin charter they all were on the team that helped retrieve us.” As Venom states this, I begin to understand him more. Why he doesn’t allow any of the clubwhores to touch him. He’s been marked by something horrifying.
Closing my eyes, I nod my head as I think of all that’s happening, and what’s still to come. The road isn’t completely clear yet for Harlow and Ranger but now the way is at least a little less dense for them.
And I couldn’t ask for anything more for the two of them. Ranger is to Harlow what Blaze is to me. The holder of all her fury while mine is my anchor.
Chapter Fourteen
Harlow
“Ryan.” His name slips from my mouth as my back arches and I moan at the sensations he’s pulling from my body. My hands reach down to wrap my fingers in his hair as I tighten my legs around him, holding him where he is.
Ranger’s response is a growl of approval as he nips my clit.
Oh God.
At this rate, I’ll come again soon. He’d already given me two orgasms and has declared I was to have three before he gave me his dick. Now the third was building within me and Ranger’s tongue is working its magic.
“Ryan, I’m going to come,” I moan and Ranger sinks a finger inside me and touches the spot to send me over the edge. Crying out, my entire body quakes at the sensations flowing through me.
Ranger lifts himself up, my legs still on his shoulders. Reaching up he removes my hands from his hair. “Gonna fuck you quick, baby, and you’re gonna come around my dick.”
Holy shit.
I don’t think I can come a fourth time.
As Ranger sinks his dick into my pussy, he does just as he stated, fucks me quick and makes me come with a hand between us as his fingers toy with my clit. My body bows into his and he growls my name as he comes, his dick twitching inside my pussy.
Again, holy shit.
I’ve never experienced anything like this before.
Over the past two months, Ranger and I have explored each other’s body but he’s never done anything like this to me. Where he gave me so many orgasms with his mouth and fingers. But here he is making it happen.
Yesterday after what happened in the gym, he’d taken me to his room and laid with me until I’d fallen asleep. When I woke up, he’d declared we were going away for a few days. Just him and me. Evidently while
I was out, Stoney asked for Ranger to meet him in his office and proceeded to toss over a set of keys to him. Keys to a beach house. So, Ranger put me on the back of his bike and the two of us left almost immediately. It took what seemed like forever to get here but waking up this morning to the sound of waves crashing in the sand makes the drive worth it.
Oh and the breeze coming through the open balcony doors.
Definitely worth it.
You could smell the salt air on the breeze and it immediately relaxed me.
Ranger’s dick slides from my body causing me to whimper at the loss of him filling me. “Fuck, baby,” he breathes.
“Hm,” I moan, turning into him and rest in the crook of his arm, my head on his shoulder.
“This is what we needed. You and me away from everyone, everything, somewhere you could be at peace for a bit.” Lifting my head at his words, my brow furrows in confusion and before I can ask what he meant by this he answers my unspoken question. “Moment we crossed the Oregon Inlet bridge, baby, your entire body relaxed. We slept last night with the door open to our room and for the first time you didn’t have any night terrors.”
Holy.
Shit.
He’s right. I did wake up this morning more relaxed. Nothing but Ranger having been on my mind.
Giving Ranger a smile, I find myself flipped onto my back. “Fuckin’ love it when you smile,” he murmurs, his eyes speaking more than his mouth.
My smiling means a lot to him.
I mean a lot.
I wrap my fingers in his hair feeling the softness of the strands. Ranger’s dick slides inside me slowly. I’d be surprised if he wasn’t already hard again; however, I’ve learned my man has a sexual appetite and can go for hours, even after coming.
Eyes locked on each other, Ranger makes love to me with not only him thrusting into my body slowly building a fire that will roar to life when he sends me over the edge, but with his gaze. Showing me just how much I mean to him.
“Come for me, baby.” On his command, I do as he orders moaning his name, my back arches into his chest as the orgasm sends flames of desire through my entire being unlike any other he’d given me. Picking up pace Ranger follows me with a groan of his own as his dick twitches as he stills deep inside me.
This one was completely filled with emotions. Him sharing with me through his eyes as I shared with him.
After yesterday, it’s an amazing feeling.
I know we’ll have to talk about it, but yesterday was intense. The demons in my head were trying to draw me back to the dark. They had been from the time I declared I was done. I didn’t want to go back, only I couldn’t’ make them leave me alone.
Not even during my sparring sessions with Shadow. It wasn’t working. But yesterday, when everything in my head was just becoming too much, Ranger called me on it. Brought everything forward. Taunted me with it as he pulled it out of me. I’d fought him. Doing everything I could to make him stop but for some reason he was able to block each of my advances.
Maybe it was because I didn’t really want to hurt him. I doubt it though. No, Ranger is who he is and called Ranger for his time in the Army. He also boxed and would get in the ring with some of his brothers. One time when the guys from the Tennessee charter came in, he’d gotten in the ring with a guy named Griz.
When I was unable to keep it in anymore, I’d collapsed to my knees, my emotions tearing me apart from the inside out. Only Ranger was there to take it all and make me whole again. It was in those moments, I felt it.
I felt our souls merge together, connecting like two parts of a puzzle.
“I love you, Ryan,” I whisper using his name. Only when we’re alone do I use it and every time I do his eyes dilate letting me know he likes it when I call him by his name. Especially when he’s seated inside me.
“Love you too, Harlow, more than you fuckin’ know,” he murmurs. Without pulling out, this time Ranger maneuvers us until he’s on his back and I’m on top of him. “Now as much as I love fuckin’ you. We need some food and I’m thinking some time in the hot tub would feel fuckin’ great.
“Hm, that sounds good. I’m starving.”
“Good, ‘cause I am too.”
Giggling at his response, I shake my head. “Of course, you are.”
“Yeah, now hop up and let’s go shower,” he commands giving my ass a squeeze reminding me of something he’d said to me about sinking into my ass.
Shivering, I smile and do as he says. Ready to get some food and see where the day will take us.
Chapter Fifteen
Ranger
Sighing, I take my seat at the table.
Harlow and I’d just gotten back from our weekend at the beach and stepped into the clubhouse when Stoney called for church. The other day when he’d called me into his office and tossed me the keys to his beach house, I had been surprised; however, when he explained Harlow and I needed to get away, let her have time to finish the healing process, I couldn’t thank him enough. I had thought of doing something similar, but I didn’t know where I wanted to take her.
Taking her to the beach was by far the best decision to be made. It helped in so many ways.
The two of us spent time in bed and out making each other laugh, at the same time simply enjoying being together without anything heavy coming between us. I’m sure she thinks we need to talk about what happened in the gym the other day; however, in all honesty, we don’t. I felt it and I know she did as well. I took the pain away from her. She gave me that and I felt every bit of it with her.
“Alright, brothers, we’ve got some shit to discuss that needs our attention,” Stoney states soon as the doors close. “Tracker, why don’t you repeat what Victoria told you.”
“Problems are circling at DP. Three of the strippers were let go today after Victoria did her monthly testing. All three of them tested positive for drugs in their system but one also tested positive for having an STD.” Fuck. We all know Victoria’s monthly testing consisted of blood and urine samples. She doesn’t do the drugstore shit. Hell, we’re the ones paying for the shit, anyway. “Not one to take shit, Victoria confronted the girls putting their shit out there in front of the others. Two of the strippers were Cherry and Peaches. The other was a new girl. Evidently, they were being pushed to sell themselves. The guy pimping them out was also pumping them with H.”
What the fuck?
Cherry and Peaches?
Stoney had put them at Dolly’s Playhouse after shit went down with Rachel. They’d been working upstairs for a while but had come to Victoria about dancing. She’d agreed long as they agreed to her rules.
“What the fuck do you mean they were pushed to sell themselves?” Whip demanded.
“This is what they claimed. I had Nerd look into their claims. It’s bullshit about them being pushed but they are selling their bodies, working for a man named Chigger,” Tracker goes on to tell us more about this man and his operation. It seemed he was working his way to try and take over our territory. We may allow weed into our club because who doesn’t like to wind down every once in a while. I know it fuckin’ helps me, though I don’t do it very often. What we don’t put up with is the harder shit. We try to keep that shit out of our area.
“Why did Victoria fire them rather than offer them help?” Venom asks.
“Oh, she did. Only Cherry, Peaches, and the new bitch are hooked. They don’t want their easy supply to go away. Supposedly this Chigger guy is generous when it comes to supplying the women who are working for him. More or less he’s keeping them doped up to keep them compliant to fuckin’ his clients and bring in money.” Oh, shit that’s some fucked up shit.
“What kind of name is Chigger?” Coyote scoffs.
“Don’t know and don’t give a shit. What I do care about is we find this fucker and put a stop to his shit. Not only has this shithead brought this shit to our front door, he’s got it circling around my ol’ lady,” Tracker sneers.
“Agreed,” Stoney nods.
“Nerd, I want you to find me everything you can find on this douche. I want to know every detail about his fuckin’ life.”
“You got it, Prez,” Nerd mutters, giving a jerk of his chin.
“We find anything yet on Ezra and his sister yet?” I ask.
“Actually, got a ping on Lavina while you were gone,” Nerd says.
“Where is the fuckin’ bitch?” I demand, balling my fist.
“She’s come back to Virginia to handle some business.” My vision blurs at the knowledge one of those pieces of shit would come near this state. “Also found out what her business is here.”
“What?” Shadow snaps.
“They want Harlow.”
“Easy, brother,” Blaze says from next to me, clamping a hand down on my shoulder. “She’s safe here. Don’t let it out yet. Need you to keep your head on straight.”
“I’m good, but they come near Harlow, I’m taking them out, painfully. I want both Ezra and Lavina to feel what Harlow felt. I want them to suffer the same way she did,” I snarl.
“And they will, brother. We’ll get them. Shadow, you and Whip take Fist and Cyprus with you and snag Lavina up,” Stoney demands.
“Victoria will want to assist with this bitch,” Tracker speaks up.
“No,” I mutter, shaking my head. “It’s time we take control and stop allowing the women to be a part of these things. Harlow’s been through enough and it’s time she keeps her hands clean, same with Raven and Victoria.”
“I have to agree with Ranger there,” Stoney announces. “It’s time this club gets back to leaving the ol’ ladies out of club business.”
“Same here,” Blaze mutters. “However, gotta say, when it comes to Raven, she’ll never truly be out of it.” All of us nod knowing he’s talking about Raven’s gift.
