by Eve R. Hart
But then Axe’s voice started to whisper in my ear and I couldn’t help but think that maybe I was a bit delusional at this point.
You always fucking fight.
So fuck Savage and whatever sick game he wanted to play. It may be my end, but I won’t give him one more ounce of satisfaction until I took my last breath.
“What’s it going to take, huh?” This time the knife penetrated my upper arm.
My body jerked but there wasn’t anything I could do about it. I closed my eyes and smiled.
“The fuck is wrong with you?”
For him to ask me that made me pause. Was I crazier than him? Perhaps, I could definitely see that with all that I’d been through. Maybe it was the brief freedom that finally had sent me over the edge. Was I as evil as him? No, I would never let that happen.
“You are nothing but a sick, sick man with a need to make people feel worse than you do on the inside.” The words tumbled out of my mouth like an insane rant. I knew it wasn’t a good idea to taunt someone like him, especially when I was tied up with no way to defend myself. “What was it? Daddy didn’t love you enough when you were a boy? Or Mommy? Did she not tuck you in and kiss you goodnight? Or was it that she loved you a little too much?”
That one hit home. With a roar, he stabbed me in the side. I didn’t regret saying it until the pain made the bile rise up my throat.
“He won’t come for you, Allison. They are too scared to come after me.”
His words were full of anger and a hint of uncertainty. He wanted to be right, but I knew he could feel it coming. The only thing I hoped was that they would attack before he realized just how unprepared he was. I would bet my left eye that he had a club full of men who thought they were on top like him. That thought they were untouchable.
The knife made a clink sound as it hit the table. I knew he wasn’t done and the sad thing was, that no matter what his fingers touched next, I had already been introduced to it before. Nothing would be new. No pain he could bring me would be fresh.
A smile stretched wide on his face as he nodded to himself. Then he looked at me and walked across the room. The high powered sprayer turned on and within seconds I was drenched and cold.
I knew what was next.
I hated what was next.
And I thought that this might be the one to break me.
The charged current crackled through the air as he tested the electric cattle prod. I sucked in a deep breath as I waited for him to finish taunting me.
Then it came. I had sense enough to wrap my hands around the chains that held them up but it didn’t help all that much. My body violently jerked and trembled. My teeth clattered together so hard I was sure they were going to chip and crack. And I prayed like hell that I wouldn’t end up biting through my tongue.
My body stopped moving, though the pain was still there. I sucked in a deep breath and prepared for the same thing all over again. All I could hope for was that he would get bored of my non-reactions and give up soon.
Only he didn’t stop, and my body finally decided it had taken enough and I passed out.
“Wake up, bitch!” His voice filtered in my ears the same time more water covered my body. This time it was mixed with ice. I was so cold at this point I couldn’t help but tremble. “Look at me, I’m not done yet. You don’t get to pass out.”
His anger was rising and I could feel him slipping out of control. If this kept up one of two things would happen. He would kill me or he’d get flustered enough to trip up and then I might be able to get away. Hell, maybe I could take him out. Only I wished that was the case. I knew I couldn’t kill him, not until Burke had what he needed. If it wasn’t for that, I had no doubts in my mind that Savage would already be dead.
“You loved it when I fucked you. Admit it!” he screamed in my face. Spit flew off of his bottom lip and landed on my chest. “You loved it each and every time I used you. Because that’s what whores like, to be used and treated like shit. Was that the problem? Was I not rough enough for you?”
He stood tall and I didn’t move my face to look at him. I felt numb, physically and mentally. His words meant nothing to me, they never had. But being chained up for so long had started to take its toll on me. His foot reared back and I caved my body in anticipation of the blow. It didn’t make the sharp kick to my stomach hurt any less.
“That’s what I should have done to you when I found out you had that piece of shit in your stomach.”
He kicked me again. I coughed as the air rushed out of my lungs.
“I should have beat you until you bled that thing out between your legs.”
“Why?” I choked out. “Why didn’t you?”
“Because I thought that if you had him then I would have something to hold over you. It would wake you up and I would be able to break you down. You would fucking feel fear!”
That explained it. Only it really didn’t, because you couldn’t explain the inner workings of a mad man’s brain.
It wasn’t that I didn’t feel fear. I felt it every single day I was stuck with him. It was there when I slept, when I woke, every step I took, and every breath I inhaled. For seven years, fear was there every second of every day. Only, I learned to hide it. I created a place in my mind that I could go when the fear became very real and manifested itself in reality. When he was there. When he was on me. When he beat me. And when he touched me.
Maybe I was smart enough to know that if I gave him what he desired he would find another way to bring it out of me. He would up his torture. Though, to be honest, he did it anyway. But I had a huge idea that he was like an addict, once he got what he wanted it wouldn’t be enough. It would never be a great enough reaction to satisfy him.
The door cracked open and the rush of noise made its way into the room. It was then that I realized the room we were in was completely soundproof. And judging by the ruckus that was coming from the other side, it might have just worked in my favor.
“We’ve got a problem,” Burke said as he stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. His gun was gripped tightly in his hand but the look on his face was cool as ever.
“I hear that,” Savage snapped as he turned his attention to him. “How close are they?”
“Already halfway in. Two-thirds of our men are down. A few did run.”
“How the hell did they get so far in? Why didn’t you come get me sooner?” Savage shook as he yelled at Burke.
“Got back here as fast as I could.” Burke shrugged like there was nothing he could have done.
“I have to get to my office. Stay with her.”
Savage turned to me and I saw it. I saw the fucking panic in his eyes. I smiled wide only causing him to lash out in order to hide his insecurity over the situation. The slap caused my head to whip to the side and when I spit out a mouthful of blood it dribbled down my chin. But it didn’t wipe the smile off of my face.
“He came for me.”
“Don’t make yourself more worthy than you are. He came for me, he used you as an excuse to stop being a pussy.” He spat.
“Awww. Don’t be upset. Just know,” I paused to make sure I had his full attention, “he got something you never got to get.”
He laughed but I didn’t look away from him.
“No. Did you forget that I fucked you first? I broke you in before everyone else had a turn. So, no, he didn’t get anything I haven’t already had.”
“Not true.” With all of my strength, I leaned forward, my shoulders protested the movement. “He got to taste my fear.”
He had no idea what exactly I meant by that, but he didn’t need to know. And judging by how he looked like he was shaking with rage, I knew my words had gotten to him. His lips turned into a snarl as he stormed out the door.
It was true, Axe had tasted my fear. My fear of loving someone. My fear of letting go. My fear of never feeling like I could be worth something. My fear that I was too broken to be normal.
He had tasted them
all and he had shown me how much he loved it.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Axe
“Alright, settle the fuck down!” Cal’s voice boomed. “Let’s get this goin’. We need to be on the road as soon as fuckin’ possible. This has been draggin’ out for far too long.”
Then he proceeded to go over the plan. Since we weren’t really sure what we were up against, what he’d come up with was pretty generic, but strong. Given what we had to work with, it was the best thing for the situation.
“Bobby, Crow, Seven, Mort, and Cringer will check the perimeter and take out anyone that is walkin’ the gate. Then they will check and clear out the trailer. Once we have the all clear. Fort Gray and South Carolina will take the back, while we take the front. And if west Tennessee gets there in time, they will go in with us. If there are rooms, we check them one by one. Each person has a buddy.”
He took a minute to look around the room.
“No one goes anywhere alone. No one gets a fuckin’ hot head and goes runnin’ off. We keep our cool and that’s how we will get out of this.”
Nods and murmurs of agreement filled the room.
“We go in as quiet as possible and take them by surprise. Right now, time ain’t on our side. We have a girl to save and the Devil to take out. Let’s all be safe and for fuck’s sake, don’t try to be a hero.”
That was it, we were ready to go. And I couldn’t have been more eager to get a move on it.
“See you on the other side,” Cal said, sounding like the strong leader that he was. Though I wasn’t sure how many of us would make it out. I couldn’t let myself be in denial. This was fucking war and there were bound to be casualties. Then again, maybe Lady Luck was sprinkling her good shit on us today. One could only hope.
Then the commotion came. But not from inside the room. No, there was something happening out in the damn clubhouse. All ears and eyes turned towards the door, trying to figure out what was going on. There was yelling, but we couldn’t quite make out the words. Most of us drew our guns, ready to throw down.
“What the hells going on out there?” Brass said as his posture grew rigid and his chest spread wide.
The Gray Fort’s president may have been a bit older but he kept himself fit. His hand hovered just over the spot where his gun was tucked away. I knew he wouldn’t draw until he had confirmation that he needed to. He had a kid and he knew how sometimes they could just come barging into places they weren’t supposed to simply because they wanted to cause trouble. So, he wouldn’t take the chance on pulling his gun on a kid, he would always hold back. Didn’t matter though, he was a damn quick shot and had eyes as sharp as fuck.
That was when the door flew open, and none other than Killer was standing there filling up the doorway, her feet just on the other side of the threshold as if she knew she wasn’t welcomed without an invite but wanted to make herself known.
Half of the room stood, their guns aimed at her. I sat back because…well, one, I knew it wouldn’t do any good to point a gun at her. And two, I knew she wasn’t a threat.
“I want in,” she said looking stoic as ever. She was not about to back down from a room full of scary men holding guns on her.
The words that came out of her mouth weren’t really that much of a shock to me. But to Tank, it was like she had slapped him across the face. Cal would have let her in, too, I could tell you that for a fact. But Tank wouldn’t stand for it.
“Fuck no!” Tank roared as he grabbed her wrist like he was afraid she’d slip away again.
At first, Tank used the excuse that he wouldn’t be able to concentrate with her there. He told her, in not such blatant words, that she was going to get him killed if she went. When that didn’t work, he turned that shit around and gave his version of puppy-dog-eyes as he pleaded like the saddest man ever. I laughed in my head because really, it was pathetic and cute all at the same time.
I knew he’d push back on her trying to wiggle her way into this war, but I had no idea how she would react to that. Though I was itching to go, I decided that he deserved to have this fucking moment with her, however the hell it ended.
I may have gotten a bit misty-eyed when she, in a subtle way, let Tank know that she’d been spending time with his son.
See, while I had no idea where Grass was or what kind of situation he was in, I got that Killer wasn’t one to just sit around and play go fucking fish for no reason. And since I already knew the big secret about Grass still being alive, I was fucking smart enough to pick up what she was putting down. Maybe Tank would get his mushy as fuck happy ending after all.
She gave into him in the end. But in the back of my mind, I wondered if she was really going to just sit around and do nothing. I would have put money on the fact that she wouldn’t. I bet Cal was smart enough to see the same thing as me. I was sure that was why he made it clear that we were heading out right then and that we were going to do the very thing she wanted to help with.
Luckily, Tank was too wrapped up in the fact that she was there to really catch on.
“Killer,” I said to her with a tip of my chin as I scooted out of the room to go past them.
My tone was friendly and almost had a joking edge to it. This time when I said the name that I’d given her it didn’t sound like I was being a fuckwad. Really, the name fit her perfectly and it held a little bit of honor in it from me. Especially since I knew she wasn’t just gunnin’ innocent people down. She was a downright badass bitch that had taken out people just like Savage. That was one thing Bocca had come through for us, he was able to dig up shit on her and her résumé was damn impressive.
Damn, her eyes were freaky as fuck! It was almost like they weren’t real. I must have voiced that first part out loud because the next thing I knew, she was looking at me with narrowed eyes and below the surface, I saw too many things going on. More than I could ever try to explain. And that shit drew me in for a hot minute. I had no doubt that while I was trying to figure out where that glint came from she was reading my every emotion, my every fucking thought. She was good at that shit.
I wasn’t sure where I really stood as far as how I felt about her. Yeah, she scared the fuck outta me, but the way she looked at my big buddy, had me thinking she was okay. Only time would tell, I guessed. That was, if she stuck around long enough. But something told me that this time she would be around for good.
I snapped myself out of whatever the fuck kinda weird hold I was in and walked off, letting Tank and Killer have their private moment and goodbye.
Then we were rolling out of the front gate.
It was time for war.
The Devil was going down.
And my woman was coming home alive.
My mind had made it clear to me that there was no other way this would go. So I chose strength over insecurity and doubt. I was going to fucking bring my bitch home and put Savage down.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Axe
The miles seemed to drag on, the towns passed in a slow blur. I couldn’t get to the coast fast enough.
I thought about Allison. How I already missed her touch. Her laugh. Her smile. I just plain fucking missed her. I wanted to hope that we weren’t too late but at the same time, I didn’t even want to entertain the idea that we could have been.
I thought about Neiryn and how that kid had dug a soft spot into my heart without even trying. I hated that I had to leave him, but at least he was in good hands. I knew Reagan and Ellie wouldn’t let anything happen to him.
As much as I wanted to promise him that I would bring his mother home, I didn’t. I didn’t ever want to make a promise to that kid even if there was a sliver of a chance I would have to break it.
So, I left him with a hug and the biggest smile I could muster. And let me tell you, that fucking sucked. To not tell him that I’d see him again. To not let him know that he would see his mom again. To not be able to reassure him in any fucking way broke my damn heart.
I wanted a life with t
hem. If I had any doubts before, they were gone the moment that she had been taken away from me. She let me have my darkness and she tamed the demons inside of me. She understood my thoughts and needs without me having to tell her what they were. I loved that fucking woman. And the first chance I had, I was going to put a ring on that fucking finger and make her my forever bitch.
I didn’t claim her to save her. I claimed her because she saved me.
We pulled up to the meet spot one street over. There was a thick line of trees that we could make our way through and go in unseen. The sun had set long ago and the moon was only a sliver hanging high in the sky.
We loaded up and strapped down. We came prepared and this was only going to end one way because we were going to make damn sure that Savage went down.
“All clear. There were three men on the gate. All taken down,” Cal said as he tucked his phone back away. “The trailer was empty. Let’s move.”
And like some freaky horror movie, we emerged from the shadows and walked with a purpose through the front gate. The very one that Bocca had managed to disable and open. We all formed a line at the door and waited for the others to assemble at the back. Once we were all set, we busted the fuck in and started shooting.
I was second in, followed by Tank. His hand hit my shoulder, letting me know that he was with me as we moved.
The music was blasting so loud that I felt like I was going deaf. But hey, that could give us an advantage in the way that maybe it would keep them from hearing us coming.
The doors opened directly into the huge warehouse. It seemed that they hadn’t done too much with the space. The front part looked like it was made into a pathetic excuse for a lounge and bar area. Shitty old couches were strewn about in no real order. A few recliners that looked like they had seen better days and had been left out by the side of the road. A TV was mounted to the wall on one side and had been left on. Big, fake tits filled the screen and I had to really try hard not to roll my eyes.
