Hail Mary

by Lani Lynn Vale

  “I’m okay.”

  I frowned. “Well, I noticed.”

  “No, I’m okay. I don’t want you to freak out.”

  “Okay…”

  He stopped a foot or so away from me and started to lift his shirt.

  I gasped.

  The marks on his arms weren’t the only thing new.

  I could see his ribs. He had abs, of course, but Dante had always been thick and muscular. Now I could see all of his fucking ribs.

  And then he turned…

  “Oh my God.” I started to reach out but froze mid-air. “Oh, God. Oh, God. Dante… what happened?”

  His back was a mess of the same little lesions that were on his arms and hands… only they were so much worse, it was downright terrifying.

  While we were making love, I’d felt the ridges underneath his T-shirt, of course.

  But my body had been so focused on him… on what I was feeling… that it never registered on me that what I was feeling were actually wounds.

  I’d thought, at the time, that they were just part of his T-shirt.

  They weren’t.

  “Dante,” the gasp left my throat. “What… what is that?”

  He turned and stared. “Whip marks.”

  “Whip marks?”

  “Yes.”

  “How…”

  This wasn’t computing. Why would Dante stand still long enough to get those marks on his back. And they weren’t even all the way on his back. Now that I paid more attention to his front, they were on the side of his neck. His ribs. They even circled around his hips and curled around to his front. Down his pants.

  What. The. Hell?

  “When you left, Drake found me.”

  “And he smacked you around with a whip, and you let him by just standing there?”

  I really wasn’t seeing how this could happen…

  “No, he caught me off guard.” He paused. “I was outside your house. My mind was fucked up. I couldn’t stop thinking about what I’d said to you—which I’m still fucked up about, by the way—and I wasn’t paying attention to my surroundings. Something hit me in the back of the head—they said it was probably a two-by-four—and when I woke up, I was in a cell underneath your old house.”

  In a cell. Underneath my old house?

  “For how long?” I whispered, my eyes closing in despair.

  “For three and a half months.”

  My eyes opened as a keening cry of utter despair left my mouth. “Three and a half months. And what did he do to you in those three and a half months?”

  I was almost afraid to hear the rest.

  Every night I had cursed him. I had been so freakin’ mad at him for not getting his head on straight faster, I couldn’t fucking think.

  And all of this time… all of this time he’d been in a cell. A freakin’ cell. Being beaten.

  “He whipped me. Tortured me. Starved me and humiliated me.”

  “What did he do?”

  Dante shook his head. “I won’t be telling you specifics.”

  I wanted to argue. I wanted to rage.

  But I could see the resolve in his eyes.

  He wouldn’t be telling me.

  That I knew.

  “How did you finally get away?”

  What would he have had to do? If he’d been there for that long, then surely nobody could find him. Right?

  “Drake got careless. Thought I was too weak to move—which was what he’d planned by only feeding me a slop and a slice of bread morning, noon and night. But one day while he was hosing out the cell to combat the smell, he got too close, and I struck. I choked him with the chains he had me—”

  “Chains!”

  “—held down with, and fed him the water he was using to spray me with. Once he went limp, I found his phone and called Rafe. The rest is still a blur. I don’t really remember what happened next.”

  I couldn’t breathe.

  Dante wrapped his arms around my shoulders and pulled me in tight to his chest.

  “I’m okay.”

  “You’re not okay.”

  I could feel those raised scars underneath my fingers.

  He was not okay.

  “What about since you got away from him?” I whispered. “Were you in the hospital?”

  He nodded.

  “Drake got away. That’s why they didn’t call you to come.”

  I nodded, throat thick with guilt.

  I should’ve never left him.

  And I told him as much.

  “I needed you to leave,” he rasped. “If you hadn’t left, I wouldn’t have realized what I was missing. Without you, I wouldn’t have realized just how sad and bleak my life had become.”

  I made another of those sounds in the back of my throat.

  “He forgot to tell you about his problems stemming from his captivity.”

  I froze in Dante’s arms, just as Dante cursed and let me go.

  My eyes lit on Rafe in the entrance.

  “What?”

  Rafe’s eyes flicked from mine to Dante’s and back. “He has a muscle-wasting condition called rhabdomyolysis. The exertion from the fight, paired with his overtaxed heart—his dehydration, his lack of food, as well as the wounds on his body—could cause a heart attack. He was supposed to be taking it easy. He was supposed to be letting me come get you.”

  Dante didn’t say a word.

  I did, though.

  “You mean to tell me that you’re supposed to be taking it easy, and you just had sex with me? That wasn’t taking it easy! There was nothing easy about it!” I semi-shrieked into Dante’s ear.

  Dante pulled me into his chest again.

  “Oh, I don’t know about that, it was pretty easy getting you into bed.” His grin was wide.

  I hit him and then apologized before kissing the tiny hurt I must’ve just caused him.

  “I’ll be okay,” he promised. “I am okay. Those circumstances aren’t going to happen again.”

  I swallowed the bile that was making its way up my throat—a common occurrence as of late.

  This bile felt differently, though.

  I just knew that I was going to puke, so I took off toward the bathroom and lost what little lunch that I’d had left in me from earlier in the toilet.

  “Rafe knew you were gone all this time, didn’t he?”

  I looked over my shoulder to see Rafe.

  “Yeah,” Dante croaked at the same time Rafe nodded his head.

  Even his voice sounded different.

  I lost my battle with the tears, and I dissolved.

  Jesus Christ. I was a broken record today.

  Chapter 23

  The struggle bus should have a loyalty program.

  -Dante’s secret thoughts

  Dante

  “Ummm.” Cobie looked around the place. “What happened?”

  We’d just arrived home—to my home—after a very long drive.

  We were only coming to pick up some clothes, and then I was picking Mary up and we were heading back to Cobie’s place.

  I would have cleaned up, but the moment I was released from the hospital I’d gone to check on Mary. Once I knew she was okay, I’d left her with Reed and his wife, and then I immediately left for Alabama, where Rafe had stashed Cobie.

  I’d been so fucking mad—still—that I’d lashed out without thought. A-fucking-gain. I was good at that, though. It was the apologizing part that I wasn’t good at.

  I looked around the house, seeing the broken light fixture that Lily had bought and lovingly restored. Her prized China that we’d gotten as a gift on our wedding day from my mother was shattered into tiny pieces. The stupid Tupperware that was always in perfect order, tossed haphazardly across the room.

  Then I came to the living room. The sofa—the one that Lily had begged and pleaded with me to get despite the ugly flowers—was shredded, courtesy of my hunting knife. The same
knife that had also been taken to the drapes. Those stupid goddamn drapes that I freakin’ hated.

  Cobie moved into the hallway that led to the bedrooms and stopped when she saw all the open doors.

  I hadn’t touched the girls’ rooms. Which she noticed as she walked past. Not Mary’s. Not My other two lost girls. My bedroom, though? The one I shared with Lily?

  Yeah, that room was the worst.

  I braced as she turned the corner and paused in the doorway before she moved a little bit farther into the room.

  She inched her way in, her head swinging from side-to-side, eyes wide and horrified as they took in the scene before her, and finally came to a stop in the center of the bedroom. I saw the stupid bed that Lily refused to retire—even after we could afford something new—now in about thirty jagged pieces on the floor. The mattress was also in shreds, thanks again to the same hunting knife that I’d used on the drapes and sofa.

  The same knife that was now planted in the wall right through a picture. One that I loved but Lily had hated.

  It was a picture of the Hostel skyline. Our business was in the background, the main focus had been the tow truck. The older-than-dirt truck that had more dents and dings in it than it had smooth spots. The paint was faded and chipped, the body had rust crusting along the bottom of the frame, and the tires looked like they needed replacing about six months before the picture had been taken. But I’d been standing in front of it, happy as fucking hell to have my first business.

  I’d been thirty years old. Fresh out of the military. Married. There was trash strewn all around me from a festival the night before, and Lily disliked seeing all the trash. But me? I didn’t care one bit. In that moment, I was on top of the world.

  Happy. So fucking happy.

  “What happened?”

  “I decided to do a little redecorating.”

  That’s when Cobie started to laugh.

  And that’s also when my control snapped. I didn’t want to be away from her anymore. I wanted her to be in my arms.

  Therefore, I made it so.

  I reached forward, snagged her by her tee, and tugged her to me.

  She came willingly.

  “What?”

  I didn’t answer for a moment as I stared down into her eyes. I leaned forward slowly so she knew what my intentions were. “This.”

  Then I kissed her. I kissed her long and sweet and thorough. She tasted like second chances, salvation and starting over. I never wanted to let her go.

  Not ever again.

  We had so much to talk about, and there were so many things she needed to know.

  But right then and there? Nothing else mattered but us and that moment, and the way her body felt against mine.

  I had only intended for it to be a quick kiss—short and sweet.

  But as it seemed to be the way with everything about Cobie, it quickly turned into something more. Something softer and sweeter.

  “We can’t,” she whispered.

  My dick didn’t care if I shouldn’t. It only cared that she was in my arms again after months of wanting and needing her.

  “We can,” I said. “If you do all the work.”

  Then I was on the floor, her straddling my waist.

  She shook her head, still unsure. “I don’t know…”

  I lifted my shirt up and off my body, then started in on my pants.

  “My dick is fine,” I told her, showing her.

  It sprang free of my pants.

  “Your mom’s going to be here in twenty minutes…”

  I arched up, rubbing my dick against the apex of her thighs.

  She stopped her protests and gave in. That easily.

  Moments later she was standing over me, stripping the leggings from her frame, followed shortly by her panties.

  Then she was back on top of me, guiding herself onto my cock.

  In one swift movement, I held my cock up, and she lowered herself down on top of it.

  I closed my eyes as she took me.

  Chaos ruled our world at the moment. My house was a goddamn mess, and my body wasn’t much better.

  But this, right here, her wet heat wrapped around me? Yeah, that was nothing short of perfection.

  “Ride me,” I ordered.

  And like the good girl Cobie was, she did just that.

  She took me, over and over again, until we were both on the peak.

  I pressed my finger against her clit, and that was all she wrote.

  She came and brought me with her.

  Then we laid there like broken dolls until I heard my mother walk in my front door.

  “We gotta get up.”

  “Dada!”

  And that was my cue.

  I got up, but not before dropping a soft kiss on Cobie’s upturned lips.

  Cobie smiled, and I knew then that I’d be going to the jewelry store tomorrow.

  I needed to buy this woman a ring and get it on her finger. Once she accepted it, I’d make sure she never forgot how much I loved her every day for the rest of our lives.

  And she would accept it.

  I’d make sure of that, too.

  ***

  Cobie came down the stairs long minutes later, and she smiled the moment she saw Mary.

  “Mary, Mary!” Cobie cooed, holding out her hands for Mary.

  Mary ditched me like a piece of burnt toast, squealing when Cobie brought her into her arms.

  “That’s adorable,” my mother whispered.

  I lifted my arm and wrapped it around my mother’s shoulders.

  “It is,” I agreed.

  We stayed silent as we listened to the two of them chatter on and on about this and that. Half of the words I wasn’t even sure that Cobie even understood, but she didn’t let on.

  She nodded her head, held eye contact, and then laughed.

  My mother patted my belly.

  “Are you going to make an honest woman out of her?”

  My mother didn’t miss much.

  Certainly not a pregnancy that would bring her another grandchild.

  “Yeah,” I confirmed. “As soon as she’ll accept me.”

  My mother patted my belly one more time. “Honestly, Dante. You are one of the cutest boys. You have nothing to worry about.”

  I snorted, and the movement caused my back to twinge.

  Cobie looked over at me, gestured toward the living room, and I nodded.

  I swallowed as I tried not to think about the pain I was still in, and instead focused on my mother.

  “I’m sorry.”

  My mother stepped away from me and looked up.

  “What for?”

  “I spent a long time in a place that I wasn’t sure that I could dig myself out of. I’m sorry that you had to suffer losing me, too.”

  My mother’s eyes filled with tears, and I instantly saw the wariness. She looked older than her years, and I wondered when that had happened.

  Probably when I was busy pushing everyone away.

  “Honey,” my mother said. “I’ve suffered a lot of loss in my life. I’ve lost your sisters. A daughter-in-law. Three grandchildren. But I still have the man that is the other half of my soul. I still have six of my kids. I still have a lot of grandkids, and now some new daughters, thanks to your brothers marrying. I know that you had to fight your own battles. I knew it, and I understood it. You were there when we needed you most, and that was enough until you were ready to come back to me. But the three months that you were gone? I don’t want to feel like that again. So, if you could, try not to let that happen again, m’kay?”

  I winked at my mother. “I’ll see what I can do.”

  She patted my cheek. “Now, I’m going to go spend some alone time with your father. We haven’t had a kidless bed for a few very long months.”

  I tried not to think about what they were going to do in that kidless bed as I said my goodbyes.

  But
I was glad that I’d apologized. I’d needed to do that for a while now, and I wasn’t going to put off any more apologies. I never knew if today would be my last.

  Which was why tomorrow I’d be proposing to that woman in my living room. I wanted to make her mine.

  Because tomorrow may not dawn as bright as today did.

  And I didn’t want to regret a damn thing when the day was over.

  Chapter 24

  I’m lacking the ‘zippity’ part of my doo-dah day.

  -Dante to Cobie

  Dante

  We were at another Uncertain Saints MC party.

  I was asked to attend this one because it was one of the Little Saints birthday parties.

  I’d avoided those parties like the plague because every single one of those motherfuckers were now married with kids. I’d gone the last time with Cobie on a whim. I’d been in no mood to deal with anyone or anything after that conversation with the stupid chick in the diner.

  So, I just went for a ride. I found myself taking a familiar route, and I wound up at the Uncertain Saints clubhouse. A place that I never thought I’d willingly end up at ever again.

  One of their members had been married to my sister.

  And I’d hated him.

  I’d hated him with a passion because he’d been in the process of divorcing my sister when she was killed. Though, my dislike of the man had died down after Wolf had found his new wife, Raven.

  Raven had been the deciding factor in me trusting the man again, and while we hadn’t become exactly close, I could at least tolerate him now.

  In the past, the Hail House—our club that we’d opened a few years back—was off limits to them. After Wolf, Travis and I had repaired the breach between us, we’d gotten to the point where we now hung out with them occasionally—or at least Travis did. I hadn’t had much to do with them seeing as not long after that breach was healed, my wife and children had died.

  I’d been invited, but Wolf’s calls had been ignored right along with the rest of my family’s.

  Until a few weeks ago.

  I’d been back three times, one of those times with Cobie.

  This time, though, Cobie was obviously pregnant.

  She was also sporting a huge rock on her finger signaling she was mine and would be legally in just a few short weeks.

  Plus, this time Mary would be introduced to them for the first time.