He couldn’t allow anyone to hurt her, but he couldn’t go to Pop with this, either. He hated his brothers for putting him in this position, knowing he couldn’t snitch. They would label him a traitor, and that was as bad as challenging Pop for the leadership role. And he loved his brothers like family, so he didn’t want any of them hurt, either. Still, he couldn’t sit back and let them have their fun if it meant destroying something as beautiful as Krishna and her spirit. Hell, even if he weren’t in love with her, he wouldn’t stand for it.
“We’ve waited long enough, man.” This from Bones, who was still sore from Krishna humiliating him and had been pretty vocal about it. “It’s time to put that bitch in her place, show her where she actually stands in the rankings.”
Damien laughed. “That’s just it. She doesn’t rank at all. What woman would?” He paused. “Let’s give it a couple days. Just be ready when I give the signal. We’ll take care of business then.”
Damn! Alex had hoped for specifics. He should have known better. They wouldn’t have such a serious discussion about doing anything behind Pop’s back in a place where others could overhear and risk having someone outside their little circle of conspiracy take notes. Damien probably knew exactly when he wanted to strike and would find a way to quietly communicate that to each of them. He was an ass, but he wasn’t stupid. He already had it worked out, and he knew how to avoid notice.
Changing his mind about getting the word out that he was with Krishna now, Alex kept out of sight while the group broke apart and went their separate ways and then took a deep breath. He strolled slowly through the main room as if he was in no hurry and had heard nothing. He even forced a smile at Rusty as he walked by, and Rusty saluted back with a drink in hand.
But his purpose was clear. He needed to find Krishna, and he couldn’t let her out of his sight until he figured out a plan of action. She was, as usual, working on a bike. It looked as if some of the parts for that piece of shit Brett had brought her came in, and she was on her back, cursing at a bolt that seemed to have rusted so badly she couldn’t loosen it, even after all the cleaning she’d done.
He walked over and looked down at her, though he kept tabs of everything going on around him at the same time. “Need some help?” he asked in the best teasing tone he could muster through the panic threatening to overtake him.
“No!” she said, shoving at the wrench and then pushing and straining harder. “I need the damn thing to cooperate. It shouldn’t be giving me this. Much. Trouble.” Each word was punctuated with a shove at the wrench. Alex started to crouch beside her to look for another problem that might have been causing the bolt to stick, but Krishna wriggled across the mat she was on until she could wedge her foot against the wrench. “Hold the damn bike still,” she commanded, and Alex didn’t hesitate.
He moved to the front, going for the handlebars, but they looked like they would break off in his hand, so he went around the other side and leaned on the seat, which was only slightly more reliable.
He felt her strength in the pressure of her foot kicking at the wrench, and then he felt the bike shift as it finally gave way.
“Thank god!” he heard her breathe as she sat up to start twisting. She put her back into it and had the bolt off in seconds. “That was ridiculous,” she said, wiping at her brow with a rag.
“Just a little. How much more do you have to do on this piece of crap?” he asked. Maybe it would be easier than he thought to watch over her. If she was going to be right here most of the time, he wouldn’t have to follow her like a lost puppy and still try to save face with his brothers. He didn’t want to be overt about it.
“I don’t know. It’s going to take a couple of days, at least, and I have to stop for a while at lunch. Pop wants a mod to his handlebars, and I’ve put him off for a couple of days now to get this machine at least running and to replace a couple valves on another bike. And Charlie’s monster had a leak in the gas tank I had to patch up until we can get a new one in. I don’t know what you guys do to your rides, but you seriously need to consider taking better care of them or putting together some sort of insurance or regular maintenance plan. It would save you all a lot of cash in the long run.”
It was a good idea, and it would keep Krishna on a steady income rather than having to rush to do a job so she had some cash in the lulls between requests. That is, if she were able to stick around. He thought about telling her what he’d overheard, but he didn’t want her on edge, and he sure as hell didn’t want her to fly off the handle and confront anyone. That would only make it worse.
Deciding he was capable of stopping any attempts his brothers made, Alex chose not to tell her. He might regret it later, but for now, it was the best thing to do. “Are you bringing Pop’s bike in here to work?”
She nodded. “As soon as I get the exhaust taken off to bang it into shape, I’m boxing up the loose parts and rolling this back so I can make room. Then, I’m taking a break until Pop gets here and can tell me exactly what he wants done. As long as he shows up soon, I can probably finish that this afternoon and get back on Brett’s ride in the morning.” She stood up and brushed her hands off, scowling down at the fresh calluses that marred the soft skin. “I’m sorry, I’m rambling. Did you need something?”
For you to get the hell out of here for a few days, he thought but didn’t say. She was in business mode, getting carried away in her work and addressing him as she would anyone else, and that was good. He shook his head. “No, I just saw you having a hard time and thought I’d offer help or maybe find Brett and make him give you a hand.”
Krishna nodded. “Brett’s a good guy.” Almost mumbling to avoid being overheard, she said, “He’s the only one who treats me like a human rather than a carpet to walk on, other than you.”
Alex saw an opportunity there. Maybe he could get Brett to help him. He wouldn’t ask Brett to intervene, just to help watch for trouble and let him know if anything suspicious started to happen that Alex hadn’t noticed. “Brett is a good guy,” he said, not commenting on her other statement. “After you talk to Pop, send him my way, all right? I need to take a look at the outline I did so we can start shading.”
She nodded and went back to work. Alex would have liked some sort of gesture of acknowledgement of her feelings for him, but it was better this way. Besides, he wasn’t some needy little boy. He could wait until they were alone, away from prying eyes and extended ears.
At this particular moment, he needed to figure out where the hell Brett was. He would be easygoing about it, not pushy, and he wouldn’t give specifics on what he’d heard. Alex would just ask him to keep an eye out in general because too many of the guys were heating up at how much attention Krishna got from Pop. That should be good enough to get the nod from Brett.
***
Something was bothering Alex. Krishna recognized the signs, but whatever it was, he needed to wait until they weren’t at the clubhouse to discuss it. Had someone found out about the two of them and said something nasty? Maybe Pop had asked him to make a run, something Alex had promised he would never do again. As much as she hated the idea, Krishna knew she couldn’t control his life with the Ashes. There were times she may have to just live with the demands they made on him, regardless of her own moral standards. She loved Alex, and that meant accepting him the way he was. It also meant trusting his judgment and knowing he would make the right decision.
If it came down to something like that, Alex would plead his case against doing it, unless there was a clear threat to him if he didn’t comply. Unfortunately, she also knew that, if anyone threatened her, he’d do whatever it took to keep her safe, and she hated the unfairness of that added component. Without meaning to, she’d put a kink in Alex’s life that could only be removed if she left, both him and the club.
She liked her work, but the thought of never dealing with the harassment again made it easy to think about moving on from here. She had experience now and could land a job at any mechanic shop.
All she had to do was get a couple recommendations from some of the less prejudice guys and roll up in her Buick, proof she knew her shit.
But it wasn’t so simple when she added Alex to the equation. If she left the club, she couldn’t stay with him. It would be a conflict of interest for him, and Krishna wasn’t prepared to lose that battle. It would be better to surrender and let him have his chosen family here with the Ashes.
And she knew she couldn’t do that.
She sighed and finished taking off the exhaust pipe, and then she went to grab an empty box, tossing everything she’d taken off the bike into it. She placed the box on the seat and rolled it to the back of the garage space, making room for Pop’s bike. She had no idea how hard this project would be, but she at least knew Pop paid a pretty penny, especially for custom work, so she didn’t mind being buried under it for a while, if necessary.
She gazed out at the parked bikes and saw he wasn’t here yet, which was fine with her. Krishna’s stomach was ready to claw its way out and start eating flesh. She washed up at the sink with the smelly garage soap that made her wrinkle her nose in disgust and headed inside.
The warehouse had apparently come with a rather large break room, and she’d stuffed a bag with some food into the old refrigerator that still stood buzzing in there. The freezer had to be defrosted from time to time, but otherwise, it worked just fine. Someone had just made a fresh pot of coffee, and she quickly grabbed a paper cup and filled it with the hot brew.
She was starting to arrange her meal at the corner of one of the long cafeteria tables that stretched across the room, reveling in the fact that she might get a few silent moments alone, when Bones and Damien walked in. Great, she thought. With a sigh, she kept her eyes on her food, playing the humble woman who wouldn’t meet their gazes. But she suddenly lost her appetite and thought with grim amusement that her two least favorite people were a great hunger suppressant. She could lose pounds and inches in no time if they came around for every meal.
“Well, well, I thought I smelled curry,” Damien said in a bit of a lilting tone, obviously attempting to get a rise out of her. Krishna ignored him and mixed up the dressing in her salad, which very obviously was not Indian food. “Do you smell it, Bones? It’s pretty strong, and I don’t think I can enjoy my food with that nasty smell around. In fact, it’s killing my appetite already, and I think it needs to be taken out before I get nauseous.”
Wishing she could toss the hot coffee in his face, Krishna closed her eyes and reminded herself to not make trouble. As much as it hurt, she stood, ready to take her lunch and eat somewhere else, if it avoided a conflict.
“Where the fuck are you going, sweetheart?” Bones asked, his tone nasty.
It reminded her of movies about the Civil War, and the way that masters spoke to their slaves. She clenched a fist around her fork, preparing to stab it through his eye, and then she carefully replaced it in her bowl and started to pack up the food she probably wouldn’t even eat now.
Without looking up, she said softly, “I’m sorry if I or my food offends you. I’m more than happy to move out of the room so I don’t interrupt your meals.”
“It’s too late now,” Damien said, his tone still playful and light with that hint of disgust. “You already stunk up the place. Why don’t you stay? Make yourself comfortable, and we’ll join you for lunch. I think, if we sit down and talk, we can all come to a nice agreement and live together in peace and harmony. Isn’t that what your people preach?”
My people? You mean my Irish parents who grew up drinking and getting rowdy? She wished she could say it. Instead, she shrugged and sat down. This wasn’t right, and she could sense that Damien had purposely sought her out while she was alone. But she didn’t know what to expect and thought maybe if she just cooperated, he’d leave her alone soon enough.
“Now, that’s a good girl. You see that, Rusty?” Damien said, and Krishna froze at the sound of at least three more pairs of boots entering the room. She cut her eyes to the side, finding Rusty, Quarter, and Eagle to her right. Quarter was large enough to block the exit on his own, so there was no way she could just make a run for it, and with the other two flanking him, even ducking and trying to slip past the big man was out of the question.
This was a bad situation, and there was no way out of it. Krishna fought the instant panic and hoped for the best.
“I see,” Rusty said with a chuckle. “She’s finally learning to do what she’s told. Hey, maybe she can call some of her friends, and we’ll build ourselves a harem”
Several guttural laughs sent a shiver down her spine. She didn’t like the sexual overtone of the joke, but she still remained silent.
Damien prodded, “You got friends, girl?”
She shook her head. “No, I don’t.”
“Aww, that’s too bad,” Bones said. “I don’t know if I can get it up for just one of you. I need some variety if I’m gonna stoop to something less than all American white bred women.”
Krishna contained her anger, but her fear had her brow breaking into a sweat. She didn’t look up, knowing her eyes would be filled with hatred and resistance. She didn’t want any of them to touch her, didn’t want to deal with violent hatred or sexual interest. The thought of any of them putting their hands on her made her nauseous.
“Maybe if you just turn her around and bend her over the table so you can’t see her face,” Damien suggested in a lascivious tone. “Then, she’s just some dark-headed gal with a nice ass. I could get into that myself.”
She heard his footsteps as he came closer, and she froze. There were others in the room now, too, and she didn’t dare lift her gaze to see who had joined his party.
“Come on, girl. Be a good sport. Stand up so we can get one more good look. Some of these guys have been waiting a long time for this.”
Krishna felt like cattle on display at a stock show and didn’t move. She could feel several pairs of eyes burning holes in her, waiting for her to comply, and she fisted her hands in her lap to keep them from shaking.
Damien’s hands fell on the back of her chair and jerked it away from the table. “I said, get up!” he growled.
Krishna was on her feet, backing away from him, but there wasn’t far to go. She bumped into the counter behind her, and as her eyes searched the room, she knew she couldn’t fight them all off. There had to be a dozen of them gathered now, and Damien was only a couple feet away. The others were closing in as well, and she gripped the counter, preparing to fight as hard as she could against whatever they had in mind. She was at least going down fighting.
Damien took a step toward her with an evil grin. “That’s better. Was that so hard?” She held her breath as he took another step, closing the distance between them to no more than a few inches. He reached out and squeezed her breast as if he had every right to touch her however and wherever he wanted, and that was the end of her patience. Krishna had agreed not to make trouble, but with Damien starting the trouble, she had every right to defend herself.
With all her might, she kicked out with her right leg and connected with his left knee, causing it to hyperextend, and he buckled under the pain. “Fuck!” he cried, and as she tried to slip by him and away from the counter, he reached up and slammed her back with a hand on her belly.
Bones shot forward, grabbing her and pulling her back against him. He folded her arms over her chest, pinning them, and she struggled to break free from his grasp with no luck. Damien righted himself, putting all his weight on his right leg, and his arm swung so fast Krishna didn’t even see the backhand coming until it rattled her brain and stung her cheek. She tasted blood and licked the corner of her mouth with a wince.
He grabbed her chin, squeezing with agonizing force on her cheeks. “Just for that, I’m going to make sure it hurts enough that you’ll never forget what happens when a woman doesn’t obey her superiors.”
His mouth came down on hers, but it was a farce of a kiss. She couldn’t close her mouth the way
he held her face, and she was forced to accept the angry, bruising gesture that was meant to stake a claim. When he pulled away, she spit in his face, knowing she’d be punished for it. But she wasn’t going to just let him do as he pleased and take it lightly.
He roared and slapped her, twice, and the second time, she cried out, unable to hold the sound in as the ring he wore cracked against her cheekbone. It throbbed and stung and felt like it shattered, though she knew her skull was thicker than that. But she wouldn’t be able to hold up forever, and even if she could fight off one or two men, she would never make it past all of them.
Never in her life had she been so terrified, and as Damien leered at her and pressed against her groin with his hard-on, she couldn’t stop the whimper that escaped her lips. “Not so bold now, are we?” he taunted. He grabbed her breasts, Bones pulling her arms out of the way and tucking them around his sides.
She had even less leverage to move now, and she racked her brain for the self-defense moves she’d learned in college.
This Savage Love: A Bad Boy Romance Boxed Set Page 87
