by Lila Rose
“What?” I barked.
“Dodge, it’s obvious she feels safe around you. Can’t you just letâ”
“No,” I stated with a ‘don’t fuck with me’ look.
Pick stood tall, crossed his arms over his chest and asked, “Why the fuck not?”
“Just…fuck!” For the life of me, I couldn’t think of shit. Well, nothing he’d believe. Maybe a plastic surgery appointment? I’d be too busy because I’d be delivering meals to the elderly? I had to help in an animal shelter? Yeah, I had fuckin’ nothing.
“Deal with it, dickhead. You’re it for once.” He grinned, slapped me on the shoulder and added, “I wish you all the luck in the world, brother.”
“What you talking about?” I glared.
“Nothin’, nothin’ at all.” He smirked and walked back over to the group. “Let’s get out of here. Willow, you must be buggered.”
“Are we going to Dodge’s?” Josie asked.
Pick chuckled. “Sure are.” He turned to me and said, “We came in the car, so we’ll take her and meet you there.” Pick gave a head bob to Billy, who swept Willow into his arms and started for the door.
It took everything in me to not run over there and knock my brother out when he winked.
Chapter Five
Willow
I was pissed and frustrated I’d put those people in the situation they were in. But I wasn’t stupid enough to go out on my own, not when my cousin had warned me there’d be no help from the police. I looked to Dodgeâs retreating back and a pang of hurt filled me, but I fought it back. It seemed Dodge hated the idea of me being in his house. Still, I couldn’t really blame him. I had dribbled some strange stuff when I’d first seen him at the supermarket, and I’d just dumped trouble into their lives without any notice at all…but I had no choice.
Dodge was the only one I felt safe with.
Despite speaking gruffly, looking sinfully hot, with a certain amount of menace pouring off him, the way he’d been with me when he first found me in that room showed me he wouldn’t harm me. Besides, he’d had many chances to hurt me before anyone turned up. He also had the chance to get rid of me when his co-workers arrived at the garage, but he didn’t. Instead, he got them away from me and called for help from people he trusted.
I was safe.
Dodge killed people. The fact made me nervous and sick. Yet, the way he reacted with his biker friends and even Josie, I found myself thinking it wasnât like he went off on a killing spree. He would do it to protect his people, which meant he had the power to protect me, and that calmed those nerves down.
Nothing would get through him.
Finally, as Billy settled my body in the car, I could breathe again without the fear it would be my last breath.
In my quiet state, I watched out the window as Dodge said something to Memphis and then, after a curt nod, he climbed on his motorcycle. It roared to life after one kick. Josie climbed in next to me and then the car started. We began to move but in the direction that I couldn’t see Dodge any longer, and I didn’t like that.
My heart jumped into my throat as my body shivered and I cried out, “Stop!”
The brakes screeched and the car came to an abrupt halt. We all jerked forward in our seats. My cheeks heated because I felt so stupid.
“What’s wrong?” Josie asked.
“I…” I shifted in the seat, looking out all of the windows, wincing when I banged my cuts and scrapes.
“Um, Caden, how about we wait for Dodge. Let him go first,” the sweet Josie said, and I could have kissed her. She knew what I wanted. I hated if they thought or it showed that I couldn’t trust them, but with Dodge in sight, I was able to relax.
God, did that sound obsessed? Probably, which I was with my safety anyway. And obsessed with his body. It wasnât the time for that, though. It was obvious my mind was still supplying me with crazy thoughts when my life was torn to shreds once againâby another damned family member.
I sent Josie a grateful smile. When she took my hand, I looked down to them. No one had cared enough to want to reassure me about anything. Yet this woman cared and I didn’t even know her.
Dodge cared and I didn’t know him.
Who were these people?
The rumble of Dodge’s bike slid past us. I saw him give a curious look to Pick who was driving. Pick only shook his head, but because I was on his side of the car, I saw his smile. It was the biggest I’d seen on his face. Dodge shrugged then took off in front of us. We followed quickly behind and my heart settled once again in my chest.
“Willow,” Josie said. I gave her a glance to show I was listening and then my eyes went back to Dodge as she continued. “I guess you were living with your cousin?”
“Yes,” I said quietly.
“Babe, whatever you say will stay between us and a few others we trust with our lives,” Billy said. He turned in his seat as his friend drove and said, “You can trust us, Low. We want to help you out and get this fucker off your back. But we’ll need the information from you.” His new nickname for me showed he wanted me to feel relaxed and welcomed around them.
However, I remained hesitant to tell them anything. I didn’t want them to think I was foolish for continuing to live with my parents after they stole from me, or after they find out my parents were druggies.
“Maybe we should wait for any information until we’re around Dodge,” Pick suggested.
My hand convulsed around Josieâs and she said, “Good idea, Caden.” It was a good idea, and it also saved me repeating myself.
How was I so lucky to find people willing to help me?
Was Fate finally being kind to me?
It was about time, honestly.
I could only hope her sister, Luck, would shine upon me while I told my unfortunate story about my sad life.
Even if Luck wasnât there, I would pick myself up once again and strive towards making it so. Some help wouldnât go astray, though.
It wasn’t a lengthy drive. Before long, we pulled in behind Dodge in a small driveway and up to a brick home that had seen better days. The garden was appalling and needed some help to brighten it up. Gardening was something I’d always enjoyed. It also got me out of the house when my parents had been in. I’d been too busy settling in, finding a job and then working when I’d moved in with Colton to even start on his garden.
My door opening caused me to jump. My hand went to my chest, but then I saw Dodge there. “You okay?” he asked gruffly, as though he didn’t really want to ask, but still did it anyway. When I nodded, he slid his hands under my legs and behind my back and lifted me effortlessly out of the car.
“What do we have here?” asked a new, large man from the neighbouring yard. Tattooed arms poked out from his tank top. He jumped the fence and stalked towards us with a bright smile, only it looked fake, as if something were troubling him. I’d been given many to know one when I saw one. I felt Dodge’s chest heave a long and loud sigh.
“Dive, fuck off,” was growled low as he walked us towards the front door. “Fuck,” he hissed. “Someone reach in my pocket and grab my keys.”
“Dude, I ain’t in the mood to feel you up,” the man named Dive joked, his demeanour now true. “Unless you buy me dinner first.”
“Don’tâ”
“Shut it, you two,” Pick snapped. Honestly, I was finding the interaction amusing and comforting. If only Lucia could see me. “Stop moving,” Pick ordered as he reached out to place his hand in Dodge’s front pocket.
“You move your hand closer to the front and we’re gonna have problems.” Dodge glared at Caden next to him.
“Don’t let Billy see you get hard for his guy, Dodge.” Dive laughed.
They were gay? But I thought Josie said… Oh, wow, she was actually with the both of them.
A slap sounded behind us. I glanced over Dodge’s big shoulder to see Dive rubbing the back of his head and Billy scowling at him. “What?” Dive asked.
>
“Can we please just go inside?” Josie said with humour in her voice.
Finally, I heard the jangle of keys, then Pick unlocked the door and swung it open. He moved out of the way so Dodge and I could enter first.
At least the inside was better than the outside. It was tidy, only bare, a real bachelor pad. Minimal furniture scattered around the first room we walked into, which was the living room. We had to step down into it. Dodge took me over to the large corner couch and sat me on it while he quickly shuffled back. I looked up at him, and with the light shining through the floor-to-ceiling windows behind him, he appeared like an avenging angel.
Josie came and sat next to me, with Pick positioning himself beside her while the other men stood around. That was until Dive dragged in a chair for himself to sit across from Josie and me.
“Now, you wanna tell me why you’re carrying a beautiful injured woman into your house?” Dive asked. He smiled and winked at me then said, “By the way, name’s Dive, as in, I would dive into your pussy any day, baby.”
Did he seriously just say that to me? I would have laughed and said something crude back, if I wasnât shocked from him just blurting it out like it was an everyday thing to say.
“Dive,” Josie gasped. “Don’t be crude.”
“It’s in my nature, babe.” He winked. I rolled my eyes.
“I wouldn’t go there, brother,” Billy said.
“Not like he’d have a chance,” Pick added.
“Women can’t resist my charm,” Dive stated while running his hand down over his chest. That was when I heard a growl fill the room.
Wide-eyed, I looked at Dodge, realising the sound had been made by him. “Enough of this shit,” he barked. He crossed his arms over his chest. “Willow, stay the fuck away from this guy. He’s nothing but trouble.”
Dive gasped, his hand going over his heart. “You wound me, brother.”
“Can we please just sort this stuff out so Willow can rest and clean up,” Josie demanded. Pick placed his arm around her shoulders and looked at her with a sweet smile. I caught Billy doing the same.
A pang of sadness filled me.
Never had I had that look from a male.
“Willow, babe, you wanna fill us in on what’s going on?” Pick asked.
Nodding, I looked to the floor and started, “My parents were drug addicts…”
“Fuck,” Pick hissed. He leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees. Josie’s hand went to his back, rubbing it up and down.
“Go on,” Dodge said.
“They weren’t until I was around six, after they lost my younger sister. She drowned in the bath. My mother blamed herself and never got over it. My dad didn’t help by blaming her, as well.” Taking a breath, I continued talking with my eyes on the floor. “I guess they found that ice dulled the pain. From then on, I brought myself up. They were either too high or they just didn’t care.
“I ate what I could get my hands on and cleaned the house so I wouldn’t get taken away from them.” I shrugged. “I was scared that if I went anywhere else, it would be worse somehow, and really…it wasn’t that bad. They didn’t beat me or anything like that. It was like they forgot I was even there. I would have been out of that house when I was twenty if they hadn’t stolen the money I’d saved. They OD’d a few months after, leaving me with nothing. I was scared, and the only person I knew of was my cousin. He took me under his wing.”
Scoffing and then smiling sadly, I said, “I was going home to tell him last night I was moving out. I’d saved enough to stand on my own two feet…but then I discovered he’d stolen my money. I guess he had it planned all along. Gain my trust until I was useful in some way for him. That was when he’d…” I paused before I stumbled over the next words, still in disbelief. “S-sold me into slavery.” I shook my head in disgust. “He’d blown his inheritance and stole from me to begin paying off his gambling debt.” Licking my dry lips, I added with resolution, “He threw me under the bus. Pretty much told me he didnât want to use me, but he had no choice because he needed the money. I thought he cared about me, but I was wrong.â Shaking my head, I said to myself, âMaybe it’s just me. I’m a magnet for letting people stuff me around…”
“Bullshit,” Pick growled. I looked up at him with wide eyes. “You were handed a shit card from a young age. None of it’s your fault.” He stood suddenly and walked out of the room.
Glancing at Josie, I asked, “Did I…?”
“No.” Josie smiled sadly. “We’ve all had something terrible to deal with in our lives.” She took my hand as I watched Billy walk off to find Pick. “I’m just glad you turned up at the business so we can help you.”
“Do you know who he was gonna sell you to?” Dive snarled, his teasing smile no longer in sight.
Shaking my head, I said, “No. All I do know was the money had already crossed hands and that I was bought by someone in some biker gang, who also had his hold on the law enforcement, as well. It’s why I can’t go to the police.”
Dive looked over to Dodge who nodded. “Hawks’ business now,” Dodge said then walked off the way Pick and Billy went, with Dive following.
“W-what does that mean?” I asked Josie.
She smiled. “It means we’re going to help you. No one will touch you unless they want war with the Hawks MC.”
“I don’t get it,” I mumbled.
She asked, “What, honey?”
“Why are you all willing to help me? You don’t know me.”
“No, but we see ourselves in you. Like I said, we’ve all had issues in our past and we helped each other through them. That’s what we’re offering, honey, help. We want to help you, so you can finally live the life you’re supposed to.”
Luck was definitely looking out for me.
“Now. Let’s get you all cleaned up.” Josie grinned and that time, I actually smiled with her.
Chapter Six
Dodge
My blood pumped hard in my body. I wanted to go out and hurt some fucker. No, I wanted to kill Willow’s cousin, and if her parents were still alive, I’d take them down, as well. Like so many I knew, she didn’t deserve to be treated the way she was. Hell, she’d had no one since being a kid. How could a person like her turn out so normal after having fucked-up parents?
“You all right?” Pick asked as I walked into the kitchen at the back of the house.
Was I okay? Sure, it wasn’t as if it had happened to me, so why was he even asking if I was okay?
His next sentence explained why. “You look like you wanna kill someone.”
“I do,” I barked.
“She seems so…together, even after the shit hand she was dealt,” Dive commented as he sat at the table with Pick and Billy.
“Which is strange,” Billy said. We all looked to him. “It’s not that I don’t trust her story, but come on, how does she not freak the fuck out being around us bikers and people if all she’s known is heartache from her family?”
“She’s strong, that’s how,” Dive said. “Anyone can see it, the light in her eyes. She holds out hope for a new life. From what she said, she’s tried a few times to get away from her crap family, but they kept fuckin’ her over. She wants a better life, and I reckon she’s willing to fight for it.”
“There’s still so much we need to know, but fuck, she needs help. No one, not in this day and age, should be sold to some cockhead as a goddamn slave,” I growled.
“She gonna stay here? We gonna help her out?” Dive asked, resting back into his chair more.
Pick was the first to nod and say, “Yes, she’s under Hawks’ protection now.” I couldn’t blame the guy. He’d also had a fucked-up upbringing.
“So, she’s staying here?” Dive said again.
“What are you getting at, fool?” I asked, leaning against the wall, my arms crossed over my chest.
“It’s just, you ain’t the nicest person to a woman, only when you fuck ‘em. Maybe she’d be more comfort
able at my place. At least I’m nice.”
No fucking way. Not happening.
Billy snorted. “She won’t go anywhere else.”
“Why not?” Dive asked.
“She feels safe with Dodge. He found her, and now she doesn’t want anyone else to protect her,” Billy said.
“I don’t think that’sâ” I started.
“Brother,” Pick interrupted, shaking his head. “She screamed out to stop the car because she couldn’t see you. That’s why we had to pull over until you were in front of us. Her eyes were glued to you the whole fuckin’ way here.”
Holy motherfuckin’ shit.
“Serious?” I asked, just in case he was pulling my leg.
“Dead set, brother.”
Rubbing a hand over my face, I asked, “How am I supposed to deal with that?”
“I don’t know, but she’s drawn a connection with you, sees you as her hero or some shit. And if you think to even fuck her over in any way, you need to put your foot down now and tell her where your head is.”
“That’s the problem.” I sighed. “I don’t know.”
“You need to find out, and soon,” Pick said and stood from the table as Josie walked into the room.
“Can someone help me get Willow to the bathroom? I don’t want her walking on her feet just yet.”
Dive stood quickly. Without thinking, I pushed the fucker back into his chair.
“Precious…”
“I’m okay, Caden.” She smiled sadly. “Are you?” she asked, and Pick nodded as he and Billy moved to her side.
“We’ll help her,” Billy offered. Josie nodded and rested her head against his chest. Anything like what Willow’s been through would cut a person up, but it’d be harder for Pick and Josie because of their fucked-up pasts. You could already see the bond Josie had formed with Willow. Josie wasn’t one to touch a person, wasn’t even one to talk really, even though the guys had brought her out of her shell more. She was great with people she’d known for a long time. Not strangers, though. Never strangers…except Willow.
