by Dawn Martens
Jenna
The woman, I’m assuming, is Chipper’s old lady, leads me into a room at the back of the club house. It’s a lot bigger than the rooms at the Mateland MC, and it’s sure as hell a lot cleaner. There’s a bed in one corner and a small table with chairs in the other. It looks a lot like the rooms at the women’s shelter that me and mom would stay in when she didn’t have money for rent.
To say I’m scared is an understatement. In fact, I’m terrified. I can’t stop myself from worrying that at any moment, someone is going to say that I have to go back to Timmons. I’m his now, right? He said I was his and that no one would ever be able to help me. They can’t just take me away from him, can they?
“Here’re some clothes. They may be a little big on you, but they’ll do until we can get you something else,” the woman says, handing me a pair of dark blue sweats, a black Harley T-shirt, and thick white socks. “Sorry, but I don’t have any panties or a bra for you. We don’t really keep women’s clothing here, so you’re going to have to go commando for a while.”
“They’re fine. Thank you,” I whisper, taking the bundle from her.
She gives me a sad smile and motions towards a door near the back of the room. “The bathroom’s over there. While you take a shower, I’ll grab you something to eat.”
I nod and walk to the bathroom. As soon as I step into the room, I lock the door. I know that if someone really wants in, there’s nothing I can do to keep them out, but the lock makes me feel a little safer. I can’t forget that these are bikers, just like my dad and his brothers. There’s no way they’re going to help me for nothing. Everything always comes at a price with them.
I get out of my clothes as quickly as I can, throwing the purple nighty in the trash, and glad to be rid of the nasty thing. I fold Chipper’s shirt, setting it beside the sink before stepping into the cool shower. I turn the stainless steel handle all the way over and put the hot water on blast, doing my best to let it scald the filth of Timmons and Rig off of me, the filth I couldn’t fully get off at the rest stop. Grabbing the soap, I spend the next ten minutes scrubbing every inch of myself. By the time I’m done, my skin is red and burning, but I do feel somewhat better. I rush to dry off and get dressed, then run a brush through my tangled hair.
I’m just stepping out of the bathroom when Chipper’s woman walks back in. She’s carrying a plate piled high with food. “Good, you’re done. Now, you can eat.”
She motions me towards a chair and hands me the plate. “I wasn’t sure what you liked, so I brought you a little bit of everything.”
“Thank you,” I say as I sit down.
She stays and quietly watches me as I eat; each bite causing my jaw to ache even more. I’m not complaining though. I know that I’m lucky Timmons didn’t completely break my jaw. He sure tried hard enough to. The proof of that’s all over my face.
As soon as I set the plate on the table next to my chair, she gently grabs my hand. “My name is Mindy. I guess you already figured out that I’m Chipper’s old lady.”
I nod. “Yeah. I kind of figured that.”
She laughs. “What’s your name, sweetie?”
“Jenna.”
“You want to tell me what happened to you, or do you want me to wait and hear it from Chipper? He told me a little, but I’m sure there’s more to it.”
In truth, I don’t want to tell anyone what happened, but she’s been nice to me, so I figure I owe her something. “Some guys were hurting me, and Chipper stopped them. He saved me, really. Problem is that I didn’t have anywhere to go, so he brought me here.”
“Hurting you?”
I know she wants me to tell her more, but that’s just not something I’m willing to do right now. Instead, I ask her the question that’s been bothering me since Chipper and I pulled out of the Mateland MC parking lot. “What’s he gonna do with me?”
A puzzled look crosses over her face. “What do you mean, do with you?”
I shrug. “Is he going to send me back?”
“There’s no way my husband would send you back to a place where you were being hurt. Don’t worry about that,” she says, placing her other hand on top of our joined hands. “Where are your parents?”
“My dad….” What can I really say about my dad? It isn’t like I can tell any of them my dad is the Vice President of the Mateland crew. “My dad doesn’t want me. He never really did.”
“And, your mom?”
“My mom is dead,” I say, my voice sounding harsh even to my own ears.
“Do you have any other family?” she asks, giving my hand a soft squeeze.
I shake my head. “Not really. I know my mom’s parents live out in Montana, but I’ve never met them. As far as I know, Mom hadn’t talked to them since before I was born. I don’t know anything at all about my dad’s parents.”
“No aunts or uncles?”
“Not that I know of. It was always just me and Mom,” I say, trying in vain to think of someone, anyone that would care enough to take me in. “I have no one.”
“That’s not true.”
I jerk my eyes up to meet hers. “Yes, it is. No one cares whether I live or die.”
She gives my hand another squeeze as a soft smile crosses her face. “When my husband brought you here tonight, he was claiming you as his.”
I shake my head in denial. “No way. Nuh uh. You’re his old lady! He can’t claim me!”
“I meant that he claimed you as family, so that means you’re my family too. I’ve always wanted a daughter.”
Her words are like a balm to my soul. “I always wanted a real mother.” I say quietly.
CHAPTER Three
Jenna
I’m sitting at the kitchen table, looking out the window and reflecting on how much my life has changed over the past few weeks. I’ve been in Big Clifty for nearly a month now, and I still can’t believe that I’ve been saved. First of all, I have a real home with Mindy and Chipper. It’s not a huge place, but it looks like a mansion compared to the shitholes that mom and me lived in.
Secondly, my dad and Timmons aren’t even looking for me, although I’m pretty sure they know where I am. All that really matters is that they haven’t come to get me yet, and I’m starting to think that they never will. To be honest, I never really thought Dad would come for me, but a big part of me feared that Timmons would. I guess he didn’t want me as bad as I thought he did, thank God.
Timmons and Killer were the only two members of the Renegade Sons I knew before I went to the club house. They used to stop by my Mom’s every once in a while looking for Dad. Killer was an okay guy. He never bothered me when he came over. I’ve been afraid of Timmons since I was just a little girl, though. I can’t really explain why, but I just knew there was something weird about him. Then five years ago, he started making me touch him. I was only eleven years old at the time, and he was in his late twenties. That’s when I realized that he wasn’t just weird, he was a complete sicko.
When I first walked into Mateland MC, I was a virgin. Timmons stole that from me the first night. I was sure nothing could have hurt worse than that, but he proved to me that I was wrong. The other things he did to me made the first rape seem like a walk in the park, especially that first week when he kept me locked in his room, only coming in when he wanted to hurt me.
Eventually, he decided that he’d share me with Rig. I hate to admit it, but Rig wasn’t all that bad. He never used his fists on me, and he made sure I had food and water. That’s a hell of lot more than I can say for Timmons. To him, a fist in the face was a love tap.
Rig took the time to show me around the club. I was surprised to see other girls the same age as me there; a few of them I even knew from school. They’d quit a while back, and I hadn’t seen them since. I naively assumed that they had moved away, but I never even considered the thought that they were stuck in this hell hole right along with me. As soon as I saw them, I wanted to do something to help them, but how could I when I could
n’t even help myself.
Rig occasionally let me talk to some of the girls when I behaved well. He said that they could teach me the ropes, but what they really taught me was to run if I ever got the chance. The longer I stayed at the club, the more I learned. A few of the girls were even younger than me; the youngest one barely being thirteen. She looked like a little kid, but her eyes were dull and void from the loss of her innocence. Some of the girls claimed they were there willingly, and even went as far as to say that they loved their old man, but more than a few were being held against their will, just like me.
Before the night Dad gave me to Timmons, I had my life mapped out: turn eighteen, get my mom and me out of the little trailer we lived in, and run as far away as we could. But, finding Mom dead on the kitchen floor changed all of that. I should have been smart. I should have packed up and ran away from that piece of shit town as soon as I laid eyes on her cold, lifeless body. Instead, I made the ultimate error of running straight to my Dad, which has, so far, been the biggest mistake of my life.
Losing hope as the weeks passed, I didn’t think I’d ever get out of that clubhouse. The day Chipper found me being raped and humiliated by two disgusting men, I knew I was going to be free. I wasn’t sure how, and I never would’ve thought he’d be the one to do what he did, but I knew in my gut as soon as I saw him that he was my savoir. Chipper not only saved me, but he also gave me a home and a family; a place where I felt safe and loved for the first time in my entire life.
It took some getting used to at first, because I’d never had a true home or a place where I felt that I was wanted. It was all so new to me, and in the beginning, I was convinced that it would all come crashing down at any given time. I was scared to death of all of the bikers, because something inside of me just knew that one of them would try to hurt me. But the truth of the matter is that no one ever did. In fact, Chipper’s younger brother, Kidd, has even become one of my best friends.
Kidd was there when I first arrived, and he has made a point to come over to Chipper and Mindy’s nearly every day since. I may be only sixteen, but I’m not blind. That man is just… wow. He has dark blonde hair and clear blue eyes, pretty much every girl’s dream. He may be nearly ten years older than me, but there’s something about him; something different from all of the rest. Just being around him puts my nerves at ease.
Last night, I finally told Mindy that I had a big ol’ crush on Kidd, which is something I thought would never happen after what Timmons did to me. I thought she would be shocked or even a little mad, maybe even scream at me for falling for a twenty-six year old man, but she didn’t. All she said was that I had to wait till I turned eighteen before I even thought about being with him.
Mindy told me all about Kidd; how he stepped up and took Chipper’s place as VP. Chipper is seven years older than Kidd, so everyone always assumed he’d take Gun’s place as president when the time came. Mindy says that Chipper stepped down to spend more time with her. I think there’s more to it than that, but I don’t know what yet, and honestly, it’s none of my business.
I’m still thinking about Kidd when Mindy walks into the kitchen and pulls me out of my thoughts. She smiles as soon as she sees me, but her smile doesn’t fully reach her eyes. I can tell she isn’t feeling well again today. “Hey, sweetie. You want some breakfast?”
I shake my head. “Nah. I’m not hungry.”
She walks over to me and pushes the hair from my face. “If you’re not hungry, why are you sitting in the kitchen?”
“I got up, and you were still sleeping. I figured I’d sit in here until you woke up. I didn’t want to turn on the TV and disturb you.” I shrug, not wanting to tell her that I heard her getting sick last night, and I knew she needed to get all the rest she could. She also needs to get to the doctor, but there’s no damn way I’m going to say that. I’ve heard her and Chipper fighting over going to the doctor too many times.
He wants her to see someone, someone that knows a little more than the quack at the clinic in town, but she refuses. She says that if something was really wrong with her, then her doctor would have figured it out by now. Mindy is a smart woman, but I’m siding with Chipper on this one. I’m just too nervous to voice my opinion about it.
She bends down and places a soft kiss on my cheek. “That was sweet of you, but you could’ve turned on the TV. I can sleep through anything. It wouldn’t have bothered me.”
I smile back and stand up. “Do you want me to make you some breakfast?”
She shakes her head. “No, I’m the mom here, remember? I’m the one that cooks.”
“I made my mom breakfast a bunch of times.”
Her brows tighten and anger flashes in her eyes. “I know you did, but that’s not happening here.”
Mindy was not at all happy when I told her about my mom. She didn’t like that Mom had me do all the cooking and cleaning around the house. I tried to explain that my mom just didn’t feel good most of the time, and it wasn’t her fault, but Mindy refused to listen. Ready to change the subject, I smile. “Fine, Mom. What do you want to do today?”
A smile flashes across her face as soon as I say mom. She loves when I call her that. At first, it felt kind of foolish to be calling a woman I’ve only know for a little while Mom. She seems to like it though, and she’s been a way better mother to me than mine ever thought about being.
“Why don’t you go watch some TV? I’m going to stick a pot roast in the crock pot for dinner tonight, and then we can veg out on the sofa.”
I smile and place a kiss on her flushed cheek. “Sounds good to me,” I say as I make my way to the living room.
Kidd
I walk into Chipper and Mindy’s and see Jenna sitting on the sofa watching TV. I smile as soon as I lay eyes on her. I can’t seem to stay away from the kid. She just draws me to her in a way that I don’t really understand. She’s a pretty little thing. You can see she’s going to be a beautiful lady someday. She’s got shoulder length black hair that sometimes looks blue in the right light, and she has the biggest eyes that I’ve ever seen. They’re the color of freshly brewed coffee and look a little too big for her face. Her body is long and lean. She’s the tallest sixteen year old girl I’ve ever seen. Even so, there’s no denying she’s just a kid. There isn’t a womanly curve on her body. How some sick fucker could touch her, I’ll never know, but I can guarantee that it won’t happen again.
Jenna’s still quiet most of the time. Who wouldn’t be after what she’s been though? But when you get her to open up she’s funny as hell. Her laugh, I swear, I’ve never heard anything more beautiful in my life. I’ve never had a little sister, but I think if I did, she’d be just like Jenna. “What’cha watching, kiddo?”
Her whole face lights up when she sees me. “Charmed. Cole is like such a babe. You want to watch with me? I’m a girl and all, but even I think Phoebe is pretty hot.”
I shake my head and shoot her a smile. “I don’t think so. I was hoping you might want to go for a ride.”
“Yes!” she shrieks before jumping up and running towards her room. Within seconds, she’s back, carrying her shoes in one hand and her jacket in the other. “I’m ready.”
I laugh before answering. “Don’t you think your shoes would work better if you put them on your feet?”
She smiles again and places her shoes on the floor. She quickly pulls them on her feet then stands back up. “Now, I’m ready.”
Before I can respond, Mindy walks out of the kitchen. “Where are you two going?”
I walk over to my sister-in-law and place a soft kiss on her forehead. “I figured I’d take the kid out for a ride, maybe go over to Drexel and grab some lunch.”
“Hey, I’m not a kid.” Jenna shouts from behind me as she walks closer to us. “I’m almost seventeen.”
Mindy laughs at Jenna before responding. “You’ll be seventeen in four months.”
“Like, I said, I’m almost seventeen,” Jenna says with a smile.
&n
bsp; Mindy and I both look at her and laugh at the same time. By the time we’re finished, Jenna’s face is red. I can’t tell if it’s from anger or embarrassment. Either way, I can tell it’s time to hit the road. I reach out and curl my hand around her neck and pull her towards me. “Come on, Jenna. Let’s get going.”
Before we walk out the door, I have to listen to Mindy’s rules. Jenna better be wearing a helmet, I better not go over the speed limit, and I have to have her home before dark. I guess I’m not the only one that’s grown attached to the girl.
After promising Mindy that I’ll keep her girl safe, Jenna and I jump on my bike and make it to Drexel in less than an hour. As we walk towards Mimi’s café, I hear Jenna’s stomach growl. I chuckle and look down to her. “You hungry, girl?”
She smiles. “I wasn’t, but I am now.”
I wrap my arm around her shoulders and lead her into Mimi’s. “That’s good, cause this place has the best damn food I’ve ever ate.”
“I thought you said that Mindy made the best food you’ve ever ate?” she asks with a giggle.
“Well, I did. As far as Mindy will ever know, it is. If she thinks I’ve been bragging on someone else’s cooking, she may stop inviting me over for dinner every night.”
Jenna swings her hip into my leg, giving me a little nudge. “I won’t tell her that you said her cooking sucked.”
I step back and put my hands up in front of me. “Hey, now. I didn’t say that.”
She giggles again and walks to a table. “Since you’re nice enough to bring me to eat the best food ever, I won’t rat you out.”
I chuckle as I join her at the table. As soon as I sit down, a cute little brunette walks up to the table. “Hey, guys. What can I get you get you two?”
Jenna starts to look through her menu, but I jerk it away from her and hand it to the waitress. “Give us two country fried steaks with mashed potatoes and gravy. Oh, add two sweet teas too.”
