Sinfully Scarred: Reckless Bastards MC

by KB Winters

  Breathe. I needed to focus on my breathing. I didn’t know where I was or who was nearby, and I didn’t need to alert anyone that I was awake. I heard a distinct thump-drag, thump-drag, and I closed my eyes to get a better listen. Thump-drag, thump-drag. It was the walk of an injured person.

  The lights flickered on and I blinked a few times to get my eyes to adjust, and I saw him. Rocky. I also saw my surroundings, an empty warehouse with a few boxes stacked against the wall. Probably drugs. “Good, you’re awake. I would have hated for you to sleep through our first fuck.” He stroked his cock slowly, licking his lips as his beady little gaze raked over my body.

  I stayed silent because I’d learned its power by the time I was fifteen. The men who wanted to hurt me got off on hearing me scream, seeing that fear in my eyes. Take that away from them and I gained the upper hand.

  “Nothing to say, Minxy? You spread it for old Magnus, spread it for CJ. Now you’re gonna spread it all for me.”

  Bile rose in my throat at the sight of him, greasy and sweating, obviously an infection from that disgusting wound on his shoulder. Still, I kept my expression neutral, my gaze blank.

  Rocky did the thump-drag, thump-drag thing again to move closer, this time so he could touch me. “First, I’m gonna fuck that pretty little mouth, deep down your throat, sweetheart, until you fucking choke on my cock. Let’s just say”—his finger gently brushed up the inside of my thigh— “that I’m gonna wreck all of you. That Boy Scout CJ probably won’t even want you when I’m done. If there’s anything left.”

  Fear. I should’ve felt fear but I didn’t. I didn’t feel anything. Numb and cold. My body was shutting down. Again. It was how I’d survived all those years, but this time wasn’t like that. This time I would fight. I would either be free or dead when this was done. I was prepared for either.

  “Still got nothing to say, bitch? Don’t worry, I’ll have you screaming real soon.” He leaned in, and I almost puked at the combination of his infected wound and body odor. He grabbed my tits and squeezed hard, but I stayed quiet. “Fuck yeah. You got a great set of tits, bitch. You ever been titty fucked? I bet you have.” He sneered but I kept my gaze on him, prepared for any sudden moves.

  I gave him my best bored out of my mind look. “Nothing worse than being fondled by a decaying corpse I suppose.”

  He grinned before a greasy hand slammed down on my left cheek. “Fucking whore!”

  My face throbbed, but I stayed silent. Not a gasp or a scream. I just absorbed the hit and stared at him like the little bitch he was.

  “A tough girl, eh?” His fist landed hard in my stomach, knocking the breath out of me, but still, I said nothing. Another fist landed in the same spot, and the next three hit my ribs until I was pretty sure one of them cracked. “We’ll see how tough you are before the day is over.” His gaze was filled with hatred, rage. Then he balled up his fist and slammed it against my face two more times.

  I was silent. Defiantly so.

  “Don’t think you’re gonna be a quiet little mouse, because I’ll make sure you ain’t.” He backhanded me and squeezed my tits again. His anger rose at my silence, and I saw the moment something changed in his eyes—they went dark and deadly intense. My shackles were released, the bar tossed aside, and he pushed me down on the moldy sofa with a leering smile. He climbed between my legs, rubbing his denim-clad cock against me. He tried to kiss me, but I turned my head which earned me another smack.

  I held my breath as he rubbed against me while he removed my wrist shackles, moving my hips against him to keep him distracted.

  “Oh yeah, you dirty little slut. You fucking like it,” he grunted and pressed harder against me, licking my ear.

  I let out the breath I was holding, and the scent of sickness swamped me. This was the perfect opportunity I realized, the scent so strong my eyes began to water. My hips moved faster against his, keeping him lost in lust while I found the source of the stench and dug my thumb good and deep into his shoulder, fighting back a gag as puss and blood oozed from the wound.

  “You fucking bitch! I will fucking kill you!” He shouted and leaned back so he loomed over me, his fists coming down on my chest and face and stomach again. I was powerless to stop from this position so I covered my head as best I could, clenching my jaw through the blows. “I was just gonna fuck you good and hard but now, now I’m gonna make you hurt. Bleed.” He backhanded me and stood back, picking up one of the straight bar shackles.

  I braced myself for another hit—or worse. It wouldn’t be the first time or the worst that’s ever happened to me. Rocky was right about that. Only nothing happened. Nothing. Except his cry of pain followed by a scuffle and then the sound of more fists pounding flesh. I couldn’t open my eyes, I was too shaken and too damn scared to see what was about to happen to me.

  “Where is she, you piece of shit?” The voice was angry, no—full of rage. And it was a familiar voice.

  “Cash?” Maybe I was hallucinating because there was no way he was actually here. For me. A hand wrapped around my arms and pulled them from my face. I stared up into dark brown eyes surrounded by smooth, youthful brown skin.

  “Estás bien?”

  I nodded. “Si.” I proved myself a liar as I tried to sit up and cried out in pain.

  “Minx!” Cash was at my side moments later, lifting me gently while Mick held Rocky pinned against the wall by the throat. At least a dozen Hispanic men mixed in with CAOS members. “Did that fucker touch you?”

  “Mostly with his fists.” I tried for a smile, but Cash’s worried face told me I failed, plus the cough that shook my body and pulled a cry from me.

  “Let’s go!” I looked up and noticed a familiar head of red hair had barked that order. Mick. Everyone began moving to do as their leader had said.

  “Wait.” The man who’d checked on me spoke, his voice deep and heavily accented. His men aimed their guns toward CAOS.

  “What the fuck, man?” Mick frowned, his own gun aimed right at the shorter man whose vest named him a Mexican Devil.

  “You go and take the girl. Lazarus wants to deal with this one himself. He says to tell you ‘the problem will be solved’.”

  Cash and Mick communicated silently and having reached some agreement, they made their way to the door with me hanging on to Cash for dear life. The rest of the CAOS rescue team walked behind us, completely on alert for more trouble. “Good fucking riddance,” Cash muttered and shook his head as his hands gently caressed my back.

  Rocky cursed, “You fucking bitch, I’ll kill you and your pretty little boyfriend. Fuck you all, pussies!” His venom faded as we moved closer to the waiting vehicles being guarded by the new prospects.

  “You okay, Minx?” Mick’s hand fell on my shoulder, his green eyes taking in what I was sure were bruises, busted lips, and judging by my vision, at least one eye was swollen shut.

  I tried for a smile. “I’ve been better, Mick.” I coughed and cried again, squeezing my eyes shut. “I think I need a hospital.”

  Chapter Nine

  Cash

  Holy fuck, I’d never been so fucking scared in my life. Not even when Mick, me, and our crew were pinned down by insurgents and our comm was down was I as afraid as I was entering that fucking warehouse. Hoping and even sending a prayer up to a God I’d given up on years ago that Minx would be all right.

  As we drew closer, I heard the shit Rocky said to her. It wasn’t pretty; some of it was just plain fucking disturbing, and I was pretty sure she’d be dealing with those scars longer than the physical ones. She’d likely suffer flashbacks if not full-blown PTSD in the coming weeks and months. But she impressed the hell out of me, using silence as a weapon against that weak asshole.

  But seeing her bloody and bruised like that, hearing those blows rain down on her knowing I was in no position to do shit about it killed me. I wanted to take care of Rocky myself, squeeze the life out of that sorry motherfucker so he knew who did it to him. But the club had to approve it.


  All I gave a shit about now was Minx. She’d be okay in that her body would heal, but I worried about the rest of her. The part on the inside. The moment I saw Cherie I jumped to my feet. “How is she?”

  Cherie’s smile was grim. “She’s okay. Got a busted rib and a few deep bruises, possibly a concussion. She said to tell you she’s fine and you don’t need to worry about her.”

  That I didn’t need to…what the fuck? “What? No. Where is she?” I walked down the hall where Cherie pointed, stopping at the room number she’d called out to me. I steeled myself and took a deep breath outside her room before pushing in. “You don’t think you’re getting rid of me that easy, do you? I’m not letting you run away. Not again, baby girl.”

  She blinked once. Twice. Then one tear fell from her right eye, bruised and swollen shut. She looked away from me then tried to use her hair to hide the bruises on her face. “I need time, Cash.”

  “I got lots of time. I’m here and ready to listen.”

  She glared at me and I glared back until her gaze softened, her body relaxed. “I don’t know if I can.”

  “Then talk to Talon, she’s waddling around the waiting room ready to punch someone to get back here.”

  “Yet you’re here,” she challenged, tilting her head toward me.

  I smiled and ran a hand over her hair. “I’m bigger than she is, and I think we’ve already established—I’m irresistible.” She tried to laugh but gasped in pain. I put my hand to her rib. “Sorry, babe. Breathe.” I inhaled and exhaled deeply so she would do the same.

  “Thank you, Cash. For coming for me. For saving me.” She wiped more tears as they fell. “I’m sorry I didn’t expect you to. I should have.”

  I dropped down on the bed so we were eye to eye. “Always, babe.” I wrapped her hands in mine and pressed a kiss to the bruises on her wrists. “Get some rest, sweetheart, I’ll be right here. I promise.”

  “No.” She shook her head. “I can’t.” I saw the fear in her eyes, and it just about tore me apart.

  “I already know about the nightmares, Minx. Last time I stayed over you twitched and cried all night long.” Her eyes burned with embarrassment, and she looked away. “Don’t hide, Minx.” I grabbed her chin so she had to look at me and brushed a kiss to her forehead. “Don’t be embarrassed.”

  “I’m not.”

  I smiled and held her cheek, rubbing my thumb along smooth skin peppered with ugly purple bruises. “Whatever you say, babe. Now, sleep.”

  “You’re bossy,” she yawned.

  “All part of the irresistible package that is me.” I winked, and she giggled just as I hoped.

  “You are pretty irresistible,” she admitted, and I knew the meds were getting to her. “Thank you for rescuing me, Cash.”

  She drifted off on my shoulder, and I wrapped my arms around her as she fell asleep. Sleep didn’t come quite so easily for me as I thought about her admission. It was the first time she’d complimented me outside of sex, and I knew it was too soon to hope, but I knew she was mine.

  Mine.

  It was the last word I thought before sleep claimed me, too.

  ***

  Minx

  “I know you’re not ready to hear this yet, but I love you, Minx. You’re prickly as hell and you love nothing more than giving me a hard time, but it only makes me want you more. I know you need to be strong because you’ve been through six kinds of hell, and I want you to be strong. Hell, I can help you be stronger if you want, but dammit I don’t want you weak. I love you strong, and I love that you trust me enough to be vulnerable. I promise never to betray that. I love you so much. Please don’t use this as an excuse to run from me.”

  I still couldn’t believe he’d said all that to me. I didn’t know what to say or do in reply. That’s not entirely true because as soon as he said that scary ‘L’ word I knew that was the strange feeling twisting my gut and squeezing my heart. Love. It was uncomfortable, made it hard to breath, stole all the moisture from my mouth, and made me want to be around him all the time. It had to be love.

  Which meant I was totally screwed.

  And a coward because I pretended to be asleep while he poured his heart out to me, and when he returned I kept the pretense up because I couldn’t figure out how to respond. I knew how I felt, but it all was happening too soon. How could I trust that this was real? That it wasn’t just wild and crazy sex combined with an intense situation?

  I couldn’t.

  But I also couldn’t have anticipated that a member of a biker gang would save me and help me start my new life. I never could’ve dreamed that I’d be making and selling dresses or that I would have a good man in my life who loved me. I had to be brave. I had to be the strong woman Cash saw when he looked at me. I started with a caress, stretching my arm to where his head lay on my lap, and ran my fingers through his hair.

  He looked up and flashed that dimpled smile that never failed to turn me on and turn my insides to goo. “You’re awake.”

  “So are you. I can’t believe you slept here.”

  “Of course I did, I needed to make sure you were okay.”

  “In a building full of doctors and medicine?” The man took the overprotective alpha thing to the extreme.

  “I needed to know for myself. Shit, Minx, hearing that asshole hit you and knowing I wouldn’t get close enough in time, fuck, I wanted to kill that bastard.”

  I caressed his face. “I know, but you came for me. You came.” I didn’t know how to make him understand how much that act alone meant to me. “For years I wished my parents’ or the police would come and save me, but no one ever did. It didn’t even occur to me that you would come. When I heard your voice, I thought I was hallucinating.”

  He moved up to sit beside me and put his forehead to mine. “You’re killing me, babe.”

  “I’m trying to say thank you, dork. For coming for me, for staying with me.”

  “Don’t thank me. I needed to be here as much as you needed me, even if you didn’t say so.”

  I returned his smile. “But I didn’t say you shouldn’t which is kind of the same thing.”

  He laughed and shook his head. “Minx, what am I going to do with you?”

  I took a breath and looked at him, my big blond Boy Scout. His green eyes stared at me so full of some unknown emotion that stirred an emotion I was slowly coming to terms with. “Love me?”

  “I already do.”

  Damn, he was good. “Oh damn, I love you too, Cash.”

  He chuckled at my groaned words. “Don’t sound so excited about it, babe.”

  “I don’t know shit about love or relationships. You know I’ll screw it up.”

  “Not if I don’t let you.” He pressed a soft kiss to my mouth and muttered a curse over my split lip. “We’ll talk and share and shit. I’m told that’s how these things work.”

  I felt like he’d lifted a huge weight I didn’t even know I’d been carrying. “If you’re sure.”

  “I’m sure enough for the both of us. I know you’ll catch up.” He winked and gave his best panty-dropping smile.

  “Because you’re so irresistible?”

  He kissed my forehead and nodded. “Now you’re finally getting’ it. I knew you were more than a smart mouth and a hot bod.”

  I couldn’t help the laughter that bubbled out of me, or the screaming pain that tore through my ribs. “Ow, don’t make me laugh.” I cupped his face, unable to believe this man was mine. Loved me and wanted me to love him, too. “I do love you, but I’m terrified.”

  “Me, too. But we’ll have each other, so we’ll be all good,” he said simply.

  “Promise?”

  “I promise.”

  “Then I’m in.” And I was. Cash had given me something I didn’t think I would ever have again. Love. I would cherish it and nourish it every damn day.

  Epilogue

  Minx – 3 months later

  I wish I could say I didn’t cry when my best friend said her
vows that bonded her to the love of her life, but I bawled like a big ol’ baby, which actually wasn’t all that unusual for me these days. Talon looked so beautiful in her ice blue wedding gown, her skin glowed from all the love and the baby hormones.

  Their ceremony was beautiful and quick, just how the bride wanted it, and she’d only tolerated about thirty minutes of photos, which I also appreciated. “You could leave the dress on if you wanted,” I told her as I unzipped her.

  “No way, I can’t wait to put on that beautiful dress you made.” She cast a glance at the blue maternity party dress I’d made as a surprise wedding gift when I was released from the hospital and cleared for movement. It took almost two months before all the bruises vanished and my ribs had healed. Sometimes I swear I could still feel it broken in there, but Cash and my therapist both said it’s all in my head. “How are you, girl, for real?”

  I smiled at her in the mirror. “Getting better every day.” It was true, I was. At least once I left the cottage I started to feel a little better each day. I didn’t feel safe there, and Cash was more than happy to have me move in with him. “Do you think living with Cash is the right thing?”

  Talon nodded. “Hell yeah! He loves you and you love him, but I’m guessing he knows how to help when you refuse to ask?”

  “I needed to hear it. Sometimes I’m not sure if I’m scared because it’s new for me or because it’s just scary.” I hugged her and then helped her into her dress and let her hair down. “Ready to celebrate?”

  “Damn straight, babe!” She gave a little booty shake, and we went out into her backyard so the reception could officially begin, though everyone already had drinks in their hands.

  I spotted Cash just as the first dance came to an end, and he came over to me. “Dance with me.” He pulled me onto the dance floor and then into his arms where I was happy to be.

  I looked up at him, stars in my eyes. “I’m so happy I took a chance on a Boy Scout.”

  He laughed and pulled me closer. “I think you mean an irresistible Boy Scout.” He dipped me and gave me a whisper-soft kiss, peeking over my shoulder at the newlyweds. “That will be us someday.”