by K. T Fisher
Grim bites down on his bottom lip and chuckles and I swear it’s the sexiest thing I’ve seen a man do for a while now. I stare at his mouth, transfixed and left wanting for the first time. “We do like our bikes, and sometimes we do have to take certain situations into our own hands, but that doesn’t mean we’re a gang.”
“Sometimes?” He has me interested. The image of him getting down and dirty has my blood warming. He shrugs his shoulders, staring down at me and not saying a thing. “What illegal activities do you include yourself in?” I dare to ask.
“I can’t answer that, Lauren.” He replies. “I wish I could.”
I nod, understanding his answer. Out of nowhere, a man who looks scarily like Grim appears next to him and sits opposite us.
“Well hello gorgeous.” He winks at me. “Do you need saving from him?” He motions to Grim. “I can keep you company.”
I have to admire his confidence. “I’m fine thanks.”
“What’s your name?” He asks, sending me what I’m guessing is his signature panty dropping smile.
“Devlin,” Grim warns with a low growl.
“It’s Lauren.” I answer Devlin.
Grim heavily sighs next to me. Is he not happy that I told this man my name? I couldn’t just ignore him.
“Lauren?” Devlin asks. “You’re one of the girls my big brother here rescued from the Devils.” It’s not a question, because he obviously already knows but I nod anyway. Then I realize what he just said.
“You’re brothers?” I look between them, of course! It’s so obvious, they look so much alike. Both of them are so good looking, dark features, stubble across his strong jaw and even the same dark eyes. They could possibly pass as twins.
“Lauren, this is my younger brother Devlin.” Grim introduces like he has no choice and doesn’t want to. “Devlin, Lauren isn’t available for your one night hook ups.”
My mouth drops open in shock from what Grim just said. “Grim!” I shout.
He immediately frowns at me for using his club name. As I talk to Devlin, I feel Grim staring at me.
“So is Devlin your real name?” I ask him.
“Yep, love it so much I don’t want no club name.” He smirks and looks over at Grim. “Unlike someone else.”
“I didn’t choose my club name, it was given to me.” Grim snaps.
Devlin stands and shakes his head. “Stop being fucking mardy. Dad wants to talk to your girl.”
“I’m not his girl.” I frown.
“Why didn’t you say this earlier?” Grim asks.
Devlin shrugs. “I didn’t know she was Lauren until a few minutes ago.”
With a nod, Grim gets up and I follow. Time to talk with the president.
Chapter 32
I follow Grim and Devlin as they argue.
“I think this is too soon.” Grim moans.
“Well dad says he needs info.” Devlin answers.
“She doesn’t know anything.” Grim argues and I have to step in.
“Grim, I’ll talk to your dad.” They both go quiet and we continue to walk through the clubhouse. This is the part I haven’t been in yet. There’s a bar with a lot of music and we pass more rooms but I don’t know what’s on the other side.
When we come to a corner, Grim begins to walk beside me and I already know what’s coming.
“Why are you calling me Grim?” He asks quietly.
“That’s your nickname.” I reply and try to walk faster but he catches up.
“I told you to call me Brandon.” He reminds me.
I don’t know what to say. I continue to follow Devlin and before Grim can answer Devlin knocks on a large wooden door and it quickly opens, revealing their dad. He looks exactly the same as when I saw him this morning, dark jeans, black shirt with his leather vest. This is where Grim and Devlin got their looks from. Franky is a very good looking man and a silver fox if I might add. He gives me a smile and motions for us to come in.
“Does this need to be done right now?” Grim asks his dad.
“I figured as soon as we get this over with the better.” Franky looks to me. “You ok with this, Lauren?”
“Yes.” I answer. I would rather get this over with as soon as possible too.
Franky gestures for me to take a seat on the sofa and I take a look around. It looks like an office I guess and it does look similar to Demon’s but less scary. There’s no overload of weapons but there are a few guns behind his desk that I try not to stare at.
“I didn’t get a chance to greet you as I wanted to last night because the women were so excited to see that you were ok, and I’m happy that you are.” I’m shocked at how nice he is. My experience with club presidents isn’t very good and I was dreading Franky turning out the same. There’s time yet, but so far so good.
Franky places a hand on my shoulder, not in a dominating kind of way but more of a friendly gesture. “What’s the matter?” He asks.
I swallow to try and clear my dry throat, looking around the room and the men looking at me.
“Lauren?” Grim asks. “Are you ok?”
“Yeah.” I try to assure him with a smile. “I think I’m just still getting used to the differences.”
They immediately know what and who I’m talking about. Franky sits in the space next to me on the sofa.
“Lauren, we respect women and would never even think about doing what they did to you.” His eyes harden and it shows me how mad he truly is with Demon.
“Good to know.” I answer, watching as Grim takes a seat with Devlin on the other sofa.
“Now,” Franky begins. “I need to know everything you know that has to do with the Devils, Lauren. Can you do that?”
“Everything?” I dread.
“Just roughly explain, don’t go into too much detail about yourself. I’m purely focused on the club and Demon.” He assures me.
I go into my memories that I’ve tried to put behind me. I start at the beginning when Andrew and his two friends were already waiting for me. I don’t go into too much detail, like Franky said and move on to day by day and what details I picked up on. Franky seems interested in the parties that the Devils held.
“Who showed up to the parties?” Franky asks.
“I don’t really know, I wasn’t there that long to get to know regulars and names. Natasha should know, she was there months before me.” I inform him.
“But you were at the same party’s right?” Devlin asked.
“Right, but the men really loved her and I didn’t usually stay that long.” I admit, hoping they don’t ask why.
“Why not?” Grim asks and I can tell he didn’t really want to ask me.
I take a deep breath and look to Grim when I speak. “That would be because Demon liked to keep me to himself. He told me nobody else was allowed to play with me and as soon as someone showed interest, he would drag me away.” Flashbacks to being literally dragged by him flew by. He would drag me by my hair, legs or arms. It didn’t matter to him.
“Drag you away?” Franky sounds appalled.
“Literally. It wasn’t just him either.” I admit.
“What do you mean?” Devlin asks.
“Strike didn’t like the attention I got from Demon, so he would punish me.” Tears roll down my cheeks and Frank wraps an arm around me.
“Mother fuck!” Shouts Grim and I look up to see him suddenly stand and repeatedly punch the wall until Devlin pulls him away.
“Can I go now?” I ask Franky and as soon as he gives me a nod, I leave his office.
Chapter 33
As soon as I left Franky’s office, I speed walked past everyone, not caring who I bumped into or ignore. All I wanted to do was get back to my room. I wanted to be alone. I’m not sure why, maybe it was having to go back to that place, or seeing Franky’s appalled expression, Devlin’s confusion and Grim’s anger. You don’t know what it’s like living like that until it’s there in front of you and you have no choice!
When I rea
ch the room, I tug at my clothes because I feel so grubby. I rip off my jacket, throwing it down on the floor and kicking off my shoes. After sitting on the bed with my head in my hands for a few seconds, I eye the bathroom door and see the shower. It calls to me and the longer I look at it, the dirtier I feel.
I quickly get up, stripping my clothes on the way and eagerly walk into the shower. The water rains down my body, but I don’t feel any better. The room steams with the hotness of the water, but I don’t feel anything. I just want to wash away Demon’s hands and the abuse I received from Strike. I want to wash them away, forever cleaned from my body, but it’s no use. With the reality of what I’ve been put through, I fall to the floor with a slip and land hard on my arse. The water carries on pouring out and I scrunch in a ball, wrapping my arms around my legs and bury my head. The water helps soothe me while I cry, like warm hands stroking my back and I cry harder as I wish that my mother or better yet, my sister were here with me.
I don’t know how long I’m like that for, I don’t move. I don’t want to or need to. Sitting at the bottom of the shower feels good for me. A loud bang echoes through the room and the bathroom door is quickly ripped open and I hear a loud gasp.
“Shit.” I hear Natasha grumble.
“I’ll get Elise.” I hear from Grim, and then his departing footsteps. I don’t even feel embarrassed that he’s seen me like this because he has seen me a lot worse. Not only when I was at the Devil Spawn’s clubhouse, but when I was open and raw back in Franky’s office.
“Hey sweet.” Natasha crouches beside me. I turn to look at her, but I don’t feel like saying anything. “We need to get you out of this shower.”
She reaches over and turns the water off and grabs a towel.
“Come on.” She gets me to stand on wobbly legs and wraps me tightly in the warm towel. Natasha holds me tight, trying to absorb her strength into me because I really fucking need it right now. Unfortunately, we’re only human and that can’t be done, but it helps to know that she’s here for me.
As she leads me to my bed, Elise and Drew come running in looking so worried and I feel like crap because I’m making people care for me when I should be just like Natasha and Elise and deal with everything quietly.
“I’m so sorry.” I whimper as Natasha gently helps me down on the bed.
“Why?” She asks, looking deadly confused.
“Because I’m crying!” I fall apart again as Elise and Drew walk back in. “Why can’t I be strong like you? Why do I feel like this? I’m being so fucking weak!”
“Hey now!” Shouts Elise. “What the fuck is this crap you’re talking?”
Her language shocks me because Elise doesn’t swear, but now that she has I take notice.
“It’s true.” I sniffle. “You and Natasha aren’t acting like me. I’m messed up, you two are fine and I just can’t cope with the nightmares and flashbacks. It’s all getting on top of me and to make it worse, I thought that I’d feel better out here. I’m away from Demon, but I can still feel him!”
I hang my head in shame and feel the bed drop. I look up to see all three girls sitting on my bed with me.
“Just because I’m not crying, doesn’t mean I’m not suffering.” Natasha admits. “Fuck, I see those men’s eyes every time I close mine and I’m scared that it’s never going to go away. I wish I was more like you, Lauren.”
“What? Why?” I’m so shocked.
Natasha looks me dead on in the eyes. “Because you are strong, Lauren. You’re strong enough to deal with all that shit Demon and Strike did to you all on your own. You stood up for Elise when I thought you were crazy and after all that you’re still the strongest one because you are letting it all out and dealing with it. Me? I can’t even shed a single tear, that’s how fucked up I am. I’m so used to that club and what they did that I feel that anything else isn’t right for me and I need to deal with that how I feel best. You are doing great Lauren, don’t ever think different and if you do feel yourself slipping you have us.”
Natasha grabs me in a hug and I hear Elise from beside me. “I didn’t go through everything that you two did. Not half as bad, but I was still taken away and scared. I’ve cried on my mother’s lap and I’m not ashamed to say that but it helped me and to be honest, I feel like I can’t express how shitty I am doing in front of you two because you had it so much worse than I did.”
“No, that is stupid.” I frown at her. “Of course you are going to be upset, look at who they were and what they did. It wasn’t a competition Elise, we were all in that room and you have every right to be upset about that.”
She starts to cry immediately and joins my and Natasha’s hug. I look up and see Drew looking at us through a shit load of tears and usher her into the cuddle.
Chapter 34
The next morning I wake with very sore and puffy eyes. Natasha doesn’t quiz me too much, but I do notice that her eyes seem to be watching me. Elise arrived this morning to deliver breakfast in bed which was great because that meant I didn’t need to leave my room until I was hungry again.
Around noon, the smell of delicious home cooking persuades me to leave the safety of my room. When I enter the kitchen, I see Grim’s mother busy cooking with a bunch of other women and when she spots me she gives me the biggest smile.
“Hello, Lauren my lovely!” She wipes her hands and then rushes towards me. “What can I help you with?”
Right on cue, my stomach grumbles and we both laugh. “I followed the smell.” I admit.
“Take a seat and I’ll take care of that loud belly.” With a smile, she leaves me to fill up a plate full of food fit for a king and places it in front of me as I sit where she told me to. “If you need anymore, give me a shout.” Laura then gives me a kiss on the head and re-joins the women cooking dinner for what looks like an army.
I won’t lie, I’m a little in shock with her show of kindness. Even my own mother wouldn’t do that and I think that’s where the shock has come from. I’m not used to that affection.
As soon as Laura sees that I have finished, she rushes to my side and gives me a funny look as she looks at my half eaten plate.
“Did you not enjoy it?” She sounds gutted and I rush to explain.
“No! I loved it Laura, it’s just that since everything that happened I can’t eat as much as I used to.” I admit with the biggest smile I can manage with how low I am feeling, which probably isn’t as big as I would like and looks more like a sad grimace.
Laura sees my fake smile for what it is and takes my plate anyway. “You need anything darling, you come to me.” She leans in close and whispers, “I’m the president’s old lady, so anything I say goes around here. You need anything, I’m here for you.” She gives me a cheeky wink and leaves me to it.
I decide now that I have food in my belly, I need a drink and when I get to the bar there’s only one stool free, and it’s in the middle of two large bikers. I straighten my back, pull on my big girl panties and take the free seat. Both men look at me while taking a drink, the one on my right introduces himself first.
“Hey babe, the names West.” He smiles a huge charming smile. West has bright blue eyes and golden hair, all messy and ending in line with his jaw.
“Hi, I’m Lauren.” I smile back and I’m certain that he drops some of the charm in his grin. As soon as I said my name I noticed it, but that can’t be right.
“I’m Duke, nice to meet you Lauren.” Duke, unlike most men around here, is clean shaven, with short black hair and hazel eyes. He’s very good looking, but I’m not too keen on the tattoo covering almost all of his neck. He holds out his hand and I take it, laughing as we shake.
West offers to get me a drink, and after refusing him four times I give up and accept his offer. Two drinks later, the flirty conversation changes.
“We’ve heard stories about you.” Duke begins.
“Really?” I prepare myself for questions about Demon and all things Devil’s Spawn related.
&nbs
p; “Yep, Devlin says you have your claws dug deep in the VP.” West smirks.
“Is that right?” I frown. “Were those his exact words?”
“Fuck if I should know.” West laughs loudly. “Gossip gets around here faster than a girls sleepover. All I know is Devlin thinks Grim has a hard on for you, and that’s a problem.”
“Why would it be a problem?” I ask, slowly sipping on my beer.
Duke laughs. “Because you’re fucking hot! Every man in this club will be drooling over you girl, and Grim is a nasty bastard. If he catches anyone looking at what he’s liking, men will get hurt.”
“You’re joking.” I narrow my eyes at them both.
West wraps an arm around me and I sway on my stool from how heavy he’s leaning on me. “Afraid not, baby girl!”
I feel a little awkward with where our conversation has led to, so I try and steer them away. I ask them about their families, which then somehow leads to mine and it’s not long until I’m talking about Maisy and all my mistakes. The alcohol probably helps towards my blabbering mouth right now, but West and Duke don’t mind.
“I don’t believe it.” West adamantly shakes his head. “A sweet girl like you couldn’t do that.”
“Looks can be deceiving.” I smirk.
Now it’s time for Duke to wrap an arm around me. “But you look so innocent.”
With that comment I can’t help but laugh, and I laugh so hard that I should have fallen off my stool if it wasn’t for Grim standing right behind me. He grabs me by the waist and gently helps me down.
“Grim!” I squeal in shock.
“Are you drunk?” He asks me and I try to not look drunk, which is a hard thing to do.
“What?” I shrug my shoulders as if I don’t know what the hell he’s talking about. “No.”
He glares up at West and Duke. “You got her drunk.”
“I’m sorry VP, we thought she was ok.” West apologises.
“Don’t say sorry to him.” I point at Grim. “I’m not his property.”
“If you were, you would be in big fucking trouble,” Growls Grim.
