Below The Line

by Chelsea Camaron

  Does it matter?

  Yes.

  No.

  Not in the big picture, it doesn’t. She won’t be going back to that life. This is our new beginning.

  I won’t let her go again. We have plenty of time to sort out everything from then until now and where we go from here.

  Chapter Six

  ~Hadley~

  I have lost my ever loving mind. I lay in bed beside the man who has captivated me from the day he looked at me singing and spoke to me on the streets of New Orleans. My heart pounds wildly in my chest, my breathing is erratic, my body aches in the most delicious of ways, my mind is reeking havoc on my soul, and my heart …

  Hurts.

  Love – is a powerful emotion. All consuming, all justifying, and all the ways wrong and right at the same time. This isn’t the time in my life to allow myself anything much less anything good.

  Owen doesn’t know me.

  I’m not a damsel in distress he can ride in and save. In fact, if I’m honest, I could be his greatest downfall. He has no idea what he’s up against. He has no idea what I’m tied to.

  And if I have anything to do about it, he won’t.

  Looking over at the bed beside me, I study the man. Taking to memory the sight in front of me. His tanned skin is smooth only marred on one shoulder with what looks like small scars in the form of scrapes making me wonder what happened. His dark hair is short, but slightly shaggy on top without being overly long. The shade of his scruffy facial hair makes my thighs quiver in anticipation of feeling them softly scratch between my legs again.

  What draws me is the tattoo covering the angle of his thigh meeting his hip and going down the right side of the ‘v’ leading to his cock is my name in script.

  My name is on his body. I reach over my shoulder and rub the tattoo I have with an X for him on me. A year I’ve been on the run and worried about this man. At every turn I had to wonder if Lo’ren would find me or worse, find Owen. When I was able to settle in Alabama and get the star with the X, I finally had this piece of him with me.

  Is that why he put my name on his body?

  My heart physically aches as I process so many emotions.

  I have left many men in bed beside me. For me, there is no walk of shame. From head to toe, my body is no longer my own and hasn’t been for more years than I can count. Last night with Owen was mine. It was the first time I ever wanted, desired, craved, and physically ached to have a man inside me.

  My virginity was stolen before I was even a teen. A man my mother loved and trusted took everything from me and she never even noticed. When I told her she didn’t believe me. Instead of holding me, consoling me, she took off for her next hit of heroine. I took off for the streets because I was better off on my own than with my own flesh and blood.

  Then Lo’ren took me. A twisted punishment for the man I lay beside today. He branded me, broke me, and owns too much of me. Owen has always been my lifeline. He got me through the coldest and darkest of nights on the street. The memories of someone being good to me kept me holding on when man after man climbed into bed beside me. No matter how disgusting, how violent, or how horrible they were, I could close my eyes and think of Owen having a good life to push through.

  To have him, to have this night with him, I can die tomorrow and know what happiness to my core means. I can know the feeling of consent, of a real give and take, and a real connection with another person is.

  I’ll treasure this for a lifetime.

  It will be the first and the last time I can give myself freely. I know my place, my role in life, my fate, and I’ve accepted it. He’s too good of a man for the likes of me.

  Sliding slowly and delicately from beneath the sheet, I study Owen as he doesn’t move. Scooping up my bag, I go into the bathroom to dress quickly and quietly. Moving from the bathroom, Owen’s shirt is on the floor and as tempting as it is to take it, I don’t. With one look back over my shoulder, I feel the tears pool behind my eyes as the man who owns my soul lay peacefully sleeping.

  Banking the memory, I slip out of the door and out into the parking lot. Needing to find a place to blend in, I make my way back towards town. The more people the less chance Owen can track me down.

  I’m not far when I feel the eyes of someone on me. Turning around, I find Owen’s friend following me.

  “We can keep going or you can stop and woman up.” He calls out to me.

  I don’t stop.

  “Been following you since you crept out of X’s room like a thief in the night. You take my man’s wallet, keys, or just his heart again?”

  At those words I stop, but don’t turn around and look at him.

  “Ahhhh, the Queen of hearts she stole more than tarts this time. I see the ghost has feelings after all.” He smarts off to me as he comes to stand in front of me. “Eyes up, Hadley,” he commands to which I don’t obey.

  When he reaches out to cup my chin I jerk away. I watch out of the corner of my eye as he pulls a wad of cash from his back pocket. The hundred-dollar bill is cool against my skin as he tucks it under the V-neck of my shirt and into my bra strap.

  “You want to be treated like a whore paid for every inch you give, so be it. Now Hadley, look the fuck at me.”

  I raise my eyes. “I’m not your whore or his!” I charge back ripping the money from my body and tossing it to the ground.

  “You’re not his whore, you’re his world and you don’t even fucking know it.” He smirks, “you could be the best fuckin’ hooker to ever work the streets, but to X you’re an angel. It’s cute.”

  “What the fuck do you know about Owen and me?”

  He laughs, the man literally laughs in my face. “I know more than you.”

  “None of you know the story, the reasons why it’s better Owen think I’m dead.”

  I try to skirt passed him only to find two arms reach out and grip my shoulders firmly halting me in place.

  “You’re not dead. My man X, my brother, he’s a strong man, he handles the truth and takes it well. No more lies, no more sneaking off into the night. You and me, Hadley Combs, are turning around and going back to the no-tell, motel and facing the man who has not been right since the day he woke up beside a bloody blanket. You owe him an explanation.”

  “I don’t owe anyone a damn thing!” I roar pushing passed him. “Fuck you, fuck Devil’s Due, and you know what fuck Owen Gallow!” I don’t turn around as he jogs up beside me.

  “No wonder X has had a hard on for you for so damn long. All that heat, baby, you gotta be fierce in bed. Fuck yeah.”

  Frustration builds. “You don’t know a single thing about me. Fuck you! Hell, fuck the devil himself, you have not one fucking clue!” I roar feeling like no one can understand how much this whole situation kills me inside. I know too much and none of these guys have a clue what they’re up against if Owen tries to keep me with him.

  Again the man laughs at me. “You got passion means you care. You runnin’ means you’re trying to protect my boy. You firin’ off all this fuck Devil’s Due, fuck X, baby, you gotta know that shit makes even me hard.”

  His words hit me and I stop walking. When he circles around to stand in front of me, I reach out and grab his t-shirt under his cut. I feel him tense under my touch. Bile rises in my throat at what I’m about to do.

  Everything in life is kill or be killed. This is survival.

  “I’m a whore.” I look to his name patch. “Trapper, you think you’re hard now, imagine me with my mouth of fire wrapped around that thick, long cock of yours as I suck you off.”

  “I bet you suck stronger than a vacuum cleaner.”

  “Warm, wet, with a little bit of tongue and teeth,” I give him in a sexy voice that makes me want to throw up all over his shoes. “I can work a cock better than any man can eat a pussy. With a grip around the base and a little fingernail trail over your balls before moving to slide a finger slowly inside your tight hole as I roll my tongue over the tip. I’ll have you to
ssing your head back, closing your eyes, and seeing stars as I suck down every last drop of your come the second it hits the back of my throat.”

  “Damn, even I could get in over my head with you.” He taps my chin with his index finger. “Hot as shit, Hadley. But you’re X’s woman and no matter the morals I lack, I won’t fuck over my brother no matter how good the pussy.”

  “I’m everything that is not X’s woman.” I drop my hold on him and my head.

  “You are so much more than even you can see Hadley Combs.”

  “You don’t know me, Trapper.”

  “I know more than you think.” He sighs. “I know what it is to talk the talk too, Hadley. Only thing is, darlin’ I’ve walked the walk straight into Hell and back out again.” He taps his finger on my nose. “You’ve spent your whole life running from one bad situation into another. X is the only thing good you’ve ever known.”

  I say nothing as his words hit too close to home.

  “Tainted,” he says barely above a whisper and I let the tears fall. “It’s okay Hadley, I’m tainted too. I’m so black even the flames of Hell aren’t bright enough to let me be seen. I’m fuckin’ scorched. You think if you let him in you’ll tarnish him, scar him, burn him, and fuck scorch his soul.”

  I gasp as his words are more on point then I’ll ever admit.

  “Truth is, you already have.”

  I feel myself physically stumble at his words.

  “You’re in a mess. One fuck up after another. You wanna live your life on the run or you wanna be free?”

  Freedom.

  I have never known that feeling in my entire life.

  “Talk to X. Tell him what’s gone down. Tell him what happened that day. Take the guilt off his soul and then if you still wanna walk away, I’ll personally get you outta here and set up on your own.” He pauses. “For life. I’ll take care of you and I’ll make X back down. You just gotta give him the truth.”

  I back away at his words. “I’ll never tell Owen what happened. And I don’t trust you as far as I can throw you, Trapper.”

  He raises his hands like he’s surrendering. “They say, the truth shall set you free. You can do this Hadley. My word is all I got so when I give it, I mean it.”

  “The truth will get Owen killed. There’s no coming back from dead.” I say honestly as my body trembles thinking about what Lo’ren will have Marco do to him if they catch him.

  “Suit yourself. I tried to be nice which for me is saying a whole lot.”

  Those are the last words he says before he bends down and tosses me over his shoulder as if I weigh nothing. It’s pitch black outside and not even a single car drives by. I have no one to help me and the more I kick and wiggle, the tighter he holds me.

  We make it back to where the bikes are parked before Trapper sets me down. He is winded and I can’t help but pop my hip out to rest my hand on it. “Good to know you don’t have super human strength.”

  Immediately I scan the area looking for a way to run. Trapper is out of breath so I stand half a chance. Just as I get ready to move, he laughs beside me.

  “I don’t, but Deacon does.” Trapper says as I look ahead to see a hulk of a man with ear buds in his ears stretching and coming towards us. “Baby, he’s about to take you to church to give you some lessons in our life if you think you’re leaving.

  Chapter Seven

  ~Owen~

  I wake with a start. The bed beside me is empty but warm. I look to the bathroom. The door is closed, but there is light shining from under the door. I focus.

  There is no noise.

  Regardless of the light, the bathroom is empty, I quickly realize and panic.

  Jumping up, I stand and run my hands through my hair in frustration.

  A knock at the door draws me to it.

  Rushing to it, I swing it open to find Hadley standing in front of me with Deacon towering behind her and Trapper smirking beside her.

  “Got yourself a runaway bride, X. Might want to tie her to the bed for safe keeping.” Trapper says on a laugh. He grips Hadley’s shoulder halting her movement towards me. “Dayum girl!” He changes his voice to a high pitched octave. “How could you climb out of bed after a night with that? You afraid of snakes, is that your problem? Because X is definitely packing a python in his pants.”

  I realize I am standing here naked and Trapper is now making my cock the target of his attentions.

  “Trapper, shut the fuck up.” Deacon orders smacking Trapper’s hand off Hadley. “Hadley, you got thirty minutes. Tell him everything or I tell him for you.”

  Swinging his arm around Trapper’s neck, he drags him away in a headlock leaving Hadley to step inside.

  “What the fuck?” I ask still reeling from everything. Pacing the room, I can’t even look at her. “Apparently, I can’t fall asleep with you. Every time I let myself sleep you take the fuck off.”

  “I didn’t take off the first time, Owen. They took me.” She half screeches before covering her mouth like she’s said too much.

  Going to my bag, I pull out some sweats and slide them on. They sit low on my hips and I decide to skip the shirt needing to talk to Hadley and obviously figure out what the hell is going on.

  I point to the end of the bed, “sit and talk.”

  Hadley sits but looks like she wants to jump up and run at any second. Standing in front of her, I lean down with my fists closed, knuckles down on each side of her. Resting my forehead against hers, I breathe deep. On my exhale our breaths mix, “talk to me, Hads.”

  “I can’t.”

  “You can.”

  “I don’t know where to start,” she sighs and the tears fall from her eyes but I don’t move. I don’t give her space even though I’m sure she wants it.

  “The beginning.”

  She shakes her head adamantly back and forth.

  “Hadley, I need to know what happened that day. Please,” I beg.

  She sobs loudly and her body shakes, I keep my forehead pressed to hers. “It happened so fast. When I woke up, I was gone.”

  “Who took you?”

  “It’s irrelevant.” She flops backward on the bed trying to gain space between us.

  I straddle her resting my knees on her sides and my forearms on either side of her head. “Please, Hads, just give me a name.”

  “Lo’ren,” she whispers.

  I fight the urge to jump up and rush out of the room. Of all the scumbags, riffraff, thugs, and nasty motherfuckers on the planet, Lo’ren Cortez is the worst of them all.

  “Looks like the Devil just called for his due,” I whisper against her lips before I press mine to hers sealing the vow with a kiss. If it’s the last thing I do, I’ll take Lo’ren down and get Hadley away from him and anything associated with him.”

  “Owen, you gotta let me go.”

  “Can’t do it, Hads.” I sigh. “Won’t do it. Messed up once, we lost years. Not losing a fucking day more.”

  “He owns me, Owen. I’m not safe anywhere.”

  Rage.

  Hatred.

  Pure venom.

  My blood pulses rapidly through my veins as adrenaline rushes through me with every level of anger possible only growing higher and higher.

  “No one fucking owns you Hadley Lauryn Combs. No one!”

  She spreads her legs under me as her hand comes up to grab mine. Shifting my weight to my right side, I let her guide my left hand down her pants and to the inside of her thigh. She presses my fingertips to the raised skin marring the soft tissue close to her pussy.

  The bumps I felt last night are now burning my fingertips even though they are cool to the touch. With her guidance we trace the letters, L – O, just below them is X.

  “I promise you with everything I have I’m gonna fuckin’ kill him.” I move my hand from the marks and settle back over her like before.

  “Owen you can’t. You don’t know who he is.”

  “Oh I know who he is, he’s a walking fucking dead man.�
��

  She reaches around me holding me over her. The embrace is solid. It’s a hug like I’ve never had before.

  “He’s gonna kill you.”

  “I promise you Hadley, he won’t touch me. This moment right here, you’re free from him. My word, he’s got no claim left on what’s mine and Hadley Lauryn Combs you’re mine through and through.”

  This is real.

  The emotion, the connection, and the vengeance I promise I will give to Lo’ren Cortez is real.

  ***

  “Full name,” Deacon says with the notepad in front of him while he leans on the window sill of my hotel room. He’s looking at Hadley though, and not me. “Need his full name.”

  “Lo’ren Maximus Cortez,” she says softly and avoiding my eyes.

  I look at her. I study her fight to not meet my stare.

  “No fucking way,” I stammer and step back until my ass hits the wall behind me.

  “This ain’t some movie and X your name ain’t Luke but I think your woman knows something she hasn’t yet shared with you and the group.” Trapper says to which Judge grabs him by the arm and guides them both out of the room.

  “Come on trouble maker,” Judge mutters at the doorway.

  “Say it!” I demand of Hadley.

  She looks to me. “Your mom,” she takes a deep breath.

  “My mom was a whore for Lo’ren. I know who my mother was and what she did. I also know the bastard didn’t care when the food stamps ran out and I sat hungry on the couch waiting for my mom to get some stranger off in her bedroom in hopes we could have enough extra for a loaf of bread and jar of peanut butter.”

  “Owen, you gotta let this go. I can stay on the run, head to California. Blend in. Lo’ren won’t find me and you can leave well enough alone.”

  “No!” I say as I want nothing more than to climb on my bike and head to New Orleans and feed the fucker his own cock for breakfast.

  “I’ll look into him, brother.” Deacon says pushing off the window with a nod to Collector.