Anarchy (Deathstalkers Book 10)

by Alexis Noelle

  When our eyes meet, I can feel the emotion and tension. It's like an invisible rope pulling me toward him. He looks away, and I instantly think maybe it's all just in my head.

  One of the barely dressed girls walks up to him, and I find myself unable to look away.

  “Anybody fill you in on them yet?” Nikki asks.

  I shake my head no as I stare at the woman. She is wearing a black leather skirt that's so short it stops just below her butt. Her shirt basically looks like a lace bikini, and she has the highest heels on that I've ever seen.

  "That's Mac, she's one of the club girls. They are here to keep the single brothers satisfied if you know what I mean." I look at her not really getting it. "Right, you don't. They sleep with the boys, different one each night, multiple ones each night, it doesn't matter. That's what they're here for."

  “What? Why?” I look back at her my eyes wide. She’s standing next to Mikey her hand on his arm as she whispers something in his ear.

  “Because the club takes care of them, somewhere to stay, food, and money in their pocket. It’s completely voluntary, and they are free to leave whenever they want.” Nikki shrugs, “not my cup of tea, but to each their own.”

  "I'm going to go grab something to drink." I walk away getting a bottle of water from one of the coolers. Looking back I see that Mac is still standing next to Mikey. That’s the kind of girl he wants, but that will never be me. Maybe I was just kidding myself. He probably sees me as some kid that he feels bad for. I was fooling myself to think I fit in here.

  I walk back to my room, increasing my pace as I feel the tears start to form. I scrub all of the makeup off my face and throw on some sweatpants and a t-shirt. As I lay down, I've never felt more alone in my life. The tears start to fall as I remember my sisters and I all doing each others hair, helping my brothers learn to tie their shoes, and knowing that when I came home from school, I'd find my dad sitting in his chair with my mom's bible. Now they’re gone, and I’m alone.

  I cry until there is nothing left inside of me. The entire three days I traveled here that's really all I did. I stuck to the woods or walking along a road instead of on it. Their memory pained my entire body, but it was also the only thing that kept me going.

  My eyes start to feel heavy as I drift off and I see my father’s face.

  There is a loud banging at my door.

  I back away tripping over something on the floor before I fall back against the wall.

  The banging continues, but now the door jumps each time.

  I pull my legs to my chest silently praying for whoever it is to just go away.

  The door bursts open and I see the prophet standing in the doorway.

  “You will pay for making me find you.”

  I scream sitting up in the bed and realizing where I am.

  My heart pounds so hard that it actually hurts.

  I need to get a drink of water.

  Walking into the kitchen, I see Mikey leaning against the counter. "Surprised to see you up."

  “Yea, I um…” I grab a bottle of water out of the fridge.

  “Everything okay?” He pushes off the counter and walks over to me.

  "I just had a bad dream. It woke me up, so I came out to grab a drink." I shrug trying to make it seem like it isn't a big deal even though my heart is still pounding.

  "What was it about?" I don't answer him. I've told him about my past, but I don't know how much detail I really want to go into. "Hey," I look up at him realizing I just zoned out and he caught me. "Talk to me."

  I sigh, maybe it will help to confide in someone. "When I ran away it was because I had a pretty good feeling that our prophet intended to have me marry him. There had always been talk about the way he treated his wives, and I don't know that I could endure that. Not to mention that he was older than my father. In my dream he had come and found me, he said he would make me pay for running. It felt so real.” I don’t realize how bad I'm shaking until Mikey pulls against him. Laying my head on his chest, it's almost like a sense of calm comes over me. I immediately feel protected like nothing could ever get to me.

  "I will never let anyone hurt you." I look up at him meeting his green eyes. This is the feeling that everyone talks about when you meet someone, and you know that you are meant to meet that person.

  I have the urge to kiss him and see what that might actually feel like. I watch the people here do it like it's nothing, for me though it means something. I have never wanted to kiss a boy or even looked at a boy in that way. I lift myself onto my tip toes but just as I am about to make contact Mikey pulls away. There is an empty space where he once was, and I suddenly feel so ashamed I wish the floor would just swallow me up.

  I walk out of the kitchen and hear him calling my name.

  No.

  I cannot believe I just did that.

  I knew he could never want me.

  Chapter Eight

  Mikey

  Waking up I still feel like the biggest asshole ever.

  She tried to kiss me and fuck if it wasn't the hardest damn thing I've ever done to pull away from her. I can't though. As much as I want her, I need to follow club rules and stay away from her until her birthday. I also need to talk to Lucy and get the play from her. I don't really see it being a problem, but I guess time will tell.

  I need to find her and explain this all. I don't know that she will get it, but maybe she won't think I'm a complete jerkoff. I head toward her room not wanting to wait to talk to her. I wanted to go last night, but the truth is that I didn't know if I could say no to her twice.

  I knock on her door hearing a quiet “come in.”

  When I open the door her eyes widen. “Hey, what’s going on?”

  She shifts uncomfortably, and I hate that I caused this between us. "I wanted to come and find you to talk about last night."

  “It’s fine I get it.” She shrugs and does her best to avoid any and all eye contact with me.

  “You get what?” I close the door walking all the way into the room.

  She turns toward me, I can tell the brave, confident face she has on is a mask.

  She’s upset.

  “I’m not like these girls. It’s okay.” She walks over to the dresser and buys herself with something in the top drawer.

  Walking up behind her I brush her hair off to one side. Sipping my mouth low, I whisper in her ear. "The fact that you are nothing like anyone here is just one of the many reasons I can't get you out of my mind."

  She turns to face me surprise and confusion plastered all over her face. “I don’t get it then.”

  Shaking my head, I take her hand and lead her over to the bed. Sitting down I tug her, so she's next to me. "You are the most gorgeous, pure, amazing, and addicting girl I have ever met. If I could, I would make you mine right now. I can't though, and it's fucking killing me."

  “Why?” her hand lays on top of mine. “What’s wrong?”

  "It's the club. When you showed up here underage, it was made clear that no one could even think about touching you before you turned eighteen. I also need to get your Aunt's permission too." I stroke her cheek with my thumb. "Don't ever doubt that you are everything and more than I could ever imagine being able to call mine."

  She’s staring at me, not saying anything and the pull between us is so strong I feel like we are a couple of magnets.

  Fuck it.

  I lean in pressing my lips to hers. I must shock her because it causes a sharp intake of breath and as her lips part I gently brush my tongue against them. She melts into me letting me devour her, drink her in like she's my only source of air. Her hands fist my shirt, and when a tiny moan falls out of her mouth, I have to force myself to pull away.

  Standing up quickly I need to put some distance between us. “Goddamn it.”

  She looks away, and I realize how this must look to her.

  "Emma," I say her name and she looks up at me. "What just happened only made me realize how perfect you are for me.
Know that the minute you turn eighteen you'll be mine, and I will never let you go."

  Her eyebrows pull together, and I'm not really sure what's wrong.

  “Talk to me, I can see something just happened in your head.”

  She shakes her head.

  I sit back down next to her. “Emma, talk to me.”

  “The way you talk, sometimes it reminds me of the men in the community. You don’t scare me the way they did, but when you say things like I’ll be yours, it brings all of that back.” She looks away from me.

  "Hey, don't do that." I wait until her eyes meet mine. "Anytime you feel uneasy, or you have a problem I want you to come to me. Know that when I say you'll be mine, I mean that in the best ways possible. It means that whatever you need, I'll provide it. I will make you feel loved, protected, and cherished. I will stand in the way of you and anyone who might hurt you. I will love you more than you ever thought possible."

  She smiles, “that sounds kind of amazing.

  “Jesus, I need to get out of here before you get me in trouble. We need to meet with Pres and Whip in a half hour okay?” she nods her head with a laugh. This week might actually kill me.

  I head out to the main room and sit down with a few of the guys while I wait for Emma to come out. I’m barely paying attention to the conversation, all I can focus on is how it felt to kiss her.

  A shooting pain up my leg makes me jump, “what the fuck?”

  “Stop daydreaming lover boy.” I look up to Whip standing next to me. “She’s ready let’s go.”

  I get up to see Emma standing in the doorway. We all head to the meeting room, and Pres is already in there.

  “Morning, I won’t waste time, because I really don’t have it. We need you to tell us how to get to the community.”

  Oh, shit.

  Chapter Nine

  Emma

  I follow Mikey down the hallway and into a room with a large table. Pres is sitting there, and so is Whip, both of them look like this is not going to be a fun conversation.

  Pres looks at me as we walk into the room. “Morning, I won’t waste time, because I really don’t have it. We need you to tell us how to get to the community.”

  My eyes widen as I look at him. “I-I don’t know how.”

  “How is that even possible?” Whip asks as he looks over at me.

  I sit down, and Mikey's presence behind me gives me a little bit of comfort. I rarely left, and even when I did, I wasn't really paying attention. Making my way here I just headed south and asked for directions every once and a while. By the time I got here, I had been traveling for three days. I stuck mainly to the woods and walked along major roads. When I got closer, I was able to get a couple rides."

  "Shit," Pres says his fist banging on the table and making me jump.

  “I could try to replace my steps if one of you would want to take me, but I don’t know how accurate I could be.”

  “No, it’s not safe.” Mikey sounds from behind me.

  "Funny, don't remember asking you Tank," Pres says looking at him.

  “I’ve heard bits of the stories from Lucy. I don’t want her anywhere near those kind of people.” I’m surprised that he is this adamant in stand-in up for me.

  I wonder what he means about the stories from Lucy. We were never really told anything about her.

  "I get what you're saying, but we need to find them. This shit is all on their heads. Izzy's life is on them." He stands up his chair crashing to the floor. "You take the truck and see how far she can lead you. Not saying you need to fucking go in, but we need something. Got it?"

  “Yes, Sir.” Mikey’s voice is hard.

  Pres and Whip both walk out.

  "Let's go." Mikey walks toward the door, and I quickly follow. I almost need to jog to keep up with his steps. When we reach the truck, I climb in, and he pulls toward the gate. "I remember you came from this way after that you'll have to try and guide me."

  I just nod my head. I try to tell him where to turn and remember the ways that I came, but I really wasn't paying that much attention, especially when I was given rides. We get to a certain point, and I have absolutely no idea. I turn to Mikey my eyes filled with frustrated tears. "I'm sorry. I don't know, and if I guess, that's really all it will be. We were never taught our address as kids, and we didn't really leave the community. I can't tell you something I never learned."

  Mikey pulls off the road and turns to me. "I get it. I'm not pissed that you don't know and as much as it might seem like they are no one else is either. Those people caused us a lot of hell, and the hard truth of it is that Pres wants revenge."

  “Can I ask what they did?”

  His head shakes, "a lot of shit. Most of it is club business, and I can't tell you. A big thing was that the club was attacked a few days before you showed up, lots of shooting. Pres's sister Izzy caught one of the bullets and was killed. He isn't gonna let that go without avenging her."

  “That’s terrible.” I place my hand on his leg. “Did you know her?”

  "Yes, but not very well. I was only a prospect; there wasn't much interaction between the old ladies and us." He shrugs. "If you don't know how to go any farther than this I'll just turn around."

  “When you said earlier about the things that happened to Lucy, what did you mean?”

  He doesn’t answer for a few minutes. “I think you might need to ask her about that. I don’t know all the details, and it’s really not my story to tell.”

  "Okay," his tone is off, and it makes me wonder what could have happened to her that was so bad. I've heard about wives being hit before, honestly, I grew up thinking that was the norm for most marriages. Issac and I had a conversation once, and it made me rethink things. He told me that he'd like to marry women he cared for and treat them right instead of putting his hands on them. It was the first time my eyes had really been opened to how skewed our way of thinking might have been. It was also one of the biggest reasons that I had asked to marry Issac. I didn't want to be subjected to the way those other women were treated.

  Looking over at Mikey I can’t help but think of the way that he kissed me last night.

  The way he talked about wanting me to be his.

  It gives me hope for a future I never envisioned for myself.

  Chapter Ten

  Mikey

  Getting back I set off to find Pres and Whip. I don't want them to give Emma shit. I know she wants to help, but the girl can't tell them something she doesn't know. They're in the office, and when I walk in, I close the door behind me.

  “You get anywhere?” pros barely looks up from the papers in front of him.

  "Got about ten miles down route 422, but after that, she couldn't remember." I shrug taking a seat in front of the desk.

  "This is fucking bullshit. We need to find them!" he stands up, and instinctively I put myself in front of him wanting to stop the confrontation I know is coming. "Fucking move brother."

  "No." I stand my ground knowing this is a bad fucking stance to take, especially with me just getting my cut. "She doesn't know anything and you scaring the shit out of her won't make her. She wants to help, but she can't tell us information she don’t have.”

  He stares me down, and for a minute I think he might lay into me, but he seems to calm for a minute. "Then we figure out another way. Pump her for information, anything that might lead to us finding them you bring to Wrench and let him work on it. Got me?"

  I nod. Taking a step sideways he walks away from me and out of the office.

  "Fuck." I breathe out before realizing that Whip is still in the room.

  “You’re good brother. Trust me when I say I get it.” I sit back down in the chair next to him. “I went through most of the shit you are now with Lucy.”

  “She came here at fourteen right?” He nods in response to my question. “Then you must have had the same guidelines as me. How’d you do it? You always say you knew from jump that it was her.”

  “I did. From
the moment I laid eyes on her in that warehouse, she had a piece of me. She was so young, scared, and innocent at first. Then she grew up in the club right before my eyes. It was hard as hell to stay away from her toward the end, in fact, a week before her birthday I slipped and ended up making out with her. Had to leave town for a few days till she turned eighteen cause I knew I had no control left." He looks over at me shaking his head. "Kind of had the same look that's been on your face today. I lasted almost four years brother; you need to last a week."

  I know he's right and I know that it's not that long. It's just hard when I see her struggling, and I want to be there for her. I'm also aware being there for her doesn't mean anything physical but having her lean on me the way she wants to only makes it harder to resist her. "When she looks at me like I'm her damn savior it kills me. I want to be. I just don't know how to be in this situation."

  Whip stands up, “best way I can explain it to you is to treat her like a younger sister.”

  Yea, problem is no one wants to devour their younger sister.

  Chapter Eleven

  Emma

  There is a soft knock on the door, “come in!”

  Lucy opens the door, "hey I wanted to see if maybe you'd want to hang out for a little today. I know we can't leave the club, but I thought it would be nice to get to know each other."

  “I’d like that.” I offer her a smile as I drag the brush through my hair.

  I've wanted to talk to her, she knew my mom, and I have so many questions. My dad really didn't talk about her that much. I always felt wrong to ask because it seemed to make him so upset. Now I feel like I have someone else that can kind of give me some idea of what she was like. I've seen pictures of her, and we look like each other, but I want to know more.

  I follow Lucy outside to the backyard where there are a bunch of picnic tables set up. There is a small playground that looks like it’s for the kids. Sitting down across from her I can’t hide my anxiousness. “So can you tell me about my mom? Anything and everything you can remember. Do I remind you of her? Do I act like her? Were you guys really close?”