When his hand made to touch her breast, she swatted it away. “Don’t touch me.”
She pushed him hard. Gill came back, slapping her around the face and shoving her harder against the metal barrier. Her back hurt from the slam, and she cried out. His friends were closing in around them, stopping anyone from seeing anything if someone was to pass.
“Now, I’m trying to be nice to you, and all you’re doing is pushing me away.” Gill wrapped his fingers around her throat, squeezing. She clawed at his hands trying to push him away.
Another hand landed between her thighs.
“I’ve been nice and patient with you, Sophia, but my patience is running out.”
He tightened his hold between her legs making her wince. There was nothing gentle about him.
“Now, I’m going to let go. I want you to tell me what I want to hear.” His hand released her throat.
She took deep gasps of breath, needing the air. Bending forward, she tried to clear her thoughts. Sophia wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of making her beg.
“I’m waiting, Sophia,” he said, running his hands down her back. He didn’t have the right to touch her. No man had the right to touch her just because Kate wanted it. She didn’t. Her body was her own, and she was nothing like her sister. It was time she started to remember that. She and Kate were two different people.
Standing up, holding her head high, she glared at him. “Fuck you.”
The backhand took her by surprise, along with the thump to the stomach. She spit out some blood as she tasted the metallic flavor on her tongue. No one had ever hurt her like this.
Grabbing her hair, Gill spun her around, pushing her against the metal fence. Her breasts hurt from the bite.
Sophia panicked as he worked at her belt. “I’m going to fuck you so hard, and then my men are going to take you. Again, and again until you’re begging us to stop—”
A shot rang out followed by a scream. She was released, and she turned in time to see Lash with three men hitting Gill and his friends.
“You touch Skull property, and I’ll fucking kill you. Consider this your warning,” Lash said, firing his weapon through the of one of the friends. Sophia winced while inside cheering at Lash’s punishment. “Get the fuck out of here before I start snapping necks. I don’t give a fuck who you are, but you better make sure I never find out.” The threat was a real one. Everyone knew Lash had killed Angel’s father by snapping his neck. Lash was one tough biker, and no one messed with him.
She got a good look at him and saw several bruises on his face. He was also using his left hand rather than his right. Lash looked in pretty bad shape.
“Get Nash to where I told you and keep him out of it,” Lash said, giving out orders. The other two biker men left, leaving them alone.
Sophia stared at the gun in his hand, wondering if she was next on the list of people to go.
Chapter Four
Sophia stared at Nash’s brother. The gun at his side terrified her. He’d shot someone in the leg and showed no remorse. Not to mention the many guys he’d killed in the protection of the club.
“Are you going to use that on me?” she asked, bending down to grab her bag. She had nothing to protect herself with. If he was going to use that, then she’d be completely helpless to whatever he had planned.
Lash looked at the gun then at her. “No, I’m not going to use it. I find it helps weaken a man intent on rape.”
She flinched, recalling Gill’s hands on her body. Lash hadn’t needed to stop to protect her, but he had. “Thank you. I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t showed up.”
“I know what would have happened. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know what they all had on their minds.”
“Thank you either way,” she said, wiping the blood from her lip. Her body ached in ways she didn’t like. She knew in a matter of minutes the places where Gill hit her would be badly bruised.
“Don’t thank me. I may not be here for when it happens again.”
His words made her pause.
“Again?”
“Yeah. A sick fuck like that, he wants you badly enough, he’ll try again.”
Sophia stared at her savior waiting for him to say something that would protect her. “I’m not strong enough, and I need that job,” she said when he made no move to say or do anything else.
Lash kept staring at her without saying a word. She started to fidget, hating his scrutiny.
“My brother thinks you’re an innocent one,” Lash said.
“What?”
“Angel was purely innocent. I know. You’re not. There’s something about you that shows experience.” He stepped forward grabbing her chin. “But you’re not full of experience. Nash sees that side of you. He thinks you’re weak enough that you can’t handle the life of being an old lady.”
She tugged out of his hold. “I’m not too innocent, and it’s none of your goddamn business.”
“Nash got his ass kicked today. He’s hanging by a thread, and Tiny’s this close to kicking his ass to the curb and out of the club life forever.” He pressed his thumb and finger close together.
“Is he all right?”
“No, he’s not all right. I made a deal to keep Nash in The Skulls. You want protection then you help me now,” Lash said.
“I don’t know what you want.”
“I’m about to get Nash back on his feet. It’s not going to pretty, but if you care about him, then you can help. In return you get The Skulls back for your protection, and no man will touch you.” He stepped forward blocking her in.
“I’m not a sweet-butt or an old lady.”
“I know. Sweet-butts earn their keep by giving us what we want. You’re no sweet-butt. You’ll help me with my brother, or you can see Gill and his goons in your future.” Lash rested a hand against the metal, leaning in close. His closeness was unnerving her, and she knew he was doing it all on purpose. “If you don’t help me then the next time I won’t stop. I’ll make sure everyone knows you’re not under The Skulls’ protection, and you’re free meat.”
“But Nash—”
He pressed a finger to her lips. “But Nash nothing. He won’t have any say, and I don’t give a fuck about you. You’re not important to me, and I will make sure you get hurt.”
The look in his eyes made her very aware of how he’d leave her behind.
“What do you want me to do?” she asked.
Sophia didn’t need any further warning. She needed The Skulls a lot more than they needed her.
“Get on the back of my bike and come with me,” Lash said. “No questions asked.”
He didn’t let her respond. She watched him walk to his bike and straddle the machine. “Are you getting on?”
She rushed toward his bike, straddling the machine.
“Wrap your arms around me, and I want you to make sure this is not a come on. I’ve got my wife, and she’s plenty woman for me. I’m not cheating on her,” he said.
She didn’t expect anything else. Angel was a beautiful woman, and she saw why Lash loved her.
Wrapping her arms around his waist, Sophia closed her eyes and ignored the fact she wasn’t wearing a helmet. No way would she ever get on the back of a bike unless there was a helmet present.
Sophia held him tightly, not wanting to let go of the security he gave her. They didn’t speak. Words were not necessary as he worked the roads.
Only when the bike slowed down to a stop did she open her eyes. Before her was an old factory. It wasn’t on multiple floors like the one she worked in. The “sold” sign on the outside of the building was glaring at her.
“Where are we?” she asked, climbing off the back of his bike and falling on her ass. Lash climbed off and helped her to her feet.
“It’s the old factory ten miles from Fort Wills. A couple of years ago it was the food packing factory. The Skulls picked it up cheap, but we’ve not done anything with it.” Lash headed toward the door.
“I know. The crash sent this place under. A lot of jobs were lost that day.”
He agreed. “We’re going to get it open. With all the guns pointed at our heads we’ve put off doing anything with it. Now, it’s waiting for some use.”
She followed behind him. He held a set of keys and typed in a number to the lock. The heavy door clicked and opened.
“It may be abandoned, but it’s fucking secure.”
Sophia had noted the large truck parked outside as well. Were they meeting someone? She was surprised to see the factory in working order. There were no musty smells or crumbling walls.
Lash helped her into the old fashioned elevator and clicked the button. She grabbed the side rails to hold on. Elevators and escalators terrified her. Anything that took her feet off the ground without her using them scared her. He smirked.
The elevator came to a stop, and Lash helped her off. She was embarrassed by the sweatiness of her palms. Rides like that always made her nervous. What if the elevator stopped?
Breathe, Sophia, breathe.
“You made it.” Another biker with the same cut as Lash was stood at the far end of the floor. She saw another door just behind him.
“Did he cause you any trouble?” Lash asked.
“Not once. He’s in a lot of pain. Sandy’s checking him over now to make sure nothing is going to kill him.” The man looked at her. “So why did we help the chick? She’s no sweet-butt.”
“Hardy, this is Sophia. You should remember her. She’s Kate’s sister.”
The biker, known now as Hardy, stared hard at her. “She’s nothing like her sister.”
“You’ll be the first person to think that,” she said.
“Attitude’s the same. You’re looking pretty messed up. No guy should force a woman. Wish I killed that bastard now,” Hardy said.
Lash remained silent, but something passed between the two bikers. “Let’s get this done,” Lash said.
He opened the door. Sophia saw it was dark. There was a large mattress against the wall. She spotted a bloodied and bruised Nash shivering on top of it.
“Nash,” she said, starting to go to him.
“I don’t think so, missy,” another biker said.
“Zero, hold her. She can’t go to him yet until I lay down the ground rules.” Lash walked over to the opposite wall.
“What are you going to do?” Sandy asked. The blonde woman was stood with her arms folded. The other woman wasn’t wearing much, just a short miniskirt and a tight shirt displaying most of her boobs.
“Nash is about to get the Lash detox treatment.”
She saw him bend down into his box and retrieve a pair of metal cuffs.
“Shouldn’t you put him in a rehab facility?” Sophia asked.
All the men laughed.
“Usually we’d go the rehab route, but my brother wouldn’t last in there. He’d have the nurses eating his dick by the end of the day. Tiny won’t put up the money either. Nash is going to get my cold, harsh treatment. I just took a beating to keep him in the club. He’ll take my kind of treatment or die fucking doped.” Lash moved toward his brother.
“Lash,” Nash said.
“Shut the fuck up.” Lash worked the chains around the bolts in the wall. Sophia could tell they were sturdy. Lash applied both cuffs to his brother’s wrists, securing him in place. He walked away coming toward her. Sophia couldn’t take her eyes off Nash. He looked so weak and frail.
“Do you really think this is necessary?” she asked, hating the sight of Nash strung up like that.
“A couple of hours ago he almost shot Eva through the head for having a little fun. He called my woman a slut, and I’m not settling with that.” Lash looked back. “This is how I’m going to save my brother, not some half-cocked plan with a fucking therapist.”
“Fine. You’re the boss,” she said.
“Good. I’ve called the diner and quit for you as well as the box factory. Your time if going to be spent here, taking care of him.” Lash nodded to a guy behind her. “When we’re done here, you’re going to go back to her apartment and get some supplies. She’s not going anywhere but where I tell her.”
“Why don’t you tell me what you’ve got planned?” Sophia asked.
“Fine. He’s not moving out of those restraints. My brother is strong, and he’ll hurt anyone to get what he wants. No booze, no pain killers, no drugs. Everything has officially stopped. I’m not giving him what he wants. He gets water and porridge. Nothing else.”
“What if this kills him?”
“It won’t. We’ve got a doctor who says it should work,” Lash said, pointing to Sandy.
“I didn’t say it wouldn’t be difficult.”
“I don’t care what it takes. I’m getting my brother back.” He looked at Zero. “Take her back to her apartment. Use the truck and get some stuff.”
“Will do.” She was pulled from the room. Sophia looked at Nash, knowing she’d do everything in her power to bring back to her the man she knew.
****
“This is fucking crazy,” Nash said. He stared up at his brother seeing the determination on Lash’s face.
“It’s a plan, and you’re going to have to take it otherwise it’s the end of the road for you. I’m not going to let that happen.”
“I shouldn’t be here. You know it, and so do I.” Nash lay on the mattress feeling every single one of his pains.
“How is he?” Lash asked.
Out of the corner of his eye he watched his brother talking with the doctor. “He’s in pretty bad shape. Tiny did a number on him. I don’t think there’s any internal bleeding. He may have a cracked rib, and I’ll bring some bandages to help.”
“Nothing for the pain. He’s going to take this like he deserves.”
“Don’t you think that’s a little extreme?” Sandy asked.
“If the gun had been aimed at your head, what do you think?”
Sandy didn’t argue. “Fine. I’m going to go and give the others an update. If you need anything, give me a call. I’m here for you all.”
She left through the door. The same door that Sophia had left through a couple of minutes before. He’d seen the cuts and bruises on her face. Who had hurt his woman?
“If you want to leave, you can,” Lash said. The other two bikers gave him a sour look before turning away.
“You should have left me to rot,” Nash said. “The club hates me.” He rolled to his back, wincing in pain.
“I’m not giving up on you. The club is our whole lives. I’m not going to let you throw all that away because you think life is a little hard.”
“A little hard? Brother, life is a damn hard fucking road and filled with pain.”
Lash knelt beside the mattress. Guilt swamped Nash as he got a good look at the marks on Lash’s face.
“You shouldn’t have taken that beating for me.”
“Did you expect me to let Tiny kill you?” Lash asked. “You’re an ass, but you’re still my baby brother.”
He watched as his brother sat on the mattress beside him. A long time had passed since he’d been sat on a makeshift bed talking with his brother.
“I’m not worth saving. I’m the weak link.”
His brother started laughing. “You think you’re weak. It took ‘til you were thirty to reach for the drugs. The booze and the women were who you were. I saw the way you treated Sophia for the brief moments you were with her.” Lash reached out, taking his hand. “Someone who can love like that, is not weak.”
Nash gritted his teeth as tears welled in his eyes. “You’re turning me into a fucking pussy.” He let the tears fall, feeling the misery of what his life had become. “It doesn’t matter how much I love her. I hurt her the other day with the way I treated her.”
“If Sophia cares about you, or even loves you a little bit, then she’ll forgive you,” Lash said.
“I don’t know. I called her a whore. She’s not a whore. She’s special. Anyone wi
th eyes should be able to see it.” He gripped his brother’s hand hard. It would only be a matter of time before the effect of the drugs ran off completely.
“You see it with Sophia like I see it with Angel.”
“Why was she so bloody?” Nash asked, looking at his brother.
Lash looked down at the floor. “You’re not going to want to hear this.”
“I need to hear this. If you’re going to do to me what I think you are, then I need something to keep me going, otherwise I won’t survive this on my own.” Nash coughed, wishing he’d dumped the first bag of white powder instead of finding solace in the stuff. His biggest fucking mistake was taking that shit. “I can take it, Lash.”
“Your bank account has nothing in it, and the apartment you’d been paying for stopped. She had to find a second job. I got Whizz to look through your records. You’re broke. The money you’ve been taking is club money, Nash. I’ve given Tiny back everything you took. It looks like along with the drugs you’d been gambling as well.”
“Fuck. I made a big bet in a drug haze. I lost everything,” Nash said, remembering. He’d been so out of it he’d not even thought about the money he was using to replace his losses. “I’ll pay you back.”
“Get sober first and drug free.”
“What else? Tell me everything.” Nash felt sick to his stomach. His brother was trying to keep something from him, and he was getting a bad feeling about it.
“Sophia quit college and works at the box factory and the diner.”
“She’s working two jobs?”
“Yeah, that’s what she has been doing the past couple of months. I don’t know what has been going on at work, but this afternoon she was attacked. I stopped them from really hurting her.”
Nash sat up blocking the exploding pain inside his head. “Someone put their hands on my woman.” The sight of her bruised face would haunt him forever.
“She’s not been protected by The Skulls. Kate’s dead, and Sophia’s open to it now. This is why we protect our own. We’re not leaving her alone again. She’s agreed to help with you.”
“Until I’m well you’ve got to promise me that you’ll protect her. You’ll do everything you can to keep her safe,” Nash said, needing his brother’s word that he would.
Nash (The Skulls) Page 5
