by E. C. Land
“I’ll be ready by then,” she mumbles, and something about the way she does this gives me a brilliant idea.
“Baby, I want you to pack a bag for the night,” I inform her.
“Pack a bag?” she asks.
“Yeah. Pack a bag and be ready when I get there. We’re gonna go to the beach for the night,” I declare. It might not be the Outer Banks but there’s a place in Sandbridge that will work just as well.
“Alright, I’ll be ready,” she murmurs breathlessly.
“Good, be there soon,” I tell her and end our call, knowing she won’t get out of her car until she’s off the phone.
Sliding my phone back in my pocket, I open my car door and climb in.
Time to get home, get my woman, and have a night with only the two of us. One where I can ravish my woman’s body until the sun comes up.
Chapter Eleven
Annslee
I get off the phone with Hunter, sighing in glee. A night with Hunter without Huntson, or anyone else around for that matter is something I’ve wanted from the first night he took me to his bed.
Over the past month, we’d spent a lot of time together just the two of us in his room getting to know one another’s bodies. Him teaching me what he likes and letting me learn my boundaries of what I can take.
Last night we’d played around with a carnal territory, I never dreamt about even trying. Sure, I’ve read about it in books I’d borrow from Jordan or Connors, but I didn’t think in my wildest dreams it could be such an amazing experience. Hunter had covered my mouth with a bandana as he sunk into my back passage. It felt so unreal and it wasn’t about him putting his cock there, it was about the trust I’d given him in full.
I realized that this morning. I gave this to Hunter because I trusted him with every part of me. My heart was his, same as my body and soul.
Grabbing my purse from the passenger seat, I pull the keys from the ignition and open my car door. Stepping out, I place my phone in the pocket of my jeans I’d changed into at the clinic. I don’t like staying in my scrubs when coming home after being around sick patients all day. Not when both Bethany and Alexis have newborns in the house. Plus, I don’t want to take the chance of Huntson getting sick either.
Making my way into the house, I immediately sense something’s not right. Placing my purse on one of the hooks, next to the door, I walk further into the house and come to a stop right in the doorway to the living room.
Oh my God.
No this can’t be happening.
My father, Lawrence Richmond, is standing with a gun pressed to Mackenzie’s temple as she kneels on the floor in front of him glowering at me with an evil glint in his eye. Terry Nelson had Bethany and Alexis by their hair as they sat tied to kitchen chairs. Both women were bleeding from their lips.
God this is all my fault. Panic seeps further in when I don’t see the babies anywhere in the room. Please don’t let them be hurt. “It’s about time you showed up Annslee Richmond,” my father, Lawrence, cackles, pressing the tip of the gun further into Mackenzie’s temple. “Where’s that bastard you gave birth to?”
“I don’t care where the bastard is, she won’t be seeing him again,” Terry snaps, yanking on Bethany’s and Alexis’ hair causing them to whimper in pain.
“Please stop hurting them,” I beg, tears welling in my eyes.
“You do not speak, whore. I should punish them all in front of you for your transgressions against your family and I,” Terry sneers, curling his lip up in disgust.
“I’ll do whatever you ask, just please leave them alone. They have nothing to do with any of this,” I plead, stepping closer to Terry.
If I can get his attention off of them, he’ll leave Alexis and Bethany alone. “I promise to be good and take my punishments.” Tears well in my eyes as Terry’s nostrils flare in hatred, but in the end, he releases both Alexis and Bethany.
“Fine, let’s go, say goodbye to your friends, you won’t be seeing them ever again,” Terry announces, grabbing hold of my upper arm in a death grip that causes me to cry out in pain.
“We shouldn’t leave any of them here,” Lawrence declares snarkily.
“Normally, we wouldn’t, Lawrence; however, these women are too close with more than one motorcycle club. The only one we need to talk with us right now is Annslee,” Terry snarls in my father’s direction. “Now let’s go.” Tugging me along, Terry drags me behind him.
“Fine,” Lawrence snaps, lifting the gun from Mackenzie’s temple only to bring the butt of the thing down on her head.
As Mackenzie slumps to the floor a scream escapes my mouth and I try to fight Terry’s grip on my arm. This isn’t right. They cannot do this. Hurt the people in my life.
“Quit trying to fight me, Annslee, it’s a moot point in doing so,” Terry sneers.
Tear spilling down my cheeks, I cast one last glance behind me to Bethany and Alexis to find them struggling to get free of their restraints, eyes focused on me.
I’m sorry, I mouth to them, knowing this is the last I’ll ever see them again. I might have escaped the future ahead of me once and live life somewhat. This time I won’t be so lucky, Terry and my dad will kill me before that happens.
“You have angered a lot of people, Annslee,” Lawrence mutters from the front passenger seat as Terry speeds down the highway heading for God knows where.
Pressing my lips together, I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from saying anything, since being in the car for the past thirty minutes my father has already reached back here and backhanded me several times already for no other reason than he could.
“Lawrence, shut the hell up. We’ll be at the cabin in just a bit,” Terry snaps, accelerating down the road, putting as much distance as he can between the three of us and Hunter.
Closing my eyes, I internally scream in my head asking whoever is looking out for me what did I ever do to deserve all the hurt and pain in this life.
“I hate you all,” I murmur loud enough for them to hear me.
“Feeling’s mutual,” Lawrence cackles demonically. “Now how about you take a nap until we get where we’re going.” Leaning back through the seats, my dad grabs hold of my arm and presses a syringe into my skin shooting something into my body without bothering to find the vein.
My vision becomes blurred and I feel myself slumping over, my head hitting the seat. The last thing I see is my father glaring down on me.
Chapter Twelve
Hunter
Stepping into the house, I heard the whimpering cries before I saw them, and my stomach tightened. All three of my brothers step into the house directly behind me.
“Something’s not right here,” Tanner mutters as he bypasses me, rushing down the hallway toward the living room. The three of us on his heels. “Oh shit,” he snarls as he rounds the corner.
Scanning the room as I take in the women, Lex darts over to Mackenzie who was slumped on the floor unconscious, Tanner and Chaz untie their women from the chairs they were in.
“What the fuck happened?” Chaz demands, running his hands up and down his woman’s arms. “Where’s Jason?”
“I need to get to my babies,” Alexis sobs and runs through the room toward her and Tanner’s section of the house.
“Jason is sleeping still. Monitor is sitting on the table,” Bethany mutters to Chaz but her gaze locks on me. “I’m sorry, Hunter, so, so, sorry.”
“What do you have to be sorry for, Bethy? You all were the ones hurt,” I say, my mind denying any thought of Annslee being hurt.
“I know but they took her. She let them without putting up a fight to keep us from being hurt more than we already were.” Planting my hands on my waist, I bow my head, eyes shut, and shake my head.
“Who took her?” Lex asks from where he was sitting on the floor with Mackenzie in his arms, her eyes fluttering open.
“I think it was her father and someone else. Her father was the one who hit Mackenzie in the head with the butt of his
gun. The other man wouldn’t let him kill us due to our association with the Devil’s Riot MC and Satan’s Keepers MC. He only wanted Annslee and when she agreed to take whatever punishment she was given he released his grasp on Alexis and myself,” Bethany murmurs through her tears.
Shit I know who took her, pulling out my phone, I find Gadget’s number and hit the call sign as I put it to my ear.
“What’s up, Hunt?” Gadget asks in greeting after the second ring.
“Annslee’s missing,” I inform him right off the bat.
“Fuck, Terry and Lawrence?” I don’t bother answering him and he doesn’t wait for and answer. “Meet me at the clubhouse, I’m gonna need my computers there to work my magic,” he grumbles and hangs up.
Pulling the phone from my ear, I meet Chaz’s gaze. “Meeting Gadget at the clubhouse,” I tell him and turn on my heel to leave.
“I’m coming with you,” Chaz declares.
“Me too, long as Connors or Jordan can come over and check on Mackenzie,” Lex announces.
“I’m fine, go,” Mackenzie mumbles.
“I’ll call Connors,” Bethany says, nodding her head in agreement.
“Tanner’s coming with you as well,” Alexis states coming back in the room holding one of the babies, Tanner following her with the other.
“Fuck yeah, I am. No one comes into our home, fucks with our family, and gets away with it,” he snarls.
Nodding, I don’t bother saying a word. Honestly at this point I don’t think I could speak if I even wanted to. Turning on my heel, I make my way outside and move for the garage bypassing the crossover. I need to be able to feel something.
Over the past month, Annslee’s made it where I could breathe without the demons in my head eating away at every part of me. I can’t lose the peace she’s given me. Not when I’ve finally found it.
Stepping into the garage through the side door, I hit the controller for the bay doors. The whining noise of the bays opening, is the only sound around me, but I know my brothers are right there with me, giving me the quiet I need for the time being to get my head on straight.
Straddling my bike, I start her up and pull out of the garage, shooting out of the driveway and making a mental promise to myself and anyone who would listen. If I get her back, I’ll spend the rest of my life making sure she doesn’t ever want for nothing, no one will ever hurt her in any way. I’d even sing the song I’d written for her. Let all of the world know she’s mine in every way possible.
Hitting the throttle, I speed down the road, leaning into the curves going faster than I should; however, I didn’t care. All that mattered was getting to the clubhouse, finding where those fuckers would take my woman and get her the fuck back, not just for me but our son as well. He needs her just as much as I do.
I’m pulling up to the gate just as Mace pulls it open letting the four of us through. Giving him a chin lift, I hit the throttle once more to head over to where we needed to park. I spot Gadget’s bike already there. He didn’t waste a moment in getting to the clubhouse. Dragon’s bike was parked right next to his.
“You good, Hunter?” Tanner asks as I put the kickstand down.
“I’ll be good when my Annslee’s back,” I tell him honestly.
“We’ll get her back,” Lex grumbles. “Besides the fucker who hit Mackenzie in the head with a gun needs a lesson beat into him.”
“They’ll get more than a beating,” I snarl, lip curling in disgust at the mention of the fucker who touched a member of our family.
“Let’s get inside and see what Gadget has for us,” Chaz suggests. Right now, he’s the only one to be completely levelheaded, but I know without a fuckin’ doubt he’s struggling like the three of us are on the inside.
Turning to the main doors, I stalk in that direction, heading for Gadget. As I open the door, we’re not met by just Twister, but every member of the club.
Oh shit. I didn’t expect them all to be here. I figured Dragon and Gadget would be the only ones to help find Annslee.
Twister steps forward, “Told Lex you all were a part of this club, this is what we do for family. Now we find your woman, make the assholes who took them suffer, and move the fuck on,” he says, turning his body toward Horse and nods.
“You four are members of this club it’s time you wore the cut,” Horse declares holding up a cut in his hand. Thorn, Rage, and Burner do the same. Dumbfounded, I stare at them all. “Don’t just stand there, brother, we gotta find your woman.”
Coming unstuck, I step forward and take the cut from Horse as my brothers do the same taking their rightful cuts from the men holding them out to them. Holding the cut up, I look at the front of it to take in the patches. On one side it had the Devil’s Riot MC patch the other side had two other patches stating my name as Hunt and Member.
For a split second, I grin as I slide the cut on over my shirt. “Means a lot to be a part of this club,” I share, holding a hand out to shake Horse’s.
Horse has other ideas and pulls me in for a hug. “You all have been around for a long fuckin’ time. It’s time you all officially became one with the family. And just so you know, Kenny and Izzy sewed those patches on themselves.”
Fuck that means a lot to know Kenny and Izzy did that for us.
Kenny was one of the main people who helped get our name out in the beginning. Not only in giving us gigs but in helping guide us in the direction we’ve been taking since then. It’s one reason we don’t charge for when she books us at Outlaw Racks. We owe a lot of our success to her as well as the man who taught us everything we know about music.
“Got her,” Gadget announces breaking through my thoughts as he rushes forward, Dragon right on his heels. As twins you rarely find those two separated. “Either Annslee was fuckin’ smart and hid her phone on her or the fuckers were stupid enough to not make sure she didn’t have anything in her pockets. Right now they’re heading west, I’ve sent everyone the link for tracking her phone. Long as it’s still moving, I’m betting that’s where she is.”
“Then let’s roll,” Twister commands, moving toward the doors. “I want a prospect in a cage following just in case.”
Silently, I nod my head and follow him out to the bikes. I make my way along with my brothers, all of them, to my own bike.
Glancing from side to side, I find Chaz, Tanner, and Lex straddling theirs as well.
“We’ll bring her home,” Chaz mutters, holding his fist out. Bumping mine against his, I nod in agreement.
Backing out of my spot, I shoot a prayer to the sky hoping someone will listen to me for once and protect Annslee until I can get to her.
Chapter Thirteen
Annslee
“Time to wake up.” Pain radiates through my head as Terry sneers, his fingers wrapping through my locks as he yanks me out of the back seat by my hair.
I cry out, lifting my hands to grab his in order to get him to release his hold on me. My eyes widen, tears fill my eyes and I’m barely able to take in my surroundings.
“Knock it off woman,” Terry snaps, using his free hand to backhand me across my cheek.
“What do you want to do with her first?” My father asks from somewhere close by.
“I intend to show her the error of her ways then drown the sins from her body.” The blood in my veins turns to ice at the near mention of what Terry just stated. Drown the sins from my body.
Oh. My. God.
He’s not taking me back home and punishing me that way. No, he’s doing something far more permanent than anything else he could do. Terry’s going to kill me.
With this knowledge, I begin to fight with everything I have, didn’t matter it was a moot point. I wasn’t going to be killed by this man without putting up a fight.
“Let me go,” I screech, struggling to get Terry to release me.
“Shut the fuck up,” Terry snickers, his hand coming up to grip my chin making me look up at him. “You must suffer for your antics. If you take what I do, th
en I might be kind enough to revive you.”
Yeah right. I can see it in his eyes. Terry has no intention of allowing me to live.
“Well, let’s get this over with, I have a wife ready to service me,” Lawrence quips.
“Your wife will be doing more than servicing you, Lawrence.” I think I’m going to be sick at what that might mean. My mother is a tiny woman, but weak meaning she will do whatever my father or Terry told her to.
“Fine by me.” How can my father be okay with my mother doing anything with another man?
Terry releases his grasp on my hair shoving me roughly to the ground. Turning to sit on my butt, my arms behind me as I scoot backward, my gaze locks with Terry’s malicious grin. “You cost me a lot of money, time, and effort I could have used for other things. I bought you and you belonged to me. Who do you think you are to think you have a mind to do anything without my permission?” he snaps.
“I’m my own person,” I murmur.
“You’re nothing but a weak bitch. That is what all women are. You’re meant for breeding my sons. Give me the army we all needed for us to rise above and take back what belongs to us,” Terry sneers.
Army?
For what?
We live in a free country.
My eyes widen when Terry kneels in front of me. “Your first punishment will be given by your father,” he declares and right then I wish it were at his hand I’d receive any punishment, even if it would be worse. “Now get on your knees and remove your shirt,” he commands.
When I don’t move on command, my father moves in and kicks me in the side causing me to cry out in pain. “Get to your fuckin’ knees and remove your shirt like you were told,” he snarls.
Struggling through the pain of his kick to my side knowing he’d hit my rib cage; I sit on my knees and remove my shirt with shaking hands.
“Look at you, you’re fuckin’ disgusting with stretchmarks from birthing that bastard,” Terry scoffs.
