by E. C. Land
“H–how do they get these reports?”
“I tell them. Sometimes we add a picture of you to the report.” Shadow shrugs as he shares this.
I pull my hand from his grasp and plant my hands in my lap as I try to control my breathing. This isn’t good. If . . . if they have pictures of me then my stepmother probably knows. A–And if she knows, then she’s probably looking for ways to finish what she started the first time. Well, I’m not exactly sure it was her, but I’d put my money on her being the one to sell me to Parker and the Delancys. That or she could have given them guidance to me.
“Luna, what’s wrong?” Shadow asks, his brow furrows.
Rather than answer him, I shake my head, my mind mentally closing in on itself, protectively, in preparation of anything to come at me.
“Kitten, I won’t ask again. Tell me what’s wrong,” he demands, this time moving from his place across the table to sit next to me and cage me into his body. This is a maneuver I have learned he uses when he’s not only wanting my attention on him but also when he’s shielding me protectively.
“I–I–I think it was my stepmother who had me kidnapped,” I stammer on the verge of a panic attack.
“Luna, look at me,” he commands, gently.
Doing as he commands; I admire the transparent fury radiating from his eyes.
“First, I want you to calm down. Remember, I’m right here for you. No one and I mean no one will ever fuckin’ get to you again. You’re mine. My woman, my ol’ lady, my heart and soul. I won’t allow anyone to take you from me. Got me?” I nod in response knowing he doesn’t actually want words but wants to know I’m listening. And boy do I like what he’s saying so far.
“Now, Luna, I need you to tell me, why do you think she had a hand in your kidnapping?” he asks.
Sighing, I close my eyes.
“Eyes on me, Kitten.” The command is soft yet firm.
Taking a shuttered breath, I open my eyes back up and meet his.
“Good girl. Now talk to me,” Shadow murmurs.
I tell him everything from the time my mom died and dad cheating on her with my stepmom the entire time. How she’d pushed me to the side to make sure my brothers were before me in everything. I even told him how my dad missed my graduation from LSU because he was attending a function with Cruella along with my brothers. I explained how she hated me and did everything she could to keep me at a distance from my family. She enjoyed being the center of attention and with me in the picture she couldn’t be that. Especially considering I’d intended to move back to South Carolina in order to be near my brothers.
Then I finally do something I have never done; I tell him about the night I’d gone out with friends to a club in New Orleans. One last hurrah before we all headed out to start our new journeys. I’d been drugged that night and woke up on the floor of a dirty smelling room. I finished by telling him I’d counted every day I’d been with Parker. The way he made me feel degraded and less of a person let alone a woman. By the time I was finished talking Shadow’s eyes were burning with fury.
Oh boy, Shadow isn’t just mad on my behalf, nope he’s pissed.
“Kitten, you want to talk to your dad, you do it in person. I’ll call him to set it up. He can come here and when you two talk I’m right there with you. You need to tell him everything you just told me. I’m also going to have Nerd look into all of this. Considering we didn’t know any of this before now, we haven’t been able to track down the goose egg we needed for answers. As of now, Luna, you let that shit out of your head, it’s now on my shoulders instead and I’ll take that for you same as everything else. Remember nothing touches you,” he murmurs, leaning in to brush his lips against my own.
“Okay,” I whisper against his lips as I release a shuttered breath. Pulling away a bit, I give him a smile as I give him the words I had yet to return out loud. “I love you, David.”
“Fuck me, Kitten, love you too. But you got some shitty timing, since we’re in a restaurant and I’m not going to fuck you in the bathroom,” he rasps, gravelly.
Giggling, I lean in and press my lips against his to give him a placating peck. Only Shadow didn’t have the same thoughts. Instead he slides his fingers into my hair as he captures my mouth in a show of possession that leaves me wanting more of him.
Breaking his lips from mine, Shadow grins knowingly at me. “Eat, Kitten. We still have to get to the clubhouse. I have church and then we’ll go home, and I’ll show you exactly what you do to me,” he states before moving back to his seat across from me and digs into his steak.
Oh boy, I can’t wait.
Chapter Eight
Shadow
After hearing everything Luna said the other day at Marshall’s, I’d informed my brothers during church what she’d related to me. Nerd immediately got on his computer and started doing his thing.
Stoney did me a favor and reached out to Hammer, in order to speak with Devore. During church, they’d all agreed with me to keep any suspicions about Devore meeting with his daughter away, we’d make it seem like a meeting with the club instead. Have Hammer get him to meet him up here in order to speak about products.
Devore agreed to this and said his sons would be coming with him.
This I didn’t really want but I know Luna’s brothers love her and wouldn’t want to miss this shot at seeing their sister.
Sometimes it sends a pang of hurt through me at the thought she has her brothers she’s able to see, whereas mine is in the ground thanks to some asshole speeding down some backroad.
Sure, Daniel was drunk and stumbled backwards into the road while we’d been trying to get the truck out of the ditch but still the asshole was speeding when he’d rounded that bend. Even if he hadn’t hit my brother and we’d still been in the truck, the guy would have collided head on with us.
Sitting outside the school on my bike waiting for Luna to finish up for the day, I open my phone to shoot her a text only to have the damn thing vibrate with an incoming text.
Stoney: They’re here.
Fuckin’ great.
I won’t have time now to take my woman home and show her the errors of her way for leaving the bed this morning without waking me. She knows better. I like having her wake me when she gets up. Same as I like us showering together.
Me: Soon as she’s done, we’ll be on the way.
Stoney: Be prepared. These men are pissed we haven’t said shit yet. But Victoria is here and she’s in one of her moods. You know she and the others are protective of your ol’ lady. She didn’t like the fact she didn’t know they were coming until they got here.
Me: Fuckin’ great. Tell the PIMA to chill the fuck out.
Stoney: You tell her yourself.
Chuckling, I shake my head. A pissed off Victoria is just as bad if not worse than an emotionless one.
Swiping Prez’s name to the side I make a group chat with Tracker and Stoney.
Me: Tell the PIMA to cool it. She don’t need to make things worse before I even get Luna there.
Tracker: LMFAO, you tell her that shit yourself.
Stoney: He’s looking to be handed his balls.
Me: Prez, my balls will stay firmly attached. PIMA just needs a lesson in listening to her fuckin’ ol’ man.
Tracker: What do you have in mind?
Me: Get a cane. Or use your hand. Either way spank her ass until she’s begging you to fuck her, then tie her ass to the bed and leave the room. She’ll learn quick not to go against you again.
Stoney: Fuck I need to do this shit myself.
Tracker: Ordering that shit now.
These two fuckers are hilarious when they want to be. They can also be scary as well. The two of them are not in their positions for shits and giggles. Stoney and Tracker have no problem getting their hands dirty when need be.
Glancing up I catch a glimpse of my woman heading in my direction. A smile on her face. Fuck, I don’t want her to stop smiling, but I know the moment I tell her it’
s time, she’ll not only lose it but she’ll start panicking.
Preparing to tell her as I wait for her to make it the rest of the way to me, I glance back at my phone.
Me: Be there in ten.
Shoving my phone in my pocket, I lift my head just in time. I reach out and pull Luna into my arms and press my mouth against hers giving her a kiss that will leave her breathless.
“Hmm, what was that for?” she asks, panting when I release her.
“That’s for being mine. Now climb on the back, we’re heading to the clubhouse,” I mutter, swatting at her ass.
Giggling, Luna climbs up behind me and I hand her the helmet I’d bought for her. The moment she has it on and her arms wrapped around my waist I take off in the direction of the clubhouse, giving her these few minutes to enjoy the ride rather than dread what’s about to happen.
When we pull into the parking area of the club, I’ll tell her what’s about to happen. I’ll also tell her, I’m right there with her and she doesn’t have anything to fear. Until then she can keep her smile in place.
The moment we pull in, I shut my girl off and hold my hand out to help my woman off the back of my bike. I follow suit and climb off. Standing in front of Luna, I take the helmet from her hands, put it on the seat of my bike, and pull her into my arms.
“Love you, Kitten,” I murmur, leaning down to press my forehead against hers.
“I love you too, David.” Fuck I love hearing her say my name, but right now not so much. Not when I’m about to burst her bubble and upset her.
“Gotta tell you something, Luna. Need you to hold on to me when I do and remember I’m right here with you. Nothing touches you without me having your back and protecting you. You understand me?” I wait for her to show me she’s listening to me and when she nods her head, I sigh. “Good girl. Now when we go inside the clubhouse, you’re going to see not only is your dad here, but your brothers are as well.”
“What?” she gasps, her eyes widening.
“Yeah, Kitten. They’re here and right now they aren’t too happy. But remember what I said about nothing touching you. I fuckin’ mean it. If at any point you feel you’re starting to panic and can’t take anymore we’re out of there. I fuckin’ swear, Luna,” I say, soothingly, sensing she’s already starting to panic.
Taking several deep breaths, my beautiful woman closes her eyes and leans further into me as she prepares herself. I hold her to me while she does this.
I know she’s ready to go in when she lifts her head up and gives me a small smile. Yeah, my woman knows I’ve got her.
Chapter Nine
Luna
I will not panic. I will not panic. I will not panic.
Shadow’s right. He won’t let anything hurt me. And I’m sure my dad wouldn’t hurt me. Not intentionally that is.
With Shadow’s arm securely locked around me, his way of showing his strength and protection of me, we walk through the main doors. I’m immediately hit by the booming voices of my brothers yelling.
“We should have brought her home a long fuckin’ time ago,” Grant, my oldest brother, snaps.
“Son, don’t start this shit now,” my dad retorts.
“Why shouldn’t he? We’ve all missed out on Luna Bean’s life for over two years, actually more than that, because of our bitch of a mother,” Gentry growls. He’s the same age as me, only ten months younger. How strange it is, we’d been born the same year?
“Gentry, don’t.” This comes from Granger.
“Don’t what. Luna is our fuckin’ sister and she couldn’t even call us herself to see us. I have a right to be pissed just as fuckin’ much as you all do. All because she’s scared,” Gentry snarls. Out of all my brothers he and Grant are the two with the short fuses. It takes Granger and Gabriel to keep them calm. Guess that’s why they’re all close.
“I suggest you not start this bullshit when your sister is standing in the fuckin’ room with you all on the verge of a fuckin’ panic attack,” Shadow snarls, gaining everyone’s attention.
My brothers and dad whirl around in order to face me. I widen my gaze on the five of them as I lean more into Shadow. My dad’s brows furrow in confusion as he takes note of this movement.
“Luna Bean,” he murmurs, stepping toward me.
“Hi, Daddy,” I whisper.
At my greeting, it broke something in my dad and his feet ate up the distance between the two of us and pulled me from Shadow’s embrace to wrap his own arms around me. I’m sure if Shadow didn’t like something about the situation, he wouldn’t have allowed this. Still, uncertain of what to expect, I slowly wrap my arms around my dad.
“Damn glad to see you with my own eyes, baby,” he states, raspy.
“I’m happy to see you too, Daddy, I’m sorry,” I murmur on a shuttered breath and my daddy pulls back, his hands still holding onto me.
“Luna Bean, you have nothing, and I mean nothing to be sorry for. Do I wish you’d have trusted me or your brothers to protect you? Yes, I do. However, as it is, I understand your reasons. We screwed up where it comes to you and for that I will forever regret my actions. I love you, baby, and I hope you will forgive me, for my part.” I’m unable to hold back the tears from spilling as I throw myself back into his arms and sob against his chest.
“Shh, Luna,” he coos, running one of his hands through my hair.
It takes me a couple minutes to regain my composure and I finally stop crying. Stepping back from my dad I move back into Shadow’s embrace seeking his comfort. My dad takes that in and narrows his eyes on Shadow.
“You want to explain to me why my daughter seems to be so comfortable in your arms?” he demands.
“She’s my ol’ lady,” Shadow states, calmly.
“And were you planning on telling me this in your latest report when you updated my sons and I?” My dad asks crossing his arms over his chest.
“Devore, with all due respect, Luna may be your daughter; however, the choices she and I make together on who we tell and when, is between the two of us. Considering it’s our relationship and no one else is in it but us. Now you can either accept it or get over it. Either way, you’ll be seeing me across the table at Thanksgiving and Christmas.”
Oh my God. If my jaw could drop and fall to the floor, it would have done so at this very moment with Shadow’s declaration. I knew he loved me, he’s shown it to me in more ways than one.
Glancing between Shadow and my dad, I give the room a quick scan to find my brothers glowering as they wait for the standoff between our dad and my man to end. Finally, my dad grins and reaches out his hand. “Well then, welcome to the family, son. You hurt her, I’ll kill you myself.”
Shadow grunts as he shakes my dad’s hand.
“Since this part of the reunion is over with, can we finally see our fuckin’ sister?” Gentry demands as he stalks over and pulls me from Shadow’s arms. “Luna Bean, you are not ever allowed to fuckin’ go incommunicado again, you hear me?”
“Umm . . .” I murmur in response.
“How about we sit down and let Luna talk.” Gabriel suggests.
“Umm . . .” I swear my brain seems to have gone into overdrive and now I can’t make a coherent remark due to everything being jumbled up in my head.
“That would be a good idea,” Rachel states coming to my rescue and responding for me. Glancing at her, I give her a weak smile in gratitude. “I’m sure everyone is hungry, especially Luna since she’s just getting off work. How about we order some Mexican food?”
“Three Amigos?” I blurt out the request before I could stop myself. For some reason it’s all I’ve been craving for the past two weeks and have had it five times since Rachel introduced me to it. I’m hooked I guess you can say.
“You got it,” Rachel grins and turns her attention to the rest of the room. “If you guys want to look at a menu, I can grab one or if you can trust me to get something you’ll like, then I’ll make sure you’re not disappointed.”
�
�Doll, you know what my brothers and I want, so got no problem with you ordering,” Stoney chuckles as he pulls her into his arms as he meets my dad’s gaze. “Devore, trust me when I say just let Rachel here pick, she always knows what to get.”
“Well then, Mrs. Dane, wow me,” my dad chuckles.
Nodding, Rachel takes off to go place the order for everyone while the rest of us all move to sit at some of the tables. Shadow maneuvers me to one of the larger tables where he’s able to sit to my side. My brothers and dad find seats at the same table, as all the members of the club including some of the ol’ ladies, take a seat close by. Victoria, however, she plants her ass in the seat on the opposite side of me.
“I’m not allowing anything to happen to you,” she mutters under her breath.
“Okay,” I whisper, quietly.
“Luna, I know you probably don’t want to talk about what happened again, but you need to explain to your dad and brothers what happened to you when you’d been kidnapped,” Shadow states, firmly yet gently.
Nodding, I close my eyes and place my hands in my lap as I take a deep breath.
I can do this.
If they had anything to do with it, they wouldn’t be here. Shadow will not let anything happen to me.
Releasing my breath, I open my eyes to stare at my hands clasped in my lap. I start off with telling them about graduation, how I’d finished in the top five of my class. I move on to telling them everything. The bar, waking up feeling sick to my stomach somewhere I didn’t know. Counting the days by the clock that was in the room I’d been in. About Parker and Victoria’s mom, how they took me from the Delancys because I’d resembled Victoria. I didn’t leave a single detail out about the way they and the Delancys all made me feel degraded.
By the time I finish, I finally lift my head and scan the room seeing different expressions on the faces of the men and women in the room. The tension is thick enough to slice a knife through.
