“Do I know you?” he asked her.
“Not really, you helped me a little while back. You saved my son from being run over in the road.”
“Jasmine?” he frowned. She nodded. “Where is your son?”
“That’s what I need help with, he was kidnapped over a week ago and the police can’t find him.” Ashlyn gasped beside me and I pulled her into my arms. “Please,” she begged, holding on to the front of Solar’s leather cut. “Please, help me find my son.”
Drake
Ten Years Later
“DAD,” Lacey was calling for me as soon as I stepped in the front door. It hadn’t been a tiring day, just local club stuff to deal with. But I needed a fucking beer and a kiss from my gorgeous wife.
“Yes, princess,” I called back, not knowing where in the house she was. I sauntered into the living room to find it empty, I carried on to the kitchen and that’s where she was standing, my beautiful wife, with her large round tummy and my daughter on her hip.
“Hey, darlin’,” she turned around to face me and she looked tired. “Here, give me Poppy.” I reached my arms out for our two year old daughter and she happily came to me. She was another spitting image of Ashlyn with her blonde hair and blue eyes.
“Daddy!” she squealed. I kissed her cheek and looked back at Ashlyn.
“You ok, darlin’?” I kissed her lips and she melted into me.
“Yeah, just tired,” she yawned.
“Come and sit down.” I led her through to the living room and placed Poppy onto the rug and surrounded her with toys to hopefully keep her busy for two minutes. “Where’s Katie?” I had heard Lacey as soon as I stepped in the door but not our middle daughter. She was eight and fiercely independent.
“She’s still at art class. She should be home any minute.” Just as she said that we heard a car horn beep outside, that would be Katie’s best friend Jessica’s mum dropping her off.
“I’m home,” she called out, we heard the sound of her school bag hitting the floor before she ran upstairs.
“Nice to see you too,” I called out after her. “How’s my boy?” I asked as I rubbed my hand over Ashlyn’s tummy. This one was never planned, Ashlyn had always said she didn’t want to have a baby once she was over thirty five and in two months she was going to be thirty six, but our boy was due to make an appearance in just six weeks.
“I swear he doesn’t have a lot of room left in there,” she smiled.
“Dad,” Lacey called out again, followed by what sounded like a heard of elephants running down the stairs.
“Yes, Lacey?” I asked as she walked into the living room.
“Dad, stop touching mum. We have enough babies around here,” she huffed.
“Last one, princess, I promise,” I told her.
“Yeah, I know. I heard mum telling auntie Cammie about you getting the snip or something,” she waved her hand in the air like it was old news. “Anyway…”
“Really, is that right, darlin’?” I asked Ashlyn. She screwed her face up and nodded.
“Dad?” Lacey shouted, trying to get my attention.
“Yes, princess.”
“Daddy, up,” Poppy shouted. Lacey rolled her eyes, picked Poppy off the floor and placed her on my lap.
“Can I please talk now?” Lacey placed her hands on her hips and she looked just like Ashlyn.
“Dad?” Katie called out from the kitchen.
“Why do they all want me?” I groaned at Ashlyn.
“Because you’re the softest with them,” she giggled.
“Well, that’s going to have to change. What’s up sweetheart?” I asked Katie. She strolled into the living room munching on an apple, she was more like me with my dark hair, but she had Ashlyn’s eyes.
“Hey, I was waiting here first,” Lacey complained.
“Ok, Lacey, you’re up. What did you want?” I waited for her to start talking when Ashlyn whispered in my ear.
“Just stay calm.” Calm? What the hell was she on about?
“Dad, can I go to the cinema with Luke?”
“Sure,” I answered, was that all?
“She means with just Luke.” Ashlyn spelt it out for me. She wanted to go out on a date? She was only thirteen.
“No.” I looked at Katie. “If you want to go out on a date too, then I’ll save you the breath in asking. Nope.”
“Eeewww, no dad. Can I stay up to watch the Whale show on the discovery channel?”
“Sure,” she was into everything marine, from fish, dolphins and whales to mermaids. Her bedroom was painted in an under the sea theme.
“Dad, please?” Lacey pleaded.
“Pwease,” Poppy joined in, laughing.
“Don’t you start,” I said to Poppy, tickling her tummy. She screamed out in joy and then was begging to go to mummy.
“How old is he?”
“Fifteen.”
“Hell no.” I remember what I was like at fifteen. My little girl would not be going. “Dad, please?” she pleaded. I really hated saying no to her.
“Fine, if you can get him to come here, to meet me and he doesn’t run away you can go to the cinema with him.”
“Really?” she asked, jumping up and down.
“Really,” I nodded.
“I’m going to go call him,” she ran out of the room and back upstairs.
“Drake, what are you doing? She can’t go out on a date at thirteen.”
“Calm down, darlin’. I’ll get a few of the guys around here and we’ll scare him off.”
“Dray, he’s only fifteen.”
“Relax, darlin’. After this she won’t want to date until she is at least twenty,” I smiled.
“Yeah right, you wish,” she laughed.
It was difficult being in a house full of girls and I dreaded to think what it would be like when they were all above sixteen. I don’t think my nerves would cope, but by then I’ll have my son to help me too.
What once was a forbidden love turned into my most treasured love.
Fighting Love
(South Coast Brothers #4.5)
* * *
Kacey Hamford
Beauty
“B, YOU’RE ON.” My boss shouted as he stuck his head around the door into the changing rooms.
“I’m not dancing tonight. I danced last night.” I told him as I looked at him through the mirror of the dressing table I was sitting at.
“Cici went sick, you’re covering her. Just for one song. No arguing, get out there.” He slammed the door behind him and I exhaled the breath I had been holding.
I had worked at the strip club ‘Skins’ for nearly a month. It wasn’t the ideal job, but it paid for the poxy bedsit that I lived in.
I quickly added some pale lipgloss and ran the brush through my long, dark, straight hair.
I made my way onto the stage and stood behind the curtain, I shook out the nerves from my hands and cracked my neck.
“You ready?” Tim the sound guy asked.
“Yeah. What am I dancing too?”
“Pillow Talk by Zane.” He hit play and the music started just as the curtains started to open. I always requested that the lights were on bright and aimed at me. It made my job easier. I didn’t have to see the faces of the creepy guys that came here to oogle us girls.
I started off slow, swaying my body to the music and when the tempo increased, so did my moves. I used the pole to help my dancing look sexier. I had no idea if I looked sexy, I just did what felt right.
As soon as the music stopped I grabbed my discarded dress and stepped down off the stage. This was always the best way to finish after a dance as the guys always handed over extra tips.
I was counting the notes in my hand as I headed back to the changing rooms. At least with dancing an extra night I’d be able to eat well this week.
“Hey, sweetness.” A raspy voice sounded. I looked up and saw Riz standing in front of me.
“Hi, Riz.” I smiled. When he didn’t speak I went to
step around him, but he blocked my path.
“When are you going to come to the club with me?” His hands gripped my bare waist and I couldn’t stop the goosebumps that erupted over my skin.
“You know what will happen if I come to the club with you. Your brothers will think I’m a club whore. I don’t sleep around.”
“You’re a stripper!” He laughed, tightening his hands on me.
“Exactly, a stripper, not a whore.”
Riz was a tall, skinny guy with some muscles. His dark hair was short and he hadn’t shaved in a couple of days giving him a nice amount of stubble.
“You go to the back room.” He stated.
We had several back rooms here where some of the girls took the clients to give them extra special treatment and earned themselves a lot more money.
“Only with you.” I spoke quietly.
“What?” He frowned. All of a sudden I felt insecure and exposed to him. I liked Riz, but he wasn’t good for me. If he had his way I’d be one of those sweet buns at his clubhouse. Then all the brothers would get to sleep with me and I definitely didn’t want that. He didn’t see me as anything more than how to get his dick wet.
“I haven’t been to the back room with anyone else but you, ok?” I threw my arms up in the air exasperated.
“Then come to the club and we can be together more.”
“No, Riz. I’m sorry, I can’t.” I stepped out of his hold, spun on my heel and headed back into the changing rooms where the customers were not allowed to follow us.
Riz
I COULDN’T BELIEVE what I was seeing? My Beauty, bruised, battered and bloody.
“What the hell?” I shouted as she stood in front of me, trembling.
“What’s going on?” Blade, our Prez asked as he came flying around the corner. He looked from me to Beauty. “Beauty?” He asked.
She nodded her head slowly as tears escaped and her chin trembled. She wound her arms around her middle for comfort. I wanted to be the one that did that, but my body was on fire with rage. I paced up and down in front of her, fists clenched.
“Tell me what happened.” Prez demanded. Our Prez was a fierce man, no one dared cross him, but he was a gentle giant too. His Old Lady and three kids kept him that way.
“Son, let’s get her inside.” Bear, Prez’s dad said as he slapped him on the shoulder. Prez nodded and we all filed into the clubhouse.
Beauty sat down on the leather sofa and Anna, one of the club girls sat beside her, handing her a glass with brown liquid in it. Beauty tipped her head back with the glass and exposed the bruising around her throat.
“What happened?” I growled as I slowed down my pacing.
Prez stood in front of her with Bear by his side. Holes from the Cornish Crusaders was here too, though I had no idea why.
Itch and Ice stumbled from their rooms into the clubhouse looking tired and hungover and Dan and Fred, the prospects were hanging around the bar.
“A customer.” She glanced around the room and took a deep breath. “He wanted me to join him in the back room.” Her eyes shot to me. “You know I don’t do the back room, only dance and serve drinks.”
“I know.” I nodded as I waited for her to carry on.
“He wasn’t happy that I had refused. He said that girls like us were there to service him, make him happy. That we had to do whatever he wanted. He flashed a lot of cash at Anton, he stepped aside and let him drag me in there.” She sobbed and Anna comforted her the best way that she could.
“Who’s Anton?” I heard Holes asking Bear.
“Club security.” He answered and Holes shook his head in disappointment.
“Do you know who it was?” Blade asked her as he crouched down in front of her, making sure not to touch her. I wanted to lift her up in my arms and run away with her, make her forget all about it.
“Parker.” She cried, burying her face in her hands.
“Fuck!” I roared. “I’m going to kill them both.” I stormed out of the clubhouse and headed for my bike. I could hear the Prez shouting at me to stop, but I was on a mission. That bastard hurt my girl and he was going to pay.
“Let’s ride.” I heard Prez shout into the clubhouse and seconds later, my brothers were throwing their helmets on and mounting their bikes.
We all followed Prez out of the compound and headed to ‘Skins’.
‘SKINS’ was one of our strip clubs that was open early until late. As I parked my bike I could see Anton standing at the door, he was frowning down at his phone.
“Hey, you, fucker!” I roared as I shot towards him a landed a blow right to his face.
“What the fuck?” He growled. He lunged towards me but Ice and Itch grabbed his arms first.
“Around the back, brothers.” Prez instructed.
“What’s going on?” Anton asked with worry in his voice as he was being dragged down the side of the building until we reached the back.
Itch and Ice let him go and I threw another punch at him, this time he was quick enough to dodge him.
“Mr. King? What’s going on?” He asked Prez.
Prez nodded to me and I swung for him again.
“That.” Punch. “Is for letting that low life.” Punch. “Drag my girl to the back room.” Kick. “Do you know what he did to her?” I towered over him as he sat on the floor. I knew full well that this guy could fight back, he was a lot larger than me with muscles everywhere.
“No. Fucked her?”
“He raped her!” I shouted. “She has bruises everywhere, cuts and blood dripping from her hair.”
“I… I didn’t know he was going to do that.” I flew into a range. Jumped on top of him and kept punching until I was being dragged away. Buzz and Itch had a firm grip on me as I struggled to get free.
“You know the policies here.” Prez started. “Back rooms are only consensual, if the girls wanna make a bit of extra money then that’s up to them.”
“He said…”
“I don’t care what he said. Did she want to go back there with him?” Prez roared cutting him off.
“No. She was asking for help.”
“Then why didn’t you help her? The money was worth more to you that a woman being attacked.” I screamed, still struggling to get free.
“I didn’t want the money.” Anton climbed to his feet. “I was going to put the money in Beauty’s tip jar. He threatened my family. He said if I tried to stop him then he would go after my wife and daughter.”
“So you let him carry on, knowing what he was going to do?” Bear asked.
“He said he would rape my daughter, she’s only twelve. I have to do what I can to protect them.”
“Go and get your wife and daughter and head to the clubhouse. I’m calling a lockdown until we can sort this shit out.”
“Prez, you can’t be serious. If Beauty sees him she’s going to breakdown.”
“Ice, go with him. Make sure they get there safely and make sure Beauty knows what’s going on.”
“Prez.” He nodded his head before pushing Anton to start walking.
“Riz.” Prez stood in front of me. Itch and Buzz finally let me go and I crossed my arms over my chest. “We can’t have more people hurt. You’re going to have to find a way to be ok with him being at the clubhouse. At least until we can sort this out. Got it?”
“Yeah.”
“Let’s ride.” Prez shouted. We all headed towards our bikes, climbed on and followed Prez to our next destination.
Beauty
I JUMPED when I heard a knock on the door that I was in. I glanced around the room to see that I was laying on a double bed, there was one bedside table, a set of drawers at the bottom of the bed and a matching wardrobe.
“Sweetness?” Riz called out. “I’m coming in.”
I pulled my legs up to my chest and wound my arms around them. I had a stabbing pain in my tummy and my head was throbbing.
I looked up when the door opened. He was standing there in his worn out fad
ed blue jeans, a black hoodie and his leather cut. His stubble was longer than I had ever seen it and I found myself wanting to feel it.
“Hi.” I smiled. He came in and shut the door behind him. He leant back against it and took a deep breath.
“Can I come and sit with you?” he nodded towards the bed.
“Sure.” I moved over slightly, wincing as I moved.
“What the hell?” he mumbled. I glanced back at him to see he was looking at something on the bed. A patch of blood. “Have you seen the doc?”
I shook my head. Anna and Heather, the Prez’s Old Lady asked if I wanted to see their doctor but I said no. I couldn’t bare to have another man touching me.
“I’ll be ok in a couple of days.”
“You’re bleeding. This is not ok. I’m getting the doc.” He stormed over to the door.
“Riz!” I shouted before he opened the door. “Please, I can’t bare the thought of having him touch me.”
“Let me take you to the hospital then. We can request a female doctor.”
“Anna said we’re on some sort of lockdown. Whatever that means.” I shrugged my shoulders. “Besides, they’ll ask too many questions. Get the police involved.”
“Sweetness, he raped you.” I cringed when he said that word. “Beat you and assaulted you.”
“I don’t want to think about it. I just want to forget that it happened.” I climbed off the bed and walked towards him. I grabbed his hand in both of mine. “Please, Riz. I’ll be ok.”
“When we find him, I’m gonna kill him.” He said as he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me in close to his body. I cried out when his arms circled my waist.
“Wait, you didn’t find him?” I asked, pulling back to look at him.
“No, sweetness. But we will.” He kissed me on the temple. “Now, I need to see what he did to you.”
“What?” I pulled out of his arms completely. “No, why do you need to see?”
“Because I’m going to make sure he receives the same as punishment, if Prez won’t let me kill him.”
South Coast Brothers Part 1 Page 65
