Maybe I could stick it out a little longer. When we graduate, there will be no reason to see Ronald. I can tell him then that it’s over, and we can both move on.
He will go to college, and I will find a job to help my sister. That way she doesn’t have to work so hard to pay all of the bills. I know she wants me to continue going to school, but it isn’t in my cards. One we can’t afford it and two I wanted nothing more than to be a mother and raise a family.
She would, of course, point out how young I was, and I know most people would feel the same. But I really just wanted that. Why did it matter about being eighteen?
Chapter 7
Brittany
Present Day.
Ever since the night in the hallway when Ronald attacked me, I’ve been terrified of him. That was a side I didn’t think I would ever meet.
Deep down I think I knew this was the real Ronald. I think that’s why I had waited until graduation day to end things between us.
He was pounding on the door telling me he was going to get me eventually. That one day the door wouldn’t be between us.
I never told Tori about the night he grabbed me. That was a secret I would take with me to the grave. It was only to spare her. It was bad enough that she hated leaving me, knowing he could come by to shout and shit. But to know he attacked me, god, her already horrible nights would hold a new form of hell.
I heard a clicking sound. Was that one of the door locks? My ears perked while I crawled into my bedroom closet. I then called my sister.
I hate doing this, but I was desperate. I need to hear Tori’s voice. I need the false sense of security her voice gave me. The sound of ringing told me my call was trying to connect, and it had me breathing harder.
When the ringing stopped, I heard Tori’s breaths, and I cried harder.
“He’s back,” I told her, sobbing.
“Is he inside?” She asked me, her voice panicked.
“No, but I’m not sure how long before he will be,” I tell her as I cried harder. Oh god, was he picking the locks right now?
“Listen to me Brit. I need you to stay calm, okay? I’ll be there in maybe twenty minutes,” she tried to sound strong and confident. I swallowed before responding. “Okay,” I whisper.
Clutching the blank screen to my chest, I sobbed harder. Twenty minutes, that’s all I have to wait, just twenty minutes. I sunk further into the closet. Did I have twenty minutes?
Chapter 8
Brittany
Present Day.
Tori is trying to make me feel better. I’ve kept myself locked in the house, and I rarely leave these days. Pulling the cuffs on my long sleeve shirt down a little more, I fight the panic that comes when I consider leaving the house.
“You almost ready? My stomach is ready to eat its way out of my body,” Tori shouts while standing right outside my bedroom door.
There was no way I am telling her no. She needs this, and for once, I was going to give her what she needed. And not just because it was a medical need.
“I’m coming,” I tell her with a forced laugh.
“Logan’s steakhouse ok?” Tori asked me through the door.
“Isn’t that place expensive?” I shout back.
“I owe you a good dinner. We never made it out for your graduation celebration,” Tori said, reminding me while I open my bedroom door.
“Tori,” I sigh.
“I told you we don’t need to go out to celebrate. You gave me one hell of a party even if there was only one bottle of champagne,” I tell her with a smile.
“In my defense, I only bought the one because it was just us, and well, I didn’t think the pop would be so loud, or that the cork would go through the window. I did apologize for dropping the bottle,” Tori tells me with a sheepish smile.
“It was the best party I could have asked for,” I tell her with a real smile.
Two nights after I got my tattoo, she came home with cheap champagne, and we drank the whole bottle. It was a celebration for both my birthday and graduation.
Best night of my life. She always gave me the best.
“Plus, we deserve this dinner,” she tells me with a laugh. I could almost see the tears that she was trying to hide though.
“Yeah, but I want steak!” I tell her happily.
“Yeah, me too,” she tells me as she wraps an arm around my neck and pulls me in close.
“Let’s get out of here and go have a nice juicy steak and mash potatoes that aren’t freeze-dried,” she tells me affectionally.
“Yeah, let’s do that before your stomach sees me as its next course,” I let out a string of giggles and dance out from under her arm. I was letting my fears hold me back, and this was for my sister. We had each other’s back, fuck Ronald.
“Why you!” She shouts.
I left her behind and ran from the apartment. The car was parked out front, so I just leaned against it and waited.
“Took you long enough, getting old sis?” I asked her with a wink.
“I’ll show you old!” she growls in mock anger as she unlocks the car doors.
The drive was quiet, both of us excited about the time together. Especially when it didn’t involve the drama of our lives, and it was going to be a good meal.
As we walked in, the hostess gave us a once over. I could tell she was reading the poor on us. My sister didn’t even notice, and for that I was grateful. I made sure when the hostesses eyes reached mine, I gave her a warning look.
If she upset my sister and ruined this night for her, I was going to pull every one of those blonde locks from her head.
“Your waitress will be right with you,” the hostess tells us as she places the menus on the table.
“Thank you,” we say in unison and fall into another fit of giggles.
“Oh my god,” I say as my mouth opens and refuses to close.
The man walking our way is fucking hot. His hair is longer on top and is slicked back shorter and closer to the scalp on the sides. The man makes me think of the mythology gods.
“Shit,” my sister whispers.
“You know him?” I ask.
“Kind of?” Was that a question?
“Hey, over here,” I scream and wave at him like a crazy person at some crap concert.
“Stop it!” My sister shouts, her cheeks turning pink.
“Too late,” I tell her with a smug smile.
Standing, I wave him over gesturing for him to sit on my side. I then climb into my sister’s side of the booth.
I elbowed her gently when she just sat there and stared at the man.
“Wow, didn’t expect to see you here,” she mumbles.
“Thankfully, no carts,” he replied with a smile.
“Yeah, again, sorry about that,” she tells him sounding anything but sorry.
What the hell am I missing? I mean, she knew him but what the hell was this about a cart?
“You sure you don’t mind me joining you?” he asks.
I give him a nod of encouragement when my sister stays stubbornly mute.
“Tell you what, because you are saving me about a thirty-minute wait for a table, the dinners on me,” he says with a smile.
“I can’t let you do that,” she tells him with a smile.
He turns to me and holds out his hand. “I’m Zane.” I press my hand into his and look at my sister. She has zoned out on us, not paying any attention.
“I insist. You’re sharing your table. It’s the least I can do,” Zane says, his tone firming slightly.
“Thanks,” I tell him. My knee taps my sisters under the table trying to bring her back to the conversation.
He kept looking at Tori, and she was completely oblivious. I spent the entire meal either elbowing her or hitting our knees together to get her back into the conversation.
Whoever this man was, he had my sister in all kinds of knots.
Chapter 9
Brittany
Present Day.
Zane was ter
rifying. My sister smiled at him, but I couldn’t help but want to grab her and run. He told us to get our shit and that we were leaving. She didn’t argue. Instead, she forced me to comply.
This wasn’t good. If I had known Zane was a biker, I would never have let him eat with us. I look to my sister and assume she would be terrified. But she was relaxed and dare I say in love? Oh god, did my cynical sister fall in love with one of those monsters?
“It’s going to be okay,” Tori tells me, as she shoves more clothes into her bag.
“How the fuck is it?” I ask her, or more like snarl at her.
“Things are going to change for us. Zane’s going to protect us,” she tells me with a smile.
Uh huh, and I was supposed to just believe that shit? I looked at the man in question. He was watching my sister in a way that screamed this is mine.
Shoving clothes into my bag, I fought the urge to grab her and run. Maybe we could make it past Zane and make a clean break? Yeah, that was doubtful.
Slinging my bag over my shoulder, I sighed. Look at the bright side of it all. This could be good. We could get away from the people that were hurting Tori and Ronald all in one move.
“Come on,” he tells us.
I watch as my sister walks over to him. My eyes are taking them in anew. Was he her prince? Shit, I think he might be.
A small rosebud of hope bloomed a little bit in my chest. I’ve doubted the idea of him lately. But this, this was my proof that he was really out there.
We make our way out of this shit apartment that we called home, and something inside of me twists. I resist the urge to look back as the door slams closed.
Climbing into my sister’s car, I watch as Zane jumps onto his bike. He pulls out first, and my sister quickly follows. Where are we going?
The town isn’t very big, and we have only been on the road for maybe a few minutes when Zane pulls into a dealership.
What the fuck are we doing here? My sister looks at me with the same confusion that is reflected on her face. A tapping sound has us both turning towards Tori’s window.
She rolls it down with the manual window crank. Zane leans in and presses his lips to hers.
“We need a truck. Leave this shit car here, I’ll get you a new one,” he tells her as he pulls his head back out of the car.
She was going to argue, right? I mean, this was our only way to escape if things got bad. I watch in horror as she turns the key and shuts off the car.
“Come one, Brit,” she tells me with a smile of encouragement.
Taking a deep breath, I opened my door and got out. The back door on Tori’s side opened, and I watched as she pulled out her bag, I then followed suit.
Zane was already talking to some portly man with a balding head and a gleam in his eye when he looked at my sister and me.
Zane leaned in close and said something that had his eyes widen and he looking anywhere but at us. I smiled. I pretty sure he just threatened the nasty man.
I looked at the steel gray pickup truck that Zane was buying. I thought we would be here forever, and that shit annoyed me to no end.
Five goddamn minutes later Zane’s motorcycle was strapped into the truck’s bed, and we were climbing inside the truck.
Grabbing the back door behind my sister, I pulled myself up inside the clean cab. I inhaled deeply enjoying the scent of a clean new car.
I wanted to ask how much longer, it felt like we’ve been driving forever, and I guess my sister must have because Zane’s deep voice filled the small space.
“Not much further.”
No one wanted to talk, and I was kind of glad about that. My eyes stayed glued to my window watching the world pass by.
My sister’s quick intake of breath had my eyes going to her. Her face was drained of color. My eyes moved to see what she was looking at, and I felt like someone just punched me in the chest.
The cab felt small and confining. My heart literally stopped, and I was sure the air that was moving around us was fresh, but I couldn’t inhale any of it.
“Where the fuck are we?” my sister’s tone was hollow, empty, and terrifying.
“This is my club where we’ll be living for now,” he said with a shrug of indifference.
Is he fucking kidding me? “Your joking, right?” she snaps.
“Does it look like I’m joking, Tori?” he deadpans.
“No, and that’s the fucking problem!” she snarls.
This wasn’t good. For a moment I let myself relax. Had I taken a breath yet? I wasn’t so sure, my lungs constricted painfully.
“I’m taking you to the safest place you could be,” Zane’s voice has gone low.
“Yes, because the last set of bikers were just so much fun,” she growls.
“Tori…,” Zane said, and I fought the hysterical laugh that wanted to come out of me when she cut him off. “I’m not going in there, the fucking president could overrule whatever you are trying to do, and I won’t be owned again,” she screams.
“I’m the fucking president, so what I fucking say goes. You will go in there, you will go to our room, you will eat, shower then sleep,” he commands, leaving no room for argument.
She was protecting me. Earlier I could see it in her eyes that she loved Zane. He was her prince. Even if he wore leather.
Her eyes cast my way, and she swallowed hard. I could read the fear, sadness, and acceptance in her eyes. The acceptance was the hardest part to swallow.
My eyes looked back out the window, and my hand grabbed her elbow. My eyes took in the building and the men filing out the door.
I couldn’t let her throw this all away. She’s been doing everything for me. It’s the least I could do for her. She needed Zane, and I needed her. Swallowing, my eyes looked to each man that filled the parking lot.
His dark hair caught the light and my eyes. I couldn’t look away from him. It was like he screamed know me! I felt the urge to climb out and go to him. I just wanted to be close to him.
“Please, Tori,” I whisper.
“I’ve got you. You’re safe here,” Zane tells Tori firmly.
“I don’t know Zane….” My sister starts to protest.
I was still focused on the man. I felt this urge to talk and connect with him.
“You’re mine Tori, and I protect what’s mine,” Zane growls.
I climbed out of the truck and stood. I looked at my sister who was watching me.
“I have a room made up for you, Brittany,” Zane calls from the other side of the truck.
“Thanks,” I call back.
That’s all the words I could get out. I tried not to look at the mystery man again. I really did, but my eyes went there on their own.
My sister tugs on me, and I focus back on her. I follow them as Zane takes us into the building. I don’t look at my surroundings, my mind is stuck on the man that I had seen outside.
I was shown to my room first. The fear that I had felt earlier was now gone. After everything we’ve been through, I was trusting this biker. God helps us.
The thought made me smile. Opening the door to my room, I felt the lock on the doorknob and smiled in relief.
“Thank you,” I tell Zane and smile at my sister. I knew where she was going.
The bed was screaming for me. Sleep has been an afterthought, and now it was making its need known. Dropping my bag, I walked to the bed and fell face first onto the surprisingly soft mattress.
Fear still gripped me, but somewhere deep inside I knew Zane would protect us. And that was something I’m not sure we ever really had. Sighing I closed my eyes and tried to keep my mind clear.
As the darkness tugged at me, I felt the fear that was holding me release and finally sleep claimed me.
Chapter 10
Topher
Present Day.
I was on babysitting duty. Zane told me to bring Brittany food in a little bit. The girls needed sleep, and for the time being, I was to make sure she has everything she needs.
<
br /> I would be a fucking liar if I said my curiosity wasn’t bugging the shit out of me. Her blond hair had been whipping in the wind concealing most of her face.
I walked behind them as they made their way into the clubhouse. But so had my other brothers and a few of them concealed my view of the girls. Zane gave us the ‘I will rip your balls off if you breathe on them’ look.
No one said a word. Instead, the brothers choose to go back to what they had been doing. Which I had a feeling was going to be changing very soon.
A few brothers grabbed the girls they had been fucking and headed back to their rooms. Lola came over to me, but I waved her off.
“What the fuck is going on?” I asked Zane as he sat down next to me.
“I fucking told you when I called earlier and asked you to get the room ready for her,” he replies with a shrug.
“What the fuck is going on, and who are they?” I demand.
His eyes darken as he looks at me. Instead of fucking pushing, I kept my mouth shut and waited.
“Tori is my old lady and Brittany is her little sister,” he shrugs as if that answers everything.
“How fucking little?” I snap.
I mean were we going to have to watch our fucking language on top of our fucking?
“She’s eighteen,” Zane said, and he didn’t elaborate.
“Why the fuck is she here? What the fuck happened?” I snarl in frustration.
“They were club owned,” he growls.
My stomach dropped. I knew what those two words meant, but in that club, those two words took on a whole new meaning. Fuck! Disgust fills me.
“How bad?” I keep my tone light and even when I only wanted to roar the fucking question.
What the fuck was happening to me? This need to wrap her in bubble wrap and hide her away was overwhelming. I haven’t even seen her face, and I wanted to save her.
Zane’s eyes filled with humor, almost like he could see the battle happening inside of me. I liked my freedom, and I loved the random fucks with no attachments.
Begging Topher (Grimm Brothers MC Book 5) Page 3