After he readily agreed she told him where she was and he informed her of the vehicle the guy will be in and the code word to ask him. It was strawberry, yeah I know but it was kind of nice being watched out for.
Once she was picked up they headed in the opposite direction and made it to what she assumed was the clubhouse judging by the gate and by the security out front. Not to mention all of the bikes in the yard. Getting out she was left to her own devices so she remembered Stryker said he was in a ring. So she made her way to where the noise and the fighting sounded like it was coming from.
As soon as she walked a decent ways she came to the corner of a brick building and when she rounded said corner she looked up. There amidst a ring with blue ropes stood Stone. He was bare-chested with jeans and boots on and he had just brought his fist forward and slammed it into a man’s throat. She reached for her throat in pain for the man. A gurgling sound escaped him; next thing you hear is,
“Who’s next?” Looking up at him he was staring off into the distance waiting for someone to just get into the ring with him so he could begin.
She then saw some blonde chick jump in there and had started talking to him and then no one can blame him for what he did next. The woman shouldn’t have approached him like she did. The moment her hands touched his face he backed up and kicked the woman as hard as he could and she went flipping and then she flew over the top rope and luckily hands caught her.
“Isabelle?” She startled and jumped then looked to her left. He had placed a hand on her arm and when she jumped he removed it.
“Ye… Yes.” She stammered out. All of these men. She hoped none of them had been to one of Stephen’s parties.
“Come with me. Quickly.” Seeing that he was headed to the ring and shoving people out of his way she quickly stepped in line and followed him. She was thankful no hands had reached for her.
She felt plenty of eyes upon her; however the one man’s eyes she was in search of were still locked into the distance.
They made it to the ring, looking up she saw on closer inspection his knuckles were split open and bleeding and clenched tightly, his jaw was swollen and he had big purple bruises on his ribs. She could also tell that he had a huge tribal tattoo that dominated his back and arms. His hair was also cut down to barely fuzz. Before he had shaggy black hair.
“Whoa there darlin’.” A man said as she grabbed ahold of the ropes.
She looked at him and saw his kutte had the word President on it.
Respectfully she said, “Look I know you’re the President and I respect that but right now that man in the ring needs me. So please move your ass out of my way.” She received a raised brow in response and she saw him look over her head to Stryker who was behind her.
He bent his head and moved aside, she guessed he got his answer.
She grabbed the rope and climbed up, bending down at the waist she pushed her upper body through the top two ropes and then placed her hand on the top rope and finished climbing into the ring. Around her all was silent. She could hear faint whispers.
Not knowing what to do she slowly walked up to him. Keeping her hands at her sides so he would see she wasn’t a threat and when she got about five feet away from him she stopped.
“Stone?” No reaction.
So she grew a little braver and slowly walked in front of him so she was better in his line of site and tried again. Still she kept her eyes on his.
“Stone.” She said even higher. Again no reaction.
Thinking of something like you do with a wounded animal you simply wait. So she turned to the President and said softly all the while still keeping her eyes on Stone.
“Can you have everyone at least move behind us?” At his nod he gave the signal and everyone cleared away to the back of the ring.
She sat down. Grabbed a book she bought for a dollar and began to read, aloud.
“She stood on the cliff looking out into the rolling hills with luscious greenery…”
Reaching the ending of the first chapter she looked up and saw his fist were unclenched, so she continued on. She was half way through the second chapter when she chanced a look up and saw he was now looking at her but his eyes still looked dead and empty.
She placed the book inside her bag and said, “Stone.” When she saw his eyes shift she knew he was starting to come out of it.
Standing up ever so slowly she kept eye contact with him and watched as he raised his head along with her.
“Stone, I’m going to come and stand closer to you.” She said, she knew the best way to keep him calm was to explain everything she was doing. She slowly moved toward him and now only a foot or so separated them.
“Stone, I’m going to place my hands on your hands.” She kept eye contact and slowly reached out to touch his hands. She saw a flicker of recognition so she just touched his hands.
When he didn’t react violently she gently applied force. Staying for a minute or so she then began bringing his hands to her.
Once she had his hands in front of her she examined his knuckles. They would need to be cleaned and bandaged.
“Stone? We need to go inside. Will you go with me?” She asked as she stepped to the side and saw his head and eyes follow her movements.
So still keeping her eyes on him she began backing out of the ring and over to the steps. Each step she took he moved his feet. When they reached the steps she noticed someone had unhooked the ropes so they could get out easier.
Looking at the president while Stone’s eyes were still on her,
“Can you have everyone make a path to a bathroom and see there are some first aid supplies please?” I said softly.
Nodding, he quietly gave orders and she continued on. She made it to the door with Stone and saw Stryker giving her a head nod to follow him. She didn’t pay attention to her surroundings as she kept her eyes on Stones and walked backwards following Stryker.
They made it down a long hallway and they entered a room that wasn’t a bathroom but a bedroom. She saw a first aid kit as well as a bowl of water.
Backing them closer to the bed she turned her body and was glad when he followed.
“Stone, I need you to sit down so I can take care of you. Can you do that for me?” When he blinked and slowly moved his head she let go of his hands and placed them on his shoulders. Ever so gently she pushed him down until he was sitting on the bed.
Looking behind her she grabbed the chair and set about cleaning one hand and then the other. She dabbed a cloth in the water and cleaned the area before she applied an ointment and then a bandage and she wrapped his hand. Then she did the next one.
Grabbing a few ice packs that were handed to her from the president and she sat the aside.
“Stone you need to lean back against the head wall.” Seeing that he was aware but still not all together there he did as she asked and scooted until his back was against the wall.
Then she reached for the ice packs and sat beside him, wrapped one in a cloth and placed it on his jaw.
“Read.” He said. He was still looking at her and was still fighting away the haze.
“Alright.” She said.
Then she reached for her book bag and unzipped it, not knowing everyone had been watching so intently and saw a pack of crackers a pair of underwear, a bra, and her money plus a hair brush, tooth brush, and toothpaste. They all understood and she didn’t realize just how much she just revealed about her situation.
Closing her bag she opened the book to the page she had stopped on and continued reading.
She made it to chapter ten and looked up and saw his eyes were closed. Halfway through she took the ice pack off his face and placed another one on his ribs.
His breathing was steady and slow so she knew he was asleep. Getting up ever so slowly so as to not wake him she grabbed her bag and left the room. She closed the door and saw Stryker had been sitting outside the room. Seeing her come out he stood and asked,
“How is he?”
She made her way down the hall in search of the exit. When she entered what she thought was the main room only a few men and women remained. Looking around she saw the president and a woman sitting beside him and a younger man and a woman who looked very pregnant.
“How’s Stone?”
“Well I don’t know. He’s bruised but I don’t think anything is broken. He finally fell asleep.” She said as she started making her way outside
“Alright, well where are you going?” He looked at her intently.
She felt like she was in the same situation again with how he was staring at her. She started to breathe heavily when she saw him walk towards her and she hastily backed away and bumped into something hard.
Normally she would’ve spun and tried to wriggle free but she knew whose touch this was
Halting the president looked up.
“Stone, how you feeling?” He asked.
“Woke up. You were gone. Come back.” Thinking he may have been talking to the president she didn’t move.
Not until she felt a hand at her bag and looked to see Stone was here in the present but just a tad hazy. He took her bag and offered her his hand.
Contemplating leaving and being cold, and be unsure where she would sleep tonight. Or, stay here with Stone and be warm and feel safe for the first time in four years. She chose Stone.
As he offered her his hand she took it, she knew with this man anything was possible.
After they reentered the room he went to a drawer and grabbed a t-shirt, handing it to her he then laid down on the bed with the covers pulled back.
She went to the bathroom, changed into the huge ass t-shirt that looked like a dress on her and cut the light off. Seeing Stone lying there with his eyes closed she took a moment to take in how her life had drastically changed.
“You coming to sleep or what?” He said, his eyes still closed.
Snickering she climbed in the bed as he pulled the covers over them. He placed one arm behind his head and the other arm he laid on his chest. Soon he was lightly snoring. She curled into herself and placed her hands under her head.
Feeling safe beside this man and that the rest of the MC was here as well she fell into a peaceful deep sleep.
Chapter 3
Isabelle
The next morning found her curled up to his body with her head on his chest and his arm wrapped tightly around her with his face in her hair.
Realizing the position she was in she hastily tried to move, only Stone’s arm tightened even more.
“Isabelle, need to know what you’re wanting? After what you did for me last night, you’re the first person to succeed in freeing my mind for the nothingness that consumes me sometimes. I can drop you off wherever you want to go but I don’t think that is what you or hell even what I want. You can either stay with me and we can make a go of this and take it super fucking slow. However we need to both be tested. You’ll get on birth control and I’ll wear a condom. I don’t won’t no more fucking kids.”
Her head still lying on his chest, her head rising with every breath he took. Wondering what he meant by no more kids, she stored that information for later. She began asking herself if she wanted this man in her life. He did save her in more ways than one. However, she still wanted her freedom to learn and finally be herself.
“Stone, I have no problem with any of that however I won’t be tied down. I want to have my freedom to learn who I am and be myself. I’ll be faithful to you and you’ll be faithful to me yet I want to be free.”
“Makes since Doll, you can go after whatever you want just remember who your with. I’ll back you.”
She didn’t know what to really make of this man. He was hard as they come and yet with her she felt like he quelled so much around him with her. She trusted him with her life; she would have to steel and harden her heart around him.
He slapped her ass,
“I’ll be back.” Okay, she lifted her head and rolled onto her back.
“Okay.” She watched him put on sweatpants atop his boxers and then he exited the room while closing the door.
Lying on her back she rubbed her hands over her face contemplating what her next move should be. What would being with him really be like? Where was she to live? All of the thoughts hit her mind like a freight train.
And then just like that he walked back into the room answering her own questions.
“Got you some shit from my Prez’s ole lady, Lily. Take you a shower try on some of this shit. After you’re ready and I shower we are running into town.” He held out a big duffle bag for her. Not arguing with him she leaned up and kissed his cheek.
“Thank you. Point out who Lily is so I can thank her. Please?” He nodded at her.
For the first time since she was taken she got to use conditioner in her hair and she got to use a loofa and not a dirty rag. My god she thought. This feels wonderful. There had even been a razor, tooth brush and toothpaste, deodorant! What? She had thought when she saw the bottle with a hair tie on it, a bottle of body spray. When they had brought her to the warehouse she had been too afraid to use the luxuries in the bag she was given, she didn’t want to get used to those things and have them taken away. However this time she got to enjoy what may seem like small things to others, but to her they were monumental.
Wiping the mist that now lie on her eyelashes she looked through the clothes. In the bag there had been a pair of sweatpants, a t-shirt, a tank, a pair of jean shorts how had the size been perfect she didn’t know. Also; few sports bras, different sizes of underwear and even a couple pairs of socks. All of them with tags still on them, what the world? Then it hit her, just exactly who Lily must be, she was the woman with the older man last night.
Shrugging on the sports bra a pair of undies and the jean shorts she loved that they fit then she slipped into the t-shirt and ran the brush through her hair and braided it. Being done she walked out of the room taking the bag with her so she could put on the deodorant, spray the smell good and brush her teeth. She didn’t want to take up to much time since he said he needed to shower too. However, Stone wasn’t in the room so she went ahead and took care of all that.
Once she was done, he still hadn’t returned so placing the bag in the chair she left the room and headed to where she heard voices. Entering the main room again she saw Stone and then headed this way, only seeing Lily she veered to the right and went up to the woman. Not second guessing herself, this was her fresh start after all she hugged the woman.
“Thank you.” She whispered in her ear.
‘You’re welcome. Did everything fit?”
“Yes, perfectly so. I’m not going to ask how you knew my sizes.”
Laughing she said, “I’m a mom, it’s what I do.” She smiled at her as they pulled apart.
Isabelle looked at Stone and saw he was looking at her and she told Lily bye and headed in his direction.
Grabbing ahold of his hand that he had offered to her she grasped it firmly and followed him outside. They didn’t walk to the bike like she had figured, no they walked over to a truck. A monstrous sized truck. Climbing in she buckled up and what all happened next had her crying every five minutes.
Store after store they went in getting things she needed. First it was the small things, toiletries and such, and then it was clothes. Have you ever seen a pissed off biker when he gets told no when it’s something he really wants to do for you? Well Stone’s jaw was ticking when she told him she didn’t want him spending too much money on her. She politely refused and then saw that was the wrong thing to do. He nodded and then proceeded grabbing the ugliest clothes off the rack she had ever seen, he had even went as far as going to the little girls section and grabbing stuff. He even grabbed a tutu. Laughing she grabbed his arm and agreed to do as he had said.
After that they swung by the doctor’s office who just so happened to be
a friend of the club. They then had the tests ran to make sure they were both clean and Isabelle’s appointment had ran a little longer then his.
After that one of the breaking moments had been when he went into a phone store, then came out thirty minutes later with one of the newest IPhone’s on the market.
The other breaking point was when he pulled up outside a school and got her information on taking classes so she could get her G.E.D. He had listened when she told him about all of her fears and wishes.
Getting back to the clubhouse, carrying in the bags she saw Lily and a woman named Paisley whom she found out was another ole lady and she was with Mac their Enforcer. She also learned that Mac was the son of Lily and the President.
In their hands they had some hangers and a few girly things.
“Stone, we got this, hand us the bags and you go have yourself a beer.” Lily had said.
Instead of answering Lily he looked at Isabelle.
“You good with this?” He had asked her. He had listened, really listened. Toughen up you little bitch quit getting emotional she told herself.
“Yeah Stone, I’m good with this.”
They all unloaded her bags and such and helped her hang things up. They joked and laughed and she realized she really liked these ladies. They even drank a bottle of wine. Her first time ever drinking alcohol.
It was a few days after that when Stone saw that while Isabelle was getting used to being around all of the people she still had a slight problem when the guys crowded her. Thinking to help her like she helped him he then told her she was moving in with him.
Now some might say she was moving too fast however in her heart and more importantly in her gut they told her she needed to trust in Stone. That he would never do her harm.
Chapter 4
Isabelle
After Stone informed her that they were moving into his house she grew ecstatic. She loved being around these people, however she was glad to actually be somewhere with not so many people.
Packing her things in one of his extra duffels was kind of bittersweet.
Stone (Spartans MC (Carolina) Book 2) Page 2