by Wilder, L.
Unable to control his rage, Cotton aimed his gun at Demarco’s head. “You messed with the wrong girl, asshole.”
He was just about to pull the trigger when Stitch warned, “Hold up, Prez. I know you want to kill him. We all do, but he’s got questions to answer. We’re gonna need him alive.”
“Fuck!”
Cotton quickly lowered the barrel of his gun from Demarco’s head down to his shin, then fired. Screaming out in agony, Demarco dropped to the ground and clutched his calf. “You’re going to regret this! Every last one of you. Just wait and see!”
“In case you missed it, you aren’t in the position to be making threats, asshole.” Cotton placed the barrel of his gun against Demarco’s forehead as he snarled, “I’m going to look forward to killing you...nice and slow.”
With that, he took the butt of his gun and slammed it against his head, knocking him out cold. Not wanting to waste another second, Cotton glanced over to us and ordered, “Find Lauren.”
Stitch remained with Demarco, while the rest of us went in search of Lauren. Knowing it was the only place she could be, Maverick and I rushed over to the room next to the office. The door was locked, so Maverick slammed his shoulder against it, trying to force it open. When it didn’t budge, Two Bit and Smokey stepped up, and with all the strength they could muster, they both barreled into it, splintering the door at its hinges. Maverick pushed it the rest of the way open, and we found Lauren holed up in the corner with her arms wrapped around her knees, crying.
She was surrounded by mattresses, and there was an odd scent lingering in the room—a mixture of perfume and urine. It took a moment for me to figure out what I was seeing, but then it hit, and I knew exactly what Demarco and his men had been up to. Lauren lifted her head, and relief washed over her face when she found us standing there. The sight of her tugged at my very soul. She looked so broken, so completely wrecked, and I wanted nothing more than to rush over and take her into my arms. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance. Before I could make a move, Maverick called out, “Hey, Cotton! We found her!”
But Cotton was already there looking into the room with a furious expression. “I’m going to make that motherfucker pay.”
Trying his best to remain calm, Cotton walked over to Lauren and knelt down beside her. He whispered something in her ear, then slipped his hands beneath her legs and lifted her into his arms. She wrapped her arms lovingly around his neck, sobbing quietly as she rested her head on his shoulder. He continued whispering to her as he carried her out of the room. As much as I wanted to rush over to them and take her in my arms, I knew he needed that moment with her, and she with him. Besides, I planned on having a lifetime of moments with Lauren.
I’d almost lost her, not once but twice, and I wasn’t going to take the chance on losing her again. Not now. Not ever.
Chapter 16
Lauren
I had no idea how they’d done it, but the second I heard the deafening sounds of gunshots, I knew Dad and the brothers had found me. I wanted to rush out of the room and help them take down Demarco and his men, but I couldn’t move. I was being held hostage by childhood fears as much as I’d tried to keep them at bay. I’d tried not to think about how scared I was during those days I’d spent in that vile room—a room much like this one, but the longer I sat there, the harder it became. By the time the brothers knocked down that door, I was lost in my memories, terrified that I might have to go through it all again, but then I saw them. My saviors. My brothers. My family.
When I saw Dad coming towards me, I knew it was over. I knew I was safe, but I was so overcome with emotion all I could do was cry. Seeing how distraught I was, Dad knelt down beside me and whispered, “I’ve got ya. You’re okay.”
He continued to whisper words of assurance as he lifted me off the ground and carried me out of the room. “No one’s going to hurt you, Lauren. We’re here...We’re all here.”
As much as I wanted to respond, I couldn’t. I clung to him and cried. Once we were outside, several of the brothers surrounded Cotton, and each took a moment to see for themselves that I was really okay. I wanted to thank every one of them for risking their lives to save me, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t form the words. And then I saw him. Flynn was standing next to Maverick and Q, and my heart nearly leapt out of my chest. I couldn’t believe that he was really there, and I started sobbing even harder.
Seeing that I was struggling to pull it together, Cotton said, “I’m going to get her to the truck.”
Maverick nodded, then said, “Two Bit and I will stay behind and help Stitch with Demarco. We’ll get him and Phillips back to the clubhouse, so they’ll be waiting for whenever you get ready to deal with them.”
“Sounds good.” Dad then turned to Q and said, “You ride with us. I want to see Doc and have him check you out.”
“I’m good.”
“Not arguing with you, Q. Get your ass in the truck.” Without giving him a chance to disagree any further, Dad turned his attention back to Maverick. “I’ll send some prospects over to help clean up this fucking mess.”
Maverick gave him a quick nod, and then he and Two Bit went back into the warehouse. The rest followed as Dad carried me to the truck. When he made it over to Catch and Tank, he ordered them to take Q with them back to the clubhouse. Dad was still cradling me in his arms when Tank opened the back door of Big’s truck and waited as he placed me inside. Once he was settled next to me, I laid my head back down on his chest and waited as the others got into the SUV alongside us. The longer I sat there next to my father, the tension in my body started to ease. I was safe, and I knew it. My head was still resting on Dad’s chest when I muttered, “Thank you for coming for me.”
“You never have to thank me for that, Lauren. You’re my girl.” He kissed me on top of my head like he did when I was a young girl, then said, “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you, and the same goes for the brothers.”
I turned my head just enough to see Flynn sitting in the front seat, and my chest tightened when I found him staring back at me. “And Flynn?”
“Yeah, he came along, too.” I could feel a slight chuckle vibrate through his chest as he said, “He was pretty adamant about the fact.”
Flynn’s eyes were filled with emotion as he said, “I had to do a little persuading, but I couldn’t stand by helpless when you were in danger.”
“Demarco was—”
“We know, sweetheart.” Dad ran his hand up and down my arm, trying to soothe me as he repeated, “We know.”
“We have to stop him.”
“Oh, we will. You don’t have to worry about that.”
I nodded, then closed my eyes and muttered, “I want to go home, Dad. Please take me home.”
“We’re headed that way now.”
Between the loss of adrenaline and all the crying, I was beyond exhausted and fell asleep in Dad’s arms. I didn’t wake until the following morning. I was in my room, in my bed, and Mom was sleeping in a chair next to me. Both girls were sleeping soundly at the foot of my bed, and when I sat up, I found Flynn sleeping on the floor. I would’ve just gone back to sleep myself, but both my bladder and my stomach had other plans. Doing my best not to wake anyone, I eased the covers back and slipped out of bed, then tiptoed to the bathroom.
I’d just closed the door when I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I was a sight to behold. My eye was swollen, my lip was busted, and there was a large, angry bruise along the side of my face. Thinking about that moment when Demarco had struck me gave me the sudden urge to shower. I knew it wouldn’t be that easy but wanted to wash away the memories just the same. I started the water, then slipped back into my room to grab some clean clothes. By the time I returned, the water was warm, so I quickly undressed and stepped inside the shower. I closed my eyes as the hot water eased my aching muscles and stayed there until the water ran cold; then I got out, dried off, and put on some fresh clothes. After brushing through my wet hair, I he
aded downstairs to grab a bite to eat. I’d only made it down a few steps when I heard Flynn whisper, “Sneaking off on me?”
“Flynn!” I gasped.
I quickly turned, rushed up the steps, and threw my arms around him, hugging him tightly. His voice was low and strained as he whispered, “Hey, baby. You doing okay?”
“Much better now.”
“Me, too. I can’t tell you how good it feels to hold you.” He kissed me on the temple. “I was worried out of my mind.”
“I’m so sorry.” I released my hold on Flynn as I looked up at him and said, “I had no idea any of this would happen.”
“Don’t. You have nothing to apologize for, Lauren.” He brought his hands up to my face and carefully cupped my jaw as he studied the bruises. “Are you really okay?”
“I had my doubts there for a minute, but yes, I’m fine.”
“I hope you know that I’m here for you. Whatever you need.” Emotion filled his beautiful dark eyes as he declared, “I love you, Lauren. I’ve loved you for as long as I can remember, and I always will.”
While he’d shown me in so many ways how he felt about me, he’d never actually said the words to me. Hearing them now only confirmed what I already knew. “I do know that, and I love you too, Flynn. So very much.”
He leaned forward, gently pressing his lips to mine, and as he kissed me, I’d never felt so loved and adored. I wound my arms around his neck, pulling him closer. We were losing ourselves in the moment when I heard Malcomb complain, “Ewe, gross.”
I had every intention of ignoring him until I heard Dad join in. “Yeah, buddy. Pretty gross indeed.”
At the sound of my father’s voice, Flynn lurched back like he’d been struck with a hot poker. “Morning, sir.”
“Morning, Flynn.” Dad walked over to me and grimaced at the sight of my face. “We need to get Doc over here to look at those bruises.”
“I’m fine, Dad. Really.”
“Then, it won’t take him long to check you out.”
I could tell from the tone in his voice he wasn’t going to let it go, so I didn’t bother arguing. Instead, I simply nodded and said, “Okay, but I’m going to need a bite to eat first.”
“How about some pancakes?” Mom asked from my doorway.
“Pancakes would be perfect.”
Mom walked over and gave me a big hug, then with tears in her eyes she told me, “I’m so glad you’re home. I don’t know what we would’ve done if—”
“I’m okay, Mom,” I interrupted. “Everything’s okay.”
“I know, sweetie. I was just worried.”
“Lauren!” Susana gasped as she and Darby raced over and gave me a tight squeeze. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, sweetie. I’m fine.”
Darby’s brows were furrowed as she asked, “What happened to you?”
“It’s kind of a long story.”
“But we want to know—”
“Your sister is home, and she’s fine,” Dad interjected. “That’s all that matters.”
Not wanting to worry the girls any more than they already were, Mom quickly wiped away her tears and put on a brave front as she said, “Okay, girls, let’s give your sister a little space and go whip up some pancakes.”
“Pancakes?” When Mom nodded, both girls cheered, “Awesome!”
While Mom made us all breakfast, Dad called Doc, who stopped by to look me over. Once he’d assured Mom and Dad that I would be fine, we all sat down at the table and ate enough pancakes for an army. As soon as they were done, Darby and Susana went outside to play with Malcomb, leaving Flynn and me alone at the table with Mom and Dad. I thought back to all the years I’d lived with them and how secretive Dad had always been about what went on with the club. If I’d heard “club business is club business” once, I’d heard it a million times, so I couldn’t fathom why Dad would let Flynn, an outsider, go with him and the brothers to rescue me. Overcome with curiosity, I turned to my father and said, “I can’t believe you let Flynn tag along with you and the guys last night.”
“Like I told you, he was pretty adamant about coming along.”
“But he’s not a brother.”
“I’m fully aware of that.” Dad looked over to Flynn and said, “To be honest, I wasn’t sure about my decision, but if he hadn’t been there last night, I might not be sitting here right now.”
“What?”
“Your boyfriend saved my life.” A smirk crossed his face as he continued, “He had a pretty unorthodox way of doing it, but I’m still breathing, so I can’t complain.”
Pride marked Flynn’s face as he replied, “I’m glad I was there to lend a hand.”
“Well, your efforts didn’t go unnoticed.”
“How’s Q making it?”
Dad gave him a funny look, and I knew Flynn was encroaching on a topic Dad didn’t want to discuss. He kept it short by simply answering, “He’ll be fine.”
“Good to hear.”
Dad’s smile faded. “Like I said before, I’ve always thought you had something in you, and last night, you proved me right. So, if you’re interested, that offer to prospect is still on the table.”
I couldn’t believe my ears. Flynn had never mentioned that Dad had offered him a chance to prospect for the club. It wasn’t that I was surprised. There were a million reasons why Flynn would be a great addition to their brotherhood. He was intelligent, strong, and determined, and he thought before he acted. But Flynn was mine. He’d always been mine. I never had to share him with Dad or the brothers, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to. Flynn glanced at me, and after studying my expression for a moment, he turned back to my father and said, “I appreciate that, and I won’t deny that I’ve thought about it. I’ve thought about it a lot. So, I won’t say that I’ll never take you up on that offer, but right now, I have other things I need to focus on. Mainly your daughter.”
“Um-hmm. Understood.” Dad shook his head and smiled. He was pleased with Flynn’s response, and so was I. In fact, I was very pleased. We all watched as he pushed his plate back and said, “I better get going. I’ve got some things to tend to over at the clubhouse.”
“About that…” I began, “I know when it comes to club business you can’t tell me much, but do I need to be worried about Mr. Phillips or Demarco?”
“No, sweetheart. You don’t have to give either of them a second thought, but I am going to need something from you.”
It was obvious from the troubled expression on Dad’s face he was hesitant to tell me what that “something” was, so I asked, “What is it?”
“We’re gonna need to get our hands on that journal. Do you think you could manage that for us?”
“Sure, I can when I get to work…Oh, no.” Until that moment, I hadn’t thought about the fact I’d missed two days without calling in for a sub. That was a big no-no in the teacher world. “I’m going to be in sooo much trouble with Mr. McLean.”
“Why’s that?”
“I missed work yesterday without calling in, and again this morning. He’s going to be furious with me.”
“I’m sure he’ll understand.”
“Understand what? That I was kidnapped by Mr. Phillips and then Robert Demarco?” I dropped my head in my hands. “I’m so screwed.”
“You had a bad headache the day before. Maybe tell him you had a migraine, and the meds knocked you out,” Flynn suggested.
“What about the bruises?”
Mom grimaced as she glanced up at my face. “They look bad now, but by Monday, you should be able to cover them up with a little makeup.”
“She’s right. Just tell him you’re going to need a few days to recover from the meds.”
“You really think that’ll work?” I looked up at my Dad. “’Cause I can’t lose my job over all this.”
“You won’t, Lauren. Mr. McLean can be tough, but he’ll understand.”
“He’s going to be so mad.”
“Maybe. Maybe not.” Flynn motioned his hand
towards my phone. “You won’t know until you call him.”
When I reached for my phone, Mom placed her hand on my arm. “Tell him that I will be coming to the school to get your things for you.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive.”
“Okay, I’ll see what he says.”
I tapped in the number, and the secretary connected me directly to McLean. To my surprise, he was very understanding about the situation. Apparently, Leigha had already told him that I’d been struggling with an awful headache and even helped put together sub plans for the time I’d been gone. I was even more surprised when he didn’t give me any grief about missing the rest of the week. In fact, he insisted on it. I let him know that Mom would be coming by my room to pick up a few things and assured him I’d be back on Monday. I hung up the phone and smiled as I announced, “That went better than I thought it would.”
“I knew you didn’t have anything to worry about.”
As soon as Dad left for the clubhouse, Mom went upstairs to shower while Flynn and I cleared the table and cleaned up the kitchen. We had just finished putting everything away when Mom came downstairs, grabbed her keys, then took off to my school. Flynn and I headed into the living room to watch some TV. We hadn’t been sitting there long when I started to feel antsy. It was like the walls were closing in on me, and I just couldn’t seem to sit and focus on the show we were watching. I’d tried to hide my unease, but I realized I hadn’t done a good job when Flynn turned to me and said, “Hey...you wanna get out of here for a while?”
“That would be great.” Excited by the idea of getting out of the house, I quickly asked, “Where do you wanna go?”
“Totally up to you.”
“We could go for a horseback ride.”
“I’d be up for that.”
“Okay, let’s do this.” As we got up and headed for the door, I asked, “Have you ever been riding before?”
“Nope, but there’s a first time for everything.” Sounding almost cocky, he smiled and added, “Besides, I’ve watched you ride a million times.”