It was eerie. It was haunting. It was death.
As I lovingly cradled that lifeless body, I realized it hadn’t been my first time.
My chest split wide open as my last memory of Jenny alive slammed into me, full force. With that wicked split, it felt like my organs and flesh were exposed to all that feeds in the night.
There were two raised structures in the center of a vast and historical looking room. On those tables were Jenny and I, and we weren’t alone. High ceilings were held up by four massive pillars, accented with incredibly detailed carved wood trimming. The walls were a dirty cream, or at least looked that way against the abundance of candlelit chandeliers. I remembered all the fine details because I knew they were to be my last. The tight grip around my throat increased its pressure, and I had little hope that it would let up.
From what I could tell, Jenny was experiencing the same. A large man hovered over her petite body, surging in and out, grunting and sweating. Beyond him—beyond us—the focal point— was a circle of people who stood witnessing the act. Instead of helping us, they seemed to be enjoying the violence. I couldn’t see their faces clearly, with the dark cloaked robes they all wore, but I could see hidden hands moving under their cover. They were masturbating to the gory sight.
Desperately, I wanted to help my sister but was a victim myself. On my back, my knees to my chest, a man was raping me. Everyone watched as a fat man fucked a child. Tears of fear poured from my eyes, not only because of our dire situation, but because I was running out of air. And so was my Jenny.
Lying on her back, on the raised structure next to mine, her little hand reached out to me. I couldn’t reach her. I cried and cried and stretched my arm and fingers as far as I could as the man impaled me. Her face was turning red, her sweet green eyes beginning to bulge as she was strangled. But I was too small. I was too young. I was unable to stop the man from hurting her. I was unable to stop him from ending her life.
I failed my Jenny.
As my vision began to fade from the lack of oxygen, I watched the light in her eyes dim and extinguish.. I witnessed all the life drain from the adorable face I loved…
Startled, I woke in some sort of dark pantry that was attached to a very old-fashioned kitchen, almost castle-like in appearance. At least, it felt like a castle to the child in me. Next to me was a cold body. I didn’t have to look to see who it was. I didn’t want to see those dead green eyes. I only wanted my Jenny alive. I only wanted my sister, my only friend. But that was taken from me. We had been used then left for dead and discarded, to be dealt with in the morning.
I sensed what would happen to me once they found me alive.
I didn’t want to die twice.
After closing her eyes, my young arms cradled my sister, and I found our way out of the castle and walked us into the woods…
“You still with us, Giver?” Dagger was standing in front of me, Sapphire still in my arms.
As I recalled where I had buried my sister, I nodded. “Yeah, I’m with ya.”
With his face full of sympathy, he told me, “We have to bury her, son.”
Remembering all the scrapes and ripped skin I received while burying my sister, I nodded. “Yes, sir.” Jenny’s naked little body was my only companion that night in the woods.
“Giver, we’re with you, brother,” Torque told me.
More tears fell… “Thank you.”
Lynx touched my shoulder. “Let’s get your girl home.”
Home…
Another tragic event had happened in my life, and I had another beautiful girl to lay in the ground, but I found peace in knowing I was no longer… alone.
The young Prospect kept apologizing for failing us—for failing Sapphire. He’d had no idea her boyfriend was our enemy. What Prospect would’ve known? We didn’t let them into the Stalls. They weren’t given any privileged information. Only our enemy knew who was truly against us.
After burying Saph, I went inside, more drained than ever before.
Waiting in our dark bedroom was my wife. Our kids were asleep next to her, in the middle of our bed. I crawled in and stared at the Church Eyes I needed to give me guidance.
She whispered, “Thank you for taking care of her.” Tears fell to her pillow.
“I can’t believe she’s gone.”
Justice reached over our children and laid her palm to my chest. “She isn’t. She’s right here, safe with our love that will never die for her.”
I grabbed her hand, kissed her warm palm, and held it to my chest again. “I know where I buried my sister.”
Her eyes widened, then more tears slid across her face. “You remembered.”
Sharp pain radiated through me, but I kept talking like I knew I should. “The one night I had spent with Saph, and then had fallen asleep. When I picked her up to carry her to my bed, somehow, her blonde hair and the nature of the night reminded me of a time with Jenny. A time I had carried her, too.”
Knowing I would insist on being the one to carry Sapphire, Justice muffled a sob. “Oh, Giver. And tonight, when you carried her?”
For a few seconds, I relived what had just happened…
Then I broke down.
I cried.
Most importantly, I finally told someone.
Some memories keep beautiful moments alive. Other memories feel like an invisible weight that no one can see, but you feel that heaviness all the time. It is not easy to speak of such moments, but I am so glad that I did.
Justice’s red watery eyes were filled with pride. “Jenny and Saph are seeing you through, Giver.”
Silently, my shoulders shook. My heart shook… And I cried harder.
Now, it was my wife who pulled my hand to her lips and gave it a kiss. “I found news articles about Jenny missing. I was worried she had been kidnapped and was still alive somewhere, but Dick told me not to search.” She took a deep breath. “He wouldn’t tell me where you buried her.” Her eyes studied mine. “Another article suspected—accused—your mom of coming into money, suspiciously.”
Wow. That is why Delilah didn’t want me back with my mom. She figured it out.
My wife had waited for me to remember and find my Jenny. “Babe, when we choose the home that will be ours for the rest of our lives,” my voice cracked, “please don’t judge, but I want to move Jenny and Saph there.”
Silence…
“James Gunn Dalton, I think that would pay such honor to two beautiful souls.”
I tried to catch my breath. “Any storm.”
Her smile was full of pain and light. “Giver and Justice.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Dagger, seething, could barely contain how livid he felt. “How the fuck did this happen?”
The rest of us fell into our chairs in complete disbelief. Our motherfucking enemy now had Art in his hands, again. This was unbelievable because Justice had barely had an opportunity to take a piss without someone with her. And she definitely wasn’t permitted to leave the compound alone. So how the fuck could Art be taken? The rules were different when being a man in a club, and they hadn’t worked out in Art’s favor. Justice was a wedded woman. I, her fucking man, wasn’t taking one chance. Church Eyes was no easy girl to handle, but whatever had happened to her while in captivity made her compliant with my hovering. Her dread made my blood run cold. And now this person had one of our brothers.
Grasping his hair with stress, Lynx slammed into his chair. “I’m not sure how this happened. They said Diesel has blown a circuit.” Trying to collect himself, he stared at Justice and me. “I know you two have needed time with the kids, but I need all hands on deck. Elle will watch over them.”
“In lockdown!” I demanded if I were to leave their side.
“Done.” Then Lynx told everyone in the room, “Everyone is to be ready to hit the road in thirty minutes.” His eyes followed Justice as she slowly stood.
After a moment of silence lingered, she whispered a barely audible, “I’m sorry
.” Lynx’s head tilted as if he was sure he wasn’t going to like what she said next. “I just can’t.” Justice started taking off her vest.
My eyes bugged out. “Babe, what are you doing?”
Lynx growled at her, “This is fucking Art I’m talkin’ about.”
Hauntingly, she sighed. “You saying that tells me how much you really don’t get what he and I went through.”
My poor fucking girl.
Lynx rumbled, “I have no time for your bullshit right now.”
I had to bite down a rebuttal. Justice hadn’t ever spewed an ounce of bullshit in her whole entire life, but my Prez was under pressure I couldn’t fathom. I decided to respect that, too, and give him some patience.
When Justice spoke next, she was so calm I knew there was no changing her mind. “Nothing about my kids is bullshit, brother. I love you. I love this club. But I love them more.”
Justice may have never even known she wanted children. But once she had them? There was no stopping her absolute devotion. My wife—my Old Lady, laid her vest on the table, then walked away from the only life she had ever known.
Ah, shit. There’s only one way out of the club. So, I moved my hand to make sure I could grab my gun if needed.
My President glared at me. “Only because she is my sister do you have a chance at forgiveness for how crazy you’re actin’ right now.”
It was plain and simple. “Prez, that woman is my life. There are only two reasons I will ever stay on this earth without her. So, if she wants out of the club, I have to protect her, because my kids are too young to live without me yet.”
Having my back like they always fucking would, all my surrounding brothers nodded with respect. Lynx eyed them. “You all supportin’ this?” They nodded again. “Do we need a vote?” They shook their heads.
Meatball, cucumber calm as always, merely said, “That’s his Old Lady and someone I happen to adore like a daughter. I’d kill him myself if he wasn’t reachin’ for his gun right now.”
Lynx gave a half-smirk and an expression that said, I would do the same.
Dagger blew out a strained breath. His nephew was missing, and the closest to a son he would ever have was about to battle the whole damn club for a girl Dagger himself had rescued a decade earlier. “As Vice President of the Steel Stallions, I hereby officially request a rule change. Only members who want to stay a Stallion remain one. I, for one, only want brothers by my side that want to be there. That makes us unified and deadly. That’s how I see it.”
With respect, I added, “I totally agree. If all she’s doing is worrying about her kids, she ain’t gonna be for shit in a fight.”
Lynx lifted a brow. “Aren’t they your kids, too? Can’t the same be said for you?”
“With Justice watching over them? I’m tight. With my brothers.”
Hands smacking the table told Prez they believed me.
With the motion passed, the meeting ended. I walked by the bunny carrying my kids and headed to my bedroom. Justice was rolling me up a couple sets of clothes for my saddlebags—extra pair of jeans, my black hoodie, socks, and T-shirts. She wouldn’t look at me as I shut the door at my back, but said, “I’m still alive, so I’m guessing you handled that.”
“I handled it.”
Her voice sounded anxious. “I refuse to fail her.”
Sapphire. “You won’t.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t talk to you about this.”
I stepped around the bed to get closer to her.
“I just can’t leave them unguarded again—”
Possessing her mouth, I slammed her back into the wall, then lifted her up, forcing her to wrap those luscious thighs around my waist. I had twenty minutes and was going to make every one of them count. First ten were going to my wife. The second to my children.
Justice was all aboard the Giver Train. She needed me. She was terrified for Art, and understandably so, but she had also just stepped past a huge crossroad in her life. Now, she had to walk an unknown path. I wanted her to know my heart was right by her side, so we handled it Giver and Justice style. Madly, I fucked her against that wall. She had just chosen my kids above all. Including me. I had never been so moved, so grateful, and so full of respect for Justice—my once Road Captain—than at that epic moment.
Thrusting up and inside her, I teased, “This mean you’re gonna start making me dinner?”
“In your fucking dreams.” She bit my neck.
“Ah, shit. Now I’m really turned on.”
I’m not sure how I didn’t plow her through the wall. Maybe if I’d had more time I would’ve, but I had Gracie and Ice to love on before I faced another road of uncertainty. How were we to find Art and get the revenge I thirsted for?
The night of Saph’s murder, the Prospect had given us a detailed description of Seth, the ‘boyfriend’; tall, lanky, black hair, dark eyes, and a cross tattoo on the top of his right hand.
Seth wasn’t a true ghost, even though he kept disappearing like one. Yet we were on edge. It was all his willing volunteers that concerned us. It made a man consider every stranger on the street as a possible threat. No matter, I had something I had to do so I could rest my heart for a different reason.
Loading on the bikes, I staked a claim to a murder. “If that fucker is within my grasp, I’m asking for that kill, Lynx. He killed the mother of my children.”
“I hear ya, kid. If Diesel doesn’t beat you to it, the fucker is yours.”
For days, we traveled east, following leads, using every connection Lynx had. Many chapters wanted to own the “I owe you” from the President of the Steel Stallions MC. There wasn’t enough money in the world to buy such power. Whatever connection Diesel had to Lynx, it was a mighty one, and we continued our search.
Despite my aching desire to put the fucker who had killed Saph and hurt my Justice deep into the cold, hard ground, we received word that it was Diesel who rescued his son. He took the much-deserved revenge for the rest of us. That was Diesel’s story to tell. I wasn’t there as that man claimed the blood of our shared enemy. I wasn’t there for the sweet revenge of killing Seth, but at least it was a father who put him to ground. To try and ease my unslaked bloodlust, Diesel sent me a pic of the cross tattooed hand…
It’s done, Saph—Julie Anne Anderson. Your murderer is now in Hell where he belongs.
When we knew that our foe was no more, we stopped in North Carolina for some grub, so ready to finally head home after this wild goose chase. That’s when we got word of a retaliation. Standing under a pavilion to avoid the sun while at an outside barbecue joint, Lynx nearly crumpled his cell while snarling into it, “Are you sure?”
Hearing his tone, we all stopped chewing.
With his cell still at his ear, he growled to Dagger, “Get your brother on your phone.” To his own phone, he barked, “How much time we got?” Listening, he nodded. “Yeah… No, you did good. We’ll head there pronto!” He ended the call, then took Dagger’s waiting cell. “Diesel… There may be a shitstorm headed toward you. I just got word—from Idaho—that a newly formed and real nasty club connected to Seth left days ago, heavily loaded. Said a Ryder brother had rolled and spoke of ‘buried’ secrets.”
The diamonds.
Stallions started shoveling food down their throats right before Torque told me, “Eat, kid. No idea when your next meal may come.”
Just then, Lynx walked up. “Nah, brother, he can’t go where we’re going.”
Georgia. My jaw dropped. Delilah. “Is she in danger?”
Prez rubbed the back of his neck. “If they were connected to Seth, everyone in that town may be.”
Our Sargent at Arms, Torque, had his say when it came to fights, even when countering the Prez. He commented, “Lynx, with all due respect, if we’re facing that kind of heat, we need our best gun.”
I thought of my saddlebag and how Justice had packed my hoodie. How she knew I would need it could be a mystery to some, but to me, it was a sign. “I’l
l go.”
Dagger shook his head. “If caught, you face prison time. No way. Head home, son.”
Jenny, see me through, little girl. “If I get caught, I won’t implicate any of you. I swear on Justice’s soul.” I love you, Church Eyes. My club was lifetime security for my family, and I loved my brothers. Gracie and Ice, Daddy loves you so much. I only got to have my little family because of those brothers. How could I turn my back on them now?
I couldn’t.
So, I went to my bike, took off my cut, and put on my hoodie, then I slipped my cut back on. “Stallion for life.”
Lynx grew a smile that meant trouble. “Fuck yeah, you are.”
Dagger appeared apologetic as he asked me, “Do we need to worry about Dick? She’s married now.”
That news actually warmed my heart, hoping she had what I had with Justice, so I smiled, nodding, truly happy for Delilah. “So am I.” I patted my chest for my Old Lady. “Boys, my heart is in Austin. Dick’s is there, too.” I could almost feel Dick agreeing inside me. “We belong to Justice—” Lynx had once told me I was Justice’s as soon as she saw me. He was right. “We are hers, through and motherfucking through.”
Now, as a man, driving toward a place where I’d lived as a boy of seventeen, I was searching for the child I had been. It felt like two separate lives were about to meet for the first time. I was no longer in need of a safety net to catch me. I was no longer in need of protection. I was the protection now.
Stallion bikes roared as we rolled into town, ready to fight for a club that would always fight for us. The town I once knew so well now felt smaller. The local gas station, Gas & Chic, where Tuck and I would get the best fried chicken in the world, now looked like a tiny box. Emotions knocked on my heart, daring me to remember simpler times, but with those memories came lots of denial. I was drowning in it back then. Now, with eyes wide open and the balls to admit it, there was no denying that I was a complicated man. A smile crept across my lips as Justice crossed my mind; a woman more than willing to love who I was—the good, the bad, and the despicable.
Bleed Me (Haunted Roads Book 3) Page 25