I heard pounding on the door but ignored it. I didn’t want to get out of the shower. I didn’t want to leave the bathroom. I crouched down in the water, resting my back against the wall. I closed my eyes and drowned out the pounding on the door and waited for the darkness to take me.
<<<<<<<<<<
Chapter 10
Rigid
“Break the fucking door down, Lo!” Meg bellowed as I walked through the front door.
“I’m not breaking down the fucking door. She could be fine,” King rumbled at her.
I tore down the hall and saw Meg and King standing outside the bathroom door. “What the fuck is going on?” I bellowed.
“Cyn has been in the shower for 40 minutes. She locked the door, and Lo won’t break the fucker down!” Meg screeched.
“We don’t need to break it down. We just have to pick the lock,” Lo boomed at Meg.
“Get the fuck out of my way,” I ordered as I grabbed my lock pick set out of my vest pocket. I made quick work of the lock and threw the door open.
Steam bellowed out the door, curling around us. “Cyn!” Meg screamed over my shoulder.
I grabbed a towel off the counter and threw the curtain back.
My heart dropped at what I saw. Cyn was curled up in a ball on the floor, the water beating down on her. I couldn’t tell if she was awake or passed out. I twisted the water off and climbed in next to her.
Meg crouched down next to the tub and brushed the hair out of Cyn’s face. Her eyes fluttered opened, and I breathed a sigh of relief. I wrapped the towel around her and moved her into my arms. I sat down in the tub and just held her. She wrapped her arms around my neck and buried her nose in my neck. “Rigid,” she whispered.
“Beautiful, I’m here,” I whispered back.
“Are you ok, Cyn?” Meg asked.
“Yeah. I was just trying to get clean,” Cyn muttered.
Meg’s eyes locked with mine and tears started streaming down her face. King walked into the room and threw another towel to me. “Let’s give Cyn a minute, babe.” King raised Meg off the floor, tucking her under his arm.
“I don’t want to leave, Lo,” she stuttered as he walked her out the door.
“We’re not,” he rumbled as they walked down the hall.
I threw my head back and closed my eyes. Cyn shivered in my arms, and I wrapped my arms around her tighter. She nestled further into me, almost like she was trying to crawl into my skin.
“I’m sorry, Rigid.”
“Nothing to be sorry about, beautiful. Just scared me a little,” I replied, trying to play down the fact that she had scared the absolute living shit out of me. As I was picking the lock, I thought of all the horrible things I might have found. I was afraid she might have hurt herself, and I didn’t know what I would have done.
“I still feel dirty. I can’t get clean.”
“You don’t need to try to get clean beautiful, you are clean,” I promised into her ear.
“I wish you were right,” she croaked.
“I am, Cyn. You just need to realize it,” I reasoned.
I held her close and prayed to God that I could help fix her. If I couldn’t put all her broken pieces back together, I was going to break, too.
<<<<<
Cyn
I held on to Rigid like my life depended on it. I didn’t want to let go.
He laid me on my bed, keeping the towels wrapped around me. He walked to my dresser and pulled out a pair of black cotton panties and an oversized sleep shirt.
Throwing the clothes on the bed, he grabbed my casted arm and removed the hair ties I had wrapped around the plastic bag to keep the water out.
He tossed the bag by the door and grabbed my panties. He worked them up to my knees and looked at me. “Lift your hips, beautiful,” he ordered.
“I can do it,” I croaked out. My throat was raw from sobbing in the shower. I was out of it in the bathroom and didn’t care about Rigid seeing me. Now I was embarrassed. I can’t believe I let Rigid see me like that.
“Never doubted that you could. I’m just trying to help, babe. Now, lift.”
I lifted my hips and Rigid slid the panties on. “Normally I’m taking these off, not putting them on,” Rigid joked.
“Asshole,” I whispered.
“Definitely not my name, babe,” Rigid smirked.
A grin spread across my face, remembering I still needed to guess Rigid’s name. “Just calling ‘em like I see ‘em.”
“Humph, wrong, beautiful.’ Rigid grabbed the shirt off the bed and moved closer to me. ‘Arms up,” he ordered again.
“Nice try, buddy. That isn’t happening. Give me the shirt.” No way was I going to put myself on display. All I needed was a little help getting it over my cast, and I should be able to slip it on.
“I’ll close my eyes. Promise.” Rigid said. Humph. Remembering his insistence at the hospital about staying with me the whole time, I decided to just give in.
“Fine, eyes closed. No peeking,” I ordered.
He held the shirt out and closed his eyes. “This is kind of hard with my eyes shut. I feel like a hanger,” Rigid joked.
His arms were stretched out towards me, holding the shirt up by the seams on the shoulders. “You’re going to have to do more than that,” I said.
He opened his eyes and smirked. “Damn, I was hoping you would have already dropped the towel.”
“No such luck, perv. Scrunch it up so I can put my head through the hole, then close your eyes.” He helped get it over my head and closed his eyes. I got my left arm through no problem, but my cast on the other arm was giving me problems. Rigid stood in front of me, eyes closed while I struggled into my shirt. I let out a giggle at the absurdity of what was happening.
“You got it on yet?” Rigid asked.
“Um, halfway.” I pulled the neck over my head, half covering my face, hoping the new angle would help to get it on. No such luck.
“Fuck. I need help.” This was ridiculous. I couldn’t even get my shirt on.
Rigid opened one eye and looked at me. “Can I open my eyes?”
“Yea, but one glance at my boobs, then I get a glance at your junk.”
“You can look even if I don’t look at your tits, babe.”
“Ass,” I grumbled.
“Not my name either. Take your arm out. You’re doing it wrong.”
“Obviously.” I took my arm out, leaving the shirt hanging around my neck.
“You need to put your cast arm in first.” He worked the shirt over my cast, putting me in a weird looking sling.
“How did you know that would work?” I asked as contorted my good arm into the other arm hole.
“Broke my arm when I was 8. I remember how shitty it was.”
I had my head and both arms in the shirt. “Turn around,” I ordered.
He shook his head and spun around, shaking his head. “Babe, I’ve seen you without your shirt on before.”
“I know, but that was when I didn’t look like a punching bag.” I whipped the towel off and threw it on Rigid’s head, pulling the shirt over my body.
I giggled as he took the towel off his head and buried his nose in it. “Fuck you smell good.”
“So strange.”
“Not strange, just the truth, babe. You ready to eat? I think Ethel came over with some of her world famous chicken and dumplings.”
I walked over to my dresser and grabbed my brush. “Who’s Ethel?” I asked as I ripped my brush through my hair. I didn’t manage to condition my hair before my breakdown in the shower. Brushing it was going to be a bitch.
“Beautiful, you’re going to rip all your hair out the way you’re going. Let me.” He snatched the brush out of my hand and pushed me into my desk chair.
“You’re going to brush my hair?” I ask, astonished.
“Yeah. Hush.” He worked the brush through my hair, managing to get snagged only a couple of times.
“Alec,” I blurted out.
&nbs
p; “Who the fuck is Alec?” He asked. He had worked out most of the knots in my hair but was still brushing it. It was really soothing.
“You are Alec.”
“Nope.”
“Alvin.”
“Do I look like a chipmunk to you, babe?” Rigid joked.
“Abbot.”
“What the fuck type of name is that?” Rigid snapped.
“Possibly yours?”
“Fuck no,” Rigid replied venomously.
“Abe.”
“No. You’re done. Let’s eat.” Rigid threw the brush on my dresser and headed for the door.
I looked in the mirror on my dresser and saw my jet black hair was no longer a rat’s nest and was now laying flatly down my shoulders and back. I grabbed a hair tie and started to tie it back.
“Leave it down,” Rigid ordered.
“No, it’s too long. I need to get it cut. It gets in the way all the time.” I was twisting the band around my hair when Rigid stalked over and tugged the tie from my hair.
“I want it down. Please,” Rigid asked, his eyes connecting with mine in the mirror.
I couldn’t rip my eyes from his. It was like I was in a trance. “Why?”
“I like knowing I can bury my face in your silky hair whenever I want; inhale your scent.”
“I never know what’s going to come out of your mouth. One minute you’re big, hulking Rigid and the next you’re this caring, sweet Rigid who contradicts everything I thought I knew about you.”
“Just go with it, babe.”
He grabbed my hand and tugged me to the door. “Wait!’ I bellowed, ‘I don’t have pants on.”
“That fucking shirt goes to your god damn knees. You’re more covered than half the women I know.”
“I’m not sure I want to know what women you know if they think meeting someone in a t-shirt is acceptable.”
“Probably not. Grab some pants and let’s go.” Rigid leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed over his chest.
I pulled a pair of black yoga pants out and shimmied them up my legs. “You can go. I know the way to the kitchen. I do live here.”
“Such a smart ass.” Rigid shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair.
“Just go with it,” I parroted Rigid’s words back to him.
“See, smart ass,” Rigid laughed.
“You like it,” I shot back.
“Maybe. Now let me feed you, beautiful, and then we are going to talk.”
“Yes to eating, no to talking, Arnold.”
“Arnold? Really?” Rigid laughed as he grabbed my hand and hauled me to the kitchen.
“You’re not giving me any hints other than it starts with an A, so yes, Arnold.”
“Not Arnold, babe.”
“Who’s Arnold?” Meg asked as we reached the kitchen table.
A big pot sat in the middle of the table, with a loaf fresh baked bread next to it. My mouth started watering at the smells that were swirling around me.
“Not Rigid,” I stated as I sat down.
“Cyn’s trying to guess my name,” Rigid rumbled as he grabbed a beer out of the fridge.
“Rigid's not very helpful. He only told me it starts with an A.” Rigid pulled a chair next to me, sitting down and throwing his arm over the back of mine.
“Oh, fun! I want to guess! Let’s see, Anakin!” Meg chirped in.
Rigid spewed beer out of his mouth and nose, choking on the words Meg had just said.
I snickered at Meg. Fuck she was funny.
“Really, babe?” King asked as he pulled her into his arms.
“What? Maybe the force is with Rigid.” Meg smirked.
“My name is not Anakin,” Rigid said, wiping his face off with the bottom of his shirt. I saw his abs peeking out, covered in ink and felt my face get hot. I needed to get a grip. How many times had I seen Rigid with his shirt off these past couple of days and now, with just a glance, I get all hot and bothered? Get. A. Grip. Cyn.
“Oh, I love that show. Live long and prosper and stuff,” an older lady said, walking in the front door.
“That’s Star Trek, Ma,” King replied, pressing a kiss to Meg’s forehead. So this was Ethel. Also known as the beginning of a chain reaction that had thrown Meg and King together.
“Oh, whatever. They’re all a bunch of men dressed up, lost in outer space. Should have had GPS,’ Ethel threw a wink at me and started rummaging through my cabinets. ‘I need a pie tin.”
“Uh, I don’t think I have one,” I replied.
“Ok. I’ll have to get you one. Everyone needs a pie tin. I’ll just make it in a 9x9 pan,” Ethel said as she grabbed the pan out and shut the cabinet.
“Ma, this is Cyn,” King rumbled as he pulled a stool out from under the island and settled into it, pulling Meg into his lap.
“Hi, honey. Meg has told me all about you,” Ethel replied as she pulled a gallon of milk out of the fridge.
“Hey. It’s nice to meet you, Ethel. I honestly haven’t heard much about you besides you’re the reason Meg and Lo met.”
“You’ve had more to worry about than me. How are you feeling?” She asked.
All eyes turned to me, waiting for my response. Honestly, I was feeling fine, almost normal, till that question. It was like I had forgotten everything that had happened. Until now. Fuck. “Um, you know, just sore,” I said as I lifted the lid off the pot. The savory smell wafted out, making my stomach growl.
“Eat, beautiful,” Rigid rumbled next to me.
I glanced over at him. His gorgeous blue eyes were staring me down, lazy and relaxed. I smiled and lifted the ladle to the pot and spooned out delicious chicken and dumplings into both our bowls.
“So what are you going to do about this shit head that hurt Cyn?” Ethel asked.
I choked on the spoonful I had just put in my mouth. “Hot, sweetie?’ Ethel asked, not knowing it was her words had choked me. ‘Hate when I burn my mouth. Nothing tastes good for days.”
Meg giggled on King’s lap and buried her head in his neck. “I don’t think it’s the food that choked her,” Rigid replied.
“Well, I hope it wasn’t my question. You better be doing something about that shithead, Rigid. I know what kind of man you are and letting this go is not who you are.” Ethel said as she shook her finger at Rigid. She turned away from the table and started taking things out of bags she had on the island.
“Ma, Meg just went shopping. You didn’t need to buy anything,” King informed her.
“Well, how was I supposed to know? Now stop distracting me. I want to know how Rigid is going to fix this,” Ethel ordered King, shushing him.
“Not much to tell, Ethel. We went looking for him right after it happened but couldn’t find a trace of him. I hit up the neighbors again, thinking that might have remembered something from the last time I had talked to them, but they didn’t. The guy is like a ghost right now.”
“Asshat,” Meg bit out.
“Asshat is too nice of a name now,” I said as I devoured my lunch.
“Yeah, it is. We need to think of something better,” Meg thought out loud.
“Douche monkey,” I replied.
“Naw, cocksucker?”
“Too nice. He might like it,” I giggled.
“You want a drink, babe?” Rigid asked.
“Um, can I have a beer or something?” The last time I had a drink, Rigid got pissed. I was in a good mood and didn’t want to ruin it. I really wanted a beer, though.
“I bought you those wine coolers you like, Jamaican Me Happy,” Meg piped in.
“One,” Rigid said as he walked to the fridge.
“Dickbreath!” Meg yelled.
“Babe, he said she could have one,” King scolded Meg.
“No. Not Rigid, asshat! Total dick breath.”
“Babe,” King rumbled as he nuzzled his nose into her hair, chuckling. I loved how they interacted. King couldn’t keep his hands of Meg. She deserved that.
“You ok, beautiful?�
�� Rigid asked.
My eyes snapped to Rigid, realizing I was staring at King and Meg. His eyes were studying me, and he was holding the wine cooler out to me.
“Yup. Just fine,” I chirped as I grabbed the bottle.
Rigid had opened it for me, and I chugged half of it. So good. Watermelon with a kick.
“I’m making roast chicken and mashed tators for dinner with brownies for dessert. Sound ok?” Ethel asked as she began chopping garlic and celery.
“Fuck yeah.” Rigid answered as he scraped the bottom of his bowl.
“Sounds good, ma,” King said.
“Time for another pill, beautiful,” Rigid said.
“I can get it, Allister,” Meg cracked.
I burst out laughing. I mean, Allister, really? “Holy fuck, Meg. I’m going to need you to make a list of names,” I gasped out.
“Never should have told you,” Rigid mumbled under his breath as he walked past Meg, who was keeled over, laughing her ass off.
“Oh, come on, Rigid. You could just tell me, and you wouldn’t need to put up with Allister or Anakin anymore.” Meg burst out laughing even louder, holding on to King, so she didn’t fall over.
“Just remember this shit. Here, take these.’ He shook out two of my pills and handed it to me. “Paybacks a bitch.” Rigid winked at me and put the pills back.
I looked around, seeing Meg holding on to King, Rigid with his back to me talking to Ethel and I felt a sense of calm. I still felt the darkness calling to me, wanting to me to sink into it, but being with Meg and Rigid, they quieted the calling.
“Come on, Cyn. Let’s go watch a movie. We never did get to Ryan Reynolds’ ass the other night.” Meg grabbed my hand and pulled me to the couch.
“Really, babe? Can’t we watch some shit blow up or something? Fucking chick flicks.” King grumbled as he sat in my big ass recliner.
“No. Cyn and I want to see Ryan Reynolds’ ass. Not some bus blow up.”
“Keep talking about another man’s ass, and I’m going to bend you over and spank yours,” King threatened.
Meg stuck her tongue out at him but scooted closer to me. “Savage,” Meg mumbled under her breath.
“Mmhm.’ King popped the foot rest up on the chair and kicked back. ‘Remember, you love this savage.”
Devil’s Knights MC Box Set 1 Page 24