by Erin Osborne
Hadliegh has taken care of Kora and I’ve laid eyes on my daughter. When they came out of the bathroom, her cheeks were stained red and I know she wanted to hide behind her aunt. Hadliegh wouldn’t let her though. Instead, they took the kids and made their way to Kora’s room. Hadliegh and Psycho are gonna stay long enough for her to go to sleep and then they’ll leave.
Picking up my phone, I dial Saralyn’s number. This is the last call I want to be making right now, but I want to find out what’s going on with my daughter and why Saralyn fucking hid her from me. I’m not going to put off this conversation a second longer though. Dialing the number, I wait for the bitch to answer.
“Who’s this?” Saralyn asks, her voice low and trembling.
“It’s Renegade. You know me as John. Think you should’ve talked to me long before now, Saralyn,” I say, keeping my voice deadly cold.
“How did you get my number?” she asks.
“I’ve got my ways. Why the fuck didn’t you tell me about Kora when you found out you were pregnant?” I ask, keeping my tone low.
“You wouldn’t have wanted her. I’m not dumb, I knew you were only looking for pussy,” she says, her voice filled with attitude.
“Really? That’s what you think? That’s why I was ready to buy us a house and ask you to fuckin’ stay with me instead of goin’ home with your parents. You didn’t give me a fuckin’ chance to find out about Kora. So, let me ask you this, what the fuck have you done to my daughter?” I ask, keeping my voice cold and detached.
“I didn’t do shit to that little bitch! What’s she doing, lying about me now?” she asks snidely.
“You ever call my daughter a bitch again and I’ll fuckin’ gut you. She hasn’t said a fuckin’ word about you other than you left her alone. A lot. And that you told her I never wanted her. Kind of hard for you to know that information when you never told me about her,” I tell her. “Stay the fuck away from her and don’t ever try to get her to come back home with you.”
“She’s my daughter, John. I’ll do whatever the fuck I want to her,” she answers.
“Not anymore you won’t, Saralyn. This is your only fuckin’ warnin’. I’ve already got someone here waitin’ to get her hands on you. She’ll tear you to fuckin’ pieces and there’s nothin’ you’ll be able to do about it. You’ll be hearin’ from my lawyer about signin’ over your rights,” I tell her, hanging up the phone.
I continue working on the paperwork as I try to calm myself. I’m not sure how long I’ve sat in the office before there’s another knock on my door. Hadliegh pokes her head in the door and lets me know Kora is asleep. She sets a bottle of medicine on the corner of my desk.
“Does she need this? Should I take her to the doctor?” I ask, picking the bottle up.
“No,” Hadliegh says, trying to stifle her laughter. “If she has cramps, this will help. She’ll let you know. I told her to talk to you if she’s feeling any pain.”
“Thank you, Had,” I tell her, standing up and walking her to the door where my brother waits.
“I was ready for this, Ren. I knew you’d shit a brick and wouldn’t have a clue what to do. I bought the stuff weeks ago for her. It was only a matter of time before this happened,” she tells me.
My brother and his family leave the clubhouse and I let myself wish for that life for a second. It doesn’t last long as my anger toward Saralyn takes over and wipes the picture completely from my mind. Knowing I’m not going to get any more work done tonight, I let Bentley know I want a beer before heading up to my room. I check on Kora before walking in my door and closing it without locking it behind me. Kora will always be able to get to me if she needs me, no matter what time of the day or night it is.
Chapter Six
Natasha
GETTING UP EACH day has been easier. I’m still in a lot of pain and if I move or sleep wrong, I know it. Walking into the bathroom, I look at myself in the mirror. There doesn’t seem to be a single spot on my body except my hands not covered in bruises. The cuts on my arms and stomach have started to scab over and are beginning to itch.
My eyes are now open most of the way, and my face doesn’t look as swollen as it did over the last few days. The right makeup should cover any signs of being beaten, jeans and a long sleeve shirt will cover all the other marks. Hopefully, no one will touch me, or if they do, I’m praying to be able to hide any reaction from them. As long as Hadliegh stays behind her desk, everything will be good. I’ll play off my slowness being from the migraine and lasting after-effects of the medicine I supposedly took for it.
It takes me almost an hour to put on enough makeup to cover everything while not looking like a clown or a hooker. I’m gonna leave my hair hanging down and use it to hide the marks on my back and neck the shirt doesn’t cover completely. Once everything is covered the best it can be, I head to the coffee shop. This will be a test to see if anyone notices I’m covered in bruises. If it works, then Anarchy Ink will be my next stop.
After ordering my coffee and one for Hadliegh, I step to the side and try to watch the other people. No one seems to be staring at me or really even notice me. This gives me hope everything is hidden from view. Taking the coffee when they call my number, I slowly walk toward the tattoo shop, making sure to look around and notice every single car or person I see. I’m not going to be taken by surprise if my attackers or boss should happen to see me walking along the street.
Stopping a few steps from the door, I take a breath as deep as possible and let it out. Steeling myself to enter the shop and face my friend. I slap a smile on my face, hoping no one notices it’s fake.
“Good morning,” I call to Hadliegh, walking over to her desk and setting down her coffee, “The nectar of the God’s just for you. Know Psycho probably only let you have one cup before pushing you out the door.”
“Girl, you’re an angel,” she laughs as she grabs the coffee and takes a sip. So far so good, but she hasn’t really looked at me so time will tell. “How is your headache?”
“It’s better,” I say as she pulls out her cell phone. “Still hurts a bit, gonna take more medicine once I’m home.”
“Psycho, I need you here now,” Hadliegh says into her phone as I stare at her, wondering why she needs him here. Everything has been going fine, so I’m confused. “Natasha is here, and she’s been beaten up.”
Hadliegh lets me know that he is on his way, and Renegade is coming with him. My nerves crank up a few more notches. This wasn't supposed to happen, I didn’t plan for anyone to be called.
My friend hasn’t taken her eyes off me since I walked in the shop. I’m waiting for her to say something when she comes around the desk and helps me walk to the seat she usually sits in.
“Did you really think I wouldn’t notice?” Hadliegh asks, standing next to me. “You’ve been acting off for a while now. I thought you just needed time to figure out how to ask for help. Instead, you walk in here looking like you’ve gone ten rounds with a heavyweight boxer.”
“If I wanted help, I’d have called. I don’t want Psycho, Renegade, or anyone else coming here to put themselves into my mess,” I tell her vehemently, attempting to stand.
“Sit. Down,” Hadliegh growls.
Her tone alone scares me and I immediately stop moving. A whine escapes my lips as my movements abruptly cease. Yeah, this isn’t going to go over very well. Especially once the guys get here. They’ll want to know what’s going on and I’m not sure I want to drag them into this mess. It’s not something I want to be involved in, so why would I bring them into it. The club has enough going on without my shit. And I’m not even involved with anyone in Satan’s Anarchy. My only tie is Hadliegh.
“What happened?” she asks, taking another sip of her coffee.
“If I’m going to have to tell the guys about this, I’d rather just say it once,” I answer, not wanting to go into detail.
“I can wait. But, you will be telling me,” she says.
Hadliegh’s ready for
a fight. That’s what she does when she likes someone. Why the fuck couldn’t she have been around while I was still married to an asshole and trying to figure out a way to get away from him?
Before too long, the guys run through the door of the tattoo shop. The look on Renegade’s face is one I don’t want to see again. Rage and the promise of revenge fill his eyes before he can mask it with a blank look. It flashes again as he takes in the marks on my skin he can see. I guess it’s a good thing he can’t see the rest of my body.
Chapter Seven
Renegade
PSYCHO AND I are sitting at the clubhouse, waiting for Hadliegh to get out of work. We’re taking the kids to the lake today since it’s hot as balls out and they’ve been begging us to go. Kora’s even excited to get in the water and spend some time having fun.
I talked to her and made sure she knows her mom isn’t taking her back from me. Kora’s started acting like a kid and spends more time out of her room. It’s like I’ve lifted a weight from her shoulders I didn’t even know she was carrying. My daughter is about to have the best life I can give her, and I’ll do whatever I have to, so her mother never comes around and shatters her world.
Before too long, Psycho’s phone is ringing. He answers it and his face immediately changes. Gone is my brother being relaxed and spending time with his children, now he’s the stone-cold killer he can be when needed. I’m instantly alert and waiting for him to finish his call so I can find out what’s going on.
“Gotta go. Need Callie to watch the kids,” Psycho says, not giving me any more information.
“Where we goin’?” I ask.
“Anarchy Ink.”
I get up while we take the kids to Callie, who’s in the kitchen making a picnic for us. Once we’re heading outside, Psycho tells me it’s something about Natasha. Instantly, I see red with the thought of someone hurting the woman I’ve been thinking about since meeting her at the tattoo shop.
We make the short trip and I practically run inside. Natasha is sitting at the desk and her arms are wrapped around herself. There’s bruising on her face, neck, and I’m sure I’ll see more on her side if I pull her shirt up.
She goes to stand up and can’t hide the wince and grimace of pain with each little movement she makes. I see it all and I’m ready to kill someone. No one should put their hands a woman as far as I’m concerned. However, there’s something about Natasha that makes me even more protective.
“She’s under my protection. Anyone comes near her, they deal with me,” I say, never taking my eyes off Natasha.
Her eyes widen at my comment along with Hadliegh and Psycho. I’ve never put an individual under my protection before and I have always said I never would. I’m kind of shocked myself at the thought of having Natasha at the clubhouse. Depending on what happened to her, there’s no way in hell she’ll be going back to her house. She’ll be lucky if I let her out of the clubhouse anytime soon. Especially to go to work.
“What happened?” Psycho asks while I still try to take inventory of her injuries.
With the way she’s moving, I bet she’s got busted or bruised ribs. The bruising along her face and neck tell me she’s been punched repeatedly and had someone’s hand wrapped around her throat. There doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with her legs, so it seems as if her attacker focused on her upper body.
“Can we not do this here?” Natasha asks, her eyes boring into mine as she silently pleads with me.
“I’ll take her to the clubhouse. Meet you there,” Hadliegh says, walking off to let Ink know what’s going on.
Psycho and I walk back out to our bikes while Hadliegh helps Natasha out to her SUV.
“You know what you’re doin’?” he asks me as we wait to turn our bikes on.
“Nope. But somethin’ is goin’ on with her and she’s under my protection until we know what that is,” I tell him, still trying to figure out why I put her under my protection and not the clubs.
“I think there’s somethin’ goin’ on in your head. You’re gonna let her in all the way. You just don’t want to admit that to yourself yet,” he says, cranking his bike on so I can’t answer him.
The short ride back to the clubhouse lets me think about Psycho’s words. I don’t think I’m going to let Natasha in at all. I’m just trying to protect her because she’s Hadliegh’s friend. Yeah, I want to fuck her. But that’s all it will ever be for me. Saralyn killed my heart, hurt me to the point that fucker shriveled right up and died.
As soon as we park our bikes while Hadliegh pulls up right next to the door. I rush over to help Natasha out of the SUV and place her in my arms. There’s no point in her trying to walk all the way to my office when she’s clearly in pain. I’m putting her in pain just by carrying her. It’s a necessary evil though.
Once we’re in the office, I carefully sit her down in one of the chairs in front of my desk. Hadliegh and Psycho are the only other two in my office and that’s how I want it right now. We’ll fill the rest of the club in later if that’s what we decide to do.
The first thing we need to do is find out what happened and what kind of mess Natasha has gotten herself in. Then Psycho and I will make a decision about who needs to be brought in and who needs to be left out. I’m hoping this is a problem I can solve on my own and no one else will need to be given any information about my girl.
What the fuck? Where did that thought come from?
Taking a seat behind my desk, I patiently wait to see if Natasha is going to talk. When it doesn’t seem like she’s going to say a word, I open my mouth.
“Talk,” I bark out, harsher than I intended to.
Natasha’s eyes fill with tears as she jumps a little at my tone.
Chapter Eight
Natasha
“TALK,” RENEGADE BARKS harshly.
My eyes immediately begin to fill with tears I’m trying to hold back. The pain radiating through my body when I jump from Renegade’s tone has me wanting to get sick. Instead, I swallow a few times and take a few deep breaths before looking at the man before me.
“Where do you want me to start?” I ask, my voice wavering with pain and uncertainty.
“At the beginnin’,” Psycho tells me, standing next to Renegade behind the desk.
“About two weeks ago now, I was working late one night on a case for Tanner. It was close to midnight when I decided to head to the convenience store for snacks. I still had hours to go and wanted to have something to snack on. While I was there, I had to use the bathroom. Before I could come out, I heard gunshots ring out and commotion coming from the store,” I say, pausing to take a deep breath before continuing. “Anyway, I waited for a few minutes to make sure I didn’t hear any noise from the front of the store.
“The entire time I watched the men through a tiny opening in the bathroom door. They killed the clerk, smashed things all throughout the store, and took some beer. Once I was sure they weren’t going to come back, I left.”
“What happened when you left?” Renegade asks, knowing there’s more to the story than what I’m saying.
“It doesn’t matter,” I tell him.
“Yes, it fuckin’ does. I want to know what happened and you’re gonna tell us,” Renegade says, leaning forward in his chair.
The look in his eyes let me know he’s not playing games with me. I’m sure the look intimidates the fuck out of men twice Renegade’s size. However, I’m not part of the club and there’s no reason for me to cower down to the man who’s been the star of many of my nightly fantasies until recently.
“You have to stay out of this,” I beg, turning my attention toward Hadliegh. “I can’t stand the thought of someone getting hurt or in trouble because of what I saw. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“Tash, would you have my back if I were hurt?” Hadliegh asks me.
“I will always have your back. I don’t want the club involved. I got myself into this mess and I’ll get out of it one way or another,” I say,
letting the tears fall from my eyes.
The tears sliding down my cheeks and dripping onto my folded hands remove the make-up I carefully applied this morning. Hadliegh gasps as she sees the full force of the bruising on my face. Renegade rounds his desk and crouches down before me. He carefully takes my face in his hands and I know he’s inspecting my face and neck.
“Psycho, call the Doc and get him here. I want to have him look over Natasha to make sure she doesn’t need to go to the hospital. Hadliegh, get her some clothes and then call her boss to let him know she won’t be in anytime soon.
“No!” I yell out, wincing as the pain shoots through my body.
“Why not?” Hadliegh asks. “I won’t call him, but you better give me a damn good reason why.”
“When I went to work the Monday after the robbery, the guys came in the office. They met with Tanner. But, they knew who I was, that I was there and saw the aftermath of what they did. That’s why I was attacked. I guess they must have watched the surveillance tape and recognized me when I left the store,” I say, letting them know my boss is involved somehow.
“I’m gonna pick you up and take you to my room,” Renegade says. “It’s goin’ to hurt but I don’t want Doc examin’ you in here. Anythin’ else we need to know?”
“They wore cuts like you do. I’m not sure what they are, but I know they were similar,” I say, watching as Renegade and Psycho exchange a look.
“Look into it,” Renegade says as he bends down to pick me up.
I nod my head and try to hold in the scream that wants to erupt. Renegade gently carries me from the office to his room. The common room is filled to capacity with men and women. They all come to a stop with one look at me. Various looks take over their faces as Psycho sits at the bar with the phone to his ear. I bury my head in Renegade’s neck while he makes his way to his room.