Clipped Wings : (A Kings MC Romance, Book 2, Standalone)

by Betty Shreffler

  “I should go after her.”

  “To where? Where do you think she went?”

  “Home. She probably has drugs there.”

  “I’ll take you. You’re not going there without me.”

  After putting food away and locking up the house, I climb on his Harley behind him. Crossing to the other side of town, Dominic pulls up the driveway to my old house. Amberlee’s car is here and relief washes over me. In the distance, we hear the rumble of motorcycles and Dominic goes on high alert. Pulling a pistol from his saddlebag, he puts it under his jacket at the top of his jeans. Arm around me, he scans our surroundings as we head to the door.

  “We can’t be here long, ok?”

  “Ok.”

  Entering, the house is quiet. Unusually quiet. I flick on the living room lamp and see there’s been a tussle. Broken glass is scattered across the floor and the chair is toppled over.

  “Dori! Alee!”

  Rushing to Amberlee’s room, I find it empty.

  “Dom, where is she?”

  “I don’t know. Baby, we need to go. Something’s not right.”

  Tears fill my eyes. “Those motorcycles. You think she left with them?”

  Dominic grips my arm, not enough to hurt me, but enough to get my attention.

  “There’s fresh blood on the floor. We need to go. Now.”

  Crossing back over town, I immediately jump off his bike and dial Amberlee as soon as he parks. Her phone goes to voicemail.

  “She’s not answering. Oh God, Dom, do you think Ditch took her?”

  “Sparrow, look at me.” Taking my wrists, he tries to keep me focused as I lose my composure. “I’ll make some calls inside. I don’t know what’s going on, but I’ll try to find out.”

  Pacing in his living room, I call Amberlee repeatedly. Each call going to voicemail like the last. In the kitchen, he’s leaned against the counter on his phone. Hanging up, his expression is menacing.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Drake and Levi are MIA. They left the clubhouse together a couple hours ago. Can’t get a hold of them now.”

  My heartbeat pounds in my ears as my knees weaken. Dominic is there instantly, his strong arms holding me up. Easing me to the couch, he pulls me onto his lap and holds me as I sob into his chest.

  “What are they going to do to her?”

  “Ssh, baby, I’m sorry.”

  ***

  Coming out of restless sleep, I sit up and take a sip from the whiskey glass on the coffee table. Stirred awake, Dominic caresses my head and hair. My eyes are swollen from crying, my muscles sore from falling asleep on the couch. Checking my phone like I’ve done every hour or two, there are still no calls from Amberlee. Scooping his arms under my legs and around my back, Dominic lifts me from the couch.

  “I’m taking you to bed. I’ll make a couple calls, then join you.”

  Burying my head in his shoulder, I cling to him as he carries me up the stairs. Fresh tears roll down the side of my face as he lays me on the mattress.

  “Do you think they killed her?”

  Silence fills the room, a heavy darkness sucking the life out of it.

  “Get some rest. I’ll be up in a little while.”

  His warm hand caresses my back. As he walks out the door, I give into more uncontrollable sobs.

  ***

  Phone ringing, I jump awake, unsure of the time or how long I’ve been asleep. Next to me, Dominic sits up, reaching for my phone.

  “Alee, where are you?”

  Hope fills my chest. She’s alive.

  “We’re on our way.”

  Hanging up, he tosses the phone on the bed as he quickly stands and finds clothes.

  “Where is she?”

  “Your old house. She needs taken to the hospital.”

  More tears fill my eyes as I rush to put on pants. When I reach the bottom of the steps, Dominic already has his boots and jacket on. Stumbling through the tiredness, I put my own on as quickly as I can.

  The clock on Dominic’s Camaro reads three thirty-six a.m. Behind the wheel, his expression is hardened and focused on the road as he speeds through the night. With Dori not arriving home until nine a.m., it kills me knowing Amberlee is suffering alone. By the time Dominic reaches my old house, the knot in my stomach is agonizingly painful.

  “Dom, I’m afraid. I’m afraid of what I’ll see.”

  “Stay in the car.”

  He’s out and to the front door in seconds, disappearing inside. I hold my breath for what’s coming. Carrying Amberlee in his arms, he brings her to the car. I rush out, opening the door for him to put her in the back. She’s wrapped in a blanket, barely conscious. I can’t see what’s been done to her body, but her one eye is swollen shut. Severe bruising and dried blood cover her cheek and jaw.

  Running back to the passenger seat, I hold Amberlee’s hand as Dominic speeds to the nearest hospital. Once parked, Dominic strips his Serpent jacket, leaving it in the driver seat before going to the back to get Amberlee. I do the same, leaving my jacket in the car and follow him into the emergency room.

  Moments after arriving and demanding help, nurses bring a wheelchair and Amberlee is placed into it and whisked away.

  Sitting in the lobby, I do my best to stay composed and fill out paperwork. After it’s completed, and more agonizing waiting, they finally let me go to the room she’s in. Under a hospital blanket, she’s asleep, an IV attached to her.

  Behind me, a short, curvy female doctor walks in. On her light chocolate round face is an empathetic expression.

  “Are you her sister? The one who brought her in?”

  “Yes. Is she going to be ok?”

  “She has a concussion, two broken ribs, and lacerations across her body. Your sister said she was sexually assaulted by multiple men. The police are going to want to speak with you and her, so please wait for them here. If either of you need anything, press this button. There’s also a security guard on this floor. You’re both safe here.”

  Maybe it’s the fear and exhaustion on my face that has her saying those things. Maybe it’s standard protocol. Either way, it’s comforting.

  “Thank you.”

  The doctor steps out and I collapse into the nearest chair. Taking my phone from my pocket, I text Dominic.

  Thank you for helping us. I’m going to stay with Alee. You don’t have to wait. Go home and get some sleep. I love you.

  Come to the lobby. I need to see you before I go.

  Coming off the elevator, I enter the lobby and see Dominic rise from a chair. Throwing myself into his arms, I fight the urge to break down. As if he senses it, he caresses my hair and back.

  “I’ll stay if you want me to.”

  “No,” I shake my head, wiping the tears from my eyes. “I want you to get some sleep. I’ll need you when I leave here.”

  Stroking my face, he holds me close. “As soon as you’re ready to leave, call me. I’ll drop what I’m doing and come get you.”

  “Thank you. I miss you already.”

  “I’m gonna miss you today too.” Hugging me, he eases back and raises my chin, kissing me. “I love you.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  ——

  ERIKA

  IT’S BEEN TWO days since Amberlee was brought to the hospital. Being released today, I’ve made sure to be there for her. All paperwork signed, I hold Amberlee steady as she stands from the hospital bed. She’s asked for privacy to change her clothes. I’m the only one she wants around.

  With a grimace, she takes each step to the bathroom. Inside, she leans against the sink counter and looks in the mirror. Sobs break from her chest when she sees her black eye, bruised jaw, and the marks on her neck. Enclosing my arms around her, I hold her as she cries into my shoulder.

  “I’m so sorry.”

  “The things they did to me.”

  With her tears soaking my shirt, I hold her against me, broken inside. She’s my sister, my family, the one who’s always looked out fo
r me, and those animals tortured her. Two of them are still Serpents and Dom knows this is a problem for me.

  Minutes pass before she’s able to stop crying. Wiping the tears from her cheeks, I look into her eyes. The woman looking back at me is shattered. She’s a shell of the sister I know. Seeing her like this, broken down to her core, hurting physically, mentally, emotionally, it’s cutting me raw.

  Letting the hospital gown drop to her folded arms, she clutches it at her breasts as more tears fall from her eyes. With her naked in front of me, I fight back sobs. Bruises cover her entire body; neck, upper arms, torso, butt, and thighs. Cigarette burn marks scorched the skin of her breasts. Cuts from a blade have left lacerations on her right arm, side, and thigh. They’ll be scars from those cuts, they’re too deep not to. They wanted her to suffer and she did in the most horrible way possible. Clenching my teeth, anger rips through me, blackening my heart. I want those fuckers to pay. Somehow, I’ll make them pay.

  ***

  Stepping through the door of my old home, it’s an odd detached feeling. I grew up in this home, but I feel no warmth, no love entering it. It’s four walls containing far too many heartbreaking memories. I don’t want my sister to remember the night of her attack every time she walks in here either which is why I’ve found a place for her and Dori to rent. They need out from under Christian’s thumb. With that freedom, they can begin recovering from their addictions and Amberlee from her physical and emotional wounds.

  I’m concerned for her. It’s been a week since being released from the hospital and she’s become distant. No matter how I’ve approached the subject, she won’t talk about what happened. Attempts to get her out of the house have been unsuccessful, so I keep coming over, making her lunch, cleaning the house, anything to spend time with her and help her.

  Placing the warm roast beef sandwich on a plate, I grab a fork and knife and bring them to her on the couch.

  “I found a place for rent. Will you come with me tomorrow to look at it? It’d be a great place for you and Dori.”

  Tired eyes search my face. “Yeah, I’ll come.”

  I’m shocked by her response. I didn’t expect it. Smiling, I return to the kitchen for my own sandwich. Sitting next to her, I look at the TV, but I don’t care what’s on it.

  “I can pick you up tomorrow morning after Dori gets home. It’d be nice if she came too.”

  Swallowing her bite, she nods. “I’ll talk to her.”

  It’s a small victory, but I’ll take it. Maybe she’s ready to leave this place.

  “How’s things with you and Dom?”

  Her question surprises me. “Complicated,” I reply honestly. “Two of the men who hurt you are his brothers. He has his own feelings about what happened, and it’s been hard on him.”

  Looking over at her, her eyes are glistening with oncoming tears.

  “Don’t go near them. I never should’ve.”

  “You should talk about it, to someone, it doesn’t have to be me. The doctor said there are therapists.”

  “Stop.” Setting her fork down on her plate, she moves the plate to the coffee table. “I’m tired. I don’t wanna talk.”

  Bracing her hand on the arm of the couch, she struggles to stand. I rise to help and she waves me off.

  My gut tightens when she enters the kitchen and pulls the cap from a liquor bottle. Without a cup, she puts the bottle to her lips and takes several swallows. I see it even if she doesn’t. She’s locked inside herself, hiding from the pain with alcohol and drugs.

  “Alee, that’s not going to fix it. It’s a band-aid. When you’re sober, the pain will come back.”

  “Maybe if you’d stop reminding me every damn time you come over.”

  “I want to help you. I hate seeing you like this.”

  “What do you want to hear? That I’ll talk to someone? Tell a complete stranger about how I was gang raped, had a knife cut into me, fell in and out of consciousness while I was tortured and sodomized by more than one man at a time.”

  Swallowing the knot in my throat, I watch Alee walk to her room, the bottle dangling from her hand. Stopping at the doorway, she doesn’t look at me.

  “You should go. It’s not safe for you to keep coming over. Don’t come back.”

  The door shuts behind her and I drop to the couch, my head falling into my hands as I cry into them.

  CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

  ——

  DOMINIC

  TAPPING ON MY shoulder, Mercy says what he can to keep me from losing my temper and breaking every bone in Drake and Levi’s face.

  “C’mon, Dom. Keep it cool.”

  They’ve been avoiding the clubhouse all week, but they couldn’t avoid the church meeting. Christian had club business to go over and at the end of the meeting, I took the opportunity to mention what fucking cockroaches they are.

  “Oh c’mon, Dom, the bitch asked for it. So we roughed her up a bit. We didn’t kill her.”

  “I carried her limp body into the hospital. The girl didn’t deserve to be tortured like that.”

  Christian’s eyes sweep across either side of the Serpent table, taking in the heated argument.

  “What’d you expect, boys? That’s his ol’ lady’s sister. You shouldn’t of tore her up like that. We all enjoyed having her around. She was a good fuck. She’s not gonna come around now.”

  Drake shrugs. “So things might’a got out of hand. We were caught up in the moment. What’s done is done.”

  His careless attitude fuels the fire already blazing inside of me.

  “I want a fight night. Cage fight…in the ring. Hell, I’ll take both of you fuckers on at the same time. Give you a taste of how I like to get caught up in the moment.”

  A few of the brothers grin at that. Their gazes move to Christian, anxiously awaiting his response.

  “I’ll allow it,” Christian replies. “This shit needs to be worked out, then put to rest.”

  Expressions downcast, Drake and Levi look to one another. I can see the fear in their eyes.

  “I want it tomorrow night,” I demand.

  With a tilt of his head, Christian accepts. “Get ready for a hell of a show, boys,” he tells the members. “Church is dismissed.”

  The members clear out of the room except the board; Christian, myself, our treasurer Mike, secretary Sam, Road Captain John, and Sergeant of Arms Mercy.

  “We need to talk about those two,” Mercy presses. “There’s gonna be heat on us if she talks to the police. If she hasn’t already.”

  “She hasn’t,” I inform them. “She’s too scared to, but that doesn’t let them off the hook. They’re a problem. Their loyalties are more aligned with their clique of brothers than the club. They’re still runnin’ with Ditch. I want to bring it to vote whether or not we should strip them of their colors.”

  Sitting back in his chair, Christian’s thumb and forefinger rest on his chin as he observes me. “You don’t think fight night and a suspension of colors is enough?”

  “Fuck, no, I don’t. This won’t be a lesson learned for them. It’ll be a lesson on how to hide their actions better.”

  “I agree with Dom,” Mercy tips his head. “They’re not respecting the patch. The fact they’re running with Ditch after he was stripped of his colors rubs me the wrong way.”

  With a sigh, Christian sits forward. “All right, we’ll vote. Those who feel Drake and Levi should be given a beating and their colors suspended, say Aye.”

  Christian, Mike, and Sam raise their hands and say Aye. Seeing Christian’s choice to vote against me is like a whip slashing across my skin—it’s a fierce sting.

  “Those who feel Drake and Levi should be given a beating and stripped of their colors, say Aye.”

  Myself, John, and Mercy raise our hands and say Aye.

  “We’re at a draw, brothers. Drake and Levi will face fight night, suspension of their colors, and be put on a probationary period. We’ll vote again after the probationary period ends. Acceptabl
e?”

  My brothers all nod, except me, but it doesn’t matter, that’s how it’s handled in the Serpents when there’s a draw.

  The rest of the board head out except Christian and me. Walking to the cooler, I pull out a beer and pop the top.

  “You didn’t see what I did, Christian. They brutally raped and beat her. She’s not coming back from that and it’s killing Erika and that’s fucking with me.”

  “You love this girl?”

  “What do you think?”

  “I think you do and it’s messing with your judgment. If not for her, we wouldn’t be talking about stripping their colors, would we?”

  Dropping back into the chair, I stare him down.

  “Their actions have become my problems. That’s what we’re talking about. I’m the one who had to stay up all night with Erika, afraid her sister had been killed, and I’m the one who went out at three thirty in the morning to take a battered woman to the hospital. That girl didn’t deserve what was done to her. All she wanted was for Ditch to stop treating her like a fucking punching bag. Now I see you defending them against me. How do you think I should feel about that?”

  Dark, brown eyes stare boldly back at me.

  “You’re not the only one I have to think about, Dom. I have sixteen other members. If I let Drake and Levi go, what’s to stop them from joining the Jackals or Black Diamonds? Why let them go when I can easily rein them in?”

  “Strength in numbers. That’s what’s important to you?” Standing, I set the beer bottle on the table. “What about the brotherhood? What about protecting the family and the women in it? Or has the money, drugs, and turf war become so important, we’re turning a blind eye to brothers raping and maiming Serpent women? I can’t even bring my girl into this clubhouse without having to keep my eyes on her at all times. Maybe you need to think about that.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

  ——

  ERIKA

  DOMINIC WALKS THROUGH the back door and as soon as I see him my heart leaps. Going to him, I take immense pleasure in the feel of his arms around me, cocooning me against his broad, hard chest. Raising my chin, he kisses me, and the stress of the day eases from my shoulders. When he lifts my ass, I put my legs around his toned waist. Sitting me on the counter, he pushes forward between my legs, teasing me with his hardening bulge.