by Erin Osborne
It’s not long before sleep claims me. Ashtyn’s body heat fills me as I let my eyes flutter closed while I wrap her up in my arms completely. The only concern I have falling asleep is hurting her where she’s already injured.
Chapter Seven
Ashtyn
I’VE BEEN IN Tech’s room at the clubhouse for a few days now. He’s been working non-stop. I’m just not sure on what. While he’s working in the same room as me, I’ve been resting, mainly sleeping because the pain pills knock me on my ass. It’s the only way I can get comfortable with all the injuries.
Tech wakes me up and makes sure I take my antibiotics. When it comes to the pain pills, he leaves the decision up to me. I’m grateful for all his help, especially when he doesn’t leave the room when Doc is in here with me. It’s nothing against the man, I just don’t trust him the way I do Tech.
From the very second Tech sat down beside me at the bar, I’ve felt this overwhelming trust in him. As if he wouldn’t fuck me over. Instead, he’d do anything in his power to make sure my father didn’t get his hands on me. I have never experienced an instant trust in someone my entire life. Now, I not only trust him, I feel safe and protected being in his room and surrounded by his things.
Today is the day I’m not looking forward to. It’s the day I’m going to have to lay everything on the table so to speak. Tech doesn’t deserve to have the truth hidden from him. None of the men and women in this clubhouse do. I may not know them, but I’m not going to put any of them in danger because of my shit. If I could keep it away from them, I would. I’ll just need to convince Tech to let me leave once he hears everything I’ll be telling him. It’s the only way to ensure everyone’s safety.
“Tiny, you’re awake,” he says, his voice wrapping around me like a hot blanket.
“Yeah. Listen, um, we need to talk. There are a few things you need to know,” I begin.
“Like you’re the senator’s daughter and have been listed as a missing person for a year now?” he questions me, as I slowly turn to face him. “Don’t be pissed. After what I witnessed happenin’ to you, I ran your name. Your wallet is here, and I used that to dig into your background. We run the background of everyone who gets near the club. I didn’t want to do this with you bein’ out of it. We needed to know if there was an immediate threat, though.”
“I’m not mad. Honestly, I’m a little relieved. Would it be easier if you told me what you’ve uncovered so I can fill in the blanks? Or do you just want me to get on with my story?” I ask, not caring how this plays out right now.
“You can talk. First, I have food comin’ for you. You also need to take your medicine,” he orders as we lie in bed together.
At that moment, there’s a knock on his door. Tech jumps out of bed only wearing a pair of black boxer briefs. They hug his body in a way which makes me lick my lips. His body is muscled and toned the way you only read about in magazines or books. Essentially, he’s the stuff dreams are made of. My dreams of him since our one night together has not done him justice. I forgot all the hard ridges and planes of his body, sexy V leading down to his cock, and all the ink gracing his body.
“Everythin’ good in here?” another man asks, pushing through the door with a tray in his hand.
“Yeah, we’re all good, Fury,” Tech replies, letting him set the tray on one of the nightstands.
“How you doin’, darlin’?” I’m asked as I pull the blankets up tighter around me.
“I’ve been better. The pain is starting to go away now,” I respond, watching as he stands up from next to me, his cologne filling my nostrils. “You’ve been in here most of the time with Tech.”
“Yeah. How did you know?” he asks, crossing his arms over his chest.
“I smelled you when you were in here,” I state, not lying to him.
Fury starts laughing his ass off. I’m not sure what’s funny about my statement. I huff out in frustration as I sit up straighter, so I can grab my food to eat. Tech is also looking at him with a weird look on his face. It’s obvious he’s not sure what’s going on right now, either.
“Are you okay?” I question him, not sure if he’s going to piss himself from laughing so hard.
“Yeah. I’ve just never heard someone knowing me by my scent,” he finally mutters.
“I’m sorry,” I say, turning my face away from the men standing in the room.
Fury is the one to make me look at him. Gently, he uses his finger to lift my head before making sure I’m looking directly at him. Once he knows he has my attention, he begins speaking. “There is absolutely nothin’ for you to be sorry for. Yes, I laughed because no one has ever said anythin’ like that to me before. I thought it was funny because you’ve spent most of your time sleepin’. Still, you managed to know I was in the room,” he tells me, letting me see the honesty in his eyes.
“Oh. Well, yeah, you don’t smell like Tech.”
“Good, darlin’. Now, get some food in you because I know you got meds to take,” he orders me, sitting down close to the bed in a chair while Tech climbs back in bed.
“You two must be close,” I blurt out.
“Why is that?” Tech questions me.
“Well, you answered the door in your underwear and didn’t care about him seeing anything. He’s been in here, that I know of, since I was brought in. After our first meeting, I don’t think you’re gay, but maybe bi. Not that I have a problem with that,” I ramble on, my cheeks heating up in embarrassment. Both men begin laughing at me. Damn, I’m glad I can be a source of entertainment for these two men.
“We’re close but neither one of us is gay nor bi. We also don’t give a shit if that’s someone’s thing. For us, it’s not,” Tech begins once the laughter has again died down. “We’ve shared a few women. Not every time we have sex, but every now and then. Fury is my best friend and knows everythin’ about me. Just like I know everythin’ about him.”
“Oh. I’ve never done anything like that before,” I state, letting my mind drift to thoughts of having both men with me at the same time.
“Not gonna happen, Tiny,” Tech growls out, pulling me from my thoughts.
“I didn’t . . .,’ I begin.
“You were. It was written all over your face,” Fury states. “While I’d love to go down that road with you in the middle, Tech is a little possessive of you.”
Tech turns to glare at his friend. I’m not sure what either of them are talking about. However, I know they are having some sort of silent communication between one another. Honestly, I’m almost done eating, so it’s time for me to relay the information of my life to them so they can figure out what they need to do for the club now.
“Okay. I need to talk now before I fall back asleep. This is going to wear me out as it is,” I tell these two men. “Growing up, my father wasn’t always a bad man. At one point, he truly loved my mother, sister, and me. I’m not sure what changed to make him begin lashing out at us, demanding perfection, and all the other nonsense. He seemed to change, literally, overnight. He started staying out all night, drinking more, coming home disheveled—none of it made any sense to my young mind.
“When he won his seat in the Senate, we had to become perfect. We hardly had any toys, couldn’t make a mess anywhere, touch anything in the house or elsewhere. We weren’t allowed to have any friends and were homeschooled, so we didn’t interact with anyone he didn’t approve of. My mom was only allowed outside the house to go to functions and luncheons he approved and demanded she attend. Everything in the house was left up to her to do, including having a hot meal ready to eat even though she never knew when he’d walk through the door. Our life turned to shit.
“I was ten when my sister and mother were killed in an accident. My sister was allowed to take a dance class. Since my father wasn’t home, my mother left me home to go pick her up. The only positive was that my father was home when the cops showed up. He was drunk and not happy with me being left home. Somehow, he hid it from the police as
I sobbed uncontrollably at the loss of my mom and sister. Even before they were taken from me, I made sure I was the one who was hit and yelled at as much as possible. My baby sister didn’t deserve that treatment, and my mom was doing the best she could,” I say, needing to take a break for something to drink as my emotions threaten to overwhelm me.
“That’s shit. Your mom should’ve gotten you away from there. Then her and your sister would still be here with you,” Fury explodes, his face red and filled with rage.
Still, I know he’s not going to hurt me. Not just because of Tech being next to me, he just doesn’t strike me as a man who would take his rage out on a female. I don’t know anyone who would sit in another man’s room while a woman was in there recovering from a beating.
“Is there more, Tiny?” Tech asks me gently, pulling me into his arms.
“Yeah. Well, after we buried my mom and sister, my dad went through another change. He was constantly drunk, hired someone to watch over me constantly, didn’t care about my schooling any longer, and started blaming me for everything. I was constantly getting beaten as long as no bruises were visible. He wouldn’t be the one to hit me, either. No, that would be the men who were in the alley with me. The men who did this to me.
“I stayed with my father for fourteen more years. When I decided I had enough of his shit, I packed a few changes of clothes, my important papers, and a few sentimental things in a bag. That’s all I have with me except for my wallet with my license and credit cards in it. I haven’t even used my cards since leaving his house because I know that’s the fastest way to be tracked down. I even left my cell phone and car at his house because I didn’t want that tracked. It’s my car, too. I bought it with money my mom left me.
“I’ve been on a run for a year now. Every time I get some place, they manage to find me again. So, I’m barely able to put down roots anywhere. I’m not sure why he wants me back so bad. All I know is I do not want to go back there. He’s become a sadistic man who only cares about himself. Living with him, I’ve always been a loner, too. It works to his advantage because I never have any friends. There isn’t anyone to report me missing or help me get away from him. I want to get a new identity, but don’t know how to do that, either. I’m guessing it wouldn’t help me anyway, at this rate.”
“What can you tell us about the men he hangs around with?” Tech asks, getting out of bed and grabbing a piece of paper from his desk. “I’m surprised no one has turned you in, too, Tiny.”
Looking down, I see a missing person flyer with my face on it. It shows the date I left his house along with saying I’m a danger to myself. Tears start pouring down my face as I realize I’ve been in more trouble than I even realized. He’s not going to stop until he gets his hands on me again.
“None of this makes any sense. I don’t know why he wants me back so bad,” I cry out, burying my head in my hands. “These men are not nice. They exude violence and hatred. Whenever they’re in his house, I hide out as far away from them as possible. They’re the type of men, if you met them in the dark, you’d run the opposite direction. The stuff nightmares are made of. Men I don’t ever want to see again in my lifetime.”
“Siren and I are diggin’ into things. We haven’t found a ton of stuff I can share with you. I will be takin’ it to the club, though,” Tech lets me know. “We’re gonna keep you safe, Tiny.”
Tech is making me a promise of protecting me. He’s not going to let me go easily for some reason. I’m not sure why. Maybe he has a hero complex and wants to save the day. All I know is I won’t be responsible for having any harm come to these people. Not when they’ve done so much for me already, Even if I’ve spent most of my time here sleeping.
“Tech, I can’t stay here. When my father comes after me, he’s not going to give a shit about you guys. He’ll roll right over you to get his hands on me. I’m not going to put any of you in danger. It’s not happening,” I inform him, knowing this is going to be a fight I won’t win with him.
“You can stay here. This isn’t our first rodeo, darlin’. It’s been kind a quiet around here. This will give us all a chance to prove we still have our skills,” Fury pipes in, staring me down. “Besides, what do you think you’re goin’ to do when those asshats catch up with you again? They’re not gonna give you up without a fight. Why not stay here where you’ll be protected?”
“This isn’t your fight,” I try to tell them.
“We’re not gettin’ into this shit right now. I’m gonna warn you, though, if you try to argue with me on this, I’ll paddle your ass when you’re feelin’ better,” Tech warns, his voice deeper than I’ve heard it since meeting him.
“Tech, you’re not understanding who my father is or the men he associates with behind closed doors,” I state, getting frustrated that they aren’t listening to me. “I’m not afraid of you doing that to me because I know it’s not meant to hurt me physically. You’re not the man who would ever lay a hand on a female in anger. I can already tell that about you and the other men I’ve met here.”
“We’re not gonna listen to you. This is about your safety. Not about what happens here at the club. We’ll go on lockdown if we have to so the women and kids are protected. Don’t worry about the club. You focus on gettin’ better so we can figure out what this is between us,” Tech demands of me. “Now, here’s your medicine so you don’t get an infection.”
Nodding my head, I lay back down after taking my pills. Tech is not the only person here I can talk to about this. When I’m feeling better and can move around more without my ribs causing me pain simply from breathing, I’ll make my getaway. It’s the only way to move away from my father and protect these people. It’s the only thought on my mind as sleep, once again, claims me.
Chapter Eight
Tech
ASHTYN IS ALMOST completely free of pain. Well, other than her ribs. It will definitely take a while for her to not feel any more pain. She’ll have to be careful for a while. If I have to, I’ll use that to my advantage and reason for her not to leave the clubhouse just yet. I have no problem doing whatever is necessary to keep her here. Without making her feel like I’m keeping her as a prisoner, of course.
I’ve been taking her out to the common area for short periods of time every day over the last week. She likes getting out and seeing a different set of walls besides my room. Our two main sources of contention, so far, are her not being allowed to sit outside. Even behind the clubhouse, since I refuse to take any chances when it comes to her safety. The other one is her cast. Over the past few nights, when we’ve been in bed, she’s rolled over and either nailed me in the chest, stomach, or dick with the fucker. Ashtyn was almost in tears the night she hit me in my cock because it woke me out of a dead sleep. I was screaming and bouncing around in bed as if my body was on fire. If I were smarter, I’d wear a fucking cup to bed for protection. I’m not.
We’ve also been spending our time talking and getting to know one another. I’ve learned she doesn’t realize how stunning she truly is, doesn’t like anything with apples in it because of her father, and has no friends when I offered to let her use my phone to contact someone. Knowing she told Fury and me she was a loner and didn’t have anyone to call is something completely different than her literally having no one to call. My heart breaks for her. When Ashtyn opens up, she’s not only smart as fuck, she’s funny, caring, and loves with everything in her. I know this because I hear the love in her voice, see it shining from her eyes and the smile on her face whenever she talks about her mom and sister.
Fury has been spending time in our room still, just not as much. He’s letting me have time to explore whatever I’m feeling for Ash. Everyone in the club is. They know I don’t let anyone in, but she’s worked her way under my skin in ways no one else ever has before. Not even the men and women of the club. It took me a long time to open up to anyone other than Pops. He was the first one who knew my entire story without me holding anything back from him. It was honestly a
relief to let someone in on the life I had in the past. Someone who understood how much I wanted to change my life and let others in slowly. Pops and Ma are the ones who helped me accomplish that.
The only time I have a real problem with it now is when it comes to women. My mom’s actions are still so fresh in my mind; I can’t help but think that every single woman out there is going to do the same thing as her. They’ll leave the first chance they get because I was never enough for her. Dean wasn’t enough for her. I don’t get that same feeling with Ashtyn. Yeah, she wants to leave here, but her motivation to do so is not because of a selfish reason like finding another cock to ride. She wants to protect the club in the only way she knows how.
“Tech, are you okay?” she asks me, placing her hand on my shoulder as I sit on the side of the bed.
She took a nap and I just took a break from working on finding more intel on her father.
“Yeah, I’m okay.”
“What were you thinking about so hard?” she questions, her soft, warm voice wrapping around me.
“About what I want. My mom, life in the club, you,” I respond honestly, turning to look at her after placing a soft kiss on her temple.
“What about me? What do you want, Tech?”