by Harley Wylde
Chapter Seven
MaryAnne
I stretched and tensed for a moment. A hot, heavy arm was draped over my waist and I felt a male body up against my back. A hard cock nestled in the crack of my ass. The room spun for a minute and I couldn’t breathe. Panic beat at me until I remembered everything.
It was Ronan.
Not the men who’d hurt me. I wasn’t being restrained. Nothing bad was going to happen.
I looked over my shoulder and smiled at how peaceful he looked. I was safe, with the man I’d fallen in love with. A biker who wouldn’t let anyone hurt me ever again. He’d gotten rid of my demons, sent them to hell where they belonged. I’d never be able to repay him for what he’d done.
I eased out of bed, careful not to wake him. After I used the bathroom and went down the hall to brush my teeth, I went to my old room. I put on panties and my warm pajamas, along with a pair of fuzzy socks. As I pawed through the drawer, I realized I had at least a dozen pair or more. Every time I saw a pair, I had to have them. If I didn’t slow down, I’d run out of space for them.
Once I was toasty warm, I hurried downstairs to make breakfast for Patriot. He always took care of me, and I tried to do the same for him when I could. Before I’d come here, I hadn’t known how to cook. I still wasn’t that great at it, but I was learning. I’d never been interested in things like making cookies or learning how to cook from scratch. Until the day I’d been snatched by the Sadistic Saints, I’d been too busy worrying about my next trip to the mall, who was dating which boy, or what I’d wear the next day to school.
Things were different now. I’d had to grow up fast, and the stuff I’d always thought was so crucial didn’t matter anymore.
Before I got started, I let Archimedes outside and put down fresh water and food. I uncovered Hatter’s cage and took out his bowls. His water bottle was still half-full so I left it alone. After I put his bird food into one dish, I stuck it back in his cage. The second dish I knew Patriot used for fruits and veggies. Hatter had his own storage tubs in the fridge. Today it looked like he’d be getting apples, grapes, and carrots. I sliced them up and dropped them into the dish before giving it to him.
“Mmm. So good.”
I smiled and reached through the bars to stroke his head. “Eat up, Hatter.”
I let Archimedes back in, then decided to get started on feeding the humans. I pulled out eggs, bacon, and a can of biscuits. I’d looked up how to make bacon in the oven after I saw someone make it that way in a movie, and now I preferred it baked over fried. I laid out the strips on a baking sheet while the oven preheated. I also preheated the toaster oven so I could make the biscuits at the same time.
After I had the bacon and biscuits cooking, I brewed a pot of coffee for Patriot. I took out some diced ham and shredded cheese to add to the eggs. Before I could get them started, I heard a knock at the front door. Archimedes stood and shook himself before leaving the kitchen. I heard a soft bark and hurried after him. Any other time, I’d have cowered and been afraid to open it, even knowing I should be safe here. Now I knew Patriot had killed all but two of the men who had hurt me. It made me realize I didn’t have to hide anymore.
I answered the door, peering around the edge of it since I was in my pajamas. Archimedes pressed against me. Smoke stood there, hands in his pockets. He rocked back on his heels when he saw me.
“Patriot is still asleep,” I said.
“Actually, I came to see you.”
My hand tightened on the door. “Me? Why would you come here to see me?”
He raked a hand through his hair. “I wanted to apologize. I shouldn’t have said what I did at the clubhouse. No one here would ever expect anything from you, MaryAnne. Even before Patriot officially made you his. It was a dick move and I’m sorry.”
I opened the door a little wider. “You’re sorry?”
He nodded. “Shouldn’t have said it. The second I saw you, what I should have done was call Patriot, and make sure the club whores didn’t bother you. I won’t fuck up again, all right? You want to come drink at the clubhouse, I’ll make sure the club whores keep their distance.”
“Thank you.” Not that I wanted to go there anytime soon. Well, not on a party night anyway. The days the clubhouse was for family only was another matter. I enjoyed going when Phoebe, Delilah, and the kids would be there.
“Right, so… I’m gonna go. I just needed to come say that. You need anything, let me know.”
He backed away and I shut the door. Archimedes followed me into the kitchen and laid down near the table. The kitten immediately went over and started to chew on the poor dog, but Archimedes ignored him. I checked on the bacon and biscuits, then cracked the eggs into a bowl and beat them. I put in a dash of milk, a handful of diced ham, and a good bit of shredded cheese. I tried to be quiet as I dug the skillet out from the bottom cabinet, then set it on the burner to warm. By the time I’d finished the eggs and plated our breakfast, I heard Patriot coming down the stairs.
“Something smells wonderful,” he said as he stepped into the kitchen.
“Wonderful!” Hatter said and fluttered his wings.
“I thought I’d make breakfast. It’s not anything fancy.”
He paused long enough to kiss my temple before going straight for the coffee. I smiled as he drained a cup, gulping it down, then poured a second one. I set the plates on the table along with forks. Patriot nearly collapsed onto a chair. It always took a few cups of coffee to get him going in the morning. I poured myself some juice before I sat down.
“You doing okay?” he asked. “After last night… I wasn’t sure what to expect today.”
“You worried I’d regret what happened?”
“Something like that.”
“Eat your eggs before they get cold. I’m fine, Ronan. Better than.” I smiled before I dug into my food. “Smoke stopped by. He wanted to apologize.”
“Good. Means I don’t have to kick his ass again.”
“The first time was more than enough. You shouldn’t beat on your brothers.”
He grunted and kept eating.
“Do you think someone would take me to the store? I want to get some more baking supplies. I seem to do better at that than cooking most of the time. I’d also love some eggnog. It’s nearly Christmas and I haven’t had any yet.”
“I can take you.”
“Really? You don’t have club business to handle?” I asked.
He paused, fork halfway to his mouth, and stared at me. After a moment, I squirmed and wished I hadn’t said anything. Had I overstepped? Or come across as too eager for his company? I didn’t have much experience with men. Not the right kind anyway. I’d never had a chance to date, or have a boyfriend.
“There’s only one rule, Little Bit. I will tell you anything you want to know, as long as it isn’t club business. But to answer your question, no, I don’t have other obligations today.”
I felt my cheeks warm. “Sorry.”
“Not mad, Little Bit. But I need you to know that’s one thing I won’t discuss, even now that you’re my old lady. Speaking of, you should have your property cut in the next day or two if all goes according to plan. It’s been ordered.”
“Like the ones Phoebe and Delilah have?”
He nodded. “Yep. Except yours will say Property of Patriot.”
“I can’t wait to see it.”
He winked and finished off his food, then carried his plate to the sink. “Better get ready, Little Bit. I’ll clean up in here. Won’t take me but a minute to change.”
I eyed his beard and bedhead. “Might want to use a comb or something too.”
He looked at me over his shoulder. “You saying I look rough?”
Not exactly. More like extremely sexy. He looked like he’d recently gotten out of bed, which he had. Except any woman who saw him like this would be imagining what he might have been doing other than sleeping.
“Keep looking at me like that and we won’t be going to t
he store,” he said before facing the sink again.
Part of me wanted to see if he’d really take me back to bed. But the other part wasn’t sure I was ready for something like that in the light of day. While my nightmares had mostly happened at night, it had felt like the darkness outside had somehow wrapped me in a cloak, made me braver. I couldn’t explain how else I’d gotten the courage to do what I’d done. Removing my clothes in front of him, letting him touch me and so much more… it hadn’t been easy, but with the sunlight streaming through the windows, I didn’t feel as confident as I had in the shower.
I hurried upstairs and went to my old room. Last night, I’d said I wanted to move into Patriot’s room. Waking up in his arms had been wonderful, after the initial scare of thinking someone else had pinned me down. I still wanted to move my things in there, but it would have to wait. I picked out a pair of jeans and another Christmas-themed sweater and socks. It didn’t take me long to change. Since I’d showered last night with Patriot, I didn’t bother taking another one.
After I ran a brush through my hair, I pulled it up into a bun. I ran my fingers down my neck as I turned my head one way, then another. I seemed so bare with no earrings or necklace. My jewelry was probably still in my room at home. I hadn’t been able to face my family, except Sean. What little of it I had left. I knew it was wrong to push them away, but I wasn’t the same girl they’d known before and they expected me to be. I’d been told more than once I’d bounce back, like they could only love me if I wasn’t damaged by what had happened.
Sean had helped me make a break from them. No one called anymore, or tried to come see me. There were times I missed them. Until I remembered they didn’t want the new me. They wanted the old MaryAnne, and I wasn’t sure she existed. The innocence had been burned out of me. The people here had become my family. The Hades Abyss accepted me as I was.
“I’ll help you move your stuff later,” Patriot said, leaning against the bathroom doorframe.
He’d managed to tame his hair and beard, and he’d pulled on a gray long-sleeved shirt and jeans. He’d already put on his cut and seemed to be ready to go. Patriot looked down at my feet and smiled. I curled my toes and studied my socks. Green with Santa hats all over them.
“Cute, Little Bit, but I think you’ll want some shoes.”
“I’ll grab some. Meet you downstairs?”
He nodded and pushed off the doorframe. “I’ll get the Bronco going so it can start to warm up. There’s a bite to the air today. Might want your coat.”
“I’ll get it.”
He left, his steps heavy as he went down the stairs. I put on the ankle boots he’d bought me when I’d come to live here and grabbed the denim jacket lined with sheepskin. I rushed downstairs and out to the Bronco. Patriot opened my door and helped me onto the seat. I fastened my seatbelt while he walked around the front and got in.
“You want the grocery or one of the super stores?” he asked.
“I think the grocery is fine. If we go to one of the other places, it will be even more crowded. This close to the holidays it seems to be packed everywhere.”
“Grocery won’t be much better.”
“Maybe not, but at least we won’t be fighting people shopping for presents. Besides, they have some boxes up front where we can donate non-perishables. It would be nice to make sure someone else can have Christmas dinner.”
He reached out and brushed his fingers along my cheek. “Heart of gold. My Little Bit is an angel come to earth.”
“I wouldn’t go that far, but I do want to make someone happy.” I chewed on my lower lip. “Do you think… could we find a family who maybe can’t give their kids a Christmas this year? I’d like to get a few toys to give them. Make sure they have a good holiday.”
“Why don’t we get the entire club involved and adopt a few families?” he asked.
“Even better! Think we can do it?”
He nodded. “Sure. We’ll stop by one of the churches on the way to the store.”
I watched him a minute. I wondered if he knew how amazing he was. Had anyone ever told him? He’d called me an angel, but he’d come and saved me, gave me a home and everything I could ever need, and now he was taking my idea and making it even better.
“Does anyone else know how big your heart is?” I asked.
He cut me a quick glance before focusing on the road again. “Don’t go spreading that shit around. You’ll ruin my rep. I’m a badass biker and don’t you forget it.”
I smiled. “All right. I’ll keep your secret.”
He pulled up to a small church on the outskirts of the rougher side of town. Patriot scanned the area before helping me out of the Bronco. With one hand at my waist, and the other free to most likely pull whatever weapons he had on him, he ushered me into the building. A man in dress slacks and button-down shirt greeted us with a smile.
“What can I do for you folks? Interested in joining the church? We can always use more youngsters in here,” he said.
“We actually wanted to ask you about some opportunities to better a few lives this holiday season,” Patriot said. “Assuming you don’t have an issue with me being part of Hades Abyss.”
“We’re all God’s children,” the man said. “I’m Reverend Burson. Now what did you have in mind?”
Patriot nudged me and gave me a slight nod. “I know the local grocery takes up donations of food for families in need, but I wondered if there might be some families who were struggling to give their kids a Christmas this year. Even though there are programs out there to help with that sort of thing, I’m sure not everyone gets the assistance they need.”
“Bless you, angel! You’re the answer to my prayers!” The man lifted his hands. “It just so happens I have three families who come to this church who have fallen on hard times. Each has small children and I know their parents would be grateful for anything you’d like to donate.”
Patriot rubbed his hand up and down my back and I leaned against his side. I was so glad he’d brought me here. With his help, maybe we could make a difference, no matter how small.
“Would you happen to have a list of toys those children might like to see under their trees this year? Or could you get one for us?” I asked.
“Well, I don’t have anything right now, but I could have it for you within the next hour or two. But as for putting presents under the tree, I don’t believe any of those families actually have a tree. It was on my list of things to accomplish. I thought I might be able to get some older fake trees donated, ones that aren’t being used anymore.”
“We’ll do one better, Reverend. We’ll pick up three new pre-lit trees and some ornaments for each. I don’t want to go scaring anyone, and I know people around here don’t always look too kindly on my club. We can bring everything here and you could arrange for them to get everything?” Patriot asked.
The man held up a finger. “You wait right there. Don’t move, and certainly don’t leave!”
He hurried off and I took the time to admire the inside of the church. Stained glass windows lined both sides of the sanctuary. Each was beautiful in its own way and filled the room with a sense of peace. I trailed my fingers over the back of a pew and tried to remember the last time I’d been to church. I breathed in and held it a moment before releasing the air in my lungs, and some of the tension. I didn’t feel like I belonged here anymore, and yet I didn’t exactly want to run away either.
The reverend came back, a piece of paper in his hand. “I spoke with all three families, and they were overjoyed. Each has experienced a hardship in the last few months and they’ve struggled. In fact, two of the mothers started crying. You’ve brought them a Christmas miracle.”
He handed the paper to Patriot and I leaned over to read it along with him. Four boys and five girls were listed on the paper, along with their ages and the top three things on each of their wish lists. At the bottom, the reverend had included some information on the parents as well. A warmth filled me, as well
as a sense of purpose. I hadn’t been good for much of anything since Patriot brought me home, but this year I could do something that mattered. No, we could.
I hesitated only a moment. “Reverend, you said they’ve been struggling. Do they need help with other things? Like maybe groceries?”
His eyes lit up and he eagerly nodded. “They do indeed. They’ve gotten what they can from the food pantry, but as you can see there’s a lot of kids on that list between the three couples. Not easy to feed that many mouths.”
I looked up at Patriot and he winked at me. “Guess we better go shopping, Little Bit. We’ll get the stuff you wanted to make your desserts and grab some items for these families too. If it’s all right with the reverend, we’ll bring the food by here, and then we’ll go hunt down some trees and ornaments.”
“I’ll be waiting,” Reverend Burson said.
Patriot and I went back out to the Bronco and drove straight to the grocery. We each grabbed a cart since we now planned to buy more than double the food. I got the baking supplies I needed, then focused on what to feed three families with children, stuff that wouldn’t necessarily spoil easily. We grabbed several packages of fresh pork chops. I noticed the pork tenderloins didn’t expire for nearly a month so I grabbed one of each flavor for all three families.
“What else you want to get them, Little Bit?” he asked.
“I don’t want to spend all your money.”
He tipped his head and studied me a minute, then pulled out his phone. He tapped the screen a few times, then put the phone on speaker with the volume turned down so the entire store wouldn’t hear.
“I’m tired. My kid keeps puking on me. What the hell do you want?” Titan asked by way of greeting.
“Little Bit wants to adopt a few families for Christmas. They’ve fallen on hard times and need food and toys for the kids. Club interested in chipping in? She’s worried she’ll deplete my account if we tackle it by ourselves,” Patriot said.
“I think it’s safe to say the club would agree to help with such a worthy cause,” Titan said. “I’ll have Wizard shift some money into your account. You need more, let me know.”