by K. J. Dahlen
“I’ll do whatever I have to, to keep you. You have to trust me on this.” She held out her small hand.
“I do trust you.” He took it into in large one and they went back inside the clubhouse together.
When they sat down again, Deke spread the evidence on the table. He and Gator began going through what was there.
Cassie felt a little embarrassed by what was there but Deke and Gator didn’t look like they thought any less of her because of what they read.
She and Peaches went to the kitchen to make coffee. While they were there, Reva joined them. “How you doing girls?”
Cassie smiled. “I haven’t quite recovered but I’m getting there. My head hurts. I still feel a little shaky and the nightmare isn’t quite pushed all the way to the back of my mind.”
“Yeah, I can see that.” She shook her head. “I still can’t believe Connie did that. I’ll give you some aspirin. I was glad to see it wasn’t as bad as I thought with all that blood.”
“I’m sorry about it all too. I really don’t like to be touched. I told Wiley that several times and when he grabbed me, I lost it. I didn’t mean to hurt him.”
Reva snorted. “He should have listened and learned the first time, the dumb ox. The second inning was his own damn fault, and he knew it. She should have left it alone, but she didn’t. In this life, you do whatever your man tells you or you suffer the consequences. She’s also been here long enough to know you don’t rat out the club. She put not only your life in danger but everyone who calls this place home. She knew that, yet did it anyway.”
Peaches shuddered. “Cassie has always been tougher than me. She’s been the one all this time to watch over me and I’m very grateful she’s always had my back. Even when I was snatched she was brave enough to come looking for me.”
Cassie smiled. “We’re sisters from different parents’ girl, I told you that a long time ago. I’ll always have your back but hey, you aren’t the only one getting something out of this relationship. You’ve given me back something too.”
Peaches wrapped her arms around Cassie and held her tight.
Deke popped his head in the kitchen. “Cassie, Peaches we need to talk to you two for a minute. Can you come out here?”
Cassie searched his face but she couldn’t read his expression. Grabbing Peaches’ hand, they walked out to the main room. They went over to the table and Cassie gasped as she saw the pictures spread out on the wooden surface. Tears welled in her eyes and she grabbed Peaches’ hand a bit tighter.
“What’s going on in these pictures?” Deke asked. “Who is this little girl?”
The pictures in question showed a little girl laying on her stomach. Her back and legs had been whipped and she had several open wounds. Wounds that oozed blood. It ran down her back and legs.
Cassie sat down on a chair and stared at the pictures. She remembered that day very clearly.
“Oh Cassie,” Peaches sobbed. “You have to tell them.”
Cassie shook her head violently. “I can’t tell anyone what happened that day. I’m too ashamed.”
Deke knelt beside her chair. “You don’t need to be ashamed, but sweetheart I need to know. Is this little girl you?”
After a long moment, Cassie nodded. “Yes, that’s me but I can’t talk about that day.” She sobbed. She got up and ran down the hall. They all heard the door slam shut and her sobs long after it closed.
Deke looked over to Peaches.
Tears rolled down her cheeks. She too, sat down, laid her head on her arms and sobbed. A few minutes later, she stopped. Raising her head, she wiped her tears away and began to talk, “That was the day Mrs. Pierce came the closest to breaking Cassie.” Her words were barely more than a whisper but everyone standing around could hear them. “The old bitch had picked a fight with one of the small kids because she knew Cassie would watch out for them, she always did. She used to tell us that somebody had to fight for the little ones and Cassie was always sticking up for someone. Anyway, that day was the worst day. Mrs. Pierce almost killed her.” She took a deep breath, let it out and went on with her story, “That day Willie had dropped his glass of milk. Cassie was on the floor cleaning up the mess and Mrs. Pierce grabbed her belt and began beating her with it. She was screaming the whole time about how ungrateful she was that somebody had opened her home to kids nobody else wanted.” Peaches halted and swiped at a tear on her cheek.
Everyone waited for her to continue.
“Cassie made the mistake of telling the old bitch she may be unwanted but she was still a person and she had rights. The old lady lost it then. She ripped Cassie’s shirt off and beat the hell out of her. It never got as bad as it did that day. She was covered in blood but the old bat wouldn’t stop. She hauled Cassie down to the basement and tied her to the wall. Then she set Robbie down there to teach her a lesson. We could hear Cassie screaming and when she stopped, Robbie came back up. He told his mother she had learned a good lesson. That was the day Cassie drew Rufus. That was the time she was alone in the dark for four days. They didn’t feed her or even give her any water. When they brought her back upstairs, Cassie had a certain look in her eyes and she couldn’t stand to be touched. That was a week before we left.”
“Did she ever tell you what the little bastard did to her?” Deke asked. “He didn’t rape her, she was a virgin.”
Peaches looked at him sadly. “She didn’t have to tell me what Robbie did to her.” She shuddered. “Robbie always was a pervert that way. He loved dishing out pain.”
Deke closed his eyes when he understood what happened that day. “I think it’s a good thing Robbie is gone. I’d have a hard time with him still breathing.”
Gator laid his hand on Deke’s shoulder.
Deke got to his feet and walked down the hall. Opening the door, he slipped inside and closed the door behind him.
Cassie was curled up on the bed.
When he went over to the bed and sat down, she moved away.
Deke pulled her close to him. “I’m so sorry honey.”
“How can you stand being close to me now?” she finally asked. “I’m damaged goods.”
Deke tightened his hold on her. “No baby, you’re not. Robbie was one sick mother fucker and what he did to you and the other kids in his mother’s charge wasn’t right. The fact his own mother allowed him to do it doesn’t say much about her. She’s the one who needs to go to jail. The bitches in the joint will teach her right and wrong. I guarantee that.”
“But I’m dirty, I feel so dirty.”
“No you aren’t.” Deke insisted. “Anal sex can be pleasurable when it’s done right. Robbie didn’t do it with pleasure in mind, he used pain as a weapon, a tool and he was a sick fuck.”
Cassie was still for a moment then she turned to look at him. “Have you ever—you know…”
Deke grinned softly. “Yeah baby, I have but my partner enjoyed herself. I didn’t hurt her.” He hesitated then told her, “I enjoyed it too.”
“Can we have sex again? I want to feel something other than being so lost. I want to feel alive again and that’s what I feel when you’re inside me,” Cassie whispered. “I need to feel alive.”
Deke was still awed by her innocence and her forthright ways. When she wanted something, she simply asked for it. He smiled as he stood up.
Cassie sat there and watched as he pulled off his shirt and jeans.
When he was naked, he reached for her clothes. A few minutes later, he joined her on the bed. Deke leaned toward her and began kissing her. When she opened her mouth to his, he plunged his tongue in deep.
Cassie groaned. She wrapped arms around his neck and pulled him closer.
Deke’s hands made their way to her breasts and he rubbed his thumbs over her hard nipples.
Cassie could feel her body responding. Her pussy was getting wet and she needed his cock inside her. Pulling him down on top of her, she opened her legs and arched her hips. “For so long, I’ve felt nothing and I was okay
with that. Nothing was worse than the pain, but you’ve shown me something so new and I want to feel it again.” She shook her head. “I need to feel it again…”
Deke felt his cock throb at her words. Without thinking, he thrust hard and deep inside her. He felt the walls of her pussy wrapping around him. She felt so good, so tight, so wet. Pulling back, he plunged even deeper. Several thrusts later, he could feel his body tighten. He knew he couldn’t hold out too much longer. “Cassie, I need you to come,” he whispered. “I’m so close.”
Cassie arched her back as her entire body quaked.
He groaned as he ground his hips against hers and came inside her. Sweat dripped down Deke’s temple as he leaned forward covered her mouth with his. His tongue thrust into her mouth and she met his invasion with one of her own. Finally, he rolled off and plopped down on the bed beside her. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her to his side.
Cassie let him hold her but only for a moment. When she pulled away, she wrapped her shoulders in the blanket.
She leaned back into his arms again, but it didn’t feel the same to Deke. He wanted her warm body naked, not draped in a blanket.
Cassie touched his chest lightly with the tips of her fingers. “I never knew it could be like this.”
He squeezed her tighter to him.
“So, when do you think they will come?”
Deke sighed. “I don’t know but we have to get ready. We aren’t that far from Boston, so they could be here anytime.”
Cassie nodded. “I suppose we’d better get dressed then, huh?”
Deke rolled to a sitting position and grabbed his pants. Standing up, he reached for his shirt, he pulled it over his head and sat down to put on his boots. Cassie hadn’t moved and he turned his head to see her watching him. When she didn’t say anything, he got up and went to the door. With one last look at her, he went back to the main room. She wore an odd expression. He wondered what she was thinking. It could just be all that she as going through, but he felt there was more she wasn’t telling him.
When he reached the table where Reva and Peaches sat, he joined them. Pouring himself a drink, he glared over the rim of his glass at Peaches. “What else do I need to know before this shit hits the fan?”
6
Peaches paled and shook her head. “You know everything now. When she gave you the evidence we carried away that night…that was everything.”
“Why do I doubt that?” Deke stared at her.
Peaches studied the tiger painting on the wall for a moment. “I’m surprised she handed it over to you actually.”
“Why?” Deke took a sip of his drink.
Peaches turned to study him now. “You don’t know the hell we went through. Cassie had been gathering that evidence for weeks before we left. She wouldn’t even tell me where she kept it. Even after we left, she would hide it. I asked her where and she would never tell me. All she ever said was that it was safe and as long as we had it, we were safe.”
Before he could respond, the main door flew open. Gator and the men he’d taken with him to dispose of Connie’s body returned.
Gator joined them and Reva poured him a drink.
“Did everything go okay?” Deke asked.
Gator nodded over the top of his glass. “That old sow made little work of her.”
“Did you have any problems coming back?”
Gator shook his head.
“How was traffic?” Deke asked.
Gator stared at him as if he wanted to say something but couldn’t. “Lots of traffic out there, more than usual anyway.”
Deke nodded. “We’d better get locked down then. Make sure the guys standing watch do their jobs. I don’t want any surprises.”’
Gator got to his feet and walked to the door. Some of the men sitting around joined him and they went outside.
Reva pushed herself away from the table. “I suppose I’d better get a meal together.”
“Just make sandwiches or something simple. The guys will be coming and going all night. Make sure you have plenty of coffee going. I don’t want anyone drinking too heavily until this is over,” Deke ordered.
Reva smiled slightly. “You got it boss.”
That left Peaches sitting with Deke. After a minute or so, she began to fidget. “I’d better go help Reva.” She got to her feet.
“Sit down,” Deke ordered without looking at her.
Peaches sat down hard.
“So, tell me what happened after you two left the Pierce household.”
Peaches’ hands began to shake and she wrapped them around her empty glass to hold it together. She couldn’t look at him and she had no idea what he wanted to know. “We left, we survived, and we made a new life for ourselves. What more is there to say?”
Deke glared at her but before he could say anything, he heard Cassie behind him.
“Why don’t you ask me what you want to know?”
Turning his head, he found her standing there.
“Why do you have to sneak around behind my back? My secrets don’t mean a damn thing to you do they?”
Peaches got to her feet. Her face was pale and she looked like she was going to cry. “Cassie, I wasn’t gonna tell him, I promise.” With a cry, she turned and ran to the kitchen.
“What are you hiding from me?” Deke demanded.
“Not a fucking thing you need to know.” Her voice was flat and sarcastic. “I don’t owe you a damn thing. If you don’t want me here, I’m gone. In fact, maybe I should just leave, that way whoever is coming will just go away. They can chase after me and you and your fucking club won’t have to worry.”
Earlier, when the door had closed behind him and she sat in his bedroom, Cassie felt tears rolling down her cheeks. She didn’t know why she cried. She didn’t know anything about sex before she met him but she knew he wasn’t giving her everything. She didn’t expect him to love her, hell she didn’t know what love was. So maybe she was wrong about him holding back but somehow deep down inside, she didn’t think so.
“You aren’t leaving here!” Deke yelled.
“You can’t fucking keep me here!” Cassie yelled back.
“The hell I can’t.” Deke growled.
“Go to hell.” Cassie snarled. Before he could respond, she swept the evidence together and stomped off toward the kitchen.
Reva didn’t look up at her, instead she ignored her altogether. She kept her hands busy making sandwiches.
Cassie searched the kitchen for her friend. She found Peaches sitting in the corner sobbing. She went over and sat down beside her. She wrapped her arm around the other woman’s shoulder and held her tight while Peaches cried. Cassie stared straight ahead. Tears burned her eyes but she wouldn’t cry. She wouldn’t give Deke the satisfaction of making her cry.
Peaches sobs lessened and finally stopped. Cassie knew she had fallen asleep and that was fine with her. She didn’t want to talk. The pain was too great and she thought her world would shatter any minute. She was barely holding on and right now, she needed room to breathe.
When Reva returned, she came over to where the girls were sitting. Without saying anything, she spread a blanket over both of them. Then she left them alone.
Deke sat there fuming. He’d never felt a rage quite like the one he was feeling now. He didn’t know how she did it. How she knew just what to say to make him flip. She was so damn stubborn, he wanted to spank her. Every little detail of her life was a battle to get her to share. She had too many secrets and he wanted to know them all, but he wanted her to share them with him. He didn’t want to have to ask about them. He swallowed his whiskey but before he could pour another, the door opened and Gator walked in. “Is everything set?”
Gator nodded. “Yup, but just as we locked the gate a car drove up. Detective Lance Sullivan wants a sit down.”
Deke sighed. “First, tell Reva the girls need to stay in the kitchen till he’s gone. Then let him in but only him. Nobody else is welcome. Also, make sure he
gives up his gun. If he really wants answers, he’ll cooperate.”
Gator nodded and headed to the kitchen then after a moment, he went back outside.
Deke filled his glass and waited. When the door opened, he turned and saw Detective Sullivan coming his way. Deke waited until both men joined him. Gator sat down and they waited until Detective Sullivan sat across from him.
“So, what can I do for the Boston police?” Deke drawled.
Lance turned his head and studied the tiger on the wall. “So that’s what he should look like.” Turning back to Deke, he cleared his throat and said, “I’m looking for two young women.”
Deke snorted. “Good luck with that, man. What makes you think they’re here? We aren’t exactly known for entertaining young women.”
Lance opened the file folder he’d brought with him and took out a black and white photo. He slid it across the table in front of Deke.
Deke glanced at it and saw the outline of a tiger etched on a stone wall. The lines were crude and uneven, as was the surface of the wall they were drawn on. He studied the drawing then turned to view the painting on his wall. They were one and the same. He shrugged and pushed the photo back to Lance. “What makes you think she’s still here?”
“This is the closest I’ve gotten in over eleven years to finding them. I had to come.” Lance shrugged. “When this case hit my desk eleven years ago…I thought all it would take was time to find them, but that was my mistake. I couldn’t believe we’d have any trouble finding a couple of kids.” He shook his head. “The longer the case sat there unsolved, the more it bothered me.”
“What does that mean?” Gator asked gruffly.
“I met Mrs. Eleonore Pierce when I got a call about an attack on a fourteen year old boy. Robbie Pierce had been attacked inside his own home. The injuries he had I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. While he was in surgery, I tried to get a statement from his mother but she was in no condition to give one.”