“As I clean, tell me what happened in each instance. Don’t leave out the details to spare me. I don’t think you should keep shit from Rocket, but I won’t go blabbing to him. Right now, I’m just your doctor and you’re my patient.”
He touched a spot on my shoulder where there were a series of cuts. I told him about the knife. As he worked down my arm and reached the burns on my hip, I shared that part of the story as well, watching as his jaw tightened and his face paled. When I had to explain they’d used things to torture me in other ways, he got up and put his first through the wall, breathing heavily, before he could continue treating my wounds. When he’d placed the last bandage, Dread helped me into the bathroom where I washed my face and hair in the sink, then he got a hot, wet rag and helped clean the rest of me so Rocket wouldn’t have to see the evidence of what they’d done. I didn’t want him to think of me battered and bloody.
I let the first of the tears fall, the ones I’d held back during my torture. Gripping the counter tight, I tried to breathe, but it hurt so damn bad. Not just because Dread feared I might have a cracked rib, but because I’d barely held it together until now. I didn’t want Rocket to see me like this, to watch me fall apart. Dread helped me into one of Rocket’s soft T-shirts, and then tucked me into bed before retrieving my fiancé. Except Rocket didn’t enter right away and I heard the murmur of voices in the hall, which meant he might not be telling Rocket everything, but Dread was most likely telling him about my recovery time and how to help me heal.
“She can’t have sex for at least a week, but two would be better,” I heard Dread telling him. My heart sank because I knew my sweet man would automatically think the worst.
The roar that Rocket released shook the windows and I heard his fist pounding into the wall again and again. Despite the pain, I made myself get out of bed and pull the door completely open. He’d fallen to his knees, his shoulders shaking with silent sobs. Going to him, I knelt at his side and placed my hand on his arm.
The tortured gaze that locked with mine nearly tore my heart in two. “I failed you. I was supposed to protect you, and I led you right to them, took you out of the safety of the compound overnight,” he said, his voice cracking at the end.
“Jesse, it’s not your fault. It’s no one’s fault but theirs. The Chaos Killers did this. Not you, not me. None of us could have known what would happen.” I smoothed my hand up and down his bicep, and he wrapped his arms around me, but didn’t squeeze too tightly. “Come lie down with me?”
He nodded and slowly rose to his feet. I clutched his hand as we entered the bedroom. Dread followed, but stayed on the other side, then pulled the door shut with a soft click. The sheets were still mussed from me lying down moments ago and I crawled back under them. Jesse stood next to the bed, just staring at the mattress, unmoving.
“Take off your boots and jeans. I need you to hold me.” Although, truth be told, I had a feeling he needed me to hold him just as much. Today hadn’t broken me, but I feared that it had damaged some part of my sweet Rocket, the man who had saved me, cared for me. It was one thing to hear about what I’d been through after the wounds had healed, and another to see the brutality of it in person.
“I’m sorry. So fucking sorry,” he said, tears thickening his voice. “So sorry.” He kept repeating himself, and I felt tears soaking my hair. I leaned back and pressed my lips to his, soft kisses until he started to respond.
“We can’t, Vi. Dread said…” He audibly swallowed. “Fuck.”
“Jesse, they only hurt me with objects. They didn’t… didn’t… They didn’t rape me. I have some cuts down there from them threatening me and trying to break me.” I knew to him it didn’t make a difference. Whether they’d fucked me or not, I’d been tortured and my big teddy bear of a biker wasn’t handling it well. “You told me I’m strong. Do you remember?”
“Of course,” he said. “Strongest woman I know.”
“I survived years with my father’s men. A short time with the Chaos Killers is barely a bump in the road. I’ll heal, Jesse. The wounds will go away, and even if they leave scars, what happened today won’t define me. I won’t let it.”
He took a shuddering breath and nodded, pressing a kiss to the top of my head. “I know, baby. Like I said, strongest woman I know. Love you so fucking much, Vi. If I could have traded places with you, I would have in a heartbeat. I never want someone to hurt you ever again.”
“They need to be stopped, Jesse. They can’t keep kidnapping women. I don’t think they expected me to live, or be in a position to cause them trouble. They talked, even bragged a bit about the harm they’d caused and the fun they’d had doing it. The women who live are sold. Sometimes to private buyers, and sometimes to brothels worldwide. Someone has to do something,” I said.
“I’ll talk to Spider, and we’ll see what Surge can find.”
I ran my hand up his chest and around the back of his neck. “You’re not invincible. None of you are, but your club is bigger than just Hades Abyss. Your family has a wider reach. This club has a tie to the Dixie Reapers, and they have ties to other clubs, don’t they?” I asked.
“Yes.”
“Then use that. Call in every connection any of you have, reach as far and wide as you can, and then strike out against the Chaos Killers and take them down. Even if it means working with the government.”
He blinked at me. “Government?”
“Isn’t it illegal to kidnap women and children? To sell them to buyers in other countries or even here in the US?” I asked.
“Yeah, it sure the fuck is.”
I thought for a moment. When I’d arrived here, I’d believed Casper VanHorne was every bit as evil as my father, and I’d been wrong. If the man had helped take down Mateo Gomez, then would he be willing to help with this too? I didn’t know anything about him, but he’d saved me and my sisters.
“Would Mr. VanHorne help?” I asked.
Jesse faintly smiled, the first one I’d seen since he realized what had been done to me. “Yeah, I believe he just might, and if he’s willing to help, then I bet Specter would too. They’re two of the most badass men in the world. If anyone could help take down those assholes, it would be Casper and Specter.”
I tried to keep a straight face. I’d met Casper, but his name paired with Specter struck me as humorous.
“Casper? And Specter? Seriously?”
Jesse shrugged. “Far as I know, Casper is the man’s real name. Specter, however, is a different story. I don’t think anyone knows that man’s real name, and that’s exactly how he likes it. Casper, on the other hand, pretty much just says a big fuck-you to anyone who would dare come after him.”
I ran my fingers along his beard and scraped my nails along his scalp. Jesse shut his eyes and took a deep breath.
“I’ll call Spider after we’ve rested a bit,” he said. “Nothing will happen until he comes home anyway. Just be prepared for your sister to lose her shit when she sees you. He’s tried to keep her from finding out you were missing, but there’s no way we can hide what they did to you.”
I hardened my jaw and thinned my lips. “Some of it can be kept secret. Don’t you dare tell her everything, Jesse. She doesn’t need that burden. No one does. I’ll keep as much of me covered as I can so she only sees the bruises on my face and my split lip.”
“I will gladly carry all your burdens, Vi. From now until forever.”
I knew he would, but it didn’t mean I wanted him to. I’d handled things well enough so far. Just knowing that he was there for me was enough. When I’d been snatched from the hotel, it hadn’t occurred to me that Rocket would blame himself. The blame definitely didn’t lie at his feet. It was the Chaos Killers, and only them. If they couldn’t be stopped, I didn’t know that I would ever feel safe leaving the compound. And even if they were dealt with, it didn’t mean there weren’t others out there who were every bit as bad, if not worse. The world was full of evil, which I’d learned firsthand. I knew ther
e was good in it too, like the man holding me, but sometimes the bad seemed to outweigh the rest.
There was a knock at the door and Rocket growled.
“What?” he asked, his tone biting.
Dread pushed the door open and came in with a glass of water and a bottle of pills. “She needs to take something for the pain. I’ve called in some antibiotics and pain relievers, but if she takes this now, she can’t have more pain meds for at least eight hours.”
“It’s fine. I’ll take the pills now,” I said, trying to sit up and wincing. I remembered someone mentioning that Dread still practiced medicine, and not just when the club needed to be patched up. Right now, I was grateful he could give me medication without me needing to go to a clinic.
I took the medication from Dread and swallowed it with the water he’d brought. Then I handed the glass back and Rocket helped me lie down again. Everything hurt, but I was used to pain. Or at least, I’d been used to it before coming here. I didn’t remember hurting this much before.
Dread went to the door, then hesitated. “I know the two of you were together before Violeta was taken, and since I wasn’t sure how careful you were, I’ve made sure everything she’s taking wouldn’t hurt a baby. Just in case.”
I closed my eyes and tried not to groan. Wonderful. Now Rocket would be freaking out that I was injured like this and carrying his kid. And I’d thought he was protective before. Thanks, Dread. I tried to glare at the man, but didn’t have the energy to pull it off. Instead, I curled against Rocket’s side and closed my eyes. I was safe, back home where I belonged. That’s all that mattered right now. I’d deal with everything else later. Much later. I felt like I could sleep for a year.
I heard the bedroom door shut and Rocket shifted, holding me a little closer. Breathing in his scent, I felt a calm wash over me. It wasn’t the house that was home, but the man in bed with me. Wherever Rocket was, that’s where I wanted to be. It still seemed unreal that I was lying here with him, that he actually wanted me as much as I wanted him. Loved me, for that matter. My hand clenched and my heart broke a little.
“They took my ring,” I said. “And my bracelet.”
“They’re just objects, Vi. The only thing that matters is that I have you back. I can replace the ring and bracelet, but I can’t find another Violeta.” He kissed my forehead. “Right now, you need to focus on healing and resting. Don’t worry about anything else.”
I nodded and the tension slowly eased from my body. Rocket ran his hand lightly up and down my back, the one part of me that was barely injured. I had a few marks on my upper back, but that was all. The chair had protected me from just beneath my shoulders to my hips, not that I doubted for a second they’d have untied me if they wanted to hurt me elsewhere. Thankfully, they hadn’t had time to get that far. It sickened me that people had bid on ways to hurt me. How could someone become so dark and twisted? It really made me wonder if some people were born without souls. I didn’t understand how anyone with an ounce of humanity could do that to another person.
“Do you want another bracelet?” Rocket asked after several minutes of silence.
I bit my lip, then whimpered, having forgotten about my injured mouth for a moment. Did I want a bracelet? Yes and no. I’d been thrilled when he’d given it to me, but those men had easily taken it away. If I’d been marked like Luciana, they couldn’t have taken his name from me. Then again, they could have burned it off.
“I think I’d like a tattoo,” I said. “But I don’t know that I just want a plain one like Luciana has. I’d like something pretty, if that’s all right.”
Rocket kissed me gently, careful not to hurt me. “You can have whatever you want, after you’re better. No way I’m having someone ink you while you’re injured. In the meantime, I’ll have a property cut made for you, and I’ll find some time to get you another engagement ring.”
“The ring couldn’t have been cheap, Jesse. I don’t need another one.”
His jaw tightened. “Whether you think you need one or not, you’re getting one. And don’t worry about the cost. Don’t you know that I’d do anything for you? Give you anything, even the last cent in my bank account?”
“Doesn’t mean I want the last cent in your account,” I said dryly. “I’d rather you have money for stuff like food, the bills, and things you need than a ring. I know I’m yours and don’t need a piece of jewelry to tell me that.”
“Maybe not, but the other fuckers out there might need proof you’re taken. Consider the ring my peace of mind if you go outside the gates without me.”
He was such a caveman, but I had to admit I liked it. After the way I’d been treated previously, an alpha guy like Rocket should have scared me off, but I knew he loved me, wanted to protect me, and that made all the difference. Yes, he could be overbearing at times, but I knew that it was because he was scared to lose me, and after today I could hardly blame him. I’d wear his ring, a property cut, and anything else he asked of me, not because I was weak or letting him walk all over me but because I loved him just as much. I was proud to be his, and for other men to know that I was taken by the sexy biker lying in bed with me. I’d gladly scream it from the rooftops.
Although, I had a feeling he wouldn’t be far from my side after today. I doubted that I’d need clothing or jewelry to tell men I was taken. The teddy bear I’d known since coming here had grown fangs and would likely rip out the throat of any man who looked at me wrong.
Was it wrong that I not only liked it, but was turned-on by how possessive Jesse was?
Chapter Six
Rocket
I’d talked Spider into keeping Luciana busy for another two weeks while Violeta recovered. I didn’t know how he managed it, and I wasn’t going to ask, but I was grateful for the time. My woman looked much better. Her bruises had faded and were mostly gone, except for a few along her ribs that were now a yellowish color. The burn marks had healed, but were scarring, and same for the cuts. I hated that she’d have visible reminders of what happened, but she wasn’t letting it keep her down.
“Luciana, I’m fine,” she insisted. “All you’re doing is giving me a headache.”
My Pres’s woman folded her arms over her chest and glared at her little sister. “I can worry. I’m allowed.”
Vi sighed. “Yes, you can worry, but as you can see I’m healing well. If you’d been here, you wouldn’t have been able to stop it from happening, you couldn’t have made me better any faster. Stop blaming yourself and just give me some breathing room.”
Luciana sagged, looking a bit defeated for all of two seconds, then her eyes were flashing again. “Fine. You don’t want me to worry? You don’t need me here? Then I’ll go home. You can come find me when you’re ready to be reasonable.”
I could have sworn I saw Spider roll his eyes as he herded her from the house. They’d only been home a few hours, but nearly every second of that time had been here with me and Violeta. While I could understand her concern, it was also apparent to anyone with eyes and ears that Luciana was annoying her little sister, who didn’t want to dwell on what she’d been through.
The front door softly clicked shut and Vi slumped on the couch. There were still dark circles under her eyes. She didn’t think I was awake all the times she screamed out in her sleep, but I’d been there for every single nightmare, holding her and trying to snap her out of it. I felt like a complete failure and an utter shit for letting her get taken to begin with, even if she didn’t blame me.
Now that Spider was home, hopefully we could come up with a plan to ensure the Chaos Killers wouldn’t be a problem anymore. It didn’t mean that my woman would be safe. There would always be someone out there putting a target on the club, but at least this particular threat would be gone, and from what Surge had found, the world would be a better place. I only hoped that if we went after them, I wouldn’t be asked to leave Vi. After seeing her tied to that chair, witnessing what they’d done to her in such a short amount of time, I did
n’t want to let her out of my sight if it could be helped. Eventually I’d have to loosen my grip or drive her away, but for now, I just needed the reassurance that she was safe.
“Need anything?” I asked, as I studied her. She really did look exhausted, more so than before Luciana’s visit. I could understand her sister needing to see her, but it had been hard on Vi.
“I think I’ll just curl up on the couch and watch a movie,” she murmured.
I pushed away from where I’d been leaning against the wall and walked over to her. Kneeling down, I ran my fingers through her hair before kissing her forehead. It still amazed me that in the short time Violeta had been in my home, she’d become the most important person to me. She was my entire world. My club had always come first, but if she asked me to walk away, I might very well do it. It wasn’t something she’d ever do, though. Despite the way she’d feared everyone at first, I knew that she now accepted my brothers and felt safe around them. She liked living at the compound, or she had so far.
“Teller came by again this morning,” I told her.
She closed her eyes and sighed, then buried her face in the couch a moment. When she looked at me, her eyes held a great deal of pain, but I didn’t think it was the physical kind.
“I can’t handle any more visitors right now,” she said. “I know he’s worried. They all are, but it’s too much. I can’t get past it if everyone is constantly reminding me of what happened. Looking in the mirror is enough of a reminder.”
“What do you want to do, Vi? You can’t hide in the house forever. I’ll hold them off as much as I can, but everyone here is worried about you.”
“I know they are. I appreciate the concern, and I love that they want me to feel like I’m part of the family, but… it’s too much. I just need some space.” She reached out and ran her fingers along my beard. “Except from you. I don’t want you to leave me.”
“I’m not going anyway, sweetheart. Not if I can help it. You know if Spider gives me orders, I have to follow them.”
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