by L. Ann Marie
“Where is your cousin?” Danny asks, sending chills down my back. His voice is monotone.
“I don’t know.” The guy starts crying. Pussy. Danny shoots his other foot. Fuck!
“If he moves from this spot, put a bullet in his brain,” Danny says, letting the pussy go. He slides down the wall, leaving a blood trail across the floor.
“Got it.” Is all I can say as I swing my gun to the lousy excuse of a man crying on the floor. They’ve never shot my toes off, but I would hope I wouldn’t cry like a five-year-old. Danny walks away like he owns the house. Crazy ass Brothers. The pussy doesn’t move except for his shoulders shaking. He looks at me as if I shot his toes off. “Should have just told him the truth.” I shrug, aiming at his forehead.
Danny comes back in and he’s pissed. “You gave him fuckin directions but haven’t heard from him?” He shoots the pussy’s hand that was holding him up. The asshole screams like a woman. I want to shoot him. Danny checks his pockets. “Go to my bike. Get the duct tape from under the seat.” I run out the door, not wanting him to have a chance at my toes for not moving fast enough. Back inside I tape the pussy’s hands, then his mouth. I just go right around his whole head so he’ll shut the fuck up. Danny walks away talking but gets back by the time I’m done with his feet. He pulls the guy over to a door and nods for me to open it. When I do he drops the guy, then gives him a kick so he rolls down the stairs. Shit.
“Let’s go. They’ve got backup coming.” I follow him out, grabbing my helmet as I go.
Sticks has us riding out of the city. I think we’re in Dedham, but I can’t get a lock on our location with the names of the streets and I can’t focus in on a map while I’m following Danny. He drives like a maniac. It’s sunset and I’m getting nervous. The pussy’s had her for hours now. We turn and I hear the chopper. Danny pulls to the side of the road and starts running. I follow with my heart in my throat. He’s running for a reason I don’t know and that scares the fuck out of me. I hear a scream and pass him, getting to the door first. “Gun ready!” he yells. I pull it and flip the safety and he’s beside me. She screams again and he kicks the door open.
My brain can’t take it all in at once. Penny is tied to the table and the pussy is over her with a squirt bottle. Her skin is steaming. I shoot and he falls. “Nice shot. Get her untied and into the shower.” Danny drops and is cutting the rope. I move to her feet and do the same. She’s saying something and crying. As soon as I get her feet loose, I stand to lift her up. “Don’t touch her skin!” I put my arms under her and lift her up.
“Right here, babe,” I say over and over.
“Get her in the shower. Now, Digs!” I look around and see the bathroom.
I bend to turn the water on and hit her head on the wall. Fuck. She doesn’t need more fuckin pain. Whatever is on her is burning her skin. The smell is making me want to gag, but I keep moving and have her under the water. She’s moaning but not moving under the water. Since it’s cold it must feel good on whatever is burning her. This is how she got the scars. He used a chemical on her. I have no idea how much time has passed. She’s out now, but I’m afraid to leave the water. It brought some comfort to her.
Cloud comes in with a sheet. “Let’s get her to the hospital, Digs.” He helps me cover her and I start walking out. The smell is still in the room and hits me hard. I clench my teeth together and make it out the door without puking all over her. Danny’s outside, wiping his mouth. I’m glad I’m not the only one.
Cloud landed in the middle of the road. I hear bikes as I’m climbing in the chopper but don’t look back. Sitting in the first seat as gently as I can, I look down and see she is looking at me. “We’re in the chopper. Cloud is getting us to the hospital.”
A tear falls and I move her to wipe it. She moans and I still. “Thank you.” Her voice is hoarse and she tries for a smile but doesn’t make it. I lean down and kiss her head, trying not to move her. ”Told him I wasn’t letting him take anymore. I fought him. I knew you’d come,” she whispers and I want to hug her to me but don’t move.
“There’s nowhere for me but with you, babe. You were brave. I’m so proud of you, Penny.” I feel the burn in my nose and don’t realize what it is until my eyes cloud. I close my eyes and kiss her head again, blinking back the tears. She fought knowing that I was coming for her. When I straighten Danny hands me cans. I slide them on her head, trying not to move her. He hands me another set and I put them on. Her eyes are closed again. I look at Danny. “What was it?”
“Muriatic acid. It’s the same thing he used on her before.” He looks away.
My girl’s been through fuckin hell twice now. “Never a-fuckin’-gain, babe. He’ll never do it again.”
“He’s dead and unrecognizable. I used the rest of the bottle on him. Let him rot in hell,” Danny says in that deadly voice.
I look at Penny. She looks peaceful. “Yeah.”
“BMC in three, Digs,” Cloud says. Thank God.
On the hospital roof, medical people come running to the chopper before it’s off. Danny holds them off until I climb out. I lay her down as gently as I can and follow them to the elevator. I answer all their questions, holding her hand, and stay as they take the sheet off. There’s skin stuck to it. Fuck! Danny steps out and I’m glad. She’s in a pair of panties. Her skin is bubbled up on her rib cage leading up to her sensitive tit.
“These old scars are from muriatic acid too?” a doctor asks.
“Yes, that’s what I was told. He used the same stuff.” I step aside for a nurse to put an IV in her hand.
“Getting it washed was the best thing you could have done. These old scars weren’t washed right away,” he tells the nurse. Shit. I move back to hold her hand. “All we can do is make her comfortable right now. The nurse will get some medicine on her and a light gauze. We’ll get antibiotic in her to help with infection. No visitors and you need to be covered when you come near her.” I nod and look around but don’t see anything to cover with. The doctor writes shit down, then puts the chart at the end of the bed. “Let’s look at that arm.” He points to my arm.
I look and see the same red and swollen bubbled skin as Penny has. It doesn’t hurt and I didn’t notice it, so I’m a little freaked to see it. I hold it out to him, wondering how I missed my fuckin’ skin burning. He checks it out and says something to the nurse. She moves our way. “No, take care of her. I can wait until you’re done.”
She smiles. “I’m all done until the vitals check in about an hour.” I nod and watch Penny as she puts shit on my arm. I get a shot and my arm gets covered with gauze. She gives me instructions and a smile. “Your friend is outside.”
“Brother,” I say, interrupting her.
She nods with the same smile. “Your brother is outside. Why don’t you ask him to get you some clothes? You’ll be more comfortable if you’re dry.”
“I’m not leaving her and he’s not supposed to come in here,” I tell her.
She looks around, then goes to the cabinet near the bathroom. She comes back with a sheet. “Help me get this over the rails. It won’t touch her and your brother can come in and stay by the door.”
I help her, using the surgical tape to hold the ends down. It looks like bows under where I taped around the rail. For some reason it makes me happy. I think she’d like the girly look it has. What the hell am I thinking? I’ve lost my fuckin mind. I shake my head to clear it and go to the door. Danny is pacing the hall.
The nurse leaves as he steps in. “You have to stay by the door. They gave her antibiotic for infection and put some shit on her. The doctor said it was good to get her washed. Thanks, Brother.”
“I’m glad she’s going to be okay. Colby is bringing up some clothes and food for you. Cloud is at the Baxters tomorrow, but he’ll transport her to the City hospital after work. It will be better with her closer to home.” He’s watching for my reaction.
I don’t know what he expects, but I think it’ll be good for her to be c
loser to her friends and therapist. This is going to leave another one of those inside scars. “Yeah. I’d like her to be closer to home. Thanks for the clothes.”
He nods toward my arm. “What did he say about it?”
“Just keep it covered and keep the shit on it.” I point to papers on the tray thing. “Antibiotic for five days.”
He takes the prescription and puts it in his pocket, then reads the papers. While he’s reading, I open the door for Colby. He hands me a bag and asks about Penny. I tell him what I know and about her trip home tomorrow. He throws chin and stands to the side of the door. I guess he’s her Security.
Danny folds the pages and puts them in his pocket. “Do you need anything else?”
“No, I guess they’re leaving her in this room for the night. I’m staying here with her.”
He smiles. “I didn’t think you’d be leaving. You have Colby outside and Driscoll at the elevator. HS is due to relieve them in four hours. I’ll be back in the morning. I’m across the street if you need me.”
I give him a man hug. “Thanks, Brother, and thanks for taking me with you today.”
“I would have left your ass at Security if I had any doubts, Digs. You did everything right today. Even kept up with me when the other team slowed it down. Everything right, Brother. I’ll take you out again if you ever get bored behind the computer.” He smiles.
“Not a fuckin’ chance. I need to be at the computer running information. It’s too nerve-racking to wait for shit to come through.”
He laughs. “You did good!” He slaps my back and walks out. I love the Brotherhood, but Danny especially. He took notice and has played a father figure to me since he started running HS. Even when he threatens me I know he won’t kill me. He may shoot my toes off, but he won’t kill me. Kate would be pissed. I smile and turn back to Penny. She’s sleeping with whatever they gave her. I go in the bathroom and change, not at all surprised they have my size right. I wrote the program that logs HS clothing and hygiene supply lists. When I come out Penny is awake. I put the bag with my sandwich in it down. I’ll eat it later when the smell of burning skin and chemical is not so fresh in my head.
“Babe.” I don’t really know what to say. I pull the chair over and hold her hand. She’s got some bubbles on the other one. It’s covered, sitting up on a pillow. I’m glad this one is clear, but I’m gentle because of the IV.
She squeezes my fingers. “I’m glad you’re still here.” Her voice is still hoarse, probably from screaming.
“Nowhere else for me to be.”
“Thank you.” She has tears in her eyes.
I lean down and kiss her head. “You’re going to be fine, babe.”
“Yeah.” She smiles. The stress of the day is wiped away with that smile. “I fought him. I think I broke his nose. It was bleeding all over the darn place.”
I laugh and, fuck, that feels good. “Saw that, babe. You hit him good.” She nods and closes her eyes with the smile still on her lips. She fought back, probably for the first time in her life, but she did it. She’ll never forget it. She fought back. I sit down, smiling. My girl is a fighter. I knew she was. No one could live through what she has and not be. She came away from him broken but built a business and started living again. I knew there was fight in her.
Chapter Seven
Digs
Danny knocks and walks in, staying just inside the door. Something is wrong. I let penny’s hand go and go over to him. “Baxters’ office was hit with a bomb this morning. Jake’s downstairs. He was caught by a steel door.”
Fuck! “Is he okay?”
“He’s still unconscious, but Mitch says he’ll be fine. He’s cut up pretty bad. They were still working on him when I got here.”
“Shit, is there anything I can do to help? If Mitch is here, they might need IT help.” I wish I had my laptop.
He smiles. “The compound has a whole office of IT that can handle what they need. You need to keep our girl straight right now. Kate thinks she may go back into her shell if you give her that option. She said don’t give her that option.” He’s watching me with that intense look.
I smile. “No, I think she’ll be okay. She fought him and she’s proud of herself for it. I think she’s good.”
He laughs. “Fuckin’ women. When you think this is the one that’s going to break them, they come back stronger.”
“Yeah. She’s strong.” I’m so fuckin proud of her for not giving up.
“Cloud has Neil bringing the twins and Tess up. He’ll come here first, then bring them down to Jake. Pres will have the paperwork for Penny to be transported to the city. Neil will be flying us all back. Cloud will be taking Jake and the Baxters’ home. With what happened at their office Jamie wants Mitch on the military chopper.”
“Yeah, that’s probably best and there’s no threat to Penny anymore.”
“You okay with what happened?” He looks concerned.
“Yeah, I did what needed to be done. I can’t say I’m happy or broken up about it. I don’t feel anything for the pussy one way or the other.” Shouldn’t I feel something? Now that I said it out loud it sounds bad.
He’s watching me with that eye. “That’s how it is for some of us. For me it just is what it is. I don’t feel the need to analyze it, so it just goes away. If it’s not working for you, you let me or Rich know.”
“Yeah. I feel better knowing it’s okay not to feel anything. I thought something was wrong with me, I didn’t even think about it until you asked.”
He slaps my shoulder. “You should have gone into HS, Brother. You’d make a fine soldier.”
I shake my head, smiling. No fuckin’ way.
“I’m headed back down to Jake. Mitch wanted to talk to Penny about the scars. She has a doctor that can help get rid of them.” He turns, then looks back, handing me the coffee and bag in his hand. I throw him chin. Love the fuckin Brotherhood.
The nurse comes in and adjusts the bed so Penny can eat. When she leaves Penny asks me to untie the top so she can sit up. I don’t think this is a great idea, but I do it. She moves slowly but sits, then turns her body to the side so she’s facing me. The gauze stays in place, but I can see the new scars and dried blood. “I think they had you down so it’s not so painful,” I tell her, not wanting that pain to touch her.
“I’m okay. If it hurts too much I wouldn’t be able to do it.” She doesn’t look like she’s in severe pain, but I see she’s in some. I nod and hand her coffee, knowing I won’t win this one.
“Mitch is coming up to see you about the scars and a doctor she knows.” She puts the cup back in my hand.
“What can the doctor do that they haven’t already done?” she asks.
“I have no idea. Danny just said she knows a doctor that can get rid of them. I don’t think he had any more than that or he would have said.”
“I’m still paying for the grafts on my stomach and privates. I can’t afford more surgery.” She’s watching for my reaction. Her and Danny this morning, what the hell do they think I’m going to do?
“We have insurance that will cover what you need,” I tell her, a little pissed that they both think I’d walk over some fuckin scars.
“My insurance doesn’t cover it, it’s not medically necessary.”
“Babe, you’re on my insurance and I know we’ve got better coverage than the state plan.”
She looks surprised. “I’m on your plan and it will cover the scars?”
“What the fuck, Penny? I told you I’m in. I put you on my insurance. I’m buying the house. I got the stove in. The garage is going up and you and Danny still think I’m going to walk over fuckin’ scars?”
She leans back and I see it hurts her. Fuck! I turn her and put the bed higher so she can sit and lean back. “I didn’t mean to scare you,” I say, sitting on the edge.
She looks at me. “You didn’t. You surprised me. You know what I told Lenny when I hit him?” I shake my head no and I’m not so sure I want to k
now. “I told him I know what love is and you didn’t see the scars, you saw me. I know you don’t care about them. It would be nice if instead of treating me like a kid you talk to me about these things.” She hasn’t taken her eyes off me and I’m smiling. “It’s not normal to just buy a house and put a garage on. I know the MC does crazy stuff, but that’s a lot to take in on top of you putting me on your insurance after knowing me for two weeks.”
I laugh and notice she’s getting pissed. I put my hands up. “Maybe it’s a little fast, I get that. I’ve known you forever, Penny. You are one of the women with steel running through you. You built a business, jumped into the Little Sisters, are a loyal friend and now my girl who is willing to stand up for herself. I didn’t think to talk to you about the house because you love it. There is no reason for you to move. I need a garage to get the bikes out of the weather and you are mine now, so you need a garage for your car, even if you hardly ever drive it. I put you on my insurance because we fuck like rabbits and if you get pregnant you’ll need it. I wasn’t shielding you like a kid. I am just being responsible for my actions.”
She doesn’t say anything, but I see it all play out in her expressions. “Well, next time you want to be a responsible adult, tell me so I’m not so surprised by it. It would be good if you talked to me about big things too. What if I don’t love the house? Maybe I want a house with another bedroom in case I get pregnant because we...act like bunnies.” She’s all but putting her hands on her hips, still pissed at me.
I snap my teeth together and look away from her glare so I don’t smile or laugh. When I look back she’s still wearing the glare. I clear my throat, looking down. “We can add onto the house to get the extra bedroom. I told you all the things I did so there isn’t anything else that will surprise you. Are we done now?”
Her whole body relaxes like I let the air out of her balloon. “Well, fiddlesticks. Yes, we’re done.”
I can’t hold it in. I crack up. “Fiddlesticks?” I’m still laughing when Mitch comes in.