Broken

by Alexis Noelle

  I stand up with her help, my legs feeling like jelly at first. “I wanted today to be about us. All anyone will see when they look at me are the bruises. I don’t want everyone to pity me when it should be a day of celebration.”

  “I get it, babe.” She slides the bracelets she always wears up her arm. There is a thin white scar on each of her wrists. My eyes widen at the thing she is sharing with me. “Told you that I had a hard time dealing. You can never get rid of your scars. They are always there and they’ll always remind you of a time when you were at your weakest. The difference is whether you choose to let them destroy you, or you use their pain to make you strong.” Her hand rests on my back. “You’re strong. I can see it in your eyes. I did that first night. Sometimes we all need help finding our strength and today I’m going to give you back some of yours. No one will pity you today. They will see someone who is a survivor.”

  I hug her, needing her to know how much I appreciate having someone like her in my life.

  “Go get dressed so I can work my magic.”

  I walk into the bathroom, avoiding my reflection in the mirror. My shower is quick mainly because I still don’t feel 100 percent, and it’s hard to get washed when you can’t look at what you’re doing. I walk out in a towel and see clothes on the bed. Lucy is standing in front of the dresser with an arsenal of makeup and her curling iron.

  “Go ahead and get dressed. I’ll stay turned this way and get the rest of this stuff ready.”

  I pick up the clothes, thankful that she grabbed leggings and not jeans. Comfort is a definite must today. Once I’m dressed, I walk over to where Lucy is standing.

  “Sit down, facing away from the mirror.” No problem there.

  Lucy starts to apply makeup to not only my face but my neck. I flinch a few times but for the most part, the soft brush she uses doesn’t bother me at all. After that she starts to work her way around my head blow drying, curling, and fluffing my hair. When she stands back and looks at me she smiles.

  “I’m a genius.” She laughs. “Turn around.”

  I take a deep breath, trying to find the strength that she instilled in me earlier. When I do I’m speechless. The bruises on my face are barely there and my makeup looks incredible. The way my hair is falling, it covers most of my neck and the part it doesn’t is barely noticeable. I look like myself, not like a victim.

  I turn to Lucy. “Thank you so much.”

  “Anytime.” She places the brush back onto the dresser. “There are a ton of people waiting on your gorgeous ass, so let’s get out there.”

  I stand up, bracing myself to see everyone again.

  “Just keep telling yourself. ‘I am a woman, hear me roar’.”

  I look at her, holding back a smile.

  “Okay, I know, not as profound as my last pep talk. Honestly, I stole that one from Nikki.” She shrugs.

  Max walks in and his eyes widen as he takes me in. “You look beautiful, baby.” He walks toward me, taking me in his arms. “Ready?”

  I nod. Lucy walks out in front of us.

  “Okay, let’s go make this official.”

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Izzy

  When we walk into the common room it is almost as packed as it was the day Twisted introduced me to the club. Everyone is standing around talking but things start to quiet.

  “Brothers, today is a time for us to celebrate!” My brother booms. “My sister was found and she is okay.” The room erupts in cheers. “We also have another order of business from Lady.”

  I can’t believe they are making him keep that name!

  “Today I am claiming this beautiful woman as mine.” The cheers are even louder this time as Max bends his head and kisses me. I wrap my arms around his neck. He pulls back with a huge grin on his face. “I have something for you.”

  Lucy walks over, handing him something black. He holds it up and on the back of it is written ‘Deathstalker’s MC’. The club insignia is in the middle and underneath it is written ‘Property Of Lady’. It’s just like the jackets I see all the other girls wearing. He spins it around and holds it out to me. I slip my arms into the sleeves, enjoying the cool feeling of the leather.

  “Welcome to the family,” Max says, and he pulls me to him before turning my back toward the room.

  Someone yells ‘let’s party’ and the room comes alive once more.

  I look around and see Twisted walking toward me with a man and a girl. I notice how we have similar features, and I know that it must be Lizzie.

  “Izzy, this is Lizzie and Jesse.” Twisted steps out of the way, and Lizzie immediately pulls me into a hug. “Take it easy, Liz. She’s still healing.”

  She lets go of me and looks over at him. “You shut up because you should have told us way sooner than this!” She turns back to me, giving me a huge smile. “I’m so happy to meet you! I always wanted a sister to save me from these barbarians.”

  I laugh and a shot of pain hits me.

  “You okay?” Max asks quickly.

  “Yes.” I smile at his protectiveness.

  Jesse steps forward. “Welcome to the insane asylum, sis.” He gives me a hug, and I return it, completely overwhelmed by the fact that this is real.

  “Why don’t we grab a seat and get something to eat.” Twisted leads us over to a table and has one of the prospects get us some food from the kitchen.

  Sitting at a table with my family, talking and laughing seems so surreal to me. It’s something I never envisioned for myself.

  I remember when Hades first told me that they found my brother. I almost didn’t believe him because of the other cruel things he used to do and say. I took the chance that he was telling the truth, though. Thank God I did.

  Everyone is dancing and drinking and the room is filled with laughter. I yawn as the events of the day are starting to wear me down.

  “Well, this has been great, but I think that I need to take my girl upstairs.” Max stands up and holds a hand out to me. I don’t fight him because I really am tired.

  Lizzie and Jesse give me hugs goodbye and a promise that they will see me again soon before walking away.

  Twisted stands up and gives Max a look, telling him to back away. “I’m not sure if I’ve ever had the chance to tell you this. I’m happy I found you. Just because you haven’t always been in this family doesn’t mean that you aren’t as much a part of it as the rest of us.”

  I give him a hug, and he returns it.

  “If that boy ever hurts you, I’ll kill him.”

  I pull away and smile at him. “Thank you.”

  I finally feel like I’ve found my place.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Max

  Wrench was finally able to find Hades. He’s holed up in some shithole and laying low. It’s been a week of trying to find this asshole and now that we have I can’t wait to end his pathetic life.

  I still can’t ride my bike, so I’m driving a truck. There is no way that I wanted to miss him getting put down. Our intel says that he’s there alone. Riding in front of me are Twisted, Whip, and Torch. All of us were on edge this morning, knowing that today was the day.

  When we pull up to the place I can’t help the laugh that comes out of my mouth. Hades went from running an MC to hiding in a broken down wooden shack.

  Twisted and I head to the front door, while Whip and Torch go to the back. Twisted kicks the door open and we move in, our guns drawn. Turning a corner, Hades is sitting in a chair in the middle of the room.

  He smiles as he sees us. “Took you all long enough.”

  Torch and Whip walk in and all four of us have our guns pointed at Hades.

  “While I’m sure you’re all ready to kill me, don’t you want to know why I did all of this?” He cocks an eyebrow at us then his gaze zeroes in on Twisted. “Why I targeted your punk ass?”

  “Say what the fuck you want. It won’t change this outcome. You’ll die today knowing you didn’t win.” Twisted’s voice sounds anima
listic as he speaks through clenched teeth.

  “I wouldn’t imagine you remembering. You were a self-centered prick even back then. I have two words for you. Sheltered Hearts.” Hades smiles.

  I look next to me and Twisted’s face drops.

  “I’m guessing the men behind you don’t know too much about your past. You don’t remember me still? Do you?” Hades pauses, and I can see Twisted’s mind working, but I can tell he’s coming up at a loss. “Fat Jimmy.”

  With that name Twisted’s eyes go wide.

  “There it is!” Hades’ voice booms and bounces off the bare walls in the tiny room. “Let me fill you in, boys. I was your trusted leader’s roommate. Everyone at that damn foster home tortured me. Finally, one night two of the kids came in and beat the shit out of me. That motherfucker right there…” His voice gets louder and he points at Twisted. “He lay in his bed the whole time, pretending like nothing was happening. I got moved to a different home that was more of a hell than my fucking parents’ house. It was all your fault.” His eyes narrow as he stares at Twisted.

  “I made a vow that day that I’d make you pay. Even when I became a fucking MC President you were the President of a bigger club. You always had to get one up on me. Until I found your sister.” He starts to laugh. “Do you know that I found out who she was two weeks before I told her? I made sure to pay special attention to her during those couple weeks. Every time I made that bitch scream it made me so fucking happy.”

  Twisted takes a step forward. “You are fucking done talking about her.”

  Hades shrugs. “It felt good to make you assholes chase your tails. You didn’t win that day at the warehouse. You were all simply there so that I could show you how easily I could get to you. I wanted you to know what a pathetic shit you were. I’ll never let you get the final dig in. You’ll never win against me.”

  Twisted laughs. “That why I’m the one holding the gun now?”

  “Not for long.” Hades quickly pulls a gun from under him and blows a hole right through his head. His body falls forward and the smack it makes on the floor echoes.

  “Shit,” Twisted mutters. He turns toward Whip. “You and Torch clean this shit up.” He takes one more look back and spits on Hades’ body. “Rot in hell.”

  I follow him out, knowing he didn’t tell me to stay.

  “When we get back you only tell her that he’s gone. All the other shit, that’s club business.”

  I nod to him before getting into the truck.

  As much as I would have liked to make the bastard suffer, at least I know he’s in hell where he belongs and he’ll never get close to her again.

  I can finally go home and tell Izzy that it’s over.

  Chapter Thirty

  Izzy

  Knowing the guys went out to deal with Hades is making me a nervous wreck. With each passing minute, another scenario plays in my head where one of them gets hurt. I’ve been pacing my room thinking of all the things that could be going wrong. I decide to take a shower, hoping that it might calm my nerves down a bit.

  When I come out of the bathroom Max is standing in the middle of my room. I walk over to him, and he rests his hands on my hips. “It’s over, babe. You don’t have to worry anymore. You’re safe.” The minute those words leave his lips I throw my arms around him. It feels like a weight has been lifted off of me. I press my lips against his.

  When I pull away I notice how he isn’t as happy as I am. “What’s wrong?” I say, concerned at the way he’s acting.

  “Nothing.” He smiles down at me. “I was just thinking about how if someone told me about this, about how I’d meet you and instantly feel the way I do, I would have told them they were crazy. You came into my life like a tornado, Izzy. Everything I thought I knew was gone and there was only you. Every brother who has an old lady will tell you that they knew the instant they saw her that she would be theirs. I used to think it was bullshit until I found you that first night.”

  He pulls me closer to him. “When I thought I lost you my whole world fell to pieces in front of my eyes. The time I spent here when you were missing was hell. Everything reminded me of you because you consume every single thought I have. Tomorrow I want you to move into my place with me. I want to build a life with you by my side every day.” His hands release me and he lowers himself down to the ground. “I want you to marry me. I didn’t plan on doing this right now, so I don’t have a ring, but you can pick out—”

  “Yes!” I interrupt him, not able to hold it in anymore.

  He jumps up, pulling me into a kiss and filling me with every ounce of love he was telling me that he felt. “I love you, Izzy, and I swear that I will make you so fucking happy.”

  I look up at him. “You already have.”

  He kisses me again, and I feel like everything I have always wanted was given to me today.

  Friends.

  Family.

  Love.

  I started this life broken and lonely.

  Today everyone here mended those broken pieces to make me whole.

  The End

  Turn the page for a sneak peek of the first chapter of the next book, Mayhem!

  Also there is a preview of Rebecca Brooke’s book House Rules!

  Lucy and Whip’s story:

  http://amzn.to/1o3ncOc

  Nikki and Twisted’s Story

  http://amzn.to/1r2s3RA

  Tracy and Torch’s Story

  http://amzn.to/29N5WWd

  Mayhem

  Chapter One

  Jazmine

  When I walked up to Ambrosia I had no idea what I was getting myself into. The ad I answered didn’t give a description of the business. The outside was simple and nothing that would immediately capture your eye if you were passing it. Once you stepped in the door it was an entirely different story.

  The lobby area is full of small tables surrounded by red chairs, the walls are a midnight black, and all of the other furnishings are a shiny chrome. There is one large stage in the middle of the room, with a silver pole in the middle of it that runs to the ceiling. I glance over and see a thin girl behind the bar. Her hair is blonde with bright red streaks running through it. Her shirt shows a bit of her stomach and I can’t help but stare. She throws her head back laughing at something the guy sitting at the bar must have said. She looks like everything I want to be, she looks free. She tells me to have a seat and disappears down the hallway.

  I sit in one of the chairs, my legs are shaking and I cannot stay still. I stand being too nervous to stay in one spot. Dylan gave me a deadline to find a job and it is tomorrow. I have been looking all over for somewhere that would pay me enough to be able to support us but I haven’t found anything. His theory is that since I cost him his job that I needed to get one and take care of him.

  It’s been two months since he came home that day and beat me worse than he ever had. Since then his beatings have been confined to places that you can’t see. He told me that if I get a job, I can’t go all bruised so that meant that my face and arms were out of the question, however, every other part of me was fair game.

  I hear footsteps, stand, and look up to find one of the most gorgeous men I have ever seen standing in front of me. He seems to be about six inches taller than me, with a strong intimidating frame, his hair is medium length and my fingers clasp the hem of my shirt fighting the instinct to run my fingers through it. The last thing I notice are his eyes, they are a deep chocolate brown and seem like they can see right into my soul.

  He is dressed in a leather vest with a white t-shirt underneath it. His jeans are a darker wash, and on his feet are black boots.

  “Hello,” is all he says.

  I smile nervously not knowing what to do. “I’m…I’m here…for the…” I chew my bottom lip hating how juvenile and immature I sound. He raises his eyebrow at me and I realize I still have not uttered a full sentence.

  “For the personal assistant job,” I say softly, embarrassed at the way I have portraye
d myself. If he is the owner, he will never hire someone that can’t even talk to him. I lower my head to the ground wishing it would just swallow me whole.

  “What’s your name?”

  I don’t answer him. The only thing I want to do right now is turn around and leave. Then I remember leaving means going home and facing Dylan’s wrath when I tell him again I was unsuccessful.

  The man places his finger under my chin raising my head so I am looking at him, but I jump at the contact. I take a step away from him.

  “What’s your name?” he asks, frowning.

  “It’s Jasmine Burke.”

  He stares at me for at least a minute before responding, leaving me to squirm under his gaze. “Follow me, Jasmine.” He turns before I can respond and I am almost running in my heels to keep up with his pace. We walk through the hallway that the girl had gone into and he stops at the end. Unlocking the door he opens it and steps to the side to allow me in first.

  This one has the same color scheme as the main room and is organized to perfection, except for the desk that has papers strewn all over it. “Please sit down, Jasmine.” He says as he stands behind the desk.

  I sit down in the black leather chair across from him, clasping my hands in my lap.

  “How much do you know about the position?”

  I clear my throat begging my voice to be stronger than I feel. “I don’t know much at all. The ad simply stated that it was a personal assistant job and listed this address.”

  He smiles before pacing behind the desk. “Ambrosia is a strip club, obviously. Have you ever been to a strip club?”

  I shake my head no.

  He chuckles before walking around the desk and stands in front of me. “What makes you think that you are qualified for this position then? You seem uncomfortable just being here today when the club isn’t full of dancers and customers.”