Konrad

by Ashers, LeAnn

  Etta looks at me panicked, reaching for me.

  I snap into action.

  Brian tears his hands free just as I punch the doctor as hard as I can in the face. He hits the ground and I stand in front of him. “You will get me another doctor or so help me God.” I let the threat hang in the air.

  One of the nurses runs off. I turn to Etta to check on her. She’s holding on to my pants. “I’m right here,” I reassure her.

  I hear a shit ton of footsteps like someone is running when I see security. “Get that man, he attacked me!” the doctor yells from the ground.

  They come straight to me. I push them back away from me. They take out their tasers.

  I want to rip them apart, I am so fucking angry.

  Brian takes a look at my face and moves in front of me. One more thing happens and I will blow the fuck up.

  “If you value your life, you will leave,” Brian tells them. They look at each other unsure of what to do before they reluctantly leave.

  The door opens and Myra steps out. “What is going on here?”

  The doctor perks up at the sound of Myra’s voice. “This man attacked me.” He points to me.

  Myra steps over him and runs to us. “Let’s get her in trauma bay one!” I follow her. “You’re letting them go?” the doctor screams and gets off of the floor, running straight for Myra.

  I’m going to have to kill this stupid fucker.

  I grip him by his throat before he can reach Myra. “She is an ole lady to the Devil Souls MC and Etta is a Grim Sinners MC ole lady.” I put my face right in front of his, looking right into his soul.

  “I would love to fucking kill you.” I smile, loving the extreme fear on his face. I flex my hands, and his eyes roll back as I choke him.

  I open my hand and he falls to the ground, out.

  I run to catch up with Myra. Butcher stays behind with the doctor. I know he’s making sure he doesn’t cause any more trouble.

  I stand in the back of the room as they do scans to make sure Etta’s head is okay. The minutes feel like hours and the hours feel like days.

  Etta keeps looking to me at the side of the room to make sure I’m still here. Someone would have to fucking kill me to leave her.

  * * *

  Etta

  Konrad carries me inside of his house. This is the first time I have ever been to his home, but I have a major concussion from where I fell after Baylee shot me and I had to get a shit ton of stitches from where the bullet grazed me from my temple to the back of my scalp.

  It was scary.

  I can’t get the look on her face out of my head from when she pulled the gun. She was so happy with herself.

  I was tricked and I know that I will never go on a mission again without being super cautious.

  Konrad lays me down onto the bed. He hasn’t left me one second since it all happened last night.

  “I’m going to go start your shower, baby.” He kisses my forehead, letting it linger for a few seconds.

  I nod and close my eyes. I am so emotionally exhausted.

  I fall asleep the minute Konrad leaves, and I open my eyes to Konrad picking me up once more.

  “I love you,” I murmur.

  His arms tighten around me. “I love you more than life.”

  I smile, and he sets me on the counter, stripping me out of my blood-stained clothes and then himself.

  He carries me into the shower. “Tilt your hair back,” he says gently, putting me under the spray so I can wash the back of my hair away from the stitches which is still caked in blood.

  I reach for the shampoo, but he takes it from me. “I will.” He sets me down onto the floor, keeping a hand on me as he washes my hair gently and then deep conditions it.

  I’m shaking, not from the cold but everything that has happened and I am so tired.

  I just feel betrayed in a weird way.

  Konrad washes my body. This time there is nothing sexual about it. It’s just straight him taking care of me.

  “You’re breaking my heart, baby.” He cups my cheek, kissing my forehead. I drop my eyes as I let the tears fall.

  I was shot by someone who I came to save, someone that I never expected. Konrad turns off the water, carrying me to the counter and drying me off as I cry into his chest.

  I feel so raw and exposed.

  The pain on everyone’s faces as they rushed to the ER to check on me—my brother and Trey were completely panicked.

  I hate that I caused that with so much going on right now.

  Konrad didn’t want to take me to the compound because he demanded that I needed rest.

  He dries me off and doesn’t bother dressing me. The soft pillow has me moaning. I am so tired.

  He pulls up the covers and climbs in beside me, tucking me into his front. “I was so scared I lost you. I don’t think I would have survived it. I would have followed you.”

  I swallow hard at his admission and lean back to kiss him. “I would want you to live.”

  He shakes his head. “How could I live without my life?”

  That was so deep. “Baby,” I whisper, turning around and putting my head on his chest right over his heart.

  “I know,” he answers.

  Right now there are no words for how I feel. This connection is something different, something that is beyond us.

  I close my eyes and fall asleep to the sound of his heart.

  * * *

  Konrad

  I don't sleep for hours. I count every single breath. Every little movement startles me from any sort of sleep I can muster.

  When I do sleep, it’s filled with nightmares, the sight of her lying there, and for a split second I thought she was dead.

  It’s haunting me.

  I turn over and pull her into me, breathing in her scent, my arm around her waist. She puts her hand on my arm. I know I woke her up.

  “Baby, can’t sleep?” she asks, looking at me with her beautiful eyes.

  I touch her cheek, rubbing my thumb along her cheekbone. “Sweetheart, I’m fine.”

  She gives me a look letting me know that she knows I’m not telling the whole truth. “Let me rub your back. You need the rest, baby.” I turn her over on her belly, rubbing my fingers along her back.

  She sighs, and I smile into my pillow knowing she’ll be out in a minute. “I love you,” she whispers once more.

  I kiss the back of her head. “I love you, darlin’.”

  11

  Konrad

  A week later

  I have searched and searched for Mr. Thompson, but he has dropped off the face of the earth.

  I look at the fucking cabin where I almost lost her.

  The girl’s body is still inside. I don’t have an ounce of guilt for what happened to her.

  Maverick is with me and we are staring at the house. “Ready?” he asks.

  I nod, pushing the button. The house explodes instantly. I take satisfaction in the fact that he won’t have a home to come to.

  “How is Etta?” Maverick asks.

  I smile at the memory of her getting ready tonight. “She’s good. She’s having a girls’ night tonight with the ole ladies.”

  Maverick eyes widen. “Oh fuck, I forgot about that. Bell is going too.”

  I laugh. “I wonder what trouble they’re getting into?”

  * * *

  Etta

  “Go Lani!” I scream as she takes a shot. She swallows it down, shaking her head side to side from the burn.

  Shaylin smacks her on the back, laughing at her expression of disgust. We’re at one of the bars in Raleigh, Texas that one of the MCs own.

  We have all of the Grim Sinners girls and the Devils, Adeline and Bell are watching over everyone with watchful eyes.

  Jean was drunk when she walked in the door. She is an absolute nut and now she’s lying over on the table.

  “What is one thing you have always wanted to do?” I ask them.

  Lynn is beside me taking everything
in. She is shyer than most of the girls. Jean lifts her head, grinning. “I feel like busting some mailboxes and causing some hell.” She lifts her arm like it’s a baseball bat, swinging it.

  “I do know of some houses in town that are cult members,” I throw out, my brain kind of fuzzy from the alcohol and I really don’t care if I fuck up their life.

  Jean throws back another drink. “What are we waiting for!” she screams, turning in her seat and trying to hop down.

  “Prospect, you are driving us!” I point to the one watching us. The guys may have let us have girls’ night, but we are not without guards.

  We’re all in a huge-ass party bus that picked us up at home since there were so many of us.

  We all file out of the bar, Adeline and Bell babying us all, making sure we can even walk outside, fixing our hair and clothes.

  They are precious. They are the mom I never had. My mind wanders to my mother and if she is even alive, if she got remarried or what happened to her.

  She didn’t stop the abuse that we all suffered, but I also have a little sympathy for her because she married so young.

  Maybe I’ll make a trip to go see her?

  Lynn sits beside me, taking in everyone. Lynn is quiet when she’s around groups of people and that’s why she’s against the window, people watching.

  “How is Michaela?” I ask.

  She smiles widely. “Honestly she is doing great. She bounced back really well. Tristan is with her tonight for a movie night.” Her smile gets even wider after she mentions Tristan. “Have you gone out a date yet?” I ask her. Her face reddens and she looks out of the window.

  “We have one tomorrow night. I am so nervous, Etta,” she admits, looking back at me, but I can see the happiness in her eyes, the kind of happiness she more than deserves.

  I wrap my arm around her shoulders, hugging her. “I was nervous too around Konrad, but I took that chance and it’s the best thing that ever happened to me.”

  She nods. “I trust him. He has been living with us since that night. We’ve become close; he makes me feel safe, Etta.” She stops, her eyes misting a little from unshed tears. “I never expected to feel that.”

  My heart hurts that she has never experienced that before, but I also know how she feels. “I felt the exact same way. Enjoy the ride, sister. I know Tristan, and I know he will be good for you, but if he’s not, I will cut off his dick.” I leave the threat hanging.

  River turns around and looks at us. She and Shaylin are sitting in front of us. “I will help, but Tristan is good.”

  Shaylin gets that crazy grin. “I’m always down to cause some pain.” She pats her gun at her side.

  One by one the girls on the bus throw out their agreement. Lynn looks at all of them and I know she is touched by their support.

  Jean laughs hysterically in the front. “I think the guys should just let us take over the punishments.” Then she stands up. “WAIT, we need to get some toys!” she yells, pointing at a Walmart.

  The prospect pulls in, letting us off at the door. Two of the prospects are with us in the back—and probably in hell from the talks everyone is having.

  The second we walk through the doors, we get some wild looks. “Let’s wiener their yards too,” Amelia jokes, and we laugh at the prospect.

  I jump up and down. “Let’s get some toilet paper!”

  We make the prospects push the buggy for us as we throw in random items, little sticks for the hot dog wieners, forks so we can fork their yard, a few baseball bats.

  The more we pile into the buggy, the more the prospect sweats. I know that he’s going to need a week off after this. I smack him on the shoulder. “Cheer up, buttercup!” I throw in some glitter and paint.

  Once we have everything loaded into the bus, I stand to the front. “All of these houses are guys whose wives we have rescued and taken in. So let’s have some fun.” I grin, sitting in the front and giving the prospects directions.

  When I say cults are everywhere, I mean they are everywhere and they are so hidden because they live in normal society like most people, but inside of the walls of their houses, it’s not normal at all.

  The first one comes into view. All of the lights are off, but a vehicle is home. “Turn off the lights,” I urge the prospect and he turns to the side of the road.

  We run off the bus, laughing at the top of our lungs. I start putting forks in the ground, with Adeline helping me, which makes it even better.

  Shaylin opens his truck door, throwing in glitter everywhere. Kayla has the toilet paper and she and Amelia get busy throwing it all over the house and trees.

  Jean walks straight to the mailbox with the baseball bat and sends it up the driveway. She stops and studies it before grinning to herself.

  A light comes on inside of the house, and we all take off running, laughing so hard we can barely manage to do so.

  Alisha falls face-first and snorts with laughter. We pick her up, dragging her to the bus. She can’t even walk from laughing so hard.

  The prospect takes off speeding, now laughing with us. Our faces are glued to the window, watching him walk outside and seeing what his front yard looks like.

  “Next house!” Jean screams, still holding her bat.

  The next house is literally right up the road. I am the first one out of the bus, throwing toilet paper over the house.

  Joslyn is throwing nails under his truck and the driveway. I snort because that will be a bitch to get out.

  Lani smears Vaseline across the windshield, then glitter on top of that, but the best part is everyone is completely silent.

  Gracelyn has paint and is painting nasty words on his front door. She is the sweetest of us all and it makes me giggle.

  I’m standing back watching everyone’s back when a light comes in the house. “Gracelyn!” I yell and she takes off running off of the porch. I take her arm, along with Paisley, who is next to me, putting forks in the ground.

  I pull both of them behind a bush, which is partially hidden behind a tree so we can stay covered.

  The other girls made it onto the bus, but we were so far away from the others that we couldn’t have made it back in time.

  “What the fuck is this?” a man yells, and I almost fall to the ground at his voice.

  It can’t be. There is no way. I almost throw up, my heart pounding so hard in my chest.

  Then a women’s voice is next gasping. “Oh my God, who did this?”

  Everything goes dark for a second. I can’t breathe. I don’t even think I can move, but I have to see. I have to see if this who I think it is.

  I stand up, looking at the people on the porch. I go through so many emotions, but one thing is for certain—the people on the porch are not the old owners.

  I am face to face with Michael, my ex-husband, and my mother, but they don’t see me because I’m hidden by the tree.

  My mother kisses his cheek and rubs his chest like she’s trying to soothe him.

  I almost throw up at the sight. And to think I had a bit of sympathy for her.

  Paisley moves to stand up next to me. “What’s wrong, Etta?” she whispers in my ear, taking my hand.

  I shake my head from side to side in disbelief at what I am seeing.

  “Come on honey, come make me feel better.”

  Paisley’s head snaps around at the sound of my ex-husband’s voice. My mother is wrapped around him like he’s the best thing that ever happened to her.

  I told her how he hurt me, forced me to do horrible things and the way he took great pleasure in everything that he did to me.

  He hated me but loved to hurt me more than anything. She told me that it was the way married life is, that it does get better in time once I’m used to it and it’s my job to pleasure him.

  She said that to me and now she’s here with him. Did they plan this?

  “Mr. Thompson!” Paisley gasps, looking at Michael.

  I practically fall to the fucking floor. I turn around, gripping
her arm. “What the fuck are you saying?” I ask her.

  “That is Mr. Thompson, one of my old teachers.”

  My head tries to wrap around what I just learned.

  Oh fuck.

  12

  Etta

  The second they are back in the house, we sprint to the bus. I am so confused and hurt. My worst nightmare was right in front of me.

  I can’t believe that this is happening.

  Lynn is standing at the door when we run in, looking just as horrified as I am because I know she saw who was there.

  “Etta, I can’t believe it.” She is shaking her head side to side, just as floored as I am. I sit in the first seat I can find, trying not to have a panic attack.

  “What the fuck is happening?” Shaylin asks.

  “That was Etta’s ex-husband and our mother together.” I can hear the gasps from everyone, especially Lani.

  Everyone knows my story and Lynn’s. We have not been shy with what happened to us and our story because we have used it to help others.

  Shaylin tears off of the bus first at a full fucking sprint, River right behind her. One by one they jump off the bus like their butts are on fire.

  Lynn looks at me, confused, but we follow. Shaylin kicks in the front door without a second thought and the girls follow in.

  Lynn grips my hand as we walk inside of the front door, and right on the couch is Michael, my mother on her knees in front of him.

  He pushes her off and he takes in the sight of the group of girls in front of him until his eyes settle on me.

  I am not the same eighteen-year-old girl who left him. His eyes widen when he takes me in before they turn mean—the same look I’m used to.

  Shaylin steps in front of me. “Get them!” she yells and she charges straight for Michael, punching him square in the face.

  River goes straight for my mother, dragging her by her hair along the floor before she starts beating the ever-loving shit out of her, tearing out her hair by the roots.