Storm (Sinning Cobras MC Book 1)

by Colbie Kay

  “You should have put your shoes on,” she replies beside me.

  Before I can say anything, I hear Storm yelling for me, “Haven!” I choose to ignore him. “Goddamnit, fuckin’ woman!” I hear his heavy boots hitting the gravel. “Christ, will you fuckin’ stop? Jesus!”

  Spinning to face him, I slam my hands onto my hips. “Why?”

  “Because I’m fuckin’ sorry, okay?” He pulls at his hair with his fist. “I didn’t mean it, but you’re frustrating the hell outta me.”

  I’m tired of fighting and admit, “I’m scared, Storm.”

  His features sober, and his shoulders sag. “You ain’t got nothing to be scared of, Darlin’. I’m going to be right there at the new club.”

  “You’re going to be there?” My head and heart try to wrap around what he’s saying.

  “Of course I’m going to fuckin’ be there, Darlin’. You’ve only been hearing what you want. The whole club is moving to our new location. That’s where I’m taking you.”

  “You aren’t getting rid of me? You aren’t giving me to someone else?”

  He draws closer, his thumb presses against my chin, bringing my eyes up to meet his. “I would kill someone for trying to take you away from me. Don’t you get that?” Without hesitation, he pulls me into his chest. His lips rest on the crown of my head. “Do you trust me?”

  I bite down on my lip, contemplating his question. “Yes.”

  His hands rise and cup my cheeks. His gaze meets mine. “Then get on my bike, Haven.”

  I nod, unable to speak.

  The corner of his mouth lifts into a grin, and he presses a kiss to my forehead. “You sure as hell know how to put up a good fight.” I’m beaming as we start to limp back to his bike, but my smile falls when the pain in my feet becomes too much for me to bear. I stumble, and as I’m going down, Storm reaches out and grabs me before I can hit the ground. “What’s wrong?” His tone is soft, his brows are tightly knitted. Is he worried about me? Little butterflies swarm in my belly, thinking about the fact he might actually care even if he’s angry with me.

  I wince. “It’s my feet and ankles.”

  “Shit!” He bends down and picks me up bridal style. “I’ll put your shoes on when we reach my bike.”

  Snaking my arms around his neck, I lay my head against his shoulder. “I’m sorry I fought you and misunderstood about the move.”

  “I understand you’re scared, but I promise I will always keep you safe. You just gotta trust me, Haven.”

  Chapel returns to Ace when we reach the bikes. Storm gently sets me on the seat of his Harley. I straddle the big loud beast, and before Storm climbs on in front of me, he slaps a helmet on my head and gently puts my shoes on my feet. “I swore I would never let anyone fuckin’ hurt you, yet I’m the one whose caused you pain. I’m so fuckin’ sorry, Darlin’.”

  “I did it to myself, Storm,” I shout over the rumbling Harley. “If I wouldn’t have fought you, none of this would have happened.”

  He stands quietly as if he wants to say something, but he doesn’t speak.

  “What is it?”

  “It’s nothing.” Storm shakes his head, sitting in front of me. After he’s situated, he yells, “Hold on tight.” Wrapping my arms around his waist, I cling to him as if my life depends on it as he speeds away.

  2 YEARS AGO

  Chapel lies on the table in front of me, bare for all to see. Her feet are held in stir-ups as if she was at the doctor’s office getting an exam. I’ve lost count of how many times we’ve had to do this over the years, and it never gets easier—neither do the exams from his doctor. We have to get checked and tested monthly because we can’t be tainted with diseases.

  A tear trails down her cheek. “Just do it, Haven.”

  Holding the vibrating toy they’ve put in my hand, I whisper, “I can’t, Chapel.” My stomach turns, sick with the thought of violating my sister again.

  “Do it, Haven,” he orders in a threatening tone. “Put it inside her and fuck her with it like you were fucking told to do,” he orders, growing angrier by the second.

  Turning toward him, I stand my ground. Finally, after all these years, I don’t care what happens to me at this moment. I’m done. “No!” I snap and release the toy, dropping it on the ground. “I won’t do it. I’m not doing this anymore. Do what you want with me. I don’t care, but I’m done hurting my sister.”

  He snatches a fistful of my hair. “You’re going to embarrass me in front of all these people?” The room grows eerily quiet, and I can only hear the sound of the toy humming against the floor while feeling as if everyone is gawking at me.

  “Yes!” I grimace from the pain he’s inflicting.

  “Get out of my sight!” he roars, shoving me to the ground. He reaches for Chapel and yanks her off the table. “Take them away!” Men rush forward and pull us up off the floor. We’re dragged through the penthouse to the elevator. No one even bothered to clothe Chapel. She tries to cover herself, but too much of her body is left to be seen by wandering eyes. We’re thrown into a car, and soon, we’re driving away.

  “Why didn’t you just do it, Haven?” Chapel cries next to me.

  “Because I couldn’t anymore. I’m sorry, but I can’t do this. I would rather be dead than go to one more of those parties or have him touch either of us.”

  “What’s going to happen to us now?”

  “Hopefully, death.”

  5

  Storm

  We finally make it to our destination, Ace following closely as I pull into the parking lot. Climbing off my bike, I turn toward Haven and remove the helmet from her head. She stares up at the building. “Is this where we’re living? Is this the new clubhouse?”

  I drag my eyes over to Ace. His head is hung down with his arms resting on his handlebars. The asshole is leaving this up to me. I run my hand over my beard and blow out a deep breath as my focus settles on her beautiful face. “Ace and me, we’re in agreement that you and Chapel need someone to talk to.”

  “What?” Her brows knit together. She always does that when she’s confused or doesn’t understand what I’m saying. Chapel comes to stand next to Haven, who’s still sitting on my bike. I’m sure she’s only doing that because of the pain. Chapel takes her sister’s hand—a coping mechanism for them.

  “Ace?” Chapel’s head tilts to the side.

  Ace climbs off his own bike and joins me. “Chapel, I haven’t done right by you. Both of you should have been getting the help you needed after you came to us.”

  I jump in, “I thought I was helping you by keeping you safe, Darlin’, but fuck, you needed so much more than that. I realize that now.” I step toward her, lifting my hands to cup her cheeks. Her gaze is intently focused on mine. “I was a selfish man, Haven. I thought maybe you wouldn’t need me anymore if I let someone else try to help you. It was wrong, and I can’t let you go on like you are. You can’t fuckin’ live like I’ve been letting you—too fuckin’ scared to even leave your room. That’s no way to be and look at the shit that happened today because of the move.”

  Her lids brim with unshed tears. “Why can’t I talk to you? I don’t want to talk with someone else. I only need you.”

  One side of my lips lift. “That’s just it, Haven, you aren’t talking to me, and I wouldn’t let you even if you tried. I failed you and my club, and I’m sorry about that.”

  The first tear trickles down her cheek. Using my thumb, I wipe it away, only to have it followed by another and another. “You didn’t fail me, Storm.”

  “You don’t see it right now, but you will.”

  Chapel speaks, “We will try.”

  Haven’s eyes snap to her sister’s. “Chapel!”

  Chapel nods her head. “Just try.”

  “Just try?” Haven repeats. I can hear the skepticism in her tone.

  Ace agrees, “Just try.”

  Haven glances back at me. “Will you go in with me?”

  Grinning, I run my hand
over her long dark hair. “If that’s what you want, Darlin’.”

  She nods. “I do, and I will try for you, Storm.”

  Picking her up off my bike, I hold her close to my chest as the four of us enter the building. Once we’re on the elevator, Ace pushes the button for the ninth floor.

  Once we arrive, Ace knocks on the door, and it quickly opens. “I was expecting you a while ago.”

  I push past her to get inside the room. “We got tied up with other shit, Kayla.”

  Kayla’s gaze travels over Haven. “What happened to her, Storm?”

  I growl, “Shut it with the questions and get me a couple goddamn ice packs.”

  “You’re lucky you’re—” she starts to grumble.

  I interrupt, “You’re lucky you’re Nyx’s wife.”

  I walk Haven over to the long couch in Kayla’s office and lay her down on it. Haven whispers, “Nyx?”

  As Kayla hands me the ice packs, I inform Haven, “He’s one of the brothers in the club.”

  Haven stares at Kayla with wide eyes, but she doesn’t speak to the woman, which has Kayla laughing as she sits in her chair. “I bet you’re wondering how a psychiatrist and a biker ended up married.” She waves her hand with a beaming smile. “That’s a story for another day.” Kayla’s gaze finds Chapel. “You must be, Chapel. Here sit.” Kayla jumps from her seat, offering it to Chapel. Kayla grabs another chair she had in the corner and brings it over.

  Pulling Haven’s legs up, I sit on the couch with her and place her feet on my lap. “This is going to be cold.” I remove her shoes and set them beside me on the floor before placing the ice packs against her feet and ankles. She winces from either the pain or from the coldness of the ice.

  No one spoke a word except Kayla with her fuckin’ small talk bullshit. She was trying to get answers to psychoanalyze Haven and Chapel, but they didn’t give a goddamn thing away. Kayla’s a good woman at the club, but here, in her own element, she’s making me fuckin’ paranoid. Maybe, this is why I don’t do doctors and shit? I don’t fuckin’ like ‘em.

  When the session is over, Kayla announces, “I think it would be best for Haven and Chapel to have separate therapy sessions. I want them here to see me every week. I will let Nyx know the days and times to have them here.”

  Haven’s eyes become slits. “Why do you want to separate us?”

  Kayla smiles kindly and answers calmly, “I don’t want to separate you, but you and your sister are individual people. I would like to talk to each of you so we can deal with your trauma one on one.” Kayla glances at Chapel. “Chapel, are you okay with coming here by yourself?”

  Chapel shifts her eyes to look at Haven bites her lip as if she’s hesitant to answer. A few seconds later, she nods.

  “Fine!” Haven folds her arms across her chest. The tension coming off of her is thick. Does she feel like Chapel is betraying her?

  After throwing away the ice packs, I put her shoes back on and pick Haven up off the couch. “I’ll have her here,” I assure Kayla.

  2 YEARS AGO

  Haven walks out of the bathroom first, wrapped in a towel that doesn’t hide much of her body. Her steps are slow and unsteady, but she already appears much better after her shower. “Your hair needs to be brushed.”

  Her eyes shine with unshed tears when she peers up at me. “I tried, but I can’t get it all brushed. It’s too matted. Can you help me?”

  Clearing my throat, I ask, “You want me to help you brush your hair?” Ace quietly chuckles beside me. My glare tells him to shut the fuck up.

  “I’m sorry. I just...I thought that...” She stumbles over her words.

  “I’ll help you.” I don’t even know what the fuck I’m saying right now. Why the fuck would I help her brush her fuckin’ hair? The way it looks, it’d be better just to shave her whole head. Chapel’s ain’t much better, either. “I’ll show you to your room. You have clothes on the bed, then you need to get food.”

  She follows behind as I’m walking down the hall. “How do I get food?”

  I open the door to the spare room she and her sister will share. “We have a kitchen. I’ll show you where it’s at, and you can make something to eat.” I point to one of the twin-sized beds. “That’s yours, and over there is Chapel’s.”

  Haven steps into the room. “I can’t go around all those people. I don’t even know how to make any food.”

  My brows furrow as I grow more curious about this girl. I have so many questions. “Get dressed, and I’ll get your food.”

  Ace and I leave the girls to get them some food and water to drink. On the way back to their room, I stop at the bathroom and grab a hairbrush. “We’re waiting on them, and you’re brushing the girl’s hair. What’s next, Storm, we gonna have to teach them how to wipe their asses when they shit, too?”

  “I don’t fuckin’ know, Ace, but we gotta find out where they came from and what they’re doing here. Just do your part with her sister.”

  “I’ll do my part. But...how long are we planning to let them stay?”

  “As long as it fuckin’ takes.” I knock on the bedroom door before entering. Holding the plate out, I’m a little surprised when she snatches it from my hands and begins stuffing the sandwich into her mouth. She’s eating like she’s a fuckin’ dog who’s been starving. Sitting down on the bed behind her, I start trying to work through her hair. “How old are you?”

  It takes her a minute to answer, making me wonder if she’s trying to work out the math in her head. “Twenty-six.”

  My head snaps in Ace’s direction, and I find his eyes are as wide as mine. “Twenty-six?”

  She nods, which pulls some of her hair. “Ouch!” she screeches, her hand immediately flying to her head. “I’m twenty-six, and Chapel is twenty-four,” she declares softly when she settles down again.

  I continue working the brush through the tangles. “Where did you come from?”

  “I don’t want to answer any more questions,” she shuts me down quickly.

  I stay quiet the rest of the time I’m brushing her hair. My head is spinning, trying to figure out a way to get through to her and get her talking. Chapel seems to comply more, so maybe Ace will have an easier time.

  6

  Haven

  Storm’s bike comes to a halt, and the loud rumbling dies down. “This is the new clubhouse,” he tells me as he’s climbing off his Harley.

  I glance at the old brick building for a moment before I shift my gaze around, seeing all of the cars and motorcycles parked around the building. I stare at the dozens of people traipsing about—people in groups laughing, kids running—and tears begin to blur my vision. Why can’t I be like them?

  “You okay?” Storm’s deep voice, the one that normally would soothe me, only irks me and puts my nerves on edge. I didn’t even realize he was standing next to me.

  My bottom lip quivers. “No.”

  “Darlin’, what’s wrong?” I hear the worry pushing through in his tone.

  He reaches out to touch my arm, but I jerk away. “Don’t touch me.” I wrap my arms around myself. “Everything is wrong, Storm! Everything about today has been wrong!” My tearful eyes meet his. “I’m sorry. I’m exhausted, and I just really want to go to mine and Chapel’s room. Can you please show me where it’s at?” Today has been nothing but a rollercoaster. I’m angry with him and Kayla. I’m mad at Chapel. But I’m also furious at myself. How much change in one day is too much for a person to handle? I feel like I’m going to explode.

  I feel like Chapel is betraying me because she wants to see Kayla by herself. She didn’t fight Ace the way I did Storm to stay at the old clubhouse, and she’s acting like none of this is wrong. Plus, I’m mad at myself for being mad at Chapel. Shouldn’t she have her own thoughts and feelings? Why do I feel like she’s being ripped away from me and that she’s okay with it? Why can’t I take all of these changes with the same ease Chapel is? Why do I feel like I’m fighting this battle alone? Most of all, why do I
feel like the two people I love in this world are against me?

  Storm’s voice pulls me from my berating thoughts, “I’m not letting you walk on your injured feet. I have to pick you up.”

  I nod, giving permission for him to touch me.

  Inside, he walks over to a staircase. “All the rooms here are upstairs.” He takes each step with care, still holding me tightly in his arms.

  We come to a closed door, and Storm opens it. He gently sets me back on my feet as I peer into the room. “Why is there only one bed?” Narrowing my eyes, I glare at him.

  He rubs the back of his neck as if he’s nervous or worried. “We thought you and Chapel might want your own rooms.”

  My mouth flops open and closed as I try to comprehend what he divulged. “Who is ‘we,’ and why?” I shake my head dumbfounded. “Never mind, the ‘we’ doesn’t matter.” I poke my finger into his hard chest and snarl, “This is on you, Storm. Why would you think that? First, you take me away from the only place where I feel safe, then you pawn me off onto a psychiatrist, and now, you’re both taking my sister away from me!” Rage bursts inside my veins. Why is he doing this to me? Why is he trying to make all of these decisions for me? Does he think I’m incapable of deciding what I want? Yes, I may live inside my own box, I may live in fear, and I may rely on Storm for a lot, but he’s wrong for this, wrong for trying to separate me from Chapel. They are all wrong! There was one thing Storm was right about today, though, and that is, I’m a grown-ass woman. It’s time I start acting like it.

  He sighs heavily. “I’m not taking Chapel from you.”

  I step inside the room. “Go away!” I sneer with every ounce of disdain I’m feeling.