Lincoln

by S. Nelson

  “No. I guarantee he won’t touch you. No one will.” I briefly wondered how many times I’d have to say the same thing before she believed me.

  Maddie and I stood staring at each other, and if I wasn’t mistaken, I thought I detected a hint of curiosity shrouded behind her gaze. She didn’t seem to be frightened of me, not much, at least.

  Taking her all in again, I deemed that her eyes were almost too big for her face, but in the cutest of ways. Her bottom lip was slightly fuller than her top, and her nose was small and in perfect alignment with the rest of her face.

  Maddie was beautiful, and while I tried not to focus on her physical attributes, I couldn’t help but picture her in various positions on the bed behind me. My thoughts were in bad taste, but as long as I didn’t voice them, no harm, right?

  She watched me intently, her eyes never leaving my face, and for the first time in my life, I felt scrutinized, but I couldn’t say if it bothered me one way or the other.

  Finally, she shifted her feet and looked downward, clutching her towel as if she feared the material would suddenly disappear.

  “Oh, sorry. I should let you get dressed.” I turned and moved to walk away.

  “Can you wait for me? I don’t want to go out there by myself.”

  With my back still to her, I said, “Of course.”

  Her plea disturbed me. I hated that she thought I would make her fend for herself in a place she didn’t know, around men who were strangers to her.

  Although… I was a stranger to her.

  A fact I wanted to rectify and soon.

  16

  Fully dressed back in the clothes I arrived in, I stood in front of the mirror, staring at the shell of the person looking back at me. I barely recognized myself. My chocolate-brown hair was dull and lifeless, much like my pale green eyes. My skin was pasty and slightly sunken in, blotches of discoloration painting my cheeks and neck, the sight of bruises a common thing for me to see on myself.

  “He said you’ll be fine,” I muttered to my reflection, breathing in and out to calm my rising nerves. My vision blurred with unshed tears, and for a second, I contemplated locking myself in this bathroom, refusing to go with Lincoln out to the common area where his president was waiting on me.

  I’d trusted before, and it hadn’t worked out for me. Why would this time be any different?

  Lincoln rapped twice on the bedroom door before entering. “You ready? They’re waiting.” They? I shook my head so fast I was surprised I didn’t fall over.

  He was next to me a few strides later, placing his hand on my upper arm. Leaning down so he could look me directly in the eyes, he said, “Maddie, don’t be frightened. Our club is nothin’ like theirs. We don’t treat women like they do.” I heard his words, but they weren’t registering. Fear tore through me, and before I knew what happened, I’d bent over the sink and threw up.

  Lincoln quickly grabbed my hair and held it away from my face as I continued to dry heave, rubbing my back in small circles to try and soothe me.

  “Please don’t make me go out there,” I sobbed, holding on to the vanity for strength.

  “It’ll be okay. I promise.” His tone was calm and filled with compassion, pity even. The sentiment didn’t offend me, because if someone pitied me, then maybe they wouldn’t be inclined to hurt me.

  Groaning, I clutched my lower belly, the discomfort I’d been experiencing recently only getting worse. And throwing up didn’t help my overall situation.

  “I have to pee,” I said when I straightened up, Lincoln’s arms falling to his sides.

  “Uh… okay. You take care of what you need to, and I’m gonna go see if Marek will come back here instead. Would that make you feel more comfortable?” I nodded, relieved I didn’t have to leave the confines of the room.

  Once he left, I closed the bathroom door and sat down on the toilet, an odd sensation erupting before a small trickle of urine finally came out, the stinging pain making me scrunch my face until I finished. It felt like my bladder was full, but it wasn’t, the urge to go to the bathroom plaguing me more than was normal.

  I was one step back into the bedroom when the door opened, two guys walking in behind Lincoln.

  “Maddie, this is our club president, Marek,” Lincoln announced, pointing toward the man directly behind him, “and this is Stone. He’s the club VP and my father.”

  Both men looked to be in their late forties, if I guessed at their ages correctly. Marek had short dark hair with a bit of gray on the sides and the most brilliant blue eyes I’d ever seen. For an older man, he was handsome, his trimmed beard adding to his ruggedness. At first glance, he appeared to be serious, a hard man, but when he stepped closer, closer than was comfortable for me, I watched his eyes soften, his expression relaxing while he captured me with his stare.

  Surprisingly, I didn’t fear Marek like I thought I would. He oozed strength but compassion toward me, for now at least. Or was this his ploy? Would he play the sheep until the wolf decided it was time to emerge?

  Marek motioned for me to sit on the bed. Once I rested on the edge, I counted every breath that left my body. Lowering my head, I didn’t dare look at any of the men standing so close for fear of what I’d see. I waited in silence with my hands clasped in my lap, my muscles becoming sore with the anticipation they’d shove me back on the bed and have their way with me.

  “Maddie.” A tear trailed down my cheek at hearing my name, and I couldn’t pinpoint if it was because I heard a trace of compassion in Marek’s voice or because I still feared what may happen. “Look at me,” he said, his tone firmer than seconds before.

  I lifted my head but closed my eyes, my bottom lip trembling because I didn’t want to see their expressions, especially Lincoln’s. Had he handed me over to his president and VP? Would he get special treatment for bringing in a woman they could do with as they saw fit? Even though Lincoln told me no such things would happen, I didn’t believe it. Not fully. Not yet.

  The bed dipped beside me, and my lids opened. Lincoln’s hand covered both of mine, and he whispered, “It’s okay.”

  “Fuck,” Marek shouted, making me flinch. “What did they do to her?”

  “Unfortunately, this looks all too familiar,” Stone added, a statement I thankfully didn’t understand, and didn’t want to. When I glanced over at the club’s VP, I saw the resemblance between father and son, although Lincoln’s hair was much darker than Stone’s dirty-blond strands. They had the same shape eyes, nose, and mouth, and while Lincoln was clean-shaven, his dad wore a long beard, giving him an edgier, more hardened appearance.

  Stone stood off to the side while Marek moved until he stood directly in front of me and extended his hand. “Let me get a look at ya.”

  “It’s okay,” Lincoln murmured next to me when I hesitated to stand. How many times did the guy have to assure me no harm would come to me before I believed him?

  Looking into his soft brown eyes, I gave him a curt nod before slowly rising from the bed, standing in front of the president of his club like the frightened girl I was.

  I trembled like I’d been standing in the cold for too long, my teeth chattering while my muscles twitched.

  “I need to inspect you, okay?”

  “Why?” Lincoln asked, and I had to admit I was curious as well. Did he need to inspect me to prove I was worthy enough to be in their company? What kinds of things would meet his approval? I didn’t understand anything that was happening, and while I tried to mentally escape my surroundings, every time I glanced over at Lincoln, he brought me right back.

  “Because he needs to see what he’s dealing with,” his father answered, leaning casually against the door like this was an everyday occurrence, and for all I knew, it could be.

  Marek placed both his hands on my upper arms and pulled me closer, looking into my eyes for what felt like forever. I wasn’t sure what he expected to find behind my stare, and I sure as hell wasn’t about to ask.

  “How are you feelin�
��?” he asked, moving my hair over my shoulders so he could look at my neck.

  “Fine.”

  “Are you injured?”

  Only my soul. “No.” My answers were short and to the point, something I believed he may have appreciated.

  “I wanna take a quick look at you.” He lifted my shirt, and I took a deep breath, my eyes widening the further he raised the material. “I wanna see your rib cage and then your back. Okay?” he asked tentatively, which I was sure he didn’t often do with anyone. He looked like he commanded a room with his presence alone, not by asking permission for anything, which was why I relaxed a fraction when he turned me around and inspected my back.

  When he lowered my shirt, he looked over at Stone and shook his head. I wasn’t sure what he was looking for, but apparently, I didn’t have it. I would’ve been fine with allowing my curiosity on the subject to flit away, but that wasn’t the case for Lincoln.

  “Why did you shake your head, Prez? What are you lookin’ for?”

  Marek’s brow dipped in aggravation, but he answered, nonetheless. “Burn marks and stab wounds.”

  “Why would—”

  “Never mind,” Stone griped at his son, shaking his head when he thought he was gonna push, which he didn’t.

  “Can you tell me how long you’ve been with the Reapers?” Marek asked, gritting his teeth when he said their name.

  “Eight months.”

  “And how did they treat you when you were with them?” He took a step back and flexed his hands at his sides, the repeat motion distracting me while I figured out the quickest way to tell them what I’d been through.

  “Uh, maybe I can fill you in on that later,” Lincoln said, saving me from another round of shame and embarrassment.

  “Fine.” Marek drew a breath, then released it quickly, turning his eyes to the guy next to me. “While you went against me, and the situation isn’t ideal by any stretch of the imagination, I get it. If you hadn’t interfered on her behalf, who knows what would’ve happened to her.”

  What was he talking about? Had Lincoln mentioned me before? I was aware he’d asked Griller and Rock about me because I’d been right next to them, although I always made sure to keep my head down and my mouth shut. But I was under the assumption the undefeated fighter wanted me for himself. I never thought he wanted to help me.

  “I know.”

  “Well, she can’t stay here for much longer,” Stone said, looking like he’d rather be anywhere else but in that room with us, his patience seemingly gone from the time he walked in.

  “Where am I gonna take her?” Lincoln asked, his teeth harassing his bottom lip.

  Before I could stop the words from pouring out of my mouth, I clutched on to Marek’s arm in desperation. “Please don’t make me go back there,” I pleaded. “Griller was gonna give me to Dutch, and I’ve seen what he’s done to girls.” Unshed tears blurred my vision. “He uses knives.” I hiccupped on my last word, fear bubbling up inside me at what the evil bastard would do to me if he ever got his hands on me.

  All three men vibrated with anger, and I wasn’t sure if it was directed at me or not. They remained silent while I was left to stew in uncertainty. Leaving me to my thoughts wasn’t always a good thing. I’d lose myself to the infinite possibilities of outcomes, dashing any hope I might’ve had because that wasn’t my reality. Hope was for the delusional, and I stopped walking that path a week after being with the Reapers.

  Marek removed my hand from his arm and flashed me a sympathetic grin. “We would never send you back to them. Don’t worry about that.” He looked back at Stone. “Call your wife. Tell her we need her to look over Maddie.” He then turned back to face me. “Linc’s mom is a nurse. She’ll make sure everything is okay.” I nodded, relieved I’d be able to talk to someone who might be able to help me with the issue I’d been experiencing when going to the bathroom. And while I’d been uncomfortable the entire time all three men were closed in here with me, I had to admit I’d felt safer in the past twenty minutes than I had in the past eight months.

  Question was, would I ever find a sliver of peace again?

  17

  After telling Maddie I’d be back shortly, I followed Marek and my ol’ man down the hall and into Chambers, shutting the door because I didn’t want any of the other guys to overhear what I was about to reveal about Maddie’s time with the Reapers. Not yet, anyway. I was sure eventually they’d find out and be as angry as I was right now.

  They took their designated seats, but instead of me sitting in mine, which was at the other end of the table, I sat in Tripp’s seat, to the right of Marek.

  There was a brief silence while I figured out what I wanted to divulge, feeling protective over Maddie and what she’d been through. I realized both of them wouldn’t downplay her trauma, but I wanted to shield her, nonetheless.

  “So, what has she told you about them?” Prez asked, leaning back in his chair, his calm expression the opposite of how I felt on the inside. Simply forming the words in my brain made my blood boil. That anyone would do such vile things to a defenseless girl was beyond the scope of what I could wrap my mind around. Zander and I’d been raised to never lay our hands on a woman, no matter what. Walk away if the situation went sideways because we were the physically stronger sex. Besides, women were to be cherished and adored. Maybe that was the more sensitive side of me sneaking out, a side I didn’t show many because I didn’t want to hear the comments, but for the right person, I would toss all reservations aside. Could Maddie be that person? Even as the question formed, I thought it was ridiculous. I didn’t even know her.

  “Not much other than the prospect, Pike, the one who told me to take her, was the one who brought her to the club in the first place. She said he told her he didn’t know his prez would take her from him, but I think that’s bullshit. Anyone who spends five seconds with those fucks knows exactly what type of scum they are.” I had to stop and take a breath because my heart started to thump too quickly inside my chest. “She told me they passed her around, but Griller abused her more than anyone.” I tried to keep it as vague as possible while still answering.

  “Dutch would’ve killed her for sure,” my ol’ man said, looking at his friend, then me. “That guy is fucked-in-the-head crazy. We’ve had some run-ins with him in the past.”

  I didn’t know anything about the guy, so I’d take his word for it, thankful now more than ever I’d been able to finally save Maddie from them.

  “See if you can get some info out of her about their dealings. Find out if she knows anything else.” Marek leaned toward me. “Maybe she knows if they were behind the fire at Indulge. Since they had control over her, I doubt they’d hold their tongues in front of her, thinking she wasn’t a threat to them in any way because she was their prisoner. Plus, those assholes are stupid.”

  “I’ll ask her if she knows anything.” While I understood our conversation was important, all I wanted to do was get back to the room and be with her. She was frightened, and I wanted to do everything I could to comfort her.

  Both men rose from the table and I followed, but before we walked out of the room, I stopped Marek by grabbing his arm. “Is it all right if she stays here for a bit, until I figure something else out?”

  “Yeah” was all he said before he left.

  My dad stopped next to me on his way out. “Your mom is gonna be here soon, and she’s bringing Sully with her. If anyone can relate to that girl, it’s Marek’s wife.”

  Agreeing with a nod, I had something else I wanted to ask. “Does she know about this?” I pointed to the small bandage on my temple.

  “No, so you better downplay it.”

  Not only did my mom and Sully show up, but so did my sister. All three of them bombarded me with questions as soon as I met them outside.

  Grabbing my face, my mom turned my head to the side. “What happened?” She sucked in a lungful of air when she pried the bandage away from my skin. “Oh my God! Who shot you?”<
br />
  “Shot you?” Riley parroted, stepping up next to our mother and leaning over her, both so close I had to take a step back to breathe.

  “Uh… nobody. We just got into a scuffle.”

  “Bullshit. Not only are you a terrible liar, Linc, but I know what it looks like when a bullet grazes the skin. I’ve seen too many of these in my time.”

  After spending five minutes toning down what really happened, and reminding them that I was fine and still breathing, I turned the conversation around to the reason they were here.

  I explained the situation with Maddie, and after having heard what Sully had gone through when she was in the Reapers’ clutches decades ago, I agreed that if anyone could reassure the girl she would be safe with us, it would be her.

  I wasn’t sure if Marek ever told her that we now knew what happened to her at the hands of her father and Vex, but I sure as hell wouldn’t bring it up. Kaden and I had discussed this new information about his mom on the ride home that night, and for a full hour, he was inconsolable. It was one of the few times I saw him break down and cry, and his anguish tore at my heart.

  “Where is she?” my mom asked, walking past me and into the clubhouse. I followed, as did Sully and Riley.

  “Last bedroom.”

  “Is she okay?” Riley asked.

  Our mom had filled my sister in on what was going on. “Physically, she’s bruised up, but emotionally… that’s a different story.”

  Riley shook her head, her fallen expression something I expected. She was tough, stubborn to a fault, but she had a big heart and hated to see anyone suffer.

  “Linc?” I turned to look at my mom, who stood in the middle of the hallway. “You wanna go in first so we don’t scare her?”

  “Good idea.” Maddie knew she was coming, but she didn’t know about Sully or Riley, and I had no doubt she’d feel overwhelmed and nervous if all three women waltzed in there unannounced.