****This chapter contains a Trigger Warning****
Elie
Why did I leave my hotel room?
Why did I think I was safe?
I couldn’t sleep because everything Wrench had promised seemed too good to be true. Especially with the lies I’d been keeping from him. I thought I could grab a coffee, go back to the room, and drink it while thinking about what to do next.
I should have known something was off the second I walked out of the hotel doors on my way to the twenty-four-hour coffee shop across the street. I felt like someone was following me. I tried to rush over the road, but a hand clasped over my mouth. It didn’t stop me screaming behind it.
I recognized the voice in my ear telling me, “Going somewhere, princess?”
My heart settled slightly, knowing it was Tank. However, he dragged me into the darkness, where seven other bikers were waiting for me.
I looked around at them. Roman, Hawk, Ghost, Trace, Shepard, BlackJack... Hammer.
My heart slammed into my throat because I knew why they were there. It’s just one of those things that you can’t not know. You feel it deep in your bones. Nova had told them what I’d done, and now they wanted payback.
I stood there with my arms wrapped around my aching stomach. “Did it really need eight of you?” I asked.
“You’re in no position to question us, Elisha.” He knew my real name, which made me shudder. I didn’t look up at Shepard. I should have been braver; I was going to die. I was sure of that right then. However, I didn’t know if they were going to kill me then and there or take me somewhere to torture me first. “You know why we’re here, don’t you?”
I nodded.
“I tried to make it right,” I mumbled.
No one said anything, and all I could think about was Wrench. I wanted him to find me and make this whole thing go away, but, on the other hand, I didn’t want him to find out about this. I love him, and I didn’t want him to think badly of me. However, no matter what I do, Wrench will think badly of me.
I’ll die, and these men will tell Wrench the reason why they killed me, and any memories he has of me, those memories we’d built together will be nothing but crap to him.
Wrench said he loved me, but I don’t know if that was true. If it was, it won’t be when he finds out the truth.
“Why don’t you tell us why you tried to have my brother killed!” Tank’s voice vibrated through me, making me jump in fear.
I swallowed hard.
“I didn’t try to have him killed.”
“Paralyzed, then!” He bellowed even louder.
I stood and explained the whole confusion over Cindy and how I believed Hammer was to blame for her death, and I saw the agony in his eyes over it all. I hadn’t realized until that point how much it killed him inside to lose her.
I told them how I’d gotten it wrong, how Coral was, in fact, my mother. Each man looked at me like they already knew that was true. I then told them how I’d messed up and tried to take back what I’d asked of Nova, how sorry I was, how stupid and immature I was.
“Whatever you’re going to do to me, can I just see my mom one last time?”
“No.” Is all Shepard said before grabbing my arm and dragging me toward his bike.
The man I love’s brother kept his eyes on me. He looked at me sympathetically, but I was sure that was because of Wrench, not me. Shepard sent Hawk to get Wrench before the rest of them took off.
They rode back to their clubhouse and dragged me inside like I was a piece of meat about to be thrown into a den of hungry lions.
“Take this bitc.h to the basement.” I cringed at Shepard’s words. He threw me toward a huge guy, a Prospect named Kyle, who smirked at me and dragged me away, down a bunch of stairs and into a dark room with no windows. He pushed me inside with a smirk and told me not to get too comfortable because I wouldn’t be alive long enough to do so. He then pulled the heavy metal door shut and locked it behind him.
I’ve been here ever since. I can’t hear anything going on outside this room, and the silence is driving me crazy. I don’t know how long I’ve been here, but it feels like days when I know it can’t be more than a couple of hours.
I wonder how long they’re going to keep me down here before they finally end this. Knowing these monsters, they’ll keep me here for weeks and torture me the whole time. I’ve heard plenty of stories about these kinds of people and how they get revenge. I’ve heard about the things they do with a knife, a gun, or anything they can get their hands on.
Can you imagine having your head caved in with a baseball bat?
What could be worse?
Having your skin cut apart piece by piece, maybe?
Jesus, can you imagine that?
I can.
Sitting here has left me plenty of time to think about what they could do to me. I’d rather they just shoot me, it’s over quicker that way, but I doubt very much they’ll make it that easy.
Who will do the deed?
Hammer is the Sergeant-At-Arms, and Wrench told me, not in graphic detail, but enough to turn my stomach, that Hammer can do terrible things with a knife.
Will he be the one to finish me off?
Or will they call Draven Vidal and tell him what I tried to have done to his brother?
Jesus, I shudder to think what he’d do to me.
God, I’m going crazy in here!
Can’t they just get it over with already?
Why are they making me wait when I know they’re going to kill me?
Has Hawk told Wrench what I’ve done yet?
Is he here yet?
Up there, being told what I tried to do to Hammer?
He’ll hate me after this and will probably want me as dead as the rest of them do.
My heart aches so much right now. I slump down on the chair in the corner of this dull room. I do not want to sit on that little bed on the other side of the room. It reminds me of what it must be like to be in prison. A small bed, a chair, a sink, and a toilet.
Is that what this is to them, a prison cell where they keep their victims?
What the hell am I going to do?
I’m so fuckin.g scared right now, every part of me is shaking. I hold my head in my hands and try not to cry.
What good is crying?
It won’t get me anywhere or save me from what’s about to happen. No matter what, I’m going to die. This is all my own fault, and I deserve everything coming to me. But I am so scared. Of course, I’m afraid of dying.
Who the hell isn’t?
However, I think, if you can believe it, I’m more afraid of what they’re going to do to me before they finally kill me.
Is it normal for me to be thinking about all the people I’m going to miss?
Can you even miss people when you’re dead?
I will miss my adopted siblings, my nieces, nephews, and my best friend, whom I never even got to tell about Wrench and the love I found with him. My newfound mother, I’ll even miss Stryker. My baby brother, Lord knows I’ll miss him so much and that special smile he gives me when he sees me.
Then there’s Wrench. Oh, God, will I miss him. I hadn’t realized until this moment, sitting in this tiny box room, just how much I’m going to miss him. The man I love with all my heart. It wasn’t a lie; it was real. He stole my heart, and I’ll leave it behind with him.
I feel so cold. I tug on my jacket, wrapping it tighter around my freezing body. I can’t tell if it’s the cold or the adrenaline rushing through me that is making me feel like this.
The bolt on the door clanks, and I jump out of my skin.
Oh, God, is this it?
Deep breaths, Elie.
The door swings open, metal smashing against the wall, and light fills the room. I blink rapidly against the light, trying to focus. I’m so fuckin.g scared that I can feel my heart in my throat.
“You’re where you deserve to be. You know that, right?”
That voice... I blink faster, allowing my eyes to come into focus. “Wrench!” I jump out of my seat, rush toward him, and wrap my arms around his neck. He found me. I hoped... I don’t know what I’m thinking, but he’s not here to help me, I know that. He’s tense, not holding me back.
Wrench grabs my wrists and harshly pulls me away from him. I feel my heart sink to my feet. “Why?” I flinch. He didn’t yell, but his tone was so cold, so far away from me.
“I’m sorry, Wrench,”
“Why?!” He’s trying not to explode, but I can see from the devil shining in his eyes that he’s not here to help me. He’s done with me. I crossed him, his brothers, his club. The one thing that means more to him than anything in this world is his family, and I have betrayed him in the worst way. There’s no coming back from that.
I swallow the lump in my throat. I won’t allow myself to cry in front of him. “I don’t know what I was thinking.”
“You weren’t. You stupid little girl!” I cringe. “You fuckin’ amateur!”
“I know.” God, do I know. I hug my mid-rift tightly, hoping somehow I can hold in the vomit trying to push its way out of my body.
“You used me.”
“I did.”
Wrench growls deep in his throat. The kind of growl that you’d hear from a giant bear right before it rips you apart, and I whimper.
“I tried to fix things, Wrench, I swear I did.” I reach for him, but he snaps his arm back. I know now that I’m going to die with him hating me. “I’m sorry. I am so sorry. I love you, Dominic, I...”
He grabs me by the upper arms and shakes me like a damn rag doll. “Don’t you dare call me that! You stupid fuckin’ bitc.h! If trying to have one of my Brothers almost killed isn’t bad enough, the stupid child you are went to his fuckin’ sister-in-law to sort the job!”
I cringe again. I don’t know how much stronger I’m supposed to be.
“Do you know what the worst thing is?” I reluctantly shake my head. I’m not sure I want to hear what he’s about to say. “I loved you for a while there. I really fuckin’ did. But now? You mean nothing to me now!”
That cut my heart in two.
“Please! Please don’t let them kill me. I’m so sorry.”
“What happens to you is nothing to do with me. If they kill you, I’ll be there watching.” My heart can’t take this. Jesus, I can’t. I’m breaking in half. “If by some miracle they do let you live. Leave! Don’t you ever contact me again, and stay the fuc.k away from my club, or I’ll kill you myself!” He pushes me to the floor and walks away from me just like that. Like I really am nothing to him. The second the door slams, I curl up in a ball and sob my heart out.
I know I did a terrible thing, but what he just said was the last thing I thought he’d say.
At least if he hates me, he’ll be able to move on quickly, right?
“Don’t cry, little one.”
What the hell?
Where did he come from?
I didn’t hear the door open.
He touches my hip, and I almost jump a mile. With rough, swollen eyes, I stare at him. He’s a big guy, not as big as most of them, but strong-looking.
“What do you want?”
“I heard what Wrench said. I’m sorry.” You and me both. “But don’t worry,” That smile, there’s something about that smile. It’s sick and... My eyes bug out, he’s touching me! “I’m going to make it all better.” I’m struck dumb as he pushes me onto my back and climbs on top of me.
Fight, you stupid bitc.h!
I’m not even sure I have any fight left in me.
Oh, come on, do you really want to die and the last thing on your mind be this ugly pig?
No, I do not.
I wriggle, I struggle, I would hit out if he didn’t have both of my arms pinned above my head, and I scream as loud as I can.
Someone will come and help me, right?
“Scream all you want; this room is soundproofed; no one can hear you.”
“Please don’t do this...”
“Shh. I’ve wanted you from the moment I set eyes on you.” I whimper as he licks the side of my face, turning my stomach.
Now more than ever, I wish I’d stayed home with my brother. I wish I’d never come here. I wish I’d never found that letter, and as much as I love her, I wish I’d never come looking for my mother. All the things I wanted to be in this life will never happen now. I will be killed here like a dog on the street.
Maybe I will, but I won’t go down without a fight. Well, fighting this pig bastard anyway.
“Get off of me!”
“Feisty. I like that. However, struggling don’t do it for me, whor.e.”
“Ple...” Is all I get out of my mouth before he smoothers it with his big hand. I’m struggling to breathe. He’s covering my mouth and my nose, tearing at my jeans, exposing me. I’m fighting as hard as I can. So hard my core is clenching painfully, and my thighs are burning with the pressure to stay closed.
Is this my punishment?
Is this what Shepard had planned for me?
Hurt me and humiliate me in the worst way before he kills me?
Give me a reason to want to die?
Mission accomplished.