Roman, page 3
“You can do wonders for a girl child with a pink comforter and fairy lights.” Sting beamed, looking for all the world like a proud papa.
“Fuck, Sting.” Smoke shook his head as he took a swig of his beer. “Not a daddy a month yet and already those girls stole your man card. Your woman gonna keep it or she gonna let you have it back when we go on rides?”
Sting just rolled his eyes. “Keep it up, and you’ll have guard duty from now till next Christmas.”
That got everyone laughing. Normally this would be when I’d find me a woman for the night. Relax and fuck until I was tired. I didn’t want to tonight. My head wasn’t in it. Instead, I went to the area we’d set up for guests at the very back of the main clubhouse. I figured that was where Brick had put Winter and Serelda. At least until we had time to relocate them to one of the houses in the compound.
I walked down the hall and saw Winter’s pale blonde locks disappearing through a door at the end of the hallway. When I got to the door, I knocked lightly. There was some shuffling before the door opened. Winter stood in the doorway, blocking my view and holding the line that protected her sister from prying eyes.
“Just thought I’d check on you.” It was lame, but it didn’t feel right not going to her. And it was definitely Winter I had a pull toward.
“We’re fine. Thanks for asking.” She stared at my chest, not meeting my gaze.
“You should come down to the party. Meet some of the guys. Iris is there with Sting. Stick with her, and the club whores’ll stay outa your way.”
“I suppose we should.” She didn’t seem convinced, looking over her shoulder. Probably to get Serelda’s opinion, though I couldn’t see the other woman. Winter guarded her sister like a pitbull. That was easy to see.
“There’ll be food. Always is. I’ll be happy to take you down.”
Again, she looked over her shoulder. “Maybe I’ll bring Serelda something back.”
“We can do that.”
“Go with him, Winter.” The sound coming from the inside of the room was eerily similar to Winter’s but husky. As if she didn’t use her voice much. “I’m tired from the trip. I’ll just take a bath, then rest.”
“I’ll bring you back something. You need to eat.” Winter was close to tears. I could see it on her face. Was she rethinking their decision to leave their home?
“You know, I can arrange for you to go back to Black Reign if you want. You’re welcome to stay, but don’t think you have to just because you’re already here.” I tried to sound gentle when I wanted to make the decision for her. Anyone could tell Serelda wasn’t ready, and Winter wasn’t being separated from Serelda.
“No.” She put her shoulders back and finally met my gaze. Her features hardened, and she put her chin up. “We’re fine. We just need some time to adjust.”
“She can take as much time as she needs. You too. No one’s gonna pounce on either of you. Take some time to get to know us -- but do it in your own time.”
“Wow. Seems like you might have made your peace with us being here.”
“Honey, ain’t got no problem with you bein’ here. I know you have emotional scars, and those are the toughest to heal. Some people never do.”
“Scars don’t heal. They always leave a mark.” She tugged self-consciously at her sleeves. They were long, but she’d pulled them up her forearms out of her way. Several scars from what looked like thin cuts crisscrossed her skin everywhere I could see. Now she covered her arms as low as the shirt would rest on her wrists. It made me wonder if she was covered in those scars all over her body. My guess was yes. Made me want to claw a motherfucker’s heart out.
“But you’re tougher for them. You survived. You endured. You went on.”
She stepped outside and shut the door behind her. “No. We didn’t. At least we didn’t get on with our lives. Not really.”
“This is what you meant before. About starting over.”
“It’s what we both need, but Serelda even more than me. We both need a fresh start. I’m hoping we can find it here. We only have to be brave enough to take it.”
The look on her face, the fierce pride in her voice made me believe Winter could take whatever she wanted. She was slight of build and delicate-looking, but inside she had a stout heart. Just made me that much more interested in her.
Winter headed down the hallway ahead of me and marched straight to the common room where the party was in full swing. Instead of hunting down Iris like I thought she might do, she went to the bar and signaled the prospect. He placed a bottle of beer in front of her before popping the top. She took a long pull while she looked around the room, sizing the place up. I leaned against a nearby wall watching her. I wanted to see what she’d do. How she’d react if approached by one of the brothers. Would she flinch back? Tell him to take a hike?
Retreat back to her room?
I didn’t like the thought of her being scared of any of us. Made me want to warn everyone off. The girl had obviously been through enough. She didn’t need a bunch of horny bikers making passes at her.
She finished her beer, then signaled for another.
“Word is you got a sister, little lady. She not with you?” The prospect leaned one elbow against the bar and gave her a cocky grin.
“She’s resting. It was a long trip.” Winter didn’t smile at the younger man. The prospect -- Deacon -- wasn’t deterred. He got himself a beer and opened the top, then clinked the neck with hers.
“Glad you ventured out. I was hoping I’d get to meet you.”
Winter turned her full attention to him then. “You were? Why?” She didn’t make it sound like a question. More like a demand. Like she sensed a trap and was determined not to fall for it.
Deacon shrugged. “I always enjoy meeting beautiful women.”
“Looks like there’s plenty of women here for you without me or my sister being on your radar.” Her face hardened. “Stay away from my sister.”
Deacon raised his hands in surrender. “Hey. I’m not interested in hurtin’ anyone. I just like havin’ a good time. Someone don’t wanna party with me, I won’t be forcin’ ‘em.” The only reason Deacon got to live was his tone of voice and his expression. He didn’t laugh her off, and he wasn’t making fun of her or her fears. “Just wantin’ the two of you to feel welcome.”
“Uh-huh.” Winter eyed him as she took another pull from her beer. “I don’t see you trying to make Iris feel welcome.”
“That’s cause Iris is our prez’s ol’ lady. You don’t mess with a brother’s woman. I’m nice to her. I respect her. I’ll protect her the same as I’d protect our president. But I ain’t gonna get cozy with her.”
“And you were trying to get cozy with me?” Winter scowled at him.
He gave her a charming smile that had me wanting to beat him to a bloody pulp. I had to force myself to stand there and listen to the son of a bitch and not act on my instincts.
“Honey, any man in this club who don’t wanna get cozy with you is a Goddamn fool. You’d make a fierce ol’ lady.”
“You don’t know me,” she snapped, looking angry as hell. “If this is some kind of bet where you try to get in my pants so your brothers can laugh at me when I make it easy for you, you’re wasting your time. I have no interest in sex with anyone here.” She snatched her beer. “Excuse me.”
“That’s not what this is,” Deacon called after her as she stood to leave.
Winter moved to the other side of the room, where she stood by herself and continued to try to read the room. She was close to a group of club girls, and I knew there would be a confrontation soon. The only question was how many fireworks would be set off.
I kept my eye on her but moved to the bar where Deacon shook his head as he stared at her. “That woman’s a biker’s wet dream.” He was talking to himself more than me, but I felt the need to respond.
“She is. I’d suggest you treat her like you would Iris, though. Her man might get the idea you’re encroaching on his territory.”
Deacon didn’t take his eyes off Winter. “Oh? Who’s her man?” I doubt the pup even knew who he was talking to.
“Me, you dumb shit.”
He whipped his head around in surprise, his mouth open. “Roman? I’m sorry, man. Didn’t know you’d claimed her.”
“Ain’t yet. ‘Cause she just got here. You pass the word around. Anyone thinkin’a movin’ in on her, better be ready to tangle with me.”
“I’ll spread the word.” The other man nodded gravely, taking everything I said seriously. Because of that, I decided to not give him a beat down. For now.
I watched as a club whore approached Winter, looking her up and down. Jezlynn said something that made Winter’s face harden. She didn’t back down from the other woman but didn’t respond to her either. Just gave her a steady gaze. When Jezlynn continued, the other women laughed and spoke amongst themselves, obviously supporting Jezlynn in whatever mischief she was causing. I saw the exact moment when whatever they said to Winter hit their mark.
“Ah, hell…” Deacon saw it too.
“Yeah. I think you’re right.”
* * *
Winter
“Bet it hurts to look in the mirror, don’t it, honey? I know a good cosmetologist who could probably do something with your face.” The bitch didn’t sound like she cared one way or the other. I knew she was just trying to hurt me. She succeeded. I’d known this would happen. It was the only reason I was out there now instead of helping Serelda get settled. I wanted to get the women in the club used to seeing my scars so maybe when Serelda joined me away from our room they’d leave her alone for the most part. Instead of rising to the bait, I just looked at the woman and let her and her friends continue.
“That why you wear long sleeves and those hideous pants? You got ‘em all over you?” That came from one of the women behind the first one. A gaggle of club whores. Lovely.
“No competition there,’’ another of the women commented. “No biker around here’d want a used-up whore.”
“Yeah,” the first one continued. “Bet whoever put those scars on you got tired of your bitchin’ and whinin’. You know, if you’d learn how to suck cock and fuck a man properly, he won’t cut you.” They all laughed.
The image of the men who’d cut me flashed through my mind. Laughing at Serelda and me. Humiliating us. All the blood making them slide over me while they…
NO!
I was not that powerless girl any longer. I’d fought back. I’d killed my father for selling us as whores to those men and others before them the first chance I got. The only reason I hadn’t killed the men he’d sold us to was because I had no idea who they were or how to find them. But these bitches? Yeah. I could deal with them. I’d make them pay for their callous words and, hopefully, make them think twice about saying anything like that again. Especially where Serelda could hear.
Before I even realized I was going to do it, I smashed the bottle of beer I’d been nursing on the edge of the table, breaking it off into a jagged piece. I held it by the neck, the broken bottle now a deadly weapon. It wasn’t as good as the knife I’d had the day I’d killed my father, but it would be enough.
I lunged forward, swinging the bottle at the first woman. I caught her cheek with the glass edge and she screamed, slapping her hand over the cut. It wasn’t shallow. I’d laid her cheek open enough there was no way it wouldn’t leave a horrible scar. I should know. I’d had it done to me enough. The sight nearly made me vomit. It took so much effort to just remain standing I wasn’t sure how long I could manage to stay on my feet and keep from puking. But I couldn’t let it show. So I raised my chin and continued as I wanted my relationship with all the club whores here to proceed.
“Now you can look at yourself in the mirror. Maybe if you’d learned how to suck my pussy with that mouth instead of running it, you wouldn’t have gotten cut.” My voice was calm and steady when I was trembling with rage inside.
Surprisingly, none of the men interfered. They’d stopped to watch, and more than one snickered at my comment, but they didn’t try to talk either of us down. All but one of the girls with the leader backed off. She grabbed her own bottle and broke it like I had, a maniacal gleam in her eyes.
“You wanna fight, bitch? Then come on!”
She shoved the first woman out of the way and charged me with a battle cry. I side-stepped her and swung the bottle in my hand in a sweeping arch, catching the back of her shoulder in a deep slice. All those self-defense classes Rycks had made us take were finally paying off. She cried out and whipped around.
“You fuckin’ cunt!”
“There’s more where that came from.” I beckoned her to me. “Come get some more.”
She did, running at me again in the same way. Again, I spun out of her way. This time, I stabbed her side as my momentum carried me around. I knew I’d gotten close to her kidney. She was slender, so it was entirely possible I’d hit my target even though I hadn’t hit her from the back. She screamed, clamping a hand to her injury. Blood poured between her fingers. Nausea bubbled, and I knew if I focused too long on the blood I’d be sick and any respect I’d just won would evaporate. Only then did any of the men make a move toward us.
“That’s enough.” Brick’s order wasn’t one anyone could ignore. It was barked with the authority of someone who could and would make your life a living hell if you dared to disobey him. “Eagle, take Jezlynn to the infirmary. Stitches can’t patch her up, get him to call in a favor. But she stays here. No hospitals.”
“If Stitches can’t fix this she could die!” That was from the first woman. The other one I’d cut.
“Shoulda thought about that before gettin’ in a bar fight with more than your fists. She goes to the hospital, they ask questions. Ain’t puttin’ the club in danger cause’a her stupidity.”
“You gonna punish that bitch? You allowing some outsider to come in here and disrespect us now?”
“Jezlynn,” Brick said, leveling his gaze on the women. “You’re about two seconds from gettin’ kicked out. And you know what that means.” For some reason the other woman paled. She shook her head and backed off. “We gonna have a problem?”
“No, Brick. No problem.” Though her tone was subdued and subservient, she threw me a venomous look before turning to leave. Someone had given her a napkin to put over her cheek, but blood had already soaked through.
Slippery, sticky, fluid over my body while the men wrapped their arms around me to hold me still. Taking their pleasure. Making me lick my own blood from their fingers…
I’d reached my limit with the blood. If I didn’t leave now, I was going to be sick.
Knowing I needed a distraction and that there was no way they’d just let me leave the common room, I decided I’d better start with Brick before he started with me. I gripped the neck of my broken bottle tighter. “I ain’t sorry for what I done. Jezlynn asked for it, and the other one tried to cut me first.”
“No one’s takin’ you to task, Winter.” He shook his head before reaching out a hand palm up, obviously wanting my weapon.
“You’ll pardon me if I don’t give up my only defense.” I made no move to surrender the broken bottle.
He nodded. “OK. Fair enough. Probably shoulda stopped that before it escalated. The whores are territorial. They see you as a threat, whether you are or not.”
“My suggestion would be to let them know me and my sister aren’t interested in encroaching on their territory. I know the score. I knew moving to a club we didn’t know would involve risks exactly like this one. Though, I confess, I never thought I’d have to injure someone that badly.”
“What did she say to you?”
Surprisingly, it was Roman, stalking toward us, who asked the question. There was an odd look on his face. A cross between fury and… hunger? But why would he be looking at me like that?
“Nothing I should’ve reacted that badly to. She was looking to get under my skin, and she did.”
Roman raised his voice so it carried over the whole room. “Maybe this lesson has been learned by everyone, so you don’t have to repeat it.”
Brick raised an eyebrow but didn’t contradict Roman. “I heard what she said. You’re right. Bitch deserved it.” He raised his voice so the whole room could hear him. “If we’re all finished here, I’d like to get back to the fuckin’ party.” The big man sounded irritated but had a look of satisfaction on his face. “You want to sit with Sting and Iris, Winter? They’ve got room at their table for you.”
“That an order?” I put my chin up. It was the last thing I wanted, but I didn’t really expect anything else. I took several deep breaths, trying to calm my roiling stomach.
Roman rolled his eyes before taking my hand. “Yeah. It’s a fuckin’ order. Come on.”
He led me to the table where Iris and Sting sat. Iris got to her feet with a huge smile on her face. Surprisingly, seeing the other woman helped me center myself.
Breathe in slowly. Out slowly. In. Out.
“I’m so glad you came down to join us!” She hugged me tightly before letting go. Iris was a stunning beauty. I hadn’t seen her smile often while Black Reign searched for her sister, but now she was positively beaming. “Are you settling in?”
I blinked. “Is that it?”
“What?”
“You’re not going to address the pink elephant in the room? I just stabbed someone!”
Iris shrugged. “Yeah. You did. If the guys ain’t worried about it, I’m not. From the look of things, she had it coming.”
“Well, when you put it like that.” I knew then I was going to like Iris. The younger woman reminded me a lot of Jezebel, El Diablo’s wife.
“I’m glad you’re here, Winter. I hope Serelda feels comfortable enough to join us soon. We’re all going to be great friends.” Iris reached over and gripped my hand with a bright smile.
