Chapter 16
Beth
It’s been a couple of weeks since Patch and the Savage Legion rescued me and Lila from that creep’s sex dungeon.
Vincent turned out to be a real asshat, but he certainly wasn’t the only one.
My stepfather was worse than any of them.
He’d betrayed my mother by trafficking her daughters when she was no longer around to protect us.
I hate him. Come to think of it, any liking I had for Father Michael is long gone as well for writing that letter saying he was a good man.
I know it’s water under the bridge, but it drives home the fact that a biker cared more about my well-being than my own religious leader. I don’t know how to feel about that.
With all the baddies locked up, I’m free as a bird.
It’s safe again for me to be out on my own, and I’m taking advantage of it by shopping my pretty ass off.
Since I left most of my stuff behind when I fled my stepfather’s home, I’m trying to rebuild my wardrobe.
I don’t need a lot, just a few things to get me through for now.
I stop at the edge of the crosswalk and wait for the light to change before moving on.
It’s a beautiful day to be out and about.
I think that I’m slowly recovering from getting through the whole nasty ordeal.
My hands don’t shake anymore. My anxiety has all but gone away.
I’m driving myself places and walking around town alone, and it feels like just another normal day.
Patch didn’t want me to go. He didn’t tell me no, but I saw the concerned expression on his face.
And I felt the way his hand lingered on my waist when he kissed me goodbye, as though he didn’t want to let go of me.
His worry almost made me change my mind about going out alone, but I’m not going to let him live rent-free in my head and cause me to live in fear.
On the way back to my car, I pass by a coffee shop.
It’s the one I always wanted to try but never had the chance.
The inside looks warm and inviting, so I decide to get coffee for me and Caroline.
I promised to visit her today. I know what she drinks because I’ve watched her make it a lot over the years.
I give my order and text Patch that I’m finished shopping and am going to visit his mother next. I get a heart emoji in return.
When the barista hands me two cups, I take off, wanting to get to her house before they get cold. Caroline’s house is a few blocks away. I drive there, setting my bags on the seat and the coffees in the cup holders.
When I get there, I knock once, and the door opens a few seconds later. “There’s my girl,” Caroline says warmly.
Her eyes go straight to the cups in my hands. She steps aside, and I move past her into the hallway. “You brought one for me?”
“It’s your favorite. A bit of cream, two sugars, and a shot of espresso.”
She takes it from my hands and sips it as I follow her into the kitchen.
There’s a baking sheet with shortbread cookies cooling on a rack near the window.
There’s always something comforting about being in the Patchetts’ kitchen.
It reminds me of happier days when my mom would bake cookies with me and Lila.
We sit at the table together, relaxed and happy.
“You look better every time I see you,” she says.
“Thank you. I’m starting to believe it’s all behind us.”
“Everyone who could hurt you is locked up right now. The new DA apparently takes human trafficking very seriously.”
“Yeah, I’m surprised that all of them were denied bail.”
“Monsters like that don’t deserve to live among decent folks,” she says bitterly. “Also, the way they treated Lila was deplorable. I believe that’s why they’re not getting cut any slack at all.”
“I hate that she had to go through that, but she seems to have come out okay. She’s bright and chipper when we visit.”
She reaches out to squeeze my hand. “I’m glad to hear that. I’d be devastated if anything happened to either of you.”
“I wanted to see you because I have something important to tell you.”
Caroline sits up straighter when I grasp her hand. “Let me have it. Whatever it is, I’ll deal with it.”
“Patch and I decided we don’t want to continue with a marriage of convenience.”
“Because you’re safe now, you don’t need to stay married, right?” Her voice breaks a little and I can tell she’s disappointed.
“There’s nothing fake about it anymore. I want it all with Patch. We’re gonna stay married, make babies, and grow old together. And the best part is he feels the same way.”
An excited expression jumps onto her face. “That’s the best news I’ve had all year. I think you both make a wonderful couple.”
“I know we do,” I tell her. “It’s the one thing in life that I’m completely sure of. And I just wanted to say thank you for suggesting the arranged marriage. If not for that, we never would have had the opportunity to get to know each other and fall in love.”
“You’re more than welcome. I had the strongest gut feeling that the two of you would be good together.”
I press my lips together, trying to hold the emotion in place. My throat tightens.
“I truly love him. You raised an amazing man, and I couldn’t have asked for a better husband. I plan to take really good care of him.”
She squeezes my hand again, then pulls her hand back. “Congratulations. I’m thrilled to hear this good news. I had always hoped the two of you would find your way together. And you’re very welcome in our family.”
I sit with her in the quiet kitchen, just drinking coffee and talking about the future. When I leave, Caroline waves from the porch. Her warmth sticks with me, even after the car turns onto the main road.
I check my rearview out of habit, to find a white delivery van. There isn’t another vehicle in sight as I head out of town. The road curves and narrows, leading towards the older part of town. I’m heading back to Patch’s office. I want to stop and pick him up some lunch.
The van behind me seems to be in no hurry, kind of like me.
The old highway isn’t busy this time of day, so I guess neither of us needs to rush.
Or maybe I’m wrong about that, because the van suddenly speeds up and passes me.
By the time I go around the next blind curve, it’s parked along the side of the road.
I tighten my grip on the wheel but keep going. A good Samaritan would probably stop and see if they’re okay, but not me. With the shit I’ve been through recently, I’m not in the mood to take risks. It’s probably nothing anyway.
My phone buzzes in the cupholder. I glance down.
Patch: Almost done here. Can’t wait to see you.
I smile, but the feeling slips when I look up again. The van pulls onto the road right in front of me. My heart starts to thump because I have to slam on my brakes to keep from hitting it.
When the van cuts across my path and forces me into the gravel shoulder, I begin to panic. The car jerks violently, like I ran over something. I slow down when I realize that I’ve got at least one flat tire. I can tell by the sound they’re making.
The van doors fly open, and three men jump out.
I quickly lock all the doors and make sure the windows are rolled up when I realize they’re wearing cuts that say Grave Diggers MC on the backs.
When one brazenly walks up to my car, I see the one percent patches stitched below his name.
Their faces are hard. One has a thick beard and a snake tattoo on his neck.
And then I see him—Lynch. Marauder sent me pictures of him back when we thought he was the person I was being trafficked to.
He smiles at me, but there is no humor in his expression.
It’s a purely malevolent, downright creepy grin.
His teeth are yellow and chipped, and he has a lug wrench in his hand.
I don’t need to be half smart to know that he’s planning to break a window to get to me.
Since I can’t drive away on flat tires, I throw the door open and make a run for it before he can get too close to grab me.
The moment my feet hit the ground, I run as fast as I can.
The sound of their footsteps crunching in the gravel propels me forward at breakneck speed.
I’m desperate to get away from Lynch because I know what he wants.
Unfortunately, he catches up with me all too soon. His hands close around one arm, and he jerks me back. His other arm clamps down around my waist and yanks me off the ground. I kick, twist, and scream.
“Let me go! Get the hell off me!”
My elbow connects with his chest, but it doesn’t slow him down.
One of them murmurs in my ear, “This little bitch has some fight left in her.”
“Easy,” another says. “She’s worth more if she’s not bruised.”
“Don’t tell me what to do with my own property,” Lynch snarls as he drags me towards their van.
I twist again, trying to break free. My leg scrapes across something that looks like a long chain with spikes sticking up.
I realize it’s what they used to make my tires go flat.
When we get close to the van, Lynch literally throws me through the open door headfirst, causing me to lose my balance and faceplant onto the metal floor.
He stands in the doorway, smirking all over the place. “They never figured it out, did they?” he says. “Your stepdaddy made the deal with me before he ever brought you to Vincent. Vincent pays premium for short-term girls. I take his leftovers for steep discount. See how that works?”
“Go away. Let me go,” I shout, trying to push him out of the doorway.
“I like women with a little spirit. You’re too valuable to pass on, even if the others were stupid enough to get themselves caught,” he says with a frown. “Money changed hands, and that means you belong to me now. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll do as I say or suffer the consequences.”
I scream the walls of the van down, hoping to draw attention to what’s happening here, but unfortunately, there is no one around to hear me.