Chapter Twenty
It didn’t take long for Miranda to feel at home in the Sons of Sin clubhouse.
It helped that everyone, or nearly everyone, was friendly and did everything they could to make her feel welcome.
And the ones that didn’t? Well, they were the ones Winter called the “mamas.” Ashes called them club ass.
Miranda didn’t care what they were called as long as they stayed away from her and her man.
By her fourth day at the compound, or whatever they called it, she didn’t hesitate to go where she wanted, and if there was somewhere she wasn’t sure she should be, she found Winter to ask.
Sure, she could have asked one of the Sons, but she found she was just more open with another woman. Well, other than Jacob.
“You’re thinking about him again, aren’t you?” Winter said, pulling out a chair. She sat across the table from where Miranda had been staring into space as she sipped a cup of coffee.
“What makes you say that?” Miranda asked.
“That goofy grin. We only look that dopey when we’re thinking about our men.
” Winter cleared her throat, turning to focus on something across the room, but Miranda didn’t look to see what.
Something told her whatever it was didn’t matter but that her new friend was about to ask something she wasn’t comfortable with.
“Look, I know it’s none of my business, but I also feel I need to ask. Have you seen a doctor? I mean recently?”
Miranda blinked. That wasn’t what she’d been expecting. Questions about her intentions, or maybe about what was going on between her and Ashes, that she’d expected, but not this.
“Not unless Doc counts.” Miranda watched Winter as she answered.
“What kind of doctor do you think I should see?” Had she been totally wrong about Winter?
Did the other woman think she’d lost her mind and needed to be committed?
A thousand possibilities flashed through her mind before the other woman spoke again.
“I don’t know.” Winter shrugged one shoulder. “What kind do you think? If it were me, I’d probably want to see my OB, maybe my primary care to make sure that son of a bitch didn’t do anything permanent.”
Miranda thought about the scars on her back and knew she’d never get rid of them, not completely.
She suspected if she found a plastic surgeon, they might be able to make them less prominent, but right now, she didn’t know if she wanted to do that.
The thought of the pain of surgery and recovery made her want to curl up and hide.
The memories of how she’d gotten the scars were still too fresh.
Maybe time would give her some distance and a reason to see about having them repaired but she wasn’t there yet. Maybe not ever.
“I also think you should talk to someone about what happened,” Winter said, her voice barely more than a whisper, as if she didn’t want to be overheard.
“To who?”
“I don’t know but someone. Bottling it up and pretending it didn’t happen isn’t healthy. I’m not trying to tell you that you need counseling, I’m just worried about you. You need someone you can confide in, you know what I mean? Is there anyone you trust?”
Miranda was quiet as she thought about it.
The only person she trusted that much was Jacob.
He hadn’t pushed but he let her talk when she was ready and he didn’t try to make her feel bad about anything she’d been through.
If anything, he got upset on her behalf, which made her feel better, more cared for, less like a victim.
There were a lot of reasons she didn’t want to lose him.
Though, part of her feared he’d get bored with her or find another damsel in need and leave her in his dust. She knew that was the stupid part of her brain that always told her she was wrong, so she did her best to ignore it.
“I talk to Ashes, is that enough?”
Winter eyed her, as if trying to decide if she was being placated or if Miranda was being serious.
“Are you honest with him? Or do you hide parts of what you went through?”
“I’m honest. It’s not always easy and things seem to come out in bits and pieces, but I don’t lie to him and I don’t minimize anything.
He gets angry if I even hint that I deserved something.
” Miranda found herself smiling as she remembered how he’d defended her, to herself.
“He makes me see that it wasn’t anything I did that made Kevin do everything he did to me. It was Kevin.”
“What did I tell you about not calling him by his name?”
Miranda nodded. “I know and you’re right. I try to think of him as ‘that monster’ instead of by name, but sometimes it pops out.”
“It will for a while. You’ll get used to it. Eventually you’ll think of him more as ‘that monster’ than by name. But enough about him. What are your plans for today?” Winter propped her feet up in the chair beside her as she made herself comfortable.
“Nothing, really. I should look into finding a job but I don’t know where. Besides, I don’t have ID or anything. Who will hire me?” Miranda knew she was being whiney and pathetic, but she’d been sitting here feeling sorry for herself and Winter had happened into it.
Winter stared at her, blinking rapidly, making Miranda think her brain was flipping channels quickly, trying to find the channel Miranda’s brain had changed to.
“Wait. Weren’t you going to school before? Don’t you want to go back and get your degree?”
“I was, but after ghosting the semester, I don’t know if they’ll let me go back.”
“Pfft,” Winter said with a wave of a hand. “People take time off all the time, just enroll for the spring.”
“I get that but how many of them are on financial aid. I’m afraid just disappearing the way I did totally screwed up my grants and stuff.”
“Only one way to find out.” Winter swung her feet to the floor and stood before taking Miranda’s arm and tugging her from her own chair. “Come on. We’ll get this figured out.”
“Where are we going?” Miranda asked as she let the other woman lead her from the room and down the hall to Bulldog’s office.
“You’ll see.” Winter dragged her past Bulldog’s office, stopping beside an open door that she knocked on. “Hey, Hammer? You busy?”
“Some, but what do you need, honey?” The huge man looked out of place sitting at a desk with several screens in front of him. He would look more at home wearing very little while flexing in a gym, or maybe on some TV commercial peddling protein powder.
“We could use some help.” Winter stepped into the room, towing Miranda behind her.
“What do you need?” Hammer repeated, watching the two of them for a few seconds before turning back to his wall of monitors.
“Miranda is afraid that taking time off because she was kidnapped and tortured will cost her scholarship and financial aid, meaning she can’t go back to school. What can you do for us?”
Hammer turned back to scowl at Winter. “Jeeze. Could you be a little harsher about it?” He shook his head and turned back to the computer. “And as for what I can do for you? Nothing.”
“Nothing? That doesn’t sound like the kind of hacker that warrants a command center like this?” Winter was just getting started. Miranda sat down, then tugged at Winter.
“Let him finish. Clearly, he’s not done.” Miranda waved one hand in Hammer’s direction.
“Thanks, honey.” He nodded at Miranda. “First, this was in today’s mail.” He picked up an envelope and held it in her direction.
“What’s this?” Miranda frowned, then turned it over and ripped off a chunk of the flap.
“Your driver’s license,” Hammer said, turning back to the screen.
“But? How?” She pulled the paper out and found that sure enough, a copy of her driver’s license was attached, only instead of her previous address, it gave the address here.
“Not a big deal to log in and change your address, then request a duplicate be sent. I’ve also got duplicates of all your personal papers on the way—birth certificate, social security card, passport, and student ID.”
“I don’t have a passport.”
“You do now,” he said, as if it was normal for one to just suddenly appear.
“I’ve also got the system ready so all you have to do is decide what classes you want and I’ll get you into them.
” He spun his chair around to face her. “Do you know what classes you need? Do you want to continue with this degree, change your major? Let me know and we can make it happen.”
She stared at him, blinking several times as it took a moment for what he’d just said to sink in. Miranda had been so overwhelmed with everything happening over the last couple of days, that she hadn’t given school much thought, or any really, other than to assume she’d lost her financial aid.
Now to be told it wasn’t affected and she could go back if she wanted.
On top of all that, if she’s decided she no longer wants to be a nurse, then she could change fields.
But what would she do if she did? Miranda had never wanted to be a nurse, but it was a job that made decent money.
She still didn’t want to be a nurse, but it was a solid plan to be able to support herself in the future.
“Can I think about it for a couple of days?”
“Sure. But don’t take too long. The longer you wait, the more hacking I have to do to get you into the classes you need. It’s not impossible but it will take longer. Just let me know when you decide,” Hammer said. “Anything else I can do for you?”
“How did you know? How do you have all this already?”
“I started as soon as we confirmed your identity. As soon as we had you back here. I’ve got a few more things in the works, but I’ll let you know what when I get it all worked out. Until then, why don’t you go find someone else to pester?” Hammer waved one hand in the air, dismissing them.
Miranda looked at Winter, wondering what to do now, but before either could say anything, a voice came echoing down the hall.
“Tiny Warrior, where are you?” Ashes called.
Miranda didn’t bother to hide her happiness. She stood and headed for the common room.
“I’m in here. What’s up?”
“Want to go for a ride?” he asked while she was still across the room from him.
“Ride?”
“On my bike. I thought you might like to get out of here for a bit. Have a ride.”
“Oh, that sounds nice.” She looked down at herself. “Should I change?”
“That would be good. Jeans, something long-sleeves and warm. Don’t worry about shoes, I’ve got boots for you when you get back down here.”
She frowned at the idea of coming downstairs barefoot. Who knew what was on the floors in here.
“All right. I’ll be right down.” She headed up to their room to change, excitement and a little fear bubbling in her belly.
Not that she thought Ashes would hurt her, but she’d never ridden a motorcycle before and wasn’t sure what to expect.
Ashes would take care of her, though. That she had no doubt of.