Chapter 8 Abbey
“Angel.”
The rumbled rasp of Ringo’s voice drags me out of a deep sleep with a groan, but I can’t find it in me to open my eyes.
“What?” I murmur sleepily.
“I need you to wake up, Angel.” He gives me a little shake, and I groan again, too exhausted to obey.
My body still feels relaxed after he followed me up to our room late in the evening.
He used his fingers on me… down there, while sucking on my boobs, and well…
drinking. I was going to stop him, but it felt so good, and it was a relief to empty them.
He reminded me afterwards that I need to keep up my milk production for Bobbi, and even though it’s highly unconventional, I can’t help but wonder if the universe hasn’t been keeping me prepared for her return this whole time.
“Angel, come on. I need you to get up. We have to go.”
My eyes spring open at his words, immediately locking with his as panic rushes through me.
“What’s wrong? Are we being attacked?”
In the faint glow coming from the bathroom, I see a small smile kick up his lips.
“No, Angel. We aren’t under attack.” He reaches down, brushing some of my hair back off my face. “We’re going for a little drive.”
I frown. “A drive? Where?”
“Less talk and more getting out of bed, woman,” he chuckles quietly, standing from the bed and moving across to his closet.
I sit up, rubbing my eyes as I try to piece together why the hell he’s waking me in the dead of night to go for a drive.
Shit, what time is it?
Reaching over to the bedside table, I snatch up my phone to see that it’s 3:18 AM.
“Why are we going for a drive at three in the morning?” I groan as Ringo comes out of the wardrobe, tossing a pair of jeans and hoodie on the bed.
“You’ll find out soon enough,” he offers vaguely, before retrieving my chucks.
I look over the clothes, slipping out of bed, even more confused.
These aren’t the type of clothes I would wear on the back of his motorcycle, which means we must be going in a car.
I want to keep pestering him to tell me where we are going, but I know him well enough to know he would have told me already if he was going to. So, I do what he asked, and get changed.
Once I’m dressed, he leads me quietly through the house, our footsteps light so we don’t wake anyone.
I half expect to find JD and Jols waiting for us, but we don’t come across them at all.
Instead, we slip out the back door and follow the path in silence, the dark closing around us until the shadowed silhouette of someone up ahead has me tensing.
“It’s okay, Angel. It’s just Riggs,” Ringo whispers, urging me to continue up the path with him, and for a moment, I wonder if the house is in danger. But no… he’d never leave his mum behind. Or his sisters. And I know he’d never leave Tahli behind, either.
As confused as I am, I stay quiet as we approach Riggs, who simply gives us a nod and leads us deeper into the bushland surrounding Ringo’s house.
The longer we are out here in the dark, the easier it is to see, my eyes adjusting to the moonlit night well enough that I can make out the path we are walking on.
We follow it up the large hill, onto the ridge, and my heart aches as memories take me back to when I walked this same path with my shadow tailing me while I missed Ringo desperately.
Mule. Even though we didn’t say much to each other, it was the unspoken communication that we connected with.
I really knew nothing about him other than he took his job seriously, but I could tell he had a kind heart. He didn’t deserve to die protecting me. I feel the weight of that every day. I feel the weight of all the deaths that have happened because of me.
I’m hardly worth it, but I won’t let their deaths be for nothing.
One day, when this is all over, I’ll tell Bobbi all about the brave men that fought to protect her. They will live on in stories. I’ll make sure of it.
The idea that I’ll get that chance to share that with my daughter has my heart flipping in my chest. I want that so bad… but also, I’m terrified of it as well.
The demons in my head keep reminding me that maybe this has all happened for a reason. Maybe I was never meant to be Bobbi’s mum. Maybe, I’m not good enough to be the one to raise her.
“Nearly there.” Ringo’s whisper drags me out of my thoughts, and I blink up at him as we step through the trees into another clearing, encased in tall wire fencing.
I simply nod, spotting the shadow of a car up ahead on the other side of the fence.
This all seems very… secretive.
Riggs leads us through a gate in the fence I didn’t even know was there, and we slip into the car quickly. Me and Ringo in the back, and Riggs up front in the driver’s seat.
Usually there are more of his men, but right now, it’s just the three of us, and that alone has a thousand questions wanting to escape my lips.
“What’s going on?” I can’t help but ask after clipping my seatbelt in place.
“We are going to meet someone, Angel. But it’s top secret.” Ringo smirks down at me, and I frown, because not one part of what he said sounded playful.
Something is wrong.
It appears that Riggs already has his instructions, remaining silent as he drives. To where, I have no idea at first. That is until I begin to recognise the familiar path.
We’re heading back towards Timber Valley.
I should be tired given the time of day… or night… or morning… whatever it is. But I’m too wired, curious, and concerned.
Every time I glance up at Ringo, he simply smiles down at me, sometimes pressing his lips to my hair, sometimes shooting me a wink.
I’m completely at a loss for what’s happening, so I sit patiently and wait, only perking up again when we turn off towards Redfield, not Fox Pines.
We were only here just hours ago, at Caroline Thatcher’s house, and before that, the last time I was at Redfield, we caused absolute carnage at the grocery store, saving Tahli from my mum and sister.
I’ve been to Redfield more times lately than I have my entire life growing up in Timber Valley, and I don’t carry one fond memory of this place.
We drive through the quiet streets, passing through the housing estates before reaching the town centre, which is like a ghost town this time of night.
When the car slows, I glance out the window to see red flashing lights illuminating a sign that says, The Red Room.
My brows hitch as I turn back to Ringo.
“You’re taking me to a strip club? Is this your idea of a date?”
His lips twitch, even as a low chuckle rumbles from the front seat as Riggs flicks the indicator on, turning us into the parking lot.
“Not a date, Angel. But I’ll be sure to avoid bringing you here when I do take you on one.”
My cheeks heat with embarrassment, but also a little excitement, because I’ve never been on a proper date before. And Ringo and I… well, we skipped everything and just jumped into marriage. A marriage of convenience, but still, now I can’t imagine not being married to this man.
Once the car is parked, we all get out, the night air chilly as Ringo weaves his arm around my waist, tugging me into his side as we approach the only strip club in the Timber Valley region.
When we step inside, the music and the atmosphere immediately take me back to Leather and Lace. My sanctuary for a short time.
I miss the girls there. Ariel. Shadi. Martini and Daffney. They were so beautiful and so caring. They didn’t have to take me in like they did, but that’s just the type of women they are. I was so lucky to stumble across them. It’s like the universe knew I needed them at that time.
“You know, nothing good happens after midnight.”
The familiar voice comes from behind the bar, and I look over to see Griffin Marx stepping out from behind it.
“Especially in a place like this.” Ringo chuckles, and Griffin’s lips spread wide as he approaches.
“I have private rooms if you and your girl want some alone time. Plenty of tools and toys to explore.”
My cheeks flush hot, and I dart my eyes to the floor as both men chuckle.
God, did Riggs hear that too?
“As tempting as that is, we have more pressing matters.” Ringo’s voice turns serious, cutting straight through the chitchat to get down to business. “Is everyone here?”
“They are. Follow me.” Griffin nods, his smile dropping and shit… what is happening?
I think I preferred him being playful and suggestive.
“Ringo.” I hiss quietly as we follow Griffin through the pretty much deserted showroom and past a black curtain, leading us to a passage. “What’s going on?”
Ringo glances down at me, and just winks again, and I want to stomp my foot and demand someone tell me what the hell is happening, but again, I remind myself that Ringo is doing this for a reason.
I just don’t know what that reason is.
We pass a series of rooms, all with the doors open, and my heart races at the things I see.
Whips. Chains. Paddles. Benches. Dildos. Other contraptions that I have no idea about.
Would Ringo really take me into one of those rooms? He said it was tempting. Is he into that stuff? Would he really want to chain me up? Whip me?
Panic rises quickly in my chest, and I stumble over my own feet, nearly tripping both of us.
“Shit, Angel. You okay?” Ringo rights us quickly before I feel his analysing eyes roaming my face. “Angel.”
I shake my head, not wanting to have this conversation here, in this hallway, with these people around us, so I blow out a breath and shake him off.
“I’m fine.”
He frowns, knowing I’m talking shit, but doesn’t question me further as I keep moving forward, following Griffin to wherever it is he’s leading us.
I ignore my surroundings for the rest of the short walk, my gaze zeroed in on the back of Griffin’s dark head of hair until we step into a room with a large conference table in the middle, and I stop in my tracks.
Sitting around the table are Dee, Jared, Devon Marx, and the two sisters, Bec and Amanda Angel.
“We’re clear,” Riggs says from behind me after closing the door, and all eyes shift to me from the table.