Chapter Five
Eliza
The room spun as I cowered in the corner, my arms protectively covering my head. Glass shards flew through the air. My father’s rage was a tornado, leaving destruction and chaos in its wake. I should stop replacing the breakable items in my room, but since I spent so much time here, I liked having pretty things around me. It made my prison a little more bearable.
“Please, stop!” I whimpered, tears streaming down my face. But there was no mercy to be found in his cold eyes. He loomed over me, his fists clenched like steel hammers. I didn’t know what happened, but he’d come home furious.
“Shut up!” he snarled, striking me hard across the face. Pain exploded through my skull, and I tasted blood in my mouth. My head slammed against the wall, stars dancing in my vision.
I could feel my body trembling, the urge to scream clawing at my throat. But I held it in. Screaming only made him angrier.
“Look at you,” he sneered, grabbing my hair and yanking my head back. “Pathetic. You’re just like your mother -- weak and useless.”
“Please, I’m sorry,” I gasped, choking on my own fear. But he didn’t care. His fist connected with my stomach, driving the breath from my lungs. The pain radiated through me like wildfire, but I forced myself to stay conscious. If I passed out, he might think I was dead. With my luck, he’d bury me alive.
“Next time,” he growled, his voice low and dangerous, “you won’t be so lucky.” The threat hung heavy in the air, a noose tightening around my neck. I knew, deep down, that one day he would make good on that promise.
As he finally stepped away, I curled up into a tight ball, trembling sobs racking my battered body. I could still feel the weight of his cold gaze, like a predator stalking its prey. And I knew time was running out. Something had to change. I couldn’t keep living like this -- a life that was nothing but pain, fear, and darkness.
“Remember what I said,” he whispered. And as he left the room, slamming the door behind him, I knew my only chance at survival was to escape. Somehow, some way, I had to get away from him -- no matter the cost.
I heard his steps as he went downstairs, and I listened intently. It didn’t take long before the front door opened and shut. Although, he’d tricked me before. This time, I waited. Staring at the clock, I watched as the minutes ticked by. When another fifteen passed, I thought he’d really left.
My heart thundered in my chest, like a wild animal caged and desperate for escape. I knew this was my chance, the only one I might get. With shaky hands, I wiped away the tears that stained my cheeks. Time to run.
I forced myself up, every bruise screaming in protest. I had to move now, while he was gone. I crept to the door, my breath shallow and ragged. The wood felt cold against my palm as I leaned into it, listening once more for any sound of movement in the house. When it remained silent, I turned the handle, wincing at the soft creak it made.
The hallway stretched before me, shadows looming like silent specters. I hugged the walls, feet barely making a sound as I padded across the floor. Fear clawed at my insides, threatening to choke me, but I couldn’t stop. Not now.
Every tiny noise set my nerves on edge, my instincts sharpening with each passing second. The hum of the refrigerator, the distant howl of a dog -- all seemed deafening in my heightened state of awareness. But I couldn’t afford to falter, not even for a moment.
My resolve hardened, fueled by the burning desire for freedom. I couldn’t let him win, not this time. My breath hitched as I reached the back door, the cold metal handle slick with sweat from my trembling hands. One more step, and I’d be outside, away from this nightmare. But I knew it wouldn’t be easy, that there were still obstacles waiting in the darkness.
“Please, please, please,” I repeated like a mantra, praying that luck would be on my side for once. And as I slipped through the door and into the night, I felt a flicker of hope, a tiny spark in the depths of my soul.
“Almost there,” I whispered to myself, the chill air stinging my battered skin. “Just a little farther.”
But even as I spoke, I knew that the real struggle was just beginning -- and that the road ahead was paved with danger, uncertainty, and the ghosts of my past.
The night swallowed me whole. Step by step, I inched farther from the house of horrors I had once called home. My heart thudded against my ribcage. Every snap of a twig or rustle of leaves threatening to shatter my fragile composure.
“Can’t screw this up,” I muttered under my breath, desperation driving me forward like a puppet on strings. “Just have to keep moving.”
And then it happened -- the distant roar of motorcycles shattered the quiet night, the sound echoing through the air like thunder. My body froze, blood in my veins turning to ice. Friend or foe? Underland MC or something else?
“Shit,” I whispered, hugging the shadows of a large oak tree as the rumbling grew louder. Panic clawed at the edges of my mind, threatening to tear me apart. If it was the Underland MC, maybe they’d help me. Maria had seemed confident they would. But what if they were just another bunch of sadistic assholes? I couldn’t trust anyone these days but going it alone… that was a death sentence.
Every second wasted felt like an eternity, each heartbeat a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. Help might not come again . I waited and watched, fear pinning me in place. But they could betray me … The thought made me want to vomit, bile rising in my throat as I considered the consequences of trusting the wrong people.
“Fuck it,” I whispered, clenching my fists and bracing for impact. “Either way, I’m screwed.”
The motorcycles drew closer, the ground beneath me vibrating with the raw power of their engines. It was now or never -- trust the unknown or face the monsters I knew all too well. Even if the engines I heard weren’t from the Underland MC, anything had to be better than this miserable existence. My breath hitched, and I made my choice. My legs trembled as I clung to the oak tree, poised to make a split-second decision that could either save or doom me.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” I whispered under my breath, cold sweat trickling down my spine as I hesitated, torn between the devil I knew and the unknown danger that lurked before me.
“Damn, girl, you look like you’ve seen a ghost,” said a voice, smooth and confident, laced with a hint of amusement. My eyes flicked to the speaker -- Cheshire. His mischievous grin was plastered on his face, his piercing blue eyes sizing me up. The aura of cunning radiating from him made me shudder. But once he got a better look at my face, the smile dropped from his face.
“Shit,” he muttered. “What the hell?”
My gaze swept over the other members of the Underland MC, each one a study in raw intimidation. Hatter towered above the rest, his scarred face and piercing eyes speaking of a life forged in violence. His calm, calculated demeanor sent a chill down my spine, and I couldn’t shake the feeling he was capable of both great mercy and unspeakable brutality.
“Think the sheriff got to her too?” one of them whispered.
They knew about my dad? From the way he’d spoken just now, I had to assume that meant they’d help me.
“Easy there,” Cheshire said, holding up his hands in mock surrender. “We’re not here to hurt you.”
“Then what do you want?” I asked, desperately trying to maintain control of the situation. My mind raced with a thousand different scenarios, each darker than the last. I’d thought they may help me, but I had to wonder… why were they here?
“Look, we heard about your father,” Hatter said, his voice measured and steady. His gaze scanned my face and exposed arms. I knew what he saw. The bruises, scars, and fresh cuts. “We don’t want you to suffer at his hands any longer.”
“How do I know for sure I can trust you? And how did you know he’s my father?” My gaze flicked from one biker to another. The way they looked at me -- like predators sizing up their prey -- made my skin crawl.
Cheshire inched a little closer. “We’ve done our research on the sheriff. He’s into some bad shit. Honestly, it doesn’t surprise me he’d beat the hell out of his daughter. You’re Eliza, right?”
I nodded. It looked like they really had been looking into my father. But that still didn’t explain how they knew about me. Although, it was true he didn’t exactly keep me a secret. He still kept me as hidden as possible. People would ask too many questions if I went out in public, thanks to all the bruises and cuts on my body. Some had left permanent scars.
“What do you know about me?” I asked.
Cheshire moved a little closer, his hands up as if trying to reassure me he wouldn’t harm me. “We have someone in the club who knows how to access certain files and records. Found your birth certificate but not anything showing you’d died. I’m curious why the town doesn’t talk about you, though.”
I licked my lips. “My dad told everyone I’m sick, that I need to stay home. He homeschooled me, or rather once I got old enough to figure most of it out on my own, he enrolled me in a program and then gave me the materials so I could teach myself.”
“So you’ve never gone to school or made friends?” Cheshire asked.
I paused. There was one person I’d seen a few times in passing. One of my father’s deputies. He’d seemed nice. The three times I’d met him had been here at the house, during a period when my father wasn’t leaving bruises in obvious places. It had been a while since I’d seen him. “No, I haven’t.”
I couldn’t really consider someone I met a handful of times to be a friend, right? It wasn’t like we spoke on the phone or exchanged letters. My father never would have allowed such a thing. I scanned the street, knowing it wouldn’t be long before he returned. Standing out here was dangerous. My gaze landed on Maria’s house. After she’d been treated at the hospital, she hadn’t returned. I hoped she was all right.
“Your choice,” Hatter said, his gaze locked on mine.
“Choice? For what?” I asked, having lost track of the conversation. I’d been too focused on Cheshire.
“Stay here and face him, or take a chance with us,” Hatter said. “But I promise you this -- we won’t betray you.”
“Promises don’t mean much. They’re easily broken,” I mumbled, my mind racing with doubt and desperation. Every fiber of my being screamed for me to run, yet something in Hatter’s eyes held me in place. A glimmer of hope? Or just another cruel trick?
“Time’s running out, girl,” Cheshire warned, his tone darkening. He scanned the area much like I had. Was he worried my father would be back? “What’s it going to be?”
Taking a deep breath and stepping out of the shadows, my heart pounded. I had made my choice -- now all that remained was to face the consequences.
“Eliza, you don’t have to be scared. We’re not here to hurt you.” Hatter gave me a slight smile.
“Easy for you to say,” I muttered, hugging myself, trying to make myself smaller. “You aren’t the one who’s been beaten black and blue.”
“True,” he conceded, his eyes flicking over my bruised face. “But we’ve seen our fair share of pain too.”
“It doesn’t mean I can trust you any more than I can trust him.”
His gaze never wavered, but I could see the conflict in his eyes, like he understood my hesitation but couldn’t afford to let it sway him. And if he was torn, what hope did that leave for me?
“Think about it,” he urged, nodding toward the other bikers. “We’ve got your back, Eliza. You just got to take that first step.”
“Take a step?” I scoffed, bile rising in my throat. “And then what? You turn on me? Or maybe you’re secretly working for my father.”
“Wouldn’t blame you for thinking that,” he admitted. “But we aren’t like your father. We live by a code.”
“Right. A code. Of course, you do. And how do I know that code won’t get me killed?”
“Can’t promise that,” he said, his expression grave. “But I can promise we’ll do everything in our power to keep you safe.”
“Everything?” I whispered, my voice barely audible over the pounding of my heart.
“Everything,” he repeated, his eyes locked on mine.
I hesitated, torn between the burning need for safety and the cold grip of fear that refused to let me go. But as I looked into Hatter’s eyes, I saw something that made me believe -- if only for a moment -- that maybe, just maybe, they could be my salvation.
“All right,” I murmured, taking a shaky step toward the motorcycles. “I’ll go with you.”
“Good choice,” Hatter said, nodding in approval.
“Can you walk?” Cheshire asked. “I realize you’ve made it this far, but… no offense, you don’t seem too steady right now.”
Why was he being so nice to me? I gave him a nod. “I can make it.”
He held out his hand, and I hesitantly took it. Cheshire led me over to the bikes, and my heart pounded with a mix of fear and hope, each beat a reminder of the risk I was taking. But in that moment, it was a risk I was willing to take.
“All right, then,” Hatter said, breaking the silence. He gestured toward an empty bike next to him. “Hop on.”
“Are… are you sure?” I asked, glancing nervously at the imposing machine.
“Positive,” he replied, his voice steady and reassuring.
Cheshire came closer, and without sparing me a glance, threw his leg over the machine and settled on the seat. With a shaky breath, I lifted my leg over the bike, settling down onto the worn leather seat behind him. I gripped the sides of his leather vest, worried I might fall. He tensed but didn’t say or do anything. I had to admit, I was glad he was the one I’d be riding with.
He started the bike and the motorcycle’s powerful engine rumbled between my thighs, sending tremors through my body.
“Ready?” Hatter asked, his hand on the throttle. I looked into his eyes, finding a strange sense of comfort in their depths.
“Y-yeah,” I stammered, gripping Cheshire tightly. “Let’s go.”
“Good,” Hatter said with a nod. “Whatever you do, don’t let go.”
“I’ve got her, Pres,” Cheshire said. I felt the light touch of his hand against mine. For some reason, I found that small gesture reassuring. What was it about him that made me feel like everything would be fine?
Hatter pulled off first, and Cheshire fell in behind him, pulling up next to him after we were a block away. The world seemed to blur together as we sped down the road, the wind whipping through my hair and tearing at my clothes. For a moment, I felt free -- free from the pain, free from the fear.
But as the road stretched on before us, I couldn’t help but wonder what lay ahead. I had placed my trust in these men, in the Underland MC, but would it be enough? Or was I simply trading one hell for another?
“Eliza,” Hatter shouted over the roar of the engines, snapping me back to reality. “Don’t look back.”
“Why? Is he behind us?” I asked, my heart pounding.
Cheshire patted my leg. “Everything’s fine, Eliza. He means to look ahead and forget your past. Your dad can’t hurt you now.”
And so, I didn’t. I looked forward, into the darkness, and let the night swallow me whole.
* * *
By the time we reached the clubhouse, my adrenaline had worn off. Fatigue pulled at me, and every part of my body ached. Riding on a motorcycle probably hadn’t been the best idea considering how battered and bruised I was. Cheshire helped me off the bike and my knees balked. He put his arms around my waist and led me into the clubhouse. A few people were inside and they stopped to stare. They probably wondered why he’d brought home a stray.
“Take a seat for a minute,” Cheshire said, guiding me over to a couch.
I sank onto the cushions and nearly groaned from how much I hurt. Someone brought over a bottle of water and handed it to me. I accepted and stared at it for a moment.
“It’s safe,” Cheshire said. He took it from me and cracked the seal, then tipped his head back and poured a little into his mouth without letting it touch his lips. “See, no drugs in it.”
My cheeks warmed. “I wasn’t thinking that.”
He smirked. “Liar. But it’s understandable.”
Hatter came over and clapped Cheshire on the back. “Watch over her. I’ll get someone to make sure the empty bedroom has clean sheets and towels. I’m sure she’d like to lie down and rest.”
He was right. That sounded like heaven. “Thank you. Are you sure it’s not too much trouble? I honestly didn’t think much further than getting away from my dad. Where I’d stay, how I’d pay for things… I never really sorted it all out.”
Cheshire hunkered down in front of me, taking my hand. “You don’t have to worry about all that. You’re welcome to stay here as long as you want. And there’s no charge for anything you need or use.”
It seemed almost too good to be true, but I gave him a nod before swallowing some of the water. Hatter walked off, leaving me alone with Cheshire, and the stares of two people over by the bar. I wasn’t sure who everyone was, but it didn’t matter right now. Even if they told me, I wouldn’t remember. My brain felt all fuzzy. Too much had happened today.
Hatter returned a short while later. “All set. I’ll let Cheshire show you where to go.”
“Thank you. For everything,” I said.
“It’s no trouble, Eliza. Just rest and heal.”
Cheshire helped me stand, and I followed him down a hall to a closed door. He pushed it open and I saw a small bedroom. I wasn’t sure how much longer I could remain standing. My body swayed, and I knew the moment I lay down and closed my eyes, I’d fall asleep.
“If you need anything, just open the door and call out,” Cheshire said. “You’re safe, Eliza. No one is going to hurt you. Get some sleep, and hopefully you’ll feel better in the morning.”