Chapter 15
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Winter
My head. There’s a pounding in my skull like I’ve never experienced before.
Am I coming down with something? As I try to swallow, my tongue is stuck to the roof of my mouth.
It’s almost like I drank too much tequila, and my mouth is dry from all the alcohol.
Except, I don’t remember drinking. At all.
What happened last night?
Finally opening my eyes, I notice two things.
One, I’m not at home in my bed. I’m in a dirty room, tied to a chair.
Two, I’m surrounded by several men. None of them the slightest bit familiar.
Then I look at the one sitting in front of me and see the patch on his leather vest. Or cut, as Fang had called them.
Sweat, stale beer, and cigarette smoke taint the air. The stench is horrendous, nearly making me gag. My eyes scan the room, counting heads and searching for an escape. There appears to be six men, all of which are older and each wearing a sinister smile.
Taking a better look at the man in front of me, or rather the cut he’s wearing, I notice the three-piece patch. In the center are cross bones. Their logo, I presume. On the top are the words Hollow Bones. Underneath is Dallas.
With the flick of a switch, it all comes back to me.
I was at my house with Jelly. Snake was outside keeping watch.
Until I started hearing noises, then he came rushing in.
Something about the situation didn’t sit right with me.
It all seemed like maybe he was the enemy in disguise.
Then when I was trying to escape, Snake aimed a gun at me and fired.
Remembering the gunshot, I quickly glance down and inspect myself the best I can. Hard to do when your hands are tied behind your back and you’re secured to a metal chair. No blood that I can see. That’s good.
“Look who’s awake.” A man with salt and pepper hair and a beer belly snarls.
The disgust he has for me, baffles me. What did I do to get on his shit list?
Well, other than take an interest in Fang.
I can see where he would hate me for that.
Though he wouldn’t know about Fang and me.
Unless Snake truly is a traitor. That would be the only way these men would know that.
Which brings me back to my worst fear. Snake is nothing more than a spy and an enemy of Fang.
Oh no, I hope Jelly got away.
I will never forgive myself if Jelly is hurt. She’s the sister I never had. The one friend I can never live without.
“Pretty little thing.” The man closest to me says. His hair is nappy, and he looks as though he hasn’t bathed in days. Gross. Just looking at him and I need a shower. He is staring at me like I’m a shiny new toy he can’t wait to get his hands on. “I can see why the Devils took an interest in her.”
Ugh. Gag me with a spoon. This man is repulsive.
He better keep his hands to himself, or I swear to all that is holy, I will gut him with my bare hands.
Violence isn’t my thing, but I will have no problem putting an end to any of these men who dare lay a finger on me. At the very least I’ll die trying.
The one sitting directly in front of me hasn’t said a word. He’s leaning back with his ankle crossed over his knee, observing. I can’t help but notice how the others glance his way, as if they are awaiting his orders. He must be their leader.
Tugging on the ropes binding me to the chair, I try my hardest to break free. Not that I would have a fighting chance of escaping all these men. They look lethal. I have no doubt they’d tear me limb-from-limb just to hear me scream.
No matter how hard I try, these ropes are not coming loose. Though, I didn’t really expect them to. I’m sure the Hollow Bones have plenty of experience in tying people up. So, instead of injuring myself further, I cease my tugging and sit up straight, staring at the fearless leader before me.
The dirty one next to me steps closer, the floorboards creaking with the movement. “She’s got spirit, can’t wait to see it burn out.”
Ignoring him, I keep my gaze on the one that matters. “Where is Snake?”
Stubbing out his cigarette, he leans forward with a grin. “Snake? Since when are you familiar with the Iron Devils?”
If he’s fishing for information, he’ll be sorely disappointed. I will not give him anything. Not even if my life depends on it. “Answer my question.”
“You think you wield enough power to talk to our Prez like that?” The guy next to me grabs me by the hair and jerks my head to the side. “You’re a nobody who is living on borrowed time.” Shoving my head forward, he says, “Prez asks the questions, and you answer.”
Giving the greasy creep the death glare, I square my shoulders and give their Prez my attention. He’s smirking. If I wasn’t tied up, I would slap that smirk right off his face. “I said, where is Snake?”
“That asshole got what he deserved.” Their Prez stands. Four large steps and he’s standing right in front of me. I didn’t notice this before because he was sitting, but this guy is tall. Like, I’m talking six feet, four inches or more. I have to strain my neck just to meet his gaze.
Then his words finally register. That asshole got what he deserved. Does that mean that I was wrong about Snake being a spy for the Hollow Bones. If that’s the case, then why did he point a gun at me. Unless I was mistaken and the gun was actually aimed at the kidnapper behind me.
Oh no. Did they kill Snake? What about Jelly?
“What do you mean?”
Prez—I hate calling him that, but I don’t know his name—grips my chin vice-like. “What I mean, princess, is that he took a bullet trying to protect what Fang holds dear.”
That shot I heard, it wasn’t Snake shooting at me. It was the Hollow Bones shooting at him. How did I get this all wrong. I should have trusted the man that Fang put in charge. The man he trusted to keep me safe.
Why didn’t I listen to Fang’s instructions?
Why didn’t I listen to Snake when he urged me to trust him?
My throat constricts with the revelation of my situation. Of Fang’s situation once he and the rest of the Iron Devils get back and discover what’s happened. Snake is dead because of me. Because of me, the Iron Devils lost a member. Fang lost a brother.
Then a new revelation dawns on me. Fang will hate me for what happened to Snake.
I’ll be lucky if he doesn’t come to kill me himself.
Their president must see the fear in my eyes because he cackles then bends down eye level with me.
“Ah, I see you have finally realized the shit you’ve gotten yourself into.
” As he speaks, the smell of whiskey and cigarette infiltrate my nostrils.
He presses his filthy thumb to the corner of my mouth, tracing my lips. “You’re such a pretty thing. Too pretty for the likes of Fang.” The others watch with glee and laughter. “Do you know what happens to pretty girls like you?”
If only I could turn back time.
“Pretty girls get broken.” His eyes light up when a tear falls. Leaning forward, he licks it from my face. “And the tears of pretty girls taste like gold.”
Bile burns my esophagus from the touch and smell of him. The Hollow Bones are vile. No wonder Fang and his club hate these men. Aside from the fact that these men killed two very important people to him.
I just want to go home.
Mustering up the courage, I take a deep breath. While he is busy savoring the taste of my tears, I open my mouth and bite the thumb still pressed to my lips. He doesn’t yelp, much to my dismay. Instead, he rears his hand back then slaps me across the face. Hard.
Heat from the impact brings on a new set of tears. I’ve never been hit so hard in my life. When I open my eyes, the room starts spinning. Cooper floods my mouth. Blood.
Laughter echoes around me. They get a kick out of abusing helpless women. What sick bastards. I hope Fang finds them and burns them alive. Whether he includes me in his rage, I don’t care. Not as long as these assholes get what they deserve.
Strong hands grip my shoulders, shaking me relentlessly. “Never been hit before?” He backhands me on the other cheek. “Good. Breaking you in will be fun.” A hand closes around my throat, effectively cutting off my air.
Twisting my body and tugging on the rope does no good. I’m firmly held in place. Seconds feel like hours as my lungs struggle to breathe in oxygen. The sound of zippers being pulled and heavy breathing reverberate in my ears.
Are they getting off on watching me get tortured? Jerking off to me being abused. Disgusting.
The harder I try to gain breath, the harder he squeezes.
Soon the edges of my vision turn dark, and all I can think is, they better keep their hands off me.
Each blink lasts longer and longer.
Fang.
Then blackness.