Nine
W e were staying at the fucking compound overnight, and that was weird as shit. Instead of my room at the clubhouse, which was just the way I liked it, with my own stuff around me, I had this plush bedroom that looked like it belonged in some kind of resort I’d never stay in. And it was bigger than my room at the clubhouse.
I literally lived at the clubhouse, because why the hell would I need more than my room, and my few belongings? I spent a couple of years on the road, and got used to not keeping a whole lot of shit, just what was useful for as long as it was useful.
This room didn’t even feel that secure, because even though there was a lock on the door, it was in a fucking mafia compound, wasn’t it?
Ice’s room was next door, and he’d settled in there for the night, leaving me with no option but to do the same. My mind was still reeling from how many of those fucking videos of me had ended up online. I know I’d been with a lot of women, but seeing it like that? Especially on so many screens, in front of a stranger. Yeah, that shit was mortifying.
If Elise found out about these videos, she’d think I was just some twisted pervert, and maybe I was, I don’t know. I enjoyed rough fucking because, let’s be honest, friction feels fucking good. Yeah, I enjoyed long drawn out sessions, and was partial to all of a woman’s holes, but never in a way that demeaned them. It was always about what they wanted me to do to them, after all.
I lay on that bed, and I wondered what Elise was doing while I was away. Was she drinking with the girls? Was she enjoying being at the clubhouse, or was she bored out of her mind? Did she even notice I wasn’t there?
I wished I had her number so I could message her or something, but what the hell would I even say? Sorry I started getting frisky with you and then disappeared? Yeah, that’d go down well, wouldn’t it? What did I say to her? Oh yeah… not finished with you yet. I should never have said it, but I’d certainly proved that I didn’t mean it, even though I really fucking wasn’t finished with her.
Ice had updated Reacher and Stitch while we were still in the tech room, so there was nothing for me to do but lay here, watch the TV on the wall, or jerk off while I thought of the sweet girl I wished I could be climbing into bed with.
Someone tapped on my door, and I thanked god that I wasn’t mid-wank, as I got up and unlocked it. It was Ice and Tesio.
“Uh… not really looking to get laid, guys, but thanks.”
Ice smirked and shoved past me, letting himself in. Tesio had three beers in his hand, and offered one to me.
“Not looking for girl talk either.”
Tesio sat down on the sofa at the end of the room. Yeah, like I said. Big room. A full fucking living room set up across from the bed, and bigger than mine. I pushed back any feelings of inadequacy, and grabbed a bottle of water from the mini fridge for Ice.
“Can’t believe you’re a biker who doesn’t drink,” Tesio murmured as he eyed Ice suspiciously.
“Yeah, all bikers drink copiously before we climb on our extremely expensive bikes we’re incredibly attached to.” He rolled his eyes, and I smirked.
“Can’t believe you’re a mafia guy who isn’t a greasy… oh hang on, nah, scratch that…”
Tesio flipped me off. “So, now the pleasantries are over, I just wanted to let you know I had all those porn videos pulled for you.”
The fuck? “You did? How? Ice has been trying for weeks.”
Ice shot me a glare, and I think I understood why. Hadn’t I just insulted his tech wizardry abilities or something?
“Sorry, all I meant was, it’s a lot for one guy with a fraction of your set up. Plus, you know, we’re a troubled club at times.”
Tesio nodded. “I see that. Few guys red flagged for me in your club, so I thought I’d mention them.”
Shit.
Elise
I was woken in the night by a sound, and for long agonising moments, I lay there in the dark, my eyes firmly fixed on the direction of the door, waiting for whoever was sneaking in on me. When it happened again, I realised it was my phone buzzing on the floor by the bed. When did it end up there? I almost knocked over the wine bottle to get it, but that didn’t really matter since it was empty, right?
I had three text messages waiting.
Unknown : I enjoyed tossing off while I listened to your fear.
Oh my god. That’s… who sends a message like that?
Unknown : I look forward to witnessing more of it. It gets me hard just thinking about it.
Unknown : Wherever you’re hiding out, I’ll find you.
I threw the phone across the room, and curled up against the headboard, staring fearfully into the dark for the rest of the night. I heard it buzz a few more times from over there, but I was way too scared to even get out of bed to check if it was more of the same.
As night turned to dawn, one deafeningly-silent minute at a time, I watched my room slowly starting to appear around me as light started to permeate the blinds. For once I was glad that they didn’t quite shut out everything, because I needed that light.
Only when the room was bright enough that there were no more shadows left, did I finally feel brave enough to climb out of bed and run to the bathroom for a pee I’d been desperately holding onto for several hours. I couldn’t even close the bathroom door, because I knew if I did, I’d be too afraid to step back out into the bedroom.
Why was I being so pathetic about some dodgy text messages? Was it just because I was a pathetic virgin and predatory men terrified me, or was it because the messages were unnerving in a way that made me think the sender meant me harm. There was a serial killer in the area, right? What if it was him?
I rolled my eyes at myself as I washed my hands. Serial killer, with his pick of any woman in town, and somehow he happened on my number, and he wants me next? Nah. I’m just being pathetic. It’ll be some teenager with his adolescent urges and he probably rang tons of random numbers until a woman answered. In the light of day it was easier to tell myself that, wasn’t it?
So by the time someone actually knocked on my door, I was showered, dressed, and ready to face the day like I hadn’t had just three hours of sleep all night.
It was still sensible of me to call out and ask who was there, right?
“It’s me, Cammy. You okay, babe? I brought breakfast.” Oooh aren’t they the magic words? I was so desperate for company that I’d have let her in without food, of course. I actually really liked my sister in law, and she was so good for Seth.
I locked the door after her, and she took the tray to the dining table, turning to open the blinds fully.
“Babe, you okay? You look like you barely slept.” Wow, busted. I thought I looked okay, but maybe that’s because I was judging myself based on the fact that I’d spent all night curled up in a ball of fear instead of sleeping.
I took the coffee she’d also brought with her for me, as I sat down.
“Oh, I was up late reading, that’s all. This looks great, thanks so much.”
We sat and ate our omelettes, drinking coffee, and chatting idly about what it was like being in the clubhouse on lockdown, and when my phone suddenly buzzed with a text message, Cammy was savvy enough to realise two things.
One, it was still on the floor in the living area, and two, I’d frozen up in a panic.
“Babe, you okay?”
I swallowed the last mouthful of my coffee, even as my stomach threatened to send it back the other way.
“Uh, yeah. Of course.”
She glanced over at my phone on the floor by the sofa, waving a hand in its general direction.
“You want me to get that?”
I tried to hide my shudder, and shook my head.
“Nah. Whoever it is can wait, right? I have company right now.”
She scrutinised me for a few moments, looking way too closely at me, and then she got up and picked up my phone while I clenched both hands and held my breath. Not more horrible messages, please.
“You have eight text messages waiting. Don’t you want to check them?”
I shook my head vehemently. God no, I didn’t want to see any more of that sickness. She swiped the screen before I could stop her, and her face paled.
“What the fuck is this? How long has this been going on, Elise?”
I squeezed my eyes closed, against the burn of sudden tears, because even with a good night’s sleep this would have been a lot to bear, but exhausted like I was from no sleep? It was impossible. I burst into tears, and dimly heard Cammy speaking, but I didn’t answer her, because I had no answers.