Chapter Three
Istepped inside after they left, and the first thing I realised was that there was no sign of Gloria. Where the fuck did she go? My heart started racing again as I ran into the living room, and the kitchen, heading for the hallway with my small office, and then upstairs.
I found her at the top of the stairs, huddled beside the wall, clutching her backpack to her chest like a lifeline. Jesus.
“Glory? You okay?” I slowly approached her, like I thought she’d run if I moved fast, because honestly I had no idea how she’d react. She seemed to be locked in some kind of permanent fight or flight situation, and I had no idea what to do.
“Glory. Hey, you’re safe here. My home is your home, yeah?”
She flinched as I reached toward her, and why the fuck did I think I had the right to touch her right now? I lowered my hands, chewing the inside of my cheek.
“Want me to show you to the spare room?”
“Sp… spare room?”
“Yeah, sweetheart. I’m not going to do anything messed up like expect you to share mine. It’s me, remember? I’m your best friend. I’d do anything for you.” Fuck, I wanted her in my room, even just to hold her at nights until she slept without fear.
“I… okay…” Good. It was a start. I walked over to the door of the spare room furthest from mine, because it was one of three spares, and she frowned.
“Where… where’s yours?”
I pointed to the other end of the hall, figuring she’d want to be as far from me as possible.
“I… is there one closer?”
“To mine?”
She nodded, that damn hair hanging over her eyes so much that I couldn’t read her reasoning behind the question.
“Yes.”
“There’s one right beside mine. Would you prefer that?”
She nodded again, so I wasn’t about to argue. Having her closer felt right to me too. I led her down the hall to the door opposite mine.
“This one okay?” I pushed the door open and waited for her to step inside.
It was nicely decorated, in shades of creams and greys, because neutral is best when it’s a guest room.
Unfortunately neutral just looked bland to me now.
She liked bright colours, berry colours particularly.
The bed wasn’t made, but I could grab bedding for her, but even that was in neutral tones.
It didn’t feel right for her. She was too bright for this room, or at least she used to be.
“I… we can repaint if you like… make it more you?”
Glory sighed, staring at the emotionless room with even less feeling.
“It’s fine. I don’t like colour anyway.”
Wait, what?
“Yes, you do. Berry colours, it was always those. Purples mostly.”
She shot me a glare. “Children like bright colours. I’m a grown up.”
Fuck me. Did he take that from her too? Fury soared inside my chest as I absorbed yet another form of abuse from that fucker.
“I’m going to find him, Glory. I’m going to tear him apart, and watch him bleed out.”
She gasped, spinning on her heel and backing into the room, her hair revealing fear on her face, but aimed at him or me?
“You… NO! You… don’t…”
“Glory…”
“You’re just like him!” She slammed the door in my face, and left me staring at the wood, also fucking grey, while I absorbed the insult she just threw at me. Just like him? What the fuck.
Slumped on the sofa, coffee in hand, and wondering what the fuck to do next, I grabbed my phone when it rang and answered without even checking the screen. Did it matter who it was? If it was someone selling something they were about to get a verbal assault they wouldn’t be expecting.
“Yeah.”
“You sound like hell, brother.” Micro. Was he ringing to check on us? Was this really the kind of club I’d finally found?
“Yeah, sorry. What’s up?”
He snorted. “Wanted to see if you guys are all settled there, or if you need anything. I’d send a prospect, but you know, that’s you, so…”
How did that make me laugh, when it felt like I’d just been destroyed from the inside out? I felt raw, like her words had carved me open, flayed me.
“We’re good, thanks.”
“Really?”
My chest seemed to clench, as if my heart was literally breaking.
“No,” I whispered, feeling like the biggest pussy ever. This was the president I wanted to impress, and I was doing just the opposite. Being a wuss when he expected me to be strong.
“Henley, what do you need?”
What indeed. Not to cry like a fucking pussy, that’s what I needed, but I suddenly felt dangerously close to it. I’d watched my best friend fall apart, been accused of being no better than the asshole who broke her, and now he was being kind? Fucking hell. Perfect storm.
“Brother, start with this. How’s she doing? Does she need medical help?”
I stared at my carpet, my entire chest throbbing with pain for her.
“I don’t know. Maybe. I… she’s so fragile. She’s barely hanging on.” I took a deep breath, which burned all the way down to my chest.
“You know that prick Ice has an old lady, right?”
The change of subject threw me for a loop. Sometimes I couldn’t keep up with this guy’s brain, or his mouth. One or the other.
“What?”
“She’s a therapist. We could put you in touch with her?”
“It’s not really up to me if she talks to someone though. I need to run it by her.”
Micro was quiet for a moment, then sighed.
“What if Ice comes to visit you, and she just happens to tag along?”
Really? “Glory’s not stupid, Pres. She’ll figure it out in seconds, and I’ll be wearing my balls as a hat.”
“Hey, what you do in private is your business, man.”
He was a dick, but I think he was right. Not about my balls, but the therapy.
“Can you send me her details, or Ice’s, whatever. I’ll reach out if Glory’s open to it.”
Gloria
Nate was right about the bedroom. It was bland and impersonal, but it was safety. It was freedom. It was home, at least for right now. At least until he got fed up with me, and my whiny, tiring behaviour.
I unpacked my few things into the empty top drawer of the dresser, and moved back to sit on the bed. All I had was these few clothes I’d hidden away, and the phone Nate had supplied me with. He’d done so much for me. He’d paid for everything, because I had no money.
If not for him, and the charity who rescued me, I’d be dead by now.
Sometimes I thought that might have been preferable to being able to recall every minute of my life with Sean.
What was even left of me now, but the person he’d created?
The person he crafted by breaking every part of me, until what he wanted was all that remained.
The phone buzzed beside me and I froze. Only two people had this number, and one of those was in this house right now.
Would he really message me rather than speak to me?
Maybe yes after what I’d accused him of.
Why did I even do that? He’d been nothing but sweet and caring to me.
He’d always been my safe haven. Always been the person I could turn to.
At least until Sean put a stop to it, and I’d lost touch with Nate.
One of the biggest mistakes of my life. My god.
He’d probably found love and moved on. Was I in the way of his relationship or something?
I never even thought to ask if he was seeing someone.
No woman wanted some random female popping up like this.
The phone buzzed again and I saw the name flash up. Oh. It’s the other person with this number.
Lenore: Just checking in. It’s been a week since we spoke.
Lenore: Are you safe? We’re ready to extract you again if you need us.
Wow. The charity HelpHer had been amazing.
From locating me at the hospital after Sean beat me, to keeping in touch with me, and trying to encourage me to leave, to literally extracting me while some big guys kept him quiet.
I definitely heard them punching him, and I loved it.
Did that make me as cruel as him? I’d enjoyed his pain, but maybe that’s because he’d enjoyed mine for so long.
Me: I’m safe. My friend Nate has moved me into his house. His brothers helped.
They were brothers, right? That’s what biker guys were to each other? I didn’t know. Nate had always talked about joining a club, but he’d been just a prospect while I’d been in the same town as him, so I’d never seen this kind of group at work.
The phone rang, and I could see it was her, so I answered.
“Hi?”
“Was that a cry for help? Gloria, if you want out, just say yes. Nothing else, just yes.”
“What… why? I’m safe here.”
Lenore was muttering under her breath, and I heard another voice in the background. Maybe that big guy she was always with. He’d terrified me at first, but then he’d smiled and somehow I felt safe.
“I’m okay, Lenore.”
“Your friend Nate doesn’t have any brothers, Glory. When you send something like that, a lie, we take it as a plea. Are you sure you’re safe? We can be there in a few hours at most. Where are you?”
I frowned, glancing at the bedroom door, almost like I expected them to burst in any second.
“Why do you know that about him?”
“Huh?”
“I’ve never told you personal things about him.”
Lenore laughed softly. “Do you really think we don’t look into anyone we trust to be around the people we liberate?
He’s with Phoenix MC, right? We know about them.
They seem okay, but Nate himself doesn’t have brothers.
Oh, you probably meant biker brothers, now I think about it… Marco, that’s a thing, right?”
He murmured something in the background, and I kept quiet, because the level of care from this charity was absolutely insane.
“Okay, so maybe it wasn’t a cry for help.
If you ever need away from him, tell me he has sisters…
or llamas… or whatever. Our support doesn’t end just because you’re out, Gloria.
You could need years of therapy or support to rebuild your life.
Actually, Tina, one of our team is willing to visit with you and tell you her story.
She’s so happy now, and you will be too. ”
That sounded impossible to me. A million miles away from reality. Right now all I could focus on was the next minute, and the one after that.
“Okay. I need to go now, but thank you. I’ll call in a week to check in.”
“Remember what I said. Day or night, Gloria. We’re here for you.”