Chapter Nineteen
Melissa
M Y EYES FLUTTER open and I take a look around. I don’t stop looking until Zeke and Delilah enter my vision. They’re behind me on a dirty as fuck mattress sitting up and staring at me with tears sliding down their sweet, angelic faces. My heart breaks for them and I push myself up in an attempt to make my way over there to my kids. I don’t get very far before realizing I’m chained to the damn floor. There’s a cuff around my ankle attached to a thick chain that’s bolted into the wall on the opposite side of the dim, dank room we’re being held in. The smell of must is the only thing filling me as I reach out my hands as far as I can toward the twins.
“Mommy’s okay, babies. Just a little tired. I’m gonna get us out of here,” I say as I continue looking around for anything I can use to escape. Plus, I look around the room for a way out.
Other than a door I’m sure leads to wherever the people who have us are, there’s nothing more than a small window in here. The kids will be able to fit through the window, but not me. I honestly don’t care if they’re the only ones to get away from here as long as they stay safe. If I knew where we were, I’d send them out there as soon as I can get my ankle out of this damn thing. Now, I’m not sure what to do since they’re so young.
The walls are nothing more than rough cement along with the cold floor I’m laying on. We’re in a small room that’s just big enough that I can’t reach my kids from where I’m chained. The length of the chain rattling with my movements echoes off the walls and hurts my head. Before I can take in anymore of the room, voices fill whatever is outside the door. Looking at the twins, I motion for them to remain quiet as I listen in to find out any possible information I can.
“We need to move her and the brats, Mad Dog. The club is gonna be out looking for them as soon as they realize she’s gone. I was at the gym before getting tossed out on my ass for no reason. Homicide is gonna go ape shit over her and those stupid brats disappearing. It’s bad enough that bitch Marie outed me for not being pregnant. Said she was gonna kick my ass as soon as she got proof. I’m not waiting around for that to happen. You want to turn this bitch over to Dom, that’s fine. But we can’t keep them in Frostford.
“I’ll pretend to look for her stupid ass as a way to get back in with Homicide. The sooner I can be at his side, the sooner we’ll get more money. Not just from the club, but from his fights too. The man is a beast and unstoppable. Once my debt to the dealer is paid off, we’ll be able to get a large supply and get the fuck outta here, baby,” Brenda, the woman trying to get in Zeke’s bed says as her heels click on the cement of the hallway or whatever is beyond the door.
“We’ll move her when I’m ready to fucking move her, Brenda. This isn’t on your fucking timetable. I call the fucking shots around here and you know that for as often as you ride my cock. And we’re not paying off any fucking dealers before we get the fuck outta here. We don’t need the shit you get from your dealer once I’ve got the money from Dom and Homicide in my hands, we’ll go through my guy. He’s got better shit than yours,” Mad Dog responds as the door of the room we’re in opens with a loud creaking sound. “I see your stupid ass is awake.”
“I’d say it’s good to see you, Mad Dog, but we both know that’s a fucking lie. You know, I wish you had been killed right along with my father and everyone else that day Homicide took them all out. From what I hear, he severed my father’s head from his body. Too bad you couldn’t suffer the same fate at his hands,” I respond, all the pain and anger I’m feeling right now lacing my voice.
Mad Dog doesn’t respond for a minute. He steps up to me before backhanding me. Brenda cackles like the stupid bitch she is while almost falling over she’s so high.
“Your father let you get away with too much shit growing up. Always told him to reel you in and teach you some fucking manners,” Mad Dog spits out. “I’m sure you’re owner will make sure to teach you everything you need to know about respect and not talking when you have no business opening your mouth. Not sure if he’ll take your fucking brats, but I’m sure I can find a use for them.”
“You touch my kids and I’ll fucking gut you, Mad Dog. You don’t fucking scare me. Not only are you a pathetic waste of space, but you taught me everything you know about fighting and everything else when I was growing up. Now, you’re too worried about a stupid skank riding your cock and the drugs you put in your body. If I weren’t chained to the floor, I’d kick your ass before bashing your head in. Then, I’d wipe the floor with your cock warmer just before you took your last breath so you could watch it happen. I’m stronger and better than both of you combined,” I taunt him again, knowing Mad Dog will see it for the challenge I’m issuing and do something to help me out here.
I’m not sure if he’ll unlock the cuff from around my ankle, but he’ll do something to help me out. He really can’t do anything less than accept a blatant challenge. If I had to guess, I’d say the skank is the same way. I mean, she kind of already proved it by coming at me when I told her I’d beat her ass in the clubhouse. I put her on her ass once and it will be nothing for me to do it again.
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you Missy? For me to unlock you and let you try to escape. How do you know there aren’t more guys out there waiting for you to make a move?” Mad Dog questions me.
“I don’t. But I’m willing to risk it. One way or another you’re gonna die, Mad Dog. And that skank will either die or be sold off to the lowest bidder. I’d say highest, but she’s really not worth more than a few pennies.”
Brenda loses her absolute mind when I get done speaking. She stumbles over to me and barely has any energy behind the slaps and kicks she lands against my body and head. The only reason any of it hurts is because of the toe of her heel and the spiked heel breaking open my skin. Mad Dog leans back against the wall and watches the show for a few minutes. I cover myself when the bitch goes for my head since it’s already pounding. However, it doesn’t take me long before I realize I can put her on the ground by grabbing her leg and pulling it out from under her. So, that’s what I do.
I watch on as Brenda hits the floor hard as fuck. Her head bounces off the cement and for a split second I wonder if she hit hard enough for it to kill her. Not that I’d really care if it did because she’s behind kidnapping my children with me. However, she starts groaning and reaches back to where the impact hit. Her hand comes away covered in blood and I start laughing my ass off. Every single time I land a hit or make a move against Brenda, she ends up bleeding.
“What the fuck is so funny?” she growls out, attempting to kick me to no avail.
“It’s funny that you bleed every time I touch you. First I busted your nose in the clubhouse and now this. You don’t have a real good track record against me, Brenda. And you’re not about to land another hit on me either,” I state as I continue to stare down the bitch in front of me.
Mad Dog doesn’t move or try to intervene in any way. His gaze goes back and forth between the two of us though. This is entertainment for him. It’s always been something he enjoys watching—women fighting even if it’s not over him.
“I’ll beat your fucking ass, bitch,” Brenda comes back with as she tries to get off the floor.
She makes a mistake and gets her leg too close to me. Grabbing it, I yank it so her body moves closer to me. Removing her heel so she doesn’t nail me in the face or something, I slam her ankle down on the cement floor. It’s not hard enough to break her bone, but it will do some damage to her. When she goes to kick me with her other foot, I grab that one and pull her heel off, tossing it toward her. The shoe hits her in the head and lands with a dull thud behind her.
“Leave it while you’re ahead, Brenda. You’re not gonna win against me even when I’m chained by the ankle and my head is killing me. I’ve got more heart and strength in my pinky than you do in your entire body. Maybe you’d stand a chance if you weren’t an addict, but the drugs dull your senses and make you move slower than fuck. I can anticipate your moves before you even think of making them. That’s something Mad Dog and others taught me growing up. You can thank your man for not being able to defeat me in any kind of fight. If I had a gun, I could kill you from hundreds of yards away. Mad Dog taught me how to shoot. I’m a deadly shot too. We spent hours at the gun range behind the clubhouse until I could out shoot almost every man in my father’s club,” I inform Brenda as she stares at me with an open mouth in shock and anger.
Her face is turning a nice shade of red from getting told the truth by me. She really has no comeback for anything I’ve just said to her. Hell, Mad Dog can’t dispute my claims either. He knows I’m telling the truth.
“You might be able to get the better of me in a fight, but I’ll be the woman riding Homicide’s cock while you’re playing bitch to some other man. I’ll be taking his money, giving him everything you could never dream of giving him, and making sure he doesn’t think of you at all,” Brenda taunts which only makes me laugh again.
“You really think that’s how this is gonna play out. See, Mad Dog would know this if he were in a club that gave a shit about more than drugs. You would know this if you paid the slightest bit of attention to anything happening in the Dirty Slayers clubhouse. Every fucking man in that club will be out searching for me. They won’t leave a stone unturned because the kids and I are mean something to Homicide. We’re his family. When they discover where I am and who has me, neither one of you will make it out of this alive. Well, you might, Brenda. They don’t hurt women. However, between Marie and me, I’m sure we can more than handle you. So, no, that’s not how any of this is gonna play out,” I tell her, meaning every word coming out of my mouth.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Mad Dog explodes, pushing off the cement wall he’s been leaning against. “You didn’t tell me this Homicide asshole belonged to the Dirty Slayers. I know they’re the main club in the area, but there’s also some smaller clubs. One of them also has a Homicide in it. You got me out here taking on the fucking Dirty Slayers. You really are a stupid fucking cunt, aren’t ya?”
“What does it matter what club it is, baby? We’re gonna get what we want one way or another. As soon as we have the money, we’ll be out of here and none of them will ever find us again,” Brenda says, trying to soothe Mad Dog as he stalks over toward her.
“That’s not how they fucking work. Once you’re on their fucking radar, they don’t stop until they get what they want. You’ve made me a fucking target,” he yells, turning and leaving the room as Brenda scrambles to her feet to chase after him.
I can’t help but laugh as they leave the door open. Checking on the kids, I turn and keep my gaze locked on the hallway outside the small room we’re in. No one else walks down toward the room and I don’t hear any talking coming from out there either. Other than the men who kidnapped us at the park, I don’t believe anyone else is here. Hell, it wouldn’t surprise me if those men aren’t here any longer either. Mad Dog isn’t going to want to share any money he gets or anything else. I’m sure they were shown the door as soon as we were delivered.
***
W e’ve been in this fucking room for at least three days now. Mad Dog brings us in sandwiches and bottles of water twice a day but doesn’t say a word to me. He’s pissed as fuck about something and I can only assume it’s still about the fact that the Dirty Slayers are coming after him. In fact, he hasn’t been mean or anything to my kids or me. He literally walks in, sets our food and water down within my reach, and leaves the room again. Most times he doesn’t even bother closing the door.
Last night when he brought us in food, the fucker even dropped a few things on the floor. I managed to pick them up and found a safety pin, bobby pin, and a few other things. So, I’ve been working on unlocking the cuff from my ankle every chance I get. I’ve also been taking care of my kids the best I can. Mad Dog did give me a few diapers and wipes so they’re not sitting in their own filth. It’s not much, but better than I hoped for.
Brenda has still been a bitch whenever she comes in the room. Usually it’s with Mad Dog. I’m not sure if it’s because he won’t let her in here alone or if it’s something else though. Not my mystery to figure out though. All I know is if I have to listen to much more of her fucking mouth, I’m gonna make her bleed out very slowly so her death is prolonged while I turn the tables on her. There’s a ton of shit I can taunt her with about Zeke because she’ll never know what it’s like to have a man like him in her life. Someone who’s good, loving, and would do anything for those he loves.
“Mad Dog, I’m fucking talking to you,” Brenda screeches just as the lock clicks open on the cuff at my ankle. “You don’t walk out in the middle of a conversation. Especially for a whore like her. What, does she have a magical fucking pussy or something? Every fucking man wants her and she goes out of her way to give it up to you all.”
“Shut the fuck up, Brenda!” Mad Dog growls out, his voice getting louder as the door opens. “This is your last fucking meal for the day, Missy.”
“Don’t. Fucking. Call. Me. That,” I grind out, knowing he knows how I feel about being called Missy.
“Oh, the princess doesn’t like her name? Isn’t that too fucking bad,” he taunts, acting like the Mad Dog I remember again. “What the fuck are you gonna do about it, Missy?”
“Why don’t you come over here and find out?” I return, knowing I’m free but not if my ankle will hold my weight at this point.
“You think I’m gonna get close to you so you can try and take me down like you did Brenda? I’m not as easy to beat as she is. You think you can take me down, Missy?” he continues to taunt me.
“I know I can. Come closer and I’ll show you how little you can fight these days. The drugs became more important to you than ever before. I’m sure with a bitch like Brenda feeding them to you like she has been it’s not surprising. See, Brenda likes to manipulate those around her and there’s no way in hell she’s really gonna stay with you. You’re just a means to an end for her. Once she has the money and I’m out of the way, you become expendable. She’ll have someone else take you out before leaving for her next fuck and dump,” I return, smirking at Brenda because I know that’s her exact plan.
“That’s not gonna happen. If anything, I’ll be the one to kill that bitch once I have the money in my hands. She’s not in control of this situation any more than you are, Missy. I’m controlling everything. The only thing I’m waiting on right now is for Dom to get back in touch with me so he can come collect you and I get my pay day. This bitch doesn’t have his contact information and will never get her hands on it. You trying to turn us against one another isn’t gonna work how you think it is,” Mad Dog states as Brenda glares daggers at him.
“I think it already is,” I laugh at him as Brenda steps up closer to him and pulls her hand back to slap him.
“You’re gonna take all the money and get rid of me, Mad Dog? All this shit was put in motion by me. If I didn’t tell you where this bitch was exactly, you wouldn’t even have her,” Brenda screeches out, her voice grating on my last nerve.
“The money comes to me, Brenda. That’s always been the plan. If you want to stick around, you better fucking watch your step and close your fucking mouth,” Mad Dog says before storming from the room.
Brenda doesn’t leave us though. She stays inside the room with us, glaring down at me.
“You think you’re hot shit, don’t ya? Trying to force a wedge between Mad Dog and me. All I have to do is suck his cock and let him fuck me nice and hard and we’ll be golden again. You don’t have shit on me, bitch,” Brenda says, stepping closer and closer to me. Just like I want her to.
Before she can actually reach me, I shove myself up off the floor and stand before her. The chain attached to the cuff is in my hand. She stares at my ankle before looking back up to my face. Yeah, she doesn’t know what to do right now. I’m gonna fucking have some fun since it’s just the two of us. Brenda’s face pales as I wait for her to make a move. She doesn’t disappoint. When she lunges for me, I wrap the heavy chain around her neck. I maneuver my body so I’m behind her where I can keep an eye on the twins. Angling us just a slight amount so I can see the door to make sure Mad Dog doesn’t come back.
Pulling back on the chain, I don’t give Brenda a chance to get free. She fights and tries to attack me. It doesn’t work. She’s already so slow and weak from the drugs coursing through her system. Add in me cutting off her oxygen and she’s moving even slower. I don’t stop until her body slumps against mine. Even then, I keep the chain wrapped around her while I count in my head. After two minutes, I lay her down on the cement floor and lock the cuff in place around her ankle.
Now that I’m free, I rush to my kids and pull them in my arms. Both of them start crying as they cling to me. I’m crying myself because we’re only gonna have one chance to get the hell out of here. I don’t know if Mad Dog is the only other person here or not. I won’t risk my kids in an attempt to get out of here right this second. If something happens to them, I’d never forgive myself.
As I’m contemplating what to do, a sudden onslaught of gunfire sounds from somewhere in whatever building we’re in. I’m trying not to get my hopes up that Zeke and the club is here to save me. It could be someone else Mad Dog pissed off coming for some sort of retaliation against him. If they know the kids and I are here, they could take me as some sort of collateral or punishment for Mad Dog.
I hold the kids tighter to my body while trying to find a spot to hide. I’ve been taught all my life to always be prepared for any type of situation. This one doesn’t only concern me but my kids as well. If we have to hide out until this is over with, that’s what we’ll do. There’s a time to fight and a time to make sure you do what you have to in order to remain alive.
“Melissa!” I hear Zeke yell out, his voice echoing off the walls
“In here,” I return, relief filling me as I stand with the kids in my arms.
My ankle is throbbing and my head is still killing me. I’ve got cuts and bruises all over my body from Brenda kicking and hitting me. Most of them are from her shoes, but it doesn’t mean they hurt any less. Zeke enters the room we’re in and rushes to my side. He holds the three of us in his arms as I cry against his chest. The twins are safe between us as I hear more people shuffle in the room.
“Let’s get you out of here, baby girl. We need to get the kids and you checked out,” Zeke says, his voice full of emotion he’s trying to hold in with everyone surrounding us.
Zeke leads me from the room we’ve been in for the last few days. He keeps my face buried against his chest while also blocking out the kids from seeing anything. It feels as if he leads us through a maze of hallways as his booted steps echo off the walls. More people are with us based on the echoes making my head pound even more. The entire time, Zeke murmurs to me and tries to calm me down as I continue crying against his chest. I have no words to describe how I’m feeling right now.