Chapter Twelve
Harley
I t takes about twenty minutes before we pull up to a house that no one currently lives in. Nerds said it’s a foreclosure, so we can park here and walk the last mile to the warehouse.
Grayson, Ryker, and I are in Noah’s truck with the others on their bikes behind us. Grayson hops out and runs up to the garage door, where there is a small keypad. He enters the code that Nerds gave him, and both garage doors start opening.
Everyone parks, and Gabe calls out, “Get what you need and let’s go. I don’t want to hang around here too long and have anyone asking questions.”
Ryker blocks my path as I go to leave the garage, then raises my hoodie up, feeling the vest I am wearing and tightening the straps on it.
“Are you done manhandling me?” I raise a brow.
He smirks. “I haven’t even started yet, babe.”
Rolling my eyes, I push past him, and we meet everyone in the driveway. Once Grayson gets the garage doors closed, he leads us with Gabe towards the path that should take us through the woods behind this neighborhood towards the warehouse.
“According to the old maps of this place, it sits on five acres and it’s all heavy woods besides one gravel road going up to it. So, it might be dense, and we can’t use lights since we don’t know if they have security out here,” Grayson whispers as we walk to the start of the woods. “I have a device that picks up on any electronic signals, so we will have a warning if we are coming up on any alarms or cameras.
“I gave Gabe the dimmed flashlight. As long as he keeps it angled down, it’ll give us enough light to follow a path, but no one should see it unless they are within a few feet of us.”
Gabe and Grayson walk in front next to each other with Ryker and I behind them and then Stone and Noah behind us.
“Eyes and ears open. If you see any kind of light, say stop, and if you hear something, raise a hand and tap the people in front of you,” Noah murmurs.
We trudge through the thick woods for about fifteen minutes before Grayson signals for us to stop. He gestures for Gabe to turn his light off, then murmurs, “To the right in front of me, you can just barely make out a light.”
“Looks like a house light,” Noah whispers from behind.
“I’m keeping the light off. Move slowly and stay close together. Stone, when we come into sight of it, go ahead and run it,” Gabe responds as we all start moving again.
I have no idea what run it means, but as we reach less dense woods, the warehouse comes into view, and I find out when Stone takes off running to the right. He stays within the brush but loops around behind the warehouse. He is perfectly silent as he sprints; you would never hear him coming. I want to ask what exactly he is doing, but I know now isn’t the time.
The warehouse is a two-story brick building. There are windows running in a row across the upstairs floor that look like they have some kind of bars on them. Everything is dark besides a couple of old house lights that sit on either side of large double doors.
The ground is all gravel. It looks like the entrance is farther down, and you follow the gravel road up and loop in front of the building right by the doors and then continue around the loop and exit out the other side.
“Down,” Ryker hisses, and we all squat low just as a man in all black with a large gun hanging off his shoulder walks around from the far end of the warehouse coming towards the front doors.
He stops at the doors and glances around before pulling out a phone. We are too far away to hear what he’s saying, but the call lasts less than a minute. Grayson walks back into the woods a few feet so he can pull out his phone and check in with Nerds.
One of the front doors suddenly opens and another man, dressed in the same dark clothes, steps outside and chats with the other guy.
Grayson gives Ryker a camera with a large lens and gestures towards the warehouse. Ry gets low on the ground and begins snapping a bunch of pictures of the building and the guys at the door.
The sound of tires on gravel draws our attention to the long road to our left. A black van pulls in and loops around, stopping at the doors. The two guys move, one drawing a gun and walking around the van to the driver’s side, speaking to the person driving. The other man scopes out the van, looking under it and checking the dark windows.
The driver stays in the car as the man who talked to him walks back around to the sliding door of the van.
The second man walks back to the double doors of the warehouse and knocks a few times, waiting until they swing open and a third man steps out. This one is dressed in a suit and holding a clipboard. He talks with the men and then walks to the driver’s side of the van, writing something down as he talks to the driver. He then passes the clipboard through the window, and the driver writes something and hands it back.
After a quick nod at the two men by the doors, the suited guy heads back inside, but one of the doors remains open. In the next second, the van’s sliding door is being ripped open from the inside and two new men in all black jump out of the warehouse with a girl being held up between them.
A small gasp rips from my throat before I can stop it, and Grayson, who had moved up behind me, slaps his hand over my mouth and pulls me back against his chest.
The girl is in a white slip dress that is almost completely see-through and barely covers her ass. She is tiny and has to be underweight by the looks of her. There are cuffs on her hands and some kind of steel collar around her neck. The person who opened the door from inside the van shoot his hands out and drops a bag over her head before yanking her into the van. The guys slam the door and then the van drives off.
Three men head back inside, but one stays outside, patrolling.
My stomach twists in knots, and it’s hard to breathe as I stare at the warehouse, not even fully believing what I just saw. “They just—we can’t—” I stutter when Grayson uncovers my mouth.
Ryker’s face appears in front of me, and he pins me between him and Grayson where we are all on our knees. Taking my face in his hands, he whispers, “I know it’s hard. I know it didn’t truly hit until right now, but I need you to be the strong little flame I know you are. Now isn’t the time to break, okay?”
When I nod, he pecks my nose and pulls away.
Gabe sits back and runs a hand through his short beard. “I filmed it all on my phone. You got pictures?” Ryker nods at Gabe.
“We need to loop around the warehouse and take more photos. See how many people seem to be guarding it and check for any openings we could potentially use in the future,” Grayson says.
We all get up and slowly make our way around the building, checking everything out and counting a total of four guards that are wandering around outside. We find Stone as we slowly make our way back to where we started, and his normally masked face is overtaken with disgust, fury, and sadness.
“I found three spots I could set up from with my rifle. I used the long range scope that Nerds gave me and got some photos of places I could see inside.” Clenching his jaw, he stares at the ground as he growls, “It’s worse than we could’ve ever imagined.”
The following day after we staked out the warehouse, we all met in Gabe's office and recounted what we saw. Gabriel and Nerds then came up with a game plan for everyone to rotate through on shifts keeping an eye on the place until we get some idea of any routines they have so we can come up with a way to get in there.
After seeing that poor girl being dragged outside, I have a feeling that there are many more victims in the warehouse. And who knows what’s happening to them? As much as I hate it, I understand why we have to take our time and make a solid plan so all of us and any victims that may be there make it out alive.
Gabe isn’t letting Ryker, Cade, Grayson, or I do any of the stakeout shifts this week because he wants us to worry about school, our upcoming final tests, and going to prom.
I wasn't happy about it and planned to get them to change their minds. Until Brielle and the guys came in late last night and they all convinced me that they can take care of everything for a few days while my guys and I actually get to do something normal. Feel normal.
Which is why Brielle, Carly, Presley, Raven, and I are currently on our way to meet Lex at a large outlet mall to go dress shopping for prom. We all rode in Raven’s car while Axe and Stone followed behind us on their bikes for protection.
As we park, I pull out my phone and text Lex where we are. We pile out of the car, and Stone immediately wraps Raven up in his arms, which causes Axe to roll his eyes while everyone else chuckles at him. The more time I’ve been around Raven, the more I realize that Stone seems very possessive of her, and the only time you see even a flicker of emotion on his face is when he is watching Raven.
Lex approaches us from farther down the parking lot, her steps slightly hesitant as she takes in everyone who is here with me. When she notices me watching, she straightens her back and picks up her speed walking up to me.
“Hey! Are you ready to try on dresses?” she calls out.
“I think I am. I’ve never really done anything like this before.” I chuckle nervously.
I remind myself for the tenth time to push everything else out of my mind and just try to enjoy today. It feels almost impossible when I think about what those victims and innocent people could be going through right this moment.
But we are doing what we can, and I deserve to have a life as well. Even if that is a hard concept to accept for myself.
“That’s why we’re here,” Bri beams at me as she wraps an arm around my shoulders.
After quick introductions to Lex, we head towards the line of stores and decide to start on the end and work our way down through each one until we find what we’re looking for.
Axe and Stone hang back, giving us space, but they always keep us in their line of sight. The first few stores are a bust, but then we go into a larger dress shop and find a few different things to try on. Raven shoos us back into the fitting rooms while they keep looking around for other options.
Locking the door behind me, I hang up the three dresses I have with me. They were all picked out by the other girls because I was having a hard time finding anything that stood out to me. It was one of those moments where I wished my mom was here with me.
But then I glance around and see Raven, Presley, Carly, and Brielle laughing and searching through the dresses, here just for me, and I know my mom would be happy that I am forming such an amazing support system.
The first two dresses are an instant no. One being a dusty pink color that just isn’t me and the other being a little too fluffy. The last one is a black dress that flows down to my ankles, softly outlining my curves. It’s pretty, but it just doesn’t feel like the one, which I think is silly; it’s just prom.
Stepping out of the dressing room, I tap on Lex’s door which is across from mine. She swings the door open with a huge grin on her face.
“Oh my god, Lex! That is stunning on you,” I gasp.
She does a twirl, showing off the whole fit. After the first two stores, Lex realized that she didn’t want to go with a dress for prom. She has tried on hot pink high waisted pants that form around her ass and then flare down to her ankles. She has a black lace bodysuit on that dips low between her breasts, and then a matching hot pink suit jacket resting on her shoulders.
“I’m obsessed with this. It’s definitely the one. I just need to find heels and a belt.” She beams and looks me up and down. “That dress is gorgeous.”
“It’s very pretty,” I sigh softly, glancing down at the dress, but my heart isn’t into it.
“Well, that’s not the reaction you should be having.” She raises a brow at me. “If it’s not the one, then it’s not the one.”
Biting the corner of my lip, I say, “I feel kind of ridiculous for not just going with it when it’s pretty.” I shrug.
Lex gently takes my hand and gives it a light squeeze. “Hey, Harley, this prom is for you. It’s a night for memories and feeling beautiful. You should feel confident and sexy in what you wear to prom, not mediocre. Don’t settle. Let’s go to the next store and find the dress for you.
“It’s out there. No shame in it taking us all day to find it. I’m sure everyone will agree with me that we want you to feel like a queen.” She shoots me a wink.
After we change and head back out to meet everyone, my nerves immediately disappear as everyone easily agrees that we will move onto the next store to keep looking and they don’t get frustrated with me. Lex buys her outfit, and then we go to the boutique that is right next door.
A pretty blonde with a picture-perfect body approaches us. “Welcome. What can I do for you all today?”
Presley steps forward with Axe right behind her. “We are searching for prom dresses for this pretty girl,” she says with a soft smile directed towards me.
The blonde glances up and down at me. Her eyes linger on my face, and then she gives a forced smile. “Perfect. We have just about everything you could think of. Go ahead and start looking, and I’ll set up a fitting room for her,” she replies and swiftly walks off towards the back of the store.
Glancing towards Presley, I notice everyone has left besides Lex, Presley, and Axe. “They all went to grab food for us because we haven’t eaten yet, and it’s well past lunch,” Axe explains when he notices me looking for them.
Nodding, we all split off and start looking at the racks of gowns while Axe takes a seat on the couch under the front window. Presley finds a couple of options right off the bat that she hands off to the blonde girl. I wander around, glancing at different dresses, letting out a sigh.
Nothing is right, and it’s beyond frustrating. I don’t even know why I want it to be the perfect dress when I know the guys will love anything I wear.
Continuing on towards the back of the store where the fitting rooms are, I plan to just give up and try on the few Presley found. One of them will just have to work. But something catches my attention, and I turn towards the rack along the back wall next to a hall that leads to the fitting rooms.
Gently pulling it out from the other dresses, I bite my lip as I stare at it. This is everything I could've dreamed of. But could I actually pull it off?
“Holy shit, Harley, that is perfect!” Lex exclaims from behind me.
Turning around, I notice she has some belts and shoes in her hands.
She adds, “I wanted to try the belts on with the outfit to pick the right one. That's why I brought the bag with me from the other store.”
I nod and then debate hanging back up the dress, but before I can, Lex snags it from my hands.
“No way. I can practically hear you overthinking this. You can’t even take your eyes off the dress, and you haven’t been interested in anything today. You're trying it on.” She gives me a pointed look, and I sigh, giving in.
She nudges me towards the hall, and I chuckle while heading back towards the rooms the employee set up for us. Deciding to try on the ones Presley found first, I step out and show Lex each one.
“This one is pretty. I like it,” I say softly, glancing at myself in the mirror that is attached to the wall at the end of the hallway.
Lex shakes her head. “None of them are the one. Try on the dress you found. I have a good feeling about it just based on your reaction to it. You say you like these ones, but you don’t look like you love them.”
Taking a breath, I decide to get over myself and try on the dress. As soon as I have it on, I know it’s the one I want.
Until I really look at myself in the mirror and remember that my body is far from flawless.
There’s a small scar above my left breast, and then one that comes down the front of my right shoulder from my back. When I turn around and glance over my shoulder, the dress dips down to my lower back, leaving my back exposed except for the crisscross straps that work their way up towards the spaghetti straps over my shoulders.
Which means that every scar on my back, where the most of them are, are exposed for the entire world to see. Scars that the guys haven’t even seen yet. I know that Ryker has felt them before, but once I froze up, he didn’t ask about them.
They make me look damaged. They show the world how damaged I am.
“Harley, I think I found the perfect belt. Get your ass out here and show me the dress!” Lex yells from the other side of the door.
Facing forward in front of the mirror again, I look over the dress. It dips low in the front, coming to a V right in between my breasts, then it softly flares out and ends at my feet. There is a slit on the left side that works its way all the way up to the middle of my thigh. It’s a deep crimson red that stands out against my pale skin.
I feel beautiful, yet I know I can’t wear this. It’s already bad enough I have the scar on my face. Exposing my back to the world? That’s like opening up an old wound and allowing an infection to seep in.
“Harley?” Lex calls softly from outside the fitting room.
Taking a deep breath, I respond, “This one won’t work. Let me change, and then we can go.”
“Harley? Let me see it. What’s wrong?” Lex all but demands.
I clench my fists, wanting nothing more than to turn around and open the door, open my wounds up, and not be afraid to show them, but I can't.
Cracking the door open, I peek my head out, plastering on a fake smile. “I don’t like it as much on as when I was looking at it on the hanger,” I force out.
Her eyes roam over my face before meeting my gaze and frowning. “Why are you lying? What’s really going on?” she asks gently.
Taking a deep breath, I straighten and pull the door all the way open but keep my fingers wrapped around the doorknob tightly. Maybe it’ll give me a sense of security that I could just slam the door if I need to.
Lex gasps, “Harley, that is absolutely stunning on you. You look like a fucking queen!”
Clearing my throat, I attempt to fight back the tears I can feel burning behind my eyes. “It won’t work. The back just—it won’t work.”
She frowns. “Turn around. Let me see the back.”
“Lex…” My voice shakes slightly.
“Harley, whatever the issue is, tell me. I promise I’m here for you. You can tell me anything.” Her steady eye contact is comforting and doesn't make me feel uneasy.
“My back—my back is covered in scars. It’s already bad enough I have to see the one on my face every day. A lot of the time, I avoid my reflection because I don’t want to see it. I’ve gotten more used to it since being at the club because no one there ever stares at it or treats me different, but I also know how mean and judgmental people can be.
“The memories… Those are bad enough on their own. Leaving myself vulnerable by showing them off? That’s opening myself up to disgust and hate that I don’t want to see. I already have enough for myself.” I gasp as it all pours out in one breath.
Lex gently takes my hand that isn’t clutching the door handle. “Your scars are a part of you. A part of your story. I can assume that they came from very horrible things, but Harley, by seeing the scars every day, you aren’t making yourself vulnerable. You’re showing the world how fucking strong and brave you are. That you're a fighter and you don't give up.”
There's no hesitation as she speaks. The firmness in her voice helps my shoulders to relax because I can feel how sincere she is.
“You don’t have to show me. And you don’t have to wear the dress. But don’t refuse to do it out of fear. The one who is going to judge you the most is yourself. But you just have to learn how to look at them as your strength and not your weakness.
“And those people who say anything or even glance at you with disgust? Well, they aren’t worth your time. People bring down others and point out their flaws to attempt to make themselves feel better.” She gives me a determined look.
Exhaling, I squeeze her hand back. “Thank you. I’m really glad you are a part of my life.”
“Me, too. We’ll always be there for each other. Even when it’s hard,” she murmurs.
Stepping out of the fitting room, I turn, giving Lex my back and facing the large mirror. I watch through the mirror as her eyes scan over my back, but she keeps her face carefully blank before meeting my eyes through the mirror and grinning.
Lex beams at me. “Harley, this dress is beautiful and perfect for you. The guys won’t even know what to say.”
“I do really love it. I feel—” Don’t think about the scars. “I feel beautiful.”
“You are.” We smile at each other through the mirror as she steps up next to me. “We look hot, if I do say so myself.”
I chuckle and glance at her outfit. “That really is perfect for you.”
Heels clack softly on the wood floors as the blonde rounds the corner and comes to a stop at the entrance of the hall. Lex spins around to face her. “I think we’ve both decided on what we’re getting,” she beams.
Looking over the dress one more time, a small smile forms on my lips because I truly feel normal and beautiful right now.
But when my eyes lift, it’s to see the employee staring at me, her lips curling. “Did you want me to find other options for your friend? So she’s more covered up?”
Sucking in a breath, I prepare myself to just ignore her. I already know how ugly and awful my scars are, and I don’t need her to remind me. I just need to ignore—
“Excuse me?” Lex snaps at her. “What the fuck does that mean?”
A shiver runs down my spine at the dark tone Lex’s voice takes on. I spin around, not feeling comfortable giving her my back anymore when she clearly has a problem with my scars.
The blonde has kept a serious yet professional face this entire time even though it was clear she has not been my biggest fan since we walked in the store. But now the mask drops, and she stares at me with disgust. “No one is going to want to see her back. Showing it off is just begging for sympathy from people when all it’s really going to do is disgust them,” she spits.
My mind swirls with all the thoughts I’ve been fighting off since I put on this dress, trying to remind myself of what Lex said. I take a few deep breaths, preparing to tell the lady off calmly and then leave, but Lex has other ideas.
Storming up to her, she jabs a finger in her chest. “You shut the hell up. What the fuck is wrong with you to speak to someone like that? Better yet, you work here! You shouldn’t ever treat a customer like that. People come to buy clothes to make them feel good and beautiful, but that’s not going to happen with your jealous ass here.”
The blonde scoffs and opens her mouth, but she’s cut off by Axe’s voice booming behind her as he and Presley walk up to us. “What’s going on back here?”
Lex glances back at me, clearly allowing me to decide what to tell them. Locking eyes with Axe, I explain, “My back. I—my back is covered in scars, and she saw them and told us that I shouldn’t wear something that shows them off.”
His eyes soften on me before he turns toward her with a glare. Presley is instantly in front of Axe, facing off with the woman, her face showing more fury than I have ever seen from the sweet woman that she is.
“Jealousy isn’t a good look on you. Because you have decided to tear someone down instead of making them feel on top of the world, you’ve lost your job, and I can bet you will struggle to find one anywhere else around here, too,” she says in a calm, soft voice, her eyes ice-cold.
Scoffing, the blonde says, “You can’t fire me.”
Axe chuckles darkly. “Are you forgetting who owns this town? Who controls everything around here?” He raises a brow.
The lady really takes everything in, glancing between us before her eyes land on Axe. Specifically, his leather jacket. Her eyes widen, and her face pales. “I was only trying to help her,” she stumbles over her words.
“Help? Help with fucking what?” Presley growls. “Making her feel insecure in her own skin so you can feel better about yourself? It’s pathetic.”
Axe wraps his arm around her waist and pulls her back towards him. “Alright, mama bear, go help the girls. Looks like the others are back; we will deal with this.” He drops a kiss on the top of her head before letting go and leading the blonde towards the front of the store.
Presley immediately walks up to me and grasps my cheeks in her tiny palms, shocking me slightly, but I don’t flinch. “You are stunning. And this dress? This dress was made for you, sweetie.”
Tears gather in the corners of my eyes, but I don’t fight them off. I let them drip down my cheeks. “I'll meet you up front,” Lex says softly before walking away.
Presley's kind, understanding, motherly gaze breaks down my walls. “Sometimes it feels like there will always be something in me that is vulnerable and weak. Seeing the scars, being reminded of them, it just makes it worse,” I murmur.
Taking my hand, Presley pulls me back into the fitting room and shuts the door. Lifting her shirt, she runs her fingers over three different scars covering her lower abdomen that are each a few inches long.
“Do these make me weak?” she asks softly. “Do they make me vulnerable? If I wear a bikini out in public, am I making myself vulnerable?”
Shaking my head, my eyes harden slightly. “No. Never.”
She smiles sadly at me. “We all have scars, Harley. In one way or another. Some may be inside of us. And others may show on our skin. But neither of them make us anything but strong. Do these scars burn with memories I would rather not remember? Of course. But they also serve as my reminder that I survived.”
Dropping her shirt, she grabs my wrists, meeting my eyes with hers.
“I didn’t survive alone. I wouldn’t have survived alone. I’ve made it this far because of those people out there. Everyone in the club. My family. They have shown me over and over again how worthy I am. The only thing I had to do? I just had to believe it.
“If my scars don’t make me weak and vulnerable, then yours don't either. Remember that when you look at them. It’s not an easy process. I still have times where I feel ashamed or weak because of my scars, but that’s when having people in your corner matters most. That’s when learning to trust the people in your corner is important.
“You're not alone. You have people, but our words will only do so much. You have to not only believe in us, but also believe in yourself.”
“I can try,” I whisper, sniffling slightly.
She smiles at me with glossy eyes. “That’s all you can ask of yourself. That you try. Don’t feel weak for these things. You are one of the toughest girls I know. Not only in the literal sense, but in your heart. Learning to trust after being betrayed is not an easy task, but you take it on with your head held high, and when you feel like you’ve taken five steps down, just remember that you have people ready to bring you right back up.”