Chapter Six
Rouge
Grabbing the trash, I kicked open the back door and groaned when the hot Georgia air wrapped around me. The humidity was like trying to breathe soup. Letting the door slam shut behind me, I dragged the way-too-heavy trash bag out into the alley. The dumpster seemed like it was a thousand miles away and I was regretting my choice to be helpful, but we had been swamped today. Everyone was tired. It had been a really great day with Leland. He’d kept his promise and taken me to Triangles . We’d both loved the chocolate pizza. A smile worked its way onto my face when I thought about how he’d gently wiped chocolate from my face.
The sound of crunching gravel sounded somewhere behind me and I turned in confusion. A tall man stood about six feet from me. He wore a sweatshirt with the hood pulled up over his head. He was big—maybe six feet—and his shoulders were wide. I couldn’t make out all of his features, but I didn’t think he was a client.
“What do you want?”
“Give me your purse.”
His words calmed me a bit. I’d been worried he was with… Well, it didn’t matter, because he wasn’t.
“I don’t have a purse.”
He took a menacing step towards me and the smell rolling off of him made me nauseous.
“Bitch,” he spat.
“Listen, you crack-a-doodle, I don’t have any money for you to take. Turn around and leave before I rip off your fingernails and feed them to you like cereal.”
He charged at me with an angry roar, knocking me to the ground before climbing on top of me and punching me in the face twice.
Fuck.
I pressed my elbows together and used my forearms to shield my face the best I could. Blood filled my mouth and one eye was swelling quickly.
Think, Rouge. This isn’t the first time you’ve been in this situation. What do you do?
He pressed his body weight down on top of me and my arms gave way. Wrapping his hands around my neck, he squeezed. Panic filled my body as quickly as my anger multiplied. Who did this mother fucker think he was? I had not survived hell to be taken out by a smelly, probably small-dicked man. Reaching up, I grabbed at the side of his face, digging my long nails into his skin. When he hissed and leaned back a bit, I took the opportunity to press the thumb nail of my right hand into his eye. Screaming, he fell to the side and used both hands to cover his eye. I kicked him hard in his side with my combat boot, making him topple over fully.
Taking a deep breath, I scrambled to my feet and kicked him again.
“You stupid piece of shit.” Kick.
“Really? Trying to mug someone in this economy?” Kick.
“ For a criminal you are fucking pathetic.” Kick.
“ I didn’t even have a purse. Just a trash bag.” Kick.
Arms wrapped around me from behind, and I threw my head backward before digging my nails into the arms of the stranger lifting me in the air. “Easy, sugar. Easy, baby.”
Relief filled me. I was safe. It was going to be okay. “Daddy!” I cried. What the fuck? Did I call him Daddy? Dammit, I don’t care.
“Shh, I’m right here, Little one,” he soothed. Clearly he didn’t care either. He continued to carry me away from the asswipe laying on the ground. Turning my head, I watched as Bash and Blade dragged the guy to his feet. Bash hit him hard in the face and the guy fell back to the ground.
“Don’t look, baby. It’s okay. It’s all over now.”
I turned back to see we were almost back at the shop door. I just wanted to get inside and away from the guy. Tomorrow I would be proud that I kicked his ass, but right then I just wanted to get away from him.
Leland carried me inside, set me down, shut the door behind us, and immediately picked me up. I wrapped my arms and legs around him and for the first time since I was an actual little girl, I sobbed.
“That’s it, baby. Let it out. Give it to Daddy.”
***
Leland
My heart pounded all the way into my throat. My legs felt like jelly, and my arms shook as they held Rouge close. “I’ve got you, baby. Daddy’s right here,” I soothed as I settled us into my office chair.
I rocked her for several long minutes before she spoke.
“I-I was taking the trash out a-and he just attacked me,” she sobbed into my neck.
“I know, baby. I noticed it on the security camera. Daddy ran as fast as he could.”
“I-I was so scared.”
“Oh, I know you were, but you were so brave. You kicked his ass, Little one. I don’t think he will be brave enough to try that on anyone else.”
“I- I thought...”
“What did you think, baby?”
“I thought it was David.”
My heart went from my throat all the way down to my toes. Bile filled my mouth.
“Was David...” I was unsure of how to ask the question and I wasn’t sure I wanted the answer.
“H-He was the man the cult f-forced me to marry.”
“Oh, baby.” I pressed a kiss to the top of her head and held her tighter.
“I... I am s-so scared he will come to get me one d-day, just like Malachi c-came to get E-Emily.”
Her admission tore my heart in two. Of course she was fucking scared. I was such a dumbass. Emily had also been promised to an older man in the cult, but she and Rouge had escaped before the marriage had taken place. Several months ago, the man had shown up and tried to abduct Emily. He’d been a fucking idiot and done it in a club full of people that adored her. He’d been arrested and sent back to prison, but none of us had considered what fears that might have opened up for Rouge.
“Sugar, I am so sorry. So sorry. We all let you down so badly.”
“W-what?” she asked, sitting back so she could look at me.
“Fuck!” I shouted when I saw her face. I’d planned to call Elliot anyway, but looking at the blood under her nose and her swollen eye, that moved to the top of my to-do list.
“What?” she cried, fighting to get out of my lap.
Dammit, Leland.
“It’s okay. It’s okay. I didn’t mean to scare you, baby. I didn’t realize you were hurt that badly.”
She shivered in my lap and buried her head back into my neck. Rubbing her back softly, I picked my phone up from my desk and texted Elliot.
911. Daddies Ink.
OMW.
He was a good man.
“Sugar, I need you to look at Daddy for a minute. Can you do that?”
She did as I asked and I smiled gently at her. “Daddy’s so sorry he didn’t know you were scared that son of a bitch was going to come looking for you. None of us thought about how Malachi coming for Emily would affect you too and that was really awful of us. I am so sorry.”
“It wasn’t your job to know. I-I should have told someone, but it seemed so selfish after everything Emily went through.”
“Baby, it wasn’t selfish at all. You went through something traumatic too. You’re allowed to have feelings and your fears over that too.”
She tried to look away, but I gently guided her face toward mine. “You’re allowed to have feelings and fears too,” I repeated. I would repeat it as much as she needed to hear it. “And, Rouge, Daddy will never let David take you, baby. I would kill him before he even got his hands on you.”
She looked shocked, but nodded anyway.
“You’re my baby and nobody hurts my baby.”
She nodded again.
“Say ‘yes, Daddy’,” I corrected.
“Yes, D-daddy,” she whispered.
“I know you may have said it in fear, but no taksiebacksies.”
She grinned, then winced.
“Elliot’s pulling in now. I brought her some ice,” Bash said as he dropped the bag on the table.
Rouge didn’t move to get out of my lap just as Bash didn’t bat an eye at her sitting in my lap.
“I’m sorry you got hurt tonight, Little one,” he said.
“But between you and Bash, I promise that fucker didn’t walk away unharmed,” Kay added, walking in with Elliot. “Smoke is taking care of him.”
I nodded at him in thanks and made a mental note to make sure to erase the security cameras just in case there was a murder in the property tonight.
Had there been a murder?
I studied Bash.
He looked at me before shaking his head. “I didn’t kill the bastard. Smoke drove him to the rehab in McRae County. We didn’t want Rouge to have to talk to the police and clearly the guy needed some help. She’s been through enough.”
“Thank you, Bash,” she said, taking his hand and squeezing. It was fast—lasting less than four seconds—but it was proof she was opening up.
Bash cleared his throat and nodded at her before walking away. He really loved Rouge. I was thankful she had him on her side too.
“Hi, darlin’. I’m Dr. Elliot and I’m very sorry we’re meeting this way for the first time,” Elliot said, kneeling in front of us.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Rouge answered, melting my heart all over again.
Elliot cupped his hand and placed it over his heart. “Well, aren't you just the sweetest?”
Rouge flushed and looked down at her fingers, but that was okay. She’d get used to compliments eventually. At least she didn’t brush them off.