Chapter Seven
Nashville
I knew the second she walked away from the bike that wasn’t where she lived. This isn’t a nice neighborhood, I know people from around here, the kind a woman on her own should never be around, especially a woman like Charley.
To not make her any more uncomfortable, I rode away, but I didn’t go far, leaving the bike and walking back, just in time to see her go into the worst fucking place she could be entering. I didn’t want to risk losing her, or for something to happen so I ran up the steps and into the building.
Fuck it doesn’t even have security doors, any asshole could walk in. And they do. There are people at this address that have worked with the club. Charley is just round the second floor staircase as I hurry up behind her. I can’t miss which apartment she goes into. I’ll bang on doors if I have to.
I’m not scared, people here are scared of me.
When I reach the second floor, Charley is gone but there are two scumbags trying to get into a door further down the hallway and the shit they’re saying makes me see red.
When they start trying to break the door open, I walk up behind them. There is no doubt this is the room Charley went into.
I’m so pissed right now, anyone who crosses me may end up shot or thrown over the fucking railing to the ground floor.
“I’ll give you to the count of three to get away from that door before I fuck you up.”
“Who the fuck do you think-” the man standing back starts to say, but he’s seen my cut.
The other one is still banging on the door. His friend drags him and he’s about to say something about stopping when he sees me.
“Nashville,” he takes a step away from the door.
“Don’t ask me who the fuck I think I am,” I walk closer. “I don’t have to tell you shit.”
“No, no, sorry I didn’t realize it was you.”
“And you think that makes it okay? If I was someone else you’d be fine to break into a woman’s apartment?”
“It’s not that, we know her. She uh, she’s a friend.”
I cock my head. “One who doesn’t want to open the door to you? Does that sound reasonable?”
Both men shrink a little at the way I’m looking at them. I might be a jovial happy kind of guy but when I smile like this, people know they’re in trouble.
“Seriously, Nashville, we know her.”
“We don’t want any trouble.”
They speak over each other. The one who said the sensible thing is backing off. The other one is standing his ground. They dealt drugs for us in the past, it’s been a while since we’ve had anything to do with them because they use what they’re supposed to sell.
Before the dickhead can even open his mouth to argue, I am on him, my forearm on his throat, ramming him into the wall.
“You want to rethink what you’re about to say?” I snarl at him.
He splutters and tries to push me off but I punch him in the gut.
He can’t bend or get away because of how I’m holding him.
The other guy has moved further away. Fucking smart.
If he tries anything, I really will shoot them.
They won’t, they know the wrath of the club will come down on them if they lay a finger on me.
“What were you planning on doing? You were going to hurt her?”
He tries to shake his head but his face is turning red.
“That’s not what it sounded like to me. Sounded like you were planning to take something you had no right to take.” My voice is low, close to him because I’m sure Charley can hear through these walls.
My anger spikes again, this time at her, for living in a shit hole like this. I release the idiot and take out my gun anyway, when he drops to the ground trying to catch his breath, I press it against his temple. He stops moving instantly.
“You ever try anything like this again, and I’ll send Stryker round here to deal with you.”
The man shakes and promises he won’t. I don’t believe him, but the only person I give a shit about is not spending a single night more here.
“Both of you get the fuck out of here. All the way out. I hear about you coming back around here, you’re not getting a second warning.”
For good measure, I pistol whip the back of his head, making him fall forward. When I step back his friend drags him to his feet and they run away like the punk ass cowards they are.
Now to deal with this little pain in my ass. I knock on the door but there is nothing from inside.
“Charley, open the door.”
Still nothing.
“If you think I’m going away, you’re wrong. I’ll stand out here all night if I have to.”
After a moment, there is a dragging sound then the lock turns, and she opens the door. Before she has time to say anything, I open it wider and go inside, closing the door behind me. It’s one room with a bed, a fridge a tiny bathroom and, fuck is that a dresser she is dragging over to the door.
The marks in the threadbare carpet tell me exactly what that is. She comes in here and barricades herself enough to feel safe.
Now I’m really pissed. She’s staring at me with wide-eyes, not moving or saying a word. Good, she knows she’s in trouble.
“Pack up your things, you’re coming with me.”
“I can’t do that, this is where I live, you can’t just walk in here and make me leave.”
“Wanna bet,” I go to the dresser that is askew by the wall and start opening drawers. There isn’t much in here but what there is, I start taking out and tossing on the bed.
“Stop that,” she comes towards me.
“No, get a bag, Charley. You’re not staying here.”
She looks at my hand and her cheeks flush. I follow her gaze and see a handful of panties and bras. I tighten my fist around them and her eyes get bigger again.
“Bag, now. Don’t make me even more annoyed than I already am.” That sounded like a threat and I don’t want to scare her, but I’m still shocked that she has been staying here. “Do you have any idea about the people who live in this place?”
“Of course I do.”
“And you’re okay with filthy fucking men trying to break in here?”
“No, that’s why I…” She waves a hand at a dresser.
“That thing is fucking heavy, Charley. They could have broken that door down before you got it across. Then what?”
She looks away from me. Shit, I hate frightening her, but she needs to see the reality of the situation she has put herself in. If I hadn’t come back…
Darkness descends over my mind. I’d fucking rip the head clear from the neck of any asshole who hurt her.
“Pack,” I say.
Her chest heaves up and down as she breathes. Before I can say anything else, she grabs a beat up suitcase from behind the dresser and does as she’s told. I fold my arms and watch, guarding the door. It doesn’t take long, she doesn’t have a lot of stuff.
I grab the case and open the door, going outside to check the hallway. There had been people milling around before but word must have spread that a Blackhawk Disciple was here and everyone has left or gone back to their apartments.
We walk the few blocks to my bike and after some screwing around with a bungy rope, I get the case secured to the back of the bike, leaving enough room for her to get on behind me. She hasn’t spoken since we left her apartment.
Now that we’re on the bike, I haven’t really thought about my next move. There is only one thing I can do this late in the evening. It’s not ideal, but it doesn’t have to be long term, just until I find somewhere else for her to go.
The garage door on my house starts to rise before we pull up because I have a controller on my bike, so I’m able to drive straight inside.
Charley gets off the bike and takes off the helmet herself, looking around as the garage door goes back down.
“Where are we?”
“My house.” I don’t say anything else as I detach her case.
I may have joked around to Ronin about having an expensive house, truth is my house wasn’t cheap at all. It has a front and rear yard, the garage holds three cars and it’s set over two stories, there are three bedrooms, a gym and office. Not that I use most of them, I just like having the space.
Where I grew up there were four boys, really close in age, in a three-bedroom house with our parents. As a teenager, sharing a room was bad enough, two teenage boys who almost topped six feet sharing a room was horrendous.
I like having space and I’m earning more than enough money to be able to have that. I’m not a foolish person who squanders money. When I get it, I invest it and I’ve made some good choices that have kept my little pot of gold growing.
Charley is looking around and her gaze pauses on my 1969 Shelby Mustang, it’s parked in front of the BMW X5 that I use when I need a cage. The Shelby is a rich dark green with two white stripes over the hood and roof. It rarely leaves the garage but sometimes I like to take her for a spin.
“Is that yours?”
“You like classic cars?” I ask, putting the helmets on the hooks over a work bench.
“It’s unusual to see one, and it’s in really good condition.”
“I can’t take any of the credit for that, I bought it that way. Come on.”
Carrying her case, I lead her inside, pointing out rooms as we go. She doesn’t say anything and follows me up the stairs to the spare bedroom. For some reason, I’m not quite sure of, I point out my bedroom, then take her a couple of doors down to one of the spares.
It’s the only one that has furniture in and the bed is made. Occasionally one of my siblings will visit so I make sure there is a room ready. It’s been a while since I saw any of them. With this task Nero has set me, I’ll be seeing my eldest brother soon enough.
Charley enters the room cautiously and looks around. I lean against the door frame after setting her case down and letting her in.
“Bathrooms there, you have your own, but if you need it, the main bathroom is just opposite.”
“Thanks,” she turns again, so she is facing me. “You didn’t need to do this. I was fine, I’ve lived there for weeks.”
“And you’re lucky nothing has happened to you. Don’t even think about going back there, Charley.”
Her fists clench and she takes a few breaths. “It’s the only place I can afford.”
“That isn’t somewhere that a person who isn’t a criminal, a junkie, or a hooker lives, Charley. I won’t let you go back there.”
“What am I supposed to do? I can’t stay here.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask why not, but I guess she is right about that.
“We’ll figure something out, but you’re not going back there.
Don’t argue,” I cut her off before she can get her words out.
“There are places you can stay, and we can sort out rent and shit with you. It’s not like we don’t trust you, Charley. ”
She still wants to argue but after another look around and seeing my expression she agrees.
“Until then, you’re welcome to stay here, there is no one else in the house and I’m out a lot of the time so just treat it like your own.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Okay,” I say it in a way that means I absolutely do not agree with what she just said and she gives me a look that says she’s not entirely happy with me.
“Door has a lock,” I tell her, she chews on the inside of her cheek but doesn’t say anything.
“It’s late, I don’t know about you but it’s been a shit of a day.
Everything you need is in the bathroom. Help yourself to food and whatever in the kitchen. I’ll sort out your car in the morning.”
“Nashville, you have done enough.”
“Not enough if you ask me.”
“What?”
“Charley, you were dragging a heavy dresser in front of the door to keep yourself safe. And I nearly had to kick the shit out of the two pricks who were trying to get in. This is the least I can do.”
For a moment she looks like she is going to say something but I guess she is overwhelmed so just says she is tired and thanks me in a quiet voice.
It’s probably best not to tell her I’ll be giving her the keys to the SUV until her car is fixed. Instead I say goodnight and head to my room for a shower. It really has been a long fucking day. And one I never thought was going to end with a hot blonde under my roof.
Get your head out of the fucking gutter. She just went through something traumatic, and God knows how long she has been living on edge going in and out of that hellhole. How the fuck did Beast not recognize that address when they took her on? The Disciples know it all too well.
Which reminds me, I fire off a text to Rebel telling him what happened. Word might get back I was down there and I don’t want anyone getting any surprises. I don’t tell him why but at least I’ve filled him in.
I try not to think about her while I shower, wondering what she is doing down there, whether she’s taking her own shower or is plotting how to escape.
Not like I’ve kidnapped her or anything but I get the sense her pride his hurt.
Why else would she pretend she doesn’t live there.
No one wants to admit things are that bad.
Makes sense why she wants to dance so bad. Beast pays all the staff well, but no one gets what the dancers get, on top of what Elegance pays them, they get to keep all their tips.
I’m caught in this weird feeling of anger at her for thinking it was okay to live there, to awe that she has managed to make it there this long, and semi-arousal at the thought of her sleeping in my house.
That last one makes me feel a touch of disgust for myself so instead of dwelling on it, I go downstairs and grab a glass of juice and a left over taco, set the security system and go back to bed.
If she tries to sneak out, she’ll set off the alarm. Charley isn’t stupid, she knows better than to do that. Even if she is pissed about it, she knows this is a better deal.
There is no sound from her room as I pass so I’m assuming she is asleep or in bed at least. While I eat, I think about what happened with Beast earlier.
Despite telling Charley it’s nothing unusual, it really fucking is. I’m not sure Beast has ever fucked Ellie before. We all know she does it, and Nero uses her a lot to get information out of people, like a honey trap, Ellie is happy to do it, no one coerces her into anything.
Fucking Beast is a weird one. Of course I didn’t let on I’d seen him fucking her, or that I caught Charley spying on them.
We talked about Tink. Or I asked a lot of questions he refused to answer.
Fuck knows what Raven did with the kid after I left.
That’s a problem for another day. Or someone else.
I’ve currently got my own unexpected house guest to deal with. I’m just glad she isn’t a surprise daughter I knew fuck all about.
Yeah, I’m really glad she’s not related to me. The thoughts I’m having about her would be a whole lot of wrong if that was the case.