Chapter 16
Skyla
R olling over in my bed to avoid the fall sun glaring through my curtains, I groan at the heavy drilling in my head.
I try to open my eyes, then wince at the stinging feeling.
Everything from last night comes rushing back to me and I sigh, sinking further into my mattress. No wonder my head feels like I drunk an entire bottle of tequila, and my eyes like I poured salt in them.
My chest aches, and my soul feels like it is drowning in images of seeing Camo having sex with that club girl, who was more than happy to rub it in my face that I am not enough for him.
Rubbing between my breasts to ease the ache, fresh tears fill my eyes.
Camo has sunk deep into my soul, and it will be hard to get him to loosen his grip, even if he doesn’t know how much of a hold he has on me.
Blowing out a breath, I force myself to climb out of bed and into the shower to wash away last night, and to start a new day. One of my foster parents always used to say that ‘With each sunrise, we are given the gift of another chance to make a difference.’
Once I am done with my shower, I dress for work. It is my day to open the gym today. Eva will be with me as we have a ‘Ladies Day’ where women can come and check out the gym for free, to see that they are in a safe space.
It was Rocky who brought that idea to us, and we loved it. He saw a woman being harassed at the gym, so he banned the fuckers who were upsetting her, and gave the one man who stepped in a free year’s membership for defending the woman.
Dressed in my gym leggings and a T-shirt with the gym’s logo on the front, I pull my hair up into a ponytail, needing to keep it out of my face. I add a little makeup but keep things natural.
When I am done, I head to work, playing some Kelly Clarkson on my drive.
Arriving at the gym, I park my car and climb out, gathering my purse and gym bag. My phone rings as I walk toward the building, Eva’s name flashing across the screen.
“Hey, good morning,” I greet, holding the phone between my ear and shoulder, as I dig out the keys from my purse.
“Hey, I am running late. I should be with you in thirty minutes.” She sounds frantic.
“Are you okay?” I ask, smiling when I feel the metal of the gym keys in my bag.
“Um, yeah. Just had a late night.”
I stop in my tracks and grin at her words.
“Oh, yeah? How late, Miss Eva?”
“Oh, hush it, bitch.” I can almost feel her blushing through the phone.
“You are telling me all about it when you get here, Missy,”
“I am hanging up now, so I can get to work. My co-worker is a nosy bitch.” I laugh as she ends the call.
I start walking again, and I see a crowd gathered around the front of my gym. Picking up my pace, I move closer, and people move when they see it is me who is pushing through.
“What the hell?” I say in disbelief.
Across the front of the two large windows are the words ‘Whore’ and ‘Trash’ in bright red spray pain.
Inching closer, I feel someone touch my arm.
“I have phoned 911, they are sending a car. Also, Bessy from across the street is looking at her security cameras to see if they picked up who did this,” says Barny, who owns the general store a few shops down.
“Thank you.” I stare at the awful nasty words, like they are going to jump out at me and bite my face off.
Gripping the strap of my bag tighter, I wait for the police. I look over the rest of the building and see no other damage.
“Who could have done such a thing?” I hear one of the ladies who runs the library mutter.
“She is such a sweet girl,” someone else mutters.
I open my phone and pull up the group chat that I have with my people.
Me: Gym has been vandalized. Waiting for police now.
Rocky: On my way.
Clark: Me too. Five minutes out.
Eva: I am here.
I don’t realize how much time has passed until Eva rushes to me, calling my name.
Her face is white with fear, and then it hits me.
The words sprayed on the windows are what she was called as a child and teenage girl.
One of her foster brothers was an evil cunt who used to call her trash as he raped her.
“Come here.” I pull her to me, holding her tightly.
“Can it be him?” she murmurs, and I hear the tremor in her voice.
Kissing the side of her head, I reassure her, “No, honey, that fucker is still locked up. I have Tate keeping an eye on him for me.” She looks at me with wide eyes.
“You do?”
“Of course I do. He will not take my sister from me, Eva May.”
Sirens fill the air, and Eva tenses up. I frown at her, but say nothing.
We both turn to watch as Tate and two other officers climb from their patrol cars. I have to admit that Tate does look good in his uniform. It is just a shame that he does nothing for me and my best friend is in love with him and him her.
“Baby,” Tate murmurs, stepping closer to us.
I arch a brow and look at my friend, who shakes her head.
“No” is all Tate says, making us both look at him.
“No what?” Eva says quietly.
“Do not hide shit from her.” Tate places his hands on his slim hips. “We will deal with this after I am done with the official shit that I was called here for.”
I move my mouth closer to my best friend. “We are so fucking talking about this later.”
Eva huffs.
“Did anyone see anything?” Tate asks me.
“Bessy is checking her cameras, but honestly, I don’t think we will find anything. Probably just kids, maybe some I kicked out of the gym,” I explain with a hint of dismissal in my voice.
I have a good freaking idea as to who did this, and I know Tate will have a clue also, but we will not discuss this in front of everyone who is standing around.
We have pieced together that after Aston was beaten badly, and the childish shit that has been happening to me that it was Aston’s stepfather and his drinking buddies.
One of the officers takes photos of my building and checks the doors.
“Nothing looks damaged. No forced entry. Just the paint,” he tells us.
“Thank you.” I offer him a smile.
“Could be kids,” he speaks.
“Could be.” Tate nods, but his eyes meet mine and I know that he does not believe that shit any more than I do.
“We will get this cleaned up for you, Miss Skyla,” Barny’s grandson offers.
“Thank you,” both Eva and I say.
He smiles at Eva like I am not right next to her.
I hear my name being called but I cannot take my eyes away from what is playing out in front of me. Oh, this is good, gossip over tequila good.
“You want to take that smile somewhere else, boy.” Tate steps forward, blocking the teenager’s view of Eva.
The kid blinks, looking at the sheriff, then to me and his grandfather, who is frowning at him.
“Sorry.” He scurries away, his brother following him.
“What the fuck? Who did this?” Rocky’s voice bellows as he steps next to us. “You both okay?” He looks between Eva and me.
“Yeah, I got here first but it was already done. Tate and his officers are checking to see if any of the security cameras caught who did it. We need to get some installed, Rock.” He nods to me.
“Yeah. There are Clark and Aston.”
I turn just in time to see Aston run toward me. His arms go around my waist, and I kiss the top of his head. Looking toward Tate, I see his jaw work as he grinds his teeth, seeing Aston for the first time.
“Let’s go inside. We can talk in there,” Tate states.
Clark unlocks the building and we file in. Tate joins us, directing his two officers to go and check to see if anyone saw or heard anything.
Nothing has been touched inside, like the officer said, no forced entry so it was only what was done to the front windows, but I still feel icky being in here. I feel like my personal space has been tainted now.
Keeping Aston close to my side, I take in the space, scared that someone will jump out and attack. I hate that I am feeling like this in the one place I make sure with all my heart is a safe place.
Will this damage our reputation? Shit. I will make this fucker pay for what he has done when we find him.
“Eva, baby, come here.” Tate’s voice breaks through my thoughts.
My head snaps in her direction. She bites her lip, her gaze locked on the man in uniform who is looking at her like she is his last meal.
Well fuck me to high heaven and back, they made their move.
Slowly she steps toward him, taking his offered hand, then he pulls her tight to his side.
“Umm, when did this happen?” Clark speaks up.
Rocky folds his arms over his massive chest as he stares at the new couple.
“You all know how I have felt about Eva for a long time. Even with Skyla’s blessing, my girl did not feel right starting a relationship with me.”
“It was not only Skyla,” Eva adds, her hand on Tate’s stomach.
I freaking love them together. My heart is happy for them. A pain slams into my chest seeing their happiness when my own love life just crumbled.
“I know, baby. We will work through that together.” Tate cups her face, leaning down to kiss her softly on her lips, and I swoon.
I push my own issues down, as right now this is a joyous moment for my bestie, who has endured some nasty shit in her life. Tate will treat her like a freaking queen.
“Well, I am happy for you both.” I rush to them, hugging them tightly.
“Thank you,” Tate whispers in my ear.
Kissing his cheek then Eva’s, I smile at them.
“Oh, the babies are going to be so stinking cute.”
“How about we hold off on the baby talk for a few years.” Eva grins, and I laugh.
“Or maybe we don’t.” Tate winks at her, making her mouth drop open in shock.
“I will go and pick us up some breakfast, then these two can explain what the hell happened in the last twenty-four hours, after this one went to the Kings’ clubhouse and came back looking like she wanted to rip someone’s head off.”
“I am grateful that you took Aston for the night.” I kiss his cheek. “I think a lot needs to be explained.”
“Aston, how are you feeling?” Tate asks him, as Clark leaves to get food.
“I am okay. I do not want to go back though.”
I hug him to me.
“I will see what I can do about you staying with Skyla for the time being.”
Tate goes on to explain that we need to find Aston’s stepfather, as a warrant has been issued for his arrest over the attack on Aston.
We eat, and then set about opening the gym, albeit two hours later than normal, but our members understand, thankfully.
I am at the front desk when I see two younger guys, maybe close to twenty, come swaggering in. Looking around the place, before their gaze lands on me, they smile wide.
“Oh shit, I am game for this, bro,” one mutters.
“Can I help you both?”
“Hell yeah, you can. We would like a free membership, please?” one snickers.
“Me too. I have never gotten any complaints before.” He winks at me.
“We do not offer free memberships. We have taster sessions where you can come in for an hour to see if the gym is the right fit for you.” I can see Rocky closing in from my right.
One leans on the desk, smirking at me.
“We saw a flyer saying that you will offer a free membership if we will eat your pussy and make you come. Like I said, I have had no complaints before. So do we go in the back for us to do this?”
“Are you fucking shitting me right now?” I screech.
“No,” they both answer. “The flyers are all over campus.”
My blood boils. My fists clench at my sides to stop me from reaching over and strangling these two pricks.
“Get the fuck out,” I snap. “You make sure everyone knows that the flyer is false.”
One blanches at my outburst, and the other one smirks wider, but it drops when he sees Rocky.
“You take that shit down before I use your face to take it down,” Rocky snarls, making them both jump out of their skin.
They both bolt from the gym, and I look to Rocky in disbelief.
“What the fuck? What the hell is going on?” he asks me.
“It has to be linked to all the other things that have been happening to me. Aston’s stepdad must be pulling all of this shit. I can’t wait to get my hands on him.”
“Do we know for certain it is him? I mean, it could be kids, maybe you pissed off one of the ones who came into the gym,” he offers, but I am already shaking my head.
“No, I heard heavy deep breathing on the other end of the line when they called me during the night. The threatening one was an older male’s voice.”
Rocky looks at me, and I see the concern staring right back at me. Hell, I am starting to get freaked now also.
“I do not like this, Sky.” He grunts, his arms folding across his massive chest.
“Me either, but it is what it is. Until we have evidence that it is him, there is nothing we can do. Now go on, you have a group of very horny lonely ladies wanting to see you get all sweaty and stretch them out.” I wink at him.
He smiles, leaning in and kissing the side of my head, then leaves me alone at the front desk. I hide everything that I am feeling. If I don’t, then they will hover over me and worry about if I am going to crack or not.
Having them in my life has made it all worth being here. In my dark days, it was those three who pulled me from the brink of not being here anymore.
The idea of Aston’s stepfather out there, watching me, makes my skin crawl. I try to pass it off that we are not one hundred percent sure if it is him, but I think we all know deep down that it is.
Being here out in the open of the gym where I know I am safe, doesn’t keep all of my fears away. My gaze darts to the door when someone comes in, and my skin feels itchy with anxiety.
I deal with a few more college boys coming in with the offer of eating my pussy for free memberships, and I get more and more angry. So much so that I leave the gym, leaving Rocky and Clark to deal with the pricks who come in.
Knowing that Aston is safe at the gym, I lock myself away in my house, and have a hot bath with a glass of wine.
The need to lose myself in a good dark romance book calls to me. Opening my Kindle, I sink into the hot water, and start reading. The author takes me away from all the bullshit with Camo and Aston’s father.
It is what I need to focus, find a new path to start down, and see where my future takes me.