Chapter 25
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
TRIXIE
Men. I should know better by now to think they’ve got any intelligence that’s not rooted in their dicks.
I could see the way the wind was blowing when Toni batted her eyes at Freak, and started on her excuses as to how she was the innocent party, and how she was only doing what she thought best for his son.
He was going to fall for it, I could tell.
That cut me to the core. Why the fuck had I insisted we bring her back with us?
There, in the heat of the moment, Freak had been so angry that he was prepared to leave her there.
For the sole reason she hadn’t betrayed me, I couldn’t have lived with myself if we’d left her to the mercy of the MDMC.
Of course, I never expected Freak to suddenly declare undying love for me, despite all I’d done to rescue his son.
I hadn’t even been thinking of him when I volunteered to put my life on the line.
I did it for Ace, such a good kid who didn’t deserve to be treated like a pawn.
But I hadn’t expected for one moment that Freak would give Toni a second chance.
Yet, as I left them outside the clubhouse, it seemed like she’d been winning him over.
Christ, how could men be so stupid? If he lets her back in, she’ll hurt them both again.
And why had he kissed me? Was it his way of persuading me to play my part?
To encourage me into that den of iniquity?
All of a sudden, memories flood back into me of how I was taken so roughly over the pool table by those disgusting assholes.
Bile rises into my throat, and I rush from my room to the bathroom, where I vomit up the contents of my stomach.
I feel dirty, used. Tearing off my clothes, unable to get them off fast enough, I dive into the shower, taking off my underwear once under the water.
Then I start scrubbing their filth off me, rewashing my body again and again.
Never have the Kings made me feel dirty, but those slobs were something else.
I’m beyond grateful they used condoms. I’m sure they were riddled with STIs.
Nevertheless, I’m determined to get myself tested as soon as I can.
I stand under the too-hot water for as long as I can bear it, then, wrapping a towel around me, I scoop up the clothes destined for the garbage and return to my room where I dress in my most comfortable pajamas.
Ace is safe. That’s all that matters. I let the words circle around my head as I slide into bed.
Although I’ve been awake for hours, I know sleep will evade me.
I’m scared of the nightmares that surely lie ahead.
The way those assholes had touched and abused me was far too reminiscent of Piero.
He’s bound to invade my dreams. He’d probably have a starring role, taking turns with those motherfuckers raping me.
I’m a whore. Being fucked shouldn’t bother me. But it does.
A sob escapes, followed by another, and then tears stream down my cheeks. I turn to cry into the pillow, but only succeed in putting pressure on my sore rib, making me exclaim in pain. I’m descending into a full-on pity party when a tentative knock sounds on my door.
I’m tempted to ignore it, but then it sounds again, louder and more determined.
Deciding to give whoever’s bothering me a piece of my mind, I get out of bed, carefully, now more mindful of the pain in my chest, and wrench the door open.
My mouth is already forming the words to send any visitor away.
If a brother wants sex tonight, they can fucking think again.
But I slam my lips closed when I see Ace standing there, twisting his hands nervously.
His brow furrows as he looks at me. “Trixie…”
His appearance reminds me of why I put myself through what I did tonight. My voice cracks when I simply respond, “Ace.”
He steps forward, his arms going around me. He's crushing my ribs, but I’ll take that pain just to know he’s safe and here. Then, as I catch my breath, I realise he’s sobbing, and that his tears are mingling with mine.
Pulling him into my room to give us both privacy, I kick the door closed behind us. I don’t know how long we stand, holding each other and crying. It’s cathartic, much like a cleansing.
Still with his head bowed against my shoulder, he begins, “I knew something was dead wrong when the removal van arrived and started packing up Toni’s house.
” He pauses to hiccup, then continues, “I wanted to ring Dad, but she snatched my phone out of my hand. Trixie, she lied to me. She tried to persuade me the Kings were a bad influence, that they killed indiscriminately, dealt in hard drugs, and ran a sex trafficking ring. She said she was going to save me. I tried to argue with her…” he breaks off, sobs overwhelming him again.
“It’s okay, you’re safe. I got you, buddy.” I smooth my hands over his hair.
“Then… then.” A mammoth sob racks his body, tearing my heart out. “Candyman arrived, and I saw his cut. He was a Mojave Devil, from the club that attacked the compound. I tried to warn her, but she wouldn’t listen to me. I was so fucking scared.”
“Oh, Ace.” I hold him tighter, ignoring my pain as I try to comfort him, knowing how much he must have been scared.
“I tried to run, but they overpowered me. I had no phone. I couldn’t do anything.
Toni kept telling me I had nothing to worry about, that they were friends.
I tried again to tell her what she’d said about the Kings was true of them, but she told me I knew nothing.
I was only a kid.” He breaks off, takes a gulp of air, and his words tumble out one after the other with little structure.
“They forced me into an SUV. There were child locks on the doors. Toni got in beside me. Candyman and the other man, Oscar, were in the front. I was trapped and couldn’t escape.
All I could think of was how Dad would be disappointed in me. ”
“No, Ace.” I cup my hands around his face and force him to look at me. “Your dad wasn’t disappointed. He was furious with himself for not watching out for you better.”
I’m not getting through to him. “I should have seen that Toni was lying to us. Should have known there was something wrong. Instead, I pushed Dad and her together.”
I give him a little shake, determined to comfort him, while worrying that even now, Toni’s getting her claws into his dad once again.
“Ace, you couldn’t have known. She fooled you both.
And I don’t believe Toni meant harm to come to you.
In her twisted mind, she thought she was taking you somewhere you’d be safe.
” I break off to roll my eyes. “It was obvious Toni didn’t know who the MDMC were.
She was taken in by her so-called brother.
” A question comes to me. “Where were you last night, Ace? Why didn’t they take you straight to that warehouse? ”
He purses his lips. “I got the impression they were supposed to move Toni out on Sunday, but as dad had planned that’s when he was going to come back, they came a day early.
Candyman seemed upset about that.” He pauses and catches my eye.
I swallow hard. Because he wanted to be there when Freak arrived, so he could kill him.
He’d said as much at the warehouse. “They took us to this house in the suburbs. There were locks on the doors that they used to keep us in. Candyman had business in the city, so we were left alone, but I couldn’t escape.
Toni wouldn’t let me. She kept telling me it was all for my own good, that I’d soon learn what a poor dad Freak had been.
That she’d do much better by me…” His voice trails off.
I want to slap the shit out of the woman who’d tormented him with lies, took away his control, and left him without being able to contact his father, whom I know he adores.
After taking a breath, he continues, “Then, today, they got us back in the SUV, and we continued the journey.” He tells me, “All last night, I was begging Toni to believe me, but she wouldn’t listen.
She just kept on and on with her lies.” Sobs start again, and my heart breaks.
Of course, she hadn’t been able to brainwash him.
What was he to believe? The truth he’d lived with for the last fifteen, almost sixteen years, or the untruths his newly found aunt was telling him?
Fuck knows I’m going to go after Freak myself if he brings that evil bitch into his life again.
“I’m here for you, Ace. I’ll always be here for you.” It’s a vow I don’t make lightly, and one I’m determined to keep.
He tightens his hold on me. “I knew why they wanted me. I’m not stupid. Well, I must be. If I hadn’t boasted to Toni about how good I was at hacking, they’d have never known.”
I’ve got to stop him there. “No, buddy, you’re wrong. Remember Griz?”
He swallows hard, then asks, “The prospect?”
“Yeah. Well, he was a plant. He was a member of the MDMC, and he betrayed us to them. He would have told those bastards everything about you. So when they found Toni was related to you, they saw an opportunity and took it. You didn’t have a chance. They were going to take you one way or another.”
His sobs start to falter, and he looks up at me. “What are the fuckin’ chances that they found the right person to get to me?”
I snort. “One in a fucking million. But that’s the odds, kid. Sometimes you just can’t predict them.”
For another moment, we just hold on to each other. Then he pulls away. “What the hell made you put a tracker in my jacket?” He adds quickly, “Not that I mind. I’d…” His voice trails off. Neither of us wants to even think he would still be in the hands of the MDMC if I hadn’t taken that initiative.
Now I smile. “I didn’t trust Toni and just wanted to know you were safe. You wanna shout at me for invading your privacy…?”
“Shout at you?” He looks astonished. “I fuckin’ love you, Trixie.”
In a whisper, I give his words back. “Fuckin’ love you too, kid.”