Tyrant Chapter 13 #2
I paused to swallow and take a deep breath.
She was holding onto my hand, squeezing it.
“I was out of the house. We didn’t expect him to be home until much later.
He’d stay out all night when he went out with his so-called friends.
I’d snuck off to a nearby pond to fish. It relaxed me, and we needed the food.
It was just our rotten luck that he came home early for some reason.
I can only assume he went after her, wanting to know where I was.
When I came up to the house, I heard him screaming, and his beat-up piece-of-shit car was in the driveway.
I remember dropping the fish and running inside.
“He was screaming about how she made him do this. When I came barreling into the kitchen, I found him standing over her. His fists, face, and shirt were soaked in blood. Mom was on the floor at his feet, unmoving, her face caved in. I went insane. I knew she was dead. He beat her to death with his fists. I attacked him. I don’t know how I didn’t end up dead, but in the end, I lived.
He was too hurt, drunk, and high to run.
I crawled to the phone and called the cops.
I didn’t know what else to do. When they arrived and saw the scene, they would’ve arrested us both, but he was still yelling due to being high. He admitted what he did.
“We were both taken to the local hospital and admitted. I stayed longer than he did, and when the doctors took X-rays and examined me, they saw all the poorly healed fractures from my past broken bones and the scars. They knew I’d been abused, even if I wouldn’t admit it.
It took several months, but when I was fifteen, he was put on trial and convicted of her murder and attempted murder of me.
He was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
They tried for the death penalty, but couldn’t get the jury to agree.
He’s still rotting in prison, and I wait every year to hear the fucker is dead. ”
I knew this could very well condemn me in her eyes.
Who would want to take on someone with my history?
I could turn out to be like him. Suddenly, she let go of my hand.
Here it comes. Then, Lakelyn was straddling my lap with her arms around my neck.
She was pressing kisses all over my face and then my mouth.
She kept whispering brokenly, “You poor thing. Oh my God. I can’t believe you survived that. ”
I resisted letting myself get too far gone. I had more to tell her. I gently pushed her back, putting space between us. She frowned at me.
“I need to tell you the rest. After he was convicted, I was taken from a group home and placed with a foster family. The one I ended up with was abusive, just not as bad as my dad. I wouldn’t stay with anyone who did that, and I trusted no one by then, so I ran.
I ended up on the streets. I lived the life you and River were living.
I know the dangers and what it takes to live that life.
It lasted for over a year. I stole and fought for money, you name it, to survive.
It was ultimately what saved my life and got me where I am today. ”
“How?”
“I tried to steal a motorcycle parked behind a building one night. I thought no one was around or inside and that they wouldn’t notice until after I got away with it.
I planned to push it until it was safe to start the bike.
I’d learned how to hot-wire. Only I got caught.
Instead of the man it belonged to having me arrested or killing me, he saw something in me, and he took me home with him.
He offered me a home, a family, and a life.
I can’t say I trusted him, but I learned over time.
He had two sons around my age. His sons eventually became like brothers to me. ”
“Who was he?”
“His name was Hangman, and he was a member of the Ohio chapter of the Kings. His son, Scythe, is the current president of that same chapter. His son, Boomer, is the sheriff. I would probably be dead if it hadn’t been for Hangman, his boys, and the rest of the Kings.
“I learned about engines, vehicles, and bikes from him and his guys. I found I had a knack for them. I enjoyed the work. During that time, Hangman insisted I get my GED. He said that I could be different from my old man. But without a GED, I couldn’t pursue my dream.
He knew my dream since I was a small kid was to go into the Navy.
Hangman encouraged me to do it. I had to prove I was a badass, so I went straight from boot camp to BUD/s training.
That’s SEAL training. I somehow made it through. ”
“You were a Navy SEAL? Wow. You said the Navy was how you got the rest of your scars.”
“I did. Being a SEAL was sometimes dangerous, although it was a challenge I loved. I intended to do it for a while and then get out and join the Kings. Well, it didn’t go as planned.
While I was gone, a lot of hits came at the club.
Several guys went to prison, and others died, mostly killed.
I was in the Navy and unable to do shit.
I couldn’t get out to help them or settle the scores.
“It was on a mission that went south that I got the rest of the scars. I was shot, and I made my team leave me behind so we all didn’t die.
They did it and promised to come back. I was captured by the enemy and tortured for information for a week before I was rescued.
When I was liberated, my team killed the enemy, and I was medevacked out.
I never spoke or begged those fuckers who had me.
They hated that they couldn’t get intelligence out of me.
They thought they were bad, but hadn’t lived with my old man.
“When my enlistment was over, I didn’t know what to do.
I was restless. I went back to Ohio to the club.
I’d already officially prospected before turning eighteen, so I was patched in without going through it again.
I was a nomad with the club for a while.
Eventually, Scythe and Big Daddy, the mother chapter president, got me to agree to head up a chapter.
I chose here since I had contacts from my time in the Navy.
So there you have it, my entire ugly history.
That is why there can’t be an in-between, Lakelyn.
If you become mine, and I get physical with you or our children, I’ll have to be killed.
Otherwise, we risk my coming after you and them. I won’t become him!”
I was exhausted from sharing this. I hadn’t talked about it in years. I hated remembering it, though I sometimes did in my dreams. But she had to know and make an informed decision.
“Tyrant, look at me,” Lakelyn said firmly. I was staring at our laps. I reluctantly lifted my gaze.
“You are the strongest man I’ve ever met. To go through all that and still be sane is a miracle. You served your country and protected your team. You got out and formed a family that you protect. You took in two strangers and offered them safety and a place to live. You’re incredible.”
“I didn’t protect my mom,” I let slip out.
“Like hell, you didn’t! She would’ve likely been dead long before that if it weren’t for you. You went fishing. It wasn’t a crime. You had no way of knowing he’d deviate from what was his normal.”
“What does this all mean? Will you be my old lady, or is this your way of telling me no way?”
“It means that I’ll take you on, no matter how gruff and locked down you are.
I see you. You do it not because you don’t care.
You care too much, and it’s how you protect your heart.
I need you, though, not to protect yourself from me.
If I’m yours and you’re mine, you have to let me in.
And if you want kids, I’ll have them with you. ”
My heart was back to pounding. My hands gripped her hips. “Do you swear to do what I ask if I start to act like him?”
“I swear I will, but it won’t happen. I believe in you, Tyrant.”
“One more thing before I kiss you,” I said gruffly.
“What? Hurry, I need a kiss.”
“When a biker claims someone, that person is always asked to use his road name around others, not just his club. However, when they’re alone, most of us like to be called by our real names. I’d like you to do that. Let me introduce myself. I’m Killian Hawke.”
A sexy smile spread across her lush mouth. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Killian. I’ve got to say, your name is sexy. I love both of them. So, Killian, will you kiss me?”
I yanked her mouth closer and latched onto her as if I was dying for air, and she was my oxygen.
Lakelyn didn’t hold back. Her lips, teeth, and tongue were just as eager as mine.
I kissed, sucked, and nibbled for several minutes before I knew we had to stop, or I wouldn’t be able to.
My cock was rock hard, and it felt like it was ready to tear through the zipper of my jeans. I wanted inside of her.
She whimpered when I gently pushed her away. “No, don’t stop, Killian,” she pleaded.
“I have to before I lose control. If I don’t, you’ll be laid out on my bed, naked, and I’ll be inside of you.”
“Did I say I didn’t want that? I don’t recall it,” was her sassy comeback.
It took a couple of moments for what she said to sink in. When it did, I had to be sure. “Are you saying you’ll let me have you tonight? You’ll come to my bed and be mine in all ways?”
“Yes, that’s what I’m saying. I want to know what it’s like to have you touching, tasting, and fucking me. I want to do the same to you. Take me to bed, Killian. Now.”
The slight growl she added to the end decided for me.
I wrapped my arms around her back, scooted to the edge of the couch, and then stood.
She wrapped her arms and legs around me, and I marched to my bedroom.
Excitement strummed through me. I couldn’t recall being this excited, even with the first girl I slept with when I was seventeen.