Lakelyn Chapter 16 #3
“Thanks for the escort, but I’m fine. Other than a sore head and my feet, I’m good.”
“What happened to your head and feet?” Cardiac asked.
“I used the back of my head to headbutt the guy who tried to carry me off. It caught his chin. My feet hurt from the stones and twigs I stepped on while walking barefoot, and then I tried to run. I don’t know if they’re cut or not. But they ache.”
“I need someone to get me a pan of warm water, a cloth, and soap. I need to see her feet. Do you have a first aid kit around her, Pres?”
“There’s everything you need in the bathroom on the second floor.”
“I’ll go get it,” Blood offered, then was gone.
“Is there anything you need me to do, Tyrant?” Cobra asked.
“If you can gather the others who weren’t home yet and let them know what happened and that we’ll be meeting soon, that would be great. Once I’m done here, we’ll go to the dungeon.” His tone hardened.
“I’ll go take care of it. If you need anything, let me know. Lake, you rest and let them do what they have to. Damn, woman, you scared us to death. Don’t do it again,” Cobra said.
I was stunned when he leaned over and kissed my forehead. He grinned at me when Tyrant growled at him.
“Keep your lips off my woman before I remove your head.”
“Yes, sir.” Cobra chuckled.
As he walked out, I heard him begin to whistle. Cardiac smiled at me. His hands slipped under my head and felt around. When he hit the sore spot, I hissed.
“Careful. What do you feel?” Tyrant asked Cardiac.
“There’s a knot. She smacked him good based on the size of this one. It’ll be tender for a while. The skin isn’t broken. That’s good. Let me check your pupils. Other than head-butting, did you hit your head any other way?”
His hands slid out. The pillow still put a tiny amount of pressure on the spot, but not enough to make me object.
“No, I didn’t.”
By the time he checked my pupils with a bright light he had taken out of his pocket, Blood was back with the basin of warm water and the other items. I was startled when Tyrant insisted on washing my feet rather than letting Cardiac do it.
While my man tenderly did it, the club’s medic ran his hands over my arms and legs and made me move them to show that I had nothing broken.
By the time both men were done, I was ready to nap.
The adrenaline was gone, and in its place was exhaustion.
My eyelids drooped, and I had to fight them to stay open.
“Take a look at these, Cardiac,” Tyrant grumbled. He didn’t sound happy. The soap had stung, so I assumed that meant I had cuts.
“Sis, what the hell happened? Why were you out by that gate?” River asked softly.
He was seated next to me, holding my hand. Blood had slipped away after giving the things to Tyrant. He said he’d be in the hallway if we needed him.
I didn’t want to tell him I had lost my temper and fought with Tyrant. I didn’t think my man would appreciate me telling anyone, so I said, “I needed to take a walk, and ended up there. I wanted to be undisturbed.”
“She was upset with me. We argued, and she left the house to cool down and think. I said stuff that pissed her off. We have to clear the air about that, but it can wait. Lakelyn, tell us what happened. Why was Mera out there? Who were those men?” Tyrant didn’t appear worried that he’d told them he triggered my walk.
“Mera came out to gloat. She must’ve seen me leaving the house and guessed we fought.
She followed and started talking about how you realized I wasn’t the woman you wanted and kicked me out of the house.
She was happy about that. She told me she’d be moving in, warming your bed, and giving you sex every night.
I’d be nothing but a vague memory, and you’d forget me once I was gone.
I challenged her and asked what made her think you’d forget me, and she said you’d never find me.
” I paused to take a breath. Just remembering it made me queasy.
“That’s when I heard a squeaking sound behind me.
When I turned, it was the gate opening, and in came two guys.
One grabbed me. It was clear they knew her, and one told her she’d get her payment and to return to the clubhouse.
The one who tried to drag me away told me to stop screaming and fighting, or he’d knock me out.
Then he added that I’d been a pain in his boss’s ass too long, and I deserved whatever was done to me.
I thought I’d never see any of you again. ”
I was back to tears, running down my face.
I put my hands over them. I was embarrassed to be acting this way.
River tried to comfort me, but it didn’t help.
Cardiac had been putting cream on my feet and then wrapping them.
He finished as I cried. I didn’t know what Tyrant was doing.
He probably wished he’d claimed Mera instead of a wimp like me.
I cried harder at the thought. Whispers were happening around me, but I couldn’t hear what was said.
The next thing I knew, the bed shifted twice, and River’s hand was gone.
I was suddenly engulfed in strong arms. The scent that surrounded me told me it was Tyrant.
“I’m sorry. I’ll stop. Just leave me alone for a while. You’ve got things to take care of. Go do those,” I pleaded with him.
“Like hell, I’m leaving you alone and crying like this. Christ, what kind of man do you think I am? I know we need to talk about what I said earlier, but first, I need you to calm down. You’ll make yourself sick.”
“Please, just go. I’m mortified enough over what I said and how I acted without you seeing me acting like a baby.”
“Lakelyn, I need you to look at me and listen. I’m not going anywhere until you do.”
I heard the determination in his tone. Wanting to get it over with, I lowered my hands and met his gaze. There was nothing like anger or disappointment in them. I swore his gaze was filled with caring and love.
“If you’re mortified, how do you think I feel?
I came in and jumped down your throat for no reason.
I was upset at the thought of one of the sluts being in our house.
And when I came in, I was still mad. You had every right to respond angrily, especially when I repeatedly said it was my house.
I didn’t know I was saying it. It’s not.
It’s ours. I just hated the thought of them being here.
“I didn’t know why Alice was, and I know how much it bothers you that they’re around at all.
I’d detest seeing the men you slept with.
In fact, I couldn’t do it. I’d have to kill the bastards.
I’ve got to say, though. You have a temper, woman.
And to throw that delicious dinner in the trash was sacrilegious. I love a roast.”
I giggled at the outraged look he gave me over dinner. “I know you do. It’s why I made it. I’m sorry that I ruined it. I try to keep my temper under control, but you hit me the wrong way, and I went off. I should’ve warned you that I had those tendencies. I’ll get up and make you something else.”
When I tried to rise, he held me down and shook his head.
“There’s no need. I knew when you did that and stormed out, I needed to let you cool down a little.
I rescued the food. Luckily, the lids stayed on all the pans and didn’t spill into the trash can.
I picked them out and put them in the refrigerator so the food would remain edible.
We can warm them up. It was after I did that that I went to find you.
I assumed you were with River, so I went to Cobra’s first. When your brother said he hadn’t seen you, I went to the clubhouse.
He followed me. The guys there said no one had seen you, and some had been there since I stopped in on my way to the house.
“I have to admit, I began to panic. Cobra and others all came with me to help find you. It was while we were searching that I swore I heard a scream. I took off in its general direction, and then I heard another. That’s how we found you.
I swear to God, I almost lost it when I saw you trying to run from those men.
One pulled a gun. I knew he’d shoot you.
That’s why I yelled for you to drop. Thank God you listened. ”
“Wait, did anyone on our side get shot? Oh damn it, I’m such an asshole. I didn’t even think to ask,” I wailed.
I sat up this time, but he refused to let me get off the bed. “Tyrant, Cardiac should’ve been checking on the guys, not on me.”
“Slow down. None of us is hurt. I can’t say the same for the other side.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means we shot and killed one of the men and shot the other. Mera dropped to the ground and cowered there. She wasn’t happy to be taken to the dungeon with the guy.”
“What’re you gonna do to them?” I asked.
“I’m finding out who the men worked for, though I think I can guess. And I will discover why Mera is working with them.”
“She’s angry that you’re with me.”
“I get that, but she knew it was never more than sex between her and any of us. There was no way she would be my old lady. We made our stances known before she was ever taken on as one. She’s the one to tell the others the rules when they join. I’ve heard her.”
“Well, somewhere in there, she either fell in love with you or she’s out for status and power. Being the president’s old lady will give her that. She can lord it over any woman who comes here, whether she’s a slut or an old lady.”
“She was wrong. There’s only one woman for me, and she’s right here. I want to talk more about this, but first, I want you to eat.”
“I agree. We need to talk more, but I have to know. Who told you Alice was here?”
He gave me a sheepish look. “No one told me. I overheard Mera telling Bailey. I thought they didn’t know I was there.
They were speculating on why she would’ve been in my house.
After what happened, I bet it was a setup to cause an argument.
She hoped it would give her a chance to bring in those men. They had to be stationed nearby.”
“It’s making my head hurt worse. Let’s go eat, and then you can see what they have to say.”
“Sounds like a plan,” he said.