Chapter 30
Chapter Thirty
Serenity
Every step I take is like trekking through thick mud as I make my way to my car. I head straight for the Cage, parking in the back alley in case any of the Bastards drive by on their way to the Trough.
When I step inside, Prospect looks up from the desk. “Holy shit! You’re back.” He truly looks surprised to see me.
“I need a room.”
“Yeah,” he says, jumping up to help me. “Lucky for you, it’s dead in here today.”
It will be.
“Perfect. I’ll meet you down there. I just need to use the restroom first,” I tell him.
He throws me a thumbs up. “Sure thing. I’ll be in room three.”
As soon as he disappears around the corner, I turn and lock the door, shutting off the open sign. I meet the gaze of a woman sitting in a cleaning service van. I chuckle at the tag line on the side: We’ll sweep you off your feet.
I use the restroom, and as I look in the mirror, I steady myself for what has to be done.
Prospect is waiting for me when I get to room three. He helps me into the coveralls just like last time. I stare straight into his eyes as he helps me with the gloves. “Gosh, you sure do remind me of someone. Do you get that question a lot?”
He smiles at me kindly. “No, not at all.” He reaches for the helmet under his arm. “I have to say, you sure look pretty, even in this suit. I bet no one confuses you for someone else.”
I dip my head.
“Shit, sorry. I know you’re Rage’s girl. I meant no disrespect.”
The honest look on his face is irresistible. He looks so innocent.
“You’re so sweet,” I say.
“Aw, I try.” The man has the audacity to blush as he hands me the bat.
How the heck do you fake that?
I tap the bat on the ground. “It’s funny. You’re the exact opposite of your brother.”
He fastens my helmet. “My brother? I don’t have a brother.”
I wait until he turns to walk out of the room before speaking. “Not anymore, you don’t.”
The pause in his step sends satisfaction rippling up my spine.
“Pretty shitty they all died before you got your reward, huh?”
He turns around slowly. The mask is gone.
“I mean, you did your part. Isn’t that right?” I egg him on. His brother said he was the one I should be worried about. I guess we’ll see. “Your club never knew you hadn’t reached the inner circle of the Bastards, did they?”
“You don’t have any fucking clue about what I know or don’t know about the Bastards.”
“Oh, but I do. I know you were the one to tell the Scorpions about Mila.”
He takes a step toward me. “Just what are you here to do, Serenity?”
“I’m here to give you your reward for a job … well … done,” I say while tipping my head side to side at each word. “Your brother told me I’d be yours. He liked it when I cried. Do you? Would it help if I turned on the tears?”
“Did he touch you?” he asks, getting his feathers ruffled over his brother playing with his toy.
“Oh, did he touch what was yours? I bet he did that a lot when you were kids, huh?” I take a step back as he takes another forward. “I just have one question. Where were you going to keep me? Locked in the basement? Or maybe a box under your bed? Because I never would have gone with you willingly.”
He stops, and an evil smile pulls up the corners of his mouth. “I’m not going to keep you at all.”
I swallow hard because he’s speaking in present tense.
“I’m going to fuck you.” He inches forward. “Fuck you again, and again, and again, and then I’m going to sell you to the highest bidder.”
When he lunges for me, I swing the bat. He expects me to swing high, but I drop it low, taking his legs out from under him.
I go for his head next.
Again
And again.
And again.
“Cry all you want, but stop the fucking screaming. No one’s coming to save you!” I yell in my rage, repeating the words his brother said to me.
By the time I’m finished I’m in a daze, but I manage to peel out of my protective gear, kick off my shoes, and leave the room.
I walk out and unlock the door for the cleaning crew, and then I go sit behind the desk.
“Do you know what you’re doing?” Jesse asks me.
“Yes,” I say confidently. I download the footage from room three, saving it to a flash drive, and then deleting the footage. I set it on top of the quilt I’ve left on the counter.
“You guys will lock up when you’re done?” I ask.
“You know it.”
“Okay. Just hit this button when you’re finished, and the recording will start again. I’ll see you back in Nevada.”
She grabs my arm. “Serenity.”
“Why does everyone keep saying my fucking name? I know what it is.” I shake her hand off my arm.
She holds her palms up. “Hey, I didn’t mean anything by it. I’m just worried about you. Let me or my sister ride back to Nevada with you.”
“I’ll be fine,” I say, making my way toward the door. “Just … please don’t get caught.”
Her sister, Katie, shakes her head. “We’ll be out of here quicker than you think.”
“Good. I really do appreciate everything you’ve done for me. I didn’t mean to snap.”
They each walk over and give me a hug. “If you change your mind and stay, you take good care of our twins.”
I roll my eyes. “Sure. I’ll do that.”
They both chuckle. “You never know. Something might pop up and get you to change your mind,” Jesse says, winking at her sister.
“I doubt it.”
I give the Cage one last look from the windshield of my car before heading for the back roads. I’m going to drive by Rage’s house. Just one last time. I don’t know why I’m torturing myself, but …
When I drive by, Peanut runs out to the road, wagging his tail wildly.
“Oh no, this was a mistake,” I cry, sobs instantly wracking my body.
“Why don’t you just grow some balls and pull into the driveway?” a voice says from the back seat.
I scream, throwing the car in park and jumping out. Peanut instantly comes over to greet me. Carver crawls out of the back seat.
“What the fuck are you doing in my car?!”
He sits down in the driver’s seat and pops the trunk.
“What are you doing?” I ask, turning to run before he responds. I have a feeling I already know the answer.
Peanut abruptly cuts in front of me, making me tumble and roll. My hands scrape against the gravel road as I catch myself. “Peanut!” I yell, covering myself as he viciously licks my face.
Carver stands over my head, bending down to grab me under my arms. “Up you go.”
Once I’m on my feet, he hoists me over his shoulder. “Put me down!” I yell, banging on his back.
“What the fuck took you so long inside the Cage?”
“I was working out my frustration.” I smack Carver on the ass, showing Peanut right where to bite. “Get him, Peanut. Right here. Come on.”
The dog trots happily behind us.
“You’re no help!”
Carver dumps me right in the trunk and quickly closes the lid, giving me no time to protest.
“Carver, let me out of here right now.”
I keep my panic to a minimum when the car starts to move, but it skyrockets when we stop a few seconds later. He pulled into the fucking driveway. “No! Please don’t do this,” I beg.
He raps a little tune above me. “I’ll admit, I haven’t had a good chase like that in a long time. I feel invigorated.”
“You never would have caught me without Peanut’s help!” I bang my hands and kick my feet against the lid.
“Oh, come on now. You don’t really believe that, do you?”
“Please, Carver, I’ll get out of town. Just let me go.”
“You are out of town.”
“You know what I mean.”
“You’re home. Get over it.”
“Noooo,” I wail.
“Why are you so hell bent on getting out of here?”
“You all fucking sent me away!”
“Well, now we want you back.”
I cover my mouth, wanting to scream more obscenities but that won’t help. Breathing in slowly through my nose and out through my mouth, I try to calm myself as I think about what to say.
Eventually I decide the truth has gotten me this far, why not give it a try? “Carver, I can’t do this again. I can’t lose them again. I’ll never survive it a second time.”
He’s quiet for a long while.
“I’m sorry,” he finally says.
“It’s okay. Just let me out and I’ll leave.”
“No. I’m sorry that I can’t let you out.”
“What? Why not?”
“Because Rage isn’t here, and if I let you outside of the trunk, you’ll run away. I’m not losing you again!” he yells, banging his fist on the hood and walking away.
Peanut whines as if he’s letting me know he’s sitting vigil with me.
I’m not sure how much time passes, but I spend it between crying my eyes out and screaming at the top of my lungs.
My mind wanders to the man I beat tonight. No matter how hard I try, I can’t get it out of my mind. “He had to die,” I whisper.
The darkness slowly morphs into my demons, and it’s as if Psycho is in front of me with his hand on my neck.
“You bitch. You killed my brother,” his ghost whispers.
“He put my Mila in danger,” I whisper back, holding my own throat.
Instantly he evaporates, as if her very name broke the incantation.
“Mila,” I whisper again.
She was so cute today in her little pink cowboy boots. When I scooped her up in my arms, the first thing I noticed was how much weight she’s gained. The guys must be feeding her well. My stomach growls as if the mention of food summons it.
“What’s up?” Carver says from above me. He must be sitting on the trunk. I thought he’d gone, but he’s still here.
It’s quiet, and I strain to hear who he’s talking to.
“She left what at the Cage?”
The car jiggles as he jumps off, and I hear the gravel crunch beneath his feet.
“Interesting. No, I don’t know what could be on there.
She was inside for quite a while; she said she was working out her frustration.
” He laughs. “Fuck yeah, I have her. We’re just waiting for Rage to get home.
I didn’t want to interrupt the festivities.
He and Mila deserved a night of celebration. ”
Someone must have found the blanket and the flash drive I left at the Cage.
“For sure, man. That sounds like a plan. Round everyone up. We’ll be waiting.”
The trunk pops open, and Carver stares down at me. “Why did you park in the alley at the Cage?”
“I didn’t want anyone to interrupt my session.”