Chapter 34 #2
Anthony nods. “This is your first strike. Lark deserves respect no matter what, but especially since she is my woman. The President’s woman.
If I hear you’re causing problems, there will be repercussions.
As for this one,” Anthony pauses as he looks over at me.
He cups my chin and turns my face. It takes me a moment to realize what he’s doing, but I don’t say anything.
“You caused eight scratches to my woman’s face.
That means you have eight weeks of bathroom duty on top of your regular duties and it starts today. Do you understand?”
Brandy’s jaw clenches with anger as she glares at me. “Yes,” she spits out.
“Get the fuck out of here and remember what I said.”
Brandy leaves without a word and I bite back a retort as she fucking sashays her way out of Anthony’s office and flicks her hair over her shoulder.
Devil closes the door behind her. I’m fuming but I force myself to look over at Python.
“I need to see them.”
His shoulders tense but he fishes his phone out of his pocket, unlocks it, and taps on it. After a few seconds, he hands it to Anthony who hands it to me.
My stomach churns when I see the paused image of me on my bed and Aiden hovering over me.
Making sure the volume is off, I hit play.
My stomach rolls as bile rises in my throat but I swallow it down.
When the video ends, I go through the pictures and when I get to the ones with Zac, I damn near throw up again.
Remembering what Python said earlier about them being doctored.
“Look at the shadows, Lark,” Python tells me, most likely knowing that I’m trying to see what he saw.
That’s when I see it.
The light and the shadows are different. Some of the furnishings and blankets are different, too.
I put the phone on Anthony’s desk and he hesitates but then looks through the pictures and watches the videos.
The more he watches, the more tense his muscles get.
He puts the phone down, staring at it as he breathes heavily.
I catch Python and Devil’s eye and tilt my head toward the door.
They both look at me with a question in their eyes and I give a nod.
I know what he needs.
Python takes his phone and a moment later, they leave, shutting the door behind them. Getting up I lock it before walking back over to Anthony. I push slightly on his shoulder and he scoots back. I straddle him and run my hands up and down his arms as he holds me tightly.
“They’re going to pay,” he rasps out and I nod.
“I know, Hercules, but I need you to breathe for me. We’ll figure this out, but I need you to calm down right now.”
His muscles shudder under my touch, but he takes a few deep breaths. His muscles slowly start to relax and he leans forward, resting his forehead in the crook of my neck. He takes a few deep breaths, and I feel more of the tension in his body loosening.
“Love your smell,” he mumbles, and I bite my lip to keep from laughing. Guess I shouldn’t change up the stuff I use anytime soon.
Anthony places a kiss on my neck, and I shiver. His hands tighten on my ass, but then he sits back up. His fingers gently trace along my hairline, and I bite my lip when he accidentally grazes one of the claw marks.
“As much as I need you after that shit, I don’t want to push your body too far in case that bitch did anything.”
“D-Do you have a mirror in here?” I haven’t even seen what she did to me yet.
Anthony shakes his head but then pauses and pulls out his phone. “Turn to your right, Darlin’. This way it’ll be easier than trying to see for yourself in the camera.”
I do as he asks and after he takes a picture, he hands me the phone.
There’s still a red mark on my cheek from her hand, but it’s not as bright as I thought it would be.
There are eight claw marks along my cheek and under my eye, some of them near my hairline but the rest are further down.
There’s also a couple of smaller scratches from her ring that she must have twirled around.
Or it might have gotten bumped, but my gut says it was the former.
With a sigh, I hand him back his phone. “Do you think she’s going to cause more problems?”
He sighs in response and nods. “Yeah, Darlin’, I do. Her and the others. I’m sure she’ll probably spread more of Kelly’s lies, too.”
“Who are the others?”
“Star and Candi. Star is the one with short blond hair that is pink at the tips. Candi has long blond hair down to her lower back.”
I swallow thickly, but know I need to ask. “You told me you were never with Brandy. What about Star and Candi?”
He groans. “Yeah, I was with both of them, but that was a long time ago. The last time I was with anyone it was Star, and after that, I decided just to stick with my hand. She has gotten bolder though ever since Lil’ Bit and Timber were here last month.
Out of the three, she’ll probably be the worst. Even with this stunt Brandy just pulled. ”
My shoulders slump. All three of them are beautiful, skinny, and aren’t scarred.
Well, physically at least. Who knows about mentally.
They’ve got curves in all the right places.
Whereas me? I’ve got curves to spare, am scarred, and just okay looking in my opinion.
Then again, their beauty seems to only go skin deep.
Anthony places his fingers under my chin and lifts my head.
“Darlin’, I didn’t tell you all that to make you feel not worthy.
I only wanted to warn you. After seeing some of the shit the Forest Creek bunnies have done to Levi and Mae, not to mention what ours did to Mae while she was here, I just didn’t want you to be unprepared.
You’re the woman I want to be with. Not them.
I know it’s going to be hard but try not to let anything they say get to you.
They’re going to try to get a reaction out of you.
” He pauses and I lick my dry lips at how serious he is.
“And Darlin’? I know you can take care of yourself, but I need to know when they’re stirring shit or getting physical with you.
I will not allow them to be disrespectful to you or have them causing chaos in my club, ya hear? ”
Knowing he’s serious, even though it irritates the hell out of me that I need to tell him about each incident, I nod. “I will, Hercules.”
His phone vibrates and when I look down at it, I see a message from Devil. Anthony pats my hip.
“Darlin’, everyone’s here so it’s time for Church.”
Nodding, I lean forward, giving him a quick kiss before getting up off his lap. He stands, adjusting himself, and I can’t help my smirk. He grumbles, and my smirk widens.
“Later,” I purr.
He grumbles again as I laugh and open the door.
“I’m going to go find Mama Astrid. It’s about the time she said she was going to start supper.”
He shuts the door behind him, and as I’m about to head down the hallway leading to the kitchen, his arm slips around my waist, pulling me back toward him.
I laugh but he quickly silences it with a kiss.
Moaning, I sink into him as I wrap my arms around the back of his neck.
He nibbles my lip as he pulls away and I narrow my eyes at him.
The jerk. He smirks, knowing full well what nibbling on my lip or ear does to me.
I grumble under my breath as he walks into the room where they must hold Church. Turning, I head into the kitchen.