Chapter 6
CHAPTER SIX
Sleep evaporated, and I stretched on the bed before moaning from how good it felt. Opening my eyes, I took in the room and remembered where I was. With a smile, I did a wiggle at the thought of not waking in that damn stinky shipping container.
Sure, I missed my friends, but I wouldn’t want to go back in time to be with them in there again. And since Cal, Jenny, Iola, and I had all been from Melbourne, we could easily catch up when we got back to town.
I was surprised I didn’t have nightmares or some type of fear over the whole ordeal.
Maybe if I were anyone else but myself, I would have.
Instead, the positives outweighed anything else I’d been put through.
Yes, we went without a lot on the ship, but I knew help would come.
I knew we would get out of it because I believed in my family.
And maybe that was what helped keep the fear and nightmares at bay.
Then again, my mind was wired different too.
Sitting, I pushed the blankets away and turned before dropping my feet to the wood floor.
It was a little chilly this morning… wait, it was morning, right?
I glanced to the digital clock on the bedside table.
Nine in the morning. Perfect time to grab some much-needed food.
Mum always said I woke hungry like a bear.
Mum. On the boat, I’d missed her and Dad and everyone all the time.
They must have been going nuts to find me.
I couldn’t wait to see them later tonight.
The phone call on the drive to the compound wasn’t enough.
I needed to have them in front of me. At least now they didn’t have to worry.
Dad trusted the Diamond MC, so I would too.
Though, they’d already made it easy to trust them for coming to the rescue and then taking good care of me last night.
Dusty, Country’s old lady, had fed me when we got to the compound before showing me to a spare room where I crashed big time since the adrenaline had worn off.
Now it was a new day.
A better day because I was free and happy and surrounded by people who were awesome. I couldn’t wait to get to know them. I’d met a few when I’d walked in last night, but I didn’t really take in any faces or names.
I headed to the attached bathroom and took another shower. I’d had one before I climbed into the bed last night, which had felt like heaven. Even now I grinned as I dropped my head back and let the droplets run over my face.
But then coughed and spluttered when some of the water slipped up my nose to run down my throat.
Laughing at myself, I finished washing and then dried off before wrapping the same towel around my hair while I looked through the clothing options.
Dusty had given me some items that belonged to a woman named Eve.
However, I didn’t feel comfortable wearing someone else’s undies, so I went commando with the wide-legged, black tracksuit pants and a black, tight, long-sleeved, cotton top. With them, I put on nice thick socks.
The fresh clothing felt snuggly and warm.
On the boat, we’d had many nights huddled together to try and stay warm from each other’s body heat, so it was good to have that toasty feeling again.
The day I’d been taken I’d only been wearing jeans and a tee, which hadn’t been comfortable to stay in for a month.
Removing the towel from my hair, I went back in the bathroom to hang it and brushed my long locks.
Dusty had also been a gem to find me a new hairbrush, toothbrush, and toothpaste.
She’d asked me if I wanted make-up, but when she saw my screwed-up nose at that offer, she smiled and told me I was naturally pretty without it anyway, which was sweet.
Not that I saw the appeal with my looks. I always thought my eyes and lips were too big. But if people found me nice to look at, I wasn’t going to question them about it.
Once ready, I made my way out of the room and down the stairs. I walked straight into the common room area, which was a lot busier than it had been last night.
“Hey, hi, hello, everyone.” I waved when I came to a stop at the bottom of the staircase.
The room went quiet, so I, of course, felt the need to fill that silence.
“For those who I didn’t meet— Actually, I was in a bit of a daze last night so I might not remember who I met, which is why I’ll just let you all know, I’m Romania, but you can call me Rommy.
My dad runs the Caroline Springs chapter of the Hawks Motorcycle Club in Melbourne, Australia.
” When no one said anything, I did. “I’m a mechanic.
I like working on cars, but I prefer bikes.
I like reading romance books that steam up the pages, and I…
am rambling because I’m nervous, sort of, or just feeling like I’m making this more awkward than it should have been.
Anyway, thank you for coming to the rescue at the shipping container.
” With that, I bowed. I didn’t know why, but I just did it, and when I popped back up, I smiled and shot finger guns.
Kill me now.
“Can someone show me where the food is, please?” I begged.
Dusty stepped forward with a smile. “Morning, Rommy.”
I quickly made my way over to her for a hug.
“Hey. Sorry about all that. I can word vomit like a pro sometimes, but I also like talking, and I tend to say whatever’s on my mind, so I’m sorry if I say anything wrong.”
Her smile was warm. “Don’t worry about it, okay? You just be yourself here.”
“Thanks. I really like all your accents too. They sound so cool.”
“I think yours sounds better,” she said just as a woman stepped up. Even with the glare, she was beautiful with her blonde hair just past her shoulders and baby blues. Dusty smiled at her. “Rommy, this is Eve—”
“Oh, hey,” I said as I pulled her into a hug, which she didn’t return and stayed stiff for. When I pulled back, she just blinked at me as I added, “Thanks for the clothes, and it’s so nice to meet you. Are you an old lady to one of the brothers?”
Eve blinked again. “You’re like an Energizer Bunny.”
Smiling, I nodded and shrugged. “I have been told that. If I get to be too much, just let me know and I can shut up or I’ll take a walk away from you. I don’t want to annoy you or anyone for that matter.”
“It’s fine. And no, I’m not an old lady. Tech’s my brother.”
“Oh, cool.” I nodded. “I have a brother too. His name’s Texas. Look at that. Both our brother’s names start with T.”
“Ah, yeah.” She looked at Dusty. “I’m heading out.”
Dusty nodded. “I might not be here later. Have fun at work.”
“Yeah, I’ll try,” she replied.
“See you later,” I said before she nodded and walked away. I wasn’t sure she liked me too much or appreciated my hug. “I shouldn’t have hugged her, right? I can’t help myself. I’m a hugger. I like people, but I have to remember not everyone likes to be hugged.”
“Don’t worry about it. Eve’s… she’s never really been one to want affection or touch from people, no matter who they are.”
That made my heart clench. I wanted to shower Eve with so much affection, but I had to be respectful, so I wouldn’t crowd her. Something in Eve’s life made her not want touch or affection, and I was sure that whatever it was, wasn’t good.
“Come on. Let’s get some food into you. Do you want a coffee?” Dusty asked as she placed her hand to my back to steer me towards double swinging doors.
“Ha. If I have a coffee, I’ll be bouncing off the walls and talking more than I am now. No one needs that.”
“There’s nothing wrong with wanting to say things, Rommy.”
Dusty was the sweetest. No wonder Country snapped her up.
“Thanks, Dusty.” When we walked through the doors, I stopped and gaped at all the goodies on the kitchen counter. Silver trays of scrambled eggs, bacon, some type of bread, sausages, muffins, and then there was boxes and boxes of cereal.
Saliva pooled in my mouth.
“Rommy?” Dusty asked. I wasn’t sure if her calling my name was the first time or not.
“Food,” I commented.
I loved me some food.
Dusty laughed. “Grab a plate and help yourself. There’s a drink area on the table over there.”
Nodding, I practically floated over and took a plate to pile the food high on.
I’d just picked up a large blueberry muffin when the back door opened and my wet dream walked in.
Quake stepped through and stopped when he saw me.
“Hi,” I said around my mouthful, which I quickly finished chewing and swallowing.
“The food looks amazing. Have you had breakfast? You better get in here before I eat it all.” I took another big bite as I watched him glance from my mouth to my plate, to the food, and then back to my plate.
I shrugged. “Who doesn’t love food, right? I’d eat anything. What about you?”
“Yeah,” he said slowly.
“Quake, have you met Rommy?”
“We didn’t officially meet, but I saw and admired him yesterday.” I stuffed the muffin in my mouth and held out my hand while Dusty giggled.
Quake closed the back door and moved my way to take my hand. “Rommy, right?”
I nodded. When he released my hold, I bit off some more blueberry goodness, and around it, I asked, “Who makes all this stuff?”
Dusty turned from the table where the drinks sat. “I love baking. I do most, but I also have the help of the club girls.”
I could feel Quake studying me. Was he waiting on a reaction from me about the club girls?
“Cool. Mum gets the girls in the compound to help out too. They can’t just laze about while waiting for the guys, am I right?”
“Exactly,” Dusty said.
I glanced and smiled at Quake, who was staring at me.
The doors behind us opened, and more bikers filed in. One was Tech. “You’re Eve’s brother.”
He smirked. “Twin brother.”
“No shit.”
He chuckled. “No shit.”
I turned to the other guy. “Hey, I saw you on the boat yesterday too. I’m Rommy.” This guy had been unhinged on the boat going from one to another and taking them down without a care in the world. I didn’t miss the blood that had coated him.
The buzzcut guy nodded. “Torch.”