Chapter 13
Worley
I’ve been possessed. Maybe not, but something’s taken over my body and mind for darn sure. I have no idea what I’m doing right now. If this club doesn’t kill me, the women in it will.
The McLeod women are my family. I’d die for every single one of them.
I thought about claiming a woman twenty years ago.
She ran off with another man. Did I fight it or go after her?
Nope. If she wasn’t going to be faithful, I didn’t need her.
I haven’t had a serious relationship since.
My blood relatives? I only have my dad. The rest of our family believes being a biker and a club member is a sin.
They cut Pops and me off years ago. I don’t need them either.
Let’s not forget the angels. Oh, I’ll protect every single one of them with my life, too.
I wish we could save more of them. Domestic violence is a silent killer.
Oh, it’s not quiet as in no sound. It makes sounds.
People just don’t pay attention. Those women suffer through more than physical violence.
Shouting, yelling, threats, name-calling, false accusations, lies, belittling, and so much more.
All of it is just as bad as the physical abuse.
The mental and emotional side sadly leads some women to take their own lives.
No, domestic violence isn’t silent. It’s just not reported or talked about often enough.
Help’s out there. Unfortunately, the victims either don’t know about it, or they’re too scared to ask for help.
The angel sitting across from me may kill me yet.
She said she wasn’t an angel anymore. Mmmph.
The sound draws her attention back to me.
I’ll have to be more careful around her, or my thoughts will give me away.
How dare she say such a thing? Nina may not be in immediate danger at the moment, but she will always be an angel, and not just because she was the first woman we rescued.
“Are you okay?”
No. No, I’m not okay. Far from it.
“I’m good.”
The knock on the door saves me from saying more and proving to her I’m lying. I walk across the room as casually as I can. I feel her eyes on me. She’s watching my every step. This is insane. Women don’t get under my skin like this.
I jerk the door open with a little too much force.
Thankfully, I’m standing eye to eye with Shepherd, the Enforcer from our Texas Chapter.
We’re about the same height and build. He’s twenty years younger.
Rodeo is leaning against the wall behind Shep.
I can’t see her, but I know our angel is protected between them.
Shep raises an eyebrow. I shake my head. Nope. There’s nothing to talk about.
“Come on in.” I walk back to Mack’s desk. Sitting here feels wrong. This chair belongs to our Prez.
Nina sits up straight and turns halfway in the chair to watch our angel enter. Her eyes widen. Halfway across the room, Shep steps to the side, revealing the angel.
“Have a seat next to Nina.” He motions to the empty chair beside Nina.
Oh my. She’s a tiny little thing. She can’t be more than five-four.
She’s so skinny. Was food kept from her as punishment?
We seen that happen in way too many cases.
She’s young, too, maybe around Maci’s age.
She sits without questioning. Her eyes remain on the floor.
This is wrong, so so wrong. She should be in college, living her best life, not broken and scared.
Nina closes her eyes for a moment and silently takes a deep breath. She sees something I don’t.
“Hello, angel.” I break the silence. “I’m Worley. Jacob has a family emergency. He can’t join us today. What’s your name?”
The angels who come through Tennessee are told they’ll meet Jacob, and he’ll explain everything to them. They come with a list of questions and fears. This one doesn’t respond.
“This is Skylar. She’s from Utah,” Shep says.
Skylar doesn’t speak or lift her head. How does Mack handle stuff like this? We’ve never had one this quiet.
“Do you have an envelope for us?” I ask.
Shepherd unzips the black backpack. Most of the angels arrive with one.
It’s a sign she was whisked away in a hurry.
He holds it open so she can pull the envelope out with her right hand.
A hand that trembles as she slides the envelope across the desk.
Reluctantly, I open it and glance inside before passing it to Nina.
I don’t need to read the reports. Seeing her little arm in a cast is enough for me.
I want to find this man and rip him apart for hurting her.
Nina reads the medical reports and nods.
“Well, Skylar. Welcome to Ariel’s Angels. You’re protected by the Viking Warriors now. You’ll stay tonight with Nina at The Haven House. She’s our house mother and will take good care of you. Jacob will see you tomorrow.”
Skylar’s head snaps up. She pulls her feet up, crawling into the chair. “What? Where’s this house? I want to go home.”
“It’s okay, Skylar.” Nina holds her hand up, but doesn’t move to touch the frightened girl.
“You’re safe here. I promise, you’re safe.
The Haven House is a regular house. It’s right here on club property.
I live there. I’ll be with you the entire time.
We’re surrounded by a fence with security cameras that are constantly monitored.
And, there’s always a group of men at the clubhouse who will protect us if we need them.
They’re good men. Most of them have wives and children. You can trust them.”
Skylar stares at Nina's face for a long moment. Nina doesn’t move, nor do the rest of us. A silent bond forms between the two women. Skylar presses her lips together and nods.
“Okay.” Nina stands and motions toward the door. “Let’s get you settled in. I’ll make breakfast for you. Pancakes are a family favorite for us. I can make them plain, with chocolate chips, or with fruit and whipped cream.”
Skylar stands and eases close to Nina’s side. Her head bobs up and down. Nina still doesn’t touch her.
I move cautiously behind them. “Shep and I will escort you, ladies, to the house. Coty will be on security detail.”
Coty groans. It’s more like he’ll sit at a desk and watch TV monitors for hours on end. Hopefully, it’ll be a boring shift for him. We’ll appoint a patched member to replace him this evening. Mack can take things over again tomorrow.
Shep walks ahead of the ladies. I stay behind them.
They’re safe here on club property without escorts, but Mack insists we make sure angels get to the house safely or to their next stop if they aren’t staying overnight with us.
We strive to keep a constant shield around the angels whenever possible. It’s crucial they feel safe.
Shep waits at the bottom of the steps while I walk the ladies to the door. Skylar hasn’t touched Nina, but she’s gotten closer to her since we left the office. If anyone can get through to the poor girl, it’s our House Mother.
Nina unlocks the front door and points inside. “Why don’t you go to the kitchen? I’ll join you in a couple of minutes.”
Skylar pauses before stepping inside. Nina seems to already know how to handle the girl and what she needs.
“Thank you, gentlemen, for escorting us.”
“If you need anything, just call.” I don’t want to leave. Things feel uncertain. I can’t explain why.
“I would invite you in and Shep in, but she’s not ready to be around people.” Nina smiles and waves to Shep.
“I agree.” I feel Shep’s eyes on my back. “If you need anything, let me know. I can send a prospect to town to get supplies.”
I’m an idiot. I’m rambling. What is wrong with me? She knows we have pantries in every house on the property, and one huge one at the clubhouse. There’s even a medical supply room.
“Thanks, Darin.” She steps inside the doorway and turns to face me. “Keep me updated on the others, please.”
Shep clears his throat. I need to go. She has a job to do.
“I’ll check on you later.”
“Please do,” she whispers before closing the door.
I release a long breath and walk down the steps. For a moment, I believe Shep and I will walk back to the clubhouse in silence. I should have known better.
He tosses an arm over my shoulders. “Well, Worley Bird. That was interesting.”
“Yeah. Glad we saved her.”
His head falls back in laughter. “Oh, man. You’re about to fall hard.”
I’m about to punch this idiot into next week. He has no idea what he’s talking about. Or does he?