Chapter Two
Pope stared at her. “We aren't gonna hurt you, little girl. That's not the way we work, but we do need to parley as you seem to know what hit us tonight.” He paused then studied her before he asked, “Why are those other bikers looking for you or did they come here just looking for trouble?”
The woman shook her head but didn’t say a word.
Pope didn’t look pleased by her silence.
“Well, we aren't gonna learn anything here. We’ll leave a few brothers to watch over the bar and first thing in the morning we’ll get things back the way they were before all this happened.
” He looked at Torin and said, “You bring her along and we can finish this conversation in the morning. You’re in charge of our guest until we know more than we do right now.
Callum is bringing the security tapes and we’ll know more in the morning.
” He rubbed the back of his head. “It's gonna be a long night and an even longer day tomorrow. "
He and the men turned around and went back upstairs.
Torin looked down at the woman in his arms. He loosened his hold on her.
She wouldn’t look at him as she stepped away and shivered a bit while she rubbed at her arms. “I can’t go with you. I have to get myself gone before they figure out I was even here.”
Torin shook his head. “That won’t work for us, sweetness.
We need some answers and it seems you have them.
You need to tell us what and who this was so we can be prepared for a possible fight.
Whoever you’re protecting isn’t going to stop without bloodshed and I would rather that it be their blood, not ours. ”
She sighed heavily and tried to reason with him, “You don’t understand.
I have a feeling this includes my family and they won’t stop until I’m dead and they don’t care if anyone else gets in their way.
They will go right through you to make sure I eat a bullet.
They need to stop me one way or any other way. ”
Torin furrowed his brows. “Your own family? They would shoot you?”
She looked down at the floor and shook her head sadly.
“My father is a real bastard who thinks having a dick is the most important thing. He has three sons who have been given everything they ever wanted all their lives. I am the baby of the family and when my father found out I was a girl, my mom thought he would smother me the day I was born. He allowed her to bring me home, but she told me things changed in the house after that. He pretty much ignored me and never minded when the boys would be mean to me as I grew up. My mom kept me out of trouble and she protected me until I turned ten.”
“What happened when you were ten?” Torin asked as he stared at her.
“My dad drove off into the sunset with my mom and hours later he came home alone. He said they had gone into the swamp and a gator got her before he could get her to safety. He had to stand there and watch as the gator tore her apart. He said he couldn’t get to her without putting his own life on the line as another gator joined the first. When he came home his clothes were dusty and there was something that seemed like nasty water on his jeans.
After that, I became the chief cook and cleaner around the house.
I lost not only my mom but her protection too. ”
Torin slowly shook his head as he looked disgusted.
She shuffled over to a low stack of the bottled beer and sat down. “After that, my hell went to hell in a hurry. Over the next ten years they all made my life miserable. But they also ignored me and that was their biggest mistake.”
“Why a mistake?” Torin asked.
“I watched every move they made and I learned how my father operated. And believe me when I say that was no small feat. My father is a true monster in human skin. He also has the monkey of greed riding his back and sometimes it rides him hard.”
Torin shook his head. “You need to tell all of this to my dad’s club. They need to know what kind of man your father is and if he might be coming after you.”
She refused to look at him as she kept shaking her head. “Might? No, they are coming after me. And I already told you, I won’t bring my troubles to your door and I won’t. I’ll just gather my things and disappear.”
Torin shook his head. “Sorry, but that isn’t going to work for us.
” Then he scoffed, “For one, I don’t trust your father not to shoot you in the back as you’re running away and two...
my dad gave an order and that was for me to bring you with me.
So I’m not willing to let you go just yet.
I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to you.
Whoever came in here shooting, means business and it's all aimed right at you. Hell, I don’t even know your name, but I am not going to let you just walk into your own death. ”
She sighed hard. “If you really need to know, my name is Daisy.”
Torin stared at her and asked, “Just Daisy? No last name?”
“Nope, no last name, just Daisy.”
Torin nodded. “Ok, Just Daisy, let’s get out of here.”
“And where are you going to take me?” Daisy asked.
“I’m going to take you somewhere you’ll be safe.”
“There is no safe place,” Daisy replied as she shook her head. “Not for me.”
Torin walked over to where she was sitting. He knelt down in front of her and took her hand in his. “You have to trust us to keep you safe. We aren’t like your dad, no one in the club is going to hurt you. I told you we are not like that. Only a coward hits a woman or a child.”
Daisy shook her head. “It’s nice to know there are decent men out there. But I still won’t bring my problems to you and your family. If my father knows I went with you he’ll bring hell to your club and I won’t allow that.”
Torin smiled. “You have no idea why that won’t work for your dad, but you’ll find out we are strong enough to hold him and his thugs off.
” He held out his hand to her. “Now come on, we’d better move while my brothers have those guys on the run.
We need to get you to a safe place and get set up for the trouble to come. ”
Daisy stared at him for a moment then she reached up to him.
“Damn, I think you’re gonna be sorry for doing this.
I hope not but I think you are going to regret it.
” When he got her up and on her feet, she disappeared to the back of the room to grab her backpack.
She pulled it over her shoulders then she winced a bit.
But she didn’t say anything as he escorted her upstairs.
They left through the back door.
The three large men left behind to watch the place were all staring at her.
Torin walked over to his bike and turned to look over at her as he held out his hand to her again.
Daisy approached him cautiously and when she reached out, her hand trembled.
He nodded at her. “You will be safe. Trust me.”
She snapped her gaze up to his. “That’s just it... I’ve trusted before and I’ve always been disappointed.”
Torin shook his head. “We can protect you if you’ll let us. I know you’re scared of us, but I think you are more scared of who’s chasing you.”
Daisy paused and sighed then she took another step toward him. As she did, she caught the sound of a loud bike engine. She knew that sound. With a gasp, she leapt at Torin and tipped his bike over.
Suddenly, two men on cycles, rode down the alley toward them. They had their guns raised as they flew along by the back parking lot. Then gunshots rang out.
Torin flipped her over on the ground and covered her body with his own.
Then at the last minute, the three brothers rushed toward the street while shooting back.
The two bikers then turned in the street and rode away.
Torin slowly raised up and gazed around at the parking lot, then he looked at his brothers.
He was very happy to see all three standing there, alive and well, watching over every direction for more trouble.
Peering down at Daisy, he saw fresh blood staining her shirt.
Her coat had flapped open and he could see it coming from her side.
With a gasp, he knelt beside her. He flipped her coat out of the way and pushed her shirt up.
Thick pads of gauze wrapped around her side and the blood he saw had been seeping from them.
“What the hell?” He growled. “What’s going on here?”
Daisy closed her eyes and pushed her shirt down, concealing the wound. “You weren’t supposed to see that,” she muttered. “It happened earlier today.”
Torin reached down and lifted her to her feet. “Yeah, well guess what? It's bleeding again. Why didn’t you say something before now?”
Daisy looked puzzled as she replied. “Why would I say anything? I can take care of myself.”
Torin glared at her and then leaned over to pick up his bike. It looked dusty but there didn’t seem to be any bullet holes in it. “Come on, we need to get back to the clubhouse and have someone look at your wound.”
Daisy rolled her eyes. “I’m fine, just give me a tub of super glue and a band aid.”
Torin studied her for a few stunned seconds then asked, “You seemed to know that bike’s engine long before they came into view, how? Who was the rider?”
She snorted in disgust. “Someone you don’t want to know but he keeps coming back.
” Then her eyes widened and she swore. “Damn, he must have seen me.” She gripped his arm hard.
“If he saw me, that means he’ll be back here.
Your brothers are in danger. He’ll keep coming until he finds me and he won’t care about anyone standing in his way.
You have to keep your brothers safe. Tell them to go home. ”
“Why is he after you? Who the fuck is this guy anyway?”
Daisy shook her head. “That doesn’t matter now.
Just get your brothers out of here. You may have to give up the bar but it's only a building right? No one needs to die tonight and he won’t stop coming until I’m dead.
Just go and make your brothers leave.” She looked upset.
“I’m so sorry I brought this to your world. ”
“Daisy, I’m not leaving you to face that fucker.
” Torin snarled. “I told you I’d keep you safe and that’s what I’m going to do.
Now get on the bike and let's get you to the club. My brothers know how to take care of things here. No one will die tonight unless it’s those assholes when they come back here. ”
Daisy just shook her head. She looked around the parking lot then back at Torin. “Your men are big, but they don’t look like killers. Not like these guys are. You just don’t know!”
Torin swung his leg over the bike’s engine, then he turned to her and again told her, “Daisy, get on this bike and let’s get you safe.”
She sighed and stepped over. “You must regret this already. So I’ll just step away. Tell your dad you lost me.”
Torin stared at her and proclaimed, “We don’t lie to each other.”
Daisy looked a bit saddened as she shrugged her shoulders. “It’s a daily hobby in my family.”
“Well, I have never lost anything in my life.” He shrugged then added a joke, “Except maybe my virginity, but I gained more than I lost with that.”
Daisy kept staring at him.
He shook his head. “Ok, TMI. But you need help with that wound right away, Daisy Girl. And I don’t want the lecture I will get if I don’t bring you to the clubhouse.”
“Why can’t you just let me go?” She remained stubborn as she looked frustrated.
“You need me to list more reasons?” he scoffed. “Ok fine. First off, you have an appointment with our doc first. Number two: we need to know why you’re bleeding all over the place here.” He held out his hand one more time.
She scoffed at his stubbornness now. “Well, big guy, I hope you're right about this because now both our lives are on the line. Not to mention if your club gets involved they won’t stop until they wipe you guys off the map.”
“You will see that I am right most of the time, little Daisy.” He nodded at the three men staying behind, then he helped her aboard his bike, revved the engine and rode away.
Daisy wrapped her arms tightly around his waist and hung on for dear life as he raced his bike through the silent streets.