“Skull, you in here?” I hear Torch in the distance. I mumble and dig further under the covers. My body is sore from the workout that Skull gave me last night, and I’m worn out because it was so late when we returned from the lake.

Tonight will be my last night with Skull. I’m praying the memories we’ve made will be enough to help me survive life without him.

Skull squeezes me and I smile without opening my eyes or acknowledging him. Since I’ve been seeing him, he’s always touching or hugging me. He does it even more since I’ve been here. He kisses the top of my head, then I feel the bed shift as he gets up.

“Quiet, asshole, Beth’s sleeping.”

“Sorry, Boss. We got word this morning. Colin wants to meet at the Ridge.”

“Did you tell Diesel?”

“Yeah, he set it up, just like you wanted. We need to head out now.”

“Okay. Get our best men together. Beast stays to watch over Beth. I want him making sure she’s safe and doesn’t leave, got it?”

“I’ll tell him now.”

My body freezes as I hear the conversation. All signs of sleep are gone. I’m wide awake now and halfway into a panic attack. It takes all I have to keep my breathing even. I can’t let Skull know that I heard them. Inside, I’m filled with panic and despair. I won’t get one more night with Skull. The pain hits me so hard it robs me of breath. I keep my eyes closed tight and try to tune out the sounds of Skull getting dressed. I try to still the heavy beating of my heart as he leans on the bed behind me to kiss the top of my head.

“Mi cielo… I will return soon to you. I miss you too much to stay away too long,” he whispers, and I block out the pain the words cause. The last two days and nights with Skull have been so wonderful that I’ve tried to convince myself there was a way for this to work out. After hearing this conversation, all my hopes die.

I manage to keep it bottled up until Skull closes the door. I sit up in bed the minute he’s gone. I count to twenty in silence as the tears run down my face. When I think I’m in the clear, I allow my sobs to take over. My cries echo in the room as I accept that this is the end. I don’t know how long I cry, but I make myself stop. I need to figure a way to get out of here.

Skull left Beast in charge of me, which means I need to figure out a way to distract him. Sadly, for Beast at least, I think I know how to do just that. I get up and try to use makeup to cover up the damage the tears caused. Then, I head to the kitchen, praying luck is on my side.

When I make it to the kitchen, Jan’s there with one of the club girls that I heard Torch call Carla. They look at me with that barely disguised hate that I’m coming to expect from them.

They should be glad to help me leave.

“I figured Skull would have grown tired of your pussy by now,” says Carla with a sneer. “He doesn’t usually do repeats.”

“Actually, I need to leave,” I respond, keeping the pain out of my voice; I can’t afford to show any weakness.

“Oh, poor thing. Did Skull kick your ass out?” Jan speaks up. Not for the first time, I think of what a bitch she is. From everything I’ve seen of Beast, he’s a great guy. I don’t understand how he got saddled with her.

“I just need to go home, but I need help.”

“What the fuck for?” Carla asks.

“I need someone to distract, Beast. Skull has him watching me. I need him occupied so I can get away. I thought you might be able to help with that,” I tell Jan, waiting for her response.

“What’s in it for me?” she asks, her greed evident in her words and the way she watches me.

“Fifty dollars?”

I wait for her answer. I’ve only been here a couple of days and Skull’s been keeping me busy, but even I have heard of Jan’s problem. She’s addicted to coke. It’s not my place to worry, but I feel bad for Beast.

“It’s going to cost more than a fifty to do what you’re asking. Fucker won’t ignore an order given to him by Skull. I’ll have to suck his dick to even stand a chance.”

“I’ll suck his cock for a fifty,” says Carla.

“Damn fucker won’t let you. He hasn’t been with another woman since he put a fucking ring on my finger. Shit, I leave just to get a break from giving him pussy. Drives me fucking crazy. He’s the most boring fuck around.”

I wince, feeling bad for Beast. I wish he could see what a bitch he’s hooked up with. I may not know him that well, but no man deserves to put up with this kind of stuff.

“So, how much?” I ask, anxious to end this conversation.

“A hundred.”

Guilt hits me as I hand her the money. I know it will go for drugs. Still, I try and justify it by admitting that if I don’t get away, no one will survive. Colin won’t quit until he makes sure of that.

“I’ll be going in there in ten minutes. You better do what you have to do because I’m not about to make sure you’re gone to finish him off.”

She’s just so freaking sweet, I think to myself. I listen as she gives me directions on how to get out of here and exactly what she will arrange, then hurry towards Skull’s room, desperate to get away from her.

“Everything okay, Beth?” asks Beast, and I come to a stop right before I can make my escape.

“Sure,” I say, trying to avoid eye contact. “Why do you ask?”

“Just checking. Skull and the boys will be back late this evening.”

“Yeah, he told me. Hey, Beast?”

“What’s up?”

“You’re a nice guy, you know. I mean… I don’t know you that well, but I can tell.” I feel my cheeks flushing.

“Uh… thanks, Beth.”

“Sure. Anytime. I… better go and take a bath. You can’t be too clean, you know.”

He grins. It’s a stiff grin, but a grin nonetheless. I’m being an idiot. It’s a wonder he’s not laughing and making fun of me.

“Bye, Beth.”

“Yeah. Bye, Beast. I really enjoyed talking with you and meeting you. You know. Just… everything.”

He does laugh a little this time, and why wouldn’t he? I sound loony. I just feel guilty that Jan’s been talking about him the way she has and that I’m using it to my advantage. I wish I could tell him all about Jan, but I can’t.

“Talk to you at dinner, Beth.”

“Yeah, sure, okay,” I tell him, opening the door to Skull’s room and needing to get away before I break down and tell him everything I’m planning.

I grab my backpack and sit on the bed, trying to calm my nerves. I only had two days with Skull as his, but they were the best two days I’ve ever had in my life. The weeks I spent meeting Skull at the coffee shop and then here at his club are memories I shall take with me to survive the rest of my life.

I get off the bed and crack Skull’s door and wait. When I hear Beast’s moans of pleasures, I sneak into the large hall bathroom. Jan said she’d have Marker, one of the new prospects who was in charge of monitoring the back of the building, wait for me and get me out of here. I wonder if Skull knows how shitty some of the people he keeps in his compound are.

It takes some prying and a lot of cursing, but I manage to get the bathroom window open and shimmy out of it. My plan was to hold onto the ledge and then jump down, but my hands slip and I fall to the ground with a hard thump. It jars me and knocks the breath out of my lungs. I have to sit on the ground for a couple of minutes before I can continue. I stand up and find my legs weak, though I think it has more to do with nerves than from falling. I look up and there’s a large man wearing a black leather cut just like Skull’s. The only exception is there’s no name or designation on it. It’s blank.

“You Skull’s whore?”

I wince. I want to argue, but I bite my tongue. Is it so far from the truth, really? Do I even care? Truth is, I would give myself to Skull over and over if I had the chance. It wouldn’t even be a question.

“I’m Beth,” I tell him.

“Whatever, follow me. I’m getting your ass out of here before one of the other men can catch me. You get caught, you never saw me. Got it?”

“Got it.”

I take a breath and follow him. It takes all I have not to look back or run back to Skull’s room and wait for him.