Chapter 2
Bella
When Gio wakes me up, it’s still dark out and way too early in the morning for me. His eyes are bloodshot from no sleep. He has our bags already packed and waiting by the bedroom door. We just have to throw our night clothes and bathroom bag in before we leave.
He tells me I can rest in the SUV for the hour ride back to the Clubhouse. Then, if I want, I can try to sleep while he’s in Church. I didn’t get much sleep last night, but apparently, I got more than him.
He says he’ll have Aunt Cindy look after us girls while he’s in Church. Having my sister and Aunt Cindy with me will help me stay calm and grounded. I hope.
We arrive back at the Clubhouse, an hour before Gator ordered us here, and head to the bar to wait for them. Gio leaves me on one of the bar stools to talk to Gator over by the edge of the room, to be able to keep an eye on me.
I’m sipping my hot coffee while I wait for my sister and Aunt Cindy to arrive. The end of Guns N’ Roses’ Civil War is playing on the jukebox. As I continue to sit here the song changes to AC/DC’s Dirty Deeds.
The Clubhouse is crawling with men and women from the other Clubs. It’s a little unnerving, to say the least, but I put on my brave face, I can get through this. Gio needs me to be strong for him, and I need to be strong for my sister and myself. ‘Fake it till you make it,’ that’s my new motto these days.
Jules is in Ace’s room sleeping since we arrived. A half an hour ago, Ace had Sam give her a sedative to relax. She’s freaked out pretty bad, rightfully so, and has been up all night, he told us.
Apparently, the man that had her did more than hold her. He touched her and said some graphic things that he was going to do to us.
Ace hasn’t left her side once through all this. He really stepped up and is taking care of her like he’s her man. His ass better claim her after all this shit, or he’ll be answering to me.
I’m so tense, I just need to be near Gio, I wish he would hurry up with Gator. I know I can’t stay with him forever, we need our space, but I need him now so I can breathe. I will learn to deal with shit on my own, without using him as my crutch, soon.
He assured me none of the men here would hurt my sister or me. They will only protect us with their lives. I trust Gio immensely, more than I have ever trusted anyone in my life. I don’t even have to think about it, he has my heart and soul, so there is no second-guessing anything when it comes to him and his word.
I’m trying my hardest not to be on edge around these men, but it’s still hard. In time it will get better, I just need time.
Meeting a few of Gio’s brothers, from the other Clubs, while we were on our trip was great. They are nice guys and easy to get along with, like being around my own brothers.
I really do miss my brothers Val (Valentino), Romeo and Bash (Sebastian). Even Lorenzo, he may not be my blood brother, but he is as close to me as they are.
I’m still a little on edge after last night and trying to process it all. The night started off so well. The Club was fun, dancing around with Jules up until… The second that man put his hands on me my world stopped. I fought as hard as I could I just couldn’t get an inch.
Gio promised me no one would ever touch me or hurt me again and he would always protect me. Last night he was true to his word, saving me yet again. All I need is his touch to feel strong, grounded and safe.
Once my sister is in my arms and I know she’s safe, I’ll feel even better. I just need to see for myself that she’s okay.
I’m sitting at the bar with my head bent over a steaming hot cup of coffee, my hands wrapped around it, stressing over this stupid shit. I can’t help it; my mind just won’t shut off. It just keeps running at a million miles a minute. I need a ride on Gio’s motorcycle soon to help clear my head.
I feel his arms come around my waist from behind, setting them flat on my stomach. I lean back into his warm touch, knowing the second he touched me, it was him. He holds me flat against his chest with his chin resting on my shoulder. I feel his warmth radiate through my body, causing me to shiver with need.
I lay my head back on his shoulder and look over at him. His lips find mine in a sweet, but demandingly possessive kiss. A kiss meant to show his ownership of me in front of all the men in this room.
He breaks the kiss, and our eyes meet, like magnets. He’s looking for any hint that I’m not all right. He can see that I’m better in his arms, but I’m still missing a piece of my heart.
As if on cue, the bar doors burst open.
“Beast, Beast, where the fuck are you!” Romeo shouts from the doors searching the room for Gio. We both turn at the same time and see the look on Romeo’s face as he spots us. His look would scare the shit out of me on a good day.
“Beast, we had some trouble on the way here. I can’t get Shorty out of the damn car. She’s freakin’ the fuck out in the backseat. She won’t let anyone near her, not even Dusty. She only wants you,” Romeo spits out fast. I jump down from the stool and run to the door to go out to get my sister.
What the hell happened this early in the morning to freak her out this bad?
When I get closer to the doors, Gio’s arms wrap around my waist and yank me back into his chest.
“Baby, you can’t go out there. You stay inside, and I’ll bring her inside to you,” Gio whispers in my ear in a stern tone.
A part of me wants to fight him, but I won’t in front of his Club. He knows best, and I trust him. He finally lets me go when he feels I won’t run. He kisses my temple, I step back as he leaves the bar.
I turn back to Romeo grabbing his wrist and yanking on it. “Please, tell me what happened to my sister?” I beg him panicked and worried. He gives me a sympathetic look.
“Bella, let’s wait till your sister’s inside with you, then I’ll talk to Beast,” he says reluctantly, and I let his wrist go.
I want so badly to hit him and make him talk, but I won’t do that, either. My place here is the same as it’s always been my whole life. I’m to be seen and not heard and definitely never talk back to the men. It’s the Italian way.
I stand panicked and worried, waiting for Gio to bring in my sister.
Blaze walks over to us to talk to Romeo in a hushed voice to find out what all the commotion is about. I want to beg him to make Romeo tell me what happened, but again, I won’t because, in a way, these men scare me.
I just need to see my sister and find out what happened to her.
About five minutes later, Aunt Cindy walks in with her dog in her arms, Dusty and Gio are right behind her. He’s holding my sister protectively, cradling her in his arms to his chest. Her face is hidden, buried under his kutte.
I touch Aunt Cindy’s arm and give her a weak smile on my way to Gigi. I rub her back and kiss the side of her head.
“I’m here, baby girl. Tell me what happened, are you hurt?” I ask whispering in her ear, and she continues to sob softly.
When she doesn’t answer me, fear sets in me. This is not normal behavior for my sister, at all. Something spooked her pretty bad for her to be acting this way. She’s latched on to Gio so tight.
“Please, Gio, please,” she cries into his chest.
I turn to Gio, panicking and I don’t like what I see in his eyes. She said something to him, and it’s not good, not one bit.
“Oh, Dio, Gio, cosa sta succedendo? Dimmi cosa sta succedendo? Mi stai spaventando,” I plead with him to tell me what happened. He needs to tell me what’s going on because they are scaring the shit out of me.
I know my place with him and his Club, but this is my sister. He has to give me something. My sister is clinging to him like her life depends on it.
He just shakes his head, giving me a look that says. We’ll talk later in private as he holds my sister protectively.
His look also tells me it’s bad, and then it hits me in my gut, and a lightning bolt shoots up my spine. What could this be?
“Oh, Dio, no, Gio. Mi ha trovate, noi. La prego di dirmi mi sbaglio,” I scream, shaking uncontrollably now. Oh God, no, he found me, us. Please tell me I’m wrong.
I grab Gio’s arm, digging my nails into his skin, to center myself as I whip my head side to side venomously. I can see it in his eyes, even through my blurred vision. It’s true!
“He found me! Oh, My God! He found me! No! No! This can’t be happening! Please, please, Gio! NO! NO! NO!” I yell repeatedly. I’m starting to hyperventilate along with my entire body quaking uncontrollably.
I’m still holding onto Gio’s arm to hold myself up, my legs are starting to go weak, ready to give out. I feel my tears streaming down my face rapidly as the real panic sets in.
Did he get to my sister, is that why she’s so freaked out?
“Oh fuck, Blaze, take Gigi and get her out of here, now! Mom, follow him.” I hear Gio order as he hands her off to Blaze who’s been by my side this whole time.
Gio picks me up in his arms just as my legs completely give out. He’s trying to calm me and get me to stop screaming in Italian about the bastard hurting me again.
I didn’t realize I was still screaming and the room is quiet, except for my hysterical outburst. Everyone is staring at us, no at me, like I’m a crazy person. Maybe I am, that’s what this is. I have finally gone mad and broke for good, from all the shit that’s gone down.
I feel a hand on my shoulder, stopping us from moving, I lose my shit all over again, even more than before. I only want Gio to touch me, no other man, ever. It feels wrong, like him.
“Get your goddamn hands off me, you fucking bastard! You will never touch me again! Never again, never again! I will fucking kill you myself, you hear me you sonofabitch! You sick sonofabitch! NEVER AGAIN WILL YOU TOUCH ME! NEVER AGAIN! NEVER! NEVER!” I continue screaming, repeating those words as I flail around in Gio’s arms to get to him and attack him. I need to kill him.
The hand releases from my body and I still try to get out of Gio’s hold. I throw my fist forward at him. I want to hurt him. I need to hurt him like he hurt me. No, I need to fucking kill him. Now and end this all for good!
I’m screaming, and my voice is becoming hoarse. I repeat my words at the top of my lungs, over and over, shaking as the tears run down my face. I can’t see anything; everything is a black blurry mess.
Gio’s hold tightens around me, and I hear his words in my ear soothing me. “Baby, breathe, you’re with me, mio angelo, Principessa.
“He’s not going to come near you again. He will never touch you again. I’ve got you, baby. I’ve got you forever, baby. You have to calm the fuck down. Ti amo, mia bella Principessa,” Gio says firmly in a loving tone in my ear. Then he moves the hair off my face with his rough, scruffy chin and kisses my forehead.
That’s when I snap back to reality, and I realize it’s not him. It was Romeo, he was the one who touched my shoulder. I can’t apologize to him because I’m still in shock, so Gio does it for me.
“Sorry, man,” Gio says to Romeo as I bury my face under his kutte, sobbing. Body rockin’ shaking, holding onto him like he’s my lifeline to keep the demons away. He really is these days, unfortunately.
I don’t hear what Romeo’s reply is, but I do hear Gator yelling at everyone in the room. “Show's over folks, we got Church.
“Beast, get your girls calmed down and settle her ass. Stay with them, you and Blaze call me when you get them situated. We’ll call Ace on three-way since he won’t leave Jules alone either.” He pauses and must be taking in Gio’s expression.
“She needs you with her, and I want Blaze to stay with you. I’ll call the prospects for extra security around the grounds,” he says to Gio, then addresses the room again. “Alright, guys file out.”
Gio starts to walk and then stops. “Send Sam to our apartment to give Bella a sedative,” Gio whispers to someone, I’m assuming it is Gator.
I hear people talking in hush voices as they move past us.
Oh no, what have I done now? I just made a huge scene in front of all Gio’s Club members and embarrassed both of us. On top of that, I yelled and tried to attack one of his brothers in front of a room full of witnesses. I didn’t mean to be disrespectful.
They’re all going to think I’m crazy for sure after the scene I just made. I’m a mess, a total fucking mess these days. I’m making a mess of things again and this time for Gio too.
I’m so embarrassed, how am I ever going to look these people in the eyes again. They are all going to be here awhile, and I can’t avoid them forever. I will eventually bump into them. I’ll just have to figure out a way to fix all this shit I just caused for us and make it right.
Sam meets us in our new room and administers my sedative once Gio sets me down on our bed.
I hear Gigi screaming to see me from the other room, and Gio tells Blaze to lay her on the bed with me.
She crawls up to me, and we hold each other, crying. Aunt Cindy comes around the big king size, sitting behind me. She rubs our backs, soothing us and reassuring us, just like our mother used to do.
Then the darkness pulls me under, fast.