Chapter 6
Isabella
“Hmm,” I say as I feel a soft, comforting, familiar touch brushes the side of my bruised face. I’m crawled up in a ball on my side facing the door with my knees to my chest as I sleep. The touch feels warm, safe and reassuring, leaning forward into it wanting to surround myself. I relish in the feeling wishing I could cocoon myself in it for the rest of my life. The person brushes a piece of loose hair off my face tucking the stray strand behind my ear that escaped my ponytail.
“Svegliati, Principessa,” a familiar warm males voice says in my ear. A voice I haven’t heard in years. I must be dreaming, I would know that voice anywhere, could it be possible. Why would he be here? Could it really be him? Could he really be here? No, this is defiantly a dream. A beautiful dream that I should stay enveloped in forever.
But I can’t resist the hope in my hearts. So I blink my eyes open slowly adjusting to the soft light above my bed, and I see him. My heart rate picks up at the sight of him smiling at me. This gorgeous man staring at me is the man that has starred in my dreams every night for a decade. The same man that left me all those years ago too. I haven’t seen him in person in almost nine years, and now he’s standing in front of me with a huge smile on his face that lights up my world once more.
My heart feels lighter at the sight of him as I begin to cry. Not because I’m sad, no, it’s because he’s here finally and I’m safe. My night is shining leather, My Prince Charming, all shiny black hair, and the most gorgeous steel gray eyes I have ever seen.
He looks the same just a little older with the top half of his body built up since I last saw him. His muscles are bulging out of his shirt. I can see every defining line of his abs on his chest through his gray shirt.
“God, you’re more beautiful in person,” he mummers still gently caressing his fingers down my bruised face and gently whipping my tears away with his thumb. “Principessa, how do you feel?” he asks, and I’m in a bit of shock. “My prince, you’re really here to save me from the monster,” I whisper still in my dream world as the tears continue to roll down my face. His hand stills on my cheek, and I raise my hand to keep his hand in place. He takes my hand in his and brings it to his lips kissing the back. I shiver as an electric current runs from his lips through my body from the touch of his lips on my skin.
“I’m going to get you out of here. We don’t have long until the guards come back. Can you walk?” he asks in a whisper. I can barely process what’s going on, so I shake my head no. “I’m going to pick you up and carry you out,” he says with an apprehensive look, and all I can do is a nod. He lifts me up from the bed gently and slowly. It’s then I notice all the cords that were connected to me are gone. The second I’m settled in his arms I feel my whole world changing. I feel as if the part of me that’s been missing for so many years is back in place. My heart has finally found its true home. The other piece of my heart is back in place.
I need to thank Jules for bringing me real clothes today. I’ve been in a hospital gown for days, and today she had the nurse helped me get out of bed and showed. I put on comfy pajama pants and Val’s old band shirts I stole a while ago to sleep in. And my comfy socks from my things she collected from our estate. It’s not the most flattering of night wear, but it’s comfortable and keeps me warm.
Once I’m in his arms, I wince. “Did I hurt you?” he asks concerned in my ear. “No, you could never hurt me, Gio,” I say wrapping my arms around his neck and laying my head on his shoulder closing my eyes. I must be dreaming, but I can smell him, all leather, motor oil and his very own manly essence. He feels like home to me, I’m safe in his arms, always was and always will be. He kisses my forehead then quickly walks out of the room. He ducks into the stairs and walks down four flights to the parking garage.
Being in his arms is defiantly a dream come true for me after all these years. He doesn’t jostle me much, and he’s careful not to hurt me. I melt in his touch not wanting him ever to let me go again.
“Ti Amo, Gio. Il mio cavaliere splendente in pelle,” I giggle not sure if I said the words in my head or out loud in my cloudiness. I feel another kiss on my forehead.
“We’re almost there. You’re safe now, Princess, I’m going take care of you and protect you, for now on,” he says in my ear with his warm caressing breath.
When I hear the sound of a car door opening, and my eyes shot open wide. I look around at my surroundings as he tries to place me on my feet in the back seat of the SUV. “You have to go in the back, Princess,” Gio says with warmth in his eyes. I blink a few times to adjust to the light, and then see Jules and Gigi in front of me. I turn to the front of the car, and from the doom light, I can see two strange big tattooed men sitting up there. The one in the passenger seat is the one I get a better look at because he’s looking right at me. He has short dark blond hair on his head and face. His facial hair is long, but sexy long. His body looks built like a tank with arms double the size of mine.
Oh my God, did Anton find us? Do I have to go back to that monster? I backup into Gio’s hard chest and latch on his arm tightens. My breathing becomes erratic and tears spill out through my panic.
My mind wanders to the worse possible scenario. I turn to Gio scared. “Calm down, Princess, I have you. you’re safe, no one’s going to hurt you. You gotta get in we gotta get movin’, now.” He ushers me to the back, the third row, of the SUV taking the seat next to me.
Once we’re settled, he cups my face in his hands and looks in my eyes. “I won’t let him touch you again. You have my word,” Gio whispers clenching his jaw. Then he leans forward and kisses my forehead. I wrap my arms around his waist, he releases my face embracing me. I finally relax for the first time in days. I don’t let go of my grip on him as I bury my face in his chest.
“Don’t worry little Darlin’ we’ll protect you. That bastard will never get near you or the girls again. I’ll kill that fucker myself if I have too. That fuckin’ pussy is going to rot in hell soon enough,” the man in the passage seat growls. I tense up in Gio’s arms. “Watch your mouth, Blaze. There are ladies present,” Gio growls back.
I shake my head and look up at him to explain. It’s not what he said so much as what he called me. “Don’t let anyone call me that again, please,” I whisper pleading in his ear. He gives me a confused look and wants more information about this, but he’ll just have to wait till I’m ready. “I’ll talk to him,” he whispers back in my ear.
“Sorry, ladies, I get a little heated sometimes,” Blaze says apologizing.
“It’s okay, I’ve heard worse,” Gigi says giggling. She has, we both have, growing up around the men in our family. It’s the life we grew up in, or in her case, is growing up until recently.
I feel a hand on my shoulder and turn my head to see my sister and my best friend giving me reassuring looks. I nod to them then place my head back on Gio’s shoulder exhausted from this little ordeal and the sedative still in my system. I feel the car jolt followed and from the smoothness of the ride, I’m out. It’s time to figure out a new plan for Gigi, Jules and me.
****
I wake up in darkness, extremely disoriented and panicked. It’s pitch black, and my head hurts. I look at my surrounds and realize I’m in a moving car. The panic rises as my breathing hitches. My head is on someone’s arm, and I’m draped across their lap. One of their hands in my hair and the other is resting on my hip. The touch feels warm, safe, comforting, and familiar. I still have no clue where I’m at though. Then I see two large male figures in the front seat and two smaller females in the center seats.
The persons whose shoulder my head is on senses my panic bends their head to face me. Gio’s stares back at me. “You’re safe, Principessa. I’ve got you,” he whispers before kissing my forehead. All the panic and tension drains from my sore body. Safe that’s exactly how I feel. Safe and loved by the man before me.
I continue to stare in his eyes, to reassure myself he’s real and not a dream. I take one of his hand in mine, and he observes me carefully.
The only sound in the car is of soft rock music playing from the radio.
Before I know what I’m doing, I wrap my arms around his neck burying my face in his the crook of his neck and sob. He wraps me in his arms causing me to melt into his touch.
Relieve washes over me from having him back after so many long years without him in my life. We may not have seen each other in years, but it feels like just yesterday we were sitting at the lake together. Me being in his strong, capable arms, him kissing me on the lips, for my first and only kiss ever.
He holds me close to him rubbing my back cooing in my ear reassuring me I’m safe, and he will never let anything happen to me again. It’s just the two of us, no one else; we’re in our own world.
After a few minutes, I calm myself and look into his concerned eyes. I place my hand on his cheek. After everything that has happened, I do feel safe in his arms. This is probably the only place in the world I will for a while.
“Where are you taking us? You can’t let Anton find us. Please, don’t let him find me or Gigi, Gio, please!” Pleading as my panic rises again. I’m so scared that Anton will find us, drag us back to New York and kill Gio.
“You’re coming home with me, to the clubhouse where I can keep you safe and protected. All of you will be safe there, Anton, will never find you or touch you ever again!” he whisper-yells in a venomous furious tone.
I look down and ask in a small shaky voice “Did he hurt Gigi?” I can barely hear my own words because I’m so afraid of the answer. My baby sister is pure and innocent and needs to stay that way for a very long time.
“No, he never touched her. She’s been with Jules and her guard the whole time. I won’t let him get to her or you. You have my word. My brothers and I will protect you all with our lives. I should have never left you. I should have known he was a sadistic bastard. I just didn’t realize the lengths he would go to have you. I’m sorry, Bella. I’m so sorry I wasn’t there to protect you and your parents,” he says with regret and pain glistening in his eyes.
I can’t look at him as my tears start again, burying my face back in the crook of his neck. This isn’t his fault, none of it. Anton is a sadistic bastard. No one could have known the lengths he would go to just to have me. Killing my parents and trying to take over his organization is the lowest of the low. And God only knows what he has in store for my brothers, if he hasn’t already hurt them.
“It’s not your fault, Gio. No one knew he was this sadistic and would pull something of this calibrate off,” I pause taking a deep breath controlling my emotions. I’m still not able to look him in the face. I’m ashamed of what has happened to me, but I can’t fight it. I concentrate on feeling safe and love in his arms.
“Gio, do you know where my brothers are? Did he hurt them too?” I ask through hiccups and tears. I’m more afraid of his answer than where my future lies.
He clears his throat then says, “I don’t know where they are right now, but we’re trying to track them down. The club is on it, we’ll find them. They're smart and probably underground hiding, coming up with a plan to take Anton out.” I hope he’s right and they are safe and in hiding.
For the next couple of hours, I stay on his lap sleeping in his arms. He wakes me with his feather-light touch on my bruised side of my face. We’re stopping for gas and food in North Carolina. The girls and I use the ladies room while Gio waits for us outside the door. It’s good to be alone with them and my thoughts for a minute after the long drive. We grab some food when we’re done and get back on the road. The guys want to get in before midnight.
On the rest of the drive, I learn about the two men. Blaze and Ace the quiet one that’s driving.
Blaze has tattoos all up and down his arms and even on his neck. I’m assuming under his shirt, back and chest are covered.
Ace and Gio have fewer tattoos on their arms than Blaze and none on their necks.
Ace has short brown hair and scruff on his face like Gio’s. I can see a tribal sleeve on his right arm too. Some kind of military symbol, maybe. I’m sure they’re on his chest and back too.
Ace’s muscle upper body is similar to Gio and Blaze.
Ace and Blaze are handsome fellows, but nothing compared to my Gio. Gio is sexy, rugged, an Adonis, and every women’s dream guy.
They are part of the motorcycle club with Gio. Dragons Fury MC. Gio is the clubs Sargent-of-Arms, Ace is the VP and Blaze is a table member. They served with Gio in the military along with a few other club members.
I find out that when Jules told him what was going on the guys wanted to help. They came up with a plan to extract me in the middle of the night. Four other club members were in the hospital to help distract the guards. They kept watching to allow Gio to take me out undetected. They’re on the way back to Florida by plane and will arrive back at the club later tonight. They waited to see all the mayhem my departure caused at the hospital.
Snake - the Secretary - is the one who oversaw to the distraction in the hospital personally. he hired two unknown guys to make a scene and watched from the side lines.
He said Anton went ape shit crazy when they found out that I was missing from my room. That was around 6:00 this morning, and there is no reason to believe Gio or his club is involved.
There is no trace that Jules was in contact with Gio or that he had any reason to be in the state. Jules covered her tracks when she contacted Aunt Cindy, using a burner phone, one our dads always made us keep hidden for emergencies. She had Gio call her on that phone to fill him in and made arrangements.
When Gio and the guys arrived at her place late the other morning, they destroyed the phone. They hacked her apartment’s build security footage and cleaned up any trace of their presence in her building.
That had to be a sight to see, seven bikes, Jules, and my sister in her 1500 square foot, three-bedroom apartment for a whole day and a half. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall and seen a glimpse of how they all got along. My sister is used to having men around, but not Jules. She likes her privacy.
We finally enter Florida, and I breathe a little easier knowing we’re closer to safety.
The guys tell us we will be there in two hours. I’m nervous and excited to see where Gio lives. He says we will be staying at his Clubhouse, where he lives, for a while.
Then we’ll take it from there when everything is over. He tells us that the Clubhouse is on twenty acres of land and there are 1000 total active club members in the twelve different chapters around Florida.
There are 75 members in their chapter, and 20 brothers live at the clubhouse here full time. Everyone also has rooms to stay in when needed. Some have their own places with their woman, ol’ ladies, and kids. They only stay when they get too drunk at parties or the club is on lockdown, then it’s mandatory for everyone to be there.
There are also a few women that hang around the club. They are women that don’t belong to any of the men. They’re club whores there for the guys to fuck and relieve themselves with, but don’t want to keep around for anything more.
The guys didn’t have to tell us that, at hearing the word whore or bitch, it’s a no-brainer. In our family, the men mostly have Comara which is Italian for a mistress. At dad’s club in the city, I know there are a few whores that are around for the men.
I wonder if Gio has used any of them, I’m sure he has. I need to banish those though immediately. It’s none of my business who he does and does not stick his manhood in. Who am I kidding I love him, and it bothers me. I know I have no claim, he’s not mine, never was and at this point after everything, he never will be. But it hurts to think that other women have had a part of him that I never will.
The guys also tell us they set us up in one of the guest apartments, allowing the three of us to stay together. They want us to be comfortable while we’re there.
The guys packed our things in the SUV, even the bag of cash Gigi grabbed from the estate. If we need anything one of the prospects, that will be looking after us, will go shopping and purchase it for us.
The Clubhouse has a security fence surrounding the entire property. The area is private and extremely safe. It’s one of the safest places around, and Anton and his men won’t be able to find us there or get to us.
Unfortunately, that also means my brothers won’t be able to find us either. Gio will have to find them first.
The road near the Clubhouse is two lanes with farmland on either side. It’s close to 8:00 on Monday evening when we arrive. The area is quiet, except for a few motorcycles on the road that passed by us. I’m not quite sure where we are, but the area is beautiful, rural country, you could call it.
We pull up to two large iron gates and see two men standing guard inside the gate in a tall tower. The fence around the land reminds me of the ones around prisons. Ace keys in a code in the keypad and the gates open electrically.
He drives straight back to an enormous two-story building half the size of my old home. Bikes are lined up on the side at least 15 of them. There are about that many men standing around out front smoking and talking with beers in their hands.
As we pull up, I begin to have a panic attack. Yes, I’ve been around tough looking men my whole life, but I don’t know these men, and I have my little sister here to protect now too.
Gio notices my stress and takes my face in his hands looking into his eyes searching for assurances.
“You're safe here, Principessa, no one will hurt any of you. They will only protect you. You girls can just think of us as big ol’ teddy bears,” Gio says with a laugh to lighten the mood, and everyone in the car joins in. I nod to Gio, and he removes his hands from my face and takes my hand in his. I calm my breathing to match his while still looking in his eyes.
“Speak for yourself, Beast, I ain’t no teddy bear I’m a fuckin’ grizzly bear,” Blaze says as his laughter filling the car.
That was another thing I learned on our way here. All the guys have Road Names, and Gio is Beast. They started calling him that in the Military, it has something to do with his anger and fighting abilities or something like that. They say he’s a beast in the ring and soon I’ll be able to see him in action.
When the SUV comes to a complete stop, all the men gather around opening the doors for us. Gio helps me out and keeps me near his side never letting go of my hand. Gigi and Jules come to my other side, with Gigi under my arm she wraps hers arms my waist nervously.
Gio introduces us to the men, and they stay at a respectable distance not crowding us. They’re wearing their leather kuttes, and I love them. I can’t wait to see Gio’s.
On the back is a big dragon on a Harley. In the center, in red, gold and black Dragons Fury MC is written on top and Florida on the bottom in black.
On the front, they have their road names and pins. Also a patch with a diamond that had a 1% on it, which means they are outlaws and have killed. I know for a fact Gio was seventeen when he made his first kill, and it was for my father. The advantage of secret passages in my home and listening on conversations I shouldn’t.
Gio has an additional patch that says Sargent-at-Arms as do all the other officers.
They retrieve our bags for us and take us into the Clubhouse to show us around.
Big double wood doors greet us leading into a large bar, behind the bar is a restaurant size kitchen. The kitchen has a back door that leads to the backyard and apartments attached to the clubhouse for families and guest. Off to the left of the kitchens is a huge dining room with three long rectangle table that holds up to 22 people each. To the right of the kitchen are the bedrooms, upstairs and downstairs.
Ace introduces us to the three prospects Tiny, Red and Dusty, the three men that will be looking after us girls. We can roam the grounds freely as long as one of them is close. They don’t want us to get lost or be alone.
During our walk, I begin to feel light-headed and tired but push myself to finish up our tour and get to our room to rest. Once I’m in our room, I can sleep all night and start to build my strength back up.
To get to our room, we have to walk across a short field, then up one flight of stairs. After about four steps the dizziness is overpowering, spots cloud my vision, everything feels like it's draining from my body, and they all sound so far away.
My fight is gone, and my body is weak causing me to lose control of my legs and falling back. Gio catches me in his strong, reliable arms then yells at Dusty that he’s taking me to his room and to get Sam there immediately to check me out. He also tells him to tell her I’m burning up.
Someone argues with him to bring me into the apartment, and his answer is no, he says he won’t leave me again.
Then he tells Red and Tiny to get the girls settled, and he’ll check on them later. He says all this through a tunnel as he carries me running down the stairs across the field and back to the clubhouse to his room.
I’m in and out of consciousness on the way, but then in a room, he places me carefully on the bed. Then I hear him yelling, she yells back at him in a southern accent.
Apparently, he already filled her in on ‘my condition’ and my stay in the hospital.
She orders him to leave the room so she can examine me alone.
She talks to me, telling me what she is doing to me as she removes my pajama pants, then exams me.
Once she is done, she administers an IV with fluids, antibiotics, pain medicine, and a sedative to keep me comfortable until the infection and fever are gone.
After righting my pants, covering me with the comforter and settling my head on the pillow that smells like Gio, she calls him back in the room. She tells him what’s going on with me, the infection and fever are back. She gives him instructions on how to care for me and also tells him I will probably sleep a lot for the next couple of days.
He needs to keep away from people until she removes the IV and if he needs her, she will be in the building not far.
I hear them through my haze until the lights are out for me.
****
The next night, I wake sometime in the middle of the night, screaming to the point my throat hurts and crying from a nightmare. I’m flailing all over the bed fight the air almost knocking my IV out my arm. “Bella, Bella, Princess. You’re safe, I’m here. You’re safe, baby!” I hear Gio through the clouds in my mind and feel his hands gently on my shoulders to wake and calm me. I open my eyes and see him looking at me with shock and pain all over his handsome face. He’s kneeling at the side of the bed next to me. I’m drenched with sweat, crying hysterically and crawled into a ball on my side now. He tucks my hair behind my ear off my face.
I scan the room taking in my surroundings and clearing my mind.
A nightmare, that’s all I was having, reliving the incident of what happened to me again.
I’m safe now. I’m in Florida away from Anton with Gio. My sister and Jules are here too. We’re all safe. I tell myself this over and over again to reassuring myself and calm down.
Gio gets up cautiously sitting on the side of the bed taking me in his arms. He lays on his big king size bed with me holding me as I cry into his chest. A minute later there's a soft knock at the door, and I hear it open.
“Beast, is she okay? It sounded like someone was being fuckin’ slaughtered up in here,” the man says to Gio, I think it’s Ace. I sneak a peek through my tears and sobs to see Gio’s face. He has a murderous look in his eyes.
“Out!” he shouts. I jump and winces in his arms feeling the vibrations of his words from his body to mine.
I can’t see the man, but I know he’s hesitating by the door.
“I said get out, Ace!” Gio yells a little calmer.
“I’ll be next door if you need anything, man,” Ace says before shutting the door behind him.
“I’m sorry, Princess,” he whispers as he buries his face in my hair.
I don’t reply, I just hold on to him and continuing to sob in his arms. He holds me rubbing my back in a calming and loving way soothing me.
A half an hour later, I finally calm down and feel exhausted. He holds me for a while longer in the quiet, dark room.
Once I’m asleep, he lets go of me laying me down on the bed under the covers before getting up. I feel him leave me and wake the second I lose his warmth and stop him. “Stay with me, please. I don’t want to be alone,” I whisper hoarsely pulling his hand back down to the bed next to me. He grunts then nods and lays down taking me back in his arms, and I crawl up into his side resting my head on his covered chest taking in his warmth and security.
I can’t fall back to sleep without asking. “Are Gigi and Jules doing alright?” He’s quiet for a few heartbeats then he says, “They’re settling in just fine. Gigi came up earlier today to check on you while you were sleeping. She’s scared, but Jules is looking after her, and the guys won’t let anything happen to them. Gigi is strong just like her beautiful big sister.”
He pauses taking a deep breath. “We need to get you healthy, for you first then for her. She needs her sister now more than ever. We all need you, Princess.” He’s right I need to get myself healthy, in more ways than one. I am all she has, and she needs me.
The only way to be there for everyone is to get myself better. Even, if that means faking it for a while.
“Rest, Princess.” He kisses my forehead, and I allow myself to sleep.