~Chapter 26
~Peach
Leaving The Dungeon with Niki, I’m not sure where it is that we are going, but I know fucking right away that it shouldn’t be to a warehouse near the pier.
“Hey Niki, where are we headed? I thought you were taking me back to your apartment, so that you could get some practice in with a…” is all I can say before a thud is felt in the back of my head and the blackness takes over.
Waking back up, I am not sure what time it is or where I am but, can only guess who this piece of shit speaking with Niki is. Zack. The one that Heather has been frightened of since the day that she came here. The one that has been trying to scare her away from her men, ripping a hole through her. The way the three of them are together reminds me so much of me and Emmanuel, and with that thought I remember no one knows where I am. Emmanuel thinks that we are at Niki’s and he won’t know anything is wrong until tomorrow at the earliest.
Knowing the hell that has happened to me, doesn’t do anything to put my mind at ease when Zack makes his way over to me. Glancing behind him, I see a handful of guys with cuts on. Focusing in on them, I notice the name on the cut of the biggest of the men, Demon Riders. Not knowing the name or the club I only make note before turning back to the shit show that is about to happen.
“You’re only here to send a message. I won’t keep you a moment longer than needed to get the message through to you.” The smile that spreads across his face is one of pure horror and has me thinking his words are nothing but bullshit. “Too bad that message will be sent in bruises and blood.” Laughing at his little joke, Zack lifts his fist connecting with my ribs repeatedly. Hooking his thumb behind him to the men that I noticed earlier, he speaks again. “Don’t worry, those guys back there will love to have a try at you as well.” After being away from the violence for these last four years, it somehow hurts worse than I remember.
I’m not sure how long I am held here, seeing the sun already high in the sky has me thinking it’s well into the afternoon. The pain radiating through my body is making it difficult for me to stay awake let alone anything else. Short moments later, Zack is next to me releasing me from my bindings and shoving me into a car. Driving a short distance, he pushes me outta the car with nothing except the ripped shreds of clothing and a long coat.
Finding myself being released without a purse, keys, phone, or money in one of the worst parts of Chicago has me thanking my lucky stars that Momma Irene had me take some self-defense classes along with all the doctor appointments. My thoughts wander to the years that I spent with the seven and how my life seems to be set in a constant path towards this shit.
Knowing that the message I am to deliver is simple, I know that the pain I just endured was for these sick fucks pleasure and nothing more. Not knowing who the fuck the Demon Riders are, I know that someone will need to know about them. Now I just gotta find my way back to The Dungeon and find Heather to relay the message. Zack is here and he wants his child back.
It takes me hours to do just that. By the time I am finding myself walking into the back doors at The Dungeon I see that the clock is going on 10pm. Knowing that Shadow will be somewhere around, I head towards the security office to see if I can find him.
Finding him just there I wasn’t sure what to tell him about what happened. With one look at me, he knew something wasn’t right and was quick to jump to conclusions. Pulling me into a spare room, he growls out, “Where have you been, little girl? I gave you permission to go over to Niki’s house and this is how you show your Papi your thanks? By not coming home, not calling, not letting me know if you were alive or dead? I was up all night worrying about you.”
“But, Papi. You hafta hear me out. It wasn’t like that at all, I was just- “
“Just stop, I’m not gonna sit here and listen to you fucking talk in circles.” I knew what was coming without his words. It’s one of his favorite ways to punish me for doing something that he doesn’t approve of. “Write out 100 times, what it is that you did wrong and what you need to do to make it right for your Papi. Don’t leave the locker room until you are finished.” And with that he walks out and the tears start to flow.
Deciding that I only have one way to proceed, I go into the locker room grabbing up my notebook and pen. However, I’m not putting pen to paper, doing what Emmanuel has asked. Instead I will tell him what happened to me yesterday and today and let him know that he will have to change his attitude and right quick if he thinks so little of me. Heading directly to the bar when I am done, and have handed the note off to Emmanuel, I order a Long Island and slam it the fuck down. I am well on my way to being fucked up, when I hear a sweet voice in my ear.
“Peach, hey lady. Where’s Niki, she has seemed to be your constant companion these last few months,” Heather says touching my shoulder as she plops into the chair next to me. Slowly turning towards her, she notices the tear stains on my cheeks and moves quickly to wipe them away. Looking around the room, her eyes stop on Shadow and I know in a second where her thoughts have gone. I notice Shadow moving slowly down the hallway away from the bar, with his head dropped down.
Her voice cuts my thoughts wide, “Sweets, what’s going on? Did something happen with Shadow, I thought you two were finally coming into your own. That you had finally worked through the shit between you two and were happy.”
Moving to speak, my words are cut off with more tears and small gasps. Reaching her arm around me, Heather pulls me against her as I cry. The only words I can speak between the sobs of are “baby and daddy.” Heather looks at me, like I am crazy and I’m sure she has no idea what I mean.
As Johnathan and Wayne walk towards us, Heather takes a protective stance in front of me and her men take note. Looking down the hall, they see Shadow retreating and look towards her with wide eyes, “Spitfire, you should not get involved in this. It has nothing to do with you.” Country reaches out to Heather as he tries to speak again.
Meeting his eyes, she pulls away from his reach causing me to move my head to the side as Heather speaks, “I am and it does.” Shaking his head, Country looks to Bull and I see an unspoken exchange take place. Nodding towards Country, Bull reaches out to both Heather and myself, speaking low, “Either way, we need to head home.”
Taking a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves I take another healthy drink, “I will be fine to get home, go get home with your men.” Placing a hand on her humongous stomach, “You and those babies of yours need all the rest you can get.”
Heather has another thought though, “You are not going home alone, while Shadow is here at work. You will stay with us tonight. I’m not sure what is going on with you, but I know, sure as fuck, that I am not leaving you alone.” Moving a few steps, she turns back to her men, “We are going to change and then we will meet you outside of the locker room in fifteen? She is coming home with us tonight, and that is not open for discussion.”
The men answer in tandem, and then head off to get changed as we move to our locker room. Heather is pulling off her club wear and pulling up her yoga pants within three minutes flat. Turning around I know the exact moment that Heather sees the bruises on my flesh.
“Peach,” comes out softly as she reaches out and lightly runs a hand over the bruise. Taking the two steps to close the distance between us, she helps me outta the skirt and top that I have been wearing for going on two days. Heather sees that my torso is covered in purple and yellow and it looks as if someone has used me as a punching bag.
Moving to grab up my pants, Heather in all of her pregnant glory drops down to her knees so I don’t need to move any more than necessary to get into them. Moving back towards my sweatshirt, she does the same by hopping up onto the bench so that I don’t need to bend over to get it on.
Not being able to stop herself, Heather asks, “Did Shadow do this to you, sweets?”
Shaking my head adamantly, she relaxes knowing he is not the one who has done this on me. “Who, then?”
As I look up into her eyes, I hold them for only a few moments before dropping them away and saying a name. A name that shocked me at the time about as much as it would Heather now. “Zack.”
As Heather blacks out, the tears start falling faster down my cheeks and I hear, “Peach, Heather, you in here.” Seconds later the locker room door slams open, seeing Country charging into the room, his face turns white seeing Heather passed out on the floor.
“Help, Country, she just passed out, I don’t know what the fuck happened, she was talking to me one minute and then the next she fucking fell down. Help her.”
With that, I glance behind him seeing Bull racing towards us. “Call for an ambulance and get them here fucking quick.” Is all Country gets out before a growl rips through him. Scooping down he picks up their girl in his arms, carrying her out of the locker room.
Knowing that Country and Bull will be able to take care of Heather I get up grabbing up my bag and head towards the door. Emmanuel still has a few hours of work, so I should be able to get home and get some sleep in before all shit hits the fan when he gets home. Walking outta the locker room and down the hall towards the exit, I see him coming at me. Stopping dead in my tracks, I drop my eyes to the ground and wait for the yelling.
“My Peach, raise those gorgeous eyes up to me.” The hand pushing my chin up helps to quicken my movements and when I see his eyes, my worry fades away. I know that he loves me and that we were meant to be together, but after the shit of last night, I wasn’t sure he would feel the same. I’m still not sure when he finds out all the details he will feel the same way.
“I’m sorry for what happened to you last night, little girl. I should have been there to take care of you. I put my trust in Niki and am guessing that she is the one that served you up to Zack on a silver platter?” Nodding my head in answer he goes on, “You and I will talk when I get home, I’ll have one of the prospects take you home and sit with you until I can get away. This shit with Zack is going to be put to rest right fucking now if I have anything to say about it.”
Kissing me gently on the forehead, I recoil as he grabs me tightly around the waist pulling me in for a hug. Seeing my reaction, he pulls my shirt up and sees the bruises on my flesh. The pain and anger that I see in him frightens the shit outta me.
Raising his eyes to me he growls, “Zack and Niki did this to what belongs to me?”
Answering again with a nod of my head, I add, “There were also members of the Demon Riders, and Zach let them,” dropping my eyes away my voice is a whisper when I go on, “do what they would with me.”
His face drops at the whisper, and without another word, Emmanuel moves away from me and towards Country, Bull, and Heather who have taken up on a couch in the main room. With each step he takes I feel almost betrayed. How can this man not stay with me, not want to be taking care of me when he knows I hurt so bad?