Chapter 16
Ella
Having had a surprisingly deep sleep, I wake disorientated, not sure where I am, but feeling far too hot, surrounded on each side by a warm body. As my eyes fall on Jayden, the events of the night before slam back into my head and, in a flash I’m wide awake, fully conscious of the hardness poking into my ass.
I try to close the gap between myself and Jayden, Slick’s arm tightens, and a gravelly voice murmurs in my ear, “Sorry about the mornin’ wood, darlin’. Don’t let it worry ya. I’m gonna move away now. Want me to get you a coffee or somethin’?”
At the thought of refreshment my stomach growls, making him laugh softly. “I’ll see what’s doin’ in the kitchen.”
Which reminds me where I am. “Slick, I…”
“That fucker Marsh came back, seems he’s taking his protection duties seriously. Or should be,” he throws a pointed look toward the prospect. “I’ll kick him awake as I go.” As Slick places the most tender of kisses to the top of my head and then rolls and puts his feet on the floor, sliding them back into the boots he must have kicked off last night, I look over and grin at the young man who’s asleep on the chair, his mouth hanging open, snoring gently.
“Let him sleep,” I whisper. “Poor lad looks knackered out.”
“Poor lad? He’s fuckin’ a prospect. He signed on to take shit.” Slick scoffs but his eyes sparkle with amusement and, nevertheless, leaves without waking him. The sound of the door slamming, however, does the trick.
Marsh starts. Coming to himself in an instant, looking sheepish that he’d been caught asleep on the job. He catches me watching him. A corner of his mouth turns up, then he nods at Jayden. “She awake?” he asks softly.
“Not yet,” I whisper back. But I can feel her stirring. Now I’d rather she stayed sleeping. The moment she wakes, both she and I have got to start coming to terms with what happened. I’m dreading what she’s going to tell me, knowing it will be painful to hear. A shiver goes through me. I’m not letting her get away with it anymore. Whether she likes it or not, now she’s going to come clean about everything.
Slick’s head appears around the door. “Ella, can you come here? Sam wants to talk to you. She’s right beside me, you won’t be far.”
“You’ll let me know if she wakes up?”
When Marsh gives a sharp nod, I step outside. Sam puts her hand on my arm and pulls me away down the corridor. We’re only a few steps away, but won’t be overheard. Slick walks off in the direction of the kitchen once again.
Sam leans her back against the wall, and mimicking her stance I place myself next to her. She looks down, takes a deep breath, then looks up at me. “I know what happened to you, Ella.”
Swallowing down my shame, I stare at my feet.
“Now don’t look like that.” She frowns. “Two words, ‘forced’ and ‘train’. That’s all anyone needs to hear and they’ll be filling in the gaps for themselves. And just so you know, if the fuckers weren’t dead already, every single man here would mount up and ride to Phoenix to kill them for you. The Satan’s Devils have nothing in common with those bastards. If they’ve got any faults, it’s that they can be overprotective.”
I’m not sure I believe her, they wear leather and ride bikes. But she seems resolute.
“Anyway,” she continues, “I’m not here about that. I just wanted you to know there are no secrets between us. Between friends, which I hope we’ll become.” Since my ordeal I’ve let friendships lapse, perhaps I’d like to know more about the president’s woman who’s done nothing but impress me so far. Though I’m not sure I’m going to be here long enough, I remind myself. As soon as Jayden can leave, I’m taking her home.
She offers a small smile, which I try to return.
“Thing is, Ella. I was kidnapped three months ago. Shortly after I arrived here. To tell the truth, blue clouds and silver linings and all that, it was what made Drum and I get together so fast.”
My eyes widen, I didn’t know. “What happened?”
“You’ve heard of human trafficking? Well, I was taken to be a sex slave. They thought I was a virgin, but Drummer had got there first, if you know what I mean.” She breaks off and gives an infectious giggle.
Having planted that picture in my mind, I chuckle too.
Then her face becomes drawn. “Because virginity gave me a higher value, they wanted to protect, what they assumed, was my status. That was the only thing that stopped them from raping me soon after they picked me up. But the other girls I was with weren’t so lucky.” She pauses for a second. “Then I was bought and taken to the home of a sadistic bastard.”
“What?” I can’t believe what I’m hearing. Do such things really go on?
“Yes. To cut a long story short, he tried to break me. I fought back, but it was getting close. Luckily the boys rescued me in the nick of time. I was tied up and naked, and he hurt me quite a lot.”
I’m standing, staring at her. Her confidence, the way she deals with the rough men surrounding her, would never have led me to believe she’d only so recently gone through anything so dreadful. I’m completely at a loss for words.
“They rescued a dozen other women too, who stayed on the compound for a couple of days. Because I understood some of what they’d been through, I helped them. They opened up and, believe you me, what I heard wasn’t good. Some were better equipped to deal with it than others.” She breaks off and grimaces. “Two of them, Paige and Diva, have stayed here. They used to be strippers and they wanted to become sweet butts—probably better than whoring themselves out on the streets. They’ve settled in well from what I can see.” She gives a little scowl which confuses me until I remember, old ladies and sweet butts don’t tend to get along. Jill certainly hadn’t ever spoken to me again after Slick had claimed me.
She huffs a laugh when she sees me looking puzzled. “I’d like them a lot better if they stopped trying to get their hands on Drum, but I know I don’t need to worry, as I can trust him. It just gets wearing having to keep slapping them down. Anyway, Ella, I wanted you to know my story.”
Fair enough, and I’m grateful to know I’m not the only one with something to deal with. Is that the reason she told me?
“Look, I’ll be honest. Drum’s asked me to get involved. There’s complications to what’s happened with Jayden, more to it than just getting her mind and body healed. It’s bigger than they thought, that’s all I know. And anything she can tell us might give them a better idea what they’re dealing with.”
But it’s over now, isn’t it? Jayden’s here and safe. And hopefully, later today I’ll be taking her home. But I suppose if it helps the club I don’t mind sharing what she tells me. “She’s got to get it out. I’m not looking forward to hearing it, Sam. She’s only fourteen for God’s sake.”
Her hand rests on my arm. “I hear you, Ella. I’ve been thinking, with my experience, and yours too, we could both help her talk. Bottling it up won’t help, as I’m sure you’ve found.”
I’d hidden my secret so long, didn’t tell anyone until I spat it out to Slick in a moment of weakness as I’d been so ashamed. But now it seems everyone knows what happened to me and no one’s passed judgement. Sam’s easy acceptance, no sign she’s apportioning blame, and with her own terrible story to tell… Perhaps there might come a time when I can put it behind me. A concept which didn’t seem possible when I kept it all to myself.
Sam’s carefully watching me. “The club owes you a debt, Ella. They’ll bend over backwards to give you anything you need.”
Right now, the person who needs the most help is my sister. And that starts with Jayden getting everything off her chest. And what better than to two people who know what it means to be in someone else’s control? She hadn’t lost her virginity, she’d had it stolen. In the same way that I hadn’t gone into the Rock Demons’ clubhouse asking to be abused. And Sam certainly hadn’t kidnapped herself. These things had been done to us. Without our consent.
“We’re all victims.” I breathe the words out, never having admitted it before. Not even to myself, always searching for explanations of what I’d done wrong. Knowing I’ll be thinking more on it later, trying to rearrange it all and view it with new perspective.
“Do you mind if I sit in with you? Though I must admit, I’m not a good conversationalist if it isn’t about bikes.”
As she gives a short laugh directed at what she sees are her own shortcomings, I stand incredulous. In one short conversation she’s opened my eyes, giving me things to consider I hadn’t thought for myself. And her insightfulness leads me to a decision.
“I’d welcome it. Anything that can help my sister.”
Before she can answer, Marsh’s face peers around out of the doorway. “She’s wakin’ up.”
My feet are moving in a flash, Sam following. I race to the bed. Jayden’s holding her head and looking around, fearful and anxious. Marsh nods at me, then resumes his place against the wall, but standing now, not sitting.
Mindful of the discussion I want to have, I swivel around. “Marsh, could you leave us, please?”
“Sorry, Ella. No can do. Slick told me to stay put so here’s where I’m stayin’.”
“Can’t you stand outside the door? You can guard us from there just as well.”
As he’s considering it, Jayden grabs hold of my hand and points her other toward the prospect. “You. You were there. You rescued me.”
He answers her with quirk of his mouth and a quick nod.
My sister looks at me pleadingly. “Can he stay?” Her eyes flick to him as though he’s some sort of hero. Quickly I consider her request. If having him in the room makes her more comfortable and will help settle her, I suppose it doesn’t matter.
He walks over to the bed, gazing at her, his eyes widening slightly as if seeing her for the first time. It makes me realise how awful she’s looking. There’s a dreadful pallor to her skin, her eyes look sunken, there’s drool at the side of her mouth and her hair’s all over the place. Glancing at the prospect, I see he’s showing no sign that he’s noticed.
Instead he gives her a quick grin. “I didn’t have much to do with it. I just carried you out. Didn’t think you’d remember.”
She creases her brow. “I don’t recall much. Just you. Were there others?” Her hand goes to her head and she grimaces.
“Here, Doc left some painkillers. Can you sit up and take them?” She does with my help. She looks a little green, and she covers her mouth. “Need the bathroom?” As she nods I go to help her up, but Marsh is there first, picking her up in his arms and carrying her through to the facilities. It happened so fast, Sam and I exchange glances.
What the fuck is that? Sam mouths. I purse my lips. Marsh seems almost protective, but she’s only fourteen. If there’s any interest there I’ll have to knock it on the head before either of them get any ideas. But as I get to my feet and go to follow her, seeing her leaning over the bowl with Marsh holding her hair back, I get another glimpse of something else lying beneath the surface of these leather-clad men. A gentleness and caring I never expected.
Finished at last, she splashes water on her face and starts to get more colour back. When she returns under her own steam she takes the Advil, swallowing it down with water. She sighs, then looks around, her hand massaging her stomach. “What’s wrong with me? And where am I?” Her senses must be returning as she shows interest at last.
“As for where you are, you’re in the Satan’s Devils’ clubhouse,” I tell her. “They were the people who got you out of that house last night.”
Her eyes flick to Marsh’s cut. As her eyes widen, “Are you one of them? A biker?”
He gives a boyish grin, and his voice sounds proud. “Certainly am.”
Her wide-open eyes come back to me. “Ella? What on earth are we doing here?”
I sit beside her again and come up with the simple story. “Some of the bikers are friends of mine. They helped me find you.” As she gives a little frown I continue, “As to what’s wrong with you. sweetie, you’ve got a bad hangover.” Immediately her eyes flick to mine in concern, as if expecting me to admonish her, so I hurry to reassure her, “I know you don’t drink, honey, this isn’t your fault.”
Watching her carefully, I see the moment her face falls and then becomes shuttered as memories must be coming back. She reaches over and grabs hold of my hand, tears starting to fall down her face.
My voice breaks as I probe, “You were found with some men, Jayden. And now’s the time to come clean about what’s been going on. How they trapped you. And what they did to you.”
Immediately she pulls her hand back and turns her face away from me. “I don’t want to talk about it. You wouldn’t understand.” Now there’s fear on her face as she adds in a whisper. “I can’t tell you anything.”
It’s a similar answer as the one she’s been giving me for weeks, and her reluctance to explain fuels my frustration. This time she can’t deny there’s something wrong, and I’m ashamed to say I want to shake her, get her to admit everything. The tension in my body must give me away.
Sam puts a warning hand on my shoulder and leans forward. “Hi, Jayden. My name’s Sam. My old man’s the President of the Satan’s Devils.” As she introduces herself Jayden tilts her head up to face her. “I’d like to share something with you.” She parks her butt on the end of the bed and continues, “There are bad men in the world, Jayden. Men who take advantage of women as they think we’re the weaker sex.” She flicks her eyes toward Marsh and gives a little grin. “I might be a badass, ride a bike and have a gun, but I didn’t have a chance when I was kidnapped and sold to be someone’s sex slave.”
A week ago I wouldn’t have wanted my young sister to hear any part of this conversation. Now I realise what Sam’s trying to do.
She’s caught Jayden’s interest, and a quivering of her lips suggests she’s getting through to her. “What… What happened?”
“My old man, Drummer, and the rest of the guys didn’t stop until they rescued me. Luckily they got there in time.” Sam gestures toward Jayden. “Just like they rescued you.”
Jayden’s eyes open wider, and she glances at the prospect. “So you’re the good guys?”
Marsh barks a laugh. “Sometimes,” he replies.
Sam smiles, then grows serious. “Somehow they tricked you, Jayden, and we need to know how. It’s not only you, sweetheart, they’ve done this before and will do it again. The club wants to make sure no other young girls are duped the same way you were.”
Jayden breathes in, then mumbles something which I have to ask her to repeat.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Jayden, honey…”
“Alright, Ella. I’ll tell you. I’ve got a boyfriend and he treats me real good.”
“What?” I scream out the question. “What’s this crap coming out of your mouth, Jayden? A boyfriend. He’s a fucking grown man.” Normally I wouldn’t swear in front of my sister, but I can’t believe what she’s saying.
She’s glaring at me.
“Do you know what happened last night?” I’m grateful Sam’s here, her voice sounds so calm and she’s giving me a few seconds to pull myself together.
Jayden shrugs in reply, then rubs her forehead.
“You’ve got a bad headache, sweetie, because you were given alcohol and a date rape drug. You know what that is?”
Sam’s caught my sister’s attention. Leaning forward, she takes hold of both of Jayden’s hands. “Listen to me. This man, Diego. I’m sure he made you like him, but that’s what his sort do.” She seems to examine her closely. “You knew it was wrong, didn’t you? But honey, it wasn’t your fault. Just tell us what happened.”
Her eyes flicking wildly between us, Jayden looks like an animal trapped in the headlights. She doesn’t want to talk, doesn’t want to explain. But sharing is the only way to start healing. A message that I should take to heart.
“You’re not in trouble, Jayden. I promise you that. Just like Sam, what happened to you wasn’t your fault.”
Her lips start to quiver and she wipes at her eyes. Her attitude no longer so challenging, I take the opportunity to ask gently, “How did you get involved with them, Jayden?”
Sam nods encouragingly. “It will help to tell someone, I promise.”
Jayden looks at me, I add my nod to reassure her. Finally, she starts to speak. “I can’t.” It comes out as a wail.
Marsh is there almost at once. “Whatever threats they told you to keep you quiet, they won’t work now, babe.”
Her eyes widen. “You know?”
He shrugs. “It’s the way these people work, honey.”
Another moment of quiet as she considers his words, and I think on how he knew exactly the right thing to say. He’s got a good head on those young shoulders, even though they’re covered in leather.
Finally, with a sigh, Jayden starts to speak. “You and me, El, we used to go to the mall on the weekend. Just to browse, have a coffee.”
I dip my head. Yes, that’s exactly what we used to do.
“When you stopped coming around, Mom didn’t care, and I got bored staying in so I went out with a couple of school friends.”
I feel my face go tight. As I suspected, so much of this down to me. “Go on.”
“A boy came to speak to me. His name was Sylas, Sy. He was so cute. I was flattered he’d singled me out. My friends were jealous.” She looks down at her nails. “That’s when it all started.”
Sam gives me another squeeze on my shoulder, and I know what she wants. “I stopped coming around because I was dealing with something myself. I was raped, Jayden.” I never expected to have to make that admission to my little sister, but Sam’s right, if we expect her to open up, so must I.
At that Jayden pulls herself up, her hand going to her aching head at the sudden movement. “Ella? You? Why didn’t you tell me?” Tentatively she reaches out and touches my arm. “Why didn’t I see something was wrong?”
“Oh, Jayden, babe. I was so wrapped up in my troubles, I didn’t want you to know. I thought it had been my fault. I stopped coming around because you’d have seen I was hurting. And because I stayed away, I didn’t see what was happening to you. And by the time I felt strong enough, you were immersed in your own worries, weren’t you?”
Launching at me again, she holds me tightly. “I’m so sorry,” she wails. “Ella, I’m sorry.” She becomes incoherent as she cries, letting it all out. I’m unable to stop my own tears falling down my face.
When her crying eventually ends on a few last hiccupped sobs, Marsh comes over and tentatively sits on the bed. His hand hovers, and then lands on top of the covers, his fingers squeezing her leg underneath. When he gets her attention, he asks in a gentle voice, “Can you tell us what happened, darlin’? No one’s going to judge you, I promise.”
Her bottom lip still quivering, she glances at me, then Sam, and then fixes her eyes back on him. Whether it’s because he’s a stranger or someone closer to her own age, I don’t know, but I’m grateful when at last she starts to admit the truth, and the whole sorry story starts tumbling out.
Even Marsh has tears escaping down his face when she finishes.
With cold steely eyes, Sam gets up and leaves the room.