Mara

 

Rocky didn’t say a word after the meeting he’d had, and I’d spent the last ten days worrying about what was going on. Not a word was said about Sebastian or Rocky’s suspicions about what happened to my dad. I wanted him to talk to me, to tell me what was going on, but I didn’t know if I should ask. If he’d wanted me to know, he’d have said something, wouldn’t he?

The day he’d taken me to Isabella’s, he’d come back after his meeting and taken me shopping. We now had a couch, entertainment center, and a sixty-five-inch TV that I still thought was overkill for such a small house. Men and their toys! I’d half expected him to buy some sort of game system and every gadget he could get his hands on, but he hadn’t. Once the Internet and cable were up and running, he’d picked up a Fire Stick at the store, and now we had access to movies online.

He’d let me get whatever I wanted for the kitchen, but I was a little clueless as to what we would need. I’d never really cooked before and didn’t have any idea what items were used for what. A spatula and spoon were self-explanatory, but why on earth did you need so many different-sized pots and skillets? Wouldn’t one of each be fine? We’d ended up purchasing one of those large sets that come in a box, same for our dishes and glassware. Since I didn’t want us to starve or live off boxed dinners, I grabbed a few cookbooks as well.

While we were busy getting the house taken care of, Zipper had returned. My tattoo was healing nicely and hadn’t hurt as bad as I feared. I’d noticed that Ridley and Isabella wore theirs on their arms, so I’d opted to do the same. Rocky had asked if I wanted it on my back. Just above my right wrist, I now sported black script that said Property of Rocky with small white and yellow roses around it, some were buds and some were fully bloomed. I’d asked Rocky why he chose those. He said he’d looked up flower meanings before we met with Zipper. White was for purity and innocence, and yellow meant happiness. He said that I’d been pure and innocent, and he promised me many happy moments in the future. I wondered if he even realized that he could be a bit romantic at times.

We’d gone out a few times since then, but always with other people. I had enjoyed getting to do things with just the two of us, even though we’d only had a few days together before reaching the compound. No matter how much I begged and pleaded, though, he held firm that we needed extra men with us when we went out. So, here I sat in a darkened theater with Rocky, while a group of Dixie Reapers were within arm’s reach. The only thing that made it bearable was knowing they were all miserable since I’d chosen a romantic comedy. The looks on their faces when I’d picked the movie was comical. You’d think I’d asked them to strip naked and run down the street. Although, from what I’ve learned of these men, they would do that in a heartbeat. Especially if alcohol was involved.

I handed my bucket of popcorn to Rocky and stood up. He wrapped his hand around my wrist.

“Where are you going?” he whispered.

“Bathroom. And no, you can’t go in there with me.”

He narrowed his eyes and motioned for one of the Prospects to follow me. Ivan had become my shadow lately. I wondered if he was as tired of following me as I was of having him around. He wasn’t a bad guy, but it would be awesome if I could go pee without having to announce it to everyone, and then have an escort.

I stepped over Rocky’s legs, with Ivan right behind me, and made my way down the stairs, around the wall, and out into the main part of the cinema. People were everywhere, and I threaded my way through the crowd to find the bathroom. I bypassed the main one, seeing a line all the way out the door, and found another one at the other end of the cinema. Ivan stopped just outside the door, and I went inside. I’d expected to stand in line here too, but the place was deserted. After I peed and washed my hands, I leaned on the counter and closed my eyes a moment. It was nice, just standing here alone. I hadn’t been alone in a week, and it was starting to drive me crazy.

I heard voices in the hall outside and then a loud thump. I frowned and stared toward the doorway, expecting Ivan to walk in and see why I was taking so long. It wasn’t Ivan who came in, though. The man who stepped into the bathroom was scary. His dark hair was slicked back, and his eyes were nearly black. There was a jagged scar down his face, bisecting his eyebrow and going down his cheek and under his chin.

“You can come with me willingly,” he said, “or not. Personally, I’m hoping you fight. Orders are not to kill you. Boss didn’t say anything about having some fun, though.”

Bile rose in my throat. I had no idea what he thought would be fun, and I didn’t think I wanted to know. I glanced behind him, willing Ivan to come to my rescue. The man noticed the direction of my gaze and smirked.

“That kid won’t interrupt us.”

Kid? Ivan was older than me for certain. If he thought a man in his twenties was a kid, what did that make me? Or maybe he was the kind of man who got off on hurting girls. I knew there were sick perverts out there.

The man moved closer. “We need to leave before anyone comes looking for you. So are you going to walk out willingly?”

My heart hammered in my chest, and I did the only thing I could think of. I bolted toward the other end of the bathroom, hoping there might be another way out. I heard him chasing after me, then he gripped a handful of my hair and jerked me backward, nearly pulling me off my feet.

He chuckled darkly. “You were warned.”

My eyes widened as I saw a fist coming toward me, then pain exploded in my temple, and darkness closed in. My last thought was that Rocky was right, and I should have listened.

* * *

The smell hit me first. Damp. Mildew. Urine. It was enough to drag me back to consciousness. I tried to lift my hand and discovered my hands were tied down, and so were my ankles. My eyes slowly opened, peering into what looked like a corrugated-steel building. There were windows really high up, and the waning light of day streamed through the grimy panes. I shivered and realized my clothes had been removed, and I was completely naked, bound to a chair.

“There’s my darling stepsister,” a voice said.

I jerked my head in that direction and saw Sebastian, dressed in pristine slacks, shiny shoes, and a button-down shirt. He’d rolled the cuffs of his shirt, but otherwise looked impeccable as always. I licked my lips, my mouth feeling as dry as the desert.

“Where am I?” I asked.

“In a building I rented from some friends. You’re quite a lot of trouble, Mara,” Sebastian said.

“Why couldn’t you just let me go?”

He smiled and the sight chilled me. “You should be thanking me.”

“Why?”

“I could have been like my father and taken what I wanted a long time ago.” His smile widened. “Or did you not know about that?”

“Know about what?” I asked. Maybe if I kept him talking, it would give Rocky time to find me.

“My father has a thing for young girls. He bought your mother when she was fourteen. He found her intriguing enough that he married her.”

“What are you talking about?” I asked. “My mom and your dad didn’t get married until three years ago.”

“That’s what my father wanted everyone to believe. Your mother is his wife for show. Oh, he wanted her back then, but now that she’s older she doesn’t hold any interest for him, except to have someone acceptable on his arm. He has to portray a family man to the public. But I know the truth… I followed him, to his private club.” Sebastian looked downright evil. “Do you know what he does there?”

I honestly didn’t think I wanted to know.

“He fucks young girls. Thirteen- and fourteen-year-old girls that he’s purchased from their families or found on the streets. So you see, it could be worse. Oh, I want to fuck you. But I waited until you were older before I made my move. Kids don’t hold any interest for me.”

Bile rose in my throat as I thought about what Carl Rossi was doing behind closed doors, what he’d done to my own mother. How could I have lived with that monster for three years and never have known? He’d never done anything that would make me think he was capable of such a thing.

“What are you going to do with me?” I asked.

I didn’t like the glint in Sebastian’s eyes as he stood. There was a rolling cart off to the side, but I couldn’t see what was on top. He walked over to it and picked up a sharp-looking knife. Waving it in the air, he came toward me.

“The first thing I’m going to do is make sure that biker you’ve been hanging out with doesn’t want anything to do with you anymore. Once you don’t look quite so pretty, I’m sure he’ll lose interest.”

A whimper escaped me as I eyed the knife.

“Then I’m going to take what I want. I’m going to fuck you until I’m tired of you, then I’m going to let my friends fuck you while I watch. And if you want to fight, even better. We’ll enjoy holding you down and making you take it. Maybe I’ll even record all those sessions and sell them.” He chuckled as if that was the funniest thing he’d ever heard. “When you’re useless, I’ll send you to one of my family’s whorehouses. Even with a scarred face and body, I’m sure we can find some customers to pay for your services.”

My stomach churned, and I turned my head, puking all over the floor. Somehow I managed to not get any on me. Sebastian came closer, laughing as if he enjoyed my terror, and he probably did. The cool flat part of the knife slid across my cheek, and I shivered.

He leaned closer, and I felt his breath across my ear as he spoke. “This is your fault, you know? If you’d given me what I wanted that night, I’d have kept you. My virgin stepsister. My dirty little secret. My own personal fuck toy. If you’d just spread your legs for me, you could have avoided all this. But now I’m going to humiliate you, hurt you, make you wish you were dead. Maybe when you’re all used up, I’ll finish you off and send your body back to your biker. You let him put his filthy hands on you. And now you’re going to pay.”

Please hurry, Rocky. Not that I had any idea how he’d even find me. Would he eventually stop looking? It wasn’t like he was in love with me. Yes, I was his, but sooner or later he’d find someone else. I wasn’t special. I’d never been special. Maybe my daddy had thought so, but no one since then.

The bite of the knife slid across my cheek, and I felt blood run from the wound and drip from my jaw. Tears welled in my eyes, and I ground my teeth together to keep from making a sound. I had a feeling Sebastian would love it if I begged, if I cried out in pain. I didn’t want to give him that satisfaction.

“You aren’t even going to ask how I know that you’ve given it up to him?” Sebastian asked, his smile cruel and downright evil. “I did a very thorough exam while you were knocked out. But don’t worry. I haven’t fucked you yet. I wanted to make sure you were awake for that.”

The thought of his hands on me made me throw up again. Sebastian just laughed again, and I felt the bite of the knife on my other cheek. Tears streamed down my face, and soon was I was screaming, just like he wanted. Blood poured from the open wounds on my face, arms, and across the tops of my breasts. Sebastian tossed the knife aside and cupped my cheek with his hand.

“My sweet, beautiful stepsister. Our fun is only just beginning.” He stared at my right wrist. “You let him brand you. Before I fuck you, I’m going to burn that mark from your skin. You were supposed to be mine.”

“Just kill me,” I said. Death would be preferable to what he had planned for me.

“Now what fun would that be? No, I want you screaming while I take what I want from you. Even I have standards, though. I’m not going to fuck you in this filthy place. I have a nice little love nest set up for us.”

There was an explosion outside, and the ground shook from the force. Sebastian cursed and turned toward the man who had captured me. He’d been standing in the shadows, watching. Judging from the tent in his pants, he’d been enjoying my pain. Or maybe he got off on hearing all the vile things Sebastian was going to do to me. Another blast made the building shake. I didn’t know what was going on out there, but I hoped it was someone coming to rescue me.

The door blew inward, and relief poured through me as I saw Rocky, Torch, and a handful of other men wearing the Dixie Reapers cut. I wanted to close my legs, cover myself, but I was still bound to the chair and unable to move. Sebastian pulled a gun from the back of his pants at the same time his thug drew on the men intent on saving me. Shots were fired, the sound of half a dozen weapons going off at once making my ears ring.

Through my tears, I watched as Rocky approached. His eyes were haunted as he looked at me, then he quickly removed his cut and pulled off his shirt. He slipped the leather back over his shoulders, then started working on the ropes holding me down. Once my arms were free, he slipped the shirt over my head, then freed my feet. I sobbed hard, my entire body shaking, as I fell into his arms.

“I’m so sorry, sweet girl,” he said softly. “So damn sorry. I didn’t protect you like I promised.”

“I should have l-listened.”

He pulled back and looked down at me. “This isn’t on you. None of this is your fault, do you hear me?”

Torch came over, standing just behind Rocky. “Did he violate you, Mara?”

I whimpered and slammed my eyes shut. “He said he examined me while I was knocked out. He knew I wasn’t a virgin anymore.”

A growl came from deep inside Rocky as Torch turned on his heel and walked off. A minute later, I heard an inhuman scream. Rocky pressed my face to his chest, not letting me look. Whatever was being done to Sebastian, I didn’t care. I wanted him dead. I needed the peace of mind that he would never come after me again.

“I’m going to carry you out to the truck, and then we’re going to the hospital. I think this is beyond what Doc can handle. I’m sure they’ll have questions, but I’ll figure something out. They’ll need to clean your wounds, maybe do some X-rays, and see if you need stitches,” Rocky said. I heard him audibly swallow. “Are you sure they don’t need to do a rape exam?”

“He said he hadn’t done that to me,” I said softly. “He wanted me to be awake, so he could hear me scream.”

A shudder went through Rocky, then he lifted me into his arms and carried me from the building. I closed my eyes, not wanting to see what was happening to Sebastian and his thug. I hoped they died bloody and in pain.

Ivan followed us to the truck and climbed into the back seat. Rocky buckled me into the front passenger seat before getting in on the driver’s side. He didn’t say anything on the way to the hospital, but he kept glancing my way. At the hospital, he parked outside the ER doors and carried me inside while Ivan parked the truck.

When the ER staff saw my condition, they rushed me into the back. Rocky laid me on a bed behind a curtain and helped me into a gown a nurse provided. My blood seeped through the gown as I lay back and waited for a doctor. Rocky took the seat next to the bed and held my hand, almost as if he were afraid to let go. I’d heard horror stories of people waiting hours to be seen in the ER, but a doctor entered the curtained area within fifteen minutes.

“I’m Dr. Williams. Let’s see what the damage is.”

He checked out the wounds he could easily see, then peeled my gown down to check the knife marks across the tops of my breasts. I winced at the material stuck to the bloody slashes.

“We have to report wounds like these. What happened?” Dr. Williams asked.

“She was abducted,” Rocky said. “The guy cut her up pretty bad before I could get to her. She said that he didn’t rape her. Or rather he told her that he hadn’t. She was unconscious part of the time.”

The doctor looked toward Rocky, taking in the leather cut. “Is this a club issue? One that’s been taken care of?”

Rocky nodded.

“I’ll see what I can do to keep the police off your doorstep, but no promises,” the doctor said.

My wounds were cleaned, and the doctor assessed the damage. If any other man had his hands on my breasts, I had a feeling Rocky wouldn’t be happy, but he didn’t utter a word of complaint. Probably because the doctor remained completely professional. He touched me, but only out of necessity.

“Do I need stitches?” I asked.

“The wounds look deep enough to scar, but I don’t think stitches are necessary. I’m going to treat them, bandage them, and give you some instructions to follow. If it looks like infection is setting in, if they start bleeding and won’t stop, then you need to either come back here or see your regular doctor,” Dr. Williams said.

“She doesn’t have anything to wear out of here,” Rocky said. “I brought her in my shirt, but it’s covered in blood now.”

“I’ll get her some scrubs,” Dr. Williams said. He studied me a moment. “Are you sure I don’t need to order a rape kit?”

“He said he didn’t do that to me, and I believe him. He was sadistic enough to want me awake for that part,” I answered.

The doctor nodded. When he was finished with my wounds, and had given me a sheet on how to care for them, he went to find some scrubs. They were a little big, but anything was welcome at this point.

Dr. Williams came back after I was dressed. “I was going to write a prescription for you, for pain, but I needed to ask first if you’re pregnant.”

My heart nearly stalled in my chest. I wanted to say no, but to be honest, I’d had a lot of unprotected sex with Rocky.

“It’s possible,” I said.

“When was your last period?” Dr. Williams asked.

My cheeks flushed. “About a month ago. It’s never been all that regular, but I think I should have had one by now. But I wasn’t sexually active until recently.”

“How recent?” he asked.

“About a week.”

“Week and a half,” Rocky said.

Was he keeping track? I glanced at him, but he was staring at the doctor, waiting to see what would happen next. Dr. Williams ordered a blood test, and then I had to wait on results. Thankfully, they were able to run the labs at the hospital, and I didn’t have to wait several days like I would have done at most doctor’s offices.

Dr. Williams came back a while later, his arms folded. “I don’t know if a baby is something you were trying for right now, but the test came back positive. You’re pregnant. I’ve actually never seen such a strong positive result for someone who is barely pregnant. Your hCG level is rather high so there’s no margin for error.”

The room spun, and I must have started to slip sideways. Rocky’s arms came around me, and pulled me onto his lap. I leaned against his chest as I processed what the doctor said. Dr. Williams said something else, but all I could hear was a buzzing in my ears. A small piece of paper was handed to Rocky, and then the doctor left.

Rocky helped me to my feet. He was going to pick me up again, but I held up a hand. “I can walk.”

We followed the maze back to the main ER doors. I froze when we stepped into the ER waiting room. I saw Ivan, Torch, and six other Dixie Reapers, their large bodies dwarfing the small plastic chairs. Torch came forward while the others hung back.

“Are you okay, Mara?” he asked.

I nodded. “The doctor thinks I’ll be okay, but said the wounds will likely scar.”

“Sebastian Rossi has been taken care of. He won’t bother you, or anyone else, ever again. I personally made sure of that.”

“Thank you,” I said softly.

Torch nodded, then turned to Rocky. “Take her home. I know you want to help handle the other problem, but you need to focus on Mara right now. Help her heal.”

Rocky held up the paper. “I have to get this filled for her.”

Torch took it. “We’ll take care of it. I’ll have Ivan bring it by later.”

“Won’t the pharmacy need my insurance information?” I asked.

“We’ll pay cash,” Torch said. “I’ll take it from the Dixie Reapers general funds. You were taken on our watch, so I don’t want you to feel responsible. We’re taking care of the hospital bill too.”

“Thank you,” Rocky said.

Torch clapped him on the back. “It’s what brothers do.”

Rocky and Ivan walked with me to the truck, and once everyone was buckled, we headed back to the compound. I was tired, but I was scared to close my eyes. I was never going to forget the look on Sebastian’s face, or his voice as he gleefully described what he would do to me. I wasn’t sure that I would ever sleep again, at least not without nightmares. Rocky hadn’t said much, but I knew he wanted to know everything. I only hoped that he was patient and would give me some time. I felt like I would break at any moment right now. All I wanted was to curl up with him, feel his arms around me.

At the compound, he dropped Ivan off at the clubhouse before going to our little house. I walked inside and went straight to the bathroom. Part of me didn’t want to look, but I needed to know, needed to see. I stepped into the small room and shut the door. Pulling off the scrub top, I stared at my reflection, what parts of me I could see. Blood was already seeping through the bandages so I pulled them off.

The cuts on my face were longer than I’d thought. The tops of my breasts hadn’t fared much better. I cried, the salt of my tears burning the wounds. Why would anyone want me while I looked like this? Could Rocky ever look at me again without remembering what happened? Would he see me bloody and tied naked to a chair every time he saw me now? Sobs wracked my body, and I sat on the toilet, wrapping my arms around myself, as if I could squeeze the broken pieces back together.

The door opened, and Rocky came in, kneeling in front of me. His touch was gentle as he nudged my chin up so I would look at him.

“It’s over,” he said.

“I’m so ugly. You’re never going to look at me the same way.”

He closed his eyes and breathed out harshly. When he opened them again, there was tenderness there that I had never seen before. He leaned forward and softly brushed his lips against mine.

“I’m going to tell you something, and I want you to listen carefully. I thought you were beautiful the first moment I saw you, even with your wounds from the wreck. They may have healed without scarring, but do you think a few lines on your body are really going to change how I feel when I look at you?” he asked.

“But…”

He placed a finger over my lips. “When I realized you were gone, that the bastard had taken you, I was more terrified than I’ve ever been before. Thankfully, one of our Prospects was in the parking lot having a cigarette. He saw the man carry you out a side door and put you in a waiting car. If Tyson hadn’t seen you, hadn’t followed, then I never would have found you. He didn’t have reception where you were being held, or I would have come for you sooner.”

“What are you saying, Rocky?”

“I’m saying… I think I love you, Mara. I’ve never been in love before, but when I thought you were gone, that I might never get you back, my heart hurt. If you had died, I would have wanted to die with you. Just as soon as I put an end to whoever was responsible for taking you from me.”

“You love me?” I asked in a near whisper.

“Yeah, sweet girl. I love you.” He lightly touched my cheek under one of the cuts. “If these scar, the only thing it proves is that you were strong enough to survive. We never have to talk about what happened today, unless you want to. If you need to talk, I’ll listen. But I will never push you to share anything as painful as what you went through today.”

“He was going to rape me,” I said. “He said he’d take me until he tired of me, then give me to his friends. When I wasn’t useful anymore, he was going to turn me into a whore.”

Rocky’s eyes darkened, and his jaw tightened. “Then I’m glad Torch killed that fucker.”

“If Sebastian is dead, his father is going to want revenge. All we did was start a war that we likely won’t win. Carl Rossi is going to want everyone punished who had a hand in his son’s death.”

“Torch is going to take care of Rossi. All I want you to do is focus on getting better.” He placed a hand over my belly. “You’re carrying precious cargo.”

“Are you upset? About the baby, I mean?” I asked. “We never talked about kids…”

“I want kids with you, Mara. If you only want one, then we’ll take precautions after this one. If you think you’d be happy having another one, then we’ll have two. I’m just happy having you in my life, and the fact we created a life together is amazing. Maybe we’ll have a little girl as beautiful as her mother.”

Rocky kissed me again, slow and tender. When I stood up, he helped me out of the scrub bottoms. After redressing my wounds, he led me into the bedroom and helped me into my pajamas. We cuddled on the couch and watched TV, and when my stomach rumbled, he ordered Chinese for us. I spent the rest of the night in his arms, feeling loved and safe.