Desolation

I’ve not told them about my time with Artreau. They know the basics—they know I was a slave, that I was hungry, and had been beaten here and there, but they don’t know the horror I saw. They’ve asked, of course, but I don’t want Santana to ever have to live with that guilt, and if I tell her that’s what will happen.

I nod and he smiles. “Tyke still in there?”

I flush.

“I heard him steal my fuckin’ key and sneak in there. Figured if you didn’t want him in there, you would say so. He’s the only man I’d let in your room.”

I smile nervously. “Yes, he’s still there. I’m running him a bath. His legs are sore.”

Maddox frowns. “Yeah, he ran like a fuckin’ mental dude last night. Nothing was going to stop him.”

“Well, he’s hurt himself, so I’m going to help him.”

Maddox nods. “All right. Well, come down when you want breakfast.”

I duck past him with a muttered thanks, and step into the bathroom. I draw a hot bath and turn to get Tyke, only to see him step into the bathroom. He’s wearing only boxers, too. I’ve never seen him in so little, and I swallow. My eyes move down his broad chest, over his narrow hips, and stop at the clear bulge in his pants. I jerk backwards, and turn away with hot cheeks. Instead, I focus on his legs. I’ve never seen his legs—he’s always been in jeans—and now I can, I see the scars that marr them.

“That looks like it was painful,” I whisper.

He follows my gaze and mutters, “It was.”

“Well,” I say quickly. “I ran a bath and . . .”

He steps forward, stopping me. “Little one, I know I’ve said it, but I want to say it again. I’m sorry about last night.”

I look up into his eyes. “I know you are.”

He leans down and I think he’s going to kiss my head, but instead he brushes the lightest kiss over my lips. My entire body goes rigid and I stop breathing as his soft lips caress mine before he pulls back and steps past me. I walk out numbly, fingers to my mouth. He just kissed me. Why did he just kiss me? I don’t understand.

I walk down the stairs, still in a daze, but stop when I see everyone is here. Well, the usual’s, anyway—Mack and Jaylah, and their two boys, Diesel and Jack, as well as Krypt and Ash, with their twins Phoenix and Quinton. I squirm as all their eyes turn to me. It’s Jaylah who bounces up and rushes towards me, throwing her arms around me.

“I just heard what happened. Are you okay?”

I adore Jaylah; she’s bubbly and funny and cute. She’s the kind of girl I love having around. I pull back and force a smile. “I’m okay.”

Ash stands and comes over, her gray eyes searching mine. She reaches out and takes my shoulders. “You had us worried.”

I smile at her; I adore Ash as much as Jaylah. These girls are like my sisters, and the only members of the club that I’ve gotten close to. They’ve tried to take me out a few times, but I struggle with them. Not because I don’t love them, but because they’re so much louder than me and I don’t want to cramp their style.

“I’m doing just fine. I just came down to get some painkillers for Tyke.”

Their faces crack into wide grins.

“Tyke is in your room?” Santana calls, bouncing Molly on her hip.

“Ah, yeah, he, ah . . .” I flush and turn away.

“Did he sleep with you?” Jaylah giggles.

“Oi,” Mack growls at his wife. “Stop being a pain in the ass and leave her alone.”

Jaylah pokes her tongue out at him, and Ash wraps an arm around my shoulder. “So does this mean Handy Andi is gone?”

I giggle softly at her nickname for Andi. She calls her that, because Andi thinks she knows everything. If there’s a light bulb broken, Andi can fix it; if Tyke’s chair breaks, Andi thinks she has it covered. She sucks at it all, of course, but that doesn’t stop her from trying. So she got handed the name Handy Andi.

“No, we’re just friends,” I say.

Ash frowns. “Boo hoo, that’s no fun.”

“Leave her be, woman,” Krypt grunts from the table.

Ash turns and flips him the bird just as Phoenix comes tearing into the room. The twins are the liveliest little boys I’ve ever met. Phoenix looks exactly like his daddy, and Quinn, his momma. Phoenix runs towards me and he slams into my legs, making me take a step backwards.

“Hey there, little man.” I smile. “Are you behaving?”

He simply giggles, not old enough to form complete sentences, and charges off.

“Slow down there, boy,” Maddox yells at his nephew.

“How’re the boys going?” I ask Ash.

She rolls her eyes, and then grabs her hair. “Are you seeing this gray hair?”

She has none, of course. “You don’t have gray hair,” I scoff.

“It’s coming; I can feel it.”

With that, she runs after her boys. Jaylah’s boys, Jack and Diesel, are playing at Mack’s feet. They’re good kids, but that’s because Mack doesn’t let them get away with any bad behavior. It’s his heritage; he’s a good guy.

“Well, I’m just getting some painkillers.” I rush past Jaylah and into the kitchen. I wrap an arm around Santana’s waist and squeeze her, before kissing Molly’s cheek. “Hey Tana,” I whisper.

She turns and wraps her free arm around me. “You worried me last night, Pippi. Are you sure you’re okay?”