“Gotta get to the ditch and take cover,” Shadow orders as we dart out the way we’d come.
I barely get into the ditch and brace when the deafening noise of the building exploding resounds around us.
Fuckin’ hell that was close.
Only good thing is we’d gotten my woman out of there. Next up, getting her the help she needs.
Chapter Three
Cara
“Brother, you know he’s going to be pissed for not being kept in the loop.”
“Don’t care. Doing this for her. She wouldn’t want him to be around her like this.”
“It’s your funeral.”
“He’ll get over it once he sees reason.”
“If that were my sister laying there in a hospital bed, I’d want to be told right a-fuckin’-way.”
“Coyote’s had enough shit to deal with lately and he doesn’t need to come down here when he’s got his kid and ol’ lady to take care of.”
“Doesn’t matter, brother, I’d still carry my ass down here to lay eyes on my sister regardless.”
The conversation around me filters through the haze pulling me out of the nightmares chasing me. What’s going on? Last thing I remember . . .
Oh God.
Thrashing my head side to side, I try to erase the memory away. The men raping me. All of them, but the one who enjoyed it the most was the least expected, Dicky. He’d been the one who destroyed me completely. The way he told me no one would be able to help me, that I was ruined for anyone else.
It was my lesson to be learned, as well as my brother’s and everyone in his club, especially the members from Twister’s club. This was an act of regaining themselves as the Dragons Fire MC.
“Shit.” One of the voices that had been talking mutters. “Shh, Cara, it’s okay. You’re safe. We got you.” I know that voice. Dreamt it many times, only to shake it away.
Nerd.
Please kill me now.
I never wanted him to see me like this.
The man I’ve been in love with since nearly forever and now I’m ruined completely.
Forcing my eyes open, I tilt my head to meet his gaze. Tears well in my eyes as I take in the pity in his.
“Hey,” he murmurs.
“Please leave,” I say, my throat scratchy and hurting from being raw.
Nerd tenses, his shoulders going taut. “What?”
My heart sinks in my chest as the pity I’d seen flickers to hurt. I know he’s only here because of my brother. Not me.
I heard him. He said it all only a minute ago.
Diverting my gaze from Nerd, I fiddle with the sheet at my waist.
“You need to leave. All of you,” I whisper.
“Baby,” Nerd breathes.
Shaking my head, I close my eyes. “Leave,” I state again. “Just leave, I don’t want you here. None of you. Go.”
By the time I say the last word I’m screaming. My throat tightens as tears spill down my cheeks, as I open my eyes again and lift my head I find Nerd staring at me, this time anger filling his gaze.
“Brother, let’s give her some time.” This comes from Tracker who I’d seen behind Nerd but didn’t pay attention to.
Without a word, Nerd turns on his heel, storms out of my room. The rest of the men in the room do the same, only Rage stays for a brief second to stare at me. A look of sorrow on his face. I don’t know why but it’s as if he understands me and my need right now. Giving me a chin lift, he leaves the room.
Once the door closes behind Rage, I let the first sobs escape as I turn my head away from the door. Why did this have to happen to me? They targeted me for reasons I don’t understand. I don’t have to get their reasons to know I’ll never be able to have the man I want. Sure, back at school I’d been seeing Josh. It was casual but he knew I wasn’t looking for anything real. Not when I intended to come home after school, and he was going to go his way. But regardless, we’d become good friends.
God, what have I done to deserve the hell I’m in?
Closing my eyes, I roll to my side facing away from the door. Pulling my knees up into a fetal position, I wince as pain radiates through my body at the movement.
Agony consumes my body as I cry for everything those monsters took from me.
“Babe, you really need to talk to someone,” Rage mutters as he stands at the foot of the bed in my room. A room in his and Cleo’s house. After being discharged, I refused to go home. I’m sullied and my brother doesn’t need me around him or his family.
I’d told Cleo this when she’d come into my hospital room later after I’d woken up. Evidently, Rage called her in, and she brought another woman named Ally with her. They didn’t say anything at first but nearly climbed into the already small bed wrapping me in their warmth as I continued to cry.
After a while, Cleo told me her story and how she’d nearly killed herself because of what happened to her. If it wasn’t for Stoney walking in on her when he did, she’d be gone right now and not married with a baby at home.
As Cleo finished, Ally told me hers. Both heartbreaking and horrific. I swear it makes what happened to me seem like nothing. I actually voiced this and Ally made a point to explain to me no matter how little was done or not it’s not okay and it’s not a contest on who was hurt worse.
Knowing she’s right I nodded my head and sat quietly still with them surrounding me. Sometime later, after falling asleep they’d left, and I barely remember or in all honesty it could have been a dream of Nerd leaning over me to press a kiss against my temple. “I know you’re hurtin’ right now, baby, but you’ll always be my girl. Whether you choose to believe me or not. I’m here and will be when you’re ready.”
Those words have rung through my mind repeatedly over the past week as I left the hospital and moved into the guest room in Rage and Cleo’s home.
“Rage, I’m not ready,” I murmur, pulling my legs up to my chest as I sit against the headboard. I barely left the room except when Rosaline coaxed me into playing with her. No way I could deny the beautiful girl anything.
Being that Cleo’s been sick with morning sickness, it’s the least I can do to help her. The only time I don’t is when Rage is home. He then makes sure everything is taken care of. I love the way he adores his wife and daughter. I hate feeling like I’m stepping on toes, so I stay in my room to give them all space. I also do this to block out the world. I haven’t spoken with anyone, not even Ember when she called. Coyote calls constantly but I’ve yet to take his calls either. I have at least texted him.
“Cara, you’re gonna have to. You can’t live your life stuck in this house. Considering you won’t talk to your brother, who is going out of his mind worrying about you,” Rage states.
“Please, Rage, I can’t face him. Or any of them,” I say, closing my eyes to keep the tears at bay. Not a good idea when you already are fighting the demons away. In the dark it’s far worse; however, if I close my eyes for the tiniest second, Dicky’s face pops into my head. And each time I see his face terror shoots through my entire being.
“Know this is hard on you, Cara. Cleo went through the same thing, either find someone to talk to about this or I’m finding someone for you,” Rage declares as my eyes pop open and stare at him in horror.