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The big rectangular building we’d parked in front of was familiar though. I’d been to more than a couple of parties here. We’d played pool in the back room, done shots at the bar. Had my ass spanked by Fang in the middle of a common area while the entire club watched after I’d broken one of their rules. That had been fun.
We’d had mind-blowing sex afterward, with me tied to Fang’s bed in the clubhouse while he licked every inch of my body.
Good times.
Ones that seemed like a lifetime ago, before Caleb and his friends. Before my mom…
A hiccuping sob rose in my chest, and I put my hands to my face, pressing my fingertips tight against closed eyes, trying to stem the flow of tears.
“Hey, don’t do that.” His voice was soft as he pulled my hands away. He brought one to his lips and kissed my fingertips.
It only made it harder to fight back the tears. “Please don’t,” I whispered. “I can’t handle you being nice to me right now.”
He pulled my arm and helped me from the bike. “Too bad. I’m taking care of you. Can you walk?”
My legs wobbled, but I fiercely nodded that I could.
His disapproval was written all over his scowl. “No, you fucking can’t. Come ’ere.”
Even if I’d wanted to protest, I couldn’t. He had me up in his strong arms before I could get a word out. On instinct, I wrapped my arms around his neck and buried my face there, breathing in his familiar scent because it was the only thing that made sense right now.
“What on earth you got there, Fang?” Queenie’s thick Southern accent rang through the clubhouse.
She was the wife of one of the other guys and a good friend of mine, even though she had ten years on me. She was always sweet, but right now, I couldn’t even look at her.
“Rebel. Taking her to my room. Tell the others I’m not available until tomorrow.”
Queenie laughed. “Off for some more wild monkey sex, huh? Get it, girl.”
That was my reputation. The good-time girl. Lover of men and sex. Life of the party. Confident in my skin.
“It ain’t like that, Queenie. Not today.” Fang’s voice was deep and gruff, even more clipped than normal.
I lifted my head, my watery eyes meeting Queenie’s deep-brown ones, and the smile fell straight off her brown face. “Oh, honey. What happened?”
A lump rose in my throat, and I shook my head. I couldn’t do this with her right now. It was too much. It was bad enough Fang was here to watch me fall apart. This wasn’t who I was. Some weak girl who needed people to look after her. I’d always had my own back. I’d prided myself on how strong and independent I was.
Yet when it came to the crunch, I’d been pathetic. Too weak to fight Caleb and his friends off. Too small to protect myself. He’d broken something inside me, and now I couldn’t even get it together emotionally, let alone physically.
I couldn’t even save my mom when she was right there in front of me.
I hated the woman I was right now. Hated her with every ounce of my being, and yet I couldn’t stop.
Despite Queenie trotting after us, peppering us with questions all the way down the hall, Fang just kept going, straight into his room, kicking the door shut behind us.
There was a pause, then Queenie’s worried voice called through. “I’ll hang around. If there’s anything you need…food, drinks… I’ll be here.”
“Thank you,” I mumbled, but I wasn’t sure it was loud enough for her to hear.
Fang sat on the bed, the springs squeaking beneath his heavy weight.
I struggled to get out of his arms, but they tightened around me, keeping me on his lap.
Panic roared in. “Let me go, Fang!”
He did instantly, his grip loosening, and I shot across the room, back to the wall, chest heaving with panicked breaths.
Confusion flickered in his blue eyes. “What’s going on?”