Page 28 of Liberator (Serpent Sinners MC #2)

Chapter 28

Vikki

I was dancing, doing a slow-motion striptease to make the inevitable moment of facing my fate as far away as possible. I was trying to send my mind to somewhere just as far away so that only my body would be subject to the humiliation of being used.

My ‘client’ was drunk. He’d already slobbered all over my neck, and I could smell his stale beer on myself. It was sickening.

Trixie was in the room next door of the rent-by-the-hour motel. Today was the first time I’d seen her in a week. She wasn’t as defiant and ready to claim adulthood as she’d been on that first day. The things she’d been through after that had made her compliant and depressed. She’d refused to look me in the eye or speak at all.

My dress hit the filthy floor and I was left in only a thong. My client hooked a stubby finger in the thin strap on my hip and yanked. That was as far as he got. The door burst open and two armed men came in.

I froze, not even bothering to cover my bare breasts due to the sudden shock. My client fell to the floor and began begging, “Don’t hurt me. I can give you money. Take the girl. She doesn’t mean anything to me.”

“Get the fuck out!” one of the men shouted at him.

He ran out the door in just his boxers, his fat belly jiggling as he went.

“Get dressed. You’re coming with us,” the same man demanded.

Confused, I said, “What…who…I don’t.”

“Look lady. We’re not here to hurt you, and we don’t want to fuck you. We’ve got orders to get you out of this hellhole and back to where you belong. We’re the damn calvary.”

The relief was overwhelming. My assignment was over, and I was still alive. I’d been terrified since I’d lost the phone that my cover was blown. I’d expected to be executed at any time.

“I’m not leaving unless you get Trixie, too,” I stated with as much bravado as I could.

“Who the hell is Trixie?”

“She’s the girl next door. She needs out of here as much as I do,” I replied.

“Shit! You’re just as crazy as your fucking boyfriend. He’s the reason we’re all gonna be screwed if old Petrov gets wind of this shit. You dumb asses want to save every-freaking-body.”

“Rage! What does he have to do with this? Where is he?” I demanded.

“He got his stupid ass captured trying to save you. Zoe sent the whole damn army after him. We lost the draw and got sent for you. Now let’s get out of here. I’ve got orders to take you to that damn motorcycle bar.”

“You’re going to get Trixie, too. Then, you’re taking me to Rage, not the fucking bar. I have to see for myself that he’s alive. You’ll do as I say or I’ll make sure Petrov knows everything,” I replied.

“One girl or two, who gives a shit? This assignment is bullshit. At least I got to scare the actual shit out of that damn pimp. I nicked his wiener with the tip of my knife, and he told me his life story before he shit his pants. Even the bitch with him had a good laugh. I don’t think he’ll ever be the same again. He sure as hell won’t get any respect from his competition when the story hits the street. It doesn’t much matter to me where I take you. Get your ass moving if you want to get to the compound before it’s all over. I wouldn’t mind a little of the action myself.”

Trixie’s client had already fled when the men went in to get her. He’d heard everything going on next door and decided he wasn’t waiting to see what would happen to him. Trixie came quietly until my rescuers began their speed race to the compound. Then, she started screaming.

“Let me out! You’re going to kill us all! Drop me somewhere!” she shouted, on and on and on.

“Tell the bitch to shut her mouth or I’m throwing her ass out of the car while it’s still moving!”

I clamped a hand over her mouth and whispered, “These guys mean what they say. You’re extra baggage to them. This is the fucking mafia. If you think the cartel is bad, then you better understand that the mafia is a hundred times worse.”

She began to whimper and squeeze my hand until I thought all my fingers would break, but she didn’t yell anymore.

We drove directly into a war zone. Bodies were everywhere. Buildings were blown to bits. Bullet holes riddled those that were left standing. Women, teenagers, and a few kids ran as fast as they could through the gates and into the tree line, disappearing like wraiths. Trixie scrambled out of the car and without saying goodbye followed them.

I didn’t chase her. I knew she’d find a way to survive just as I had. I needed to get to Rage, who I wasn’t so sure was going to make it. He’d come here for me and now I might lose him. A feeling of deep regret settled in my heart. I’d never told him I loved him, and I might not get that chance again.

None of us knew where to go until we heard a scream. It was the kind that sent shivers up my spine and made the hair on my arms stand up. It was the sound of agony so bad that the screamer would rather be dead. It had to be Rage for me to feel it in my bones.

I raced past my rescuers and straight to the open doorway where the screams were still coming from, though not as loudly. I tripped and nearly tumbled down the steep, dark stairs. I saw Prime on his knees, cradling a man who had to be Rage, yet looked nothing like him.

His face was a mass of bruises and blood. It was so swollen he could barely crack an eyelid open. He was curled against Prime, and his upper body looked twisted. His screams had turned to mumbles that only Prime could decipher.

“The coward ran,” Prime translated for us. “Aguilar himself did this, but when he heard the explosions he ran.”

“Vikki.”

My name came out like a sigh from Rage’s lips.

“We’ll find her,” Prime said.

“I’m here,” I replied. I stumbled forward and fell down to kiss Rage’s poor face. I was scared to touch him for fear of causing more pain.

“Rage, it’s going to be okay. I’m so sorry. This is all my fault. I shouldn’t have left a note. I should have made Prime tell you I’d run away and didn’t want to be found. You stubborn mule, I bet you’d have looked for me anyway. Damn your temper! Damn my foolishness!” I proclaimed while I sobbed, and a river of tears fell from my eyes.

“You should back up. We need to pop his shoulder back in. We can’t move him until we do,” Colt told me as he tried to pry me off the floor.

“I won’t go. Let me help. Look at him! He’s cut up and those are cigar burns. What if he’s bleeding inside? He can’t die!”

“Some of the pain will end if we put his shoulder back in place. You’re not strong enough to yank it in place. You’ll just cause him more pain, and I know you don’t want that. Let us do it, then you can clean his wounds on the way to the club since Doc’s not with us,” Colt answered, still tugging on me.

My tears dropped on Rage’s face when I leaned down to touch my lips to his and whisper, “I’m sorry I was so wishy-washy about us. I won’t be now. You can count on it.”

Rage tried to raise a hand to touch me, but he couldn’t. I cried harder but moved.

Colt, Prime, and a prospect named Gabe surrounded Rage. The sound of the crunching and sudden pop mixed with Rage’s scream made me so sick I threw up, then sagged against the wall. He didn’t make another noise, so I feared he’d died.

“He passed out,” Prime told me, turning me into his arms while motioning for the Sinners to carefully carry Rage outside. “I’m glad to see you’re alive. I owe you an apology for not coming for you the moment you ditched the phone.”

“No, Prime. This mess was all for nothing. I didn’t ditch it. I dropped it at the farm right after I sent the videos. I didn’t have time to pick it up before I had to run. I was never in danger. I heard a man picked it up and decided to keep it for his daughter. I guess Aguilar found it but didn’t know it was mine. I should’ve found a way to get in touch with you. I tried once but a guard caught me,” I explained.

“It could have easily gone the other way. I regret not coming for you sooner. If I had two of my men wouldn’t be in such dire situations. I’m thankful that Zoe had the courage and the loyalty of her men to go against her father to provide help. Aguilar would have eventually grown tired of torturing Rage to get your name out of him, and he would have killed him,” Prime stated.

During the following week I kept watch over Rage, though I was certain he didn’t know it. I only dared to go to the hospital at times I knew he was sleeping. I stood in his doorway and stared at him as he took each precious breath. I had to see for myself that he remained alive and safe. He’d risked his life coming for me. I owed him the promise I held in my heart but was so afraid of admitting.

His bruises went from black to blue to yellow as the swelling left his face and he began to resemble the man who meant more to me than my own life. The burns and cuts began to heal, and I learned that the physical therapy for his shoulder was helping him return to normal.

Still, I feared what his reaction to me would be now that he was no longer in agony and had a clear mind. I was a fallen woman, used for my body, this time with my permission. What if he didn’t want me?

I was standing at the door to his room a week after he’d been rescued when he suddenly opened his eyes. I was jolted by surprise and ready to run. He stopped my flight with one word.

“Don’t,” he said.

“Don’t what?” I asked in a shaky voice.

“Don’t run away. Don’t cry. Don’t think those terrible thoughts. I’ve known every time you’ve been here. I could feel your presence. I didn’t say anything because I realized you required time to heal just as I did. There’s no need to cry. We’re all safe and mistakes, even huge ones, are forgiven when it’s family. I can almost hear your thoughts. You believe I’ll turn you away because of what you had to do. I won’t. I treasure you more for it, for your bravery and your selflessness. Come in, please,” he replied.

I moved to the bed in slow motion. I took his handsome face in my hands and said, “I have to tell you something. It’s what I should have said long ago. I was broken, alone, and scared of everything. You changed all that. You became important, vital to me. I feared that if I told you that you’d disappear. You’ve shown me that’s not true. So, if you still want me, I’m completely yours now.”

“I’ll always want you, and you were always mine. I tried to tell you, but you were too stubborn to listen,” he answered with a cheeky grin. “I’m always right and I won the argument, so you owe me.”

“Oh really? What do I supposedly owe you?” I asked.

“Climb into this bed and I’ll show you,” he dared.

“Are you crazy? Not only can we be caught, but I could destroy your poor body,” I argued.

“Getting caught might be fun. It’s kind of kinky, which makes life interesting. And you’re welcome to destroy my body any day. I want you, Vikki.”

How was I supposed to say no? It was impossible. I settled myself on top of him and our risky future began.