Page 2 of Spider (Hades Abyss MC #1)

I finished my cup and poured another. As I reclaimed my seat, Luciana came downstairs, her tread soft on the staircase.

She froze in the kitchen doorway when she saw me.

I waited, wondering if she’d run the other way or be brave enough to come closer.

I had my answer a moment later when she came farther into the room and looked at the coffeepot with longing.

“You can have a cup. They’re in the cupboard over the coffeemaker. I don’t keep creamer, but there’s regular sugar in the canister on the counter and some milk in the fridge.”

She wordlessly walked to the coffeepot and got down a mug. She filled it, then opened the fridge and pulled out the milk, staring at it a moment. Her questioning gaze met mine. Had the kid never seen milk before? Or maybe it was the fact I had to use the watered-down shit.

“I’m an old man, darlin’. I can’t stomach whole milk anymore. Even the two percent is too rough, so I only stock one percent. If you’ll give me a list of things you need, I’ll have someone pick up a few groceries.”

She added the milk to her coffee and put the carton back in the fridge. After looking around the kitchen with confusion etched on her face, I pointed to the drawer next to the stove. She walked over and slid it open, pulling out a spoon. Luciana sat next to me and stirred her coffee.

“Guess it’s a little stressful and weird to leave your home and go somewhere new,” I said.

She just stared at her cup and didn’t say anything, but I noticed her lower lip trembled a bit.

“Your dad probably has a big mansion in Colombia. I know this place isn’t a palace, but hopefully you’ll be comfortable.”

I honestly hadn’t given a shit. Until now.

The more I watched her, the more certain I became things weren’t as they seemed.

That fucker! Casper hadn’t made a deal with Gomez for his own merit.

He’d been trying to get these girls out of Colombia.

I just didn’t know why, but I would. And soon.

If shit was heading my way, I wanted to be ready.

Luciana sipped her at her coffee and still didn’t say a word.

I noticed her body was tense, and her hand shook a little.

The girl was scared. Was it because of being somewhere new?

Leaving her only home? Or was it something else, something that would likely piss me the fuck off?

I shouldn’t have offered to keep her here.

Anyone else would have been a better option.

Hell, the girls could have shared a room at Rocket’s place, or Luciana could have stayed with Shooter or Knox.

Both were a fucking lot younger than me.

Maybe she worried I’d try to take advantage?

She’d likely be disgusted if I made a move on her, not that I planned on it.

“Luciana, I don’t know what you think of me, and I honestly don’t give a shit. But I can assure you that I don’t take unwilling women, so if you’re worried I’ll force myself on you while you’re here, you’d be wrong.”

She audibly swallowed, and the coffee sloshed over the rim of the mug and onto the table. “You won’t have to force me. I know my place and what’s expected of me.”

What. The. Absolute. Fuck . “Come again?” I asked.

She finally met my gaze and held it for longer than a few seconds. “I’ll do as you ask. Do you want me here?”

She stood and started to unfasten her pants, and it felt like my heart was about to stop.

A picture was forming in my mind, and it wasn’t pretty.

I reached and placed my hand over hers, halting her movement.

Not fast enough that she hadn’t already started to shove her pants down her legs, and not before I saw the marks.

With a growl, I stood fast enough my chair fell over.

Fury filled me as I stared at her lower belly, right above the delicate lace trim on her panties.

Slowly, I reached for her and lifted the hem of her shirt a little.

Enough to see not only more marks, but to notice there was a slight roundness that was too firm to be fat.

I worked her jeans down her thighs and took in the roadmap of pain that was etched into her skin.

“Who did this to you? And whose kid is in your belly?” I asked my voice harsher than I’d intended.

“My father’s men made the marks. The baby…” She licked her lips. “I don’t know.”

“Your father’s men?” I asked, my gaze lifting to hers.

“When I disobeyed, I was given to his lieutenants for punishment. They were permitted to do anything they wanted, as long as it didn’t kill me.”

“And they raped you?”

“Sometimes,” she said. “Usually they just hurt me and whored me out for a night as a reminder that I wasn’t in control of my life. That I was nothing and inconsequential.”

I closed my eyes and focused on breathing before I did something I would regret.

I heard the rustle of clothes and when I looked again, Luciana was completely bare.

Bile rose in my throat when I realized what she thought.

Poor girl thought she’d been sent here as punishment, to be tortured and raped.

And she thought I was enough of a monster to do something like that.

Not that she knew a damn thing about me.

I could understand, considering what she’d been through and the types of men she’d been around.

“Put your clothes on, Luciana.”

“You don’t want me?” she asked softly. “You’re going to send me back?”

“No, honey. I’m not sending you back. Never.

But you’re not here to be fucked. I took you into my home because a powerful man asked for a favor.

Until this moment, I didn’t understand his reasoning.

I don’t think Casper wanted a fucking favor.

He just wanted to make sure you and your sisters were safe.

” I ran a hand down my face and turned away from her.

“Put your clothes on, Luciana. Next time you’re with a man, it will be because you chose him and asked for his cock.

Not because some asshole is taking what isn’t offered. ”

“I don’t have to service you or the others here?” she asked, sounding confused and a little fearful.

“No, you don’t.”

“Then what am I supposed to do?”

“Whatever you’d like, Luciana. I can get you some books, you can watch TV, go for walks. If you leave the compound, you have to have someone with you. Preferably more than one. But you’re not a captive, and you’re damn sure not a whore. No one here will hurt you. Especially not me.”

She didn’t make a move to get dressed, and fuck me if I didn’t want to look.

I was sick with myself over the temptation, but I was a guy who hadn’t fucked anyone in months and I had a beautiful naked woman in my kitchen.

My dick didn’t seem to care that she wasn’t here willingly.

I hoped like hell she didn’t notice I was getting hard.

Despite the marks on her body, she was still stunning, with soft curves.

I’d always been a breast man, and it was hard not to notice that hers were a perfect handful.

“Luciana. Please get dressed,” I said, hoping my tone didn’t sound as strained to her as it did to me.

“You do want me,” she said and moved closer, but I held up a hand.

“Stop. I told you. No one here will force you, and you aren’t a damn whore. Just get dressed and give me some space.”

“You’re going to protect me, yes?” she asked.

“Of course. I’m not a complete asshole.”

“And if my father comes? If he decides he wants me returned?”

“Then I’ll tell him to fuck off.” Did she honestly think I’d just hand her over to that monster?

She came even closer and I groaned as she pressed her breast against my palm. I tried to jerk my hand away, but she wrapped her fingers around my wrist.

“But if I’m yours, then he couldn’t take me, couldn’t force me to go with him,” she said. “I could be yours. Only yours.”

“Luciana.” Fuck, was that my voice? The woman was killing me. “I’m too Goddamn old for his shit. I’m probably your grandpa’s age. Let me go… and put your clothes on. I mean it, girl. There are plenty of younger men in this club if you want to convince someone to make you their old lady.”

“Old lady?” she asked, and yet she still didn’t release my fucking hand. I could have jerked it away, but I didn’t want to accidentally hurt her. And all right, so I was an asshole because I liked the feel of her breast in my hand. Satan was holding a special seat for me.

“It’s what we call the women we patch, ink, and claim. Except my club only has one, and she lives with the Dixie Reapers.”

“She’s with another group of men?” Luciana asked.

“Yes.” Damn. My voice sounded strangled even to my own ears. “My son, Ryker, lives there with her. She’s his wife. His old lady. And they have a kid together. My grandson. So see, I’m too fucking old for you, Luciana. Let me go, girl.”

She pressed my hand tighter to her breast. “Do I feel like a girl to you?”

Jesus Christ . Was she trying to kill me? I gave up my battle and turned to face her. Instead of drawing away, I pulled her against my body and ground my cock against her, letting her feel how hard I was.

“Is this what you want? You want to feel how hard I am because a naked woman is in my damn kitchen pressing herself against me? You want to hear that I think you’re beautiful, sexy, and that my dick would love to be inside you?”

She gasped and her eyes darkened, but it wasn’t with fear. Fucking hell. She seemed turned on by my words.