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“Not on your fuckin’ hands and knees your not!” Talon bellows as a large imposing shadow stops just in front of me.
Looking up, I find Talon standing above me. He’s angry as hell and there are several veins and tendons popping out in his face and neck. Shrinking back down, I fall on my ass with my head bouncing off the edge of the bar behind me. Fear fills me. The last time I saw someone this angry, I was beaten on a daily basis. Now, I have no clue what this man is going to do to me. Or any of the men behind him as they stand there with their arms folded across their chests with the same pissed off looks on their faces.
“I’m not gonna hurt you, Red. Not a single man in here will ever lay a hand on you or hurt you in any way. I’m pissed as fuck that you’ve been cleanin’ this place up for hours on end while no one else helps you. This is not your job or responsibility,” Talon says, bending down to help me off the floor. “Now, let me see your head to determine if I need to get Doc here to put stitches or anythin’ in.”
“I’m fine. Can I please just finish doing what I was? It’s the only way I don’t think of my parents,” I tell him honestly, not sure if that should be what I’ve said.
“No, you’re not cleanin’ anymore today, Red. I need you to rest and relax with the bump you just took.”
Giving Talon a nod with tears filling my eyes I quickly make my way toward the stairs. Instead of going back up to Talon’s room where I’ve spent so much of my time here, I spot a door at the end of the hallway. A young man come is coming through it as I skirt around him to make my way outside. I don’t go very far before collapsing to the ground beneath me. With my eyes closed, I tilt my head to the sun as it warms me to the core. With my eyes still closed, I listen on as the backdoor of the clubhouse opens up and closes softly behind someone.
“Hi. We haven’t met before. My name is Jaelyn and I’m Hartley’s sister. Is your name really Red?” the young girl asks me, as I open my eyes and watch her sit down in the grass next to me.
“No. My name is Bronwan,” I tell her, my voice soft and wavering with the tears sliding down my face.
“Is there anything I can do to help you?” she questions me, her voice still quiet.
“I’d really like to call my parents. To see if they’ll actually answer. They need to know I’m okay and not missing. I have no clue how they’re even doing, and I’ve been gone for so long now,” I tell her, not sure she can actually help me. “The few times I’ve tried to call them, there hasn’t been any answer.”
“Here, use my phone to call them.”
Jaelyn hands me over a phone she pulls from the pocket of her shorts. There’s no hesitation on her part as she waits for me to take it.
“Thank you. You don’t have to do this,” I tell, needing her to make sure she knows what she’s doing.
“Of course. You’re not being held prisoner here, Bronwan. If Talon has given you a nickname, it means something. I’m not sure what it means for him because he’s one of the members I’ve spent the least amount of time with, but it still means something to these men,” she says, her voice a little louder than it has been. “And I know he was harsh inside and didn’t want you to clean, but it’s just his way. The prospects and Rebels are the ones who are supposed to be cleaning up around here. They all saw what the kitchen looked like this morning before leaving for work. To have you be the one to clean it up on top of behind the bar means they’re not doing their jobs here. That’s why he was pissed off. And I have to make sure you know not a single man in here willeverlay their hands on you to inflict pain. They will go to the ends of the Earth to protect you and make sure no one ever hurts you again. Now, make your phone call.”
With a small smile on my face, I dial my parent’s phone number once again. It rings and rings breaking my heart they’re not going to answer once again.
“Hello?” my mom asks answering the phone.
“Mom! I can’t believe you finally answered,” I tell her, bursting into tears instead of them rolling down my face silently.
“Baby, where are you? What happened?” my mom questions, her voice filling with excitement, worry, fear, and tears.
“I’m okay mama. Now, I’m okay. I don’t know how much I’m supposed to tell you at this point in time. Just know I’m okay and I’ll come home as soon as I can,” I try to appease her.
“That’s not enough for me Bronwan Martina Smith! You tell me what’s going on. Right now, young lady,” my mom says, firmly scolding me.
“When I went out to the club, some men took me from there and held me hostage. Please don’t ask for any details because I’m not going to put that in your head. All you need to know is I escaped, and a man saved me when I was walking down the side of the road. I’m staying at his clubhouse with him right now. The men who took me are still out there and it’s not safe for me to come home yet. I won’t ever do anything to put you and daddy in jeopardy.”
“Oh, Bronnie. I’m so sorry. What do you need from us?” my mom asks, sniffling on her end of the line.
“I don’t need anything. I’ll call you when I can. I just wanted you to know what was going on and know I’m safe. Where have you and daddy been?” I question my mom, not wanting to get off the phone with her just yet.
“Well, um, I’m not sure we should talk about that right now.”
“Not happening mom. I’ve been trying to call for weeks and there’s been no answer. What’s going on?”
“Your dad is in the hospital sweetheart. He’s okay but has to stay there for a few days while they run some tests and keep an eye on him,” she says, dropping a bombshell on me I wasn’t expecting.
“If he’s okay, why would they be keeping him there Mom? You’re not telling me something.”
“I have to get back up there with him. Call me tomorrow morning and we’ll talk. Okay?”
Without another word, my mom hangs up the phone on me as fresh tears stream down my face. Handing Jaelyn’s phone back over to her, I give her a whispered thank you as she stands up and leaves me alone. There is no attempt at comfort or anything from the young girl because I can’t accept it from her right now. Right now I need to wrap my head around the fact that my dad is in the hospital and I’m not there for him. I’m stuck here in this life that’s not mine and there is no reason for me to still be here for protection. I don’t believe these men are going to come after me. Not when I’m in the hospital with my parents to make sure for myself my dad is really okay.
“Heard you finally talked to your mom,” a man says as I whip my head around to find Lash standing behind me.
