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“Sam was just saying how she liked being at the club. She’s so young.”
“We will find them,” King says. “They have attacked our home, killed and injured our men, and taken women under our protection. This war has just turned. There will be no mercy.” As soon as we got to our home and found the destruction left there, we all knew what was to come. This was the first attack in this war, but as we know, the winner in a war is those who have been left standing at the end. I have a feeling that there will be many more deaths before this war is over.
Dakota looks over at me. I can see the worry in her eyes. Taking her hand, I pull her off her chair and into my lap. I want her as close to me as possible. Pulling her against my chest, I hug her close. “It will be okay, baby. Everything will be okay,” I whisper against her hair, but I know that is a lie, as things have just gotten a whole lot worse, and nothing will be okay for a long time to come.
DAKOTA 20
It has been a week since the attack, and since then, things have changed radically here at the house. I have handed Gloria my resignation, as I have realized that I can’t continue placing her in danger. Maybe when all of this is over, I can go back to help her, but for now, there is a lot I can help with around here. Gunner was allowed to come home three days after being at the hospital, as the doctor didn’t want the others to suspect why he was healing so fast. I have been looking after him and making sure that he doesn’t overdo it.
I have also given Hunter a list of items that we might need in the future in case of this happening again. King has arranged for the men to clear out an area for me to set up in case of any emergency. The men have been fortifying the area, making sure that no one gets onto the property without us knowing about it. Hunter has spent most of his time out, either out fortifying the property or out with the others. I don’t know what they are doing when they go out, but every time he leaves, I worry that I might not see him again.
Since the attack, the guys have been more reserved. I don’t hear the teasing and comebacks as there was before. They are tenser, and arguments start with the least provocation. Everyone is on edge, but I believe that as things start to settle, we will find our footing once again and things will get back to what they were.
I hear bikes, which tells me that Hunter is home. Rushing downstairs, I head towards the front where I know he will be parking his bike. As I step outside, I know something is different, and then I see they have a woman on the back of Hawk’s bike. Rushing forward. I throw myself into Hunter’s arms. He hugs me close as he picks me up against his chest.
“Miss me?” he asks, a growl in his voice.
“I always miss you when you’re gone,” I reply just before he lowers his head, taking my lips in a blistering kiss. When we break apart, he lowers me to my feet again and turns towards where Hawk is carrying Sam inside.
“Oh, you found Sam,” I say happily, but before I can rush towards them, Hunter places his arms around my waist from behind and holds me against his chest as he lowers his head to my shoulder.
“They have hurt her; she’s going to need some time to heal, and I don’t think it will only be her body. Since rescuing her, we haven’t been able to get a word out of her. Maybe you can ask her if she knows where the others are.” My heart breaks at the horror that I suspect Sam must have gone through.
“I’ll let you know if she says anything,” I whisper. Hunter kisses my cheek and then the top of my head as he lets go of me. I reluctantly follow Hawk into the house and down the corridor to where I was arranging the makeshift sick area. He places Sam down on the bed and steps back. I can see the concern on his face as he looks down at Sam as she immediately rolls into a ball.
“It’s okay, Hawk. Why don’t you go find yourself something to eat?” I say. I can see the reluctance in his body as he looks over at me and then back at Sam. Finally, he nods and turns, but at the door, he stops and looks over his shoulder at me.
“If she needs anything, just call,” he says, and then leaves. I lookback towards Sam, my stomach tightens in anger and sadness when I see the bruises on her body. Her clothes are dirty, and it’s clear that she was abused by the marks on her clothes.
“Have you got any pain?” I ask, but she doesn’t reply. She just lies here with her eyes closed to close out everything around her. “You are safe now, Sam, and we will all be here to help you.” A tear streaks down her cheek, but again, she doesn’t reply. I turn towards the sink and fill a little tub with water. Leaning down, I pick up one of the little towels I placed there and wet it in the warm water.
“I’m going to try to wash away some of the dirt, Sam. If I hurt you, just let me know and I’ll stop.” I start with her arms. Soon, the water is dark with dirt. I change the water and continue until I’m happy that she’s relatively clean, or as clean as she will be unless she showers.
“The doctor will be called. He will have to examine you, sweetie, to make sure that you are okay.” I disinfect the cuts on her wrists. It’s clear that she was tied. I hope the men find the other women from the hell that Sam clearly endured.
“Sam, I need to ask you. Do you know where Cherry and Didi are being kept?” She makes a choking noise, and then more tears streak down her cheeks. “Please, Sam, if you know, you need to tell me so we can get them out. You don’t want them to be there any longer, do you?”
She finally opens her eyes and then looks up at me. The emptiness in her eyes has tears filling my eyes. I can just imagine the horrors that this woman has been through. How can a human being do this to another?
“They killed them.” The whispered words are so quiet that at first, I’m surprised, but then when the words register, I gasp. Oh, oh no. The tears that I have been holding at bay spill down my cheeks. I didn’t really know them except from seeing them around, but to know that they were killed by those men has me gasping in pain. That could have been me if I had still been sitting on that chair. I pull out my phone and send Hunter a text to let him know that the others have been killed. It will be a blow to all the men, knowing that they weren’t able to save the women in time, but at least they got Sam back, and I will make sure that she comes out of this okay, or as okay as humanly possible.
Hunter has told me a hundred times how relieved he was that I didn’t listen and went into the woods. I know that he feels guilty that I’m in this situation because of him, but I have come to realize that I would be nowhere else then where he is. Hunter has given me what I never knew I was looking for. He cares for me and shows me that he cares. He makes me smile even when things are bad, and he lets me be the woman I want to be, not trying to change anything about me.
I feel his absence when he’s not around, and when he’s near, the warmth and excitement that fills me tells me of the complete and unexpected love that I have found in my life. In a way, I thank Jason for having driven me towards running away here and for making me the person I am today, because I have found that I am stronger and more able to handle the situation that I am in because of what I had to endure.
“Well, hello, darling. Seems like this is becoming a habit.” I jump in fright, as I didn’t hear the doctor. He walks into the room. Behind him, Hunter grunts in annoyance.
“You are becoming way too familiar, Doc,” he mutters.
“Hi, Doc, welcome,” I greet as I frown at Hunter. What has gotten into him?
“What?” he asks innocently.
“Well, what have we got today?” the doctor asks, ignoring Hunter and me. “Now what did they do to you, my dear?” He sits on the bed next to Sam and takes her hand in his. I feel Hunter’s hand in mine. Looking up, I see him inclining his head towards the door, and I nod. It is better that Sam be examined by the doctor alone. I’m sure she has had enough humiliation without having more people around to witness her pain.
I follow Hunter out of the room, closing the door behind me. “Where are you taking me?” I ask as Hunter guides me out of the house. He looks over his shoulder and winks at me. At this moment, I could just forget everything. Being alone with Hunter is the best part of my day. I don’t complain when he decides to take me away from this dark reality in which we’re living at the moment. When we are standing before the club, Hunter stops. Looking up at him, I frown when I see a grin splitting his face.
“What are you up to?” I ask suspiciously.
