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School the next day was uncomfortable as shit.Hammer hadn’t been drunk enough to make mistakes like he did the last time and mark my face.Oh, no.He knew better.Hammer might be many things, but stupid he wasn’t.He learned from his mistakes.The first thing he’d done when he entered my bedroom last night was to put my shoulder back in place.It had hurt worse going back in than it had coming out.
I avoided Apple and Lemon.Neither girl could do anything to help and there was every possibility I’d only get them hurt.Or worse.Anything Hammer could use to keep me under his control, he would.If that meant killing an innocent, I had no doubt he would.My dad kept everything he could about Grim Road from me, but I knew they were all killers.Every single one of them.They were casual about it.Secrets floated around that compound like ghosts and I knew more than my fair share.
I was about to leave the building and head to where Hammer always picked me up.He got angry if I wasn’t waiting on him, so I hurried as fast as I could.Which, given how sore I was and the fact that I was pretty sure I had a couple of broken ribs, wasn’t very fast.
“Scarlet!”I cringed.I’d chew my own arm off if that wasn’t Lemon.“Scarlet, wait!”
“I can’t, Lemon.”I glanced over my shoulder at her.The last thing I wanted was for Hammer to see me with Lemon again.I needed him to think I’d severed ties with her, or at least, for him to think we weren’t close.Which, I guess we weren’t.I hadn’t known her and Apple long.“I have to go.”
“We can help you, Scarlet.”Lemon grabbed hold of my left hand.I hadn’t missed that she was careful of my right arm.Had she known how badly I’d been hurt?
“No, Lemon.All you’ll do is get hurt.I need to go.”
“Stop.”Lemon hissed her command and tightened her grip on my hand.“Just…stop.”
I was getting desperate.I figured I only had a couple of minutes before Hammer pulled up at the school.I needed to get going.“I can’t.I have to go.He’ll get angry if…”
“I can’t help you if you keep going back to him, Scarlet.Come with me and Apple.Stitches can take care of any injuries you have, and the guys will protect you.”
It was almost more than I could take.One tear leaked from my eye, but I batted it away.“He’ll hurt everyone he can that I love if I leave.Starting with my sisters back in Florida.”Lemon sucked in a breath, her features hardening.She might be only seventeen, but Lemon was going to command all she surveyed.Soon.God help anyone who went against her when she grew into her attitude.
“The Tzars will protect your sisters.All you have to do is tell us where they are, and Wylde can make sure they’re safe.”
“Wylde isn’t your president.”
“No, but he’s the motherfucking tech guy.He’ll take out anyone in that fucking club of your father’s he has to, to keep you and your sisters safe.So will Sting and the rest of the guys, but Wylde can do it digitally.Nothing can be traced back to the club or you.”
I sighed, scrubbing a hand over my face.“It’s not that simple.”
“Sure it is,” she persisted.“Come home with us.Let me and Apple take care of everything.”
I should have known Apple wasn’t far away from Lemon.As different as the twins’ personalities were, they were inseparable.Apple put her hand gently on my shoulder before giving me a worried look.“Lemon’s right, Scarlet.We can help you.”
I gave her a grateful but wistful smile.“I know you think you can.But you can’t.No one can.I can’t risk my sisters.If he finds out about any of this, he’ll do something horrible to them.”I could see Lemon processing this, wanting to say something else, but I didn’t have time for a conversation.I gently extracted myself from both of their grips.“I have to go.”Then I hurried outside to meet Hammer.
He was waiting by the curb where he always picked me up.One look at his face and I wished I’d taken Lemon up on her offer to take me back to the Iron Tzars clubhouse.I whimpered and tried to back away, but he shook his head.A warning.
Trembling, terrified beyond belief, I climbed on behind him.When Hammer took off, I could almost hear my death knell.I had to hold on.For my sisters.I had to do what he wanted so I could protect them.
When we got back to the little house he’d rented, he got off the bike, then yanked my upper arm so he practically dragged me off and inside.Where no one could see us.The second he shut the door, he gripped my hair, and pulled me close so he could stare down into my face.
“What’d you tell those bitches at school?Huh?I know you told them something.They both gave me looks that shoulda sent me six feet under.”
“I didn’t tell them anything, Hammer.They ain’t stupid.I didn’thaveto say anything.”
He backhanded me then, sending me flying across the floor.“Stupid cunt!If you cost me my chance to get into the Tzars, I’ll fucking gut your sisters while you watch.Then I’ll skin them alive.”
“I heard your conversation with that man from Iron Tzars.”I was angry, bordering on reckless now.I had to be careful, but it was hard.I’d had to control my temper for so long I wasn’t sure how much more I could manage.“If you don’t get in, it’s not because of me.It’s because you refused to let them see me.Besides, if my dad knew what you were doing here with another club,andwhat you were doing to me he’d kill you!”I was hurt.Hurt and angry.I was so tired of being so fucking helpless!I’d never been in this situation in my life.My mother might have died when my sisters were born, but my dad had been there for us.Even when he couldn’t be physically with me, he’d made sure I had someone watching over us.Taking care of me.He’d treated me like a princess.
Hammer just laughed, the sound sinister and foreboding.“Claw is the one who gave you to me, bitch.You honestly think he cares what I do with my own woman?”
“I’m not your woman,” I spat out.“I’ll never be your woman!”
He backhanded me again, harder this time.I tasted blood as the room spun and my vision blurred.
“Youaremy woman.Only reason I ain’t fucked you is because you ain’t worth fuckin’.At least, not yet.”He gave me a maniacal smile, one that had me wishing I’d kept my mouth shut.“Once I’ve worked you over, though…” He shrugged.“Maybe I’ll let the guys in Grim have a go at you first.Then I’ll see if I want what’s left.You know.After they break you in.”
No matter how much I knew better, no matter how hard I tried not to show fear, I whimpered.The implication was clear.He’d beat me half to death.Then he’d do whatever he wanted with me.
