Page 14 of Living Without

Talon threw his head back and roared with laughter. “Jesus, Blackie, it’s a wonder you’re prez.”

Blackie’s smile was devious. “I have my ways to make sure people follow the line.” He moved his gaze to Fang. “You got somethin’ you wanna say?”

“I want out.”

“Known it for a while, kid. You gonna be Hawks?”

Fang looked to Dodge, who nodded. “Yep.”

“Good.” Blackie grunted and then called over his shoulder, “Cuff.”

Parker in his Venom club get-up stalked forward.

Blackie, with his fist, clipped Parker in the shoulder before he turned to Dodge. “Wanna take your pig with you?”

Everyone tensed.

Blackie laughed. “I ain’t stupid. I let you have your play and have Fang and Cuff stay in my club to show I was clean of all things Baxter. Ain’t my fault I have members who are stupid.”

“There’s always someone,” Dodge said.

“True that. Now get the fuck off my property so we can resume our party.” We started for our rides as Dallas pulled in with a van to take the Venom members we’d tagged back to our compound. “Yo,” Blackie called. We turned. “Hope you find her real soon. No one touches a princess.”

He was right, because if they did, their lives would be ours, and I was ready to end some lives.

Chapter Five

NARY

The footsteps in the hall caused my body to quiver. The hairs on the back of my neck rose and had me wrapping my arms around my knees tightly as I brought them to my chest, closing my eyes. If only I had Dorothy’s magic red shoes and I could wish myself home. Instead, when I opened my eyes again as the door was pushed in, I realised wishing would get me nowhere.

Kelsey was thrown to the floor and before they managed to close the door, leaving us in the dark, I saw red staining her lip and nightshirt.

My heart broke for her. She’d been going through it all for eight months on her own.

Eight months, yet there I was having been taken for a few hours, and already I wanted to break down.

Going to my knees, I quickly felt my way over the filthy floor to where they’d dumped Kelsey. My hand bumped into her arm first. She squealed and tried to shift back.

“It’s okay. It’s Nary.”

She settled somewhat, though like my body, the shivering never stopped.

“Come on, let’s get you to the mattress.” I stood, knowing there weren’t any obstacles in our way. I helped her up and guided her slowly over to the mattress. As soon as my foot touched the edge, I turned her and shifted her enough to sit. Once I was next to Kelsey, I wrapped my arms around her and brought her in close. Her body never settled as it continuously shook. Her breath caught and she let out a loud keening, before she turned into me and sobbed.

Tears formed in my eyes and overflowed, spilling down my cheeks. “They’ll pay. They will.”

I felt her nod. She didn’t say anything, and really, there wasn’t anything to say. All I could do was offer her comfort. I bit my bottom lip as my stomach pivoted to the bottom. I hurt for her. However, the pain she’d suffered for the past eight months was nowhere near anything I’d felt before. Even after being shot and the recovery, it wouldn’t be anything compared to eight months of hell.

As I pulled her back with me to lean us against the wall, all the time holding her, I couldn’t help but think of the days I lay in hospital after Cameron, Josie’s stalker, had shot me when I’d tried to shout for help. At the time, I’d thought those were my worst days, the agony I’d been in. I couldn’t eat, drink, or brush my teeth without it hurting. On occasion, especially when I saw myself in the mirror, I was stupid enough to wonder what it would have been like, if he’d just taken my life that day.

However, realising what was probably to come to me in the next few days, weeks, months, I knew the agony I felt back then, the despair, would be nothing to what I was about to live through.

Mum sits at the side of my hospital bed. Her attention is on her phone in her hands and a frown tugs her lips down.

Picking up the pen on the pull-away table in front of me, I write, “What’s wrong?” and then shake it at her.

When she sees the paper, a small smile lights her face, and then she reads it. She bites her bottom lip. A sigh falls from her mouth. “It was Stoke. He asked me not to say anything to you, but, honey… you have to know. Saxon”—my heart skips a beat at the mention of his name. I had been told he’d held me with a fierce protective streak until an ambulance arrived. The way people told me about how he was with me that day, makes it hard to believe he doesn’t want anything to do with me. Though what makes me believe they’re wrong is the fact I haven’t seen him since—“he hasn’t been staying away, honey,” Mum whispers. My eyes grow wide. “He’s been here waiting to hear how you are. He was here when you went into surgery, and he was here only moments ago when your dad left. I don’t understand why he’s keeping himself away from you. None of it makes sense. However, he has his reasons… I just need you to know hedoescare, but I think, for the best, it would be good not to push him on anything.”

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