Page 13 of Jaded Red

Josiah rips the flimsy pants away exposing my naked lower half to him. I close my eyes and send up a prayer to God to helpme. To save me from the evil of this man and his unforgiving hands.

My ears ring and I can’t breathe, my lungs are on fire. I can’t fight anymore. Against my will, my body gives up to the darkness surrounding me. Josiah’s heavy body settles over mine, his rancid breath panting in my ear. He’s going to rape me and then kill me.

Suddenly Josiah’s weight falls off me and I collapse to the ground, trying to drag air into my burning lungs. A grunt followed by a single gunshot fills the room. I drag my swollen eyes up from the floor to see what’s happening. Small footsteps approach me with a blanket. “Here use this to cover yourself,” a female says. “My name is Iris and we’re here to rescue you.” She has short blonde hair, sweeping into her eyes, a lip ring on the left side of her lip, and a small hoop on the right side of her nose. Her crystal blue eyes are shining with sympathy and understanding. She finds a key in Josiah’s jeans pocket, gently removes the collar around my neck and offers me a small smile.

“Thank you,” I croak out and hold my burning throat, looking at Josiah. He’s not moving, there’s blood seeping out from underneath him, pooling around his body. I breathe a sigh of relief.

“Did that fucker touch you?” The new guy who was with Josiah earlier steps up next to Iris and my heart hammers in my chest remembering he took Exleigh and Syvannah. I try to push away from him but I’m too weak.

“Easy, Darlin’” Iris soothes. “He’s with us.”

“He, he, he took Exleigh and Syvannah,” I whisper. It burns like a motherfucker to talk but I’ll be damned if I let him lead me to my death.

“I took them to safety,” the guy says. After dealing with these monsters for the last couple of months, and the shit my fatherdid to me growing up, I can tell when someone is being honest and there is no hint of betrayal in his voice.

“Who are you?”

The guy holds out a hand, “I’m Noah. I’m working with Capone from Royal Bastards MC.”

“What do the Royal Bastards want with me?” I ask with wide frightened eyes. I know who the Royal Bastards are and I’d rather stay as far away from them as possible.

“Noah, we have to go. Sheriff Donovan will be here any minute,” Iris interrupts. “And he told us to be gone before he gets here.”

Noah steps next to me, holding out his right hand. “Can you walk or do I need to carry you?”

“I can walk.” I take his hand and Noah helps me to my feet. My throat is still burning, my muscles ache and I’m ready to pass out but I push through. Noah keeps a gentle but firm grip on my waist.

Iris leads us to an unmarked van and opens the side door. I take a moment to inhale the clean air before I’m put into the van. I close my eyes and tip my head back, enjoying the sun shining on my face. A woman pops her head out of the van, scaring me. She has long jet-black straight hair, tattoos cover her arms and her chest. She has a nose ring and piercing blue eyes.

“This everyone?” She asks. She’s wearing an MC cut that reads Calypso. I can’t see the back of it since she’s in the dark.

“Yeah, let’s get the fuck out of here,” Iris answers, climbing into the driver’s seat. Noah helps me up and when I see Exleigh and Syvannah, I throw myself at them, hugging both of them tightly with tears in my eyes.

We hold onto each other the entire ride. I don’t know where we’re going but I have a deep ache in my gut that wherever it is, we are going to be safe. A fluttering movement happens in my belly and my breath hitches. My thoughts drift to Matt again.Riding on the back of his bike, making me feel cherished and cared for. How he worshipped my body every single time, even when his face turned beet red, blushing.

I wish I knew who he really was and where I could find him. I know that’s impossible. I don’t know where he lives, his last name or if he has anyone in his life. No one has ever been able to make me feel like he did and I didn’t want to burst our bubble by asking questions I had no right to know.

My father’s words ring in my head and I push them away. I am good enough. I am enough. I am me.

The van slows down and comes to a stop. A loud clunking noise fills the silence. I can’t see where we are and fear settles into my stomach. Iris pulls the van forward and the loud clunking noise starts again and finishes with a thud, making me jump. I hang onto Exleigh and Syvannah tighter. I will defend these two no matter what. They’ve been through enough these last two months, they need peace and I will do everything I can to give it to them.

The side door slides open and I blink against the harsh sunlight. A tanned strong hand comes into view but I can’t see who it belongs to since the sun is blocking his face. I push Exleigh and Syvanna behind me and crouch onto my bare feet, ready to strike. Iris, Noah and Calypso climb out of the van and I can’t see them anymore. I feel like a caged tiger, ready to pounce.

“You’re safe.” A smooth male voice echoes into the van. Something about the tone is familiar, but I cannot figure out how or where I’ve heard it before. “Trust me, Pulchra. You’re safe here.”

I cautiously take his hand and he helps me out. My eyes travel up to the man and I suck in a sharp breath. His warm, strong hand holds onto my waist, gripping me tight like he doesn’t want to let me go. My eyes rake from his worn black riding boots to his tight jeans encasing strong muscular thighs,past his narrow hips, over a black t-shirt under his leather cut hiding his eight-pack abs I’ve licked and kissed until they move up to his blushing face. A splatter of familiar freckles crosses the bridge of his nose, his dirty blonde hair hangs loosely over a set of pale blue eyes watching me and waiting for a reaction. I look at the leather cut I’m gripping tight and immediately release it. The patches on his vest cannot be missed.

“Holy fuck! Are you kidding me?” I’m shocked. The man who gave me something special is an outlaw one percent biker and he never told me.

I step back toward Exleigh and Syvannah who are now out of the van watching us.

“Pulchra,” Matt reaches out but drops his hand. The pain in his pale blue eyes is gutting me.

“No, no, no. This cannot be happening.” I laugh a humorless laugh.

“Nadia?” Kensi steps forward from behind a beast of a man and my eyes grow wide. My heart is pounding hard against my chest, making my head throb.

“Kensi? What the hell is happening?” I cry. Tears burn my eyes.

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