Page 2 of Spider
“No.The younger one cried a lot.I’ve never questioned the club, or you, Pres, but this doesn’t feel right.”
“Something is strange with this deal for sure, but I don’t know what just yet.In the meantime, treat the girls like guests.Not like club whores.Spread the word to the other Prospects too.These two aren’t a damn thing like what I’d expected.”
He gave a quick nod, then rushed over to the SUV.Rocket led the way, and I sighed as I looked at my house.It had been a nice quiet sanctuary, and now there was a woman inside.A stranger.A girl I’d thought would be entitled and spoiled, but who seemed more scared than anything else.It made me wonder exactly what their father had told them.Or Casper for that matter.Did they have any idea why they were here?
I made my way inside and went straight to the kitchen.I shook my head as I looked at the damn fancy coffeemaker Laken had insisted on giving me this past Christmas.It had taken me weeks to figure the fucking thing out.If I hadn’t been worried about hurting her feelings, I’d have stashed it and just used my simple one with an on/off switch.Who needed all the bells and whistles on a coffeemaker?Although I had to admit being able to set a timer was nice when I had a set schedule in the morning.I liked walking downstairs to a fresh pot of coffee.
I brewed a pot, then sat at the table to enjoy it.I had a feeling I might need something a lot stronger if I was going to tackle the issue of Luciana and Violeta.Had the third girl arrived at the Dixie Reapers’ compound yet?I wondered what Torch thought of all this.I could call and ask, or I could wait for Luciana and ask her myself what the fuck was going on.As fearful as Violeta seemed, and given her odd comment, it made me think things were about to go sideways with this deal.
I finished my cup and poured another.As I reclaimed my seat, Luciana came downstairs, her tread soft on the staircase.She froze in the kitchen doorway when she saw me.I waited, wondering if she’d run the other way or be brave enough to come closer.I had my answer a moment later when she came farther into the room and looked at the coffeepot with longing.
“You can have a cup.They’re in the cupboard over the coffeemaker.I don’t keep creamer, but there’s regular sugar in the canister on the counter and some milk in the fridge.”
She wordlessly walked to the coffeepot and got down a mug.She filled it, then opened the fridge and pulled out the milk, staring at it a moment.Her questioning gaze met mine.Had the kid never seen milk before?Or maybe it was the fact I had to use the watered-down shit.
“I’m an old man, darlin’.I can’t stomach whole milk anymore.Even the two percent is too rough, so I only stock one percent.If you’ll give me a list of things you need, I’ll have someone pick up a few groceries.”
She added the milk to her coffee and put the carton back in the fridge.After looking around the kitchen with confusion etched on her face, I pointed to the drawer next to the stove.She walked over and slid it open, pulling out a spoon.Luciana sat next to me and stirred her coffee.
“Guess it’s a little stressful and weird to leave your home and go somewhere new,” I said.
She just stared at her cup and didn’t say anything, but I noticed her lower lip trembled a bit.
“Your dad probably has a big mansion in Colombia.I know this place isn’t a palace, but hopefully you’ll be comfortable.”
I honestly hadn’t given a shit.Until now.The more I watched her, the more certain I became things weren’t as they seemed.That fucker!Casper hadn’t made a deal with Gomez for his own merit.He’d been trying to get these girls out of Colombia.I just didn’t know why, but I would.And soon.If shit was heading my way, I wanted to be ready.
Luciana sipped her at her coffee and still didn’t say a word.I noticed her body was tense, and her hand shook a little.The girl was scared.Was it because of being somewhere new?Leaving her only home?Or was it something else, something that would likely piss me the fuck off?I shouldn’t have offered to keep her here.Anyone else would have been a better option.Hell, the girls could have shared a room at Rocket’s place, or Luciana could have stayed with Shooter or Knox.Both were a fucking lot younger than me.Maybe she worried I’d try to take advantage?She’d likely be disgusted if I made a move on her, not that I planned on it.
“Luciana, I don’t know what you think of me, and I honestly don’t give a shit.But I can assure you that I don’t take unwilling women, so if you’re worried I’ll force myself on you while you’re here, you’d be wrong.”
She audibly swallowed, and the coffee sloshed over the rim of the mug and onto the table.“You won’t have to force me.I know my place and what’s expected of me.”
What.The.Absolute.Fuck.“Come again?”I asked.
She finally met my gaze and held it for longer than a few seconds.“I’ll do as you ask.Do you want me here?”
She stood and started to unfasten her pants, and it felt like my heart was about to stop.A picture was forming in my mind, and it wasn’t pretty.I reached and placed my hand over hers, halting her movement.Not fast enough that she hadn’t already started to shove her pants down her legs, and not before I saw the marks.
With a growl, I stood fast enough my chair fell over.Fury filled me as I stared at her lower belly, right above the delicate lace trim on her panties.Slowly, I reached for her and lifted the hem of her shirt a little.Enough to see not only more marks, but to notice there was a slight roundness that was too firm to be fat.I worked her jeans down her thighs and took in the roadmap of pain that was etched into her skin.
“Who did this to you?And whose kid is in your belly?”I asked my voice harsher than I’d intended.
“My father’s men made the marks.The baby…” She licked her lips.“I don’t know.”
“Your father’s men?”I asked, my gaze lifting to hers.
“When I disobeyed, I was given to his lieutenants for punishment.They were permitted to do anything they wanted, as long as it didn’t kill me.”
“And they raped you?”
“Sometimes,” she said.“Usually they just hurt me and whored me out for a night as a reminder that I wasn’t in control of my life.That I was nothing and inconsequential.”
I closed my eyes and focused on breathing before I did something I would regret.I heard the rustle of clothes and when I looked again, Luciana was completely bare.Bile rose in my throat when I realized what she thought.Poor girl thought she’d been sent here as punishment, to be tortured and raped.And she thought I was enough of a monster to do something like that.Not that she knew a damn thing about me.I could understand, considering what she’d been through and the types of men she’d been around.
“Put your clothes on, Luciana.”
“You don’t want me?”she asked softly.“You’re going to send me back?”
