Page 29 of Prospect
Pulling alongside our bikes on the side of the road, Quinn jumps out of the van. "You rang?" he sing songs as he makes his way to where Gabriel and I are standing. "Goddamn that's some serious road rash," he whistles while inspecting the side of one guy's face. "Well, let's get these fuckers loaded."
Back at the clubhouse, I lean against the wall down in the basement of the clubhouse. I watch while Gabriel and Logan strap the two Savage Outlaw men to chairs. Both men are still gagged and have hoods covering their heads. A second later the door opens, and the creaking sound of the stairs alerts us to Jake's arrival.
"What ya thinkin', Prez?" Logan asks.
Jake looks down at his watch then at us. "It's gettin' close to supper time. Grace will have my balls if I miss eatin' with the girls two days in a row," he smirks. "Sam, Gabriel," he jerks his chin. "Let them chill in the freezer a bit."
Without hesitation, I grab the back of one chair as Gabriel does the same with the other. The legs of the metal chairs grind against the concrete floor as we pull them into the industrial-size walk-in freezer on the opposite side of the basement. The guy I'm pulling begins to grunt and thrash around in his seat. Raising my left arm, I bring my elbow down against his jaw, knocking him out once again.
Chapter fourteen
Sofia
With Sam gone, I walk down the hallway with Luna. I know the best place for us, to keep us safe, is the clubhouse but convincing the other women is another story. I don't want Luna or Emma to be afraid. I want them to trust me, and I want both to trust the rest of my family as well.
Opening the door to Luna's room, I turn to her, and she stares at me. "I'll help you pack a few things."
Luna hangs her head. Her pen glides across the paper in her hand.I'm sorry. I didn’t mean to cause trouble. I should leave.
I shake my head; that is not going to happen. "No. The Kings will do whatever it takes to keep you safe and find this guy." A soft knock on Luna's bedroom door draws my attention. The door opens, and Emma appears.
"Hey." She notices the mood in the room as her eyes drift from me to Luna. She steps in, pushes the door closed and leans her back against it. Emma motions over her shoulder with her thumb. "Did you know there is a couple of bikers sitting in our living room?"
"About that," I go to say more, but Emma interrupts.
"Jesus, Sofia." She advances toward Luna and me her attention trained on my face. "What the hell happened?" she takes in the bruises I have yet to look at.
"I was attacked at work, by a man trying to get to Luna," I tell her. Emma's eyes dart to Luna then back to me. "That explains the reason those men are here. Is this connected to the creep caught casing the house?" she asks.
I nod. "Yes. The Kings believe it's the same person." Sighing, I let her know, "Austin and Grey are waiting for us to pack our bags. We're staying at The King's clubhouse where they can keep us safe until they find this guy."
Emma frowns. "Leave the house? What about work? I just started this job. I don't know, Sofia. Not that I think badly of The Kings, but I don't know about staying at their clubhouse."
I turn to Luna. Her face is cast down looking at her paper as she absently drags her pen across the pages making loops and lines. Lifting my chin, I look back at Emma. "It's the only way to keep us safe, Emma. This guy is after Luna, and he made it clear he is willing to hurt anyone standing in his way in order to do it." I can tell she is unsure but finally agrees.
After we help Luna pack a bag, she follows Emma down the hall and into her room, while I step across the hall into mine. Digging around in the top of my closet, I find the bookbag I used while in school. Only packing a few outfits and a couple pair of shoes, I leave my room and head down the hall to the bathroom. Turning the light on, I grab my toothbrush, and other personal products I will need. I pause, finally looking at myself in the mirror. Lifting my hand, I brush my fingers across the red and purple marks on my skin, then run my fingers through my hair.Never thought I'd see myself look like this again.Grabbing a hair tie off the countertop, I gather my hair and create a loose braid as I continue to stare at my reflection. I haven't seen bruises on any part of my body in a long time. I wore them almost every day when I was imprisoned by Los Demonios. Antonio roughed me up often. He got off on hurting me. Memories of his heavy hand slapping my face surface to the forefront of my mind.
"We're all set and ready to go." Emma appears in the doorway with Luna standing behind her. Taking a deep breath, I clear my mind of my ugly past.
"Let's go tell the guys." Moving to the side, they let me lead the way. As the three of us enter the living room, with our bags in our hands, Austin and Grey stand. Grey's eyes fall on Emma, looking at her the same way Sam looks at me, causing her to step a bit closer to my side. Luna stands on my other side and stares ahead waiting for one of them to speak.
"Sofia," Austin speaks. "I want the three of you to follow Grey in your car, and I'll fall behind you. We stay that way until we get through the gate at the clubhouse."
"Wait a minute. I need my car," Emma interjects.
Grey shakes his head. I already know how this is going to go. "We've got our orders. You need to go somewhere; I'll take you and bring you back."
Emma's mouth falls open but she remains silent. Austin opens the front door and waits for us to step outside, then sets the alarm. Emma, Luna, and I place our bags in the back seat behind the driver's side, before climbing in. Both ladies including myself fall silent and wait for Grey. Once he pulls his bike onto the road, I back out and pull up behind him. Austin falls in behind my car. I know the routine. I've been through it a few times over the past couple of years.
We ride in silence for a short time before Emma speaks. "So, what's it going to be like at The Kings of Retribution clubhouse? I mean, since living in Polson I've heard people in town talk about things. On the other hand, they are your family, and I know you hang out there often. Is it true they have women who live there—for sexual purposes?"
Crap.I forgot about Ember and Raine. "The club has two club girls—Ember and Raine. And yes, if they choose to have sex with a member they do. I know what you've heard around town. I've heard it too." I shake my head. "The Kings are good to them. They don't hurt women or force them to do things against their will. Raine and Ember are good people, Emma. They are part of the family too." We pull off the main highway onto the dirt road leading to the clubhouse, and I glance over my shoulder at Emma. "I didn't know what to expect at first when I came out here for the first time. My experience with bikers before meeting The Kings was not a good one, but I knew from the first moment I met these men I would have nothing to be afraid of." I smile her way. "Go in there with an open mind."
Emma picks at the hem of her skirt. I can tell that she is nervous. Lifting my eyes, I peer in the rearview mirror and peek at Luna who is sitting in the back seat. Holding tight to the duffle bag sitting on her lap, she stares out the window, her face void of any emotion. I can tell right away she has drawn back into herself. I slow the car as we pull up to the gate at the end of the property. Pulling his bike up next to mine and alongside the intercom, Blake punches the security code in the keypad, and the massive metal gate starts to slide open. Emma turns her head from left to right. "Does this fencing go around the entire property?"
"I believe so. You've seen the security system at the house." I turn my head in her direction just as we begin to move, and she nods. "Keeping the family safe is important to the club."
"I'd say so. Looks like the perimeter of a state prison," Emma mumbles.
