Page 12 of Riggs
"Never apologize for being afraid," she says the same moment I notice something over my shoulder has gained Sofia's attention. Entering the room is a woman with dark hair, and her eyes are a color I have never seen before. They are brownish yellow. A color you would find on a cat. They are beautiful. Sofia introduces her as Mila. Mila has talked to Dr. Kendrick and has been by the store to pick up some things she thought I might need. She has also agreed to stay with me a bit while Sofia goes to work for which I am grateful.
* * *
The next coupleof weeks go by in a blur with one day bleeding into the next. New Hope House is lovely, and Sofia is excellent. I've even hung out with Emma a few times, and she seems friendly enough. I've met Sofia's boyfriend Sam, and he has always offered a polite smile when he's been over at the house. I will say having Sofia's family stop by a time or two has been the most challenging for me. I wasn't told that I would be around another motorcycle club. Considering what I had gone through with Rex and Savage Outlaw, I was weary. But I quickly realized Sofia's family; The Kings, are unlike Savage Outlaw. So aside from being in a strange place and meeting new people, my biggest problem is I feel like my life is stuck in limbo. I miss my apartment and being around my things. I miss work and my friend Jade. Maybe if I could work and have something to do with my time, I'd find my days more bearable. It's not that I'm not grateful for the help and support I have been receiving, because I am. The problem is that I feel useless. I want to pull my own weight and show my gratitude to the people helping me. Sure, I help around the house by cooking and cleaning, but, in my opinion, it's not enough. I'd hate for anyone to think of me as a freeloader.
Shaking those thoughts away, I bring my attention back to the blank canvas in front of me. I'm about to bring it to life when my bedroom door opens, and Sofia walks in. My eyes widen at her disheveled appearance. Matted hair, smudged makeup, and her face bruised. Placing my things down, I shuffle toward her. I study her face a moment then put my hand on her shoulder. She looks like she's been in a fight.
"I'm going to be okay," she assures me. "A man attacked me at work today." I nod slowly letting her know I understand what she's saying. Sofia grabs my hand. The look on her face says I'm not going to like what she has to say next. "He said he knows who you are. He mentioned you by name."
I pull my hand free from hers, cover my mouth, and slowly back away. This sweet, kind woman in front of me was assaulted, and it's my fault. My shit has followed me to Montana. Savage Outlaw found me.
"He threatened my family and me. I need you to tell me who he is," Sofia continues. Closing my eyes, I shake my head. This has gone too far. Innocent people are getting hurt. With tears running down my face, I focus my attention back on Sofia. "Please tell me something. We won't let anything happen to you, but I need to be able to tell those men out there a name or description so they can find this guy," she points in the direction of the living room where I am confident her family is.
Taking a deep breath, I agree. Swiping my notebook from the top of the bed, I tell her what I know.What did he look like? It could be any one of them. They go by Savage Outlaw MC.
"I didn't see his face," she tells me. "But would it help if I told you he smelled like he smoked a carton of cigarettes a day and bathed in alcohol?" Sofia's description matches Rex's brother to a T.
Pike. He's their VP.
"Luna, how did you get mixed up with these guys?" She hands my notebook back over so I can answer.
I became involved with the President. Stupid, I know. I thought he was a good guy. He treated me well enough. That all changed when I saw something I shouldn't have. He beat me. Dumped my body on the side of the road and left me for dead. I survived. Now he is sitting in jail until the trial. And I am the key witness.
Once I deliver the blow, Sofia explains we need to tell The Kings what we know. I agree and follow her out to the living room where we are met by her boyfriend Sam and a tall, bearded man wearing a cut with a patch that reads PRESIDENT. The man in front of me oozes authority. He carries a certain kind of demeanor; one that says he is not to be messed with. Trying to calm my nerves, I allow Sofia to lead me over to the sofa where we both sit. The two men begin exchanging words with Sofia. I am unable to make out what they are saying. I know the exact moment Sofia mentions Savage Outlaw because the big burly man in front of us spits out a curse and his face looks murderous. His actions cause me to shrink back into the sofa. Sofia notices my reaction and is quick to calm me. "It's okay. Nobody here is going to hurt you. The Kings are not like that — I promise." I close my eyes and nod. I trust her.
Not worried about trying to keep up with the conversation, I sit patiently while the three discuss the situation at hand. An hour later I watch as the bearded man who Sofia mentioned a second ago that his name is Jake, pulls out his phone. He turns his back to me, so I am unable to decipher what is going on. By the look on his face, I know it isn't good. A second later, Jake shocks me when he strides in front of me, crouching down to eye level. He looks me straight in my eyes, and his face softens. "You mean somethin' to Sofia, so that means you mean somthin' to the club. You are now under The Kings' protection." The look on Jake's face says he meant every word he said, and I have a feeling I can trust these people. Sofia is right. They are not like Savage Outlaw.
While Sam and Jake continue to pace the living room and say words I don't understand I sit here a jumbled mess of nerves. As for Sofia, she is sitting next to me like this is just another day at the office. I guess when you've been around the club life for so long, you become used to this sort of drama. I don't know how they do it. I wasn't with Rex long enough, nor did he bring me in on his day to day business. I was left in the dark when it came to Savage Outlaw. Only now it's not just me who is paying the price of my being naïve. With a tap on my shoulder, Sofia brings my attention back to her. She goes on to explain that we have to leave New Hope and follow the guys back to the clubhouse. That we will be staying there under their protection until The Kings can get a handle on the situation. The mention of living at their clubhouse brings out a whole new slew of emotions from me. The last time I was at an MC clubhouse I watched a man get murdered and nearly lost my own life. Pushing my fears away, I trust in Sofia and go along with the plan.
Sam and Jake take their leave minutes after two other men whose names are Grey and Blake arrive. Sofia said they would be escorting us to the clubhouse. As I make my way back to my bedroom to pack, Sofia follows me in. "I'll help you pack a few things." With my guilty conscious getting the better of me, I hang my head and scribble on my pad.
I didn't mean to cause trouble. I should leave.
"No. The club will do whatever it takes to keep you safe and find this guy." Sofia says the same moment Emma appears at the door. Emma and Sofia go about exchanging words. Sofia is no doubt telling her of today's events and about our new living arrangements. I watch as Emma frowns, and it doesn't help the overwhelming sense of guilt I'm carrying around. Countless lives are being affected because of me. I need to figure out a way to fix everything before another person gets hurt, and before I disrupt any more lives. I briefly wonder if I should get in contact with Detective Brooks, but quickly squashed that idea. No. It's time to handle this on my own. I need to leave.
Thirty minutes later, we all pile into Sofia's car as we make the drive to the clubhouse and following close behind on their bikes is Grey and Blake. The trip to the clubhouse takes about twenty minutes. I watch as Emma and Sofia carry on a conversation up front. It's times like this when I wish I could hear. Sometimes I feel left out. Not that the girls are doing anything to exclude me intentionally, but it still sucks, nonetheless.
Turning right, Sofia pulls onto a dirt road. We drive for about a mile before we come upon a closed gate. Sitting behind the entrance is a large compound surrounded by a tall fence. You would think we arrived at a maximum-security prison. The gate slides open, and Sofia pulls up to the side of The Kings clubhouse and parks. Grey and Blake park their bikes then promptly help us ladies with our bags. I unintentionally flinch when Grey goes to help me and curse myself when I notice a look I can't decipher cross his face. He motions to Sofia, who comes to stand beside me while Grey and Blake lead us inside.
I appreciate the fact that Sofia has taken hold of my hand to keep me calm as we walk inside. When we step through the doors, I survey the room. It looks to be a large common room equipped with a couple of pool tables and a bar along with a sofa and a few chairs. It's a far cry from the Savage Outlaw clubhouse. Rex and his men lived like animals. The Kings clubhouse is clean and carries only a hint of cigarette smoke. Sofia grabs my attention and motions up the stairs. "All the rooms are located upstairs." Emma and I follow Sofia upstairs. She guides me to the room where I'll be staying. "I'm going to take Emma to her room, then I'll come back and check on you," Sofia says before she leaves, allowing me to get settled.
Once she closes the door behind her, I toss my bags on the bed and plop down on the edge. Three moves in one six weeks. That's a record, even from when I was a foster kid. Determined to make the best of my situation until I can come up with a game plan to get out of here, I go about unpacking a few things.
Finished putting my things away, I stand at the bedroom window and stare out at the lush green grass. Some of the club members must have children because I see a giant swing set with an attached slide along with what looks like a sandbox. A smile tugs at my lips at the thought of children. I work with children every day at the daycare center, and I miss seeing their faces. I'm brought out of my memories when I sense I am no longer alone. Turning, I see Sofia standing at the door. Behind her is a woman dressed in sexy clothes and covered in an array of tattoos. She's beautiful. "Luna, this is Raine," Sofia introduces, and I give her a small wave. When Raine lifts her hands and begins to sign, both Sofia and I are shocked. I'm also thrilled as hell. It feels like forever since I've been around someone who I can communicate with. Without skipping a beat, I sign back. A moment later Sofia smiles and excuses herself, leaving Raine and me to talk.
"I heard a little about what you are going through. I'm so sorry," Raine says.
"Thank you. I only wish my past wasn't causing problems for everyone here. If I thought any of this would have happened, I wouldn't have come."
"Nobody here blames you. It's not your fault. You can't control other people's actions. Just know The Kings will take care of everything. Trust me; you won't find a better group of people. The Kings family is the most loyal I've ever met. You'll see when you get to meet the rest of them later. I know you've already met Sam, Jake, Grey, and Blake, but that's not even half the family."
"Are you with one of the members?" I ask.
Raine gives me a smirk. "No, honey. I'm one of two club girls. Ember and I tend to the unattached brothers."
Reading between the lines of 'tend to,' I don't ask her to elaborate. I'm pretty sure I get it. Besides, I'm not one to judge and Raine has been nothing but amazing since we've met.
"Anyway, I hope they all know how grateful I am for their help," I change the subject.
