Page 42 of Bones
I realized with relief we'd made a full circle and the clinic appeared again. Noon had passed, and I desperately wanted to be done interacting with people. When we arrived, Sam and Jax were kicking an old faded ball around outside. I dismounted, my legs aching, as Trey greeted them. I tried to slip past them unnoticed to go inside, but of course, all three of them followed me in, Trey and Sam talking loudly.
“You show Bones where everything is?” Sam asked.
“Yep,” Trey responded.
“Everything?”Sam asked.
Trey rolled his eyes. “Alright, no, I did not show her the place where you shot that cougar.”
“Why not?” Sam asked, outraged. “It’s an important part of the hold history!”
“You were piss drunk and you got off a lucky shot,” Trey retorted.
“I saved the whole fuckin’ hold from that cougar.” Sam glared at him. “Bravely risked my life and limbs. And this is the thanks I get. Can you believe this bullshit, Jax?”
Jax rolled his eyes in an exact imitation of Trey, and Sam pounced on him, wrestling him into a headlock while they both yelled and Trey laughed.
I opened a cabinet to hide the smile I was fighting.
7
Imust have gotten kinda used to all the noise because the next morning I woke up and the silence made me uneasy. I went down the ladder and peered out the front door, but no one sat in the chair in front of the clinic. I squinted into the morning sunlight, but I couldn't see any sign of Mac's crew. Anxiety prickled my skin and I shut the door and busied myself getting ready for the day. Maybe Madame had decided I didn't need a full-time guard anymore.
This is a good thing.The sooner they trust you, the sooner you can try to get the fuck out of here.
My stomach growled. Sam hadn’t brought my broth. The morning bells had rung a while ago, and I didn’t feel like braving the canteen by myself. So I forced myself to ignore my hunger and sat to continue reading the previous healer's notebook. I hadn’t gotten very far when the door opened. I looked up to see a man slip inside. He turned toward me and I froze at the sight of one of Madame’s guards who’d “made a pass at me,” as Mac put it. I caught a glimpse of the other one standing outside as though guarding the door. My stomach twisted in fear. I could wager a guess at what came next.
“Can I help you?” I asked, setting the notebook on the counter.
The man gave me a grin that made my skin crawl and raked his gaze up and down my body. "Oh, I think you can, baby."
Fuck.
I forced myself to stay where I stood, watching him. The eager anticipation in his eyes made me want to be sick. Finally, he started prowling closer. When he got a little further from the door, I lunged around the exam table, trying to get to the exit. He moved quick as a snake, snagging me around the arm and shoving me against the wall, hot foul breath in my face and hands groping my chest. I got an arm free and swung at his face with my whole body. The meaty part of my fist connected with his nose hard, just like Wolf had taught me, and I heard the audiblecrack.He hissed in rage and pain and stumbled back. I tried to dart around him, but he tackled me to the floor, blood still spurting from his nose.
“You bitch,” he snarled.
I kicked himhardin the groin, and he swore as he crumpled. I scrambled across the floor, managing to get to my feet again.
I made it just a few steps from the door when it opened, and his buddy darted in like he'd heard the commotion. I changed directions, trying to get to the loft ladder, but the second man tackled me to the floor. I twisted, managing to rake my fingernails down his face, leaving bloody lines, and he jerked his head back swearing. I tried to scurry out from under him, but he lunged, putting his full weight on my legs, and caught my hands, pinning them to the floor.
“You like it rough, huh?” he said, grinning down at me even as blood welled up from the scratches I’d given him. “I thought so.”
“Get off me!” I hissed, bucking my hips, but I couldn’t move his bulk.
“I think that bitch broke my nose,” the first asshole said from where he’d finally managed to stop moaning about his balls.
“Quit whining, Dale,” the one on top of me said. He stared down at me and grinned again. “It’s no fun if they don’t fight.”
Bile rose in my throat. I strained to get away, breathing hard, but he didn’t move.
“I think we’re gonna have some fun,” he said, his eyes glinting.
Dale appeared beside us, glaring down at me. “Careful where you stick your dick in this one, Pike. She might bite it off.”
I snarled at them. Panic started to take hold of me, even as I tried hard to fight it.
“S’ alright, Bones. I like my women wild,” Pike said. He peered up at Dale. “Hold her arms.”
