Corrupted (3 page)

“Jordan!” Shooter shouts from inside the club office. I walk in half expecting him to chew me out. “Club voted to honor the girl’s request for protection.” He fills me in on Lucy’s story that she told the brothers. “She’s your responsibility now.”

I am about to react but decide to bite my tongue. He must see my resistance.

“You heard me, boy. You are to watch over her. Teach her what she needs to know about the club. Make sure she stays in line. Keep her safe. When she makes it to eighteen, you get your cut.” Eighteen? That’s a long fucking time to be stuck as a prospect. “You’re lucky I don’t boot you the fuck out of here. You left our warehouse unlocked last night, you irresponsible shit!” He’s got me there. If it weren’t for me, she would have never got in. “Also keep your fucking hands to yourself. I told the brothers same as I’m telling you. That girl ain’t to have one hand laid on her until she’s legal. You touch her, I’ll chop your shit right the fuck off. You got me?”

I nod, completely pissed off that I got stuck with babysitting duty.

“I had Tracie find her a room but she needs to go take care of the girls. Doc is coming to see her.” He hands me a paper. “This is the shit she needs to know and abide by. Your job is to make sure she stays in line.”

I take the paper from him not wanting to verbally respond ‘cause I have a shitty ass attitude right now. I pause for a beat to make sure he is done then walk out of the room.

Twisted slaps me on the back. “You’re welcome, brother.”

“You suggested me for this bullshit assignment didn’t you?” I glare at him wishing I could tell him what a dick he is.

“What can I say? You seemed to have a soft spot for her.” He winks before laughing and joining the other brothers.

Fucker.

I see Tracie standing by the bar talking to a few of the brothers. “Tracie?” She turns toward me. “Where is her room?”

“I made sure I put Mary as far away from the action as I could.” I cock my head to the side in confusion. “Yes, fucker, I know her name is Lucy. I just think Mary is more fitting. I mean come on the girl couldn’t fit the virginal role any better.”

“You know you’re a bitch, right?” Tracie is like the den mother. She keeps all the club whores in line, making sure they are regularly tested. She also runs the strip club the MC owns.

“You know you’ve wanted this pussy since you walked through those doors.” She puckers her lips at me before flipping me the finger and leaving.

I hear the door open again and Doc walks in. “You’re all lucky I didn’t have a full schedule today.”

“Yeah, come on, old man.” Doc has been helping the MC for years, anytime one of us gets hurt he is called. We can never go to the hospital because they always ask too many damn questions. I lead him down the hallway and knock on the very last door.

“Come in.” I turn the doorknob to see Lucy sitting there. She is dressed in tight black stretch pants and a low cut top that shows a slice of skin above her stomach. I freeze when I see her. She’s showered and looks much different from the girl I found dirty and bloody in the warehouse. As I look her over, she covers herself with an arm, I snap out of it.

She is fourteen, you sick fuck.

Doc walks past me and begins to talk to and assess her. I’m still frozen in the doorway. Something about this girl is calling to me. Which is just fucking great because I just got assigned to be her shadow and if I touch her Shooter will cut off my damn hand. Not only that, but the fact that I am even thinking of touching her when she is fourteen, proves that I’m losing my damn mind. I can’t explain it but I feel the overwhelming need to protect her. My eyes travel down her arm and when I see the different bruises marring her skin my blood boils. I want to find whoever hurt her and make them pay.

“Her wrist is most likely broken.” Doc’s voice makes me snap out of it. “I can’t be sure without an x-ray, which I obviously can’t take her to the hospital to do. I’m fairly certain that’s what it is though so I’m going to cast it just to be safe. I don’t have the supplies with me so I’ll be back later. I gave her some medicine for the pain.” He walks past me leaving us alone.

“So, you want the grand tour?” I run my hand through my hair.

She smiles at me, her round eyes innocently looking up at me. “Sure.”

She walks toward the door but I put my arm against the frame stopping her path. “I’m Jordan, Shooter assigned me to watch you. If you need anything don’t hesitate to ask.” Her hand wraps around my waist and my entire body stiffens. Her head rests on my chest and I wrap my free arm around her. I know she is looking for reassurance, and comfort.

You touch her I’ll chop your shit right the fuck off.

Pres’s warning on top of the fact that she is basically a damn kid should mean I want nothing to do with her. If only that was the fucking case. It’s gonna be a damn long four years.

I walk her into the main part of the clubhouse. Most of the brothers left after the vote but there are still some lingering. I sit at the bar and one of the other prospects slides me a beer, and Lucy a bottle of water. “You know anything about MC’s?” She shakes her head. “Easy enough rules, kid. Don’t ask questions, don’t talk about what you see or hear, most the chicks here are club whores, they keep the boys happy and we keep them taken care of.”

I look over to see our regulars are already here. She follows my eyesight. “That right there is Lips.”

She looks at me in confusion. “Her lips don’t look that big to me.”

“Not the lips you can see, Sweets.” Her face instantly reddens. Damn this girl is innocent. “Next to her is Cheeks.”

She waits a beat before shaking her head. “I’m gonna guess it’s not ‘cause of the cheeks on her face?”

“Bingo. The one sitting on Twisted, that’s Boa.” I nod over to the recliner.

“Like the feather thing girls wear?” Her blue eyes are staring at me.

“Nah, like the snake that’ll squeeze you tight ‘til you burst.” Her hand shoots to her mouth in shock and I can’t help but laugh. “Last is Venus over there.” When Lucy looks over, Venus is in front of a brother on her knees, wiping her mouth after completing the task she does best.

I can tell by the look on her face that she’s trying to figure it out. “I give up.”

“Ever heard of a Venus fly trap? Damn things will eat anything ya put in front of ‘em.” She chokes on the sip of water she was drinking.

“Wow, so they just sleep with them?” She looks around the room at the different interactions.

“No, they fuck and suck. Ain’t no brother ever take a whore to his bed to sleep. Once you become a club whore that’s all you’ll be. Some of the brothers have wives or girls, those are the old lady’s. They don’t hang out at the club though.”

“So you guys only marry older women?” Her hand runs through her dark hair.

I laugh again at her innocence. “You really are sheltered. An old lady isn’t necessarily old. It’s just a title. It gets you respect around here. I think I’ll save the explanation of the brother’s names for a different time.” She nods at me but I can tell that she is trying to digest everything. “Pres says one of your jobs is gonna be cookin’. I wouldn’t do nothing ‘til Doc gets back though. You know you can’t leave the building right?” She nods. “I’ll get you a phone so you can call me if you need anything and I’m out. Any questions?”

“No, your life here is just so much different than what I’m used to.” She looks down at the floor.

“I heard about your story, but I don’t know much about the beliefs. Care to enlighten me?” I arch an eyebrow at her.

“They say it’s about religion.” She shrugs her shoulders. “We are taught that God wants us to multiply not divide our houses. They think it makes them like the men in the bible who had multiple wives. Everyone sees it as a thing that holds our community together. The only way you can do that as a woman is to be completely submissive. The older women train the young wives in the traditions so that they can please their husbands. Whenever a man feels as if God is calling him to expand his family, he can go to the prophet and request another wife. The leader of our community is called the Prophet. He claims God tells him who the women should marry. Many times it’s a member of your family, immediate or extended. They follow biblical standings which don’t follow the country laws so they don’t feel as if age is an issue like people in modern society.” She glances up at me, and her cheeks are red. She’s embarrassed. Her voice gets lower. “They don’t care if you’re happy, happiness doesn’t matter. You are only to worry if you will be making it into heaven, which you can only do with your submission.” Her eyes don’t meet mine when she finishes. I couldn’t imagine growing up like that.

They are basically brainwashing people. “I’m not judging you. Just tryin’ to understand. Guessin’ from the way you talk you didn’t believe any of that?”

Her head shakes. “I don’t feel like God would want me to be unhappy. I don’t think he would want my uncle and the other men to treat their wives the way they do.” She yawns and when I look at her, she looks like she could pass out at any minute.

The girl has been through the ringer and her life isn’t gonna be easy from this point on. “Why don’t you go get some sleep? I’ll send Doc down when he gets back.” She stands up and starts to walk away before coming back to stand in front of me.

“Jordan?” I raise my eyebrows at her in question. “Thanks for today.”

The way she is looking at me makes me want to wrap her in my arms. I want to take down anyone who has ever hurt her. “Anytime.” She walks out of the room and I take a long swig of my beer.

“You’re fucked, brother.” I look up to see Brick standing in front of me.

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about the way you were looking at her. Have fun for the next four years, hopefully your dick doesn’t fall off.” He laughs as he walks away.

Dickhead.

He isn’t lying though.

I’m attracted to her.

The way she looks at me as if I’m her hero.

It’s wrong.

She is so damn pure.

I’ll ruin her.

Corrupt her completely.

A knock jolts me from my sleep. As the door opens and Doc walks in, I sit up and move to the foot of the bed.

“Okay, dear. Let’s get you all set up.” He begins by setting my arm and then starts to make the cast. “Can I ask what happened?” I look up to him. “How old are you?”

Am I supposed to tell him anything? Should I admit to being underage? I have no idea what to say.

“How’s everything coming?” I look up to see Jordan in the doorway. Thank God.

“Just fine although I’m not sure her voice works.” Doc winks at me. “I asked what happened to her.”

“You’ll be seeing her around, she’s under club protection.” Jordan responds for me and I release a sigh of relief. I need to ask him about stuff like this.

We all sit there in silence as Doc finishes with my arm. I can’t help but keep sneaking glances in Jordan’s direction. He has short brown hair and is built like the men I saw on the magazine covers I peeked at in the grocery store when we would go into town. The ones my mother would tell me the sinners and the sluts buy. If he wasn’t there this morning, I don’t know that the other guy would have helped me. Jordan has been so great to me. When he hugged me earlier I don’t think I have ever felt safe like that. Even with just his arm around me it felt like a shield of armor.

As Doc casts my arm, I bite my lip and hold in my screams.

“You know it’s okay to let it out.” I look up at Jordan who is now standing next to me. “Broken bones hurt like a bitch.”

I shake my head continuing to swallow my cries of pain.

My father’s fist strikes me. I scream out as I try to shield myself with my arms. His hand grips my face. “Scream again and I’ll hit you harder. Sinners deserve to be punished.” He strikes my face again and I swallow the agony trying to force its way out.

Doc turns to Jordan when he finishes. “This will be dry in about twenty minutes, however it won’t fully set for up to forty eight hours. She cannot do anything strenuous in this period or it might crack, and I’ll charge Shooter double to come back due to irresponsibility.” Doc turns back to me. “Very nice to meet you, dear.”

He leaves and I can’t help but smile at his friendly demeanor. Jordan sits down next to me. “How ya doin’?”

“Um, I don’t really know. I’m kinda hungry.” I shift uneasily, knowing I should ask him what I really need to know. “I’m scared to do the wrong thing. Doc asked me what happened to me and I didn’t know how to answer him because I didn’t know if I should. Shooter said one mistake and I was out.” My good hand fidgets with the hem of my shirt. I need these guys. I can’t screw this up.

“You can tell anyone in our club anything, no one outside of it. Which shouldn’t be a problem since you won’t be leaving the clubhouse. Just a tip though, watch yourself around the club girls, word is they have sharp claws.” I nod at him. “You wanna talk about it?” I look up at him and his brown eyes are trained on me.

I bite down on my bottom lip. Jordan makes me feel things I’ve only heard the other girls gossip about. Butterflies in my stomach, and I’m not really even sure why. As scared as I was at the warehouse he made me feel like things would be okay. He seems to put me at ease when I feel like it should be the complete opposite. I was raised that sexual thoughts and attractions were a sin. You were not to lust after anyone who was not chosen for you. You could not choose your husband but rather would have to wait for the Prophet to tell you who God chose for you. The Prophet was our leader and everyone believed he had a direct line to Christ. I think it was the other way around, he served the Devil.

“I guess I’m just trying to adjust. These clothes, I have never been allowed to wear anything like this. The dress you found me in was pretty standard. We were to have everything covered. The girls here, the way they dress. The way everyone talks, and curses freely. It’s just all very shocking.” He probably thinks I’m some pathetic little girl.

Jordan reaches in his pocket and pulls out his cell phone, bringing it to his ear. “Hey, Tracie. Listen, can you pick up some clothes for Lucy? . . . Yeah, I know there was but not everyone wants to dress like a club whore . . . Thanks.” He turns back to me. “Tracie is gonna grab you some stuff while she’s out. You need anything else?”

“You didn’t have to do that. I’m already imposing on you all. Putting your club in danger.” I look down, ashamed of the situation I’m in.

His finger lifts my chin. “Sweets, you aren’t putting us in danger. Also, it’s no imposition since you’ll be pulling your weight. This is your home for the next four years, we’ll keep you safe.” He pauses, our faces only inches apart. I close my eyes, for the first time in my life wanting a boy to kiss me. I can’t believe that these thoughts are even running through my head. This isn’t what we’re taught, you shouldn’t have feelings like this for anyone until you are assigned a husband. I was never one to follow those rules though. I want the comfort of his touch. My mother was right, I am a sinner.

The bed shakes and when I look up Jordan is gone. Why would he run away?
Because he doesn’t want a prude like you. You’re a baby in his eyes.

I probably looked like such an idiot. He is assigned to help me, nothing more and I was stupid for thinking anything was going to happen.

I’m a responsibility not an option.

I sit for a few minutes trying to calm myself down before heading out into the main room. It’s much more crowded than it was earlier. Shooter sees me and waves me over. “You good?” I nod. “Okay well if you’re up to it tonight it’s almost dinner time. I don’t want you out here any later than ten. You don’t need to be around for what goes on after then.”

“Okay, thank you again.”

I turn away and see Tracie waving me over to the bar. “How ya making out, Mary?”

Ugh, stupid nickname. “I’m okay, all casted up now.” I raise my arm to her.

“Has Jordan given you the low down on the brothers yet?” I shake my head. “Okay, well I’ll fill you in then.” She spins in the stool facing the room. “You met Twisted already, that boy is seriously . . . twisted.” She laughs. “Over there, that’s Torch the resident pyro. Sitting next to him with Lips is Cutter. The other two standing together, that’s Wrench and Brick, named after their weapon of choice.”

I don’t know what to say. I guess now I get why Jordan said people run from them, not to them. “I, uh, I’m gonna go start dinner.” I don’t know if Tracie was trying to help me feel at home or make me want to run for cover. I make my way toward the kitchen and root through the refrigerator for things I could use to make dinner.

When I hear something drop in the pantry. I walk around the corner and what I see shocks me. Jordan is standing there with one of the girls he pointed out earlier. His eyes are closed and his hands are tangled in her long blonde hair. She is on her knees, and—oh my God. I see his . . . penis!

Look away, Lucy!

I quickly turn and go back to where I was before. As I try to grab what I need for dinner, my mind keeps going back to what they were doing. I keep seeing the picture in my head. Embarrassment and a sense of disgust fill me at once.

“Hey.” I jump at the sound of Jordan’s voice. “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare ya.”

I start chopping the veggies for the casseroles, which is no easy task with one good hand.

“How’s the wrist?”

“It’s fine.” I avoid looking at him. I don’t know why I’m hurt. I have no claim to him. I’m a little girl in his eyes and from what I just saw he is so out of my league.

“You have any questions?” I want to just tell him to leave me alone. My ego is hurt. I can’t though. I should be thankful, he is the main reason this club gave me a chance. If it would have just been Twisted there today, he would have told me to get out and not looked back. “Tell me about yourself. You already know some of my story.”

“Like what? There really isn’t much to know.” He takes a drink. I have a feeling that’s a lie. His eyes won’t meet mine. I get the feeling he is irritated with me and that it has to do with the fact that he is now tied to me.

“I don’t know. Tell me anything. I mean I don’t even know how old you are.” I shrug my shoulders. I hope he doesn’t think I’m trying to pry.

“I’m twenty one, came to the club a few months ago. My uncle used to be in the MC. He always talked about it and I knew that one day I’d be here. He passed away a couple years ago from cancer.” I can tell there is more under the surface. There are things he isn’t telling me.

“There is something else that I’ve been wondering. What’s the difference between you and everyone else? I know they call you Prospect, but what does that mean?”

“A Prospect is someone who wants to be a part of the brotherhood. But, this isn’t the kind of organization you just walk into. You have to earn your stripes, prove your loyalty and dedication to the club. Usually the waiting period is only a year, unless you screw up.”

“When will your waiting period be over?” I stop chopping and turn to face him.

His face is hard and I can sense the irritation rolling off of him. “When do you turn fifteen?”

“In a month.” Why does that matter?

“Then my waiting period is over in three years and one month.” He shakes his head as he stares at the countertop.

“When I turn eighteen?”

“Yep, I’m stuck in limbo ‘til then. I gotta go.” He walks out of the kitchen and I feel sick to my stomach.

His life is on hold because of me. All he tried to do was help me and now I got him in trouble.

I place the casseroles in the oven and set the timer for thirty minutes. As I walk back into the main room I see Jordan sitting with the other guys. I head back into my room and see shopping bags on my bed. There is a note sitting on top of them.

Mary, hope these are good enough. I thought about potato sacks but I figure you wouldn’t want to show off too much leg.

I pull out some pairs of yoga pants and t-shirts. There is even a new pair of sneakers. I’ll have to thank her the next time I see her.

I look around at the room I’m in and make peace with the fact that this will be my new home for the next three years.

Home sweet home.

***

When I’m done cleaning up I look at the clock on the wall, it’s nine-thirty. The club has really started to fill up with people now and the music that usually hums low in the background is blasting. There are people everywhere, and everyone is drinking and dancing.

Then there’s me.

I’m sitting on a stool at the bar completely overwhelmed by everything that is going on. Girls are half dressed and doing things in public I don’t even know if I would feel comfortable doing in private.

When one of the girls takes off her top and climbs onto Twisted’s lap my jaw drops. His mouth is all over her and I think they might be about to have sex.

I need to go. I practically run down the hallway into my room. As I lay in bed alone my emotions are mixed. My whole life has changed in the span of a day. Everything I know has been ripped away and everything that replaced it is foreign. I don’t even know how to act here. I don’t want to lose myself, but I feel like I could.

I have gone from one extreme to another, being thrown into a completely new and unfamiliar territory.

Hopefully when it’s sink or swim I’ll survive.