Devil's Despair Box Set: Books 1-3 (27 page)

“Open.” His demand is desperate.

Compliantly, I do. Closing my eyes, I hear his hiss of satisfaction. Bending over me, leaning his hands on the bed near my body, he thrusts himself in and out, gagging me as his cock hits the back of my throat as I lay under him. My jaw aches from the beating last night. I feel the tension in my body increase in response.

“Oh, fuck, I’ve missed my good girl,” he whispers to no one. I’m not listening. “Suck it, whore.”

As soon as I feel he’s close to finishing, he pulls out completely. This dance of disgust between us isn’t something I’ve forgotten. I know how to finish him. Turning my body on the bed, I grab him in my hand and viciously begin pumping his cock in my hands. Vinnie’s easy to satisfy; he won’t turn this down.

Lifting my head off the pillow, I use my hand to guide his cock into my mouth again. Sucking hard and fast, I feel when he’s about to give in.

“You’re a greedy whore,” he states while smiling through his sick desire.

Reaching to me, he pulls at my head, shoving my face further toward him as he finishes. In a sense, the warm, salty taste comes as a relief. This is an unquestionable form of rape, but he’s not made me his in every way.

Yet.

Zipping and buckling his pants, his sated state has calmed him. “Get up, shower, and dress. You’re to be at work in an hour. You’re taking the early shift, and we’re leaving
together
when you’re done at nine.”

There it is. The plan to finish what he’s started is here. No words make their way out of my mouth. The taste of him resides, but now it’s mixed heavily with my saliva.

“Don’t fuck up tonight and I’ll go gentle.”

Dismissing his evil, I want confirmation that my son is okay. Through my full mouth and fear, my voice shakes. “Is Decklan all right? Is he still with Maria?”

Looking down, he holds my chin tightly in his grasp, waiting until I swallow what’s left of him inside me. “Yes, until Saturday. Get up and get movin’. We leave in forty-five.”

Ace

“Fuckin’ hell. Why the fuck did you go there, goddamn it! Did I not tell you to sit your ass still and wait for us to get here?”

Hem’s livid. My eyes are swollen, and it’s too late to stitch my lip. My shoulders and face ache from the constant barrage of punches I took last night; suffering my fate with them in order to hear her voice.

“I wanted to see her, Hem. I wanted to be sure she was okay.”

Hem’s anger dissipates as he inquires about her condition. In a gentle voice, he asks, “Is she?”

“No. They fucked her up. I heard a whip.”

As soon as I say it, Shame stands and his chair flies back in response to his strength. Mace makes her way across the kitchen to him. He grabs her and tucks her into his side, using her as a weight to bring him down from the fury racing through his veins.

“How many men are we talkin’ here?” Hem, who now has Sadey wrapped around him, stands at the kitchen counter, wanting numbers I can’t give him.

“I don’t know. It was dark. If I had to guess, there were two men on me and only one on Raegan. Both Marcus and Vinnie were there as ringleaders.”

Hem’s eyebrows lift in confusion. In my battered state, it takes me a few seconds to realize what he’s questioning. Once I understand, I fill him in. “Her name is Raegan, not Cherry.”

“I guess I never paid enough attention to things like that.”

Sadey snaps at Hem. “Do you really ever pay attention?”

“Sugar, don’t start. Not now.”

Rolling her eyes, she looks to Mace and Shame while mocking him. “Not now or ever, Hem.”

The guys were here when I arrived. Vinnie let me go last night, promising to deliver my life in ruin as soon as the sun came up today. After I explained to all of the brothers what had happened and felt it safe enough to sleep, I did. Hem called another MC chapter in California, near where we live, and asked they watch Sarah and Bean for anything suspicious. They owe Hem, as a lot of chapters do, and agreed without condition.

I woke this afternoon, only after struggling for hours to sleep, to Hem bellowing down the hallway for me at Cherry’s dad’s house.

Gunner breaks in with the information he’s gathered. “I’ve contacted the club. The bartender told me Cherry is due in at one o’clock today, and she’s off at nine. If we’re doin’ this today, we should wait ‘til dark if possible.”

“Agree.” Honor concurs with Gunner as he stands next to him, leaning on the other counter.

Joseph sits stoically in the chair next to me at the table. This wasn’t at all what he had expected. He thought it was possible to walk in and have her willingly follow me out. Unfortunately, it’s clear to everyone here, she’s being held against her will.

Anna makes an appearance at the kitchen door, dressed in her usual stuffy attire. Looking around the room to each member that’s here to help her daughter, she ignores their stares and finds Joseph, who now looks at her in surprise.

After dramatically clearing her throat, she asks the room, “Have you seen her?”

I answer, ready for her unguarded and unwanted response. “Yes. She’s doing great, thanks for finally fuckin’ asking.”

“I don’t know what ‘great’ means, but after seeing how you came home last night, I can’t imagine she faired any better.”

The growl that comes from Shame radiates as he takes a step toward Cherry’s mother, but he’s stopped by Sadey and Mace who flank his sides. Sadey attempts to correct the situation first. “Mrs. Simmons, maybe you have errands to run or projects to get done. Let’s let them handle things here, okay?”

Shame disregards Sadey’s attempt to calm the room. “No, buddy. I think Mrs. Simmons should take a good look at Ace’s face so she can see the kind of fucked-up we’re dealin’ with here.” Looking heatedly at Anna, Shame finishes his thought. “Maybe, rather than going in and removing Cherry, we take you with us and you take her place. You’ve got the spirit for it.”

Anna pales, looks to Joseph who offers her no support, then grabs her keys and makes her way to the garage.

While Mace cleaned me up last night, her lecture and words of frustration she offered about how I never change were lost on me. She was hiding behind her annoyance. Her hands shook as she talked about ways to help Cherry.

I’ve said nothing to Sadey. Knowing she was coming with the boys, I felt a tinge of anxiety in seeing her again, but when our eyes met for the first time, the feelings I was afraid of still having weren’t there. She was another body, another person, another friend who came to help Cherry and I know she wouldn’t be here for any other reason than that. The need to reach out and touch her never came. It’s a small relief in the wake of all the heartache I’ve endured because of her love for Hem.

“I want us to send Ace in first. Hem, I know this is your call, but I think it’s a good idea.” Shame looks to me then Hem as he explains, waiting for me to object. I don’t. “They’ve obviously become familiar with Ace and if his fuckup can serve us at all, this is a necessary risk.”

“Fine.” I have no issue in doing whatever I can to get her to safety again.

“Hem, Gunner, and Honor can hold up near the doors. If Cherry tries to leave, we’ll know and can grab her.”

Hem agrees by nodding while Honor and Gunner say nothing.

“I’m going to trail behind Ace. They don’t know my face. If Cherry recognizes me, I’m hoping she’ll stay calm, but because we don’t know her state of mind, we’re goin’ in blind.”

“She won’t just leave, Shame. She left me in California to be with her son. If she has him at all, in any way, she won’t leave him.”

“She’s got Deck?” Sadey asks, breaking into the conversation.

“Yes,” I answer her. “From what she said, this fuck Vinnie has him and Cherry both.”

“I’m so sorry, Ace.” Words of pity from Mace mean nothing.

Hem, sensing my anxiety, voids Mace’s lingering apology. “All right, we’re doing this then. Ace, get some rest; you’re on in about three hours. Brace brother, because shit’s gonna get nasty real fuckin’ quick.”

Joseph has remained quiet until now. His eyes are hopeful, but his words are questioning. “Do you think you’ll be able to help her?”

Shame walks out of Mace’s arms and to him. Joseph’s head cranes up to reach Shame’s eyes. “Mr. Simmons, your girl, if nothing else, is a survivor. If we give her a way out and she feels safe in taking it, she will. That’s precisely what we’re planning to offer her.”

Joseph stands, shakes Shame’s hand and offers his sincerity. “Thank you for this.”

Thirty minutes before go-time, I’m standing outside alone in the driveway. I haven’t talked to the guys at home, Sarah or Bean since my focus has been on Cherry. Grabbing my phone, I send Sarah a quick text as Bean doesn’t “use words” on her phone, and I don’t have time to explain to Travis, Hayden, and Toby about the violent life I left back in Ohio. There’s no way for them to understand it and although none of them have had it easy, they would judge me for what we’re doing. In a sense, this is kidnapping.

Each text I start, I erase. I need to stay casual for the sake of my sister.

05:37 p.m.
Hey, squirt. How are things?

Sarah
05:39 p.m.
Boring. Did you find her? Is she coming back?

05:41 p.m.
Yes. I talked to her yesterday. We’re discussing things tonight. Tell Bean
I said hi. I love you and be good ‘til I get home.

05:41 p.m.
Love you too, Aceface.

“You ready?” Hem’s voice behind me catches my attention.

“I’m not sure.”

Hem doesn’t hesitate to reassure me. “Get sure, brother. This is it.”

“Hem, thank you for coming. I won’t apologize for last night. I wanted to see her.”

“I didn’t figure you’d be sorry. I owe you, and this is me returning the favor. Cherry’s a good kid and doesn’t deserve this.”

The sense of pride for all she’s overcome makes its way out as I tell Hem the truth. “She was better, Hem. I swear she was. She was happy before she left Cali.”

“This isn’t on you, Ace. Let’s just get in and out, and let’s celebrate the good we have later. How’s that?”

“All right.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Ace

WALKING INTO THE club, I note Honor, Gunner, and Hem already poised around each exit as planned. Shame follows behind me but not close enough for anyone to sense our acquaintance.

The bar is full other than one spot at the end. Taking a seat, I notice the waitress that was with Cherry last night. She eyes my face, and as she looks at my bruising, she smiles. It’s not a smirk laced with sarcasm. She seems genuinely happy to see me, regardless of my face-fuck.

“Need a beer?” she asks over the bar.

“Please.”

Pulling one from the cooler in front of her, she looks around and scans the room. She stops when she sees the pattern of men in black vests at each exit. Leaning toward me, she uses her finger to indicate she wants me to come closer. “Cameras. Every inch of this place is videotaped. Watch yourself.” Pulling from me, she winks and I understand why she does this - she wants the man behind the camera to think I’m here for her.

Without looking up to find where the footage feeds, I ask, “Where’s Cherry?”

“Waitin’ tables tonight, honey. I can get her if you’d like.”

“Give me a few minutes.”

“Will do.”

I need a few seconds to gather some late courage. I take a pull of my beer and looking into the mirror behind the bar, I see Hem standing against the wall by the front door. His arms are crossed on his chest, and his face is determined. He’s ready and using his anger as fuel to execute what needs done. This doesn’t help my nerves.

Shame’s sitting at the table directly behind me. The waitress is bending over in front of him, and he’s doing all he can to avoid staring at her open corset that bares her chest to him in invitation.

Honor and Gunner are at my sides, each exit covered.

Show time.

Lifting my bottle in front of me, as though ordering another for the cameras to assume, I start the charade. “Okay, please get her for me. Tell her Ace is here.”

“On it, sweetie. Gimme two.”

CHAPTER THIRTY

Cherry

“HONEY, THAT GUY Ace, from last night, is here. I know you’re upset and you don’t want talk about…”

“Ace is here again?” The volume and shock of my words cause her to take a step back and I realize that she looks as nervous as I am. Quickly, I look around the club, but I don’t find him. This afternoon’s wakeup call from Vinnie is still fresh in my mind. The taste of him couldn’t be washed away no matter the amount of orange juice I had consumed before leaving the condo.

Leaning toward me, she whispers, “He’s at the bar. The seat at the end. Do you see him?”

My eyes water and the panic threat of another night with Ace in the basement causes me to grab her arms and squeeze tightly. “No. No. No. He can’t be here, Tara. Get rid of him,
please!
”

“Shhh, honey. He didn’t come alone. Cherry, you have to tell me what’s going on. I can’t help you until you do.”

“You can help me. You can! Get rid of him, please.”

Her eyes dart over my shoulder and behind me. Once they find the target she’s looking for, she stops moving and meets my eyes again. “I can’t. His friends are everywhere. Look at the doors, Cherry. They’ve come for you.”

“I can’t do this, I can’t!” My racing thoughts stop momentarily and I’m able to put together a weak plan to get rid of all of them. They don’t use drugs. Shame and Hem are adamantly against their use and keep their MC clean of it. “Do you have anything on you?”

She’s surprised at my question. Tara is a recreational user, but even if she doesn’t have a lot, I only need a hit. She pauses in front of me, leery to answer, but inquires, “You don’t even use. Why are you asking for that?”

Lying again, I use my state of stress to convince her. “I need something to get through this, please.”

Pulling a clear bag from her chest, she hands it to me. Her look of disappointment does nothing to deter my sense of urgency. “Be careful, it’s Vinnie’s line. It’s potent and you don’t use, so you won’t need much. Let me know how I can be of real help to you, okay?”