Holding On (49 page)

No one has heard from Ace, at all.
He’s long gone and doesn’t look to be coming back. I tried last
week to track him down but he’s so far off radar that his parents
had no idea he had left Ohio. I will admit I miss him. I know how
he feels about loving Sadey and how crushed he was when she said
yes to marry Hem, I hope he’s happy wherever he is.

Hood is also gone. We had expected him
to come back to Angels but no one has heard anything from him
either. The silence from both the Angels and Hood have us all on
edge. Even though he gave Hem the information about Cherry doesn’t
mean the man is worthy of our trust.

Today is my last day before my
vacation starts tomorrow. Shame and I are going to Colorado for a
getaway that is overdue. We’ve never had quality alone time so when
I was complaining about this to Gramma she suggested that I book a
cabin there, using her timeshare. I was elated at this and so
thankful to her for offering it to us. Shame has no idea about it
either. I cornered both Gunner and Honor to help me out with this
and although Gunner was leery about working with me, Honor is
making him help me out. We are leaving first thing in the morning
and Shame’s bags are already packed and ready at my
house.

“
Are you really leaving me
here with Gramma for a week, Mace?” Peyton hasn’t hidden her
distaste for Shame and I going on vacation, alone.

“
Yes, I am. We need to get
away and you will be fine. I’m sure Derek will keep you
busy.”

“
Shut up, Mace. I know I
have told you like a thousand times that there is only so many
games of bridge I can play with Gramma, her friends, and Derek.
She’s like seriously causing me to have a dry spell. He loves her
and I’m glad for that but if this doesn’t stop soon I’m going to
need a getaway with my cowboy and Gramma won’t be offering me her
timeshare!”

Peyton’s grandmother really does love
Derek. On Sunday’s you can find Derek and Peyton spending the day
at her grandma’s house with all her grandmas’ friends playing
Bridge. She swears to me that this is a turn off for her, but
honestly I think she finds the way he handles her grandma sexy.
Every Sunday morning, before the guests arrive he collects a list
from Gramma and does whatever she needs done, from groceries to
changing her oil. I knew that man was pure, and the way he loves
Peyton makes me even happier. She’s safe from her past with him, he
handles her with care.

“
Honey, just enjoy your
life with your family. She won’t be around forever and she loves
you and Derek. Hard to find a man that Gramma approves of. Maybe
for your birthday next year she will offer you her
timeshare.”

“
Won’t happen. She thinks
that we don’t have sex, ever. When she asked me about it I
panicked. Not a conversation I want to have with my 63 year old
Gramma. Then she actually tried to tell me about certain ‘feelings’
I would start to have. Hell, I’m almost 20, Mace. I should have
just told her that we are at it like rabbits when she’s visiting
Grandpa at night but I lied instead.”

I’m laughing on the inside. I really
don’t have any idea how that feels. My parents were too busy to
even wonder who I was with and when I had sex.

“
Give me my list of things
you need done before I leave and quit sulking about it. I need a
break with my man. Did I tell you he wants three kids?” Her eyes go
wide. She’s thinking he is too old for this and I smirk remembering
his reaction when I told him about that. “Yeah, and he says we are
having all boys! Can you believe that? Like he’s just going to give
me boys and all will be fine. Claims girls will kill
him.”

“
Oh Mace, I’m sorry but
maybe he doesn’t realize that giving you three boys and Shame to
deal with that you will just kill him yourself.”

“
Yea, I thought about that
too.”

After lunch Peyton and I are all
caught up with duties. I’m getting distracted because I know in
just three hours I’m off to pack and get things done for tomorrow
morning. Hem is taking Shame out tonight and keeping him busy for
me. Gunner straight refused doing that, says Shame drinking makes
him anxious to hurt someone. It does and I can’t blame Gunner for
not wanting to be available once Shame remembers that I ‘kissed’
him.

Speaking of... I need to get with
Honor and be sure all is good to go.

*ME: Hey Sweetie. All set up for
tomorrow? Does Shame have everything he needs for the
week?

*HONOR: For the
100
^th
time Mace, he’s good. Calm down and don’t be so worried,
yeesh.

Little shit.

For the rest of the afternoon I’m just
going to file my miscellaneous paperwork and then get outta here on
time.

*****

Relieved the afternoon has flown by
I’m closing up my stuff. “Peyton honey, I’m out of here okay? I
will see you a week from Monday. Behave yourself and play nice with
Derek and Gramma. Text me if you get ready to snap. Maybe if I’m
not under Shame I can call you and talk you down.” I smirk as I
close up my desk.

Peyton throws her head face first down
on the desk. “Oh God, you’re really doing this. I thought for a few
days you were just kidding and wouldn’t really leave me. I hate
you.”

Smiling I open the door and the sun is
still out so I’m enjoying the light on my face. Peyton is standing
at the door watching me to my car, she’s really going to miss me.
My poor lil Peyton.

I’m about to open my car door and I
look back to Peyton, she’s not waiving or smiling at me anymore.
Before I can process what is happening a body behind me as slammed
me to my car and a cloth is moved over my face. Everything goes
black.

--Peyton--

“
No no no no no! This
isn’t happening. Oh my God, Mace. Oh my God!” I’m driving so fast
and the cars around me are looking at me as I yell to no one in my
car. I’ve got to get to Hem. Fuck, why do I just not have his
number! Oh my god, Mace.

Pulling up to the Clubhouse I don’t
see many bikes but I recognize Hem’s silver bike is there. Thank
the Lord, maybe he’s around. I slip on my way to the stairs leading
me to the house. I don’t feel the pain in my ankle, I’m not
injured. I start to open the door and find its lock. “FUCK! HEM HEM
HEM! PLEASE COME OUT! PLEASE” I’m banging on it, hard. No
response.

All of a sudden the door swings open
and a very pissed off Raider is standing in front of me in just his
plaid pajama pants and socks. I don’t have time to process that
now. “WHERE IS HEM? I NEED HEM.” I take no time busting in the door
while pushing him to the side. Inside I see Kegs sitting at the
bar. She looks directly at me and comes running to my
side.

“
Peyton, Oh my God. Are
you okay? What are you doing here?”

“
I NEED HEM, PLEASE
SOMEONE FUCKING GET HIM HERE! FUCK!”

I hear someone coming from upstairs
yelling at me. He doesn’t know it’s me but I know it’s him. “Who
the fuck is yelling down here? Trying to enjoy my naked woman and
all I hear is this ruckus. I told you Raider, keep shit quiet. What
the fuck….” Finally he’s spotted me and I’m a basket case. All of
my fear has finally been released just seeing him come down the
last step. I’m no longer alone.

“
HEM!” He comes running to
me grabbing my shoulders. His face is sick in worry, he knows
something terrible is happening.

“
Hem… hem… oh god… Mace…
She was… someone has…” He shakes me so hard I think I feel my teeth
move.

“
BITCH TELL ME! WHAT ABOUT
MACE?” Immediately he turns to Raider giving me just a moment to
collect my thoughts. “RAIDER, GET SHAME. NOW.” Raider nods and
disappears out the back door.

“
She… Hem… GREYSON HAS
HER! HE TOOK HER. HE GRABBED HER OUTSIDE THE LIBRARY AND TOOK HER
IN HIS CAR.”

The blood in his face has disappeared.
He doesn’t blink, just processes what I’ve told him. I’m shaking
under his touch, he’s gripping my arms tight.

*****

--Mace--

My head is killing me. This is my
first thought as I roll to my side. I’m sick to my stomach and I’m
afraid to open my eyes, feels like the room is spinning. Everything
is quiet around me as I’m trying to gather my thoughts through the
nausea and pain in my head. The smell is unsettling. I reach for my
face, I feel something dripping into my eye. When I move my hand, I
find I am stuck. Finally opening my eyes, I see where I am.
Immediately I start to panic. This isn’t good. Both my hands are
restrained over my head, I can’t confirm but I’m fairly certain
that blood is dripping over a cut near my left eye. My stomach
continues to roll. I’m remembering what happened. I was looking at
Peyton… She wasn’t waiving at me anymore. She was
scared.

“
Well hello there, Mace.”
Greyson. I don’t want to turn my head. I can hear him coming closer
to me, hear his steps. “I didn’t think the hit to your head would
leave you out so long honey, I wouldn’t have hit you so hard. You
just wouldn’t sleep you fuckin’ bitch.”

I turn my head. He looks like shit.
He’s dressed in torn and bloody clothes. That’s my blood. Oh my
god. “Grey? Is that you? Where am I?”

He laughs. God his laugh
is evil. He leans down to me and I feel his hand on my stomach. I’m
still staring at him and he’s smirking at me. He moves his hand
down my stomach and into the top of my skirt. Oh no, please. No, I
can’t do this. He can’t do this
. Shame, oh
god.
“Please no Greyson.
Please.”

He shoots his fist to me and I see the
stars, he’s never once ever laid a hand on me. My right cheek is
screaming in pain. I can’t cry though, I’ve got to stay in
control.

“
Please no Greyson? Fuck
you slut. I’ve been thinking about this since I had that little
Cherry whore laying right where you are now.” Roughly he’s pushing
his fingers into me. I’m in pain, even there. He’s pushing so hard
and deep into me, the tissues are on fire. “Oh honey, so dry. Let’s
hope you wet a bit or you’re in for a long night.”

God, I can’t move. I’m
shocked, hurting, alone, and scared.
Shame, please find me. I love you.

“
Where would you like to
start tonight? Want to chat about all the shit you owe me for, and
I will be collecting every humiliating mark from you by the way. Or
would you like to just get down to it.” I flinch in fear but he
smiles. “Bitch I’ve been beating off to you for weeks, fucking
weeks thinking about being inside you how I want to be inside you.
I’m going to fuck you so fucking hard you don’t ever get to fuck
your man again without seeing my face. You’re a cunt. Seems you’re
a bit dry, challenged extended?”

“
Grey please.” He takes
his hand out of me and pulls down my skirt and panties. I’m
completely exposed from the waist down. I want to throw up, I feel
so sick.

“
Bitch, you’re going to
beg just like that for a while. Yes, you are. It’s funny really.”
He rips open my blouse, buttons flying. He has a knife now, unsure
where it came from. He’s pushing it into my cheek, the pain is
blinding. I shiver in agony now, but I’m trying to hold it in. I
remember now from our run in at my mom’s that he gets off on my
pain. He cuts my bra between my breasts in a quick motion. I’m
completely exposed to him.

“
Wh…wha…what’s funny?” I
feel blood dripping from my cheek into my ear.

“
Funny... oh yeah. Let’s
go back in time…before I fucked you soft and sweet two years ago.
You were my Mace, kind of.” He tilts his head to the side and he
looks sinister. “You were a shit lay. You were nothing like I
wanted. I like to fuck hard, you were slow and easy. Just laid
there most of the time. Sometimes I thought I couldn’t even finish.
Jesus you’re nothing.”

A tear starts down my cheek, stinging
my recent open wound. Another hit delivered my Grey and my eyes
roll in the back of my head. Oh my god, the pain. He’s working that
one side of my face only. Sinister doesn’t describe him. He’s so
much evil.

“
Don’t you fucking cry.
You want this, I know you do. You’re a whore, just like Cherry.
You’re going to get everything she got but baby, I’m going to go
slow just how you like it. When you pass out, I’m bringing you back
so you don’t miss any of it.” He licks my nipple and it pebbles
with the chill in the air. I’m in a basement of some sort, no idea
where. “Did you know I was never an accountant? Nope, don’t even
have a degree. My boss put me in those fuckin’ ridiculous clothes
and car. I was instructed to get to you by romancing you. Fuckin
disgusting. I don’t do romance. I have worked for the Angels for
years and was never expected to try to ‘romance’ some bitch! I’m
not even in that brotherhood, fuck I make more money doing their
work than being one of them. You were so easy though. You owe me a
better fuck now Mace. You’ve got a lot to make up for.”

He puts the knife down and I
internally sigh in relief. He wants to keep me alive, I want to
help him do that. Hem and Shame will find me. Peyton saw what
happened, she was the last thing I saw before… what if they got
her? No, she was closing the door and locking it behind me as I was
leaving.

Slap! Another hit from him. “Cunt,
stay with him. Are you thinking of him? Your Shame or maybe your
beloved brother Hem? He put you here. He’s why I came for you. Paid
big money for it too. I’m pulling this for one for free
though.”