Nash (The Skulls) (6 page)

Going down to the floor, Nash went to his knees coughing and spitting more blood out of his mouth. The pain was intense
, and he couldn’t hold on any longer. Tiny was on the warpath, and nothing was going to stop it.

You fucked up, Edward.

This had nothing to do with The Skulls. The club was what made him strong. What he’d done today was fuck up in ways he never thought he could.

Accepting the beating, Nash wished for death, finally letting go.

****

“You’ve got to stop him, Lash,” Sandy said. “He’s bleeding
, and if he takes more blows it will kill him.”

“Are you sure?” Lash asked, wincing as another kick landed on his brother. He
wanted to stop Tiny, but Nash needed this. The last few months had been a disaster when it came to his brother. There was nothing else Lash could do.

“Even The Skulls are
vulnerable to internal bleeding and death.” Sandy looked ill as she turned her back to what was happening.

“Lash,” Angel said, grabbing his hand. “Stop him.”

Hardy stepped forward. “The beating the boy is getting is what he deserves, but Tiny is acting like this because of Eva. He has a right, but it’ll kill him if he kills Nash.”

Biting his lip, Lash couldn’t handle his brother being hit. Charging past the rest of the Skulls, Lash grabbed Tiny off his brother.

“Let him go, Tiny. You’ve done enough.” Lash faced his leader and one of his closest friends prepared to do whatever it took to save his brother.

“He almost killed Eva.” Tiny spat on Nash. “You
r woman is pregnant, and he brought drugs into my compound. He’s fucking finished.”

“I can get him clean. This is not like Nash at all.”

“Of course it is. He’s the weakest one here. The fucker needs a wakeup call, and The Skulls are not for the weak.”

Running a hand down his face, Lash looked at his brother. If Tiny kicked him out of the club, Nash would be as good as dead. All the shit his brother had caused would come crashing down on him. You were either a brother
, or you were kicked to the curb.

There was only one way to keep him in the club.

“I’ll take his beating for him. I’ll vouch for him.” Lash faced Tiny prepared to do everything that would guarantee his brother’s safety. If he was going to get his ass kicked, then Nash was getting the detox, but Lash would be the one to handle it.

The brothers looked at him.

“Why’s he getting the beating?” Killer asked.

“
Lash is vouching to keep his brother in, which means the punishment needs to be paid. He needs to take the beating on Nash’s behalf to keep him inside,” Murphy said.

“No, he’s done nothing wrong,” Angel said.

Lash glanced toward his woman, seeing the tears in her eyes. Murphy held her back with Sandy trying to talk to her. “He’s my brother, and I’m not leaving him alone in the dark. It’ll kill him.”

“
You’re prepared to take the beating for him?”

“Yes,” Lash said, tightening his hands into fists.

You owe me fucking big time, brother.

“Lash, no,” Angel said. Her voice rose up to meet him. Looking at Tiny, he saw the resolve. This beating needed to come into order. There had been too much shit going down in the last year for anything to slide.

Raising his hand in the air, he asked for two minutes without actually speaking.

Tiny nodded, turning away.

Walking back to where his woman was being held by Murphy, he cupped her face, glaring at the other man to let her go.

“You can’t do this, Lash. You do this
, and he could kill you. I can’t raise this baby alone.”

“Can you get my brother into my car?” he asked, turning to Hardy. The other biker agreed and left.

“This is not right,” Angel said. Tears were streaming down her face.

“It’s right for this club—”

“Your stupid club shouldn’t get to decide this.”

Lash did the only thing he could to silence her
. He slammed his lips down on hers. When she went lax in his arms, he pulled away.

“If Nash had raised that gun and aimed it at you, even accidentally like he did, I’d kill him. I wouldn’t let him get away with hurting my woman. He’s my brother
, and I’d give him a beating of a lifetime.” He looked over his shoulder to see Tiny waiting. “Eva belongs to Tiny. We all know it, and if anything happened to her, Nash wouldn’t forgive himself. I’m doing this, and then I’m going to handle my brother.” Caressing her cheek, he forced her to look at him. “But I’m going to need you to be strong for the both of us.”

She sobbed, pressing her face against his che
st. “I can do that.”

“Good. Get her out of here, Murphy. She’s not going to like this.”

Angel fought Murphy. Lash walked away knowing Tate would console his woman. He went in front of Tiny and waited for the punishment to be dished out. The next couple of weeks were going to be fucking painful.

****

Sophia brushed some of her fringe away from her forehead as she stood packing more boxes. The job was so fucking boring, and she was tired again. All she wanted to do was curl back up around her pillow and go to sleep. Ever since her run in with Nash that was all she wanted to do, sleep. She’d not even been tempted to go to the club in case he was mean to her again.

Kate always had a mean thing to say about her.

Tears welled up in her eyes once again as memories of all the horrid things people had said to her over the years came crashing down. She really did wish she could cast the memories aside and start afresh.

Brushing away any evidence of tears, she continued working and contained her yawning. Willy came round, brushing up against her. She didn’t give him the satisfaction of acknowledging his presence.

“What’s the matter? Can’t handle me, baby?” Willy asked.

Some of the worker
s laughed, and she looked around her. She turned to face him. “No, you couldn’t handle me, and if you keep rubbing your little dick against my ass I’ll sue you for sexual harassment.” Sophia had enough of being pushed around, by him, by Kate, and even by Nash. She was done with it all.

The laughter died on his face. She turned away, going back to the boxes. The silence was deafening. Only the sound from the machines could be heard.

“Get back to work,” Willy said, talking to the rest of the room.

She kept working even as he leaned in close. His foul breath brush
ed across her neck. “Sue me for sexual harassment all you want, Sophia. Just remember, I’ll be the one who’ll be walking away happy. No one is going to believe the sister of a whore.”

Gritting her teeth, she kept assembling the boxes.

Money for rent. Money for rent.

“You’ve not even got The Skulls on your side. I heard what happened at the diner. Your ass is not taken and not protected.”

His hands caressed one cheek of her ass. “Think about that the next time you mouth off.”

Before she could do anything he’d walked away. No amount of money was ever going to make her love this job. She hated this job and the people inside it. It fucking sucked. Blocking everything out, she focused on getting her shift done.

The work was mundane, which let her think about the one big problem in her life, Nash. She missed him so much. When she’d sent him away after he kissed her, she’d not thought through her actions at all. She’d simply reacted to what happened. The kiss had made her body react in ways she didn’t know were possible. No other man had affected her the easy way that Nash did. Nothing had been easy to her, nothing. Her sister getting in with The Skulls had given them a layer of protection, or at least it had given Sophia some protection that she’d not seen at the time. Now, everything was gone, and she was considered free meat. Shaking her head, she pushed her fringe out of her eyes. She really needed to get her hair cut. It was too long, and the strands were becoming unruly.

Having any free time was not in the cards for her right now. Her life consisted of work and more work. Life was easier when Kate brought in money
, but then when her sister got hooked on drugs, there was no money either.

Closing her eyes, she took several deep breaths before continuing with her job. At lunch she sat by herself ignoring all the looks she was getting. She’d never realized how much The Skulls had her back. Her sister shacking up with Nash made her life easier.

Sophia couldn’t stop the stab of pain piercing her heart as she remembered the number of times she caught Nash and Kate together. Part of her always thought Kate did it on purpose. It was as if her sister knew that Sophia had a crush on Nash, and getting her to see them together was Kate’s way of showing her that she didn’t have a chance with him.

The logic was messed up
, but it was the only thing she could think of to excuse Kate’s actions.

She’s gone.

Biting her lip she went back to work in a foggy haze. There were times she missed her older sister and other times when she was glad Kate was dead.

When it was time for her to finish work, she left the factory floor and grabbed her bag from her locker. Without looking at anyone she set off outside of the
factory on her walk back home. Once she got home, she’d have a few minutes to wash, change and head out toward the diner.

Her life was not that eventful
, but she got stuff done quickly. Hitching her bag high on her shoulder she kept her head down. The roads were rarely busy where the factory was located.

A couple of cars and trucks passed on their way into town.

Pulling the band out of her hair, she let the locks roam free. She wanted to feel the wind in her face before she was trapped in another building serving someone. There were no other jobs in Fort Wills, and she wasn’t going to follow in her sister’s footsteps. The sound of a car pulling up alongside her forced Sophia to stop.

Gill
, along with a couple of his friends, was sat staring at her.

She started to walk away once again. The sound of doors opening travelled to her ears. Her heart sped up
, and she focused on the path in front of her. The stretch where they’d stopped was the most deserted with no houses or buildings in sight. This was the part of the walk she hated. Anything could happen to her, and no one would know unless she was lucky enough for a car to pass.

Sophia knew she wasn’t that lucky.

“Hey, why are you rushing?” Gill asked.

Walking faster she tried to avoid him. Gill grabbed her arm stalling her walking. He pushed her against the metal fence behind her.

“I’ve got a job to do. Leave me alone.”

In the next breath he tore the bag from her shoulders throwing it at one of his friends. She recognized all of them but didn’t know their names. It wasn’t high on her list of activities to know the men who were working in the same building as
she was.

Smart move, Sophia.

“I don’t like your attitude. I mean, I was friends with your sister, and I’m sure I can extend the same kindness to you.” He caressed down her cheek. His touch repulsed her.

When his hand made to touch her breast, she swatted it away. “Don’t touch me.”

She pushed him hard. Gill came back, slapping her around the face and shoving her harder against the metal barrier. Her back hurt from the slam, and she cried out. His friends were closing in around them, stopping anyone from seeing anything if someone was to pass.

“Now, I’m trying to be nice to you
, and all you’re doing is pushing me away.” Gill wrapped his fingers around her throat, squeezing. She clawed at his hands trying to push him away.

Another hand landed between her thighs.

“I’ve been nice and patient with you, Sophia, but my patience is running out.”

He tightened his hold between her legs making her wince. There was nothing gentle about him.

“Now, I’m going to let go. I want you to tell me what I want to hear.” His hand released her throat.

She took deep gasps of breath, needing the air. Bending forward, she tried to clear her thoughts. Sophia wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of making her beg.

“I’m waiting, Sophia,” he said, running his hands down her back. He didn’t have the right to touch her. No man had the right to touch her just because Kate wanted it. She didn’t. Her body was her own, and she was nothing like her sister. It was time she started to remember that. She and Kate were two different people.

Standing up, holding her head high, she glared at him.
“Fuck you.”

The backhand took her by surprise
, along with the thump to the stomach. She spit out some blood as she tasted the metallic flavor on her tongue. No one had ever hurt her like this.

Grabbing her hair,
Gill spun her around, pushing her against the metal fence. Her breasts hurt from the bite.

Sophia panicked as he worked at her belt. “I’m going to fuck you so hard
, and then my men are going to take you. Again, and again until you’re begging us to stop—”