Strong.
Capable of killing anyone who hurts me.
I think I sink further into the trap Dom lured me into like a spider does for its prey at his words. I’m not trying to escape though. I want to stay tangled up in his webs.
“Smooth, you fucker,” Dalton deadpans but a smirk plays on his lips.
Maybe I can bring all these guys together… I could be the glue and finally have a real family.
“You know what you look like to us, Tillie?” Logan actually uses my name, telling me he wants my attention.
“What?” I try to hide the shakiness in my voice, meeting his gaze head-on.
Whatever he says, I can take it.
“Ours.”
That simple word. One small fucking word has my bottom lip trembling until I bite it to stop the sob that wants to climb up my throat.
“None of that. It’s too tempting.” Nicky releases my lip with his thumb while Tey places his head on my shoulder with a content sigh.
I’m surrounded by men that are dark, scary, and can snap a man’s neck without a second thought but fuck if they can’t make me melt with just a few words and looks.
They shake me right to my very core. I’ll take every harsh word, kneel under a command but when I stand back up… I’m really treated like a queen.
I meet Dom’s gaze, so knowing and dark. He gives me a small nod, telling me with the gesture that it’s going to be okay.
“The day Rig disappeared was like losing a piece of myself and I didn’t know how much of that was true until today. I think I always knew deep down… He protected me from the world as much as he could in our situation. Turns out he’s actually my dad.” I laugh at that last part, a tear dripping down my cheek until I quickly wipe it away.
“Diana?” Logan states, not looking away as I nod my head to confirm his suspicion. “Say the word, baby girl, and she disappears.”
“No. I–I can’t blame her for wanting to get away from the club, starting over. I can wish for different things, a relationship with her but I just can’t. I wouldn’t wish the life I’ve lived on my worst enemy.” I take a deep breath, looking down as Nicky places his hand over my clenched fists.
“I’ll keep looking for him, Tillie. We will get answers to where Rig disappeared to,” Nicky promises and I believe him. He won’t stop until he gets all the information.
It’s just the kind of guy he is, knowledge is power for him. It’s who he is and how he works, digging up all the secrets of others.
“I’m scared of where that’s going to lead me. It’s all going to come back to the one person I can never run from,” I admit to myself, knowing in my gut that the person who stars in my nightmares had something to do with Rig leaving.
“Who?” Dom asks calmly but the small twitch of his left eye gives him away… he’s boiling under that thick skin of his.
“He’s a member of the Demon Jokers. I’ve been his obsession since the moment Payne took him under his wing. I just didn’t see how much of a psychopath he was until it was too late.” I feel my chest tighten, realizing this is it, and I’m not backing down from sharing my secrets.
The guys don’t move or speak, probably seeing I need a second to gather myself. I take a deep breath before speaking once more. No more hiding.
“The day I turned sixteen Payne tortured me in the basement of the club. It wasn’t anything new. Looking back on it, Rig really was protecting me but I think Payne finally realized I was never his kid. The moment Rig wasn’t around, Payne started teaching me a lesson on obedience.Those were times that I wished I could run away. Every hit, every time he cut me… It wasn’t until he called the club members into the room that I screamed for death. Each male in that room watched me grow up and they were the ones that took my last bit of innocence away.” My voice comes out empty, numb as I gaze at the guys but not really seeing them.
I hear ragged breathing and look at Dalton across the office to see his chest heaving like he just ran a marathon. His eyes are red as they water and he blinks harshly, shaking his head rapidly while rubbing at his chest.
“I was raped on the cold floor in the basement by each club member of Payne’s inner circle. They also saved the worst of them for last.” I sink further into Tey’s rigid body, almost wanting to crawl in his skin and hide while feeling suddenly so tired.
“The scars?” Logan rasps out, pushing away from the door and falling to his knees by my feet as his hand hovers over the jagged lines on my flesh, the raised bumps each telling a story of my suffering.
“Those were all part of Payne’s torture sessions.” I feel the initial on my shoulder like a burn, asking for attention.
“What’s this mean?” Tey asks, tracing the bump of the letter C through my shirt.
“A reminder,” I say, holding on tight to Nicky’s hand and drawing courage from him when he squeezes back.
