Page 31
He’s not openly watching me, but I know he sees me. Knows where I am as I take up residence on the far side of the bar away from everyone.
No one comes close to me. Why would they?
I’m a prisoner. Forced to be here. Not a guest willing to share the joys of a new life with the happy couple.
What I did tonight makes me sick to my stomach. Never once, during everything I’ve gone through, did I offer myself up to someone. It was taken from me once, forced when I was fifteen. Still, I never begged, never pleaded like I just did.
Something I know my stepsister willingly traded to get better “accommodations” when we were both taken. But she only had to stay for a little while. I wasn’t so lucky. But I wasn’t kept by them—I was left there by my father. One child’s ransom was enough in his eyes. And the man who’d been having fun with my sister took her payment out on me.
It seemed he wasn’t impressed with my lack of skills, because he never came back after the first time for that. Instead, he took charge of the other part of my treatment. First the beatings, then the nails. Finally, the toe.
My grandfather eventually demanded my release because it made the family look weak. Even someone like me, a tainted whore’s daughter, was still under the family’s protection. Their name was still tied to me. The only reason I was let go.
But Atom doesn’t want me for anything. At least nothing I can see. The Hounds don’t even seem to care anymore if I’m here or not. They treat me like part of the furniture, if they treat me like anything at all.
And yet I’m still being held.
If not for my family, the club’s own protection, or my body, then what the hell for?
We were meant to spend the night, like half the club, at the hotel that Milly’s mom booked. Atom even had a bag packed for me. But we don’t.
Instead, we head back to his place right after the bride and groom leave.
He’s mad at me.
He’s never been one for offering words to talk, but I never knew how much him not speaking to me at all would hurt.
I refuse to feel anything for my captors.
But as he walks inside the house and goes to his room, slamming the door shut behind him, I realize I feel something for him.
Rex bats at my dress while Fido hops onto the coffee table. He looks at me and meows.
“Don’t ask me. He’s the one who stormed off.”
All I get is another meow and a cat head tilt.
“Yeah, sure, it’s all my fault,” I mumble as I stare at Atom’s door.
A twinge in my gut makes me question my choices. Feelings of wrongness float in my belly, but I try to push them down. I shouldn’t feel bad for anything. I’m the one being held here. If my guard is upset by me, I should be happy for getting under his skin. Right?
This time, it’s Rex who meows as he tries to climb my dress.
I step back and he falls a bit but, as per cat tradition, lands on his feet. “Come on, let’s get you fed.” I push all feelings down deep and walk to the kitchen. This will pass. I don’t care if Atom is mad at me. I don’t.
I’ve never fed them before, but I’ve seen Atom do it often enough that I don’t need help locating their wet food and scooping out some into their cat dishes. Dishes with actual cats on them. They’re even personalized for each of them.
The guy has layers, I’ll give him that.
A biker who’s a cat guy. Never thought I’d see the day. Then again, I never thought I would spend time with a biker.
Leaving the Yakuza was necessary. And when I did, I meant to stay off their radar and away from anyone who could be connected or tied to them in any way. That meant gangs and clubs of all sorts.
I never expected the random person I got for a roommate would be the daughter of the president of one of the growing biker clubs in America. Or so I’ve gathered from the talk I hear. A national chapter is being worked on right now since there are now too many sister chapters to make sure they’re all running in the same direction as this one, the mother chapter.
Not sure how I feel about other clubs being like this one. You know, since they keep holding me hostage and all.
I can’t leave. I know that.
