Saviour: A Devil's Spawn MC Novel (Savior Book 3) Page 7

  That night I went back to Colin’s apartment with him and indulged in a meaningless night of sex. One that left me feeling embarrassed. Used. And cheap. I shouldn’t have done it, I didn’t know the guy from a bar of soap, and it didn’t have the desired effect distracting me from the pain of seeing Tank fucking another woman. Colin made the offer, one I didn’t take him up on, to take me to dinner next day I turned him down and couldn’t get out of there fast enough. Throwing my clothes on, straightening up my hair I got out of there before he could even slip the condom off. It’s not that he was bad in bed, in fact he was pretty good. I got a couple of orgasms out of it, and as far as I was concerned that was all there was to it. Other than knowing what I’d done was wrong of course. I regrated doing it because the only reason it happened was out of revenge.

  Aside from the guilt of my poor decision what made matters worse was Tank sitting on his bike barely illuminated by the street light when I got home. We didn’t speak that night or the four months afterwards. He just nodded at me sadly, like he was disappointed in me, and rode off into the night. I never did have another one night stand after that, or any sexual partner for that matter. I’d love to say it wasn’t because of the flash of hurt and disappointment on his face that night. But I can’t, because it was.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Priscilla

  Priscilla’s Rules to live by 101

  “Always be yourself unless you’re an arrogant bastard.”

  Drying my hair with a second towel making sure to get the last of the excess water out so I can blow dry it, I’m about to make my way out of the bathroom into my bedroom when I let out a high-pitch shriek. Standing on the threshold of my bedroom is a deadly looking Tank. His eyes are narrowed and his body is strung so tight that it looks like it might snap at any moment. This is a scary look coupled with that huge body of his, and I feel truly sorry for the person that’s going to be on the receiving end of his temper today. Surely his brothers can’t have pissed him off this badly already. And what’s with the surprise visit? He hasn’t been in my house for more than a year, why now?

  Dammit. I should have got my spare key back, I knew it was a mistake not to.

  “Holy shit! You scared the crap out of me.” He doesn’t say a word. Tank’s jaw is clenched and I hear what sounds like a rumble bubbling up from his chest. Deciding to go about my business I collect a bra and panty set from my lingerie draw instructing him to turn around.

  “Spoke to Jas and Kai. Have you got something you want to tell me?” His voice is full of menace. Low and intense like he is.

  I rack my brain trying to come up with an answer that will get him out of my house, but the only one I can come up with is that Jasper spilled and that’s the reason for my unexpected visitor.

  “He told you.” I say with enough venom that if he were a lesser man he’d have the decency to flinch.

  I turn around dressed in only my underwear to find him staring at me.

  “Yes he fucking told me. The question is why the fuck didn’t you? Jesus fuck, Beautiful. Why didn’t you call me? You know I would’ve been there in a minute. Doesn’t matter what’s going on with me, you, us I would’ve fucking dropped everything to be there, Beautiful.”

  That’s another thing, Tank has called me beautiful for six years, but his use of the endearment now that we’re not on speaking terms only serves to infuriate me.

  “Fuck you Tank. I do not know that because you made it so that I don’t. It’s none of your business. Now if you would kindly get the fuck out of my house, you can go back and tell your brother he can lose my fucking number.”

  Growling at me Tank asks,

  “Which fucking one? I hear two of them know your number pretty fucking well these days.”

  So he does know about Reid. I was wondering how long it would take for it to get back to him. Not wavering from my stance with my hands on my hips I laugh out loud, but with little humour infused.

  “Both of them. You can tell Jas to lose my number, and you can tell Reid to lose my number unless he’s using it as a friend.” In my anger I didn’t stop to consider what I was saying, it just came out. In hindsight it wasn’t the smartest move, divulging Reid was calling me for any purpose other than to be friendly, but once the words slipped out it was too late to take them back. Whoops. I’ll have to remember to send him a fruit basket when he’s laid up in hospital after Tank puts him there. Since it would be my fault and all.

  I watch as Tank’s fists clench and unclench dangerously at his sides. The pulse on the side of his neck beating erratically and another growl erupts his throat adding to the tension in the room.

  “Don’t worry Beautiful, I intend on having words with my fucking brother as soon as he shows his face in town. That doesn’t answer my question though. Why didn’t you fucking tell me?”

  There’s no answer Tank will accept, in his mind its cut and dry. I should have told him what happened regardless of the fact we haven’t spoken for over a year, so I go with the truth.

  “I didn’t want retaliation for what was probably just a dig at the club, I still don’t. Nothing came of it, so I left it alone, and you will too.”

  Faster than I can blink Tank’s hand goes through the wall to his right, fury emanating off him in waves. I’m not scared of him, and I never have been. I know Tank would never hurt me. No matter what I do, or how badly I hurt him, he’d never raise a hand to me.

  “What. Happened? Exactly Priscilla. I want to know exactly what happened.”

  And that’s how I came to be sitting on Tank’s lap. His back to the headboard, me cradled across his thighs. His arm behind my back. His free hand stroking down my arm still in my bra and panties. I let my tears, the one’s I hadn’t up until now flow free. Tank didn’t speak intelligible words, and he didn’t offer me platitudes. He simply offered comfort, which I took as he kissed the crown of my head over and over again promising he’d never let anything like that happen to me ever again. And I believed him. Every word. We stayed like that for what felt like hours until eventually I succumbed to the darkness of sleep.

  Hours later I woke up alone feeling empty and drained. The side of the bed Tank slept on was cold, so I knew he’d left a long time before. I have to admit that hurt a little. Okay, so it hurt a lot. Knowing Tank he would’ve told the guys at the club by now, at the very least Priest, Pipe, and Reaper, so I’m expecting a visit not too far in the future. One that I don’t want, and really don’t need, but will come nonetheless. Prepared or not I’m going to have to face this head on.

  Something else I don’t know is how to feel about Jas ratting me out to Tank. I get it was probably something I should never have asked him to keep my confidence about, but that didn’t lessen the sting of him going behind my back telling the one person I specifically said I didn’t want to know. I’m angry sure, but I understand why he did it. Tank’s his brother, and Jas knows how protective he is over my sister and I. I suppose in hindsight, now it’s out there, it’s better than the alternative, Tank finding out another way.

  I have to give it to Tank, aside from the hole in my previously perfect wall, he kept his thermonuclear temper in check. I’d deal with Jas in my own time, but he better believe he’s going to get an earful from me before his little visit is over. Clearly if Kai’s here he knows too, that’s just another person I’m going to have to explain thing to. Great. It won’t be long before all six brothers, their dad, mom, and grandpa all know about my humiliating experience. I’m not ashamed of it. It wasn’t my fault. But it was something I’d have preferred to put to the back of my mind in the ‘don’t fucking think about it’ basket given the choice.

  By the time I enter the kitchen that night it’s eight-o’clock. I’m hungry and emotionally exhausted, but I have to make sure Tilly eats something that’s more nutritious than cardboard, so cooking it is. Rounding the wall that separates the hallway from the kitchen, I almost have a heart attack on the spot. Jesus Christ. It’s an invasion of the Adams
kind.

  Sitting around my kitchen table devouring cartons of Chinese food is Tilly, Tank, Jas, Kai, Brody, and Noah. The sight makes me suck in a huge lungful of air cursing the tears building behind my eyes. The last time I had all these men around my table was almost eighteen months ago before things went bad between Tank and I. I’ve missed them desperately and don’t wait a second longer to launch myself at the closest target. Brody.

  Landing on his lap with an oomph I exclaim,

  “Oh my God, When did you get here?” His large strong hands bring me closer engulfing me in a hug I hadn’t known I needed, but now couldn’t do without.

  “Hey sexy mama. Thought you were never going to wake up. If it weren’t for my little brother over there,” he says motioning to Tank, “I would’ve woke you up an hour ago. He threatened my balls though, and you know how attached I am to them. Or them to me, I can never remember which way around it’s supposed to go.”

  I laugh. I laugh because I’ve missed him. I laugh because it’s true, Tank would have threatened that. And I laugh because is exactly what I needed.

  “Hmm, it works both ways I think.” Changing the subject I ask, “Did you get my favourite, or did I miss out because I was sleeping?”

  I know full well there will be honey chicken on the table somewhere, but I can’t help teasing him anyway. Brody feigns outrage putting his free hand over his heart.

  “You wound me sexy mama. Of course Tank got you your precious chicken. He even double checked the order to make sure they remembered it.”

  Sparing a glance at Tank I see him watching me intently. I see the questions in his eyes. He’s asking if I’m okay. If I need anything. If I need him. So I answer the only way I can.

  “Thank you Hunter.” I say softly giving him a small smile. He doesn’t reply. He doesn’t smile. He just tips his head signalling he heard me.

  Breaking the silence Tilly chimes in asking,

  “So what are we doing while you’re here? Can you teach me to drive the Escalade you rented Brody? Tank said he’d take me out this weekend, but I think I scared him last time.” My sister looks so sincere, and the accompanying pitiful face she puts on make her look so sweet and innocent. But behind the mask the little devil is laughing her ass off. She dead right though. She did scare the shit out of Tank. Tilly told me he was hanging onto the ‘oh shit’ handle for the entirety of their driving lesson, the memory makes me giggle aloud.

  From where I’m still sitting chowing down on my food I can see amusement light Kai’s eyes, Jasper’s grin, Noah’s quirked brown, and Tank’s scowl. He’s probably not as entertained as we are at the harrowing experience that is teaching Tilly to drive. I just thank God it’s not me that has to do it. Giving me a playful shake Brody asks,

  “What? What’s funny? Sure I’ll take you Lily Pili. Name the time and place, and I’ll be there with boxers on.”

  Brody’s called Tilly, Lily Pili, since he met her. He has a thing for rhyming I think.

  “Umm…You sure you don’t want to ask Tank about his last trip out with her before you agree to that?”

  Shaking his head Brody goes back to eating but mumbles out,

  “Nope. All good. I don’t think I want to know now. Let’s leave it as a surprise.” That sets me and Tilly off in fits of giggles again. Oh, he’ll be surprised all right.

  “Your funeral Bro.” Tank says during our hysterics. “You might want to get a helmet, kneepads, and a pacemaker before you get in the fucking car though.” He’s not wrong. That is precisely why it’s not me teaching her.

  “We’ll be alright won’t we, Lily Pili? You’re not going to give uncle Brody a coronary are you?” He’s joking, but after Tank’s comment I can hear a thread of fear through his question.

  “Pshh, no. I’m not that bad. Hunter just thinks I shouldn’t drive faster than twenty miles an hour even on the highway. God forbid I do the speed limit.” Tilly huffs.

  Angling a glare in her direction Tank shakes his head.

  “The speed limit? What the fuck are you talking about? To you Til they’re speed advisory signs, and you don’t take them under advisement.” This too is true.

  Pushing back her chair and throwing her rubbish in the trash Tilly pouts at him.

  “That was one time Hunter, one time. You can’t hold that against me forever, and I said I was sorry.”

  The incident Tilly’s talking about was when she decided that in order to make her exit off the highway she would speed up overtaking a car also intending to use the same exit cutting him off at the last minute. That’s not forgetting to mention she was doing thirty miles an hour over the speed limit at the time too. Tank returned her frazzled and close to tears after his stern talking to her about road safety. It took two weeks after that for Tank to brave taking her out again, and it hasn’t progressed past back roads and car parking lots since.

  Heading to her room, to no doubt call a Glock and complain about the unfairness of it all, Tilly stomps down the hallway causing me to sigh. This is the shit I hate. I hate not taking her side immediately, but I can see why Tank would be cautious about venturing far with her again.

  I get up and start putting leftovers away, clearing the cutlery, trying to ignore the five equally intimidating stares that follow me. I know they want to talk about it, what Tank managed to get out of me, but they can kiss my ass if they think we’re going to sit around my kitchen table and have a therapy session, because it’s not going to happen.

  Obviously the least clever of the bunch, Noah, broaches the subject, making me want to smack him instantly.

  “So what’s up with you keeping that shit to yourself, Priss? You and big brother are tight why wouldn’t you call him and give him the chance to sort that shit out?”

  Tight? Evidently Tank didn’t think it pertinent to inform his brothers about his recent moratorium on all things me. Scoffing at him I reply,

  “Yeah sure. I’ll just call your brother up after he hasn’t spoken to me for more than a year, and say ‘Hunter, just thought I’d let you know I was nearly raped, and got beaten up behind Rough Shod. I didn’t get a look at the guy, but can you hunt him down and kick his ass for me’. Yeah, let me get right on that next time.”

  Again, I should’ve thought about what I said first. The room goes deathly silent and Tank’s anger permeates the room. I get the sinking feeling that it won’t be long before he explodes in a way no one will be able to calm down. Not even me. Turning toward him I see Tank’s eyes are almost glowing with a mix of pain, hurt, and fury. I don’t get a chance to apologise for my bluntness when Kai, the silent one as I call him, speaks.

  “What in the holy fuck is going on? You haven’t talked to our girl in more than a year? Fucking hell, Hunter why didn’t you tell us this shit was going on? If you couldn’t watch out for her one of us would’ve.”

  The glare Tank turns on his brother would have set a lesser man reeling for the door, but Kai just matches it with one of his own waiting for an answer that doesn’t look like it’s forthcoming. Jas decides his opinion is necessary to add to the fray as well. Yay! Because that’s just what we need. Another fucking opinion about something that’s not any of their business.

  “Are you fucking kidding me? I wouldn’t have said a fucking word to you brother if I knew you weren’t looking out for her anymore. What’s your fucking problem anyway? You too busy to look out for the people most important to you these days, huh?”

  And then it happens. Exactly as I predicted. Tank rises from his chair so quickly it flies back hitting the breakfast bar smashing into splinters of wood.

  “You fuckers know exactly why. Don’t act like this is a big fucking surprise to you. I told you this would fucking happen sooner or later, and it happened far fucking later than I thought it would. You kept that shit from me for fucking weeks Jas, so shut your fucking mouth,” he says finishing on a snarl.

  He’s furious and my heart breaks for him. I want nothing more than to go to him and soothe him, but
I won’t. This day’s been coming for a long time, so I’m not going to interrupt now. Not when we’re getting to the heart of the issue. Noah looks at Tank wide-eyed.

  “This is because of that bitch? You’re not fucking serious…”

  Cutting him off before he gets any further Tank bites out,

  “Not. Now. You want to tear strips off me, fine. You don’t do that shit here though.”

  Looking back and forth a few times between Tank and I Noah laughs.

  “Priss doesn’t know does she? All this fucking time and you’ve never told her. You are a stupid motherfucker big brother. You’re on your own with this one too. I’d have your back in anything else, but you fucked this up, so you fix it.” Crossing his arms over his chest Noah leans back making himself more comfortable, giving me even more reason to think it is indeed dinner and a show.

  Not wanting to be left out Brody nods curtly toward Noah saying,

  “I’m with him. If this is why we’re here then you’re shit out of luck Hunt. I’m not bailing your ass out of this mess…”

  Kai stands in an equally intimidating pose mirroring Tank laying his hands flat on the table. Leaning in he speaks quietly, but with no less anger than his brothers, but with a hell of a lot more sinister undertone.