Page 63 of Sniper

I nod and admit, “Emily has been my counselor since I arrived in town a few years ago. Autumn was nearly two. Before that, I moved around and stayed in motels, cleaning them for free board.”

Cannon, Theo’s and Snake’s blood cousin, butts in this time, “How did you escape? I know you said Hannah helped, but how?”

I swallow hard. “I was at the hospital for a check-up, and she saw me. I always thought she hated me, but she knew Axe wanted me and hoped that by acting like a bitch to me, she’d push me away. She and her boyfriend managed to corner me, and we planned it. I haven’t seen her since she dropped me and Autumn off at the bus station, with the money she took from Axe’s safe. I-I don’t even know if she’s okay….”

Theo opens his mouth this time and asks, “And the Huntsmen?”

My tears fall again. “I haven’t had any contact with them or my father since. I-I was in captivity for a year, and his voice was always in my head.”

Smokey’s dad, Rock, continues for me, seeing where my mind went, “You thought they could have had something to do with it or at least knew about it.”

I nod. “It’s not something I would have thought before I was taken, but Axe, he was a brother, blood to the men I saw as family, who looked out for me growing up, and…he-he got in my head.”

I look at Theo. His whole body is vibrating. I sob, seeing his reaction—the pain, and heartbreak shining in those beautiful, sad, dark brown eyes as Smokey walks over to me. He takes me into his arms, my head going to his chest as Tech climbs into the ring.

“Fuck, right, okay, Sniper, let’s just make sure you don’t break any of my bones, yeah?” Tech rasps as Theo squeezes his fists, his eyes on me.

“Come on, sweetheart, I’ll walk you to yours and Sniper's room. Just give him a few minutes to let his anger out,” Smokey whispers, and he squeezes me to him.

I nod and admit, “I never wanted to tell him. I never wanted him to feel dirty around me, because that’s what I am, dirty, and I didn’t want him to hate Autumn….”

The brothers around me soften as Bull walks over to me, cupping my cheeks as I grip Smokey’s cut. Grunting can be heard, skin hitting skin, making me flinch.

Bull’s blue eyes soften, and he whispers, “You’re not dirty, you’re a survivor, and that little girl is his world, our world, do you hear me? You’re family, she’s family, don’t ever think differently.”

I nod, and he leans forward, kissing my head, before Smokey guides me out of the basement, ensuring I can’t see my husband losing his shit, beating up Tech.

He walks me through the common room, the women all looking my way, but I ignore them, suddenly wanting to sleep.

I grip Smokey’s cut tighter as he states, “Baby, go grab Annie and bring her to Sniper’s room,” and guides me into Theo’s room.

Sammy, my newly adopted Labrador greets me, and I kneel, wrapping my arms around his neck, placing my face on his fur, my tears falling.

Smokey grips my shoulder. “I’m going back to the basement. Liv, Quinn, and Annie will be here in a moment, alright?” I nod, and he squeezes my shoulder again, whispering, “I’m proud of you, Rory. You opened up about something hard and traumatic for you. You’re strong, sweetheart, a survivor.”

I nod again, and hold Sammy tighter as he leaves.

“Good boy, Sammy,” I whisper as I stroke his fur. I am grateful Brook allowed me to have him. My husband, is doing everything possible to make me happy, including pet adoption.

“You’re still hanging around, huh, like a bad smell….”

I roll my eyes, hearing Juicy’s voice, and snap, “Get the hell outta my room.”

She chuckles. “It’s not your room, it's Sniper’s, and that bed there, we’ve fucked on several times.”

I scrunch my nose up, my eyes going to the wooden frame.

I swear to God, if he didn’t replace that thing when we got married, I’m going to castrate him, especially since I’ve slept on that thing.

Sighing, I stand and turn to face the bitch, and raise a brow. “Well, at least you had the decency to wear clothes today, considering my daughter is around here with Noah.”

Juicy sneers, “That unwanted brat shouldn’t even be on club property, and you shouldn’t be with my man; he was mine first!”

I scoff just as a hand comes out of nowhere and Juicy screams, falling onto the floor, nose bleeding. My eyes connect with Annie’s form as she glares at Juicy.

She points at the crying woman, “Nobody bad mouths my grandbaby and daughter-in-law!”

I smile a little, despite everything, as a chuckling Pitbull walks over and comments, “Pretty sure you claiming a patched brother, a council one at that, who has already given his property cut away, is asking for banishment.”

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