Page 8 of Hatter

As we rounded a corner, a flash of movement caught my attention. A woman stepped out into the street, her eyes locked onto mine with an intensity that made my breath catch in my throat. Her face was bruised, swollen, yet her gaze remained unflinching, determined.

“Christ,” March muttered.

“You’ve got some nerve stopping us like this,” Absolem said.

“Yes,” she said, her voice coming out raspy. “And I’ve got nowhere else to go.”

I shared a look with my brothers. We might do some questionable things from time to time but none of us could abandon a woman in need. I could see the pain hidden beneath her steely facade, the quiet desperation that lurked behind her eyes. This woman had been through hell, just like us, and I immediately felt a connection to her -- an unspoken understanding born from shared suffering.

“Who did this to you?” I asked.

“Eddie… Edward Lewis,” she said softly.

Motherfucker! I glanced at my brothers and knew they were thinking the same thing. We couldn’t leave her here. If we did and that bastard came for her, she’d be good as dead.

“Get on,” I said, motioning toward my bike. I saw a flash of fear in her eyes, but she complied.

Our plans had changed. We still had a rat to flush out. However, this woman needed protection, and I was damn well going to give it to her. The rat would still be lurking in the shadows for us to trap another day.

“What’s your name?” I asked.

“Jo,” she said simply, her voice trembling ever so slightly.

Something told me she wouldn’t last much longer on her own.

“All right, Jo,” I said softly, my voice a low rumble of reassurance. “You’ve got us. Whatever you need, we’ll see it done.”

I felt the weight of Cheshire’s gaze and knew what he was thinking. This woman was an unknown factor. Having her around could cause more trouble than we wanted. Regardless, she was going to the clubhouse.

I glanced over my shoulder, once I was seated on the bike again. Jo had a mix of relief and fear etched on her face. And I couldn’t blame her. She had no idea who we were and had taken a gamble on us being less evil than that asshole, Eddie Lewis.

“Trust me,” I murmured, offering her a small, reassured smile. “You’ll be safe with us.”

Her expression softened, and she nodded hesitantly. Her bruised body pressed against mine, and I could feel the tremors running through her as if they were my own.

“All right, let’s go,” I said. The roar of the motorcycle echoed off the empty streets surrounding us.

Tension radiated from Jo as we raced through the streets, her grip tightening around my waist with every turn. With each mile closer to the clubhouse, I knew I was putting her in more danger. But there was a fire in her eyes, a fierce determination that told me she would do whatever it took to survive. And I was willing to risk everything to help her.

The safety of the Underland clubhouse was just within reach. We just had to hold on a little longer.

“Are you okay?” I shouted over the roar of the engine, my voice barely audible against the howling wind.

“Y-yeah,” she stammered back, her grip on my waist tightening as we rounded a sharp bend. “Just… keep going.”

I could feel the weight of her trust bearing down on me, the need to protect her gnawing at my insides. It was who I’d always been. Even after I’d failed the last woman I vowed to keep safe, I still couldn’t walk away from this one.

The darkness seemed to stretch on forever, the lights of the clubhouse a distant beacon in the night.

Finally, the gates loomed ahead of us, the iron bars etched with the Underland MC emblem standing sentinel against the encroaching darkness. I reached into my pocket and pushed the button on the remote. The gates swung open, revealing the path to our sanctuary.

We parked our bikes under the covered parking area off to the side, then walked up the steps of the clubhouse. For now, this was home. We had everything we needed here.

“Welcome home,” I murmured as we entered, the heavy door creaking closed behind us. The dim glow of the interior washed over us, casting long shadows against the walls.

“Home?” Jo echoed, her eyes wide with wonder and uncertainty. “Is this where you all live?”

“More than just live,” I replied, guiding her toward a nearby table. I pulled out a chair for her and claimed the one beside her. “This is our haven. Our fortress.”

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