Page 8 of Cheshire

“Really?” I asked, skeptically.

“Really.” He nodded. “Now, how about you come on down here and tell me what’s going on? Maybe we can figure something out together.”

“All right… but just give me a second,” I whispered, hoping Daddy didn’t hear us talking. “I’ll be right down.”

“Take your time, sweetheart.” Cheshire smirked. “I’m not going anywhere.”

As I slipped out of my room, my heart raced in anticipation. This was it! I’d finally be free.

* * *

I sighed and stared up at my ceiling. There was no use in dreaming about an escape that might never happen. And the biker from before certainly wasn’t going to show up and save me.

I’d have to save myself. It was a daunting thought, but one that I knew was true. No one was coming to rescue me -- no knight in shining armor or biker with a mischievous grin. Only I could pull myself out of this hellhole.

I forced myself up from my bed, wincing at the pain that shot through me. My gaze landed on my mirror, and for a moment, I didn’t recognize the girl staring back at me. Bruised, battered, and broken -- I was a ghastly sight. But behind those haunted eyes, I saw something else -- a spark of determination, an ember of hope.

Grimacing from the pain, I started to formulate a plan. A daring escape into the night, toward freedom and safety… It was a risk, but anything was better than enduring another night of Daddy’s wrath. I didn’t know if he had people watching the house, if he’d hidden cameras, or anything else. But if I didn’t try again, then I’d be stuck in this house, used as his punching bag, until the day I died.

The moonlight crept through the gap in the curtains, casting eerie shadows on the walls. Fatigue pulled at me and I lay back down. My eyelids fluttered closed, and I felt sleep dragging me under, but I fought it for a moment longer. Cheshire’s eyes, that mischievous grin, they were all I could see as darkness swallowed me whole.

Even in my dreams, he helped me escape from this miserable life…

* * *

“Eliza,” his voice echoed through, smooth as silk, “come with me.”

“Where are we going?” I asked, looking around at the strange landscape. Everything was blurry, like a watercolor painting left out in the rain.

“Somewhere better,” he answered, a coy smile playing on his lips. “You don’t have to live like this anymore.”

“Promise?” I whispered, tears prickling at the corners of my eyes. Was this what hope felt like?

“Promise,” he said, taking my hand, and the warmth of his touch sent shivers down my spine. We raced through the dream-world together, leaving the pain and fear behind like dust in our wake.

But then, just as we were about to crest a hill, something pulled me back, an invisible chain yanking me away from Cheshire. I reached out, but he was already fading into the distance, his fingers slipping from mine.

“Wait!” I cried, desperation clawing at my throat. “Don’t leave me!”

“Find me, Eliza,” he called back, his voice growing fainter by the second. “I’ll be waiting.”

“Cheshire!” I screamed, but it was too late -- he was gone. And all that was left was the aching emptiness inside me, worse than any bruise or broken bone.

* * *

I jolted awake, gasping for air, my heart pounding like a jackhammer in my chest. It was just a dream -- but maybe it was a sign too. Maybe Cheshire really was the key to my freedom, the one who could help me break these chains.

The darkness closed in again, heavy as a shroud, and I let it take me. But even in the blackest depths of night, the image of Cheshire’s mischievous grin remained, a glimmer of hope that refused to be snuffed out.

Chapter Four

Cheshire

Hatter had given me the lead on the issue with the sheriff. Which meant I didn’t necessarily have to run everything by him. As long as I kept him in the loop, that’s all that mattered. From what I’d heard, other clubs didn’t run the same way ours did. But since we were all ex-military, and most of us had served together, we were used to working as a team.

We’d found some interesting intel, but it wasn’t enough. I needed more details to justify taking him out. It was one thing to make sure he couldn’t have a position of power in town anymore, but kill him? Even we had a code to follow. At the end of the day, we had to be able to live with ourselves. I didn’t want to look in the mirror and see a murderer. If I was taking out the trash, then it was just another day. And yes, the sheriff was dirty as fuck, but I wanted to know exactly how bad it was.

“Rabbit, I want you to dig deeper into the sheriff’s financials,” I instructed, my gaze locked onto his jittery form. “Find out where the money’s coming from and where it’s going. And don’t be afraid to follow any leads, no matter how small or insignificant they might seem.”

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