Page 101 of Daughters of Chaos

Aching limbs and murmuring voices start to pull me from the dream world. Shit, I didn't mean to fall asleep, but I was so tired. Days upon days of fighting Dom and his guys definitely took its toll. Everything hurts but somehow, it's not as bad as yesterday.

The room feels different, smells different even—almost clean. The ground beneath me feels almost soft too.Strange.

I want to move but my body still feels too heavy. Sleep keeps beckoning me back, and as good as that sounds, I know I can't. I've rested a while now; I can feel it. That will have to be enough because I hear them in here already and I need to be ready to fight again, tired or not.

How long was I out anyway?

My body still refuses to obey me, begging me to take more time to rest, but I ignore it. Everything is too heavy. I'm still too tired and depleted to move much, but I try anyway, looking for signs of new trauma. I can't open my eyes yet to see the damage, but I can feel the absence of a certain ache between my legs. The tell-tale sign that I've had sex is missing. Thank fuck.

Quiet voices still drift through the room. Two of them, speaking low nearby.Why haven't they attacked? What are they waiting for?

I strain my ears, trying to listen, hoping to figure out what they'll do next. The one talking now sounds familiar, his voice a steady timber through the room. "She's important to you," he says.

"Shut it," another voice bites back, sending a shudder through my body, not from fear but something else. He sounds familiar, too, but neither man has been here with me before. They aren't the usual cronies Dom sends to visit.

Who are they? Why do I know their voices?

I listen harder as the first one starts talking again. "Admit it. It's not just physical between you. You care about her, don't you?" His voice is soft as he addresses the other man.

A low growl rumbles close by. The second man's answer sends a jolt through my chest.I know that sound.I've heard it countless times over the last several months. The sound and its effect on me can only mean one thing . . .

A soft laugh sounds across the room before the first man responds, "Never thought I'd see the day."

I almost smile at the grunt coming immediately from my favorite bodyguard's lips. Reaper. He's here, and so is Jesse. My body shifts as I try to move, fighting sleep again so I can see my saviors' faces and make sure this isn't a dream.

My eyes start to twitch, and as I move, I feel the softness of a mattress beneath me.

With one more push, I start to open my eyes. That's when I see them—my friend and my lover—watching over me. The shock on their faces when I look into their eyes is staggering. Both men move closer, calling my name.

It's not a dream. This is real. They saved me.

I could cry tears of joy right now, but I'm too dehydrated to wet my eyes. "Rae," Jesse says, "are you okay? Can you hear me?"

Swallowing hard, I let out a grunt. My throat is so dry I'm not sure I can speak yet. Pushing my palms against the mattress, I try to sit up. Everything is so heavy as I struggle to lift my back off the bed. Right away, two sets of strong arms race to help me up. Jesse adjusts the pillows behind me as Reaper continues to hold onto me. His hold is so comforting I can't help but lean into him.

His chest rises and falls, matching each breath he takes as he holds me tighter. "I've got you, Wildfire," he tells me. "You're safe."

I let myself enjoy the warmth of his embrace while Jesse scrambles to get some water. When he brings the bottle to my lips, I drink greedily, spilling drops of the cool liquid down my chin. I empty the bottle in no time, relishing the feel of water trickling into my parched cells.

They don't bombard me with questions or fuss over my wounds, something I'm profoundly grateful for. My heroes wait quietly with me, almost as if they can't believe I'm conscious. I let myself take in the room—one bed, a mini fridge, a TV, dated wallpaper, and carpet. We're in a motel. It's real. I'm no longer in the prison cell Dom and his men shoved me into.

My throat bobs as I swallow. "What happened?"

J and Reaper exchange a look, and my lover's hold on me tightens. "During the firefight at the clubhouse, they tookyou," Jesse finally says. "We got intel that the Bastards had a warehouse in the area, so we came to check it out. Ambushed one of their guys and found out you were inside, then we took teams to get you out."

I let the information settle, remembering bits and pieces of what happened after they took me. Flashes of memory shoot through my mind.

"They're all dead, Rae. They can't hurt any of us ever again. We made sure of it." His eyes dart to Reaper, and he licks his lips, hesitant to say more.

"What is it?" I ask.

Jesse eyes me and Reaper cautiously before asking, "Do you remember what happened?"

It's a loaded question; we all know it, but I answer anyway. "I was trying to help Archie when they came through the back door. Two of them jumped me and drugged me."

Reaper's chest rumbles with anger as I continue, "I remember bits and pieces of the drive. Then, I was in that room." I swallow again, feeling my throat tighten at the memories.

"When I came to, there were men in there with me, and I knew what they wanted to do. They didn't expect a fight, but that's what they got. Every time. The days blended together, but they'd come and go, talk shit about how they were going to kill all of you, use me, and cut me up. I just kept fighting them."

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