Page 92 of Beautifully Wounded

“I guess he thought because I’ve been through something similar that perhaps I could relate, and it might help you not feel so alone in your suffering.” She shrugs, her pained expression meeting mine again. “He never meant any harm. He just wants to help you.”

Burning pricks at my eyes as they begin to flood with tears, and as the hot droplets burst over, I bat at them, quickly looking around the courtyard to see if anyone is watching, but it’s still quiet.

Did she really just admit that she’s been through something similar to me?

The thought makes me queasy. How can people do such heinous things?

As I study her through my tears, I can see it. The way her shoulders have rolled forward a little, closing herself off. The way her fists are opening and closing like she’s struggling for control.

She’s telling the truth.

“You… That happened to you?” I ask, feeling like a bitch for jumping down her throat.

“Yes.” She nods, having to clear her throat before speaking again. “It’s not something I talk about, and it’s something I’ve worked hard to overcome, but I see what he sees in you, Ab—Charity,” she corrects herself. “I’d like to help if that’s something you’d be open to.”

My lip quivers as I stare at this beautiful woman before me, her eyes so blue that I swear she must be a mermaid born in the prettiest of tropical waters. Her dark brown hair is simple,long, straightish with a slight wave, and although she has some tattoos—one on her hand, and a couple on her arms—and wears leather pants and a simple white singlet while spending her days with the roughest of men, and sassiest of women, she seems so… decent.

Just like Ringo.

“Are you Ringo’s sister?” I blurt, and her brows shoot up.

“No.” She laughs. “Why? Do we look alike?”

“No.” I shake my head, smiling and willing away my tears. “But you seem alike. In morals and personality.”

She nods in understanding. “Ringo took me under his wing. Heislike a big brother to me, but we definitely aren’t related. If it weren’t for him, JD, Murf, Stocky and Trunk, I don’t think I would have ever gotten through the aftermath of what happened.”

I nod. “They seem… nice.”

Jols throws her head back, laughing. “I wouldn’t use nice to describe them.” She shrugs. “But decent, they are.”

“I’m confused. I didn’t think they allowed women to be members in the club.”

She nods. “They don’t. I’m not a member.”

“Oh. Are you a Doxy?” I ask, confused, knowing she doesn’t seem like one of the women who aim to please the men of this club, and she scoffs.

“Fuck no. I ain’t spreading my legs for the likes of these fuckers.”

I giggle, and she grins. “Let’s grab some breakfast and I’ll fill you in.”

Jols smiles warmly at me, and I realise then that she kind of reminds me of Lexi. Just older. And with darker hair.

As Jols starts walking again, I briefly glance at the end of the courtyard to the mouth of the driveway where I know the manned entrance is. I probably wouldn’t make it far by foot, but maybe by car.

I glance at the doorway that leads down to the parking garage and frown. There was a truck, some vans, and a heap of motorcycles, but I didn’t see any cars down there when we came here the other night.

Not that it means there aren’t any. I was tucked down on the floor between Ringo’s legs, so I couldn’t see out the window, and when he escorted me inside, I was surrounded by his men and Jols, ordered to keep my head down.

“You coming?” Jols calls, shaking me out of my thoughts.

“Yeah.” I nod, spinning to follow her, even as I glance back over my shoulder in the direction of the entrance.

Ringo says I’m not a prisoner, so that means I can just leave when I want to, right? After the lockdown, I can just walk out.

After grabbing some breaky, I nibble on a piece of toast, not feeling much like eating as Jols eyes me, and I know she wants to ask me about what I divulged to Ringo last night.

We sit quietly for a few minutes at the table closest to the room that looks like it used to be a dining room for the hotel guests. It’s set up like a bar now, from what I can see. I guess they use it more when the weather isn’t so great since they seem to be doing all their drinking activities out in the middle of what used to be a central carpark in the middle of the buildings.

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