Page 6 of Liberator

If I had more trouble than I could handle, or some man got too touchy feely, Flame came to my rescue. If the man was too big for her to handle, she’d call in security.

Normally, Sweet would have been there as protection, but he and Jemma were taking a short honeymoon. For now, someone named Colt was taking his place. He reminded me of a gunslinger from the wild west shows I’d seen. He made me as nervous as the customers.

I preferred it when Rage came around. My nerves settled down, and I was able to smile for real. Somehow, I always knew I was safe with him around. He didn’t have to say or do anything special, just be there. His presence was enough to change the atmosphere. I knew it was silly to play a game of hero worship when it came to him, but I did it anyway.

Circumstances had made him my savior, and I held on to that regardless of the fact that it was accidental. He’d simply been in the right place at the right time. But he could have left me with the other women, and he hadn’t. I believed that’s why I gave him hero status.

“Put the chairs on the tables while I sweep,” Flame told me. “I’ll lock up and empty the register while you mop. Get some sleep tonight. You’ve got circles under your eyes, Chica.”

I looked away from her quickly. I already felt ugly and pale compared to her. I knew she was trying to be nice, but I took every comment wrong these days. As a blonde, it was easy to appear bland around Flame’s dark hair with its red tips and her warm skin tone. She was bright and full of life while I was colorless and barely hanging on.

“I’ll try,” I answered meekly. “I’m kind of an insomniac. I read until I fall asleep, which is usually only a couple of hours before it’s time to get up.”

“It takes me a while to wind down, too,” Flame admitted. “I fix that by staying in bed until ten or so unless there’s somewhere I have to be. You don’t have a set time to get up, so why don’t you rest in the morning?”

“It’s habit. In the foster homes we had to get up and do chores before we were allowed to have breakfast. If we wanted to eat before school, we had to start really early. On the streets I had to wake up before sunrise, so I didn’t get robbed or arrested. Then, while I was locked up in that dark room and the shipping container, it was always dark. I didn’t know night from day, and I was always too afraid to sleep,” I confessed.

Flame frowned before replying, “I shouldn’t have said anything. I have a tendency to open my mouth before thinking. You’re still street-smart. I guess I’ve gotten soft since I’ve been here where I know it’s safe.”

She reflexively touched her shoulder as she spoke. I wondered what that was all about, but I didn’t dare ask.

“If you’re not sleeping because you’re scared, then don’t be. I promise you we’re guarded at all times. Sweet put on extra security while he’s away because the kid is staying here. Jemma wouldn’t have left otherwise, not after he was taken once already. You can trust us to keep you safe even without Rage here,” Flame stated.

“You know I feel different, safe, when Rage is here?” I asked with embarrassment.

Flame smiled, and it transformed her entire face. She wasn’t so scary after all. I saw the woman who’d let me squeeze her hand until I almost broke it while I gave birth. She had a kind heart underneath the terse mannerisms.

“Of course, I know. It shows in your face and your body. The tense frown lines between your eyes disappear when he’s around, and your shoulders drop down from up by your ears. You don’t look breakable anymore,” she replied.

“I don’t mean to…” I stuttered.

“Stop!” she said, holding her palm up. “There’s no reason to apologize or explain. He was there when you needed someone the most. He went against the Prez to bring you here. You trust him. He’s your safety net. I get it. It’s no big deal, except that I was there for you, too. Give me a break and trust me, too.”

This time I was the one who smiled. “I can do that. Especially since you’ve come to my rescue so many times with the jerks who come in here to drink.”

Flame laughed. “This bunch? Oh, Chica, they’re nothing to worry about. They’re just blowing off steam and getting their flirt on. You’ve got to perfect your ‘get your fucking hands off me’ face, that’s all. We’ll practice tomorrow, after you sleep late.”

Chapter 5

I crawled into bedwith a better attitude. Mentally, I knew I was safe. I’d looked out the window and saw exactly how many men were watching over us. Emotionally, I couldn’t shut down my anxiety. I picked up the book I’d borrowed from Jemma and decided I’d finish it tonight. What I’d do tomorrow night while I was sleepless, I had no idea.

Just as I became drowsy, I heard a noise in the hallway. Whoever was out there was walking slowly, stealthily. It sent shivers up my spine. People sneaking around meant trouble. I reminded myself that no one was going to get past the guards, but then my mind asked, “What about the ones already inside. You don’t know anything about most of the men.”

All the Sinners had tats, scars, and wore scowls on their faces. They carried knives, and sometimes they had guns. I was able to tell that they’d all had rough backgrounds. I knew for a fact that they’d killed.

If I screamed, would one of the guards go against another member, or was their loyalty to one another enough to let them ignore what happened to me, an outsider?

The squeak of a door reached my ears, and a loud voice cursed, “Fuck Jackson! You scared the shit out of me. What are you doing up? You’ve got school in a couple of hours. Sweet and Jemma will kill us all if you don’t go.”

Everything inside me relaxed instantly. Rage was back from his extra run. He wasn’t skulking around to attack me. He was just trying not to wake us all up.

“Sorry, bro. I didn’t mean to make you jump. I was heading to the shower. I woke up early because you guys send me to bed at freaking 9:30. I’m too old for that shit,” Jackson replied.

“You better get a handle on your mouth, boy. Your mother and Sweet will be home soon, and I know they get pissed when you curse. Start practicing using better words while you’re in the shower,” Rage hissed.

I opened the door to my room and courageously said, “Maybe, if all of you set a better example for Jackson, he wouldn’t say inappropriate words.”

“Damn it to hell, Vikki! I wish you’d all stop sneaking up on my ass! I didn’t say anything wrong, did I, Jackson?” Rage asked for backup.

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