Page 83 of Lucifer's Hounds

“Oh, fuck. I’m sorry, Lilly.” Leo lowers his gun and turns around to yell. “Hey! She’s in the truck!”

I can hear the guys hollering and my eyes scan through the windshield in search of Cass with no luck. I don’t see him anywhere. Leo offers me a hand and helps me out of the truck, but not before he stares at me wide-eyed, looking at my face.

“Damn, I look that bad?” I ask.

Leo’s face falls. “A little, yeah.”

I step out of the truck with Leo’s help and am surrounded by Lucifer’s Hounds. They walk me to the clubhouse, protected at the center from anything and anyone. I can’t see Boulder or Jordan, not that I care to. They are no longer a threat to me.

Inside the clubhouse is a long bar that takes up the back wall. Behind it is a guy I’ve never seen before and sitting at the bar are Lucifer’s Hounds ol’ ladies. Ryan, Carrie, and Lucy are chatting until I walk in. Their heads whip in my direction and Carrie rushes to my side.

“Oh my god. Lilly.”

Carrie’s face drops when she sees my face. I fight back the tears that threaten as Carrie pulls me into a hug. I can’t hold them back any longer and tears stream down my face as I sob into Carrie’s chest.

“W-where’s C-Cass?” I ask through the sobs that wreak through my chest.

“He’s out looking for you, sweetie,” Carrie whispers into my hair.

Carries guides me to the bar and we sit down. I’m not sure why I’m crying. Maybe it’s the whole being kidnapped and beaten thing. I take a few deep breaths trying to stop the flow of tears. Once I’m certain I can speak without my chest heaving continuously, I look at Carrie.

Carrie gives me a sympathetic smile and that alone almost breaks me again. I finally stop long enough to take in my surroundings. My eyes scan the clubhouse. Leo and Shorty stand outside of a door that, I assume, leads to other men. I don’t see my captors anywhere.

“Hey, Leo. Do you have my phone?” I ask.

“No. It may be in the truck, though. I’ll go look.”

“Thank you.”

I sit down at the bar again in an empty chair between Carrie and Ryan while I wait for Leo to return. My chest still feels like someone has a fist wrapped around my heart, but I have my sobbing under control at least.

“Has anyone called Cass?” I ask.

“I don’t know. The guys are in church right now, but I’m sure they have. If not, those two fuckers that brought you here won’t be the only ones taking an ass kickin’,” Carrie says before taking a sip of the beer in front of her.

That gives me a sense of satisfaction. The thought of these assholes getting at least half of the beating I got. That makes me realize I haven’t seen what my face looks like. I know it hurts like hell.

“Where’s the bathroom?” I ask.

Carrie points to a door right past the one that Shorty’s standing outside of. I walk into the large bathroom that has a gorgeous shower, a marble countertop with two sinks, and two stalls with toilets.

Behind the marble counter is a large mirror that covers the wall. I gasp as I see my reflection looking back at me. I hardly recognize myself. My right eye is almost swollen shut and a nasty shade of black. My cheek is bruised, and my temple has a knot on it the size of a softball. I fight back tears again. I don’t want to cry because of what they did to me. They don’t deserve my tears.

I only have one thought. Cass is going to be so fucking pissed.

I splash a little bit of cold water on my face and lightly pat it dry, trying not to press too hard on the swollen spots. When I walk out of the bathroom, Leo is standing next to Shorty with his hand outstretched, my phone sitting in his palm.

I take it and return to the bar. Is it too cliché to start drinking right now? Probably. But I do it anyway. The prospect behind the bar must’ve read my mind.

“Do you want something to drink?”

I nod. “As a matter of fact, I’ll take a double Crown and Sprite.”

He walks off, fulfilling my request while Carrie and Ryan eye me suspiciously.

“What?”

“Nothing. We’re just waiting for you to talk,” Ryan says.

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