Page 7 of Property of Indiana

“Kinda full of yourself, aren’t you?” I taunt.

“That’s not what I’m full of, and one day, when you’re ready and we’ve bared our skeletons to each other, you’ll find out.”

“Is that a threat, Harrison?”

“No, baby. That’s a promise.”

I don’t want to bare any skeletons. To him or anyone else. The therapists and my doctors know, of course, but he was my heart and soul before that shitstorm happened. How do I tell him that everything was ripped from me that horrible night? That Elodie is a product of the rape I endured? I can’t. I can’t see his face fall in disappointment or watch him walk away from me. I know I was the one who ran before, but once he knows the reason why, he may never look at me the same way again and I don’t want my old memories of us ruined. It’s one of the two reasons I stayed alive. Elodie was the other.

CHAPTER

THREE

INDIANA

Hoursat the mall usually break me out in hives, but running into the only woman who’s sparked an interest in me changed all of that. When we parted ways, I actually felt disappointment and wanted to bundle the two of them up and bring them back to the clubhouse with me. I’m not that man. But there’s always been something about Zoey that had me bending my knees and doing whatever it took to see that glamorous smile on her face.

I’m drinking a beer in solitude when a phone is shoved in my face. I lean back and push it back so I can see who has the balls to invade my personal space. When I see fire dancing behind Icer’s eyes, concern has me glancing back to the screen and what I read has my blood turning to ice.

“What the fuck is this bullshit?” I spit, taking the device from his clutches and going through it line by line. “Raped!” My roar has the entire room growing quiet as all eyes land on me.

“My princess is here because some motherfucker hurt her mama. Fix it, Indiana, and do it now because if you don’t, I will,” he vows.

“Fix it? How the fuck do I fix something that happened six damn years ago, Icer? Please, explain that to me and I’ll do it.”

“It happened here, in this podunk town. That means her rapists may still live here. You have to bring her to the club for protection, Indiana.”

“Women who aren’t claimed don’t reside here,” Riptide reminds Icer.

“He can claim her, or I will,” Icer thunders, causing everyone to take a step away.

“You can’t unwillingly claim an old lady, Icer,” Riptide says in a commanding tone. “We don’t do that. If we did, we’d be no better than her attackers are.”

“Fine! Then I’m laying down my protection on her,” Icer proclaims, and as if we’re on some sort of movie set, the entire room gasps. That’s a card that is only used under extraordinary circumstances. It’s basically unheard of, especially when it comes to Icer, he’s all but put the title of family on her without her knowledge.

Riptide sighs, gripping the bridge of his nose between his fingers, asking, “Family protection?”

“Yeah, I’m claiming Zoey as my sister and little bit as my niece. That means she’s untouchable unless I give permission.” His statement is said with his eyes glued to me.

That motherfucker!

He just made it next to impossible for me to see where this connection I have with Zoey could lead. “Icer,” I growl, standing from my stool. He may be our enforcer, but I’m the sergeant-at-arms which means we’re on even footing where the club is concerned. Going toe-to-toe with him can cause conflict within the club, but he didn’t even give me the chance to let what I just saw on the internet sink in before making his claim.

“Fuck you!” I roar, shoving him in the chest. The dick doesn’t even stumble, but a facetious smile is plastered across his face. “Zoey is mine, and you know it.”

“Then why didn’t you do anything about it, asshole? You shouldn’t have had to think about laying protection on her, but you stalled. Why? It’s not excusable, Indiana, and I won’t stand for it.” By this time, Icer is leaned forward, his forehead basically touching mine and his eyes have grown dark and menacing. “You want her for yourself, prove to me you're worthy of her and I may let you.”

“Now wait a damn minute,” Riptide intervenes. “There hasn’t been a vote, this didn’t come up in church so nothing is laid in stone.”

“Then let’s vote, every brother is here, I don’t see a need to push it off until our next church,” Icer calls out. “This is important to me, Rip. I won’t be able to sleep tonight unless it’s been settled.”

“Indiana?” Riptide asks, looking at me. “Is this the girl you were infatuated with when we rolled into town?”

“The same one, yeah,” I confirm. “And she’s standoffish, so I didn’t want to pull her into something until I understood it fully. Now that I do, I’m with Icer, she needs protection. It says here that the Onyx Dragons were suspected of being the ones whoraped her. It was the new recruits’ initiation. They’re still here, only now, they’re stronger and better connected than they were six years ago.”

“So, Zoey, and her little girl, they’re important to you both?” Riptide asks for confirmation. Both of us nod which has him lowering his head as he considers the right way to handle this shitstorm. “And you both want to claim her and the little one?”

“Yes,” we unanimously answer.

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