Page 58 of Avenging Devil: Part 1

That causes another flare of excitement to go through me, that illicit pleasure Duke had kept to himself up to now. I’m special, I’m his wife, I think to myself.

As we drive away, I’m wondering what club he’ll take me to. I love to dance, to let down my hair and drink cocktails. I muse they must have arranged a special opening as it’s only mid-afternoon. Settling back, I smile. Oh, the lengths this man will go to please me. I’ve won the jackpot.

I’m slightly surprised as we head out of town and drive into the desert. I’ve never heard of a club out this way. But what do I know? There’s probably some I haven’t frequented before now, though I’m sure I’ve experienced the best in town. Fidgeting, eager to arrive, I sit forward on my seat, looking forward to charming his friends and celebrating the start of our married life. I have no fear of meeting strangers. My parents had me attending their business parties since I was old enough to be polite. I know how to socialise and can hold a conversation with the best of them, having met many people from all walks of life.

When Duke makes a turn, I’m slightly surprised. The steel industrial-type fencing looks ominous, and as we drive on, when it comes into sight, the worn ranch house surrounded by barns and an oversized garage doesn’t look particularly hopeful. But the number of motorcycles parked outside makes me realise this must be the right place. As the car pulls up, loud heavy metal music floods out from inside.Not exactly dance music.I suppress a pout.

For once, instead of coming around to help me out, Duke just waits in front of the car, casting an impatient look behind him. So, being quite capable and shrugging off the slight, I open my door and step out, almost twisting my ankle as my high heels meet the rough ground. The place where we’ve parked is the worst in the lot, the pavement only extends so far as where they’ve parked the motorcycles.

Teetering carefully to Duke’s side, I reach for his hand. Instead of taking it, he pushes me in front of him, then steers me with his palm on the small of my back. Little signs that should give me pause, but I think nothing of them.

The doorway looks foreboding, and over the top is a sign,Crazy Wolves Motorcycle Club.I grimace, knowing now it’s not the type of club I was expecting, and explains why Duke’s is the only car in the parking lot. It looks like I’m about to meet bikers, and a lot of them.

Mentally, I shrug. Duke rides a motorcycle, and I already knew all his friends all have bikes, that’s why I hadn’t been surprised to see them. I’m amused that I expected any different and begin to doubt there’ll be a dance floor and cocktails inside.It’s our wedding day,I remind myself.His friends want to celebrate with us.That automatically gives them a place in my book, even if I’d anticipated somewhere very different.This is my new life. By Duke’s side.I’ll draw on all my experience to make sure I don’t disappoint him. I know I can cope.

With one hand around my waist, Duke snakes out his other and opens the door, then, with me tight to his front, pushes me inside.

The interior is gloomy, and I can’t immediately make much out, except for wall-to-wall leather, and a strong odour of cigarette smoke, stale beer and male sweat. A flicker of doubt makes me wonder just what I’ve stepped into.Duke’s brought me here. I trust him implicitly. Everything will be alright.

Focusing on trying not to let my nose wrinkle or outwardly show my disgust, I smile brightly as Duke raises his hand. He must make some kind of signal, as the music is cut off. For a second, there’s silence. As my eyes adjust to the level of light, I notice the leather-clad men have turned and are all facing us.

“This is Sapphire,” Duke calls out loudly. “She’s my ol’ lady.”

My wait for cries of congratulations is unrewarded. Instead, only one man, wearing a patch that says sergeant-at-arms, steps forward. Expecting a greeting, I’m taken aback when far from offering an outstretched hand or a warm welcome, his eyes roam over me, pausing at my breasts, before heading south, then rising once more to my face. The leer he’s sporting makes me feel cheap. I tense, expecting Duke to say something. This isn’t respect, it’s far from it.

“Nice looking bitch. Gonna share, VP?”

The title VP barely registers. Holding my breath, I wait for Duke to punch the man, but instead he laughs. “Once I’ve broken her in, maybe.” Then he raises his voice. “Got a welcome, brothers, for your new piece of club property?”

Cheers and shouts come from all directions, but these aren’t the congratulatory ones I’d anticipated, loaded as they are with lewd suggestions, and accompanied by quite a few rude gestures with men’s hands grabbing at the front of their pants. Duke pulls me tighter in front of him, and I lean back against him for protection, then freeze as he ominously announces, “She’s mine, for now.”

“Duke,” I hiss, taking a tight hold on the sides of his shirt. “I don’t want to stay.” It’s an understatement, I want to run for my life.

His hand goes to my head, tangles in my hair and pulls it painfully. When I look up and back at him, it’s into a face I don’t recognise. With tight lips and a hard voice, he replies, “Oh you’re staying, Sapphire. There’s no doubt about that. Welcome to your new home.”

Letting go of my hair, he pries away my hands and steps to the side. “Who’s got my fuckin’ cut? I’m naked without it.”

A man runs up and hands him a leather vest. When Duke shrugs it on and settles it on his shoulders, it fits him like a glove and turns the man I thought I knew into someone else. Someone who immediately scares me.

“Now let’s get this fuckin’ party started. Where’s that phone?” he calls out.

While the men start flooding to what I now recognise is a bar, the one wearing the sergeant-at-arms patch passes him a device. “Burner,” he tells Duke.

Myhusband—God, how many women start regretting their marriage in such a short time?—taps in a number. With the phone to his ear and his eyes pinning me in place, he waits for an answer.

“Ah, Winston.” Over the noise I can’t hear the other party, but only Duke’s side of the conversation. “Yeah, I got who I want. Nice to speak to you, Winston Bartell.”

My brow furrows.That’s my dad.Why is Duke ringing him, and why now, when it’s only been two hours since we exchanged vows?

“Yeah. It’s Duke Marshall. Sapphire’s mine now, you lost, old man. I warned you not to cross me—” He pulls his phone away from his ear, and chuckles. After a moment, he moves it back. “You finished? Yeah, I’ll tell you why I’m certain. I’ve got my ring on her finger. It’s all legal… Sure, go ahead, you check it out. She’s Sapphire Marshall now… Nah, it’s too late. Nothing you can do. You lost your chance… See, you should have made that investment.” He barks a laugh. “Cops won’t lift a fuckin’ finger, she’s mywife. Don’t you get it? I warned you I’d retaliate… Sure, I’ll treat her right. She’s a great addition to our clubhouse… Oh, no, I wouldn’t do that if I were you. I get one sniff of the cops or any interference and Sapphire will meet with a nasty, fatal accident. And that you can take to the bank and store along with my investment I never had.” Another removal of the phone, and this time I can hear my father screaming. “Let’s be clear. Sapphire’s dead to you now, and you can spend the rest of her life wondering how your little girl’s being treated… Oh, you disown her? Like I give a fuck about that… Yeah, this is what I want. You meet my demands, and I’ll keep giving you proof of life. Sounds like a fuckin’ good deal as long as you keep your end of it.”

He ends the call, tosses me a disdainful look, then shouts out, “I need a bitch.”

As if it’s expected, the men, all holding drinks now, part, and a girl is pushed through. I see fear in her eyes, but she pulls back her shoulders and puts on a tremulous smile. It’s about all that she’s wearing—apart from a thong, she’s naked.

“VP?” her quivering voice asks.

Duke waves down to his groin. “Need you to suck me off, honey, and do your fuckin’ best. Show my cunt of a wife how a real girl gets to work.”

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