Page 2 of Chaos (Deathstalkers MC)
He laughs. “I’m hurt. What do you think I am an animal?” His sarcastic tone irritates me.
“You all are.”
I see his shadow move closer to the shower and my heartbeat speeds up. “Oh, baby, if you want an animal just say the word.”
I swallow my words. Half of me scared that he might try something, the other half hating that I let Viper affect the way I see every other man. I have known Torch for years and my rational mind knows he would never do anything to hurt me. That part of me isn’t the loudest right now though. I press myself against the cold tile, gaining as much distance as I can. I feel like that scared girl from all those years ago. Blinking away the tears I know shouldn’t be there I try to get a hold of my shaking limbs.
I hear footsteps and the door shut. I know he probably thinks he got the best of me. That I’m sitting here pissed off and trying to come up with a smart-ass reply.
That’s so far from the truth. Right now I’m clutching the pieces of me that were put back together haphazardly and never really healed. I’m trying not to fall apart.
I will not break.
I will not be weak.
I will never give someone else that control over me again.
Chapter Two
Tracie
After I get dressed I head out into the common room and see most of the guys sitting around bullshitting with each other. Torch is at one of the small tables, his eyes immediately finding mine. I don’t hold his gaze, instead I walk over to where Shooter is sitting with our current VP, Twisted.
“Hey, I’m heading over to the club early today to get some inventory and stuff done.” I lean down giving Shooter a hug.
“All right, let me know if you need anything, okay?” Shooter’s eyes study me and for a minute, I wonder if he can see through me. If he knows that something is wrong. The guys know what happened to me all those years ago. What they don’t know is how it still haunts me. No one sees that side of me.
“Hey, Trace?” I look over at Twisted. “You good?” His eyes study me.
“Yeah, fine. Just over not having my own bathroom in this testosterone hell.” I shrug at him and then walk outside. I could afford my own place if I wanted, but I can’t bring myself to leave. Even though this is where it happened, it’s also the only place I’ve ever felt safe. Part of that is because I know the guys would do anything for me. The other reason is because that asshole is no longer welcome here. The guys found out about what happened when he tried to go after another old lady the day he got out. He’s been out of the club ever since. This is the one place I know I’m safe from him, protected.
I slide into my car and head to Ambrosia. It’s the club run by the MC and after I turned twenty-one, Shooter put me in charge of it. It gives me something to do with my days aside from hanging around the clubhouse.
My phone buzzes in my pocket and I see that it’s Randy texting me. He’s asking if I want to meet him for dinner tonight. I reply yes even though I really don’t have any interest in him. We have been dating for about two months now. After I lost my mom, I was hesitant to get involved with a brother, it was the last thing she asked me. I almost felt like I would be betraying her by dating one of them. After Viper, the thought of being with one of them scared the shit out of me.
Randy is safe. He is an accountant with some firm, completely and utterly boring in every possible way. Torch is always giving me shit about the guys that I date, but it’s been more frequent lately. All I hear from him now is how I’m kidding myself and these stuck-up suits can’t make me happy. I can’t say that he isn’t right. The thrill I get when I’m around the guys, the way I feel when Torch runs his hand down my arm, it doesn’t compare to the silence of being with any normal guy. The difference is that normal won’t get you killed, normal won’t break you into a million unrecognizable pieces.
I walk into the club and head to the back office. Walking behind the desk I freeze. The safe is open. Someone’s been here. I grab my phone and dial Shooter, but he doesn’t answer. My next call is Twisted, but I get his voicemail too. Fuck, what the hell are they all doing. Next in rank is Torch.
He picks up after two rings. “Miss me already, princess?”
“Someone’s been here. The safe is open.” I talk quickly, my fear evident in the shakiness of my voice.
“Fuck. I’m coming.”
I hear a bang and my stomach drops. “They’re still here.” I try to whisper but I still want him to hear me.
“What? Where are you, Trace?” I can hear the panic rising in his deep voice and the pounding of boots. He must be running.
“I’m in the office.” My teeth gnaw at my bottom lip.
“Lock the door! I need to get on my bike. Call Whip. He’s at the clubhouse and stay on the damn phone with him.” I nod. “Tracie!”
“O-Okay.” I take the few steps to the door locking the doorknob.
“I’ll be there as fast as I can.” The line goes dead.
I pull the phone away from my ear and scroll to Whip’s number. A loud bang on the door makes me yelp, and I drop my phone. It skids across the floor and is sitting right in front of the door.
