Page 28 of Satisfied
If she can just call them, the Rebels will stop him.
The secret room they have in the underground lot at the clubhouse is there for incidents just like this. When they’re done with him, his own parents won’t be able to recognize him.
“Open this fucking door, Abby, or I’m using the bat on the asshole you’ve been fucking, and then I’ll come back and kick in the door.”
That does it.
I force myself up, ignoring the searing agony that tears through my body, one that threatens to overwhelm me. Every fiber of my being screams in protest, but I push through, driven by the need to protect the woman I promised to spend forever with.
My legs feel like lead and my vision wavers when I climb to my feet, bracing myself on the wall. I give myself a minute, but another kick to the door sends me storming into the apartment.
The fucker has only a second to notice me before I slam my fist into his face. His head jerks back, and he drops the bat, but Idon’t give him time to recover as I lurch forward. A feral sound, like a wounded predator, tears out of me as I attack him.
There’s anger.
Weeks and weeks of pent-up anger for a man who doesn’t have the guts to pick a fight with someone his own size. I hit him until he’s passed out, lying on the floor at my feet. All I can think is that I want to cause him twice as much agony as he gave Abby.
My head is throbbing, and I’m not sure how long I stand there, staring down at the man who caused the woman I love so much pain.
“Ransom,” calls out a familiar voice. Hands, gentle hands, are palming my face and turning me away from the man on the floor. “He hurt you. I’m so sorry.”
Abby’s soft touch and tear-filled eyes snap me back into the present moment. “I’m fine.”
“No, you’re not.” She sniffs, stepping in front of me and sliding her fingers into my hair, feeling around. “That jerk attacked you with a baseball bat. I called Hound as soon as I locked the bathroom door. I was so scared he was going to hurt you while I was in there.”
“He didn’t,” I assure her, turning when someone pats my shoulder. “Doc?”
“Hey, looks like you made a mess here,” he says with an approving smile I imagine should never belong to a doctor. But then again, he’s no ordinary doctor. “Heard he attacked you with a bat. How are you feeling?”
“Like I cracked my skull. Hey, I’m kidding,” I quickly add when Abby’s eyes widen in horror. “It just hurts a bit, but nothing a few painkillers won’t fix.”
“I’ll be the one to decide that,” Doc says, stepping to my side to inspect the wound. “You’re not wrong. There’s a bump there, but we need to be sure he didn’t give you a concussion.” He reaches into the Gladstone bag he always carries with himand hands me a few pills. “Take two of these. They should help you with the headache.”
“Thanks, man.” I take them and turn around to see Abby handing me a glass of water. I toss the pills into my mouth and down them with the water before turning to the man lying on the floor with what looks like a broken nose and bruises all over his face. Twice the bruises he gave Abby before she showed up at the shelter. “What happens to him?”
Saint steps up next to Doc and tosses a glance at Abby before looking back at me. The knowing look in his eyes is all I need. We’ll never see the fucker again, but Abby doesn’t need that on her conscience. “He won’t be a problem anymore,” Saint says. “That much I can assure you.”
“Thanks, Prez,” I say, meaning it. I’m ready to put an end to his chapter of our lives.
“There’s something else we need to talk about,” he says casually. “As you know, we had Church today, and the topic of your membership came up. We can discuss this tomorrow when you come to the clubhouse.”
Even without his confirmation, I can already tell that I’m in. I never expected it to happen so soon, but lately, things have been happening fast. I decide not to question it.
“You’ve got it, Prez.”
Abby and I stand side by side as we watch the men clean up the mess on our living room floor. A couple of prospects come to haul Jack away, and soon it’s just the two of us. She waits until the last person has left before taking my hand and leading me to the bathroom.
“I just need to take care of your knuckles,” she whispers, turning to search through the cabinets for a first aid kit. She takes it out when she finds it but doesn’t open it. “I’m sorry.” She steps up and drops her forehead to my chest. “I’m so sorry I left you out there with that monster.”
I take her chin with my bruised fingers and tilt her face up so those blue-gray eyes are looking into mine. “Tell me, Abby. What do you think would have happened if you’d stayed back to face a man twice your size, one who was carrying a weapon with no qualms about using it?”
“I…I mean…”
“He would have hurt you, and that would have killed me.” I lean in and brush my lips over hers. “You did exactly what I asked you to do, and because you did, he’s the one nursing bruises tonight, not you.”
She slides her fingers into my hair and touches the bump gently. “He still hurt you.”
“I hurt him worse,” I say, grabbing her waist and lifting her onto the counter. “You don’t have to worry about it anymore, Abby. He’s gone, out of our lives for good.” He’ll be lucky to have a pulse, let alone his sanity when the Rebels are through with him. “It’s over.”
