Nitro's Torment (Sydney Storm MC 2)

Fuck.

“What happened?”

“Nothing happened. But she’s not coping, and she’s getting worse.” She paused for a moment, her face crumpling before the tears fell. “I don’t know what to do anymore.”

I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her close while she sobbed. Forcing down the fury that tried to punch its way out of me, I said, “You’re not alone, kiddo. I had some shit to do last night, but I’m here for you.” Those motherfuckers would pay for what they’d done to my family.

She clung to me for a while before letting me go and saying, “You need to make her see that psych again. She did better when she saw him.”

I raked my fingers through my hair. Easier said than done. “Yeah, she did.”

“I don’t care if you have to freaking kidnap her to get her there, just make that shit happen. Okay?”

I raised my brows. “Condoning crimes now, are we?” Renee should have been born into a family of lawyers or fucking cops with the beliefs she held about crime.

She ignored my question. It was a long-running difference of opinion between us that we’d probably never resolve. “She’s your sister. You need to fix her, because I’ve tried and I failed.”

“Jesus, Renee, you’re seventeen and she’s your mother. It’s not your job to fix her and you sure as fuck haven’t failed her.”

More tears slid down her face as she stood staring at me, pleading with her eyes for me to make this all better. If only life were that fucking simple. I didn’t want to break her even more than she already was, though, so I pulled her close again and said, “I’m going to sort this out, kiddo. You just need to focus on school and your shit, and let me get your mother better.”

She hugged me like she never wanted to let go, but Tatum chose that moment to interrupt us. “Nitro! I need to use the bathroom.”

Renee’s arms dropped from around me as she took a step back. Frowning, she said, “Who is that?”

“A friend.”

Spinning around, she headed towards my bedroom. “A friend who can’t walk to the bathroom?” Her intelligence and instincts were out of this world, and she liked to challenge me.

“Renee,” I called out. “Stop walking.”

She didn’t.

“Renee!” I barked.

My niece was as fucking stubborn as I was. She took after me more than her mother, probably because I’d practically raised her. At times like this, that came back to bite me in the ass.

Spinning back around, she stalked my way. “Is that the woman from earlier who was in pain? The one you didn’t care about?” she demanded. “What’s going on here?”

I grabbed her hand. “You need to go home. This doesn’t concern you and I don’t want you tied up in it.”

“Nitro!” Tatum yelled out again.

Ignoring Tatum again, I continued to hold Renee in place. “Go home. I’ll come by later and see Lynny.”

She huffed out a long breath. “Fine, but only because I really don’t want to know what’s going on. Just promise me you won’t hurt her.”

I took a moment to answer her. Finally, nodding, I agreed. “I won’t.”

I fucking hoped I could keep that promise. There weren’t many people I cared enough about to want to honour my agreements with anymore. Renee was one of those people. Hell, she was the one at the top of the list.

6

Tatum

“Beaten Dog” by Massive

Every muscle in my body ached. That filthy biker had given me the beating of my life last night. I’d copped bruises at the hands of men before, but not like that.