Always (Next Generation The Skulls 1)

“You always have a way with words.”

“Damn straight I do,” Tabitha said.

Daisy’s cell phone rang again. “I’ve got to go.”

“Then go. Don’t worry. I’m going to relax. Just breathe it all in. I’m perfectly safe.”

Daisy hugged her again. “Love you.”

“Love you too.”

She watched Daisy leave. When she was alone, she stretched out in the grass, closing her eyes. She took several deep breaths, feeling a calm rush over her.

Tonight, Simon was due back and they were going to tell her parents they were married. He also intended to have Devil and Lexie in on the call. It was time for them to let the entire world know they belonged together. Besides, she didn’t like how her father kept pushing him away. It wasn’t fair.

She didn’t blame Simon for anything that had happened. There was no way she would have been able to live with herself if he’d been hurt. She’d reacted to protect him.

A shadow fell over and she opened her eyes, blinking.

It was Ryan.

“Do you think it’s funny?” he asked.

She made to sit up but he was suddenly there, holding her down. Panic flooded her body. She’d heard he’d been forced to hand in his leather cut until he proved himself a Monster Dog, or something along those lines. She hadn’t been near Luke. She didn’t believe in trying to reach out to people, especially those who had a crush, and she wasn’t going to use that to her advantage.

Ryan shoved her hard.

“Let me go.”

He wrapped his fingers around her throat, cutting off her air supply.

“Do you have any idea what the fuck you did? What you do? I’ve had to watch him fawn over you. You walked into the room and no one was more important than you. You’re all he can think about and I’m fucking sick of it. You’re not perfect. You’re a slut, a no-good whore, and I’m sick of it. In fact. I’m going to show him exactly how easy it is to use you.”

****

Anthony heard the sobbing coming from the bathroom. The clubhouse was mostly abandoned. Even his mom was out, running some errands. The sound caught at him, twisting his gut. At first, he thought it was Daisy.

He stopped, realizing it was Tabitha’s room, and he stepped inside.

Something chilled him to the core. For a long time now, he’d been trusting his instincts, and he knew something was very, very wrong.

The bathroom door was right there.

Danger like this, he’d never run away from. Most of the time, he’d been intrigued by the fear people often displayed. For a long time, he’d known he wasn’t like a lot of his friends or parents. His dad didn’t understand him, not really. The only person in all of his eighteen years who’d been interesting for him to pay attention to was Daisy. Even as kids, the sound of her voice, it was sweet music to his ears. Watching her, being near her, smelling her, it made him realize what people thrived on. How they fought for love.

What he felt for Daisy, it was deeper than love. It was stronger than any kind of obsession, but he also knew he had to be careful.

Once he stepped through that door, he had this eerie sense that his life was about to change.

He could step back.

Ignore it.

Carry on with his life.

He’d never been a coward.

Putting his hand to the door that wasn’t even completely closed, he pushed. The shower curtain hadn’t been pulled back.

Tabitha was in clear view, still in some of her clothes. Her face completely covered. A pair of panties with blood caught his eye, and he knew, without a shadow of a doubt, he just knew. Tabitha had been raped, and shit was about to hit the fan.

He texted Simon, his father, and of course Daisy.

Moving into the bathroom, he stared at her, not knowing what to do. In his mind, he had flashes of her. She was his best friend.

Climbing into the bath, even as she screamed, he wrapped his arms around her. “I’ve got you,” he said. Daisy would want him to hold her.

At first, she tried to get away.

“It’s me, Tabitha. It’s me. I’ve got you.”

Seconds passed and finally, she held on to him, sobbing against him.

His heart broke for her. He couldn’t stand for her to be in pain. It was the first time anyone but Daisy had affected him. He knew why. Tabitha was club. She’d been hurt for a second time, but this time went beyond a beatdown. She’d been violated in the worst possible way.

Lash arrived first with Angel. Next Daisy.

Sandy was called. Tabitha wouldn’t let him go.

Holding her close, they managed to get her out of the tub and toward the hospital.

It looked like a war with the Monster Dogs was unavoidable.

****

Devil had to drive him.

Simon had read the text message again and again, his stomach twisting.