Ryan Michele - Seduce Me

My breath catches, two women one being my girl, hanging by chains from the fucking ceiling, clothes stripped away from both their bodies, feet barely touching the floor. Looking at Angel’s face, I see no signs of tears, but her eyes are dead. Void. Almost as if she has drifted to somewhere inside of herself, her safe place.

“Well. Look who showed up to the party.” Paine moves quickly behind my girl clenching his gun that is now pointed directly at her head. “I’m guessing you got through my men or else you wouldn’t be here right now.” He shakes his head ruefully. “It’s astounding that you even found us.”

“You fucker. You’re dead.” I growl pointing my gun his direction. Angel’s eyes stare at me and spark at hearing my voice. Her head rises lightly.

I hear moaning from the side and without moving my eyes away from my girl, I know it’s Shaina. “Oh my God.” Shaina voice gasps the chains clanging from her struggles. “Get me out of here!” She yells but is ignored. I’m too busy looking at Angel, whose arms are a strange color of white from the loss of blood to them.

“You’re not getting out of here Paine, may as well give it up.” My voice comes out strong and authoritative, even if inside the level of hate and fear are wrapping around me like a snake squeezing every bit of life out of me.

“You think I’m gonna roll over and play dead?” He laughs sadistically. “Fuck no. If I’m going out, I’m taking this one with me. You’ll know what it’s like to feel pain the rest of your miserable life.”

I’m unable to get a clear shot because the worthless piece of shit is guarding his body with Angel’s. Paine pulls Casey’s hair back tight, her head snaps backwards. He holds the gun up to her temple with a slight reach and her eyes latch on mine. Inside of them I see a spark of determination. I know something is coming. I clutch my gun ready for it.

Out of nowhere, Casey’s leg swings back kicking Paine hard in the nuts and he stumbles back with a grunt holding himself, falling away from the girls. I aim and shots go off from Cruz, myself and Paine all at once. When Paine hits the ground with a thud, I rush to my girl and grab her around the waist, pulling her up to get the pressure off her arms. “You okay.” She nods carefully, but no words escape her lips. I rip my shirt over my head and cover her body with it holding it in place. Cruz rushes over to Paine checking his pulse. “Dead?” I ask quickly.

“Yep. Fucking dead.” That is for Diamond and my girl. Fucker.

“Call everyone. We need cutters to get them down now. Get over here and hold them up so their arms can get blood back to them.” Cruz dials the phone giving instructions. Becs and Dagger come rushing in, guns raised.

“Fuck. We missed the damn party.” Dagger lowers his gun placing it at his back.

“Dagger, hold Shaina up to get the blood back in her arms.” He does so and Angel starts shaking in my arms. I hold her tighter.

“It’s alright Angel. I’m taking you home.” I repeat soothing words to her over and over again. Her eyes slowly shut and her head falls to my chest. I want her fucking arms cut down now.

“He… Jace…” Her words stumble and are incoherent, but I know exactly what information she just became privy to. Dammit. The fear in her eyes and the sound of her voice guts me like nothing I’ve ever felt before. I would do anything to take that pain on myself and wipe it from my girl. I want that fucker alive again just so I can fucking kill him all over again.

“I know. It’s okay. It’s all over.” She slowly nods, but the fear is still prevalent in her eyes damn near ripping my heart out. “Everything clear on your end?” I ask Becs.

“Yeah. Took out four men.”

“We took out seven.” Cruz says coming back putting his phone in his rag pocket. “On their way, be here in ten.”

* * *

It’s been four days since she was taken and I haven’t let her out of my fucking sight. And she hasn’t let me either. Angel’s been up and down with what happened to her. She doesn’t want to talk about it, but at night, she has this tormented scream that rattles my core. I’ve pressed for answers, but she closes up. She swears that she wasn’t raped, but other than that, I can’t get shit out of her. Even Princess has tried, but still nothing. All I know is that I love her and I’ll do whatever she needs. I know the connection between Jace and Paine has really messed with her head. I just hope not too much.

The discussion on how I found her went much better than anticipated. I thought I’d get shit for it, but she didn’t even bitch about the chip inside of her cut. She even told me she was grateful for it. It just made me hold her tighter. I don’t know what the hell I ever did to deserve her, but I’m glad I did.

Princess, on the other hand, when she found out, went on a fucking rampage. She felt around her rag trying to find the chip, but that’s her. I’ll let Cruz handle that shit. My hands are full enough.

With Paine and most of his crew gone, we can now breathe a bit. First it was Rabbit and then Paine after us for all they were worth. I need a fucking break. I’m ready to ride with my girl behind me and relax for a change.

Shaina is one big hot mess that Princess has been dealing with. I can see why Diamond kept her out of the life. She can’t handle it, at all. Even though neither Shaina or Angel are talking, my gut is telling me that Shaina was hurt much worse than Angel. If that’s so, then she has every right to feel that shit.

Today, I’m getting my girl away from this clubhouse and we will ride to wherever the wind takes us. We are both in need of a fucking break. She says she has school work to do today, which she always says, but never does. But it needs to fucking wait. I need her wrapped around my body and the road in front of us. She needs it too.

“I really don’t want to go.” She says pulling on her leathers and pouting.

“You’re going.”

“But… Never mind.” She finishes lacing her boots and pulls her old leather jacket on. I know she doesn’t want to wear it and I can’t blame her and I know what she wants. “Ready.” Her voice is glum and down. I smile reaching into the closet.

I pull out her rag and hold it up with my hands. “You’re missing something.” Her eyes flash to her rag and tears form in her eyes.

She stands and walks over. Her arm reaches out to the leather and she rubs it in between her fingers. She pulls it to the side and notices all the new lacing I had done throughout it. “You fixed it?” She whispers softly.

“Of course I did.” Everywhere that bastard cut, I had lacing woven through the leather connecting it until it was all one piece again.

“I love you.” She says looking into my eyes.

“Love you too, Angel.”

In the last two days, G.T. has been my rock. After our day long ride, I felt a bit more relaxed. But as soon as we got back to the clubhouse, I felt it happening again. The twitchy, jumpy anxiety that creeps into my body that I can’t shake. I know Paine and Jace are dead. G.T. wasn’t supposed to tell me because it is club business. But after talking to Pops he got the green light to tell me about Jace, they both agreed that I should know.

Thank God for that. I don’t think I could go on every day without knowing that those men wouldn’t be passing me on the street one day, ready to capture me, hurt me or kill me. Even though I saw Paine drop from the shot, I can still feel him and every time I do, I need a shower to scrub off his hands.

But, even with them gone, I can’t help but jump at the noises, the bangs on the doors and even when my damn phone rings. It’s not only what happened to me. All that Paine really did to me was touch my body on the outside and terrorize me with words about killing G.T. I hear those words replay in my dreams and wake up in cold sweats. Nothing can happen to G.T. ever. And I will probably never get over the Paine-Jace connection. But that’s not what really gets me.

It’s what I witnessed him doing with Shaina that I can’t ever seem to shake. It’s replaying in my head when I’m awake, when I’m asleep, and every moment of the day. Her screams, sobs and pleas roll over and over in my head. I couldn’t help her. I couldn’t do a damn thing to save her. I just had to listen and watch when Paine ordered me too or he’d shoot both of us on the spot. I had to buy time and hope we were found alive.

I want to talk to Shaina, but G.T. doesn’t think it will be good for me. I can’t blame him. I know I’ve been just going through the motions of life. I tell him I have to do my school work, but I don’t care about it. All I really want is to lie in bed and have G.T. hold me. And I also know I won’t get away with it for much longer.

Princess for one is about at her wit’s end with me and that’s one end no one wants to be at. It’s only a matter of time before she blows and takes me for a ride. G.T. doesn’t know what to do with me; hell I don’t know what to do with me. But he’s been so understanding and loving that it kills me when I break in front of him. The look in his eyes, he’s lost and I can’t find him right now. I need to find me.

I jump when there’s a knock on the door, but blow out a deep breath. “Who is it?” I ask cautiously.

“It’s me, Casey. Or is it Angel now?” The corner of my mouth turns up slightly at the sound of Doc calling me Angel. I slowly unlock the door and turn the handle. “Hey. You wanted to see me?”

“Yeah. Come on in.” I move away from the door and shut it when he enters. My heart pounds inside my chest so rapidly I fear it may burst. My hands sweat and I wipe them down my jeans. Doc turns and holds out his hands.

“What can I do for you?” I stare at the man not knowing where to start. I’ve never asked someone for help like this and I find it difficult to put the words together. I’m not sure what I need, but I hope that Doc does. He eyes me and quirks his eyebrow. “Angel, I know you’ve had a rough road. Is that what this is about?”

I nod my head and look at the floor. I breathe in and out trying to slow my heart down. My words come out in a rush. “I-don’t-know-what-to-do-Doc-I-can’t-sleep-for-shit-I-thought-I-was-totally-over-Mia-but-with-everything-that-happened-with-Jace-and-Paine-she-keeps-creeping-in-my-thoughts-I-worry-about-Shaina-and-I-can’t-take-it-anymore.” I stop, but don’t look up at Doc, don’t want to see whatever look he’s got, pity, condemnation… Who knows?

“Angel.” His voice is calm, but I still avoid him. “Casey.” His voice is more firm and authoritative this time and my eyes cast up. He smiles. “Sweetheart. This is normal. You’ve had a hell of a rough go. The first step to getting better is to ask for help. The fact that you picked up your phone and called me, tells me that you want to get better. Your mind is in a place that it needs to find peace.”

I don’t bother stopping the tears as they fall when he speaks. “Now, we need to get you in with a therapist.” I looked at him in shock. There is no way I’m telling a stranger my stuff. I can’t even tell G.T. everything, let alone some person I’ve never met. “I can see that you don’t like the idea, but do you want to get better?”

I do. I really do. I don’t want to live like I have the last few days or even worse sink down to where I was when I lost Mia. The doctors at the hospital said I should talk to someone and I wish I would have taken their advice, but at the time, I was in denial. “Yes.”

“Then we get you the help you need. Do you feel more comfortable talking to a woman or a man?” I pondered his question for only a moment.

“Woman.”

“Alright a colleague of mine would be perfect, Dr. Anderson, and I think you two will get along well. I’m gonna give her a call and set up an appointment for you. Alright?”

I nod. “Thanks Doc.”

“Anytime.” He walks in front of me and stands close. “Look at me, Casey.” My eyes slowly cast up a smirk playing on his mouth. “You did good. I’m proud of you.” He reaches around, wrapping his arms around my body. I reciprocate and for a moment just relax into his arms.

The door swings open, I jump, gasp and pull quickly out of Docs embrace.

“What the fuck is going on here?” G.T. roars and our eyes meet.

“Stop. It’s not what you’re thinking.”

“Really, Angel. What am I thinking right now?” He glares at Doc. “Get out!” He yells and then turns to me. Doc doesn’t move.

I walk to G.T. and place my hand on his chest. “Calm down. I need Doc to help me.” I breathe deep. “With everything going on, I can’t figure out how to do this. I asked him to help me.”