Текст книги "Infatuation"
Автор книги: River Savage
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Infatuation
A Knights Rebels MC
River Savage
Contents
Copyright
Authors Note
Past
1. Mackenzie
2. Beau
3. Mackenzie
Past
4. Beau
5. Mackenzie
Past
6. Beau
7. Mackenzie
Past
8. Beau
9. Mackenzie
Past
10. Beau
11. Mackenzie
12. Beau
13. Mackenzie
Past
14. Beau
15. Mackenzie
16. Beau
17. Mackenzie
18. Beau
19. Mackenzie
Past
20. Beau
21. Mackenzie
Past
22. Beau
23. Mackenzie
Past
24. Beau
Past
25. Mackenzie
Past
26. Beau
27. Mackenzie
28. Beau
29. Mackenzie
30. Beau
31. Mackenzie
32. Beau
Epilogue
The Facts
Also by River Savage
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Copyright
INFATUATION
©2015
First eBook edition: October 2015
Infatuation is a work of fiction. All characters, organizations and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously.
All rights reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading and sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher is unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.
Edited by Becky Johnson, Hot Tree Editing
Cover design ©: Louisa Maggio at LM Creations
Cover Image: Furious Fotog
Model: Dustin Sheerer
Information address: [email protected]
Authors Note
This novel contains adult/mature young adult situations. It is only suitable for ages 18+ due to language, violence, and sexual situations. Infatuation explores the damaging effects of a spouse’s emotional and physical abuse and may cause possible triggers related to domestic violence.
Past Mackenzie
“You’re nothing but a stupid fucking bitch. Do you know that? You think I don’t know what you’re doing?” The insult rolls off him with ease, twisting my insides into knots with each word.
“I’m sorry.” I try to placate him, still unsure what’s happening here. It’s not the first time he’s lost his temper or called me a name; in fact, it’s become a weekly occurrence the last few months, but tonight something’s changed. It’s like he’s come unhinged.
“You’re sorry? You’re always fucking sorry.” Spit hits my face, just above my eye, but I don’t reach up to wipe it. Fear freezes me, anchoring me in my place.
“I didn’t mean it, Chad.” The admission falls from my lips, but I still don’t understand why he’s so angry.
“You didn’t mean it?” His bark echoes around the confined space of the bathroom he’s cornered me in.
“No.” I shake my head. My mind races, cataloguing everything that transpired tonight.
We were at a benefit for his dad. Mayor Morre’s annual fundraiser. I was polite, stuck by Chad’s side all night, smiled and only spoke when spoken to. Exactly how he expects me to act. Judging by the state he’s in right now, I know I messed up somewhere during the night. I just don’t know where.
“Do you know how pathetic you looked? Like a fucking whore.” He continues to unleash his verbal abuse. I know they’re only words; I shouldn’t let them affect me, but each one tears away at my confidence. Tears away at the love we’ve shared.
“Do you want to fuck him?” His voice drips in venom, disgust chasing every word as he takes a step closer.
“Who, Chad?”
“WHO?” he shouts my reply back at me, as his hand comes out hard and fast across my face.
The bitter taste of copper fills my mouth, but I don’t have a second to register the blood pooling before his hand roughly takes my chin and forces me to look up at him.
“You want to fuck him, don’t you?” The question hangs in the air between us. I should try to put his mind at ease, deny everything and try to calm him down, but the ringing in my ears makes it hard for me to concentrate. He hasn’t hit me before. He’s come close a few times, but I’ve always managed to diffuse the situation.
“ANSWER ME, MACKENZIE!” My face is pushed with brute force, and I stumble back in fright. Tears roll down my cheeks, over my lips, and underneath my chin.
“N—No,” I cry out, my hand moving to my face, hoping to soothe the burning flesh.
“DON’T FUCKING LIE TO ME!”
“I’m not,” I deny it again, but it’s not what he wants to hear. Before I figure out where I’m failing in easing his mind, his fist connects with my face. This time, the knock takes me back another step. The backs of my legs hit the coolness of the bathtub. He follows me back, his rage spilling out of him at a rapid pace and suffocating me. My unease turns to full-fledged fear. The hard reality this isn’t going to end well moves through my body at lightning speed.
“Please, Chad,” I cry, but the continuous flow of tears leaking from my eyes does nothing to convince him this isn’t who we are.
Before I can protect myself, Chad’s fist connects again.
Stars explode behind my eyes. The sensation of falling envelops me so swiftly I can’t find my bearings, and then everything goes black.
One
Mackenzie
“Excuse me, how much longer?” I swallow the quiver in my voice and pray it’s not much further.
“Five more minutes,” comes the reply. My hands shake at my side and my leg bounces to its own erratic beat while I sit in the back of a cab on my way to the only place I have left.
Rushford.
I have no idea what I’m doing, or if they will want to help me, but I have no other options and nowhere else to go.
I check my surroundings again before my eyes move back to the dashboard and the time displayed on the digital clock.
6:01 p.m.
“You sure I don’t know you from somewhere?” The older man driving the cab breaks the short silence and pulls me out of my head. His eyes find mine in the rear-view mirror and his graying brows bunch up, like he’s trying to figure out how exactly he knows me.
Jesus, please don’t let him figure it out.
Not wanting him to recognize me, I avert my gaze out the window.
“No, just making a pit stop in town.” The lie falls from my lips with ease and precision. It’s one of my best talents. The cool, calm and collected manner I’ve learned to hone and perfect over the years has always stayed with me.
“And your first stop is the Knights Rebels’ clubhouse?” I look back up at the disbelieving tone of my nosey cabbie, but don’t reply.
I know it’s probably the worst idea coming here, considering I’m so close to home, but if I have any hope of surviving this, I need them.
“Are you sure you’re okay, miss? You don’t look so good.”
“Yeah, I’m all right. Just have a bad headache.” I push all my conviction into my answer. The cab driver’s growing questions are putting me on edge, but I can’t lose it. Not yet. The old man takes the hint and quits with the interrogation. I’m almost relieved, until the scene back in Ohio starts playing out in my mind.
“I don’t think so, Mackenzie.” Chad races behind me, his hand snaking out, fisting my hair and pulling me back. “You and I have things we need to discuss,” he seethes, tightening his grip. I fight back, reaching over my shoulders and slapping him. He recoils, letting me go, but before I can pull away, he slaps me hard. A stinging sensation covers my cheek. I drop to the floor at his force, my towel falling away from my body, exposing me.
“Miss, did you hear me?” The cab driver’s question rips me from the nightmare and brings me back into the here and now.
“Sorry?”
“We’re here.” I look up at the large building and gather my nerves. Briefly, I second-guess my reasons for coming here but then shake those thoughts out of my head.
You need his help, Mackenzie.
“That will be fifty-seven.” The cab driver turns in his seat, looking back at me. I reach for my bag and pull out three twenties and two one-dollar bills.
“It’s all I have.” I cringe at the tip, but his soft grin tells me he doesn’t mind.
“You okay with your bags?” His head moves toward the clubhouse and my gaze follows.
“Yeah.” I nod and reach for my backpack. “Thank you.” I force something I hope resembles a smile, but only end up wincing in pain.
“Stay safe, sweetheart.” I don’t reply, just close the door and turn to face the large brick clubhouse. The old building stares back at me, calling to me like a long lost friend, so I give myself a moment to take it in. The place is huge, bigger than what I had pictured in my mind. Turning to gaze to the right, I notice a shed nearly the same size as the clubhouse. The roller doors are pulled down, and a low light shines from a small gap where the door and the concrete meet. Multiple motorcycles are lined up in front of it.
Coming from a life like mine, and marrying a man like Chad, the last place you would ever expect to find me is here: standing out the front of Rushford’s very own MC clubhouse needing help. But life has a funny way of putting everything into perspective.
“Can I help you?” A man’s voice startles me and I lose my composure for a second. Doubt coils in my stomach and catches me off guard.
No, this is a bad idea.
My flight reaction sets in, and I twist back toward the cab, but the distant glow of the red tail lights stare back at me.
Too late now, Mackenzie. You’re stuck.
Turning back around I take a deep breath and will myself not to lose it.
“My name’s Mackenzie Morre and I’m here to see Beau.” I force confidence into my voice, hoping he doesn’t see how afraid I truly am. The guy is a lot younger than Beau, maybe by twenty years. His dark gray eyes roam over my face, before traveling down my body then back up. I want to say he looks like a nice young guy, but from his annoyed stare, I could be wrong.
“Come with me.” He turns and guides me to the front door. Not wanting to be left behind, I pick up my pace. “You hurt bad?” He pushes the door open and shifts to the side, letting me step past him into a dimly lit hall.
“No, I’m okay,” I tell him as he guides me down to a large open area. The smell of leather and smoke fill the air, the scent reminding me of Beau.
“He’s out back. Wait here.” He holds his hand up for me to stop as he steps forward. Not wanting to disobey any orders, I hold back and take a look around.
The place is enormous with the open living area taking up most of the floor. A fully stocked bar runs along the right side of the clubhouse with a pool table to the left. The wall above the pool table holds pictures of members in their cuts, some mug shots, but more family shots. The Club’s insignia, carved in a large wooden display, sits in the center of the wall, Knights Rebels inscribed above the skull head. A few young men standing around the table look up as the young guy calls out across the room.
“Umm, boss, we have a big fucking issue.”
“What the fuck now?” The annoyed grumble of the man I’m assuming is the boss has my stomach shifting with unease.
Beau might not be dangerous, but maybe coming here was.
“Spit it out.” The deep timbre of Beau’s voice calms me instantly and my feet move forward and step in view.
“Mackenzie?” He stands instantly, and the loud thud of his chair falling back has my eyes dropping to the ground in front of me. I’m not sure if he’s angry, or shocked, and I can’t bear to look and find out.
“Beau, I’m so sorry I came, but I really need your help,” I rush out, hoping it’s just shock. Seconds feel like minutes before the same two hands that carried my broken body out of my hometown of Redwick and away from an abusive husband eighteen months ago, come to either side of my face forcing me to look up.
“What the fuck happened?” His deep blue eyes roam my face, inspecting the damage. I don’t answer right away, my own eyes reacquainting themselves with his. His dark brown hair is still long, and pulled back away from his face. Instead of a low ponytail like I remember he wore it, it’s up in a messy sort of man bun. His beard has grown longer and possibly more gray. Not that he looks old, far from it. He looks good.
Too good.
Dark wash jeans, black Henley pulled tight across his chest, and a Knights Rebels leather cut—just how I remembered. It’s as if eighteen months haven’t passed. I’m looking at the man who saved me, the man who gave me a second chance, and hopefully can save me again.
“He found me, Beau.”
Two
Beau
“You have any jobs this week?” Brooks asks, handing me a beer.
“Haven’t heard anything yet, but we’ll see.” I take a pull of my beer and stretch my legs out in front of me. It’s a Friday evening and because I’m on call for Tiny, it’s my first, and only, beer for the night, so I’m going to savor it.
“I’m free to help out if you need a hand,” he offers and I know I’ll probably take him up on it. Between the club and Tiny putting more work on me, I need all the help I can get.
“Thanks.” I nod then zone back in on the conversation happening among the women at the table.
“So when do you leave?” Holly asks, taking a seat next to me.
“We fly out tomorrow with Ava.” Bell looks up, the tears she just managed to control start up again and her old man, Jesse, reaches for her hand.
Bell is the newest woman to walk her ass into the clubhouse and tame one of the Knights Rebels. I say newest, ‘cause she isn’t the first. Besides Brooks, who’s been tied down with Kelly for longer than I can remember, our club Prez and my best friend, Nix, was taken down first when his kid’s teacher knocked him on his ass and he willingly handed his balls over. It was fucking agony to watch. The last thing we needed was a pussy whipped Prez around the clubhouse. I gave him shit for a while, but in the end, I knew Kadence was good for him. For all of us.
Next there was Sy. The moody motherfucker was the last person I expected to take on an old lady. But the little blonde, Holly, who has a smart mouth on her, was able to fuck with his head enough to have him giftwrap his balls and send them to her.
Then there is Jesse, the latest bastard to be tied down. He might have fought his way against it happening, but he got there in the end. I can’t say he’s as whipped as the other fuckers, but wouldn’t be surprised if the prick has his balls sitting in Bell’s handbag.
“I’m so happy for you, Bell.” Kelly reaches out and takes her hand. The news is good. They found Paige, Bell’s sister who has been missing for the last six years.
“Thank you. I still can’t believe it. If it weren’t for all of you, this wouldn’t be happening.” Her eyes move around the table looking at all my brothers before landing on Nix.
“You all helped make this happen and I’ll never be able to thank you enough.”
“Nothing we wouldn’t do for family, darlin’.” Nix shrugs it off, but I know he’s tense. The people we’ve had to walk over to find Bell’s sister and the markers we’ve called in are going to come calling one day, and we will have to pay up one way or another.
“I know, but you’ll never know how much this means to me.”
Jesse throws his arm around her shoulders and kisses the side of her head. She relaxes against him and I quietly watch them.
They’ve come a long way the last few months. Jesse even more. The shit he pulled would have sent a weaker woman away, but not Bell. For that, I’m happy to accept her into our fold.
“Just bring her home safely,” I say when she catches me watching them. She looks taken aback for a moment before she nods. I’m not surprised by her reaction. It’s not like I’m a complete asshole, but I’m guarded. I don’t let people in easily. And I don’t talk for the sake of talking.
Her wobbly smile tells me she’s hanging on by a thread, but I know the strength inside of her won’t allow her to shatter; instead, it fuels her to keep it together.
“Umm, boss, we have a big fucking issue.” Hunter the club’s newest member’s voice carries across the club, halting all conversations.
“What the fuck now?” Nix looks up, fingers moving to his temples. I know he’s over all the shit we keep finding ourselves in. The last year and a half has been fucking drama after drama. Mostly to do with the business I’m in. Every time we catch a break and shit cools down, it all hits the fan again in the blink of an eye.
Hunter looks to me first before answering and I know right away I’ll be responsible for this shit.
“Spit it out.” My impatience isn’t lost on him, but before he can tell me about my next fuck-up, movement behind him takes my attention. A brunette walks around the corner. Her hair disheveled, face messed up, lip busted, and the start of a bruise dances over her cheekbone. My heart stops instantly as I take her in and realize who it is.
“Mackenzie?” I stand from my chair so fast it falls back with a loud thud; causing her eyes to snap down in submission.
“Oh, fuck,” someone curses, but I can’t place the owner’s voice because I’m too caught up in the fact that Mackenzie Morre just walked into our clubhouse, walked back into my life.
Fuck me.
“Beau, I’m so sorry I came, but I really need your help.” Her eyes don’t find mine again, staying glued to the floor in front of her. Her hair is shorter than the last time I saw her and she looks to have lost a few pounds. Has she been eating? An overwhelming urge to take her in my arms and carry her to my room pulls at me, but I don’t. I barely know this woman. I’ve spent no more than forty-eight hours with her, yet she has a hold over me, a hold I can’t explain, and not sure I want to.
Keep it together, asshole.
“Fuck,” I think I say before getting my shit together and rushing toward her. She trembles when I step in closer, but doesn’t back away as I reach her. “What the fuck happened?” I question as I place my hands on either side of her face. She finally looks up at me and I have a better view. Her dark brown eyes are drowning in fear, but I can see she is trying to fight the current. Her lip has been split and her cheek is bruised. It takes everything in me to keep calm.
“He found me, Beau.” Her voice is small, scared and it fucks with my head.
“Where?” I try to keep the disbelief out of my tone because I didn’t know where she was the last year and a half. How the fuck did he find her?
“In Ohio.”
Ohio? How did she end up there? Why did she end up there?
Shaking my head from all the questions running through my mind, I step back from her and turn, only to find the whole club watching us. I don’t have time to acknowledge the concern on their faces before I zero back in on Bell.
“Bell, can you grab the medical kit.” Bell nods then moves to the kitchen.
“Tell me what happened.” I look back to Mackenzie, needing to know everything before we can figure out how much shit we’re in. Her eyes fly to mine before flicking back to the others.
“You can talk in front of them, darlin’. You’re safe here.” I try to encourage her, but I can already see her walls going up.
“Beau.” My name is delivered in a plea and just like that, it’s as if the last eighteen months haven’t passed and I’m back in our safe house breaking all my rules.
The truth is I barely know Mackenzie. I met her one night on a pickup in the next town over in Redwick. She was messed up so bad we had to deviate from the usual routine and get her into a hospital. Little did we know her fucking asshole husband was none other than Chad Morre, son to Mayor Morre. Chad and his father have done everything in their power to find Mackenzie, even going to the extremes of hurting our own.
“Okay, darlin’, come on.” I place my hand on the small of her back and motion her to the living room. She relaxes noticeably before moving over to the sofa. Nix hangs back near the bar as the rest of the group move out, heading either into the kitchen or out to the patio.
“Nix is gonna stay. This is his club,” I tell her how it is and watch her flick her gaze back to him. I can see she wants to argue, but there isn’t anything she can say that will change my mind. Nix won’t leave and I don’t want him to. We just became an open target now she’s back. We need all the information we can get.
“Just start from the beginning. What’s happened since I saw you last?” I ask when she settles on the edge of the sofa and fidgets, her hands in her lap.
“Well, after staying with Larry and Mary for the week, I was moved on to Phoenix.”
Larry and Mary were the couple I dropped her off to. It was her first safe drop out of Redwick and the last time I saw her.
“I stayed in a women’s shelter for six weeks in Phoenix until I healed properly.” She runs her finger along a faint scar on the inside of her arm. Anger boils inside of me hating she has a constant reminder of what her husband did to her.
“Once I was able to do everyday things I left there, ended up in Ohio. Found a nice small town and settled down.” Bell comes back into the room and opens the kit, setting it up on the coffee table. I offer her a slight nod and then wait till she leaves us alone.
“You found your safe place.” I reach forward into the first-aid kit and pull out some sterile wipes.
“It wasn’t home, but I tried to make it so.” I show her the wipe and motion to her lip, a silent question for permission to use it on her. She nods before twisting her head slightly and offering me better access. It looks like she’s attempted to clean it up, but didn’t do a very good job.
“I had a job, a nice apartment, and everything had been quiet.” She flinches when I gently wipe at her lip, but quickly recovers. “I don’t know how he found me. I’ve been so careful.” She shakes her head, berating herself.
“So what happened?” I drop the wipe and reach for a sterile strip. She waits for me to place the small strip over the cut on her lip before answering.
“I came home two nights ago and he was there in my bed.” Her hands start to shake in her lap. Without thinking, I reach forward and place my hand over them. It soothes her a little, but not much. “He had a gun, said he had been looking all over for me.” My grip tightens in reflex as the vision plays out in my mind.
Motherfucker is gonna burn for this.
“How’d you get away?” Nix steps forward, not as patient as me, and takes a seat across from us. Mackenzie holds his stare briefly before answering.
“Ahhh, I’ve been taking some classes.” Her eyes flick up to mine, unsure and maybe a little shy about her admission.
“Classes?” I push, wondering how far she really has come the last year and a half. Right now she’s scared and coming out of her skin, but she’s clearly been trying to better her life.
“Self-defense. I wanted to be prepared.” A sense of pride–I’m not sure where it comes from—fills me knowing she’s been looking after herself and staying ready.
“Good girl.” Her eyes soften a little at my encouragement, and the start of a smile pulls at the corner of my mouth, but I stop myself before giving her anything more. “You lay him out?” I already know the answer, but I want to hear her say it.
“Ah, yeah,” is all she says before diverting her eyes. I look to Nix and watch his brow dip in question, before giving me his something-isn’t-adding-up look.
“What happened then?” I push a little harder trying to connect the dots.
“We wrestled a little. He got a few hits in.” She points to her face “And then I just kind of grabbed my bag I had stashed for an emergency and got out of there.” Her voice drops low and her eyes fall to her lap.
“And Chad? Were you followed?” We really don’t need this fucker back on our doorstep. The last time we dealt with the cockhead didn’t end well.
“No, I made sure.” I don’t really know how she can be sure, but I don’t question her.
“Coming back probably wasn’t the smartest idea.” Nix’s tone isn’t impressed, and I can see why. After everything we did to move her out of town, the shit we endured, having her just walk back in the door is only going to fuck everything up.
“I know, and I’m sorry if this is not a good time for you, but I didn’t know what else to do, Beau.”
“No, you made the right decision.” I put her at ease. What else was she supposed to do? The last time I saw her I told her we would keep her safe.
Yeah, so fucking safe.
“We will help you any way you need. You can stay here, under our protection until this shit is sorted.” I lay it out for her without even discussing it with the club. Hell, even I’m not thinking it through. I don’t give a fuck. There are times in life when you just act and, right now, I’m calling the shots and acting. I know my brothers will have my back, even if they are worried.
“I can’t ask to stay here.” She shakes her head, but I don’t let her decline my offer.
“Mackenzie, you need protection.” She starts to argue but stops right away, as the realization I’m right dawns on her. The only way to really keep her safe is if she’s under our roof.
She turns her gaze toward Nix, seeking his agreement. His eyes find mine, one brow raised. I know he’s trying to figure out what’s happening right now, but he still wants to give me the lead on this situation.
“You’ll be safer here,” he agrees and I watch her shoulders drop in relief.
“I can pay. I’ll find a job.” She looks back to me.
“Let’s just get you sorted first, see what we’re looking at. Until we figure all this out, we’ll take it as it comes.” She nods, agreeing to the plan.
“You won’t even know I’m here. I promise.”
“Yeah, I doubt it.” She lifts her lips to attempt a smile at my joke, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. She must be fucking wrecked. A bus trip from Ohio to Nevada not knowing if you’re being followed would be more than draining.
I’m going to kill the motherfucker for touching her again.
“I’ll ask Kadence and the girls to set the guest room up.” Nix stands. “Beau, we need to talk and we need to have Tiny in on this.” It’s not an invitation for chitchat; it’s an order. Nodding once, I come to my feet and hold out my hand for Mackenzie. She looks down at it, and for a second, I want to drop it. But I don’t. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. It’s not how I usually act, but this thing with Mackenzie is affecting me more than I care to admit. Even when I first met her, I knew she was someone who could possibly change me into something else. What, I don’t know, but it’s messing with my head and I’m unsure how to process it.
“You can go with the girls. They’ll get you settled in, Mackenzie,” I encourage. Her gaze moves from my hand to my face.
“Are you sure this is okay?” Her reservations aren’t lost on me. Maybe later I’ll ask myself the same question: Is having her here going to be okay? But right now we have a mess to clean up and if I’m completely honest, I’ve never felt surer of anything before.
“Yes, Kenzie. Trust me.” Her body tightens at my words, but somehow she works through it. Taking a deep breath, she places her hand on mine and comes to her feet.
“Thank you, Beau. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.”
“You don’t have to, darlin’. We’ve got your back.” This time I allow a smile, something I don’t give freely, to form and spread across my face. She returns it with one of her own and I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything so fucking beautiful before in my life.
Jesus Christ, in less than twenty minutes my life has just taken a drastic turn.
I know I’m fucked. More fucked than any of these assholes have ever been. So why doesn’t it scare me? Because you want what they have and she has the power to be the one to give it to you.
Fuck me.
I can already feel my balls going numb.
God help me.
