No one stopped him as he grabbed her around the throat, cutting off her air supply. “You think you could turn me against my woman? She’s more than you’ll ever be.” He squeezed even tighter. “I want you all to know Beth isn’t like us. She hasn’t had an easy upbringing. She’s shy, reserved, scared. I want you all to treat her with the utmost respect and if you see her fucking scared or withdrawn, go to her, help her to realize her place is here. I won’t be getting rid of her. She’s my old lady. As good as my wife, and I won’t allow anyone, not you, not anyone, to treat her any other way.”
He threw Romy to the ground. She gasped and cried out.
“Now, get the fuck out of my clubhouse. If I see you around here, I’ll kill you.”
She got to her feet, glancing at his men.
No one came to her defense. She was nothing.
He watched her go, her legs bleeding from his tarmac. She was a slut with no information. The women knew nothing. It was how he kept his club so tight.
“If she ever tries to come back in here, shoot her,” he said.
With that, he made his way inside to his room.
Now everyone would know the consequences of hurting Beth. Entering his room, he saw Beth curled up around his pillow. She looked so beautiful, and she was the prize in his bed. As he closed his door, she didn’t even move or whimper. After removing his clothes, he went to the bathroom and took a quick shower as it had been a few days since he last washed.
When he was completely dry, he walked back to his bed, naked, and joined her, curling up against her back. Breathing in her scent, he knew he’d come home. Beth was now his everything. She didn’t even know it yet, but she completed him.
Curves, shyness, sweetness, and soon he’d have the fire as well.
Chapter Six
He’d told her to explore, so that was what she planned to do. A few days after he’d returned to the clubhouse, he was out back in his forge. She could hear the ting of metal on metal. Beth never wanted to disturb him or cause trouble, but she admitted she was curious. Her fears kept holding her back from getting closer to him. What if he turned her away? What if he didn’t want to know more about her? She wouldn’t put him in a position to push her away. Her heart grew more fragile the more she became attached to Forge. There were no alternatives for her if he tired of her. No place to run. No family to welcome her back. Forge was all she had and all she wanted.
She pulled on a light cardigan and set off to explore the club that was supposedly her home now. Beth craved security and permanence so much it hurt.
“Hell’s Slaves MC,” she muttered to herself in disbelief.
It had only been a few weeks, but she was starting to feel like she meant something to Forge. He was possessive and, so far, loyal. This wasn’t the world she was accustomed to, but she understood her place held importance. In a weird way, she felt like a princess. She never wanted to leave.
Things were a lot different in the daylight hours. They were surrounded by forest, and the scent of burning wood was a comfort. Everyone had a job to do, and a lot of the men were gone before she woke up every morning. She tried to block out the fact Forge and his club lived a life of crime. Mostly it bothered her that deep down she didn’t give a shit. For the first time in her life, she felt wanted. Belonging to something bigger was an addiction.
A couple of dogs raced by her legs. Beth twirled around, feeling carefree and happier than she’d ever felt in her life. She was no longer the oddity. People didn’t point or stare. Beth was starting to fit in and becoming a regular part of the club.
When she got to the entrance gates, she noticed the wildflowers on the edge of an embankment in the distance. She slipped out to explore, crouching down when she finally reached the cliff. Far below was a river, the water rushing around large rocks and calming as it continued along. They really were off the grid. She followed along the upper bank, sometimes trying to follow random pieces of driftwood until they disappeared from sight. The views were breathtaking, and she ended up sitting down and crossing her legs for the longest time. Daydreaming came naturally to her. Before being sold to Forge, it was all she had. One by one, she picked select wildflowers. She’d put them in a vase in their room when she got back to the clubhouse.
Forge said she could help in the kitchen tonight. All she had to do was direct the women, and they’d do as she asked. It sounded like a recipe for disaster, but Forge assured her she was in charge, and her vision for the dinner was going to be perfect. She wanted him to be proud of her … to love her.
She found herself humming, smiling at nothing more than the evergreen of the forest against the contrast of the blue sky. Beth had never been more at peace. She was free from her father, his wife, and walking on eggshells every day. As she lost herself in thought, she did wonder when Forge was going to make the big move. They’d been very sexual with each other, but they’d never consummated their relationship. Was he old-fashioned? Was there something wrong with her? Every passing day made her more and more paranoid and insecure.
There was no way she’d refuse him at this point. Some days, she’d come close to begging for his cock. When he’d go off on how he planned to breed her and fill her with his seed, she had to stop herself from asking him when it was going to happen. His body was hard and imposing. All she wanted to do was touch him, to run her lips over every inch of ripped muscle.
The faintest sound caught her attention. She got to her feet and wandered farther down the long, winding road. It was definitely a kitten. The crying got louder as she neared a dilapidated shed on the edge of the forest ahead. Maybe Forge would let her keep one. Beth loved animals, but her father insisted on a cold, sterile home. It reminded her of a hospital. Or an asylum. The idea of pets was never entertained.
She cautiously pushed open the door, only hanging on by one hinge. The last thing she wanted was to spook it. She clicked her tongue softly as she peered inside.
“Looking for something, honey?”
Beth gasped and stepped away, the door squeaking back into place. A woman was leaning against the side of the shed, her arms crossed. She didn’t know the woman’s name but recognized her from the club. This was one of the few times a woman had spoken to her. It took her by surprise. Maybe they were warming up to the fact she was Forge’s other half.
“I heard a kitten.”
She shrugged. “I have bigger things to worry about.”
Beth pursed her lips, feeling out of place and unsure of what to say.
“Do you know who I am?”