Chapter 14: Demon
I woke up with a raging headache. My mouth tasted like shit. I felt like I had a hellacious hangover, only I hadn’t drunk that much last night. I groaned as I got out of bed and went to the bathroom. After a hot shower and brushing my teeth, I at least felt half-human. I got dressed and headed out to find some food.
Out in the common room of the Punishers’ clubhouse, I found some of them up as well as my brothers. I sat down beside Tank. “Any idea if we’re going to get out of here today or tomorrow?”
“I’d say later today. Just have to be sure they have all of them settled before we leave. As soon as we get the sanctuary ready, they can move over to us.”
Tank was talking about the group of women we’d helped the Punishers rescue. They had heard about a group of women being held. They’d asked for help from us and Jinx’s group in getting them free. That’s why Payne, Tank, Player, and I were here. It just took us a couple days longer than expected because they had moved them at the last minute. We had to find out where they had moved them to.
Reaper and his guys would keep them here until we had accommodations for them at the sanctuary, which would take a little while. Some might even move on before then, but we were going to try our hardest. Those who had family and wanted to go back to them, we’d help get them there.
I was happy we could help, but I was more than ready to leave and go home. I missed Zara. Being away from her was the pits. Which reminded me, I needed to call her. Yesterday I hadn’t gotten a chance since we’d been staking out the place and then pulling off the rescue. When we got back, it was late. Several of the guys had relaxed with some beers and the bunnies. Someone had taken it upon themselves to invite the Marauders bunnies up while we were out, probably guessing a lot of the guys would want to unwind. I had a couple of beers and then went to bed.
I hadn’t been able to stand being around Lucky. She wouldn’t stop trying to get me to go with her to one of the rooms. I’d finally blown up at her. She’d left me alone after that. When I got to my room, I’d suddenly been exhausted. I didn’t remember even getting undressed. Man, I must have been more tired than I’d known.
I pulled out my phone. As I scrolled to Zara’s name, I noticed it showed I’d sent her a text at three in the morning. What the hell? Had I been sleep texting? I opened it and saw it had a picture attached. I opened it and promptly lost my fucking mind.
It was a picture of me in bed naked with an equally naked Lucky. I swore and stood up, knocking my chair to the floor. I saw Jinx across the room. “Where the fuck is that cunt?” I screamed. He looked at me in shock and confusion. Everyone else got dead silent.
“Who are you talking about, brother?”
“I’m talking about that slut, Lucky. Where is she?”
“Why?”
“Because I’m going to murder the bitch. Look what she fucking sent Zara, using my phone!” I shouted as I shook it at him. He came over and took it from me. When he saw what was on it, he turned red in the face. His eyes caught fire. He looked at Sarge, his enforcer.
“Go get Lucky and drag her ass in here.” Sarge hurried down the hall. Payne, Tank, and Player crowded around me.
“What did she send Doc, Demon?” Player asked. I handed him my phone. I didn’t know what to do. There was no way she hadn’t seen it. I knew what she had to be thinking. I wanted to tear the fucking place apart. She’d been cheated on once already. She had a hard time trusting men. And now, all the hard work I had done was probably down the damn drain. How could I get her to listen to me and let me explain?
All this was running through my head as I paced and tried to figure out what to do. Payne, Player and Tank were all swearing and looking sick. In five minutes or less, Sarge was back with Lucky. She looked frightened but also a little defiant. The bitch knew why she was here. I got in her face.
“Why? Why would you do that? For petty revenge because I told you I didn’t want your ass? I know what you told her that night in the bar. The night she punched you in the mouth.”
“Whoa, what night?” Jinx asked. I hurried to explain about our run-in at home. He narrowed his eyes at her.
“Who helped you do this?” She kept silent. As she did, I thought back over last night and how I felt this morning. I hadn’t been drunk but had still passed out as soon as I got to my room. A realization struck me. I stepped up into her face.
“You fucking drugged me, didn’t you? You drugged me, somehow got me undressed, and then took a picture of us in bed, both naked and sent it to my old lady! Who in the hell helped you? No way you could do all that alone,” I yelled in her face.
She flinched and jumped. She tried to take a step back, but I grabbed her arm. “Bitch, you’d better start talking. Because if you don’t, I’ll take you apart a piece at a time. If you don’t think I will, try me. I was a motherfucking Marine, a sniper. I’ve killed bitches who deserved it before,” I hissed. At that moment I could easily break her neck. She blanched and looked at Jinx.
“Tell him, Lucky. Don’t look to us for help. You brought this on yourself. He told you to leave him alone. You were jealous and pulled a bullshit move. I expect if you want to walk out of here alive, tell him,” he barked at her.
She started to cry. “I just wanted you to see me again, Demon. We had a connection before she showed up and ruined it. All I needed was her out of the way so you’d realize we should be together.”
“We never had a connection. We fucked. That’s all. There is no way I’d want a used-up whore like you. Who helped?”
She pointed to one of the women standing there. All the bunnies had come to see what all the shouting was about. The one she was pointing at was one I now recall was with her at the bar. She was trying to hide behind the others. I curled my finger at her. “Come here.” She reluctantly came over to stand near me, but she stayed out of arm’s reach.
“Tell me what you two did.”
“She said you were going to claim her after the last time you were at our compound, the next time you came back. Then we saw you at the bar with the other woman. She was pissed you dumped her. She came to get me last night. Said you had passed out, and she needed help to get you undressed. I went to help her. Once you were naked, she stripped and then laughed. Said she wanted to surprise you in the morning with a picture of the two of you, and asked me to take it. I did and then left. I had no idea she was sending it to anyone.”
“No? But you knew I had an old lady.”
“Yeah, but guys cheat on their wives and old ladies all the time.”