Broni told him the truth. “I had nowhere else to go.”
“Where’s Rhys?” Adam’s hard expression showed no sympathy for her predicament.
“He’s moved on,” she answered him the only way she could.
“That works for me,” Tank said. “That means she’s club property again.”
“No, it means she goes to that last high bid, which was mine.” Broni heard a chair slam as Tank and the others moved away toward the pool table.
Broni’s hand tightened on her sword.
“Relax, Broni. Do you want a place to stay or try to make it on the outside?” Adam questioned.
“I won’t be touched.” Broni’s hand tightened on her sword.
Adam’s mouth twisted in a wry smile. “I haven’t resorted to raping a woman.”
“As long as we have that straight.”
Adam turned to the counter. “Abby, get her something to eat.”
Broni’s heart broke at the shell of a woman behind the counter. Her bruises had healed, but the vacant look in her eyes showed she hadn’t recovered.
She brought Broni a sandwich and bottled water that she ate slowly, savoring the taste of the thick peanut butter.
“How are you doing, Abby?”
Her face crumpled at Broni’s question.“My family are all dead.”
“Your sister?”
Abby nodded her head.
“I’m so sorry.”
If Tank hadn’t kidnapped her, then she probably would have died along with her family. Broni didn’t think she would ever be grateful to Tank for anything, but she was glad the girl had survived.
“Where’s Nikki and Dee?” Broni asked, afraid of the answer.
“They’re sleeping. The bikers are keeping them busy,” Abby whispered with trembling lips.
“Have the men…?” Broni tried to ask delicately.
Abby gave her a smile for the first time. “No, Jace won’t let anyone touch me.”
“Thank Mother for small mercies.” Broni didn’t think the woman would have anything left if they’d traumatized her that way.
After she finished eating, Broni worked off her nervous energy by helping Abby behind the counter. She cleaned the counter and tables then mopped the floors. The men looked at her in amusement as she moved around the room. When she returned behind the counter, Adam’s eyes caught hers.
“The world is falling down around us and you’re fucking cleaning?”
“If you live like animals, you act like animals.”
She thought her words had angered Adam from his silence, but surprisingly, he turned to the men sitting around. “Ransom, Harlow, get the broken furniture and throw it out back. Mason, you and Jace go from building to building on this block for the supplies we need.”
“Why the fuck should we do that? Why not just keep doing what we’ve been doing? Let someone else go through the trouble of getting it then take it from them.”
“Because we don’t know how long this is going to last. We need to start planning ahead instead of living for the here and now,” Adam answered, staring into Broni’s eyes.