Duke: Fallen MC #1 (10 page)

Waking in the morning, Duke was eager to get back to the compound and Nicole. They were now only a couple of hours away after riding most of yesterday afternoon and into the night. He’d missed her like crazy, much more than he expected to. She’d burrowed under his skin while he’d been hypnotised by her eyes. Their twelve weeks together had flown by and he wanted her as much now as he did that very first day. When bitches had been throwing themselves at him on this run he found he wasn’t the slightest bit interested. He just thought of Nicole. Jewel and Shel were no goddamned help, always bringing her up and reminding him that she could be gone any day now. He just couldn’t let that happen. Everything with her felt like the first time, it was that intense. She was a woman to be savoured and he would never have enough.

He remembered her telling him about the small faint scars on her wrists and ankles and how her beautiful eyes had glazed over as she recalled the events that put the there. Even if he didn’t find her as stunning, sexy and smart as he did, he would still want revenge for her, and he was going to deliver it. There was always going to be a war with Riot MC at some point. Now though he had a few specific names to target in their ranks along with a few outsiders he’d be hunting down when the war was done..

He loved Nicole to distraction. He could admit it to himself, but saying it out loud would give her a power over him that worried him. He’d always been his own man and admitting his love for Nicole would change that. But he wasn’t some pansy fucker, he’d pin Nicole down and make sure she knew who owned her. He’d leave no doubt.

He didn’t know how she felt or what her plans were moving forward. She never talked about it. Weren’t bitches meant to hassle men about this shit? Nicole never did. It was one of the reasons he loved her but fuck, he couldn’t get his voice to work the couple of times he tried to say something. He didn’t want to be a pussy and have a ‘talk’, he just needed her to lay it all open and he’d do the same. He resolved to do that tonight, right after he fucked her. Shit, his dick swelled in his leathers thinking about sinking into her tight, wet depths. He’d got to ride his Harley for the next two hours with his dick like a rocket, that shit wasn’t going to be comfortable.

Riding was a big part of his life and he loved every minute he spent on his bike. He couldn’t wait to have Nicole behind him, arms tight around his waist as they rode out with all his brothers, her back showing all those following that she was his property, his old lady. Just before they left he checked his phone. He hadn’t bothered much on this trip as everyone who called him was here and Prez wouldn’t let Nicole have hers back yet. He knew that wouldn’t change until he officially owned her. It was just the club way.

“Hey, Prez.” He shouted over the roar of the Harley’s firing up. “Got a message from that club slut, Helen, saying she needs a meeting with us as soon as we’re back at the compound. Said it’s an emergency.”

He despised Helen now. He never actually liked her at all other than to fuck but lately he had to stop himself from knocking the bitch out. She always hunted him down when Nicole was busy and would try and rub up on him. She’d say shit about Nicole that he knew for damn sure were lies….. How could Nicole be seen lingering outside the office if he was balls deep in her at the time or in the kitchen cooking for him and his brothers? He never took the time or energy to react, she was pathetic. He rolled his eyes at what that stupid bitch would think constituted an emergency.

“Bet your ass it’s some shit that I’m not interested in. Message her saying I want her and whoever else waiting outside my office when we get there. Fuck, I was gonna take Shel and me straight home after picking up the kids, now this shit! Hope Nicole’s got some grub spare.”

Prez was as eager as him to get home. Every brother had complained about going nearly a week without her meals. He loved how much she cared for them all and it shone from her every time she filled a plate. She’d make him a hell of a wife.

They pulled up at the compound and he was disappointed not to see Nicole waiting for him. Maybe no one had told her they were on their way back. The thought of sliding into bed with a warm, ruffled Nicole made his dick fill instantly. First, he have to deal with this Helen fucking problem. Club first, always. Prez, Razor, Hollywood, the Musketeers, Kick and Duke walked to the office. Helen stood front and centre with four other bitches looking grim. There was a twinkle in her eye that set his teeth on edge and had his hands fisting. Prez unlocked the door and walked in his office, followed by the brothers and then the sluts. Settling, him and the brothers all eye balled them.

After a few seconds of silence, Prez spat out “This is where you talk.”

Duke was as impatient as Prez. Helen looked confident and smug as she addressed them, putting herself front and centre. The other bitches seemed to be trying to blend into the walls.

“Well, I found something out while you were gone.” Her eyes flicked to his causing his stomach to roll. This wasn’t going to be good. “I overheard Nicole talking in the kitchen when no one was in the room with her. At first I thought she was just insane maybe, but then yesterday morning I caught her with a cell phone.”

Duke was ready to throttle her. He stood without even thinking to. His outrage at her lies wouldn’t allow him to keep sitting. Everyone who was sitting was now standing too, fists clenched, mouths tight. Duke didn’t believe what she was spewing for one second, that didn’t the mean the others wouldn’t.

“You’re talking shit, Helen. I’d think very carefully before you keep fucking lieing.” Duke had to say something. He was seething mad.

Helen hesitated before speaking again. “I’m not lying. I got the girls together and later waited outside the kitchen to catch her out. We heard her on the cell again and when we heard that fat bitch say ‘Wrath’ we flipped that she would betray you guys. We ran in and tried taking the phone from her, she wouldn’t give it up so we all got into a fight and then locked her up.” Her face looked upset but everyone there could hear the excitement in her voice.

Duke lost control. His vision tunnelled and he lunged at Helen. Before anyone could react he was wrapping his hand around her neck, he was ready to kill her. Razor and Hollywood pulled him off and pinned him to the wall. Helen dropped to the floor whimpering and pretending to cry. Prez got in his face.

“I don’t wanna believe this either. We’ll get to the bottom of it right now.” He spun around to glare at the bitches now huddled together in the corner. “You bitches into the bar and don’t fucking think about moving. Kick, stay with them and split them up.”

Kick shot them all a murderous glare while pointing towards the bar. “Get in there now and I want at least two tables between each of you!”

A couple of the bitches looked panicked and tears were silently rolling down their faces. Duke could see the cracks in their facades crumbling under Prez’s stare as they moved to leave. And so could Helen. Her smugness was replaced with panic as she scanned the faces of her friends.

Turning his ferocious glare solely on Helen he hissed, “When and where did you lock up Nicole?”

Helen dropped her gaze and mumbled, “Last night, after the fight we locked her in the second outhouse.”

Duke fucking snapped. Screaming at Helen, “You left her in there all night?”

At her nod, with strength he didn’t know he had, he pushed off Razor and Hollywood and stormed for the outhouse. The brothers followed close behind. His breath grew choppy as he imagined her huddled in the corner of the empty stone outhouse, cold and frightened. He charged the outhouse door, splintering it. He didn’t have patience to find the fucking key. Another swift kick and the door collapsed.

His eyes focused on the figure on the floor. All the breath left his body and his legs weakened and shook underneath him. Now he wished his vision from seconds before was true….the reality was far worse. Nicole was unrecognisable. Every inch of exposed skin that he could see was either coated in blood or heavily bruised. He fell to his knees beside her, ignoring the vomit and blood that was soaking into his jeans.

He could hear his brother and Hollywood shouting but could only focus on Nicole. His hand shook as he gently moved the hair off her face. Most wouldn’t move having dried to her skin with blood. His beautiful girl had been battered. There was no other word for it. If he couldn’t have heard her raspy breaths he would have thought she was dead. One side of her face was covered in bruises and so swollen the skin looked ready to burst. Both her eyes were tight shut. He gently tried to roll her head away from the pool of filth it lay in. She moaned in obvious pain and her eyelids started twitching. He desperately needed to gaze into those green orbs. She needed to see that he was there to save her. Her skin was ice cold to touch. Everything he saw was causing his fury to build to an unmanageable level. Sweat beaded on his skin with the effort he was making to stay calm for Nicole. Those bitches would pay for this. If he could bring himself to leave Nicole he would slit their throats right now.

Keeping a gentle hold on her head, he leaned down closer. “Baby, can you hear me? Baby, please try and open those beautiful eyes for me.”

She moaned again and was trying to move but he could tell the pain was too much. “Baby…. Baby….. Nicole stay with me, help is coming. I’m staying right here.”

Her mouth twitched. Her dried, cracked lips parted slightly and a small sound came out. “Ook…. Ook.” Relief slammed into him that she was responsive. He was terrified that she was going to slip away.

Razor was over his shoulder. “I think she’s trying to say Duke.”

He reached for her hand and gently squeezed it. “I’m here baby, I’m here.” She barely squeezed back.

He lost a few stray tears down his cheeks. This was his woman, his life and he hadn’t protected her. He’d broken his promise. His heart was beating out of his chest as rage and devastating sorrow fought inside him, each threatening to take him over. He was never leaving without her again. Guilt and shame weighed heavily on him and swamped his system as he took in even more of her damaged body. He desperately wanted to sweep up her and clutch her to him.

Movement started to swirl around them. Slam knelt down on the other side of Nicole. Hollywood ran in with a yellow plastic stretcher. The outhouse wasn’t very large inside. He could see a crowd of his brothers outside the door trying to find out how Nicole was and what the fuck had gone on.

“Nicole, it’s Slam. If you can hear me darlin’ I’m gonna give you something to take the pain away so we can move you. You’ll go back to sleep but I promise you’ll feel better when you wake up.” He could hear a tremor in Slam’s voice.

Her hand squeezed Duke’s hand tighter as the needle went into her arm. Putting his mouth right next to her ear he whispered “Don’t worry, baby, I’m staying with you. I’ll be right here with you the whole time, I promise.” Slowly, her hand went limp in his.

“Duke, brother, I need you to step back so we can get her outta here.” Slam was the club medic. “I’m gonna need your help to clean her up. I need to know what I’m dealing with.”

He managed to stay steady as he stood and watched as Hollywood and Bones held the stretcher steady as Slam gently rolled her onto it. He positioned her body so she was secure to be moved. Razor had kept his hand on his shoulder the whole time. Duke tried to draw strength from it, he was going to need it. Slam turned to him, he looked almost as devastated as he felt. Hollywood and Bones lifted the stretcher and carried it out. He followed close behind with Slam who was trying to monitor her breathing. He felt he should be carrying her but he wasn’t capable of anything right now. His body was shaking with everything he was feeling trying to burst out at the same time. He heard gasps and curses as all the brothers who had gathered saw the state of his Nicole in the harsh light of day.

Shel and Jewel were openly weeping and clinging to each other. He met their eyes, “Come with me. I don’t want the brothers seeing her bare.”

He needed to get the blood off her skin. His Nicole was beautiful and the blood was hiding it from him. Prez clapped his hand on his other shoulder and kept it there all the way to his apartment.

“Duke I’m gonna get to the bottom of this. Those bitches are gonna pay.” All he could do was nod.

Just ahead of him Razor was telling Slam what Helen had accused Nicole of. “That’s utter bullshit.” Slam yelled, pure anger evidenced in his tone. “She felt like shit yesterday morning, missing Duke, so I stayed with her and we watched a movie in the apartment. She didn’t even go downstairs until after two. I know because I walked down with her but left straight after.”

Duke felt the atmosphere change immediately. He never had any doubt that Helen’s story was pure fabricated bullshit but some of the brothers would have been undecided until now. When Slam confirmed that the story from Helen was just that – a story - anger showed on every face present. Hollywood and Bones pulled the stretcher from under Nicole as soon as they settled her on his bed. Slam set about checking and treating her injuries as Duke, Shel and Jewel cut her clothes off and gently cleaned her up best they could. The blood was thick and heavily dried on. They had to soak most of it off with warm water.

Apart from her face, her front looked untouched, bar from a few fingertip bruises and a slight swelling of her abdomen. Her back didn’t have an inch of skin that wasn’t spilt or bruised. Heels had punctured her skin where those fucking soon-to-be-dead cunts stamped on her body. Black and purple bruises from punches and kicks covered the rest of her. He ran his hands tenderly and oh so lightly over her back and legs. He wanted to kiss every inch of her and cry his soul out for the pain she must have been in. Duke gathered all his pillows and helped to prop her up so her back wasn’t taking any of her weight.

He climbed on the bed next to her and got as close as he dared. He hated that the pillows created a wall between them. He spoke to her softly, giving reassurance and telling her how he’d never let anything like this happen again as Slam stitched and bandaged her injuries. He had to rise when Slam said her nose was out of joint, not broken and that he had to reset it. The snap it made when it was forced into joint made Duke’s muscles tense and he had to remind himself that Slam was helping. He wanted nothing more than to throw him away from Nicole.