Highway to Heaven (16 page)

“What’s wrong?” Sahara asked, her eyes flying
open.

“Just a nightmare, go back to sleep,” she
said, praying she could do the same. But unlike in that horrid cage
where sleep was their only retrieve, she wanted to stay awake.
Because here, she was safe. She had no doubt that even if her
captors wanted to find her and take her back, she would ever end up
there again. The two men posted in their room looked big and bad
enough to take all the guards on. She’d learned, after an extensive
amount of questioning, that their names were Shark and Colt. Funny
names if you asked her, but given their appearance and the bad
motherfucker vibe they put out, she’d never say to their face.
Sahara seemed to trust them with her life, and that was enough
validation for Sadie. Although, if she didn’t know better, she’d
have been willing to put money on the fact that at least Colt had a
thing for her sister and possibly Shark too. It was hard to tell
with what she’d learned about bikers though. They were usually
after sex, and dirty sex at that—only. As the night had turned to
early morning, she’d changed her opinion. Both had treated her like
a little sister, and showed concern and caring for Sahara. She had
a lot to learn about bikers.

Her sister may not know it yet, but they’d
promised her a chance to get to know their world as much as she
liked while she lived at the clubhouse. Sadie didn’t know how her
big sis would react to that, but after this, there was no way in
hell she wanted to be left without the biker muscle to protect her.
Not for a long time anyway.

In her dreams, she was back in that hellhole,
having her body abused and beaten. The image of them violating her
brought stomach bile up in her throat. Sahara had known about the
beating she’d received just before she’d been saved, but only the
doctor knew about the sexual assault, and she planned to keep it
that way. There was no point in anyone else knowing, and a secret
only God, her, and the doctor she’d never see again would keep.

Sahara pulled her close and wrapped her arm
around her. “You’re safe now, Sadie. I’ll never let anyone hurt you
again.” And Sadie knew she meant it. If only she could find a way
to get the memories out of her mind so they’d quit hurting her over
and over like a knife raking over a freshly stitched wound. “It’s
okay, angel. I’m right here,” she cooed, rubbing up and down
Sadie’s arm. Sahara always knew how to calm her and make everything
go away. Her thoughts went to Tami and what the poor girl had been
through. Sadie just hoped she’d been some help to Tami, if even
just to give that little bit of comforting Sahara gave to her now.
She was younger than Sadie, and had somehow survived, barely, worse
than she’d been through. It was selfish to feel sorry for herself
when she’d seen what they’d done to her. No. Tomorrow, she’d insist
on moving to Tami’s room. She had to be strong for her.

Sadie laid awake for a long time, forcing her
brain to think of anything else but what had happened. She made a
mental list of things she wanted to do and places she wanted to
see. Then she started a list of foods she wanted the second she got
home and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep somewhere between pizza
and banana split.

*****

Sometime around seven in the morning, Raven
snuck into Heaven’s room, careful not to wake her or Tami. He’d
greeted iron packing Harley and Fish, who subsequently, had sent
the Feds on to find the location where the auction would take
place. Everyone but a handful had jumped back in the battle,
leaving him one left behind to protect Sahara, Sadie, Heaven, and
Tami. Not that he was complaining. This was exactly where he wanted
to be. For the first time in his life, he preferred staying behind
and not being out in the fight. He quietly slipped off his boots,
and it hit him. Everything he’d been fighting for all along was
right here, curled up like a cat in a chair. She could have gone to
the other bed and slept, but instead she sat guard, not leaving her
sister’s side. Damn if this little woman didn’t just change his
perspective on life completely. He admired her soft features as she
slept, and instead of feeling lust, he felt something deeper.
Something more. He scooted his arms under her and hoisted her
against his chest, stilling until she nestled her head under his
chin. Raven carried her tiny frame to the bed and tucked her in,
going back to check on Tami before he stretched out beside Heaven.
He didn’t want to wake her, but knew this was where he had to be.
She moved around until her body molded against his side and her
head rested on his shoulder with one arm tossed over his torso
comfortably like they’d slept a lifetime this way.

He lay there for a long time, trying his
damnedest to ignore how good she felt in his arms. It’d been a
lifetime ago the last time he’d allowed himself to get close to a
woman, and he’d sworn he never would again. He’d been barely
seventeen and a year before the Ops had taken him in off the
streets. She was the girl next door, him the bad boy with a
motorcycle her parents loved to hate. His ol’ man had raised him
nearly his entire life after his mother had left right after he was
born. His dad had done his best, he had no doubt, but his best was
pretty low on the average spectrum of normal. When he wasn’t
working, he was drinking, or back in the only bedroom of their
little camp trailer fucking the ‘mommy of the week’. The whole damn
place would shake, and during the young years, he’d ignore it and
let it rock him to sleep. As he got older, the moans and rocking
boat action had him flying out the door on to his bike to race away
from it all. It wasn’t entirely bad, like some of them had it. He
wasn’t abusive, and there was always money for food. But his ol’
man was never around. They didn’t talk, or do things together. He
was just ‘there’.

Donna had been his saving grace. She’d taught
him how to love, and in the end, how to hate. Like most girls, the
bad boy grew old and she’d traded him for the football jock at the
end of their senior year. She’d said, “I’ve gotta start thinking
about my future. Tommy has a scholarship and is headed off to med
school in the spring. It was fun while we were children, but now
it’s time to grow up.” Grow up. Those words had haunted him for
years. How the hell had she assumed that going off to be in some
frat house and chug beer meant grown up, while he’d been working
two jobs since he’d turned thirteen to put himself through college?
Yeah, he hadn’t told her about his plans, because she never seemed
interested. That should have been clue number one that things
weren’t as great as he’d thought. Then again, finding her with her
skirt hiked up over her head in the back seat of Tommy’s
convertible didn’t really call for clues or explanations.

He’d sworn that day there was no woman in the
world worth feeling that kind of hurt over again. His mother hadn’t
wanted him. Donna hadn’t. He wasn’t one who needed a third to make
him realize he was meant to be alone. But since he’d met
Heaven…everything he knew changed. He still feared the outcome, but
seeing her spirit, her bravery, all of it made him realize she was
worth the risk. Now he just had to figure out how to pursue her for
more than just sex. He’d never learned how to date when he was
young, so how the fuck was he gonna figure it out now? Just before
he dozed off, he turned to his side and wrapped his arm around her
tiny body, tucking his hand under her back. Whatever he had to do,
he knew he could never let her go.

*****

Heaven woke sometime late day, snuggled in a
blanket of warmth and security. Everything bad that had happened in
her life up to that point hadn’t yet shook her brain was awake, she
laid while a peaceful silence edged her conscious. The rhythmic
rise and fall of the body pressed against her back lulled her to
remain in this half-awake, half asleep stage until she heard a soft
voice.

“Sissy,” it said. “Sissy,” again. Then all at
once, it hit her. Her eyes flew open to see Tami sitting up in bed
with the television remote and sacks of food beside her. She was
sipping a root beer with a small smile. Heaven’s eyes went wide and
she jerked to sit up but Tami stopped her. “Shhh! Stay still. He
needs some sleep,” she said.

“What?”

“He was up off and on all morning with me
while you slept. Oh, and went to get me food and a root beer,” she
grinned, taking another chug. Heaven looked at her confused, still
trying to work the pieces to make sense.

“Who? Are you okay?”

“I’m sore, but feeling a lot better. Raven’s
been giving me my medicine. He said I didn’t have to take the
morphine if I didn’t want to, but he made me take the other stuff.”
Heaven’s body went rigid. He’d taken care of her while she slept?
Why?

“Why didn’t you wake me up?”

“Because. You needed to sleep. He said you
haven’t slept worth a shit lately.”

“Watch your mouth,” Heaven scolded, although
it was half-hearted. She was just happy she’d been given the chance
to tell her sister to watch her mouth. Instead of trying to over
evaluate what it all meant, she wanted to hold her sister and see
for herself that she was indeed alive and going to make it. Her
hand tossed back the covers and she glanced down, happy to see her
clothes were still on. So why was he here then? The bastard was
damn lucky he hadn’t come for a piece of ass after everything that
had gone down and her sister right beside them. As quickly as she’d
thought it, she’d mentally slapped herself. Of course he wouldn’t
have. Every time she grasped at something to explain why the hell
he was snuggled up behind her it ended up being over ridiculous.
She shook her head and tried to pull away. The arm around her
middle tightened, hauling her even closer to him.

“Humph,” he grumbled. Tami glanced from the
television and smiled.

“Told you he’s tired.”

“Yeah, but I need to get up.” She tugged
again, and just as before, he held her in place.

“Sleep,” he mumbled. His grumpy bear sleepy
tone made Tami giggle.

“Why do you need up? Just relax, sis, I have
food and TV. I’m getting ready to take a nap in a little bit I
think. Those meds make me groggy.” She yawned, as if to convince
Heaven more.

“I want to make sure you’re okay. Tami…” her
voice cut out and she didn’t exactly know what to say.

“Sis, I’m okay.” Her voice was soft, and
despite everything she’d just been through, she was trying to make
Heaven feel better. Damn she was a good kid, and well beyond her
fifteen years. Their sorry ass mother was to thank for that.

“I’m so sorry… this is all my fault.“ It was
a statement. A cold hard fact that she’d never let go of.

“No. It’s not, Heaven. If anyone’s, it’s
moms. Just like it was with dad. You tried.”

“And I failed,” Heaven’s voice whimpered, her
tears mounting like fingers around her throat, choking.

“I’m never letting you out of my sight
again,” Heaven said on a cry hiccup.

“Good.”

“If I’d of come for you sooner—”

“No, sis. Mom is to blame for this if anyone,
not you. She kicked me out. Told me I was old enough to get the
fuck out of her house one night in a drunken rage because I took
her bottle away. I was walking to find you,” she said.

“Fucking cunt!” Heaven bit out. “How the fuck
could she after her fucking daughter had been kidnapped? Is she
insane!”

“Yes cunt. Now sleep.” Raven’s arm held firm
even when Heaven tried to bolt out of bed in anger. She turned
toward him for the first time and looked down. His face was soft,
showing a tenderness and almost boyish good looks she’d never
noticed behind the wall of badass. Her head turned back to Tami,
and they started giggling. Even with his eyes still closed, a small
smile played at the corners of his mouth. Heaven couldn’t help but
bend down and drop a kiss on his cheek. That, it turned out, made
him open an eye to look at her. He blinked and closed it again, but
she felt his other arm slide under her body and tug her into a
hug.

The rest of the afternoon, the girls spent
watching the only English television station that picked up. So
after two back-to-back episodes of Jerry Springer, they’d both
taken a little nap and woke to Maury, who, of course, was revealing
paternity tests to slut bag mothers looking for a baby daddy. It
was almost too much to watch the stupidity as one woman found it
insulting and shocking that guy number thirteen wasn’t the father.
They’d whispered and giggled until Raven finally woke up for
good.

“Mmm. You two giggle a lot.” That, of course,
made them giggle more. “I’m glad to see you smiling, pip squeak.
How’s your root beer supply doing?”

“I could use another round,” she grinned.

“‘Kay. What about you? What’s your poison?”
He turned to Heaven, still keeping his arm on top of her as he
lifted up on his side.

“I can go get it. I guess from what Tami
tells me, you were up playing nurse all night. Thank you, Raven,”
she said, her voice going soft. He kissed the top of her nose.

“Don’t mention it. We’ve gotta get her
patched up so I can teach her how to drive a bike. She’s gonna need
wheels here pretty soon.” Tami’s face lit up.

“Wait a minute…oh no. The only wheels she’s
getting is going to be the biggest, toughest SUV I can find her.
She needs armor around her, not pavement.”

“Naw. There’s nothing safer than being one
with the road. You’ll see.” Heaven’s head snapped around so fast
she almost broke her neck.

“What?”

“I’ll show you. Once we get back and get you
two moved in, I’ll have time after work to take her out each
afternoon.” Heaven’s mind drifted back to the ride back to the
motel. She’d thought Gage was about to say something similar that
would lead her to believe there was something in store for them in
the future, but he’d choked and dismissed it. Raven hadn’t even
faltered. The sincerity in his eyes melted her heart. She knew what
he wanted without him coming out and saying it in front of Tami,
and it took hold of her. She leaned in and kissed him, ignoring the
whistles that came from the now-loopy-on-pain-meds Tami. Both of
them pulled back giggling.