Hope (12 page)

“You shouldn’t be coming here, Don. You know it is
dangerous.”

“I couldn’t bear going back to my room, Shelley. I need you,
baby.” He went to the woman he loved, the woman he desired more than anything
else in the world. It was getting harder and harder to leave her at night. He
wanted to shout his love for her to the rooftops. Instead, he made sure no one
could see his weakness.

He loved all of the people close to him. They meant the
world to him. He’d be gutted if anything happened to them, but Shelley was
different. She was his entire world. Without her in his life, he wouldn’t even
try to build a better world. He’d have given up years ago.

Shelley stomped her foot. “What if you’re caught? You said
we couldn’t do this. We risk everything by being together.”

Don silenced her with a hand over her mouth. “Don’t tell me
you don’t want me. I know you do.”

“Want was never in question.”

She wrapped her arms around him. Don pressed his face
against her neck inhaling her sweet scent. Shelley was his woman and would
always be. He’d give everything to make sure she was happy and safe.

“Why did you let Damon take her with him, Don? You know it
is not safe for a woman like her. If these attacks are personal, she’d be a valuable
bargaining chip.”

Don shrugged. “She’s not from this area. They’d bargain
someone else for her.”

She tensed in his arms. “If you do that Damon will kill
you.”

“Don’t you have any faith in me?”

What a lot of people didn’t know was that Don had trained Damon.
When the fights had broken out and Damon was chosen to represent their area,
Don had showed him plenty.

“I have faith in you, Don. I know you’d never strike the
killing blow with Damon. He’s like your son.”

“Very fucked up son.”
He took her
hand leading her to the bed. Shelley went willingly with him. It had always been
like this with them. He knew she’d have been his wife if the world was right. “You
know I’d never do anything to harm one of our own. Penny is more than safe with
Damon. I don’t think that boy knows how much he loves her.”

“Penny doesn’t have a clue.”

“What was that display for?” he asked, thinking about the
blonde on the stage.

“She wants to gain his attention. I said she needed to get
out of her comfort zone before getting him.”

Don opened the sash of her gown and then pushed the fabric
down her body. She wore one of his old shirts. The fabric was worn but covered
too much of her gorgeous body.

He teased the fabric against her thighs and then pulled it
up.

“You’ll need to be gone before morning,” she said.

“I’ll be gone when I’m ready.”

He removed his clothing and pulled her down to him. The love
he felt was trapped inside him, begging to be let out. It was getting harder to
leave her.

She went down to him, her body covering his.

“I love you,” she said.

“I love you, too.”

****

Shelley glanced down at Don’s sleeping face. His late night
visits were growing with every day. Each time he came to her, he risked so
much. She could never turn him away. They’d been together for over five years.
Their attraction for each other grew each day. She knew it was changing for
them. It was harder for both of them to look at each other but never be allowed
to touch.

His arm tightened around her in his sleep. She smiled. These
were the moments she was free to relax. The only time she was herself was in
his arms. Penny knew. It was one of the reasons why she liked Penny. The girl
was an open book and didn’t realise how dangerous her emotions were. She
trusted easily, and all Shelley wanted to do was protect her.

Damon felt something for her as well. Shelley had seen it in
the way he sought her out. On the nights when they were full to bursting, Damon
would spot her easily. His gaze was always on her, ready to pounce on the men
who thought they could touch her.

Shelley gazed down at the man she loved. He was trying to change
the shit world they lived in. Don spent a great deal of his time reading
through dated papers, books, and anything he could get his hands on. He was
selling anything he could get his hands on in exchange for more knowledge.
Their first year together, he’d admitted his weakness with regards to the moonshine
he was selling. The tiny shot of liquor was starting to grip him. She did
everything she could to keep him away from the supply. His mood hadn’t changed
much, unlike some of the men she’d witnessed on the moonshine, but she feared
for him.
 
 

If anyone could figure out how to put the world right it was
Don.

Closing her eyes, she tried to fall asleep. Whenever he
visited her, sleep was always hard to come by. She was too afraid they’d get
caught. Love was a weakness few people enjoyed.

That is why
you want Penny to find love. If they can be in love and survive there might be
hope for you yet.

It was wishful thinking on her part. She knew love between
them was a dream they’d never embark on. Don feared what would happen to her.
She feared for everyone around them. If she ended up being hurt, Don would go
insane. He relied on her presence far too much.

Chapter
Eleven

Penny stood outside with Damon by her side. The sun was only
just coming up, and the sky looked like a smoking fire. It was seductive and
dangerous with the variety of colours on display. She couldn’t tear her gaze
away from the beauty.

“He should be here to take us with him soon. I hate it when
they’re fucking late.” Damon took a couple of steps away from her gazing out
into the sunrise.

“I don’t mind waiting.”

“The waiting doesn’t bother me when I’m alone. I don’t like you
being out in the open. It’s dangerous.”

“You said it runs on a solar panel thing. The sun is only
just coming up. Give the guy time to get it set up and working.” She hiked her
bag up her shoulder farther and glanced back up at the sky.

Her mother used to relish a sunrise. Penny remembered
sitting with her mother early in the morning. Her father never used to be so
vicious or greedy when her mother was alive. She rubbed her arms wondering what
was happening back at home.

“They should have enough juice stored inside.”

Damon stood by her side with his arms folded. He looked
rather threatening to any onlooker. Those very tattooed arms had been around
her last night while they slept. She couldn’t get the memory of him holding her
out of her mind.

He didn’t want her going on the stage. Shelley was giving
her an opportunity to become equal to the girls and gain his attention. She
enjoyed the way he reacted to her. He turned into a possessive beast.

“It would have been easier with real cars with real juice in
them.”

She chuckled.

“What’s so funny?” he asked.

“I read somewhere that everyone was worried about global
warming at one time. Now, there is nothing to worry about. We still get storms
and floods like always. No cars on the road and the fewer people there are to
pollute the atmosphere. Also, we don’t have any electricity.” Penny wrapped her
arm around his waist. “I think you’re cute when you’re angry.”

Damon laughed at her.

“No one has ever thought I was cute.”

“Well I think you are.
Very cute and very
loving.”

He froze under her hands.

“Not loving, Princess.
Never loving.”
Damon pulled out of her hold. Penny knew the moment was lost.

The sound of heavy metal bumping up and down the road
distracted her.

A car that looked like a jeep stopped right in front of
them. “Shit, man, what are you going to do about those potholes? I swear this
place is getting shittier by the hour.” A man with a bald head, tattoos, and a pipe
dangling from his lips got out.

“Pearce, it’s so good to see you.”

Damon shook the guy’s hand and pulled him in for a man hug.

“I can’t believe you’re still working at that shithole called
a bar. Haven’t you gotten out yet?” Pearce asked, pulling away. His gaze
travelled the length of her body.

“You know how it is. I’ve got my loyalties. Don’s great, and
he’d be happy to have you back.”

Penny watched their interaction.

“Nope, I’m working on a higher purpose. I intend to get this
place back up and working.” Pearce slammed his hand down on the hood of his
car. “Who’s the girl?” he asked, looking at her.

“This is Penny. She’s known as Sweet Princess as well. She’s
an innocent from Grimes’s area.”

“Shit, that man has innocents over there. I feel sorry for
them. Pleasure to meet you, Miss.”

She smiled at him. What more could she say?

“Does Don know you’re
bringing
 
a
woman? It makes this trip downright
risky.” Pearce said. He opened his jacket and extracted a knife from his left
side inner pocket.

“The girl stays with me. She’s far too innocent, and
Shelley’s trying to get her on the stage. The moment she hits that stage the
men will be pawing for her bed. I understand it’s a fucking brothel, but Penny
isn’t part of it. She’s a woman from the families and shouldn’t be part of our
rules. I’m not having it.”

“Wow, Shelley is still working there with Don? I always
thought something was going on between those two. Now I know it.”

Penny had seen it. If people looked close enough she was
sure they’d be easy to spot. Don had eyes for no one but Shelley. She thought
it was beautiful to see. Love did survive in this world. All you needed to do
was look hard enough.

Damon took her bag, throwing it into the boot. “She rides
between us.”

“I have no problems with that sweet thing rubbing up against
me.” Pearce climbed inside then patted the seat next to him. Damon helped her
in with his hands at her waist.

“Pearce is a good guy,” he said against her ear so only she
would hear him.

“I trust you.” His body was flush beside her right side.

“Good.” Damon took her hand, kissing her knuckles. Did he
realise he was giving her loving touches?

“What do you do, Pearce?” she asked.

The jeep started up, and the sun was high in the sky.

“Pearce is working at one of the closed down factories,” Damon
said.

“What for?”

“I’m working on more of these babies. I was one of the few
people who understood how to put these together. I gather the materials from
what I find, and I’m trying to put it all together. I work in a place known as
no man’s land. It is a term they used in the war and one area we all agree
doesn’t get harmed,” Pearce said.

“How is that possible?”

“It’s amazing what you can do when you put your mind to it.
I prefer tinkering around with scrap material than fighting it out with men,”
Pearce said. His hands left the steering wheel to express his passion.

“Do you think you can do it?” Penny asked.

“Yeah, I do. We’re going to make it better,” Pearce said.

“Do you have anyone with the knowledge to do that?”

Damon chuckled. “You’re sitting right next to him.” He
pointed at Pearce.

“You?”

“I may not look all that bright, honey. Up here,” he tapped
his forehead, “are a whole lot of ideas and brains. I’m not empty even though
it sounds like it.” He tapped his head. “See, I get nothing.”

She started laughing at his humour. Pearce was a good guy.
She saw it in the way he held himself. He wasn’t a threat to her at all.

“So you’re from Grimes’s area?”

Penny nodded her head.

“That place is supposed to be a real shit-hole. Is it?”

“It’s like this place. Not a lot going on. I lived out near
the farms. I didn’t get to see the main part of the city area.” She tucked her
hair behind her ear.

“I’ve heard a lot of bad crap. Grimes
doesn’t
want us improving our world. I heard he wants to lead the whole of
New York City
. I couldn’t
imagine it. This place is mighty big. He’d need a lot of men willing to fight
to keep it.”

“Anyone could take over, Pearce. Grimes
is
just too dumb to get it done,” Damon said.

“No way.
No one would want to
work for that man. He goes in a temper, and the guy’s crown jewels get cut off.
I don’t see the attraction to working with an insane guy.” Pearce shook his
head turning around a corner.

“If he offers them something, they’ll work for him. Don
knows something is coming.”

Pearce shook his head. “Don prepares for the worst. He’s got
his hands in so many pies I’m surprised he’s not a fat bastard by now. I bet
Shelley works that shit off him.”