One Hundred & Thirty-Six Scars (The Devil's Own, #1) (17 page)

Swallowing the last bit of my drink, I swing around and see Melissa on the stage, dancing around the pole that they have sitting at the front of their catwalk. The bar is nice, everything is nice here. Even the guys in both MC’s are all decent looking. Some better than others. Shaking my head, I scan the room for Phoebe. Melissa has been drinking tonight, obviously and I may need reinforcements. The Weeknd
‘Wicked Games
’ is booming through the sound system. Melissa’s little body wrapping around the pole to the slow sensual tune of the song while flicking her long platinum hair around the place. Scanning the room, I see all the men have gone, but a young girl is videoing her. The young girl is a club whore obviously. I always see her around here rubbing up on all the single men. I think her name is Lisa. Pushing back from my chair, I stalk up to the stage.

“Melissa!” I yell from down below and she turns her head toward me.

“Come dance, Meadow,” she says smiling at me.

I shake my head. “Get down, quick. How much did you have to drink?”

Pulling at her arm, she jumps off the stage quickly and pulls me in for a hug. “I’m sorry. I don’t know… was I drinking?” she asks absently.

“You’re obviously drunk, Melissa. Come on, we’ll get you a glass of water.” She follows behind me as we make our way to the bar. I pull out a stool and push her down onto it.

Her head tilts to the side. “Meadow…” she begins. “I don’t remember drinking anything but my juice,” she says, looking at me.

“Are you sure? Where did you get the orange juice from?” I ask, pouring a glass of water and handing it to her.

“I… um…” her head spins around searching the crowd of people. It’s mainly families and people who are important to others.

Her body stills, she grips onto her chair and pushes herself up, but falls to the ground when her legs give way.

“Melissa!” I yell, dropping to the floor. Her body is shaking. “Are you cold? Are you okay?
Shit!
Where the hell is Phoebe?” Pulling off my cardigan, I throw it over her. Leaving me in my tiny white tank top and tight skinny jeans.

Pulling her to her feet, I place her back on the stool slowly. Ashley, the Sinful Souls’ barmaid, rushes over worried. She’s beautiful and I’m surprised none of the guys have scared her away yet.

“Is she okay? What’s happened?”

“I don’t know. Melissa?”

Her eyes open slowly. “Meadow, it was Lisha…”

“Lisa?” I answer.

Ashley shakes her head. “No, she means Lisha.” Her face drops. She has light brown hair pulled into a high ponytail that trails down her back, sleek and straight. Her green eyes begin scanning the room, and when she locks her eyes on the club whore
‘Lisha,’
her eyes narrow.

Pointing her tanned arm, she says, “It was Lisha. She has a little
thing
for Hella since he’s been here.”

“What the hell did she do to her?” I ask angrily. Melissa is harmless. She would never do anything to hurt anyone intentionally.

Ashley shrugs her shoulders. “I’ll find out?”

Pulling her arm back, I point to Melissa. “Watch her, I need to go and find Phoebe.” I walk away from the bar, scanning the room for Phoebe. When my eyes lock on Lisha, I see her bright red lips smirking at Melissa while still videoing her. My fist clenches, knuckles turning snow white from the pressure. I walk toward her and her little posse of skanks.

“Hey!” I say when I reach her. “What did you put in her drink?”

She laughs, looking at her friends who join her laughter. “I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about, bitch.”

“Oh really?” I ask.

She hands her phone to her friend, stepping up in my face. The cheap stench of perfume assaults my senses, causing me to almost vomit in my mouth. “Yes, really. Go back to your slag of a friend. I hear GHB can be bad for you.” She laughs looking at her friends.

“You’re a piece of shit. Is this over Hella?” I ask, tilting my head to her. I step closer, my face to hers. “You think you have an actual chance with him over Melissa? You’re a whore, nothing more and nothing less.” I step away from her, turning on my feet and making my way to Pheobe, who has finally showed next to Melissa. I exhale, letting my shoulders relax. Ashley is whispering something into Phoebe’s ear when she looks over at Lisha, her eyes narrowing.

Yeah… it’s on now.

I smile at Phoebe, and just when I’m about to take another step forward, A sharp yank stings across my scalp from Lisha pulling me by my hair toward her and elbowing me right in my face. Spinning around in her grip, I clench my hand around her neck and pull her down to the floor. Crawling on top of her, I pull my elbow back before slamming my fist square in her face. With a crack sounding and vibrating against my knuckles, she screeches loudly. “My nose!”

Pulling my elbow back again, blood dripping from my own nose, I blow another punch straight into her nose again,
and again
. All the anger I had from knowing this girl could have seriously hurt someone that I care deeply about is fully unleashed.

The grip around my arm and weight being lifted off my knees pulls me back. When I turn around, I see it’s Kalie—Ade, the vice president’s wife.

“It’s okay, Meadow. She’s not worth it,” she whispers into my ear.

Lisha is getting up off the floor, holding her mangled nose when Phoebe comes over, kicking her back down to the floor again. “Get the fuck out, Lisha! Now!” she yells in her face.

Lisha quickly stands from her position on the floor. “I don’t have to go anywhere. Travis wants me here,” she answers behind a snark. I have to give it to her, for someone who’s in a bad state right now, she still holds her ground.

Phoebe turns around to look at Lisha’s friend who’s still recording. “Are you recording this?” Phoebe asks her level of crazy at an all-time high.

The friend shakes her head, swallowing down nervously and dropping the phone. “I’ll delete it, Phoebe. I didn’t want any trouble.”

“You can all leave. Every single whore in this room is not welcome here,” Phoebe states.

The door that leads to the back room swings open and Alaina walks out. Alaina is Zane’s Old Lady, she’s the boss around here. The crowd falls silent in her presence.

“What the fuck is going on out here? I’m trying to put all the kids down!” she yells from her spot.

Phoebe begins explaining and Alaina brings her eyes to Lisha. “Pack your shit, Lisha. Don’t come back until we’re out of lock.”

“But Travis said—”

”I don’t give a flying fuck what Travis said.” Alaina begins walking up to her and the rest of us step back, making way for her to get through. Once she reaches Lisha’s face, she points at her chest. “You are a whore. Nothing about you is important to Travis but your pussy, and trust me, I hear it’s not that great so it won’t be missed. Leave,” Alaina seethes. Lisha quickly rushes out of the room, her shoulders still squared, trying to keep her pride intact.

Alaina turns to face me, her features softening. She takes my hand in hers. “Come on, babe. I’ll clean you up.” I follow behind her, my mouth sealed shut. We stop in the back kitchen where she opens up a cupboard above the counter, taking down a first aid kit.

“Sit,” she points to the seat that’s pushed under the kitchen table. I take a seat, my legs throbbing at the pressure being taken off of them.

Alaina comes across, placing the first aid kit on the table and handing me a towel. I take it off her and bring it up to my nose, eying her closely as she pulls out some wet wipes.

“Okay, take it down and let me clean you up.” Pulling my hand down, I let her wipe away at the blood.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to cause problems,” I mumble to her.

She shakes her head and smiles. “Don’t be silly. She started that and got what she deserved. I am interested to know how Beast is going to react. Hella seems ruthless with Melissa, too.” She shakes her head around a chuckle. “When men who ride motorcycles find the girl they want, there’s no letting up. You’re both claimed and you don’t even know it yet. Ah, the early days…” She laughs to herself, her cheeks going red. I’m not quite sure how I feel with the term
claimed
. Beast and I are very early days to be throwing around such a permanent label.

“Hella and Melissa?” I ask, swallowing the metallic laced saliva.

She pauses her wiping, throwing the wet wipe into the bin. “Yeah, although they both couldn’t walk straight,” she scoffs, shaking her head.

“They got together?”

She smirks. “I didn’t see it, but we all saw them disappear for an hour at the bonfire. Whether either of them remember is a different story, though, considering they ignored each other for the rest of the night. Who knows, maybe it’s nothing.” Jesus, what the hell is Melissa doing. Beast is scary, that’s a given. But Hella is the kind of scary that sends unsettling shivers down my spine.
Jason X
scary. And Melissa let him put his chainsaw in her huha. I’ll talk to her as soon as I get the chance to.

“Sorry, I don’t mean to gossip,” she adds. Alaina is beautiful. She has long blonde hair and big green eyes. She’s exotic looking, though, very different features which adds to her appeal.

“I don’t know what to do about that claiming statement,” I say shyly.

She stops her wiping, pulling out a little thin plaster and placing it onto my nose. “Well…” she begins, “…there’s not much you can do. Just go with it and see how it pans out. Of course, if you feel something for him. If not? You will need to run, and run far.” She laughs, placing everything back into the plastic container.

I chuckle. “It’s mutual, but I’m confused is all. I don’t know if you know much about my past, but it’s very complicated. I don’t know what to expect, but I know that when I’m with him, it feels right.”

She sighs, tucking the plastic container under her arm. “Well, that’s all you need, dear. Stick with that. I better go and check on the kids, make sure they’re all settled and let Vicky have a break.”

I nod my head. “Thank you for cl—” The ground under me shakes before a loud crack of explosions ring out. Diving under the kitchen table, I begin coughing from all the dust that has fallen around me from the roof.

This is not good.

“Alaina?” I call out, moving around the fallen rubble.

“Meadow, I’m over here. I’m good. But I need to leave and check the kids.” She rushes around the kitchen until she finds the door. Glancing around, my vision is severely clouded by the thick residue of dust floating around in the air. Touching around in front of me, I feel for the wall that I know is somewhere right there. When my hands land on the smooth surface of the wall, I begin following it across to find the door Alaina went through. Once I reach it, I pull it open to more thick clouds of dust. Coughing, I cover my mouth with my hand and narrow my eyes attempting to see clearer without getting the particles in my eye. Throbbing begins pulsing through my right arm, weighing it down in pain. There’s a large cut starting from my shoulder blade going down to my elbow, the blood dripping and running down the rest of my arm in bright red streaks of discomfort.

“Shit.
Shit.
Hello?” I call out, stepping over the fallen rubble with the concrete crunching under the soles of my feet.

“Meadow?” Phoebe calls out. “Meadow, follow my voice.”

My pace picks up, attempting to follow her calling. “Keep talking, where are you?”

“Still by the bar. I can’t get Melissa out from under this concrete and she’s not waking up.” When I finally trek through all the broken masses of mess and thick clouds, I reach Phoebe and kneel down to their spot.

“Melissa!” She doesn’t stir. I push my fallen hair out of my face with my arm, smudging sticky red blood through the tresses, holding it back.

“It’s her legs, they’re trapped.”

“Shit. Okay. Let me help.” The air is still thick, but I can see a couple inches in front of me now. Reaching down, I feel for her legs that are pinned under the bar light which sat above the bar.

“Meadow? Your arm doesn’t look good. Go and get help,” Phoebe insists from beside Melissa.

“I’m fine. I need to get you guys out.”

“No, Meadow. Go and get some help. I’ll stay here with her.”

“Phoebe! What if it falls? I can’t leave you here. No!” My heart pounds against my chest at the possibility of something bad happening to either of these girls.

Rounding Melissa’s body, I make my way down to her feet and see why she can’t move. There’s a large block of cement holding down one end of the lights.

Coughing, I ball my fists together, trying to get the feeling back in my hand. “Okay, we need to lift this part, Phoebe.” Phoebe rounds me, placing her hand on the other side. “One, two…” We both try to push it up to no avail.

“Fuck!” I yell, scanning around the room. “We need to find a long piece of wood, something we can place underneath it to lever it off.”

Phoebe looks around before laying her eyes back on me. “Do you have your phone?”

I shake my head. “It was on the table with my handbag. All right,” I say, placing my hand on my forehead. “I’m going to be three seconds.” Turning on my feet, I narrow my eyes and wave out the clouds. When some of the smoke clears, I see one or two bodies on the ground. I know I should check them, but I need to get help and see who else is outside.