A Broken Beautiful Beginning (16 page)

“Explain. Now” I say hoarsely.

My father hesitates then sits back in his seat, resting his elbows on the table and his head in his hands. “I can’t Harley....this is club business.” he says tiredly sounding really old.

I’ve never seen him look so stressed out before, but I’m too pissed and angry with him right now to care.

“You can’t?” I frown. “Club business?” I yell louder. “Well apparently club business concerns me. I think I deserve a little bit of insight into whatever the fuck is going on… especially after what I’ve just been through, don’t you think?” I tilt my head to the side as I glare at them.

“I was the one fucking taken and left to starve in a cell down in their fucking basement for however many days, only to have the President fondle me. If it wasn’t for Caleb he probably would have raped me too!” I yell using all the energy I can find.

I slam my hands on the table. My father and Hunter whip their heads up to look at me at the mention of what that disgusting old man did to me, anger full and flowing in the charged atmosphere.

“This ends tonight. Get the brothers ready. We need to get Caleb out of there before they figure out who he’
s working for.” My father says to Buck and Hunter.

Issuing orders… as usual.

“What the hell do you mean,
get Caleb out of there
?” I yell confused.

“Caleb was the only one that could go in there; they know all of us and who we are. Caleb is new to the club, he’s still a prospect. He went in there for us… for the club. We needed to find out what was happening inside that compound. What type of shit they were running and what they want to bring into our town in order for us to figure out the best way to get rid of them. We had to weigh up our options. Caleb knows the President’s daughter, her father doesn’t tell her shit about club business but she could help Caleb get into the club
. She was willing to work with him, anything to get at her father, turns out she doesn’t like the old man very much either.” He tries to continue but I shut him up with my hand in the air.

“Stop…” My heart beats frantically, Oh god… Caleb… he was trying to help me, he wasn’t chasing me to lock me back up. He was there to help me.

“He was doing
this
to help
you
?” I ask my father and he nods. I turn my glare to Hunter, I really want to slap him and I’m just about to when Jace wraps his arms around my waist pulling me away.

I reach out and point at Hunter as I yell. “You said you’d look after him! Make sure that he was safe! I swear to God Hunter if anything happens to him, it’s all on you!” My tears start falling again and I know I look like a mess but I don’t care.

“I thought I could trust you with this one request, one simple fucking thing Hunter! God knows I couldn’t trust my father with his safety.” It hurts me to say it but I have to get it all off my chest. I watch as emotions wash over my father’s face.

“He couldn’t even keep
me
safe! He left me with Jace…. time and time again knowing how dangerous
he
was… knowing how he treated me.” I feel Jace’s shoulders sag behind me but he doesn’t loosen his grip around my waist. I’m too angry to care about hurting his feelings or anybody else’s in this room.

I turn my attention now to my father. “How could you allow your eighteen year old daughter to share a room with one of the most dangerous guys here, the one you get to do all your dirty work? The same one that had anger issues that you were
aware
of!” I feel the tears slip down my cheeks.

“I didn’t think he would hurt you baby girl.”

My father’s voice is soft and tender. “I knew he could protect you if any of the other clubs found out about you and wanted to use you against me. I was so stupid Harley. I never meant for any of this to happen, if I could take it all back….. I would, but I can’t. I was so happy when you said that you wanted to live with Anna and me, I wasn’t prepared for it though. I didn’t realize how this place would affect you. I grew up surrounded by this lifestyle and I wasn’t in the right frame of mind when you came. I already knew the moment you walked into the club house you didn’t want to be a part of the Club. I thought if I stuck you with Raven he would show you the ropes… show you how it would be when you became an old lady one day. You didn’t see the way he looked at you when you were in that hospital. Swear he was head over heels, never seen him like that Harley. If I honestly thought he would hurt you the way he did, I would never have placed you under his protection.” Jace’s arms around me loosen as my father continues to speak as if Jace isn’t in the room.

“It was selfish of me, but I assumed that by pushing this lifestyle onto you, you would cave in and accept it. I’m sorry baby girl...I’m so sorry.” My father walks slowly towards me,
as sadness fills the room. I’ve never seen him look so regretful before but I’m not so quick to forgive and forget this time. I back away from Jace on wobbly feet and give one last disappointed look at my father, Hunter then Jace before I leave the room.

Jesse mee
ts my crumbling form and he wraps his arms around me. I know it should comfort me but it only causes me more unease. I pray that the Stowaways haven’t broken me for good, that one day I’ll be able to touch another without feeling scared and nervous. Jesse doesn’t ask questions but assists me upstairs into the apartment. He helps me to the bathroom and insists on helping me into the bath tub but I won’t have that. I lock the door behind me and bend down to put the bath water in.

I return to the tap by the sink, turning it I cup my hands under the water and start drinking. I drink and drink, my reflection catching my eye as I pass the mirror. I gasp as I see the person mirrored back at me. I can feel the water I’ve just drank climbing back up my throat and I reach the toilet just in time to throw up. Only liquid comes up.

My body is stiff and weak but I push myself up from the toilet and lean over the basin once again.

After using some toothpaste and mouth wash I finally take another look at myself in the mirror.

My once blond hair is so dirty and oily that it’s almost a sandy blond now. I have dry blood caked on my forehead near my hairline. My cheekbone has a dark blue bruise on and my nose is almost purple making it stand out against my pale skin. My eyes.... oh god my eyes!

I lift my fingers up to touch the dark skin beneath them. I rub the skin a little, nope it’s not dirt. The dark circles under my eyes are evidence of the neglect my body has been through these past few days. I squeeze them shut as I back away from the mirror. I strip down and turn the tap off in the tub.

The bathwater is hot and my skin soaks up all the water as I climb in. I rest my chin on my knees and watch as the steam from the hot water rises then disappears.

The mirror steams up and so do the windows. I close my eyes and rest my forehead onto my bent knees as I feel the tears falling down my damp skin. I breathe in the steam of the water beneath me, my pores open and I feel my dirty dry skin soaking up as much moisture as it can get.

I remove my hands that hold my knees against my chest and lean down against the end of the bathtub as I sink into the water. Letting the water soak my hair, I lift my hand up to my neck and rub it roughly trying to get the memory of Dex licking and touching me there out of my head. It doesn’t work. I grab the bottle of shampoo next to the tub and use most of what’s left in the bottle on my scruffy, dirty hair. I scrub ferociously making sure all the blood and gunge is out, whilst crying my eyes out. I start scrubbing my body; it’s only been a few days that I haven’t eaten but my body feels thinner, my breasts smaller too. By the time I’m done cleaning up, my skin is scrubbed raw and the hot water has cooled but I do feel much cleaner.

I grab the clothes I took from Anna’s room and put them on. It’s only a pair of jeans, a soft black polo neck and a pair of sneakers I left here a while back. The clothes feel loose on me and I should probably want to eat but I’m too worried about Willow to even fathom the thought of eating
. I put my hair up in a damp bun on the top of my head, I don’t have the energy to try and get a brush through the mess right now.

I just make it into the bedroom when a hand grabs around mine, I duck and cover my face for protection not caring how weak I look in that moment.

“Harley... Not going to hurt you. Not anymore.” Jace whispers softly as his hold on my hand loosens into a soft stroking gesture. I look up into his sad confused eyes.

He looks down, removes his hand then clears his throat. His eyes turn dangerously dark. “You said the President... touched you. You sure it was the president?” He forces out with a serious voice.

“The old man with the long grey beard is the president right? It was him.” I whisper, nodding my head. It sends chills down my spine at the slightest mention of that revolting bastard.

Jace only grunts, nodding at someone behind me before strutting away. I turn to see Hunter standing in the doorway. He moves into the room allowing Jace to pass him, closing the door behind him. I swallow and my eyes zone in on the water bottle he holds in his hands. The condensation that covers the bottle makes my mouth water. He reaches out with the bottle in his hand as I look down at the bottle and then up at his face.

“Take it.” He says softly. “I know what hunger and dehydration looks like…” looking down at the floor as he whispers. “I know what it feels like…”

I’m still so angry with him, but my thirst overrides my anger and I reach for the bottle and greedily open it, the bottle cold under my fingertips. I sit on the side of the bed and slowly bring my lips down to the open bottle. Memories of
Dex rush in but I push them aside and close my eyes as the cold water slides down my parched throat.

“Shhh... Slow down Princess. The water isn’t going anywhere. You’ll make yourself sick drinking like that.” I feel Hunter’s hands gently over my head then I feel the bed dip next to me as his hand softly strokes my back. I shut my eyes tight when I get brain freeze, my teeth stinging from the cold water against them. I drop my head and put the cap on the bottle.

“I’m so sorry Princess.” I hear a sob to my right and find Hunter hunched over with his head in his hands, elbows resting on his knees as his body moves with silent sobs. I curl my fist in a tight ball, I’m so mad at him for not keeping his word but the sadness emanating from him only makes me sadder. I don’t like seeing this tough guy upset, I hate seeing him cry like a baby in front of me like this. I gently place the water bottle on the floor at my feet and turn my attention over to Hunter.

“I know I gave you my word. Told you I’d look after your man, I tried but Grimm had plans. The Stowaways know all of us; I couldn’t have gone with him. Caleb wanted to do this alone, we had it all planned. No harm was to come to him and none did. He is safe Harley. But you... you weren’t... and...” he stutters bringing his tear filled eyes up to meet mine.

“I’m so sorry you had to go through that, we didn’t know where you were at. We haven’t had communication with Caleb since the night he won that fight and Avery got him to see her father at their compound. We’ve been looking for you ever since Anna got home and found you gone. I thought you did one of your disappearing acts and needed time alone. Then tonight, you come walking in looking like that and I knew. God! I fucking knew. I should have listened to Anna… you would never leave without Willow. I’m such an idiot Harley. I should have gone looking. I’m so fucking sorry.” He covers his face with his hands and I wrap my arms over his shaking shoulders and rest my head on his shoulder.

I try to calm him like I do when Willow cries, like you would a child. “
Shh Shh... It’s okay. I’m okay. Don’t cry.” I rock him and he wraps his arms around me and cries into my chest.

“Love you Harley, you’re my family, the sister I never had. I don’t want any harm to come to you Princess.
Ever.” His words bring tears to my eyes and I wrap my arms tighter around him, holding him close. His big body overwhelms mine, but I use all the strength I have to hold him up against my chest.

“Love you too Hunt, You’re my family, always will be.” I kiss the top of head.

He finally pulls away from me and once he’s done wiping all his tears away, his eyes are left swollen and red but he’s still just as handsome as he ever was.

He looks back down to me and a frown forms as he looks my body over. It’s not lust filled or anything remotely close to is. His look is one filled with worry and concern.

“You need to eat Harlz.”

“I can’t eat right now. I need to see Willow and make sure Caleb’s safe.” I say.

“He’s fine. I told you he was safe, he managed to get away before people figured out you were gone.” Hunter says pulling the curtain open to look out the window.

I let out a breath of air thanking God for keeping Caleb safe. I’m glad he’s okay but I’m not ready to see him yet. I don’t have the strength for that, I just can’t do it. After all the lies and shit he’s kept from me... I’m not ready to see him again.

“Where’s Willow? I need to see her.” I ask making my way to him.

“She’s at your place with Anna; we thought the familiar surroundings would be better for her. I’ve been staying with them the entire time you guys were gone. She’s been asking about you both, I just kept telling her you would both be home soon.” He says sounding sad.