Lawless (Defenders MC Book 2) (5 page)

Nine

Nikki woke with a splitting headache.   Law was standing by the bed frowning down at her.

“Would you fucking wake up?”

Nikki blinked and tried to sit up.  She grabbed her head to keep it from popping off and squinted up at Law.

He was still frowning, but his eyes were crinkled at the edge as if he wanted to smile, sick bastard.

“Here, take these and drink this.”  He didn’t wait for her to reach out, he just crammed two pills in her mouth and pressed a straw to her lips.  Nikki swallowed.

“What…”

“Pain killers and drink the damned water.  No fucking women at my house today, or any damned day, we clear?”

“Yeah, it’s not like I invited them.  You didn’t have to be such a dick about it.  They were only being nice.”

He looked shocked.  “Is that right?”

“Mmmhmm.  They knew I was lonely and needed company.  It was what nice people do.”

“You aren’t fit to be around nice people, mouse.”

Nikki snorted as she curled back up with her pillow.  “Pot, kettle.”

Law laughed.  “I think I like you better hung over, at least you have a spine.  Fucking passed out on me last night so you owe me.”

Nikki turned to look up at him.  “Ok.  What do you want?”

Law thought for a second as he let his eyes run over her.  “Dinner.”

Nikki beamed.  “Ok.  What do you like?”

“Anything good.  “I’ll let you know when.”

“Ok.”  For the first time she felt like a person again.  Did men ask their whores to make them dinner?  Probably, but it still made Nikki happy to be used for something other than sex.

Law left her in his bed and climbed on his Harley, he would send someone out to see what she needed later in the day.

Nikki waited all day for the phone Law had gotten her to ring.  It would be their first meal together and Nikki was more than a little excited.  Around lunch time a man came by and she wrote out a list of the things she needed from the store.  He stared at her with a hungry look in his eyes, but he didn’t dare touch her so she didn’t make anything of it.

An overly flirty prospect delivered her things around two in the afternoon and Nikki had been glad to see him go too.  Every man who came around acted like they were waiting their turn and it made her sick. 

She had started preparing as soon as he left so all she had to do was throw everything in to cook.  After ten p.m. she gave up.

Nikki wiped her tears and berated herself for being a fool.  She made herself a plate of fruit and salad, but it tasted like ash and she couldn’t finish it.  She packed the food away and placed it all in the refrigerator and cleaned the kitchen.  Then she showered and curled up in her bed.  She was a fool for ever thinking she would mean anything to Law above the satisfaction he found in her body.  A man like that couldn’t care for anyone, not even himself.  She would never even be a second thought to him.

It was after three in the morning when Law staggered into his living room.  Shit had gone down and Preach had asked him and a couple other brothers to check out some shit in town.  He knew he should have called Nikki, but he didn’t.  He didn’t owe her shit and didn’t want her expecting him to answer to her.

He stalked to the kitchen expecting to find something recriminating that he could get good and pissed over, but only found a spotless kitchen.   He opened the refrigerator to find the food packaged carefully and the guilt hit him.  He didn’t like the feeling.  Determined to rid himself of it he stalked to his room only to find it empty.  Had she left him?  He found the thought distasteful and that caused his anger to rise.

His heart fluttered in his chest and for the first time her realized that he would care if she was gone.  He walked down the hall and flung open her door and felt relief swamp him when she sat up blinking in her normal wide eyed fashion. 

Her dark curls stuck up all over her head and her eyes were puffy.  She had been crying and Law wanted to beat the shit out of the man who had hurt her, but since it was him, he couldn’t.

“Law?”

“Yeah.”

She smiled brightly for a moment before it fell and Law knew she had remembered his broken promise.

He expected her to mention it or even hint about it, but she didn’t.

“What do you need?”

Her voice slapped at him.  It was as cold as his and he hated it.

“I had business tonight, I should have called.”  He couldn’t bring himself to say he was sorry, but apparently he didn’t need to.  She smiled.

“Yes, you should have.  Are you hungry?  It seems I still owe you a meal.”

Law nodded.  He wasn’t hungry, but the least he could do was eat the food she had gone to so much trouble to prepare for him.  He hoped it was good.

Nikki climbed from the bed and padded across the floor.  She wore a big t shirt and her bare legs made his groin tighten and for the first time in years he suppressed it.  He only followed Nikki to the kitchen and sat at the table while she busied herself cooking his dinner.

He gritted his teeth.  He had always enjoyed sitting in the kitchen while a woman cooked, even as a child.  The way they talked as they worked.  Nikki hummed and he was pretty sure she wasn’t aware of it.  She was consumed in her task and let down the walls she usually had around him.  Only when she was first waking did she let her emotions show and she was always happy to see him at first, maybe that’s why he liked waking her so much.

When she set his plate on the table in front of him and smiled Law was taken aback.  He had always wanted this.  Before he could stop himself he grabbed her hand.

“Thank you Nikki and I’m sorry.”

In that moment he knew he was lost.  Her beautiful green eyes filled with tears and she smiled as if he had given her something precious.  Then her arms circled his neck and he felt like the worst sort of man.

“You’re welcome Law and you are forgiven.”  She stood and walked to the refrigerator, but looked back.  “Drink?”

Law cleared his throat.  “Just water, thanks.”

She nodded and filled a glass.  “Lime?”

He had noticed the damned things in his refrigerator and wondered what the hell she was doing with them, she put them in her water.  He nodded, what the hell and picked up his fork.

Law took a bite of the steak that lay on a bed of pasta and wanted to groan.  It was the best steak he’d tasted in too long.

“Fuck this is good.”

Nikki giggled.  “My mom used to make it when I was small.  My stepdad always loved it, I figured you might too.”

“What about your brother?” 

The blood drained from her face and he wanted to call his words back, but he couldn’t.

“We are going to have to talk about it Nikki.”

She nodded.  “I know, but not tonight, ok?”

In that moment he couldn’t deny her so he nodded and kept eating.

Ten

Nikki shifted uncomfortably in her seat.  Law had insisted she ride with him to town and she admitted she was afraid.  She was safe at Law’s house, but out here she wasn’t so sure.  She jumped when he spoke and saw him grit his teeth.

“Would you stop it?”

“I’m sorry, what?”

“You are safe Nikki.  Nobody will hurt you.  Hell, nobody can even see you in here.”  He nodded to her dark tinted window.

Nikki nodded but she wasn’t so sure.  Her brother could get to her.

“Come on.”

“Can’t I just stay here?”  But then she would be alone…

Law let out a long breath.  “We are going in to buy you some more clothes.  I need you to do that.  I’m not picking out your panties ‘cause I know for damned sure they wouldn’t be what you like, but I’m damned tired of looking at the same ones every day.”

She let out a breath and tried to smile.  “I’m being silly.”

“Ya think?  Who the fuck will mess with you while you’re with me?”

Nikki nodded and tried to believe him.

Law eyed her from head to toe.  “We need to have a fucking talk Nikki and soon.”  He stepped out and slammed his door before she could say a word.

She stepped out of the big truck and heard a shrill whistle.  She looked up into eyes that burned with hatred and almost screamed. She backed up so fast she almost fell until Law’s hand steadied her.

Law looked down at her and frowned.  “What the fuck Nikki, you’re as white as a sheet?”

“Nice piece you got there Law.”  Slick drawled as his eyes crawled over her.  “Lil jumpy.  Why are you so jumpy lil mouse?”

Nikki looked up at Law.  This man worked with the Devils.  In that moment she wanted to tell Law, but she looked into Slick’s eyes and they shifted just behind her telling her he wasn’t alone.  They would kill her and Law if she spoke up.

“Shut the fuck up Slick.”   Law all but ignored the man as he led Nikki toward the store entrance.

“She don’t look too smart either, wonder if she can keep her mouth shut about shit.”

“Smarter than you and not your problem.”

“No, and it better stay that way.”  The words were spoken low, but Nikki caught them.

“Law.  I need to tell you something.  I need to tell you right now.  Law it’s important, please.”

Law frowned down at her and started to speak when his phone rang.

“Hang on babe.”

Law left her standing alone while he stepped away to answer the call and Nikki felt eyes on her.  Slick walked up and whispered.

“Your brother is worried about you, lil mouse.”

“Leave me alone.”  Nikki was proud of how strong her voice was as she stiffened her spine.

“He was glad to hear you survived the little lesson Dax taught you.”

“I said leave me alone.”  Nikki looked away trying to ignore him.

“You are Dax’s oldlady.  Makes you club property.”  Slick hissed.  “I’ll do as I please with you.”

“Which club?”  She snapped her eyes back to him then.  “Seems you have a hard time figuring out which one you should be loyal to.”

The slap stung before the words were out of her mouth good and she fell to the rough concrete sidewalk.  Before she could blink, Slick had joined her.  She looked up expecting to see Lawless glowering down at them, but it was Spec who stood there with a speculative look on his face.  He held out his hand and helped Nikki to her feet while Slick cursed.

Spec pushed his glassed up the bridge of his nose.  “I suggest you get lost Slick before Law forces you to dig your own grave.”

“You piece of shit.  Law isn’t going to give a shit about some whore.  You’ll pay for this you fucking pussy.”

Before Nikki knew what to think Slick was rolling on the ground again.

“I don’t appreciate threats.”  Spec shrugged and took her arm.  “Come inside, you shouldn’t be on the street.”

Nikki looked up and saw knowledge in this man’s eyes, as if he knew all her secrets.

“What do you know?”

“More than you do and it is being handled.”

Nikki grabbed his arm in a desperate grip.  “Are they safe?”

Spec tilted his head and studied her for a long moment before he nodded.  “You aren’t and I’m sorry to say, I don’t see any way you ever will be.  I will try to keep any information that isn’t necessary out of hands that might do you harm.”

Tears began then and Nikki lost her voice.  She saw in Spec’s face that he regretted what he knew was in her future, but it was nothing she didn’t know already.

“What the fuck?”  Law roared and grabbed Nikki away from Spec.  “Did you fucking do this shit?”

Spec only lifted a brow.

“Slick?”

Spec nodded.

“Tell me you hurt him.”  Law was almost vibrating with rage.

“He felt quite a lot of pain, not enough though so feel free.”

Law held Nikki at arm’s length.  “Are you ok?”

“Yes, but Law we need to talk.”  She wanted it to come from her.  She had to tell him everything.

“Later babe.  We gotta go.  Clothes will have to wait.”

“But Law, it’s important.”

His eyes were cold as ice when they met hers.  “I said later.”

That stopped any protest.  “Ok.”

Nikki had hoped to talk on the ride back, but Spec had scooted in beside her.  The tension in the truck was so thick she almost choked on it.  The men didn’t speak although she knew they needed to.  She was in the way.  When they got to Law’s house she was told to lock the doors and stay inside. 

“Stay away from the windows.  You should be safe, but I want you to be prepared.  There is a gun in the drawer beside my bed and the closet is bullet proof.  I want you to grab some food and shit and store it in there.  If anything happens or you just get scared I want you to go in and lock the door.”

She nodded.

“Good girl.”  Law kissed her hard before he left her standing on his porch.  “Don’t worry.  Just go to bed and I’ll be home before you know it.  You are safe here.”  He ran his thumb over her cheek where Slick had hit her then he shocked her by bending his head and kissing it as if he was trying to kiss away her hurt.

That made her fear lessen and she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight.  For a moment he just stood there, but in a blink he had her wrapped up tight and warm as if he couldn’t let her go.

“I will be back Nikki.”

She looked into his eyes and saw a glimmer of something she’d never seen before.  She nodded and went inside locking the door behind her.  She kept herself busy following his orders and soon felt good about her preparations in the closet.  She grabbed the gun and tucked it in the back of her jeans.  The house seemed so quiet, but she didn’t want to turn on any music so she could hear if anything happened.  It made her jumpy.

She forced herself to go to her room and climb into bed.  She thought she would never be able to sleep, but she was wrong.