Damaged and the Knight (Damaged #2)

“It’ll be okay,” I soothed, calming us both.

“You must have been so scared. You were just a little girl.”

“I’m not a little girl anymore.”

Wiping her eyes, Bailey hugged me tighter. We stayed like that until reaching the house where Cooper stood on the porch. Based on his body language, he was desperate to reach his target. While Farah wasn’t with him, he kept looking back into the house through the open front door. As soon as we approached, his gaze fell on me.

“This ends,” he said as if making a promise.

“Thank you.”

Cooper nodded then he stalked to his Harley and sped off. Jodi walked into the house and was hugging Farah when Bailey and I entered. The moment my sister’s gaze locked on me, we were kids again.

The expression on Farah’s face was the same one as when we arrived back at the motorcycle club’s headquarters. Travis and his VP Tadd would get us first, but there was some discussion about the order of the next guys. Up until that moment, I think Farah hoped we wouldn’t be hurt. When Travis said he was fucking her first, Farah’s expression shifted into bright frozen panic. Tonight, her face was frozen with that look again.

When I rushed into her arms, she consoled me even though she was the one crying.

“You’re safe,” she said as I stroked her hair. “He can’t hurt you.”

“Judd and Cooper will take care of him.”

Farah looked at me with those big horrified eyes and asked the question only she would truly understand to ask.

“Do you need a shower?”

“Yes,” I said, tears biting at my eyes. “He touched my arm.”

Nodding, Farah looked at Bailey and Jodi. “We’re going upstairs, so she can shower.”

“We’ll stay until the boys get back,” Jodi said, heading to the kitchen. “You clean up and we’ll make popcorn. Drink some beer and watch TV.”

As I walked with Farah up the stairs, Bailey watched us go. She looked shell shocked as if nothing made sense anymore.

Farah took me to her shower because it was bigger. After finding me clothes, she sat on the toilet while I showered.

Expecting to cry, I didn’t. Instead, I felt hollowed out and chilled even under the hot water. Scrubbing at my forearm where he touched me, I still felt his dirty fingers. Finally, I gave up and left the shower, smelling of Cooper’s body wash. The minute the scent hit Farah, she smiled a little.

“I hope they’re okay,” she said, sounding tired.

“There’s a group of them and only one fucker. I wouldn’t worry.”

“I can’t believe he came to our town. Ellsberg is ours and I never thought one of them would come here.”

“It’s fate.”

Nodding, Farah helped dry my hair. When she was tense, she needed to take care of me. I always let her because I liked having her close. Even with Farah at my side, I needed Judd to return and help me feel beautiful again. I needed that more than anything, but he was busy making a rapist bleed.

Downstairs, I sat on the couch with Bailey on one side and Farah on the other. Jodi sat in a chair nearby as we watched Duck Dynasty and drank beers. Bailey stared at the television, but clearly wasn’t watching it. Next to me, Farah broke into shaking spells and I’d cuddle with her. She immediately consoled me like I knew she would. Comforting me took her mind off her own fear.

As hours passed, the exhaustion of the day hung heavily on me. I had been nervous about dinner with Zaria and spent most of the day stressed. Even after that went well, the day turned to shit and I was desperate for sleep. Closing my eyes and seeing Saul’s face wasn’t an option though. Not when I still felt him on my arm and his stinky breath on my neck.

When Cooper and Judd returned, we jumped at the suddenness of their appearance. Farah jumped up and ran to Cooper who looked pissed until she was in his arms. Even wanting to run to Judd and be certain of his feelings, I remained where I was next to Bailey.

Judd stepped closer and gave a little head gesture to Jodi. When his gaze fell on me, he said softly, “We need to talk.”

Four little words that I assumed wouldn’t lead to anything good. I hugged Jodi and Bailey goodnight then one tight hug for Farah. Finally, I followed Judd to my bedroom and shut the door. He pulled off his jacket and threw it on the chair. This little action lifted my spirits, since he clearly wasn’t leaving immediately.

“You did good tonight,” he said, fiddling with his phone like I was an afterthought. “Standing up to him like that was pretty badass.”

“Thank you,” I said awkwardly while playing with my crucifix necklace.

Hearing my tone, Judd stared coldly at me and I felt small under his gaze. When he approached, I flinched at the suddenness of his movements. Frowning now, Judd sighed.

“It makes sense that you’d have ugly thoughts after tonight. You need to put them aside though and see this.”

On his phone, a video began to play of Saul who was a mess of swollen eyes and broken bones as he cowered on the ground.