Chapter 5: DANA-SUE

I'm cold, scared, and alone. The room where he'd left me to sit just outside the door he'd gone through was a wide-open area with hardwood flooring and only artificial lighting as far as I could see, except for a couple of very high windows whose light barely reached the ground. It was obvious we were in an old barn that had been renovated into something else. I looked around the room, trying to figure out just what exactly this place was.

There was a bar that took up the whole of one wall, tables and chairs in another sectioned-off area and then what looked like a lounge area with couches and more chairs scattered all around. On the walls was a mix of ranch and biker photos and other things you'd expect to see in a manly space in the Midwest.

Through a little archway, I could see what looked like a game room, with just the corner of a pool table visible from this angle. The air was filled with the scent of cigarette smoke and other things but somehow didn't look as dark and sinister as you'd expect a place like this to be. I rubbed my arms the best I could, fighting the pain as I tried to beat back the cold.

It feels like I've been cold for a long time now, ever since my dad had said those words to me, words that had filled me with fear and disgust. Even now, I can still feel the bitter ache of pain and distress I'd encountered when my world was shattered. I bit my lip to keep the cry inside.

I knew my dad was a hard man and someone more apt to lash out than concede a point. But until today, I never knew what a monster he really was. I felt stupid tears gathering at the corners of my eyes again and brushed them away gingerly. What am I gonna do?

The outer door opened, and two men walked in, and I tensed in preparation to take flight.

Though I didn't know anyone here personally, I had heard enough about Lawton Daniels to know that I could trust him somewhat, but I wasn't sure about anyone else.

The whispers I'd heard since returning home to the little town of Starling was that he was about the most trustworthy man in these parts.

I'd been gone long enough for things to have changed considerably in my absence. Things had been turned around here and there as to be expected, but now n top of everything else, we have a biker gang of all things in Starling.

Usually, you would expect fear when hearing those words, but all the whispers seemed to hint at the fact that Lawton and his guys were more avenging angels than hell-raisers.

Now I find myself in need of both. Had I known that my dad was sending me away to that fancy boarding school, only to serve me up on a silver platter to the highest bidder, I would've run away long before now. Back less than a week, and my life was once again turned upside down.

I watched the two newcomers warily as they approached. Why didn't Lawton Daniels leave me with mama instead of bringing me here to sit out here like a spectacle?

"Whoa, who worked you over, sweetheart?" I looked at the man who came closer with a greasy smile and sat back more firmly on the chair.

"What's the matter sweets, cat got your tongue?" He trailed his finger down my cheek, and I started to shake.

"Bill, I don't think you should mess with her. She's sitting outside the inner room, and obviously, they're having a meeting in there, most likely about her."

"She's not wearing any colors inside the club. That means she's a sheep." He ran his hand down the side of my face again, and my bile rose.

"Yeah, but Bill, it looks like someone's worked her over pretty good already, I don't think…"

"Silas, you worry too much; besides, I only want her mouth. Can't you see how pretty she is under all those bruises? Now get down here and suck my dick, girl."

I was frozen to my seat in total fear. He pulled roughly on my arm, and I fell out of the chair.

"Didn't you hear me bitch? I guess no one taught you the ropes yet huh, that's okay old Bill will teach you all you need to know.

He pushed me back onto the floor and knelt between my legs as he fought to open his belt. I opened my mouth to scream, but before the sound could escape, there was a rush of wind going past my face, and the vile man's face disappeared from above mine.

There was a lot of scuffling and the sounds of flesh meeting flesh before a rushing of feet and voices raised in alarm.

"For fuck sake, Law, let him go before you kill him." Just then, someone else came over and helped me back into my seat.

"There you go, little darling, sorry about that, but my brother's gonna take care of it now." He stood next to me with his arms folded, and we both watched as two behemoths tried to hold Law back as he continued to stomp what now looked like a pile of bloody rags into the ground.

"LAW." They finally were able to wrestle him away from the unconscious man, and when he turned and looked at me, I actually felt like fleeing.

I'd never seen such a vicious look in another human being before. Not even my dad, when he was at his worst, had ever had that look in his eyes.

As I felt the shock go through my system, I accepted that I was looking into the eyes of a stone-cold killer.

I guess it's true what they say. Beauty is dangerous; because Lawton Daniels is just about the most gorgeous specimen, I'd ever laid eyes on.