“I don’t know and I hate not knowing. How soon can I get her out of here? At least if I have her at the clubhouse, I’ll know she’s safe and I can concentrate on finding the fucker.”

“At least a few days. They’ll bring in a rape counsellor first.”

Fuck. I didn’t even think of that. I’ve been focusing on her physical injuries, but she’ll be messed up in the head for God knows how long.

“You know anyone she could talk to? After?”

“I know a few psychiatrists I can recommend,” he replies. “I’ll make some calls, see who can take her.”

“Thanks, man.”

“No problem, brother,” he says while rising. “I’ll go talk to the guys and start making those calls.”

“Okay. Keep me updated.”

“Got it.”

“Anything on her sister?”

“Still not answering her phone, but Tek tracked her credit card. Last purchase in Georgia was at a gas station a few days ago. Next was a motel in Jacksonville. Everything else is in Miami. Looks like she went home.”

“Tell him to stop wasting time on her. We don’t need her anymore.”

He nods. “Sure thing.”

He leaves and it’s just me and my thoughts once again. There are too many unknown variables, too many questions with no answers. Someone has them. I just need to find him. Therein lies another question – how? If all our information channels are dry then this guy is either really good or he’s new around here. Or maybe he’s not from around here. He could be from another fucking country for all I know.

Raven groans and shifts in her sleep again. I hold her as tightly as I can without hurting her and she settles. I close my eyes and try to quiet my thoughts. Overthinking the situation never works.

I’ll get it. Trust I will. On my life and everything I own, I’ll figure it out.

***Raven***

I take a deep breath before I even open my eyes. There’s just something reassuring about his scent. Funny, before today, the hint of his cologne would set my heart racing and arouse me to no end. Now, it’s calming. It’s my anchor in this stormy sea of hurt and confusion. I guess that makes him my ship...and my captain. He’s the only one who can help me navigate the waters. He’s the only one who can save me.

I can’t hug him because of my bandages. Hell, I can’t even move my arm. A dislocated shoulder. I guess I put up quite a fight, for all the good it did me. I was still raped.

The word sounds so foreign. It still doesn’t feel real. How could this have happened? How could there have been someone in the house with me and I didn’t know? I couldn’t have been that distracted. Who the hell is this guy? How long was he there? God, how long has he been watching me? This must have been going on for a while because he obviously had a well-thought-out plan. How in the hell is Gage going to find him? He could be a million miles away right now. Or not. He could be waiting in the wings to finish the job.

I burrow impossibly close into Gage’s side and feel his chest expand with a deep breath.

“Babe?” he says in a sleepy voice.

“I woke you. Sorry.”

“Baby girl, I’m here for you. I’ll stay up all night if you want me to.”

“Thank you,” I whisper, even though those words will never be enough to express my gratitude.

“You don’t need to thank me, either. This is where I should be. I feel helpless as fuck right now. If all I can do is hold and console you then that’s what I’ll do.”

“You’re not helpless.”

“Yeah? You got hurt on my watch, and I can’t even find the motherfucker who did it.”

“It’s only been a day.”

“Too fucking long,” he says. “He should have been fish food already.”

“You’ll find him.”

With all my heart, I believe he will. He’s the type of man who achieves whatever he sets his mind to. When he does, I want to be there. I want to watch the light in the man’s eyes go out as Gage drains every drop of blood from his body.

Jesus. What am I thinking? I can’t let this loser drag me down to his level. I can’t let him do it to Gage, either.

“Gage –”

Cindy, the nurse, walks in and interrupts what I was about to say. She gives me a bright smile and places a tray of food on the table.

“Lunch time,” she chirps.

“I’m not hungry.”

“Raven, you need to eat,” Gage tells me.

“He’s right,” Cindy agrees. “You have to try, sweetie.”

“Fine, but I don’t want that.” I jerk my chin at the tray. “Could you re-heat the soup my friend brought?”

“Sure thing. I’ll be right back.”

She takes the tray and my soup and leaves. Gage climbs out of the bed and stretches, placing both hands at the small of his back.

“Sorry,” I mutter. “This can’t be comfortable for you.”

“I’m fine. You need anything?”

“Can you help me out of bed?”

“Why?”

“Bathroom.”

He carefully picks me up and takes me to the bathroom instead. With even more care, he places me on my feet.

“You need help?” he asks.

“No. I can handle it.”

“Okay. Just call out for me when you’re done,” he says as he closes the door.

After he leaves, I take a look at all the stuff the doctor gave me that will be bathroom staples for me for the next couple of weeks – a peri bottle for squirting warm water over ‘the area’, gauze pads, and paper wipes. Fuck my life. All this just to pee. I sit gingerly on the toilet and do my best to follow the doctor’s instructions. It still burns like hell. I bite my lip and suffer silently through it. All this pain and soreness...God, please let it be over soon.

After brushing my teeth and washing my face, I try to make my way back to the bed but only manage to get as far as the doorway. Gage rushes to me, picking me up before I fall flat on my ass. That would have been great.

“I told you to call me,” he chastises.

“I thought I could make it. I didn’t realize it would hurt just to walk.”

“Next time, you call me.”

“I will.”

Trust me, I will. My legs felt like jelly after just one step.

He places me back on the bed then sits on the edge, reaching for a bowl on the table. I watch him with a small smile as he scoops up some of the soup and blows on the spoon gently. I let him feed me, not only because I think it’s cute but also because I probably wouldn’t eat it otherwise. His phone rings just as I have the last spoonful. He answers it but doesn’t say much. When he hangs up, he takes a deep breath.

“That was Santini. He’s on his way here...with your mother.”

Shit. I can’t believe she’s actually coming. What was I thinking? Why didn’t I postpone it? The first time I meet my mother, I’ll be in a hospital bed, recovering from a rape. Great. That should leave a lasting impression.

It’s not too late. I can have Gage call Santini and tell him to wait until I’m better.

“You’ll be fine, Raven. If anything, you need her now more than ever. I’ll be right here with you.”

I need her. I need her? I never needed her before, and I certainly don’t need her now. She can run back to Mommy and Daddy, for all I care. When she gave me up, she gave up any chance of being in my life. That’s exactly what I’m going to tell her when she walks through that door.

CHAPTER 4

***Raven***

Gage emerges from the bathroom with neatly combed hair and a clean-shaven face. In his biker gear, he’s the picture of the man your mother would warn you to stay away from. Right now, he looks like the kind of man your dad would be proud to have as a son-in-law.

“So, this is what it takes to get you to comb your hair?”

“Hey,” he shrugs. “It’s not every day you meet your girlfriend’s estranged mother.”

Girlfriend. It sounds so strange coming from him. Strange but wonderful. “Yeah. Don’t get too attached.”

“Promise me you’ll at least give her a chance.”

“Why?” I ask. “Why do you want me to play nice with her?”