Chapter 2

I gently lift Sabine and start stripping her of her blood-infused clothes, the water temperature now perfect for my best friend. I help Sabine under the gentle spray of the water, Sabine moaning and hissing as the lukewarm water scolds her sensitive skin. My breath hitches as I see the clear water, run red and pool at her feet. Tears burning at my eyes, wanting to break free, but I know Sabine would not appreciate it, so I swallow them back and remain strong for her. Seeing her like this just breaks my heart. She is so sweet and deserves so much better than this life.

Sabine luckily has family out there that she can turn to. I, on the other hand, have nothing and no one on the outside as I remember nothing of my previous life before this place. God only knows if I have people out there looking for me, or, have they given up hope of ever finding me, by now, as it has been years. I shake the morbid thoughts from my mind and concentrate on the task at hand. Now is not the time to wallow in my despair but concentrate on my friend that needs my help.

After getting Sabine showered and dressed in an oversized t-shirt of mine, I take her over to my bed where she can relax and sleep. I hand her a glass of water and some ibuprofen for the pain, which she happily gulps down trying to muffle the amount of pain she must be in. Luckily she falls asleep rather quickly.

On my way to the door, I catch my reflection in the mirror. My larger-than-life gray eyes are staring back at me. For just a fraction of a second, I thought I saw a man's face staring back at me. The same gray eyes. I shake the thought from my mind, thinking that I must just be exhausted and stressed after what happened with Sabine. I wipe the tears from my cheeks that finally escape, take a deep breath, and look over my shoulder at my best friend, asleep on my bed, as peacefully as she can possibly be, then silently head out the door, locking it behind me.

After finally breathing in and out several times and calming myself down, I walk into the bar area, to find Hound on his hands and knees cleaning the blood off of the floor. God what an awful mess, yet everyone is carrying on as if nothing happened here tonight. I am so pissed at Hound right now, as I am sure his actions by touching Sabine, brought all this on.

I sigh seeing Skull sitting in his normal position at the bar, eyeing my every move. I must say since the day I wound up here at the Sons of Death, Skull has always been one step behind me. It is nice knowing that I have my own personal guard around here. I reach into the fridge and get a fresh beer out for him, he still seems to be nursing and almost empty for over an hour now. All I really want to do is go to bed and forget this night ever happened.

After about two more hours of running around serving drinks, watching Josie and Victor fawning over each other, as if nothing ever happened, while my friend lies beaten in my room, really got my blood pumping. I am really ready to call it a night. Wiping off the last section of the bar and adding the last few glasses to the wash tray, Skull steps out of the darkness almost making my heart stop. He takes the tray from the counter and carries it to the kitchen for me.

Skull is a man of few words, the strong silent type. He acts all tough and uncaring in front of all his brothers but I know it is all an act. He is nothing like the rest of the Sons. The longing in his eyes speaks volumes. Keeping this thing that is between us, a secret, must surely be taking its toll on him. I turned off the lights, clouding the large bar in darkness, and headed towards the stairs. Skull grabbed me by my arm, totally taking me by surprise, and pushed me up against the wall. There was not a soul insight or a sound to be heard anywhere. Just the two of us, the heavy breathing coming off of Skull as his chest was heaving.

"You know you want it baby and you know it will be good?" he says, finally looking into my eyes. His tongue ran seductively over his top lip. My thoughts travel to Sabine, I should be checking up on her, instead of playing house with a man I know will never be mine. Skull must've seen the concern flit through my eyes "I am sorry about what happened to Sabine" he whispered softly lowering his head to rest on my shoulder. Maybe this would be a bad idea or maybe, this could be the perfect distraction for me.

The feeling of exhaustion finally took over my exhausted body and mind. Tonight finally taking its toll on me. I slump even further into the wall. "I have Sabine in my room, and besides it's really late babes, as much as I need to get lost in you, I can't tonight" the look of disappointment falls over Skull before he schools his disappointment and it's covered up with understanding.

"How much longer do we have to keep this thing between us... quiet? It's exhausting and I don't want to do it anymore" Skull's forehead is now resting on mine. "Babes you know what the risks are with Victor and besides am I really worth all that hassle, in the end?" I ask running both my hands down the sides of his cheeks resting them on his shoulders.

"Well, well, well, what have we got here? What are you two doing?" Ty asks smugly, coming out from the shadows just looking at us. Skull slowly removes his body from mine and places me protectively behind him. The sudden coldness attacked my skin, my body missing the immediate closeness of his body heat.

Bile slowly rises up my throat as I realize that we have been caught. I swallow it down, holding onto the back of Skull's leather cutte to stabilize my sudden bout of uneasiness. Skull is not a man to be messed with, being the club's enforcer and all. He is a stone-cold killer but the man he is facing is not to be trifled with either.

Ty is Victor's right-hand man, his best friend, and his confidant. And just like with Josie, nothing happens in this club that he doesn't have a pulse on. "Oh this is precious," Ty says pushing past Skull and myself. My heart pounding at the prospect that he might be headed to Victor to impart this newest tidbit of information. "Please don't," I said before I even realized that the words are coming from me.

With a swift turn, I braced my shoulders, inhaled a deep breath, and face the man that could end Skull, taking a step forward and with a swift hard movement, I grabbed at his balls and twist as hard as I can. I have no idea where I gather the strength from, but I was on a roll and I wasn't going to stop now. As Ty buckled I went down to his level and looked him straight in the eyes. "Let this be your first and only warning. My life is mine and mine alone, stay the fuck out of it" I hiss as I move closer to his ear so that only he and I can hear what is said next. "Besides, what will Victor say if I tell him that your cock has been invading his hen house? And yes I have proof" the look of shock on Ty's face was priceless. With eyes wide, mouth gaping open, not just in pain. No, what I see in his eyes is respect.

Skull must've been in shock himself, he stood there unmoving with the same facial expression on his face as what Ty has on his. I release the man's balls from my tight grip. "I am going upstairs," I say, throwing a wink towards Skull, then taking the stairs two at a time I head upstairs. I quickly stopped in to check on Sabine, but she is still fast asleep so I did not want to disturb her. I am still far too amped after that experience so I find myself gravitating to Skull's room. It isn't until I am standing in front of the bathroom mirror that I realize what I had done and to whom I did it too. Shock pulsed through my system making me shiver. I am so proud of myself, making me smile wide. No one will ever take advantage of me again.

#

Skull stands there jaw gaping open. I am still down on bended knee, gasping for air. Nothing like having your nuts squeezed in a vice-tight grip to bring a man to his knees. This woman is feisty and so strong. Looks like I might have been screwing the wrong woman. This woman had balls and big mother fuckers too.

A soft chuckle and exhale left Skull's mouth. "I think I am in love," he says looking down at me, he reaches out a hand to help me off the floor. Breathing in deeply I take his proffered hand and slowly get to my feet. "You'd be an idiot to let that one get away," I say, hissing through the pain. "Claim her and she is yours," I say looking at my love-stricken brother. "What about V, you know she is off limits?" he asks looking nervous. "Don't worry about V, I will smooth over those waters. Besides Pres. has other pressing issues to worry about" I knew it would not be an easy task, convincing Victor of this match, as we were all given strict instructions that Skylar Grey is off limits and is just collateral damage in a much deeper, more sinister plan.