“From there, Neil would take every opportunity to use and abuse me. He would say and do things to make me feel so broken and less than a human being, I didn’t know what to do. My father wasn’t any help. The only thing he did was laugh about things and encourage Neil to keep going and saying shit. I honestly didn’t expect any help from my father though.
“It was a long time before I was rescued from my father’s hell. That was also the time I found my sister. We have the same father, but different mothers. I’m not sure what I’d do without her in my life now. Or with the Phantom Bastards because she is with one of the men in the club. Now, the only thing I wish I’d have is some freedom. I have no life experiences and I feel like a freak because of it,” Gwen finally finishes, tears continuously falling down her face as she rushes from the front of the group and takes a seat.
My blood is boiling with rage. I wish I could get my hands on the fuckers who hurt her. There isn’t any way possible for me to do that though. Not without some massive help and favors being called in. I’ll figure something out though. Gwen’s father will pay for the rest of his days for not protecting his daughter.
While everyone is clapping for Gwen for having the courage to get up in front of them and share her story, I make my way out after giving a nod to Denise in thanks for letting me hear this. I keep my temper until I’m outside of the community center because there’s no way in hell I’m going to punch holes in the walls here. Instead, I’ll go for a ride on my bike. If that doesn’t help curb my anger, I’ll meet up with Stryker. He’ll help me get some anger out in the ring.
I practically run to my bike so I can get the fuck away from here. If I don’t leave now, I’m going to head right back inside that room I’m not supposed to be in for Gwen. Then she’ll know I heard her story and she’s not ready for that just yet. It’s one thing to tell your story to a bunch of people you see once a week. When it comes to your friends and family, it’s a completely different situation altogether. I’m not going to add that stress to her right this second.
Straddling my bike, I quickly turn on the engine and race from the center’s parking lot. For a while I simply ride around town. Part of me is waiting to get pulled over because I don’t have my helmet on. We do have a helmet law here and I don’t give a fuck about wearing it right now. I probably should be because if anything happens I’m dead. There is nothing to save me from the road or anything else I hit. Right now, I simply need to get away from the thoughts of hurting those who have harmed my woman. I only want to make things better for her. To ensure she never has anything else to worry about.
Chapter Three
Gwen
KILLER IS GONE from the house most days. While he’s gone doing whatever he does for the club, I’ve been looking for a job online. It hasn’t been easy because I have no experience of any kind. However, I finally found a place that didn’t care about my lack of work experience. Unfortunately, I don’t have any experience doing what needs to be done at my new job either.
The job I got is working at an adult toy store. No one knows I’ve got a job at this point and I don’t care to tell anyone. Sometimes it sucks with everyone being up in my business. I know it’s because my sister and everyone else cares about me and wants me to be happy. However, they all seem to have to know my business and what I do on a daily basis.
Today is my first day of work and I’m not sure what to expect. I’m nervous as hell, but I’ll get through it. If I can survive my father and Neil, I can survive almost anything at all. At least that’s what I’m telling myself as I grab my purse and make my way through the door to head out for the day.
Killer has been gone for the last few days. I mean he’s here at night, holed up in his room. I barely see him, and he doesn’t talk to me unless it’s absolutely necessary. It’s almost as if the same day I spoke in front of my group, a switch flipped in him and he doesn’t know what to do with me living here. If it’s that much of a problem, I can find my own place. Fox already said he’d help me with it.
The day I spoke at group is something I don’t want to have to do again. I know it’s not realistic to think I’ll never talk to them again; I will at some point. However, it took so much out of me to share my story. Denise even learned new things she didn’t already know from our counselling sessions. Like the rape from Neil and how my father encouraged his lewd, disrespectful behavior. Or how so many different men had a hand in the beatings I suffered on a regular basis. I’m sure we’ll be discussing them in detail at my next appointment with her.
On the other hand, I almost feel free now. As if the weight of my past isn’t holding me back any longer. Now that I’ve shared my story, it seems as if I can move on fully with my life. I don’t have any restrictions anymore to stop me from accomplishing what I want to do and become.
It doesn’t take me long to get to Naughty Peach, the store I’m working at now. Parking at the end of the building, I remain in my car so I can get myself under control. I’m not prepared for this at all, but I have to do this. Now that I’m living with Killer, I have to make my own money. Hell, I’ve always needed to make my own money however Kim and Fox weren’t too happy about me trying to find a job. Even when I suggested working for the club in some capacity, I was shot down quicker than hell.
Finally, after composing myself, I take a final look at my appearance in the mirror. While I don’t wear a ton of make-up, my eyeshadow is a light color with a swipe of mascara. That’s all I wear. Even when the girls try to give me makeovers, I don’t allow them to do more than the bare minimum to me. For me, I don’t understand the point of covering my face. Not that I believe they’re wrong when they wear make-up; it’s just not for me.
Walking through the gravel filled parking lot, I notice there aren’t any cars here right now. I know Naughty Peach is open; it’s a twenty-four-hour store. I guess when you have a need for toys to use during sex, there is no time limit on it.
The door is standing open with Mark, the guy who will be training me, is standing there smoking. He offers me a smile and steps back so I can enter the store.
“Gwen, it’s good to see you again. Are you ready to learn the ropes?” he questions me, tossing his cigarette in a can outside the door.
“As ready as I can be,” I respond, my face already turning several shades of red.
“You’ll do fine. Monday’s are usually one of our slower days. We’ll still be busy though with sorting through new stock and making sure the shelves are fully stocked. I won’t leave you alone to do things on your own. When we’re putting stock away, we’ll work in the same aisles and I’ll show you how to zone the area as well,” Mark informs me, showing me where to place my purse behind the counter.
Before we can get started on a tour of the store, the phone rings. Mark tells me to walk around a little bit while he’s taking care of the call. I walk over and see a shelf full of nothing but vibrators according to the label on the packaging. They range in size from ones so small I’m not sure what they’d be used for to extra-large. My eyes widen at the sizes of the larger ones because there is no way I can picture anything that big fitting in a human body.