Dingo (Devil's Fury MC 1) Page 2

  Beau waited for Trotter to leave, then he grabbed my bag and hauled me out of the Ruby Slipper. When I saw the motorcycle parked outside, a secret thrill went through me. I’d always wanted to ride on one. Beau shoved my bag into his saddlebags, then straddled the bike. Holding out his hand, he waited. I took a breath and let him help me onto the back, then I grabbed him and held on tight as the bike shot forward.

  He went straight to the compound. When we reached the driveway, the gate was opened and he rolled through, pulling to a stop in front of the clubhouse. The very place I’d fled the previous night. Beau pulled my bag out and tossed it to me, then dragged me inside. He shoved me down onto a chair at a table surrounded by bikers. Suddenly, I worried that maybe it wasn’t just that Beau didn’t know me anymore, but I didn’t know him either. What if he really did give me up to his club for the night?

  “This the girl from last night?” an older man asked.

  “Pres, this is Meiling. I told you about her last night. She prefers Mei now. We were in foster care together,” Beau said.

  “Beau, you can’t bring strays home with you. We’ve got no place for someone like her unless she wants to be club pussy,” the Pres said. “I thought I made that clear. And since she looks younger than my damn daughter, I don’t think that would be wise.”

  “I’m eighteen,” I said. “Not a kid. I haven’t been a kid in a long fucking time.”

  Club pussy was better than being at Trotter’s beck and call. Wasn’t it? Would it mean I got to at least sleep here and get regular meals? Because it sounded like a decent trade to me. His eyebrow arched and he stared so hard I started to squirm.

  “So you’d be okay spreading your legs or dropping to your knees for anyone in the club?” the Pres asked.

  I shrugged a shoulder. Wasn’t different from any other day of my life. “Sure. Do I get a place to sleep when I’m not getting fucked? Maybe some food?”

  The man glowered at me and stood up. The others at the table were eyeing me like I was a tasty little treat, except Beau. He looked ready to murder me. I had a feeling things were about to go south. Why had Beau even brought me here? Now Trotter would be pissed when I went back empty-handed and he didn’t get paid whatever huge fee he’d planned to charge. Which meant I’d spend most of the night trying to make up the loss.

  “What if we demanded a demonstration?” one of them asked. I looked at the patches on his leather vest. Demon -- Sgt. at Arms.

  “What kind of demonstration?” I asked.

  He slid his chair back and beckoned to me. I stood up and moved around the table, dropping to my knees between his splayed thighs. At least these men were sexy. Even the older one. Things could be worse. Far worse.

  I reached for his belt and started to work it free when a shadow fell over me. I hadn’t even heard the man’s booted steps. Looking up, my breath stalled in my lungs. He looked at least a decade older than me, maybe more, but the intensity of his gaze held me immobile. He held his hand out, palm up. He didn’t demand I go with him, didn’t yank me to my feet, just… offered his hand. I slid my palm against his, and he pulled me to my feet. The patch on his vest said Dingo. Like the wild dogs? He didn’t seem that wild to me.

  I could feel the gaze of everyone in the room as he drew me away from the table, and away from Demon. I didn’t know where we were going, or why no one was protesting. He led me down the hall and pushed open a door before dragging me inside. I was expecting a bed, but the man in the white lab coat took me by surprise. Blinking up at Dingo, I wondered what the hell was going on.

  He must have read the confusion on my face because he winked, the corner of his lips tipping up a little. “Relax, Meiling. Nothing bad is going to happen to you.”

  Too late, I wanted to say. Bad things had happened to me for a very long time. “It’s just Mei. Not Meiling.”

  “Dr. Larkin is going to draw some blood and just check you over in general, make sure you’re healthy.”

  And just like that the lead weight was back in my stomach. They wanted to ensure I was clean so I wouldn’t give them anything. For a brief moment, I’d thought maybe… maybe someone would finally care. I was such an idiot.

  Chapter Two

  Dingo

  I could tell by the way her eyes shuttered that she didn’t understand. She thought we’d use her like a whore, the same as Trotter had done and probably countless others. Hell, with Demon’s demonstration out there, I couldn’t blame her. I’d been told they wanted the doc to check her out, and I knew that Beau wanted to save her from the life she’d fallen into, but I hadn’t realized the officers were going to be complete dicks to her beforehand. I knew that Beau was hiding something about his past, and it involved the beautiful woman standing next to me. I just didn’t know what it was -- yet. Outlaw was trying to figure some shit out, with help from Wire and Shade, since his hands were shit now, and he couldn’t handle a keyboard the way he used to.

  “Pretty girl.”

  She tensed and the color drained from her face. I cut my gaze to the doc and saw he’d noticed as well. Someone had mistreated her, and evidently called her that. I’d make sure not to use it again.

  “I’ll need to conduct an exam, Mei, but if you’d feel more comfortable doing this in an office than a bedroom, it can be arranged,” Dr. Larkin said.

  She shocked the shit out of me when she started stripping out of her clothes, dropping them to the floor until she was bare. I tried not to look, but I’m fucking human, and she was the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen. The checked-out look in her eyes, however, told me that Mei wasn’t with us anymore. She’d gone somewhere in her mind, likely expecting the worst. I wanted to kick the ass of every man who had ever hurt her.

  I gently took her arm and led her to the bed, then helped her lie down. The fact her legs spread the second her back hit the mattress made my damn heart hurt. There was a sheen of tears in Dr. Larkin’s eyes, but he worked hard to get control of himself and started the exam and took some blood. Maybe I should have left, but instead I held Mei’s hand. Enough people had abandoned her already. I wouldn’t be one of them.

  “I need you to open your mouth, Mei. I’m going to swab the inside of your cheek,” Dr. Larkin said.

  Her jaw dropped and the doc took his sample.

  “I should have the results back within two or three days,” Dr. Larkin said.

  He finished his exam, then told Mei she could get dressed, but she just lay there, unmoving. I dropped to a knee next to the bed and reached out to turn her chin toward me.

  “Mei. You’re not here to be the club’s whore.”

  “It’s what I am,” she said. “It’s all I’ll ever be.”

  Her words broke my heart, but I could tell that nothing I said would change her mind. I stroked my finger down her nose.

  “You’re beautiful.”

  She didn’t say anything, just stared. Her eyes were a startling green and her hair a fiery red, but the rest of her coloring and facial features screamed of Asian heritage. I didn’t know if it was a parent or grandparent, but she was easily the most stunning woman I’d ever seen.

  “Get dressed, Mei. I bet we can get Beau to make you a nice, juicy burger. With cheese and any toppings you want.” I could see the spark of interest in her eyes. “Maybe some fries or onion rings on the side?”

  Mei sat up, and I handed her the clothes from the floor and made a mental note of her sizes and to pick her up something better. In fact, I’d send out one of the Prospects to get something while she ate. No way would I let her parade around this place dressed like that. I knew my brothers wouldn’t take what she didn’t offer, but I didn’t trust Mei to understand she wasn’t here to spread her legs. If she offered, some of these assholes would gladly take her up on it, not realizing she didn’t necessarily want them.

  I took her hand and led her from the room, but I didn’t take her back to the table with Demon and the others. I couldn’t believe the Sergeant-at-Arms had been about to let
her suck his dick, especially in front of everyone. What the fuck had he been thinking? Beau had come to us, asking for help. And Demon had pulled that shit? With Griz watching! I was so fucking pissed at them, but as officers, they outranked me. Unless it wasn’t so much about Mei and more a test for Beau? It was possible, but I still didn’t like it.

  “Sit right here, sugar. I’ll get Beau to make you something to eat.”

  Once I made sure she would stay put, and the others would remain at their table, I went to the bar and spoke to Beau. He kept watching Mei, concern for her evident by the haunted look in his eyes and his jerky motions. It was like he wanted to go to her, but wasn’t sure how she’d take it. I’d never seen him like this before, and I wondered if there was something more between them. My stomach churned at the thought, which was ridiculous. I’d only laid eyes on her today. It wasn’t like she was mine.

  “Is she… will she be all right?” Beau asked. “I didn’t know she was in that place.”

  “She’s important to you,” I said, hoping he’d offer up more information. All I knew was that he’d known Mei when he was younger. He hadn’t given us much more when he’d asked the club for help getting her away from the Ruby Slipper.

  “Mei’s a part of my past, but I never should have left her. Maybe if I’d found a way to go back for her, then she wouldn’t have ended up…” He clamped his mouth shut, but I heard the unspoken words just the same. She wouldn’t have become a prostitute.

  “Beau, you can’t blame yourself. When you came here, you were just a kid. Hell, you’re still a kid. If you’d gone after her, who’s to say you wouldn’t be the one whoring yourself out?” I said what I thought he needed to hear, but it made me wonder if he was right. Had Mei ended up where she did because he’d left her behind? What exactly had he been running from?

  He winced and looked away, but it made me wonder about his life before he found the club. Or rather, before Grizzly found him. The old man did have a habit of bringing home strays. It’s how he’d ended up with his daughters, and I had no doubt that when he ran across another kid who needed help, he’d bring them home too. It was just his way. It was part of what pissed me off so much about how they’d handled Mei when she’d arrived today, and why I’d intervened when I did. I still didn’t know what the fuck was going on. I’d have never thought Demon or Grizzly would be like that with a woman in need.

  “She needs food and clothes,” I said. “You handle the food, and I’ll send someone after some clothing for her.”

  “I don’t think she has money for that kind of thing.”

  I narrowed my gaze at him. As if I’d expected her to pay? It was obvious she’d been struggling, and had taken a trip through hell along the way. I wasn’t a big enough asshole to make her pay for stuff she hadn’t even asked for, and the fact Beau thought that made me want to put my fist through his face, but I refrained -- for Mei’s sake. I still didn’t know how close the two of them had been, and I didn’t want to upset her.

  “Just make the fucking food, Prospect.”

  He dropped his gaze and gave a nod before heading into the kitchen. I motioned over another Prospect and reached for a piece of paper and pen from behind the bar. I scribbled Mei’s sizes and made a few notes of specifically what I wanted him to purchase, then pulled out a wad of cash from my wallet.

  “Henry, I want you to take this and buy what’s on the list. Not a damn thing that isn’t on there, understood?” I asked, handing him the money and paper.

  “Got it, Dingo.” He shifted from foot to foot. “Where do I take it once I get back?”

  I looked over at Mei and then the officers at the table. The way Demon watched her had me clenching my teeth. No fucking way I was letting her out of my sight. Well, not unless they ordered me to hand her over, and even then, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to. She was young and defenseless. Some caveman piece of me demanded that I beat my chest and warn the others off, let them know she was mine. Except she wasn’t.

  “Bring it to my place,” I said.

  “You got it.”

  He rushed off and I returned to Mei. I slowly eased down into the chair beside her, not wanting to startle her. After all that she’d survived, I knew she had to have a steel spine, but at the same time she seemed a bit fragile. Her gaze stayed on her hands, which were twisting in her lap. I wished there was some way that I could ease her concerns, but I knew she wouldn’t believe me. It was clear that no one had ever helped her without expecting something in return, if they’d bothered to help her at all.

  “How old are you?” I asked, a little worried that I was fascinated with an underage girl instead of a woman. My sister, Jordan, would kick my ass if that were the case.

  “How old do you want me to be?” she asked.

  “No games, Mei. I’m being serious. I need to know if you’re still a kid or a woman fully grown.”

  “Eighteen,” she said.

  I tried to hide my wince. I was over a decade older than her. Hell, I was nearly two decades older. Shit. She was young enough to be my kid, not that I thought of her like that. Mei might have understated curves, but she definitely looked all woman. To me anyway, but I could understand if people thought she was younger. I didn’t think the club would have an issue with it, if I wanted to pursue something with Mei, but I didn’t think she’d be interested. As beautiful as she was, I didn’t doubt for a second any guy in this club would fall at her feet.

  Movement behind the bar caught my attention and I saw Beau heading our way with a plate of food and a drink for Mei. He set both down in front of her, then took a step back. He shoved his hands into his pockets and rocked back on his heels, but he didn’t leave. I didn’t know if he was waiting for her to acknowledge him, or if there was something on his mind.

  “I didn’t know if you still disliked mayo so I left it off,” he said. “And you used to complain about onion breath so I figured you’d prefer fries.”

  Mei stared at the food with longing, and I gave Beau a nod to get lost. He walked off, but not without casting a few glances back at Mei. She ignored him, but she also didn’t reach for her food. I didn’t know for certain what was holding her back, but I reached for a fry and popped it into my mouth.

  “Promise it’s not poisoned. You can eat, Mei.”

  Her hand trembled as she reached for the fries and I eyed the burger, which was monstrous. I got up to retrieve a fork and knife from the bar and came back. Sitting down, I reached over and sliced the burger in half, hoping it would be easier for her to handle. She watched my every move, but I noticed she was still shoving fries into her mouth. On the off chance she was worried about the burger, I cut off a bite and ate it, showing her it was safe.

  “No one here will hurt you, Mei.”

  She tensed and her gaze cut toward the table with the officers and I knew she was thinking about Demon and his demand. The fucker. I reached for her hand, giving it a slight squeeze.

  “Hey, not even Demon will hurt you. None of us will, Mei. You’re safe.”

  “No such thing,” she said so softly I barely heard her. “Safety is an illusion.”

  Not anymore. Not on my watch. I didn’t bother telling her that because it was obvious she wouldn’t believe me. My phone vibrated in my pocket and I pulled it out, trying to contain the growl that rose in my throat when I read the message from Dr. Larkin.

  Running tests. Semen present from multiple men.

  I clenched my phone so hard I worried it might crack. I didn’t know if what he’d discovered was from her job or if someone had taken advantage of her. Either way, it pissed me off that those men had used her like that. Maybe the club girls weren’t much different, but at least they chose to be here. Mei had been backed against a wall with nowhere else to go. If she’d had the choice, I had a feeling she’d have walked away from the Ruby Slipper and done just about anything else.

  Anemic. Vitamin deficient. Definitely malnourished.

  I read each text as they came through. T
he more I learned, the more determined I became to take care of Mei. She didn’t quite finish her food, but the way she shoved the plate away told me she was finished. We kept some to-go boxes behind the bar in case any of the club wanted to take some food home with them. I got up to retrieve one, then boxed up Mei’s food. Reaching for her hand, I helped her stand.

  “I was going to ask where you wanted to stay tonight, but I’m not going to give you a choice. Maybe that makes me an asshole, but I don’t trust these fuckers not to ask you for sexual favors, and you seem intent on giving them whatever they want.”

  She stared at the toes of her shoes.

  “Mei, I’m taking you home with me, but I don’t expect anything from you. Do you understand? I’m not taking you with me for sex, but to keep you safe.”

  Her lower lip trembled and she gave a slight nod. I led her past the other tables, stopping only long enough to grab her bag where she’d dropped it. We went past the officers, and out the door. I wasn’t about to put her on the back of my bike with her spiked heels and too-short dress. One of the club trucks was parked nearby, and I knew the keys would be tucked under the visor. I helped her into the vehicle, then got behind the wheel, flipping the visor down so the keys would drop into my hand.

  I had a small house toward the back of the compound, which was still an improvement over the duplexes. Most of those were used for visitors these days. When we pulled into my gravel drive, I shut off the engine and got out. Mei didn’t wait for me this time and stepped out on her own. I wondered what she thought of the place. It was white clapboard with black shutters and a red door. Adalia, Badger’s woman, had chosen the colors, but I rather liked them. It was just a two-bedroom, two-bath bungalow, but there was plenty of space inside.

  “Come on, Mei. I’ll show you to the guest room. It’s nothing fancy, but my sister said the bed is comfortable.”

  I led the way inside and flipped on the lights when I entered the house. Unlike the bigger homes, I didn’t have a front entry or hall. The door opened into the living room, which was on the small side but sufficient for my needs. There was an eat-in kitchen through an archway, and a large sunroom to the right. The bedrooms and bathrooms were off a short hallway on the left.