Surge (Hades Abyss MC 8): A Dixie Reapers Bad Boys Romance Page 2

  He said something in French to Colette that had her tensing. But her reply sounded an awful lot like goodbye. I hoped I was wrong. I needed answers from that man, but I was too fucking pissed to go slow enough for him to walk alongside us. If I didn’t put some space between me and Jacques, my fist would try to go through his face again. Repeatedly.

  I might have bought my ex-lover a mail-order bride from Russia, but this was different. Or it would have been if I’d had the full story behind Slider’s wife. I’d known she was in trouble and needed help, but I hadn’t realized exactly how awful her life had been. I wouldn’t make that mistake again.

  I zipped through the compound and pulled up my driveway and stopped under the carport. Turning off the bike, I patted Colette’s thigh. “You can get off, sweetheart.”

  She stood on shaky legs as I swung my leg over the seat and led her inside. I flipped on lights as we went and took her straight to the kitchen.

  “When did you last eat?” I asked.

  “Not long before you found us,” she said.

  “Before that?” She fidgeted and wouldn’t hold my gaze. I went to her, tipping her chin up, and forcing her to look at me. “I’m not going to hurt you, Colette. If you’re hungry, just tell me. I’ll be happy to give you some food. Whatever you need, all you have to do is ask.”

  “Nothing is ever free. What is it you want in return?” she asked.

  Motherfucker! What the hell had she been through? She seemed young. No way she should be this cynical already. Shit. Was she even legal? Had I just brought a teenager to my house? If I had, Spider was going to rip me apart with his bare hands, unless I explained the situation really damn fast. And I wouldn’t blame him.

  “You’re in charge, beautiful. I just want to make sure you have something nutritious. I’m not a monster, and I sure the fuck don’t hurt women.” She dropped her gaze and sighed softly. “Colette, I meant what I said. I just want to help you.”

  “Jacques was right,” she murmured.

  “About what?”

  “He said I needed one of you to protect me, that he’d seen the men like you around town with their women, and he could tell they were cared for. He wanted that for me before he left town.”

  I leaned back against the counter and braced my hands on the edge. “He’s not coming here, is he?”

  She shook her head. “He said he was leaving and to do whatever was necessary to get you to keep me. He said you were a good man.”

  Right. A good man wouldn’t have wanted to take him up on his offer to join the two of them. I hadn’t stopped to even see if she truly wanted me there, or if she’d even wanted the man already with her. I’d only seen the two of them apparently having sex, and I’d wanted to be part of it. Being in this club, I’d helped enough women in trouble that I should have seen the signs. But no, I’d been thinking with my dick.

  “I’d planned to get some answers from him. What’s your full name, Colette?” She remained quiet, and I ran a hand through my hair. “Surge. It’s what my club calls me. But when it’s just the two of us, you can call me Cameron. Or Cam.”

  “Jacques isn’t a bad man. He’s done a lot to keep me safe. Please don’t think poorly of him.”

  “Do you love him?” I asked.

  Her eyes widened. “Non. We didn’t know each other before all this happened. We’ve only been trying to survive. He could have left me behind.”

  Interesting. So they were running from something. The same thing? Or had their paths crossed as a mere coincidence? They both seemed to have come from France, or French immigrant parents. I’d met more than one person in my life who had the same accent as their parents, even if they’d lived here their entire lives.

  “Then tell me your name. Is someone looking for you?”

  She paled and swayed for a moment. I lunged forward to catch her before she fell. Yeah. Someone was after the pretty angel, and it terrified her. Whatever she was running from, I knew I couldn’t toss her back onto the streets. I’d help her, because that’s what the Hades Abyss did. Besides, I had to admit I felt protective of her, even if I didn’t know why.

  “Easy, Colette. Sit down and I’ll get you some juice.” I helped her into a chair, then pulled the orange juice from the fridge. I poured a small glass and instructed her to sip it. The color returned to her face a little at a time.

  “Let’s start slow,” I said. “I’ll make some dinner for us, and then I’ll figure out sleeping arrangements. I don’t have a guest room, but I don’t feel right asking you to sleep on the couch, either.”

  “We’ve been sleeping on the street for a while. Even the floor inside your nice home is an improvement. Please, don’t go to any trouble.”

  I leaned in and cupped her cheek. Her eyes dilated and her lips parted. Interesting. I didn’t detect even a hint of fear in her. It seemed my attraction to her wasn’t one-sided. I’d have thought after what she’d apparently suffered, she wouldn’t be so trusting. Not this fast. Maybe Jacques had protected her as she’d claimed, and kept the worst of the darkness from touching her. If so, then it lessened my anger. Slightly.

  “Colette, I’m sure you’re grateful for Jacques, but that boy didn’t take proper care of you. If he had, I wouldn’t be calling him that. I’d consider him a man. Let me help you.”

  “All right,” she whispered. “My name is Colette Fontaine, and I’m from Toulouse, France. Jacques came from the nearby town of Cahors. Men lured us from our homes, along with several others. Someone brought us here illegally.”

  So a group of people, most likely young women and men, had been smuggled into the country. Didn’t take a genius to figure out why. Lots of powerful men in this country would pay top dollar for someone like her, or even for Jacques.

  “And the others?” I asked. “Where are they?”

  She pressed her lips together. “They sold the children. One man died. The others… I don’t know. Jacques saw a chance to flee and took me with him.”

  Fucking hell. Hearing her confirm my suspicious made me both sick and furious. Human traffickers had abducted her and brought her to the US, which meant they’d most likely intended for her to be sold as a sex slave. Was she aware of what they’d planned? If not, it seemed Jacques had a clue. If they hadn’t known one another previously, I couldn’t think of another reason he’d have taken her with him. Not unless he’d been in love with her.

  “You said you didn’t love Jacques. Did he have feelings for you?” I asked.

  Colette shook her head. “He preferred men. Although, there were times, like earlier, when we had to put on a show in order to eat.”

  I growled and took a breath so I wouldn’t launch a chair across the room. My hands fisted, and I tried counting to ten to cool my temper. “It wasn’t necessary, Colette. You’d been fed, and no one expected anything in return. Sure, whoever invited you probably hoped you’d be eager to spread your legs, but no one would have forced you to do anything.”

  “Jacques planned to leave,” she said. “He wanted to make sure someone would take care of me. I have nothing except my body to offer.”

  I put a hand over my eyes and wished I’d hit Jacques a little harder. “Sweetheart, you have plenty to offer besides sex. We may be strangers, but even I can tell you’re the closest thing this dark world has to an angel. Men would happily spend time with you and not ask for you to sleep with them in return.”

  She gave me a skeptical look, and it made me wonder what her life had been like before she’d been abducted. Had men always treated her horribly? I knew I hadn’t exactly been the nicest guy in the world. I’d broken hearts of both men and women, but I’d always been up front I only wanted a bit of fun. I couldn’t control what other people hoped for.

  “I’m not a gourmet cook, but I won’t poison us either. Need to hit the store tomorrow. For now, the options are spaghetti, chicken breasts, or…” I went to the fridge and opened it, forgetting what else I’d bought. “Hamburger Helper.”

  “W
hat’s that?” she asked.

  I turned to face her. “What? The Hamburger Helper? It’s a meal in a box and you add meat, water, and sometimes milk. There are different types. I usually keep a few boxes stocked. Let me check what’s in the cabinet.”

  I shut the fridge and opened the cabinet beside it. I moved two soup cans and a stack of Ramen noodles to get to the boxes behind them. Pulling out three, I showed her each as I told her what they were, not having any idea if she could read English.

  “We have Tuna Helper, which I have canned tuna to go in that one. Or there’s Cheeseburger Macaroni and Southwest Pasta. Ground beef goes in those last two, and I usually add a can of black beans to the Southwest Pasta.”

  She opened and closed her mouth, then stared at the boxes. Standing, she came closer and studied each one closer. She tapped the Cheeseburger Macaroni. “This one.”

  I nodded. “All right. I can do that. Have a seat while I make us something to eat. Why don’t you tell me more about yourself while I cook?”

  She seemed nervous as she went back to the table. And as I pulled out the ingredients I’d need, I noticed she hadn’t uttered another word. It seemed the little angel didn’t like talking about herself. Then again, I hadn’t done enough to earn her trust yet. But I would. Somehow.

  Chapter Two

  Colette

  He wanted to know about me? I’d never had a man ask me something like that. They all wanted one thing. Sex. Except this man… He was different. When he’d entered the room, my heart had raced, and I’d actually been excited to have him join us. I’d never wanted to have a man touch me before. I knew what I did with Jacques had been for survival. This had been different. Until Surge had taken a closer look at us. He’d stopped, and I knew he’d realized something was wrong.

  What did I say? Did I tell him about my childhood? About losing my family? I’d wondered more than once if it had made me an easy target. Had those men known I didn’t have anyone who would miss me? Then they’d had that horrid doctor examine me. I could still feel his fingers inside me and see the smirk on his face as he’d checked to see I was a virgin.

  I didn’t think he wanted me to tell him those things. Or maybe he did. I watched him cook and studied him. He’d turned his back toward me, so I took the time to admire him. The black leather vest remained over his shoulders, and the emblem on the back looked a bit scary. Hades Abyss MC. The name itself even sounded frightening.

  He rubbed at his eyes and stopped what he was doing to walk across the kitchen. He pulled out an eyeglass case and put on a pair of wireframe glasses. I nearly moaned when I saw him wearing them. My favorite superhero had always been Superman, but I preferred him as Clark Kent with his glasses on. And now I found out Surge wore a pair?

  Yes, I liked nerdy men. I hadn’t expected this one to check that particular box for me. The way he was built, and the fact he rode a motorcycle, had made me assume he was the typical tough guy. Mostly brawn. What if I was wrong? I’d already been contemplating ways to get him to let me stay. Now he intrigued me, and my staying was about more than my survival.

  “Do you like to read?” I asked. “I always wanted a library. The movies where the heroine goes into a castle or large manor and finds a room filled with books were always my favorites.”

  Surge grinned at me over his shoulder. “I read, but probably not the types of books you’d approve of. I’ll show you after dinner if you’d like.”

  What sort of reading material would I find offensive? Although he hadn’t worded it that way. Did he mean he preferred children’s books? Or maybe scary ones?

  “My favorite is The Count of Monte Cristo,” I said. “Do you have a favorite?”

  “It’s not a classic,” he said. “Not in the same sense as the one you mentioned. But yes, I do have a favorite. Guess I might as well tell you. I like to read graphic novels. My favorite series is Swamp Thing.”

  Graphic novels. “Oh! Like Mélusine. I enjoyed reading that one.”

  He glanced at me over his shoulder again. “You read graphic novels?”

  I nodded. “Oui. Not a lot, but I’ve enjoyed the ones I’ve found.”

  “Can you read English?” he asked.

  “A little. But not enough words to read a story. Just enough not to traverse a city without getting lost.”

  “We’ll have to fix that,” he said. “I just need to cover this and let it cook about ten minutes, then we can eat.”

  He pulled down two glasses, added ice, then pulled a pitcher of lemonade from the refrigerator. The man kept surprising me. A biker who liked comic books and lemonade? Had I read him entirely wrong?

  “Is there anything I can do to help?” I asked.

  “Just sit and relax, Colette.”

  I sipped the lemonade he handed me and watched as he took down plates, put silverware on the table, and got a bag of shredded cheese from the refrigerator. By the time he’d fixed our plates and set them down, my stomach rumbled. I hadn’t lied about eating at the clubhouse, but he’d also been correct when he assumed it had been a while since I’d had a decent meal.

  Steam rose from my plate. The scent made my mouth water. Honestly, I’d have eaten anything he fixed. I’d learned how precious food was. Even before finding myself on the streets in America, I hadn’t had an easy life. Those men had picked me for a reason.

  “Tell me about living in Toulouse,” he said as he took a bite of his dinner. I didn’t know how he hadn’t burned his tongue.

  “There’s not much to tell. It’s expensive to live there. I shared a three-room flat with five other people. We weren’t friends. I hardly spoke to them.” I toyed with my fork. “I doubt they noticed I’d gone missing until rent was due. My job likely thought I’d quit without calling in. There’s no one looking for me back home.”

  “What about your family?” he asked.

  I shook my head. “Gone. They died several years ago. I lived with a foster family and several other children until I became an adult.”

  His eyebrows rose as his gaze skated over me. “And that was what? About two seconds ago? Sorry, but you seem young.”

  “And yet you were going to join me and Jacques in that bedroom.”

  He set his fork down. “I was. Until I took a closer look. Didn’t take a genius to figure out something wasn’t right with the situation. He do that to you often? Fuck you in the hopes someone would come along and pay to join in or to watch?”

  I looked away. “When it was necessary.”

  “I should have castrated the fucker,” he muttered before picking his fork up again. “How old are you, Colette?”

  “Twenty-two. I think. I’ve lost track of the days. When they kidnapped me, I was going to have a birthday soon.

  “When’s your birthday?” he asked.

  “April fifteenth.”

  He nodded. “Then you’ve already had a birthday this year.”

  Had so much time passed already? It didn’t seem possible, and yet… I remembered coming into the country in New Orleans. I’d admired much of the city while we stayed there, once Jacques and I escaped, but we’d had to leave all too soon. We’d mostly traveled on foot but caught rides where we could. And we’d never stayed in one place for very long.

  I ate my food and considered my situation. Surge seemed nice, and he hadn’t asked me for anything, or tried to hurt me. Staying with him wouldn’t be a hardship. The lack of any sort of request bothered me, except for him asking about my past. I’d learned at a much younger age people always wanted something. So what did Surge want from me?

  I finished my meal and took my dishes to the sink. I’d rinsed them by the time he joined me at the counter. He showed me how to load and start the dishwasher, and I was grateful. It meant I could at least do this one small thing while I stayed here. Maybe I could clean the rest of the house to help pay for my keep.

  “Would you like to take a shower?” Surge asked. “I don’t have any women’s clothing, but I could get one of my shirts for you
to sleep in. I think you’re close to Vasha’s size. I’ll ask Slider if his wife can spare an outfit or two until I can buy you a few things.”

  “It’s too much,” I protested.

  He cupped my cheek. “No, Colette. It’s not nearly enough. Come on. I’ll show you where you can shower.”

  I followed him past a bathroom and two bedrooms. I paused outside the door to what seemed to be his room. Had we reached the time he’d want something more from me? I looked around the space and tried to calm my nerves.

  “I’ll have to get shampoo and soap for the other bathroom,” he said as he set a towel out on the counter. “But take your time in here. I’ll wait in the living room until you’re finished. Shirts are in the top dresser drawer. Help yourself to whichever one looks comfortable.”

  So, he wasn’t planning to shower with me or watch me bathe. He walked out, shutting the bedroom door behind him. Surge confused me. I’d never known there were men in the world like him. I kept waiting to see if something would change. If he was truly as nice as he seemed, I knew I had a different sort of danger to face. Losing my heart. It had been so very long since anyone had been kind to me. Yes, Jacques had rescued me when he’d escaped. But I’d quickly learned he hadn’t done it entirely out of the good of his heart. Having a woman along made it easier to earn food, shelter, or the chance to clean ourselves. Most men weren’t interested in only Jacques.

  At least he hadn’t taken my virginity or let anyone else. He’d done me that kindness. I didn’t know how far he needed to travel to reach his friend, but I hoped he made it safely. Neither of us were to blame for our situation. Jacques may have used me to get us farther down the road, but it was still better than what my captors had planned.

  I started the shower and undressed, leaving my dirty clothes on the floor. Stepping under the hot spray, I sighed in complete bliss. I washed my hair twice before soaping my body. Even though Jacques hadn’t done more than touch me during our little show, I always felt dirty afterward. I scrubbed my skin until it turned pink, then got out and dried off.