Tex Page 3

  “Your name is Kalani?” Ridley asked.

  I nodded.

  “That’s a beautiful name,” she said.

  “It’s Hawaiian,” I said. “That’s where my mom said she was from, before she came to this town and got locked up.”

  “Your mom is in the asylum?” Tex asked.

  “Not anymore,” I said softly.

  “Is your father still in Hawaii?” Ridley asked. “We can get word to him that you’re safe.”

  I felt the blood drain from my face at the mention of my father, and a whimper escaped me before I could fight it back. No, if my father knew where I was, he’d come for me. And then he’d take me back to the asylum, and he’d make sure I never left again. Not unless it was in a body bag. Tex knelt beside the bed and slowly reached for my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

  “Easy, Kalani. If you don’t want us to contact your dad, we won’t.”

  “He’s a monster,” I said. “He’ll come for me if he knows where I am. He’ll never stop looking. Not until I’m locked up again, where he’ll make sure I disappear this time.”

  Ridley’s brow furrowed. “Kalani, you’re safe here.”

  “Never safe. Safe is an illusion,” I said. “Dr. Whitby will find me. And then he’ll make me pay.”

  Tex tilted his head and studied me. “Is this Dr. Whitby your father?”

  I nodded slowly. “He raped my mom. She begged to keep me, and he let her. But then she didn’t wake up one day.”

  Ridley gasped and as I looked at her, I saw tears running down her cheeks. “Kalani… have you… have you ever been outside the asylum before today?”

  “No,” I said softly.

  She and Tex shared a look, then she fled the room.

  “I didn’t mean to upset her,” I said.

  “She’s upset about what happened to you and to your mom.” His jaw tightened. “You said they raped your mom. Kalani, have they ever…”

  “I kept her safe,” I told him. “I wouldn’t let them do that to Janessa.”

  “But you let them do that to you. In order to protect her.”

  I didn’t answer, but I didn’t have to. He could see the truth when he looked at me, and it was like the weight of the world settled on his broad shoulders. He sighed and dropped his head, his hand tightening on mine a moment.

  “I’m so fucking sorry,” he said.

  “What happened to me wasn’t your fault,” I told him. “I’ve lived at Hillview for twenty-two years. Saving Janessa gave me a reason to live. And I’d do it again without hesitation.”

  “Thank you,” he said, his voice deep and gravelly. “I can never repay you for what you’ve done for my daughter. You can stay here as long as you want.”

  Janessa returned, her hair dripping wet, and her new nightgown covering her down to her ankles. She smiled broadly and looked almost like a different child. Being free of that place was already doing wonderful things for her, or maybe it was knowing that her dad was here and wanted her. I could only imagine what that would feel like, since my father was a monster who thrived on hurting people.

  “Your turn, Kalani,” she said.

  “I’ll take one tomorrow,” I said.

  Tex gave me a questioning look.

  “I don’t think I can stand yet,” I said.

  “I could get Ridley to help you,” he offered.

  “That’s sweet, but she can’t hold me up.” I motioned to my body. “I may not be taller than her, but I’m quite a bit heavier. My mom was a big woman, and I guess I take after her.”

  “Then let me help you,” Tex said. “I promise that you’re safe with me. I would never hurt you the way they did. It will be just like earlier. I’ll help however you need, and I won’t touch you in any way that you don’t want me to.”

  I could see the truth in his eyes, and it wasn’t like men hadn’t been looking at my naked body for as long as I could remember, and he’d already seen me half-naked. I nodded, and he lifted me into his arms again, carrying me the opposite direction down the hall.

  “Where are we going?” I asked.

  “My room. The shower is bigger.”

  I stayed silent as he set me down on the bathroom counter and started the shower. I could see he was conflicted, and I hated that he felt like he had to do this. Tex began stripping off his clothes, but left his underwear on. It molded to him and left little to the imagination, but I was too busy staring at his rather perfect chest and abs. I’d never seen a man like him before. Had never seen a naked man at all. Oh, I’d seen what they had hiding behind their zippers, but they never fully undressed. Even so, I doubted any of the men at the asylum looked anything like Tex. If there was such a thing as a perfect man, I’d imagine he would be it.

  Tex came closer and slowly began undressing me, his gaze assessing, as if waiting to see if I would scream or freak out. Once I was completely naked, he carried me into the shower and eased me down onto my feet. His arm banded around my waist, pressing our bodies together, and I felt his quick indrawn breath. Looking up at him, I saw his eyes darken. I’d never seen a look quite like that before. Lust, yes, but there was something more in his gaze. I felt a tingle working its way through my body, and for the first time in my life, I knew what it was to desire someone. It was rather fucked-up, after everything I’d been through, but deep down I knew that Tex wouldn’t hurt me. But no matter how much I wanted him, he was a man I knew that I could never have, because someone as perfect as he would never want someone as broken as me.

  Chapter Three

  Tex

  The hot water beat against my shoulders as I braced my hand against the tiled wall. I’d been hard as a fucking post ever since I’d helped Kalani shower last night. I’d patrolled the house, checking on Kalani and Janessa frequently. I’d known sleep would be impossible, not after hearing what Kalani had endured in order to save my daughter. I owed her everything, and yet my hand was fisted around my cock as I thought about how fucking beautiful she’d been standing naked in my shower.

  I’d helped her wash, then helped her dress, and put her to bed with my daughter. But I’d wanted to put her in my bed. I was sick, obviously, getting hard over a woman who had been so badly abused, but there’d been strength in her eyes despite the horrors she’d faced.

  For one brief moment, as I’d washed her body last night, I’d looked into her eyes and thought she wanted me too. Then I’d shoved the thought aside as ridiculous and tried to focus on taking care of the two of them. If there was one woman in the world I shouldn’t pursue, it was Kalani. Didn’t stop me from wanting her, though. My eyes closed as I pictured her smiling at me softly, sliding to her knees at my feet. Those pretty lips of hers would part, and her tongue would flick out and tease the head of my cock.

  I groaned as I stroked my dick faster, harder. Her mouth would be soft and wet. My control would be tested, until she begged me for more. I’d fist her hair and thrust into her mouth, fucking her with long, deep strokes. Those pretty brown eyes of hers would look up me, telling me how much she wanted my cum. I cried out as my release splashed against the tiles, and a shudder raked my body as I pictured Kalani, still at my feet, giving me a smile that told me there was much more to come.

  Fuck. I was seriously screwed.

  I finished with my shower and got dressed. Dr. Myron was due any minute, even though I knew both Janessa and Kalani were terrified of seeing a doctor. After being at Hillview, I didn’t blame them. But then Dr. Myron wasn’t at all like the doctors they’d been subjected to in that place of horrors.

  The doorbell rang, and I went to let the good doctor in. Another man was with him, and I hesitated a moment.

  “Tex, this is my partner. His name is Dr. Sykes, and he’s a psychiatrist. But he’s not here in a formal capacity.”

  Partner. Right. I’d forgotten Dr. Myron was gay.

  “Come on in,” I said, backing up.

  The men stepped inside, and I shut the door. Janessa slowly approached from the livin
g room where she’d been watching morning cartoons. Her gaze was wary, but I wasn’t as worried about her reaction as I was about Kalani’s. My daughter might not trust doctors, but Kalani had been abused by them, and had been fathered by a doctor who’d raped her mother. I could only imagine what she was going to say or do.

  “Janessa, this is Dr. Myron, and his partner, Dr. Sykes. They’re friends of the Dixie Reapers, which means they’ll be friends of yours, if you’ll let them,” I said.

  She eased a little closer. “You’re not going to hurt Kalani, are you?”

  “No,” Dr. Sykes said. “Has Kalani been hurt by doctors before?”

  Janessa nodded. “They do things to her. And sometimes she comes back covered in bruises or throwing up.”

  The men shared a glance before focusing on Janessa again. “Do you think Kalani would talk to us?” Dr. Myron asked. “We want to help the two of you, make sure you’re healthy.”

  Janessa slowly reached out and took Dr. Myron’s hand, then led the men down the hall toward the room she shared with Kalani. I followed, but kept my distance and stayed out of sight. I heard my daughter introduce the men and heard Dr. Myron ask if they could ask Kalani some questions. Alone. A moment later, Janessa came out of the room and moved down the hall toward the living room. And I was grateful when I heard what came out of Kalani’s mouth for the next hour. Her words were stilted at times, and I could tell it was difficult for her. I doubted she’d had much reason to trust anyone before now. It killed me, hearing the fear in Kalani’s voice, but as she opened up, what I felt quickly turned to rage. I wanted to burn Hillview to the fucking ground, with every employee locked inside the damn building.

  The men talked to Kalani for a while, backing off when she seemed to shut down, then gradually getting her to talk again. When they were finished, they asked me to send Janessa back in. When they were finished talking to my daughter, they stepped out into the hall. The look in their eyes was enough to tell me they were every bit as furious as I was. I motioned for them to follow me, and we went to the kitchen, where I had some coffee keeping warm from this morning.

  Dr. Myron sat across from me at the kitchen table, his partner next to him. Both men looked sickened, and I could understand why. I’d heard a little of what had been said between Janessa and them, and most of Kalani’s story, and I’d fought hard not to throw up. My daughter hadn’t suffered as much, but she’d known what was happening to Kalani, and it had likely done some psychological damage. The broken way Kalani had spoken to them, I knew she had a rough road to travel.

  “Kalani is battered and bruised, but I don’t think anything is broken,” Dr. Myron said.

  “Except her mind,” his partner muttered. “She’s separated herself from what happened at the asylum, probably as a way to protect herself. She knows she was violated, knows she was abused, but when she describes it, it’s like she’s talking about something that happened to someone else. There’s a disconnect there, and that may be all that’s keeping her from freaking the hell out.”

  Dr. Myron nodded. “If you can get her to attend therapy, it would be beneficial for her.”

  “And Janessa?” I asked.

  “Your daughter is traumatized by what happened, but I think Kalani protected her enough that she’ll bounce back. She saw things, heard things, that may give her nightmares. But thanks to Kalani, your daughter didn’t suffer,” Dr. Myron said. “Not physically anyway.”

  No, Janessa hadn’t suffered, but Kalani had. A great deal. I had no idea what to do with her. Janessa seemed close to her, and if Kalani had truly been born at the asylum and never been out in the real world, she likely didn’t have the skills required to survive. I couldn’t just toss her out the front gate with a handful of cash and wish her well. She’d probably need someone to look after her just as much, if not more so, than Janessa. I’d told her that she was mine, and I meant it. I just wasn’t certain how she would feel about it.

  “Can I make a suggestion?” Dr. Myron asked.

  “About my daughter?”

  “No. Kalani. She’s never had a chance to have a real life, and if the doctor who raped her mother wanted to hide his misdeeds, I’m thinking Kalani doesn’t have a birth certificate or any other documentation on file anywhere. She’s going to need those documents in order to have a life.”

  My brow furrowed as I thought about what that meant. She’d have no identification at all. While it didn’t sound like she’d be ready to venture outside the compound anytime soon, she’d still need a paper trail of some sort. I didn’t have a clue how to go about getting those things for her, or if I even should. If the doctor was looking for her, then I didn’t want to give him any idea where Kalani might be hiding. I needed to talk to Torch and get a few things figured out, not just for Kalani but for Janessa too.

  “Let them sleep as long as they’d like,” Dr. Myron said. “I would imagine they didn’t get much rest inside that place.”

  “How is it possible that Hillview is filled with so many horrors? Aren’t there regulations in place to keep that from happening? This isn’t the eighteen hundreds.”

  “If you have someone who can do some digging, you’ll probably find that on the surface everything looks legit. And I’d be willing to bet that Kalani never existed. You likely won’t find any records on her. On the one hand, that’s a good thing. It means the asylum has no legal way to get her back. But…”

  “It means they’ll want her even more,” I said. “Just to hide their dirty secrets.”

  Dr. Myron nodded.

  “Thanks, both of you. If either of them needs medical attention, I’ll be sure to call.”

  Dr. Myron and his partner rose, both shook my hand, and then I saw them to the door. After they left, I checked on Janessa and Kalani. They were both staring with rapt attention at the TV, and I couldn’t help but smile. A cartoon was playing, but you’d think it was the most fascinating movie to have ever existed. I leaned against the doorway and watched them for a minute, then went back to the kitchen to make a call. Torch answered almost immediately.

  “How are they?” he asked.

  “They’re watching TV, and Dr. Myron says they seem to be all right. He can’t tell me much without being able to run tests at his clinic or sending them to the hospital.”

  “Probably not a good idea right now,” Torch said.

  “No, I didn’t think so either. I need to talk to you, and I don’t know if you want to have this conversation over the phone or in person. It’s about Kalani and about the asylum.”

  “I can be there in a few minutes, but we should probably talk outside. If you have some things to say about Kalani, it would probably be better if she couldn’t hear you,” Torch said.

  “Agreed.”

  We hung up, and I stepped out onto the porch, pulling the door shut behind me. I heard the rumble of Torch’s bike a few minutes later, and I leaned against a porch post while I waited. He turned off the engine and made his way up the front steps.

  “Start talking,” Torch said.

  “Kalani was born at Hillview. Her mother was raped by a doctor there. This is the first time she’s ever left the asylum.” My throat tightened. “She saved Janessa, kept her safe. By offering herself instead.”

  Torch cursed and folded his arms.

  “Dr. Myron came with his partner, and they think she needs a therapist. They said the way she described what happened was like she’d watched it happen and it had been done to someone else,” I said.

  “Maybe that’s a good thing,” Torch said. “If it’s helping her cope, then I say let her handle it that way at least for a little while longer. I’d imagine she’s overwhelmed and scared being outside the asylum for the first time. At least inside those walls, she knew what to expect.”

  “Dr. Myron said she probably doesn’t have a birth certificate or any other ID. It’s his belief that the asylum hid any record of Kalani even existing.”

  Torch nodded. “Makes sense, considering the e
vil shit going on in there. Wire actually found a manual in Whitby’s secret files, detailing how the staff should act while abusing the female patients. They were required to use condoms so there wouldn’t be more pregnancies after Kalani. How sick is that fucking shit? I’ll have Wire do some digging, see what he can find, and I’ll hire someone to get some papers together for Kalani. Do you know if she has a last name? Or what her mother’s name was?”

  “I can ask.”

  “I don’t want to scare your girls, but I’d like to meet both of them.”

  “My girls?” I asked.

  Torch smirked. “You brought them both home, so they’re both yours. At least for now.”

  I shook my head and led Torch into the house. Kalani and Janessa were watching TV, but they both looked up when we entered the room. I saw Kalani tense and slowly curl into the corner of the couch, making herself as small as possible. My heart ached, and I hated that she was so damn scared. Janessa just looked at Torch in curiosity. I was grateful that her time at the asylum hadn’t damaged her as much as it had Kalani, even if it meant the terrified young woman had suffered in my daughter’s place. It was a debt I would never be able to repay.

  “Janessa, this is Torch. He’s the President of the MC I belong to. We’re Dixie Reapers, and this house in located inside the compound.”

  My daughter slowly came forward but stopped a few feet away.

  Torch smiled at my daughter and relaxed his posture. “It’s nice to meet you, Janessa. Welcome home.”

  Janessa studied him another moment, then smiled. But a whimper across the room made that smile drop from her face and she turned to face Kalani. I brushed past my daughter and approached the couch, moving slowly so I wouldn’t spook the woman further. I crouched in front of her and slowly reached out a hand, placing it on her knee.

  “Kalani, you’re safe. No one here is going to hurt you. Torch would never hurt a woman or child. None of my brothers would.”