Wolf (Devil's Fury MC 9)

Wolf (Devil's Fury MC 9)
Harley Wylde
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2021 Harley Wylde

Glory

I’d lost my mind. What sane person picked up and moved to another state without having a job lined up, all because they wanted to volunteer for an underground clinic, which could lead to imprisonment? Me, that’s who. Although, I now questioned exactly how sane I was. My daughter, Sienna, wasn’t quite a year old, so she didn’t understand what was happening. As long as I fed her on time, and maintained her routine, she didn’t much care where we lived. She did need a roof over her head and I didn’t have housing figured out.

My hands trembled as I followed Tank through the Devil’s Fury clubhouse. Until the second trimester of my pregnancy, I hadn’t even known him, or his wife. Emmie had become a good friend since then, and when I’d heard what the Devil’s Fury wanted to accomplish, I knew I needed to be a part of it.

“Let me do the talking,” Tank said. “You’ll know when you need to speak up.”

“All right. I won’t get in trouble for being here?” I asked, looking around.

“No. You’re with me, and that’s enough. Only my brother is expecting me, so we may not get a warm reception when we first walk in. Their bark is worse than their bite, at least where women are concerned. Just don’t fuck up and you won’t have anything to worry about.”

Right. Because that didn’t make chills skate down my spine. Exactly what would they do to me if I did fuck up? I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.

Tank pushed open some double doors and strolled inside with me on his heels.

“Don’t start the party without me,” Tank said, a smile in his voice.

A man stood at the head of the table, and I assumed he was the club President. I didn’t know much about the way a place like this worked, but Tank’s wife had gone over the basics. I eyed the man’s cut. Badger -- President. Yep, I’d been right. I tried to hide the way my hands trembled and hoped no one realized I was out of my depth right now.

“Motherfucker,” Badger muttered. “I should gut you for barging into Church uninvited.”

My stomach clenched and I gave Tank the side-eye. I hoped he was right about these men not getting angry and taking it out on me. I’d defend myself, but I doubted I was much of a match for the guys in the room. And gut him? Did he mean literally?

“Technically, I had an invitation from your VP, and I come bearing gifts.” He reached over and yanked me from where I’d stood partially behind him. I winced and wanted to rub my arm. “Meet Glory.”

“We don’t allow club whores in Church,” one of them said. I eyed his cut. Demon -- Sgt. at Arms. Same rank as Tank. Which meant I needed to toe the line, according to Emmie. However, I’ve never been good at doing what I should.

Tank winced and I felt my face flush. A club whore? That’s what they thought? I wanted to scan my clothes, thinking maybe I’d dressed wrong. No. Jeans and a heather gray tee. Nothing overtly sexy about what I had on. In fact, my shirt was even on the loose side.

Anger sparked inside me. Emmie had explained what the club whores were, and how these men didn’t respect them, not even a little. They used them and tossed them aside. And this asshole thought I was a club whore?

I jabbed a finger in Demon’s direction and snarled. “I’m not a fucking club whore. You try to put your dick anywhere near me, I’ll rip it off.”

Badger sat and leaned back in his chair, apparently settling for the show. I hoped like hell there wouldn’t be one. I’d been warned not to let these men push me around and at the same time, I had to act respectful. It was a fine line, and I hoped I didn’t cross it. Even though being around men still scared the crap out of me at times, I didn’t want them to think I was too soft. They needed to know I could handle myself in this world. If I couldn’t prove myself to them, I could be asked to leave.

Demon stared down his nose at me.

“First off, I have a woman so I wouldn’t want my dick anywhere near you. Second, you point at me again, and I’ll --”

Badger cleared his throat and shook his head, giving Demon a look that clearly said shut up. The Sergeant-at-Arms clamped his lips shut and glared at me. I folded my arms and stared back, faking way more bravery than I actually had. I hoped no one noticed I was shaking.

“Introduce Glory, Tank,” someone else said.

“Glory has a four-year degree in biology and was accepted into medical school. She only attended for one semester before she had to quit and stay home,” Tank said.

“Why did you have to quit?” another man asked. Blades was stitched on his cut.

“Fuck that. She doesn’t even look old enough to be out of high school.” The man partway down the table leaned forward, a ghost of a smile crossing his lips. “No offense.”

I looked up at Tank, knowing this was the moment he’d mentioned. The time I’d knew I needed to speak. They needed to hear my story, understand why I was here and why I needed to help in any way I could. I faced the table of men.

“I graduated high school when I was fourteen, then finished my four-year degree in three years. I was seventeen when I was accepted into medical school. The reason I dropped out is personal, but considering why I’m here, I’ll share it with you. I was walking across campus one night when two guys dragged me off into the bushes. They hit me several times, nearly knocking me out, then took turns raping me.”

I scanned the room, stopping on each brother for a few seconds before moving on to the next. I dared for one single man to utter anything about me deserving it, or any other bullshit I’d already heard a million times since the incident. Several gazed back at me with sympathy. Others looked furious, but I didn’t think it was at me. No, I thought they wanted to track down the two men who’d hurt me, and if I had names for them, I’d gladly let them do their worst. I doubted I was their first, or their last, victim.

“I have a daughter as a consequence of that night. No one found me for thirty-six hours, and by the time I was treated, it was too late for the morning-after pill to be as effective. They treated me for STDs and sent me on my way.” I took a breath and my fingers clenched and unclenched at my sides. “My parents threw me out when I refused to have an abortion. Sienna, my daughter, is developmentally delayed but she’s an angel. No matter how she was conceived, I’m lucky to be her mom.”

“You dropped out to take care of your kid or because you were scared to be on campus?” another man asked. I checked for a name, needing to make sure I could recognize these men later. Ripper.

“A little of both,” I admitted. “I’m eighteen, in case anyone wondered. Almost nineteen. Tank heard about your project to help rape victims and thought of me. We met at the OB-GYN when I was there for a check-up during my pregnancy, and I spilled my story to his wife.”

The VP, Slash, narrowed his gaze at Tank. “Anything I need to know, brother?”

Tank shook his head. “Got a vasectomy when the girls were about two years old. Those three are more than enough. We were just there for a routine thing. Emmie didn’t want to go alone.”

“You want to help as what? Medical staff?” Badger asked me.

“After having been the victim of two rapists, I can understand where these women are emotionally and mentally,” I said. “I have enough training to help with the basics, but you’d still need a licensed doctor or nurse practitioner. I’m CPR certified, and I’ve been taking some online nursing classes. I just haven’t been able to do the hands-on part because of Sienna.”

“She’ll need a place to stay,” Tank said. “Any objections to letting her use one of the apartments?”

“They only have one bedroom,” Ripper said. “She needs more space if she has a daughter.”

I wanted to smile. These men had no idea the conditions I’d been dealing with since finding out I was pregnant. A one bedroom behind a fence? Seemed more like paradise to me. Having two bedrooms was a luxury, and not one I necessarily needed. As long as I had a roof over our heads, could keep Sienna cool in the summer or warm in the winter, and keep us both fed nothing else mattered.