Jauhnna Chapter 6

The past three weeks I'd been at the Horsemen's compound had been somewhat surreal. As much as I tried not to trust them, it was becoming harder and harder not to. So far, they'd kept to their word on everything they promised. After the emotional download of my past to Micro and Diablo, I'd been wiped out. Instead of returning to the sick bay at the clubhouse or his room there, Diablo insisted I lie down at his house and rest. He claimed it would keep me from being disturbed. I hadn't fought him. Micro promised he'd keep working on getting information, and they would contact their friends to see what kind of help they could give.

I was curious about those friends. Were they the ones Diablo mentioned they gained from his daughter's marriage? Or were they someone else? I thought to ask, then decided maybe I shouldn't.

When I woke up later that day, Diablo had another surprise. It seemed he thought the clubhouse was too noisy for me to heal, so he brought the box of his daughter's things to his house and put it in one of his guest bedrooms. He informed me it would be best if I stayed there. I tried to argue. I didn't want to encroach on his privacy. He and his club were doing more than enough for me. He'd waved it away and said it was done.

A part of me wondered if he insisted because of Wolverine. As the days passed, there was this tension between them. I hated it, but there was nothing I could do about it. I was confused about the cause. If they weren't out to force me to have sex with them as payment, why were they upset with each other?

Wolverine did get his way when he insisted on examining me to ensure I was recovering and not likely to relapse. While he checked me out, Diablo refused to leave the room. He stood there with his arms crossed over his massive chest and watched every move Wolverine made like a hawk.

As more days passed, I settled into a routine as Micro and others I knew nothing about worked to find Galway and formulate a plan. The Horsemen wouldn't tell me what that was. All I heard was that when the time came, I'd know. It kind of frustrated me. Besides not being allowed off the compound and not having much to do, things were good—well, good in one way and bad in another.

Besides trying to gain my equilibrium being around so many strangers who were men, I was attempting to battle something more. It was this insane attraction I felt for Diablo. No matter how much I tried to limit my time with him, it didn't seem to matter. Even if he was out of sight, he wasn't out of mind. I'd find myself thinking about him randomly and frequently. My dreams were beginning to star him. Those were becoming rather graphic, though why, I had no idea. When it came to sex, I never experienced anything close to pleasurable. What I knew about that kind of sex was from books. I had no clue what kind of lover he'd be, but my imagination told me I'd enjoy it.

I might've been free of Galway for three years, but I never found a man I wanted to hook up with to see if sex was tolerable. Diablo made me wish I had. Maybe if I had, I'd have enough nerve to see if he'd be willing to let me taste the forbidden at least once. I knew it wouldn't be more than that. If it were, it wouldn't be more than casual. I heard the guys talking at the clubhouse the other day. They didn't know I was nearby. They were talking about the upcoming weekend and debating who would be there. That's when I heard them mention hangers-on and club sluts. My curiosity was piqued. Rather than ask any of them who they were, I did my version of research.

I went online, searched, and then downloaded some MC romances. To help keep me entertained, Diablo came home with an e-reader one day and told me he'd set up an account for me and that I could download whatever I wanted to read. I'd been speechless. In the end, all I was able to do was thank him. Those books opened my eyes to a lot of things, and not all of them were good. They educated me on two main types of women who came to the club, and they weren't old ladies.

Learning about them now had me envisioning them with Diablo. The thought depressed me and made me angry and sick all at once. I needed to stop. He was nothing to me. Heck, there was nothing in his behavior to indicate he found me the least bit attractive. He was kind and helpful. He never touched me in an inappropriate way. I wish I could be unaffected by him the way he was with me.

He was a hugely built man, but it was all muscle and, in my opinion, mouthwatering. He was tall. His brown hair was flecked with silver and cut into a buzz cut like some military guys wore. His beard and mustache were kept trimmed, close to his face, and it had the ever-slightest silver in it, too. He was tanned from all the time in the Florida sun. His dark brown eyes seemed bottomless. His chest was broad, his arms massive, and his trapezius muscles were enormous. I had no doubt he could lift an unimaginable amount of weight. Add to it his tattoos, which ran down his arms, and I was often aroused.

Tonight, I was anxious for a whole different reason. I was about to infiltrate the inner domain of the club. They had no idea of my plan. They were there partying, no doubt. Diablo had left a while ago, explaining he'd be back late and not to wait up. He didn't tell me what he was doing, but I knew. He'd been spending more time at the clubhouse the past week. Maybe he was tired of having a houseguest. If I cramped his sex life, no wonder. He was undoubtedly using his room there to have sex with lord knows how many faceless women.

Nausea rose in the back of my throat at the thought. Y ou need to stop this ridiculousness. He's not yours. He can do whatever or whoever he wants. Go see for yourself, then put this foolishness aside, I lectured myself. I'd been doing a lot of that, but it hadn't helped so far.

Another thing Diablo insisted on was that I go online and buy clothes. He asserted there was no way I could go without more clothing, and he knew I needed underthings. Eventually, he grew tired of me refusing to tell him what I needed. I caught him on his computer with an open cart in an online store. When I confronted him, he said his daughter loved it, and he began throwing things into it. I grew alarmed at the amount he was choosing. That was what made me do it myself. I shifted most of it out, but he wasn't to be foiled. He returned later, added them to the cart again, and then paid for them without my knowledge. I got a shock when boxes kept coming. When I demanded that he send the bulk of them back, he shook his head and walked off—frustrating man.

Tonight, though, I was glad I had the clothes. A few of the outfits were more along the line of what I thought a biker babe would wear. They weren't slutty, but they did make me feel attractive and sexy. Something I hadn't felt in years. The last time was before I was forced to marry Galway. They boosted my confidence, but I feared I'd chicken out of wearing them. I didn't plan to be seen, but what would the guys think of them if I was?

The one thing I didn't think they'd do was fall on me like wolves. I was almost sure they wouldn't ever approach me sexually. Even Wolverine made sure to stay away from me for the most part. I believed they didn't quite know what to do with me or what to say. The argument he and Diablo had that day at the house must've convinced them I wasn't someone they wanted, not even for a night. Taking one last look in the mirror to ensure I was presentable, just in case I was noticed, I sucked in courage and then headed for the door.

It was dark outside, but the walk to the clubhouse wasn't far, and they had outdoor lighting to illuminate the area surrounding the clubhouse. I came up to the side entrance and eased the door open. It was left unlocked. No way was I going in the front door. The goal was to remain unseen. The music and voices were loud. I heard laughter. It sounded as if they were having a good time. It was almost midnight, so they should be well into the fun. Closing it behind me, I made my way down the hallway toward the main room.

The main room was dimly lit, the same as the hallway, which worked in my favor as I hung back in the shadows of the hall. As I scanned the room, I saw the Horsemen and a bevy of scantily dressed women all over the place. They were sitting on laps, hanging on the guys, or standing close to them. As I took them in, I gulped. Being here wasn't such a good idea.

For one thing, seeing the women made it clear they were not in the same league as I was. My earlier confidence did a nosedive. They were way skinnier. Many of them had these perfect bodies with huge boobs. I wondered how many were fake. None had to worry about what they ate or hated to get on the scale. They were letting everything hang out, without a care in the world. While they had their faces painted with more makeup than I'd ever considered wearing, it made them appear gorgeous. It was tastefully done. On top of their looks and bodies, it was clear they were several years younger than me overall. I was an old woman compared to them.

I was about to ease further into the shadows and head back to the house. I'd seen enough, or so I thought until one of them dropped to her knees and unzipped Lucky's pants. Oh my God, was she about to do what I thought? Right there in front of everyone! I gulped and turned my head away. As I did, my gaze landed on another sight. I froze.

Sitting at a table, with a few other members was Diablo. Just the sight of him was enough to make me pause every time, but this time, it was more than for his masculine beauty. It was due to the woman who was hanging over his back. She had her boobs pressed into his back and was rubbing his shoulders as she said something in his ear. Instantly, I felt on the verge of puking. There, I had it. Confirmation he was enjoying his time at the clubhouse. I now knew what he had done all those nights he had come here to hang with the guys. Yeah, right, hanging with the guys, my ass.

Holding back stupid tears, I whirled and took off down the hall. I had to get out of here before I was seen. It would be humiliating to have them see me and know I was upset. The hall was much darker, and I bumped accidentally into the wall. I righted myself and came around a corner. I ran smack dab into a hard object. By the feel of it, I knew it was a body, a man's. I glanced up to see who it was that was witness to my spying. Maybe I could get him to keep it to himself. I gulped when I noticed a face I didn't recognize. The man was staring down at me with a smile on his face. As he breathed out, I smelled the beer on his breath. His hands came up, and they rested on my hips.

"Well, hello, where did you come from? I haven't seen you tonight. This must be my lucky night. Since you're not busy and I'm not busy, why don't you come with me? We can have a drink, get to know each other, and then have some fun of our own, beautiful. Damn, how hasn't someone snapped you up?" he muttered. His hands tightened a tiny bit more.

Panic welled up inside of me. I didn't know him. That meant he wasn't safe. Trying not to lose it, I went for logic.

"I'm sorry. You have me confused with someone else. I was just leaving. Excuse me." I moved away from him, but he kept a hold of me and moved with me.

"Hey, don't run off. You're exactly who I'm looking for. What's your name, sweetheart? Mine is Gio." He smiled.

"Listen, I'm not what you think I am. I'm not one of those women out there. I shouldn't be here." Again, I tried to get away. This time, he tugged me against him.

"And just who are you then? The only ones here tonight are me, my friend, the club, and the entertainment. What's wrong? Did you get cold feet? Is this your first time here? Come on, you and I'll sit and talk for a bit. I bet I can get you past this nervousness." He smiled bigger, then his hands slid down to grab my ass. That was it. I was done.

Lashing out with an elbow, I took him in the ribs. As he flinched, I raised my hand and went for his nose. A heel strike to the nose would break it and make his eyes water. It would allow me to escape. The only problem was he blocked it. The next thing I knew, I was twirled around, with one arm pinned behind my back, and an arm was placed across my chest like a steel band.

"What the fuck was that?" he growled in my ear.

He sounded pissed. Forgetting about being sneaky, I opened my mouth and screamed at the top of my voice. I didn't care who heard me as long as one of the Horsemen came to help me. I'd been an idiot to come here.

"Christ, stop. There's no need to caterwaul like that," he growled. His hold didn't lessen.

I screamed again. His hand came up to cover my mouth. At this point, blind panic was closing in on me. He could drag me into any of these rooms and do anything he wanted to me. You're so stupid, Jauhnna. I tried to fight him. I struggled as much as I could. He was saying something, but I didn't care to hear what. I attempted to stomp on his foot, but I connected with a hard boot. It hurt my foot.

The thunder of voices getting closer, accompanied by pounding footsteps, made me sag in relief. The lights flared to life in the hallway, and then I was faced with a wall of men. Men who went from puzzled to angry within two seconds. A loud bellow cut through the din of voices. They were shoved out of the way as Diablo came barreling through them. His face was contorted in rage.

"Why the fuck do you have your hands on Jauhnna? I'll fucking kill you!" he snarled.

His fists came up, and he threw a punch over my head. The guy holding me, Gio, abruptly let go of me. I no longer felt him pressed to my back, and my arms were both free. I was too stunned to move. Someone yanked me out from between them. I found myself being held by Butcher. He was closely watching Diablo as he tried to reassure me.

"Don't worry, honey. Diablo will take care of this. I never thought a Dark Patriot would hurt a woman," Butcher muttered. I was too distracted by the yelled conversation between Diablo and Gio to reply. The stranger was holding up his hands in a pleading manner.

"Diablo, calm the fuck down! I didn't hurt her. I'm sorry. I didn't know who she was. She didn't tell me her name. I didn't know she was Jauhnna. If I had, I would've never touched her or propositioned her. I thought she was one of the hangers-on or maybe a bunny."

"You did what?" Diablo roared louder. He lunged at him. His fist connected with Gio's face, even though he tried to block it.

As it did, I heard Micro, I think it was, mutter, "Well, there goes the Dark Patriots helping us to solve the Galway problem. I hope Pres has another idea."

Horror filled me as I realized this man was one of the friends they had mentioned who was going to help them with my shitshow of a life. Remorse filled me. Had I overreacted? What had he actually done other than hold me and grab my ass? It wasn't until I went after him that he got more physical. I moaned.

Shoving out of Butcher's arms, I darted over to stop them before it was too late. Only I wasn't paying attention. I walked between them as Diablo threw another punch. It was aimed at Gio's stomach, so it took me in the lower chest when it landed. I flew back and slammed into Gio. All air left my body, and I couldn't get any in. Terror filled me as I gaped like a fish out of water. Horrified exclamations came from all of them. I slid to the floor, landing hard on my ass. As my vision wavered, Diablo dropped down to his knees in front of me. He appeared stricken. His hands came out to touch my cheek.

"Baby, take a breath, please. Oh shit, I didn't mean to hit you. I tried to pull it, but it was too late. Jesus Christ, why did you get between us? You never get between men when they're fighting. He deserves those punches and more. The fucker touched you. Why didn't you let me beat his goddamn ass?" he asked.

I tried to answer, but it was impossible when I had no oxygen entering my body. My chest was on fire. I tried to reach up and grasp his arm, but my arm fell useless to my side. The next thing I knew, I was scooped up in his arms, and he was rushing down the hall. I recognized the door he kicked open. It was the sick bay. I was placed on the familiar exam table. The babble of voices was overwhelming. Diablo was yelling for Wolverine. Things were fading in and out as my brain reacted to the lack of oxygen.

"Do something! She can't fucking breathe," he hollered at Wolverine, who was bending over me now.

"I need the rest of you out. I need to see her chest," Wolverine shouted.

Pushing and shoving as fast and hard as he could, Diablo got everyone out of the room, then slammed and locked the door. He rushed back to the side of the table, anxiety written all over his face.

My top was yanked up and then off. Diablo growled. Wolverine ignored him and assessed my upper chest. I wondered what he saw, but I couldn't move my head to look. Abruptly, his hand was on my chest, rubbing in circles.

"What the hell are you doing?" Diablo snarled.

"I'm trying to ease the spasm to her chest muscles. They're seized up, and that's why she can't breathe. Get your head out of your ass. I'm not feeling her up," he snapped.

"Let me do it. You see what else you can do. She's turning blue." There was panic in Diablo's voice. His hand pushed Wolverine's out of the way and took over the rubbing.

As inappropriate as it was, in the middle of me possibly dying from asphyxiation, Diablo's touch affected me. I pressed into it. He was staring into my eyes, begging me repeatedly to breathe. Wolverine was checking my pulse and muttering. Then, just like a miracle, the muscles eased, and I was able to draw in a tiny amount of air. I inhaled greedily.

"That's it. Nice and slow. Good, baby," Diablo crooned as he kept rubbing.

I fought to take in more and to make them deeper ones. As more oxygen made its way through my body, other sensations came to the surface. My nipples hardened in my bra, and the feeling of his work-roughened hands touching my skin filled me with heat.

"Pres, I think you can stop rubbing her. She's breathing now," came Wolverine's amusement-filled voice.

Diablo's hand lifted away reluctantly. I wanted to beg him to put it back, but I caught myself in time to prevent further humiliation. I had enough to be embarrassed about after my freakout with Gio.

"Do you think I cracked or broke anything?" he anxiously asked Wolverine.

"I don't know. Let me check." He hip-checked Diablo out of the way and laid his hand on my chest. His touch did nothing to me. He pressed around. Diablo was making these funny, growly sounds.

Wolverine smiled at me and then winked. "Tell me if it hurts anywhere."

I had to force myself to concentrate. It hurt as he moved around in a wider circle, but nothing more than it already had. "It hurts, and it's sore, but not worse in any spot over another. I think I'm fine," I said. My voice came out hoarse.

He stopped pressing but left his hand in place. "I think she's good. You'll have a helluva bruise and be sore for a while, but that's it."

"Thank you. Do you mind if I sit up? Oh, and can I have my top?" I croaked.

I was becoming self-conscious with so much of me bare, especially after seeing those women. He lifted his hand away while using the other to lift under my back, bringing me up into a sitting position. Instantly, Diablo was there holding my top. He scowled at Wolverine as he slipped it over my head and helped me put my arms through the armholes. My cheeks were burning with mortification. I was dreading what they'd have to say about my screwup. Why hadn't I kept my ass at the house? It wasn't as if seeing those women made me feel better or helped me get over my infatuation with Diablo. They only succeeded in making me want to cry. I knew I had to answer for my behavior, but I couldn't face it now. Tears filled my eyes.

"Can I just stay here and rest for a while?" I whispered in misery.

"Sure," Wolverine said.

"I'll stay with you," Diablo added.

I shook my head. "No, please, I want to sleep. If someone is in here with me, I won't. I just need to rest. I won't take long."

"Darlin', are you sure you're not in pain? Your eyes are full of tears," Diablo asked in concern.

I shook my head. "I'm just suddenly tired. Will you turn out the lights? They're too bright."

"Are you sure you should be alone?" Diablo asked. When I gave him what passed for a smile and waved him off, I watched as they slowly left, turning off the lights and closing the door behind them. As it latched closed, I let the tears fall. What an absolute moron I was.