Chapter One

Wheels

Four months later

FOR THE LAST four months, Brooklyn hasn't left the compound other than when she goes to work at Soul Escape. She's still staying in the cabin next to Nanny and is loving life. Soul and I have watched her go from a broken woman covered in bruises and believing everything her parents and Bennett told her to a woman full of life who loves to laugh. I've never heard a laugh like hers and it hits me deep in the chest every single time I'm lucky enough to hear it. That doesn't mean she's still not fighting her demons from the ones who were supposed to love and protect her. It just means she's putting up one hell of a fight to battle them and make sure they leave her alone. I think Nanny is helping her out a lot with that. They spend every single morning together with the chickens and no one is allowed with them when they're together. Soul and I stand back and watch over her. We're never far from her side if we don't have to be. It amazes me that something as simple as taking care of Nanny's chickens seems to be grounding her, but that's what's happening.

Brooklyn has really taken to her job at Soul Escape. She loves being around the music and watching as everyone dances and has a good time. As she moves through the crowded floor during each of her shifts, Brooklyn seems to sway and dance to the music even as she delivers drinks from one table to the next all night long. There hasn't been a single time she's messed up a drink order, spilled anything, or gotten customers angry at her. If anything, the men love to watch her body sway to the music while the women follow her every move with green-tinted eyes.

I think what's even more phenomenal is that while she's healing, she truly doesn't see what an impact she's having on those around her. I mean, her self-confidence and self-worth is slowly returning, but it's not an overnight fix by any means. She's had years of subtle and not-so-subtle abuse to overcome. Those jealous bitches see a gorgeous woman with a kind and gentle spirit, but they have no clue the demons that are haunting her. Still, she keeps fighting, and it's that spirit that keeps me entranced. Soul loves having her work with him and he's always at the club every shift she has. I don't give a fuck who the bouncers or other staff are each night she works, none of them are us and won't protect her the way we do or will should danger come knocking. When I'm not busy, I tend to randomly show up during Brooklyn's shifts and grab the empty table in her section. There's always one left for me lately. Guess it's a perk of owning the business, but I'm not complaining at all.

Soul and Brooklyn have been gone for a few hours now and I'm trying to figure out what the hell to do with myself as I look around the small cabin we've all been staying in since Brooklyn showed up at Cricket's that night. I've already been out searching for any signs of Bennett. No, the club isn't looking for him at this point. We're all sitting back and quietly working behind the scenes. While Soul and I would love to get our hands on the fucker for what he's done to Brooklyn over the years, we've decided his time would be better spent in prison for his crimes. No matter how much we torture him or keep him on the brink of life, he doesn't deserve a quick, easy death, not compared to the pain and suffering Brooklyn still faces.

Grabbing a bottle of water from the refrigerator, I hear a knock on the front door and make my way over to see who the hell is here. Looking through the small window near the top of the door I can barely see through, I find Country standing there. Scowling, I wonder what's going on because this man doesn't just show up unannounced without having a damn good reason for doing so.

"Country," I say, opening the door and waiting to see what he has to say.

"Need to come in and have a word with you," he states simply, his eyes darting all over as if he senses some hidden enemy lurking in the shadows I don't see.

I step back and allow him to enter the cabin before closing and locking the door. Country doesn't always act paranoid the way he is right now, but we all have our moments when our demons get the better of us. Country doesn't share what the hell haunts him from our time in the military and it takes a lot for him, or any of us, to open up about that aspect of our past. None of us blame him and let him have the time and space he needs to work through shit. It's another reason we started the MC, because all of us are fucked up in one way or another and who better to understand what demons still chase us than those who were by our side?

"What's goin' on, Country? Are you okay?" I ask him when he takes a seat in one of the chairs while I grab a seat on the couch.

"I'm okay, Wheels. I was down by the courthouse this mornin'. Somethin' told me to go there when I was out ridin' to clear my head. When I got there, I ran into Bennett. That fucker was there tryin' to get the restrainin' order Brooklyn filed against him thrown out. He doesn't have a court date and won't be goin' in front of a judge or anythin' like that. Basically he was throwin' a fuckin' temper tantrum sayin' it's bullshit that she's allowed to lie and get the restrainin' order without havin' solid proof against him," Country informs me, sitting forward with his elbows on his knees as he stares at me and gauges my reaction to this news.

"So he still has no clue there's photographic evidence of his abuse and other shit Brooklyn has? That we're lookin' into him and diggin' up every bit of information we can find on the sick fuck?" I question Country, my mind swirling a million miles an hour with so many thoughts and questions right now.

"No. The clerk he was talkin' to said there's nothin' he can do until their court date. That doesn't take place until closer to the expiration date of the restrainin' order. If I remember correctly, that won't happen for several more months. There's nothin' Bennett can do to find out any information about how she got the order against him either. The file is sealed and it would take someone a hell of a lot better than Hulk to hack into the court's computers to gain access to the evidence against him so far," Country says with a smirk on his face because we both know Bennett is too fucking dumb to know how to hack a computer system or anything else like that.

"Did you hear anythin' else when you were there?" I ask, leaning back deeper into the couch cushions.

"Yeah. He was tellin' everyone who would listen what a fuckin' slut Brooklyn is and how she's done nothin' but cheat on him from the day they got together. Said she's been fuckin' every member of the club since we stole her from him too. When nothin' was workin' to get people to turn in his favor against Brooklyn, Bennett tried to get a restrainin' order against her. Said she was abusive, harrassin' him, and stalkin' his entire family. That's when I had to leave because I couldn't hold in my laughter. I did hear the clerk tell him there was no way he was tellin' the truth and she wouldn't be handin' over what he needed to do to get the paperwork started," Country states, his voice full of laughter as he remembers the scene only he witnessed this morning.

With the way it's taking every ounce of strength Country possesses to contain his laughter, I wish I'd been with him to witness Bennett realize no one's gonna believe a word he has to say. Then to know the court clerk didn't fall for his shit makes me a very happy man right now. Bennett seems to think everyone will always believe his word and no one will ever go against him because he's that much of an entitled prick.

"Fuck! You couldn't let me know you were there?" I ask Country, laughter lacing my voice as I look up at my friend.

"Trust me, I didn't realize that's where I'd end up when I went out for a ride this mornin'. I could've recorded it for ya, but I didn't want to be too obvious about what I was doin' there. So, you'll just have to take my word for how funny it was. Besides, we all know Soul and you spend your mornin' watchin' over Nanny and Brooklyn while they're in the chicken coop," Country says.

"Sounds like Brooklyn will be in a good position when she finally goes to court. Won't hurt that she's got the whole club behind her," I muse.

We haven't pressed for anything with her; she still has so much healing to finish doing, but we've made our interest known and there's no fucking way she'll go through anything to do with that prick alone. Those times of her having no one at her back are over and done. But the promise of her is enough to keep us going.

"Well, if she needs character witnesses, I'm sure there are customers who'll gladly give one for her," Country replies. "We've all seen how she is when she's at work and hands down, she's the best fuckin' waitress I've ever seen. Hell, even those bachelor parties that come in aren't all handsy with her like they are with some of the other girls."

"I've noticed that," I say. "I think it's because she looks innocent, if that makes any sense. She brings out everyone's protective instincts."

"How are things goin' with the three of you?" Country asks me, giving me something everyone rarely gets from him.

Country isn't one of the guys who goes out of his way to check on others and doesn't typically ask about one of the women of the club. Yeah, he'll be there to protect the fuck out of anyone who needs it, but getting personal and shit isn't something Country does any longer. He keeps everything to himself and doesn't go out of his way to make friends other than those of us he served with.

"It's goin' as good as it can. We aren't rushin' things when it comes to Brooklyn. She's been through way too fuckin' much for us to pressure her into sex or anythin' else. For the first time in her life, she's livin' how she wants and growin' into a new version of herself. Soul and I are more concerned about gettin' her where she wants to be instead of all the other shit," I answer him honestly as he nods his head.

"Good. She's a good girl and we all see it. Soul and you will help her get to the point she's ready to have sex and know it's not because either one of you are forcin' her hand or makin' her feel as if she doesn't have a choice in the matter. I haven't seen her parents around. Anyone heard from them?" Country asks me, standing from the chair and stretching out his tall body.

"Soul and I will never force her into anythin' like that. She deserves to be treated like the fuckin' queen she is and that's what we're gonna do. And I haven't heard of anyone seein' her parents around. I haven't been goin' out of my way to look for them, but it's almost like they disappeared or somethin'," I state, following him to the door and watching him walk through after opening it up.

"I'll start checkin' in on them and see what I can find."

Without another word, Country heads for the clubhouse as I turn to see Nanny sitting outside her cabin with a fresh container of lemonade and some of the cookies she makes that melt in your mouth. With a smile on my face, I make sure I've got my phone and close the door before heading over to see what she's doing today.

"I see how it is," Nanny begins, a large smile on her face as she watches me step up closer to her. "You see the goodies and walk right over like I'm gonna share with you."

"Of course. We all know you're cookin' is the best. When you bake, it's the shit dreams are made of. I can't help it that we all want to come hang out with you when we know you've been bakin'," I tell her as we each take a seat in the rocking chairs she has out front of her cabin. I'm unsure why she stood back up; but Nanny is from another generation so I don't question it at all.

"Brooklyn's at work tonight?" she asks, pouring us both a glass of lemonade before handing over a napkin with two cookies on it.

"Yeah. I'm probably gonna head over to check on things in a little while," I tell her, taking a bite of the peanut butter cookie she's baked today. I'd say it's my favorite, but truthfully, my mind changes every time I eat a different one. So far, though, peanut butter and snickerdoodle are in the top two spots. Although . . . the chocolate chunk cookies melt in your mouth, so they tend to push the others down whenever she makes those.

"I wouldn't expect anythin' less from you. Brooklyn is very fond of both you boys. She's half in love with the two of you and doesn't understand that's what she's feelin' because for the first time in her life it's genuine and there are no strings attached. You're both showin' her there are good men in this world and she's nervous it's all gonna end," Nanny informs me, her voice a whisper as two of her chickens waddle around the cabin.

"The feelin' is mutual, Nanny. You don't have to warn us not to hurt her or anythin' else you're gonna do. Soul and I will take care of her and be the men she deserves," I promise Nanny as she smiles in return and we both sit in silence.

After sitting with Nanny for almost an hour, my phone vibrates in my pocket and I pull it out to see Soul's name on my screen. He needs help at the club because one of the bouncers just got stabbed with a knife one of the customers brought in with him. Fetch is taking him to the hospital and he can't get anyone else to come in on such short notice. Assuring him I'll be there in a minute, I hang up and thank Nanny for the conversation and food before going to get ready to go to the club. I don't have time to shower or anything, but I change my clothes and make sure I don't stink before heading for my bike and taking off to help my best friend and keep an eye on Brooklyn.