Chapter Nine

Pit

I stand in the doorway watching as Axel's bike comes to a stop. He climbs off and removes his helmet. "Pres, this is a surprise," I say warily. He never comes out here and so far has only contacted me by phone.

"I wanna see the girl."

I arch a brow. "How come?"

He eyes me, narrowing them slightly. "Is there a problem?"

I shake my head. "No, Pres. I'll get her now." I head back inside. "Fuck," I mutter, taking the stairs two at a time. I burst into Tessa's room, and she spins to face me, half-dressed. She grabs her towel and holds it over herself. Since our disagreement two nights ago, she's refused to leave her room or even speak to me, which suits me fine. It's time we stopped fucking around anyway. Our time together is coming to an end.

"My Pres is here," I say.

"So?"

"So, you need to come down. He wants to see you."

She scoffs. "He isn't my President, so I don't have to do shit."

I close the distance between us, and she shrinks back slightly. "I ain't asking," I spit. "Get some fucking clothes on." She steps away, rolling her eyes but getting dressed. "He's gonna ask you some shit," I mutter, rubbing my hand over the back of my neck. "About Alec."

"I don't have any answers," she snaps.

"I told him we've been trying to call Alec." I feel her eyes on me. "And that he hasn't been picking up."

"But we haven't," she says, sounding confused.

"I know that," I say, my voice tight with irritation. "But I'd appreciate if you went along with it."

She laughs, not sounding amused. "You want me to cover up your lies?"

"Yes," I say stiffly.

"Why should I?"

"Because," I snap before taking a calming breath. "Because," I repeat more calmly, "I lied to buy you some time, to buy us some time." I let those words sink in, and a realisation passes over her face.

She heads for the door. "Fine."

Downstairs, Axel is sitting at the kitchen table with his hands braced together, resting on the solid oak. He points to the space opposite him, and Tessa lowers into it. "Your husband isn't coming out of hiding," he states.

"Maybe he doesn't give two shits about me," Tessa suggests, arching a brow.

"Where's her phone?" Axel asks, looking to me.

I go to the cupboard and retrieve it. Tessa stares wide-eyed, probably annoyed that her lifeline was easily accessible. I hand it to Axel, who turns it on. "When did you last try?"

I shrug. "A couple days ago."

His eyes narrow further, but he doesn't comment. He slides the handset towards Tessa. "Call him."

"I should text," Tessa replies. "Let him know it's really me."

Axel gives a nod, taking the phone back. "Tell me what to write."

"Firecracker," she replies.

Axel types it in and sends it, placing the phone back on the table. "Is there a reason you didn't try that before?"

Tessa smirks. "I don't like your man, so I've been difficult," she says, glancing at me with disgust.

"Maybe you're not as keen to get your freedom as I thought?" he asks.

"Oh, trust me, I want out of here."

"Good, because I'm taking you to the clubhouse tonight. Go and pack a bag."

Tessa's eyes find mine and she looks worried, though not as worried as me. I step forward. "Pres?" I ask.

"Now, Tessa," he says, dismissing her. Once she's gone, he turns to me, his cold expression in place. "It's for the best."

"Weren't we isolating her so the old ladies don't take her under their wing?"

"That's what you're worried about?" he asks, arching a brow with a slight smirk on his lips. "And here I was worrying you were gonna shag the captive." His smirk fades and he pushes to his feet. "Am I right?"

"It ain't like that," I begin, and he shoves me back, taking me by surprise, so I lose my footing.

"Don't fucking lie to my face, Pit. And you better not have touched her in any way that could compromise a potential deal." I don't quite meet his eyes, and he shoves me again, this time pressing me against the wall. "Reassure me, brother, before I have no choice but to lay into you."

"I haven't fucked her, Pres," I snap. "I wouldn't."

He releases me. "Keep it that way."

Tessa appears holding a plastic bag with her few belongings. "Is Pit coming?" she asks.

"No," says Axel bluntly. "Let's go."

"Wait," I say, and he pauses. "You're putting her on your bike?" The thought brings something out of me that'll get me into some serious shit with my Pres, but I can't let her go like this.

"Do you want to put her on yours?" He's challenging, and I know if I push too hard, he'll refuse point blank and probably lay into me just for fun.

"What about Lexi? She's your old lady. You can't just put another woman on your bike."

He knows I'm right, but he pulls out his mobile. "I'll speak to Lex."

"Or I could just bring her to the clubhouse," I suggest. He eyes me warily, and I hold my hands up. "She's already been on it, and I'll drop her at the club and leave."

"Fine," he mutters. "Let's go."

The second we pull away from the farm, her voice crackles through the speaker in my helmet. "Am I going to die tonight?"

"No, Te."

"How do you know?"

"Because that's my job and he hasn't ordered me to do it. He's going to keep us apart now."

"Why?"

"Because he knows."

"Knows what?"

I sigh heavily. "He knows what I want to do with you, Te. He can see it all over my face."

"And what do you want to do?"

I give a short laugh. "Oh baby, there is so much I wanna do, but you don't belong to me, so it's pointless even talking about it."

"You said before that you've been buying me time. What does that even mean?"

I realise there's no point lying to her. After this trip, I won't see her again. "Buying you more time on this earth," I mutter. "More time with me."

"So, now what?" she whispers.

"Just pray your man calls that phone, Te."

"I was scared to be with you, Pit," she murmurs, "but I'm terrified to be without you."

My heart aches, and it's a feeling I don't get too often. "Axel isn't going to hurt you."

"But if Alec doesn't call or won't cut a deal, then what?"

"We'll worry about that when the time comes."

"So, if he calls today, what am I supposed to say to him?"

"Axel will tell you. He just wants the name of the buyer for the guns so he can cut a new deal. If he gets that, you'll be going home."

A silence spreads between us, and then she asks, "What if I don't want to go back to him?"

"What are you talking about, Tessa?"

"What if I want to stay with you?"

My heart beats wildly in my chest. "That's not an option," I mutter. "You'll go back to Alec, and I'll hit the road."

"And pretend I never existed?"

"Something like that." If only it's going to be that easy.

Tessa

We ride the rest of the way in silence. Why the fuck did I put myself out there like that? Of course, he was going to knock me back. I laugh to myself. He's not even nice to me. He locked me in a fucking shed. I have the worst taste in men.

The second Pit stops the bike, I climb off and hand the helmet back. "Look, Tessa," he begins, but I give an awkward smile and turn my back. The sooner we pretend that conversation didn't happen, the better.

I stare up at the large building. Axel heads over to us and whistles, then a man comes rushing over, looking eager to please. "Take Tessa down the basement," he says firmly.

My eyes widen and I look back at Pit, who is already protesting, but the man grabs my upper arm and begins to pull me away. "Please," I beg, "I won't misbehave."

"Pres, come on," snaps Pit, climbing off his bike. "You can put her in a room."

"She ain't a fucking guest," Axel replies. "Wasn't that what you kept telling me?"

"Pit," I cry desperately.

He watches, pained but rooted to the spot, while the man continues to drag me away. Suddenly, Pit breaks out into a run. "Let her go," he orders. The man looks past Pit to the President, who shakes his head, and he continues to drag me. Pit growls in frustration. "Now," he yells, and when the man stops again, Pit hits him in the face. I let out a surprised scream, and the man drops my arm and stumbles back. Pit pulls me to him.

"What the fuck was that?" demands Axel, marching towards us.

"She don't like the fucking dark," snaps Pit, keeping me to him. "She goes in a room or I take her back to the farm."

"That isn't your fucking call, Pit. She goes in the fucking basement."

Pit keeps me to him and begins to walk me away. "Please," I whisper, clinging to him.

"It's gonna be okay," he mutters.

"I can't go in there, Pit."

We go around the back of the building, and Pit pulls a metal door open. The sound of it scraping along the gravel rings out. I try to back away from him, but he holds me firm. "It's okay," he soothes. "I'll be with you."

I stare at the steps leading down into the basement and my chest tightens. "I can't breathe," I choke.

"I'm with you, Te. Every step." He lifts me, forcing me to wrap my legs around his waist, and he carries me, leaving the door open. I squeeze my eyes closed and press my face into his neck, inhaling his spicy scent to distract me from the panic I currently feel.

"Don't leave me," I whisper.

We get to the bottom, and he steps into a large room with bars on the windows and the door. He doesn't bother to close them. Instead, he lowers to the ground, keeping me on his lap. "Never."

I glance around the room. It isn't as dark as I thought it would be, but come nightfall, I know I'm going to be terrified. "What is it about the dark?" he asks, gently moving hair from my face.

"When I was bullied," I blurt out without thinking. I've never told anyone the full story before.

"Keep going," he pushes.

"At secondary school. Steven Kendal. It was such a brutal time. It is for most kids, right? But he hated me from the second he laid eyes on me. He would do nasty things, like push me over every time he passed me or embarrass me in front of everyone by mocking me. He got all his friends to do the same, and then the girls would join in just to impress him. He was just cruel. And then, when we got to year eleven, he seemed to change his mind. Suddenly, he was nice and he'd go out his way to chat with me. I was wary at first, but after some time, I let my guard down."

"That doesn't explain why you hate the dark, Te."

I swallow the lump in my throat which appears whenever I think of Steven Kendal. I lower my eyes to the ground. "He asked me out on a date." Pit's eyes briefly close like he knows what's coming. "The first date was fine. He was charming and sweet. He said he'd been horrible because he really liked me but didn't think a pretty girl like me would give him the time of day. Anyway, I forgave him. The second date wasn't so good."

"Because?"

"He tried to kiss me, and I didn't let him. He got mad and tried to pin me down. Eventually, I let him kiss me because I got scared. He was so annoyed. Then he tried to . . . touch me, and I got upset, which only made him madder. He said he'd tell everyone what a frigid bitch I was unless I did stuff for him."

"Stuff?" repeats Pit, and I notice his jaw is clenched.

"Like oral sex and stuff," I mutter, lowering my eyes again.

"He forced himself on you?"

"I let him," I admit, "but I felt like I didn't have a choice." Tears fill my eyes. It's been so long since I thought about that time. "Date three, he tried it again, only this time, I refused."

"There was a date three?"

I shrug. "He turned up to my house without warning and basically ordered me to go with him. I was terrified he'd tell everyone about what we did."

"Jesus, Tessa."

"I stood up to him that night, and he didn't like it. He hit me . . . several times, in fact. And then he locked me in his shed until I agreed to do stuff again."

"And did you?"

"We began this warped relationship," I admit. "He'd be cruel, and I'd reward him." I swipe my tears from my cheeks. "It lasted a couple weeks before he got bored and moved on."

"So, he never . . ."

I shake my head. "We didn't have sex. Thankfully."

"Did you tell anyone?"

I shake my head again. "He said he'd tell everyone what I'd done and how I was scared of the dark." I scoff. "Funny enough, I don't think I was scared before he started locking me up."

"Jesus, Tessa," mutters Pit, pulling me to him. "I'm so sorry for all this shit."

"I just seem to fall for the wrong men." My words linger between us, but before he can respond, heavy footsteps descend the steps and Grizz appears in the doorway.

He stares for a moment, a slight smirk on his face. "Pres is calling church."

"Fill me in after," Pit mutters.

"I don't think that'll wash. Come tell him that yourself."

"If she's gotta stay down here, I'm staying too."

"Come on, Pit. Don't be an idiot."

"She's terrified of the dark," he spits angrily.

"It's not even dark," says Grizz, laughing.

"I'll be fine," I mutter, knowing full well I won't, but I don't want him to get into trouble.

"Is that stupid fucker coming or not?" yells Axel from the top of the steps.

"Doesn't look like it, Pres," Grizz answers.

"Jesus Christ, bring the girl," he bellows. "But you'll pay for it," he adds.

Pit gives me a satisfied smile and taps my thigh so I stand. He pushes to his feet and takes my hand in his.

We head back towards the building entrance, ducking under a half-open shutter which leads us into the huge room. There's a group of women sitting on two couches, all chatting, which stops when they notice me. Axel steps from a room. "In here," he barks, and I startle at his harsh tone.

We go inside the office, and I'm taken back to when they first brought me here. I was terrified back then and certain I was going to be killed. Now, I feel more at ease, even though Axel is glaring at me like I'm his biggest problem. He points to a chair, and I head in, sitting down. When I glance back, Pit is in the doorway. "Not you," snaps Axel, closing the door before he can protest. He locks it and then closes the blinds before rounding his desk. "Call him," he orders, sliding my phone to me. "He didn't reply to your little codeword text."

My hands shake as I pick up the phone. Without Pit here to save me, I'm nervous. I press call and then loudspeaker. It rings and goes to answer message. "Again," he snaps, so I press the call button again.

This time, it connects, and I sigh in relief. "Alec?" The line remains quiet. "Alec, can you hear me?"

"Where are you?" Hearing Alec's voice floods me with relief, and I almost sob out loud.

"Thank God."

"She's still alive," snaps Axel, "for now, but we really need to talk."

"I have fuck all to say to you," snaps Alec. "Tessa, where are you?"

"She ain't gonna tell you that while I have a gun to her head," snaps Axel, eyeing me in warning to keep up his lie, which I do without question because I have no idea if there's a weapon within his reach. "I want names of everyone involved in your little operation," he continues, "and I want the contact details of the people you sold my guns to."

"It ain't worth my life," he barks.

"And what about your wife's?" Axel asks.

"Tessa, I'm so sorry," he mutters.

My eyes widen. "Sorry?" I repeat. "What does that mean?"

"I can't help you."

"Are you fucking kidding?" I scream. "You're just leaving me here to die?"

"I don't even know you," he says, "not really."

"Well, fucking great, thanks a lot. I'm only in this mess because of you," I yell.

"Look, as much as I'm enjoying this lovers tiff, we need to come up with an arrangement, cos if we don't, you're gonna walk around with a price on your head," Axel interrupts.

"I can give you the name of my buyer," Alec eventually says, "but he won't deal with just anyone."

"He dealt with you, so I'm sure I can make him an offer he can't refuse."

"You want to cut a deal with him?"

"Well, my original deal fell through thanks to you, and now, I have a shit tonne of guns to get rid of before the police catch wind of them."

"Let me be your middleman. Keep me alive and I can be useful for you," Alec offers. "I can get you a good deal."

Axel scoffs. "I can't trust you."

"What have you got to lose?" he asks. "We cut a deal and I can keep more coming your way."

"Keep talking."

"I deal with the Russians mainly, but I also have contacts in Ireland. If you can keep the supply coming, I can cut the deals."

I zone out, looking around the office and noticing a picture on the shelf of Axel on his bike with a woman behind him. She's one of the women who saw me come in here, but she didn't look the sort to hang around with a criminal gang.

Axel ends the call, bringing my attention back to him. "You might have luck on your side," he says, winking.

There's a knock on the door and he groans. "Go away."

"You'd better open this door right now," comes a female's voice, and he immediately goes to the door and unlocks it. The woman from the picture bursts in looking angry. "Why was the door locked? Why are the blinds down?" she demands.

I drop my eyes to the ground, cautious that she may go crazy thinking I was up to no good with her man. "Lexi, it's club business," Axel tells her calmly. "Relax." It was the wrong thing to say because he follows it with a quick apology, and I smirk to myself, realising he isn't in charge at all. Suddenly, he seems less scary.

"Relax?" she repeats, and I risk a quick glance up to see her hands on her hips and her eyes narrowed. "So, if I was to lock myself in your office with one of the guys, that would be okay?"

"Don't make me crazy," he growls, yanking her to him and pressing a kiss to her lips. "She's here until I can cut a deal."

She pulls free of his grasp, and he groans as she approaches me. I brace myself for a dressing-down, but she smiles and holds out her hand for me to shake, which I do. "I'm Lexi, this idiot's old lady."

"Lex," he mutters, his tone warning.

"I'm Tessa," I reply.

"Why do you look so terrified?" she asks, frowning. "Did someone hurt you?"

"Lexi," snaps Axel, more firmly this time.

"I just want to go home," I tell her.

"Enough," Axel barks, moving closer. Lexi puts up her hand, and he stops, placing his hands on his hips and staring down at the ground.

"From the beginning," she says to me.

"Pit took me from a warehouse and kept me at his farm." I rush the words before Axel can shut me down.

"It's not as simple as it sounds," Axel tries to explain.

She ignores him, so I continue. "And now, I'm here and staying in the basement."

Her eyes widen as she turns her angry expression to Axel. "Club business?" she repeats. "You're keeping this poor woman in the fucking basement?"

"And I'm scared of the dark," I whisper, almost smirking at Axel, who's glaring at me.

"Oh my god, did you know that when you put her in there?" she demands.

"Pit told him," I cut in.

"Have you lost your goddamn mind?" yells Lexi.

"Outside, now," orders Axel angrily. "Pit, come get this . . . this . . ." He shakes his head, lost for words. "Come get her out my office now," he finishes, and Pit appears holding ice to his jaw.

I rush to him. "What happened?"

"Nothing I can't handle," he says, glancing at Axel before taking my hand and leading me from the office.

"Church in five," Axel bellows after him before slamming the door.

"What was that all about?" Pit asks, taking me upstairs and into a bedroom.

"He made me call Alec. I think they've come to an arrangement."

"That's good," he says, sitting on the bed and pulling me beside him.

"And then Lexi came in wondering why the door was locked, and I told her that he's keeping me here against my will."

Pit winces but smirks. "I see that didn't go down well."

I shake my head and laugh. "Serves him right."

"Maybe you'll be back home before the day is through," Pit adds, and I note the sadness in his eyes.

"Maybe," I mutter.

"What's the plan with you two?" he asks.

I shrug. "I have no idea anymore. He was taking me on our honeymoon to consummate the marriage." Pit stares at the ground. "And he was going to buy us a new home when we returned."

"So, he's got money?" he asks, frowning.

I nod. "I think so."

"But you don't know?"

"He had nice pictures on his profile, a flashy car, and he got me a nice dress for the wedding."

"But you didn't see any cash beforehand?"

"He was transferring when we got married, but I never got the chance to check."

He gives a stiff nod. "Okay. Get some rest. It's been a crazy morning. I'll have to lock the door, but you understand, right?"

I nod, and he places a gentle kiss on my forehead. I close my eyes and savour the feel of his thumb brushing over my cheek. He stands, and I open my eyes to find him staring at me longingly. "What happened?" I ask again, nodding to the ice pack.

"I got off lightly for disrespecting my President."

"And that's the man you look up to?" I ask, arching a brow. "You need better friends."

He laughs as he heads for the door. "It's all good, Te."