Finding Charity: Red Devils M.C. (15 page)

“We need to do this, Tick.” Ratchet gruffly told him his hand resting on his shoulder.

“Fuck,” He grunted. Then he said the words he hoped he didn’t regret. “Do it.”

The men took off in several directions to get the drill set up. Tick’s shoulders sagged. Ratchet leaned closer. His eyes meeting his.

“We’re going to get her back, Tick.” The man said. Only Tick wasn’t even sure that was true. With every minute that passed he was losing the ability to believe that.

Charity could hear something coming through the ground near the entrance. Stuff was falling and she was grateful that she had the air tanks because if she didn’t when that shit started flying all over the place she would have had trouble breathing. As it was she had to close her eyes. She could hear noises now, and shouting. Which meant they’d managed to almost punch through where they were trying to. That was good. It meant that she and Floppy were getting out of here soon. She pet the whimpering puppy’s head. He was trembling in fear. Likely because the day had been really stressful for them both.

She could attest to that. She heard the drilling stop and someone shouted.

“We’re through! Get the ropes. Charity, Charity.” 

Taking the mask off with all the dust flying around wasn’t a good idea so she just began making her way to the front of the cellar carrying the puppy, and dragging the tank. She didn’t want to get too close in case it caved in more. One minute she was stumbling towards the hole in the cellar and the next Tick was dropping down into the hole.

He looked half mad. She guessed he would, hell he’d just patched her and then she’d almost died. It was a repeat of Vivi. He rushed to her. His arms wrapping around her, crushing her to him.

Tick had been half mad for over fifteen minutes as they drilled through the ceiling of the cellar. He’d been crazed to find her alive and well waiting for him to get her out. So when he dropped into that cellar and saw her standing there wearing a mask and holding a puppy. His heart almost beat out of his chest and the relief that filled him at the sight of her alive was almost killing him. Thank God, she was okay. He rushed towards her his heart beating so fast that he thought he might pass out.

“She’s okay.” He bellowed for the people above them.

He heard whoops and shouts to get the sling to help them back out. Tick didn’t listen to any of it he just held her to him, trembling. Whispering into her hair. “Thank God, you’re okay. Are you hurt anywhere?” He asked pushing back a little so he could see her face.

She pulled the oxygen mask away from her face telling him, “Just my leg.” He looked down at her leg seeing her make shift bandage.

Charity was glad to be almost out of this death trap. She knew that she’d never, ever come down into this cellar again. If the puppy decided to come down here it was on its own until Tick got home. She was never doing this again. She trembled in his arms as he clutched her to him. Tick was trembling too she could feel it as he clung to her. This had to be bringing back memories of Vivi. She knew that would be why he was so shaken by what happened today.

“Doc’s here. He’ll take care of that.” Tick told her kissing her head. “Where did this come from?” He asked indicating the mask that was now hanging around her neck. She pointed.

“I found a bunch of them back there.” She pulled the one she’d dragged with her when she’d walked closer to the hole, up beside her.

“Shit, I forgot those were down here. Thank God. That would have kept you alive for us to get you out.” Tick smiled.

“You two okay down there?” Dog yelled.

“Yeah, we’re good.” Tick called back up.

“Good we’re sending down the sling to get her up. Then we’ll get you out.” Dog told them.

It was another thirty minutes before she could see Doc about her leg. It was still bleeding when he removed the bandage. Tick hadn’t left her side since she’d been pulled from the cellar. He was clutching her hand as if it were a lifeline. She knew that as soon as she was done here they were headed over to Maria and Colt’s to see Max. Tick said he’d been blaming himself when she’d been trapped in the cellar.

“So got yourself into another dangerous situation, did you Charity Ann?” Doc said making her blush. Growing up he’d been the one to take care of her many scraps and cuts.

There’d been the broken arm when she was thirteen, the cut across her cheek when they fought the girls at the race track, and the time that she’d let Katie talk her into sneaking out to a party three towns over, and they’d gotten attacked by two Jackals. That was one she’d never told her brother the truth about. Even as he’d roared to know who’d cut her with a knife. Those two dead Jackal’s hadn’t been able to talk. She’d taken out one and Katie the other. That was when they’d become more careful. They’d been nineteen at the time.

“Charity Ann?” Tick asked laughing.

“Yes.” She said glaring at Doc who just chuckled as he looked down at the cut.

“Humm…this is deep. I’m going to give you a shot. It will prevent infection.” He cleaned the wound then used a tool to seal the wound. It slowly knitted the skin back together. It looked almost like it had never happened when he was done. “I don’t’ think it was deep enough to scar. Try to stay out of trouble. I’m tired of patching you up all the time” Doc said after he gave her the shot he’d promised.

“It’s not that often, Doc. Well, not anymore.” She told him glaring. To which he’d replied with a non-committal noise.

Tick lifted her from the couch in the main farmhouse where they’d taken her. He headed in the direction of Colt’s to see Max.

“I can walk, Tick.” She told him her hand rubbing his face.

“I know, but I need to hold you, baby girl.” Tick told her.

They were halfway there when Bone came up. “Tick, I need to talk to you.” He said cautiously.

“Not now, Bone.” Tick growled, glaring at the man.

“Yes, now Tick. We need to take care of this, and you know we need you for it.”

“I am not going after that mother fucker’s sister, Bone. He almost killed Charity.” Tick roared, setting Charity on her feet.

Charity looked back and forth between Tick and Bone. “What’s going on? Who’s sister?”

“Mark’s” Tick barked.

“His sister needs you to find her doesn’t she?” Charity asked him.

“Yeah, according to Mark. When he tried to leave the headhunters for us after the first week he spent here they kidnapped his sister. They are holding her prisoner until they deemed that he was done causing trouble for us. Tick, we need your help. I’m not asking here. You’re already in enough trouble.” Bone said, nodding to Charity.

Tick didn’t give a fuck. He knew that he would feel bad if the girl was hurt or if she died, but fuck Mark. He’d almost killed Charity.

“He almost killed her. If it was Molly what would you do?” Tick demanded.

“Fuck…ma-” Bone started, but Charity broke in.

“No, Tick go help them. You are not going to leave some woman with Headhunter’s or Jackal’s. Not for another minute. Their bastards. No woman should ever be with them. Ever.” She shivered at the memories that suddenly assaulted her of the Jackal’s she and Katie had their run in with. If they hadn’t been able to get away they would have been raped and tortured to death and she couldn’t allow anyone to experience that. She wouldn’t allow Tick to either.

Bone’s gaze sharpened as he watched her for several moments. “When?” He suddenly demanded.

She knew he’d guess that she’d been taken by them. She shook her head. “A long time ago, and before you two go apeshit. I handled it. That particular Jackal is never gonna bother anyone again.” She grinned evilly.

Bone grinned back, he reached out cuffing her gently under her chin. “I always said you and Katie were tougher than nails. I just didn’t realize how true that was did I?” He asked

Tick’s reaction was a bit surprising. “I could have told you that she was. She nearly took me out, and we both know that’s hard to do.” Tick pulled her to him, kissing her forehead. Charity noticed with amusement that he didn’t tell Bone how she’d managed that though.

“Fine, let me take her and Max home then I will meet you. But Bone keep that mother fucker away from me. I don’t want him anywhere near me.”

“Done. We need him in Devils Falls, so we can keep an eye on him anyway.” Bone replied, before leaning over to give Charity a hug. “Glad you’re okay, doll face.” He told her.

She laughed. “Love you too, Bone.” she watched him walk away still smiling. She turned back to Tick to find him glaring, his jaw twitching as he did.

“What?” she asked unsure why he was angry? Was he mad that she’d insisted that he go after the man’s sister? She waited for him to tell her, but he only took her arm and began leading her towards Colt and Maria’s place.

“Nothing.” He clipped out.

When they walked into Maria’s Max was pale and he sat at the table beside Connor who was holding his hand. Max saw Charity and shot out of his chair almost dragging Connor with him. Charity knelt down to catch him. His little arms wrapped around Charity’s neck as he clutched her to him, crying.  That was how Tick felt. He wanted to grab her and never let her go.

It was six hours later when Tick crawled into bed with Charity. He’d taken a shower and shaved. They’d found that rat bastards sister. She’d been beaten pretty badly and Doc thought she might have been raped, but she was safe now. He pulled Charity close breathing her in. He was damned glad she was here. He’d been half crazy all fucking day. First when she’d been trapped in that cellar, and again when he’d had to leave her right after it happened.

He had gotten her and Max, who’d cried while he clung to Charity, settled here then he’d headed out to meet Bone and the boys to find Mark’s sister. Charity had been right. Nobody deserved what that girl had likely gone through in the last few months. Holding her now he inhaled her sweet scent pulling her close.

He knew that he loved her now. He just had to figure out how to tell her. After what he’d said to her about Vivi he didn’t know how he was going to convince her that she meant more to him than Vivi. He felt bad even thinking that, but it was true. He knew that he loved her more than he’d ever loved Vivi. He wanted to be upset about that, but he wasn’t. Now getting her to believe him was going to be a damned nightmare. She’d think he was saying it to keep her, and that wasn’t the case. He’d denied his feelings because he didn’t want to risk his heart again. The accident yesterday had brought the truth out. He wasn’t going to be able to stand not telling her how he felt. He loved her.

He’d checked on Max to find him sound asleep on his bed, the puppy clutched under his arm. He’d watched the boy for a long time. He was glad that Max was safe, and he wondered how long he’d clung to Charity crying. He wouldn’t have left if she hadn’t told him that they were okay, and for him to go help the club. He’d left, even though he hadn’t wanted to. After watching Max sleep for another moment he’d come in and taken a shower.

Then he’d climbed into this bed with his woman. With his arms aching to hold her. He now kissed her neck, his mouth caressing her skin. His hands sliding down to her ass, pulling her to him. Felling her wet heat against his leg, which had slipped between her legs.

“Tick…” She whispered.

“It better be.” Tick grumbled. Before he started kissing her, his tongue taking over her sweet mouth. He devoured her lips, grateful that she was still alive. That she was still here with him. There wasn’t much talking for the next hour as he assured himself that she was okay.

Charity stood in the kitchen. This morning she’d been awakened again by Tick’s kisses. He’d made slow passionate love to her. She knew he likely thought it was just sex, but she thought of it as making love. She loved him after all. She wanted to believe that this could work between them, but in that cellar she’d had a lot of time to think. She didn’t want to always be second best to Max and Tick. Yet she knew she always would be. It nearly broke her heart.

She leaned over the cake batter. Max was over playing with Connor and Alex, who’d just gotten back with his parents, at Maria’s. She’d walked him over an hour ago. She’d been working on making a cake for tonight’s bon fire. She needed to quit feeling sorry for herself, she thought grimly. It wasn’t like she going to leave him, so she needed to suck it up and quit whining about her circumstances.

A little while later, she was still mulling it over when Tick came in. She was holding a spoon and turned when the door opened.

“I wanted to talk about us. We are different than Vivi and I were.” Tick started, his words almost crushing her heart. She knew that she’d agreed to this, but fuck. She turned quickly back to the sink.

“That’s true.” She said brightly, maybe too brightly, picking up a plate to wash. She was trying to hold back the tears that threatened to fall. Damn it. Did the man have to tell her again that she wasn’t Vivi? That to him and Max she’d never be anything but a substitute to them. That they’d never love her as much as they’d loved Vivi. She already knew, and she didn’t want to talk about it.

“Charity…” Tick began again.

“No, I don’t want to discuss this, Tick.  I know, okay. I know.” A tear slid silently down her cheek, falling from her tightly clenched eyes.