Vengeful Soul by Emma Creed

Brax isn’t next to me when I wake up, and for a second I worry that I dreamed the whole thing. The intensity. The way he felt inside me. I found pleasure with him that my body has never even come close to reaching before. And I get the feeling that after being with a guy like Brax, things will never be normal again.

Normal… normal seems such a long time ago. Julian, the guy I just cheated on, is normal… A sudden stab of guilt punctures my chest when I think about him. The fact I haven’t really thought about him at all lately makes me feel even worse.

He’s out there looking for me, no doubt frantic with worry. While I’m here in this beautiful cabin, having the orgasm of my life.

I’m a terrible, horrible person.

I make quick work of taking a shower, then throw on some clothes before heading downstairs to find Brax. There’s no sign of him in the house, so I make myself a coffee and wait for him at the table.

“Car’s loaded.” I’m still daydreaming about what happened last night when his voice jolts me back to reality “You ready?” he asks, dusting off his hands. Damn, he looks hot in light jeans and a black tee with his cut.

“We’re leaving now?” I ask, surprised. I don’t know exactly how I was expecting things to be between us now that everything's changed, but it wasn’t this. There's something unapproachable and distant in Brax’s manner, his lips remaining straight and his eyes refusing to meet with mine.

“I got church at nine.”

“Church.” I almost spray a mouthful of coffee across the table trying to hold in my giggle.

“Yeah, church.” Brax’s hard expression doesn’t change. I heard Prez say something about it yesterday, I’d thought it had been some kind of joke, but Brax looks about as serious as a heart attack. His coldness puts me on edge, and suddenly I feel like an idiot for assuming things would be different between us after last night.

Sex doesn’t change things for men like Brax. What a man says to you when his cock’s inside you should never be believed.

I quickly finish my coffee and wash up the cup. Then I make my way out the door, deciding that I’m really going to miss this cabin. I like its privacy and I’ve felt safe here. Now, I’m heading to the unknown. The Dirty Souls’ compound, where I have a feeling things are going to be very different.

Brax opens up the passenger door of the Cadillac, and Duke eagerly leaps inside. I follow him in, sitting myself in the passenger seat. Without a word, Brax slams the door and trudges around to the driver's side

“I could drive if you want to ride your bike,” I suggest when he climbs inside.

“I ain’t taking the bike,” he snarls, starting the engine with that blank look still on his face as he pulls off.

“Shame, I enjoyed the ride,” I offer him an awkward smile, one that I hope will loosen him up a little.

“At the club, ya don’t put a bitch on your bike unless she means something to ya.” His words come out in an icy tone that feels like a punch to the guts, and I quickly look away before he sees that he’s affected me. Brax drives in silence, while I stroke my hand through Duke’s fur. It’s so much softer now, I can pull my fingers right through it. Brax must have given him a bath at some point.

“We need to talk about last night,” Brax says eventually, his mouth straight and his eyes fixed on the road ahead, and I breathe a sigh of relief. “You're covered, right? I didn’t put a rubber on and that was real stupid of me.” His harsh tone hurts my feelings and I can’t believe I let my guard down with him.

“And if I wasn’t?”

He finally takes his eyes off the road. A horrified look on his face.

“Then I’d get the doc to get ya something, there’s pills for that shit.”

“I’m covered. I get a shot every six months and I’m not due another for a while.” I put him out of his misery. “But thanks for your concern,” I add on sarcastically.

He nods gratefully and gets back to concentrating on the road ahead.

“And you should know I don’t… ya know… I’m always careful. So if ya worried about…” he slides the arch of his hand over his forehead and I can see he’s struggling. “I always rubber up, okay.” He twists the steering wheel in his other hand and I try to hide the satisfaction I get out of watching him be awkward.

The rest of our journey is silent, and I feel even more anxious when Brax pulls off and drives us up a long bumpy track. I’m surprised by what I see. The last thing I expected was a vacation park, the sign reading Blue Spruces Resort still readable despite being a little weathered. There are bikes lined up in front of the huge two-story building, and a fire pit full of ash. My eyes follow the footpath that leads up to a quaint white chapel. Maybe these guys really do go to church.

I wonder how long it’d take Brax to repent all his sins. Still, after last night, who am I to judge?

He drives us past a garage, and some large outhouses, on to a track that circles a huge lake. When we reach a clearing, I notice the long stretch of cabins. Trucks and bikes parked in the huge yard in front of them.

Brax parks in front of one of the better-kept cabins and gets out to knock on the door. I wait with Duke and watch as a pretty blonde girl opens. She nods her head as if she’s taking in his instructions, and I stay put until he makes his way back toward me and opens my door.

“Maddy’s gonna take care of you, she’s Jessie’s old lady.” His head nudges in the direction of the girl who is now waving at me from the door.

“I don’t need looking after,” I tell him, sliding out the car. I stare coldly as I step past him, because I’m done making nice. Brax is being rude and I have no tolerance for rudeness. I smile sweetly at the girl waiting for me as I walk toward her, with Duke following behind me.

I watch Brax from the corner of my eye as he makes his way over to another cabin, before he gets straight on a bike that’s parked outside it.

How many bikes does one guy need?

He starts it up, then revs the engine a few times, before taking off without the courtesy of a nod goodbye.

“Asshole.” I must speak louder than I intended because when I turn back around, Maddy is laughing.

“Brax isn’t known for his people skills. Come on in, I’ll make us some coffee,” she says warmly, and I follow her inside. The place is nowhere near the size of Brax’s cabin, but it’s homely and tidy. Another girl is sitting at the kitchen table, one who’s equally as beautiful as Maddy. She has a baby balanced on her knee, tugging at a strand of her hazel-colored hair.

“Hey.” She untangles herself from his grip and looks up at me with a kind smile.

“Ella, this is Grace,” Maddy introduces me. “Grace, this is Ella, and Dylan, She’s Nyx’s girlfriend, soon to be wife.” I sense the excitement in her tone and it automatically has its effect on me.

“It’s nice to meet you, I’m sorry you guys ended up on babysitting duty.” I roll my eyes, feeling awkward about the whole situation.

“Don’t be silly, take a seat, we’re just gossiping.” Maddy makes her way over to the coffee machine and I take a seat at the table beside Ella. Dylan is sweet, he has big blue eyes and gets a cute grin on his face when I show him some attention.

“We know all about what’s happened, I’m the one Prez has looking for your mom’s old partner,” Maddy explains, handing me a cup before she sits down herself.

“Any luck with that?” I ask, praying for good news. Good news might mean I get to go home and forget any of this happened.

“I found him,” she says, and I don’t miss the way she looks across the table at Ella.

“So I can go visit him, try and get some answers?”

“You could visit him, but I doubt you’ll get a lot out of him,” Maddy says, biting her bottom lip nervously. I stare back at her and eventually, she breaks.

“He died. Coincidently a few days before your mom and dad’s accident.” My shoulders sag and I feel my heart slump to my stomach.

This can’t be happening.

I need out of this.

What happened last night, the way Brax has treated me since. There has to be an end to it all. A way for me to go back to how my life was before all this chaos.

“I’m sorry it’s not better news. But Prez is talking to the boys down at church, I’m sure they’ll come up with something.” Maddy is doing her best to sound reassuring but it’s not convincing me.

“My dad may seem scary, but if he makes a promise, he keeps it. As long as you’re here you’ll be safe.” Ella reaches out her hand and places it over mine. She’s younger than me, and her kind eyes match the color of her hair exactly.

“Your dad?” Now I’m really struggling to keep up.

“Prez is my dad, I found out a few months ago, around the same time that Nyx found out Brax was his brother.”

“Yep, things sure have changed up here on Walton’s mountain,” Maddy says with a sigh, she’s being sarcastic and I can’t help but laugh, despite the shitty mood Brax has put me in.

“Things can be a little strange around here at first but once you get used to it, you’ll be fine. Nyx says that Brax likes you.”

“Ella!” Maddy gasps at her friend, then blushes at me.

“What?” Ella shrugs, “Nyx really said that, he says his brother looks at you strangely.”

“I thought that was just Brax’s face,” I say with a shrug and when both the girls giggle back at me, I join them.

“Brax is intense, there’s no denying that. He’s like a lone wolf, doesn’t let many people in. It took years of visiting the club before he told Nyx he was his brother. I think he tries, but he sure sucks at the whole bonding thing.” Ella turns things serious again.

“I just thought it was me. That maybe I wind him up the wrong way,” I admit, blowing over my cup before taking a sip.

“No that’s just his way,” Maddy says cheerily. “But he played a risk for you yesterday, him and Jessie both did. It paid off though. I want to nail these bastards to the wall as much as you do.” Her innocent face turns sinister. “They should be hung by their balls for what they do.”

“I can’t think about it.” Ella closes her eyes and kisses the top of her little boy's head. He’s got such cute golden locks.

It’s hard enough to imagine what those monsters do, without being a Mom.

“And if Prez and Jessie can pull off this whole truce pact with the Bastards, that means we get our freedom too.” Maddy looks at Ella with a huge smile.

“What?” This new piece of information will need more explaining.

“It’s a whole other story, let’s just say the Bastards MC have unfinished business with me, and Ella here got herself one heck of a protective Daddy and fiancé.”

I spend over an hour talking with the girls, and decide quickly that I like them. They fill me in on how things work around here. I learn that church isn’t actually church, well not like I thought it was anyway, and that there are plenty of other women around here but none of them are ‘claimed’ the way Ella and Maddy are.

Sounds delightful.

I’m playing on the floor with Dylan when the rumbling of bikes rattles the cabin walls. And my new little friend instantly smiles and starts waving his arms.

“Daddy’s home,” Ella tells him, lifting him up.

I stand on my feet, and wait with anticipation, wondering if Brax will come back for me. If he does, I sure hope he’s in a better mood.

Jessie steps inside first, looking serious as he heads straight for Maddy and pulls at her waist. He kisses her so hard on the mouth that I feel like I should look away. He’s followed in by Nyx who takes Dylan straight out of Ella’s arms and scrunches his nose up playfully at him. Then draping his huge arm around Ella’s shoulders, he scoops her in and presses a kiss on her cheek.

This is a much different version of the guy I met back at Brax’s cabin yesterday.

Brax comes in behind them. stomping all over the warm atmosphere in the room, and yep, he’s got the same harsh look on his face that he left with.

“Prez said you got an address for me,” he tips his chin at Maddy, then takes out his pack of cigarettes while he waits, placing one between his pouty lips.

“Um, what have I told you about smokin’ around your nephew.” Ella raises her eyebrow at him, and Brax shocks me when he takes the cigarette out his mouth and tucks it behind his ear, even if he does look pissed off doing it.

“Here,” Maddy hands over a scrap of paper, and Brax nods his gratitude before heading for the door. There’s an awkward silence and all eyes are suddenly on me as I watch him leave. My feet start moving, hell knows why but I’m chasing after him. I catch up with him on the porch and when I reach out for his shoulder, he spins around so fast he almost knocks me over.

“What?” he snarls at me viciously.

“Why are you being like this?” I ask, trying my best to sound angry, rather than upset.

“Because this is who I am,” he tells me firmly, turning his back on me again.

“It wasn’t who you were last night.” I grab at his shoulder, forcing him to look at me again. Then yelp in shock when he takes a firm grip of my elbow and pushes me away from the door.

“What happened last night was a mistake, one that I should never have let happen. I was thinkin' with my dick instead of my head,” he whispers at me harshly. I pretend that his words don’t sting, holding it together and putting on a brave face.

“Go back inside, Gracie, Maddy and Jessie will take care of you. I’ll fix up this mess and then you can go back to your perfect little life.” His words sound bitter, and I want to slap his handsome face for how bad they hurt me. How could someone be so cold? And somehow, despite my emotions, I manage to remain calm.

“And how do you suppose you're gonna do that?” I ask. “My mom’s partner is dead.”

“I’m gonna drive out to this address and go see his wife, she might know something.”

“And even if this woman did know what her husband was working on, what makes you think she’d tell it to you? You look like trouble, Brax, she’s not willingly gonna talk to you. What will you do then, beat the truth out of her?”

“What?” Brax shakes his head at me, looking pissed. “No… but I will get it out of her somehow.”

“She’s right,” a voice comes from behind me, and we both turn our eyes to Jessie. He’s standing with his shoulder resting on the doorframe. I don’t know how long he’s been there and I sure hope he hasn't heard everything.

“You should take Grace with you; she can talk to the wife. The widow’s more likely to share her information if she feels sympathy.”

“Jessie, I’m better going on my own. I can get the information, you know I can.” Brax is starting to sound a little desperate, and it really doesn’t suit him.

“Brax, not even you make a habit of pulling the nails off old ladies.” Jessie smirks back at him. “There’s a lot on the line here,” he reminds Brax, who lets out a long, frustrated breath followed by a pissed-off grunt.

“Fine. I’m leaving in ten.” He strops off and disappears inside a cabin a few doors down, the door rattling on its hinges when he slams it behind him.

“Go inside and see Maddy about lending some clothes, you two look about the same size,” Jessie orders. I smile gratefully, and when I walk back inside, three shocked faces are staring back at me.

“Okay, how much of that did you actually hear?” I ask awkwardly.

“Oh, that… nothing.” Nyx shakes his head, quickly turning his attention to the baby.

“Nyx,” Ella nudges him. “We heard it all, and if you ask me, Brax is a total asshole.”

My cheeks burn with embarrassment, I’ve been here all of five minutes and I’ve already aired all my private business to these strangers.

“Come on,” Maddy places an arm around me, guiding me toward another door. “Let’s fix you up with some clothes.”