Fox by Harley Wylde
Chapter Two
Fox
I didn’t know why Raven came to me. If anything, my display of anger should have scared her. Instead, it seemed to have made her feel safe. I couldn’t tell if Breaker had wanted her to go with him. He’d blanked his face when Raven rushed over to me. The speculative gleam in Spider’s eye didn’t bode well. Ever since he’d settled down, he seemed to think all of us needed old ladies.
Raven had been so badly abused I didn’t think she’d ever want to belong to someone. She could prove me wrong, but for now, I’d treat her gently and try not to scare her. With some luck, her dad would arrive before too long and take her home with him. I couldn’t imagine having a fully grown daughter and not knowing. Then to find out she’d been left to die by men who’d used her? Hatchet had to be losing his mind.
“She doesn’t have shoes,” Breaker said. “She shouldn’t be on this floor.”
I looked down and saw her bare feet. Shifting my hold on her, I lifted her into my arms and cradled her against my chest. Raven settled against me, tucking her head under my chin. Breaker’s eyebrows shot up and his jaw dropped a little. It seemed she hadn’t reacted this way when he’d picked her up to bring her into the clubhouse. I didn’t know what to make of it.
“She’s going to need clothes and other essentials,” I said.
“Luciana has more than she needs. I’ll gather a bag of toiletries and bring them over. Don’t think her clothes will fit Raven, though. She’s a tiny thing,” Spider said.
Surge snorted. “Don’t let your woman hear that. She’ll think you’re implying she’s fat.”
“She knows I love her,” Spider said. “No one I’d rather be with.”
“I need to make a run to the store,” Knox said. “I’ll grab a few things just to buy a little time before taking her shopping or ordering shit online. Raven, if you don’t want to talk that’s fine, but could you write down your sizes?”
She buried her face against me and held on tighter. I gave her a slight squeeze, hoping to reassure her. I didn’t understand why she wouldn’t write down her sizes. We’d just have to guess and hope we got close enough that whatever Knox brought home would be comfortable for her.
“Get some women’s size small pajamas, two shirts, and find some shorts with elastic waist.” As much as I hated thinking about someone else buying her under garments, I knew she’d need at least some panties. “Get a package of underwear. Just guess the size best you can. Anything else we can get later.”
“Raven, can I hold up your foot to guess your shoe size?” Knox asked, standing and coming close.
If anything, she tried to burrow into me, getting as far from my brother as she could. She hadn’t seemed scared when she’d been sitting at the table. What changed?
“Pretty girl, can you hold out a foot for Knox? He won’t touch you if you don’t want him to, but he needs to use his hand for a rough measurement.”
She stuck out her foot, and Knox held his hand up next to it. He gave a brisk nod and walked to the doors. “I’ll leave the stuff on your porch and knock. Think it’s best I don’t come inside until she settles in more.”
He left and Spider cracked his neck. “I’ll go home and get some soap, shampoo, razors, and that sort of thing bagged up. I’ll get a Prospect to drop it by your house. He can leave it on the porch like Knox plans to do, but I’d rather get home and send the stuff over now. She might like a shower.”
“I’ll take her home and show her where she’ll be staying,” I said. “If anyone needs me…”
Spider waved me off. “Take the next few days to get her situated. I want her to feel safe while she’s here. Don’t worry about the rest. I know I’ve been dumping a lot on you lately, but I’ll handle things.”
Honestly, as much as he’d been offloading, I’d started to wonder if he planned to step down. He’d already told me a while back when the time came, he’d be handing over the President patch to me. His comment earlier, about being President for now, made me think he was ready to hand the reins over. Technically, the club needed to vote, but I didn’t see any of them having a problem with the decision. Far as I knew, no one else wanted the job. Finding a new VP, however, would be interesting.
When I got to the parking lot, I realized I’d ridden my bike. I eyed the machine and wondered if Raven would be willing to ride behind me. She lifted her head and tilted it sideways, as if asking why I’d stopped.
“I rode my motorcycle to the clubhouse. I live just down the road, but I wasn’t sure if you’d want to ride behind me or not.”
She patted me and I assumed it meant she would be fine. Walking over to the Harley Davidson, I set her on the seat before getting on the bike. I started it and walked it back away from the clubhouse. Once I made sure Raven held on tight enough, I eased down the road toward home, keeping the bike under twenty miles per hour since I didn’t know if she’d ever been on one before. Last thing I needed would be her toppling off and ripping her skin open.
At the house, I turned off the bike, swung my leg over the seat, and led Raven into the house. She looked around, taking everything in. I didn’t rush her. This would be her home until her dad arrived, and I needed her to feel comfortable. I gave her a brief tour and stopped at the guest room. I never really had company stay over, but I kept a bedroom with a queen-sized bed and dresser just in case. I’d even mounted a small TV on the wall across from the bed.
“This will be your room while you’re here,” I told her. “You can help yourself to whatever you want in the kitchen, although it’s a bit bare at the moment. I’ll order some groceries in the morning. I showed you the bathroom a minute ago. Spider will get some girly soaps and stuff to us tonight. I just keep generic shit in there.”
She stayed close. I could feel the heat of her body. It bothered me she wouldn’t speak. Hearing what she’d been through tonight, and possibly every day since she’d entered Balmoral, I could understand her not wanting to talk. I wondered how long it had been since she last heard her own voice. Or did she talk to herself and just not others?
The doorbell sounded, making her jump a little. I reached out to give her hand a reassuring squeeze. “It’s probably the stuff Spider said he’d send. I’ll be right back.”
I left her to explore on her own while I retrieved whatever the Pres had sent over. I found a plastic bag with bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel. I also saw a tube of scented lotion, a pack of pink disposable razors, generic shaving gel, and a brand-new lip balm and brush. Even though I never allowed women into my home, I kept a few toothbrushes and extra tubes of toothpaste stocked. I’d make sure she had one of each.
I carried everything to the guest bathroom and set it out on the counter. I placed a razor and shaving cream on the edge of the tub. I heard soft steps behind me and turned to face Raven. She came closer, reaching out and lightly touching each item on the counter.
“They’re for you. Do you want to shower?”
She cast a longing look at the shower and nodded. I winced, thinking about why exactly she’d want one tonight. If I’d been the one to pick her up and had witnessed the man hurting her, he’d likely be dead right now. I had a feeling Breaker left him alive, but I hoped like hell Surge found some shit to make the guard’s life miserable. Anyone who had hurt Raven had better watch their back. I wouldn’t rest until she’d been avenged. The thought of anyone hurting someone so fragile, so sweet, made my stomach sour.
“Um.” I rubbed the back of my neck. “Knox hasn’t gotten back with your clothes yet. I could loan you a shirt if that’s okay?”
She nodded, her gaze still fastened on the shower. I reached over to start the water, placed the shower gel, shampoo, and conditioner on the edge of the tub, and left to get her something to sleep in. When I returned, she’d left the shower curtain open, but had stripped out of her clothes and gotten under the spray. I dropped the shirt and stared, unable to look away.
Why the hell was the curtain open? I opened and shut my mouth a few times, my brain seeming to have short-circuited. I’d ask her about it later. Right now, I needed to get my shit together.
My cock started to harden, and I felt like the worst sort of man for noticing her curves. Her breasts weren’t overly large, but the perfect handful, tipped with pretty pink nipples. I swallowed hard. My fingers twitched with the need to touch her. Fuck. She deserved better than having me stare at her like this. I needed to get my shit together before I scared her off.
“What happened to you, pretty girl?” I murmured, taking in the scars along her arms and bruises on her hips. I had a feeling the guard had left the marks on her hips, but the others? Had someone done that to her, or had she hurt herself as a way to escape? My gaze shot over to the razor, and I questioned if I should have left it in here. Would she use it to try and end her life? Hopefully the damn things weren’t sharp enough to more than nick her. I refused to stare at her while she showered and make her feel like a prisoner.
I picked up the shirt and set it on the counter. Averting my gaze, I backed out of the bathroom and collided with the opposite wall. Leaning against it, I tried to shake the images loose from my mind. The more I learned about Raven, the more I wanted those men to suffer. All of them. The cowboys and the guards at the hospital.
The water shut off and I realized I’d not given her a towel. Cursing under my breath, I closed my eyes and felt my way into the bathroom. I knelt at the sink and opened the cabinet underneath, pulling out a towel. I held it up and felt her take it before I stood and backed away again. I collided with the doorframe and grunted before managing to get out of the room. I waited in the hall and gave her a smile when she stepped out wearing my shirt. It fell to her knees, covering most of her.
“Ready to get some sleep?” I asked.
She appeared hesitant, creeping toward me, but not looking too eager to go to her room. Did she have nightmares from everything she’d endured? I reached out and took her hand, leading her down the hall. When we got to her room, I pulled down the covers and motioned for her to crawl into bed. She slipped under the covers. I started to pull them, but she reached out to stop me. I didn’t know what she wanted, until she patted the bed next to her.
“You want me to stay until you fall asleep?” She shook her head and patted the bed again. Did she… “Are you wanting me to stay all night?”
I got a nod and a slight smile. Well, shit. I ran a hand through my hair and wondered if I should do what she wanted or talk her out of it. I wouldn’t hurt her. Not intentionally. But I didn’t want her to freak out when I got morning wood. I didn’t know if she’d understand it was something common and happened every damn day, or if she’d think I wanted her to take care of the problem.
“Raven, earlier… in the bathroom… You didn’t shut the curtain.” I needed to know what she’d had going through her head. Had she thought she wasn’t allowed to shut it? Did she not understand I didn’t expect anything of her? Her brow furrowed, and I realized she had no idea why the curtain had been an issue.
“Raven, you can shut the shower curtain. You have a right to your privacy. I don’t expect you to…” I gestured with my hand. “You know. Do anything sexual with me.”
She tipped her head to the side and frowned at me. Her lips parted like she wanted to speak, but nothing came out. If anything, she seemed frustrated.
“You knew you could shut the curtain, right? That I wouldn’t get mad if you did?” I asked.
She nodded. All right. She’d understood. So why… and then it hit me.
“You didn’t have a shower curtain at Balmoral, did you?”
She shook her head. Right. No shower curtains, because the patients could use them to hang themselves.
“It didn’t occur to you to shut it, did it?”
She shook her head again, her brow smoothing and a slight smile on her lips. Well, at least we had that sorted. She hadn’t left it open because she felt she had no choice. She just hadn’t thought anything of it after not having a shower curtain for a bit.
“It’s okay to shut the shower curtain next time you take a shower.”
I heard a fist pounding on the front door and nearly breathed a sigh of relief. I rushed off to answer it, needing to put some space between myself and the sweet woman in my guest room. I found three sacks on the porch and carried them inside. Since I knew they were for Raven, I took them to her room so she could see what Knox had found for her.
“Looks like you have some new clothes,” I said, giving her a smile as I set the bags on the bed. “Want to take a peek?”
She reached out to take a sack, then jerked her hand back. I opened the one closest to her and took out three plain shirts. One in blue, another in pink, and a gray one. Knox had picked up three pairs of black knit shorts with an elastic waist so I set those out for her to see as well. She touched the material, rubbing it between her fingers, before craning her neck to see inside the other bags.
“Let’s check out bag number two.” I pulled out a package of cotton panties and two nightgowns. One had short sleeves and looked like it would fall nearly to her ankles. The soft material had pink and blue flowers all over it. The second… it made me want to knock Knox the fuck out. The silky garment had thin straps and didn’t seem very long. I didn’t know what the asshole had been thinking when he’d bought it.
Raven touched the silky nightgown, a frown tugging at her lips. Great. Now she’d think I’d planned this shit. I held back a growl, knowing I’d need to confront Knox later.
“Sorry about that, pretty girl. I guess Knox thinks he’s funny. You don’t have to wear that one.”
She wrapped her arms around her middle, eyeing the stuff strewn across the bed. I opened the third bag, hoping there weren’t more surprises Raven wouldn’t like. I pulled out a pair of flip flops and some black canvas tennis shoes, as well as a small package of no-show socks. Whatever the fuck those were. I also found a package of hair ties in the bottom of the bag.
“Do you want me to wash all this before you wear it?” I asked. “Or do you want a pair of the panties and a nightgown tonight?”
She pushed everything toward me. I took that to mean she wanted it washed.
“I’ll take care of it, and I’ll need to shower before I come back. Get some rest, okay?”
I set the shoes on the floor by the dresser and picked up everything else. I dropped the hair ties on the bathroom counter before making my way to the laundry room. I set the black shorts aside, not knowing if I should wash them with the other stuff. I’d found some of the clothes I bought from that store had a tendency to bleed the first time I washed it. I tossed everything else into the machine, added detergent, and started the cycle. I’d try to get the shorts cleaned before she needed them tomorrow.
Hurrying past her room, I went to the master bedroom and shut the door. I stripped out of my clothes and went to run the shower. Staring down at my dick, I felt like a sick bastard. Raven had been to hell and back, and the last thing she needed was me getting hard. But fuck! Even with the scars, she’d been beautiful. Closing my eyes, I could see her soft curves. Her perfect breasts and pretty nipples. Her pussy had a fine layer of hair, and I’d seen her clit peeking through the lips.
I groaned and got under the water, knowing I’d need to get myself under control before I went to check on her. I grabbed the soap and slicked my palm before wrapping my fingers around my cock and giving it a stroke. Bracing my other hand on the wall, I bowed my head and shut my eyes again. My heart thundered in my chest as I pictured Raven, lying back with her legs splayed. A slight smile on her lips, and trust in her eyes as she beckoned to me.
I stroked faster, gripping my dick harder. I’d lick her pussy, make her come so she’d be all hot and wet when I slid inside her. Imagining her tight pussy wrapped around my cock, I quickened my strokes. In my mind, I pounded into her sweet pussy, making her cry out and beg for more.
I came so hard my knees nearly buckled, my cum splattering the wall. I let go of my cock and leaned my head against the wall, shame washing over me. The last thing I should have done was picture her like that. She needed my protection.
“You’re an asshole,” I muttered to myself. “A right fucking bastard.”
I rinsed my cum off the wall and quickly washed. I’d go to the clubhouse and get some relief from the girls there, but the mere thought of touching them left me feeling hollow. What the hell was wrong with me?
Looked like I’d be getting a lot better acquainted with my hand until Raven’s dad came to get her. I could last that long without sex. Wouldn’t be the first time. But staying in the bedroom with her? Shit. I knew without a doubt I’d be hard as fuck, and she didn’t need that shit right now. Or ever.
I took my time going back to the guest room, hoping she’d have fallen asleep. After I pulled on fresh boxers and another tee, I checked all the windows and doors, making sure to lock them. With Raven under my roof, I didn’t want to take chances. Even if one of my brothers came in, they could startle her. Not everyone knew she was staying with me. Not yet anyway.
My phone started buzzing in my hand. I didn’t recognize the number but answered. “Fox.”
“I hear you have my daughter.” Hatchet. Of course, he’d want to check on Raven.
“Yeah. She just got into bed. In the guest room,” I clarified so he wouldn’t think I had ulterior motives. “Our Treasurer picked up a few things for her. Depending how long it will take you to get here, I’ll need to get more stuff. She came here only wearing the shitty hospital pajamas Balmoral had given her.”
“This might take me a while. I’m not going to face her for the first time unless I can tell her the men who’d hurt her are no longer a problem,” Hatchet said.
“Then you’ll need to add more to your list. The guards at Balmoral…” I trailed off not sure how to tell a father his baby girl had been repeatedly raped in a place that should have kept her safe.
The sounds of something being smashed made me wince. Seemed he’d gotten the gist of what I had left unsaid. I let Hatchet rage as I stood in the hall, waiting on him to finish. I wasn’t about to go back into Raven’s room while her dad was losing his shit over the phone.
“You keep her safe, Fox. Whatever it takes,” he said.
“You have my word, Hatchet. No one will hurt Raven. I’ll kill anyone who tries.”
He let out a ragged breath. “I’ll stay in touch. How… how is she?”
“She won’t speak. For whatever reason, she clings to me. I guess I make her feel safe. There are scars on her arms from wrist to elbow. Some worse than others.” I cleared my throat. “She’s beautiful, Hatchet. And sweet. You’d be proud of how strong she is. She learned to survive, even though she had no one to support her.”
“Thanks, Fox. Just… tell her I’m thinking about her, and I’ll see her soon. I can’t believe her mother kept her from me. If I find that bitch, she’s dead.”
Couldn’t blame him for feeling that way. “Take care of business and don’t worry about Raven. She can stay here as long as she needs to.”
Hatchet ended the call, and I decided to check on Raven’s clothes before I did anything else. The washer had finished, so I tossed her things into the dryer. Then I loaded her shorts into the washer. It wouldn’t take them long to dry when I got up in the morning.
I walked softly down the hall. When I got to Raven’s room, I’d hoped to find her asleep. Instead, she watched the doorway. If she wanted me to stay in the same bed with her, I needed to make her understand how a man’s body worked, without freaking her the fuck out. I had no idea what sort of experience, if any, she’d had before the cowboys raped her. Clearly her luck with men had been utter shit since meeting those fuckers.
She patted the bed again and I went to stand beside it. “Before I agree to stay in here with you tonight, there’s something we need to discuss. Or rather, something I need to say, and you’ll have to let me know if it’s a deal breaker.”
Raven tipped her head sideways and waited for me to continue. Too fucking cute. I rubbed at my chest, where an odd ache had started to build. I’d never met someone like her, and I worried I’d get attached while she stayed with me. Maybe Hatchet wouldn’t take as long as he’d thought.
“I know men have been hurting you for a long while.” She slightly tensed but didn’t bolt. I considered that a small win. “Um, I’m guessing you don’t know much about men other than the bad parts.”
She lifted a shoulder in a shrug. Well, that was clear as mud.
“In the mornings, I…ah…” I cleared my throat. “My dick gets hard in the morning. Doesn’t matter if I’m alone or with a woman. For that matter, sometimes my dreams are so real I’ll get hard in the middle of the night. If I share the bed with you, I can’t stop it from happening, and I’m worried it will freak you out.”
She pressed her lips together and her gaze dropped to my crotch. Did she worry I’d be hard right now? I couldn’t read her expression at the moment, but the longer she stared at my dick, the more I wanted to run from the damn room.
“It doesn’t mean I expect anything from you. Do you understand? It’s not something I can control. It will go down on its own, or I can take care of it in the shower.”
She still hadn’t looked up. I shifted, ready to bolt from the room, when she shocked the shit out of me by reaching out and placing her hand over the front of my boxers. My cock started to get hard, and I tried like hell to make it soften. Thinking of rotting flesh, maggots, or seriously fucked-up porn I’d stumbled across by accident. None of it seemed to help. Fuck my life.
“Raven, if you keep touching me, my dick is going to get harder.” She lifted her gaze to mine, a hint of challenge in her eyes. She pressed her hand to me a little tighter. What. The. Fuck? “Pretty girl, you don’t want this. You’ve been hurt. Badly. If you want me to hold you until you fall asleep, I can do that. I won’t touch you anywhere you don’t want me to. Ever.”
Her brow creased and she removed her hand, patting the bed again. I shook my head, telling myself what a rotten idea it was. Still, if she felt safer with me in here, I’d give her that. Might fucking kill me, but I’d do it. I got into bed next to her, keeping as close to the edge as I could. Raven inched closer and I lifted my arm. She snuggled against me and placed her head on my chest. The moment her body relaxed, I felt my own tension drift away. I had no idea where this was going, or what she was thinking, but if she needed me close I could give her that much.