Pussy looked at Homer, remembering every part of his body. The next time they met, Pussy was the only one coming out alive.
****
“Honey, what the hell is going on? Finding out you were missing scared me. I begged Kenneth to not stop looking until he found you. It’s not like you to not come home. When he found out about you, he wouldn’t stop ranting about the biker group in town. I couldn’t get him to make any sense,” her mother said.
“I’m sorry, Mom. I shouldn’t have left you in the dark like that.” She was sitting on Pussy’s bed while her mother bustled around the room, clearly tidying up the mess. “Mom, sit with me. This is his room, and he’ll like it done a certain way.”
“It’s filthy.”
“It’s his room.” Sasha waited until the bed dipped.
Her mother took hold of her hands, running shaking fingers over her wrist. She was going into withdrawal already, and it had been at least two hours since she last drank. Sasha was worried.
“Mom, you’ve got a problem.”
“I know I have, honey. Don’t you think I don’t know that?” She heard her mother sob. “When did things start to get so f**king bad? When did I mess up?”
“Mom?” She reached up and placed a hand on her cheek. “It’s not your fault.”
“Yes, it is. I’m the one who brought him into our home. I let him near you. If I’d been sensible you wouldn’t be sitting here blind.” She listened as her mother withdrew and started to sob. “It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have taken the pills and started drinking. You needed me most, and I chose to look the other way. What kind of a parent am I if I can’t even look after my own daughter? When he told me you fell downstairs, I didn’t think it was possible, but I believed him.”
Sasha wished there was something she could say to make it all better for her. There was nothing. Kenneth entered their lives, built up some fantasy world for her mother, and then destroyed it just as quickly.
“You’ve got to stay away from Kenneth, Mom. He’s bad news, and he will hurt you if given half the chance.” She reached out to grasp her hands.
“Oh, honey. Kenneth doesn’t want to hurt me. He wants me all to himself. It’s you he wants to hurt, and I can’t let him do that.” Fingers touched her face, pushing some hair out of the way.
“What do you mean?”
“He’s making plans, Sasha. Plans that keep you out of the picture and take you away from me and here. I came with him in the hope of seeing you settled and happy, but I know he won’t leave you alone completely. The moment I saw you with, Pussy, I knew you were finally safe, but Kenneth won’t stop until you’re gone. You’re a lot braver than I am.” Her mother tightened her grip. “You’ve got to stay away from Kenneth now. He’s dangerous, and he will try to get what he wants.”
“Which is why neither of you are leaving this clubhouse,” Pussy said.
His voice came somewhere in front of her.
“What did you hear?” she asked.
“All of it. You’re going to need to tell me exactly what you told Sasha, and I’m going to need to know it all.”
Her mother stood, moving away from her.
“Wait, please don’t do this without me.”
“The rest of the club, do they need to hear this?” Pussy asked.
“Only if they think they can help. I don’t want anything bad happening to my daughter. She’s been through enough.” Sasha felt her mother’s hands shake. They were getting worse with every moment that passed. “I’m going to need to go to rehab. I’ve got a serious problem, and I’m not strong enough to get through this.”
“We’ll help you.” There was some more movement. “Baby, I’m going to touch you and help you walk downstairs. Are you okay with that?”
“Yes. I’m okay.”
“Go on ahead of us,” Pussy said.
She heard the door opening, and the footsteps started to fade. “You can’t marry me, Pussy.”
“Why can’t I?”
“Today must have shown you that I’m a bad choice. I couldn’t protect anyone. I’m blind, and you need someone strong.” She hated saying the words, and the thought of losing Pussy over it was tearing her apart.
He cupped her face, tilting her head back. “Now you listen to me, Sasha. We’re going to get married. You’re going to become my wife, and you’re going to do that because you love me. I don’t give a f**k about you being able to take care of yourself. That’s my job. I’ll take care of you.”
“Pussy?” She went to complain. He silenced her with his lips.
His tongue plundered her mouth.
Moaning, she circled her arms around his neck, loving the feel of his hard body pressed against hers. He slid his fingers into her hair, tightening on the strands. “So f**king beautiful,” he said, muttering against her lips. “Now, no more talk of what you can and can’t do. I don’t need a protector, Sasha.”
“I want to be everything you need.”
“You are. Believe me, you’re more than you think you are.” He rubbed his nose against hers. “Stop stressing out. Come on, we need to get out of here and join the others before I f**k you again.”
She liked the thought of him f**king her more than going to discuss Kenneth. Her stepfather always ruined the fun. Sasha hated his intrusion in her life. There were times she truly believed she’d never get him out of her life.
Pussy took the lead, holding her hand and moving her downstairs. She held onto the banister and his hand like they were lifelines, which they were. Slowly, she moved downstairs with his aid.
She heard the rumbling of voices as they were all talking. Some were laughing, while others clearly didn’t find anything amusing.
Once they were inside the room, silence fell.
“Come on then. I’ve not got all day to listen to this,” Devil said. “My woman is tucked up in bed because of your f**king husband.”
Sasha winced, wanting to go to her mother.
“Don’t. She needs to realize how bad he is.” Pussy held her tight to him. His fingers stroked her stomach through her clothing. She loved the way he touched her. He moved his touch to under her shirt. Pussy touched skin, and she felt like electricity had exploded all over her body. Closing her eyes, she tried to focus on what was happening in front of her. She couldn’t. His touch took her mind away from the problems they were all facing.