Chapter 85: Truth

I was about three blocks from Jessie's house when I heard the first motorcycle. Only a few days ago, I would have been running away from that noise. Well, maybe it was more than a few. I really didn't know what day it was.
A motorcycle rounded the corner. It came right for me. I stopped as I watched it come to me. I had a moment of terror then remembered Mr. Kline could be right behind me. I would take this form of punishment one hundred times over. I didn't care if they changed their minds and beat the shit out of me. Anything was better than what I'd just been through.
The motorcycle stopped. Cole removed his helmet.
"Beloved, you're okay."
I nodded. A deep appreciation struck me. Someone was actually glad I was okay. Someone noticed I was missing. I fought back the tears and failed.
Cole reached a hand out for me. "Beloved, please."
I almost ran the three steps to him.
"Where's Liam?" I asked, trying to keep my voice even.
Cole brushed the tears from my face awkwardly with one hand. It's like he wasn't quite sure how to handle tears. "He's on the frontlines. Everyone is looking for you."
"Mr. Kline had me. Who are they fighting?"
"The Grange. Liam guessed it would be Mr. Kline, but no one had a way in. The orc brothers raided the place. They brought the giants in to sniff you out, but they couldn't get passed a door or something."
"I know. There is a bunch of tunnels underneath the store. I followed one and ended up out here."
"Wow, really? This is House territory. That's a long trek." He looked me up and down. His eyes lingered on my bloodied shirt.
"I'm okay, really. I healed. I just want to get out of here."
"Alright, hop on, let's go."
A few more motorcycles pulled in behind us. Cole handed me his helmet. I swung my leg over. I traced the wings on his black leather jacket. I'd never gotten a chance to see them up close. It was an intricate embroider of a curvy woman with angel wings bent forward, blowing a kiss. Above it in scripted writing read "Ardor Brothers."
The motorcycles pulled in closer around me like bodyguards. Cole revved his bike and took off. My arms tightened around his jacket. I could feel the hard muscles beneath. I wondered briefly since I was the leader, if I could take members to bed, or if it was just the touch that they sought. I pushed the thought aside. I didn't know if I was ready for all that, but it didn't keep me from enjoying Cole's body while we rode. I was careful not to pull any power from him, though. I didn't want him to get distracted, and we all crashed.
It took twenty minutes to get back across town to the bar. Liam was standing with a group of other orcs waiting for me. His arms were crossed. His cheek was twitching just below his eye. We wove around the packed parking lot. There were so many motorcycles in the parking lot, more than the number of brothers I had seen the first night. There were maybe seventy or so bikes parked tight together.
Cole pulled right up to him and parked sideways. I slid off the bike and pulled the helmet off.
Liam's face relaxed a little. "Beloved."
Relief hit me. I was finally safe again. I could feel those tears threatening to fall. I wiped at them with the back of my hand.
"Are you hurt?" Liam asked.
I shook my head. "I'm fine. I'm just happy to be back." I looked around. Everyone was staring at me. I felt so awkward. I didn't even know these people, yet I would rather be surrounded by an army of them than a single Mr. Kline.
"Beloved?" Liam stepped forward.
I wiped at my tears again. Stupid emotions. I was supposed to be some sort of leader, but I couldn't even keep my face in check. I broke completely and stumbled towards Liam. He caught me. I clung to his middle. I buried my face into the chest of his leather jacket and held on like a child. Very slowly, his arms came around me in a very gentle hug. It was like he wasn't sure what to do with me.
"Was it Mr. Kline?" Liam asked.
"Yes," I choked out. I was trying not to sob. I was trying to push it all back down.
Liam's voice rose over the crowd. "It was The Grange Crew. We are now at war. I want their buildings destroyed. I don't want a single member left standing. They dared to take our beloved. Burn them to the ground."
Voices rose in a cheer behind me. Motorcycle engines started revving. The noise was utterly terrifying, but it was all for me.
I pulled at Liam's jacket. He bent to hear me, but my words were lost in the noise. He bent further and lifted me like a doll. I clung to his neck while my feet hung. He walked me down the stairs into the bar and set me on the counter.
He pulled back to look at me. I grabbed his jacket before he could step too far away from me. Even with me sitting on the counter, he was still taller than me. The look of worry that washed his orc face twisted my stomach into knots. I should be terrified of this monster, but that wasn't what I felt. I felt guilty. I felt terrible for making him worry so much about me.
He waited for me to find my voice.
At first, my voice came out small, but after a few words, I was able to talk almost normally. "It... Mr. Kline... he's working with the darkness. The darkness killed Mila and Matei. It's wearing Mila like a suit."
"So, you did know what happened to Matei."
I dropped my eyes. "It's only a guess. I know what happened to Mila. I assume the same thing happened to Matei." I continued in a rush, lifting my eyes back up. "Please, don't send them into that much danger. The darkness is powerful. I don't want anyone to get hurt."
Liam set his cold hand on my shoulder. "The brothers need revenge. If we don't give them something to shoot, they will go off on their own, causing havoc with all the factions. They will be okay. We have called in brothers from our sister clubs in other cities. We have more numbers than them."
"They are underground in the tunnels. That's where they were keeping me. Please, I don't want anyone to get hurt."
"That is not your decision. That is each man's decision to make. They put their own life on the line based on their own choice. No one is out there that doesn't want to be."
I could feel another bout of tears coming to the surface. I didn't know what was wrong with me. The Lanie in me was raging at the weakness I was showing, but I couldn't keep it in. I was so relieved to be here. I was so relieved to be away from Mr. Kline.
"I should have listened to you. I shouldn't have gone to work. I just... I just didn't think he would..." I choked on the words.
"Did he?"
I shook my head. I rubbed at my tears with the palms of my hands. "He put me in a cell and watched me."
"Watched you?"
I nodded. "He wouldn't go away. He just watched me for hours and hours. Like a bug in a jar."
Liam raised a brow. "He watched you."
"It was awful."
He frowned. "I think you need some rest." He turned to the bartender. "Cherry? Can you see that she gets to bed?"
I panicked. I didn't want to be alone. I didn't want Mr. Kline to find me again. I pulled on Liam's jacket. "Don't go. Don't leave me."
His hand covered mine as he tried to pry my fingers off his jacket. "Beloved, I'm an orc. I'm not good at this emotional stuff."
I looked at him with tear-filled eyes. "Please, Liam?"