Honey Stone

From Inside and Out

'I don't like it Tom.' Nash said as he ruffled his wild hair and thrust his phone back into his pocket.

'She not good? Was Vi right?' Preach asked from his seat, his eyes hooded but the men knew he was bubbling beneath his calm exterior.

'She's pretending to be fine. Something if definitely up with her. If I find out its who ever hurt her in that damn school, I'll fucking kill them.' Nash snarled.

Tommy cleared his throat, shuffled his feet and looked rueful. 'What?' demanded Nash. 'What do you know?'

'I didn't think too much of it.' Tommy began with a huff as he crossed his arms and stared at the younger man. 'There's been some fucker hanging about her. Ellis called me to say she was at the diner with him, I went over and found him with her.'

'What! Who?' Nash demanded standing straighter and clenching his teeth tightly. 'When was this?'

'It was a few days ago, right before we headed out. I don't know his name, he was just there, she don't like him much but he's not taking the hint.' Tommy replied, ignoring the obvious signs anger that Nash was displaying. His Sergeant at Arms was well known for his temper. 'I told her to talk to you about it.'

'Really. Then why didn't she tell me.' Nash seethed, his fists balling and his eyes flashing with menace.

'Probably because she guessed you'd act this way with her.' Tommy said truthfully before he straightened up and walked away.

Nash staggered back a step. He was indeed raging and snarling. Was she still afraid? All her life she'd been surrounded by shitheads and angry men. He made a vow there and then, to hide this side of himself from her, to only allow her to see his good nature and kindness.

Nash followed after Tommy a little abashed 'Did she tell you anything else?'

Tommy looked round at him and saw that he was in better control 'All I know is that he's in school with her. She called him her shadow.'

Preach came closer to the two men. 'Vi said there had been someone making comments bout us. You reckon that's him too Tom?'

'What sort of comments? Jesus, am I the only one who knows fuck all about this?' Nash blustered and threw his arms in the air in frustration.

'Vi said it was the usual shit, Honey's been warned off us, that's all I know.' Preach replied in his cool calm tone, following Tommy's lead and ignoring Nash's behaviour.

'Sounds bout right.' Tommy grunted. 'Call your girl back, tell her to get her stuff. I'll call someone to go pick her up. She can stay at the club. That alright with you Nash?'

'Damn right it is. I wanted her there in the beginning.' Nash responded as he dug for his phone.

He punched number but it just rang and rang; no-one picked up. Nash snarled and cursed and the other two men looked at him with panic in their eyes as he shook his head. Tommy spoke rapidly to the person at the end of his call but Nash wasn't listening to the words. In his ears was the sound of ringing on and on.

*

Honey was too terrified to move. The sound seemed to come from everywhere. She was still on the floor, where she'd been when the lights went out but now she was curled in foetal position with hands clamped to her ears. It had started off with someone banging on her bedroom window but now there was banging on what she felt was all the windows, the walls and the doors. At one point she was sure someone was on the roof.

Who was it? What would happen if they got in? As suddenly as that thought occurred to her, the lights came back on. Honey squeezed her eyes shut at the sudden assault to her retinas but she realised the banging had stopped. Cautiously, she crept towards the door and peered down the hall. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, nothing moved. The house was silent.

She staggered to her feet and tiptoed down the passage into the lounge. On the table, in the centre of the room, where nothing had been before, was a huge bouquet of roses. Red roses. She stared at them in horror. Fear was running through her, spearing its icy fingers into her soul and chilling her to the bone, her hands tingled and dark edges encircled her vision as the room swam.

Lights flashed outside the window and Honey threw herself flat to the floor. The sound of a throaty engine was close by and she listened as the sound died away. She also listened to the metallic sound of a door opening and closing and the scuff of steps as they approached the door. A knock came but Honey stayed down, hands covering her head and praying for this night to be over.

The knock came again, more forceful this time. 'Miss Honey? Are you alright. Its me, Hank. Tommy asked me to come over. Can you open the door for me?' came the voice of the person on the otherside of the wood.

'Hank!' Honey cried out weakly as she flung herself up and toward the door. She opened it a tiny crack and saw Hanks gentle face smiling at her throught he gap. 'Why are you here?' she whimpered.

'Can you let me in Honey please. Tommy called and asked me to take you back to the clubhouse. Seems the club members are all riled up about you being here alone.'

Honey sniffed and opened the door to allow Hank in. 'No-one called me.' she croaked.

'Nash been trying to reach you for ages by all accounts. No answer. Hold up miss, let me just let the Prez know I'm with you.' Hank said smoothly, his presence was somewhat calming but she knew that he shouldn't be alone with her. She scuttled quickly to the bedroom and scooped her phone up from the floor. 18 missed calls and 6 messages.

As she returned to Hank she could hear him talking on his phone 'Hold on, she's here now, I'll put her on.' he held the phone out and Honey took it.

'Hello?' her voice sounded un-natural and strained.

'Babe! Are you alright?' Nash said in a rush, panicked by the fear he could her in her sharp breaths.

'I'm just a bit spooked, that's all.' she lied. 'The lights took a long time to come back on.'

'Princess I need you to do something for me. Are you listening? Get a bag and put a few things in it, go with Hank and he'll take you to the club. Vi and Raven are sorting you out with a room. I want you staying there until I'm back. Will you do that?'

'Okay.' she whispered on a trembling sigh, knowing it was for the best. Someone had been in her house and there was no way she was staying there alone now.

Nash was boiling inside. If something bad hadn't just happened, she would never have agreed so easily. He cast Tommy a meaningful glance and his president glowered back. 'Honey? I want to ask you something and I need you to tell me the truth. Has anyone hurt you?'

'No'

Nash relaxed infinitesimally 'Has anyone approached you. Anyone that shouldn't have?'

Honey's eyes glanced at Hank but despite knowing that under normal circumstances he wouldn't be allowed anywhere near her, she trusted him as she trusted any of her brothers. 'No' she replied.

'I know you're lying to me. Tommy told me about this piece of shit that's been hanging about you. Now, you know lying makes me crazy so I want you to please be honest and remember that I will know if you are hiding things from me.' Nash's voice was cold and Honey cringed. 'Last question princess. What just happened to make you scared?'

'Someone broke in.'

The words were out before she could stop them. She could hear shouting from the phone; Hank, galvanised into action with a frantic light in his eyes, was grabbing items of clothing, including the bags from the couch. A gun appeared in his hands and his eyes were everywhere.

'GET OUT!' Nash was shouting from the phone. 'DO YOU HEAR ME? GET OUT NOW!'