Taste of Wolves

Chapter 48

She grabbed her burger and took a bite not really in the mood to eat but knew he was right. He kept urging her to eat until she'd eaten three quarters of her burger and at least half her fries. She didn't want to eat anymore and just lay back down. Seeing how much she'd eaten satisfied him so he quit telling her to eat. Chibs just watched the pair with a smile. She asked if she could go upstairs and lay down so Quinn excused them while he helped her upstairs and to bed. The medic promised he wasn't going anywhere. Quinn snaked his arm around her waist as he led her upstairs and to their bedroom. He helped her get undressed and into her nightshirt before turning down the covers and helping her into bed. She turned the TV on as he leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"I'm just downstairs if you need me." He stated before leaving her alone.

"You're a good 'ol man, Quinn. Just what the lass needs." Chibs told him making him grunt.

"If I was so good, she never would have been kidnapped and tortured." Quinn scoffed.

"You can't blame yourself for that. It could have happened t' anyone's 'ol lady. Gemma was taken a few years ago by Weston, tied up, and repeatedly raped. Don't feel bad about this, ok?" Chibs explained.

"I can't help it. She's my responsibility to look after. What would her aunt think if she knew I'd let this happen to her?" Quinn sighed.

"This wasn't your fault, brotha. You have t' quit thinking like this." Chibs exclaimed.

Quinn sighed, "I just love her so much, man. She's my whole world. Besides the club."

Chibs remained quiet figuring his brother had more to say. After a minute or so, Quinn looked over at the Scotsman.

"I'm planning on asking her to marry me. I already have the rings ordered I just have to go pick them up from the jewelers." Quinn told him making Chibs' eyes widen.

"Seriously?"

"Seriously. I love her, man. With everything in me. I don't just want her as my 'ol lady. I want her as my wife too." Quinn replied.

"Congrats brotha! I know Linda would love that you're going to marry Wolfie." Chibs stated remembering one of their conversations about his brother and her niece.

"Thanks. I just have to get the rings and find the right time to ask." Quinn chuckled.

"What do they look like?" Chibs asked.

Quin pulled up the jewelry store's website and browsed the selection until he found the rings he'd purchased. He handed his phone over so Chibs could check them out. The Scotsman nodded appreciatively with a smile.

"I think she'll love them." Chibs stated.

"I think so too. They remind me of her." Quinn replied.

The two men talked more of Quinn proposing and what kind of wedding she would want as they finished up their dinner. Chibs finally bid his brother a good evening shortly after he ate knowing Quinn wanted and needed to be by her side. Quinn walked him to the door before locking it behind him. He picked up all the trash from dinner before heading upstairs to check on his 'ol lady. She was fighting sleep as she half-assed watched TV. He smiled at her before stripping down to his boxers and climbing in beside her. Hearing her wheezing as she tried to breath made him frown. She scooted over so she could lay her head on his chest, despite the pain of being on her side, and draped an arm over his stomach.

"Get some rest, Lil Bit. I'm here and I'm not going anywhere." He told her before leaning down and kissing her forehead.

She immediately closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. He changed the channel looking for something that interested him enough to watch. Every so often, he'd look down at her to make sure she was still there afraid that finding her and bringing her home was just a dream and she was still missing. He hated hearing how she was breathing and hoped she was listening to her doctor's orders about taking deep breathes once an hour. He'd hate for her to wind up back in the hospital because of her stubbornness. Around midnight, he finally started drifting to sleep himself.

She woke up and found herself tied to a chair and gagged. Looking around and it appeared she was in some run-down warehouse. Feeling a bit cold, she looked down and realized she was only wearing her underware. There was no recollection of how she'd gotten into such a state of undress. Her pulse quickened and her fight-or-flight instincts kicked in when several men came through the door and approached her. They each eyed her up making her shudder at the looks she was getting and she was afraid she was about to be sexually assaulted. One male stepped forward and she figured he was the leader of the group.

Suddenly, her captor brought out a large knife making her eyes go wide. There was no telling what they were about to do with it but she was sure pain was coming her way. He smirked at her seeing how scared she was before he leaned down and sliced her left arm. It wasn't very deep she noted but it was quite painful and immediately started bleeding. He laughed as she cried before making another slice to her arm. He looked over her body before cutting a deep wound across her belly. She was sure she'd have a scar there and she hated the idea. She knew Rane wouldn't want her being so scarred up. With each cut to her torso and arms, she begged them to stop and told them she knew nothing.

She looked at her arms and thighs and through blurry, tear-filled eyes stared at all the cigarette burns she had littering her body. Hoping they wouldn't scar she looked up at her captor who was looking at her with the most sadistic grin she'd ever seen making her stomach drop to the floor. "Perhaps we should try something a little more drastic? What do you think?" he asked as he reached over the table that was a few feet away from her and took a pair of pliers. Her eyes widened again making her shake her head no and beg them to let her go because she knew nothing of the Sons' business. All she wanted was Rane. Her captor punched her in the stomach and called her a weak little girl. She screamed for Rane making the men in the room laugh at her.

"Lil Bit? Aria? Wake up!" She suddenly heard Rane's voice breaking through.

She called out for Rane again then felt herself being shaken.

"Aria, baby, wake up. It's just a dream. Wake up!" Quinn exclaimed making her sit up immediately then cry out from the pain.

Tears were streaking down her face, her heart was pounding in her ribcage, and her pulse was racing. Looking around the room, she discovered she was in her room in her house, with Rane sitting up next to her.

"Aria, it was just a bad dream. You're safe now. We've dealt with the bastards who kidnapped you." He softly stated, "It was just a bad dream and you're safe."

He laid down and gently pulled her into his arms as she continued to cry.

"Shh, Lil Bit. Everything's ok. You're safe. I promise." He tried to soothe her.

He began rubbing her back in an attempt at calming her down. It was something she always loved. With his other hand, he began wiping her face of her tears. She groaned as she scooted as close to him as she could get not wanting to be away from him. The pain she was in was nothing compared to the need of feeling him next to her. To know he was actually there, that he had actually rescued her. His quiet words of comfort, along with him rubbing her back, finally eased her back into an unsettled sleep. He, however, couldn't go back to sleep so easily. It worried him that she'd had a nightmare. Especially since she hadn't had them while she was in the hospital.

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