Broken Skulls MC: Aurelia's Love

Chapter 13

trigger warning- Violence

The ringing persisted as I came to. Derek was sniffling beside me. I blinked and felt the throbbing welt at my temple pulse harder.

"Ow." I mustered, blinking the crust out of my eyes. My cheeks felt full and sore as I swirled my tongue on the inside. My shoulder pulsed and strained in the awkward position I was left in. It was definitely injured, fractured maybe but definitely injured.

"Oh my god, Aurelia." Derek cracked, he shuffled closer helping me shift onto his leg and he lifted me up so I could sit up. "You might have a concussion, and I think your shoulder is dislocated, I can't tell for sure though."

I huffed a laugh, ever the doctor he was. I leaned back onto the couch behind us, looking at the place I had hidden my phone. 

"How long was I out."

"I don't know, but it's pretty dark now." he said in a hushed tone, his eyes shifted to the ceiling above us, where they were. "I think they're trying to start the boat."

"Jesus, do you think-"

"They don't know I speak spanish." he blurted, eyes wide as he relented all he had heard. "They want money- cash, something about meeting at certain coordinates."

"All this for money? I don't understand." I wobbled, my lip moving more than I wanted it to. My head hurt so much, I thought about just closing my eyes again and have some semblance of peace.

"I don't know much but- I heard something about a brother and murder, something about getting back at the club. Do you have an idea of what they're talking about? Did someone in the club die?"

I frowned, no one had died last year, not even when the club went to the border. The only murder that had happened was the cartel members that took me.

"That one guy, the one with the gun." Derek spoke. "Don't you get the feeling we saw him before?"

I didn't get a chance to answer Derek's question as the sound of the engine revving, humming the boat to life. We rocked around as it began to move in the water. Derek looked at me, eyes full of worry, like we wouldn't see solid ground again. I had to look away from him, because I wasn't sure we would either.

It was disorienting, being out at sea, unable to tell which way we were going, whether we were moving or standing still. The boat just kept rocking, my head was swimming, a headache slowly crawling across my forehead, from its source at my temple. My back was aching as well, I felt like I had the worst case of period cramps I've endured since I was a kid.

My head leaned against Derek's shoulder, I tried keeping my groaning down but every harsh wave that rocked us together only increased the pain.

Derek tried to console me, the hushed whispers of encouragement everytime I groaned, he'd leaned further down craning his neck to the side to give me more space to rest on. I knew he was in pain as well, so I tried saying things back, asking if he needed me to move or shift my weight. But he declined, saying he was fine.

I couldn't help but feel like this was all my fault. If I hadn't agreed to go out with him, if I had been honest with myself sooner and been with Sleeper, If I hadn't been raped so many years ago. He wouldn't be here, he'd be at work, without a broken nose and possibly other injuries, blissfully unaware of this part of my life.

The engine cut off, both Derek and I sat up a little straighter, ears reaching towards the ceiling above us to try and hear something, anything to help us figure out what was coming next.

"They're coming." Derek spoke and we waited. My shoulders twitched, wanting to cower so far into myself I disappeared. They came, the same two men, one holding a gun just like before. He motioned with the gun for us to stand up. I looked at Derek as we both clumsily hoisted ourselves up, leaning against each other for support. My balance was disrupted by my hands still tied behind my back.