Locked On

Chapter 9

Bluebell

A thousand thoughts were flying through my mind as Hawk guided his bike back to my apartment building. I could hardly make sense of what had happened in the last hour. I didn't understand why this biker was so insistent on interfering with my life. One thing was certain though, I couldn't go back to Mr Montarrio now. Not after guns were drawn and waved about over me. He would surely kill me for my part in the disturbance. I realised we had come to a stop in front of my building. I leapt off the bike and tore the helmet from my head. Hawk's entrancing green eyes followed my movements.

'Why would you go back there? I was paying half your expenses specifically so you wouldn't have to,' he grumbled as he rose from the seat of his bike.

'You..' My eyes widened at the knowledge that my rent and utilities bill halving was the bikers doing. I was suspicious when my landlord gave me the new amount as he has always been known to be a greedy man but I never would have guessed the reason. 'How did you expect I was going to be able to pay the other half?' I spat at him. I felt strangely guilty as frown took over his handsome features.

'I heard you'd found work at a bar.'

I laughed humourlessly, 'I tried bartending a while ago. Can't make cocktails or pull a beer with a good head on it to save my life. Really I have no other talents then dancing and taking my clothes off while I do it is the only sure way I can make money. Well I suppose I should say was. You've definitely ruined that for me now.'

'You weren't safe there!' Hawk raged as his eyes flicked down to the fading bruises across my throat. I self-consciously brought my hand up to rub at the object of his dark gaze.

'I was safer than I am now! While ever I was pulling a good amount of customers in it was in his best interest to keep me alive and well enough to work. He will kill me for what has happened tonight!'

'I only wanted-' Hawk started but I didn't give him a chance to say anything further as I spun on my heel and disappeared in to my apartment building.

As I reached my door I spotted Mel outside Martha's door. My eyes narrowed as they took in the man she was engrossed in conversation with. He was young looking and wore a denim cut with the word Prospect across the back of it with the Sons of Lucifer insignia. It was obviously her who had given Hawk the idea that I had found work at a bar as that is what Martha had told her the day we met. Over the past month that Mel had been living with Martha and helping take care of Dylan I'd come to regard her as a friend and the idea that she had been keeping tabs on me for Hawk felt like a betrayal.

'Oh Bell you're home early! Is everything alright?' Mel asked as I came to a stop by her door.

'I'm sure you'll be informed if you haven't already,' I muttered as I flicked my eyes back to the Prospect standing at her side. A sheepish look floated across her face as she opened her mouth to speak. 'Look Mel I really don't want to hear it. I've had a long day. I'm just here to pick Dylan up.'

'Of course,' she said sadly as she opened the door for me.

Dylan was fast asleep on the couch in Martha's living room and I scooped in up into my arms struggling a little under the weight and awkward length of him as I carried him across the hall and into our apartment. I settled him back down on our lounge and then raced into his room. I pulled a suitcase from the top of his cupboard and tore his room apart trying to fit as many of his belongings in as I could. I then rushed to my room and the bathroom and again packed as much as I could into a second suitcase I had retrieved from my room. I placed the suitcases by the front door and looked at my watch. It had just turned midnight. The first train out of town didn't leave till five in the morning so I set an alarm on my phone and settled down on the couch next to Dylan and slowly sleep claimed me.

I was ripped from my slumber by the sound of a gunshot. Dylan sat up beside me with terror bright in his eyes. We sat still and quiet for what seemed like an eternity but was more likely a few seconds before the horrendous noise of someone trying to kick in our door made me jump in to action.

'Dylan go to the bathroom and lock the door!' I urgently hissed at him as I shoved him in the direction of the bathroom.

'But mom what about you?' He asked as tears sprung to his eyes.

'Now Dylan!' I cried as the sound of the front door cracking echoed through the apartment. Dylan did as I said and I rushed to grab the baseball bat from my room.

'Oh Venus!' A sinister voice called out as one last kick saw my door give way to the intruder. 'Mr Montarrio sends his regards!'

I stepped out of the shadow of the hall and swung the bat with all my might at the intruders head. Unfortunately for me his reflexes were too quick and his hand whipped up to catch the bat before impact.

'You little bitch!' He snarled as he ripped the bat from my hands. I turned to flee down the hall but the intruder caught my foot with his sending me crashing to the floor. Balling his fist tightly in my hair he dragged me back up. 'We're going to have some fun,' he sneered before his fist crashed down on me knocking me into unconsciousness.