Page 14 of Empower

I looked over at Red and asked, “What was that all about? I told y’all, this is all I have. I just want to get out of here.”

“That fucker.” Red was smiling and shaking his head.

I looked over my shoulder at Hippie, and asked, “Do you know what that’s about?”

He nodded then smirked, “Yeah. Storm doesn’t take too kindly to men mistreating women. Imagining he’ll have swollen knuckles when he gets done.”

I didn’t say what was on my mind.

Why would he do that for me?

He didn’t know me from Adam.

But I kept my lips closed and watched the front door along with Red and Hippie.

I wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but two of the men walked out with a pile of… my eyes squinted in the dark trying to make it all... clothes. Karly was running behind them in a set of barely their pajamas, yelling and screeching.

One of the men that had stayed back, ran up to her, grabbed her, and held her in place as one of the men grabbed a lighter, flicked it open, and then, I sat back and felt a smile pull at my lips as all the clothes in the pile set off large fiery flames.

The man that I had learned was named Storm came out moments later, ignored Karly, and headed in our direction.

Once he made it to us, Red called out, “The fucker still breathing?”

Storm looked at me briefly, then he looked at Red, “Yeah. Gonna be hurting for a while.” And with that said, he made a finger motion, and that was when Hippie started the van and Red closed my door.

And then… one by one, the guys that came with Red, walked by my window and knocked their knuckles against the glass, twice.

Once the last guy did that, I turned to look at Hippie and asked, “Why did they do that?”

He smirked, “Their way of letting you know they have your back. If something ever happens, you can go to any of them and tell them. They’ll take care of it.”

And that was when Storm did the same thing, and yes, Hippie was right. I saw that his knuckles were swollen, and flecks of blood could be seen.

I got a warm feeling in the pit of my stomach, nothing like the sight of Storm’s busted knuckles, but that feeling was there, nonetheless.

That was when I heard the rumble again as all the bikes started at once.

Hippie looked at me, smiled, and then asked, "You ready?”

I looked at him, then at the line of bikes in front of me, and grinned, “Yeah, definitely ready.”

***

Slowly, I started to come back online when someone was shaking my shoulder.

Opening my eyes, I turned my head and looked at Hippie.

“Thank you,” Hippie said as he shut the van off.

I wiped the sleep from my eyes and asked, “Umm, you’re welcome. But what exactly are you thanking me for?”

“For not snoring.”

I giggled, and then my door was opened and there stood Red.

“Welcome to Wrath MC clubhouse darlin’. Time for breakfast, a quick tour, then we are headed to the store to fix this shit.” He tilted his head to my meager belongings in the back of the van.

I shook my head, “Red, it’s…”