Nope, not the case. The day I went into labor, I called his phone. When he answered, moans and groans could be heard in the background. “What?” he demanded.
“I . . . I’m . . . the babies are coming,” I stammered.
“Well, about damn time,” he grunts. “I’ll send the prospect to take you to the hospital. I’ll be there when I’m done fuckin’.” He had disconnected before I could tell him not to worry about coming to the hospital.
Lucien didn’t show up until hours after the babies were born. I’d been smart enough to go ahead and name them, giving them my last name instead of Lucien’s. That earned me a slap across the face.
“Told you, Rachel, you belong to me, same as those kids do. You don’t make decisions like you did,” he growls.
I didn’t say a word to him. Let him be pissed at me. At least I got to name my children what I wanted to. When I first held them in my arms, I knew I had to get out and do it as soon as possible.
As the weeks went by, Lucien was barely around, not wanting to hear Luca’s and Corinne’s screams. Which I was grateful for. The less time I spent in his presence, the better.
Ten weeks after the babies were born, I overheard Lucien on the phone with his dad, Titan, talking about his plans to transfer to the Lucifer’s Heretics clubhouse in Kansas and that he was bringing all of us with him. I don't think so. Then he said the most horrifying words he could— “Find a buyer for the brat of a daughter. She’ll pull in a good chunk of money.” His laughter caused me to flinch.
Before he disconnected with his dad, he spotted me eavesdropping. “I was just going to see if you’d go get some formula for Luca and Corinne,” I stutter.
Lucien doesn’t say a word as he begins to beat me, slamming his fists into my body. As I crumble to the floor, he kicks me in the ribs repeatedly. “Don’t ever fuckin’ listen to my conversations, bitch,” he growls.
“Rachel, wake up, we’re here,” Milley says, but something about her tone seems off.
“You okay,” I ask before clearing my throat.
Nodding vigorously, she puts the car in park. “I’m sorry, Ray Ray,” she whimpers just as my door is thrown open, and I’m snatched out of the car.
I come face to face with not Lucien but someone far worse— Raynor.
“Welcome back, Rachel. Where’re my cousin’s son and brat of a daughter?”
15
Rachel
“Wh . . . Wha . . . What are you doing here, Raynor?” I stammer nervously as fear seeps through my pores. Raynor may be hot, but he’s always given me the creeps, though he stayed at a distance because of Lucien.
“I’m here on Lucien’s behalf,” Raynor sneers, grabbing ahold of me. “Milley, get your ass to the clubhouse. Torben is waiting for you.”
“I’m so sorry, Ray Ray. I didn’t have a choice,” Milley whispers before getting back in her car.
I want to tell her it’s okay, but Raynor doesn’t give me a chance. I can’t be mad at her even if I wanted to, she’d tried to warn me in her own way. Milley had asked if I’d been sure about this when she’d picked me up, then went on to ask what if Lucien brought Torben or Raynor with him. That should have been a red light for me right there.
But in my need to protect Luca and Corinne, I refused to listen to what she was saying.
Good one, Rachel. Could you be any more stupid than to not read between the lines? Might as well pray now because Raynor will kill you.
“Where are Lucien’s brats, cunt?” Raynor asks as he drags me into the house I’d shared with Lucien.
“Safe away from the lot of you,” I mutter as he releases his death grip on my arm only to throw a fist to my face. I stagger backward, hitting the back of the door.
“Bitch, I suggest you learn your place,” Raynor snaps as he steps into my space, caging me with his arms. “Now, tell me where to find those brats you gave birth to.”
“Like I said, they’re somewhere safe,” I say, hoping the fear that’s raging through me doesn’t give me away. Men like Raynor feed on fear.
“You’re lucky Lucien isn’t here, Rachel, so I suggest you don’t push me. I have no problem putting you in a cage and shipping you off to Kansas for him to deal with,” he snarls.
“Then I guess that’s what you’ll have to do. I won’t tell you where Luca and Corinne are,” I snap.
Raynor lifts back from me as he gives me a sneer. Pulling out his phone, he presses some keys and puts it to his ear. Not even five seconds later, he says, “You were right, the stupid cunt came back here.”
After a small pause, Raynor smiles and pulls the phone from his ear. “You’re on speaker,” he says.
“Darlin’, you know, for someone as smart as you are, you are the stupidest fuckin’ bitch I know. Thinking you could run away from me. Told you before, you belong to me. Raynor’s going to take care of you until I get back there to grab your ass. I don’t have time to come after you, but before I get there, I suggest you have my boy with you,” Lucien snarls before disconnecting.
You’d have thought he wanted to prolong his little speech, taunting me, but nope, he rushed through it and hung up.
“You’ll have to excuse Lucien’s abruptness due to the fact the day you decided to take off, he couldn’t go after you and his father’s killer at the same time. Told him I’d handle you for him until he avenges his old man’s death,” Raynor sneers.
“Well, lucky you,” I say snidely.
“Yeah, lucky
