Slow Ride (Hell's Tribe MC Series) [Book 1]

Chapter 28: Bruised and Beaten

I have been so excited to post this chapter for weeks now! Hopefully, you all get some of the answers you've been waiting for and probably an answer to a question you didn't even consider ;) Thank you all for reading and I hope you enjoy!!

Song for this chapter: Demons by Imagine Dragons

~Knox~

As much as I would have loved to kick Ronnie out into the storm for being the pain in the ass she was, I couldn't help but offer her shelter until the rain calmed down. We barely spoke and kept our distance in my living room, only uttering words to make plans about how we would get Nora away from Rigs so I could finally hear what she had to say. When the rain finally stopped altogether, I drove her home as we finally agreed on a course of action for this whole shitty situation. The ride in my truck was quiet and neither one of us reached for the radio to drown out the silence, although I wish I had. When we finally arrived at her apartment, I pulled into a parking spot and cut the engine.

"So tomorrow?" I asked, referring to the decision we had both come to.

Ronnie nodded. "I'll call Tawny in the morning. "I'll tell her I wanna get Nora out of the clubhouse to go get our nails done or some shit.

"How are you gonna get me and Nora alone?" I questioned. "Tawny can't know, she'll go straight to Mick."

"Tomorrow is Friday," Ronnie, announced. "Tawny always spends Fridays with Trudy shopping for the clubhouse and then they go for lunch and bring it all by for the prospects to unload. She won't come. It'll just be me and her and we'll meet you back here so you two can talk."

"You think that'll work?" I questioned.

Ronnie shrugged. "I don't see why not. The only potential problem I see is if Rigs won't let her go for some reason."

I shook my head. "Nah, he'll be fine." Rigs didn't like to be overtly aggressive or possessive in front of the head guys, so I knew he wouldn't stop Nora from leaving the clubhouse.

"Ok then," Ronnie, agreed. "I'll call you tomorrow when I have her and meet you back at my place."

"Sounds like a plan, Sweets," I said.

Ronnie winced at the name. "Yeah. Thanks for th-the ride," she stuttered, nervously reaching for the door handle.

I shot her an awkward wave and she held up her hand as she disappeared behind the staircase leading to her floor.

I had a feeling this was all going to turn to shit, but Ronnie's insistence that I talk to Nora had me convinced. I didn't feel like I owed Nora anything at this point, but something about hearing that she might still be getting hit by Rigs triggered my feelings from the past. Hearing it the first time was bad enough. I almost lost it then and there when I saw her bruised and beaten at my door that night, but this would be worse. To know that she had gone back to a man who did that to her, that she defended him and stayed with him even though she had two kids to think about, was enough to drive me crazy. I felt the grip on my steering wheel tighten as I was beginning to feel my anger bubble up inside me. I didn't know if Rigs hurting her was what Nora wanted to talk to me about, but I was beginning to think Ronnie's suspicions were right.

Nora seemed different from the last time I'd seen her. It was like the light in her eyes had gone out and a piece of her had died. If Rigs was the reason for all this, I couldn't deny that I'd probably revisit the actions that had got me kicked out of the Arizona charter in the first place.

It was beginning to feel like being a part of the club was like living life on parole. I was always worrying about what the guys would think or do if I did something wrong. I fucked things up with Ronnie because I knew the shit it would cause if we came out to everyone, and now I was avoiding Nora and hesitant to even speak to her because of what might happen with that too. I was sick of this shit.