Hook (Brutal Chains MC #1)

Chapter 6

Six

Bea

I should be more concerned with the fact that Hook is basically holding me hostage in this chair. His arms are on either side of me. If I wanted to get out of this chair, I'd have to physically move him. Not that I could, now that he's closer to me, I can see how muscular he really is. I'm pretty sure he could hold me down with just one hand.

My stomach clenches at that thought.

He's not Lance.

Not everyone is Lance.

I release a deep breath and feel the warmth from Hook being so close to me against my body. It's been a few days since I've been warm and even though I know I should stay on my guard, I feel so good.

"Yo!" Hook shakes the chair slightly and I realize he must have said something to me. I was about to fall asleep right there. I'm so tired. Like every last muscle in my body is trying to wind down for a long sleep.

"What?" I ask annoyed and focus my eyes on him. I lean back in the chair not wanting to get any closer to him. The last thing I need right now is for him to get the wrong impression about anything.

"I asked you a question sweetheart. Didn't you hear me?"

I shake my head and look away, "Sorry I missed it. I'm... I haven't been able to get any sleep."

His eyes darkened and he stood up straight, moving his hands away from me. "Where are you staying?"

"I was staying in my car but as you know I don't have the option anymore." I give him a sickly sweet smile.

He squeezes his eyes shut and curses under his breath. "Fuck."

"Listen, I'll be fine." I don't want him feeling bad for me. I'm grown and can take care of myself.

"Bullshit. Who were those two men? Why were they looking for you?" Hook crosses his arms over his chest and glares down at me.

I could lie. Tell him that I've never seen them before in my life but I just don't have the energy to do it. I don't have the mental capacity to create and detail a lie right now.

"It's my ex-boyfriends friends. They all answer to him like a bunch of dogs." I scoff and narrow my eyes at Hook daring him to say something about my description of them.

"They sure seem like they were ready to do whatever necessary to find you. Why would your ex send them here for you?"

"I don't know why he'd send them here in particular. I'm sure they've been on the lookout for the car, it's the only thing linking me to my old life." I have to think hard about that. I thought I did everything I could to make sure no one would be able to trace me here but it doesn't seem like Lance and his friends had much trouble.

"Why did you need to leave your old life and don't bullshit me either. I don't have the patience to sit here trying to pull every ounce of information out of you. Either you tell me everything, or you can take your chances out on the street by yourself."

"After everything I've been through, you think being threatened with being on my own is really going to scare me?" I chuckle and shake my head.

"You're serious? You think you know the first thing about being on your own on these streets? I promise you, you don't. I can tell just from looking at you that you've lived a sheltered life. Sure you've fallen on hard times recently but you don't know what a hard life is."

"You don't know anything about me." I snarl at him.

"I know enough. Who is this bastard searching for you and tell me the truth."

"Lance. His name is Lance and he was my ex boyfriend before he went away for assault."

"Was it on you? Did he beat you?"

"He didn't go to jail because of me." I answer right away. Maybe it was too quick because Hook narrows his eyes at me.

“Stop avoiding the question. Did he assault you?” Hook's voice is harsh and demanding, causing a shiver to run down my spine.

I know lying to him is not an option. I can feel my heart racing as I try to find the right words. But deep down, I know that no matter what I say, there's a good chance Hook won't let me stay here for much longer.

“The charge wasn't specifically for assaulting me, but he has done it in the past.” My voice cracks as I speak, and I can feel tears pricking at the corners of my eyes. I hate talking about what Lance did to me. It makes me feel weak and vulnerable.

But staying here, wrapped in the warmth and safety, is worth the pain of reliving those memories. People always ask why I didn't just leave him, but they don't understand how complicated and dangerous leaving an abusive relationship can be. By the time you realize it's a no-win situation, you're already trapped with nowhere else to turn.

“I’m surprised he made it out of the clink in one piece.”

I jerk my eyes up to Hook, who's clenching his jaw over and over again. “What do you mean by that?”

“Most women beaters usually get a taste of their own medicine inside. He must have some real pull if he's straight out of jail and looking for you.” Hook gives a small shrug before he steps away from the chair and sits in the other one opposite me. “Look, I can't give you back your car, but you can stay here for the night. I'm not going to send you out on the street alone when I know those bastards are out there looking for you.”

“Why can't you give me the car?” I ask, hoping that it's a problem I can fix. I really need my car if I'm going to get further away from Lance.

“I've already put it in the system, and my supervisor is going to be expecting payment for release. You don't look like you've got two hundred and fifty dollars to spare right now.” He tilts his head, and my heart drops. He's absolutely right. I don't have enough to eat, let alone two hundred and fifty dollars just to get my car out of the tow yard.

“You know I can't afford that,” I whisper.

“Yeah, that's what I just said.” Hook leans back in his seat and crosses his legs, he smirks, his lips curving into a sly smile as he leans back in his seat. His long legs, clad in tight-fitting jeans, cross effortlessly at the ankles. The muscles in his thighs strain against the fabric, revealing the strength and power beneath.

“If you know that, then you must be telling me about what I owe for a different reason.”

Everyone wants something. I've yet to run across anyone who would willingly help me out just because it's the right thing to do. Why is that any different for this man? Hook doesn't know me. So far, I've done nothing but bring grief into his life. So why is he letting me stay in his office? Unless he wants something else.

“No.” I shake my head and stand up. I move so quickly that the chair I'm in skitters backward and almost falls over.

“No, what? What's wrong with you now?”

“I know what this is. You're going to let me stay here, and then when I wake up, or sometime in the middle of the night, you're going to tell me that I owe you. I don't want to be in anyone's debt. I'll find a way to pay off my car, but I'm not going to do it this way.”

Hook stands once more, his imposing figure casting a shadow over me. My gaze begins at his chiseled face, taking in every rugged feature, before trailing down to his broad chest. The thought hits me - would it truly be so terrible to offer my body in exchange for a place to stay? Especially if it meant being with someone like him?

I shake the thought out of my head. That's absolutely crazy.

“What do you think I want from you? You've already told me that you don't have any money. I don't see anything of value on your person.”

I raise my eyes to his once again and stare daggers at him. He's really going to make me say it out loud, isn't he?

“You want to fuck.”

His eyes go wide, and before I can process what's going on, he bursts out laughing.

“Oh sweetheart, please don't flatter yourself. I don't need to trade pussy for my couch. I'm not that hard up.” He waves his hand and turns in the small room, walking over to the closet to pull out what looks like a worn sheet and a flimsy pillow that he throws in my direction.

“So what do you want from me?” I ask, nearly screaming at him. I don't know how to decipher what this man is doing.

“Bea, listen and listen good. I don't want anything from you. I know what it's like to be up shit's creek with no one around to help me out. I've got a couch; you don't look like you're going to burn the place down, and I'm feeling extra generous today. You don't owe me anything.”

My jaw drops as I listen to his words. I'm trying to find the lie, trying to find the catch, but he seems like he's telling me the truth.

“The bathroom has a small shower, so you can use that if you want. I lock the front gate when I go to bed, so when you wake up, you won't be able to get out until I come to unlock it. Don't steal anything from me, and get some rest. Help yourself to whatever is in the mini fridge.”

With that, Hook turns around and walks out of the office, leaving me there to my own devices.

My voice squeaks as I hear him close the door and walk out to the main area of the tow yard.

I didn't even get a chance to tell him thank you. He didn't have to do this for me. If it wasn't for him, I'd be out on my ass right now; no doubt one of Lance's friends would have picked me up and taken me back to Lance. Hook may not realize it or even care, but he's probably saving my life tonight.

I walk over to the small couch that Hook said I can use to sleep and start fixing it up. The motions seem so mundane. So normal. Tonight is anything but normal. In fact, the last few days have been a complete nightmare.

The walls of the small office threaten to close in on me, trapping me in this tiny space. I can see the peeling paint and the cracks in the drywall, as if it is crumbling under the weight of my fear and desperation. My mouth is dry and my tongue feels thick, like I have been chewing on cotton. The taste of fear lingers on my tongue, bitter and metallic. The sound of my own panicked breathing fills my ears, drowning out any other noise in the room. I can't even hear the faint hum of the mini fridge anymore.

I can’t believe it’s come to this.

I'm stuck here running from my crazy ex. Things were so much better when I knew he was still in jail. When I could count on the bars of a prison cell to keep him away from me, but now it feels like he's right around every corner. I don't understand how someone as dangerous as Lance could be let out on parole. Even worse, I don't understand why it's so hard for me to find someone to help me. Aren't situations like this exactly what the police are for? I shouldn't have to run around town begging for someone to help me when the police know Lance is dangerous.

I give up on trying to make the couch any better than it already is and just drop down on it. My body is so weak I'm pretty sure the minute I lay down I'm going to fall asleep. I prop the pillow on one end of the couch and lay back.

Unfortunately, I don't fall straight to sleep like I think I will. My mind refuses to let up. The warmth of the small room seeps into my bones, and I find a comfy spot on the couch to snuggle into. The air is heavy with the pungent scent of oil, mingling with the metallic tang of weapons and tools. Underneath it all is a subtle muskiness, like the scent of a wild animal. Hook’s scent.

That man is a mystery to me. Everything about him screams danger, but so far he's not shown me much of that side of him. Sure, he's brash when he speaks, but for the most part, he's been more supportive than nearly everyone I've recently come across.

When Lance and I first met, it was that same air of danger that drew me to him. I wanted to test my luck with a bad boy. He was exactly what I was looking for. I wonder how much different my life would be if I'd met Hook instead of Lance. Would I still be locked in a horrible relationship, or maybe I'd have a man who was rough on the outside but showed me his soft side? Like my very own beast...

I wish I had found Hook first.

“No! You don't need to be thinking about men right now. You need to think about how you're going to survive this.” I reprimand myself and punch the thin pillow once before I turn over and force my eyes closed.

The logical part of me knows that Hook could very well be just as bad as Lance, but the wishful part of me prays he's not. As the warmth wraps me even tighter, my body finally gives up, and a deep slumber overcomes me. I'm warm. Safe. For the first time in weeks, I'm not worried about what tomorrow will bring. For some reason, I know as long as I'm here, everything is going to be okay.