Page 34 of Dynamo
Pipes turned his head and held my eyes. “You saying you don’t think Kosmic’s to blame? That he’d no idea?”
“Yes.”
“Tell him that. The kid suffers daily, believing he failed you. You walked away thinking you were less, that you’d been shamed. Bullshit. He blames himself for something he couldn’t have predicted. Warden carries guilt because he didn’t get a premonition. Wisecrack because he can’t heal your pain because you refuse his efforts. Slasher healed your physical wounds but not your mental and emotional wounds, and he wishes he were stronger. I can go on…” Pipes paused.
“McKay and whoever was behind this wanted you for your abilities. But they also saw a way to strike at the club. To hurt us all. By taking and raping you, Dynamo, they did just that. Because you’re hurting, we all are. We’re walking on eggshells, afraid to trigger you. After you flipped the fuck out when Oracle touched you, nobody got near you again. We watch you try to kill yourself through working out and the fights you take. Only a lunatic would have gone up against Knuckles.”
“Because I was female?” I sneered, wiping away tears.
“Yes. Knuckles should have snapped you in half. He’s killed a man twice your size.”
“Why did Warden allow it? He was there that night,” I asked.
“Because we understand you’re fighting your demons and use the ring to do so. We understand that you’re making sure nobody can ever take you again. And it worked. When McKay came for Iona and Lindy, you fought them off. Even when they tried to distract you, you stayed focused. And when they shot you with a drug—everything you’d trained yourself to do happened. Romeo connected, cleared your mind, gave you a lifeline while you protected family.”
Pipes sighed. “We don’t see a victim. We love a survivor, but we also recognise someone in sheer agony. Girl, let us in to heal you.”
“The entire club thinks I’m weak,” I whispered.
“What? We don’t.”
“Jameson, Teller, those who saw me,” I continued.
Pipes shook his head. “Nah. Jameson felt like he’d failed too; because despite our network, we couldn’t find you. Teller? Jesus, that guy rings once a fortnight to check on you. You were twenty minutes from him, and he was unaware. Teller ain’t handling that shit and sees that as his failure; a member of the RBMC was tortured for two monthsright under his nose!”
Was Pipes right? Everything was so confusing.
“Talk to Wisecrack. Sit down and sort your head out,” Pipes suggested.
His phone rang. Pipes slid it from his pocket and flicked the answer button.
“You and Dynamo gotta come back immediately,” Warden ordered. His voice was upset and held a hint of fear. There was grief and disgust in it, too.
“What’s happened?” Pipes demanded.
“Home, now,” Warden repeated and cut the call.
I sighed and stood, reaching down to haul Pipes to his feet.
We entered the clubhouse and were shocked to find it empty. Pipes and I exchanged a glance and headed to church. The club was there.
“Now what?” Pipes snapped.
Warden held my gaze, and I knew this had to do with me.
“Hit me,” I said.
“After you left, we received a package.” Warden swapped a look with Undertaker, who was grim. “There was a flash drive.”
My stomach sank; Warden was about to destroy me.
“Say it,” I ground out.
“It was you. A rape. McKay.” Warden bit the words out.
I grasped the arms of my chair until my knuckles turned white. I felt like I was coming out of my skin. I collapsed inside. McKay hadn’t been lying.
“How much did you watch?” I spat.
