Claimed by the Biker Giant (Maxine and Tank) novel Chapter 221

Cloe POV

I was no longer floating; the voices were gone, and in their place was this sound of a beeping that strummed a constant beat that echoed in my ear. It felt in tune with me.

Whatever it was, the noisy thing was close by.

Dad will have a fit if he hears it; he hates it when we make too much noise, or should I say when I make too much noise. Have had a few beatings for making a noise. Even when I was not the one causing it.

My eyes refused to open, I struggled to open them, and I felt trapped, really stuck, worse than any other time I had been restrained by Dad in the past, had I been beaten, and my eyes were swollen shut.

I couldn’t move, like not even my fingers or toes, how was that possible?

No! This wasn’t from a beating.

Dad must have tied me up again, and I am in the cellar, out of everyone’s way. He must be having another party or something.

What, no. How can that be? I am confused.

Aren’t we at the show and shine, at some town, far from home, and I was cleaning the truck?

I only stopped for a little while to watch the bikes. Did Dad find me and drag me away, tie me up, and gag me? Am I blindfolded, too?

Am I in the tent, out of sight, so he can do what he needs to do? With my sister. I know they like to do things together, like I don’t exist, and keeping me out of sight makes that illusion work until they need something cleaned and fixed.

But, this doesn’t make sense.

I had been good. Like really well behaved, he hadn’t growled at me once before we got here. Was my comment about the truck enough to do this to me?

I didn’t argue, not once. I did all the chores he asked me to do and stayed quiet as he drove us to the town. Only Mia and Dad talked, laughed, and ate. I was left hungry again, having been forgotten, and ordered to stay in the truck.

Again, I am hungry, very hungry, I hadn’t eaten since yesterday, when I managed to get a small amount of their leftovers. It wasn’t much. I liked their plates clean, trying to get every last drip. Before they called me names and walked away, leaving me to sleep in the back of the truck, while they slept in the motel.

I had done all he asked, and more.

Was it because I asked about how he parked the truck?

Wish I knew.

Tired, so very tired.

The sound faded as darkness claimed me once more, still confused by what happened to me, and what to expect when Dad decides to let me out, hopefully it’s not too long. I need a drink of water; I am so very thirsty.

Storm POV

The chime from the heart monitor raced a bit before settling back to its previous rhythm.

I looked at it, wondering whether I should call the nurse, but by the time I reached for the buzzer, the rhythm had returned to normal, and I might tell the nurse when she pops her head in. I got up, wiped Cloe’s face, moved the mask a little, and, using a wet cloth, wiped over her dry lips, then slipped the mask back in place, concern on my face at the change.

Back to studying, engrossed in statistics, something I hate. But Mum said one day it will all make sense. Yeah right.

My snacks were soon all gone, my water bottle was empty, and I was grumbling to myself that I would have to leave to get more. I didn’t want to leave her until she was awake.

That was when Mum and Dad walked in.

I could kiss them when I saw the takeaway bag in Dad’s hands.

“Hey, how’s the study going?” Dad asked, seeing all the empty mess around me.

“Babe, can you look at me?” Her eyes moved to me scared, sorrowful eyes.

“Good girl, take deep breaths for me, please, listen to my voice, deep breath in, slowly, breath out, that’s it, deep breath in, now out. That’s it, Babe, good girl.” I praised her for doing as I asked. I was sitting on the bed, beside her, making her look at me, stroking her hair.

She raised her hand to touch my face.

“Angel, my Greek god..” She ran her hand over my cheek, her voice muffled by the mask, but I understood what she said.

“Storm?” She whispered, breathing out my name. I loved hearing my name from her lips.

“Yes, that’s me, you remember what happened?” I asked, and she shook her head no.

“You are in the hospital, this is your Doctor, and Nurse. Beside them are my Mum and Dad.” I said, she yawned, as her eyes moved to the others in the room, once they moved closer for her to see.

“So tired, thirsty.” She blinked a few times.

I reached for the water jug, and poured half a glass added a straw, and moved her mask from her face, offering her the straw. She pulled on the straw drawing up large mouthfuls of water.

“Hey, go easy on that, you don’t want to throw it back,” I suggested, and she took one more sip before spitting out the straw.

“Good girl.” She leaned back onto the pillow, and closing her eyes as I replaced the mask.

“She trusts you.” The doctor said as Cloe closed her eyes.

“Yeah, I was the one to save her,” I replied quietly.

“It was you? She’s alive because of you, but she might hate you for a while when she finds out she had no legs, be ready for that.” He turned to Dad and nodded towards the door, and Dad left with him.