Chapter 1
"We're going to go in and eat. Keep your hood up and your head down. I see you look at anyone, I'll tie your ass up and throw you in the trunk again. You hear me?" he asked angrily. I just nod, not allowed to speak unless I am told to. He gets out of the car and comes around to my side. Opening the door, he grabs my arm and pulls me to stand. Holding my arm, he guides me inside the diner and to a table in the back and faces me away from the door where no one can see me. I look down at my hands as the waitress comes up and he places both of our orders before she walks away. "Once we're done eating, we'll get back on the road. Don't do anything stupid. You hear me?" he whispers as he's leaned across the table. Again, I just nod. The waitress brings our food and I pick at it.
Once we're done eating, he pays the check and I am sitting there alone while he is at the register. I cut my eyes to the side, not moving and see someone watching me. I pull my hood further around me. I still have my sunglasses on to hide some of the bruises from where Danny hit me last night...and the night before. Danny comes back to the table and I whisper "I need to use the bathroom." He sighs and says "Make it quick." I get up and head to the bathroom with him watching me.
I walk into the bathroom and into a stall to do my business and when I come out of the stall, there is a man in the ladies room, standing against the door, holding it closed. I back against the wall and he says "I'm not gonna hurt you Doll. Just want to make sure you're okay." he says. I look up slightly and see he's tall, nice build, curly black hair and bright blue eyes and he looks...concerned? "Um...I'm...I'm okay. Thank you." I say before trying to wash my hands. I go to move towards the door and he doesn't move. "I...I need to...to go...please." I say and don't look up. He pulls my sunglasses from my face and he sees the bruises. "He do that to you?" he asks softly. I shake my head no and say "I fell." He shakes his head and asks again. "He do that to you, Doll?" I don't speak but quickly wipe away the tears that start falling. "Are you hurt anywhere else?" he asks. I don't move and don't speak. He moves closer and raises my hoodie and sees the bruises on my sides. I don't know why I let him but he doesn't seem like he's going to hurt me. "Do you want away from him?" he asks softly and I nod my head yes. He takes out his phone and says "Bring the van...Yeah, I'm at Hanna's...Have Tara ready with her kit." he says before ending the call. "Sweetheart, here's what we're going to do. I'm going to sneak you out the back and get you out of here. I have my friend Juice coming to get you and he'll take you back to our clubhouse and a doctor is going to check your ribs and face, okay?" he asks to make sure I'm okay with that and I just nod but don't look him in the eye.
A couple of minutes later, his phone rings. "Yeah...okay...we're coming out the back now." he says before hanging up the phone. He sneaks me through the kitchen and no one even looks up. Heading out the back door, he opens the passenger door and says "Sweetheart, this is Juice. He's gonna take you to the clubhouse. I'm Tig. I'll be there as soon as I can." he says before helping me in the car. "Morgan." I say simply. "Okay. I'll be there as soon as I can, Morgan. What's his name?" he asks and I just say "Danny." He looks at Juice and says "Have Tara look at her face and ribs. I'll be there as soon as I'm done here." he says. I grab his arm and he cups my face and says "I'll be there in a few. You're safe." I just nod and he closes the door before heading back inside the diner.
Tig walks back into the diner and sees Danny sitting at the table I was at. He walks up and asks "You Danny?" Danny looks up at him and asks "Who wants to know?" Tig leans down and says "Morgan is with me now. You will get into that little car of yours and get the fuck out of my town and if I ever see your pussy ass here again, I'll gut your ass and mail you to your momma in pieces. You understand me?" he asks glaring at Danny. "Where's Morgan?" Danny asks pushing past Tig and running to the bathroom. Opening the door, he finds it empty. He turns around and sees Tig standing there. "She's gone. She's with me now and you'll never touch her again. Now go before I change my mind and start gutting you right here." Danny looks at him and runs out of the diner.
A few minutes later, Tig pulls up at the clubhouse and Clay walks up to him. "Who's the girl? Juice said you called to have him come get her and have Tara look at her." Clay asks. "Her name is Morgan. She was at the diner with a dude and she's beat all to hell. I followed her to the bathroom, man. She's bruised all up and I couldn't let her leave with him. No chick deserves that shit." Tig tells Clay. "You claiming?" Clay asks. "Yeah. I told that piece of shit to get out of town and that she was with me now." Tig says. "You tell her that?" Clay asked smirking. "Not yet. Want to see what Tara says first." Tig says. "She's in your room brother." Clay says, clapping a hand on his back. Tig nods and heads to the dorm.
We hear a light knock on the door before Tara says "Come in." The door opens and I see Tig standing there. "How's she doing, Doc?" he asks. "Nothing's broken but a couple feel fractured. I have her wrapped and she needs to take it easy for a few days at least." she tells him. She looks back at me and says "I'll come by tomorrow and check on you. Gemma is gone now to get you some clothes so you have something to wear but if you need anything you let us know." Tara says. "Thank you." I tell her and looks down at my hands. Tara walks by Tig and he stops her. "Thanks." he says simply. Tara just nods and leaves the room. "How you feeling Doll?" Tig asks. "I don't know." I tell him. He sits down on the bed next to me and says "I told that piece of shit he's not to come near you that you were with me now." he tells me and I just nod. "I told my Pres that I'm claiming you. No one will hurt you again." he tells me. "How long has he been hurting you?" he asks me. "About a year." I tell him. He runs his hand down his face. "Okay. You're with me now so you don't have to worry about that anymore." he tells me. "What does that mean?" I ask. "That means you're my Old Lady. Means you're with me and only me and I'm with you and only you. You'll get my crow tattoo that shows you are my Old Lady and you will be protected by the club." he tells me. "You don't have to do that. I'll figure something out." I tell him. "I already claimed you to my Pres. I got you." he tells me. Finally I look up at him and say "Thank you." He puts his arm around me and pulls me closer to him and kisses the top of my head. "I got you." he says again.
A few minutes later, he leads to the main room to meet everyone. "Guys, this is Morgan, my Old Lady." he says. "Morgan, this is my Pres, Clay, VP Jax, Chibs, Juice who picked you up, Opie, Piney, Bobby, Happy and this asshole is Kozik. You met Tara, she's Jax's Old Lady and Gemma will be here soon with some things for you." he tells me and I nod. "Nice to meet you all." I say softly but don't look at anyone. Chibs walks over and tilts my head up and says "You're family now Lass, no one will hurt you. You're safe here." he says and I look at him. He reminds me of my father with the way he spoke. "You're Scottish?" I asked softly. "I am Lass." he says. "Half here." I say and he nods. I look at Tig and he's smiling softly, hand still on the small of my back.
We are still standing at the bar when a woman walks in carrying bags. "Doll Face, this is Gemma. If you need anything and I'm not here you tell her." he tells me and I nod. "Nice to meet you Gemma." I say softly. "You too sweetheart. Come on. Let's head to your room and get you cleaned up." she tells me. I look at Tig and he nods. I walk with Gemma to Tig's dorm and she puts the bags down. Shutting the door, she tells me "Sit down." I don't look at her but do as she says. "Are you okay with all this?" she asks in an almost motherly tone. "I don't know. So far it's better than where I was." I tell her. "What happened?" she asks. "I was seeing this guy Danny. He's been beating me. We were at the diner and I went to the bathroom and that's there Tig followed me to. Saw me beat up and decided to help me I guess." I tell her. "Let me tell you something about Tig. He's a good man. Loyal. Protective. If he has laid his claim on you, consider yourself lucky because he was never one to settle down. He sees something and frankly, so do I. Just be good to him and he'll be good to you. But there are things you need to know. You're going to have his crow tattoo. That means he's yours. You don't let any of those whores out there push up on what's yours." she tells me. "Won't he get mad?" I ask. "No baby. He won't. He, and this club, will have your back. You have to lay claim on him since you're his Old Lady. That is your place so don't let any whore knock you out of it." she tells me and I nod. "Look at me." she tells me and I finally look her in the eye. "You're SAMCRO now sweetheart. No one is going to hurt you. Hold that pretty little head up and show us how strong you are. You survived that shit. You're strong as hell baby. And we'll be here to have your back the entire way." she tells me before pulling me into a hug and for the first time in a long time, I feel safe.