Chapter 1
I am still laying on the floor, hand over my still flat stomach. "You are so fucking worthless." he says before shaking his head. "Get up." he says before grabbing my hair and taking me to the closet. Locking me inside, I listen closely and then I hear his truck leave. I wait a few minutes and start feeling around for the carpet that I pulled up on the corner and found the lock pick kit that my uncle Che gave me when I was a teenager. I picked the lock and let myself out. I started packing what I could, as fast as I could, and grabbed the cash I had stashed and got out the door as fast as I could. I ran down the street and into the local gas station to buy a burner and called an Uber. Once inside the Uber, I take the burner and call my uncle Che. "Hello?" he asks as he answers, not knowing the number. "Hey Uncle Che." I say. "Devvy? Where are you?" he asks and I feel the tears start to fall. "I'm in an Uber coming to you." I say as the tears fall harder. "How long before you're here?" he asks. "An hour I think." I say. "Come to the clubhouse. Remember where it is?" he asks. "Yeah." I say softly. "See you soon." he tells me and we end the call.
An hour later, the Uber pulls up at the clubhouse and I get out. The driver helps me get my bags and then he leaves. I see some men come out of the clubhouse and I tense. "Devvy?" I hear Che ask. "Uncle Che." I say and start to sob before he pulls me into his arms and just holds me. All of the men look at him confused. When I calm down a little, he cups my face and sees the bruises. "Where else are you hurt?" he asks. "Ribs and back." I whisper and he tilts my chin up and sees the handprint on my throat. A man walks up and asks "Everything okay?" and I tense and Che pulls me closer. "Mija, it's okay. You're safe here." he tells me and I pull away just a little. "Prez, this is my niece, Devin. Devvy, this is my President, Bishop and my brothers Hank, Creeper, Gilly, Coco, Riz, Angel and that's our prospect EZ." he tells me. I nod and hide my face against Che more. "Guys, give me a minute." Che says and they all nod before walking away.
Once everyone is gone, he looks at me and says "Tell me what happened." I don't look at him but say "Jake. He...um...he's been beating me. Choking me. He...um...has been raping me. I'm sorry Uncle Che. I'm so sorry." I say and start to sob again. He cups my face and says "Listen to me. You did nothing wrong. You're safe here." he tells me as he pulls me close again and Taza looks around and sees the guys still watching us. "Devvy, let's go inside. We will go into the Templo and you can tell us about him." he tells me and I tense. "I...I can't." I whisper. "Can't what, mija?" he asks. "Please...Uncle Che...Just us." I say softly. He cups my face and says "They won't hurt you. You have my word. Do you trust me?" he asks and I nod my head yes.
Taza motions for the prospect to grab my bags. "Put her things in the dorm next to mine." Taza says and he nods and does what he's asked. Taza takes me to Templo and before we walk in he tells Bishop "She's scared." Bishop nods and says "We will come in one at a time so we don't scare her more." and Taza nods. Taza pulls a chair over between him and where Bishop will sit and helps me to the chair. Bishop comes in and then Hank. Then another, one at a time until everyone was in their seats but I don't look up from my hand holding Taza's in my lap.
"Mija, I need you to tell me what happened." Taza says. I reach up and wipe a tear away and softly say "I have been seeing this guy, Jake. Living with him. About two months in he started beating me and raping me. He would...um...lock me in the closet when he left the house. Sometimes he would leave me tied to the bed for days at a time." I say and feel another tear fall. "How'd you get out?" the one that I learned was Coco asks. "Uncle Che gave me a lock pick kit when I was younger and I hid it in the closet under the corner of the carpet. When he left, I picked the lock, packed up and ran." I say, still not looking up. "Well, you're welcome to stay here in the dorm as long as you need. We need some info on him and we'll make sure he never comes near you again." Bishop says. "Please don't let him find us." I whisper. "Us?" Che asks and my hand goes to my stomach. "Fuck. He won't find you. We will make sure of that." Che says and I nod. "Thank you." I say softly and Bishop bangs the gavel and I jump. "I'm sorry." I whisper. "No querida, I'm sorry. I didn't think." Bishop says and looks at Taza and nods. They all leave, leaving me and Taza in Templo alone.
"I need the address of the house." he tells me and I give it to him. "How far along are you?" he asks. "Ten weeks." I tell him. "Everyone here will protect you." he tells me and I nod. "I'm so sorry Uncle Che." I say again. "You have nothing to be sorry for mija. You're here now and we will all be here to help you and your pequeno." he tells me. "Thank you Uncle Che but…" I start and stop myself. "But what mija?" he asks. "I can't...I'm...I'm scared." I say. "Of what mija?" he asks softly. "Jake. Them." I say and motion toward the Templo door. "Look, we'll let you get to know them but they won't hurt you. As far as Jake, you know what I'm going to do mija." he says and I nod. "As long as he doesn't find us." I say and he kisses my forehead. "Let's get you something to eat." he tells me and I nod before he leads me out of Templo.