Bianca

Vee stares me up and down for a moment as she smoothes down her silk dress, folding her arms to try and lock the heat into her body. It’s unseasonably cold for this time of year, and I can already feel a gentle breeze brushing around my ankles. Just because I’m helping Brian take care of Athena doesn’t mean I’ve been released from anything else. I still wear the short black dress with the deathbat logo across the bust, the ankle bracelet fitted with a tracking device that stops me from escaping and the black collar around my neck so anyone at one of their infamous orgy parties can know that I’m not allowed to be touched by any of the guests.

Vee, on the other hand, gets to dress however she damn well pleases, and is protected and looked after by her man. I know just from the way that he looks at her, that Jimmy would take seven bullets right in the heart for Vee, yet sometimes I can’t help but wonder if she’s a little oblivious to it all. He’s obviously a sweet man who’s got a lot of love for her, and I can’t help but feel a little jealous because of it. None of these men had any interest in me and for now, I was stuck playing nanny to some kid that Synyster had had dumped on him.

“What do you mean; you know who the mother is? Is this some kind of joke Bianca?” Vee asks with a sudden harshness in her voice and I glance up from where my eyes have travelled to the smiling little girl inside the wicker basket and raise my eyebrow. Vee’s meant to be on my side, why is she suddenly going into super bitch mode on my ass?
“Of course not- you’d think I’d joke about something like that? You know as well as I do that I do not want my ass thrown in the basement again, and if they don’t know who the mother is, I’ll be here for as long as I need to be” I reply, leaning down and hooking my fingers around the little gold chain on her neck. I remember that chain well, it’s one I have a similar copy of.

Vee calms down slightly, taking a deep breath and slipping into the breakfast bar stool that her man had vacated earlier and leans over; glancing towards the door to make sure that no one’s listening to our conversation.
“Tell me everything”
I glance around nervously, knowing about the security cameras that are dotted around the kitchens to make sure we’re doing our job, but with Vee there, I know she’ll stick up for me if they threaten to punish me properly for not telling them my suspicions.

“I have an older sister, her name is Violet. She…she escaped before the guys shot my Dad. We keep in contact via some people on the inside, and in the last letter she sent me, she told me about Athena. She’s Violet’s daughter, and she explained that she knew people were coming after her, coming to kill her for what she knew. Fearing for Athena’s safety, she told me she would give the baby to one of the members of Avenged, knowing they’d be where her killers were, so the baby would come to me and I could take care of it”
“But Brian must’ve known something. Why else would he have picked you to help?”

“He doesn’t know anything, Vee. It was purely coincidental. If he hadn’t have picked me, I would’ve found a way to get in there and make sure she was doing OK. I’m doing this for Violet- to keep her only child alive” I whisper, smiling when Athena’s fist closes around my index finger and holds on tightly to it. She pretends to think for a moment, and in the silence, we hear footsteps descending onto the kitchen once more. Both of us assume natural looking poses as Shadows walks through the open doors and gradually letting go of Athena, I sink down to my knees. This was the way he liked things in the house- whenever we saw someone above us, we were to either look down or go to our knees.

A power issue I believed it was, but I always did as I was told. Still not used to being higher than me, Vee regards Shadows politely, when suddenly, a pair of loafer clad feet stand in front of me, a tattooed hand held out to me.

“Get up, Bianca. Brian has requested your presence with Athena. Two of counterparts in Bullet have arrived, and they have requested to see thenanny” he says as I pull myself to my feet and nod slowly. I’ve always had a slight fear of the men in Bullet, and I can’t help but wonder what they’ve got in store this time. They’ve always seemed so much darker than the men of Avenged, and their almost as dark as the sky at night. Quickly, I bundle Athena in my arms, soothing her softly as she complains about being moved and follow Shadows obediently up the stairs towards the large drawing room, where I can already hear voices talking. What will Synyster do if I misbehave or do something wrong by accident? I don’t want to be punished in front of everyone else, which in itself would make me turn and run away from the way I’m walking now.

“Ladies first” Shadows orders gruffly and with a polite nod in his direction, making extra sure not to look him directly in the eye, I take a deep breath and step into the drawing room, my high heeled shoes making deliberate clicking noises against the polished floor. When I step inside, all heads turn to stare at me and Synyster offers me a warm smile. I notice now that there are only four people inside the room, Synyster and Shadows from the Avenged side, and Padge and Tuck from Bullet. Each sit opposite each other and I realise with choked horror that there are two women standing on either side of the two men, hands chained together behind their backs.

Beside Shadows’ seat is a girl that I do not recognise; a tall redhead who looks like she’s ready to be chained up too and meekly, I put two and two together and stand beside Synyster, placing Athena into the crib beside me where I can keep an eye on her. I lace my hands behind my back like the redhead opposite me and Synyster glances up, an approving look on his face. It’s the first time he’s ever given me one of those, but I force my smile back. I need to appear neutral- at least, I think I do.

“This isn’t a fucking nursery we’re running here, Tuck, I think you can do a lot better than just sitting around and waiting for her to start talking. The kids not even a year old- how is she going to remember anything about her childhood?” Shadows suddenly snarls angrily and I fight to regain my composure.
“I’ve already said Shadows, DNA tests are expensive. If it’s not going to prove anything, why even bother? This child’s been entrusted into you, and as soon as people find out, there’s going to be someone who wants to take her away and have her themselves” Tuck replies, running a gloved hand through his chopped hair, that looks like someone’s hacked at it with a pair of scissors and called it a haircut. The men stare at each other for a moment and suddenly Synyster stands up, brushing some invisible dust from his leather jacket.

He regards the Bullet men coldly and then turns to me, his expression softening. And to my utter surprise, he leans in and kisses me on the lips, running one large hand over my hair. But when he pulls away, and I see the look he’s giving me, I know it’s all pretend. He wants the Bullet men to believe I am his woman, and as the woman I’m lying down, taking orders and taking care of this baby.
“Come, Bianca. We’ll take Athena to the nursery and Shadows can show our friends out” he orders and I gently pick up the little girl from her crib and begin to walk, Synyster’s hands around my waist as he guides me out. He stays that way until we’re just out of ear shot and then he drops them like a hot potato, sighing in what sounds like relief. I can’t help but feel a little hurt at how easily he’s taking all of this, when really it’s messing with my head and making me feel confused.

“I’ll take Athena from here, Bianca. Get some breakfast for her and something for yourself. You have fifteen minutes, then I expect you to be in the nursery” Synyster mutters and takes the baby from my arms, walking away towards the nursery. I watch miserably, feeling more than a little upset, and am about to turn to walk towards the kitchen when a pair of hands slam me up against the wall and pin me there, one hand disappearing under my skirt and the other fisting in my hair, tugging on the strands in their fist. It’s choppy hair man, or Tuck as the others called him, and as he stares at me with that same cold gaze he used for Shadows, his hand strokes my thigh, causing my breath to hitch in the back of my throat.

“You’ll be a good girl and keep that pretty little mouth of yours shut won’t you?” he hisses at me and my eyes go wide, wondering what on earth he could be talking about. His long finger pinch at the skin of my leg and I groan softly, knowing he’s got me right where he wants me.
“I know you’re related to that kid, and that you know who the mother is, but as long as you don’t say a fucking word to your precious Synyster, we’ll get along just fine. Understand me?” Tuck snarls and I nod, pleading for him to let me go. When he does, she slowly withdraws his hand and smirks, letting me free.

He turns to walk away, but I grab his wrist, ready to tell him exactly what I think of scum like him, when he backhands me and I fall to the floor, gripping my stinging cheek as hot tears begin to fall from my eyes. But I don’t say a word.

“Good fucking girl” Tuck taunts angrily and stalks off into the depths of the house.