Bad Boys Baby_ Wicked Angels M - West, Heather

This is a work of fiction. Any names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons--living or dead--is entirely coincidental. Bad Boy’s Baby copyright 2016 by Heather West. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission.

Contents Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty Chapter Twenty-One Chapter Twenty-Two Chapter Twenty-Three Chapter Twenty-Four Chapter Twenty-Five Chapter Twenty-Six Chapter Twenty-Seven Chapter Twenty-Eight Chapter Twenty-Nine CONTINUE READING FOR YOUR BONUS BOOK THIEF!

More works from Heather West Lucky Mason Crush Shadow

Chapter One Jenny

The hot, still air felt like a blanket around me as I walked around the Centreville Public Library closing the windows. It had been a quiet July day— not many patrons, only the regulars. I loved my job working at the local library, but sometimes it left me alone in my head for too long. My favorite days were when students came in and asked for help with research projects. Then I’d be drawn in to helping them and forget about everything else running through my mind.

It felt strange that I’d wound up in Centreville. I’d spent the whole first part of my life trying to run away. I didn’t love the town—it didn’t suit me. It never had. Growing up, Mum and Daddy had taken me on vacations all around the world. I’d never gotten over the thrill of waking up on a plane and seeing a whole new world at my feet. I loved Europe. We spent our summers walking through old cities on older cobblestones, eating at sidewalk cafes, and shopping for the most wonderful things imaginable. I loved it. I was always depressed for weeks when I’d get back home. America, especially Centreville, always seemed so ugly afterwards. Even in our big house, with four stories and servants,

I still felt alone. Usually I’d spend the next six months after a trip dreaming about the next one. I loved to travel. Back then, I thought I’d grow up and travel the world with my love and my family at my side. Well, back then it hadn’t seemed impossible. I always thought I’d grow up to be just like Mum and Daddy. They’d met in college—he was her professor—and fallen instantly in love. Even though they had a vast age difference, nothing came between them. The three of us were a perfect little family, and I loved it. When I was sad or scared, I just closed my eyes and imagined that we were a royal family, living in exile. That always made

me feel better. I knew it was childish, but I couldn’t help it. It was the fantasy that I’d always carried out. I thought I’d go to college and find a husband, then get married and settle down and have a lot of kids. I waited for that one special guy, the one who would chase me, the one who was desperately in love with me and told me all the time. But he never came. And by the time I was a teenager, things were starting to change at home. Mum was becoming obsessed with aging. Every day when I got home, she’d have some new mud treatment or mask on, or she’d been recovering from another round of facial injections. It was like she was terrified

of becoming old. She lost her temper with me all the time and began to snap at me whenever Daddy would give in to me about whatever I wanted. I was frightened; this wasn’t the Mum that I’d always known. I still loved her, I desperately craved her approval. But no matter what I did, things between us got tenser and tenser with each passing day. Daddy wouldn’t interfere after I became a teenager. Whenever I went to him and told him that Mum and I were fighting, he’d light his pipe, look me in the eye, and say, “Respect your mother, Jenny. You know I raised you better than this.” It was infuriating. Even if Mum was being completely unfair, Daddy took her

side. That was when things started falling apart around us. I was bored at home. Mum wouldn’t let me take a summer job—she said only peons did that—and I started sneaking out at night. There was a crowd of kids that used to hang around at a gas station downtown. One night, I worked up the courage to go meet them. I wore my sexiest outfit—a sheer white button-down shirt over a white baby doll dress—and hoped for the best. But all of the kids knew I was an outsider. They didn’t recognize me. They went to public school and I went to Hayworth Academy, a few counties over. Closing my eyes, I saw myself back there as though it were yesterday. I could still remember the feel of the hot

dry dust in my nostrils as I snuck along the back road. The gas station had been illuminated a garish yellow with the neon signs glowing in the windows, but I’d been more relieved than ever to finally reach my goal. “Look at this little bitch,” one of the rough-looking girls sneered at me when I lowered myself onto a bench in front of the gas pumps. I’d worn chunky sandals with crisscross straps and my feet were aching and swollen. I wasn’t used to walking in heels, and I definitely wasn’t used to walking on country roads for the better part of an hour. My whole body was covered in perspiration and I wiped a clammy

hand on my damp forehead. The night was humid and dark and I could feel my red hair had frizzed into a halo around my head. “Leave her alone,” one of the guys sitting next to her muttered. He passed a joint to the girl who’d insulted me and she held it to her mouth, taking tiny, jerky sips and then passing it on. She coughed loudly. I turned to get a better look at the guy who’d stuck up for me and my heart leapt into my throat. He was gorgeous: tanned skin, messy brown hair, dark blue eyes. He was probably only eighteen or so, but he looked like a real man. An unfamiliar feeling came over my body

and I felt every nerve tingling. A blush covered my face as he realized I was staring at him. But instead of looking away, he held my gaze with his. He raised his eyebrows and gave me a cocky smile. My insides melted. “Scram,” one of the girls said. “We don’t want you hanging around here.” The gorgeous guy hopped up from his perch and stretched. He was shirtless and I could see his well-defined pecs and chest muscles. I shivered, imagining how good it would feel to be pressed up against his skin. The heat of the night no longer mattered to me, I just wanted to be pressed against his

body. “I’ll walk you home,” the guy said. He winked at me and I felt my heart skip a beat. As he stepped closer, I made out the fine, feline features of his gorgeous face. He was the most beautiful boy I’d ever seen, and he wanted to walk me home! Me! I felt like I was walking on air as the boy slipped my hand through his arm and rested my fingertips gently on his skin. It was the first time we touched, and I knew right then, with absolute certainty, that I’d remember this moment for the rest of my life. I was normally outspoken and loud, but around this guy, I felt really shy. I’d

never felt this excited about anything in my life. Even getting off the plane in Europe with Mum and Daddy didn’t fill me with a thrill like this. Suddenly, this guy was my whole world. It was like being in the presence of the sun. “I’m Tristan,” the guy said with a grin. “What’s your name?” He sized me up from head to toe and I was incredibly glad that I’d worn the outfit I had. Even if my feet were aching, I knew my legs looked incredible in the chunky heels. “Jenny,” I said softly. “Jennifer Foster.”

“I’m glad you came by,” Tristan said. He winked at me. “I was getting a little bored by myself.” I felt a blush redden my cheeks and I was glad for the darkness. “You weren’t alone,” I said. My voice sounded awkward and ungainly and I winced. “You were with your friends.” Tristan shrugged. “They’re not really my friends,” he said offhandedly. “I just hang around with them.” He stretched his arms high in the air and I was caught off guard by how adult he looked. “I mean, they don’t really know me,” he said with a grin.

I blushed. “I don’t have a lot of friends either,” I said softly. “I mostly spend time with my parents.” Tristan laughed. “Must be nice. I don’t get along with my folks.” “Oh.” We walked on in silence. I couldn’t imagine not getting along with my parents. Even though Mum and I had been fighting all the time, my mother was still my best friend in the whole world. I’d told her everything for the first seventeen years of my life. “Don’t feel bad,” Tristan said casually. He draped an arm across my shoulders. “Hey, you’re one of the first girls I’ve

met who’s almost as tall as me.” I blushed. I had noticed that little thing. I didn’t like most guys in high school for the simple reason that they were all almost a foot shorter than I was. But not Tristan. I had to crane my neck to meet his eyes, and I was almost six feet tall. “I know. You’re the tallest guy I ever met.” Tristan chuckled softly. I felt like an idiot; why was I having such a hard time talking to him? He was just a guy, after all.

“Hey, is this you?” Tristan pointed at the big iron gate that closed off our property. I’d always loved our house— it looked like a castle—but now I was embarrassed. Tristan was looking at me differently than he had before. I’d never even felt mildly self-conscious about how rich we were before, but suddenly I was feeling awkward. Guilty, even, which was ridiculous because it wasn’t my fault Mum and Daddy had so much money. “It is,” I said shyly. I took a step back from Tristan and felt his eyes appreciatively hugging my body. “Well, can I see you again? I don’t

exactly have digs like that, but we could go out for dinner.” I grinned, biting the inside of my cheek. “I’d love that.” Just then, lights came on from inside the house. I heard footsteps scurrying down the long asphalt walk of the drive and though I couldn’t see who it was, I knew. “Jennifer?” Mum’s voice was high and shrill. “Jennifer, is that you?” “I’m right here, Mom,” I called out awkwardly. I looked at Tristan and shrugged. He looked uncomfortable,

but he didn’t move. “What on earth are you doing out so late?” Mum asked. She’d reached the bottom of the hill and the iron gate had swung open. Suddenly, the house looked menacing. Even Mum looked menacing: her color was high and she was clad in a silk nightgown. There was even a little pink sleep-mask perched on the top of her head. I felt ridiculous. “I went for a walk,” I said carefully, trying to keep my voice level. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to keep you up.” Mum stepped forward and grabbed me by the arm. I cried out but she didn’t let

go. Her face turned from angry to confused when she saw Tristan. I watched as her eyes traveled the length of his body, taking in his ripped jeans and plain black t-shirt. “And just who is this?” Mum’s voice was mild but quiet and I could tell she was seething mad. “Jenny, who is this?” The pitch of her voice rose to a shriek when I didn’t answer right away. “Tell me!” “I’m Tristan, ma’am,” Tristan said before I could speak. “Tristan Mayer. It’s nice to meet you.” He bowed his head courteously and I felt a surge of pride. This boy, who I’d just met

tonight, was already trying to win my parents over! “Thanks for making sure Jenny got home safely,” Mum said in a tone that implied she was anything but grateful. “I take it you’ll be leaving now.” Without waiting for Tristan to reply, Mum steered me towards the house. It was only when we were halfway up the drive that I realized I hadn’t given Tristan my phone number. I turned around and called out his name but he was already gone. When we got inside, Mum lectured me about Tristan for hours. She told me

that I had no business hanging around with “bad boys like him” and that I needed to stay away, for my own safety. When I yelled back and cried and said that he was my friend and that I wanted to see him again, Mum called me a slut and slapped me across the face. “No nice man will ever want you if you’re tarnished!” she yelled. Tears stung my eyes but I didn’t want the satisfaction of letting her see me cry. When I went to bed that night, I couldn’t sleep. I kept stalking around my room and thinking about Tristan. I couldn’t believe that I’d only met him hours ago and I couldn’t get him out of

my mind. Already, the image of his face was fading from my memory. I had to see him again, I just had to! I’d never felt like this about anyone. The boys at Hayworth Academy were all mean, in addition to being too short for me to consider. They did things like throw pieces of chalk at girls’ asses to ruin their uniforms. Then they’d spend the whole day laughing about it. I always thought private school boys would be sexy and exciting, but the boys at Hayworth were so dull. They were like a bunch of rowdy cousins always hanging around and making monkey noises. In the morning, Mum, Daddy, and I had

breakfast together. I sat at one end of the table and listened to Mum talking about her new charity’s upcoming gala. Daddy was funding it and we were going to have it at our yacht club that very night. I’d been looking forward to it for months. It was the first charity nighttime event that Mum was letting me attend, and I couldn’t wait. I’d even got a new gown for it, my first Oscar de la Renta. It was beautiful: white silk with a classic twist in the front of the gown and beading along the skirt and shoulder straps. I was going to wear it with white satin heels, and my hair up with a flower-crown. “Did you hear me?” Mum’s voice broke

me out of my dress fantasy. “I said, if you want to attend the gala, you have to promise not to speak to that boy again.” My face fell. “Mum, why?” I whined loudly. “You don’t even know him! He was so sweet to me! He wanted to make sure I got home safely.” “More like he wanted to get you alone,” Mum said under her breath. A red flush covered my cheeks and I slammed my hand against the table. “That’s not fair,” I replied hotly. “You don’t know what it’s like! You don’t know what it’s like to meet someone

and like them so much!” There was a silence. Mum looked at me and suddenly, I felt like an idiot. “I’m sorry,” I mumbled. “I know that was uncalled for.” “And untrue,” Mum said. She reached out and patted Daddy’s hand. He didn’t look up from his morning paper. “But really, Jennifer, you must promise you won’t see him again. He’s not good for you, Jenny. He doesn’t understand what we’re like.” Frowning, I stabbed my fork into my eggs benedict and left it there, standing upright.

“Dad,” I said suddenly. “Can I see my new friend Tristan today?” Daddy looked up at me with interest. “Ask your mother, dear,” he said in a mild voice. Mum’s face twisted itself into an ugly grin. “You should go upstairs and check if your gown fits,” Mum said in a smooth voice. “In case we need to have Lucy come and make any last-minute alterations. She’s already coming for me as I need her to let the hem out on my gown.” I stormed upstairs, feeling angry. As I

yanked open my closet and found the beautiful dress, I wasn’t filled with the same sense of excitement that I’d always felt before when I looked at it. It was still as gorgeous as ever, but I didn’t like what it represented. Why did Mum have to be such a snob? She didn’t know anything about Tristan. For that matter, neither did I. All I knew is that he went to Centreville High. “Unless he dropped out,” I mumbled. Feeling horrified, I gazed at myself in the mirror. “Stop it, Jenny,” I ordered sternly. “You’re not your mother. You don’t have to be your mother if you don’t want to.” The idea was

unsettling. My whole life I’d spent wanting to turn into Mum. Now, I wasn’t so sure. I didn’t like how easily she’d dismissed someone I liked as much as I did. “This is ridiculous,” I muttered. “You don’t even know him. Just forget about him. There’ll be lots of guys tonight at the yacht club.” I closed my eyes as I stepped out of my yoga pants and into the gown. The white silk clung to my skin and emphasized my curves. I already had C cup breasts, and this gown made them look even bigger. I looked at myself and blushed. I’d never really thought I was

pretty, but this gown could have made anyone beautiful. There was a slight tapping sound against my window. I jumped in fright, then walked over and peered out. I didn’t see anyone. But then, right in front of my face, there was another rapping sound. It was much louder than before and I shrieked and leapt backwards. “Oh my god. Tristan!” Running back over to the window, I threw the sash open and pulled up the glass. Tristan was standing in the yard below with a cocky smile on his face.

“I told you I wanted to see you again,” he called loudly. “Now how about that dinner?” That morning was the beginning of the most important relationship with a man that I’d ever had. I started sneaking out to see Tristan all the time. I went to the gala with Mum that evening, but the whole time, I was thinking about Tristan. I was swooning over him like no one I’ve ever met, and it felt amazing. Every time he touched me, I got butterflies. On my eighteenth birthday, Tristan picked me up outside. I’d snuck out again. Mum and Dad had thrown me a

surprise birthday party with all of my old friends and some relatives. I’d been excited and touched, but it hadn’t been as much fun as I thought it would be. All my friends wanted to do was talk about shopping. It was like they had no interest in the real world whatsoever. And I was dying to tell them all about Tristan, but I knew I couldn’t. Mum had taken to eavesdropping whenever I was on the phone—Tristan and I always had to arrange our meetings before we said goodbye. It made me nervous. What would happen if he didn’t show the next time? What would I do? But when I realized that he was taking the same risks with me every time, I didn’t mind. Even then, I knew I loved him.

When I slipped into the passenger seat of Tristan’s old T-bird, the air between us felt different. Everything was charged, more intense than it had been. He put his hand on my knee and I moaned softly as he trailed his fingers up my bare thigh. Normally, when Tristan and I were fooling around, I’d put a stop to it when I started getting so turned on that I didn’t think I could push him away. But now, tonight, I wanted him more than ever. I spread my legs in the car seat and guided his fingers to my crotch. The fabric of my panties was soaked and I blushed hotly as Tristan ran his fingers over the small, hard bead of pleasure between my legs.

“I wanna go somewhere,” I said in a hoarse voice. Tristan looked at me with a sexy lopsided grin on his tanned face. “Well, babe, we have plans to go to dinner.” He was looking nicer than I’d ever seen him. He’d borrowed a suit and tie from someone and even though the shirt was too big for his skinny frame, he looked so handsome that I wanted to wrap my arms around him. “I saved up for a really nice dinner,” he said softly. “I want to treat you like the princess you are.” I blushed. “I just want you. That’s all.

Nothing else matters to me.” Tristan licked his dry lips and nodded. Suddenly, I knew that he was as nervous as I felt. He took his hand away from my thigh and shifted the car into a higher gear. We shot through the black night, into the winding hills. I’d always loved living in the South, but there was something almost ominous about a summer night. I closed my eyes and rolled down the window, letting the cool, humid air blow over my face and through my long tangles of red hair. Nervously, I reached out and put my hand on Tristan’s leg. He groaned softly as I trailed my fingers up his jeans. There was a huge bulge between his legs

and when I ran my hand over it, Tristan grunted loudly with pleasure. The nerves in my body felt like they were on delicious fire as I tentatively rubbed at his erection. Finally, after what seemed like hours, Tristan pulled over. He stepped out of the car and motioned for me to follow him. After grabbing a bundle from the trunk, Tristan laced his fingers with mine and led me into the woods. “Are you scared?” Tristan’s voice was growly and quiet. I shook my head even though part of me was. But I wasn’t afraid of the woods. I

was afraid of losing Tristan. I was going to college in a few months and I had no idea how we’d be able to part from each other. As much as I would have loved to change the future, I knew that I couldn’t drop out of school before I’d even started. And there was no way Tristan would be accepted. The application deadline had been months ago. He hadn’t even graduated high school—he’d dropped out and was working towards his GED. A shudder of anxiety went through me as I thought about losing him. “I’m not scared,” I said softly. “Are you?” Tristan turned and took me in his arms.

He dropped the bundle on the ground and I saw that it was a cloth bag with a blanket stuffed inside. As he stroked my bare back with his strong hands, I shuddered and sighed. “I’m never scared with I’m with you,” Tristan whispered softly into my ear. A chill of lust ran through my body and I grabbed him and pulled him close, pressing my body against his. I wanted him more than anything, but if I didn’t act fast, I’d lose my resolve. Tristan crouched down and pulled the blanket out of the bag. He tossed it up in the air then spread it on the ground.

“I have this for emergencies,” he explained. “I promise; I didn’t plan this.” “I know,” I said. “I’m sorry about dinner. I just wanted to be alone with you.” We lay down on the blanket and rolled towards each other. Underneath us, the ground was wet and cold. I shivered as Tristan pulled me close. For a moment, we stayed like that. It was almost platonic. But then, as I began to warm up, Tristan leaned forward and pressed his lips against mine. They were salty and warm and I shivered with pleasure

as he slipped his tongue into my mouth. “Tristan,” I moaned. “That feels so good.” Tristan stroked my arms and then slipped his hands under the hem of my dress. At first, I jumped when he touched my bare skin. But after a few seconds, I felt like I couldn’t have possibly survived without his touch before. It was incredible, it was necessary. I needed him. “I need you, Jenny,” Tristan whispered hotly into my ear. The feel of his breath against my sensitive flesh was too much. Tristan climbed on top of me, covering me with his body. The weight of his

muscular bulk pressed against my limbs was delicious. I slipped my hands up his shirt and gently dragged my nails down Tristan’s back. As he moaned, I ground my hips against the bulge between his legs. My heart was beating a million times per minute and my breath was coming in hoarse pants as Tristan lowered his head to mine and kissed me passionately. We were locked together like puzzle pieces, like we were made for each other. I loved the taste and the feel of him pressed against me. It was so intimate, so desperate, that I could practically sense how urgent he felt about taking me and making me his. I’d never gone this far with a boy. Even

with Tristan, we usually just parked in his car and made out until I felt guilty about being out for too long. But now I didn’t even think about stopping. As Tristan’s fingers dipped into the waistband of my panties and tugged, I arched my back and let him slide the cotton bikini panties down my legs. Without them, I felt naked, exposed. Tristan sighed softly and stroked his finger up the crease between my leg and my body. I giggled nervously. “Are you okay?” Tristan pulled his hand away and looked at me with concern. “Jenny, are you alright?” He looked worried. I blinked and nodded.

“I’m just nervous,” I whispered, blushing hotly. Tristan nodded. He leaned down and planted a gentle, soft kiss on my lips. Pleasure flared through my body and my crotch was pulsing with lust. “Don’t be nervous,” Tristan replied. He brushed my hair away from my sweaty forehead. “I promise everything will be okay. We’ll go as slow as you want, okay?” I nodded and swallowed in a big gulp. Tristan lowered his head to my chest. With surprisingly nimble fingers, he undid the snaps at the front of my dress.

My heart was thumping as he pulled the fabric away from my body, exposing my breasts. In the moonlight, my skin glowed white. Tristan looked into my eyes. “You’re so beautiful, Jenny,” he said softly. “I love you.” The words were stuck in my throat but I managed to reply, “I love you, too.” Tristan smiled and lowered his head to my breasts. I moaned in pleasure as he stuck out his tongue and licked my nipples until they were painfully stiff. The feeling of my wet skin in the nighttime air was incredibly arousing and before long, I was barely aware of

Tristan moving over me. He tugged my dress over my head and then I was naked underneath his body. With surprising speed, he tugged his t-shirt over his head and tossed it on the ground. He was so beautiful that I couldn’t stand it. His adolescent chest was well-muscled for his age and I gasped as I saw a tattoo snaking around his shoulder and taking up one of his glorious pectoral muscles. Tristan wriggled out of his jeans and tossed them to the side. When he was clad only in briefs, he crawled between my legs and nuzzled my bare belly. Moaning softly, I arched my hips up to meet Tristan’s body. His chest pressed against my crotch and I cried out with

pleasure as he licked slow, torturous circles around my belly button. It felt so good that I wanted to scream and explode. I never imagined that I’d be naked with a man like Tristan, taking the time to explore each other’s bodies on a blanket in the woods. Tristan slipped his hand between my legs. “I want to touch you,” he said in a hoarse voice. I could tell his heart was beating just as fast as mine, and his blue eyes looked black in the darkness. I nodded nervously. Seconds later, Tristan’s fingers stroked over my labia. I cried out and shuddered with pleasure as he slipped a finger inside of me and wriggled it around.

“I want you,” I cried loudly. “Now!” Tristan pulled down his boxers. His cock sprang free and I gasped at the sight of it. He was huge and thick and there was no way that was going to fit inside me! I could barely use a tampon! “You’re big,” I managed to croak. Tristan grinned with a hint of selfconsciousness. He crawled down my body until he was staring right at my exposed crotch. I blushed a bright hot red. “I promise you’ll be ready before I slip inside,” Tristan said softly. Before I

could think about what he was doing, he leaned forward and gently licked at my wet, swollen labia. It felt so good that I shrieked and arched my back high into the air. Tristan grabbed my ass and pulled me close, burying his face between my legs. He licked and sucked at my clit until I was moaning loudly and grinding my hips against his face. His mouth felt so good. My lower belly was starting to clench every few seconds and a weird, warm feeling was coming over my limbs. I tangled my hands in Tristan’s brown hair and moaned his name softly. Tristan got to his hands and knees. When his warm mouth left my crotch, I cried out, but soon, a new feeling came over

me. Tristan nudged at my labia with the tip of his hard cock and I spread my legs instinctively. He reached down and laced his fingers with mine, looking deeply into my life. “I love you, Jenny,” Tristan said softly. With his free hand, he steadied himself against my hip and pushed. At first, the pain was blinding and white-hot. I cried out and tried to push him away but Tristan was stronger and in a few seconds, I felt him slide inside. The pain began to melt into something warm, something that engulfed my whole body. I looked into Tristan’s eyes and a feeling of love that I’d never experienced before washed over me. I was completely

hypnotized, I was his. I forgot about the cold, wet ground under our bodies, I forgot about perverts who could be lurking in the woods. All of that went out the window, and suddenly the only other person in my universe was Tristan. “Are you okay? Does that hurt?” Tristan’s voice was soft and concerned. I nodded, too afraid to speak. Gently, he laid his body down against mine. Warmth and electricity jumped from his skin to my body and I shivered. Tristan kept his warm blue eyes locked on mine and he started to slowly pump his hips back and forth. At first, it hurt and I cried out as pain radiated through my body. But soon enough, the warm feeling

returned. Before I knew what I was doing, I was spreading my legs and wrapping them around Tristan’s muscular frame. Perspiration was beading on my forehead and as he pressed his face against mine, I felt love flowing between our bodies like an aura that covered and protected us. There was a warm, tingly feeling growing in my lower belly and when I started to thrust my body along with Tristan’s, the pleasure increased. My muscles were sore almost instantly, but I couldn’t help it, it felt too amazing. As we moved together in a sensual rhythm, Tristan gasped softly and bucked against me, harder than before. The pleasure coiled tightly in my belly like a spring and I

was gasping and crying out and beating my fists against Tristan’s shoulders as the feeling exploded in me. It felt like my body was pulsing deliciously all over, and I couldn’t control it. By the time the feeling passed, I was crying and shaking underneath his body. Tristan continued thrusting in and out and the pleasurable sensations were still pulsing through my body. As he came, he cried out and slammed against mine. When it was over, Tristan collapsed on top of me. His body was sweaty and warm and I could feel his heart pounding through his chest. “We did it,” I said nervously into

Tristan’s ear. He propped himself up on his elbows and covered my face with kisses. “You’re amazing, Jenny,” he said softly. “I love you so much.” We cuddled there on the blanket until I started to get cold. Finally, Tristan let out a deep sigh. “I wish I didn’t have to take you home, baby,” he said softly, stroking a rough finger down my face. “I wish we could stay here.” “Me too,” I said softly. I felt like I wanted to cry. I hated the idea of being

alone that night more than anything. I just wanted to be with Tristan. As I pouted, I felt anger coming over me. Why shouldn’t I spend the night with my boyfriend if I wanted to? I was eighteen, after all. That made me an adult. I knew Mum and Daddy would be pissed, but they couldn’t stop me. I was finally making my own decisions, and I decided that I wanted to stay with Tristan. “Hey, I don’t have to go home. I’m eighteen, right? That makes me an adult.” Tristan sighed. “Jenny, I know your parents hate me. Do you really want to give them another reason to stay mad? I was hoping I could smooth things over

with them before you went away to college. I don’t want to hide our relationship any longer. We’re adults, we don’t have to do this.” Panic rose in my body. It was breaking my heart that Tristan wanted to make amends with my parents. It made me realize how sweet and caring he really was. But no matter how well he meant, I knew it wouldn’t work. There was no way Mum and Daddy would warm up to Tristan, no matter how hard he worked. They were always going to hate him because he was a poor boy from the wrong side of the tracks. “That’s right,” I said firmly. The night

air was cool and damp against my exposed, sweaty skin and I sat up, wrapping the blanket around me. Tristan got to his feet and started to dress as I searched for my discarded panties and clothes. “What’s that?” Tristan gave me a look. “What do you mean?” “You said you didn’t want to hide anymore,” I replied as I pulled my panties on. “So we don’t. We’re adults. We can be together. And I want to start by spending tonight in your arms.” Tristan looked hesitant. “Baby, I’d love that, but what happens if your parents

call the cops?” I blinked and my mouth went dry. I hadn’t thought of that. “They can’t,” I said firmly. “I’m eighteen. I’m a legal adult.” I was bluffing, I had no idea whether or not the cops would respond. After all, Daddy and Mum had thrown a gala for the police force a few years ago. My dad still had a lot of sway in Centreville, and I knew that the cops were in his pocket. They probably wouldn’t listen to the law when faced with my angry daddy. “Fine,” Tristan said. “We’ll go to a motel.”

We dressed in silence and climbed back in his T-bird. But the atmosphere between us had changed, something was different. When I asked Tristan what was wrong, he said nothing and stared moodily out the window. When he pulled into the parking lot of a seedy motel outside of town, I felt my stomach turn over. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be at all. We were supposed to be someplace nice, someplace clean. “Do we have to stay here?” I asked. Tristan turned to me and let out a deep sigh. “Where did you have in mind?” As he stared at me, I felt all of the

resolve that I’d built up in the woods leave. “Nothing,” I said softly. “It’s fine. Can you just take me home?” When Tristan dropped me off, we parted on awkward terms. He told me that he’d come by the house tomorrow. He wanted to visit with Mum and Daddy and try to make amends with them. I didn’t have it in my heart to tell him that no matter what he did, they’d always think he was trash.

Chapter Two When the library had emptied out, I let out a deep sigh as I went behind the counter and clocked out for the day. It was later than I’d expected. Phin was probably waiting with a babysitter after school and I wanted to get to him as soon as possible. I’d been working late the whole week and I knew he’d been cross with me over it. I missed spending time with my son, but during the week I was so busy. At least he was finally in school and making friends of his own.

When Phin had been a little boy, he’d been attached to me at the hip. He’d followed me everywhere, never letting me out of his sight. I’d always worried that he wasn’t developing the way a boy should, but the teachers assured me it was normal, especially for an only child. I had to hold my chin up high as I knew not everyone approved of a single mom, especially not a single working mom. But that’s what I was, and so be it. As I locked up the library and walked out into the parking lot, I heard the roaring of motorcycles. There were two big guys in leather jackets perched on bikes. They kept their eyes trained closely on me as I walked out to my car.

Even though I was tall, I was slender. It wouldn’t be difficult to overpower me at all, and I was sure they knew that. I felt a shiver of fear run through me as I fumbled in my bag for the keys. I should have stayed inside until they disappeared, I thought with irritation. Pay more attention to your surroundings, Jenny. “Hey, sweetie, you need a ride?” one of them called out in a rough voice, and the other jeered. “I’m fine,” I said in a shaky voice. Damn it, stay calm. The bikers both laughed at my shaky tone. “Can I help you?”

“We were just waiting to see when you were gonna leave,” the first biker said. He climbed off his bike and started walking towards me. I tried to run but my feet felt like they were rooted to the spot. Even though it was still evening, the parking lot was deserted. No one had been at the library for hours, it was just me. And no one is around to hear me scream, I thought in terror. The library was on the outskirts of town and it was a good ten-minute drive from the closest shopping center. I thought of trying to reach for my phone but I was terrified that one of the bikers would be able to grab me when I took

that chance. “Stay away,” I said, trying to sound firm. “Leave me alone.” The biker reached me with alarming speed. He grabbed me by the elbow and held me fast. “Hey, Steve, we got us a fighter!” he crowed loudly. I shrieked and tried to twist away but the guy’s grip was too firm. His buddy gave us a lazy smile before climbing off his bike and walking towards us, his grin growing on his face with every passing second. Steve stepped closer and grabbed my other elbow before I could dodge his grip. As I swerved and tried to twist out

of the way, the first biker slapped my face. It wasn’t too hard, but it was hard enough to sting and I cried out as tears welled up in my eyes. “Randy, this one’s real feisty,” Steve said. He nodded and looked me up and down. “We’re gonna have some real fun with her later!” “No, you’re not!” I hissed, contorting and wiggling my body, trying desperately to get away from the creeps. Steve ran a hand down my chest and tweaked one of my nipples through my sweater. I screamed in pain and tried to twist away but he just grabbed me harder. The two bikers screamed with

laughter and held me fast. One of them grabbed my purse off my shoulder and tossed it across the parking lot, scattering its contents on the asphalt. Tears streamed down my face as Randy and Steve kept me close to their foul bodies, pinching and caressing me. “Let me go!” I shrieked. Randy held his hand to slap me again and when I cowered and flinched, he laughed. “If you resist, I’m just gonna have to hit you harder,” he said with a nasty smirk contorting his face. “What you think about that, Steve?” “I think the bitch deserves it,” Steve

said. He slapped my ass and I cried out and jumped in the air. It was painful, more painful than it should have been, and I wanted to throw up. Just as the two guys started dragging me over to their bikes, another roaring sound came into focus. Shit, no, not another one. The idea of being raped by two bikers was horrible enough; I couldn’t have dealt with the idea of three. But when the bike came into focus, I saw he was wearing a different jacket than Steve and Randy. He was tall and gorgeous with wavy brown hair under his helmet and tan skin on his face.

“Hey,” the new guy barked sharply. “Leave her alone! Get the fuck away from her!” To my surprise, Steve and Randy dropped their grip on me. I went flying forward and landed on my knees, skinning them on the asphalt. It hurt, but adrenaline was flooding my body and I couldn’t shake the sense of immense relief that I felt welling up in my chest. Scrambling to my feet, I ran over to where the bikers had thrown my bag and started looking for my keys. My hands were shaking and as I heard a sharp slapping sound, I turned around.

“Stay the fuck away from her,” the guy growled to Steve. Without waiting a second, he swung his arm back and landed a solid punch on Steve’s jaw. Steve staggered backwards and fell on his ass, whimpering loudly. The guy walked over to Randy, who was cowering by their bikes. I thought Randy was going to push him away but the guy moved faster and swung and hit him so hard that I saw Randy’s feet leave the ground. “Who…who are you?” Randy stammered. “It doesn’t fucking matter,” he said shortly. He kicked out and landed his

boot on Randy’s chest. With Randy pinned to the ground, the guy stepped up and glared down. Finally, he turned his gaze to me, as if noticing me for the first time. “Are you okay?” I am now, I thought solemnly. But to him, I answered, “I’m fine, thank you.” Randy still lay moaning on the ground but I saw Steve reaching into the back waistband of his pants. Before I could react and warn the stranger, he grabbed me and pulled me on the back of his bike. “Hold on,” he said under his breath as he pulled away, leaving Randy and

Steve in the dust. “I like to go fast.”

Chapter Three Tristan

When the girl’s arms were safely wrapped around my chest, I pulled out of the parking lot. She nestled her face against the back of my jacket and the sweet scent of vanilla rose up over my senses. I was glad I’d gotten there in time. I’d been in a bar with those fucks, listening to them talk about how they wanted to harass the pretty librarian. I’d had a bad feeling about them—they were both tanked—and I was more glad than ever that I’d followed them. She was hot, I had to admit. Just my type,

too: tall, legs for days, long red hair, big, round tits. I imagined how her tight lithe body would feel under my hands and my cock started to twitch in my pants. I shivered. Maybe I’d get more than I bargained for with this pretty little thing. I loved the energy that swarmed around my body after a fight. It primed my mind and made me ready for more. There was something that felt so good about chasing assholes away from pretty ladies, even if my intentions were perhaps not any more gentlemanly than theirs had been. I flexed the muscles in my chest, feeling the spike of adrenaline hit my heart. I closed my eyes and for a moment, lifted my hands off the steering bars. The

energy spiked in my chest and I felt a delicious rush hit my face—it wasn’t the wind, it was something more primal, more amazing. Between knocking those assholes out and rescuing this pretty little thing, I was feeling more amped than I had in months. A grin stretched over my lips. I didn’t know where I was headed, but damn if I didn’t feel good. The girl was clutching me tightly; I had a feeling she wasn’t even paying attention to the road. But I could feel her heart pounding like a jackhammer behind those amazing pert tits, and I knew she must have had the fright of her life. Girl like her, even though she didn’t look moneyed, still looked sheltered. I

decided that she needed a drink, and maybe an ear. And maybe your cock, I thought, the wicked grin twisting and stretching even further on my face. Be honest, you’re already thinking about what it would be like to fuck her. I decided that I’d take her to a nicer place, not the typical shitbox where my boys and I hung out. I’d been a patched member of the Wicked Angels for years, and they’d recently patched me in as president. It had been an incredible feeling: exhilarating, tense, and perfect. But somehow, part of me felt like the afternoon had been just as exciting and thrilling. There was nothing in the world like rescuing a dame, nothing.

As we pulled into the parking lot, I felt the girl tense. “Where are we?” Her voice was soft and lyrical, somehow…familiar. I shook my head. She didn’t look like anyone I’d seen before, and even if there was something funny about her, that didn’t mean we had any kind of real history together. “I figured you could use a drink,” I said, throwing her a grin. “How do you feel about that?” The girl blushed. “I have to make a phone call, okay?”

I nodded. “I’ll be right here. You want to go inside or stay here?” “Stay here,” she said softly. She dug in her purse and came out with an oldermodel iPhone. I watched as she cupped her mouth over her hand and whispered something softly into the phone. It sounded like she was making arrangements with someone and I smiled. If I’d stolen her from another guy that evening, all the better for me. Now that I really had a good chance to look at her, she was smokin’ hot. She was wearing a sweater and a cute little skirt, and even though her knees were skinned and bloody, she still had the nicest stems

I’d seen on a girl recently. “Thanks,” she said after a moment. I realized I’d been too busy zoning out on her body to really focus on what she was saying. She threw me a tentative smile. “Just one drink, okay?” I nodded. “Sure, princess,” I said, stretching and walking toward the entrance. The bar wasn’t a great place, but it was nicer than some of the other dives in town. Still, the floor was sticky and there was an overwhelming scent of Lysol and stale beer in the air. “Sorry this isn’t nicer,” I said in a gruff voice. “But we’ll just be in and out.”

She nodded. I let her take the lead and followed her to two unoccupied stools at the bar. The way she swung her hips when she walked was making me hard, and I had to stare at the floor so I wouldn’t start thinking about the delectable cheeks of her ass. She was so sweet, so luscious. When we were seated, I faced the girl. She was still shaking from head to toe and I reached out and put a big hand on her shoulder. She flinched, but I didn’t take my hand away. When we touched, sparks flew between our bodies and I felt a grin sneak onto my face.

“What’s your name?” I asked her softly. “Jenny,” she said after a moment’s hesitation. “Thank you. How did you know they were going to do that?” She looked up at me with big, scared green eyes. “I mean, you couldn’t have just shown up at that exact instant.” I sighed and raked a hand through my messy hair. Even though I kept it slightly long, it was almost to the point where I needed to get it sheared off again. “I was having a drink and those assholes kept talking about how they were gonna go fuck with a pretty librarian,” I said. “So I followed them.”

Jenny let out a deep sigh. She still hadn’t asked for my name. As her trembling started to slowly subside, I flagged down the bartender. “A beer for me,” I said grandly. “And whatever this lady wants.” “I’d like a vodka tonic, please,” she said softly. “Thank you,” she added when the bartender had turned away. “Thank you so much for saving me.” I shook my head. “Ain’t a thing, princess,” I told her with a cocky grin. Jenny flushed and I realized her body was angled towards mine, with her legs

slightly open. I stared at the soft white flesh of her creamy thighs, wishing I could reach out and touch her. She was so insanely hot, I knew that I had to fuck her. Would she let me? I reached out and grabbed her hand. “I’m sorry about those assholes,” I said. “But I don’t think they’ll bother you again. Have you ever seen them before?” Jenny bit her lip. “Not really,” she said softly. “Sometimes when I’m leaving work I’ll see guys on bikes but I’ve never paid them too much attention before.” I chuckled. “That was probably your

first mistake,” I told her. “You always gotta watch your surroundings.” The bartender returned with our drinks and we clinked together. As Jenny took a long sip of her vodka tonic, I watched some of the color return to her face. She was pretty, angular, but gorgeous. I had a feeling that when she was younger, her face had probably been fuller and she’d been a little heavier. Now she was lean, with a flat belly and delicate legs. My mouth watered a little thinking about what she’d look like naked. “Did they do anything except scare you?” I persisted. Jenny’s look darkened and I saw her take another long pull on

her drink. “I’m sorry to ask, but, you know, I can fix those guys if they did anything.” Jenny bit her plump lower lip and shook her head. “No,” she said after a moment. Patchy blush rose over her face and I realized she must be getting a little tipsy. “They didn’t do anything. I promise.” I laughed again. “You don’t have to protect those assholes,” I said, shaking my finger at her. “That’s how all of this bad shit starts.” She blushed, for real this time. The way the pink spread over her face was so adorable, I wanted to reach out and kiss

her. I loved the way her mouth worked for a few seconds before she started talking. It made her look very fuckable. “I promise,” she said again. “Trust me,” she said, rolling her eyes. “They didn’t do anything. You would have seen it.” I pointed to her knees. “They hurt you,” I said softly, reaching out and brushing some of the gravel out of her wounds. Jenny flinched slightly and a pained expression came over her face but she allowed me to keep at it until all of the grit was out of the cuts. “You should wash that,” I said, pointing to the bathroom. “You don’t want an infection.”

“What about your hands?” Jenny pointed to my bloody fingers. “You should wash up, too.” I smirked and wiped my hands on a bar napkin. “Trust me, honey, this isn’t the first time I’ve gotten blood on me,” I said. I expected Jenny to laugh but instead she frowned. I watched as she let herself off the stool and headed into the bathroom. She was stumbling slightly, but she managed to make it without falling over. “Bartender,” I called loudly. “Another vodka tonic over here!”

When Jenny returned, I handed her a fresh drink. She tried to protest, but gave in after a few weak cries. “Drink up,” I told her. “You just had one hell of a fright. If I were you, I’d be wanting to relax as much as I could.” Jenny laughed softly. She took the glass from my hand and took a long sip. “You’re right,” she said softly. “Thank you.” “No sweat,” I told her with a grin. “So, you’ve always been a librarian?” “Ever since college,” Jenny said ruefully. “I put myself through, so it took

some time. But now I love it.” I nodded. She was just the type who would: quiet, soft-spoken, gorgeous. I wondered what she was like in bed. Was she just as timid as she was now, or was she a little wildcat? I grinned broadly. Only one way to find out, I thought with a chuckle under my breath. And I intend to do it as soon as possible.

Chapter Four Jenny

As I finished my second drink, the alcoholic warmth in my belly and throat was growing more and more pleasurable by the minute. I knew that I should have refused the second drink, but there was something about his manner than I knew I couldn’t refuse. He reminded me of someone. Someone I’d known and loved. Tristan. The name brought a flood of painful memories back to me. Boys like Tristan had always been my weakness, even after Tristan and I were broken up for

good. It had taken years for me to be able to think of Tristan without crying, but I finally could. Somehow, this stranger was threatening to bring it all back. He was gorgeous—sculpted tanned face, bulky muscular body without an inch of fat, wavy brown hair. Stunning blue eyes that he’d kept hidden behind sunglasses until we were in the bar. I couldn’t believe he’d taken such an interest in me. But the chemistry between us was undeniable. Every time he leaned close, I felt my heart start to pound in my chest. The adrenaline rush from Randy and Steve’s attack had long faded, but a new one was threatening to take its

place. I shuddered as the handsome stranger rested a hand on my leg. “You did a good job,” he said slowly, inspecting my knee. “You used to washing off a lot of cuts and scrapes?” I was, of course, because having an eight-year-old son meant that literally every day, I cleaned up a cut. “Yes,” I said shyly, without elaborating. Even though I loved Phin more than anything in the world, I was hesitant to mention him. Sometimes, finding out a woman was a single mom was a turn-off to guys. I wasn’t looking for anything, but I had to admit that the attention he

was showing me felt good. It had been a really long time since I’d let myself talk to a guy and flirt and relax. It reminded me of what it was like to feel wanted, to feel needed. To feel loved, I thought in my tipsy brain. Automatically I felt guilty. I knew what it felt like to be loved; Phin loved me more than life itself. But it’s not the same, I thought with a twinge of guilt. I missed being loved by a man, someone who would hold me and cuddle me until all my dark fears in the night went away. The guy finished his beer and gave me a lazy grin. “What do you say about one more?” His voice was low and sensual and I shivered as I felt lust tear through

my body, like fingers ripping wet silk. I wanted this man suddenly more than I’d ever wanted anyone in my whole life. I didn’t stop to think about what that meant as I leaned back in my stool. “Sure,” I said. The guy grinned at me and my stomach did a flip-flop. “Same thing? Something different?” He winked at me as he asked. I had a feeling he was testing me. But part of me, the part of me that was enjoying his attention, decided to flirt back. I licked my lower lip and tried to wink at him. Since he didn’t laugh, I imagined that my wink had the desired

effect. I let my eyes trail down his body. He was clad in a t-shirt and dark jeans, but under the cotton of his shirt I could tell he had a marvelous, sculpted body. I saw his rock-hard abs clench and twist as he shifted and flagged down the bartender. The muscles in his biceps were bulging and I saw a grin sneak onto his face. “Hey, barkeep!” he called loudly. “Same thing for me, and something different for the lady.” He grinned and I felt a blush cover my face. “She likes different things,” he said softly, meant only for me to hear. A shiver of lust ran through my body and I felt my lower belly clench with desire. If I’d been drunker, I would

have dragged him to a dark corner and plastered my body against his. He had big, strong, veiny hands and I shivered as I thought about what they would feel like running over my body. Take me. Just for the night, make me yours. The bartender handed me a shot and a glass of something swirling blue. “This is different,” she told me with her eyebrows raised. “You probably don’t want to drive after this.” Closing my eyes, I lifted the glass to my lips and knocked the shot back. My mouth stung—it was almost like the soft tissue was numbed from the drink—and I gasped and coughed. The guy laughed

before reaching out to pat me gently on the back. As he did, I caught a whiff of his scent and desire rose in me like a tidal wave. He smelled like a blend of sandalwood and tobacco and leather and I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply. No doubt about it, this guy was trouble. When I opened my eyes, I realized the guy was staring directly at my face. I blushed. “What is it?” I asked softly. He kept staring. The blush deepened on my face and I returned his gaze, as hard as I could. His intense blue eyes were boring deep into my soul and I shivered.

I hadn’t been this intimate with someone in a long time, even though we had yet to touch. Before I could think about what was happening, he leaned over and pressed his lips to mine. At first the kiss was chaste, reasonable. But after a few seconds, I started to feel the heat from his mouth seeping into mine. The kiss grew alive and sparks flew between our bodies. I moaned softly into his mouth and tangled my fingers in his hair, pulling myself as close as possible to him. I was barely aware of the guy wrapping his arms around me and crushing my body to his. As our lips and tongues danced together, arousal began

to thump in my lower belly. He groaned and pulled me off the barstool until I was practically in his lap. Feeling all of the sexy stranger’s muscles pressed against my body made me shiver and before I knew it, I was crawling on top of him and wrapping my arms around him, pulling him as close as possible. He responded by eagerly pulling me close. I could feel a giant, hard bulge in his dark jeans, pressed up against me. I loved how hard I’d made him, as if this was the kind of thing that never happened, when in reality, he was probably the type to pick up girls all the time. Lust coursed through my body and I pressed my forehead against his, deepening our kiss. He tasted amazing,

like leather and beer and soap, and I wanted to be covered in his scent. I wanted to smell it on my pillows in the morning, I wanted to smell it on my skin. He groaned and tangled his hands in my hair. I cried out softly as he nibbled and sucked on my lower lip. I was so aroused that I could feel my panties were soaked and every time I twisted, they rubbed against my sensitive skin. The stranger’s hands were slipping around my back, up my shirt, rubbing the soft skin underneath. I hadn’t had a man’s hands on me in years, and I loved the feel of his calloused fingers sliding over my skin. As they slid around to my front, I gasped as I felt his fingers tweak

at my nipples through my lacy bra. I blushed madly as I deepened the kiss. If only I’d known I was going to meet this guy today, I would have worn matching panties. As I twisted my body against his, another fierce bolt of desire shot through me. The bar around us faded into nothing as we madly pulled at each other. He broke the kiss and nudged my head up to lick and suck at my neck. God, this feels so good, I thought. My body was swimming in lust and alcohol and there was nothing more in the world that I wanted than this guy. I wanted him to take me, I wanted him to make me his. His tongue slid between my lips and danced with mine,

his hands toyed with my breasts under my sweater until I was whimpering softly into his mouth. His touch was magnetic, I craved it like I craved breathing. He was doing incredible things to me, and the worst thing was, I just wanted more. I shivered at the thought of his tongue licking down my body, between my legs, sucking my clit until I cried out with pleasure. I wanted to wrap my mouth around his cock and suck until he came in my mouth and his whole body was shaking. I wanted to bring him to his knees with lust and desire for me. As he gnawed at my wet mouth, he pressed his crotch against my body and I felt his stiff

erection poking me through his jeans. He was huge. I shuddered, imagining what it would feel like the first time he slid his hard cock inside of my soaked pussy. I wanted to take him all the way, I wanted to spread my legs and let him slide in until I was screaming. Breathlessly, I pulled away. He was staring at me, the lust wild and evident in his eyes. His lips were shiny with our mingled saliva and his breath was coming in damp bursts, just like mine. My heart was beating like a jackhammer in my chest and I felt painful arousal tugging at my crotch. More, my body was begging me. More, more, more.

But when we weren’t touching, the reality of the moment sank in. I blushed and coughed, tasting alcohol. God, I’m really drunk, I realized. This is what I get for not having a drink in months. The bar around me was bleary and brightly-colored; I could tell that it had long since gotten dark outside. What the fuck was I doing in a bar with this hot stranger? Yeah, I wanted him. But oh god, did he ever look like trouble. And yet, there was something familiar about him. “I have to go home and take care of my son,” I blurted out. “He’s with a babysitter.”

Chapter Five Tristan

I blinked. Fuck! Every nerve and cell in me cried out for release. I hadn’t been this horny in months, and I couldn’t believe Jenny was pulling away. She’d wanted it just as much as I had. A few seconds ago, she’d been on my lap, letting me play with her perfect, round, melon-like tits. I shuddered as I imagined the taste of her stiff nipples in my mouth. Her skin would be sweet, like sugar, but musky. She was the hottest little animal I’d ever seen, and I knew that I had to make her mine. Just thinking about the way she’d writhed and twisted

in my arms made me so hot. My cock was chafing against my jeans and I shuddered. Jenny’s liquid green eyes were begging me for more. I exhaled deeply and finished the rest of my beer. “Okay,” I said. “Got it. Where do you live?” I gritted my teeth. I couldn’t believe she’d broken apart from me and mumbled something about having to get home to her son. Suddenly, her phone call from earlier made sense. She wasn’t calling another guy to cancel on them, she was calling her babysitter. I slapped my head to my forehead and groaned. Way to go, Tristan. Hope you enjoyed your one-way ticket to the Land of Blue Balls.

“I can go get my car, it’s at the library,” Jenny said softly. She peeked up at me through her long red bangs and blushed. Instinctively, I knew she was remembering our steamy encounter and turning it over and over in her mind. I chuckled. She was hot, that was something alright. She was the hottest little minx I’d seen lately, and yet, there was something so familiar about her. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but her blend of demure and ferocious reminded me of someone I’d known a long, long time ago. “I don’t think you can drive, princess,” I

said wryly. Pink spots appeared on Jenny’s cheeks and she stood up, drawing herself up to her full height. I was impressed; she was tall, but I was over six feet. Still, for a woman, she might have been the tallest that I’d seen, especially lately. She looked adorable and ruffled, but also a little drunk. “I can drive,” Jenny said. Her head lolled back like a child’s and when she reached towards the bar to steady herself, she grabbed her glass. Instantly, it slipped off the counter and broke into a million tiny pieces on the floor. Jenny barely caught her balance, I had to grab her arm to keep her from going down with the glass. From behind the bar, the

bartender glared at us. I held up my hands. “Alright, alright, we’re going,” I said loudly, digging through my pockets and throwing a wad of cash on the bar. “I get it.” As I supported Jenny and helped her outside, I chuckled to myself. No wonder they wanted me gone—first I bring in a chick and get her sauced, then pull her on my lap and grope her tits in front of everyone. Then she breaks a glass. I shook my head and laughed under my breath. Just another fuckin’ average day for Tristan Mayer!

“Where do you live, sweetheart?” I asked, holding Jenny at arm’s length and staring into her beautiful, sleepy green eyes. “You feel like tellin’ me?” “I can drive,” Jenny insisted. She tried to put one foot in front of the other and almost fell over. I laughed, but reached out and grabbed her so she wouldn’t actually hit the ground. “I swear,” she added, her face pink with the effort. “I’m fine.” I chuckled. “I don’t think you are, honey,” I said, supporting her over to my bike. “How about tellin’ me where you live?”

Jenny looked up at me with such clarity that it was hard to believe she’d been falling over just a few seconds ago. She bit her lower lip, managing to look both sexy and innocent. “I live on West Street,” she said softly. I frowned. “That ain’t such a good area,” I said, whistling under my breath. “You sure about that, honey?” Jenny gave me a withering look and I burst out laughing. Even drunk, she had her wits about her. I couldn’t help but find her even sexier for that. “I know where I live,” she said softly,

but I could tell there was a backbone of steel under her demure sweetness. “You taking me home or not?” “Of course,” I said sarcastically, grinning at Jenny. I handed her my extra helmet and helped her climb on my bike. “Hold on tightly,” I warned. “I don’t want you falling off.” Jenny nodded. Suddenly, she looked almost like a little girl. I knew she’d had a hard day, but damn if I couldn’t get her sweet body out of my mind. She was one of the sexiest women that I’d ever seen. Maybe I could get her to agree to go out with me again.

As I drove towards the bad part of town, Jenny snuggled against me. She wrapped her arms tightly around my waist and clung on for dear life. I whistled when I crossed the train tracks and looked around. We were at one end of West Street, and I couldn’t imagine the other end was any nicer. I couldn’t believe a dame like this was living here. She should have been put up with a husband and a couple of kids, living in a nice place, closer to the river. We pulled up in front of Jenny’s little house. I could tell that it had been painted recently. Someone had planted flowers in the yard and trimmed the hedges, but it was still pretty

ramshackle. One of the shutters was hanging off the side of the house and it was small, probably two tiny bedrooms and one bathroom. It didn’t even look like there was enough space for an attic. “You sure this is you?” Jenny gave me a rueful smile. She seemed to have sobered up over the course of the ride. As she pulled my helmet off and handed it back to me, she tossed her red hair and I caught a glimpse of something shiny and golden at her throat. My mouth went dry. Suddenly, my head was filled with another girl. A girl who

looked very much like Jenny. I shook my head. No, there was no way it could be her. Even though Jenny bore a strong resemblance to this girl, she’d disappeared years ago. They couldn’t possibly be the same person! Before I knew what I was doing, I reached into her sweater and pulled out the necklace. It was a gold chain with a tiny pendant in the shape of a four-leaf clover. My stomach did flip-flops and I stared into Jenny’s green eyes. The pendant she was wearing around her neck was tarnished with age. I remembered buying it years ago, saving up for weeks and then sneaking into the jewelry store during a trip to town.

“You sure about this?” The old guy behind the counter was holding up a shiny, new necklace: a four-leaf clover on a delicate chain. He gave me a look like he wasn’t sure that I was holding legitimate money. “This is a lot of money, boy.” “It ain’t that much,” I snarled back. I dropped thirty dollars on the counter. “And that money is good. I didn’t steal it.” The old man shook his head, then wrapped up the pendant in a cotton pad and a white box. “She’s a lucky girl,” he said softly under his breath as he

handed me the little package. “I hope she knows how lucky she is.” I blinked, feeling dazed. The pendant around Jenny’s neck was the same one I’d bought for Jennifer Foster all those years ago. Jenny’s soft voice brought me back to reality. “Are you okay?” I realized she was looking at me strangely. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” I stared at her. “Where did you get that necklace, Jenny?” Her face changed. Jenny’s high blush disappeared and she swallowed a lump

in her throat. Tears filled her eyes and she sniffed, looking down at the ground. “A boy gave it to me,” she said softly. “A boy I knew a long time ago.” My jaw clenched and I set my lips in a thin line. “That’s what I thought,” I muttered. “Come on. Let’s get you inside.” Jenny didn’t resist as I took her elbow and escorted her up the front walkway. It had been made from tiles of concrete but most of them were broken and shattered by now. A rage was filling me, my whole body. Jenny. Jennifer Foster. They were the same girl.

I closed my eyes and remembered the last time I’d seen Jenny. It was the night I’d taken her home on her eighteenth birthday. We’d fought—she wanted to stay out, but I was worried about facing the wrath of her parents. They’d always hated me, but now that she was an adult, I wanted to make a good impression. After all, I loved their daughter more than anything. I loved Jennifer Foster more than life itself. But I never got the chance to make amends. “Jenny! Jenny!” Jenny’s mother ran down the driveway and wrapped her in a bony hug, holding her at arm’s length and looking over her thin, lithe frame.

Her father followed close behind. “Just where the hell do you think you’ve been?” “Daddy, I’m fine!” Jenny protested. She twisted out of her mother’s arms and looked at me. “Tristan’s been taking care of me.” “I bet he has,” Jenny’s mother simpered in a nasal tone. “Tristan, thank you, kindly leave my family alone now.” “No!” Jenny cried. “I’m an adult! Mum, Daddy, Tristan is my boyfriend! We love each other!”

“Jenny, stop,” Jenny’s father said. He pressed a hand against his forehead and I guessed he was struggling with a hangover. “Enough of this nonsense,” he said. “Young man, thank you for bringing my daughter home. I assume we won’t be seeing you again.” “No!” Jenny cried again. She twisted away from her parents’ grip and ran over to me. “Tristan is my love!” she cried loudly. “Why don’t you see that?” I blinked, coming back to reality. The memories were too painful. Jenny was silent as I guided her inside. There was a pretty young woman, who I assumed

was the babysitter, and a young boy with brown hair and blue eyes. I blinked. It was just like seeing a ghost.

Chapter Six Jenny

I was still drunk, but standing in the foyer and staring at the man standing next to Phin, my blood ran cold. No, it couldn’t be him. I shook my head in disbelief. When I opened my eyes, the resemblance was still there, and it was stronger than ever. The man who had saved my life, who had taken me to a bar and tried to seduce me in public, was none other than Tristan. Tristan Mayer. My first love. My only love. After Tristan, I’d never loved again. Sure, I’d gone on the odd

date here and there. I’d even had another boyfriend or two. But no one serious, no one who lasted for more than a couple of months. It was impossible. But it’s not impossible, my mind insisted. He’s right there. That’s him, alright. A new shiver when through me when I realized who he was. Did he know who I was? Was that why he had grabbed the necklace? My heart started pounding against the walls of my chest as I recalled the angry look on his face while we were standing outside. He knew. He must have known, ever since I told him that a boy had given me that necklace all those years ago. Eight, to be precise. Phin’s exact age.

I cursed myself for not having asked for his name. What are you, stupid? I thought, burning with embarrassment inwardly. I’d draped myself all over him like some kind of biker slut! But then again, I hadn’t been able to resist him. I’d never been able to resist Tristan. Not eight years ago, and not now. Even though I didn’t mind living like a nun most of the time, Tristan brought my most hidden desires out onto the surface. It was like part of me had been dead since I’d said goodbye to him, and that part of me wasn’t ever going to wake up again. But seeing him had rekindled it. And now, I felt it stronger than ever. The worst effects of the alcohol had worn off

but I was still feeling tipsy and slow. “Get out,” I said in a shaky voice. “Get out and leave me alone.” Tristan looked at me. His face was a mix of confusion, anger, and hurt. I couldn’t even look at him without feeling like my heart was breaking in two. I didn’t want him around, he couldn’t stay, or everything would fall apart. My life, my whole life that I’d spent working to move on from Tristan would crumble at my feet if he gave me one more of those heartbreaking, lopsided smiles. I blinked, feeling tears well up. “Wait,” Tristan said. His voice was

deep and husky. “I need to talk to you!” “No,” I said as calmly as I could muster. “Get out, now. Leave, and don’t ever come back. And don’t ever contact me, ever again. You understand?” Pushing past Tristan, I picked Phin up and held him in my arms. At eight, he was almost too big to be held. He was tall, just like Tristan, and big for his age. And already, I could tell he was going to be heartbreakingly gorgeous when he grew up. I shook my head. Suddenly, I felt exhausted. I wanted a long, hot bath, and to sleep for hours. “Come on,” I told Phin, setting him

down on the ground. “Come on, Mommy wants to take a bath. Did Lindsey feed you your dinner?” Lindsey, the babysitter, stood up from the couch. She was a nervous-looking blonde teenager and she shook her head, casting fearful glances to the side. I laughed out of sheer anxiety. I didn’t realize it, but Tristan looked incredibly intimidating. “He was a little fussy with his dinner,” Lindsey said, trying to keep her voice at a normal tone. “He didn’t want his vegetables.” Phin made a face. “Mom, she knows I

hate squash,” he said in a petulant tone. “I told her when you got home, I’d have some carrots.” “Why don’t we just wait until tomorrow, okay?” Phin nodded. He swallowed, and I could tell he was scared. “Mom, who is that?” he asked in a soft, scared voice. “What’s that man doing in our living room?” “I need to talk to your mom,” Tristan said. He looked at the boy with an incredulous gaze on his face and suddenly, I knew that he knew. The resemblance between himself and Phin was too strong to ignore, and it was

making me feel dizzier than ever. “No,” I said too forcefully. Lindsey and Phin looked at me with confusion on their faces. “I mean, this man gave Mommy a ride home,” I said, looking right at Phin, trying to calm him. “And it was very nice, but Mommy wants to be alone now.” Before I could react, Tristan grabbed my arm. He dragged me into the next room and shoved me up against the wall. I felt my heart slamming across my ribs and I looked into his face. “Are you Jennifer Foster?” Tristan’s voice came out in a growl and he glared

at me. I was too scared to speak. I could barely move, but I somehow managed to nod my head slowly. .” Tristan stared deep into my eyes. His blue orbs were the same gorgeous, haunting eyes they had always been. But I could tell that he’d changed. Eight years and he’d become a different man. He probably had a new woman every week, and then some. I shivered. His gaze was so penetrating, I suddenly felt naked. I was all too aware of how my breasts stuck out under the sweater and how my slim waist looked in the high-

waisted skirt I wore. But Tristan’s intense gaze never left my face, and I felt myself shivering with lust and fear. “It doesn’t matter who I am,” I said softly. “What happened was a long time ago. That’s over now.” Tristan opened his mouth to reply, then slammed it angrily shut. I saw a muscle twitching in his strong jaw and I shuddered. He looked angry enough to rip my head off, and I knew he was strong enough to do so if he wished. “It matters,” Tristan grunted at me. “It matters, Jenny.”

Hearing him say my name sent shivers through my body. It wasn’t like before wen I thought he was some sexy stranger. No, this was my first love. I had history with this man. I’d lost my virginity to him, and he’d broken my heart. Blinking back tears, I turned my head away so I wouldn’t have to look up at him. But Tristan had quick reflexed and he grabbed my chin in one of his rough hands. Before I knew it, his lips were pressed against mine and we were kissing roughly. His hands were in my hair and his face was smashed against mine. Tristan slipped his tongue into my mouth and caressed mine with it. I knew that he was angry, but the kiss was passionate and tempestuous. Part of me

felt like he wanted to rip me apart, the other part of me felt like he just wanted to rip my clothes off and drag me to bed. Give me a good hate fuck, show me what I’d been missing out on for all these years. As the kiss deepened, I was horrified to feel my pussy getting wet and soaking through my panties again. Just like at the bar, Tristan’s body had an immediate effect on my own. I felt arousal brand me until I was twisting my body and pressing up against him. Tristan slid his hands down my body and scooped me up, wrapping my legs around his waist. I felt his erection shove between my legs and I moaned softly—even through the

layers of fabric we wore, it still felt better than I ever could have imagined. Wrapping my arms around Tristan’s neck, I tangled my hands in his hair and tugged hard. Tristan groaned into my mouth and slapped my ass gently with one of his hands. The sensation was enough to make me cry out and finally, I broke apart from Tristan and licked my lips. Tristan set me roughly down on the ground and stepped away from me. He stared at me and I felt my heart beating faster than ever. I wiped my mouth free of our saliva and tried to catch my breath. I felt like I’d just run a marathon. My body was pulsing with lust. As we

stared at each other, I silently begged him to come back and pick me back up. It no longer mattered that Lindsey and Phin were in the next room. The goddamn Pope could have been in the next room and I wouldn’t have cared. All I wanted was Tristan, his strong arms around me, his mouth on mine, kissing me savagely. I wanted him to carry me to bed and slide my panties down my legs before spreading my thighs and diving between them with his tongue, and then his cock. “Get out,” I said softly, shaking my head. No, I couldn’t ever be with him again. I couldn’t take that risk. I was a mother now, and I had to put the life of my son

ahead of my own. Back then, Tristan had been dangerous. Now, he looked even more so. He was a big, tattooed biker who’d thought nothing of showing up and punching two guys out. I shivered with lust. The conflicting urges in my body were warring, but, finally, the rational side won out. “Get out or I’ll call the cops,” I said finally. Tristan looked into my eyes, an expression of wounded rage on his face. Finally, he turned on his heel and stalked out of the door. Out of my life, for the second time. And unlike the first time,

this time it would be forever.

Chapter Seven Tristan

I stalked away from Jenny’s little ramshackle house in anger and climbed on my bike, gunning it into a high gear and driving out of Centreville. I had to be alone, I had to think. I was so angry that I could have spat, so I turned up music loudly and stuffed headphones in my ears. I just wanted to ride and ride until all of the adrenaline and anger had subsided. That’ll take a billion fuckin’ years, I thought to myself in anger. Fuck! She had a son! My son! He had to be my son. There was no way he was anyone

else’s. He was the spitting image of myself at that age. I had to close my eyes and count backwards. She’d called him Phin. He had to be at least eight. It had been over eight years since I’d last seen Jenny. That set me off all over again. I couldn’t believe that she’d had my son and not said a goddamn word! Who did that woman think she was! Just because we had a past together didn’t seem like a good reason to punish that poor kid. Shaking my head, I sped up and navigated around a turn. I’d grown up without a dad. While it hadn’t been my mom’s fault, I’d always wished that I could have had a father. My old man had been a biker, too, but in

a different club. A bad club, a club that was more like a gang. He got killed while my mom was still pregnant. At first, she’d vowed to make a better life for me but that was damn near impossible. She’d never even finished high school. I remembered her trying hard when I was a little kid but by the time I started school, she had started to flounder. Mom had always had drug problems and she started using again by the time I was in second or third grade. I’d come home and find her passed out, no food in the house, the TV sold for more junk. After a while, I resented that she’d never cared enough to quit for me. I mean, I was her only kid. I was supposed to be the only thing in her life,

right? My mind flashed back to Jenny’s cramped little house. Even though she obviously didn’t have much money, I could tell how much she loved her son. The living room had been covered with framed pictures he’d obviously drawn, and there had been a giant pile of his crayons on the kitchen table. Hell, even the room where I’d dragged Jenny was filled with his toys. Against my will, that brought a smile to my face. I shook my head. No, I didn’t feel good about Jenny right now. I was angrier than anything that she’d never contacted me. After all, she was the one who had left

me! She’d never talked to me again! Not after that fateful night. “No,” I said aloud. I couldn’t let myself get dragged back into the memories. That was only dangerous, and something that was guaranteed to bring me more pain for now. I had to stop thinking about Jenny. I had to do something to take my mind off of her. Jenny’s parents had never thought I was good enough for her. Even back then, even when I was actually trying. Nothing I did was good enough. I thought it was something that I’d managed to move past, but I apparently hadn’t. Now, the pain and the wound felt as fresh as they

had the day that I knew it had all been over. My phone buzzed in my pants. “Hello?” “Hey, Tristan, dude.” I heard the voice of one of my fellow Wicked Angels, Rod. He was my best friend and my second-in-command. Without him, I wouldn’t have gotten to the top. Without him, I probably would have died six times over. “Hey, man,” I greeted him. His gruff voice was a welcome distraction from the turmoil raging in my brain. “What

can I do for you?” “I got some bad news,” Rod said. He let out a deep sigh. “You remember Darius?” “Oh man, do I,” I said slowly. Darius had been my best friend growing up. We’d been from the same wrong side of the tracks, and we’d gotten into a lot of trouble together. When I met Jenny, Darius had always been jealous. Not because I had a girlfriend, just because it was a sign that I was doing better. Darius never would have treated a girl like a gentleman, he would have abused her and scared her off. But because I was able to date some high class girl, he

couldn’t stand it. He accused me of being a sellout. I was too loyal to Jenny to even want to reconsider mending things. Ever since then, we’d drifted apart. Now, he was in a rival MC, the Iron Fangs. They were dirty—into guns and drugs—and they resented the Wicked Angels. After all, we’d had a hold on Centreville for a long time. They didn’t have a chance to get close. “Well, Darius and his boys were involved in some kinda shootout on the outskirts of town. I think a lot of people were shot or injured, or something.” Rod paused and I heard the click of a lighter. “They were selling guns to the Russians, outside of town, and it must have gone

bad.” “Fuck,” I muttered under my breath. “Just what we fuckin’ need right now.” “I know,” Rod said. “I know, man.” We were silent for a moment and I knew he was thinking of the implications of this. Even though the Wicked Angels were usually in good with the cops, no one liked a bloody shootout. Especially not the local law enforcement. “Any word about the cops?” Rod sighed again. “Yeah, man, they’re gonna look into us,” he said after a

pause. “You want me to tell the other guys?” “It’s fine. I’ll take care of it. I’m headed to the clubhouse now.” “Listen,” Rod said. “You and Darius used to be tight, right? You used to be close?” “Not for a long time,” I said bitterly. “Try almost ten years ago. He hates me now. He wants me dead.” “All the same,” Rod said. I had a sinking feeling in my stomach. “You should probably go talk to him. Maybe he’ll listen to you, who knows. But either

way, we can’t have these kinds of attacks, you know? I mean, the cops are gonna crack down on us a lot tighter if shit like this keeps happening.” “Right,” I said. “Fine. I got it. I’ll go see him.” “Man, don’t be pissed. You know I wouldn’t willingly ask you to take care of this, okay?” “It’s fine,” I said, trying to relax. “I’ve just had one hell of a day.” “I bet,” Rod said drily. I had to chuckle at that. Rod was used to

tales of my white-knighting and seduction, to the point where he would just start making stories up to counter which outrageous claim I’d come up with next. I got in to the clubhouse one morning after spending it with a couple of beer models and Rod was already making up stories about the orgy he’d attended the night before. It was a sign of our friendship. But this time, he had no idea just how crazy shit had gotten. He didn’t even know about Jenny. None of the Wicked Angels did. It was easier that way. “Alright, I’ll see you later, man,” I said, shoving my phone in my pocket after I’d hung up.

I let out a long sigh. Darius still lived on the wrong side of the tracks. His house was actually pretty damn close to where Jenny lived. The idea of heading back over there didn’t exactly fill me with happiness, but I knew it had to be done. The sky was an inky black over my head as I rode my hog through the streets of town. I pointed my bike towards Darius’s place. His house was a ramshackle wooden building that had definitely seen better days. At least the yard and hedges outside of Jenny’s place had been well-manicured, but Darius’s house looked like a shack.

He must have heard my bike rumbling because he’d stepped out onto the porch before I could even climb off the bike. Darius was tall but squat. All of his features looked too large for his body, including his giant face and chest. His pec muscles were well-defined, even through the loose cotton shirt that he was wearing. And his biceps were bigger than his head—which was a feat, considering he practically had no neck. He grinned at me. It was a nasty, yellowing smile. Behind him, inside the house, I heard the fierce barking of hungry dogs. “Hey there,” I said in a guarded voice. “I need to talk to you, man.”

“Oh, now you wanna come crawling back?” Darius gave me another nasty grin. I rolled my eyes. “If you’re trying to scare me, it’s not working. I mean, come the fuck on. Shooting up those Russians? What the fuck did you think was going to happen?” There was an evil gleam in Darius’s eyes. “You’re one to talk, asshole. You think you’re too good for the rest of us but you’re biker trash just like me. Just wait, you’re one gun away from turning into an Iron Fang.” I shook my head. “No way, man,” I said,

trying to stay calm. Being around Darius was making me angry. I could feel my hands balling up into fists at my sides. “You don’t fuckin’ know anything, Darius. You don’t know how this town works.” “I know how you work,” Darius said. He winked at me and I felt rage boil through my body. “And I know you saved that pretty little librarian from a bad fate.” My mouth went dry but I shook my head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said. “But I’ll make you pay if you don’t stop this shit. Stop being such a goddamn jackass, Darius.”

Darius worked his lips into a slow grin. “She’ll have to watch her little back in the future,” he said. “And boy, does she have a nice back.” He held his hand up and squeezed the air. “Fuck you,” I snarled. “You stay away from her.” Darius only chuckled. It was only when I climbed on my bike that I’d realized my mistake. By acknowledging that I’d known who he was talking about, I’d only put Jenny directly into the face of danger.

Chapter Eight Jenny

All I could think about that night was Tristan and how we’d ended, and how angry he’d been with me. I shuddered. Part of me never wanted to see him again. After all, he’d left all those years ago. He’d left and never come back. Not even a fucking note, and then he had the nerve to show up and try to “rescue” me. I barely got a wink of sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Tristan’s face floating in my mind. It was torturing me. Things are never going to be that good again, I thought to myself. And you know

that. The sooner you understand that, the better. Unfortunately, the morning came even though I didn’t want it anywhere near me. As I was getting Phin ready for school, he seemed more solemn than usual. He was a serious kid, but still, he was usually pretty goofy in the mornings. “Mommy, who was that man?” Phin looked into my eyes and I could tell that he was worried. I crushed him against my chest and buried my face in his hair, smelling his sweet scent. In a few years, he was going to be a heartbreaker. But for now, he was still my little boy.

“I’m so sorry that happened, sweetie,” I said, pulling back. I put my hands on Phin’s shoulders and looked into his innocent face. “He won’t be coming back again, I promise.” Phin bit his lip and for a moment, it looked like he was going to cry. The resemblance to Tristan was so astounding that I couldn’t believe I’d never thought of it before. Phin had the same blue eyes, the same chiseled jaw. His hair was lighter in color than Tristan’s but I could tell that it would darken with time into those same messy waves I loved. “Who is he?” Phin looked at me again

and I felt a tug on my heartstrings. “How do you know him?” I didn’t answer. Turning around, I stood up. I was still only half-dressed, and I had to be back at the library before ten. After the bus picked up Phin, I’d have to call a cab. It wasn’t cheap, but I didn’t have a choice as the library was fifteen miles away. I couldn’t walk. Damn you, Tristan. If it wasn’t for you, I’d still have my car. If it wasn’t for you, I might be dead, I realized. If Tristan hadn’t shown up when he did, those thugs would have surely done worse. I shivered, remembering the feel of their greasy,

chubby fingers sliding over my body. “Who is he?” Phin repeated when I was almost out of the room. “What did he want?” “I don’t know, sweetheart,” I said. Phin frowned. Even though he was only eight, I could tell he didn’t believe me. “I mean, Mommy knew him a long time ago. That’s all. I don’t know who he is anymore.” Phin laughed. I was glad for a break in his serious temperament. Sometimes I hated being a single mother. I wished that he could have had a father in his life. For his benefit and mine. But when

Tristan left, I didn’t think he wanted anything to do with me, or with Phin. He hadn’t known I was pregnant when we split, and I’d never found it in my heart to tell him. If someone already wanted to be gone, it wasn’t going to do much good trying to con them into staying. I’d seen the same thing happen to one of my friends, Colleen, in college. She’d been dating this guy, James, for years. They were in love, they lived together. Unlike me and Tristan, they actually had an adult relationship. They were open about their love and affection for each other. But when she got pregnant, everything changed. James promised he’d stick around but he never did. She

came home one day and he was gone, just like that. His clothes were out of the closet and their books had been carefully packed and separated. She never even knew what happened to him. When it had first happened, she’d tried convincing me that he’d been abducted. But Phin was a toddler by then, and I knew better. Still, Colleen had never wanted to hear the truth. She would have rather thought the father of her child was dead than gone away from her. “Mommy, tell me,” Phin insisted. I looked down at his sweet face and saw the same anger and confusion. “He can’t be a different person!” His voice was raising to a hysterical pitch and I feared

a crying fit was coming soon. “People don’t change, Mommy!” “Unfortunately, sweetie, they do sometimes,” I told Phin as calmly as I could. Phin crawled into my arms and I felt his sobs on my neck. I tried to hold him and calm him down as best I could, but my efforts only went so far. Phin was a nervous kid, always upset about something. He’d always been sensitive, and now that he was in elementary school, I worried about him being bullied. His teachers had always told me that he was well-behaved, but quiet. I just looked forward to the day where he’d stop asking me about a daddy.

I had wanted to raise Phin in a family, but at the outset, I’d known how impossible that would be. After all, kids did better with a mother and a father figure. Science said so, everyone said so. But I hadn’t ever met anyone who would have been a good father figure for Phin. I couldn’t ask someone to do that and risk it not working out. That wouldn’t be fair to my kid, to introduce someone and have him call them Daddy, only for them to disappear. I didn’t want Phin to have to watch me go through heartbreak again and again. I’d promised myself that when he was just a little older, I could start dating. Maybe find a nice, boring, single dad and link up our families. But right now, it was just

impossible. “I promise, I’m never going to change,” I told Phin in a soothing voice. “I’ll always love you. I’ll always be your mommy.” Phin’s crying stopped after a few seconds. He leapt out of my arms and grinned at me. The tense moment had apparently been forgotten, and I was relieved. Still, now that I knew he was back, part of my mind was glued to Tristan. Or maybe he never left, I thought sadly. He just left you. After Phin had boarded the bus, I called for a cab. Every few seconds, I checked

the window. I knew it was stupid, but I was still worried about Randy and Steve popping up out of nowhere again. I didn’t think they would have known where I lived, but then again, how did they find out where I worked? They must have been watching me. There were dozens of times over the past few weeks where I’d been outside, playing with Phin or working in the garden. It would have been easy for a bike to cruise by, snap a photo, then drive off. I shuddered. The whole situation was making me uncomfortable. Even though Tristan had threatened both of those assholes, I had a feeling I hadn’t seen the last of them. Guys like that didn’t usually listen to reason, especially not when it came from

another biker. I need to get out of this town, I thought to myself. It was so stupid that I’d stayed. After all, my parents didn’t know about Phin. I could have moved before he was born, but I chose to stay. In case they ever came around, or in case Tristan ever came back. Thinking about Tristan made my mouth set into a line. Damn him. There was no way he’d ever get close to me or Phin ever again. When the cab came, I waited until it was in the driveway before leaving the house. The street looked quiet—a typical weekday morning—but now that I was suspicious, it was alarmingly clear

just how easy it would have been to spy on me all that time. “The library, please,” I told the cabbie. He caught my eye in the rearview mirror and winked. “Going to do a little studying?” I shuddered. Gross. “No, I work there,” I said calmly. “I’m a librarian.” The cabbie chuckled. “I bet you are,” he said before turning on the radio and tunelessly singing along. The ride was a short one, but it still came to more money than I would have

liked. I counted out some worn bills and passed them over. The cab ride, plus tip, would mean Phin and I would be eating pancakes at least one night this week. I felt frustrated and angry inside; even though I’d worked hard to bring us above this, I hated just scraping by. Phin didn’t notice now because he was too young. If he’d been older, I would have felt ashamed. As the cabbie slowed to a stop in front of the library, I blinked. “Thank you,” I said automatically. For a moment, I thought I’d seen…no, it couldn’t be. I’d told him to stay away! I’d threatened him!

Tristan approached me as soon as I’d climbed out of the cab. Swallowing hard, I started walking towards the entrance to the library. “Jenny, wait,” Tristan called out. “I need to talk to you.”

Chapter Nine Tristan

I was angrier than I’d ever felt in my entire life, and it was all because of Jenny. Well, Jenny and Darius. God damn them both, I thought bitterly. First, Jenny disappeared. Then she had my fucking kid and didn’t even tell me! I laughed humorlessly. This was rich, alright. This was the fucking funniest thing I’d ever heard in my goddamn life. I spent my whole childhood growing up without a father and hating it, and then the first girl I fuck does the same thing to me. It made me so angry because she didn’t have any right to keep me shut out.

It didn’t matter whether or not Jenny and I worked out in the long run, I still deserved to be around for my son. A kid does better with both parents, and I didn’t want him growing up to hate me because I’d never been around. I shook my head. This was why I didn’t do relationships anymore. Sure, it might start out all well and good, but after a while, shit was bound to hit the fan. When that kid grew up, he was gonna start asking a lot of questions. And I wanted to be around to answer them. Darius was another story altogether. I’d always had an uneasy feeling about him, but this was unprecedented. The Iron

Fangs had always been on our case, ever since we first caught them running guns. Now, Darius wanted to make sure the Wicked Angels would bend to his will. Well, good fucking luck, buddy, I thought grimly. Good fucking luck. I didn’t want to think that Darius, my old buddy, my former best friend, would be dangerous. But I knew better; thinking like that would only lead me down a dangerous path in the future. If I didn’t assume the worst, the worst was likely to happen. And if Jenny didn’t understand that, she and Phin were in serious trouble. My son, I thought in awe. I still wasn’t used to having a son. I didn’t think I’d ever get used to the idea.

But used to it or not, if I didn’t act soon, he’d be in just as much danger as Jenny. The Iron Fangs loved using their enemies’ children as bargaining chips. I prayed desperately that Phin would go his entire life without ever meeting Darius. “Jenny, I have to talk to you,” I said as I grabbed her arm and dragged her inside the library. At first, she resisted, but I was stronger. “No,” Jenny said. I could feel her pulse pounding in her body and I knew she was just as scared as I felt. She had the look of a frightened rabbit, and suddenly I was hit with the overwhelming urge to

wrap my arms around her and comfort her. “Yes, Jenny,” I said in a low voice. “I know you don’t want to hear it, but it’s true.” Jenny closed her eyes and shook her head defiantly. It wasn’t a gesture I’d seen in years, and the impact of the memory was powerful. “I don’t want to listen to anything you have to say,” she said softly. The anger welled up in me and I grabbed her arm and looked into her green eyes. “Darius knows about you,” I said in a

low voice. I figured if she wasn’t going to listen to me, I’d probably have to scare her into reacting. Jenny wrinkled her nose and tried to pull her arm back. It was obvious she wasn’t aware of the threat Darius posed. She giggled nervously. “Who’s Darius?” I licked my lips. Even though I was filled with rage, filled with anger, filled with hurt and betrayal and confusion, I couldn’t deny that being around Jenny was doing something to me. Even the most inane of her gestures drove me wild. When she looked at me with

curiosity, I imagined it was because I had said something to turn her on. She was just as feisty as ever, that Jenny. “He’s a bad man, Jenny,” I told her sternly. “And if you don’t listen to me, he’s going to hurt you.” She bit her lip. “Fine,” she said softly. “Come with me.” Jenny led me to a corner of the library. The whole building was quiet, but in this corner of sunshine and dusty books, I felt like we were alone in the world. The sunlight played off of Jenny’s red hair, turning it to liquid copper whenever she stood in a patch of light. Her green eyes glinted like jewels as she focused her shrewd

gaze on me. She looked as beautiful as ever, and my cock twitched in my pants thinking about what it would feel like to take her as my own, once again. “Jenny, I know you don’t want to hear this,” I said. I leaned down so close that I got a whiff of her delicious scent—fruit and musk—and I groaned inwardly. I was fucking pathetic. Here I was, a twenty-eight-year-old man, and I could barely keep it together in front of an old girlfriend. She’s not just an old girlfriend, mate, I thought grimly. She was the only woman you ever loved, and you can’t stop thinking about her. Not even for a fucking second.

“I don’t,” Jenny said pertly. I saw her breath was coming fast and shallow and she kept swallowing nervously. Even though she was able to hold it together pretty well, I knew she must be feeling just as unsettled by all of this as I was. After all, it wasn’t every day that I waltzed back into her life. “But you have to listen,” I said sternly. “Darius was a friend of mine, a long time ago.” I paused. I had been just about ready to say “back when we were together,” but it didn’t seem right. I couldn’t acknowledge it, not to her face. I couldn’t let her see how much it had damaged me. “He was an old friend who turned bad when I didn’t wanna run

down the same bad path,” I said. “He’s in a rival MC, and they’re into crooked shit. Guns, drugs, pussy. They do all of that, and it’s not good, Jenny.” She shrugged. “So what does he want with me?” Damn! I looked away. “He thinks you’re a hot little number and he’s thinking about making you his,” I lied. There was no way I could tell Jenny that the only reason Darius was interested in her was to hurt me. I couldn’t let her have that leverage over me. Not yet, not by a long shot. Even if Jenny would never be mine again, I couldn’t tell her just how deep a hold she’d had on me.

Jenny tossed her red hair. “I can take care of myself,” she said stubbornly. I burst out laughing. “I don’t believe that, not for a fucking second,” I told her. “After what happened the other night? Seriously?” A delicious warm flush covered Jenny’s cheeks. “Fine,” she snipped. “Don’t listen to me. But I got along just fine without you,” she said softly. Her blush colored as she spoke; I guessed that somehow she hadn’t meant to clue me in about just how well she’d done without me around. Our past was like a fire in the room that we could both feel but

neither of us could see. The hot air of past sins and transgressions licked at our backs as we stared at each other, and the smoke of lust clouding our heads was making it harder than ever to breathe. I couldn’t even look at Jenny without wanting reach out, grab her, and crush her to my body, just as I had done the other night at the bar. She’d yielded to me instantly, that was the strength of my pull on her. Now that she knew who I was, what would it be like next time? “Jenny, this is serious,” I told her. Her name tasted like candy in my mouth. “And if you don’t pay attention, you and Phin are both going to be in danger.” I hadn’t wanted to drag the kid into it, but

if that would make Jenny listen, that was what I’d have to do. Predictably, Jenny’s mouth dropped open. “You can’t mean that,” she said softly. “Phin hasn’t done anything to hurt anyone. Why would Darius want to bother my son?” “To get to you,” I said simply. “I need you and Phin to stay with me for a while. I need to take care of you, okay?” Jenny shook her head. “That’s not going to happen,” she said. She looked into my eyes and I felt a bolt of lust course through my body. “Not a chance, Tristan.”

The way she said my name sent shivers through my body. “You have to let me do this,” I growled as I leaned in close. “If you don’t, you’re seriously going to regret it. What happens if Phin is kidnapped? What happens if you’re kidnapped and you have no idea what happened to your son? What are you going to do then?” Jenny crossed her arms over her chest, looking defiant. She took a step closer and stared into my eyes until our foreheads were practically touching. “Look, asshole,” she said with gritted teeth. If I hadn’t been so shocked by her

change in tone, I probably would have laughed. “I know the other night wasn’t a great indication, but for the most part, I am great at taking care of myself. And just because you haven’t been around doesn’t give you the right to judge me on that, you understand?” She pointed a finger in my face and I took a step backwards. “I’ve done a great job providing for myself and Phin, and that’s more than I can say about you!” The anger swirled through my body and I had to make a conscious effort to close my eyes and fight it off. What the fuck was she talking about? She didn’t know anything! She was the one who left me!

“Fine,” I snapped. “You really want to keep up that selfish attitude? Do it, then. I’m sure you can’t wait to see Phin, our son, hurt. Just keep trying to take care of yourself and wait.” Jenny’s eyes filled with tears and her face lost its look of resolve. She blinked and I could tell that I’d really said something to hurt her. I felt some of my anger melting away as Jenny sniffled and reached up to wipe at her eyes. “I’m sorry,” I said quickly. “But you really need to think about his safety, Jenny. You both need to stay with me until this all dies down.”

Jenny swallowed hard. She was still just as pretty as she’d been, but she looked softer now, more like a woman. Where she used to be almost angular, she was still slim but there was a little roundness to her belly. I imagined putting my hand against it and cupping the hot skin. The image made my cock jump in my pants and I felt a shiver of lust. “I’m sorry, too,” Jenny said. She bit her lip and looked deeply into my eyes. Before I knew what I was doing, I grabbed Jenny and pressed my lips to hers. Her mouth was soft, yielding, just like it had always been, and I slipped my tongue between her soft lips. Jenny

wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me close, pressing her dynamite body against mine. I could feel her nipples stiffening into little pebbles of desire and pressing against my chest. My cock twitched and chafed in my pants and I was rock hard in seconds. As Jenny slipped her little hands down my back, I nibbled her lower lip between my teeth. Jenny moaned softly and arched her back. My hands wormed around her body and squeezed the cheeks of her ass until she was moaning and grinding her hips against me. Her ass was just as succulent as I could remember, and just as firm. At the sound of approaching footsteps,

Jenny broke apart from me and jumped back. Her lip was glistening with saliva and I could see her pulse pounding in her throat. “Leave me alone,” Jenny said in a shaky voice. I shook my head and laughed. “Fat chance, mama,” I told her. “I’m going outside. I’m going to wait for you until your shift is over. Then, we’re going to pick up Phin and take you both over to my place.” Jenny opened and closed her mouth without speaking. I thought she was going to try fighting me again, but finally

she sighed. “Okay,” she said. “Fine. You win.”

Chapter Ten Jenny

When I left the library at the end of my shift, I wasn’t surprised to see Tristan in the parking lot. He was sitting on the back of his bike and giving me a cocky smile. Whenever I saw him look at me like that, my insides melted. I hated that he inspired that reaction, but I couldn’t help it. Tristan was like oil to my water —we’d always clash, but we looked so damn good together. Part of me wanted him to bend me over and take me right there and then. The other part of me remembered my responsibilities, my life. My son. Our son, I corrected

myself. Our son. “You ready to go get your boy?” Tristan winked at me and I felt my stomach do a flip-flop. I nodded. I almost corrected him—the words “our boy” would have fell out of my mouth without a second thought. But when I realized that he’d likely spoken that way for a reason, I changed my mind. A numbness sat over me. He knew that Phin was my son, the son I’d raised alone. And he apparently didn’t even want that to change. “Tristan, this really isn’t necessary,” I said, giving him my fakest smile. “I

mean, we’d only be in your way. You know that’s true.” Tristan sighed. “Stop trying to talk me out of it, Jenny,” he said. “You know that once my mind is made up, it can’t be changed.” “Nice to see that some things haven’t changed,” I snapped. I blushed as soon as the words were out of my mouth. I was such a bitch sometimes! No wonder no one else had pursued me since Tristan left. “Jenny, come the fuck on,” Tristan said softly. “I’m not fucking around. You both need to come with me, and the sooner

we do it, the better. Get on,” he said, tapping the back of his bike. “Leave your car here.” I shook my head. “No way,” I said quickly. “I need to drive, okay? That’s my one caveat.” Tristan set his mouth in a thin line. I knew he wanted to argue with me, but he kept his mouth shut. I could tell that he was probably even more stubborn than he’d been as a teenager, when I’d last known him. Back then, it was impossible to get him to change his mind about anything. I thought that I’d mellowed with age, but being around Tristan was showing me that I still had a spine of

steel underneath everything else. He was a different story; I could tell he was even more stubborn than he had been all those years ago. “Fine,” Tristan muttered. “You drive. We’ll go get Phin, and then we’re going to my place.” He gunned his bike and was out of the library parking lot before I could even turn the engine on my old station wagon. I rolled my eyes. For someone who wanted to protect me, he was doing a great job of showing off. When we pulled up in my driveway, Lindsey ran out in the front yard. After

what had happened before, she was totally right to be cautious. But I couldn’t shake the sense that she was also annoyed, like somehow this was more than she’d ever wanted to deal with. I shook my head. Now I was just being paranoid. If Lindsey knew what was going on, she’d want Phin to be safe, just like I did. “Hi,” I said. A guilty look crept on my face as I looked into Lindsey’s naïve face. “I’m taking Phin on a little trip for a while.” Lindsey frowned. She put her hands on her slim hips. “Why? What’s going on? What about school?”

“He’ll be fine,” I said. “He’s smart, he’ll catch up. We need to stay with Tristan for a little while.” Lindsey’s eyes narrowed and went immediately to my arms. I cringed when I realized she was checking for track marks. I’d never given her a reason to suspect my behavior, but I knew that I was acting strangely. After all, she was Phin’s caretaker. If I had been in the same position, I probably would have acted the same way. “Okay,” she said after a few seconds. “I’ll get his bag packed.”

She went back into the house and I could hear her calling out to Phin, her voice packed with false cheer. I frowned. I didn’t want to upset or startle Phin, but I was beginning to get the feeling this was serious. Darius. That name was familiar somehow. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d met him before. Back when Tristan and I were together, I actually met a lot of his friends. Most of them obviously didn’t care for me—they made no secret of showing how they thought I was stuck-up and obviously a bad choice for their friend. But some of them had been nice, although not really accepting. I racked my brain, trying to

remember their names. Darius sounded familiar, but I didn’t get a face popping into my mind. Maybe he was just someone Tristan had mentioned. “Are you coming by to get me tonight?” I dropped my voice to a whisper. I was on the phone with one of my friends, Amanda. What my parents didn’t know is that Amanda lived right next door to Tristan, and sometimes Tristan would call me from her house. “I can’t,” he said. “I’m sorry, baby, I have some shit to do with Darius.” “I don’t like the sound of this guy,” I admitted. “You’ve been blowing me off

to hang out with him for a few days now.” “I know, baby,” Tristan said in a soothing voice. “I’m sorry, but it’s really important. We’re trying to set shit up for the future.” I blinked myself back to reality. So that was where I’d heard the name. He had been a friend of Tristan’s for the second half of our relationship, the part where we fought all the time. The part where things weren’t as good as they had been at first, even though we still loved each other more than ever. Things had been different alright, and at the time I’d hated Darius for taking Tristan away from me.

Then, right before we broke up, I stopped hearing about Darius. Tristan said they had some kind of fight, but he wouldn’t tell me what it was about. I never suspected that it had anything to do with me. Until now. Lindsey and I got Phin settled in my car. “Mommy, where are we going?” He looked up at me with curious eyes. “Tell me.” “We’re going on a little trip,” I told him softly. Phin grinned. He liked changes from routine, as long as they weren’t too scary. He never even minded when I

only had money to make pancakes for dinner. He was a trooper, and I loved him. He had a big heart. When he got older, I knew he’d have girls swarming around him for miles. Phin was quiet as we drove to Tristan’s house. It was in a nicer part of town, and his house was nicer than I expected. It was Spartan, but clean. The grass was cut military-short, and the inside of the house was done in masculine hues of dark grey and black. It was so different than my homey little cottage. A little thrill of excitement washed over me when I crossed the threshold and Tristan’s scent of leather and sandalwood washed over me.

“You can pick a room,” Tristan said. I thought he was talking to me, but I turned around to see him squatted down on the floor and looking at Phin. “Really?” Phin grinned. “That’s awesome!” “Just make sure your mom approves,” Tristan said. He winked at me and I felt my insides flutter. “I wouldn’t want to start any beef with her.” “’Course not,” Phin said in a playfully tough way. He looked to me for approval and I nodded. As soon as he saw me smile, he took off and raced around the

house. I shook my head. “You’re good with him,” I admitted. “You used to being around kids?” Tristan snorted. “Jenny, come on,” he said under his breath. “You know that I’m not.” He was right, but I remembered that Tristan had always been really good at reading people. It made sense that he’d be good with kids. He’d been downright charming with Phin. I had to smile at that, even though he was as cocky as ever, he seemed harder now. More determined.

I wonder what else has changed, I thought to myself. Maybe I’ll never find out.

Chapter Eleven Tristan

The first night passed pretty uneventfully. Phin had picked the loft room, of course, and Jenny made up a bed on the couch in the same room. I knew she was scared, but she was doing a great job of not letting on to Phin. We’d had dinner together. Jenny had taken charge and raided my kitchen. I could tell she was shocked I had more on hand that the standard bachelor staples. She thawed some chicken and roasted in it in the oven, serving a side of macaroni and cheese and green peas.

“This is yummy,” Phin said shyly. He looked up at me and then looked away when I returned his gaze. Even though he was shy, he was incredibly intelligent for an eight-year-old. “Thank your mother,” I said smoothly. “I didn’t do any of this.” Jenny blushed. She looked away when I caught her gaze. “Eat your dinner,” she instructed Phin. “And then we’ll go work on your homework.” “Do I have to go to school tomorrow?” Phin looked expectantly from me to his mother.

“No,” I said at the same time Jenny said, “Yes.” Jenny frowned. “Tristan, this isn’t up to you,” she said smoothly. “Phin can’t fall behind in his studies.” I chuckled. “He’s, what, in third grade? Don’t you just spend all day playing?” Phin looked at me with wide eyes. “I have homework,” he said proudly. “We’re learning our multiplication tables.” “Wow,” I said, feigning seriousness. “That does seem like a lot of work.”

Jenny shot me a sarcastic glance before I could say anything else. “Things are different than they were when we were kids,” she said softly. “Phin has a lot of work at school. He even has a book report next week.” “Oh, man, book reports,” I said, pushing my plate in front of me. “I remember what a pain in the ass those were.” Phin burst out laughing and Jenny shot me a stern look. “Don’t curse,” she said softly. “I don’t want him talking like that.” Phin opened his eyes wide and stared at his mother. “Mom, they’re just words,”

he whined. “Why can’t I say them?” “Because they’re not nice,” Jenny said primly. “Now, to your room. Homework time! I’ll be with you in a few minutes.” As soon as Phin had left the room, Jenny’s face grew more serious. “You can’t want to pull him out of school,” she said. “He’ll be safe there. They’re very good at taking care of their kids.” I shook my head. “I don’t want him leaving the house,” I said flatly. “He’s going to be in danger as soon as he’s out of reach, I can assure you.” Jenny glared at me. “He’s my son and I

call the shots on this,” she said hotly. Suddenly, I knew she wasn’t going to back down. I didn’t like it, but she had a point. “Fine,” I snapped. “He can go to school. But you’re taking off work and staying around here. I need to keep an eye on you.” Jenny opened her mouth to protest but I held up a hand before she could say anything. “And don’t tell me you can take care of yourself. Remember what happened with those assholes the other day?” Jenny nodded. A flush spread over her cheeks. I knew she didn’t want to rehash the same argument, but if she fought with

me on this, I’d keep bringing it up until she gave in. “I’m not pleased about this,” Jenny said through gritted teeth. “I just want to make sure you’re aware of that little fact.” “I know,” I said. “I really do. I understand.” “No, you don’t,” Jenny said bitterly. “You don’t get it at all. I’m so sick of being controlled by people and by things I don’t understand. Every time I think my life is getting a degree of autonomy, the same shit crops up and I’m reminded that I’m not actually in control after all.”

“I’m sorry about that,” I told her. “I really am. But it’s for your own safety right now. I promise, after this all dies down, you don’t have to worry about me controlling your life.” Hurt flashed across Jenny’s face. I wondered if I’d said the wrong thing. After all, she was the one who had wanted me to leave her alone. I wondered if that had changed in the short amount of time that she’d been staying with me. Forget it, I thought. Nothing is ever going to be the same as it was between us. You know that, she knows that, and it would be better for everyone involved if you just dropped it.

“Fine,” she said. She pushed her chair away from the table and stood up, grabbing her half-eaten plate of food and bringing it into the kitchen. “Thank you.” “Of course,” I said sarcastically. “Anything else?” Jenny glared at me. “I have to call my manager and go help Phin,” she said. “Don’t you have some kind of business you need to attend to right now?” I chuckled drily. “I do,” I said. “I’m actually posting one of my men to the house. His name is Rod; he’ll be here if you have any trouble. He’s a good

watchman.” Jenny’s cheeks colored and I could tell that she wanted to protest, but she didn’t. Instead, she turned on her heel and walked into the bowels of the house. I watched her ass swing from side to side and suppressed the urge to chase her, grab her, and make her mine. The pull between our bodies was too much, it called to me and tortured me. “I gotta get out of here,” I said under my breath. “This shit is starting to get to me.” Rod came over as soon as I called. I could tell he was dying to ask what was

going on, but I just told him Jenny was a friend and we needed to protect her and Phin. “This is an unusual job, boss,” Rod said. He winked at me. “You sure there’s nothing you forgot to tell me?” “Just do your job,” I shot back. “I have to head to the police department.” Rod settled in at the kitchen table with a gun, a book, and a mug of coffee. He looked content, perfectly so. I hoped that Darius wouldn’t show up while I was gone, but I knew Rod would give his life for Jenny and her son. That was the beauty of the Wicked Angels’

brotherhood: we trusted each other. We’d do anything for each other, and this was just one of many times Rod had stepped in to save my ass. As I climbed on my bike, I felt a swell of affection for him. He was a good guy. All of my guys were good guys. But Rod in particular, well, he’d really done a lot to prove himself to me over the years. The wind whipped at my hair and I closed my eyes, enjoying the sensation on my face. It felt like it had been ages since I’d really gotten out by myself. My whole brain was wrapped up in this shit with Jenny and Darius, and I had no idea when things would finally return to any semblance of normal.

It was funny that Jenny hadn’t recognized Darius’s name. Maybe she’d really forgotten more about the past than I expected. The thought was painful, but not surprising. After all, she had a life with a kid now. How much of the past could she really remember? It was after dark by the time I pulled up to Centreville Police Department. I hadn’t been there in a few months. Last time Darius pulled some shit, they called me in for questioning. I’d been evasive, but honest. They’d let me go and I hadn’t heard a peep since then. But everyone in the office knew who I was, Tristan Mayer, leader of the Wicked Angels.

The cops had been swarming a little too close for comfort ever since the shooting, and I knew I had to take action if I wanted to get them off my back. The last thing I needed to worry about was being pursued for something I didn’t even do. “Evening, sweetheart,” I greeted the young cop on duty. She was a slim blonde with a pert nose and sincere blue eyes. She and I had yet to really tangle— I had a feeling her superiors had warned her about me. “Hi,” she said, without looking up. “Can I help you?”

I cleared my throat and she finally looked up. When she realized who I was, her cheeks flushed. “What can I do for you, Tristan?” “I was hoping we could chat a little bit about that shootout with the Russians.” I flashed her a charming smile and leaned with my elbows on the counter. “After all, I might be able to help y’all out.” “I don’t think so,” she said curtly. “We’ve got our best and brightest on it.” I leaned back and rocked on the balls of my feet. “What’s your name?”

She looked up at me again. There was a trace of fear in her light blue eyes. “It’s Amy,” she said softly. “What do you want?” “I just want to help out, Amy,” I told her. “How about letting me take a look at some of that evidence from the scene?” She laughed and shook her head. “No way,” she said quickly. “You bikers think you’re all so damn charming, but it isn’t gonna work on me.” I smiled widely at her and she froze for a minute. I could tell that my grin had the intended effect; she looked completely disarmed. She wasn’t Jenny, but she was

still cute. And my magic still worked on her. “C’mon,” I said. “I’m not going to mess anything up. Hey, why don’t you come with me?” I grinned at her again. “Keep an eye on me, make sure I don’t tamper with anything.” She sighed. “I’m really not supposed to do that,” she said. “I could get in a lot of trouble.” “I promise I won’t give them any reason to be pissed at you,” I said. “In fact, you don’t even have to tell them. Our little secret.”

She bit her lower lip. “Fine,” she said. “Come with me.” Amy walked in front of me, leading me to the back of the station. Almost everyone else had left for the day—the offices were locked and dark. She took a ring of keys from her belt and unlocked a heavy metal door. “Everything is in here,” she said. I followed her to a back cabinet. “We weren’t able to pull a ton from the scene, but there’s a gun here and some bloodied handkerchiefs.” My blood ran cold when I recognized the gun. “That belongs to Darius,” I said.

“You see that metal design on the side?” The gun was emblazoned with a set of iron fangs, in copper. “His MC is the Iron Fangs,” I explained. “Someone gave him that gun when he was promoted to president.” Amy looked at me with her mouth open. I felt triumphant, like I’d just saved the day. “Anything else?” She was still gaping. “Nope,” I said smugly. “I think that’ll do just perfectly.”

Chapter Twelve Jenny

By late evening, I was dying to leave. Phin had finished his homework and gone to sleep hours ago, and I was feeling more restless than ever. Normally, I’d never leave Phin alone. But with Rod around, I felt pretty safe. I just had to distract him and then I’d be able to leave. I couldn’t wait to be alone with my own thoughts. Even though Tristan hadn’t returned home yet, I felt crowded by his presence. The whole house screamed “Tristan.” Every room smelled like his delicious, intoxicating scent. I could practically feel the grip of

his strong hands on my body as I wandered from room to room, looking in but not really snooping. The whole house was spotlessly clean. I wondered if Tristan paid for a cleaning service, or if maybe he was just a neat freak. I remembered that when we’d been kids, he’d always been embarrassed about the condition of his mother’s house. He’d never allowed me inside. We’d dated for a year, but he’d still never let me see his childhood bedroom. “Hey, Rod,” I called from the bathroom after I’d closed the door behind me. “You around?”

There was the sound of footsteps and a gun clicking into place. I sighed. Sure enough, his voice boomed back. “Jenny? Are you okay?” I looked down and sighed. “I’m fine, but I forgot something from home.” “I can’t let you leave.” Rod’s voice was loud from the other side of the door. “I’m sorry, Jenny. It’s Tristan’s orders.” “I got my period,” I said loudly. “I need to go buy some tampons.” “Can’t you just wait in the bathroom?”

Rod sounded clueless. If I hadn’t been desperate to break out of the house, I would have laughed. “No,” I said in an exasperated voice. “I can’t. It’s uncomfortable, Rod. Besides, when is Tristan coming home?” “No idea,” Rod said. “Do you want me to call him?” “No,” I said. Think, Jenny. Think. “You know what, I think I’ll be okay,” I said. “I’m going to take a bath and relax. When Tristan gets home, I’ll ask him to take me to the store.” Rod shifted his weight from foot to foot

outside the door. “Okay, Jenny,” he said. “I’ll be in the kitchen.” I held my breath until I heard him lumber back down the hallway. Score! Quickly, I dashed over to the bathroom window and flung it open. It would be a squeeze, but I could still slip outside. After a few minutes of wriggling and holding my breath, I fell the short distance onto the damp ground. Crickets were chirping but I instantly felt better. I decided I’d just take a little walk and then return. No need to freak Rod out if he discovered that I was gone. Even though I was wearing jeans and a light sweater, there was a chill in the

dark air. I wrapped my arms around myself and shivered. There was a little park not too far from here, I thought I’d go and sit on the swings for a few minutes until I’d managed to collect my thoughts. I already felt better now that I wasn’t around the house anymore. “Hey, lady,” a voice said in the dark. I jumped high in the air. “Remember me?” “No,” I said, backing away. Randy and Steve walked towards me out of the darkness, grinning like hyenas. “Help!” I yelled, my voice sounding shrill and scared. “Help! Tristan! Rod! Help me!” “Baby, it’s gonna be better if you don’t

fight,” Steve said. He leaned down and glared at me. “Grab her,” he said quickly to Randy. My body froze in panic and they came at me with astounding speed for their overweight bodies. Before I could even let out another shriek, Randy had grabbed me forcefully. I kicked out and he stumbled but he didn’t drop me. Steve grabbed my legs and they started carrying me over to their bikes. “Help!” I managed to scream before Randy clapped his hand over my mouth. I bit him but he slapped me hard and I was reduced to whimpering. A trickle of blood crept into my mouth and I tried to spit it out against his fingers.

I was fighting hard to keep my eyes open and get Randy and Steve off of me when, suddenly, Randy dropped to the ground. “Fuck!” he howled. “What happened?” Steve was still holding onto my legs as I crashed onto the asphalt, landing hard. Before he could move, a pair of hands grabbed onto his arms and dragged him away. “Stay the fuck away from her,” a familiar voice growled. I shivered and finally looked up. Tristan was standing there, at my feet, glaring down at me. Without warning he wound up and punched Randy hard in the mouth. Randy went

down on the ground without a cry and Tristan stood over his prone body, kicking and punching him. “What the fuck did I tell you assholes,” Tristan hissed. He got in Steve’s face and swung, hitting him hard. Steve went down and Tristan kicked him so hard in the stomach that I saw his body jerk and pulse off the ground. “Leave her the fuck alone! If you ever come back, I’ll kill you,” he added in a gruff voice. Spitting on Randy and Steve’s prone bodies, Tristan walked over and pulled me off the ground. He cupped my chin with his hand and looked deeply into my eyes. I could feel

that my lip was bloodied. When I leaned up to kiss him, it hurt, but I didn’t care. I kept my mouth pressed to Tristan’s until his arms wrapped around me and carried me back to his bike. We didn’t talk on the ride home. I knew he was serious, that he wasn’t fooling. That everything he’d told me had been right. And I’d been the stupid one for not believing him. “Tristan, I’m sorry,” I said softly after he’d let us into the foyer of his house. “I —” “Don’t talk right now,” Tristan said. He held up a hand to silence me. The air

between us was thick with tension. Our eyes were locked on each other’s. I could feel his gaze on me like a hot brand. “Come here,” I said softly. Tristan stepped closer and I wrapped my body around his. The electricity jumped from his skin to mine, sending bolts of arousal and lust through my body. As our kiss deepened, I felt myself start to get wet until my panties were soaked. Tristan ran his hands down my back and scooped me up. He threw me over his shoulder and carried me down the hallway. Before I could even process where he was taking me, he was throwing me down on a soft bed and

tugging at my jeans. They slid off and instantly, Tristan was between my legs, licking and sucking and nuzzling. I screamed with pleasure when his tongue hit my clit, not caring about Rod or Phin or anyone who could hear us. “I need you,” Tristan growled. He crawled on top of my body and whipped his belt off, kicking his jeans down to his ankles. When he was clad only in boxers, he pressed his groin against mine. His erection was huge and stiff and I moaned softly as he slipped his hand up my sweater and yanked it over my head. The cool air in Tristan’s bedroom felt delicious on my body and I shivered as he lowered his head to my

breasts and began to suck and lick on my nipples. His teeth were just enough to send bolts of pleasure shooting through my body and I tangled my hands in his soft brown hair, desperate for more, desperate for him. Reaching down, I slid Tristan’s boxers down his legs. He kicked them off and slapped the insides of my thighs. I spread my legs obediently and pulled him closer. When he was almost inside of me, I looked into his eyes. They were the same dark blue they’d always been, but now I was seeing him nakedly in a way that I never had before. I felt so exposed, so intimate, that I couldn’t stand it.

“I need you,” I whispered softly. Tristan grabbed a hold of my hips and plunged inside of me. The feel of his cock sent me into spasms of pleasure and I arched my back and shrieked until his mouth came down on my nipples again, biting and tugging harder this time. The hot pulsing feeling in my lower belly started to build and build and I closed my eyes and screwed up my face. He felt so amazing, so encompassing, that I couldn’t believe we’d ever parted from each other. We belonged together, our bodies fit like magnets. Tristan started thrusting his hips faster and harder against me. Sweat was

beading on his forehead and as he looked into my eyes, a drop landed from his skin against mine. I felt my orgasm build and build, until I was thrashing below him and screaming his name. “Jenny,” Tristan grunted into my neck. The intensity of his voice surprised me and I felt my eyes well up with unexpected tears. Being with Tristan again was like coming home, like I’d never been apart from his side. The years melted as he slammed his body against mine until we were both hoarse and crying out from pleasure. His skin was so hot against mine than I felt like I was being burned.

When it was over, Tristan and I stayed locked together for a few heavy seconds. I had no idea what had just happened. I had no idea if I wanted it to happen again. But right there, in the moment, everything felt right in a way that it hadn’t felt for years. I love you. I didn’t dare say it, but as I looked at Tristan’s sweaty body on top of mine, I hoped he knew.

Chapter Thirteen Tristan

I couldn’t take it any longer. Couldn’t wait any more. Jenny was mine, she’d always been mine, and I had to have her again. From the first moment I threw her down on the bed, I knew that, once again, she’d be mine. All mine. Jenny lay back and looked up at me with her sparkly emerald eyes. She bit her lower lip and I felt my crotch seize with lust. My cock stiffened in my pants and I rubbed it suggestively and raised my eyebrows at Jenny. She giggled and blushed and for a

moment, I saw the girl she’d been all those long years ago. Suddenly, the moment got more serious. Jenny kept her gorgeous eyes trained on mine and suggestively ran her hands down her body. As she cupped her breasts, she closed her eyes and moaned softly. Her soft pale hands ran down her body and she slipped them between her legs, groaning softly and spreading her thighs wide. With a fierce growl, I tackled her back on the bed. When our mouths met, my teeth and lips pressed hard against hers until I tasted a little blood mingled with her saliva. She was so sweet, so delicious. I could smell the arousal wafting off of her in huge waves. Closing my eyes, I tangled my hands in

her red hair and pressed her lips to mine over and over. Jenny moaned softly in my mouth. Her soft hands slipped up my chest, giving me goose bumps. I saw her gape a little when she caught sight of all of my tattoos. I grinned at her. “I’ve gotten a little decoration,” I drawled. “I know I didn’t used to look this way.” Jenny flushed again and I had the urge to yank her head back and suck on her neck until she was whimpering with desire. “You’re gorgeous,” she said demurely in the same voice she used to use when we had been together all those years ago. “I love the way you look, Tristan.”

Hearing Jenny say my name set fire to my loins. Reaching forward, pinched her nipples until she was screaming. Jenny lay back and closed her eyes as I took one of her stiff nipples into my mouth. Her skin was so soft that it made my head spin. She tasted like sugar and strawberries and musk and I wanted to run my tongue over her whole body, until we were both spent and crying. “I need you,” Jenny said in a hoarse voice. As I stroked and caressed her tits, she writhed on the bed and tangled her hands in my hair. I shivered as she tugged gently at my hair; it felt so good that my balls were aching.

“I need you,” I growled in return. Jenny let out a little cry of delight and I used my fingernails to scratch tracks down her delicate tummy. From where I crouched between her thighs, I could smell the warm scent of Jenny’s arousal wafting towards me. It was just and sweet and musky as I’d remembered, and I closed my eyes and shoved my face in her crotch. Jenny gasped and tried to wriggle away but I wrapped my arms around her ass and held her firm, inhaling until my lungs hurt. She smelled so good, I wanted to lick her pussy for hours, until the juices were running down my face and neck. Jenny had always loved it when I went down on

her—she made these sexy noises and lost all control of her body. Even though she’d always try to push me away at first, after a few minutes her pussy would be slammed against my face, smothering me with her delicious sex. Despite having a kid, she still had a perfect body. She looked older, but no less attractive than she’d been to me eight years ago. I stroked the insides of her thighs with my fingertips. She giggled and tried closing her legs but I placed my hands on the insides of her knees and spread them firmly. She was so close, I could almost taste her, almost feel her. She was so close to being mine once again.

As I sucked her clit, Jenny gasped and dug her hands into my shoulders. Her nails sent shivers of pain and pleasure through my body and I arched my back, shoving my nose right into Jenny’s swollen little clit. Slipping a finger inside her pussy, I licked at her damp labia, I brushed my fingers against her inner walls until she was shrieking with desire. I always knew Jenny’s body, always knew what she wanted. She opened her eyes and gave me a suggestive look, winking and licking her lips. It drove me wild; I felt my cock pulse and jerk.

Jenny spread her legs as wide as they would go. I flopped down on my belly and inhaled her musk before plunging my tongue inside her pussy and licking her with reckless abandon. Jenny went wild. She thrashed and moaned and yelled my name as I sucked on her clit. Just when I thought she couldn’t go any crazier, I slipped a finger inside of her pussy and wiggled it around. Jenny’s tight wet muscles clamped down on my finger and I felt a gush of her moisture against my hand. Her juices were soaking into my face, dripping down my chin and neck. “I’m gonna come, Tristan, stop!” I grinned wickedly into Jenny’s crotch

and kept licking and sucking. In only a matter of seconds, I felt her muscles clamp down again and then release, over and over, in a series of spasms accompanied by squeals and cries of pleasure. I looked up momentarily to see Jenny’s red face, shiny with sweat, straining as her whole body bucked and convulsed. Before I could move, I felt Jenny’s hands on me. She’d always been soft and slim but now she was exhibiting surprising strength. She tugged me up over her body and threw me to the side. I could have easily resisted and overpowered her, but this new bossy side of hers was really turning me on. Jenny pinned me down

and crawled on top of me until she was straddling me. I could feel the heat from her pussy warming my cock and I moaned, arching up and grinding my hips against her. When Jenny felt my bulge, she moaned softly and reached down between her legs. The stimulation from her hand felt incredible and I could tell that she was rubbing her knuckles against her clit as she stroked my massive erection.

She gaped when she saw my cock. It had been years, but surely she couldn’t have forgotten how big I was? How perfectly we locked together? How much I wanted her, not just right now, but all the time.

“I know it’s pretty, baby,” I teased. “You had me all geared up thinking you were gonna do something other than just look at it.” Jenny blushed furiously. She flipped her head forward and the ends of her red hair brushed against my bare belly. I chuckled slightly; it was ticklish, but also really arousing. As Jenny cupped my balls in one hand, I gasped. She leaned forward and gently blew on my stiff cock. I groaned as Jenny opened her mouth and stuck her tongue out. She licked the head until I was gasping and thrusting my hips up towards her mouth.

“God, yes,” I groaned, arching my back. Jenny sucked enthusiastically until I felt my arousal build to new heights. I was going crazy, bucking my hips, thrusting into Jenny’s mouth, tangling my hands in her red hair until my knuckles were straining. The liquid motion of Jenny’s warm mouth on my cock was incredible. I couldn’t think straight, I couldn’t think of anything at all other than Jenny and the magic she was letting loose on my body. It had been much too long since I’d felt this kind of pleasure. With most women, it was all about the power of the conquest and the scent of a new pussy. With Jenny, it was nothing less than a desire to possess her completely from the inside out. As she closed her eyes

and wrapped one of her hands around the base of my cock, I rolled my eyes back in my head and groaned loudly. “Stop,” I muttered, trying to push her away. “Stop, Jenny, no.” She kept sucking and it took all of my willpower to wrench my hips away from her. If I didn’t, I would have come. And there was no way I was letting that happen until I was buried up to the hilt in Jenny. When she pulled her mouth away, I groaned and reached for her, pulling her close to me and tightening my grip on her arms. Jenny swallowed and looked up at me. Her jeweled green eyes sparkled with

lust and she was panting. Her lips were swollen, pink, and damp, and I watched as the tip of her tongue stuck out of her mouth. Lust coursed through my body like wildfire and I had to suppress a shiver. We kept our gazes locked as Jenny reclined back on the bed. She spread her legs and turned an inviting gaze towards me. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from her pale, generous body. She’d always had amazing tits, but now they were spectacular. Jenny closed her eyes and ran a hand down her body. Desire shook my body and I growled in a low voice. For a moment, a flash of fear went across Jenny’s face. I realized she was

scared, and that I knew exactly why. She wasn’t afraid of what I was going to do to her. She was afraid because she didn’t ever know if I’d do it again. Reaching forward, I grabbed Jenny’s wrist and pulled her close. She shuddered as I flipped her over on her belly. The rounded curve of Jenny’s ass quivered as I slipped my hand between her thighs and stroked at her soaked pussy. Jenny moaned softly. Her cries were muffled by the bed sheets, but I could feel her whole body shaking as I gently teased her clit. Jenny arched her back and spread her legs wide. I grinned wickedly. I could smell her musk from where I knelt above her, and it was

driving me absolutely crazy. As Jenny ground her hips against my hand, I pulled it away. She twisted her head up to look at me as I straddled her ass, rubbing my cock between her delectable cheeks. Jenny’s skin was hot and silky to the touch. She put her arms over her head and rubbed her ass against my erection. “I want you,” Jenny said in a hoarse, tortured voice. “I need you, Tristan.” That was all I needed to hear. Before I knew it, I was slipping my cock inside of her and bucking my hips. Jenny’s response was immediate. She cried out and her whole body tensed as I filled her tight pussy with every unforgiving inch

of my erection. Jenny cried out as I grabbed onto her hips, twisting her soft flesh with my strong hands. She arched her back up and rubbed her ass against the hilt of my erection. I groaned and closed my eyes, tilting my head back and thrusting as hard as I could. Every time I entered Jenny, spasms of pleasure overtook my body. I knew she was enjoying it; even though I couldn’t see her face, I could feel her bucking against me. I slipped a hand under her hot body and found the stiff nub of pleasure between Jenny’s legs. As I rubbed at her clit with my thumb, she cried out and buried her face in the mattress. Her cries were loud, hoarse—the kind that might make someone think she was in pain. But

I knew better, I knew she craved me with every cell in her body. I knew that no matter what happened between us, she’d always be mine. She’d always be my Jenny, no one else’s. All mine, forever. “Tristan,” Jenny whimpered. She held her head up and I could see red hair clinging to her sweaty forehead. Without warning, I pulled out of her and used my hand to flip her on her back. Jenny looked up at me. Her green eyes pleaded for more, and I couldn’t help but oblige her. She spread her legs and beckoned me close with her eyes. Crawling over her body, I pressed my mouth against hers. She tasted like sweat and girl-spit and lust. I stuck my tongue in her mouth

and furiously tasted all of the dark, secret places inside. Jenny moaned softly and wrapped her slim arms around my neck. She pulled me down and wrapped her legs around my waist. I felt her wet slit rubbing against my erection and another tremor of lust went soaring through my body. Breaking the kiss, I stared deeply into Jenny’s eyes. She looked at me without blinking. It was just the two of us alone, the two of us in the world. I had forgotten where we were; it didn’t matter, we could have been anywhere. We could have been having a one-night stand in a cheap motel, we could have met in the world’s poshest casino.

Nothing mattered, not even the Wicked Angels. Jenny closed her eyes and pulled me in close for a deep, sensual kiss. She sucked my lower lip until I felt the blood throbbing in my cock. As I steadied myself with a hand against her hips, Jenny braced her body against mine and I felt my cock slide into the deep, wet folds of her pussy. “God,” I gasped, breaking the kiss and burying my face in her sweet neck. She felt so amazingly good, I could barely move. The pleasure increased when she bucked her hips against mine, and soon she was fucking me, even though I was the one on top. Jenny’s muscles strained and braced against my body. She

squeezed her eyes shut and let out a strangled cry before digging her nails into my back and rubbing her body against mine. I realized that her clit was bumping against my pubic bone. I grinned wickedly; the only thing better than fucking Jenny was watching her get off against me. “Tristan,” Jenny whimpered. She threw her head back and I felt the muscles of her pussy clench around me. Watching her writhe and moan with the force of her orgasm sent my level of arousal to a new height and before I knew it, I was gasping and coming along with her. My cock pumped ropes of cum inside her most secret place and every muscle in

my body clenched and released with my powerful release. We stayed locked together like that for a second or two. My heart was beating wildly in my chest like a drum, and Jenny looked like she’d just run a marathon. “That was amazing,” Jenny said softly. She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around me, pulling me close. “I love you.” I swallowed. The words were on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn’t say them. It was too much, too intimate. I’d just given Jenny the fucking of her lifetime

and I was exhausted, but part of me was almost nervous. What if she decided she never wanted to see me again? I shook my head. I couldn’t start thinking like that, not now. Not when everything I knew was about to blow up. Not when Darius was hot on my trail, not when I was worried about Jenny. Not when I had a son to discover and get to know. Thinking about Phin made me feel emotional, but in a different way. Some of the anger was still there; I didn’t think I could immediately forgive Jenny for keeping him from me like that. But she’d already shown she wanted me, that she still wanted me.

My mouth hardened into a thin line. I’d thought she had wanted to be with me before, too. And look what happened. I wound up alone, like always. Someone like Jenny wasn’t ever going to think that someone like me was good enough for her. “Tristan?” Jenny’s voice broke me out of my reverie. “Are you okay?” I blinked at her. “I’m fine,” I muttered. Jenny was reclining on the bed. She was still naked, but almost before my eyes I saw the delicious pink flush fading from her skin. Her gaze had been lustful and determined only a few minutes ago, but now she looked scared. She covered her

mouth with a hand. Do you regret telling me that you love me? I wanted to ask. Are you sure you still meant it? Because you fucking left me years ago, honey. And you better be sure this time that it’s for real. “Okay,” Jenny said. She swallowed hard and pulled the sheet up to cover her luscious body. I watched as her magnificent tits disappeared in a sea of white cotton. “Was that okay? I mean, I’m sorry if that shouldn’t have happened.” She reached up and pulled her mass of red hair over a pale shoulder. “I’m sorry,” Jenny added, her voice barely audible this time. “I shouldn’t have said that.”

“It’s fine,” I told her. But my voice must have been unconvincing. Jenny’s response was to pink in the cheeks and wrap the sheet more tightly around her body. I watched as she tried to crawl out of bed without exposing her body to me. I wanted to laugh. Not five minutes ago she’d bared her whole self for me to see, for me to taste, for me to fuck. For me to take, I thought to myself. All mine. Just like always, just like before. “Should I go?” Jenny looked up at me. “I mean, back to Phin?” I shook my head. “Do what you want,” I said flatly. Part of me wanted her to

leave. I wanted to be alone; I had a lot of shit to think about. But the other part of me didn’t want to think about anything. I wanted to set my jaw, climb on my bike, and ride hundreds of miles away where no one had even heard of Tristan Mayer. “Okay,” Jenny said. She swallowed and stood up. I wished she’d cut out the damsel act. It was annoying, and not like her real self at all. Jenny was fiery, passionate. She wasn’t this weak, awkward creature that I was seeing now. I could tell that she was nervous, but it was getting on my nerves and making me feel anxious. I couldn’t deal with Jenny when she was unsure. It had been one of the things we’d always fought about

when we were together. Now, if Jenny told me she wanted to go to a motel and never go back to her parents again, I wouldn’t hesitate. I’d kick the door down with my foot and carry her over the threshold. She’d be mine. Maybe if I’d done that very thing years ago, she never would have left. Maybe Phin would have grown up with a father, maybe Jenny wouldn't be living in a hovel in the worst part of town. But maybe not. Maybe if we’d stayed together, I wouldn’t have gotten hooked up with the Wicked Angels. Maybe I never would have made any money. I could see young Jenny persuading me to stay in legit business. But I was never

the type for schooling. I didn’t even think I could graduate from a community college, much less dedicate myself to an education and providing for my family. Maybe if Jenny and I had stayed together, we would have split up down the line anyway. After all, poverty took a toll on happiness. I’d watched my mother fretting over the bills and debt much longer than she really should have. I could tell that a poor woman scared off any potential boyfriends, too. Sometimes I wondered what really would have happened if I’d grown up with a father. And that was just the thing. Was Phin damned to repeat my same mistakes? Was depriving him of a father going to

hurt him exponentially down the line? There was no way of knowing. Jenny had pulled her sweater over her head by the time I turned around. I watched as she stepped into her jeans, fastening the snap and tugging her sweater down. It did nothing to hide the glorious curves of her body; there was no doubt that Jenny was just as sexy as ever. She stepped in the bathroom to wash her face as I yanked a clean shirt over my head and pulled my pants up. When she emerged, her skin was pink, soft, and dewy. I could tell that she’d washed her face, but her eyes also looked pink. Was it possible that she’d been crying? A stab of pain hit me in the

gut but I closed my eyes and willed it away. I could see the girl she’d been when she was this vulnerable. She had the same wanton look about her, the same fiery tenderness. Even though she was older, more refined, the sex was better than ever. She’d been so eager to please me —and to be pleased herself. It was almost like sleeping with a new woman, but not quite. Jenny hadn’t been my first, but she’d been the most meaningful woman in my life for years and years. Aside from my mother, she was the only woman I’d ever loved. Love, my mind corrected itself. You still love her, and you know it. She’s the only woman for

you, and you’ll never be able to forget her, much less get over her. Face it. She’s it, man. I cleared my throat as Jenny crossed the threshold of my room. She looked up at me with a curious expression on her face. It was part hurt, part curiosity. “I’m going to go see Phin,” she said softly. I shook my head. “Wait,” I told her. I pointed at the bed. “Sit down.” Jenny opened her mouth to speak but she changed her mind. Flushing, she walked over to the bed and perched her perfect

ass on the end. “What is it?” “Just why exactly did you think it was okay to leave?” I glared at her. “You forget; we haven’t talked about this. Why on earth did you do that? Rod was here to protect you. Are you stupid?” Jenny had been watching me with a carefully studied expression but she opened her mouth in indignation at my last remark. “Of course not!” she said hotly. “Can’t you tell I was dying for some fresh air? I felt so cooped up in here! I had no idea anything would happen!” I laughed humorlessly. “That’s just it,

you don’t think, Jenny,” I told her. “Something really bad could happen to you if you keep up, honey. Don’t think that it won’t. I can only protect you if I know where you are.” Jenny glared at me. Her ruffled expression sent another shockwave of lust through my body. I wondered what she would do if I unzipped my pants and held her hostage for another couple of hours. I could tell she was angry: her pose was tense and the hair on her arms was standing up. But the way her green eyes were hugging my body was indicative of something else, that she still wanted me just as much as I wanted her. All traces of the fragile, quiet Jenny

had disappeared and she was a raging vixen once again. She raised her eyebrows at me and crossed her arms over her chest. “I bet you think you can just tell me what to do and you think I’ll listen,” she said in a low voice. “I bet you think I’ll do anything you say!” “Only if you’re smart,” I cracked. Jenny flushed with anger and I chuckled. “I mean, if you want those guys to come grab you again, be my guest. I bet you weren’t expecting to see them again, were you?” Jenny gave me another furious glare. “Of

course not. I wasn’t expecting to be grabbed by some thugs! This is all your fault, Tristan. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be here in the first place.” Anger boiled over in me and I glared at her, stalking the room and staring at the walls, the ceiling, anywhere but Jenny’s beautiful face. “That’s a bit much,” I snarled. “You should be thanking me, really.” “For what?” Jenny’s face twisted in anger. “For disappearing on me? For never calling? For never coming back? Yeah, I really deserved that!” I crossed my arms over my chest. I had a

brief thought to take a deep breath, to try to forget all about Jenny and her temptations. But the rage coursed through me, hotter than lust, more powerful than love. “That’s rich coming from you.” It was almost funny. Did she not remember what happened? She was the one who had left me. “I mean, rich as Mommy and Daddy used to be.” Jenny stood up and stalked over to the door. With her hand on the knob, she whirled around and glared at me. I saw tears building but I didn’t care. If she was trying to play me and manipulate me, it wasn’t going to fucking work.

After all, I wasn’t born yesterday. I was Tristan Mayer, president of the Wicked Angels. Damnit, I was someone! “I didn’t ask you to rescue me,” Jenny said under her breath. Her voice was so quiet that I could barely hear her. “I didn’t ask you to step in.” She blinked and I saw a single tear roll down her cheek. “And I didn’t ask you to come back into my life and fuck it all up again,” she added. Before I could reply, she let herself out of my room and slammed the door. I heard her soft footsteps running down the hall. For some reason, I didn’t feel as good as I thought I should. After all, what the

fuck was she talking about? Had she gone crazy in the years since I’d left? She didn’t seem crazy, but I didn’t know what was going on in that head of hers. Even back when we’d been close, I’d never been a mind-reader. I’d never known what Jenny had wanted. It was obvious the kind of life she’d have, or so I’d thought at the time. Her parents wanted to bundle her off to some expensive private college, then make sure she got a cushy job and married a doctor or a lawyer or someone. Anyone who could give her a better life than I could. I saw her working as a secretary for maybe a year or two before marrying the executive, who was sure to be at least fifteen years older than she was.

Then she’d insist on being called Jen or Jennifer and become a stay at home mom. The next thing she knew, she’d be dropping her kids off at the same private college she’d attended in her youth. But obviously, something had changed. Something had happened to make Jenny break off ties with her parents and try to keep her life separate from theirs. It was puzzling, especially because she had a child. Jenny was proud, but she was the type of person to prioritize a kid’s life over her own. I wondered what could have possibly happened to make her change her mind and go her own way. As grandparents, her parents could have helped out a lot. Phin was in public

school, and although he was well-caredfor, his clothes were obviously secondhand, just like Jenny’s. All the food at her house had been store brand, and her car was over fifteen years old. She’d apparently gotten really good at making appearances look normal, but compared to how polished she’d been in her youth, I could tell that things had really changed. Plus, she was working as a librarian. I didn’t know much, but I knew you needed a college degree for a job like that. College was expensive, and I could guess the libraries probably didn’t pay much. After all, she was almost thirty. If she’d had the life her parents had planned for her, she wouldn’t have worked past the age of twenty-five.

I had a big house, and it was totally silent. I wondered what Jenny was saying to Phin. He was a cute kid. Smart, too. I wondered if he could pick up on anything going on between me and his mom. Except there isn’t anything going on, I thought. You’re crazy if you think she’s gonna want anything else to do with you, man. I shook my head and stretched. I could go for a drink, but after what had happened, I didn’t want to leave Jenny alone. I was angry with her, but she obviously had no idea how bad things had really gotten. I didn’t think she would have left if she thought there was

a chance those jackasses would come back for her. Part of me almost felt prideful over this; it must mean that she trusted me implicitly. Well, good for her. I didn’t think I’d ever be able to trust her ever again, especially not if she kept walking off like that. As much as I’d threatened to leave her alone, I knew I couldn’t stay away if there was a chance she was in danger. She’d have to stay with me until I’d dealt with Darius once and for all. Darius. Just thinking about his name put a foul taste in my mouth. It wasn’t enough that my ex-buddy wanted to ruin me. No, he had to go after my exgirlfriend and her son. That was

nefarious. I shook my head. He was a lot eviler than I’d first given him credit for. I felt stupid for not trusting him years ago when he first told me that he’d get me back. I’d brushed it off as meaningless. But, obviously, he hadn’t forgotten about that promise of revenge. Between Darius and Jenny, my whole life felt like it had turned upside down in a matter of days. I opened the door and walked down the hallway, half expecting Jenny to pop out of nowhere and tell me that she was leaving, or something equally outrageous. It was a contradiction: I wanted her around and yet I couldn’t stand the sight of her. More than ever, she inspired a fiery reaction

within me. It was the same way before, even when I’d worshipped her, she always found a way to get on my nerves. We’d had a tumultuous and loving relationship. Even if we couldn’t have that ever again, I still had to protect her. “Hey, man, penny for your thoughts,” Rod said. He was sitting in a chair at the kitchen table, his little handgun on the table in front of him. When I glared at him, he seemed to shrink back. I wondered if he was thinking about Jenny again, and how he’d basically let her escape. There hadn’t been time to yell at him when I’d gotten Jenny home. But now, some of the anger was coming back.

“What the fuck were you thinking?” I hissed, leaning down in his face. “You realize she could have been killed?” Rod nodded tersely. “I know,” he replied automatically. “I’m sorry, man. She told me she was taking a bath and then she must have crept out the window. She made up some bullshit lie about how her period had started. She asked to go out and buy tampons or pads or whatever the fuck chicks use. I was caught off guard, man, that’s completely my fault. I should have known she was up to no good.” I shook my head and let out a humorless

laugh. “It’s okay, man,” I told him as I cuffed him on the shoulder. “I get it. She’s fuckin’ crafty.” “She really is,” Rod said. “Are you okay? Did she get in another scrape?” I felt my stomach twist into knots. “It’s worse than that,” I told Rod. “I think Darius is behind all of this shit. I thought it was a coincidence until I showed up at his place and he told me that he’d basically set his thugs on her.” Rod let out a low whistle. “Damn, man,” he said, sucking in his breath. I shook my head. “It’s some fucked up

shit,” I told him. Getting up, I ambled over to the fridge and pulled out a couple of beers. “You want one of these?” Rod glanced nervously down at his gun. I let out a chuckle. “It’s fine, man,” I told him. “I’m not going out again tonight. I’m gonna be here. You can relax a little bit.” Rod relaxed his face and reached out for the longneck. “Thanks, man,” he said after he’d gulped half of the beer. “This is good right now.” I settled down in my chair without saying anything. Jenny was weighing heavily on my mind. Rod was my best

friend, and I told him everything. But, somehow, this seemed like it would be an awkward conversation. I wasn’t ready to let him know, at least not everything. Not about Phin, at least. As if reading my mind, Rod set his bottle down on the table and looked at me. “So, this chick, you knew her a while ago?” I nodded. “Yeah, you could say that, man,” I replied. “I mean, we were just kids ourselves.” Rod chuckled under his breath. “Those memories come back at you, don’t they?”

I swallowed a lump that was forming in my throat. “That they do,” I said in a quiet voice. “That they do.” Rod leaned back in his chair and swigged the last of the beer out of his bottle. “I knew a girl when I was a kid,” he said. “Her name was Margie. She was gorgeous. Blonde, skinny, willing. Liked to get drunk with me. I smoked pot for the first time with her. She was my first kiss, my first fuck.” “What happened?” I was intrigued. Rod and I had been close for a long time, but we hadn’t grown up together. Sometimes I wondered about the pasts of all of my

guys, but especially his. He was so quiet and measured, I wondered if he’d had anything really tumultuous happen. But he was a Wicked Angel, after all. Something had to have pushed him over towards this side. Rod let out a long sigh. “When we were in high school, I started feeling a little cheated,” he said. He grinned at me and I knew the exact feeling he was talking about. “After all, she was the only girl I’d ever been with. Those girls back then, they looked so fresh. So young, I thought I wanted to try more of them. So we broke up. She got real hurt, real bad. Wouldn’t talk to me when I called her, and then she started dating a bunch of

different assholes at once. The last time I checked, she was dating some asshole jock who beat her when he got drunk.” I blinked. I hadn’t known what Rod was going to divulge, but I hadn’t expected anything that sad. “Then what happened? She marry that dude?” “Hell no,” Rod said. He snorted. “I wanted to ask her to marry me, but by the time I asked her, she didn’t feel up to it. Said she liked dating around and didn’t want to go back to being with just me. Said she had a lot of exploring left to do, and that maybe we’d meet back up when we were older.”

“Damn, dude,” I said, slamming my empty bottle down on the table. Rod snorted and I got up and ambled over to the fridge again. By the time I’d handed him a new beer, Rod was looking up at the ceiling. There was an odd, pained look on his face that I’d rarely seen before. I didn’t understand. He couldn’t still be broken up over some kid, could he? Why not? I thought quickly. That’s what you are, Tristan. Broken up over a kid from your past, just like Rod. “Anyway, she died,” Rod said flatly. I blinked at him. “She was driving drunk and she ran her car off the road. Cops said it was instant, but for some reason, I know she suffered. She was pinned

against the wheel for hours before anyone showed up. I can’t imagine that was a good way to go.” I gulped my beer so Rod wouldn’t see my expression. I hadn’t imagined the story ending like that, and it gave me almost a new perspective on things. Yeah, Jenny had fucked me over and left. But at least she hadn’t died. At least she was still here, warm and breathing. Even though Phin didn’t have a father, at least he had her. “Yeah, man,” Rod said. “It sucked. I thought about her for a long time. But she’s not in my head anymore, you know?”

I nodded. “I sorta get it,” I said slowly. “I mean, Jenny and I…” I was going to tell him that we hadn’t been serious, but suddenly I didn’t think I could get the lie out. After all, what was the point of lying to Rod? He was my best friend. Even when I thought about it like that, I still couldn’t make myself lie. “You what?” Rod turned to me and gave me a curious look before knocking back some beer. The sadness of the previous moment was forgotten. “You were gonna say…?” He raised his eyebrows at me and laughed. Suddenly, whatever openness had been

building up between us vanished. I shook my head. “It’s nothing,” I said darkly. “Forget it.”

Chapter Fourteen Jenny

I couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t believe that I’d slept with him again. After all this time, after I thought he’d been lost to me forever. All it had taken to turn me weak gain was a mere look from Tristan’s piercing eyes. You dumb slut, I thought. So much for independence and feminism if you’re gonna drop your panties every time he looks at you like that! It was enough to make me laugh. After years of living like a nun, the first person I lost control to was Tristan! The man who made me lose everything in the first place. It was like a vicious cycle.

Being with Tristan again was making me feel the way I’d felt all those years before, like I could really picture us together. It felt weird staying in his house, or rather it had at first. That feeling had disappeared within the first few minutes of watching how comfortable Phin was in a new setting. I was proud of him; Phin wasn’t the most adaptable kid in the world. But he really seemed to love it here. I was sitting in the room Phin had chosen, watching him sleep. His light brown hair fell across his forehead and I reached down to smooth it back. He looked like an angel when he was

sleeping. His face was peaceful and calm, and there was no hint of the anxiety that had plagued him when Tristan had first brought me home. If he still wanted to know everything about Tristan, he was doing a good job not showing it. I still couldn’t think of the right way to tell my son, “This is Mommy’s ex-boyfriend. Oh, and your daddy.” A pang of guilt flashed through me as I watched Phin toss and turn in the bed. He opened his mouth and for a second I thought he was going to sit up and ask me for a glass of milk. But he stayed asleep and peaceful, and soon his leg was twitching in another secret dream.

He was such a good kid. I felt like the worst mother on the planet for having deprived him of a father. “Stop it,” I mumbled under my breath. “You don’t know that things are going to be any different now, and you have no way of changing that. After all, what if Tristan kicks you out once Darius is taken care of? What are you going to do? Spend the rest of your life mooning over him?” A black depression settled over me and I closed my eyes. Those days when I’d been pregnant and alone had been some of the worst of my life. If I hadn’t been pregnant, I probably would have cried

myself to sleep every night after a long glass of wine in the bathtub. But I had been pregnant, and feeling Phin grow in my belly had been one of the only things keeping me centered. I remembered driving out to the edge of Centreville and sitting in my car, looking out the window and feeling so lonely that it washed over me like a wave. I’d never been so alone in my life. Telling Mummy and Daddy had been the worst part of it. Foolishly I thought that they would have supported me. After all, Mummy pretended to be a good Christian. She went to church every week and made a habit of telling me that she was going to pray for me if things

weren’t going well. She used to tell me all the time that she was praying for me to find peace when Tristan and I were still together. At the time, I hadn’t known what she meant. But now I knew: she wanted me to find the peace of mind to leave him. They hadn’t found out until after Tristan had been gone for a couple of months. I hadn’t been showing for weeks and weeks and then suddenly, to my horror, I realized that the snap of my jeans had to be fastened with a safety pin. When I got home that day, I’d intended to run straight up to my room and hide. But Mummy had caught me putting my coat away, and she must have read the guilty

look on my face. “You’ll want to get rid of that,” she said callously, pointing towards my stomach. “I hope it’s not the spawn of that no-good Mayer.” Tears pricked my eyes and I recoiled, blinking back the hurt and shame I felt. “This isn’t a problem,” I snarled in her face. “This is my child, your grandchild! And you’ll love them no matter what once you see them.” Mummy laughed, a dry, humorless sound. “That’s what you think,” she said coldly. “You think everything’s going to be easy for you, but it’s not.

Once you have a baby, that’s the end of your life. You won’t be able to go to college; you won’t meet an eligible man. No one is going to want you if they think you’re damaged, Jennifer. Haven’t I raised you better than this?” I blinked to clear my head of the painful images. Even now, eight years later, it still hurt more than almost anything in the world. Losing Tristan, then losing my parents. I looked at Phin and felt love radiate through me like heat waves. At least I had Phin, my perfect son. He was worth everything, and I would have gone through worse to protect him. I always had to protect him. He was the only thing I had left.

I didn’t want to admit it, but being around Tristan again was giving me all kinds of ideas. Not good ideas, either. The kind of ideas that I didn’t want to admit to having. Just being in his house was enough to make me start thinking about a future together. Would Tristan stay in the Wicked Angels? Would he quit and pursue a more legitimate line of work? It was enough to bring a smile to my face when I thought about us coming home together, with Phin. Sure, Phin would have to go to daycare. But there was always Lindsey to watch him. I closed my eyes and imagined what Tristan’s house would look like if I

redecorated in cheerier, warm colors. No more of this masculine grey and black theme, but something warm and welcoming. I could do the kitchen in sunny yellow with red accents. Growing up, my favorite TV show had featured a kitchen decorated with an apple theme. I knew it was cheesy, but I’d always loved it. I pictured us sitting down in the kitchen bedecked with cheery apples and natural sunlight. Tristan had picked a great house, now it just needed a few homey touches. I smiled as I thought about us shopping for furniture together, Phin whining at my side, and the kinds of faces Tristan would make when I told him that we just had one more store to visit before we were done. I imagined

Tristan and Phin conspiring against me to run off and get ice cream before I could drag them into just one more store. I saw Tristan running around with Phin on his shoulders, Phin screaming and laughing with delight. It was more than just the house, too. Phin was only allowed to watch an hour of TV per night—supposedly so he wouldn’t develop ADHD, but also because the power bill was expensive— but his favorite commercials were for Walt Disney Land. He was always begging me to take him. I told him that if he was very good, we’d find a way to go, but, truthfully, I had no idea how to afford such a vacation. Phin had always

been a good kid, but he could be the most well behaved child in the world and I still wouldn’t have the money to take him on such a costly trip. Every time he told me about a classmate or a friend who was going, I could tell he was jealous. But to his credit, he never badgered me and he almost never sulked. Still, I would have liked to take him. With Tristan, I bet we could do it easily. Tristan’s house spoke of money, and even though I didn’t want any handouts, I had a feeling he’d start spoiling Phin as much as he possibly could. And that would probably include a vacation to Disney Land. I couldn’t help but grin

when I thought of it. I thought of how Tristan and I would hold hands in the airport, on the plane. I thought of Phin racing excitedly ahead of us towards the entrance, swinging his arms and making my heart race with the giddiness of it all. For a long time, I didn’t feel like I’d deserved to be happy. But now I almost felt like I was getting a second chance. A second chance at everything: Tristan, happiness, Phin’s childhood. Life. I knew I shouldn’t think like this, but it was so tempting. In Tristan’s house, enveloped in his scent of leather and sandalwood, I felt like a new woman. It was like I’d already forgotten about all of the bad things in my life. All of the

debt, all of the problems. It was easy to just pretend like none of that had happened. And that was probably the most dangerous thing of all. I didn’t think I’d changed much in the years since I’d been with Tristan, but that probably wasn’t true. After all, I wasn’t the same girl I’d been when I was living with Mummy and Daddy. For one thing, I no longer counted on having a set future. I knew that things could change in an instant, and I learned to expect the unexpected. Everything had been different than I’d been expecting, and the changes had come almost immediately.

Mummy and Daddy had thrown me out when they’d found out about the baby. Well, they hadn’t exactly thrown me out because of the baby. They’d thrown me out because I refused to have an abortion. Even though I was theoretically pro-choice, the idea of getting rid of something in my body was abhorrent. Especially because it was the last little remnant of Tristan that I had, clover pendant aside. I’d had nowhere to go, and I’d been completely clueless about what I’d need to survive in the real world. Even when I’d traveled with Mummy and Daddy, the help had always packed my bags. I didn’t even know what to bring with me on a weekend getaway, much less an actual lifetime of

being away. When I’d left home, I’d brought the things I thought I could sell, like clothes and jewelry. But even that had been difficult. I’d found a pawn shop out of town and tried to get rid of some diamond jewelry that Daddy had given me on my sixteenth birthday. But the guy at the pawn shop very obviously thought I was selling stolen goods. He didn’t listen to me when I told him that they’d been gifts from my parents, especially after I’d begged him not to call Daddy and tell him where I was. When he called the cops, I barely escaped with what I’d brought in. I wound up selling the jewelry in the back alleys of the nearest city, for much

less than all of the items were worth. One of the downsides of growing up rich was that, for a long time, I’d really had no understanding of how money worked. I didn’t know if a hundred dollars was a lot or a little. Unlike a lot of other wealthy kids I’d known, I’d never carried cash. I had a credit card, and if I wanted something else I had Mummy’s personal shopper get it for me. When I finally started using money, I couldn’t believe how much of it was allocated to different things. I couldn’t believe how expensive certain foods were; it made me regretful of all the years I turned down my nose at Daddy’s caviar and quail eggs. Daddy had used to love a dish made with avocado, crab meat, and

caviar, and sometimes I still craved the taste. When I’d gone to the store looking for ingredients, the manager had looked at me like I was crazy when I’d asked for caviar. And raising Phin alone had been something else altogether. Now, more than anything else, I regretted not trying to find Tristan and letting him know that he had a son. I felt so guilty. I’d always thought I was doing the right thing, trying to protect my son, but now I realized that I’d basically crippled him. It would have been better for Tristan to know and choose not to be involved. Hell, now he’d probably choose that anyway. A flash of pain flickered through my body

and I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I wanted Tristan to step up to his responsibilities more than ever, but what if he didn’t? What if he couldn’t forgive me? What if he never wanted to be a part of a family with me and Phin? It was unlikely, but possible. I hated to realize it, but I would understand if Tristan never wanted to be involved with me again. After all, I couldn’t imagine the shock of discovering an ex with a child, only to find out that the child was yours. Just thinking about it hurt my chest. I’d been trying to do the right thing, but it hadn’t ever worked. And now, I felt worse about my choices than ever before.

Phin shifted in bed and stretched one of his skinny arms out of the blankets. I felt the love swell up in my heart as I watched him settle back in bed. I’ll make sure you finally get a family, I promised him silently. With renewed enthusiasm, I stood up and stretched. It was late, but somehow I had a feeling Tristan wasn’t asleep yet. I thought I’d heard him walk down the hallway a while ago, but I couldn’t be sure. Besides, I’d been so deep in thought that it had been difficult to pay attention to what was really happening. My body was a mix of confusing emotions: desire, anger, betrayal, anxiety, love. I couldn’t shake the feeling

of déjà vu, even though it had been almost ten years since I’d been around Tristan. That was the funniest thing of all to me, that we’d been around each other for so long and never realized it. I’d never left Centreville. Had Tristan? Had he left for a long time and recently come back? Trying to piece together how we’d somehow managed to avoid each other in the smallest of small towns was enough to make my head ache. I looked at Phin. He was sound asleep; he wouldn’t notice if I slipped out for a little while. Or, at least, I wanted to believe that it would be fine. I knew that if he woke up and I wasn’t there, he’d probably freak out. But I had to do this, I

had to talk to Tristan. Letting myself out into the hallway, I closed the door behind me with a soft click. I could barely hear Phin’s soft snores after the lock was turned. I heard voices in the hallway and I tensed. It was Tristan, and that other big thug he’d had watch me when he went out. I giggled nervously; I hadn’t seen the guy since I’d escaped from under his nose. I hoped he wouldn’t hold a grudge, even though I kind of deserved it. “Tristan?” I called his name softly and rapped my knuckles on the kitchen door frame. Tristan looked up at me with a lazy grin on his face. His skin was

flushed and there was a bottle of beer in his hand. The table was covered with empty bottles and the thick miasma of cigarette smoke hung in the air. I stifled the urge to stamp my foot. I couldn’t believe he could throw me out of bed and then just go drink with his buddy like nothing had happened! Breathe, I told myself. Stay calm. This is a big deal, maybe wait until he’s sober. He’s probably not going to understand right now. “Yeah?” Tristan gave me a cocky grin. He winked at me and I felt my insides slither and slosh around in my body. “Can I help you, Jenny?”

I flushed deep red all over. This wasn’t going like I’d imagined, not at all. “Can I talk to you?” “Sure,” Tristan said. He winked at me again and stretched out, sprawling out in his chair like a wild grizzly bear of a man. “What can I do for you?” The other biker, Rod, turned his face to me and smiled. He didn’t move, and I felt a wave of irritation fly through my body. “Alone?” I pointed towards the door. “Do you mind?” “Oh, sorry, ma’am,” Rod said. I blushed when he called me ‘ma’am,’ and I almost corrected him, but I didn’t

want to come off as even more of a fussy old lady. “It’s fine,” Tristan said. He turned his lazy grin towards Rod. “Whatever Jenny has to say, she can say it in front of you.” I blinked. “No, I can’t,” I said sharply. “Please, Rod. Just give us five minutes.” Rod looked embarrassed as he got to his feet and shuffled out of the room. I sat down at the table and the beer bottles rattled and shook. “So,” Tristan said. He folded his hands on top of the table and stared at me. “What do you wanna talk about?”

“Our son,” I said softly. “And our life. And our future.” Tristan shook his head. “You’re bringing that shit up again?” He didn’t wait for me to answer before continuing, “You know I don’t have anything to say about that, Jenny. That was a long time ago and done now. Past is past, you know.” “I don’t know,” I said in the same soft voice. Frustration welled up in me and I blinked back tears, stamping my foot on the clean linoleum floor. “You’re not listening to me, Tristan. I’m sorry about everything, but I want to move past that. You have a family now. You’re a father.”

Tristan stood up before I could protest. He stretched up and I averted my eyes away from his taut, muscular torso. “This ain’t no good to talk about right now,” he said. “You get that, Jenny? We can’t talk about this right now.” “Well, when can we?” I whirled around in my chair and stared him down, my eyes blazing in their sockets. “I’m sick of you brushing me off!” Tristan blinked. He shook his head. “Jenny, this isn’t gonna work,” he said softly. For a moment, it sounded like all the cockiness and all the fight had gone out of him. “We’re gonna have to deal

with this later.” Before I could argue, he left the room. I heard him and Rod talking in hushed tones in the other room. I couldn’t even feel ashamed thinking about Rod hearing us—I didn’t even care. My heart felt like it had been ripped out of my chest all over again, just like before. Everything would be just like before, Tristan would leave and I’d never see him again. Anger and sadness welled up in me and I closed my eyes so I wouldn’t start crying. Why? Why did he need so much time? Couldn’t he see that I meant it, that I loved him? That I’d never wanted to let him go?

I stared at the whorls on the wooden table. It was roughly hewn and unvarnished, but with a smooth sheen. If I hadn’t known better, I’d think that Tristan had carved it himself. I ran my hands over the soft wood and closed my eyes. I couldn’t be alone again, there was no way that would happen. I remembered how I’d felt while pregnant: alienated, alone, too giant for a world that didn’t want me. Just like my body was changing, so was my status in the world. I went from someone who could buy the entire inventory of a shop in ten minutes to someone who was scrounging for pennies to buy food off the dollar menu at McDonald’s. Shame had a distinct taste, like soap. I never

wanted to taste it again. I never wanted to wake up with my stomach feeling as empty as a squeezed-out tube of toothpaste. I never wanted Phin to cry because he wanted more milk and all I could afford was water. I couldn’t stand another year of sitting in my car and crying at that spot just outside of town. It would kill me; I’d die of loneliness. I didn’t ever want to have to explain to Phin just who Tristan was…and why he wasn’t around. It would hurt him so much. It wasn’t just me who I had to think about now, there was Phin, too. If I made another mistake like the first one, he could be miserable and unhappy for the rest of his life.

On bad days, one of the only things that kept me going was my son. If he were to cut off contact with me as an adult because I hadn’t raised him with a father, it would break my heart. Then I really wouldn’t have a reason to live. I thought about myself, old and alone in some state-sponsored nursing home. I’d be covered in spittle and drool and lumpy blankets the color of old gym socks. Phin wouldn’t come visit, no one would. Because I’d have no family, and it would all be my fault. I set my lips in a thin line and prayed for Tristan to come to his senses. I need you now, I thought. More than ever before.

Don’t you see that?

Chapter Fifteen Tristan

That night, I could barely sleep. I kept thinking of Jenny and wondering if she was turning and twisting in her bed the same way I was in mine. It was torture knowing that she was only a few rooms away. What was I supposed to do? How was I supposed to act, knowing she was so close but so far? I couldn’t shake the feeling that it was my fault. But whenever I started feeling sorry for her, some of the anger came back. It wasn’t that I didn’t believe her now when she said things like she wanted to be with me forever, or that she loved me. It was

that I was worried. She had said those same things, many times, and then she’d left. I hadn’t ever heard from her again. She didn’t even have the consideration to break up with me to my face. It had all started the morning after Jenny’s eighteenth birthday. “Tristan,” my mother barked from the kitchen. As usual, she was perched on a stool with a cigarette dangling from her hand, her fingers stained yellow with nicotine at the tips. “Where the hell have you been?” I ran a hand through my hair and looked at the floor. I had a bad feeling,

ever since I’d woken up. After I’d dropped Jenny off at home, I’d driven around for hours. Even though we’d parted on terms like that before, there was something in the air that had felt final. I couldn’t believe the look her father had given me. It wasn’t quite one of conquest, but more like one of…pity. I hadn’t quite understood last night, but now an inkling of something darker was forming in my brain. Somehow, he must have felt for me. But why? What was going on? “I’ve been home,” I said flatly. “Didn’t you hear me? I got in around five in the morning.” It was true. After I’d almost run out of gas, I ambled home and lay

on my bed, staring at the ceiling. I saw Jenny’s face in every whorl of plaster, every chipped bit of surface in my room. The hold Jenny had on me scared me. It was enough to make me change my life, change everything I’d ever done. Mom looked at me with a blank expression on her pasty, doughy face. “Whatever you say, boy,” she said, blowing a plume of smoke at the ceiling. I was a few feet away but I could smell the booze on her breath like she’d just finished drinking. I shuddered. Mom had tried when I’d been a little kid, but not anymore. She’d about given up. I wondered if

things would be different if my dad had been around, but probably not. Mom wasn’t the kind of person who could stand up to various stressors. She just didn’t have it in her. She couldn’t hold down a job for more than a month at a time, and she buckled under the slightest pressure. I felt bad sometimes, like it was my fault. But looking into Mom’s dead eyes, I could barely see the person behind the muddy-colored irises. She was like a shell, a husk of the woman she’d once been. “I’m going out,” I told her. Even if she tried to stop me, it wouldn’t work. Just as I expected, when I got to the door, I heard her weak cries of protest. “Mom,

this is important,” I said, my hand on the knob as I turned around to face her. “I have to do something, just for me this time.” “Everything you do is for you,” she replied, catching me off-guard. “You men are so selfish; you don’t even think about how much we suffer for you.” When she was drinking, Mom was prone to these bouts of “wisdom.” But much like the look Jenny’s father had given me last night, there was something different, something unsettling about her words this time. “If you picked now to start lecturing

me, this isn’t the best time,” I told her. “I’ll be back later.” This time, Mom was silent. She stared at me with glassy eyes and kept her dry lips closed. The silence in the room was palpable, awkward. Finally, I shrugged it off and walked outside. The day was clear, chillier than I’d expected. The sunlight was harsh against my face. I’d gotten maybe three hours of sleep. I knew that I had to get to Jenny, I had to hear her reassurance. I had to make sure things would be okay. Even if this summer was rough, I’d be with her in the fall. I was already planning to move to her college town and surprise her with a ring at Christmas. I even had

one picked out—it was yellow gold, with a small round diamond. On the inside of the band I had a four-leaf clover stamped into the gold, to match the pendant I’d given her. She didn’t know yet, at least I didn’t think she suspected. I was dying to give it to her now, but I knew I had to wait until she was at least a little bit out of her parents’ clutches. The drive to Jenny’s house was torturous and long. Traffic was slow and I beat my fist against the steering wheel, more conscious than ever of my ripped shirt and grease-stained pants. It occurred to me too late that I should have changed, or even stopped to buy

some new clothes on the way. “Why are you so nervous?” My voice sounded hoarse, boyish, aloud in the car. I looked at myself in the rearview mirror—my eyes were wide, scared. There was perspiration on my forehead and I could see that I was shaking. As I shifted in my seat, a gust of sweaty odor came up to meet me. I cracked a grin. At least I was still cocky as ever: going to win my high-class girlfriend when I looked like shit. Jenny knew that I didn’t care about impressing her, but sometimes I still felt like I should try. After all, I was the luckiest guy in the world. I had the hottest girl I’d ever seen. So what if we’d had a bad night?

We still loved each other just as much as ever. Right? My nerves were jangling as I pulled into Jenny’s parents’ driveway. The gate was closed and I parked, hopping out of my car and pacing around. Her window was closed—unusual for Jenny; I knew she loved the chill air as much as I did. I wondered if she’d be happy that I’d shown up. Today was my first chance to make things right with her folks, and damned if I wasn’t going to give it a shot. The property was eerily silent. I could see one of Jenny’s father’s cars, an Aston Martin, parked carelessly in the

driveway. There was a scuff on the driver’s side door and I shivered. Whoever had done that was definitely going to get his wrath. Suddenly, I laughed out loud. I realized no one had scratched his car, it had to have been him. And he didn’t care, because he was so rich he could just go out and buy another one. Things, possessions must not have mattered to him the way they mattered to others. I shook my head. These people were nuts, but I loved their daughter. I had to get in right with them. “Hello?” I called out as I pressed the button on the gate. There was no answer. After a minute, I heard the

crackle of static over the intercom. “Who is it?” The voice that answered me was unfamiliar. “Can I help you?” “Uh, yeah,” I said, clearing my throat. “Is Jenny home? I was hoping I could talk to her.” The crackling stopped and there was silence. No reply. I pressed the buzzer another couple of times. No reply. Finally, I mashed my thumb down on the button and held it. A little part of me, somewhere in the back of my brain, was insisting that this was a horrible idea. But now I was starting to get mad. Why wouldn’t they fucking

acknowledge me? Why couldn’t they even give me a straight answer? It was like they didn’t even think I deserved one. “Sir, I’ll be out in a moment,” the reply came. I wasn’t expecting the harsh sound and I jumped. “Okay, fine,” I said, stepping back from the gate and lazily swinging my feet around in the air. “Fine. Come talk to me.” The minutes that followed were some of the slowest I’d ever endured in my whole life. I kept craning my neck and looking up at Jenny’s window. All of the

nights she’d snuck out, all of the nights I’d called her by throwing change at the glass. There probably had to be ten dollars in nickels under her window by now. The majority of our courtship had been silent, quiet, furtive. Well, not anymore. I was determined to love my woman openly. I was determined to try to win over her parents. If they rejected me after all of this, fine. They could do that. But I at least wanted to try, to try to show I was the bigger person. After all, we couldn’t be so different. We both loved Jenny. Even if that was the only thing I’d ever have in common with her parents, I didn’t mind. Finally, I heard the front door open and

close. I couldn’t see who was walking outside, but I heard heavy footsteps. They were booming too loudly to be Jenny’s father—even though he was a tall man, he was on the slender side. His intimidation came from his wealth, not from his size. His sense of selfimportance was very clearly derived from his ability to buy the world and his confidence in that. I couldn’t see him in a fight, no matter how rough things became. My mouth went dry as the gate opened. There was an enormous man standing in front of me. He was wearing a dark grey suit and wraparound sunglasses.

“Hello,” the man said. “How may I assist you?” “I’m here to see Jenny,” I said, standing straight and tall. “We didn’t have plans, but she’ll want to see me.” The man smiled and I felt a twinge of anger rush through me. Why wasn’t he talking? What the fuck was going on? “I’m afraid that won’t be possible,” the man told me. I could see the faintest trace of a smirk on his fat lips. “Jennifer isn’t available right now.” “I know she’s home,” I replied hotly. The man didn’t reply and I realized that

he hadn’t said she wasn’t home, just unavailable. I frowned. “I need to see her,” I said. “I need to apologize.” The man stepped closer and I felt a wave of menace emanating from his gigantic frame. “That won’t be possible,” he said curtly. “And besides, whatever could you have to apologize for? You don’t look like someone who associates with the Fosters.” “Jenny Foster has been my girlfriend for almost a year,” I protested. “She loves me. Come on, dude, I know you don’t know me, but trust me! I love her! I just need to make sure she’s okay.”

The man looked at me over the tops of his sunglasses. “And why wouldn’t she be?” He smirked. “Did you do something to her?” “No, god!” I yelped. My voice came out in a strangled cry. “No, I didn’t hurt her! I’d never hurt her! I love her!” “I think it’s best if you leave,” the man said. He made a fist with one hand and tapped his other open palm with it. “You have no business here. I’ll be forced to call the police if you don’t leave the property immediately.” I ran a hand through my hair. My heart was beating like a drum in my chest

and my throat was getting tighter by the moment. I couldn’t believe this was happening. I’d never felt so scared in my life—it seemed like all of my paranoia and anxiety last night had come to fruition. Damn! Why hadn’t I snuck out and tried to phone her? I made up my mind that I was going to do that as soon as I had the chance. After all, Jenny was eighteen. She was an adult now. Her parents didn’t have to dictate her life; she was a free woman, grown up and ready to make her own choices. “Fine,” I snapped. “I’m going. Happy now?”

The man shook his head. Confusion rose in me as he stepped closer. When he reached inside of his jacket and slipped his hand into a pocket, I ducked, thinking that he was going to emerge with a gun. The asshole had the nerve to laugh at my reaction, but it wasn’t a gun that he brought out. It was an envelope. “This is for you, sir,” the man said with a touch of irony. “Why don’t you take a look at it now?” Thinking that it might be a letter from Jenny, I reached out and grabbed the envelope from his proffered hand. But it was too fat to contain a letter, and

when I peeled back the flap I saw stacks and stacks of green inside. “Money?” I said in disgust. “Are you fucking kidding me?” “Mr. and Mrs. Foster are very serious about this,” the man said. He smirked at me again. I thrust the envelope back into his hands but he didn’t take it, and the paper fell to the ground. Various bills of different value fell out and scattered all over the fresh coat of asphalt on the driveway. I barely glanced down. The guy took another menacing step towards me and I balled my hands into fists at my sides, ready for the attack. He swung first and I

ducked, landing a solid punch at his side. Even though he had looked bulky from a distance, I’d seriously misjudged his girth. There wasn’t an inch of fat on this man’s body, and his solid muscle prevented my punch from really hitting home. Pain reverberated through my body and I yanked my arm back just as he swung back and cracked me right on the jaw. Bright lights exploded in front of my eyes and I staggered backwards, blinking and rubbing the side of my face. “I think you’d better leave now,” the man said. He wasn’t even panting or breathing hard. “Unless you want to get the authorities involved.”

“Jenny!” I screamed as loudly as I could. It stung my throat and the man was rushing at me again just as I ducked around the side of my car. “Jenny! It’s me! Tristan! Come outside! What the fuck is going on?” The front door opened and closed again and there was a rapid patter of footsteps. Thinking it was Jenny, I perked up and looked around the side of the open gate. But it wasn’t Jenny; it was her mother. She was striding towards me with her jaw set and her thin lips in a narrow line. “Mr. Mayer,” she said softly. “I had

hoped the guard would work, but I see I’ll have to deal with you myself.” “Where’s Jenny?” I bristled in anger and reached out for her, completely forgetting that twenty minutes ago my goal had been to win over Jenny’s parents once and for all. “Where is she?” “She’s not available right now,” Jenny’s mother said softly, in the same direct tone her bodyguard had used. “I don’t think she’ll be available for the near future, Tristan. Jenny’s going to be a very busy little girl. She’s going off to college soon, and she’ll have a whole new set of challenges away from

home.” I balled my hands into fists and shoved them in my pockets. “I just need to talk to her,” I said, trying to keep my voice as calm as I could. “Don’t you get that?” Jenny’s mother sighed. She straightened up and for the first time, I realized just how little resemblance there was between mother and daughter. “I’m sure the two of you don’t have anything to talk about,” she said in the same sweet but firm voice. “Now, if you won’t mind leaving, I’m just about to go out and run some errands.”

I shook my head. “I’m not leaving until I talk to Jenny,” I said firmly. My jaw was already swelling and talking was painful. Sweat had broken out all over my body and in the chilly morning air, I felt goose bumps rise on my exposed skin. “I mean it,” I said softly. “I just want to talk to her. Ten minutes.” Jenny’s mother shook her head. “This conversation is over, Mr. Mayer,” she replied. “Now, if you’ll excuse me.” I protested loudly but she turned away, walking back towards the house with the click of her heels. The bodyguard was standing there, watching me. He

grinned and when I held up a fist, his face sobered. “Leave,” he said. “Leave or you’ll regret it.” The blood was pounding hot in my ears as I walked around and climbed in the driver’s seat of my car. I didn’t know what had happened, but it must have been something bad. I knew that I had to get someplace private and call Jenny, lie and say it was her college admissions department or something. Anything. I knew I had to try. I couldn’t let Jenny go away and disappear forever. After all, she was mine. Mine, and I had to take care of her, protect

her from people like her parents. Driving home, I felt the nervous feeling from that morning settle over me like a fog. By the time I pulled up in front of the shack where we lived, my heart was pounding again. I had a bad feeling, like everything had gone off the rails. “Mom?” I called out when I let myself inside. “Are you home?” There was no reply, only the sound of the door slamming behind me. Fear rose in my throat like bile as I raced into the kitchen. Mom was slumped over, still seated at the table. Her face was smashed up against her hand and I

realized she wasn’t breathing by the time I got to her side. She had simply given up, gone to a better place. I laughed bitterly. So far, today was the worst day of my life. It wasn’t even noon, but I had the greatest sense of loss I’d ever felt. I shook my head slowly, trying to clear the memories from my murky mind. I hated thinking about that day. Every aspect made me sick, from the way Jenny had refused to see me to the way my mom had died as soon as I’d left home. I felt like a complete failure, even now. Like all of this was my fault.

“That’s not true and you know it,” I said forcefully into the mirror. But despite the heavy sentiment behind my words, I didn’t feel very convinced. Even though it was only the middle of the day, I found Rod in the kitchen and told him I wanted to go to the bar. “I need to get out of here for a while,” I told him seriously. “I need to talk to you guys about something serious.” Rod nodded. “Jenny?” I nodded without replying. “Call Andy and Wolf,” I said darkly. “I want all of y’all to hear this.”

Half an hour later, I was slipping into the Wicked Angels’ favorite haunt. I’d called one of the prospect members to watch over Jenny and Phin. She’d had the nerve to ask me if she could go to work in the morning. It was ludicrous; every time she stepped out of the house, she was in danger. And yet it was like she didn’t care, or didn’t understand just how dire things were. “What’s up?” I hadn’t seen Andy or Wolf in a couple of weeks, and they seemed bigger, scruffier to me. Andy’s voice boomed across the bar as he greeted me and I couldn’t help but grin. Being around my guys, no matter how bad

things were, always made me feel a little better. “I need to talk to you guys,” I said darkly. “Rod told you about that girl staying with me, and her son?” Andy and Wolf nodded. “She’s an ex of mine,” I said. “We dated when we were kids. It was serious, we were in love.” Andy and Wolf burst out laughing. Even though I couldn’t blame them, I frowned. They were used to me being hot shit and fucking who I wanted. Neither one of them had ever seen me with a girlfriend. When they realized I wasn’t joking, they both sobered up.

“What happened?” I shrugged. “She left me,” I said flatly. “The morning after her eighteenth birthday I showed up at her place and she wouldn’t see me. Her mother tried to pay me off but I didn’t take the money.” “You should have,” Andy said. He swigged back most of his beer in one gulp. “Don’t you think things would have been better that way?” “Fuck no,” I said, downing a shot of whiskey the cute waitress had placed in front of me. “Definitely not. I was trying to win her parents over, not buy into

their schemes.” “Fuckin’ parents,” Rod said darkly. He drank some of his beer and wiped his hand with the back of his mouth. “Always wantin’ to lock up their daughters away from us outlaws.” Andy and Wolf sniggered into their drinks. “I woulda done right by her,” I said. “But all that’s over now.” “So why is she hangin’ around?” “Remember Darius?” I hadn’t met my guys until after Darius and I were no

longer friends, but he’d come up loads of times. After all, he was the chief outlaw in Centreville. The Wicked Angels had spent a lot of time trying to corral him and keep the rest of the town safe. It was something that was like a never-ending job; Darius always had a few tricks up his sleeve. The guys nodded. Andy let out a low whistle. “Yeah, man. Is he fuckin’ with your girl?” “She’s not my girl,” I said quickly, downing another shot. “But Darius is fucking with her, yeah. He sent some thugs to scare her at her job, and I just happened to show up. I heard them

talking about attacking her at this bar and I followed them. I didn’t think they were gonna fuckin’ do it, but they were about ready to kidnap her and drag her off on one of their bikes.” Andy’s jaw dropped. Rod nodded sagely; I had the feeling he knew just how serious this situation was. Even though we didn’t have a lot of heart-tohearts, Rod was always good at reading the situation for severity. “And then what?” Wolf raised his eyebrows. “You tellin’ me that these guys just wanna fuck with her, to what, get to us? How is that gonna work?”

I sighed. “She’s staying with me right now because she needs protection,” I said. “I stuck one of the prospects with her.” “She has a kid,” Rod added darkly. “An eight-year-old son. Y’all can’t tell me you disapprove of protecting a little kid.” “Yeah,” I said, grateful that at least one friend had my back. “I think it’ll all blow over sooner than later, but for right now, we need to be cautious.” “So why does this matter?” Andy leaned back in his chair and eyed me levelly. “I mean, she’s an ex. Why does this matter

now? Who cares, man? She fuckin’ left you!” Anger boiled up in me and I had to consciously fight the urge to deck him. If it had been me in his shoes, I probably would have said the same thing. But that was no excuse for ignorance. And what happened to chivalry? Sure, the Angels weren’t the masters of civility, but we knew how to treat and protect women. After all, it was like part of the job. “She’s vulnerable and alone,” I said sharply. “And I gotta look out for her.” Andy nodded. “Fine,” he said. “What else?”

Rod and Wolf looked at me. “Have you guys heard anything else about Darius? I want to find out exactly what his end-game is here,” I added. “Well, y’all were friends when you were younger,” Rod said. “And he hated you for succeeding when he never did. Do you think he’s just trying to pull us down? Distract us with Jenny and then sink his teeth into our Achilles’ heel?” It was a black thought, but Rod was probably right. “Probably,” I admitted. “I’m sorry, you guys. I didn’t think it would blow up like this. After all, we were friends ten years ago.”

Andy frowned. “What happened?” I shrugged. “He hated me for not being an outlaw,” I said. “He hated me for wanting to do right by Jenny. We were friends when I was dating her, and he hated how important she was to me. It was like I couldn’t let a few hours go by without talking to her and making sure she was okay. Darius knew how important she was to me, and he exploited the fuck out of that. And when I didn’t drop her, he got fed up with me.” “But she dropped you, man, why didn’t you just go back to being friends with him?”

My stomach turned and I was reminded of the scene I’d thought over before meeting up with the guys. Jenny leaving, Mom dying, all in the same day. “A lot happened at once,” I said finally. “And I didn’t feel like I could deal with being friends with him again. He didn’t trust me, and if I was broken up over Jenny, well, I didn’t want to admit that he’d been right. He always told me that she was too good for me and that one day would come when she’d realize that. And I didn’t want the bastard to know the truth.” The guys nodded. The silence between

us was comfortable, but I still felt like I was oversharing. Even with Rod, my best friend, it seemed like I was saying way too much. “So, she’s been attacked twice,” I said cautiously. “We need to keep an eye on her until we’ve subdued Darius. He must have his guys watching my house, because the second time was right after she snuck out.” I glared at Rod, still not entirely having forgotten about the incident. “And she shouldn’t have been outside alone, but she barely got twenty feet alone before those thugs showed up and tried to snatch her.” “This is more serious than I thought,”

Andy said. “How you want to get him back?” “I don’t know,” I said, frowning. I steepled my hands on the table and rested my forehead on the hot skin of my fingers. “I mean, I told him to leave her alone. I threatened that I’d hurt him. But that was before the second time she was attacked. So obviously he didn’t listen, and obviously he wants to keep fucking with me.” “And what about the kid? Don’t you think that’s a liability, man?” I blinked. Andy, Rod, and Wolf kept their eyes trained on me. “He’s mine,” I

said finally. “She was pregnant when she left, and she never told me. She never thought to get in touch and tell me,” I said. The words were hard to get out; it felt like I was choking on the severity of the situation. “His name is Phin, and he’s my son. Well, mine and Jenny’s. And he doesn’t know I’m his dad, yet.” Rod nodded. I could tell he’d basically guessed as much from our conversation. I met his eyes, silently thanking him for not giving me up to the others. “And you can’t tell a damn soul,” I said seriously. “If anyone finds out about this kid, or my past with her, that’s an easy way to exploit me. I’ll be in trouble, and

so will they.” The guys all promised not to say anything. After that, the air hung heavy between us. I didn’t want to keep talking about it, so I ordered a round of shots and watched Andy pull the cute waitress down on his lap. The atmosphere felt like we were all waiting for a bomb to go off. We needed a plan, and fast. But first, we had to take care of Jenny and Phin.

Chapter Sixteen Jenny

After a few days in Tristan’s house, I was about to go crazy. Phin had been just as well behaved as ever, but I felt bad for not telling him what was going on. Then again, how could I? How could I let him know that he and I were the targets of a rival gang, when he didn’t even know that Tristan was his father? I couldn’t, plain and simple. There was no way to tell him anything without telling him everything. And while I loved Phin and knew he was mature for his age, I didn’t think eight was the right age to tell him about something so dire. With any

luck, the whole situation would blow over and everything would be fine. At least, that’s what I wanted to think. Tristan had spent the night out of the house with Rod. I was jealous as I watched them leave, not because I thought he was going to be around other women but just because I desperately wanted to leave myself. After all, it wasn’t fair. Tristan couldn’t just expect me to stay here on house arrest! He wasn’t that cruel. “I want to go to work,” I announced, stepping into the kitchen. Tristan was sitting down at the table with a mug of beer. He barely looked up at me as I

crossed the threshold of the room. “It’s been days and I haven’t been outside, Tristan. I’m going nuts.” “This is all for your safety,” Tristan said. He looked up at me with a solemn expression on his gorgeous, fine-boned face. “Don’t you realize that?” “Yes,” I said. My cheeks pinked and I had to look away. “I know it is, Tristan. But I’m so bored! And I need to make money. What happens if I lose my job? There isn’t another library in Centreville, and I can’t afford to move.” At that, Tristan softened a bit. “I’ll send someone with you,” he said. “Hang on,

I’m calling Rod.” I frowned. “He didn’t do a great job of watching me,” I admitted. “Are you sure you shouldn’t ask someone else?” Tristan rolled his eyes. “You’re so demanding,” he said in a mild, jokey tone, but I blushed hard anyway. “I’ll call the prospect that was over here last night. That okay?” I thought he was being sarcastic at first and I was about to snap back at him when I realized that he was serious. “I’ll feel safe with him,” I said. And I would, too: the prospect was huge. A big, overweight guy with a bushy beard and

sharp eyes. He was right on track to become the newest member of the Wicked Angels, and I felt like he deserved every bit of the fame that would come with that. He was even more intimidating than Rod, although not more so than Tristan. “Thanks,” I said after Tristan had made the call. “I’m going to get ready for work. Could I do some laundry later? I’ll need more clothes.” Tristan nodded. “Whatever you want,” he said. “Make yourself at home.” The atmosphere between us was polite, cordial. There was no trace of the

discomfort that had shown itself when I’d confronted him the other day. In fact, he seemed to have forgotten about it. Discomfort flitted through me as I realized how quickly he was able to compartmentalize all of this and get rid of it. I shuddered. Did Tristan think about me? What about the other night, when we’d slept together? It had been explosive and hot, even more than our time together used to be. But if Tristan could make himself forget about it, what was the point? What was I even doing here? Back in the room I shared with Phin, I looked around. It had been spotless when we’d first settled here, but now the

floor was littered with crumbs from Phin’s animal crackers and my shoes. I blushed as I realized it looked like the typical apartment of a single mom. Quickly, I walked around and collected all of the trash on the floor. I wasn’t sure whether or not Tristan had been inside, but at least this way he wouldn’t know what a slob I really was. Until I’d had Phin, I’d been a total clean freak. Tristan had even used to make fun of me because I had a habit of cleaning out his car whenever we were together. But those days were long gone; I couldn’t remember anything I owned that wasn’t covered in sticky gunk or melted candy. I sighed. It was the price of having a kid,

even a kid as smart as Phin. And while I loved him with all my heart, sometimes I felt like I would have been happier without a child. It had turned my life into a perpetual cycle of caring for someone other than myself. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had more than a few hours to myself. Hell, the first time in years was when I’d gone to the bar with Tristan after those creeps had attacked me. And then I’d felt ragingly guilty about all of it, even though I’d been incredibly attracted to him. It was like once I became a mother, I lost my capacity for selfishness and for fun. The only clean outfit I had left was black jeans and a purple silk blouse. It wasn’t

exactly spring-like, but I donned it anyway. I knew the blouse made my chest look even bigger than it really was. Part of me wanted to make Tristan look at me. You don’t want to acknowledge your feelings for me, fine. Well, you won’t be able to ignore me when I look like this. I spent a long time twisting my hair into a Brigitte Bardot updo and putting on cat-eye black liner and red lipstick. By the time I was ready, I looked more like I was going to a nightclub than a library. I knew the customers would gawk. But I didn’t care. Shockingly, this whole mess had made me realize what my priorities in life were. And most of those revolved

around Phin and my ability to keep him safe. “Wow,” Tristan said when I walked back into the kitchen. I pretended not to notice, but secretly I was incredibly pleased that he’d noticed. Maybe he wasn’t as oblivious as I thought. “I’m out of other clothes,” I said primly. “Are you going to drive me to work?” Tristan opened his mouth and I could tell he was about to lie. “I wasn’t planning on it,” he said smoothly. “But I think that would be better. I’ll wait at the library with you until the prospect shows up. That way you won’t feel like you’re in

trouble.” I blushed, pleased. “Thanks,” I said. “I appreciate it.” I waited patiently as Tristan collected his keys and wallet. He handed me a helmet once we walked outside. “We’re not driving?” I frowned. “What about my hair?” “You always look better with messy hair,” Tristan said. He grinned and winked at me and I felt my stomach do a flip-flop of nervousness. “At least I think so, Jenny.”

The way he said my name made me feel like melting. I didn’t protest, but when Tristan wasn’t looking I tried to smooth my hair under the helmet so it wouldn’t look flat when we got to the library. They didn’t know I was coming in that day—I’d called about a leave of absence—and for a moment, I felt a touch of self-consciousness. I wrapped my arms around Tristan’s waist and snuggled close, burying my face in the back of his neck as he peeled out of his long driveway. He drove faster than he needed to, and I felt a thrill soar through me as he tilted his bike to the side for a dangerous turn. Clinging to him, I kept inhaling his scent of leather

and sandalwood. It was incredibly arousing, and I could feel the area between my legs getting moist after only a few seconds on the back of his bike. Tristan’s strong muscles flexed as he expertly navigated the bike around the back roads of Centreville. It was warmer than it had been, and the sun was peeking through the tops of the tall trees. For a moment, I was struck by the beauty of the town. When I realized where Tristan was taking me, I felt my heart sink. “What are we doing here?” I yelled loudly into his ear. “This isn’t the way to the library!”

Tristan’s chest vibrated and I felt him chuckling under my tight grip. “Thought we’d take a scenic detour,” he called back loudly. “You don’t mind seeing the old homestead, do you?” I closed my eyes and rested my face against Tristan’s shoulder. He was driving through the toniest part of town, where my parents lived. I hadn’t been back to their house since they’d thrown me out, and I was in no mood to see them now. As we roared past their house, I expected to feel a horrible sense of sadness rushing through my body. But instead I felt triumphant, free. There was something powerful about racing past these expensive houses on the back of a

motorcycle, free and open and letting my hair get tangled and soar behind me in the breeze. When we passed Mummy and Daddy’s house, I stared at the big black iron gate that had kept men like Tristan out, unsuccessfully. It had always been a gorgeous house—a big brick Tudor—but suddenly it looked like a prison to me. It didn’t look like a happy place to raise a family, or even to live. It seemed like the people who lived behind the walls were more terrified than ever of being attacked by the commoners. I had to laugh; it was exactly the kind of thing that Daddy was afraid of. But that’s what he and Mummy were: rich white people

hiding from the real problems of the world. When I was growing up, they hadn’t always seemed so tone-deaf. But Mummy made ridiculous comments all the time, like “Why do people complain so much about not being able to afford an apartment? Why don’t they just buy a condo?” I shuddered, remembering a Hispanic family that had moved in down the block. They’d only made it six months. They were moneyed, just like us, but foreign. So not like us. Even though they all spoke impeccable English, Mummy had campaigned to get them removed from our street. She finally took it up with her garden club, and they shunned

the wife in the family until they finally admitted defeat and moved to the ethnic section of Centreville. I burned with shame thinking about how I’d avoided the daughter of the family whenever I saw her in school. I never found out whether or not the family had hated us as much as Mummy and Daddy had hated them, but I had a feeling they probably would have been a little more generous. Mummy and Daddy were definitely relics of a by-gone era. The sad thing was that they’d never realized it themselves. They were doomed to see their influence wane and eventually disappear. Maybe I really was lucky for getting out and seeing the world as it

actually exists. I couldn’t think of my parents without feeling regret, but as I got older, less and less of that regret was reserved for me. Rather, I pitied them for being so sheltered and provincial. Even though it was liberating to realize that I didn’t miss being around Mummy and Daddy, it still made me sad to remember the driveway was the last place I’d seen Tristan, until now. We’d parted on bad terms, the night of my birthday. I’d felt like a coward and a freak. I didn’t think that I’d ever see him again. And for the longest time, I’d been right about that.

Pressing my face into the back of his leather jacket, I couldn’t believe that Tristan and I were together again. Well, not together. Not boyfriend and girlfriend. We didn’t walk around with our hands slipped in each other’s pockets, and we didn’t kiss every time he drove under a bridge. But looking at him I felt the same passionate tug that I’d always felt. His messy brown hair, his dark blue eyes. They were so gorgeous, so haunting. They spoke of an intelligent, lonely man. They spoke of a man who would do anything to protect what he loved. As we pulled up in front of the library, I

felt some of my resolve weaken. After all, until pretty recently, I’d been one of those assholes living in the big houses behind even bigger iron gates. What if Tristan had driven past there to remind of who I was, to remind me that we were from totally different places in life? It wasn’t a nice thought. “Alright,” Tristan said when I handed him back the helmet. I watched as he turned his bike off and stood up and stretched. “You wanna hang outside until the prospect shows up?” I looked around nervously. Even though I’d been working at the Centreville

library for years without incident, now I could only see Randy and Steve approaching me as I stepped into the parking lot. I shuddered. The memory of their grubby hands on my skin and their foul breath wasn’t so easy to dismiss. Even with Tristan next to me, I worried they would come back. After all, they hadn’t listened to him the first time. Why would they heed his second warning? “Sure,” I said. “There’s a bench over here.” I led Tristan over to a small garden at the side of the library. I’d planted some herbs with the other librarians last summer, and we gave them away to all of the patrons who liked to cook. It had helped work feel

more like home. Even though I didn’t think I’d ever have a big family, I liked my coworkers at the library. They were all quiet, like me. I wondered what their personal lives were like, but I appreciated that we didn’t gossip about that stuff at work. A couple of them had raised their eyebrows when they’d heard my last name was Foster—Daddy’s wealth had made our family locally famous—but no one had ever asked me, and now I was pretty sure that no one assumed we were related. The little garden was starting to bloom and I sat down on the concrete bench. Chill soaked through my black jeans and I shifted uncomfortably. It was a narrow

bench and as Tristan sat down next to me, I felt his muscular thigh press against mine. We didn’t talk, but he pulled out a cigarette and lit it with his tan hands, taking a deep drag and sending plumes of smoke across the garden. “Why did you drive by my parents’ house?” I couldn’t look at Tristan as I asked the question. “Were you trying to make me feel bad?” Tristan chuckled, but it was a humorless sound. “Nothing like that,” he said after a beat. “I didn’t want to make you feel anything, but it’s a pretty drive.” He sucked in air and stretched again. “I

mean, honestly, Jenny. Sometimes I forget that you lived there, all those years ago. It’s been a long time.” I felt like he’d punched me in the gut. “Oh,” was all I could manage in response. Part of me wanted not to believe him; after all, it would be a great lie to hurt me. But deep down, I knew he remembered. The look in his eye when he’d first recognized me spoke volumes louder than any remark he could toss out casually. “I mean, did you forget it?” Tristan turned to me. His sunglasses were covering his dark blue eyes but his tone was serious. “It was a long time ago,

Jenny.” “It seems like a lifetime ago,” I admitted. “I don’t really think about it anymore. It’s useless to get hooked into the past.” Tristan sucked air into his mouth through his teeth, an odd kind of whistling sound. “That’s easy for you to say,” he said softly. “Some of us didn’t run like you did.” My head snapped up. Me, run? What the fuck is he talking about? He’s the one who left me, dammit! He never showed up again, not after that disastrous birthday.

Before I could answer, he stood up and walked towards the edge of the parking lot. “I need to get going,” he said. “Where the hell is the damn prospect?” As if on cue, another motorcycle roared into the parking lot. I recognized Patches, the young, round-faced biker. He grinned at me when he saw me; unlike some of the other Angels, Patches always seemed happy to see me. I had a feeling women like me didn’t hang around often. I was a novelty, that was all. “Hi, Patches,” I said, trying to keep my tone both neutral and friendly. “How are

you?” “Great,” he said. “I get to hang out at the library with a pretty lady.” He pronounced library like ‘liberry’ but I couldn’t help grinning anyway. After all of the tension with Tristan, it was nice to be around someone who didn’t make a secret out of enjoying my company. “Hopefully it won’t be too exciting,” I mumbled under my breath. Tristan was already walking back to his bike and climbing on. All of the momentary happiness I’d felt at seeing Patches disappeared and was replaced with emptiness.

It’s true, he doesn’t think about you at all, I thought sadly as Tristan roared out of the library’s parking lot. Just forget about him and go back to your life. You know he doesn’t want you around. He‘s not going to want to be a dad to Phin. You should just give up. “Jenny, are you okay?” Patches was looking at me with a curious expression on his wide face. “You look sad.” “I feel sad,” I said. My voice sounded pathetic and I winced. Straightening up, I looked him in his guileless brown eyes. “But I’ll be fine. Everything is going to be fine.”

Patches didn’t say anything else as I strode into the library with purpose. Suddenly, all eyes were on me. In my moment of moping, I’d forgotten about the slutty outfit I’d put on before work. Now, wearing skintight black jeans seemed like a horrible idea. But it was too late, I was already here. A nervous smile pasted itself on my face as I walked behind the counter and checked my little mailbox. It was empty. Even though it had seemed like weeks since I’d worked, it startled me to realize that it had actually only been a couple of days. “Jenny, you look nice,” one of the other librarians said. He was an older guy

named Toby, with a pink scalp showing through his thinning brown hair. He smiled at me and I felt another touch of self-consciousness. There was nothing creepy or leering about his gaze, but I still felt embarrassed. Normally, I didn’t draw any attention to myself at work. It made me uncomfortable. I didn’t want people judging me for being a single mom and for dressing attractively. I knew that it was outdated and sexist, but Centreville was a small town. I knew how easily people would start talking, and I didn’t want Phin to grow up with any kind of bad reputation. Also, I didn’t want any word getting back to my parents. Ever since they’d kicked me out, I’d tried to maintain a low profile. I

was afraid, of what, I wasn’t exactly sure. But I had a feeling that if they resurfaced, it wouldn’t be good for me or for Phin. At best, I saw them tentatively apologizing. At worst…I didn’t know. I didn’t even like to think about that. “Thank you,” I said, dipping my head. “Have the past couple days been okay?” A blush came over me when I remembered how Tristan and I had spent a torrid night just a few days ago. I arched my back involuntarily, thinking of his lips and teeth on my sensitive skin. Shivering, I blinked and stared at my shoes. Damn Tristan, he always had control of my body, even when he wasn’t

physically near me. He’d changed something inside of me all those years ago, and it would never be the same. “We missed you,” Toby said. He smiled at me again and I blushed again, more deeply this time. It was almost like he could read the sex on my face. “You’ll be back from now on?” “I hope so,” I said. “Sorry, it was a personal crisis.” Inwardly, I cursed at myself but I didn’t know what else I could say. I didn’t exactly have a lot of respect for other librarians who called out at the drop of a hat. I had to save all of my sick time and vacation time for when Phin actually got sick. Last year

I’d come in with a hundred-degree fever for three days in a row because I couldn’t have afforded the time off. Toby nodded. “I understand,” he said. “We all have those sometimes.” He stared at me and I felt a rush of irritation pass through me. I was obviously in the middle of something rough and he couldn’t even stop checking me out! Were all men like this, just useless pigs led around by their cocks? I frowned. I didn’t want to believe that. Daddy hadn’t been like that. Tristan hadn’t been like that either. But now, after what had happened between us, I wasn’t so sure. Maybe he didn’t really love me after all. Maybe he was just using me for my

body, and to make himself feel more important. “Jenny, just let me know when you’re ready to catch up the events,” Toby said. He smiled at me and I felt the same irritation, only stronger this time. “We have a lot to talk about. You know that we got approved for the new speaker series?” He made his hand into a fist and swung it cheerily through the air. I almost laughed; despite his strong pose, he was about the farthest possible thing from intimidating that I’d ever seen. Hell, Phin was more intimidating and he hadn’t even hit puberty yet. That’s what always gets you in trouble, I thought. You can’t stay away from those bad

boys, no matter how tough they are. No matter how much they hurt you. You always have a weakness for guys from the wrong side of the tracks. “Later,” I said absentmindedly. “I have to rifle through some papers first.” I held up the stack on the desk. “It looks like no one processed these late fees.” Toby actually blushed. “I’m sorry,” he said apologetically. “I know I should have taken care of those, but you know, I’m just so bad at math.” He shifted his weight from one foot to the other and I couldn’t help but feel a trace of disgust at his aging, soft body. He wasn’t muscular like Tristan, and he had the

charisma of a dead walrus. I couldn’t believe that before Tristan had come charging back into my life, I’d actually contemplated going out with Toby. I was relieved when he left me alone. Patches settled in the corner of the library with a motorcycle magazine on his lap. He kept a hand tucked in his jacket and I knew that his fingers were wrapped around the trigger of his gun. I felt safe when he was around, and before long, it felt like almost no time had passed since I’d worked. I’d missed the quiet of the library, the smell of old paper. It was soothing and comforting to me, even though I couldn’t get Tristan out of the back of my mind. Tristan and

his sexy body and the way he’d left without a second glance. I shuddered. What was going to happen when all of this settled? Would another ten years pass before I saw him again? Stop thinking about him right now, I ordered myself. You know that isn’t going to help anything. There’s nothing you can do to change what’s going on, and there’s nothing you can do to change Tristan. It would be better for everyone if you realized that right now. Morning turned into afternoon and I was busy helping patrons find the books they wanted. A popular sci-fi series had just released a new book, and I set up a

waiting list, patiently explaining to some high school kids that they’d have to wait a couple of weeks. “Why don’t you have an e-reader lending program?” One of them frowned at me. “Most libraries do. This is the twenty-first century, after all.” I chuckled. “But Centreville is a small town,” I reminded the kid. “You know we don’t always have a big budget for those things.” When his face fell, I felt guilty. “But you know, I’ll say something to the board about it the next time we meet,” I added. “You never know; it might work out.”

By late afternoon, my feet ached. I told Toby I was going to take a small break. When he nodded, I gratefully dashed into the atrium. It was a sunny, open space where people in the community would post ads for yard sales and the like. It was especially warm after the sun had been hitting it for hours, and I closed my eyes and breathed in. Something brushed against my arm but I didn’t open my eyes. I thought it was Patches, coming to make sure I was okay. Just a minute or two and then I’ll go back in, I thought. He can wait just another couple of seconds. But before I could react, something grabbed me and tugged me off to the

side. I stumbled, opening my eyes at the last second. It wasn’t Patches, it was Randy, one of the scumbags who’d grabbed me before. I opened my mouth to yelp and he clapped a hand over me before I could make a sound. Dragging me over to the corner of the atrium, he pulled a knife out of his jacket and pressed the blade against my throat. I could feel the edge of the steel against my skin and I whimpered as Randy shoved the cold metal hard against me. “Don’t make a sound, girly,” Randy said. He was breathing heavily and he pressed his body against mine. I could feel that he had an erection. Disgust swam through my body and I tried to twist

away but Randy was stronger. “You wear that just for me, baby? You look so damn yummy in that.” “I didn’t do anything for you,” I managed to spit. Anger flashed in Randy’s eyes and he jabbed the knifepoint into my neck. I felt it break the skin; a trickle of blood ran down my chest. “You better tell your boyfriend to stop poking around,” Randy said in a heavy voice. His breath smelled like stale tobacco and rot and I flinched. “Did you know he made a little visit to the police station?”

I opened my eyes wide. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said, my voice shaking. I took a deep breath and tried to steel my nerves. “I don’t know what he does.” “Well, you better make it your business,” Randy said. He pressed the blade into my neck and I whimpered. “Because if he doesn’t stop, you’re gonna be the next crime scene. You got that?” Chills ran down my body. “I understand,” I said softly. I thought Randy was going to reach out and grab me but he pulled the knife back

and tucked it in his jacket. I stood there shaking as he walked out of the library, whistling confidently. Even though I felt like I was rooted to the spot, I forced my legs to move and walk back into the library. When I looked in the corner, I saw no sign of Patches. It was like he’d vanished. “Oh, my god,” Toby said. He came up to me in a hurry with a wad of tissues clutched in his skinny fingers. “Jenny! Are you okay?” “I’m fine,” I said. My heart was pounding at the inside of my chest. “Can you give me a ride home?”

“Sure,” Toby said. “Can you wait a few minutes?” I shook my head. “No,” I said. “It has to be now.” Tony sensed the urgency in my voice. He promised that he’d be right back as he dashed off behind the front desk. As I waited, I knew that I had to call Tristan. He had to know about this, and soon.

Chapter Seventeen Tristan

I was out riding with Rod and Wolf when I got the call. Patches sounded hysterical, and I could tell that he was really frightened. Anger boiled up in me as soon as his little yipping voice filled the earpiece of my phone. He wasn’t acting like a Wicked Angel; he was acting like a damn pussy. “Tristan, something happened!” Patches bleated into the phone. “Something happened to Jenny! She’s gone!” “What the fuck are you talking about?” I

pulled my bike over to the side of the road and closed my eyes. A million horrible thoughts were running through my mind. Jenny could be kidnapped, or dead, or dismembered and lying in a ditch somewhere. Panic racked through my body and I barely heard what Patches was telling me. “And when I got back from the bathroom, she was gone!” Patches gasped. I could tell he was distraught but I had no patience for him right now. If he hadn’t fucked up, Jenny would still be safe and sound. This was all my fault for letting her go to work in the first place, and if I’d put my fucking foot down, she’d still be fine. Goddammit!

“Stay there,” I ordered. “Look for her. I’m going to call her now.” I hung up on Patches without saying goodbye. Just as I was about to dial Jenny’s number, my phone buzzed in my hand. When I saw that it was Jenny, relief and terror both spiked in my body. I knew that it wasn’t necessarily her cell phone, but maybe someone who had kidnapped her was using her to get to me. I shuddered as I answered the phone. “Jenny?” “Tristan!” Her voice was scared but she

didn’t sound like she was in immediate danger. “Tristan! They came to the library! They scared me, Tristan!” Her voice broke and I could tell she was about to start sobbing. “Tristan, I’m home. I got a ride home. I’m safe, but I’m scared. You need to come home right now!” Tucking the phone into my pocket, I gunned my bike into gear and sped towards home. Rod and Wolf followed close behind—the reassuring roar of their bikes helped me realize that I wasn’t alone in this, no matter how bad things got. Jenny would be okay, she was at home, she was safe. She just had to stay there for a few minutes, until I got

home, and then I could pull her in my arms and make sure nothing bad would ever happen to her again. I could have killed Patches. If he’d had any chance of getting patched into the Wicked Angels, it was long gone. He’d risked Jenny’s life—possibly even Phin’s life—and I couldn’t ever forgive him for that. He’d had one job and he’d ruined it and fucked everything up. When I saw him again, he’d be lucky if he walked away with all of his teeth. The constant, reassuring presence of Wolf and Rod behind me roared in my ears. I knew they were dying to know what was going on, and I wanted to tell

them. But protecting Jenny was more important. The longer I thought about it, the more rage I felt fill my body. I couldn’t believe any prospect of the Wicked Angels would have been so stupid! Especially after I’d gone out of my way to tell the guys what was really going on. The ride home seemed to take forever. Jenny’s car wasn’t in the driveway and for a moment I panicked that she’d up and gone somewhere. But she opened the front door, her silk blouse clinging to her generous bust, and looked at me with such a mixture of relief and horror that I felt my chest swell.

Jenny ran out into the yard. Her arms were around me and squeezing tightly before I’d even finished climbing off my bike, and I pulled her close and inhaled her sweet, musky fragrance. She was shaking and trembling and her forehead was damp with sweat. She looked like she’d been through hell. “What the hell happened?” I demanded, holding her at arm’s length. “What the hell, Jenny? Where did Patches go?” “I don’t know,” Jenny said. She looked around and I could see her pulse racing in her throat. “I looked for him and he was gone!” Her voice had a touch of hysteria in it and I watched as a tear

squeezed out of her eye and dripped down her cheek. She continued, “I went into the atrium for a break and closed my eyes, and then one of those creepy guys was there! Randy! The one who grabbed me before!” She opened her eyes wide and looked at me. “And he grabbed me and stuck a knife at my throat and told me that if you didn’t stop snooping, he was going to kill me!” I slowly digested the information. “Patches went to the bathroom,” I replied. “He must not have told you, the fucking idiot. I’m going to kill him!” “It wasn’t Patches’ fault,” Jenny said quickly. I rolled my eyes. “He was

watching me all day!” “Except for, like, the five minutes when he actually needed to pay attention to you,” I growled. Jenny shrunk back. “Tristan, please!” Her voice was rising to a hysterical fever pitch. “Tristan, I don’t know what it is you’re doing but you need to stop!” “That’s right,” I snarled back at her. “You have no idea what it is that I’m doing, because it’s none of your business, Jennifer.” Jenny’s eyes got wide and she backed away. A flush was rising on her pale

cheeks and I could tell she was getting more heated with every passing second. She waved her hands in the air, gesturing wildly. “Tristan, you have a family now,” Jenny pleaded. “Don’t you see that? You have me! You have Phin! Our son. Remember? You’re his father, Tristan, why don’t you start acting like it?” A small, rational part of me knew that Jenny was just trying to make a point but I couldn’t help the rage that was building slowly in my chest. If it hadn’t been for her, and her parents, and her goddamned wealthy upbringing, this wouldn’t be happening. Jenny and I would have

stayed together and raised Phin the way he should have been raised from the beginning. I may never have gotten involved with the MC, but I sure as hell could have put Jenny through school. Maybe she’d even be some kind of famous scientist or artist by now if she hadn’t had to work so damn hard. The oddest mix of rage and betrayal swirled through my body. “Leave me alone,” I mumbled. “I don’t want to be around you right now. If you keep pushing me, I’m gonna say a lot of bad shit, Jenny.” I stalked past her and pushed her to the side. Jenny let out this hurt little gasp

and dug her fingers into my arm. The skinny digits felt like they were made of ice. “Tristan, please listen to me!” Jenny jumped in front of me and stared deep in my eyes. She was wearing heels and she was tall, almost as tall as I was. Her green eyes flared and sparked with anger. “Think of us! Think of your family!” She pleaded at me with her eyes. “Tristan, you have a family now. You can’t jeopardize our safety for the sake of some stupid fight! Come on, think about it!” An electric shock of anger went sliding though my body. I couldn’t believe she

had the nerve to pin this on me when she was the one who had left. I couldn’t even think clearly anymore, and all traces of the rational Tristan left my body. Before I even knew what I was saying, I turned on Jenny and raised my voice as loudly as I could without actually yelling. “Do you understand what you’re saying?” Jenny blinked at me; she didn’t answer. I continued, “You’re the one who left me, don’t you remember? And it’s pretty fucking rich of you to rub it in my nose that I have a family now,” I snarled, getting close to Jenny’s face. The blood drained from underneath her skin, leaving her pale and featureless.

“You never told me about Phin! He’s my goddamn son and you never told me about him!” Jenny’s nostrils flared. I was so mad that I wanted to walk out of the room and never see that fucking hypocrite woman ever again. She didn’t have the courage to dignify me with a response. “You never told me about Phin because you didn’t think I was good enough to be his father. You didn’t think I was good enough for you either. That’s why you fucking left me, isn’t it? That’s the real reason! It had nothing to do with your precious little Mummy and Daddy!” I knew that I should just shut the fuck up

but I couldn’t, the anger was building too strongly and I wanted to hurt Jenny with everything in me. I wanted to make her feel the pain and abandonment that I’d carried around for almost ten years. I wanted her to know just how fucking badly she’d really hurt me. I wanted to hurt her, I wanted to see her cry. I wanted to see her break down and admit that she’d been wrong, that she was responsible for the way everything had turned out. I imagined the words coming from her lips: they would feel good, like warm butter. I closed my eyes. “I want to hear you tell me that you fucked this up,” I said in a soft, low voice. Keeping my eyes trained on

Jenny, I watched her every movement. “I want to hear you tell me, Jennifer. I want to hear it from your fucking lips, you got that, honey?” I put extra emphasis on the last word just to hurt her. Jenny opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. I knew that I was past the point of no return, that none of this shit mattered anymore. It didn’t matter what else I said, as long as I’d threatened Jenny like I had, she’d never wanna talk to me again. Hell, she probably wouldn’t even want to see me after this. “Tell me,” I said, deadly serious. “Tell me you fucked up. Tell me that I wasn’t

good enough, Jenny. Tell me that I’m still not good enough for you or your fucking son!” Jenny didn’t answer. Her lower lip trembled and I could sense that she was about to start crying. “You can’t say it,” I continued in the same level tone. “You can’t admit it because you know it’s the truth, Jennifer. Well, you wanna know the real truth?” Jenny shifted her gaze to the floor and I watched as hot tears spilled from her lids and ran down her pale cheeks. Something vicious and angry twisted up my guts and I slammed my fist into the

wall. “The real truth is that I don’t have a fucking family, Jenny! I haven’t had a family since the moment you left me almost ten goddamn years ago! You ruined this for me, you got that? Do you fucking understand?!” I hadn’t been this angry in years and it was spilling out of me like water from a busted dam. The more I ranted, the angrier I felt. It was coursing through my veins like molten lava. Just like a volcano, the more I exploded, the more passionate I felt. “Go on, cry,” I said dismissively. Jenny looked at me with wide, frightened eyes. I shook my head in disgust. She was

fucking pathetic. She couldn’t even own up to ruining both of our goddamn lives. “Fucking cry!” I screamed loudly. “Fucking cry and pretend that’s gonna make everything better! Cry and pretend like Phin won’t grow up hating you for making him live without a dad! Sure thing, Jenny, I’m sure it’s all going to be just fine!” The last words came out as a growl and Jenny crumped in on herself, falling to the floor and burying her face in her pale hands.

Chapter Eighteen Jenny

I was in a daze as Tristan stood in front of me, yelling until I’d fallen to the floor and covered my eyes with my hands. My whole body was shaking and I wished I could have melted and fallen into the floor. The more he yelled, the more upset I felt. It wasn’t fair, what he was saying! It wasn’t true! “I never thought you weren’t good enough for me,” I said in a quavering voice. It was the first phrase I’d uttered in ten minutes. Tristan immediately stopped yelling and stared at me with

wide blue eyes. “I don’t believe you,” he scoffed. “Tell me the truth, Jenny. Tell me the fucking truth, you got that?” “That is the truth,” I insisted. “I always loved you, Tristan.” “That doesn’t mean shit,” Tristan snapped. “If you really loved me, you wouldn’t have fucking left!” His words stung, even more than any of the previous accusations he’d lobbed at me. “That isn’t true,” I said, my voice stronger than before. Tristan kept his eyes glued to me as I peeled myself off

the floor and stood upright, albeit shakily. Suddenly, I was aware of the incredible sexual tension in the room between us. I could have sliced it clean through with a knife. “So?” Tristan glared at me. “If that ain’t different, tell me otherwise. Tell me, Jenny. I need to fucking know.” I shook my head. “It wasn’t like that, Tristan.” Tristan blew a stream of air out between his lips. “Enlighten me, then,” he snapped. “Tell me what the fucking truth really is, then, Jenny.”

I blushed. “My parents hated you,” I said softly. Even just the mention of Mummy and Daddy made my heart racer even faster in my chest. “They didn’t like you, and they didn’t want you around me.” “Well that’s fucking obvious!” Tristan roared. He crossed his arms over his chest and glared at me. “What else, detective?” I bit my lip. I was getting sick of his shitty attitude, even though I probably deserved it. “My father threatened to hurt you if I didn’t leave you alone,” I said softly. “It was the night of my eighteenth birthday. You know that, Tristan. But what I don’t get is why

didn’t you come back.” Remembering this was the most painful thing of all. “Daddy told me he was going to hurt you, but then you could have still called me! I was an adult! I could have run away with you!” Bringing this up made all of the hurt from the past seem fresh and new and before long, a fresh wave of sobs had hit me. I sniffled and cried and stared at Tristan’s unforgiving blue eyes. “I did,” Tristan said flatly. “I showed up the next morning and there was some fucking muscle in the driveway who tried to threaten me and pay me off. Then your mother came out and told me to leave you alone. She said you didn’t

want to see me, and she told me that if I didn’t leave, she’d call the police.” Tristan’s revelation hit me like a ton of bricks. All of these years, I had just supposed that he’d stayed away because he’d wanted to stay away. I thought that he’d never wanted to be around me again, and that was why he’d left and never come back. I’d always thought it was my fault for pissing him off that night, for not taking him seriously when he said he wanted to impress my parents. Now I realized just how very wrong I’d actually been. “And then what?” Tristan’s eyes bored holes into my body. “Then what

happened, Jenny?” I blinked. “I couldn’t get in touch with you,” I said softly. “And then Mummy and Daddy threw me out. I was on my own with Phin for years and years, Tristan. They never even called.” The sting of being abandoned was coming back stronger than ever and I had to wipe away a few tears as I remembered just how painful it had felt to be pregnant and alone. “Why didn’t you tell me about Phin?” Tristan looked angry again. “You didn’t think it was worth it to make sure he grew up with a father? You didn’t think that would be important to him, or to

me?” “I didn’t know,” I said softly. The room went silent, dead. Tristan blinked at me. It was obvious that he’d never even considered that possibility. “I didn’t know for about a month,” I added. “But when I knew, when I found out…” I sighed heavily. “I wanted to contact you. But Mummy and Daddy forbade it. They wanted me to have an abortion. When I refused, that’s when they threw me out.” Tristan swallowed loudly. He didn’t say anything. The reality, the pain of the situation was crashing down around my shoulders and I felt traumatized. But I was also feeling strangely calm and

peaceful inside, like the country air right after a big thunderstorm. I was feeling more levelheaded and rational than I had in days, and it felt good, but kind of scary. It was like I was capable of anything, like I could walk away right then and there and be done with Tristan forever. Sure, it would be a huge sacrifice. And I would be miserable. But then at least I wouldn’t have to live with the constant memory of my mistakes, my mistakes that were apparently too egregious for Tristan to forgive me. Tristan didn’t say anything. I still felt empowered, bold. When I crossed my arms over my chest and drew myself up to my full height, he looked almost

afraid. His blue eyes were full of regret. “I’m leaving,” I said softly. “If you don’t care about me and Phin, then there’s no way we could be liabilities for you. Thanks for your hospitality, Tristan.” Inside, I was begging him to stop me. I wanted him to stop me right in my tracks and grab my arms and press his mouth to mine. I wanted Tristan to stand in front of me, barring the way, until I was forced to surrender to my desire for him. Even now, in the aftermath of the most heated argument we’d ever experienced, I couldn’t deny that I still wanted him more than ever.

But he didn’t stop me. I walked down the hallway on unsteady feet and made my way into the room Phin had chosen. Our clothes were scattered all over the floor and I had to suppress a wave of anxious nausea as I leaned down to grab the bags. Phin was almost out of school, and he’d be here soon. If I hurried, I could manage to pack before he got home. Home. But this isn’t really home, is it? I looked around, suddenly feeling dazed. I perched on the edge of the bed and stared up at the ceiling. The big house was silent. A lump formed in my throat when I realized that Tristan must not care, because if he cared, he would be

stopping me. Don’t sit here and cry like a pathetic fool, I thought. You know that isn’t going to change shit. Tristan doesn’t love you, and he doesn’t want to be a father to Phin. You had your chance to find him and you blew it, Jenny. Time to move on. Except, deep down, I knew that I’d never really be able to move on. I swallowed hard and wiped away some stray tears. Time to pack, Jenny, I reminded myself after checking the clock. Phin’ll be home soon, and then you’ll both have to go. I carelessly threw things into a bag. All in all, it only took about twenty minutes

to pack. For all the meaningful things that had happened in the past few days, I felt remarkably non-permanent here. And it was true, I was. I now realized how big of a mistake I’d made in thinking that I understood Tristan. After all, I barely knew him anymore. He obviously wasn’t the same man he’d been, and he wasn’t the same person I’d known. He’d changed. He’d changed enough to run an MC and buy a big house and basically live up to all of the dreams that he’d had for himself back in the day. But there was no woman who was part of the equation. I wasn’t naïve. I knew that Tristan hadn’t been celibate since we broke up. And

besides, I’d really only been like that out of choice. I could have dated if I’d wanted to, even with Phin. But I hadn’t wanted to. Tristan had broken me. He’d changed the mold and let the hot metal overflow. No, I wasn’t ever going to be the same again. And we weren’t going to be together. Tristan had made that glaringly obvious. Getting down on my hands and knees, I searched under the bed for forgotten panties or one of Phin’s shoes. There wasn’t anything there but dust. I imagined how I looked from above: like a silly woman crawling around on the floor. I knew I was acting crazy. But what else was I supposed to do? I’d

been uprooted from my quiet, boring life and thrust back into the action with Tristan. The thought of going back to my empty house filled me with a loneliness that I couldn’t even begin to tackle. There was more than that, though. There was also an odd feeling of shame, like I wouldn’t be able to face my life. I couldn’t deal with Lindsey’s inquiring looks, or with Phin’s questions about the “man who took care of us.” I heard footsteps in the hallway, too light to be Tristan’s. Before I could move, the door swung open and Phin threw himself at my body, hugging my legs tightly. I

reached down and ruffled his brown hair, pasting a weak smile on my face. “Hi, sweetie. Did you have a good day?” Phin nodded excitedly. “I made something for Tristan!” He threw his backpack to the ground and dug around in the main compartment, eventually coming up with a little dinosaur made out of clay. “It’s for him, Mom! You think he’ll like it?” Phin’s big blue eyes pleaded up at me in the same way Tristan’s used to. “I spent so much time on it, Mom!” “I can tell, honey,” I said, my mind

racing for a quick and painless way to tell Phin that he couldn’t give Tristan anything. Because he didn’t care about us, and he never would. Unfortunately, just as I opened my mouth, Tristan stepped in the doorway. He gave Phin a tentative smile. Phin, all energy and smiles a few seconds ago, ducked behind my legs and clung to my jeans. My heart broke for him; he was so shy, and he was just about to discover that his newly beloved friend, Tristan, was someone who never wanted to see him or his mommy ever again. “Hey there, little buddy,” Tristan said. He smiled at Phin. When he looked up to my face, I turned away. A mixture of

shame and anger filled my body and I felt my posture brace and become more defensive. “Hi,” Phin said softly. Before I could stop him, he pushed past me and stared at Tristan. “I made you something today.” “You don’t have to take it,” I said quickly. “I mean, if you don’t want it.” Tristan frowned. He crouched down so he was at Phin’s height and a bolt of tenderness and desire shot through my body at the sight of my former lover smiling at our son.

“Of course I want it,” Tristan said. He tried to meet my eyes but I looked away. There were several excruciating seconds of silence. I cleared my throat and looked away as Tristan turned towards Phin. “Phin, what is it?” Phin stumbled shyly over to Tristan and pulled out the clay dinosaur. Even from a distance, I could tell that he’d taken a lot of care with the figure and it was well designed, especially from an eight-yearold. “Wow, buddy,” Tristan breathed. “This is so cool! Thank you,” he said, beaming. Phin grinned and I felt some of the tension in my belly melt. “May I

speak with your mom for a minute?” Phin nodded, then bolted out of the room. “I’m going to get a snack!” Phin cried as he ran down the hallway. “Last one to the kitchen is a rotten egg!” I blushed. “I’m sorry about that,” I said quietly. “I didn’t know that he would actually give that you. You can give it here,” I said, holding out my hand. “I won’t tell him.” Tristan frowned at me “What are you talking about?” He looked around the room, seeming to notice how empty it was. “Did you pack? Jenny, I don’t want you to go,” he said, looking pained. “For

your safety, you and Phin need to stay here.” I shook my head. “Not a chance,” I said. “Sorry, but we’re not liabilities to you, and I’m not mooching off of you anymore. And I don’t want to get any more guys in the MC in trouble.” I was thinking of Patches, but Tristan frowned again and shook his head. “Jenny, please,” Tristan said. He stepped forward and reached for my hand but I twisted away without thinking. A new, sharper lump formed in my throat. Why was I doing this? Why was I pushing him away? He said I could stay. But deep down, I knew he was only

being polite. He didn’t love me, and he definitely didn’t love Phin. Poor, fatherless Phin. I hated the idea of telling him we were leaving. I knew it would break his heart all over again. “I have to go,” I announced. Tears welled up in my eyes and I blinked them away. “I know you, you meant everything you said. I know you don’t want me around. I know I screwed up, Tristan. I’m sorry.” “Hey,” Tristan said softly. He stood up and took a step towards me. I jumped back like a skittish rabbit. “Hey, what’s all this? Jenny, I’m sorry. We can talk about this; we can make this work.”

“This?” I gestured around to the empty room. “This was nothing, Tristan.” His face hardened as I spoke. “This is nothing, and everyone’s going to be better off once Phin and I leave.” “No,” Tristan said, more forceful this time. “Jenny, no. I can’t let you do that. Haven’t you been listening to anything I’ve been saying? You’re going to put yourself and Phin at risk. You’re going to be attacked as soon as you leave the house, Jenny.” “That’s bullshit,” I said, shaking my head. My heart was pounding but I knew I was doing the right thing. “You told me

that I was only in trouble because of you. Well, if you don’t care about me, I can’t imagine what any of those assholes would want with me, Tristan.” “It doesn’t matter how I feel,” Tristan pleaded. He stepped forward and I took another step back. “If that’s what’s in their heads, that’s how they’re going to act. It doesn’t matter what we are to each other, but if they think you’re important to me, well, it’s going to be bad news for you and for Phin.” Tears sprang to my eyes and I blinked, looking up at the ceiling and willing them away. I had been right all along. Tristan didn’t really care, he only felt

obligated. He wasn’t protecting me because he loved me. He was protecting me to save face with the Centreville police and keep his club legitimate. My mouth hardened into a thin line and I swung the bag over my shoulder. “Later, Tristan,” I said softly. “Stay safe.” Tristan’s footsteps followed me out of the room as I stalked down the hallway and grabbed Phin from the kitchen. He had a spoon stuck in a jar of peanut butter and he was doing a messy job of smearing it all over his face. I sighed in irritation.

“Can’t you stay clean for five fucking minutes?” I snapped under my breath before turning to speak to Phin. “We’re leaving. Go wash your face.” Phin grinned, oblivious to my bad mood. “We’re going? Are we going out to dinner?” His voice rose loudly. “I’m so excited!” “No,” I snapped. “We’re going home. We’re not going to stay with Tristan anymore.” Phin’s face crumpled and I felt guilt surge through my body. “But I like it here,” he said, pouting. “I want to stay.”

“And I want you both to stay,” Tristan’s voice boomed from behind me. “Come on, Jenny. It’s fine.” “It’s not fine,” I said, breezing past him and dragging Phin out the door. “We have to go home now. Thank you very much for your hospitality, Tristan. Let me know if I owe you anything for all of the food we ate.” I glared at Phin. “Someone thought it was a good idea to contaminate all of your peanut butter.” “That doesn’t matter,” Tristan said in a strangled voice. His eyes were pleading with me not to go but I steeled my resolve and walked out the front door.

Tristan Mayer was history. Now, more than ever, I hated myself for succumbing to his charms again. I didn’t think I’d ever be able to forgive myself. “Mom, why are we leaving?” Phin pestered me once I had him seated in the car. “Why can’t we stay?” “Because this isn’t our home,” I told him as I slid out of Tristan’s driveway. “And we don’t belong here.”

Chapter Nineteen Tristan

Shaking my head in disbelief, I watched as Jenny dragged Phin out the door. He looked back at me with a reproachful glance and I felt my heart shrivel in my chest at the sight of his wide, trusting eyes. He was scared and upset; I could tell, and I barely knew him. My heart broke for the kid, and I didn’t understand why Jenny was so hell-bent on leaving. Sure, I’d been trying to hurt her. But didn’t she understand why for fuck’s sake? I sat down and cracked a beer, pouring

most of it down my throat without even tasting it. Damn her. Damn her to hell. If she wanted to walk out, if she wanted to leave…I shook my head angrily. No. No, it wasn’t going to be like this. Not this time. I was going to do it right; I was going to get my girl, and my son, and tell them that they were staying with me. If she didn’t listen, I’d pick them both up and carry them off. A hint of a smile crept across my lips as I imagined Jenny kicking and screaming. I could heft her easily—even though she was tall, she still weighed less than half of me. Besides, all of her protests would just be for show. I knew now how much she loved me. If she didn’t love me, she wouldn’t want to be a family, right?

Or maybe she just feels guilty about fucking up so badly in the past, a little voice said in the back of my head. I frowned. Just when I started to feel like I’d gotten Jenny figured out, everything felt confusing again. There were still so many questions without answers, so many things I wanted to know. Like, why hadn’t Jenny tried to find me before now? Why hadn’t she decided that giving Phin a father was important? It was enough to make my head spin. I decided that after all of this had calmed down, I’d have a good long talk with Jenny. We’d sit down and get everything out on the table.

When I finished my beer, I belched loudly and threw the bottle in the sink. It shattered against the ceramic with a satisfying crackling sound. Grimly, I walked over to the door and started tugging my boots on. I was going to go after them, and with any luck, I’d catch up before something else happened. If I didn’t…well, that was bad news, too. But either way, I knew I had to try. Jenny and Phin were mine, dammit, and I was going to rightfully claim them as such. The day outside was sunny and bright. There couldn’t have been a more direct contrast to my feelings if I’d willed it into life. Just as I was climbing on my hog and stroking it to life, my phone

buzzed in my pocket. My heart swelled; it had to be Jenny! Telling me that she realized her mistake, telling me that she was coming back to be mine forever. A cloud passed over my brain when I pulled out the mobile and saw Rod’s number. Uh oh. This couldn’t be good. “Hey, man,” I said quickly. “This isn’t a good time, I have to go after the girl and her son.” There was a pause. I frowned. “Rod? Are you there?” Rod coughed, breaking the awkward silence between us. “Yeah, man, I’m

here,” Rod said softly. “Listen, something bad happened to Wolf. He’s in the hospital. He was beaten up and left for dead on the side of the road. You need to go see him.” I sighed in irritation. Wolf was one of the guys I’d talked to just last night about Jenny and Phin. Had he been a target? More importantly, had he spilled? “Man, this really isn’t a good time,” I repeated. “Jenny and her kid could be in danger, and I need to go after them.” Rod cleared his throat again. “I know you don’t want to go see him right now, but he’s got some stuff to tell you,” Rod

added. Suddenly, I got a dark feeling in my chest, like my lungs were filling with wet concrete. It was almost impossible to breathe, and I had to put the phone away and turn my head to the bright sky. My hands got clammy and I could feel my heart pounding like a drum in my chest. Was this what panic felt like? I’d never felt such weird, strange anxiety before. And as much as I knew that I had to get to Jenny and Phin, I knew that Rod was right. He wouldn’t have called unless something was really wrong. I frowned. Did this mean Wolf had ratted? Fuck! Climbing back on my bike, I gunned it into gear and pointed it in the direction of the hospital. I’m sorry,

Jenny, I thought. I’m coming soon. Just hold on for a little bit longer. Rationally, I knew that nothing could have happened to Jenny and Phin in the short time since they’d left. But the other part of me knew that nothing was rational anymore. Nothing was making sense, and the world had flipped upside down. Darius’s men could have jumped on Jenny as soon as she was off my property. I shivered when I thought of how quickly Randy and Steve had come for her the last time she’d wandered off. My hands gripped the handlebars of my bike with such a ferocity that my fingers felt numb. Why did she have to be so goddamn stupid sometimes? Why

couldn’t she just have listened to me? “Damn women,” I growled as my bike sped up and rounded a turn. The hospital was looming just head and I had a sudden thought of sympathy for Wolf. It wasn’t like him to allow himself to be taken to the hospital, no matter how bad things got. The Wicked Angels had a code: we took care of our own, we never let ourselves into the hospital. Hospitals asked too many questions. For every helpful doctor, there were about fifteen nosy nurses who were dying to know where the bullets came from, or what the tattoos meant, or something else that we couldn’t have possibly answered.

“I need to see Wolf,” I barked at the young nurse sitting behind the front desk. She blinked at me with wide, guileless blue eyes. “Who?” She squinted at me. “Who are you talking about? Are you immediate family?” “I’m his fucking brother,” I roared, beating my hand against the Wicked Angels patch on the front of my vest. “Now let me the fuck in!” The girl blinked at me and she trembled. “There was a guy brought in a few hours ago,” she said in a soft, shaky voice.

“He’s down around the corridor,” she added, pointing with a slim, pale finger that reminded me of Jenny’s. “You can’t stay more than an hour!” she called after me as I stalked down the hallway. “Fuck off,” I muttered under my breath. Dealing with bitches like her was just one of the many reasons why I never liked hospitals. Wolf was propped up in bed. He was in a bad way: one of his eyes was so swollen it was shut. But when he saw me, he paled and somehow managed to look even more terrified than he had a few seconds prior.

“Oh man, Tristan,” Wolf whimpered. “I’m so fuckin’ sorry, man, I didn’t mean to!” He trembled as I stepped closer and I frowned. A cold, liquid sense of dread rushed through my body as I glanced down at his helpless frame on the stark hospital bed. “What the fuck happened?” I growled through gritted teeth. Wolf trembled. He didn’t answer. I leaned forward and snapped my fingers. Injured or no, I suddenly had a bad feeling about this. Why wasn’t he telling me what happened? This, combined with Rod’s reticence on the phone, was definitely making me think the worst had happened. And what if something happened to

Jenny while I was here, looking in on Wolf? What if they’d just roughed him up as a decoy, to get me out of the way? “Tristan,” Wolf said through swollen lips. “Tristan, I am so fuckin’ sorry,” he repeated. His bloodless cheeks looked like those of a corpse. “I didn’t mean to,” he said softly. “I’m so sorry.” “Cut the shit, Wolf. You better fuckin’ clue me in right now or you’re gonna be sorry.” Wolf gulped. “They jumped me,” he croaked. I had to lean in closer to hear and I could smell him from where I stood – like blood and shit and grease

and dirt. I wrinkled my nose. “Get on with it.” “They jumped me when I was on my bike,” Wolf said. He closed his eyes. “They surrounded me and forced me off the road.” “And then?” “They tortured me,” Wolf said. He held up his hand, engulfed in a cast. I could see the tips of his fingers were blue and swollen. “They broke my fingers, one by one.” I swallowed nervously, not liking where

this was going. “What did you tell them?” Wolf gasped as I clutched his broken hand. “I told them about the girl,” he said, looking away. Rage surged through my body and I closed my eyes, tilting my head back. Every cell in my body wanted to make Wolf pay for what he’d done, for how he’d betrayed me. His leader. “Tell me more,” I urged. “Tell me or you’re dead, Wolf.” Leaning down over the bed, I glared at him. “You’re gonna be lucky if you walk away with your life after this,” I added. “You might just walk

away with those damn fingers intact.” Wolf gulped again. “I told them about her son,” he added, closing his good eye and reclining against the starchy pillows. “I told them they were both with you. I told them. I’m so sorry, Tristan. I’m so sorry, man. I never meant to hurt you!” His voice was rising to a hysterical fever pitch but I just felt nauseated. Wolf, one of the guys in the MC I’d trusted the most, had betrayed me so horribly that I couldn’t stand it. All thoughts of Jenny and Phin were momentarily forgotten as I relished the thought of paying Wolf back for his transgressions. And for broken fucking fingers? What a complete pussy.

“I never want to see you again,” I said in a low, level voice. “I want you to disappear. If you’re not gone, you’re going to wish you were,” I said, leaning down over Wolf’s prone frame. My heart was beating viciously in my chest and hot anger was filling every pore. “And if I see you again, you’re dead. You got that?” Wolf nodded. I was still angrier than I’d ever been in my entire life. “You had one job, Wolf, and you fucked it up. You got that straight?” Wolf nodded. A tear slipped down his cheek and dripped off his chin. Pathetic. “You

fucked up,” I said solemnly. “And for just broken fingers? What kind of a fucking pussy are you!” Wolf shivered but he didn’t speak. “For what you told them, I would have hoped they were cutting your fucking fingers off, man! Come the fuck on! You’re a Wicked Angel, not some kind of Wicked Pussy!” I chuckled. My anger was making me feel dangerously powerful. “Wicked Pussy,” I said, spitting on Wolf’s prone body. “That’s what you are.” His vest was draped over the back of a hospital chair and I grabbed it and studied it. Wolf’s eyes widened as I ripped the patches off and threw them on the ground, spitting on them.

“That’s what you did to my club,” I snarled. “You fucking threw us on the ground and spit on us. You realize that?” Wolf nodded. He was trembling. In the hospital bed, he looked like a pathetic little boy. “I’m sorry,” he repeated again. I had to resist the urge to punch him. “Not as sorry as you’re gonna be. When everyone finds out what a pussy faggot you are, you’re gonna regret doing this for the rest of your life. Good luck finding new men to ride with, asshole.” Spitting on Wolf again, I turned and walked out the door. Anger was still

swirling in my body and I tried to rid myself of the toxic poison. But anger, much like elation, was powerful. Soon, I could feel myself swimming in it the way I’d swim in adrenaline. Anger was going to power me to get through the rest of this day. Anger at Wolf, anger at Jenny for leaving. But most of all, anger at myself. After all, if I hadn’t fucked with Jenny, she’d still be there, safe in my house. Wolf was a traitor, but his actions didn’t even come close to mine. I was the real villain here. And now it was up to me to fix things before they got even more fucked up. With a heavy heart, I left the hospital. My bike was gleaming in the parking lot

and I ignored the stares from bystanders as I climbed on and gunned it in the direction of Jenny’s house. I had to go make things right, even if it was the last thing I did. Wolf had almost ruined my life, but I’d have to make it right. Somehow I’d have to make it all right.

Chapter Twenty Jenny

I was still shaking with anger as I left Tristan’s house. I couldn’t believe him. The rotten bastard! Of all of the bad shit he’d pulled in the past, this had to be the absolute worst. If he ever thought I was going to forgive him for screaming at me like that, he was wrong. It didn’t matter if he was the best kiss, the best fuck, the best love I’d ever felt. All of that was gone. I didn’t deserve it, anyway. My heart tugged as I turned in my seat and looked at Phin. He was curled up in the passenger seat, listlessly looking out

the window. He hadn’t spoken to me since we’d left Tristan’s house and I wondered if he was angrier with me than he’d ever been before. “It’ll be okay, Phin,” I told him, reaching out and ruffling his brown hair. Like Tristan’s, I could already tell that it was going to get much darker as he aged. I felt a ripple of fear go through my body. If I was hurting now, how much would I hurt when Phin actually looked like Tristan’s spitting image? How was I going to deal with having a teenage son who looked exactly like my first love? I shuddered. “Mom, why did we have to leave?” Phin

fussed around in the seat until his awkward legs were sticking straight out and he was facing me. “Tristan was nice to us. I liked his house, Mom.” “I did, too,” I said. Phin didn’t press me for an answer again and I didn’t volunteer one. I shuddered. It was just like what had happened on his fifth birthday. “Hi, sweetie,” I greeted Phin. He jumped up and down in excitement, his light brown hair flopping around in the fall breeze. “Hi, Mommy!” Phin cheered. He’d been sitting on the ground when I’d approached but now

he jumped and gazed at me with a happy grin on his face. “Do you know what today is?” “I’m not sure,” I lied, winking at Phin. “Isn’t it Monday?” “Noooo,” Phin wailed. He giggled and launched himself at me, wrapping his tiny arms around my legs and clinging on. “No, it’s not a Monday!” “Is it Friday?” I squatted down to Phin’s height and ruffled his hair. “I bet it’s Friday,” I teased. “We have the whole weekend ahead of us!” I was exhausted from school and work; finishing my MLS while working part-

time at the library wasn’t fun, but I didn’t see another way around it. I only had a few months left to go, and soon I’d be able to provide for Phin like never before. We could finally get off the food stamps, and I’d finally have a real, salaried job. Phin scrunched up his eyes and shook his head. “Well, it is Friday…” he said, sounding dejected. “But it’s also something else.” I whipped a card out from my pocket and kissed my son on the head. “I didn’t forget your birthday, silly. And I have a special surprise for you.”

Phin beamed like he was lit from within. “Mommy!” He hugged me so tightly that I could barely breathe. “You didn’t forget! I knew you wouldn’t forget!” For months, Phin had been begging me to take him to Chuck E Cheese. At first, I didn’t think it was possible but after scrimping and saving for months I finally had enough money to treat him to a fun night out. When I told Phin, he hopped up and down with such excitement that I didn’t think he was going to be able to take it. I bundled him up in the car and before long, we were on our way. Phin chattered excitedly the whole way. I’d called in

advance and requested a birthday cake and some pizza for the two of us. I hadn’t invited any of Phin’s friends, but I knew he wouldn’t care. He’d just be overjoyed to get out of the house for a few hours and play some arcade games. Phin had been so good lately—he hadn’t even complained when my MLS assignments took up most of the weekend. He’d just been happy to camp out in front of the television and watch cartoons while I studied and wrote. I’d never been so grateful to him for being a good kid, and I really wanted to show him. “Mommy, this is the best!” Phin chirped as we pulled into the parking

lot. “Did you know this place is run by a giant mouse?” I chuckled under my breath. I remembered the commercials, probably as well as Phin did. They aired all the time, and it was during the heaviest of my studying that Phin had taken an interest in visiting Chuck E Cheese. “All of the kids at school are gonna be so jealous,” Phin breathed. “Mommy, thank you!” “I still have another surprise for you,” I said softly, thinking of the pizza and cake. “Be a good boy and you’ll get them before too much longer.”

Phin grinned from ear to ear. As we exited the car, he was bouncing around the parking lot like a pinball. As soon as we were inside, he rushed off in a sprint towards the game machines. I sighed. I hadn’t expected to be included on Phin’s special day, which was why I’d brought my MLS materials to study with. Before too long, one of the employees sat down and started chatting with me. I laughed; he was cute, but he had to be at least five years younger than I was. He had a little blonde scruff on his chin and a messy ponytail pulled back at the nape of his neck. If I hadn’t been exhausted from

studying and stressed about Phin hurting himself on one of the games, I would have maybe flirted with him. “So, have you been here before?” The guy smiled at me. He gestured down to my books and notes. “I mean, you remembered to bring reading material.” I laughed politely. It was a line I’d heard before. Since I did so much of my studying in public, it seemed like every guy in a ten-mile radius had to comment on my books. “I knew what to expect,” I said. “My son, Phin, is playing over there.” I

gestured to where Phin’s brown head was bobbing around behind a skeeball machine. “It’s his fifth birthday.” “Five is big,” the guy said politely. He snuck a glance down at my empty left hand. “So, is there a dad in the picture?” I shook my head quickly. “He died,” I said suddenly. “It’s just me and Phin.” The guy smiled. “Phin, I like that,” he said. “My name’s Jason. I’m going back to school, too. What are you studying?” “This is for my master’s degree in

library science,” I told him. “I need it to work at the library. I had to put myself through school, and it’s slow going when you have a kid with more energy than the sun hanging around.” The guy laughed and nodded. He seemed to relax and I felt my own muscles become less tense. It was nice, talking to someone. I’d actually missed it. Sure, there was no electric spark like there had been with Tristan. But Jason was nice, and I was honestly pretty happy about the attention. It had been a long time since a guy had even looked twice at me, knowing I was a single mom.

“I get that,” he said. “I’m studying marine biology. I want to go work on boats on the ocean.” He stretched his arms high above his head. “You know, get away from this hole. I’ve been in Centreville my whole life, and it starts seeming a bit small after a while.” I smiled and blushed. “I’ve been here for my whole life, too,” I said softly. “And I know what you mean. It’s claustrophobic, isn’t it?” Jason smiled. “Yeah, sometimes I feel like I’ve seen everyone who’s ever lived here. But I haven’t seen you before. You must not get out much.”

Just at that moment, Phin ran back over to me. He was clutching a fistful of orange game tickets and I grinned when he stuck them in my lap. “Mommy, can you watch these for me?” He grinned. “Please!” I nodded. “Of course.” “Who’s that?” Phin pointed to Jason. When Jason smiled, Phin suddenly grew shy. He ducked behind me and wrapped small, sticky fingers around my own hand. “Is he my new daddy?” I laughed and blushed, feeling embarrassed. Jason gaped. He stood

up, an anxious smile on his face. “I see I’ve intruded,” he said. “It was nice to meet you. See you around, and good luck with your degree.” “Thanks,” I said miserably. Something in my chest was deflating. I turned to Phin. For some reason, he looked incredibly upset. “Did I ruin the surprise?” Phin pressed. I shook my head. “Of course not, sweetie,” I told him. “Your surprise is pizza and ice cream cake. Isn’t that nice?”

I thought Phin would be overjoyed but his face was unreadable and stony. He let out long sigh. I could tell he’d worked himself into a sweat dancing and playing around the restaurant, and now he was tired. Sure enough, he let out a yawn. “Sweetie, what’s wrong?” I pulled Phin close to me and felt his forehead. “Are you feeling sick? Do you want to go home?” “I’m fine,” Phin said. He pushed past me and skittered away. I frowned. The rest of the night felt off. Phin came back to the table and dutifully ate pizza

and cake with me. When the employees —minus Jason—brought out his ice cream cake, it was covered with glowing candles and a little figurine of a mouse on top. Phin smiled as he closed his eyes and blew out the candles. One of them came back to life and flickered on—it was one of those trick candles that wouldn’t stay out. “I don’t get my wish,” Phin said sadly. He pouted and sat back down in the chair, looking up at me with big, wet eyes. I felt horrible. I knew that something must have happened, but he wasn’t talking to me about it. “What was that, honey? Do you want to

come back here in a couple of months and try again?” Phin pouted and for a moment, he almost looked angry. “It won’t work then!” he cried loudly. “It didn’t work today, and today was supposed to be the day where all of my wishes came true!” He started to cry as I pulled him on my lap and rubbed his fine brown hair. “Honey, I can’t help if you don’t tell me what’s wrong,” I whispered into his ear. “And I want to help you, but you have to calm down, okay?” Phin obediently quieted down. He

climbed off my lap and ate a giant slice of cake. By the end of the evening, he was almost acting like everything was back to normal. He didn’t look at me until we were leaving. Phin was yawning and trailing behind me in the parking lot. He was carrying a stuffed mouse, his big prize from the evening. “Did you have a good time?” I kept my tone cautious and light as we slipped in the car. Phin nodded. He yawned again and pulled the seatbelt over his tiny frame. Soon, he’d be big enough where he wouldn’t have to sit in the booster seat every time we went on a car ride. “It was okay,” Phin said. “It wasn’t as

much fun as I thought it would be.” His reply was strangely intelligent for a five-year-old. “Why not, sweetie?” Phin looked at me. “Because my wish didn’t come true,” he said heavily, as though he were sharing an ancient secret. “And that was really the only thing I wanted. I wanted my wish to come true.” “And what did you wish for?” I turned in my seat and looked at Phin. He shifted uncomfortably and looked away. “I wished for a daddy,” Phin said. A tear rolled down his cheek. I felt like

someone had punched me in the gut. Just as I was about to say something, Phin opened his mouth again. “I wished for a daddy and it didn’t come true. I thought that was my new daddy talking to you but he wasn’t.” Phin pouted and I sensed the tantrum of a lifetime coming on. “Why can’t you give me a daddy, Mommy? That’s the only thing I really want!” My heart broke as I turned the key in the ignition. “Sometimes, mommies do better without daddies around,” I lied. “Sometimes, mommies do much better just with their children.” Phin sniffed. “But it’s not fair!” His

voice was dangerously loud and I felt a headache start almost instantly. “It’s not fair! All of the other kids at school have daddies! Why can’t I have a Daddy, too!” I didn’t know how to answer that. “I’m sorry, sweetie,” I told him. “But some families don’t have daddies. Some families don’t have mommies, either. But we have each other, and that’s what counts, right?” Phin angled his small body away from mine and glared out the window. He didn’t speak for the rest of the ride home.

Phin coughed loudly, pulling me out of my daze. “Mommy, who are those people?” His tone was excited but guarded. “They have the same kind of bicycle that Tristan had!” For a moment, I was excited. I thought Tristan had come after us, to get us, to tell us that he loved us and he was ready to be a father. But what I saw made my blood run cold. Unfamiliar bikers were surrounding the car. One of them raised his fist in the air and motioned for me to pull over. Fear choked my throat and I could barely breathe. I tried to speed up but two of the bikers zoomed in front of the little car, making it impossible. I would have slammed on the brakes but

there were two bikers behind me, making obscene gestures with their hands and screaming for me to pull to the side of the road. The biker who had made the first motion pulled a gun out of his jacket. I gasped loudly. “Mommy! What’s wrong?” The biker laughed and pointed the gun to Phin’s head. I heard him dimly through the closed window. “If you don’t pull over, little kid gets it!” My heart was pounding like a jackhammer in my chest as I pulled to

the side of the road. Gradually, I slowed down and rolled over the shoulder. Phin was looking at me with a panicked expression. “Mommy! What’s happening?” “I don’t know, sweetie,” I said, trying to keep my voice neutral and even. “I don’t know, but everything’s going to be okay. Okay? I promise.” Phin started to cry. As the car rolled to a stop, the bikers dismounted and walked towards me with alarming speed. One of them yanked open the door and wrapped his strong hands around my waist, pulling me out of the car. I was

screaming and kicking but another one of the guys came to restrain me. These guys weren’t idiot hacks like Steve and Randy, but giant, bulky, and intimidating. The one who had grabbed me reeked of booze and I suppressed a wave of nausea as he wrangled me out of the car. “Help!” I screamed loudly. “Help! Help!” “You dumb bitch,” the guy said. He spat in my face and I shuddered with revulsion. “Don’t you know you’re supposed to yell ‘fire’? No one’s gonna help you, honey,” he said, letting his eyes trail down my body and linger on my chest. I shuddered. “No one’s gonna

help you, and we’re here to bring you and kiddie boy to a world of pain.” “Phin!” I screamed at the same time as I heard him yell, “Mommy!” at the top of his lungs, scared and loud. “You’re both coming with us,” the biker snarled. He reached for my wrists and flipped me around, shoving my body hard against the driver’s side of my car. I felt a trickle of panic run through my body as he bound my wrists tightly. I heard the sound of duct tape ripping apart and before long, I felt a tacky strip wind around my face and cover my eyes. Phin was sobbing and screaming and I was trying to comfort him as best I could

when someone shoved a foul-tasting rag in my mouth. “Bitch, we’re going on a little ride,” a hot voice tickled my ear. “You better be good or your kid’s going in the trunk.” I felt my body being lifted in the air and every muscle tensed, waiting for the eventual drop on hard ground. But when I was put down, it was on something soft and upholstered. It was tilted, and after a few seconds I realized I was in the back seat of a different car. A small, flailing body was set next to mine and I realized it was Phin. The bikers were mumbling something under their breath, and after a second one of them got in the car and I

heard the engine roar to life. “You ready? Of course you are,” the guy said in a rough voice. He started laughing and pulled away with such a force that I felt my body slide off the seat and bang against the back of the driver’s seat. From under my blindfold of duct tape, I felt hot tears leak out and fall down my cheeks. So this was the end. All because of my mistakes, all because I’d left Tristan. I’m so sorry, Phin, I thought desperately. Mommy is so, so sorry.

Chapter Twenty-One Tristan

When I left the hospital, I was so mad that I could have spat. Part of me wanted to go back in there and kill Wolf, slowly, like he deserved for being a goddamned pussy rat. What kind of man would rat out his president just for getting his fucking fingers broken? “No man,” I said grimly. “Only a little kid would do something so selfish.” I shook my head in disgust. The whole time I thought I’d been raising a tribe of men, I’d only been raising a tribe of pussies. No wonder Jenny and Phin

were in trouble. If I’d actually taken the time to be around real men, they would have been protected. Between the prospect’s fucking off when he was supposed to be watching Jenny and Wolf’s easy betrayal, I wasn’t feeling good about the future of the Wicked Angels. I sped towards the shitty part of town, where Jenny had a little bungalow. As I approached, my heart sank in my chest. It was obviously empty; she hadn’t been there in days. The driveway was soaked with the rain that had fallen all night, and I didn’t see any fresh oil or gas leaks from Jenny’s old car.

“Fuck!” I screamed loudly and beat my fists against the handlebars of my bike. “Fuck! They’re fucking gone!” Setting my mouth in a thin line, I climbed back on my bike and carefully combed the neighborhood. There was no sign of Jenny or Phin. I tried to watch for similar cars, thinking maybe she had hidden somewhere. I had no idea where they would have taken her, but I didn’t think it could be good. Darius. He had to know something. Gunning my bike into high gear, I pointed it in the direction of Darius’s house. I hadn’t been there since I’d warned him to stay away from Jenny. Now, it was

almost comical. I’d been so stupid; I’d seriously thought that talking to him would prevent anything too awful from happening. But I’d been so goddamn cocky and stupid. I was no better than Wolf. I deserved this. But Jenny and Phin didn’t deserve this at all. They deserved a safe, happy, comfortable life, away from danger. They deserved more than I could give them, and now they might not even still be alive. My hope was mounting. They had to be with Darius, they just had to be. But as I pulled into his driveway, my chest tightened. His house was obviously

abandoned. I could tell that no one had been there in days. There were cobwebs stretching across the door and the driveway was as empty as Jenny’s had been. I was racking my brain, trying to think of where Darius would have taken them. I cursed aloud as I realized I really had no idea. I didn’t even know where the Iron Fangs had their nasty clubhouse. “Goddammit!” I screamed, beating my fist against my thigh. “God-fuckingdammit!” I couldn’t believe that I’d been so stupid, so horrible to Jenny. If I hadn’t upset her, she never would have left. She and I could be making love right now! She and I could be fucking and Phin could be sleeping and all could be right

with the world! In my desperation, the idea of fucking Jenny almost made me sad. Now, I’d never get to fuck her again. Even if I somehow managed to save her, she wouldn’t want a goddamn thing to do with me. And she was totally right; she shouldn’t be around me. She should never have been around me. That was the reason all of this shit was happening in the first place. I closed my eyes to that fateful day, back in the library parking lot. Back then, I thought that I could just punch guys and they’d respect my patch authority enough to stay the fuck away. But that hadn’t worked. I’d been too sure of myself, too cocky. I should have

beaten them so badly they couldn’t even stand on their own two feet. Then maybe they would have thought twice about going after Jenny and our son. Our son. The thought of Phin made me actually want to cry. He was so young, so innocent, and now he’d been dragged into more trouble than he’d ever seen. My phone buzzed in my pocket. I yanked it out and saw an unfamiliar number flashing across the screen. As quickly as I could, I pressed it to my ear. “Hello?” There was a wicked, dark laugh from the other end of the line and I immediately

knew it was him. Darius. The evil one, the one who’d tried to steal my family. Well, he wasn’t going to have the last laugh, I’d beat him yet. “Find them?” Darius’s voice was dark and smoky, full of humor that I didn’t see. “Where the fuck are they?” My own voice was a growl. It permeated the airspace like that of a caged animal. “Oh, I’ve got them someplace safe and tight for now,” Darius said. He laughed and I felt a new bolt of rage course through my body. It was enough to make the anger I’d felt for Wolf look like

child’s play. “Where the fuck are they, Darius?” “Oh, so you figured out that it was me,” Darius said with a chuckle. “I tell you, I’ve always wanted to put my hands on that little cunt of yours. What a foxy woman, Tristan. I have to give you credit. Those tits! I wanted her back then and I sure as fuck still want her now.” “Leave her alone,” I hissed through gritted teeth. “She’s not yours. She never will be. Jenny belongs to me, and she always will.” “Well, that’s just the thing,” Darius

purred. He’d slowed his voice to a liquid drawl. “If you know where to look, you might be able to find that sweet little cunt pretty soon. The thing is, Tristan, I’m gonna need your word on a few things first. You got that straight?” I nodded even though Darius wasn’t able to see me. “I understand,” I said through gritted teeth. “Whatever the fuck you want me to do, I’ll do it.” “I know you will,” Darius purred in reply. “I’m gonna need your resignation as president of the Wicked Angels before twenty-four hours have passed. You got that, asshole? No longer are you gonna lead that MC. You’re gonna be a

broke asshole like the rest of us, fighting for your cut in the world. You’re gonna have to struggle, just like I struggled for all of those years.” I grit my teeth. “Fine,” I snapped. “I’m out. I’ll call the guys as soon as I’m off the phone with you. I’m done, I’m out. I won’t ever see your face again, Darius. You got it.” I couldn’t believe that he was letting me off so lightly! It felt like I was being given a light sentence. “Good, good,” Darius purred. “I’m so glad you’re starting to see things from my point of view, Tristan. It’s always better when we can work together.”

I snorted in disgust. I couldn’t believe that, years ago, I’d actually been friends with this cretin. I’d even felt bad for him so many times. I’d pitied him and wanted to help him come up in the world because I felt so sorry. He’d come from the same wrong side of the tracks that I’d come from, but unlike me, he was obviously still nursing a grudge that I’d succeeded where he’d failed. “Oh, and, Tristan?” “What?” My words cut through the air like a dagger. “What else, Darius?” Darius laughed, a high-pitched sound that made me think of a farm animal.

“There’s one more little thing,” he said in a jokey tone. “One more, tiny little thing. I don’t think you’ll mind, Tristan. I don’t think you’ll mind at all.” My heart thudded in my chest. “What is it, Darius?” “Just one more teeny little favor,” Darius wheedled. I could sense that he was grinning even through the phone. “You promise me you can help me out with that?” “I’ll try,” I said through gritted teeth. “But since you haven’t told me what’s going on, I don’t know.”

“Oh, Tristan,” Darius said. I could tell he was pouting. “You need to help me out with a little cash. You know things have been real hard on me lately. Don’t you wanna help me out?” “How much do you need?” I asked shortly. “You’d better fuckin’ deliver her to me in one piece, and the boy, too.” Darius laughed. “You gettin’ ahead of yourself. You didn’t even ask when I needed it by.” I growled. “Cut the shit, Darius. Just fucking tell me, okay?” Darius chuckled again, a low, sinister

sound. “I’m gonna need somewhere in the ballpark of five million. You think you can help me out with that, boy?” I gulped. Five million? I had no fucking idea where that money was going to come from. All of the Wicked Angels had a decent stash built up but even borrowing from the guys, I had no idea where I was going to come up with that money on such short notice. “Got it,” I said smoothly. “Five million.” “And I’m gonna need that within twentyfour hours,” Darius said smugly. “So I really hope you’re gonna be able to provide that shit for me. You got it?”

I paled. I had no idea where the money would come from, especially on such a short notice. But letting him know that it was impossible was like handing Jenny and Phin a death sentence. I wouldn’t be able to do that. Somehow, I’d have to lie and bluff my way through this one. “Fine,” I snapped. “Within twenty-four hours. I got it, Darius.” There was a silence and I heard Darius suck in a big gust of air. “Good, good,” he said mildly. “You got any questions, Tristan? Or is that everything?” “That’s everything,” I snapped. “Now

where is she?” “Ah, ah, ah,” Darius said. “Now isn’t a good time to be hasty, Tristan. All in time. You’ll see.” “Promise me you’ll let them go,” I hissed. “Promise me and the money is yours. I’ll step down from Wicked Angels, and I’ll never see any of my guys again.” Darius chuckled. “They’ll be fine,” he said. Before I could answer, he hung up. Fuck. What the fuck was I going to do now?

Chapter Twenty-Two Jenny

Phin was whimpering beside me and I wished, more than anything, that I could reach out and stroke his soft hair. I knew he must be terrified out of his wits. Hell, I was terrified out of my wits and I was the adult! I was so worried about what was going to happen. Where were they taking us? I tried to ask, forgetting that I was gagged, and it came out as a wet gurgle. From the front of the car, I felt a gust of air and something hard slapped me on the cheek. A hand. One of the men had

actually slapped me! I felt tears well up in my eyes and leak down my cheeks. The duct tape was loosening but I could feel it clogging all of the pores on my face and I knew it would hurt like hell when it was ripped off. I only hoped they hadn’t managed to get too much of my hair caught in the tape. Stupid Jenny. You’ve been kidnapped and all you can fucking think about is your hair! You deserved this! “We’re almost there,” said one of the gruff voices from the front of the car. “What do we do with them?” “I don’t know,” the other voice replied.

There was a chuckling sound and I could tell the men were having the time of their lives. “I wanna fuck around with her first. Did you see the tits on her? Goddamn would I like to suck those!” A chill of fear wormed its way down my spine and I hated that Phin was having to listen to this. His labored breathing sounded like he was on the verge of an asthma attack and I felt my body convulsing at the thought of one of those beastly men touching me. The car lurched to the side and I bounced off of the bench seat in the back. As my body hit the hard floorboard of the car, I cried out and choked against my gag. I hadn’t figured out what they’d stuffed in my

mouth but it tasted foul. I shuddered as more tears found their way down my cheeks. “Honey, hold on,” one of the guys said. I felt a hand patting me on the side and I shuddered and twisted as the hand found its way to my breast, pinching and tweaking my nipples through the thin material of my shirt. It hurt like hell and I screamed against my gag, twisting and desperately wishing I could shove the guy off. “She’s a fighter,” the other guy said. I heard a guffawing laugh from the front of the car. “You hear that, honey? You’re real feisty!”

The men started to growl and yip like dogs as a fresh wave of terror crested through my body. I cried out but the gag muffled the sound. I felt the car come to an abrupt start and then heard the sound of the doors slamming. Panic rose through me. Were they just going to forget about me and Phin? Were they going to leave us here to starve and rot? I twisted against my bonds, desperately trying to free my hands. They were bound so tightly that the circulation was cut off and my fingers were numb and tingling. I tried to make a fist and shake my hands around to wake them up but nothing did the trick—I was simply bound too tightly.

I felt strong hands wrapping around my waist and lifting me high in the air. I kicked my legs, trying to connect with flesh and bone, but only managed to slice through the air. “Fuck!” I heard one of the guys mutter. “This one’s a fuckin’ fighter!” “She’ll get what’s coming to her,” the other guy replied darkly, and I felt a ripple of fear go through my whole body. “Don’t worry, she’ll get it.” Another pair of hands grabbed me under the armpits, painfully hauling me to a standing position. I felt for the ground

with my feet; it was surreal to be walking again after what had felt like hours in the car. But in reality, I had no way of knowing how much time had passed. I had no idea what was going to happen now. I tried to call Phin’s name, again forgetting that I was gagged. A stream of spittle gushed out of my mouth and dripped down my chin. The men laughed loudly. “Fuckin’ bitch!” one of them said. “Damn, this one is a lot of trouble!” “Randy and Steve weren’t fucking around,” the other replied. “She’s gonna

be in some motherfuckin’ trouble when we tear the blindfold off.” My belly was twisted in knots of panic. I’d never been this scared in my life. I wanted to tune the men out, but something told me it was important to listen. They’d mentioned Randy and Steve. It seemed like ages since I’d heard either of those names, but now I knew better. They were all connected somehow. All of the guys were in it together, and they were all out to get me. One of the guys pushed me forward. “Watch out for the stairs,” he said in a mild tone. When I tried to step forward gently, he shoved me again and I fell,

tumbling, helpless to stop the fall since my hands were bound behind my back. Every time I hit the stairs, I tensed and braced myself for the inevitable crash at the bottom of the stairs. When I finally hit, my head was filled with so much pain that I thought I was going to black out. It hurt so much that I gasped and choked on the gag. Please don’t let them throw Phin down the stairs, I prayed. Please don’t hurt him. “That’s for trying to twist away from me, bitch,” one of the guys said. He laughed cruelly. “Come on, kid, take it a step at a time.” I was relieved to hear them helping Phin down the stairs.

There was a blinding pain in my head so sharp that I felt like my eyes were going to ripped out of their sockets. When I blinked, I saw that they’d pulled the duct tape off my face. One of them was holding the strip in his hand and laughing. Sure enough, there was a clump of red hair attached to the side. Part of my head felt cool in the air and I realized that I was going to have a bald spot. “You’re still pretty, don’t worry,” the burlier of the two guys said. “Now, you promise not to bite me?” I nodded. He reached forward with grease-stained fingers and shoved them

in my mouth. I tried not to gag as he pulled a wet clump of fabric from between my teeth. Empty, my mouth felt strange. I blinked, unused to the sensation. The guy grabbed me and flipped me over on my stomach. I felt his fingers picking at the ropes that bound my wrists together. When the blood rushed back into my hands, it was almost painful. I sighed loudly. Every muscle, every bone in my body was aching and I couldn’t think of what to do. I was still in panic mode. “We’re leaving now,” one of the guys said. “We’ll be back. And don’t try anything.”

I watched mutely as they hefted their large bodies up the stairs and slammed the door behind them. The room was dark, but I could see Phin curled up in a small ball to the right of my lap. With trembling fingers, I pulled the gag out of his mouth. Phin whimpered. “Mommy, help!” he cried loudly. “Shhh, be quiet for a moment. This is going to sting,” I warned as my fingers slipped under the edge of the duct tape and yanked hard. Phin made a whimpering sound as I ripped the tape away from his eyes. His face was red and blotchy and stained with glue. He looked awful, but at least he was in one

piece. “Mommy, I’m scared,” Phin said solemnly. “I don’t know what to do.” I pulled him close and buried my face in his hair. Phin smelled like little boy’s sweat and fresh-cut grass. “It’ll be okay, baby,” I told him. “I promise, it’ll be okay.” Phin burrowed into me. We were huddled on the floor at the foot of the stairs. When I looked around, I felt more dismal than ever about our surroundings. We were alone in what looked like a dingy basement. The only furniture was a splintered chair that had broken apart

years before I was even born. There was also a bowl on the floor. Phin stood up and approached the bowl cautiously. “Mommy, bread!” He held up some pieces of sliced bread. I shuddered. From my perch on the floor, they looked dirty. “I wouldn’t eat those, honey,” I told him. At least not right now. Wait until we’re really hungry. God knows how long we’re going to be here. Phin looked around. Suddenly, he burst into tears. Loud wails filled the basement and I beckoned him close to me.

“Phin, shhhh. It’ll be okay,” I told him as I stroked his hair and pulled him onto my lap. “I promise it’ll be okay. You just need to be brave for a little while longer, okay?” Phin sniffled and snuffled in my arms, but the sobs didn’t stop. I sighed as I stroked his hair and rocked him against my chest. It had been ages since I’d seen him this upset, and I would have done anything to bring him comfort. “Phin, you know your father is going to come for us,” I said softly into one ear. “Everything’s going to be just fine, okay?”

Phin gurgled. He wiped his eyes and looked into my face. “My father?” He was clearly confused. “Who is he?” I let out a long sigh. “Tristan is your father,” I said slowly. Phin blinked. “I thought you said he was just a friend, not my daddy.” He looked up at me with confusion and surprise on his small features. “Is he really my daddy?” I felt shame rise up in my throat. Between that and my pounding head, I felt like I could have slept for days and days.

“I lied,” I admitted. “And I’m really sorry that I lied. I never should have been dishonest with you, Phin. You deserve better than that.” Phin blinked as if to say that he forgave me. “I’m sorry,” he said, almost inaudibly. “I’m still scared.” My heart broke as I pulled him close to me and buried his face in my chest. “Phin, it’s okay,” I said, stroking his back. “Everything’s going to be just fine. I promise, Daddy will come for both of us.” After Phin had rocked in my arms and

sobbed for half an hour, he slowly started to calm down. I felt his breathing grow more regular and slow. When I looked down, I realized that he’d fallen asleep. I didn’t want to disturb Phin, but we had to check for a way out. The only way was through the door, and I could tell the men had locked it behind them. From behind the door, I heard pacing and instinctively realized that the basement was guarded. Fuck! There was no other way out that I could see. We were alone, trapped, in the basement of some strange house. I realized that I’d been panicking so much

in the car that I hadn’t even paid attention to how much time had gone past. When we’d left Tristan’s, it had been a little after four. Now it was already dark outside, and I wasn’t wearing a watch. Shit. What were we going to do now? I closed my eyes and thought of Tristan. Tristan, please, wherever you are, come rescue us, I prayed. Please. I’m sorry. Please come help us! But there was nothing, and I was left alone with my thoughts and my sleeping son in the darkness.

Chapter Twenty-Three Tristan

That night, a full moon shone high above Centreville. I felt a slight touch of spookiness chilling my bones, and no matter how many deep breaths I took I still didn’t feel like I was getting enough air. Resign from the Wicked Angels. Step down. Pony up five million. Then Jenny and Phin are yours. I didn’t have a choice when it came to trusting Darius; I had to. It didn’t matter that he was probably lying, that he and his thugs had probably already roughed Jenny up more than they should have. But I had no way of helping her right now. I was totally

helpless. I hated it—I’d never felt this pathetic in my life. Not even when Jenny left me all those years before. At least then I was forming friendships with the guys who made up my MC. But now I was going to have to give that up, too. I had to call all of the guys and tell them that I wanted to talk. Judging from Rod’s tone, I guessed that everyone thought it would be about Wolf. Wolf as a cautionary tale; Wolf as something that we shouldn’t ever do because we would wind up dead. Ironically, stepping down meant that I wouldn’t be able to take vengeance on Wolf for betraying my family. He was going to come out of the hospital and probably be just fine. I

wondered if the new leader of the Wicked Angels would even make him patch out. Hell, after I made my announcement, I was betting they’d all be so angry with me that Wolf would become their new folk hero. I rolled my eyes. Fuckin’ pussy ass biker, and now he was going to get away with the most egregious sin of all time. When you patched into the Angels, you patched in for life. That meant protecting your brothers and their families. Wolf had betrayed me in the absolute worst way, and it killed me that I wouldn’t get to punish him. But Jenny and Phin were more important, and they were my life now. I had to get past the “eye for an eye” mentality if I was going to be a

good family man. But I couldn’t get the nut up. I rode around for hours, staring at the black darkness. I’m still the president, I told myself. Even though it’s not gonna last, I’m here now, ain’t I? It was futile. No matter how frequently I reminded myself that I was still in power, I knew that soon it would be drawing to a close. Soon, I wouldn’t have any kind of power. I’d have to start from the ground up to build a good life for Jenny and Phin. I knew I could do it, but it was gonna be tough. After all, I’d sunk most of my twenties into the Wicked Angels. And now I didn’t know

how I was going to live without my guys around me. I’d had a bond with them tighter than my bond with anyone else, except maybe Jenny. And even though I loved Jenny back then, she never got into those dark parts of my soul that I let the guys in on. She never knew how much pleasure I could take from being an outlaw, she never knew how good it felt to punish someone for doing the wrong thing. Jenny would have recoiled from me if she had a snapshot of how my life had been since she’d been gone. She wouldn’t have wanted anything to do with me. I smirked as I imagined her with some dorky asshole who worked at the library. Sure, she’d be bored as hell, but she’d never have to think about her

boyfriend scalping some renegade bikers for revenge. No, Jenny wouldn’t like that at all. I cleared my throat. All of the guys were gathered around me and I felt a spike of nervousness. In all my years leading the Wicked Angels, I’d never imagined it would go down like this. I always thought I’d ride or die. That was what I’d signed up for when they patched me in. And now, leaving the club would mean that I was giving up my support system, my brotherhood, in exchange for Jenny’s freedom. If six months ago someone told me where I’d be today, I wouldn’t have believed them. But now, helping Jenny and our son was all I

could think about. There was literally no other option. I knew what I had to do, and I knew why I had to do it. “What’s going on?” Rod shifted from one leg to the other as he watched me. “What’s happening, man?” I blinked. “I need to talk to y’all,” I said, trying to keep my voice as calm and steady as I could. “It’s about the MC. I don’t think I can lead you guys anymore. I’m stepping down. I haven’t done a good job as president, and this part of my life is over.” Rod and the other guys stared at me. Eric, one of the guys I’d known the

longest, was gaping. “What the fuck, man?” Eric asked softly. He stepped forward and gave me a hard look. “You in trouble or some shit? You need some help, man?” I was dying to say yes, but I knew I couldn’t reveal anything. Darius had specifically instructed me not to tell the guys why I was stepping down. I knew that I had to play it off like I didn’t care, like this was just a normal day for me. “I’m fine,” I muttered. “But I can’t lead y’all anymore. I’ve got too much shit going on. Eric, you’ll be a good president.”

Rod glared. I knew he’d been waiting for the spot forever, but I couldn’t let him usurp Eric. Even though Rod was my best friend, he was hotheaded and fiery. He wouldn’t be a good president. Not now, when these guys were going to be plunged into turmoil from my departure. I cursed Darius and the day we’d ever spoken as friends. I hated him. He was the worst bastard on the planet. He’d already stolen Jenny and Phin from under my nose, and now he was making give up the club, too. It made me so angry I could spit. “Man, can you tell us what’s going on?” Eric and Rod looked at me with concern.

The other guys were standing around, muttering and kicking at the ground with their combat boots. I shrugged and tried hard to look casual. “It doesn’t matter,” I said. “I just need to get away from the MC for a while and live my own goddamn life.” The guys were looking at me with hurt plain on their faces. I felt like shit for hurting them like this, but they had to realize that sooner or later, leadership would shift. This would have happened eventually. But it still hurt. “How can you do this to us?” Rod looked at me and I had to glance away. “You were just setting up plans for the

future! And suddenly you don’t care anymore? What the fuck happened, man?” “It’s nothing,” I said, shrugging. “I’ve got to get going. You guys stay here. Figure it out.” I almost wanted one of them to catch up to me, but they didn’t. In a display that recalled what had happened at the hospital with Wolf, I reached into my pocket for a knife. The guys watched in horror as I slid the point of the knife under my patches and began to cut. When “President” and “Wicked Angels” were severed, I dropped them on the ground and walked away.

Getting on my bike, I revved the engine and set off in the direction of the city limits. Darius and his MC controlled some abandoned warehouses out of town. Whipping out my phone, I called Darius. “It’s done,” I said shortly. “I stepped down. Now where are you? And where’s the girl and her son?” Darius laughed. “We’re at the warehouse. I assume you’ll be here soon.” “Damn straight.” I hung up and sped off in that direction. There was a bad

feeling mounting in my stomach and I couldn’t shake it off, no matter how hard I tried. Don’t be a paranoid fuckwit, I told myself as I sped up and exited the highway. It was fully dark and I could barely see. This was a bad part of town, worse even that the part where Jenny had lived. I shuddered as I thought about her trapped and scared. I desperately hoped they hadn’t hurt her, but I didn’t have a good feeling. Darius was a wild asshole, and his men were no better. They were animals, and Jenny was a gorgeous woman. I clenched my hands into fists and gripped the handlebars of my bike. If any one of them had laid a finger on her, I’d break every bone in his body. He’d be screaming for mercy

before I even really started to do some damage. I still had no idea what to do about the money. Part of me was hoping that Darius would call it even. After all, I’d stepped down. That was what he’d wanted, and that was what he’d get. I had to hope that I could bargain with him. Five million dollars was a lot of money, and I didn’t think I’d be able to get my hands on that kind of money. Not even with the help of the guys. Now that I’d stepped down, I didn’t think I could count on any of them to help me out. I shook my head and set my lips in a thin line. Darius was devious, and I knew he’d asked me to step down so the guys

wouldn’t have my back. As President, they were obligated to help me. But now, I wasn’t so sure they’d have my back. They’d feel betrayed, and with good reason, too. After all, a sitting president of the Wicked Angels hadn’t ever left before. Sure, guys had gotten booted out for stealing. More presidents had died while leading the Angels than had been kicked out. And if you put my guys to a vote, I was almost positive that they would have wanted the same outcome for me. There was no shame in a good death, but there was all too much shame in walking away from the tribe. As I approached the warehouses, the bad feeling in my stomach got even worse.

The lights were out, which was strange. After all, they wouldn’t have left Jenny and Phin alone, no matter how tight their bonds were. They would have left a couple of men—at least—to guard. But there was no one there. The sound of my bike’s engine revving echoed and bounced around the empty walls. When I dismounted, my boots clicked on the pavement. I felt like a man in a ghost town. “Darius? You better get your ass out here,” I called loudly. “I’m not fuckin’ around, man. Come out and get me, asshole!” There was no reply. The bad feeling got

worse and I felt my heart start to pound in my chest. As I looked around, I’d never felt more alone. More than anything, I wished I’d brought one of the guys with me, temporarily forgetting that I’d just stepped down and now the guys weren’t under any obligation to me whatsoever. Walking around, I ducked into one of the warehouses. It smelled foul, like rotten water, and I could tell no one had been here in months. I frowned. Where the fuck were they? He lied to you, a voice chimed in from the back of my head. He lied to you. They’re not here. You’ve been played,

Tristan, you sonuvabitch. I shuddered. I didn’t want to believe that Darius would have fucked me over so easily, but this didn’t bode well. I screamed Jenny’s name. I screamed Phin’s name. Over and over, I screamed for Darius. There was never a reply. It hit me with a sudden, cold certainty that they weren’t here. That I’d been lied to, and Darius had them somewhere else. And now I’d left my men at the mercy of Darius’s witness, and Jenny and Phin at the mercy of the devil himself. Cursing loudly, I hopped back on my

bike and sped towards the Wicked Angels clubhouse. Horrible, terrible thoughts were running through my head the whole time. Jenny bound and gagged, stripped naked and prodded for the amusement of Darius and his savage men. Phin bound and gagged, forced to watch his mother cry tears of shame as my rival slid his greasy hand down her perfect body. The image that hurt most of all was that in my mind of Darius telling Phin whose son he really was. Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I dialed Eric. He answered almost immediately. That was when I got the first surge of confidence that I’d had since before speaking with Darius.

“What’s up?” Eric’s voice was low and gravelly, like he knew something bad was going down. “There was a member of the Iron Fangs watching us just now,” I said hastily. “Find him. You hear me? Fucking find him!” “Got it, man,” Eric said. I could tell he was dying to ask me a million questions, but to his credit, he stayed silent. “Where are you?” “I’ll be there soon,” I said through gritted teeth. “Just find that asshole and make sure he doesn’t get away.”

Chapter Twenty-Four Jenny

I couldn’t begin to say how much time had passed. The only thing I was aware of was the slow, even sound of Phin’s breathing. Poor kid was terrified out of his wits but somehow he was still asleep. I hadn’t moved a muscle—we were still cuddled up on the floor and I was absentmindedly stroking his hair with one hand. I was afraid that if I moved at all, he’d wake up and then we’d have that to deal with. Phin had no idea how much trouble we were really in, but I didn’t want him to be scared.

I hated myself for letting this happen. I hated myself for falling for Tristan. If we’d never met, this wouldn’t have gone down. It seemed ridiculous now. And furthermore, how did Darius’s guys know how to start stalking me at the library if Tristan hadn’t even been aware of my existence? Maybe he knew you were here the whole time, a nasty voice chimed in the back of my head. Maybe he knew and he just didn’t want you. Maybe he never wanted to see you again. You’re lucky he saved you twice. It probably won’t happen again. You don’t deserve that, Jenny.

“Stop it,” I mumbled, unaware that I was talking to myself. “Shut the fuck up.” Phin stirred in my arms and my heart fluttered. “Mommy?” His voice in the darkness was scared and small, like that of a very young child. “Shhh, baby, it’s okay,” I told him as I pulled him closer and kept stroking his hair. “Go back to sleep. Do you think you can do that?” Phin wriggled on the concrete floor and I winced, knowing how uncomfortable he must be. Phin was practically all skin and bones—he’d finally hit his growth spurt—and the floor was hard on me, a

mature woman with an ass. Poor kid. He didn’t deserve any of this. I wished I could take him away from Centreville and never return, but now I wasn’t even sure if we’d make it out of the basement alive. It had seemed like hours, and no one had come down for us. Occasionally, I’d heard footsteps and mumbling upstairs but no one had even put their hand on the knob of the door. Every time I heard someone walking, my pulse quickened out of anxiety. I began to dread the door opening, seeing a manly silhouette stomp down the stairs. But then when the footsteps would pass, I’d feel a stronger pulse of anxiety than before. Don’t leave

me alone! I wanted to scream. Come back! Being ignored was infinitely worse than being in the company of those horrid men. I didn’t know what was going to happen next, but I didn’t like the thought of being alone here for the rest of the night. Where the hell was Tristan? Surely he had to know that something had happened by now. I didn’t know who had taken me, but it didn’t seem too far a stretch to imagine that these guys were probably linked to Randy and Steve. But Randy and Steve were a couple of buffoons—what would they want with me? They didn’t have beef with Tristan. Hell, I didn’t even think they knew

Tristan. But Centreville was only so big. And Tristan rode with a big MC of at least ten guys. I’d never met most of those guys. I’d never even seen some of them before. So maybe Randy and Steve had a bigger network than I’d imagined. And maybe they’d had some of their stronger guys take me down and keep me waiting. I shuddered as I remembered the force with which Randy had grabbed my breasts that once. He was a savage, a brute, someone who could barely be called a man. And now I was at his mercy.

“Mommy, what’s going to happen to us?” Phin looked up at me. In the darkness, I could see the angles and planes of his face reflected from the moonlight. There wasn’t a big window in the basement but I could see snatches of moon and dark from the outside world. I calculated that it probably had to be after midnight by now. And here we were, alone, starving, and cold. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had something to eat. I’d been so broken up with the thought of leaving Tristan’s that my appetite had completely vanished. But now even the bowl of stale bread was starting to look appetizing. “Baby, are you hungry?”

Phin nodded. He wiped the back of his mouth with his hand and I saw that he’d been drooling. I felt like the world’s worst mother as I climbed to my feet and walked over to the bowl of bread. “Let’s just eat a little bit of this right now,” I told Phin. “So we don’t get sick. Can you manage that?” Phin nodded. He picked up a piece of bread and crammed it into his mouth, trying to swallow whole. He grinned at me and for a moment, I had the sense he thought we were on this great adventure. Oh, kid, I wanted to say. You have no idea just what kind of adventure this

really is. Suddenly, the door opened. Phin and I leapt apart, like lovers caught in an embrace. A masculine figure strode down the stairs. Like the guys who had caught me yesterday, he was a menacing figure. There was something vaguely familiar about him, but it was too dark in the basement to really look at his face. At that exact instant, the man flipped a switch and harsh light flooded the basement. I squinted, getting an instant headache from the bright white lights that had been mounted on the rafters. In light, the basement was even dingier than it had been in darkness. With unease, I

saw that there were various stains of shapes and sizes on the floor. I shuddered. They were all a darkish redbrown…blood? “I see you’re enjoying the refreshments,” the man cackled. I shivered as he stepped closer. Focusing on his features, I felt like someone had punched me hard in the gut. This man was someone I’d seen before. I struggled, racking my brain for his name. He was someone that used to pal around with Tristan, someone I’d never really liked. “The name is Darius,” the man said, as if reading my mind. He stuck his hand out for a shake. I kept my fists balled into

defiant clumps at my sides. There was no way I was going to touch this monster. The name brought back all kinds of memories. When Tristan and I had started dating, they’d been best friends. They’d grown up together, on the wrong side of the tracks. Unlike the rest of Tristan’s friends, Darius had always tried to charm me. But it hadn’t ever worked; I’d seen right through his slimy bullshit. We hadn’t been together for all that long before Tristan and Darius stopped talking. I’d asked Tristan for the truth so many times that he’d gotten irritated with me, but he’d never told me why they weren’t friends anymore. I had to suspect that it was because Darius was pushing Tristan to

get into illegal activity and Tristan had refused. Deep down, I always knew it was because of me. If Tristan hadn’t been with me, he would have done anything in a heartbeat. But I was the center of his life then, and he’d been trying to get right just so we could be happy together. I’d always warned him that if he went to jail, I wouldn’t be there when he got back. And I thought he’d taken that pretty seriously. “I remember you,” I said. My voice sounded shaky and high-pitched, like a little girl’s. “You used to be friends with Tristan.” “Oh, you do have a good memory,”

Darius said. He smiled at me and stepped closer with a leering grin on his face. He made no secret at all of staring straight at my breasts and I shuddered at his intense gaze. “It’s been years since we laid eyes on each other. You remember the last time?” I swallowed hard. I did remember. It was one of the last times Tristan and I had seen each other before…well, before my parents orchestrated the breakup. Tristan had taken me dancing. We’d stayed until well after midnight, and afterwards, stumbled to his car. I was tipsy, tired, and all but falling down. Tristan was laughing and supporting me with an arm around my

waist. I remembered the way he smelled when I laid my head on his shoulder. Even now, in a grimy basement with a man who wanted to hurt me, remembering that night brought back a spark of pleasure. But it hadn’t ended on a good note. As Tristan had walked me closer to the car, a man had stepped out of the shadows. Darius. They’d gotten into some kind of argument and Tristan pulled a knife. He told Darius to stay away. At the time, seventeen years old and naïve as a schoolgirl, I’d been horrified. I’d had no idea that Tristan was protecting me; I’d only been shocked that my date had been packing a switchblade in his pocket the

whole time. Tristan had tried to soothe me but nothing had worked. When he’d taken me home, I’d cried for hours at the fact that he could be so cruel. I’d never even thought that Darius would have wanted to hurt me. Now, I wanted to go back in time and shake that silly little girl to her senses. Tristan wouldn’t have hurt a hair on my head. I understood that now, but I couldn’t help feeling like it was too late. “I remember,” I said sharply. Phin scrambled up and hid behind me. I could feel his small fingers digging into my thigh and I knew that he had to be more scared than ever.

“Mommy, who’s that man?” Phin’s voice was high and nearing hysterical. I pulled him into my arms so his back was to Darius. “Don’t worry, sweetie,” I told Phin, keeping my eyes on Darius, daring him to say anything to the contrary. “We’re going to be just fine.” Darius chuckled, a low, creepy sound. “So who am I?” He fixed his yellowish eyes right on me and I felt a bolt of fear strike my heart. “You’re Darius,” I said softly. “You were a friend of Tristan’s.”

Darius cackled, throwing his head back and exposing a veiny, corded neck. “You’re right,” he said. “Goddammit, you remembered me?” He almost grinned. “That’s a compliment, Jenny, dear.” I shuddered. “Let us go,” I said, trying to keep my voice as stern as I could. “Let me and my son go. We don’t deserve to be here. We haven’t done anything wrong.” Darius raised an eyebrow at me but he didn’t say anything. “Oh, you haven’t, have you? Well, then, I’ll just let you go,” he said silkily. “But there’s a price you have to pay first.” He stepped closer

and I felt my heart slam against my ribs in sheer terror. I shook my head. “I’m not giving you shit, Darius,” I said flatly. “Let us go.” Darius cocked his head to the side and looked at me with an amused glance. “I don’t think so,” he said archly. “After all, I went to all the trouble of finding you and bringing you here. I don’t think I’m through with you yet, Jenny. It’s been such a long time.” He grinned wolfishly and I felt a ripple of terror go through my body. “And I’ve missed you! Haven’t you missed me?” I was confused. “I don’t get it,” I said

softly. “We weren’t even friends. What do you want with me? If you’re trying to use me to get to Tristan, it’s not going to work. He doesn’t care about me.” Darius grinned wickedly. “Aged too much for him?” It stung but I didn’t reply. “Well, I think you look just amazing.” He licked his lips and let his eyes wander down my body, staring at my breasts. I shuddered and tried to look away. “Darius, come on,” I pleaded. “Think back to being friends with Tristan! Even though we’re not together anymore, you know he wouldn’t approve of you doing this!”

Anger flickered on Darius’s face for the first time. I sensed that I’d hit a raw nerve. “Always gotta defend the golden boy, don’t you?” Darius sneered. He leaned closer and I smelled something rotten on his breath. “Don’t you know that he and I are cut from the same cloth, you dumb bitch?” “No, you’re not,” I said. “Tristan made a life for himself. He brought himself up and he’s doing fine. And you’re…you’re kidnapping innocent women and their children! You’re fucked up, Darius!”

Darius laughed bitterly. “And don’t you think I know that, sweetcheeks?” He stared at me and I shivered. “Don’t you think I know it shoulda been me who succeeded, not your pretty boy Tristan?” I shook my head. “I don’t care,” I said firmly. Darius shook his head. He rubbed at some of the dark stubble on his chin with a greasy thumb. “I shoulda been the one who got to leave Centreville,” Darius said. “Not him. And you shoulda been my girl. Not his.” I blinked, feeling dumb. All this time, I’d never imagined that Darius had given

Tristan shit because he’d liked me. In fact, I’d actually thought he hated me. “What, you’re surprised I want you?” Darius gave me a wicked grin. He stood up and stepped closer. I flinched as his hand reached down and stroked my cheek. “Don’t be surprised, honey. You’re hot, mama, even with a little kid.” Before I could stop him, Phin turned around in my lap and faced Darius defiantly. My cheeks burned with shame knowing my son had listened in on this conversation. “My Daddy is going to come save us,”

Phin piped up. “You should be afraid of him! He’s tough!” Darius threw his head back and laughed. It was a rumbling, throaty sound that echoed through the damp basement. “Your daddy is dead,” Darius said evenly. I gasped and he made no response. “And you’ll be dead soon, too.” I was in shock as Darius got up and walked towards us with a length of rope in his hands. As he tied my wrists together behind my back, more tightly than before, I was barely paying attention. All I could think about was

Tristan. Was he really dead? What was going to happen to us now? I felt like crying, but in front of Darius, the tears wouldn’t come. When Darius was finished binding me, he moved to Phin and tied up his hands and ankles. Then he twisted my ankles together with the same rope, effectively binding me to my son. “I hope you enjoyed your snack,” Darius said just as my stomach rumbled from fierce hunger. “That was the last time you’ll be untied for a few days. I hope it was good!” He grinned at me as he turned around and climbed back up the stairs, flicking off the lights and

slamming the door hard behind him. “Mommy, what are we going to do?” Phin’s voice was trembling and scared but I couldn’t even respond. I was too trapped in my own head, too aware of my own shortcomings. Somehow, all of this had to be my fault. And now I was feeling more scared than ever before.

Chapter Twenty-Five Tristan

When I finally got back to the Angels’ HQ, I was covered in sweat and physically gearing up for a confrontation. Before Jenny had come back into my life, I didn’t care about the violent acts that went on all the time. But now I was seeing them from a faintly different perspective, almost as if Jenny were watching me all the time, like a little guardian angel on my shoulder. “Hey, boss,” Rod greeted me. He clapped me on the back, no doubt trying to make up for me passing over him in

favor of Eric. “Sucking up ain’t gonna do you any good,” I told him. “Where’s Eric? Where’s the guy?” “Back here!” I heard Eric calling. “We fuckin’ got him, man.” I followed the sound of Eric’s voice to a dingy room in the back that we sometimes used for bike repairs. The concrete floor was covered in grease and sweat and it smelled like man, the kind of man who rode in an MC. I shuddered, thinking that maybe this would be my last time in the clubhouse. I was going to miss it. The Wicked Angels

had been a part of my life for so long that I couldn’t even think about how empty it was going to feel when I was just another average Joe. There was a bulky man, bound to a chair, placed in the center of the room. His bald head was beading with sweat and when he saw me, the terror reflected on his face was as plain as day. Someone had gagged him and he began trying to talk frantically, resulting in garbled sound. Rod smacked him on the back and he winced. “This one’s a chatty motherfucker,” Eric said with a smirk. “We caught him behind the trees. Luckily, he didn’t get

too far away before we dragged him back.” I stared at the man, taking in his swarthy appearance. He had to be at least three hundred pounds, with as much fat as he had muscle. There were tattoos covering his arms, including the Iron Fangs insignia—a set of shark’s jaws in steel gray. I pulled my knife out of my pocket and jabbed at his arm, just hard enough to make a speck of blood appear. “Take the gag out,” I ordered. Eric stepped forward and ripped a dirty rag from the man’s mouth. He started yammering away and I swung back and

clocked him hard in the face. My hand connected with muscle, bone, and I felt blood dripping from my fingers as I lowered my fist. “I’ll hit you every time you start talking,” I growled. “Right now, you’re going to fucking listen to me. Then we can talk. Don’t say anything. Just nod if you understand.” The man nodded. Sweat dripped off his fatty upper lip and chin. I could tell that he was really scared. And he had every right to be; the next few hours weren’t going to be very fun for him. “I had a friend,” I said lazily, walking

around in a circle and beating at my left palm with my right fist. “This guy named Wolf. He was in the Wicked Angels with me for years, and I always thought he was a loyal companion.” If our hostage recognized Wolf’s name, he didn’t show it. The whites of his eyes showed in fear, and I could guess that he had at least some idea of what was coming. “Well, Wolf and I were such good friends that I really felt like I could trust him,” I continued. “In fact, I told Wolf just about everything that went on in the world. He was one of my best friends. I would have trusted him with my life.”

From the other side of the room, I saw Rod and Eric focus their eyes on me. They didn’t know what was coming, but I guessed it was going to be an unpleasant shock. Finding out that a member squealed, no matter if he was anything to you personally, was always a hard thing to take. “Wolf and I were so close,” I said, leaning down in the hostage’s face, crossing my two fingers and shook them close to his eyes, “we were like this, man. So, naturally, when a certain lady from my past and her son waltzed back into my life, I told Wolf. You see, since Wolf was on my side, I thought he would

help me protect them both. And they did need protecting; she’d been attacked twice in the span of a week, and her kid was pretty helpless.” The hostage had begun to moan, a low, liquid sound. “Hey, Rod,” I called. “Bring me those gardening shears we have over there.” The hostage’s eyes opened. When he parted his lips, I swung my fist back. “Remember, no talky for now,” I told him. “I’m not finished telling you the rest of the story.”

Rod crossed the room and placed a gigantic pair of gardening shears in my waiting hand. The blades were bigger than my thumbs, and I knew from past experience that they could really do some damage. I strode behind the hostage and grabbed one of his bound hands, placing his thumb in between the blades of the shears. “Well, you might guess what happened next. Some of your guys, the Iron Fangs, if I’m not mistaken, grabbed Wolf and beat him to a bloody pulp.” The hostage started shrieking and squealing when he felt the cold blades of metal pressing against his finger. I

wasn’t applying enough pressure to cut the skin, but one jerk of my fingers and this guy wouldn’t have his thumb anymore. “What did I say about talking?” Angrily I stepped in front of him again and glared. Tears were running down the man’s face and he was red with sweat and anxiety. He opened his mouth and I swung my fist back and punched him harder than before. When he spat at the ground, two teeth fell out of his lips. “I’m done waiting,” I announced, stepping behind the man and grabbing his thumb with my fingers. Before he could say anything, I snapped his thumb

in my hand. It was like breaking a thick, fatty twig. The hostage screamed in agony and I grabbed his pointer finger. “This is what you guys did to Wolf,” I said softly. “You broke all of his fingers until he agreed to tell you what you wanted to know. And I hope you know, the Wicked Angels have much, much more devious methods of hurting you than breaking your fingers.” I sliced the shears together in front of the hostage’s face. “I think these would do a great job cutting off your nuts, just in case we run out of fingers before you start to talk.” The hostage started shaking so hard that I had to tighten my grip on his pointer

finger. Before he could move again, I snapped the finger in my hand. The hostage screamed and tensed, his body jerking against the chair. For good measure, I grabbed one of his middle fingers and pulled it hard until it sprang from the joint with a soft pop sound. The hostage screamed in agony. Chuckling, I walked around and faced him. “So, are you ready to tell me where Darius took my girlfriend and my son? Or would you like me to break more fingers first? Or slice them off.” I held up the shears and waved them in front of the hostage’s face. “I could do that, too,”

I said with a wicked grin. “I can talk!” the hostage screamed. He looked at me with big, scared eyes that were bloodshot. “I can talk,” he repeated numbly. He spat out another mouthful of blood and locked eyes with me. “Darius took them to the old Wilson farm, outside of town.” “Good,” I said, stepping behind him. The man tensed as I grabbed one of his ring fingers and snapped it with ease between my own hands. His swollen, broken fingers looked like red pork sausages jutting out from his meaty hand. “I had to get that one in for good

measure,” I said casually as I stepped back around. “Don’t worry, you only have a few left. Then we can start on the shears.” The hostage trembled and shook. I rolled my eyes. He was a pussy, just like Wolf had been. My guys had been through a lot worse than broken fingers in their days. I cracked a grin. Hell, I should be feeling lucky. After all, the man who stayed was a man who would talk. And that was a good thing. “And just what was Darius planning to do with them?” I pressed the shears against the man’s unbroken thumb. “Tell me or I cut this off.”

“He was going to kill them!” The hostage gasped before I could bear down on the shears. “He’s going to kill them in the morning even though you stepped down!” Anger flooded my body and I was more than halfway tempted to just cut his thumb off right then and there. “You fucking ingrate,” I snapped under my breath. “Why didn’t you fucking tell me that before?” Stalking around and facing the crying, red-faced hostage, I glared at him with all of the strength and anger in my body. “Then what?”

The hostage shook his head. He suddenly looked nervous. “I don’t know,” he stammered. “I don’t know! Darius didn’t say anything else!” His voice grew to a boyish, high-pitched wail. “Come on,” I said in a deadpan voice. “Tell me who’s guarding them.” “Darius is!” the hostage yelped quickly. “But he only took a couple of men with him! I think three. You could easily take them,” he added in a shaky voice, glancing around the garage. “You could easily overpower him! You’re stronger!” He was shaking and quivering and I could tell that he thought we were going to kill him.

“Relax,” I said. “We’re not going to kill you.” “You’re not?” The hostage looked up at me in disbelief. “No,” I said shortly. “We’re just going to leave you here while we go storm the farm. Come on, guys.” Rod and Eric followed me out to the bikes. The old farm that the hostage had mentioned was about twenty miles outside of Centreville and surrounded by a forest on all sides. It would be tricky, and I wasn’t sure if we had enough time to get there.

“We have to get there by morning,” I told the guys. “You get that?” Eric nodded. He clapped a hand on my shoulder. “We’re with you, brother,” he said gruffly. “Prez or no prez, we’re behind you all the way.” Rod gave me a reassuring glance. “Eric’s right,” he said solemnly. “Come on. Let’s go get your family.” As we mounted our bikes and rode out towards the Wilson farm, I had a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach. What if it was too late? What if Jenny and Phin were already dead? Nausea

overtook me but I couldn’t stop to hurl on the side of the road. I had to get to them, and I had to get there as soon as possible. If anything happened to Jenny, it would be my fault. And this time I knew that I’d never be able to forgive myself.

Chapter Twenty-Six Jenny

When Darius left, a wave of panic hit me like a tsunami. I was so scared that I couldn’t even cry. My heart was pounding and convulsing in my chest and I didn’t think any amount of deep breathing would be able to calm me down. Phin was twisting and turning against his bonds. Every few seconds he’d let out a little whimper. The sounds had scared me at first but now they were almost reassuring because they let me know that he was still alive. I’d never been so afraid for me or my son.

Tristan can’t be dead! I wanted to think, but I knew that in this situation I was going to have to be a lot more pragmatic than that. What if Darius had been telling the truth? After he’d left, I’d mulled over the scenario in my head. I didn’t think it was likely, but I knew he’d probably gone out looking for me after I’d left. That would have put him alone, and easy bait for Darius’s men to catch. I shuddered, thinking of what Darius had promised. I had no idea if he was actually going to kill me, but I knew that I couldn’t take any chances. Without trying to attract any of Phin’s attention, I began clenching my hands into fists. After Darius had bound me, I hadn’t

been able to move but I’d slowly been wiggling around until the bonds were looser. My hands hurt like hell and I could tell they were swollen, but after a few seconds of closing my eyes and straining as hard as I could, some of the life started to come back. I felt the blood flowing into my hands and I stretched and arched my back, desperately trying to loosen the ropes. Darius had bound us with a soft-corded rope, and it was almost slippery against my sweaty skin. I realized that if I could just calm down, take deep breaths, and try to relax, I might stop sweating long enough for the rope to be untangled. “Mommy, what’s going to happen now?”

Phin looked up at me. In the dim light of the basement, I could see tears reflected on his cheeks. With growing horror, I realized that the sun would start to rise in a few hours. I realized that if Darius meant what he’d said, I was really going to have to get away. “Mommy’s busy right now,” I snapped at Phin, turning around and twisting my hands over and over. Even though the rope was smooth, it was burning my wrists raw and my eyes flooded with tears as I strained against the bonds. My back was aching and sore and my shoulder blades screamed in pain every time I shifted my body. Phin looked up at me again.

“Mommy, please,” Phin said softly. “Please, I’m scared.” “Phin, I know you’re scared,” I said, feeling irrationally exasperated with my small son. “But we’re in this together, and Mommy has to work hard on trying to get out. You understand that, don’t you?” Phin sniffled and nodded. “Is Daddy going to come save us?” “I don’t know, sweetheart,” I told him honestly. Phin’s eyes grew wide and he gasped but he didn’t say anything else. Finally, as I shifted to the left, I felt the

rope around one of my wrists give. Almost immediately, the struggle became easier. I groaned loudly and finally tugged one of my arms free. My shoulder popped audibly as I pulled my arms back around and started massaging some of the blood back into my mangled, swollen hands. Even in the dimness of the room, I could see the skin was a ghostly pale—both from the rope burn and lack of blood flowing. Damn Darius, I thought with sudden anger that I hadn’t felt before. Damn him for hurting us and for scaring my son. Poor Phin. I felt tremendously guilty for the way I’d snapped at him before.

“Phin, I’m really sorry,” I said softly. “Come here.” Phin scooted closer to me on the floor and I picked him up with my aching arms and set him on my lap. His hands were bound behind his back and my fingers picked at the ropes. His bonds came free much more quickly than mine had, and in only a matter of minutes Phin was free. “Do you think you can work on your ankles?” I was keeping my voice as low as I could. “Yes, Mommy!” Phin cried loudly. I shot him a sharp look. “We have to be

really quiet. We have to be super quiet because we’re going to run away, okay?” Phin nodded. I could sense again that he thought this was just a big adventure. I wasn’t even sure if he’d heard Darius when Darius had told us that Tristan was dead. Or maybe Phin just had more faith than I did. With a heart stopping pause, I realized that Phin hadn’t ever experienced death in his life before. Since we hadn’t grown up with the influence of my parents, he’d never experienced the typical “grandparent dying” that had been such a common experience during my elementary school years. By the time I’d been Phin’s age,

I’d been to a handful of funerals. But Phin had no concept of death. We’d never even had a pet. He hadn’t even seen a goldfish die. I wondered if he knew that death was permanent, something that couldn’t be changed. “Did you hear Darius?” I asked, closing my eyes tightly and hoping Phin would say no. “Yes, Mommy,” Phin said solemnly. “He said Daddy is dead.” “He lied,” I said firmly. “Daddy’s not dead, okay? So don’t even think about that right now.”

Phin nodded. Some of his light brown hair was standing straight up in the air and I smoothed it down with one hand. He was so fragile, so vulnerable. I closed my eyes and thought about how we could escape. Maybe I could break the chair apart and storm the upstairs, threatening to hurt myself unless the men let us go. But that wouldn’t work. Phin was fast, but he was a little kid and I was sure the men would be able to catch up with him easily. No, we wouldn’t be able to escape together. Looking at the window, I squinted as hard as I could at the glass. It was grimy

and smeared with dirt, but even from where I was sitting I could tell that it was at least a few inches thick. There was no way I could break through glass that thick without something much sturdier than the leg of a chair. A plan was slowly forming in my mind. I didn’t like the idea of it, but I was starting to realize that it was probably our only way out. I remembered how easy it had been to manipulate that friend of Tristan’s back when I was under “house arrest.” All I’d had to do was tell him that I needed to use the bathroom. I had a feeling whoever Darius’s guys were, they’d easily fall for the same lie. After all, a pretty woman in distress who

needs to use the bathroom…they wouldn’t want to humiliate me. Even if they were thugs, they wouldn’t want to clean up my piss from the basement floor. Phin looked at me, almost as if he could read my mind. “What are you thinking about, Mommy?” “I’m thinking of a plan to get us out of here,” I said softly. “But we can’t go together. You’re going to have to run when I tell you to run, okay?” Phin looked up at me with big scared eyes. “Mommy, I’m frightened,” he said. He squeezed my fingers with his tiny

hands and a bolt of pain shot through my arm. “Don’t be,” I said, gritting my teeth until the pain subsided. Having my hands bound for almost twelve hours had been incredibly painful, and I didn’t even want to know how swollen all of my fingers were by now. But the last thing I wanted to do was let Phin know how much pain I was feeling. I had a feeling he’d be even more terrified if he knew how badly I was hurting. “Mommy, what are we going to do?” I bit my lip. “We’re going to tell the men that Mommy has to use the bathroom,” I

said. “And when they let me through, I’m going to hit one of them over the head. When they try to grab me, I want you to run up the stairs and run out of the house. Phin, this is very important. I don’t care what direction you run in, but you need to keep running. You have to promise me that you’re not going to stop or even turn around, okay? Even that will make you slow down.” Phin nodded solemnly. I knew he would take my task seriously. He was the fastest runner in his class at school and he had some great, natural athletic ability. “Remember what Coach Downs says?”

Coach Downs was Phin’s gym teacher and he practically worshipped the man. Phin nodded excitedly. He made a fist with one hand and held it in the air, striking a fierce karate pose. “I remember,” he said quickly. “I promise I’ll keep running, Mommy. I promise I won’t let you down.” “We’re going to listen for a little while first,” I instructed Phin. “I need to count how many men are up there. Can you be quiet for Mommy?” Phin nodded. He wiped his nose with the back of his hand. Even though I was starving and my blood sugar was low,

the hunger I’d been feeling before Darius visited us had completely disappeared. It was replaced by something stronger, something more like adrenaline. Phin and I crawled over to the wall and leaned with our backs against the cold concrete. I closed my eyes and listened overhead. There was one man stalking back and forth overhead—I could hear his heavy footsteps beating down on the floor like someone was dropping heavy groceries over and over again. Just as he walked away, I heard another, lighter footfall. “I think there might only be two men,” I whispered, praying that the giant burly

one wouldn’t be the one to come to the door. “I think we can handle that.” More than anything, I wished I had a weapon. But I’d searched the room dozens of times, and the only thing there was that broken-down chair. Setting my lips in a thin line, I climbed to my feet and walked over to it. I wasn’t strong by any means, but the leg practically fell into my hands as soon as I grabbed it. Phin giggled and clapped his hands. “Mommy, you’re strong!” he chirped, and I had to shoot him a look to silence him. “Sorry, Mommy. I forgot,” he added in a quieter voice.

I shook my head. “You can’t forget anything else, okay, buddy? You have to remember what I said. What did I say?” Phin puffed up, looking suddenly important. “I have to run,” he said proudly. “I have to run away as fast as I can! And I can’t look back or stop running!” “That’s right,” I said, a glimmer of pride creeping into my voice. “Now, are you ready to go?” Phin nodded. My heart was in my throat as I crept up the stairs, holding the chair leg at my side, hidden in the darkness.

I knocked on the door as loudly as I could. “What is it?” The voice behind the locked door was gruff and cold. I shivered. “I’m sorry, but I really need to use the bathroom,” I said softly. “Please, it’s an emergency. I don’t think I can wait any longer.” “I don’t know, lady,” the voice said in reply. “Boss is gone. We ain’t supposed to let you out of the basement.” I motioned for Phin to join me on the steps behind the door. He crept up

behind me without a sound and the tiny bit of pride I’d felt exploded into radiance. “Come on,” I begged. “Please! I really have to pee!” There was a heavy sigh. “Fine,” the guy replied. “But this is our secret, okay? You can’t tell boss about this. He’ll kill me!” Well, he’ll kill me if I don’t get out! I thought in frustration. But I didn’t say anything, and before a few seconds had passed I heard a key jamming into the lock. The knob turned and the door slowly swung backwards and opened. I

closed my eyes and swung the wooden chair leg up and at the guy with all of my might. He didn’t even see it coming, and it connected sharply with his skull. I darted to the side and Phin pushed past me, running through the house. I heard him screaming, followed by a gunshot, but Phin’s light footfall kept going and I knew that he’d made it out unharmed. “What’s the big fuckin’ idea?” The guy looked at me, rubbing his head. I swung the wooden chair leg at him again and again until he crumped to a pile of muscle and fat at my feet. Elated, I tried to push past him. Then, I heard a familiar voice and my

whole body went cold. “So, you thought you could run away from me?”

Chapter Twenty-Seven Tristan

As we rode, the wind whipped at my hair. The night had been black as anything a few hours ago, but now the sky was streaked faintly with pink and lavender—dawn was coming. My heart hardened in my chest. If we didn’t move quickly, Jenny would be lost and gone forever. And our son, Phin. If anything happened to him, I’d never be able to forgive myself. Jenny was a resourceful girl and I had to hope that somehow she’d managed to find a way out of this trap. But Phin would hold her back; even though he was strong and skinny for an

eight-year-old, I knew he wouldn’t be able to run as fast as a grown man. I shuddered. The end was coming, no matter how it went down. It was all gonna be over soon. Sensing that we were close to the farm, I slowed down and stopped on the side of the road. Rod and Eric looked at me. “Boss, what’s going on?” I couldn’t help but feel a small touch of pride when they called me boss, even though I’d stepped down. It was such a tremendous sign of respect and it meant so much to me. Between that and missing Jenny and Phin, I was feeling more

emotional than I had any right to feel as a man. Leader of an MC or no, I was still a man. And my family, my kryptonite, was in danger. “We gotta park our bikes here,” I said. “If Darius hears us ride up, who knows what he’ll do. You get that, right?” They both nodded. Together, we wheeled our bikes off the road and covered them with some brush. The forest we were in was dark and dense, and thick with evergreen trees. As soon as we were past the road, it seemed darker than ever. I was almost glad for the early morning light.

Something sharp and fierce hurt my chest, causing me to suck in my breath. I realized what it was: the last time I’d been out at the old Wilson farm, I’d been with Jenny. Darius must have known. He must have known all along that we’d gotten back together and he wanted to rub it in my face. It was just like him to be so petty, to be unable to forget the past. I shook my head. I thought I’d had trouble moving on from Jenny, but now it seemed like Darius had even more. He’d always been like this. He’d always had a chip on his shoulder; always felt like the world was out to get him. When Jenny smiled at me, I saw sunshine and diamonds sparkling. But when she

smiled at Darius, he saw a hot girl who was his ticket out of the world. I shook my head in disgust. I had to believe that part of the reason he was attracted to Jenny was because of her background. When we’d first gotten together, he’d brought it up almost every chance he got. “So, that girl is moneyed, huh?” Darius eyed me. He took a long slug of the beer that we’d stolen from his parents’ kitchen before passing me the bottle. “It doesn’t matter,” I said, taking a long swallow and passing the bottle back. It was nearly empty at this point. I wasn’t used to drinking much, and I

was already tipsy after sharing the whole six-pack. Darius had been sneaking beer since he was fourteen, but now we were seventeen and I still felt like a little kid next to him. “The fuck it doesn’t matter,” Darius said. He belched loudly. “You realize that if somethin’ bad happens, her parents are gon’ bail her out no matter what. If you marry her, the same thing’ll happen to you.” I laughed drily. “I doubt that’s ever going to be the case,” I said archly. “You know how much her parents hate me. They’d kill me if I proposed.”

Darius shook his head. “Don’t be such a fuckin’ pussy, man,” he said, passing me another, fresh bottle. “She’s your woman. You gotta take what’s yours.” I frowned. I didn’t like it when he referred to Jenny as “mine,” even though that was how I thought of her sometimes. Our relationship was private, not something for my friends to dissect in front of me. “That ain’t fair,” I said as I stood up and kicked at a clod of dirt. “If I told her that I was takin’ her away from her parents, you know that wouldn’t fly.” Darius gave me a wicked grin. “Well,

give them some incentive,” he said. “Break her heart. Then they’ll beg you to come back. They might even pay you off.” I couldn’t fathom hurting the woman I loved like Darius was suggesting. “That’s too much, dude,” I told him. “Lighten up. You’d get a girlfriend if you quit brooding around like an asshole all the time.” Darius lit a cigarette and exhaled in my face. “I don’t want just any girl,” he said. “I have fuckin’ standards, man. And let’s face it, you have the finest pussy in town. What does she taste like,

by the way?” He crudely licked his lips and I felt a shudder of revulsion. “Tell me she’s sweet, like candy.” I laughed shortly, trying not to show my discomfort. “I ain’t talking about my girl’s pussy,” I said. “Now cut the shit, Darius.” He stared at me. “You really don’t know how fuckin’ lucky you are, chump,” Darius said. He took a long pull of beer. “She’s yours and you don’t even question it. Look at her! That ass, those tits. Mmm…I’d be fuckin’ her every single night of the week and making her call me Daddy.”

I turned away. Jenny and I hadn’t had sex yet. We’d come close a few times— lots of heavy petting—but no actual fucking yet. I was dying to fuck her. I’d been dying to fuck her since I first saw her, but I knew that I had to respect her wishes and wait. After all, she was a virgin. And there was something about the thought of slipping even a finger into her tight little virgin pussy that sent me over the edge. I was worried that when we did fuck, I’d come too soon. And I couldn’t have my girl disappointed. Things had gotten so bad lately that I’d taken to jacking off before we got together, just in case there was a chance. It was like carrying a condom in my pocket: embarrassing,

but necessary. “Don’t tell me you haven’t gotten a taste of that snatch.” Darius looked at me, almost as if reading my mind. “I had no idea you were such a puss, Mayer.” I rolled my eyes. “It ain’t about that,” I said sharply. “It’s about her choice, and I respect that.” Darius snorted. “You are a fuckin’ faggot, man. You get that? If she were mine…damn!” He trailed off with a loud exclamation. “If she were mine, I’d fuck her every single night until she was beggin’ me to stop. She wouldn’t be

able to walk right for a week after a night with ole Darius.” The feeling of discomfort that had started in my chest was only getting stronger. I couldn’t help but feel like Darius was deliberately trying to make me feel like less of a man, like Jenny would eventually get bored with me and move on to someone who would fuck her all the time. Maybe he was right, maybe I was being too soft. Maybe I really needed to push for what I wanted. That night, when I saw Jenny, I told her that I’d canceled our dinner plans and we were going on a drive. She flushed

with nervousness and my cock stiffened in my jeans as I caught a whiff of her floral perfume. She looked great, too; she was in a pink minidress that was a shade too small for her. As she sat down hard in the seat of my car, her tits bounced. My mouth went dry. I wanted to lick and kiss every inch of her pale, long body. “I’m so excited to see you tonight,” Jenny said softly. She reached out and twined her fingers through mine. I felt another surge of animalistic lust take me over. “I’ve missed you, Tristan. Vacation with my parents was so boring. I couldn’t stop thinking about you. I thought about you all the time,

Tristan.” Her blush deepened to a red and she looked out the window. “I even thought about you at night,” she added softly. “When I was lying in bed.” Blushing deeply, shit bit her plump lower lip. The erection that sprang up in my jeans was so hard that it was painful. For a minute, I thought about pulling the car over and pressing Jenny to me, crushing her in a passionate kiss. Make Darius proud. But Jenny looked at me with such a guileless, open look and the urge passed. No, I couldn’t force myself, even if there was a chance she would enjoy it. I had to respect her, and her wishes.

Reaching across the seat, I squeezed Jenny’s hand. “Let’s go to dinner after all,” I told her, my cock softening in my jeans. “I’m starving.” Shaking my head, I looked around. All the memories of years ago faded and I was only left with the realization that I was alone with my men in the woods. “It’s this way,” I said, pointing towards a clearing I could just make out through the trees. “Keep walking. We gotta find the farmhouse before day breaks.” Eric and Rod followed close behind, trusty as ever. I was so glad that they

were with me, but part of me felt like facing Darius was something I’d have to do alone. After all, this was a long time coming. A very long time coming indeed. Something moved in the corner of my eye and I whipped my head to the side. There was a small figure, running fast, and coming towards us. I frowned, trying to make him out. Suddenly, something clicked in my brain. “Phin!” I called. “Phin, is that you?” The little figure hurtled towards me and clung to my legs, sobbing loudly. I could tell he was out of breath and badly dehydrated, but it was Phin all right.

Scooping his light frame up in my arms, I looked into my son’s eyes. “Phin, what happened?” Phin was sobbing and blubbering against my shirt. His face was wet with tears and snot and as he pressed his small frame against mine, I felt his whole body shaking with fear. “Phin,” I said, as calmly as I could manage. “You need to tell me what’s going on. I can’t help if you don’t tell me. Try to take a deep breath, okay?” Phin looked into my eyes and I saw, even in the darkness, that his irises were

the exact same color as mine. A shiver ran through me. It was like it was hitting me for the first time that this kid really was my son. As we locked eyes, Phin’s small body relaxed and he took a deep breath. His skin was soaked with sweat and I could tell he’d just had the workout of his little life. “Mommy’s in danger,” Phin said in a rush. “She…she did something to distract the men and I ran away. I ran so fast and I didn’t stop, just like she told me to!” His voice was growing excited and rapid again. “Mommy told me to run and I ran, Tristan! You have to hurry! She’s in trouble!”

Fear and panic flared in my heart but I tried not to show that to Phin. Poor kid had already had what had to be the scariest day of his life; he didn’t need things getting any direr than they already were. But now I was scared that in saving Phin, Jenny had gotten herself killed. Darius was a dangerous man and he palled around with equally tough guys —it wouldn’t be a stretch to imagine one of them taking Jenny out after finding out that Phin had escaped. “Rod! Eric!” The guys jogged over, closing the respectful distance they had maintained to give me some privacy with Phin. “We gotta get to the old farm!

Hurry!” “Phin, you be good. You stay here, okay?” Phin’s lip trembled and I could tell that he was afraid of being left in the dark. “Phin, don’t argue. Be a good boy and stay right here. We’ll be back for you, okay?” Phin let out a small sigh and nodded. I could tell he wanted to argue but after a few seconds, he turned his big scared eyes towards me. “Okay,” he said softly. “I’ll stay here.”

Turning to my guys, I gave a curt nod with my head. “Come on. Let’s go.” As we turned towards the old farm and started running, the panic rose in my body like a tidal wave. It could be all over already. She could be dead and cold, and Darius could be waiting to kill me. “You scared?” Eric’s voice was low and comforting, like the hum of a radiator in an old house. “Yeah,” I admitted as we ran faster. “I’m fuckin’ terrified.”

Chapter Twenty-Eight Jenny

As soon as Phin escaped, all hell broke loose. Fortunately, the men were so distracted with wrangling me down to the ground that he was able to slip away, almost unnoticed. I silently praised him in my head for being such a good boy and for running so fast. After this, I promise we’ll go back to Chuck E Cheese, I thought. I promise, Phin. We can even go to Disney Land. The burlier of the two guys grabbed me and held my arms above my back, making my boobs jut forward in a way

that was almost painful. “So you thought you could play us, girlie?” His foul breath was hot on my ear and I struggled against him and kicked until my muscles were aching. “You thought you could run? We’re gonna teach you a lesson, aren’t we?” He jerked backwards and I realized he was gesturing for his partner to come forward. The other guy was smaller but still much larger than I was. He crept towards me with a nasty smile on his face, reaching out with a greasy hand towards my chest. I tried to jerk and twist backwards but the burly guy held me in place.

The smaller of the two reached out and tweaked one of my breasts painfully. I cried out and the burly guy lifted me off the ground so my feet were kicking in the air. As I cried out, the smaller guy slid his hand down my body and stuck it between my legs, wiggling his fingers obscenely. “You wanted some attention, red? Well, why didn’t you just say so?” The smaller guy sneered as he stroked the insides of my thighs with his fingers. A choked sob escaped from my mouth and I tried to scream but there was no sound. It was like being in a dream. I was barely aware of the burly guy dragging me back into the basement and tossing me down

the stairs. The impact of landing on the concrete at the bottom was painful, but not painful enough to jar me back to reality. “Yo, Darius! We got us a little escape artiste!” The burly guy chuckled and stood at the top of the stairs, blocking all light from coming down into the basement. “You wanna come deal with this, or should we?” Wincing as I struggled to sit up, I covered my eyes with my hand and blinked. I saw Darius’s large frame fill the doorway and run down the steps with alarming rapidity.

“Get out of the way,” Darius snapped. He pushed the burly guy aside and set his eyes on me. Like before, they were fixed in an angry glare. “What the fuck happened?” He stood over me menacingly, spreading his legs to a shoulder-width apart. “Jenny, what the fuck happened?” “I had to use the bathroom,” I managed to squeak quietly. “And Phin must have escaped. He ran off and the guys weren’t able to catch him.” Darius’s eyes blazed in anger. He raised a hand and I cowered, thinking he was going to slap me. But he chuckled softly.

“What are you so afraid of?” Darius stepped closer and nudged me with the toe of his boot. A lick of pain shot through my head as I struggled to focus on his bulky frame. “You think I’m gonna hurt you, is that it?” I shook my head. “I don’t know what to think. You told me that you were going to kill me, that you were going to hurt Phin. Darius, why are you doing this? What could have possibly happened to make you want to hurt us so badly?” Darius laughed again, a low, throaty sound. “Because you should have been mine,” he said softly. He leaned down and I smelled the alcohol on his breath.

“And because you’re still loyal to that fucking pussy, Tristan.” I shivered as he said Tristan’s name. “What do you want with him?” I asked softly. Darius grinned but it was more sinister this time. “Tell me, baby. Tell me you want me right now and all of this will be over.” He got down on his hands and knees and crawled towards me—a grotesquely odd sight. “You want to make it with me? I’ll let you live,” he teased, reaching over and chucking me under the chin with a finger. I shivered as his finger traced down my

neck. I was waiting for him to grope my boobs like the horrible cronies had, but he stopped just shy of my chest. “I’m glad Phin escaped,” I whispered hotly. “I’m glad he got away from you and that he didn’t have to see this. I know who his real father is, and I’m glad it’s not you. I’m glad we were never together, Darius. You’re a thief and a liar and I hate you!” The words tumbled out before I could stop myself from talking. My cheeks were hot with rage and my heart was pounding against my chest. Darius looked shocked. For a moment, he stared at me, his face turning white with rage. Then he got to his feet and reached in his pocket for a gun. I

cowered, thinking he was going to shoot me. But instead, he laughed. “You think I’m gonna kill you, baby? Just you wait,” he said with a nasty grin. “I’m gonna wait for your boyfriend to show up, and then I’m gonna do it in front of him. And that’s not all, baby. You’re gonna be in real bad shape and he’s gonna have to sit and watch.” Darius stepped closer and kicked me again, harder this time. I cried out as the toe of his boot connected with my ribs, making a painful cracking sound. I scrambled backwards and eventually climbed to my feet, shaking and trembling.

“You wanna fight?” Darius raised an eyebrow. “You wanna throw a punch at me? You think I can’t take that?” I shivered. He pointed the gun at me. I flinched again. When he moved his arm down, I felt my body relax. But before I knew what was happening, Darius swung towards me and cracked me hard over the head with the gun. It hurt like hell and I screamed, falling to my knees and covering my head with my arms as the blows rained down. He hit me rhythmically, and I could feel blood trickling down my face and neck. I screamed and screamed but no one came, and I could hear Darius cursing me in a frenzy as he kept hitting me. Pain

exploded all over my body and there was a terrifying moment where I didn’t even feel like I could breathe. “You’re a bitch,” Darius hissed. “You’re a fucking cunt and you deserve every second of this,” he grunted as he hit me again, with even more force than before. It sounded like something delicate snapping in my ear as the gun made hard contact with the side of my face. I cried out but he didn’t stop hitting me, and soon it began to feel like I was swimming underneath murky water. The pain was clouding my vision and I felt like I was going to pass out. As I feebly groped around for safety, Darius became even more enraged. Slowly, I felt my

consciousness fade out to a clear, comfortable black. Phin, Tristan…I love you… I was away from my pain, and feeling whole and normal again. I wasn’t in the dirty basement anymore. I was seventeen again and waiting for Tristan to pick me up. Tristan—just saying his name filled me with happiness. It had only been a few weeks since we met, and I was dying to see him again. Finally, after what felt like hours, his black T-bird pulled up in front of me. I blushed as Tristan leapt out of the driver’s side and walked around,

opening the door for me like a gentleman. “My lady,” Tristan said. He bowed gracefully as I stepped past him and sank into the plush leather of the vintage seat. Tristan always just said his car was old, but I knew better. Even though it was beat up and needed a lot of work, I loved his T-bird. “It’s vintage,” I’d told him when I first saw it. “And just imagine how beautiful it’s going to look after you’re restored it.” Never mind the fact that Tristan never had money to spend on his car. I wasn’t going to give up the idea of having a beautiful car.

“I missed you,” I said impulsively. Then I blushed. Tristan laughed. He reached over and rubbed my knee affectionately. Butterflies swarmed through my body and I trembled at the touch of his hot, rough hand. I loved the feel of his callouses rubbing against my sensitive skin. Summer was ending and I was wearing a thin sundress under my cardigan. I’d hoped Tristan would say something about how I looked but so far he hadn’t. He seemed distracted, like he was in another place other than with me. “Is everything okay?” I shifted in the

seat and watched the elfin profile of the boy I loved as he drove off into the sunset. “I’m fine,” Tristan said shortly. I pouted. Normally, he wasn’t the most open of people but he’d tell me what was on his mind. After all, I was his girlfriend. Tristan had asked me a couple of nights ago, right before I’d gone in to see Mummy and Daddy. “Tristan,” I pleaded. “Tell me what’s going on. Please?” Tristan sighed. He kept his eyes focused on the road but I knew he was

concentrating on me. “Jenny, what happened when you told your parents about us?” After Tristan had asked me to be his girlfriend, I’d gushed excitedly about how I could finally tell Mummy and Daddy about the two of us. I couldn’t wait to spill my excitement to my mother. She’d always been my best friend, and I thought this would make us closer than ever. But it hadn’t gone well. Mummy had simply frowned and set her lips in a line. “Do you need to go to the doctor?” she’d asked, looking away and ignoring my crestfallen reaction.

“I don’t want you sleeping with this boy, Jennifer.” “Didn’t you want to meet him? Don’t you want to know who makes me so happy?” Mummy had simply looked at me. “It’s getting late,” she’d said. “It’s time for me to go to bed. Good night, Jennifer.” Since then, we hadn’t talked about it. But now that Tristan was asking me, I felt a certain heaviness in my stomach, the kind of anxiety that came with the knowledge that my family didn’t approve of him.

“Um, it went well,” I lied to Tristan as we drove into the dark night. “I mean, she was tired. We didn’t talk about it for very long.” Tristan snorted. “Right, she was tired. More like she was too tired to hear her daughter talking about fucking a boy from the slums, right?” I rolled my eyes. “Tristan, she’s not like that,” I argued. “She cares about me. She cares about my happiness.” Tristan shook his head. “Jenny, I…” he trailed off, and my heart seized. Was he going to tell me that he loved me? Or even that he liked me a lot?

“Yes?” “Jenny, I don’t know that your family has your best interests in mind,” he said softly. Reaching over to grab my hand, he twined his fingers through mine. “And you know, maybe you won’t wind up living like they do.” I pouted. “Of course I will,” I said. “That’s why I have a fund. And I’m an only child, so you know they have to take care of me.” I blushed, thinking about my future with Tristan. Would we have babies? I always pictured my parents would make great grandparents.

Tristan looked at me. “Jenny, I want to believe you,” he said with a sigh. “But you know, my friend, Darius, says we’ll probably always be rejects. He has some plan to get us going in the world, you know, get us really started on living successfully.” I frowned. “There’s only one way to do that—going to college and getting a good job. That’s what I’m doing. That’s what you should do, too.” Tristan looked at me with a glimmer of exasperation on his face. I frowned. This night wasn’t going the way I wanted it to go at all. I shivered and

wrapped my arms around myself—the chilly night air coming in through the T-bird’s windows was making me cold. “Jenny, the world is a lot different than you are,” he said. “For the most part, at least. You and your family are used to a lot of status that we don’t necessarily get.” I pouted again. “I don’t wanna talk about it,” I said finally. “But I know Mummy and Daddy will love you once they meet you.” Tristan’s lips were in a thin line. “I gotta establish myself as a real man before I meet your parents,” he said,

almost more to himself than to me. “You know that, Jenny? There are some things I have to do.” I shrugged. “I think you should just work hard. My parents respect that.” “Bullshit,” Tristan responded quickly. “I don’t think they give a fuck about anyone but themselves and anyone who wants to hurt their daughter. They’re never going to accept me, Jenny. You have to break with them if we want to stay together.” “No,” I said, almost crying. “No, Tristan. No. That’s not right, and you know it. If you love me, you’ll work to

prove to them that you love me. That’s how we’ll be together. I’m not running away from my family just to be with you!” As soon as the words had left my mouth, I realized how hurtful they would be. Tristan sucked in a sharp breath like he’d cut himself. “I didn’t know you felt that way,” he said almost coldly. “I can see that you feel strongly about this, though. If it’s that important to you, I’ll try to impress them, Jenny. But not right now. I have to wait until things are in order, and until things are right. Does that make sense?” I let out a grateful sigh. For a moment,

I’d thought Tristan would be too hurt over what I said. Relaxed, I settled back into the seat and closed my eyes. Here I was, with a boy who loved me… who’d do anything for me. When I looked at Tristan, his eyes narrowed and focused on driving, love swelled in my body. “I love you,” I said suddenly. “I’ll love you for the rest of my life.” Pain throbbed in my head and I felt a pair of hands gripping me under the armpits. “Jenny,” a familiar low voice urged me. “Jenny, wake up! It’s time to wake up,

Jenny!” Moaning, I tried to open my swollen eyes. Darius had beaten me so badly that I was barely aware of being carried out of the basement and propped up on the ground. When I was able to focus, I saw Tristan kneeling in front of me and stroking my face with his hand. “Tristan?” I managed to croak, wincing with pain. “Just hold on, Jenny,” Tristan said, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me close. “Just hold on.”

Chapter Twenty-Nine Tristan

After Eric, Rod, and I left Phin, we’d stormed the farm and started shooting everyone in sight. Darius managed to duck, even though I hit him in the leg with a bullet. His men were about to run away when the cops showed up—Phin had somehow managed to call 911 on my cell phone that I’d left in his care. I feared the worst when it came to Jenny. After Phin had run out of the woods, I’d assumed she was hurt badly, or even dead. When I saw her like that, lying on the concrete floor of the basement and

motionless, I felt like screaming to the heavens. But she managed to open her eyes and blink at me. I suddenly knew that she’d be alright. Darius had beaten the hell out of her—her lovely face was almost unrecognizable with blood and swelling—but she’d be alright. Phin was okay, and the three of us would be just fine. I rode to the hospital with my guys. Phin rode with the cops; I hated turning him over to them, but knew that he’d be safer in a cruiser than on the back of my bike. After all, one of Darius’s men had escaped into the night and I didn’t trust him not to shoot at us with a rogue bullet.

I’d been so worried about Jenny that I didn’t even mind stepping foot in a hospital. And although I was dying to see her, I had to wait with Phin in a hallway that was painted in puke colors —green and dull orange. Phin burrowed into my side and wrapped his arms around me. He wasn’t shy any longer; he was a really animated, intelligent little boy. I was proud of him, especially for the way he’d held it together when all of the shit was going down. “I’m really proud of you,” I told Phin. “You saved your mom. You should be proud of yourself.” I ruffled his hair as he snuggled up close. It was almost

comforting, and I loved being close to the kid Jenny and I had made. It made me feel like I hadn’t missed out on all that much after all. Maybe things would really be okay in the end. Maybe not, but either way, I knew that I had to try now. “Mr. Mayer?” A plain nurse was walking towards me, holding a clipboard. “I need to speak to you.” I nodded and stood up, Phin still clinging to my side. “This is my son,” I said. “I don’t want to leave him alone.” She pursed her lips. I knew she was about to tell me some bullshit hospital policy so I turned on the charm.

“Please?” I grinned at her. “My wife would be worried sick if she knew our son was alone. He’s very attached to his parents.” Phin clung even tighter, illustrating the point. Finally, the nurse rolled her eyes. “You can bring him,” she said. “But try to make him sit in the corner of the room with a book, okay? He doesn’t need to hear all the gory details.” I rolled my eyes. Lady, if you knew what this kid’s been through in the past twenty-four hours, you wouldn’t think he needed to be sheltered. But looking

at Phin’s thin frame, I knew she was right. He was a tiny little boy after all, and his heart was pounding through the thin skin on his neck. The nurse led us down a hallway and into a small room painted in the same nauseating colors. She handed Phin a coloring book and he went and sat down in the corner, coloring in the lines obediently. I realized that I had no idea how to be a real father—I didn’t even know what most eight-year-olds liked. But Phin was different, and I had a feeling that we’d probably be alright. After all, he seemed to like me. But I wasn’t so sure how he’d feel once this was all over. Hell, I wasn’t sure how

Jenny would feel either. Could she stand being around a man who had put her into so much trouble? I sighed. I desperately wanted to see her, but I was afraid of being told that it would be the last time. “The offender and his men were taken into custody,” the nurse read perfunctorily from a sheet of paper in front of her. “A Mr. Darius…?” “Darius Mendoza,” I said, clearing my throat. “He’s the president of the Iron Fangs, a motorcycle club around here.” “I see,” the nurse said in this curt voice that made me want to slap her. “And you are…?”

“I’m Tristan Mayer,” I said loudly. “Jenny’s husband, Phin’s father.” There was a hint of a smile on her fat face. “I see here that you’re leading the Wicked Angels?” I shook my head and grinned at the nurse. “Was,” I said. “I’m not anymore. I’m a family man now.” The serious face returned. “Your wife was gravely injured,” she continued. “She was very badly beaten, and she’ll need some physical therapy to regain her motor skills. But I’m confident that within a few months, she’ll be back to normal. She may suffer frequent

headaches, and there’s a possibility of PTSD with all kidnapping cases.” My mouth went dry at the extent of Jenny’s injuries. I felt so bad for her, and the yearn to see her was like a physical ache in my belly. “I understand,” I said softly. “I’m committed to providing the best possible care for her, and I’ll hire a home nurse until she’s back to normal.” The nurse nodded. “I’m glad to hear that,” she replied. “And what are your plans for the boy?” “Excuse me? I didn’t think he was hurt.”

The nurse shook her head. “We strongly recommend that children who undergo trauma be placed in counseling,” she said. “Something to make sure that PTSD won’t develop at a later age. Are you willing to place him under the care of a professional?” I nodded. “Of course,” I said. “Whatever Phin needs, he’ll get.” The nurse smiled. “Phin? That’s a strange name.” “We love it,” I said automatically, even though I’d agreed with her when I’d first heard his name. But now it seemed a

part of him, like everything else. I’d never pegged Jenny to be one of those women who gave her kids a stupid name with a weird spelling, but now it didn’t seem dumb at all. And there was a nice ring to Phin Mayer. “Well, I’m sure you’re very happy as a family,” the nurse said. “Would you like to see your wife now?” Suddenly, I felt nervous. “Could I have a few minutes alone with my son? We haven’t really gotten a chance to talk since the officers picked him up.” The nurse nodded. “Of course,” she said. “Just let me know. I’ll be right on

the other side of the door, and then we can go see Jennifer.” “Jenny,” I corrected automatically. The nurse didn’t smile as she let herself out. When she was gone, Phin peeked up at me from his perch in the corner. “Can you come over here, buddy?” Phin got to his feet and walked over to me. I could tell he was nervous, too. “I’m hungry,” Phin said. “There was bread in the basement, but not a lot.” “We’ll get you a cheeseburger as soon as we’re done here,” I promised. “With

fries. Would you like that?” Phin nodded excitedly. He climbed in my lap and wrapped his arms around my big chest. “Do you love my Mommy?” I swallowed a lump that had formed in my throat unexpectedly. “I do,” I admitted. “I love her very much. Do you want to go see her together?” Phin nodded. He bit his lip. “I’m scared,” he said. “I shouldn’t have run away. I should have stayed with Mommy.” He climbed off my lap and walked towards the door, but I caught up

with him and kneeled down to his height. “No, you did everything right, Phin,” I said solemnly. “It was for the best that you ran. You did a great job, and Mommy and I are both really proud of you.” Phin blushed. Standing up, I took his hand. The nurse showed us into Jenny’s room. “She was asleep a few minutes ago, but I think she just woke up,” she said quietly. “I’ll give you fifteen minutes.” Fifteen minutes seemed like torture compared to the years we’d spent apart,

but right now, I was glad to take it. In the hospital bed, Jenny looked like a small, fragile figure. There were bandages all around her head and her face was puffy and swollen. When she saw me, a faint hint of a smile played on her lips. “Tristan,” she said softly. I moved closer to the bed so I could hear every word. “Tristan, I’m so sorry.” I shook my head. “Don’t talk,” I said firmly. “It’s fine. Everything’s fine. Phin’s totally fine, and he’s right here with me.” “Good,” Jenny said. She let out a long sigh followed by a raspy cough. I was

alarmed at how many bruises covered her pale body—she looked worse than any of my guys ever had. “I love you, Tristan.” The lump that had formed in the waiting room suddenly intensified and I felt tears well up in my eyes. “I love you, too,” I told her, reaching forward and gently stroking the back of her hand with my index finger. “I love you so much.” “Mommy?” Phin looked into the hospital bed. “Mommy, are you okay?” “I’m fine, sweetheart,” Jenny said. She reached forward and gently stroked Phin’s hair. “I promise I’ll be just fine.

Are you okay?” Phin looked scared, but he nodded. “I’m fine, Mommy,” he said. “Tristan took care of me!” Jenny gave me a smile and I could have sworn I saw the hint of a blush on her cheeks. “I think you should start calling him Daddy now, sweetheart.” Phin grinned, a grin that stretched from ear to ear. “Mommy, Daddy loves you!” he chirped loudly. “He told me when we were waiting to see you!” Jenny looked at me and I felt my heart swell. As I looked down at my family, I

realized that I’d never been filled with so much love or so much pride in my whole life. Suddenly, they were the only things I cared about. I no longer cared about stepping down from the Wicked Angels, or the fact that Darius was taken into custody. Let the cops deal with him. I had a family now. “Let’s always stay together,” Jenny said. She reached out and wrapped her swollen fingers around my hand. “Promise?” I looked into her green eyes and felt just as deeply in love with her as I always had. “I promise,” I agreed. “We’ll always be together. You, me, and Phin.

We’re a family now.” Jenny smiled. She closed her eyes and leaned back on the pillow, clearly exhausted. “That’s what I’ve always wanted,” she said softly. “That’s what I’ve wanted ever since I met you.” “I love you,” I told her again, stroking her hand until she’d fallen asleep. “And I promise, this time we’ll be together forever.” THE END

I f***ing hate him! He's arrogant, he's cocky, he's the star of a college soccer team... and he's everything that a girl like me should despise. He didn't even know my name before this year. So why can't I keep him off my mind? Maybe it's because his dad is about to

marry my mom. Maybe it's because I've had the worst crush on him through all of high school. Maybe it's because he's at my house now taking a shower after soccer practice, and my mom just told me to go hang a fresh towel by his bed. The water stopped and I know he's getting out, so why am I still at the foot of his bed with the towel in my hands... Get this exclusive short for free by clicking the banner above to sign up to my mailing list! I appreciate every single fan I get, and I always send exclusive deals and promotions to everyone that signs up! Thanks for the support!

xoxo Heather

CONTINUE READING FOR YOUR BONUS BOOK THIEF! Crooks steal. Villains kill. Bad boys take what they want. Sarah “The only thing to fear is fear itself.” Whoever said that has never met Blake. He scares me from the moment he steps into my bar. I can’t decide if he’s the man of my dreams or my worst nightmare. I never imagined I’d land in his bed.

But it doesn’t take long before I’m begging to stay. Until I find out he’s no better than the man from my past, The one coercing me into a life of crime That I’ll never escape. I have to decide: Is Blake truly a demon? Or is it just that he’s hotter than hell? Blake

I do three things well: fight, f**k, and leave. And I always stick to what I’m good at. When I see Sarah, I want her right away. She’s a redhead, rowdy, and ripe for the taking. At first, she protests when I make her mine. But it doesn’t take long before “No” becomes “Oh!” The only problem is, there’s a stalker lurking in her shadow. A predator hunting her down. She’s got a simple choice: Either fall

into bed with a devil like me… …or become prey to the monster who will destroy her.

Prologue Sarah

“Shit!” I cursed loudly, and banged my fist against the door. Pain shot through my arm and I winced, but the tears that were forming in my eyes were of frustration, not pain. Somewhere, behind a door, a dog started barking loudly. “Shut up,” I muttered under my breath. The dog kept barking. I wanted to kick it, but I had no idea which one of my neighbors would be pissed off at me now.

Ms. Graham, Please note that due to your failure to pay your rent on time, you face eviction. If you’re unable to come up with the $1395 that you owe monthly by next Wednesday (3/17), we’ll be forced to evacuate you from the premises. If there are any questions about the matter at hand, please call your manager. Best, Morningside Apartments Crumpling the notice into a tiny ball, I threw it over my shoulder and wiped the tears from my tired eyes. My key got

stuck in the lock and I had to lean down and breathe on it to melt some of the frost away. As I banged and thumped and eventually got the door open, the dog started barking again and I menacingly glared out into the hallway. Looking around, I shook my head in disbelief. I couldn’t think of what was more rich: the fact that I was about to get evicted from this shithole, or that this shithole cost almost fifteen hundred dollars a month. My limbs were sore and I plopped down in my favorite chair, yanking my heels off and massaging the life back into my calves. Today had been a real fucking winner of a day. It was one of those

mornings where I’d felt like everything was going to be great, and then everything turned out to be the opposite. I’d woken up in the morning feeling renewed enthusiasm about everything. I’d been having a great hair day, my old jeans finally fit again, and I was excited about my new bartending gig. I’d only been working at The Silk Aria for a couple of months now, but I really liked the place. And there were some cute guys there, too. But as soon as I’d shown up at work, the manager had pulled me aside. “Sarah, you’re great,” he said without

enthusiasm. “But times are tough for the bar, and we have to make some cuts. I hope this is only temporary. I hope we’ll be able to figure something out and bring you back on board. I know this really isn’t fair to you, dear.” I’d blinked back tears when he’d told me. Yeah, it wasn’t ideal. I was thirty, and still bartending. But that was what happened when acting work was tough. Thinking about it now made me blush with shame. I was a thirty-year-old woman, unable to get her shit together. I couldn’t keep a job. I couldn’t get a man. And now, I was able to get kicked out of the one apartment where I’d ever lived without a roommate.

Tony, the manager, had let me work the rest of my shift. I hadn’t felt so bad about it at first, but every time I waited on a table and got a compliment for my service, I felt bad. I wanted to throw the tips back in the faces of all the guys who leered at my tits, but I knew that this money was going to have to last me for a long time. Now, at home, I felt more wired than ever. It was close to five in the morning and the sun was beginning to come up, but I couldn’t sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw my apartment being razed by the management people. I burned with shame when I thought about what I’d

have to do in order to stay afloat. It wasn’t like being rejected from acting. At least with that, I knew where I stood all the time. Acting had been a tough gig, and I hadn’t ever been that good at it. But since I loved it, I’d always kept trying. And now it seemed like I’d just wasted my time. I tried to think about what I’d be doing now if I hadn’t caught the drama bug in high school. Shit. I probably could have gone to college, or become an accountant. Or even worked at a steady job I hated and still made enough to save for the occasional vacation. It was depressing to realize just how far I’d fallen from my dream. In high school, acting had seemed like

the only thing for me. I’d been the lead in all of the school plays, and it had been one of the only things that I felt like I was really, naturally good at. But all of that changed as soon as I started trying to make it in the real world. No matter how much of a star I’d been in my younger days, now there was always someone younger than me. Or prettier than me. Or richer than me, with family who were willing to pay in order to help them get famous. Thinking it over made me feel ridiculous, and old. For an industry that didn’t love women over the age of twenty-four, the fact that I’d still been trying at thirty said it all. I was pathetic. I’d never been in this

much trouble before in my entire life. And I had no idea how I was going to manage my way out of this.

Chapter One Blake

“What’s good, brother?” Jimmy clapped me on the back and slammed a glass of beer into my hand. The liquid sloshed over the edges of the cup and I yanked my hand away, shaking it off and laughing. “You gotta have better reflexes, man,” Jimmy said. “Seriously, you can’t expect me to clean up after you!” Jimmy and Red threw their heads back and roared. After a minute, I joined in,

wiping my sticky hand on my jeans and reaching down for the beer. “I’m great,” I told both of them. “Spent a day checking out some of the most delicious babes.” I grinned. “They closed Tinder’s down for a bachelorette party. Can you believe that shit? It was like being on the set of a porno.” Jimmy grinned, exposing a mouth full of yellowing teeth. “That’s rich, man,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “You want to do some shooters? There are some pretty ladies in here tonight,” he said, sniffing the air. “Smells like good pussy to me!”

Red and Jimmy started laughing so hard that one of the bartenders looked in our direction. I’d never seen her before; she was on the short, curvy side with long red hair in a braid that snaked over one shoulder and piercing green eyes. She was wearing a low-cut corset-style top that corralled her tits into a savage cleavage, and I could almost be sure that she winked at me before she turned around. Damn, I thought to myself. She is smokin’! “Yo, Blake,” Jimmy said, clapping me on the back. “Did you not fuckin’ hear me, man? I asked you a question!” “He’s got puss on the brain,” Red said

with a snicker. “Can’t say I blame him!” He swung a fist out in front of his body and thrust into the air, back and forth, miming sex. “It’s been a long time for me too, brother,” he said with a laugh. I rolled my eyes. “Sorry,” I muttered. “What’s up?” Jimmy leaned in. “You got any dirt on the Aztecs? I hear we’re in some deep shit with them.” I shook my head. “Nah,” I said. “The intel never showed up. I was waiting for an hour. Didn’t get a call or nothing!” “Them’s the breaks, man,” Red said.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the redhead again. She was leaning over the bar and wiping down the surface with a dirty rag. Her tits were practically spilling out of her top. I imagined pulling her on my lap and sticking my tongue down her top, lavishing her nipples with rough strokes until she cried out. In my jeans, my cock twitched and stirred. “She’s rich,” Red said under his breath. “I love it when she has her tits out like that.” “Hi, guys,” Jeanne said. She sidled up to our table and poked me in the ribs. I glared down at her. “How y’all doing

tonight?” “Real good,” I said with a grin, pulling her closer and nuzzling her neck. Jeanne pushed me away with the expertise of a cocktail waitress, but she was laughing as she did it. “I’m good, too,” she chirped. ”Can I bring y’all a round? Shots? Tequila?” “That’d be great, hon,” I told her. “Hey, who’s that smokin’ redhead behind the bar? I haven’t seen her before.” Jeanne leaned in close and grinned. “That’s Sarah,” she said. “She just started a little while ago, but she’s real

good, don’t you think?” I growled under my breath. “She’s a babe and a half,” I said. “Is she single?” Jeanne shrugged and walked backwards towards the bar. “Ask her yourself,” she called. “She doesn’t normally work Fridays, this might be your only chance.” Downing the last of my beer, I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and walked closer. Up close, Sarah was a little older than I’d first pegged her, maybe in her late twenties. She was pretty in a tough way, the kind of girl who looks like a wildcat in bed. And on the streets—the way her green eyes

gleamed, I knew I wouldn’t be disappointed. “I’d ask what you want, but you already have a drink,” Sarah said. She pointed to my table and I turned around to see Red and Jimmy downing shots. “Can I get you something else?” “Besides your number?” I smirked. Sarah rolled her eyes and turned away. As she whirled around, I caught a sniff of her perfume: spicy vanilla and chili. A shudder ran through me, I instinctively knew that her hair would smell exactly like that. “Not supposed to go out with

customers,” she said smoothly. “What about a drink, though?” I laughed shortly. “If you’re asking me, sure,” I said. Sarah rolled her eyes. “You’re impossible,” she said. “I have to work now,” she finished. “Later!” I watched her heart-shaped ass walk away and felt another twinge in my cock. Damn, I thought. After a long week of work, she would have been a sweet little girl to have in my bed. Then again, maybe it was for the best. Running into my one-night stands after the fact wasn’t usually pleasant, and if she worked here,

chances were that I’d see her again. “Blake, get your ass over here!” Red called, and Jimmy started hooting. I rolled my eyes and walked back towards my friends. They were goofs, but they meant well most of the time. “You guys can’t wait a fuckin’ second?” I complained. “Didn’t you see I was trying to talk to her?” Jimmy laughed shortly. “Tonight’s not about pussy” he said in a quiet voice. “We gotta talk about our future, the future of the club! Man, I can’t believe this kinda shit’s been going on!”

“I know,” I said in a conspiratorial tone as I leaned in closer, Sarah almost forgotten. “Over the past couple months, we’ve had two Aztec run-ins.” Red nodded. “And I have intel saying that they’re planning something,” he said quietly, running a hand through his dark hair. “I don’t know when, but I heard something about a string of arsons.” I frowned. “Arson is fuckin’ serious,” I said quietly. “We can’t get tangled up in that. Not while we’re using so many resources on this turf war.” “I know,” Jimmy said patiently. “But we don’t know the whole story yet. We can’t

make any decisions. We’re gonna vote on it tomorrow,” he said. “You going to the clubhouse?” I nodded. I always spent my weekends at the clubhouse. Drinking, fucking, gambling, sometimes taking care of a fallen brother. Ever since I’d been patched to Devil’s Own, the club had been my life. Jimmy was the VP, and he and I had grown up together. Red was a friend of his from way back—crazy and violent, but not a bad dude. None of us were bad dudes, really. Maybe unethical and cruel sometimes, and maybe mixed up in some bad shit, but not really bad. “Blake,” Jimmy said, “you gotta have my

back on this. You know Abel doesn’t always agree with us,” he said in a low whisper. “Things ain’t goin’ the way he wants them to. He wants us to get back into running guns, you know that?” I shrugged. “It’s better than the dope,” I said finally. “But everyone knows that we won’t be able to kick any Aztec ass until we’re really done with that. They have too much of a share on the dope market. We’re not going to break in without incident.” Jimmy looked at me, his black eyes blazing. “I know that,” he said finally. “I’m just so fuckin’ nervous about this.”

“Get your panties out of a twist,” Red hissed. “You know Abel knows what’s best for the club.” I looked at Jimmy. “I’m gonna get another drink,” I said. “You boys want shots?” Jimmy and Red hollered and whooped, forgetting that the moment had been tense. I breathed a sigh of relief as I went up to the bar. Sarah was still there, and she eyed me with interest this time. “Can I help you, sugar?” she asked. “And no, I still can’t give you my number.”

“She’s busy,” some thin, reedy guy said. He stepped closer. “And bar’s closing, maybe you and your gang want to go somewhere else.” I stepped closer to him and looked down at him. He was shorter than me, but with no less cockiness. I sensed a coldness emanating from his thin form. “We’re a club,” I said smartly. “Not a gang. And it’s only midnight. Closing up so early on a Friday? When Abel gives y’all so much?” The guy eyed me and finally turned away. “Fine,” he muttered. To Sarah, he leaned across the bar and stroked her bare forearm with his greasy fingers.

“Think about it, honey,” he told her. “You don’t wanna be left out in the cold, do you?” “I’m fine,” she muttered. Seeming to only just then remember that I was standing in front of her, Sarah turned to me with a fake grin on her face. Even when she was faking it, she was still breathtakingly pretty. “Can I help you?” I narrowed my eyes. “Is that jerk bothering you?” I asked. “I can get rid of him, no big.” She shook her head. “Forget it,” she told me. “He works here. Friend of the owner.”

“Ah,” I said, leaning back and crossing my arms over my chest. “So you’re fine with him bossing you around, too?” She flushed. “It’s not like that,” she said. “And I’m fine, I swear.” I gave her a hard look. “Sure,” I said casually. “How about grabbing me a beer?” When she returned with my bottle of Heineken, I was just about to ask her out when that drip appeared again. “Roger,” Sarah said with irritation. “What is it? I told you, I’ll be right

there.” “You know how particular Tony is about getting the back room cleaned,” Roger said snidely. He stared up at me and I had the rotten feeling that he was just messing with her to get to me. “You better go get cleaning, girl!” Sarah blushed and stepped out from behind the bar. Roger gave her a patronizing smile that made my blood boil. When she was about to walk past, I turned to Roger. “Look, you fuck,” I said slowly. “How many times do I have to tell you: don’t bother the lady! She obviously doesn’t

want to talk to you, and there’s no need to get butthurt because she doesn’t wanna be around you!” Sarah turned to me, her green eyes blazing. “Hey,” she said shortly. “I can take care of myself!” Just as I was about to defend myself, Roger leaned in my face. “You be real careful around here, thug,” he said in a smarmy tone. “You know who runs the show? I do, motherfucker,” he added under his breath. “Now, you and your gang should shoo.” Throwing my hands up in the air, I walked back to the table. Jimmy and Red

looked bleary-eyed, and I called a couple of prospects from the Devil’s to come escort us home. But when I went back to look for Sarah, she was already gone.

Chapter Two Sarah

I spent the whole night curled up on the couch, crying and beating my fists against the material. It wasn’t fair; why was this happening to me? I tried to go through my apartment and make a list of everything I could sell. But I didn’t have a lot left, except for some DVDs and furniture that no one would pay for. I’d sold my TV last month to pay for concert tickets, and now I was kicking myself. The concert had been fun, but there was no way I was going to be able to scrape

by now. With tears in my eyes, I glanced around. Sure the apartment was a shithole, it was drafty in the winter and hot in the summer, but I loved it. This was my place. It was a place where I could be alone and be safe, and bring people home if I wanted to. It wasn’t like having a roommate and fighting about missing clothes. Or worse, drugs. Before I’d moved in here, I’d lived with my best friend, Julia. She’d had a kid a couple of years ago, and that had been pretty awful. The second time her daughter, Hailey, had skipped into my room with a silk thong, Julia had kicked me out.

“It’s not that we can’t be friends anymore,” Julia had said as she looked at the floor, “it’s just that we’re both in really different places right now, Sarah.” Just hearing her words stung, and that had been over a year ago. It had taken months for our friendship to feel normal again. With a heavy heart, I realized that even if I went to her for help now, she probably wouldn’t say yes. She couldn’t say yes; there was likely nothing that she could do. I sighed and tried not to resent her. Julia, my perfect friend, who somehow managed to come out on top, despite getting pregnant with no man. It was unbelievable how much our luck had shifted in the past couple of years. I

thought back to my twenties, when I was convinced that turning thirty was the magic number. News flash. It wasn’t. The sun was starting to come up and I was still on the futon, in my tight outfit from the night before. All of the nights tending bar blurred together after a while, but that blond guy from the night before was too cute to forget about it. Even if he totally overstepped his boundaries with Roger. Shit, if I’d have known that I was going to get fired, I might have given him my number. Typical Sarah luck, I thought to myself. No wonder you’re falling head over tits

right now. Looking down, I adjusted my breasts in the uncomfortable corset. Suddenly, an idea sprang to mind. It probably wouldn’t work, but I had to give it a shot. With renewed enthusiasm, I chugged a cold mug of coffee and hopped in the shower. My stomach was turning from anxiety and the caffeine, and as I plunged my head under the water I tried to think about what I’d say. I had to beg for my job back. I hated begging, but it was the only thing I could possibly do. The wheels in my head started turning as I imagined myself in front of Tony, looking desperate. It made me feel horrible inside, but I knew I had

to look as hot as possible. After the shower, I toweled off and slid into a pair of jean shorts and a black fringe croptop. The jeans were so tight that I could feel my labia being squeezed whenever I moved my legs. In the crop top, my breasts looked perky and large. It had a keyhole neckline, and as I inspected myself in the mirror, I tugged the shirt down so more of my cleavage would be visible. After an application of dark liner and red lipstick, I was ready to go. I knew the bar wouldn’t be open yet; it wasn’t even seven in the morning. Taking a deep breath, I slung my bag over my shoulder and walked out to my car. In the early sunlight in that slutty

outfit, I felt like I was screaming for attention. Some of the blinds in the apartment building opened and closed when I looked over. Normally, on any other day, I’d feel self-conscious. But now I just felt desperate. I’d never gone to The Silk Aria during the day and I wasn’t surprised to see how dingy it looked from the outside. The dark green paint was starting to fleck off the windows and it was eerily silent. Cars drove past and honked at me; I ducked my face down so no one would see me. When I was standing in front of the employee entrance, I steeled my nerves and knocked on the door.

At first, no one came. Then I heard a patter of footsteps. When the door swung open, I saw a skinny little girl with frizzy red hair. I frowned. “I’m looking for Tony Giacomo,” I said. “Do you know him?” The little girl blushed and giggled. “That’s my daddy,” she said proudly. “He’s inside!” “Can I talk to him?” I squatted down and felt the jean shorts practically crawl inside my ass. “I really need to speak with him, if that’s possible.” The little girl bit her lip and washed her muddy-hazel eyes all over me. “Okay!”

she cried cheerfully, stepping back and allowing me access into the dark hallway. As she led me towards the back, I frowned. I didn’t know that Tony’d had a daughter. “Daddy!” she cried. “This lady is here to talk to you. She looks important!” I rolled my eyes. The kid couldn’t have been further from the truth. I heard Tony say something under his breath and tell her to wait in his office. Soon, his footsteps pounded on the floor and he came over to me. He was wearing a plain t-shirt and a stained pair of chinos and it smelled like paint; guiltily I wondered if there was something

important I was taking him away from. Tony’s face darkened when he saw me. “Sarah,” he said in a chastising voice. “What’re you doing here?” I felt a desperation in my belly as I stared at him and pleaded with my eyes. “Tony, please, I need my job back,” I begged. “When I got home last night, there was an eviction notice on my door.” Tony frowned. “That’s a shitty deal, darlin’, but I told you, I can’t help you out. Times are tight around here. I’m doing my own contracting work this morning because I can’t even hire

anyone else.” Tears came to my eyes and I blinked them away. “Please,” I begged. “I’ll do anything. I’ll wash dishes! I’ll clean your house when you’re at work! I can help you paint today!” Tony eyed my costume up and down. Suddenly, I felt ridiculous for wearing something skimpy instead of something practical. “I can’t,” he said softly. “I’m real sorry, Sarah.” I fell to my knees as the sobs started. “Please,” I begged. “Please, Tony.” He shook his head and turned away.

“Sarah, you gotta get out of here,” he said in a deep voice. “I can’t help you, alright? Now scram, darlin’.” Sobs washed over me as I kneeled on the floor. When I wiped my hand across my face, it came away black with mascara. Tony’s footsteps retreated in the distance, and when I opened my eyes, I saw his daughter crouching in front of me. “Here,” she whispered. “Does this help?” She held out a small fist clutching a couple of sweaty one-dollar bills. I shook my head and pushed her hand back towards her body.

“No,” I said. “You keep that. I can’t take it from you.” “Okay,” she said more cheerfully than I would have expected. Getting to my feet, I rubbed my knees; after kneeling for only a few minutes, they were killing me. The pain I felt, just like everything else that day, seemed like I reminder that I was getting older and failing at life. Taking a deep breath, I hauled myself off the floor. Sniffling, I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand. My skin felt red and blotchy, and I shook my head. Well, I’d tried. Now there was nothing else to do but go home and figure out how to live in my car until I could get back on

my feet. I’d made my car payment for the month, foolishly, before I’d paid rent, and I knew that I was good on it for at least thirty days. So that gave me some time, even if it wasn’t much. As I was leaving, a familiar figure stepped in front of me. I thought it was Tony, but when I looked up, I saw Roger’s face peering down at me. My stomach fell; I was in no mood to deal with his shit today. “Hi, Sarah,” he said with a grin. “Are you okay?” I bit my lip and glared up at him. “Just fucking peachy,” I told him. “What do

you want?” Roger looked down at me with a smug grin on his face. “I heard everything,” he said in a sing-song voice. “I heard you begging, Sarah,” he repeated. I watched as he reached forward and stuck in a finger in the keyhole of my top. My first instinct was to jerk back, but something told me not to. “What do you want?” I repeated. “Now, now, that’s no way to talk to someone who just wants to help,” Roger said. “What if I told you that I have an idea? A way for you to make money, fast.”

My head spun as I imagined walking out onto a stage full of strippers. “What?” Roger’s look softened. “Sarah, I only want to help you,” he said. “Can’t you trust that?” I shook my head. In past experience, Roger had always been a creep. The first night I worked there, I’d caught him spying on me in the bathroom when I was peeing. Ever since then, I shuddered whenever I passed him in the hallways. Jeanne told me that he’d gone to prison for rape in the past; when I looked it up, I couldn’t find anything, but her words never quite left my mind when he was

around. “Sorry,” I said. “I don’t trust easily.” Roger’s smile warmed into a big grin and I felt my stomach turn. He leaned back on his heels and licked his lips. I noticed that his chin was completely broken out in pimples and pustules and I shuddered, imagining it scraping against mine in a horrible kiss. “You should trust me, though,” he said. “I can help you. Don’t you want that, baby?” He stroked his fingers down my bare arm. “You must want it bad enough to dress like a Grade A hooker when begging for your job back.” He trailed his eyes down my body and let them linger on my breasts. “Your tits are lookin’ fine, too, baby.”

I rolled my eyes and swiped his hand away from my arm. “Fine,” I said. “Why? How can you help? What do I have to do?” “I have a job for you,” Roger informed me. “And it’s nothing sexual, I promise. Meet me tomorrow morning and I’ll tell you all about it.” Before I could say anything, he pressed a slip of paper into my hand and walked away. I stood there feeling numb. Under literally any other circumstance, I would have loved to tell him to go to hell. He was creepy, slimy, and seemed completely untrustworthy. But desperate

times called for desperate measures, and I was feeling more desperate than ever before. I unfolded the piece of paper. It had a phone number, address, and a date. Monday morning, ten thirty. So I’d have the weekend to myself to come up with something else. I resolved to do my best to find another job in the timespan that I’d been given. If that didn’t work, I’d meet Roger. The address was on the other side of town, in an area that I barely knew anything about. It could be horrible. I could even be killed, for fuck’s sake. Heading back to my car, I folded the

paper and stuck it in my purse. I was a little more aware of my surroundings that I had been when I’d first left the house; being rejected by Tony jilted me into reality. Shaking my head, I looked down at the paper again. I had no idea what Roger could want, especially if he said it was nothing sexual. But knowing Roger, it could be “strip off your clothes and let me lick your pussy” and he’d still try to defend himself and say that it wasn’t sexual. Thinking about Roger made me shudder. I could only hope that what he had in store for me wasn’t completely repulsive.

Chapter Three Blake

I woke up with a pounding headache and an aching in my bones that meant I’d been going at it all night. Everything hurt. My hands hurt, my arms hurt. Even my goddamn hair hurt. I rubbed my hands over my face and sighed loudly, trying to process the night. “Morning, handsome,” a voice croaked. I jumped. The duvet slipped to the side, revealing a very sexy, very naked, very tan woman. She was lying on her side

and squinting at me. Her long brown hair was in a sensual tangle over her eyes and I could see her lips looked practically bee-stung. The only problem was that I couldn’t remember her name. “Hi,” I said, raking a hand through my hair and wincing. She looked at me expectantly. “What?” She giggled, a childish sound that grated on my nerves. Between my head and the fact that I had less than an hour to get to work, I was starting to feel annoyed. I couldn’t even remember where I’d met her. “Do you still want breakfast?” she

purred, reaching over and dragged painted talons up my leg. “Last night you told me you’d buy me pancakes.” She pouted. “I want sausage and bacon, too.” I rolled my eyes. “Sorry,” I said harshly. “I really have to get to work.” She rolled onto her belly and I couldn’t stop my eyes from flicking down over her body. She looked like she was about my age, but with incredibly toned legs and a great ass. My cock twitched between my legs and I shook my head to clear the thought of ripping the sheet away from her body and taking her right then and there.

“Fine,” she said grumpily. She stood up, naked, and I stretched and I glanced away so I wouldn’t be tempted by her perfect, round breasts. “I’ll get dressed,” she said after it became clear I wasn’t going to pay any more attention to her. “Can you drop me off at the bus?” “If you hurry,” I told her. “I have to take a shower.” She frowned at me. “I bet you don’t even remember my name,” she commented blithely. I shook my head. “Nope,” I said, grinning at her. She rolled her eyes.

“It’s Lila,” she informed me. “You can remember for next time.” I wanted to laugh. “Sorry, I don’t usually go for a round two,” I told her. She glared at me and whirled back around, looking at her shiny legs. With a laugh, I walked into the bathroom and started the water as hot as it would go. It could have been worse; she could have tried to slap me. In the shower, I closed my eyes and soaped my body mechanically. It was a ritual that I’d done every for as many years back as I could count: get naked in the shower and clear my mind of the shit that was bothering me. It was always

calming, even if it didn’t always work. With a monster hangover like this one, I needed all the comfort I could get. When I was toweling off, the woman sat on the edge of the bed and watched me with her catlike eyes. She made a big show of looking me over and I had to turn around to ignore her. I couldn’t even remember picking her up. I hoped desperately that I’d used a rubber. “You sure I can’t change your mind about breakfast?” she asked while she was applying lip gloss and pouting into a small mirror. “I know a great diner!” I shook my head. “I can’t be late for

work, sorry,” I said, toneless. She grumbled but followed me out to my bike anyway. When I handed her my extra helmet, she balked. “Really? This is gonna mess up my hair,” she whined. “I don’t wanna wear it.” “Well I don’t wanna get a two hundred dollar ticket because I’m carrying a bitch who isn’t wearing one,” I spat. Grabbing the helmet out of her hands, I plunked it down on her head and buckled the strap under her chin. She glared at me venomously; I didn’t think that I had to worry about her asking me for breakfast again. I drove her to the bus stop and idled as

she got off the bike. When she leaned in to kiss me, I took the helmet off of her head and nodded at her. “Later,” I said, speeding away. Her reply was drowned in the muffle of my bike roaring up. By the time I pulled into Tinder’s parking lot, my headache was thankfully starting to fade. I’d only been up for an hour or so but the worst of my hangover was fading. Still, the idea of a long shift didn’t exactly sound appealing. Working at the jewelry store was only fun when the customers didn’t treat me like shit. I was fed up with stuck-up, skinny bitches who waltzed in and then acted like I was making them feel unsafe. I have no interest in women who need to feel

important all the time; it was one of the reasons I rarely asked anyone to stay over. With last night, I couldn’t even remember asking that bitch if she wanted to come home with me, Lila or whatever her name was. When I hung up my leather jacket in the back room of Tinder’s, I looked at my patches with pride. I’d been with the MC for almost ten years now, and I’d earned every single scratch, bruise, and accolade. Those guys were my family. Of course random women wanted to fuck us all the time, especially those of us who didn’t have an old lady. Girls like Lila were a dime a dozen.

“Hey, Blake, you’re late,” the manager told me as I slipped into place by the front door. “Two minutes. If it happens again, I’m gonna have to write you up,” he said with a guilty grin. “I don’t wanna do it, but you know how corporate is. That’s my ass on the line if you can’t show up.” “It won’t happen again,” I said curtly as I stared straight ahead. “Bike trouble this morning.” The manager rolled his eyes and walked past. I felt a flash of anger towards him —and Lila—but it passed. Soon it just looked like every other Monday morning at the jewelry store: lots of men rushing

in before heading to their offices. I started to wonder what everyone was fighting about this weekend. “Hey, buddy,” one of the guys said to me. He held up a box with a heartshaped pendant made of diamonds and a box of diamond cluster earrings with pearls. “Which of these would your girl like?” “I don’t have a girl,” I said drily. Just as I said that, I saw her. The girl from the bar the other night, that redheaded bartender. She sauntered in wearing leather leggings that hugged her curves and a flowing turquoise silk top. All in all, she looked like she was going to

work at the bar, rather than take a little shopping detour. When she saw me, she froze in place. Just as I was about to greet her, she tossed her head and started browsing the store. I carefully watched as she walked up and down the aisles. Her lovely figure swung from side to side as she strolled. I frowned. She was a bartender, and most of the stuff in this store had four-digit price tags. Interestingly enough, she just seemed to be browsing the whole store as opposed to one single type of item. She went through the whole store, staring from case to case: rings, watches, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, pins, the list went on. She had a careful

eye; it was almost hawkish, especially for such a pretty girl. I recognized the same spitfire in her green eyes that I’d seen the other night. All in all, I had to admit that she was really intriguing. It was really tempting to approach her, but just when I was going to say something, I noticed there was a scuffle between two customers. A couple seemed to be arguing about something. Their voices got louder and louder and as I approached, I saw a tray of engagement rings on the display case. The woman was screaming about how he was a cheap bastard. When I put my hand on both of their shoulders, they both jumped. She turned to me with an

angelic grin. “I’m so sorry,” she said, flashing a cute smile. “Were we being too loud?” I nodded. “We try to keep things pretty laid back at Tinder’s, ma’am,” I told her. “I’m going to escort you both outside now and we ask that you leave quietly. If you return to the property within twentyfour hours, we’ll have to call the police.” She blushed and her boyfriend started cussing under his breath, but neither one of them objected. I guided them outside without any other incident. But when I went to look for Sarah, she was already

gone. Shit, I thought. My second chance in less than a week and I’d missed it. Still, her actions had been strange. I should have asked her a couple of questions; it was exceedingly rare for women to come in and browse alone. I wondered what she’d been up to; the way that her eyes had flickered over all of the merchandise was indicative of shoplifting. Or at least, it had been in the past. I couldn’t imagine that a cute girl like her actually had any trouble. She probably had lots of boyfriends. I thought about how her breasts bounced under the silk top. I imagined ripping it off of her and taking one of her nipples

in my mouth, licking and biting until she screamed. The image was enough for my cock to stiffen and I had to stare at all the men browsing the store until it went soft. After work, I drove out to the clubhouse. The MC always had meetings on Monday evenings, and I didn’t intend to miss this one. After the trouble with the Aztecs, we needed all the solidarity we could get. Just as I was pulling up, I saw the Aztecs waiting outside the entrance on their choppers. I rolled my eyes. Of course these assholes would ride choppers. They couldn’t even pick classic

American bikes, they had to go back in time to 2006. “Yo, asshole,” one of them called to me. “You got a problem with us?” I laughed. “You’re on my fuckin’ property,” I said. “You want us to come out and cleanse y’all off?” The Aztec got off his bike and walked up to me, eyeing me sharply. “Not quite, little guy,” he said in a gruff tone. “More like we wanted to let you know that if another incident occurs, like what happened with Rex. He’s in the hospital, man. You watch your back.”

His words echoed in my ears as he walked back towards his gang. Watch your back. For some reason, I felt more chilled than I should have. Warnings were always ominous. But showing up on our property just to remind us? Something bad was about to go down.

Chapter Four Sarah

I spent the whole weekend trying to think of a plan. Anything. Something. Even though I knew it was a long shot, I figured that some good old-fashioned brainstorming could help me evade Roger and whatever sleazy proposition he had for me. But that was about as far as it got. I didn’t have the guts to call Julia, not even to ask if she had a job for me. Julia was a real estate agent. She hadn’t gone to college either, but unlike me, she actually had something to show

for her years of hard work. The best thing she could have done was told me about some temp gig in her office, and I didn’t want that charity. I couldn’t stand to hear the pity in her voice. By Monday morning, I knew that Roger was my last chance. I hadn’t been able to scrape together any other support. Even combing through the back pages of the paper hadn’t done anything. A few years ago, I saw gigs for amateur strippers. Now there was nothing. Even though the whole thing was sordid, it still had to be better than dealing with Roger. I took my time getting ready and wore looser, straight-leg jeans with a baggy

sweater. I put makeup on—I didn’t want to look sloppy, but I didn’t want to look appealing either. The park where he’d wanted me to meet him was on the other side of town. When I got into my car and started it up, I had a panicky moment where the engine wouldn’t turn over. Just as I started feeling like I was going to cry, it finally jumped to life. Thank god, I thought. The last thing I needed was for my car to go, too. Roger’s white pickup truck was parked on the edge of the parking lot. I looked around nervously; it was a nice fall morning, but meeting him here seemed so seedy. The air smelled fresh, but when I got closer to his car, the reek of

cigarettes was pervasive. Roger grinned when he saw me. “Hey, baby,” he said in a teasing voice, and I fought the urge to shudder. “You wanna hop in and go for a ride?” I rolled my eyes. “Let’s talk over there,” I said, pointing to a gazebo. It was in plain view of the street, and I didn’t want to be in his car. Even though he’d promised it wouldn’t be anything weird, I still didn’t trust him. Roger frowned. “You’re a tough sell, baby,” he commented. I started walking through the grass when

I caught sight of him fussing with a cigar and a lighter in the wind. Men. Were they all so goddamn self-absorbed? “So what’s the job?” I asked warily. Roger leaned in so close that I could smell his nasty cologne. “Helping me out,” he said, grinning and pointing at his chest. “You’re gonna be real good at it baby, I just know it.” I grimaced. “Roger, can you stop calling me that? Please. It’s gross.” Roger threw his head back and laughed. My feeling of uneasiness doubled and I felt my stomach twist into a tighter knot

than before. “Whatever, baby,” he said finally, tossing his hand in the air. “Shit, you women go through women’s lib and think y’all own us,” he said teasingly. “You wouldn’t wanna act like that, now would you?” “Just get to the point,” I hissed. Roger let out a loud guffaw. “Why, baby? You got somewhere to be?” We both knew that I didn’t. A blush rose over my cheeks and neck as he leaned in and gave me a more thorough lookingover. “What?” Roger folded his hands over his chest.

“You’re gonna be helping me,” he repeated. “Don’t you wanna help me, baby?” I sighed. “Yes, Roger. I want to help you.” He smiled. “Good. That’s the first agreeable thing you’ve said, Sarah.” The way he said my name made me want to shudder. “This is a little research project,” Roger continued. “You think you can handle that?” I frowned. Research didn’t sound so bad, but I had a feeling there was a catch. “What?” I looked up at him.

“What do I have to do?” “I’m gonna give you a little list of things, and you’re gonna scout for me.” He handed me a sheaf of paper; the cover page had a large coffee stain on it. “You’re gonna go through this little guide here and then tell me where all of the items are in the store.” He grinned at me. “It’ll be like a little scavenger hunt,” he added. “You think you can handle that?” I nodded again. “Yeah,” I said after a beat. “That’s not so bad. What else?” A bad feeling was forming in the pit of my stomach. I knew that what I’d be doing would be counted as abetting a crime.

But I didn’t have any other choice; I had to do it. “Tell me some other things, you know, tell me anything that a little birdy might like to hear. Find out where the back room is. Tell me what the employees look like. Tell me how many of them there are.” I nodded. Each task sounded worse than the previous ones, but I went along numbly. “What are you going to give me?” I asked finally. I winced as I said it and Roger grinned; by finally acknowledging it out loud, I knew that he had me. Hook, line, and sinker.

“I’ll give you five thousand,” Roger said quietly. “Seven if you do a really good job, you got that?” I blinked. “Wow,” I said uneasily. “Are you sure? That’s a lot of money.” In my head, I tried to calculate how long I could go to jail for something like this. Years, probably. I shuddered. It seemed pointless to do it if I’d get caught. But if I didn’t do it, and I lost my apartment… “I’m sure, baby,” Roger said, his lascivious grin back in place. “Besides, maybe you can use some of that money to buy back some pictures from me.” My mouth went dry. “What?”

Roger pulled a second envelope out of his pocket. He opened it and pulled out some snapshots, keeping the pictures facing him. I could only see the Kodak paper on the back. He looked at me coyly. “Wanna see?” My heart was thudding but I nodded. “Not really,” I said quietly. “But show me anyway.” Roger did a little twirl and presented me with the photos. I gasped and covered my eyes with my hands. They were all of me, of course, stark naked. I knew them immediately. I’d posed for an amateur photographer when I was first getting

desperate about acting. The post had lied; I thought I was going to the set of a B-movie, but really it was just some creep’s house. He’d paid me five hundred dollars to sprawl around on his furniture naked. There hadn’t been enough showers in the world that could have cleansed me of the feeling of knowing I’d lain naked where unimaginable things happened. The worst of the photos showed me masturbating. With Roger holding them in front of me, I felt myself start to shake and cry. The humiliation of confrontation was even worse than the memory of having them taken. “Don’t cry, baby,” Roger said. He patted

me on the shoulder and I pushed his hand away quickly. “I’d say these are only worth a grand or two. Use some of that money you get from me to take charge of them, eh?” I groaned and stared at him. “You’re a sick fuck,” I said finally. “You’re making me help you, and then blackmailing me for money?” Roger grinned. “All in a day’s work, baby,” he said cheerfully as he stuffed the pictures back in the envelope. My heart thudded in my chest and I stared at him. For a moment, he just seemed like a guy trying to make a buck.

He didn’t seem creepy, or even that weird. But he seemed dastardly, and I hated him, and I knew that I owed him a lot in return. “I’ll do it,” I said finally. “But I want the pictures back. Now.” Roger shook his head. “No good, baby,” he said. “They’re gonna be posted online unless you deliver. That’s part of the incentive.” Every remotely nice thing that I’d thought about him the moment before suddenly left my brain. I glared. “I hate you,” I spat. “You knew I’d have to say yes, even if I had another choice.” The

despair radiating through my body was a new personal low. I had to realize that even if I had come up with another option over the weekend, the naked pictures would have forced me right where Roger wanted me. Angrily, I blinked back tears. “Don’t take it personally, baby. Trust me, this ain’t nothin’ new. I just need some help here.” “I said I’d do it and I will.But this is the last time that you’ll bother me. After you give me those pictures back, they’re mine. And you’re on your own.” Roger rolled his eyes. “You need me,

baby,” he said in a low voice. “Remember that. You need me.” His words haunted me as I walked back to my car. I hated to admit it, but he was more right than he knew.

Chapter Five Blake

Music was blaring from the bar as I walked up, shoving my hands in my pockets and looking around. Even after a careful search, I didn’t see her anywhere. “Yo, you lookin’ for someone?” Jimmy had to practically shout in my ear to be heard over the music. I thought about telling him for a moment, then shook my head. For some reason, I

thought it was a better idea to stay quiet. “Jeanne!” I called. “I haven’t seen her and I want a fuckin’ drink!” Jimmy laughed and clapped me on the back. “All in good time, brother,” he told me. “We have a pitcher. Come over.” He pointed towards the corner of the back where I saw Red sitting at a table. I nodded “Be there in a sec,” I told him. “I’m getting a shot first.” Jimmy let out a burst of laughter, then sauntered back to the table and slid down. I could tell that he was pleasantly

drunk; no surprise, but I would have liked to have caught up. After the day I’d had, it only seemed fair. When I told the other guys about the Aztecs, no one took it seriously. Even Abel, our president, gave me a sidelong glance. “They just wanna scare you,” he told me, cuffing me lightly on the shoulder. “They just wanna think they’re in charge.” I hadn’t fought back; going against the prez wasn’t something that most of us did lightly. But I wondered if Jimmy had any answers. After all, Abel was his father.

I didn’t recognize the bartender. She was a cute petite girl with a crop of black hair and tattoos all over her arms. She flashed me a smile and I saw that she was adorable, but seemed too highmaintenance. I envisioned the two of us in bed, her clutching the Kama Sutra and barking out commands like a mistress. “Hey, baby,” she called in a friendly tone. “Can I get you somethin’?” I shook my head. “Is Sarah around?” The girl frowned. “Who?” “Sarah,” I called in a louder voice. I mimed big curves as I talked. “She was

built like a brick house,” I said in a joking tone. The girl frowned at me. “Sorry,” I said. “Anyway, red hair. Green eyes. Kind of feisty-looking.” The girl nodded. Her demeanor towards me had cooled noticeably. “Oh, her,” she said. “Yeah, she got laid off a few days back. Budget cuts and all that.” That was when I realized the girl was familiar. “Wait, you’re Tony’s older daughter,” I said, feeling like an ass. “I didn’t recognize you.” The only reason I could recognize her was from the faded photos clipped to the back of the bar. In them, she gallivanted around, six years younger and with pigtails.

“Yeah,” she said, her face darkening. “That’s me.” I rolled my eyes and turned back to the crowd. Laid off? Then what the fuck was she doing in a jewelry store? Something wasn’t right here. I scratched my head as I tried to figure it out. She didn’t seem like the type to stage a grand burglary of a chichi jewelry store. It just didn’t add up. The next morning, I woke up alone, thankfully, and took a long shower before heading over to Tinder’s. I wasn’t working that day, but I wanted to

hang out for a while and see if she’d show up. Sure enough, I’d only been waiting on my bike for about half an hour when she waltzed up, dressed to the nines, and carrying a designer bag. Frowning, I followed her inside. The guard on duty nodded to me. “Hey, man, what’re you up to? You’re off today, right?” I nodded. Suddenly, it didn’t seem like a good idea to tell anyone else about my suspicions. “Yeah,” I said. “I just wanted to see if my paycheck came in.” The guard started laughing. “Blake, you’re dumb as a post,” he told me.

“You know payday is Friday, right?” I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, whatever,” I said. There was a large crowd of people inspecting engagement rings, and Sarah breezed right past them onto the more expensive sets. She was wearing this killer fuchsia silk dress that ended with a slit in the back. I found myself tracing the slit up her back, imagining how delectable her ass would be. Stop it, I thought to myself. This chick might be trouble. From a distance, I watched as she leaned over the glass counter and started flirting with one of our clerks. He grinned at her and happily reached inside the case,

pulling out a black velvet display glinting with diamonds and emeralds. Stepping close, I pretended to be interested in a watch so I could listen to their conversation. “This is gorgeous,” Sarah gushed. She looked up at the clerk and fanned herself a little. “I think it’s getting hot in here,” she teased. “Or maybe it’s just the diamonds!” He laughed politely and removed the necklace from the display backing. “This would be beautiful on you,” he told her. “You want to see?” Sarah grinned. “Oh, I couldn’t,” she

simpered. I rolled my eyes. “But I really want to,” she said in a breathy tone. I practically saw the clerk’s boner rise from where I was standing. “Can you fasten it for me?” “Sure,” the clerk said with a wolfish smile. I watched as Sarah lifted her hair up in a voluptuous pile on top of her head. She leaned over and winked at the clerk, making him blush. After their little display was over, I walked over and looked down into the case. “That’s beautiful,” I told Sarah. “But don’t you think emeralds would set off your dress?”

When she recognized me, a hot flush spread over her face. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said. Her voice faltered once and I smiled evenly, like I hadn’t even noticed. “This is the most beautiful thing I’ve seen,” she said, trailing her hand over the diamonds. “Just like something my mother used to have.” She looked up at me and it was clear that she wasn’t going to reference the other night. I sighed. “Are you shopping for your mother?” I smiled at her. “That’s so sweet of you.” She blushed again and stammered when she opened her mouth. “No, no. I’m just looking today.”

The clerk behind the counter looked thoroughly confused. “Ma’am, is there something else you’d like to see? Can I show you any of our other pieces?” Sarah shook her head more emphatically than she needed to. “No,” she chirped. “I’m fine.” “Can I walk you out?” I turned to her. She bit her lip. “Sure,” she said carefully, a touch of her old confidence coming back. “Of course you can.” I extended my arm and she looped hers through, resting her pale fingers on my

skin. When she touched me, a bolt of desire shot through my loins. It was tempting to just hike up her skirt and take her right then and there, fogging up the glass display cases with the heat from our bodies. Sarah tilted her head up towards mine. Her green eyes sparkled in the sun. “What are you doing here today?” she asked pleasantly. “It’s your day off,” she added. I nodded. “It is, but sometimes I like to stop in and make sure everything’s going well. You know. Old habit.” She bit her lip. “Sure,” she said. “Well, I

have to be going.” She mimed a yawn and stretched her arms high over her head. Her breasts pushed at the front of her silk dress like melons and I felt my cock twitch as I thought about burying my face in her cleavage. “I have a long shift ahead of me tonight.” I looked at her. Her face gave no indication she was lying; was it possible that they hadn’t told her about laying her off yet? But even if they hadn’t, it didn’t seem likely that a girl like her would be haunting a jewelry store for two days in a row. It wasn’t as though she’d shown up and asked for an application. “I bet,” I said carefully. “So you like

tending bar?” She wrinkled her nose. Damn, she’s a good liar, I thought. I was almost awed. “It’s okay,” she said, pursing her plump lips. “It’s not really ideal.” I looked down at her. “No, I wouldn’t think so,” I said. There was a beat of silent awkwardness between us. “Well, I have to get going. Bye, Sarah.” She nodded. “Bye,” she called out. I was going to offer her a ride, but first I wanted to see what she’d do. She walked away and then turned around about fifty feet later. When she saw that I

was watching her, she waved again. The next time she looked around, I saw that she was checking the street to cross. She snuck one final glance back in my direction. She was far enough away that I couldn’t read her face, but it looked like irritation and panic. Sarah walked up to the bus station and sat down on the bench. Shaking my head, I got on my bike and drove off. Something very weird was going on here, and I was starting to think that maybe she really was involved in something bad.

Chapter Six Sarah

Just when I thought I’d managed to shake him, I spotted him again in the rearview mirror of the bus. He was following the bus on his motorcycle, about five cars behind. Just long enough to follow without having to pass every time the bus made a stop. I watched as he dutifully slowed and resumed following. Every nerve in my body was on fire with panic. I had no idea what I’d done to make him follow me. He’d only seen me

twice; in the bar and in the jewelry store. He had no idea what I was up to. Or does he? I thought with a wave of anxiety. Shit. This could be bad. Of course it was just my fucking luck that this random dude would be the same guy who’d hit on me the other night. When I first saw him, he looked so different that I hadn’t recognized him. I’d almost wanted to blurt out, “What are you doing here?” as though he was up to no good, when in fact it was really me. I winced as the bus got emptier and emptier. Leaning to the side, I saw that he was still following me.

My stop was coming up soon. I’d parked in a garage a fair amount of space away from Tinder’s so I could give myself an alibi. But I wouldn’t be able to do that if jerkface kept following me! I wanted to cry and beat my fists against my lap in frustration. It wasn’t fair! I had to do this. I had to. If I didn’t, I’d be homeless. I frowned. My stop came up and I bit my lip; better for him to follow me to my car than catch me looping around to avoid him. My heart was beating in my chest like a scared rabbit. As I climbed off the bus, I kept my gaze fixed straight ahead on the parking garage. It was some rotten luck that my first day “working” for Roger I got tailed. It made me feel even

more hopeless than before. Maybe I should just give in and move into a box. When I turned my head around, the coast was clear. Relief flooded my body like adrenaline. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. It was just a coincidence. That was all. Relax, Sarah, I ordered myself. Everything will be fine now. It was just random chance, and you’re fine. Just don’t go back when he’s working. The parking garage seemed eerily empty for this time of day. I was shocked to remember that everyone else was likely working; it was during the week, after all. Tears came to my eyes. I felt so

useless, so terrible. The only thing good was that I didn’t have anyone left to disappoint. In the light of day, my car seemed dingier than ever. It was missing a taillight and one of the side mirrors, and there was a long scrape on the side that was starting to rust. I’d meant to get it fixed when I still had money, but one thing kept happening after another. Eventually, I told myself that I’d do it later but rent always came first. And now this; I didn’t have two quarters to rub together, much less a few hundred for a complete revamp of my car. My hand was shaking as I unlocked the door. I couldn’t wait to get home and take a

long bath. Something. Anything to distract me from how horrible this feeling of panic was. “Wait,” I heard a sharp voice say, and turned around, frightened. It was that guy, the sexy blond with the facial scruff. “Shit,” I muttered under my breath. He came closer and I saw that he was wearing a friendly but cautious smile. “What’s up?” I called out. He kept walking towards me with a casual smile toying at his lips. “I just wanted to chat,” he said. “You know, you didn’t act like you knew me in there. What’s up with that?”

I narrowed my eyes. “So now I have to act like we know each other?” I frowned. “I barely know you. We talked for, like, five seconds one night. I don’t really think that qualifies as ‘knowing’ each other.” He laughed, an easy, relaxed sound. “Relax,” he told me. “Seriously, I’m not trying to make you sweat. I just wanted to know why. That’s all.” When he stepped closer, a scent of musk and cologne washed over me. It was like being around a very powerful, very male animal. “Sorry. I’m feeling a little cagey right now.”

Blake stared at me with a gaze that could have melted ice. “I get that,” he said carefully. “But I think there’s something else at play here.” He leaned closer and the scent was stronger than before. A thrill of arousal shot through my body, mixing with the fear that I felt. “I think you pretended not to notice me on purpose.” I looked away. “You’re being ridiculous,” I said finally. “I wouldn’t have done that. Like I said, there wasn’t any point.” I tried to get in my car but he stepped around me quickly and blocked my way.

Blake shook his head. “You can’t lie,” he said softly. “Don’t you think it’s better if you own up to the truth right now?” “There’s nothing going on,” I said in frustration. “Can you move? I really need to get inside my car. Please. I’m going to be late.” “For what?” Blake looked at me and smirked. “For work?” “Yes,” I said quickly. “For work. I really want to take a nap before I go in, and now I don’t think I’ll have time.” Blake chuckled. He shook his head.

“That’s just it,” he said slowly, drawing his gaze up my body. Despite the panic I felt, I shivered with desire. “I don’t think you will be late.” My mouth went dry. “What? Why not?” I narrowed my eyes. “Some of us like to be on time, you know.” He stared at me. “Sarah, you’re not gonna be late because you’re not going in.” “Of course I am,” I told him loudly. “I work there.” Blake laughed. It was a short, humorless sound. “Sarah, cut the shit,” he said in a

tired voice. “We both know that you don’t. You were laid off on Friday night.” I blinked. My throat felt tight and tears came to my eyes. I opened my mouth to speak and no words came out. “I don’t know what to say,” I said softly. “Why are you doing this?” Blake raked his veiny hands through his thick hair. “Because I think you’re keeping something from me,” he growled. “And I don’t like being lied to, Sarah. Not at all.” “I’m not lying,” I whined.

Blake shook his head. He made a fist and slammed it against the side of my car. “You are. And I’m going to get to the bottom of this.” Before I could say anything, he stalked off, brushing against me with his body. Under his clothes, he felt rock-solid. As I watched him walk away, part of me was relieved, but part of me found myself wishing that he would come back. I swallowed hard and realized that my heart was pounding in my chest. He was enigmatic, completely. He’d gone from happy guy drinking with his buddies to more intense than anyone I’d ever met in ten seconds, and I didn’t know what he wanted with me. But the

longer he looked at me, the more he stared, I found myself captivated. He was gorgeous. Muscular, tan, roguish. That smile he had was one of the most charming things I’d ever seen. And even though he’d terrified me, I couldn’t help but secretly wish to see him again. It had been so long since I’d been with someone for longer than one night; but when I closed my eyes and thought of Blake, I realized that we’d have a lot to keep us busy. Much more than one night’s worth. Weeks of nights, maybe. I blushed scarlet red as I imagined him taking me from behind, painfully raw, making me scream and blush and cry out as he penetrated me

harder. Arousal flooded my body and I felt my panties start to get wet. The silk dress started to feel more sensual than before. I shook my head to rid myself of the raunchy images. No, there was no way that was going to happen. Not a snowball’s chance in hell. Blake, what are you doing to me?

Chapter Seven Blake

“Damn her!” I growled under my breath as I ran out of the parking garage to where my bike was stashed. “What a sneaky little bitch!” Still, the image of her in my mind was pleasing enough. In it, she got to her hands and knees in that damn silk sheath dress and crawled around until I was rock hard in my jeans. That generous mouth of hers…goddamn she knew how to give me some lip. I can give her some

lip, too, I thought nastily. Boy could I ever give her some lip. Sarah wasn’t the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen, but she might have been one of the sexiest. There was something about her knowing green gaze, her generous mouth that set me on fire. I hated that I was having these kind of thoughts about her, especially since I was suspicious. But between that tight, curvy body and her face…damn! It could really do something to a man. I couldn’t look at her without thinking about running my hands all over her body. Pinching, pawing, squeezing, slapping, tickling… her skin just looked so incredible. I wanted to bring her to the heights of pleasure and then make her beg for my

cock. Just thinking about the expression on her face as she begged me to fuck her was almost enough to make me come. And every part of her body was so sensual—even her knees were arousing. Even the curve of her armpit held some secret world that I wanted to tear apart. Plus, she seemed all too aware of her charms. Women were cute when they were modest, but there was something breathtaking about the kind of woman who knew what power they held. A woman who knew her skill was one of the best partners you could have. And I had a feeling that Sarah had taken a lot of time to hone her “skill.” Even the way she walked drove me mad; it was a

sensual hip-swinging sway with just a little bit of wiggle at the end. I groaned inwardly as I imagined throwing her on her belly and ripping her panties away. She’d almost surely be wet, and I wanted to plunge my tongue inside her pussy and lick until she was screaming for me to stop. I loved the round globes of her ass and imagined running my teeth over each cheek and biting would be exquisite. I bet that she had a beautiful asshole. Shit, I bet that everything about her body was nothing less than perfect. I licked my lips. She was one hot, dangerous little number. And if I had my way, I was going to make her mine. Shaking my head, I jogged down the

stairs two at a time. But something seemed off. I knew that I’d scared her, but had I scared her so much that she’d reconsider whatever she was starting to do? I had no idea. Then again, I had no idea of what she was up to, either. Well, I had some idea. But nothing substantial. Nothing that I could take to the guys for help. Nothing that I could ask the cops about. “Damnit,” I grunted. “I need answers, woman!” No magical version of Sarah floated down from the sky and gave me answers. I decided that I was going to have to talk to her again. Judging from the condition

of her car, I could catch her before she drove out of the lot. The thing looked like it maybe had about ten miles left on it before it gave up and stopped working. Poor Sarah. Then again, I couldn’t believe that I was pitying someone who was probably involved in thievery. Pull yourself together, asshole, I told myself. It’s only going to get worse from here on out. As I turned around and headed back up the stairs, I heard voices arguing. There was a man attacking and a woman screaming and shrieking in fright. Frowning, I kicked my jog into a run and took the stairs as fast as I could. I was just about to intervene when I realized

that the woman was Sarah. Pausing in the stairwell, I ducked to the side so they wouldn’t be able to hear me. The guy looked vaguely familiar; it took me a few seconds to realize that he was the guy from the other night, the guy that I’d told off. I couldn’t remember his name. Rick? Roy? Whatever, didn’t matter. The guy was clearly a prick and a bottomfeeder. “Leave me alone,” Sarah was crying out in a hoarse voice. She was backing into a corner and waving her arms in front of her as though she had a knife. The guy laughed and followed her. “C’mon, baby,” he called out. “You

gonna finish helping me or not? We just started, you an’ me!” Sarah shook her head. “It’s off,” she called out, sounding scared. “It’s off. I can’t do it. I can’t help you.” The creepy asshole stepped closer. I caught the words “too late” and “picture will be up,” but I couldn’t tell what else he was saying. Just as I thought he was about to leave her alone, he reached over and smacked her, hard. “Fuck off!” I heard her cry through sobs. “Leave me alone!” I started jogging towards them and

called out but they didn’t notice. I watched as the guy grabbed Sarah and slammed her against her car with one hand. Her body hit the metal with a sickening crunch and she crumpled to the ground, sobbing. Listening to her cry was hard on me but it was a relief that she was making noise; I’d seen a lot of impact trauma cases where the victim couldn’t speak afterwards. The only thing that flashed through my mind was keeping her safe. I bounded across the parking garage and grabbed the guy by the scruff of the neck. Judging by the shocked expression he gave me, I didn’t think he’d expected to see me. I wound up and swung, hitting him square

in the jaw. Beneath my fist, I felt his teeth loosen and pop out. When he fell to the ground, he smacked his head against the concrete and lay prone. Sarah was in a shaking heap to one side. She was curled up with her knees against her chest and I could tell that her whole body was quaking. I eyed her carefully. “Are you okay?” She bit her lip and nodded. A single tear escaped from her green eyes and oozed down her cheek. “I’m fine,” she said shakily. “Thank you.”

I shook my head. “Sorry I didn’t get here faster,” I told her. “What was that?” We both stared at him, passed out on the ground. I held my hand in front of his face. He was breathing, but very shallow breaths. I rolled him on his side, giving him a kick in the ribs for good measure. I looked at Sarah. She was looking down at him with an arrogant look on her beautiful face. “Thanks,” she said again after a beat. “I appreciate that. You saved the day.” I shook my head. “You wanna tell me what’s going on?” I took her by the shoulders and looked into her face. Sarah’s skin was a creamy pale white,

and she had a red mark starting to blossom on her cheek from where he’d hit her. “I can’t,” she said, sniffling. “I really can’t talk about it.” I rolled my eyes. “Fine. But what about this clown? Who the fuck is he?” Sarah hesitated. “His name is Roger,” she said quietly. “He works at the bar. He used to work with me. Remember him from the other night?” I snorted. “Oh, so you do remember the other night, do you?”

Sarah blushed madly. “He’s a jerk,” she said. “Tell me about it,” I cracked drily. Sarah didn’t smile. “You really should go,” she told me. “I’m fine. I’ll be fine.”

Chapter Eight Sarah

Blake was frowning at me when we both heard a stirring on the ground. I looked down to see Roger waking up into consciousness. He groaned and held a hand up to his face, wiping his chin. When he pulled it away and it was bloody, he grunted. “What the fuck?” he hissed. I smirked at him. From where I stood, he seemed like such an insignificant little

prick. He wasn’t intimidating or threatening at all. I watched with satisfaction as the blood trickled out of his mouth. When he tried to roll into a sitting position, Roger’s eyes rolled back in his head. For a moment I thought he was going to pass out again. “Stay awake,” Blake hissed. He leaned down and grabbed Roger by the throat, yanking him into a standing position. “What the fuck is going on? Who the fuck are you?” Roger laughed, showing a mouth full of blood and yellow teeth. “Fuck you,” he said to Blake. “I’m nobody to you, asshole. You can’t save your little

girlfriend.” Blake shook his head. “She’s not my girlfriend,” he said tersely. “But you didn’t answer my fucking question. Who the fuck are you, and what do you want?” “Nothing with you,” Roger cackled. He spat blood on Blake’s face and Blake decked him again, sending him flying to the ground. I watched as a tooth dribbled out of his mouth and bounced along the pavement. “It’s gonna take more than that to keep me down,” he said with a grin. “You’re gonna have to work much, much harder, boy.”

I watched as Blake’s face twisted into an almost unrecognizable mask of anger. Kick him again, I thought. Harder this time! But Blake restrained himself. He turned to me. “Come on,” he said shortly. “I’m taking you home.” I shook my head. “I can drive,” I told him. “My car’s right here. See?” Blake shook his head. I felt his strong hand encircle my arm and a little shiver of arousal went through my body. “No, you’re coming with me,” he told me. “Come on.”

We walked down the steps of the garage without speaking, leaving Roger in a pile of blood and a few teeth. I wanted to go back and make sure he was really hurt, but something told me Blake was going to start hounding me for more answers. “You really don’t have to do this,” I told him after a few minutes of silence. “I’m totally fine on my own.” “You’re obviously not,” Blake shot back. “I left for what, like, two seconds?” I blushed and ducked my head. “Whatever,” I muttered, not wanting to

argue. “Where are you parked?” Blake led me through the trees. His bike was leaned against a fence. “Here,” he said, handing me a half-dome of a helmet. “Put this on.” As we cruised through the streets of downtown, I wrapped my arms around him and held on a little tighter than I should have. There was something really sensual about riding the motorcycle; it almost felt more like a live animal than a piece of machinery. Blake handled it expertly. “Lean with me!” he yelled as we approached a sharp turn. I felt his body angle in the opposite direction and I leaned with him. It was scary—I felt

like I was actually close to the ground even though we were fine. It was exhilarating; between our encounter with Roger and the fast bike ride, my adrenaline was going crazy. Being this close to Blake was making my heart beat fast, too. His hair smelled like tobacco and cologne and I buried my face in the back of his neck and breathed in deeply. He was muscular and heavy; it didn’t look like there was any fat on his body whatsoever. Holding him through his leather vest, I realized just how bulky he actually was. With Blake, I felt safe and protected. Even though I was getting evicted, I could close my eyes and actually pretend like everything was

alright. The ride to my apartment didn’t take nearly long enough. As we pulled in the parking lot, I handed Blake back his helmet. “Here,” I said. “Thanks. Bye.” Blake shook his head. “Oh, no, no, no,” he said, wagging a finger at me. “I’m not leaving now. We’re gonna have a little talk, honey.” I blushed. The thought of him going inside my apartment was almost unbearably intimate. I couldn’t think of what would happen. Was he going to laugh at the way I’d decorated? It was hard to imagine him reclining on my

gypsy-ish couch with the purple silk throw. “Okay. It’s this way.” Blake followed me up the stairs and down the hall to my door. The neighbor’s dog went apeshit as usual and barked its fool head off. “I hate that dog,” I muttered under my breath. Blake chuckled. “Yeah, doesn’t seem nearly intimidating enough for this kind of place,” Blake said, raking a hand through his hair. “You must be always wanting to put extra locks on the door.”

I shook my head. “It’s not like that, really,” I said. “This is actually pretty safe. I’ve never had any trouble.” “Do you like it?” Blake’s eyes bore holes into mine as he flopped down on the couch. I blushed. He had no way of knowing that I’d be leaving soon, but it was almost like he was trying to get me to say it. I watched as he fingered the edge of a throw pillow. “It’s fine,” I said, looking to the side. “What’s up?” I prayed he wasn’t going to start with the same business again. As I looked at Blake, I wondered just how much of our conversation he’d overhead. There was Roger threatening me with the

pictures and telling me that I had to tell him…it was all pretty damning. Even though Blake was a tough guy in a motorcycle club, I didn’t really want to tell him about the pictures. I felt like it didn’t really make me look very smart. Of course nudes were always going to resurface after you took them. It was honestly a miracle that I hadn’t been blackmailed before. “I just want to know what’s going on,” Blake said. He shook his head. “And don’t lie to me, I have a good bullshit detector, Sarah. Maybe even better than yours.” I snorted. “I can’t tell you,” I said

finally. “I really can’t talk about it. I don’t even know what I’d say that would make it seem understandable.” Blake glanced up. “So you are involved with something, then,” he said. His words hung in the air. I looked at the ground. “Does it matter?” Blake stared at me. His intense blue eyes pierced a hole right through me. “I know you are,” he said carefully. “And you need to be a little more careful, Sarah. I’ve seen people who were planning to commit big heists acting like you did this morning. And the other day.”

I frowned. “What other day?” I lied, looking away. “Sarah, come on,” Blake said. He leaned forward and his scent washed over me. It was incredibly difficult to resist the urge to kiss him. I wanted to lean forward and tangle my hands in his masses of blond hair, pull him close, and feel his tongue lick its way into my mouth. “What?” My mouth felt too dry. I swallowed. “You know that I know that you were there,” he said. I giggled nervously. “What? This isn’t funny, Sarah. This is

really serious, and you could go to jail for a long time. Come on. There has to be something you can tell me.” I shook my head again. The way that he was pleading with me was tugging at my heartstrings. I was so close to telling him everything—about the eviction, about the pictures, about Roger being a complete and total creep—but there was something in his gaze that made me stop dead in my tracks. It was like Blake was built on layer after layer of person, and there’s no way I’d be able to break through all of them. I envisioned that he didn’t get close to many people in his life, maybe save for the other members of the motorcycle club. But I wanted to

be close to him. “You can tell me,” Blake cajoled. I bit my lip. “And even if you don’t tell me, I’ll probably find out anyway. Don’t you know that, Sarah?” A blush spread over my cheeks. “No,” I whispered. “I don’t think you’ll find out, because I’m not really involved.” Anger flashed over Blake’s face and he closed his eyes, throwing his head back dramatically. I watched as his veiny, masculine hands curled into fists and pounded at his muscular thighs. “Sarah,” he said through gritted teeth, his eyes still screwed shut. “Stop fucking with

me,” he growled. A shiver ran down my spine at the way he said my name. I closed my eyes and imagined him riding me hard, my wetness spilling down my legs and making a mess. I knew that he’d tangle his hands in my hair and pull my head back until I was screaming with pain, only to give me the most savage orgasms that I’d ever had. “I’m not,” I said softly. Blake opened his eyes and glared at me. He got to his feet and my breath caught in my throat as he bridged the gap between our bodies with two swift

steps. My heart was hammering in my chest as he leaned down and tangled his hands in my hair, pulling my head back so that I was looking right into his blue eyes. “I can tell that you’re lying,” he whispered gruffly. “And I’m going to find out what’s going on, Sarah. Don’t even think for a second that I’ll let you get away with this.” Fear and desire crawled down my spine. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I whispered breathily. My heart started to thud in my chest as Blake leaned closer, without breaking eye contact. I couldn’t tell if he was going to

slap me or kiss me, but I impulsively leaned up on my toes and planted my lips on his. For a moment, the kiss was stagnant. It had no life of its own, and just as I was about to pull away in defeat, Blake moved his lips against mine. My whole body jolted with arousal and electricity as he gently tongued his way into my mouth and caressed my tongue with his. I felt my whole body melt as he tangled his hands painfully tight in my hair and kept my mouth smashed against his. His breath invaded my mouth and his taste was enough to set the area between my legs on fire. I moaned softly into Blake’s mouth and wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him close with want and

need. Blake groaned softly. I licked and nibbled at his bottom lip and he slid a hand down my back and squeezed my ass. In his big hands, I felt delicate and tiny. A shiver of pleasure ran through my body as he kneaded the flesh of my ass with a skilled hand. I could feel my juices soaking through my panties and I squirmed and twisted in his grasp, desperate for more. As Blake groped me, I pressed my body against him. I could feel how stiff my nipples were, and against the silk of my dress they throbbed hotly as we rubbed together. As I ran my hands over Blake’s back, I felt his muscles tense. He was so strong,

it turned me on just to touch him. As the kiss deepened, Blake twisted my head to the side. Just as I was about to wrap one of my legs around his strong thighs, he pulled away. “No,” Blake muttered. “Forget it. I have to go.” I stared at him, feeling a blush crawl down my face. My heart was thudding. “I’m sorry,” I whispered, looking down. I kept my eyes on the carpet as Blake’s heavy footsteps walked to the door. He threw it open with so much force that it slammed against the wall, the doorknob leaving a dent in the plaster. I winced as I thought about it coming out of my

security deposit. “Sarah?” “Yeah?” I looked up at him, biting my lip. “What?” He didn’t meet my eyes. “Stay out of Tinder’s,” Blake grunted. Then, he was gone.

Chapter Nine Blake

It was hard to get her out of my head as I stalked towards my bike, anger and lust coursing through my veins. Damn her, I thought, my eyes flashing. She thinks she’s so much smarter than me! I’ll show her! I hopped on my bike and rode home. That night, I was meeting Abel, Jimmy, and Red out at a bar. I wondered if Abel was finally gonna talk about the Aztecs;

if we didn’t do something soon, I had a feeling they were about to become a real problem. The whole time I was in the shower and getting ready, I thought about Sarah. I remembered how her hot little body responded to mine with such catlike grace and desire. I could smell the fumes wafting off of her, that’s how hot she’d been. If I’d yanked up her dress and plunged my cock inside of her, I bet she wouldn’t have even made me wear a rubber. Thinking about Sarah and her little curvy body was too much right now. My cock started to get hard and at first I ignored it, but stroking myself with her spicy vanilla and chili scent in my mind felt

too good. I closed my eyes as I stroked my cock in long, hard motions in the shower, using some conditioner as lube. My hand was warm and wet and tight, but not nearly as tight as good pussy. I somehow had a feeling that Sarah was so tight she could stir up a monk. After the shower, I felt unusually drained. I hoped tonight would be lowkey. I didn’t have to work the next day, but with the state I was in, I didn’t want to bring anybody home. The air felt tense and heavy; I couldn’t deal with some random bimbo’s questions just then. When I got to the bar, I looked around. Jeanne wasn’t there, but there was a cute

little blonde working the tables. She was wearing jean shorts so high that they were creeping into her labia; I could see the round swell of each ass cheek. There was a white tank top knotted tightly beneath her breasts, and I could see her pink nipples through the thin cotton. My cock chafed and twitched in my pants, but I wasn’t grateful for the distraction. She gave me a big smile. “Blake, it’s been so long since I saw you,” she said sweetly, coming over to hug me. I felt her tits press into my chest and I had to pull away. “I’m home from college; you can see I’m all grown up now.” She smiled a gap-toothed smile at me and suddenly, I remembered her. She

was a friend of Tony’s older daughter. The last time I’d seen her, she’d been in high school with glasses and her hair in braids. I raked a hand through my hair and looked at her from an arm’s length. Her pink-glossed lips were curved into a sensuous smile. “I remember you,” I said gruffly. She giggled and jumped up and down, I caught myself staring at her tits bouncing. “How old are you now?” She grinned and bit her lower lip. “Eighteen!” she chirped. I clapped a hand to my forehead. “Chris,” I muttered. “I need a beer.”

She laughed and walked away, carrying her tray propped up against the curve of her hips that was just starting to look womanly. Towards the back of the bar I saw Jimmy and Abel. Abel was the spitting image of Jimmy, only twenty years older and with a lot more scars and tattoos. Compared to him, Jimmy looked like a freshfaced little kid. “Hey, man,” they greeted me, clapping me on the back. “What’s good? You took so long to get here, we were gonna drink all the beer!” I laughed shortly. “Close work,” I said, referencing our code for domestic

issues. “I had to escort someone home.” Abel raised his eyebrows. “You’re on club time today,” he drawled. “You think about that?” I shook my head. “It took thirty minutes, tops,” I told him casually. “I’m here now. Trust me.” The little blonde waltzed over to our table with a pitcher of beer and a shot glass full of a murky amber liquid. She smiled at me again and my cock twitched. “Hey, boys,” she said with a flirtatious smile. “I’m just bringin’ y’all a fresh

pitcher. And I’m gonna give Blake here a shot, since he’s got some catching up to do.” Abel and Jimmy snickered; I wondered if somehow they hadn’t asked her to do that before I even showed up. “Sure,” I said, reaching out and taking the glass, I held it up to the blonde, winked at her, and knocked it back. I saw a flash of desire and admiration on her face and as she walked away, I knew she was blushing. “She’s not old enough to be my sister,” Jimmy grumbled. “You want first crack at her, Blake?”

I laughed and threw my head back. “Maybe after about ten more of these,” I said, showing Jimmy the empty glass. “I’m not much for jailbait.” The three of us caught up and before I knew it, I was feeling red-faced and sweaty. One of the guys put some old country on the jukebox and the blonde girl got up and danced on the bar. The men couldn’t take their eyes off of her. Her youth was like a magnet that drew them, regardless of marital status or whether they had a girlfriend at home. “She’s smoking,” Jimmy said, whistling. “You gonna go for that tonight?”

I looked at him. Normally, we wouldn’t be competing like this. But I’d felt like something was wrong, like some kind of trouble was brewing ever since that standoff with the Aztecs. I nodded. “Sure am,” I said, digging my hands deep in my pockets and walking over. Sarah’s face flashed through my mind. Damn her, I thought. The blonde hopped down from the bar and took a bow. When she walked over to me, I saw that her color was high and her face was flushed. “Hi,” she said in a twang. “Wanna dance?” I slipped my arm around her waist and pulled her close. “I don’t dance,” I

grunted in her ear. “You feel like comin’ outside with me?” She giggled for a moment and it occurred to me how young she really was. But as she pressed her tits up against me, I found myself not caring. “Sure,” she whispered. “Just let me go tell the boss.” I nodded. When she came back, I realized I didn’t even know what her name was. She looped her arm through mine and I guided her outside. Later, I realized it was almost like a parody of how I’d acted with Sarah in Tinder’s. The blonde turned her face to me and looked into my eyes.

“Are you okay?” I asked her, leaning in to nuzzle her neck. “You look a little tense, baby.” She giggled nervously and wrapped her thin arms around my neck. “I’m fine,” she whispered. “I’m with you!” I slid my hands down her back and scooped her up, wrapping her legs around my waist. She squealed and kissed me enthusiastically. Her mouth tasted like bubble gum and vodka and I had an almost instant hard-on as she ground her thinly-clad pussy against me. The blonde purred into my mouth and tangled her hands in my hair, pulling

herself further up on my frame. She was acting like a little cat in heat, and while it was sexy, it was also a little thirsty in a way that suggested she was faking. I couldn’t tell if it was desire or eagerness to please that was driving her, and as I held her in place, she wriggled down my body, kissing and nipping at my neck with her sticky little mouth. “Slow down, darlin’,” I whispered in a strained voice. “We got more time than this.” The blonde was already scrambling to her feet and kneeling down in front of me. As she unzipped my jeans, she gave me a big grin. “I just wanna make you

feel good,” she said sweetly, reaching in tentatively for my cock. I was hard, but the way she touched me made me feel like she’d never been around a real dick before. “You can stroke me harder,” I told in her a strained voice. She peered up at me and bit her lip, gently moving her hand along my shaft. It was tickling torture and I groaned in agony. “Please,” I grunted. “Please touch me harder.” “I love hearing you beg,” she said, leaning in and licking her lips. I buried my hand in her tangle of blonde hair as she took the first couple inches of my cock into her mouth. Almost

immediately, she began to choke and gag and I pulled away, afraid of her teeth. When we made eye contact, she was red and blushing. “Sorry,” she mumbled. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.” “It’s fine,” I said, picking her up to her feet and cradling her in my arms. I dipped my head to kiss her and she swooned in my arms. Suddenly, my mind was a thousand miles away, with that goddamned redheaded bartender. I bet she wouldn’t have choked on my cock. I bet she could have taken the whole thing in her mouth at once and deep-throated me until I came. I could feel my erection softening. I pushed the blonde away gently. When she tried to move back in

closer, I took her by the shoulder and looked at her. “Listen, this isn’t a good time,” I told her curtly. “You better go on back inside now.” The blonde glared at me, hurt showing on her face. “Forget you,” she muttered. “Are you gay? Do you even like women?” I rolled my eyes. “You’re not exactly a woman, honey,” I told her. “I don’t like little girls.” I watched as tears came to her eyes and she backed away. “Fine! I didn’t want you anyway!”

As she ran inside, I lit a cigarette and pulled on it hard. Sarah. Why couldn’t I get her name out of my head? There was a buzz and a loud thrumming behind me. I turned around to see one of the Aztecs pull into the lot. He kept his eyes on me as he hopped off his bike and walked towards mine. Just when I thought he was about to do something, he kicked it over. I watched as my motorcycle fell in the dirt. Rage swirled through me and I walked over and decked him, hard. The Aztec was grinning at me the whole time, even after my punch landed, but he crumpled to the ground in a puddle of blood and teeth.

“Fuck you,” I spat. He kicked me and I almost fell over. The time I spent staggering allowed him to get up and punch me in return. I managed to dodge the blow but he delivered a powerful roundhouse kick that sent me flying. In the distance, police sirens started to blare. The Aztec looked panicky, then gleeful when he realized I’d be caught at the scene of the crime. Glaring at him, I ran over to my bike, picked it up, and drove off. Fuck, I thought, as I sped through the dark night alone. What the fuck is going to happen next?

Chapter Ten Sarah

After Blake left, my heart was thudding in my chest so loudly that the whole room was pulsing. I lay in bed for hours, reliving the kiss, wanting it to happen again while simultaneously never wanting lay eyes on Blake’s face for the rest of my life. Something about him irritated me so much; I couldn’t articulate it, but it was like he wanted to make me uncomfortable.

That was why it was so hard to resist the urge to spill everything. After he’d told me about how he thought he was onto me, fear and panic had stabbed through my belly. With his tattoos and his street cred, I honestly didn’t doubt it. But Blake had to know better than that; he had to know that I wouldn’t talk easily. Plus, whenever I thought about the pictures, I burned with shame. Blake couldn’t find out about those. Even though I was attracted to him, I didn’t want him thinking that I was some kind of slut. Out of boredom, I called Julia. I had another assignment for Roger later in the day; I knew that Blake wasn’t working

so it might be safe to stop by. After our last encounter, I couldn’t go back when he was working. I was all too aware of that. I just hoped that the guard on duty wouldn’t feel like it was his job to inform Blake that I’d stopped by. Julia didn’t answer when I called, but five seconds later, she was calling me back. I picked up on the first ring. “Hey,” I greeted her. “Are you busy today? Want to hang out?” Julia laughed shortly. “Sarah, you know how busy I am with Hailey,” she told me. “She’s just getting over a cold, and I have to go by the school for an interview

later.” I frowned. “Are you getting a new job? Did something happen at the office?” Julia laughed, this time it was more convincing. “Not exactly,” she said. “Hailey has interviews at different preschools, and today’s the day I’m taking her.” I bit my tongue; pre-schools had interviews now? It made me want to roll my eyes. Instead, I changed the subject. “Well, if you’re free beforehand, how about if I come over? I haven’t seen Hailey in a long time. I’ll even drop you guys off at the pre-school.”

There was a pause. “Okay, maybe,” Julia told me, and my heart sank. “I’m sorry, Sarah. I know I’ve been a shitty friend lately, but I don’t really know what to do about that. I’m up to my ears in chores. I have laundry for days, and Derek’s parents are coming by tomorrow to visit with Hailey.” Her voice turned sad. I knew that she hated even thinking about Hailey’s dad, but at least her former in-laws were nice. “It’s just a lot going on,” she said with a sigh. “I’m sorry. “ I narrowed my eyes. “What if I came over and helped you?” I asked. “I could come over and do laundry and help you

clean. That way you can relax and we can talk. Hailey can take a nap or something. I’m sure the school interviews will tire her out.” Julia laughed. “Sarah, that’d be awesome,” she gushed. “Do you mean it? Thank you so much!” I nodded, even though she couldn’t see me. “Of course I do,” I told her. “I’ll be over soon.” The drive to Julia’s took no time at all. She lived in a much nicer neighborhood than I did. Her complex had trees around the buildings, and it even had a pool. I was jealous, but I never could have

afforded to live there. Still, I knew that she barely made ends meet. I wondered how often Derek was paying her child support now. Maybe, after the whole thing with Roger was over, I could help her out a little bit. I knocked on the door and Julia yelled that it was open. Stepping inside was like visiting a domestic war zone. The carpet was covered in splatters of paint and toys, and Julia was hunched over, carrying Hailey under one arm and a messy can of acrylic paint in the other. “Aunt Sarah! Aunt Sarah!” Hailey cried out. She wriggled free from her mother’s grip and crawled over to me excitedly.

Hailey looked up at me with big shining brown eyes. “Sarah!” she cried out, holding her arms up for me to pick her up. I laughed and reached down, grabbing her and holding her against my chest. She was strangely heavy for a four-year-old, but there was something soothing about her weight. It was almost calming, like hugging a pillow. Julia looked up at me. She looked exhausted. Her hair was tangled around her face and there were distinct purple circles under her eyes. Her normally thin frame looked a little puffy, like she’d been subsisting on a diet of potato chips and soda. When I glanced around, I saw empty chip bags everywhere. Frowning,

I turned to Hailey. “Hailey, it looks like your mom could use a nap,” I said cheerfully. Hailey beat her little fists against my back—it was surprisingly painful. “She looks really tired,” I said. “Ouch! Stop that.” “No!” Hailey yelled. Her cry pierced my ear and I set her down gently on the ground. She started crawling around and tugging at the drying paint on the carpet. I felt my uterus shrink up as though it was wrapped; sometimes being around kids felt like the best birth control I could imagine. At least it managed to drive the thoughts of Blake out of my head.

“Sorry,” Julia said, wincing. “She’s at a tough age right now. I have no idea where she gets all of this energy!” Julia corralled Hailey like an expert rancher and carried her to her bedroom. I heard Hailey’s high-pitched shrieks and Julia’s calm, low voice. Finally, Julia emerged and closed the door behind her. After a moment, Hailey started sobbing loudly through the walls. Julia looked at me and rolled her eyes. “This sucks,” I told her. She burst out laughing, then covered her mouth with a hand. “I know,” she admitted, looking down. “But what am I

supposed to do?” I shrugged. “You’ve got your hands full for sure. Let me know how I can help.” Julia looked around the apartment helplessly. Her face crumpled and I thought she was going to burst into tears but she managed to pull herself together. “There’s just too much,” she said finally. “Do you mind starting on the laundry? There’s a pile over there.” Wordlessly, I grabbed the plastic baskets full of dirty clothes and lugged them downstairs to the coin-operated washer and dryer. Once I was down there, I realized Julia hadn’t given me any

money. I was too embarrassed to say that I couldn’t spare any, so I dug through my pockets and came up with a measly $1.75. My stomach growled—the coins where what I was planning to use to buy my dinner for the day. But Julia didn’t have to know that. Oh well, I thought as I tried to stay positive. At least I have an excuse for not eating McDonald’s again. When I brought the empty basket upstairs, Julia was laying on the couch looking mournful. “What are you doing later? Can you take over my life and my daughter for me?” I shook my head and ruffled her hair. She

winced. “Sorry, Jules,” I told her. “No can do.” Julia picked herself up off of the couch and gave me a curious look. “So what are you doing, anyway?” I bit my lip. Lying to her was much harder than lying to Blake. “Nothing,” I said. “Helping a friend with something.” I looked into her eyes. “Maybe moving soon.” Julia opened her eyes wide. “Oh, Sarah,” she said in a crestfallen voice. “I had no idea. I’m so sorry.” I shook my head. “It’s fine,” I said,

wanting to get off the subject. “It probably won’t happen. I think I’ll be able to make some money through a friend.” Julia took my hand in hers; it struck me how rough and calloused her skin was. I imagined that she spent a lot of time trying to clean the shitty houses before trying to sell them. “I’m sorry,” she said again. “It’s a tough time for all of us, but we’ll get through somehow. Do you want me to pay you back for laundry?” I shook my head. “No need,” I said breezily. I stood up and brushed my hands off on my jeans. “I should get going, though,” I told her. “I need to meet

someone soon.” Julia nodded soberly. She got up from her perch and started digging around in the kitchen. When she emerged, she was carrying a plastic bag. “Here are some leftovers,” she said. “There’s roast chicken and potatoes and a can of peas, okay?” I nodded. Tears welled up in my eyes. In a time of so much confusion, I hadn’t expected her to offer me anything at all. But her kindness was something that I felt like I didn’t see enough of in the world. “Thanks,” I said softly. “I mean it. This helps a lot. Thanks, Jules.”

Julia nodded. “I’ve gotta go wake up Hailey,” she said. She looked away. Emotion always made her nervous. “I gotcha,” I said, leaning in for a hug. She handed me the bag and I noticed that it was surprisingly heavy. “Thanks again.” Julia saw me off with a nod. I hadn’t been planning to go home again because of my visit to Tinder’s, but I couldn’t leave the food in my trunk. I might have to watch for a while; Roger had instructed me to find out when the clerks left for their breaks. When I got home, I opened the bag of

food and found Julia had put in an uncooked package of ground turkey and a couple of boxes of spice mix and noodles to cook with it. There was also an apple and a couple of bottles of water. My heart was touched, and I drove off to the jewelry store with a renewed enthusiasm in my heart. Maybe everything really would be okay. To my relief, Blake was nowhere in sight as I crossed the threshold of Tinder’s. The security guard was an unfamiliar one: a black guy with short dreads that I hadn’t ever seen before. He barely glanced at me as I walked inside. Keeping a low profile, I slunk behind a

group of people gaping at one of the necklaces in the display case. It was gorgeous: clusters of pearls and diamonds in marquee settings with tiny emeralds twinkling around it. I knew it because it was one of the items that Roger had asked me to keep an eye out for. One of the employees, a tan girl in her late 20s, turned her head and called something about being back in fifteen minutes. The other clerks waved to her and I checked my watch. It was exactly noon. “Miss!” I called to her as she walked out of the store. “Miss, can I request your

help with something?” An annoyed look crossed her face before she plastered on a more professionallooking smile. “I always take my lunch at noon,” she replied, scratching at her chin. “But I’m sure one of my colleagues would be more than happy to help you!” I nodded. “Thanks,” I said. She turned around and burst out of the store, clearly relieved to be away from her job for the moment. When I turned around, none of the clerks had noticed. The security guard was staring at me and I looked away, hoping that I wouldn’t blush. When the crowd thinned out, I realized

that there was only one more clerk behind the counter. It wasn’t the cute guy who had helped me the first day, but kind of a scrawny-looking teenager. Right now, he was deeply entranced in his iPhone. When I glanced back up, the security guard was scanning the parking lot The employee still hadn’t noticed me standing there and watching him. With a sigh of relief, I headed out to my car. Instead of getting inside, I looked around. Roger was sitting in his parked car a couple of rows away. When he saw me, he nodded his head in my direction. I bit my lip and walked over quietly. I didn’t want to get in a car with him, but with the security guard scanning

the lot, I couldn’t afford to be seen hanging out. “You’re good,” he said, nodding after I’d filled him in on what I’d seen inside. “You ever think about doing this for a living?” He grinned at me; the bruise on his face had faded to an ugly yellowgreen. “You’d be good,” he repeated. “You already are.” Not that good, I thought. But I didn’t say anything about Blake. Thankfully, he didn’t ask. “I’m sure,” I said flippantly. “But I’m not interested, Roger. Sorry.” Roger grinned at me. “Just tellin’ it like it is, baby,” he said with a whistle.

“I just want to be done with this,” I grumbled. “We’re business partners this once, nothing more. You understand?” Roger laughed. He tapped his pocket lightly and I thought I heard the rustling of paper. Wincing, I turned away. “I got you, baby,” he said in a teasing voice. “Besides, you wouldn’t want these little photos escaping, now would you?’ “Definitely not,” I said, turning away and letting myself out of Roger’s car. “Definitely, definitely not.”

Chapter Eleven Blake

I was getting dressed to go to the clubhouse when my phone rang. Shit, I thought, narrowing my eyes. It was the store number at Tinder’s. What do they want? “Yo,” I said, answering my phone. “What’s up?” It wasn’t my manager, but Eddie, the guy who filled in for me sometimes. Lately, they’d hired him as a temp. Sometimes

on busy days, we even worked together. “Yo, man,” he said after introducing himself. “So you wanted some intel on that redhead?” My stomach sunk. As much as I’d been thinking Sarah was involved in something wrong, I didn’t want to be right. I was hoping that she’d wise up and never cross the threshold of Tinder’s again. But apparently I was wrong. Dread filled my stomach and I started to really wonder what was going on. “The redhead?” I repeated dumbly. “What happened?” Eddie laughed. “Nothing, man,” he said.

“She just came in a little before noon. Walked around for a while, looked at a necklace.” My heart started to thud in my chest like a caged animal. “Look at it?” I asked. “Like, did she take it out of the case and try it on?” “No, man, she just glanced. She left a little after noon. Got into some guy’s car in the parking lot. I don’t know if she left with him or what.” “Shit,” I muttered. “What’s that?”

“Nothing,” I lied. “I gotta go. Thanks for the call, man. I owe you one.” We hung up and I jammed my phone and my wallet in my pocket as I headed out to my bike. I had no idea what was going on, but I was about to find out. The whole drive over to Sarah’s, I kept thinking of what she could possibly have done to want to do this. She seemed like such a chill girl. Well, not chill exactly. I shuddered as I remembered how hot and responsive her curvy body had been. She had climbed me like a tree. “Sarah!” I yelled as I pounded on her front door. “You better let me in right now! Or you’re gonna regret it!”

I heard small footsteps on the other side of the door. When it opened only a crack, I braced myself. “I can’t let you in,” she said in a small voice. “Go away, Blake. Go away and forget you ever met me.” I pushed on the door but it caught on the chain. Wedging my toe in at the bottom, I glared into her snapping green eyes. “Let me in,” I growled. “Or I’m going to break your door.” Fear flashed over her face and she shut it momentarily before opening it wider than before. Sighing, I pushed past her and sat down on her couch. Sarah stayed

where she was, flashing me a guilty look. “Sit down,” I commanded, pointing to the couch next to me. “We need to talk.” Sarah shook her head. “No, we don’t,” she said. Her voice was quaking and I saw a blush rising up her neck and over her cheeks. “We don’t have anything to say to each other.” “Sarah, come on,” I told her. “I know you’re up to no good. That security guard at Tinder’s called me and told me that you went back in there!” She blushed. “I’m sorry,” she

whispered. “I know I shouldn’t have done that.” I glared at her. “You need to tell me what the fuck is going on, Sarah,” I hissed. “I’m going to make your life hell if you don’t.” Sarah glanced at me. There were tears in her eyes. Suddenly, I felt myself softening towards her. She was obviously afraid of me, but more afraid of something else. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “It’s okay,” I said, exhaling loudly. “I want to help you, okay? I know you must

be in some kind of trouble. I can tell that you’re afraid of something, Sarah.” She bit her lip. I continued, “Wouldn’t it be better to tell me so that we can start to work through this together? Wouldn’t that be preferable to possibly committing a felony?” Sarah nodded. “So tell me,” I pleaded. “If you tell me now, I might be able to do something. But if you wait, there’s no guarantee that I’ll be able to step in. You got that?” She nodded, looking closer to tears than ever before. “You promise that you’ll try to help me?”

I nodded. “I swear,” I told her. “No lie.” Sarah took a deep breath. She folded her hands in her lap and I had to look away so I wouldn’t see how badly she was shaking. “Well, it started last Friday,” she said, biting her lip and looking into my eyes. “I was laid off.” I nodded. “I know. Remember? I asked around the at the bar.” She blushed. “I remember,” she said, looking away. “Unfortunately.” “What happened next?”

Sarah swallowed hard. “I got home and there was an eviction notice on my front door,” she said quietly. I watched as a tear slipped from one of her eyes and trailed down her cheek. “Saying that if I don’t have the money by Wednesday, they’ll evict me.” I stared at her. Under my gaze, I saw her shiver. “That’s tomorrow,” I said. “What are you going to do?” Sarah looked away. “This is the part you don’t want to hear,” she said carefully. “Well, Saturday morning, I went to the bar and tried to beg Tony for my job back.” As she spoke, a bright red flush worked its way over her cheeks. “It

didn’t work, obviously,” she said. I could tell that verbalizing all of this was killing her. Reaching over, I took one of her small, soft hands in my own. Sarah looked up at me in surprise. Her green eyes were burning bright with tears and emotion. Keeping her gaze locked, I stroked the back of her hand with my thumb. “It’s okay,” I told her. “We’ve gone this far.” Sarah flicked her gaze to the floor, then back to my eyes. “I know,” she said softly. “And, Blake, I’m really sorry. I never wanted you to know any of this.”

I shook my head. “It’s fine,” I told her. I was getting anxious listening to her draw it out for as long as she could. “Just tell me.” “So, Tony obviously said no,” Sarah said. She blew out a gust of air, sending her red strands flying into the air. “And then I ran into Roger on the way out. He told me that he had a job for me. He said it was nothing sexual or nothing weird, and told me to meet him Monday morning in the park to talk.” My heart sunk. I didn’t like where this was going. Not at all. That scumbag Roger was obviously up to no good, I

didn’t want him to drag her into whatever schemes he had going on. While he obviously wasn’t the sharpest crayon in the box, he didn’t seem stupid. I bet he’d come up with something really diabolical. “What next?” Sarah eyed me. “I spent the whole weekend trying to find another job,” she told me. “I looked everywhere. I even thought about doing some bad stuff,” she added, blushing. Admittedly when she said the last two words, I pictured her naked in my mind. Delicious Sarah, trying to make money. Stop, I thought. She doesn’t need this right now. “Did you find anything?”

Sarah shook her head tersely. “No, I didn’t. So I met Roger on Monday at the park. He didn’t exact tell me what he was planning, but he told me what he needed me to do. He wanted me to go to Tinder’s and tell him where certain things were in the store. And when the employees left and went to lunch. You know. Scope it out.” I raked a hand through my hair and tried to take a deep breath, but anger was pulsing through me. I couldn’t believe that she’d kept it from me this long. “Jesus, Sarah!” I cried out. “Don’t you have any friends, or any family that could help you out? Isn’t there anyone?”

Sarah bit her lip. Tears spilled over the edges of her eyes and she blinked rapidly, trying to clear them. “No,” she whispered hoarsely. “I don’t. And I didn’t want to help him, Blake. But then he pulled out this envelope…and I knew I had to.” My stomach turned to ice. “What was inside?” Sarah looked away. “Some pictures,” she said softly, wiping at her eyes. The tears kept coming until she was sobbing. I pushed my anger aside and took her in my arms. In my arms, Sarah felt slight and delicate. “Some pictures I had taken

when I was young and stupid for money,” she said. “And he promised me that he’d put them all up online and sell them and they’d be everywhere if I didn’t help him, Blake! He threatened me!” “I know, I know,” I said mindlessly as I stroked her hair. “It’s okay. It’ll be alright.” In my arms, she cried and cried. “I don’t know what to do,” she sobbed. “It feels like nothing is gonna be okay. I can’t go to jail, Blake! I can’t be homeless! I don’t know what I’m doing!” She snuffled and pulled her face back from my shirt, which was already damp with

her tears. After she’d been crying, her green eyes looked even brighter than usual. Her eyelids were a delicate pink and I wanted to run my hand over her face. She looked so beautiful and vulnerable that I couldn’t stand it. “I’m so scared,” she whispered, burying her face in my chest. “I’m so terrified, Blake.” “I know,” I told her, stroking her back. “It’ll be okay. I promise.”

Chapter Twelve Sarah

As I curled up in his arms and pressed my teary face against Blake’s shirt, emotions ran through me. My whole body was tense and I felt everything at once: anger, fear, arousal, and desperation. I had no idea what I would gain from telling him; it wasn’t like he was going to be able to save me. Hell, it wasn’t like he was going to be able to do anything other than judge me for having nude photos taken of me when I

was younger. I sighed in frustration. Idiot, I thought to myself. You should have just kept your resolve and not let him inside! Blake murmured soothing, meaningless nonsense into my ear as he stroked my back. “It’ll be okay,” he whispered into my hair. The warmth from his breath tickled my scalp. It felt good, actually. To be honest, everything felt good except for the gaping wound of embarrassment in my chest. Being in his arms felt safe. It felt nice. It was maybe the most secure place I’d been in a very long time. “I’m sorry,” I whispered. He patted my back and traced light patterns around on

my skin through my shirt. As his touch slipped lower, I felt a pulse between my legs. Sex should have been the last thing on my mind, but I knew that I was feeling stressed enough to want it. I purred and moved closer to Blake, nuzzling at his chest. He reacted with surprise, pulling back and looking down at me with his steely blue eyes. “Are you okay?” I nodded. “I’m fine,” I lied. “Actually no. I’m not fine. But this feels so good right now,” I said with a deep breath, closing my eyes. “I don’t want it to stop.”

Blake wrapped his arms around me tighter. He planted a kiss on the top of my head and I felt my nerve endings flutter. When I wrapped my arms around him, I buried my face in his chest and inhaled deeply. He smelled strongly of musk, like he’d rolled out of bed and put on a shirt without showering. When I closed my eyes and focused on Blake’s manly scent, everything that was bothering me seemed to melt into the background. I dug my fingers into his back and scraped his skin lightly with my nails. My heart started to pound in my chest and I could feel the area between my legs growing warm and damp. Blake was so muscular that I could barely fit my arms around him

comfortably. I hugged him tightly and then pulled my head back and looked into his eyes. “I want you,” I whispered quietly. Blake leaned close, bridging the distance between us. He was so near to me that his eyes merged into one giant Cyclops eye. Leaning closer, he pressed his lips to mine. I closed my eyes and moaned softly, pulling him as close as I could. Blake’s mouth was warm and salty and I opened my lips, letting him slip his tongue inside of my mouth. He tasted a little like wood and tobacco and I eagerly slipped my tongue against his before pulling away and nibbling at his

plump lower lip. For a man, Blake had incredibly sensual lips. They were full and lush, and kissing him was making my whole body feel hot. As our kiss deepened, Blake let his hand slip to my ass. The familiar feeling of him squeezing my flesh tightly made me cry out into his mouth. Blake chuckled and pulled away. “Where’s your bedroom?” “Find it,” I whispered into his neck. “Carry me.” Without replying, Blake slipped his arms under my body and picked me up as though I weighed nothing at all. I closed

my eyes and wrapped my arms around his neck, feeling myself sway and dip dangerously close to the ground. Blake’s stride was so long that it was almost like being carried by a horse. As he walked through my apartment, he kicked my bedroom door open. It slammed against the wall and Blake strode inside, bearing me. When we got to my bed, I clung onto him as he lay me down. Blake crawled on top of me and resumed our kiss. We kissed for so long that I felt like my lips were being flayed. As his tongue explored and caressed the inside of my mouth, I closed my eyes and moaned softly. “Blake,” I moaned. “Blake, that

feels so good.” His bulky weight on top of me was both soothing and arousing, and as we kissed, he trailed his hands down the sides of my body. I shivered as his touch awakened every cell, every nerve. Being with Blake was like sensory overload; I couldn’t imagine how he would know how to please my body. His touch was perfect: not too heavy, and not too light. It was amazing and I didn’t even realize I was holding my breath until Blake pulled away. He got to his hands and knees and looked at me. “You sure this is okay?” I nodded. “I want to,” I said. “Don’t you believe me?”

Blake nodded. “I just wanted to make sure,” he said, looking away. I blushed. I realized that a guy like Blake probably didn’t put as much emphasis on consent as a lot of other people would, and it made me feel special that he was going out of his way to make sure that I was okay with what we were doing. It almost made him feel like a boyfriend, not just a random hookup. Blake crossed his arms over his chest and lifted his shirt off. He was covered in tattoos; some old, some new, some so obscure I didn’t know what they meant. I watched as the muscles rippled across

his back when he tossed his shirt on the floor. A shiver of desire went through me. Blake locked his gaze with me and crawled back over my body, nuzzling at my chin and neck. When I arched my back, he placed little kisses all over my exposed skin, biting at me with his teeth. Little shocks of pleasure and pain flooded me body and I closed my eyes and moaned softly, letting the sensations overtake me. For a moment, I wasn’t me. I wasn’t Sarah Graham. I was someone else; someone in control of her life. Someone who knew how to please a man like Blake. “I want you,” Blake growled. He got to his hands and knees again and pulled me

into a sitting position. Before I could resist, he tugged my shirt off and over my head. When he unclasped my bra with one hand and tossed it on the floor, I felt shivers. Blake stared at my naked chest for a few seconds before licking his lips and coming closer. He caressed my naked breasts with a gentle touch and then leaned in to suck on one of my nipples. The sensation was exquisitely intense and I cried out in pleasure. As Blake continued to lick and suck at my body, I moaned loudly and closed my eyes. Little bursts of electricity were shooting through my limbs and I had the incredible feeling that he knew exactly what he was doing to me. I could feel that my pussy was starting to get wet and

I wriggled my hips around excitedly. When the damp fabric of my panties rubbed against me, I moaned. It felt so good. I hadn’t felt this good in a long, long time. Blake bit me harder and I cried out as pain overtook me. But in a few seconds, the pain faded into the most delicious pleasure. I dug my fingers into Blake’s blond hair and tugged as he continued his ministrations on my nipples. When he pulled his head up and glanced at me, I gasped and begged and pleaded for him to start again. Instead, Blake shot me a wicked grin and trailed his mouth down my belly. I watched as he nuzzled and tugged at the waistband of my jeans with

his teeth. Looking into his eyes, I nodded. Blake reached down and with deft fingers, undid the snap, and eased my jeans over my hips. When I was left clad in a pair of black cotton panties, I looked up at him. Blake was trailing his eyes over my body, drinking in every inch. I blushed; I hadn’t had someone inspect me this thoroughly in a long time. He slipped his hands between my legs and pushed them apart until I was almost spread-eagled on the bed. I moaned softly as Blake rubbed his face against the crotch of my panties, inhaling my scent with shameless admiration. I felt my blush deepen into a crimson red as he closed his eyes and moaned, nuzzling me through the damp fabric. Darts of

pleasure swam through my whole body and it felt like a warm coil was starting to heat in my lower belly. I moaned and ground my hips against his face, desperate for more stimulation. The feel of his breath coming in through my panties was ticklish but pleasurable, and I wanted more. I wanted him to play me like an instrument, to make my body sing. Blake pulled the material of my panties to the side. He licked his lips as he stared between my legs, and I lay back on the bed and tangled my hands in his hair. I felt his fingers gently tracing the seam between my leg and my body and I shivered, wriggling so his fingers would

land closer to the mark. Anticipation and nervousness racked my frame as Blake slowly pushed a warm finger inside of me. I could feel how wet I was; there was a spot slowly growing beneath us on the bed. As he lowered his face to my pussy and gently began to lick, electricity shot through me in bolts. His mouth felt incredibly good, and he soon found my clit and began licking it in slow, torturous strokes. Every time his tongue touched my swollen flesh, I cried out and dug my fingers into his scalp. Blake blew cool air on my pussy and I shivered. As he pumped his finger in and out of me, he began to suck on my clit until I was howling with pleasure. Just as I felt my orgasm building, he stopped

abruptly and pulled away. My heart was slamming against my chest and I felt my breath coming in damp bursts. Blake grinned when he saw how disheveled I was. “You taste good,” he said in a gruff voice as he got to his hands and knees. I watched as he wiped the back of his mouth with a massive hand. “You’re delicious.” I shivered. “Come here,” I whispered. Blake crawled over my body and kissed me savagely. I licked my scent and my taste off of his mouth until I could feel my wetness smeared across my chin. It was so raw, so intimate, that I thought I

was going to come just from kissing. I trailed my hands down Blake’s body and fumbled at the snap of his jeans. A massive erection was sticking out in the front; I could feel it rubbing against my hip. It made me a little nervous to think about how Blake would feel when he first entered me. It had been a few months since I’d last had sex, and he felt absolutely massive. I wondered if it would hurt, then decided I didn’t care. I wanted him anyway. I wanted him so much that I thought I was going to burst. Gently, I pushed Blake onto his back and got to my knees. Tugging off my panties, I tossed them onto the floor and got to work pulling down his jeans. When he

was clad only in briefs, I rubbed the bulge straining the front of them. His cock was massive and so veiny, I could feel it through the fabric of his underwear. Blake groaned. He reached down to grab my hand and began stroking himself with it; I felt a little shiver of pleasure run through my body when I saw his eyes roll back in his head. Blake groaned and pulled his cock out of his briefs, sliding them down his legs and kicking then off. I had to stop and stare. Naked, he was so beautiful. The muscles of his body stood out and I flicked my gaze over the tattoos that covered his bare skin. His cock stood straight out from his body, and when I saw how thick it was, I gasped.

Imagining him sliding inside of me was pleasurable, and I closed my eyes and savored the sensation. Without warning, Blake grabbed my wrists and flipped me on my back. He crawled in between my legs and looked me in the eyes. I swallowed hard and blinked, meeting his gaze with intensity. I felt his cock brushing up against my labia and I shivered with anticipation. Blake stared at me in a way that made me feel completely naked, as if he could see my soul, or all of the organs in my body. He licked his lips and leaned down to kiss me, gently nudging my lips apart and slipping his tongue inside. As the kiss deepened, I felt his hands trace

down my body. He spread my legs apart and lowered his hips until the fat head of his cock was pressing against the entrance to my pussy. Blake groaned softly and grabbed a hold of my hips. I braced myself for pain but feeling him push into me was incredibly amazing. I closed my eyes and tilted my head back, relishing the feeling of his massive cock filling my body. Blake started to thrust in and out, hard, and he was grunting and gripping me so hard that I felt a bruise forming. As his cock moved in and out, I moaned and arched my back. Every time he slammed into me, I felt his pubic bone rub against my clit. It was heavenly; when I closed my eyes, stars and fireworks exploded across my vision.

Blake used his other hand to grab my wrists and pin them above my head. I could feel the delicate bones grinding together as he pushed himself up and fucked me wildly. Every time he slammed inside of me, little explosions burst in my belly. I moaned his name loudly and bit my lip, thrashing my head to the side. For a moment, there was nothing. It was just us, us moving together, us fucking, and us as one. When I opened my eyes, Blake was staring at me. I blushed and shivered and moaned loudly as he thrust in extra-hard. He grunted and I felt sweat drip from his forehead and land on my face. Together, we arched and screamed and came. As

my orgasm ripped through me, I saw explosions of color flash across my line of sight. Every muscle in my body tensed painfully, and then released in a burst of ecstasy that hit me over and over until I was hoarse from crying out. Blake dug his fingers so hard into my skin that I felt his nails tear me open. He grunted and thrust so hard that I saw stars, before tensing and shaking. Inside of me, I felt his cock jerk and pulse, then gush into me. Blake collapsed on top of me, exhausted. He let out a big breath before rolling over onto his side. The air between us suddenly felt awkward and heavy. I looked at the ceiling and waited for him

to say something. The only sound in the room was that of our ragged breaths. I could smell our musk in the air: heady and potent. If Blake hadn’t been watching, I would have buried my face in the sheets just to smell us. “Are you okay?” I nodded. “I’m fine,” I said, wincing when I heard my voice. It came out as a high squeak. “Good,” Blake said. He rolled closer to me and wrapped his arm around me, snuggling up tightly. His body radiated heat—he was like a furnace come to life. His breath warmed my chilly shoulders.

When Blake felt how cold I was, he pulled a blanket over me. “How can you be cold?” he teased. “I’m gonna overheat or something,” he added, fanning himself comically. I laughed, a short nervous sound. “I’m always cold,” I told him. “Especially my hands and my feet.” I put my foot up against his bare leg. “See?” Blake jumped and cried out. “Damn, woman!” He shot me a look and I giggled, for real this time. “You’re freezing,” he observed, wrapping the blanket around me more tightly. “I’m fine now,” I said sweetly. Blake

wrapped his arm around me. For a long time, we didn’t talk, and when I looked over at him, he’d fallen asleep. Even though I should have been exhausted from my emotional outburst and the sex, I wasn’t. I felt like getting up and cleaning, or going out for a run. I had more energy than I’d had in days. Weeks, even. Just being with Blake made me feel invigorated. And it wasn’t entirely good; a lot of the time, I wanted to slap him. But in bed, he’d been amazing. I’d known that he was going to be good, but that was the kind of sex that I hadn’t had in ages. I shivered as I thought about how he’d

taken control of my body and made me his. I blushed when I thought about the way I’d moaned, desperate for pleasure. Blake had been an incredible lover. It was almost like he could read my mind. I wondered what he’d thought of me. Blake started to snore loudly and I gently slipped his arm off me. For a moment I thought he was going to wake, but instead he rolled onto his stomach and planted his face in my pillow. I pulled the blanket back and looked at his amazingly sculpted body. His ass and thighs were incredibly muscular, and I felt my heart start to pound as I looked at his naked shape on the bed.

Slipping into a robe, I padded into the kitchen and sat down at the table. With a lump in my throat I realized it might not be mine for much longer. I had no idea how Blake planned to help me. And what if it was too late? I shook my head. He had to help me. That was it. And I knew that without his help, I’d be in more trouble than ever.

Chapter Thirteen Blake

When I woke up, I had no idea where I was. I was somewhere soft, warm, and sweet-scented, with sunlight streaming in. Blinking, I heard a voice singing offkey. Sarah. I was at Sarah’s place. Groaning, I rolled onto my back and covered my eyes with my hands. I hadn’t slept that well in weeks. I hadn’t been fucked like that in weeks, either. Sarah had been amazing: so thirsty, so sexy, so

loud. I loved how she’d eagerly taken my cock again and again, begging for more whenever I stopped. Thinking about it again was making my cock twitch between my legs, and I licked my lips hungrily thinking of Sarah. When I walked into the hallway, I saw her standing in the kitchen. She had her back to me and she was wearing this killer silk bathrobe. It made her ass look incredible, and my cock rose to a semihard state. Something smelled incredible and I took a look around to see plates of bacon, sausage, eggs, toast, and pancakes. My mouth watered, but whether it was from the food or from Sarah, I couldn’t tell.

Sarah whirled around in surprise. She grinned when she saw me. At first, she looked a little different, and then I realized she wasn’t wearing makeup. She didn’t need it, either; her skin was as creamy as ever, with no blemishes or marks anywhere. She looked at me nervously. “I didn’t know what you liked, so I made everything,” she said in a soft voice. My eyes travelled down her body to her curvy breasts bounding beneath her robe. I stepped closer. “I like everything,” I murmured in a husky voice. A blush painted Sarah’s

face crimson. Stepping closer, I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her close. She moaned softly as I kissed her and tangled her hands in my hair. Remembering how loud she’d been last night, I broke the kiss and covered her mouth with my hand. “You have to be quiet this time,” I said teasingly. “You don’t want to wake the neighbors, do you? Especially since you won’t be moving out any time soon.” Sarah’s big eyes pleaded with me. I could tell how hot she was just by looking at her, and I could feel my cock stiffen into a full erection. Sarah unbelted her silk robe and let it drop to

the floor. I ran my hands down her body and turned her around so my cock was pressing into her amazing, generous ass. Sarah groaned and leaned over the table, holding onto the edges with both hands. She gently moved her hips and ground her pussy against my cock, moaning under my fingers. I felt a jolt of arousal spike through my body as I pulled her close and slipped my cock inside of her. Sarah cried out; even from behind my hand, I heard her. She felt so incredibly good. Being inside of her was like making love to wet, warm velvet, and I luxuriated in the feel of her pussy before beginning to pump in and out. Sarah moaned softly and arched

her back, shoving her ass against me. With my free hand, I fondled and groped the flesh, spanking her softly at first and then hard enough to leave a red handprint. Every time I spanked her, Sarah would cry out and push her hips against me. I started fucking her harder and harder, grunting with the effort of it all. I could feel an orgasm building inside of me and I groaned loudly, pulling Sarah’s hips as close to me as I possibly could. She uttered a loud moan and I felt her tongue slip between the cracks of my fingers. Even though I’d felt her tongue before in much more intimate places, the lewdness of the wet feeling on my hands was enough to set me off. I felt my cock gush inside of her

like a geyser, filling her with my seed. Sarah screamed and I pulled my hand away, letting the sounds of her raw pleasure fill the apartment. She cried out again and again and I felt her pussy tense around my cock and pulse with her own savagely delicious orgasm. Afterwards, she lay on the table for a second before standing up and collecting her robe. She looked at me with mussed hair. Suddenly, she seemed shy and young beyond her years. I couldn’t believe that she was close to my age. She seemed like a teenager after losing her virginity, or falling in love for the first time. Sarah’s vulnerability entered my heart like worm, and I pulled her into

my arms, stroking her hair. She began to shake and I sensed again just how scared she really was. “I promise I’ll help you,” I whispered into her hair. She didn’t reply; instead she pulled away and served us heaping plates of breakfast. When I looked at her, she sniffed. “Julia gave me some food,” she said sheepishly. “There was no way I could eat all of this by myself.” I laughed shortly. “I’m starving,” I admitted. “Thanks for doing this.” Sarah sat with her plate food in front of

her, untouched, as I gobbled through all of the sausage and most of the bacon and eggs. She traced circles on her plate with her fork before finally taking a small bite of toast. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I know I’m not great company right now.” I reached across the table and cuffed her affectionately on the shoulder. Sarah looked up at me with her big, worried green eyes. “It’s okay,” I said finally. “Everything will be okay.” “You keep saying that,” Sarah said nervously. “How can you be sure?”

I shrugged. “I can’t,” I said. “But I plan on seeing that creep today and getting the pictures back.” Sarah rolled her eyes. “You think I haven’t tried that?” I looked at her evenly. “I’m a lot more convincing,” I said. “He has to listen to me. Right?” Sarah’s eyes met mine. “Whatever you say,” she said, biting into a piece of bacon. “Whatever you say.”

Chapter Fourteen Sarah

“I can’t believe you’re dating someone again!” Julia looked at me with her mouth hanging wide open. “And don’t lie, Sarah. I know what you’re up to.” I blushed and looked away, twining a hank of my red hair in my sweaty hand. “It’s true,” I said flatly. “I didn’t really expect to like him as much as I do, but he’s really something.” Julia looked at me with her eyes

narrowed. “Is it serious?” Her question hung in the air and I met her eyes before looking back down at my feet. Without answering, I walked over to my couch and flopped down with my feet in the air. Every time I looked at my kitchen table, I saw Blake taking me forcefully from behind, forcing me to come harder than I’d ever come before. It was enough to make me blush. “I don’t know,” I said finally. “It might be. But a lot of things are going on right now,” I added, swallowing hard. “It might not be the best time to get into a relationship.”

Julia pursed her lips. “I know what you mean,” she said after an awkward pause. “Are you on birth control?” “Julia!” I cried out, blushing. “What the hell kind of a question is that?” “That’s how Hailey was born,” she said, blushing. “Because I didn’t think I could get pregnant, and then…well, there she was.” I squinted at her. “I’m on the pill,” I said defensively. As I spoke, I tried to calculate how many days had passed since I’d remembered to take it on time. A little thrill of nervousness went through my body. “And I’m taking it,” I

lied. “I’m not going to get pregnant. You know I couldn’t afford that right now.” “Trust me, money was the last thing I was thinking about when I found out that I was going to have Hailey,” Julia said. “I was so excited! I was having a baby with the guy I loved! We were going to get married!” I looked at her sternly. “Calm down. That’s not going to happen. That’s not even in the cards. I can’t even think of how weird that would be!” “I bet,” Julia said. “Just wait ’til you are pregnant. Then it’ll be baby on the brain all the time.”

“God,” I said, rolling my eyes. “Are you joking? That sounds horrible,” I said with a grin. Julia laughed and made a face at me. “You’re terrible,” she said, still laughing. “What am I going to do with you?” “Love me because I’m your best friend who doesn’t have her shit together?” I joked. I felt my cell phone buzzing in my pocket. When I pulled it out, my heart skipped a beat. Blake!

“Sorry,” I said to Julia. “I have to take this. Do you mind?” She shook her head and I walked into my bedroom and closed the door. “What’s up?” “Meet me tomorrow,” Blake said in a low voice. “At the Starbucks on the corner of Elvey and Massey.” I nodded. “Okay. What time?” “Can you do one in the afternoon?” “Yeah,” I said automatically. “Sure, that’s great.” I could hear Blake’s heavy breathing on the other end of the phone.

“Are you okay?” “Yeah,” Blake said after a moment. “I think I’ll have some good news for you, babe,” he added. My heart fluttered when he said babe. Even though it didn’t mean anything, hearing his endearments still made me smile. “Okay,” I said, swallowing hard. “Thanks, Blake.” “Of course,” he said in a gruff voice. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” Grinning, I walked back into the kitchen. Julia was staring at me and smiling.

“You little slut!” she cried out. “Do you have a date tomorrow?” I shook my head. “Not exactly,” I said. “But we are getting coffee.” Julia gave me a funny look. “You really like this guy,” she observed. “I haven’t seen you this keyed up about anyone in a long time.” I nodded. “Yeah,” I said softly. “I know. He’s in a motorcycle club, too. Doesn’t that sound dangerous?” Julia rolled her eyes. She walked over and sat on the couch. I opened the fridge and grabbed two bottles of beer and

handed her one. We clinked and drank together. “No more dangerous than your exes,” Julia said after swallowing a mouthful of Coors Light. “I mean, what about that guy Chase? He was crazy,” she added. “He was, like, in a gang. That’s much worse than a motorcycle club.” “He sold heroin,” I said quietly. “And yeah, he was kind of awful.” “And what about Jared?” Julia pressed on, and I had the sinking feeling she was trying to make me feel self-conscious. “He was probably the worst. He hit on everything with two legs! And some

things with one,” she crowed, laughing. I snorted. “He was pretty bad,” I said. Wanting to change the subject, I looked at her dead on. “How’s Hailey? Did she get into pre-school?” Julia rolled her eyes. “Don’t even start on that right now,” she said softly. “It’s been a complete nightmare. Derek’s parents aren’t even speaking to me right now. They think it’s my fault she got waitlisted for all of the good places.” “Wow,” I said softly. “That’s terrible. I’m sorry, Jules.”

She shook her head and drank at least half of her beer in one gulp. “It’s whatever,” she told me. “Tell me about your new guy. What’s he like?” “Well he’s not really my boyfriend yet,” I told her, blushing. “But he’s tall, has longish blond hair, and really gorgeous blue eyes.” Julia nodded in approval. “And tattoos everywhere,” I added. “He’s really muscular.” “Have you ridden on his bike?” I nodded. “Yeah. It was fun. He’s a cool guy. He’s very…protective.” “Oh yeah?” Julia raised one of her

perfect eyebrows. “You sure he’s not just a controlling dickwad?” I laughed shortly. “No,” I said. “He’s not really like that. At least, I don’t think he is. Not yet.” “Where does he work?” “He’s a security guard for Tinder’s, that jewelry store,” I said, looking away. In my chest, my heart started thudding like a gong. “I mean, it’s not fantastic, but it’s stable, at least.” “That’s the key for now,” Julia said. “You just need to make sure he isn’t looking to depend on you. You can’t take

care of yourself and someone else, Sarah. Promise me that you know that.” “Of course,” I said, almost offended that she’d have to ask. “I know. Trust me.” She rolled her eyes. “Sorry, I’m just feeling protective today. So what else is he like? Does he party? Is he wild?” I shook my head. “He’s intense, mostly. He doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who wants to fuck off all the time, though. But he’s so gorgeous, Julia, oh my god. I’ve never dated anyone half as good looking as he is. Blake’s incredible.”

“And you’re sure he’s not going to land you in jail?” “Of course not,” I said, offended. At the mention of jail, Roger flashed through my mind. I shuddered when I realized that Blake was finally about to confront him. It was finally happening. Even though Blake had been overconfident when he’d left my apartment, I wasn’t so sure. I didn’t think it was likely that he’d be able to talk Roger into doing anything, much less cooperating with him. And giving up the photos? Ugh. “What’s wrong?” Julia squinted at me. “You look really upset right now.”

“I’m fine,” I told her. “It’s stupid.” The image of Roger holding my naked pictures flashed through my mind. “It’s just…” I sighed. “I had to tell him something that I didn’t really want to share,” I said, looking at the floor. Julia reached out and rubbed me on the shoulder. “And I wish I hadn’t told him, but I couldn’t help it. He would have found out anyway.” Julia frowned. “What are you talking about? The fact that you’ve slept around a little bit?” I blushed. “No,” I said slowly. “And shut up! It hasn’t been that much.” Julia eyed me and we both burst out laughing.

I knew that I’d had my fair share of sloppy one-night stands. They’d been fun at the time, but I stopped because I always woke up wanting more. It was like no matter how validated I felt during the moment, it wasn’t enough to keep me feeling good after the guy left. A lot of times, they called the next day. And I never called them back. I wanted to be with someone who loved me, who appreciated me, who wasn’t just mailing it in and getting a girlfriend because he was lonely. But before I’d met Blake, I’d been starting to despair over my choices. “Then what?” Julia asked after our peals of giggles had subsided. “Tell me!”

I playfully punched her in the arm. “Remember I told you about that modeling I did when I was younger?” Julia’s face paled. “Oh my god,” she said slowly. “The naked pictures. He knows about them!” I shook my head. “He doesn’t now, but he will,” I said grimly. “It’s only a matter of time.” Julia rolled her eyes and ruffled my red hair. “It’ll be fine, Sar,” she said. “We’re adults. No one cares about shit like that anymore,” she added. “I mean, you kind of have to let this one go.”

I nodded. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. Want to get a pizza or something?” Julia nodded. “I’m famished. I was hoping you’d ask.” The rest of the night was pretty uneventful. We ordered dinner and it was the first time in days that I’d eaten enough to really feel full. Before Blake had left, he’d given me some cash. It wasn’t much, but he promised he’d be able to get money from Roger whenever they met up. My mouth went dry whenever I realized how quickly that was happening. It was scary to think of Roger showing up and berating me.

But Blake would take care of me. He’d promised, right?

Chapter Fifteen The next morning, I was a bundle of nerves. I hadn’t slept well after Julia left; I kept having nightmares that Roger was chasing me. I’d heard that in dreams, the person chasing you is never supposed to catch up. But in my dream, Roger grabbed me from behind and tackled me to the ground, hard. It hurt and I cried out, and he kept me pinning on the hard ground while he taunted me

about the pictures. “Blake is going to love these,” dream Roger said, shoving my face down onto the ground. The more I resisted, the harder he pushed, and soon I stopped struggling. When he tugged down my pants, I closed my eyes and waited for it to be over. But then I woke up in a sweaty tangle of sheets. My breath was coming hard and my heart was slamming against my ribcage. I reached for Blake and then felt a panic rise in my throat when I realized he wasn’t there. Outside of my apartment, someone was yelling in the hallway. Even though it made me feel

like a little kid, I pulled the sheet over my head and closed my eyes to the world. I didn’t get much sleep for the rest of the night. When it was time to get up, I looked in the mirror and saw perfect dark circles underneath my eyes. Ugh, I thought. Blake’s really going to think you look great now, huh? The hours ticked slowly by and I was dying to go to Starbucks. By ten in the morning, it was torture. I made myself clean my entire apartment from top to bottom in case he came over later. The anticipation of what he would do to my body was driving me wild, and as I

mopped the swept the floor furiously, I felt myself getting a little turned on. Every time I closed my eyes I saw Blake’s hands running down my body, turning me on, playing me like a fine instrument that only he could handle. I had to suppress a moan at the memory of his lips between my legs, licking and sucking at my clit until I thought I would explode with pleasure. When I cleaned the kitchen, I saw us bent over the table, fucking like wild animals. I blushed when I remembered how he’d shoved his hand against my mouth and ordered me to be quiet; it somehow made the tense moment all the more arousing. Blake had an effect on

my body that I’d never quite felt before. I was afraid that I’d never feel it again, except with him. It was crazy to feel like I was going through some kind of awakening—after all, I was in my thirties—but at the same time, that would be the most accurate phrase for it. I blushed when I thought of the hungry feeling that came over me whenever Blake was around. It was too much; I was dying for him. I actually had to fight the urge to slip my hand down my panties and play with myself. The whole thing made me blush; I’d never felt driven to masturbating before from a guy. It was the kind of thing I would have laughed at in a movie, but thinking of Blake made my juices run hot and wild.

Licking my lips, I straightened up. Sure I might not be able to see him for hours, but when I did, I planned on looking killer. Three hours later, I was ready to go. I’d taken a painstakingly long bath and washed and dried my hair, then put it in loose waves with a big-barreled curling iron. I wore some light purple eyeshadow to make my green eyes pop, with big fake lashes and minimal lip gloss. When I surveyed myself in the mirror, I felt I looked pretty good. I was clearly exhausted, but that couldn’t be helped. When you were waiting for your almost-boyfriend to have a meeting with the douche that blackmailed you, well,

you were probably going to look pretty tense. To my dismay, the Starbucks was empty when I arrived. I peeked around and looked at every table, snuck a glance at the face of every mindless patron who was typing on a laptop, and looking dissatisfied. The barista smiled at me. He let his eyes linger on my breasts and for once I didn’t mind. I knew that I probably had the fuck-me aura lingering, and I intended to take full advantage of it. Well, with Blake, anyway. “What can I get for you today?” He gave me a charming smile.

“I’ll take a grande skim cappuccino,” I said with a smile. “And a croissant, and one of those panini with brie and fig.” He flashed a dazzlingly white smile at me; he looked like he could have been an unknown actor. “Sure thing,” he said. “What’s your name?” “Sarah,” I told him, nervously looking around. Every time the door chimed, I whipped my head back to see if it was Blake. So far, an old couple and a group of teenagers had come in, but no Blake. “I’ll bring this to you when you’re ready,” the barista said with a smirk. “I can tell you’re waiting for someone.”

I blushed. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be that obvious,” I said with a giggle. “I’ll sit over here.” “He’s a lucky guy, whoever he is,” the barista said. He winked at me and I felt my insides melt. I picked a table with two armchairs near the window. The armchairs were overstuffed and they sat squat and low to the ground. They looked inviting, and I sank eagerly into one, scanning the parking lot with my eyes. I didn’t see any trace of Blake’s bike. Closing my eyes, I tried to listen for the loud sound of it in the distance, but I couldn’t hear

anything. Damn. Where is he? At quarter past one, I was starting to get a little nervous. I hadn’t taken a book with me, but I borrowed a magazine from the communal table. I read the whole thing; it had articles like “How to impress your man with a low-fat dessert!” and “Keep his eyes on you during bikini season!” It was kind of sad, I thought. Were women so insecure that they had to read this stuff just to feel better? Or did they feel fine about themselves before magazines started making them doubt their personal lives? I read the magazine from cover to cover, and then slowly I flipped through it

again. My coffee had gotten cold a long time ago, and I nibbled at the edge of my sandwich with distaste. It smelled amazing, but I didn’t feel hungry anymore. Blake was more than half an hour late, and my stomach was starting to churn into knots. It had been a beautiful day when I’d left my apartment and come downtown, but it was starting to look like it could rain. I pressed my face to the glass and looked out, the only thing I could see clearly was a black car slowly pulling away. When I looked at my reflection in the window of the Starbucks, I realized that all of the other patrons were new. Since I’d arrived, the old couple had left,

along with the teenagers, another group of their friends, and a loud pair of women who were talking angrily about the school system. Every now and then, the barista shot me a sympathetic look. At two o’clock, he walked over with a cup of water and another coffee. “This is on the house,” he said, giving me a smile. “I hope everything is all right with your friend.” “I’m sure it is,” I said quickly. When I realized that he was just trying to be nice, I blushed. “I’m sorry. I’m just worried. When we were supposed to meet an hour ago, it’s kind of hard not to worry.”

The barista nodded. “I get that,” he said carefully. “Listen, I’m going off in half an hour. Can I bring you anything? Or do you need a ride anywhere after I’m done working?” I shook my head. “I’m okay, thanks,” I said softly. “That means a lot.” He nodded and walked back behind the bar to serve customers. I kept staring out the window. The dark clouds rolled in; they looked like an oil painting in the gallery downtown. I always noticed it when I drove past. The gallery was in the same shopping center as Tinder’s.

Thinking about Tinder’s made me feel even worse. What if something had happened? What if Roger had done something to Blake? My stomach churned over and over and I closed my eyes and uttered a silent prayer. Please keep him safe, I prayed. Please make sure that nothing bad happens to Blake. Just as I was getting ready to call the police, frantic with worry, the door chimed and Blake swaggered in. He shot me a guilty grin and then ambled up to the counter to order a coffee. The nice barista had left an hour ago and been replaced by a punk girl with one side of her head shaved. She gave Blake the eye up and down his body but he didn’t

notice. As glad as I was to see him, I felt anger boil in my stomach. Just what made him think it was okay to show up two hours late? “Hi,” Blake said. He sat down in the armchair opposite from me. I looked away. “Hi,” I said sourly. “What do you want?” “Calm down,” Blake said. “I’m sorry. I would have called if I knew it was going to take me that long. Am I really that late?” I rolled my eyes. “Two hours,” I said,

pointing to the clock on my phone. “Two hours, Blake. You couldn’t have tried a little harder than that?” Blake grimaced. “I told you, I was doing something important,” he said. “And I have great news. You wanna hear it?” I narrowed my eyes. “This sounds too good to be true,” I told him flatly. “I was worried that you were dead or captured or something, asshole! You could have called me!” Blake shrugged. “I said I’m sorry,” he said defensively. “Do you want me to go? Or do you actually want to sit down and have this conversation with me?”

“We can talk,” I said in the same sour voice as before. “What do you want to tell me?” Blake leaned across the table. He shook a few drops from his longish hair and grinned at me like a boy. His blue eyes sparkled and shone. “It’s great,” he said quietly. “I took care of him. He was so scared, Sarah. It was like he didn’t imagine that I could be so fucking intimidating!” I narrowed my eyes. “It was that easy?” I said skeptically. “I’m not sure I believe that. He made such a show of acting like he wasn’t afraid of you before.”

“Well, I guess he was bluffing,” Blake crowed. “I mean, he was totally easy to take care of. I just got in his face and told him that he’d be sorry if he didn’t stop messing with you. I told him the kinds of things that my club does to people like him, and I think he got the picture.” “And he didn’t put up a fight?” I wrinkled my nose. “Are you sure?” Blake laughed. “Stop being so negative,” he said, reaching over and grabbing my hand. A bolt of warm arousal shot through me. “I promise, it’s over and done with. I took care of it, Sarah. Just

like I promised.” I bit my lip. “Okay,” I said dubiously. “Did he delete the pictures from his phone? Did he give you the hard copies?” Blake smirked. “He deleted everything right in front of me,” he said. “And I watched as he ripped up the envelope with the pictures in it. Then I stuck everything in the fire. It’s gone. You don’t have to worry about that anymore, I promise.” I looked up at him. Part of me didn’t believe him, but the other part of me wanted it to be over as soon as it

possibly could. “Okay,” I said finally. “So now what happens?” Blake grinned at me. “Now you let me take you to dinner. Where do you wanna go?” He looked me up and down. “You look great, by the way. Let’s go someplace really nice.” I bit my lip. “Are you sure this is taken care of? I mean, I trust you, Blake. I really do. But part of me is worried that Roger has something else up his sleeve.” Blake put his arm around me and steered me out of the Starbucks. “Trust me,” he said, throwing his head back with a chortle. “He’s taken care of. Babe, he

had no idea what was happening when I showed up and threatened him. It was like he couldn’t comprehend that he was being an asshole.” I shook my head. “Yeah, that’s not hard to imagine, knowing him,” I muttered. “He was always so determined to prove everyone wrong. It makes sense that he felt invincible for whatever reason.” Blake handed me a helmet and climbed onto his bike. “I think we can beat the second storm,” he said, glancing at the horizon. “Come on. I know this killer Italian place a few blocks away. You’ll love it, Sarah.”

As we pulled away on his bike, I still wasn’t sure. Part of my brain was crying out in doubt. It can’t be over this quickly. There has to be a catch.

Chapter Sixteen Blake steered me into La Casa Pasta with one hand. The restaurant was practically empty; I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply. It smelled amazing. Roasting meat and vegetables and a rich aroma of wine filled my senses. I looked up at Blake in surprise. “This is incredible,” I whispered softly. “Have you been here before?” Blake grinned. “For Abel’s birthday last year, we got catering from here,” he said. “It was out of this world amazing.”

I had to smile. “You mean you tough motorcycle guys don’t cook for your own parties?” Blake mussed my hair and a chill of desire went down my spine. “Course not,” he said. “That would take too much time away from what really matters.” I blushed when I heard him say the words; I imagined that ‘what really matters’ consisted of strippers and coke. As the hostess led us to a table, I looked around in awe. It wasn’t the nicest place I’d ever been to, but it was definitely the nicest place I’d been recently. My stomach rumbled as I sat down. Even

drinking all of the coffee earlier hadn’t ruined my appetite. Blake ordered for us—veal parmesan and a nice bottle of wine—and in no time it was like things had been before. He was so easy to be around; I loved how he could laugh and joke and poke fun at himself, but he was still such a tough guy. He pretended to get offended every time I mentioned the wine he’d ordered, but secretly I knew he was proud that he’d managed to make me happy. Sometimes I looked at Blake and really saw a future with him. It wasn’t hard to picture. Blake was a guy with a stable

job and I could tell that he really liked it. It wasn’t impossible to imagine that maybe he wanted to be with me, too. Or at least that he wanted to be around me more often. It seemed hard to believe how we’d met, and how eager I’d been to keep him out. Now, I was happy that I’d told him everything. If I’d told him everything and he still stuck around, that meant that he really liked me. I grinned to myself. “What are you smiling about?” I blushed. “Nothing,” I said softly. “Just that I think I believe you.” Blake looked offended. “I bet,” he said,

spearing a piece of asparagus and lifting it to his mouth. “Did you get enough to eat?” I looked down at the table. We’d both cleared our plates, and I felt comfortably full. But when Blake looked me like that, my insides felt warm and melty again. I knew that in a matter of time, we’d be alone together. The thought made me get wet between the legs. I shifted uncomfortably on the seat and the sensation of my jeans rubbing against me was pleasurable. “You look pleased about something,” Blake commented. “Do you want dessert?”

I looked him and licked my lips seductively. “I do,” I said. “But not here. Let’s get something and take it home.” Blake grinned. “I like that idea,” he said in a gruff voice. “Check!” Just as we strolled out to the parking lot, it started to rain again. “Shit!” I cursed. “My hair!” Blake laughed at me as he handed me a helmet. “Just put this on,” he said. “It keeps the top of your head dry at least.” He smirked. “You look adorable when you’re wet, by the way,” he added. “Very cute.”

I frowned. I could feel the water dripping down my face and soaking my whole outfit. In a matter of minutes, my jeans were clinging to my wet skin uncomfortably. I climbed on the bike behind Blake and wrapped my arms around his wet leather jacket. Even damp, he had an immense warmth to him and I closed my eyes and snuggled closer as he drove out of the parking lot. When we were moving faster, the rain started to feel like little pellets of agony. I yelped as it pelted my bare arms. I realized that the leather jacket protected Blake, almost like armor would do, and that was how he was able to ride in all

kinds of weather. I smiled secretly to myself; even in the uncomfortably cold and stinging rain, it still felt like an amazing rush to ride on the back of his bike with him. As we pulled out of town, I didn’t recognize the roads and streets we were on. With a jolt, I suddenly knew that we were going to Blake’s apartment instead of mine. I shivered when I thought about what it would look like. I knew that Blake wasn’t exactly hard up for money, but I couldn’t imagine him living in luxury. I hoped that he didn’t have a roommate. We pulled up to a brick complex and

Blake parked his bike. The rain was coming down so hard that he had to yell at me when he told me which apartment was his. “I’ll be right back!” he shouted as he turned away and jogged off. Frowning, I wrapped my arms around myself and climbed up the stairs. Blake had given me his keys and they felt alien in my hands. I struggled for a moment before I could finally figure out which one was his house key. The inside of Blake’s apartment smelled damp and musty when I opened the door. Groping on the wall for a switch, I flicked it up and dull light flooded the room. His apartment actually looked remarkably like mine, except decorated

in black and grey instead of pink. I smirked as I looked around. It was every inch a bachelor pad: ashtray overflowing with cigarette butts on the coffee table, nudie mags in the bathroom. The fridge didn’t have anything but beer and a stick of butter that looked more grey than yellow. I shuddered and grabbed a beer, popping it open on the counter and waiting for Blake. When he got back, he was dripping wet. I watched with amusement as he peeled off his jacket and threw it over the back of the couch, raking a hand through his blond hair. He flipped his head back, spraying me with water, and I cried out.

Blake crossed the room and pulled me into his arms. When he kissed me, I thought I was going to die of happiness. I closed my eyes and savored the salty, warm taste of his mouth. I could catch a hint of the wine from dinner and it made me shiver; every nerve ending, every cell in my body was paying attention. It was like I had to be around him or I would die. Eagerly, I slipped my tongue into his mouth and played with his. Blake groaned and wrapped his arms around me. His body felt cold at first because of the wet clothing but the longer we stayed pressed together, the warmer I felt. I moaned softly as he nipped at my lower lip. Before I knew it, his hands had slid underneath my bottom

and picked me up, pressing me against his torso. “Sarah,” Blake moaned softly. “You’re so sexy, babe.” He growled with lust and buried his face in my neck, nipping at the soft skin until I was crying out in pleasure. I could feel my heart thudding fast in my chest and I tangled my hands in his wet hair and pulled his head close. As always, Blake felt so strong, so secure and confident under my grip. I shivered as he held me close and kept me wrapped in his arms. I felt him lifting me higher and higher and carrying me down the hallway, entering a dark room, and tossing me down on something soft.

“What about dessert?” I grinned up at him in the darkness. “Didn’t you say you had something at home?” Blake tugged me down on the bed so I was laying on my back with my legs spread. “You,” he grunted. “You’re my dessert, Sarah.” I blushed hotly in the dark, glad that he couldn’t see me. “Okay,” I said before giggling. Suddenly I felt so shy around him. Blake kept his eyes trained on my face as he pulled his wet clothes off and tossed them on the floor. When he was standing next to the bed naked, I could see his cock sticking straight out. The sight of it made me gasp. He was so

beautiful naked, I could have spent hours worshipping his body and licking him and kissing him. Or running my hands over him and pleasuring him. I closed my eyes and suppressed a soft moan when Blake crawled onto the bed and climbed on top of me. He unsnapped my wet jeans and they were clinging to my skin so fiercely that I had to help him tug them down. Blake pulled away my wet panties in a second and tossed them on the floor. He pushed up my shirt with his fingers and tugged it over my head before I had a second to react. When he pulled off my bra and threw it to the side, I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him close. The feel of his damp skin against mine made me shiver, but in

a few seconds we were both warmed up. The full-body contact of his skin on mine was super intense, and as we kissed, I could feel his cock nudging against my thigh. I spread my legs and tried to pull his hips close but Blake pulled away. He gave me a wicked grin. “Not yet,” he teased. “I want to make you crazy first.” I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer. “I’m already crazy for you,” I whispered. “I want you so much right now.” Blake didn’t answer. He nudged my head up and kissed and bit my neck, trailing

down and planting kisses all over my chest. I waited with baited breath as he took one of my stiff nipples into his mouth and sucked at it until I was crying out. Little bolts of pleasure were swirling around in my body and I closed my eyes and moaned loudly, digging my fingers into his soft, damp hair. Blake bit down hard on my sensitive skin and I shrieked. When he lavished my nipple with his tongue I felt some of the pain melt and disappear. “You feel amazing,” I whispered as he kissed and sucked at my breasts. Blake slipped a hand down my body and let it rest on my lower belly, just above the little tuft of pubic hair that I keep in the

front. I groaned and arched my back, trying to move his hand lower. Blake grinned at me and took his hand away. When I cried out, he laughed and reached down to pinch me. It hurt but I cried out in frustration, wanting more pleasure. I writhed my body around on the bed, desperate for attention. “Please touch me,” I begged softly. “I need to feel you, Blake, please!” He grinned at me and nipped at my earlobe. A sharp jolt of arousal shot through me, and with all my strength, I pushed hard against his chest. Blake sat up and I grabbed him and tried to pin him down on the bed. He resisted but I

threw my weight against him until he was laying flat on his back. As I straddled him, he groaned softly. “Oh, fuck, Sarah,” he whispered. “I need you, I fucking need to be inside of you right now.” I grinned and rubbed the lips of my pussy against his rock hard erection. “I know,” I said in a teasing voice. “But now I want to make you crazy.” The sensation of Blake’s cock rubbing against me was almost too much to bear. I could feel my arousal dripping out of my pussy and coating my thighs. He groaned and shifted his hips into the air

so the first inch of his cock was inside of me. It felt incredible and I moaned and threw my head back, grunting with pleasure. Blake grabbed my hips and pulled me all the way down on his erection. When it impaled me, I cried out with pleasure and delight. Blake had a way of making me feel so full, so stuffed, that I could think of nothing but him. We made eye contact and I shivered with the intensity of it. “I need you, Sarah,” Blake grunted. “I need you right now.” He began to rock in and out of me, slow at first, then faster and faster until I was screaming with pleasure. Blake shoved his thumb underneath me and began to rub and

press at my clit as his cock slid in and out of me. It felt incredible and I moaned, closing my eyes and seeing stars. I could feel a hot flush all over my whole body and I shrieked as Blake pounded me hard. Leaning over him, I dug my hands into his hair and looked close into his piercing blue eyes. “I need you,” I whispered, grinding my hips against his cock. “I need you forever.” Blake screamed my name and dug his fingers into my hair, yanking and pulling as I rode him. I could feel my pleasure building and building until finally, right when I was about to climax, Blake

reached up and put his fingers around my throat. He glanced at me. “I need you,” he hissed. I could only moan in response; the light pressure around my neck was just what I needed to send me over the edge. As I came, flashes of light exploded behind my closed eyes. Darts of pleasure swarmed through my body like a crowd of bees, and I shivered as the delicious sensations racked through me over and over again. When I was finished, I looked at Blake. He was panting and groaning. When he dug his fingers into my thighs I braced myself on his chest and rolled onto my side. Blake grunted and pulled me close so that we were hugging with his cock

still inside of me. I spread my legs and wrapped one over his back, moving gently against him and pleasing him. We moved our bodies in sync until I could feel my pleasure start to build again. Everything felt hot and wet and torrid and I closed my eyes and pressed my face into Blake’s neck as we made love. He kept his arms wrapped around me and thrust up into me slow and steady, just enough to drive me crazy. Blake moaned loudly and dug his fingers into my ass. When I felt his cock pulsing and twitching with orgasm, it set me off, and before I knew it, we were moaning and gasping and coming together. Afterwards, Blake nuzzled me. I looked

into his eyes and he ran a hand through my hair. “That was awesome,” he said quietly, pulling me close. I nodded sleepily. “I’m exhausted,” I said with a yawn. Blake reached down to the end of the bed and grabbed a blanket, pulling it up and covering us both. “Can we sleep for a while?” Blake started stroking my hair and before I knew it, I was out like a light. In the morning, I felt shy again. My hair had dried wavier than normal from the rainstorm and I blushed when I realized that Blake had been watching me sleep. He chuckled when I pulled the blanket

around my body, shielding my breasts from his prying eyes. “Babe, it’s not like I can un-see your tits,” he said with a smirk. “And they’re so beautiful, can I look? Please?” He gave me a mock-pouty face and finally I grinned, dropping the blanket back on the bed. The air chilled me and when he stepped closer, I expected more sex. Instead, Blake covered me back up. “I know you’re freezing,” he said with a smirk. “I just wanted to see you again.” I bit my lip and grinned self-consciously. “Feel like getting some breakfast?”

Blake shook his head. “I have to work,” he said. “Oh, this is for you.” I watched as he pulled an envelope out of his jacket pocket. When he handed it over, I gasped. There was well over three thousand dollars in cash—enough for the rent I owed, plus a little extra for next month. I gaped at him. “I can’t take this,” I said, shoving the envelope back into his hand. “Really, I can’t. Thank you, but it’s too much.” Blake shook his head. “You’re taking it, Sarah,” he said. “Don’t even fight me on this.” I rolled my eyes. “Blake, it’s too much,”

I said firmly. “I don’t feel comfortable accepting this from you.” Blake pushed the envelope firmly into my hands and closed my fingers around the paper. “You have to,” he said with a smirk. “I can’t take it, Sarah. That’s your money. Go pay your rent. You don’t wanna be evicted, do you?” I shook my head. “No,” I said, looking down. “But this is too much. I can’t repay you, at least not right now.” I exhaled sharply. “Probably not for a really long time if you want the truth. I’m sorry.” Blake nodded. “This isn’t a loan, it’s a

gift,” he said. “It’s yours. Take it.” I blushed and finally tucked the envelope into my purse. “Okay,” I said finally. “But let me do something for you later. Let me cook dinner for you tonight. And don’t show up with wine or anything, let me do all the work.” Blake nodded again and he grinned. My heart did a swoop and I felt like little hearts were floating around my head. You’ve got it bad, Sarah, I told myself. Just remember to watch out.

Chapter Seventeen Blake

I couldn’t stop grinning to myself as I swaggered out into the parking lot, the obvious sign of a man who’s been welllaid. I kept up the grin all the way to work, even through a shitty traffic jam, and bought coffee for the Tinder’s morning manager. He smiled at me for once, and it caught me off-guard. “Nice to see you on time this morning,” he said with a grin. “Let’s try to keep that up, shall we?”

I rolled my eyes after he’d walked away. Even that prick couldn’t ruin the amazing mood that little sweet Sarah had put me in. Every time I thought about her, my cock twitched and stiffened in my pants. I couldn’t believe the effect she had on me; no woman had ever been able to touch me the way that Sarah had. When she’d pressed her tight little body against mine and fucked me slowly, I thought I was going to explode and die from the pleasure. I wanted her over and over again, and I knew that no many how many times I got her, it still wouldn’t be enough. Thinking about sharing the night with her made me feel even better; I couldn’t believe I got the same little

sweet piece of ass two nights in a row. Even the well-dressed customers of Tinder’s couldn’t keep my mind off of Sarah. Darkly, I wondered what she would do now. I expected that she couldn’t go back to the bar, but maybe she’d be able to find another kind of job. I thought hard about all the people I knew who would maybe hire her. Finally, it struck me: Red had been talking about hiring a secretary for the longest time. I didn’t think Sarah had gone to college, but that didn’t matter. She was whip-smart and in desperate need of cash, plus she was gorgeous. I didn’t think Red would turn her down.

Around noon, the store was empty save for me and one of the other employees, who was staring at his phone. He looked around the room and caught my eyes. “What?” He pushed his glasses up the rim of his nose. “Why are you staring at me?” “It seems weird that the store gets so empty at this time of day,” I said. “Don’t you think it would be busier during lunch, when people are taking time from their jobs?” The kid looked at me like I’d suggested that the Earth was flat. “Why do you think about this shit, man?” he asked

with a groan. “God, just watch the parking lot, will you?” I rolled my eyes. “Whatever, kid,” I told him. “I’m leaving in a few hours and then you’re on your own.” He looked at me. Suddenly, an idea flashed through my mind. “Hey, kid,” I said. “You remember that hot chick who came in here, the redhead? Was she always alone, or did she bring someone with her?” The kid got an excited look on his face when I mentioned Sarah and jealousy flared through me. I wanted to go over there and wipe that stupid little smirk off

his face. Part of me hated that I was feeling jealous; jealousy was never a good sign. But I already knew that no matter what, I was feeling incredibly attracted to Sarah. Nothing could have pushed me away from her. “She was alone,” he said finally, sobering up when he caught wind of my murderous look. “She never came in with anyone else. She used to flirt with one of the clerks.” The streak of jealousy that had pulsed through me now threatened to turn on its head and I glared. “I’m sure,” I said smoothly. “That’s all,” I added. “You can go back to ignoring the store now.

That’s what I’m here for.” The kid rolled his eyes and I let my mind drift off and think of Sarah. Snap out of it, asshole, I told myself. She’s just a girl. She’s not anything permanent, and you both know it. But still, part of me couldn’t help but wonder what would happen now that this was all over. I imagined if Sarah wound up working for Red, I’d see her on a pretty regular basis. With any other woman, I would have dreaded the prospect, but I actually looked forward to seeing her around. I had a feeling that I would be calling and dropping by her apartment. Very, very often.

The day seemed to drag by. It was torturously slow. Tinder’s had never been exactly bustling, but normally a good crowd of people stuck their heads in. Today, I only counted ten people. “Are y’all not getting engaged anymore?” I joked as a young couple entered the store. “Seems like no one is today.” The girl blushed. “We’re talking about it,” she said, looking down. “We’re going to look at promise rings.” Her boyfriend looked away, clearly unhappy that his girl was talking to the big, hulking security guard. “Come on,” he said under his breath. “I have to be

back at work by one.” I rolled my eyes as he dragged her away over to the selection of silver and white gold promise rings. She was cute, but didn’t touch Sarah with a ten-foot pole. Stop comparing every other woman to Sarah, I ordered myself. You know she’s probably just a temporary fix The hours crawled by. I felt my phone buzz a couple of times in my pocket. The first was Sarah, letting me know that she’d paid her rent. I thought about asking her for naked pictures as a “payment,” but then remembered the gross misstep that Roger had taken with the photos of her. I decided that asking

her for nudes wouldn’t be a good idea. She asked me what I wanted for dinner and I told her that it didn’t matter, my mind was clearly on her and not whatever we were about to eat. Just texting with her made me grin from ear to ear. And I couldn’t wait to tell her about Red and the job offer, if it was still available. I felt like she’d be overjoyed. Maybe she’ll give me a special thank you, I thought, my cock chafing in my pants. Who knows? Thinking of her all day had been torture. I was more than relieved when it was time to go home and shower. I hadn’t showered that morning and I could still catch a whiff of her trademark vanilla-

chili scent on my skin if I moved quickly. She was on my mind the whole time I rode back to my apartment; I almost got hit by a car, twice. Even the cursing drivers didn’t put a damper on my mood. I couldn’t believe that I’d somehow found someone like Sarah. She was everything that I’d ever wanted, and possessing her was like magic. I groaned as thoughts of her naked body filled my mind. Letting myself in, I walked back to the bedroom and collapsed, closing my eyes and falling into a dark sleep. “Blake,” Sarah called in a teasing voice. “Blaaaaake, come back to bed!”

I growled and pounced on her naked body, sending her flying to the other side of the mattress. Delicious peals of laughter rang out from her mouth and as she looked at me, I felt my erection swell even more. “You’re crazy,” I growled at her. “Do you know what you’re doing to me? Look at this,” I pointed down. “You’re owning me, Sarah.” She smiled coyly and lay on her back, spreading her legs so I could see every inch of her perfect pussy. My mouth went dry as she moaned and slipped her fingers down her belly, softly massaging her labia. Wetness leaked

out of Sarah’s pussy onto the bed and I thought that I was going to go mad with lust. I growled as I watched her spread her labia with soft fingers and explore herself, twitching and moaning whenever her fingers rubbed over her clit. I moved closer but Sarah opened her jewel green eyes and stared at me. “Stay there,” she said in a breathy voice. “You can’t touch me, you just have to watch.” I twitched and a bolt of desire went through my body. Sarah closed her eyes and slid her other hand down her breasts, caressing and toying with herself. She moaned softly and spread

her legs as wide as they could go, slipping her hand down her belly and rubbing her pussy with it. Moving closer, I crept between her legs and got to my knees. I leaned in until I was only a few inches away from her delicious body. The scent of Sarah’s arousal mixed with her sweat and vanilla perfume was enough to drive me mad. As she rubbed her clit in small circles with her thumb, she slipped her other fingers inside of herself, groaning with the added stimulation. I watched intently as her pale hands turned wet and shiny from her juices and leaned closer, licking at her fingers as she pleasured herself. Sarah gasped and pulled one hand away, letting me lap at

her skin as she continued to rub her clit in slow circles. I licked the insides of her labia, savoring her taste, before plunging my tongue inside of her pussy and lavishing her with attention. Sarah’s cries grew louder and louder and her hand was moving fast and hard on her little clit. I could feel her juices gushing into my mouth and covering my face as she came. Her pussy twitched and clenched and spasmed around my tongue, and slowly she slipped her hand away from her swollen clit. “That was incredible,” Sarah panted. “Thank you for watching me.” She grinned and got to her hands and

knees, crawling towards me and kissing me wetly. I gasped as her mouth sucked at my lips and tongue, licking her scent and fluids off of me. The kiss deepened and I slipped my tongue into her soft mouth, tasting her and loving it more than I ever had before. Sarah gently broke the kiss and pulled away. “Now you can watch me do something else,” she teased. I watched as she placed her hands on my chest and gently pushed me backwards so I landed on my ass. My cock throbbed with arousal and Sarah eyed it slowly, crawling down on her elbows and sticking her perfect, heart-shaped ass into the air. I watched as she stuck her

tongue out and swirled it around the head of my cock. Groaning, I shifted my weight onto my elbows and propped myself up on the bed so that I could watch her. Sarah opened her bright green eyes and locked them with mine as she licked and sucked at the head of my cock. I groaned loudly. She was torturing me! “You’re killing me,” I groaned. “Oh my god, woman, what are you doing to me?” Sarah didn’t answer; she only grinned and placed a hand around the base of my cock, gently stroking it up and down in time with her mouth. She kept her

eyes open and on me for a long time as she moved her mouth up and down, swathing my cock in warm, wet, delicious moisture. I grunted with pleasure as she ran her tongue along the sensitive spot under the head. When I thought I was going to come, I leaned back and thrust upwards. But Sarah stopped. She looked at me, with my cock still in her mouth, and a trail of saliva dripped from her lips. I groaned loudly. “Please,” I begged. “Please make me come, Sarah.” She grinned at me. “Yes, Daddy,” she said softly before resuming her

delicious ministrations. In no time, I was coming and she pulled away and let me bathe her face with my seed. When I had finished shaking, Sarah opened her eyes and looked at me. “You taste so good,” she said, licking her lips. “I always want you, Blake. I need you.” Another shiver of lust coursed through me and I reached for her, grabbing her and pulling her close. Sarah shrieked with delight and I growled, nuzzling into her neck and biting her again and again. Suddenly, there was a loud thump and

we both looked up. My bedroom door slammed open, so hard that it bounced off of the wall. I glared. “Who the fuck is that?” I cried out. There was no answer. Pulling a blanket over Sarah’s naked body, I climbed out of bed and tugged on a pair of shorts. “Hello?” I called out again. “Who’s there? Come and fight like a man, asshole!” “Blake, I’m scared,” Sarah said from the bed. I looked over; she looked like a shivering little girl. It tugged at my heart but I knew that I had to keep us safe. “Stay here,” I instructed her. “I’ll be right back.”

There was a loud crash from the living room just as I was tugging on my briefs. Grabbing a gun from my dresser, I tucked it into my waistband and grabbed the crowbar that I kept behind the door. “Come on,” I called. “Don’t make me come get you, asshole.” There was no reply, and I stepped further into the hallway. Sarah squeaked behind me and I turned around with a finger over my mouth. She nodded silently and I closed the bedroom door behind me. Stepping as silently as I could, I made my way into

my living room. There was a masked figure staring at the wall with his back to me, and I called out, grabbing my gun and aiming it at him. “Asshole, turn around!” I snarled. The figure didn’t move. Stepping closer, I laid a hand on his shoulder and grabbed his body. The man’s body was surprisingly cold and I jerked my hand away. He was wearing a ski mask but it was so dark in the room that I couldn’t see the color of his skin under the mask. His eyes were big and black, and they looked like they were all pupil. Fear coursed through me for the first time. There was something about him that didn’t seem natural.

“You’ve come to fight?” the man asked, sounding amused. He rocked back on the balls of his feet and stared at me. “And just what do you think that accomplishes, hm? Probably nothing, if I had to guess,” he added. “Don’t you know that I’ve been looking for you the whole time?” Suddenly, my head felt like someone had poured ice water all over me. “What the fuck are you talking about?” I growled. “I think you have the wrong guy.” The figured looked at me. “Blake Ward,” he said. “Is that your name? If

so, I’m here for you. I’m here to kill you, Blake,” he added. The lips of the thing broke out into an evil grin—much too wide and white to be human. “I’m here to kill you,” it repeated. The sentence was followed by a bonechilling laugh and I felt myself start to shake. Suddenly I knew that the thing was going to find me and hunt me down and kill me, and then kill Sarah. I knew that the gun in my hand or even the crowbar wasn’t going to do any damage. As I took aim at the thing’s chest, I fired the gun. The figure staggered backwards and fell; I felt victory swelling in my chest before the

mocking, cold laughter started again. I shivered. The figure straightened up with alarming speed and rushed towards me until it was inches away from my face. “What do you want?” I hissed. “I’ll give you anything, just leave me alone. Just go away!” The thing laughed cruelly. “I want your death, Blake,” it whispered in an ethereal whisper that filled the air around me. “I want your death, and I want the death of Sarah.” “No,” I whispered. “Please. I’ll do anything. Kill me. But not her, don’t

touch her!” I felt a sharp stabbing pain in my side and looked down to see a gaping wound that was gushing blood and pus. As I tried to grip my flesh together, the thing laughed and touched me with a cold limb. I stumbled backwards and fired my gun a few more times at the apparition. With each shot, it stumbled but never fell, and when my gun was out of rounds, it laughed at me. “You’re not going to save her,” it taunted me. “She’s going to be mine, forever!” “No!” I yelled. Suddenly, the thing

disappeared from my eyesight. Terrified and in intense pain, I whipped my head around the room and looked for it. There was nothing; only moonlight streaming in through the window. There was a shriek from my bedroom and I sprinted down the hall as quickly as I could. I heard Sarah’s high voice screaming and it wrenched my heart. “Blake! Help me!” she cried loudly, squealing and crying out. “I need you to help me, Blake! Please!” “Sarah!” I screamed as I pounded on the door. There was something on the other side holding it shut, and just as I

began to slam against the door with my full weight, I heard the high-pitched laughter of the thing. Sarah screamed again. “Sarah!” I yelled loudly. “Hang on, Sarah! I’m coming!” I kept pounding and pounding against the door but it was no use. The wound in my side was deepening with every passing second and I could feel my body getting cold. I was lightheaded, and no matter how much air I sucked in, I still felt more drained than ever. “Sarah, I’m sorry,” I said as I slumped to the ground, clutching my chest. “I

failed you. I’m so sorry,” I repeated. “I’m sorry.” It was all I could say as I felt life spill out of me and my body slipped into a deep, dark, place.

Chapter Eighteen When I woke up, it took me more than a few seconds to shake off the bad dream. I was used to having nightmares, but there was something absurd about the quality of this one. It was like my subconscious was working against me, actively trying to make sure that I didn’t get too complacent in life. I shook my head but the images of that figure in black wouldn’t go away. “Fuck,” I muttered out loud. The sun was going down and I knew that I had to be at the clubhouse soon. We were taking a

vote today, and if I wasn’t there, they’d have done it without me. I was antsy that Devil’s Own was taking so long to vote on retaliation against the Aztecs. I felt like if we didn’t hurry up, we’d be left regretting it before too much longer. Quickly, I showered and shaved, dressing in dark wash jeans and a black shirt. Sarah was at the back of my mind; the dream had made me uneasy. For some reason, I was starting to have a bad feeling, a feeling like I wouldn’t be able to protect her. That’s fucked, dude, I thought to myself. Of course you’ll be able to protect her. She’s just a woman. By the time I left, the ugliest image from

the dream—Sarah’s door locked while she cried out and I couldn’t save her— was beginning to slowly fade from my mind. The night was chilly and my bike felt like a live animal between my legs, thrumming and guiding me to all the dark places in the world. I loved being in the MC for the sway it held, and for my reputation, but most of the time I didn’t feel like I was living too dark of a life. Tonight was different; the air was malleable, changing. I could sense danger. The roads were quiet as I zipped along through downtown, then to the outskirts of town where our clubhouse was. I frowned when I saw how dark it looked from far away. Why weren’t any of the lights on?

When I pulled up in the parking lot, I took off my helmet and scratched my head. All of the windows were dark and it looked deserted. Checking my watch, I saw that I was a few minutes late. All of the guys should be here by now, but I didn’t even see their bikes in the lot. “Hey, Jimmy,” I called out loudly. “Are y’all here?” My voice echoed off the asphalt and stone. There was no reply, and I kicked some gravel aimlessly as I walked towards the door. It was locked; it was always locked, but we had keys, and I had to fumble in the dark before pulling

my set out. There was a noise behind me and I turned around, expecting to see the guys coming out and laughing at me. But there was nothing there. My mouth went dry and I called out Jimmy’s name again. “Abel? Red? Are y’all here? Stop fucking with me,” I growled. “This isn’t funny anymore.” From across the parking lot, I heard the chain link fence clatter, then slam shut. My heart started thudding fast in my chest; there were no headlights to indicate that a car was there, and I didn’t hear footsteps. Sticking my hand in the back of my waistband, I grabbed a gun and aimed at the fence. When I stopped

breathing, I could almost hear something. By now, the night was fully dark. I had a shiver of fear when I remembered the thing in my dream. Buck up, Blake, I ordered myself. It was just a fucking dream. Everything’s gonna be fine, just don’t puss out right now. Slowly, I crept back towards the gate in the yard, hugging the fence. I heard whispers and footsteps, and suddenly I knew that whatever was going on, it wasn’t a game. I shuddered when I realized the voices were speaking hushed Spanish. No one in Devil’s Own was fluent.

“Who’s there?” I called gruffly. “Come out and fight like a man, asshole!” There was no answer, but the rustling and whispers behind the fence continued. I rolled my eyes. “Come the fuck on,” I said loudly. “I’m not waiting all fucking day for you. Where’s my fucking club?” A figure stepped out of the darkness. At first, it looked like the black shadowy figure from my dream and my heart leapt into my throat. When he got closer, I realized it was one of the Aztecs. He grinned at me; a gold tooth flashed in the darkness.

“We heard about what happened with our friend,” he said, grinning. From the shadows, I watched as two other Aztecs stepped out and flanked him. My palms started to sweat and I tightened my grip on the gun. “We wanted to pay you a little visit and thank you for putting him in the hospital,” the same guy said. Looking at his friends, he nodded. “That’s bullshit,” I spat. “You’re not welcome here. Leave now, or the rest of the Devil’s are going to come kick your ass!” The Aztec laughed; it wasn’t the same cruel, high-pitched laughter from my

dream but sent chills down my spine nonetheless. He and his two cronies advanced. I cocked the hammer and pointed the gun at him, tightening my finger on the trigger. He held up his hands. “Don’t be a coward,” he said with a grin. “We just want a fair fight, like you had in the parking lot.” His cronies reached my sides and pinned my arms down. The gun dropped onto the pavement with a metallic clatter and one of them kicked it away before winding his arm back and taking a big swing at my face. I ducked but the other guy reached for me and grabbed me.

“Fuck!” I got to my knees and reached for the gun, but not before the leader of the group walked up and kicked me square in the face. Pain blossomed through my body and I cried out, feeling myself jerk backwards and land on the ground. Gravel bit into the side of my face and I was struggling to get up when the thugs surrounded me and began kicking and punching me. Somehow I was able to trip one of them and crawl away. Where’s the gun? I thought in a panicked moment. Where’s my fucking gun? The Aztecs watched as I crawled pathetically on the ground, groping and flinging my hand out as I searched for the

gun. I heard them laughing as I crawled around in the dark, trying to keep my eyes open. Warm blood was streaming down my forehead and making it difficult to see; no matter how many times I wiped it away, I knew that I was cut pretty badly. “Get up and fight,” one of them said in accented English. “Fight like a man, don’t be a pussy!” “Yeah, don’t be a pussy,” one of them said. I got to my feet and growled, charging at one of them with my head lowered. It caught him off guard and he sailed

backwards, crashing against the chain link fence with a deafening clatter. When he was down, I whirled around with my fist out and caught one of the other guys in the stomach. He doubled over, the air knocked out of him, and I kicked his legs out from under him so he dropped onto the ground. The last thug came up behind me and wrapped an arm around my neck, squeezing me. Instantly, I was choking and coughing and watching helplessly as the two fallen Aztecs picked themselves up off the ground. The leader came towards me, grinning, while his friend still had me in a chokehold. He grinned even wider as he made a fist and swung back. I closed my eyes and braced myself for the blow. It landed right on

my cheek and I could feel my nose smashing and bending to the side with the force of his hand. “Fuck you,” I yelled, spitting blood on the ground. “Get the fuck off my property.” The Aztec who was holding me released me and I spun around, swinging and missing for his black, greasy head. “That’s what you think, you fuck,” he said under his breath. I lowered my head to charge him but he saw me coming and raised his leg to knee me in the face. Blood poured out of my nose and mouth and I wiped it away, coughing and spitting. The other two Aztecs came at

me and I held them at arm’s length, reaching out with my legs to try to kick them down. It was a pretty pathetic scene, and I could feel the blood pounding in my ears as I tried to hold the three guys off. Even when I got in a good punch, I knew that I couldn’t have possibly taken all three of them. One of the Aztecs stooped down and picked up something shiny from the ground. When he waved it around in the air, I knew it was a gun. Suddenly, I growled and ran for him, landing on top of him and knocking him backwards. The gun flew out of his hand and clattered on the pavement, sliding under my bike. Just as the Aztec was winding back to punch

me in the face, I twisted out of the way and hit him hard in the face. My hand stung immediately as I felt his cartilage and bone break under my skin. Rage was boiling inside of me; even though I knew there was no way I could win this fight, I wasn’t going down until I could no longer move. The Aztec growled and spat blood at me. I hit him again and again, until he could no longer cry out, and I saw his eyelids flutter closed. The other two thugs were busy looking for my gun on the ground. They didn’t notice when I picked myself off their fallen comrade and came towards them with my hands balled up at my sides.

“Look, pussy boy’s coming back for more,” one of them jeered to the other. I growled and charged, knocking the offender backwards. I was somehow able to catch myself before I tripped over him and fell, and I spun backwards, landing a punch on the last Aztec. He fell to his knees and I started raining blows on his head and neck. Blood and teeth were glistening on the surface of the asphalt and I kept going until he’d passed out. I was so determined to beat him to a pulp that I didn’t notice the Aztec I’d knocked over crawling to the side and fishing for my gun. “Stop!” I yelled. He turned around and

laughed at me. When he held the gun up in the air, my heart stopped beating. Suddenly, I knew I was dead. As he aimed at me and cocked the gun, I said a mental apology to Sarah. I’m sorry I couldn’t keep you safe. I’m so sorry. Just as I thought I was about to die, I heard sirens in the distance. “Oh, fuck!” the Aztec cried. He dropped the gun and I fell to my knees in relief. The Aztec tried grabbing and dragging his two fallen brothers but couldn’t manage with both of their weights. He grabbed the smaller one and dragged him to safety, through a new hole in the chain link fence. Just as the police cars were zooming closer, I felt myself start to

grow faint of breath. “Fuck,” I muttered. “Stay awake. Stay awake, man. Just try,” I mumbled, my swollen eyelids fluttering closed. As I felt my body hit the ground, pain radiated through me in big shockwaves. I struggled to keep breathing as I heard the police cars roar into the parking lot and grind to a stop. “Come out with your hands up,” I heard a gruff voice say over the megaphone. “Everyone, now!” The Aztec and his mate had disappeared, but there was still the fallen Aztec on the ground and me. When the police

repeated the command, I moaned loudly. As I tried to pull myself off the ground, pain exploded in every joint and every limb of my body. I bit my lip so I wouldn’t cry out and managed to haul myself into a standing position. With every ounce of will left in my body, I raised my hands in the air and turned around so my back was to the police car. I heard guns cocking and whispered voices as the cops climbed out of their cars and approached me. Rough hands grabbed my wrists and forced them behind my back. I cried out in pain but the cop didn’t notice, and put metal handcuffs on me. They were uncomfortably tight, and my sore

shoulder joints ached at once. “You wanna tell me what the fuck you boys were up to?” A cop leaned in my face and I turned away. “Ask my lawyer,” I grunted. “I’m not telling you shit.” The cop punched me in the side and I crumpled but didn’t fall over. “I’ll do just that,” he sneered at me. “Come on,” he called to the other cops. “Book that wetback, too.” I closed my eyes as the cop hustled me over to his car. He pushed me down in the backseat and I slammed my head

against the car. Pain bloomed in my vision and I could feel a new trickle of blood coming down my temple, fresh and wet. The cop slammed the door and I watched for a few minutes, bored, as they dragged the Aztec off the pavement and booked him in their other car. When the cop got in behind the driver’s seat, he turned to me. “Blake, I hate this, man,” he said. I winced when I recognized him as one of the cops who had booked me the last time. “You’ve got to learn to keep your ass out of trouble,” he said, shaking his head. “Seriously, you’re not gonna get anywhere in life if we have to keep dragging you downtown.”

I spat at the partition in the car. “Then you better fuckin’ learn to stay out of my club’s business,” I sneered. “The fuck business you think you have with us, anyway? Those fuckin’ Aztecs attacked me when I rolled up for a club meeting. This was all self-defense!” The cop gave a short bark of a laugh. “You’re a storyteller, I’ll give you that,” he said with a wry grin. I turned my head to the side so I wouldn’t have to look at his smug, fat, fucking face. “We know you’re looking for trouble, Blake. Just tell me, come on. It won’t be as big of a deal if you plead guilty.”

“I’m not pleading shit,” I muttered. “Like I said, talk to my lawyer.” The cop shook his head. “You don’t get it, man,” he said. “I’m trying to help you. Don’t you get that?” “You’re trying to detain me,” I shot back. “And I’m not telling you anything without a lawyer. End of fucking story.” The cop whistled through his teeth. “Blake, you gotta learn to stop trying to settle things yourselves. Leave that to the law enforcement! Surely Abel doesn’t have you thinking that you guys can handle things without our help, right?”

I glared at him. If I’d had my gun, I would have tried to shoot him for that remark. I hated the cops around here. We’d always had kind of a special relationship with law enforcement, but ever since the next town’s police department absorbed the county, things had just been off the rails. I knew that Jimmy and Abel were busting their asses trying to make us okay again in the eyes of the law, but in the middle of this territory dispute, it was the last thing that we needed. “Blake, I’m gonna give you one more chance to talk before we head downtown,” the cop said softly. “If you have anything you want to share with me

that you don’t want getting back to the club, you’d better come out with it now. You know I want to help you. We go way back, don’t we?” I narrowed my eyes. “We haven’t been in each other’s pockets for a very long time, old man,” I warned. “Don’t even try to act like you’re on our side.” I bit my tongue; it was so tempting to bring up the Aztecs. In the old days, we would have been allowed to defend our turf as we pleased. Everyone in the police department knew that the Aztecs ran crank and other drugs. Drugs were bad for the city, so we were allowed to keep them out. But now, the cops didn’t see it that way. Suddenly it was their job to

make sure that the Aztecs were gone. I closed my eyes and thumped my head against the back of the cruiser in frustration. This whole night had been fucked. The cop eyed me in the rearview mirror. “Blake, one last chance,” he repeated. “We’re heading downtown soon. Looks like you gave that son of a bitch quite the bruising,” he added in an amused tone. I eyed him dully as he pointed out the windshield of the cruiser. “We had to call an ambulance for him,” he said. “So you can feel good about your strength, now.” “Fuck you,” I spat. “Get me my lawyer.”

Chapter Nineteen I sat in the holding cell for almost five hours before Barney showed up. By the time the cop came to let me out of the pen, the bleeding had stopped but I felt stiff and sore and painful everywhere. I didn’t have a watch or my phone on me, but it seemed like it had to be after midnight. Fuck, I thought, remembering that I’d had dinner plans with Sarah. But there was nothing I could do about it now; my one phone call had to be to the club’s lawyer, and if I was lucky, maybe he could post my bail and I’d be out of here in an hour or two.

The cop who released me from the cell was the same one who had driven me to the station. In the nasty fluorescent lighting of the station, he had dark circles under his eyes and I could see his face was getting doughy with middle age. “Had a chance to think about what you did yet?” He smirked and I shook my head, keeping my lips shut. I knew that I shouldn’t have mouthed off in the car; that was what had earned me the hours alone without a phone call. But all I wanted to do was get my revenge on this fucker and everyone like him who stood in my way. When I thought about how

quickly I could end his life, even in the battered condition I was in, my blood starting to pump freely again. The cop cuffed my hands behind my back and guided me down a dimly lit hallway. It was a place I was very familiar with; every member of the club had been arrested at least once. Most of us twice, or three times. This was my fifth incident in the past couple of years. That number didn’t seem so bad when I thought about everything that had led me to jail, but it didn’t look great, either. Barney was sitting down at a table with a cup of coffee. Even though it was late, he looked immaculate as always.

Devil’s Own had been affiliated with Barney for years now. He was almost like an old friend. He was someone who we always invited to gatherings and clubhouse parties, not because we were afraid of something going wrong, but because we wanted him to know that we trusted him. In the clubhouse of the Devil’s Own, Barney had probably seen things that shocked him. But who knew; maybe not. He had an excellent poker face. “Blake,” he said, reaching out for my hand. We shook like men and then I sat down. Barney was scrutinizing my face and I could tell from his expression that I must have looked pretty badly off.

“You checkin’ me out?” I laughed. “Trust me, it probably looks worse than it feels.” As I spoke, my throat went dry and I coughed. Specks of blood landed on my hand and I balled up my fist and stuck it in my lap so he wouldn’t see. “I can walk out of here just fine,” I said calmly. “You wanna help me with that?” Barney licked his lips and leaned back in the chair. “Blake, I have to be honest with you,” he said. “This doesn’t look good. Not for you, not for the MC. Right now they’re looking to pin you down with two charges of assault and one charge of attempted assault, plus a charge of carrying a concealed weapon

without a permit.” I narrowed my eyes. “That’s bullshit,” I said. “I didn’t even use my gun, and I do have a permit.” Barney shook his head. “You have a permit for a legal gun,” he said. “This was a gun with the serial scratched off. That’s different, Blake. That’s a whole new game.” I bit my lip. Most of the guns used by the club had no serial number; it was one of the ways we took precautionary measures. “Fine,” I spat. “So what’s with the assault? Does it count that they attacked me, and I fought back in self-

defense?” Barney let out a long, slow exhale of breath. “That’s different,” he said quietly. “Even though they were on your property, I’m showing in the police report that you swung first.” I shook my head. “That’s not true,” I said. “Those lying bastard cops weren’t even there. They ambushed me, and when I went to check the perimeter of the clubhouse, they all came out in a pack.” Barney looked at me with his eyes narrowed. “Blake, you paralyzed one of those guys,” he said. “The guy who was

left on the ground with you, the Aztec. They’re saying that he won’t ever walk again. Do you realize what this means for you and the club?” Suddenly, I felt like someone was watching me. I turned to the mirrored two-way glass and sneered. “I don’t want those pigs listening, Barney,” I said quietly. “I can’t give them any more ammo against us right now. Can you get me out of here today?” “Your bail was posted at five hundred thousand,” Barney said in a calm voice. I stared at him, feeling like someone had punched me in the stomach. “If you’re able to tell me where I can obtain that

money, we’ll go from there. I have a retainer from you that makes up almost half, and you’d need the other half by the end of the day.” “Jimmy can help me,” I told him gruffly. “Just call him and tell him how much I still owe.” Barney looked at me. He folded his tanned hands on the table and for a moment I was caught staring at his nails. They were trimmed and manicured, just like a woman’s hands would be. “This is more serious, Blake,” he said quietly. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but you’re really going to have to change. The MC is going to have to change,

we’re all going to have to work harder here.” “What the fuck do you mean, ‘we’?” I asked, leaning back in my chair and fixing my eyes on him. “I already am working hard. If the cops can’t see that I took those Aztecs out in self-defense, I don’t fucking know what you want me to say.” Barney didn’t reply. He pressed his lips into a thin line until they were bloodless and white. “This is serious,” he repeated. A chill of fear ran down my spine. “What, what is it?” Barney didn’t

answer. “Fucking tell me, man. Am I paying you or not?” “I don’t know how much longer I’m going to be able to help the club,” Barney replied. “My influence isn’t as strong as it used to be around here, don’t you get that? When the cops changed hands, they stopped listening to me, too. I’m in just as much of a hard place as you are, Blake. If you don’t cooperate with the law enforcement, they’re going to do everything they can to destroy you and the rest of Devil’s Own.” “Fine, they can try,” I said in a cocky voice. As I talked, my swollen jaw began to ache and I winced. The bright

lights of the police station had given me a headache hours ago but it was just now starting to become truly unbearable. This was happening much, much too fast, and I had no idea how I was going to find my way out. I stared at Barney. “Well, what do you have to say?” He looked at me and sighed. “I’m sorry for letting you down,” he said. “I don’t think I’m gonna be able to get you off the hook right away for this. You might go to trial.” I laughed. “I’m not going to prison for assault, Barn. That’s community service

and a fine, everyone knows that. I didn’t do anything first degree, and I wasn’t charged for firing my gun.” Barney shook his head again. “You might be wrong about that,” he said. “Haven’t you thought about how this will look to a judge when stacked with your other convictions, Blake? It’s not going to look good,” he finished. I thought about it. “That’s stupid,” I said slowly. “Those other things have been dealt with. I’ve paid every single fine that I’ve been slapped with. The cops know that we’re clean, for fuck’s sake! And I was beating up a bunch of crank dealers! Who cares? Wouldn’t the cops

rather have a fight every now and then instead of a bunch of assholes selling heroin to kids?’ Barney looked at me. “You can say that all you want, Blake, but these cops are tired of having their city ripped up to shreds with violence. I don’t think arguing in favor of the occasional fight is going to do you any favors here.” I snorted. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. You’re telling me that we’re going to get busted for defending our territory? What are we supposed to do if the Aztecs show up again?” “Call the police,” Barney said, folding

his hands in his lap. “Like a normal person would do.” Rage flared through me and I had to suppress the urge to punch him. “Whatever,” I mumbled. “Just tell me how to get out of this.” “You may have to plead guilty to second degree assault,” Barney said. He laid a sheaf of papers on the desk in front of me and pushed them towards me. “Take a look at these. I’ve drawn up a statement from you, all you have to do is sign it and then we can get you to trial right away.” “But what about bail?”

Barney shrugged. “That’s a lot of money, Blake. Wouldn’t you rather just stay in here for the time being? It may look better to the cops, it may help you look like you don’t have as much to prove.” “That’s retarded,” I said, shaking my head. “I can’t believe this. You’re not even going to try to help me? What about the rest of the guys? Won’t Abel and Jimmy be pissed?” “They don’t want any trouble either,” Barney said. “You know Abel wants things to start winding down, you know how much trouble he’s been having keeping you guys in the black lately.”

“Because those fucking Aztecs are running on our turf,” I snarled. “Don’t you understand what’s going on? The cops are playing us; they want the glory of catching those crank dealing assholes for themselves! They keep trying to provoke the Devil’s into fighting back, which is unfortunately what I just did. But it’s not gonna be like this in the future, Barney. Come on. You know things will be different.” Barney sighed. He looked at me, opened his mouth, and then closed it again. “I want to believe you,” he said slowly. “But times are changing a lot, Blake. You don’t know what you’re dealing

with anymore. If you’re not careful, you’re gonna wind up in over your head.” I snorted. “I don’t think I could possibly be in deeper than my head right now,” I said with a short laugh. “My MC and my lawyer don’t even wanna help me.” Barney frowned. “What do you mean, the MC doesn’t want to help you? Of course they do. They’re your family, Blake.” Suddenly, that black feeling I’d had in the parking lot returned. “Something’s wrong,” I said aloud. “I forgot, but I was heading to the clubhouse for a vote. And

when I got there, everything was dark. Jimmy, Abel, and Red weren’t anywhere around. There weren’t any lights on. Those Aztecs had cut a hole in the fence; they were waiting for me. I punched up one of their guys last week outside a bar, and they wanted revenge for him.” “This is exactly the kind of thing I’m talking about,” Barney replied. “If you’re not willing to let us help you, you’re going to wind up in deep over your head, Blake.” I shook my head. “Are you saying the guys in the MC set me up?” “No,” Barney said. “I’m not saying that

at all. But I am saying that you have to be open to the legal repercussions here. Just because you guys got your way for years at a time doesn’t mean that’s going to keep happening in the future, Blake.” I scowled. “Post my fucking bail,” I growled. “We’ll talk when I’m out of this hell hole.” Barney stared at me. He tried convincing me otherwise, but I wouldn’t say another word until he had sighed and started to clear away the papers. I hadn’t even read my “statement”—I wanted to rip it up right in front of him, but I resisted the urge.

My lids were heavy with sleep with the guard came and dragged me back down the hallway. “You wanna see your friends?” he sneered, pulling me back to the holding cell with the Aztec guys. “They’re eager to see you.” “Fuck you,” I spat. “I have no words to say to those assholes.” The guard unlocked the cell door and slid it to the side. As he pulled me back in and unfastened the handcuffs, the Aztec guys started making yipping noises in the backs of their throats. When the guard had left and locked me in the cell, I sat down on the metal bench and let my head flop against the concrete wall. It

hurt, but everything in my body hurt. “Hey, you think this is fun for us?” One of the Aztecs grinned at me. There was dried blood all over his face and his nose was swollen and beginning to bruise purple. I felt satisfaction for having done that to him. “It ain’t fun for us, boy,” he snarled when I didn’t respond. “And we’re going to get you back for that.” I laughed. “Fuck you,” I said, laying down on the bench and putting my hands behind my head. They instantly ached from the perforated metal. There was no way I could have slept on that bench; between the glaring fluorescent lights

and the painful metal, I knew I was in for a rough couple of hours. The two Aztecs finally got sick of taunting me and shut up. I was able to close my eyes and dream. For the first few minutes, I turned the words from Barney over in my head. I couldn’t believe that he was acting so restrained with me; it was like we had no history, no idea of what he thought it meant to be good to the club. Fucker, I thought with a growl. He just wants a fucking paycheck. He doesn’t care about the Devil’s. As the hours dragged by, I stood up and stretched in my cell. Moving was

painful, but I could tell that I’d be feeling better in a couple of days. Mostly, I was anxious to speak with Sarah. I had to get to her, or at least give her my word. Normally I wouldn’t have cared that much, but after the little scene in the coffee shop I didn’t want her calling the police. Sarah had to stay away from the cops just like I did; I was sure that she could be convicted of conspiring with Roger. That little ratfaced fucker had cowed to me instantly. It had been so satisfying to watch him rip up the photos of Sarah. He’d kept the same distraught look on his face, like a pathetic little wretch. He was a pathetic little wretch, I thought to myself with a grin. And he’d deserve

every bad thing that would ever happen to him. I hadn’t told Sarah, but I planned on going back and making sure that he wasn’t going to spill. I knew a few ways to keep him silent. Pliers, a drill, some duct tape. Oh, no, Roger wasn’t going to be harming anyone for a long time. Just thinking about him made me rage. I couldn’t believe the emotional and mental strain that he’d put Sarah through. That was the last thing she needed, some guy bullying her into committing a crime. It was one thing if I was an outlaw, it was entirely another if she was forced into doing something against her will.

Sarah. Just thinking about her name was enough to make that sweet scent of vanilla and chili wash over me. I thought of how her face turned that delicious shade of red when she was about to come, and how her sweet body trembled and shook under mine. She was one hot little minx, all right, and it was my duty to keep her coming over and over again. I licked my lips, imagining her salty and musky taste on my mouth. It was enough to make my cock twitch and stir in my pants, and I turned to face the wall so the Aztecs wouldn’t notice. Sarah. She was quickly becoming my only escape, my only release. And then there was the matter of the

club. Why hadn’t they told me that they’d canceled the meeting? I knew that my guys wouldn’t set me up for anything dangerous. We were brothers, we were a family. If they’d known about the Aztec ambush, they all would have been right there, fighting alongside me. There was a loud snoring that filled the cell and I turned around to see the two Aztecs asleep, their heads leaning on each other’s shoulders. I watched in disgust as drool slipped out of one of the guy’s mouth, mixed with blood, and dribbled down his chin. “Fucking gross,” I said under my breath. My eyelids were heavy but every time I

closed them, Sarah showed up behind my eyes. She was dancing and twirling in my head, with desire stamped plainly on her face. I felt my lips curve into a smile as I imagined Sarah waltzing closer and closer to me, kneeling down before me and stroking the insides of my legs with her soft hands. It took effort not to moan out loud as I thought about her little body poured into a tight dress. Sarah was the sexiest woman that I’d ever seen; she had a killer body and tons of confidence. There was none of that self-conscious bullshit that so many other women struggled with. I never imagined for a second having to convince Sarah how

amazing she looked in something and hearing her whine back about how fat she looked. Thinking about Sarah made the time pass quickly, or at least made it feel like less drudgery. After my conversation with Barney, I wasn’t hopeful that I’d make bail. I had no idea whether or not I’d be able to explain myself to Sarah later. I was hopeful that she wouldn’t be pissed, but there was no telling, especially with someone who had such a fiery temper. Thinking of her temper made me excited in whole new ways, and I imagined us screaming at each other in frustration and then grabbing a hold of each other and having rough, hot sex. I imagined me

pulling her hair until she screamed with pleasure and want, and the feel of her tight pussy clenching my cock. I loved the way Sarah’s skin took on such a delicious flush when she was aroused. I loved the way she smiled at her with the corners of her lips just barely turned up. It was the most sexy, secret little smile that I’d ever seen, and I was addicted. I thought about just how quickly I could get her in bed; it wasn’t difficult at all to think about walking through her front door, scooping her up, and taking her straight away. I knew that she’d have questions for me but that she’d let her desires take over, as always. Sarah. Just the merest mention of her

name drove me crazy! It was like nothing else I’d ever experienced. I knew from the first time I saw her behind the bar that she was something special. And when we talked and I caught wind of that attitude she flashed around…whoa! It was enough to get my blood pumping every time. There was something so incredibly sexy about a woman who was determined to take care of herself, but still couldn’t quite manage it on her own. It made me feel even more protective of her. Sarah wasn’t helpless, she wasn’t young; she was street smart and sexy as hell. But even she couldn’t manage everything on her own. That was why taking out that fuckwit

Roger had felt so satisfying. I closed my eyes and imagined the way he’d been begging me, desperate, before ripping up the photos and promising never to mess with Sarah again. It had been all too easy. I imagined that he’d never actually been challenged before; the sight of me must have been enough to make him want to shit his pants in fear. A low chuckle escaped from my lips as I imagined telling Sarah all about it. I’d obviously leave out the gory details, but I wanted her to know that she never had anything else to worry about ever again. I was an outlaw, but I was her outlaw, damnit. And I was going to take care of her if it was the last thing I ever did. I

had to admire the way that Sarah wasn’t scared of my intensity. I’d been with so many women who loved it for a night, but wanted a change as soon as it was light outside. So many women who were content with a bad boy in bed but they wanted a gentleman the rest of the time. It was enough to make me laugh; just how did they think men like me got such big balls? Not from fucking wearing a suit and going to college, that’s for damn sure. I’d been with a woman once who had turned me on almost as much as Sarah. She had the same spark, the same fiery look in her eyes. In bed, she’d been an animal. She’d tied me down and licked

her tongue all over my body. She’d asked me to spank her until her ass was purple and blue from the bruises. I’d obliged, willingly, but she’d cried in the morning when I left. She’d been so disappointed that I wasn’t going to take her to brunch and meet all of her little friends. It was disgusting. Women like that wanted one good fuck and then they wanted to own you. Sarah wasn’t like that, not at all. I loved the way that she’d been so secretive when we first met, as if something about her was going to scare me away. I could tell that she’d been through rough shit, too, and that it was only a matter of time before her secrets came pouring out, just like mine. That was Sarah’s appeal in a nutshell:

she’d been through places just as dark as me, but she wasn’t about to let it ruin her life. I imagined the kind of life we’d have together. I’d be out with the club, raising hell, and come home to her cooking dinner. But instead of eating the meal, I’d fuck her on the table. Afterwards, we’d shower together and I’d fuck her against the wall of the bathroom. Then, later, after the food was cold, I knew that she’d clean up the kitchen and we’d laugh together and order pizza. It was paradise. It was everything that I’d never dreamed of before, because I hadn’t had Sarah. But with Sarah, everything was possible. The whole world was

possible. “Ward!” a sharp voice called. My eyes flew open and I saw a young cop standing on the other side of the cell door. “Bail’s posted. You’re out of here.”

Chapter Twenty It was a relief to step out of the cell and hear the guard slam the gate shut behind me. The Aztecs woke up, and when they saw I was being released, they stared at me and started making more of the same low yipping sounds in their throats. “Fuck off,” I spat as I walked away. “I’m out of here, suckers.” “Yes, Jimmy’s waiting for you in the depot,” the guard said. He was a young cop I hadn’t seen before, but he was looking at me like we were old friends.

“Do I know you?” The cop shook his head. He looked slightly sheepish and I had to grin; being able to unsettle a cop, even a young one, was somehow satisfying to me. “Not exactly,” he answered. “I know of you, though. I work with the deputy who pulled you in.” I nodded, a sour taste creeping into my mouth. When I raised my arms over my head, I could smell dried blood and sweat. Definitely need a shower before going to Sarah’s, I thought to myself. Need to freshen up for the lady.

“Can we step in here for a minute?” The cop gestured to a small room. I eyed him warily. “If this is a trick to get me to confess, it ain’t gonna happen,” I warned him. “I’m a free man until y’all call me into court.” The cop shook his head. “It’s not a trick,” he said. “I just figured you’d want some privacy.” My stomach plummeted as we stepped into the room. The cop flicked the light on; it flickered overhead dully, not as harsh as the other lights. There was a wooden table with two chairs and some

potted plants in the corner. I could tell that it was by far the softest-looking room in the whole station. “We normally put kids in here if they’re waiting for their parents,” the cop joked. I rolled my eyes and sat down hard in one of the chairs. The wood squeaked and scraped on the floor, making me wince. “So what’s up?” “I’m Deputy Johnson,” the young cop said. He stuck out his hand. His skin was pale white and clean; I could see veins running through his thin wrist. I growled and he almost pulled his hand away. I

chuckled when I realized that I could snap him in half with little effort. “Nice to meet you, Blake.” I scowled at him. “Drop the shit, man,” I said. “I’m tired, I want to get out of here.” Johnson nodded. “I get that,” he said. “But we need to talk first. You want some coffee?” I was about to refuse but the thought of hot coffee warmed my insides. I could almost feel the caffeine soothing my bruises. “Yeah,” I said. “Sure. Black.” Johnson nodded. He got up and told me

that he’d be right back. As soon as he was gone, I laid my head down on the desk and closed my eyes. As much fun as I’d had fantasizing about Sarah a few minutes prior, now I was so tired that I instantly fell asleep. My body started to get that floating sensation that you have when you’re in a falling dream, and I jerked awake with a rough start. Just as I came to, Johnson opened the door. He handed a mug—a real mug, none of that Styrofoam shit—filled to the brim with hot coffee. I held it in both hands and inhaled deeply, savoring the way it filled my senses. Already, I felt more awake. ‘Thanks,” I said, taking a swallow. The liquid was hot and it burned my tongue

but I took another swallow all the same. Johnson blew on his mug and set it down. I watched as the steam curled into lazy spirals. “So, Blake,” Johnson said, spreading his hands out over the table. He reached down to his side and picked up a folder. “I have to tell you some things before you leave today. I think your lawyer might have prepped you, but he probably didn’t tell you all of this.” A shiver of fear ran down my spine but I kept my face neutral. After taking another swig of coffee, I looked at Johnson. “Okay,” I said plainly. “Shoot. What’s going on?”

“The fact is,” Johnson began with a sigh, “you’re looking at a pretty long prison sentence. I know that last night we could only get you for second degree assault, but combined with your other charges from the past few years, well, that’s enough to get a felony charge.” “What?” I frowned and set my cup down on the table hard enough to make coffee slop out around the edges. “What the fuck, man? How is that even possible?” Johnson looked at me warily. “Calm down,” he said. “I’m telling you this so you can stay out of trouble, not get yourself in another bad situation as soon

as you’re gone. Do you understand?” I nodded. “Whatever, man,” I said. “Just give it to me straight.” “Well, the fact is you’d probably be fine, except a lot of the assault victims have wound up in the hospital,” Johnson said. He pulled out several sheets of papers and handed them to me; they were all old booking reports, mostly Aztecs but a couple from another rival MC, the City Diablitos. “And none of these guys have pressed charges against you, but there’s enough for the state to wind up with a pretty substantial case.” I nodded again. “Right,” I said slowly.

“So why get me now? Why not before? What’s the big fucking deal?” Johnson slid the papers back to his side of the table and folded them into the envelope. “Here’s the thing,” he said. “We’ve been watching Devil’s Own for a long time, and we know that you guys have some pretty bad patterns of violence. And I know that y’all used to get away with that, but lately things have gotten really out of hand. I don’t want to send the wrong message to the community. It takes a lot to go after guys we used to work with, but I’m afraid that everything is starting to change.” I blinked at him. “You sound like my

lawyer,” I said slowly. “Are you telling me that you know I’m not really a bad dude, and you want to lock me up to send a message?” Johnson’s gaze dropped. “No one wants to send you away,” he said evenly. I watched his heartbeat pulse on his neck and it occurred to me how easy it would be to kill him. I’d probably even be able to do it before someone knew what was happening inside the little room. Hell, I could probably do it and leave without anyone noticing. “But we’re being cautious, that’s all. If the violence doesn’t stop, there are going to be serious repercussions for everyone involved.”

I looked at him and narrowed my eyes. “So you’re saying I’m fine as long as I don’t get in another smash?” Johnson sighed. “I’m not saying that, either,” he said. “After what happened last night, I’m not sure that you’ll be able to get away without serving any kind of time.” Panic rose through me and I fought hard to keep it down. “So what now? I just go home and wait for you to pick me up again?” Johnson rifled through the folder. He handed me a series of mug shots, all

members of the MC. “We’re also watching these guys,” he said. “Your friends Jimmy and Red, we know what they’ve been up to. It’s not a good idea for your gang to keep running guns with this kind of pressure on you.” I let out a brittle laugh. “So you’re hoping that I’ll leave here and just tell my club to quit business? And then let the Aztecs fuck us up and sell dope on your streets? Yeah, man, that sounds pretty good to me, too.” Johnson’s face darkened and I could tell he was getting pissed. Instead of feeling irritated, I felt the urge to punch him return stronger than ever before. “That’s

the opposite of what I’m saying,” he said slowly. “Just watch your fucking back, okay?” For the first time, I heard a hint of menace creep into his voice. “You don’t want to fuck with us, and you don’t want to keep trying to manage things yourselves.” “Can I go?” I shot him a pointed look. “I need to talk to my club. What time is it?” Johnson scowled. He checked his phone. “It’s a little after two in the morning,” he said. “You’d better wait until tomorrow. Blake, I beg you to take what I said into consideration. Help us help you, okay? We don’t wanna send you away for years and years. But if you and the club keep

acting like this, I’m afraid we don’t have a choice.” I got up from the table and pushed my chair back with a wooden squeak against the tiled floor. “Fine,” I snapped. “Just let me go, man. I’m fucking sick of being here.” Johnson stood up and let me out of the tiny room without saying another word. Jimmy was waiting for me in the lobby, and I could feel him sizing up my wounds as we leaned in for a half-hug. “Man, you’re looking pretty brutal!” Jimmy said with a long whistle. “They fucked you up real good!”

“What do you think, it was fucking three on one,” I said sourly. Jimmy laughed and clapped me on the back. Pain rang through my body but I grinned; it felt so good to be leaving the jail that I didn’t mind. “Thanks for grabbing me, man,” I added. “I appreciate it.” “No sweat, brother,” Jimmy said. “You’d do the same for me. You have many times.” We cracked up. Jimmy pushed open the doors to the police station and led me out into the cool, dark night. “Man, you goin’ home?” he asked. “You need a shower? You wanna hit the clubhouse?”

“Yeah, actually,” I said. Already the events of the previous night seemed like a dream. “My bike is there.” Jimmy started his truck and the headlights bounced over the parking lot as we drove away. When the police station was a couple of miles behind us, I took a deep breath. “It feels fuckin’ good to be outside,” I said, letting the air out of my lungs. “I was starting to feel pretty fuckin’ claustrophobic in there with those Aztec fuckers. Why the fuck did they show up tonight, anyway? Didn’t we have a vote? We should have all been at the club!”

“Abel’s sick,” Jimmy said solemnly. “I think he had a stroke, but he won’t go to the doctor. He’s been in bed all night, moaning and whining.” I frowned. “He’s getting’ old, man,” I said carefully. “He should at least go to the fuckin’ hospital or something.” Jimmy shook his head. “You know my old man,” he said. “He won’t take any answer that he didn’t come up with first. Besides, he’ll be alright in a day or two. He’s stronger than a fucking ox, you know?” I nodded. “He’s a tough old fucker,” I

agreed. “And seriously, fuck you guys for not calling me. If y’all had been there, we could have taken out those Aztec shitheads by ourselves. No need to involve the cops.” Jimmy laughed. “I know,” he said. “But then you wouldn’t have that great shiner on your face.” I pulled the mirror down from the ceiling of the cab and turned the light on. My face was so swollen that I barely recognized myself. My nose had been broken and it was swollen in colors I didn’t imagine existed in the human body. My lower lip was fat and swollen, plus it was split in two places. I could

see a goose egg on my right temple, and when I touched it, I winced. My right cheek was swollen and I could tell that I’d have a black eye in the morning from all the blood pooling around my eyeball. “Fuck, man,” I swore with a laugh. “I look fuckin’ awful!” “Yeah, your girl isn’t gonna think much of you now,” Jimmy said with a laugh. “You ever find out what kind of trouble she was in?” My mouth went dry; I vaguely remembered bragging about fucking Sarah to the other guys in the club, but now I wished I hadn’t said anything. I

hoped that at least I hadn’t mentioned Roger; if they attacked him, I knew the cops would come straight for me. And then I was looking at ten to fifteen in the big house, alone, while Sarah married some douche and popped out his kids. “Nah,” I lied. “She’s chilled out, though. She’s cool. Hey, is Red still looking for a secretary?” “I think so,” Jimmy said. He rubbed his chin. “But you know he won’t hire anyone who doesn’t have huge tits,” he said with a laugh. “Red never changes.” Anger boiled under my skin at the thought of Red leering at Sarah. She

wouldn’t take the job if she were going to be subjected to harassment all day. “He better not lay a fucking hand on her,” I warned. “She’s mine. Do I have to make that clear?” Jimmy laughed. “Hey, brother, it’s just looking,” he said. “There ain’t no harm in lookin’, right?” “Whatever,” I muttered. “I never look at your old lady like that. He needs to keep his fuckin’ hands off of her. If she even wants to work for a degenerate like Red, anyway.” Jimmy smiled again, but it was an odd look. I realized that his eyes were just as

serious as ever, even though his lips were curled up. “You sure you’re okay, man? You seem real changed,” he said thoughtfully. “You havin’ some kind of beef with Red?” “Not at all, I just want to make sure he keeps his hands off my girl,” I snarled. “Ain’t nothing wrong with that.” We rode in silence for a few minutes. I looked at Jimmy’s face but he was as hard to read as ever. “They’re telling me I could face a lot of jail time,” I said after a moment. Jimmy’s head snapped around and he looked at me. Somehow, talking about it

was making me feel worse, not better than before. “As if I deserve that.” “What the fuck for?” Jimmy demanded. “That Aztec scum broke onto our property and you defended yourself against three of them. How the fuck can they even think about locking you up for that?” I laughed humorlessly. “I know, it’s fucking ridiculous. But both Barney and this stupid cop tried to feed me shit about past offenses. I think they want the MC gone. I think they’re convinced they can rule the land themselves. But these assholes don’t know how bad things get when drugs are involved,” I said, raking

a hand through my hair. My hand bumped up against a wound and I winced, pulling it back down. “They don’t fuckin’ get it, man,” I said, sighing. “And they told me to stay out of shit, but I feel like they’re just waiting for a situation where we fuck up again. I don’t want us all getting locked up, man. That ain’t fuckin’ fair.” Jimmy sighed. “It feels like a long time coming,” he drawled. He lit a cigarette and passed the pack to me. When I’d helped myself and passed the pack back to him, Jimmy turned in his seat and looked at me. “Abel is convinced that things are real different around here, that we need to find an alternate form of income. He thinks that guns aren’t gonna

cut it for much longer. But I know that if we get wrapped up in anything worse, the cops will be on our ass faster than we can say boo.” I nodded. “You’re both right,” I said. “This is the kind of shit I wish that we could have talked about today. When do you think Abel can come back? Are we just gonna have to fuckin’ wait around until he’s better?” Jimmy shrugged. We pulled into the parking lot of the MC and I glared at the hole in the fence. “That’s gonna be a bitch to fix,” I commented. “I can’t believe those

shitheads. It’s like they’re trying to piss us off as much as possible. How did they get so fucking cocky overnight?” Jimmy laughed. “That’s their fuckin’ end-game, ain’t it? To run us out of town. They’ll get their wish if we go to jail.” Slowly, something dawned on me. “Jim,” I said loudly. “Do you fuckin’ think they’re working with the cops? It’s the only fuckin’ thing that makes sense. I don’t see another reason why the cops would be so blind to logic. In any other case, there’s no way I could get time for defending myself on my property. They must have a fuckin’ bribery scheme going on.”

Jimmy nodded. “That makes a lot of sense, man. Ever since that new crew took over, we’ve have a lot of problems with them. I wonder if they’re in the pockets of the Aztecs.” I shuddered. “I hate cops,” I said. “I’d hate them even if they weren’t fucking pigs, but these guys are the worst. I can’t believe they’d rather cozy up to fuckin’ drug dealers than us. We’re not that bad!” Jimmy laughed. “You look so awful right now, man,” he said. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to laugh, but it’s so funny. You look like some fuckin’ villain in a horror

movie. No wonder the cops didn’t fuckin’ listen to you!” He hooted with laughter. Irritation crossed my face but as he laughed, I felt it melt away. Before I knew it, I was laughing right alongside Jimmy. “Come on,” Jimmy said. He turned the key in the ignition and hopped out on the ground. “Let’s go fix that fucking hole in the fence, and then you can go see your girl.”

Chapter Twenty One Sarah

“I can’t believe how late he is,” I hissed under my breath to Julia. “This is the fucking worst!” She eyed me sympathetically and I felt a flash of anger and embarrassment. Of course he would be this late after I’d spent the whole day gushing about him to my best friend. It wasn’t fair; just when I thought life was starting to go my way,

everything went wrong. Julia picked at her cuticle and yawned. “Do you mind if I go to bed?” she asked softly. “I have to be up at eight and it’s after midnight right now. I’m surprised Hailey was able to sleep through all of this.” “It’s fine,” I said, tears pricking my eyes. “Whatever. Can I sleep on the couch?” Julia nodded. “Of course,” she replied. “Make yourself at home. Just try not to make too much noise,” she added with a grimace. “And knock on wood that Hailey doesn’t wake up.”

But instead of getting up, Julia just sat on the couch and stared moodily at the wall. I watched her tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. She frowned. “What’s wrong?” “Nothing,” she said with a sigh. “Just thinking about Derek, that’s all. And how much I wish things had turned out differently between the two of us. It’s crazy to think about how in love with him I was years ago, and now he basically feels like a stranger.” The same pang of acute self-awareness went through me. “I know,” I said. My mouth went dry and the words seemed

like foreign objects lodged in my throat that I was about to choke on. “I know. It feels weird to think about the past like that.” Julia bit her lower lip and looked at me. Suddenly, she looked years older. In the dim light of her living room, I could see every single laugh line on her face. It made me wonder if I looked that old, too, but I didn’t want to say anything. She still looked beautiful, but it was in the odd way where you could tell that she had obviously been through a lot. Like every other woman I know, I thought sadly. Men are such assholes sometimes.

“I’m not trying to lecture you, but I think it’s worth listening to what I have to say. You don’t wanna wind up like me, Sarah,” she said. “I’ve been through a lot and I don’t even feel like I came out with my head on top. I feel like every day is a new challenge and I’m irrationally proud of myself for getting through everything. Derek doesn’t help, the child support barely helps, and his parents treat me like I’m some kind of alien bitch for wanting more than that. Like, I’m sorry your deadbeat son didn’t realize how hard being a dad would be. But can you at least not judge me for trying to provide your only grandchild with a decent life?” She rolled her eyes.

I opened my mouth to argue but closed it quickly. When Julia was in one of her moods like this, I had no idea how she was going to respond. I felt like if I said anything at all, she could jump down my throat. “And, like, whenever they want to see Hailey and take her shopping, she comes home with hundreds of dollars worth of shit that she doesn’t even need,” Julia groused. “Would it be so fucking hard for them to pick out a pair of sneakers or hiking boots or something? I swear, Sarah, they sent her home with a pair of pink sequined snow boots. Hailey was obsessed with them, but they didn’t stay clean for five minutes. So then I had to

pay for them to get cleaned. Can you fucking believe that?” I rolled my eyes. “She’s a kid,” I said patiently. “I guess I expect that kids will always want what’s impractical.” Julia shook her head. “It’s not about that,” she said. “It’s about the fact that Derek’s parents don’t even try to be reasonable people when it comes to their grandchild. I’m supposed to be grateful for everything they do, but it only adds more stress. They don’t know how to actually raise her. I have to instruct them every time and then spend the whole freakin’ time she’s gone worrying!”

I bit my lip. It seemed like a long rant considering I didn’t really want to have kids, but I wondered if Julia was going to try to make a point about Blake. “And it wasn’t always like this,” she continued. “When we first got together, I trusted him. He was so different from other guys; he was so intense.” I nodded. “Yeah, Derek was an intense dude,” I agreed. I remembered the time that I’d met him for all of five seconds at a barbecue at Julia’s old house. He’d shown up three hours late with a bunch of friends, all tatted up like he was. Julia had acted like it was the biggest thing in

the world when he finally got there; she’d made a show of bringing him around and introducing him to everyone. You could tell he was wearing this smug grin like, this girl thinks I’m amazing even though I’m not. It had been so incredibly hard to be nice to him. Julia shook her head. “He totally swept me off my feet,” she added. “He made me think that everything was going to be okay as long as we were together. And I got pregnant, like, right away. Do you remember? He was convinced that we’d be able to be a little family.” I nodded. “I remember,” I said. They’d only been together for a few months

when Julia got pregnant, and the two of them had been so happy about it at first. I remember that Derek had crowed about having a son, and toasted Julia’s belly with beer. “He was so excited about having a little boy,” Julia said wistfully, as if reading my mind. “But he didn’t even stick around long enough to find out that Hailey was a girl.” Suddenly, a door in the hallway creaked open and Hailey’s little pink face showed itself through the crack. “Mommy, are you talking about me? I heard my name,” she exclaimed loudly. Julia gave me a look, as if to say ‘well,

now you’ve really done it,’ but she obediently got up from the couch and went to collect her daughter. I leaned back and blew out a gust of air that sent my bangs flying. Fuck him, I thought. He better have a good fucking excuse this time. Julia disappeared inside Hailey’s room and shut the door. In a few seconds, I could hear them singing a nursery rhyme together, and Julia told Hailey to pick out a book for “second bedtime.” I had to smile; even though she was an exasperated and exhausted mom, I still envied her ability to raise Hailey so well. Hailey wasn’t going to grow up to

be a fuckup like her mom or me. She was probably going to be a scientist or the first female president or something. She was already more determined to succeed as a toddler than I’d ever felt in my whole life. My phone buzzed in my lap. When I looked down, I saw Blake’s name. “Hi,” I said drily. “Forget something?” “I’m so sorry,” Blake said in his gruff voice. “I didn’t forget, but something happened. Where are you? Can I pick you up?” “I’m at Julia’s,” I told him. “We were

just about to go to sleep,” I added. “It’s really late, Blake.” “I know,” he said. “I promise I won’t take long to get there. Can you wait ten more minutes?” I bit my lip. The sound of his voice was arousing, and already my anger with him was starting to fade. “Fine,” I said. “But don’t be late this time, okay?” Blake chuckled and I felt a blast of warmth in my lower belly. “I won’t be late,” he said gruffly. We hung up without saying bye and I could already feel the butterflies starting in my stomach.

Julia opened Hailey’s door and came back out to the living room. If possible, she looked even more tired than she had a few minutes ago. “Don’t even have children,” she warned me, yawning in the middle of her sentence. “You’ll never sleep again, and you’ll be able to recite nursery rhymes in your sleep but somehow manage to forget everything else you ever learned.” I laughed shortly. “I’ll take that into consideration,” I said. “I’m gonna go, Jules. Blake just called. He’s on his way.”

Her stony expression darkened further. “Sarah, don’t go with him,” she said. “Don’t reward him for such bad behavior.” I blushed crimson. “He said something bad happened,” I said quietly. “Is it so wrong to at least want to hear him out?” Julia tossed her hair and gave me the same weary look that she’d had earlier, talking about Derek. “It’s fine,” she said. “It’s your life, Sarah. I just don’t want you to make the same mistakes that I’ve made. Don’t you get that?” I bit my lip just as we both heard Blake’s motorcycle roar into the parking

lot of Julia’s apartment complex. “I get it,” I said. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to let you down, Jules. You know that.” “It’s fine, it’s your life,” she said. The words came out cold and she grimaced. “Have fun, and be safe, okay? And listen to your gut.” I nodded. “I will,” I told her. “Thanks.” We hugged—it felt stiff—and then I let myself out the front door and skittered down her steps. Blake was waiting for me, still perched on his bike. He held out the extra helmet to me. Something about his face looked different, but I couldn’t see what it was in the moonlight.

“Hey,” he greeted me. “How are you? Exhausted?” I shook my head. “I think I’m getting a second wind, actually,” I told him. “I’ll be okay.” I looked at the ground as I strapped my helmet on, and when I climbed on behind Blake and wrapped my arms around him, he gunned the bike into gear and roared out onto the street. The ride back to his house was quiet. Talking while on Blake’s motorcycle was all but impossible, so I was left alone with my thoughts. I buried my face in his jacket and inhaled deeply, breathing in his musk and cologne.

Something about being with him felt so right, so safe that everything Julia had warned me about flew out of my head. I was blissfully happy and turned on by the time we pulled up in front of Blake’s. Between the scent of his body and the bike thrumming between my legs, I was soaked. Blake climbed off and started walking towards his apartment without looking at me. I had to jog to catch up. “Wait,” I said playfully. “You know how much shorter I am! That’s not fair.” “Tough shit,” Blake grumbled, and I laughed. He shoved the key into the lock and opened the door. When I followed him inside, my heart started to beat even

faster. His whole apartment smelled masculine, like he did, and I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. It was like falling asleep in Blake’s bed. Being surrounded by his scent was both comforting and arousing, and I was sure I’d always feel the same way about him. When Blake flipped on the lights, I saw his face. It was swollen and bloody, with big black-purple bruises spreading over his right eye and down his cheek. I gasped out loud and clapped my hands over my mouth. “Oh my god,” I said. “What happened? Is that why you were late? Are you okay?”

Blake laughed. “I’m fine. It looks worse than I feel, trust me.” A sick feeling started in my stomach. “Blake, that looks terrible!” I cried out. “Can I wash your face? You still have some blood there,” I said, pointing to his lip. He winced when my fingers got too close and I drew my hand back, breathing shakily. “I’m fine, really,” he said, low laughter bubbling out of his throat. “It’s just a little scuff. Happens a lot. I promise I’m fine.” “Blake, I knew you were a tough guy, but

this is crazy!” I exclaimed. “I’m so worried about you!” Guilt flooded my body. “And I’m so sorry that I was mad when you were late! You poor thing! You didn’t have to pick me up, I promise. Do you want me to go? Would you rather sleep?” Blake laughed again, harder this time, and stepped towards me. “Stop worrying,” he said gruffly. “I promise I’m fine.” A chill ran through my body when I realized how close he was. I bit my lower lip and tucked a strand of red hair behind my ear. “I’m sorry,” I whispered softly. “I was just so worried. Are you sure that you’re

really okay?” Blake nodded. “I promise,” he said. “Come here, Sarah.” When he said my name, my heart started thumping hard once again. I stepped forward, closing the distance between our bodies, and Blake wrapped his arms around me and held me close. I closed my eyes and buried my face in his chest; despite the wounds, he smelled clean and like fresh cologne. Blake squeezed me hard and I felt arousal begin to pulse between my thighs. With one hand, he reached down and pulled my chin up for a kiss. At first it was light, tender, but it grew in intensity until he was sucking on

my lower lip. I moaned softly and slipped my tongue into his mouth, desperate to taste him, to be as close to him as I possibly could. Blake’s hands trailed down my back and squeezed my ass, sending bolts of arousal through my body. I squirmed and pressed against him. Almost instantly, I could feel his erection poking me through his dark jeans. My lower belly stirred at the memory of how big he was; I couldn’t wait for him to rip my skirt off and slide inside of me. Blake’s hands slipped under my skirt and yanked it up towards my waist, exposing my ass in a satin thong that I’d worn just for him. As his rough hands slid over my bare skin, I shivered and worked my mouth furiously

against his. Blake kneaded my ass firmly with both hands and I blushed. It was like getting a really intense massage, and it was almost ticklish and almost painful. He parted the cheeks of my ass and ran a finger down the center, over my silky thong. When I felt his finger brush past my asshole, I shivered in delight. Blake stopped when his fingers were over the mound of my labia. I cried out and wriggled, desperate for him to touch me. As he stroked his hand lightly over my panties, I broke the kiss and nuzzled into his neck, biting at the tender skin. “Blake,” I whispered hotly. “I need you. That feels so good.” Blake kept stroking me through my panties, very lightly, and

it was maddening. I could feel my clit pulsing and throbbing as I got wetter and wetter, and I was desperate for him to yank my thong away and touch me. Just as I moaned and arched my back so my chest was pressed against him, he stopped. I groaned but Blake slid his hand up my back, under my shirt. Obediently, I raised my arms over my head and let him pull it off. I reached behind and unhooked my bra, tossing it on the floor with my sweater. Blake stepped back and looked at my breasts, licking his lips. He got to his knees and buried his face in my cleavage. Instinctively, I pulled away because I was afraid of hurting him, but he wrapped his arms around me and drew

me closer than ever. As Blake began to kiss and suck at my nipples, I moaned softly and buried my hands in his long blond hair. Blake growled; I knew he loved having his head massaged and I kept up my ministrations as he lavished attention on my breasts. My nipples were swollen and sensitive and I was begging him to keep going when he pulled away, grinning up at me with a devilish look on his face. As Blake pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it on the ground, I let my eyes wander all over his body. He was covered with scars and tattoos and the sight made me shiver. He was so strong, so toughlooking. I couldn’t believe that he wanted me.

Blake got to his feet and unfastened his belt buckle, letting his pants drop to the floor. He stepped out of them, clad only in briefs, and hooked his fingers in the sides of my thong. I sighed happily, thinking he was about to pull it down, but instead he pulled it up, wedging it firmly against my pussy. I moaned; the sensation was incredible, but I wanted more than just pressure from my panties against me. Blake grinned and slipped his fingers against the satin, rubbing at my labia. With his free hand he tapped me on the inside of the knees, indicating that he wanted me to spread my legs. I did, just a bit, and he slipped another finger against the crotch of my thong.

Blake grinned up at me as his teased my sensitive skin, making me cry out whenever his fingers would brush against my clit. I threw my head back and moaned loudly as he slipped a finger inside the fabric and wriggled it inside of my pussy. “You’re so wet,” Blake murmured. He licked his lips and yanked the thong down my legs. I eagerly stepped out of it and Blake wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me close. He got down on his knees and shoved his face against my pussy, inhaling my scent and licking at me with the tip of his tongue. A warm feeling pulsated through my lower belly and I moaned loudly as Blake spread my

labia with one hand and found my clit with his mouth. As he began to suck on the sensitive nub of flesh, I closed my eyes. I was shaking and breathing hard and I could feel my heart pounding against my chest. Blake slipped a finger in and out of me as he sucked at my clit and before I knew it, I was grinding against his face and moaning loudly, spreading my legs. I could feel a hot flush covering my whole body and I shivered as the delicious sensations coursed through me again and again. Blake murmured something into my crotch and the vibrations took me to a whole new level of pleasure. I cried out and arched my back as he buried his fingers in the flesh of my ass and pressed

into me even harder than before. When he pulled away, I saw that my juices had coated all of his face and his beard. Getting to my knees, I started kissing and licking all over his face softly. Blake closed his eyes and let me clean my arousal from him. I was extra careful on the swollen areas but I could tell that pleasing me had probably hurt him a little. My heart swelled with love when I realized what he had done for me. Even though it wasn’t much, it slayed me to know that he wanted me to feel good even at his expense. “Thank you,” I murmured. “Now please let me return the favor.”

Blake grinned and got to his feet, sliding his briefs down. His erection bobbed in the air in front of me and I nuzzled him with my face. Blake moaned softy as I wrapped a hand around the base of his cock and began to stroke up and down. When I took the first couple inches of him inside of my mouth, he cried out and jerked his hips forward. As his cock filled my mouth, I sucked at the soft skin greedily. I loved the way he tasted, and I loved how tender his erection felt in my mouth. Blake moaned and arched his back, thrusting his hips forward. As I stroked him up and down, I started moving my head back and forth in rhythm. Blake groaned and buried his

hands in my hair, pulling handfuls of it away from my scalp. It felt incredible and I moaned softly with his cock in my mouth. Blake cried out and ground against me harder than before. I wrapped my arm around him and pulled him close so he couldn’t get away before letting his cock slip into the back of my throat. Blake loved being deepthroated, and even though he was huge, I loved doing it. I loved giving him pleasure. It was such a turn-on that after a few seconds of listening to him gasp and cry out, I slipped a hand between my spread legs and started rubbing at my soaked clit. The sensation made me cry out with pleasure and Blake moaned even louder. When he opened his eyes and looked

down to see me pleasuring myself, he grinned and grunted loudly with pleasure. Finally, Blake pushed me away. I tumbled back and landed on my ass, and with a practiced motion, he scooped me up in his arms and carried me off to the bedroom. My heart was slamming against my ribs and I felt more aroused than I ever had before. Somehow, the arousal mixed with my exhaustion made everything feel even better. When Blake dropped me on the bed, I stretched out on my back and spread my legs. Blake grinned at me. I watched as he reached into his bedside table and pulled out a rubber, sheathing his cock in latex. He

climbed on the bed and nudged my legs apart even father, grabbing my hips and sliding me down so my crotch was against his. I could feel the head of Blake’s cock poking at me and I moaned softly, grinding my hips against him. Blake steadied himself on my ass and plunged his cock inside of me, growling loudly as he filled me with one swift stroke. I cried out. For a moment, we stayed like that, locked together, not moving. But after a few seconds, Blake started to thrust his hips up and down. He tightened his grip on my ass as he moved in and out, and I closed my eyes and arched my back, letting my hands slide down my body. When I was sure

that Blake’s eyes were on me, I started to pinch and roll my nipples between my thumb and fingers. It felt incredible combined with the thrusts of his cock, and I moaned loudly. Blake grinned down at me, thrusting harder and harder until his forehead was shining with sweat. The warm pleasure in my lower belly began to build and build and I ground against Blake’s hips hard, pinching myself as Blake rode me. He cried out and braced himself against my hips just as I felt my orgasm start to explode within me. Waves of pleasure radiated through my body in vibrating rings and I closed my eyes and screamed, moaning loudly until I had stopped shaking. Blake groaned and

shook. Beads of sweat dripped off his forehead and landed on my bare skin as I felt him thrust harder and then pause, while his cock twitched and pulsed inside of me. As he came, Blake dug his fingers into my ass and grunted. He thrust inside me a few more times, hard, for good measure. When he was finally done, he pulled out and flopped down beside me on the bed. “That was incredible,” he murmured, reaching out an arm and pulling me close. “Don’t you think so?” I nodded even though his eyes were closed. “It was,” I said softly. Drowsiness overcame me and Blake

pulled a blanket over us. In my sex coma, I was deliriously happy. I’d never felt like this before in my life. I suddenly wanted to end every night with Blake, Blake, and nothing but Blake. “This is perfect,” I said softly. “Really perfect.” And I meant it.

Chapter Twenty Two Blake

I was just drifting off to sleep when Sarah wrapped her arms around me and snuggled close. She nuzzled my chest and I felt a surge of affection for her. “Have you ever been in a fight before?” Her voice was laced with sleep and happiness; I loved the way she sounded after she came. I squeezed her close and chuckled, nuzzling her red hair.

“Are you kidding?” I asked. Sarah rolled onto her side and looked at me. “No,” she said softly. “Why would you ask if I was kidding?” “Because I’ve been in so many fights I don’t remember them all,” I said with a laugh, raking a hand through my hair. Sarah’s body tensed but she didn’t reply. “I mean, come on, Sar. I’m in the Devil’s Own. We get in a lot of little tiffs with other gangs. You’ve heard of the Aztecs, right? I mean, shit, Jimmy and I have put so many of those guys in the hospital. That’s how it is, though, especially right now. This gang war doesn’t come cheaply.”

Sarah didn’t say anything. I rolled onto my back and stared at the ceiling. “Shit, I mean it’s great stress release sometimes, you know? Sometimes nothing feels better than duking it out with your fists.” Sarah pulled away. She gave me a look that I couldn’t read before climbing out of bed and wrapping the sheet around her. “What’s wrong?” I asked. “Where are you going?” She didn’t answer. I saw her bottom lip begin to tremble and she let out a sniffle as she ran out of my bedroom and down

the hallway. I barely had time to get out of bed myself before I saw that she was almost fully dressed. Sarah was redfaced and trying to put on her bra in a struggle. I reached out to help her and she leapt away, almost losing her balance and falling over. I raised my eyebrows. “You wanna tell me what the fuck is going on?” I tried again. “What happened? What did I do?” Sarah glared at me. Her green eyes were blazing, and I almost felt a little intimidated. “I can’t believe you, you monster,” she whispered hotly. “I can’t believe you would beat up other guys for

fun! What kind of a sick fuck are you?” “Oh, come on!” I cried, throwing my hands in the air. “What do you want me to say? That I hate doing it? I don’t, Sarah, it’s a part of being in the club. This kind of shit happens. This is how guys deal with their problems. We’re not women; we don’t talk about shit every time something goes wrong!” Tears filled her eyes as she tugged her tight blouse over her head. Not even the sight of Sarah’s generous cleavage could make me feel better. “I have to go,” she said. “It was a mistake for me to come here.”

“Sarah, come on,” I pleaded. “Those other guys are assholes! They deserve it! Wait ’til I tell you about all the stuff they’ve done to me!” When she didn’t answer, I pressed on. “Look at my face! You can’t just expect me to get the shit beaten out of me and let it go, right? I mean, would you do that? I don’t think you would!” Sarah didn’t answer. She glared up at me as she tugged on her shoes. When she got to her feet, I watched her walk unsteadily towards the door. “Sarah, don’t go,” I told her. “Come on,

it’s really late. Just stay overnight and we’ll talk in the morning.” She looked at me with tears in her eyes. “I can’t,” she said after a pause. “I have to go. I don’t hang out with guys who are monsters,” she said after a moment, her hand on the knob. “I can’t believe you like to hurt people just for fun!” “That’s not what I said!” I argued, raking a hand through my hair in exasperation. But it was too late; she was gone. “Fuck,” I mumbled. “Way to fucking go, Blake. Another prizewinning night for yours truly!” Part of me hoped she’d come back, but

her diminutive footsteps disappeared soon after she’d left. I stared at the door for a long time, but she didn’t reappear. Suddenly, I felt wide awake. The postsex coma was no more, and my head was starting to pound. I reached up and found that the swelling was even worse than it had been before. With a sigh, I walked into the kitchen and yanked open the door of the fridge. There was a six pack in there, and I grabbed and it took it with me to the couch. Turning on the TV, I cracked open one of the beers and poured it down my throat. This was going to be a long night.

Chapter Twenty Three Sarah

By the time I’d run out to the parking lot, I remembered that I didn’t have a ride home. Shit, I thought to myself. What now? Blake didn’t live in the best part of town, and I was more than a little worried about some creep picking me up. Finally, I remembered that I’d parked my car at Julia’s. It was too late to call her, so I called a cab. It took forever to get there; by the time it arrived, my ass

was numb from sitting on the curb. I wanted to cry but the tears wouldn’t come. It was like I couldn’t even shed a tear for Blake. I felt so stupid for getting involved with someone like that in the first place. What kind of idiot thought that her new motorcycle club boyfriend wasn’t going to be a complete and total thug? “Boyfriend,” I muttered out loud. “Fuck that. I don’t need a boyfriend,” I said, louder this time. My voice sounded hollow and shrill in the dark nighttime air. “Forget that,” I added. I wanted to go home and sleep and forget the whole thing. Blake had been perfect: so intense, so charming, so demanding, so

absolutely thrilling in bed. Of course there was a catch. There was always a catch. They were always secretly married or into weird shit or unable to hold down a job. It figured that Blake would be a sadistic prick under his seemingly-perfect and gruff exterior. The cabbie pulled up in front of me and rolled down his window. “Ms. Ward? Did you call for a cab?” I nodded, blinking back tears. “Yeah, thanks,” I told him, climbing into the backseat. Giving him Julia’s address, I closed my eyes and leaned against the seat. When I shifted, I could smell the scent of Blake’s bed wafting off my skin.

It filled me with a mix of lust and regret. I decided that before I could sleep, I’d have to take a shower. Otherwise I wouldn’t be able to stop thinking about Blake and all of the delicious things that he’d done to my body. I shivered. “You alright back there?” the cabbie called out. “You cold, ma’am?” “No,” I said, trying to sound cheerful. “I’m fine, thank you.” He grinned at me in the rearview mirror. It was a look I’d seen a hundred times before: “What’s a pretty girl like you doing looking so glum?” But it was a question that I was sick of answering,

and I desperately hoped he wouldn’t bring up the apparently shocking condition of my mental health. “What are you up to by yourself this late?” the cabbie asked. I groaned inwardly. “Boyfriend’s baby mama come home and catch you?” “Not hardly,” I said. “I’m just tired, so if you could take me home, I’d appreciate that. Thanks.” The cabbie’s reflection in the tiny mirror looked chastened, and for a moment I felt bad about my little outburst. “Sorry,” I muttered. Either he didn’t hear me or he chose to ignore me, and I settled into

the backseat as much as I could, trying to make myself invisible. By the time we got to Julia’s, I was relieved to be on my own again. After tipping the cabbie generously, I climbed out of the backseat and got into my car, feeling weary. I couldn’t believe that twelve hours ago, I’d been so optimistic about the two of us. With a sinking feeling, I remembered what Blake had said. “Because I’ve been in so many fights I don’t remember them all. I mean, come on, Sar. I’m in the Devil’s Own. We get in a lot of little tiffs with other gangs. You’ve heard of the Aztecs, right? I

mean, shit, Jimmy and I have put so many of those guys in the hospital. That’s how it is, though, especially right now. This gang war doesn’t come cheaply.” I shuddered. Gang war. I’d been involved with someone who was in a gang! It was too much to handle. When I slipped the key into the ignition of my car, I looked up at Julia’s windows. The lights were on, but I knew that I couldn’t possibly wake her up. What was I supposed to say? “Sorry, I know it’s late, but I just found out that my boyfriend is in a gang!” Better just go home, I thought sadly. The

streets were quiet, and I kept repeating Blake’s words in my head, over and over. I couldn’t believe that he’d been so forthcoming about being so violent. I’d thought that his attack on Roger was something out of the ordinary, something to protect me. But turns out it was just another weekday for Blake Ward. Blake Ward. I cursed his name as I drove. I wished that I’d never heard it. I wished that I’d never told him about Roger, or about me, or about those blasted naked pictures. I realized sadly that everything Julia had told me was likely true; Blake was just the latest in a series of disappointing boyfriends. I had to look out for myself, because no one

else would. And even if Blake did, did I really want him to? I shuddered as I imagined him controlling everyone in my life with violence. If Julia had ever found out that Blake had beaten someone on my behalf, she’d be furious with me. It was just my luck, too. It was just like me to find someone, obsess over them, and then discover somewhere between date two and date four that they were an asshole. Chase had been a manipulative dick, Jared had been even worse. Sure, Blake wasn’t manipulative exactly, but he was a violent psycho. And that had to count for something, on the scale of Dating Guys Who Aren’t Good For You.

“Where are all the nice men?” I wondered out loud. My apartment complex was practically empty. The parking lot was full of spaces, for once, and I was struck with a sudden lonely feeling. What if it was empty because everyone was out with their partners? Behind me, headlights bounced and trailed over my car. I frowned when they didn’t blink off. Instead, they stayed illuminated. Pain flashed through my head when I realized they were high beams, and they were glaring off all the shiny surfaces in my car. “Hey, asshole,” I muttered. “Quit it. Turn your fucking lights off!”

I whipped my head around and looked behind me. The car looked familiar, but I couldn’t place it, until I heard laughter coming from the open driver’s side window. Oh, god, I thought, starting to panic. Roger. Quickly, I threw my car into reverse and tried to back out of the space. Roger’s car roared past me, blocking the entrance to the apartment complex. Cold fear crawled down my spine and I shivered. Maybe I can make it inside if I run, I thought. Just be faster than him and get inside. I mentally planned out the escape in my head: I’d flee the car and bolt up the back stairs, then let

myself in. I’d have to be fast, but I might be able to do it. The driver’s side door on Roger’s car opened and he got out, lurching on foot towards my car. Desperately, I flung the door open and leapt onto the pavement. As I ran, I tried to dig through my bag. My fingers groped balled-up tissues, sunglasses, lip balm—everything but the keys. The panic inside of me grew as my feet stumbled blindly in the darkness. From behind me, I could hear Roger’s feet slapping against the pavement in blind pursuit. “Help!” I screamed loudly. “Help! Someone’s chasing me!”

Roger let out a guttural laugh. “You’re just wastin’ time, baby,” he sang out, making me shiver. “Ain’t no one going to help you now!” “Help!” I shrieked again. When I got to the stairs, I took a deep breath and ran up them as fast as I could. My legs were burning by the second landing and I knew that Roger was close behind. Finally, my fingers closed around a bunch of serrated metal—my keys! When I got to my door, my heart was in my throat. I reached out with a shaky hand and tried to unlock the door, but before I could even get the key in the lock, I dropped them between my feet.

“Shit!” I howled loudly. Groping blindly on the dark floor, my hand scraped over splinters and grit. Roger’s hands landed on my shoulders when I was still looking for my keys, and with a sinking feeling, I knew it was all over. “You know you can’t outrun me, baby,” Roger said sweetly. Even with my back turned, I could smell his foul breath. “Now let’s have us a little chat inside.” “Fuck off,” I spat. “Leave me the fuck alone, asshole!” I whirled around, preparing to slap him, when a gleam of metal caught my eye. Roger held up a pistol. He shoved it in my face as he

grinned at me. “I don’t think you’re gonna be cursing at me anymore, baby,” Roger said softly. “Now let’s go have us that talk.” I shuddered. Roger smiled at me coldly and shoved the gun closer to my face; up close, I thought I could smell the metal warming in his hand. “Fine,” I said, trying not to show how afraid I felt. “Come inside.” Roger stepped close behind me and hovered over me as I found the keys on the ground and picked them up. I closed my eyes and willed Blake to come out of nowhere and take Roger. Maybe he’d

followed me home. Maybe he was waiting in the wings, waiting to protect me if anything bad happened. I shuddered. I knew Blake wasn’t there. Why would he be? I was the one who had left. When I pushed the door to my apartment open, Roger pushed the gun into the back of my neck. “Walk over to the couch,” he instructed. I shivered. When I didn’t take a step forward, I felt his hand slap me on the ass. “Don’t touch me,” I hissed. Roger jammed the gun into the base of my skull. “I’ll touch you however I

want,” he said. “Now do what I fucking said, bitch.” I shivered. Angry Roger was new. I didn’t know whether I preferred him to Cajoling Roger, but I had a feeling that he was probably more dangerous when he was angry. “Walk faster,” Roger grunted. I stumbled and almost fell but regained my footing. It took me an eon to cross the living room floor and sit on the couch. When I did, I looked up at Roger expectantly. “What?” I said, trying to sound casual. “What do you want, Roger? It’s really late.”

His lips curved into a thin smile. “I’ve been waiting for you,” he said softly. “But you weren’t home, Sarah. Where were you? Out fucking that meathead boyfriend of yours?” I shuddered. How did he know where I’d been if he was waiting for me the whole time? “None of your business,” I said calmly. “What do you want?” Roger sat down next to me, alarmingly close. I could smell the tobacco reek of his clothing. “Oh, Sarah,” he said slowly. “You’ll learn to be nice to me one day. At least I hope you will,” he added. “It would benefit you

tremendously to treat me with just a little more respect. Whatever happened to being grateful to me for trying to help you?” “You weren’t trying to help me,” I retorted. “You were trying to blackmail me with naked pictures. You knew I didn’t want to help, but you made me do it anyway.” “You’re really stupid,” Roger said. He hooted with laughter and I felt a cold chill wave through my body. “You think I’d really let you off the hook that easily?” I looked at him numbly. “I don’t care

about the pictures anymore,” I told him honestly. “You don’t have any leverage over me anymore, Roger.” “That’s what you think, sweetie,” Roger said calmly. “You really think I have no other ways of forcing you to do things?” He waved the gun around in the air and I shuddered. “I have a lot of ways you haven’t even thought of,” he said softly. “You’re gonna have to trust me on that one, baby.” “Get to the fucking point,” I spat. “What do you want?” “I need some more help, from my favorite little actress,” Roger said. “That

would be you, if you were too stupid to get the reference.” I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. The cruelty and sarcasm dripping from Roger’s voice was enough to make me want to cry, but it had been such an exhausting night that I was basically running on fumes. I felt like part of me wasn’t even there in the room with him. Part of me was still roaming the streets. Or roaming Blake, a little voice in the back of my head piped up. Shut up, I thought. Blake isn’t going to come save you this time. “What do you need?” I asked dully.

Roger looked at me and frowned. “That’s not the kind of enthusiasm I’m looking for,” Roger said in a bright voice. “You need to be a little better about asking me what I’d like you to do. Really put some effort into it, baby. After all, this is acting we’re talking about here.” My jaw twitched. Roger waved the gun in the air, then pointed it at me. He winked at me and cocked it, pushing it close to my face. I shivered. Another chill of fear went through my body. I wasn’t sure whether or not he would do it; he said that he needed me, but I didn’t doubt that he could be prone to reckless behavior if provoked. “Fine,” I said. I

tried to smile at him. My whole body was shaking with fear. “What is it I can do for you, Roger?” “That’s better, baby,” Roger said. He dropped the gun in his lap and clapped his hands together in enthusiasm. “You’re gonna help me pick out some jewelry,” he said in the same enthusiastic tone. “Now you should be real good at this, from all the practice you had before.” I shook my head. “I’m not doing it,” I said flatly. “I’m not getting arrested. You and your demands can go fuck yourself!” Roger slapped me across the face so

quickly I didn’t even have time to see his hand flying towards me. I reeled back on the couch, folding at the waist. Tears came to my eyes and I blinked them away. Roger’s hand made hard contact with my cheekbone and I could already feel a bruise welling under the surface of my skin. “You’re gonna do exactly what I want you to do, baby,” he said smoothly. “Or else your boyfriend is gonna die.” “Bullshit,” I said, glaring at him. “I just left Blake’s. You couldn’t have gotten to him if you were waiting for me.” Roger smiled. “I knew you’d say that,”

he countered. “But you don’t think I’m as stupid as you are, do you?” My stomach tied itself into knots as Roger reached in his pocket. I didn’t want to see what he’d come up with, and I was almost relieved when I saw that it was a phone. “Have a look at this,” Roger said in the same calm tone. “Tell me if that’s what little boyfriend wasn’t wearing earlier today.” Roger slid the phone across the couch to me. There was a photo of Blake pulled up on the screen and enlarged. He was wearing the same thing that he’d been wearing earlier in the evening, before we’d had sex. I shivered as I remembered the way he’d pulled his

shirt over his head once we were in bed. “That could have been another day,” I said. “You’re bullshitting me, Roger.” Roger shook his head. He pointed to a timestamp in the corner of the picture. “Nope, it’s from about an hour ago,” he said. “Your little boyfriend has a nasty habit of going outside to smoke.” I bit my lip. “You’re still lying,” I said. But when Roger looked at me and smiled, I knew that he wasn’t. “What do you want? Just let him go, please.” “Oh, is princess in a position to make deals now?” Roger laughed. “I don’t

think that’s true, baby. I don’t think you really have any idea what’s going on,” he added. “And don’t try to fool me into thinking otherwise.” I shook my head. “Just stop with the bullshit,” I pleaded. “Please. Please let him go, Roger.” “I don’t think a man that dangerous should be allowed outside,” Roger said. He lifted a hand to his chin and rubbed it with two fingers. “You saw the work he did to my face,” Roger added. “I was out for days after that happened. And you just watched him do it!” He tutted. “Shame, Sarah. I would have thought you would have been a little more grateful to

the man who saved your ass.” “You didn’t save shit,” I mumbled. “I hate you, you fuck.” Roger slapped me again, so hard this time that I saw stars. The tears that had welled up in my eyes sprang free and rolled down my cheeks. When I opened my eyes and looked at him, his eyes were glowing with rage. “You don’t get to talk to me like that, sweetheart,” he said in a cold voice. “I get to make the rules around here. You get that?” He waved the gun in my face and jammed it into my chest, right above my breasts. I was heaving with every breath and feeling the cold metal press into my skin

was terrifying in a whole new way. “You listen to me,” he repeated. “You do exactly what I tell you to do. And then I might, I might let him go. You understand?” I bit my lip. When I didn’t answer, Roger lifted his arm and I braced myself for the inevitable slap. Instead, he laughed. “See, now I can make you do exactly what I want,” he said. “I guess training you wasn’t nearly as difficult as I thought.” He kept the gun pointed into my chest and I resisted the urge to push it away. “Now you’re gonna do exactly what Roger tells you to do.” “Fine,” I said, trying to keep the fear out

of my voice. “I’ll do what you want. I promise.” Roger grinned. “That’s a good little pussy,” he said. “Or else your new boyfriend is gonna die, Sarah.” He drew a line across his throat with his pointer finger. “And you wouldn’t want that on your conscience, baby. Trust me, it ain’t no fun.” I swallowed hard. “I’ll do it,” I repeated. “Just keep away from him. Let him go. Please, Roger. Please.” I opened my eyes wide and made a pouting face at him. Roger leaned closer and closer until our noses were inches apart. I could smell the reek of his breath

wafting into my face and it took all my energy not to screw my eyes shut. “That’s right,” he said softly. “Meet me tomorrow. I’ll pick you up here, and we’ll go on a little shopping trip together.” He dragged the edge of the gun across my chest, poking me in each breast. I shivered and bit my lip so I wouldn’t cry out in pain; he was pressing hard, and it hurt. “Dress nicely, honey. I’m gonna have a fun little time looking you over before we go. If you don’t look good, maybe we’ll take a few more pictures as some incentive.” My stomach heaved and I thought I was going to be sick. Just the mention of

Roger inspecting me was enough to make me want to puke. I hated him. I hated him more than I’d ever hated anyone, and having to sit still while he poked a gun into my tits was absolute torture. “Promise you’ll let him go,” I said finally. “Promise you’ll let him go if I do it.” Roger leaned back on the couch. He dropped the gun and I sucked in a huge breath in relief. Keeping his eyes trained on me, Roger licked his lip. “What was that, baby? You better ask again, real nice this time.”

Hot tears squeezed out of my eyes and dripped down my cheeks. “Please,” I begged, closing my eyes tight and balling my hands into fists in my lap. “Please, please let him go. Please promise me that. Please, Roger.” I looked at him to see an amused look on his face. “Please,” I repeated. “Please promise me that you’ll let him go.” Roger smiled. “I don’t know,” he said. “It depends on my mood. I’ll have to see how I’m feeling tomorrow, baby. How do you feel about that?” He started laughing as if whatever he’d said was the funniest remark in the world. “Sometimes I’m feeling awfully generous,” he added, laughing even

harder. As Roger laughed, I sobbed harder and harder. Something horrible was going to happen to Blake, and it was all my fault. I had to help him, even if it meant going to jail myself.

Chapter Twenty Four Blake

“Christ,” I muttered. “My head is fucking killing me.” When I reached out for my phone, my hand hit cold stone instead. “Shit!” I cried out, shaking my injured hand in the air. It was dark and no matter how I groped for the lamp, I couldn’t see a goddamn thing. When I reached for the switch on the wall, my hand groped air. The more I moved, the more pain shot through me. Suddenly, I realized I wasn’t at home.

“Fuck!” I cursed loudly, swinging my hand in the air. It connected with concrete and pain bloomed in my arm. When I tried to stand up, I realized that my legs were tied together and I was fastened to the wall behind me. As my eyes adjusted, I could barely make out a few shapes. Given how dark the room was, I decided that it must be at night. What happened? I wondered, shaking my head. Sweat was beading on my forehead and dripping down. It itched like mad, but I couldn’t reach that far. There was a rope around my chest tying my arms down; I had useless, T-Rex little stubs. Think, Blake, think, I ordered myself. What happened?

I closed my eyes and desperately tried to remember the night before. There was Sarah, lying next to me in bed and looking horrified. I remembered fighting. For a moment, I forgot why. When I remembered, I felt blacker than ever. She hates me, I thought. She’s never going to talk to me again after that. I remembered that I’d made my way through a six pack of beer before unsteadily leaving the apartment for the dive bar down the street. I’d been so drunk that I was staggering on my walk there. Then, things started to get fuzzy. As I tried to remember, pain flashed through my head. It was more than the normal hangover pain; judging from my

complete lack of memory about the night before, I was starting to feel as though I’d been drugged. I again tried to recall what had happened. I’d started slamming whiskey at the bar, until someone asked me for a cigarette. I’d gone outside, lit up…then what? With a sinking feeling, I realized that someone must have drugged me, then lured me outdoors and beaten me to a pulp. I winced as I tried to run my hands over each other; I could feel that they were bruised and swollen. My head felt like someone had hit me with an anvil. I knew I had to get out of here. I didn’t know who attacked me, but I could have

made a guess: Roger. That fuck waited until Sarah had left, then waited for me. I shuddered as I imagined what he was doing with Sarah. Even though she’d left me and told me she never wanted to see me again, I still felt responsible for her well-being. I couldn’t stand the thought of that monster hurting her and making her feel unsafe. I’m coming, Sarah, I thought as I twisted against the ropes that held me. I promise I’m coming. I strained and twisted at my bonds until I was sweating all over. My body ached —I could tell that whoever attacked me had taken a few blows at my chest and my few—and my mouth was uncomfortably dry. Closing my lips, I

worked my tongue against my mouth until it was wet with saliva. I closed my eyes in frustration and tried to move in a rhythm that strained at the ropes. But ten minutes later, I wasn’t any looser or freer than I had been when I’d first woken up. “Damnit!” I yelled loudly, trying to move my legs. Something clattered on the floor and hope rose in my chest. If I leaned over and stuck my arm down, my fingertips could graze the floor. I did it again and again, searching for anything that I could use to free myself. There was nothing there, and I cursed out loud as my feet kicked at the empty air. The room was starting to feel airless and hot

and I was sweating so much that the ropes were clinging to my damp body. I knew that in order to get out, I’d need to find something to free myself. Only problem was that the room was incredibly dark. I thumped my head against the wall in frustration. It hurt but the pain almost felt good, it felt like something to keep me tied to reality. I hated myself for having been cocky before. I clearly hadn’t won. Roger was up to no good, and he needed to keep me out of the way. That automatically made me think that he was planning something nefarious. If he didn’t need me out of the way, why would he have gone to such trouble?

Shaking my head, I realized that he probably wouldn’t have even needed to hurt me if he’d known that Sarah and I had fought. She’d probably go off with him willingly. She’d probably do whatever he wanted. Stop, I ordered myself. She wouldn’t do that. She’s not like that. She’s Sarah, remember? I did remember. I remembered all too well. It was tempting to think that she would have gone along with Roger to spite me, but if I knew Sarah at all, I knew she was probably shaking in her shoes. Roger terrified her. Even if the pictures didn’t matter, he could find some new way to exploit her fear. I wasn’t worried about

myself, but I didn’t want her thinking that I was in danger. Sarah, if you can hear me, just know that I’m okay, I thought. Please listen to your gut. Trust that I’ll be fine. I kept struggling against my bonds, knowing that it was likely futile. But any kind of resistance made me feel like I was doing something. Anger and rage flowed through my body; this was one of the few times in my life I’d felt truly powerless. I desperately wished that I’d called Jimmy or Red before going out now. Even with the tension brewing, I knew that my guys would have had my back. Fucking ego, I cursed. If it wasn’t for my fucking ego, I wouldn’t be here

right now. Sarah would still be in my bed, we’d be waking up and enjoying a little sexy time together. Thinking about waking up to Sarah was enough to turn me on a little bit. I felt my cock chafe against my leg as the image of her sensual nude body broadcasted itself over my brain. Fucking hell, I thought. Shit had gone from bad to worse in only a few hours. What the fuck was going to happen now? The longer I was awake, the harder I tried to listen. I couldn’t tell where I was; there was no road noise coming from outside, nor was there noise upstairs. I wondered if my captors had simply bagged me, beaten me, tied me

up, then gone to nap. It wasn’t implausible. And if they were working for Roger, I had a feeling they were just as lazy and stupid as he was. I couldn’t imagine that he’d grabbed any kind of criminal mastermind to nab me from a bar. He was probably just feeling threatened because of what had happened before. When I remembered confronting him, it was pretty anticlimactic. I’d slipped into his car in the parking lot of Tinder’s. Roger had been expecting Sarah, and while he was surprised, he didn’t show it. “She’s got you protecting her now,

huh?” Roger laughed. “That little pussy needs to realize she can take care of herself.” I growled at his slur. “You scared the shit out of her,” I told him gruffly. “And if you don’t knock it off right now, I’ll make you regret it.” I pulled out my gun and showed it to Roger. “This is going to go off in your brain if you don’t listen to me,” I growled. “You destroy those photos and leave her alone. I have enough on you to have you arrested for conspiracy if you don’t listen to me.” Roger looked at me with a sideways

grin. “That’s what you think,” he said carefully. I watched as he pulled an envelope from his pocket and began to tear it to shreds. “Here are the photos,” he said, after he was done. He handed me scraps of paper and film. “But I’m gonna need a little pay out to make sure I keep my mouth shut.” I rolled my eyes. “You fucking petty criminals, all you can think about is money,” I sneered. “Didn’t it ever occur to you that you might be going to jail for a long time anyway? I have enough to call the cops and tell them that you’re trying to frame her.” Roger laughed. “What about that

pay?” His eyes gleamed with greed. “I’m thinking a few thousand should shut me up for a couple of days. If you want me to stay gone longer than that, I’m gonna need a lot more.” “You’ll take what I give you, fucker,” I spat. Pulling my wallet out of my pocket, I handed him about five thousand in cash. “This should be more than you need,” I said smoothly. “Don’t ever, ever think about messing with Sarah again.” As I turned to get out of the car, Roger looked at me. “You’re gonna need to pay me off a little better,” he said in that same infuriating sing-song voice.

“This is only good until next week, brother.” “Don’t call me brother. I’m part of a real brotherhood, not some cog in your fucked up scheme.” Roger laughed. “We’re all brothers when it comes to money. You think that you’re better than me, that you somehow don’t need more cash? I know your type. Your kind, you showoff assholes. You have to have the nicest bikes and pussy and drugs that money can buy. I know that little security guard job you have is only a front. I know you’re just as thirsty as I am for the finer things in life.”

I shook my head. He was close to the truth, but I couldn’t let him know. “Fuck off,” I spat. “And don’t think about getting any more money outta me,” I added. “That’s way more than enough for you to disappear forever.” Roger snarled in my face. “If you think I can be bought that easily, you’re even dumber than she is. I’ll be back, asshole. Trust me, this won’t keep me away forever.” “You won’t think about coming back,” I growled. I shoved my gun against Roger’s neck. “If you do, I’ll lodge so many of these bullets in your skull, they

won’t even be able to identify you from your dental records,” I threatened. “So stay the fuck away from her, you got that?” Roger’s expression shrank in fear and I felt triumphant for finally having gotten through to him. And it didn’t cost me any more than five thousand! Smirking, I climbed out of Roger’s car. Sticking my head through the window, I asked, “So tell me, what are you going to do in the future?” He scowled. “Leave her alone,” he repeated. “You got it.”

“Right,” I said, pulling away and slamming my hand on the roof of the car. Roger jumped, then fumbled with the keys. When I walked away across the parking lot, I felt smugger than I had in years. I was pleased with myself for getting rid of the problem. It had been much easier than I’d expected. Now all there was to do was tell Sarah, and let her thank me, in all the right ways. Now, I cursed myself. I couldn’t believe that I’d been so stupid. Of course Roger wasn’t going to listen to a man threatening him with a gun. He was insane; he had absolutely no reason to

trust in anyone. I shook my head. This meant war. If I saw that little ratfaced fuck again, I would shoot him without even a second though. “That’s pretty fucking cocky,” I said aloud. My mouth was dry and there was a stale taste on my tongue. On top of the monster hangover, I was starving. Right now, the most appetizing option was breaking out of this hellhole, finding Sarah, then curling up for a couple of hours. Roger could wait. I was worried about her being in danger, but I was also exhausted. Way to go, Blake, I congratulated myself. Great fuckin’ job you did on this one.

The ropes seemed even tighter than they had when I’d first woken up, and there was an uncomfortable pressure building on my bladder. I knew that if I didn’t get out soon, I’d piss myself. Straining with all of my might, I closed my eyes and tried to wriggle away from the wall. There was a few inches between my body and the cold concrete behind me, and if I locked my arms and heaved, I almost could have slipped away. Just when I thought I’d almost gotten it, I heard heavy footsteps treading overhead. “Great,” I said. “Company.” The footsteps stopped right in front of the door and I heard a key scratching in

the lock. Soon, yellow light flooded the basement. I had to close my eyes; it was so bright that it sent a bolt of pain through my skull. Part of me was amazed that after so little time in the dark, I already felt like a rat. The other part of me wanted to rip whoever was keeping me hostage into shreds. A big, burly man walked down the steps, yawning. “You woke me up,” he accused. When he spoke, I realized that he wasn’t all there. “Let me go,” I pleaded. “Come on, fucker. Untie me. You know I’m not doing any good being locked up like this.”

The man shook his head. He gave me a blank stare and sat down on the steps, There was a piece of wood in his hand and he was breaking it into splinters and dropping them on the ground, keeping his eyes locked on me. His mouth hung open slightly and I couldn’t tell what he was thinking: the blank look on his face was reminiscent of a cow. “Come on,” I begged. “Come on, let me go. I won’t tell anyone,” I promised. The man blinked at me. “I can’t let you go,” he said in a slow, thick voice. It sounded like he was talking through a mouthful of syrup. I

glared at him. “Sorry,” he added, sounding almost reproachful. “I can’t let you go.” “Come on,” I said again. “I won’t tell anyone, honest.” I tried to smile at him but the blank bovine stare was too unnerving. It was like he was staring right through me, directly at the wall. “Please?” The burly man shook his head. He closed his eyes and soon, snores were coming out of his mouth. I couldn’t believe it. He’d left the door open, and while I was paranoid about someone else coming downstairs, I knew that I had to act quickly. There was enough

light to see the floor. The wooden board that he’d been playing with was splintered into pieces around his feet, and if I stretched my body just so, I could touch one of the pieces with the tips of my toes. I strained every muscle, in agony, and tried to stretch out as much as I could. Finally, the ropes loosened somewhat and I was able to pull a piece of wood closer to me. I had no idea if it would work, but I had to try something. The man tensed in his sleep and stopped breathing and for a moment, so did I. I held my breath until I could see his body relax and slump over once again, snoring just as loudly as before. Inching the wood closer to my body, I twisted my

arms and picked up the splinters with my bound hands. They were both halfway numb and I massaged each with the thumb of the other, desperate to get the blood flowing once more. Finally, when I had a little bit more sensation, I grabbed the wood and picked at the thick knot binding my wrists together. The knot was tight, but after what felt like hours, I was finally making a little progress. My hands were sweaty and aching and I could feel the sweat pouring down my forehead. After every few minutes, I’d stop and pant and listen for more footsteps upstairs. So far, my friend in the corner was still asleep, but I knew it couldn’t last forever. Gritting my teeth, I resumed picking at the knot

until I had it loose enough to pull away with my fingers. The blood rushing back into my hands was so intense that it felt painful at first. I moaned loudly and then clamped my lips shut. The man snored once but then lapsed into silence and I knew I had to work quickly. My hands were sore and shaking but I managed to reach down and pick at the knot between my ankles until it was loose enough to kick away. At first, I didn’t think I could stand. The pain and pressure on my limbs was too much, and I was honestly tempted to collapse where I stood and fall asleep. But the man began to stir and I

approached him cautiously. Dropping the ropes in a pile on his lap, I leaned close to his ear. “Thanks for the company,” I whispered. The man woke up just as I formed my other hand into a fist and punched him in the jaw. He didn’t make a sound as the punch landed, but I felt the muscle and bone beneath my skin part. The man leaned forward and spat blood. Just as I moved to walk past him and up the stairs, he reached out and grabbed me with surprising strength. “You can’t go,” the man wailed in a low voice. “You have to stay!” He began raining heavy blows on my back and

shoulders. I felt myself crumple to the ground and I rolled away from the man’s fists. He kept punching the air even after I’d rolled away and I climbed to my feet and punched him squarely in the stomach. The man grunted once, like a farm animal, and then fell over in a heap. I couldn’t believe my eyes. But I knew I didn’t have much time. Turning on my heel, I ran up the steps, breathing hard. The first level of the house looked very ordinary: pale wood furniture, dark trim. I listened for signs of occupancy but didn’t hear anything. Judging by the light streaming in from the windows, it was sometime in the late morning.

Shit. I hope I’m not too late, I thought, sprinting through the living room. I let myself out the front door of the house. My motorcycle had been tossed in a clump of bushes, and I was able to haul it upright with my hands. I’m coming, Sarah! The house where I’d been held was in a pretty posh neighborhood, but I didn’t pay it any mind as I pushed my bike into a high gear and got onto the highway. I knew that I had to find Sarah at any cost. I had a feeling she probably wasn’t at her apartment, but it would be worth checking first. If there had been a struggle, I might be able to find her based on the clues left at the scene.

As I drove, my head ached and ached. I longed to stop and drink a bottle of water, but I knew that I had to keep going. By the time I pulled into Sarah’s apartment complex, I felt like I was running on fumes. A sinking feeling made its way through me as I crossed the lawn and leapt up the steps two at a time. Your princess is in another castle, I thought to myself as I kicked at her front door. There was no answer. Now it’s time to go get her.

Chapter Twenty Five Sarah

I didn’t sleep a wink the whole night. I couldn’t stop worrying about Blake— and myself. I didn’t want anything bad to happen to Blake, but honestly, I didn’t want anything bad to happen to me either. It was more than enough to think about Roger hurting him without considering the possibility that I’d be in prison for the rest of my life, too. I shuddered as I thought about it. Would my life really be wasted because of one

stupid mistake? People have been imprisoned for less. It very well could be. And Blake was going to think all kinds of bad things about me now. It made me laugh bitterly to remember how concerned I’d been over telling him about the photos. They were a drop in the bucket compared to what I was going to be doing with Roger. Standing in front of my closet, I tried to look for an outfit that would suit Roger’s demands. He’d said, “None of that slutty stuff you wear most of the time. You have to look perfect. Like a little virgin, ready for me.”

It was enough to make me sick. The indignity of being forced to help him commit a robbery was made even worse by the fact that I’d have to pretend to be his fiancée. I wondered what the papers would write about us. Modern day Bonnie & Clyde! Just thinking about it was enough to make me sick. I couldn’t stand the idea of anyone thinking I’d be willingly involved with someone who was such a creep—not to mention a huge felon. I shuddered. Think, Sarah, I ordered myself. There has to be a way out of this. My phone bleated on the bed and I turned to see Julia’s name flash across

the screen. My frown darkened even deeper. After this, Julia would never talk to me again. I knew that she’d probably believe me, but it would prove what an unstable influence I was on her and Hailey. I blushed with shame at what her face would look like, seeing me flash across the evening news. My life was over. Even if I didn’t go to jail, my life was over. I’d never be able to forget about this for the rest of my life. And Blake, well, that was over, too. I knew that he wouldn’t trust me after today, especially not after the way I’d scorned him for being violent. The thought was an ironic one; now I was the one being bullied into committing a

crime. I knew that I wouldn’t be able to take the moral high ground over Blake in the future. Sure, he beat people up. I robbed a jewelry store of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Julia would retort that we deserved each other, but I knew the truth: Blake didn’t deserve a woman who lied and let herself be sucked into these situations. He deserved someone who was honest, and someone who would stand up for herself. I shuddered at the way I’d let Roger bully me, at the way he’d continue to bully me. I hated him with everything in me. If I could have gotten away with killing him, I would have. By the time the sun was coming up, I still

hadn’t picked an outfit together. I was exhausted and my head was pounding, but every time I tried to lie down, I couldn’t sleep. Thoughts of Roger and the horrible things we were going to do were seared on my brain like a brand. I wondered if I’d ever get through today. I wondered if the cops would be rough with me when they arrested me, or if they’d be gentle because I was a woman. I wondered if the county jail would be horrendous, or if prison would be worse. Even though I wasn’t exactly a little virginal cupcake, I was still pretty innocent in the big picture. I’d never been around anyone who used hard drugs or who’d killed anyone. I’d thought that Blake had been dangerous,

but he’d wound up looking like a saint next to Roger. Basically, everything that I’d thought that I’d known was wrong. With a huff, I climbed to my feet and walked over to my closet. My legs felt like jelly as I leaned forward and combed through everything. I had a navy silk suit that I could wear, but I was worried Roger would dismiss it as too matronly. Although, on me, I wasn’t sure that anything could be called matronly. My large breasts made some things look obscene that would have made a smaller girl look frumpy. With a sigh, I pulled the suit from the hanger. It needed a press. When I realized how much time

I’d spent picking out an outfit, I laughed drily. It was longer than ever before, even for a date. And I’d done it all for Roger. I ironed the silk suit with a cream silk blouse. The trousers were snug around my hips and I knew they made my curves look spectacular. Under the cream blouse, I wore a bright lavender bra. The jacket wouldn’t fasten over my breasts so I draped a lavender scarf around my neck. When I did my makeup, I made sure that it was heavy but tasteful: foundation, blush, eyeshadow, thick black liner, two coats of volumizing mascara. When I was done, I looked exactly as Roger would have

liked. Young, sexual, excited, and a little moneyed. The silk suit was one of the nicest things I owned—Julia had bought it for me when I was still auditioning for parts. I hadn’t worn it in years, but it didn’t look retro. Roger was coming for me at ten. We were planning to be at Tinder’s by noon, but he wanted to wait first to make sure that the female employee went to lunch. I knew that if it was too busy of a day, he’d want to wait. The thought was like torture; I was caught between already wishing it was over and wishing the moment would never come. I couldn’t imagine having to delay the operation another day. It would be like having your

execution prolonged. Roger was late. At ten, I sat in the kitchen with a cup of coffee that I was too nervous to drink. I couldn’t call Blake; I wasn’t ready to apologize and then ask for his help. I decided that afterwards, if I could, I’d try to send him a message: “I’m okay, thanks for trying to help me, good luck.” The whole thing made me want to cry. Just when I’d finally felt like my life was turning around, this whole thing had to happen. And the worst of it was, it was completely my fault. If I hadn’t lost my job, or if I’d been able to find a new one, I could have survived without

Roger’s help. Sure the fallout from the pictures would have been bad, but it wouldn’t have been insurmountable. I cursed myself for not being able to see that at the time, for thinking that the worst that could happen was that people would think I was a slut. Now, they’d know the truth: I was a slut, and a felon. Hard to find a worse combination, I thought. I’m in too fucking deep with this one. At quarter to eleven, there was a knock on the door. Even though I knew it was Roger, my heart seized in my throat. When I didn’t answer, the knock came again, louder and more forceful this time. I got up from the table and walked

to the door. My navy silk heels were unstable in the plush carpet and my ankles wobbled nervously. Maybe I’ll have an accident and I won’t be able to walk, I thought excitedly. Maybe the worst will happen. Maybe I’ll fall and — “Sarah, let me in!” Roger called. He thumped on the door again. “I know you’re in there,” he yelled. I winced as I got closer to the door and yanked it open. “Let me in,” he demanded, pushing past me. I fell backwards and almost landed on my ass. “I hope you’re happy, I was late!” “I noticed,” I said, trying to keep my

voice to a normal pitch. “You want to go now?” Roger was looking around my apartment, scanning it furtively. “What? What are you looking for?” Roger stepped closer to me, dangerously, alarmingly close. “Nothing you need to worry that little head about right now,” he said smugly. “I’m just looking around, darlin’,” he added when I glared at him. “I need to find my bearings around here.” “Can we just leave?” I groaned. “Please, Roger. Can we just get this fucking over with?” Roger twisted his fingers into my hair and yanked, hard. I yelped as he pulled my head back and leaned in

close. As always, the smell of something vaguely rotten emanated from his mouth. I shuddered and pulled away but Roger dug his fingers deep into my scalp. “Are you gonna pull that bullshit with me today, girl?” he asked softly. “Don’t tell me that you’re gonna misbehave, honey, or a world of pain is coming to you and Mr. Biker.” “Let go of me!” I cried. Roger did as I asked and I stumbled backwards, falling on my ass. My legs splayed out and Roger made no secret of glancing down between them. The lewdness of his gaze made me shudder and I clamped my legs together as tightly as I could.

“That’s a pretty little snatch you’ve got, sweetie,” Roger said in that same, atrocious voice. “I wish I could just slip inside of you, if you’d let me.” I stuck my foot out to kick him but he grabbed my ankle. The feel of his dry, scaly hands on my bare skin was too much and I shrieked loudly, kicking at Roger with my free leg. He cried out and jumped back, just as I was able to yank my legs out of his grasp and tuck them underneath me as I got to my feet. When I was standing, Roger glared at me from a few feet away. “You’re in a mood this morning,” he

huffed under his breath. It was the same belabored tone that he’d taken with me in the park last week when I’d first heard of his rotten little scheme. It was the tone that implied, “Just look at all I’m doing for you, and this is how you choose to repay me!” “Roger, don’t forget that I don’t want to do this,” I said icily, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. He rubbed at his chin sorely, the same spot that I’d almost kicked. “I wish you’d just let me go. Please?” I looked at him with big eyes. “Please don’t make me do this,” I begged. I could feel tears coming to my eyes and I blinked hastily. I knew that ruining my makeup at this point would

only make him angrier than ever. “Sweetie, don’t you get that it’s too late to back out now?” Roger grinned and rubbed his hands together in anticipation. “Don’t forget that you’re helping me, honey,” he said, running a finger down my arm. “And don’t forget to show everyone how excited you are to be marrying me.” He looked at me and I felt my stomach twist into knots. “Come here, sweetie, why don’t we try a little practice?” I shuddered and stayed rooted firmly to the spot until Roger got that murderous look in his eye again. With my whole body trembling, I walked closer until I

was standing right next to Roger. He wrapped an arm around me and pulled me close; I was quickly inundated with the smell of rot and cigarettes. Roger turned our bodies so we were facing the mirror in my hallway. He grinned at his reflection and let his arm trail down my body. I shrieked as he got closer to my ass. Roger smacked me, hard, and I cried out. “You’re my fiancée,” he repeated. “You better do a good fucking job of acting like it,” Roger growled at me. “Now fucking act like it, bitch.” Trembling, I forced my reflection to smile. Roger turned his body towards

me and pulled me close. I tried to tune out what was happening but it was too horrifying to comprehend. As he leaned in for a kiss, I closed my eyes and waited desperately for it to be over. Roger’s lips were wet and slimy and overly warm, and as they pressed against my mouth, a foul taste became known to me. I shuddered and tried to pull away but Roger wrapped his arms around me and yanked me closer. I stumbled and my body slammed against him. My heart was pounding in terror and I tried to will myself away to a better place, a happier place. When Roger tried to slip his thin tongue into my mouth, I shuddered and pushed him away roughly. Roger stumbled but made

a fist and swung back, punching me hard in the stomach. Pain bloomed in my abdomen and I fell to the ground, choking and coughing for air. I was barely aware of Roger wrapping his hands around me and picking me up, dragging me outside. My heels clicked a fierce staccato on the pavement and I struggled to stay upright. Breathing hurt incredibly badly and with every breath, new tears came to my eyes. As Roger dragged me along the pavement, I kept my head down. Even though I was already ashamed to be seen in front of my neighbors, this took it to a whole new level.

I heard the sound of a car door opening and before I knew it, Roger had tossed me inside the passenger seat. He picked up my feet and hauled them in the car. I tried to kick him but he reached in and put his hand on my breast. “If you kick me, I’ll twist this off before you can scream,” Roger said in a menacing tone. Instantly, my feet dropped to the ground. Roger squeezed my breast through my blouse, making me cry out as pain racked through my abdomen. He shot me a wicked grin before closing the door and walking around to the driver’s side. I took a deep breath and tried to calm down, but as Roger pulled out of the apartment

complex, I felt myself start to hyperventilate. “Calm down, baby,” Roger said, his easy-going manner had apparently returned in a matter of seconds. “Calm down, we just gotta get in and get out, then you’ll be good. Got that?” I nodded, trying not to show him how scared I really felt. “I’m fine,” I lied. “Just want to get this done with.” “Who knows what kind of fun we’ll get up to in the future,” Roger said with a grin. I felt sick to my stomach. “Can you pull

over?” Roger started laughing, a loud guffaw that filled the interior of the car. “What’chu wanna make me stop for, baby?” he asked loudly. “You gonna be sick?” I closed my eyes and leaned my head against the seat, trying to breath normally. Finally, after a couple of torturous seconds, the wave of nausea passed. “Just keep going.” Roger turned on the radio and hummed along as he drove the familiar roads to Tinder’s. I recognized all of the landmarks that I’d watched for on the

bus, the different parts of town, the different signs. The giant statue of a bird that was on the corner by the shopping center. When we came into closer view, I felt the nausea return. I gripped the handle on the inside of the door, feeling my palms start to sweat. Roger pulled into the parking lot of the shopping center and parked where he always did. When he pulled the key from the ignition, I reached to open the door but Roger grabbed my wrist, quick as a flash. “Let’s get something straight here,” he said in a low voice. I was horrified to watch as he pulled a small, silver gun

from one of his pockets. “If you try anything, and I mean anything, you’ll regret it. Got that? It won’t be you that I shoot, honey. It’ll be everyone else. You’ll be carted off to jail as an accessory to murder. That’s life, sweetheart. So don’t fuck this up.” My heart jumped into my throat and my mouth was too dry to respond. All I could do was nod. “Tell me you understand,” Roger said sweetly. “I need to know that you realize how important this is.” “I understand that you’ll kill everyone if I don’t listen to you,” I said softly. A

single tear escaped from my eyelid and rolled down my cheek; I wiped it away hastily before Roger could say anything. “I promise I’ll be good. I promise.” Roger grinned, exposing his row of yellow teeth. “That’s what I thought, baby,” he said. “Now come on and give me some sugar!” I winced as he leaned across the seat and pushed his cracked lips against my cheek. When he pulled away, I shoved the car door open and stumbled out onto the asphalt. My heels made me totter as Roger and I walked towards the store. Right as we got onto the sidewalk, Roger grabbed my hand.

“Baby, you look so beautiful today!” he said loudly. A couple behind us turned and stared. “What about giving me a kiss, just because you’re so happy to be mine?” The staring couple tittered as I leaned in and gently kissed Roger on the lips, shuddering inwardly the whole time. Roger wrapped his arm around me and slid it down to my ass, squeezing firmly. I yelped and pulled away. Roger grinned. “That’s more like it, baby,” he said quietly. As we entered the store, I reached down and grabbed Roger’s hand

in my own. “Show time,” Roger whispered in my ear. “Let’s do it right.”

Chapter Twenty Six

Roger hustled me inside before I could look twice at the couple who had been staring at us. He kept his hand firmly on my ass and gave me a little squeeze before pulling away. “Remember how much you love me,” Roger said, grinning at me. He leaned in for a peck on the cheek and I felt my whole body stiffen. “Remember, baby, this is gon’ be fun.”

I smiled as he steered me towards the case featuring the most expensive engagement rings. There was a female employee behind the glass, and she smiled at us as we approached. She gave me a look of pity, and I wondered if she was thinking about how I slept with someone as sleazy-looking as Roger. Even in a suit and freshly shaven he still looked awful. He had the sick look of a junkie and he smelled like stale urine mixed with cologne. I shuddered at the thought of what it would be like to actually be with him. “Hello,” the sales associate greeted us. “May I help you two out today?”

Roger turned to me and beamed. “You can start by telling my lady how pretty she is,” he said smoothly. “She always says that she’s ugly because she’s curvy! It’s terrible,” he said in a conspiratorial voice. Just listening to him made me sick. None of what he was saying was the truth, but I kept the smile plastered across my face without protesting. I knew he was doing this to punish me, and I couldn’t imagine how much worse it could get. The associate looked flustered. “She’s very pretty,” she said automatically. “You’re gorgeous,” she repeated, facing me this time. I bowed my head.

“Thank you,” I said quietly. “Roger just gets so bothered when I put myself down!” “Give me a kiss, baby,” Roger instructed. “Right here?” I leaned away. “We’re in public!” I said in a loud whisper, swatting him on the arm, not nearly as hard as I would have liked to do. “Roger, no!” He leaned in and pressed his foul, stinking mouth against mine. I shuddered in revulsion as he slipped his tongue into my mouth and pushed it around. When he

finally pulled away, I wiped my hand with the back of my mouth. “We’re very passionate,” Roger said. He leaned across the counter and batted his eyelashes at the sales associate. “Now, someone as gorgeous as you must have a special man in her life.” “Oh,” the sales associate said, blushing. “I don’t know. Not right now. I broke up with my boyfriend a couple of weeks ago.” Roger turned to me in mock surprise. “Baby, can you believe this gorgeous little thing doesn’t have a man?” He leaned forward and addressed the girl,

“Now, if we weren’t getting married, we’d be taking you home with us for a little fun,” he said. “Isn’t that right, baby?” My insides were burning with shame but I managed to giggle and look coy. “Of course,” I said, smiling at her in a way that I hoped wasn’t too creepy. “But honey, we are getting married,” I said, tapping Roger on the shoulder playfully. “And we’re here to look at rings!” The sales associate seemed stunned into silence. “Oh, wow,” she said. “Congratulations, you two! That’s huge!” “It is,” Roger said. “This little minx

finally got me to settle down!” He winked. “Can you believe it? I’m almost forty, I never thought I’d meet the right one!” “That’s so sweet,” the sales associate gushed. She was looking at Roger with hearts—rather, dollar signs—in her eyes. “Now, what kind of stone were we thinking?” “Diamond,” I said. “Big, please. I love big jewelry.” The sales associate nodded. She was practically salivating at the commission she could make on this. “Of course,” she said smoothly. “Let me know which tray

you want to start with, and we’ll go from there. What ring size are you?” “I don’t know,” I said, shrugging. “That’s why we’re picking out a ring together,” Roger said smugly. “I want to be sure it fits on my darling’s finger the first time!” The sales associate nodded. “You know, that is just so sweet,” she commented. “And so practical! I can’t tell you how disappointing it is to be proposed to with a ring that’s the wrong size.” I giggled. “That must be embarrassing,” I said. “I’m so glad Roger here is being

such a great boyfriend.” Roger kicked me under the counter and I yelped. “I mean, fiancé,” I said, blushing. I turned around and gave Roger a quick glare. I knew that he hadn’t wanted me to use his real name, but it was the only thing about the situation that I could control. The associate placed a glittering tray in front of me. Some of the diamonds were big, but mostly they looked like they were hovering around one karat. “These are a little small,” I said sulkily. “I really want something gorgeous, like three karats. Do you have anything like

that?” The sales associate practically tripped over her feet. “Oh, yes,” she replied. “I’ll be right back. I’m just going over there,” she said, pointing towards the corner of the store. “We keep them in a special case, and I’ll need my manager’s key to pull the tray.” “Thanks!” I chirped. As soon as she was gone, Roger grabbed me by the shoulder. His fingers dug painfully into my flesh and I cried out. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” he hissed. “This wasn’t the plan!”

“I’m stalling, asshole,” I said under my breath. “Now get your hands off me! We don’t exactly look like we’re in love right now.” Roger released my shoulder but not before squeezing me hard and making me cry out. “Behave,” he ordered under his breath. “What the fuck is taking that little cunt so long?” “I don’t know,” I replied, glancing over. The girl was locked in an argument with the other sales associate. A chill of fear crawled down my spine when I realized that it was the guy I’d flirted with before, when I went to try on the

necklaces. “Hey, it’s almost noon. I bet he’s telling her to go to lunch.” The girl walked over with a pained expression pasted on her face. “I’m so sorry,” she said in the sweetest voice. “I actually have to take my break right now. My boss is so paranoid about getting sued,” she added. “I normally would stay, I promise, but I’m really getting kicked out.” “That’s fine,” Roger said, smiling right back. “My woman and I can wait for you. We’ll just browse the store while you’re gone.” The girl’s fake smile turned into a real

one. “Oh my god,” she said. “Thank you so much! Wow, thank you! I’ll see you soon!” “Have a good lunch,” Roger said. He smirked and slipped a hand down my back, squeezing my ass. I tensed up, but I was also getting used to his invasive touching. We watched as the girl walked to the back of the store and collected her things. She repeated our words to the male employee and then stuck out her tongue at him. On her way out of the store, she waved at Roger and grinned cheerily. “That cunt thinks I’m actually going to give her a commission,” Roger spat.

“Now, act fast.” He watched until she’d left the parking lot. When she was gone, I drifted to the other side of the store and pretended to look at some jeweled broaches under a glass case. The other person in the store checked his watch and sighed before walking out. In a matter of minutes, Roger and I were left alone with the male associate. Roger pulled the gun out of his waistband and waved it around in the air. “Hey, you!” he called to the male associate. “Hurry up. Come on!” The kid looked up from the screen of his smartphone. He had a finger in his nose and his eyes bulged out when they saw

Roger. “Oh my god,” he said in a panicky, breathy voice. “Oh my god! What do I do?” I saw his eyes flickering downwards but Roger pointed the gun at the wall behind him and fired. Glass shattered and the kid dropped to his hands and knees, wailing loudly. “Come the fuck on,” Roger said. “Get the fuck up. Come on!” He walked behind the counter and picked up the kid by the scruff of his neck, dragging him to his feet. The kid had his eyes screwed shut and he was whimpering loudly. The scene was surreal; I pinched myself on the arm to make sure I was really there. I felt sick to my stomach but my heart was pounding. In a way, it was actually kind

of exciting. I shuddered as Roger got closer. I could tell the kid was really scared, and there was a strong scent of urine in the air. “What do you want?” the kid wailed in a shaky voice. He collapsed to the ground and Roger reached down to grab him again. “Ouch!” the kid cried as Roger pulled his earlobe. “Let me go!” “No,” Roger hissed. “Not until you help us. We want all the money in the safe in the back of the store and all of the most expensive jewelry.” He looked at me. “Go get those trays,” he said, pointing towards the back of the store. The expensive three karat trays gleamed

unattended. “Bring them back!” he barked when I didn’t move as quickly as he wanted. “Now!” His last command startled me into action. Quickly, I walked to the back of the store and grabbed the trays of jewelry. They were astoundingly beautiful, and I could only think about how I’d never see anything that lovely again. By the time I was back at Roger’s side, the kid was on his feet and shaking. “Quick,” Roger ordered. The kid scrambled away and came back with a key. Roger jerked his head to the side, indicating for me to follow him, and we trailed the kid to the back of the store.

He pushed a painting to the side and stuck the key in the lock, working it furiously. “I can’t,” the kid whined. “It’s stuck!” “You’re gonna be stuck if you don’t hurry the fuck up,” Roger hissed. “Come on!” The kid trembled and pushed at the key in the lock, straining with all of his might. Finally, he grunted and heaved and the safe door swung open. I expected the inside would be filled with glittering diamonds and pieces of jewelry, but it was mostly plastic envelopes and cloth bags.

“Hurry up,” Roger ordered. He held a bag under the safe and the kid swept it from top to bottom. When the last plastic envelope had been collected, Roger turned to me and shoved the bag in my hands. “Go to the car,” he barked. “Now!” I stumbled out of the store, clutching the bag to my chest. No one was looking at me, and I darted through the parking lot and climbed inside the passenger seat. Roger was right behind me, and he gunned the car out of the parking lot before I’d even had a chance to fasten my seatbelt.

I moaned and closed my eyes, leaning my head against the seat. My clothes were sticky with sweat and my damp hair was clinging to my forehead. I let out a long, low, shaky breath as Roger floored it in the direction of my apartment. Beside me, I could feel his excited energy radiating out in waves. Roger reached across the seat and grabbed my hand, shaking it in the air. “We did it, baby,” he said smugly. “Can you believe we pulled that shit off?” “I’m gonna be sick,” I said weakly, leaning against the door. The cool glass of the window felt good against my forehead. “I’m gonna die.”

I couldn’t believe that it was over, that he’d made me do it. The nausea waving through my body was only staved off by the fact that I wanted to melt into the seat. I knew that if I could have mustered the energy to look outside, I’d puke everywhere. Never, never in my life had I been so disgusted with myself. Not when I was about to get evicted, not when Roger first told me he had the pictures, not even when Julia shamed me for being unsuccessful and lonely. Nothing compared to the feeling of knowing that I’d just thrown my life away. The store had cameras, I knew they’d find us. And

furthermore, I was sure that the male associate would recognize me. After all, I’d spent almost an hour flirting with him last week, at Roger’s behest. If he didn’t recognize me, that meant he was an idiot. I closed my eyes and put my head against the door, imagining a life in prison. I’d be held in some drab county jail until trial, which would be a blur for me. When I’d see photos of myself in jail, I’d think that I looked drugged. I could just imagine the circles under my eyes and my pale face as the judge read out my crimes. I knew that the courtappointed lawyer wouldn’t give a fuck about me, and she wouldn’t care that I looked like shit in court. When I looked

out over the imaginary courtroom, I saw Julia crying and shaking her head. No, I wanted to tell her. No, it wasn’t me. I’m not like that! I knew that I’d be sentenced and then be transferred to prison. I imagined orange jumpsuits, women with tangled hair staring at me and licking their lips. I shuddered when I imagined living in a concrete box with no freedom to go outside, no freedom to do as I pleased. No good food. Not even good-bad food, like cheeseburgers. And no Blake. The last realization made me want to cry harder than ever. I couldn’t imagine being without him,

being without his touch, his love, those heart-melting smiles. I shivered as I thought about his hands caressing me and running over my body, tugging at my nipples and making every nerve sing with pleasure. I loved the way he held me, loved the way he made me feel like I was the only woman in the world. Thinking that I’d never get to do that again was the worst thought that I’d ever had. It suddenly occurred to me that I’d be totally okay, even if I lost everything, as long as I still had Blake. But I wouldn’t still have him. Not a snowball’s chance in hell. I knew that if the cops even caught wind of Blake’s involvement, he’d be going to prison, too. Maybe for even longer than I was

going. I knew that Roger would greedily give the cops as much intel on Blake as he could; I knew he wanted to punish Blake for holding him back. Blake. I couldn’t get my mind away from him. As I closed my eyes tightly against the sun of the real world, I imagined Blake picking me up and carrying me to bed. I knew how tight his muscles would be as he held me in the air, teasing me with the joke of dropping me to the floor. But I knew he wouldn’t drop me, he’d set me down gently and spread my legs with his rough fingers. My lower belly tingled as I imagined him leaning over me and trailing his mouth wetly down my body. Panic and desire mingled

together inside of me to create a powerfully arousing feeling; it was the hottest and most desperate I’d ever felt in my life. But I knew that I wouldn’t be sated with ordinary sex, or making love. No, Blake would have to fuck me until I was raw and crying. I wanted to be soaked in sweat—a mixture of mine and his—and begging for him to come so it would be over. Afterwards, I knew that he’d help me shower and take me back to bed to fall asleep. It would be perfect. Then I remembered our fight, and the tears came back. We hadn’t parted on good terms. I’d basically decided never to speak with him again. It was more than I thought I could handle, and it was

more than I thought he could give me. But funnily enough, now I didn’t even care. I didn’t care how many fights he’d been in, or how many times he’d gone to prison. All I wanted was him and his love, forever and ever. I wished so deeply that I could tell him how I felt, that I could reveal how sorry I was. I hated that I’d acted so arrogant and high and mighty. If I could take the whole thing back, I would in an instant. And then maybe you wouldn’t be here, I realized. Slinking down far into the seat, I realized that if I hadn’t stormed out of Blake’s in a fit of rage, I wouldn’t have been around for Roger to nab me. Instead, he would have had to go through

my big tough boyfriend. Boyfriend. Just thinking about Blake as my boyfriend, my protector, felt good. If I concentrated on it for long enough, I was almost able to forget how fucking miserable the rest of me felt. But in truth, that was how I’d thought of him all along. That was why I’d been so upset when he told me that he’d had fun beating people up. It was like I was holding him to such a high standard, that I wasn’t even allowing myself to accept how much I liked him. But obviously I did. And now that was over. There was no more “me and Blake.” There was only me, in prison, and Blake, probably in prison. Suddenly I prayed for him to be gone. I

wanted him to go away and save himself. If he couldn’t save me, at least he could do that. The last thing I wanted was to ruin his life. If he went away, it would be for a long time. He’d lose his place in the MC, he’d lose his job, and he’d lose all semblance of autonomy and freedom. I prayed that he’d be smart enough to save his own skin, no matter what he felt for me. I won’t be mad at you, I thought. Just be smart enough to help yourself out of this jam! “Baby, ain’t you excited?” Roger turned to me and grinned. “Ain’t you pleased! Look at that bag back there! You’re gonna be getting some of that,” he said. I closed my eyes and looked out the

window. “Just fucking take me home, please,” I said. I could hear my voice about to break. “Please, Roger. Please take me home.” “Oh, no,” Roger said. He wagged a finger in front of my face. “We ain’t done, yet,” he said. “There’s one other thing I have to take care of first.” I glared at him. “What’s that?” Roger threw his head back and laughed. “Oh, you’ll see,” he said, snickering. “You’ll see, baby.”

Chapter Twenty Seven Blake

My phone was buzzing in my pocket and I pulled my bike over to the side of the road. It was Tinder’s. A bad feeling flashed through my stomach but I answered anyway. “Hello?” It was hard to hear with all of the highway noise in the background. “Hello?” “Hey, Blake,” I heard the other security guard say. “Hey, man, there’s been a

robbery.” My heart sank. Sarah. I’m sorry. I was too late. “Okay,” I said. “What do you need? Do you need me to come in?” “Yeah, do you mind?” “I’ll be there soon,” I said shortly. Getting back on my bike, I pointed it towards Tinder’s and sped as fast as I could. All I could think about was Sarah. Why had she done it? Why hadn’t she just fucking called me? A horrible thought ran through my head: what if Roger was keeping her prisoner so she couldn’t reach out to anyone? The idea was too horrible to comprehend. Gritting

my teeth, I pushed my bike faster and faster until the shopping center came into sight. It was partially a relief and partially something I was dreading. I didn’t want to be confronted with evidence about Sarah, but it was about to happen anyway. Fuck, I thought. Why do things like this always have to happen? The security guard wasn’t happy to see me. “Hey,” he said shortly. “Thanks for coming out. Do you want to see the footage?” I nodded. “I’d better,” I told him. “Thanks, man.”

“No problem,” the guard said. “I don’t know how they managed to do it. I was outside the whole time, and I didn’t see anything.” I rolled my eyes. “I should have come in today,” I said after a beat. “I knew something bad was going to happen.” The other guard looked at me with his eyes narrowed. “Wait, you knew? How come you didn’t say anything?” “It was an expression,” I said gruffly. “I was joking.” The guard led me wordlessly inside the

store. The place was crawling with cops. Aside from a case being opened towards the back of the store, I couldn’t see that anything was missing. “Sir, were you present at the time of the robbery?” One of the cops walked up to me and took out his notepad. “Can I collect a statement from you?” “I just work here,” I told him. “I had nothing to do with it. I got a call telling me there had been a robbery and I wanted to come down here to check it out.” The cop nodded, as if I’d just given him something valuable. He scribbled

something down on the notepad and nodded again. “Thanks,” he said. “Can I get your name?” “Uh, yeah, it’s Blake Ward,” I said, glancing around. “Do you know how bad the robbery is? It doesn’t look like they took very much.” “The safe is cleaned out,” the cop said. He gave a low whistle through his teeth. “I know, I couldn’t believe it either,” he said. “But I guess they worked pretty fast.” In the back of the store, one of the sales associates was crying. She was a cute girl, young, with red hair that made me

think of Sarah. She looked up at me and burst into a new wave of fresh sobs. “It’s all my fault,” she cried. “I was helping them! Then Jared told me that I had to go take my lunch break! I was mad because I thought they were going to get an engagement ring, and I really wanted the commission!” “Oh, fuck,” I said. “Do you have the security tapes? Can I watch?” The girl stood up and scurried off to a cabinet. She returned with a tape. “There’s a TV in the break room,” she said. “Come with me.”

Some of the cops were sitting in front of the television, smoking cigarettes. When they saw the girl was carrying the tape, they tried to shoo me out of the room. “No, guys, I work here,” I explained. “I’m a security guard. I was off today, but I got a call informing me of the robbery.” The cops shot suspicious looks at each other. “Fine, stay,” one of them said after a beat. “Anything you can share with us, the better,” he told me. “So pay close attention.” I closed my eyes and thought briefly. I knew that I had to help Sarah, but that it

would probably wind up risking my own safety, especially if I got in a fight with Roger. And after finding out all that he was capable of, I wasn’t sure that I’d be ready to let him go down without a fight. Plus, he was obviously insane. I couldn’t believe that he’d be willing to just let everything go. After all, he’d tricked Sarah into helping him somehow. I still couldn’t believe that she’d done it! I was angry with her for not calling me and reaching out; it was as if our fight from the other night had vanished. Angrily, I balled my hands into fists at my sides. “Go ahead and play the tape,” I said. The girl wiped tears away from her eyes

and stuck the tape into the VCR. It whirred for a minute, making the cops look anxious, but eventually a grainy black-and-white window showed up. There were four cameras in the store, each pointed in a different direction. In one camera, I watched as the girl sped up the tape to just before noon. “They came in around eleven thirty,” she said softly. “I always go to lunch at noon, but it was such a slow day that I figured I could help them.” “It’s fine,” one of the officers said gruffly. “Keep playing the tape.” The girl hit play and I leaned in close.

Sarah, looking fabulous and a little nervous, walked into the store with Roger. He reached out and took her hand just as they opened the door. The security guard didn’t even look twice. With fury, I watched as Roger slid his hand down Sarah’s back and groped her ass. Rage filled me and my fists got tighter at my sides. “They’re really enjoying themselves,” one of the cops said. He snickered. “Maybe this is how they like to roleplay.” “Shut up,” one of the other cops muttered. “This guy’s a sick fuck. He looks like someone who’s been wanted

for over a year now.” I rolled my eyes. “And you couldn’t keep a closer eye on him than that?” “It doesn’t work like that,” one of the cops said snidely. “Shut up so I can pay attention.” The video didn’t have sound, but we all watched as Roger kissed Sarah, shoving his tongue into her mouth. I could tell by the way her body was tense and nervous that she wasn’t enjoying it, and I burned with hot rage. I’d wanted to hurt Roger before, but now I wanted to tear him limb from limb. Watching him exploit Sarah in the grossest manner possible

brought an animalistic side out of me that I hadn’t felt in months. This was war. “That little couple’s really being hot with each other,” the cop said. “This is a pretty fuckin’ unusual case.” The rest of them snickered and I had to shut my eyes to avoid looking. I knew that if I had to watch Roger molest my Sarah for another second, I’d fly into a rage and break everything—and everyone—in the room. Finally, I opened my eyes and watched Roger and Sarah chatting with the female associate. She pulled out a tray of rings from the shelf and Sarah tried on one. “They said they were engaged,” the girl

said in a shaky voice. “She kept calling him Roger. And he kept talking about how he’d finally settled down with her. He kept calling her a little minx, whatever that is. It was kind of weird,” she admitted. Her forehead creased. “And they both flirted with me. He asked if I had a boyfriend and told me that if they weren’t getting married, they’d wanna take me home with them.” She sniffled. “It sounds so gross now, I feel so stupid!” she wailed. “I had no idea what they were up to, I thought they were really in love!” One of the cops eyed her darkly. “Definitely some kind of weird sexualization,” he said. “Maybe kind of

a sex crime later, maybe this couple commits a robbery and then gets off to it afterwards.” “I think it’s pretty obvious that woman is frightened,” I said, trying to make my voice plain. “I think it’s clear she’s coerced, or not there because of her own free will.” “She looks pretty excited to me,” one of the cops mentioned. “Check out that grin on her face!” He pointed to the screen. “She’s totally getting into it,” he said, making a note on his pad. Panic clanged through my body and I shook my head. I was careful to protect

Sarah, but I didn’t want to give away too much information. It was only a matter of time before the other sales associate recognized her, and then the cops would realize that I’d been working before when she came in alone. I knew that I had to be subtle, but also work as quickly as I could. “She’s definitely faking it,” I said. “Look at her arm and how she keeps twitching. She keeps making all of these unconscious little gestures, you know, like how people act when they’re lying. Look, she keeps touching her chin!” I said, pointing to the screen. One of the cops hit pause. “She’s definitely uncomfortable,” I added. “Only liars

touch their chin. And they don’t look you in the eye either, they always look slightly above your head.” “She was looking at me funny,” the girl broke in. “I wanted to ask her if there was something wrong with my hair.” “See,” I said, pointing to the girl. “She saw it. That woman was obviously dragged to the store against her will.” “Well, I wouldn’t go that far,” the girl said, scrunching up her nose. “She did seem like she wanted to be here.” “We’ll decide that,” the first cop said, breaking in. He glared at me. “I think

you’ve seen enough,” he said. “Time for you to go.” I got up from the table and sighed. I really had my work cut out for me, but I was going to act fast.

Chapter Twenty Eight Sarah

“Where are we going? Are you still

taking me home?” My voice was shaky and I looked at Roger. He was driving the familiar roads back to my apartment, and I felt myself shiver in fear. He’d said that he’d take me home after one more errand, but we were heading in the direction of my apartment. Traffic had been slow and sluggish, and I could feel Roger’s anxiety growing with every passing moment. I knew that the cops had to be at Tinder’s by now, checking out what had happened. When I thought about the security cameras in every corner of the store, I cringed. They were going to know it was me. Hell, they might already know that it was me. “Where do you think?” His tone was

nasty and snarky. All traces of the happy, joking Roger seemed to have faded immediately. “Someplace where we can be alone,” he hissed. “You’re stupider than I thought if you haven’t figured that out by now.” With a sinking feeling, I realized that he was taking me back to my own apartment. “Roger, you shouldn’t go to my place,” I said in a shaky voice. “Come on, please? I don’t want the cops to find us.” “They won’t if you keep your goddamn little mouth shut!” Roger roared. He reached across the seat and slapped me hard just as we pulled away from a

traffic light. The couple in the next car looked on with horror and I slunk down in my seat, burning bright red with embarrassment. “Besides,” he added, looking at me, “you were fuckin’ begging me to go home a few minutes ago! What happened to that?” I didn’t say anything. Roger sped up and got off the highway, navigating the back roads and cursing under his breath whenever he thought someone was following us. He drove faster and faster and I felt the nausea build in my body. If he made a sharp turn, I really thought that I’d throw up. Finally, we pulled up in the parking lot

of my apartment complex. I breathed a sigh of relief. “Can I go now?” I asked. “Thanks for dropping me off first.” To my horror, Roger twisted the key and yanked it out of the ignition. “I’m coming with you,” he said, and I felt my stomach drop. “Help me carry this shit inside.” Roger handed me one of the bags—it was heavier than I’d imagined—and climbed out of the driver’s side. His jovial mood seemed to be back, he was humming and whistling to a song that had played on the radio when we were in the store. I felt like I was going to be sick. “And don’t think about running ahead of me and shutting me out,” Roger said with

a grin. “Remember, I still got a few bullets in here.” I shuddered. It was as though Roger had read my mind; that was exactly what I’d thought of doing. My legs felt like jelly as I quickly walked over to the stairs and climbed up. Taking a deep breath, I wondered what would happen when the cops showed up. I knew they’d surround the place; both the front and the back doors would be off-limits. I wondered if they’d shoot me before I had a chance to defend myself. It would be what I deserved, and probably easier than a prison sentence. But I wouldn’t get to apologize to Blake.

I closed my eyes and pushed the front door of my apartment open, praying that he would be there. But the lights were off; it was empty, just as Roger and I had left it a couple of hours ago. It didn’t feel like hours had passed since this morning, it still felt like a dream. Looking around, I even saw the cup of coffee that I’d tried to drink before Roger had shown up and punched me. I shivered. I wondered how long Roger would stay. “Hurry up,” Roger said under his breath. He dragged the last bag inside and slammed the door behind him, locking the bolt. “Do you have anything to drink?”

“I want you to leave,” I said in a shaky voice. “Please, please just go away. Please, Roger!” Roger shook his head. “We gonna celebrate,” he said with a grin. “Mix me a drink.” I wanted to cry as I forced myself to walk into the kitchen. “I have vodka,” I said. “That’s it.” “Make me a drink,” Roger repeated. He grinned at me. “Make yourself one, too,” he added generously. “I hate drinking alone.”

I glanced away. Roger was staring at me, breathing hard. Suddenly, I had an idea. “Okay,” I said, forcing my voice to be cheery. “You go relax. I’ll make us each something to drink.” Roger slunk into the living room; I heard the couch groan with his weight. When I was satisfied that he wouldn’t come after me, I texted Blake: I’ll call you shortly. Pick up! Then, I mixed two drinks. I poured four shots into Roger’s and added some grenadine to kill the flavor of the alcohol. In mine, I only poured half of a shot. When I was convinced that they both looked and smelled the same, I carried them out and handed the more potent drink to Roger.

“Drink up,” I said, clinking glasses. “After all, we are celebrating, right?” Roger knocked back half of his drink immediately, swallowing hard and wiping his mouth. “More,” he demanded, holding the glass out to me. I bit the insides of my mouth to keep from grinning. “Come on, bitch,” he added. “Move!” Walking back to the kitchen, I refreshed Roger’s drink with even more booze than before. To make it look even, I drained half of my glass and pinched my cheeks so they’d redden. Blake still hadn’t texted me back, and I was

worried that he hadn’t received the message. “Here you are,” I said sweetly, handing the glass to Roger. He glared at me and took a long drink. “Can I get you anything else?” Roger leaned back on the sofa and put his feet on the coffee table. He was still wearing his shoes, and I could see the wrapper from a stick of gum clinging to one of the soles. I shuddered, but I knew that saying anything about it would only get me in trouble. I sat down and watched as Roger drank. He greedily worked his mouth around

the rim of the glass, sucking down all the vodka and juice and grenadine until the glass was empty. I watched him carefully. He looked at me and belched loudly. It reeked of vodka and I wrinkled my nose. “Hey, why ain’t you happy?” Roger had the same relaxed, happy voice that he had when he was in a good mood. I shivered; even his cheeriness was awful to be around. “We just got away with the heist of the century, baby,” he added. “I’m real thrilled about that.” “I’m not,” I said, taking a small sip of my drink. I could barely taste the alcohol in it, but I didn’t want to take any

chances. The last thing I needed right now was to be drunk. “I’m going to prison, Roger. That ruined my life.” “Baby, that didn’t ruin your life,” Roger said with a chortle. “Sit down and relax with me for a little bit. You earned it.” “What are you planning on doing?” I glared at him. “You can’t just stay on my couch forever.” Roger pulled the gun out of his waistband and twirled it around on one finger. “I’ll stay as long as I please,” he said, sounding smug, like a cat. “So don’t you go trying to force me out of here,” he added. “You just do whatever

little Roger tells you to do.” I narrowed my eyes. “This wasn’t part of the deal,” I said icily. “You were supposed to take me home and drop me off. Remember?” “I changed my mind,” Roger said. He grinned at me. “Come on, baby, come up here.” He patted the couch next to him. “Come sit and relax a spell with me.” I shook my head. “I want to change,” I told him. “This outfit is uncomfortable.” Roger grinned widely. “Well you looked the part for long enough, I guess,” he said. “Go on, then. Hurry back. Want me

to come watch?” I dry heaved. “No!” I cried out. “Stay here.” Roger threw his head back and laughed. I took the opportunity to slip down the hall and lock myself in my bedroom. My heart was pounding and I had no idea what I should do. There was no text from Blake yet, and I wondered if he’d even seen it. I wondered where he was; maybe Roger had arranged for him to be hurt, or tied up, or killed. My mouth went dry. I was acutely aware of the seconds ticking by and I knew that I was wasting time. I hadn’t even started to change yet.

Finally, I went into my bathroom and shut and locked the door. This way, Roger would have to get through two doors. And even though the walls were thin, I didn’t think he’d be able to hear me if I whispered. Taking out my phone, I called Blake. It rang three times before he answered, and I felt my heart jump into my throat. “Sarah? Where are you?” “I’m fine,” I said quietly. “I’m okay. We’re at my apartment. Roger’s here— he’s drinking. He’s in the living room.”

“Listen, Sarah, you need to get some kind of evidence, okay? Try to trick him into admitting that he forced you to help him. Try to record it on your phone, okay?” I nodded tearfully. “I don’t think I can,” I said. “I’m scared, Blake.” “You have to,” Blake said. “Do it now, Sarah.” “Blake, wait!” I hissed. “There’s something I need to tell you. I’m so sorry about the other night, Blake. I didn’t mean to leave. I’m really sorry. I don’t care about your past.” As I spoke, tears welled up in my eyes and before I could

stop them, they were spilling down my cheeks. “It’s fine,” Blake said in a rushed voice. “Now go get that recording, Sarah. That’s the only way I can help you. Be brave,” he added. “I know you can do it.” I blinked and the hot tears fell down my cheeks. “Okay,” I whispered. “I have to go.” I heard footsteps in the hallway and hung up, shoving the phone down on the counter. I turned on the taps and splashed my face so it wouldn’t look like I had been crying. “Sarah!” I heard Roger call. “What are

you doing in there?” “I’m using the bathroom,” I called back, trying to sound annoyed. “Can you give me a moment?” “I need another drink!” Roger said. He hiccupped loudly. “You need to come back so you can make me another drink.” “Hold on,” I said. “I’ll be right there.” Roger stayed outside of the door, breathing hard. I closed my eyes and counted to twenty. By the time I got to fifteen, I heard him slowly turn and begin to walk away. Closing my eyes in relief, I let myself out of the bathroom

and into my bedroom. Quickly I ripped off my outfit and tossed it on the ground. I’d loved that silk suit, and I’d taken really good care of it throughout the years, but I never wanted to see it again. I knew that I could never wear it again without memories of this awful day coming up to haunt me. Leaving in on the floor, I pulled on loose jeans and a flowy blouse that hid my breasts. I thought that Roger was probably too drunk to try anything, but I didn’t want to give him any ideas. With a sigh, I crept out of the bedroom with my phone tucked in my jeans. “Roger!” I sang out cheerfully. “I’m

going to mix you another drink now! What do you want?” “Same thing as before,” Roger said in a feeble voice. “Make it stronger this time. I could barely taste the last one.” I walked into the living room with a grin plastered on my face. Roger reclined on the couch, looking like he was about to pass out. I picked the empty glass off the coffee table and carried it into the kitchen. I didn’t have very much vodka left, but I poured all of it into the glass and topped it with extra grenadine. “Here you go,” I said sweetly when I was back in front of Roger. “Drink up

now!” He took the glass from me and greedily drank. Liquid spilled out of the glass and ran down his chin and he wiped himself hastily, but not before it spilled onto his shirt. When he wasn’t looking, I reached behind me and pressed the home button of my phone. I’d set the recorder up before I’d left my bedroom, and now I prayed that it was turned on. “Roger,” I said as I perched on the edge of the couch. “Have you thought about robbing Tinder’s for a long time?” Roger guffawed. Bits of spittle landed on my face and I wiped them away,

trying to subdue my disgust. “Oh, I’ve thought about it for longer than you’ve been alive,” he said with a cackle. “That’s the holy grail, baby. And you helped!” “But I didn’t want to,” I said quickly. “You know that, right? You made me help you.” Roger looked at me and laughed. I felt the panic start to set in. Maybe he wouldn’t help me. Maybe he knew what I was doing, somehow. I felt the tears start to come back and even though I tried to blink them away, one of them rolled down my cheek.

“Aw, baby,” Roger said. “Don’t cry. Come over here and sit next to Roger.” I shook my head. “No,” I said. “You might make me do something else I don’t wanna do.” Roger laughed again. I was relieved to see that he wasn’t getting angry. “Baby, Roger ain’t gonna make you do shit,” he said. “You already helped me more than you could ever know. You did Roger a big favor.” “I didn’t do you a favor,” I replied. “You forced me to help you. Come on, Roger. At least admit it.”

“Fine,” Roger said. He stuck his tongue out at me in a juvenile display. “I made you help me. Happy now? Are you still mad?” He made his voice into a grotesque approximation of a little kid’s. “Did Roger hurt Sarah’s feelings?” I sniffled. “No!” I said. “But I’m going to prison now, because of you. It’s all your fault! You ruined my life, Roger.” I said. “And I hate you for that.” “Come on, baby,” Roger said. His voice softened and I stepped closer. “I only did that because I needed you,” he said. “I couldn’t have done it without you. You think Roger could have gone in there and not looked suspicious if he

was looking at jewelry? You think I could have gone and scouted all those pieces without someone thinking I was planning a robbery? I don’t look innocent like you, baby, I just don’t. So I had to use you.” Bingo. “Thanks for admitting it,” I said, sniffling. I wiped my nose and tried to give Roger a pathetic smile. “I feel a little better now.” “Of course, baby, that’s what Roger likes to do,” he slurred. “You wanna hear more stories about Roger?” Can Roger stop fucking talking in the third person? I wondered, but didn’t say

out loud. “Sure,” I said, smiling sweetly. “What else do you want to tell me?” Roger grinned. His head flopped back on the couch. “Oh, lots of things,” he said in a slurry voice. “Like how Roger planned to use you for more little activities and fun.” “Oh, no,” I said quickly. “I’m not helping you with anything else. No fucking way. You’re gonna have to find someone else, Roger.” “But you’re such a good actress,” Roger whined. He didn’t even realize that I wasn’t being serious. “You gotta help me out, baby,” he added. “I can’t do nothin’

without you helping me.” “Roger, come on,” I said in exasperation. “This was a one-time deal. You promised you’d leave me alone.” “But you didn’t wanna help me, did you?” Roger’s eyes opened and he glared at me. “You had to make me force you with those pictures.” My mouth dropped open. I’d all but forgotten the pictures. In light of everything else that had happened, they seemed like the most trivial things in the world. “Um, you destroyed those, right?”

Roger laughed. “You really is dumber than I thought,” he said, showing his mouth of rotten teeth. “You think I’d really delete those hot little snaps of your hot little snatch?” My face burned to hear him address me so crudely. “I wouldn’t get rid of those for anything, baby girl,” he said, almost cajoling. “So you better get that idea straightened out right now.” I frowned. “What can I make you do to get rid of them?” Roger laughed. “Everything in those pictures, baby,” he said, licking his lips. “But you can start by giving me a little sucking action down below, you know

what I mean?” He gestured to his crotch and I looked away in revulsion. My nausea had come back. I couldn’t believe he still had the photos! Even after Blake had told me they’d been destroyed! “I’m not touching you,” I said in a shaky voice. “But you have to get rid of those fucking pictures,” I hissed. “No one can see those, you understand?” “Then maybe you’ll help Roger out with a little errand,” Roger said with a grin. “Tell me, baby, you think you can do that?” “No,” I hissed. “One time. That was the

deal.” In panic, I reached around behind me and pressed the button on my phone. It had already recorded too much, but there was nothing I could do. Slipping it back into my pocket, I squared my shoulders and faced Roger. “We’ll see,” Roger said. His head drooped forward and for a moment it looked like he was going to fall asleep. Please fall asleep, I prayed silently. Please. “Roger?” I tried in a soft voice. “Are you feeling okay?” “My head hurts,” Roger mumbled. “I think I drank too much.”

“Oh, no,” I said sympathetically. “Why don’t you take your shoes off and lie down for a little while? That might help, it always helps me.” “That’s a good idea, baby,” Roger slurred. He struggled with his shoes and I bent down at his feet and pulled them off. He wasn’t wearing socks and the smell coming from his feet was rancid. I gagged and closed my eyes, turning my head away from his foul skin. It was like he’d bathed in garbage. “Just relax and get comfortable,” I said in a soothing voice. “I’ll be right here when you wake up.”

Roger looked at me blearily. The lids of his eyes fluttered shut, and finally, he fell asleep. I watched him snore for a few seconds to make sure that he wouldn’t wake up and bolted out of the room and down the hallway. Locking myself in my bedroom, I texted Blake. Here’s the recording. Take it to the cops! Please hurry! Roger’s passed out. He didn’t respond for a few minutes. They felt like the longest of my life. I sat down on my bed, suddenly filled with energy. My toes started tapping against the carpet and I had to grab my leg to force myself to stop. Finally, my phone buzzed. I looked down to see a text from Blake.

Got it, he’d replied. Going to the cops now. Stay where you are. I’m coming.

Chapter Twenty Nine Blake

It took Sarah an eternity to get back in touch with me. After leaving Tinder’s, I’d ridden home. She’d texted me when I was on the way and then called me soon after. I was just happy that I’d had a chance to talk with her before the cops did. I knew they would show no mercy, not even for a pretty girl like Sarah. I listened to the recording. It was pretty solid, but Sarah could have cut it off a little earlier. Now I knew the cops were

going to find out about the pictures. I could have cursed myself for not being more thorough when I’d gone to talk to Roger. I couldn’t believe that I’d been stupid enough to believe him. “I deleted everything!” Yeah fucking right, Roger. You didn’t delete shit. I wanted to go back in time and punch him hard for every single fucking second that he’d lied to me. I wanted to make him pay. For what he’d done to me, but most of all, for what he’d done to Sarah. I knew that with speed and a little luck, the recorded testimony would be enough to lock hm up and put him behind bars. Roger had been more demented and more dangerous than I’d given him credit

for. I couldn’t believe that someone like Sarah had gotten mixed up in this. It made me shiver to realize how much worse it would have been if I hadn’t interfered. She’d be stuck helping Roger for the rest of her life, or until the cops caught up. Sure, they weren’t the brightest around, but I knew that she still had to watch her back. I wasn’t even sure if the recording would be enough to exonerate her. Roger’s words were chilling, but he also was drunk. I hoped that wouldn’t be enough to ruin the testimony. Shaking my head, I stuck my phone in my pocket and grabbed my jacket. I knew that I had to act quickly if I wanted to get

out there and save Sarah. But first, I had to go to the cops. I hated the police. As a member of the MC, I never trusted them. They were always looking for ways to fuck us, looking for ways to make it so they could put us all behind bars and control everything themselves. But the cops who’d showed up at Tinder’s had absolutely no idea what they’d been doing. I remembered them gawking over Sarah on the security cam footage like she was some kind of strange animal. It was enough to make me feel sick. I hopped on my bike and sped towards the police station. It was the middle of the day and there were no cars on the roads, but it took me forever to get there.

The receptionist eyed me with boredom when I burst through the front doors. “Who here is working on the Tinder’s heist?” The receptionist looked at me with crossed eyes. “I don’t know,” she said dully. “Want me to page the sergeant?” “Sure,” I said, throwing my hands down on the counter. “Whatever, whoever, just do it fast.” I glared at her. “This is an emergency.” “Fine,” she said in the same snippy tone. “Hold your horses.”

It took her forever to page one of the cops. Finally, two guys in uniform came down the hallway. One of them was picking at his teeth with a wooden toothpick. “Can we help you?” “Yeah,” I said. “I’m Blake Ward, the security guard from Tinder’s. I have something you’ll want to hear.” One of them looked at me skeptically. “I don’t know,” he said slowly. “Just what would that be?” “Stop wasting fucking time,” I growled, raking a hand through my hair. “This is

fucking serious!” The other cop moved his hand to his gun. “Come on,” he said slowly. “There’s no need for that kind of aggression around here. Whatever it is, we’ll handle it.” “Take this,” I said, handing him my phone. “There’s a recording on it, from Sarah. She’s the woman in the videos. You need to listen to what she says.” “Holy shit,” one of the cops breathed. “Are you for real?” “Yes,” I hissed. “Just hurry up and take it. I have to go.”

“Not so fast,” the first cop said. “We need to talk to you, how did you get this?” “It doesn’t matter!” I said loudly, stepping backwards. “I have to go, right now.” The cops came towards me, shaking their heads. Before I could give them any chance to get closer, I turned on my heel and ran. I heard them yelling and stomping their feet behind me in a futile attempt to catch up, but I was faster. I bolted out of the station and leapt on my bike, gunning it to life and pointing it in the direction of Sarah’s apartment.

The cops were hot on my tail; I could hear the sirens starting behind me almost immediately. I drove as fast as I could but I couldn’t shake them, and I knew that I was leading them straight to Sarah. Shit. But it was too late to stop and turn around. Besides, I’d told her that I was coming. I’d promised her. I couldn’t let her down, not again, not after I’d fucked up this much in the first place. I felt overwhelming guilt for having told her that Roger had been taken care of. There’s still time, I told myself. We can still make this work. When I pulled into Sarah’s parking lot, I dropped my bike and ran up the stairs two at a time. I stood outside her door

breathing hard. Inside was silent. A chill of fear ran down my spine as I stood with my ear to the door. In the distance, the sirens were starting to get louder and louder. Just as my hand was on the doorknob, a male voice came into earshot. Roger. I couldn’t hear what he was saying, but I heard Sarah protest loudly, followed by a loud cracking sound. I winced as I imagined him slapping her. When we’d talked last, he’d been asleep. I knew that he must be angry and hungover by now, and I knew I had to get to Sarah as fast as possible. Sarah’s apartment had a porch with a separate door around the back; I remembered seeing it after leaving one

time, after we’d had sex. Silently, I held my breath and snuck around the back of the complex. Her porch was about a half-story into the air, but if I stood on the air conditioning unit, I could pull myself up. It was broad daylight and I was feeling self-conscious about scaling the wall. Just fucking do it, I told myself. If you don’t hurry up, he’s going to kill her. Or the cops will kill them both. Just fucking hurry. I climbed on top of the whirring air conditioning box and grabbed a hold of Sarah’s porch grating. The metal was rusting and it stung my hands but I hauled myself up and over the railing. The door was shut and the

blinds were drawn. Cautiously, I reached out and slid it open. Yes! I thought triumphantly. It worked! Easing myself inside, I pressed my ear to the wall and listened for voices. Roger had stopped talking but I thought I heard a woman’s faint sobs. My heart lurched when I thought about him hurting Sarah. I already wanted to rip him apart with my bare hands; somehow just killing him didn’t seem like enough. I reached into the back of my waistband and pulled out my gun. Cocking it and making sure the safety was off, I aimed it and slid along the wall, creeping down the hallway. From the living room, I

could hear the sounds of the TV. There was no talking, and the crying seemed to have stopped. When I rounded the corner, I saw Roger sitting on the couch. Sarah was crouched at his feet, looking miserable. She looked up and saw me and I held a finger to my lips. Sarah’s eyes widened, but she didn’t move and betray me. I stepped further into the room until I was right behind Roger. “Get up and fight me like a man,” I said. “Asshole.” Roger jumped at the sound. He stood and turned around shakily. I could smell the alcohol wafting off his breath from where I stood and I realized that he was

still heavily intoxicated. Suddenly, the rage inside of me boiled over. I lurched forward and grabbed Roger with one hand, slamming him to the floor. He looked up at me with dazed eyes and I hit him over the head with my pistol before winding back my fist and punching him hard in the face. “That’s better than you deserve,” I hissed. “Get up and fight like a man, asshole!” I repeated. Roger blinked at me. “No! Blake!” Sarah cried out. She grabbed my arm and tried to drag me away. “Blake, leave him alone! You know you can’t touch him!”

“Stay out of this,” I hissed. Sarah stumbled backwards and she cried out as I punched Roger hard, again and again. Every time he tried to struggle and sit up, I punched him. Before long, Roger was staring up at me with two black eyes. “You ain’t gonna beat me,” he hissed. “You can’t do it. I know you can’t. You don’t have the fucking balls,” Roger spat. His breath smelled foul and I kicked him hard with the toe of my boot. He cringed and curled up in the fetal position, but then he opened his eyes and gave me the same smug grin as before. “You know you can’t kill me,” he said.

“You can’t risk going to prison.” “Fuck you,” I spat. Leaning down, I whipped him with my gun over and over, until blood was gushing from his nose and mouth. In the corner of the room, Sarah was sobbing loudly. “Blake!” Sarah cried. She came forward and wrapped her small hands around my arm, jerking it back from Roger’s prone figure. “Blake, leave him alone,” she pleaded. “He’s passed out. He’s not going to hurt you anymore.” “It’s not me he hurt,” I growled. “It’s you.”

Sarah’s cheeks pinked. “I’m sorry,” she whispered softly. “Please leave him alone. You know that means you could go back to prison,” she added under her breath. “I don’t want to see you hurt.” My hands were already swelling and sore. I hated to admit it, but I knew that she was right. “Fuck,” I muttered. “I don’t even care if I go to prison for that. It felt too good.” Sarah wrapped her arms around me and squeezed me tight. “Please,” she said softly. “Please just hold me for a minute. I can deal with everything else that’s gonna happen as long as you keep holding me.”

I breathed in the vanilla-chili scent of her hair and closed my eyes, pulling Sarah’s tight little body towards me. She melted against my frame and wrapped her arms snugly around my torso. I felt my some of my anger dissipate as she held on tightly, burying her face in my chest. When I felt the front of my shirt getting wet, I knew she was crying. Sarah’s whole body was shaking. I felt totally and completely helpless. Breaking in and beating up her assailant was one thing, but whenever a woman cried around me, I just desperately wanted to make her stop. “Sarah, please,” I whispered soothingly

into her hair. “It’s gonna be alright. I promise everything’s gonna be okay.” My hands were splattered with Roger’s blood but I held her anyway. It seemed fitting; a killer’s hands. They were still my hands after all, and I knew how much pleasure—and pain—they could bring. But right now the most important thing was that they were touching Sarah. She pulled away and looked at me with her wet emerald eyes. “No it’s not,” she said in a shaky voice. “Nothing’s ever gonna be okay again.” She twisted around and craned her neck to look at Roger’s prone body. He stirred but didn’t wake, and Sarah cried out in anguish. She buried her face in my chest

and resumed sobbing. All I could do was stroke her back and murmur soothing bullshit until the moment had passed. I didn’t know what I was supposed to do; I’d already taken care of Roger. I didn’t know why she was still so upset. “Sarah, listen,” I told her. “We don’t have much time. You need to get out of here. The cops were right on my ass as I was driving out this way.” Sarah’s frame sagged against me. Sighing, I wrapped my arms more tightly around her and pulled her back to the bedroom. At least this way, she wouldn’t have to look at Roger.

“The cops are coming?” She looked up at me with a whole new level of panic and anxiety on her face. “Did you tell them?” I put my hands on her shoulders and looked into her scared face. “Sarah, I had to,” I told her breathlessly. “They were going to arrest you if I didn’t.” Panic and fear registered on her face. “Oh my god,” she said in one quick breath. “I don’t believe it, Blake.” I nodded. “Sarah, this is for the best,” I said. “I promise. Everything is going to be okay. Everything is going to work out.”

The sirens became louder and I winced, knowing that soon they’d be entering the apartment complex. I hadn’t hidden my bike when I parked, and it was clearly visible from the road. If the cops were paying attention, they’d know exactly where to go. I shuddered; the scene was likely to be chaos, but it was necessary chaos. They’d have to question everyone —including myself—and it wasn’t going to be fun, but it had to happen. Sarah clung to me even tighter and buried her damp face in my armpit. I stroked her hair and tried to keep my mind off what would happen later. I was exhausted, suddenly. All of the trauma of

the past week was catching up with me. And I knew that if I was feeling tired, Sarah must be a wreck. The sirens got closer and closer. I could tell they were in the parking lot. “Sarah, these cops are going to want to talk to you,” I told her urgently. “Tell them the truth. The whole truth, right from the beginning.” She shook her head and bit her lip. “I can’t!” she said in a panicked rush. “I can’t tell them everything. They’ll blame me, Blake. I know they will. They’ll tell me it’s at least partially my fault.” She lowered her eyes. “Roger made me an

accessory!” “They’ll believe you,” I said in a soothing tone, hoping that my words could mean something to her. The truth was, I wasn’t entirely sure if they would. I knew that the recorded testimony would only go so far. They’d have to get statements from each of us. My head spun at the amount of paperwork we’d have to go through just to be clear. And maybe I wasn’t even clear. There was still the definite possibility that I’d have to go to jail. Finally, I heard car doors slamming outside. “They’re here,” Sarah said in a panicked voice. It was a few octaves

above her normal register. “I’m not ready,” she said in a rush. “Can you stay with me?” “For as long as I can,” I promised her. My hands were swollen and aching and my whole body was starting to hurt. Roger had been too drunk to put up much of a fight, but I still felt exhausted. I could have slept for days. Someone was pounding on the door. “I’ll get it,” Sarah said. I shook my head. “No, let me,” I told her. “It’ll be better this way. Trust me.” She nodded. Her green eyes were wide

with fear, but she let me pass her and walk out to the living room. “Open up!” I heard a cop grunt from the other side of the door. “We know you’re in there!” I opened the door and wedged my boot firmly in place, keeping it open only a few inches. “You can come in,” I told them. “Roger’s incapacitated right now. Sarah’s right here.” “We need to take both of them downtown,” the cop replied. “Move, Ward. Or you’ll get it.” He cocked his gun and aimed it at me. A spike of fear went through my heart but I knew that I

couldn’t move. “We’ll talk here,” I said urgently. “She’s terrified. She’s been through a lot, and she’s feeling traumatized right now.” The cop shook his head. “That ain’t how this works,” he growled. “Now open the fucking door!” “Promise me you won’t jump to conclusions,” I begged. “Please. The tape recording says everything. You listened to it, didn’t you?” The cop nodded. “We heard everything we need to hear,” he said gruffly. For some reason, that didn’t make me feel

better. “Now let me in,” he repeated. “I don’t want to use force against you, Blake.” Reluctantly, I stepped back from the door. The cop burst through with two of his cronies. They were all armed and pointing their guns around. When they saw Roger’s bloody form on the floor, they turned to me. “What the fuck is this?” one of them asked. He got in my face. “What the fuck? Did you do this?” I nodded. “In self defense,” I said quickly. “And to protect Sarah.”

The cop nodded. “I’ll need a statement from you,” he said. “You’ll have to come downtown with us.” My heart sank. “Fine,” I said. “I’ll tell Sarah. Should I have her get her coat?” The cop nodded. “My guys are already talking to her,” he said. From the bedroom, I heard a shriek. The cops were trying to push the door open and Sarah was cowering inside. “Sarah, let them in!” I yelled loudly. “They only wanna talk to you!” “No!” she shrieked. “No! I can’t! I’m scared!”

“Ma’am, we’re not going to hurt you,” one of the cops said. “But you need to come out and talk to us or else we’ll have to come in and get you.” “Don’t make them do that,” I called. “Sarah, come out and talk to them. It won’t take long. I promise!” After what felt like an eternity of waiting, Sarah emerged from the bedroom. She poked her head out, looking scared and upset like a little girl. I watched as she sniffled wiped her damp eyes with a hand. “Okay,” she said finally. “We can talk.”

“Good,” one of the cops praised. “Let’s go out to the living room and get ready to go downtown.” He looked me over from head to toe. “As for you,” he began, scratching at his chin with his fingers. “You know this might lead to a lot of trouble, Ward. You remember the little talk we had when you were last in the station?” I gulped. Sarah’s face fell as she realized that the cop meant. It was true; they’d warned me about additional assault. And now that worry was coming to life. “I know,” I said gruffly. “I know. I’ll talk

to you guys. I’ll come downtown.” The cop nodded. “We hate to punish for good behavior,” he said. “But we don’t exactly write the laws.” I rolled my eyes. The only thing I hated more than cops were sanctimonious, awful cops. I watched as Sarah cautiously let herself out of the bedroom. She was still clad in her top and jeans from earlier, but she looked exhausted. In the living room, one of the cops had hauled Roger to his feet and they were dragging him outside. His face was covered with blood and he was muttering something about how he

didn’t do anything. I rolled my eyes. It was fucking pathetic. “Are you taking me with him?” Sarah asked in a quivering voice. “I don’t want to ride with him,” she added. She pointed a finger towards Roger and shuddered backwards when he smiled at her through a mess of gore. “Please,” she added quietly. “I can’t stand the thought of being next to him for another second.” The cops nodded. “Fine,” one of them said. “I’m Officer Brown, and this is Officer Donnelly. Ride downtown with Officer Donnelly.” Sarah nodded hastily. “I will,” she said

in a voice barely above a whisper. “Thank you.” I was on autopilot as the cops led the three of us outside. The late afternoon sun was starting to shimmer and fade and I squinted my eyes against the glare in the parking lot. They pushed Sarah into the back of one cop car and Roger in the other. “Do you have a choice?” Instantly, I went over to Donnelly’s car and stood by the door. Sarah’s face brightened when she saw me. The drive downtown seemed to take no time at all. I was wondering all of the things they

would ask. I wondered what they already knew, and what they’d look for confirmation on. The whole thing was such a mess that my head was spinning. The more I thought about it, the more exhausted I felt. Sarah’s hand found mine in the backseat of the police cruiser and she squeezed my fingers. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I know this means a lot of trouble for you.” I shook my head. “It doesn’t necessarily,” I told her. “Things could be fine.”

Sarah bit her lip. “I feel bad,” she told me. “I never wanted this to happen to you. You have to understand that, Blake. I never wanted you to rescue me.” When she said it, I couldn’t respond for some reason. Something inside of me was broken, unresponsive. I sighed heavily. I knew that we’d have to talk about it later, but I wanted to put it off for as long as I could. “I know,” I told her finally. “I know. We’ll get through it. It’ll be okay.” Sarah didn’t look reassured. She turned towards the window and pressed her face against the glass. When I felt the

cruiser begin to shake, I looked over and saw that she was crying. Hoarse little strained sounds were coming out of her mouth and she covered them up with both hands, but I still hear. Donnelly drove on, oblivious to our emotional scene in the backseat. “It’ll be okay,” I repeated. But I was no longer sure of who I was reassuring— Sarah or myself.

Chapter Thirty Sarah

The police station was even more imposing than I imagined it would be. I blinked hastily as Officer Donnelly shuffled us inside. We weren’t handcuffed, but Roger was. Seeing his hands pinned behind his back, his face covered in blood, I wanted to laugh. He suddenly looked so pathetic. I couldn’t believe that I’d been afraid of him. Secretly, I felt like a fool. Roger was dangerous, but I didn’t think he was a killer. I didn’t think that he would have

shot me. I hated myself for not fighting harder. I hated myself for getting Blake involved in this, and I hated myself for loving him more than ever. I knew that this signaled the end of things between us. If I wasn’t going to jail, Blake probably was. And then he’d hate me forever. I wondered if I’d ever be able to forgive myself for sending Blake back to prison. Right now, it didn’t look likely. I thought about the conversation Julia and I would have. It would be sometime after I’d gotten back on my feet, barely. And she’d still be judgmental, but I’d no longer care. It was funny how little

things changed in a matter of weeks. Or days, even. I couldn’t remember when I’d first felt that I was falling in love with Blake. But it was more powerful than anything I’d ever experienced, and I knew what had happened would haunt me for the rest of my life. “Sarah? Sarah?” Officer Donnelly leaned in my face. “We’re going to go talk now, okay?” I shot a fearful look at Blake. He nodded, as if to tell me that everything was going to be okay. “Okay,” I said softly. “I’ll follow you.” Donnelly led me down a narrow

corridor and into a windowless, tiny room. There was a desk with two chairs and a plant on the desk. It was grim, but it didn’t look as dire as I’d imagined. Maybe everything really would be okay. Maybe. But probably not, I thought to myself. They’re probably just trying to lull you into a false sense of security. “We understand you were acquainted with Roger Dawes through your old job at The Silk Aria. That’s managed by Tony Giacomo, right?” I nodded. “Yeah, that’s right.” I said. “I only met Roger a few months ago. But he was always creepy.”

The cop shook his head. “Try to avoid saying things like that,” he said. “I get what you mean, but we need an objective portrayal of events. What happened to link you with Roger?” I blinked. “Um,” I said, blushing, “don’t you know this?” The cop stared at me. “We just need to hear it from you,” he said. “I know this isn’t easy for you. But please try to work with me, okay? This is the nicer alternative. We could put you up in a cell for a few hours and then try talking. But I have a feeling you wouldn’t like that very much.”

I shivered. “Okay,” I stammered. “Tony laid me off because he couldn’t afford to keep me working. And when I got home that night, there was an eviction notice on my door. I only had a few days to come up with over a thousand dollars.” I blinked. The cop was scrawling everything I said down on a pad of paper, and there was a tape recorder with a little blinking red light. “And then what happened?” “Well, I went to beg for my job back the next morning,” I said. “I stayed up all night trying to think of ways to get the money. But there wasn’t anything plausible. I mean, you saw my

apartment, you know I don’t have anything to sell.” It was meant to be a joke, but Donnelly didn’t laugh. “And then?” Donnelly’s manner was uniformly intense. My stomach started to cramp up and I felt the tears coming back. Hastily, I blinked my eyes and tried to clear them away. “And obviously Tony said he couldn’t consider rehiring me,” I said flatly. A tear fell down my cheek and I wiped it away. “Just as I was leaving, Roger told me that he could help me. He told me to meet him early the next week in the park,

and he’d tell me what he wanted me to do.” “And you believed this was a legitimate opportunity for work?” Donnelly glanced at me. “You didn’t think that he would do anything dangerous, or illegal?” “Um,” I stammered. “I’m not sure. I was so desperate that I’m not sure what I thought. I barely knew Roger at that point.” Donnelly took a long time writing down what I’d said. A stab of fear pierced my heart and I shivered. “Okay, what next?”

“So I went to meet him. And I was still looking for lots of other opportunities on the side. But nothing came up, so I didn’t have a choice. I went to meet him in the park.” I looked expectantly at Donnelly and he motioned for me to keep talking. “And he told me he wanted some help with something. When I told him I wouldn’t do anything illegal, he promised me that it wasn’t illegal. He said he just needed help scouting a store.” My heart was sinking fast as I retold the story. More than ever, it looked like I could be charged with something. I hated myself for being in such a desperate situation, but Donnelly looked at me

with sympathy. “Continue, Ms. Graham,” Donnelly said. “And when I refused to help, he showed me these pictures,” I said, blushing furiously. “They were naked pictures I had taken for money when I was much younger. I didn’t want anyone to find out about them, and Roger said he would sell them to revenge porn sites if I didn’t cooperate with him.” Donnelly shook his head. I couldn’t tell whether he was judging me or Roger, but he nodded for me to go on. “So I did it,” I said hastily. “Roger never

paid me. Blake went to talk to him and came back with cash. That was how I paid my rent.” Donnelly narrowed his eyes. “So you had your friend Mr. Ward take care of Roger?” “No, no,” I said, shaking my head. “It wasn’t like that. I didn’t know what he was going to do, and he promised that Roger wouldn’t be hurt.” Donnelly glanced up. “I see,” he said. I was dying to ask him more questions, but I kept my mouth shut.

“And then I thought Roger was gone. But he showed up at my apartment and hit me and forced me into his car with a gun to my head. He told me if I didn’t help him rob the store, he’d shoot me and everyone else. He threatened me, Officer,” I said, trying to make my eyes big. “I was afraid for my life. And for Blake’s. He told me that if I didn’t help him, he’d hurt Blake.” “And he arranged for Mr. Ward to be kidnapped, is that correct?” “Yes,” I said. “I’m not sure what happened; we haven’t gotten to talk about it.”

“My understanding is that Mr. Ward was attacked from behind in the parking lot of a bar. He woke up incapacitated and tied up. I’m not sure how he escaped, but he received the recording from you shortly thereafter.” “Okay,” I said, blinking. “Yeah, I don’t exactly know what happened. Aren’t you going to talk to Blake about it?” Donnelly nodded. “We’re speaking with him right now,” he said. “It was important that we talked to each of you separately, to make sure we’re getting the truth.” “What happens now?” I asked in a

scared voice. “Will I have to go to prison?” “Probably not,” Donnelly said. “It’s likely that we’ll need you to come back in for more interviews, though, so please don’t think about leaving town.” My heart clanged against the walls of my chest and I nodded. I wasn’t sure if what I was feeling could be called relief or not, but it was something. I sagged against the back of the chair. I was feeling exhausted. It hadn’t even been twenty-four hours since the whole thing happened, but I was feeling like I’d been awake for over a week.

“Can I go?” “Sure,” Donnelly said. “And, Sarah, remember what I told you. No traveling right now, no going out of town. If we try to get in touch with you, please be responsive.” “Do you think you’ll need to?” My voice came out as a squeak. “I’m not sure,” Donnelly said. “But this is a necessary precaution.” My legs felt like lead as he directed me to the lobby. “Thanks,” I said. I blushed when I realized that I’d spoken automatically.

Blake was sitting on a wooden bench. His lips curved up when he saw me and he looked just as tired as I felt. “Hi,” I said shyly. “We should go by the hospital.” Blake shook his head. “I feel fine,” he insisted. “Come on. I’ll drop you at home.” “We’re going to the hospital,” I said, stamping my foot down. “You could be hurt, Blake.” “Fine,” he grumbled. “Come on. I’ll take you on my bike.”

Officer Donnelly gave us a ride back to my apartment. He looked at me carefully. “Do you have a place to stay? Your apartment is technically a crime scene right now. You won’t be able to go inside for a few days.” I swallowed hard. “Yeah,” I said, thinking of Julia. “I have a friend I can stay with.” Donnelly nodded. “Good. Do you need an escort to the hospital?” I shook my head. “We’re fine, thanks,” I said.

Donnelly gazed from me to Blake. He wagged a finger in our direction. “Remember what I told you,” Donnelly warned. “Both of you.”

Blake nodded. “We’ll remember,” he said gruffly. “Thanks for the lift.” Blake handed me a helmet and I climbed on the back of his bike. Wrapping my arms around him and clinging tightly felt like the most natural thing in the world. It was hard to imagine that soon I wouldn’t have him around anymore. After everything that had happened, I couldn’t imagine that he’d actually want

to stay with me. The hospital could be the last place I saw him. The drive seemed to take no time at all. Blake parked his bike and we walked towards the emergency entrance together. He looked down at me and raked a hand through his blond hair. “Doesn’t really feel real, does it?” “What?” I looked up at him. “What do you mean?” “I mean, this isn’t really an emergency,” Blake said with a smirk. “I can’t believe you’re making me do this.”

“It’s important,” I said, blushing. “You might be hurt.” Blake rolled his eyes. “I’m not hurt,” he grumbled. “But we’ll get this done and taken care of.” As we walked into the emergency room, all eyes were on Blake. People gasped when they realized he was covered in blood and he grinned and held up his hands. I had the sense that he was enjoying this. Against my better judgment, a ripple of excitement went through my body. After we’d checked in, I settled down on the leatherette chairs next to Blake. His

frame was so big that he took up three seats and he stretched out and sighed. “How long do you think we’ll be here?” I shrugged. “I don’t know,” I said. “I’m sorry.” Blake looked away and I felt that pang of anxiety flash through me again. “It’s fine,” he said. “Damn, what a week though, right?” I nodded uneasily. “The worst I’ve ever had, probably,” I said. “Probably more typical for you.” Blake laughed drily. “Not even a

chance,” he said. “This tops almost everything to happen lately.” A nurse stepped out from the back and called Blake’s name. He got up and followed her down the hall, turning around to glance at me one last time. “I won’t be long,” he called. “Can you wait here?” I nodded. “I don’t really have anywhere else to go,” I told him. But he’d already left. When I was alone, I shut my eyes and let my head drop into my hands. I was so tired that reality seemed to have cling-

wrap coating it. But every time I was without Blake, things just seemed so much worse. Maybe in another time, or another life, we could have gotten together and loved each other. Maybe. But not now, I thought dully. Not after all this. I hated Roger. I was glad that he was behind bars. A small part of me was even glad that Blake had beaten him so badly. He deserves it, I thought. I blushed. It was probably one of the meanest thoughts I’d ever had in my whole life, but it was true. It took a couple of hours for Blake to reappear. He swaggered out in his jeans,

carrying his MC vest in his arms. “Come on,” he said. “Let’s go.” We walked out to the bike in silence. “Are you okay?” “Yeah,” Blake said. “I’m fine. How are you?” I yawned. Blake laughed. “About like that,” I admitted, rubbing my face. “I want a bath. And a nap. And a pizza.” Blake climbed on his bike and I got on behind him. I’d miss this, this speeding around on a big black engine. It made me feel both powerful and protected, like Blake himself was responsible for the

thrill of riding a motorcycle. I shivered; the day was turning into dusk and I wasn’t wearing a heavy jacket. The ride to Blake’s apartment took a long time. In my head, I was thinking of what I would say to Julia. She’d bitch and grouse about it, but she’d let me stay, especially after I told her what happened. I closed my eyes and imagined the rest of my life alone, a spinster aunt to Hailey. Julia would probably get remarried. But after this, I knew I had to stay away from men for the rest of my life, especially men like Blake, men who were dangerous, because I could fall in love with them.

“Thanks for the ride,” I said in a strained voice. We were standing in the parking lot and I wrapped my arms around myself and shivered. “I appreciate it. I’m gonna call my friend Julia now. I think she’ll let me crash with her.” Blake frowned. “And just why are you leaving?” I looked at him. His face was completely open and sincere. But telling him was going to be hard. “Because I fucked up,” I said, looking down. “I fucked up and I assumed things were over between us. I put you in danger. I put you at risk of going to prison again!” Tears were beginning to prick my eyes and I looked

at the ground, rubbing my toe against the asphalt. “I’m sorry,” I added. “I know that’s not good enough, but if I could change everything, if I could go back, I would in a heartbeat!” “Sarah,” Blake said in his trademark gruff voice. “What the hell are you talking about?” “Come on,” I said bitterly. “You wouldn’t want to be with me now. You don’t want a woman who puts herself and you in bad situations all the time. And after everything that happened with Roger?” I sniffed. “I know there’s no way it could work out between us.”

Blake sighed loudly. He put his helmet down on his bike and looked into my eyes. I felt a shiver of fear and arousal spike through my body when I realized I had no idea what he was thinking. “Sarah, that’s not true,” he said. “None of it is. I don’t want you to leave. I don’t want to be without you.” My heart lurched in my chest. “What?” I looked up at him. “But what about when I left? What about when I ran away from you the other night?” Blake laughed. “So don’t do it again,” he said in a lighter tone. “And besides, you apologized for that. When you called me earlier today, you said you were sorry.

Apology accepted.” I stared at him, feeling dumbfounded. “Are you sure?” Blake reached out and wrapped his hands around my waist, pulling me close. In a second, I felt my body slam against his. “I’m more than sure,” he said, nuzzling my hair. A spark of electricity jumped between us. “And if you ever try to leave again, I’ll tie you to my bed.” I sagged against him. Relief and love were flooding my body. “I love you,” I said quietly into his chest. “I love you, Blake.”

Blake hugged me tighter. “I love you too,” he said. “Now come on. Let’s go inside. I have a feeling we have a lot of catching up to do.” THE END

More works from Heather West ***

Lucky “Handle with care”: three words I’ve never said. I’m not a nice guy. I’ll break your heart and your headboard, and leave without a trace. After months laying low in Ireland, I’m coming home. One thing on my mind: kill the men who betrayed me.

But when the trucker smuggling me back to the States turns out to be a sexy, doeeyed brunette, I figure it’s the luck of the Irish. A nice little bang before I get back to my revenge mission. She’s a doctor-in-training, as desperate to stitch my wounds as she is to bend over my bed. She thinks she knows anatomy, but she’s never seen a man like me. And by the time I’m done with her, She’ll never want anything else.

Mason I had only one way to survive – on my back. Lucy A girl's gotta get by, and the only way to stay alive was by selling myself to the Hell's Disciples. I told myself it was just a job, that all the men were the same. But when I was given to Mason for the

night, there was something different about him. The tattoos covering his broad shoulders, his intense eyes... I was hooked. There's only one problem: If the Disciples find out their club girl has fallen for a rival, neither of us will make it out alive. Mason I don't settle down. I f**k and move on. When you're running drugs across the border,

the one thing you can't do is sit still. That hooker I was given last week? At first, she was nothing more than a peace offering. But when my enemies say I can't have her, there's only one thing I want to do: own her completely.

Crush Ashley It isn't easy going home – not when HE'S there. How couldn't I love him? His blond hair, tousled from his football helmet, the muscles rippling along his quarterback shoulders, the way he looks at me when we pass each other half-clothed in the hallway in the middle of the night... His eyes, exposing me. Baring me.

Stripping me down to nothing but skin and desire. I've never wanted anything like I wanted him to cross the distance between us. I can't act on this lust, can't say anything. It would destroy our family. But I'm only human. And he's sleeping in the room next door... Danny I'm happy to see her, of course. But it's hard to ignore the feeling she ignites in my chest.

Once upon a time, that used to be enough. But not anymore. Now, when she looks at me and bites her lower lip, desire flashing through her eyes, I worry that I will lose control. I don't know if I'll be able to stop myself from doing what we both want – making her mine. The problem is, she's mine already. And she's sleeping in the room next door.

Shadow Sky He seems to hate me but I have no idea why. Or am I mistaking hate for something else? If only I could remember him. Or anything, really. Within that perfectly chiseled body, his insides are black—he’s rotten underneath. He’s dangerous, dark, and yet somewhere deep inside myself I know what it feels like to scream his

name. I catch him staring and he pulls away like I’m the poisonous one. He’s a killer. I know it. He lives to harm others. I’m sure those rugged, strong hands have squeezed the life out of many. And yet I still want them on my body. And he wants it too. But this is madness. My life is in shambles and adding him to the mix with his murder and mayhem will only make it worse. So why am I living for the moment I’ll scream his name again? Shadow I don’t have room in my life for her

bulls***. But there she goes again, playing the little wounded bird, always needing me to swoop in and save her. She says she can’t remember what made her shut me out—she can’t remember anything at all. But I see that familiar look in her eyes like she knows how good we made each other feel. I’m the fool who falls for it again and again. For a wounded bird, she’s got her claws in me deep. And that’s exactly how I want it. She might not be able to recall her sleek legs wrapped all around me, her perfect ass perched on the bars of my motorcycle in the moonlight, but I’ll never forget it. This time I’ll keep my guard up. I’ve got

bigger things to worry about than Sky taking flight once more. She can’t break my heart again if I don’t give it up. As if I ever got it back from her the last time.