BRICK

Charlie Lee

Torrid Timbre Press

Contents

Prologue

1. Eden

2. Brick

3. Eden

4. Eden

5. Brick

6. Eden

7. Brick

8. Eden

9. Brick

10. Eden

11. Brick

12. Eden

13. Brick

14. Brick

15. Eden

16. Brick

17. Brick

18. Brick

19. Eden

20. Brick

21. Eden

22. Katch Sterling

23. Eden

Epilogue

Acknowledgments

Brick

Copyright © 2017 by Torrid Timbre Press

Edited by: Julia Goda

Cover Designer: Just Write Creations

Photographer: Battershell Photography/Eric Battershell

Model: Alex Boivin

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to locales, events, business establishments, or actual persons—living or dead—is entirely coincidental.

My partner left the dedication to me this time.

Heidi, this is for you!

I love you like a sister.

Forever the Charlie to your Lee.

Prologue

Brick

“She’s still not answering her phone. I’m worried.” My very pregnant sister-in-law Amelia waddles out on the deck, gives my brother those sad eyes that dare him to challenge her. He won’t. Fucker is whipped. Ball and motherfucking chain wrapped right around his dick.

Zoe was supposed to be here two hours ago for dinner. Another no-show. No call. No nothing. I should go over there and tell her to knock her shit off. Scare the piss out of her with words. She’s twisting Amelia up, who doesn’t need to be worrying about anyone else except herself and the baby.

If Amelia’s stomach gets any bigger, my brother won’t be plucking her cute little ass up outta her chair like he is now to sit down on his lap much longer, because if he does, they’ll both be yelling for help to get themselves off the ground. Amelia is huge and glowing. Even with the sad scowl on her face.

I hold in a laugh as I tip my beer back, my eyes checking out my brother. His sappy ass is always taking the world by the tail and going after what he wants. Bastard. No, make that fucking bastard. I love the guy, though. Regardless if he’s a pain in my ass at times. He’s one of the good guys in this world. Sincere, and that right there makes him the best brother I could ask for.

My main concern right now though isn’t Zoe. It’s the fact that Amelia is frowning when she should be smiling. My brother is irritated when he should be taking care of his wife. Fucking pansy ass over there rubbing the back of his neck like some fucking romance hero. Get your hands on your woman’s neck! Asshole. Rub her down. Her feet are red, swollen and from where I’m sitting they look to be on fire.

Damn. Listen to me thinking all sappy and shit.

The shit her pregnancy has done to her body creeps me the fuck out the more I look at her swollen belly. It doesn't have a thing to do with her being bigger every time I see her. I ain’t never seen anything so cute in my life. It’s her swollen legs, always being tired, snippy, and peeing all the time. That shit would wear me the fuck out.

I’m a cold-stoned dickhead for thinking that way. I can’t seem to help it. The way her body has been stretching like a piece of elastic adjusting to the life inside of her freaks me out even more. I guess it’s Zeke’s medical training that keeps him calm, because I’d be raising hell. I can’t even fathom there’s a human inside her body. My blood. A niece, or nephew. Hot fucking damn. I’m about to be an uncle. Bring it the hell on. Even a heartless son-of-a-bitch man like me can’t wait to spoil my brother’s kid.

Zeke lifts his head, his gaze snapping defensively to mine.

What the hell?

“Maybe she was called into work. Maybe her son is sick. You never know when it comes to Zoe. Quit worrying. She’ll call. She always does.” Not sure who he’s trying to convince; we all know Amelia won’t stop her worrying. It’s her nature. She’s going to be one damn good mother. Makes me grateful as hell to her. So strong. Zeke struck gold with her. He knows it, too. Lucky fucker.

Christ, the way he enables the bullshitting stories Zoe comes up with is enough to make me ill. A fucking spade is a spade, and why not call it out? She ain’t going to call until that dick of a boyfriend lets her. We all know it, and yet here we sit not doing a damn thing about it. And the coward award goes to? I grip the back of my neck in the same way my brother did, trying to release the tension. It’s not working one bit, might, though, if I were squeezing the back of Zoe’s boyfriend's neck. If given a chance, I’ll snap it in half.

Zoe did shit to me I’ve never admitted to anyone. I wanted her from the first day I saw her. Thought she was a spitfire full of life.

Then she started to change, putting on a false smokescreen whenever she came around. I ignored her erratic behavior because the woman is hot. Went on with my life even though my gut kept on telling me something with her wasn’t right.

My fingertips hungered to sink into her hips and pull that hair as I was pounding into her from behind. It was wrong, all fucking wrong to want someone so sweet and kind. But it seems that’s been the motto of my life since day one. I’m on the outlaw side always thirsty for the black, and not the right ways of life. Ain’t never going to change, but it sure as hell would be nice to have some kind of light in my life. Now I’m really acting like my brother.

Zoe is a basket case. She’s strung higher than a kite. Walks around on pins and needles and needs to dump her pissant excuse of a boyfriend. He’s a dick. A low-life soul-sucking jobless weasel who needs his ass kicked. Lazy-ass motherfucker. If she were to get rid of him, then the true Zoe would shine bright. I know it would.

“Let me help you relax, Bluebird.” Zeke lifts Amelia off his lap, stands, places her back on the lounger, and starts to rub her feet. Fucker can read my mind. I oughta pat him on the back or award him a fuzzy, warm-ass feeling shit award.

I feel a twinge of jealousy rocket through my veins. Goddamn, love is all around me. Every fucking where. Zoe could have been it. Even though I knew it wouldn’t happen, I wanted her to be mine, until she walked into Zeke’s backyard with her boyfriend and son. My jaw never fucking drops. I’ve seen and done shit that would escort most to the grave keeper. But seeing that beauty waltz in and learn she’s been brain fucked by a piece of shit nearly took me out at the knees.

She has a kid. A perfect little boy who’s courageous and everything I was once. He has her eyes and carefree laughter, but it was Ricky, whose arm she was on, who made my blood fucking boil. My armor firmly strapped on to stand next to my brother on the most important day of his life, but all I hungered for was to slit that weasel’s throat. He’s hiding something from her. Something big. I know his kind. Slimy like a snake hiding in the grass just ready to strike.

Funny how the woman I thought I wanted was pulling off the grandest ruse of all when I’m left in my tattooed and muscular stature wearing my scars on my motherfucking sleeves. I hate it when people hide shit. Zoe is hiding a hell of a lot of it, right along with her man. While he’s hiding something dangerous, she’s hiding behind him. If I ever find out my suspicions about him are true, I’ll slice his dick off and shove it clear up his fucking ass.

“Saxon.” The familiar baritone voice of my brother drifts through my delusional thoughts. “Saxon, are you fucking hearing me?” No. I’m over here daydreaming about killing someone, asshole.

Zeke’s hands are now firmly wrapped around his wife’s feet. He’s rubbing them like he’s expecting a happy ending. I can’t bust his balls too much because I know all the medical shit that could go wrong is rampant in the back of his mind. I’ve never been prouder of Zeke than I am right now. He discovered something he needed to survive and never let go of it. Fuck, it wasn’t a gray area with Amelia and Zeke; it was black and white boundaries that no one should cross. But my champion, my brother ignored all of it. Fought it hard and beat those damn odds in the head.

“Yo.” I swallow back the remnants of my third beer. I need a lot stiffer shit than this to get me through this evening and chat about Zoe. If she shows.

“Saxon, could you please go over to her house?” Amelia pleads with her aqua eyes pouring out to my soul. Shit.

“And I know you already know where she lives.” Yup. I sure do. I toss the glass bottle into the near trash, listening to the glass pieces shatter.

Bingo! There’s Brick, the sometimes lovable, charming but mostly dickhead piece of shit.

“Saxon, please.”

It’s those two final words that jolt me into action. There are a handful of people who I’d sacrifice everything for. It so happens that Zeke and Amelia fit into that puzzle along with Katch, Caitlin, and Prez, Curtis, and the Hell’s Lovers MC.

“Fuck.” I push off the bar and stand upright. “Whatever, Bluebird.”

The veins in Zeke’s neck muscle tense and pulse. I shouldn’t be an asshole right now; these two have been to hell and back a few times. They need a slice of heaven, not this worrying shit.

“Fine. I’m going. I’ll call you in a bit.” I walk into the house, take a piss, and hit the road on my bike.

“That bastard better not be there. Low-life using, lazy fuck,” I holler out into the night, hit the highway, and park my bike a few houses down the street from her cute little house fifteen minutes later.

“Jesus Christ, every damn light is on in the place,” I grumble as I make my way up the darkened drive.

“Why the hell do I torture myself like this when it comes to her?” Maybe I should stomp my ass in there. Lay the fucker out and run off with her and the kid. It isn’t like I don’t know how to treat a lady right. I do. Just haven’t found one worth treating as mine, is all.

My boots hit the deck and halt me. “The fuck.” The door is slightly ajar. Weird, I think to myself but push it open anyway. Just another sign of this arrogant dickhead and how he treats his woman and child. I know better than anyone about the monsters that are hiding in this fucking city. They’re relentless, invisible, and out to hurt anyone in their way. The kid could run right out. Be gone before anyone knows it.

“Zoe.” I take a step into the house and freeze. The irony why the driveway was blackened out isn’t lost on me.

It’s the familiar metallic smell that slaps me in the face first.

The need to get away without anyone noticing.

Death.

“Zoe,” I holler louder. No response. I take two steps further. My stomach knotting. Something isn’t right here. This isn't good. “Goddammit, where are you?”

Panic sets in as the full picture appears in my view. I place my hands on top of my head and squeeze to a near painful point. This cannot be fucking happening.

Zoe’s lifeless, mangled body lying in her own pool of blood. Her once vibrant eyes cold and dead. I watch all my sins play out in front of me. I kill without thought or remorse, and maybe this is my punishment.

One

Eden

My phone continues to ring on my nightstand with an unknown number. I ignore it for the tenth time and stare at the screen on my laptop.

The words are slapping me across the face as I continue to read. Hard. The sting bitter.

“Oh, Zoe.” I sigh and wipe away the tears streaming down my cheeks.

My heart has been rapidly beating for months out of worry over my baby sister and her four-year-old son, Wilder. And wild he is. The cute little jet-black-haired nephew of mine is strung tighter than my sister is. God, I love that kid.

I take another sip of my water. Wishing for it to be something stronger, preferably wine. I’m on call at the hospital tonight, so water it is for the rest of the weekend.

I place the bottle on the stand next to my phone. Zoom in on the article I’m reading. My eyes are burning because I know Zoe is showing all the signs of an abused woman. I’ve suspected for over a year now. Talked to her, tried to convince her to leave. I’ve begged, pleaded, and even threatened to turn both her and Ricky in to Child Protective Services if she didn’t pack her shit up and leave him. She keeps on denying it. Lies. So many of them I don’t know what to believe anymore. But this, I know it’s true. I know with everything inside of me he smacks her around. The controlling little prick.

She won’t listen, and now our relationship is becoming more estranged every single day. That is the hardest fact to swallow.

It’s been Eden and Zoe since I can remember my mother bringing her home from the hospital all wrapped in a tight little pink bundle of joy.

Zoe and I have different fathers. I’ve never met my biological father, but although Marley Ashton’s blood wasn’t running through my veins, he never treated me differently. He came crashing into our lives like the wild and crazy hippy he was. Turned our mother into a free spirit right along with him. They were proud of us. Unconditional love to the fullest.

Wilder is named after him. Zoe couldn’t have chosen a better name. God, Dad would have loved him. He would have killed Ricky, too. Of that, I have no doubt.

They hit the road to follow their wild souls the day Zoe turned eighteen. They never wanted to influence our decisions in life. They were always there supporting us. Calling us all hours of the day and night. Listening and guiding us through life from miles away.

Until the day they died. Hit head-on by a semi on their way back out into the world after coming home to watch Zoe graduate from nursing school. It shattered us both. Devastated. Numb.

God, just thinking about it breaks me all over again.

Pain digs her ugly claws in my chest. The pills of fear, guilt, and anguish are the toughest ones for me to swallow. I’m scared out of my mind he’s going to hurt her in a way she will never be able to recover from. Or Wilder. What if Ricky becomes so angry he goes after him? I’m at my wit’s end with this.

I’m hurting. Zoe is hurting, and yet she won’t leave.

She knows they could move in with me in a heartbeat. One call is all it would take, and I’d have the cops over there with me to get them out. Her boss, Rowan, would help, too. Even Zeke and Amelia.

It would be nice to let one of my fellow doctors and patients know I’m Zoe’s sister, too. Why she begged me not to tell them when they all became friends, I’ll never know. Deep in my gut, I know Zoe has been fighting to create a blank canvas for herself. She has the courage to break the bonds of her prison but just won’t take the leap. And I have no idea why. It took me a year to get her on medication to help ease her ADHD, but then that fucking slime, Ricky, came into her life. He’s ruining everything she’s worked hard to accomplish. He’s draining her. I can see it escaping behind her eyes.

And yet, as I sit here reading how women lose their lack of confidence, self-respect and feel unworthy, I’ve figured out why. She’s afraid I’ll tell her friends, her co-workers. She’s ashamed when what she should be doing is reaching out for help. My baby sister has nothing to be ashamed of. She’s trapped, and I need to guide her out.

“God, Zoe. Why?” I cry. My eyes are blurring from the images my brain is producing of that son of a bitch putting his hands on my sister.

My phone rings again. I Lived by OneRepublic blaring out of the tiny device. This time, I reach for it without even looking. It’s the ringtone for the hospital.

“Doctor Parker,” I strongly voice when I all I want to do is hang up and bawl my eyes out.

“You better be on your way. My wife’s water broke. She’s four weeks early. I don’t want anyone else delivering my child.” For a man who is hopelessly in love with his wife and about to be a father for the first time, he doesn’t sound happy. Zeke is distraught.

It’s not a funny situation at all, but I find myself biting back a giggle. Dr. Hartley is the smartest man I’ve ever been around. His medical knowledge is powerful. Not to mention his ability to keep calm in desperate situations and his ability to diagnose rare illnesses. So, him speaking all crazy has me hoping everything is alright.

“They’ll both be fine, Dr. Hartley. You should know this. Is everything alright? Did something happen?” I just saw Amelia the day before yesterday. Everything was fine. Her measurements were perfect. The baby moved down. However, her cervix wasn’t thinning. She wasn’t even close to being ready to deliver.

“Yeah, something did happen. Now’s not the time to talk about it. I can tell you afterward. Just get here; she’s upset and stressed. The contractions are getting closer.” I don’t like the scared tone in his voice. I slip on my shoes, grab my purse, which is more like a weighed-down backpack, and lock the door behind me.

“Doing my best here, Eden.”

I climb in my car, buckle up, and start the engine, pull out of the garage and tear down the road before I speak again. Hoping these few seconds will get him to calm down.

“I’m on the road, Zeke. I understand it’s a different circumstance when a loved one is involved, but ground yourself in medical knowledge and take deep breaths.” The sound of the blinker drowns out any other noise in the cab of my car. “I’m a couple blocks away. Zeke, the baby and Amelia will be just fine.”

He lowers his voice, whispering into the phone. “I can’t lose her. She’s devastated. She can’t handle much more.” More of what? What the hell is going on?

“I’m almost there. Get her checked in.”

“Already done.”

I end the call going straight into doctor mode. I’ve always held the science of medicine dear to my heart. I have no idea where the love came from, but it’s always been deep in my roots. The art of helping and saving lives is something I’ll never be able to explain. I found my one true love in the OB-GYN department. Holding a new baby when they rush into the world gulping their first taste of oxygen is the adrenaline I’m addicted to.

With all the medical knowledge and drive to help others, I’m failing the two people I love more than anyone on this planet. My sister and nephew. I need to help her get out of that house.

I leap from the car and shake away thoughts of Zoe and Wilder. They never go far when I try to brush the worries away. As I sprint into the hospital, I know the time has come to report Ricky to Child Protective Services. It will destroy Zoe, but I can only hope that in the end, she’ll forgive me once she’s healthy again and in a stable environment. With me. The woman deserves the world, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to stand by and let him strip away any more of my sister.

The glass revolving doors rotate open, allowing me to catch a glimpse of my profile. Zoe and I barely look alike. I’m older by several years. When we were younger, she used to be teased all the time for being damn near identical to looking like me, but the years of growing into adulthood have set us apart. Zoe tends to dress and doll up more than I do, always highlighting her hair, wearing wild clothes. While me, I’m a contradiction when it comes to clothes. I wear anything as long as the heels on my feet make me feel sexy, then dress up or down.

I take quick notice of our differences with just a glance; the only resemblance I notice are our noses. I’m tall; she’s short. I have blond hair and green eyes; she has dark hair and eyes as blue as the ocean.

“I’ll never give up on you, little sister. Ever,” I whisper to myself, walking through the spinning doors.

We were homeschooled and accelerated at our own pace. I’ve always felt proud knowing that Zoe followed in my footsteps in the medical career. Learning never was easy for her like it was for me. She finished high school at the typical age, whereas I completed the requirements months before my fifteenth birthday.

With the final decision made, I push my way through the doors. Doctor face on and ready to bring this baby into the world.

The hospital buzzes with excitement and hurried movements even though it’s late into the night. That’s the thing about the medical world; they're no nine-to-five hours. It’s a lifestyle you marry the day you take the oath. Without thought, I rush up to the third floor, my second home. Change into a clean pair of scrubs. Wash my arms and hands while listening to the nurse give me Amelia’s vitals and progress and find Zeke making his own pattern across the carpet when I start walking to the room the nurse told me Amelia was in. If anything, he’s amped more than when I spoke to him minutes ago.

Lifting his head, he makes eye contact with me while gripping the back of his neck. “She wants to push.”

“Good. We will have this baby in the arms of her parents.“ I nod and press past him. Zeke grabs my arm, forcing me to look at him. The terror painted in his vibrant pupils sends chills right to my bones. It’s the quiet before the storm, and I have a feeling of uneasiness settle at the base of my spine. I know whatever it is, my world is about to crumble into pieces. Those pieces so obliterated that I’ll never be able to put my life back together.

“You know Amelia has been on bed rest. She’s been taking it easy.”

I nod. My throat is growing tight.

“Her…” He fights to get the words out. His finger is trembling against the crook of my elbow. “Her best friend was found dead tonight.”

My vision threatens to morph into pitch black because I know who one of her two best friends is, or was. No, no, no. I repeat it over and over in my mind as if it’s going to help me in this situation.

“Long story short, she couldn’t get a hold of her friend Zoe. We sent someone over there to check on her.”

My heart quits beating feeling the loss of my entire reason for living. “Her friend Zoe?” I ask. Jesus. No, no, no, no!

He nods, confirming the nightmare. “Her son and boyfriend are nowhere to be found. The cops have been alerted. A neighbor called it in.”

Painful echoes of screams interrupt our conversation.

“She needs you, Eden.” Zeke jerks my arm. “C’mon.” Oh, God. I need strength right now. More than I’ve ever needed it before.

Dr. Hartley will never know how hurtful his words are. She needs you. Another string of cries of agony floats out into the hall. I jerk my chin toward the door knowing I have a job to do. A life is banging on the world’s door to enter and leave footprints all over it, while I’m forced to digest the fact a beautiful, courageous life was ripped from the same world. I feel sick.

One more pleading scream from Amelia jolts me into action. My mind is a tattered mess. He has got to have the name wrong. He just has to.

But he doesn’t. The fact is bone deep, and I know it, but the woman’s cries for help force my hand.

I can feel it in my bones. See it in Amelia’s eyes when she bears down through another contraction.

I can feel it when I hold Zeke and Amelia’s newborn daughter, Clara, in my hands.

I’m too late. My baby sister is dead. The ice-cold reality sends chills throughout every vein in my body. All of those ‘I should haves’ and ‘could haves’ dying a quick death...it’s all on me. I’ve sinned by not helping her, and she paid the price.

Two

Brick

“Jesus Motherfucking Christ,” I roar over the loud rumble of my bike. Cut the engine; place my arm across the handlebars to cradle my head.

I can’t get her image out of my mind. It’s plugged so tight in my skull I’m on the verge of destruction.

Zoe is fucking gone. I will never forget the way her dead eyes stared at me. The way her mouth gaped open, her fingers curled tightly around a plastic toy truck.

I may have done some shady-ass fucking shit in my life. Killed some people a time or two because they deserved to die, but I sure as hell have never stumbled across a scene as devastating to my black heart as seeing her innocent, lifeless body on that bloody kitchen floor.

I ran like the son of a bitch I am. I had no choice when I heard the sirens in the distance and the sound of a crowd gathering outside. Someone must have heard what the hell was going on in there and called the cops. If they did, they should be shot for not pounding the door down to save her. I hope they rot on their fucking guilt for this. The good Lord knows I would’ve stampeded that fucking door down and surprised that lowlife with bullets in his skull. That fucker better pray to the devil himself the cops find him before I do.

My background doesn’t have a damn thing to do with me slipping out the back door undetected. Running through the backyards and down the street to where I parked my bike. It’s the fact that once I gathered my shit the best I could, the intensity of rage took over. That slimy motherfucking boyfriend of hers did it. He took the kid and left after he beat her to death. Literally.

I passed the cops and the ambulance on my way. My skin was prickling with anguish for what they were about to walk in on.

By the time I made it back to Zeke and Amelia’s, I was shaking like a dried-up leaf blowing in the wind. This is all kinds of fucked.

It didn’t matter how I told Amelia or when. She was going to freak. Break down and blame herself like I’m blaming myself. The only thing that mattered to me was the safety of her and the baby. Everything else had to be shoved aside.

“Did you find her? Is she alright? Is she coming over?” Hell, no, she isn’t.

“Yeah. I found her.” I ran my hands through my hair. Caught a breath and didn’t come up for air until I told her. It was the hardest thing I’ve done in my pathetic excuse of a life.

Amelia’s screams hit my ears, sounding like a dying animal. It tore through my skin and rattled my bones. She fell into the arms of my brother. Her body shaky, lips trembling, and then she bent over clenching her stomach. Water started dripping down her legs, and I froze. Guilt slinked right up and took hold of blackened-out soul and crushed it.

The guilt is smashing my brain as I climb off my bike and enter the hospital. The noise, chaos all around me driving me further insane.

I glance up at the directory, find the maternity floor, and pray to anyone who dares listen to me to let Amelia and the baby be alright. My brother better be holding on as well. If anything were to happen, I would die a slow, tortured death by my own Goddamn doing. I’d slit my own throat on the spot.

The minute I step off the elevator, my eyes go wide when I see a woman in scrubs sitting on the floor. Her hands are covering her face. She’s crying. Shoulders are shaking, body convulsing. Sobbing.

Ruckus. So much of it is running through my head that I brace my hands on the wall for support.

Is she the doctor? Did something happen to my family? Fuck. I can’t breathe. My lungs start constricting in desperation as they try to inhale air. I picture Zoe’s dead body in her own pool of blood, then Amelia's face fades; the game goes on and on until I shake the vision from my head.

“Eden,” a familiar voice calls out of a room. Zeke. Thank fucking God. His big frame kneels in front of the woman. Hands grabbing hold of hers in a tender grip.

“Zoe Ashton is she the woman who died?” the woman asks, pain etched so deep in those words that my blood freezes from hearing her name.

“Yes.” Zeke drops her hands, sits back on his haunches, and shakes his head. I can’t see his face, but I know my brother well enough to know he’s shocked as fuck at hearing Zoe’s name. So am I.

“Jesus Christ, Eden. How the hell do you know her?” His voice is so quiet I can barely hear him over the thunder rolling in my chest.

“She’s…” Her shoulders start shaking again with violent force. I need to fucking stop the shit running through my brain because it makes my reality slap me with the brutal truth of my life—my sister and the hell she went through blinds my vision.

Loud sobs run up and down the hall, bringing me back to the woman on the floor.

Jesus Motherfucking Christ. I run my hands down my face nearing a point of snapping my head off.

“What? My God. I didn’t know. Come on. We need to get you cleaned up,” Zeke growls. Demandingly. Shocking and scaring the piss out of me along with it. She’s what? What the fuck did I miss her saying? Goddamn it.

“No. I need a minute. Someone from the administration has been paging me for a half hour. The police are downstairs. I have to identify her body. It’s in the morgue at St. Peters. They have my sister locked up in a cold metal box. This is all my fault. I should have stopped it. I was going to; I swear I was,” she rattles on while her words are rattling in my head. I’m not sure if I heard her right, because I swear to God she said ‘sister.’

By some fine intervention, my legs shuffle forward. “Zeke,” I call out. I have no clue what I’m thinking; all I know is, if I were in this woman’s shoes and found out my brother was dead, I wouldn’t want to be alone. And knowing my brother like I do, he wouldn’t want her to be either.

So many other questions drift, fade out, drift back in. The first one being Zoe has a sister. The second one is, who in the fuck was the real Zoe? She led so many different lives, and it seems she was the joker, but again, if it were Zeke in that metal box, I’d be there. No questions asked.

“Saxon.” He stands.

When I see the look of desperation on his face instead of a look a new father should have, I nearly break apart. My heart sinks to the tips of my steel-toed boots.

“The baby. Amelia. Are they alright?” I murmur.

My chest is so tight, filled with emotions I never knew I had.

“Yeah. My daughter is beautiful. Amelia is sleeping. I was…”—he pauses. Stands and sticks his hand out to the woman. She takes it, her hands shaking—“going to go to the nursery to see her. We’re naming her Clara. If I call the nursery to tell them you're coming, would you go sit with her?”

I squeeze my eyes shut. I have a niece. They named her after our sister. Fuck me. A niece named Clara. A miracle is now gracing this earth.

“Hell, no.” I open my eyes. I know exactly what he’s thinking. He’s doing what he does best. Putting someone else before himself. It’s in his nature. Zeke has always been the caregiver even before our sister died. It’s placed so deep in his DNA to be the boss and take charge that the fucker doesn’t even know when to put himself first.

“I’ll go with her; you go be with your daughter. I got this, Zeke. The only hero you need to be right now is your daughter's.”

I have no idea how those words flowed from my lips. I felt each syllable lounging in my throat, but that man deserves nowhere else to be but beside the gift God gave him. I’d be a liar if I didn’t say I want to hold my niece close to my chest and kiss the hell out of her even though these palms have had their fair share of bloodshed etched into them. I’ll get my turn. Right now, she deserves to be held by her father.

“Thanks, brother,” he whispers in a solemn tone.

In slow motion, with each action branded on my memory forever, Zeke drops the woman's hand. I watch as each of their fingers unlace, and then my brother does something I never expected. He places her hand in mine. Her fears and trembles become my rocking core. I see Zoe, yet I don’t. She looks so much like her, making me want to hold her forever, then within the blink of an eye, she looks nothing like her at all. It’s insanely wrong and right in the same flash of a second.

Can’t explain it, but there’s something about this woman threatening to shine light on my darkened soul.

Three

Eden

A man who, by all means, resembles an ex-convict holds me up as we make our way out of the hospital. I have no idea what I’m doing or how I was able to deliver that beautiful baby girl without falling apart. The second I stepped out of the room, I crumbled to the floor, barely hanging on until Zeke walked out. That’s when reality sunk in and my world went upside down. Seeing the pain that struck him hard in the gut hearing I was her sister hurt. Hell, I didn’t even think I could ache anymore. I knew it was all wrong playing along with Zoe’s secrets, but I always did what she asked, hoping it would give her just enough courage to leave that bastard. It turns out I was wrong.

“Get on,” he says. Voice gruff. Demanding.

The words register, but I’m not following what he’s asking until my fingers glide along something harsh and cold. When I peer down, it’s the back of a motorcycle. I look up to the felon in confusion. Laced in pure utter shock. My mouth opens, but no words come out. I have so many hateful words to scream at anyone who will listen. My mind cannot dredge up a single word to say. Not to him anyway.

“Darlin’, I’ve got a bike, and you need to throw one leg over and hold on, yeah?”

I may be losing my mind. My heart may be dead with my sister, but I have never heard anyone speak the word ‘yeah’ instead of ‘yes’ in my life. What kind of slang is that? Prison talk?

“Now. Please,” he gruffs out.

I do not want to get on this thing. Instead of speaking, I nod, even though getting on the back of his bike is the last thing I want to do. Zeke’s brother, who is nothing like him, must be adopted or something. Hell, I don’t know. He doesn’t speak another word; he just peers down at me. Eyes all dark and mysterious. What he does do is shock me when he runs his large palm down one of my thighs then effortlessly tosses my leg over the bike. He grips my waist, scoots me back until he has me adjusted in the right position of his liking. I’m not sure how he does it, but a helmet is strapped on the top of my head and then buckled under my chin.

The brisk evening air whips across the apples of my cheeks, through my hair. Then again, I’m unable to process on a single shred of certainty. Best friend, Zoe dead. I delivered a baby. Collapsed in the hall then was escorted off by this man to confirm, that, in fact, it is my sister who had been murdered. It’s her. I know it.

I feel as dead as she is. Yet I’m alive. My hands are wrapped around a muscular torso. My skull is lodged in my heart. Both of them shattered and broken.

I try focusing on the breeze tickling over my overlyme sensitive features because it’s the only thing I can feel. I concentrate on each whip of air brushing across my face and sinking through my scrubs until the roar of the engine stops, as does the air in my lungs.

The man must be some sort of beast because he doesn’t tell me to get off. He once again grabs my thigh, hoists me up, and levels my wobbly legs on solid ground. The helmet is off just as quickly as it went on. I’m entranced by what this stranger is doing.

I blink, his sharp features coming into view. I notice the shaved sides of his head. A stark white T-shirt. He has his hair up in a windblown man bun, and his tattoos play peek-a-boo with each flex of his throat. Why am I studying his throat?

His massive palms cup my face, drawing my attention to focus on the words he speaks. It takes everything inside of me to do so.

“I’ve been here and done this before. You go in and nod your head if it’s her. Shake it side to side if it’s not.” The giant’s features wince in pain. “I was young when someone’s life was taken before her time. I stood there next to Zeke and my parents. You have to do this.” I see his lips moving, but I have no idea what this man is saying. Maybe I do. I simply don’t want to hear it.

“Wait? What?” I step back from his touch. “Why am I here?” I begin to panic. It’s scouring through me. Rapidly.

“No. Not Zoe,” I scream, my body shaking when I look up and see the hospital’s white emergency entrance sign. I itch everywhere. I start scratching at my tender skin, nearly drawing blood. I try to force the scrubs from my body. I was on duty, while my sister was dead in her own damn house. It’s all too much. God help me. I have to get to her. “Zoe.”

“Hey. Hey,” his gruff voice cuts through the moment. It’s not enough. Nothing will be enough. I need to get to my sister. Save her. “You’re hurting, darlin’. It’s going to hurt like hell. You gotta go through the motions, lady. I got you.” No, you don’t have me. No one does. Nobody does except Zoe. Oh, God. What did I do?

He pulls me into his chest. Holding me with a strong death grip until I can barely breathe. I can’t pull away. It’s not an option. He feels safe, warm, and secure. He has me.

His words are playing on repeat in my mind.

“She was my sister. We were close. I loved her so much. I’ve lost her, haven’t I?” I don’t even recognize my own voice. “I tried. I really did, but…”

“Enough.” The monster shakes my shoulders until my teeth rattle. “You listen to me, yeah? Your sister made choices, and you had no control over that. You are hurting because you fucking loved her. And that’s what you hold on to.”

After long beats, I finally peer up at the man. I step back once again, so his giant paws are no longer on me. His looks don’t mirror his actions in the least bit. The sadness and remorse in his dark gaze threaten to make me sick on the spot. He’s hurting, too. But why?

I nod slowly, making each movement more pronounced than it needs to be. The only thing that sinks in is, I love her, and that’s why it’s tearing me apart. The part about choices and how Zoe made them rips me to fucking shreds. I’ll never forgive myself for not having a stronger hold on her.

* * *

Brick

The devastation in her eyes cuts me wide open. She keeps stepping away from me as if I’m going to bite. This woman is Zoe’s sister. It should be no shock, since the woman who had me entranced from the first glance was a box of secrets. Shit, we were all surprised when she showed up with a child, and now we're finding this out. Jesus H. Christ. Unreal.

I go on truths; as cold and cruel as it sounds, Zoe is dead. Her sister is here and needs me. I have no fucking idea what I’m doing. Never cared for doing this kind of shit, but my brother deserves to be where he belongs, and that’s with his wife and daughter.

I grip her hand; something warms in my chest when she tightens her fingers in mine. This woman is crushed. Devastated and hurting. I don’t do this kind of compassionate shit. I glance over at her profile, and all I see is Zoe. Her bright eyes and laughter are missing. I shake the confusion from my head and hold the door open for her to step in. I’m losing my fucking mind. I need to get this done, get her back to where she’s safe and sound and drown in a bottle or two of whiskey.

Once in the sterile environment where you can smell the scent of death, this woman turns on her heels, pushing her palms into my chest. There’s no way in hell her tiny frame could stop me, but I indulge her effort.

“I loved her. I love her, and I tried so damn hard to get her away from that piece of shit.” Her last words are catching on a sob. “He has Wilder. I know he does.” Yeah, I have no doubt he does. I was hoping the bastard didn’t, though.

The sound of my teeth grinding together is the only sound vibrating through my ears. That motherfucker just signed his death certificate. Once I have this woman tucked into safety, my first call will be to Katch Sterling and the president of Hell’s Lovers MC, Curtis. I might not have a title behind my name with our club, but a brother is a brother, and we don’t go for killing a woman, knocking them around, or hurting a kid. That fucking shit is just plain wrong no matter how you look at it, and that kid will not be living with the man who killed his mother. The little guy has got to be scared to death.

Eden’s desperate eyes plead with me. The problem is, I have no response. The blood in my veins thirsts to kill and deliver her a sliver of redemption. I have so many sins that I battle with daily. I’m not the man to save her day. Doesn’t mean shit to me, though. Nothing is going to stop me.

“Did you hear me?” Her brow wrinkles, and I see Zoe.

“Yeah, darlin’, I did.”

We check in at the front desk and wait until Eden’s name is called. She rattles on about how she and Zoe were raised. I learn about their hippy parents and how school was easy for Eden, then about the guilt that resides so deep in her chest. I feel you, sweetheart.

The only thing that’s keeping me grounded while waiting is her tiny little hand squeezing mine in a desperate fashion. I may have been attracted to Zoe, but something else is happening with Eden. It’s wrong. So fucking sick. It’s twisted. Fits the pattern of my life.

As we turn each corner, the sterile yet putrid scent of death hits us hard. I find myself dragging Eden along, not wanting to lose track of the office assistant leading the way. The internal battle ensues. I know it’s Zoe. Found her dead body in a pool of blood in her kitchen, studied her beautiful features, and felt every single one of my past sins sear my skin. It’s branded behind my eyes. Lasered and fucking tagged.

Now, like a coward, I’m holding her sister’s hand in a twisted turn of events. If this is some kind of punishment for my sins, then let it be on me. Life doesn't work that way, though, does it? Hell is all around. Even on a day like today when my brother and Amelia should be rejoicing in the sunshine, they're stuck in hell. Fucking hate it.

I can’t tell the world how deeply I cared for Zoe and would’ve taken her and Wilder in a heartbeat. The irony does not skip over me. Zoe’s heart is no longer beating. Fuck!

I stand as a fraud as we‘re escorted through a door. The room is frigid and chilly. Eden nods her head up and down, letting the Medical Examiner and Detective know it’s her sister. I can’t fucking look. I feel sick to my stomach.

Her knees go first, then her spine collapses. I scoop her up in my arms, hauling ass out of that place. Heading in the direction of my bike. I tell the detective yelling at me that he needs to speak to her to fuck off in much nicer terms.

I try sitting her on my bike; she won’t let go of me. Her sobbing frame is clinging to my shirt. I jostle her around until I’m able to dig my cell phone out of my back pocket. Speed dialing number three.

“Katch.”

“Brick? What the hell is going on? You alright?” His woman’s laughter drifts in from the background. Fuck no, I’m not.

“I need you, man.”

“When and where?” I end the call relaying all the pertinent information without trying to freak her out. If I frighten this fragile woman any more than she already is, she’ll be gripping hold of me as if I’m her lifeline to the silent killer who solves all problems. Don’t worry, sweetheart; I called the silent killer. He will find Wilder and teach that motherfucker Ricky a lesson. A slow, tortured death.

“Who was that?” It’s barely a whisper.

“Nobody,” I growl, setting her down on her legs.

“What’s your name?” she asks.

I debate giving her my birth name or the name society has gifted me. The sad reality is, Saxon is dead. He’d never want to be associated with Brick.

“What’s your name?” she asks again.

“Brick. My name is Brick.” I push the helmet her way. “I’m not a good guy.”

I hope my final words scare her, but Eden shocks the hell out of me when she leans forward on her tiptoes and kisses my cheek.

“I don’t believe that. Thank you, Brick. Now, take me home.”

Her tears never stop on the drive to her place.

This woman has a long road in front of her. The pit in my stomach tells me it ain’t gonna be a smooth ride.

Four

Eden

It’s been two weeks since my we laid my sister to rest. Two weeks of doing nothing but living in hell. I’m so ashamed of myself. So bitter and scared. I can barely remember the night she died when I’m awake, and yet the minute I close my eyes, it’s all there to remind me. She’s dead. Killed by a blunt force object to the back of her head. That’s not even the worst part. Well, her death is the worst part, but what I’m holding in my hand, what I’m about ready to toss into the bottom of my pool in my home in Beverly Hills is what has me out here at three o'clock in the morning wanting to claw my eyeballs out or jump in my pool and sink to the bottom myself.

Her autopsy report is in my shaky hands. Her name stamped in black and white.

Ricky beat her so bad before he killed her that over half of her body was covered in bruises. Handprints around her neck. Claw marks down her arms. My stomach fights against itself not to throw up.

“Zoe. Why didn’t you let me help you? Why didn’t I do more?” I scream, not giving a shit if I wake up my snobby neighbors. The main reason I bought this place a few years ago was because I wanted a safe place for Wilder to live. The school district is top notch, and the backyard was already set up with a swing set, a gym, a sandbox, and a pool for children. I bought it for her. For Wilder.

And now, here I sit at the bottom of the slide my cute little nephew loved to play on with so much guilt coursing through me that I’m drowning in it. The beautiful moment when we set Zoe free does nothing to ease the pain. She won’t be free until I get her son back.

It’s a living nightmare. Funny how I always thought when someone used that analogy, they were dramatic. But with each step I take, my foot sinks into the sand and my heart cracks a little more. I feel every ounce of the nightmare I’m living in the center of my chest. The beautiful urn clutched between my hands resembles everything Zoe loved. Her favorite color a deep plum with intricate silver designs covering every inch of it. She was a wild soul, just like the pattern. Just like our parents. Now, she’s being held by them.

“Eden.” Zeke walks up to me. He slips his hand into his pockets. I know it’s because he’s not sure what to do with me. The poor man has been there since my world fell apart. I haven’t been the most pleasant person. Not that I’m rude. I just don’t know what to say when he calls or stops by. The man is persistent to say the least.

I nod biting back the tears threatening to spill over. They don’t stop, and I have a feeling they never will. Amelia walks up behind Zeke with a baby carrier strapped to her chest. Their little miracle hiding out of sight swaddled tightly to her mom’s chest. I’m thankful and jealous. I look up, and that’s when I see him. The man who held me through the darkest part of my life. I should thank him. I simply can’t speak right now, or I’ll lose it. My words need to be saved for my sister.

I offer up a weak smile to everyone. Look away and focus on each footstep toward the ocean. Zoe deserves to be free from the bonds of life. She fought so long for it; even when we were kids, she never once gave up. Not until it was too late. We all stop at the shore. I don’t flinch when the tide rolls up over my toes. The water is freezing, but I really don’t care.

Amelia’s tears have begun rolling down her face. She clears her throat, begins speaking, and I choke up. She loved Zoe; that’s clear. It hurts too much to focus on her words or watch her tears flow. I flip my gaze out to the enormous body of water that will soon be Zoe’s resting place.

Zeke says a few words as well. He’s able to keep his emotions in check, and I know it’s because he’s his wife’s rock. When the silence sets back in, I peer over at the small crowd. Saxon is staring out into the ocean just like I was. He never offers to speak.

Zeke told me his brother's real name is Saxon. I love it. To me, it fits him.

“Zoe.” Her name catches in my throat. “I love you. I’ll always love you. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d be responsible for your funeral and burial arrangements. It’s always been the two of us against the world. We had so many years to conquer. Adventures to go on; and our bucket list. It was a small bucket list. Tattoos, falling madly in love, and getting married.”

The sobs hit me hard, threatening to knock me to the ground. A large palm reaches into mine, then the scent of smoke, leather, and all man assaults me. I don’t have to look up to see who it is. He grips my hand in his, offering a silent promise of comfort.

“It’s only been four days since I last talked to you, but it feels like an eternity. Zoe, I couldn’t save you. I’ll love you forever, my beautiful, sweet girl; you deserve to be set free.”

I drop Saxon’s hand and twist the top of the urn, taking a step into the ocean.

“Your soul is free, and the world is yours. I love you.” I scatter her ashes with a heavy heart.

“I will bring Wilder home,” I whisper to myself. “He will know how much you loved him.”

We all stand united for long moments before making our way back up the beach. Zeke clears his throat, tugging at his collar. I cringe knowing I won’t like what’s coming next. They’re all going to leave. I’ll be alone. I hate feeling this way. Guilty and lonely.

“Eden, thank you for letting us join you. We loved Zoe,” Amelia says.

Zeke places his arms around Amelia, peeks down at little baby Clara who hasn’t made a squeak.

“I hate to do this today. But I need to know something,” Saxon asks.

I nod.

“Does Ricky have any family he may have run to? Do they know what happened?”

I clear my throat, not finding this topic easy to talk about. I need Wilder back. That’s where I draw my strength from.

“The only thing we know is, he was raised by a single mother. He ran away at seventeen. He hated his mother. The poor lady.” I shudder.

“So, his mom didn’t know about Wilder or Zoe.”

“No.” I shake my head adamantly. “Not that we know of. Ricky had no friends or family around here. He kept to himself. I’m sorry. I have nothing more to give you.”

I’m unable to finish the rest because instead of them leaving me, I walk away first.

I tuck the papers back into the folder knowing I won’t be throwing them away. I grab my empty glass of wine, then scoop up a handful of sand and let it slip through my fingers.

“This is how easily you slipped away from me, Zoe. I hope you’re resting in peace now.” She isn’t. I don’t know what to do, where to go, or what to say to anyone anymore. All I know is, I can’t continue sitting around here doing nothing. I need to find that little boy. Teach him how to grow up to be a man and not some brutal murderer.

I make my way into the house, lock up the file in my safe, and take a look around until my eyes land on the boxes of toys in the corner of my living room.

“I’m going to do everything I can to find you, Wilder. I’ll hire the best private detectives to hunt your father down if I have to. You belong with me.” I mean it, too. Maybe I should call Zeke and poke around to see if that big, burly man of a brother could be of any help. He did say something along the lines of not being good. There’s was something about his presence both times I’ve seen him that screamed he could get the job done, too. I know he’s been out there looking or he wouldn’t have asked about Ricky’s mom. And the police; they have nothing either. It’s as if he took Wilder and vanished.

“Brick. Saxon.” I let both of his names roll off my tongue. That man is incredibly handsome. I actually smile. The memory I do have of him is far from bad. In fact, it’s one of the things I do remember very well.

He’s a wall of a man with muscles screaming out of every inch of the white T-shirt that was hugging his broad chest. Built like a heavy Brick. His name is quite fitting.

His chest is so big it demands attention. His arms are ribbed with thick, muscular veins. His face is deliciously handsome. Eyes nearly as dark as his hair. Yup, I definitely remember.

“God, I’m losing my mind. The man is an animal. I’m sure of it. So unlike me, it’s ridiculous.” I’ll more than likely never see him again. If he does find out anything, I’m sure he’ll tell Zeke. The guy has no reason to come see me. It’s not like we run around in the same circles. I don’t have a circle at all. In fact, I’m more like a square. I have very few friends, no family left. I’m basically pathetic.

“Go to bed, Eden,” I say, sauntering down the hall to my bedroom. I don’t bother to strip out of my clothes or pull the blinds shut. I fall face first, grab my nephew’s blanket he can’t sleep without, and curl up in a ball. Another night of crying myself to sleep.

* * *

“Ugh. Why does a person’s phone ring at the wrong time?” I wipe the sleep from my eyes. For one split second, I think about not answering it. Then reach for it on the nightstand thinking maybe it will be the police. I answer without checking.

“Hello.” I clear my raspy voice.

“Eden.” I shouldn’t have answered. I’ve been avoiding this call for two reasons. One, she just had a baby. Two, Amelia Hartley was my sister’s best friend. I really haven’t talked to her outside of the funeral. I know what she wants without her even asking.

“Hello, Amelia. How are you doing? Is everything going alright?” I know it is. I’ve talked to Zeke several times on the phone. I’ve also stayed in contact with both of my associates at our practice. My patients are all doing wonderfully. Some of them have sent flowers to the office.

However, I know Zeke is worried about his wife, me, and of course, his newborn baby. The man is like a smothering older brother. He calls all the time to check on me now that we don't see each other at work or in my office. My guess is he put her up to this to try and help us both.

The night this woman gave birth to her daughter was a night of hell for her. Such a strong person. So much stronger than I seem to be.

“If you’re talking about Clara, then yes, she’s perfect. I’m having a hard time with the death of Zoe. I thought maybe we could talk.” There’s some rustling and soft baby cries on the other end. “Jesus, I’m sorry, that came out so brutal, but I really need a friend right now. Zoe was everything to me. She saved my life.”

Oh, God. I don’t know if I’m ready yet.

“I’d like that,” I find myself saying.

My brain freezes on the first visit I had with Amelia. It all played out in a sick and brutal scene. I learned how close she and Zoe were. She told me all about the way Zoe helped save her life. It was also the hardest pill to swallow knowing that Zoe was gripping onto one ounce of reality hiding Ricky away from them. So, see, I know everything already. Why do I need to go see her?

Amelia and her job were Zoe’s safe haven. I wasn’t a part of that. I get what Amelia’s doing, I really do. She misses my sister. So do I. Our talking is not going to help ease the pain.

Amelia’s stronger than she used to be. She’s come so far. The young new mother was once a victim to the cruel world of drugs. I know for a fact her love for Zeke and their daughter is stronger than what she had for her addiction. I’m sure it’s not easy to remain sober.

“Give me a few hours, and I’ll drive over. Can you text me your address?”

“Of course, thank you.”

I make a mental note of the address the minute her text comes through. I know the area very well. Thank God, I only had one glass of wine today. I’ve found myself drowning in bottles of wine night after night. The heartache dulls some. But it never leaves. I force myself to the bathroom not bothering to turn on the hot water. Why should I be able to enjoy the warmth of life when I couldn’t save my own sister?

The ice-cold water slices at my skin, forcing me to feel everything. It takes all my effort and energy to run a handful of shampoo and conditioner through my hair and wash my body. That’s it. I’m done. No makeup. No drying my hair. Nothing.

The drive blurs by, and before I know it, I’m at their house. I leave my purse and phone in my car. Ironic at best seeing that I’ve been attached to those two items the past few years. It was all about my career, and more importantly, saving Zoe. I failed.

God, give me the strength to be able to do this. I’m tired of falling apart.

Standing up, I’m forced to tug up my yoga pants to only have them drop right back down. I fold over the waistband a few times to keep them in place. My hoodie is swallowing up my entire body. It’s always been an oversized, worn hoodie and one of my favorites, but now it’s way too big. I’ve lost weight. Eating is not high on my priority list these days.

I’m still staring down at my hot pink chipped toenails peeking through my flip-flops when I hear my name being called out. Looking up, I see Amelia has her sweet miracle cradled to her chest and is waving at me. Her eyes are sad yet hold a hopeful glimmer. She’s a warrior.

I straighten my spine and do my best show of holding my head high when all I want to do is curl up and waste away. Wilder. It’s that little boy who has me putting one foot in front of the other. He needs me, and I have to get to him.

“Eden.” Amelia steps down to the last step. “Thank you so much for coming over.”

“Amelia, what are you doing?” An exasperated Zeke joins us on the steps. “You need to be sleeping if Clara is. How many times do I have to tell you?”

“Stop.” She places a palm on her husband’s chest. “I’m fine.”

She rolls her eyes then shoots me a warm smile. Even in the darkest of times, Zeke’s overbearing nature makes me smile. I feel a blossom of warmth grow in my chest. I would love to have a man love me the way he does her. To say the man has been intense since their first doctor’s visit would be an understatement.

“Come in.” Amelia reaches for my arm. “Zeke is grilling some steaks.”

“I am,” he adds. “And my wife is supposed to be napping.”

She sends him a death glare, but he doesn’t back down. He stands there challenging her, and the sparky little thing accepts. “Zeke, you tell me when to sleep, pee, and poop. I know you’re just helping, but I’m damn near ready to karate chop your balls.”

“It will be your loss if you do, babe. You might want to remember that when you’re ready to have sex.” He grabs her ass, gives it a little swat. They are perfect for one another.

“Give me Clara. I’ll lay her down, so you two can talk.”

Amelia hands over the little bundle with care and precision, never letting go of her until she’s firmly pressed into Zeke’s chest.

“Go have a seat in the living room. I’ll holler when dinner is ready.”

“I’ll sit wherever the hell I want.”

Zeke’s a persistent man, but also a very smart one. He bites his bottom lip and then winks at his wife. Once he’s gone, Amelia loops her arm around mine, letting out a growl.

“I love him; I swear I love that man with everything I have, but he’s just so damn frustrating at times.”

We walk through their living room, bypassing their couch. Amelia is determined to sit wherever the hell she wants to. It’s comical, really. Under normal circumstances, I would laugh. There isn’t a damn thing normal about any of this.

We end up out on their back patio sitting across from one another on loungers covered in striped pillows.

“It’s the doctor in him,” I blurt out. “It’s what we do.”

The words are bitter on my tongue as they glide out. I’m a doctor, but I wasn’t able to save my sister. How ironic.

“I know.” Amelia rearranges her messy bun on the top of her head. “I keep thinking he’ll relax, but he hasn’t. I love him for that. Before Zeke, I never had anyone who took care of me, and now I have it all.”

I nod. I’m so not ready for where this conversation is heading. I have no words left inside of me, nor any energy.

“I miss her so much, Eden.” Amelia’s words are barely a whisper. I feel them drifting away in the California breeze.

The tears spill over, trickling down my cheeks. I swear one day, they’ll all dry up. I’m not sure how it’s even possible to keep crying.

“Isn’t it crazy?” Amelia’s voice hitches with emotion. “She brought us all together not even knowing it.”

I bite down on my bottom lip and decide to go with honesty. “I’m fucking angry at her. I knew she had friends, a job she loved, and that was her place of solace away from Ricky. I begged and begged to help her until I was blue in the face. I was always afraid she’d shut me out for good, you know. Now my sister is gone. I should have done something more.”

I jerk back when Amelia falls to her knees in front of me clutching my hands in hers. “I know better than anyone how survival feels when there’s no hope of surviving. We can’t judge her. She was living the only way she could.”

“I’m not judging her. I’m judging me. I knew what he was doing to her. I knew it in here.” I point to my chest. Saying those words is freeing, but it doesn’t make the hole in my chest feel any better.

“I have to get Wilder back. He’s got to be scared. I know he is.”

I flip my gaze up to hers. Our tears are mirroring one another’s. She is a strong woman. It’s the determination in her bright blues that gives me hope.

“None of us will stop trying until that little boy is back home with you. When Zoe finally opened up to me about her son, I witnessed what true love really means.”

“What do you mean, none of you?” I interrupt her. Ignoring the part about her loving Wilder. I’m her sister. I know how much he meant to her. God, listen to me. My internal thoughts are turning me into a bitch.

“Well, Zoe isn’t the only one who kept secrets.” She rises and sits on the edge of her lounger. “We all have them. Ours is one that will bring Wilder back to his family, you.”

I clutch the sides of my head, growing more and more confused with each second, every effort of trying to process her words.

“Just tell me, Amelia. I hate secrets. Secrets are what took my sister from us all in the first place,” I blurt out.

“Most of the story is not mine to tell.”

“Amelia, don’t play those fucking games with me!” I snap.

She recoils at the nasty tone. I should feel ashamed. But I don’t.

“I’m not playing games with anyone. You need to know that there are so many different levels, layers, and puzzle pieces to all of this.”

I stand to lose my last thread of patience over her not making any sense to me. I throw my hands up to the sky and scream, “It’s simple. Really fucking simple. My sister is dead, and my nephew is missing. How much simpler can it be than that?”

Amelia’s tears run fast and hard down her cheeks. I’m out of control, and I know it. I don’t care. My mind cannot catch up with my tongue.

“Hey.”

His scent hits me first like a sucker punch to the gut. It’s him. The one who held me and walked me into the hospital. The man who held my hand at the funeral. Saxon. I’m instantly pissed, relieved, and confused as hell. The thick ropes of his arms wrap around me from behind. My body falls into his chest just like it was made to be there.

“Let me, Amelia.” The deep timbre of his voice rattles my core to a breaking point. “It’s my story to tell. I’m gonna keep it real fucking simple, yeah?”

What story are these people talking about?

“Take a seat.” He points. I sit. I do not like his demanding tone one little bit. He doesn’t take a seat. His hand goes to the back of his neck, squeezing out his frustration over me yelling at his sister-in-law. I’m sure of it. While I wait for him to chew my ass out, I take a few seconds to take him in. The sides of his head are shaved tight with longer pieces of hair on top pulled into a ponytail. He’s cleanly shaved. Handsome as any man I’ve seen. He’s overbearing and out-of-this-world sexy.

“I knew Zoe. Fuck, I wanted her. Ain’t nothing but the truth gonna fly from these lips. I don’t play games, darlin’.” Huh? What does he mean? Did he want her, want her? I’m beginning to think these people are as crazy as I am.

He grabs a cigarette from his front pocket, lights it, and takes a deep inhale of smoke. “Amelia was worried about her. I went to her house that day. I’m the one who found her dead body. The cops were already on the way.”

I fly into action jumping to my feet and getting right up in the man’s face. He smells like nicotine, danger, and power. I take a step back and ignore the smoke he blows in the air. “Was he there? Why didn’t you stop him?”

The lit cigarette dangles from his lips as he grabs me by the shoulders, sitting my ass right back down. He slowly inhales one more time then exhales. Deeply. I’m pissing him off. Good. Join whatever party game you and your family are playing.

“I don’t play fucking games, remember that part of the story, b—”

The last word dies off, but I’m not an idiot. I know what he was going to call me. It would only take three seconds of being around this man to know he doesn’t play by society’s rules. I’ve seen enough of his type over my years of working. It’s the way they roll. In my defense, I have every right to be the biggest bitch in the world. She was my sister.

“I have one of my best friends trying to track that fucker down. Hell’s Lovers is on it. He’s making it difficult for us to find him. We will find him, darlin’, and when we do, we will bring Wilder home, and we will take care of Ricky. He’ll get as good as he gave. A few of my buddies live for this shit. They scare the hell out of me, so cool your ass. Trust in us.” Trust? I don’t even know this man. Why in the hell does the way he says ‘trust’ and the way he says ‘we’ll handle it’ not frighten me the way I’ve been scared out of my mind for Wilder? I need to pinch myself. Or get drunk.

“You saw her,” I whisper, not even knowing how those words made it through the fog in my head right now.

He answers with a curt nod. Leans over and puts out the end of his cigarette with his boot. His eyes are watery. This is killing him.

“Zeke would kick your ass for smoking out here,” Amelia chimes in.

“He can fucking try.” Brick turns and strides to the house. “Need a fucking drink right now.”

“I’m sorry, Eden. I didn’t know how to tell you everything. I wanted you to know we will help you get him back.” She rises, holding her hand out to me. “Then my ass of a brother-in-law came in and ripped the Band-Aid off with no finesse whatsoever.”

I stare up at her for a long time. I deal with facts every day. The world is full of them.

Brick is no people pleaser. That is clear to see. I, however, appreciate his honesty. I have a choice to make. Lay out all my cards with him or go home and wallow in self-pity with no solution. I crave a cure. He just offered it to me.

I reach my hand up, taking hers and brushing away the last lingering tears.

“I’m sorry, Amelia.”

“No.” She clutches my hand tighter. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned in life it’s that you never apologize for the way you feel. You wear that shit on your sleeve, and you conquer it.”

“Thank you.”

Before we step through the sliding glass door, I turn to her. “Thank you for loving Zoe for who she was.”

Amelia nods. Once we step into the house, the mood has shifted. Brick and Zeke are in a full-out argument over what seasoning to finish grilling the steaks with.

My heart still throbs with pain, but there’s a lingering flash of hope in there now.

Five

Brick

“Jesus Christ, she looks like fucking hell trampled all over her. Can’t you prescribe her some pills or something?” I bring the bottle of whiskey to my mouth, take two strong, heavy pulls. The burn in my throat doesn’t do a damn thing to ease the shit storm I’ve been dealing with.

I’m barely fucking hanging on. Seeing her this way has me pissed off at the whole damn world. The cops can’t find shit. We can’t find shit. And that motherfucker is out there somewhere with a kid who has to be missing the hell out of his mother. Dirty bastard.

I’ve kept in contact with Katch every day since I called him. Thank fuck, his wife, Caitlin, has her connections. She found us a picture of the piece of shit. I could have asked Eden the day at the funeral. One look at her, and I knew I couldn’t. I hated asking her the questions I did. My mind has been so twisted up over her that I’ve taken every gun run to New York that the club could find. Three times I’ve driven, delivered, and drunk. Had a damn good time with our friends on the east coast. Our faithful clients. The Diamond family.

Roan Diamond and his crew of men listened to me tell them what happened with anger spitting out of their eyes. They are at the ready to help us out if needed, and the way it’s going, we’re going to need them, like, yesterday.

“She won’t take anything. Hell, this is the first time she’s been over here to see the baby. You saw her at the funeral. She’s hurting.” Zeke doesn’t have to tell me; it’s written all over her like a war zone map. Pain. Its fucking aura surrounds her. Guts me.

“What did she say when you told her that you were the one who found Zoe?” I scoff over his words. Woman has some sass. I like it. More than I should.

“She about chewed my head off. Like you said, she’s grieving. Eden’s blaming herself, like the rest of us. The difference is, she knew; we didn’t. All we had were our suspicions. We all could have done more. There isn’t a damn thing we can do about it now but get that kid to his aunt, get our revenge, and make Zoe proud of her son.”

“What do you mean, we? You got an inner badass that you're about to pull out of your pocket?”

“You know who I’m talking about. You just keep your eyes on these women. Don’t be worrying about what I do.”

“Screw you. I’ll worry all I want. It’s my job as the big brother. You’ve been gone since the funeral. You haven’t even held your niece yet,” Zeke’s fast to reply.

Here we fucking go.

“I’ve been working. I’m here now. You're the first person I called when I got into town. I haven’t even been home yet. Where is she?”

He doesn’t answer. He takes his fancy-ass steak flipper and points. What the hell is wrong with using a damn fork? Steaks are gonna taste good no matter what you use to flip them with. Prissy ass.

“Hey, babe, can you come and show Saxon how to hold Clara? He used to pick up our sister's dolls by the hair and throw them.”

“Fuck you, asshole. I did not. It was you. Amelia, keep your sexy little ass planted right where it is.” Jerk. I’ll show him who this girl will be looking up to her entire life.

“Come here, princess.” I lean down, curl one hand under her head, the other under her tiny little bottom. She stretches, makes a few noises, and goes right back to sleep. Take a look at this shit, fucker. She’s in love with me already.

“Man, she’s something else. I can’t believe you're a dad. How’s it feel?” I ask. Take a seat and place her on my lap. She is the cutest little thing I’ve seen in my life. All dark hair, rosy cheeks, and a tiny little mouth wrapped in pink. Perfect.

“Can’t describe it. Never thought I’d love another girl as much as I do Amelia. The minute I saw Clara, she proved me wrong.”

“Yeah, I bet. Uncle Brick brought you something. I’ll give it to you as long as you promise to give your dad all kinds of hell and let me know if boys start bothering you and shit,” I whisper to her, knowing damn well if Zeke hears me swearing, he’ll try giving me shit. I reach down and pull my gift out of the pink bag and hold it up. “I had no idea what to get you, then a friend of mine named Alina Diamond bought this for me to give to you. It’s a doll; her name is Clara, just like you.” My eyes water at the sight of her. Our sister would have been in love with this little girl.

I’m not sure how long I sit with her on my lap. It’s a first, that’s for sure. I love this baby more than anything. Protect her with my life.

“May I?” Eden sits beside me. Her arms are already reaching out to take Clara from my lap.

“They sleep a lot,” she says, cradling her in her arms.

“That’s what I hear.” I look around for Amelia and Zeke. When I see they are nowhere to be found, I decide now is as good as ever to set this shit straight. Make sure she gets my meaning from earlier and knows to keep it to herself.

“You and I come from opposite ends of the world, darlin’. Did you understand what I said a bit ago? I don’t lie. I’m going to kill that son of a bitch. The shit you and I talk about is taken to the grave; you get me?”

“I get you. I understood everything you said, Saxon.” I lift a brow at her calling me by my given name. The tender vixen has guts. There are very few people who call me that. It’s by choice. Mine.

“You need to start taking care of yourself. You look like shit.” She jerks her head my way. I shrug. I call it as I see it.

“I know. I don’t care anymore. That’s the thing, and as cliché as it is to say, Wilder is all I have left of her. She won’t rest peacefully until I have him. I know she won’t. Do whatever you have to do. I’m not going to stop you.” She shocks the hell out of me when she whispers the truth. I wasn’t worried about her turning me in. I was more concerned about how she would feel about me personally.

Two firsts in one night. Fuck me.

* * *

“Give me your keys.” Amelia sticks out her hand, her tiny little fingers making her little gimme motion. She needs to be tamed down. I reach into my pocket, drop them in her hand, grab a smoke, and slap Eden’s ass on the way to the opposite side of the deck.

“Watch it,” she jabs. Oh, I’m watching it, alright. She’s had me rock hard all night. I’d love nothing more than to see what the good doctor can do.

“Make sure you grab her keys, too. She might have eaten because I practically shoved it down her throat, but she’s been sucking down them shots of Honey Jack as much as me. If I have a buzz, then she’s fucking trashed.”

I had to stand over the top of the woman to get her to eat half of the food on her plate. She stood up to me, too. Until I grabbed her by the arm, planted her in the chair next to me, and placed her plate on her lap.

“I’m staying,” she slurs.

Damn right, she is.

I light my smoke, letting the nicotine draw deep into my lungs while I watch Eden. She may be grieving, hiding behind her sweatshirt, but she isn’t fooling me. Or Zeke. She’s alone. Or at least she thinks she is.

Amelia snags Eden’s keys. Zeke is right behind her grabbing the baby monitor off the patio table.

“Need to get my wife stripped down and naked in the shower. A man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do.”

“Whoa!” Eden jumps up on her feet, wobbling back and forth. “It hasn’t been six weeks yet. There’s no way you can be having sex. Hell, her stitches—”

Zeke’s roaring laughter mutes out Eden’s tirade. She wobbles back and forth, swaying so badly I’m afraid she’s about to get a face full of cement. I grab her by the hip, spreading one palm out to help steady her. The woman may have lost weight, but she has a sweet-looking ass. Fuck me. This is going to be trouble. Damn.

“Calm down, Doc. I’m just going to wash her up and dream like a greedy motherfucker.” Zeke waves the baby monitor at us as he disappears into the house.

Eden flops back in the lounger. Her hair is flowing down the back. Jesus. I’d love to grip that hair and settle in for the night.

She doesn’t say a word, just stares at the stars for a long-ass time. We sit in silence. I have never felt so much peace in my life. Dealing with reality isn’t one of my strong suits. I drink, work for my club, and find anything else to get myself into. But this time on the open highway following the truck with guns, my mind did nothing but fight reality.

Eden hiccups then lets out a little giggle, distracting me from my thoughts. Her eyes are growing heavy. There’s no way in hell I’m going to let her sleep out here.

“Hey.” I place my palm on her thigh. “I’ll take the couch. You can have the guest bedroom. I’ll get it ready for you.”

Eden rolls her head until she’s staring at me and grins. The girl is pissed drunk. She won’t have that smile on her face in the morning when she’s hurting like hell. I force myself to get up and head inside the house. I don’t fucking waste time or dick around in there. Not sure why I have this unsettled feeling about leaving her outside. I know Zeke’s house is locked down tighter than the fucking state penitentiary; that’s precisely why her ass needs to be inside.

After tossing an ugly, flowered quilt on the couch, I kick off my black boots, make my way outside, and reach back tossing my shirt to the ground. The fucking night air is suffocating me. Feeling trapped is my one phobia that has the ability to paralyze me. I stride right back to the patio. Eden’s arms rise then slowly fall down to her side.

My vision darts to the pile of clothes on the ground then back to her. She stretched out on the lounger on her stomach with her feet kicked up where your head goes and her elbows propping up her chin.

I bite down on my knuckles when I realize I’m staring at the globes of her ass peeking out from her panties. A spark of light catches my attention, so I take a few steps closer, and that’s when I see her perfect, fuckable lips wrap around the end of one of my cigarettes. I grip the back of my head, tamping down the monster in my pants threatening to punch through. Jesus fucking Christ, those lips and my cock. Holy hell. My slice of heaven.

She takes long pulls on the cigarette, exhaling the smoke into the night air. My own personal pin-up girl.

“It fades and disappears in the deep dark night just like Wilder did.” She turns her head. “You know what I mean?”

I take another step toward her, making sure to keep enough distance from giving my hand permission to spank her tight little ass. This is not the time or place to be thinking about her ass or her pussy underneath those silk panties, no matter how rock hard my dick is. Thinking that shit doesn’t help a damn bit. Ain’t no matter, though, not when he is hard as fuck.

I run my palm over my chest, choosing my next words wisely.

“Smoking is bad for you, doctor.”

“Yeah?”

I can’t help but grin when she slings back one of my favorite words.

“Yeah.” I jerk my chin.

She slowly rises to a sitting position, crossing her long legs with the lit cigarette dangling from her lips. It’s then I realize she’s wearing one of my motherfucking shirts. The confusion must be evident on my face because she answers my unspoken question.

“Amelia gave it to me to sleep in. Said you leave your shit here when she does your laundry.” She plants her face in the material she’s bunched up in a fist. “But it doesn’t smell like you.” I’d love for you to smell like me. Your pussy, mouth, and your ass.

“Here.” I pluck the cigarette from her fingers. Having no self-restraint when I bring it to my lips. Her taste overpowers the nicotine scent. “Smoking will kill you.”

“Ironic.” She plops back down on the lounger, keeping her knees bent up. I’m about one second away from tugging my shirt down those long fucking legs of hers. She’s killing me here.

I lift a brow when she reaches over, grabs the last of the Honey Jack, swallowing it in one long gulp. “You should quit smoking.” Is that a challenge?

Even during the lowest point of her life, she’s still a feisty one. One half of it the whiskey, and I know for damn certain the other half is her warrior attitude. I sit back in the recliner, relaxing my elbows on the tops of my thighs and dropping my head. A smile is tugging at the corners of my mouth.

“You put some damn meat back on them bones, and I’ll quit smoking.”

Her long, crazy hair whips all around when she turns quickly to look at me. Shock is covering all her features. Her mouth opens wide. No words come out. She repeats the process over and over, making me smirk.

“You really loved her, didn’t you?”

Wasn’t expecting that shit by no means.

“Darlin’.”

“Stop.” She holds both hands up. “Don’t call me that shit anymore. I hate it.”

Before I have the chance to speak, she’s up and on her feet. Paddling around until she’s sitting down facing me on her own lounge chair. “And don’t ever call me bitch. I understand it may be a term of endearment for your—”

My turn, vixen.

“For my type of people?” I finish for her.

She nods.

“Listen real good to me. I don’t do bullshit or play games. I live a way of life I believe in, and ain’t nobody going to tell me different or judge it.” The veins in my neck pulse like they do every time I speak of my dedication to the Hell’s Lovers.

“Other thing, darlin’.” I overemphasize the word to be sure I’m making my point clear. “I ain’t no fucking liar, thief, or rat. Zoe caught my eye the first time I saw her. Different circumstances, a different place, I would have had her in my bed. The thing is, I don’t share my women. She was off limits as soon I learned about Ricky. Been on the road a little shy of two weeks now and had lots of time to think. I was infatuated with her. I didn’t love her. I cared for her. The thing is, I love my family and Amelia loved Zoe, so it makes it my business.”

I whip my neck to the side listening to the bones creak and crack. Just like my words did to Eden. I’m not about painting any pretty fucking pictures or offering up happily ever afters. I am who I am and don’t make excuses to or for a fucking person. I may have gone a bit far, but that shit needed to be cleared up.

“Thank you,” she whispers.

“Thank you?” I lift her trembling chin up, forcing her to look at me. “You are saying thank you after I just put you in your place, darlin’? Is that what I’m hearing?” She nods, pulls back from my touch, and then slowly raises her hand, flipping me the middle finger.

“Thing about me, Brick. I don’t play games either. My world is black and white. Thanks for being honest.” She stands up without warning, wobbling on her fucking legs like a newborn calf. I stay close behind her fighting the urge to throw her ass over my shoulder. I point the way down the hall and then fling the door open for her. My chest pushes into her back, then my dick hardens on contact when her ass pushes into it.

“Good night.” I jerk my chin then walk back out to the couch wondering what in the hell just happened. Women and whiskey.

I’m a fucking bastard, and I know it. I’ve been known as the Grim Reaper to many. However, when the time calls for it, I do have manners; leaving her like that was my only choice. If she weren’t grieving and drunk, I would’ve crawled into that fucking bed with her. Wrapped her aching soul up in my arms until she fell asleep. The way I’m feeling about her ain’t nothing compared to what I felt for Zoe. It’s crass but the truth. I wanted to fuck Zoe, and that’s it. I’m starting to feel something else than only wanting to fuck Eden. You would think that would scare the hell out me. The funny thing is, it doesn’t.

The couch fucking sucks when I lay my head down. Half of my frame is spilling off it. The whiskey and the wear and tear from being on the road for days on end make it easy to find sleep in spite of my mind telling me my back is going to be hurting. My eyes drift shut. My mind closes down, and all the fucked-up stress evaporates.

* * *

I reach for the alarm trying to slam it in order to shut it the fuck off. I roll off the couch, landing with a loud thud on the floor. “Son of a bitch.”

It’s then I realize I’m at Zeke’s and not my place. A shrilling sound echoes from down the hallway.

Eden.

I jump to my feet, pull my gun from my pants, and haul ass toward her.

Pushing the door open, I see she’s alone and curled up in the middle of the oversized mattress, crying desperately. She fights to catch her breath. Damn. Why is it when I see this woman cry it cuts me open? I tuck the gun into the waistband of my boxers.

“Eden.”

She doesn’t acknowledge me, so I move in closer.

“You alright?”

Her words come in a broken tandem. “When I sleep, I see her dead body on the metal table. I wake up, close my eyes again, and I hear Wilder crying for me while Ricky’s evil laugh is coming from every direction.” I run my hands through the messy hair on top of my head trying to rip it from my fucking scalp.

“I’ll go get your warm milk.”

The fuck? Warm milk. I’ve lost my shit.

She rolls over, showing me her red, puffy face. There’s a hint of a smile peeking out. “Don’t you mean ‘I’ll go get you some warm milk, darlin’, because I’m badass like that?’” I can’t help but smile. Anyone else tried that shit with me, and I’d lay their ass out.

“My sister always wanted warm milk when she couldn’t sleep.” She nods while I’m standing here hoping the booze is still hitting her head. I’m not in the mood to double down my stress and talk about Clara.

“I don’t want to be alone.” I close my eyes. The pressure building.

“Fuck,” I growl. Dick twitching. I should have jacked that pierced motherfucker off. He is going to be hurting.

She reaches out, grabbing my forearm, tugging me down. No damn way am I getting underneath the blankets when she curls back up into a tiny ball with her ass pressing into me. Fucking torture.

Sleeping all night with a chick has never been my thing. Cuddling? Definitely not.

I throw my arm over her, tugging her back to my chest, then run my nose through her hair, pulling in her scent after I place my gun on the nightstand.

“You need sleep, Eden. I’ve got you.”

“I ain’t family, though.”

I don’t miss the fact she’s using my slang again. I swat her ass that’s covered up by the blanket.

“Must be fond of you, then,” I growl into her hair.

Three firsts in twenty-four hours, Brick. You better swing, motherfucker, or you're going to be out. Yeah, I’ll be swinging. Going to be a man and do it when the time is right.

Silence pulls us back to sleep. The darkness in the room our lullaby. Her rhythmic breathing is easing a pain deep inside of me that’s been simmering for years.

The creaking of the door alerts me to someone being in the room. I’ve been awake for an hour but haven’t wanted to move in fear of waking Eden. Motherfucking pussy. She’s clinging to my body, her arms and legs tangled all around me. Her cheek pressed against my bare chest. This woman was made to be in my arms. Swear to Christ, she was.

I crane my neck to see Zeke standing in the doorway red-faced and pissed off. My eyes go wide trying to explain to him nothing happened. The bastard doesn’t believe me, though; I can see it in his eyes. He finally walks out of the room shaking his head. Ain’t none of his business where my dick plays anyway, but Jesus, he could have a little more faith in me.

I try to roll over, only causing Eden to stir. When I’m flat on my back, there’s no way to miss my tented boxers, revealing my raging hard-on. Goddamn balls are going to fall off real soon. Eden stretches out beside me like a cat sunning in a warm window. My teeth bite down on my bottom lip to a near painful point. I do my best to cover up my dick, but some things you can’t hide.

Eden perches up on her elbows, glancing right down to the skyscraper under my boxers. Using my hand, I try to cover up.

“Sorry, darlin’,” I begin to explain.

The fucking vixen smiles at me. “I’m a doctor. I know how the human body works, Brick. Go rub one out in the shower.”

Her smile is gone in a flash when she grabs her head. Hangover city.

“Appreciate the concern regarding my cock. Lie back down. You’re going to be a whole lot of hurting today.”

You just wait until I get a hold of you. I’ll hurt you in a pleasurable way.

Six

Eden

“This is the third time Jamie Watson has complained about how his wife being pregnant has changed her sex drive. I’m not sure what else I can say to make him understand that it’s normal. The man is driving me crazy.” I take a sip of my wine, uncross my legs, and lean across the table. I’m about to give this young woman a lesson on client confidentiality 101. Stupid little girl. She will never get very far if she doesn’t learn it now.

“Maybe it’s time to toss being professional to the side. Be blunt. Tell him the blood flows to a woman’s pussy the same way it flows to a man’s cock when they are horny. In pregnant women’s cases, the blood flows more often. Then tell him he should be thankful her hormones are working that way instead of growing hair all over her face or farting all the time,” I say with a straight face to the so-called nurse across from me. I’ve been back to work for three weeks and finally agreed to go out with a few of the nurses from work. This young lady across from me is damn lucky she doesn’t work for me, or she’d never work again.

All she’s been doing for the last half hour is rattling on about certain clients who drive her crazy. Not to mention, she’s way out of line when it comes to professionalism by telling me their names.

“That would be stepping over the line quite a bit, don’t you think?” she remarks with a red face. Hmm. I hope my words are sinking in.

“My point exactly, Stacy.” I grab my clutch. Forget about my wine and the little tart who I hope is smart enough to sit there and chew on what I said. I doubt it.

I look for my favorite, very professional nurse, Gigi. When I see her at the bar, I weave my way through the crowd and nearly trip in my Valentinos.

Saxon Hartley is sitting at a table with a group of men. He looks comfortable and sexy as hell as they all toss back a shot, stand, shake hands, and the men with him leave. Saxon strides to the bar, pulls out his wallet, and I’m struck dumb. He is not my type at all, but my God, the throb he’s giving me between my legs doesn’t seem to care. Neither does my head. He is downright gorgeous.

I haven’t seen or talked to him since the night at Zeke and Amelia’s where I embarrassed the hell out of myself. Drinking too much and smoking a cigarette. I swear I tasted the nicotine in my mouth for a week.

I sure as hell have thought about him, though. A lot. For heaven’s sake. He has a nice ass. He said he doesn’t play games. I wonder if he’d let me play quarter bounce off his backside. Shit, I’m sweating.

I left while he was in the shower. Called Zeke and Amelia later that afternoon to thank them for everything. Only I didn’t get very far with my thanks. I sat on my bed with a very bad headache and listened to Zeke tell me it was time to pull my head out of my ass. So, I did.

I also started eating, working out, and stopped drinking. The expensive glass of wine was the first drink I’ve had since, and now as I watch Saxon at the bar, the way the muscles in his back are flexing underneath a black button-up shirt, I could go for something stronger. Like a chair for example. In the corner. Where I could squirm and relieve the ache between my thighs or play with myself.

Pregnant women are not the only ones whose blood flows south. Men are not either.

“You must be staring at what I was. He’s hot as hell. Smells good, too.” Gigi strolls up, shoves the receipt in her purse, and spins around to take another look.

“Very,” I mutter. She doesn’t have to tell me how good he smells. I know firsthand. I’m a total idiot for keeping his shirt. I haven’t washed it either. Might have smelled it a time or two. I’ve thanked God at least a hundred times for having that man hold me all night as I soaked up his smell.

“I’m sorry to cut our night short. It’s obvious Stacy has had too much to drink with the way she’s running her mouth. I’m going to take her home.” This right here is one of the many reasons why I love her.

“It’s fine. Dinner was great. I had fun, and I needed it. You take her home. I’ll see you at the office on Monday.” There’s no need for me to elaborate Stacy’s behavior. Gigi is as professional as they come. She’ll set her straight.

I continue to stare at his ass for a minute or two, contemplating if I should say hello or leave, when he shoves his wallet back in the pocket of his jeans then turns around and sees me.

I have never been mentally seduced by a pair of dark eyes the way he is stripping me bare in all my life. They start at my neck, graze across my bare shoulders, arms, chest, stomach, legs, and stop at my feet. Not that he would be the type of man to care, but my nails are painted a very vibrant red. Zoe’s favorite color of nail polish.

I would give anything right now to be able to do the same thing to him. To gawk the way I did when I woke to find him in bed with me. The man has a nice package between his legs. He’s pierced, too. I noticed the metal piece poking out of the end of his dick through his boxers.

Saxon Hartley, my mysterious man, turned me on and made me angry at myself for asking him to stay with me after another nightmare.

I have to go. I shouldn’t be thinking about him or call him my man. It has nothing to do with him not being my type. I feel guilty for desiring a man when my sister is gone and my nephew is missing. Not to mention his straightforward words that pierced my soul. The man is dangerous. I’m fairly certain he’s a killer. Which confuses the hell out of me in many ways.

“Hello, Saxon.” I shuffle forward on my five-inch stilettos; tilt my head up to look at him. God, he’s beautiful. Scruffy face and all.

“Eden,” he spits my name out. Angrily. Shit, I’m in a whole mess of trouble with this man.

“Zeke has been keeping me updated. I appreciate everything you’re doing. I have to go. It was good to see you.” I’m being a bitch, and I know it. I just can’t right now. With him or anyone.

I paste my clutch to my chest. My heart is pounding loud enough to drown out the angry voices in my head.

He isn’t a game player, and neither am I. A blind person would have picked up on the short-lived sexual tension between the two of us a minute ago. Nothing is going to come of it, and we sure as hell can’t talk privately in there even if there were something going on. Which there isn’t. Won’t ever be and definitely shouldn’t.

I pound the sidewalk, round the corner to the parking lot, and make it to my car. I hit the key fob, climb in, and start her up, start to pull out, and sigh. I feel awful for brushing him off. Saxon has done a lot for me, and I treated him like a stranger. I glance up and immediately feel disappointment set in when I see him cross the street and slide behind the wheel of a truck.

“God, Eden. What the hell is wrong with you?” I say as I pull out of the parking lot in the opposite direction in which he does, knowing full well that in my case, opposites may attract, but they rarely ever last.

* * *

“Oh, shit.” I murmur a half hour later when I pull into my drive to see Saxon standing next to his truck. Arms crossed over his chest. Legs crossed at the ankle. The entire drive home I kept swallowing guilt with every swallow. I should have known that a dominating man like him would not take kindly to a woman acting out. Fuck him, though; I don’t owe him a damn thing except for an apology.

“You even think about getting out of that car, and I’ll blister your ass. It won’t be for your pleasure either,” he barks, pushes off of his truck, and strides right into my garage. My temper flares. It skyrockets when he bends, sticks his head inside of my car, pushes the garage door opener to close us in. What the hell does he think he’s doing?

“People don’t owe me favors when I do something for them. What I demand out of anyone is respect. Is this the type of person you really are? ‘Cause you were a fucking bitch back there. You also left my brother's house without a damn word to me. So, the way I see it, I’m making you the first person who owes me.” His neck flexes with each word.

I owe him? Oh, shit.

“I’m sorry,” I say truthfully. He’s so close to me I could reach out and take his bottom lip between my teeth. And bite.

“That’s fucking better. Don’t ever pull that kinda bullshit on me again, Doc. That was a fucking game, and this is the last time I’m playing one. Now, get outta that fancy-ass fucking car.” He backs up a step, giving me just enough room to climb out. I jump when he slams the door, grips my arm, and guides me into my house.

“Take your hands off me, Saxon.” I try to jerk free. I fail.

“Not happening until I show you exactly what these hands can do. Sit,” he demands. I gulp while images of his hands all over me flash across his features. Shit. Shit. Shit. Please. Please. Please.

Not going to happen.

This man is used to getting what he wants. Well, he has met his match in me. Yeah, right. He’s going to form you into pliable putty in his hands, and you're going to love every minute of it.

“No. This is my house; you don’t get to come in here and boss me around. I’m not one of those club women who submit at your feet.” I cross my arms over my chest. Wrong thing to say, Eden. His flaming eyes divert down to my cleavage. Fire shoots across my skin. I’m scorching.

“No, you are not one of those women, which is why for the past three weeks I haven’t been able to get you off my mind. You are stuck in my head for some damn reason. I may not be your type of man and you sure as hell aren’t my type of woman. You're too good for a guy like me. Neither one of us can deny that. But something happened between us. You know it and so do I. Now fucking sit.”

I’m sitting not because he told me to but because his words strike me in the chest. If there’s one of us who isn't good enough, it’s me. He may have a dark side, but he has a big heart. I watched him interact with his brother; I adored him when he held his niece. I respected him when he climbed into bed with me with the biggest hard-on I’ve felt and he didn’t make a move to touch me. He held me. Kept me safe.

“Spread your legs, darlin’.”

“What?” My chest heaves up and down. I would fall to the ground if I were standing.

“Not into repeating shit.” He glides his rough hands up my legs until they reach the inside of my thighs. Gently, he presses them open.

And. I. Squirm. My insides are shaking right along with my legs.

“You need this as much as I do. Just remember it’s only the beginning of what’s to come. You have me so fucking twisted up inside that I can't see anything past your beautiful face. You gonna deny the chemistry, Eden?” I should. But I’m not.

“No.”

“Good girl.” He slides his hands back down my legs, grabs my ankles, places both of my legs over his shoulder, and dips his head between my thighs. “Fuck. You have been sitting in that bar with no panties on. I oughta beat your ass, and trust me, I have plans to. Right now, though, I’m going to fuck you with my tongue until you drop to your knees in front of me. Then you’re going to take my cock between those fuckable lips” Oh. My. God.

“Fuck. This pussy is fucking beautiful, Doc.” My head falls back on the couch.

His tongue runs right up my slit. His hands are gliding up under my ass. Saxon’s large palms cup my ass easily, lifting me from the chair. He takes advantage of our position, growling into my pussy. He devours me like a fine wine.

His tongue dips into my pussy, fucking it with a perfect rhythm like he can’t get enough of me. Never have I felt this way in my entire life. One of his hands comes back out with his fingers running through my folds, his tongue running circles around my clit. I’m burning up.

Saxon peers up to me through his heavy lids when he sinks one finger into me. It’s all too much, causing me to throw my head back again, buck up my hips, and scream with all my might. He growls one more time before he continues to play me like a fucking fiddle.

I’m so focused on the way his tongue is exploring me that I lose control of every thought but him. No guilt, no shame. Just Saxon’s rough stubble scraping across my skin. His tongue and finger moving together. He moans as he eats me like the beast he is. An intoxicating combination of emotions runs through me. He’s towing me in. In complete control of my body.

“My God, Saxon.” I squirm; lift my body unabashedly toward his face.

“That’s it, darlin’. Fuck my face. It won’t be long until I’m fucking yours.” He only lifts his face for a tick of a second before he attacks me again.

I’m dangling off the fucking cliff, and for the life of me, I refuse to tumble over. I want this moment to last forever, relishing in the way Saxon has ignited every sensation in my body. But the bastard is talented, whipping his tongue one more time over my clit, sending me into pure ecstasy.

“Fucking perfection.” His tongue laps lazily over my center until I’m coming and he’s satisfied.

Then, like the predator he is, he climbs up my body. The tower of a man straddles my lap with fierce determination in his eyes. It scares me. But then his mouth crashes down on mine. He fucks my mouth with his tongue just like he did my pussy.

“Clean my face, darlin’. Kiss and lick away all of your taste.” Holy hell.

Never in my life have I been this sexually dirty with a man, but I don’t think twice about following his instructions. With each lap of my tongue across his chin, lips, and tongue, I feel beautiful from the inside out. Saxon gave me all of this, igniting a fire low in my belly that holds the threat to never diminish.

He leans back still straddling me on his knees. Each one of his moves hypnotizing me even though they’re simple. I’m no virgin and have seen plenty men pull out their cocks, but this is different. So fucking different that my head has created a special area to store this moment.

The air in my lungs freezes when he pulls his rock-hard cock from his boxers. No words compute in my thoughts. Saxon grips the base while staring down at me with a crooked eyebrow. I only focus in on his stare for a brief moment before going back to the silver piercing. That thing is going to be the death of me. Without thinking, I squirm down, wanting nothing more than to taste him. Take him whole in my mouth, drowning in everything Saxon.

He grabs my shoulder and pushes me back, shaking his head side to side. “You’ll suck my cock when I tell you to.” He is bossy. Trust me. He’s going to pay for that. Just not tonight.

He continues stroking himself from base to tip. I make sure to study the movement, pace, and grip, dying to know what he likes. The longer he jerks himself off, the more heat pools between my legs. He is definitely no fool catching onto this fact like a well-seasoned vet.

Saxon’s long, muscular arm reaches down between my legs. He sinks two fingers into my wet opening while never missing a beat stroking himself. I focus on his face and the passion coating his features. Between that little fact and his fingers fucking me, I’m screaming his name while relishing my second release of the night.

Before my screams die, Saxon leans forward grabbing the back of my head with his hand that was just fucking me.

“I’m gonna fuck that sweet mouth now.” He clutches onto both sides of my head. “Not pulling out either, darlin’, gonna coat the back of your throat with my come.” Oh, you most assuredly are, and I’m going to blow your godforsaken mind, Saxon.

I moan and squeeze my legs together. Never have I felt this dirty and beautiful at the same time. This man could ask me to hang the moon right now for him and I would. Saxon isn’t gentle as he pushes into my mouth. I grow drunk on his taste and the feel of his silky, hard shaft sliding into my mouth. The metal piercing hitting the back of my throat.

I drag my teeth every few strokes, gaining a growl from him. He pulses, bobs, and fucks my face until his eyes are filled with lust. His bottom lip is growing white from his top teeth sinking into it.

I suck, moan, and lick every hard inch of this dangerous man. Continuously.

I need more of him. Want him naked on me, covering my body, offering up his strength and comfort. My hands pull down his jeans over his perfect ass. I dig my nails into his ass cheeks, forcing him harder and faster into my mouth.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” Saxon growls, stilling in my mouth, making good on his promise of coating my taste buds.

I swallow every single bit of it high on life and all things Saxon right now. He pulls out slowly when I’m done sucking him dry.

“Let me taste.” He leans down attacking my mouth. I’m in heaven.

When he pulls back, there’s a whisper of a smile on his face. Ex-convict look, the badass biker has all vanished, leaving behind a stunning man.

“I want to come again,” I whisper into his lips.

“Yeah?”

I nod.

“Good thing I need one more taste before I take you to bed and hold you all night long. I’m a man of my word, darlin’.”

Seven

Brick

I roll out of bed quietly, my throbbing cock thick and heavy. Christ, she is stunning. Way too good for a man like me. My eyes glaze up the naked skin on her back, her hair covering half of her beautiful face. I’d give about anything to crawl back in bed and sink my cock into her pussy. My mouth knows firsthand how it tastes; now I need to feel. To let her grip me until I’m coming inside of her.

The minute I noticed her standing in the bar, my dick hardened and my head boiled with red-hot rage when her long, lean legs and hot-as-hell tits were spilling out of her dress. The woman standing before me was not the same woman who left without a Goddamn good-bye three weeks ago. Hell, no, she wasn’t. She stood there in a dress that had me wanting to haul her ass out of there and blister it. Short as fuck. Black as the inky sky and dipped so damn low in the front she had me seething. Then she spoke. Burned my damn ass even more.

What we did last night was not my intention when I hauled ass over here. I had every intention of chewing her fucking ass out for being a bitch. I’m not a man who goes around collecting favors, but I’ll be damned if I was going to let her treat me like a piece of shit. She’s better than that, and she knows it. Fuck, she’s better than me.

I haven’t been able to get her off my mind for one damn minute. My mind is a fucked-up mess over her, and there’s not one way I can even begin to explain it. I’ve never believed in love and connections and all that other bullshit, but there’s some invisible string tugging the two us together. I’ve felt need before. Not like this. I have a feeling once I get inside of her, imprinting her with me, that I’ll never be able to get enough. She’s beautiful even when she’s lost. Told Zeke that shit, too, when he tried chewing me a new one the minute I stepped out of the shower at his place.

I slide into my jeans, easing the zipper up around my angry dick. Not now, buddy. We will be back. It’s time to give our little vixen a taste of her own medicine. Her cell phone on the nightstand lights up with text after text filling her screen. She has her phone set to read ‘Text Message’ instead of the actual message. Everything inside of me wants to pull that damn phone into my hands and read those texts.

I grip the sides of my head, tamping down the instant rage of jealousy. She’s a professional. Has, or I should say, had a life outside of me. I’ll be talking to her about that the first chance I get. Whatever this is between us is something I’m not about to fuck up. I dig this chick. This woman is fucking mine.

It takes everything inside of me to walk outside and shut these fancy-ass double doors. I check to make sure the bitch is locked. With the fucking glamorous house she calls home, I’m shocked she doesn’t have a security system. That shit will be changed real fucking soon. No woman of mine will be living without one. Fancy fucking house or not.

I flick my lighter; inhale my cigarette, grinning like a dumbass. I did promise her I’d quit if she started eating again, and by the looks of her in that dress and the way she felt in my arms last night, she held up her end of it.

She still needs an ass beating, though. Cherry red with my dick sliding between those globes. Damn.

Her fucking ass in my palms last night and tits in my mouth, I’m certain she’s been eating. Curvy as hell and making my dick punch through my jeans. Not the most comfortable predicament to be driving back to the club in, that’s for sure.

My burner phone rings and I know who it is without having to look. It’s one call I’d never deny.

“Yeah.”

“The fuck, Brick.” Curtis slams something on his end of the line. “You better be walking in this motherfucking clubhouse right now.”

“On my way.”

“Church in twenty.”

The phone line goes dead, and my foot goes down heavy on the pedal. Ain’t no way I’m making it to church on time.

* * *

All my brothers are already around the table along with the Diamond family. Curtis at the head slamming his gavel down as soon as I walk in. His glare tells me everything I need to know. He’s fucking pissed, and I’ll be paying for it.

“Update,” Curtis growls.

Curtis and I met with Roan Diamond and a few of his men last night. They flew out here to gather information to help us out. I owe them. Roan takes over the conversation about the gun deals we have going on with them and how many more runs it will take. It ain’t no typical run because there are about five other clubs just waiting for our fuck-up to work with the Diamonds. These guys are our friends. We ain’t fucking up nothing. They wouldn’t be here if they didn’t care.

I bite down on my bottom lip. Pissed as hell, knowing my ass will be on another run across the country in a few days. Used to never bother me to hit the open road. Catch some sweet pussy along the way. That all changed a few weeks ago when a certain doctor unintentionally banged on the front door of my heart. Now, the thought of leaving her for one damn day has my mind wandering.

Someone clears their throat, and I notice Katch leaning in a dark corner of the room. Besides other clubs and the Diamond family, our club works with no one but Katch Sterling. That’s why he’s in church on an as-needed basis. The man isn’t a part of the club but as close as it fucking gets. He does the dirty jobs with no fucking questions asked. He’s one man you never want to piss off or look cross-eyed at. He’ll blow your head off and walk away with his dick hard from it.

“Got some news about the kid.” He kicks off the wall with half his face still in a dark shadow. “The fucker messed up.”

My fists clench and unclench. I know my fucking place, but it takes everything inside of me not to fucking demand answers. This club is my family, my one blood relative, Zeke, is the doctor the club uses, and Katch is the man who is going to bring justice to my family. I know I need to keep my mouth shut and would never show disrespect, but it’s taking all my strength to keep my shit reined in.

It’s a tangled web with all of us interconnected even though we survive in different walks of life. We battle this world and take care of our own. End of.

“What’s that?” Curtis growls out.

“They found his car burned and deserted in the middle of Utah. His only credit card transaction was in Fort Collins, Colorado. It’s obvious he’s running out of money, running scared, and soon he’ll be trying to run from a bullet that’s aiming for his fucking head.”

Curtis throws his head back in laughter. “Fucker’s gonna learn he can’t hide.”

Snake, our VP and the brother who specializes in computers and all that brainy shit, has been following leads and adds to the Intel. “His car was found three days ago; just broke out on the national news an hour ago. Our friend at the police department let me know Ricky’s mother contacted him.”

“The fucker’s family finally stepped up,” I growl, not able to control my rage any longer.

Curtis sends me a glare. I lift my brows. If this were his family, he wouldn’t be shutting up. I toss him the glare that says ‘Fine. I’ll shut the fuck up for now.’

“No. The cops talked to her. Our guy said she was trying to get him to turn himself in. The lady had no idea she has a grandson. By the sounds of it, she’s pretty shaken up,” Snake adds.

I dig my phone out of my pocket. Another ballsy move. My first thought goes to Eden’s safety. I send Zeke a quick text to have him get his ass over there with no questions asked. Know the fucker is off today because I’m supposed to go over there tonight for a family dinner.

Snake keeps rattling on with new information. My head is about ready to explode. “This puke spent most of his time in juvie after his single mother couldn’t handle his ass. He’d beat the shit out of her. Went balls deep into some pretty hard drugs. He ran away when he was seventeen. His mom hasn’t heard from him since.” What a fucking loser. I can’t for the life of me figure out why Zoe would get herself involved with a worthless fucker like that. Jesus Christ.

“Where does she live?” Katch asks.

“Seattle, Washington,” Snake answers.

“Give me her address. I’ll get someone from the Seattle chapter to keep an eye on her,” Curtis states.

My thoughts are racing, my blood is boiling, and my body needs to hold Eden when she hears this fucking news. The only thing keeping me grounded is knowing I’m surrounded by the best of the fucking best. These men will find Ricky and make him pay. Nothing gets by them. Wilder will be safely back in the arms of his aunt. That’s the shit I have to focus on. He’s fucking up, and we are taking advantage. My only fear is that the cops get to him before we do. Prison is too good for the motherfucker.

“Doesn’t make any sense. Where the hell does he think he’s going? He killed a woman, for God’s sake. You would think he’d done left the country by now.” Curtis exhales a thick cloud of smoke.

“It makes all kinds of sense.” Katch steps out into the full light. “He’s not going to his mother. He’s running for the mountains to hide out. Probably thinks he can find a small mountain town and create an alias. He’s running from something besides killing that woman. I’ll stake my life on it.”

Snake slams the lid of his laptop. “No evidence of the boy, living or dead. There were a few empty shell casings found in the burned vehicle. Police believe the boy is still alive, but that’s just speculation.”

“Fucking idiot.” Curtis leans back in his chair. “Bastard’s face is plastered all over national news. His time is tick-tocking away. I’ll call in the Denver chapter, too. Get their eyes on it until we get out there. Snake, you take Katch’s theory and see what you can find out.”

Silence floats heavy over the table in the room. My fucking punishment is about to rain down on me. I know exactly what the fucker is going to do. He owes someone. Drug dealers. Just like Katch said. I’d stake my life on it.

“Snake, Dilan, Cain, and Katch, you head to Colorado. You find out anything, Snake, and you call me.” He raises the gavel. “Any of you assholes have a problem with that?”

My jaw ticks.

Curtis slams the gavel down on the table.

When it comes to the death of a good woman and the safety of an innocent child, no one has a problem. Except Ricky.

Eight

Eden

“What’s going on?” I hand the chart to my secretary, who stares up at me with tears in her eyes.

I’ve been angry since I woke up this morning to find Saxon gone. Not a trace of him being there except the lingering scent of a pure dangerous man and the lingering feel between my legs. I showered. Skipped breakfast and came right to the office. Grabbed a handful of charts that needed my documentation and sat in my car at the beach to clear my head in order to do my job. I have to keep going on with my life. I became lost in my work in order to distract my fingers from calling the bastard. He used me, and the next time I see him, I’m going to let him know I will not put up with that shit.

I will not be treated poorly. Especially after the life Zoe led. All men can go straight to hell.

“Zeke called three times. He said it was an emergency. He has news about your sister. The police have called, too. We’ve been trying to get a hold of you.”

I feel my face turn as white as my lab coat. Gripping the side of the desk to steady myself, I glance over to see all four women who work in our reception area staring at me with pity in their eyes. Oh, God. I feel sick.

“Did he say what the emergency was?” My breastbone is cracking right down the middle. I’m splitting wide open.

“He didn’t. The television did. At least that would be our guess as to why he’s calling. You need to go home, Eden. We can handle the patients today.” I turn to see one of my associates, Timothy, standing behind me. Pity all over him, too. Why do people have to show pity? I hate it.

“I think someone should tell me what’s going on. Is it Wilder? Is he alright?” I’m starting to sweat. Every morbid thought is running through my mind. I can’t shake the feeling that something is about to happen. Flashes of his tiny broken body lying somewhere. He’s all alone. Panic edges up the back of my throat.

“Come into my office. Can one of you ladies fit her afternoon appointments in with one of us, please?”

“Tim, what is it?” I don’t stick around to make sure the ladies do what they’ve been asked. I follow him straight down the hall and into his office. Shutting the door behind me.

“Someone found Ricky’s car in Utah. It was abandoned. The police say they have suspicion to believe Wilder is alive. They held a press conference showing both of their photographs. Told the citizens Ricky is armed and dangerous.”

I’m numb.

“Call Zeke. I’ll give you privacy. Let me know if there’s anything I can do.”

Fear drenches my skin. The ringing in my ears is louder than the ring on the other end of the line as I place the phone up to my ear.

“Jesus Christ, Eden. I’ve been trying to reach you for a half hour. You need to get your ass out of there and get to my house.”

“The only thing I need right now is for you to tell me what the hell is going on with my nephew.”

I’m not going to watch the news. I can’t do it.

I sit there with my head in my hands. My body is shaking uncontrollably while he tells me basically the same thing Tim did. I want to ask him if Saxon knows. If he’s taken off to inspect the situation himself. I don’t. The thought of him at the moment makes me ill.

“You need to come over here, Eden. We have plenty of room, and you need support,” Zeke demands.

“I’m not going to interrupt your new family. The answer is no. I’ll stay at the hospital. I’m safe here. Besides, he’d be stupid to try and track me down. He has to know I’m working with the cops.” The thing is, I’m not working with them. In fact, I have no idea what I’m doing anymore.

I don’t know how long I hide away in Tim’s office after convincing Zeke I’ll be fine here. Long enough to have everyone in the office come and check on me. Long enough to keep the detective in the waiting room sitting there, irritated, when I finally gather my strength to greet him and show him to my office.

“Are you sure he hasn’t tried to reach you?” Detective Blanchard asks the same question he did when he closed the door to my office. My fear turns into pure, hot rage. I lash out.

“Do you honestly think I’m that dumb? He killed my sister, for God’s sake. Has my nephew out running around to God knows where. It’s been weeks, and every time I call, you tell me you have nothing. And now you come in here to give me the news that you finally have a clue and accuse me of conspiring with him. You’re a fucking asshole.”

My voice is entirely too loud. I don’t care. My world is ending, and this man sits here with a smug look on his face. His tongue is lashing out questions of bullshit because he claims he has to cover all the bases.

The bases are fully loaded with a damn murderer, and the police force has struck out.

“I understand you're upset, Doctor. He’s desperate for money. I’m going to stress very clearly that if you do hear from him, that you call us immediately. Because if you don’t, then you're interfering with an investigation, and I promise you won’t like the outcome.” Fuck you. Go do your damn job.

“Get out. Do not contact me again unless you are calling me to come and pick up my nephew.” I stand from behind my desk. Stalk angrily to the door and open it wide for him. I’d love nothing more than to kick his ass right through it. Bastard.

He places his card on top of my desk before he turns, nods, and disappears out of my sight.

“I hate men.” I toss the card in the trash. Reach down into my bag for my phone. It had five percent battery left when I woke up this morning, so I powered it off without looking at it, threw an extra charger in my bag. It’s still dead. I power it back on and plug it in. Wait a few minutes and lay my head on my desk. I begin to try to get my shit together, then the world falls away once again. I should just fucking look up the news story and head out on my own. My soul will not be settled until Wilder is in my arms.

I need to text Saxon to see what they are doing about this. Even though I’m angry with him, I trust the man. I won’t rest until I know that Ricky is gone from this earth. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if he did this to anyone else.

My skin breaks out in a cold sweat. The throbbing ache behind my eyes is painful. The thumping of my heart against my chest has me letting out a harsh sob when I see at least ten texts from an identified number. Ricky.

6:04 AM- Bitch, we need to talk

6:10 AM- You better text me back, Goddammit.

6:12 AM- I’m not fucking around. You’ll never see Wilder again if you don’t answer when I call. I don’t care if you're delivering some idiot’s baby. 1PM, Eden, or I’ll sell him to the highest bidder. It would be in his benefit if you listened to me.

The phone drops to my desk. My hands are shaking out of control reading those words. That fucking monster. I’m unable to pick up the phone and read the remainder of the texts from where it lies.

I scroll.

6:15 AM- Your money will get you your nephew back.

6:18 AM- BITCH! You have three hours.

6:21 AM- You will see him, but it’s your choice whether it’s dead or alive. You bring anyone or call the cops, and Wilder is dead. I have people on you, Eden. Don’t fuck this up.

“Where am I supposed to go, you son of a bitch?

My fingers keep scrolling. My stomach keeps churning.

The texts go on and even on as he threatens Wilder. I choke back a scream when I see his adorable face covered in dirt and what seems to be a forced smile. My heart drops to my feet. “Hang on Wilder. Aunt Eden is going to do whatever she has to do to get you.”

The final text makes my skin crawl.

6:35 AM- Get in your fancy fucking car and head to Denver. Clean out your savings account, and then you can have Wilder. When you get here, text this number. I swear on his life if you tell anyone, you will never see him again.

I tap on the picture of Wilder’s sweet face, seeing Zoe’s eyes stare right back at me. My head spins, and my gut lurches. I think about telling him I don’t have that much money. It’s tied up in my house, Wilder’s saving bonds, and the money market. From the sounds of his texts, he’s looking for millions. I think for a long time, pondering on two facts. This is just another sick and twisted mind game of his, or he really will take the money and give me Wilder. Either way, I have to think of my nephew.

I pull up the number Saxon gave me, staring at it as if it’s going to plague me. Ricky’s words about coming alone float through my mind.

I’m sure it’s a ploy. A threat to destroy me. I don’t care.

The bottom line is, I need my nephew back in my arms. His life is the most important thing right now. This crazy fucker Ricky had no problem killing my sister. I have no doubt he’d end Wilder’s life if he’s pushed.

That’s it. I have to do this. I stand up, more confident than I have been in days, grab my purse and keys then race out of the hospital. All my responsibilities fly out the window with one main goal in mind: Wilder. My gut and brain scream in protest all the way to the bank. I should call Saxon. The police. Zeke. Anyone. Sensibility is long gone. It’s Wilder sweet face that I focus on.

The attendant at the bank takes forever, biting on her lower lip and telling me it is impossible to clear out all my accounts. I ask her to give me the one with the most money in it, and hopefully, it’s enough to satisfy Ricky. The branch manager finally comes over and ends up following my demands. He’s clearly suspicious. I don’t give a shit about that either. It’s my money, and I want it. He insists on a cashier’s check, but I refuse. It’s nearly two hours before the transaction is complete. I’m shaking out of my skin when I walk out.

I clutch my locked briefcase to my chest as I race to my car. Just one more stop before I can hit the road. Flopping down in my car, I clutch my phone tight in my hand. I fight the urge to text Ricky, letting him know I’m on my way. Eventually, I fall for it and send him a quick text. No response. I send him another telling him I’m coming alone and I have the money.

Then I punch the final destination into the map app. A little over a fourteen-hour fucking drive to get there.

“Fuck,” I slam my steering wheel then speed home.

My mind keeps telling me I should call Saxon or the police, but Ricky will outsmart them. He plays by his rules and his rules only. Who knows where he’s even at now or if it will be him I’m meeting? I know Colorado is known for the Rocky Mountains, giving him endless hideouts.

This is dangerous. God, I’m so scared about this. So out of my mind. I don’t know if I’m coming or going. He could kill us both.

“This is your only choice, Eden,” I whisper to myself.

I don’t bother to open the garage door when I get home. I fly out of my car, unlock the front door, and scream. I’m panicking.

I left the money back in my car. Shit. I don’t even know if I made sure to lock it before exiting.

Get it together, Eden.

I grab a duffle bag and stuff it full of whatever I can find.

“Wilder’s favorite truck and blanket.” He’s going to want them.

With the bag thrown over my shoulder, I take long strides down the hallway and toss the final items in the bag before zipping it up. My long hair matting to the sweat dripping down my face. I have to punch down the clothes to get the fucking bag to zip shut. I punch and punch wishing it was Ricky’s face.

I freeze when something cool slides across my face. I try and scream. Nothing comes out.

Oh, God. Ricky has tricked me.

A hand wraps around my front, my head jerking back when my intruder grabs a chunk of my hair.

I kick my legs and swing my arms with all my might. No one is going to get in my way of Wilder.

The hand covered in a leather glove tightens on my face. The more I struggle, the better grip the man gets.

“Going somewhere, Doc?” I freeze.

The overwhelming amount of fear coursing through my veins makes it hard to understand the man. My heart stills, and I know how Zoe felt moments before her life was taken. Ricky wasn’t fucking around telling me he had men on me. This man is going to kill me.

A cold piece of metal nudges my throat. “Running is going to do one thing. Get you killed. Want that, Doc?”

I’m spun around in a rapid movement with my hair blurring my vision. I blink once, twice, and then a third time before I see who was growling in my ear. My hands fly up to my chest fighting to keep my heart from beating out of it.

“What the hell are you doing?” I want to slap this man.

“For being a well-known, smart doctor, you sure are a dumb bitch.”

“Saxon?” His name floats from my mouth.

But it’s not Saxon standing in front of me. It’s full-on badass biker Brick who is pissed off with all his rage targeted at me.

Well, he has another thing coming if he thinks I’m going to put up with his Goddamn shit. Or maybe it’s me who has something coming. Because this man is downright scaring me.

Nine

Brick

“Fucking answer me,” I growl, feeling the three words vibrate my own chest. I take a step toward her. Eden takes a step back still holding her chest. Good. I’m about to scare some sense into her.

“What—”

I watch as she can’t string a fucking thought or sentence together. I’ve felt rage in my lifetime, but this is rage times fucking infinity. The veins in my neck are throbbing and my vision is beginning to blur.

“You’re one of his people,” she stutters out.

What the hell is she going on about? “I ain’t no one’s people, woman.”

“Ricky’s people.”

What in the ever-loving mother of all fucks? I advance on her. Gripping the sides of her face knowing it’s too tight. She tries to shimmy back, but she has no chance against me. I release her face then grab her by the hips, picking up her up until she’s flush with my chest. Eden is left with no choice but to wrap her legs around my waist while her arms remain at her side.

“Just gonna ignore that you accused me of being one of Ricky’s people, darlin’.” I turn my head and spit out some of the anger with as many vulgar curse words as I can think of. I’m fighting my insides to calm the fuck down. “I fucking answer to my club and one day to my maker, that’s fucking it.”

“You—”

I cut her off. I’m so done with this bullshit. “Don’t even fucking say a Goddamn word. I gave you a tiny fucking taste of what would happen to you if you go through with whatever the fuck you’re doing. Ricky wouldn’t have held the blunt edge of the knife to your neck. He would’ve sliced you wide open without a second thought.” For her sake, she better hear me.

“He has him.” Her tears start streaming down his face. “He texted me to bring him money in Denver. Told me if I brought anyone, he’d kill Wilder. You bastard. Don’t you ever pull a stunt like that on me again? I’m not...”

“You're not what? Stupid? If he told you to jump off a fucking bridge, you’d do that, too, yeah?” Christ, she is killing me. Of course, she would. She’s so caught up in grief and pain she can’t think straight. Who the hell can blame her? I sure the fuck can’t.

She drops her head to my shoulder, crumbling in my arms. Her body is shuddering with uncontrollable sobs. I feel like a motherfucker for about two seconds until I see her body in place of Zoe’s. That sight right there has me not regretting one damn word or action. This woman needs to realize I have her, she’s mine, and I take care of what’s mine.

“Darlin’, I know you’ve been on your own for a damn long time taking care of everyone else around you.” I turn my head and kiss the back of her head. “That shit changes right fucking now. Ain’t gonna explain it in depth and only gonna say it one time, Eden. The day you climbed on the back of my bike, you became mine. No questions asked.”

She doesn’t lift her head until her crying stops. Her face is swollen and her eyes are red. It breaks my cold fucking heart to see her in this state.

“You hear me?”

She slowly begins to nod. “He wants money. I’ll give it to him if it gets me my nephew.”

“You told me that, baby.” That shit ain’t going to happen.

I walk down the hall to her bedroom and lay her down on the bed, covering her body with mine. Christ, I never want to let go. “He’s mind fucking you, Eden. He’s desperate. Ricky knows you’ll do anything for that little boy.”

She rolls her head to the side. Tears of pain begin firing up again. She’s losing hope.

“No. Damn it.” I grip her chin forcing her to peer up at me. “We will get him back. You have to trust me.”

“I’m a smart woman. How could I be so stupid?” Her chin trembles.

“You were thinking with your heart, Eden.” I kiss the tip of her nose. “We got men heading there. Ricky’s fucked up. He won’t get away with it.”

“How did you know I was going to take off?” she asks, craning her neck a bit.

“My brothers. We have eyes on you watching your every move. I wanted you protected. Got the call you were running.”

She squeezes her eyes shut. “Make me forget it all, Saxon, please.”

I run the tip of my nose from her collarbone up her neck, inhaling her sweet scent. Eden’s arms wrap around my back. I lean up on my knees and rip off my cut then go right back down to scenting her. Her hands go to the same place, tugging my T-shirt up my back until it’s over my head.

She has my jeans down over my ass, stroking my dick while her other hand cups my balls. Jesus Christ.

“Gotta be buried deep inside you, darlin’, to remind you who you belong to. Not to make you forget. If you want this, then it needs to be you and me for the time being. You get me?”

I slide off the bed and make quick work of ripping her damn scrubs off until she lies bared to me. She’s a fucking work of art. Christ Almighty, does she ever have a nice body. A magnificent pair of tits, legs, and a pussy I ain’t never gonna want to come out of. I’m going to blow my load inside of her so fucking hard.

“Answer me.”

“Yes. I’m yours. There isn’t anyone else in here but us.” Damn fucking right, there isn’t.

I catch one of her feet, rubbing my nose along the inside.

I start kissing my way up to her addictive pussy. I lick and eat her out until she’s screaming my name and pulling my hair.

“Saxon,” she moans out. “I need you.”

The way she calls me by my birth name rips me apart from the inside out. I’ve always despised the damn name, but when it rolls off her tongue, it’s a whole different story. I stare down at her and wait until she looks up at me. I’m gripping my raging dick fighting the urge to come all over her creamy skin.

Our gazes connect and there ain’t no need to ask what she feels for me. It’s written all over her beautiful face, imprinted in the way she breathes. Floating off her, slamming me right in the fucking gut. Eden spreads her legs, giving herself to me with no reservations or questions. I move on instinct until I’m settled between her legs with the head of my cock bobbing at her entrance. God, she’s going to feel like heaven.

I freeze knowing this moment right here will be branded on my memory forever, and I want to soak every fucking ounce of it up.

Eden moves first, bucking her hips up, causing the tip of my dick to slide in her. She gasps and I throw my head back, squeezing my eyes shut.

“Fuck, baby,” I growl out. Her walls are clamping me tight. Goddamn, she feels good.

Even though I’m on top, she’s the one moving up until I’m balls deep in her. Connected so deeply that we become one. I gotta move. I can’t. Not yet. I want to stay like this for fucking ever. You would think that would scare me. It does the opposite, just like her and me. It settles somewhere in my thawing heart.

“Saxon.”

Her tender voice is pleading, singing out my name, making my fucking world come full circle. I glide in and out of her, relishing every single movement. Our foreheads connect, my elbows trapping her in, and then our lips connect. They move in unison to the way I’m fucking her.

Then it hits me. I’m not fucking. It’s all I’ve done my whole life. Fuck ‘em, kick ‘em out of my bed, and then move on. This isn’t that. I’m...I’m making love for the first time in my life. The realization causes me to still and pull back from Eden. I study her delicate features then smile. It’s only a matter of seconds before I begin moving again.

“Saxon, Saxon, oh, God! That piercing and you. Oh, my God. Please, please.” That’s right, darlin’. Feel all of me. She digs her nails into my back. “I’m going to—”

Her words are cut off with the beautiful melody of her release. Her pussy is gripping my dick so tight I have no choice but to follow right after her. Filling her with my come. I push in a dozen more times, growing drunk on our mingled releases.

I collapse down on her making sure to keep most of the weight on my elbows. My dick is staying between her legs. If I could, I would stay buried in her all damn day and night. I drop my head down next to hers. We lie silent for minutes. Eden’s the first one to break the silence.

“I want to go to Denver.” She grips me tighter. “And I want you to go with me. You can help me, watch me deliver the money, and then kill him.”

I turn my head, so my lips brush her ear. “We’ve got men there, Eden.”

“He wants money.”

On cue, her fucking phone starts dinging with a multitude of incoming texts. As much as I don’t want to, I pull out of her and walk out to the living room to get it. It’s a damn good thing I relished and branded the last twenty minutes to memory, because it’s all been erased.

When I get back to the room, Eden’s cleaning herself up in the master bathroom. Her body is trembling as she bites her lower lip.

There’s no way I’m cleaning my dick off. I want her smell on me all damn day.

“Get your bag. We’re going.”

Her eyes light up. “Thank you, Saxon.”

“We ain’t going to Colorado, Eden. We’re going to the club. My prez needs to know this shit. That was Ricky sending you more texts. We ain’t opening them. The fucker can squirm. This is club business now. Curtis, my prez, he’ll make the decision on what comes next.” If she’s going to be with me, then she needs to know my life. As much as I hate to hurt her, and as much as I care, I won’t go against my club.

Her face falls briefly.

“Okay.” Fucking finally, she gets it.

She’s trusting me, and that’s all that fucking matters.

Ten

Eden

We all make poor choices in our lives. Today was one of them for me. Well, not the part where Saxon took over my body. Stripping me bare, looking down at me as if he couldn’t believe I wanted him. I want him more than I should. More than I deserve. They say opposites attract; well, our attraction is clear off the charts and it’s only going to top them from here.

I don’t think I’ll forget the first feel of him pushing inside of me as long as I live. We need to talk about that. I took him without any protection, which is something I’ve never done. Another decision I made poorly. Not the sex part. After one taste of him, I’m fairly certain I’m ruined. In a Saxon-good kind of way.

All my fears slipped away just the way he demanded. At least while he was inside of me. I haven’t been with a man as controlling as him in my life. To be honest, I’ve never even socialized with a man who lives by the rules outside of society.

Even though I have no idea what I’m about to walk into as we stop at the gates outside of what I assume is his club, my mind is at ease. I feel safe. Cherished and adored. As much as a man like him can adore, I suppose. Which is more than he gives himself credit for.

He scared the ever-loving hell out of me when he snuck up on me the way he did.

When I first realized it was him, I was struck numb. Then I became angry. I wanted to tear into him the same way he did me. I wanted to cry, lose my mind, and slash my chest with his knife to drain all the pain out of me.

I did nothing but listen. His words of how stupid I was mixing in with all the pain.

Now, I have no clue what to do. I trust him. I really do. The problem that has been plaguing my thoughts this entire ride is, Wilder is out there somewhere, and he is frightened. My nephew is hurting. I saw it in his eyes when Ricky sent me the picture. He didn’t send it to let me know Wilder was safe. He sent it as a threat. An unreasonable threat to destroy me, and for the life of me I can’t figure out why. Why a man could become so desperate that he would kill the mother of his son, kidnap him, and put him through hell. It angers me. I want to kill him myself. Turn my mind off saving people and become as detached as the side of Saxon I’m about to learn about.

I’m excited to learn about the life Saxon lives. More so than I thought I would admit to myself. I want to learn all I can about this man who has snuck up and snatched hold of my heart.

“Even though you look good on my bike, Doc, we’re here. You want to tell me where your head’s at?” I turn my helmet-covered head to the side to see the man of my thoughts standing next to me. Worry etched in deep lines on his face. I hate seeing him worry. Especially after what we shared.

The man is a contradiction at its finest.

“I’m scared,” I admit. He moves in, unclipping the helmet, pulling it off my head, and dropping it to the ground.

His big hands slide into my knotted-up hair, palming my scalp. I tingle everywhere.

“Of what?” His words say so much. Saxon is incredibly smart. So intelligent that I knew the first time rationality struck me in the head that he doesn’t see it. Doesn’t think he’s worthy of much. He is. He’s worth more than my broken heart can express right now. At the moment, though, he’s asking a very dumb question. Not nearly as dumb as what I was about to do, but dumb nonetheless.

“Not of you, this place, or what’s happening between us. I trust you. I trust these men you told me about because you trust them. I’m scared for Wilder, Saxon. So scared that he’s all I see. You took my thoughts of him away for a little while. All I felt was you. Now, I’m lost. It’s obvious Ricky is out of control. Something is driving him desperate. I’m barely hanging on. I have a job, a man I’m beginning to care about, a life to live, and I won’t be able to do any of that if I lose him. I know I’ve said this before, but he’s a part of my sister. I can’t live my life without him. I need you to bring him back to me.” I have a gamut of emotions going through my head, and every single one of them has made a home in my heart.

The only time I haven’t tossed and turned in bed at night is when this big brute of a man who literally stomped his way into my life is holding me in his arms. A part of me comes with a warning label full of guilt that I’ve allowed him to take a spot in my heart when it should be full of grief; another part is trying to peel that label off. That part I know is Zoe scratching with all her might, telling me I deserve to be happy.

And then there’s the strongest one of them all. The one I just confessed.

“I’m repeating myself again, darlin’. I don’t lie. At least not when the truth is sitting on my bike admitting shit to me that I’ve dreamed of hearing her say.” I think back to what I just said, wondering what part he’s been waiting for.

“I have no idea what you're talking about,” I say, confused.

“I figured. Everything you just spilled to me ain’t nothing you haven’t told me before. Some of it was spelled out in different words. What you haven’t said was you're lost. What you don’t understand is, people who are lost usually become found. I found you, Eden. I ain’t never letting you go. That also means you need to open those big, beautiful eyes of yours and take in what I’m offering. Not talking about me, because you can have all of me you want. I’m talking about living. You have been sheltered up in that big old house of yours, just waiting to be found. I know what it feels like to be lost. Trust me, I do.” I don’t know what part of what he said I should ask him about first. Everything he said was beautiful. And true.

“What do you mean, you know what it’s like?” My mind shoots back to the night we met. I can vaguely remember him saying something about his family being in the same position I was. Something about being young and holding his parents’ hands.

He untangles his hands from my hair, a cold, swift gust of air replaces where his warm hands had been. I’m just as scared to hear what he has to say as he is to tell me.

“Zeke and me, we had a sister. Her name was Clara. I was young, too young to help her when she was raped and murdered. She had been beaten and left in a ditch as if she was someone’s trash. I loved her so much. She was a good girl. Kind, always putting others before her. Especially me and Zeke. Zeke, he went off the deep end. Joined the military, took his anger out on our country’s enemy. And me, a teenage kid, I became so fucking lost in this world that I started doing drugs, smoking weed, cigarettes, and fucking any chick who wanted me. I did that kind of shit for years. Juvie, jail. My parents didn’t give a flying fuck about me. They drank themselves unconscious half the time. They became so lost they were never found. We don’t even know if they're alive or dead. Don’t want to know either.” He pauses, runs his hands down his face, his eyes fighting tears. “I wouldn’t be standing here looking at the best thing that’s happened to me if Zeke didn’t come home and find me. I would be sitting in prison, fucking lost. I found this club by pure coincidence one night when I was still on edge. If it weren’t for these guys you are about to meet and my brother, I’d still be blaming myself for losing Clara. It wasn’t my fault. It was the son of a bitch’s who hurt her. I’m not about to let you hurt anymore. We will find him, Eden, and he won’t be lost anymore either.”

My mind is struggling to stay in this moment when all I want to do is swing my legs off this bike and hold him.

That’s what I do when his words sink in and his eyes plead to me that we both need it.

“I’m so sorry, Saxon.” I wrap my arms around his waist; his chin drops to the top of my head. We may be opposites, but we sure fit together perfectly.

“No need to be sorry, babe. It’s life and the cruel way it shapes us.” His arms pull me closer to him until I’m drowning in everything Saxon.

“I hurt for you.”

He pulls his head back without letting go of me. His beautiful, scarred face drops to mine. “All this pain and hurt brought us together, that’s what we need to focus on.”

I smirk. “For being a big badass biker, you sure can go all romantic on my ass.”

He growls and then attacks my lips. I react without thinking, opening up to him. Our tongues dance together, exploring every single space inside each other’s mouths. Saxon presses his want for me into my stomach, causing me to giggle into his mouth.

He pulls away even though I know he doesn’t want to. “Don’t be spreading that bullshit around about me. I ain’t no Prince Charming here.”

I crook up an eyebrow in protest. “Could’ve fooled me.”

“Darlin’, I’ll bend you over this fucking bike and take you from behind right out in the daylight.” Saxon whirls me around.

I can’t help the damn laughter rolling off me. His powerful palm presses down on the middle of my back while his other hand grips my hip.

“’Bout to Prince Charming the fuck out of you, babe.”

“Brick.” A gruff voice interrupts the playful banter. I wouldn’t put it pass Saxon to make good on his promise. I’d probably let him. I mean, come on. He’s bringing me to life. A life worth living. This might be the first time laughter has graced me in a long time. This man makes me forget everything and feel safe at the same time. It’s priceless.

Saxon pulls me up from his bike until my back collides with his chest. He keeps both arms laced around my front.

“Griff,” Brick barks back.

“Church, you dirty motherfucker.” The man called Griff takes a deep inhale on his cigarette.

“Fuck,” Saxon murmurs into my hair.

Griff strides right back into the club with no fucks given. Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to tell these men aren’t worried about bedside manners. Saxon begins walking us forward.

I crane my neck. “Who was that?”

“Our sergeant of arms. He’s a brother.”

“What’s church?”

“Meeting where only brothers and the prez attend. Discuss club business. Nothing behind those closed doors leaves.”

Both of my eyebrows shoot up. I’ve entered a completely new world. It’s not until I step into the clubhouse that it hits just how far out of society these men function. It looks just like a hometown bar. Smoke thick in the air, a long bar with a man behind it pouring whiskey, a pool table, couches, tables, and a few hallways, and it’s all cloaked in dim light.

“Brick, get your fucking ass in here,” another man hollers at him.

He whirls me around to him, dropping his forehead to mine. “I gotta go. No questions asked.”

I push at his chest. “Go.”

The torture playing out in his eyes is evident. He doesn’t want to leave me, but this is his life. I don’t need an apology. I just need him to be him, and that means club business from what I’ve learned in the little amount of time.

“You’re safe here.” He kisses me then strides right past me.

The room Saxon disappears into is closed by a harsh slam of the door. Well, I thought I was badass when I encouraged him to go, but now it’s awkward. There are a few men walking around wearing similar cuts as Saxon’s, but theirs have the word ‘Prospect’ on them. I take a harder look around. Several women are sitting at the bar, asses hanging out. Shirts way too tight. I’m guessing whores.

“Hey, girl.” I turn to the welcoming voice, twiddling my fingers, and manage a weak smile.

“Come have a seat.” The gorgeous brunette pats the seat next to her. There’s another girl sitting at the table with her. I notice the row of empty shot glasses lining the bar. Oh, boy. I might be in for some trouble.

Whores or not, I’m going to get drunk. I study the way the two women carry themselves and the confidence that oozes off them. Something tells me they’re not whores. These women belong to someone. I wonder if they are referred to as old ladies. Dumbest thing I’ve heard in my life. Learned that one from some motorcycle magazine I flipped through while waiting in line at the grocery store. These women aren’t old. They are beautiful. New rule in this club. Old ladies out. Beautiful ladies in.

Eleven

Brick

“Nothing grinds my Goddamn ass more than a man laying a hand on a woman. Unless she fucking deserves it,” Roan shouts, tosses Eden’s phone back to Curtis, and stands.

He stayed behind to help out here. The guy is damn good at tracking people down. I can tell he isn’t having any luck.

“You aren’t the only one. We may go around calling our women names, but that doesn't mean a thing when it comes to respecting them. My wife has my dick shriveling every time I raise my voice. She’d chop the fucker off if I attempted to threaten her. Which I’d never do,” Curtis admits. I toss back my beer. Throw the can in the trash and reach in the fridge for another. “Don’t any of you say a fucking word about what I just said, or I’ll toss you the fuck outta here. Especially you, Brick,” he adds. Didn’t take him long to figure out just what Eden means to me once I got the call back from Shorty that Eden was running. Told me to go after her and bring her here. Now he’s as pissed off as I am over Ricky and his threats. We all are.

“Yeah, what the fuck ever. Every man is whipped. Some are man enough to admit it, is all,” I smart off. He knows I’m playing.

With Cain and Dilan on the road with Snake and Katch, Roan has been trying to find Ricky’s location. Ain’t happening; the bastard is using a burner. We all knew he would be. Still had to check it out. No stone unturned.

The entire time during church, I sat here half listening to Curtis rattle on about how he’s pretty sure Katch’s theory about Ricky being messed up in something other than just running. It’s drugs, gambling, or some other shit where he owes people money. We all know it is. The money he wants doesn’t have a damn thing to do with him trying to take care of his kid. The bastard is worried about saving his own ass. Pisses me off even more. Hurts my fucking brain to think he tried to pull some bullshit on my woman. That fucker is going to die by my hands. There isn’t anyone going to get in my fucking way. I don’t give a shit who he’s running from. I’ll take them down right along with him.

“You doing alright over there, Brick? Been awful quiet,” Roan asks.

“Hell, no. I’m fucking seething over here. In all the fucked-up shit I’ve seen in my life, this right here burns as bad as it did when my sister was killed. I feel helpless. We have some of the smartest people around looking for a weaseling motherfucker. Been looking for weeks now, and we can’t track him down.” Everyone stops breathing in the room. I swear to God they do. I never bring up my sister’s death unless I have to. That’s twice in the past hour. That’s how much this situation is getting to me.

Roan clears his throat. I continue on. “You mentioned earlier about drugs. Not a one of us messes around with that shit. I say we start there. See if any of our connections know who Ricky is. I can’t believe they would condone him killing an innocent woman, then using his kid as a bargaining chip. I know you have as many connections all over our country as we do, Roan, let’s dig our feet into the grime and dirt a little fucking deeper.”

“Let me call a couple chapters up north, see what I can find out,” Curtis responds.

The two of them continue discussing our options, while the rest of us sit there looking fucking stupid. We all know now’s not the time to butt in. My motherfucking jaw ticks to keep my damn mouth shut. I want to be in Colorado hunting this piece of shit down. It needs to end fucking now.

“Two days. I’m giving them two days, and if they don’t find him, we make a new plan.” Curtis slams the gavel down and the men surrounding the table rise.

“I’m flying back to New York. I’ll contact some associates to see what I can find out. They don’t deal with small-time shit. Not sure I’ll be any help to you, Brick. I’ll do whatever it takes to help you find him. I know what it’s like to be at the bartering end. You hang in there. We’ll find him, and he’s all yours when we do,” Roan says, extends his hand for me to shake. I nod, gripping it tightly.

“I appreciate it.”

I never sit during church. Always been too fucking anxious and prefer to have my back to a wall. Then his words sink in. Two days. I scrub my face, annoyed and pissed off. Two more days of sitting idle trying to keep Eden sane. This shit sucks.

“Brick.”

I look up to Curtis walking over to me while lighting a cigarette. The damn nicotine is taunting me. I’ve made good on my promise to Eden and quit. Shit fucking sucks.

“Prez.” I jerk my chin.

“You holding up?”

“I’m here.” Being short with Curtis is never a good idea, but a man can only handle so much.

He exhales a thick cloud of smoke up toward the ceiling. “No, you don’t talk much, brother, but know I got your back. Have never seen you so wrapped up into pussy.”

I advance on him, stopping my fist before it connects with his jawline. The fucker laughs. Throws back his head and laughs so damn hard it only pisses me off more. He places the cigarette between his lips, letting it dangle there, then slaps both of his hands on the top of my shoulders.

Curtis and I got into a scuffle outside of a bar years ago. That’s how we met. He was beating the shit out of someone. I tried to stop it. Neither one of us was backing down from the other. He ended up laughing in my face over it. Told me no one touches him and I had balls to do it. He’s been my brother, my leader, every day since.

“Congrats, brother, you’ve officially handed over your dick to a woman. Happy for you. Now, let’s go get fucking drunk.”

I grip the back of my head, pissed off. The ass was testing me, and it’s a good thing he was because I don’t think I could handle Curtis referring to Eden as a sweet pussy.

“I’m all in for getting drunk,” I say, follow him out into the main bar where we both stop dead in our tracks. “What the fuck?”

I see Eden found Caitlin and Rachel. The women are fucking louder and rowdier than all the brothers combined. Rachel has her arms extended wide like she’s telling a fucking wild fishing story showcasing her catch.

“Shit you not!” she squeals in excitement. Her volume control long fucking gone. “He’s hung like a fucking horse.”

Curtis elbows me, proud as hell, then cups his junk.

“After years of marriage still begs to put it in my ass. That’s never going down. Ever.” She leans in like she’s going to tell a secret. The problem is, the level of her voice doesn’t change. “He teared up one time when I told him no. We were young and in love, and he actually thought tears were going to work on me.” The girls all toss their heads back and laugh. Yup, man is whipped. There isn't any doubt who controls his pussy getting days in this relationship.

Eden’s face is crimson red, and I’m not sure if it’s the whiskey or flat-out embarrassment. But it’s the genuine smile lighting up her face that’s intriguing me. Curtis steps forward. I’m sure to go toss his wife over his shoulder and paddle her ass. I grab his elbow, stopping him.

“Wait.”

“Fuck that. My cock is going in her mouth to shut her up.”

I jerk him back again. “Prez, my girl is smiling and laughing. Let her have this for a bit. Then you can go fuck an apology out of your wife.”

He peers over at me and shakes his head. “Fucking pussy-whipped bastard.”

Caitlin downs a shot, slamming the glass on the tabletop. “I like it in the ass, and if we were playing a drinking game, I just took a shot for it. Okay, Eden, your turn.”

Caitlin claps her hands together then slaps her forehead. “Oh, and for the record, Katch is hung like a fucking elephant and I still love me some ass play.”

I fucking swear grown-ass men turn red listening in on this conversation. None of the fuckers dare approach the prez’s wife, or Katch’s either.

“Eden,” Rachel encourages her.

“Um.” She nibbles on her bottom lip. “Brick has a dick.”

“You made a rhyme!” Rachel claps, then they burst out in laughter.

I growl to Curtis. “Are you fucking kidding me? That’s all I get?”

Prez laughs right along with the girls.

“Details,” Caitlin demands.

Eden slaps her palms over her face then does me proud. “It’s the biggest one I’ve ever seen, and that includes the pornos I’ve watched, and it’s pierced!” Caitlin and Rachel’s eyes go wide.

“Oh, yeah.” I nod my head. Although she won’t be watching any more porn. Unless it’s with me.

“Let’s go.” I stride over to the table, creeping up on Eden. My fucking dick grew rock hard watching her. I reach down to my cock, cupping it in my hands. The dick imprint strong on my jeans. The girls straighten up when they realize they have company at the table. Eden nearly falls off her chair. She’s shit-faced wasted.

I squeeze my dick through my jeans, making my knuckles go white, staring her dead in the eyes. “And it’s all yours, darlin’.”

I can’t help myself from bending over and kissing the fuck out of her in front of all my brothers. I don’t give two shits if it makes me look like a pussy or not.

“This is bullshit. A good ol’ dick talk and two vaginas have your men here.” Caitlin slaps the table as I pull away from Eden.

Curtis wasn’t so polite, because he’s still manhandling his woman. I think history might be made in their bed tonight.

In a swift move, I pull Eden up from the chair wanting nothing more than to march her ass down the hall to my room. I know she’s enjoying herself; she can enjoy herself with me. I want her mouth on my cock while I’m shooting back some fucking whiskey. I take her chair and then place her on my lap, so she’s straddling me. We come nose to nose.

I mumble into her lips. “Having fun, baby?”

She kisses me and then pulls back. “Kisses mean yes.”

“Are you drunk?”

She kisses me again, but when she pulls away, a hiccup escapes her.

“Gonna fuck you all night long until the sun rises. Sound good?”

Another kiss.

I run my tongue over my bottom lip. “Gonna devour that sweet cunt of yours until you’re screaming.”

Kiss. Kiss. Kiss. Kiss.

“Hey, vagina biker boy,” Rachel hollers.

I look over Eden’s shoulder to where Curtis is trying to shut his wife up. Shit, anyone else calls me that, drunk or not, they wouldn’t be sitting down right now. But Rachel is like a sister to me. She mothers all of us members.

“Yeah.”

“Give Eden back. She’s ours.” Rachel sticks her tongue out at me.

Fucking women and their whiskey.

My hands tangle in Eden’s hair, pulling her lips back down to mine so I can whisper into them.

“Gonna kiss you right now just like I’m gonna dine on that pussy tonight.”

I attack her lips like I’m eating her out. My tongue swirls in her mouth, darting in and out. When Eden’s hips seductively begin rolling against my cock, I know it’s time to stop. I squeeze my eyes shut when I pull back, hating myself for it.

“Gonna be over there on that couch with Curtis.” I tilt my head in the direction. “I need to catch up with you.”

She nods. “Saxon.”

Goddamn, the way she says my name hits me every single time.

“Yeah, darlin’.”

“Would you freak out if I told you I was falling in love with you.”

I smile then blink knowing she’s drunk. “No, but how about you tell me that in the morning to make sure it’s not the whiskey talking.”

“Okay, but I’m falling in love with you.”

I kiss her forehead. “Good, because you’re mine.”

I stand up with her hanging on to my shirt then turn and set her down. “Let’s put some soda with your shots.”

Curtis hollers to Slick, our bartender, for two bottles of Jack. It’s fucking delivered before we sit down on the couch. We both kick our black boots up on the table and tip back our own bottles.

“They’re fucking trashed,” I say.

“Fuck.” Curtis scrubs his face. “And Caitlin is staying with us until Katch gets back. Fucking cockblocker.”

I roar in laughter. “Sorry, man, Rachel might have let you slide it right in tonight.”

Curtis punches my arm not holding back on his force. “Talk about my wife and sliding in one more time, and I’ll fucking cut your balls off.”

We both take a long pull from our bottles. I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand.

“Ass-fucker virgin,” I manage to get out between laughter.

The whiskey is hitting me hard and fast. It must be doing the same to Curtis because he even cracks a smile.

We all needed this tonight.

Twelve

Eden

“Have you ever given it to someone up the ass?” I ask Saxon as he lifts me off the stool, cradles me in his arms, and carries me to his room.

“We ain’t talking about our past ever, Eden.” I think he’s slurring or he doesn’t want to hear about the men I’ve been with. Whatever. I feel too good to care. Even in my right state of mind, I wouldn’t care. He’s mine now. That’s all that matters.

I run my tongue up his neck, stopping at the base of his ear. “I want to ride you,” I murmur.

“You will,” he growls, opens the door, kicks it shut, and I get my first taste of the man they call Brick.

There isn’t crap in here. Bed, dresser, television. I see a small bathroom through my squinty eyes. This makes me sad.

“Be right back. You better be naked with those legs spread wide when I come back. You pass out on me, and I’ll wake you up with my dick in your mouth.” He sits me on the bed. My body is already falling back, and my eyelids are growing heavy.

“I’ll be waiting.” I won’t be. My eyes are already closing.

I smile even though I’m sleeping when the tip of a dick traces the outline of my lips. I know it’s Saxon, and yet I have no energy to wake up right now.

“Open those eyes,” his dark, gravelly voice commands.

I open them, barely.

He’s leaning back on his haunches. Hypnotizing me with the movement of his hand as he strokes up and down his dick.

My eyes are now open wide. “Oh, God,” I moan. Hell, this man is hung like an elephant with added jewelry to boot.

My eyes flutter shut until he traces my lips again.

“Don’t you dare fucking close those eyes, darlin’. You watch.”

It’s not his demanding tone that has me watching. It’s the way he’s staring into my eyes as he watches me watch him. Saxon is fucking his cock with his hand. I could watch this on repeat for days on end.

I don’t say a word as I take in my own intoxicating porno show.

I stay awake long enough to watch my man indulge in his own sensation.

* * *

“Saxon,” I holler, my hand reaching over to find his side of the bed empty. I press my face in the pillow and moan.

Tears well in my eyes, and they are not from a hangover. I feel better than I thought I would after all the alcohol we consumed. Not that I cared last night. I had entirely too much fun. “No, Eden. You will not cry.”

I flip myself over, skootch up in bed, and that’s when I notice I’m naked. I smile to myself as I remember Brick’s fun from last night and the image of my man stroking himself. That picture alone could keep me fed and hydrated for life. There’s just something about my strong, broody man bringing pleasure to himself that makes me wet.

I jump, pull the sheet up to my chest, and drop it just as quickly when Saxon pushes through the door. His bare, muscular chest has my mouth watering with the need for the man who swooped into my world.

“You owe me, darlin’.” My eyes go wide when he palms his cock, unzips his jeans, and springs himself free. I’m already wet and anxious for what’s to come.

“I’m gonna show you my cure for a hangover.”

I want to tell him he can be my cure for anything, but my mouth remains shut, and my eyes stay glued to his piercing. My God, the way his hand glides up and down that piece of work between his legs has me rattled.

“Cunt, mouth, or ass?” he asks, kicks his jeans off, and strokes.

“Um. Is that a trick question? Because I remember asking you something about that last night,” I mutter.

I have to be as red as a beet right about now, and it’s not from embarrassment. It’s from arousal. This man drives me out of my head. Crazy.

“You did. I’m not talking about our past. They stay right there. Not asking you again, Eden. Answer the question, or I fucking pick. And it may be all three.”

“Pussy.”

He closes his eyes. Strokes his cock. And when he opens them, they are flaming with raw desire.

“Good. I’m going to own that ass, though, the same way I own your pussy, you feeling me? This is who I am. What I do. I take care of what’s mine. And baby, there ain’t a part of you I don’t want to claim. Do you remember much from last night?” He lifts a brow.

His hand never stops stroking. I’m jealous of his hand. I know I said pussy, but Jesus, I want to taste him now. Bits and pieces of last night come back to me. Caitlin told me how she met Katch, and we laughed so hard when both us said how opposite we were from our men. Then it escalated to comparing dick sizes.

“Yes. I remember everything.” I’m not embarrassed to tell him what he wants me to say.

“Good.” And this man says he doesn’t play games. Hmm.

“Was last night with the girls okay?” I ask knowing we were quite rowdy.

“Yeah. You’re my woman now; they adore you. Let’s fuck. Not going to be gentle either.” He sits on the edge of the bed, grabs me by the ankles, and pulls me down to him.

My body melts into the mattress with his touch. My body would go anywhere with him. The need to get my fix is overpowering. Saxon has gone down on me and vice versa. He’s the only man who’s ever made love to me. Hell, he could fuck me giving it his all, and it would still feel like he’s making love to me.

“Darlin’, where’d you go?”

His deep and gruff voice strikes through my thoughts. Shit. There are so many thoughts and emotions racing through my head.

“I love you, Saxon.” His name floats off my lips.

“That’s good, darlin’, ‘cause I love you, too.” My heart swells. I really want to cry.

I pat the bed next to me. He follows my signal, lying down beside me. When he’s flat on his back, I perch up on one elbow studying the intricate ink sprawled across his scarred skin.

“Your mine.” I smile.

“I sure the fuck am. However, I need to fuck you. Now,” he growls, palming one of my tits.

I’m not sure how this is going to come out. Fuck, I don’t want to have this conversation. It seems so routine. I’ve told hundreds and hundreds of patients to have this same talk before intercourse with a new partner. I still can’t believe what I’ve done. The damn truth is, I’d do whatever Saxon asked of me.

“I have a question,” I finally blurt out with my cheek pressed to his chest, unable to look into his eyes.

“About to shower and jerk myself off. Get on with it, or I’m going to take care of this rock-hard cock myself.” Like hell he is.

“We had unprotected sex, and that’s not something I do. Ever, Saxon.”

“And?” He snakes his hand back down to his dick. I have to look away because it’s too hypnotizing to watch him pleasure himself. Hot as fuck.

“Well, I have an IUD implant, but you didn’t use anything.”

“My brother's a doctor, in case you forgot.” Saxon turns to me while continuing to stroke his cock from base to tip. A bead of precum glistens, taunting me. I know we have to have this conversation. But all I want to do is suck him dry.

“Go on,” I urge him.

“I don’t follow orders or fucking answer to anyone but the prez of this club. Zeke rode my ass about safety for years. The man is smart. He knew I liked to fuck. Bastard makes sure I get tested regularly. Fucking don’t want to, but I’ll do anything for my brother. In the end, it eased his worry, so I make sure to get it done for him. I drew the fucking line with the annual full blood panel.”

My head begins to throb from the abundant consumption of whiskey the night before. The pain doesn’t stop me from letting out laughter. Zeke, the picture perfect caretaker.

“And you're clean?”

Saxon doesn’t hesitate when he responds. “My cock is clean as a whistle. Might be the only time I give kudos to my brother. He always has my back.”

He runs his hand up my leg, hitches it up on his abdomen, and presses his thumb on my clit.

“Fuck, I love how you react to me. Your legs are shaking. You are so Goddamn gorgeous in my bed. Your hair all wild and your beautiful pussy wet for me. You’re mine, Eden.”

I moan when he slips a finger inside. He moves me so fast I’m spread out on the bed with him on his side propped up on an elbow working his voodoo magic. When his thumb moves from my clit to my ass, I tense up as I tell myself to relax. I trust him.

“If it makes you feel better, we can paint a blank canvas with our raw need and passion.” Saxon fucks my pussy with his fingers while staring at me, not blinking once.

His pierced cock bobbing into my side makes it difficult to gaze back up to his eyes. I’m silently begging him with a ravenous plea to sink deep inside of me. He loves me. This man loves me.

For the first time since my life spiraled downward, my head is clear enough to think out logical thoughts.

Saxon swirls my wetness around my core. I gasp when he slides his thumb closer to my ass. My skin burns with an urgency to let go and spin out of control, losing myself in the pleasure only he brings me.

My bad boy biker hits the perfect spot, causing my vision to blur and any remnants from last night go flying out the window.

“Yes.” I arch my back, my head falling from side to side. “I’m going to come.”

He doesn’t respond with words. He works my dripping pussy with his finger and my ass with his thumb over and over with his magical touch.

“Saxon,” I moan, my orgasm slamming into me out of nowhere, igniting a fierce fuel that needs to be burned. This man is not only driving me crazy, he’s showing me things my educational brain has forgotten about. My body has been too busy, too worn down to seek pleasure from it until him. Mistake or not, none of it matters anymore. He’s mine. I can’t imagine sharing these things with anyone else.

“Sit on my cock. I want those tits in my mouth, this pussy coating my dick, and my tongue down your throat.” He lies down on his back, forcing my hands to rest on his chest to support me. My head feels like I’m walking through fog, but my emotions are clear as day.

“You're going to feel this piercing for fucking days.” His fingers sink into the flesh of my hips.

“Give me all you got, Brick,” I say, line him up, then glide down.

My eyes roll, my pussy burns. That’s not enough to stop him. He grips tighter to my hips and bucks up into me until I scream. My pussy is panting for more.

“That’s it, ride me.” Saxon leans up just enough to sink his teeth around one of my nipples. He’s not gentle with it either.

“Stop,” I beg.

“Not stopping. You fucking take it, and you come,” he growls, mouth going right back to sucking and biting my nipple. His big hand palming the other.

With him filling me and his mouth on me, I’m going to come too soon. My hips roll back and forth. With each movement, my insides ignite.

“Have one speed today, Eden. Show me how much you want my cock owning this sweet pussy. That’s what you want, isn’t it? You want my dick so far in you that you can’t think straight.”

“Shit,” I grit out feeling a steady burn down low. It’s going to be one hell of a firework show.

His fingers dig deeper into my sides. The pain is mixing with pleasure, nearly setting me off. He’s slamming me down on him while thrusting up into me. The man doesn’t lie. That piercing is hitting me in the right spot. It’s tortuously pleasuring.

“Mouth,” he grits out.

With ease, I lean down, not wanting to lose our connection. Our mouths collide, causing our connection to deepen even more. He fucks me with his tongue, his dick until I’m breathless and forced to pull away screaming out his name. My nails dig into the flesh on his chest, dragging down, milking out each sensation coursing through my body.

“More.”

It’s a one-word demand, and before I’m able to comprehend what’s going down, I’m flipped onto my belly with Saxon’s body covering me. His throbbing cock running up my ass cheeks. He props my hips up, slides his cock into my opening, and slams into me without warning. I scream. He fucks. That familiar pressure is building up again.

“Goddamn, all of this is mine. I love you, darlin’.” I want to turn around and see his face, but I’m startled when he spreads my ass cheeks while fucking me at a steady pace. I want to protest, but my curiosity wins out.

“Focus on my cock, your wet cunt, and how good we feel,” he growls.

I do what he tells me, relaxing into his rhythm and holding back my next release. I want to detonate with him. Together and united. I cry out when he sinks a finger into my ass. The sensation of being full sets me on fire, blurring my vision.

“Gonna come in this cunt, yeah?”

“God. Yes, Saxon, fill me up. I’m coming with you.”

His cock pulses once then twice, stretching out my pussy even more. His metal piercing is hitting me deep, setting me off. Saxon milks his cock with gentle thrusts before he collapses down on me.

“Gonna fuck that ass one day. Gonna come all over those tits. Every inch of you will be marked by me.” He kisses my shoulder keeping most of his weight on his elbows.

The thought of his release inside of me turns me on all over again. My hips push back relishing in the feeling. I can’t help myself rolling them over and over again until I’m begging for another release. Saxon being the gentleman he is makes sure it happens.

I don’t want to shower or clean up, not yet anyway. I’m not ready to wash his scent off me.

“Come here.” He tugs me up to him. My head falling to his chest.

“Where were you earlier?” I whisper into his chest.

“Gym.”

“Oh.” I outline my favorite tattoo on his bicep. It’s a diamond with the silhouette of a wolf in each corner. “What does this one mean?”

“Life ain’t no circle of life in my eyes. It’s made of corners representing each stage of your life. Ain’t none more important than the other because it built you into the person you are. Might be a fucked-up journey, but you gotta own it.”

I lean up and kiss each corner of the diamond. I take my time not placing emphasis on one over the other because each corner has brought me the man I love. To me, it doesn’t mean a thing that it’s happened so fast or over the worst circumstance. I’m finding solace in his presence. This incredible man makes me whole.

“I love you, big bad biker dude. Now, can you hand me my phone?”

“Just because you're my woman now does not mean you can boss me around,” he jokes. I roll my eyes.

He reaches over to the nightstand on his side of the bed, handing me my phone. I have to call the hospital. Timothy covered for me yesterday. I won’t be going back to work until I have Wilder in my life and feel settled.

I love my job. I adore my patients, and the babies themselves prove how much I love seeing people happy. I can’t imagine there being anything more rewarding than a child, but my mind, soul, and body are not in any condition to be practicing medicine. If Saxon has taught me anything, it’s to protect the ones you love the fiercest. So, my job has to wait until I get my life together. I can’t go around thinking about my personal life when my mind should be focusing on my patients in front of me.

My work phone rolls over in my palm several times. Thank God, I threw my work phone in my bag, since the club has my personal one. I dial Timothy’s number. When it goes to voicemail, I leave him a quick message.

I send a few emails informing my boss and the hospital board that I’ll be taking a leave of absence. This will come as a shock to them, but I have no doubt they will understand. They know everything that’s going on.

Brick rolls to his side propping his head up on his elbow. The long, dark pieces of hair on the top his head flop down. This man is sex, pure and simple.

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah.” I mindlessly tap the screen. “Going to take a leave of absence from work.”

“Good girl. Was gonna make you do it anyway.”

“Oh, really, boss?”

“Damn right. Need my woman underneath me every night.”

I slap his shoulder. “Hey, I’m good on top, too.”

Saxon’s rolls over on top of me, pinning my arms above my head, teasing me by pushing his cock between my folds.

“Are you hard all the damn time?”

“Since I met you, yeah.” He grins down at me. “Would love to fuck you all day, but I need to feed you.”

I raise up an eyebrow not knowing if he’s serious or going to feed me his dick for breakfast.

“Are you going to take me to your home and let me play house?”

He changes the subject, not acknowledging my question. “Shower, then eggs and bacon. You might not feel hungover now, but it will catch up with you soon.”

He rolls off me and out of bed. His ass is placing me in a trance as he disappears into the small bathroom. When I stand up, the world does spin a bit, and the dull pain in my head becomes a full-blown headache. Shower, food, and water do sound magical right now.

Rifling through my duffle bag, I begin laughing so hard at what I’m pulling out that it doesn’t make any Goddamn sense. I pull out a swimsuit bottom, a scarf, my favorite pair of jeans, a scrub top, mismatched socks, and finally one of my favorite pair of heels. Keyword...one. I slap my palms over my face, letting the laughter fall into them. It’s not a funny situation at all. I’m tired of trying to find a meaning behind every emotion I have.

I laugh harder and louder than I have in a long time.

“What’s so funny, darlin’?” Saxon’s leaning on the doorframe with his arm stretched up. His glorious, naked body on full display.

“My wardrobe.”

He jerks his chin up. “We’ll get it all settled. I couldn’t care less if you stayed in here with nothing on. Something tells me that won’t win me more points with you. I’ve got you, Eden. In everything. Remember that. I’ll bet the girls would love to take you shopping.”

My heart squeezes tight with his confession. I’m not talking about me being naked or shopping. It’s the part where he said he has me.

His world is so opposite of mine. A stark contrast to the world I’m used to living in.

I’ve never been in a steadier world than I was last night.

“Get your naked ass in this bathroom and come wash my dick.”

I laugh while keeping my eyes on his ass. All the way to the shower, where I wash his dick right after I get on my knees and suck him off.

Thirteen

Brick

“It was your dick that decided we had two girls, sweetheart. So, the way I see it is, if you don’t want Eden out of the club’s sight, then I guess you're the one who takes us shopping.” Rachel tells Curtis like it is, kisses his cheek, and saunters off. Getting her way once again.

“You better start running before that chain she has around your dick cuts off circulation,” I say, tip back my beer, and chuckle.

“Fuck you. I could make you go, you know. It’s your woman who doesn’t know how to pack a bag.”

True, but that isn’t the reason why they're going shopping, and he knows it. His daughters need new dresses for their school pictures. We all know when those two sweet angels ask for something, they get it. They may be spoiled rotten when it comes to getting what they want, but you won’t find two kids as polite and respectful as them. Curtis and Rachel are doing one hell of a job raising them. Half the time, our prez comes home with pink shit in his hair. Ain’t nothing wrong with a man giving all he’s got to his kids. Girls, boys. It doesn't matter.

“I’ll give you that one. Not sure which one of our women’s asses looks better in those jeans,” I tease. Wink at Eden when she climbs inside the back of Curtis’ blacked-out Escalade.

“Let me get this shit over with, and I ain’t even going to go there about you checking out my wife’s ass, fucker. You take over getting everything set up for the barbeque tomorrow. I’ll call if I hear from Katch or Roan. You do the same.”

“Have fun.” I tip back my beer, watch him climb in and take off with my woman.

It’s still un-fucking-believable she’s mine.

Nothing but love for her.

I would have never guessed I would want to settle down, let alone with a chick who has a damn good head on her shoulders. Can suck a cock like no other and feels perfect sleeping in my arms.

Eden might be stuck somewhere close to hell right now, but I see signs of the real her peeking out more and more.

Asking about safe sex is one of them. The other was dealing with her job.

I blew her off this morning when she asked about my house. I have one. The thing is, it isn’t anything like what she’s used to. I’m a single man. My needs are simple. She’s used to having everything.

I reach for my phone. Hit speed dial number one.

“Any news?” my brother asks.

“Not yet. Katch and a few other guys decided to hang around out there just in case. How’re Amelia and my niece?” I ask. Stand and head into the clubhouse.

“Both of them are perfect,” he responds. I can hear the happiness in his words.

“I’m happy for you, Zeke. You know that, right?”

“I know, man. I also know you. Something is bothering you. Spit it out.” I can’t help but smile as I make my way down the hall to my room. Shut the door and lie down on my bed.

“I love her, brother. I get it now. All that shit you want to do for Amelia. I want to do the same for Eden.”

On cue, the asshole belts out in laughter.

“Shut the fuck up,” I growl.

“Never thought I’d see the day when my brother was pussy whipped.”

“Fuck off.”

“So, what’s the problem with finally finding love?” he asks.

I throw my arm over my forehead and let it out. “She wants to see my house—”

“Go on,” Zeke interrupts.

“Shut your Goddamn mouth and listen, fuckface. It’s just a normal three-bedroom, two-bath house, and simple at that. The rooms are smaller than normal. No fancy shit and centered on the outskirts of the suburbs. You know all this, since you helped me pick it out.”

“I know I did. It’s a nice house. Are you trying to tell me that you think Eden is going to walk away from you because you have a simple house that’s more than likely a nasty bachelor pad?”

“More or less.”

“Just another prime example that you’re a fucking dumbass. Saxon, Eden wouldn’t give a shit if you lived in a cardboard box. All you can do is give her your whole heart. It’s the most priceless object you can give her.”

“I’m there, man.”

“Give her your all. Be you. And enjoy the ride.”

“I think my dick just transformed into a vagina. Enough of this mushy shit.”

“You did always think your dick was a transformer when you were little,” Zeke gets out through bursts of laughter.

“Bitch, you’re gonna tell that damn story at my funeral, aren’t you?”

“Your first morning wood, and you ran into the kitchen showing Mom your dick was a transformer.”

“Fuck off.” I smile at the memory even though Zeke can’t see me. There’re only a handful of memories like those before our life went to hell in a handbasket.

“On another note, the board at the hospital held an emergency meeting. They granted Eden her leave of absence. Only know this shit since I’m a department head.”

I’m stunned. “Shit, she emailed them this morning.”

“It only happened about fifteen minutes ago. I walked out of the meeting right when you called. I’m glad she’s taking time off.”

“Didn’t care if they were going to grant it or not; wasn’t letting her go back either way. This is the best thing for her right now. I’m glad she won’t have that worry hanging over her head.”

“Gotta run, brother. Duty calls. If you doubt anything with Eden, summon your inner pussy-whispering abilities and show your love.”

“Got it.”

I end the call. My phone beeps with an incoming text. My girl.

Eden: They granted my leave of absence.

Me: Good, darlin’. In my room. Come find me when you’re done.

Eden: Have a few more shops to hit up before we leave.

Me: Buy some crotch-less panties with the cash I sent.

I sent Eden with a chunk of cash from my stash. Hell, I have enough of it from living a simple life and not indulging in elaborate shit. My eyelids grow heavy yearning to sleep. Feel like a dick knowing Eden has to be just as tired as me.

Everything goes black. No nightmares come or the typical anxiety that attacks me. It’s peaceful, just like the rest of my life with Eden in it.

A soft voice purrs. Grinding down on my cock. Hands are running up the side of my hair. Sweetest dream ever. My hands glide down to the thighs straddling me. I work my hands up and down her legs. I moan. Something is wrong because I swear to God my woman’s legs are longer than these. The fuck?

The sound of my zipper going down rings in my ears. My eyelids flutter open. Nelly, a club whore who once was my favorite, has the elastic of my boxers pulled back with her hand about to dip in them.

“Nelly,” I growl.

Her face lights up when she takes my greeting the wrong way.

“Get the fuck out.” I push her hand back then point to the door.

“Saxon, I came here to make you feel better. I’ve heard you’ve been stressed.” She tilts her head, capturing her bottom lip between her teeth. Jesus Christ.

It’s a gesture that four months ago would make me go rock hard. Today, my cock is limp as fuck, worse than any case of whiskey dick I’ve ever experienced.

“Saxon.” She goes to pet my chest, but I capture her wrist before she can touch me.

“Get the fuck out, or I’ll have a prospect haul your fucking ass out.” She doesn’t listen; she stretches herself out, legs pressing against my head and pressing her chest out.

“Tina’s going to be here in ten minutes. I was going to suck you until then. Two women have always been your favorite.” Again, all that shit came before I found me someone worth treating like gold. Not that these women don’t deserve a man to call their own. They do, but they’re the ones who keep coming back around and fucking everyone. What they do is on them, not me. I’m done with messing around.

“Last fucking time,” I grit out. “Get the fuck out and don’t return. Spread the word among your whore friends. I’m off fucking limits.”

Nelly leans forward until she’s inches from my face. “She’ll never be able to fuck you as good as I do. You’ll be coming back.”

“No, I fucking will not. And, babe, you ain’t got nothing on her.”

My grip on her wrists battle a war of their own. I want nothing more than to snap her in half. But I ain’t that kind of man. Would never hurt a woman, but this bitch is pushing me to my limits.

Nelly licks her lips, tucks her legs under my ass, and I’m a second away from throwing her off my bed.

“You can lick Tina’s pussy while I suck your cock, and then fuck both of us just like good old times.”

“Get. The. Fuck. Out. You know the rules, bitch, and you just crossed them. You do not come into a man’s room unless you are invited or you are his old lady. Which, neither one applies to you when it comes to me. You better not ever step foot in this club again. You get me?” I’m seething.

Nelly’s head jerks back as if I’ve slapped her before I have the chance to roll her off me. Her screams fill the room. Her body flying off mine. I sit up on my elbows coming face-to-face with a pissed-off Eden.

“Are you fucking kidding me, Saxon?”

Nelly’s on the ground crying out in pain. Eden steps around her, getting right up in my face. Rock hard instantly. Jesus, this woman pissed off is the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.

“This how club shit works? Let little whores dry hump you?”

“Eden,” I warn her. She’s having nothing to with my warning. She tilts her head to the side and stares me down. Fuck me. I’m all over that ass the first chance I get.

“I get it now. Everyone shares around here. Point taken. I’m going to take care of this trash and then go find a prospect, or hell, maybe even a brother of yours.”

“Eden,” I roar and grab her wrist, tugging her to me. “Watch your fucking mouth.”

Her palm connects with my cheek, leaving behind a stinging sensation. The slap startling me, making it easy for her to rip away from me. My dick tries to punch through my jeans. Eden may be pissed off right now, but she has no idea how much she just turned me on. Jealousy looks damn good on her. The fact she’s jealous and raging over me is just the sweet cherry on top.

“Oh, no, you don’t, bitch.” Eden grabs a handful of Nelly’s hair when she stands up. “You want my man?”

Nelly doesn’t say a word.

“You fucking deaf? Must be, since my man told you to get the fuck out.” Eden grabs Nelly’s hair, shoving her back into the wall.

Nelly recovers quickly. “He’ll come back. Your prissy ass won’t be enough for him. You don’t belong here. It’s not your world.”

“Ahhh, shit.” I scrub my face and scoot off the bed before blood is shed.

“Not my world? The last time I checked, we were all walking around on the same planet. Oh, wait, you must mean because I don’t spread my legs for all the men here. That’s it, right? Let me tell you whose world I’m in. His. He belongs to me, and if I ever catch you touching him again, I will cut you from your rotten snatch to your mouth.”

Hot fucking damn. Pissed-off Doc is downright sexy.

Eden cocks back her arm in a flash. There’s no bitch slap but a solid punch connecting with Nelly’s jaw. Her knees go weak, and she goes right back down. Eden jumps on her, sending punch after punch. Nelly tries to fight back. Her efforts are worthless. She begins screaming. Eden is one tough bitch, and I can’t wait to fuck her anger right out of her.

“The fuck is going on?”

I turn to see Curtis breathing heavily, standing in the doorway. His eyes light up at the scene before him. The cocky bastard has the nerve to smile and throw his head back in laughter.

“Your mess. Clean that shit up.”

I ain’t cleaning up shit. Nelly can drag her own ass out of here. I’m taking my woman to my house.

“That bitch does not get to come back here,” I tell him.

Eden tenses up when I slide my arms around her waist. Pisses me off that she’s shying away from me. Her back goes stiff, her anger clear as she screams out loud. I lean down and whisper in her ear.

“Let’s go.”

“Fuck off, Saxon!” she hollers.

Curtis laughs even louder. Ain’t doing this shit right now. Eden’s about to learn a damn lesson right fucking now. I turn her around, slam my lips on hers for a few seconds, and then toss her sassy ass over my shoulder. She doesn’t go easily, beating my back with closed fists.

“Put me down, asshole.”

I ignore her as I brush past Curtis and send him a chin jerk as I do.

“You can’t just fucking do what you want.”

“Watch me, darlin’.” I stride down the hall.

Curtis’ voice booms out. He’s giving Nelly the what for. That bitch won’t be seen again around this club. There are some lines you don’t cross, and she just did. I kick the front door of the club open with my boot. The bright sunshine is blinding me. I flip down my sunglasses, striding right up to my bike, then place Eden on the back.

She doesn’t shut up. Doesn’t dare move from the back of my bike either. Damn fucking right; she’s mine, and that’s right where she belongs. I put her helmet on and buckle the strap underneath her chin. My bike roars down the road. I’m taking her to my house hoping like hell she’ll approve. The honest truth is, the open road will always be my home, not some damn wooden box posed as a house.

Fourteen

Brick

The fifteen-minute ride to my house did nothing to calm down my little firecracker. She tensed up every time I put my hand on her thigh. I’m pissed.

The minute we pull into my drive, she hops off the bike in a fighting stance. Hands on her hips as if she’s ready to throw me down. I damn near laugh.

I ignore her, struggling to hold back the smirk on my face. I need to piss her off a little more often because it’s sexy as fuck.

“We need to talk, Saxon.” She crosses her arms over her chest, pushing up her tits. “This isn’t going to fly with me. I don’t do this.”

“Shut up, Eden.”

“You know what. I don’t have to shut up. I think I told you before that I’m not one of those women you talk to like that. I deserve an explanation, damn it.”

“Get in my house.” I wrap my arms around her waist, pushing her to the door like a stubborn child. I’m going to redden her ass in about two seconds if she doesn’t knock this shit off. Reaching around her, I punch in the six-digit alarm code to the system Katch installed when I bought this place.

“You are a real asshole.” She elbows me in the gut with all her gusto. “Were you going to fuck her?”

I continue to ignore her bullshit, walking her right down the hall into my bedroom. The room is pathetic at best with just a bed and a tall dresser. I slam the door with my boot then let go of her, pinning her to the wall. My body barricading her to the wall.

Kicking off my boots, I smile at her, then slide down my jeans and boxers, and then reach back pulling my shirt off.

My cock has been rock fucking hard since she stormed into my room at the club ready to throw down for me.

I take a step back. Then another. Two more until the back of my legs hit the bed. Eden stares at me, mouth gaping and shock covering each of her features. My arms shoot high above my head, opening myself to her. I fall back on the bed, arms still above my head.

I lie there open and unprotected. Giving all of me to her because she fucking owns it. Ain’t ever been a liar and not about to hold any truths back right now.

“Are you fucking serious?” Eden throws her head to the side and places a hand on her hip.

“You pissed?” I lift my head from the worn-out blanket-covered mattress, hooking up one eyebrow.

“I’m fucking livid.”

“Come take it out on me, darlin’.”

“This isn’t a time to be fucking cheeky, Saxon!” She takes a step closer, her anger building with each ticking second. “I just walked in on you while a whore was dry fucking you.”

“Yeah. That’s right. She. I didn’t touch her. Told the bitch I was taken.” I shrug.

Bingo! Ignite the pistons. Showtime. Eden begins ripping at her clothes while screaming at me. I damn well know she heard me tell Nelly to fuck off. My vixen is still pissed, irritated, and in this frame of mind, she needs to own me.

“Stop,” I roar, throwing my hand up to her as she sheds her last piece of clothing. “You that fucking pissed?”

She nods her head not saying a Goddamn word. My hand finds its way down to my cock. I ain’t about being subtle or a Goddamn gentlemen. I am who I am.

“Then take what’s yours.” I massage the head of my dick.

“Saxon, she was on top of you—”

I cut her off, done with this fucking conversation. Eden knows damn well I’m hers. She’s hurt by what she walked into, and I get that. But she also knows I’d never do a thing to hurt her. Her mind is so fucked right now it’s ridiculous. How she’s getting through each step of life is beyond me. If roles were reversed and it was Zeke’s child, I’d be shredding the universe. It’s what attracts me to her. She’s passionate, educated, and fucking fights for what she wants. Don’t find that authenticity often, and it’s at this moment I realize why I fell so hard for her.

She’s my complete opposite in every possible way, placing the final puzzle piece of my life. The picture perfect. She’s my end game, and no matter the cost, I’d sacrifice everything for her happiness.

“Take what’s yours, Eden. Work out that anger right on my dick. Ain’t gonna sit here and argue or even defend myself because you damn well know what the fuck didn’t go down in my room. Your choice. Whatcha gonna do?” I throw my head back on the bed, stroking my cock from base to tip. My balls tighten, nearing a fucking painful state. They remember how fucking blissful her cunt feels. My hand will always be a sorry excuse compared to her.

Each of her movements is calculated and precise. It’s like watching a documentary on the Animal Planet. I’m the prey, and she’s the predator. Exactly how I wanted it. ‘Bout time, Vixen. Come eat me alive.

“I heard what you told her, Saxon.” Her knees dip onto the mattress. “Doesn’t change the fact I saw red seeing her straddle what’s mine.”

Eden remains silent for a long time while she gets into the position she wants. I watch each of her moves with care, branding the memory to last an eternity. The globes of her ass cheeks hovering above my face before they disappear. The sensation of her lips wrapping around my dick. Eden’s cheeks hollowing out, and when she takes me in her mouth, I moan, then a popping sound echoes around the room.

Her mouth is gone. Knew I told her she’d could run the show, but she just set off the last of my patience. My fingers dig into fleshy hips, pulling her center down to my face. Her scent hits me like a hurricane, similar to the first night we sucked, licked, and fucked with our mouths.

My tongue is a greedy bastard thirsty for a taste. First big mistake because I want more. I’m an addict to this woman. I fucking crave to have her taste imprinted on my taste buds. I’d soak that shit up for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Her back arches as I fuck her with my tongue, soaking in all of her. New favorite fucking position right here. Eden’s moans of pleasure are muffled when her lips wrap right back around my dick. Base to tip. She repeats the action over and over until I’m about to blow my load in her fucking mouth. Would be sweet right now shooting my come down the back of her throat to teach her a lesson. But I want her to fuck out her anger on my cock.

I focus on eating her pussy. Nipping at her clit and sinking my tongue deep inside her. My palms are spread out across her ass cheeks, spreading them wide. Eden’s lost in her own pleasure and sucking my dick. Her moans are driving me fucking crazy.

Fighting to focus on something else, I decide to give it to her good. My thumb swirling around the entrance to her ass. The one place I’d give anything to be inside.

She rides my face harder and faster with every touch. I switch it up a bit, putting pressure against the opening with a finger then slowly pushing inside.

Her mouth pops off my dick again. She cries out and stills. I bring her back to me with my tongue swiping through her folds. Her entire body is tense and on edge. The sensation is new for her, and she’s about to come harder than she ever has.

I move my finger just a bit then roll her clit between my lips. It does the trick. Her release runs down my face, Eden’s screams fill the room, and then her body goes lax against mine. Her breathing out of control for long moments.

Without warning, Eden shifts her body. Those eyes of hers look down on me as if I’m her everything when she sinks down onto my dick.

We ain’t leaving here until I’ve fucked her all over my house. Seems silly now I was worried what she would think of it.

“Love you, darlin’.” I grip her hips, loving the view of her back and ass as she works up and down. “Now, fuck me like you own me.”

Her fingers dig into my thighs, steadying herself. Eden’s pussy is gripping my cock like a vice. Fuck, it was made to do this. I’m on edge, forcing back my release.

“Baby,” I grit out. “You better fucking hurry this show along. I’m not gonna last.”

She stills on top of me, turns her head, peering back at me over her shoulder. A devious smile playing out on her face. “You said it’s mine. And I’m not even close to coming, baby.”

“Not funny,” I growl.

Eden flexes her hips, making my eyes roll in the back of my head. This woman is going to be the damn death of me. It takes everything for me to not roll her over and slam into her. But I never break a deal. She climbs off me, leaving my dick pissed and balls swollen. I watch her every move. I know she’s still pissed off and feeling all territorial, but I sure as fuck am not in the mood to jack off right now.

She lies on her back next to me on the bed. We stare at one another for several seconds. Eden licks her lips then finally tells me what she wants.

“Straddle me.”

I quirk up an eyebrow.

“You heard me,” she demands.

I follow her order straddling her hips, my hard dick lying on her belly. She cups her tits, pulling them together. Eden leans up darting her tongue along her plump breasts.

“Here.” She squeezes one of her nipples. “I want you to come here.” Motherfucking hell.

You don’t have to ask me twice. She makes the perfect tunnel to sink my dick into. One of her hands covering the top, stroking me with each thrust. Her tongue is darting out to lick the tip of my head. My nostrils flare, and I roar as I near my release. I don’t fucking wait for her permission to come. I’m the boss here, and I’ll mark my lady when and where I want.

She drops her tits, moves fast scooting down the bed, capturing my dick in her mouth. One pump, two, three, and I’m coating the back of her throat just like I wanted to. She licks up every single last drop until my vision begins to blur.

I’m careful rolling off her and collapsing on my back. She rolls up on me, straddling my hips again. My dick ready for round two. Our lips crash together. I taste my release and her taste all in one. Never in my life have I been so turned on. Fuck, thought I’d reached the pinnacle of all boners earlier, but it was minuscule compared to this. She can ride my dick until it falls off.

Fifteen

Eden

I shrug. “It’s not bad.”

Saxon freezes with the bottle of his beer inches from his lips, turns to me, and stares.

“I’m kidding.” I punch his shoulder then reach down into the pizza box for my third slice.

Really built up an appetite fucking my man six ways to Sunday. I saw red when I walked into his room. It turned to a murderous shade of black when he refused to fight with me. Wanted to rip his dick off when he started stripping in front of me acting like sex would fix everything. I’ve never been so jealous in my life. I wanted to kill that woman.

Saxon knew, though. He knew what he was doing when he stripped down and challenged me, and it was precisely what I needed from him.

He drains the beer in one long pull, throws the glass bottle into the trashcan, breaking it. “Want the truth?” he asks.

“Always.” I break a long string of gooey cheese from the pizza, popping it into my mouth.

“Thought long and hard about bringing you here. Didn’t really want to.”

Well, that wasn’t expected. It hurts a little more than I’d like to admit.

“It’s not what you’re thinking, darlin’. Can read you like a book. I was scared it wouldn’t be good enough for you. It’s a simple place. Close enough to the club, but far enough away. It ain’t no fancy digs like you and Zeke have. The thing is, it’s mine.”

I stop him by putting down my pizza and crawling in his lap. His patio lounger is roomy enough to let me do so. “It’s perfect, baby, and if I'm honest, I like it better than my house. It’s a place that could be a real home. Simple, comfortable, and just the right size to raise a family in.”

“Yeah?” His voice is shocked.

I nod. “Yes, this perfect backyard fenced in for little Saxons to run around while I stand in the kitchen and cook dinner. I can see them right out the back window with the sliding glass door wide open. It’s a home while not many places are that.”

“And plenty of room to fuck,” he adds.

There’s my man. Serious as hell with the ability to make any topic light and laughable.

“We have to cover a lot of rooms tonight. Might have to go into the morning, since we never left your bed.”

“Had to get you dressed and fed before I took you up the ass.” He flicks the hem of the T-shirt with the club name across the chest. It’s worn and well-loved and now wrapped around my body. “I’m also starting to think you have an aversion to packing or remembering your clothes.”

“Seriously, Saxon—”

He cuts me off cupping my tits. “Starting to think you want to be around me in your birthday suit, yeah?”

“I got some really cute clothes today. You know, the ones I’d love to wear but my job stops me from.” Each word comes out needy and breathless all because of his touch.

“Like you naked.” His hand slips down to my core underneath the pair of boxers I have on, rolled over several times to fit me.

I slap his chest in a playful gesture, fighting like hell to change the subject, and not because the cold, hard truth is this man owns me with one single touch or word. There’s something about him that’s real. He doesn’t need a diploma with his name on it to prove to me how smart he is. How caring or how much he takes his passion for life and puts his whole heart out there with his love for the club, his family, friends, and now me. I’ll never be able to explain it, but it’s all there.

“You wouldn’t.”

“Wouldn’t what?” Saxon sinks two fingers inside of me in a steady rhythm. I need him, and when his flesh is on mine, he controls me.

My eyes slam shut, and I battle to string together a thought. “Ass. Fuck me in the ass.”

His hearty chuckle vibrates throughout my entire body with force settling between my legs, where he is working in and out of me.

“Gonna claim that ass, darlin’.” Two more pumps inside of me. “And when I do, you’ll never forget who owns you, and when some bitch tries to take me, you’ll get wet right here remembering everything and everywhere I’ve been.”

His fingers were born to strum me. He’s the conductor, and I’m whatever instrument he desires. My hips buck to meet his palm. The sight of his tattooed arm working between my legs would turn anyone on. Shit. Fuck. Oh, my God. Stars. His thumb hits my clit.

“Saxon.”

The fuck?

A voice calls out again. “Saxon, could you please help me get my hose to my garden again? I rolled it up like you showed me, but I can’t reach my tomato plants.”

I make eye contact with the elderly lady peering over the fence for a split of a second, then bury my head in the crook of his neck.

“I’ll be right there, Ladore,” he hollers back like nothing is happening here.

“Oh, Saxon! Thank you. You need to get your little ass back here more often. That wind-up thing for the hose you bought me was a great idea, but I still can’t get the head of the hose in the right hole to water.” Ladore’s silver hair shines over the fence with a gleam in her pupils. She’s in love with him. My heart expands, contracts, and rattles in my chest.

“That’s what she said,” I murmur into his neck.

“Be right there, Ladore,” he barks back. But there’s something different in his voice. It’s not the stone-killer type. Nope, it’s ‘I’m your neighbor and will wind up your hose and water your damn garden.’ See? Passion. In his way.

Saxon glances down at me and chuckles. His fingers flex inside of me. “Gotta help the neighbor lady. Don’t be going and getting all jealous on me, yeah? You beat Ladore down, we have words.”

I rise to my feet. Straighten out his shirt and nod. “Hope you find me after you get the hose in the right hole with your neighbor.”

Saxon stands to adjust his cock in his sweat pants like he didn’t just have his fingers deep inside of me. He grins at Ladore then me. It melts my beating heart knowing this little old woman counts on him. “Better protect that ass,” he growls in my ear.

The asshole struts right over to Ladore. She beams like her zucchini won the purple grand prize at the county fair. Saxon Hartley is a complete mystery. It hurts deep inside knowing he was ashamed to show me his house. The square feet or the fact marble doesn’t cover the surface of his counters or floor, none of that matters. The only thing that does right now is that Ladore gets her hose to her garden. Saxon leaps the fence with ease, causing Ladore to giggle. There’s ruckus on the other side of the privacy fence. My back relaxes back into the lounger where Saxon just laid. I grab the piece of pizza and just think of all the what ifs.

Wilder would love it here. The gaping hole in my heart sears with blinding pain. I know Saxon is doing everything to bring him back to me. It’s Saxon’s deep chuckle, laughter, and voice that ground me even if he’s helping Ladore get the end of a hose in a hole.

I have to believe. My gut knows beyond a shadow of a doubt Saxon will bring my Wilder back to me. From the first meeting, he never flinched when helping me. I realize now that’s when I fell for him. I tumbled headfirst into the wall of a man they call Brick.

He will always be Saxon to me. The man who helps his elderly neighbor out, no questions asked. The same person who placed a stranger on the back of his bike heading to the morgue, again with no questions asked. He’s a damn good man. One my parents would fall in love with. He has a big heart buried underneath all that gruff tough-guy act. He may be a biker called Brick, but he’ll always be my Saxon.

“I have fresh lemonade,” I hear Ladore’s voice float over the fence.

“Oh, I’m good,” Saxon’s rough voice floats through the air.

Jesus, I can only picture a shirtless Saxon running his hands over his head.

“Oh, nonsense, boy. Picked these lemons from the tree then squeezed them.”

Shit, Ladore is ruthless. I thought Nelly was a force; she has nothing on this elderly woman.

“Okay, I’ll take a glass,” Saxon relents.

“You won’t regret it.”

I’m happy eating pizza and listening to this. Life isn’t beautiful; far from it. I’m fighting for what is right. No, scratch that; we are fighting for it. I’ve learned some things are out of our control. Does it make it easier? No. You just have to believe in the good of the world in moments. I’ll bring justice to my family. Wilder will be back with me. That’s it.

I don’t need to be the doctor saving lives or delivering babies. Or be the brainchild. I have to believe.

Some people mask their pain with drugs or alcohol. Drown in their sorrow and never recover. Me, I’m coping with something so much better. It comes in the form a big, burly Saxon Hartley.

My raw and open wounds will more than likely never heal. But it’s Saxon’s rare smiles, his presence, and the way he protects me that keep me going.

I’d live at the club with him in his tiny-ass bedroom or even on the back of his bike. I’d go anywhere with this man. I realize I’ve been staring at the horizon right above the fence surrounding his manicured suburban yard. A clattering noise, then a broad, muscular man who leaps over forces me back to reality.

His low-slung black sweat pants, shirtless chest, and glistening sweat pebbling on his forehead make me insane. Saxon gifts me one of his rare and genuine smiles. It hurts to know this amazing and powerful man has never let anyone in to see this side of him. It’s an honor I’ll always hold dear.

Ladore’s wild, silver curls appear over the fence once again. I kick my legs back, enjoying this scene.

“Thanks for getting your hose in that hole. I had no idea it was so simple.”

Saxon turns back to look at his neighbor. “No problem. I’ll pick you up a new storage unit next time around.”

“Thanks, sugar.” She winks at him. “You’re a doll.”

Her gray hair disappears with the sound of her light singing filling the air. That little hooker. I bite down on my bottom lip to stifle the laughter. Saxon stalks his way to me as if he didn’t just charm a senior citizen right out of her granny panties. I can’t help it.

“Your milkshake brings all the grannies—”

My version of the song is cut off abruptly as Saxon tosses me over his shoulder. He stomps into his house. Slams the door shut, then we christen every surface of his kitchen from the floor to the counter and even the small pantry.

Sixteen

Brick

I’m beginning to think I’m dreaming this woman up. Swear to God, I am. Never would I have thought bringing her here would turn out this way. There wasn’t one ounce of judgment in her eyes. She was livid when I marched her in here, but she fucked her feisty attitude right out of her system. Turned into the woman I love. More caring than she’d probably admit. It was as if it were just us in a safe place forgetting about the worries of the world.

Eden nestles her face into my chest. Her sleeping form wrapped tight around my naked body. I finally let her fall asleep well past two in the morning. Shit was insane last night. She didn’t lie about fucking in every room in this house. We laughed so hard when I was taking her from the back, slamming into her wet cunt when she lost grip of the couch and went sailing onto the floor. Getting some intense carpet burns on a knee and hitting her shin on the coffee table. I was left with my wet dick hanging out and shocked.

My vixen pulled me to the ground until I was flat on my back and rode me until we both came. I scrub my eyes looking at the time. We need to be back at the club in two hours for the barbeque, but my evil plans aren’t over yet. I promised her one thing and am damn sure going to make good on it.

I pull the sheets back drinking in her fine curves. The bruise on her shin is massive. I’m a protective motherfucker and don’t like seeing those I love get hurt. But that bruise is another story; it’s a Goddamn victory badge marking her as mine. Eden’s in a deep sleep, allowing me to untangle from her. Inching down the bed, I stop at the bruise, kissing and licking it. She doesn’t stir. Then I rub the pads of my fingers over the rug burn on her other knee, smiling at the memory.

It’s like candy for a toddler, and I just can’t help it. My fingers glide through her folds. She isn’t awake all the way. I roll her over onto her back, spreading her legs.

“That’s it, baby,” I whisper into the flesh of her hip.

My cock juts out, ready to fuck her. I sink two fingers inside, inching closer to getting my mouth on her. There ain’t going to be a better breakfast than this. Her hips begin rolling against my mouth, helping my fingers hit her harder and deeper. She’s half asleep while whispering my name over and over. Each time it falls from her tongue, I smile against her pussy. The pain in my balls too much to handle. My hand reaches down, stroking him base to tip. I could come all over these sheets in a matter of seconds.

Eden’s eyes pop open. She perches herself up on her elbows with sleep covering her features. Several seconds go by before she realizes what’s going on. I don’t stop. Not until her pussy grips my fingers.

“Saxon, what—” Her orgasm stops her mid-sentence. Eden’s hands go to my hair. She pulls and tugs while singing out my name over and over again. When she collapses back onto the bed, I climb up her body.

“Clean me now,” I growl into her mouth.

She doesn’t flinch at the demand and only seals her lips to mine. This woman is going to drive me crazy with her wicked mouth all sassy and shit. Then the next minute she’s doing what I ask. I fucking love her.

My hips buck into her, finding her hot pussy. I groan into her mouth, fucking her at a fast pace. I pull back and lick my lips.

“You trust me?” I jerk my chin.

She nods.

Game on, motherfuckers. Reaching down, I lift her ass while fucking her, and without warning, I sink a finger in her tight little ass. Her eyes snap shut.

“Gonna have this pussy dripping, darlin’,” I add another finger in her ass, getting her ready for me. “Then gonna rub all your juices over this ass and take it.”

She nods, giving me the go-ahead, and I nearly bust a nut inside of her. It’s hell pulling out of that sweet cunt. It will be so damn worth it knowing I’ve claimed all of her that I can.

I flip her over then press one hand on her back and the other I run through her pussy up into the entrance of her asshole. Over and over until she’s nice and wet right where I want her to be.

I pull her hips back to me with the head of my cock right at her entrance. I go slow knowing she’s never done this before.

“Gotta relax, baby.” I squeeze her hip inching into her. “Just relax and let your body feel this.”

I bite down on my lip as her tight ass strangles my dick.

Christ.

“Reach back and fuck your pussy now,” I growl. “Fill that cunt with your fingers.”

She obeys. I stay still until she’s ready for me to move.

“You okay, Eden?” I ask. Needing to know she wants this as much as I do.

“I won’t be if you don’t move.” Yeah, she’s alright.

“Let me know if it’s too much.” I nibble on her ear, my dick ready to go.

“Okay.”

 Her fingers work in and out of her. Eden begins moaning and rolling her ass up and down my cock. I see motherfucking stars feeling this. I reach around and flick her clit until she’s screaming.

“Fuck me, Saxon, fuck me. I need you to move. Oh, my God! Please.”

“Your wish is my command,” I say with a smile on my face.

It’s slow at first, letting her get used to the feeling. Then something inside of me snaps. I need to own her and this ass. It’s all mine. My hips slap against her ass with one hard thrust. My palm cracks her globe and I keep pounding into her until she’s gasping, her slick back coated with a sheer sheen of sweat. Fuck me.

She screams out her release way before I find mine. Eden never stops fucking her pussy. The action is hot as hell. Her body tightens with another release.

“Gonna come,” I grit out. “You wait for me this time. Don’t you dare fucking go until I say.”

“Saxon,” she whines.

“You fucking heard me.”

Sweat runs down my forehead, my legs begin to tremble, and my grip on on her hip tightens. A tingle builds at the base of my spine, then with three more thrusts, I’m there ready to fill her with me.

“Go,” I roar.

We both indulge at same time. Our worlds colliding, fucking intertwining so damn tight there’s no telling where one begins and the other ends. I collapse down on her. Energy drained. I slide to the side not wanting to hurt her. She’s going to be fucking sore.

“That ain’t ever happened before.” I roll up to my side, coming eye to eye with my woman.

“What?” Her brows scrunch in confusion.

“Think you broke my dick and fucked all the energy out of me.”

She slaps my shoulder. “Good.”

I pull her to me, breathing in the scent of her flowery-smelling hair. I kiss the top of her head.

“Want to know a secret?” she asks.

I nod.

“I liked it.” She laughs. “Everyone says how bad it hurts, but there was something about you filling me so full I could hardly breathe. It was amazing.”

“Won’t be the last time, so don’t you worry about that.” I slap her ass hoping like hell I left behind a handprint. “We need to shower and get going.”

“No,” she protests. “I don’t want to leave here.”

The woman is turning me into a certified pussy. My heart clenches with her words.

“Have the club barbeque. We’ll come back.” I sit up running my hands through my just-fucked hairstyle.

I want to promise her everything else. Like a room for Wilder, marrying her crazy ass, and having her barefoot and pregnant in our kitchen. I’ll go to the ends of the world for this woman. It will never be enough, but I’ll be damned if I ain’t willing to try. I’d take a bullet to the head just to bring her nephew back to her.

I walk into the bathroom and turn on the shower, deep in those thoughts, when I feel her arms wrap around my waist.

“You okay?” she asks.

I nod.

“You’re good at a lot of shit. Talented in the bed and damn sexy on that bike, but, Saxon, you’re a shit liar.”

I spin around, pick her up, and set her in the shower. She squeals splashing water back out at me. I smirk. The water is still cold and not quite warmed up yet.

“Asshole!”

Like the true gentleman I am, I wait for the steam to billow from the shower before stepping in. Eden washes away the proof of our night together. Her palms gliding over my skin as she washes every inch of me strikes me hard. She’s taking care of me.

Zeke and Amelia are the only ones who have taken care of me in a long time. Ain’t gonna lie. It feels fucking amazing.

This woman is turning me into a pussy. And if that’s what love does, then I’m okay with it.

* * *

Eden

My house is going on the market as soon everything settles down. I don’t give a shit how fancy of a place it is or how much money I lose on it. It’s a pathetic farce to call a home. I’d always wanted it to be one. Begged and begged for Zoe and Wilder to move in with me. Too many haunting memories are there. The thoughts of what if and that I didn’t do enough have me not wanting to go back there. I know I have to, though. I tighten my arms around Saxon’s waist, resting my cheek on his back as he roars down the highway.

The hope in making my life complete fires back up. Making my sister proud and raising her son the way she would want me to has tears falling from my eyes.

Wilder will come home to me. I’ll give him everything from the perfect house, school, and loving environment. He’ll go crazy over Saxon’s bike. I can picture them wrestling around on the living room floor while I cook dinner.

Saxon’s bike slows at the gates of the club. And holy shit, there’re hundreds of people here. My jaw drops as I take in the scene. It’s not just bikers but little children and women all hanging out on the grass. Saxon explained it’s a family deal during the day then gets crazy when the sun sets. He claims that’s when the real party starts.

“Whiskey or wine?” Saxon asks the minute we make our way through the crowd to the makeshift bar lined with all kinds of booze, cheap boxes of wine, and coolers of beer all over the ground. He flips the lid of one of them open. Pulls out a beer and twists off the cap.

“Wine is good,” I say, telling myself I’m staying sober. Saxon reassured me that Nelly the whore bag wouldn’t be showing herself inside these gates again. However, I don’t trust these women I’m seeing sitting around either. Some are sitting on men’s laps, their arms hung casually over the men’s shoulders, while others are rubbing themselves all over the men. Their skirts short, their tops showing off a heavy amount of cleavage. I’m not judging, because I’m sure some of them are wives or old ladies, but still, I’m sure the whores stick together. The thought of it all makes me sick.

“Here.” He hands me a red Solo cup of wine, making me smile. The man doesn’t flinch about the etiquette of wine consumption, and I love him for that. It’s just one of his ‘I don’t give a fuck about society’s rules’ that warms my damn heart and tingles my lady parts.

Brick grabs my hand and leads us around the crowd. Halfway through the chaos, he drops my hand, pulling me to his side with his hand resting low on my hip, then stops and kisses me harder and deeper than ever before. I know exactly what he’s doing. Brick is claiming me out in public right here and now for all to see, giving the other men no doubt who I belong to. I brush his stubble with my free hand while we kiss, hoping like hell he knows how much this means to me. We pull apart and begin walking together side by side as one.

My eyes light up when I see Rachel, Caitlin, and Amelia all sitting on a blanket with Clara.

“You good?” He stops right in front of the girls. I tilt my head up to look at him. A wide smile spreads across my face.

“I just thought of something you didn’t tell me about your club,” I say, feeling like a teenager. I don’t care. It feels good to be loved, good to be needed and wanted. Even if what we have comes with a label, because I want his brand more than anything else right now. The thought of the whores who will be out after dark in full force enrages the green-eyed monster down in my gut. He is mine.

“What’s that, darlin’?” Saxon brings his hand to the back of my neck. Pulling me into him for a short kiss.

“I’m your old lady.” I tell him something he already knows. I thought about this the other day, too, but it slipped my mind to bring it up.

He smirks. “Thing is, I’m the boss of that and tell you when and where that shit happens. Bitches don’t come in here and claim it when they want.”

My anger is evident on my face, then Brick’s smirk morphs into a full-out, megawatt smile followed by a roaring wave of laughter.

“Sexy when you’re pissed, baby.” He kisses me then pulls back. “Yes, you are. Going to have to get you a vest. Put ‘Property of Brick’ on the back.”

“I love you,” I whisper.

“Might have to mark this again, since everyone will be looking at your backside when you're on the back of my bike.” He grabs my ass, squeezes one cheek in his hand, and lifts his brow seductively. Good Lord, he is ridiculously handsome and hard as a rock; I can feel it through his jeans.

“We’ll see.” I lean up and kiss him, shove him away, and take a seat on the grass by the girls.

“Amelia, you look wonderful.” I squeeze her hand. We stare at each other for a few moments. Our eyes showing the other that this waiting is driving us both insane.

“So do you. I know that look, too,” she says with a low voice.

“What look?” I voice skeptically. Hoping no one noticed my look of disgust over the women I was guessing were whores.

“Brick gave you the same look that Zeke gives me. The two of them may not resemble one another all that much, but that look of love in his eyes, the one that tells you you’re it for him. Well, it’s the same look Zeke gives me. I couldn’t be happier that Brick has found someone as wonderful as you. It makes all of us incredibly happy.”

“Thank you. He’s an amazing man,” I say, not wanting to share more.

“You look a lot better than you did the last time I saw the two of you,” I tell Rachel and Caitlin.

“Yeah, well, you look hot as fuck in those clothes. Love your taste,” Caitlin replies, while Rachel peers around the baby to take a look at what I have on.

I don’t remember Saxon calling a prospect to bring all my bags from shopping over to his house. Apparently, he did. They were all sitting in the cab of his truck this morning. After we showered, he went out to get them.

This is the outfit he tossed at me and demanded I wear—sans panties.

A simple pair of black jeans with a white lace-scalloped tank top. I matched them up with a pair of flip-flops. Figuring this was not the type of party to be walking around in heels. Besides, I only bought what I needed when we shopped. I did stop in the sex store like Saxon asked, but I bought strawberry-flavored lotion to lick off his dick while I’m on my hands and knees. The man loves having his cock sucked. May as well turn him on by teasing him as I lick straight up his hard shaft.

I squirm at the same time as Caitlin squeals and bolts, and Curtis, Brick, and a few of the other men shout. “What the fuck?”

My head turns to see two men covered in tattoos, another man who I assume is Caitlin's husband, Katch, only because they now have each other’s tongues shoved down each other’s throats, and a man who by looking at his face you wouldn’t think he was old enough to be knocking back the beer he has in his hand.

Chills run up my spine as the pieces slowly drift together. My brain fogs over. I don’t even remember standing up and walking toward the gathering crowd until Brick has me pulled into his wall of a chest. His lips pressing kisses into the top of my head grounding me in this moment.

“Katch, Cain, what the hell you guys doing back?” Curtis shouts. My eyes lock on Amelia’s. My throat closes and I begin to shake. The skies aren’t blue anymore. There’s a dark overcast with gray clouds of worry. Something is wrong. Brick knows it, too, as he pulls me harder to his chest and growls.

“Church.” Curtis throws his beer bottle down to the ground.

All the men wearing leather cuts follow behind him heading into the clubhouse. Brick places one more kiss on my forehead before letting me go.

“No!” I grab his forearm.

He cups my face offering up an expression that he does not want to be questioned about this. “I have to go. Club business and brothers only. You stay out here with your friends. You have to trust the process, darlin’.”

I know it kills him to let me go. It’s evident in every stride he takes to the clubhouse, but he still does.

Seventeen

Brick

“You mind telling me what in the fuck all four of you are doing back here without calling first?” Curtis growls, his jaw moving back and forth as if the words he’s spitting out are bitter. And they are.

I’m standing here ready to start bashing some heads together. I don’t give any fucks anymore. I’m over this shit. I’ve done everything I can to keep this in the back of my head. Taking my woman and learning everything about her I can while trying to get her head out of worrying. She’s been drunk, she’s been fucked, and yet I still see that worry behind her stunning eyes. I still hear that scream for help when she calls out my name. She hasn’t brought it up much, but it’s there. It’s going to always be there until we find this fucker and bring justice home for Zoe.

I don’t understand how someone like him can throw everyone off. Curtis has been appeasing the guy whenever he texts. We know by his angered responses he isn’t buying it. There have to be bigger players in this game, there just have to be. Goddamn it.

“Don’t raise your fucking voice at me. I’ve been gone away from my wife to do you a fucking favor. I’m not one of these fuckers who you can boss around. Now, if we can conduct this shit as a meeting and not your club church business, it would suit me fine.” Katch leans back in his chair. Lights up a smoke and stares Curtis down. This shit ain’t good when Katch loses it.

“You may not be officially part of my club, but this is my home. Don’t bring your ass up here telling me what to do.”

I’m done. I push myself off the wall, lay my hands on the table, and bend forward. If I get my ass chewed out over this, then so be it. There isn’t a man in this room who wouldn’t do the exact same thing for his woman or at least want to. I’m the guy with the balls to do it.

“Ain’t no time to see who has the bigger dick here. I do not give a shit who is who or what is what. Except the fact the woman I love is in so much pain she’s starting to hide behind it. Every damn one of you has an old lady. I finally got one. I ain’t fucking around with losing her to her own head. If someone would tell us why you’re back, I’d appreciated it, because I can tell you right now, all of our women are outside of these doors freaking the fuck out, and I’d like to go get mine.” I take in a breath, pound both fists on the table, and take the steps back to get to my normal spot. I don’t once take my eyes off Curtis. He’s pissed. I can also see he knows I’m right. Fuck the fact that I can see Katch out of the corner of my eye shooting daggers at me. Fuck ‘em all. I’ll take each one of them on and know they’d do the same in my position.

The room goes eerily quiet before Dilan Levy clears his throat. “You guys sound like us at times.” He smiles and pulls a phone out of his pocket, hitting a few numbers before he places it on the table. The sound of ringing fills the confines of this room.

“Dilan.” Roan sounds as frustrated as all of us are.

“We’re here, man. Tell them what’s going on.” He leans back in his chair, clenches his fists, and so does Cain. Fucking hell.

“I hope you’re all ready to combine our ways of living. Let me rephrase that. I mean killing. The news I have for you isn’t pleasant.” I grit my teeth to hold in my anger. There are so many questions lurking in my brain, and the one he’s asking isn’t one of them.

If he’s talking about killing someone, it don’t matter to me how anyone does it as long as it gets done.

“If you’re talking about blowing these fuckers’ heads off, I already told you I would. Get on with it, Diamond. I need to walk out of here and tell my wife good-bye before I even told her hello,” Katch remarks.

Curtis usually doesn’t back down from anyone. Him going from standing to sitting tells me everything I need to know. This is some big time shit we’re dealing with.

My gut is usually efficient. Right now, though, it’s churning like a bitch ready to puke. I’m afraid to fucking swallow.

I look at Cain, whose fingers are tapping on the wooden arm of the chair. Snake, who is about ready to crawl out of his skin. Every one of my veins opens up welcoming anger inside.

“Brother, I don’t care if you toss them in the Hudson. We want that man dead and the little boy brought back to his aunt. Don’t give a fuck what happens from there. You know how we kill around here. Clean. You want torture and dirty, that’s fine by me. I play by my rules and you play by yours. However, I have no problem switching teams when it comes to finding out who did this. Tell me what the hell is going on. This bigger than we thought?” Curtis replies. He may not care how Ricky dies. I do. I want that fucker to pay a slow death for what he did. I don’t care who or how big they are or if I have to burn down an entire town to get to him. I’ll do it.

“I believe I know who Ricky owes money to. The punk is a dealer. Now, before I get into him, let me explain a few things. We had quite the run-in eight years ago with the Mexican cartel. The leader was a good friend of my brother’s. Unlike you, my brother and I hated each other. It’s a story left dead right along with him. However, it seems they’ve built their empire back up and now they’ve spread into our country with dealers like Ricky.” Dilan pulls a package out of a briefcase I didn’t notice he had, tosses a bunch of photos down on the table, and my stomach clenches. Ricky is in several of them. Trunk of his car wide open in some. Head bent down in others. Packages exchange hands. Jesus Christ.

It hits me why he killed Zoe. She found out. I’ll bet my life on it.

“You all thinking what I am? This woman, Zoe, found out. She was drawing the line with the drugs. I’ll bet anyone a damn thing she was trying to leave when he caught her; that’s why he killed her.”

“Motherfucker!” Curtis roars, leans in, and Roan carries on.

“I’m positive that’s what happened. We aren’t dealing with kind people. These are the types who will shoot you for smiling at them. I hate this fucking family for my own personal reasons. I have a family to keep safe back here while all of you take these fuckers out. Cain and Dilan know how these men work. I want them eliminated. This Ricky, he’s hiding from them. I’ll guarantee they’ve been under your noses the whole Goddamn time without them or you even knowing who is who. Trust me when I say we aren’t the only ones looking. My guys can fill you in. I’d suggest you take a few men with you. Leave behind the ones you know will take care of your women and get your asses searching them mountains. I’d lock down my club as well. These fuckers don’t care if it’s a man or woman or even children. They protect their empire. Ricky’s crossed it and now he and anyone around him will pay.”

“We got this, Roan. You take care of our family back home. Get the other families together to see what they want to do. We got it from here.” Dilan grabs the phone, disconnects, and I’m shaking with fury.

“Ricky fucked them over on money and a load of drugs; all of it happened about the time the girl was killed. He’s a scared fucker running,” Dilan adds.

“You still with us, Brick?” Curtis asks.

“Yup. I’m not staying back here. Not this time. Don’t even fucking think about asking. I’ll go AWOL. Swear to Christ, I will. I know better than most people about loyalty, respect, and protecting the people you love. This is my responsibility here. Just like whatever Roan has going on is his. I ain’t staying.” Curtis’ eyes search mine for long seconds before I nod in understanding. If anything were to happen to Wilder over this, I know Eden wouldn’t survive.

“I’m going to leave you in charge while I’m gone, Snake. Club’s on lockdown until we get back. I ain’t taking any fucking chances. Brick, it’s me and you. We don’t need a fucking army for this. You gonna stand down until we’re given the word to attack? We ain’t calling the shots this time, brother.”

“You got my word. You of all people should know this.” As far as my word goes, a man doesn’t have the balls to hold up his cock if his word is shit. We may not know how these types of people work, but we deal with scum like this on a daily basis. Everyone wants to be the king. To rule us all. They want war instead of peace. Peace among our families is important to me. The problem with all that is, if you aren’t willing to mind your own business and leave me to mine, well, then we have a fucking problem. The Mexican cartel has a problem, and it’s me. Cain rubs his fingers over his chin.

 “We need Eden to call this Ricky. She needs to keep calling until he answers. I want to talk to him,” Cain says.

I’m about ready to object. Tell them I’ll call, then all hell breaks loose and a pissed-of Caitlin and a beautiful woman with tears in her eyes bust through the door.

“Woman, what in the fuck do you think you're doing?” Katch stands, grips his wife by the arm, and escorts her flapping mouth out the door, while Eden stands there not knowing what to do.

 “What’s going on?” she whispers.

Her voice is shaking harder than the tremors running through her body. I can see her wobbling as she tries to hold herself upright. She shouldn’t be in here. To be honest, none of us should be. This shit needed to be handled a long time ago, and if I had opened my big, fat mouth the same way I did a few minutes ago, then we wouldn’t be. Zoe would be alive. I would have made sure that bastard never touched her again.

The problem is, we don’t get to choose the path life takes us on. We just have to travel down the road and hang the fuck on with all we got. My woman is barely hanging on. I can feel her grip loosening with each breath she takes.

“With all due respect, Eden, this room is off limits to you unless you're invited in here. I’m going to strum it up to the fact my cousin went on a rampage to get in here and you followed. We’ll be out in a minute.” It’s a damn good thing Curtis is going easy on her, or I would lose my shit.

“I got her,” I say, grip her tenderly by the arm, and pull her into me.

“No.” She jerks away. Her eyes shooting her anger in Curtis’ direction. Fuck.

“This may be your club. It may be your rules and your damn kingdom. Whatever all of you are discussing in here is my business. So, fuck your rules. I’m not going anywhere. You aren’t going to send Saxon out to fill me in. I’m not going to keep my mouth shut any longer. This is my family and I appreciate everything you are doing to help me get my nephew back. I owe you for something that is irreplaceable to me. That little boy. He’s all I care about right now. So, either you tell me what’s going on, or I demand you give me my phone back so I can find out for myself.” She’ seething mad. Any other time, my dick would be ready to pound her anger out of her. Not today, though. Not with Curtis lifting his brows and telling me she is stepping over the line.

“Darlin’. You need to let us handle this. I told you to trust, remember.” I slide my hand around her waist. She jerks herself free again and whirls on me. Facing me this time. Her wrath flowing out of her like the end of a river running into a waterfall. Feisty and dangerous. She is livid. She is also going to pay dearly for this. It don’t matter that Curtis is going to demand I set her straight. I told her if she wants me, then she best do what I say when it comes to this club. Ain’t no different than if I were to go to some fancy doctor shit with her. I wouldn’t run my mouth and disrespect her like she’s doing now. I’d wait. Do it in private if need be. Damn her. She’s forcing my fucking hand here.

“Fuck you, too, Saxon. I’ve allowed all of you to take control of this because you said to trust you. I do trust you. I trust them. It’s Ricky I don’t trust. You all think you know him when you don’t. None of you do. I have every right to know what’s going on. I may be a woman and I might be on the edge of losing it, but I’m done with this. Done with binding my hands behind my back. Now, tell me.” Yeah, she ain’t getting away with telling me to fuck off. Not a chance in hell. She’ll be on her knees apologizing with my dick in her mouth.

“You really want to know, let me tell you what’s going on. Then by all means, if you can stand there and tell me you can handle it, then you can stay, but if those shaky knees of yours have you falling to the floor, then Brick will carry you out of here, you will sit on the picnic table next to my pissed-off wife and stay where you belong.” Katch slams the door to church, stepping in, livid. “Ricky is into selling drugs. He’s one of many suppliers all over this country. It isn’t nickel-and-dime stuff, sweetheart. It’s ounces, grams, and kilograms. It’s pure white fucking cocaine. He owes thousands of dollars to a Mexican cartel in New York. If they get to him before we do, well, look at it this way; you best be praying they don’t because if they do, you won’t see your nephew again. They’ll take him. Raise him, brainwash him, and he’ll grow up just like his old man, and that’s the best-case scenario for him. Now you know. Time is wasting, lady. Either you sit your damn ass down before you fucking fall and shut your mouth, or you get the hell out and let us do our job.”

Katch rarely talks to anyone like this. His frustration is wearing on him as badly as it is on all of us involved. I know one thing that will happen; he’ll be apologizing to my woman once this is over. He’d slice my fucking throat if I talked to Caitlin this way. Don’t matter if she needed to hear it or not. He should have let me tell her.

“Fuck you. All of you. I’m staying in this room, and if you think I’m staying behind when you leave again, then you have another thing coming. I don’t scare easily, Katch Sterling. Not anymore. Not since the day Ricky killed my sister. I don’t give a shit about the cartel or your legend of killing. I want my nephew back; all the rest of you can go fuck yourselves.”

Eighteen

Brick

The second Katch got into Eden’s face after her words, I thought I was going to have to slit his fucking throat. He laid it all out to her through both of their anger. Eden finally collapsed in a chair shaking like a leaf. The last fucking thing I wanted. It was everything I had been protecting her from. Now she’s shattered.

Curtis stares at me from across the table. We’re the only two men left in the room. I have no clue what’s coming from him next. I’ve only seen one other time when a visitor who wasn’t welcome busted into church. It didn’t go down like it did today. The woman was punished in front of all the members. It’s not something I’ve ever thought about again until today. Her shame was seen for all. The brother she was associated with was also punished by wearing that mistake permanently on his skin.

“I ain’t fucking happy,” Curtis growls. “Church is sacred. I don’t fucking care who or what disturbs that. That’s a club rule. Our honor and legacy. Ain’t fucking good.”

“Me neither, brother, me fucking neither.” I trace the edge of the table with my finger. “Ain’t no excuses besides her emotions are driving her into insanity.“

“I’ll deal with this after the boy is home. There will be a punishment.”

“I’ll take it all.” I stare him in the eye.

He nods. “I start letting shit slide, and this club crumbles. Our enemies, hell, even our alliances will spot weakness and take us down. And of all the fucking people to lead her in here, it was my cousin.”

The words roll around in my head. I get it. Understand it all. And for the first time, I’m not jealous of Curtis’ position. “Ain’t no excuse for any of it. The women and prospects know to not even touch the doorknob if church is in. This club is my life, and I’ll take mine and Eden’s punishment, no questions asked, but, Curtis, Caitlin is—”

He bolts up from his seat pounding his fists into the table. “My fucking family. I know this. Both Katch and I will deal with her. She knew better. She’ll be punished, you have my word on that.”

I nod feeling sorrow for the prez. All of this shit he’s taken on not flinching once because it’s his family all the while protecting his club.

He sends a beer bottle to the wall. The glass shatters to the ground. “You know I’d never put a woman’s life out there as bait, Brick. It’s the only choice we have to get this job done before this club begins to self-destruct.”

I stride over to him, pat his shoulder, fully ready for him to take a swing at me. “I’ll always honor this club. Take the punishment and do any job, Curtis. I just ask one thing.”

He squints at me waiting for the bomb.

“I get him. It will be under my hands that fucker Ricky takes his last gulp of air. Then I’ll come home and honor the club.”

Curtis stands to his feet. “You fucking bet he’s yours. We all respect that decision. Now, go gather your things and school that little lady of yours about the ways of the club, since you’re choosing to accept the punishment.”

I nod leaving the room. This is my family. They’ll always have my back, whether it be ugly shit like this or the mundane day-to-day shit. Curtis is right about schooling Eden. Any other circumstance, old lady or not, her ass would’ve been drug out of that room and tossed from the club, and that’s if she were lucky.

She’s pacing my room chewing on her fingernails when I enter. She’s breathtaking even in moments like these. Eden’s told me she trusts the club and me, but it’s about time she fucking starts showing it. Words are cheap. I slam the door with such force the window and walls rattle. Eden’s spine stiffens. She opens her mouth to talk, but I’m up in her face before she gets a damn word out.

“Shut the fuck up,” I grit out.

Her mouth snaps shut. Her hands reach out to cup my face, but I capture her wrists in one hand then back her up to a wall. I slam my fist into the wall next to her head. The drywall shatters and crumbles to the ground.

“What the fuck, Eden?” I leave the question open, wanting to know what in the hell was running through her head.

“I’m not sorry. Rachel was going insane rattling on about punishments, but I had to know the news. He’s my nephew—”

I cut her off. “Has this club ever done you wrong?”

“I want him back. I need to go.”

“Answer the fucking question,” I grit out. “Has this club ever done you wrong?”

“No, but—”

“Have my brothers dropped every fucking thing to find your nephew? Did they leave their families to go to Colorado? Have they put their fucking life on the line for you and your nephew?”

“I have to get him back.”

My last shred of patience snaps, my voice roars to the point of hurting my vocal chords. “Answer the fucking question, Eden!”

“No.” It’s barely a whisper.

“We are putting everything we have into getting him back. You’ve told me you trust me and the club. Are you a liar?”

She shakes her head.

“Then, after everything we’ve done, you waltz your ass into church demanding answers.”

Eden squeezes her eyes shut, dropping her head, but I don’t stop.

“You want your fucking phone back? I’ll give it to you right now. You think you’re going to grab your case of money and drive down there because you're bigger than Ricky or this club? Is that your plan? Because I’m having a real hard fucking time right now figuring you out.”

Deadly silence. But this is the last time I’m going to bring this up. I get her desperation to have Wilder back. I understand better than anyone else about having your passion and emotions trump common sense. It’s an internal war I’ve battled my entire life. Eden’s passionate, strong, and smart, but if she can’t trust in my club, then we will never work. We have to find a common fucking ground to ever have a chance to make it.

“I was wrong, but—”

“Bull fucking shit,” I roar, stepping back and dropping her hands. The loss of connection slices her as much as it does me. “There ain’t no but, and quite frankly, Eden, it fucking hurts to know you don’t trust this club. Guess you and your fancy doctor gear could do better.”

“Stop!” she screams at the top her lungs, making the noises from the barbeque outside go silent in here. Her hands tangle in the sides of her hair, tugging and pulling at it. “Just fucking stop! I can’t handle any more of it. I flipped and needed to know. It’s not that I don’t trust you. I want to be a part of it.”

She recognizes her mistake as soon as the words leave her lips. Never thought my heart would ache again after the walls I erected around it. But she’s doing a damn fine job of wrecking them.

She races over to me, but I step back raising my hands above my head.

“Saxon, listen to me. I trust you. I trust your club. I fucking love you, but you have to understand it’s always been me in life. It was me who basically raised Zoe, put myself through college, built my career from the ground up, and it was me who let my sister slip through my fingertips. I’m shit at having help. The news startled me, gave me hope, and ignited the fighter inside of me to get shit done.”

“Then go,” I say, not meaning it at all. The pain it causes in her eyes makes me the asshole I’ve always been.

“No.” She places a hand on my chest, but I don’t react. “I made a mistake. I know that now. I need you to help me. I need this club, and those words don’t come easy for me. I’m sorry.”

“Words are cheap, Eden. You’ve said trust and all this shit, but your actions don’t show it. I’ve done everything to reassure we will do our best to get Wilder back. Say this time is forgiven and over. Then, if we head to Colorado, you make another dumb decision based on emotions instead of tact or plan. And when you do that, you won’t be getting Wilder back; you’ll be getting a bullet in your head from Ricky’s gun.”

“Help me,” she begs. “How do I keep my passion and drive and still trust the process?”

“That’s on you. Your choice.” I step away from her touch. “I don’t know how else to show that I love you. I’m busting my ass to bring Wilder home. Guess it’s up to you to decide if you want to continue alone in life or accept help.”

“Brick, I just--”

I turn and punch the wall again, creating a new whole. “It’s a ‘Yes, I fucking understand’ or ‘No, I can’t handle it and walk away’ type answer. I know what you’re going through. Have the life of my brothers on the line to fucking help you. Should be enough.”

She’s silent for a long time. I know that she knows the answer, but it’s all the other static in her mind she’s wading through.

“Yes, I understand, Brick.” She takes a step forward. “I choose you and help. But I need help along the way. This is all new to me. It’s opposite of the way I’ve lived for years.”

I wring out my fist and turn to her. “This means no matter how pissed and thirsty you are for information, you trust the process.”

“Yes.” Her voice is adamant with no trace of doubt. “It will be hard for me, but I know beyond a doubt this club has my back because of you. I wouldn’t have gotten anywhere with Ricky.”

“We good? Because I don’t much like beating a dead horse over and over.”

“We are good. I’m by your side.”

Trust. That shit I’ve never been right with. Life has taught me otherwise. Thing is, I found love. A woman my complete fucking opposite. It was my choice and is why I’m dealing with this chaos. I get where she’s coming from, but we both have to be on the same page. My spine relaxes getting all this shit out in the air. The tug she’s always casted on me is right back in place. And I choose to trust her.

“Thinkin’ I need to make sure you understand the fucking ways.” I reach down unzipping my jeans. “Just to make sure, yeah?”

The tension that was so evident in my voice eases away with every word I speak.

“Yes.” Eden nods her head.

The confession spills from me in a vulnerable state with my dick in my hand. “Wouldn’t have many days left if you walked out on me or something happened to you. It would be the final straw to gut me.”

Eden glances down to my hand stroking my dick. I lean in and give her a chaste kiss.

“Suck my dick, darlin’.” I crook up an eyebrow, challenging her. “I need to feel you.”

She sinks to her knees without question or hesitation. I throw my head back when those evil lips shaped by Satan wrap around my cock. She glides up and down my shaft using a mixture of teeth and tongue. My balls rolling in her palm. My hands glide through her hair holding the back of her head.

Flexing my hips, I fuck her mouth until I’m moments away from coating the back of her throat. I still her head, pulling back until my dick releases from her mouth. I moan at the loss.

“Gonna come. Need to be inside you, darlin’. Relish in everything I have with you.”

She shakes her head. “I follow your rules at the club. You will follow my orders of what and when I need when it comes to your body, no questions asked.”

There’s my vixen back to play. I squeeze my eyes shut hoping like hell this is the last time we have a breakdown over me wanting to help her.

“Darlin’, not following you here.”

“If I want your taste in my mouth, then you give it to me.” She doesn’t wait for a response from me before taking my dick in her mouth again. She works me right back up to where I’m moments from blowing my load. Her gaze darts up to me. Her bright eyes pleading with me to give it to her. So much exchanges in the glance between us. Our fences tumble, our trust given to one another with the silent promise of carrying each other's worries. And it’s my undoing. I roar out my release, flexing my hips into her mouth until I’m milked dry.

Eden licks me dry then promptly stands up, straightening out her shirt. She brushes back her hair then graces me with a quick kiss. “Let’s get going.”

She turns to begin packing a bag for the both of us. I grab her arm before she gets too far then cup her face, dropping my forehead to hers. I close my eyes building up the fucking courage to tell her what I need to. I may be a badass biker, done my fair share of killing, but when around this woman, I’m just a man.

“I love you, Eden. Fucking do anything for you. Go to hell and back to just make you happy. You’re my end game, woman. I want my babies in you and all that shit. I’d take a bullet for you without blinking.”

Eden smiles against my lips. “Say it again.”

“The fuck?” I pull back. “You want me to repeat all that shit?”

She winks. “Just the first part. Three simple words that mean everything to me.”

“I love you.” It flows from my lips as natural as it is to put one foot in front of another while walking. “I love you.”

“I love you, too. Now, let's go get our boy back.”

This time, she pulls away and begins packing. Her new clothes are in here courtesy of a prospect. I stare at her struck dumbfounded. Lost track of how many times I’ve watched her crumble and rise again. This time is different. Her armor is permanently in place.

“What?” She looks up at me.

I scratch my head. “You. You’re…”

“Strong.” She walks over to me, placing her hands on my chest. “Confident, loved, and trusting others to help me. It’s all because of you. Saxon, you give me the strength to go on. Put me in my place when my emotions get the best. You ground me into a warrior.”

Nineteen

Eden

“I disrespected you, your club, and the man I love. For that I’m sorry.” I stand next to Saxon’s truck scared out of my mind that Curtis isn’t going to accept my apology. With every word I spewed out of my mouth, I knew it was wrong. Couldn’t help myself. Rules are rules. Some are made to be broken. Others are not. I learned my lesson that club rules are not.

If this is the type of rule that deserves a punishment, then I will not let Brick take it for me. I love him too much to allow that to happen.

“Apology accepted. Don’t let there be a next time, or you're gone, Eden. Respect is a two-way street. Don’t turn it one way. Now, here’s what you gotta do. Once we get on the road, you need to call Ricky and tell him he’s better off turning himself in to us than the cartel. I don’t care how you do it or what you say. You convince that fucker to meet us somewhere. Preferably with the kid.” I go to speak, but the look in his eyes telling me that’s all I’m getting from him has me closing my mouth, taking my phone from his hand, and climbing inside the truck.

I jump at the sound of motorcycles starting around me. Brick doesn’t say a word. Not until we jump on the highway behind the SUV holding Dilan, Katch, and Cain. I haven’t had the chance to talk to Katch yet. When I do, though, he will not be getting an apology like Curtis did. Not unless he gives one back. He might be a killer, but like I told him, he doesn’t scare me. Not when his wife has a big mouth and tells me how much of a softie he really is when it comes to women. What he said to me was meant to scare me. It didn’t. Therefore, I know I’ve earned his respect. It would disrespect a man like him if I apologized.

“Call him, darlin’. I won’t say a word unless I need to.” Saxon takes a hand off the wheel, squeezes my leg, and turns down the music. I hate how the quiet wraps around the cab of the truck. The side of his solid body pressed up to mine offers a wave of peace. I just hope it’s enough.

With shaky fingers, I dial the number I memorized the first time I knew it was Ricky. It rings and rings. I call and call. Frustration sets in the further we drive. Silence fills the truck with chaos controlling my mind.

“Get some rest. He’ll see those fifty missed calls from you. Don’t worry,” Brick reassures me. It doesn’t work. I’m frightened. Have been since Katch mentioned the cartel. I know that Dilan and Cain are mafia. I met them briefly when they all stormed into the clubhouse telling us it was time to go. I still have no idea what the hell is going on. I’m not about to ask. My faith, trust, and loyalty have been freely handed over to the club.

I lean my head on Brick’s shoulder and stare out the window. I’m trying so hard not to fall apart. To stay strong for Wilder. I can only take so much. Tonight with Saxon nearly broke me. I thought for sure he was going to kick me out. To tell me we were done. But when I saw the love he has for me in the depths of his eyes while he was chewing my ass out, I knew he wasn’t telling me good-bye. He was making me see that this is a life I know nothing about. It’s a life I have the privilege of being in, and if I want him, then life is simple. No questions asked. He put the ball in my court, giving me the choice. It was simple once he did.

My phone rings in my lap. I pick it up before seeing who it is. This is becoming a habit. I used to always check my phone. I used to do a lot of things differently before I met the man who is watching me out of the corner of his eye.

“Ricky,” I say, my voice strong.

“You Goddamn bitch. You been playing my ass for days. I’m done, Eden. I’m taking my son and skipping the country. You aren’t ever going to see him again,” he snarls.

“I don’t think so. We’re on our way, Ricky, and you're going to listen to every word I tell you; if you don’t, the people after you will get to you first, and it’s my understanding they don’t want their money anymore. They want you dead,” I lie. Brick smiles.

“What the hell you talking about, and who the hell is ‘we?’” I can hear the nervousness in his voice. He’s no longer in control with me and he knows it.

“The Mexican cartel, Ricky. Let me speak to Wilder,” I demand.

“Wilder is sleeping, you dumb bitch. Sounds like you’ve been on Google pulling out a fancy word like ‘cartel.’ They’d kill you in a heartbeat. Nice try, cunt. Who the fuck you with, Eden?”

“God, Ricky, you are so stupid. I’m not with the cartel. You are. You’ve been working for them for a long time. You fucked up and started stashing money from them, isn’t that right? You owe them big time. That’s why you killed my sister, isn’t it? She found out and was leaving you.”

Oh, my, God. I pull the phone from my ear and shake my head. I can’t do this anymore. It’s all making sense to me now.

“You son of a bitch. You will meet us outside Estes,” I cry.

Brick takes the phone from my hand without looking at me. I hear him telling Ricky who he is and barking out orders. Then he throws my phone onto the dash.

 I bring my knees up to my chest. My head filling with more guilt than I can take.

“You better start explaining what the hell just happened, Eden. That stunt could have fucked this shit all up. It’s a damn good thing I told him I was your boyfriend and we had the money. Now, tell me what the hell is running through that head.” He’s angry. Has every right to be, but I need a breather here.

“She knew. Zoe knew about the drugs and he killed her because of it. She really was going to leave him. It’s true, isn’t it? She was.” I have no idea why it hits me now when Katch outlined it earlier, but it does. Zoe hated drugs. She hated the fact that she had to take them to control her ADD, but she did. She was hiding them from Ricky all the time and with her job, seeing the way they destroyed people’s lives. My sister was stuck in a relationship she couldn’t get out of until it was too late.

“Yeah, darlin’, pretty sure that’s what happened.” He pushes my legs back down to straddle the gearshift then throws his arm over my shoulders, pulling me into him. My fingers move up and down his muscular thighs.

“Is it wrong of me to say I’m proud of her?” I murmur.

I’m not really looking for an answer as much as I want to hear it said out loud. Zoe was going to do it. She was going to come to me. The anger and hurt boil and rage inside wondering if it was a matter of seconds or minutes. I’m so mad at life that I’m screaming inside.

“Not at all. Not at all.” His kisses the top of my head and then focuses back on the road. “You should be proud knowing she was fighting to build a life for her. Some don’t get that peace of mind.”

“Saxon.” His name tumbles out in despair. “Clara had you and Zeke as brothers. I guarantee she fought with everything she had.”

“Yeah.”

I reach up and cup his cheek, wanting nothing more than to pull his face down to mine in this moment. “If you ever want to talk about her, I’m here.”

“I know,” he grunts.

“Bet that girl had you and Zeke wrapped around her little finger.” I fight to lighten the mood. It’s in the precious memories we will find our solace together.

He chuckles. “Little shit did. Fucking Zeke managed to get some photo albums out of our parents’ house before they pissed everything away. It’s hard to believe we were a normal family for a while.”

I tap my chin. “Mmmm, thinking the good old doctor needs to show me these photos.”

“You’ll laugh your ass off at me dressed as a Goddamn princess in those fake plastic high heels. Her friends ditched the damn weekly tea party she hosted. And dickhead Zeke could always beat me in rock, paper, scissors. My manhood suffered at the hands of that girl.” He pauses as if he’s reliving the memory. “I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat.”

“Baby, I know this has been hell on you, not only with the club but also pulling up old memories of Clara. And you’ve never given up; just one of the hundred reasons I love you.”

“Only a hundred reasons?” He glances over at me. “Darlin’, thinking my dick is responsible for ninety-nine of them.”

“Good Lord, just when I think you’re going all romantic and gushy on me, you have to pull out the dick card.” I slap his chest. Saxon places his hand over it before I’m able to pull it away.

“Oh, baby, I’m Prince Charming, all nine inches of it.” He squeezes my hand, letting me know he’s not done with our conversation. “Don’t say it much and probably never will, but thank you. Think it will do a lot of good to talk about Clara.”

I nuzzle down in his chest, making sure to not obstruct the view of the endless highway. The men plan to drive as far as their bodies allow. It’s simple and their game plan.

“Anything for you, Prince Nine-Inches Charming.” His hand goes back to the steering wheel, and I let mine fall to his thigh. It moves from the middle down to his kneecap then up, up, and up, nearing his groin. I repeat the action over and over. “I like to watch action movies. Think I could straddle and ride you while you drive down the road, giving the others a show. I mean, they do it in the movies.”

Saxon throws his head back, erupting in laughter. He laughs so hard he has to wipe away a few tears. “You think I’m fucking John Wayne?”

I shrug. “I’d put money on it that we could do it.”

“Eden, you are my crazy girl, that’s for sure. My outlaw world is bringing out the wild child in you. I’ll take you up on that offer of straddling me on my bike.” The mere idea of climbing on top of him on his bike sends a tingle between my legs. I’m too tired to think about anything right now.

“Just wait until our universe is back in line, and I’ll teach you wild child.” I yawn, barely getting out the end of my sentence, which really screws up the comedy of the joke.

“Close your eyes, darlin’. Gonna need your rest to save up energy for your stunt tricks, you wild woman.”

I don’t even have the energy to banter back with him. My eyelids flutter shut. The warmth from his body mixed with his scent wrapping around me lulls me halfway to sleep. The human body is a miracle. I learned this fact years back in medical school. The brunt trauma it can endure then heal itself has always fascinated me. Each system within working together to birth life to our flesh. It’s one miracle I’ll always respect. But it’s not until now that I can fully admire the power of the human body.

The fucking roller coaster ride mine has been on as of late, experiencing the lowest of lows and highest of highs with absolutely no warning at all. Yet, my heart still beats, my lungs absorb oxygen, and my joints work in unison. How? The support system around me, especially Saxon. He doesn’t sugarcoat shit and lays everything out with brutal honesty. He’s the only man I know who can flip a serious conversation to talking about his nine-inch dick. It’s not with disrespect but the full intention of keeping me grounded to reality.

There’s no kumbaya shit with him. Just like his club name, Brick, given to him for his physical features, but it also pays tribute to his solid heart and loyalty. The farther I fall into slumber, the more clearly I see Wilder racing around a playground with no cares in the world. He smiles and laughs freely with other kids his age. A puppy chasing him and then standing guard at the bottom of the slide waiting on his loyal owner. Brick on the bench with a bundle of blue clutched to his chest, and me standing admiring my life from the outside.

Everything fast forwards. Wilder graduating high school and a little mini-Saxon peeing on the rose bushes outside the high school not giving a damn that there are at least a hundred people moving freely around him.

“Aunt Eden.” I come face-to-face with a grownup Wilder. “Thank you for saving my life, raising me, and never letting me forget the memory of my mom.”

The last two words fade off into the distance. The picture of my future pixelated until pitch black remains. The truck dips into a pothole, rattling me half awake. A soothing baritone voice coaxes me back to sleep. I don’t hesitate, ask questions, or even object before the peaceful quilt of sleep takes over again.

* * *

“I’m going to stick my cock in your mouth if you don’t wake up,” the deep voice I love rasps in my ear. I stretch in the uncomfortable bed and squeal when the rasp turns into a low, rumbling growl.

“Fucking Christ, I should have woken you an hour ago to fuck those tits. Get your ass in the shower before those nipples of yours are in my mouth.” Saxon palms both of my breasts, slaps my ass, and gives me a little shove.

“You could always fuck something else,” I say as I swing my legs off the bed and make my way to the bathroom.

“Would love nothing more. We need to get a move on. Gotta meet that piece of shit in two hours. I’m going to run down to the lobby to grab some coffee. Don’t answer the door for anyone. You hear me?”

I roll my eyes. I’m sure everyone is either sleeping or making sure their guns are loaded.

“Yes, boss. Don’t forget my vanilla creamer,” I say, doubting very much this place has my creamer. It’s probably the shit powdering kind. I turn on the shower, wait for it to warm up, and step inside. This place is a freaking dump, but at least the water pressure is decent. Just have to avoid looking at the mildew in the corners of the tub.

I slept hours on end yesterday before Saxon woke me up because we were stopping for gas. We continued on, stopping a few more times. Once to eat and spend most of the ride to Denver talking about different things we didn’t know about one another. We laughed when we found out we both loved classic rock. Saxon told me he’s always wanted a large family. Whereas I never gave it a thought. I’ve been so wrapped up in Zoe and my job that my personal life sat on the back burner of my life. Now, as I stand in the shower, I can honestly say I would give it all up to be someone’s mother.

I sigh, open the shower curtain, and grab my shampoo and conditioner off the counter. There are certain things I’m willing to give up. Good hair products aren’t one of them. Blue jeans or heels either. I can’t wait to get a pair on my feet. The flip-flops I bought are a necessity right now, but my feet are aching for a pair of Louboutins.

My mind wanders back to the unexpected phone call I received from Ricky when we were walking back to our vehicles after eating yesterday as I lather my hair, rinse, and run the conditioner through my hair.

Curtis had me put it on speaker as we all stood there listening to him tell me there was a change of plans. We’re still meeting in the same spot, which is up into the mountains from this shitty motel, but he isn’t going to be there. He promised Wilder would be with a woman named Kate. We were to give her the money in exchange for Wilder. He didn’t give me time to say a word. He hung up and never answered my calls.

“It’s a motherfucking setup,” Cain said. “Curtis, Katch, and I are going ahead of you in the morning. Staking that place out. Don’t any of you leave the motel room until you hear from one of us.”

Don’t leave the motel room. That part keeps running through my head over and over. This shit-hole place is a one level motel with the doors walking right out into the open. He’s striding over to the lobby right now. Don’t leave the motel room.

“No,” I scream. Shut off the water, grab a towel, quickly dry off, and struggle to get clothes on. I know this is me being paranoid because it’s Saxon we’re talking about. Uneasiness creeps up my spine, my sixth sense telling me something is wrong.

“Saxon!” I yell, hoping he’ll answer me as I toss on his T-shirt. That and my panties will have to do. When he doesn’t answer, I begin to panic and fling open the bathroom door.

My panic turns into a muffled sob when a gun slams into the side of my head. My world spins and everything goes black.

Twenty

Brick

“We all knew this was a setup, man. Makes me want to kill the son of a bitch more. Roan is flipping his damn shit over not being here,” Dilan tells me.

His eyes go dark as fuck. He’s feeling the same thing I am. Shit ain’t right. Either the cartel got to Ricky last night, or the fucker is trying to play us himself. My guess would be the former. If we can track his ass down, then I guarantee they can. They want their money. Don’t give two flying fucks in the wind how they get it. Little do any of them know ain’t none of them getting a dime of the money we brought. The only way Curtis will hand it over to them is if we become trapped in negotiation over Wilder, and that shit ain’t happening.

“Yeah. I’m surprised Eden didn’t flip her shit over this. She might be learning the ways of this club, but I’m grateful as hell right now that she’s oblivious that there might be some gun firing going on.” Not sure if my words are true or not. She was quiet for the rest of the ride. Except for when she talked to Amelia on the phone after Zeke called me to check in. He was pissed I didn’t inform him of what was going on. Never crossed my mind. I didn’t even get a chance to see him at the barbeque, let alone look for his ass to tell him we were taking off. Not like I usually tell him what I’m doing anyway. I should have this time, though. Being that he has as much of a worried interest in this as the rest of us do.

“It’s a good thing she doesn’t know. I’m afraid there’s going to be bloodshed before this is over. You better get her that coffee; if she’s anything like my wife, she’ll be grumpy as hell until she takes that first sip.” I nod and follow him out the door.

“Meet in your room in thirty to go over the final plan.” He walks down the sidewalk toward his room, while I take the stairs.

“Darlin’, I promise I’ll get you some Starbucks the minute I can,” I whisper to myself.

I push open the door, kick it shut, and stop dead in my tracks when someone slides their hand around my neck and places the cold metal blade of a knife to my throat. The coffee slips out of my hands.

“You fucked up, biker boy.” His English is heavy through his Spanish accent. The room is still fairly dark and the shower isn’t running, but the light is peeking through the bottom crack of the closed bathroom door. I close my eyes and pray like the fool I am that my woman is still in there. Alone.

“If anyone fucked up, it’s you. This place is full of bikers, motherfucker,” I say sarcastically.

“That might be so, but the only one I care about right now is the one who has the woman with our money. Turn on the lights, Alejandro. Let him take a look.”

My eyes fly open. The knife is sitting right on my Adam’s apple when I gulp to see Eden on the bed. Her hair wet, her eyes wide, and a man sitting with his back against the headboard, her between his legs with a gun to her head. Blood trickling down the side of her face.

“You rotten motherfuckers.”

“Shut up, you piece of shit. Did you really think a biker gang could outsmart us? You played right into our hands. We’ve had Ricky for days. The little boy, too. Don’t worry, though, the kid is fine. He’s playing with my sons. Likes it so much I might keep him. He’s a smart kid.” I keep my eyes trained on Eden. She starts shaking at the mention of Wilder. I know she’s thinking we won’t get out of this, but we will. My eyes silently tell her that. I tell her to hold on. Keep her mouth shut and let me handle this. It’s time for her to come through, and I have no doubt she will.

“Cuff him to the chair. He’s about to see what happens when someone gets in the way. And if he says a word, you cut him.” The minute he lets go of me, I elbow him in the gut, spin and knee him in the balls. The bastard drops to his knees. I halt when Eden whimpers.

“Sit the fuck down or I’ll shoot her. Swear on that little boy's life I will.” Bile climbs up my throat when the fucker presses his gun to the top of Eden’s thigh, whispers something in her ear, and her eyes clench shut as she spreads her legs open wide. Her panties showing, my T-shirt she’s kept from day one hanging off her slender shoulder. Hold on, baby. Fucking hold on.

I struggle against the cuffs being placed over my wrists. I want to dropkick his damn minion dead when he circles the tape around my legs over and over, bounding me to this fucking chair. This fucker would be child’s game to me. His neck would be snapped in a second, but they hold the Queen of Hearts right now and know it.

“She’s beautiful. It’s a shame you’ve tainted her.” The man I dropped stands up and slams his gun into my face. The sting doesn’t compare to the one in my chest; the blood dripping from my cheek is cold compared to the boiling blood in my veins from what I’m witnessing from the man on the bed. The one scaring the fuck out of Eden. I’ll get out of this, and when I do, I’ll be cutting his fingers off and shoving them down his throat.

He runs his dirty hands up the outside of her leg, stopping shy of what’s mine. He pushes them open further, and I keep one eye on her face, the other on his hands. Silent tears fall from her pinched eyes. I’m mumbling everything I’m going to do to this men behind the confines of this room. He jerks her head back, runs his tongue up her neck, slides his hands up her sides, and cups one of her breasts while sliding the barrel of his gun back and forth across the other. Goddamn it.

“You have about four fucking minutes before my brothers come looking for me, asshole,” I growl, needing to sidetrack this fucker. They want to play Russian roulette, then bring it on.

The evil bastard throws his head back in laughter. “Good, I only need three for what I want to do. Ricky told us how sweet her sister was. How her pussy dripped and tasted of the sweetest fruit. I need to know if it was just another one of his lies.”

My heads jerked back and a cold blade slides down my cheek, but my eyes remain on her. They can do whatever the hell they want to me as long as they stay the hell away from her.

He walks over to the bed, presses the gun into Eden’s temple. All the self-constraint she’d been gripping on to shatters. The slimy prick runs his palm down her front, slow and on purpose. He’s going to die. Motherfucking die, but not before he experiences a form of his own torture. The tips of his fingers dip into Eden’s panties.

“Please, don’t do this,” she begs, her entire body convulsing.

“Begging gets you nowhere with me, sweetheart,” he spits.

“Stop,” I roar. “Fucking stop.”

I’m struck again in the side of the head with the end of a gun. Alejandro roars in laughter and Eden screams at the top of her lungs. He rips his hand that was inches away from destroying her and slaps her face.

“Keep fighting, baby. The brothers will be here,” I grit out.

“Cut that fucker and make him watch this,” Alejandro demands.

A knife slices across my chest, cutting into my white shirt and flesh. My leather cut saving the majority of my chest. The fucker begins cutting it off me, nicking my flesh. This bastard just guaranteed his fucking death warrant.

Alejandro pushes Eden back on the bed, sealing his lips to hers. He’s a fucking sick and twisted fucker attacking her lips. It only lasts a few seconds before he sits up roaring in Spanish.

“Hijo de su puta mande! Vas a pagar por lo que hiciste.” What the hell did he just say?

Eden continues to fight underneath him, while the other one holds her down.

“Cunt,” he roars, lifts his face several inches from hers. His bleeding tongue dripping down on her. She must have bit him.

He backhands her with his Glock, knocking her out cold. The sight of her limp body petrifies every single cell inside of me, wiping away the rage, leaving behind the promise of terror and loss.

“Move,” Alejandro orders. “Continue on with the plan. I’ll fuck this bitch later until she’s bleeding from every single fucking hole.”

The door to the room swings open. A small part of me feels vindicated knowing it’s my brothers and a blood bath is about to ensue. This time with me as the victor. When I turn my head, I’m dead wrong. More of Alejandro’s men march in. There’s a fucking army.

I begin to fucking beg like a little bitch for them not to take Eden. They’ll break her down until she doesn’t remember who she is and then kill her. I open my mouth but then shut it when four of the fucking goons release me from the chair, throw a black bag over my head, and then begin beating the fuck out me. Blow after blow comes at me from every direction, and there isn’t a damn thing I can do but take it. My head snaps back, my stomach constricts, and the pain behind my eyes disorients me. I’m going to drown in these fuckers’ blood when I get to them. Watch them burn in fucking hell and roar with laughter.

“This bastard is a pig, boss.” Someone grunts as I’m lifted from the chair.

“Shut the fuck up, Ricardo, and get him out the back window.”

“We still leaving the girl, boss?” another voice asks.

“For now. I want the Diamond family to know this is the kind of shit that happens when you fuck with me. I’d love nothing more than to fuck her sweet pussy. Unfortunately, we don’t have time. Plus, she smells of him, so leave her be. She can thank this white trash for her life.”

I can see their fucking smiles through the darkness.

“My dick’s hard now, boss. She’s mighty fine.”

“And you're gonna be mighty dead, you fuckface,” I snarl through my anger and pain.

“Angelo, you greedy prick. Shut the fuck up before I put a bullet in your head. Tape this fucker’s mouth shut.” The door slams and then I hear a lock click. “Figure we have a good fifteen minutes on his men before they bust through that door. Hell’s Lovers MC is about to find out what happens when they’re allies with the Diamond family. We can thank Ricky for putting all of this in the palm of our hand. Dumb fuck has no idea he should be rewarded instead of punished.”

I can barely stand up. Pain is shooting down my arms, across my chest, and down my spine. I manage to head butt someone when they try and put tape over my mouth. I can hardly see a thing with this cloth bag covering my eyes.

“Payback is gonna be a bitch,” I say when glass shatters everywhere from someone kicking out the window. The men struggle to manhandle me through it. I have to fight the urge to battle back. This is all kinds of fucked up, but it’s better than I expected. They’re taking me and not Eden. She’ll be left with my brothers and safe. Joke’s on these fucks because I just won.

“Gonna mark her, boss? Make her our property.”

My body thumps on the ground, glass cuts through my skin on the way out. My side landing on something hard. I can feel my ribs snapping.

“Hand me your knife.”

The next thing I hear tears out my fucking heart. Eden’s scream of agony. She was knocked out dead cold and brought back to reality courtesy of a sharp blade. They’ve messed with the wrong bastard. When vengeance comes, I’ll be carving the Hell’s Lovers’ logo into each of their fucking foreheads until my blade meets their skull.

I’m heaved up onto my feet with Eden’s cries and screams assaulting me. They begin pushing me away from the window. It’s my last chance and hope it doesn’t backfire on me because I need her to stay right there.

“Trust the club, Eden,” I roar. “Trust the club, baby!”

I’m rewarded with a punch to my cracked ribs and then knocked out with a blow to the back of my head right after I’m tossed in the back of a van.

* * *

My chin is resting on my chest and my mind begins to clear one tick at a time. I roll my head from side to side, forcing my eyes to open as far as they will go. A warehouse. Musty, rotting smell, water dripping next to me. I fight to move my hands, but they’re tied to the back of the chair. Each flex and movement blinding me with pain shooting up from my side.

Eden. The fear in her eyes. Her blood dripping from her head. That fucker touching her then knocking her out. It’s a potent explosion of anger. The pain in my body is nothing compared to the fucking rage racing through me. With a loud roar and ripping my hands up, I pull free from the fucking duct tape. These bitches may claim to be smart. They fucked up by leaving me alone. Now they are gonna see that they have met their match.

Getting my legs free, I toss the wooden chair into the wall and then run. The main area of the warehouse is fucking huge. However, there’s not a man in sight for me to kill. That’s all I see right now. The urgency to kill someone. It’s embedded in my skull. Dripping from my fingers. And I’m ready to drive my fist through some motherfuckers’ mouths.

I find a door and open it thinking sunlight will blind me. Wrong.

Three men, one woman bound on top of a disgusting mattress. Her body contorted with the men filling all of her.

“Puta Madre.”

“Agarrenlo antes que se vaya.”

They rattle off just as they tuck their dicks back into their pants.

I feel fucking sick.

The beaten woman begins screaming for help. Crying out and scratching at her skin. I see Clara. They reach for their Glocks, but not fast enough. I’ve lost all sense of clarity and decision-making skills. I take the first one down easily, sending his face straight into my knee. The second one comes at me swinging. A fist to his side takes the air out of him, sending him to the ground. Time to have fun, since the final one can’t seem to find his Glock.

I pound his face in. With each punch, something inside of me shatters and releases. Pent-up rage and anger swirling into fucked-up redemption. The woman’s cries long gone. I’m unable to turn my attention to her. My actions and body are no longer mine. I grip the sides of his head and twist until his fucking neck snaps and his body goes limp.

Standing to my feet, I’m still thirsty to kill the other two sick fucks. I glance over to the woman huddled in the corner trying to cover her body. What’s left of my heart and soul cracks right down the middle. She ain’t no fucking woman; she’s a damn kid.

“Are you—”

The barrel of a gun is pressed to the back of my head. The sound of it being cocked stops me.

“Down to your knees.”

I drop to them knowing I may have been the king of this fucked-up palace for a bit, but it’s their game and I’ll damn well play it to keep Eden and Wilder safe. My end game. Don’t regret the kill or beating the fuck out of the men. I’d never walk away from the shit I just witnessed.

Alejandro saunters in front of me with a sly grin on his face. “Admire your passion and drive.” He pulls out his own gun. “I see you caught my boys with their dicks out when they were supposed to be guarding you. Shame, shame.” He shakes his head from side to side. “No discipline. They always take their dessert before the main course.”

In a quick movement, Alejandro swings his gun and fires it. Brain matter paints the wall. He repeats the action. “Lesson learned.”

Screaming, so much fucking screaming. Blood and brains strewn about the place.

“Shut the fuck up, bitch,” Alejandro roars, turning the gun on the girl in the corner. “They took my virgin pussy, but I’m not done with you yet.”

He orders one of his goons to take her to the safe house. I listen to every single detail needing to know exactly where his safe house is. That’s where I will find Wilder.

“East wing?” the goon asks.

“In my bed.” Alejandro rolls a toothpick between his lips. “Walk her up the lane naked to show the world she’s mine.” Jesus Christ. These men are messed up in the head. It’s no wonder Roan’s family took part of them out. Christ Almighty.

“Have the car, boss.”

Alejandro presses the gun to the temple of the man. Jesus Christ, this man is off his fucking rocker. From what I can tell, the goon is his right-hand man, and Alejandro doesn’t give two shits. Men like him are dangerous because everyone is disposable in their eyes.

“I said, walk her over there naked.” He presses the gun harder. The man doesn’t back up, standing like a stoic soldier. “And be back in fifteen minutes.”

The man races from the room, dragging the girl. Her knees scraping along the cement. Another group of fuckers enters the room. Alejandro continues to roll the toothpick between his lips, studying me.

“I should’ve made you fuck her, biker.” He jerks his chin. “With a gun held to your head.”

He roars in laughter, amused with his sick self. His other men don’t dare join in or move.

“Take him back out there, and let’s teach this biker bitch what happens when you tango with the Carlos family.”

I’m dragged back out to the center of the warehouse, while Alejandro rattles on about how his cousin was taken down by the Diamonds. It was him who went back to Mexico and built up their regime. His drug game strong in the States, but he never forgot about his thirst for revenge. Neither have they, fuckhead.

All of the puzzle pieces fall into place as I sit here and listen to this fucker tell me what we knew in the first place.

Ricky fucked up by owing Alejandro money. Zoe found out about it all and he killed her. Ran like the pussy he is. Demanded money from Eden to get his slimy ass out of hot water. The dumb fuck missed the memo with Alejandro, because according to him, you don’t mess up with him and live to tell it. We’ll see about that.

He was playing fucking mind games with Ricky then caught wind his dead girlfriend had connections to the Diamond family. Fucked-up thing is, she didn’t. Farthest from the truth. An event of chain reactions pulled us all together in this clusterfuck. Ain’t about to talk reason with Alejandro though. My brothers and the Diamonds are on it and will find me. It’s my job to survive until then.

“Armando, five minutes,” Alejandro says.

I look over to him not understanding what he means. It happens so fast I can’t even think to make it out. A big motherfucker that towers over me glares down and smiles. His teeth yellow and the front one missing.

“You throw a punch and you get shot. Each round is five minutes with a different man. One of our favorite games around here.” Alejandro’s voice fills the air. “Just a little reminder to never cross us.” Shit.

Armando slams his forehead down on mine without warning. Alejandro bellows with laughter in the background then barks for someone to start the timer. My head spins and throbs. Armando, not affected in the least, begins his beating. With each punch and the slamming of my back down onto the unforgiving concrete, rage builds up in me. When the slimy bastard decides to nail me in the nuts, I lose all control. My arms go into action, squeezing the sides of his head. My knuckles crack against his skull. Armando is stunned and swaying, but I don’t stop.

CRACK.

I smell the gunpowder first then feel the bullet lodged in my shin. The rest of Armando’s torture is nothing compared to what it was in the beginning. Pussy got rattled with a fair fight.

“Time!” Alejandro shouts.

Two more rounds and one gunshot pass before it seems the men grow bored. I’m bleeding fucking everywhere. Determination and love for my woman, my family, and my club are the things keeping me alive.

My chest heaves, blood blurring my vision, my back flat on the floor.

“It ain’t over yet,” Alejandro claims, bends, and lifts me partially up by my hair. “Shame. Shame. You’re not on my team. You’re a warrior. Never had a man go this long. Last round is your choice. Torch or slice and dice.”

I stare right into his cold, lifeless eyes. “Fuck. You.”

He spits in my face, tossing my head back down. It bounces off the cement floor. I’m numb. I don’t even feel it. In fact, I feel nothing except the beat of my heart slowing down. These men won’t, and more importantly, don’t deserve to see me hurt. Fuck that shit. Where you at, Curtis?

The sound of a torch igniting to life, then intense heat starting at the bottom of my right boot creeping up my leg.

I lived. I loved, are my last thoughts before I give in to the torture. Peace surrounds me in the darkness. My body is weightless. I’m about to check the fuck out.

Twenty-One

Eden

The door to the room bursts open, yet I don’t move when wood splinters spray into the room. His smell still lingers on my skin. The taste of him in my mouth. The coppery scent making me sick. My head throbbing and my skin burning alive where he touched me. But none of that matters. Saxon. He told me to keep fighting. He was more than willing to go with them. I’m not a fucking idiot. Saxon would do the same thing a hundred times over for my safety.

“Eden.” My shoulders rattle. “Fuck, Eden, you need to talk.”

Curtis blurs in and out of focus. He never stops shaking me. Long moments pass before the reality sinks in. They can get Brick back. His brothers. They will kill every last one of them.

“They, they-uh, they took him.”

“Who?”

“Step the fuck back,” Katch roars.

His voice cuts into all the confusion swirling around in my head. He stands at the end of the bed with his hands on his hips and his stone-cold killer mask on. The man would scare demons, but in this moment, he comforts me. He’s pissed and out for blood, all for Saxon and Wilder. I focus in on his face, studying him and all the determination streaming from him. With each second that ticks by, I muster up the courage to speak.

“Cartel. They mentioned that. Spoke Spanish and were horrible.”

“Fuck.” Curtis picks up a lamp, ripping the cord from the wall, then throttles it into the wall. It’s a waterfall of glass pouring down on the nasty carpet.

“Let’s go. Time to call on the Hell’s Lovers charter here.” Snake slaps Curtis’ back. I wonder if the man has a damn death wish. “They’re already up to speed and just waiting on the call. They know where his warehouse is and the ins and outs.”

The men move in unison like a well-oiled machine. They’re a system of outlaws working together to bring justice. It’s Snake who helps me up from the bed and dresses me. He’s uncomfortable, but I don’t have the energy to do it myself. Not to mention my throbbing head and burning cheek.

“He just went with them so freely.” My chin waivers right along with my voice.

Snake slips on my flip-flops then peers up at me with a stern face. “Of course, he did. Brick would do it one hundred times over to save you. The man loves you.”

The next words hurt like hell. “They’re going to kill him. They had death in their eyes.”

He plants a palm on my leg. “No way they can kill that stubborn fucker. He wouldn’t want you worrying about this and making yourself si—”

“Trust the club,” I cut him off.

He nods. Stands and strides away. I’m not sure I can stand on my own legs, and dressing me was as far as it went for him. I do my best stumbling over my own nervous feet until I’m behind the brothers out in the parking lot. Even knowing very little about the club rules and the ways of it, I do know my ass doesn’t sit on another man’s bike.

I’m thankful when Dilan goes to Saxon’s truck. I follow him, getting into the passenger seat. It’s all wrong. Saxon’s scent still lingers in the cab. I can hear his hearty chuckles and feel his body next to mine. But none of it’s there. Rage begins to brew up inside of me with the vision of Dilan behind the wheel following the pack of roaring motorcycles in front of us.

With each mile that ticks by, the rage turns into something more powerful and intense. A feeling I can’t describe. I’m ready to break. Right on the verge.

Trust the club. Trust the club.

I focus in on my breathing. Counting the seconds that pass as I exhale then inhale. Repeating the process until my mind calms down and my body catches up with the events that went down tonight. My fingers dance up and down my leg. I focus on that, too, centering myself. It’s a fucking struggle, and I’m barely hanging on by a thread of solace. But I don’t break. I refuse to.

When Dilan throws the truck into park, I finally let myself take in my surroundings. The clubhouse is as similar as it is different. It’s smack-dab in the middle of the city, disguised as a mechanic shop. The men roaming around have the same Hell’s Lovers patch on the back of their cuts.

There are long lines of bikes with men standing guard waiting to get the hell on the road.

“Eden.” Curtis jerks his chin calling for me to go to him.

I do, finding my legs are still unstable as shit. He grabs me by the forearm, stabilizing me. Didn’t think I was that transparent.

“You’re gonna stay here. You’ll be safe. Yeah?”

I nod knowing if I open my mouth, I’ll crack. Never have I felt so damn lost in the world. Everyone I’ve loved has been punished for it. I gulp down the anxiety and worry, silently promising myself to trust the club.

“This is Rose, the club prez’s wife. She’ll take you to a room. You’ll stay there until you get the call from us.”

I nod. It seems it’s the only thing I’m capable of doing. I bite down the words dying to spill out. I want to know all the details. Be the one to help and save even though I have no ability to do so. But I don’t.

Rose wraps her arm around my shoulders. Her touch is warm and welcoming. There’s no judgment or prying stare coming from her. Just comfort. Rose smells of lavender and cigarette smoke. She has her own leather cut on, her face adorned with slight wrinkles, and her salt and pepper hair pulled up high on her head. With one look, you know without a doubt she’s the queen of this club.

I relax in her arms, watching the men storm out of the clubhouse. She guides me down a long hall until we are in a room. It’s complete opposite of Saxon’s at Hell’s Lovers MC. This one is welcoming with warm colors covering the bed and windows. Pictures and posters covering the wall. Rose with the same man in every single one. The frames showcase the couple throughout the years, and they all have one thing in common: they’re together.

My heart squeezes, cutting off my oxygen. Then I leap out of my skin when the thunderous roar of motorcycles fills the room. The engine roars, gravel sprays against the outside of the building, and then the sound fades off into the distance.

“C’mon, sweetie.” Rose nudges me then guides me into a bathroom. “I’ve been where you are several times. Ain’t no words to ease your pain. And also something that never gets easier. Unfortunately, it’s a part of the world our men live in. They can’t help but be passionate, bullheaded, and driven. Baby girl, you just need to hold it together.”

“I feel like I’m going to die,” I say without thinking. The words are bitter and honest.

She responds with a tight hug pulling me in. Rose doesn’t let go for a long time. The wall barricading back the tears shatters. Rose catches every single one of my tears and never tells me it’s going to be okay, which I appreciate.

I’m sick of hearing those words, or ‘We will get Wilder back.’ No one can guarantee that fact. They can sacrifice everything in the mission, but there’s never any for-sure deal. This woman holding me knows this all too well.

“Now we got that out of the way,”—Rose soothes her hand down my back—“gonna need you to get showered. I’ll get some clothes for you. Then we wait.”

“Thank you,” I whisper.

“Anytime, baby girl.”

Rose leaves me alone in the bathroom to shower. The water is hotter than hell, scalding my skin. It makes me feel alive. Keeping me from falling further and further down the rabbit hole. I have to hold on. Sit and wait, praying to a god I’m not sure even exists. But I’d do anything in this moment. They have my whole world right now. I can’t let myself even begin to think about the what ifs.

I’m thankful Rose has her shower well stocked. It’s a little thing that makes me just that much stronger. Like promised, she has clothes laid out on the bed. I’m not sure how she did it because Rose has to be a few sizes bigger than me and these clothes are not club-whore attire. A black pair of yoga pants, a Hell’s Lovers MC T-shirt fitted for a woman, and pair of Nikes with socks tucked in the top.

I take my time dressing. Then find myself staring into the mirror running the brush over and over through my long hair. It’s hypnotizing and numbing all at the same time. I don’t recognize the woman staring back at me. She’s broken and whole. Scared and hopeful. She is a woman living with her entire universe in limbo. One small snap could take everything away.

“Cleaned up real nice, Eden.” The door to the room snaps shut.

I turn to see Rose with a tray of food and a bright smile. “Time to eat, and none of that nonsense about you’re not hungry or your stomach can’t handle it.”

She sits on the bed placing the tray on the mattress. I notice there’re two plates of food with large sandwiches, barbeque chips, and chocolate bars. “We are going to sit our asses down and enjoy some good food.”

Rose isn’t one to argue with, so I sit down cross-legged in the middle of the bed with my wet hair soaking the back of my shirt. I pick at the sandwich, nibbling at the cheese. She doesn’t reprimand or scold me but simply enjoys her own sandwich.

“You weren’t born into the biker world.” It’s not a question that leaves her lip but a comment.

“No.”

She laughs. Not the response I expected. “Oh, you poor thang. I’m sure you’re learning quickly. It’s not always the prettiest fairy tale, but to have the love of one of these men is priceless. I have no idea what’s going on or why you’re here, but just know this club is all in.”

I let it all out. Tell her everything from the day I found out Zoe was dead. I don’t leave out one single detail about Saxon and myself. And end with this morning’s events. Again, I find myself spilling every single detail.

“Oh, fuck eating.” She shoves my plate to the side and wraps me up in a hug again. “Like I said earlier, not one word I can say will help you right now. I’ll be by your side until we hear news.”

“I got in big trouble,” I blurt.

Rose leans back staring at me in confusion.

“I busted into church back in California.”

“Christ, child.” We both flop back onto the bed. I stare at the ceiling, while Rose gives me a rundown on club life 101. It’s the perfect distraction. I find myself even giggling at some of her stories. Her man and the club prez, Rocker, met his match in this woman. Her stories of fighting and getting into trouble match the happy and proud-moment ones. I’m in love with this lady.

Twenty-Two

Katch Sterling

No one fucking crosses me. I never lie or bullshit. My word is the gospel, and you better believe every fucking last word. I’m not a brother of the Hell’s Lovers MC, but they’re my family. By my side through thick and thin. Sent protection to guard my girl when we had our own trouble. The one man who stood by dedicating his time to keeping Caitlin safe was Brick. So, you better fucking believe they will pay crossing my own.

Blood will be shed at the mercy of my own hands, and not one single regret will be given. The plan is clearly laid out. The Hell’s Lovers chapter here in Denver knows exactly who these fuckers are. They’ve had eyes on them for some time now knowing this cartel was up to no good. So, when the call came in from Curtis, they were more than happy to help for more than a few reasons.

Rocker, the prez here, is a badass. He rules his club with an iron fist, much like Curtis. The difference is, Curtis is young for a prez, while Rocker has been around the block a few times. The man holds nothing back. Then there’s the Diamond family. These cunts won’t see the triad of death knocking on their front door.

Our men surround their pathetic excuse for a compound. Fools like these rely on their intimidation factor to keep the enemies at bay. They messed with the wrong folk this time. Intel was relayed back to Rocker. They have Brick in the warehouse and still no sighting of the boy. Our best guess is he’s in the house up on the hill a few hundred yards from the run-down excuse for a warehouse.

I wait fifteen minutes here behind a tree with the end of a barrel focused on the front door. My orders are to wait thirty minutes, then we go in.

“C’mon. C’mon. Little fuckers. Let’s play,” I sing to myself.

Safety off, my finger on the trigger, I’m breathing steady. My entire body thirsty to squeeze the trigger with ease, not missing my mark. Right between the eyes of my target. Fuck, I need this. I hear a whistle in the far-off distance. It’s the signal; five minutes and counting. I’m a selfish bastard, really, hoping that front door flies open.

There’s always a clock running in my mind. I know at least three minutes have passed since the call. Not one second of the day ticks by without me being aware and knowing it. Then it happens; the door swings open and four men step out.

“Game on, bitches.” I steady my breathing. Study the men through the scope to make sure none of them are Alejandro or Ricky. Those fuckers will still get a bullet, but one to take them down. Not a kill shot. The man has a meeting with me and Curtis. Those cunts have full access to the VIP line to their appointment.

None of the men are Ricky or Alejandro, so I play a lethal game of eeny, meeny, miney, mo. The fucker covered in the most blood and taller by a few feet than the rest is my first choice. It’s fucking Brick’s blood, that I have no doubt about. The crosshairs line up right between his eyes. I let out one final breath then squeeze. The silencer on my gun does its job, making no sound when the round is fired. The monster falls back. His compadres going for the Glocks, looking around. I want to laugh right now but don’t. I repeat the process over and over until they all lie on the ground.

I send my own whistle two times over then wait two full minutes before I’m on the move. The rifle with the silencer is tossed into the bushes, replaced with two automatic guns. My feet move with purpose and swift action. Before I’m at the entrance, Curtis is by my side. The crazy fucker isn’t supposed to be here. It’s not part of the plan. But one reason I love the man. He won’t be sitting idle while one his brothers are in danger. I give him a nod, then we proceed into the warehouse not making a sound.

There are two voices. One heavily influenced with an accent, while the other is a quivering mess. I turn to look at Curtis and smile like a kid on fucking Christmas morning. Jackpot, Bingo, and that flashy shit. We continue on our silent mission until we have a clear view of the two men.

Just like I suspected. A gutless, pleading Ricky being beaten down by Alejandro. There’s a mixture of Spanish and English spewing from his lips as he backhands Ricky over and over. The dumb fuck made a crucial mistake sending his men away. There isn’t one fucking person here to protect him. By the time his other men hear our guns, the other men will be attacking. Checkmate, cunts.

Curtis lets out an audible sigh. I see what made him do that. Brick. His lifeless body beaten and burnt on the ground. How we missed the smell of burning flesh when we snuck in is beyond me. I chalk it up to the excitement of cornering these rats in their own maze.

Curtis puts his hand on my shoulder. I know the man needs support right now. Seeing anyone in that shape would take you to your knees, but seeing Brick nearly knocks us both on our ass. I wait on Curtis. This is his war, and I’m his soldier. Always. Curtis steps out of the shadows. I’ve never seen him like this. The man has lost his shit and can only see one thing right now. Death. I’ve been there and experienced the same exact shit.

“Que chingaos.” Alejandro spins to see where the noise is coming from.

He’s greeted with four guns pointed his way. Curtis and I walk side by side, not missing a step. Unified doesn’t even begin to describe it. Ricky pisses himself. The sight is pathetic, like his slime ball soul. I laugh. The sardonic noise finally escapes me.

“The badass bikers finally came out to play.” Alejandro pulls a toothpick from his pocket and begins rolling it between his lips. “Been waiting on you, bitches. Got a bit bored and started playing with one of your men.”

Curtis flinches, and I know he’s fighting everything inside of him to not glance over to Brick.

Alejandro loves to hear himself talk, because the fucker doesn’t shut the hell up. “My men will be back in approximately thirty seconds. If you have the guts, do it now. You’ll never find the boy. He’s well past Tijuana in the heart of Mexico, learning the trait.”

The toothpick tumbles from his lips like a light match igniting the battle. At the same time, his hand reaches down to his waist. I never know what he’s going for because I’m faster. My finger pulls back the trigger just enough to send one round into his fucking foot. The squeal of pain the pig screams out fuels me, so I shoot his other fucking foot.

Ricky begins sobbing, throwing his arms up like we are here to save the fuck. I decide he needs a round in each foot as well. The fuckers fall to the ground. Curtis has his burner out, calling Rocker. I only hear his side of the conversation.

“Need the van and medic right fucking now. Warehouse is secure.”

Curtis throws his burner in the back pocket of his jeans then looks over to me. “House is clear, no sight of the boy.”

Curtis goes to Brick. The two pussies writhe in pain on the ground. This Alejandro character is all smoke hiding behind protection. The dumb fuck doesn’t even go for his Glock. He’s too worried about his thousand-dollar shoes and the pain he’s suffering. He has no idea what kind of hell is about to rain down on him.

I stride over to the two men and send my boot into their temples. They flop back on the unforgiving cement like dead fish. Then I’m over to Curtis, kneeling on the other side of Brick. Not many things can take me down leaving me speechless. In fact, there’s only been one. Caitlin in danger, and now this.

Never in my life have I witnessed torture like this. The only recognizable thing is a shred of his cut lying next to him. I glance up to Curtis to see a lone tear running down his face. His thumb swipes it away, then he’s up on his feet, striding over to Alejandro. I don’t stop him. I place two fingers on Brick’s wrist, finding a pulse, and keep it there while watching Curtis bring redemption to Brick.

He grabs the crisp collar of Alejandro’s shirt, pulling him up to his face. There’re words exchanged, but before Alejandro can respond, Curtis slams his head back into the concrete. He freezes peering over to Ricky.

“Where is the fucking boy,” he growls.

Ricky stutters; none of it making sense.

“Now,” Curtis roars.

“There-there’s a trap door on the second floor. It’s a closet at the end of a long hallway. Go to the back of the closet and there’s a code.”

“Get the fuck on with it,” Curtis interrupts him.

My brain counts out each pulse Brick gives me.

“The code is 4667. Wilder is down there with his nanny. He’s been protected the whole time.”

Curtis cuts him off. “Katch.”

Only one word is needed. I grab the gun and fire a shot, the target: Ricky’s nuts.

“If you’re lying, the next one is in your fucking head,” Curtis growls.

This time, it’s me reaching into my pocket with my free hand, relaying the information. I don’t hang up until I have confirmation.

“Yes, it’s like a fucking daycare down there. Eyes on the boy and the nanny.”

“Stand back. Guard the door until we get there,” I bark into the phone then end the call.

Curtis doesn’t need me to relay the message. Alejandro stirs underneath him.

“All I want to do is slam your fucking skull until your brains spill out on the ground.” Curtis pulls his knife from his hip. “But I’ve noticed you like leaving your mark.”

He flashes the blade in front of Alejandro’s face then tears his shirt open. Buttons scatter across the floor. Then nothing but blissful screams echo around the warehouse as Curtis carves his chest.

The large doors rise open and a van backs in. People scurry from the back. Men surround Brick paying attention to his wounds. It’s Rocker’s strong point in his club. Several of his brothers are former medics from the Army. They have Brick loaded up in the van and off. The last minute, his pulse was one hundred fifty-five or was it... The number is useless to me. The only comfort is there was a pulse.

I rise to my feet, cross my arms over my chest, and let Curtis finish what he started. Alejandro is marked with bleeding flesh. His final demise a long cut across his throat. Curtis leans back and roars as he bleeds out.

It doesn’t last long before he’s on Ricky. Curtis stalls. And I know exactly why. This was promised to Brick. All of us would’ve surrounded Brick as he took Ricky down. All the hours and sacrifice paid in full.

“Do him proud.” I nod to Curtis. “Make our boy Brick smile.”

Curtis doesn’t hesitate, taking it to Ricky just like the details explained on Zoe’s death report. He doesn’t miss a beat going to show how much he’s examined and studied that piece of paper. All too soon, Ricky’s body lies in his own pool of blood with the back of his head bashed out.

The man I call my best friend rises to his feet covered in blood with no resemblance left of his old self. A few brothers of the Denver chapter are there to take care of him. They usher him off to another waiting van.

I’m left alone in the warehouse. And before I know it, I’m moving, covering the dirt road leading up to the house. Not a person to be seen until I enter the closet where the member stands guard. He nods his head, letting me pass knowing damn well who I am.

The door is already cracked. I’m fucking baffled at how vicious Alejandro was yet had no security system in place. Burn in hell, cunt.

I take the steps two at a time. And by fucking God, I walk into a daycare just like the ones you see in those parenting magazines. A boy full of life and not ruined by the ways of the world sits in the corner putting together a puzzle. An elderly woman looking over him. My fucking heart stops just like it did the other night at the club when I saw my woman for a brief second and she whispered in my ear, “You did it. I’m pregnant.”

We’d been trying for months. My girl so broken over not being able to get pregnant. I read those fucking magazines and even experimented with different positions. Now, I stand here after the bloodshed I witnessed and see this.

Fuck me. I scrub my face silently watching from the steps. This is the end goal we all laid everything out for. Eden’s tirade during church. It all falls together, just like the puzzle his clumsy fingers fight to piece together. Never thought my world would come full circle until now. A woman, my complete opposite, brought it all to me. And I’ll be for damn sure taking it home to Brick and his lady. Apology and all.

I clear my throat and walk the rest of the way down the stairs. My appearance is always intimidating, but I don’t give a shit.

“Wilder,” his name slips from my lips.

The little boy’s head flips up. His caretaker steps back, pushing a panic button. I raise my hands over my head.

“I’m not here to hurt anyone. I’m taking the boy home to his aunt.”

“Eden!” His bright blue eyes fire to life. The table topples over as he hops up. “Is my mommy home from vacation?”

The question brings me to my knees and I respond with the only thing I know that comes to my mind.

“I’m taking you to your Aunt Eden. She’s missed you.”

Twenty-Three

Eden

Rose talked me right to sleep, never leaving my side. My eyes grew heavy, but I fought to stay awake with everything inside of me. But in the end, sleep was the victor with Rose’s voice my lullaby. Sleep came easy with Rose and her comforting words next to me.

Rolling over a few times and slapping her back, I knew she was out right next to me. True to her word, she’s by my side until this is all over. She never promised me a positive outcome, only the fact she’d be here for me. Each time I wake myself from sleep, I fall right back under.

It’s always Saxon’s gentle smile and aggressive touch that entertain my thought. Then a former dream in which we are all united and living. It’s the promise Saxon offered the day I met him. It wasn’t verbally expressed but lingered between us.

This time, I sit straight up in bed. The entire clubhouse rattles like an earthquake shakes Cali. My heart stops then fights to beat again. The ruckus outside the door too much to ignore.

“Rose,” I whisper into the darkness of the room.

No response. Her heavy breathing is the only sign she’s still here. I shake out the confusion knowing it’s a dream. But the damn noise is too much to ignore. I know the club is on lockdown and all the families and members are here. At least the ones not out on the mission. The sounds grow more intense with screaming and shouting. I’m waiting for gunshots.

What in the hell? This can’t be real. When did I train myself to listen for gunshots?

“Need a room. Every medical supply you have. Antibiotic IV fluids, gauze, a suture kit…”

“Zeke?” Is that him? It is. Oh, thank God, he made it. I had to notify him about this. I would have never forgiven myself if I didn’t. Saxon needs his brother more than anything now. I knew the moment I dialed his number three hours out from reaching this clubhouse I was overstepping a boundary, but unlike last time, I’m steadfast in my conviction. And if there happens to be a punishment, it will be mine to bear.

The ruckus blurs together. My mind narrows in knowing it’s not a dream. Something is going down outside that door. Even though Rose schooled me on the club ways, I’m still not okay busting out of this room. It’s not about courage or strength in this moment, rather facing reality.

“Rose.” I push on her back. She rolls around the bed wiping away the sleep from her eyes.

“Rose!” This time it comes out as a yell.

She bolts straight up from the bed. Leaps to her feet, pulling out a gun from the nightstand.

“Rose.” I fight to calm my voice. “There’s noise. Something is going on.”

She slowly wakes, taking in the whole scene. She hears what I do. Rose doesn’t respond with words but actions. She walks to the door, unlocking it and swinging it open. I peer over her shoulder.

It’s in a blink of an eye I see a familiar boot race down the hallway. And it’s not walking either and not in the same shape as it was the last time I saw it. I shove Rose to the side and race behind the men. I’m hot on their tail when they lay a body on a bed. My knees threaten to give out on me, but not before I get to him. Saxon. My man. My love.

His towering body lies lifeless on a mattress. I race over to him and am hit with the smell of burnt flesh. His face is unrecognizable. It’s his bloody knuckles I recognize. My world stops spinning. This can’t be happening.

“Saxon.” I cup his face, place the tender flesh of my palm on top of his bruises and cuts. He doesn’t respond. Tears, panic, terror...nothing comes close to what I’m feeling. Men circle around me trying to pull me from Saxon. I don’t budge. I’m aware where they need to be. But I keep a hand on Saxon at all times.

“Eden, let me take care of him. Go sit down. I got him. I promise.” Zeke grips me by the shoulders, places me on the couch, and I watch him with unknowing fear as he slips through a door and disappears.

I have no idea how long I sit there staring at that door, wondering if he’s okay or if they found Wilder. My ears straining for voices. The quiet rings in my ears.

A door creaks. A sound submerges, and it’s the most beautiful thing I’ve heard in my life.

“Mitts.” My body slinks to the carpeted floor. Tiny feet concealed in blue tennis shoes run my way. I can’t speak. Can’t think. Can’t thank Katch enough for bringing this boy back to me.

“Wilder.” I cry, as he jumps into my arms. His tiny hands cupping my face.

“Thank you,” I mouth to the man standing in front of me.

He doesn’t say a word. Doesn’t have to either. I can see every emotion he more than likely shows to anyone written all over his face. Apology, forgiveness, and most of all, thankfulness.

“Can we go get Mommy now?” I have no idea where I get the strength to do what I’m about too. It has to be from my sister who is on her way to resting peacefully now.

“I have a story to tell you about your mommy. Will you sit on my lap and listen?”

It’s the hardest story I will ever have to tell my nephew. The hardest thing I’ve done in my life. By the time I’m finished, he’s fallen asleep in my arms with his favorite blanket and truck tucked to his side.

“You did well, Eden. The boy is going to be just fine. Katch needs to talk to you for a minute; he’s in the kitchen. I’ll hold him right here. Now, go on. Let me hold this precious little boy.” Rose takes him from my arms. I don’t want to give him up. But I do. I stand, make my way into the kitchen, where Katch is just hanging up his phone.

“I’ll deny this if you tell anyone. I treated you poorly. I apologize.”

“Excuse me,” I stutter out.

“Eden,” he grits out between clenched teeth. “Sorry.”

I’m honestly confused, but then again, my head isn’t in the right place right now.

He continues. “I need to get home to my wife, so I’m going to say this once. I don’t give a shit about the law. They can fuck off for all I care. However, Caitlin does. Don’t know why, the woman does some shady-ass shit herself. That’s beside the point. My point is, we all know you’re going to have to tell the cops, Child Protective Services, and anyone else to ask how you found him. You tell them you got a call from the fire department here. They had the boy. You study this name, this face, and all the information I have in here before you go home. They’ll believe it. Trust me. Trust your man in there and trust in the club.”

Then he strides out of the room without a second glance back. The picture in my hand trembles, and I do exactly what he told me to. It’s just before I fall asleep that night that I realize what he’s apologizing for.

Epilogue

Brick

School was never my thing and still ain’t my thing. I’ve found a new life and wouldn’t trade it for anything. Being surrounded by dozens of damn ankle biters running up and down the school hallways creeps me the fuck out. The hairs on the back of my neck stand to attention, nostrils flare, my hands balling into clenched fists.

Eden. It’s always about Eden. She’s my core. The beautiful woman is always bringing me right back to reality. It’s her simple touch or quick peck to my cheek that does it.

Wilder’s talking a hundred miles a minute about something as we weave through a mass of kids. None of that matters because this woman is magical. She’s attentive to Wilder while reaching for my hand, coaxing my fingers to relax and intertwine with hers. It works every single time.

It’s moments like these that we still live through every single day. There ain’t no fucking ‘happy ending riding off into the sunset’ type of bullshit where it’s all hearts and perfection. No. It’s like it’s always been between us. Real. Raw. A force.

The wounds and now scars that were left on my skin in Colorado are the brutal reminders of our reality. Eden wears hers on her soul. Ironic how our world came full circle that day and everything we fought was won, but not without a price. It shows in my limp. The deformed skin on my leg from where I was set on fire. I hated it all until Eden taught me to love them. She’s spent time kissing each of the scars until all I could focus on were her lips. Now, when I look at them, I see her, our future, and the home we’ve built.

Who knew that damn old house I was embarrassed to show her would become our kingdom. That was all Eden. She sold her house and had the club move her shit to my place while I healed. My vixen took it all on her shoulders without one complaint. Ironic how roles have shifted since the day we met.

“You okay?” She peers up to me, nibbling on her bottom lip.

“Yeah,” I growl. My leg aches something fierce, but I refuse to give in to the limp. I’m coming back stronger and better after months of healing. Nearly eight months, to be exact.

“Mitts.” Wilder tugs on Eden’s hand then points to the small playroom next to the even smaller waiting room.

It took me forever to figure out what in the hell he was calling her. She explained to me it’s what he’s always called her. His baby talk version or some shit like that, and it stuck.

“Go ahead.” She leans down and kisses the top of his head.

Wilder lets go of her hand and darts off to the play area. Legos. Yep, Wilder goes straight for the Legos. He’s infatuated with them. I bought him every damn set Target had. Even went to the Target in the neighboring town and bought him a few new sets. It was the day I took my first ride on my bike. And I was out taking care of my family.

The fact he let go of her hand on his own will is the greatest hurdle we’ve leaped. He’s afraid of being left alone, always has to be at Eden’s side or in the same room with her. The past week, I’ve found him following me around the house. It made me smile and felt fucking weird all at the same time. The person who caused this shit storm and took the life of his son’s mother might be the only bastard to thank.

To all our shock, he took damn good care of his son. Last week, at his counseling session, he opened up about the trip and his dad, the games they played and movies they watched. So much of the information comes in the form of drawings, and the rest is a tedious process of waiting for him to talk.

The boy is damn smart. Shit scares me sometimes. He knows how to run all the electronic devices playing his games, sings songs, and attempts the alphabet. Eden was persistent getting him back into the same preschool with the same teacher and familiar friends. It was the only thing she could give him that he’d remember.

I ain’t one for organized institutions and all the damn red tape boxing you in, but watching Wilder adjust and open up, I’ll dance right through that tape.

I run my hands over my hair, stopping on the back of my neck, squeezing the worry out of it. We are all out of the danger zone but facing something even scarier. Healing. Learned a lot of shit about myself on that cold cement floor struggling to gulp in air. I’ve never healed. Fuck, haven’t even tried.

“What are you thinking about in there?” Eden snuggles into my side, staring up at me. “You’re lost in your own head again.”

I press a chaste kiss to her forehead. “You happy?”

She wrinkles her nose, not following me.

“Do you miss the hospital and working?”

It’s not a lie. So many memories, thoughts, and what ifs attack me on a daily basis. They never leave me alone, not even late at night. Every once in a while, Eden will catch me at the right time, and I’ll ask her a question to ease my soul. My attempt at healing.

“I miss some friends.” She shrugs. “We keep up on a group text. But, honestly, I don’t miss it. Still love medicine, but I’ve been there and done that. Now, I’m doing something so much more important. Building my future and loving my family the way I want.”

Honesty dances in her eyes, her smile sealing the deal, and Eden’s touch sending her words right to my heart.

It ain’t easy giving this much trust to someone. She’s mine and the world knows that, whether it be her leather cut with ‘Property of Brick’ on it or me beating the shit out of them when they look at her. What the world doesn’t know is, this woman gives more than she takes. Sacrifices her all to protect her family. First fucking time I opened my eyes after being nearly beaten to death was to Eden by my side and Prez walking into the room.

Neither of them noticed I was awake. Eden was up on her feet in the blink of an eye.

“Take me. Please, just let him be,” she pleads.

“Eden, you need to be sleeping. Can’t be staying up all hours through the night while Wilder sleeps. You’re gonna crash, and that ugly bastard needs you.”

Their footsteps grow closer.

“I know you’re going to punish him for me walking into church. Please don’t.” She pauses. “Punish me. Do what you need to do. Just leave him alone.”

Using all my energy, I roll my head to the side to see Curtis pull Eden into a hug. Her body shudders with her own sobs. Prez rocks her back and forth until her cries quiet. My eyelids grow heavy, but I refuse to give in to sleep.

“Brick’s paid his dues. Ain’t no punishment coming. The brother fought with all he had.” The words get stuck in his throat, coming out full of emotion. Only seen Prez get choked up one time, and that’s the day he buried his dad.

“Good, darlin’.”

“That’s it? After I just word vomited on you?” She slaps my chest and then sits back in her chair. I don’t miss her wincing when she does. She’s been going to the gym every morning. Wilder takes some kind of class there, while Eden works out. Should start to remember that kind of shit.

Gonna need to ask the prospect to figure that out and relay the information. My woman and boy always have someone with them at all times. It’s me or a prospect, and I don’t ever see that shit changing. You piss off one hornet’s nest and another one is lurking in the shadows waiting their turn to attack.

“Quit your bitching before I stick my—” I lean in to whisper in her ear—“my big, fat cock in your mouth.”

Eden giggles and shakes her head, pushing me back. I relax back in the seat, stretching out my legs. And just like that, Eden used her voodoo magic on me, forcing the cyclone of demons in my head to quiet. We are chipping away at a solid block of wood to reach the core of us. Or, as my loving dickhead brother likes to refer to, chipping away the layers of my brick wall.

We watch Wilder as he pieces together Legos. His tongue darting out between his lips as he concentrates with his nose wrinkling up every five seconds. I find myself watching him playing on the living room floor with his toys at night, studying his ticks and innocent wonder.

“Is that a—”

I cut Eden off, leaning forward, squinting my eyes. “It’s a damn motorcycle.”

The boy doesn’t build basic shit like most kids his age. Wilder never follows the picture instructions either. It’s all him thinking outside of the box, building what he wants. Every single day, he never ceases to amaze us.

“Steal it when they call us back,” Eden demands in a hushed whisper.

I shake my head knowing I’m about to battle the Mitts bear. Eden refuses to use any reference to being Wilder’s mom. She’s his Mitts and honors Zoe daily by sharing the memories of her. Wilder will know how much his mother loved him.

“Woman, you’re crazy. I ain’t stealing toys from a damn preschool.”

“Motorcycle, or you’re cut off. And really, Saxon, petty theft from a preschool would make you look like a saint.” She points a finger at me.

She’s threatened cutting me off before, but that shit don’t last, but it’s a different story if it’s anything that involves Wilder.

“You’ll be suffering if you cut me off. I know how much you love my cock, darlin’. Those fingers of yours might be full of magic when they wrap around my shaft, but they ain’t got nothing on the way I make you feel. You know it, and so do I,” I whisper in her ear, smirking as I do. She squirms, presses those legs of hers together, and just when I think I got one up on her, she bends over, tying her shoelace, and makes my dick hard, the zipper in my jeans threatening to break.

“Jesus Christ, woman what is that?” I reach forward, pulling back the hem of her skirt. Before I go any further, I glance around to make sure we are still the only family in the waiting room. Carefully, I peel off the plastic bandage.

“Take a look and then talk smack about your cock.” She giggles.

“Property of Brick,” I mumble. Fuck me. My fingers are itching to trail over the tattoo right above the crack of her ass.

“Get the hell back up here.” I glance at Wilder to make sure he ain’t looking. Grip her by the back of the neck and yank her up.

“I told ya I’d own that ass. I love you, darlin’.”

The smiles we share with each other are more powerful than any ‘I love you.’ Can’t wait to trail my tongue over each letter on her ass after it’s healed. Then I’ll take over proper ownership of that ass, making my girl scream the whole time.

“Wilder,” a gentle voice floats in the small area.

Miss Rachel peeks her head out of her office. She’s the one who approached us when Wilder returned. It was no secret what he went through. I’ll give credit to Miss Rachel approaching us about counseling because I may be a big badass scary biker guy, but it was Eden who had her hackles up. It took Eden sixty seconds to fall in love with Miss Rachel, and since then, they’ve been on the same page.

Wilder pops up on his feet, races over to Eden, and tugs her from the chair.

“Our turn,” he sings out. She’s gone into every session with him. Some days, they come out giggling and carefree, while other days, the defeated look on Eden’s face slices me wide open.

Eden hops up from her chair pretending Wilder pulled her up. She peeks over her shoulder, swings her hips from side to side as if stretching out. I know better; my girl is taunting me. She’s just begging for a hard and rough fuck tonight.

Before focusing forward, she sends me a death glare and mouths, ‘Do it, or else.’

Great, now I have thirty or so minutes to sit here and form a plan to steal a Lego motorcycle from a preschool, I think as a stare at it in the toy corner. Karma is a dirty bitch in the form of stealing from preschools. What’s next? Stealing an old lady’s cat Wilder falls in love with? Doesn’t matter because I’ll do it.

There’s light tapping on my knee, distracting me. I turn to see Wilder standing in front of me. He holds his hand out to me palm up.

“Will you go with me today?”

His question shocks the shit out of me. Wilder kept his distance at first but has grown more curious over time. I roll his question over and over in my head. My throat threatens to squeeze shut.

“Saxon.” Eden’s loving voice washes over me.

I look to her then back to Wilder. He’s smiling at me and confident. He drops Eden’s hand and steps between my legs, placing his tiny palms on my thighs.

“I love you like Mitts. And I wanna”—he stumbles over his words for a few beats. It happens when he’s trying to get a lot out—“wanna motorcycle like you, and I like it when you read to me.”

Son of a bitch. This is what true love feels like. It’s raw and honest in the form a four-year-old boy. Ain’t ever been a liar or fraud, and am not starting now. Not gonna hide from what’s happening right in front of me because there’s no need to mask my emotions anymore. Not with these two in my life. Tears form in my eyes, my heart swells, and I’m man enough to let them spill over.

I lean forward until I’m nose to nose with him. “I love you, too, Wilder. I’ll be by your side today, tomorrow, and forever. Whatever you need or want, I’m here. The three of us are our own family, and ain’t no mother— I mean, no one gonna change that fact. Every morning and night, you gonna hear three words from me. I love you.”

He shrugs. “Okay, so you wanna go with me?”

I chuckle and ruffle his hair. “I’ll take you out on my bike this afternoon. We can start shopping for a little dirt bike for you. Gotta start out slow.”

Shit, I want to sprint out of this place this second and go buy him a 50cc with training wheels and all the gear to accompany it.

On cue, Mitts bear clears her throat, bites her bottom lip trapping in her verbal assault, and shakes her head. “Something we will have to talk about in a few years.”

She overemphasizes the last part. I stand up and wave her off.

“Don’t worry, Mitts, we men have this.”

“Yeah,” Wilder agrees.

Eden’s dying to respond but keeps her mouth shut as we enter the colorful office. The explosion of colors makes me dizzy, but I can see how it would make a child comfortable. Eden pulls me down onto a leather couch, while Wilder scurries around the room. It’s clear they have a well-established routine here as I watch him.

Eden leans over whispering into my ear. “Don’t forget to steal that motorcycle before we leave.”

I glance down at her. “Babe, ain’t no way. Was gonna make a plan to nab it while you guys were in here, but now…”

She clutches my forearm, kisses my cheek lightning fast, and then hits me with a sugary, sweet smile. “Get it.”

I shake my head, but she’s not done.

“So I can ram it up your ass.”

I can’t help the laughter that spills from me. Miss Rachel and Wilder don’t miss a beat going on about their business. Gonna have a little fight on my hands over the motorcycle-riding issue. Ain’t no worry. I’ll fuck some sense into her. Works every single time. I reach over and splay my palm out on her belly, lean in to whisper into her ear, and trace the shell of her ear with my tongue before speaking.

“Property of Brick. Your ass says so, darlin’. And what’s gonna happen when our second little boy is born in six months? Shit, better buy two while I’m there.”

I’ll never tell Eden, but I wish for a little girl every single night. One with her eyes, same color of hair, and warrior spirit. And you can bet your damn ass my little girl will be riding, too.

The End

Acknowledgments

These are always so hard to do. At times, the list seems endless.

We would love to thank our Hitchhiker ladies. Forever and always, this group never ceases to stop tugging on our hearts. You girls mean more to us than words can express.

To you, the reader who embraces our dark side. We can’t thank you enough for the support, the kind words, encouragement, and tears of joy you bring us when you read our collaboration.

Forever and always to you!

Julia, Emily, JM Walker, Eric, Jill, and Belinda. Thank you so very much for all you do. We love the friendships. Adore each and every one of you.

To our families and friends who have sacrificed more time while we both write two books at once, life wouldn’t be complete without you.

Thank you for living in a world of Charlie Lee

Heidi and Kathy.