Crow
Author: Nikki Landis
Date: 2022-06-24 04:00:00+00:00
Keywords: Contemporary
Description: From USA Today bestselling author Nikki Landis comes a new standalone MC romance and the first book in the Devil’s Murder MC series. Crow, son of the former president of the Devil’s Murder MC, is determined to avenge his father’s death and repair the broken club left behind. He’s returned home to take his place as president and hunt down those responsible for Rook’s murder. Stopping at a bar on the way back to reclaim his position in the club, he encounters a pretty redhead in a whole heap of trouble. Crow can’t resist helping out a woman in need, and his protective instincts kick in. Bella’s

Copyright © 2022 Nikki Landis

All Rights Reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

This is a work of fiction. Names, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Cover by Pretty in Ink Creations

Table of Contents:

Author’s Note

Common Terms

Playlist

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Epilogue

Devil’s Murder MC

Sneak Peek  Sins of the Father

Sneak Peek  Roulette Run

About the Author

Crow is the first book in the Devil’s Murder MC.

It’s filled with dark and gritty content, a supernatural twist, steamy scenes, and is intended for mature readers only. Some scenes may be disturbing to readers as well as references to trauma.

If you’re a fan of the Royal Bastards MC Tonopah, NV Chapter, you’ll find a surprise inside.

DEVIL’S MURDER MC motorcycle club with several chapters in various states within the U.S.

The Crow shifter ability/shared soul of every Devil’s Murder club member; a black feathered, predatory bird with enhanced traits

Murder a group of crows, an omen of death

The Roost clubhouse/bar owned by the Devil’s Murder MC

Bull’s Saloon second home to club members, bar owned by Lucky Lou

Hog motorcycle

Cage vehicle

Sweet butt club girl, also known as a muffler bunny

Mobbing Individual crows coming together to harass a predator by cooperatively attacking it

Pres president of the club

SAA Sargeant at Arms

Ol’ lady a member’s property, his woman, respected and cherished

Cut leather jacket with the sleeves cut off, member patches on the front and club logo on the back, sacred to members

Church an official club meeting

Chapel the location for church meetings in the Roost

Prospect someone interested in patching with the club, sponsored by a member

Rook former pres

Crow third generation club member, son of Rook

Dirty Death MC DDMC, rival motorcycle club

Sueco – Paralyzed

Stabbing Westward – Save Yourself

Atreyu – Untouchable (feat. Jacoby Shaddix)

The Warning – Choke

Ghost – Call Me Little Sunshine

Down – Stone the Crow

Korn – A.D.I.D.A.S.

System of a Down – Toxicity

Dope – Die MF Die

Motionless in White – Cyberhex

Dorothy – Black Sheep

Melissa Etheridge – The Shadow of a Black Crow

Tyler Childers – Nose on the Grindstone

Outlaw – Tell it to the Bottle (feat. Crucifix)

Crobot – Set You Free

Post Malone – Take What You Want (feat. Ozzy Osborne,

Black Label Society – Fire It Up

Jeris Johnson – Raining Blood (feat. ZillaKami)

Shinedown – The Crow & The Butterfly

Nine Inch Nails – Dead Souls (From “The Crow” Soundtrack)

DED – Love Song (feat. Maria Brink)

You can listen here on Spotify: Crow Playlist

From USA Today bestselling author Nikki Landis comes a new standalone MC romance and the first book in the Devil’s Murder MC series.

Crow, son of the former president of the Devil’s Murder MC, is determined to avenge his father’s death and repair the broken club left behind. Bad blood, bitter memories, and a territory feud threaten to tear apart everything his father built. He’s determined to return and take his place, hunting down those responsible for Rook’s murder.

Crow has a hell of a lot to prove, and it can’t come at a worse time. Stopping at a bar on the way back to reclaim his position in the club, he encounters a pretty petite redhead in a whole heap of trouble. His protective instincts kick in, and now he’s got more problems than he can handle.

Crow can’t resist helping out a woman in need, but this spitfire is way more trouble than he anticipates. Bella’s searching for her missing sister and desperate for help, even if that means getting close to a dangerous biker. For reasons Crow can’t quite figure out, she makes him want more than life as an outlaw.

There’s a rival club on their heels, a crooked sheriff, and innocent lives on the line. Taking her back to the clubhouse for protection sparks a whole shitstorm Crow doesn’t need. Bella insists he’s the only hope for finding her sister, and time is running out.

The feisty redhead isn’t backing down.

Neither is Crow’s enemies.

Nobody threatens the Devil’s Murder because the club protects their own. There’s a reason they’re called a murder, and their bikes ride on the dark wings of circling crows.

It’s an omen of impending death.

No enemy can outrun the Devil’s Murder.

CROW is a full-length, standalone bad boy romance. You’ll love this heart-pounding first book in the Devil’s Murder MC featuring take-charge bikers who adore and fiercely protect their women. CROW has no cheating, no cliffhanger, plenty of heat, and a guaranteed HEA along with a slight paranormal twist.

Hot, bone-dry air swept across the back of my neck as I rolled to a stop, the front tire of my hog resting ahead of the faded white line painted on the asphalt road. I paused at the intersection, obeying the order to stop at a red light though there wasn’t much point. The hour was late, and if I hadn’t already had a few beers and several shots, I probably would have blown right through the red light without a second thought. But now, legally drunk but not feeling any of the pleasant side effects of the liquor, I gripped the handlebars with my gloved hands and waited impatiently for the light to change.

There was no traffic, hardly even more than a few rolling tumbleweed to keep my ass company. I rode into town after nearly four hours on the open road, but this wasn’t a scenic tour on my bike. Riding back into Vegas wasn’t something I had ever intended to do again, and if it wasn’t fucking important, I wouldn’t be here. You could bet on that.

That was why I stopped at the bar outside of town and proceeded to drink as much as the sweet little blonde bartender would give me until closing. Probably would have taken her home and offered her a ride she wouldn’t forget if I weren’t so fucking torn up inside. Alcohol and sex only masked the problem anyway. The issue was my reason for returning to The Roost. My chest constricted as I thought of my father and all the shit of the last five years.

Fuck.

I scrubbed a hand over my face and closed my eyes briefly, opening them again as I caught the headlights in my mirror, taunting me as they’d done the day I left.

It was too dark to see the make and model of the cage, but I didn’t need to see to know Sheriff Taylor watched, his car idling on the road as if he dared me to turn around and face him. Didn’t matter what that asshole thought. I wasn’t a kid he could push around anymore.

The traffic signal swayed in a gust of wind as it switched to green, and I lifted one hand, leaving only my middle finger exposed.

Fuck off, Sheriff Taylor.

A dark chuckle left my lips as I sped across the intersection, my bike rumbling with a low, deep-throated vibration as I passed the closed shops and through the barren streets. Even Vegas had an hour or two when it shut down. Prostitutes and gamblers all had to sleep at some point. Of course, I was only on the outskirts of the city now. The strip never went silent. Flashing neon lights, the jangly music, and the whir of spinning reels accompanied by loud beeps and the chimes of slot machines, drunken revelry, and the lure of sex were only a few of the enticements that bombarded every visitor in the city of sin.

My destination led me in another direction. A place I avoided for as long as possible but could no longer put off. That tight feeling in my chest grew until I nearly choked on the lump that rose, lodging in the center of my throat. The gates of Palm Northwest Mortuary & Cemetery loomed ahead as I approached, parking in the empty lot as I glided to an unceremonious stop.

I stood, stretching my legs and back, gazing at the perfectly landscaped grounds of the lot. My eyes roamed over the palm trees, weeping willow, tulip poplar, sycamore trees, Nevada’s state plant sagebrush, and other blooms that offered pops of color in the moonlight, thriving in the sandy, dry climate. If it weren’t for the city lights, I could have enjoyed the starry night sky, but I knew if I rode out to Tonopah, I’d be able to see them for miles without anything in the way or obscuring the view. Maybe I’d visit Grim and the Royal Bastards soon and check in on the club. Knew quite a few of those rowdy fuckers, and it had been some time since I’d seen them.

A watery oasis surrounded by various rocks that included limestone, sandstone, and shale glittered like diamonds as gentle waves rippled the surface a short distance ahead. Grass and sand competed for dominance along the grounds, but the lawn was obviously mowed often and maintained well. Hell, it was fucking green in the summer. That said a hell of a lot, considering how hot and dry the desert was this time of year.

Fountains, numerous gardens, and other unique memorial art spanned the entire forty acres of land. Grass-level headstones of granite and bronze were organized in innumerable rows by the water. I strolled toward the fence and hopped over it, heading in the direction of the Freedom Garden. A tribute to veterans, this part of the cemetery honored military service men and women from all branches and their dedication and sacrifice to our country. I caught the flag billowing in the breeze and felt a twinge of emotion. My old man didn’t want me to follow in his footsteps or those of my grandfather, who served in the Vietnam War.

I never understood when I was a teen. Words like sacrifice and honor were concepts that I was only beginning to fathom. It would take another ten years before I matured enough to forgive my overbearing father for his mistakes. Such was the naivety and foolishness of youth. Now, it was too late to speak words that would never be heard.

As I trudged along the pathway in my boots, my steps were confident, only stopping when I arrived at the correct grave, marked by a single upright headstone in black granite. A Harley was engraved into the surface by laser, memorializing the final wishes of Austin Derek Holmes Sr. Everyone knew him as Rook, the president of the Devil’s Murder MC. I knew him as something much more intimate.

“Hey, pops,” I choked out, staring down at the space his body occupied, the smooth, freshly mown surface hiding the powerful, intimidating man I’d grown up calling father. “Bet you didn’t think I’d be back here so soon.”

The wind lightly whistled through the nearby trees, and I heard a rustling among the leaves, a slight flapping of feathered wings that accompanied the melodic sound.

“Raven ratted you out, old man. He told me about that conversation you had a week before you died. The one where you told your V.P. what you wanted in case shit went south.”

Lowering to a squat, I plucked the pocketknife from inside my cut and held it, my grip tightening as I mulled over my next words.

“I wasn’t here when you needed me.” My teeth clamped down as my jaw locked, and I had to force a breath through my lungs. “I’m fucking sorry I let you down. I should have had your six that day. Maybe if I had been here, I could have prevented your death. I’ll always wonder if being with you would have made a difference or if those bastards would have killed me too.”

Without fanfare, I yanked the leather glove on my left hand off, shoving it into the back pocket of my jeans. I flicked the knife open and sliced the sharp blade across my palm, forming a fist as dark droplets of blood seeped through the cracks in my fingers and dripped onto the grass below.

“I swear to you that I will find the assholes responsible for your death, and I will fucking end them. I won’t rest until every motherfucker involved pays for killing the president of the Devil’s Murder MC.”

My hand lifted, and I kissed my bloody fist, then pulled out a bandana and wrapped it around the wound, hardly noticing the sting.

“I’ll avenge you,” I whispered, standing to my full height, squaring my shoulders back as I felt something light drop onto my right shoulder, tiny talons gripping the leather of my cut. The weight shifted slightly and then settled, a single raspy caw bursting from the beak of the bird I called a friend.

My uninjured hand reached into my pocket, dug around for a penny, and then placed the coin on the cool, smooth surface of the headstone. Nickels and dimes created a long row down the length, proving the men who served with my father honored his memory. Spinning on my heel, I faced the emptiness of a future without my father and his gruff, loyal, steadfast leadership.

I’ll make those motherfuckers regret they ever heard the name of the Devil’s Murder MC.

Beady eyes stared from all directions as I noticed the crows crowding the branches of nearby trees. A few hopped along the grass. Several of the birds landed on the headstones of neighboring graves, but not a single crow touched my father’s final resting place. Dozens of the creatures had silently invaded the cemetery without ever making their presence known. Not that I wasn’t aware. They were only an extension of my body, like a limb with its own separate conscious thought.

Onyx feathers glistened like an oily stain blotting out the moon as more crows arrived. Each bird perched on the edge of its spot, keenly aware of every movement in the vicinity, even the wind. Expectancy hung heavily in the air as a few birds grew vocal, and caw caw...caw caw echoed in a regular pattern. The chatter increased before I ticked my head toward the sky, and the murder flew upward in unison, flooding the darkness as I headed toward my bike.

Black wings speckled the sky in a pulsing, rippling glide that spanned far enough to block out the twinkling stars and shy, hazy crescent moon. The murder followed closely as I straddled my bike, fired up the engine, and sped away from the cemetery with one destination in mind.

It was time I returned home.

Crow was ready to roost.

The ride to Henderson typically took twenty minutes, but I arrived in fifteen, struck by the familiarity of the town, the businesses, and the streets with the same unchanging neighborhoods. Fatigue hadn’t quite set in yet as I rolled to a stop outside Bull’s Saloon. The joint was open twenty-four hours a day and owned by a close friend of my pops. An old vet named Lucky Lou was known for his colorful language and reputation with the ladies. His father, Bull, had built the place nearly forty years ago, and Lou took it over when his old man passed on.

Normally, I’d ride on by and head straight to The Roost, but my heart wasn’t in it after visiting the cemetery. I wasn’t in the best mood, and I didn’t want to see the rest of my brothers until I had a chance to collect my thoughts and decide what I needed to say.

I never wanted the position of president. Made that clear when I took off, went nomad, and decided I needed to see a little more of the world. Pissed my pops off when I told him I didn’t want to lead the club and wasn’t sure when I would return. At the time, I was positive I had made the correct decision. That was before my father was gunned down in cold blood.

There wasn’t a thing that I wouldn’t give to go back in time.

My gaze swept over the interior of Bull’s Saloon as I headed toward the bar, taking a seat that faced the front doors and kept a wall at my right. To the left were tables, mostly empty. At my back, the entrance to the kitchen and a hall that led to the bathrooms. From this position, I could defend myself easily if something went down, and I’d see trouble long before it decided to head my way.

Being a member of the Devil’s Murder MC meant caution was an everyday part of life. Since Rook’s death, it was a necessity. I didn’t know who was responsible for murdering my father, but I sure as hell intended to find out. If I had to wade my way through the vermin and underbelly of this city and the entire state of Nevada to accomplish the task, I’d do it. And I didn’t give a fuck who I pissed off in the process.

A few patrons were scattered among the booths, and I noticed two men seated at the other end of the bar, deep in conversation. They weren’t loud enough to catch more than an occasional word above the music which was much too loud at this close to dawn. One of them—a burly guy with dark eyes and a long scar that dragged his lower lip down on the right nearly to his chin—kept glancing my way. A scorpion tattoo stretched across his neck as the tail ended abruptly beneath the grimy charcoal-colored t-shirt he wore.

Neither of the men wore a cut or any distinguishing paraphernalia, but they had the look of gangbangers or low-level mc, and both wore black leather jackets in the heat. Probably to conceal weapons. The kind of guys who slit throats and didn’t ask questions just took the cash offered and moved on. They killed without mercy and weren’t bothered by the havoc left behind.

Maybe the kind of assholes who went after my pops and my club.

I met the gaze of Scorpion and leaned back, folding my arms across my chest, staring him down and hoping he reacted. The fucker met my stare with a bored expression and then turned to his companion, both downing a few more shots.

This place was a goddamn waste of my time. I doubted I’d see the only person I cared about at this hour.

“Hey, Mr. Tall, Dark, & Handsome, what ya havin’?”

I turned my attention to the bar, noticing the bartender for the first time.

Fuck me.

Doing a double-take, I blinked twice and then grinned so damn wide I thought my cheeks might split open. A low whistle left my lips as I winked. “Honey, I got to ask, will you marry me?”

A throaty chuckle left plump, cherry red lips as the prettiest woman I ever met tossed her long, dark red hair over her shoulder. “Never got a proposal after only one sentence before. You sure you aren’t addlepated?”

Addle-what? Shrugging, I didn’t care what the word meant. My gaze slowly perused the curvy female in front of me, and I had difficulty pulling away from the tight black tank top she wore or the cleavage her naturally large tits temptingly displayed. My mouth watered as I swallowed hard and then turned on the charm. “Sweetheart, I never joke around about my club, brothers, or women. You interested in a ride? Got my bike out front, and I’m ready to go.”

In more ways than one, and I didn’t care if it was cheesy. I didn’t even know her name yet, and I was bettin’ she was the softest, sweetest, most tempting fruit I would taste in a long ass time.

She leaned forward and placed her elbows on the bar. “Baby, you couldn’t tame me.”

I followed her lead, closing the distance between us even more. “I’d like to prove you wrong about that, darlin’.”

We locked into a staring contest, and I got lost in the dark green of her eyes, nearly a hue of pine leaves like the tree that grew outside my window growing up. Always loved that tree and the shade it gave off in the summer heat. I felt the same intensity as a sharp blast of Nevada wind combined with a noon sun blaring its rays, and I nearly shivered. Something about this buxom redhead intrigued me, and it wasn’t her beauty. Although my dick would argue that fact, pressing into the denim of my jeans as I imagined all the ways I’d bring her pleasure just with my mouth alone.

“I’m not the kind of girl that you forget. A one-night stand with me will never be enough.”

She was probably right about that. I usually didn’t take a woman to bed more than once, not with the life I led, but she sure as hell made me think twice about it. I reached for her hand and held it, rubbing circles onto the smooth, soft surface of her skin. Other than a tan, nothing else marred its perfection. “Tell me your name, beautiful,” I demanded, my voice low and tinged with desire. “I need to know it.”

“Why?”

“Cuz when I come back, I plan on making you mine. Forever.”

She shook her head and snorted, amused by my declaration. “Bella.”

“Last name?” I pressed, completely serious. I planned on returning tomorrow night and every night until I managed to get her on the back of my Harley. Didn’t matter how much she refused. I’d wear her down eventually.

“Hart.”

“Bella Heart. Damn, baby. You sure just stole mine.”

A slight flush crept up her neck and dusted the apples of her cheeks. “No, there’s no e in Hart.”

It didn’t matter or change what I meant. “You’ll be seeing me again. Real soon.” I reached for a pen lying on the bar and snatched a piece of paper, writing down my number. I placed the note in her palm and then closed her hand around it, flashing a grin. “Put my number in your phone and give me a call or text so I have yours.”

“Uh, okay.” She seemed a bit surprised, and I liked that I could fluster her a little. She shoved the note into the front pocket of her frayed jean shorts. The kind that complimented a girl with a figure and plenty of meat on her bones. Just the way I liked my women. She needed to be able to take the pounding I’d give her.

“You made my night and long trip worth it, Bella.”

The guys from the other end of the bar called for another round, and I released her, watching her sexy ass as she walked over to them, replacing the beers they emptied. It should be a crime to have an ass like hers. Fucking round and with a slight jiggle, more than enough for a man to squeeze and plenty to slap. The kind of cushion that would take a beating when I slammed into her, fucking her from behind. I wanted to bite down and nip her flesh before shoving my cock into her pussy, and she flooded me with her cream.

Fuck. What a fantasy.

I intended to make that come true. Beautiful Bella was gonna be all mine.

“Goddamn. As I live and breathe, if it fucking ain’t Crow.”

I smiled at the words, slowly turning on the barstool to face Lou, reluctantly pulling my gaze from the sexiest thing in Nevada. “Ain’t you a sight for sore eyes,” I drawled, copying his southern accent. “Got a hankerin’ for some chew and a bottle of whiskey.”

A loud guffaw erupted from his barrel-shaped chest as he stepped forward, and I tackled him in a fierce hug. The old guy was as close to a father as I still had in this world other than my club’s V.P, Raven. The two men helped my father raise me, and I respected the old fuckers even if they did make my life hell growing up.

“Didn’t know you were back in town.” A shadow briefly passed over his features, but he schooled them, focusing on me with a welcoming smile. “Wish you had a better reason to return home.”

So did I. “You got someplace to talk?”

He nodded, gesturing to the back where we used to hold exclusive parties when we weren’t entertaining at The Roost. Pops wouldn’t let me near the place until I was twelve. Told me it wasn’t proper, which still amused the fuck out of me because he didn’t hide shit about his life, the club, women, fucking, riding, or anything else that would have shocked a young boy. And that was just the shit I saw around the house.

“Come on, son. We got plenty to discuss.”

“TELL ME WHAT YOU KNOW, Lou.”

“Not as much as I’d like, and that’s a fucking problem, son.” He scrubbed a wrinkled hand over his whiskered face and sighed. “Started as vandalism. Minor shit like a broken window or flat tires on the trucks. Rook figured it was just some kids messin’ round or local thugs tryin’ to move in on our territory.”

Nodding, I reached for the beer he slid my way, watching as the old guy settled into the seat across from me. “What changed his mind?”

“A note. Don’t know what the fuck it said, but it must have been bad because he stormed out of The Roost, shouting at everyone to stay behind. No one liked it, least of all Raven and Hawk. Raven followed him anyway, and then Hawk and Talon wouldn’t sit still either. Raven kept sayin’ somethin’ didn’t feel right. Talon was antsy as fuck. Couldn’t get him to calm down no matter what I said.”

“When did the vandalism start?” I asked, barely keeping the grit out of my voice.

“Two months ago.”

“And the note? Anybody find it?”

“No. Raven searched everywhere too. Said it had to be important to make Rook take off like that. Raven said he drew the line at going through Rook’s room and belongings. Made everyone wait for you.”

I slumped back in my seat, staring down the neck of the open bottle and losing all interest in a drink. “Fuck,” I finally whispered.

“That’s only the half of it.” He tipped back his beer and took a long swallow, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “Raven found your pops on the ground outside of Bakers’ Law Offices. No one knows why he was there. Doesn’t make sense that Rook needed a lawyer. The club has one on retainer. You know that.”

I nodded again, confirming his words.

“Rook was gunned down. Ambushed. He didn’t look like he had a chance to put up much of a fight.” Lou’s voice cracked, and he stood, throwing the bottle across the room as it slammed into the wall and shattered, glass and beer painting the walls and wooden floors with amber glass and fluid. “Filled my brother full of holes and left you an orphan. I’ll fucking kill those bastards myself when I find them.” His chest heaved, and Lou stumbled, his face flushing as I rushed to his side and helped the old crow back to his seat.

He patted my cheek as I bent down, concerned for his health. “The club will take them down, Lou. I’m counting on your help and guidance. It’s gonna be hard without pops here, but I won’t rest until I’ve gotten vengeance.”

“That’s my boy.” He flashed a sad smile. “Always thought of you like the son I never had. Don’t like the idea of you thinkin’ you’re an orphan. Know you well enough to see how it’s hurtin’ ya. You’re my kin. Never alone. That’s all there is to say.”

Choked up by his admission, I managed to nod my agreement.

“So when I say I want to kick your ass for not being here for Rook’s funeral, you know where I’m comin’ from. You got to answer for it, Crow. Ain’t gonna be able to avoid that beat down.”

Snorting, I stood, giving his shoulder a light squeeze. “The man who can take me down deserves to be pres.”

“That’s why none of ’em will be able to do it, but they’re sure as hell gonna try.”

“Is that a warning?” Amused, I crossed my arms over my chest, trying not to smirk.

“If I were ten years younger, I’d have come after you, but Raven said to stay put. Warned the club that he’d deal with it once you were home. Just givin’ ya a heads up. Bustin’ skulls is what I like to watch the most.”

“Besides a sweet piece of ass on a pole,” I countered.

He chuckled, shrugging. “Got to have somethin’ to look forward to in my old age. I love pussy. Sue me.”

My chest shook with laughter as I spun on my heel and headed toward the door. “Best get on my way then. You comin’?”

“Nah. These old bones need a little rest first.”

Didn’t think he was moving out of that chair as his eyes fluttered, and he let out a snore, startling himself for a moment before they closed completely. Damn, if that old guy didn’t share a piece of my black heart with my pops.

The door to the private room opened, and I saw Jackie, his caretaker/housemaid. She shook her head at Lou and smiled my way.

“He’s out?”

“Yep. He seems pretty worn out.”

“Been happenin’ a lot lately. He’s forgetting things too but don’t tell him I said that.”

“I won’t,” I promised. “He doin’ okay? Anything to be concerned about?”

“Nothing serious. I’m bettin’ that old coot will outlive all of us.”

Smirking, I had to agree. “You still have my number?” I rattled it off, and she nodded.

“Yep. I’ll call you if there’s ever a need.”

“Thanks, Jackie. Keep him comfortable. If you need anything, let the club know.”

“Will do, Crow.”

On my way through the building, I noticed the empty tables and one lone patron seated at the bar. The same guy with the scorpion tattoo and the black leather. He never looked my way, continuing to sip whiskey as he watched the morning news on the anchored flat screen above his head. A blonde with perky fake tits, too much makeup, and tight jeans cleaned glasses as she hummed under her breath.

Damn. Must have been a shift change. There was no sign of Bella.

I pushed through the doors and headed toward my bike, squinting as dawn plastered a cheery splash of bold color across the horizon—too goddamn bright. I pulled my shades from a pocket inside my cut and slipped them on. As my ass landed on the seat, I thought of my pops and felt a twinge of guilt for not being here for the funeral.

The club might be pissed, but that wasn’t important. We had a murderer to find, and as soon as I got to The Roost, I was calling for church. The time for bullshit and secrets was over.

I needed to take my place and prove I could lead this club and avenge Rook. Let our enemies come. They were about to face my wrath and all the fury of the Devil’s Murder.

The breeze was almost cool this early in the morning as I rolled to a stop at the four-way intersection, waiting my turn to cross. There was more traffic than I would have thought, but it was a Monday. My phone chirped with an incoming text, and I yanked the device out, scanning the screen.

Unknown: Bella Hart

A satisfied grin spread across my face as I added sexy Bella to my contact list, pleased with myself when I altered her last name.

Me: Hey darlin

Bella : You look hot on that bike.

My head snapped up, and I began searching around me, looking for that sweet little redhead and her luscious ass. I found her leaning against the wall outside the front entrance of IHOP, showing off her long tan legs and Chuck Taylor high tops. Her dark red hair was gathered up into a ponytail while sparkly animal print sunglasses covered those alluring green eyes I already adored.

Damn. She sure looked good enough to eat.

Me: Not hot. Hungry.

Not for food. I sure hoped she understood the innuendo.

Bella : I’ve got something yummy for you.

Me: Tell me it’s you, baby.

Bella : Come and get it.

Me: On my way!

I cut off traffic as I swerved to the right and turned her way, gliding into the IHOP parking lot and to a graceful stop in front of the goddess I wanted to gobble up like my last meal. Shouldn’t have been thinking with my dick, but that was the head in control, and I wasn’t ashamed to admit it.

Bella pushed off the wall and headed my way after scooping up a plastic container from the ground. She smiled wide as she held it up, popping open the top. “Just for you. Biscuits, gravy, sausage, and a loaded omelet. Figured a big guy like you could eat a lot.”

“You’ve got no idea. I can really build up an appetite,” I drawled, winking as I reached out and dragged her closer. “You should come for a ride.”

She laughed. “Not the one you’re offering.”

“Then let me take you home. It’s the least I can do.”

“What about my car?”

“We’ll come back for it later. You can put the container in my saddlebags. I’ve got some grocery sacks in there if you want to tie it up so it doesn’t leak.”

“Okay,” she relented, securing my breakfast before she approached, giving me a doubtful look. “You sure this thing is safe to ride?”

“As long as I’m with you, hell yeah. But don’t ever get on another man’s bike, especially not one of my brothers. Okay?”

“Why not?”

“Because it means something in my world, and I don’t want anyone to mess with you.”

She contemplated my answer and then finally nodded. “Alright.” Bella hiked a leg up and stepped over the seat, lowering her ass down on the leather as she leaned forward. “Should I hold onto something?”

“Yeah, baby. Me. Wrap those arms around my waist. Lean into the turns with me. Hold on tight.”

“Like this?”

“Nope.” I reached back and tugged her closer until I could feel the heat of her core against my ass and her tits pressing into my back. “That’s better. You ready?”

“Should I worry about a helmet?”

I didn’t have one with me since I packed a bunch of my shit and stuffed it into the saddlebags. Only had enough room for the food she gave me because I’d eaten what was stashed in there before I arrived in Las Vegas. The rest of my stuff was on its way. Should arrive from California in about three days.

“Sorry, darlin’. I didn’t have the space since I arrived from out of state and needed the room. You keep close to me, and we’ll ride safe. I promise you won’t ride again without one. No worries, yeah?”

“Uh, okay, yeah. That makes me a bit nervous,” she confided, hugging my waist tighter as the bike rumbled beneath us.

“Don’t be. I’ll be extra careful.”

“TAKE A LEFT,” BELLA yelled close to my ear, her sultry voice rising above the gritty roar of my Harley’s engine and combining with the endless wind. “My house is the stucco with the red awning and all the trees. Fourth on the right.”

We slowed down and idled at the end of her street, pausing for traffic before I swerved to the left, heading toward number 1401 on the righthand side. Perfectly groomed shrubberies, a Joshua and several black walnut trees, cacti, and even a banana tree decorated the front yard, trimmed with stucco pillars and connected by sections of pine fencing. A large carport stood empty, awaiting the vehicle still parked at IHOP. I’d take care of that once I dropped her off and returned to The Roost. The ranch-style layout was standard for the area, but I could tell there was plenty of room inside, indicative of the expansive windows that welcomed the sun’s bright rays.

I liked the look of the place with everything in its spot but still homey, the table and chairs on the porch facing the street and a pretty windchime tinkling in the warm breeze by the front door. Seemed like a great place to put down roots and raise a family if that was what she wanted. Good schools. Safe neighborhood. All the normal shit people wanted in life but not what an outlaw like me ever ended up obtaining. Wistful, I rolled to a stop on the driveway and nearly sighed when she pulled away and stood.

“It’s a dangerous thing, ya know,” I began, watching her as she faced me.

“Oh?”

“I know where you live,” I joked.

“You do. And you have my full name and phone number. Everything you need to become a professional stalker.” Her lip twitched as she said the words, clearly amused.

Since she wasn’t in a hurry from my side, I seized the opportunity to reach out and tug her close, one hand curling around her hip as the other rested on the handlebar of my bike. “Let me have your keys, darlin’.” I didn’t explain why and wanted to see if she would obey me or question my motives.

Bella dug in the oversized purse slung across her shoulder and dangled them out of reach. “I know you’re being nice and having my car brought to me. It’s sweet, but if you put some kind of tracker on my baby, I’ll have to kick your ass.”

A laugh burst from my chest as I tugged her closer, pressing a kiss to her stomach over her t-shirt. At some point, she changed out of the tight tank she wore when I met her at the bar, and I missed seeing her full tits ready to burst from the material.

My head lifted, and I flashed a grin. “Not smart to tempt a biker, honey. We always rise to the occasion.” Yeah, I meant that multiple ways as my thickening cock was quick to agree.

“I can handle you,” she replied breathlessly as I let my hand wander, cupping that succulent ass of hers without hesitation. “You sure take what you want.”

“You have no idea,” I drawled, not the least bit unfazed. “Give me some sugar until I see you again.”

Bella bent at the waist, her face hovering in front of mine before she placed a chaste kiss on my cheek. Light laughter bubbled from her lips as she danced away, heading toward her front door. At the last minute, she turned, giving me a little rump shake. “I’ll be ready when you pick me up.”

Damn. This woman was perfection. Beauty. Brains. Humor. Sass. The whole fuckin’ package.

Ol’ lady material.

Fuck if I didn’t want her somethin’ fierce.

“For?” I asked, teasing.

“Our date, Mr. Crow of the Devil’s Murder MC. I’m countin’ on you to show me a good time.”

“No worries there, darlin’.”

“Oh, and you’re not getting lucky. No pussy for you until I say so. And that’s at least the third date. Before you get any ideas, you should know most guys don’t make it to the second date.”

I opened my mouth to give a snappy retort when she held up a hand.

“Baby,” she purred, running her hands over her curves, “This is worth it.”

Fuck me. I didn’t doubt it.

“Then I’ll have to charm you into that second date, Bella Heart.”

“We’ll see.” She tossed her hair behind her back as a gust of wind blew the long red strands in her face. “My car is the smokey gray ’69 Mustang with black racing stripes. Tell your prospect not to put a scratch on her or face my wrath.”

Hot damn. A car as sexy as the woman driving it. “Not a scratch,” I promised as she gave a little wave and then unlocked her door, disappearing inside without another word.

THE RIDE TO THE ROOST only took fifteen minutes, and I slowed to a stop at the gate, looking over the prospect with unruly tawny hair that stuck out from underneath his worn, faded hat. The logo on the front was ours: Rook’s Towing & Recovery LLC. A design my pops made on his computer after he took a class online nearly a decade earlier, and we never changed it. The towing, repo, and recovery business was how we made legit income and helped funnel the cash from our other, less legal sources.

I stared at the kid’s patch, noting the clean t-shirt underneath his cut and the shiny boots. Someone kept tabs on him. Wasn’t sure who his sponsor was since it was the first time I had met this new prospect. Whipping off my shades, I gave him a stern look.

“You lettin’ me in or what, prospect?”

He glanced down at my cut, his eyes widening when he saw the patches and my name. That’s right, dumb fuck. I’m Crow.

“Uh, y-yes, of course, Mr. C-Crow.”

Fuck. This kid stammered his words like a virgin gettin’ her first sight of stiff dick. I shook my head, snorting with humor as he rushed forward, opening the gate wide enough for me to roll on through. I headed toward the clubhouse and the first spot—reserved for the president—and noticed the vacancy with a twinge of anger. It wasn’t my bike that should have been parked there. The space belonged to my father for as long as I could remember. Never saw a single soul dispute that fact, either. Even my grandad had given up the position by the time I was old enough to realize the significance.

Taking Rook’s space seemed sacrilegious. I didn’t like it, but that wasn’t the point. If I didn’t ride in here and park my bike where the president’s space was reserved, I was making a statement that would start a shitstorm. As Rook’s son, I inherited the club, and my brothers expected me to take my place as their leader. Didn’t matter what shit happened in the past. This was where I was meant to be and where I was meant to stay.

But oh, there was gonna be some ass-kickin’ tonight, and like Lucky Lou mentioned, I had it comin’.

Lifting my head high, I parked my bike, killed the engine, and rose, stalking my way to the front entrance and beyond. The familiarity of home hit me three seconds before all hell broke loose.

The first crack at my jaw came from the right. Raven didn’t waste time, setting the tone of the evening as he let his fists fly, jabbing me in the gut after knocking my head sideways. I barely had the time to blink before Hawk and Talon were on me, each brother gettin’ in some hits before I fought back. Only took a few jabs to lay them out, nursing sore jaws on the floor as Carrion tackled me from behind.

I slung the big fucker over my shoulder and slammed him down on his back, jumping back as he kicked out. Claw took a shot at my kidneys as I winced, spinning around to land a punch to the side of his head. He stumbled as Swift and Jay closed in. Assholes didn’t hesitate to tackle me at the same time, and the three of us tumbled to the ground, fists pummeling into one another.

Falcon pulled them off me with a grin. “My turn.”

I dodged his fist, but he lifted his knee and caught me in the groin. Fuck!

Cuckoo showed up last, yelling at the top of his lungs as he dove into us, knocking my head back against the fuckin’ hardwood floors. My ears rang as I shook my head, sitting up in time to see his crazy-ass grin.

“This is for missin’ the funeral, brother.”

I didn’t flinch as he swung, only noting the rattle of my teeth as I slumped over, vaguely aware of Falcon’s grunt as I fell on him.

This was gonna be a long goddamn night.

One week earlier—

“H-hello,” I managed to stammer, answering the call I’d been waiting for over an hour to receive as soon as the unknown number flashed across the screen.

“Hello, Bella.”

Swallowing hard, I tried not to let the fear I felt creep into my voice. I had to stay strong.

“What do you need me to do?”

“Ah, straight to the point. No bullshit. So impressive, Bella,” the gruff voice replied, drawing out my name, “Honesty and trust are important. Wouldn’t you agree?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Good. That makes things much easier.”

Shit. What things?

“Brianna has something of mine that I want back. You’re going to retrieve it for me.”

“I’ll try,” I promised, having no idea what the freak on the other end of the line wanted.

“Ah, not try, sweet Bella. You must obey. If not, things will get very messy.”

I heard a cry in the background, and my heart sank, recognizing Brianna’s voice as she called out my name.

“Bree!” I screamed, nearly hysterical. “Please don’t hurt my sister.”

“That depends entirely on you.”

“Please,” I sobbed, gripping the phone so tight I thought it might crack. “Let me talk to her. We can make this right.”

“Yes. You will.”

“Whatever you think she did, I can take care of it. Please, give me a chance,” I begged.

There was a muffled sound, and Brianna’s panicked voice filtered through the line.

“It’s okay, Bell. We’re both going to be fine. Just listen to the instructions. Alright?”

“Everything is not fine!” I exclaimed, my chest heaving as I imagined all the ways they would hurt her while I was helpless to do anything. “You’ve been kidnapped!”

“Bella,” she replied calmly, “Both of our lives are on the line. Do what these guys say, and then I’ll be released. Keep your wits, okay? I love you!”

There was a dark chuckle as Bree gasped, and I thought I heard what sounded like a slap followed by a moan of pain.

“I’ll help!” I screamed, desperate to keep my sister safe. “Whatever you need me to do, I’ll do it.”

“Such a cooperative girl. I knew you would be sweet like Brianna. What lovely sisters. Pretty little family. Just like the pictures in the living room of your house. Didn’t it belong to your grandmother before she died?”

“Yes,” I whispered, shaking as I realized this monster knew everything about us. “Brianna is all the family I have left.”

“No one has to get hurt. You do as your told, and we won’t have any problems.”

“Yes, sir,” I immediately responded, terrified of what Bree faced if I failed. “I’m listening.”

“There’s a safe deposit box in Las Vegas. I’ll text you the address and information. There’s something inside that I need you to pick up.”

“Okay.” No point in asking what it was.

“Call me once you have it.”

“Won’t I need a key to access the box?”

“Yes. I’m having a friend join you. He has the key. A little insurance in case you decide to go to the police.”

Shit! “Where do I meet him?” I didn’t want some asshole showing up at my house. Not that I had a choice.

“He’ll be waiting for you outside of the post office.”

“How will I know who he is? What’s he look like?”

“You’ll know him by the scorpion tattoo on his neck. Two hours. Don’t be late.”

The kidnapper hung up, and I sank into a nearby chair, my trembling body the only indicator that I still lived and breathed other than the rapid rise and fall of my chest.

“Oh, Bree,” I whispered, “What did you do to piss these guys off?”

My sister wasn’t a criminal. She worked as a secretary in the mayor’s office in downtown Henderson. Bree always obeyed the law, an obedient citizen with a clean record. Not even a parking ticket.

How did she get mixed up in this mess?

Sighing, I slowly rose and headed to my room, changing clothes into my favorite jeans, boots, and a tank top. The heat was already climbing to scorching levels, and in two hours, it would be downright misery. The forecast said it would be one of the hottest days this summer.

I tried not to think of my sister as I paced the house, cleaning, sorting laundry, and keeping busy with meaningless tasks until it was time to leave. Setting my worry and concern aside was difficult, but I had to focus. As soon as I walked outside, I shoved my shades over my eyes and slid my ass onto the seat of my baby. My ’69 Mustang was the only real thing of value that I cherished in this world other than my grandmother’s house and the jewelry she left behind for Bree and me. Mostly costume pieces with more sentimental value than monetary worth.

The car idled in my driveway as my phone vibrated with an incoming text. Instructions popped up and an address for the post office in Vegas. Two more texts came through in quick succession.

Unknown: Box 59

Unknown: I’ll be watching. Thirty minutes.

Following my GPS, I backed out of my driveway and headed toward the highway, merging into traffic as I gripped the steering wheel. My teeth nibbled on my bottom lip as I tensed, wondering if I’d live beyond the next twenty-four hours and be reunited with Bree.

The parking lot wasn’t busy, considering it was a Monday. Other businesses were open to the left and right in the same plaza, but I was too preoccupied to notice or remember the names. It didn’t seem logical to park anywhere but directly in front of the entrance. Maybe that was foolish, but I didn’t think the kind of guys I was dealing with were worried about me as any kind of threat. Besides, I might need a quick getaway if everything went to shit.

I sat for five minutes and then opened my door, nearly jumping back when I saw a tall figure merge from behind a dark van a few spaces away. He towered over me, and I was almost five foot eight. Big and beefy, with dark eyes and a jagged scar nearly to his chin, he didn’t smile as he approached. I caught the scorpion tattoo stretched across his neck and almost shivered.

“Here,” he growled, reaching for my hand and shoving the safe deposit key into my palm. “No sudden movements. Don’t alert anyone. I’m watching from the van. Don’t be foolish.”

I couldn’t quite place his thick accent. It wasn’t Russian but definitely foreign. He didn’t speak like an uneducated man. For some reason, that really spooked me.

“I’ll be back as quick as I can.”

He nodded, spinning on his heel as he stalked toward the van and climbed inside.

My lungs dragged in air as I breathed a couple of times, trying to calm down before I walked into the post office. This was nothing. Easy. Just unlocking a box, taking whatever was stashed inside, and bringing it out here to give to scorpion guy.

Plastering a fake smile on my face, I gripped the key in my fist and entered.

No one asked for I.D. When the box was brought out, I stood alone, staring down at the object like it was a vicious rattlesnake ready to strike. What if there was a bomb in there? Weapons? Drugs?

My hand shook slightly as I inserted the key and turned to the left, tensing with apprehension, almost shrieking when the catch released and the box popped open. A shaky laugh escaped my throat when I saw a padded envelope. The contents were sealed shut, and that was fine with me. I didn’t want to know what was inside.

Without hesitation, I snatched the package up and headed back outside.

The goon with the scorpion tattoo waited for me. His gaze swept over the envelope, and he nodded. “We’ll be in touch.”

“Wait!” I shouted, but he ignored me, returning to the van and pulling out of the parking lot.

What was I supposed to do now? How did I find my sister?

A bad feeling sank into the pit of my stomach. This nightmare was only beginning.

PRESENT TIME—

Almost an entire week had crawled by since I picked up the package at the post office, and there hadn’t been any contact from the kidnappers. I lived each moment filled with anxiety, fear for my sister, and confusion. Why keep me waiting? It didn’t make sense.

And what was in the envelope? It wasn’t thick or heavy, but it wasn’t flat either. Something besides paper was inside, and I nearly opened it once or twice in spite. Tearing into it wouldn’t have helped Bree, which was the only reason I didn’t look inside or chuck it in the trash.

My nerves were frazzled.

Maybe I should have gone to the police. Was I stupid for waiting around? Hoping I wouldn’t end up risking my sister’s life when I took a chance? The truth was, she could be dead already, and I wouldn’t know. But there was this feeling of being watched that never went away. I constantly looked over my shoulder and expected to see scorpion tattoo guy point a gun in my face at any moment.

I pulled into work and parked at the side of the building, up close to the employee entrance. About a year ago, I stumbled upon an ad in the paper and found Bull’s Saloon. The owner Lucky Lou was looking for a new bartender for the night shift three times a week. At the time, I needed a second job because I wasn’t bringing in enough money with my online sales. My jewelry company did okay, but I wasn’t growing rich anytime soon.

This place had become a second home. I loved old Lou, and the rest of the staff were good people. A little rough around the edges, but I didn’t mind that. I wasn’t as prim and proper as my sister. I enjoyed metal music, leather, chains, skulls, tattoos, wearing black, and tossing back shots of good liquor.

Maybe I was just a rebel by nature.

So it didn’t sit well with me at all that I was placed in my current predicament, waiting for the assholes who took my sister to issue the rest of their demands. As I entered the bar, I contemplated my next move, stashing my purse in the safe under the counter and grabbing a work apron. I had the black material tied around my waist, shoving in a couple of pens, mints, lip balm, and a mini notepad, before my head lifted and I caught the customers seated around the bar.

Two men were seated next to one another on my right. I stiffened when I caught the scorpion tattoo and scar on the face of the man who gave me the safe deposit key outside of the post office. Next to him, an evident associate, the other guy wore a matching black leather jacket. Was this the uniform required for hitmen? Irritated, I ignored both of them and set to work, greeting customers and filling drink orders.

Scorpion and his buddy never left.

It was after three in the morning when the place emptied, and all that remained were a couple of people in booths and the two mafia types at the bar. Scorpion waved me over.

“Whiskey. The good stuff.”

I placed a couple of shot glasses and the bottle in front of them, noting that the assholes probably weren’t going to pay, and I’d be stuck covering the shortage with my tips.

“How is my sister?” I asked, keeping my voice low but refusing to miss the opportunity.

“Alive.”

“Why hasn’t your boss called me yet?”

Scorpion shrugged. “His business.”

Narrowing my eyes, I leaned forward slightly. “I don’t like playing games. I want to talk to Brianna.”

Scorpion shoved away from the table and ticked his head toward the bathrooms. I noticed the slight pulse of the muscle in his jaw as he walked with purpose, and I knew he wanted me to follow.

Shit.

I sure hoped he wasn’t going to snap my neck and leave me for dead.

Lifting my chin, I slowly walked around the bar and then in his direction, hoping I was wrong, and the vibe he was giving off didn’t mean I was about to become his punching bag.

Determined not to show fear, I walked right up to Scorpion. He stood in the shadows between the restrooms and an emergency exit. The second I was within reach, he grabbed my upper arms and slammed me into the wall. My back met the stiff wood paneling, and I winced.

“You will wait for instructions. No more questions.”

Despite being at a disadvantage, I wasn’t backing down. “I’ve done that for a week. I need to talk to Brianna.”

His upper lip curled into a snarl, making the scar stretch tight on his face. “I will call. You stay silent.”

Nodding, I watched as he kept one hand around my arm and the other fished in his jacket for his phone. He swiped across with his thumb and opened his contacts, dialing the number. I heard three rings before the familiar voice of the kidnapper answered.

“Where is the girl?”

“At work.”

“You there?”

“Yes, boss.”

“Good.” He sounded far too pleased.

“Bella wants to talk to her sister.”

“I don’t give a fuck, Boris. We have work to do.”

Boris. The scorpion tattoo guy with the scar had a name, after all.

“Is the sister still alive?”

A string of curse words came through the phone as the kidnapper started yelling in another language. It sounded Slavic to me, but I wasn’t sure if he spoke Polish, Bosnian, or something else entirely.

Boris remained calm, but his grip on my arm tightened. Not enough to cause additional pain but enough to betray his agitation. They spoke for a couple of minutes but never returned to English. My gaze swept over the big man in front of me, and I contemplated kicking him in the balls and running from him, fleeing the bar, and heading straight to the police station.

I should never have cooperated with criminals, but all I kept thinking about was all the crime shows I’d watched and how the FBI and police managed to screw up abductions and negotiations. Brianna’s life wasn’t something I would risk, no matter how stupid it seemed.

There was a strange clanging sound on the other end of the line, and then I heard a door open, followed by a whimper.

“How is my little pet?”

“Fuck you!” Bree swore, her bravery and spirit still intact.

Relief flashed through my body, and I opened my mouth to call out her name when Boris slapped a palm over it. I tried to fight him, but he shook his head, staring into my eyes with a fierceness that promised pain if I didn’t comply.

“Ah, I shall enjoy breaking you, little pet.”

My stomach churned as I nearly gagged, trying not to think about what Bree had suffered over the last week. I managed to shake my head, pointing to the phone.

Boris remained impassive. “What are your orders, boss?”

“Wait for my text. Our visitor is coming to Henderson. He should arrive soon.”

My eyes widened, filling with tears when I heard Bree scream, and the dark laughter on the other end abruptly cut off when the kidnapper hung up.

Boris dropped his hands and backed away, staring at me with an expression that could only be described as neutral. Something in his dark eyes betrayed a hint of emotion, though. He turned his head and ticked his chin toward the bar. “Back to work.”

“Why?”

He frowned. “It is your job.”

“No. Why us?”

He didn’t answer, waiting on me to obey.

With a sigh, I returned to the bar, picking up a clean towel and wiping down the surface, cleaning the stack of glasses by the sink, and every other task I could think of that didn’t draw attention. Inside though, I was fuming. How dare these assholes take my sister and expect me to sit around at their beck and call. What the fuck was this about? What kind of trouble did Bree stumble upon?

An hour later, I felt mentally drained and still didn’t have answers. I needed a plan, but I didn’t know enough of the variables to do a damn thing without all the pieces of this puzzle. My determination was dwindling along with the hope that I would find Bree and bring her home unharmed.

I didn’t pay attention when the front door opened and I heard a customer enter. There wasn’t enough left inside me at the moment to offer a pretty smile and shake my tits, using my charm to gain extra tips. Not after hearing that my sister was fighting off the kidnapper and whatever he wanted to do to her.

Several minutes went by, and then I turned around, finding a rugged, handsome, bad-boy biker seated in front of me. He was every fantasy I’d ever indulged after watching Sons of Anarchy and the Mayans. His leather cut covered a t-shirt tight enough to hug his muscles but not in that too-tight, testosterone-overloaded, bodybuilder way.

No, he was perfectly delicious—two-day-old scruff, dark hair a bit overgrown and curling at his nape, draping over his forehead in that sexy way all women adored. Dark ink covered his arms in full sleeves and crept partway up his neck. Thick, chunky rings with skulls and a raven’s beak adorned a couple of fingers but no wedding ring, not that I expected him to wear one. Gray eyes, like a stormy sky, took in everything around him, and he noticed the two goons at the bar with a smirk.

I couldn’t help staring as I noticed the patches on his leather vest. Nomad. Crow. Devil’s Murder MC.

His name is Crow. I was familiar with the concept of road names and the vest motorcycle club members referred to as a “cut.” A tiny bird with black wings was tattooed above his right eye, and then I understood part of the reason he was called Crow.

My insecurities vanished, and I couldn’t wait for a second longer to snag his attention.

“Hey, Mr. Tall, Dark, & Handsome, what ya havin’?” I asked, flirting shamelessly.

The biker’s head snapped up in my direction, and he noticed me for the first time.

His brows shot up briefly, followed by a slow, seductive, panty-dropping smile that probably got this man more pussy than a wad of cash in a whore house. When he spoke, the deep, throaty timbre made me weak in the knees. I didn’t want him to shut up. The man could talk about the weather or whatever the hell he wanted as long as I could hear that sexy voice.

And then this smooth talkin’, honey-tongued devil asked me to marry him.

From that moment on, I think I was lost. Whatever I managed to say in reply had him all smiles. I could hardly focus on my job or anything else. He had a commanding way about him that caused my lady bits to quiver with need. I wanted a long hard ride on his Harley and his cock, and I wasn’t ashamed to admit it. A man like that fucked as beautiful as he looked, and I wanted to find out exactly what he was packin’ below the belt.

He wrote down his number and placed it in my palm, making me promise to text or call. Hell yeah. This girl was gettin’ some biker dick later, and the smile on my face proved how thrilled I was about it.

My happiness was short-lived.

Boris called me over to refill their drinks and the beers they also started drinking. I was probably out a hundred dollars tonight from their bill. My tips would barely cover it.

When I turned around, I found Lou with a big smile, chatting it up with Crow. The two seemed friendly and left the bar, retreating to one of the private rooms. Well, shit. My shift was almost over.

I’d have to contact Crow later.

Boris rose from the bar and ticked his head to the bathroom again. Wonderful.

I followed him and stood with my arms across my chest, glaring as he gave me the same bored expression. “The boss sent instructions. He expects a reply.”

“Why did I need to come over here to learn that?” I asked, annoyed.

“You will check your phone now.”

Fine. He wanted me to see it and not blow off his boss.

Tugging my cell out of my apron, I swiped across the screen and froze, staring down at the words like they would miraculously change. This couldn’t be right.

Unknown: Get into the Devil’s Murder clubhouse and drop off the package. Instructions to follow. Tell no one. Gain Crow’s trust.

My head lifted, and I couldn’t hide my surprise. “Why?”

Boris shrugged. “He will text with the drop-off location and further instructions.”

My shoulders drooped. “My shift is over.”

“Go home. Wait for text.”

For some reason, I just wanted to cry. Nothing in my life ever seemed to go right. The last week painfully punctuated that point. My sister was kidnapped and probably traumatized. I didn’t know if I would ever see her again. My jewelry business wasn’t thriving as I had hoped. I met a guy who could have been something special, and now I had to deceive him into trusting me.

What a mess!

The only thing I could do was follow through and keep Bree and myself alive.

JUST AS I SETTLED BEHIND the wheel of my car, my stomach rumbled. I didn’t eat all night, and now I was starving. IHOP was just around the corner, and I needed food. The restaurant was barely open this early, and I got seated right away. Once my belly was full, I stood up and headed toward the exit. Thoughts of Crow entered my mind, and I wondered how long he had been on the road. He seemed a bit dusty at the bar, not that it diminished his appeal in any way.

On a whim, I decided to order takeout and get Crow breakfast. A man like that probably had a big appetite and needed more than liquor to get through the day. The sky was growing brighter as I headed outdoors, and I tossed on my sunglasses, leaning against the restaurant’s exterior, trying to decide what to say to lure him my way. Traffic was picking up as the city awakened, coming to life on a Monday morning as people headed to work, picked up coffee, and rushed to their place of employment. I loved not having to live that grind of a nine-to-five job. Wasn’t my style. I didn’t see the appeal, but Brianna loved it.

The throaty roar of a motorcycle caught my attention as I scanned the vehicles at the intersection, noticing Crow on his bike. Damn. Talk about coincidence. I fired off a text, and he immediately answered. Feeling a bit bold, I told him he looked hot.

Crow’s head swiveled left and then right, noticing me right away. That man sure looked happy to see me. I felt a twinge of guilt and shoved it aside, giving him a welcoming smile as he rolled to a stop in front of me. I picked up the container with his breakfast and sauntered his way, offering up the food and plenty of promise. None of his husky, innuendo-driven replies were lost on either of us.

I dated a few bad boys in my past but never got lucky enough to ride on the back of a Harley. Always wanted to know if the hype lived up to the expectation. With my arms around his waist and the wind in my hair, I never felt freer than I did at that moment in the Nevada sunshine, holding onto this biker. He occasionally let a hand drift to my leg like he couldn’t hold himself back from touching me. His presence was intoxicating, a breath of fresh air I desperately needed. I felt almost lost when we pulled into my driveway, and the ride was over.

We made some small talk, and he asked for my keys so a prospect could bring my car home since I’d left my baby behind at IHOP. I handed them over, trusting he wouldn’t take my Mustang and run. Crow asked for some sugar, which I thought was a cute strategy to have my lips somewhere on his body. After a sisterly peck on his cheek, I walked to my door, hoping he watched every swish of my ass.

“I’ll be ready when you pick me up,” I let him know, catching the predatory look in his eyes.

“For?” The twitch of his lips betrayed his amusement.

“Our date, Mr. Crow of the Devil’s Murder MC. I’m countin’ on you to show me a good time.”

“No worries there, darlin’.”

“Oh,” I added, “You’re not getting lucky. No pussy for you until I say so. And that’s at least the third date. Before you get any ideas, you should know most guys don’t make it to the second date.”

He looked like he wanted to argue—hell, my lady bits already were—but I wanted to play up the hard-to-get angle and get us both hot and bothered first. And I wasn’t lying when I said most men didn’t make it to the second date. I had little patience for guys looking to get laid and didn’t bother to learn a single thing about me first. Crow struck me as different, although he didn’t shy away from the subject of sex. The biker practically announced he wanted in my pants every chance he had, but I still enjoyed the lighthearted banner both times we spoke.

“Baby,” I purred, running my hands over my curves in case he doubted I was into him, “This is worth it.”

“Then I’ll have to charm you into that second date, Bella Heart.”

“We’ll see. My car is the smokey gray ’69 Mustang with black racing stripes. Tell your prospect not to put a scratch on her or face my wrath.”

“Not a scratch,” he promised as I shook my bottom at him and then let myself inside, leaning against the door after it clicked shut. I noticed he took his time backing out of the driveway, his expression thoughtful.

Who said I couldn’t enjoy Crow and save my sister at the same time?

Maybe when this was all over, I could have some actual dates and get to know the real man beneath the leather and behind the patch. Something told me he was worth the extra effort.

Raven popped open a bottle of Jameson and nursed his sore jaw, opening and closing his mouth a few times. The Black Barrel whiskey was a favorite of ours when we drank together, and I knew it was a peace offering and his way of trying to smooth over the shit I walked into when I entered The Roost.

“You know you don’t have to crack open the Black Barrel for me,” I announced with a groan, turning my head to spit blood into the trash can. Pretty sure I chipped a damn tooth, and my lip was split. There was a gash above my left eye and a bruise on my jaw, not to mention my head pounded from Cuckoo’s meaty fist. My side ached, and there was a good chance one or two of my ribs were cracked.

Raven chuckled and then winced, pouring us both a full glass after dropping a couple of cubes of ice in each. He took a sip as he slid the other my way. “Shut up and fuckin’ drink.”

“That any way to talk to your pres?” I asked, goading him. Old fucker knew it too.

He tossed back a swallow and then swirled the amber fluid in his glass, contemplating my words. “You comin’ back to stay? The club needs its pres, not a nomad who doesn’t know where to nest. The Roost ain’t shit without the Holmes name. Your blood is in the soil and roots of this old clubhouse. Shit. This place is so much a part of your kin that your daddy passed on his name. Made you a junior and never wanted you to forget who you are or where you came from. He wanted you to lead this place when he was gone.” Raven scrubbed a hand down his face and downed the rest of the whiskey, filling his glass again. “Been Rook’s V.P. for a long time, Crow. Seen a lot of shit. My loyalty is to the club and your family. Always has been.”

“I know that, Raven.”

He slammed a fist onto the bar, clearly feeling emotional about the shit storm we were in. “I need to hear it, son. Tell me what you’re thinkin’. I’m too fuckin’ tore up to drag this shit out.”

I leveled him with a hard stare, not even blinking as I said the words I thought about the entire ride from Los Angeles. “This is my fucking club. I’m the president. No man sits on the throne unless he’s a Holmes.”

Raven blew out a breath and then nodded, grasping my shoulder as he finished off his whiskey. The man I knew and loved as much as my father stood and pulled me into his embrace. I thought I heard him sniffle, but I’d never call him out on it.

“You have my support.”

“Never thought I didn’t,” I replied as we separated, noting the fists pounding on the pool tables and nearby surfaces around the room.

“It’s not gonna be easy, pres.”

“Nothin’ ever is,” I deadpanned.

Raven tilted his head back and cawed, letting the call come from deep inside his chest. Many of my brothers joined him, each rattling their throats in a similar fashion.

The Devil’s Murder MC was a special breed.

“Church!” I hollered, picking up the bottle of Jameson and skipping a glass, heading toward the chapel. “Now, motherfuckers. I ain’t got all goddamn day. My father’s killer is out there.”

Shouts of agreement burst from those in the room as I passed over sacred ground, entering the place where we made all of our decisions, created business ventures, discussed finances, and overcame obstacles. Church was as integral and crucial to our survival as those who believed in a god and worshipped him on the sabbath. For bikers, church was our house of worship, and code was our bible.

I stood at the head of the table, my gaze slowly passing over the framed code we swore our allegiance to when we patched in. My grandfather’s signature was proudly scrawled along the bottom. He founded this club and was an original member, groomed my father, and later died defending it. Turned out that it was a legacy and a curse. My father died wearing his cut, and I had to wonder if he was defending the club too. Only fate knew where the fuck I fit in.

Tilting back the bottle, I gulped down a few swallows and set it down on the table with a soft thud. Butterscotch liquid swished around the interior and then settled as I picked up the gavel reserved for the pres. A heavy wave of emotion crashed into my chest as my fist closed around the wooden handle. I’d seen my pops wield this with both pride and sorrow over the years. It carried a heavy burden and a shit ton of responsibility, not to mention power. Took a strong will to handle it with precision, leadership, intellect, and skill.

Raven said being pres was in my blood. Pops told me the same thing once. I wasn’t sure I could live up to Rook’s name, but I intended to try.

My club members, the men I knew as brothers, quietly watched as I gathered my thoughts and finally slammed down the gavel.

“Church is in session. First order of business, I’m your pres, and any man who’s against it can take his ass through that door right now. Just drop your cut on the way out.”

Several men smirked. Claw shook his head. Raven stared down at the group as if he dared anyone to speak up.

Only Cuckoo uttered a sound. His crazy ass belted out a caw...caw, and then he laughed, shrugging his shoulders. “Too fucking tense in here.”

A few chuckles followed.

Hawk pounded a fist on the table, and I knew my Sargeant at Arms didn’t like the guys fooling around during church. “Listen up. Pres has the floor.”

“I’m not gonna act like I don’t know how hard it’s been. The club needs vengeance, and I won’t be stopping that. Hell, I welcome it. But before you all condemn me for not making it to Rook’s funeral, remember one thing.” I paused, staring each of them in the eyes. “He might have been the pres, but he was my father.” My voice broke, and I sucked in a breath, hating the weakness I showed but knowing they needed to feel my pain to understand it. “I wasn’t here when he needed me, and I let him down. I have to live with that, and I couldn’t show up to his grave without making this right.” My fist thumped my chest as I closed my eyes briefly. “I’ll avenge you, pops. I swear to fuck I’ll get vindication for your death and the club. Our enemies will fucking suffer. Their blood will paint the streets red.”

Raven jumped to his feet and roared, “Kraaaaa!”

The shouts of my brothers joined us, raising their fists and voices, each ready to hunt down our prey and spill the blood of the men who dared to murder Rook and start a war with the Devil’s Murder MC.

ROLLING OVER ON MY sectional, I pushed upward, groggily dragging my body to a sitting position. Faint knocking pulled me from the realm of seductive biker dreams, and my annoyance surged when I realized someone was knocking on my door. Ugh. Checking my phone, I noticed I had only slept five hours. No wonder I felt like shit.

I gathered my hair into a bun and made sure I wasn’t naked, striding up to the door and throwing it open with a hiss. “This better be good.”

A kid with a head full of wiry copper-colored hair blinked twice, stumbling over his words. “Uh, Mr. Cow said I sh-should, um, bring your car back to you, miss.” He held out my keys, smiling as I reached for them. His eyes swept over me once, and then he blushed. “Mr. Crow said he would see you this evening.”

“Okay. Thanks.” Patches on the kid’s cut only revealed that he was a prospect. He seemed young, barely legal enough to drink. “What’s your name?”

His head lifted, and he seemed to be concentrating on the roof of my porch. “Don’t got none. They call me Red sometimes.”

“You don’t have a name?” I asked, incredulous.

“Nope. Not until I patch in and receive my road name.” He flashed a quick smile. “I can’t wait.”

When his gaze swept over me again, he looked down, avoiding eye contact. Was he shy?

“Well, thanks for bringing my car back. Better not be any scratches,” I warned, joking with him. Red was far too tense.

“Not a single one. I drove extra slow on the way.”

“Great! Have a nice day, Red. Appreciate you bringing over my baby.”

“It’s a sweet car. Hot as fuck too.” He cleared his throat. “Uh, bye.”

He took off like his ass was on fire, and I watched him walk to the sidewalk, practically running back to the IHOP, where he probably had his transportation waiting.

I shook my head at his odd but somewhat sweet behavior and entered the house, closing the door and locking it before I tossed my keys in my purse. Yawning, I headed into the kitchen, catching my reflection in the mirror.

Oh shit!

It was hot when I fell asleep, and I forgot that I had stripped most of my clothes off. I wore a pair of black lacy boyshorts and a black sports bra. I must have tossed and turned a lot because half my breast was flopping out of the bra, and most of my nipple was exposed. Laughter bubbled up my chest, and I couldn’t stop giggling at the thought of poor Red trying not to stare at my tits. That prospect tried hard not to look, but he couldn’t help himself. His gaze slid over me a few times, and he swallowed hard. I probably added to his spank bank tonight.

“Oh, hell,” I whispered, shaking my head. “I needed that laugh.”

My phone buzzed, and I rushed from the kitchen, snatching it up as I caught the missed call.

Crow. Shit. Should I call him back?

I didn’t get a chance. He must have hit redial because his name popped up as I contemplated my next move. After three rings, I swiped across the screen.

“There better be a reason you’re interrupting my beauty sleep, Crow.”

“Aw, darlin’, you don’t need it.”

I’d bet anything he was grinning that I’ll-gobble-you-up smile while he said it. “Aren’t you sweet?”

“To you, baby? Always.” He paused, and I heard someone talking to him in the background. “Better wear boots tonight and nothin’ too fancy.”

“Oh?”

“Our date involves the outdoors.”

“Going all romantic on me, Mr. Biker?”

“Somethin’ like that, sugar. Be ready for me. I’m comin’ in hot.”

“Just the way I like,” I quipped, shamelessly flirting back.

“Damn, honey. You gave me a chub. Don’t say things like that unless you want my tongue invading all your sweet spots.”

Um, hi. Sign me up. Yes, yes, yes. “You’re a smooth talker. Better have the equipment to back it up.”

“Want to find out tonight? I’ll show you.” Soft laughter filtered through the phone with a touch of grit, and I swear I nearly orgasmed on the spot.

“You’re dangerous, Crow.” To my heart and my life. He was everything I wanted, coming at the wrong time in the worst circumstances. How was I so unlucky? Couldn’t the universe give me a break for once?

“Only to your heart, darlin’. Got to get goin’. See you at six.”

He never bothered to ask if I had the night off. Crow probably assumed I did or that I would change plans for him. Such arrogance. And yet, at the same time, I enjoyed his confidence and sex appeal. The man was pure sin. I wanted to lick him like my favorite sucker and savor every inch of his hard flesh. My imagination ran wild, and I headed toward my bedroom, opening the dresser drawer for the release I needed as the ache between my legs pulsed, and I felt my thighs slicken.

If thoughts of sex with Crow brought on this kind of reaction, what would the actual deed be like?

“Alright, fuckers. Have a seat. We got shit to plan,” I announced, dropping into my chair as the room fell silent. “I need to meet with Raven, Hawk, Claw, and Talon. There’re a few things to sort out before we start hunting. Church tomorrow at noon. Get some pussy and beer because we won’t be celebratin’ until Rook’s murderers are dead.”

Most of the guys filed out until only the four I mentioned by name remained.

“Tell me about the vandalism.”

Raven leaned back, pulling out a smoke and lighting up. He took a long drag and then nodded. “You know how it is in the Vegas area. Lots of punks and gangbangers who want to make a name for themselves by fucking with an established club like ours. We didn’t think much about it at first. Some broken windows and slashed tires. A couple of requests for tow jobs, but when we arrived, no one was there. Felt like someone was laughin’ their asses off behind our back and watchin’ us get the runaround.”

Hawk looked pissed. “I didn’t like it then, and I don’t now, pres. They were fucking with us alright, and it ain’t completely stopped.”

“What do you mean?” I asked sharply, starting down my S.A.A. “Spit it out.”

“Two nights ago, someone left a note on the windshield. Left it under the wiper on one of the tow trucks. Fuckin’ assholes.”

Raven blew out a breath. “We didn’t want to bring it up in front of everyone. Not until we had a chance to talk it through with you first.”

Hawk pulled a piece of paper from his cut and tossed it on the table with disgust.

I snatched up the note, snarling when I read the contents written in all caps with black marker: AN EYE FOR AN EYE.

“What the fuck?” I asked, crumpling it up in my fist. “Lou said my dad got a note too. Somethin’ spooked him about it, and that’s why he took off alone. Where is it?”

“Couldn’t find it,” Talon spat, cracking his knuckles. “Rook was pissed. Never seen him torn up.”

Raven shook his head. “It was more than that. He seemed almost afraid.” He held up a hand when I started to argue. “Not afraid of any enemy. It was like he was afraid for someone else. Like he was worried about you, Crow.”

Fuck.

“You think I’m a target,” I realized, sitting back in my chair. “That’s what this is about. Getting rid of the competition. The Holmes bloodline.”

“Makes sense,” Hawk agreed. “Comin’ for your pops was only the beginning. With you gone, they could target the whole damn club.”

“The question is,” Raven added, “Who is “they”? Ain’t a single soul come forward and claimed responsibility for this. There’s no doubt this was a hit on Rook and the club. We need to find out who and why before we can take them out.”

“Starting with that note and the fucking lawyer pops went to visit. Tell me you already did this.”

“Your dad’s rooms are now yours, Crow. The whole damn area upstairs and his private apartment. Search through it. Maybe you’ll find somethin’ we missed.”

“And the lawyer?”

“No sign of him. The building has been locked since Rook’s murder. We’ve had a prospect watching, and no one has come back or opened the offices,” Hawk explained. “There’s a possibility the lawyer is either kidnapped or dead. Not sure which at this point.”

“Goddamnit!” I roared, rushing to my feet. “Fuck!”

“Or he could be in hiding,” Talon mused, giving a shrug. “It would make sense he’d run scared. Probably saw Rook’s killers. Maybe they threatened him. Maybe he got out of there before they had a chance to snatch him. Who knows? Point is, he’s in the wind.”

“That’s not fucking helpful,” Claw muttered.

“Yeah? You got better ideas, asshole?”

“Don’t get all twisted like someone pissed in your cereal bowl,” Claw quipped, ducking as Talon took a swing in his direction.

Raven gave them both a death stare. “Grow up, fuckers.”

“I forgot this place is a fucking daycare,” I deadpanned. Talon wasn’t wrong, though. He was a good enforcer, and he always thought like one. Made him an asset to the club, and I appreciated his insight. “It’s logical he’s out there somewhere, Talon. You’re right about that.”

“If they took him, I’m bettin’ they would’ve killed his ass and made an example of him already.”

“Exactly.”

“I can find him.”

The calm tone was a direct contrast to the tense voices in the chapel.

I turned toward the door, catching Eagle Eye. “Yeah?”

“Ain’t possible to hide in this world for long without popping up somewhere. I’ve already been tracking him. Not found him yet, but I will. Fucker ain’t using credit cards, and that’s smart, but he can only go so long without accessing funds, and when he does, I’ll know it.”

“Hell yeah,” Talon exclaimed, fist-bumping Eagle Eye.

“You come to Crow first when you find out, then me,” Raven ordered, “Don’t care what time it is, day or night. When he surfaces, it won’t be long. He’s got to know he’s being hunted.”

“He does,” I agreed. “That’s the plan then. I’ll search for that note and pops’ stuff. See if I can’t find something useful. Get the fuck out of here. We got shit to do.”

Everyone left but Raven, reaching for the bottle of Jameson and pouring a shot. He tossed it down, then poured another, staring at the liquor thoughtfully. “You seem different,” he mused, lifting his gaze to meet mine. Icy blue eyes, almost too pretty for a man, assessed me with a quiet resolve that was almost unnerving and might have been if I didn’t know him as well as my pops. “You’ve grown up, son. I see the same qualities in you that I always respected in Rook. Same leadership, honesty, and loyalty, but there’s also a deadly viciousness hidden within, and when unleashed, it’ll rain hell down on those who harm you or the club. Damn proud to have you back, Crow.” He gave me a small smile. “And I’ll follow you into hell, pres. Just say the word.”

Touched, I swallowed hard, giving him a slap on the shoulder. “You’re like a father to me, Raven. You, Lou, and pops. All I had growin’ up since mom split. Had to grow up fast with a dad who was the pres of an MC. Rough life, but I wouldn’t have traded it for anything. Just want you to know, I love you too, you old fucker.”

Raven’s head tilted back as he belted out a laugh, chuckling for almost a full minute before he sobered up. “Right back at ya.” His smile slowly disappeared, and he clenched the glass in his hands, now empty. “Just got one worry, pres. Hopin’ this isn’t the Dirty Death MC.”

“I know. Same thought entered my head,” I admitted, “They’ve been quiet for years.”

“Too quiet. I’ll have Eagle Eye do some diggin’. He already watches out for them, but maybe we haven’t been paying enough attention.”

“Do it. Can’t take the risk that they’re a part of this. Until we know different, we continue as if nothin’ has changed. Carry on with business and keep our noses clean. Feds come snoopin’, and we ain’t got shit to hide.”

Raven winked. “We tow, and we repo, pres. That’s about it. The Devil’s Murder MC? Stand-up, law-abiding citizens.”

I shook my head, chuckling at his description. “Right. Listen, I got a date tonight. Need a couple of the guys to tail us in case of trouble.”

“I’ll send Talon and Cuckoo.”

“Good choice.”

Raven stroked the beard on his chin, giving me one of his bemused smiles. “A date? With who? You sure I ain’t gotten to her first and ruined her for other men? She one of those sexy broads Lou hired to bartend for him?”

“Fuck off,” I growled, annoyed he saw right through me, leaving the chapel with a scowl. Asshole.

Raven’s laughter followed me down the hall and out into the common room, and I had to keep my head turned so he didn’t see the humor I tried to hide.

TOOK ME OVER AN HOUR to figure out where I wanted to take Bella on our first date. I went through nearly half a pack of smokes until I thought of something perfect. At precisely six p.m., I pulled onto her street and then slowly glided to a stop on the driveway. I’d worn my best jeans and favorite midnight blue tee and shined up my boots.

Before I left The Roost, Raven had given me a once over, shaking his head. “You shine up like a new penny, pres.”

I flipped him off, ignoring the catcalls and whistles from the rest of the guys as I strutted toward the exit.

“Thought you might want to update your cut,” Raven casually announced, snagging my attention before I left through the door.

I spun around, noticing the patch he held up. “Shouldn’t have nomad on your cut anymore, pres. Ain’t right to ride around without the proper patch.”

Damn. He was right. I was so distracted by seeing Bella I forgot all about it. “You gonna sew it on for me, honey?”

A few chuckles erupted around us.

Raven held up a needle and thread. “Sure. Want me to stitch anything else up?”

Snickering, I gave him a wink. “Nah, need to stay pretty for Bella.” I shrugged off my cut, and Raven set to work, taking off the nomad patch and replacing it with president. Felt good to see it, if not a little emotional. My pops would have been so proud to see this as I reverently slid my cut back on.

Something shifted in the room, and everyone sat up a little straighter, my brothers’ smiles settling any doubts that still lingered in my head. This was how it was supposed to be, meant to be. Wasn’t the first time those words popped into my thoughts. Coming home felt like all the pieces of the puzzle were falling into place. Shouldn’t have taken Rook’s death to bring me back.

Not everyone in the room seemed thrilled, though; I knew there were still members I needed to convince. Didn’t make me angry to see it. I’d rather know up front and deal with it than have everyone smiling as they shoved the knife in my back. I wasn’t stupid. Sliding into Rook’s shoes and leading the club effectively would take time, but I was willing to put in the effort. If I knew anything about the men in this room, it was how deep their loyalty ran.

As I straddled my bike outside, firing up the engine, I caught the two hogs idling by the gate. Talon and Cuckoo were ready to ride, and I hoped they would keep enough distance they didn’t spook Bella. As I caught his gaze, Talon gave me a chin lift, but Cuckoo made me do a double-take. Deranged fucker was wearing a goddamn Scooby-Doo mask. Seriously. With the fucking tongue hanging out too. And he had the audacity to laugh like Scooby when I sent him a glare.

“HeeheHeHEHeHe.”

Fucking hell. Closing my eyes briefly, I shook my head, trying not to get annoyed.

“Ruh-roh,” he laughed, noticing my reaction.

Talon bent over, laughing so hard I thought he would piss himself.

Christ. What the hell did I get into coming back to Nevada?

Without a word, I pulled back on the throttle and sped by the two jokesters, hoping they focused on their task tonight and stopped fucking around once I picked up Bella.

That was twenty minutes ago.

Kicking down the stand, I stood up and walked with purpose to her door, knocking loud enough she couldn’t miss the fact that I was there. Didn’t think she did, though, not with the unmistakable roar of my Harley. I lifted my shades and placed them over my head, wanting to get the full effect of her beauty when she opened the door.

Bella slowly turned the knob, and then there she was, as fucking gorgeous as I remembered.

“Fuck me,” I blurted, taking in the loose shirt she wore, exposing one shoulder as the dark purple material slipped to the side. Jeans so goddamn tight they looked painted on made my mouth water. And then there was that sensual, pouty smile that usually annoyed the fuck out of me with other women but just seemed right somehow on her. “You sure you don’t want to marry me? Tonight?”

Her head tilted back, and I caught the slim column of her throat, wishing my lips could trace every inch of her skin along with my tongue.

Instant. Fucking. Hard-on.

I wasn’t gonna last the night without kissing her.

“Where are we headed?” I asked, locking the front door as I shut it, turning around in time to catch Crow swallowing hard and his focus on my ass.

His head snapped up, caught in the act as he flashed a grin. “You’re gonna have to repeat that, baby, because I didn’t catch a word you said. Don’t you know that ass of yours is like waving a red flag in front of a bull? I get worked up every time you turn around.”

“Good thing this sexy ass will be behind you on that bike.”

“Don’t mean you’re safe. In fact, I’d say you better watch out, Bella.”

“Why is that?” I asked, full of sass as I popped out a hip, daring him to get dirty.

“When I hunt, I always catch my prey.” The hungry look in his eyes conjured a need so fierce I nearly jumped him on the spot.

“Better get on the road, or our date won’t get a chance to start.”

“And I sure want that second date, beautiful.”

Crow handed over a helmet as we approached his bike, pausing to help strap it snugly. “Gotta keep you safe.”

“Glad you remembered.”

“Of course, darlin’.”

Five minutes later, my arms wrapped around his waist as the wind picked up, whipping around us as we weaved through traffic. I had no idea where we were headed until he pulled into the parking lot of In-N-Out Burger. “Yes,” I squealed in his ear as he laughed.

“What you want, honey?”

“A double-double, fries, and a chocolate shake.”

“Everything on the burger?”

“Yep. No other way to eat it.”

“You got it.”

He ordered the food, nearly three times as much as I wanted, and we rode through the line, paid, and then pulled over once we had our bags. Yes, plural.

“There’s a thermal bag in my saddlebags. Put the food in there, so it stays hot for us. We’ve got a bit of a ride.”

“Okay.” I noticed the blanket tucked inside but didn’t comment on it.

We merged onto Hwy 11, and I still wasn’t sure where he was taking me until we approached Boulder City, and then I knew the surprise.

“Hoover Dam!” I exclaimed, squeezing his waist.

“Pretty placed to watch the sunset,” he yelled above the wind and the engine’s steady rumble. “Almost there.”

We didn’t take the usual route that most cars traveled. Crow turned onto an unmarked dirt road and rode on it for a couple of miles, following the path to a gate. He pulled his phone out and texted someone, ticking his head toward the gate when it opened.

“Helps to know people.”

I had to agree.

We took a path that led above the dam, higher than I would have thought possible until the road spilled onto a flat space that overlooked the blue-green water below. The spot was perfect and secluded, far enough away to have privacy and yet still enjoy the view. If we wanted to walk the area, we only had to ride ten minutes to reach tourist parking. The sun beat down mercilessly, but it wouldn’t be long before it began to sink toward the horizon.

Crow cut off the engine and pushed down the stand, rising off the seat after me. We grabbed the food, and he shook the blanket, covering the hot sand. He also managed to slide out a beach umbrella with a collapsible handle. Once in the shade, we spread out the food and began to eat.

I didn’t tell him this was my favorite fast food restaurant, but he probably knew that by my enthusiasm and the noises of bliss I made with every bite.

“Tell me what you do for a living,” he asked in that authoritative voice I was learning to recognize, taking a massive bite of his burger. “I want to know everything about you.”

I swallowed the French fry I’d been chewing and watched him eat for a moment, not the least bit surprised he was almost finished with his first burger and reached for the second. “I work part-time for Lou at Bull’s Saloon, but that’s not my passion.” I picked up my burger and bit into it, swallowing before continuing, “I love jewelry. Not the stuff you buy in a store but the kind that takes skill and a discerning eye to craft. I’ve got a shop on Etsy and eBay, and I attend local shows when possible.”

“Huh, let me see some of the pieces.”

I picked up my phone and swiped across the screen, bringing up my shop. “Here, check these out.”

Crow leaned closer, resting his hand behind me on the blanket. His aftershave or cologne—I couldn’t tell which—drifted across my nose in the gentle breeze. Hints of leather, bourbon, cloves, and pine trees tickled my senses as I watched him stare at the pictures, slowly swiping from one to the next. He took his time, not rushing as if to appease me but genuinely taking an interest in each creation.

“Damn, baby. You’re talented as fuck.”

It had been years since I blushed, but his thickly spoken, husky words stirred something wild and primitive deep inside, and a thrill flashed through me that a man like him would take an interest in something much less entertaining than motorcycles and his club.

“Thanks. You see these?” I asked, scrolling back a couple of pics. “It’s Nevada turquoise. I dig for it myself and work with the Royston Mine to find quality rocks. It’s got a beautiful blue-green spiderweb turquoise that’s perfect for jewelry. Raw, but workable and polishes so pretty,” I gushed, gazing up and into his eyes.

A soft smile lifted his mouth before he replied. “You have the sexiest voice. I could listen to you talk all night.”

Funny, I thought the same thing about him when we met. “You flatterer.”

“I never say things I don’t mean.”

He didn’t blink or look away, and I believed him. I took the phone back as he handed it over. “Then I’ll trust you that it’s true.”

“That’s a good start, darlin’.”

“What about you? Anything other than leather, motorcycles, your club, and drinkin’ that occupies your time?” I asked, snatching up a fry.

He snorted at the description. “A biker’s life ain’t summed up quite like that. I like to feel the wind at my back, but I like your arms around my waist more.” He winked, and I knew he was only half-serious. “There’s nothin’ like being a part of the club. My brothers are my family. The Devil’s Murder MC isn’t a hobby or something I do part-time. The club is my life. It’s the most important and a priority over everything else. Need you to know that, baby.” His tone grew serious. “Any woman I’m with would have to understand how this works. I’m hopin’ that woman is you, Bella.”

My gaze shifted to his cut. The nomad patch was gone, replaced with the title of president. “Oh, wow,” I whispered, dread sinking into my stomach. “I thought you weren’t a regular member.”

He frowned. “My father used to be president.” He blinked, and I caught the anguish he couldn’t hide. “After his murder, I came home to lead the club.”

“His murder?” I asked, horrified. “When?” Thoughts of my sister surfaced, and I felt foolish for being on a date and agreeing to gain the trust of a man who was much deadlier and more connected than I first realized. He was the president of a notorious motorcycle club.

What the hell was I thinking!?

I stood in a rush, knocking my half-eaten burger into the dust. Panic rose in my chest as I realized the manipulation that led me to this point. My sister was kidnapped, a man murdered, and I had a package that needed to be delivered to Crow’s clubhouse with who knew what inside.

“Hey.” Crow approached me as I backed away, my gaze darting left and right as I noticed there was nowhere to run. The dam below was straight down from the edge of this cliff and the drop-off. If I ran, I would never outrun him. It never occurred to me that he was more concerned than suspicious.

“Baby.”

I didn’t answer, holding up my hands.

“Bella, honey, you’re worrying me. What’s the matter?”

“Does your club do illegal stuff?”

“You know I can’t answer that. Club business is only for members.”

“I guess that answers the question.” He took a couple of steps in my direction, and I backed up, nearly stumbling over a massive, jagged rock. I winced as my ankle twisted, and I began to fall, tumbling backward as I screeched.

Crow bolted forward and caught me, preventing a nasty fall. “Shit. Are you okay?”

“My ankle hurts,” I answered with a grimace. “Stupid, stupid,” I muttered, thinking I was in way over my head. How could I hand over an envelope that could have biological weapons or explosives or something equally harmful inside? I didn’t want to hurt Crow or his club. I didn’t want any of this at all.

Tears filled my eyes, and I blinked them back, trying hard not to betray myself any further to this biker.

“Honey, you’re not making a lot of sense to me right now, but I think I should take a look at that ankle.” He lifted me easily and placed my bottom on the blanket. My leg was propped on his lap as he slowly untied the laces on my boot. He gently pulled the shoe off with careful hands and began prodding the area around my ankle. His fingertips barely applied enough pressure to feel anything until he pressed by the bone, and I winced. “Yep. You twisted it. Nothing serious, I believe. Why don’t we head to The Roost, and I’ll have Falcon assess it?”

“Is he a doctor?”

“Something like that.”

His vague answer made me uncomfortable, but I didn’t argue. After all, I was going to the exact place I needed to be in order to drop off the package. I’d placed the padded envelope in my purse before I left with Crow in case we ended up at the clubhouse.

When my boot was back on and loosely tied, Crow gathered up the blanket, folded it, and placed it in the saddlebags. He stowed the trash in a plastic bag, and I assumed it was kept to throw away later. After my pathetic reaction to the news about his father, I felt the need to make things right.

“Crow?”

“Yeah, honey?”

“I’m sorry.”

“For?” He scooped under my legs and lifted me, placing my bottom on the seat of his bike, but he didn’t release me. “Feel like I said somethin’ wrong, Bella. I’m not the kind of man that goes around making mistakes and needs to beg for forgiveness. For what it’s worth, if I said anything that bothered you, that wasn’t my intention.”

“I know that,” I assured him, placing a hand on his stomach, feeling the hard muscle beneath his shirt flex under my palm. “I guess I spook easily sometimes.”

He gave me a funny look. “You don’t strike me as the type, babe. You’re not weak. I’ve learned that about you already. And you don’t let others boss you around. Hell, your sass and confidence are a turn-on. I like my women strong. You’ve got to be able to fight for what you believe in.”

“What if you’re wrong? What if I’m not the person you think?”

He tilted my chin up, holding it still in his grasp. “I’m never wrong about people. Call it intuition or whatever you want. You’re not a deceiver or fake, Bella.”

God, if he only knew.

“You don’t know me well enough to say that,” I pointed out.

“Don’t need to, baby. I feel it.”

Sighing, I nearly told him the truth, but something held me back. Guilt? Fear for my sister? Probably both.

“Tell me somethin’, beautiful. I earn the right to a second date yet?” The words fell from his lips in a murmur, dripping onto my skin with the richness of honey, all the smooth seduction of a man who always got exactly what he wanted.

Those flint-colored eyes held an old soul but also something striking and fierce like thunder in a summer storm. He oozed sex and sin. Part of me wanted to hop on his body and ride him until we both came multiple times, sweaty and slick with wild abandon.

Maybe my pussy just needed a good fucking. I didn’t care if that was shocking. Men needed release, and so did women.

“Yeah,” I answered, giving him a small smile because even with all I faced right now, there wasn’t a single part of me that didn’t want to stay close to Crow.

“Just what I wanted to hear.”

Maybe I hoped he was a hero. Perhaps I didn’t care if he wasn’t.

I just hated feeling alone and helpless.

My sister and I grew up with loving parents, and when they died in a car accident, we went to live with our Gram at the tender ages of six and nine. Everything changed, and we learned to be strong, relying on one another to get through the hard times. Gram didn’t have a lot of money, but she made up for it with love and desserts. After she died five years ago, we were on our own.

Instead of growing closer together, Brianna and I grew apart.

She moved out. I stayed in Gram’s house, refusing to give it up.

We both regretted letting that chasm between us grow wider over the years. Until Bree went missing, I didn’t realize how much I was mourning her absence. The house wasn’t the same without my sister in it. I tried to stay busy, but it just didn’t work.

And the pain of the past had a way of creeping in.

I knew loss and tragedy in a way many people never experienced. It wasn’t some far-off thing hidden behind a door of secrets. No, I knew the acute pain, lived with the agony it brought on, the devastation it left behind. When I searched Crow’s eyes, I saw the same kindred spirit. A soul who knew what that horrible ache felt like and still struggled with accepting its finality.

Somehow, fate led me to Crow.

It was going to take a risk to tell him the truth, but I’d rather take the fallout from the truth than risk him feeling the wrath and contempt of my betrayal. We barely knew one another, but I cared about Crow and his opinion of me.

“Let’s go,” I finally replied, looping my arms around his waist as he settled on the seat, deciding I was the maker of my own fate, and I wasn’t going to let Boris and his boss dictate what I did any longer.

But boy, I was going to need a hell of a lot of help.

She freaked out. Fucking panicked and nearly ran off after I told her of my father’s murder. Why the hell did she react that way? Did she think being in my presence meant she was in danger?

Fuck.

She wasn’t wrong. Not entirely. It wasn’t logical to freak out, but I didn’t know enough about Bella yet to form an opinion about whether she was truly spooked or hiding something. I wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt, so I stopped asking questions, even if I wanted to grill her until she spilled everything. Fuckin’ hated secrets. That shit pissed me off. They caused nothin’ but trouble.

At the same time, she had a legit reason to be worried. I already knew the motherfuckers that took down my pops were watching the club and, by extension, me. That painted a huge fucking bull’s eye on my back, and since she was with me, that put her in a vulnerable position too.

I wasn’t thinking when I picked her up, taking her out of the city and nearly a half-hour from home. It was reckless and unusual behavior for me. Bella distracted me, which wasn’t something I was accustomed to dealing with. Women didn’t get under my skin like she did. This feisty, mysterious redhead hooked me from the moment we met at Bull’s. Hell, I couldn’t take my eyes off her when she was near. And if my brothers noticed, so did my enemies, doubling the danger she was in.

Traffic had died down a little by the time we left the dam. We rode down the highway just as the sun was setting, and fuck if it wasn’t pretty as a peach. Bella’s head rested between my shoulder blades, and I felt a brief few seconds of peace.

It didn’t last. Guilt for risking her safety put me in a bad mood.

Now I was on alert, scanning the highway as we rode toward town, my gaze focused on any potential threat. I caught Talon and Cuckoo in my mirrors, so I knew we had backup if shit went down, but it didn’t ease the sudden tension I felt.

Once we were inside Henderson, I relaxed. The clubhouse was only ten minutes away.

Checking my mirrors, I didn’t see Talon, but Cuckoo still wore the damn Scooby-Doo mask, and his psycho ass gave a little wave like he knew I was lookin’. We slowed down at an intersection, and Bella tapped my shoulder.

“Crow?”

“Yeah, honey?”

“Are we close to your clubhouse?”

“Yes. Why? Your ankle hurtin’?”

She didn’t respond verbally but discreetly pointed to my left. Two cop cars were parked on the street. One pulled away from the curb, coming our way. I didn’t understand her concern until I caught the man in the black leather jacket, a jagged scar on his face, puffing on a cigar as he leaned against the wall, pushing off with his boot as he began to walk in our direction.

This wasn’t good. Too risky.

“Hold on tight,” I yelled, pulling back on the throttle before we launched forward, the traffic light switching to green as we sped by the cop car and the asshole from the bar. The same shady fucker that was there the night I met Bella. Coincidence? I wasn’t sure, but as Bella tightened her hold, I began to wonder if she knew him and not just as a customer she served a few drinks to that night.

Sheriff Taylor switched on his siren and the flashing blue and red lights that indicated he was about to chase me down. Not today, asshole.

That was when I heard the wildest, craziest sound rising above the throaty growl of my bike’s engine. Cuckoo had pulled into the intersection, stopping all traffic as he spun in a wild circle on his Harley. That wasn’t the hilarious part. The crazy fucker had ripped off his shirt and painted a thick arrow on his chest with a black marker that pointed to his dick and read SUCK IT. No way he had time to do that now, so he must have done it before he left The Roost.

He was yelling like a lunatic off his meds, switching sporadically to cry out ridiculous words and phrases that didn’t make sense. Motorists were yelling at him to get out of the way. He fucking tilted his head back and cawed to the heavens. The entire time, his Scooby-Doo mask with the rubber tongue flopped back and forth in the wind.

“Kraaa!” bellowed from his mouth as he kept spinning around, making a wide arc that prevented any vehicles from passing by, effectively shutting down the entire four-way intersection since the traffic light might as well have been broken. No one was gettin’ through.

Christ. He sure had a few screws loose upstairs, but fuck, he could be goddamn brilliant sometimes. The cops were so busy trying to get him to move and watch out for traffic that Bella and I had time to slip away without any police on our tail.

My chest shook with laughter as I picked up speed, flipping off Sheriff Taylor as a triumphant smile turned up my lips. Piss off, cocksucker.

Scorpion looked furious, but he couldn’t catch up to us on foot. Whatever he intended, we were far out of his reach. He’d never find us once he managed to enter his vehicle.

Go choke on a dick, scarface.

RED, THE PROSPECT WITH all that thick coppery hair, rushed to open the gate as soon as he saw me. The kid nearly tripped but managed to stay on his feet as I rode through, parking my bike and scooping up Bella, concerned about her injury. The rumble of bikes caught my attention, and I turned, shaking my head at Cuckoo. He did good, and I gave him a chin lift, appreciative he was quick to think on his feet—one of the reasons I liked having his spontaneous, unpredictable ass around.

Talon hopped off his bike once he rolled to a stop and high-fived Cuckoo. “Fucking love you, brother.”

“Yeah, I’m goddamn sexy. All you fuckers need to wise up.”

Snorting, I decided not to reply as Bella wrapped her arm around my neck. “Sorry, honey. We’re goin’ inside. I’ll find Falcon.”

“Okay,” she replied, chewing on her bottom lip.

“Bet that ankle isn’t too messed up. I wouldn’t worry about it.”

“It’s not my ankle,” she replied quietly.

Concerned, I walked straight to the bar, dismissing every other soul in the room as I placed her on a stool, gesturing to the prospect nearby. “Find Falcon. Need him here ASAP.” He left in a hurry, his skinny ass moving fast to do my bidding. My gaze never left Bella as I bent down, holding her hands in mine. “Talk to me.”

She seemed nervous, fidgeting in her seat before she sighed. “I have something to tell you, and I don’t think this is the place. We should go somewhere private.”

The last time I heard words like that, my mother pulled me aside and told me she was leaving my father. When I asked her why she said life in a motorcycle club was hard, and someday I would understand. I never did. To make matters worse, she wouldn’t take me with her. I begged and cried, not realizing she meant to leave both my father and me.

After six months, I stopped asking my pops when she was coming back. After a year with no contact, I stopped wondering if she ever thought about me.

To this day, it still hurt she didn’t care enough to be a part of my life. That was why Lou and Raven were such a significant impact on my life. I gained two more dads who tried to compensate for the loss I suffered. For a long time, I was a needy, emotional, unruly mess with nightmares and abandonment issues. They loved me through it, sometimes with more patience than I deserved.

As I listened to Bella, my jaw reflexively tightened as all the emotions about my mother surfaced. Thoughts of my pops and his death only added to that anxiety. For a few seconds, I just wanted to walk away instead of hearing whatever lousy news she was about to say.

But I wasn’t a kid anymore. Fuck, I was in my mid-thirties now. Much too old to run from my problems. Learned that lesson the hard way and didn’t need a repeat.

“Alright,” I answered slowly, “Let’s go to my room.”

Bella leaned against me for support, putting pressure on her foot. “It’s not that bad. I can walk, Crow.”

“Might as well hold on to me in case it starts to hurt.” I slid my arm around her waist, walking slowly toward the staircase that led upstairs. “You sure you don’t want help?”

She shook her head, wincing as she took a couple of steps.

“Look, baby, you can yell at me later. You’re in no condition to walk. Shouldn’t be putting any pressure on that ankle at all right now.” I bent at the waist, lifting under her legs as she gasped, throwing her arms around my neck.

“Crow!”

Taking the stairs, I climbed to the top, balancing her with one hand while I unlocked the door. Once inside, I took her to the kitchen, depositing her thick, round ass on the counter. I didn’t give her a chance to push me away, sliding between her thighs as I grasped her chin, holding her in place.

“We’re alone. I’d like to know what’s going on in that pretty head of yours.”

“You know that guy? The one from the bar with the scorpion tattoo?” she began, nervously clenching her hands in her lap.

“Yeah.” Fuckin’ knew he was bad news.

“He has something I want.”

What a strange thing to say. “What?” I asked, catching the somber look in her eyes.

“My sister.”

What. The. Fuck. “Your sister?”

“Yes. She’s been kidnapped.”

“What!?” I shouted, immediately regretting it as she pulled back, giving me a way look. “Shit. Sorry. I’m trying to understand this. You got to start at the beginning, Bella.”

“My sister disappeared over a week ago. I went to her apartment and found the door open, and the whole place turned upside down. It was the scariest thing I’d ever seen. Straight out of an episode of Criminal Minds.”

“Did you go to the police?”

Bella shook her head. “No. I found a note taped to the inside of the front door. It was addressed to me.”

Fuck. “What did the note say?”

“To wait for a phone call. They had my number from my sister’s contact list and promised they’d kill her if I didn’t listen. I knew they were watching me.”

I had to take three deep breaths before maintaining control. “I’m guessing they called you.”

“Yes.” Her expression crumbled as tears filled her eyes. The green shimmered in pools of liquid emerald.

I cupped her cheek, rubbing a thumb across her soft, silky skin. “What happened?”

“The kidnapper demanded that I retrieve a package for him from a safe deposit box. I met Boris—the scorpion tattoo guy—outside. He gave me the key to the box.”

Goddamnit! That was too fucking risky. “They didn’t harm you, did they?”

“Not yet.” Bella sniffled. “But they will when they find out I told you.”

Shit! “No, they won’t. You’re under my protection, Bella.”

“They have my sister Brianna. They’ve been hurting her. I don’t know if she’s okay,” Bella sobbed, breaking down as I pulled her into my chest. “They’ll kill her when I don’t follow through with their demands.”

“What demands? The package?”

“Yes.” She swiped her fingers under her eyes, brushing away the tears. “I’m supposed to sneak the package onto the president’s desk.”

Woah. What kind of game were these sick fucks playing? “Do you still have the package?”

“It’s in my purse. I don’t know if it’s dangerous or not.”

And yet, she had it. At the very least, it was a risk to herself. “Let me have it.”

Bella opened the handbag strapped across her shoulder, pulling out a thick padded envelope. “Here. I don’t want anything else to do with it.”

“Alright.” I took it from her, gripping it in one hand before I leaned in and placed a kiss on her forehead. “We’ll get Brianna back. Promise.”

“I was hoping you’d say that. I can’t do this on my own.”

She wasn’t going to do shit. I’d fucking chain her to my goddamn bed before letting her get further involved. “You won’t have to,” I promised, stepping back as Falcon entered the room.

“What you need, pres?”

“Bella twisted her ankle on our date. Need you to take a look.”

“No problem.”

“I’m going to take this downstairs and talk to my V.P.,” I announced. “I won’t be long.”

“Crow?”

I turned around before I reached the door, hearing the uncertainty and fear in her voice. “Be careful.”

“I will.”

“One last thing,” she called out before I slipped out the door. “They told me to get close to you and gain your trust. I don’t want to be with you under false pretenses. I’m here because I want to be, not because I have to be. I’d never use you. That’s why I told you about the package and brought it with me. If you don’t believe me, I won’t blame you. I could have told you sooner.”

“Why did you wait?” I asked softly, watching her reaction.

“I was terrified for my sister. They could kill her, Crow. I’m the only thing that’s stopped that so far, but I don’t have long. They expect that package to be delivered soon.”

“Well, baby. You delivered.”

“Yeah,” she replied with a sad smile. “I guess I did.”

“Hey, we’re going to take care of this, okay? I’ll be back soon.”

When I saw the hope in her eyes, I vowed to help Bella bring her sister home and make sure these assholes never bothered either of them again.

“How does that feel?” Falcon asked, using his fingertips to palpate the lower portion of my calf, ankle, and foot. “Any pain?”

“Only when you keep pressing on it,” I hissed, almost kicking him when he applied pressure to the area around the side of my foot.

“Sore? Stiff? Throbbing pain? Dull ache? Which describes the injury?”

“I don’t know. All of it?”

He smirked, still pressing down on the sensitive hunk of swollen flesh. “And now?”

“A little stiff and a dull ache. Doesn’t hurt like it did when I first twisted it.”

He kept rubbing, lightly pressing in a circular motion. My shoulders relaxed, and I closed my eyes, leaning back as I heard him laugh.

“What?” I asked, opening my eyes.

“Still hurting?”

“Of course, it’s, uh, wait.” I slowly moved my foot back and forth, then up and down. Wow. “The pain is gone.” I stared at him, blinking as he nodded. “How is that possible?”

Falcon shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe I have a magic touch.”

“Seriously. I think you do. I’m going to try standing on it.”

He helped me slip down from the counter, and I carefully placed my weight on the ankle, testing it. No pain. How odd. Even the swelling seemed to disappear.

“Maybe it wasn’t as bad as you thought,” he suggested. Something about the way he said that made me wonder if those words had a hidden meaning. Falcon seemed almost amused.

“Well, whatever you did, I’m grateful. The last thing I needed was an injury right now.”

“Yeah, I couldn’t help overhearing about your sister. Crow won’t let that slide. None of us will.”

“Thank you.” Just hearing his sympathy made me feel better, but I still worried about Bree. “I hope Crow comes back soon. I don’t know what to do next, and I have no idea what’s in that package.”

“He’s got Raven, Hawk, and Talon with him. Ain’t nothin’ gonna hurt the pres.”

“I’m sure you’re right.” Anxious, I began to pace, pulling out my phone. I hadn’t checked it in hours. There were multiple notifications, most from social media and unimportant. Just one caught my eye, sending cold tremors down my spine—a single text with a photo of my sister.

Bree was tied up with rope around her wrists and ankles. Her tear-stained face was streaked with mascara and a few red blotches of skin. One side of her face seemed bruised and swollen. Some of her clothing was torn and dirty. I never saw her like this. Bree always had her hair and makeup done and clothes clean and wrinkle-free.

My hand flew over my mouth as I stared at her, noticing the text beneath the picture.

Drop the package tonight. Boris will meet you at midnight. Don’t be late. Your sister dies if you don’t follow these directions.

All the air in my lungs left in a whoosh as I began trembling, sinking to the hardwood floor of Crow’s living room. Falcon called out my name, rushing to my side as I doubled over, screaming my sister’s name. Boots pounded the stairs, and I heard Crow’s voice, but I couldn’t answer.

They were going to kill my sister. Once they learned I told Crow the truth, Bree was going to die.

“No, no, no,” I wailed, clutching my phone to my chest, sucking in a deep breath. “They can’t, Crow. They can’t kill her.”

“Baby, look at me, please.”

My head slowly lifted as he tugged me closer, brushing my hair out of my eyes.

“We’ll find her. I swear to you, we’ll find Brianna.” The conviction in his voice was the only thing keeping me from completely freaking out.

“I have to meet Boris at midnight. If I’m not there, they’ll kill Bree.”

Crow’s gray eyes turned frosty cold. “Not gonna happen, Bella.”

“Which part?” I asked, suspicious of the way his jaw tensed and the look he sent to the guys in the room. Until now, I didn’t pay attention to the other bikers who followed him upstairs. There was an older guy with a salt-and-pepper colored beard who must work out because he was solid muscle with biceps as big as my head.

Another guy, probably close to Crow’s age, with a mohawk and tons of dark ink on his body, including skulls, vines, and a crow spanning the length of his left arm. Now that I paid attention, the older guy had a raven tattoo that stretched from his bicep down to his wrist.

Crow’s ink was a little different but no less impressive. I hadn’t seen him shirtless, but I could tell there was plenty of art on his body beneath the fabric of his t-shirt. Full sleeves covered both arms as I noticed the night we met, but the tiny bird with black wings tattooed above his right eye stood out the most to me. I found it incredibly sexy, and I wasn’t even sure why.

Despite the attractive men in front of me, I wasn’t the least bit interested in anything other than saving my sister. Crow’s statement sounded a little too forceful.

“All of it.”

“Are you telling me,” I began, taking great effort not to get annoyed, “that I’m not going to meet Boris?”

“Fuck yeah, that’s what I’m sayin’.”

“Crow, that isn’t your call.” I pushed away from him and stood up, planting my hands on my hips. “I don’t know what caveman mentality runs through your biker head, but I’m going to help save my sister, and you can’t stop me.”

He didn’t argue. Crow never uttered a reply, but the look on his face proved he was forming a plan in his head, and I wasn’t going to like the outcome.

“I’m serious, Crow.”

“I know you are, darlin’.”

“Then why do I feel like you’re going to do something I’m going to hate and get pissed about?”

The other three bikers in the room laughed.

“I like her, pres.”

I turned to the guy with the mohawk. “Who are you?”

“Hawk. I’m the Sargeant at Arms.”

“And I’m the V.P., sugar. Name’s Raven.” So the silver fox was Raven. Good to know.

“I wish I met you all under better circumstances, but my sister is scheduled to die after midnight if I don’t show up and meet Boris.” I clicked the side of my phone and swiped to open it, showing the text with my sister’s photo. “They’re already hurting her,” I choked out, turning back to Crow. “Bree needs me, and you’re not stopping me from meeting Boris.” I shoved my phone into my purse, taking a step toward the door.

Crow’s hand shot out as he reached for my arm, tugging me against his body. “Bella, I can’t let you do this, not alone. I don’t fucking like it, but I won’t stop you from meeting Boris.” He sighed, lowering his forehead to mine. “This thing growing between us, I’m getting fucking addicted to it. I don’t want anything to happen to you. Putting you in danger doesn’t sit well with me, especially after what happened to my pops.”

Shit. My hands rose, and I placed them over the stubble on his face, taking a moment to breathe with him as I let his words sink in. “I know that, Crow. I love that you want to be my champion. It’s sexy as fuck, baby.” His lips twitched with a half-smile. “But I’m not weak. I can help rescue my sister. I’m going to need all the help I can get from you and your club to do it. So what do you say we do this together, huh?”

“Goddamn, where did you find this chick, pres?” Hawk asked as Crow flipped him off. “I’m in love.”

Raven chuckled, slapping Crow on the back. “If you change your mind about him, honey, I’m right here.”

“Back off, fuckers,” Crow snarled, tossing a dirty look in their direction. “She’s mine.” As soon as the words left his lips, his mouth swooped down and covered mine in an unexpected kiss.

It wasn’t the longest or most erotic kiss I’d ever had but the promise it held, of both a future and of standing by my side, had a more significant impact than any kiss I’d ever received. The big man holding me in his arms had walked into my life and turned it upside down. Despite the fact that we didn’t know one another for long, there was no doubt that I could fall deep and hard for this rough, charismatic outlaw.

“What was in the package?” I asked, noticing he seemed unscathed.

“A message for the club.” His tone was brusque, nearly guttural.

“Anything I should know?” I asked, feeling a bit left out. I brought the damn thing to him. He could attempt to explain a little to me.

“Possible intel about who put the hit on my father. Club business, darlin’.”

Right. Frustrated, I pouted.

“Hey, the shit in that envelope was there to cause trouble and rile us up. I’ve got a lot more questions than answers.”

“Oh.”

“That means I’ve got to knock a few heads together and figure those answers out. Feel me, baby?”

Yeah, violence. “I suppose so.”

“That’s why we’re going to leave now and set a trap for Boris. He’s going to tell us what he knows, and that’ll be a start.”

Nodding, I saw where this was going. “And my sister?”

“We’re gonna find her, Bella. I swear I won’t come home without her.”

“Okay.”

He pressed a soft kiss on my lips. “I think leaving with you a second time qualifies as another date. After all, at midnight, it’s gonna be a brand new day.”

“I don’t think that counts,” I teased.

“I’m gonna override you on that, darlin’.”

“I’m not surprised.”

Despite the growing tension in the room about going after Boris and Brianna’s kidnappers, Crow let out a chuckle. “You’re a fast learner, beautiful. Let’s roll out. I want to reach your place before eleven.”

The ride to my house was somber. Ten bikes rumbled down the road, stopping a street away and pulling over to the side as Crow gave instructions. The motorcycles were pulled off the road and parked out of view, facing the street for a quick getaway if needed. It was the first time I had seen so many bikers together all at once, and they were an intimidating group of guys with their tattoos, leather cuts, and fierce expressions. No one cracked a smile. The meeting with Boris and his subsequent takedown was the only way to find out my sister’s location.

“What if he gets away?” I asked Crow, leaning into his side.

“We’ll get him. I can promise you that.”

“But—”

“Hey, we got this. Trust the club. Trust me, darlin’.”

“I do.”

“Good.”

The next forty minutes were the longest of my life. I kept jumping at the tiniest sounds, constantly looking for Boris, and chewing my bottom lip into ribbons.

“I need you to remain calm, Bella. You’ll have to act natural, or he’s going to get suspicious. We need him to talk to you first. See if he says anything useful before we close in. Think you can do that?”

After a few deep, cleansing breaths, I nodded. “Yes.”

“I hear somethin’, pres.” Hawk ran to our side, catching his breath. “I think that fucker is early.”

“Of course, he is. It’s a strategic move to control everything around him and gain the upper hand over Bella.” Crow’s hand caressed the side of my face before he dropped it. “Stay strong, baby. I’m gonna be in the shadows right next door, hiding behind your neighbor’s truck. There’s not much light under the carport.”

Everyone scattered, following Crow’s orders. I nervously paced in my backyard, my feet shuffling across the sand. This summer was so dry no one had much grass. The fire pit sat unused, surrounded by lawn furniture under the canopy I erected back in March. Sweat clung to my skin as I tried to ignore the oppressive heat. My nerves weren’t helping the situation.

“Bella,” Boris greeted, scaring me when he barked my name. I turned to see him on my driveway, his expression unreadable. “Come.”

Stalling, I knew I needed to get him to say something about my sister. “What does your boss want? I did as he asked.”

“No questions. Follow me.”

“No,” I replied with frustration. “I want to know where my sister is. I’m tired of this.”

Boris quirked a dark brow. “You refuse?”

I threw my hands up in the air dramatically as he crossed his arms over his chest. Muscle rippled with the movement, proving the reason his boss liked having him around. Boris was stout, strong, and loyal. “Tell me where Bree is,” I demanded. “I want to see her.”

“Then come.”

“Are you saying that’s where we’re going? To see Brianna?”

“Yes. It’s not far.”

“How far?”

He gave me a stern look. “Ten minutes away. Come.”

I followed Boris to the street, careful not to betray where I knew Crow’s club members were hiding. The same black van Boris drove to the post office in Las Vegas was parked in front of my house. He opened the side door, indicating that I should jump in.

“Why can’t I ride in the front with you?” This didn’t seem right. Something about his demeanor was off. Were his orders to get me inside his van, take me to some remote location, and kill me?

Boris snarled when I backed away. “Get in the van.”

My head shook, and I slowly backed up, noticing something was in his hand. “Where’s my sister?”

“You will regret giving me trouble,” he replied quietly, his voice menacing. “My boss won’t like this. All I have to do is text. Your sister will pay the price, and you will be punished.”

Punished? “You’ll kill us both. Why should I go anywhere with you?” Yeah, I was getting pissed. What was really going on? I still hadn’t seen anyone other than Boris. Whoever I talked to on the phone never showed their face. Was this the work of only two men? The Devil’s Murder MC could take them out fast.

Boris took advantage of the moment and rushed forward, lifting his hand as I saw the needle he intended to plunge into me.

“Don’t fucking move, asshole.”

I took one more step backward and met a solid chest. Crow.

“You alright, darlin’?”

“I am now.”

Boris chuckled, tossing the needle into the van. “You will regret this, Austin Derek Holmes Jr.”

Crow stiffened. “You seem to know my name. Anything else?”

“We know all about you and your little club.”

“And what does that have to do with Bella and Brianna?”

Boris shrugged. “Get in the van, and I’ll take you to my boss. He can answer all your questions.”

“I’m not stupid, you shithead.”

Boris reached inside his jacket and pulled out a gun, whipping it out faster than I could blink and aiming the barrel at my chest. “You’re going to walk away and allow Bella to get in this van. Become involved any further, and I will shoot her. My boss doesn’t care about the girls. They are nothing more than pawns.”

“I see,” Crow replied, his voice far too calm. His gun pointed at Boris’s face. “Why don’t you try to grab her and see what happens?”

I never expected Boris to open fire. He smiled coldly, pulling back on the trigger. The loud boom of the gun firing echoed in my ears as I hit the pavement hard, crushed by the weight of Crow’s body.

Chaos exploded around us as Raven, Hawk, and the other members of the Devil’s Murder came out of hiding, rushing into the street. I hit my head hard when we landed, and my vision was blurry. I couldn’t focus enough to see what was happening. I could hear people running and shouting, and then I was picked up, carried away from the van as Crow spoke low in my ear.

“You’re gonna be alright, Bella. Fuck, I’m so sorry.”

I didn’t know what he meant. Was I shot? I didn’t feel any pain other than the throbbing ache in the back of my head. “Where’s Boris?”

“On the run. We’ll catch him.”

Crow propped me up against the side of my house, his anxious expression causing my stomach to flutter with worry.

“I hit my head.”

“I know, baby. Are you alright?”

“Just hurts a bit,” I answered, blinking a few times as my vision cleared. That whack on the head was painful, but it wasn’t pounding as hard now.

“It’ll be okay. We’ll have you fixed up in no time.”

Huh? “We’ve got to follow Boris. Bree doesn’t have long.”

“I know. Already on it.”

I winced as I heard more gunfire, and Crow turned me around, my back meeting the stucco exterior of my house.

“You know what, beautiful?” Crow asked, shielding my body with his own. “This is one hell of a second date.” Amusement danced in his eyes briefly before the raging storm returned, his gray eyes burning with the need for retaliation. “Gonna have to leave you now.”

“What?” I asked, shocked.

His lips meant mine in a fierce kiss, crushing my mouth before his tongue pushed through, dominating my will until I surrendered. Dazed, I didn’t fight him as he pushed me toward one of the other bikers.

“Get her out of here, Cuckoo,” Crow bellowed, rushing in the opposite direction as strong arms circled my waist and lifted, carrying me away from the gunshots and danger. “Have Falcon check her injuries.”

What the hell just happened?

“Come on, sweetheart. Got to get you away from here. Orders from the pres.”

Cuckoo practically carried me down the street, his dark eyes alert as he constantly looked around us until we reached his motorcycle.

“Don’t think of runnin’ off. First, I’m fucking fast. And second, I’ll enjoy your struggles far too much. Sit on the bike, doll. We’re headin’ back to The Roost.”

As much as I wanted to run after Crow, that was stupid. I was a little dizzy and could still hear a gun being discharged sporadically. I knew the chase was on. Boris wouldn’t get far.

“Put this helmet on. Crow will kick my ass if you ride without one.”

With a sigh, I strapped the helmet on and slid behind Cuckoo, wrapping my arms around his waist.

Whatever went down tonight, I hoped I’d see my sister by morning.

As we pulled away from the curb, I saw something fall from the sky. A massive black bird landed a few feet away, hopping a few times before tilting its head, and uttering a loud caw. How odd. I looked upward, catching a few more of the birds and their wings spread wide, gliding through the air like a black omen of death.

Shivering, I wondered if they found something dead on the ground and hoped my sister was far away from these scavengers. Nothing was more foreboding than a murder of crows.

“SHE’S GONNA BE FINE, pres,” Raven assured me. “Cuckoo won’t let anything happen to her. His crow is the best fucking protector I know.”

“Yeah. That’s why I told him to take her back to The Roost. Still don’t mean I like it,” I added, taking cover behind a shed.

“How long are we gonna play with this piece of shit?”

“No longer than we need. Let’s go.” I crouched down, closing my eyes as I felt the presence of my brethren and focused on their location. “Fly,” I whispered, the dark sky filling up my vision. My body felt weightless, gliding through the air as I stared down at the city below. “Find the man with the scorpion tattoo.”

The flutter of wings was the only reply as the crows swooped down, and I followed, the breeze rustling through the feathers of the black birds. Through their eyes, I scanned the neighborhoods below, catching the dark figure who paused to reload his weapon, doubling back around to his vehicle.

My eyes snapped open, and I turned to Raven. “He’s returning to his van.”

“Then we’ll beat him to it.”

The two of us moved quickly through the shadows, the rest of my brothers joining us as we waited for Boris to make his move. The motherfucker thought he was slick. Must have been under the impression he wasn’t going against one of the most ruthless motorcycle clubs in Nevada.

When Boris reached for the handle of his van, we sent in the crows. Not one. Not just three or four. Now, with our combined reach, we sent in over twenty, emerging from the shadows as they began to mob. Boris started yelling, fighting them off, but he couldn’t swat them all away.

Mobbing crows were bloodthirsty and desperate to subdue their prey with as little injury as possible to their bodies. They were fast and merciless and always went for the spot most vulnerable—the eyes. Pecking away at his hands and face, they ruthlessly speared his flesh with their beaks until the task was accomplished. Cries of pain and shock erupted from Boris’s throat. His terror was so palpable that I could almost reach out and touch it. Claws ripped the skin into ribbons around his face, neck, and arms. He swung his arms, but the effort was wasted. Blood began to drip down from the two sockets remaining, hollowed out, soaking into his clothing. The disfigured face was only a horror now.

The crows had taken his eyes.

“You should have cooperated, you worthless piece of shit,” I spat. “Now, you belong to us.”

“What’s the next move, pres?” Hawk asked, cracking his knuckles. “Let me have five minutes with him and he won’t stay silent for long.”

“And let you have all the fun?” Cuckoo asked, joining us after we arrived with Boris and took him to the basement.

“Where’s Bella?”

“Falcon just finished up. He took her to your room to rest.”

“Good.”

“Say the word, pres. We all want a piece of this asshole,” Talon growled, staring at our prey.

“This needs to be quick and efficient. I don’t need to remind you all that Bella’s sister Brianna has been taken and this piece of shit is the only one who knows anything about it.” I jerked a thumb over my shoulder, indicating the bloody man behind me. “That’s why we’re going straight to the rope.”

A few vicious smiles appeared on the faces of my brothers.

“Let’s get to it then,” Raven announced. “No more delays.”

Rope torture was a personal favorite of mine. My father used this method often when someone tried to hurt the club or a brother. Didn’t take long before they start runnin’ their mouth and confessing every sin they ever knew. Boris was already tied up, restrained by thick ropes that wrapped around his ankles and attached to the legs of a chair.

That wasn’t the genius part. His arms were pulled behind him, around the chair’s wooden back, and then bound by two different ropes. Those pieces of rope were knotted and attached to another long length of rope that wound around a metal wheel. The wheel turned by a crank that could be tightened a little at a time. Each rotation pulled the rope tighter. To prevent the wheel from loosening during a struggle, each time the rope moved an inch, it landed in a metal tooth and wedged inside with a click, unable to roll backward. In essence, the wheel pulled the limbs and stretched them until they snapped. And it was usually a long painful process. With my lack of patience tonight, it might be over fuckin’ fast.

I walked over to the wheel and turned the crank, moving the rope into the next space, landing in the metal crevice.

The rope tightened a bit and Boris’s head snapped up, his lip twisting in a snarl as he stared with defiance. It was fucked up without eyeballs but I could feel his resolve. Didn’t need to have them to get his point across. “You will not break me.”

“We’ll see,” I answered calmly.

“You already took my eyes. I will die without telling you anything,” he insisted, lifting his chin.

They always fought us in the beginning. “So proud and defiant. It won’t last.”

Silence followed and I turned the crank twice.

Boris didn’t move but I could tell the rope tugged on his arms.

I waited a few seconds, then turned the crank three rotations as Boris blew out a sharp breath. His arms were pulled taut, effectively raising his wrists higher, close to pulling the limbs out of socket.

“Where is Brianna?”

Boris remained quiet.

Two more turns of the wheel.

“Where is Brianna?”

Boris laughed, tilting his head back. “I will never tell you.”

Impatient, I turned the crank until I heard a pop and then Boris began cursing, refusing to give any information. His body appeared distorted, one shoulder twisted out of place.

“That’s only one arm. You have another,” I pointed out.

“Fuck. That looks painful,” Raven observed.

Boris didn’t reply.

“Where. Is. Brianna,” I asked, enunciating each word with a punch of my fist into the wounded shoulder.

Nothing. Motherfucker!

The wheel turned again two more times as Boris began trembling, fighting against the ropes. I didn’t fucking care and hoped it hurt. Another two turns and then he cried out as the other arm made a sickening crunch, dislocating from his shoulder.

“You know,” I began, “shoulder dislocation causes numbness, weakness or tingling while the muscles in your shoulder spasm and increase the intensity of pain.”

He trembled, his body shuddering and his arm twitching.

“You sure you don’t have anything to say?”

“No,” he roared.

I ticked my head at Hawk and he stepped up, giving his shoulders a few punches that almost made me wince. Damn. That looked excruciating.

Boris grinded his teeth, his brow damp with sweat.

“Every hear of the Iron Maiden?” Time to move on. Boris could handle pain and this was moving too slowly.

“Yes,” he spat.

“It’s a shame you can’t see the one in front of you.”

Boris appeared nervous for the first time.

“I’ll describe it for you. It’s a big hollow statue made of iron and lots of pokey places inside.”

“You’re lying.”

“Am I?”

Raven walked up and kicked the side of the statue, eliciting an odd metal hum from inside the interior.

“Sounds real to me,” Cuckoo remarked as Talon chuckled.

I usually didn’t have to do more than point to the massive iron figure in the corner of the room to elicit fear and compliance. Few ever actually entered the Iron Maiden. In this instance, I didn’t think Boris would comply until he was forced into it.

The torture device consisted of an iron cabinet with a hinged front and spike-covered interior small enough to completely enclose the individual. Once locked within the frame, the victim would be unable to move because the number of steel spikes would impale them in every direction if they did. It was brutal and effective.

“Get him inside,” I ordered, ignoring Boris as he fought but couldn’t prevent the inevitable.

“Remember to stay still,” I reminded him.

“Fuck you!”

“Nah, Boris. I think you got a date with a spike instead.”

He continued yelling until his voice became hoarse.

“Ready to tell me what I want to know?”

He huffed a breath but that was it.

“I don’t know why you’re so loyal. That asshole doesn’t give a shit about you. He’s not looking for you and won’t care when you’re dead. You’re replaceable. Just another goon on the payroll.”

“No,” he answered, less forceful than before.

“You know I’m right. Die with fucking dignity or I’ll bury you alive in the desert with your head above the ground after I drip honey all over your face and neck,” I threatened. “Trust me. No one will ever fucking find you.”

Boris relented, rattling off an address.

Too goddamn easy but I’d take it.

“You stay in the Iron Maiden until we have Brianna. If you lied to me, we won’t be finished. I’ll take you out to the desert and slice into your skin so you’re bleeding a little when we bury you. Lots of insects and scavengers in the desert. When the honey mixes with your blood and sweat, it will call to them for miles.”

“Go. I want no more of this.”

Before we could react, Boris slammed his body back and forth inside, impaling his flesh on the spikes in multiple places as blood began dripping from the wounds, leaking through the cracks.

“Get him out!” I roared, knowing it wasn’t too late if Falcon helped.

Talon and Cuckoo rushed to the Maiden, swinging it open as Boris slumped forward, his body gyrating as his mouth filled with bloody froth. Some kind of foul-smelling liquid dripped down his chin and I ordered my brothers to stand back.

Boris landed on the concrete floor with a thud, his limbs twitching as we watched the stupid motherfucker commit suicide. When I checked his mouth, the remnants of a capsule stuck to his teeth. The coward had it the whole time, waiting to bite down until the time was right. Maybe he was just playing with us the whole time.

Did the delay harm Brianna? I had no way of knowing if she was dead or still alive.

Rushing upstairs to my room, I found Bella in bed, her eyes closed. “Hey, darlin’.”

“Hey,” she whispered, opening her eyes. “Do you know where the kidnapper is keeping Bree?”

“Yeah. We’re going now.”

She sat up and I shook my head, insisting she lay back against the pillows. Falcon was an excellent healer but human DNA was always a bit tricky compared to ours. “You have a head injury. Got to stay here, baby.”

She frowned, and I bent down, pressing a kiss to her pouty lips. “You’ll rescue her, right?”

“Yes,” I replied, firmly.

“And the asshole that took her?”

“We’ve got ways of making him suffer,” I assured her.

“I want in on that, Crow.”

“Beautiful, that’s not something you should taint your soul with, okay?”

“I want in on it.”

I could tell she wasn’t backing down. “Alright. We’ll discuss it after you see your sister.”

She reached for my shirt and pulled me closer. “Thank you.” Her mouth met mine and I savored the kiss, reluctantly pulling away.

“You got it, sexy ass.”

She shook her head, gesturing that I should get moving.

“I’ll return as soon as I can.”

“YOU SURE THIS IS THE address?” Raven asked, giving the place a skeptical look.

“Yeah,” I huffed, annoyed. “I didn’t forget the layout of the city just because I was fucking gone for a few years.”

Raven held up his hands, his expression innocent. “Relax, sugar.”

“Touchy, ain’t he?” Talon asked, elbowing Cuckoo in the gut.

“Must be that time of the month.”

“Oh, yeah. Totally raggin’.”

Goddamn comedians. Flipping the smartasses off, I stomped around them and dared anyone else to comment. “Time to go quiet. No one betrays their position before I’ve located Brianna.”

Falcon, Eagle Eye, Jay, Swift, and the prospects remained at The Roost with Bella. I’d taken Raven, Claw, Talon, Carrion, Cuckoo, and Hawk to the address Boris had given us. We parked our bikes outside the neighborhood, but it probably didn’t matter. A dozen had already lined up outside the house, and they weren’t friends.

As we approached, I crouched outside the fence, tapping into my crow and his sight. Above, higher than anyone would catch from below, I rode on the current of the wind. My wings spread out, gliding over the grounds below, and the motorcycles gathered in a long row. I caught the logo painted on one of the tanks, and a loud caw escaped, warning the others. Flapping wings joined my own as I swooped down, landing on the bike and dropping a little present on the chrome.

“Motherfucker,” I cursed, opening my eyes as Raven smirked. “Dirty Death MC.”

“Fuckin’ knew it,” Hawk spat, cracking his neck.

“We’re ready,” Talon added, slipping on his brass knuckles.

Cuckoo tilted his head back, belting out a melodic “Kraaaa!”

I might have laughed if not for his ridiculous outfit. Rainbow hair stuck out in all directions from his head, the wig he wore unruly and full of tangled curls. Clown makeup added to the demented vibe when combined with the fake vampire teeth in his mouth and the red bulbous nose. Droplets of blood were splattered onto his face like he had just walked out of a slasher film. Beneath his cut, he wore a tie-dyed t-shirt with more blood splatter and little rainbows all over it.

Fucking hell.

“I’m not going to comment about you,” I growled as he laughed with glee, holding up a machete.

“I can’t wait to see their expressions when I run in.”

I bet. Sick fucker.

Hawk slapped him on the back, hard. “You’re a goddamn sexy clown like Pennywise.”

Cuckoo sniffled. “Don’t make me emotional, man.”

Christ. “Focus,” I ordered, pleased when the smiles faded and they grew serious. “I heard Brianna when my crow flew over the compound. She’s in the corner on the northern side, east of our position. We move in fast, and if you encounter any Dirty Death members, we’re taking them back to The Roost. We need to know their plans and how they’re involved with this kidnapping.”

“What about anyone else?” Raven asked to clarify.

“Kill anyone who tries to stop you. The kidnapper is mine.”

“You got it, pres.”

The fence didn’t hinder us as we hopped over it, landing together as a group in the dusty dirt not far from the DDMC bikes covered in bird shit. Hawk moved through the shadows, keeping hidden before he reached the first motorcycle. The Harley parked in front belonged to Undertaker, the pres of the Dirty Death MC. That club had been a rival with ours for over a decade thanks to the feud over territory and Undertaker’s infamous temper.

Hawk pulled out a cheap bottle of whiskey, taking a couple of sips before pouring the liquor over the row of bikes. When it was empty, he opened one more, ensuring there was enough liquid to accomplish destruction. He ran back to the shadows, dropping next to my side as he panted.

“Too fucking hot for this shit, pres.”

“It’s about to get a lot hotter,” I replied, ticking my head toward the Harleys.

Cuckoo clicked his vampire teeth together. “I’ve got the starter, brothers.”

I stood, pulling out my gun as I watched for any movement. “No one leaves this compound. Stay sharp. Raven, Hawk, Carrion, you’re with me. Talon, Claw, Cuckoo, I want this place lit up like a goddamn fourth of July celebration.”

“Fuck yeah,” Claw exclaimed.

“I’m gonna enjoy this,” Cuckoo added, pulling out a lighter and touching it to an alcohol-soaked cloth partially stuffed into an empty bottle. He threw the Molotov at the row of bikes. Glass shattered, breaking into sharp shards as sparks scattered over the whiskey-soaked ground. Fire erupted along the trail, the hungry flames climbing up the rubber and chrome of the motorcycles with eager flickers.

A few shouts could be heard as DDMC members rushed outside, hollering at one another to contain the flames. I didn’t stick around for what happened next, rushing up the steps that led to a door on the northern end of the building. Kicking down the door, I rushed inside, followed by Raven and Carrion. The first guy to pop his head around the corner got a bullet in his brain. No cut, so no one useful.

Somewhere close, I heard a scream.

“Shit!” I cursed, running through the lower portion of the compound until I located the stairs. Bullets exploded from my gun as I hit two more men, surprised to find them without distinguishing marks, cuts, or tattoos. Where was the DMMC?

At the top of the stairs, I turned left, heading toward the room I believed Brianna was being kept. We didn’t hesitate to kick down the door, standing back as multiple guns began shooting. I dropped low, using my crow’s enhanced hunting senses to pinpoint Brianna’s exact location. Once I had it fixed in my mind, I opened myself up to my crow, calling others to join in the mobbing.

There was only one window at the back of the room, facing the east. I closed my eyes, exhilarating in the feel of my crow’s freedom and his ruthless hunger for a fresh kill. Several crows joined me, cawing out their excitement as we raced toward the window. The glass cracked, splintering as more crows pressed against the pane and clawed at the surface, shattering the barrier within seconds.

Black birds swarmed inside, attacking the men in the room surrounding Brianna. She screeched, fighting harder as I noticed the two motherfuckers holding her down. Torn clothing hung from her body as she kicked and lashed out. She’d been beaten, and I couldn’t tell if she was already being assaulted or if this was only a repeat of continued acts of violence.

I never had a chance to intervene.

Raven lost his shit.

He let out a Kraaa that shook the walls, rushing forward with two blades in his hands. He preferred hand-to-hand combat over guns and viciously attacked the two men. The first was pulled from Brianna’s side; his throat slashed open swiftly before he was thrown to the side. The second was kicked to the ground as Raven dropped onto his chest, ripping apart the guy’s chest and abdomen before he backed away and let the crows begin to feast on his flesh. His screams filled the room as the crows grew bold, almost drunk on the feeding frenzy, pecking away at his eyes and vulnerable organs.

The other man in the room tried to run out, and we caught him, noticing the Dirty Death MC cut he wore. The two men who had held down Brianna also wore the same cuts. Their club would answer for this.

Raven scooped up the frightened girl, snarling at anyone who ventured close, even his brothers. I never saw him like this with any woman. He had a reputation for being unattached. I heard what the sweet butts called him: emotionally distant. He didn’t sleep with them often, preferring to find sexual release with women he met at Bull’s Saloon. Raven didn’t have trouble finding them. His shiny bald head and salt and pepper beard attracted them like flies to honey. Heard him called a silver fox more than once. Boy, did he hate that shit. Funny as fuck.

Now, though, I saw a side of my V.P. I hadn’t since he was with Sarah, his ex.

This was some trippy shit right here. Crows mated for life, and we didn’t find them easily. Our hearts usually only attached to one female, and if that didn’t work out or she died, we never found another. Sure, we could fuck all we wanted. That wasn’t a problem. Falling in love? That was rare.

I didn’t question him, just led the way through the rest of the upstairs, clearing the rooms until we were confident there weren’t any surprises. Downstairs, I noticed Cuckoo’s wig was askew, and his makeup was half wiped off, probably from sweat. It was still hot as fuck outside, even for summer.

“All clear?”

“Yeah, pres,” Talon answered, glancing at Raven and snorting, shaking his head. “Got us a couple of prisoners to interrogate. They’re already on their way back to The Roost. Claw and Hawk just left.”

Cuckoo opened his mouth wide. “Caw!”

I ignored him, turning to Raven. Before I could speak, Carrion pushed off the nearest wall, emerging from the shadows.

“Got a problem, pres.”

Holy fuck. That was the first time I heard him speak since I arrived. Carrion wasn’t one to waste words. He didn’t say a damn thing until something was worth mentioning. He quietly assessed everything around him and took it in, absorbing the information, categorizing, and then stowing it away for future use. His brain worked in a way that was hard to limit with mere words.

To top it off, he was scary as hell. Never hung out in the middle of the room or bar with everyone else. He liked the shadows, called them home, and he often sat with a crow on his shoulder, drinking Jack and Coke. Most of the members knew he was odd and didn’t fuck with him. His loyalty was probably the most understood out of every member. Carrion died on a run, and Falcon brought him back.

That was some crazy shit right there.

Since he revived, he’s been different. Quiet. Cautious. But when something goes down, he feels it and knows before anyone else. And he has this smile that curls my spine when I see it. Dark, calculating, downright sinful. The club girls love it, but he doesn’t do more than flirt or smack them on the ass. His story was the most tragic of us all, and it wasn’t my place to mention it.

All I knew was that Carrion was the guy to have with you when shit went down.

“Talk to me,” I replied, watching his behavior for any clue what he was gonna say.

“Found this.” He shoved a piece of parchment into my hand. The words were smeared like the paper had gotten wet, and the surface crinkled. “It was in the trash. Same room with the girl.”

Nodding, I read over the words. Didn’t make much sense to me.

“The numbers are coordinates.”

“To where?”

“Kidnapper? DDMC hideout? Don’t fucking know.”

Okay. “Thanks.”

His dark gaze bored into mine. “It’s important. Check it out right away.”

I learned long ago not to ignore Carrion’s warnings.

“I’ll take care of it as soon as we’re back to The Roost.”

Carrion gave a brief chin lift and walked outside, joining the shadows before I heard his bike rumbling down the road. He would be in the basement when I returned.

“Let’s roll out. Brianna needs to see Falcon.”

“WE’RE GONNA HAVE TO stop meetin’ like this, Bella. I’ll start thinkin’ you got a crush on me instead of my pres,” Falcon joked.

“Hey, I just have a headache.” I winced, squinting at him as he chuckled.

“I can help with that.” His fingers pressed against my temples, applying smooth pressure and tiny circular movements that instantly soothed. The ache receded almost right away, nearly nonexistent after less than a minute.

“How did you know that I wasn’t feeling well?”

“Call it intuition.” I gave him a doubtful look. “I was on my way to follow up.”

“Thanks. I feel a lot better.”

“It’s part of my job—”

Whatever else he meant to say was lost in the chaos that followed. Crow’s voice hollered out my name, and I jumped up, slightly dizzy, running for the stairs. I wasn’t sure how I made it down without slipping, but when I saw my sister in Raven’s arms, I screamed her name. Two seconds later, my arms were around her as I sobbed, hugging her close as she clung to me, still cradled in the strength of Raven’s hold. Her words came out garbled from the tears and emotion, and I didn’t understand a word except that my sister was back.

“I love you. We’re going to get through this, Bree. I promise. I’m right by your side, and I’m not leaving.” Her fingers gripped mine as the tears streaked her face.

“Bell.” It was all she could get out.

Before I knew what was happening, she began to tremble, and then her eyes rolled back. Her body started shaking, and I freaked out. “She needs Keppra! Now!”

“Where are her pills?” Raven asked calmly, setting her down on a nearby couch as he watched her body spasm. He seemed pained by it.

“Shit! At home!”

“She doesn’t need them.”

My head snapped to the right, staring at Falcon. “What?”

“Do you trust me?”

I didn’t know how to answer that. We only met a couple of times. Falcon helped me when I was injured, and he did have a soothing touch. Maybe he could help Bree. “Yes,” I answered, “Please help her.”

“I will.”

Falcon kneeled on the floor, lowering his forehead to hers. Bree moaned, her legs kicking out a couple of times before she relaxed, and the tension left her body. Her muscles stopped seizing, and her fists uncurled, letting a small USB drive fall from her fingers.

Raven picked it up, examining it. “This looks important.”

“Important enough to be kidnapped and die over,” I added, staring down at my sister. “What did you do, Bree?”

She couldn’t hear me. Brianna wouldn’t wake for at least an hour. Seizures always wore her out. As a kid, it was scary to watch. It wasn’t much better now, but I knew she would be okay. I hadn’t thought of her medication since she was taken. Bree had been seizure-free for over a decade. This wasn’t good news.

Crow’s arm slipped around my waist. “She’s going to be fine. We can put her in the guest room. Falcon will handle her care, and Raven will watch over Brianna until she’s awake.”

I spun around, placing my hands on his chest. “She should go to a hospital.”

“With her kidnapper and the Dirty Death MC after her?”

“You didn’t find him?” I asked with a screech.

“No, darlin’. He wasn’t there—just a bunch of rival bikers. Don’t worry. We’ll find out what they know.”

“And the flash drive?”

“Take it to Eagle Eye. If there’s data on it, he’ll find it.”

“What are you going to do?” I asked, knowing he wasn’t telling me everything.

“To find more answers. I’ll be back soon.”

“Are you Eagle Eye?” I asked, knocking on the open door to catch the biker’s attention. He was watching five different monitors, chuckling at one before he switched the feed.

His dark brown head swiveled in my direction when he heard my voice. “Hey, sweetheart. You’re Bella, right? Crow mentioned I’d see you around.”

“Yeah.” How awkward. I didn’t know what to call Crow. Were we technically even dating yet? “He said I should bring this to you. It’s the only link to my sister’s kidnapping.”

Eagle Eye took the USB drive and plugged it into one of the laptops he set up around the room. “If it’s not corrupted, I’ll have access fast. If it’s encrypted or damaged, that’s gonna take a few minutes.”

“No problem.”

“I’ll come find you as soon as I know somethin’. Best to let me get to it without peekin’ over my shoulder, yeah?”

Oh, right. “Sure. I need to get back to Bree anyway. Thanks.”

“No problem, honey.”

I left Eagle Eye and walked down the hall, stopping at the door that led to the basement. I couldn’t hear much and wondered how things were going with Crow and the Dirty Death MC members below. Would he find anything out? Or was this just another waste of time?

I decided not to go down even if I was tempted. Heading back to the guest room, I opened the door and slipped inside quietly, so I didn’t disturb Bree as she rested. Raven sat on her right; the chair pulled close to the bed. He watched her as she slept, various emotions flickering across his handsome features before he noticed he wasn’t alone. All I saw was the intimidating V.P. of the club standing watch over my sister, a personally appointed protector.

“How is she?”

“Still out. Not stirred at all since we tucked her in.”

“You were the one who saved Bree, weren’t you?” It didn’t occur to me until now that Raven carried her inside the clubhouse, and he was the one who helped settle her into this room.

“It was a club effort.”

“What happened when you found her?”

“That’s not my business to say,” he replied carefully.

“Raven, I need to know. She’ll tell me everything when she’s ready, but I need to know what happened when you found her. Was she alone?”

He shook his head. “No.”

“And?”

His face twisted into a mask of rage before he shoved to his feet, moving away from the bed. “Two men were holding her down. I don’t know how much happened before I got there, but she wasn’t undressed completely.”

The implication was there. Was she violated? I didn’t want to know, and I needed to know at the same time. “Shit. Tell me.”

“They had her pinned down. She was fighting them off. Fucking brave.”

I nodded. Sounded like Bree.

“You sure you want to hear the details? It’s not pretty.”

“Yes,” I answered firmly.

“I slit the first motherfucker’s throat, and it felt too quick. I was fucking pissed they hurt Brianna, and I attacked the other one, slicing him up before the crows ate him alive.”

Woah. My eyes widened, and I swallowed hard. “Holy shit.”

“They fucking suffered. Not enough, but they didn’t die easily.”

“Thank you.” My gaze met the firm resolution in his blue eyes as he nodded, then turned toward Bree. His entire expression softened. A look of tenderness that contradicted the anger of moments ago took over.

“She’s special.”

“Yes.”

“I’m glad I was there.”

“Me too, Raven.”

“How long has she suffered from epilepsy?”

“Since she was little. As long as I can remember.”

He seemed sad. “I wish we’d found her sooner. This could have been prevented.”

I didn’t know what he was talking about. “What do you mean?”

He seemed to snap out of a daze. “Nothing. The ramblings of an old biker. Ignore me. I’ll return in a few hours to check in on you both. Red will be outside. He’ll grab anything you need. Just let him know.”

“I appreciate it.”

Raven left, but I caught the glance he gave my sister. A haunting, intense yearning that brought tears to my eyes. Something about the way he watched her made me feel sad. It wasn’t that I thought he would harm her or had ill intent. It almost seemed as if she reminded him of someone else. The raw feelings he didn’t hide were that strong.

Someday I might just ask him what this was about and insist he share the same honesty as he did with her rescue.

THE SINK FILLED WITH bloody water as I washed my hands, my head hanging low as I sighed. These motherfuckers weren’t as easy to flip as I hoped. The first was too weak, and he died before we could learn anything new. The second guy hung from the beams in the ceiling, and his limp body wasn’t giving anything else away for at least a few hours. His battered body needed a break before we began round two. I didn’t like it, but I needed to listen to Hawk and return after checking on Bella.

I stripped off my t-shirt and flung it into the hamper in my room, stripping out of the bloody clothes I’d been wearing and taking a quick shower. Once dressed, I snatched up my keys, smokes, sunglasses, and wallet. My cut was waiting for me on the back of a chair. Prospect cleaned it while I was washing up. Nice job, kid.

Red stood outside the door to the guest room as I ticked my head at him and reached for the handle, turning the knob before I walked inside. Bella’s head rested on the bed, her hand over her sister’s. She was asleep.

Fuckin’ cutest thing I ever saw.

I pulled out my phone and snapped a pic, smiling when I thought of how she’d react later when I showed it to her. Reaching out, I shook her shoulder gently.

Bella’s head lifted, and she blinked, giving me one of her sexy smiles. “Hi.”

“Hi, beautiful.”

“I have no idea how long I’ve been out.”

“Probably a couple of hours,” Raven answered, shutting the door behind him. I never heard him open it. “Figured it was time I gave you a break, Bella. Pres wants some time with you. If Brianna wakes up, you’ll be the first to know.”

“Thanks, Raven.”

“Anytime, honey.”

I reached for Bella’s hand and held it firmly enough that she knew I didn’t want her to pull away. There were a dozen things I could have said, but no words could convey what I wanted her to know. I wasn’t a guy that had three degrees and knew how to put my feelings into words that would make her swoon. I didn’t do romantic and fluffy nights on the town in the fanciest restaurants. I was a simple guy with simple needs. What I needed to say, I could do without many words.

She let me lead her up the stairs and into my room, watching as I shut the door. I brought her to the bed and gently pushed her down on it, slowly stripping off my cut and laying it over the back of a chair. My t-shirt lifted over my head next, followed by my boots as I stooped down to pull them off. I slid off my belt, folding it in half as I ticked my chin at her.

“Need you naked, baby. Fast.”

Her tongue slipped through the seam of her lips and swiped across the bottom one.

“I want you on all fours, ass up in the air and knees apart.”

I thought I would come from the hungry, seductive, needy purr that fell from her lips.

Bella slowly began to undress, flinging aside her boots, jeans, and shirt. “Like what you see?” she asked, popping out a hip.

“I sure do,” I replied without shame, gobbling up the vision of her in black lace. “Turn around.”

She did as I asked, wiggling her ass as my view filled with her plump round cheeks. Fuck. Me.

Bella bent over, grabbing her ankles, and I hissed as I realized how flexible she was and how easy it would be to fuck her as she wrapped her hands around them. Damn. I wasn’t waiting.

My hands slapped each cheek, squeezing the perfect mounds as I groaned. “You have no idea how much I love this ass.”

“Prove it.”

“By fucking you? Already on the same page, darlin’.”

I slid my fingers beneath the material and lightly caressed her skin, staying away from her sensitive pussy. “Tell me, Bella. What’s your favorite way to be fucked?”

“Hold me down, take me hard, pound into me with that huge cock I keep getting glimpses of,” she answered without hesitation.

“You’re a dirty girl, Bella. I think you should be punished.”

A moan was the only answer as I slid a finger along the seam of her sex. Dropping to my knees, I leaned in and swiped across it with my tongue. “Fuck. You taste delicious. I need to fuck you with my tongue first.”

“Yes!”

“You okay? No head rush?”

“I used to compete with Bree to see who could stay upside down the longest. I always won.”

Good to know.

“Don’t move,” I ordered, diving into her folds as I spread them apart with my fingers. My tongue dove inside, sliding in and out, licking, slurping, devouring her pussy as she trembled, nearly falling over. When she lost her balance, I slapped her on both cheeks hard, keeping her in place. “No moving.”

“Crow,” she pleaded.

“Not in the bedroom. In front of my club, I’m Crow. When we’re alone, you will address me as Austin or sir. Nothing else.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good. Stand up.”

She stood, wobbling slightly as I chuckled, pulling her against me. “I’m going to eat your pussy, but you’re not going to come yet. Understood?”

Her eyes glazed over, and she nodded.

“Out loud.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Lay down on the bed and scoot to the edge. I want that cunt in my face.”

She obeyed, opening her legs so wide I didn’t have to ask. Good girl.

She trembled as I lowered to the floor, holding her legs apart. “May I touch you?”

“Always. You can always touch me. I fucking love it.”

One of her hands gently slid across my jaw and cupped it as our eyes met. “I want this with you, Austin. For as long as you want me, I’m here. You don’t have to promise me anything other than having your full attention when we’re alone.”

This fucking woman was going to be my ol’ lady.

She’s my mate.

I stood up, covering her body with my own. “You know I want more than sex, right?”

“Tell me in your words what that means to you. I don’t know biker code.”

“It means you’re mine, Bella. All mine. To fuck. To kiss. To protect. To ride with me. Everything.”

“And love? Do you believe in it?”

I might have been pissed to have this conversation with any other woman. Not with my Bella. She needed to know where we stood before I made her come so many times she lost count.

“What if I told you my heart already recognized yours? That I knew in that bar that you were mine, and I wasn’t joking when I asked you to marry me.”

She smiled, patting me on the cheek. “I see. And the love part?”

“That won’t take long, beautiful. You own more of my heart every fucking minute.”

Bella’s eyes filled with tears, and she blinked them back. “You definitely have to fuck me now, Austin. Skip the foreplay. I need you now.”

“Won’t you feel a bit cheated?” I asked with humor.

Her body writhed beneath mine. “No. I need your cock, Austin Derek Holmes. You better fucking give it to me!”

Laughing, I tossed the belt to the side as she moved up the bed, resting back against the pillows. Her fingers unhooked her bra and threw it across the mattress before her arms and legs opened wide. I didn’t hesitate to strip off my jeans and boxer briefs, climbing up to her sinfully voluptuous figure. Those fucking curves.

“Goddamn, baby. I love how thick and curvy your body is. Fucking turns me on. Look at this dick. I’m practically dry humping the air he’s so eager to get inside you.”

My shaft bobbed in my hand as if agreeing, and I began to stroke, enjoying the way Bella watched me.

“Play with your pussy. I want to see you wet with need.”

One of her hands traveled down her stomach, sliding through her folds as she dipped a finger inside, lubricating it before rising again to press down on her clit. She groaned as she moved her hips, rocking a little as she found a rhythm she liked. The other hand reached for a breast, kneading the soft, plump peaks. She pinched her nipple, and I hissed, growing so hard I knew I wouldn’t go soft until I took her at least three times.

Her arousal glistened on her plump lower lips, and I swiped at the dew, coating the tip of my cock. I should have asked her if she wanted me to use a condom. I always did. But with Bella, everything was different. I wasn’t planning on fucking any other pussy after this, so it seemed unimportant.

“Condom?” she asked, and I leaned to the side, grabbing one from the drawer inside my nightstand. It was best to use one until we talked about it, but I still wanted to feel her bare.

My cock bobbed in the air as I unwrapped the condom, and she began to stroke, forcing me to stand still, or I was going to plunge into her without the fucking condom.

When her hot little mouth licked at the tip, I dropped the wrapper and the condom, both falling on the blanket out of reach. She licked up the side of my shaft, sucking on the plump veins beneath.

Christ.

“Lay back and lift your legs. I want them on my shoulders.”

“Yes, sir.”

I pulled her ass to my knees, lifting both trim ankles up on my shoulders as promised. She gazed into my eyes, and that was the moment I knew I really would marry her someday. Lining up my dick, I plunged inside her tight sheath, moving my hands to her hips as she moaned. I couldn’t help grasping onto the thick flesh of her hips, pulling and pushing her on and off my cock.

She kept calling my name and screaming yes so many times I thought she’d lose her voice.

I couldn’t contain myself, and I unleashed that dark beast within, letting the primitive part of me take over. I never did that with a woman before, but Bella brought out every part of me, and I wanted her to have it. I fucked her hard, unrelenting with every tilt of my hips, only slowing down when I could tell she was close and fought the need to release.

My hips slowly moved, rolling back and forth as I stroked her inner walls, catching the light flutters and the tightening of her pussy. She wasn’t going to fight it for much longer. Pressing down on her clit, I began to massage the sensitive bundle of nerves, ordering her to come all over me.

She flooded my dick with her cream as she wailed, coming hard enough to squirt and soak my balls as I pounded into her until I was sure her climax had ended. With a light laugh, I let her legs fall off my shoulders. “Turn around. I’m going to fuck you from behind, and I want that ass shaking as I come all over it.”

Bella turned over and pushed up on all fours, thrusting out her ass. I could see how wet her pussy was, and I smiled before shoving my dick inside her and slapping that ass. My hand struck both cheeks multiple times as she cried out. The red blotchy skin turned me on as much as watching those cheeks shake with every slap.

“Tell me what you want, Bella.”

“I want you to fuck me.”

“Already doing that, baby.”

“Then I want you to come.”

“Where do you want me to shoot my load? You want it in that hot little mouth, coating your chin? How about this sexy red ass all heated from my hand? Or, how about I drive into you so hard and deep that I coat your pussy with my cum and then watch it drip from this tight little pussy?”

“Fill me up, Austin. I want you to drive deep and unload every drop. And when you pull out, I want to spread some on my fingers and lick it off.”

“Fuck me,” I growled, knowing that was exactly what I wanted. “I’m so close, baby.”

She began to play with her clit again, moving her hips as I slammed into her from behind. Her thighs started shaking, and I felt her clench my dick as I roared her name. My cock buried inside her, and I felt every single spurt of my jizz as it left the tip, filling her as she wanted. My body jolted as my hips kept pumping, flooding her until I collapsed, pressing kisses to her back as I pushed her hair aside.

“Fucking you is amazing, my Bella.”

That might have been possessive, but I didn’t give a shit. Not like I was lyin’ about it.

She rolled over as I lay flat on my back, catching my breath. Bella opened her legs and dipped a hand between them, lifting two fingers to show me the combined fluids. She opened her mouth and licked, sucking those fingers clean. After watching her do it two more times, I was fucking hard again.

“Roll on your side, Bella,” I ordered softly, “This time, I’m going to fuck you slow. When you come, I want your eyes on mine.”

I slid into her, holding her leg as I fucked her as I promised, gliding in and out until I couldn’t wait and picked up speed. We rutted against one another; both lost in the pleasure that followed.

Close to coming, I pressed her against the sheets, my dick slowly plunging in and out of her tight, hot, wet cunny. I picked up the pace, holding her gaze as she sucked in a breath. A few seconds later, she came, shuddering beneath me as our eyes remained locked, and she moaned, gripping my hand as I kept stroking her walls, coaxing every bit of pleasure from her body.

Only when she gazed at me with such affection, I knew I already had fallen for her, did I finally release, coating her womb as I hoped I knocked her up. What a stupid notion, but I never wanted her to leave, and if that meant we forever had a connection, then so be it. The idea of being a mate and father didn’t repulse me as it did years ago. Now, I saw the reason my father loved my mother and wanted to give his son everything.

“Bella,” I groaned, lowering my forehead to hers, “You have me. All of me.”

“You have me too.”

A FIST POUNDED MY DOOR as I jolted awake, holding Bella in my arms as my eyes opened, suddenly alert.

“Pres, you got to see this.”

“Give me two minutes, Eagle Eye. I’ll be right down.”

“Wake up, Bella-mine. Eagle Eye found somethin’.” I kissed her soft mouth, slapping her naked ass. “Come on.”

She flipped me off, then pulled me against her, planting a needy kiss on my lips.

“I promise to give your pussy a good fucking later, baby.”

“You better.” She climbed across my lap, wiggled that tempting naked ass, and then slid off the bed, walking into the bathroom.

Fuck. I was going to need inside her at least five times a day and didn’t think it would be enough anytime soon. That pussy and ass were a lethal combination. My cock was fucking addicted.

With a chuckle, I dressed, stopping into the bathroom to brush my teeth and put on deodorant. After I slid my cut on, I yelled for her to join me once she was ready. I left Bella as she stepped into the shower, wishing I could join her, but the club came first. My dick could get wet later.

Eagle Eye flashed a smile when I entered his domain. “Lookin’ relaxed and happy, pres.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“Happy for you, brother.”

“Thanks.” I slapped him on the shoulder, pointing to the screen in front of us. “What did you find?”

“Some fucked up shit, pres. The sheriff is dirty as fuck, and he’s in deep with the Dirty Death MC. Owes them a chunk of change, and they’ve been using him for their dirty work and to avoid the feds. Takin’ up all kinds of contracts with the mayor, too. Buyin’ and sellin’ properties for cheap and then raising the prices, selling them to adjoining property owners who don’t want to lose their businesses because of the economy. It’s dirty shit, man.”

“The mayor? What the fuck?”

“Yeah. Brianna worked as one of his staff. She found a bunch of memos, documents, and bills of sale, and she gathered up all the evidence. She was plannin’ to take it to a guy she knew in the FBI.”

“But they got to her first,” I guessed.

“Yep. They took her in, interrogated her, threatened and beat her, and nearly raped her twice. I don’t know how she avoided it, but she did. There’s access to video feeds used at the capitol building downtown, the lower levels below and the tunnels, and a room they use for sick shit like this. They were going to kill Brianna and Bella, pres. They’re on a hit list.”

“Fuck!” I roared, pushing away from the desk. “How long do we have before they attack The Roost?”

“I don’t know, but I’m guessing we need to get the girls into hiding. Undertaker wants a piece of Brianna. He’s willing to do anything to get his hands on her. He nearly did when you busted in and rescued her. Brianna would have been gone if you arrived an hour later.”

Goddamn, that was close.

“We’ll get them out. I’m going to call Grim. He owes me a favor.”

“The Royal Bastards? Hell yeah. Love the Tonopah reapers.”

“I’m going to Raven. We’re leaving within the hour.”

“You got it, pres.”

I pulled my phone out, dialing Grim’s number. He answered on the third ring.

“Better be goddamn good, Crow. My ol’ lady is suckin’ my dick, and I’m about to blow.” He made a few grunting noises, and I thought I was gonna blow chunks. Didn’t want to think about any man’s cock, just my own.

“You sick motherfucker. Enjoyin’ that, huh? Made my balls shrivel up to hear that shit.”

His deep laughter filtered through the line. “You believed me for a few seconds. Don’t deny it.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“What you need? How you handlin’ Rook’s passing?”

Shit. I swallowed hard, hating the news I had to deliver. Grim and the club must have been here for the funeral. “Not good. And now there’s more shit to deal with. Not only do I need to find my father’s murderer, but my ol’ lady and her sister are in trouble. The Dirty Death MC put a hit on them.”

“Undertaker and his bullshit? Dumb fucker.”

“Yeah. Need a place to take the girls and lay low.”

“The Crossroads is always open to you, Crow. From one pres to another, I got you.”

Thank fuck. I was hopin’ he’d say that. “Thanks. We’ll be there in a few hours.”

“We’ll be ready. I’ll have Xenon watchin’ out for you.” Xenon was as efficient and tech-savvy as Eagle Eye. Nothin’ much got past their firewalls, and they had eyes and ears everywhere.

If there was anywhere I felt safe, it was with the most ruthless motherfuckers in Nevada. I wasn’t too pussy to admit that the reapers were a scary bunch. Glad I counted them among my friends.

I ended the call and joined Bella, giving her a rundown of the plan.

“You think this is best?”

“I do, baby. Need you on board with this. I’m not taking any chances with your safety.”

“I’m with you, Austin. I understand.”

“Good. Let’s tell Raven. Maybe Brianna will wake up before we need to leave. I sure hate transporting her unconscious.”

“That makes two of us.”

“She’s not up yet?” I asked, chewing my lip nervously as I stared down at Bree. “We can’t wait for her to wake up. It’s too dangerous.”

“Agreed,” Crow added.

“I’ll ride with her in a cage, pres,” Raven offered. “Nothing will harm her.”

“Good idea. The girls should be separated. Make it harder to capture them both if something goes down.”

“I’m not loving this idea, but I see the wisdom in it.” I sighed, leaning down to kiss Bree’s cheek. “Take care of her, Raven. She’s all I have left in this world.”

“Don’t you worry, sweet cheeks. Nothin’ is gettin’ through me.”

Twenty minutes later, we left the parking lot of Crow’s clubhouse, riding in dark SUVs with tinted windows and followed by an entourage of Devil’s Murder MC members. The ride was smooth and entirely too easy, without a single hiccup as we approached the gate outside the Crossroads.

A prospect opened up and led us in, closing the gate as more of the Royal Bastards gathered outside, setting up a perimeter and taking posts inside the towers recently erected around the property. Crow pointed them out, indicating they were new since his last visit.

Grim greeted us at the door, a big guy with dark hair, lots of ink, and a laugh as magnetic as his personality. These guys were as intimidating as Crow’s club when I first met them, but there was something different about them. I couldn’t pinpoint what it was, but I could feel it. They had a sinister aura about them, but I didn’t feel threatened. On the contrary, I felt the safest I had in a long time.

No one messed with the Royal Bastards. Their reputation preceded them.

Brianna was brought in and taken into a guest room on the second floor, where Raven insisted on following. He didn’t let a single soul into the room and took his position as protector seriously.

“Church,” Grim called out, gesturing to the chapel located in the center of the building, right off the common room and adjacent to the bar. “We’ve got shit to discuss.”

“Be back soon, Bella-mine.” Crow leaned down and kissed me, grabbing my ass as he lifted me off the ground. When my feet touched the floors again, he winked. “Needed to make sure all these fuckers know what’s mine.”

“I’m all yours,” I whispered, giving him a quick kiss. “Don’t stay away long.”

“I’ll try. Lots of shit to decide.”

“I figured.”

Crow strutted over to the chapel and laughed as Grim gripped his shoulder, talking shit into his ear. I caught my man’s grin before he disappeared inside, realizing the looks I was getting around the room. Only club girls and the prospects remained, all curious about our arrival. A few envious glances were thrown my way. Lifting my chin high, I left to join Raven and my sister.

The wait was unbearable. I think I practically chewed every nail down to the cuticle, and I was so restless I wanted to scream.

Almost an hour later, Crow opened the door and asked me to join him in the hall.

“We’re leaving. Got word that the asshole who took your sister is Undertaker’s V.P. Asshole had the nerve to smile at the camera when Eagle Eye found the right footage. It’s never been anything other than the Dirty Death MC startin’ trouble.”

“But why, Crow? My sister and I aren’t involved in club business, at least not before I met you.”

“That’s the thing, darlin’. You were set up. We both were. This is about the rivalry and turf war we’ve had goin’ with the Dirty Death for the last decade.”

“What about your dad?”

“I think they were watchin’ him. Undertaker waited for my father to ride out alone and took advantage of his vulnerability.”

“And the lawyer?”

Crow shook his head. “Xenon found him. The shady fucker put a bullet in his brain. Couldn’t take the stress of the shit he knew and would go down for if the feds caught him.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah. Listen, I’m takin’ this asshole down. I want every threat against you eliminated.”

“Good. That’ll keep Bree safe.”

“And you,” he pointed out.

“That’s why I’m coming with you. To ensure that asshole sees my face before I stick him in the chest with a poker.”

Crow’s lips twitched. “A poker?”

“Yeah. I’m badass. You shouldn’t question this.”

“Oh, I don’t, Bella-mine.” The smile faded. “Because you sure as fuck aren’t coming.” He nodded to someone behind him, and I was lifted, arms wrapping around my middle like steel bars. I couldn’t move them if I wanted.

“Crow!” I screamed, struggling against the guy stupid enough to pick me up. His balls were going to hurt for a long time after this. I swung my leg back and hit the offender in the nutsack, only slightly sorry as we both hit the ground.

“Bella! What the fuck, babe!”

“Exactly,” I screeched, huffing as I got to my feet and noticed Cuckoo. “Stop making Cuckoo carry me off while you get all the fun. I’m going. End of story. Move your ass, or I won’t suck your cock for a month.”

A few chuckles erupted around us as I noticed we weren’t alone.

Cuckoo was on the ground, one hand over his junk. “Fuck, pres. I can’t handle this chick. She’s gonna make me lose a nut or somethin’.”

“Damn, darlin’. Cut the man some slack.”

“Watch your balls, Cuckoo. I won’t hesitate to do it again if you pick me up.”

“No way, honey. Lesson learned,” he groaned.

“Ready, baby?” I asked sweetly, linking my arm through Crow’s. “I have a motherfucker to catch who needs to feel pain and die.”

“You’re fucking scary, Bella.” Cuckoo did look a little afraid.

“I love you, doll face. Don’t get all soft on me, mkay?”

He flashed her a grin. “You’re a ball buster, sweetheart. After my heart with all that sass.”

“You know it.”

Crow shook his head. “Let’s go. Grim is waitin’.”

Outside, I dropped onto the seat behind Crow, sliding my arms around his waist. “How are we catching this guy? Isn’t he some big badass?”

“Not nearly as much as we are, sugar.” I looked to my left, catching the hottest silver fox I’d ever seen. He was a panty-melting dream with all those muscles, tattoos, and silver beard.

“Name’s Papa. I’m taken, honey. Love my little mama and my balls, so keep your eyes on Crow.”

I blushed, nodding my head.

“Will I ever get to know what’s so different about these guys?” I asked, keeping my voice low.

“Maybe someday.” A chuckle escaped as he patted my thigh. “It’s all gonna work out.”

“How?”

“I’m an outlaw, darlin’. It’s best not to ask questions.”

I slapped his stomach, and Crow laughed again, pulling back on the throttle as we left the Crossroads.

“We’ll figure this out, baby. I promise. We’re gonna get these assholes and avenge my father. Ain’t nobody stoppin’ the Devil’s Murder.”

“Or the Royal Bastards,” Grim added with a wink.

THE RIDE DOWN HWY 95 seemed endless in the brutal, blazing sun. Even my sunglasses didn’t help as I squinted, holding on tighter to Crow as we slowed down, taking an unnamed dusty road out into the desert. We didn’t go far before crossing into a mountainous pathway that blocked some of the rays, cooling us down considerably.

Crow squeezed my thigh as we followed the others, stopping before the road split into two sections. To the left, more desert loomed ahead with nothing more than cactus and mounds of sand. On the right, the path ahead led to some sort of dwelling. It was hard to tell from this distance, but it almost seemed a mirage. I could see what looked like a mansion surrounded by sandstone pillars that extended into a massive wall, wrapping around the property like the cream-colored wings of a dragon.

Was this an oasis? In the Great Basin of Nevada? No way.

“Things are about to get a little crazy. Braid your hair, baby.”

I didn’t ask why, just gathered the strands into a quick plait, tying off the ends with an elastic rubber band someone named Rael tossed in my direction. Talk about freaky. His face was painted like a skeleton, and he kept flicking his tongue like a serpent. I didn’t ask Crow about him, although I really wanted to know why he seemed so keyed up.

I ended up in the middle of the group next to Crow. Cuckoo stayed on my left. Behind me, Talon and Claw watched for any sign of ambush. Ahead, Grim and the Royal Bastards spread out, gesturing to one another with signals I didn’t understand. Hawk and Carrion were directly ahead, scanning the surrounding area for any sign of trouble.

We made it to the sandstone wall, staying out of sight.

Crow pulled me into his side, his voice low. “Grim is sending in a few of his guys with Hawk and Carrion. We’ll follow in a few minutes.”

“Do you think the place is deserted?”

“Don’t know. Could be a trap. That’s why we’re being cautious.”

“Is this the info Eagle Eye found on the flash drive?” I asked, still not sure about everything included in the footage.

“Yes. There’s more info to sift through. It’s gonna take a few days to sort it all out.”

“And your father? This place is connected to his death?”

“His murder, baby. And yeah, Undertaker is responsible. His V.P. Chronos is one of the men who shot my father. I don’t know the identity of the others, but I’ll find out.”

“Okay. I get it. Who else is involved?”

“The mayor and Sheriff Taylor. Those fuckers are on my list.”

“Brianna worked for the mayor,” I replied slowly. “That’s how she got in trouble, right? She found out about the corruption and who was involved.”

“Yes. Now she’s on their hit list.”

“And so am I,” I realized. “Well, fuck.”

“That pretty mouth shouldn’t say such dirty words.”

“Why? You think it sounds amazing to hear me say cock, especially when I have it in my mouth.”

Rael snickered, shaking his head. “She’s a handful, Crow.”

“You don’t even fucking know, Rael.”

“I do, bro. My Nylah is that sassy. Love it. Makes my cock hard just thinkin’ about her.” He shivered, a dark smile curving his lips. “She’s gonna get it good later.”

“I wish I didn’t know that,” Crow deadpanned.

Grim snorted. “Me either. I know way too much.” He glanced over his shoulder, ticking his chin at the silver fox. “Papa, you ready?”

“Don’t fuckin’ insult me with that question.”

Grim laughed. “Of course not.”

The first group made their way around the wall and inside the sandstone and stucco exterior of the mansion, swallowed up by the dark interior. Plants and flowers hung in sporadic intervals, placed in huge pots, deposited in specific corners to add a pop of color. A fountain sprinkled water that cascaded down a rounded basin, splashing over the goldfish swimming in the pond below.

Grim and Papa followed next, moving stealthily through the empty courtyard. Crow gestured for me to follow, placing a knife in my hand. “You know how to shoot? Never asked you.”

“Yeah, I do. My grandmother taught me.”

“Your grandmother?”

“Gram thought it was a good idea to ensure her granddaughters weren’t vulnerable.”

“Well, shit. I ain’t goin’ against your Gram. Take this too.” He handed over a small pistol, winking as I shoved in the clip. “All set.”

We entered the house as Crow led the way, gesturing to the winding staircase in the center, leading up to the second floor. A crystal chandelier swung above our heads, evident of something otherworldly about the interior of this hulking beast, a giant that lay in wait for its prey.

The hair on the back of my neck stood up, and I shivered. “Crow?”

“Yeah?”

“Something is off.”

“I know. I feel it too.” He led me into an alcove, dropping down as he leaned against the wall. “Whatever you see over the next few minutes, don’t worry. Okay?”

“Um, okay.”

“You’re never in danger from me. You know that, right?”

“Of course.”

“Then keep a sharp eye around us. If someone comes our way, take them out. Understand? You hesitate; you die. Feel me?”

Shit. “Yes.”

“Good.”

I looked away from Crow, watching for any sign of trouble. It was odd that none of our friends approached, but I didn’t grow alarmed until I whispered Crow’s name, and he didn’t answer. Turning my head, I caught his vacant expression.

“Crow,” I whispered, “we’re not alone.”

That was when I noticed that his eyes had gone pure white, almost cloudy in appearance. His features were relaxed, and he seemed unaware of his surroundings, completely tuned out.

“Shit,” I whispered, aiming the gun at the staircase as I heard footsteps. “We’ve got company.”

Bella didn’t seem concerned or afraid about what I said. That was good. I didn’t want to freak her out, but she should learn about my club and me as soon as possible. If she couldn’t handle life with a crow, that was something I needed to know before our relationship became something too strong to walk away from, not that it wasn’t developing that way already.

I closed my eyes and instantly connected with my crow, using his sight to learn the whereabouts of our friends, my brothers, and the enemy. It had grown too quiet, and I didn’t like it. Grim and the Royal Bastards were one floor above us, already using their talents to reap the souls we didn’t need. Only Undertaker, Chronos, and the rest of the officers in the club mattered. Everyone else was expendable.

I hoped to run into Sheriff Taylor, but he wasn’t there. I swept through the halls of the upper floors, disappointed to find most of the Dirty Death members subdued. Undertaker must be at another facility. He left Chronos to clean up his mess, and I realized far too late that he was here.

My eyes snapped open, and I found him standing at the top of the stairs, a gun aimed at Bella’s chest.

“Glad you could join us, Crow.”

“Fuck you, Chronos.” I pushed off the wall, rising to my feet as I moved in front of Bella. He wouldn’t shoot her, not yet. Undertaker wanted both girls, and Chronos wasn’t going to take chances and risk killing one of them before returning to his pres.

“You always were a sniveling, stupid little fuck. Too self-absorbed to notice what’s happening around you.”

“Those are big words. You sure you know what they mean?” I taunted, trying to gain most of his focus. “Didn’t they kick you out of school for failing your freshman year twice?”

Chronos sneered. “At least I didn’t have to rely on daddy to fix all my mistakes.”

“Is that why you killed him? Shot him in cold blood?” I wanted to hear this motherfucker say it.

“Fuck yeah. He was too much trouble. Undertaker said he needed to go, and I made sure I was the one who put the bullet in his heart. Funny thing was, he didn’t beg. Just kept calling out your name. Isn’t that sweet?”

My hands curled into fists as I kept my temper under control. “You’re going to die for murdering my father.”

“And for kidnapping my sister,” Bella added, her voice wavering as she glanced my way.

“Brianna has the sweetest cunt. Did she tell you how many times I held her down, fucking her until she bled? I ruined her for other men. She’s nothing but sloppy, stretched-out holes now. Her ass wouldn’t stop bleeding for hours after the first time. It was intoxicating to fuck her as she screamed, bent over as I rammed into her repeatedly.”

Bella turned her head and vomited, wiping her mouth before she lifted her pistol and pulled the trigger, firing a bullet into his groin.

Chronos didn’t expect her reaction. The shock on his face was priceless, but it was the attack from the crows I ordered that I enjoyed the most. He screamed as they swooped in, landing on him with sharp talons that dug into his flesh. They kept latching onto him, weighing his body down as he flung out his arms and tumbled to the ground, losing his balance.

The crows didn’t leave him alone. They followed my orders, using their beaks to rip tiny strips off his flesh. I didn’t want him to die too quickly. My vengeance was going to take some time, and I wanted his suffering to be dragged out as long as possible. The crows latched onto his limbs, dragging him to the staircase where Bella joined them, smiling at the sick fuck before she pushed him, watching as he tumbled down the stairs and the crows flew up, hovering above his body with chants of caw, caw.

I wasn’t happy with this death. Too quick. Too merciful.

He groaned from his position on the tiles, rolling onto his back. His bloody body wasn’t broken enough for me. I sent a new message to the crows, ordering them to peck out his eyes, liver, and stomach, feasting on his organs as he slowly died from the blood loss. A devastating, excruciating death that only offered a tiny bit of the vengeance I needed.

This wasn’t over yet. Chronos was only one among a group I intended to reap my vindication, crow style. Justice wasn’t close enough to being complete today.

“Don’t look,” I whispered, pulling her into my arms. “He’s not going to live much longer.”

She buried her head in my neck. “He hurt my sister, Austin. Eagle Eye said she was okay but he was wrong.”

“I know, darlin’. I’m sorry. Xenon found the other videos. That rapist’s going to pay for it too. He already is.”

Her head lifted. “What’s different about you and your club?”

“We’re crows. Our souls align with them. We’re one mind when we choose, and they follow our orders. That’s only part of it. Each of us has unique talents or abilities that vary in the group. I think you can guess what Falcon does.”

“He’s a healer.”

“Yes. He sees the bones and organs in the body, can assess the damage, and his fingers promote healing. Still takes some time to heal fully, but the process is expedited.”

“And you?”

“The crows follow my orders. I can sense things like emotions. I know what the crows see in the sky and can use their sight to my advantage.”

“That’s so wild.”

“It is. There’s somethin’ you need to understand, baby. Crows mate for life.”

“For life?”

“When we find the one we love and want to be with, that’s it for us. Our mate is our forever.”

“Is that what I am to you?”

“Yes. You’re my forever, Bella-mine.”

“BREE!” BELLA EXCLAIMED as we walked inside the guest room at The Roost. “You’re up!”

“I am.” She glanced at Raven, blushing as he winked.

“How are you feeling?” Bella walked to her sister, sitting on the edge of the bed as the girls hugged.

“I’m tired, but that’s to be expected.”

I signaled to Raven, walking to the doorway as he joined me. “How is she?”

We returned to the Crossroads to pick up Briana and Raven, then returned to The Roost. The danger was still present, but with the club on alert and the Royal Bastards working with us, we felt confident that we could handle whatever Undertaker tried to do next.

Without his V.P. and quite a few club members, he suffered major loses. It was time to move on, gathering the clues and evidence we needed to confront Sheriff Taylor. Taking our enemies down one at time seemed a shrewd move. I hoped we weren’t making any mistakes. Time would tell how the Devil’s Murder overcame our enemies.

“Messed up. It’s gonna take some time.”

“We found Chronos. He described what he did to her in detail.”

Raven snarled, pushing me out the door. “I don’t want to know. Not tonight. I’ll hunt down every Dirty Death MC member if you say another word and watch them suffer one by one.”

“Not until I have Undertaker. He ordered the hit on Rook.”

Raven spun around, ensuring the door was closed before his mouth opened in an agonized Kraaa.

“We’re not letting this go, Raven. We settle the girls, and then we go after Undertaker and the Dirty Death MC. We take them out, beginning with Sheriff Taylor and his debt to their club.”

“Agreed.”

Red called my name, and I looked up, catching the prospect as he ran toward us, holding an envelope in his hand. I took it from him, noticing the handwriting. “This is from my pops.”

“What? How do you know?”

“Look. It’s his handwriting.”

“Is that the reason he ran off without telling anyone the night he died?”

“It’s possible.” I tore the edge off and pulled out the contents, staring down at the documents enclosed inside. The death certificate for my mother. Her autopsy paperwork. My birth certificate. Another birth certificate, this one dated eighteen months after mine. A girl’s name was printed on it, one I had never heard before today. Abigail Holmes.

“Your dad went to the lawyer for these documents,” Raven speculated. “I bet he had them hidden there for safekeeping.”

“Are they forged?” They appeared legit. The information on my certificate was correct.

“I don’t think so, Crow.”

“I have a sister?”

“It appears so.”

“Did you know about her?” I asked, knowing he wouldn’t lie.

“No. There must be a reason your father hid this from us.”

“She must be in trouble. Why would it surface now?” I asked, tucking the documents back inside.

“Because she’s in danger. And now, so are you.”

“I have to find her, Raven.”

“Send Talon. He’s the best tracker. If she’s out there, he can hunt her down. Cuckoo is too unstable, or I’d suggest sending him.”

“No,” I agreed. “I’ll send Talon.”

“We’ll look into this, Crow. Eagle Eye can dig into these records. This is his expertise.”

“I know.” Swallowing hard, I turned my head toward the room, thinking of Bella.

A shitstorm was headed toward The Roost and the Devil’s Murder MC, and she was now vulnerable because of it.

Raven must have sensed my unease. “We’ll protect them. Nothing is gonna happen to those women. They’re part of us now.”

He was right, but the sinking feeling in my gut felt like a bad omen.

“You shouldn’t be here,” I whispered to myself, lowering my forehead to the wall outside of Bree’s room. “Too fucking old for this shit.”

Brianna isn’t Sarah.

“But I can help her,” I insisted, warring with the bitter, vengeful, heartbroken man inside. My crow didn’t like getting close to women, not after losing Sarah.

You can’t save her.

“I already did,” I contradicted vehemently. “She needs me.”

Sarah needed you, and you failed her.

Fuck. The reminder was a knife in the gut.

“It’s different this time,” I insisted, pushing away from the wall as I lifted a hand and knocked on the door.

The soft, timid voice of Bella’s sister answered, “Come in.”

Blowing out a breath, I straightened, greeting Brianna as I entered. “Good morning, babygirl.”

“Raven.” The sweet twitch of her lips as she tried to smile warmed my heart. After everything this brave young woman went through, she didn’t have a lot of reasons to smile, but the fact that she wanted to for me was goddamn intoxicating.

“Is there anything I can do for you? Anything you need?”

She bit her lip, small white teeth tugging the plump, smooth surface. “Would you stay with me for a bit? Unless you’re busy,” she hastily added. “I don’t want to be alone.”

Too busy for her? Fuck no. Shit ran smoothly in this club because everyone did their job. Prospects handled the rest. I delegated when necessary and brought issues to the pres. Today I didn’t have a single fucking thing going on more important than taking a seat next to Brianna and offering my company.

“How are the nightmares?” I asked, remembering what Sarah once said to me. The nightmares can scar worse than the trauma. It’s reliving it over and over again that breaks you down.

She blinked. “I can’t sleep. Every time I close my eyes, he’s there.” She shuddered. Dark circles marred the creamy skin of her flawless complexion. So beautiful. In her eyes, though, I saw how haunted she was by the motherfucker who took her. I couldn’t kill him enough times to make this right. If I could keep him in the basement and torment him for a hundred years, it wouldn’t be enough.

I hated that Crow got his justice and I wasn’t there to avenge Briana.

“Do you want to talk about it? Sometimes getting it out helps.”

“How?” she asked bitterly, her voice pained. “It’s already got roots deep in my soul.”

I stood up, sitting on the edge of her bed.

Don’t do it. You can’t take it away.

“May I touch you? Your hand,” I clarified, reaching in her direction.

Brianna slowly moved her hand, sliding it across the white blanket covering her bed. When we touched, she winced but didn’t pull away. “I’m afraid.”

“Of?” I asked, rubbing tiny circles into the surface. My ability to calm, soothe, and manipulate emotion was limited to the strength or weakness of the mind, meaning those who were weak were easy, and the strong ones were difficult. Rarely I met someone who was impossible to influence and could reject my touch.

I had to fight to breach the barrier Brianna erected. Her will was one of the strongest I had ever encountered and yet combined with an innocence and sweetness that I found irresistible.

She’s too similar to Sarah.

I hated the old crow knew me so well, but that went both ways. We were comfortable with one another and could expose the demons within—something I never allowed anyone else to do.

“What if I never feel normal again, Raven?”

“Who cares about normal?” I asked, enclosing her hand in mine. Soothing waves of warmth flowed into her as she stiffened, fighting the comfort I wanted to give. “Normal is bullshit. It doesn’t exist. Feeling like yourself? Accepting and loving every part, even the dark parts, that’s all that fucking matters.”

Her fingers twitched, and I could feel her beginning to relax. “I don’t know if that’s possible.”

“Which part?”

“Moving on enough to accept the dark parts.”

“Then you ask for help. You fight because you can’t let the demons win.”

Her fingers squeezed mine. “I’ve fought most of my life, Raven. I’m tired.” Her voice wavered, and my heart nearly stuttered, hating the vulnerability and agony contained inside.

“Then I’ll help you, Brianna. I don’t think you need me, though. You’re fucking strong, babygirl. You can do this.”

“You don’t know me.”

“I know enough. I can see people. Maybe I’m just old and full of shit.” Shrugging, I tried to lighten the heaviness in the room. “But I’ve lived a lot of years on this earth, and I can tell you, the fight is worth it.”

“You’re not like anyone I’ve ever met before.”

“Not sure if that’s good or bad,” I admitted with a chuckle. “I’m set in my ways and have seen a lot of shit.”

“But you’re real, Raven. I appreciate that.” Her eyes fluttered, and her chin dropped for a few seconds before she jerked awake. “I’m so sleepy.”

“I’ll stay with you. If you have a nightmare, you won’t be alone.”

“Why would you do that?”

“You remind me of someone I knew long ago.” Someone else who couldn’t fight the pain with the same sadness and beauty.

She’s not Sarah.

No, my mate died, and I wasn’t there to stop it. I’d never forgive myself for allowing it to happen.

Never again. I would help Brianna, and maybe the dark parts of me would hate less.

Brianna yawned, her head turning my way. “Promise you won’t leave me alone?”

“Promise. You sleep, babygirl. If those dragons pop up, I’ll be there to slay them.”

If you enjoyed Crow and Bella’s story, please leave a review to help others decide on the book.

Click here for the next book in the series: Raven

Click here to read more about Grim and the Royal Bastards MC: The Biker’s Gift

#1 Crow

#2 Raven

#3 Hawk

#4 Talon

#5 Claw

#6 Cuckoo

#7 TBD

Love motorcycle romance?

Check out these books by Nikki Landis:

Royal Bastards MC

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#2 Bloody Mine

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#5 Hell’s Fury

#6 Grave Mistake

#7 Papa Noel

#8 The Biker’s Wish

#9 Eternally Mine

#10 Twisted Devil

#11 Violent Bones

#12 Haunting Chaos

#13 Santa Biker

#14 TBD

Reaper’s Vale MC

#1 Justified

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Ravage Riders MC

#1 Sins of the Father

#2 Sinners & Saints

#3 Sins Betrayal

#4 TBD

Lords of Wrath MC

#1 Tarek

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Iron Renegades MC

#1 Roulette Run

#2 Jester’s Ride

#3 TBD

Pres/Founder – Crow

VP/Founder – Raven

SGT at Arms – Hawk

Enforcer – Talon

Secretary – Carrion

Treasurer – Claw

Road Captain – Swift

Tail Gunner – Jay

Member – Eagle Eye (Tech)

Member – Cuckoo

Member – Falcon

Prospect – Goose

Prospect – Robin

“You good, Edge?” R.J. asked with a frown.

“Ask me again later. Right now, I’m just fucking nervous.”

He snorted. “That makes two of us.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw movement and nearly fell off my bike.

Rae.

Right there. In the flesh.

A surge of emotion jolted through my body like a flash of lightning. Being this close was surreal. I felt her connection again, so strong and intense it rocked me to the core. I could sense her like I always had been able, but until now, I hadn’t realized how much I relied on our connection to make it through the last three years. Seeing her again was a brutal shock to my system, one I had longed for and dreamed of for so long that I was nearly unable to move.

She was walking into the corner store and hadn’t noticed us. I needed a minute to recover my composure, and then R.J. and I walked in, scanning the store until we saw her sexy little ass gathering up fresh fruit in the farthest aisle. She still had a body and curves that made me want to sink to my knees and worship.

All I could do was stare at Rae, afraid I’d blink, and she would disappear.

R.J. didn’t appear any better off. He cleared his throat awkwardly.

For a moment, I wanted to run to Rae, and then reality sank in.

She was too pure. I knew that now. Too good for my soiled and bloodied hands to touch. I didn’t deserve her, and I sure as hell wasn’t good enough for her. Rae was out of my league, and I didn’t think for a second that she would actually accept my life and the RRMC.

My sordid past and connections to the Riders meant I was owned body and soul, and I couldn’t, I wouldn’t, drag her into my shit. Once she found out the truth of what I had become, she would run, and I knew it was the right thing for her to do. If she really cared, wouldn’t she have tried to find out what happened that night at Crazy Eights Bar? Did she know I went to prison? Did she bother to find out if I was alright?

My head was all over the fucking place. I couldn’t think straight. My brain went haywire and seemed to sort of short circuit. I blinked twice in an effort to calm my shit down, but I was starting to lose it. It was too much—of her, my past, and I couldn’t fuckin’ deal.

All the while, Rae stood, staring up at me with her wide brown eyes so doe-like in their innocence and trust. She noticed we were there before I had a chance to figure out what I would say. Fuck. So many conflicting emotions. So much chaos raged within me.

I’d have to give her up. I already made that choice, and now that the moment was here, three years in the making, I fucking felt like I was going to have some kind of nervous breakdown. My heart broke at the thought of pushing her away, but there was no other choice.

“How are you, Rae?” The words sounded forced from my throat and stilted.

She didn’t seem to notice.

Instead, she sucked in the right corner of her bottom lip, chewing nervously. A sure sign that she was anxious and uncertain. Funny how after all this time, I still remembered every little quirk in her personality. Branded and seared into my brain was every little nuance, every like and dislike, every look and smile—she had so many—surfacing the moment she shyly whispered my name in response.

“Peter.”

Every thought in my head disappeared. A blank slate. Like I was a fucking moron.

What the hell?

“Pete,” she repeated with emphasis.

My reaction was instantaneous. A single shiver spread throughout my entire body as liquid heat coursed through my veins and burned with a desperate longing that almost made my knees buckle. She always had this effect on me. Time had deepened the connection and intensity of loss as if she gouged me with a sharp blade dipped in poison, and the wound had festered and never fully healed, lingering beneath my skin only to burn in reminder. She was like a dangerous and addictive drug that would fuckin’ kill me if I wasn’t careful.

Fighting for control over my body, I merely nodded, afraid she would see how much I still loved and wanted her if I spoke aloud. My fingers itched with the need to reach out and touch her, feel the softness of her skin, and know the warmth of her lips once more. I wanted to brush my mouth across hers and taste her, see if she was as sweet as I remembered.

Rae was the epitome of temptation and desire, but I wasn’t stupid enough to risk her life more than once. I tried everything in the past, gambled, and lost, all to save her.

That was all that mattered.

Rae was alive. Safe. Unharmed. Free.

Things I would never be, not now, not ever.

“Peter?”

Her soft question made me want to snarl and punch something like the caged and wild beast I had become. My voice was low and nearly guttural as I replied, crushing her hope as if it was a tangible thing that I could break with my own two hands. “Nice seeing you, Rae. Take care.”

Without a word, I stomped around her and toward the glass doors of the QuickMart, my expression hard and unwavering as my heart shattered, breaking into a thousand tiny pieces and scattering to the wet pavement below my boots. R.J. was close by my side, his gaze cutting at me sideways but not questioning my choice. We both understood the danger our lives presented. As full members of the Ravage Riders, we could no longer make singular or selfish decisions.

Everything was about the club.

And we answered to Rafe.

I dared to look back just once and nearly crumpled at the expression of devastation and hurt that crossed her beautiful face. Rae, oh baby. I’m sorry. My heart called to her, but there was nothing I could do. I was Edge now—no longer free, and I wouldn’t take the chance that a repeat of the past may cost her life next time.

For all my good intentions, all the waiting and lonely, empty nights, none of that sacrifice was enough to bring her into my shit show of a life. All the effort and time wasted in search of her. The minutes I counted down until she was mine again. None of those things mattered anymore. Seeing her was torture but proved she was better off without me. She was out of danger. Safe and free in a world where the ugliness of mc life couldn’t touch or harm her again.

Rae didn’t need me anymore.

Even if I needed her like oxygen to my deprived lungs.

Even if I felt hollowed out and empty, broken and alone.

What bothered me the most, the thing that broke and shattered my black fucking heart was the glistening diamond ring she wore on her left index finger. The ring I used to propose to her right before she gave me her virginity. She still had it. Still wore it.

Fuck!

I revved the throaty engine of my Harley next to R.J. and forced my gaze ahead, taking off on my hog before the urge to turn around and grab her was too strong to resist. My chest was so tight I could hardly breathe, my airways constricting to the point of suffocation. Goddammit! Not now, I thought, Shit! This couldn’t be any fucking worse!

R.J. followed me a short distance away as we sat, engines rumbling, and waited for Rae to leave the store. Keeping at a distance, we made sure she returned home safely, careful not to be discovered.

“I want Ghost on her tail. He reports directly to me if anything suspicious occurs.” My order was barked out quickly as my eyes narrowed, watching Rae walk into her apartment building. A parking garage was located just to the left, where she entered an elevator that took her inside. I confirmed the place was nice, high-security, and safe. Good. The only vulnerability was the garage. The cameras seemed in working order, and I smiled a devious grin. “I want those cameras hacked. Her every move to and from that building is recorded. Anyone comes to visit her; I want to know immediately.”

R.J. nodded and scowled. “She’d be so pissed if she knew the truth.”

“I don’t give a shit. She’s back in my world now. Just because I can’t have her doesn’t mean Rae isn’t under my protection. Any news, day or night, inform me right away.”

“Fine, bro,” he relented and glanced at the open window of Rae’s third-floor apartment. She sat cuddling a large gray Calico cat. R.J. chuckled at her innocence as she talked to the cat and nuzzled her nose into the fat feline’s face.

A small smile graced my lips for a few seconds before I turned to R.J. “No exposure, R.J. She doesn’t see us. Not ever. If I find out otherwise, I’ll kill the sorry asshole who compromised us and placed her in danger.”

“I got it,” he grumbled as I rode away.

I didn’t say a word about the tumultuous thoughts jumbling in my head, but something wasn’t right. Rae wasn’t that far from Providence. Witness Protection usually relocated people much farther than a few cities away, especially on such a problematic and deadly case like the one involving Rae’s family.

She was in Green County, one over from where she grew up. More importantly, it was the same county her father grew up in, where Ron worked at a warehouse when he was young and met her mother Sarah on a night out at the drive-in with his fellow RRMC Brothers. Specifically, the exact area they lived in when Rae was a baby before they bought their home in Providence, and Ron built his Rae of sunshine the treehouse.

This wasn’t a coincidence.

It was time I did some digging into this so-called Witness Protection. My gut told me this wasn’t right. Something underhanded was happening, and I was suddenly afraid for her safety. Putting the surveillance on her was a good idea, now more than ever.

I would keep Rae safe or die trying, but no longer would I sit back and do nothing.

I still meant every word of every promise I ever made to Ron and his beloved Rae. She may not know it, but I staked my claim years ago, and I wasn’t about to give her up. Maybe I had to keep my distance, but that didn’t mean I let her go or allowed anyone else to move in on my girl.

Rae belonged to me, the man who loved her for over a decade, the sinner who swore to place her life above his own, and that shit wasn’t going to change.

To read Sins of the Father click here: Sins of the Father

“There’s bottled water.”

Lenny’s voice caught me off guard as I looked over and saw her panicked expression. Creeper and the other prospect, Jugg, passed around bottled water to anyone who wanted one and then left extras on the tables. It wasn’t uncommon to do so, but as I remembered Charlotte’s caution to Lenny, I dropped my beer on the nearest table and tucked her in against my side.

It was far too late to stop the multiple people around the room from twisting off the caps and quenching their thirst. We mostly consumed alcohol in the bar, but Link had ordered the prospects to keep plenty of water on hand with the heat. It shouldn’t have been a big deal. Three days ago, it wasn’t.

Now, everything was different.

I caught Creeper’s curious expression and called him over.

“If anyone starts acting weird, let me know right away.”

He tilted his head to the side. “Like eat your face weird, or what?”

“Yeah,” I answered gruffly. “Something is going on with bottled water. Don’t drink any, okay?”

Creeper paled a little and nodded. “Should I spread the word?”

“Yes, to anyone who will listen, but it’s not gonna be easy without a patch, kid.”

He shrugged. “Still gotta try, man.”

“You do. I’m gonna take Lenny back to my room and find Link.”

Lenny was trembling as I unlocked the door and led her inside. “There was bottled water at my party too, Angel. I saw Mr. Bartle buying some that afternoon when I was at the store with Angie. The clerk told us that it was hard to keep water in stock with the heat and the holiday. It was literally flying off the shelves.”

“Mr. Bartle?”

She bit her lower lip and then wrapped her arms around my waist. “Yeah. He was the one who went after Creeper in my driveway. Remember?”

“Yeah, baby, I do.”

“It’s the connection. It has to be, Angel. Charlotte said not to drink bottled water. Why else would she say that? It’s linked. There has to be something in the water that makes people turn into crazy zombies.”

“What about Angie? Did she drink any?”

“Yeah, but she didn’t change.”

“That’s interesting. Maybe not everyone is affected right away. Maybe some people are immune.”

“I don’t know, but plenty of people seem to react violently to whatever is inside that water, virus or not.”

If I hadn’t seen this whole thing go down with my own eyes, I wouldn’t believe a damn word she just said. How the hell was I gonna convince my pres this shit was serious? I should have gone to him about it when we first arrived, but I hadn’t made the connection yet, and neither did Lenny. We could still be wrong, but my gut told me she was correct.

Bottled water was turning people into fuckin’ zombies.

That shit was beyond fucked up and crazy.

“How did this happen, Angel?”

“I don’t know, baby.”

“You still think this is some government conspiracy?”

I rubbed her back and sighed. “I don’t know shit, Lenny. All I can say is that it’s pretty unlikely something of this magnitude could be pulled off without the government knowing about it. Water is bottled at plants all over the U.S. and distributed to every single zip code in the country.”

She tilted her head up, and the fear was apparent in her eyes. “What if it was deliberate? What if the government placed tampered water in certain zip codes only? What would be the purpose?”

I frowned, hugging her tighter. “Infection on a large scale,” I answered, “but why?”

“To get rid of certain demographics?”

“Possibly,” I conceded.

“Maybe they didn’t know it was going to turn people into zombies. I don’t think anyone would want that outcome.”

She was so naïve and trusting. My Lenny was far too sweet and vulnerable for this world.

“They had to know. I would bet there have been experiments. You can’t just come up with some kind of disease or virus and then not test it. Whoever did this, they know what’s happening.”

“You’re probably right.”

I pressed a quick kiss to her lips and led Lenny over to the bed. “Why don’t you rest a little? I’m gonna see if I can convince Link about what we’ve learned. Maybe he’ll listen.”

“I don’t want you to leave. What if zombies try to get inside the room?”

“I’m gonna lock the door behind me, alright? I won’t be gone long. I promise.”

She picked up her cell off my dresser and glanced down at the screen. “There’s still no bars. The cell towers must be broken or something.”

“Or it’s all connected,” I mused aloud.

Her eyes widened. “Angel, don’t be gone long. I’m scared to death.”

“I know, baby. I’ve got to talk to Link. The whole club is at risk.”

She nodded and lay down on the bed. “I’ll keep trying the internet and see if there’s any information. Maybe I’ll get lucky, and everything will start working again.”

In the last twenty-four hours, service had gone from regular service to nonexistent. Something wasn’t right, and I intended to find out exactly what was happening. Once I filled in Link, I had a feeling he would be just as concerned as I was.

Walking to my closet, I opened it wide and unlocked one of the cases. My Glock was nestled inside. The gun safety was on, and I double-checked before I slipped it behind my back, tucking the cool metal into the waistband of my jeans. This could all go south pretty quick, and I needed to be able to return to Lenny. She didn’t say a word about the fact that I was armed, and I didn’t offer an explanation. Wasn’t needed.

As I spun around to give her a quick kiss, her damn cat leaped up on the bed and hissed in my direction. Crazy fucker snuggled up against her side as she reached down and began to pet his thick fur. He’d been hiding under the furniture since we arrived, only coming out when I was about to leave the room.

“Sprinkles is a little wound up.”

Or just plain hostile.

“Be back soon, baby.”

I left my room and locked the door behind me as I entered the hall. The party was still in full swing, loud and wild as I headed toward Link’s office. Muffled sounds were coming from within, and I cursed under my breath. He wasn’t gonna like the interruption. I knocked and then waited as I heard a loud grunt.

“Come in.”

I opened the door to find Link zipping up his pants with a smirk on his face. A pretty petite brunette rose off her knees and wiped her mouth off. She winked in his direction and then left the room, closing the door behind her. I swear my pres got a blowjob almost on the hour. Must have been a perk of his position.

“You’re lucky I had a chance to shoot my load, brother. I might have gotten pissed.”

Shaking my head, I fell into the seat in front of his desk. “We need to talk.”

“I’m listening.”

“This is gonna sound crazy,” I began.

“Even crazier than the story about the zombies? Because, brother, you’re one of my best friends, but that shit just doesn’t seem real.”

“You got a better explanation for why everything is so fucked up? Cell phones don’t work. The internet is shit. News didn’t have a clue what was happening before the cable shut off. Sporadic reports of strange things are happening all over, and it seems like someone is trying to keep it from being exposed.”

“Is that why you came in here? Some conspiracy theory?” Link was slightly amused. “Come on, Angel.”

“Charlotte called Lenny. She said to avoid bottled water.”

Link frowned. “That’s odd.”

He knew Charlotte. She wasn’t the type to tell someone something so strange without reason.

“She’s a Marine,” I continued. “If something crazy is going on, I bet she’s seen or heard about it.”

“And we can’t call her to confirm any of this right now.”

I ran a hand through my dark hair and huffed out a breath. “Listen, Link. This is your club. You do what you want. I’ve never stood in your way, but this is all too much of a coincidence.”

“What are you sayin’, bro?”

“There was bottled water at Lenny’s party. Our neighbor Mr. Bartle was at the store buying the same brand of water. All of those people drank that water and then later were fuckin’ zombies.”

“Shit,” he cursed. “You really think this water thing is true?”

“Lenny does. I’m thinkin’ she’s right.”

“This is serious.”

“Yeah, it is. The same fuckin’ brand of water is in our kitchen, and the prospects just handed it out about thirty minutes ago.”

Link jumped to his feet. “Fuckin’ hell.”

“You believe me?”

“I don’t see I have a choice. Not really wantin’ to have my entire club turn into a bunch of undead motherfuckers.”

That might have been funny under different circumstances.

Link ran to the door and yanked it open, running out and into the hall. I followed. We nearly collided as we entered the common room, shocked to find total carnage unleashed among the brotherhood. The chick that had been sucking Link’s dick only ten minutes prior was clawing at the bar, her eyes wild as she tried to reach the blonde bartender screaming in horror.

There was a body on the ground a few feet away, and I saw it was one of the regulars, a club whore named Velvet. My brother Vex had straddled her waist and was hunched over, biting into her neck as blood squirted in all directions and she writhed beneath him. A cry of agony launched from her throat right before he ripped it out and began chewing on the mouthful of flesh.

Link swayed next to me, and I thought he was gonna pass out.

“Link! Get it together, pres. We’ve gotta do something!”

Link swallowed hard and picked up a pool cue. He ran toward Vex and hit him over the head hard. Vex snarled and swung around, hardly fazed. He leaped at Link as the two quickly began a fight to the death.

I knew how this was gonna go down. I already saw how the zombies were fast and vicious. Lenny and Creeper filled me in on their experience. These fuckers wouldn’t stop until they were permanently put down.

I pulled the Glock from behind the waistband of my jeans and pulled the trigger, hitting Vex right between the eyes. Dark blood oozed from the wound as he hit the ground. Link sputtered and then met my unflinching gaze, nodding because he could see it was the only way.

I fired off several more rounds, taking out the brunette attacking the bar and Velvet as she sat up and snarled. Chaos exploded around us. Most of my brothers were armed, and gunshots echoed in the small space as anyone who turned was taken out quickly and without mercy.

“I need to go back to Lenny!” I shouted, spinning around and heading for the hall.

“Keep her in the room!” he shouted as I heard another gunshot. “She’s not safe out here.”

Link was right.

I was almost to my room when I felt something hit my side hard, and I went down. Snapping jaws reached for my face as I shoved at the body of another brother. My gun slid a few feet away as I yelled in frustration. Cryptic was trying to claw at my flesh as I drew back my fist and hit him in the jaw as hard as I could. Barely fazed him.

When I heard the door to my room open, I was immediately freaked out and worried for Lenny. She shocked the hell out of me when she raised the other Glock I had kept in the case in my room. A single shot fired, and Cryptic slumped over. He landed face down on the ground as more of that same dark and putrid blood slowly spread beneath his corpse, the same as Vex, Velvet, and the others.

“Lenny!”

The gun slid from her hand and landed with a thud as she stared at me with wide eyes, backing up until her legs met the bed. She crumpled to the carpet as I picked up my weapon from the hallway floor and ran into the room, slamming the door shut behind me and locking it right away.

“Fuck!” I yelled, falling to the ground in front of her on my knees.

Her disconnected expression scared the hell out of me. She said only two words, but they were enough to sucker punch me in the gut.

“We’re fucked.”

To read about the Iron Renegades MC click here: Roulette Run

Nikki Landis is the USA Today & International Bestselling, Multi-Award-Winning Author of over 50 romance novels in the MC, reverse harem, paranormal, dystopian, and science fiction genres. Her books feature deadly reapers, dark alpha heroes, protective shifters, and seductive vampires along with the feisty, independent women they love. There's heart-throbbing action on every page as well as fated mates and soul bonds deep enough to fulfill every desire.

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