by Ryan Michele
“You sure this is it, Killian?” Ollie asked from the passenger seat of the SUV.
The two-story house appeared to be a home for June Cleaver, but I knew better than most that the outside always concealed what was behind the walls.
There was a nice looking car in the driveway, but it didn’t seem out of the ordinary. It wasn’t overpriced for the area or give me any clues to what was behind the doors.
Children were outside playing in the front yard next door, and two doors down across the street an older lady was working in her flower bed.
All appeared normal. Nothing was ever normal.
Viktor was a big roller. Had been for as many years as I could remember. He didn’t come to our town often, and when he did, it was only briefly. I’d kept tabs on the man because I didn’t trust him any further than I could throw him.
While I tried to have eyes on him, he was like a snake—slippery as hell, moving from place to place, and never staying long.
Three of my guys had just called in telling me the locations Viktor usually went to were clear.
This place, though, wasn’t on our radar. It wasn’t even a blip. He was damn good at hiding it, and that shit was going to change.
He needed to be here so we could put an end to this clusterfuck and move the hell on. My woman didn’t need to be looking over her shoulder every two seconds. She should be at her bar, doing what she did, laughing and having fun. Although flirting with the other guys, that she probably didn’t even know she was doing, that would be coming to a dead halt and fast.
“Yeah. It’s the exact spot Khloe said.”
“That bitch set us up? Cause I wouldn’t put it past her,” Ollie said my thoughts out loud. There was a strong possibility of that. Who the hell knew what Khloe was into outside of all this shit.
“Recon.”
Pulling off to the side of the road down the road a bit, I threw the truck in park. Grabbing my bag, I pulled out the microphone and other tools. We were going to listen and see who was in that damn house. True, there would be interception from the other houses, but if our luck was good, I’d be able to single the asshole out.
Putting on the headphones, there was a ton of static. I moved the dials this way and that, trying to get a read from the house.
A loud screech came in my ear, jarring me for a moment. Not a person, just a machine malfunction.
After maneuvering the knobs more, it happened. His voice came over the speaker loud and clear. That motherfucker.
“That bitch,” Viktor said, raging. “I’m going to gut her like a fish!”
“Sir…”
A loud thwack. “No. No words. My guys won’t talk, but that bitch Khloe will. Anything to save her ass. That cunt.”
“Boss…” the other man tried, but was interrupted again. I nodded to Ollie to make the calls that this was our spot.
“No! You find them. You get whoever the hell you have to on that phone, and you get those two bitches to me in an hour! An hour.” Another loud sound came from their end, but I couldn’t quite tell what it was.
“Right, sir.” Then there was a bit of shuffling before what sounded like a lamp shattering against the wall.
“Those fucking bitches. They’ll pay for all of this. All of it!” Viktor seethed for quite some time. When I thought it was done and was ready to roll, another voice came over. A woman.
“Hey, sexy. Let me turn that frown upside down,” she purred like a kitten.
“Gotta fuck you hard then have shit to do,” he growled.
The sounds of kissing, moaning, and groaning came over, and I tossed the headphones down, grabbed my phone, and dialed out a text.
Turning to Ollie, I relayed the information. “Two men and one woman were all I heard. Doesn’t mean there isn’t someone else. Need to surround the place and go in hot. He’s in the middle of fuckin’, so now’s the time.”
“Fucking hell. Just what I want to see. His sweaty balls,” Ollie groaned, and I felt the same damn way, but it was time to make sure this threat was gone from my woman once and for all.
My team pulled up down the way, and Diesel and Van started up, looking at me for the relay. I gave it quickly, finding out we had two other men at the back. Six men, should go well.
“In, restrain him and all the others,” I ordered with nods from my team.
Team. That was what we were. Each of us had our own skill set, and each were chosen to join me because of that. Each of these men I respected. Most I had known for years before having them join me.
Ollie had been my right hand since the very beginning. We were in the service together, and I knew I could trust him with my life. He was the easiest choice.
From there, the business grew and, to be honest, we did a little of everything. There wasn’t one specific thing we focused on. A client needed something done; we did it and got paid.
I’d been doing it for so long it was like second nature.
This, though. This was personal.
Ellie was mine. Fucking finally, and that shit wasn’t changing. Years, I’d waited for that woman. It was all on me that I hadn’t gone for it earlier, but I wasn’t ready for her. I knew in my gut once her taste was on my lips, there would be no going back.
Now, she was mine.
Gun out and at the ready, Ollie was at my side while Diesel grabbed his cell and punched out a text to the guys in the back. Holding out my other hand, I counted down silently with my fingers. Upon getting to one, I lifted my boot and slammed in the door which flew off the hinges.
Viktor was so much smarter than this. Leaving the puny door to protect him.
Ollie went in, and I followed with Diesel and Vane at my back.
“On the ground!” Ollie yelled as I saw two large men holding guns out. Nodding to Vane and Diesel, they took off down the hallway to get Viktor. I always had my men’s backs, and this was no exception.
“Put the fucking guns down!” I ordered just as shots were fired, one slamming into my bicep. Sure, there was pain, but my enemy needed to go down. Firing rapidly, both Ollie and I took out the guys. They fell to the ground, their blood splattering onto the tiled floor.
“Fuck.” Getting shot was never fun.
“Ambulance?” Ollie asked.
My head shook. “It’s fine. Cover me.” He gave me one nod as I put my gun down for a moment and ripped my belt off my waist, wrapping it around my arm and securing it tightly. Upon synching it, more blood oozed. It was a straight-through wound, and cutting down the circulation would allow me to have a bit to chat with Viktor.
Screaming came from the other room, and we raced down the hall after I swiped my gun off the table. Turning into the room, Ollie was first. He stopped still and turned to look at me. “You need to fuckin’ see this.”
“Okay…”
I went to move around him before he responded. “Because this shit needs to be seared on your brain like it is mine.”
A small smirk tipped my lips. Viktor was butt-ass naked, one arm handcuffed to the bed.
“I’m pretty sure I heard you say you had to fuck quick. This is what you call quick?” I asked to Vane’s chuckle.
The woman would not stop screaming. “Shut the fuck up.”
She didn’t, so I held the gun up; not that I’d shoot her, but she didn’t need to know that. We more than likely had already attracted some unwanted attention. Luckily, one of the texts I sent out earlier was to Eli to keep the cops back as long as he could.
Diesel looked up to the ceiling. “Why?” he muttered as he moved to the woman and put his hand over her mouth. “You either shut up, or I put a bullet in your head.”
The woman shut up, nodding profusely as tears ran down her face.
“You sonuvabitch!” Viktor growled at me, pulling at his arm with the cuff but not getting far. While I wanted to laugh at him, anger raged inside me for what this man had put my woman through.
Diesel pulled out a zip tie and hogtied the woman, stuffing a sock in her mo
uth. He had little patience for stupidity. Hell, he had little patience for people in general.
“Kill, you good?” Vane asked as my shirt was coated in blood, but I was fine and lifted my chin in response.
“Did you get shot? Too bad it wasn’t in the head,” Viktor barked out.
“Pretty tough words from a man cuffed to a bed,” I challenged, putting my gun in my holster. My arm burned like a motherfucker, but I put it all to the back of my head, compartmentalizing it and turning the pain off.
Viktor gave an evil smirk. “You think those were my only men?”
Moving to the side of the bed, I brought the gun down on Viktor’s nose, blood spurting everywhere. Viktor’s hand went to his nose as he squalled in pain. “Bring him,” I barked out as Van grabbed Viktor.
Gunshots were heard outside, and Viktor’s bloody grin was wide.
“Go check it out,” I told Vane as he left the room quickly.
“Let me out of these things.” Viktor pulled on the cuffs again, still not getting loose.
“Your time is fuckin’ up. The next time I see you will be in the afterlife.”
To this Viktor full-out laughed. “You have no idea who you’re messing with.”
More like he didn’t know who he was messing with. Underestimating people was not the way to stay alive.
I could hear Vane chuckling, and I knew everything was good.
A huge man with dark hair, blue jeans, and a Ravage MC cut with the president patch on it strolled into the room.
Putting my gun in my holster, I held out my hand to him, and we shook.
“My man. How the fuck are ya?”
Cruz, the president of the Ravage Motorcycle Club in Sumner Georgia, grinned. “Damn good now. You at least wanna put some clothes on him?”
Viktor laid there unmoving, eyes as wide as saucers, face pale as a vampire.
“What? You didn’t think you were walking out of here. Did you?”
“Fuck no, he ain’t.” Cooper, Cruz’s son and club brother, came into the room. “Fuck, we havin’ a party in here or what?”
I shook hands with Cooper who was a spitting image of his dad. Not that I’d tell him that shit.
“He’s all fuckin’ yours; just make sure he doesn’t step foot in my town.”
Cruz and I passed a look. He knew I wanted him dead, and I had no doubt Cruz would take care of the problem.
“You know this fucker owes us a quarter million.” GT, another brother and the club’s VP, came in. Cooper was right—we were having a damn party in here. A woman tied up and a naked man. Not my kind of party.
“He’s yours.”
Cruz and I came to a deal. Word was out that the Ravage MC were after Viktor. The dumbass stole money, or so they had said. Not my issue, not my problem. Bottom line was, they wanted him. Badly.
The deal was, the Ravage MC would clean up the mess and take Viktor with them, never to hear from him again.
“Suppose we have to take the bitch with us?” GT asked, motioning to the woman on the floor.
“That’d help.”
My cell went off, and I looked at the display then swiped the screen. “Yeah.”
“Get the fuck out now. We’re about five minutes out,” Eli said quickly.
“On it.” Swiping it off and shoving it in my pocket, I announced, “Everyone roll. Cops are five out.”
A flurry happened all at once. More men with cuts came in, and I gave them quick chin lifts. There was no time to talk as everyone dispersed, including my guys. Everyone but Ollie who waited to talk to Eli.
Me, I had a fucking gunshot to deal with it.
20
Killian
The ER was fast, but only because I knew someone and they swung me in quick. The doc stitched me up and sent me on my way. He asked about pain meds, but fuck if I’d take any of that shit.
I didn’t do drugs, over-the-counter or street.
Pulling up to the office, I parked, got out, and rode the elevator up. Years it took me to build this place. Build a name for myself not just here, but around the country. Traveling for jobs, I made many contacts. It was one reason I knew of the Ravage MC.
Ellie laid sleeping in the recliner, the television screen all fuzzy while Bri was on the bed passed out. At least here I knew they were safe. My woman had more cuts and bruises. As long as I lived, she would never have another one. Ever.
Kneeling down and tapping on her shoulder didn’t wake her.
“Ellie. Let’s go home.” Home. Yeah. It was her fucking home, and we were going to make that shit official.
“Ellie.”
Only then did Ellie’s eyes flutter open, and she jumped up. I stood as she fell into my arms, wrapping hers around me tight. My body gave a slight flinch, and unfortunately, she caught it. She pulled back and started inspecting me.
Ellie saw it immediately, her hand going to it. “You were shot? What happened?” Her raised tone caused Bri to wake.
Bri sat up on the bed, rubbing her eyes. “What’s goin’ on?”
“He’s shot!” Ellie practically yelled.
“What?” Bri said, jumping up and coming to our sides.
“I’m fine,” I told them, but Ellie wasn’t having it.
“Have you been to the hospital? If not, we’re going now,” she rambled. “I can’t believe you were shot. Did that fucker do it? Shoot you?”
She’d never been this panicked with me before. Sure, she’d been concerned, but this was downright hysteria, and I needed to tone it down.
“Look at me,” I ordered, and it took Ellie long minutes to do so. When our eyes connected, I felt it. That spark. That love. Yeah. I fucking loved the woman. “I went to the hospital. It was straight through with no damage. It’ll be fine in a few days.”
Ellie fell into my chest once more, wrapping me in her embrace. Yeah. I fuckin’ loved this woman.
“Let’s go home,” I said, kissing the top of her head and feeling her breathing begin to calm.
She pulled back, looking at me. “Fine, but I’m driving.”
A noise woke me from sleep. It didn’t take long when we got home to pass out. Ellie grilled me on the way home, but all I told her was Viktor was gone, and we’d never see him again. She’d asked if I’d killed him, and I answered honestly.
It wasn’t that I couldn’t. It was easier this way, and Ellie didn’t need to know any of the shit.
I rolled, feeling my damn arm. Cruz had better make that fucker pay.
“Shit,” Ellie said, my eyes flying to the closet where she was pulling out clothes and putting them in a bag.
“Where the fuck are you going?” I growled, and she jumped, obviously not knowing I’d awoken.
“You scared me,” she gasped, hand going to her chest. Her breaths began to even out, as I threw the covers back and began to rise from the bed.
“Good. Now answer me.”
Ellie moved to her bag, tossing the t-shirt into it. “Packing.”
A growl bubbled up. “Why the fuck are you doin’ that?”
She went into the closet and grabbed a few more things before coming out, but I stood by the door and blocked her escape. “Umm. Move?”
“Ummm, no. Answer.”
She huffed out, “You’re so a damn bossy. The danger’s gone. Now we can both go back to our lives.”
“Yeah, we’re goin’ back to our lives … together.”
Her head shook. “It’s fine, Killian. I get it. You did the protector thing, and I’m grateful for it. Let’s not make this weird.”
“Weird?” I said, brow raised, but she said nothing. “There’s nothing to get weird because you’re stayin’ here with me. Keep your place or sell it; just know that your ass is in my bed at night.”
“You make no sense. It’s not real.”
The woman was frustrating, and she was pissing me off. “Let me make this crystal clear. I want you to move in, take my last name, and put my babies in your belly. That real enough for you?”
Her mouth dropped open. “You do?”
“What the fuck you think we’ve been doing here?”
She bit her bottom lip. “You were protecting me.”
“Yeah. I’m fuckin’ protecting you because you’re fucking mine. This isn’t some phase. This is real. This is us.”
“You really want this?”
“Don’t you?” I fired back, my arm going to the doorjamb.
She said nothing, and my heart started to pump harder. She had to want this. She’d given every sign she did.
“Yeah,” she whispered, so soft I barely heard it. Almost like she was afraid to say the words out loud.
“Good. Now I’m fuckin’ you in our bed.”
Her smile was radiant. She held nothing back from it, letting me see just how much she wanted this to be the outcome. Yeah. She was mine, and I intended to show her just how much I loved her every fucking day of my life.
Epilogue
Killian
Entering The Drunken Monkey, Ellie smiled behind the bar, talking to Aiden and pouring out drinks. It was a sight I loved. Ellie. Happy. That was all I wanted for her, and she’d been through hell. Considering those involved were either dead or with a few friends of mine, it wasn’t anything to worry about again.
Still, this deep desire to keep watch on her pulled me in so many different directions. It had only been two weeks since everything had gone down, and I’d give myself a pass for now.
Ellie, on the other hand, didn’t like me in her face. Too fucking bad.
Since she’d officially moved into the cabin, it was one less weight on my shoulders. Of course, there was arguing because she was too damn independent to just go with things. It was over her furniture and, honestly, I didn’t give a fuck. She wanted to move her things from her place then take my shit out.
Finally, I told her, “Do whatever in the fuck you want. As long as you’re in bed beside me at night, none of this shit matters.”
This comment turned her on, because she jumped me right on the spot, tearing off my clothes and keeping me very busy throughout the day. Needless to say, her stuff didn’t get moved in that day; it was the next.