by Erin Trejo
“We gotta go. Cops are gonna start wonderin’ about a shit ton of missin’ men,” I tell her. Evie laughs and it’s the most satisfying thing I’ve ever heard in my life. I head for the door with her right behind when something occurs to me. I’d never in my life thought that I would have a woman with me. I never wanted one considering the way I am. I knew I would hurt them and that was enough to keep me away, but with everything related to Evie she has made me rethink it all. Opening the door, I find Stash, Demon, and Mac stand there watching me. Their eyes move from me to Evie and back.
“The fuck is this?” Demon asks nodding toward her. Evie straightens her shoulders, holds her head high, and glares back at him. A spark of pride surges in my chest.
“This is my choice.”
“The fuck it is,” he hisses.
“Remember me tellin’ you this wasn’t the club’s problem?” Demon shakes his head, the other two stand there in silence, but Evie? That little ball of fire loses her shit.
“There are so many things that you don’t know about me, Demon. I get you don’t trust me. Why should you? But don’t you dare think that you can take this away from me.”
“Take it away from you? Do you even get what the fuck you’re doin’?” The challenge is real between them and it honestly makes me hot.
“I know I want to kill that bastard as much as Drake does.”
“Your husband, the fuckin’ Prez of the South Side MC. You wanna be the one responsible for killin’ him? What will the other members think of you?” He grinds out, only further aggravating her. I know what he’s doing and I honestly don’t plan to stop it. He’s taunting her. He’s baiting her and waiting to see her reaction, and frankly, so am I.
“That club was never mine.”
“That mark on your hand says different.” He nods toward her left hand. Evie lifts her hand in the air, examining the small brand on her skin. In seconds, she pulls my knife from the sheath and brings it to her flesh.
“What the fuck are you doin’?” Stash asks her before jerking his eyes to mine.
I just shrug. I’m not going to stop her. This is all on her. Her decision not mine. We all watch in silence as Evie takes one last look at the bright red S that is tattooed on her hand before she digs the knife in. Blood rushes to the surface and my cock hardens in my jeans. Mac sucks in a breath, Stash hisses, but me? I stand here transfixed at what she’s doing. The way she cuts her own flesh away, marring the tattoo. When she’s finished she passes the knife back to me. I wipe the blade on my jeans and slip it back into place as they all watch her.
“She’s just as fuckin’ psychotic as you are,” Demon grumbles before turning on his heel and walking down the hall. I laugh and grab her hand, pulling it to my lips. I press a kiss there before walking back into the room and grabbing a bandage. Can’t have my girl bleeding out all day. I secure it around her hand before I walk down the hall with her right behind me.
“You crazy?” Stash asks her when we make it to the bikes. She smirks up at him and shrugs. He doesn’t ask anything else.
I pass Evie a helmet and grab my own before climbing on. And just like she was made to be there, she climbs on behind me, wrapping her arms tightly around my waist. When Demon pulls out, I pull out behind him. In formation, we ride through the streets of Savannah. Something in the air feels different this time. Something has shifted and I know it. The salty ocean air fills my lungs and the closer we get to the docks the more I can feel that sense of something inside of me. Is it closure? Is it the fact I’m about to go kill and get myself bloody? Or is it her?
Chapter 17
“This isn’t everyone!” I roar as I look at the men on their knees with their hands zip tied behind their backs. Blind folds cover their eyes, but as I stand here and count, I know this isn’t everyone.
“This is all we could get on short notice, Drake,” Mac informs me, pulling my attention to him.
“This is why I wanted it left to me.” Her hands wrap around my waist, her head resting on my back. She thinks this is calming me but it isn’t.
“Get off me,” I warn her, growling. She pulls her hands away quickly but only to step in front of me. Anger seeps through my every pore, rage bubbling inside of me. She reaches up and grabs my face in her hands, pulling my mouth to hers and I let her. She isn’t distracting me like she thinks she is but I give her the moment.
“We can find the rest,” she whispers against my lips and I jerk my head to look down at her.
“What did you say?”
“We can find the rest,” she whispers once more, the hint of a smile curling her lips. I reach up, grabbing her throat in my hand, pulling her closer to me.
“Who the fuck is we?”
Her eyes stay on mine, that hint of fire still flickering.
“You and me.”
“Did I claim you?” I ask, my voice husky. That fire slowly dims and I hate it. I never want to see that fire fade from her eyes. It’s what draws me in, holds me hostage. Evie tries to take a step back, tears filling her eyes and it nearly breaks me. Ignoring the rest of the guys, I squeeze her neck tighter. I walk her backwards until I slam her back against the wall. She jolts but doesn’t say a word. My eyes search hers. What am I searching for? Does she really want me? Is this what I want? I stole her for one purpose and one purpose only, and now I’m standing here debating whether to claim her or not.
“Answer me,” I growl low in my throat. Evie sniffs and pulls her head back to look up at me.
“No.” Her teeth are clenched and her jaw is locked tight. She’s pissed but at who? Me or herself? I shouldn’t be playing these games with her head, but I can’t seem to stop myself.
“You would like it, wouldn’t you? If I claimed you here and now.”
“Fuck you, Drake.”
“We are long past that stage don’t you think, darlin’?” Leaning in, I press my lips to the corner of her mouth. It only takes a second for her to react. Her teeth sink into my lip and I growl so loud I’m sure the whole fucking place heard it. The guys that are tied up are being quiet, no doubt waiting to see what will become of them, but I’m lost at the moment. Lost to a woman that I didn’t think I could have. With a chuckle I pull back and run my tongue over the blood on my lip.
“You like fuckin’ with me, don’t you?” I ask her. Evie keeps her head high even as I tighten my hold on her. She doesn’t look away as the sweet oxygen she needs slowly leaves her lungs. When I see the color changing in her face, I release her neck.
“Don’t claim me. I don’t care, Drake. You aren’t the only man who can make me feel good.”
Her words anger me and I know that’s what she’s going for. She likes seeing me unhinged and on edge. She likes knowing that she can push me until I break. Pulling my knife free I bring it to her neck. One long cut and blood rushes the surface. I lean down and run my tongue through it before dragging my lips to hers. Forcing my tongue into her mouth, I kiss her roughly.
“Did you really think I would let you go that easily?” She doesn’t smile or speak. I step back and turn to face the guys as they stare at me.
“Let’s get this shit movin’. I got others to find.”
Demon smirks and moves to the first asshole, pulling the blindfold from his face. He blinks rapidly as he looks up at me. My knife still glistens with the blood of my girl on it.
“What do you want? I have money!” he yells and I laugh.
“Money. Money from women that you exploited. Right?” I ask cocking my head to the side. He looks around quickly as if looking to see if there is someone here that can save him. There isn’t.
“I can explain.”
I don’t let him. Instead, I slice through his throat and move on. One by one I kill the assholes that are involved in the human trafficking ring. I know the mayor is the ring master behind all of this and eventually I will get my hands on him, but for now, I will take what I can get. Each kill is over too fast. I know I don’t have time to sit here and kill all t
en men slowly, show them what I truly am since they are all missing in action. That doesn’t settle anything in my chest though.
“And now, ladies and gentlemen. We have the finale of the day!” I yell as I pull the blindfold off and gag from Cory’s mouth. His eyes lock with mine as soon as he can blink.
“You’re makin’ a mistake fuckin’ with me,” he hisses, spit flying from his lips. I chuckle.
“I don’t think so. In fact, you made many mistakes. Firstly, you got involved in somethin’ that I truly hate. Then you drug your woman into it,” I tell him when Evie clears her throat. I can’t help but laugh. “Sorry. My woman.”
“Evie? What the fuck is this?” Cory’s voice thunders through the room. Evie steps up next to me, a smile on her face. “I was told you were taken!”
“She was. I took her and now she’s mine. I thought about killin’ her. That was the initial plan anyway, but look at that perfect flesh,” I say moving the knife to her cheek and smearing the blood that already coats it on her. “What a waste would that have been.”
“You stupid bitch!”
Evie takes my knife from my hand and looks up at me. I nod my head giving her the go ahead that she’s looking for before nodding to Stash. He moves in behind Cory, holding him steady even as he fights. Evie moves to kneel in front of him, coming face to face with the man who ruined her life.
“I’ve dreamt of the day you would die. I’ve craved it. I could taste it on the tip of my tongue but I couldn’t do it. Not with your little followers,” she says, pressing the tip of the blade into her finger. My cock is straining against my jeans. There is nothing quite as beautiful as what’s taking place in front of me right now.
“You bitch! I gave you everything!”
“You gave me nothing. You took everything! I never wanted you, I never wanted your club. I wanted a life, a child, a family!”
Cory laughs and it pisses me off. Those are her dreams. It doesn’t matter if they are the same as his or mine, they are hers.
“And you think he’s gonna give you that?” He nods in my direction.
Evie looks up at me over her shoulder and my heart nearly leaps out of my chest. I’d give it to her. I’d give her everything she’s ever dreamt of in this moment. She turns back to Cory, pressing the tip of the knife into his throat. His eyes are wild as he stares at her, he doesn’t think she will do it and I know in my heart that she will.
“That girl. I can’t get her out of my head. I can see those eyes of hers every single night in my dreams. She haunts me,” she whispers the last three words and it tears my fucking heart in half. I move forward and rest my hand on her shoulder, letting her know that I’m here and I’m not fucking going anywhere.
“You had to learn your place!” Cory spits.
“My place was never to hurt women! You sick son of a bitch. I will meet you in hell and I will enjoy watching Satan himself fuck you in the fire.” She plunges the knife into his throat, blood spraying from the wound. When she pulls the blade free, more blood sprays. It’s a high for me to see it but knowing that she’s the one that took his life? That seals my fate with this woman. I lean down and pull her to her feet in front of me.
“My dark angel,” I say running my hand through her hair.
“You promised me.”
Cocking my head to the side, I study her. “Promised you what?”
“You would fuck me in the blood.”
“I ain’t stickin’ around for that shit,” Demon grumbles as he turns and leaves.
I don’t give a shit. I didn’t want him seeing my girl naked any more than he already has, but I sure as fuck make good on my promise and fuck her in the blood of these assholes.
Chapter 18
My eyes are closed but I can feel her presence. I know she’s in here.
“What’s bothering you?” she asks softly.
Prying my eyes open I look at her sitting on the edge of the bathtub. “Nothin’.”
“You’re in the tub. Something is bothering you.”
She knows me. These past few months have proven that time and time again. She understands me and that’s not something I’m ready to just accept. I motion for her to climb in with me and she does without asking anymore questions. Once I have her settled in my arms, I sigh and press my lips to the top of her hair.
“This shit goes further than just Georgia.”
“I know,” she whispers sadly.
“What are your thoughts on travelin’?” I ask her.
“I’d go anywhere with you.”
That’s the problem. She would do anything for me and I can’t say the same back to her. The words I’m about to say to her are words that I can’t stop. I can’t hold them back and I don’t know how she’s going to take them once I say them.
“You want a family. You want that happily ever after. You want kids, and if I’m bein’ honest here, I don’t think I can give you those things.” She doesn’t respond. Just curls into my chest further.
“I know that.”
“But you’re still here,” I remind her. In the back of my mind I know this thing between us isn’t going to last forever. It can’t. She wants more out of life than I have ever thought about. Kids? A family? I’m not a family man. I’m sick in the head. She knows that much about me. I may have introduced her to the darker side but she isn’t like me, not fully. She still has a heart that beats inside of her, dreams that she wants to explore.
“I’m not ready to go, Drake,” she finally says.
“Then don’t go, but when you are ready, you have to walk away, Evie. You know that, right?” I kiss her head and turn her face so I can kiss her cheek and down her neck. Her body trembles against mine and I love it. I love that she feels it as much as I do.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” she whispers.
“We have to, baby. You have to know that I can’t be that man. As much as I hate the idea of any other man touchin’ you, lovin’ you, I can’t hold you back from your dreams.” The words are like cutting my own heart out. It actually fucking hurts to say, but I know that Evie deserves more than what I can give her.
“Not now, Drake.”
“No, darlin’. Not now but one day.” Grabbing her throat, I force her head to move so I can capture her lips with mine. Each swipe of my tongue against hers is my personal hell. One day I know this will all be gone and I’ll have to face that fact, but for now, she’s mine.
“Where are we going?” she asks when I pull back to look down at her.
“Everywhere. I gotta handle some club shit first, but I got a call about some shit out in Vegas. Figured we’d head there first. You up for travelin’ with me?” I ask with a smile. Her answering smile lights up the room.
“Of course. I love being on the back of your bike.”
“You love my knife more, don’t you?” I ask, needing to hear her say it. She might have a dark streak in her but I still see the light too. She isn’t completely like me and that in itself is a blessing for her. She can love and have that family she wants, but she can also handle herself if anyone tries to mess with that family.
“Your knife is a huge plus. I never thought I’d like it as much as I do,” she admits with a playful smile.
“We still talkin’ about my knife or my cock?” I tease her. She laughs and it’s like angels singing. Dark angels but they are still angels. Pressing my lips to hers once more, I get lost in the taste of her. The feel of her against me, the warmth that she emits for me and only me. Evie has sparked to life something inside of me. Something I had been lacking, and now that I have it, I want to fully embrace it. The original plan of killing her and then me was my end goal. It was the last thing I had planned for my life but now it’s different. She made it different, and if I’m being honest, I like this new side of me.
“What are you thinking?”
“When I was watchin’ you, all I wanted was for this life to end. Death, was the end goal for me. As much as I wanted that, I want the mother
fuckers that are takin’ these women more. Hearin’ what that bastard did to you? It snapped somethin’ inside of me. It changed my whole thought process. If I don’t do it, who will? I think this was my callin’ all along and I just didn’t see it until you,” I admit to her. I’m not sure how I feel about that. How I feel about the change that has come over me but at the same time I’m haunted by that little girl with braids all those years ago, kicking, screaming, and fighting for her life. I remember her and it all makes sense.
“We all have a fate, Drake. Royal Bastards is your home, and from the looks of it, they are on your side. Maybe this is what you needed. You needed to find me, hear what happened. You needed that piece of me to show you what you are needed in this life for.”