by Colbie Kay
Table of Contents
Changing Lanes
copyright
Dedication
Playlist
Other Books
Changing Lanes
Past
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Present
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Epilogue
High Stakes Sneak Peek
High Stakes
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
For More High Stakes...
Acknowledgements
About the Author
Changing Lanes
copyright
Changing Lanes
Copyright © April 30, 2018 by Colbie Kay
Amazon Edition
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or to actual events or locales is entirely coincidental.
This book both in its entirety and in portions is the sole property of
Colbie Kay
Changing Lanes Copyright ©2018 by Colbie Kay.
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof, in any form. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical without the express written permission of the author. The scanning, uploading and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials.
This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re selling this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to company from which it was obtained from and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
The unauthorized reproduction of or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright, infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in Federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
Authored by: Colbie Kay
Cover Design by Tracie Douglas-Rabas of Dark Water Covers
Edited & Formatted by: E & F Indie Services
Published by: Colbie Kay
Dedication
To Amanda, my #1 Stalker
Playlist
Hollow by Tori Kelly, Big Sean
Lights Down Low by MAX
Take It Outside by Brantley Gilbert
The Ones That Like Me by Brantley Gilbert
Outlaw In Me by Brantley Gilbert
If You Want A Bad Boy by Brantley Gilbert
Stay by Rihanna, Milky Elko
Edge Of Heaven by Marc Broussard
Creep by Stone Temple Pilots
If you would like to listen to this playlist find Colbie Kay on Spotify.
Other Books
Satan’s Sinners M.C. Series
City Lights
Quiet Country
Night Sky
Returning Home
Changing Lanes
The Betrayed (A Rocker Series)
Novella Saving Grace
Book #1 Saving Dawson
Book #2 Surviving Colton
Coming Soon - Freeing Elijah
Twisted Series
Coming Soon - Beautifully Twisted
Cobras M.C. Series
Double Crossed
Changing Lanes
Past
Chapter 1
I just finished with my last patient for the day. I’m ready to get home, spend some time with my husband, Stephen, and relax for the rest of the evening. Maybe I’ll run a hot bubble bath, have some wine, and start a new book. Excitement takes hold of me, so I rush around with a smile, gathering my belongings throughout my office and on the front desk.
I don’t have any patients due to have their babies tonight, and no caesarian sections are scheduled, so fingers crossed that no one goes into labor unexpectedly. With my career and my husband’s, we get very few evenings to spend together. Both of our jobs are demanding and can cause us to spend at least 80 hours a week away from home.
Just as I’m about to throw my phone in my purse, it begins to ring. Sighing, I look at the caller ID; why is Mark calling? “Hello?”
“Sisi, can you come over?”
My smile falls. “What’s wrong, Mark?” My brother is just a couple years younger than me, both of us in our forties. We were always close as kids, and that didn’t change the older we got. We’ve been there for each other through everything: our parents’ deaths, my first heartbreak, his moving away to attend college, and many other things. It’s always been him and me. He’s not only my brother, but my best friend.
“I need you to take Cash.” I can hear the worry in his voice.
“I’m on my way.” I hang up, quickly lock up, get out of the clinic, and hurry to my vehicle.
I pull into the driveway of my brother’s brick home. All the lights are on inside; Mark paces inside in front of the bay window. I don’t bother knocking, letting myself in and sitting on the couch. “What happened?” I ask as my eyes follow his movements.
“I don’t know. Something’s wrong with me, Sisi.”
My brows furrow. “What do you mean?”
“I don’t know how to explain it, but whatever is going on has been happening the last few months. There’s times I get angry, I can’t control it, and tonight I grabbed Cash’s arm aggressively. There’s other things happening, too.”
My mouth widens in shock. “That’s not like you.” My brother loves his son more than anything in this world.
We were in high school when Mark met Kyra, and they had their whole lives ahead of them. The high school sweethearts went on to college, got married, and wanted so badly to start a family. Due to fertility issues, it took them years, but after many tears shed, disappointment, and a million other emotions, Kyra finally got pregnant with Cash and they were so happy. The life they built together was finally complete until Cash turned two, four years ago. Kyra went to sleep that night and never woke up. Her autopsy came back with no cause of death. Mark was devastated, and at times I wasn’t sure he would recover, but with time he started to heal and has been raising Cash on his own since. He’s the best father anyone could ask for, so this is not like him at all—and I’m utterly shocked.
“I know.” He pulls at his ginger-colored hair and comes to sit next to me on the
couch; his shoulders sag with worry. “I’m scared, Sisi.”
Scooting closer, I wrap him in my arms, hugging him tightly. “It’s going to be okay,” I try to reassure Mark, but it does little to ease either of our concerns. “You need to make a doctor’s appointment; we will figure out what’s going on.”
He nods. “I’ll call tomorrow. Cash is in his bed; can you tell him I’m sorry and I love him?”
“Of course.” We hold each other tighter; a tear trickles down my cheek. Pulling back, I look into my brother’s eyes. “You’re going to be fine. We’ll figure out what’s going on, I promise; until then, I’ll keep Cash with me.”
“Thanks, Sisi. I love you.” Tears shine in his eyes, matching mine.
“I love you, too.” I stand from the couch, walk to my six-year-old nephew’s room, and carry him to my car.
Stephen’s waiting on the couch when I walk in with Cash.
“What happened to you being home early?” He’s angry; I can tell just by the tone of his voice.
Stephen must have been home for a while; he’s already out of his tailored suit and in a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. He’s always looked sexiest to me when he’s laidback, lightly greying hair in disarray, and stress-free. Don’t get me wrong; when he’s pristine in his suit he’s sexy, too, but there’s just something about a man with that disheveled or rough appearance.
“Let me lay him down and then we can talk.” I take Cash into the spare room, pull down the covers, and lay him on the bed. After tucking him in, I kiss his forehead and shut the bedroom door, leaving it open just enough that a little light from the hallway can come in, so he doesn’t get scared if he wakes up.
I walk back out and sit next to Stephen. “I’m sorry. I was headed home when Mark called.”
“Typical Sierra, everyone comes before her husband.” He stands from the couch. My mouth gapes open in shock. “Your dinner’s in the refrigerator.” He starts to walk away.
I stand, angry that he would say something like that. “Really?” My brow cocks; my arms cross over my chest. “Mark needed me and you think I should choose you over my own fucking brother, my family, my blood? Don’t be so selfish, Stephen.”
He turns back to face me. “What about me needing you? Some time, Sierra, that’s all I ask for, and you can’t even do that! This isn’t a marriage anymore—it feels like we’re more roommates than anything. If that’s me being selfish then fine, I’ll be selfish, because I need my wife and she’s not here. How long should I stick around waiting in the wings?”
“I’m sorry, okay? I’ll make it up to you.” I shake my head. “I don’t know what to say. I didn’t know you felt that way.” I guess the communication lately hasn’t been the best.
“Seems like that’s all I hear these days—you’re sorry. Why would you know when you don’t hear me?” He turns back around and heads down the hallway.
Running my hand over my forehead, I let out a whoosh of air and head into the kitchen. I don’t need this from him, not after the day I had.
Getting the takeout container from the refrigerator, I grab a plate out of the cabinet and put the food on it before heating it up in the microwave.
Opening a bottle of red wine, I pour myself a glass and take my food to the dining room table to eat alone. Too tired to even think about that bath now, I guess I’ll be grabbing some extra blankets and sleeping on the couch. It’ll probably be warmer there than in bed anyway.
All I can say is that I’ll try to do better for Stephen, but I have to be there for Mark and Cash as well. Worry sets deep in my abdomen because I’m not sure if everything will be fine with my brother.
I need everything to be fine.
Chapter 2
For the last few days we’ve held a man hostage without food, without water, without light. We’ve kept him locked up while we wait for our orders; this isn’t our first time killing a man and it sure in the fuck won’t be the last.
The Satan’s Sinners are led by Hanger, our President; this kill is for him and his Ol’ Lady. He will direct us, he will decide who dishes out what punishment, and he will decide when Andrew Conners will take his last breath.
We make our way outside, head to the cellar, open it up, and walk down the stairs. I’m fuckin’ ready to kill this bastard, and stoked that Hanger finally gave the order. This pussy thought it would be okay to hold a couple of the women hostage, one being his ex, who’s with Hanger now, the other is her best friend Jacey. Since Zoey is Hanger’s property, that makes her our responsibility, and Jacey just comes along with the package.
Andrew motherfuckin’ Conners has no idea what’s about to happen to him, but ultimately he will meet his maker today. We come to the empty room and go to the door that holds the bastard. Hanger takes the key from Gunner and unlocks it. He opens the door and pulls the string to turn on the overhead light, illuminating the dark cement room, and our feet hit dirt as we gather into the small space.
A strong stench of piss and shit invades my nostrils, almost making my eyes water, but I don’t let that bother me. I stay focused on our mission to kill this fucker, slowly and painfully. He’s lying on the torn soiled cot we’ve got set up in the corner.
“Well, well, well, what do we have here?” Hanger taunts. Andrew looks up the best he can with swollen eyes. His face is covered in bruises, his eyes are black, and his nose is swollen from where Hanger punched him at the clinic. In fact, he doesn’t look much different than when we first found Zoey, beaten and bloody and lying on the side of the highway because of this piece of shit.
Karma’s a bitch.
“I’m sorry,” he whines. “Can I just please have some water or food? You’ve kept me down here for days with nothing. I can’t even use a bathroom.” We all bust out laughing.
Hanger stops laughing, growing stern, fueled by his anger. “You’re sorry? Now you’re sorry? Were you sorry when you left Zoey for dead? Or how about…were you sorry when you kicked her in her stomach and killed our baby? You think I’m gonna let you have anything? I don’t think you quite understand what’s gonna happen here. You hurt my Ol’ Lady again. You killed our baby. You don’t get to walk away from this. So, no, I’m not going to waste my food or water on you. See, I knew this day was gonna happen, but you slipped through the cracks and got to her before I got to you. Now I’m gonna ask you a few questions and you’re gonna answer them.” Andrew drops his chin to his chest and begins sniffling. “Are you crying? Well, cry about this, motherfucker—today you meet the Satan’s Sinners.” That gets our excitement roaring and raging to the surface as we yell and stomp into the dirt.
“Please, no! I’m sorry! I won’t mess with her anymore!” He cries harder, his begs for us to spare his life growing less and less coherent with each word sputtered. I’m pretty sure he pissed himself again, and all that beggin’ shit ain’t gonna do him no good.
Hanger asks his first question: “What I want to know is how you found Jasmine.”
“I don’t know.”
“Wrong answer. Bear?” Bear steps forward.
“What do you need, Prez?” As our Enforcer, Bear lives for beating answers out of people.
“I need you to break his kneecap,” Hanger replies.
“You got it.” Hanger has Ripper and Gunner hold Andrew up. Bear walks to the door, where a 2x4 leans against the wall, grabs it, and walks back over to Andrew. He takes one good swing and connects with Andrew’s right leg. There’s a loud snap from his leg breaking, so loud it echoes through the cellar. Andrew screams in agony.
“Aww, did that hurt? Well, we’re just getting started,” Hanger taunts darkly before asking his question again. “How the fuck did you find her?”
Andrew screams, “I didn’t!”
“Bear, break the other one.” He takes four swings this time, doing more damage than just breaking the limb; it
’s bowed backwards at an odd angle. Agonizing wails fill the room. “Now, I’m gonna ask you one more time. How did you find Jasmine?”
“I didn’t, man! She came and found me! She said Zoey was causing her problems and took you away from her! She said she found out my name because she was always listening when you guys would talk. She did her research, got my number, and started calling from payphones. She came up with a plan so I could get Zoey back. She started following her, like at the mall, and at night when she was at work. She’d stay in the shadows so you guys never seen her. She got your routine down, knew when we could go to the clinic, and nobody would be there yet. She gave me the gun. I’m sorry! Just let me go! I swear I’ll leave her alone!”
So that’s why I could never figure out who was following her. Andrew did a good job of keeping himself hidden, with Jasmine’s help. The fuckin’ nosy whore!
“It’s a little too late for apologies. You hurt my Ol’ Lady, and I don’t take too kindly to that,” Hanger tells him, not an ounce of sympathy in his deadly voice.
“Bear, you’re good. Hacker, your turn.”
I take a few steps up to Hanger and stand next to him. “Yeah, Prez?”
“Andrew, this is Hacker. Why don’t you ask him what he likes to do to people?”
“No, I don’t want to ask.” Andrew shakes his head frantically. He should be scared.
“Well, I guess he will just have to show you. It’s always more fun when you ask, though. I don’t think he needs his thumb. What do you think, Hacker?” Hanger turns in my direction.