by Harley Wylde
I led her into the kitchen and had her sit at the table while I prepped an ice pack. When I was finished, I knelt at her feet and motioned for her to lift the shirt. She did without hesitation, holding it only high enough for me to see the mark on her skin, and I placed the pack against the bruise. She hissed in a breath as the cold material touched her skin and I couldn’t help but notice her nipples hardened.
“Thank you,” she said softly. “No one’s ever cared before.”
“You said it wasn’t your first time being bruised. Silva and his men hit you?” I asked.
“Sometimes. Usually, they were content making me service them like a good little whore, but there were some who got off on hitting a woman or choking her.”
A red haze settled over my vision as I thought about those men abusing her. She had such a sweet, gentle soul. I didn’t know how she’d survived with her mind intact, but she’d managed. No matter what it took, I’d make sure she had the kind of life she deserved. If that meant she lived here at the compound for the rest of her life, then so be it. I’d find a way to deal with my attraction to her.
“Never again, Meg. You don’t have to do any of that ever again. The next time you’re with a man, it will be because you want it to happen. Any fucker who lays a hand on you without your permission will answer to me.”
“And the ones who do have my permission?” she asked, staring at me intently.
“I can’t exactly kick their ass if you invited them into your bed.”
“What if there’s only one man I might want in my bed?” She licked her lips and her gaze dropped to my mouth. “Did you know I’ve never really kissed anyone before? I didn’t date in high school, and Silva and his men didn’t kiss.”
“Is that what the birthday girl wants? A birthday kiss?” I asked.
She nodded. “But only if it’s from one particular man.”
“And who might that be?” I asked, knowing I was playing with fucking fire.
“You. Would you kiss me, Cinder?”
“On one condition,” I said. I’d lost my damn mind. It was the only reason I could think to do what I did next. “Call me Vincent. When it’s just us anyway. In front of the club I’m still Cinder.”
She smiled softly and her eyes lit up. It was like I’d just given her the best gift ever. I knew I was going to regret this, but I didn’t want to deny her the one thing she truly seemed to want. It was a small request in the scheme of things.
“Then kiss me… Vincent.”
I wrapped her hair around my hand and pulled her closer, my lips brushing against hers. It was akin to being struck by lightning, and that one small taste was nowhere near enough. I licked at her bottom lip until she opened, and then I deepened the kiss… and knew that I’d been right all along. I was going to hell. Not because I’d made a move on Meg, but because I was kissing an angel and was nowhere near worthy of her.
She melted against me and I held her tight, wanting to savor this moment because I had no doubt it would be a one-time thing. No way she’d want more from me. Even if she did, it would be a brief fling and nothing more. I couldn’t give her the fairy-tale ending she needed, the one she deserved. I hadn’t had a steady woman in my life in over thirty years.
I pulled back, needing to put some space between us, and I stood slowly. Her eyes were still closed, her lips parted, and there was a rosy hue to her cheeks. She was enchanting, and easily the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen. I rubbed the back of my neck and took a step back, then another, until I was far enough away that I couldn’t feel her body heat.
“I never knew it could be like that,” she said, her eyes opening. There was a smile curving the corners of her lips and a dreamy expression on her face. That’s when I knew I was fucked.
“We should finish that movie while you ice your bruise,” I said. “Let me get some Tylenol for you.”
I reached into the cabinet next to the sink and took down the bottle, then got her a glass of water. I set both on the table. Slowly, she reached out and shook two pills from the bottle and downed them, but her gaze locked on me again.
“Vincent.” She stood and moved closer.
I tensed, bracing myself for her touch and knew I shouldn’t follow my instincts, which were screaming at me to toss her over my shoulder and carry her to the bedroom. What I needed to do was the get the hell away from her as fast as possible before I broke her more than Silva and his men had. She was recovering nicely from her time in Colombia, but I knew a broken heart could last a lifetime.
“The kiss shouldn’t have happened, Meg. I’m sorry.”
She paled a little and visibly swallowed before giving me a slight nod. Without another word, she quietly went back to the living room, this time sitting on the far end of the couch. I reclaimed my seat and tried not to think about how wrong it felt for her to be so far away. When the movie ended, she stood and shifted from foot to foot.
“Could you please show me where I’m sleeping tonight? You mentioned the guest room, but I can stay on the couch. Or should I go back to my place?” she asked.
“You can stay.” I wouldn’t go back on my offer, even if the idea of her being just down the hall was more temptation than I thought I could withstand. I showed her to the guest room, and she went inside, then shut the door in my face. I stared at it a moment, then went about locking up the house for the night and shutting off the TV and lights. I typically left my front door unlocked in case someone needed me quickly, but with Meg staying here I wasn’t taking any chances.
I left my bedroom door partially open in case Meg needed anything tonight. I’d slept naked every night since leaving the Marines, but with a woman under my roof, I decided to leave the boxers on. I slid into bed and shut off my bedside lamp. Folding my arms behind my head, I stared up at the ceiling and wondered if I’d made a huge mistake by kissing Meg. The look on her face wasn’t one I would likely forget anytime soon. First that look of complete contentment and then the shuttered expression after I pushed her away. It was better to hurt her a little now than a lot more later.
Sleep wouldn’t claim me, and I kept playing the kiss over and over in my head, and her wounded expression when I’d told her it shouldn’t have happened. I felt like the biggest asshole ever, but I’d done it to protect her. Right? At this point, I wasn’t sure I could even convince myself of that fact, much less anyone else.
I always kept my cell phone on the bedside table at night, and the screen lit with an incoming message before the chime sounded. I grabbed it and unlocked the phone before reading the text from Shade. At first I couldn’t understand a word of it, and then it all clicked into place. I tossed the covers aside and called Shade as I paced the bedroom.
“Sorry to interrupt your night,” Shade said. “Heard Meg was staying with you.”
“She’s asleep in the guest room. Her birthday doesn’t have good memories and she didn’t want to be alone at her place,” I said, then wondered why the hell I was justifying my actions to anyone.
“Right, so I didn’t think this could wait until tomorrow. The Inferno didn’t disappear completely like we’d hoped. From the reports I’m seeing, there are more of them in the area,” Shade said.
“Okay, so we’ll deal with them.” Might have to call in extra clubs again, but I knew they’d be willing to help. The Inferno wasn’t just our problem. They were an issue for all our allies.
“Not that easy. It’s not just random woman they’re going after, Cinder. They know we were part of the crew that took down their initiates. They’ve put a price on all our heads, and…” Shade stopped and I heard his keyboard clicking. “They’ve gotten pictures of the women and kids. I can’t find anything more than their photos and a mention of a reward if the women and kids are captured, except one.”
“Who are they targeting?” I asked.
“It’s Meg, Cinder. They’ve already put her up for auction even though she’s obviously sleeping soundly at your place. But it means they’re confident
enough about their ability to get their hands on her, which is a big red flag for me. That woman never goes anywhere unprotected, but that doesn’t seem to be a deterrent for them. The post is new, just went up tonight, which means they somehow know she’s important to you.”
The line was quiet and I knew Shade hadn’t told me everything. Fury was building inside of me that anyone would think to go after the women and kids of the club, and I was especially pissed they were already trying to sell Meg. I ignored his little dig about her being important to me. I could deny it all I wanted, but actions spoke louder and all that shit.
“We have a rat,” I said. “Dig as deep as you need to into every patched member, every officer, and every Prospect. Someone is selling information and has put everyone in danger. I want to know who the fuck it is, and I want to know now, dammit.”
“On it. I’ll pull everyone’s financials and hack into any of their online accounts. Everything from social media to email, I’ll know every detail of their lives by noon tomorrow.”
“Make it sooner, Shade. I don’t give a shit what you have to do to make that happen. Call Outlaw and Wire. I trust the both of them. I’ll call Torch and Griz to tell them what’s going on. If these fuckers are coming after us, there’s no reason they won’t try the same with everyone who helped rescue Janessa. I’ll talk to Reckless Kings and Hades Abyss, as well.”
“Cinder, I know you well enough to understand you’re resistant to having Meg in your life, but you seriously need to consider keeping her with you until we handle this shit. If we do have a rat, then she’s not safe at her place.”
I grunted, knowing he was right about her safety, and not liking that he knew me that damn well. He’d been a kid when he’d patched in, but Shade had become invaluable to this club. As I thought about it, I knew I could exclude Jackal, Havoc, and Scratch from the list of suspects. No way they’d put their families in danger.
“You can exclude anyone with a woman and kids,” I said. “In fact, let Havoc know what’s going on. I’ll send a message to Scratch. We may need to meet, but I need to find a way to not make it suspicious for the others.”
Shade was still clicking on the other end, but he paused mid-keystroke. “The Reapers have a playground at their compound, right?”
“Yeah, and a picnic area, and who knows what else by now. It’s like their community exploded and looks more like a small town than a biker compound these days.”
“Well, we have kids here. Why not meet somewhere off the path but inside the gates. We could say we’re discussing the logistics of adding a family friendly area,” Shade said. “I could print some shit off and make it look like we’re checking out blueprints.”
“Not a bad idea. Of course, neither is actually adding that kind of shit. We could add a fenced area with play stuff for the kids and maybe a covered pavilion with picnic tables and some grills. Doesn’t have be huge, but a place where Josie, Clarity, Jordan, and Janessa can take the kids to play and not worry about chasing after them.”
“I know some of the guys like Stripes will never settle down, but there are plenty of us who wouldn’t mind a steady woman in our lives and maybe some kids,” Shade said. “I think it would be a good investment. And there’s something else.”
“What?” I asked.
“The duplexes. I think we need to make sure they’re all furnished and stocked with essentials. If shit gets bad, Scratch and Jackal will need to bring their families inside the gates. Where would they stay right now?” Shade asked.
“Good point. When you speak to Havoc, tell him to handle that shit. I want everyone inside these gates no later than noon tomorrow. Fuck, I can’t even ask the Prospects to go guard them until then. Who the hell knows if I can trust any of them at this point?”
“We’ll handle it, Pres. Just like we always do.”
I sighed and hung up the phone, then spent the next hour spreading the word about our problem, at least to those I trusted. Reckless Kings offered to send Copper and two others to help. Hades Abyss was sending Fox and Shooter to us, as well as few members over to the Reapers just in case they were targeted too. Devil’s Fury was sending Wolf and Dingo. Torch offered help, but in case The Inferno was going to hit him too, I declined. If things got worse, then I’d reconsider and accept aid from him. Now it was a waiting game while I got all my chess pieces into place and hoped like hell The Inferno didn’t strike before then.
Chapter Four
Meg
I could hear Cinder talking to someone, but I only heard his voice. Phone. He must have received a phone call, and judging by the darkness outside the bedroom window, it was still late. Either that or he was talking to himself, but he didn’t seem like the type for that sort of thing. I’d learned that late night phone calls didn’t mean good things, or at least it hadn’t in a military home. Most of my free time had been spent with my best friend, including lots of sleepovers, and whenever her dad got a call in the middle of the night it meant something bad was happening.
I crept down the hall and stopped in Cinder’s doorway. He’d left it partially open and I saw him pacing across his floor in nothing but his boxers. For an older man, he’d stayed incredibly fit. I let his body distract me for a moment, and had a jolt of surprise when I realized I didn’t feel even the slightest bit apprehensive. Any other man, and I’d have been running back to my room and locking the door. I should have known when he’d kissed me and I’d only wanted more. Whatever it was about Cinder, he didn’t scare me even the teensiest bit. I felt safe and protected when he was nearby.
“I want to know who the fuck it is,” Cinder said, his tone hard and demanding. “I can’t believe I have a fucking rat in my house.”
I gasped and felt the blood drain from my face. In his house? Did he mean me? I was the only one here other than him. Cinder spun and faced me, his expression unreadable as he told the other person he had to go. He tossed the phone on the bed and approached me. My body trembled and I couldn’t seem to make my feet move.
“You think I’d do something like that?” I asked when he stopped in front of me. “I would never!”
“Calm down, Meg. I didn’t mean my house as in my residence. I meant there’s a rat in the club,” he said, reaching for me slowly. He closed his hands over my arms and pulled me against his chest, holding me. “I never in a million years would ever think that you would do anything to hurt me or this club.”
“There’s a traitor in the club?” I asked.
“Yeah, sweet girl, there is. And he’s feeding information about the women and children to The Inferno.”
I felt ice fill my veins as I thought about the club that had attacked Janessa. I considered Clarity, Janessa, Josie, and Jordan my friends, or the closest thing I’d had to friends in a really long time. I hated the thought of someone trying to hurt them.
“Meg, there’s something we need to discuss,” he said. “But I should probably get dressed first.”
His words made me all too aware of him pressed against me, and that a certain part of him seemed particularly interested in our current position. My cheeks warmed as I glanced up at him. Cinder looked like he was waging a war inside his head, but I didn’t want him to. If he wanted me, then I wanted him to say something, do something. I’d never wanted anyone before, but I knew that being with him would be amazing. Just his kiss alone had told me that much. But I wasn’t bold enough to make a move, not when he’d already said that kissing me was a mistake. It still hurt, knowing that he felt that way.
I stepped back and wrapped my arms around my waist, looking everywhere but at Cinder. I heard the rustle of his clothes and jumped when he touched my arm. Glancing his way, I saw that he’d pulled on a T-shirt and jeans, and I let him herd me toward the kitchen. Cinder brewed some coffee and put the kettle on the stove. He poured himself a cup of coffee and made some hot tea for me, then set the mugs on the table. When he sat, he heaved a sigh that told me whatever he had to say was weighing on him.
“I c
an go,” I said. “Back to my place. Or I could…”
I couldn’t even finish that thought. No, I couldn’t leave. I had no money or anything, no way to support myself, and the thought of being away from the club terrified me. It was the only thing keeping me safe from men like Silva. If I walked away, I could be taken, and I knew I wouldn’t survive going through that all over again. If the men didn’t kill me, I’d likely end up taking my own life.
“I need you to stay here,” Cinder said. “Indefinitely.”
I opened and shut my mouth a few times, unsure of what to say to that.
“You can keep the guest room,” he said, running a hand through his hair. “It’s not safe for you to be at your place, not while I have a snitch in the club.”
“But you said he was targeting the women and kids.”
He stared at me. Hard. My heart started to race a little.
“You mean he’s targeted me too?” I asked softly. “But why? I’m no one!”
“The Inferno has decided that you mean something to me, which means they’re coming hard for you. Meg, I want to shelter you and protect you, but I know that doing that would only put you in more danger. What I’m going to tell you is scary, but I need you to try to stay calm.”
“Just tell me,” I said.
“The Inferno seems to think you’ll be easy enough to capture. So easy they’ve already listed you for sale,” he said.
There was a loud whooshing sound in my ears and the room spun. For sale. I was going to be sold again, to someone like Silva and his men. Used like I was nothing, not even human. My vision dimmed and I felt my body sway. I heard Cinder curse, and then his chair scraped. I must have blacked out for a moment because the next time I opened my eyes, I was in his lap and he looked concerned.
“I’m not going to let them take you, Meg. It’s why I want you stay here at my house. It’s safer.”
“And when you aren’t here?” I asked.
“I’ll get an alarm installed. Wouldn’t be a bad idea. The women and kids could all come here when they’re going to be left alone. You’d like the company, wouldn’t you?” he asked.