Cinder

by Harley Wylde

  Dingo and I walked back to Forge’s house in silence, and the Sergeant at Arms didn’t say a word as I entered the house. He did give a nod of his head toward the living room and I went to sit down. He sat in a chair a few feet away from me and Dingo claimed the other end of the couch. Forge reached for a remote and started a movie. His selection made me laugh a little.

  “Heard you were partial to this one,” he said as one of my favorite movies from the eighties started.

  “You heard right. But you don’t have to watch this with me. I know most men don’t care about romantic movies,” I said.

  “Do I look like I’m worried about losing my man card?” he asked.

  “Um, no?” I looked him over and had to admit that no one would ever accuse him of being anything other than manly.

  “Enjoy the movie, Meg. Don’t ever hesitate to ask for what you want. I might be a hard-ass, but I want you to be comfortable while you’re here,” Forge said.

  “Is that why you’re letting Dingo stay at your house?” I asked.

  He nodded.

  “Thank you,” I said after a few minutes. “For helping me, for giving me a place to stay, and trying to set me at ease. Being around strange men is still something I struggle with, but I’m getting better. I think.”

  Forge cleared his throat. “Listen, my Pres chewed my ass out after you left earlier. I’m sorry I had that club girl in here. Won’t happen again. I’d already decided not to have them over, but he pointed out that those women might make you uncomfortable, and that’s the last thing any of us want.”

  “I’m sorry you got into trouble over me,” I said.

  “Not over you. Over my stupidity. He made a valid point and I feel like an asshole for not thinking with my head instead of my dick when I asked her over last night.”

  “I don’t want you to change how you live your life just because I’m here,” I said. “That wouldn’t be fair of me.”

  Forge smiled faintly. “I’ll be fine. Probably wouldn’t be a bad idea to lay off the women for a few days or so anyway. Those girls come around because they want to. None of us would ever force any of them, but there are rules they’re supposed to follow and sometimes they forget that. They tend to create more drama than any man wants to deal with, so taking a step back isn’t a hardship.”

  I didn’t like that Forge felt like he needed to change his habits just because he was letting me stay in his home. It didn’t seem right, but I wasn’t going to argue with him. It sometimes still stunned me just how sweet the bikers could be. They looked all gruff and fierce, and some were the very same in personality, but I’d found that most had a soft spot when it came to women and kids.

  As I’d watched the couples at the Devil’s Boneyard, I’d also discovered that those men loved hard when they found the right woman. I’d hoped to be that woman for Cinder, but maybe he had been right when he said he’d never settle down with anyone. I wanted to argue with myself that if I’d believed him I would have stayed out of his bed, but I knew better. Those moments, even if they would never happen again, were precious to me. I’d remember him forever, whether there was a baby or not. Deep down, I knew if I was pregnant that I would need to tell him. No matter how angry he got, he had a right to know he had a kid out there in the world. I didn’t expect him to take care of us, but I wouldn’t take away his choice to know his child either.

  “You’re thinking too hard,” Dingo said.

  “If I’m pregnant, I have to tell him,” I said.

  He grumbled under his breath. “No offense, but you don’t owe him shit. He made you feel like you had to leave the only home you’ve had since being rescued. It was a shit thing for him to do. The man is one hell of a president, but he doesn’t seem to know a damn thing about how to treat a woman.”

  “Probably been with club whores too long,” Forge muttered. “Doubt I’d know how to treat a good woman either. Too used to women just spreading their legs when they see me.”

  “I’m no better than those women,” I said.

  Forge paused the movie and leaned forward, staring at me hard. “I want to be real clear on something, Meg. What happened to you is far different from the women who come here. They’re here because they want to be, they like getting fucked by multiple men, showing off their bodies. You weren’t given a choice. Not to discount any of the club girls. There’s nothing wrong with what they’re doing, but they’re free spirits who don’t want to be tied down. There are some who are here giving it up to anyone and everyone just because they’re hoping one of us will decide to keep them. I have no doubt if you’d been left alone, allowed to grow up in your loving home, that you’d have gone to college or married some nice guy and settled down. You’re the forever kind of woman, and Cinder knows that. Anyone who meets you can tell that right off.”

  “He doesn’t want the forever kind of woman,” I said. “Or kids. He likes his life the way it is and doesn’t want any complications.”

  “Then maybe you need to work on forgetting him and move forward. Cinder isn’t the only man in the world, baby girl, and I can promise that some guy would feel like the luckiest bastard if you gave him a chance,” Forge said.

  There was a knock at the front door and Forge stood. I couldn’t see who was on the front steps, but I could hear another man’s voice. Forge returned with Dr. Kestral on his heels. The young doctor gave me a tentative smile, as if he weren’t certain I was all right with him stopping by. I didn’t have any say in the matter. It wasn’t my house, and I wasn’t a part of the Reckless Kings. Forge gave a subtle nod of his head and Dingo got up and followed him out of the room. I watched them, curious what was going on.

  “You seemed upset earlier,” Dr. Kestral said. “I wanted to make sure you were all right.”

  “I’ll be fine,” I said. “Just processing everything.”

  Dr. Kestral waved a hand to the chair Forge had vacated. “Mind if I sit?”

  I shook my head and he walked over to the chair and eased down, almost as if he were worried any quick movements would scare me. He wasn’t completely wrong about that. I did still flinch sometimes. The doctor had been kind, though, and I didn’t think he’d do anything to hurt me. Not unless it was a painful medical procedure that couldn’t be avoided.

  “I hope you don’t mind, but I called the Devil’s Boneyard to ask a few questions about your past,” he said.

  I tensed and he reached for me, but stopped a few inches shy of touching me.

  “Not the President,” he said. “I spoke with their Sergeant at Arms, who helped get you set up here. He told me about your time in Colombia, the things you were forced to endure, and how very brave and strong you are. I would have to agree with him.”

  “I’m not either of those things.”

  “You are,” Dr. Kestral insisted. “Meg, you’re an incredible woman to have faced that and still be standing. From what I heard, you were even happy until this latest development. It’s not your fault you trusted your heart to the wrong man.”

  I chewed on my lip a moment. “Dr. Kestral --”

  “Martin,” he said, making my head jerk a little. “Call me Martin. Please.”

  I was getting a feeling that he wasn’t here for medical reasons at all, and I recalled what Forge had said right before that knock at the door. Had he somehow known the doctor was stopping by? Had he been trying to tell me that I should give Dr. Kestral a chance? I wasn’t ready, might never be ready, to be intimate with another man. It had taken me a year to get to that point of trust with Cinder.

  “Martin, it was really sweet of you to come and check on me, but if you’re hoping there can be something between us --”

  “Meg, no. I … I mean, I’d love for you to consider dating me, if you decide to stick around, but I mostly wanted you to know that I can be your friend. If you need anything, want to talk, or just need a shoulder to cry on, then I’m happy to be there for you. In any capacity you’ll allow. You seem like a sweet woman who’s had a hard ro
ad to travel.”

  “All right. Martin.”

  He smiled, and I had to admit he was a very good-looking man. Maybe if I hadn’t shared that experience with Cinder the cute doctor would have given me a spark, or at least a faint tingle. But I didn’t feel anything. I worried that Cinder had ruined me for all other men. Too bad it didn’t go both ways. I seriously doubted I had ruined him for other women. I didn’t doubt that he wouldn’t hesitate to sleep with someone else. I wasn’t special to him. It still hurt, and I didn’t know how long before I was able to move past the pain of rejection, but I knew I couldn’t wallow in self-pity.

  “I can always use a friend,” I finally said, giving him a slight smile. “But I know I’m not ready for anything beyond that, and I may never be ready.”

  “No pressure,” he said. “Just know that I’m here if you need anything.”

  He stood and left the room. I heard him speaking to someone softly before the front door opened and shut. Dingo came back into the room and reclaimed his spot. He didn’t say anything, but his expression was shuttered, which was unusual for him. Normally, I could see exactly how he felt.

  “Dingo, everything okay?” I asked.

  “Cinder knows you’re gone. He demanded to know where you were, said he couldn’t protect you if you weren’t there with him. Havoc and Jordan aren’t saying anything. No one is.”

  “How long did it take before he realized I wasn’t there?” I asked.

  “After Church. He went back to his house to talk to you. Guess he figured you were hiding somewhere inside before he’d left. When Jordan told him you weren’t there anymore, weren’t even in the same state, I heard he got a little angry.”

  “He’ll get over it,” I said. “Probably went about business as usual last night and this morning.”

  “And if he didn’t? What if he really does miss you, Meg? What if he just needed time to realize how important you are to him?” Dingo asked.

  “Then he’ll come for me. And if he doesn’t, then I have my answer.”

  He nodded and sighed. For the first time since leaving the Devil’s Boneyard compound, I had to wonder if I’d done the right thing. What if Dingo was on to something? What if Cinder really did want me there and I’d overreacted? No. I remembered his words, the way he’d tried to push me away. Regardless of what he said now, he hadn’t wanted me there. I’d given him exactly what he wanted. I’d just have to wait and see if he changed his mind.

  And if he never came for me, then I’d have to figure out the next step in my life. There could very well be another person growing inside of me right now. It might not just be me that I had to worry about from now on. Whatever happened, I knew that I had to push through the pain. I’d survived worse than a broken heart.

  Chapter Nine

  Cinder

  Wire had contacted Shade with information on our rat three days after I discovered Meg was gone. It shouldn’t have surprised me, not really, and yet I’d stared at CJ as Havoc restrained him. Even knowing that he’d monumentally fucked up, the Prospect glared at me with nothing but hatred.

  “Why, CJ?” I’d asked. “You even sold out your sister.”

  “All those bitches were welcomed into this club with no questions asked, and that fucking Meg was the worst. Spending all that time at your house, winning you over. I’ve paid my dues and busted my ass to be patched in, and here I am, still fucking waiting.”

  I’d glanced at Havoc and the other officers gathered around CJ. They looked every bit as furious as I felt, and as much as I wanted to take vengeance for Meg, she wasn’t mine. Not really. Scratch and Havoc had families who required justice. CJ wasn’t leaving the compound, not in one piece anyway. I knew Havoc would cut up his body and have him dumped in several areas.

  “See that it’s done,” I’d said before walking off.

  That was two weeks ago. It had taken a damn week to get shit organized nationwide, and another to gather supplies and set everything into motion. Every chapter of the Reckless Kings was ready to go, as were their allies. Dixie Reapers, Hades Abyss, and Devil’s Fury were on board too. There would be a massive strike against every chapter of The Inferno that we could locate. I’d heard rumblings there were some that were underground, so I knew there was a chance these assholes would pop up again, but hopefully we’d put the fear of God into them and send a message they couldn’t ignore. Don’t fuck with one of us, or you fuck with all of us. While my club took care of the issue here, everyone else would handle The Inferno in their own areas.

  I’d spent nearly every fucking night wide awake, smelling Meg on my sheets, and worrying if she was safe. I should have changed them, but something had held me back. I hadn’t wanted to lose that last little bit of my connection to her. I knew there were people here who could tell me her location, but short of torturing it out of my own men and those who had come to help, there wasn’t a damn thing I could do. Part of me had to admire that they were protecting her, but I wanted to be the one to keep her safe.

  She’d been gone three nights before I realized how much I missed her. The way she sang as she cleaned and cooked, her scent, the sweet smile she always gave me, and the feel of her in my arms. We’d only had that one night together, but it was enough for me to know that I didn’t want another woman. I’d fucked up, pushed her away and made her feel unwelcome. Now I was paying the price, and so was she. This was her home and I’d driven her out of here into the unknown.

  “Pres, need your head in the game,” Jackal said softly as we stared at the building we were about to attack.

  I tried to shake thoughts of Meg from my mind. Jackal was right. I needed to focus or I’d get people killed, possibly even myself. Then who would keep Meg safe? Once this was over, I was going after her. One way or another, I’d get someone to tell me her location. I needed to make things right with her, tell her that I missed her, needed her, and I had to hope that she’d agree to come home where she belonged. Not just at the compound, but under my roof and in my bed.

  “Everyone remember what they’re supposed to do?” I asked, looking at the men with me. Everyone nodded, and I motioned to proceed.

  I crouched as I slowly made my way toward the house, my gun drawn. The safety was already off and I was prepared to fire when necessary. Havoc hunkered down under a window on one side of the house, and Scratch did the same on the other. They tossed smoke bombs inside, and as I’d hoped would happen, the men inside ran out.

  Just one problem. There weren’t nearly as many of them as there had been when we’d done our recon. Where the fuck were the others? I circled the building and checked the perimeter. Jackal, Cobra, and Irish crept into the house, protective gear over their faces and their bodies. I heard shots fired and wanted to rush inside, but the smoke hadn’t cleared. More shots and then silence. My men came out, not a mark on them. Irish removed the mask over his face and his gaze met and held mine.

  “Pres, we have a problem.”

  “What is it?” I asked.

  “There are pictures inside on the walls. They know where Meg went, and I think they sent men after her,” Irish said. “There’s shots of her at one of the Reckless Kings’ compounds. I don’t know how they found her, but we need to find out. If there’s another rat, better to know now. Looks like they used a telephoto lens so no telling how far or how close they were when the pictures were taken.”

  I scanned the men with me, my hand still gripping my gun tightly. Movement in the trees caught my attention and I took off. Whoever was out there, they were moving fast and with purpose. I was getting too damn old for this shit, but I pushed myself, refusing to back down and let the man escape. I fired off a few shots and hit him in the leg. It slowed him enough that I was able to tackle him to the ground. After a few fists to the face, the man just groaned and didn’t fight back.

  “Where are the others?” I demanded.

  He spat at me. “Not telling you shit.”

  I smashed my fist into his jaw again. “Where. The.
Fuck. Are. They?”

  He grinned, blood coating his teeth. “Going after your whore.”

  My body tensed and I went ice cold. The fucker just grinned up at me like he hadn’t a care in the world.

  “Boss has plans for her,” he said, then bucked his hips a few times. “Lots of plans.”

  A red haze covered my vision and the next few minutes passed in a blur. The next thing I knew, Havoc was prying me off the man who was now covered in blood, both eyes blackened and swelling, his nose broken, and a few teeth missing.

  “Easy, Cinder,” Havoc said. “If you kill him, then we can’t get information from him. Think of Meg.”

  I growled and tried to get to him again, but Havoc refused to let go. I’d beat that fucker to death if he thought for one second he was going to hurt Meg. I knew exactly what he’d meant. They were going to rape her before they sold her, and I wasn’t about to let that shit happen.

  Havoc turned his head and yelled over his shoulder. “Tie him up and get him to the compound. We’ll find out what he knows. Someone call Reckless Kings and give them a heads-up.”

  “On it,” Phantom said.

  Scratch moved up beside us and placed a hand on my shoulder. I met his gaze and the compassion I saw there was enough to deflate some of my fury. They were going to hurt my Meg. I hadn’t thought I wanted her, hadn’t wanted to keep any woman, but she’d slipped beneath my defenses and now I couldn’t imagine a world without her in it.

  “We’ll save her,” Scratch said. “She’ll be back with you where she belongs.”

  “‘Bout fucking time,” Havoc muttered before he released me.

  Phantom moved closer and cleared his throat. “Um, Pres. The Reckless Kings aren’t answering. She’s at their Tennessee compound, or she was. What do you want to do?”

  “Get answers from the asshole that was just hauled away,” I said. “Then I’m going after Meg, wherever she may be.”