“Not yet, I am reviewing the cameras and have a man spotlighting the grounds.”
“Good. When you find her, put her in the basement with the others.” I end the call.
Stepping into my private office, I dial Cole. “Lover mine, Marek has returned and requires your attendance.”
“I’ll get there when I can.”
“Do hurry.”
I grin and freshen up before I return to my husband.
Cole might not get here in time to witness the show in person, but that’s okay, I’ll record the occasion for his viewing pleasure. I’ll make him watch it with me.
Marek has her tied to the bed, spread eagle. He must really be taken by her. I watch as he glides his favorite cane down her torso, teasing her.
“I told you not to start without me.” I come up behind him and wrap my arms possessively around his waist. I kiss his neck and nip at him playfully. Some days, I do miss the way we used to be together.
“Fuck off. She’s all mine. I warned you.” He spins around. “You’ve earned yourself a strike. Assume the position.”
“Fine. I thought…never mind.” I don't know why I still try with him. I cross the room to the bench, flipping my skirt up and bending over it. I bat my lashes as I look over my shoulder at my husband. I used to love him. I used to think he was beautiful, but now I know there is nothing left inside him but a monster. He truly lives up to his name, Devil.
He stands behind me and a dark cloud passes through his eyes. I grit my teeth, preparing for my punishment. Marek never takes it easy on me and if I don’t flinch, he won’t strike me again.
He used to bring me such pleasure with these little games we would play, but now he only wants to give me pain.
I do smile a little on the inside because my interruption was enough to make him forget the slut on the bed. She isn’t as special as she thinks. As much as I want Marek to break her, I find pleasure in her just lying there and waiting. She has no idea what she is in for.
Right before Marek strikes me, the dinner bell rings and he growls in frustration.
He hates being late for dinner.
“Clean her up. Meet me at the table. I will see you both back in here after we celebrate Danny’s coming home and bringing me my newest treasure.”
I smile. This is even better, Cole will arrive to find his girlfriend getting filled in every hole. I’ll see to that.
Morgan
Sitting at this table while these bikers all eat like rabid animals is nauseating. One guy across from me is tearing into his chicken like a barbarian with his bare hands. I am seated to the right of Devil, who is seated at the head of the table with Harper on his left, and Danny is at my right.
Some clubwhore chicks are serving everyone. They are dressed like strippers. One woman only has on a thong and pasties covering her nipples. The men paw at them and they don’t even mind. It’s gross. Whether the women enjoy it or are too high to care remains to be seen. I hope I am not here long enough to find out. I am so damn thankful that this Devil guy respects his mealtime. I thought he was going to rape me. I was literally saved by the bell.
Surely to God my dad will get here soon.
No one has mentioned Bridgette since she slipped off. Though I do believe they have someone searching for her. I can’t be sure, but man do I hope she was able to escape.
Danny has apologized to me several times. He keeps saying how he never would have taken me had he known who I was and what his sister’s intentions for me were. I don’t bother telling him that it is too late for him now. He did let me call my dad, but that won’t be enough to save him. I know that my dad has done bad things. I know he has killed for much less.
Why didn’t I go home this weekend for girl’s night with my little sister? Why did I have to put a man first—–because he said he loved me? So damn stupid. I knew better. I had my guard up but Cole… he broke through my barriers. He made me want to try. I thought he would be different. I thought he could be the one who would show me that real love exists. That love at first sight is real. I thought wrong. I won’t make the same mistake twice.
At least that’s what I was thinking until he bursts into the room, and I see the intent to kill on his face, followed by my father and the rest of the Black Rebel Riders’ MC.
Guns are drawn and Danny is pulling me to the floor. Why is he trying to protect me? When a hand reaches under the table and jerks my hair, I realize why.
Harper is trying to get a hold of me from the other side with a steak knife in her hand.
“Well boys, I don’t remember sending you an invitation to dinner. To what do I owe this intrusion? California, looks like you have some explaining to do,” Devil states coolly.
“We’re here for the girl,” Grim snarls. I’d know his hateful voice anywhere.
“Ahh, I see. I’m afraid you have me at a disadvantage. Which girl are you here for exactly? As you can see, I have several.”
Their conversation continues while Danny struggles to get Harper’s fingers out of my hair.
Suddenly, she screeches, letting out a howl as Devil pulls her from under the table.
I don’t know what to do. I hate not seeing what is happening. I listen as Grim, my dad, and Cole threaten to mow them all down for me.
“No need for such violent tendencies. We can come to an agreement. My wife here will bring all the girls we are currently holding up, and you can let me know which ones you want. No harm no foul.”
Why is Cole with the Rebels? I am so confused.
Danny is now fiddling with a lighter and a wire. It’s making me nervous.
“Buy me a few minutes. You will walk out of here alive.”
“Okay,” I whisper, trusting his word.
Cole
“No need. She’s under the table,” I tell the piece of shit. Once Morgan is secure, I am going to rip him from limb to limb. I’ve been wanting to end this fucker since the moment I met him, and now I have my family behind me. I know my place in the world, and it’s a world without this sick fucker in it.
“Danny’s girl?” Marek actually appears confused.
“She’s mine,” I growl.
“I’m no one’s,” Morgan calls out, crawling out from under the table with whom I presume to be Danny. I can’t believe my eyes when I see how she is dressed. I know it is Harper’s doing. She did it to humiliate her. It takes everything in me not to put a bullet between Harper’s eyes right now.
“Explain!” Marek demands pounding his fist down on the table.
“Morgan. Get over here, now!” Her father yells.
Marek points his own gun at Morgan, fuck. This isn’t what I wanted to happen.
“She goes nowhere until I get an explanation,” the fucker says.
“Okay, I’ll start,” Morgan says, keeping amazingly calm. “My name is Morgan Black. I attend college at UK, where I met Cole. We dated briefly and then your bat shit crazy wife here, had Danny boy kidnap me, so she could use me to hurt her lover, who also happens to be Cole. I would like to leave with my father over there, Rebel Black and never look back on any of you ever again in my life.”
Marek grits his teeth and looks to me. “So, what in the hell are you doing here with them? Are you a fucking plant?”
“No. You took me, remember? Let your wife use and abuse me as you saw fit. I came to Kentucky to find my family.” Morgan’s face pales on the word family. “Now that I have done that—I just want to walk away with Morgan and live my life.”
“Well, isn’t this just a Hallmark moment.”
Before more can be said, Danny holds his hand up.
“I have a bomb.” He looks at Marek while the rest of us stare, wondering if he’s serious.
“Danny boy, I hope you intend to use that to my advantage.”
I look to Harper; she has been oddly quiet through this whole ordeal.
“Danny, what are you doin’?” She finally speaks.
“Morgan, go to your dad,” he says. “I n
ever would have taken you had I known. I’m sorry.”
Morgan only nods and slowly walks to Rebel. She doesn’t even look at me as she passes me by. It kills me. I hear Rebel ordering someone to give her their shirt. I don’t know what pisses me off more, that Marek has seen her in next to nothing or that everyone in this room has.
“I should have killed you when your whore of a mother left you at my door,” Marek snarls at him.
“Maybe,” he replies with a shrug and lights the fuse.
“Everybody go,” Grim orders, and I hear feet moving behind me. I won’t go yet. I will finish Marek.
Danny moves closer to Marek and shouts, “Get out of here,” at me. I can’t move though. I see Harper going for the door and I don’t think, I just aim, hitting her in the shoulder with my bullet that had Marek’s named etched on it. Not enough to kill her, but enough to slow her bitch ass down.
Then a bullet hits me as the bomb goes off.
“Cole!” I hear Morgan cry out for me as I go to my knees.
My old man hooks his arms under my shoulders and drags me out the door as more explosions start.
The next thing I know, I am laying in the cold grass with Morgan staring down at me.
Chapter 27
Morgan
Drag Creek, Kentucky
“Don’t you give up on me Morg-an, not today—not ever.” His voice trembled, breaking on my name. That was his last words to me before my dad brought me home. I wanted to believe him. Believe that he got in too deep. I wanted to throw myself into his arms and him never let me go. But Cole, Colt...whatever his name is, he lied to me, but most of all to himself.
Not only that, his dad is my dad’s brother. I don’t know what to think. I don’t know what to do.
It’s been three days since the chaos happened. Police reports stated a gas leak caused the explosion at the old hotel and when they arrived on the scene they found it abandoned which means, Marek is still out there somewhere. He could seek revenge on us all. I don’t know why Danny saved me like he did. Maybe I will never know. While I appreciate what he did for me, I hope I never see his face again.
Bridgette made it out fine and Rhyner took care of her. Turns out him and Cole were both playing the Devils Rejects. Both men had their own reasons for leading double lives, but it doesn’t make the lies any easier to swallow.
I haven’t talked to Bridgette much, she is back at school, going on with her life. I don’t know where things stand between her and Rhyner. I haven’t felt much like talking to anyone. After everything that happened, I can’t stop thinking about Cole.
Cole told my dad he didn’t know who I was when he met me. I don’t know if that’s true. I can’t believe a word that guy says.
He suffered a shot to his upper thigh. It grazed him really. He’s fine. I’m glad he wasn’t seriously injured, even though I would like to tear off his balls and stomp on them.
My mom knocks on my bedroom door. “You have a visitor.”
“I told you, I am not in the mood for company.” I groan.
My door swings open and my sister, Dawn, struts in, caressing her small baby bump. “Well, good thing I’m not just anyone,” she teases.
Popping off my bed, I wrap my arms around her. I have missed her so much.
“Are you home for good?” I ask, putting my hand to her stomach.
“Yeah, we are shacking up with my dad until our house is ready. He isn’t too happy about the huge storage unit that was delivered to his yard this morning, but it is only temporary.” She grins.
“I’m so glad you’re here.”
“It feels good to be home. So, tell me about your boyfriend. I want details, college girl.”
My sister doesn’t know I was taken or any of what went down, I was grilled that it was club business which is code for don’t talk about it.
I roll my eyes. “He’s not my boyfriend.”
“Really? So, who is the guy in the living room having a beer with your dad?”
My eyes go wide. “What?”
“Don’t shoot the messenger. I just know that when I got here there’s this redheaded cutie talking to your dad. I figured he must be the boyfriend.”
I look in the mirror of my vanity. I look terrible. My sister is standing behind me wearing a smirk on her face. “Why are you so worried about your hair?” She teases.
“Shut up!” I snap at her and look down the hall to the living room. It’s empty. I don’t know why I feel disappointed.
I hear a motorcycle fire up and look out the window. My dad and Cole are riding off with some other dude.
Why was he here?
“Well, I just wanted to stop in really quick. I have to go meet with the realtor to sign some more paperwork. I’ll call you later. We can have lunch before you go back to school.”
I nod and she gives me a short hug before she leaves.
Once she is gone, I start toward the kitchen. When I pass Harley’s room, the door is open and she is talking to a redhead little girl. “Who’s your friend?” I ask.
“Our cousin Sara, she’s from California.”
I stop the frown from crossing my face. She must be Cole’s sister. “Oh, hey, Sara. Nice to meet you. I’m Morgan.” My dad said something about Cole being his brother’s son. The brother he thought was dead. I don’t know the whole story. I kind of tuned out. I was too upset to listen. I thought for a few minutes that I had slept with my blood cousin, but then I remembered I was adopted and we are only related by marriage.
“Hey,” she says. Her eyes are unlike anything I have ever seen. Golden with flecks of orange and brown. Appearing as though fire is dancing in them.
I continue to the kitchen where I find my mom laughing with a woman I feel I should know. Somehow, I know she is Cole’s mom by her eyes. She has the same eyes her daughter has.
“Morgan, sweetie, this is your Aunt, Baby, I mean Karly. I’m sorry. I am still getting used to the name.”
“Hi,” I mumble feeling ten shades of awkward.
“Wow, you are all grown up. I can see why Cole is so taken by you.”
“Thanks, I guess,” I answer with a blush creeping up my cheeks.
“The two of you were inseparable as babies. My husband doesn’t like much talk of those days, and I don’t like to revisit them, but once upon a time, I was in your life for a brief period. You and Cole used to take naps together, baths even. You did everything together. Look at this. Romeo gave it to me, and I thought that maybe you’d like to have it.”
The gorgeous but intimidating woman hands me a photograph. I recognize myself as a baby and there is boy kissing my cheek. Cole. I can’t stop the smile from forming as my lips curve upward on their own.
“Well, I had better get Sara and get over to the Roadhouse to say goodbye to my dad. We are staying the night in Lexington and flying back home tomorrow. It was a pleasure to meet you, Morgan.”
I nod and what little appetite I had is gone. Is Cole going with them? It is probably good that he is. After everything…distance will be good for the both of us. It is time I stopped moping and go back to school. I can’t hide away forever. I turn the picture over in my hands and look at it once more. My inner voice whispers, “He’s the piece you’ve been missing.” The thought makes me want to cry. Maybe in another life…he could have been mine.
Nash
“I would say it’s good to see you but I’d be lying,” I tell my fuckface of a brother as he smirks at having me and my family in his home.
“Come on in,” he says without any smartass remarks.
“You did good with the place. I see Lil Bit made a family man out of you.”
“She did.” I can hear the pride in his voice as I look at the pictures on the mantle of his children.
“Good lookin’ crew.”
“You didn’t do so bad yourself.” He looks to Sara, and she giggles.
Karly greets him with a hug. I grit my teeth and bare it. I have forgiven her, but I don’t think I will eve
r see past what he did. Lil Bit takes Karly and Sara through the house and Rebel offers Cole and me a beer, which we accept as we all have a seat in his living room.
I don’t want to be here, but I am doing this for Cole. He is hellbent on staying in Kentucky and prospecting for my father-in-law and my brother. I don’t like it, but I know they will watch out for him. I wrote this life off a long fuckin’ time ago.
When I rode out with my former brothers to rescue Morgan, I thought it would make me crave more of it, but I found that it made me realize even more why I got out. I didn’t want this for Cole, but he’s grown and has made his choice.
“Look, this isn’t normally how I’d handle this shit, but if you are determined to stay, I have a job for you.” Rebel looks to Cole.
“I’m listening,” he answers him.
“Morgan will be going back to school. I want you to keep an eye on her. Make sure she’s protected. You will also serve as a liaison with the Born Sinners, handling some of our moonshine transports. But, you have to enroll in some classes. That’s an order.”
“Sounds good. Though I am not sure how Morgan will like the idea of my watching her.”
“She’ll come around. Give her time to cool off.”
“I’ll try.”
Karly smacks the back of Cole’s head as she passes by to the kitchen. “You be good to her.”
“Ouch, Ma, I will.”
Rebel and I both shake our heads.
A knock sounds at the door. Lil Bit comes back through to answer it.
“Hey, Dawn,” she calls out.
I crane my head around to look. I’ve not seen her since she was a kid. She’s all grown up now, and by the look of her stomach, she is starting her own family.
She smiles at Rebel and follows his wife down the hall.
Guess she is here to see her little sister. We didn’t tell Cole that Morgan is here, didn’t figure it would be good for either of them right now.
“You guys ready to head out. I have a spare bike for your punk ass,” Rebel tells me.
“Thanks man, for taking care of my Indian all those years ago.”
“No problem,” he grits as Cole and I follow him out the door.
Blood Of A Rebel (Black Rebel Riders' MC Book 9) Page 16