Shattered (Shattered Souls MC Book 1)

by Heather Dahlgren

  We get to her place in record time and he runs full speed up to the door. He stops right before going in and looks at me. “Stay here,” he hisses.

  “Fuck you,” I say back. “I’m coming in with you.”

  He searches my eyes for a minute and reluctantly nods. He reaches into his waistband and pulls out his gun. Instinct has me grabbing mine as I follow him inside.

  “Ma,” he yells.

  The house is dark and my stomach tightens. It’s too quiet, too still.

  “Zane,” she says from the kitchen.

  We rush that way and when he flips on the light, acid rushes up my throat. She’s tied to a chair, but on her side. Like she knocked it over to reach her phone. She’s crying, but it’s like she doesn’t even realize. She’s in shock.

  “What the fuck,” he yells, dropping his gun and rushing to her. “Who the fuck did this?”

  I move to them, helping him untie her. She’s got blood under her nails. She fought. We help her to the living room, sitting her on the couch and Zane kneels in front of her.

  “Ma, tell me what the fuck happened,” he says angrily, but you can see the fear in his eyes.

  She looks at him before cutting her eyes to me. I squat down next to him and rest my hand on her knee. “Adalyn, please tell us.”

  “They want me to give you a message,” she says, looking at Zane.

  “Who does? What the fuck?” he yells, getting up and pacing.

  She glances at me, sadness or maybe fear in her eyes. “They said they know and they will take out everyone you love one by one.”

  “Who said that?” I ask this time.

  “I don’t know. They had masks on,” she says and finally starts to sob. “This is why I left that life, but it never leaves you.”

  Zane rushes over and grabs her in a protective hug. “No one is going to hurt you. Do you fucking understand me?”

  Fear rushes through my veins as I begin to panic. What if it was my father? What if he knows? He’s a sick bastard, this is something he’d take great pleasure in. He would have to make sure they wore masks too because she knows them all. Guilt and anger wash over me. He’s gonna kill us all.

  “I’m gonna have someone here with you at all times. You’ll never be alone.” Just as he says it, he grabs his phone and moves to the back of the house.

  I take his place and wrap my arms around Adalyn. “It’s going to be alright. Zane would never let anything happen to you,” I whisper in her ear.

  She pulls away from me and her eyes bounce between mine. “He can’t protect us all, Harper.”

  I dip my brows and my eyes bounce between hers. “Who did this, Adalyn?” Before I can say anything else, Zane rushes back into the room.

  “Brooks, Enzo, and Kace are on their way. The others will be a while.” He pulls his mom up and kisses her cheek. “Go shower.”

  She places her hand on his cheek and kisses him. “My sweet boy,” she says, and goes down the hall.

  I keep my eyes on her until I no longer see her. As I turn toward Zane, he grabs my elbow and hauls me into the kitchen. “This is your fucking father,” he growls.

  Fuck. “How do you know?” I don’t know why I ask, but I feel the need to at least pretend he might not be involved.

  He jerks his head back as if I slapped him. “Are you fucking kidding me?” he roars.

  “You wanted this shit, Z, I told you nothing good would come of it. Don’t you fucking dare put this shit on me. You told me to trust you, so fuck you,” I hiss.

  I turn to walk away and he grabs me again. He pins me against the counter and slams his mouth to mine. Anger pours off of both of us as we brutally kiss. Teeth are clashing, tongues are frantic, and blood is drawn when we bite down on each other's bottom lip. The anger starts to subside and we slowly pull apart. He rests his forehead on mine, holding tightly to hair. “I’m sorry, babe. I don’t know for sure.”

  I press my swollen lips to his quickly and search his eyes. “This is always going to happen. We’re always going to blame the other. You sure this is what you want?”

  Before he can answer, the front door flies open and Brooks rushes in. “Where the fuck is she?”

  “She’s in the shower. She’s shaken up, but no damage. They fucking tied her up.”

  Brooks grabs Zane’s neck and whispers something to him. The fucking sickening part, the part that makes me want to pull out my gun, is that Brooks keeps his eyes locked on mine the entire time.

  Zane nods and when he turns to me, Brooks slaps him on the back. “Kace is going to take you back to the club. You’ll be safe there.” He pulls out a key and hands it to me. “This is for my room, use it and lock the door behind you.”

  I step closer to him and rest my hands on his solid chest. “I can stay. I’ll stay with Adalyn.” I can feel Brooks’ gaze on me the entire time. It turns my stomach.

  He pulls me in for a tight hug and presses his lips to my ear. “This is club business, Harp. You can’t be here. I need to know you’re safe. Please, babe, just go to the club and wait for me.”

  I’m pissed at him, I’m pissed at my father, and I’m disgusted by Brooks. I don’t say anything, just walk away and Kace follows me outside.

  When we pull up to the club, Kace cuts the engine on his bike and climbs off. “I’ll walk you back to the room. The prospects are here and I’ll lock the door behind me when I leave.”

  I don’t say anything. What’s there to say? The longer I think of everything, the more pissed off I get. The anger is coming off me in waves when we walk into the normally loud club. There are a few girls still walking around and those stupid prospects behind the bar. Good thing I can take care of myself because I have a feeling they are fucking useless.

  “Switching it up on Z already, huh? I knew you were nothing but a dirty whore,” Daisy states as I walk past her.

  I stop short and Kace almost knocks into me. I spin around and she gives me a smile and winks. The anger in me completely takes over and I march toward her.

  “Harper,” Kace warns, but I hardly register it.

  I grab Daisy by the throat and slam her into the wall. She’s clawing at my hand and I laugh as my fist connects to her mouth. She lets out a deafening yell and I let go of her throat and pull her hair, yanking her head back. I pull my knee up and slam it into her ribs. She screams out in pain and tries to take a swing at me, but her fist doesn’t even reach me.

  “Harper, fuck! Stop,” Kace yells, trying to pull me off of her. I throw an elbow back and knock the wind out of him, getting him to let go.

  I get down on the floor pulling Daisy’s hair harder, making her look right in my eyes. “If you ever even say his name again, I will shoot you between the fucking eyes.”

  “Enough,” Kace hisses, grabbing me and yanking me off her.

  “You crazy bitch,” Daisy shouts, blood dripping from her mouth.

  I struggle against Kace, trying to get back to her. “You’ve got something to say now? Now that Kace is holding me back? Fuck you, you dirty cunt.”

  “What the fuck, Harper. Stop it,” he whispers in my ear, dragging me toward the door. “Get her out of here. Get everyone the fuck out of here.”

  The prospects get right to work as the door slams behind us.

  “Let me go, Kace,” I scream, trying to struggle out of his hold.

  He continues to walk down the hall, carrying me as if I weigh nothing. “When you fucking calm down.”

  I take a few deep breaths and try to relax myself. I stop fighting and shake my head. “Okay, I’m done.”

  We stop in front of Zane’s door and he leans his face toward mine. “If I put you down, you better not fucking elbow me again.” He’s pissed, I get it. I just went psycho out there. My emotions got the better of me.

  “I’m not gonna hit you. I’m sorry, Kace,” I whisper.

  He puts me down and I dig the key out of my pocket. He follows me in the room and slams the door behind us. “You wanna explain what that shit w
as about? She’s gonna go run to Brooks with this one, Harper.”

  “Good, she’s a filthy whore. She’s lucky I didn’t do worse,” I hiss at him.

  I hear the breath he blows out and I turn to look at him. He’s running his hand over the light dusting of dark hair on his face. His brown eyes look troubled. “Brooks is gonna be pissed. Do you fucking understand that’s gonna make this shit harder? For you and for Z?”

  I let my guard down and stare at him. It’s when I really notice the worry in his face. His eyes are pleading with me for something. To stay in line? To protect Z? To not hurt him?

  Kace was always a friend to me, but he's like a brother to Zane. They’ve grown up together, went to school together, joined the club together. If there is such a thing as ride or die, it’s them. Kace loves Zane, that has always been clear. The worry I see on his face, it’s telling me that he thinks I’m going to hurt him or get him hurt. He’s fucking scared for his brother.

  I step forward, rest my hand on his muscular chest. He’s a little bigger than Zane and a few inches taller. His warm brown eyes are the exact opposite of Z’s ice blue. His dark brown messy hair, few days worth of stubble on his face, and lip ring, are the perfect contrast to Zane. Where he’s over six feet tall, Zane is exactly six foot. He’s just as hot, just in a completely different way.

  “I’m sorry, Kace. I let my anger get the best of me. The shit at Adalyn’s, it’s got me wound tight. I’ll talk to Brooks, I’ll tell him.”

  He gives me a tight smile. “No, you won’t go near Brooks. Z and I will handle Daisy and him.” His phone alerts and he looks at it. “I need to get back. I need you to stay in this room and only open the door for Z or me. Can you do that?”

  I nod my head. “Yeah, I promise you.”

  He gives me a quick lift of his chin and turns around. He just gets the door open and I call his name. He turns his head to look at me and I search his eyes.

  “I promise I’m not here to hurt him.”

  He doesn’t say anything, but he does lift his chin slightly before closing the door. I lock it behind him and look around. I pull open the drawers until I find a shirt I can slip into after I shower. Once I get in, I let the water pound on me and I begin to think everything through. Between Kace’s worried face, Brooks glaring at me like he wants me dead, and Zane flipping his shit, I’m beginning to wonder how safe I really am. If my father was the one behind this, which I’m a hundred percent sure he was, that means he knows. He knows where I am.

  Fear starts to wrap it’s way around my throat as I think of all the possible ways he could hurt this club. All the ways he could slowly torment Zane until he breaks him completely. I need to get back to my club and see what the fuck is going on. I need ears and eyes. I will not be the reason Zane is destroyed. But I also won’t allow them to be the reason I’m destroyed.

  I get out of the shower and slip into Zane’s shirt. It smells like him and I wrap my arms around myself.

  “Tell me what’s going on, baby,” I whisper and sit down in the chair. Exhaustion is taking over, but I refuse to sleep on that bed. I’d rather have aching muscles than chlamydia.

  With my mind wandering, my eyes finally give in and close. My last thought is of Z, telling me to trust him.

  Chapter 9

  Zane

  I’m fucking exhausted and all I want to do is sleep. After talking to Kace though, I doubt I’ll be getting any, anytime soon. I knock on the door to my room and wait for a minute before I bang on it.

  “What?” Harper asks, sleep clear in her voice.

  “It’s me, babe.”

  She opens the door and while I’m prepared for a fight, she tosses her arms around my neck. “Thank fuck,” she breaths out.

  I lift her, her legs wrapping around me and I go to sit on the bed, but think better of it. I sit in the chair and hold her tight to me. My hands run the length of her back and I keep my lips pressed against her head.

  “Babe,” I say, trying to get her to look at me. When she lifts her eyes to mine, my heart stops. She looks tormented. “Fuck, what is it?”

  She presses her lips to mine and I kiss her back. I grab her hair and deepen the kiss and the moan I swallow, makes my dick jump. I groan when she begins moving her pussy against me. I have no idea if she wants a distraction, if she’s just horny, or if there is something else, but I don’t care. I reach under and realize she is naked under my shirt and I pull my mouth from hers. I lock my eyes with hers as I unbutton my jeans. Her eyes are searching mine, I’m just not sure for what. We don’t speak though, not a word. I push my jeans down past my hips and lift her. She doesn’t give me a chance to even move before she impales herself with my hard cock. There’s nothing slow or gentle about this. She’s riding me hard and fast. My hips are lifting, slamming deeper into her. I pull at her hair as I suck on her neck, sinking my teeth into the delicate flesh. Her nails claw at my back under my shirt. I keep one hand in her hair and move the other between us, rubbing her clit. She moans loudly and it just spurs me on. We are fucking so hard, I start to worry the chair might break beneath us. Her pussy tightens on me and I know she’s close. I rub her throbbing bundle of nerves harder, pinching it hard. She screams, arching her back as her orgasm rips through her. I continue to pump into her a few more minutes before I growl as I come inside her tight cunt.

  I slam my mouth to hers and we kiss as our bodies slowly recover. When I need more air in my lungs I pull back. I hold her to me and kiss her head.

  “Talk to me.”

  She holds me tighter and I return the gesture. “He knows, doesn’t he?”

  Confused, I pull her back to look at me. “Who knows what, babe?”

  She shakes her head, her soft eyes begin to harden. “Please don’t play stupid, Z. My father, he did this right? He knows about us?”

  Realization hits me and I stand, letting her slip down my body. I step out of my clothes, leaving just my boxers on. “If I flip the fucking mattress, will you lay with me?”

  “Don’t avoid my questions,” she demands.

  I close my eyes briefly and blow out a breath. “I’m not, I’m fucking exhausted and I’d rather hold you in my arms in bed while I explain. Now, will you do that if I flip that goddamn mattress?”

  She lightly nods her head and I rip everything off the bed and flip the mattress. She helps me put it back together and I grab her, pulling her down on the bed with me. I pull her to my chest and kiss her. “Thank you.”

  “Talk,” she says.

  I chuckle, but she gives me an elbow to my ribs and I quickly stop. “I’m sorry, babe. Was this your old man? Probably. Is it because of us? No.”

  She jerks her head up and looks at me, surprise clear on her face. “Why do you say that?”

  It’s club business, I shouldn’t tell her anything. She has no right to know. Brooks would have my dick if he knew I said something. But, the hope in her eyes is hard to deny. Plus, maybe if I give a little, she’ll give a little more.

  “It wasn’t just my mom. It was a few, a lot honestly, of the members' families. We still don’t know what the fuck any of it means, but it’s not us, babe. It’s something to do with the club. Finding out what the fuck it is, that’s another story.” She visibly relaxes and I run my thumb across her cheek. “You were that scared?”

  “Z, he’ll kill us. I thought he was sending a message through your mom. The way Brooks was looking at me, you yelling at me, Kace telling me I’m safe here. I got scared and pissed.”

  I lift one side of my mouth in a smirk. “So I heard.”

  “I didn’t think. I took out all my anger on her. Kace is worried this is gonna cause problems with Brooks. I’ll talk to him, I’ll explain it was all me.”

  “No you won’t. Kace and I will handle it. We already talked about it.” I kiss her temple and search her eyes. “What do you mean, the way Brooks was looking at you?”

  She blows out a breath, which fans across my bare chest. “It was a disgusted look. A look
like I am the enemy. He’s not okay with this, Z.”

  That son of a bitch. I’m gonna rip his heart out. He’s putting me in this fucking position, making shit worse. “Until we knew it wasn’t just my mom, I guess he probably did think it was your fault. I’m sorry, babe.”

  “I need to go back to work tomorrow,” she says after a few minutes of silence.

  “I told you, you aren’t a hostage. You can come and go, but I’ll be honest, I don’t like the idea with this shit going on.”

  “You still think it’s my father, I need to show my face. If I’m not there, the questions will start and he will send them looking.”

  I fucking hate it. I don’t want her in the middle of any of this. I already said too much, shit that shouldn’t leave our crew. I need to trust she won’t betray me and trust we are right that it’s not because of her. Because, if she goes there tomorrow and anything happens to her, I will kill Kingsley. I won’t think twice.

  I hold her tighter, feeling my body starting to relax. “Okay, babe.”

  I’ve been up for hours, watching her sleep. She looks so peaceful and I fucking hate that she’ll be going back to her club soon. As if she hears me, she begins to stir and opens her eyes.

  “Morning,” she rasps.

  I lean over and kiss her lips lightly, tucking her hair behind her ear. “Morning, gorgeous.”

  She sits up and grins. “I need coffee.”

  I laugh and pull her to me. “Okay, let's get dressed and go out there for some coffee.”

  When we get out, everyone is here. I walk to the small kitchen and grab two mugs, filling them with coffee. She adds her milk and sugar, while I sip mine black. I watch her, her dark brown hair swinging around as she moves, her deep blue eyes fixated on the task at hand. Those full, plump lips as she takes her first sip. Fuck, she’s sexy.

  “Can I grab some coffee or will I get another elbow to the ribs?” Kace asks, walking up to us.

  She looks up at him, sorrow on her face. “I’m sorry, Kace. It won’t happen again.” She hugs him and he wraps his arms around her. “Unless you deserve it,” she mumbles.