Shattered (Shattered Souls MC Book 1)

by Heather Dahlgren

  “Hey, you almost ready?” Zane asks, stepping behind me. “You look beautiful.”

  My eyes catch his in the mirror and I force a smile. “Thank you. Yeah, I guess I’m ready.”

  “Babe, you need to talk to me. I can’t guess what’s going on,” he says, wrapping his protective arms around me. His hands rest on my stomach and he kisses my head.

  “I’m just uneasy about a family dinner. I’m still the enemy,” I say, going for honesty.

  He spins me around and sinks his hands into my hair. I love that possessive move. It turns me on as much as it makes my heart race. His face is hard, his jaw ticks, and his blue eyes pierce mine. “You were never the enemy,” he growls.

  I reach my hand up and cup his cheek, his unshaven face scraping against it. “In your eyes, baby.”

  He slams his mouth to mine and I sink into him. I’m not sure if he’s trying to relax me or him at this point. I don’t think I’m the only one unsure about this dinner. He’s stuck in the middle, his club and me. He doesn’t want to let either of us down. It hurts my heart.

  We pull apart and he rests his forehead on mine. “I know I put you in this position. You wanted me to let you go and I couldn’t. I understand your mistrust, believe me. However, I wouldn’t have you there if I thought for a second it was for anything other than what it is. Nothing will happen to you. It’s not only in my eyes, babe,” he says, kissing me sweetly on the corner of my mouth. Searching my eyes he blows out a deep breath. “That I can promise you.”

  Not willing to make him feel he needs to pick me or his club, I force a smile. “Okay, babe, let’s go.”

  When we park in front of Brooks’ house, my stomach drops. There are so many bikes and cars here. I wasn’t expecting there to be so many people. Instinctively, I grab his hand, holding on tight.

  He looks down at me and grins. “A lot of this is Brooks’, don’t worry. It’s just family.”

  Family. I don’t even know the fucking meaning anymore. I don’t say anything though, I just allow him to lead me inside. The level of noise is the first thing I notice. The deep laughs, the loud voices, the sound of pots and pans hitting together. The next thing I notice is most of the women are in the kitchen and the men are scattered between the living room and dining room. There are a few little ones running around, laughing as they chase each other.

  “Z,” I hear from the kitchen and we head that way. “How are you, hon?”

  I haven’t seen her in years and I’d know her anywhere. Gloria, Brooks’ wife. She’s every bit the biker wife you’d picture. Her dark hair has bright highlights threaded throughout. Her makeup is heavy, her clothes are tight, and she looks like she could kill you with a look. Don’t get me wrong, she’s a pretty lady, she just has an edge that is very sharp.

  “I’m good, Aunt Glor,” he says, giving her a quick hug and kiss.

  She turns her eyes to me and I force myself to look like I could give a shit. She assesses me carefully, studying everything from my hair to my heels. She’s a lot like me, smart, sassy, and not afraid to run her mouth.

  “Gloria,” Zane hisses.

  “Shut up, Z,” she says, snapping her head to him before focusing back on me. A huge smile hits her lips and she grabs me for a hug. “You’ve grown up to be gorgeous.” She holds onto my shoulders and stares at me before shaking her head. It’s as though she convinced herself of something and is happy with what she came up with. “It’s a fucking blast from the past having you here. I truly am glad you came.”

  I’m not sure I believe her, but I’ll play nice if she is. “Thank you for having me. You look great.”

  “Little Harper Kingsley,” Nora yells, pulling me from Gloria. “Shit, Enzo told me you were back, but I guess I didn’t believe it until right now. How’s everything sweetheart? Your father still the biggest piece of shit bastard on Earth?”

  I can’t help the laugh that comes out and I nod. “That’s an understatement, but yeah he is. How are you?”

  I’ve always liked Enzo’s wife. She was always nice to me, treated me like I belonged. She told me once that my father doesn’t define me and I shouldn’t let him. I wish I could go back in time and take her advice.

  “I’m good, older but wiser,” she laughs.

  Adalyn kisses my cheek and smiles. “Hey, sweetie.”

  It’s a lot to take in. I’m not sure I trust all the pleasantries. But one thing I’ve learned in the life, don’t give them what they want. I won’t allow anyone to know how I feel. I’m a fucking expert at keeping it all hidden.

  “I need to go talk to Kace, you alright if I go?” Zane whispers, brushing my hair off my shoulder.

  I peek over my shoulder and grin. “I’m fine, baby,” I lie. He kisses me quickly and stalks away, leaving me in the lionesses’ den to fend for myself.

  “Would you mind giving us a hand?” Gloria asks, eyeing Zane as he walks away.

  “I’m no cook, but I can help,” I say.

  They all laugh and I find myself joining them. “We need to change that if you’re gonna keep that one fed,” Nora says, handing me some carrots and a knife.

  After dinner is cooked, we all sit down to eat. I’ll admit, I had fun helping make it all. They all tried to teach me a thing or two about cooking and I did pay a bit of attention. Not sure I learned much though. Zane rests his hand on my upper thigh under the table. I glance over at him and he grins.

  “You doing alright?” he questions, squeezing my leg.

  “Better than I thought,” I say, squeezing his hand on my leg.

  Brooks grabs our attention when he stands up. “Thank you to my beautiful wife and all the ladies for cooking this dinner. I’m glad we are all here together, it means a lot. Each and every one of you is family,” he says, tilting his beer toward everyone.

  It sounds honest, but I know how things can appear one way and mean the complete opposite. I don’t focus on it long though, because once dinner is started, it’s a good time.

  I watch Z pack a bag and wrap my arms around my legs. “I need to go to my club. I have shit to take care of,” I say.

  He zips up his bag and drops it to the floor. “When I get back, babe. Just chill here and take Finn with you if you go anywhere.”

  He’s going out of town for a couple of days. I didn’t ask and he didn’t offer. It’s nothing new, it’s all part of the club life. There’s only two things that are bothering me. The fact I’m gonna lie and not tell him I’m going to my club after he leaves, and the thought of him dipping his dick around. I decide to focus on the latter for now.

  “Z, I know what happens when you guys go out of town. I’m struggling with it,” I whisper the last part, burying my face in my knees.

  I feel the bed dip and he touches my cheek, causing me to lift my head. “Tell me what you want,” he says, grabbing my face to keep it focused on him.

  I fucking hate saying it, I don’t want to need to. It makes me feel pathetic and needy. Things I’m not used to feeling. But my jealousy gets the best of me and I just go for it. “Don’t fuck anyone.”

  He chuckles and leans forward kissing me. “I won’t fuck anyone, you have my word.”

  “I’m gonna try to trust you,” I reply, biting my lip.

  He pushes me back and climbs on top of me. “There is no one else that turns me on like you, babe. It’s not just physical with you, it’s so much more. So when I tell you that you have my word, don’t even try to trust it. Fucking trust it.”

  I pull his head to mine and kiss him, trying to tell him without words I’ll trust him. His hands run up my body and it immediately reacts. My nipples harden and my pussy throbs.

  “Let’s go, Z. We’re heading out,” Kace yells, pounding on the door.

  “Ugh, what the fuck,” I groan.

  He grins and helps me sit up. “Sorry, babe. Raincheck for when I get back,” he says, standing to grab his bag. He leans down and presses a soft kiss on the corner of my mouth. “My dick stays in my pants and your cun
t stays in yours.”

  I laugh as he walks out of the room. It quickly dies off when I realize I need to figure out how to get the fuck out of here without a tail. I decide to lay low and hope that Finn passes out before I do. I wait until the club is closed to make my move. I know all of the Shattered Souls are gone, it’s just Finn I need to get around. With any luck he’s getting his dick sucked and I can just walk out.

  I get dressed in my black jeans, black sweatshirt, and black sneakers. My plan is to get in, get the pictures, and get out. I’ll burn them later. I just want to get in and out. Which shouldn’t be hard since it’s Sunday night and I know the club is closed and the guys are doing shit for my father.

  I peek my head out the door looking around. The hallway is quiet and empty, so I close the door behind me and tip toe out. I do the same at the door that will lead me into their club and I smile when I see Finn passed out with a Souls girl. I don’t make a sound as I walk right out the door. I rush to Ivy’s car and jump in. Once I’m off the property I finally blow out of breath of relief.

  “Okay, one obstacle down, one more to go,” I say out loud.

  I drive past Club Kingsley twice to make sure there is no one there. When I’m satisfied it’s safe, I park in the parking lot behind the building and make my way undetected to the front door. I unlock it and turn off the alarm, locking the door behind me. I don’t bother checking my office, I go right into the back to my father’s office.

  My heart is pounding against my chest, making me very aware that I am scared to death. I know there isn’t anyone here, but it still scares me. I think it has more to do with being in my father’s office without him. It makes my stomach turn knowing the sick shit he’s got locked up in there. I swallow the nerves down and push into his office. I quickly look around and rest my phone on the desk so the flashlight is shining on the safe. I drop the two bags I brought with me, hoping it’s enough. I need to put the combination in twice because my hands are shaking, but once it pops open, I waste no time. I grab file after file, shoving them into the bags. Tears spring to my eyes when it seems to be an endless supply of files. I feel violated, disgusted, pissed. The feeling of being dirty will never wash away. It wraps itself tighter around me the longer I’m here.

  “Looking for something?”

  I scream and spin around. Sal grabs my arm before I can move, pulling me against him. “Fuck you,” I hiss.

  “Such a dirty mouth, Harper girl,” he whispers, running his nose up my neck. It physically makes me shiver in disgust. “What am I going to do with you?”

  “You’re gonna fucking let me go. I’m here for my father and when he finds out you’ve got your hands on me, you’re fucking dead,” I hiss. I’m willing to try anything at this point to escape. I’ll use my bastard of a father if I need to.

  He laughs a manic laugh and pulls my arm tighter behind my back. “You’re a lying bitch. I was put on watch to wait for you to show up. You’ve switched sides, Harper girl.” He tisk, tisk, tisks me and moves his mouth to my ear. “I’m to call Kingsley as soon as I have you.” My heart is beating so fast I think I must be close to having a heart attack. They fucking know. “But I think I deserve some fun before I make that phone call,” he whispers.

  Ice runs in my veins and my body goes rigid. “You’ll be killed for putting your hands on me,” I say, trying to sound much stronger than I fell.

  He pushes his hard dick against my ass and once again laughs. “Not anymore, Harper girl. You’ll be dead long before me. But don’t worry, I’ll make sure you have one last good fuck before that.”

  He lifts me and I struggle against him. I throw my head back, but he moves his and I hit his shoulder. I try kicking at him, but he keeps walking without missing a beat. This clearly isn’t the first time he’s grabbed a woman against her will. Sick son of a bitch.

  My heart stops in my chest when he stops in front of the room. He’s going to lock us in, I will have absolutely no where to escape to. The fear is making it hard to breath as he pushes open the door. I try kicking off the door jamb, but he pushes us forward. I realize there is only one way to survive.

  “Fine,” I scream. “Fine, Sal. You win, just please not in here.”

  He throws me to the bed and laughs. “I can’t trust the words of a traitor.” He turns around closing the door behind us, which means it can now only be opened from the outside. I’ve never felt fear like I do in this moment. Complete darkness, no escape, I can’t breathe. I’m shaking as I hear his footsteps. “You always liked when I locked you in here with me as a kid, Harper girl.”

  “Stop fucking calling me that,” I hiss.

  He laughs and I hear his pants hit the ground. “You always loved that name.” I feel him moving closer to the bed, but I’ve moved to stand behind it. “We need a little light, huh? I wanna see how much you love what I’m gonna do to you.”

  When he turns on the flashlight of his phone, I pull the trigger, unloading my entire clip into him. I’m screaming as each bullet hits him, causing him to drop the phone and fall to the ground. Ten rounds of nine millimeter bullets riddle his body. I fall to the ground, screaming as I sob. I grab his phone, tears pouring down my cheeks and see his dead, bloody body on the floor.

  I’m trapped. When someone finds me, they’ll see the safe open, they’ll find Sal dead, they’ll find out I’m a traitor. My entire body is shaking with fear. I need to save myself.

  I turn Sal’s phone on and thank God when there is no password. My fear of being trapped in this dark room with no escape and a dead man outweighs calling Zane. I dial his number and it rings twice.

  “Who’s the fuck is this?”

  “Zane,” I sob.

  “Harper, what the fuck? What happened?” His demeanor changes immediately.

  I scream and sob, needing him more than I’ve ever needed him before. “I need help. I’m in the room at my club. I killed Sal, I’m gonna die. They’re gonna kill me. There’s no light, no windows, the door is locked from the outside. I’m gonna die in here, Zane. Help me, oh my God, please hurry.”

  “I’m on my way, babe, just breathe. You’re not gonna die, I’m coming,” he says with fear in his soft voice.

  “I’m so scared,” I cry, my body wracking with sobs. “You’ll never get here in time. I should’ve listened to you, fuck. I’m gonna die in the room. Everything horrible happens here.”

  “Babe, I’m coming. You aren’t going to die. I won’t let you die,” he cries. “Just stay quiet.”

  “How long? I can’t be in here. I need to get out, I can’t breathe in here,” I scream.

  “Fuck, Harper. Please try to calm down. I’m coming, just breathe baby, please.”

  I want to, but I can’t. He’ll never make it before the others come in the morning. “I love you, Zane. I’m sorry.”

  “Harper, no. Harper,” he screams.

  I hang up and the room goes dark.

  Chapter 15

  Zane

  I’ve never felt fear and pain the way I do right now. We were only a few hours out, so we all turned around, even Brooks. I don’t give a fuck right now, my only thought is getting to her. I have no idea what the fuck happened and I want to be pissed she didn’t listen to me, but I can’t. The thought that she’s in trouble or dead, it’s choking me. So when we pull up to Club Kingsley, I drop my bike and run for the door.

  “Z, fucking wait,” Brooks yells.

  I don’t listen. I grab the door, yanking hard because it’s locked.

  “Z, let Riley make sure the cameras are off, slow down. Think with a clear head,” Brooks says, squeezing my shoulder.

  I turn around, anger bristling off of me. “My head has never been more clear. My girl is gonna die and it’s my fault. She could be fighting for her life right now, screaming for me. I could be too late,” I scream, tears stinging my eyes. The only other time I’ve cried is when my father died. I can’t let the tears fall, I refuse. “My head has never been so clear.”

  “Came
ras are off, go,” Riley yells.

  I break the glass on the door and run inside. There’s no one here and I have no fucking idea where I’m going. All she said was she was in the room and it locked from the outside. My legs are burning as I race around looking.

  “Harper,” I scream. I hear nothing so I keep looking.

  Everyone has caught up to me and we are in a hallway in the back. We’re all looking in rooms and it comes up empty. Brooks goes into what I assume is Kingsley’s office but I don’t stop.

  “Look for a room with a lock outside of it,” I yell. “Harper, babe.”

  “Here,” Kace shouts and I turn around.

  I run to the door and it does have a lock on the outside. I hit the door and press my ear against it. “Harper? Baby, hit the door so I know you’re alive,” I choke out. I turn to look at the guys behind me. “Find me something to get this fucking lock off, fuck.”

  Knocking on the door has my body sag with relief. “Fuck, holy shit she’s alive,” I say, looking at Kace.

  “She’s alive, brother. Let’s get her the fuck out of here.”

  “I’m here, Harper. I promised you, I’m here. I’m gonna get you out, just a few minutes,” I yell.

  Once again there is light knocking on the door. I close my eyes and rest my forehead on the heavy metal door. What kind of fucking shit is going on? What the fuck is this room? I will her to hear my thoughts, promising her I will never let her go. That I will kill everyone that comes near her again.

  “Here.” Alex hands me bolt cutters.

  I grab them and easily snap the lock off the chain and pull it off. I pull the door open and she screams. Before I can take a step to her, she jumps into my arms and I fall to the ground holding her. She is sobbing, digging her fingers into me.