Unbeloved

by Madeline Sheehan

  Still cursing, he reached into his pocket, pulling a rubber band from his jeans, and after tying back his long brown hair into a knot, he wiped the sweat from his forehead, cracked his neck a few times, and continued on.

  Making a sharp right in the direction of the parking lot, ZZ headed straight for his truck. He was eager to get home—get drunk, get high, jack himself off—even if home was a piece of shit. It was off the grid, out of the way, and that was all he cared about.

  He’d just breached the parking lot when the rumble of a motorcycle gave him pause. Self-preservation, ever present in his every move, slammed into overdrive and he sidestepped, slipping behind a nearby vehicle. Crouching down, he pulled his piece from the back of his jeans and waited.

  Who the fuck was here this late? He planned his shipments down to the last second, ensuring that everyone here was on his team, their silence bought and paid for. To the best of his knowledge, no other import or export was on the schedule for tonight, and this unexpected arrival was putting a damper on his good mood.

  As he waited, not just one but two, three, and then finally five bikes came to a slow stop in the center of the parking lot. Raising himself just enough to see better, ZZ looked over the trunk of the vehicle he was crouched behind, and his breath caught in his throat.

  Five leather cuts were illuminated by the moonlight, highlighting the Grim Reaper on the back, the Hell’s Horsemen rocker above it, and the Miles City patch beneath it.

  No fucking way. They couldn’t know he was here, and after all this time, why would they bother to look for him? He’d been so sure that once Deuce had come to an unhappy truce with the Russians, his former president would stop sending runners after him. And he had. For years now, ZZ hadn’t heard as much as a whisper of the Horsemen sniffing around his business.

  But as the bikes lined up beside one another, ZZ watching as one by one the men riding them cut their engines, toed their kickstands down, and dismounted, he couldn’t help but wonder if that had been the plan all along. Letting enough time pass, letting him believe he was safe, and then pouncing when he’d least expect it.

  Too bad for them, he always expected the unexpected.

  “You’re stupid as fuck, Dev,” one of the men called out, a deep voice ZZ didn’t recognize. “Prez finds out you brought along your bitch, he’s gonna be puttin’ you in the damn ground.”

  “Shut up, asshole,” a female voice called out, and ZZ’s eyes zeroed in on the dark figure that moved to stand beside the quickly forming circle of men. Dressed in head-to-toe leather, showcasing a body built for sin, she reached up with small, feminine hands to remove her full-face helmet.

  And ZZ’s heart stopped. It couldn’t be . . . but it was. The blonde hair, the killer body, the grin punctuated with dimples glinting under the parking lot lights. Danny looked just like he’d remembered her, as if she hadn’t aged a day since he’d last seen her.

  “She stays in the parking lot,” another voice called out, this one ZZ recognized as his former brother, Bucket. As he turned to look the man over, he noticed the years hadn’t been kind to him. He looked worse than ever, grimy as fuck, and older than ZZ knew he was.

  “What’s the big fuckin’ deal?” another man said, much younger than Bucket. Coming up to stand beside Danny, he swung his arm up and around her shoulders, and pulled her tightly to him.

  ZZ blinked, feeling a strong sense of déjà vu. It had been a while since he’d seen any of his former crew, but if he didn’t know any better, he’d have said that man was Cox. Only it wasn’t. Cox had been covered in tattoos, and this guy didn’t have any visible ink.

  “It’s a fuckin’ cash drop-off,” the young man continued. “Wham, bam, we’re back on the road.”

  Bucket shook his head. “She stays in the parking lot.” This time his voice brooked no argument, and the younger man’s arm fell away from Danny.

  “Yeah, man,” he muttered. “She stays in the parking lot. Fine.”

  “Fuckers,” Danny bit out. “You’re all a bunch of no fuckin’ fun.”

  ZZ’s head was spinning. Wasn’t Danny married to Ripper, didn’t she have a kid with him? And here she was with another brother?

  And then all at once, his confusion, his surprise, bled quickly to anger.

  The Hell’s fucking Horsemen were here, in his fucking territory, and doing some sort of business, no less.

  But even worse was . . . Danielle West was here. The reason his life had gone from damn near perfect to shit staining a motherfucking gutter WAS HERE. And she was just as beautiful as ever, living a carefree fucking life doing whatever the fuck she pleased.

  His anger spiking, he felt a cold tremor slither down his spine and his hands began to shake. And suddenly, he wanted more than he’d ever wanted anything to wrap his hands around her perfect fucking neck and squeeze the life out of her.

  As the group turned away, headed in the direction of the docks, ZZ could no longer be bothered with their reasons for being here. He was solely focused on Danny, who was headed back to the line of bikes.

  Huffing loudly, she slammed her helmet down on the seat of the Harley she’d ridden in on the back of. Then turning away from him, she dug into her back pocket, revealing a brightly lit phone.

  ZZ shuffled backward so he wouldn’t be seen as the men passed by him. Breathing shallowly, his heart racing, he counted under his breath as he waited, something he often did when he was preparing himself for the unknown.

  Once he could no longer hear the booted footsteps echoing through the night, he shot up from his hiding place, and with careful, silent steps maneuvered through the vehicles in the lot. As he approached Danny, who was still facing away from him, entirely unaware of his presence, he raised his arm, lifting his gun.

  But he wasn’t going to shoot her. No, he was going to make her pay for what she’d done to him.

  “Danny,” he growled, feeling the muscles in his face begin to violently twitch. Rage long suppressed had been released, coursing angrily through his veins at a super speed he had absolutely no control over.

  Startled, her phone clattering to the ground, Danny spun around. All that long blonde hair went flying, whipping around her as she turned to face him. As it settled away from her face, ZZ looked her up and down. Tight black leather jacket and pants, her lips painted a bright red, and eyes lined in black. This was not Danny. Forget that she was far too young, even younger than he’d previously thought. Now that he was standing directly in front of her, he could see the subtle differences between this woman and Danny. Her body wasn’t as slim, was more curvy than athletic; her bright blue eyes were bigger, almost too big for her face; and her lips were thicker, the bottom one curving in that sexy way that was very much reminiscent of . . .

  Eva.

  The young woman’s surprised gaze dropped to the gun in his hand and then back to his face. Just as she opened her mouth, a scream forming in her throat, he lunged forward . . .

  Coming Soon

  to the

  UnDeniable series

  UnDeserving: Preacher’s story

  UnDying: ZZ’s story

  Praise for the Undeniable Series

  “Undeniably unputdownable! An absolutely coarse, crude, guilty pleasure loaded in shock value and jaw-dropping infuriation. An intense unconventional romance, and a hero who will have you either loving or hating him (or both!). But no matter if you dream of being on the back of his bike, or hightailing it in the other direction, you’ll likely be riveted.”

  —Maryse’s Book Blog

  “Madeline Sheehan gives us raw, real, dirty stories so gripping, you’re unable to resist the need for more!”

  —Chelsea Camaron, author

  “Heart pounding, exhilarating, and downright addictive! The Undeniable Series is a must read! My favorite series!”

  —K.A. Linde, best-selling author

  “One of my favorite series of all time! Madeline Sheehan delivers stories that are beautifully written, emotional, and str
ong. Undeniable is a five-star, must-read series, and one that won’t be forgotten.”

  —Joanne Schwehm, author

  “The best part about the UnDeniable Series is Madeline Sheehan is able to commit characters to your memory with one simple phrase, take you on a journey of each and every emotion possible, and yearn for more after the last page is read. These books are flawless from cover to cover, book to book; the ugliest, most beautiful love stories you’ll ever read.”

  —Ashley Suzanne, best-selling author

  “Sheehan’s ability to transport her readers into a world of angst, terror, trauma, healing, forgiveness, and unconditional love just absolutely leaves me breathless.”

  —Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews

  “An epic series that tears at your soul, blinding you with the love, devotion, and commitment that it means to be a Hell’s Horseman.”

  —Red Cheeks Reads

  “There is nothing else like it on the market; this is the ultimate biker novel. It may not be the first and it certainly won’t be the last, but it will stand the test of time. Point blank.”

  —Elle Chardou, author

  “In this pioneering series, Sheehan takes a band of biker outlaws and gives them each a unique voice. At times their tale is sad and tragic, yet we see humor, loyalty, and undying love. Sheehan portrays their beauty and flaws honestly, never apologizing or pleading with the reader to embrace them.”

  —S&T Book Reviews

  “This series will take you on a journey like no other, until you come out the other side, chewed up, spat out, and totally spent. Deuce and his boys have a way of making you fall in love with their darkness, making you delve a little deeper, and discover that who they really are is very different to who people think they are, and that true family isn’t always blood. If I could give it more than five stars, I would.”

  —Claire C. Riley, #1 best-selling British female horror writer

  “The Undeniable Series is a brilliant love story about the darker, grittier side of life that will leave you speechless, breathless, and begging for more.”

  —A Book Whores Obsession Blog

  “Badass bikers, their old ladies, and club whores. It’s ugly. It’s dirty. It’s honest. It’s sexy and steamy. The Undeniable Series is undeniably captivating.”

  —Love N. Books Blog

  “I have never been so beautifully uncomfortable than when reading the Undeniable Series. I didn’t just feel while reading them. Madeline Sheehan set every single emotion within me on fire with a blowtorch.”

  —S.L. Jennings, New York Times and USA Today best-selling author

  “In an untouchable league of her own, Madeline Sheehan has created a riveting tale of ugly, forbidden love turned beautifully right. Heartbreak, grief, and finding strength and healing through family is the foundation of this emotional saga. A single breathing entity working in tandem against the cruelty that is their world, every character in the Undeniable Series will become a piece of you, embedding themselves into your thoughts for years to come.”

  —Gail McHugh, New York Times best-selling author

  “Sheehan’s writing is raw and gritty. She leaves no stone unturned and pushes the limits with every book. If you haven’t read this series, what are you waiting for?”

  —K.A. Robinson, New York Times and USA Today best-selling author

  “UnDeniable was an angsty roller coaster ride, with a love story that was as ugly as it was beautiful. This was a book I could not put down—for good or bad, I could not stop reading it. This book will not be for everyone. You are either going to love it or loathe it. I loved it because it gripped me and never let me go.”

  —Totally Booked

  Madeline Sheehan’s Undeniable Series sets the bar for all other motorcycle club books. These books are raw, gritty, and real. Her words and her characters never fail to shock, excite, and arouse.”

  —Three Chicks and Their Books

  “Darkly intriguing, beautifully written, and UnDeniably enthralling. This series will enrage and enamor you all at the same time. No better motorcycle club books than these, written by the queen herself, Madeline Sheehan.”

  —C.C. Brown, best-selling author

  “The UnDeniable Series is not for the weak of heart. It’s not for people who like pretty fairy tales or easy love stories. It’s for people who embrace the good and the bad . . . the beautiful and the ugly . . . the pleasure and the pain. It’s for those who enjoy the journey of going through the agonizing experiences of life and coming out the other side better for it. Madeline is the absolute queen of gut-wrenching emotion and powerfully flawed characters, I always walk away from her books feeling profoundly and deeply impacted by her words and the emotions they bring out in me. The UnDeniable Series is hands-down a must-experience series, and by far one of my favorite series ever.”

  —True Story Book Blog

  “Sexy, gritty, and disturbing—if you’re looking for a real MC book, you can’t go wrong with Madeline Sheehan’s Undeniable Series. Her tortured characters know how shock your soul and keep you turning the pages way into the night.”

  —Karina Halle, USA Today best-selling author