Gods & Monsters

by Jani Kay

  “She never told you?” I repeated Cobra’s words, unable to understand why she wouldn’t want revenge for such a brutal crime against her.

  Cobra shook his head. Tears from his bloodshot eyes streamed down his face unchecked. Seeing the big man cry like a baby twisted my gut.

  “And Jamie . . . fuck. He can't be Demon’s.” My throat was thick as I swallowed the lump that had lodged itself there. I loved that boy as if he were my own. A man like Daemon couldn’t have fathered him. It just wasn’t possible that sweet, shy Jamie was Daemon’s spawn.

  “He can.” A raw sob came from my friend’s throat.

  “How do you know? It doesn’t mean just because he . . . he—” I couldn’t say it.

  “Fucked her? Say it, Ryder. Demon fucked Mia. My wife.”

  “How did it happen? How is it even fucking possible?” I yelled, incredulous.

  “It is possible. It fucking happened.” His voice boomed through the small space. “One night after a party at the club, we stayed over instead of driving home. I'd had way too much to drink and we’d argued about it. I left the room to get some air . . . slamming the door with frustration. I got on my bike and went for a long ride.” He paused to scrub a hand over his face. “That’s when everything fucked up. And I am to blame. If I hadn’t left . . . if I’d stayed and handled it like a fucking man . . .”

  The despair in his voice matched the misery in his expression. Dropping his gaze to the floor, he looked so fucking helpless and lost. I studied his face for a long moment. The ends of his mouth were turned down, an upside-down smile of sadness. Worry etched his forehead and burrowed into deep wrinkles around his eyes. When had the lush stubble on his chin turned gray? Stunned, I gaped at my friend who’d become an old man virtually overnight.

  “What do you mean?” Discomfort settled in my stomach as I waited for his answer.

  Sometimes we were harder on ourselves than anyone else could ever be. I’d done it myself, and I knew what deep regret looked and felt like. My heart went out to my friend.

  Jumping up as if the chair were on fire, Cobra paced the room, his eyes wild and his lips pursed. His inner turmoil was eating him alive. “Mia . . . my wife . . . the woman I swore to love and protect . . .” he said in a bitter tone as he came to stand in front of me and met my eyes. “Hours later, she cried herself to sleep in my absence.”

  Yeah, it sucked that she’d fallen asleep like that, but it still didn’t explain what it had to do with Daemon or Jamie. My heartbeat picked up its pace, as I waited with bated breath to hear more.

  Cobra crossed his muscled arms over his chest. His eyes were bugging out of his head. Anguish was written all over his face. “Daemon . . . Demon had overheard everything. He’d been watching. Waiting.” A raw sound tore from his throat.

  “Waiting?” I exhaled hard through my nostrils.

  “Waiting for me to fuck up.” Cobra beat his chest with his fist. A bitter yet hollow laugh sounded. “I gave him exactly what he wanted. A chance to be alone with Mia. The fucker slipped into our bedroom. Mia was half asleep . . . thinking I’d returned.” His skin paled and his hands started trembling.

  Fuck.

  This was so much worse than I’d imagined.

  Cobra’s eyes were ablaze. “He crawled into bed behind her . . . fucked her. Mia thought it was my cock . . . making up to her like I always do—by taking her from behind. Only it wasn’t me. Demon was fucking my wife.” He choked on the last words, thick veins protruding on his neck and forehead.

  “Fuck. No!” All the breath in my lungs sucked out.

  Cobra’s face was flushed, his whole body turning crimson from the rage sitting under his skin. “When she realized, he was already inside her. She tried to fight him. Motherfucker covered her mouth before gagging her and tying her up. The bastard fucked her over and over—in my fucking bed.”

  “Jesus fucking Christ,” I bellowed.

  “Fucker said he would kill me if she screamed . . . or ever told me.”

  With a thud Cobra fell to his knees, writhing with agony as if someone had just kicked him in the nuts. “She never told me. Until Jamie was taken. She’d kept it from me all these fucking years.” He broke down and sobbed, hunched over, his shoulders shuddering as he wept.

  I lowered to the floor, kneeling in front of my brother. Gripping his shoulders, I squeezed hard to let him know I was there.

  “Let it out. Let the pain and horror out. You have every right.” My voice was surprisingly calm, although I was ready to slaughter the motherfucker. I’d kill him with my bare hands for what he’d done. It was law in the Scorpio Stinger MC—no man touched another man’s woman. No man sank his cock into another man’s wife. It isn’t done. Brothers don’t do that to their family.

  Daemon was a good as dead. For good this time. I’d find him and take his miserable fucking life, even if it cost me my last breath.

  My mouth set with grim determination, I spat out the words burning in my throat. “After we bring that kid—your kid, Cobra, he ain’t that piece of shit’s—back home, Daemon will be mine. I will avenge this wrong. Daemon is a dead man walking. I will hunt him down and kill the motherfucker.”

  Cobra sat up, pulling his shoulders back. He blinked a few times as if he was surprised I was there. “No. His blood will be on my hands. I am the one who has to end his wretched life—steal his last breath. It has to be me.”

  For a split second I pitied Daemon, twin of Cobra Malone. The fucker had it coming to him. He deserved to die. Under Cobra’s hand, he’d wish he were never born. Cobra would show no mercy this time to leave him breathing.

  Daemon is already dead. His grave dug.

  “I will be by your side, brother. I want to witness his last breath leaving his body. And I want Jamie back where he belongs—with both his parents—his Mom and his real Dad. That’s you, Cobra.”

  Chapter 31 — Mia

  I’d hardly slept all night, and I decided to come to the club one last time to ask Ryder to help me get through to Cobra. I left a sleeping Isabella with the neighbor and drove to the compound early to get it over with before I lost my nerve. I was going to tell Ryder things I hadn’t spoken of or even wanted to acknowledge in years. It was a big deal to trust him with my deepest, darkest secret.

  I crept quietly down the hallway to Ryder’s room and knocked on the door, hoping to find him there. These days Ryder spent most nights at his home with Jade, but he rode in early to be in time for breakfast with the brothers since Jade was still working at her father’s practice.

  “Ryder’s not here,” Liam said as I stood in front of the closed door. “And Cobra is in his office. He never comes to bed anymore, poor fucker.”

  “Morning, Aussie. Hope my knocking didn’t wake you?” I greeted Ratbag’s brother with a small smile. Since the funeral he’d kinda moved in permanently, not wanting to leave until we’d found Jamie and his brother’s murderer, but the way he was going I doubted he’d ever leave. He was fast becoming one of the brothers, and everyone loved him for his wicked sense of humor and weird accent. It was almost like having Ratbag back. Almost.

  He gave me a big grin. “Not been to sleep yet, Mia. I got lucky last night and the sheila has kept me going all night. I think she likes me.” His face broke into a huge grin. I loved how he used the same slang word as Ratbag had for a woman.

  “Oh,” I said, my pussy clenching. God, I hadn’t had sex in weeks, and I was longing for my husband. Even just for him to hold me.

  Liam scratched his balls through his boxer shorts and closed the door. I was lucky he was wearing anything at all. The Scorpio Stinger brothers weren’t shy to walk around naked in the hallways, and with his buff surfer body, my new friend would be eye candy for any woman. Still, I’d seen all shapes and sizes of cock over the years, but none were more beautiful than Cobra’s.

  But that wasn’t why I was here. I had to get all images of my husband’s cock out of my mind and focus on finding my way back into his heart first. I
walked softly to his office, hoping to avoid anyone else. I really wasn’t in the mood for explaining myself.

  I found him behind his desk, staring out of the window with a vacant expression. I took in the crumpled clothes and slumping shoulders. His usually neatly kept goatee was in need of a trim, and his normally shaved head was covered in spiky growth.

  Knocking softly on the open door, I took a deep breath before I entered his domain. The office reeked of stale cigarette smoke and old cartons of unfinished takeout Chinese sat on the desk. My stomach turned as the sour smell hit my nostrils.

  How can he live like this?

  His eyes were bloodshot as he turned his gaze to me. The man who was once so proud of his appearance didn’t seem to give a damn. My heart shattered. This was all my doing. I’d broken my man.

  “Cobra, I've come to talk to you. You’ve been avoiding me since I told you about the . . . the night Daemon cheated us.”

  “You mean fucked you?” His words sliced through me. “Say it like it is. Don't sugarcoat the truth.” The hurt and disgust on my husband’s face cut deep. My heart twisted as I noticed the dark rings under his eyes from lack of sleep.

  I’d be he hadn’t even gone to bed. He sat behind his desk with his feet up and an ashtray overflowing with cigarette butts. Usually he tried to hide his smoking from me, but he didn’t seem to care anymore.

  The hurt I could understand and empathize with—I felt it too. But the disgust? I wasn’t sure if those feeling were for Daemon, or for what happened that night . . . or because he felt disgust for me. Maybe it was a mix of all three. I didn’t want to ask because I didn’t want to know. The ever-present dull ache in my chest deepened. Would it ever go away?

  If only we could both acknowledge it for what it was and move on. Revenge and rape. Daemon getting back at Cobra in the way he knew would cut deepest. Yet on that dreadful night, after everything Daemon had put me through, I could never have dreamed it would have repercussions as it was having now.

  When I’d found out I was pregnant a few weeks after, I’d forced myself to believe it was Cobra’s baby. Sex one night with another man versus several times a day with my husband had to outweigh the odds, didn’t it? I wanted to believe that the gods would not be so cruel. That they would not let Daemon’s sperm be stronger and faster than Cobra’s.

  Cobra reached for his packet of smokes and lit one up. My eyes widened, but I decided to not say anything. What was the point? He wasn’t listening to anything I said—I’d be wasting my breath.

  “Tell me what happened that night. I have to know. All of it, not just that he snuck into our room as you were sleeping and fucked you repeatedly.”

  My blood ran cold. “You can’t be serious.” My voice choked as I rubbed my chest with my palm, my heart aching so much for this man. I could never repeat everything that happened that terrible night, never talk about it in graphic detail. Not even to Cobra. I'd hidden the events of that nightmare so far away in my brain that for years it only came to me in my dreams.

  Dreams I couldn’t evade even if I tried.

  “Those nightmares I’ve had over the years? They weren’t about the way I left my home . . . or my family. They had nothing to do with coming here with you as you’d assumed when you held me tight and hushed me in your arms.” I sucked in a breath. “Every one of those nightmares was about that night.” I looked up at Cobra through heavy wet lashes. “Please don’t make me talk about it. I want to forget it ever happened—not relive it,” I pleaded.

  Cobra recoiled as if I’d struck him on the face. “You should’ve told me then what those nightmares were about, not let me believe it was because I stole you from your birth place. Do you have any idea how many times I’ve fucking berated myself about what I put you through—especially after you’d had a nightmare?” His voice was bitter. Disappointed.

  “I’m sorry. It was easier to let you believe that. Daemon made me swear never to tell anyone—especially not you.” Clutching the small gold cross that hung around my neck which I’d put back on after Daemon left the room and had never taken off since, I held my breath, praying he’d not push me into talking about it.

  “Why can’t you tell me? Why would you keep such a secret?” His frown deepened. “I’m your husband, for fuck’s sake. Is it because you . . .” He swallowed hard, continuing in a low hoarse voice. “Because you liked it?”

  “Oh, God, no!” I gasped. How could he even think that? I bit into my quivering lip in an attempt to still it.

  “Was it because you wanted Daemon to fuck you, and you don’t want me to know you wanted it?”

  “Cobra! No. How can you say something like that?” I cried out, mortified.

  “I can’t think of any other reason you wouldn’t want to tell me about it. If it truly was against your will—it’s rape. And you would’ve told me so I could avenge it.”

  I blew out a long slow breath in an attempt to slow my racing heartbeat. “At first I didn’t want to tell you because Daemon threatened your life. And then after we believed he was dead, what good would it do? I didn’t want it to tear us apart.”

  “You should be able to tell me anything. Anything. No secrets, Mia.”

  A pang went through my heart. “Yes, I should. But is it worth it to see you like this? You’ve avoided me. Avoided our bed. You sleep here instead of coming home to me. You haven’t made love to me since you found out. And Isabella . . . she misses her brother and her daddy.” I tried to keep the accusation from my voice, but it was too difficult.

  My mind was filled with doubt—did my man still love me? Did he still want me? His actions over the last few weeks had scared the living shit out of me. Usually he couldn’t keep his hands off my breasts or between my legs, but he hadn’t touched me since Jamie was taken and I’d told him about Daemon. I was starting to regret it. Maybe I should’ve kept my secret to myself.

  Yet it had tormented me for years. I wanted to believe with my whole heart that Jamie was Cobra’s, but sometimes a slither of doubt would creep into a corner of my soul and not let go.

  I placed my hands on either side of Cobra’s face. “Come home to me, baby. Make love to me. I need you inside me. I need you to show me that you still love me.”

  My stomach sank to my shoes when Cobra closed his eyes to shut me out. Little by little, my heart splintered into a million pieces.

  He doesn’t want to be with me.

  He doesn’t love me anymore.

  My mind flitted to the part of my life I wanted to forget.

  That night.

  Daemon.

  Horror and fear.

  The night that changed everything. The night that changed my happiness into a living nightmare.

  Chapter 32 — Mia

  That night.

  It came back to me in a flash. Everything I wanted to forget.

  Everything I’d blocked out for so long came rushing back to my conscious mind.

  *****

  “Stop crying, bitch, or I’ll turn you into a widow. Do you know what’ll happen to you? My old man will throw you out of the club, unless I put in a word for you and convince him to let you stay . . . as a club whore.” His eyes narrowed. “I have a score to settle with Cobra, and I won't rest until I’m done. That was only the beginning, babe.” He clasped my face in his hand, forcing me to look at him. “Every man here will get his fill of you. And I’ll fuck you as and when I want. Want to be my whore, babe?”

  “I’m not your babe, and I’m nobody’s whore,” I spat between clenched teeth. His grip tightened as he squeezed my cheeks. Pain shot through me, but I wasn’t giving in.

  “Want me to prove that I can take you whenever I want?” He threw me back on the bed with force. “Maybe having my cock in you once tonight wasn’t enough? Maybe you want more?”

  His hand slid over my mouth and pressed down hard, almost smothering me. I tried to fight him off, but his arms were too long and he was too strong. His muscles bulged and his chest heaved as he pried my
legs open with his knees and sank his cock back into me. One hand was clamped over my mouth so I couldn’t scream, and the other pinned my wrists above my head and held me down as he thrust hard and deep, grunting in my ear when he ejaculated.

  Hot tears spilled down my cheeks. Tears for everything he was taking from me.

  He leaned in and licked my cheeks, slurping my tears as if he were thirsty. “I told you to stop crying. I know you’re loving this. I’ve seen the way you look at me when nobody is watching. There’s something in your eyes. I bet you’ve wanted my cock fucking you since the moment my gun touched your tits. And tonight you have me, babe.” His cruel laugh made my stomach churn.

  “Cobra won't be back for a while. He’s so mad he’ll ride that motorcycle until he runs out of gas.” He sneered down at me, then leaned over and sucked a nipple into his mouth. His tongue swirled around and tugged my flesh. I tried to block out what he was doing to me as I felt my nipple harden against my will.

  No.

  He chuckled, a low sound rumbling from his chest.

  “You liked it when I crawled into bed behind your back. You liked it when I kissed your neck. You liked it when I fucked you from behind with my hard cock. You writhed and moaned and pushed your ass back for more. You even asked me for it deeper as I pounded into you, my balls slapping hard against your ass. You wanted it. You fucking rode my cock. You came on my cock. You more than liked it . . . you fucking loved it.”

  Feeling sick to the stomach, I held up my hand to ward off his words. “Please stop! That was when I was half asleep and thought you were Cobra. You’ve had your revenge. Go now and I won't tell your brother and he won't kill you.”

  “You little bitch. How will Cobra like it if I tell him you came on my cock . . . that your nipples are tight for me?” He tugged one hard between his fingers and bit down on the other before he lifted off the bed, pulling his belt from his pants. “Lie still. Don’t move, or I’ll cut your pretty little face. And tits. God, you have a magnificent pair of fucking tits. I wanna bury my face in them. Or cut them. I’m conflicted—do I leave them big and heavy, and your skin golden and perfect, or do I mark them so you will always remember me? Decisions.”