Liz bites at her lip, sorrow blossoming in her eyes.
“I don’t want you to leave. I don’t think Nix wants you to leave either. He just wants to keep you safe by keeping his distance from you.”
Facing her, I can’t help smiling at the way she stares at me with hope in her eyes.
“I don’t want to leave either, so I’ll try to make it work and avoid Nix.”
Saying the words creates an unexpected knot in my chest. I’ve come to respect Nix and care about him, and there’s no denying he gets my body hot and bothered every time he’s near. There was potential there for something more than great sex, but I need to let those thoughts go, for my own safety.
Taking a break, I venture out of the tent to go watch the bike tricks. Maci leaves William’s side long enough to join me. She’s wearing a new property tank top, and I’m glad to see William has stepped up, unless he’s only doing it to mark her as his while we’re at Full Throttle. I hope the guy isn’t that much of a dick. Maci flicks a strand of her long, light brown hair off her shoulder and fusses with the bottom of her shirt, pulling it out of her cutoff jean shorts, and dips her chin at me.
“Can I borrow your pocketknife?”
Pulling it out of my jean pocket, I hand it to her, my brow raised. She cuts a slit down the side of her tank, then the other side, and hands the pocketknife back to me. Taking the split fabric, she ties a knot on one side, then the other, tucking them both under as she rolls up the bottom of her tank, revealing her lower abdomen.
“Now, that’s better,” she says aloud, winking at me.
Laughing at her cocky smirk, I push through the crowd and buy a cold beer before we find seats on the bleachers. A few rows down, I see the backs of Kings' jackets and vests. Maci taps my shoulder and points to them.
“Let’s join them.”
“Let’s not,” I say, sitting back. Nix is sitting in the center of the other guys, and this is the perfect opportunity for me to keep my distance. Maci makes a face at me, her blue eyes questioning, but she doesn’t push it. She sits back too, and we watch the show. Men come out doing wheelies, burnout spins, then show off more advanced tricks—standing on the motorcycle while it’s driving forward, sitting on it as it goes in reverse, then even crazier stunts with one guy doing a leg stand with another dude doing a leg stand on top of his back. The shit I’m seeing is astounding, and the crowd feels the same, cheering and shouting as the stunts get more and more death-defying.
A chick joins the stunts, coming out to the arena on the back of one of the stunt guys’ motorcycles. Another motorcycle flies out, and they do spins around her, drive away, then one comes back toward her, raises up on the front wheel, and kisses her as the bike stops in front of her, its back wheel in the air. The crowd goes nuts, cheering, their beer bottles and liquor cups fisted in the air. The stunt guys line up and rev their bikes, then take in all the applause. The show ends, and Maci and I slip out with the crowd. The Kings are somewhere behind us, and I’m fine with that. Taking Maci’s arm, I lead her toward the women’s tent shops.
As we pass food vendors, she turns her attention toward those instead. With the aroma of meat and french fries, my stomach grumbles, and I follow her, looking for something appealing. Up ahead, there’s a face that stands out among the bikers—his dark hair cut short, his broad shoulders, and the familiar back tattoo snaking up his neck. My footsteps speed up as my heart pounds aggressively in my chest. Ensuring it’s him, I angle myself for a better view and try to see the back patch. I get a glimpse of Sinister and stop moving, my body frozen in fear. Maci stares at me, worry etching lines in her flawless face.
“Synne, what’s up? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“Not a ghost, a demon disguised as a beautiful man.” Taking her arm, I lead her back toward the Custom Ride tent. “C’mon, we need to go.”
With quick steps, I glance over my shoulder. Hazel brown eyes make contact with mine, and I look away, hurrying my steps. Getting back to the Custom Ride tent, I gather my leather jacket draped over the chair Ink is now sitting in and toss my beer in the nearby trash. Walking up to Liz, I give her a hug.
“I gotta go,” I tell her.
She pulls back from my arms.
“What? Why? Where are you going?”
“I don’t know, but I can’t stay here. My ex is here, so I can’t be.” I can hear the fear in my voice, so I know she does too. She grabs my wrist.
“Don’t leave. You’re safer here with us than out there alone.”
“Synne!”
The deep baritone of Levi’s voice growls my name, and I flinch, closing my eyes, wishing this wasn’t happening. Turning to face him, I widen my shoulders, refusing to let him see my fear. Reaching across the table, he snags my arm, jerking me against the table, and brings me close so I can hear everything he whispers.
“If you don’t want your friends to get hurt, you’re going to come with me without a fight.”
Two more Sinister Sons are on either side of Levi—Joker, with his two red, two black diamonds on his neck and Ty, with his long, black hair in a ponytail—their arms over their chests in the standard biker pose. I can see the butts of their guns, just inside their vests. They’re giving me stares like Levi’s, and it sends a cold prickle down my spine.
“Let go of her arm,” Liz snaps.
Levi’s glare turns to her.
“Your ol’ man clearly needs to teach you how to respect the patch. This is between me and my ol’ lady, so stay the fuck out of it.”
Yanking my wrist out of his grip, I rub at the mark he’s left.
“I’m not your ol’ lady anymore. What we had is over. You need to leave.”
Levi cocks his head, his lips forming a frightening scowl.
“We’re not done unless I say we’re done, and we’re definitely not finished with what we started.”
Ty pulls back on his vest, revealing more of his gun, then tilts his head.
“Let’s go, Synne.”
The presence of a man comes up behind me. I glance over my shoulder and see Ink pulling back his cut to show his gun.
“We got a problem here?”
Levi scoffs at Ink.
“Stay out of this, Prospect. You’re in over your head.”
He’s right. There’s three of them with guns and only Ink with a gun and me, Liz, and Maci. Ink puts a hand on his gun and comes forward.
“You’re stepping into the Kings’ territory. I’d say it’s the other way around.”
Levi switches his menacing gaze to me.
“Step out of the tent, Synne unless you want your friends to get shot.”
Levi and the other two Sinister Sons put their hands on their guns. Liz steps back, putting her hand on my arm. Maci whimpers behind me and steps back. In my periphery, I can see her pull out her phone.
“Synne!” Levi barks, and I jump. Ink starts to draw his gun, but I put my hand out, stopping him.
“Don’t. Not here.”
Ink’s eyes dart between me and the three Sons.
“Don’t go with them,” he says under his breath.
My heart thuds so loud, I can feel it in my ears. Inching around the table, my movements are hesitant, my body beginning to tremble.
“Tell Nix goodbye for me.”
Ink reaches for my arm, but it’s too late. Levi yanks me into his arms, his grip so tight, I wince from the pain. He shoves me forward as Joker and Ty keep their eyes on the others, their hands still on their guns.
Levi keeps his iron grip on my arm, forcing me through the sea of leather and chrome. He veers to the right in the direction of the campgrounds, and I swallow the lump in my throat. Maybe, just maybe, I can plead with the man who once had affection for me.
“How’d you find me?”
“Got lucky. Been looking for you for a while. Figured I might catch a break here where all the bikers and chrome lovers come to fuck and play.”
“Why bother looking for me? You don’t even
want to be with me.”
Levi keeps his tight hold as he leads me on a dirt path through a small stretch of woods.
“You never should’ve left in the first place.”
Jerking my arm from his grip, I glance over his shoulder at Joker and Ty, their expressions cold and careless, and it hurts to see it. They were once my family, but that doesn’t matter because I was never a patch member, never their brother. I was nothing more than Levi’s property to them. I see that now.
“What do you want from me?”
Levi sniggers, lifts my chin, and takes hold of my waist, bringing me tight against his solid frame as his affectionless eyes bear down on me.
“To teach you a lesson. You don’t walk out on me or the Sons. Not with everything you know, not after disrespecting me like you did.”
Shoving at his chest, it does little to put distance between us. Fisting my hair, he yanks my head back.
“I think we need to fight and fuck for old times’ sake. I’ve missed it these last few months.”
Fear rips up through my chest, and I shove harder, but he just laughs, the sound rumbling out of his chest and across his lips with a frightening timbre.
“Don’t tell me you don’t want my cock in you. You used to beg for it.”
Hands trembling, I stretch my arms out, then kick him in the groin. He doesn’t expect it and buckles, loosening his grip. I take off running, but Ty catches me by the hair, and my face whips sideways from the force of his backhanded slap. Shoved into Joker’s waiting arms, he wraps his muscled arms through mine, locking me against his body. I can only use my legs at this point, kicking out at Ty. He grabs my ankle and slams his hand down on my shin, bringing tears to my eyes. Levi comes into view, his glare terrifyingly angry.
“You’re going to wish you hadn’t done that.”
Levi fists my hair, pulling so hard I grimace and am forced to follow his lead. In my periphery, I see movement in the trees and hope with all my heart someone has seen what’s going on and is getting help.
Tears sting my eyes as I’m forced by my hair into a clearing where Levi and the other two Sons have set up camp. Levi shoves me into an open tent and bends down, coming into the tent with me and zips it behind him. Joker and Ty are moving outside the tent, no doubt keeping guard as Levi follows through with whatever horrible plan he has.
Withdrawing his gun from his side, he points it at my face, and I crawl backward, away from the barrel.
“Take your clothes off.”
The calm tone of his voice is more terrifying than if he was yelling. He’s too controlled, too collected, giving me a bone-chilling view of the dangerous outlaw, the side of him he kept well hidden from me.
Leaning forward, I try to stabilize my shaking hands as I untie my boots. I can survive this. I’ve been with him so many times before, it’s just another fuck. When he’s done, when he’s relaxed, I’ll go for the gun and get the hell out of here.
As he unzips his pants, he watches me with a fierce stare that’s half hatred and half arousal.
“Hurry the fuck up.”
Releasing his dick from his pants, he strokes it in his fist, the barrel of his gun still aimed at my face. Lifting my shirt and bra off, I tuck my thumbs into my jeans and peel them and my underwear off my sweaty hips and legs. He glances down, briefly looking between my legs.
“On your back. Spread your legs.”
With one hand, he lowers his pants farther down his hips. Coming forward, he keeps the barrel of the gun aimed at my face. So many emotions are exploding through my body—fear, hatred, anger, disgust. I hate that I loved this man, hate that he thinks I’m still his property to fuck as he pleases. I hate that I’m not fighting him, but I know if I do, he’d beat me and hurt me far worse than forcing me to have sex at gunpoint.
Spitting in his hand, he puts his fingers at my opening and slides them in as I pinch my eyes closed, tolerating his touch. When he’s satisfied with my body’s response, he comes forward, putting his cockhead to my lips and moves it up and down my opening, gathering my slickness.
“Don’t pretend you don’t want this dick,” he mutters. “I know how much you love it.”
He shoves forward, invading me, and I bite my lip, grimacing from the unwanted force.
Outside the tent, there’s a ruckus, voices shouting, then grunts and the sound of fists contacting skin and bone. I recognize one of the voices—Nix. Levi pulls out, his face in a rage.
“There’re guns surrounding your tent, and your brothers no longer have theirs. Bring her out, now.”
Levi lowers on top of me, his voice a menacing whisper as he pushes the barrel of the gun into my temple.
“Tell your friends you’re leaving with me or I’ll kill you.”
Hearing those words from his lips, in that soulless whisper, has my chest constricting, my leg muscles tightening. Beads of sweat pool on my forehead, and I wipe them away as Levi glares at me, tugging his pants up and zips them.
“My ol’ lady needs to get dressed. We’ll be out when she’s done.”
Levi cocks his head, his gaze challenging me to say a word. I don’t, and he grabs my pants, shoving them at me.
“Hurry up.”
Body clammy, I have to wiggle into my pants. My bra and top stick to me, making for an uncomfortable redress, but at least I’m back in my clothes and no longer being forced to take his dick. Scowling at him, I reach for the zipper of the tent, but he yanks me back, making me wait behind him. Putting his gun back in the waistband of his pants, he takes my hand. Raising his other one, he holds it out as we exit the tent.
Coming into the sunlight, I look around at every Kings member outside of the tent. Jake and Dominic have Joker and Ty on the ground, their boots on their chests and guns in their faces. Every other member has a gun raised and aimed at Levi. When I look at Ink, I mouth, thank you.
Nix takes one look at me, and his eyes narrow to slits, then his face reddens, his gaze sharp and focused on Levi. Rage is like a fragrance emanating off him. It’s palpable, far more potent than the rage I saw in Levi. For a moment, I have hope I won’t have to leave with Levi.
“Why the hell are you in my camp, interrupting me fucking my ol’ lady?”
“Cut the bullshit. I know damn well she doesn’t want to be here.” Nix tilts his head, motioning for me to come to him.
I take a step, and Levi drops his arm, gripping me. He laughs, and I cringe.
“She wants to be here. Tell him, Synne. Tell this dumb fuck who you belong to.”
Staring at Nix gives me confidence. There’s no worry or doubt in his eyes. He knows I don’t want to be here. I look at Levi, who’s staring at me with a warning glare.
“Don’t ever touch me again,” I snap. “I’m not your damn property.”
Levi’s shoulders go back, his jaw shuddering, the only sign of the anger he’s restraining other than his deadly stare. Jerking out of his grip, I leave his side and go to Nix, who puts his arm out and moves me behind him.
“We can do this the easy way or the hard way. Let her go, get on your bikes, roll out of here, and never come back. Or leave on a stretcher and lose your bikes.”
Levi’s nostrils flare, and he locks his gaze with mine.
“This isn’t over, Synne.”
“Yes, it is.” Nix’s voice is laced with acidity and certainty. “You come back for her, you’ll be met with a bullet between the eyes.” Nix takes several steps forward, putting the gun in Levi’s face. “It wouldn’t be the first time I had to put a man down.”
“Fine.” Levi curls his lip, keeping his eyes on me and Nix. “Keep the cunt. She’s a nagging bitch, anyway.”
He spits at Nix’s feet, then storms toward his motorcycle. Jake and Dominic lift their boots off Joker and Ty, and they get up, spitting blood into the grass, wipe their mouths and go to their motorcycles. The three of them speed off down the dirt road, and I finally take a breath of relief.
Nix comes back to me, tucking his gun in i
ts holster. Putting an arm around my neck and the other around my lower back, he brings me to his chest. For several moments, I breathe in his masculine scent—a mixture of sandalwood and something spicy. The aroma alleviates my rattled nerves, helping me regain my composure. Neither of us says anything at first, needing time to collect our emotions.
“Thank you for coming for me. I’m not your girl, yet you just put yourself and crew at risk to protect me. I don’t know how to repay that.”
Nix lifts his hand, caressing my cheek, rubbing over the tender part of my skin where Ty backhanded me.
“You do mean something to me. It’s why I’ve been an ass trying to push you away. When Ink called and told me your ex took you, there wasn’t a second thought about coming for you.”
I’m not the kind of woman to cry, but my eyes are damp and there’s a flutter in my belly as I stare up at him and see affection in his eyes.
“I care about you too, might even like you a little.”
Nix’s sexy smile skirts his lips as he caresses his hand down my hair. The touch warms me, and I move into his open arm. With me at his side, he faces the other Kings members. They’ve thrown Levi’s and the Sons’ camping equipment into the fire ring and torched it, the smoke curling as it rises into the air.
“For the rest of bike week, the entire club goes everywhere together.” He looks down at me. “Including you.”
“So much for staying away from you.”
“We’ll figure it out. I don’t want you out of my sight.” He kisses my head, then lowers his hand to my back. Together, we walk out of the campsite while Wesley picks up a jug of water and dumps it over the fire, dousing the flames and charred gear.
Back at our camp, the first thing I do is take a shower in the camper, washing off Levi’s filth. Under the warm water, I have time to think about what happened. If not for Nix and the Kings, Levi would’ve finished forcing himself on me and even worse, would’ve either beaten me and left me to die or taken me back to the Sons for them to torture, rape, and kill me. I owe Nix my life, and I don’t know how to begin thanking him.
Leaning against the shower wall, his words replay in my mind, You come back for her, you’ll be met with a bullet between the eyes. It wouldn’t be the first time I had to put a man down. That threat was no joke, and Levi knew it. I could see it in his eyes. Levi might be the outlaw, but Nix is the stronger, maybe even deadlier man. Levi’s never killed anyone, not that I know of, but what do I really know about him anymore? Maybe there are multiple bodies buried in deep, unmarked graves because of him.
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