by Nikki Landis
After the bombshell dropped that Sasha was alive and Suraya’s twin, we all knew Acid was coming. Bodie ran into the common room of the Crossroads the following night. Frantic, he was searching the entire space in a panic.
“What’s the matter?” I asked, grabbing his shoulder.
That wild look was back in his eyes. The one I had seen far too often since Suraya died. “Sasha is gone.”
“Well, fuck.”
What followed was a shit show.
Bikes left the compound in search of Sasha and Lucky’s ol’ lady Cindi when Xenon tracked their phones. Fifty miles apart, I knew we wouldn’t find anything good. My stomach was in knots.
We rode to Cindi’s cell phone location first. It took a few minutes to locate the device since it was stashed inside one of the dumpsters behind the local Wal-Mart. Dread filled my stomach as Lucky, Bodie, Patriot, and Hannibal parked their hogs next to my own. My heart was racing, frantic with thoughts that Cindi, Sasha, and Trish were being harmed at that very moment.
Bodie was the first off of his bike, but he wasn’t the one who heard Cindi.
Lucky’s tortured roar of horror and rage emptied into the chilly, bitter night as he rushed forward, shoving Patriot out of the way as he picked up Cindi’s cold, shivering body. Her clothes were torn, blood soaked into the fabric of the material and dried on her arms and legs. She’d been sliced up bad. Only the freezing temperature had saved her life. She would have bled out otherwise.
Fury bubbled under the surface of my skin as I fought back the change. My Reaper was pissed. No hint of Sasha or Trish was found. Bodie was flipping out as he searched the area, throwing shit around and ready to fuck up anyone who stood in his way. I was barely maintaining control.
Approaching him slowly, I squeezed his shoulder, my voice low. “Lucky needs you.”
Bodie inhaled a couple of deep breaths, calming down enough to focus.
Lucky removed his jacket and wrapped it around Cindi as he lifted her in his arms. “She needs a hospital.”
Wraith had followed in his truck and opened the passenger door, wordlessly offering to give them a ride as the prospect Shadow slipped out and walked over to Lucky’s bike. He’d ride back to the Crossroads and inform the rest of our brothers of current events.
Acid wanted his war. He just fuckin’ got it.
“Take her,” Bodie growled as Cindi moaned, incoherent. “Text as soon as you know something.”
“I will,” Lucky promised, heading for the truck. Once Cindi was carefully placed inside, he gripped the side of the frame, dragging his gaze to mine. “I’ll fucking kill them.” The promise was evident in his eyes. “Once I find who did this, I’ll gut the bastards.”
I nodded, gesturing to Wraith. “Keep your eyes open. Stay in contact.”
“Done,” Wraith replied, his jaw locked in anger. None of us condoned violence against women but to do so to an ol’ lady of the club? That was fuckin’ suicide.
Lucky squared his shoulders back before he climbed into the truck and Wraith helped settle Cindi in his arms. We watched them drive away, the tension increasing with every second that went by.
“The SUV,” Bodie growled, straddling his bike, and glancing at the address.
Fifty fuckin’ miles. Way too much time for my imagination to run wild and conjure every possible scenario in my head. The ride seemed to drag on relentlessly even though we arrived in only thirty minutes. We’d broken every speeding law in existence to get here. The SUV was parked outside a little coffee shop that was already closed for the night. There was no sign of Sasha. I was right behind Bodie as he hopped off his bike and snatched a plain vanilla envelope off the front windshield.
Bastards was written across the top in all caps with a black marker. Bodie snarled, ripping the damn thing open as he skimmed the note before handing it over to me.
Meet me at the address below. We have unfinished business.
“Acid has Sasha.” The words were hardly more than a growl as they left his lips. “I won’t hold back, Grim. Not this time.”
I swore under my breath as I read the note and pulled out my lighter, burning it into pieces. “Acid goes down. Every member of the Scorpions is our enemy. Shoot to kill but Acid is mine and Bodie’s. I don’t give a fuck,” I hissed. “We end this shit tonight.” Fingers moving fast, I typed instructions to my brothers on my phone. “Xenon will stay behind with the prospects. Rael, Mammoth, and Diablo will meet us there. Exorcist is back from his ride south. He’s only thirty minutes out and will probably beat us there.”
Patriot and Hannibal nodded.
“Let’s roll out.”
I led the way as my brothers followed, each of us ready to do what was necessary to protect the club and find the women. I wasn’t foolish enough to believe they hadn’t taken Trish too. It was too good to pass up. My gloved hand gripped the throttle tighter as I pulled back and zipped through the city streets and onto the highway.
Acid was going to answer for all that he’d done tonight. I wouldn’t stop until his soul was reaped and he paid the ultimate price.
The bag was lifted from over my head and I stared into the face that had haunted my nightmares for six months. Acid was stroking the scraggly beard on his chin as he stared into my eyes. The scar on his face had grown red and ugly and it was worse now if that was possible.
“Glad you could join us, Tricia.”
I cringed at the way he said my name, tugging on my hair as he pulled my body forward.
“I’m ready to cash in now on all those favors I did for you.”
Cold sweat broke out on my body and fear crawled up my spine. It was on the tip of my tongue to argue but I was smart enough to know he would only punish me more if I did so.
“Not got anything to say?” He searched my eyes as if he was trying to decide what to do. “Take her in the back, Dawg. Tame her a little. I’ve got shit to do before I get my dick wet.”
Dawg barked out a loud laugh and grabbed my arm. I was hauled to my feet and dragged across the floor as I fought against him. His other hand reached out and dug into my scalp as he shoved me into an empty room. There was nothing but a bed and I increased my efforts, kicking out and expending entirely too much energy that I should have been trying to conserve.
Dawg slammed my head against the wall, and I saw stars as I heard his zipper go down. Terror sent adrenaline rushing through my veins. I refused to be raped. I’d fucking claw, bite, kick, scratch, and beat him to death with my own two fists first. I’d die before I let that happen.
Dawg was fast. He was on me in a flash, shoving me down to my knees. Dizzy, I had to focus hard enough not to pass out. I knew exactly what I would wake up to if I did. His cock rammed inside my mouth as he pried open my jaw with both hands. Furious, I scratched at his arms and then bit down hard.
A loud roar left his mouth. His fist hit my jaw and I nearly slumped over. Blinking, I scrambled away from him as his boot kicked out and hit my side. Gasps left my throat as I felt like someone had punched my lungs flat. A slap stung my left cheek and then another landed on my right. Dawg reached for the waistband of my jeans and I kicked like crazy, one booted heel brutalizing his dick as momentum carried me forward.
Pissed off, I swung my own fists. He was knocked backward, holding his crotch, and cursing loudly.
“Come at me again, motherfucker!” I shouted. “I dare you.”
Applause echoed from the door as I turned my head and found Acid standing there with a sadistic smile on his face like he enjoyed the free show. Chest heaving, I swore I was going to find a way out of here. These assholes had no idea how badly I was going to fuck them up.
Screw waiting for help. I wasn’t weak and I wasn’t helpless.
I’d forgotten that over the last six months. My grief and shock pulled me under. I was depressed, scared, and completely overwhelmed by all that I had witnessed.
Not anymore. Like waking from a nightmare, I found my courage in a dingy room in the Scorpion co
mpound. If I was going to die, I was at peace with it. That made the idea of survival almost a game.
Staring at Acid, a cruel smile twisted my mouth into something feral.
He must have known I was on the edge. Dangerous creatures recognized one another. So did the desperate and unhinged.
“Follow me,” he ordered after a moment.
I didn’t know if it was pride or simple curiosity that prompted me to follow but I left that room without glancing behind me. Acid led the way up a flight of stairs and to a different room at the end of a long hall. He opened the door and gestured inside.
“There’s not much but I gather you won’t need it anyway.”
He seemed to be waiting for my reply or a question.
“Nope,” I finally answered.
“I see we understand one another. No one else will come in until it’s time.”
I managed a nod of acknowledgement.
“You’re not what I thought,” he mused aloud. “There’s fire in you. Something I didn’t see before.”
So?
“Makes me wonder a lot of things.”
He didn’t say and I didn’t ask. What he wanted or cared about weren’t my concern. I honestly was over it. Walking to the window that led outside to the sharp drop below, I knew I was brought here because there was no way to escape this room.
“Grim is coming.”
I turned around and shrugged, my expression unfazed as I let the words escape. “I don’t need his help.”
“You know what? I don’t think you do.” He closed the door with a chuckle, and I heard the lock click into place. Cold air filtered through the gaps in the concrete where there was no insulation. I was chilled but alive and unharmed, at least for the most part. Bruises, aches, and a busted lip were far better than the alternative.
Two days crawled by as I became acquainted with every single mark on the concrete and plaster on the walls and ceiling in that room. I’d counted them a hundred times. Boredom was the least of my worries. Maybe I was just going crazy.
There was a commotion outside the door later in the afternoon. It was the first noises I heard in almost a day. I’d fallen asleep briefly and a bag of food and a water bottle were left for me on the floor by the door. I ate every bite even though the burger was ice cold and the fries stiff and stale. The water hydrated my body, and I felt a little better.
When the door opened, I was shocked to find Sasha shoved inside. A hood was yanked from over her head and she was pushed forward so hard she almost fell.
“What happened? Who hurt you?”
I guess I looked like shit. Wasn’t a surprise since I felt that way too. “Dawg doesn’t like the word no,” I spat.
Sasha peeked outside and found the drop to the asphalt parking lot below, only a few sporadic bushes lined up along the edge of the building. More weeds than anything else.
She sat down next to me, biting her lips with concern. “Did he force you?”
Smirking, I gave her a cynical grin. “I managed to avoid being raped but that didn’t mean I don’t know the taste of Dawg’s nasty dick.”
“Fuck that. You should have bitten it off.”
“He’s in pain,” I assured her.
She smiled. “Good. I want to make them all suffer.”
“You and me both. Acid most of all. He’s a worthless piece of shit.”
“I know.” Sighing, she leaned her head on my shoulder. “Have you tried to get away?”
“There’s nowhere to go even if I didn’t break an ankle trying to jump out the window.”
“Too many Scorpions around,” she acknowledged. “Any other ideas?”
“I’ve seen the back entrance. If we could bust out of this room, we might be able to reach a vehicle and escape. Of course, we need keys, and I don’t where to get them.”
“Alright. Let’s think this through. First, how do we get out of this room?”
“The door is always locked. We could try to overpower one of them if they come in alone.”
“I won’t be much help.” Lifting her hands, she showed off the zip ties clasping her wrists together. “These are a pain in the ass.”
“There’s nothing in this room but an empty desk in the corner. Acid has made me sit on the cold concrete for days. My ass is permanently frozen,” I joked.
“What a dickwad.”
We both shivered as the temperature seemed to drop. A draft was allowing freezing air to pass through the multiple cracks in the walls and the poor insulation. Before I could speak, the door opened. Acid walked into the room with a smug smile on his deformed face. Sasha smiled when she noticed her handiwork.
Members of the Scorpion MC entered the room followed by Zook, Dawg, and a Hispanic man I didn’t know. He began to taunt Sasha, revealing that he knew her sister and expected Sasha to work off Suraya’s debts. We all knew what that meant.
Everything exploded into chaos when I heard Bodie’s voice and then Grim’s.
My head rose up at the sound of Grim’s deep and gravelly growl. A small whimper left my throat as he sauntered through the door followed by members of the Royal Bastards MC. At first, I couldn’t figure out why they all appeared so different. I thought they were wearing masks.
All of them looked like dead men walking. Dark hallowed out eye sockets, pale faces, blackened noses, and macabre teeth that looked like they could rip apart flesh without much effort. Each man’s eyes glowed with a feral and sinister gleam.
What. The. Fuck.
A scream of pure terror was ripped from my lips and I scrambled away, blinking rapidly to try to forget the images in my head.
Grim stood in front of Acid. “We finally meet again, Acid.”
Acid’s jaw dropped open. “What the fuck are you?”
“Your worst nightmare,” Grim announced.
I was so busy watching him that I didn’t notice Dawg approaching. He shoved me up against the wall and his hands circled my throat.
“You’re gonna die for what you did to me, bitch.”
My nails dug into the flesh of his wrists as he increased his hold. Dark spots filled my vision as I gasped and tried to suck in air for my aching lungs. The will to survive kicked in and I fought him as hard as I could, but he didn’t release me. As I started to pass out, I saw Grim’s determined expression mixed with the horror of walking death.
My life was a nightmare . . . and it was never going to end.
***
Warm, soft lips pressed to my cheek as I regained consciousness. “I’m here, Trish. I’m always here, angel. Always.”
“Grim?” I croaked. My throat was sore and felt like it was on fire. Similar to that time I had really bad strep throat as a kid.
“I’m sorry you were injured, and I didn’t reach you in time.”
“Okay,” I rasped, not knowing what else to say.
His gray eyes were haunted as I dared to look into them. He didn’t resemble that dark monster I’d seen during Dawg’s attack. This was normal Grim. The handsome biker I knew.
“I suppose you have a lot of questions.”
I nodded.
“It’s a lot to explain.” His hand reached for mine and rubbed circles into the flesh. “I know I scared you and I didn’t mean to do that. When I knew you were kidnapped, I lost my shit. I don’t want to lose you, not after all we’ve been through.”
That still didn’t answer my questions.
“What are you?”
“A Reaper. I harvest souls for the devil and hell.”
Blink. Blink.
“I don’t know what to say. Are you alive? Half dead?”
“Alive. Completely, baby. I’m the man I always have been. I just become something more when I have to take care of the bad guys.”
That was simple enough. Although I knew there was much more to it.
“I’m afraid of that part of you,” I managed to choke out. My hands rose to my throat and I winced.
“No more talking. You need to rest.” Grim lean
ed down and kissed my forehead. “Dawg, Acid, and Zook are gone. They’ll never harm anyone else again. I want you to know that.”
I squeezed his hand in acknowledgement.
“This is hard to comprehend. I should have told you sooner, but I didn’t know how you would react to the truth.” Grim walked to the door and then turned. “I hope you’ll think this over before you decide what you’re going to do next. If I have any say, I still want to be with you, Trish.”
His words stabbed my heart with their intensity and pain.
I loved Grim but I couldn’t handle anymore. MC life had nearly killed me. I was almost destroyed and finally finding my way back. I needed space and I had no idea how long it was going to take to find the person I used to be, to fix her, and to be the woman I knew I wanted to emerge from all the trauma.
For two days, Grim left me alone. He knocked once and asked to come in, but I shook my head at Sasha. It was easier and less painful for us both if I didn’t prolong my departure. Once I was recovered enough, I asked Sasha to get ahold of Bodie. He brought the bags I’d left at home before I was taken by Acid. I borrowed a suitcase from Sasha and filled it, ready to say goodbye to my life in Nevada.
I needed a clean break. Again.
“Are you staying here with Bodie?” I asked after I called for a cab.
“I love him, Trish. I want to see if it can work out between us. I want to try.”
“I’m happy for you, babe.” I gave her a hug and then stood, picking up my suitcase and pausing by the door.
“I’ll walk out with you,” she announced.
“Why are goodbyes so hard?” I asked, trying not to cry.
“There’s nothing happy or good about it,” she agreed.
Grim stood next to Bodie as I walked into the common room of the Crossroads. The cab pulled up and honked as I approached him, tears lingering in my eyes that I tried hard not to spill. “I have to go, Grim.”
He nodded as his fists clenched at his sides. I could sense the powerful and raw emotion that was barely contained. Grim was so calm on the outside but I knew he didn’t feel that way internally.
“I can’t do this. I’m not,” I faltered, placing a hand on his arm. “This life isn’t for me.”